Shalom,
Psalm 16:1-2 makes so much more sense in the Amplified Bible and a couple of other versions:
1 KEEP and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself. 2 I say to the LORD, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You.
The Complete Jewish Bible:
1 Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, "You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you."
The English Standard Version:
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
The Message Bible:
1 Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. 2 I say to GOD, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense.
At The Spoken Word Church we like to say it this way: "Everything good in my life I give God the credit, thanksgiving and praise. Anything bad, I DON'T blame God!" Where do we get that from? James 1:17 says this:
17 Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
ANYTHING and EVERYTHING good in my life comes from the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! And, like the Message Bible said above: Without YOU, Lord, nothing makes sense! Here is Hillsong United with "Search My Heart". One of the lines in this song is "Without You I am nothing!" Thank You, Jesus, that we never have to be without YOU again! HALLELUJAH!
In Matthew 16 we see the Pharisees and Sadducees make an appearance again! They were always showing up with some new scheme to try and trick Jesus! This time they asked Him for a sign from heaven that proved His authority. After ALL of the signs, wonders, miracles, healings, and deliverances that they had already seen, they asked for more? I like His reply in verse 3b:
3b You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
We are living in the time of the soon appearing of Jesus for His Church. The most important "sign" that it is close is the nation of Israel! So much of Bible prophecy centers on Israel becoming a nation AGAIN, and the Jewish people returning. This happened in 1948 and the people continue to return from every corner of the earth! We are indeed living in the times of the signs! Keep watching Israel with one eye and keep the other on the sky! SOON and very soon, we are going to see our KING! GLORY!
2 Chronicles 12:1 says this:
1 WHEN REHOBOAM had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
This happened time and time again with the nation of Israel. They always reaped the results of it! We have also seen the same thing happen in the church. People who have severe needs and problems will begin to come to services and learn from the Word of God what to do to turn their situation around. They are very diligent UNTIL they begin to get the answers they wanted. Then they become less and less diligent until eventually they stop coming altogether. The next thing we hear from them is that they have worse problems than they had the first time they came! Learn by wisdom (the experience of others) so you don't have to go through the same things yourself! Stick with the Word of God and you will consistently have God's results! That is SO much better!
Shalom in Him!
