Anyone Know Your Computer Password? Diet Q ... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 31

Awoke with this odd title question this morning.
Odd because YES, my son who does all my computer updates 
knows exactly where the password that unlocks my computer is....

the password that is the key to all the 1,000s  of ideas and thoughts and songs

that God has given me to develop all these years,

that I have put into a read-able form so they can be found
even after I die.
WITHOUT  THE  PASSWORD,  all of these may be lost forever.....   since I'm not "important enough" to merit a computer expert seeking to "break in" to my ideas.

   "AFTER  I  DIE."   

        How often do any of us think of that phrase?

I have used it more and more  as I've prepared for that  eventual, "someday"  day --

even though,  as I've had to reassure one daughter especially,

                 "No, it's on not my calendar!" 

As I listened to a radio sermon yesterday,  I remembered something long forgotten:
I've been preparing for the day "AFTER  I  DIE"  starting back when I was in college.
I was in a rush to finish high school,  so I skipped a grade so I could "get on with life."
I was in a rush to finish college and grad school,  so I finished two majors in 3-1/2 years and an 18-month Master's Degree program in 12 months.
I was in a rush to have God's gifts of children, so we never cared about "timing" as we excitedly waited for each new precious gift.
I stayed... stay.... in a rush to ACCOMPLISH whatever God wants....

Not an "anxious" rush.  

Just CONSTANTLY AWARE of the RUSHING of Time....

And seeking to use God's gift of MINUTES as well as months.

PRAYER -- Song draft   ©2013 DianaDee Osborne
The day is coming.... I'm not scared.
The day is coming.... I eagerly prepare --
God's given me SO much music and  
       Words from Him to SHARE....

LORD,  help me NOT ..... waste Your LIFE  _ gift  to me. _

Help _ me remember,  You en-TRUST-ed this body _ _ _
to me so I can serve YOU  and share YOUR Words bold-ly. _ _ God,

Help me choose my Diet, _ Foods, _ _ my

     Life style __ wisely so I can

           Fill the Hours Left in my life with

           things and words __ done for THEE --- 

not self-centeredly......   for
Jesus said quite truly in John 17: 16:
      We're not _ of this world, like Him.  I

pray John 17:  seventeen: __

      LORD GOD, Sanctify me. __ __ __

By Your Truth.  By YOUR word.  Help me live Holy.
===================

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com 

For 200 earlier Songs, see   http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php

230 Needless Deaths Diet Parable ... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 30  
     230 people did not have to die.      
Two Hundred Thirty.          

But no one cared about the law to have more than 1 exit
      in a room with 100s of people.  

After all -- A single exit avoids people sneaking in without paying.  
Makes it easier to watch the fun-goers.
No one cared about the law 
     --needing more than one fire extinguishers in a room of 100s.
No one cared about the law  of having the (one) fire extinguisher tested....
       or maybe even looking at its gauge. 
No one cared about the history showing   FIRE being accidentally set in other night clubs in other countries.    It was a night to just relax and have fun in Santa Maria Brazil. 
      No one expected to needlessly die.

Yet on that January night in 2013, 
230 people just having fun listening to music, being with friends, died needlessly in  night club 
          because just a few laws were ignored.
======================================================================

  WHEN    DID     WE  START  BELIEVING 
  THAT  GOD'S  LAWS  ARE   BAD  FOR US?                 

            OH YES - that Garden of Eden fruit thing! 
Needless death then and now when we ignore God's laws
that He gave for LOVE and protection as well...

Deuteronomy 10: 13 -- starting with   Verse 12 that Jesus quoted:
"what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, [and] 
to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?" 
"Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it."

PRAYER
Father God, please forgive me for all the times I've been ANGRY that I have to watch my food choices to avoid gaining weight while other people seem to be able to enjoy all the foods I love -- and stay thin.  

