THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 30, 2014 - Day 109 - Psalm 109

Psalm 109 is one of the imprecatory psalms and is the harshest of all in its nature. To misunderstand this psalm is a serious mistake. First of all it is not license to call down fire and brimstone on those who we consider our enemies. We are New Testament Christians who live in the age of grace and our goal is to be Christ-like in all our dealings with people. Jesus was clear in Matthew 5:43-45, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” There will come a day of judgment, but we are not in that day nor are we the ones who were sent to bring that type of judgment. Secondly this psalm is a perfect example of how we must interpret scripture. We do not pull out verses and sections and form theology on them. We must interpret scripture with scripture. It is a whole picture that has to be deeply and exhaustively studied under the careful guiding of the Holy Spirit. That being said there are many different commentators who differ on what we do with this psalm. I believe it seems to be the best fit to view this from the perspective of David being the author but that it speaks of what was being done to Him, as opposed to David praying this harsh prayer of cursing.

Psalm 109:1-5
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

As is his normal method David opens in prayer. Rather than go on the attack David gives it to God. This is wise counsel. Rather than seethe in anger go to the cross and lay it out to Jesus.

The middle part of this psalm is where it is likely David is no longer speaking his own words, but those of his accuser. To say David was praying this prayer seems to sharply contradict his forgiving nature as we see in him throughout scripture. Observe some of the harshness of this psalm.

Psalm 109:7-15
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children! May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation! May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

It seems feasible that the psalm is demonstrating the lies and the gossip that someone will do to destroy a godly man’s character.

Psalm 109:16-19
For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones! May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!

There will be times in most our lives when gossip will be made against us. The temptation is to defend ourselves and to fight fire with fire. That is simply not the behavior a Christian is to display. Instead we fight fire with love. Romans 12:19-21 echoes other wisdom from the Old Testament saying, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

David finishes with this prayer of praise and faith:

Psalm 109:30-31
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

I must confess I have at times in my life wanted to issue an imprecatory prayer against those who are my enemy. But the longer I follow Christ the more I understand that God will take care of the vengeance. I live in an age of grace. I deserve the same things done to me but God instead has been patient with me. He loved me so much He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. When I fully apprehend the message of the Gospel then it all changes. Sometimes I still get angry and sometimes I just want to smack people, but then I remember Jesus as He hung on the cross. We must forgive much for much has been forgiven. No, really we must forgive all for if we are Christ’s then all has been forgiven. So I close with a repeat of the final two verses.

Psalm 109:30-31
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 29, 2014 - Day 108 - Psalm 108

If there is only one sure thing is this life it is that God is God. He is who He says He is. His Word is sure and true. I can wake up every morning in complete confidence that my faith and my hope shall not be disappointed. I can start my day with a steadfast heart of praise.

Psalm 108:1-2
A song. A Psalm of David. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.

In this age of the internet the wealth of information out there can mislead us. We cannot believe what we see or read online. But we can speak of the truth of God knowing He is what the Bible declares Him to be.

Psalm 108:3
I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

The greatest proof of God’s faithfulness can be found in Christ, for in Christ is mercy and truth revealed all the way to the heavens.

Psalm 108:4
For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Praise Him today. Give God all the glory.

Psalm 108:5-6
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth; That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

Mine, mine, mine, God declares. It is He who created this world and it is all His. In this we can understand the power of God. He is in control. Some people falsely think Satan, because Jesus called him prince of this world, is in control. No, Satan might be prince but Jesus is King. Not one particle of dust falls to the ground that God does not know it.

Psalm 108:7-9
God has spoken in His holiness: "I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Over Philistia I will triumph."

Who do you call on in time of need? In what do you place your trust?

Psalm 108:10-11
Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?

Christians need to stop looking to the world for its answers. Politicians, psychologists, doctors, even soldiers in our armies are not what supply our needs. It is God upon whom we must cry out to.

