Psalm 79 (KJV): O remember not against us former iniquities

From Psalms

Psalm 79
(A Psalm of Asaph.)

¹O god, the heathen are come into thine inheritance;
      thy holy temple have they defiled;
      they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
²The dead bodies of thy servants have they given
      to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven,
      the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

³Their blood have they shed like water
      round about Jerusalem;
      and there was none to bury them.
⁴We are become a reproach to our neighbours,
      a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

⁵How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever?
      shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
⁶Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen
      that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms
      that have not called upon thy name.
⁷For they have devoured Jacob,
      and laid waste his dwelling place.
⁸O remember not against us former iniquities:
      let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us:
      for we are brought very low.

⁹Help us, O God of our salvation,
      for the glory of thy name:
and deliver us, and purge away our sins,
      for thy name's sake.
¹⁰Wherefore should the heathen say,
      Where is their God?
let him be known among the heathen in our sight
      by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
¹¹Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee;
      according to the greatness of thy power
      preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

¹²And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom
      their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
¹³So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture
      will give thee thanks for ever:
we will shew forth thy praise
      to all generations.

The psalmist here starts with a horrible picture of Israel in rubble.  Dead people strewn across the ground.  The holy temple defiled.  It was likely written about how the Babylonians invaded and occupying Israel and Jerusalem.  Seems like a certain kind of hell to me.

In much the same way as addicts we create our own kind of hell.  We isolate from our family and friends.  We push away their love.  We retreat into our hole of addiction to temporarily mask our pain.  Only to make problems with career and money worse.  We make illogical decisions that risk our lives (or the lives of our loved ones) in terms of potentially contracting life threatening diseases, driving drunk, or even over-dosing.  At this point, our life becomes a proverbial hell.  There seems to be no way out.

It's at that point we turn to God and we say, "Help me God, of our salvation"..."for I am brought very low"...purge me of my sins"..."according to your greatness"...and "remember not against me my former iniquities."  And this I would say was when we got through step 2 of the 12 steps.  When we came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.  This step goes on everyday.  Even in sobriety we wake every morning and pray that He deliver us according to his greatness, and foregive us of our former iniquities.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 78:50-72: He smote his enemies in their hinder parts

From Psalms

⁵⁰He made a way to his anger;
      he spared not their soul from death,
      but gave their life over to the pestilence;
⁵¹And smote all the firstborn in Egypt;
      the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
⁵²But made his own people to go forth like sheep,
      and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
⁵³And he led them on safely, so that they feared not:
      but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
⁵⁴And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary,
      even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
⁵⁵He cast out the heathen also before them,
      and divided them an inheritance by line,
      and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

⁵⁶Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God,
      and kept not his testimonies:
⁵⁷But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers:
      they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
⁵⁸For they provoked him to anger with their high places,
      and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
⁵⁹When God heard this, he was wroth,
      and greatly abhorred Israel:
⁶⁰So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
      the tent which he placed among men;
⁶¹And delivered his strength into captivity,
      and his glory into the enemy's hand.
⁶²He gave his people over also unto the sword;
      and was wroth with his inheritance.
⁶³The fire consumed their young men;
      and their maidens were not given to marriage.
⁶⁴Their priests fell by the sword;
      and their widows made no lamentation.

⁶⁵Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep,
      and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
⁶⁶And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts:
      he put them to a perpetual reproach.
⁶⁷Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph,
      and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
⁶⁸But chose the tribe of Judah,
      the mount Zion which he loved.
⁶⁹And he built his sanctuary like high palaces,
      like the earth which he hath established for ever.
⁷⁰He chose David also his servant,
      and took him from the sheepfolds:
⁷¹From following the ewes great with young he brought him
      to feed Jacob his people,
      and Israel his inheritance.
⁷²So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart;
      and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

The third of three installments in Psalm 78 - based on verse 66, is about kicking ass.  As I've said before, in other psalms, there's a lot of things going on in this psalm that's not just about this - but that's what I'm choosing to focus on.

You see, if you look at various translations of verse 66, it basically says that God defeated the enemy, in a big way.  He "beat them back."  He put the enemy to shame.  In this translation, He continued to give the enemy a beating, even as they ran away - hence kicked their "hinder parts."

We are blessed to read about how Jesus showed love, and grace, and forgiveness.  These are things that we need to learn, especially addicts, as we learn about tolerance, forgiveness, and healing.  However, in all of that, sometimes we forget that God loves justice.  He loves it when we defeat our enemies that have been taking advantage of us.  He loves it when we remove evil from our lives.  He loves it when we go to all lengths necessary to triumph over our addictions.  That, is beautiful...that kicks ass.

I had a dream last night that I was in the middle of race...an Ironman triathlon.  I'm not quite sure where that came from, but anyway, there I was in the middle of the bike portion.  I started facing a rather steep hill, and the race started getting hard.  Rather than keep pushing, or at least walk my bike up the hill, I quit.  I just dropped out of the race.  This morning I can't believe how disappointed I am.  Even though it was just a dream, I was so close to such a great goal and I just quit.

I think I'm disappointed because what happened in my dream was the opposite of kicking ass.  Like the old that says, "Winners never quit, and quitters never win."  To extend that, a bit...and with God we don't just win, we kick ass.

This to your, and our, victories over addictions - remember it's always a long, hard battle, but as long as we keep God on your side we'll come out victorious - we'll probably kick a little "hinder parts."

