Our Help and Shield

O. T. #1341  "Our Help and Shield"
Dec. 11, 2018
Psalm 115-Part 2
Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and shield.  Psalm 115:11

LET IT GLOW

Verse 13 says, He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.  Psalm 115:13

Did you know that the Lord Jesus is mindful of us? Verse 12 says so, friend. In fact, He will bless us. Not only are the blessings of God upon Israel and Aaron's descendants, but also upon us, the ones who reverence and fear Him.
So whether we are an important someone with a big position or just a simple country gal like me, God will increase His blessings upon us and our children. Verses 12-14 say so.
Let us share the blessings which He give us with those less fortunate.

LET IT GROW

In verses 9, 10, and 11, we read the same phrase "He is their help and shield."
After scorning the idol worshipers, who is the psalmist speaking to here? This could be applying to Israel, the Levitical priests, and God-fearers who were proselytes.
What are they challenged to do?

• He calls upon Israel to trust in the LORD God. (verse 9)
• House of Aaron is told to trust in the LORD. (verse 10) The house of Aaron were the priests of Israel.
• Ye that fear the LORD, trust in Him. (verse 11)

Why were those reminded to trust in the LORD? Because God was their help and shield. He is the only One in whom we can fully trust. People fail, let us down, turn away from us, but Christ does not leave us nor forsake us.
Help means aid; shield means protector, defense.

Are we exercising faith in our God? Are we trusting in the LORD to be our aid and defense?

LET IT GO

But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD.

Jesus, You left heaven to live on earth for 30 years, as a man and as God.
You lived the perfect life, which qualified You to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, providing the way for us to go to heaven after we die.
Glory to God in the highest!
Let us come and worship Christ, our King and Savior.

When Tragedy Hits

O. T. #1340  "When Tragedy Hits"
Dec. 10, 2018
Psalm 115
But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. Psalm 115:3

LET IT GLOW

The Psalms 115-118 were traditionally sung at the Passover meal commemorating Israel's escape from slavery in Egypt. (Life Application Study Bible)

As the Israelites sang this song, they were to do so with humility. Our successes, merits, and achievements are not to be our credit, but as an honor and praise to our God who gives them. It is not by our strength that we have done thus and so, but through His mercy.

Verse 1 notes, Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake.

Israel was to acknowledge that all the glory goes to God's name for His mercy and truth, (unfailing love and faithfulness).

God declared that He would share His glory with no one. (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11)

So when someone tells us we did a good job, shouldn't we just praise the Lord?

Isn't it our natural tendency to lean toward self-idolatry, to magnify of ourselves, and find difficulty in cleansing our hearts from these self-reflections?

LET IT GROW

Look at our key verse. Don't we tend to quote that verse whenever tragedy hits? Or when we are shocked, surprised, overwhelmed by something happening suddenly in our life? When we think about it, God is always in control, doing whatever pleases Him, as He sits upon the throne of control in heaven.
He is high above the affairs of men, though He may be oblivious to them. (Falwell)

Actually, it should bring us comfort when we consider that our loving, all-wise God is in control of everything. When a loved one dies suddenly, when we get a notice a work, if our car breaks down, if repairs on our house is more than we expected, if our loved turns on us, what do we do?

LET IT GO

Glory to the Lord on High!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Help me to trust in You in everything.

Rams and Lambs

O. T. #1339  "Rams and Lambs"
Dec. 7, 2018
Psalm 114
The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.  Psalm 114:6

LET IT GLOW

Sometimes we watch the animal station on television. In the wild, the rams fight each other for dominance of the flock. It is my observation that rams have a lot of strength. In contrast, lambs are weak. Aren't lambs so humble and sweet? And when they are content, they prance around with excitement. So cute. Today, our key verse is placed in the midst of the chapter, shows the control that God has over nature-seas, rivers, mountains, and hills. Such strength!

God has the ability to move heaven and earth on behalf of His children, literally. since He controls His creation, why do we fear? When stressful circumstances come upon us, just remember what He has done for us in the past. God was faithful then and continues to faithful now.

This psalm is written by an unknown person, and is a short chapter of only 8 verses. What can we learn from it, since it appears in the Bible:

• The psalmist recalls how God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. (verses 1 and 3)
• Then when they wandered in the desert, He provided for their daily needs. (verses 4, 6, 8)
• When it was time, God led Israel into the Promised Land. (verse 5)

Now, God did some miraculous deeds at those times, didn't He. We are children of God, so let us trust Him to do what is needed in our life for His glory.

LET IT GROW

In our key verse,  the description of the mountains and little hills were that they skipped like rams and lambs when the Jordan River was stopped flowing. Apparently an earthquake did its thing just at the moment the Priests stepped into the Jordan River, with an Egyptian army pursuing them. What a display of the majesty of God! If mountains did that back then for Israel, can't they be moved for us today. God any mountains in your life that are difficult to climb?

