December 24, 2008 Psalm 18

A Song of victory

This passage is about David seeking victory. This passage itself contains 6 parts: God is a rock for David (v.1-3), David asks for help (v.4-6), God answers David (v.7-19), Why God gives help to people (v.20-27), Everything that David owns comes from God (v.28-42), and finally, God made David king (v.43-50). David asks God for help, God leads him to a rock, so David considers the rock, God. In other words, David was able to hide behind the rock and be safe, just like he is able to hide behind God for protection. David asks God for help against his enemies, those who want to kill him: Saul, Absalom, Goliath, Cush, and etc. God answers David's cry for help by sending earthquakes and storms. Part 4: Why God gives help to people (vs. 20-27). This part is really important for us Christians. God only gives us help because we are His people...we are the believers. He has cleansed us by giving us righteousness. Next, God answers David's prayers by giving him all that he has. He received the different things for protection, the storm, the earthquake, the rocks, and etc. David also received strength and speed. Finally, God made David king. David was used by God starting from when he was young, he fought against Goliath and defeated him. Eventually David really did become king.

Just like David, we need to ask and believe in God. We are His people, we are clean!!! As long as we are able to cry out for help, God will answer our prayers. Although we will not become kings, we will receive blessings from God, just as David did.

December 23, 2008 Psalm 16

The Lord Takes Care of His People

"Protect me, God, because I trust in you. I said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord. Every good thing I have comes from you.' As for the godly people in the world, they are the wonderful ones I enjoy. But those who turn to idols will have much pain. I will not offer blood to those idols or even speak their names. No, the Lord is all I need, he takes care of me. My share in life has been pleasant; my part has been beautiful. I praise the Lord because he advises me. Even at night, I feel his leading. I keep the Lord before me always. Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt. So I rejoice and am glad. Even my body has hope, because you will not leave me in the grave. you will not let your holy one rot. You will teach me how to live a holy life. Being with you will fill me with joy; at your right hand I will find pleasure forever. -Psalm 16-

This passage is about David's inheritance, God himself. Verses 7-11 show the contents of David's inheritance. David will have the LORD for a teacher. Nobody will move David away from what he believes. David will always have the protection of God, and the "happy heart." David will not go to Sheol, and David will live with the LORD now and when David dies.

David's golden secret is that he placed his trust in the Lord. Through this, he rejoices. He also has hope after his death. We should be able to do the same.

December 22, 2008 Psalm 15

What the Lord Demands
"Lord, who may enter your Holy Tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? Only those who are innocent and who do what is right. Such people speak the truth from their hearts and do not tell lies about others. They do no wrong to their neighbors and do not gossip. They do not respect hateful people but honor those who honor the Lord. They keep their promises to their neighbors, even when it hurts. They do not charge interest on money they lend and do not take money to hurt innocent people. Whoever does all these things will never be destroyed."
-Psalm 15-

This passage is about those who may enter the Kingdom of God. Verse 2 describes the inside of the "believers," what God sees in us. Only God knows the true righteousness of our hearts. Verses 3-5 show the outside of the "believers," how we act to each other, what we can see among each other. This is a very short and sweet passage, directly stating what believers are like and what they should be like to be able to enter the Kingdom of God, Heaven!

December 17, 2008 Psalm 14

The Unbelieving Fool

"Fools say to themselves, 'There is no God.' Fools are evil and do terrible things; there is no one who does anything good. The Lord looked down from heaven on all people to see if anyone understood, if anyone was looking to God for help. But all have turned away. Together, everyone has become evil. There is no one who does anything good, not even one. Don't the wicked understand? They destroy my people as if they were eating bread. They do not ask the Lord for help. But the wicked are filled with terror, because God is with those who do what is right. The wicked upset the plans of the poor, but the Lord will protect them. I pray that victory will come to Israel from Mount Zion! May the Lord bring them back. Then the people of Jacob will rejoice, and the people of Israel will be glad. -Psalm 14-

This passage is a song from David to God, regarding the fools on this Earth. By fools, David doesn't mean those who do silly things to make us laugh, but he means those who do wrong against the righteous. Furthermore, regarding the foolishness of sinners, the foolishness of all of us. The first verse, 'there is no God,' doesn't literally mean there isn't a God, but it states that to a fool, God is unnecessary.

