charisbarak

The kinsman would be the next in line closest to the person in trouble. He would fulfill his duty by purchasing any lands owned by the family in order to keep them in the family & would go so far as to marry the wife of the deceased--as in Ruth. If he was unable to do this, he would declare it publicly & it would fall to the next in order. This was practiced to keep the original family name & property intact. Jesus became human--man to redeem us. He paid the price on our heads for all of our sins by dying on the cross for us. His love for us in incredible. He gave all He had for us. In His eyes we are of invaluable worth. Oh, to remember this each day......

God has shown grace in my family by accepting me back into His favor & love even when I have blown it so badly. I have seen Him at work (& know He is still working) in the lives of my husband & children. He is grace-filled. I don't think He could ever not be full of grace. He has picked us up in the most awful of conditions & welcomed us back to Him. I need to show that same grace to others each day. Lord, please grow me to be grace-filled.

God's steadfast love in the O.T. pointed to the time that in His ultimate love for the world (us) He sent His only Son to die for us & for the sins we would commit. His love never changed--it widened to include you & me. Praise Him!

One who keeps his word & is trustworthy is also faithful. You cannot be faithful & not keep your word always, nor can you be faithful when you are not trustworthy. There is no place for untruth in a faithful person. God is the true faithful, trustworthy one--the one who can't NOT keep His Word!! His faithfulness inspires me to be the same to others. It also inspires me to keep in His Word, searching out truths, replacing my thoughts with His. I want to be faithful to Him. Our character is of the utmost importance as we are witnesses of Him in our daily lives. If I am not trustworthy, am unfaithful & do not keep my word, I am not reflecting Jesus Christ in my life. Lord, I want to be faithful each day!

Israel would have had no chance to survive in the desert if it had not be God's intervention on their behalf. Israel, like us, would fall repeatedly. God's forgiveness was a great illustration of what was to come for us all. Yes, Israel did seem to be contrite after His forgiveness and Moses standing in the gap for them. The most awesome & amazing part of God's forgiveness is that He forgave me!!!

God supplies all our needs--there is no limit to His supply. Living fountains/springs are to be drawn from on a regular basis. Our thirst must be for Him. Our future is in His hands, we need to drink from Him minute by minute.

Pickledilly, you have said it all! I don't really resist calling on God our Helper, but because I have not put God in my thoughts & allowed Him to control me. I rely on my self-sufficiency & then cry out to God if I am unable to do it! Just like a child! Yes, my shepherd needs a sheep--one who will submit & willingly follow Him & His leading for me!

God has been my shepherd all along. Almost dying from asthma many years ago, he was there, as I was in & out of consciousness. He healed me. He was there comforting me as I went through the possibility of my 12 year old son having cancer. The amazing peace was indescribable. He was there in the many joys watching my children grow, marry & have children of their own. He is still shepherding/growing me. I can see as he provides for me daily & leads me on life's path set out for me. Right now, I am realizing that I don't have a whole lot of years left to serve him. He is still guiding me, helping me put Him as a priority in my life & helping me to rid my home/life of things that can be given away to others who might be able to use them. I know He will be there as I experience the deaths of family & friends to come in later years and as He leads me over the threshold of His Eternal Home. Praise Him!

I believe God wanted to see if Abraham would indeed sacrifice his son. Abraham indicated that he & the boy would return--they were going up to worship. He might have been fearful too, somewhat, but he trusted God. Isaac was his miracle child. God had told Abraham that He had great plans & progeny (sp?) for Abraham through Isaac. He didn't know what God was going to do, but He knew God would keep His promises to him. Yes, God will always provide for our needs--our needs, not our wants! It has to be within His purposes and plans. We must pray, keeping the lines of communication open to Him, and believe & obey Him.

A society that wants to change male characteristics to female is missing the whole picture of how God set up His world. God the authority--head over all (male); man (male) the authority--head over his family--answerable to God; woman (female) to accept the authority before her. There is protection under this umbrella for women. Yes, God does expect gentleness, kindness, sensitivity and love between man & woman. His authority is not just something to hold over a wife's head. This gentleness & kindness can be seen with Jesus as he interacted with so many different men & women. It just comes easier for the woman becuase of her mothering instincts.

God covenanted with Israel that they would be His special people. They were to repect & obey God as they would have their wives respect & obey them. The N.T. "expansion" of this is that Jesus becomes the bridegroom & the bride is the church which included all peoples (not just Jews) who had accepted Christ as their Savior. As with Israel, the Church needed to be a faithful bride. God would be jealous if His Church would prostitute itself. Loving "things" or other people more than Him. We need to give ourselves totally to our Father/Husband and bring Him glory.