Please help me remember that my dieting is NOT about what the scale says or how I look outside.  It's all about my heart.  Not just health.  It's all about my heart for YOU -- Yearning to OBEY your commandments to self-discipline.  For my good.  Because You LOVE me and want what IS literally FOR MY GOOD.  I praise Your holy Name!  I DO love You so much.....
============
 

©2013, 2014 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com 

ALBUM:      Amazing Christ 'n' CHRISTmas  
Song location:   http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php

Zebra Riding Diet Parable ........ by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 29

Zebras are classified as horses - not exotic animals. Who knew? So you can get your own striped buddy if you've got $25,000 to spare.  Or hey, you can get a half price bargain if you're willing to train your own zebra.

Just don't plan on riding it anytime soon.... like within a few years.  That's the intriguing recent news story about Shea Inman of Virginia (The Roanoke Times, byline Stephanie Klein-Davis).  Apparently zebras have the horsey version of ADHD -- short attention spans.  

Shea reportedly works with her zebra "until he does what she asks of him.  Once he has followed instructions, they are done for the day."   Maybe it's the weird way I think in patterns and comparisons, but it really seems that there's a pretty good parable here about our relationship with Father God ----

God tells us quite clearly in His Word what is right.
God tells us quite clearly in His Word what is wrong.
God tells us quite clearly in His Word that 
       WE have to make the choice.....               
 and that   OUR  wrong choice leads to DEATH. 
See Deuteronomy 30:19.

God tells us quite clearly and OFTEN in His Word how much He loves us --
           even when we sin. 
But we're like zebras easily distracting by flitting birds and distant airplanes ---
           often even forgetting God is THERE,  much less obeying Him.

And so, like with Shea and her zebra, 

         God gently gives us lessons over and over.

And He kindly gives us rest times between the  lessons.  

                    But He NEVER LETS UP.

He loves us too much to let us choose death without repeatedly warning us what we are doing
when we try to live without His Word.  Without Jesus.

2nd Peter 3:8.   First Timothy 2:4.   And of course John 3:16.  

God yearns for ALL PERSONS to be saved, 

even when we're stubborn or SELF-focused  as zebras.

       Even when we insist on our own way,

           distracted by self-ish food choices 

         (how we hate the word "gluttony")  --- and

shopping choices  (how we hate the word "shopaholic")  and
drinking and sex and drugs and TV immersion and Internet addictions and......
Though we act as self-focused zebras, God in love keeps giving us little lessons,
sometimes downright trials (though NEVER temptations
to draw us back to TRUST Him.  Like zebras needing to trust the love of their Owner.

God's WARNING.   Deuteronomy 30:19.
(God is speaking):   "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that 

     I have set before you life and death, 

            blessing and cursing; 

                   therefore choose life, 

that both you and your descendants may live;  
that you may love the LORD your God, 
that you may obey His voice, and 
that you may cling to Him, for 

He is your life and the length of your days; 

and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." -- A PROMISE  OF  LIFE  also 

to GENTILES who God has GRAFTED IN to His People.... 

                                      Romans 11:11   and on.
  PRAYER
LORD God,  help me to NOT be as distracted as a zebra.
Help me to focus on you.  To not RUN AWAY from you like an untamed animal,
but to draw near to You.... James 4:7 and 8.  LORD God,  I DO draw near to You. With love. 

-----------------
©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com 

Tiny Music Mistakes Diet Parable ...... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 28
Last night.... well,  4:28 AM because I was so excited that I stayed up all night... I finished all the music tracks for a new song PSALM 6 HEARING TEARS.  This is about the 25th PSALM song gifting from God!  But as I reviewed the final mix that I'd be later taking to the 2 professional studios for completion including vocal tracks, I noticed something:

This 4-minute song has literally 1,000s  of music notes.

The    two PIANO tracks alone total 136 measures   with at least 1,000 notes.
Add in   the 136 measures of drum hits,
136 measures of bass,  about 80 measures of notes  for one flute and 40 for the other.
Then there are a few TRUMPETS  measures and many synthesizer notes....

1,000s  of music notes.
And while I was playing back the review mix,

   I heard  TWO   piano notes that were off.   

