Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord"
It has been a long time. I started a Bible study so although I only had one psalm left, I left it and devoted time to the other knowing around Christmas there would be a break in the Bible study and I would return to it then. God's timing is always amazing. I read Psalm 150 yesterday before church. The message was about Christmas. Seemingly the two wouldn't relate, but they do. As we rush into the season with the hustle and bustle and forget what and why we even celebrate, it behooves us to take a breath and praise the Lord.
So to get you there, we went to a few other places in scripture.
Isaiah 9: 6-7a, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end." (a prediction of His coming and how He will rule)
Galations 4:4-7, "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." (an explanation of why He came and what He has begun).
Christmas had come. The reason we celebrate Christmas is because of Easter...the risen Lord, the empty tomb. He had conquered death taking the penalty of our sin. And although He has risen, His work is not done. Neither is ours. We are to tell others about Him. He is working out His plan for the world that we cannot understand until He comes again. Christmas will come again.
We are between Christmases. Every time we celebrate until He comes again to set up His kingdom and a righteous government, we celebrate the Christmas that came, is coming and will come again.
We ended singing "Joy to the World". The author of the song wrote the lyrics talking about Christmas to come. The time when the world is set right and there will be no more tears, no more hatred..and EVERYTHING that has breath will praise the Lord.
Monday, December 18, 2017
Sunday, October 1, 2017
nighttime songs
Psalm 149:4-5, "For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds."
His love is immeasurable. He seeks and wants the best for us...wanting to crown those who would humble themselves and repent and take His free gift of salvation available to anyone who has come to know the sacrifice of Jesus in their life so they may have restored relationship with the very One who loves us so.
When we do, we get to sing a new song for His new mercies (v. 1-3)! And salvation in any and all occasions is the best reason to sing. Our biggest praise comes not just singing and praising Him with our lips, but to obeying Him with our lives so a wandering world will see and find reason to join in the singing!
This does not come from our judging others when we ourselves are full of sin, but from seeking God and circumcising our hearts and abiding in Him (Romans 2:25-29) and becoming a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) so we can wear a crown in His kingdom...and sing!
His love is immeasurable. He seeks and wants the best for us...wanting to crown those who would humble themselves and repent and take His free gift of salvation available to anyone who has come to know the sacrifice of Jesus in their life so they may have restored relationship with the very One who loves us so.
When we do, we get to sing a new song for His new mercies (v. 1-3)! And salvation in any and all occasions is the best reason to sing. Our biggest praise comes not just singing and praising Him with our lips, but to obeying Him with our lives so a wandering world will see and find reason to join in the singing!
This does not come from our judging others when we ourselves are full of sin, but from seeking God and circumcising our hearts and abiding in Him (Romans 2:25-29) and becoming a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) so we can wear a crown in His kingdom...and sing!
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
open hands, palms up
Psalm 148:13, "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens."
For all He has created and all He has sustained, He is worthy of praise...from all things. The following verse reminds us of His greatest gift, "He has raised up for His people a horn..." His king, His strong one...Jesus.
He raised Him, sending Him to earth as man while still being fully God. To provide a way for us to be in relationship with Him. No other religion offers this. You do not have to work to reach different levels to attain favor. God loves us, HE CAME TO US to GIVE us a way to restore relationship with Him. It is a free gift for the taking. What a magnificent God! What a beautiful love...displayed in creation and available to us.
For all He has created and all He has sustained, He is worthy of praise...from all things. The following verse reminds us of His greatest gift, "He has raised up for His people a horn..." His king, His strong one...Jesus.
He raised Him, sending Him to earth as man while still being fully God. To provide a way for us to be in relationship with Him. No other religion offers this. You do not have to work to reach different levels to attain favor. God loves us, HE CAME TO US to GIVE us a way to restore relationship with Him. It is a free gift for the taking. What a magnificent God! What a beautiful love...displayed in creation and available to us.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
overwhelming peace
Psalm 147:4-5, "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit."
It seems almost contradictory. In the scheme of the world, we are but a vapor...so small in the number of minutes we are here, so small in comparison to the universe as a whole. AND YET, we matter. He knows each star by name. He knows every hair on our head, every minute, every thought, every word before we speak it.
That is how big God is. Unfathomable in His understanding and love for us. It is not contradictory at all, but it can feel overwhelming...so you stand in awe. You look up at the stars and can see the beginning of His glory and know that in all of it, you are part of His story. You spend time trying to wrap your mind around the glorious riches of His love and know that now we understand in part, then we will understand in full when we see Him face to face and fall down on our knees. It feels overwhelming but there is peace in knowing Him.
Ephesians 3:14-19, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
It seems almost contradictory. In the scheme of the world, we are but a vapor...so small in the number of minutes we are here, so small in comparison to the universe as a whole. AND YET, we matter. He knows each star by name. He knows every hair on our head, every minute, every thought, every word before we speak it.