Psalm 108:12-13
Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

The help of man is useless. That is God speaking my friends. Yet we continue to look at man for help and we continue to give glory to ourselves. God will not share His glory. So today we must make a conscious decision about on what we will place our trust. Then we must begin a lifetime of prayer and worship as we sing to our God every morning.

Let your heart be steadfast. Sing and give praise to God and God alone. For His mercy is great among the heavens and His truth reaches to the clouds.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 28, 2014 - Day 107 - Psalm 107

Have you ever been lost and wandered aimlessly with no idea which way to go? Have you ever been locked up in a cell? Maybe it was a sickness that left you on your potential deathbed. Or maybe you took your boat out to go fishing and got caught in terrible storm in the middle of a lake. These four situations have one thing in common and that is that they can bring a terrible feeling of being alone as well as feelings of hopelessness. Psalm 107 is the story of Israel and of how God delivered them from a long captivity. Its truth is applicable to us today as we struggle in our own exile from God. While certainly this is a truth the lost of the world need, we Christians often find ourselves in the same place. There are times in our lives when we feel alone and without hope. Our answer lies within this psalm.

Psalm 107:1-3
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Just as God delivered Israel from the Babylonian captivity, through Jesus and the cross we have been delivered from the captivity of our sin.

Psalm 107:2-3
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Psalm 107:4-5
Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

Before we were saved we wandered this life looking for something to satisfy us. Even as Christians at times we can find ourselves hungry and thirsty because we have strayed off the path of Christ.

Psalm 107:6-7
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.

Jesus doesn’t show you the way; He is the way. If you are wandering today, cry out to Him.

Psalm 107:8-9
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

The love of God is steadfast and Jesus provides what we crave.

Psalm 107:10-11
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

Sometimes our sin will lead us to legal trouble and we may end up behind bars. But you don’t have to be arrested to be imprisoned. Our sin will keep us in chains. Addictions to drugs, alcohol, and pornography are examples of how sin will keep you a prisoner in affliction.

Psalm 107:12-16
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

God will allow us to stay imprisoned for a season but eventually the labor of sin will catch up. Romans 6:23 reminds us that the wages of sin is death. If we cry out to God in our bondage He will shatter the prison doors and cut in two the bars of iron. Jesus will set us free.

Psalm 107:17-18
Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

Verses 17-18 remind me of the sickness of alcoholism or drug abuse. Eventually those addictions will take us to a point where we no longer care for proper nourishment. Alcoholics and addicts usually become thin and drawn without any sign of vigor and life.

Psalm 107:19-20
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

Again the first step in healing is to cry out to the Lord. But do not miss how God brings the healing. Verse 20 is the key. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. It is the Word of God which heals. Every time revival occurs in the Bible it is the result of the reading of God’s Word. Personal revival must start there.

Psalm 107:23-27
Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.

It is in the storms of life that God makes us into who He wants us to be.

Psalm 107:28-30
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.

If you are in the storm right now, then cry out to Jesus. He can still the storm. Matthew 8:24-27 reminds us that even the winds and the sea obey Him.

“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

The answer to our problems is Jesus.

Psalm 107:31-41
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.

If we do not spend time with Jesus we will forget these things and our faith will wither. We must cry out to Him in prayer and we must open the Word of God. Romans 10:17 could not be more clear. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Psalm 107:42-43
The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

The love of God is steadfast. It is not altered by our circumstances even when it is our own sinfulness that has us where we are. Four times Psalm 107 gives us the place to start. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble. This morning cry out to God and open His Word. Then praise Him for His love is steadfast. It does not matter if you are lost, locked up in a prison, lying on your deathbed, or you are in a terrible storm about to drown you. His love is steadfast. He will save you if you cry out to him in your trouble.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 27, 2014 - Day 106 - Psalm 106

By now most of us have wrapped up our Thanksgiving Dinners. All across America families gathered at the table and many said prayers of thanksgiving. For some families this is a once a year thing. Other families will offer thanks but to whom will they offer it? God has become a second thought for many. That is bad enough but for others thanksgiving was offered up to the gods of nothingness. Psalm 106 is the story of Israel and their treatment of God in their hot and cold treatment of Him. It will serve us well to look at their history and find parallels in our own relationship with God.