Everyday, we use each other for our own goods...we tend to hurt each other for our own goods. This is what David is talking about. There are far worse people in this world, who really do bad things, but sin is sin...there isn't a degree to sin. When we sin, we know we are sinning...we have that guilty conscious yet we still do it...we should reflect upon that. We aren't perfect, so we won't be able to stop sinning, but each time we sin, we should be able to think about where we stand with God, what we are doing to Him.

We need God's righteous to withstand judgement as sinners. God sent His one and only Son to Earth to forgive us, the world, for our foolishness...sins. Once again, we await for the Son to come back to Earth. As we await that day, we should pray to ask for God to teach us His righteousness.

December 16, 2008 Psalm 13

A Prayer for God to Be Near
"How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide from me? How long must I worry and feel sad in my heart all day? How long will my enemy win over me? Lord, look at me. Answer me, my God; tell me, or I will die. Otherwise my enemy will say, 'I have won!' Those against mewill rejoice that I've been defeated. I trust in your love. My heart is a happy heart because you saved me. I sing to the Lord because he has taken care of me.
-Psalm 13-

This passage is a simple song from David to the Lord, asking the Lord to be near Him. David feels neglected by God, he asks, 'How long?' He has so much desire, he is running into impatience because he feels that God is so distant from Him. When David was sad or depressed, instead of looking into God, he looked into his own self...which is why he felt so distant from God. David also asks that his enemies won't rejoice over him when they defeat him.

Eventually, David asks for God's mercy. Then he tells his heart to rejoice. David's eyes, heart, spirit...are enlightened by God once again. Through singing, David expresses his emotions to God, he rejoices!!! As he rejoices, he comes upon a thought...God has dealt bountifully with him, even though he didn't rely on God, but on his own heart. Through all this, He has shown mercy and has enlightened David once again. Because of the enlightenment, David is able to see God's goodness once again...he can't stop rejoicing!!!

Through our hard times, depressed times, emotional times, we shouldn't reflect on our own hearts, but on the heart of God. If we look upon ourselves, all we will do is put ourselves through pain, but if we pray to God, we will also receive that enlightenment. Trust in God's mercy...God has dealt with us already and He will continue dealing with us.

December 15, 2008 Psalm 12

A Prayer Against Liars

"Save Me, Lord, because the good people are all gone; no true believers are left on earth. Everyone lies to his neighbors; they say one thing and mean another. The Lord will stop those flattering lips, and cut off those bragging tongues. They say, 'Our tongues will help us win. We can say what we wish; no one is our master.' But the Lord says, 'I will now rise up, because the poor are being hurt. Because of the moans of the helpless, I will give them the help they want.' The Lord's words are pure, like silver purified by fire, like silver purified seven times over. Lord, you will keep us safe; you will protect us from such people. But the wicked are all around us; everyone loves what is wrong. -Psalm 12-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord, regarding the liars in this world.

David is wondering where all the faithful people are. He sees all these liars around him, but no people of faith, or practicing their faith. Today, we see the same thing. We see more liars, more sinners, than people practicing their faith...showing the purity, the honesty, and etc. People these days are always arguing, debating, ignoring, and etc. By using our tongues and lips to flatter ourselves and express pride, we are sinning against God.

Verse 5 shows that God will arise and protect His people. He will help the helpless. Although we may not trust the words of those around us, we can always trust the words of the Lord, our God. For they are pure, just like 'silver purified by fire, purified seven times.'

