Hello, with warm wishes for a lovely day in the favor of God! Exploring ideas for a new sunflower picture! I just went back and accidentally replaced the HOPE image I had installed yesterday with my usual one. Let's continue in Psalm 119 with stanza 15, parts A&B, as well as Proverbs chapter 7, and conclude with this week's Come to Consensus Corner.

PSALM 119 STANZA 15A

STANZA 15 Theme: REMAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF GOD'S JUDGMENTS.

The 8 verses of stanza 15 express thoughts such as these: What determination by the psalmist to lovingly obey God! How can we avoid half-heartedness, and how does a proper motive aid us to keep God’s law?

Stanza 15A is this:
113 I hate the halfhearted ones, But I love your law.
114 You are my shelter and my shield, For your word is my hope.

115 Stay away from me, you evil men, So that I may observe the commandments of my God.

116 Support me as you promised, So that I may keep living; Do not let my hope turn into disappointment.

113 I hate the halfhearted ones, But I love your law.

AIM TO LOVE THE GIVER EVEN MORE THAN HIS GIFTS. The Hebrew expression “hate” can mean to “love less.” Still, the psalmist seems to be contrasting his feelings for half-hearted ones with those for God’s law. Evidence abounds of God’s tremendous love for us as humans—how could we give our greatest love, the first place in our hearts, to anyone else? Half-hearted ones may go through the motions of serving God, but their hearts are really elsewhere. They need to ponder the gifts from God we each receive daily, including every breath, and worship the Giver, rather than worship any of these gifts themselves. The psalmist recognized God’s law as one of His greatest gifts, and expressed his appreciation for it, desiring to express his love for God by keeping His law. As 1John 5:3 says, “3 For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.” While we seek to encourage half-hearted ones to love God more fully, we need to guard our close associations, longing to maintain God’s favor first, along with those properly fearing God and keeping His commandments, which makes possible genuine peace, love, and truly an eventual end to hateful strife. (1Cori 15:33; Prove 13:20; Psalm 37:11).

114 You are my shelter and my shield, For your word is my hope.

DEEP TRUST AND HOPE IN GOD'S WORD. Jehovah’s word promises at least spiritual protection for His genuine servants, along with the gift of eternal life and happiness. We need to seek the honor of God’s name, representing Him well, seeking fully to live in harmony with His word. Spiritual traps and dangers abound in this world, but God can support us, our spiritual well-being, and our relationships with Him and, at least eventually, other God-fearing ones. Some may be protected physically, especially as God’s kingdom draws closer, as Jesus said to Martha, at John 11: “26 and everyone who is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?” Thus, faith, or deep trust in God and His firstborn Son, are vital for our spiritual and eternal lives. God certainly can be a shelter and a shield in a world of hardships, as we maintain our hope in God’s word, like the psalmist.

115 Stay away from me, you evil men, So that I may observe the commandments of my God.

THROUGH THE GATES OF GOD'S KINGDOM. What determination to love God! God said, in the first recorded prophecy in His word to mankind, that He would put enmity, or strife, between the offspring of His Seed, and that of the serpent, or Satan. (Genes 3:15). Now we see evil men trying to interfere with the psalmist’s strong desire to remain loyal to God by keeping all of His commandments. May we be wary of such tricks by wrongdoers, who do not yet appreciate God or His love as we do. Yes, Jesus came into the world “to save sinners,” but such ones need to show genuine sorrow over their past sins, and turn around from a wrong course to become obedient from the heart to God’s ways, to find real hope of permitted entry through the gate of God’s Kingdom. Rather than stumbling others away from serving God, they need to help and support others to obey God and His Son. (Matth 25:31-46). Perhaps, then, in God’s abundant compassion and mercy, their lives may be spared.

116 Support me as you promised, So that I may keep living; Do not let my hope turn into disappointment.

HOPE OF LIFE A GREAT COMFORT. Evidently, God had promised this likely king or future king that His life would be spared, despite hardships experienced. What confidence this inspired in the psalmist! He held fast to this hope, as he endured difficulty after difficulty. He looked to God for support, as he sought to keep God’s law completely. Our hope of eternal life likewise can be a source of great comfort to us through difficulties or hardships. Psalm 34:19 says “19 Many are the hardships of the righteous one, But Jehovah rescues him from them all.” As we learn to keep integrity to God, our hope becomes ever brighter, and more complete. Still, eternal life is a gift from God that no one earns. (Romans 6:23). But genuine faith, or deep trust, in God and the ransom of Christ makes possible true righteousness, learning to please God in all situations, keeping integrity to Him. We can pray for God’s wisdom to see things properly. May we continue to always aim for the target of obedience, letting the ransom cover our occasional unintended misses. We can thus find joy as we reflect on God’s commands, with confident hope in God’s loving gift of eternal life and happiness!

