Taken from  The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 120

In Psalm 32, David talks about how hidden sin eats us up. “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of the summer.”

Yet as we read on in the chapter, David identifies no less than seven mighty acts God will work on our behalf as we confess our sin. He begins with the stunning promise that “surely in the rush of great waters they shall not reach him” and ends with the assurance that “steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord”.Are you struggling with private or unconfessed sin?

~~

Read Psalm 32 and see if you can identify all seven of the ways God promises to intercede on your behalf as you take the difficult step of acknowledging (even publicly, if appropriate) your wrongdoing.

Then read 2 Timothy 2:21 and take comfort in the knowledge that God is seeking to cleanse you from your sin to use you for noble purposes ahead. 

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

    ¹ Blessed is he
       whose transgressions are forgiven,
       whose sins are covered.

    ² Blessed is the man
       whose sin the LORD does not count against him
       and in whose spirit is no deceit.

    ³ When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.

    ⁴ For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.
       Selah

    ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
       and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, “I will confess
       my transgressions to the LORD “—
       and you forgave
       the guilt of my sin.
       Selah

    ⁶ Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
       while you may be found;
       surely when the mighty waters rise,
       they will not reach him.

    ⁷ You are my hiding place;
       you will protect me from trouble
       and surround me with songs of deliverance.
       Selah

    ⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
       I will counsel you and watch over you.

    ⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
       which have no understanding
       but must be controlled by bit and bridle
       or they will not come to you.

    ¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
       but the LORD’s unfailing love
       surrounds the man who trusts in him.

    ¹¹ Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
       sing, all you who are upright in heart!

2 Timothy 2:21

²¹If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Could you find all 7?

Leave a comment and list them.

Blessings, Kristina

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,

²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
    ²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
      you now dismiss your servant in peace.
    ³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,
       ³¹which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
    ³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles
      and for glory to your people Israel.”

    ³³The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,

³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This last part gripped me, as anything about the mother of Jesus does.

If she believed Simeon, she knew a sword would pierce her soul regarding her beloved son. She knew he was destined for a great many things. She kept these things in her heart.

We intuitively know things about our children, don’t we?

 We feel their vibe so to speak. We can see it on their faces and hear it in their voices.

When our child is wounded or does something incredibly wrong, we feel it. We ache for them. The feeling is so intense.

When our little one does something kind, right, honest and precious, we beam, we are given to pride. The only pride that seems to be OK.

The thought of my child growing up, all aspects of his growing up, makes my eyes water up.

I love him fiercely.

Being a mother is beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

Thank you God for my child. Thank You Hubby for helping me have our child.

Thank you Son for loving me.

Time for a Time Out?

When dealing with difficult people, it is also important to recognize your limits. Even when you continue to do what is right, some people may adamantly refuse to admit you are right or to live at peace with you. This is why Paul wrote, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18).

In other words, do all you can to be reconciled with others, but remember that you cannot force others to do what is right. If you have done everything in your power to resolve a conflict, you have fulfilled your responsibility to God and may stop actively trying to solve the problem. If circumstances change and you have new opportunities to seek peace with an opponent, you should certainly try to do so.

In the meantime, it is not necessary or wise to waste time, energy, and resources fretting about someone who stubbornly refuses to be reconciled.

Taken from  The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 252

Food for Thought

Are you in the middle of a conflict where the harder you’ve tried to make peace, the worse things have gotten? Don’t be discouraged; instead, think about taking a “time out”. Sometimes we think of a time out as giving up. But sports coaches know that time outs are as important to the game as what happens while the clock is running. It gives the players a chance to regroup, to catch their breath, and to listen to the coach’s strategy for success. In the same way, perhaps you are in a conflict that could benefit from a time out–giving you a chance to regroup and seek the Lord for direction. Pray to God for wisdom on how and when to act “as far as it depends on you”–and patience to wait on the window of opportunity He will supply.

I’m in the middle of 2 incidents where a time out is needed. (Update: the ’split’ happened a few years ago,  but the above just reminded of that time.)

1. was and still is the split our church encountered a few years back. We live in a town small enough where we run into the people who chose to leave the church. A few of them still hostile toward those of us who stayed. With some individuals I personally tried to make peace, with not so good results. Some I wish I still could talk to, but the pain for them is still too deep.

I have had many people tell me this~

 ” In the meantime, it is not necessary or wise to waste time, energy, and resources fretting about someone who stubbornly refuses to be reconciled.”

and I try not to fret about it, I try to understand the others point of view, I also wonder  how, as Christians, they can hold the anger, grief, bitterness in for so long. May God do a work in their hearts. ~In all our hearts.

