1O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
Worship is a wonderful experience. To come to know God is the foundation of faith. Faith is believing that God is everything He says He is and that He will do everything that He says He will do. Worship is knowing Who God is and giving Him what He wants. Everyday that we live our lives in faith, trusting Him because of Who He is and What He wants to do in our lives, we worship Him. Worship is the expression of our faith. Every day that we live for Him, ought to be sweeter than the day before.
David tells us to sing unto the Lord. But, we are not to sing just any old song but rather a new song. Our worship is to be fresh and new because our experience of faith with the Lord is fresh and new. As we learn to walk with Him in absolute and uncompromising obedience, we will begin to experience God in ways that we could never imagine. The new song that David is referring to is a new and fresh testimony to what God is doing in our lives.
We are to worship Him in a new and vibrant way because He is doing a fresh work in our lives on a daily basis. God wants us to sing a new song. He wants our walk with Him to be fresh and new every day. He wants us to experience Him in new ways and enjoy the benefits of walking with Him.
If we could only trust Him enough to live our lives in His care and according to His instruction, we would discover a quality of life that is beyond our imagination. Hollywood cannot begin to compare with the joy and the happiness that a life surrendered to God would bring. Just imagine for a moment, how wonderful it would be to sing a new song because of God's goodness and His glory shining through in our lives. It is indeed amazing what God can and will do for us if we will just let Him.
Let go and let God have His way in your heart and in your life and sing that new song today!
A Pastor's thoughts about the Scripture and it's influence in our lives.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Seeing is Not Believing Psalm 95:10
10Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
The children of Israel saw God's mighty hand at work in Egypt and in the Exodus. However, they refused to see God in His potential through faith. They refused to trust Him in the days ahead even though they had experienced His power and provisions in the past. They erred in their heart, David wrote. The Children of Israel wanted to go back to Egypt. They wanted to go back to the bondage of sin that they were used to instead of forging forward in the power and presence of God.
Notice David says, "they saw My work" and then he wrote, "they have not known my ways." There is a difference between seeing God's work and believing God. Remembering the definition of faith, that faith is believing that God is everything He says He is and that He will do everything that He says He will do, God expects us to notice all that He is doing and has done so He can do even more things with us and for us. He wants us to see His mighty hand at work and He wants us to trust Him and walk in obedience to Him so He can continue to bless us.
We are too much like the children of Israel. We err in our hearts much like they did. We see the mighty hand of God and then just a short time later, we are right back in that same ole sin. We fail to "know His ways." To know His ways is to walk with Him in obedience and faith. To know His way is to trust Him because of all the He has already done for us. If we will allow Him to be God in our lives, He will continue to bless our lives and make our lives their absolute best!
Let us commit ourselves to seeing His work and knowing His ways!
The children of Israel saw God's mighty hand at work in Egypt and in the Exodus. However, they refused to see God in His potential through faith. They refused to trust Him in the days ahead even though they had experienced His power and provisions in the past. They erred in their heart, David wrote. The Children of Israel wanted to go back to Egypt. They wanted to go back to the bondage of sin that they were used to instead of forging forward in the power and presence of God.
Notice David says, "they saw My work" and then he wrote, "they have not known my ways." There is a difference between seeing God's work and believing God. Remembering the definition of faith, that faith is believing that God is everything He says He is and that He will do everything that He says He will do, God expects us to notice all that He is doing and has done so He can do even more things with us and for us. He wants us to see His mighty hand at work and He wants us to trust Him and walk in obedience to Him so He can continue to bless us.
We are too much like the children of Israel. We err in our hearts much like they did. We see the mighty hand of God and then just a short time later, we are right back in that same ole sin. We fail to "know His ways." To know His ways is to walk with Him in obedience and faith. To know His way is to trust Him because of all the He has already done for us. If we will allow Him to be God in our lives, He will continue to bless our lives and make our lives their absolute best!
Let us commit ourselves to seeing His work and knowing His ways!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Hear Him Today Psalm 95:7
7For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
We are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. He is our God and we are His people. His pasture is green and plenteous and His hand is both sure and strong. God is responsible for our lives. We are to hear His voice and we are to heed His voice. Sheep respond to the voice of their shepherd. They hear his voice and they know it and they follow that voice. God's voice is to be a familiar voice to us. We are to hear His voice and we are to follow His voice.
David give us a word of warning as he writes, "8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9When your fathers tempted me, proved me." The day of provocation was a day when the children of Israel murmured and complained about not having water to drink when God had led then out of the evil hands of Pharaoh. God led the through the Red Sea; He had sent plagues on Pharaoh; He had delivered them from the death angel. God had fed them and given them water to drink every day that they had been in the wilderness and they still grumbled and complained at Moses as if God was not taking care of them, as He should have been.
As result of their complaining and disobedience, God caused them to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years until every adult make over the age of 12 died in the wilderness, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. He did not want their disobedience to follow them into the land of promise. God does not like our disobedience today any more than He did then. I wonder how many people's lives are being held back in the wilderness because of their disobedience and the blessings of God are only a short trip away.
Just like the children of Israel, we have seen God's work. We know that He is capable of doing great and wonderful things. We know that His strong hand is there to provide for us as well as protect us. So, why would we choose any other direction than that the Lord has for us? Why would we even try to tempt the Lord in any way by refusing to be obedient to Him?
There is hope in this passage of scripture. The invitation to hear Him and heed Him is "today". When we make the decision to heed His instruction, the direction of our lives changes, immediately and that change is for the best every single time.
