Psalms 12:6 (KJ21)
The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:6 (NAS)
The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

Psalms 12:6 (NIVUS)
And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:6 (NLT)
The LORD’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.

When you think of a commandment, do you imagine that it is something difficult and hard to carry out? Do you see Adonai's commands as a list of do's and don’ts that He makes to curtail your freedom? If this is how you think, then you should revamp those thought patterns.

The words of Jehovah the Lord are the most important words that you will ever hear. Even though what Adonai says may challenge you, there is nothing wrong or evil in His words; they are only pure, clean, and fair. His sounds are bright and uncontaminated and will cause you no harm. The Lord your God is holy and His speech is meant solely to purge and purify you. From His desire to commune with you, God sends you His word and gives you precious promises.

Adonai's pure words come with the purpose to refine you like silver. God sees you as valuable and precious and He desires that you become the best that you can be. He is your founder and has cast you in a certain mold. Because He wants to complete and perfect you in every way, He works with you, like a metal smith casts and tries gold and silver. Looking for your purity, He will often seemingly put you in the furnace to burn away any impurities. He is not abusing you, but bringing about a wonderful work in your life. His goal is that you become more like Him in every way. He, therefore, clarifies, strains, and extracts all that is not of His nature. Even if He has to repeat this process seven times, Adonai will continue working with you until you are full and complete. You will then come forth as fine grade gold or silver.

Psalms 12:5 (KJ21)
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise," saith the LORD; "I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalms 12:5 (NAS)
Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs.

Psalms 12:5 (NIVUS)
Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them.

Psalms 12:5 (NLT)
The LORD replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.

Often if a person has been browbeaten and looked down upon, he or she will be depressed in mind, which leads to depressed circumstances. Perhaps you are one whose self image has become abased and defiled. Through the oppression and violent ravages that you have received, you find yourself in a weakened and wasting state. Your oppressors have robbed you and you are devastated. Now you see yourself as a poor and needy beggar. In your want, you groan, sigh, and cry.

The Lord Jehovah does not turn a deaf ear to your shrieks and groans. In fact, He gets up from His throne to come to your aid. He rises up to lift you out of your pit of despair and to set you high above your enemies. Even though your oppressors puff and blow, they can no longer keep you from the salvation and deliverance that Adonai has provided. Through Him, you are safe and secure; prosperity and victory are now yours. No longer are you oppressed and depressed; your enemies' flames and snares have lost their effectiveness, for Jehovah the Lord has become your champion

Psalms 12: 3, 4 (KJ21)
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things, who have said, "With our tongue, we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?"

Psalms 12: 3, 4 (NAS)
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?"

Psalms 12: 3, 4 (NIVUS)
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips—who is our master?"

Psalms 12: 3, 4 (NLT)
May the LORD bring their flattery to an end and silence their proud tongues. They say, "We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?"

If you have been on a slippery surface, such as an icy sidewalk, you know how treacherous walking can be. If you begin to slip, you can do very little to prevent yourself from falling. There is also a good possibility that you could hurt yourself from such a fall. Some people's words are similar to that icy sidewalk. Even though they sound smooth and flattering, they will only lead you to a slippery place, where you could be separated from your inheritance and portion. They want to take away what you have been promised or have already received.

These evil speakers are insolent and proud. They see themselves as great and noble men: they are "high and mighty". These boast exceedingly about themselves, but use their tongues to accuse and slander you. Everything that comes out of their mouths is just twisted babble. They want to accumulate and increase in power and things, but they desire your ruin and destruction. With their flaming words, they think that they will prevail. They trust in their own strength and power; they will not submit to another's rule or control. No one, except themselves, is their lord and master, for they believe they are sovereign.

Adonai, the true sovereign Lord, has heard their vain boastings. The Lord Jehovah will cut these proud ones down to size. The ones, who seek to ruin and destroy you, will be chewed up and consumed. Their words will fail and they will perish. You, however, will increase more and more, for Jehovah will prosper you and the words of your mouth.

Psalms 12:1, 2 (KJ21)
(To the chief musician: Upon the eighth. A Psalm of David)
Help, LORD, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbor; with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Psalms 12:1, 2 (NAS)
(For the choir director; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.)
Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.

Psalms 12:1, 2 (NIVUS)
( For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.)
Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception

Psalms 12:1, 2 (NLT)
(For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument.)
Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts.

Often it seems as if there is nothing to celebrate; you do not want to praise, sing songs, or make music. You may think that you are continually being trimmed like a vine. You do not want to stand erect or shine with the glory of God. Things seem gross and you feel like shaggy wool. At these times, like David, you need to remember that you are beloved of the Lord Jehovah. Also like David, you should begin to sing psalms unto God, whether you feel like it or not.