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 78:26-49: They were not estranged from their lust

From Psalms

²⁶He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven:
      and by his power he brought in the south wind.
²⁷He rained flesh also upon them as dust,
      and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
²⁸And he let it fall in the midst of their camp,
      round about their habitations.
²⁹So they did eat, and were well filled:
      for he gave them their own desire;
³⁰They were not estranged from their lust.
      But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
³¹The wrath of God came upon them,
      and slew the fattest of them,
      and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

³²For all this they sinned still,
      and believed not for his wondrous works.
³³Therefore their days did he consume in vanity,
      and their years in trouble.
³⁴When he slew them, then they sought him:
      and they returned and enquired early after God.
³⁵And they remembered that God was their rock,
      and the high God their redeemer.
³⁶Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth,
      and they lied unto him with their tongues.
³⁷For their heart was not right with him,
      neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
³⁸But he, being full of compassion,
      forgave their iniquity,
      and destroyed them not:
yea, many a time turned he his anger away,
      and did not stir up all his wrath.
³⁹For he remembered that they were but flesh;
      a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

⁴⁰How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness,
      and grieve him in the desert!
⁴¹Yea, they turned back and tempted God,
      and limited the Holy One of Israel.
⁴²They remembered not his hand,
      nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
⁴³How he had wrought his signs in Egypt,
      and his wonders in the field of Zoan.
⁴⁴And had turned their rivers into blood;
      and their floods, that they could not drink.
⁴⁵He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them;
      and frogs, which destroyed them.
⁴⁶He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller,
      and their labour unto the locust.
⁴⁷He destroyed their vines with hail,
      and their sycomore trees with frost.
⁴⁸He gave up their cattle also to the hail,
      and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

⁴⁹He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger,
      wrath, and indignation, and trouble,
      by sending evil angels among them.

Today I would like to focus on one verse of this very big psalm.  Verse 30, "But while their meat was yet in their mouths..." they still saught more...and they coveted.  "They were not estranged from their lust."

Sounds familiar to me.  As all good addicts in search of the next perfect buzz, always trying to take it up a notch from the last one.  We obsess about.  We scour the internet for it.  We spend money we don't have for it.  Never satisfied with what we have we are willing to throw away everything we have just to get the next buzz.  We never seem to be estranged from our lust.  This seems to be what makes us alcoholics and addicts.

That is until we hit bottom.  Our last buzz is usually the one that came at too high a price.  Often when I talk to other addicts and alcoholics the last time was too expensive and it wasn't even very good.  Expensive because we lose, or nearly lose our marriage; have alienated friends or family; lost our job or career.  It's not until then that we seek help.  But with the grace of our Higher Power...God, we find help.  And we find sobriety.

However, this lust doesn't go away in sobriety.  We just now have tools, resources, and new ways to manage the lust.  Having seen the lust we also know how to see the warning signs to avoid the temptations.  The presence of the lust is why we continue to go to meetings and share.  That's why we continue to work the steps.  That's why, in a few cases, we continue to pray the psalms everyday.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 78:1-25 (KJV): Marvellous things did He...

From Psalms

Psalm 78
(A maskil of Asaph.)

¹Give ear, O my people, to my law:
      incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
²I will open my mouth in a parable:
      I will utter dark sayings of old:
³Which we have heard and known,
      and our fathers have told us.
⁴We will not hide them from their children,
      shewing to the generation to come
the praises of the LORD, and his strength,
      and his wonderful works that he hath done.
⁵For he established a testimony in Jacob,
      and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers,
      that they should make them known to their children:
⁶That the generation to come might know them,
      even the children which should be born;
      who should arise and declare them to their children:
⁷That they might set their hope in God,
      and not forget the works of God,
      but keep his commandments:
⁸And might not be as their fathers,
      a stubborn and rebellious generation;
a generation that set not their heart aright,
      and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

⁹The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows,
      turned back in the day of battle.
¹⁰They kept not the covenant of God,
      and refused to walk in his law;
¹¹And forgat his works,
      and his wonders that he had shewed them.
¹²Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers,
      in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
¹³He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through;
      and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
¹⁴In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,
      and all the night with a light of fire.
¹⁵He clave the rocks in the wilderness,
      and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
¹⁶He brought streams also out of the rock,
      and caused waters to run down like rivers.

¹⁷And they sinned yet more against him
      by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
¹⁸And they tempted God in their heart
      by asking meat for their lust.
¹⁹Yea, they spake against God;
      they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
²⁰Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out,
      and the streams overflowed;
can he give bread also?
      can he provide flesh for his people?
²¹Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth:
      so a fire was kindled against Jacob,
      and anger also came up against Israel;
²²Because they believed not in God,
      and trusted not in his salvation:
²³Though he had commanded the clouds from above,
      and opened the doors of heaven,
²⁴And had rained down manna upon them to eat,
      and had given them of the corn of heaven.
²⁵Man did eat angels' food:
      he sent them meat to the full.

God does marvellous things.  He provides miracles everyday.  He sobers alcoholics.  He restores friendships and marriages.  Things that we as mere humans believe are impossible.  It's even bigger than this though...as Psalm 78 points out in verses 1-16.  He saved the Isrealites from the Egyptions by parting the Red Sea.