We are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. He is our God and we are His people. His pasture is green and plenteous and His hand is both sure and strong. God is responsible for our lives. We are to hear His voice and we are to heed His voice. Sheep respond to the voice of their shepherd. They hear his voice and they know it and they follow that voice. God's voice is to be a familiar voice to us. We are to hear His voice and we are to follow His voice.
David give us a word of warning as he writes, "8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9When your fathers tempted me, proved me." The day of provocation was a day when the children of Israel murmured and complained about not having water to drink when God had led then out of the evil hands of Pharaoh. God led the through the Red Sea; He had sent plagues on Pharaoh; He had delivered them from the death angel. God had fed them and given them water to drink every day that they had been in the wilderness and they still grumbled and complained at Moses as if God was not taking care of them, as He should have been.
As result of their complaining and disobedience, God caused them to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years until every adult make over the age of 12 died in the wilderness, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. He did not want their disobedience to follow them into the land of promise. God does not like our disobedience today any more than He did then. I wonder how many people's lives are being held back in the wilderness because of their disobedience and the blessings of God are only a short trip away.
Just like the children of Israel, we have seen God's work. We know that He is capable of doing great and wonderful things. We know that His strong hand is there to provide for us as well as protect us. So, why would we choose any other direction than that the Lord has for us? Why would we even try to tempt the Lord in any way by refusing to be obedient to Him?
There is hope in this passage of scripture. The invitation to hear Him and heed Him is "today". When we make the decision to heed His instruction, the direction of our lives changes, immediately and that change is for the best every single time.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Rock of Our Salvation Psalm 95:1
1O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
David refers to God as the Rock of our Salvation. He is not only our Creator; He is the solid rock foundation for our lives. As a child of God, Jesus is the Solid Rock upon which we are to stand. It is His gift at Calvary that secured our salvation and is our hope for the future. David wrote this before Jesus went to the cross. So what is it that David was trying to say to the people of his day?
God is the creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. Life began in Him and it continues to exist in Him. Not only is He the creator and sustainer of life, He is the source of life. Life has two aspects. First there is the quantitative aspect of life, which involves time. Life is a matter of time and existence. The second aspect of life is the qualitative aspect, which takes up time but has to do more with the quality of life that we experience. When David wrote that we must make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation, he was referring to the God of the quality of life.
Jesus said, "I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly." As the Rock of our Salvation, God is the provider of our blessings, which enhance the quality of life as He originally planned for our lives to be. God wants our lives to be filled to overflowing. He wants us to experience life in all of its fullness. He does not want us to miss out on anything!
David wrote, "We are the sheep of His pastures." God wants to lead us and guide us to the green pastures where His abundant blessings can be found. He and He alone is the source of direction that we need. When we look to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, we look away from His direction to follow the lure of the world that make great promises but never delivers. God is indeed the Great Shepherd.
His hand leads us, as Christians, into the green pastures. By Him we are protected and well provided for; to His honor and service we are entirely devoted as a peculiar people. We must therefore, seek to give Him glory and honor as we live our lives each and every day in the decisions that we make, one decision at a time.
He is indeed the Rock of our Salvation!
David refers to God as the Rock of our Salvation. He is not only our Creator; He is the solid rock foundation for our lives. As a child of God, Jesus is the Solid Rock upon which we are to stand. It is His gift at Calvary that secured our salvation and is our hope for the future. David wrote this before Jesus went to the cross. So what is it that David was trying to say to the people of his day?
God is the creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. Life began in Him and it continues to exist in Him. Not only is He the creator and sustainer of life, He is the source of life. Life has two aspects. First there is the quantitative aspect of life, which involves time. Life is a matter of time and existence. The second aspect of life is the qualitative aspect, which takes up time but has to do more with the quality of life that we experience. When David wrote that we must make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation, he was referring to the God of the quality of life.
Jesus said, "I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly." As the Rock of our Salvation, God is the provider of our blessings, which enhance the quality of life as He originally planned for our lives to be. God wants our lives to be filled to overflowing. He wants us to experience life in all of its fullness. He does not want us to miss out on anything!
David wrote, "We are the sheep of His pastures." God wants to lead us and guide us to the green pastures where His abundant blessings can be found. He and He alone is the source of direction that we need. When we look to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, we look away from His direction to follow the lure of the world that make great promises but never delivers. God is indeed the Great Shepherd.
His hand leads us, as Christians, into the green pastures. By Him we are protected and well provided for; to His honor and service we are entirely devoted as a peculiar people. We must therefore, seek to give Him glory and honor as we live our lives each and every day in the decisions that we make, one decision at a time.
He is indeed the Rock of our Salvation!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sing a Joyful Noise Psalm 95:1
1O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
David calls God the "Rock of our Salvation". He writes that we are to make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation. God deserves our devotion and our dedication. He deserves to be the object of our praise and our thanksgiving. God has indeed done great and wonderful things for us.
Notice David says, "Come let us sing unto the Lord". This is an invitation, not a command. David is not saying that we should sing unto the Lord but rather come and join him in singing unto the Lord together. The issue of not coming together to sing unto the Lord is not even a question in the writers mind. The matter of worshipping God is not an option; the only question is where and when and with whom we choose to worship Him.
We are to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. God's delight is in the joyful and not the noise. Perhaps the most significant element missing in our worship services today is the "joyful" aspect of coming to God. So many times we come to the Lord out of duty or obligation. We mean well and our intentions are good but we fail to come to Him joyfully and as a result, we fail to worship Him and we miss out on the blessings that He has for us.
