Sing...Praise Together

Psalm 98:1-3 -  Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.  He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 

This is another anonymous Psalm….mimicking the words of David…..telling us to sing a new song to God.  Perhaps David said this phrase so much that it went viral…and other psalm writers used it to begin their own songs.

 

It reminds me that God’s promise of salvation…offered at one time to only the Jews…truly was spread to all the nations.  Its prophetic message tells of the time when Christ would come to earth to offer his perfect body as a sacrifice. His great act of love making this promise available to all people…to all nations…to the physical ends of the earth.

 

All who have accepted this promise of love and salvation should join together in the largest symphony of song known to man.  Even the mountains and seas that separate us physically will join in with us in praise to God...who loved us more than we ever deserved. That moment will be a truly great one….when Christ returns to claim his people.

 

Father…I thank you for reminding me that you loved me more than I could ever imagine with my imperfect mind and heart.  Thank you for the gift you gave me…and allowing me to become one of your precious children…and watching over me every day. Help me to stop more often to praise and honor you…to shout to others around me how great you are…and share all the wonderful things you have done to help me.  Amen.

Hate With God's Love

Psalm 97:9-12 -   For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.  Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

 

This anonymous Psalm speaks of the holiness of God. He truly is the one being that is in charge of everything he created.  He is unapproachable except through the blood of his son Jesus Christ. We are to allow him to transform our lives into people that strive to Love what God loves and hate what he hates.

 

If we are truly striving to be more godlike…we must learn to hate with his love. Jesus showed us how to turn the other cheek…like in Matthew 5:38-48…where we are told to love our enemies….even pray for them. Jesus showed us how to love with a humble love…even to the point of allowing mere men to whip and torture him before they put him on the cross to die for our sins.

 

Jesus also knew that some things could not be compromised.  His anger and clearing of the Temple in   Mark 11:15-19…show us that are times when we need to speak out when the ways of man have twisted the purpose of worship.  Never are we to let worship and prayer be exploited.  God demands our hearts to be pure and humble when we approach him to praise him and worship who he is to us.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I must hate what you hate.  Teach me how to truly love completely…and learn to hate with your love.  Help me to turn the other cheek...and let humility rule all my choices. Show me how to be bold when something has twisted your truth in worship and prayer.  Amen.

Sing.... Shout...Declare His Power and Glory

Psalm 96:1-4  -   Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.  Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

 

This Psalm wasn’t signed….but many theologians believe it to be one of David’s. It resembles his work recorded in 1 Chronicles 16…bubbling over with pure praise…David couldn’t help but shout to the world how much he loved his God.

 

He tells us to sing a new song to God…to wake each morning with a song of praise for all he has done for us.  He tells us to never contain our joy…but instead to share it with the world around us. He tells us to praise God…just out of the holy respect we should have for who he is.

 

David is saying that if we strive to live a holy life….and wake each morning with a positive perspective….that our lives will be testimony to everyone that sees us that day.  Everything we say and do all day long is seen and judged by others …some who have never made a choice to let Jesus be their Lord. We need to make sure that we are glorifying God with all we say and do….so that they will want to know more about the great God that provides such a satisfying life for us.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that I am being watched….and that everything I do and say should be something that glorifies you.  Help me to publish the great things you have done for me more often as I go about my day.  Help me to sing and shout to others how wonderful it is to have such a powerful father in Heaven to look over me and guide me.  Amen.

Thankfulness Leads To Humbleness

Psalm 95:6-9 -   Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert,  where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.

 

It must have been one of those reflective moments…when David realized that he was truly thankful for the humble beginnings he had as a shepherd boy. It helped him understand that God was truly in control...and that he was now the sheep…and God was his shepherd.  He was so thankful…and just wanted to kneel before God and tell him so.

 

Thankfulness…it helps us understand the concept of humbleness.  We realize that we had nothing to do with the great blessings that we receive and that God has given us everything that we have. David tells us here to sing…shout…thank…and kneel in praise to God for all he has done. David tells us here to make sure that we know the shepherd’s voice.