December 14, 2008 Psalm 11

Trust in the Lord
"I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to your mountain. Like hunters, the wicked string their bows; they set their arrows in the bowstrings. They shoot from dark places at those who are honest. When the foundations for good collapse, what can good people do?' The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord sits on his throne in heaven. he sees what people do; he keeps his eye on them. The Lord tests those who do right, but he hates the wicked and those who love to hurt others. He will send hot coals and burning sulfur on the wicked. A whirlwind is what they will get. The Lord does what is right, and he loves justice, so honest people will see his face." -Psalm 11-

This passage is a simple song from David to the Lord. In this passage, David states that he trusts in the Lord. He mentions that those who trust in the Lord and are honest don't need to worry because God's Kingdom is in Heaven and He is ruling there.

David's army is afraid of the enemies and asks David to flee. Instead, David describes why they shouldn't flee, because God is watching over them from his kingdom in heaven. He will make sure that the enemies get what they deserve and His people will be safe.

At times, flight may be the will of God, just like it had been for Jesus at one point. But in other times, flight is not the answer, standing strong in confidence and in faith against the enemy might be the answer. We, believers, are supposed to walk by faith. David showed his faith when he didn't agree with his army and he stood against his enemies, even though it was logical for them to flee.

December 13, 2008 Psalm 10

A Complaint About Evil People
"Lord, why are you so far away? Why do you hide when there is trouble? Proudcly the wicked chase down those who suffer. Let them be caught in their own traps. They brag about the things they want. They bless the greedy but hate the Lord. The wicked people are too proud. They do not look for God; there is no room for God in their thoughts. They always succeed. They are far from keeping your laws; they make fun of their enemies. They say to themselves; 'Nothing bad will ever happen to me; I will never be ruined.' Their mouths are full of curses, lies, adn threats; they use their tongues for sin and evil. They hide near the villages. They look for innocent people to kill; they watch in secret for the helpless. They wait in hiding like a lion. They wait to catch poor peopl; they catch the poor in nets. The poor are thrwon down and crushed; they are defeated because the others are stronger. The wicked think, 'God has forgotten us. He doesn't see what is happening.' Lord, rise up and punish the wicked. Don't forget those who need help. Why do wicked people ahte God? They say to themselves, 'God won't punish us.' Lord, surely you see these cruel and evil things; look at them adn do somehting. People in trouble look to you for help. You are the one who helps the orphans. Break the power of wicked people. Punish them for the evil they have done. The Lord is King forever and ever. Destroy from your land those nations that do not worship you. Lord, you have heard what the poor people want. Do what they ask, and listen to them. Protect the orphans and put an end to suffering so they will no longer be afraid of evil people. -Psalm 10-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord and this correlates with the previous psalm, Psalm 9.

In this passage, David complains about the wicked people that he lives with. Those people makes plans to take things away from the helpless people, God's people. Sometimes they felt like God didn't care about them. David asks God for help with these people, both the wicked and the helpless.

When there is trouble, pray to God about it. And believe that He is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. He reigns forever!!! God is a just God, He will do whatever it takes for there to be righteousness.

December 12, 2008 Psalm 9

Thanksgiving for Victory
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell all the miracles you have done. I will be happy because of you; God Most High, I will sing praises to your name. My enemies turn back; they are overwhelmed and die because of you. You have heard my complaint; you sat on your throne and judged by what was right. You spoke strongly against the foreign nations and destroyed the wicked; you wiped out their names forever and ever. The enemy is gone forever. You destroyed their cities; no one even remembers them. But the Lord rules forever. He sits on his throne to judge, and he will judge the world in fairness; he will decide what is fair for the nations. The Lord defends those who suffer; he defends them in times of trouble. Those who know the Lord trust him, because he will not leave those who come to him. Sing praises to the Lord who is king on Mount Zion. Tell the nations what he has done. He remembers who the murderers are; he will not forget the cries of those who suffer. Lord, have mercy on me. See how my enemies hurt me. Do not let me go through the gates of death. Then, at the gates of Jerusalem, I will praise you; I will rejoice because you saved me. The nations have fallen into the pit they dug. Their feet are caught in the nets they laid. The Lord has made himself known by his fair decisions; the wicked get trapped by what they do. Wicked people will go to the grave, and so will all those who forget God. But those who have troubles will not be forgotten. The hopes of the poor will never die. Lord, rise up and judge the nations. Don't let people think they are strong. Teach them to fear you, Lord. The nations must learn that they are only human. -Psalm 9-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord, to the tune of "The Death of the Son."

