Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 5:11-12

This Week's Scripture September 9 - September 15, 2012

   

Nuggets of Reflection:

• Refuse to let anything separate you from God's love.
• When going through hardships, you must acquire (or even beforehand develop) an inward certainty that God loves you no matter what.
• Going through hardships, doesn't mean that God has taken away His love. In fact, it's His way to take what devil meany for harm; He will make for good.
• When others begin to see how much you love and trust God wholeheartedly, whether during the good or the bad, they, too, will be fully persuaded in God's love for them.
• Promise yourself that you will hold on to God's everlasting, unconditional, heart-warming love.

         
Psalms 5:11-12
But let all those rejoice who put their  trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.


For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 1

This Week's Scripture September 2 - September 8, 2012


Nuggets of Reflection:

• Being prosperous and in good health are part of our salvation/benefit package in Christ.
• When you discipline your body, you can be at your very best for God's service. You can do more for God, if you are a healthy vessel.
• You can't experience true prosperity until you have God in your life.
  
• Before you can have prosperity, you must have a priority. And that priority has to be God.
• We are to appreciate what we HAVE....not whine and complain about what we HAVE NOT.

 
Psalms 1

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,


And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,


Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 100

This Week's Scripture August 26 - September 1, 2012


Nuggets of Reflection:

• As we worship Him, God wants us to experience pleasure, joy, and delight while in His presence.
• You can enter into God's presence by shouting, worshipping, and singing to the Lord Most High with gladness.
• Sing joyfully!! Sing with gladness!! Sing His praises!! Sing of His marvelous and glorious works!!
  
• When you decide to make an executive decision to stand on Psalms 100:1-2, God will open up a window and pour you out a blessing.
• There is freedom, joy, healing, etc., when you "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, Serve the Lord with gladness; And Come before His presence with singing."

 
Psalms 100

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;


It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.


Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 66:1-7

This Week's Scripture August 5 - August 11, 2012


Nuggets of Reflection:

• You can't do anything without the empowering of the Spirit of God.
• When we tap into the power of God, we can overcome any obstacle that may come our way.
• God wants His children to know that the truest source of power does not come through might and power from humans, but by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
• One way to tap into the Holy Spirit's power is to pray. Believe in the POWER of prayer.
• With the empowering of God's Spirit, the IMPOSSIBLE becomes POSSIBLE in the name of Jesus.

 
Psalms 66:1-7
(Praise God for His Awesome Works)

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!

Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;

They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah
Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
He turned the sea into dry land;

They went through the river on foot.
There we will rejoice in Him.
He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 130

This Week's Scripture for July 22 - July 28, 2012

Nuggets of Reflection:

• The Lord is our portion, especially when it seems like we have nothing else left.
• Put all your hope in God and wait patiently for Him to deliver.
• Don't stress. Enjoy life and receive the joy of the Lord while you wait.
• Don't let the devil fool you while you wait. God's word clearly states that He is good to those who wait for Him.
• There is always hope in God's salvation.

 


Psalms 130
(Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord)

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalm 119:9-17

This Week's Scripture for July 15 - July 21, 2012

Nuggets of Reflection:

• God's word is not empty, but full of power, life, and purpose.
• Whenever you feel a sense of emptiness or feel like something is missing, read and meditate on God's word.
• God's word will never fail. It's prosperous and successful.
• God's word is bond. It holds truth. So, if God says it or have said it, you better believe it.
• Read, Meditate, Speak, and Live the Word of God.

Psalms 119:9-17
How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts,

And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word

Saturday Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 18

This Week's Scripture for July 8 - July 14, 2012

Nuggets of Reflection:

• Through Jesus, God is the Rock of our salvation.
• The Lord lives and He is alive in us.
• Jesus is a firm foundation that we can stand on. It will never crack under pressure or erode away.
• No matter whats going on good or bad, we should always stand firm on God's word and proclaim who Jesus is.
• "On Christ the solid rock we stand; All other ground is sinking sand."

Psalm 18:1-3,30-33,46

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.

The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 55

This Week's Scripture for July 1 - July 7, 2012

Nuggets of Reflection:

• Meditate on Philippians 4:6-7.
• Be anxious for nothing, make your requests to God, and praise Him advance for manifestation.
• Worrying distracts you from the work God has for you.
• Cast all your cares upon God and allow His peace to guard your heart from the enemy ungodly influences.
• God's peace surpasses all understanding. So, don't lean on your own understanding. Just trust God and believe what He said He will do.

