Becoming the Apple of God's Eye

[Forgive me for neglecting my blog the past few days. The weekend was an extremely busy one. I usually go out on church visitation Thursday evening, but now I'll go out also on Saturday mornings for bus visitation. I'm so excited I'm starting the handicap bus route. Right off the bat I'll have 5 ladies who will ride with me. Three are transfered to my route from another route. One lady recently cannot drive anymore. And the fifth lady has been sporadically attending church when she can get a ride from the public bus. Yesterday I started cleaning the bus and today will be another day of the same. Pray for me, Lord willing and by His grace I would like Easter Sunday to be my first day of operation. I have a reliable, faithful teenage boy as my helper. He's worked this route before and will be teaching me some things as we go. I would really appreciate your prayers.]

[Knowing God, Himself--The psalmist David was very intent upon know God's nature so that he would not damage his relationship with God in any way. David understood that the laws and words of God were refections of God's nature. In order not to violate the relationship, David was intent upon knowing what God had said. Notice in these familiar verses David's concern for the personal relationship he had with God..........]

Psalm 119:4:16 "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."

[David also asked God--"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings"-- in Psalm 17:8. David desires to be the apple of God's eye. We all are loved by God and special to Him. But this verse show how David is seeking a closer relationship. And then in Proverbs 7:2 it says "Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye." It seems God is telling all of us to keep His Words as the apple of our eye so we may have that special relationship of being the apple of His eye too.]

What is important to You?

[People remember what they choose to remember. Most people never forget their name, phone number, and names of their children. We can remember these things because we have repeated them often and because these pieces of information have a high personally priority with us. So how important is God's word's to us?]

Proverbs also exhorts the believer to retain the words of God by making them a permanent part of his life--to actually direct his daily steps, to preserve him from evil, to make him fruitful. These words from God must become so much a part of us that we do not forget them in the day-to-day activities of life. They can then dictate the next right responses we must make to life's challenges. We remember those things we choose to remember. Notice Solomon's exhortation toward this end through Proverbs......

• 1:8 "Forsake not the law of thy mother."
• 2:2 "Apply thine heart to understanding."
• 3:1 "My son, forget not my law."
• 3:3 "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart."
• 3:21 "My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion."
• 4:2 "Forsake ye not my law."
• 4:4 "Let thine heart retain my words."
• 4:5 "Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not."
• 4:6 "Forsake her [wisdom] not."
• 4:13 "Take fast hold of instruction."
• 4:21 "Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart."
• 6:21 "Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck."
• 7:1 "My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee."
• 7:3 "Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart."

Again the list could go on and on. [Over and over you will find me sharing things that speak to my heart. I do not claim them as my original thoughts but something God used to speak to me and so I share them on my blog. So that my friends may receieve a blessing too.............It is important to realize much of the motivation to remember the words of God is tied to the kind of relationship we have with Him. So what kind of relationship are we looking for with God?]

God's Words Are Not Junk Mail

Biblically, hearing means we are choosing to listen to God. Too many of us hear the words of our God and ignore them. We don’t respond in any particular way to Him and then we wonder why there seems to be so much distance between us and God. The answer is simple—His words to us demand and deserve an appropriate response. His words cannot be ignored or discarded as if they were a piece of junk mail.

The Christian life is not merely maintaining biblical rules but maintaining a relationship with God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning (the choicest part, the foundation) of wisdom.” –Proverbs 9:10 A man who is not in his proper place of reverence for and submission to God cannot be wise.

Proverbs directs our attention as a learner to God and those He place as spiritual leaders over us.

• 1:8 "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother."
• 1:20,23 "Wisdom [Christ Himself] crieth without........turn you at my reproof"
• 2:1 "My son......receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee"
• 2:6 "The Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
• 2:7 "He [God] layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous."
• 3:1 "My son, forget not my law."
• 3:5 "Trust in the Lord."
• 3:7 "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord."
• 4:1 "Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father."
• 4:10 "Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings."
• 4:20 "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings."
• 5:1 "My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thing ear to my understanding."
• 6:20 "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of the mother."
• 7:1 "My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee."
• 7:24 "Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth."
• 8:1,6 "Doth not wisdom [Christ Himself] cry?......Hear; for I will speak of excellent things."
• 9:1-6 "Wisdom hath builded her house....She crieth.....Come, eat of my bread.....Forsake the foolish."
• 13:1 "A wise son heareth his father's instruction."
• 23:19 "Hear thou, my son, and be wise."