It does not matter what we do for God, we need to make sure we come to Him first and that will give us the joy that we need to find Him. We need to learn to seek His face instead of His hands. We need to learn to come to Him for Who He is and what HE has already done for us instead of what He can do for us. When we come to God and make a joyful noise unto Him, we will find God's joy becomes full and His joy overflows over into our lives and makes our lives all the more special and blessed!
God is interested in the joyful noise and the joyful giving to Him. It does not matter what we give to Him as long as it is our best both in our effort and in our motive. Story is told of a famous orator who was called to read Psalm 23. He came and so eloquently read the words, enunciating every syllable and so eloquently pronouncing every word. The audience sat quietly and heard every word and applauded his effort. An elderly man then stood up from the crowd and walked to the stage and asked if he could recite the same text. Reluctantly he was allowed to speak. His speech was slow and his grammar broken but when he finished there was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone stood on their feet applauding the old man's rendition that had been read just a few minutes earlier.
The orator was overcome by the response. He was the expert. This was His performance. Why was the crowd's response so overwhelmingly in favor of this inexperienced old man? The shows director stood crying and this was his answer, "You mastered the text; He knew the Master of the text."
Make a joyful noise to the Lord today. Let Him know that He is the Master of your life. Give Him your best so He can give you His best.
David calls God the "Rock of our Salvation". He writes that we are to make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation. God deserves our devotion and our dedication. He deserves to be the object of our praise and our thanksgiving. God has indeed done great and wonderful things for us.
Notice David says, "Come let us sing unto the Lord". This is an invitation, not a command. David is not saying that we should sing unto the Lord but rather come and join him in singing unto the Lord together. The issue of not coming together to sing unto the Lord is not even a question in the writers mind. The matter of worshipping God is not an option; the only question is where and when and with whom we choose to worship Him.
We are to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. God's delight is in the joyful and not the noise. Perhaps the most significant element missing in our worship services today is the "joyful" aspect of coming to God. So many times we come to the Lord out of duty or obligation. We mean well and our intentions are good but we fail to come to Him joyfully and as a result, we fail to worship Him and we miss out on the blessings that He has for us.
It does not matter what we do for God, we need to make sure we come to Him first and that will give us the joy that we need to find Him. We need to learn to seek His face instead of His hands. We need to learn to come to Him for Who He is and what HE has already done for us instead of what He can do for us. When we come to God and make a joyful noise unto Him, we will find God's joy becomes full and His joy overflows over into our lives and makes our lives all the more special and blessed!
God is interested in the joyful noise and the joyful giving to Him. It does not matter what we give to Him as long as it is our best both in our effort and in our motive. Story is told of a famous orator who was called to read Psalm 23. He came and so eloquently read the words, enunciating every syllable and so eloquently pronouncing every word. The audience sat quietly and heard every word and applauded his effort. An elderly man then stood up from the crowd and walked to the stage and asked if he could recite the same text. Reluctantly he was allowed to speak. His speech was slow and his grammar broken but when he finished there was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone stood on their feet applauding the old man's rendition that had been read just a few minutes earlier.
The orator was overcome by the response. He was the expert. This was His performance. Why was the crowd's response so overwhelmingly in favor of this inexperienced old man? The shows director stood crying and this was his answer, "You mastered the text; He knew the Master of the text."
Make a joyful noise to the Lord today. Let Him know that He is the Master of your life. Give Him your best so He can give you His best.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thanksgiving in our Heart Psalms 95:1
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Come let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout to the Rock of our salvation. When is the last time that you had a song in your heart because you had been alone with God?
When is the last time that you came to God with thanksgiving in your heart? Thanksgiving is a gauge that tells us just how important God really is in our lives. The more thankful we are to God, the closer we come to Him and the more He is able to be at work in our lives, which brings us more blessings, which should make us more thankful. The more thankful we are, the more God is able to do for us, which makes us that much more thankful which brings us even more blessings and we find ourselves in an endless cycle of blessing God and being a blessing to God and getting blessings from God! Glory to God that is enough to make a backslidden Baptist shout!
God is the creator of all that we have and all that we are. We need to come to Him and worship Him and bow down before Him so that He can be our God and we can be His people! We need to let God be God in our lives! What a difference He can and will make in our lives if we will just give Him the opportunity to do so, today!
Remember, worship is knowing Who God is and giving Him what He wants. God wants us to be a blessing to us. He wants us to know the joy of His salvation. He wants us to know the fullness of His provisions and His power in His presence in our lives. As He is able to bless us, His joy is made full. God notices us when we come before Him and we bow down and we worship Him. That is good. The thing that God is most interested in is our coming to Him in obedience and living for Him. When we do that, we really worship Him and allow Him to be God in our lives, which is all that He wants from us in the first place.
Let's just praise the Lord today and live for Him one decision at a time.
Come let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout to the Rock of our salvation. When is the last time that you had a song in your heart because you had been alone with God?
When is the last time that you came to God with thanksgiving in your heart? Thanksgiving is a gauge that tells us just how important God really is in our lives. The more thankful we are to God, the closer we come to Him and the more He is able to be at work in our lives, which brings us more blessings, which should make us more thankful. The more thankful we are, the more God is able to do for us, which makes us that much more thankful which brings us even more blessings and we find ourselves in an endless cycle of blessing God and being a blessing to God and getting blessings from God! Glory to God that is enough to make a backslidden Baptist shout!
God is the creator of all that we have and all that we are. We need to come to Him and worship Him and bow down before Him so that He can be our God and we can be His people! We need to let God be God in our lives! What a difference He can and will make in our lives if we will just give Him the opportunity to do so, today!
