Continual Praise

Ps. 34: 1-3, 8

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

⁸Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. 

David wrote this Psalm when he pretended that he was a mad man before King Achish, the King of Gath, who drove him away.  He was fleeing from Saul and went to Gath.  Gath was a Philistine city and they would have welcomed an Israelite defector who was a military leader. However, when they recognized him and declared what the people were saying about him (that he was the king of the land), he became afraid of the king and acted as if he was crazy.  He scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.  The king thought he was mad and David was able to depart. It was customary not to harm mentally unstable people.

Even in the midst of being chased by Saul, in danger of the Philistine King, David somehow managed to write this Psalm.  He realized that no matter what the situation or circumstance, he needed to bless or praise the Lord.  He was freed from both situations and he escaped to a cave in Adullam and people gathered to him there.  God heard his cry and offered him a way of escape from his trouble and help in his time of need.  Verse 19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  God delivered him out of his troubles as he admitted his need for God. 

We often want to avoid trouble and circumstances.  We complain and want out of those things or circumstances that are not comfortable or pleasant.  We wish to escape trouble, sorrow, grief, loss, daily frustrations, and failures. We cry, complain, and sometimes try to avoid the situation or pray for God to remove it.  However, even in those times, if we admit our need for God, He is willing and able to deliver us.  God hears us and He will answer.  We may not like His answer at times.  His answer might be “Wait”, “I am working it out for you”, or even “No or Not now”.

In spite of His answer, we must bless Him and praise Him.  He is worthy of the praise and He is in control.  God loves us immensely and only has our best interest at heart.  He created us to fulfill His will, not ours.  As we understand that we are but stewards of this life and everything in it, we will surrender to His will and His ways.  God is a loving, faithful, understanding father.  And a loving, faithful, and caring father only wants the best for His children.  It is the struggle, conflict, loss, sorrow, or circumstance that He is using to make us stronger, more enduring, patient, kind, and gentle, etc.  He is working it out for us. 

We are called for His work and to His eternal will.  Surrender bring us to a new level of obedience, trust, and revelation.  He deserves our continual praise.  “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Give God the continual praise that He deserves.  In good times, praise Him.  In difficult times, praise Him.  When you feel loved, praise Him.  When you don’t feel loved, praise Him!  Knowing that He loves, sees, hears, protects, guides, and cares for you.  Continual praise even through tears moves God. So give Him all the praise, all the time.  

 

Be blessed. 

 Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord, All Ye Lands!

Psalms 100 

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, ^[a]all you lands!

² Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and ^[b]not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

It is finally September.  I guess you are wondering why I say, it is finally September.  September is one of my favorite times of the year because it begins to cool down and it is the fall season.  The official day for the starting of fall is September 22 this year.  It is the time of autumnal equinox, and on this day, the sun passes the equator, moving from the northern to the southern hemisphere.  What is autumnal equinox? During the autumnal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of rays. It was a time to honor the harvest and it happens instantaneously. 

This month is the month of praise and adoration. Just as the autumnal equinox happens instantaneously, so our praise and adoration to and for God should be instantaneous.  Instantaneous means occurring or done in an instant; done without any delay; immediate, direct; present, current; urgent.  Our praise and adoration for God should be without delay, immediate, present, current.  When we wake up in the morning, before we get out of our beds.  We need to praise God that we are able to see or be alive another day.  That day was not promised to you.  Tell God thank you for another day that you can participate with Him to see His Kingdom come and His will be done in the earth.  

You were created to help bring His Kingdom to earth. God wants to use you today, to bring His will into the earth.  As you in joyful obedience partner with Him, He will use you, your gifts, your talents to cause His will to be done on that day.  He doesn't need you to do it, but He wants to use you to do it.  He wants to use you to speak kindly to your neighbor, help a stranger, bring a smile to the face of a child, or bring a meal to a senior citizen.  Whatever it is that He speaks to your heart to do, do it to bring His love and will to someone's life.

