Where Did You Park Your Faith? Psa 139 a reminder of God's Sovereignty

“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”—Psa 9:9

Do you have a place where you go or have been that might have seared a positive memory? For me, I am at home inside a cathedral of Red Woods surrounded by high peaked rock-solid mountains. Another favorite is anywhere the ocean is free to be full in its fury or its peace but surrounded by a strong cove or rugged cliffs. When I am in those settings it seems to naturally convey an absolute sense of safety and security. The Creator made all these things and when I am there inside those mighty places or in the presence of those mighty places, I am safe and secure but totally vulnerable. I “know” the physical manifestation of being surrounded by HIS Holy Sovereignty. I can sit and have the best talks with my Heavenly Father because I am in that same moment in awe and awe inspired and the gift of that setting causes me to exude my deepest gratitude, love, conviction, laudatory excitement of HIM. Free to say anything that pops in my mind aloud because it is just HE and I surrounded by the natural sounds of the winds blowing through the trees or the sound of crashing waves and the feel of the ocean spray. Alive! GOD is ALL knowing, Always present, and ALL POWERFUL. HE IS SOVEREIGN!

But sometimes, life smothers us with its own mightiness that is not always pleasant nor is it easy to deal with.

Let’s face it, CoVid-19 has literally rearranged the chairs in the room, or perhaps, in your life -- the rooms in your mind. We each compartmentalize to some degree.

Question: What is the mission of your primary human background program running at all times? Does it have priority over every new notion, thought, experience, trial? Or some collective program including a little bit family, a little bit work, a little church, a little domestic responsibility, a little exercise, a little hobby, a little anxiety and whatever else may intrude on your being? Or, do you have a sentinel app/program that stands guard at the gateway of your being and checks to see if the incoming data is checked for worms, trojans, hacks, viruses, false information, contrary information, needless information, casual interest information, quick nano second visions/or intrusions of any sort of temptation you know to be wrong, or any other would be detrimental information that would ring dissonant to the app/program? Does your program have a single mission to uphold???

If you are a Christian you are familiar with the Sovereignty of GOD, the one who identified HIMself to Moses in Ex 3;14 as “I AM WHO I AM” and in Moses time his GOD was regionally renown as the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or more formally as ‘GOD Almighty’ or in Hebrew “El Shaddai”. [Gen 17:1, Gen 35:11, Ex 6:2-3 additional scriptures use the same vernacular] Are you familiar with the Sovereignty of GOD really as a Christian?

Before we proceed, have you ever faced a trial where you were so consumed your faith seemed ill equipped for the task of the hard time? In essence, to get through it did you sort of park your faith over there, deal with the issue at hand and when you were free of the stress of the issue retrieved your faith and carried on? Really who among us does not join a long history of Bible characters who appeared to have done just that. But, in all cases while they ‘knew’ and even counted on their correct knowing of God’s Sovereignty, they stepped away from that ‘knowing’ in their faith/spirit for some period of time. Before we go there let’s review the one particularly focused Psalm on the Sovereignty of GOD.

Please review the following portion of Psalm 139 [a Psalm devoted to GOD’s Sovereignty]:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this? This is worthy of great meditation. Pondering ‘NOTHING’ you do as a Christian is independent of GOD’s knowing.
³ You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
Do you know all of this? Believe all of this? Remember? ‘acquainted with ALL MY WAYS’? Do you truly ‘know’ and ‘believe’ GOD is acquainted so intimately with you?
⁵ You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this? CONSIDER so far according to GOD HE is completely aware of your movements, what you are going to say before you it appears on your tongue AND he has you hemmed in behind and before? Contemplate this extra statement from HIS prophet Isaiah as further evidence that GOD has this: “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”—Isa 41:13
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this? Where DO YOU GO from HIS HOLY SPIRIT? Can you really go apart from the Holy Spirit? How do you ‘FLEE from HIS PRESENCE? Remember, Christians believe GOD is OMNIPRESENT. So?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this?
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
¹² even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this?