But alas, we are selfish.  We take these gifts, and all of Gods gifts for granted.  We go to church on Sundays in hopes that He bless us.  In hopes that he cures us.  We do it for our own personal gain.  This is our history, as verses 17-25 demonstrate.  He gives us miracles, and more miracles, and still we ask for more.  Not only that we speak against Him and His word.

Instead we need to bless God and praise God.  We need to ask God how can we serve Him.  Ask him to take away our will and ask for His will be done.  On earth as it is in heaven.

Why is this important?  Because healing and recovery from addiction comes from losing ourselves.  We are forced to hit bottom to learn that He is the path to sobriety.  Then on the path of recovery, to sobriety, we learn that life is not about us.  Life is much bigger than us.  Life is about loving people, loving God, and reflecting the love of God.  We give up what we have believed previously.  We no longer rely on money for security like we used to.  We know now that "highs" of this world, of drugs, sex, alcohol, and consumerism are empty and lead only to loss and disappointment.  Instead now we replace these things with a faith in God and showing His love.  We do our best to appreciate God's gifts and praise him daily for all His gifts, big and small.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 77 (KJV): I cried unto God...He gave ear unto me

From Psalms

Psalm 77
(For the director of music.  For Jeduthun.  Of Asaph.  A psalm.)

¹I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice;
      and he gave ear unto me.
²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord:
      my sore ran in the night, and ceased not:
      my soul refused to be comforted.

³I remembered God, and was troubled:
      I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.
                                                         Selah.
⁴Thou holdest mine eyes waking:
      I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵I have considered the days of old,
      the years of ancient times.
⁶I call to remembrance my song in the night:
      I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

⁷Will the Lord cast off for ever?
      and will he be favourable no more?
⁸Is his mercy clean gone for ever?
      doth his promise fail for evermore?

⁹Hath God forgotten to be gracious?
      hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?
                                                    Selah.

¹⁰And I said, This is my infirmity:
      but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
¹¹I will remember the works of the LORD:
      surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
¹²I will meditate also of all thy work,
      and talk of thy doings.

¹³Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary:
      who is so great a God as our God?
¹⁴Thou art the God that doest wonders:
      thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
¹⁵Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people,
      the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
                                            Selah.

¹⁶The waters saw thee, O God,
      the waters saw thee;
      they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
¹⁷The clouds poured out water:
      the skies sent out a sound:
      thine arrows also went abroad.
¹⁸The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven:
      the lightnings lightened the world:
      the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹Thy way is in the sea,
      and thy path in the great waters,
      and thy footsteps are not known.

²⁰Thou leddest thy people like a flock
      by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

The opening verse from this psalm remind me of  "He Knows My Name":
"He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call."

He gave ear unto me...but my soul refused to be comforted.  This is my infirmity, but I will remember the right hand of the most high.  Some days, it seems as though my soul refuses the comfort of God.  On those days remembering how he has answered my cry helps.  On those days, I remember the He knows my every thought and hears me when I call.

Despite how bad things may be for me (and my addiction) at that time, I remember, and see, what great gifts he has given me.  I know there are people much less fortunate than I.  They live in countries where they cannot freely worship God.  Their very lives are threatened for reading a Bible or praying for salvation and protection.  Today I pray for those people who suffer and need the help of God but are not permitted to seek His hand in their life.  Lord please be with them and guide them.  Protect them from their enemies.  Help them be the light of Jesus for those around them.  Especially be a light for the people who ban your word, and outlaw worshiping You, and help them see the light of Your word and the error of their ways.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 76 (KJV): Thou art more glorious and excellent

From Psalms

Psalm 76
(For the director of music.  With stringed instruments.  A psalm of Asaph.  A song.)

¹In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.
²In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.
³There brake he the arrows of the bow,
      the shield, and the sword, and the battle.
                                                           Selah.

⁴Thou art more glorious
      and excellent than the mountains of prey.
⁵The stouthearted are spoiled,
      they have slept their sleep:
and none of the men of might
      have found their hands.
⁶At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,
      both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
⁷Thou, even thou, art to be feared:
      and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
⁸Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven;
      the earth feared, and was still,
⁹When God arose to judgment,
      to save all the meek of the earth.
                                                    Selah.

¹⁰Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee:
      the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

¹¹Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God:
      let all that be round about him
      bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
¹²He shall cut off the spirit of princes:
      he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

No matter how fierce the enemy is, God (from verse 4) is "...more glorious and excellent..."  This greatness will deliver us from all of man's wickedness.

I know this to be true.  I've seen it over the last year.  Recently, however, there have been situations where my faith in this belief fails me.  Times when I need something more...and I seem to struggle more with the urges of my addiction.  It feels like I'm missing some kind of perspective.  It almost feels like I'm just going through the motions.

I believe that my prayers need to be accompanied by step-work to be more meaningful.  I have been putting off my step-work until I finish going through Psalms here.  However, I realize they need to be done together.  And I need to be doing it actively with my sponsor...and since I lost my sponsor several months ago I'm going to need to get used to the fact that I probably need to start over with steps.

So, expect to see more in these pages, in the coming days, as I step up my step-work.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 75 (KJV): Unto thee, O God, we give thanks

From Psalms

Psalm 75
(For the director of music.  To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A psalm of Asaph.  A song.)

