Do No Harm

O. T. #1324  "Do No Harm"
Nov. 12, 2018
Psalm 105-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

He is the LORD our God: His judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant He made with Abraham, His oath unto Isaac; And confirm the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.  Psalm 105:7-10

A covenant is a compact; in a sense of cutting. This is why circumcision of the Jew was important to them. It was their outward expression of  keeping their part of the covenant with God.

Everlasting means time out of mind; eternity; without end.

John MacArthur explains:
An everlasting covenant is from the time of the covenant until the end. Five OT covenants are spoken of as "everlasting":

1. the Noahic covenant, Genesis 9:16;
2. the Abrahamic covenant, Gen. 17:7, 13,19;
3. the priestly covenant, Leviticus 24:8;
4. the Davidic covenant, 2 Samuel 23:5;
5. the new covenant, Jeremiah 32:40.

The everlasting covenant occurs in the time when God gives the people of Israel a new heart in eternal salvation along with their return to the ancient land. Salvation comes through Jesus alone.

Jeremiah 32:40 says, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me.

The New Covenant applies to us believers in Christ, also, doesn't it? Through Jesus Christ, we have an eternal home in the land of heaven. While we are here, Jesus does not leave us (turn away), does us good, and puts fear (reverence) in our hearts.

Jesus is our Forever Friend. We must be sure that we do not depart from Him.

LET IT GROW


Verse 15 states, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

Although Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob had no external anointing like David, they had been specifically set apart by God to His service. They were the patriarchs of Israel. God blessed them because of their faith. God put a hedge of protection around them with His mighty hand. So it is today with those set apart by God for His service.

God's man is indestructible until he has finished the task God has called him to do. (Falwell)

NLT says, Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.

We are not to harm or wrong the apple of God's eye, fellow believers, lest God takes revenge upon us. That would include gossiping, lying, running down Christians. I have seen God's reprimand upon my offender far worse than I could ever have thought to repay their evil deeds.

LET IT GO

Remain true to the One who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.
Love, forgive, love again others.

An Invitation

O. T. #1323  "An Invitation"
Nov. 9, 2018
Psalm 105
Seek the LORD, and His strength: seek His face evermore.   Psalm 105:4

LET IT GLOW

The first 15 verses of this psalm is found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22. Israel was singing it as a part of the celebration whenever King David brought the Ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. Two other psalms (78 and 136) recount Israel's historical event.

We have a nine-fold invitation to join the psalmist in worshiping God:

1. Give thanks unto the LORD.
2. Call upon His name.
3. Make known His deeds among the people.
4. Sing unto Him psalms.
5. Talk of all His wondrous works.
6. Give glory to His holy name.
7. Rejoice, those that seek Him.
8. Seek the LORD, His strength, and His face.
9. Remember His marvelous works that He has done.

Friends, are we lacking in any of the above?


LET IT GROW

Shall we zoom in on verse 4 for a closer look?
Here are some principles brought out by Sarah Young, in her devotional book, Jesus Calling:

• Your focus gets snagged on a given problem, circling round and round it in attempts to gain mastery. Your energy is drained away from other matters through this negative focus. Worst of all, you loose sight of Me. Seek My face, speak to Me, and I will light up your mind.
• As you spend time with Me, your thoughts tend to jump ahead to today's plans and problems. This sacrifice of time pleases Me and strengthens you.
• When I give you no special guidance, stay where you are. Concentrate on doing your everyday tasks in awareness of My presence with you. Through collaborating with Me in all things, you allow My life to merge with yours. This is the secret of not only of joyful living but also of victorious living.
• Seek My face, and you will find fulfillment of your deepest longings.
• Trust me in the midst of your messy day. Your inner calm-your Peace in My Presence-need not be shaken by what is going on around you.
• Look to Me continually for help, comfort, and companionship. No matter what losses you experience in your life, no one can take away this glorious gift (salvation).

Well, there we go. Are we seeking Jesus' presence, His support, favor, and direction?

LET IT GO

Seek Jesus, His strength, His face.
Will You walk with me today, Jesus?

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

O. T. #1322  "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
Nov. 8, 2018
Psalm 104-Part 2
The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in His works.
 Psalm 104:31

LET IT GLOW

I think we would agree with David that it is God who gives breath of life and takes it away. (verses 29-30)  A sweet lady, the mother of one of my childhood friends, was only given two or three days to live by Hospice. So far, she has lived 4 days passed their prediction. She sings, What a Friend We Have in Jesus while lying on her deathbed. She is so very ready to go to heaven, waiting to be with her husband and Savior. While here, she is telling everyone that Jesus loves them. He has her appointed time for exiting here. Her life is in God's hands, as well as ours. We are all God's creatures, depending upon our Creator for life and existence. Oh, to be strong like in faith like this sweet lady.
Do you have a friend in Jesus today?