¹³ For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

Do you know all of this? Believe all of this? Do you acknowledge GOD formed you knitting you together, as it were, your mother’s womb? This a convicting statement.

¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Do you ACTUALLY know all of this? ACTUALLY, Believe all of this?

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

And this?

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
    I awake, and I am still with you.

DO YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS? BELIEVE ALL OF THIS?

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

The Bible’s wisdom is an incredible blessing as it reminds us of what we know and hold as TRUE.  Sometimes when faced with strange things we may not know how quite to deal with them but if we don’t park our faith to conserve focus but instead open our eyes wider for clarity of focus then we will see GOD is with us in all things. Paul attested to GOD with us here: “35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Rom 8:35-39

One last time, please hold fast to the ‘knowing’ you have of GOD’s Sovereignty in every conceivable place you might think or imagine yourself no matter the consequences or your circumstances. “⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” AMEN.

NOTICE: If you are feeling inclined or feeling led to want Jesus as your Savior, your leader, your King, your source of Peace and Joy but are feeling woefully inadequate, uninformed on how best to get to know HIM, or find yourself at wit’s end because you believe yourself trapped and in need of GOD, please know Jesus stands ready to welcome you with HIS Holy Spirit. Believe these words: “¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “—John 3:16

^“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send ^[c]Jesus Christ, who was ^[d]preached to you before, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since ^[e]the world began.” – Acts 3:19-20

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8

If you need help, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.  †

EM: contact@lightwritingmatters.net

 DISCLAIMER: The thoughts published on this blog, in total, are the opinions, thoughts and considerations of the writer/author of every post published. It is assumed that research by the reader will lead the reader to their own conclusions. It is not the writer’s intent to make a judg

ment of anyone but to allow GOD’s Word to do what it does. “For the word of GOD is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:12 [NIV]

>>>>>>All artwork contained on this blog entry as well as archived/historical entries belongs to ©Lightwritingmatters 2015<<< permission must be requested and approved by the author to reproduce in any format and for any reason.√† 

NOTE: Artwork not copyrighted by Lightwritingmatters 2015 stands with this statement: “no copyright infringement is intended” or is otherwise attributed.

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

My Response to One of Jehovah's Witnesses Re Anxiety and Distress

5/18/2020

RE: Your Letter

Greetings,

First, please accept my thanks for taking the time to write a stranger. Second, please accept my commendation for your obvious love of the Bible, GOD’s Word.

To the point of your letter, assuaging ‘anxieties and distress’, I know that those who do not believe in GOD’s Sovereignty, or Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, do face trying times. However, you and I believe completely and unfailingly in HIS Word and take our cues from Jesus and HIS disciples in such scriptures as John 14:1 ““Do not let YOUR hearts be troubled. Exercise faith in God, exercise faith also in me.” In Matt 6:34 “So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.” Also solid is my faith in GOD’s Word where at least 331 references exist from Genesis to Revelation of the idea to ‘fear not’ ‘not fear’. Jesus prefaced many statements especially regarding faith that we should not ‘fear’.

While fear is usually spawned from unfamiliar experiences [like CoVid] it is normal initially; but we remember the conversation in John 3:1-11 and particularly vs 16 and we have no basis for either concern or fear. Instead we rest assured in the promises of GOD. Psalm 91 states if we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we will be provided shelter under HIS shadow. If we proclaim to GOD ‘HE is our refuge and stronghold and is HE that we trust’ –vs 1,2 – the remaining 14 vs are promises HE makes to us for so doing. Notice the premiere vs of promise: “For he himself will deliver you from the trap of the birdcatcher, From the pestilence causing adversities.” But, perhaps the most appealing vs is vs 11 “For he will give his own angels a command concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.” – [Underline and bold added for emphasis by me] As it is impossible for GOD to lie, all our ways is therefore all encompassing. Notice how Psalm 92 opens as a way to emphasize GOD’s promises as being sure: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,” 

A little history about us

We became Christians in 1970 and 12/24/98 we were blessed with being born again and for the entirety of the 50 years living in faith we have been blessed. Receiving your letter is a blessing. Again, I thank you. It is heartwarming to see you actively exhibit your faith and practice of preaching, teaching and ostensibly the making of disciples and their inclusion into the Church established on Pentecost by way of baptism via water and in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. ß Refer back to John 3 and the discussion Jesus had with Nicodemus and being born again esp. vs 5.