Psalm 106:1-5
Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

This is what we want from God. We want to praise Him in the good times and we want justice to happen to others not like us, but we want grace to be applied to ourselves.

Oh how we are like the nation Israel; both individually and as a nation.

Psalm 106:6-7
Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea.

As soon as things get a little tough we forget what Jesus did for us at Calvary. We rebel against Him.

Psalm 106:8
Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power.

God did not send His only Son, Jesus, to die for us because we are really nice people. He did it for His name’s sake and in that act on the cross we see the mighty power of resurrection.

Much of this psalm describes the way Israel repeatedly sought God when in trouble, then went right back to their idols after the dust settled. This history could describe ours as well. Thanksgiving is over. This marks the beginning of the Christmas season and tomorrow is known as Black Friday. It is a day when the idol of money and materialism takes over. It begins a season of partying. As Christians will this season be consumed by our sharing the gospel or will we just party with the world?

Psalm 106:34-35
They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.

How many more children will die at the hands of abortionists? Observe the words of this psalm and tell me we are any less guilty than they.

Psalm 106:37-39
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

There were consequences for the acts of Israel and there are consequences for ours as well.

Psalm 106:40-41
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them.

But praise God we live in the season of grace.

Psalm 106:43-45
Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

Do not let today be a single event but make praise and thanksgiving encapsulate your entire existence. Make today a beginning of the Christmas season. Make it the beginning of a life of prayer, praise, and of worship. Let this be your opening prayer:

Psalm 106:47-48
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!

No go out into the world and make Christmas the season of Christ

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 26, 2014 - Day 105 - Psalm 105

Tomorrow all across America people will sit down and celebrate Thanksgiving Day. For many this means a great meal of turkey, dressing, gravy, and pumpkin pie. It means a lot to football fans, some who consider this a great day for watching the game. To many it is a chance to see family who they don’t often get to see. But the original meaning of the holiday was that as Americans we would sit down at a meal in which we would praise God and offer our thanks in unity for the bountiful blessings He has bestowed upon us. How do we get back to having a heart for praising God and being thankful in a world so filled with sorrow? Psalm 105 teaches us that lesson. It is psalm of history; the history of Israel and of how in His sovereign nature God has fulfilled His covenant with Abraham.

Psalm 105:1-4
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Every day we should sing our praises to God and to bring glory to His name by sharing His love with others. Prayer and Bible reading is essential to finding the joy of being in His presence.

Psalm 105:5
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

One way to see past the current struggles we face is to look back and see how God has brought us through each and every trial. Read through this psalm and then look back at the stories of Israel in the Old Testament. God is faithful and true to His promises even when we fail Him. Take time to consider your own life and remember the way God has carried you through the difficult times. Don’t let the old saying “count your blessings” pass you by. Sit down with Jesus in prayer and contemplate the blessings you have. You will find it impossible to list every one.

Psalm 105:7-8
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

Do you realize how long 1000 generations is? Do the math. God’s promises are never broken, He cannot lie. Read through this Psalm. See how God has stayed faithful. Understand that His time is not our time. If it seems He has failed you, He has not. God moves by the clock of eternity. We live by man’s clock and have no patience.

Psalm 105:41
He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.

Jesus Christ is that rock. If you are not drinking from this well of living water then none of this will make sense. But once you drink deeply of Christ you will see with new eyes and realize how blessed you are.

Psalm 105:42-43
For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant. So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing.

God has and will keep His covenant with Israel. But Christ came and brought a New Covenant for the church. He will bring His sheep out and it will be with joy and with singing.

This Thanksgiving come to the table with a pure heart of thankfulness and praise to God, who has given you so much. Why does God bless us so?

Psalm 105:45
that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!