Remember, worship is knowing Who God is and giving Him what He wants. God wants us to be a blessing to us. He wants us to know the joy of His salvation. He wants us to know the fullness of His provisions and His power in His presence in our lives. As He is able to bless us, His joy is made full. God notices us when we come before Him and we bow down and we worship Him. That is good. The thing that God is most interested in is our coming to Him in obedience and living for Him. When we do that, we really worship Him and allow Him to be God in our lives, which is all that He wants from us in the first place.
Let's just praise the Lord today and live for Him one decision at a time.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Be Wise Psalms 94:8
8 Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise?
Imagine how patient God must be with us! Here David is speaking to two groups of people, which include us all at times. He is addressing those who are senseless and those who are fools and the question to both is "when will you be wise?" David might have written this verse to go something like this: "You who refuse to listen to the voice of God and you who refuse to even acknowledge God at all, when are you going to wake up to the truth?"
God created our ears and our eyes for a purpose; we are to hear God and see Him at work in our lives and in the lives of those around us. God knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile, pointless, wasteful, ineffective and in vain. We do not know what we need. We do not know where we should go and until we are willing to understand that and look to God for His leadership and guidance, nothing is ever going to change in our lives! When are we going to wake up and be wise? Wisdom is knowing what to do and then doing it!
Most of us know what we need to be do and we do know what we do not need to be doing! Where we fail most miserably is not doing what we know we should do and then by doing what we know we shouldn't be doing. Most of us live our lives in this senseless routine.
It is one thing to be driving somewhere and make a wrong turn. It is another to keep on going in that direction knowing all along that you are headed in the wrong direction. God is speaking to us all through the hand of David as He asks us the question: "when are you going to be wise; when are you going to wake up; when are you going to start going in the right direction with your lives?"
You cannot get where you want to be in life when you are headed in the wrong direction. Failing to live your life as God directs you is like driving 1000 miles without a compass or a road map. The Bible is our road map; The Holy Spirit is like a built-in GPS unit. God will even be our driver if we will allow Him to be! I remember a bumper sticker that said, "God is my Co-Pilot." Friend listen, "If God is your Co-pilot" then change seats! Let's change seats and leave the driving to the Lord!
Imagine how patient God must be with us! Here David is speaking to two groups of people, which include us all at times. He is addressing those who are senseless and those who are fools and the question to both is "when will you be wise?" David might have written this verse to go something like this: "You who refuse to listen to the voice of God and you who refuse to even acknowledge God at all, when are you going to wake up to the truth?"
God created our ears and our eyes for a purpose; we are to hear God and see Him at work in our lives and in the lives of those around us. God knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile, pointless, wasteful, ineffective and in vain. We do not know what we need. We do not know where we should go and until we are willing to understand that and look to God for His leadership and guidance, nothing is ever going to change in our lives! When are we going to wake up and be wise? Wisdom is knowing what to do and then doing it!
Most of us know what we need to be do and we do know what we do not need to be doing! Where we fail most miserably is not doing what we know we should do and then by doing what we know we shouldn't be doing. Most of us live our lives in this senseless routine.
It is one thing to be driving somewhere and make a wrong turn. It is another to keep on going in that direction knowing all along that you are headed in the wrong direction. God is speaking to us all through the hand of David as He asks us the question: "when are you going to be wise; when are you going to wake up; when are you going to start going in the right direction with your lives?"
You cannot get where you want to be in life when you are headed in the wrong direction. Failing to live your life as God directs you is like driving 1000 miles without a compass or a road map. The Bible is our road map; The Holy Spirit is like a built-in GPS unit. God will even be our driver if we will allow Him to be! I remember a bumper sticker that said, "God is my Co-Pilot." Friend listen, "If God is your Co-pilot" then change seats! Let's change seats and leave the driving to the Lord!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Lovingkindness and Faith Psalm 92:1
1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to His name. When we take the time to thank God for all that He has done, two things happen. First of all, we acknowledge God for all the good He has done in our lives. The second aspect of thanksgiving is that it opens the door for God to bless us even more. As we are thankful, He is able to do even more for us, which gives us reason to be more thankful.
David makes a statement that deserves our full attention. He writes that we are to "show forth our loving kindness in the morning and our faithfulness every night." When we look to the Lord in the morning, our day has a better chance of being characterized by faithfulness at the end of the day. in fact, the only way we can find faithfulness in our lives is to start our day in the right way. The truth is there is no better way to live our lives than by walking with God, in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.
God wants our lives to be filled with His loving kindness. He wants us to be all that He has created us to be. He knows what we need and He knows what it is going to take to make our lives complete. The only real joy in life comes when we allow His will and His way to be our way. There can be no exceptions. When we refuse to follow His leadership and His guide, we lose and our lives suffer. God wants us to look to Him and allow His loving kindness to make a difference in the choices we make in our daily lives. When we do, He is able to direct our steps and guide our lives and make our lives all that He wants them to be.
Faith is believing that God is everything that He says He is and that He will do everything that He says He will do. His loving kindness toward us proves His involvement in our lives, giving us every reason to trust Him. Look to His loving kindness in the morning. Live for Him as your day unfolds.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to His name. When we take the time to thank God for all that He has done, two things happen. First of all, we acknowledge God for all the good He has done in our lives. The second aspect of thanksgiving is that it opens the door for God to bless us even more. As we are thankful, He is able to do even more for us, which gives us reason to be more thankful.