LET IT GROW

What are the 3 wills that David says he will do in verses 33 and 34?

1. He will sing unto the Lord as long as he lived.
2. He will sing praise to his God while he had his being.
3. He will be glad in the Lord.

The Hebrew word for glad is sameach (saw-may'akh), which means blithe or gleeful; be glad; joyful; making merry hearted.

While we live and have our being, will we be glad in the Lord. singing His praises, too?
We hope for a better life and a better being in a better world. Now that is something to sing about! We will finally be with Jesus and away from evil.

LET IT GO

Our God is greater,
our God is stronger,
God, You are higher than any other;
our God is healer,
awesome in power,
OUR GOD.

And if our God is for us, then who can stop us?
And if our God is with us, what can stand against us?

It's You breath in my lungs as I pour out my praise to You, Holy God.

I like those songs.

Leaves of Splendor

O. T. #1321  "Leaves of Splendor"
Nov. 7, 2018
Psalm 104
Bless the LORD, O my soul, O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.  Psalm 104:1

Paul says in Acts 14:17, that God left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

LET IT GLOW

David wrote this psalm honoring God as Creator. What He created each day, recorded in Genesis, gives us reason to praise our God. With His powerful majesty He did it, and His wisdom and might that sustains even down to the tiniest details. That alone is reason enough for all people to praise God.

Last weekend my eyes beheld the marvelous creation of the colored leaves of splendor as those trees covered the mountains. When the sun shone upon them, the foliage of bright yellows and reds displayed the glory of God. Orange leaves were not too bright this year, but they were noticeable among the evergreens. Fall and spring are my favorite seasons of the year. Gorgeous is Your creation Jesus! Thank You for eyes to see them. Friends, I hope your area of the country provides this too so you don't miss out.

Glimpses of His glory and majesty are everywhere. (Lydia Brownback)



LET IT GROW

Verse 23 NLT says, Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.

God coordinates the day and night system, provides us rest from our work in the evening, and blesses us with fruits of our labor, which He has given to us.

As you observe your natural surroundings, thank God for His creativity. Take a fresh look at people, seeing each one as God's unique creation, each with his or her own special talents, abilities, and gifts.
(Life Application Study Bible)

Are we thanking our God for the job we have and the ability to work? Are we blessing others as we work? What kind of witness are we while on the job?

LET IT GO

Heavenly Father, all that we have, are, and do comes from You.
I thank and praise You, dear Jesus, Creator of all.
Your creation praises You.

A Clean Slate

O. T. #1320  "A Clean Slate"
Nov. 6, 2018
Psalm 103-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Although I feel old some mornings, I am not quite as old as those on the show Little House on the Prairie. When Laura was in school, she used a slate on which to write, not a Big Chief  red tablet. She would wipe the slate clean and write again upon it. God does that for us, dear ones.

David's praise focused on the good things which God was doing in his life. His list gives us plenty for which we can praise God also. I couldn't skim over these verses. Especially verse 1, that I often say when it is time to pray with kids and they aren't attentive.
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Why should we keep praising the Lord?
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow in anger, and plenteous in mercy. (verse 8)
He will not always chide (defend): neither will He keep His anger forever. (verse 9)

What did you notice about God's mercy?

• His unfailing love and mercy toward those who fear (respect) Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. (verse 11) That is more than I can comprehend.
• He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. (verse 12) Folks, the east and west do not meet. When God forgives our sin, He separates it from us and remembers it no more. Our slate is wiped clean.  Such forgiveness!
• He is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. (verse 13)

Without our deserving these, our Heavenly Father gives them to His children. so no matter how difficult our life's journey is, we can still have these to thank and praise God for giving to us.

LET IT GROW

Do we realize how fragile we are? David reminds us in verses 14-16.

• We are dust. Adam was made of dust, so when we decompose, our body returns to dust. dust is little particles of dirt that blows in the wind, so insignificant.
• Our life is short like the green grass and blooms of wildflowers dried up by the wind and heat. It is as though they never were, so it is with us. Only a few generations later, and we will only be a name on their genealogy tree. Will they read of our faith in Jesus and faithful walk with Him?

But the love and mercy of the Lord remains forever, everlasting. Our soul will remain forever, whether in heaven or hell. God has prepared those places to be eternal. Are our loved ones prepared?