The Psalms tell us that each day that we wake up, we need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  Not a complaining noise, but a joyful noise.  I know that sometimes I wake up with some aches and may feel inclined to complain but I thank God for another day.  He reminds me to enter into His presence with thanksgiving.  I am grateful that I get to see another day and ask Him what His plans are for the day. 

The Life Application Bible says, "David tells us to acknowledge the Lord each day with praises, appreciate His status as creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love."  We must remember that God created us, we did not create ourselves.  "Many people live as though they are the creator and center of their own little world. This mind-set leads to pride, greed, idolatry, and if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself.  But when we realize that God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us. (2 Cor. 9:8)  Then, even if all is lost, we still have God and all He gives us." (Life Application Bible)

We need to enter His presence singing and praising Him.  He is so worthy of praise, deep love, and respect.  I wake up almost every morning with a song on my heart. Sometimes I know the song and sometimes God will just drop a portion of the song on my heart.  I find it and sing it all day.  There are times when I find the lyrics of the song and God is sending me such a clear message.  I wake up hearing the melodies.  God will send you songs to bring peace, love, joy, and as you worship Him in song, it will change the atmosphere and the trajectory of your entire day.  

I admonish you to wake up each morning and even though you may be faced with situations, problems, or even catastrophes, just give God praise.  I have praised through tears and heartbreak.  I must admit I have sung with tears rolling down my face and a heavy heart but even in the storm, praise will break forth and your heart will be lifted.  God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth indeed endures to all generations.  He is dependable, faithful, and worthy of all of our praise.

So as you get ready for another day, another week, don't forget to make a joyful (joy filled) noise unto the Lord.  Not man, but to the Lord.  Express your pleasure and happiness for all He has done, and is doing, in your life.  

Be blessed. 

The Symbol of Freedom

Isaiah 40:31

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.

I have been reading this book, The Steward Leader: Transforming People, Organizations, and Communities by R. Scott Rodin, for a class I'm taking, Leadership and Ethics. It is speaking the truth of God's concern more with our inner transformation than our outward behavior changes. God is more concerned with "who" you are than what you are doing. Yes, He is concerned with what you are doing, but He is looking at the heart.

In his book, Rodin says "On the cover of this book is a picture of a soaring bald eagle. It was chosen because it is a symbol of freedom. Many times I have sat at my desk in Spokane buried with work and sensing the stress level increase, only to look out and see two bald eagles soaring high above the Little Spokane River near our home. As I watched them I envied their sense of freedom. Even though they relied daily on the provision of food from the earth, they never looked hurried. They spread their magnificent wings to catch the thermals of the warm afternoon and seemed to soar higher and higher just for the fun of doing it. They are perfectly equipped for their role in the ecosystem. To me they have both a majestic and a humble presence in the skies. As I think about the steward leader, I am led to the image of this great bird that is both free to soar and also created for a distinct purpose within God's wonderful creation. Free and purposeful. Humble and majestic. What a beautiful symbol...A combination of freedome and joyful obedience is the defining mark of the steward leader. Steward leaders are neither born nor made; they are freed for this work."

He has come to set us free to be changed from the inside out. Then we will be free to be obedient with joy. I can trust to follow the Lord because He knows His plans for me, what's best for me, and what will bring joy to my life. I can let go of the weight of trying to figure it out, work it out, or do to be accepted. Thank God for His truths will set you free. Reading this book today is reminding me of God's truth and setting me free!! We are called to be godly stewards who may be called to lead.

If we wait on the Lord, allow Him to lead and guide us, we will be strengthened. We will be able to mount above our problems, circumstances, and issues that we face. We can run and not get weary; walk and not faint. I don't know about you but there have been times in this life that I have grown weary. I have been walking through this life and wanted to faint, if not fainted. I need God, the one that has all knowledge, wisdom, and in control to help me. As I surrender to and obey His will, I am set free to serve Him with joy. "36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)  What freedom!

