I Will Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

My Help Comes From the Lord, Who Made Heaven & Earth

Chapter 1

The title comes from Psalm 121:1,2.

Here are Psalms 121, 122, and 123 from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version--

___Psalm 121

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills, where my help comes from.

2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved, he that keeps you will not slumber.

4 See, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun won't strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil, he shall preserve your soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time onward, and even forever.

___Psalm 122

1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go into the house of the Lord."

2 Our feet shall stand inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is compact together,

4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 For thrones of judgment are set there, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love you.

7 Peace be inside your walls, and prosperity inside your palaces.

8 For my brothers and companions' sakes, I will now say, "Peace be inside you."

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I'll seek your good.

___Psalm 123

1 I lift up my eyes to you, O you that lives in the heavens.

2 See, like the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and like the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait on the Lord our God, until he has mercy on us.

3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are very much filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Chapter 2

Our help comes from the Lord.

Vs 121:3, He that keeps you won't sleep.

The Lord is our keeper.

The sun won't strike us by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil, he shall preserve your soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time onward, and even forever.

There are some really good promises here.

So, a good way to pray and worship is to say, “Thank you, Lord, that you keep me from all evil, and that you preserve my going out, and my coming in from now on, and forever.”

(A prayer, derived from the Psalms, and a Thanksgiving to the Lord.)

Dr. Norvel Hayes said the Lord told him, “My people don't worship me enough, and you don't either, son. You tell the people that if they'll spend time worshiping me, they can have anything they want.”

Anything you want. Does that appeal to you? It appeals to me.

___Psalm 122

1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go into the house of the Lord."

I grew up in church. My Sunday School teacher, Amanda Rediger taught me about Jesus, and about the other people in the Bible. However many souls I win for Jesus, Amanda Rediger has a part in that.

And, of course, my precious Mother, who taught me English, and the Bible, and was a pal to her children.

My mother's sister, Aunt Dorothy, was a buddy to me also.

I surely do miss them both.

But we'll be reunited in heaven, thanks to Jesus.

2 Our feet shall stand inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is compact together,

4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 For thrones of judgment are set there, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love you.

Here is a promise-- If you'll pray for the peace of Jerusalem, you'll prosper.

You're not against prosperity, are you?

Pastor John Osteen used to say, “It's like the fella said, I've been rich, and I've been poor. Rich is better.”

8 For my brothers and companions' sakes, I will now say, "Peace be inside you."

___Psalm 123

1 I lift up my eyes to you, O you that lives in the heavens.

2 See, like the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and like the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait on the Lord our God, until he has mercy on us.

3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are very much filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

The Psalmist David went through some difficult things. After David had achieved a name for himself by defeating Goliath, and by leading the army of Israel to victories, King Saul was worried that David could replace him.

Saul wanted to kill David, and tried to do so. David had to flee for his life.

But Saul's day to die came, and the Lord promoted David to be the second king of Israel.

But Jesus explained to us, during his life on earth, that when our lives are over on earth, it's only our bodies that die.

When your body dies, then you, the person whose house that body was, will go either up to heaven, or down to hell.

Sad to say, most people go to hell, Jesus said. (Matt 7:13,14)

My Dad was one of those who went to hell, though I tried to get him to go to heaven.

Someone might say, “But how do you know he went to hell?”

Because hell is the default destination.

If you get a new computer, when you first turn it on, it comes with default parameters.

When you start working with the computer, you have the opportunity to change some of those default parameters to your personal preferences. Maybe you'd like to have a blue background with your desktop screen.

You can choose whether certain folders will be displayed as lists, or as icons.

But hell is the default destination for everyone. To avoid going to hell, you must make other arrangements.

My Dad failed to make the other arrangements.

Jesus said, “You MUST be born again.” This word MUST doesn't leave any wiggle room. It's a requirement that we get born again.

You could say, “Well, what if I don't meet that requirement?”

If you don't get born again, then you'll go where my Dad is, to hell, where there's crying and gnashing of teeth, where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched, Jesus said.

And I know Jesus doesn't tell lies.

Jesus told about the rich man and the beggar--

From Luke chapter 16--

19 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted every day.

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, also the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, the rich man also died, and was buried.

23 And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being tormented, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he shouted, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, so he can dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in these flames.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that in your lifetime, you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and you're tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a large gulf fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you can't, nor can they pass to us that want to come from there.

27 Then he said, Please, therefore, father, send him to my father's house,

28 For I have five brothers, so that he'll testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.

30 And he said, No, father Abraham. But if someone went back to them from the dead, they'll repent.

31 And he said to him, If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be persuaded, even if someone rose from the dead.

The rich man had a name, because Jesus said, “There was a CERTAIN rich man,” but Jesus doesn't tell us the rich man's name. The beggar's name was Lazarus.

Notice that the rich man spoke of his torment in hell.

When Abraham told the rich man that Lazarus couldn't go to the rich man, the rich man wanted Lazarus to be sent back to earth, because the rich man didn't want his five brothers also going to "this place of torment".

But the rich man enjoyed his good things during his life on earth, and didn't make the necessary arrangements to stay out of hell.

We have to do what Jesus said, and get born again.

You get born again by hearing or reading the gospel message that Jesus lived a sinless life on earth, he taught the people, he healed the sick, he raised the dead, he cast demons out of people.

Then, he died on the cross of crucifixion for our sins.

On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead.

Then Jesus was seen by his disciples, and by more than 500 Christians.

Then Jesus went back to heaven, where he had come down from, and sat at a position of honor, at the right hand of God, his Father.

You hear the gospel message, and you believe it, and you say “Yes” to Jesus.

Jesus says, “See, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I'll come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)

Pray this easy prayer, “Jesus, save me!"

The Bible says “All that call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel chapt 2)

Here is more about salvation--

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation.” (Rom 10:9,10)

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.