¹Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks,
      unto thee do we give thanks:
      for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

²When I shall receive the congregation
      I will judge uprightly.
³The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved:
      I bear up the pillars of it.                    Selah.
⁴I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly:
      and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
⁵Lift not up your horn on high:
      speak not with a stiff neck.

⁶For promotion cometh neither from the east,
      nor from the west, nor from the south.
⁷But God is the judge:
      he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
⁸For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup,
      and the wine is red; it is full of mixture;
and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof,
      all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

⁹But I will declare for ever;
      I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
¹⁰All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off;
      but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm 74, although I didn't address the topic directly, asked where is God when there is great destruction and crisis in our lives.  Psalms 75 and 76 start to answer this question...you will be happy to know he is always close at hand and in control of our paths.

Sometimes, as we tended to see in Psalm 74, we have short memories when it comes to the great work of God in our lives.  We often lack the full picture and perspective of what God is doing today.  Sometimes it's this lack of perspective that makes it difficult to trust in God...and to have complete faith in his plan for our lives.

In a meeting today I was reminded where I was more than a year ago, and how out of control it was.  I realized what a great gift He has given me in my sobriety and how victorious I have been on so many levels.  I know I still have a long way to go and many things still to do.  However, being able to look back, helped give me some of that perspective.  So, unto thee, O God, I give thanks for your great works and your grace - Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 74 (KJV): Do not deliver the dove unto the wild beasts

From Psalms

Psalm 74
(A maskil of Asaph.)

¹O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?
      why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
²Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old;
      the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;
      this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
³Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;
      even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

⁴Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations;
      they set up their ensigns for signs.
⁵A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes
      upon the thick trees.
⁶But now they break down the carved work
      thereof at once with axes and hammers.
⁷They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,
      they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.
⁸They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together:
      they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
⁹We see not our signs:
      there is no more any prophet:
      neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

¹⁰O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?
      shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
¹¹Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand?
      pluck it out of thy bosom.

¹²For God is my King of old,
      working salvation in the midst of the earth.
¹³Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength:
      thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
¹⁴Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces,
      and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

¹⁵Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood:
      thou driedst up mighty rivers.
¹⁶The day is thine, the night also is thine:
      thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
¹⁷Thou hast set all the borders of the earth:
      thou hast made summer and winter.

¹⁸Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD,
      and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
¹⁹O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked:
      forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

²⁰Have respect unto the covenant:
      for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
²¹O let not the oppressed return ashamed:
      let the poor and needy praise thy name.

²²Arise, O God, plead thine own cause:
      remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
²³Forget not the voice of thine enemies:
      the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

There are still days when the lure of pornography is still very strong for me.  I realize that it's easy to talk about my alcoholism because that for me is easier to manage than my sex addiction.  It's not always easy - but easier.  I need to start being more honest though - there are more days when I think porn would make things better than there are days when I think about drinking.  As I pray psalm 74, today, pornography and strip clubs are my beasts and my enemy.

God, today, please remember the needy and opressed, and do not let us retreat into our addiction.  Be with us and give us each other, that we may be stronger over the enemies and the beasts that we struggle with.  Help us remember the people in our lives that we love.  Help us to be open and honest with them and to show them and tell them how much they mean to us.  When opportunities present themselves help us be selfless and generous to help those around us.  Let us be a reflection of your son Jesus, let us be the channel of your peace.  Where there is wrong let us bring foregiveness...and where there is despair that we bring hope.  Lord, grant that we may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 73 (KJV): I was envious when I saw the properity of the wicked

From Psalms

Psalm 73
(A psalm of Asaph.)

¹Truly God is good to Israel,
      even to such as are of a clean heart.

²But as for me, my feet were almost gone;
      my steps had well nigh slipped.

³For I was envious at the foolish,
      when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴For there are no bands in their death:
      but their strength is firm.
⁵They are not in trouble as other men;
      neither are they plagued like other men.
⁶Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain;
      violence covereth them as a garment.
⁷Their eyes stand out with fatness:
      they have more than heart could wish.
⁸They are corrupt, and speak wickedly
      concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
⁹They set their mouth against the heavens,
      and their tongue walketh through the earth.
¹⁰Therefore his people return hither:
      and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
¹¹And they say, How doth God know?
      and is there knowledge in the most High?

¹²Behold, these are the ungodly,
      who prosper in the world;
      they increase in riches.

¹³Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,
      and washed my hands in innocency.
¹⁴For all the day long have I been plagued,
      and chastened every morning.

¹⁵If I say, I will speak thus; behold,
      I should offend against the generation of thy children.
¹⁶When I thought to know this,
      it was too painful for me;
¹⁷Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
      then understood I their end.

¹⁸Surely thou didst set them in slippery places:
      thou castedst them down into destruction.
¹⁹How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!
      they are utterly consumed with terrors.
²⁰As a dream when one awaketh;
      so, O Lord, when thou awakest,
      thou shalt despise their image.

²¹Thus my heart was grieved,
      and I was pricked in my reins.
²²So foolish was I, and ignorant:
      I was as a beast before thee.

²³Nevertheless I am continually with thee:
      thou hast holden me by my right hand.
²⁴Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel,
      and afterward receive me to glory.
²⁵Whom have I in heaven but thee?
      and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

²⁶My flesh and my heart faileth:
      but God is the strength of my heart,
      and my portion for ever.

²⁷For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish:
      thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
²⁸But it is good for me to draw near to God:
      I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
      that I may declare all thy works.

Welcome to book III of my journey through psalms - I'm so glad I could get this far and even more glad that you could join me here.

Psalm 73 is one of those tough and honest psalms.  It's very easy to praise God and speak of his gifts, like I get to do on other days with other psalms.  That's easy.  However, as psalm 73 reminds us, in a very honest way, we Christians have to have a certain level of sacrifice.  It requires, for example, that we think of others before ourselves.  All the while we try to reflect the love of God, there are those around us who seem to prosper inordinately.  So, we feel like if God were so good why wouldn't we prosper like them?  We start to sin in that we start to covet.  It may not even always be about money.  It may be about a career, title, or an experience.  It may even be about length of sobriety.  Because in our society we are lead to believe that prosperity is the same as happiness.  Unfortunately, we are bombarded with this message.

We start to think, "I'd be happier if I had a bigger house," or "I'd be happier if my kids could go to a better school,"  or "I'd be happier if I didn't have to work as long."    I have even often thought I could be a faster bike rider if I had a newer bike - or a better golfer if I had newer golf clubs.  Well, we all know it's not true.  We've all bought things that were supposed to make our lives easier, or better, and were disappointed when it didn't make our lives easier.  Hopefully, we learned our lessons and stopped looking in the wrong places for this secret to success and happiness.  Some people simply think, "Well, maybe what I was looking for is still out there," and their journey through disappointment never ends.

Because Happiness, doesn't come from trying to be like someone else, or from having the latest best thing.  Happiness, comes from fulfillment and satisfaction.  Fulfillment, in turn, comes from knowing our lives make a difference.

We have a program at work where we give a $25 gift certificate to people who go above and beyond what is expected of them.  They step in while somebody is out, the work on the weekend, and things like that.  I see that people are grateful to receive the $25 gift certificate.  However, I know that the $25 doesn't make a huge impact in their lives.  I know they are more grateful that their efforts and commitment are recognized - that we show that this person is important and is valuable.

The easiest way to have our lives make a difference is to mirror the way Jesus lead his life.  Showing our love and helping the people of the world.  This is the only true path to happiness.  Unfortunately, those people who don't understand this will find themselves in torturing spiral.  They will chase more money and "things", continue to be disappointed...chase money and things even harder than before, become even more disappointed...and so on.  In this spiral, as we read in psalm 73, "they will be utterly consumed by terrors."  So, it is good for us to draw near to God and we are grateful for the gifts and opportunities he gives us and that he keeps us from a lifestyle of false happiness and prosperity.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 72 (KJV):16-20: Let the whole earth be filled with His glory

From Psalms

Psalm 72:16-20

¹⁶There shall be an handful of corn in the earth
      upon the top of the mountains;
the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon:
      and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
¹⁷His name shall endure for ever:
      his name shall be continued as long as the sun:
and men shall be blessed in him:
      all nations shall call him blessed.

¹⁸Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
      who only doeth wondrous things.
¹⁹And blessed be his glorious name for ever:
      and let the whole earth be filled with his glory;
            Amen, and Amen.

²⁰The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

There was point in December when I thought I may never be able to complete another book of Psalms.  Nevertheless, here I am at the end of book II - not really close to halfway except in the number of Psalms left.

But I digress...Psalm 72 is not about me, it's about God...and as I talked about yesterday, Jesus.  I especially like verse 19, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory."  Truly the whole earth is filled with his glory already.  Sometimes we just need to look around to see it.  The giggle of a young child.  The beauty of a sun rise on a chilly morning.  The full moon on a clear winter's night.   The waves curling over as they crash along a beach.  The hug of a loved one when we need it most...and for that matter during a time of celebration.  These things are all the glory of God.

Sometimes, sadly, we miss these moments because we're paying attention to other distractions.  Or maybe we just take these glorious things for granted.  So today as we go through our day we will watch for his glory in our lives.  Today, we will know there are no coincidences - just glory in God's plan.  Then when we become witness to his Glory we will thank Him for all of His gifts and all of His glory.  And as the psalmist wrote in verse 19, "Amen and Amen."

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 72 (KJV)1-15: He shall deliver the needy when he crieth

From Psalms

Psalm 72
(Of Solomon.)

¹Give the king thy judgments, O God,
      and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
²He shall judge thy people with righteousness,
      and thy poor with judgment.
³The mountains shall bring peace to the people,
      and the little hills, by righteousness.
⁴He shall judge the poor of the people,
      he shall save the children of the needy,
      and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
⁵They shall fear thee as long as the sun
      and moon endure, throughout all generations.
⁶He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass:
      as showers that water the earth.
⁷In his days shall the righteous flourish;
      and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

⁸He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
      and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
⁹They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him;
      and his enemies shall lick the dust.
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
      shall bring presents:
the kings of Sheba and Seba
      shall offer gifts.
¹¹Yea, all kings shall fall down before him:
      all nations shall serve him.

¹²For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth;
      the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
¹³He shall spare the poor and needy,
      and shall save the souls of the needy.
¹⁴He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence:
      and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
¹⁵And he shall live,
      and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba:
prayer also shall be made for him continually;
      and daily shall he be praised.

Psalm 72 holds a special place for me because verse 3 was posted on a sign entering a small mountain town in the Rocky Mountains that I would vacation at with my family growing up.  Understanding the peace and beauty of such a place in the mountains is to understand God's creation...to understand what is meant by God's Country.  That is, country as land or rural setting, not as in the lines drawn up by people.  And in understanding we can see the truth in verse 3, "Mountains shall bring peace to the people."

But verse 3 is just a small part of psalm 72 and almost doesn't fit with the rest of the first 15 verses, which highlights God as the one that lifts up the needy, poor and afflicted in their time of need.  Indeed, he saves our souls, delivers us when we cry out, and redeem us from deceit and violence.  Precious are we too him, and is our blood in his sight.

Psalm 72 is about the hope and the promise that Jesus brought with him.  Peace, love, and holiness will rule the day in God's country...peace on earth, good will to men.  God works through people and so we need to reflect this hope and promise to the people we know and meet.  Often we need to pray to have this kind of hope and promise fill our hearts - but if we can pray God will help us find it.  He will help us heal and recover from past pains and mistakes.  Then we can move forward to allow us to serve him by serving others...and to reflect the love, hope and promise that Jesus brought to this world.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 71 (KJV): 16-24: I will go in the strength of the Lord

From Psalms

Psalm 71:16-24

¹⁶I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD:
      I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
¹⁷O God, thou hast taught me from my youth:
      and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
¹⁸Now also when I am old and greyheaded,
      O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation,
      and thy power to every one that is to come.

¹⁹Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high,
      who hast done great things:
      O God, who is like unto thee!
²⁰Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles,
      shalt quicken me again,
and shalt bring me up again
      from the depths of the earth.
²¹Thou shalt increase my greatness,
      and comfort me on every side.

²²I will also praise thee with the psaltery,
      even thy truth, O my God:
unto thee will I sing with the harp,
      O thou Holy One of Israel.
²³My lips shall greatly rejoice
      when I sing unto thee;
      and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
²⁴My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness
      all the day long:
for they are confounded,
      for they are brought unto shame,
      that seek my hurt.

Yesterday, was the second day I missed blogging about psalms this year.  This may not seem like a big deal, however, I'm a little disappointed in myself.  You see, I am trying to recreate a habit of studying the bible (and for the next few months, psalms) and/or praying everyday for 27 days.  I'm doing this because I know when I'm able to study the bible or meditate in prayer in a day, for that day I do not feel the urges or cravings of my addiction.  Generally, when I go several days without prayer or studying the bible is when the temptation of my addiction start to creep into my life.  As I started to see in December, with a whopping two psalm blog entries for the entire month.

I'm not sure I can explain this or even understand this.  Maybe it's a daily reminder that God is with me and I understand right from wrong.  Or maybe reading the bible gives your mind a workout, and therefore strength.  Or maybe I am closer to God and he is giving me more strength to manage distracting situations that would take me down those paths to my addictions.  Whatever the case, reading the bible and praying daily, works and as psalm 71 verse 16 starts today, I will go in the strength of the Lord.

On that note, I would like to share a phrase I heard yesterday, "When I see a bible that's broken and worn down, I know the life of the owner of that bible is all held together."  I just heard while flipping channels on the radio yesterday and I thought it reflected nicely with my theme today.

May you also be in the Strength of the Lord.  As they say in Spanish, via con Dios.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 71 (KJV): 1-15: You are my rock and my fortress

From Psalms

Psalm 71

¹In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust:
      let me never be put to confusion.
²Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape:
      incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
³Be thou my strong habitation,
      whereunto I may continually resort:
thou hast given commandment to save me;
      for thou art my rock and my fortress.
⁴Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
      out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

⁵For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD:
      thou art my trust from my youth.
⁶By thee have I been holden up from the womb:
      thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels:
      my praise shall be continually of thee.
⁷I am as a wonder unto many;
      but thou art my strong refuge.
⁸Let my mouth be filled with thy praise
      and with thy honour all the day.

⁹Cast me not off in the time of old age;
      forsake me not when my strength faileth.
¹⁰For mine enemies speak against me;
      and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
¹¹Saying, God hath forsaken him:
      persecute and take him;
      for there is none to deliver him.
¹²O God, be not far from me: O my God,
      make haste for my help.
¹³Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul;
      let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

¹⁴But I will hope continually,
      and will yet praise thee more and more.
¹⁵My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness
      and thy salvation all the day;
      for I know not the numbers thereof.

God is my rock and my fortress - and I love to speak of his righteousness.  I was in a situation today, which in the past, usually would have led to me acting out in my addiction, and doing things that I would later regret.  However, today it was just a passing thought and I moved on and maintained a reasonable amount of focus on the task at hand.  I even thought for a second, "Why would have ever thought that was an appropriate thing to do in this situation?"  Which to me, demonstrates how much change God has brought into my life...awesome.  Truly, awesome.  It reminds me that I have so much to be thankful for today.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 70 (KJV): Let those that seek you rejoice

From Psalms

Psalm 70 (KJV)
(For the director of music.  Of David.  A petition.)


¹MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME;
      MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.
²Let them be ashamed and confounded
      that seek after my soul:
let them be turned backward,
      and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
³Let them be turned back for a reward
      of their shame that say, Aha, aha.
⁴Let all those that seek thee
      rejoice and be glad in thee:
and let such as love thy salvation say continually,
      Let God be magnified.

⁵But I am poor and needy:
      make haste unto me, O God:
thou art my help and my deliverer;
      O LORD, make no tarrying.

Save me, O God.  I must cry out this prayer everyday.  At least that's what it feels like.  And for the past (nearly) 15 months I've seen the Lord answer those prayers.  He doesn't always answer them right away - no we need to show patience and faith.  He doesn't always answer them with what we would expect - but he does answer with what he knows we need.  And so, for those of us that seek the Lord, let us rejoice in his grace and his salvation.

As well, today I would like to pray for the addicts that don't yet know how to find recovery.  Those that haven't found salvation in God - and don't yet know how to seek Him.

Lord, please also help those who those who still suffer from alcoholism and addiction.  Those that need to be saved by you but don't yet seek you - or know where or how to seek you.  Be with them and guide them.  Work in their lives as you worked in ours.  Make haste, and save them before they destroy their life and the lives around them.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 69 (KJV): 18-36: I am poor and sorrowful...O God, set me up on high

From Psalms

Psalm 69:18-36

¹⁸Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it:
      deliver me because of mine enemies.

¹⁹Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour:
      mine adversaries are all before thee.
²⁰Reproach hath broken my heart;
      and I am full of heaviness:
and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none;
      and for comforters, but I found none.
²¹They gave me also gall for my meat;
      and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

²²Let their table become a snare before them:
      and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
²³Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not;
      and make their loins continually to shake.
²⁴Pour out thine indignation upon them,
      and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
²⁵Let their habitation be desolate;
      and let none dwell in their tents.
²⁶For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten;
      and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
²⁷Add iniquity unto their iniquity:
      and let them not come into thy righteousness.
²⁸Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
      and not be written with the righteous.

²⁹But I am poor and sorrowful:
      let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song,
      and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
³¹This also shall please the LORD better than an ox
      or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
³²The humble shall see this, and be glad:
      and your heart shall live that seek God.
³³For the LORD heareth the poor,
      and despiseth not his prisoners.

³⁴Let the heaven and earth praise him,
      the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
³⁵For God will save Zion,
      and will build the cities of Judah:
that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
³⁶The seed also of his servants shall inherit it:
and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

There are days when I feel like the psalmist in verses 18-22.  I look for comfort and friends - and there are no true friends.  Only those that provide more poison of my addictions.  It breaks my heart and I realize then, as the psalmist also does starting in verse 30, that the one thing that I faithfully rely on is the strength of God.

For God has saved people for ages and he can surely save a lowly addict like me.  No matter how bitterly I may be treated I know that with the protection and salvation of God that no person can harm me.  For that matter, no substance or emotion can control me either.

This is put into perspective every time I meet or talk to another addict.  We share our stories and experiences and realize we are not alone in our struggles, in our doubts, and our stories.  God works in our lives through the people in our lives.  Only another alcoholic understands the pressure of the question, "Why aren't you drinking?"  Only in discussing that can we learn that it doesn't need to be so stressful...and so we become stronger...together.  And so I close, looking forward to another good and sober day.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 69 (KJV): 1-17: Save me, O God

From Psalms

Psalm 69
(For the director of music.  To the tune of "Lilies."  Of David.)

¹Save me, O God;
      for the waters are come in unto my soul.
²I sink in deep mire,
      where there is no standing:
I am come into deep waters,
      where the floods overflow me.
³I am weary of my crying:
      my throat is dried:
mine eyes fail
      while I wait for my God.
⁴They that hate me without a cause
      are more than the hairs of mine head:
they that would destroy me,
      being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty:
then I restored that
      which I took not away.

⁵O God, thou knowest my foolishness;
      and my sins are not hid from thee.

⁶Let not them that wait on thee,
      O Lord GOD of hosts,
      be ashamed for my sake:
let not those that seek thee
      be confounded for my sake,
      O God of Israel.
⁷Because for thy sake I have borne reproach;
      shame hath covered my face.
⁸I am become a stranger unto my brethren,
      and an alien unto my mother's children.
⁹For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;
      and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
¹⁰When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting,
      that was to my reproach.
¹¹I made sackcloth also my garment;
      and I became a proverb to them.
¹²They that sit in the gate speak against me;
      and I was the song of the drunkards.

¹³But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD,
      in an acceptable time:
O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me,
      in the truth of thy salvation.
¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire,
      and let me not sink:
let me be delivered from them that hate me,
      and out of the deep waters.
¹⁵Let not the waterflood overflow me,
      neither let the deep swallow me up,
      and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
¹⁶Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good:
      turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
¹⁷And hide not thy face from thy servant;
      for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

God, Save me from my addiction.  I find that as long as I focus on you, and your will, I can stay afloat, above the rising waters.  However, the moment I am distracted, whether its something related to my addiction or not, I find myself wandering more closely to my addiction - with the urges and traps that ensnare me.  At these times I struggle to stay afloat.  At these times help me be focused on you and those things in my life that are important.

God, as the psalmist writes in verse 5, you know my sins and faults.  Let me be open and honest about these that you may take away my difficulties.  "That my victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life." (Third Step Prayer)

As the psalmist goes on in verse 6, I also know that other people suffer because of my sins and faults.  I pray that you do not allow others suffer, or become the "whipping boy," for my mistakes and my sins.  Let me instead support and elevate those around me, than bring them.  "That I may be an instrument of your peace...Where there is hatred that I would sow peace.  Where there is doubt that I would bring faith and where there is despair I can bring hope...For I know that it is in giving that we receive." (From the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, the 11th Step Prayer.)

Amen

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 68 (KJV): 31-35: Praise be to God

From Psalms

Psalm 68:31-35

³¹Princes shall come out of Egypt;
      Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

³²Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth;
      O sing praises unto the Lord;                       Selah:
³³To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old;
      lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
³⁴Ascribe ye strength unto God:
      his excellency is over Israel,
      and his strength is in the clouds.

³⁵O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places:
      the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people.
Blessed be God.

I love how Psalm 68 finishes off praising God.  I have been handing my life over to the will of God for more than the last year and it is all in his name that I have been given a life back from my addictions.  When I wake-up and know I do not have to give in to my temptations I want to sing out loud in Joy.  When I go to bed sober and am aware of everything I said and did I can sleep in peace.  No more do I have to worry about black-outs or not having control of my life.

God has given me the gift of sobriety - with that gift comes the responsibility of healing...Praise be to God.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 68 (KJV): 17-30: The Lord daily loadeth us with benefits

From Psalms

Psalm 68:17-30

¹⁷The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
      even thousands of angels:
      the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

¹⁸Thou hast ascended on high,
      thou hast led captivity captive:
      thou hast received gifts for men;
yea, for the rebellious also,
      that the LORD God might dwell among them.

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord,
      who daily loadeth us with benefits,
      even the God of our salvation.                          Selah.
²⁰He that is our God is the God of salvation;
      and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

²¹But God shall wound the head of his enemies,
      and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
²²The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan,
      I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:
²³That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies,
      and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

²⁴They have seen thy goings, O God;
      even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
²⁵The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
      among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
²⁶Bless ye God in the congregations,
      even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
²⁷There is little Benjamin with their ruler,
      the princes of Judah and their council,
      the princes of Zebulun,
      and the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸Thy God hath commanded thy strength:
      strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
²⁹Because of thy temple at Jerusalem
      shall kings bring presents unto thee.
³⁰Rebuke the company of spearmen,
      the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people,
till every one submit himself with pieces of silver:
      scatter thou the people that delight in war.

I think it's important that I talk about faith because many the things Psalm 68 talks about are things that we can't see in our lives - but are there.  Faith is the belief in the things we can't see.  Faith is very important in our sobriety and I guess that's why the second and third steps of the 12 steps were developed to instill faith in us.

Making that step to believe in God, in order to cure us of our addiction, something that you can't see, is like stepping off a cliff.  We know we can trust in our drug of choice, whether that's alcohol, sex, cigarettes, cocaine, food, or anything else.  We can see it, we can touch it, we can smell it.  It's there - and temporarily we null the pain and problems.  But God...."What do I know that God is there?" asks the addict.

Quite often there are people around us who have different perspectives and can see things we can't.  They know God is there, that the cliff isn't really a cliff at all.  That the first step is really a path to a new life which has just been hidden from us as addicts - and remains hidden from other addicts.  So, we need to trust, we need to have faith.  When we do that we are able to see, as Psalm 68 tells us that the Lord loadeth us with benefits, saves us from our demons, and gives us strength.  So, if you struggle with addiction of any kind I encourage to make the step to trust in God.  If you would like to see this analogy in action check out this scene from Indiana Jones.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 68 (KJV):1-16: let them exceedingly rejoice

From Psalms

Psalm 68
(For the director of music.  Of David.  A psalm.  A song.)

¹Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered:
      let them also that hate him flee before him.
²As smoke is driven away,
      so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire,
      so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
³But let the righteous be glad;
      let them rejoice before God:
      yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

⁴Sing unto God, sing praises to his name:
      extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH,
      and rejoice before him.
⁵A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows,
      is God in his holy habitation.
⁶God setteth the solitary in families:
      he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:
      but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

⁷O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people,
      when thou didst march through the wilderness;             Selah:
⁸The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
      even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God,
      the God of Israel.
⁹Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain,
      whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
¹⁰Thy congregation hath dwelt therein:
      thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

¹¹The Lord gave the word:
      great was the company of those that published it.
¹²Kings of armies did flee apace:
      and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
¹³Though ye have lien among the pots,
      yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver,
      and her feathers with yellow gold.
¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
      it was white as snow in Salmon.

¹⁵The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan;
      an high hill as the hill of Bashan.
¹⁶Why leap ye, ye high hills?
      this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in;
      yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

I can't believe it's been so long since my last entry.  Let's just say the holiday season bring a different kind of busy-ness and distractions with them.  As with every experience in life it brings an opportunity to grow, and grow closer to God.  This year's holiday season brought the opportunity to look at the holidays from a new perspective, through the movie, "What would Jesus buy?" which tries to show that the love of Christmas does not have to be demonstrated by giving expensive presents.

But I digress.  The holidays came and went with new and unique temptations, which through God's help I managed.  Most of all the Holidays gave me an opportunity to exceedingly rejoice in God's love, and praise his name.  A father to the fatherless, preparing goodness for the poor, did send plentiful rain.  Indeed, His love is great.  These first 16 verses ring true of what Christmas is meant to be - what God wants for us.  Peace on earth, good will to men.  A chance to praise and thank God for His gifts.  For addicts and alcoholics it gives an opportunity to thank God for the gift of sobriety - and to look forward to a new year and new experiences as we journey down the 12 steps together.

Thanks for letting me share.