Finally, the Psalms scattered throughout this site have been joined with others to create a beautiful picture/psalm book, Sing a New Psalm. Please keep an eye on this site for it's introduction. If you were one of the ones who just bought an introductory copy, please give me feedback through this blog. The second printing is coming soon, and I would like to have your feedback first.  Thank You!

As I studied the Bible lesson for this week, The law of God and the law of Jesus, I wrote the following imaginary letter. Let me know what you think.

My dear friends,

Your current situation has been on my mind for a long time. Here I am, enjoying my beautiful home and lovely garden while you are eking out a living. What joy is my home when you are suffering?

I am writing to invite you to come live with me. I am not offering a shelter until you get your life together, I am offering a permanent home where all you needs will be met. I really want you to come, but you will need to know me well in order to decide if you will accept my offer. I am glad to come to you so we can get better acquainted. Don’t worry about being good enough, I already love you. If you cooperate with me, I will retrain you to fit in just fine.

I recognize that your current troubles are partly a result of your poor choices, and debts you cannot pay. That is not a problem to me. I already paid your debt for you; you just need to accept it. Then, just as I said, if you are willing and spend a lot of time with me, I can give you advice so you can make good choices and eventually learn how to avoid more debt.

In every relationship, someone must be the top. That is me. Once you get to know me, I know you will realize that I use my authority only to your good.

I suppose it could be said that selflessness and love for others is the basic rule of my home. If this sounds good to you, please let me know. I am looking forward to spending time together.

I do hope you take me up on this, I want so much to spend an eternity with you,

I love you,
The Lord of the Universe

I think I will ever be learning. Today as I was cleaning the bathroom, I recalled the following incident. When we moved into this house I decorated the bathroom. Each week as I cleaned, I carefully placed each item back where I had determined was the most pleasing to the eye. Each week, when my dear husband was looking around for ways to be helpful, we  would have the following conversation: Did you clean the bathroom? Yes. He kindly replied, oh, I couldn't tell. Each week I cleaned a bit deeper, scrubbed a little harder, and again, I would get the same question. Eventually, on a bad day, much to my repentance, I gave up and turned the job over to him. Since he was, at that time, retired, and I wasn't. He gladly cleaned it, and much to my dismay, redecorated. Week after week, I tried to figure what he was doing that I had missed. I found myself cleaning after him, the back mirror, the tub, etc., but resisting placing the decorations back in place. Then I got it!  Now, it's my turn again--he went out of retirement. I clean as I always did AND rearrange the decorations. We are all happy!

Here are the texts that go with this morning's prayer. I plan to study them throughout this day. Let me know if you find them a blessing:
  1 John 4:16;    Proverbs 3:5-7;    Jeremiah 29:11;    Romans 8:28;    Psalm 50:7-15;    James 1:4-5;    Matthew 10 and Luke 12;    Psalm 139:23, 24

I believe we are in the midst of a great war between good (God) and evil (devil). The following statement says it well: All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God’s adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)

Found this wonderful thought in my study this week:

"Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend." It describes the way Robert Sheffy prayed. I again reviewed the life of this circuit rider. Praise God for praying men and women! (There is a wonderful DVD on his life.)

I just listened to this homely by my pastor/friend, Collette Pekar. She adds the thought, "with a goal." Check it out: http://brunswick22.adventistchurchconnect.org/site/1/podcast/Worship_2014-01-11.mp3 

Here is a list of events in Jesus' life as outlined by my friend, Elizabeth:

