Blessing from the Lord
(KJV) Ps 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?
or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him,
that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
There is something about tradition that gives me peace, and my tradition includes reading only the King James translation for all of my young life and much of my early adulthood. In a world that is ever changing, I need the promises of God’s Word that are ever faithful, ever true, and the familiarity of the King James old English adds to my worship experience.
David is not talking about being ceremonially clean, but being clean from the inside out. Aren’t you thankful that the cleansing of our hearts does not rely on the works of man, but is solely dependent upon the grace of Jesus Christ?
The song “At Calvary” has been on my mind for days. “Mercy there was great and Grace was free, pardon there was multiplied for me, there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary.”
May we be strengthened by God’s Word and lifted up by His promises. As He has blessed us, may we bless others.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Show me, Guide me, Teach me
(NIV) Ps 25:4 Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
When I finished my physical therapy session Wednesday, I returned to the waiting room to find Larry talking to a couple. Larry said this gentleman plays a banjo. In less than five minutes I learned he has preached at the same church for 30 years. We developed an immediate kinship and in a moment we had church in that lobby.
When we actively seek after God (show me, guide me, teach me) the relationship we have with our Creator deepens. The more we have of God, the more we want of Him, and the more we must share Him with others.
Praying that as we approach Christmas of 2024 we will not tumble headlong into the holidays but instead we will slow down to savor the stories of the Star, the Shepherds, and Savior. I pray that we will relish the relationships made meaningful through both our human connections and through the Divine.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Praise His Name
(ESV) Ps 77:11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
One thing I have learned in my lifetime is that a vital aspect of having a relationship with God is engaging in meaningful worship. I am not just referring to singing but remembering all of His great works. When was the last time you read the exodus account, or of Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites? Or of Paul’s transformation on the road to Damascus?
Do you know why it is so necessary to remember the mighty works of God? When we think about all God has accomplished, it serves to build up our faith. Even more importantly, our God is worthy of all praise. All praise! He is our Creator, He had a plan for our salvation from the foundation of the world. And when Jesus taught us to pray, He began by addressing God as our Father, saying His very name was hallowed, or holy. When we begin each day by honoring the Lord our God, then we can better face the challenges in today’s world.
May we praise Him not for what He has done, or for what we expect Him to do, but because of Who He is.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Love of God
Psalms 25:4-11
(NIV) 4 Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good.
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Do you ever think of God’s steadfast love for us? Steadfast is a word we don’t use much anymore, but it means to be firmly loyal or constantly dutiful. Although God referred to David as the apple of His eye, David was not perfect. But, because David had a solid and long-standing relationship with God, he knew that one of the characteristics of God was His love. And he knew although he strayed from the pathway of righteousness that God could lead Him back to the light of his love.
So what can we learn from this Psalm?
We can see that David did not just ask for God’s help without being willing to do something in cooperation with God. When David asked for help, he also admitted his sin. David knew we can’t out run God’s love or out sin His mercy. Lamentations 3:22 says The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
May we start each day thanking God for His love which shows up in both small moments and in life-changing events. And may we be quick to ask forgiveness both from God and from our fellow man.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Sing a New Song
(NIV) Ps 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
Rev 14:3 They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
As someone who grew up in the church, my twin and I sat between two aunts, one who sang alto and the other soprano. Songs like “Higher Ground,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” were staples in church and we learned all of the words by heart.
Yes, singing has always brought me joy, and one day there will be a new song AND we will be given new names. How great is that? But until then, I lean on songs that strengthen and uplift me, and you can too! There are a multitude of songs that have a scriptural basis like this one by the Gaithers.
Hold on, my child (hold on, my child)
Joy comes in the morning
Weeping only last for the night
Hold on, my child (hold on, my child)
Joy comes in the morning
The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.
Let music lift your soul out of life’s difficulties. Even more importantly, learn some scriptures of faith and speak them over and over until you are lifted in your most high faith.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 