abbygail15

Our undivided attention should be on the grace to be given to us when Jesus Christ returns. In our current life we exoerience exoerience struggles and suffering. Christ' second coming inspires hope because our salvation will be made complete, our faith will received its full reward, Crrist' glory will be revealed and we will recive our crown of glory. When we live our lives without a view of this find hopw we become sloppy and revert to a worldly cebtered life.

This joy comes as a result of our faith in Jesus which gives us the ability to experience the things of God. This joy is the working of the Holy Spirit and we know the difference between the filling of the Spirit and what the world describes as happiness. Also when the spirit moves in a corporate setting it is also attested to by other believers.

I could I ever forget. These times of personal trials were the greatest spiritual times of my life. These were the times when I was driven to God through constant reading of His word and prayer. These were the times when I was full of the spirit and close to God. People describe these as mountain top experiences. One can' stay on top forever. The trial ends and it seems that we let go of the closest to God and slide back down into the valley. I assume that is why the bible places so much emphases on suffering

God's part is to secure or protect our salvation until Christ's return.Our part is to continue in our faith until the end. "run the Race."

Forgiveness means that we believe that Jesus is God and gave His life to free us from the curse of sin. If we believe this then we must be willing to follow our king. Obedience is the outward sign of our salvation. We follow and obey His word because we believe.

I often hear the term"backslider"to describe a professed christian who is living more in the world than in Christ. Paul used the term"to run the race" to describe our life with Christ. To run a race you must be in top condition and willingly exert effort. When you don't your human nature takes over and you fall back into the ways of the world. We have all been there. So the question is how do you stay in top spiritual condition? To me it comes from staying in God's word and praying unceasingly.

Why should we ascribe glory and strength to God? These are the qualities that conform to his name, his character, his reputation. Scripture says that all creation gives praise to his name. Because he is God he is due praise from us. When we deny God the glory and strength due him we become very ego-centered, we deny the glory due him and we take it for ourselves. .

When we are weighted down by difficult situations we just don't feel like praising God. Most of the time we want to blame him for our situation. We have to force ourselves to come before God in prayer. When we do this something happens. As we pray our attitude changes and our spirit begins to fill with joy and then we are in God' presence, his safe place.;

Such an easy word to say, "just rest in the Lord" but oh how difficult to do. My human nature wants to be in charge to control the situation. Learning how to rest in God only comes about through a life that is committed to serving God a life that is anchored in God's word and given to prayer for all situations. Then we can enter the safe place.

The image of the river and stream reminds us that no matter what rages around us there is a quite refreshing safe place in God's presence. The only way to have true peace is to rest in the knowledge that God is in control and as God's child I can have the confidence to know that God only wants the best for me. Knowing this gives me the ability to remain clam no matter what is going on in my life. I trust God to deliver me. God's command to be still in the face of difficulties seems to be a request beyond of control. But God knows that to be still is the only way we can focus on him and enter that safe place. If we are not still we are involved in the difficulty around us and we forget to turn to God.

If we say to God into your hands I commit my spirit we are confirming our belief in the promises of God as stated in his word. We are also affirming our salvation. This statement bring peace because we have the assurance that we will send eternity in God's presence. The statement "My times are in your hands" brings peace if we are truly following Christ because we know that God wants the best for us and will always watch over us. We can turn over all the cares of life to him.

How does the Lord quite his sheep and give them confidence? Because the Lord is our shepherd we will never want. He will provide for all of our physical needs; rest, shelter, food, water. The Lord will provide restoration and refreshing when we wonder away from him. The Lord will only lead us on the path of righteousness if we will only follow. When our lives take us through dark places he will protect us and lead us out if we keep following. Finally, the Lord not only provides for his sheep in this life but also in the next life.

David had quietness in his inner person because he knew in his heart that he was walking humbly with God. David was at peace with what God had in store for him, either as king or as shepherd. David was reconciled to whatever condition God would place him. The elements mentioned in this psalm are that Davis was not proud, he was not haughty, he did not worry about things beyond his control.and he fully relied on the Lord.,

Does God protect his people? Yes! Remember that because of sin we live in a broken world and are subject to its imperfections. Can we suffer from cancer because of all the chemicals we ingest? Yes! Is God the cause ? No! God still cares for us and watches over us and good can come from the bad. God has watched over and cared for Israel for over 2,000 years yet there were times when Israel decided to follow over gods and suffering resulted. Through all of these times God was there and his plan was still moving forward. When God's people repented then his favor delivered them. Faith and following God's word is very important to seeing the full favor of God's protection. God has a plan for our lives and that plan may include suffering and death to be a witness to the salvation power through Jesus Christ. God's protection is eternal and we need to see it in that light. God's ultimate protection is eternal salvation. Amen

It is unbelievable to think that God cares about every detail of my life. Everything I experience is of great concern to God. Do I experience trails and hardships, of course. But no matter what happens in my life God is there and I must turn to him and serve Him in all of lifes experiences. We tend to measure everything according to this life on earth but verse 8 of psalm 121 says the God watches over our coming and going both now and FOREVER MORE. God has the entire eternity in mind for us.

