Friday, June 19, 2009

Hello All

My parents and I had a talk and they wish me to terminate my blogs for the time being. Meaning after a time I’ll delete this blog and then as I get older resume them. When this happens I’ll make sure to let you know. :-) I’m not exactly what I would say happy about this but I know that I must honor my parents. It’s hard, but it’s what must be done. They’ve shown me this, and they want this time in my life to be for other things. That being said, stay strong in the faith and know that God is with you. He will be your guide. This Psalm really speaks to me at this time, and I pray it will to you as well.

Psa 40:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
Psa 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!
Psa 40:5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
Psa 40:6 Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Psa 40:7 Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
Psa 40:8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
Psa 40:9 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.
Psa 40:10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
Psa 40:11 As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!
Psa 40:12 For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.
Psa 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
Psa 40:14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!
Psa 40:15 Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"
Psa 40:16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!"
Psa 40:17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

God bless!
-Justin

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Camps....School....Money....

The title explains myself for the most part. There’s this speech and debate camp that my brother and I are planning on attending.... it’s not working out as well as it should. School.... should I duel enroll or is that to much for me? Money..... simply doesn’t grow on trees. But I ask myself this. In the end, do I TRULY have a say in anything? Well.... no. No, not really. God’s the one who will get me to camp if I’m supposed to be there. God’s the one that will decide through my parents, if I should duel enroll, God’s the one that will provide the money that’s needed, IF I’m supposed to do those particular things. Once again, my previous post seems to fit in with this one. Trust. One simple word. Trust. That’s all I have to do! Easy right? Well, ok, maybe not.

I continually find God’s awesome power through the Psalms. I just don’t know how He does it. But some how, each day I read the Psalms, it has something to do with my present circumstances. It’s, well, beyond supernatural. I read the third Psalm, didn’t find what I would call comfort in it. Then went to the 33rd Psalm, same thing. It’s at the 66th Psalm that I stopped. Stunned. Yes, of course, it was aligned perfectly with my present circumstances. It was just what I needed to hear this morning. Just what I needed to hear to tell me that trust is what I need. True, faithful, never ending trust.

Psa 66:2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!
Psa 66:3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
Psa 66:4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name." Selah.
Psa 66:5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
Psa 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,
Psa 66:7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations-- let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
Psa 66:8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,
Psa 66:9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.
Psa 66:10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
Psa 66:11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
Psa 66:12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
Psa 66:13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,
Psa 66:14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
Psa 66:15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah.
Psa 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
Psa 66:17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
Psa 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Psa 66:19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psa 66:20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Incredible isn’t it? Such an amazing Psalm. Why would I freak out over these things, or get frustrated, or angry? There simply is no point in doing such things! God is so greater than ANY problem I could ever encounter. He controls all, knows all, is in all. With Christ on my side, who can stand against me?