9 / 16
The Amish Voice 9
Read Psalm
119:1-8, 20-24
God wants us to
experience His pleasure
in us and His smile on us. He is not a
God who is sitting there with a stick,
waiting for us to mess up, but is rather a
loving Father who finds great pleasure in
His children turning to Him.
He has certain precepts or principles in
place, that when followed, bring blessing
into our lives. When we function outside
of those precepts, we often experience
shame.
He tells us in Psalm 119 that those whose
ways are blameless are blessed. He tells
us that if we keep His statutes and seek
Him with all our hearts we will be
blessed. If we walk in His ways He will
bless us. God WANTS to bless His
children, but so often, our ways prevent
Him from being able to do all He would
like to do in our lives.
In verse 5, the Psalmist expresses regret
in that his ways are not always conducive
to God's blessing and that he had
experienced shame when he did not
consider all of the Lord's commands.
This does not mean that we will come to
shame every time we mess up. God is not
that kind of parent, but one who sees our
hearts;
but as we look to Him with a desire to
learn His ways, and as we obey His
commands, our hearts are upright, and
He delights in us.
As our hearts are consumed with desire
for our Maker and His desires for us, as
our hearts delight in obeying our Father,
as He desires for us, His laws for us
become our delight to obey, and God
redeems us from the curse of the enemy.
It is when we are too proud to consider
His ways for us that we run into trouble.
When we are arrogant, we stray from His
commands and attract curses instead of
blessings.
As we delight in the Lord and what He
wants for us, we can find security in that
and do not need to worry about what
others may say about us or what plans are
made for our demise. If we know our
hearts are right, what others think or say
should not matter. We have peace in our
position with the Father.
I am far from perfect in both obedience
and in not worrying about the opinions of
others, but I find peace in seeking refuge
in my Father's heart, His laws for me,
and the refuge He offers.
END
Delightful Obedience
—By Norma Miller
Three sisters age 92,
94, and 96 live in a
house together. One
night the 96-year old
draws a bath, puts her
foot in and pauses.
She yells down the
stairs, "Was I getting
in or out of the bath?"
The 94-year old yells
back, "I don't know,
I'll come up and see." She starts up the stairs and pauses,
then she yells, "Was I going up the stairs or coming
down?"
The 92-year old was sitting at the kitchen table having
tea, listening to her sisters. She shakes her head
and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful."
She knocks on wood for good measure. She
then yells, "I'll come up and help both of you
as soon as I see who's at the door."
Three Sisters Getting Older
people. We are laborers together with God (1 Cor. 3:9). We are
ambassadors (representatives) for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
The Word of God says, "...greater is He that is in you, than he that is
in the world" (1 John 4:4). Let us, therefore, take God at His Word,
and rise up and defeat the enemy, using the delegated authority which
God has given us, in effective wrestling against the powers of
darkness (Eph. 6:10-20). "Behold," Jesus says, "I give unto you
power [authority] …over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19).
This is a true Word, but it must be put into execution by God’s
people.
It is the wicked spirits behind the scenes, the "rulers of the darkness
of this world" (Eph. 6:12), that are causing the confusion today, and
we, taking the whole armor of God, are set to wrestle effectively
against these evil spirits by using the delegated authority which Christ
has given us over all their power, "praying always" (Eph. 6:18).
Oh, to focus, to concentrate, to unite in calling on God, in faith, to
revive us again! (Psa. 85:6). Let us unitedly, in Jesus’ name, resist the
devil till he flees from us (Jas. 4:7). Fritter not away your time in self-
indulgence, in useless chatter and gossip, in non-essentials, but rather
"seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He
is near" (Isa. 55:6). Start now! Cry unto God! Press on in
the battle of prayer. "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).
God’s Remedy, Continued (from Back Page)
END