Psalm Challenge: Day Twenty-Four!

Woah, this is a powerful Psalm that talks about God creating the Earth. Therefore He Owns everything in it! You are His! Rejoice for victory is here.

Psalm 24

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
² for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.

³ Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴ The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.

⁵ They will receive blessing from the Lord
    and vindication from God their Savior.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob.

⁷ Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
⁸ Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle.
⁹ Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
¹⁰ Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty —
    he is the King of glory."

Psalm Challenge: Day Twenty-Three!

This Psalm reminds me of when I was really young. As an innocent child, my parents protected me from the things that were dangerous to me. God still does this for me; He picks me up when I fall down. He is the ulimate Healer ad Comforter. 

Psalm 23

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever."

Psalm Challenge: Day Twenty-Two!

Biblical alluion: it talks aout how people pierce David's hands and feet, count his bones, stare at him, and divide his lots of clothing. This is an allusion of the crufication of our Savior.

He was peirced through His hands and feet!

He was starved to death so that you could see His bones.

He was stared at the whole time of this mockery to Him.

His clothing was casted off to the crowd.

God has not left us; He is faithful. He has not forsaken you. 

Psalm 22

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the one Israel praises.
⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried out and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
⁸ “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb;
    you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
¹⁵ My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.

¹⁹ But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
²⁰ Deliver me from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dogs.
²¹ Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

²² I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly I will praise you.
²³ You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.

²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
    before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—
    may your hearts live forever!

²⁷ All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
²⁸ for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
    all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it"

Psalm Challenge: Day Twenty-one!

Psalm 21

"The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!

² You have granted him his heart’s desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.
³ You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
⁴ He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.
⁵ Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
⁶ Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord;
    through the unfailing love of the Most High
    he will not be shaken.

⁸ Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
⁹ When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.
¹⁰ You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.
¹¹ Though they plot evil against you
    and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
¹² You will make them turn their backs
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

¹³ Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
    we will sing and praise your might."

Psalm Challenge: Day Twenty!

Psalm 20

"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
    may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.
⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
    and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory
    and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

⁶ Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm.
⁹ Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us when we call!"

Tagged by Elizabeth :)

A couple of month ago, I was tagged by my friend Elizabeth  She writes about the daily struggles, addiction, and other uplifting events that God shows her and does in her life. Elizabeth writes only inspirational stuff that gives glory to God. Check out her blog, The Journey Home !

The Rules:

1. Post the rules

2. Post 11 random things about yourself (optional):

3. Answer the questions the tagger posted for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that they’ve been tagged.

Now, for the random things:

1. I love to color! Coloring is a way of letting go of any emotions that I am feeling.

2. I learned how to make Macaroni and cheese last week because it is one of my favorite foods especially when pepperoni's are in it. 

(Yum!!!!!)

3. I love to make cards for people. I love encouraging people; I guess you could say it is my Spiritual gift.

4. I am insecure, but I am working with God dwelling on the truth that He created me with His perfect hands. 

5. I do not like apple sauce, cantaloupe, watermelon, or chicken nuggets.

6. I love my family!

(My beautiful family- missing in this photo my Older brother and sister)

7. I am a friend, a daughter, a sister, and class mate, but most importantly I am God's daughter.

8. I love to ask questions!

9. My birth mark is located on the top of my head, and sometimes it gets a little embarrassing when I put my hair up.

10.I am in LOVE with Africa. I can not wait to go there one day.

(This is me sporting my LOVE Africa shirt that my little sister got me)

11. I have been doing the dishes for twelve years :)

The Questions:

1. Do you like your Mac or PC? Why?

I love PC because I have only owned a PC.
2. Do you like to listen to music when studying? If so, what kind?
Yes, all the time. It is a must especially when I write papers.
3. Do you play any instruments? If so, which ones?
Yes, I played the flute for eight years. I was in marching band all four years in high school.
4. Can you describe each of your siblings personality/character? (doesn’t have to be a long answer )
My older brother is very smart. He knows a lot of things and always teaches me to strive for the best. My older sister is a fighter. She is so strong as she has been fighting cancer on and off for the last five or so years. My little sister is very musical. She can play lots of instruments as well as write music. My baby sister is smart, spunky, and just beautiful. She can sings so beautiful. And finally my baby brother is super smart. He likes to invent stuff. :) I love them all!
5. What do you like about myblog?
I love your blog because it always is what I need to hear. It gives me much joy to know that I can be apart of your life journey.
6. What’s your favorite color and why do you like it?
Yellow. The reason why I love is simple....it is because it is yellowy. I made up this word.
7. What book besides the Bible has changed you spiritually in some way?
I would have to say Redeeming love by Francine Rivers. It is an awesome story based on the book of the Bible Hosea. It reminds me a bit of myself as I struggle with what the world offers me. I do not always make the right choices, but it should me how faithful God really is and how much He loves me.
8. What books of the Bible do you tend to read from the most?
Song of Songs.....it is my favorite!
9. In what way have you grown the most spiritually in the past year?
I have learned slowly to be more dependent on God. I have also learned to let go of the things of the world. I do not need the garbage in my heart; it is just filth. God has shown me His faithfulness this year as well as I have been going through battle after battle, but God is still here for me. 10. Who is your favorite Bible character? Why?
Good question. I would say David right now. It changes often. But without David's book Psalm I would not be encouraged to live each to the fullest. He has shown me through his words that no matter what God loves and simply adores you.
11. What event/circumstance made your favorite Bible verse(s) “favorite”?
My favorite is Proverbs 3:5 "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Over the years, I have been afraid to let go of the hurt and the worst events in my life but God has shown that it is okay to trust in Him. So day by day I have been slowly letting go all my worries to Him, my Healer.