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PSALM 119 STANZA 15B

STANZA 15 Theme: REMAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF GOD'S JUDGMENTS.

The 8 verses of stanza 15 express thoughts such as these: What determination by the psalmist to lovingly obey God! How can we avoid half-heartedness, and how does a proper motive aid us to keep God’s law?

Stanza 15B reads like this:

117 Support me that I may be saved; Then I will always concentrate on your regulations.

118 You reject all those who stray from your regulations, For they are false and deceitful.

119 You discard all the wicked of the earth as if they were worthless dross. That is why I love your reminders.

120 The dread of you makes my body tremble; I am in fear of your judgments.

117 Support me that I may be saved; Then I will always concentrate on your [instructions].

FINDING JOY IN GOD'S INSPIRED WORD. As the psalmist earlier revealed, his life was “in constant danger.” He pleads now for God’s support that he “may be saved.” While he has not forgotten God’s law, he is not able to give it the attention he would like, as a likely king or future king. Proverbs 16:10 says, for instance: “10 Inspired decision should be on the lips of a king; He must never betray justice.” Thus he expresses his desire to concentrate on the detailed guidance God has given in the Law, so as to follow it carefully and, perhaps, to ensure others understand it accurately so as to keep it as well. While still finding joy in God’s reminders, how he hopes in becoming free of constant enemy opposition, as God may have promised him, so as to focus even more on God’s inspired word! ( v.111,116).

118 You reject all those who stray from your [instructions], For they are false and deceitful.

PROVEN DIVINELY INSPIRED. Recall that “God is love,” and He is the “God of truth.” (1John 4:8; Psalm 31:5). Therefore, when He sees a need to give us specific instructions, are these not to help us live happily and peaceably in harmony with His good will and purpose? God-fearing ones love and appreciate such thoughtful guidance from our Creator! His instruction is far superior to that of those mistakenly believing that there is no God. To honest and right-hearted ones, having a proper motive, God’s instructions give evidence of it’s divine inspiration, moving them to keep His law. Those straying from such guidance, therefore, are “false and deceitful.” They promote their own ideas above God’s, deceiving others in seeking their own glory. May we not be so deceived, but appreciate God’s superior wisdom and give Him the glory He so deserves!

119 You discard all the wicked of the earth as if they were worthless dross. That is why I love your reminders.

HELP TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. Regarding Jehovah, Isaiah reports: “14 With whom did he consult to gain understanding, Or who teaches him in the path of justice, Or teaches him knowledge, Or shows him the way of true understanding? 15 Look! The nations are like a drop from a bucket, And as the film of dust on the scales they are regarded. Look! He lifts up the islands like fine dust.” (Isaiah 40:14-15). Thus while appealing to them to turn from their badness, Jehovah can in time discard the unrepentant wicked ones, who are misleading others away from true worship. God’s reminders, on the other hand, assist all to follow the way of truth, love, and peace, the path of righteousness. At Isaiah 48:18, God appeals: “18 If only you would pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” Such ones would know the right way to go, would make the right decisions, consistently, to promote true happiness, peace, and godly success. With proper motive, may sincere lovers of God and truth ever appreciate His reminders as helping us “pay attention” to the vital commands contributing to eternal peace and happiness!

120 The dread of you makes my body tremble; I am in fear of your judgments.

HIGHLY REGARD GOD'S JUDGMENTS. While the genuine fear of God is wholesome, healthful, and not morbid, it involves a high regard for Him and His power, viewing Him with awe, helping us remain humble before Him. (Psalm 147:11). Isaiah 40:26 says: “26 “Lift up your eyes to heaven and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who brings out their army by number; He calls them all by name. Because of his vast dynamic energy and his awe-inspiring power, Not one of them is missing.” While motivated by appreciation for His love and greatness, the thought of seriously violating Him in some way should make one tremble. We should highly regard His judgments, refusing to disregard or go against them. May we be moved to learn of God’s judgments—the decisions He’s made in the past that we likely have benefitted from, and those He purposes to make in the future, in the outworking of His good and loving will, that we may know how to please Him, and remain for life everlasting!