This list could go on, but I think you get the point. Never in Proverbs is a man advised to listen to his own heart or to the heart of his peers. He is warned not to listen to seductive women, to crowds and mobs, to companions bent on being destructive and wasteful, or to evil men. He is exhorted often to listen to his God and to those place in authority over us.

[These are more excerpts from Jim Berg. There is so much for us to learn. If we are to move out of the “foolishness” of our own heart and develop a renewed mind we must make it a habit of life to listen to God rather than to our own heart. The cornerstone of wisdom is a dependent and submissive heart that shows itself by giving its attention to God......LORD, please help me not to ignore or discard Your Words so casually as if it were junk mail.]

Heart Condition

[I’m so excited Sunday is the start of our Revival services with Bro. Sam Davison preaching. As I’ve been praying about the upcoming meetings it has caused me to wonder about my heart condition. Not just for Revival but for all times, am I ready to receive the Word?]

In Luke 8:4-21 Jesus gives us the parable of the sower or you could call it the parable of the soil. This biblical truth is talking of the soil as the condition of man's heart and how or if he receives God’s Word.

The Indifferent Hearer –the soil of the “way side”, borders that are packed down and hard. This man’s heart is totally unreceptive to truth—indifferent. It bears no fruit and is therefore useless.

Impulsive Hearer—the soil is shallow with underlying bedrock. The heart is emotional and insincere. This man does not count the cost of receiving the Word and is unwilling to pay the price. The tests of life reveal that no seed has really take root. Stubbornness keeps God’s Word from deeply penetrating his heart making him useless to God.

Infested Hearer—the soil is infested with weeds. This person seems receptive to the Word but is unwilling to “weed out” the distractions that consume his life—anxieties, riches, pleasures. He doesn’t yield to God making himself useless.

Ideal Hearer—the good soil receives the seed (the Word) and produces fruit. It is the heart that hears the Word and keeps it. It is the heart that has not let anything crowd out or hinder the growth of the seed of the Word. Acts 10:33……hear all things that are commanded –And—Acts 17:11…..received the word with all readiness of mind and search the scriptures daily. This heart goes to whatever extent necessary to nurture the seed to fruit-bearing maturity and is truly useful to God.

“Hearing” in the Scriptures always means more than just auditory reception. It describes a high quality of attention and retention.

• Attention—In choosing to listen to God
• Meditation—in choosing to think like God.

[It is so important to be mindful in preparing our hearts to receive God's Word. Just as a farmer must till and prepare the soil before the seed is planted. Is our heart ready or do we feel hard, cold or indifferent?......or are we being stiff-necked & stubborn?......or are we easily distracted which gives Satan the opportunity to snatch it away? In other words, we must till the soil of our hearts (examine our hearts, yield, submit to God) with the purpose in mind to grow spiritually in our usefulness to God.]

Our Usefulness Will Be Judged

We must not forget how critical this matter of usefulness is to God. Many Christians today have the idea that they will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for their sin. That is not the case. All our sin—past, present and future—was judged at Calvary. The total payment was made and the wrath of God was propitiated by Christ’s atonement.

The Judgment Seat of Christ will be an examination of our usefulness of fruitfulness for God. The type of our works—not our sin—will be exposed as either “good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”) The word “bad” in this verse does not mean “evil”. It means useless or good for nothing.

Walking in wisdom, as the Bible defines it, is the only way for man to be useful to God. It is the only way we avoid being “ashamed before Him at His coming” (1John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”) when we shall stand before Him to give an account of our usefulness.

[How often we forget what our true purpose is on this earth. We are caught up in the business of our life, circumstances/trials/heartaches. When our purpose is all about Him and not about us. I may know these things but I'm so quick to forget.]

What is Wisdom?

The important lesson here is that wisdom is not having God’s perspective of the whole matter before us but having God’s perspective about what next response will honor Him while keeping us still usable to Him.

Walking in Wisdom with God does not give us special understanding to the “whys and wherefores” of everything that happens in our life. Very seldom do we have the big picture of God’s plan. Just as we see in the lives of Joseph, Daniel, Job, Paul etc….

