SOULJournal

Psalm 99

Reasons to worship...

• God is King over all of creation.

• The King even though He is mighty and powerful and to be feared is known as one who rules with fairness and great justice. 
• The King is aware of the requests of His people - when they ask He hears and answers.
• The King is merciful - forgiving His people when they sin against Him  Merciful yet just.
• The King is holy, perfect, unable to do wrong.

Have you experienced these things in your walk with God?  Why not take time to think about, thank God and worship Him for these attributes? 
Join with others and take time to worship and declare His praises.

Psalm 96

Sing to the Lord a new song!

    Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

2 Sing to the Lord! Bless his name!

    Share the news of his saving work every single day!

3 Declare God’s glory among the nations;

    declare his wondrous works among all people

4  because the Lord is great and so worthy of praise.

He is awesome beyond all other gods

5  because all the gods of the nations are just idols,

        but it is the Lord who created heaven!

The people of God are encouraged to declare God's glory among the nations.

Here in Southern California we have a great opportunity to declare God's glory among the nations, because we don't have to go to the nations as "foreign missionaries" but we are simply missionaries among our neighborhoods and workplaces.  The Psalmist calls us to be on the same task that Jesus commissioned us to…to and preach the gospel.  Share the news of his saving work every single day.  Pave the way with our actions - in other words live a life that brings glory and honor to God.  But that is not enough (as those in Higher Learning will tell you), we must also take advantage of the opportunities to proclaim the gospel in words.  

And why is this important?  Because God calls us to this great and glorious mission and because He is great and worthy of our obedience.  Because He is the only God, all other gods are just idols and we who have found the real deal have a responsibility to share it with others instead of keeping it to ourselves. 

Today is a good day to share the news of God's saving work and declare His wondrous works among all people.  Have fun worshipping.

GOOD DEEDS PRODUCES GOODWILL THAT LEADS TO THE DECLARATION OF THE GOOD NEWS.

Psalm 90

SCRIPTURE
10 We can expect seventy years, or maybe eighty,if we are healthy...12 Teach us to use wisely
    all the time we have.

OBSERVATION
This life we have here on earth has an expiration date.  This life we live here on earth also has a divine purpose.  We have a mission and a deadline - so do we know what our mission is and how are we doing in accomplishing that mission?

UNDERSTANDING
Moses tells us that we have about 70 - 80 years here on this earth and then we die.  In Higher Learning on Wednesday evening we discussed that one of the purposes of this life is to prepare us for eternity.  Another purpose of this life is to continue the work that Jesus commissioned us to - to go and preach the good news.  With that understanding in mind we would be smart to echo the prayer of Moses - teach us to use wisely all the time we have.  I don't know about you but I dont want to squander the time God gave me, because I have to give an account for it one day.  Moses asks God to teach us how to use the time wisely, because truth is we would squander the time seeking after all the wrong things when we should be using it for God's purposes for us.  But not only are we to seek after what is the best use of our time but we are to use the time wisely - in other words, don't just ask God how you should be spending your time but you should be doing what He tells you to do.  So many of us know what we are to do but put it off in order to do other things (things that don't really count for eternity).  There must we application of the wisdom God gives us.  And it is an ongoing practice of constantly asking God and seeking to do His will.  It means we live in a state of constant listening and readiness so that we can hear and do what He wants us to do.

LIFE APPLICATION
Lord teach me to use wisely all the time you have given me.  Let the choices I make come from an eternal perspective.

Psalm 86

SCRIPTURE
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

OBSERVATION
What does it mean to have an undivided heart?

UNDERSTANDING
David asks God to teach him.  He has a desire to learn the ways of God, but the desire is not just to learn God's ways in order to have a knowledge of it, but he wants to know God's ways so that his life is transformed.  He will walk in God's truth.  He also prays that his heart will not be divided.  In other words he wants his heart to be totally for God alone and not be pulled in many other directions.  

LIFE APPLICATION
What a wise prayer.  Our hearts are divided at best.  We have so many things vying for attention that God becomes an add on to the many other things.  Like David our prayer and action must be that God is number one.  Make that your prayer everyday - Lord give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.  

Psalm 78

SCRIPTURE
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done...so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 

OBSERVATION
A believer's responsibility is to teach the next generation about God so that they choose to follow and worship Him.

UNDERSTANDING
Many times throughout the Old Testament we see that the Israelites would tell the story of God's great deeds.  How He had brought them out of slavery, how He parted the Sea, how He fed them in the wilderness.  They spoke of the great deeds that He had done and what happened when the people disobeyed God.  The story was told over and over.  The reason for that was so that the generations that followed would know of God and what He had done.  The story was told so that the children would put their trust in God and follow after Him.  

LIFE APPLICATION
Today we are to continue to do the same thing.  Tell the stories of the power of God at work in our lives.  Tell and re-tell those things to our kids so that in essence they see us worship God and come to a place of believing in Him and following Him as well.  

• Deuteronomy 11:18 –21 (TMSG)  Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder.  Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth.