         And NOT "off" by "that much."

                They were "driving me crazy"  ---

                        until I fixed them.   Made them  RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT SINS are  like  to  HOLY  GOD.

                  GRATING.   SICKENING.  No,  

   "NAUSEAting", with the picture in our heads of that word....

  How do we think that "BEING GOOD"  
                 for the 1,000s of times we do something WE think is pretty nice 
 will keep God from being SICKENed  
         by the "few sins we do"?   
  Like grating Music Mistakes..... TINY - but horrendous.

GOD'S Warnings and  ENCOURAGEMENT

He  [Jesus]  answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  -- Matthew 15:3;   verse 9 is below:

"And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of MEN."

"He said to them, "[All too] well you reject the commandment of GOD, that you may keep your tradition."  -- Mark 7:9

INTERPRETATION:

         We  THINK  something is ok because people say it is.  Including gossip (see Jesus's words in  Matthew 15:17 to 20, comparing words to p_ _ p)  and over-AnythingS.

"If you love me, keep My Commandments." -- Jesus, Who is God (see Isaiah 9:6;   John 17:11-21  for example).   --  John 14:15.   Can Jesus get any clearer?!

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.   For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.   Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches [them], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (verse 19).  -- Matthew 5: 17-19.     

With God's promises through ROMANS 7  &  ROMANS  8 as guidelines when we have sinned in ANY way.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES for study:

The word COMMANDMENT in New Testament, showing difference between men's and Jesus's.
The word COMMANDMENTS   in N.T.,  including Jesus's reference to the 10 Laws that God gave to Moses (Matthew 15).   Jesus STILL tells us to honor God's commandments even though He has fulfilled the obligations of sacrifice for sins we repent of. 

PRAYER
God please help me to NOTICE   my sin-full-ness.   
To repent.  To seek YOUR help in fixing the wrongs in my lifestyle -- including my food choices.  Word choices - may they not be GOSSIP.  Attitude choices --  may they not be fear or GRUMBLING.  LORD,  I choose You LORD but need YOUR help.  I pray in the HOLY Name of Christ Jesus our LORD.

Referenced Song:   "PSALM 6  HEARING TEARS"
ALBUM:      Amazing Psalms 'n' Promises  

CLICK HERE  to hear audio file  (FREE)
 
Song location 
 http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2013.php
  
-----------------------------------------
©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!   Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

God's Encouragement: Joy in the AM ... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 27

GOD'S  ENCOURAGEMENT

                               PSALM 30        

A Psalm.   A Song at the dedication of the house of David.           LINK    

1-2

I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, 

And have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O LORD my God, I cried out to You, 

And You healed me. 

3-4

O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.  

Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, 

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. 

5  For His anger [is but for] a moment, 

His favor [is for] life; 

Weeping may endure for a night, 

But joy comes in the morning.

PRAYER

Dear Holy Spirit,  help me to remember Your Promises, I pray.
As Jesus Promised You would.... "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  -- John 14: 26

©2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format.

Amazing LORD Name Timing .... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 26

I realized an amazing thing recently:  
God's Name is of course used all through Genesis 1 as He creates.  
But it is not until Genesis 2:4  that God's Name is
YHWH,  which we Anglicize into "Jehovah" so we can pronounce it.

Jehovah LORD above all...

Animals already knew this.  Even the moon and stars worshiped God as   LORD  of all.

Psalm 148:3--  "Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light!"  God would not have let the Psalmist put a wrong thing in God's Word.

Even ROCKS and GRAVEL under your feet on the road know that God is Almighty and LORD of all.  

Jesus said so --  Luke 19:37 to 40.

Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, 

the whole multitude of the disciples began to 

rejoice and praise God with a loud voice 

for all the mighty works they had seen,  saying: " 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' 

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"  And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." 

But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."   LUKE 19: 40

EVEN ROCKS  know that God is LORD.
Why do I try to live my life my own way, when He knows best?
 