God turned a rock into a pool of water for His children when their water supply ran out.
In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul said, They drank from a spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

If we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can tell that mountain to move and it will. Jesus can move mountains of unemployment, health issues, family problems, relationships in need of repair.
Friends, when we need Jesus to be strong for us, He is. When we need Him to show his gentleness and meekness, He is.

LET IT GO

You are amazing God! And so creative in the methods You choose to use so we know it is You delivering us, providing for us, defending us, loving us. You are all-powerful, yet control that power. You are tenderhearted and compassionate. Praise You Jesus, Christ the King!

A Shining Light

O. T. #1338  "A Shining Light"
Dec. 6, 2018
Psalm 113
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. 
Psalm 113:3

LET IT GLOW

Since winter has come, we notice that the days are shorter and the nights are longer, concerning the hours of light. Although the temperature is in the 20's here, the sun is shining. Ohhh, we haven't seen it for days. We experienced rain, strong winds, and tornadoes in our area. What a blessing it is-a warmer day ahead is for us. But you know, even though gray skies may be dominating our weather outside, we don't have to be dark and gloomy on the inside. Read on for this secret.

Alright now, here is some more background for us concerning this short chapter. The author is unknown. This psalm begins The Hallel , which is the word in Hebrew halal(haw-lal'), means praise.
It is used 76 times in the Psalter and consists of Psalms  113-118. It was reserved for use on the 3 great feasts of the Jews-Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles, also the New Moon celebration and Dedication. (Falwell)

Praise was an essential feature of the ancient Israelite festivals. It should be essential in our life and in our worship. Is it?

Ephesians 5:18-19 says to us, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

LET IT GROW

 From dawn's early light till the day's dark night, praise the name of Jehovah. (Falwell)

The blessings of the Lord touches every aspect of our life, so we should be praising Him throughout the day and daily.
In verse 5, we can answer the question that no one or nothing is like unto the Lord our God. Nothing can be compared to Him. He is above all, higher than the nations and the heavens.

Jesus tells us, in John 8:12, I am the light of the world, Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

This light shines in our heart, Jesus. So let us praise Him in the morning, in the noontime, and in the night. For unto us a child is born, a Son is given, the Savior named Jesus. Let our light shine before others so they see our good works and praise Jesus.
Is His light shining in you today?

LET IT GO

Jesus, light up my soul today with hope and praise to your name.
I sing glory to the King of kings; I sing glory to the Lamb; I sing glory to the Lord of lord. you are the Great I Am.

Overflowing Blessings

O. T. #1337  "Overflowing Blessings"
Dec. 5, 2018
Psalm 112
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.  Psalms 112:1

LET IT GLOW

Here is another Alphabetical Psalm, which is written with the first word of each line beginning with a Hebrew letter appearing in order. This chapter contains praises to God for blessing those who live uprightly. If we fear (revere) the Lord God and delight in obeying His commands, then our blessings will be available to us-honor, prosperity, security, and freedom from fear. His blessings can include both spiritual and material blessings.

Are we desiring to be blessed today? Are we gladly obeying and serving our Lord Jesus?

LET IT GROW

The blessings of living in the Lord Jesus will result in:

• having successful children;
• wealth;
• lasting good deeds;
• having light to shine in the darkness;
• generousity, compassion, and righteousness;
• goodness whenever we lend money generously;
• conduct business fairly;
• evil not overcoming them;
• will be long remembered;
• fear not bad news;
• confidently trust in the Lord to care for them;
• are confident and fearless;
• face foes triumphantly;
• share freely and give generously to needy;
• will have influence and honor;

What a list of blessings!

LET IT GO

Jesus, I love You.
Thank You for my blessings overflowing.
May they flow onto others.

A Whole Heart

O. T. #1336  "A Whole Heart"
Dec. 4, 2018
Psalm 111
Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  Psalm 111:1

LET IT GLOW


Alright, go back with me to our high school days. Do you remember studying about prose, the make up of poems? Vaguely, right? It was more than "Roses are red." Well, today's chapter is an Alphabetic Psalm. Each sentence begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and in order. (I will take from Falwell that it is so, since I do not read Hebrew.) Not only does it begin with each letter, but several clauses within the verse do also. How unusual and unique, huh? This psalm consists of ten verses, the first eight of which are couplets and the last two of which are triplets. These make up 22 lines, the exact number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Cool. I found it interesting. Another thing, we do not know the writer, who is praising the works of God's creation and redemption.

How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in Him should ponder them.

