Desire

Isaiah 26:9

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness

The word desire here is the same word used in 1 Peter 2:2: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

I can relate to this verse because: I have to feed calves at work... they desire the milk so much that they almost knock you over to get it... and when you are finished they don't want you to leave... they will keep following you just to get a little more milk.

This is the kind of desire Isaiah is saying he has... "God I cannot get enough of you" what is the result of this desire? growth.

Psalm 58

1Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

I know I say this alot... but... I LOVE David's bluntness!!! Break their teeth!!! Them melt like a snail (or slug)... The righteous shall wash they're feet in their blood!!!

I'm not sure what the end of verse 8 means... but I'm sure we could get much application from it... ;o]

He is Almighty and Unchangeable God!

Psalm 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Wow what an encouragment! I love it when David tells us of the major things God has done; to make us realize how capable he is of caring for and delivering us!

For example:

your heavenly father knows and cares for the sparrow that falls... will he not much more care for you... (pharaphrased)... it makes our problems seem small (which they are!)

Are you mental?!?!

Psalm 53

1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
5There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.
6Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

I love verses 2-4...
God looks down to see if anyone is righteous... If there is anyone that loves Him with their whole heart... and seek Him diligently... and He comes to the conclusion...

there is none that doeth good... they return to their sins...

(I love this next part) Have they no knowledge? (what are they stupid?) How ignorant is it to return to your sins?!?!

Now, notice the next statment: "they have not called on God..." When we fall into sin it is from a lack of communion with God... When we are in constant communion with the Father... we don't sin... but the times that we fall are the times we "hang-up" on God, or give Him an "I'll BRB..."

They were in great fear, where no fear was...
The verse that comes to my mind is: the righteous are bold as a lion...

As Christians we are never supposed to feel shame or fear... the only reason to feel these emotions is because we are sinning... or we are ashamed of Christ (sinning!) We should never feel the need to hide something... Daniel prayed at his window even though he knew the penalty was the lions den.

Verse 6 is a triumphant verse... and I think it is talking about the rapture... or just referring to the deliverence of the Israelites... I don't know if this was written during a time of captivity...

Anyways keep living for Christ... and if you are reading this blog, I probably know you. so...

"Praying for you!!!"

John


PS. You all know this but this is just for the sake of updating it to my blog... Chris has recovered!! Our merciful Father has restored him back!!

Armed with the Sword

I am trying to memorize Psalm 51:17 and 52:9
I thought I would share the verses before and after these verses to give a little background to these verses...

Psa. 51

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.


Psa 52

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.


Aren't these verses awesome?!?! I love them! esp 51:17... "God, when I recognize my insufficiency, and I realize how much I have to depend on you, you are able to accept my worship"


John

Erased Memories

Yesterday my friend Chris went in to get his wisdom teeth pulled. The doctors overdosed his medications and he had a reaction to the drugs resulting in some memory loss. This letter is to Chris to remind him of the work that God has done in our lives.

Chris,
Remember the day's of our youth? We were rival enemies! Then we got older and realized how trivial our disagreements were and we agreed that we could still be friends and disagree...

Remember how we stayed in the same cabin both years at the Wilds? We had a great time together and learned so much from the services! Remember the van ride home? We spent 10 hours filling our minds and encouraging one-another with the One who loves us more than we could ever love Him!

We served together in the church...
We sang together... played guitar together...
We cried together... we laughed together...
We fought eachother... we forgave eachother...
We played football and gamecube together...
We planned our futures together...

Chris, if the memories we shared together are forever lost, we must not feel sorrow for what we have lost... we serve a God who want what is best for us and does not let anything happen to us with out first making sure it is best for us...

I say...

LET'S MAKE SOME NEW MEMORIES!

I love you and I'm praying for you man!

In Christ,
John

Two-Faced Chameleons

PART 2:

This next section of Psalms 50 was written to people that live double lives. To the ones that are eager to have their name associated with God, but live as though He doesn't exist.

Hypocrites, 

"Why do you act as though we have this great relationship? You talk about me, and tell of how much I mean to you. You HATE instruction, and you could care less about what my Word says. When you see an evil-doer, you run with them. You love evil. You do all of these sinful things; you justify them, and act as though I am ok with them. 

But, I WILL reprove thee, and set evil doers straight. Think about this and change, before I tear you to pieces, and there will be nothing left to save!" (I love God's bluntness here!) 

Then the chapter concludes with a statement for both groups,

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God."

Our sole purpose it to glorify God. 

John

Thanks for giving me my stuff!

I have really been enjoying my study in Psalms. esp. the last couple of days. I started ch 50 today and I want to share what I have learned from it so far. 

The Psalmist starts out the chapter talking about the wrath of God and how it will be displayed at the tribulation (I think that is what it is talking about) and how God will gather up His saints. He will come with vengence and fire. Then the rest of the chapter is divided into two sections were God gives a message to the saints and the wicked. I only finished the part about the saints so I will post the rest about the sinners later.