David makes a statement that deserves our full attention. He writes that we are to "show forth our loving kindness in the morning and our faithfulness every night." When we look to the Lord in the morning, our day has a better chance of being characterized by faithfulness at the end of the day. in fact, the only way we can find faithfulness in our lives is to start our day in the right way. The truth is there is no better way to live our lives than by walking with God, in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.
God wants our lives to be filled with His loving kindness. He wants us to be all that He has created us to be. He knows what we need and He knows what it is going to take to make our lives complete. The only real joy in life comes when we allow His will and His way to be our way. There can be no exceptions. When we refuse to follow His leadership and His guide, we lose and our lives suffer. God wants us to look to Him and allow His loving kindness to make a difference in the choices we make in our daily lives. When we do, He is able to direct our steps and guide our lives and make our lives all that He wants them to be.
Faith is believing that God is everything that He says He is and that He will do everything that He says He will do. His loving kindness toward us proves His involvement in our lives, giving us every reason to trust Him. Look to His loving kindness in the morning. Live for Him as your day unfolds.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Way of His Steps Psalm 85:13
13Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
God's mercy is extended every time He chooses not to give us what we deserve. Truth comes from God as well. It is God who establishes truth. God sets the standard to which everything evolves and exists. When we as God's children follow His truth, righteousness and peace follow. Truth David writes comes up from the earth and righteousness comes down from heaven. When we surrender our will to His will, His righteousness overshadows us and our lives are blessed indeed.
God wants to bless us and give us all that He has planned for us, which is good. He wants our lives to be filled to overflowing. He wants us to be blessed and happy and He wants our hearts to be full of joy and peace. God wants to bless our communities and our churches as well as our nation. Mercy comes down from heaven and truth goes up to heaven. When we as a people reach up to God, He is able to reach down to us. God wants to bless America. He wants to set us "in His way."
We have to be willing to stand for the truth of God's Word. We do not have to force others to accept that truth, but it is time for us as individuals to stand for the truth as found in the Word of God so the righteousness of God will come down upon us and our land will once again yield her increase.
The desire of God's heart is that we surrender our lives to His will and allow Him to do for us, as He so much wants to do. If we will just allow Him to bless us, He will do so exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or hope for! He will set us in the way of His steps. There is no better place that we can be in at any given time in our lives, than in the steps that He has set for us. When we are in those steps, we will experience the abundant blessings of God. Life cannot get any better than that.
God's mercy is extended every time He chooses not to give us what we deserve. Truth comes from God as well. It is God who establishes truth. God sets the standard to which everything evolves and exists. When we as God's children follow His truth, righteousness and peace follow. Truth David writes comes up from the earth and righteousness comes down from heaven. When we surrender our will to His will, His righteousness overshadows us and our lives are blessed indeed.
God wants to bless us and give us all that He has planned for us, which is good. He wants our lives to be filled to overflowing. He wants us to be blessed and happy and He wants our hearts to be full of joy and peace. God wants to bless our communities and our churches as well as our nation. Mercy comes down from heaven and truth goes up to heaven. When we as a people reach up to God, He is able to reach down to us. God wants to bless America. He wants to set us "in His way."
We have to be willing to stand for the truth of God's Word. We do not have to force others to accept that truth, but it is time for us as individuals to stand for the truth as found in the Word of God so the righteousness of God will come down upon us and our land will once again yield her increase.
The desire of God's heart is that we surrender our lives to His will and allow Him to do for us, as He so much wants to do. If we will just allow Him to bless us, He will do so exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or hope for! He will set us in the way of His steps. There is no better place that we can be in at any given time in our lives, than in the steps that He has set for us. When we are in those steps, we will experience the abundant blessings of God. Life cannot get any better than that.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Prepare for God's Best Psalms 84:11
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
David knew the heart of God. He knew that God had great plans for his life. He knew the blessings that God had in store for him were so much better than what the world had to offer. Listen to him as he says, a day in God's court was better than a thousand anywhere else. Imagine being willing to trade one day for two and a half years somewhere else! David knew God's plans and provisions were so much better than anything that the world would ever have to offer.
David goes on to say that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. God will not withhold any good thing from those who walk with Him. Blessed is the man who trusts in God! True happiness does not come in the way that we wish it would. Life is a paradox. The more we give the more we receive. As we surrender our will to His will, the more freedom we experience. Every aspect of life is that way! An athlete sacrifices his body and his time to discipline, which helps him become the best he can be. Students sacrifice their time and energy to studies to excel in their chosen field. People sacrifice their wants and wishes to go to work so they can then have some of the things that they want to have.
God's plan is simple. He is life. He knows what is best for our lives. He knows that life is what He has planned for us. God knows that the world offers a lot of distractions. The devil is not interested in the quality of our lives. When we listen to his lies and we choose his way over God's way, we lose! God loses. Everybody loses! The man who trusts God is the man who truly experiences real happiness.
It is foolish to think that God would love us so much that He would give the life of His Son and then refuse to give us everything else that He has planned for us! All that He wants from us is our trust in Him as we are obedient to Him. When we give our life to Him, He is able to give His life to us! When we give our best to God, He is able to give His best to us and that trade off is remarkably in our favor!
David knew the heart of God. He knew that God had great plans for his life. He knew the blessings that God had in store for him were so much better than what the world had to offer. Listen to him as he says, a day in God's court was better than a thousand anywhere else. Imagine being willing to trade one day for two and a half years somewhere else! David knew God's plans and provisions were so much better than anything that the world would ever have to offer.