Jesus and the Father are both God. The same but different. (It seems strange writing this when the concept is beyond my understanding!!) But Jesus came to earth as a fully human man/fully God, whereas God the Father still remained the absolute authority under which Jesus put Himself. Yes, Jesus & God the Father are equals.

The relationship Israel had with God was more as the absolute authority for them. It wasn't until Jesus paid the price for our sins that made us co-heirs with Him & actually part of the "family." We, through Jesus Christ, can call God "our Father" "Abba." Praise Him!

Father in the O.T. seemed to be used as the absolute authority over all. Father is the head of the family, the supreme & absolute authority over it. We should respect His authority & obey His Words.

God is my keeper. I belong to Him & I am entrusted to His daily care & protection. I trust in Him to guide me, feed me, keep me from wandering away from Him & into danger. lovingly disciplining me, protecting me, leading me into His righteousness. Of course, I need to stay near Him, rest in Him & keep the lines of communication open.

God, our Rock is unmovable, a refuge, protection, stronghold, salvation. He is security, a place on which to build our lives. I liked What Helenmm shared about the rock in Australia as a landmark. God has been our landmark throughout scripture. Rocks in Palestine still are refuge places for men & animals, I would assume. They could also be landmarks which remind us who the land really belongs to!

I think we cannot possibly know the extent of the spiritual battles which are taking place around us every day. We are shielded from much of it by God. The fiery darts flung at us by our enemy cannot hurt us if it God's will that He be our shield--to protect us. The war is the Lord's to fight. I liked what Blessed Me said about the shield of faith that we are to put on. I think our putting on the shield of faith acknowleges that in faith God is our shield. He is our glory--we were made to bring Him glory! Praise Him for His provision for us to enable to live this life & fight the good fight of faith. I think of God as the lifter up of my head, when I am exhausted or depressed from the fight and feel I am unable to go on. I can also picture Him lifting up my head to see what He has done, to see His provision for me. Also, to lift my head to give me direction and encouragement. God is in control. Not one of us can do what the Lord does for us. There is no one or no thing able to separate us from His love. He is to be praised we are to submit to Him & worship Him every day, hour, minute. We are needy & need Him & what He only can provide. Ultimately we are nothing without Him, and belong entirely to Him. Praise Him Now!!

In times of danger to be the protected one is to be the one dwelling/living close to the Almighty. and trusting that He will protect us. It also mentions resting in His shadow. Oh, to be dwelling ever closer to Him each day! The metaphors used in this Psalm are shelter, shadow, refuge, fortress, covered with His feathers, his wings, shield, rampart, dwelling. Everyone could identify with at lease one of the metphors used to describe our Protector. They are also a great way to keep this in your memory. I can picture myself resting in His shadow--knowing I can really rest because he is actively protecting me; being covered with His feathers, comfy, protected & warm. Then to know the angels are commanded by the Lord to protect us. What wonderful pictures of our wonderful Lord!!!

It is significant to confess Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins & rose again the 3rd day as the owner & ruler of our entire being, to save us individually. Romans 10:9 says that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. We can count on that!! Praise Him!!

Governments need to know they are directly responsible to God, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, for decisions made in and for the country. Those in high positions have the more responsibility. When a government allows itself to be degraded by pushing aside God's laws & honor, it sets the country in a position of needing God's judgment upon it. It might still be used by God for His Holy Will, but ultimately the country will have to pay for it's godlessness.

If I acknowledge God as my King and Jesus as the Messiah, I must also live it with my whole life. I need to be subject to Him; I need to honor Him; I need to give my entire life and possessions to Him to use as He may; I need to put Him in my driver's seat. With God as ruler in my life, I can count on Him never changing. Since He is all-wise & I know He loves me, He is the best to lead me. He, the most powerful, will defeat my enemies. Each day I must acknowledge Him as the Lord of my life. I must communicate with Him--through His Word, through prayer. I must obey what He reveals to me. I need to be open to His leading. A person rejects Him when he refuses to obey; when he is independent/prideful not willing to submit to God; when he chooses the world and what the world has to offer--including human beings who are given idol status; not giving God the glory He deserves, nor giving his own life and desires to his King.

When Israel asked for a human king, Samuel warned them as to what to expect. This king would rightly demand the tithe and more. What you owned would now have to be shared with a human king. (much as it is today). Rather than giving all to God & having Him reign over them, they chose a human. A King is worthy of offerings & tithes--how much more the King of Kings & the Lord of Lords. We actually rob God when we don't honor him with our tithes & offerings. Who actually owns it all anyway? Of course we are God's & everything we have--including the next breath. Yes, and like "saved55" says--who can outgive God? We rob & dishonor Him, but we also miss out on many blessings.