 

If we don’t take David’s advice the outcome is not pretty.  We develop hardened hearts….and forget what God’s voice sounds like.  We wander around with no real shepherd to help us find our purpose in life…and think mistakenly that we have any power over what happens to us in the end. It’s just plain scary to me …to think of life any other way but with God. I want to keep my heart as soft and pliable as God needs it to keep pouring in more of his great love. 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to keep my heart soft and my ears ever tuned to your voice.  Help me to find the time to thank you for all you have done…for being my shepherd.  Help me to stay tuned in to your voice…so I can follow your directions quickly.  Amen.

Accept God's Discipline....And be Blessed By It

Psalm 94:11-14 -  The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile.  Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law;  you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked.  For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.

 

This anonymous Psalm writer had seen so much evil. He wanted the world to be put into an order that was fair and just…where evil men would not be allowed to boast of the wrongs they had done to others.  He knew God was coming to judge them…but was having trouble waiting for that day.

 

God is aware of our limited minds…and that we have trouble understanding some of the bigger concepts of his big plan for the world. He teaches us daily form his word…if we take the time to study it…and reveals just enough of his plan to help us through each season of life he uses to train our hearts to accept his timing.

 

I admit that I have made tons of mistakes…and am very thankful that God did not reject me.  Instead…he poured his love out in the form of some discipline in my life…. a lesson that would teach me how to cling more to him than I do to the world around me. Hebrews 12 explains it a little better than I can…verse 11-12 especially give me hope.  They say… “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”

 

Father…thank you for loving me so much that you have disciplined me.  Thank you for helping me through the pain …and helping me to see the beginning of joy and peace that comes from fully trusting in you.  Help me to continue to trust your timing…and watch patiently as you reveal the rest of the plan you have to give me hope for my future. Amen.

Strive To Be More Holy

Psalm 93:3-5 -  The mighty oceans have roared, O LORD. The mighty oceans roar like thunder; the mighty oceans roar as they pound the shore. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore -- the LORD above is mightier than these! Your royal decrees cannot be changed. The nature of your reign, O LORD, is holiness forever.

 

The writer of this Psalm was overcome with the holiness of God. God’s strength and majesty come from his holiness.  He knew that God is on his throne and has been since the world was first made.  He is the only one who knows the ending.

 

God’s royal decrees were put in place in Exodus 20….and they are still as relevant today as they were for the People then. He gave them to us exactly the way we were meant to have them…and they are not to be altered or interpreted in a way that changes the meaning. 

 

Those decrees or rules were given to us to help us understand how we can strive to be holy…just as Jesus was when he walked the earth.  He kept every one of those decrees…even to the point of dying on a cross to save the sins of everyone who would believe on his name after.

 

Leviticus 19:1-2 says…. “ The LORD also said to Moses,  "Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. That order was as much for me and you and it was for the Israelites.  And that means that I am to keep those 10 rules so I can try to be holy…like God wants me to be.

 

Holy does not mean righteous…it means dedicated…consecrated to God. And if I am truly dedicated...and consecrate every part of my life to God…then I want to do everything he asks me to do…without arguing or complaining…..just because he asked. When he says jump…I don’t even ask how high…I just jump as far as he has taught me to jump thus far in my life and see what great things happen because I was obedient.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that to be holy is to be dedicated to just you.  Help me to rid my life of everything that tries to water down the rules you gave me to live by.  Help me to consecrate more moments of my time to your service.  Help me to be more holy….so I can dwell with you some day in heaven. Amen.

Thanking God Builds Your Faith

Psalm 92:12-15 - But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.  For they are transplanted into the LORD's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.  Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.  They will declare, "The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is nothing but goodness in him!"

 

The writer of this Psalm reminds us to praise God morning and evening. Every morning we are to say thank you to God for his kindness.  Every evening we are to rejoice and say thanks for his faithfulness to us.  We are to thank him for the miracles he has done and for the strength he gives us to survive the times he allows satan to tempt us.

 

Giving God thanks on a regular basis develops an attitude of gratitude that becomes a major part of our lives. It produces an inner joy that helps us keep positive in all circumstances. It increases our ability to love. We become more gracious toward others…and begin to understand what the word humble is all about.