Saints,

"First of all, I am your (personal) God! I am not reprimanding you for your sacrifices, but in reality... they aren't your sacrifices. I own the cattle on a thousand hills, I know all the birds and the beasts, and they are mine. So, I don't neeed you or your sacrifices. If I was hungery, I would not go to you for help. I reminded you in verse one that I am the creator, I make the sun rise and set. I made it all out of nothing. Yet, you like to think you are great for handing out a tract. (btw, keep handing out tracts!) Just remember every good gift and every perfect cometh down from the Father of lights. (then he ends with) Offer me your thanksgiving and pay your vows to me. (I love you even though you are worthless) call upon me in the day of trouble: I WILL deliver thee, and as a result, your natural response will be to glorify me."

We serve an awsome God! He is like none other! 

Keep praising God!

John

More thankful reflections

I was reading in Psalms 45 this morning. I was having a hard time understanding what David was trying to say, and who the psalm was talking about. If you read it, it looks like he is writing a secular king. But, how does that apply to my personal walk with God? So, I looked it up in the New American Standard Bible and it had this footnote which I thought was very insightful.

Psalm 45:1 Jesus spoke of what was written of Him "in the Psalms" (see Luke 24:44). This is one such Messianic psalm. However, the capitalization indicating the deity is offered provisionally. The chapter is written against the background of a secular royal wedding. But the New Testament reference to this psalm in Heb. 1:8, 9, where verses 6 and 7 of Psalm 45 are quoted and applied to Christ, makes any other interpretation seem incidental in importance.

So now as I look over it again, it makes sense that the psalmist IS writing this as if it was to an earthly monarch. But it refers to Christ!

I am thankful to God for the resources that I have to help me understand him better. I was preparing for my sermon Sunday and I was using the bible software that Jesse bought. It has almost every resource imaginable. So, if I had a question about anything I could get it answered with the click of a button.

I am also thankful for the godly men that have translated the bible and written those resouces so that I could know my God better

John

^{vs 17} I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

Psa 43:4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Psa 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.


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Last night at church, I had a very refreshing time focusing on the goodness of God displayed in my fellow believers lives. There was also testimony of ones who had accepted Christ later in life, and though they thankful for the forgiveness of God, one could still sense the regret. So today I am thankful that Christ has forgiven my sins, and that I gave my life over to Him before I could really do something dumb. I am also thankful for a godly parents, who put me in a godly home so that I would still be tender enough for the Spirit to work. I know myself! If I had been in any other home I probably would still be wallowing in my sin! I still have a hard enough time with it, now that I don't want it! But God is good and he orchestrated and shaped my life so that I would have the positive influences around me!

Striving for Excellence!
John P. Dierking

I'm frustrated with my sin!

Wow! I am tired! I was up studying my sermon until 3am this morning. At 7:30am my mom came and sprayed me with water! So much for sleeping in for the holiday! 4 and a half hours just doesn't cut it for me!

I am on Psalms 42 in my devo's
This is the Psalm that talks about the hart longing for streams, and my soul longing for God. I thought it was worthy of noting the end of the chapter. The Psalmist again, like so often before, tells of his love for God and then suddenly falls into discouragement because he sins, right after he has just had a great victory!

I remember Mr Byers giving his testimony at church once and he said: 'I felt as though I struggled even more after I got saved. I was having all kinds of bad thoughts. I felt discouraged, as though maybe I wasn't for real. I talk to pastor (Lutz) about it and his words of encouragement were: "That is proof that you ARE for real. Before, you did all these things but it didn't bother you. Now, you are living for the Spirit. When you do them it bothers you so you notice your sin more."

Take encouragement from this! No, you are not happy with your sin. Yes, God is grieved. But, it is proof that the Spirit is in you!

John

A lesson in hatred!

I read a quote once that went something like: "the closer you draw to God; the humbler you will become." I don't know if I am getting closer to God but, I know that I am beginning to hate myself. I hate my desire to sin. I hate my love of this world. I hate my self-satisfying attitude. But I love it! I turn around and do exactly what I hate!


"Lord, save this wretch from my sin. Cause me to know your strength! Do not withhold thy loving kindness from me. Grant me courage to suffer for the cause of righteousness. Give me a hunger for your truth!"

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What I have been learning:
I am doing a very interesting study on suffering for the cause of the Gospel. One of the verses, which I will be using this Sunday, has become very special to me. It's 1 Peter 4:1 "Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." I have been struggling to understand all that this entire chapter meant, but esp. this verse. I was listening to several sermon mp3's. One of the ones by John Piper help me to understand this verse a little better. This verse does not mean that if you suffer persecution you will not sin. It means if you have the mindset of: "I am willing to suffer the ridicule or persecution that comes with taking a stand for Christ because, I know that God wants me to and, doing it will benefit me because God wants whats best for my life." When someone takes the Lord's name in vain and you say something, they probably aren't going to say: "I really respect you for that!" No, they will probably ridicule you. But if you keep reading the chapter it talks about the joy that the Lord gives for those that suffer for his sake. This is not a "past a smile on your face" joy. But this is a peace that God works all things for good to them that love him.

That is just a sneak preview of what im working on for Sunday. Keep praying, I have a long way to go until its complete!

John

Ready? Set? Go!

I created this blog as a growth chart for my spiritual walk. This will be a place where I place my prayer requests and the answers that God provides! I also will place my thoughts and struggles (without getting to personal!) to encourage me and to serve of a reminder of God's grace.


John P. Dierking