That is how big God is. Unfathomable in His understanding and love for us. It is not contradictory at all, but it can feel overwhelming...so you stand in awe. You look up at the stars and can see the beginning of His glory and know that in all of it, you are part of His story. You spend time trying to wrap your mind around the glorious riches of His love and know that now we understand in part, then we will understand in full when we see Him face to face and fall down on our knees. It feels overwhelming but there is peace in knowing Him.
Ephesians 3:14-19, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Monday, September 11, 2017
my hope
Psalm 146:5-6, "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-the Lord, who remains faithful forever."
I just love the words, "the Lord, who remains faithful forever." I keep staring at them and think in them in the richest of blessings. To have faith in One who is faithful FOREVER.
He is outside of time and yet before we drew a breath, He loved us, knew the number of hairs on our head, knew of our days. In all my wonderings, He never left me. He pursued me until I asked Jesus in my heart. He patiently waited for this prodigal girl to return to His arms when I thought I could do it on my own and He was more of an adornment than my all in all.
He walked beside me in my toughest years and helped me not stumble but grow stronger...how can that even be? That is crazy love. I'm here to tell you, in the tough times, humans don't know what to do, some leave, some point fingers...we're humans...it's kind of what we do. But not the Maker of heaven and earth, He helps, He stays faithful, He loves, He carries, He forgives.
I don't want to live a day without that. William Nicholson said, "The enemy of salvation is self-sufficiency." Salvation is mine, I am no longer self-sufficient because my hope is in the Lord alone.
I just love the words, "the Lord, who remains faithful forever." I keep staring at them and think in them in the richest of blessings. To have faith in One who is faithful FOREVER.
He is outside of time and yet before we drew a breath, He loved us, knew the number of hairs on our head, knew of our days. In all my wonderings, He never left me. He pursued me until I asked Jesus in my heart. He patiently waited for this prodigal girl to return to His arms when I thought I could do it on my own and He was more of an adornment than my all in all.
He walked beside me in my toughest years and helped me not stumble but grow stronger...how can that even be? That is crazy love. I'm here to tell you, in the tough times, humans don't know what to do, some leave, some point fingers...we're humans...it's kind of what we do. But not the Maker of heaven and earth, He helps, He stays faithful, He loves, He carries, He forgives.
I don't want to live a day without that. William Nicholson said, "The enemy of salvation is self-sufficiency." Salvation is mine, I am no longer self-sufficient because my hope is in the Lord alone.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
mirror, mirror
Psalm 145:8-10a, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All you have made will praise you, O Lord;..."
Noted as a psalm of praise, David declares he will praise the Lord for ever and ever then continues to recount WHY we should praise Him: God's powerful acts; God's mercy and grace; His eternal kingdom; and His responsiveness to prayer."
He is all these things and worthy of praise. I love the picture Henry created in his quote, "All God's works do praise Him, as the beautiful building praises the builder or the well-drawn picture praises the painter."
Our lives and everything we do praises the Lord and points to Him. Convicts me to live a life that reflects Him well.
Noted as a psalm of praise, David declares he will praise the Lord for ever and ever then continues to recount WHY we should praise Him: God's powerful acts; God's mercy and grace; His eternal kingdom; and His responsiveness to prayer."
He is all these things and worthy of praise. I love the picture Henry created in his quote, "All God's works do praise Him, as the beautiful building praises the builder or the well-drawn picture praises the painter."
Our lives and everything we do praises the Lord and points to Him. Convicts me to live a life that reflects Him well.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
armed and at the ready
Psalm 144:1, "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle."
I'm a lover, not a fighter. Truth be told, I'm a flat out "withdrawaler". I avoid conflict as much as possible. But total avoidance is not a reality.
David was preparing or in a battle. God had given him victory before and David prayed that God would deliver him again. David was prepared because he knew the Lord. He knew where to go for help.
God prepares us everyday for the small and big battles that come. When I am in His Word every day, learning His character, His promises, His law, I am preparing for whatever battle that may come. I am arming up. When the trials come, the attacks come, the temptations come, God has readied me. I can lean on Him for strength, answers, rest, peace and face the battle head on.
I'm a lover, not a fighter. Truth be told, I'm a flat out "withdrawaler". I avoid conflict as much as possible. But total avoidance is not a reality.
David was preparing or in a battle. God had given him victory before and David prayed that God would deliver him again. David was prepared because he knew the Lord. He knew where to go for help.
God prepares us everyday for the small and big battles that come. When I am in His Word every day, learning His character, His promises, His law, I am preparing for whatever battle that may come. I am arming up. When the trials come, the attacks come, the temptations come, God has readied me. I can lean on Him for strength, answers, rest, peace and face the battle head on.
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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