2. a recent family situation has brought me to my knees where I really want reconciliation, but I’m not quite sure how to go about it with non-christians. Confessions, forgiveness and understanding should go hand in hand with Christians, but I have to let God be in control, and I have to be reminded that He is in control, of every situation in every way, He is in control of christians and non-believers. His will be done.

Any times you have had where a time out is needed?

Blessings, Kristina

 Tuesday I skipped bible study (bad girl), grabbed the camera and took the puppy for a walk.

Anna gets crazy when I ask her where are the squirrels.

There is one certain street behind ours that has lots of trees and people who feed squirrels and she loves going down that street.

It sort of looks like she is in fast motion but thats real time, she is out for some squirrel stew!

Those dogs are beautiful Great Danes, but the fact they can easily rest their paws on the fence is crazy!

neighborhood watchdeer

2 of Anna’s friends. Actually she could care less about them, but they vie for her attention

Bleeding heart ? What is this plant called. I love them and several neighbors have them

White rhody, white puppy

Home where christians meet. There’s the secret code on the light pole….

Our street.

More pics on flickr, click on sidebar.

I’m thinking about making a cooking video vegan/vegetarian style. whatcha think?

Ok, I’m seriously hooked on Facebook, I didn’t want to be, but I am. I tried to fight it, but it got me.

But I’m pretty much a loser and too shy to ask anyone to be my friend, (how sad is that?)

so hook a sister up if you are on there.

Have a blessed day!

Kristina

Job 1:21 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Hebrew]

He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”  

Ps 113:2 - [In Context|Read Chapter|Original Hebrew]

Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever. 

 

This past weekend we did some stuff, check out the pics if you want.
More on flickr sidebar.

This is the firepit hubby built a few years ago, we have used it once

My serenity swing, when I get to sit in it, it is lovely
We got married in our backyard some 10 years ago, My mothers hubby built this for us and we stood under it.
 

Back yard view

the start of a garden. This year, sugar snap peas, corn, carrots, strawberries, cucumbers, zucchini and 1 tomato plant

Wagon wheel. I got this wheel in trade for some yard work I did for a friend a few years ago.

Rain barrels ~!~

I seriously am waiting for it to rain. It won’t be long in the Pacific Northwest.

We just got these hooked up, hubby found them on Craig’s list.
 I’m excited and looking for ways to go ‘green’
this is a start…..
What did you all do this weekend?
Kristina

Oh yeah, check this out phone sheep

 ²²Because of the LORD’s great love (lovingkindesses) we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.  

   ²³ They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness.

    ²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
       therefore I will wait for him.”

    ²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
       to the one who seeks him;

    ²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
       for the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3:22-26

The book consists of five separate poems. In chapter 1 the prophet dwells on the manifold miseries oppressed by which the city sits as a solitary widow weeping sorely. In chapter 2 these miseries are described in connection with the national sins that had caused them. Chapter 3 speaks of hope for the people of God. The chastisement would only be for their good; a better day would dawn for them. Chapter 4 laments the ruin and desolation that had come upon the city and temple, but traces it only to the people’s sins. Chapter 5 is a prayer that Zion’s reproach may be taken away in the repentance and recovery of the people.

The first four poems (chapters) are acrostics, like some of the Psalms (25,34,37,119), i.e., each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet taken in order. The first, second, and fourth have each twenty-two verses, the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The third has sixty-six verses, in which each three successive verses begin with the same letter. The fifth is not acrostic.

From here

Lovingkindnesses

Definition
	goodness, kindness, faithfulness a reproach, shame
Translated Words
	KJV(24 - favour, 3; good, 1; goodliness, 1; goodness, 12; kindly, 5; kindness, 40; lovingkindness, 30; merciful, 4; mercy, 149; pity, 1; reproach, 1; wicked thing, 1;NAS(24 - deeds of devotion, 2; devotion, 1; devout, 1; disgrace, 2; faithfulness, 1; favor, 2; good, 1; kindly, 7; kindness, 32; kindnesses, 1; loveliness, 1; lovingkindness, 176; lovingkindnesses, 7; loyal deeds, 1; loyalty, 6; mercies, 1; merciful, 2; mercy, 1; righteousness, 1; unchanging love, 2;

Compassion

Definition
	n m womb n m abs pl intens compassion
Translated Words
	KJV (44) - bowels, 2; compassion, 4; damsel, 1; mercy, 30; pity, 2; tender love, 1; womb, 4;NAS(3 - compassion, 30; compassions, 1; deeply, 1; mercies, 4; mercy, 2;

 The Lords love and compassion are new every morning, so just think, no matter what we have done or failed to do, the next morning, Gods love is there for us, like a fresh warm towel in the shower, like a toasty cup of coffee, whatever your favorite thing is in the morning.

Our God is a great God of mercy and compassion and forgiveness, Let us rejoice in Him today and glorify Him to all we meet!

Kristina