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.

 

 

 

Stop Judging...And pray For World Peace

Psalm 72:1-3 -  Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.   He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.    The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.  

 

Solomon is said to have written this Psalm.  He wanted to leave a legacy of God’s great mercy and peace to his sons …and anyone else that would rule after him.  He wanted everyone to think that justice should be fair…and modeled after God’s way.  He wanted everyone to enjoy the peace that flourished during his reign as king.

 

It’s a great reminder to me to be more careful not to judge….and to always encourage others to live in peace.  God is really the only one who can see the heart of all…and judge fairly.  And Jesus told us in Matthew 5:9 … “ Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God.”

 

Even though I try really hard not to judge… I have those moments …just after I have said or done something judgmental…that God has brought it to my attention quickly. I guess I should thank him for not letting the moment pass that he has reminded me that it was wrong…so I can keep working toward being less hypercritical.

 

And the world sure could use more peace.  At least 10 times a day I witness someone being argumentative or mean to someone in their pathway.  And again…even though I try really hard to be nice and flexible…I am sure I have failed miserably at this too.

 

Bottom line is…I need to work harder to be peaceful with all people…and never judge….no matter what.  That is God’s job…and his alone.  I do not have the bigger picture God has put in place for those around me…and what lessons he may be teaching them by allowing them to be different from what I think is the norm.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder to be more careful how I treat the people you have placed around me. Help me to work toward true peace in the spot that you have placed me…and pray more diligently for the areas where I know people are struggling with wars and revolutions of all kinds.  Help me to see all people the same…no matter how they look on the outside.  Help me to take some time to get to know them on the inside…and love them the way Jesus loved me.  Amen.