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Proverbs 7

The remaining verses of the entire chapter, verses 6-27, involve somewhat of a story, a lesson against getting seduced into a course of immorality. Not only can sexual immorality be destructive physically, retracting diseases, even those deadly, but it is also spiritually damaging, not only to our relationship with God, our loving Father, but also to our relationships with others, among other things contributing to becoming disloyal in our dealings with others. How much better to wait and pray for God's blessing to find that person you can enjoy spending a lifetime with, becoming truly loyal to that one, as you both gain loyalty to God. What happiness this brings, in harmony with the arrangement of God! As expressed in Hebrews 13:4, "Let marriage be honorable among all". How loyal marriages and families have contributed to the happiness of communities and nations! Let's look at Proverbs 7:6-12:

"6 From the window of my house, Through my lattice, I looked down, 7 And as I observed the naive ones, I discerned among the youths a young man lacking good sense. 8 He passed along the street near her corner, And he marched in the direction of her house 9 In the twilight, in the evening, At the approach of night and darkness. 10 Then I saw a woman meet him, Dressed like a prostitute, with a cunning heart. 11 She is loud and defiant. She never stays at home. 12 One moment she is outside, next she is in the public squares, She lurks near every corner."

Prove 7:6-7 The loving father of Proverbs notices the "naive ones." Such ones are lacking wisdom, needing shrewdness, or foresighted prudence, to look ahead at the consequences of right and wrong decisions. They also need to comprehend God's will, and the discipline that prompts good judgment, gaining discernment, to further appreciate the difference between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, etc. The particular one he observed was lacking "good sense" [lit., "heart"], or good, pure, upright motive. May we strive for good motives first, to honor and obey God fully, with good judgment and discernment, knowing right from wrong and acting accordingly, that we may properly apply any understanding we may then gain in a useful, loving, and productively wise way, and thereby not putting the proverbial "cart before the horse."

"8 He passed along the street near her corner, And he marched in the direction of her house 9 In the twilight, in the evening, At the approach of night and darkness."

Prove 7:8-9 This one evidently knows about this immoral woman, having meditated on wrong desire, going in the direction of her house. He has seen her before, and is falling prey to the snare of her attempts to seduce one away from God's law, away from God's blessing and true happiness.

"10 Then I saw a woman meet him, Dressed like a prostitute, with a cunning heart. 11 She is loud and defiant. She never stays at home. 12 One moment she is outside, next she is in the public squares, She lurks near every corner."

Prov 7:10-12 Here the woman is described. She has a "cunning" heart, seductive, deceptive, tricky. She is loud and defiant, attributes opposite those of a loving, humble, respectful wife. As highlighted above, such sin is destructive to the spirit that helps families to thrive before God. May we rather treasure, not just physical beauty or appearances, but the genuine godly qualities that make true happiness possible--including honesty, sincerity, purity before God, with humility and integrity to Him and His law. All of this makes genuine loyal love possible between two people who seek and honor marriage as God's arrangement for a lasting relationship between a man and woman. Thus, may true marriage once again become and remain the order of the day, promoting happiness among families, communities, and entire nations.

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COME TO CONSENSUS CORNER

SUBJECT: FIFTEENAGERS BECOMING RESPONSIBLE!

There comes a time in the course of a teenager working toward adulthood with its many blessings and privileges before Jehovah God that a major step must be taken to assist the acquiring of a more thorough sense of responsibility that is essential to becoming truly prepared to face life as a genuine man or woman. Some serious steps must be taken, with full faith and trust in God, in order to be ready to properly handle such things as qualifying for and finding work to support oneself and eventually one's wife and family, proving that one can maintain living responsibly on one's own, trusting God, and becoming prepared for driving safely and responsibly. How can this be achieved in a way that allows both parents and their growing children to remain close while eventually being a bit further apart than a tent in the backyard?

By Tuesday, allow me to offer a proposal in precise detail, that if followed prayerfully and carefully, family will consider agreeable to Jehovah God and His Kingdom purpose.

SUBJECT: HORSES!