David goes on to say that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. God will not withhold any good thing from those who walk with Him. Blessed is the man who trusts in God! True happiness does not come in the way that we wish it would. Life is a paradox. The more we give the more we receive. As we surrender our will to His will, the more freedom we experience. Every aspect of life is that way! An athlete sacrifices his body and his time to discipline, which helps him become the best he can be. Students sacrifice their time and energy to studies to excel in their chosen field. People sacrifice their wants and wishes to go to work so they can then have some of the things that they want to have.
God's plan is simple. He is life. He knows what is best for our lives. He knows that life is what He has planned for us. God knows that the world offers a lot of distractions. The devil is not interested in the quality of our lives. When we listen to his lies and we choose his way over God's way, we lose! God loses. Everybody loses! The man who trusts God is the man who truly experiences real happiness.
It is foolish to think that God would love us so much that He would give the life of His Son and then refuse to give us everything else that He has planned for us! All that He wants from us is our trust in Him as we are obedient to Him. When we give our life to Him, He is able to give His life to us! When we give our best to God, He is able to give His best to us and that trade off is remarkably in our favor!
Monday, November 8, 2010
God Still Forgives Psalm 78:38
38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not:
David went on to write, "40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: " " 51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased. 55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. 56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Take a minute a read the passages again.
The Israelites experienced the power of God's presence and His provisions but they refused to be obedient to His will. They knew His goodness but refused to allow His will to direct their lives. He punished them and they sought Him and He forgave them and restored them and they strayed again. One would think that they would remember the plagues in Egypt and the exodus and the parting of the Red Sea and the manna to eat and the water to drink while they were in the wilderness. However, they did not remember and they did not surrender their lives to the Lord's leadership and lordship.
Not much has changed. We have the same stories that they did. Sure we did not see the waters part nor did we taste the manna but look at all the blessings that God has given to us in our own lives that are just as miraculous for us as they were for the children Israel. Israel did not have the cross, which we have. They did not have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts but we do and just as they had no reason whatsoever not to walk with God, neither do we.
We have no reason whatsoever! We have the opportunity to walk with God and talk with Him and allow Him to lead our every decision and guide us and protect us and all we have to do is do it! There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that we should not give God our all. He has given His very best so that He can continue to give us His best and all we have to do is follow His guidance and leadership!
God wants to shower us as we allow Him to do so. Obedience is the key to the blessings that God has in store for us. God is still in the forgiving business.
David went on to write, "40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: " " 51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased. 55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. 56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
Take a minute a read the passages again.
The Israelites experienced the power of God's presence and His provisions but they refused to be obedient to His will. They knew His goodness but refused to allow His will to direct their lives. He punished them and they sought Him and He forgave them and restored them and they strayed again. One would think that they would remember the plagues in Egypt and the exodus and the parting of the Red Sea and the manna to eat and the water to drink while they were in the wilderness. However, they did not remember and they did not surrender their lives to the Lord's leadership and lordship.
Not much has changed. We have the same stories that they did. Sure we did not see the waters part nor did we taste the manna but look at all the blessings that God has given to us in our own lives that are just as miraculous for us as they were for the children Israel. Israel did not have the cross, which we have. They did not have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts but we do and just as they had no reason whatsoever not to walk with God, neither do we.
We have no reason whatsoever! We have the opportunity to walk with God and talk with Him and allow Him to lead our every decision and guide us and protect us and all we have to do is do it! There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that we should not give God our all. He has given His very best so that He can continue to give us His best and all we have to do is follow His guidance and leadership!
God wants to shower us as we allow Him to do so. Obedience is the key to the blessings that God has in store for us. God is still in the forgiving business.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Trust God From My Youth Psalm 71:5
4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth
Life has its ups and downs. Many of those downs are the result of poor decisions that we have made in the past. When we trust the Lord, we put ourselves in a better position to avoid many of the poor decisions that affect our lives so pitifully. David prays that the Lord would deliver him and help him to escape and save him. He prays, "Be my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort." God wants to be our strong habitation. He wants us to lean on Him and build our lives on Him and His perfect will for our lives. When we are willing to do that and live our lives by His direction, He is able to deliver us from many of the troubles and the difficulties that surround us.
You see, not only can God correct whatever is wrong with our lives; He can help us avoid the pitfalls that are the result of decisions that we should not make in the first place. When we make the right choices, we do not have to suffer the consequences of bad decisions but enjoy the fruits of the good decisions. God is indeed our hope.
David writes, "For You are my hope, O Lord God; Thou art my trust from my youth." David knew the Lord from his youth up. While he walked with the Lord and he was a man after God's own heart, David made some terrible mistakes in his life. However, it was what he learned about God in his youth that proved to be the answer to the problems that he faced. The foundation that the Lord can build our lives on does work. Sometimes, the road may seem rough and rocky. It may seem that there is no way out for a situation that we may be facing but what we learned from our youth up about God will make a difference in our lives and the lives of our children.
The sooner we make God our hope, the sooner we will find life really worth the living and full and meaningful to us and to those that we love and care for so much. We need to trust God today. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. We need to live it for the Lord and His pleasure, which becomes our pleasure!
4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth
Life has its ups and downs. Many of those downs are the result of poor decisions that we have made in the past. When we trust the Lord, we put ourselves in a better position to avoid many of the poor decisions that affect our lives so pitifully. David prays that the Lord would deliver him and help him to escape and save him. He prays, "Be my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort." God wants to be our strong habitation. He wants us to lean on Him and build our lives on Him and His perfect will for our lives. When we are willing to do that and live our lives by His direction, He is able to deliver us from many of the troubles and the difficulties that surround us.
You see, not only can God correct whatever is wrong with our lives; He can help us avoid the pitfalls that are the result of decisions that we should not make in the first place. When we make the right choices, we do not have to suffer the consequences of bad decisions but enjoy the fruits of the good decisions. God is indeed our hope.
