I Want the Same Dedication

O GOD, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.  Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.  Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy Name.  Psalm, Chapter 63, verses 1-4.

I help my students analyze the descriptive writing styles of authors.  David would be a great example of this.  After reading how much David loves God when he says that his soul thirsteth and his flesh longeth for God in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, makes me want to have that same dedication in my relationship with God.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

I've Been a Gimme, Gimme Christian

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right Spirit within me.  Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.  Psalm, Chapter 51, verses 10-12.

I have a “Gimme Gimme Christian” relationship with God.  I have said these previous verses many times in church, asking God to make me a better Christian.  But the next verse says, Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.” Psalm, Chapter 51, verse 13.
 I have focused on what I want God to do for me all these years.  I want Him to forgive me for all the sinful things I have done.  I want Him to give me a new heart and fresh start so that I can go to heaven. 

I haven’t focused on the things that I should be doing for God, as stated in that last verse, like sharing God’s love with others.  I hesitate because I think, Big risk! Big risk!  But then I wonder, do I want to continue to be a “Gimme, Gimme Christian,” focused only on what’s in it for me?

This seems especially significant on Christmas Day when so many are focused on the gifts that they have received rather than Jesus' birth, the ultimate gift for our Salvation!


Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Are Riches Worth Losing Our Salvation?

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.  Psalm, Chapter 37, verse 16.

I like this passage.  It’s saying that it’s better to be poor and have Jesus as our Savior than to have all the riches and live a worldly life with no chance of Salvation.  I agree.  What good does it do to have all the riches in the world, if you lose your own soul?

I remember watching movies that showed people who used to make pacts with the devil to have riches, fame or positions of power.  The movies would end with the people realizing that no amount of prestige or wealth was worth losing their soul.  Although those are movies, sometimes we make similar decisions by the choices we make in our lives.

Here is a related passage:

*Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.  Psalm, Chapter 49, verses 16-17.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Feelings That Drain Your Faith

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.  For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.  Psalm, Chapter 37, verses 8-9.

Sometimes when people do really hateful and inconsiderate things, I find myself plotting equally hateful things to do back to them.  Behavior like that isn’t befitting a Christian.  I need to turn these draining feelings (they drain my Christianity out of me) over to God, so I can get on with living the life that He wants.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

The Determining Factor of Our Salvation

The LORD looketh from heaven: He beholdeth all the sons of men.  From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.  He fashioneth their hearts alike: He considereth all their works.  There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.  Psalm, Chapter 33, verses 13-16.

God made all of us with the same kinds of hearts.  It’s up to us to choose to let Jesus into our heart or not.  That will be the determining factor of our Salvation, not how rich, popular, high on the social ladder or how strong we are.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Are People in Our Country Losing Their Focus on God?

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. Psalm, Chapter 33, verse 12.

I am no authority on World History, but it seems that predominately Christian countries have been fairly prosperous over time.  It seems that when their citizens lose their focus on God (the Father, Son and Holy Ghost), their country doesn’t fare as well.  Look at our country and the lifestyle choices people are making.  Does it seem that people are losing their focus on God?

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Our Love for Jesus Isn't a Private Secret

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.  Psalm, Chapter 32, verse 11.

Sometimes, we Christians walk around like our love for Jesus is this private secret that we keep to ourselves, lest anyone think we are religious fanatics.  I know that I have been guilty of this myself.  God wants us to be excited about all the wonderful things that He does in our lives and not to hide our joy.  This is something I still need to focus on.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.



This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

God Knows When the Timing Is Right

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?  Psalm, Chapter 27: 1.

When I’m confused and afraid I’m going to make the wrong decision, I pray and God Lights the way for me.  He gives me a feeling of what to do.  No, He doesn’t say, “Debbie, this is what you should do.”  When I talk to Him, my prayers tend to be less formal and more like a conversation with God, except for when I say the Lord’s Prayer.

When I’m stressed and God doesn’t want me to worry, He gives me a calm feeling I call the Peace Which Passes All Understanding.

After I pray, asking God for guidance, I try to listen to the instincts that God gives me.  If I get a calm feeling, I move forward on it.  If I have an unsettling feeling, I wait because sometimes it’s not God’s Will or the timing just isn’t right.  God always sees the Big Picture and knows when the timing is right for us.  When I trust the instincts that God gives me, my life seems much more stress-free and things seem to fall into place.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie

Turning to Bible Passages for Comfort

The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  Psalm, Chapter 23, verses 1-6.

I like this passage because it’s so comforting.  Sometimes when I’m afraid in the dark, I think of this passage.  (Sometimes when my husband goes out of town for conferences, I hear noises that scare me in the night.)
No, I haven’t memorized it all word for word.  I don’t think a person has to be able to do that in order to be close to God.  (It is nice to be able to do that though, because it’s like carrying special messages from God with you all the time.  Bible passages are handy to know in case a friend needs to be comforted by them.)  Even though I don’t know this passage by heart, God comforts me when I think about it.  Then I don’t seem to be afraid anymore.
Here are some related passages:

*Lead me in Thy Truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my Salvation: on Thee do I wait all the day.  Remember, O LORD, Thy tender mercies and Thy loving kindnesses: for they have been ever of old.  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.  Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in the way.  The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and Truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.  Psalm, Chapter 25, verses 5-10.
*Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.  Psalm, Chapter 31, verse 24.
*The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.  Psalm, Chapter 34, verse 7.
*The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.  Psalm, Chapter 34, verse 15.
*But the Salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble.  And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.  Psalm, Chapter 37, verses 39-40.
*He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be moved.  In God is my Salvation and my glory: the Rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God.  Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.  Selah.  Psalm, Chapter 62, verses 6-8.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie