Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want,
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord,
forever.

A Doxology.

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom 

   and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments,

and his paths beyond tracing out!

Who has know the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counsellor?

Who has ever given to God,

that God should repay him?

For from Him and through Him and to

   Him are all things.

To Him be glory forever.

Have a great day,

Peter Clark.

All That Is Necessary.

The biggest errors and heresies that turn up in the Christian faith result from people ADDING to or SUBTRACTING from the Gospel of God.

Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 10, verses 9....

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is LORD," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

There is no room for adding more laws.

"Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (Romans 10:4)

Paul is writing to people who he says "are very zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge." Romans 10:2)

Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Comfort.

"Comfort, comfort my people...." (Isaiah 40:1)

Judah still had 100 years of trouble before Jerusalem would fall, and then 70 years of exile. This is the situation in which God tells Isaiah to speak tenderly and to comfort Jerusalem.

The seeds of comfort for us may take root in the soil of adversity.

When our life appears to be falling apart ask God for comfort. He is not short on compassion.


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Enjoy Life While We Can.

Ecclesiastes 7:1-4

A good name is better than fine perfume,
   and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
   than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
   the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
   because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
   but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Solomon has just told us to "eat, drink and be merry", to find satisfaction in one's work, and to enjoy what God has given us. This last advice seems to contradict what he has previously said.

We are to enjoy what we have been given, but realise that adversity also strikes. Adversity reminds us that life is short, that we need to live wisely. It also refines our character.

In other words --- it is all a part of living.


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

In The Presence Of God.

Psalm 122

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
Our feet are standing
in your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.

That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
to praise the name of the Lord
according to the statute given to Israel.
There the thrones for judgement stand,
the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who'd love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

David longed for, and rejoiced in the presence of God. Do we?


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.

Depending On God.

Psalm 121.

I lift my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you-
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

The writer of this Psalm shows such confidence, trust and dependance in God.


Have a great day,


Peter Clark.