David writes, "For You are my hope, O Lord God; Thou art my trust from my youth." David knew the Lord from his youth up. While he walked with the Lord and he was a man after God's own heart, David made some terrible mistakes in his life. However, it was what he learned about God in his youth that proved to be the answer to the problems that he faced. The foundation that the Lord can build our lives on does work. Sometimes, the road may seem rough and rocky. It may seem that there is no way out for a situation that we may be facing but what we learned from our youth up about God will make a difference in our lives and the lives of our children.
The sooner we make God our hope, the sooner we will find life really worth the living and full and meaningful to us and to those that we love and care for so much. We need to trust God today. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. We need to live it for the Lord and His pleasure, which becomes our pleasure!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Thanksgiving and Blessing Psalm 69:30
30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
David says, "I will praise the Name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving." David knew the goodness of God in his life. He was thankful for all that God had done in his life and He wanted to be thankful to God for everything God had done for him. There are a lot of things that we cannot do because of a lack of talent or opportunity or even because of finances. There is one things that we have no excuse for and that is to fail to be thankful. If God never did anything else for us but forgive us of our sin debt and give us eternal life we should be forever grateful to Him.
God gave His Son so that we could be forgiven but also so that we could have life and have it more abundantly. God's goal is to bless us to the point that our lives are so full that the rest of the world would look at us and want to look to God so that He could do for then as He has done for us.
Notice David's comment, "This shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock" or hundreds of dollars in the offering plate or hours spent singing in the choir or teaching in the Sunday School. God is interested in our attitude and our relationship with Him. He wants us to look to Him for direction and then follow that direction so He can bless us and make us a blessing to others. When we come to Him in thanksgiving it opens the windows of heaven for Him to bless us even more, which should make us even more thankful, which gives Him the opportunity to bless us even more!
All God wants is to shelter and shape our lives so that our lives become their absolute best. Nothing pleases the Lord more than the opportunity to bless us and His blessings come when we are thankful to Him for all that He has done and all that He has planned to do for us.
David says, "I will praise the Name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving." David knew the goodness of God in his life. He was thankful for all that God had done in his life and He wanted to be thankful to God for everything God had done for him. There are a lot of things that we cannot do because of a lack of talent or opportunity or even because of finances. There is one things that we have no excuse for and that is to fail to be thankful. If God never did anything else for us but forgive us of our sin debt and give us eternal life we should be forever grateful to Him.
God gave His Son so that we could be forgiven but also so that we could have life and have it more abundantly. God's goal is to bless us to the point that our lives are so full that the rest of the world would look at us and want to look to God so that He could do for then as He has done for us.
Notice David's comment, "This shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock" or hundreds of dollars in the offering plate or hours spent singing in the choir or teaching in the Sunday School. God is interested in our attitude and our relationship with Him. He wants us to look to Him for direction and then follow that direction so He can bless us and make us a blessing to others. When we come to Him in thanksgiving it opens the windows of heaven for Him to bless us even more, which should make us even more thankful, which gives Him the opportunity to bless us even more!
All God wants is to shelter and shape our lives so that our lives become their absolute best. Nothing pleases the Lord more than the opportunity to bless us and His blessings come when we are thankful to Him for all that He has done and all that He has planned to do for us.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Grace and Mercy Psalm 67:1
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 2That thy way may be known upon earth,
God's mercy is forever with us. His blessing is ours even though we do not deserve it. What is the difference between God's mercy and His grace? How would you define "grace" or "mercy"? I heard someone define Grace and mercy this way: "God's grace is Him giving us what we do not deserve while His mercy is Him not giving us what we do deserve." We deserve death and His wrath but because of His love for us, He does not give us what we deserve but gives us what we do not deserve as He constantly blesses our lives.
David writes, "and cause His face to shine on us." When God is able to shower us with His blessings, His face shines brightly, which is a picture of the glory of God. God's whole purpose in creating us is to be able to bless us so that our lives can be their absolute best. God is blessed and we become a blessing to the rest of the world and then His way is revealed to the rest of the world.
Life is God's design. We are His handiwork. When He is able to bless us, He rejoices and His joy is made full. Others are able to see His ways in us and this helps them look to Him to bless their lives. God wants to see us happy and our lives filled to overflowing. He has the grace and mercy to accomplish that task.
God's mercy is forever with us. His blessing is ours even though we do not deserve it. What is the difference between God's mercy and His grace? How would you define "grace" or "mercy"? I heard someone define Grace and mercy this way: "God's grace is Him giving us what we do not deserve while His mercy is Him not giving us what we do deserve." We deserve death and His wrath but because of His love for us, He does not give us what we deserve but gives us what we do not deserve as He constantly blesses our lives.
David writes, "and cause His face to shine on us." When God is able to shower us with His blessings, His face shines brightly, which is a picture of the glory of God. God's whole purpose in creating us is to be able to bless us so that our lives can be their absolute best. God is blessed and we become a blessing to the rest of the world and then His way is revealed to the rest of the world.
Life is God's design. We are His handiwork. When He is able to bless us, He rejoices and His joy is made full. Others are able to see His ways in us and this helps them look to Him to bless their lives. God wants to see us happy and our lives filled to overflowing. He has the grace and mercy to accomplish that task.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Iniquity in My Heart Psalms 66:18
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. 19But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!
David learned a valuable aspect concerning God's character. When we allow temptation to become sin, God does not hear us. David is talking about prayer but he knows that this applies to every aspect of his life as well. It is vitally important for us to understand why God does not hear us.