Psalm 91 teaches me that I can always trust God to protect in any danger or trail as long as I am committed to following Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Psalm 91 says that through my belief in Jesus I have the power to overcome all of the powers of the enemy. Nothing will harm me. The promises contained in this psalm are amazing. God says he will protect me, rescue me, answer me, be with mr in times of trouble, honor me, give me a long life and show me his salvation. This psalm is amazinf it make me feel like a superhero. Who can harm me with God on my side.

The images that the psalmist uses to communicate his trust in God's protection are 1) the image of the rocks of a mountain. To be hidden high above the reach of the enemy; 2) a strong tower. A high unreachable building in a walled city or high on the city walls, and 3) the shelter of God's wings. The idea of being tucked in safely away from any harm. The first four verses of this psalm remind me that I always have a place of safety with God no matter waht is going on around me.

I believe that i would follow the blueprint of Psalm 80.,First I would acknowledge who God is and only he could restore me. I would then acknowledge my sins and failures and ask God to forgive me and extend his mercy instead of his judgment. I would recount how I have failed God and ask that God restore me into his presence and give me a heart that would follow him only. The elements that should be present in a prayer for revival are humility, repentance, forgiveness and praise. This prayer would have a lot in common with the prayer of 2Chr. 7:14. First of all it would be a prayer from God's child who has humbled himself before God to seek his face and repent of his evil ways in order to find healing.

Why is dwelling together in unity so difficult? It is so hard because living in unity can only be achieved by being full of the Holy Spirit and that requires a 100% commitment to Jesus Christ. We are so entangled in this world that achieving unity will never happen. Unity can only happen when believers put into practice the fruit of the spirit a found in the book of Galatians 5:22-23. This is the commitment required of us. How do the principles of unity and purity seem to conflict with each other? To me the conflict comes from how we view each of these principles. Unity brings to mind our relationship with others while purity brings to mind our individual relationship with God. I believe we tend to think of them as two separate principles when in fact they are very tied together. A life of purity includes all one the ingredients necessary to achieve a life of unity. I hate to sound like a broken record but again Galatians 5:22-23. Why are reconciliation and unity such high values in Jesus teaching? I think Jesus placed so much value on these two items because they are the windows to the world. This is the way unbelievers see the different in the church and want these values in their lives.

They question that I had from the lesson is how would I use this Psalm to instruct my children. There is a saying that everyone hears throughout their lives, "treat others as you would like to be treated." This psalm by instructing us in the way to live a God pleasing life always instructs us in the ways to live out this old saying. If I can teach the principles set forth in this psalm I teach two things; how to live a God pleasing life which also transmits into living a people pleasing life.

Through salvation we have the Holt Spirit within is but we still possess our human nature. We still live in a fallen world and the forces of evil would like nothing better than to pull us back into a worldly lifestyle. Being constantly reminded that we have chosen to follow Jesus and reject the world gives us the hope to overcome. It is good to be reminded of the dangers of our former life style. The verse that stands out in Psalm 1 is verse 3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. This verse is filled with hope. Hope that a like committed to following Christ is not in vain. A life that will be filled with spiritual rewards.

Through salvation we have the Holt Spirit within is but we still possess our human nature. We still live in a fallen world and the forces of evil would like nothing better than to pull us back into a worldly lifestyle. Being constantly reminded that we have chosen to follow Jesus and reject the world gives us the hope to overcome. It is good to be reminded of the dangers of our former life style. The verse that stands out in Psalm 1 is verse 3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. This verse is filled with hope. Hope that a like committed to following Christ is not in vain. A life that will be filled with spiritual rewards.

Why is recognition that God loves you the basis of all faith? As believers we have changed our entire life from serving ourselves to serving Jesus Christ. This is based on his word which describes God's love for us. When someones truly loves they only want the best for the object of their love. God wanted the best for us so much that he sent his only son to die and rise from the grave in order to reestablish God's relationship with us. This only comes to us through faith. What does this realization bring about in your life? The realization that I have eternal life because Jesus Christ overcame death and defeated Satan. I will live forever with God.

What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? The writer is expressing his deep depression and frustration over his separation from God. The psalm uses as a example the separation from the temple in Jerusalem. The temple was where God was so a physical separation from the temple was separation from God. I think this psalm can be applied to every believer who lets the thinks of this world come between himself and God. The believer yearns to be restored restoration only happens when we turn away and fix our focus on God. How does the psalmist combat his spiritual depression? The psalmists uses three methods: Self-talk, deliberate remembrance and singing and praying. Have you ever felt this way? As a true believer I feel the tug of God's spirit every time I start to move away from him. How do you reach out to God doing this time? I never really thought about the method I used to return to God's presence but after studying this psalm I realize that I am using the same approach as the psalmist.

What does it mean that David desires to dwell in the house of the Lord.? I think it means that David wants to live in the presence of God each and every day. He wants to be so filled with God's presence that everything that David thinks, says and does is done to the glory of God. Oh that we could achieve such a level. What does it mean to "seek his face?" To seek God's face is to seek his presence. Both the old and new testament say it is a "setting of the mind and heart" on God. It is a conscious fixing and focusing of our mind's attention and our hearts affection on God. 1chr. 22:19; Col 3:1-2 How does David provide hope at the end of the psalm? Through all of the trails of his life he has the experience of knowing that waiting and thrusting for God to act will surely happen. His experience with God leads him to say that God will act if we will only trust and obey. David's life testifies to this fact.