 

It is a great comfort to know that as I get older….I can actually get stronger. I have been transplanted into God’s own temple…and he will help me flourish as the physical parts of my body begin to fail. He will replace the weakened earthly flesh with his eternal goodness…and I will still be able to work for him until the day he calls me home to Heaven.

 

Father…thank you fro reminding me that I do not have to depend on this earthly shell you provided for me to walk here on earth.  You are constantly replacing what I see as an imperfection with eyes that can see your perfect vision of who you made me to be.  Help me to thank you every morning for all that you have done…and praise you each evening for helping me through one more day.  Strengthen me as I grow even older…so I can be like Paul…and Moses…and Abraham…full of faith and love for others. Amen.

Trade Your Fear For The Promise Of Angels

Psalm 91:9-12 - If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,  no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling.  For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.  They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.

 

This anonymous Psalm is full of encouragement.  It tells us that if we make God our sole refuge…he will protect and always help us.  He will even send his angels to protect us….to hold us with their hands…to keep us from tripping up on the rocks of this imperfect world.

 

Man made a choice back in Genesis…when God placed him in a perfect garden.  It had everything that man needed to live a perfect …pure life.  But man chose to eat of the one ruit that he had been told not too….and his sin banned him form that perfect world until Jesus came and made a waya for all of us to once again enjoy perfection in Heaven.

 

We need to trade our fear of this imperfect world…for a trust that God has a perfect plan while we are placed here.  We need to claim the promise that God will always protect us if we are doing what he has asked us to do. That doesn’t mean that life will always be perfect for us….it means that God will walk with us every step of the way he asks us to walk.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me this morning that even though I am an imperfect woman…born in the sin of Adam and Eve…. I can count on you to walk with me and protect me from an imperfect world.  Help me to rely on you more and more….and use the angels you send to protect and hold me to show others your great love.  Amen.

Time Only Makes Sense If Viewed With God's Eyes

Psalm 90:1-4 -  A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!  Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.  You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"  For you, a thousand years are as yesterday! They are like a few hours!

 

Moses is credited with writing this psalm…the oldest of all the works in this book. He put words to one of the hardest concepts God tries to help us realize about his being.  He was first…and he will be last…and the time in between is as a day to him. God does not measure time as we do.

 

Time here on earth seems to drag on and on some days…our negative way of viewing something adding to the illusion that it has lasted forever…when in fact it has only been a few days …or months. We struggle as Job…who spoke these words in Job 10:1-22 ….“I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me. Does it seem good to you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands and favor the designs of the wicked? Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees? Are your days as the days of man, or your years as a man's years…”

 

Time for some seems to pass so quickly that we cannot get anything done. We feel we want to stop the clock for a bit…so we can catch up.  We mirror the thoughts of James….who said in James 4:13-15 … “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

 

Truth is…the time he grants us will only make sense if it is lived in his will. Moses went on to say in verse 12 … “ Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.” We need to quit worrying about how much time we have…and use each moment he does grant us to do the work he sent us to do.  It is that simple.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to use my time more wisely. Help me to relay in your power to see the fullness of the plan you have for me…without stopping to question it all the time. Teach me as Moses said…hoe to make the most of each moment you grant me…so I can make you proud of me….and feel your love …and live in your wisdom.  Amen.

Reinstate Me To Your Great Love And Power

Psalm 89:20-24 -  I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil.  I will steady him, and I will make him strong.  His enemies will not get the best of him, nor will the wicked overpower him.  I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him.  My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and he will rise to power because of me.

 

This Psalm believed to be written by David’s own Temple assistant Ethan…contains the promise God made to his anointed king.   It begs God to reinstate David to power….to make David successful after he had fallen. Ethan begged God to once more shine his favor and blessing on the king.

 

It dawned on me as I read the promises of God to David...that he has anointed each of us that have accepted his great salvation.  He found each of us…and anointed us to do his work.  He made the same promise to steady us…and make us strong.  He will protect us from the enemy…and give us power to do whatever he has called us to do.

 

We all fall down sometimes…and like David need to be reconnected to God’s great love and power. We are as close to reconciliation as one cry out to the father to restore our faith.  We just need to humble ourselves and pray for forgiveness…and then sit back and watch God remove the guilt and shame from our heart. Then he will return to us and lift us up like he did David…and shine his love through us to others once more.