Let all that I am praise the LORD Jesus!

LET IT GO

                              ... of my sins so grace flows from me.
                               ... my sins, at the feet of Jesus.
                               ... and be merciful and gracious, slow to anger, plenteous in mercy toward others.
                               ... so I can be tender and compassionate to those who do not deserve it.
                               ... blessing the Lord Jesus, my Living Savior.

Take Time to Bless the Lord

O. T. #1319  "Take Time to Bless The Lord"
Nov. 5, 2018
Psalm 103


LET IT GLOW

We took some time off Friday and Saturday to get away together. My husband and I had not done that since June. Our focus was attending the musical performance of  "Samson" in Branson. It was great. They threw in some what "could have beens" in his life. Although Samson's rebellion against God's will for his life was evident, the end of his life was real, in that his self-sacrifice resulted in killing more Philistines who were ruling Israel. The show brought it to life as the fake columns fell. It makes us think how we should react whenever tempted away from serving God. Then, at the end, the gospel was shared and a song blessing Jesus was sung. It would be a good time to share with children about remaining faithful in our commitments to God and how we reap what we sow.

Before we take a deeper look, we should know that the word bless, in Hebrew, means to kneel; to bless God as an act of adoration; praise; salute. 

David calls upon his soul, his immortal nature, which he defines as all that is within him, all his senses and faculties to bless the holy name of God. (Falwell)
Three times David does this; then he calls upon the angels, hosts, and ministers of God to bless Him.

David blesses the Lord 7 times (using NLT):

1. Let all that I am praise the Lord. (verse 1)
2. With my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. (verse 1)
3. Let all that I am praise the Lord. (verse 2)
4. Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands. (verse 20) These may be in reference to the "archangels" that surround God's throne.
5. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve Him and do His will. (verse 21) These may be angels of lesser statue, the multitude of hosts that appeared to shepherds of Bethlehem.
6. Praise the LORD, everything He has created, everything in all His kingdom. (verse 22)
7. Let all that I am praise the LORD. (verse 22)

David invites us in the universe to join the angels in praising God. Can we do it wholeheartedly and with all our being?

LET IT GROW

Just as David did not forget none of God's benefits, let us also:

• God forgives sin and heals its destructive effects. (verse 3)
• In love and mercy, He brings good out of evil. (verse 4)
• A life lived for the Lord brings satisfaction. (verse 5)
• He fights for His people when they are helpless, and does for them what they cannot do for themselves. (verses 6-7)
• God is patient with sinners who trust in His mercy, and disciplines in love. (verses 8-14)
• God's commitment to His people never changes; He will prove himself faithful. (verses 17-19)

          [Resource: Sing a New Song by Lydia Brownback]

Since we sin, God would be justified in withholding all these benefits from His people. Because Jesus bore our punishment for our sins, we get the benefits that He deserves. Such mercy and grace and love!

LET IT GO

Take a few minutes today and praise our awesome God with my whole heart.
Bless the Lord o my soul. Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, o my soul. I will worship His holy name!

Incomplete

O. T. #1318  "Incomplete"
Nov. 1, 2018
Psalm 102
But Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end.  Psalm 102:27

LET IT GLOW

Was David in the midst of overwhelming circumstances? In his deep distress, he cries out to God. It took a physical toll on him. Even though David's life is unstable, he continues to trust in his faithful God. Maybe we need a reminder (verse 2) that God has time to hear David's prayer and ours, also. Are you there with David, friend? Read on.

Looking into our key verses, we find that our God is the same, for His garments change not, nor does He change. Our garments become old and fall apart over time. They have to be replaced. We do not remain the same, hopefully, we grow into a mature Christian.

God is the eternal one, infinite and unchangeable. (Isaiah 41:4) He will always be with us. He will always love us.

LET IT GROW

David asks God to not hide His face from him and to answer him speedily. His enemies reproach David. We can always pray a desperate prayer.
David wrote down things so that generations to come would read of God's faithfulness to His children and so they would praise the Lord. Are we recording the life lessons that God has taught us through various experiences? What has He taught us about life? about relationships? about ourself?

I don't know about you, but it is taking a lifetime for Him to prepare me for heaven. But He is never in a hurry and always on time. It took 80 years before Moses' character was ready to be used by God, and then 40 years more in the wilderness.
so let's not be in a hurry here. James 1:4 tells us,  But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

I must confess, endurance does not come easy for me. So shall we remember how far we have come, not just how far we have to go?
You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. God is not finished with you, so keep on moving forward. (Rick Warren)

LET IT GO

Keep on enduring.