Evening Meditation 12-31-16

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Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
    turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.
Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
    a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
Make their path dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will be glad because he rescues me.
10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:
    Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
    Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

Malicious witnesses testify against me.
    They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good.
    I am sick with despair.
13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.
    I denied myself by fasting for them,
    but my prayers returned unanswered. Psalm 35:4-13

Who do you think David is thinking of as he writes these words? Speak to me about the conflicting emotions he is feeling in this Psalm? Have you ever been this conflicted?

Mid Afternoon Meditation 12-31-16

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Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will be glad because he rescues me.
10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:
    Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
    Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?” Psalm 35:9-10

What if we wait for the victory to come before we praise God?

Morning Direction From Scripture 12-31-16

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Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
    a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
Make their path dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me. Psalm 35:6-8

How does one reconcile a prayer like this with the command Jesus gives us to forgive?

Evening Meditation 12-30-16

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Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
    a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
Make their path dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me. Psalm 35:5-8

How does this prayer fit into the law which says, “You reap what you sow”?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Resilient

This week the Daily post has asked us to close out the old year by showing the world an example of  RESILIENCE.

Here are my examples of resilient things

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Rocky was a pretty resilient guy. Come to think of it so were the movies. What are we on now Rocky 42?

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New England winters are resilient. Summer comes but winter claims its season year after year. Of course that means…

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New Englanders need to be resilient.

PARTY ON

Or maybe just straight up crazy.

But of all the resilient things in the world, the thing which I think is the most resilient is

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the kingdom of God.

Its founder was killed.

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Rock of ages

He rose again.

Its people were persecuted.

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Yet the kingdom grew.

At the end of time through the worst of tribulations, though Satan himself shall rise and fall and rise again, the kingdom of God shall endure. When all else fades and is undone that kingdom alone among all the kingdoms of Earth shall remain into eternity.

Now here is how other contributors saw the subject of resilience

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