EVER RODE? Have you ever rode a horse? A marvelous creature, so well-designed by God to be a perfectly effective agent for transporting people and goods from one place to another! Through much of our history, whether by carriage, by saddle, or bare-backed, many people have found great pleasure in moving by way of horses—with many memorable conversations taking place. So, what do you imagine these people will want to do not long after they return to life in the resurrection? How might we not only accommodate them, but perhaps even improve our own lifestyle while allowing for sustainable motor vehicles to also exist?

LIMITATIONS OF THE PAST. Many people today believe that horse travel and motor vehicles could never coincide together in our modern society, but recall that over a century ago, it was the other way around--horse travel was the norm, and motor vehicles were just beginning to appear. While some problems existed between the two modes of travel back then, these were greatly caused by the limitations of motor vehicle technology that need no longer hinder people from cooperating together to allow for a peaceable merging of times past and present, although with some REASONABLE adjustments.

PERFECT SURFACE? One major issue that arises is roadway surfaces. God is aware of the inherent problems with the choice of asphalt for roadways. This is not the long-term solution that can continue into an eternal future on the planet! Also, horses have difficulty traveling their capable speeds on this surface, so many who have seen horses on common roadways may not fully grasp the speed with which they are truly capable of traveling! While the asphalt surface may be stable enough to serve as a base, the proper mixture of concrete, consisting largely of plentiful sand, is the perfect solution for roadways that can exist forever on planet Earth! Not only is it a stable surface, but horse hooves are designed for travel on this surface, allowing for their achieving nearly their maximum horse speed!

A CLEAR PATH. In view of this, a clear aim comes into view. Many roadways made before interstate highways existed are almost entirely of speed limits at or below 45MPH, which is approximately the average full speed horses can travel under such conditions. So why not remain there, leaving interstates alone, gradually covering the asphalt base with the concrete. No doubt we can find the most efficient method possible for this, and it just may be that night-time work for this may be great for the primary work, while we must be patient for it to set for a reasonable period of time. Details for how this will benefit not only people in the future desiring horse travel, but also allow for an improved condition for much safer travel in ice and snow, will be included in a continued addition.

A SURPRISE RESOURCE? Some time ago in reflecting upon the Horse issue, I wondered about, and was helped to see an answer to another aspect of this issue. Could the manure of horses have a surprising usefulness? As research should prove, there is power in the grass that all horses should be consuming. And it is possible with godly direction to make use of this resource, when a horse may occasionally unload on a road surface. It has been determined that one dump of manure can take an average vehicle another 100 miles down the road on the energy supplied by the manure! By vehicle manufacturers working together under God's kingdom, they may receive or be permitted to work on the technology for this, so that a person desiring to make use of this free resource available on a roadway, when it is safe to do so, may shovel it up and deposit it in the proper place in his vehicle, and continue on without the need for refueling as soon as s/he may have needed to do previously.

WITH DUE CAUTION, MUCH SAFER TRAVELS FOR A NEW BEGINNING! With the arrival of God's Kingdom by Christ, there must be an answer to the accidents that can occur, under normal conditions as well as during wintry conditions! Some months ago this matter was considered, and it was determined that there is indeed a substance which vehicle tires can be made from, that makes it possible to grip the entire surface of ice or snow--evidently performing adequately on asphalt but as much as 10 times better on concrete surfaces, including most bridges and overpasses! The substance is found primarily in Africa (My apologies that some intruder interfered with my initially revealing the correct locale of this natural resource.) Nevertheless, many are aware how the peoples of this land have suffered economically for so long a time. May it become a sustaining resource for many in those lands, while we somehow address the urgency of obtaining it for the U.S. and the world.

STEPS TOWARD CAUTIOUS AND TRULY SAFE ROAD TRAVEL UNDER GOD'S KINGDOM

While indications are that the Arabica bean harvesting season is not yet upon us, perhaps not for a few months, there is an urgent call for any wishing to protect lives to research this matter and find legal ways to safely plant this substance, in cooperation with African communities, so that everyone may have access to these tires as soon as next season's winter travel may begin in an area. What this means is that this winter season will be a time of exceptional attention to safety using current treads. New safety measures will be implemented accordingly, while Jehovah God blesses all of our efforts to make it the safest winter travel season on record in the U.S. and the world, even with cooperation from existing authorities under the current president.