Psalm 121:1, 2 - Lift Up My Eyes Unto The Lord.
Psalm 121:1, 2 (NIV) I lift up my eyes to
the mountains - where does my help come from? My
help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and
earth.
INTRODUCTION
Psalm 121:1 portrays well the upward look -
"Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? from
whence should my help come? My help cometh from
the Lord, which made heaven and earth." The
upward look of a mature man of God is not to the
mountains which God has made, but to the God who made
the mountains. [Still Higher for His Highest by
Oswald Chambers, Sept 17]
COMMENTARY PEARL
This morning I woke up to crazy headlines
- again. Foreign wars and carnage. Refugees
clamoring for safe haven. Political strife. Financial
difficulties. Undercurrents of discontentment. I have been
feeling as if I should chuck my phone straight out
the window. Maybe that would make the crazy go
away.
Instead, I have taken to reading the
Psalms to still my soul. When it feels as if the
world is plummeting like a rock toward the fiery
pit, the Psalms always bring me back from the
edge. They put everything back into perspective.
The world has always been the world. Wild.
Unpredictable. And broken. And Jesus has always been Jesus.
Steadfast. Faithful. Powerful. The Psalms remind me of
what is real. Verses such as Whoever dwells in
the shelter of the Most High will rest in the
shadow of the Almighty (91:1, NIV) and The
angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear
him, and he delivers them (34:7, NIV). The
thing is hope will never be found in the
headlines. That is where fear and anger reside.
Headlines were made to get us whipped up. They
unsettle us, making us doubt the goodness in the
world we live in. But the truth of Jesuss Word
His holy truth is meant to anchor us
with peace. To still our beating hearts in the
midst of the storm. To lift our heads and get us
focused on the One who is truly good and then
some. The One who is in charge and loves us most
of all. That would be Jesus. by Susanna Foth
Aughtmon
Faith Step: This morning as you read the
days headlines, take a moment to change them into
prayers. Pray for the hope of Jesus to permeate and
change our broken world with His love. [Mornings
With Jesus 2020 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
I pray because Im helpless.
A Friend whom I deeply trust told me
that, so I believe Him. He said, Without Me you
can do nothing. (John 15:5).
As Im writing this the west coast of
the US is ablaze. Over a million acres has
burned in the beautiful state of Oregon where I
grew up. Thirty-five dead thus far. Hundreds of
thousands are in varying degrees of flight from their
homes. And that doesnt count Washington and
California. As much as my heart aches for my friends
there, I can do nothing about it.
Except pray.
In many cities in our fair land you do
not dare go out of your house after dark.
Chaos. Arson. Shootings. Uncivilized
unrest. This is not the nation I grew up in. And I
can do nothing about it.
Except pray.
A new hurricane is preparing to roar
ashore in the Gulf of Mexico. Thats near where
some of our grandkids live. Were concerned for
their safety but we can do nothing about it.
Except pray.
I could go on, but Im not detailing
something you dont know about. In my more than
of a century of watching Ive never seen
anything like it. There are no matches anywhere in
our history. Its never been like this before.
Just watching the evening news can give you a
profound sense of helplessness.
Except we can pray.
To say thats all we can do is like
saying that all we have to breathe is air; its
all we need.
But, brother Don, dont be naive;
its a scary time. It is, but He has promised to
be our Peace. Even when it gets nasty, you
can trust Me, He assures us. But did you see
the pictures of those fires? I did. And those
three Hebrew teens saw them, too. Like, up close.
But the hurricanes Yes, and remember, our
Friend is Master of the storms.
Good people get hurt, too. Believers lose
their property, too. Christians die in every war;
even Jesus. Were all participants in this
great controversy. Thats why the Book says we
are saved by hope. We know who wins; we
know which side were on. Soon the pain will be
over and the future will be matchless. [By Don
Jacobsen; NAD Prayer Ministries]
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (currently live):
https://bible.awr.org/the-warning/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
