maynd

My words in reporting back to the group seem meager at best. My spiritual training didn't come from some great organized center of learning so I do appreciate all the comments posted here by so many fellow Christians. My primary instruction was on the streets of the inner city of Detroit (a.k.a. The Murder Capital of the World). Those were interesting times. many there were earnest seekers and more open than most to the words of truth. His power and strength in any circumstance was the rock we all clung to in those days. The rock we still cling to if we are smart. His enduring love was what sent us there and His enduring love is what the people needed to hear. By seeking His face before and during those times was how we were able to suceed in His name.

To be is such erenest pain either spiritually or even physical you only need to call out His name and He is there. When all other hope is gone Jesus is there. Yes we should seek Him first but we usually don't. We look for our Lord as a last resort. Oh how foolish we are. The scripture speaks of us not praying because we don't know how but to be in such agony that one can't even formulate the spoken words and God is still there. The Holy Spirit will pray with groanings that we don't understand on our behalf. Is this the only way we learn to praise and worship the Lord? So sad, to bad but now I'm glad.

To seek out the Lord's presence w/o a prior invatation and be received is so incredable, no offical in gov't would do that. Prez Obahma is a way to busy to accomadate anything like that. But God is never to busy that he will turn me away. To seek to be in His presence just to hang out there and spend time with my best friend is beyond amazing. Not to ask for stuff or for help but to lounge in the palace of the Master. Wow!!! Having move from the status of just His creation to that of His child and have that authority is great.

I've been using this study in Psalms to help with my ministry in the dialysis department at the hospital. Many times thats all I have, the Psalms reach even the most angry, nasty, tempered person when nothing else will. Many have over heard what I was sharing with someone and it reached them. To often people treat the Psalms as a theological book report neglecting the personal relationship Jesus offers anyone wise or peaceful enough to listen to the songs they sing in our hearts. They are changing my life every moment of every day. If I had no other book in scripture to read I would still find Christ's loving salvation and a hope for eternal life. I'm glad there are more books but still.....

How wonderful to have a God who is interested in our ever aspect. He knows all needs, dreams, fears and even our silly quircks. Still loving & caring as an gentel soft spoken grand parent. The writer here does ask God the obvious. Did God really need to be informed of the wicked that oppose Him. Here it does say to "hate" those who stand against God & all His goodness. I still have trouble with that because I can't get past the pity I feel. The sorrow for their foolishness. They have no excuses (Romans 1:18-25) and still they continue on in they blind obstanance. Oh how sad, that is one of the things that keeps me no my knees, just like the apostle James. His nick name was 'Old camel Knees" because he spent so much time on them praying.

To repeat from Saturday's session: I't still after all these years amazes me that not only would God give us the command to worship Him but the precise instrution as to how to best do this. Our ability to connect with the creator of this world, just little 'ol me!!! is exciting beyond description. I don't find any confusion in the 1st & 2nd parts. One tells us about praising Him where the 2nd tells us why we are to praise. His laws & precepts are perfect and His Words are truth unto life. The fear spoken here is as an awe not fright. Keeping me clean before Him & worthy to be called Hid child. What would any of us deny our child when they are being true, not requiring an adjustment in attitude? My olny purpose is to show God how much I love & appreciate Him. My only fear is that I might not.

The words 'declare' 'sheweth' and 'knowledge' of verse 1 speak to the 'law of the Lord' in verse 7. I can't see any seperation of these thoughts. It seems to be an imbelishment of Ps 1:1-3 which gives the answers to life's fulfillment. Especially verse 2 'his delight is in the law of the Lord'.