 

Hebrews 6:17 reminds me that God does not break any promise he makes to us.  It says… “ God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.”  And since Jesus died on the cross to offer salvation to everyone…that means that every promise ever made to a child of God is ours to claim as well.

 

Father…I thank you for reminding me that the day I called on you to be my savior….that you promised me that you would love me forever. Thank you for loving me in spite of my mess ups….in spite of the fact that I have not always kept my promise to let you control my life.  Restore me this morning to believe with all my heart and soul and mind that you can steady me and give me new strength.  Allow me to have a faith that accepts the great power your love can give me to use your power to help others around me. Amen.

Help Chase Some Darkness Away

Psalm 88:2-6 - Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.  For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near.  I have been dismissed as one who is dead, like a strong man with no strength left.  They have abandoned me to death, and I am as good as dead. I am forgotten, cut off from your care.  You have thrust me down to the lowest pit, into the darkest depths.

 

This Psalm…Bible scholars think to have been written by a man with the name Heman…describes the deep emotions of one who has been trapped in darkness.  He felt he had been cut off from God’s love and care… and been thrown into a deep hole of confusion and darkness. His separation from the life giving love of God was more than he could bear….so he cried out to God…the only one he knew who could lift him out of that imaginary pit.

 

Darkness left to darkness…increases in intensity. The dark around us seeming to close in and literally choke us. Our eyes see no tangible way out of the mess we have let trap us…so we just drift deeper and deeper in to a pit of despair and hopelessness.

 

But darkness exposed to God’s light….exposes the truth…it dissipates the darkness and tells it to flee. The light replaces the doubt and confusion the dark planted in our mind with truth and mercy and grace.  Then it grows from our minds straight into our heart…where God begins to give us new hope for our future.

 

I took a break from the world to work with some High school girls this weekend at an Emmaus Chrysalis Retreat .  I watched God chase the darkness from their minds…and replace it with his light and truth. It was the most precious job he has asked me to do yet. I thank God that he allowed me to witness his love work in such a powerful way.

 

He calls us all to listen to his still small voice each day….because he needs us to show that light to others daily.  He wants to use us all to help him chase some more of that darkness away that has settled in our part of the world. He has placed us all exactly where he wants us…we just need to listen to him tell us what to do to help him.

 

Father…thank you…thank you…thank you times infinity….for allowing me to witness the great work that you did this weekend. I squeal in delight and happiness to have been used to help you transform so many young hearts into stronger Christian ladies.  My prayer this morning is for each of them as the wake to the real world where you have placed each one.  Send down a few extra angels for each one to hold their hand and give them confidence.  Help the light you planted in their hearts to shine so bright that even Satan will be afraid to mess with them today.  Amen.

Cry Out For Spiritual Renewal

Psalm  85:10-13 - Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!  Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.  Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful crops.  Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.

 

Asaph remembered all that God had done for the people of Israel.  He longed for restoration…for God to restore the people and rain down new blessings upon them.  His heart overflowed with love for God…and his pen found these beautiful words to express his deep praise for the God who loved him so much.

 

I too am very thankful for all God has done in my own life. Yet I know that since I am still walking on this Earth this morning...he is not finished with me yet…and has new blessings to rain down on me too.  I need to possess Asaph’s attitude …and ask God daily to renew me and strengthen me…so I can remove any sin in my life….and learn to walk completely in his truth and peace …every day.

 

Asaph was talking about spiritual renewal…asking God to impart upon us a sense that we always have more and more to learn about who Jesus was…how he was able to walk the Earth in only 33 short years…and complete the plan God had for his life to save the world from their sins. We need to ask God to give us the same power to be as radical as Jesus was.

 

I admit that some of the concepts in the Bible are quite radical…but if we always think we are good enough….and never push ourselves to accept all that Jesus did as a literal way to live…how can we say we are growing in Christ’s love? If we are truly to model our lives after Jesus…then we are not doing enough…unless we are ready to die on a cross to save someone else’s sins.

 

Father...thank you for the reminder that I am a mere human….saved by the grace of your wonderful son Jesus.  Help me to embrace all that he left us as a blueprint for our lives in the Bible as a real way to live…not just mere words to read each day.  Change my heart Lord….give it a passion to know you on a deeper level…so I can begin to understand the deep love that powered your son to give his life for  me. Empty me of every thought that holds me back from internalizing your mercy and truth….your justice and peace.  Amen.