In this passage, David is thanking the Lord and praising Him for the victories given to him by God. In the previous chapters, David was afraid, he was being attacked by his enemies. Because he remained faithful and allowed God to take charge, David was able to seek victory.

This passage consists of individual/community praise of God, God's judgment on the enemies, God being a just God, and hope in that just rule of God.

God will endure forever. We seek righteousness in Heaven, but in actuality righteousness exists here on Earth. God seeks justice and righteousness and in order to do so, he will do all it takes. He will destroy the enemies, the wicked, He will bless and protect the righteous.

From this, we should be able to seek comfort in the name of the Lord.

December 11, 2008 Psalm 8

The Lord's Greatness
"Lord, our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth! It brings you praise in heaven above. You have taught children and babies to sing praises to you because of your enemies. And so you silence your enemies and destroy those who try to get even. I look at your heavens, which you made with your fingers. I see the moon and stars, which you created. But why are people even important to you? Why do you take care of human beings? You made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You put them in charge of everything you made. You put all things under their control: all the sheep, the cattle, and the wild anmials, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that lives under water. Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth! -Psalm 8-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord on the gittith.

In this passage, David praises the Lord for who He is, for what He has done and for what He continues to do for us. He acknowledges God as the creator of the Heaven and the Earth, as the creator of human beings, as the one in charge, the one who can take everything away at any moment.

The psalm starts out with giving glory to God, mentioning God's amazing powers, then moves on to mention the insignificance of man, then ends with giving all the Glory to God once again.
The insignificance of man is mentioned, where we don't deserve any of the blessings we have received...we have turned our backs onto God by introducing sin into this world. Fortunately, that has been recovered through the crucification/resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. We have been made to be higher than angels, and having power over all the things on Earth. With this, we shall remember to thank God, and praise Him...to acknowledge Him at all times. We should give all the glory to God, our Father, the Creator of Heaven and of Earth.

December 10, 2008 Psalm 7

A Prayer for Fairness

"Lord my God, I trust in you for protection. Save me and rescue me from those who are chasing me. Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart. They will rip me to pieces, and no one can save me. Lord my God, what have I done? Have my hands done something wrong? Have I done wrong to my friend or stolen without reason from my enemy? If I have, let my enemy chase me and capture me. Let him trample me into the dust and bury me in the grounds. Lord, rise up in your anger; stand up against my enemies; anger. Get up and demand fairness. Gather the nations around you and rule them from above. Lord, judge the people. Lord, defend me because I am right, because I have done no wrong, God Most High. God, you do what is right. You know our throughts and feelings. Stop those wicked actions done by evil people, and help those who do what is right. God protects me like a shield; he saves those whose hearts are right. God protects me like a shield; he saves those whose hearts are right. God judges by what is right, and God is always ready to punish the wicked. If they do not change their lives, God will sharpen his sword; he will string his bow and take aim. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he has made his flaming arrows. There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies. They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves. They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only themselves. I praise the Lord because he does what is right. I sing praises to the Lord Most High. -Psalm 7-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord, about Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin.
David is being pursued by somebody in the tribe of Benjamin only because of the way King Saul treats him. David has done nothing wrong or against that person or anybody, but just because King Saul is out to get David, Cush, that person from the tribe of Benjamin, has the same intentions. He tells King Saul that David is out to kill him.

A lot of times, as Christians, we get pursued or wronged...prejudice...bias...etc.; as well as for those of us who are minorities. Although we have done nothing wrong, and it seems unfair, we have to face different unfortunate situations of being pursued, or looked down upon and etc.