Sitting  on a stone telling stories.  (Matthew 5:1&2)
Makes blind to see. (Matthew 11:4&5)
He makes sick people well (Matt 4:24)
The story He is telling.”  (Matt 22:1)Let the little children come (Mark 10:13-16).
“Who is this Guy, anyway!” (Mark 1:22)Water would be ruffled...the first into the pool. (John 5:2-7)
“Pick up this mat and go home,” (John 5:2-7)
Banquet at some big-wig’s house.  (Luke 7:36-50)
I smelled perfume. (Luke 7:46)
Anoint my body for the burial. (Luke 7:46)
He was hanging on a cross!  (Matt:27:31)I bring you good tidings of great joy. (Luke 2:8)
In swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8)
We trusted that this was He who should redeem Israel.   (Luke 24:21)
“He saved others, Himself He cannot save.” (Matt:27:42)
Lazarus back to life. (John 11:39)Voice rang out, “IT IS FINISHED”! (John 19:30)
“SURELY, THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD.” (Matt 27:54)
The soldiers fell to the ground!   (Matt. 28:2)
“Thy Father Calls Thee”!  (Matt. 28:2)Folding His grave clothes. (John 20:7)
Clothed in light. (Matt: 28:3)“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.” (Rev. 1:17&18)
“Surely this was the SON OF GOD!” (Matt. 27:54)

There once was a ticket, most precious to it’s missionary owners—just a few pieces of paper bound together as a little book. The couple was leaving their field of labor and the ticket included an irreplaceable side trip ticket side-trip to Rome. The missionaries hid them in the locked closet up under the shelf paper. 

The weeks of packing finally ended, the many good-byes were said. The house was empty, except for the furniture that remained and the four loaded suitcases. That morning as the couple left the home for last minute errands, the locked closet was emptied and left open for the housekeeper Mi Betty, to clean. Dear Mi Betty, what a part of the family she had become—a charming, ample woman with a heart that loved people and took seriously her role of making the missionaries’ lives comfortable.

That night, when the couple returned home late, the house was shining, and everything was in order. They once again breathed blessings upon their dear household help. Then, to their dismay, they remembered their tickets. They were gone! Betty had removed the shelf paper, and most likely gathered the tickets with it and sent it out to be burned.

It was dark and late, but anxiously they dashed out to the servant’s quarters in the back. No, the gardener had not yet burned anything, so they picked through the rubbish. Nothing. Mi Betty woke from all the stir and came to her door. Oh, yes, she did recall the cute little booklets. She had given them to her daughter for the grandchildren to play with. The daughter lived in a village several miles away.

The next morning, almost before daylight, the missionaries borrowed a little car and took Betty to the village, and sure enough, the tickets, damp, and crumpled were retrieved. Those of you who have heard this story before know I am telling our own story.

Every time I recall it, and the many other times God has marvelously intervened in our lives, my faith in the supernatural is reinforced. There are forces all around us, good angels waiting to help, eager to be of service, and evil angels, eager to trap us either by rewarding evil behavior and lack of trust with temporal blessings, or by pushing us to blame God for unfortunate circumstances. God, in His love, allows us freedom to choose, but gently cares for us and gently seeks to woo us back with tender yearnings.

God, once given our will, will take control and plant us safely in His camp! From that perspective we pray over every challenge and problem, and praise God for every indication of His care. As the we prayed during that night, and praised God when the tickets were retrieved, we declared our loyalty, and enabled God to work. The peace we had as we waited for God to work became a testimony to the onlooking Universe of our trust. 

These verses surfaced last week in various ways but fit together nicely. Praise God He not only calls us to be holy, He takes the responsibility to make us holy! What a wonderful God we serve!

Isaiah 1:18, 19
Psalm 37:23-24
1 John 1:6-10
1 John 2:1-3
1 Peter 1:14, 15, 16

This week I studied the story of when David transported the Holy Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He did not follow the proper way that God had ordained, nor did he come into the project with an understanding of God's holiness. David had the Ark placed on a cart. God's order was that the Ark was only to be carried by priests. No one, not even the priests, were to touch the Ark, however, Uzzah reached out to steady it. He was immediately stuck dead. This impressed David and the people of the Holiness of God. Before David proceeded with the procession, he studied and met all of God's requirements. He then came to the project with humility and fear. Read it for yourself in 2 Samuel 6:1-23.

It is my prayer today that I allow the Lord to make me humble enough to allow the Him to order my steps! Praise God He has forgiven my sins and stands in my stead before the Father! Now I want to be willing and obedient, which He has promised to help me be! 1 Corinthians 10:13