Lastly, also from Luke 21, your theme scripture, ““But pay attention to yourselves that YOUR hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon YOU ³⁵ For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.. ³⁶ But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” How indeed will we escape all these things that are going to take place? A corroborating vs is found in Rev 3:10, “Because you kept the word about my endurance, I will also keep you from the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth, to put a test upon those dwelling on the earth.”

You are always welcome to share your faith with us.

Ever wonder why the statement “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.”? I am sure you will agree the second coming of Christ is connected to the location of battle referred to in Rev 16:16 as ‘Armageddon’ and that is the culmination of the Great Tribulation so it is no secret when the 2^nd coming will happen. We know from the prophesy of Dan 9: 26-27 the 62 weeks finished with the death of Jesus yet there is yet a full week of the 70 weeks consisting of 7 years [a day for a year] still remains to be fulfilled wherein a covenant/contract is put into place that lasts for half the week and the latter half of the week discussed in the last of vs 27 and of course in Revelation chapters 4-19. The second coming is not only known but can be as soundly understood and completed as the foregoing 62 weeks of Daniel’s prophetic vision. So then, what is the day and the hour we do not know? The answer is in the table below.

I have included a copy of your letter for reference in case you did not save a copy for yourself.

With much agapé,

Additional scriptural encouragement:

Bible Verses	Text
1 Cor 15:51-53	Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Thess 1:10	and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thess 2:19	For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
1 Thess 3:13	so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
1 Thess 4:13-18	But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  1Th 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  1Th 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  1Th 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
I Thess 5:1-9	But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.  1Th 5:2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  1Th 5:3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.  1Th 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.  1Th 5:5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.  1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.  1Th 5:7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.  1Th 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.  1Th 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Thess 2:6-8	And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.  2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.  2Th 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
2 Thess 2:11	And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
Col 3:4	When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Hebrews 9:28	so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
John 14:1-3	“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  Jhn 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions;  if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  Jhn 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jude 1:24-25	Now to Him who is able to keep you  from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,  Jde 1:25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Phil 3:20-21	For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  Phl 3:21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Titus 2:13	looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Rev 3:10	“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Rev 3:7	“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” [Isa 22:22]
Rev 4:1	After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

NOTICE: If you are feeling inclined or feeling led to want Jesus as your Savior, your leader, your King, your source of Peace and Joy but are feeling woefully inadequate, uninformed on how best to get to know HIM, or find yourself at wit’s end because you believe yourself trapped and in need of GOD, please know Jesus stands ready to welcome you with HIS Holy Spirit. Believe these words: “¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “—John 3:16

^“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send ^[c]Jesus Christ, who was ^[d]preached to you before, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since ^[e]the world began.” – Acts 3:19-20

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8

If you need help, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.  †

EM: contact@lightwritingmatters.net

DISCLAIMER: The thoughts published on this blog, in total, are the opinions, thoughts and considerations of the writer/author of every post published. It is assumed that research by the reader will lead the reader to their own conclusions. It is not the writer’s intent to make a judgment of anyone but to allow GOD’s Word to do what it does. “For the word of GOD is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:12 [NIV]

>>>>>>All artwork contained on this blog entry as well as archived/historical entries belongs to ©Lightwritingmatters 2015<<< permission must be requested and approved by the author to reproduce in any format and for any reason.√† 

NOTE: Artwork not copyrighted by Lightwritingmatters 2015 stands with this statement: “no copyright infringement is intended” or is otherwise attributed.

©Lightwritingmatters 2015