David calls out to God and asks that he may be safe from his enemies. That God would be the judge because David knows that he hasn't done anything wrong, so he is for sure that God will do what needs to be done. God eventually punishes Cush for his wrongdoings and David is thankful for that.

In times like these we should just sit back and ask God to be the judge. We shouldn't arouse anger and hate towards our enemies becuase that'll make the situation worse...instead, we should calm ourselves and believe that God has plans for those who did wrong.

December 9, 2008 Psalm 6

A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times
"Lord, don't correct me when you are angry; don't punish me when you are very angry. Lord have mercy on me because I am weak. Heal me, Lord, because my bones ache. I am very upset. Lord, how long will it be? Lord, return and save me; save me because of your kindness. Dead people don't remember you; those in the grave don't praise you. I am tired of crying to you. Every night my bed is wet with tears; my bed is soaked from my crying. My eyes are weak from so much crying; they are weak from crying about my enemies. Get away from me, all you who do evil, because the Lord has heard my crying. The Lord has heard my cry for help; the Lord will answer my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and troubled. They will turn and suddenly leave in shame. -Psalm 6-

This passage is a song of confession and humility from David to the Lord with stringed instruments upon sheminith.

In this passage, David cries out to God through his pain and suffering, that God will hear him and show him mercy. Through his guilty conscious for whatever sin he may have done, David feels as if he's being rebuked by God, so he asks for mercy. In the previous chapters, David was able to sleep well in peace because he was happy that God was there to listen and to protect him. In this chapter, David feels as if God wasn't there anymore...he feels as if God is angry with him. This is why he explains his misery through tears...sleeplessness at night because he's up crying on his bed.

In the end of the passage, David ends with confidence that God is there with him once again, "The Lord has heard my cry for help; the Lord will answer my prayer." Through David's tears, God was able to see the passion in his heart for the seeking of God's mercy. It's not the emotions that God looks for, but the passion, the burning desire. God was able to see that David really meant what he was crying about.

December 8, 2008 Psalm 5

A Morning Prayer for Protection
"Lord, listen to my words. Understand my sadness. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, because I pray to you. Lord, every morning you hear my voice. Every morning, I tell you what I need, and I wait for your answer. You are not a God who is pleased with the wicked; you do not live with those who do evil. Those people who make fun of you cannot stand before you. You hate all those who do evil. You destroy liars; the Lord hates those who kill and trick others. Because of your great love, I can come into your Temple. Because I fear and respect you, I can worship in your holy Temple. Lord, since I have many enemies, show me the right thing to do. Show me clearly how you want me to live. My enemies' mouths do not tell the truth; in their hearts they want to destroy others. Their throats are like open graves; they use their tongues for telling lies. God, declare them guilty! Let them fall into their own traps. Send them away because their sins are many; they have turned against you. But let everyone who trusts you be happy; let them sing glad songs forever. Protect those who love you and who are happy because of you. Lord, you bless those who do what is right; you protect them like a soldier's shield. -Psalm 5-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord with flutes. David comes to God in the morning for strength and joy to make it throughout the day.

In this passage, David passionately asks God to listen to his voice...first thing in his morning, by starting off his prayer by directing the prayer, then ending it by looking up in expectancy to Heaven.

He distinguishes the acts of the wicked, the evil, the ungodly...versus the acts of the righteous who earn that righteousness from God, the merciful. The righteous do not become righteous on their own, but by loving and believing/trusting in the merciful God, they receive the righteousness. Unlike the wicked/ungodly, who will serve for their unrighteousness, we, those who believe in His name, will be protected and blessed. We have God's shield...the shelter of heaven!!!