Psalms 55:1-6, 16-18, 22
Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
Attend to me, and hear me;
I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
Because of the voice of the enemy,......

My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.

As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
He has redeemed my soul in peace
from the battle that was against me,.....

Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit
the righteous to be moved.

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Saturday's Stop and Reflect ~ Psalms 51:10

This Week's Scripture for June 24 - June 30, 2012



Nuggets of Reflection:

• Create means to be fashion anew. Let God do a new thing in your heart.
• Strip away the old, hard areas of my heart so that the new can come to surface.
• When God creates something, He changes the order of it.
• God is in the business of creating, transforming, restoring, and cleaning.
• What God did for David in Psalm 51, He can do it for you.

Psalm 51
Be merciful to me, O God,
because of your constant love.
Because of your great mercy
wipe away my sins!
Wash away all my evil
and make me clean from my sin!


I recognize my faults;
I am always conscious of my sins.
I have sinned against you—only against you—
and done what you consider evil.
 So you are right in judging me;
you are justified in condemning me.
I have been evil from the day I was born;
from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful.


Sincerity and truth are what you require;
fill my mind with your wisdom.
Remove my sin, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
and though you have crushed me and broken me,
I will be happy once again.
Close your eyes to my sins
and wipe out all my evil.

Create a pure heart in me, O God,
and put a new and loyal spirit in me.
Do not banish me from your presence;
do not take your holy spirit away from me. Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach sinners your commands,
and they will turn back to you.


Spare my life, O God, and save me,
and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.
Help me to speak, Lord,
and I will praise you.

You do not want sacrifices,
or I would offer them;
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God;
You will not reject a humble and repentant heart.

O God, be kind to Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices
and with our burnt offerings;
and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
(gnt)

Psalm Reading For Today

Psalm 36:5-10
Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD.   




How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.





I pray that this psalm reading is a blessing to you in the name of Jesus. Remember that God's love is unfailing; And His faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.  Blessings to you on this day!!  Have a great and blessed weekend!! =D

The Safety of Abiding in God's Presence

I have many of my close girlfriends (more like my sisters) who are expecting great things from God in 2012. In addition to that, they are longing to get closer to God like never before. They have dreams and goals that God has planted in their hearts. Every time we talk about their plans for 2012, they are giddy just like a kid in a candy store. My girlfriends are very much excited about what lies ahead for them spiritually, physically, and financially.

However, along with all the giddyness and excitement come attacks from satan. He doesn't want us to get excited about our future; and part of it is because satan knows how bright our future is in Jesus. So, he will do everything in is power to diminish our hopes, our dreams, and our faith in God. With that being said, I thought Psalm 91 is one of many bible passages that fits best when it comes to praying for protection from the enemy. Whatever area in your life that the devil is attacking, plead the blood of Jesus on it and stand on what God promises you in Psalm 91.







Psalm 91
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”


Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.


A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.


Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.


“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Psalm 42 and Psalm 43

Psalm 42 AS the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?" When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me— A prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" As with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 43 VINDICATE me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

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Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are considered to be one in the same. Psalm 42 is about Yearning for God in the Midst of Distress. And Psalm 43 is about Prayer to God in the Time of Trouble.

In very discouraging and distressful situations, God can seem very far away, especially when under so much ridicule. Many times we may feel oppress, hopeless, fearful, weary, and alone. However, we must remember that our only hope is in God. We must seek Him through prayer, praise, worship, daily bible reading, and devotional time.

In the midst of your dreadful storm, remember God's promises and focus on them. This will keep you strong in faith.

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
(Romans 10:17)

Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are perfect examples for giving God a "YET" praise. God even though I am having marital problems, Yet - I will praise You. God, even though I am in a desperate financial need, YET - I will praise you. God, even though I am having issues with my boss or co-workers, YET, I will praise you.

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,For the help of His countenance."
(Psalm 42:5)

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (Psalm 42:11)

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."
(Psalm 43:5)

No matter what kind of adversity you are facing or what kind of distress you are experiencing, give God a YET praise. God is moved by our "YET" praise. He loves it when we take our eyes off of our circumstance and focus on Him.