Be blessed.

DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM WRONGLY

 

Galatians 5:1, 13-16

"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law...13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Paul lets us know that Jesus died so that we could be made free, free from the list of laws and regulations.  Not just to do whatever they wanted to do. They were discussing whether circumcision was still necessary to be a believer.  Circumcision profited them nothing after Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  To be circumcised would require them to keep the whole law.  Jesus died so that we could be free from the law and accept grace.  

Freedom means quality or state of being free; absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Jesus came so that we can have the freedom of following Him and to live free from the weight of sin and the slavery to sin.  As we accept Him and follow Him, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us.  We are to live holy and acceptable to Him but we are not under the law.  We are living with grace.  We have freedom to serve the Lord, not freedom to sin. Sin makes you a slave to Satan. 

We have liberty but Paul admonishes us not to use that liberty unwisely or an opportunity to the flesh.  He tells them that they are to love one another.  We do not want to think that we are made free to sin because that is not true.  We want to bring God glory by loving and serving one another.

We are to love one another as ourselves. In order to do that you have to have Jesus as your Savior, accept His love for you, and love yourself.  You cannot give love to others if you do not love yourself.  That does not mean to have an inflated opinion of yourself or be selfish.  It is a healthy love for yourself.  Caring for and taking care of yourself, then you can love others.    You can't give what you don't have. 

We must ask God to help us love Him, love ourselves, and love others.  If not, we won't be able to accomplish this commandment.  The Holy Spirit will help you with all of these things.  Without the help of the Lord, we will become bitter and critical of each other.  We will "bite and devour one another" as the Bible says.  We will talk about each other, be critical, not helpful, and not see the good in our sisters and brothers.  Paul tells us not to do these things because this is Jesus' command to us.  We are to love one another.  Bickering and talking about each other is not love. Causing confusion and division is not love.  Backbiting and lying on others is not love.  Let's not just say we love each other, but really love each other with actions.  

When problems arise, address them in love instead of gossiping.  When you feel critical, make a list of positive attributes of the individual.  Make a conscious effort to Philippian 4:8 your thoughts, "8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Stop those thoughts and bring them captive to what Jesus has commanded us to do, love one another. 

Don't use your freedom to sin or to cause havoc in the Kingdom of God.  You have been made free to live for free from sin and to love one another.  Be blessed.  

 The Truth Shall Make You Free!

 

John 8: 31-36

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

How important is it to you to know the truth?  So often today people can justify telling you anything but the truth.  They call lies all kinds of names to soften the fact that they are not being honest or telling the truth.  If you tell the truth, you do not have to worry about being able to recount your story.  It will always be the truth and you will not have to create more lies to cover up anything.  

Jesus is talking to Jews that believed in Him.  He is saying that if they abide (to remain stable or fixed in a state) in His Word, then they were indeed His disciples (followers, students).  They would know the truth and it would make them free.  Jesus is the truth that sets them (and us) free.  If we abide in His Word, we too will be His disciples, come to know Him, and be made free.  

Jesus is the source of truth and the perfect standard of what is right.  He alone can make us free from sin, the slavery to sin, and give us eternal life.  He doesn't make us free to go our own way but to follow Him and become all that He has created us to be.  

It is like making a cake.  We get all the ingredients and we put them together to make a cake.  Once the cake is made, we cannot get the individual ingredients back apart.  When we abide in His Word, we get to know Him and His truth and we cannot take that away.  What we do with the truth is up to us but He gives us truth to set us free from the lies that the enemy has sold us.  The lies about who and whose we are, what we can have, how much He loves us, what rights we have in Christ Jesus, that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord, etc.  All of the truth of God makes us free from the bondage of sin and the lies of the devil.  

Our chains can be broken because sin will enslave you.  It will control you, dominate you, cause you to fear, dictate your actions, close your eyes to the truth, and cause you to live beneath the privileges that Jesus died to give you.  It keeps you from becoming the person God created you to be.  Jesus came to break the chains of sin off of your life. 