Mercies In Disquise

Psalm 84:5-6 -  Happy are those who are strong in the LORD, who set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains!  They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

 

Asaph loved his job.  He would rather have been working in the temple…writing another beautiful psalm…or just humming a new melody to go with one of the ones David gave him to worship by the next Sabbath….than have 1,000 other things. He wanted nothing more or less than to be close to God…his source of happiness and contentment.

 

Asaph had learned one of the hardest lessons in life…to draw near to God…to set his mind on walking through every valley God allowed in his life…and see the positive.  He had learned to turn his tears of sadness into shouts of joy…because he saw how much stronger he was for having traveled through the valleys of life.

 

I admit that tears still fall sometimes when I recall the hardest moments of my own life.  But I can say with certainty that I am glad that God allowed me to realize that these moments of pain and sadness held valuable lessons of how his love works. The… rain truly brought new life to my soul when I realized that the tears had purpose in helping me grow closer to God.

 

Laura Stories song…Blessings… comes to mind.  The line…. What if my greatest disappointments -
Or the achings of this life - Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy….really sums it up for me.  The pain we go through reveals to our heart that God is truly the only one that has permanence in our lives.  We must cling to him…and get to know him on the deepest levels …if we are to ever truly grasp the power of his great love.

 

Father…I never thought for a moment …in the deepest valley of my life that you had left me….and I admit to you oh Lord that I still ask why sometimes….but I am truly thankful that you have helped me see the blessings your rain have collected on the other side of my pain.  I know my joy here on Earth doesn’t hold a candle to the joy I will experience when I meet you face to face….but the small portion of joy you have let me feel…sure helps me keep going when I feel like I am beat down.  Help me to continue to seek you…and satisfy my thirst for love with only your water that gives life and peace.  Amen.

 

PS…...here is the link to Laura Story’s great song….    http://youtu.be/eOOFAaUGfRE

Waiting...It's A Good Thing

Psalm 83:1-4 -  A psalm of Asaph. A song. O God, don't sit idly by, silent and inactive!  Don't you hear the tumult of your enemies? Don't you see what your arrogant enemies are doing?  They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones.  "Come," they say, "let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence."

 

Asaph was having trouble with God’s timing.  God had allowed the nations around Israel to join together and plot to destroy them.  It was so hard for Asaph and his family to just watch day by day…as the kings of other nations devise ways to overtake the land God had given the Israelites. They made fun of God…and thought that if the joined forces…they would be stronger than God.

 

Asaph knew in his heart that there was no one strong enough…not even if every nation joined together…to win against God.  He knew that God had allowed it for some reason…for a time…and wanted God to show up and end the craziness….and prove to the ones who made fun of his Jehovah….that the people of God could not be destroyed.

 

Waiting….it is one of the hardest things that God asks us to do. It is also one of the hardest concepts to understand.  We live in a fast pace nation…that has learned over the years how to erase the minutes on a clock….with fast food…microwave meals…drive through’s of all kinds.  Waiting is contrary to our need to get answers when we want them.  Accepting waiting as something good….means we have to admit that God is truly in control of the outcome.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that waiting is not a bad thing.  Help me to just accept that I sometimes have to wait on you…just because.  Help me to let you be in total control of my life…from the moment I wake…to the time my eyes close at night.  Help me to let you weld together the great plan you have to prosper me and give me hope for my future…without interfering or running ahead of you.  Amen.

Rescue The Poor And Helpless

Psalm 82:3-5 -  "Give fair judgment to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.  Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.  But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! And because they are in darkness, the whole world is shaken to the core.

 

Asaph used his words in this Psalm to voice his viewpoint on the men in his world that took advantage of people.  He cried out to Godin his prayer for God to come and rescue the poor and the helpless. He called anyone who did not treat them with kindness and mercy ignorant…evil men who lived in darkness.

 

We have the same problem in our world today.  The old saying…the rich get richer...the poor get poorer…is still current in many ways.  You read in the news almost every day how someone in our nations courts or police stations have used their positions to better their pocketbook instead of protect and care for the people in their districts.

