A must read post!

Jasmine has been posting truthful and encouraging words ever since she started her blog and this post in particular was so encouraging to me today. Thank you, Jasmine, for all your encouraging and convicting words!
I confess: I woke up this morning dreading what I would hear on the radio. However, my mood changed after I read and prayed through my readings for today. Here's just a couple of passages in Psalm 2 and 5 that put away the doubt and uncertainty I felt,

" But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield."

and

" Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
"Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us."

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
"As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill."

I will tell of the decree:The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel."

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

So, hop on over to "Joyfully home " to read this wonderful post.

In Christ,
Micaela

Psalm 18

This past month I was reading in the psalms and I came across a very encouraging passage:

Psalm 18: 1-19 and 30

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

This was so awe-inspiring for me! I could just picture everything happening and I came to a greater realizaition of His great love for me! How He cares for us and comes to our aid because He delights in us! After reading this section it made me go back to the first verses, loving Him deeper! And when you read further you will see (V:30)

This God his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

This was special for me because there are times when it feels like I have already read all of scripture before ("Same song, second verse"); when I feel too familiar with the things in scripture. I suppose that comes from growing up in a Christian home, I really have heard the major portions (Creation, Noah's ark, Jonah etc..) over and over, I am prone to miss the truly amazing things that the Lord has done and to find wonder in them. So when I come to passages like these I feel that sweet awe of my Savior that I didn't before!

I pray that the Lord will continue to bring His word to my mind in such a wonderful way.

Also I highly encourage you to read the rest of the chapter!