fear of the Lord.

Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but live in fear of the Lord always.

[Proverbs 23:17]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

[Proverbs 1:7]

"The fear of the Lord is a state of mind in which one's own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds, and goals are exchanged for God's"

[MacArthur Study Bible commentary]

That is what it means to fear the Lord.

love.

9.19.10

Currently playing on iTunes: [All I Need Is You - Hillsong United]

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your ways, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
[Psalm 19:14]

You hold the universe
You hold everyone on earth
...
all i need is You, Lord

These are my prayers for today

love.

Father's Day.

While reading my daily chapter of Proverbs, I came across this verse that came from the Almighty Father this Father's Day morning.

Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
[Proverbs 19:26]

I feel like God is not only scolding me, but also encouraging me at the same time to get back on track and get into the word daily because I haven't been using my time wisely these last couple of days.

Awesome.

love.
-------
side notes:
yes it is 4:45am and i have to be at church at 7:45am.
i'm tired, but not sleepy
this fly keeps jumping/flying back onto my arm no matter how many times i flick it
happy father's day to all you dads out there
don't forget our heavenly Father as well :)

Forgiven.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
[Ephesians 4:32]

I read this list online about forgiveness (http://blog.harvestbiblefellowship.org/?p=4257):
1. I won’t bring the offense up to the person, except for his benefit;
2. I won’t bring the offense up to others; and (hardest of all)
3. I won’t bring the offense up to myself. I will not go over it and think about it and dwell upon it.

When we sin, God forgives us regardless of what we've done. Christ's death on the cross was THE ultimate sacrifice for sins of the past, present, and future.

I choose to forgive because I am forgiven

love.

My Prayer For Tonight.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
[Psalm 139:23-24]

"Our fear is of the Lord Himself and not His laws. Once we step away from the fear of Him, then the Laws become important because of tradition. The Pharisees and Sadducees had this very problem. They got around 'breaking' the Law by careful arguments and procedures. However, if we obey because He is the keeper of the Laws, then we need to be much more careful. He knows when our hearts are not cheerfully doing His laws and cutting corners. Fearing the LORD Himself holds us personally accountable."


love.

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble.

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?" Moses also said, "You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD."
[Exodus 16:6-8]

"My complaining may focus on another person. That may be where my eyes are, but my real complaint is not with people. My complaint is with God and He hears it...When you and I receive painful consequences for our behavior and attitudes, we need to remember that this is not retaliation by God; He "retaliates" with faithfulness and blessings."
-James MacDonald [Our Journey, 6/1/10]

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
[1 Peter 5:7]

An excerpt from the ESV Study Bible:
Worry is a form of pride because it involves taking concerns upon oneself instead of entrusting them to God. Believers can trust God because, as their Father, he cares for them.

This is what I needed to read today. Good thing I found my study Bible on the bookshelf in the guest room. Thank you Lord for showing this to me tonight.

-Ant

Overwhelm.

From the ends of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
[Psalm 61:2 NKJV]

Father, with all that's going on right now, I am feeling very overwhelmed and helpless at times. I have no idea how to go about some of these things. My heart cries out to You, Lord. I don't want my problems to overwhelm me. I want You to. Take my heart and break the walls that I have put up surrounding it. I know that You are bigger than any problems that I will ever have on this earth. Rid my mind of the negativity and the pessimism and fill it with thoughts of You. I should stop dwelling on my problems and dwell in You instead. You are my rock and my strength. You will not be moved. I am forever in Your hands. I love You God.

-Ant


-----
Overwhelm - Starfield

This is an invitation to overwhelm my heart
I'm asking you to meet me
I'm waiting here to start
My soul is like a desert
Thirsty for your rain
So open up the heavens
And fill me up again
I'm ready for my life to be consumed

Father here I am
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Only your love can
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Let your spirit fall
Overtaking all
Overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm me

Desperate for your presence
I long for you alone
So Dwell within me Jesus
This temple is your home
I'm ready for this life to be consumed

Father here I am
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Only your love can
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Let your spirit fall
Overtaking all
Overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm,
Overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm me

Father here I am
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Only your love can
Overwhelm

Father here I am
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Only your love can
Overwhelm, Overwhelm
Let your spirit fall
Overtake it all
Let your spirit fall
Overtake it all
Overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm,
Overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm, overwhelm me

Wait and See.

From early morning until late at night, it was a really, really rough day. Ranging from headaches to academics, it wasn't a very good. But throughout everything that came my way, I couldn't help but remember what the Scriptures tell us when events or speed bumps slow us down. When it comes to planning our own lives, we should just leave it up to God.

God derails our plans sometimes. That's just the way He works.

When it happens, we are called not to lose heart. Not sit and sulk and be mad about it. We just have to move forward and put all of our trust in God and His perfect plan. Because He is our loving Father, He works out things for what He wants for us, even when we don't expect/want Him to. His timing after all is better than our own.

1 To man belong the plans of the heart, 
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, 
and your plans will succeed.
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
8 Better a little with righteousness 
than much gain with injustice.
9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
[Proverbs 16:1-9]

14 WAIT for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and WAIT for the LORD.
[Psalm 27:14]

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, 
and he will make your paths straight.
[Proverbs 3:5-6]

Things don't happen the way we want them to for a reason. Whether it's with academics, relationships, careers, etc. God has a plan for each and every one of us and we shouldn't worry about what is or isn't going to happen tomorrow. We don't know what'll happen. We just have to take it one day at a time and wake up each and every day putting full trust in the Lord.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
[Matthew 6:25-34]

I firmly believe that God has a plan for me. Better than the one that I can come up with myself.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
[Jeremiah 29:11]

Things happened today that will change many things within the coming months. It's been a very, very long day and an even longer semester. I have an exam in the morning and I am homebound shortly thereafter.
Farewell YorkU

-Ant

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
[James 1:2-4]

Psalm 62:5-8.

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
[Psalm 62:5-8]

Philippians 1:21.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
[Philippians 1:21]

I think Philippians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. :)

Psalm 37:4.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
[Psalm 37:4]

From the ESV Study Bible:
Ps 37:4 - the desires of your heart. Some take “the desires” as referring to the feeling of desire, i.e., “God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things”; but the sense is rather, “he will give you what your heart desires.” It is safe to say this to those who embrace the advice of this psalm, because as they delight themselves in the Lord, their hearts will desire the right things.

The Lord will give you what your heart desires, but He will also shape your heart to desire the right things. You must first seek the kingdom of God, and all these will be given to you as well [Matthew 6:33].

But you also have to keep in mind...

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
[James 4:3]

God doesn't give you certain things because you're asking for all of the wrong reasons. Like I said before, as you seek Him, He will change your heart according to what He wants for you even when it's different from what you want for yourself. God is our loving Father. He wants what is best for us.

Just take a couple of minutes and examine the things you ask of God and why it is that you want them.

Ant

Psalm 27:14.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
[Psalm 27:14]

Jeremiah 17:7.

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
[Jeremiah 17:7]