 

I am so blessed to live in a town where it seems the men in such offices have given their hearts to God…and for the most part….use his wisdom to make the decisions about justice.  I see kindness and mercy displayed through many of the churches….and programs like our Youth Service Centers in place to care for the children in our schools.

 

We can always do more….cause I don’t think poverty or crime has been wiped completely out here.  Our local homeless shelter is not empty….and the courts are booked full each day with those that have fallen to some evil and need God to give them a second chance to make better choices.  We can always find some way to help one of these organizations…or people that need a mentor while they learn how to make better choices. 

 

Father…help me to always stay aware that evil is lurking in the world around me.  Help me to promote kindness and mercy and do my part to rid the world of mistreatment of the ones who you have allowed to live with less.  Show me ways to share the blessings you have given me…. with anyone who needs it. Thank you for those in my town who you have placed in offices that judge and make the big decisions abut people’s lives.  Give them an extra dose of your wisdom and Solomon’s great eye for justice…so that more people will see your love through the decisions they must make each day. Amen.

Music...A Prelude To Worship

Psalm 81:1-4 -  For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument. Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Israel.  Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp.  Sound the trumpet for a sacred feast when the moon is new, when the moon is full. For this is required by the laws of Israel; it is a law of the God of Jacob.

 

Asaph began this Psalm by reminding us how important music is to worship.  He tells us to not only sing…but to use the many instruments that were given to man’s imagination to accompany the songs we sing. The words of the music are no more important than the melody …the melody no more important than the instrument.  The three work together to create a sense of God’s presence…ushering our heart to a time of focus on just God.

 

It’s simple…we should gather at special times…Sunday worship…Wednesday night Bible studies Christmas… Easter… Thanksgiving …and always begin with a song of praise to God.  We need to include as many instruments as we have talent to play…and let God blend the melodies of the voices and strings…the notes and the horns...into a glorious sound that melts away the worldly stress and troubles we brought in the door with us…into a sweet comforting peace that will calm us and help us soak up some God time for a few minutes.

 

Father…I thank you so much for the great musicians and talented instrumentalists you allow me to worship with at my own special worship times.  I thank you for the technology that records it…and allows me to sneak a listen any time I need a pick me up or calming. Help me to stop the next time I hear some sweet music…to think of you and say a word of praise.  Amen.

Strengthen The Person You Love

Psalm 80:17-19 -  Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice.  Then we will never forsake you again. Revive us so we can call on your name once more.  Turn us again to yourself, O LORD God Almighty. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.

 

Asaph was surely struggling with a load heavier than he thought he could bear.  His heart was so heavy….his humble cry to God just wanted it over.  Three times in his prayer he simply says….turn us again to yourself…make your face shine on us once more….for he knew his only ticket to happiness once more was for God to save them.

 

He begged God to come back and bless them once more.  He asked for God’s protection.  He asked God to cultivate their hearts and minds so they could be nourished in his love and live and grow once more.  He asked for strength…and for God to revive the trust they once had in him.

 

That is exactly the humble attitude God is asking all of us to have…every day he grants us life on this earth. He calls for us to humble ourselves…and stop trying to run ahead of his plan for us.  He wants us to turn to him…and place our heart and soul and mind in his control. He wants us to feel a deeper need for his restoration and power…to simply be strengthened as a man or woman that loves God.

 

Father…I thank you for the reminder that you are the source of any strength I ever hope to have. Forgive me for the times that I run ahead and don’t remember that you are the only one that can save me. Help me to always stop and ask you for anything I need.... and to always try to be humble…so that you can always provide for me a way to be saved form myself.  Amen.

Admit We Are Powerless

Psalm 79:9-10 - Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.  Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.

It was a very sad time for Asaph and his friends. He was living in a time when God allowed the temple and city to be destroyed.  Instead of serving God in the temple…they were verbally abused …having to listen to the nations around him ask where is your God? So he cried out to God to show them…and deliver them from the taunts and mocking of these enemies that had caused them such sadness.

