I like all of Psalm 73, because it addresses the perplexity all of us feel at one time or another, over the apparent prosperity of the wicked while so many faithful Christians suffer relative poverty, or persecution or disaster of one kind or another. Our attention is directed toward the ultimate reward of the righteous, which far exceeds that which the wealthy of this world enjoy, and indeed, is even apparent now, as we enjoy the current blessings of walking with God. Among my favorite verses in the entire Bible are the concluding verses of this psalm, from which my profile signature is taken:

"Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:23-26.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

I like all of Psalms 22 some of which I will post here.

Psalms 22:15 "My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and [b]my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture."

I like this Psalm as it is all about our Suffering Saviour and His Sacrifice for all of us.

Jesus was thirsty on the cross.

They pierced His hands and His feet.

No a bone in His body was broken.

They gambled over His seamless clothing.

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In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

Since we seem to be on a Psalms line here, one of my favourite Psalms is 38. It speaks to anyone who has suffered and shows that we are not alone! v. 15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. v. 21-22 - Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to Help me, O Lord my salvation.

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Sarah Moss
*Prayer Changes Things!*

I believe God led my son to find and purchase for me, at a neighbor's yard sale, a large plaque with another of my favorite Bible verses hand engraved. This was at the very time that I was beginning to regain a degree of energy and the ability to begin functioning somewhat, due to a program of herbal supplements in treatment for my autoimmune disease. At that time, I was still very tired most of the time, and became totally exhausted very quickly upon exertion. Although that was a big improvement from the worst time, it was still very difficult.

This verse became especially meaningful to me at that time, particularly as I lay on the couch in exhaustion and read and re-read the plaque hanging on the wall above:

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

AMEN!!! That is another one of my favorites also! I especially love the song that goes with it!

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Sarah Moss
*Prayer Changes Things!*

Look unto me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22

Seeing that Pastor Dan has moved us into the book of Isaiah, my favourite on there is Isaiah 53 some of which I will post here.

Isaiah 53:2 "For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken.
9 And He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth."

This chapter of fulfilled prophecy is evidence of the fact that Jesus Christ did in fact come and took our place as the Lamb of God. What this chapter said would happen to Christ, happened to Him just as this chapter predicted it would.

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In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

I should have included verse 29 along with verse 31 in my previous post: "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength." Isaiah 40:29.

That certainly described me back then: weak, and no strength. And He has kept that promise too. All the energy I have now, and every day I am not sick, or at least not as sick as I used to be, is a result of the healing He has done for me.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.

I like Job 23:8-10, because I often feel the same way Job felt. I can identify with what it said in our Sabbath School lesson this week, that the greatest loss Job felt was the loss of the sense of God's presense.

"Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold."

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37:23, 24.

This one is very encouraging to me, because it is a promise that even when I sin, God does not cast me off, but forgives and will not only restore me to His favor, but will continue to make available the strength I need to resist future temptations.

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The Lord is the strength of my life and my portion forever.