As you sing and praise the Lord, you will be free to call upon Him to help and defend you. He will avenge and rescue you. He is your life preserver who brings you salvation and victory. He desires to take you into wide open spaces. By God's grace and mercy, you have become kind, good, and godly. You can now bow in courtesy to others, for you see them as your equals. As you have received the favor of God, you are well able to bestow favor on others.

When you look around you, you may not see much goodness and kindness being displayed. In fact, it looks as if these virtues have ceased and come to an end. No one supports or builds up another. Faithfulness and trust seem to have disappeared, for no one lives according to the truth. The children of men act as if they no longer believe in the One True God; they have turned away from Him. They speak destructive, evil, and useless words to their associates, friends, and family members. Devastation and waste follow the words they speak. Even if they sound smooth and flattering, there is actually deceit and division in their tongues. They are double-hearted and faint. These are unaware of the wisdom of God and their words reflect their foolish thinking.

You, however, are not in this category. You live in the goodness, mercy and wisdom of the Most High. Therefore, it should be easy for you to sing psalms and celebrate, for you know that your help comes from Adonai, the Almighty God.

10-31-06 Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10 (KJ21)
Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10 (NAS)
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10 (NIVUS)
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

You have probably heard the expression "like a deer caught in a car's headlights". What does this mean? When you come upon a deer crossing a road, the car's lights blind the deer and it stands in the road paralyzed with fear, not knowing which way to go to get to safety. That is the nature of fear; it keeps you in a place in which you too are paralyzed. Fear stops you dead in your tracks and then you are easy pickings for your enemy. You are afraid to go forward or to go back. You are afraid to move to the side. You just stand still, doing nothing but tremble with dread.

That, however, is not Adonai's will for you; in fact, many times throughout His word, the Lord specifically tells you not to fear. Terror and dread should have not place in your life. As a child of the Almighty God, you have nothing to fear. Jehovah does not want you to look around in bewilderment or to be dismayed. Your path is not dim and help has not departed from you.

God, the Supreme God, regards you with respect and compassion. He will not turn away from you. Instead He puts His strength, power, and might at your disposal. With His help, you will remain alert, courageous, and strong in the face of fear. The Most High God establishes and fortifies you; He hardens your mind and heart against your enemies, so that you always prevail and increase.

Jehovah the Lord has promised to help and protect you; He, therefore, surrounds and sustains you. He holds you up and keeps you fast in His right hand. As you follow closely after Him, you find prosperity and justice and fear must flee, for it has no part in you.

10-30-06 Lamentations 3:57

Lamentations 3: 57 (KJ21)
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst, "Fear not."

Lamentations 3: 57 (NAS)
Thou didst draw near when I called on Thee; Thou didst say, "Do not fear!"

Lamentations 3: 57 (NIVUS)
You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear."

Lamentations 3: 57 (NLT)
Yes, you came at my despairing cry and told me, "Do not fear."

Do you know that you only need to mentions the name of the Lord for Him to come near to you? He wants to have an encounter with you, for you are His very own. When He approaches, you know that not only will He offer His presence, but His presents.

Since you are made in the image of Jehovah the Lord and are joined to the Most High God through Him, you should begin to produce according to His plans and purposes. He makes you ready for anything and you can take a solid stand before your enemies.

When you encounter those who approach you in hostility, the Lord is always near to you. He is right at hand to commune with you and He will always tell you not to fear. When you remain close to Adonai and He remains close to you, you need never dread any of these encounters. Though your enemies appear terrible, the Lord your God is mightier and more powerful than they are. Therefore, continue to fear and reverence God and He will help you to stand strong against their onslaughts.

10-29-06 Proverbs 2:10, 11

Proverbs 2: 10, 11 (KJ21)
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee,

Proverbs 2: 10, 11(NAS)
For wisdom will enter your heart, And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you,

Proverbs 2: 10, 11(NIVUS)
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Proverbs 2: 10, 11 (NLT)
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

You have prayed repeatedly for wisdom and God has answered your prayer. He has given you all the wisdom through His word that you need for any situation that may arise. It is your responsibility to allow that wisdom, God's word, to enter into your soul. You must apply what you have been taught to your will, to your intellect, and to your feelings. When wisdom invades and besieges your heart, you will be lifted up and all will be well with you.

The knowledge that you gain will make you cunning and aware. Your assurance level will rise as you embrace Adonai's instruction. As you are diligent to discover more of the wisdom of the Lord, you will find that life becomes more agreeable, beautiful, delightful, pleasant and sweet. You will receive new vitality and refreshment with each breath. You will make good plans and they shall preserve your life. You will walk circumspectly and with discretion. You will have skill and understanding that you never had before. Through wisdom, you will speak eloquently and with reason you instruct others, showing them how to be prudent. Like you, these will find, that the understanding that they seek out and receive, will keep and guard them. Through your obedience, you will be kept and preserved.