It was an honest prayer…he was tired of watching others make fun of God. He was displaced…with no purpose…and missed his job in the Temple.  He was stuck…with nothing to do but pray for God to fix it. He just wanted that season of life to be over. So he admitted that he did not deserve it…and called out to God to fix it to show the power and glory he knew he could show…just because.  

We have all been there…up to our necks in some mess…mostly from some of our own doing. Our hearts have withstood the troubles that were created as long as our human hearts could stand it. But there came a moment when we just knew…that we needed God to fix this one…and we broke and finally admitted we had no power to fix it ourselves.

When we take that first step…and humble ourselves…like it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14….and pray…God will begin to heal and restore. He gives us the strength to endure whatever else was planned to teach us to lean completely on him…and he opens our eyes to the path we need to take out of the mess.  It usually isn’t accompanied by any visible glory…just a sweet peace that surpasses the turmoil we had felt just moments before.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to lean completely on you.  I thank you for all the times you have shown your glory to me and given me a peace about something hard to do…and the strength that came from knowing you are always walking beside me. Help me to keep my eyes wide open...and watch for the next step you need me to take. Amen.

Be A better Listener...So You Can Be A Better Encourager

Psalm 78:1-4 -  O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old-- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

 

Asaph began this Psalm with the great words….listen.  Then he listed for us the great history of the Israelite people…all the miracles that God had performed to date.  He told them to share the great love that God had bestowed upon them with their children…so the power of God could go with the next generation of God’s people.

 

I am a terrible listener…I asked God to help me…more than once…and truth be known he has probably tried to teach me a few lessons on how to do it better…but I keep finding excuses to justify why I just am not able to improve.  Like the ADHHHHHHHHD I suffer from.  I will label it Adult Distractibility with 8X Hyperactivity Disorder ….the least thing taking my focus off what people are trying to say….or my need to move constantly keeping me from even hearing what God had planned.   I also have a hard time remembering what they say...I have never had good memory skills.

 

I need to really find a way to stop justifying these weaknesses and let God use his great power to help me overcome it…so I can become a greater spokesman for him. Asaph clearly says that we need to share the great history of God with the next generation….so they can grow up to know the only God that can and will save them if they call on his name.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that I need to be a better listener.  Help me to stop justifying why I am bad at it…and let you use those weaknesses to help me overcome the problem. Show me when to listen…and when to walk away.  Help me to share your love and the testimony of how you saved me with the next generation…so that they can be saved and live with you in eternity forever. Amen.

Let Worship Turn Your Pain Into Sweet Memories

Psalm 77:1-3 -  I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.  When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. "Selah"

 

Asaph found himself so troubled he could not sleep…so he cried out to God.  His prayers through the entire night began to request God to fix this and that….but somewhere in the midst of one of those requests….he remembered something God had already done for him. And as he began to recount the good times his troubles melted into a time of thankfulness and worship.

 

I call them sweet memories…like the huge empty parking lot of ice and snow I passed yesterday when I took my son to the doctor to get the stitches out of his shoulder. It made me think of how I would cringe at the prospect of going with Mitchell to do wheelies at 3 am when it snowed….but for some odd reason I found myself laughing and doing just one wheelie…while Andrew stared at me and reminded me that security would surely come and give me a ticket.  I laughed partially at the sweet memory …and more from the shock on my son’s face…as I pulled back off the ice. 

 

That is the way that God begins to heal us from the pain of the deepest wounds that life inflicts.  He wraps us in sweet memories of all he has done in the past…and transforms our worries and pain into worship of him.  We can’t be worried or sad anymore…for we see all that we should be thankful for instead.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to bring all my worries and pain to you…so you can begin to replace the pain with your great love.  Thank you for the sweet memories that bring a moment of joy to my heart…and the smile that powers the courage to move a little further away from the pain.  Help me to always  follow Asaph’s model…and let my prayers of pain and sorrow…melt into a worship that fades all the pain and sorrow from my heart...as I worship you. Amen.

Pay It Forward

Psalm 76:4 and 11 - You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game.

Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared.

 

Asaph may have written this Psalm to celebrate the defeat of Sennacherib’s army. He wanted the world to know who had gone with them into battle and helped them be victorious.  He was so overwhelmed with joy…and wanted to somehow paint a human picture of his mighty God.