December 7, 2008 Psalm 4

An Evening Prayer

"Answer me when I pray to you, my God who does what is right. Make things easier for me when I am in trouble. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. People, how long will you turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is false and look for new lies? You know that the Lord has chosen for himself those who are loyal to him. The Lord listens when I pray to him. When you are angry, do not sin. Think about these things quietly as you go to bed. Do what is right as a sacrifice to the Lord and trust the Lord. Many people ask, 'Who will give us anything good?' Lord, be kind to us. But you have made me very happy, happier than they are, even with all their grain and new wine. I go to bed and sleep in peace, because, Lord, only you keep me safe." -Psalm 4-

This is a song from David to the Lord, with stringed instruments. =)
David calls upon God and thanks Him. He cries out to God, saying that God has made him happy...happier than other people who have riches, because he has God's protection.

We, the people of God, believers, should always rejoice and be happy, even in distressing times...just like David. This is because we have the protection from God. We have God, who separates us from the ungodly, who watches over us, who is there for us, listening to our every word. No matter what goes on, we should be able to be happy, not solely emotionally, but mentally, physically, and spiritually. This means, no matter what, whether something good happens or bad happens, we should praise God and give the glory to Him. That doesn't mean we are not allowed to get angry, but we should know when to stop, and just because we are angry doesn't mean that we are allowed to sin.

oops...i guess I forgot to click on publish...=(

December 6, 2008 Psalms 3

A Morning Prayer
"Lord, I have many enemies! Many people have turned against me. Many are saying about me, 'God won't rescue him.' But, Lord, you are my shiled, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. I can li9e down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength. Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid. Lord, rise up! My God, come save me! You have struck my enemies on the cheek; you have broken the teeth of the wicked. The Lord can save his people. Lord, bless your people." -Psalm 3-

This passage is a song from David to the Lord, when David ran away from his son Absalom. Although David was going through a lot, with his own son forming a rebellion against him, David stands strong in God. He has the faith that God will protect him, that God won't fail him.

David's situation is so bad that people believe that even God will be unwilling to help him, especially because of his past sins and stuff. But David is for sure that the loving God would help him.

Through his song, David prays to God, asking God to be his shield, asking him to 'lift his head.' With all his heart, he calls out to the Lord, out loud. He is thankful that he is able to sleep and wake, even through everything he's going through. He acknowledges God for who He is, the almighty, the powerful, One who nobody can defeat. Also, through all this, David is still able to have the heart to pray for not only himself, but also for other people...for God's people.

In our daily lives, we may go through many different things that may put us in doubt, put us in times of trouble...burdens...but even through all that, we should still be able to believe that God is there for us. That no matter what anybody says, God will never fail us (like the song Hosanna). We should have the heart to pray for all of God's people, that salvation belongs to the Lord, our Father.

December 5, 2008 Psalm 2

The Lord's Chosen King
"Why are the nations so angry? Why are the people making useless plans? The kings of the earth prepare to fight, and their leaders make plans together against the Lord and his appointed one. They say, 'Let's break the chains that hold us back and throw off the ropes that tie us down.' But the one who sits in heaven laughs; the Lord makes fun of them. Then the Lord warns them and frightens them with his anger. He says, 'I have appointed my own king to rule in Jerusalem on my holy mountain, Zion.' Now I will tell you what the Lord has declared: He said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your father. If you ask me, I will give you the nations; all the people on earth will be yours. You will rule over them with an iron rod. You will break them into pieces like pottery." So, kings, be wise; rulers, learn this lesson. Obey the Lord with great fear. Be happy, but tremble. Show that you are loyal to his son, or you will be destroyed by his anger, because he can quickly become angry. But happy are those who trust him for protection." -Psalm 2-

This passage is about the Kings of Israel and also of Jesus, King of the Jews. David was a King appointed by God, he says that God made him King and at that moment, he became son of God, so all that he needs will be provided by God. David was the physical ruler of Israel, the being on Earth, but in actuality, God was the ruler over Israel because he rules over David.

On top of all things, Jesus will be ruler over the world when he returns to Earth. Currently, he is in heaven, but that day will come. When that day comes, not only will He rule over the Earth, He will rule over us. That means, Jesus is God, ruler over all the nations.