They ought not go by unnoticed, but to be studied, delved into, researched, and enjoyed. (Falwell)
Are we enjoying the deeds of God, blessings, in our life?

The works of the LORD are:

• great; In design, number, excellence, and deliverance God has performed mightily for His people. (verse 2)
• majestic; Honorable and glorious with His righteousness is God's work. No other work can be compared to His. (verse 3)
• memorable; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. (verse 4)
• enduring; His gracious kindness provides daily needs.  (verse 5)
• fulfills His promises; He is a promise keeper. (verse 6)
• trustworthy; Truth and justice are a part of God's character. (verse 7)
• eternal; His laws are established and settled forever. (verse 8)
• and redeems from every form of evil. Holy and reverend is His name. (verse 9)

[Resource: Lydia Brownback's Sing a New Song]

Great is Thy faithfulness unto me, Lord.

LET IT GROW

Now, going back to verses 1 and 10, we see our part in all of this.
First, we are to praise the Lord with our whole heart.
The word whole is the Hebrew language is ozo (od'zo), means to scent (usually an ill odor); stink.

So with our stink, sinful heart, that has been made right with God by the blood of Jesus, we are to praise God.

Second, the fear (reverence) of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Fear is the first principle and chief element in godliness. It is our obedience to God that proves we have mastered the first elements of wisdom-the fear of the Lord. (Falwell)

We can't become wise through life experience or academic knowledge. We must acknowledge God as the source of our wisdom, lest our wise decisions become foolish decisions.

LET IT GO

Acknowledge God as my everything, my wisdom, my Redeemer, and Provider.
You are the One from whom all blessings flow.

Straddling the Fence

O. T. #1335 "Straddling the Fence"
Dec. 4, 2018
Psalm 110-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

One can sit on a fence for a while, but if you straddle it, well, that won't last long. It wouldn't take long for your body to hurt, so a decision as to which way to go must be made. Do we jump down on the right side or the left side? And so it is with Jesus, we eventually have to make a decision-He is Savior and Lord of our life or we turn our back on Him and jump down, going our own way.

This psalm is called a "messianic" or "royal psalm" because it is speaking of the coming reign of Jesus Christ as king and priest over all the earth.  The first time He came was with the purpose of being Messiah and Savior. The next time He will rule over us as King and High Priest.

Only King Jesus can lead His people into God's paths of blessing, and because He was sinless, the sacrifice He made for His people's sin-His very own self-keeps them there, in God's presence.  (Sing a New Song by Lydia Brownbeck)

This is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament, as mentioned previously:

• Christ's final and total destruction of the wicked in Rev. 6-9, (verses 1 and 6);
• prophesies Christ's reign on the earth in Rev. 20:1-7, (verse 2);
• tell of Christ's priestly work for His people in Hebrews 5-8, (verses 3-4);
• look forward to the final battle on earth when Christ will overcome the forces of evil in Rev. 19:11-21, (verses 5-6).  (Life Application Study Bible)

Have you noticed that many people only think of Jesus as only a great teacher? They may have a vague belief in God, but that is no option. If the Bible is taken as Truth as the Word of God, there is no denying Jesus as the Messiah who sits at God's right hand and is Lord over all (Acts 2:32-35). They can't straddle the fence. Either Jesus is Lord over all the earth and people or He isn't. He is sovereignly all-powerful or not. So let us help them understand why we celebrate Christmas-the birth of our Savior.

LET IT GROW

I was curious about the meaning of verse 7, He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore He shall lift up the head.

 So I went to Matthew Henry's Commentary, and found:

• Jesus drank the bitter cup which the Father put into His hand.
• The wrath of God, running in the channel of the curse of the law, was the brook in the way.
• He was abased and impoverished, so intent upon His work that Jesus drank puddle-water out of the lake in the highway. The brook was one of suffering as Jesus ran through it for us to have redemption and salvation.
• When He died, Jesus bowed His head (John 19:30), but He soon lifted up the head by His own power in His resurrection, as a conqueror. He humbled Himself, therefore God also highly exalted Him (Phil. 2:9).
• Jesus lifts up the heads of all His faithful followers, who, if they suffer with Him, shall also reign with Him.

If we drink from the cup of salvation that Jesus has to offer us, then we will have our heads lifted up.(Who can drink with their head down? Although, it is because of our sinful state that we come to Him, ashamed, looking down.)
Is there anyone you know that is down and out, looking down and feeling defeated? Let us share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, then they can have their heads lifted up, looking for the Redeemer to come back as King of kings and Lord of lords and High Priest.

LET IT GO

Don't straddle the fence-surrender to Jesus as Lord of my life and in control of everything.
Emanuel, God with us, has come to give you and me abundant life.
Lift up that head toward heaven and proclaim as the only way to heaven.