Be Strong and Take Heart

I'm back after taking a brief hiatus to enjoy the resplendent spring and summer weather we've been blessed with. I should be posting a bit more often now that we're on summer break. Today I'd like to share excerpts from a couple of beautiful Psalms as well as links to some of the previously referenced encouraging blog posts on Romans I came across during my Romans study.

A dear friend recently shared several verses from Psalm 27 with me, and then I came across Psalm 27 again in one of my current reads: Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest by Edward T. Welch. I love it when exhortation overlaps from multiple directions like that. I highly recommend reading through the entire psalm several times. Here are some of my favorite verses from the passage:

Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

And along a similar vein, here's some refreshment from today's reading of Psalm 34:

Psalm 34:1-5 (NIV)

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.

Lastly, here are links to two great posts by Randy Alcorn at Eternal Perspective Ministries. I love his explanations regarding Romans 14. His insights brought an excellent dose of clarity to the topic. Enjoy!

• Disputable Matters in Romans 14: What They Are and What They Aren't
• A Stumbling Block: What it is and What it isn't