Walking in Wisdom is having the skills (spiritual discernment) to respond godly to circumstances in our life. To know and practice right responses that keep us usable to God anyway.

So the goal of a Christian should be to stay on the path of usefulness to God no matter what the circumstances we face in our daily life.

[Today’s lesson (from Changed in His Image) was a real “eye opener” for me. I had not realized I was always expecting to understand what the whole picture & purpose was for the circumstances in my life. But all that I need to do is depend and trust in God. So help me LORD, to know the correct way to respond to the different things that come up each day. Help me to be usable to you.]

My Journey with God Through Music

[God took me on a journey today through songs. It blessed my heart so much I thought I would share this journey with you.]

Old Account Settled
There was a time on earth, when in the book of heaven
An old account was standing for sins yet unforgiven
My name was at the top, and many things below
I went unto the Keeper, and settled long ago

Chorus:
Long ago (down on my knees) long ago (I settled it all)
Yes, the old account was settled long ago (hallelujah!)
And the record's clear today, for He washed my sins away
When the old account was settled long ago

The old account was large, and growing every day
For I was always sinning, and never tried to pay
But when I looked ahead, and saw such pain and woe
I said that I would settle, I settled long ago

When in that happy home, my Savior's home above
I'll sing redemption's story, and praise Him for His love
I'll not forget that book, with pages white as snow
Because I came and settled, and settled long ago

O sinner, trust the Lord, be cleansed of all your sin
For thus He hath provided for you to enter in
And then if you should live a hundred years below
Up there you'll not regret it, you settled long ago

I Need Thee Every Hour
I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like thine can peace afford.

Chorus:
I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee;
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.

I need thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son.


Draw Me Nearer
I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and it told thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee.

Chorus:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in thine.

O the pure delight of a single hour that before thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I cannot know till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach till I rest in peace with Thee.


Each Step I Take
Each step I take my Saviour goes before me, And with His loving hand He leads the way, And with each breath I whisper "I adore Thee;" Oh, what joy to walk with Him each day.

Chorus:
Each step I take I know that He will guide me; To higher ground He ever leads me on. Until some day the last step will be taken. Each step I take just leads me closer home.

At times I feel my faith begin to waver, When up ahead I see a chasm wide.
It's then I turn and look up to my Saviour, I am strong when He is by my side.

I trust in God, no matter come what may, For life eternal in His hand,
He holds the key that opens up the way, That will lead me to the promised land.

Face to Face
Face to face with Christ my Savior, Face to face, what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ, who died for me?

Chorus:
Face to face I shall behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him, With the darkening veil between,
But a blessed day is coming, When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence, When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened, And the dark things shall be plain!

Face to face! oh, blissful moment! Face to face to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who loves me so.

Redeemed
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.

Chorus:
Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence With me doth continually dwell.

I think of my blessèd Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

I know there’s a crown that is waiting, In yonder bright mansion for me,
And soon, with the spirits made perfect, At home with the Lord I shall be.

What a Friend We Have In Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

He the Pearly Gates Will Open
Love divine, so great and wondrous, Deep and mighty, pure, sublime!
Coming from the heart of Jesus, Just the same through tests of time.

Chorus:
He the pearly gates will open, So that I may enter in;
For He purchased my redemption And forgave me all my sin.

Like a dove when hunted, frightened, As a wounded fawn was I;
Brokenhearted, yet He healed me, He will heed the sinner’s cry.

Love divine, so great and wondrous, All my sins He then forgave!
I will sing His praise forever, For His blood, His power to save.

In life’s eventide, at twilight, At His door I’ll knock and wait;
By the precious love of Jesus I shall enter Heaven’s gate.

O That Will Be Glory
When all my labors and trials are o’er, And I am safe on that beautiful shore, Just to be near the dear Lord I adore, Will through the ages be glory for me.

Chorus:
O that will be glory for me, Glory for me, glory for me, When by His grace I shall look on His face, That will be glory, be glory for me.

When, by the gift of His infinite grace, I am accorded in Heaven a place, Just to be there and to look on His face, Will through the ages be glory for me.

Friends will be there I have loved long ago; Joy like a river around me will flow; Yet just a smile from my Savior, I know, Will through the ages be glory for me