He knows us best! Psalm 139

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. (Psalm 139:1-3 NIV)

Like Adam and Eve , when God asked "who told you , you were naked?" - God knows all.  He knew what happened and that they had taken of the forbidden fruit. God knows every detail of our lives.  Nothing can be hidden from him.  He knows our thoughts and motives.  Oh boy!  That makes me feel a bit vulnerable and embarrassed.  At the same time it brings comfort as I consider His grace and mercy for me.   Everything that has happened to me, everything I'm afraid of, every feeling I've had since I was little - he knows - so therefore He knows me best.     

Proverbs 29:25

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25 NIV)

Sometimes we feel so paralyzed by what others will think, feel or say that we are unable to process or deal with our circumstance in a healthy way.  It takes a brave soul to trust in The Lord and let the cares of "pleasing others" be set aside.  

The scripture says it will prove to be a snare, meaning we become captive to it and never find healing in it.  

Push through today - trust The Lord  and be safe!!!

Hebrews 12:2

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)

It's always best to fix our eyes on Jesus. When we fix our eyes on our problems they become bigger, than our God.  We have the choice of what we will focus on.  Max Lucado says in his book, Facing your Giants that like David we MUST focus on our God and not on our giants.  Had David focused on the giant he would have been overwhelmed but because he fixed his eyes on his god and his power he was able to defeat the enemy. 

Proverbs 25:28

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28 NIV)

Walls broken through give you a visual of failure to protect and vulnerability to the outside world.  Someone who lacks self control is like these walls.  They have no regard for others or what consequences will come.  

Dev mentioned the latest baseball game and how some of the  players just raged.  They had no self control.  

Most times selfishness is involved as well.  When you have no self control you just want what you want. 

Self control is a fruit of the Spirit and therefore we will obtain self control by yielding to His Spirit everyday of our lives.  

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 NIV)

This action is so important for us to be healthy.  Each one of us need to take this time everyday, close our door and talk to God.  This will sustain us.  Much like eating food for our physical bodies, our minds and hearts need time to be healed and rejuvenate.  Jesus took time to do this, so should we. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV)

I love the words "don't lose heart"!!!  

Inwardly we are being renewed.... Our light in momentary trouble carries is!!!  Fixing our eyes on the unseen!!! Great encouragement this morning.  Yes! We are hard pressed and struck down but we are NOT destroyed.  We will not lose heart!!!   Thank you Jesus!

Psalm 40:2

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2 NIV)

While we were still living in darkness , God loved us and gave His life for us.  We can trust our God with every detail of our life.  We are grateful this morning for a firm foundation in Christ alone.