Are we passing on our faith to our children?  
Do we talk to them about the greatness of God? 
Do they see us live out a firm belief that God is powerful and mighty to save?  

Psalm 73

 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; 
   I had nearly lost my foothold. 
³ For I envied the arrogant 
   when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Sometimes it seems the more I try to be a God-follower the harder life gets.  I am trying to live a life that is honoring to God and yet things get harder and harder and those who are not living in any way that honors God seem to be prospering.  I guess I am not alone in feeling that way, the Psalmist in today's reading seems to feel the same way.  But he gives us some advice on how we must change our perspective - he tells us that we need to change our perspective.  We must look at the bigger picture.  Too often we are short-sighted, looking only at life here on earth as the beginning and end of everything, but our life is more than the time we spend here in earth, and for God-followers that is the perspective we must have.  Prosperity in this vapor of life is not the definition of success or a good life, there is so much more involved.  We sometimes equate propserity as God's blessing and so we think that even though we are living for God we are not being "blessed."  But the ultimate blessings of a Christ-follower comes much later.  Even in the story today about Jesus healing the lame man Jesus makes a telling statement, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”  Jesus is pointing him to the bigger picture.  In this man's mind nothing could be worse that being sick and paralyzed again, but Jesus informs him about the bigger, eternal picture.  

We need to keep that eternal perspective always in mind.  It is easy to forget it when we are in the grind of this life on earth, but remember there is more to this our life that the vapor of our time here on earth.

Psalm 65

SCRIPTURE
1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
   to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 O you who hear prayer,
   to you all men will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
   you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
   and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
   of your holy temple.

OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING
I like the way that The Message translates verse 1...
Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God, and also obedience.  You hear the prayer in it all.

Verse 4 really speaks to the desire of those are passionate God-followers, While the temple complex was primarily the realm of the priestly order, it was the desire of every member of the covenant community to “dwell” in God’s presence.  But how are we to realistically do that? 

How do we dwell in the presence of God continually? 
Looking at verse one we get an idea.  In our quiet moments let our hearts and minds dwell on God and His goodness.  As we are driving, when we are resting, when we are staring out the window at nothing in particular...in the silence of those moments let our minds and hearts dwell on God and His greatness, His power, mercy and grace. 

But then there is another way we can dwell in the presence of God continually - it is in the moment by moment decisions to do what is pleasing and right before Him.  Verse 1 tells us that obedience is praise to God - He hears a sweet song of worship when we simply choose to trust and obey. 

LIFE APPLICATION
I want to dwell continually in the courts of the Lord. 

Like David says in Psalm 84:2, My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 

Psalm 27:4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

We can "dwell in God's presence" in the busyness of our days as we take time in the quiet moments to center our hearts and minds on Him and to be obedient to Him in every area of our lives.

Psalm 55

But as for me, I trust in you.

I trust in you Lord to protect me.
I trust in you Lord to rescue me and defend me from those who would speak evil and desire harm to me.
I trust in you Lord to provide for me as I need it. Daily bread.
I trust in you Lord...always.

• Proverbs 3:5-8(TEV) 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.  6Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.  7£ Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong.  8If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains.

Psalm 52

SCRIPTURE
⁸ And I'm an olive tree,
      growing green in God's house.
   I trusted in the generous mercy
      of God then and now.

 ⁹ I thank you always
      that you went into action.
   And I'll stay right here,
      your good name my hope,
      in company with your faithful friends.

OBSERVATION
David models for us a godly reaction when people turn against you and speak ill of you.

UNDERSTANDING
In the entire Psalm David puts the offender in the hands of God.  "Here God, you deal with them."  He then reiterates that he will put himself in God's care, believing that God is generous and merciful towards him and his predicament.  As he continues to trust in God he believes that he will grow green and strong.

LIFE APPLICATION
We are quick to want to rain revenge on people who do us wrong but David reminds us to let God handle it.  Put your trust in Him not only in the good times but in the tough times too.  And believe that He will work things out well.  We are to stay amongst the company of believers too and not run from them or from God when the going gets tough.

Psalm 51

SCRIPTURE 

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation 
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, 
   and sinners will turn back to you. 

OBSERVATION
This is one of my favorite Psalms, maybe because it is my personal experience as well.

UNDERSTANDING
David has sinned by committing adultery and murder.  He has kept this sin hidden for about a year and I am sure it has been eating him up.  Finally the prophet Nathan comes and confronts him and David confesses to his sin.  He is heart-broken at sinning against God and falls on God's mercy and grace.  One of the things I like is found in verse 13.  He is guilty of sin but in asking God for forgiveness He believes that God will forgive him so he talks about what he will do when God restores the joy of his salvation.  Having experienced the forgiveness of God he will tells others about the grace and forgiveness that is to be found in God.

LIFE APPLICATION
Just as we have been forgiven there are many who are laboring under the burden of sin and despair and we have some good news to pass on…God is full of grace and mercy and willing to forgive us if we will cry out to Him in genuine repentance.  Tell someone the good news, don't just keep the experience to yourself.