Giving God a "YET" praise in the time of distress, can give you an opportunity to take your mind off your problems. Sometimes when you take all of your energy and time and focus on everything that seems to be going wrong in your life, it can drain you dry, which can possibly lead to depression. Because the more you focus on problems, the more you can become weighted down by them.

Note from The Life Application Bible:
Depression is one the most common emotional ailments. One antidote for depression is to meditate on the record for God's goodness to His people. This will take your mind off the present situation as you focus your thoughts on God's ability to help you rather than on your inability to help yourself. When you feel depressed take adavantage of Psalms 42 and 43 antidepressant. Read the bible's account of God's goodness and meditate on them.

Heavenly Father I pray for everyone who are facing adversities or going through a distressful situation that they focus on your goodness and mercy. I pray they will give you a "YET" praise in the midst of their storm. And power by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus, I rebuke any inkling of depression. I put all my hope in You. In the name of Jesus, I pray....Amen.

Saturday Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 149:1-6

Psalm 149:1-6
PRAISE the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,

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Saturday Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 20

Psalm 20

MAY the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;

May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

May He grant you according to your heart's
desire, And fulfill all your purpose.

We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name
of our God we will set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the
name of the LORD our God.

They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call.

Saturday Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 111:1-4

Psalm 111:1-4

Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

Heavenly Father I give you all the praise. I praise with all that is within me. No matter where I am or where I am going, it is You that I praise.

The works of the LORD are great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them.

You a great God! Marvelous are your works. We take joy in everything you have done and everything that you are about to do.

His work is honorable and glorious, And His righteousness endures forever.

I give you all the glory and honor for all that you have done. Lord you are good and your mercy and righteousness endure forever.

He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

I will never cease to give you praise and glory for all your works. I stand in awe of you. You are a loving, compassionate, and faithful God!!

Saturday Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 37:3-7

Psalm 37:3-7

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass

Trust. Dwell. Feed. Delight. Commit. Trust. Rest. Wait. Do not fret.
In Psalms 37:3-7, we are given a few instructions to follow:

1. Trust in the Lord
2. Dwell in the Lord
3. Feed on His faithfulness
4. Delight ourselves in the Lord
5. Commit your way to the Lord
6. Trust also in Him
7. Rest in the Lord
8. Wait patiently
9. Do not fret

This is a great psalm to read when there seems to be so much chaos going on around you; Or even when it seems like other people are getting bless or getting what they want, but it seems like you are not receiving anything from God. Psalm 37 is a reminder that if you just trust me (God) to do what I said I would, remain faithful, and delight yourself in Me, then I would give you your heart's desires. I am here. I am not going anywhere.

Another reminder is not to be moved by other people's success. If we must take heed to the other instructions in Psalm 37:

Commit your way, your plans to the Lord and just trust Him (There goes that "trust" word again.) then He will bring it to pass.

Rolling over your way, your plans, your dreams, your goals, your visions, etc., is one of many ways to show God that you are walking in faith and not by sight and believing in Him without a shadow of doubt.

Psalm 37:7 says, "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;...". This doesn't mean not to do anything. This means to spend time with God by reading and meditating on His Word, basking in His presence, and in all that you must wait patiently on Him. It's best not to be anxious while you wait on God.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"
(Philippians 4:6 New King James)

Last but not not least, DO NOT FRET!!! There's no need to fret or fear when other people are becoming succesful or receiving blessings and/or miracles. Fear of neglect. Fear of not being anything you want to be. Fear of being deemed not worthy enough to receive all that God has for you due to the bad choices you made in the past. God does not want us to fret, to worry or have any inkling of fear. Here's the Amplified and The Message Bible version of Philippians 4:6:

"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God." (Amplified)

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns." (Message)

Why worry??? Why fret?? Why fear??? It is our faith that keeps us strong; that gives us hope and a sound mind. Satan will try to use any ounce of fear or worries to distort our faith in God. However, if we remain steadfast, immovable and always standing on God's Word (His promises), then satan will have no power over us.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

We are the righteousness of God and He would do just what He said He will do. It may not happen when we want it to, but it will happen. God's word will return to Him void.

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)

It's all in God's timing.


Blessings to you on this Saturday Psalm Reading.

Saturday Psalm Reading ~ Psalm 27:1-6

Psalm 27:1-6
THE LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.

Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

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Enjoy your weekend!!!