Psalm 11 is another portion of Scripture that I love from the Message Bible. Here are verses 1-3:
1-3I've already run for dear life straight to the arms of God.
So why would I run away now
when you say,
So why would I run away now
when you say,
"Run to the mountains; the evil
bows are bent, the wicked arrows
Aimed to shoot under cover of darkness
at every heart open to God.
The bottom's dropped out of the country;
good people don't have a chance"?
The I love the response in verse 4:
4 But God hasn't moved to the mountains;
his holy address hasn't changed.
He's in charge, as always, his eyes
taking everything in, his eyelids
Unblinking, examining Adam's unruly brood
inside and out, not missing a thing.
his holy address hasn't changed.
He's in charge, as always, his eyes
taking everything in, his eyelids
Unblinking, examining Adam's unruly brood
inside and out, not missing a thing.
And then verse 7:
7 God's business is putting things right;
he loves getting the lines straight,
Setting us straight. Once we're standing tall,
we can look him straight in the eye.
he loves getting the lines straight,
Setting us straight. Once we're standing tall,
we can look him straight in the eye.
Remember, God desires that we have life, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows (John 10:10 Amplified)! He wants ONLY good for us, always!
I have liked Matthew 11:12 from the time I first read it from the Amplified Bible!
12And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize--a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].
Are YOU seeking the Kingdom of God to be manifest on Earth with "most ardent zeal and intense exertion"? That should be our new goal! We'll be seeing in a few days that that the gates of hell cannot stand up under the violent attack of God's people! Let's continue to DENY the enemy access to our lives!
Then I like verses 27-30 in the Amplified Bible:
27All things have been entrusted and delivered to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son deliberately wills to make Him known. 28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] 29Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.30For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
Ecclesiastes 11:13 sums up what Solomon has learned:
13All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.
That pretty much says it all!
Shalom in Him!
