Tuesday's Blog - 005 - Lifting your eyes in Prayer



Lifting your eyes in Prayer

 

 

Psalm 5:3 - My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

 

Now think with me for a moment or two; when is the last time you spent talking to the LORD? I hope that it was just a few moments ago! Many times in prayer our eyes are cast downward or even closed, I see nothing wrong with that; but there are those times when our eyes are lifted up.

 

For example; when we are rejoicing in the LORD over some spiritual victory or blessing our eyes will focus somewhere in the clouds or at some area on the ceiling... have you noticed that? Of course, not that we see God physically, but I do believe that our spirit in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, lifts our head toward the Throne of God.

 

Mark 8: 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  24 And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

 

When the blind man's sight was restored his horizontal view was that of men like moving trees; however when Jesus raised the man's head to look upward the man saw clearly. Spiritually the joy of the LORD floods our soul when we allow the LORD to direct our eyes to look up causing spiritual reward and I leave you with that thought. Notice how the apostle Paul explains this: 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.

 

One warning though... do not look up while walking or driving; while it will enhance your spiritual life, it just may have an adverse affect on your physical life. 

 

Hebrews 9:28 - so Christ was offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear a second time without sin unto salvation.  Jesse <><

Tuesday's Blog - 004 - Psalm 139

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 

It is easy for the human mind to feel the need to be renewed in holiness, my understanding of holiness is a cleansed heart or a spiritual heart in contact with God. Psalm 139:23-24

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 

It is spiritually exciting to know in faith that God has every aspect of your life in His watch care. I do not like the term "He has your back" My God, my deliverer has ALL of me. Notice how David reveals the Omnipresence and Omniscience of our Omnipotent God in verses 3-6.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.  6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

David continues his spiritual discourse of the wisdom and knowledge of God and His personal care for each of us. Ask your self- this question as David did in verse 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 

As for me when I consider the response of my soul it cries out with joy that there is no where on this planet or anywhere in God's complete Creation that I can go where the presence of God is not there. Note where God is and where you are today, or where you were yesterday and even where you will go.

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.  9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.   (I have been deep in the sea and I know from experience; God was there). 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall  on me," Even the night shall be light about me; (all of us have been in the darkness; and we know God was there with us, how wonderful that is). 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
 
A short pause, something to bring us to prayer, something to drive us to the Throne of God.

13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.  4 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!  18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

Does the Creator know the development of a child in the womb of his or her mother. You can know that He does. Does that babe in the womb know that His Creator is there with him or her... YOU CAN KNOW THAT THEY DO! WHY? Not because I say so... WHO AM I? God through the expressions of this Psalm; written by David through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God says... well, just re-read verses 8 through 18 and if you cannot understand that there is nowhere within God's creation that God is absent from loving you and meeting your every need.

While it is physically, spiritually and mindfully exhausting to think about abortion and the soul that goes back to God so quickly, I must conclude that God understands this seemingly helpless state of national blindness. I reminded of another national event that happened some two thousand years ago.
Matthew 2:17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more." 
 
19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.  20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.  21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?  22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 

Now do not tell me that your blood does not boil over the wicked acts of men and women who hold down the TRUTH with laws in the land that promote the things going on in our little corner of the world today. And if you say something like "what would Jesus do" and add that He would put His arms around them and comfort them into the kingdom do not say that in front of me thus you will stay healthy.

And yes again the search of the heart is needed...23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Tuesday's Blog - 003 - The Implanted Word

http://biblestudytools.com

 

The more we study the Bible, the more we want to sing. Our hearts become a virtual doxology. The word doxology comes from two Greek terms: Doxo, meaning praise, and -logos, meaning word. It's a word or a burst of praise. The most famous doxology was written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, and begins: "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow." It's one of the oldest English hymns; but as doxologies go, it's the new kid on the block. The oldest doxology still commonly sung is the Gloria Patri. According to Basil the Great, portions of the Gloria Patri were being sung as early as the time of Clement of Rome, who died around A.D. 100.

 

The statement above comes from Dr. David Jeremiah's daily devotional, I like reading his devotionals as these add great insight to living and abiding in the Spirit of the LORD. The example is in this small excerpt from the devotional in that the word "doxology" literally means to :Praise the Word" and if you are a student of the Word of the Living God then you know very well what this praise is all about.

 

it is very much like the song of praise that Mary the mother of the man-child Jesus, sang while she carried HIM; the Son of the Living God in her womb.

 

My soul magnifies the LORD, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold all generations will call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And Holy is His Name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of HIS mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.

 

We have a tough time understanding all that Mary sang on that day in Elizabeth's home and I  use the song to help you and me understand what goes on when we involve our hearts in a disciplined study of God's Holy word. Certainly Mary could not have sung this song if she did not have the information of God and the History of God abiding in her heart (soul). When I study there are those days that come when I magnify in my heart (soul) the things that God is sharing with me. these things seldom go down on paper and this is simply because these are personal things that God reveals and really would make little sense to anyone else.

 

This is where we all need to be: "disciplined Disciples of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God" Acts 17:10-15 and like Mary we should allow the Word of the Living God to be implanted in our souls in order that we can lay aside that overflow of wickedness that is always ready to subdue our victory in Jesus.

 

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to deliver (save) your souls. Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, since hearers only deceive themselves.

James 1:21-22 italics are slight changes in the wording.

 

 

 

Hebrews 9:28 - so Christ was offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear a second time without sin unto salvation.  Jesse <><

A Look at the Book - 002 - Seeing Truth

http://biblestudytools.com

 

The Holy Bible is written by God the Holy Spirit; see how Hebrews brings out this truth. 

 

Hebrews 1:1-2



God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the father by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, who He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the worlds.

 

You say you did not see this! Maybe you used the wrong set of eyes, spiritual wisdom is not seen with the human eye, note 1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

 

Of course this is okay if you are like the rest of the world for since the beginning of time mankind fails with the wrong set of eyes and ears to see and hear God. Isaiah 64:4. If you want to know Thee God of the Holy Bible, you need to believe Him and He will reveal Himself to you, but you must see Him through the eyes of Jesus Christ whom He sent as recorded in Hebrews 1 and declared of in John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

 

 

This will not stop me from praying daily for you, I like the way the apostle Paul prays for the Philippians so this is my prayer for you each time I remember you, which I hope will be often. 

 

Philippians 1:3-11

 

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  

    

http://biblestudytools.com