God has blessed us so that we would come to Him in worship and praise. Christ has set us free from the law but he has also set us free from the chains of sin. Because of that we are now free to keep His statutes and observe His law. We are free to Praise His name. Thanks be to God.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 25, 2014 - Day 104 - Psalm 104

This morning as I sit down to write about today’s psalm my heart is heavy and my mind is distracted. The region I live and work in is in pain having suffered through a night of watching the self-destruction of itself. The cry is justice or the perceived lack of. My initial reaction is to point out how clear it is of the truth of scripture which teaches that our trust and faith must be in God not man. The people of Ferguson have been let down by so many on various levels. Poor leadership from the leaders of the area begins at the governor of Missouri and goes all the way down to the leadership of the police. The media does not help as they sensationalize things occurring and almost seem to encourage it. The leaders of community churches are not preaching the message of Jesus which is based on love and forgiveness. There is plenty of blame to go around as to why we watched a community literally go up in flames last night. We are grieving here in the St. Louis area. But as Christians we must be the light of Christ throughout these tumultuous times. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 reminds us of this “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Just as we do not lose our minds when death takes a Christian, we must not lose our minds over the events taking place. We have a hope that is a steady and sure anchor in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 104 is a poetic look at the story of creation. Maybe this morning it would be good to just step back and read it. Then to remember that God is the creator of this earth and though we see ugliness this morning there is beauty in God’s work. I present it in whole. Join me this morning in praise and worship of the glory of Almighty God. Then take some quiet time to just pray for this region.

Psalm 104:1-35
Bless the LORD, O my soul!O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works, who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!

God created this earth. Man perverted it. Last night we saw a lot of destruction. Ferguson will pale in comparison to the day when Christ returns and true judgment comes down from heaven. I am reminded of the Word of God in Revelation 18:8, “For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her."

But the good news is that after that judgment, the God who created this earth and all of us will create again and there will be a new earth and a new heaven. This must be where we place our hope.

Come soon Lord Jesus.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 24, 2014 - Day 103 - Psalm 103

One thing I love about the church I attend is that we celebrate Communion every Sunday. When Jesus instituted the supper of communion he said we are to do this in remembrance of Him. Psalm 103 is a beautiful reminder of what Christ did for us at Calvary. Let us praise Him and thank Him as we look at God’s mercy and grace.

Psalm 103:1-2
A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

What are the benefits of being in the fold of the Great Shepherd?

Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

Through the blood of Christ all our sins are forgiven. All of them, even that one you think is too heinous to be forgiven. It is a lie of Satan to think you cannot be forgiven.

Some will read this and say but God has not healed ALL my diseases. While I could argue that in the end He will, for in eternity you shall receive a new body, but that is not really what this verse is saying. It is the soul that is the subject here. Our souls must bless the Lord for He has healed the diseases of our soul, sin being at the source of what truly causes our pain.

Psalm 103:4-5
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Sometimes we get distracted. That is Satan’s goal; to get us so twisted up we forget what God has done for us and the blessings He has given.

Psalm 103:6-7
The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

The holiness of God is demanding. To be in the presence of God requires righteousness, something alone we do not possess.  

Psalm 103:8-10
The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

Imagine if the consequence of sin was immediate. Suppose we were paid for our sin immediately as Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death”. But God didn’t not stop there He adds this to that verse, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Psalm 103:11-12
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

If you travel north eventually you will end up going south. But if you travel east you will never stop going east. God’s forgiveness never ends and He doesn’t just forgive, He forgets our sins.

Psalm 103:13-14
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

We will mess up. Jesus came down to earth and faced the same temptations we do. He understands we are not perfect and that we are going to mess up. He made us. He knows us and He knows our nature.

Psalm 103:15-18
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

In this life we soon learn things don’t last forever. Often we learn that as children when our first pet dies and we are heartbroken. We struggle to understand the eternal nature of God thus we often struggle to understand the everlasting love He has for us. God’s love has no end to those who accept Christ and what He did on the cross.