My brothers and sisters, Jesus is the truth and as you come to know Him, you will be set free!! This month of August is the month of freedom!  Be blessed. 

 May the Lord of Peace Himself Give You Peace

2 Thess. 3: 14-16

14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Paul is talking to the people in the Thessalonian church. He was warning them against being idle.  The Life Application Bible says that "Some people in the Thessalonian church were falsely teaching that because Christ would return any day, people should set aside their responsibilities, quit work, do no future planning, and just wait for the Lord.  But their lack of activity only led them into sin. They became a burden to the church which was supporting them, they wasted time that could have been used for helping other, and became "busybodies". (3:11)" The people decided that it was more spiritual to stop working and wait on the Lord.

Paul admonishes them to be responsible and get back to work. They needed to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ but they also need to live a life of faith in Jesus and daily practice that would please the Lord. Being a burden to the church was not the way they should live.  He reminded them that when he was with them, he commanded, "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (I Thess. 3:10) Paul worked day and night so that he would not be a burden to the church.  

He wanted the church to not keep company with those that didn't work.  Why? Because not working gives one so much idle time, which could lead to sin.  The Bible say in Proverbs 16:27, "27 Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece."  Paul cautions the church from being used by the enemy in rumors, hearsay, and gossip.  He also counsels them not to support those that are idle and not working.  Not those who could not work, but those that were choosing not to work. He doesn't want them to treat them as an enemy, but as a brother. They needed to use tough love. 

He closes his letter asking the Lord of peace, Himself, to give them peace.  He wanted the Lord to give them peace in every way.  Not only in their lives but in how they walked together.  I don't know about you but I want peace in every way.  Peace in my home, my mind, my career, family, ministry, and every way. Not the worldly peace because they can take that back. I want the peace that according to Philippians 4,"and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  

So let us not be idle, work while it is day.  Be responsible and live according to God's Word and will for your life.  I pray for you that as you do so that "the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

 Amen. 

He Will Keep You in Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3-4

³You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 26 is a psalm of trust, praise, and meditation.  God is revealing the future of Judah.  The first verse starts with “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:” (NIV) Judah would one day open its gates to all who love the Lord. He also tells us that if you keep your mind steadfast on the Lord, He will give you “perfect” peace as you trust in Him.  Have you ever wondered what “perfect” peace is?

Webster defines perfect as:  (a.) Brought to consummation or completeness; completed; not defective nor redundant; having all the properties or qualities requisite to its nature and kind; without flaw, fault, or blemish; without error; mature; whole; pure; sound; right; correct. There is not anything missing. In the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, perfect - (shalem, tamim):"Perfect" in the Old Testament is the translation of shalem, "finished," "whole," "complete," of persons, e.g. a "perfect heart," i.e. wholly or completely devoted to Yahweh; tamim, "complete," "perfect," "sound or unblemished," is also used of persons and of God, His way, and law.

Peace is defined as 1. (n.) A state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose.  In the Old Testament (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia), peace is pes (shalom; eirene): Is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul. The Hebrew word is shalom (both adjective and substantive), meaning, primarily, "soundness," "health," but coming also to signify "prosperity," well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God.

To have perfect peace must mean that you have complete, whole, calm freedom from disturbance; tranquility.  It does not mean that there will not be turmoil or conflict in the world. No!  Isaiah was telling us that if we fix our minds (thoughts) on God and His unfailing love for us, we can have complete peace even in a time of troubles.  The trouble may be on the outside (situations) but it doesn’t have to be on the inside. 

The Life Application Bible (you know it’s one of my favorites) states that “as we focus our mind on God and His Word, we become steady and stable.  Supported by God’s unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos.” 

Do you want peace?  I don’t know about you but the older I get, the more I seek peace.  If we keep our minds and thoughts on God and trust in Him, we can have just that – God’s perfect peace. Be blessed.