The word YHWH -- LORD -- 
was not needed for the rocks and plants and animals,
for they already knew that God is indeed Jehovah LORD.

God first used His Name YHWH  LORD  

AFTER  He created us.  So we'd remember... 

and LET Him be LORD of 

EVERY part of our lives.   Even in food choices.

GOD'S ENCOURAGEMENT

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. -- Psalm 145: 18

"For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' 
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for 

the same LORD over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  

For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.' " (quoting Psalm 145:18 etc.)
 -- Romans 10: 11 and 12
  PRAYER
GOD Jehovah, LORD of my Life:  I  CHOOSE You as MY LORD.  For You already are THE Lord, whether or not I or anyone else accepts that Truth.  Help me to TRULY follow You, I pray.  In everyday choices as well as the "big" things of life.  I ask in LORD Jesus's Holy Name. 

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Psalm 102 Troubled Praise Dieting .... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 25

GOD  IS  GOOD.      ALL  THE  TIME.   

How many times have you heard people say this?

How many times have you thought it was glib...       

        rolling off the tongue....

                        easy to say without meaning.

LET'S   FACE   IT:
Sometimes we know a fact   but do not "feel"  it.
We know amid super-freezing temperatures   that spring is coming soon...
         but don't feel the joy of the fact.
We know that the school test or work challenge facing us
         will very soon be unimportant......
               but don't feel the joy of the fact.
We know that somehow we'll get through the pile of bills facing us,
        because we have before..... because "somehow"  God provided before.....
               but our exhausted spirit just can't face ......
 We KNOW
         God is good.   We KNOW it.  But we're still troubled.  We still feel....

As I face another month of watching my food choices....
As I face another month of knowing I will often give in to temptation unless I am
CONSTANTLY.... wearily  it seems ..... on guard and praying hard,
I find comfort in David's Psalm 102.  
In  GOD'S  Psalm 102,   for God guided David in writing the words.
I pray that you also will find comfort in David's song of Psalm 102 that God guided,
and in the song that I developed with God's guidance,

PSALM 102  TROUBLED  PRAISING  (Jazz)
ALBUM:      Amazing  Psalms 'n' Promises   
Song location:   http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2013.php

   CLICK  HERE   to hear AUDIO file, free 

Dedicated to our Protector (when we ask-- Ephesians 6:10 to end) God, 17 June 2012

LYRICS

READING 1: “A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD. 

Hear my prayer, O LORD, And let my cry come to You....”
 -- Psalm 102 : 1  &  2a, New King James Version .... 

   a prayer God hears from you,   too.    

VERSE  1
Hear my prayer, oh LORD.  Like Psalm  102.
In my trouble, don't hide your face from me,  oh, my LORD.
    I feel so overwhelmed.  My days drift by like smoke.
    I know health won't last.  And my heart feels so broken, O LORD.
 
CHORUS 1
I'm sick and troubled, yet I'm praising God ----
every day of this earthly life.
I'm weak,  yet trusting God Who answers prayers.  
Psalm 102, Just trust God.   

VERSE  3    (see website for verse 2 & chorus 2)
God looks from above  when people gather.    [ CHURCH !]
If He must, God gives troubles so we'll learn to trust LORD God.
    God will give me strength.  His power made all worlds.
    They shall perish, but Loving God endures and answers prayers.

CHORUS 2
I'm tired and troubled, yet I'm praising God. God hears all of our humble prayers.
God releases those who once faced death.  
Psalm 102,  verse 20.
FORESHADOWS of coming Jesus Christ!  

Foreshadows of coming JESUS CHRIST!

                (echoes:    JESUS........ JESUS........Jesus........Jesus)
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SONG: ©2012 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website

GOD'S ENCOURAGEMENT

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."    First Thessalonians 5:18.   God's word says
give thanks  IN   all things..... NOT "for".   
ONLY LIARS would ever say that JESUS would give thanks  FOR  an evil thing 
that is done... But He guides us to 

                     thank God  IN  the situation,

because -- like for David surrounded by enemies seeking to kill him -- God ALWAYS keeps His promise and delivers  when  we ask Him.
Psalm 102 is  Troubled Praising -- but there's 
no trouble  *TO*   finding ways to praise our    
        Magnificent HOLY  LORD  GOD!            