Psalm 103:19-22
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalm 103 ends as it begins. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Take time each day to walk with God. Don’t leave Church on Sunday mornings and then forget what Jesus told you to remember. Psalm 103 is a great reminder of how God has blessed us. Sing this psalm to God and let your soul bring blessings to our God in heaven.

Amen

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 23, 2014 - Day 102 - Psalm 102

Most of us have faced days when life seemed pointless and it seemed as if we just don’t belong here. For those of us who suffer from depression, those days come out of the blue and far too often. Life is so hard sometimes. Psalm 102 speaks to us as we suffer through these times.

Psalm 102:1
A PRAYER OF ONE AFFLICTED, WHEN HE IS FAINT AND POURS OUT HIS COMPLAINT BEFORE THE LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!

The title itself speaks volumes. The psalmist begins where we should when we are afflicted; with prayer.

Psalm 102:2
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!

One thing I have come to embrace about my depression is that it drives me to God. Whether it is chronic depression or you are just passing through a difficult season of life we can call on our father in heaven to hear us when we pray.

Psalm 102:3
For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.

Feelings of nostalgia often hit us during the holiday season when we lament the days of past. Growing old I miss those who have passed on and as I think of my children, all grown up, I realize how fast life has zipped by. Physically growing old is hard as well and like the psalmist my bones burn.

Psalm 102:4-5
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh.

Depression can ruin one’s appetite. It can sap your strength and make the body weak.

Psalm 102:6-7
I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places; I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.

Sometimes I just feel out of place and as if I don’t fit. Loneliness will breed loneliness.

Psalm 102:8-11
All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink, because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down. My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

It’s bad enough when your enemies cast you down but the worst thing is to feel as if God Himself has forsaken you.

Psalm 102:12-22
But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations. You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. For the LORD builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

The psalmist stops in the middle of his sorrow and pain. He remembers who God is. He remembers God is eternal. He remembers God has a plan and He has not forsaken His children. Jesus is coming back and when He does the world will see. He will wipe away every tear in heaven. Because of Jesus those who have by faith believed upon His name will be set free from the difficulties of life in a sin-filled world. We have a hope and it is a sure hope for eternity when we shall gather at the feet of Almighty God and worship Him.

Psalm 102:23-24
He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days. "O my God," I say, "take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations!"

Sin is at the root of all our problems. It is through the trials of this life by which God is refining us like a precious metal. He has not deserted us .

Psalm 102:25-28
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

God does not change. He does not lie nor does He not fail to keep His promises. So whenever depression starts to overcome us we must turn to Him in prayer and we must open His Word and hear the promises He has made. We have a hope and it is a sure hope in Christ. Yes, we shall groan and travail in this life. But we must never take our eyes off of Jesus for He is our comfort and our strength.

Amen.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 22, 2014 - Day 101 - Psalm 101

David wrote Psalm 101 and in it we find him describing his purpose in leading the nation as king. It would be easy to draw a comparison to our current president and extend this premise out to the godless system of government we have sunk to here in America. But as I read Psalm 101 this morning I felt it speaking to me as I remembered that revival must start in the hearts of God’s people and then it will spread like a wildfire into the land. Simply speaking I am convicted.

Psalm 101:1
I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.

I have been attentive to the need to awaken every day and praise and thank God for the many blessings He provides me. I have made a conscious effort to become a better worshipper of God. I try and sing of God’s love and justice. Take note here; the psalmist wrote I will sing “of” not “for” love and justice. Through Christ I have received these things.

Psalm 101:2
I will be careful to lead a blameless life-- when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart.

The second verse hits me hard. I have not been careful to lead a blameless life and I cannot honestly say I walk with a blameless heart. I am not walking in the full power of the Spirit.

Psalm 101:3
I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.

My eyes still look at things they shouldn’t. I watch movies I should turn away from. Sometimes I applaud wicked things men do especially if my judging heart thinks the recipient deserved it.

Psalm 101:4
Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.