 

Then Asaph made a great point to all who were celebrating that day. They needed to go tell God thank you with the proper sacrifices. They needed to turn their shouts of praise into works that would show the world how much they loved Jehovah.

 

That reminds me that it’s not enough to sit in a routine worship service week after week.  I need to put my love into action. Jesus has a plan to use my hands and my feet…after he has filled my soul to the brim with his glory and presence at church. How else will all the kings and rulers of our present day world see God? How else will the evil in our world know that there is another choice in life?

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am to be your feet and hands…and pour out the love you fill me with each time I worship you. Help me to soak up even more of you each time I enter your house to worship…so I can more quickly realize the tasks you have planned for me to pay forward what you have done for me. Amen.

We Give Thanks To You Oh God, We Give Thanks

Psalm 75:1-3 -  We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.  You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.  When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. "Selah"

 

Asaph had just reminded us that God’s timing is not what we expect sometimes…now he models for us what to do while we wait. He tells us to give thanks...just give thanks to God who is always near to our heart…and who knows exactly what we need…exactly when we need it.

 

That is simple. Wake up every morning and give thanks. Even when we don’t see the reason….give thanks.  In the midst of the worst storm of our life….give thanks.  Not just on those wonderful occasions when life paints a beautiful picture in front of our eyes….give thanks every moment we can find time to say a simple thank you to God.

 

We might just increase our blessings...like Jesus did the day he gave thanks for what the disciples thought was an inadequate amount of food to feed over 5,000 men…let alone the women and children that had gathered to hear Jesus that day.  The thank you he said to God allowed the simple 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish…to feed everyone that had gathered to hear Jesus preach in Mark 6….and they had leftovers to boot.

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that giving thanks is something I should do as soon as my eyes open each day. Help me to give thanks for everything….good…or seemingly bad….so I can experience the blessings you had in store as your perfect timing becomes complete.  Help me to stop saying...I don’t have enough…and start saying…what can God do with what I have.  Amen.

 

Faith Believes That God's Timing Is Perfect

Psalm 74:2-4 -  Remember the people you purchased of old, the tribe of your inheritance, whom you redeemed-- Mount Zion, where you dwelt.  Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.  Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs.

 

Asaph wrote this in a time when God had allowed the enemy to destroy the city of Jerusalem…even the temple.  The people of God had turned from worshiping as he had told them…so he allowed a period of captivity…and complete destruction of the city to give them some time to reflect. He did not want God to forget them….he wanted God to remember the promise he had made these people.

 

Asaph had the faith to believe that God was still in control…but he was having problems understanding why God would allow this punishment…it just seemed so severe.  He was also struggling with just how long he would have to wait for restoration.  Seeing how evil had overcome good was a just a bit much for him.

 

God’s timing is so hard to understand.  We want all our answers now….the key to his perfect timing revealed so we know what to expect while we wait. But that isn’t the way it usually happens. Even the disciples struggled with this concept…so Jesus told them in Acts 1:7… “ He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are still in control…even though I see evil all around me each day.  Help me not to question why you have allowed evil to overcome good for this season of life…and wait patiently for you to reveal your plan to conquer it forever in the end. Help me to remember …like Asaph…all the good that you have done while I wait…to remind me of how much you love the world.  Amen.

This Is Not My Home

Psalm 73:26-28 -  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

 

The palmist was struggling with the concept of equity. The wicked and unfaithful around him seemed to be getting all the breaks. He seemed to be struggling…even though he felt he was doing all that God wanted him to do.

 

It wasn’t until he drew near to God in the sanctuary that God allowed him to understand.  The riches gained by evil and wickedness will be left here on this earth….but the one who places their trust in God will live in his glory for eternity. Our rewards are not always earthy…but they are everlasting.

 

It gives me great comfort to know that that the things I struggle with here on earth will fade away when I pass into the glorious home God is preparing for me in heaven. Revelation 21:4-5 says…  “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."  He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

 

Father…thank you for reminding me that earth in not my home…and things here may not always be the way I would want it. Help me to draw so close to you that I always see the good in everything  that happens near me. Help me to wonder less about the equity of things on earth…and more about the numbers of people that do not call heaven home already. Amen.