PRAYER
LORD God,  You are indeed my LORD.  I'm excited to see how you HAVE provided life.... excited to remember that You DO keep all your promises as repeatedly proven... including by sending us Jesus as the savior promised through Your word for hundreds of years. 
Help me to trust Your promised Bible TRUTHS .... even when my feelings don't "feel" truth.
Help me to fight temptations to give UP and give IN.... even when my feelings have
trouble praising You through the troubles!
Daily Devotions for Daily Dieters pages ©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

God's EXCITING Hope! ..... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 24
Sometimes I'm pretty bummed.
Usually because I haven't done or said what really reflects God,
and I'm feeling guilty.  Amazing how often dieting brings that sense of failure.

No, not "dieting"....   food selection.   
Because it's supposed to be a daily desire to live a way that pleases God.
And I'm pretty bummed today at how often I fail to do that.

After all this time, it still AMAZES me,  FILLS ME with JOY like a 
late unexpected huge gift from someone who loves me,
when I suddenly find in God's Word  
a WORD  I am certain that  
He The Creator is gifting to me   to find on that day,
to encourage me on that day.   Here is God's EXCITING discovery for me today:    I'm excited to SHARE it:

We hear often in church of course that Jesus's resurrection from the dead was
prophesied over and over in the original covenant usually called "The Old Testament."
Recently  I learned an EXCITING thing:  
The SPECIFIC TIMING  is prophesied in Hosea 6: 2.
AFTER God promises hope in verse 1.
Over 700 years before Jesus was born.    Here's the description along with Verses 5 and 6
of my (copyrighted)  2010 
         song "THIRD OF DESPAIR AND HOPE".  (CLICK for FREE audio link)

God cares about me,  you,  in SO many ways.

God Cares and offers encouragement when we're bummed, too.

Even in  so-called  little  life things like dieting.    
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Verse 5
It happened on Good Friday, Jesus died upon that cross.  
For 3 days, those who loved Him sorrowed,  grieving for their loss.  But
then Jesus arose again, victorious over the grave!  

Three  days after heartbreak started.... 

      Jesus proved God ..... does give HOPE.
6
No matter what your sorrow,          
       Jesus offers you His hope.       
John  Chapter 14, Chapter 15,      
                               and 16 give hope.  
Jesus said seek and you'll find. __ 
I'm here!  Just call to Me.  Choose  to believe  
       Jesus loves you..... and turns despair... into HOPE.

Supporting Scriptures:
Lazarus died but Jesus brought back life “on the third day.” 
Jesus died but returned HOPE to the world “on the third day.”
Whatever YOUR sorrow,  
       God will in your right   “third day” bring good out of it...
Romans 8:28.     CLICK HERE   for entire section about God's HOPE
And in the meanwhile, He immediately offers you PEACE.
     --John 14: 15 to 19

Check out some AMAZING verses about THIRD DAY -- including Hosea 6:2 prophecy:
starting with verse 1:   Come, and let us return to the LORD; 
for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

   After two days He will revive us; 

      On the third day He will raise us up, 

            that we may live in His sight.  

  "oh  my  God...."  and this is a prayer of amazement,  not a careless phrase! 

 

©2010, 2013 DianaDee Osborne (all material), all rights reserved.  FREE personal usage; see website
http://dianadeeosbornesongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php

Yesterday Versus IN THIS DAY (song).... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 23
Yesterday was not a "good" day.

Today so far has been a "worse" day.

           I don't feel well.
                 I got bad news.

My mind keeps drifting to heart-breaking things.

But  IN  THIS   DAY

I -- we EACH -- choose to worship God anyway.... to WAIT on Him.