Thanks again to Elizabeth for tagging me! That was awesome!
Okay, so I guess I need to come up with my questions now. Let’s see…
1. What's your favorite book that you read in high school?
2. Have you decided what to have for dinner tonight?
3. Do you like sneezing?
4. Have you ever made a "bucket list" for the rest of your life?
5. If you had an animal, what would it be?
6. How would you describe the perfect day?
7. What music group or artist would you like to see in concert?
8. How is knowing God changed your life?
9. Do you sleep with your cell phone?
10. What do you wanna do over the summer?
11. Are you a deep thinker? Why or why not?

I tag:
Alycia Crowley

Jessica

Elizabeth :)

Psalm Challenge: Day Nineteen!

It is hard to be wise and act good on the outside, but that is not what Christianity is about. We are to have words and our hearts being pure. I may not be perfect, but the good news is I do not have to. I honor God because He is our Father that I love and adore! 

Psalm 19

" The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joyto the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins,
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Psalm Challenge: Day Eighteen!

Psalm 18 is a very powerful Psalm, and a very important one as well. God changes our hearts and gives us strength to fight the next battle. I found this music video, and I hope it gives you encouragement. 

Psalm 18

"I love you, Lord, my strength.

² The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I have been saved from my enemies.
⁴ The cords of death entangled me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my distress I called to the Lord;
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire came from his mouth,
    burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.

²⁰ The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
²¹ For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
²² All his laws are before me;
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³ I have been blameless before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴ The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶ to the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
²⁷ You save the humble
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
²⁸ You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.
²⁹ With your help I can advance against a troop;
    with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect:
    The Lord’s word is flawless;
    he shields all who take refuge in him.
³¹ For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock except our God?
³² It is God who arms me with strength
    and keeps my way secure.
³³ He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
    he causes me to stand on the heights.
³⁴ He trains my hands for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵ You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶ You provide a broad path for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

³⁷ I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
³⁸ I crushed them so that they could not rise;
    they fell beneath my feet.
³⁹ You armed me with strength for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries before me.
⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
    and I destroyed my foes.
⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was no one to save them —
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.
⁴² I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
    I trampled them like mud in the streets.
⁴³ You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
⁴⁴     foreigners cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵ They all lose heart;
    they come trembling from their strongholds.

⁴⁶ The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
    Exalted be God my Savior!
⁴⁷ He is the God who avenges me,
    who subdues nations under me,
⁴⁸     who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man you rescued me.
⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing the praises of your name.

⁵⁰ He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
    to David and to his descendants forever."

Psalm Challenge: Day Seventeen!

In this season of my life, God has taught me so much. This shall be my prayer as well because it is so powerful. David showed his faith, and so do I. May God minister and shower you with blessings with this psalm. 

Psalm 17

"Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.
² Let my vindication come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.

³ Though you probe my heart,
    though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find that I have planned no evil;
    my mouth has not transgressed.
⁴ Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵ My steps have held to your paths;
    my feet have not stumbled.

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
⁷ Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings
⁹ from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.

¹⁰ They close up their callous hearts,
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.
¹¹ They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹² They are like a lion hungry for prey,
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³ Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴ By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness."

Psalm Challenge: Day Sixteen!

Psalm 16
"Keep me safe, my God,
    for in you I take refuge.

² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    apart from you I have no good thing.”
³ I say of the holy people who are in the land,
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
⁴ Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names on my lips.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
    you make my lot secure.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.
⁷ I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Psalm Challenge: Day Fifteen!

These are the perfect examples of what a person with unshakable faith looks like. I strive to look like this because I want to live for God each and every day. He is so faithful!

Psalm 15

"Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?

² The one whose walk is blameless,
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;
³ whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴ who despises a vile person
    but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;
    who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken."

Psalm Challenge: Day Fourteen!

God is so amazing because He protects His children. If you follow Christ and obey His word that makes you apart of His family. But more so you are protected by God when people from the world try to get you down. Take hope in Him.

Psalm 14

"The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

² The Lord looks down from heaven
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.
³ All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.

⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on the Lord.
⁵ But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    for God is present in the company of the righteous.
⁶ You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.

⁷ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord restores his people,
    let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!"

Psalm Challenge: Day Thirteen!

Do you ever feel like you are in despair? I do. I feel alone, and I must admit that I have felt that God does not care about me. But the truth is God does care about each one of us. Read this Psalm for encouragement if you feel or have felt this way before. Praise God! 

Psalm 13

"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³ Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him, ”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me."

Psalm Challenge: Day Twelve!

I never really noticed how powerful the mouth is. This is why we need to guard our lips with righteousness. 

Psalm 12

"Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
² Everyone lies to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.

³ May the Lord silence all flattering lips
    and every boastful tongue—
⁴ those who say,
    “By our tongues we will prevail;
    our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

⁵ “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
    I will now arise, ” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
⁶ And the words of the Lord are flawless,
    like silver purified in a crucible,
    like gold^[c] refined seven times.

⁷ You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,
⁸ who freely strut about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race."

Psalm Challenge: Day Eleven!

God is so good to us! He gives me hope for a new day. We have free will to act the way we do, but God will judge righteously. Thank You, Abba!

Psalm 11

"In the Lord I take refuge.
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee like a bird to your mountain.
² For look, the wicked bend their bows;
    they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
    at the upright in heart.
³ When the foundations are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

⁴ The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
    his eyes examine them.
⁵ The Lord examines the righteous,
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.
⁶ On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;
    a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷ For the Lord is righteous,
    he loves justice;
    the upright will see his face."