Do you fear God? 

 

Proverbs 9:10 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

Proverbs 16:6 

 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. 

 

          We’re taught that God is a benevolent and loving God. He has our backs, and through his son saves our souls. BUT! Do we fear him.  

When the time for Judgement comes, we will be standing before him answering for what we have done here on earth. Have we grown in Christ? Yes, his son did die for us. His blood washes away our sins.  

Do we fear God? Just because Jesus saved us doesn’t mean we won’t be answering God for what we have done. Do we live righteously? Do we strive to follow Christ’s ways? 

We need to listen to what God tells us. I know that I’m a “Work in Progress” and every now and then God says, “are you sure you should be doing this?” We need to stop measuring God by our standards. It’s so easy to pick up a cell phone or go online and go to sights that create lust or greed in our hearts. We need to watch this. These things grab on to us and we’re locked in, spending our money and taking our time when we could be spreading the word. 

Evil is purged when we fear God. He loves us and has given his son for us. Let’s live for him. Father in heaven, may our faith grow stronger each day and please bless us in every way. Amen. 

 Who do you Worship? Or What? 

 

Who or what do you worship? Think about it! 

Exodus 20:3-6 

King James Version 

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

In the very first of the 10 commandments, God tells us that we should have no other God but him. But are there others we praise and bow down too? Who do we pray to, God, Jesus, or the Holy Ghost? Or are there others we talk to... Our Ancestors, family that’s passed away? We need to put God first in our hearts, minds and lives. 

In the second commandment we are told not to make any “graven” image or likeness of ANYTHING that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath. Have we done this? Do we bow down to crosses, pictures of Jesus or his mother, statues of the Saints? We kneel with these objects in front of us. They remind us that Jesus is our Savior, But HE IS NOT GOD! 

Jesus is the son of God, our shepherd to show us the way to God. He leads us toward God. He never said he was God, HE did say in John 3:16 “I am the way, the truth, and the light. No one shall go to heaven but by me.” It’s through Jesus we learn about God. He is our teacher and I for one DO NOT want God punishing my Children, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren etc., because of me and what I have or have not done. 

I want to be blessed. To follow God like Jesus showed us. I want to talk to God like a friend and father. We end some of our prayer’s “in Jesus Name”. That doesn’t mean we’re worshipping Jesus, but saying “Hey God. Your son showed us to pray to you. That we want to follow you because of him.” 

What do these verses mean for you and to you? They are powerful words promising protection and guidance if we but follow the Lord God.  Father in heaven, may our faith grow stronger each day and please bless us in every way. Amen. 

 

 

Children’s Bedtime Prayer

When I was growing up as a child I prayed this when I went to bed,

 

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

 

Strong words scared some children from wanting to sleep.  I don’t blame them, but I never thought of it that way.  There are some newer less scary versions now that someone created (Probably with God’s help).

 

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

May God (or angels) guard me through the night,

And wake me in the morning Light.

Amen.

 

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

May the Angels watch me through the night,

And keep me in their blessed sight.

Amen.

 

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should live another day,

I pray the Lord to guide my way.

Amen.

 

It’s good that people have other versions of this poem that are less scary.  It’s important to us as parents and grandparents to teach them to love and follow our creator.  God is Love and Love is God.  Matthew 19 says,

“13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

14 But Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

 

Let us see the world through Children’s eyes, let them be told truth not lies.  Give us the ability to come to you like children and follow you through prayer. 

 

Father in heaven, may our faith grow stronger each day and please bless us in every way. Amen.

 

 

Who is your Shepard?

 

          Who is your Shepard?  It’s important to note who you follow and believe in.  In these blogs I hope that we learn from each other.  I have been off quite a few months as we all have been dealing with COVID-19.  It has been around 100 years since the last worldwide epidemic.  Now we are dealing with a new one.  Prayer is important.  The strength of prayer is amazing.  Today, I’m going to break down a chapter in the Bible that most people know or have heard of; Psalms 23.

 

Psalms 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 

          A short chapter with just six verses.  Powerful and meaningful.

 

          “The LORD is my shepherd;” it begins.  God is my Leader and Guide is the meaning of this to me.  To me is important as where God leads you to thinking a different way is just as important.  For God is our Creator. “I shall not want.”  I don’t need anything, everything to make me happy and healthy I have already. Amazing!  We don’t realize but God provides everything we need, we just need to keep our eyes open to see it.

          The second verse is just as powerful.  “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:” God lets me rest in places soft and easy to our bodies, giving us all the food, we need. “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” He shows us where the water is pollution free and clear, safe to drink.  Does this allude to the well that never shall run dry that Christ speaks to us in the new testament?  Maybe.

          Each verse gets more and more meaningful as we continue with the word.  The third verse begins, “He restoreth my soul:” Powerful!!  Think about it.  He takes your worries, anger, hatred from you, builds you up to let you know that HE HAS GOT THIS!  Next is “he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”  He shows us the way, the straight and narrow.  Showing us right and wrong so we can go the correct way.  And he’s doing all this for his own name’s sake!  In his name he’s guiding us.

 

          I got chills just writing this.  The next verse begins, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” Meaning even if I’m walking in great danger that could be life threatening.  “I will fear no evil:” I won’t be scared. “for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ For God is here beside us!  His guidance helps me feel safe.  Like a parent holding their children’s hand crossing a street.

 

          These verses are strong.  “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:” People who wish me harm may be close, but God will feed me despite them.  “thou anointest my head with oil;” The Prophet Samuel anointed David King over Israel.  He blesses me/us here by anointing us as his servants or Priests to pass on his word. “my cup runneth over.”  He’s quenching our thirst, the fire of curiosity of wanting to know him and be with him.

 

          “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:” If God wills it, I hope this happens.  May I be followed by all that is good and righteous.  “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”  God will make my home with him for infinity.

 

          What do these verses mean for you and to you.  They are powerful words promising protection and guidance if we but follow the Lord God.  Father in heaven, may our faith grow stronger each day and please bless us in every way. Amen.