Sometimes I dabble with evil.

Psalm 101:5
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.

Gossip is probably the biggest sin we find in our churches today. I participate or I allow it to go unchecked when I hear it. I am prideful, humility escapes me.

Psalm 101:6
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

There are better choices to be made in my life.

Psalm 101:7-8
No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.

As I read these words this morning I am convicted. That is not a bad thing; I need to be reminded of the path I should be on. The good news is from verse 1; I can sing of God’s love and justice. Because I have placed my faith in Jesus my sins are covered by His blood. I am making progress, but this morning I know I need to keep striving. I need to die to myself and let the Holy Spirit guide me more. I have to govern my own life as David spoke of how he would govern as king. Psalm 100 reminds me though I have come a long way; there is more work to be done. My prayer is that each of us who call ourselves disciples of Jesus will stop looking at our leaders and complaining and start looking at ourselves. Revival could come. But it must start in our own hearts and in our own lives.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 21, 2014 - Day 100 - Psalm 100

In less than one week we will gather as families to celebrate what we in America call Thanksgiving Day. As Christians every day should be Thanksgiving Day. We should awaken and go right to God in a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. All day long we should recognize the many blessings we have and worship God by singing and praying to Him. We should get quiet before God as we prepare to sleep for the night and offer our praise for another day in which we were taken care of by Him. Psalm 100 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise.

Psalm 100:1-2
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

God not only created us; He chose us before the foundations of the earth to be His. If you call Jesus Lord it is because the Father has given us to be in the flock of the Great Shepherd. That is enough to bring us joy.

Psalm 100:3
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Because of Jesus we have access to God the Father through Him. We don’t have to go to church or find a priest to be in His presence. We can simply come to Him in the name of Jesus.

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Maybe today life has kicked you in the teeth. If depression or grief has you down open your Bible and hear from God. Get on your knees and offer Him worship and praise. Lift your hands and thank Him.

Psalm 100:5
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Amen.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - November 20, 2014 – Day 99 - Psalm 99

Who’s running this place? Who hasn’t asked this question before? We ask it at work or we ask it at a store. We ask it when things seem chaotic and don’t make sense. One does not have to look hard to see that this world and our country seem to be spinning out of control. Who is running this place? Psalm 99 reminds us that God is still on the throne and though we think things are just crazy and people are getting away with murder, God has His hand on the world.

Psalm 99:1
The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

The world has no respect for God and His law. The agendas of man are to violate the very principles of moral law that God has placed within our hearts. Proverbs 1:7 says that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” We are reaping what we have sown right here in America.

Psalm 99:2-3
The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

The holiness of God is something even the church has begun to forget.

Psalm 99:4
The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Prophetically verse 4 speaks of the return of Christ when finally His kingdom will be complete. Man says he wants justice but in reality he wants justice for his enemies not himself. But Jesus is the only one who can provide true justice.

Psalm 99:5
Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!

Oh, how we need to worship God and to fall at the feet of Christ with humble reverence. Mary of Bethany understood this and every time we see her in scripture she is at the feet of Jesus. When times were peaceful she was at His feet learning from His teachings. See Luke 10:39. At time of tragedy she fell at His feet weeping for her dead brother. See John 11:32. At a triumphant dinner she was at His feet in humble reverence pouring out her most prized possessions. We need to be like Mary for Holy is He!

Psalm 99:6-7
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them. In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.

Prayer is a great gift of God. We must be like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. These men interceded for others and so must we. We must desire an obedient life and a prayer filled existence crying out to God for others because “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”. (James 5:16)

Psalm 99:8
O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.

We may not be perfect as we should be, but God will discipline us and through that we will be changed. Yet God will honor the prayers of a humble person who lives a life of repentant humility. Jesus has cloaked us in the blood of His righteousness. We can approach the throne of grace through Christ. So pray my friends. Intercede for each other and for the lost. Fall at the feet of Jesus and worship Him like never before.

Psalm 99:9
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Amen.