Some of my Olive Shoots...

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128  

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

who walks in his ways!

2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life!

6 May you see your children's children!

Peace be upon Israel!

 

Psalm 18:2 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.

Deteronomy6: 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

We should learn a lesson from the old heathen artist!

From Grace gems again....

(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)

"In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah . . . and his wife Elizabeth . . . Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." Luke 1:5-6

This is a beautiful thing which God said of them. Yet, after all, that is the test which every life must endure. It is not enough to have human commendation. The question is--How do we stand before God? How does our life appear to Him? It does not matter how men praise and commend us--if God sees that we are living wrong. The Pharisees were righteous before men; but if you would see how they stood in God's eye--read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew: "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Hell!" (verse 33)

We are in reality--just what we are before God--nothing less, nothing more! The question we should always ask ourselves is, "What does God think of me?" If we would meet His approval, we must first have our hearts right--and then we must be blameless and uptight in every part of our life.

One of the old heathen artists was chiseling the back part of his marble statue with great pains. "Why do you carve the tresses on back of the head of your statue so carefully?" asked one; "it will stand high in its niche against the wall--and no one will ever see its back." "The gods will see it," was the reply.

We should learn a lesson from the old heathen artist! We should do our work just as honestly, where it will be covered up and never seen by human eyes--as where it is to be open to the scrutiny of the world. For God will see it! We should live just as purely and beautifully in secret--as in the glare of the world's gaze!

There really is no such thing as secrecy in this world. We imagine that no eye is looking--when we are not in the presence of men. But really, we always have a spectator--we are living all our life in the presence God Himself! We should train ourselves, therefore, to live for the Divine eye in all that we do--that our life may stand the Divine inspection, and that we may have the approval and commendation of God Himself!

"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 4:13




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Seek my face

In the following verses I am reminded of the most tender of lovers gazing at each other....how much more does our Lord love us? Vastly more, for His love is eternal, never ending, bottomless and perfect in every way!

Psalm 27:8-9
8You have said, “Seek my face.”

My heart says to you,

“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

9 Hide not your face from me...