When we regard iniquity in our hearts, or allow sin to come into our lives, we choose our way over God's way. When we allow sin to take hold of our lives, we say to God, "I know what I want for my life and I do not want what You have planned for me." When we allow sin to come into our lives, we limit God's ability to provide for us.
David says, "I will go to the House of the Lord and give my burnt offerings. I will pay my vows. I will give testimony to the great things that You have done." This is great! However, if we are not willing to surrender control of our lives to Him, and live for Him one decision at a time, we rob God of the opportunity to be God in our lives. Not only does this affect Him and the joy that He gets in doing for us, it affects the quality of our lives. We rob ourselves of the blessing that God has for us. We also rob God of the opportunity to touch someone's life through us.
When we regard iniquity in our heart, God is not able to hear us or help us. We need to learn to guard our hearts and be committed to being all that God would have us be so that He can do all that He has planned to do for us. When we make the commitment to walk with Him without compromise and without excuse, God is able to hear our prayer and He is able to bless us because His mercy is so wonderful and so great! Give God's way a chance and watch His mighty hand go to work in your life today!
20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!
David learned a valuable aspect concerning God's character. When we allow temptation to become sin, God does not hear us. David is talking about prayer but he knows that this applies to every aspect of his life as well. It is vitally important for us to understand why God does not hear us.
When we regard iniquity in our hearts, or allow sin to come into our lives, we choose our way over God's way. When we allow sin to take hold of our lives, we say to God, "I know what I want for my life and I do not want what You have planned for me." When we allow sin to come into our lives, we limit God's ability to provide for us.
David says, "I will go to the House of the Lord and give my burnt offerings. I will pay my vows. I will give testimony to the great things that You have done." This is great! However, if we are not willing to surrender control of our lives to Him, and live for Him one decision at a time, we rob God of the opportunity to be God in our lives. Not only does this affect Him and the joy that He gets in doing for us, it affects the quality of our lives. We rob ourselves of the blessing that God has for us. We also rob God of the opportunity to touch someone's life through us.
When we regard iniquity in our heart, God is not able to hear us or help us. We need to learn to guard our hearts and be committed to being all that God would have us be so that He can do all that He has planned to do for us. When we make the commitment to walk with Him without compromise and without excuse, God is able to hear our prayer and He is able to bless us because His mercy is so wonderful and so great! Give God's way a chance and watch His mighty hand go to work in your life today!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Better than Life Psalm 63:5
3Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
David knew the love of God. He knew how much his life had been impacted by God's love. In fact, life to David was nothing without God's loving kindness. It is what God does for us that makes our lives all that they were created to be. He is the source of life. It is what He does for us that makes our lives full and meaningful. When we make choices that are outside God's loving kindness, our lives are sure to suffer.
David knew those decisions. He had made a number of poor decisions that God had not been a part of. He had looked at his life and had seen the result of those decisions. His life had suffered so much because he had refused to do things God's way. David could see his life and how his life was impacted by the decisions that he had made. When he walked with the Lord, his life reflected God's goodness. When David walked on his own and in his own direction, his life reflected the lack of God's protection and provision for His life.
David wanted to walk with God. He wanted God's blessings. He wanted to know God and the joy of His salvation. David wanted his life to be its absolute best and he knew that walking with God was the key to experiencing that best. David knew when he gave God his best, God was able to give him His best. When God is able to do for us as He wants to do, our lives will not be any better. David wanted God's best. We need to want God's best for our lives as well.
God will keep His promises to us. He is faithful. He will never let us down. Will you choose to walk with God today and allow Him to do all that He has planned to do for you? There is no better blessing in life than to know that God's hand is upon our lives. He is able to bless us in ways that we would never be able to imagine. Obedience is essential. Our obedience to God allows His loving kindness to be exercised in our lives. When our lives are touched by the Master's hand, our lips will reflect our heart and they will praise the Lord.
God wants our lives to be blessed and filled to over flowing. David experienced that loving kindness. We can experience it as well, today.
David knew the love of God. He knew how much his life had been impacted by God's love. In fact, life to David was nothing without God's loving kindness. It is what God does for us that makes our lives all that they were created to be. He is the source of life. It is what He does for us that makes our lives full and meaningful. When we make choices that are outside God's loving kindness, our lives are sure to suffer.
David knew those decisions. He had made a number of poor decisions that God had not been a part of. He had looked at his life and had seen the result of those decisions. His life had suffered so much because he had refused to do things God's way. David could see his life and how his life was impacted by the decisions that he had made. When he walked with the Lord, his life reflected God's goodness. When David walked on his own and in his own direction, his life reflected the lack of God's protection and provision for His life.
David wanted to walk with God. He wanted God's blessings. He wanted to know God and the joy of His salvation. David wanted his life to be its absolute best and he knew that walking with God was the key to experiencing that best. David knew when he gave God his best, God was able to give him His best. When God is able to do for us as He wants to do, our lives will not be any better. David wanted God's best. We need to want God's best for our lives as well.
God will keep His promises to us. He is faithful. He will never let us down. Will you choose to walk with God today and allow Him to do all that He has planned to do for you? There is no better blessing in life than to know that God's hand is upon our lives. He is able to bless us in ways that we would never be able to imagine. Obedience is essential. Our obedience to God allows His loving kindness to be exercised in our lives. When our lives are touched by the Master's hand, our lips will reflect our heart and they will praise the Lord.
God wants our lives to be blessed and filled to over flowing. David experienced that loving kindness. We can experience it as well, today.
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