To depend on Him for comfort, instead of on 

TV or internet or pills or drink.... or food.  
To say:   My Comforter is God.
To join Hannahs song of trusting God: 
         copyrighted song - free private use is granted

CLICK HERE FOR FREE MUSIC SHEETS at my safe website
DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com

CLICK HERE  to hear the AUDIO (also free)

IN  THIS DAY
ALBUM:      Amazing  Word 'n' Worship   
Song location:   http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php
LYRICS

1
In this day, I shall say,
“O Lord, I WILL PRAISE     You!
I have sinned.  Though You were angry,
with me, Your anger turned away!
Behold, God is my salvation.  I will
trust and not be afraid!  For
You the Lord are my Strength and Song.  You
also have become my salvation!”

2
Therefore with joy, I will draw water from the
wells of God's salvation!  And
in this day, I shall say,  “Praise the
LORD, call upon His name.
Declare God's deeds among all peoples.  Make
mention that God's name is exalted!  Let us
sing to the Lord Who has done excellent things!
This is known throughout all the earth!”

TAG
Isaiah 12,  verse 1 through 5. 

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ISAIAH 12: 2    “Behold, God [is] my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, [is] my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.”   (NKJV)  

Blog ©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved.  But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
Other encouraging resources:  http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com  

Scale and Sword Friends ........... by DianaDee Osborne

JANUARY 22

"The scale is your friend."
How many times have we heard THAT in all those diet magazines and books?

Well,  I'm not feeling any too friendly toward this scale
after 4 weeks of watching my calories and working at the gym
and seeing no progress reported by this scale.  

My comfort:

at least it's not one of those talking scales.

My pleasure with myself:  

I haven't yet tossed it in the trash can.

Sadly,  this is a scripture I find about FRIENDS in the Bible
that honestly can describe the scale.  It DOES keep me "honest" that I COULD have done better.

GOD'S  WARNING

Proverbs 27: 17:  As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

This proverb seemed a bit odd,  so I looked up the meaning of its original words -- especially "SHARPENS".  Since the word "friend"  can be translated first as "so one man"  and then "another" instead.  SHARPENS is in both instances from the Hebrew word "chadad" (Sharp's concordance word H2300).  And this verb can also mean "to be alert, to be keen."  And KEEN means "Penetrating.... quick to understand... highly developed... eagerly sharp."

This Hebrew word CHADAD is used by GOD as a prophecy in Ezekiel 21:  12-17.
A warning that He will bring His sword against those who
have ceased to have awe and reverence for Him.  
People in a nation that follows the ways of Babylon, 
rebelling against God's way.

Some people become angry at God for HIS anger.  But He's righteous... and the word RIGHT is within that word.  Shouldn't we instead feel deep sorrow that God's done so much for us, 
and as individuals -- and a nation -- we are so often  like this?  God says in Ezekiel 21:24:  
Again and again you remind me of your sin and your guilt.   You don't even try to hide it! In everything you do, your sins are obvious for all to see. So now the time of your punishment has come!

As we continue to read God's Word, we see how He REPEATEDLY calls us back to Him.... the LOVING SHEPHERD  even before Jesus was born on earth.   

As we continue to read God's Word, we find His PROMISE to
Give US a SWORD.... the SWORD of Truth  (See Ephesians 6: 10 to end).

So no -- I don't like my scale very much on mornings like this.
But I'm thankful for this measure of Truth that God can use to remind me:

Be WATCHFUL.  Do NOT slip into the carelessness

       that makes us drift away from His Truth 

                  bit by delicious bit.....

PRAYER
Dear LORD God,  I really wish I could wish away the extra pounds.  But instead I'll thank you for their constant reminder that I must constantly stay sharp and focused on Your truth:  My self-centered-ness is a form of rebellion against You.  Please help me remember. Please help me remember to put on Your weapons You offer me through Ephesians 6: 10 to end.
Please help me remember to
always use Your sword of Truth -- which is YOUR WORD.  
Even when it's embarrassing truth to me.  
So I can STAND  with YOUR empowering.  THANK YOU!
 

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