Last verse says that we are servants of God, servants of Jesus, we should become servants. In order to be happy and safe, we should believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

December 4, 2008 Psalms 1

Two Ways to Live

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what evil people do. They love th eLord's teachigns, and they think about those teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed. But wicked people are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away. So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people. This is because the Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." -Psalms 1-

I decided to start reading Psalms again from the beginning...so I'm starting with Psalm 1, the introduction to the rest of Psalms.

This chapter discusses two kinds of people, the righteous vs. the wicked...two different lifestyles. The last verse, verse six, sums up the entire chapter, "the Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." God will look after the righteous, the believers, the followers...us Christians. He knows the way of the paths we are on, the righteous paths. On the other hand, he will just watch, as the ungodly, the wicked fail...as they walk into the path of unrighteousness and perish.

Throughout the passage, it mentions the activities of a righteous man, the things he should do and shouldn't do. It also mentions the activities of an unrighteous man, the things he does.

Although it seems easy to point out what's right or wrong, do we really follow the righteous path? We should really look upon ourselves and rexamine our walk with God...our walk in Christianity. At times, we might be on a high, praising God for everything...burning to serve Him...and etc. but we do have our lows...during those times, are we struggling to stay on the right paths, or are we putting in an effort to try to stand back up to continue accelerating forward?

The unrighteous path might seem comfortable, might seem easy, giving lots of company, but sooner or later, it will end.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." -Robert Frost-

Choosing easy path in life will ensure success, but won't necessarily be fulfilling. Choosing the 'less traveled' road means a more difficult path in life, but more satisfying results. The righteous road might be the harder, the harsher, but that's the road that will lead you to eternity with Christ.

Which path are you on? >.<

December 3, 2008 Luke 12:32-34

Don't Trust in Money:

"Don't fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give yout he kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can't steal and moths can't destroy. Your heart will be where your treasure is." -Luke 12:32-34-

This passage is very short, but I was flipping through the Bible and I happen to come upon this passage. The title caught my attention: Don't Trust in Money. These days, the economy is so bad, everyone's so focused on money: how bills are gonna be paid, how food is gonna be bought, how students can attend school, and etc. When I read this passage, I took it as, although we do experience the economical hardships at the moment, God will provide for us whatever we are in need.

Scripture says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor," because everyone's having money issues, nobody really seems to be willing to give up what they have for others, especially because the money and treasures saved up are result of hard work for years and years, but the point here is, whatever we give away now, we are saving up in heaven for later.

The point is not to say everyone needs to go out and give donations and charity. I believe the passage is stating that we shouldn't let money/treasures/possessions take control of our minds, our body, our spirit, our heart. It's obvious that you are not the only one going through a financial crisis, the entire world's economy is suffering at the moment, so just go on living our days as always, and keep faith. By believing, God will provide for us whatever we are in need, whatever we lack, we will receive.

Especially with the holiday season coming around, there are a lot more salvation army boxes, and charities collecting donations to buy gifts for children and etc. Let's not all become like Scrooge...even though we are financially in need, there are many others who are less fortunate than we are!

December 2, 2008~~Proverbs 15:15

"Every day is hard for those who suffer, but a happy heart is like a continual feast."

-Proverbs 15:15-This verse was very inspirational to me because I can relate. Here and there...everywhere...these days, people seem to complain more and more. Complaining, being bitter, these things don't make anything better...they just make things worse for yourself and for those around you. There's a saying, look at the glass as half full and not as half empty. Having a happy heart will make everything more positive and enjoyable. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, "Be Joyful Always."

1 Samuel 16:7 states that God looks at our hearts, while men look at the outward appearance. Our heart is very important, because that shows our passion, our intentions, our thoughts...furthermore...the heart we have reflects God...our relationship with the Father.

A good prayer following this verse is to ask God how we can develop such a "happy heart" and also how we can maintain it...