today's meditation (Ps.98) Being Inspired to Sing

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 98:1-9)  Sing a new song to the Lord,
     For He has done wonderful things,
     His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
2   The Lord has made His salvation known;
     He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3   He has remembered His graciousness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
     All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4   Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
     Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.
5   Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
     With the lyre and the sound of melody.
6   With trumpets and the sound of the horn 
     Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord.

7   May the sea roar and all it contains,
     The world and those who dwell in it.
8   May the rivers clap their hands,
     May the mountains sing together for joy
9   Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth;
     He will judge the world with righteousness 
     And the peoples with fairness.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

When I read verses one and two, this is exactly how I like to explain the Trinity, and how Jesus came to earth in flesh in order to complete His work on the cross.  Obviously, God is omnipresent, but think of a body as representing the omnipresent God.  There are three Persons in One... the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Each "Person" has different roles.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord (Jesus pre-incarnate) would appear to people in various ways for different reasons; but when the time was right, He was born through a virgin who was in the line of King David.  In this way, Jesus could be 100% man who qualified to be Israel's king, while still being 100% God who is the King of kings.  

As a man, Jesus could live and die in our place to pay the price for sin.  The body and arm analogy helps to explain Jesus' words on the cross when He said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt.27:46)   Think of Jesus as being the arm (still part of God's body).  At the point when Jesus took on all the sins of this world, because God is holy and cannot look on sin, God the Father had to turn away from looking at His own hand.  

As God, Jesus was able to rise again and have victory over death, providing salvation to anyone who believes in Him.  As one repents of their sins, Jesus is faithful to forgive, and we can live and grow and reflect His righteousness to those around us.  And even though while here on earth, we will still slip up and sin, His grace keeps us safe from His judgement for all eternity.  So, receiving His gift of eternal salvation should be more than enough to inspire us to sing praises to the Lord!

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today's meditaiton (Ps.97) Being Joyful

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 97:1-12)   The Lord reigns, may the earth rejoice;
     May the many islands be joyful.
2   Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
     Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3   Fire goes before Him
     And burns up His enemies all around.
4   His lightning lit up the world;
     The earth saw it and trembled.
5   The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
     At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6   The heavens declare His righteousness,
     And all the peoples have seen His glory.

7   May all those be ashamed who serve carved images,
     Who boast in idols;
     Worship Him, all you gods.
8   Zion heard this and was joyful,
     And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced 
     Because of Your judgments, Lord.
9   For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth;
     You are exalted far above all gods.

10 Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
     Who watches over the souls of His godly ones;
     He saves them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous,
     And gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be joyful in the Lord, you righteous ones,
     And praise the mention of His holy name.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

As we love the Lord, we are to hate evil.  He has saved us from sin!  And more than that, we are to be joyful!  We are actually commanded to be joyful!!!  Because the Lord will take care of evil, we do not have to.  Our focus should be to seek after Him and be filled with the joy of the Lord.  Our purpose is to praise His holy name and declare His righteousness!  For that alone, we should be rejoicing!!!

today's meditation (Ps.96) Giving God the Glory

 (Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 96:1-13)  Sing to the Lord a new song;
     Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2   Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
     Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3   Tell of His glory among the nations,
     His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
4   For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
     He is to be feared above all gods.
5   For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
     But the Lord made the heavens.
6   Splendor and majesty are before Him,
     Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7   Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
     Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8   Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;
     Bring an offering and come into His courtyards.
9   Worship the Lord in holy attire;
     Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
     Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
     He will judge the peoples fairly.”

11 May the heavens be joyful, and may the earth rejoice;
     May the sea roar, and all it contains;
12 May the field be jubilant, and all that is in it.
     Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy 
13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,
     For He is coming to judge the earth.
     He will judge the world in righteousness,
     And the peoples in His faithfulness.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Let's take a moment to compare God to the gods of this earth.  People created their own gods, while God created the universe.  People determine what empty religious rituals they have to adhere to, while God offers us freedom from sin through His salvation in order to have a personal relationship with Him.  People who rely on self-made gods gain nothing from them, while people who rely on God gain everything.  It's very clear, there is absolutely no comparison!  God is worthy of all our praises!

today's meditation (Ps.95) Adjusting Behaviors and Attitudes

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 95:1-11)   Come, let’s sing for joy to the Lord,
     Let’s shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
2   Let’s come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving,
     Let’s shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments.
3   For the Lord is a great God 
     And a great King above all gods,
4   In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
     The peaks of the mountains are also His.
5   The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
     And His hands formed the dry land.

6   Come, let’s worship and bow down,
     Let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7   For He is our God,
     And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
     Today, if you will hear His voice,
8   Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
     As on the day of Massah in the wilderness,
9   “When your fathers put Me to the test,
     They tested Me, though they had seen My work.
10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation,
     And said they are a people who err in their heart,
     And they do not know My ways.
11 Therefore I swore in My anger,
     They certainly shall not enter My rest.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It all starts with knowing, seeing and hearing Jesus, and it is everlasting!

To bow down before God is to humble our hearts;  and our actions of good deeds will follow.  And to begin each new year and each new day with thanksgiving and praises is to set our hearts on the right path;  and feelings of peace, joy and contentment will follow.  The benefits and blessings from obedient behaviors and attitudes have less to do with ourselves, and more to do with our faithful and loving Shepherd!  

today's meditation (Ps.94) Investing in Our Future

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 94:1-23)  Lord, God of vengeance,
     God of vengeance, shine forth!
2   Rise up, Judge of the earth,
     Pay back retribution to the proud.
3   How long, Lord, shall the wicked—
     How long shall the wicked triumph?
4   They pour out words, they speak arrogantly;
     All who do injustice boast.
5   They crush Your people, Lord,
     And afflict Your inheritance.
6   They kill the widow and the stranger 
     And murder the orphans.
7   They have said, “The Lord does not see,
     Nor does the God of Jacob perceive.”

8   Pay attention, you stupid ones among the people;
     And when will you understand, foolish ones?
9   He who planted the ear, does He not hear?
     Or He who formed the eye, does He not see?
10 He who disciplines the nations, will He not rebuke,
     He who teaches mankind knowledge?
11 The Lord knows human thoughts,
     That they are mere breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom You discipline, Lord,
     And whom You teach from Your Law,
13 So that You may grant him relief from the days of adversity,
     Until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not abandon His people,
     Nor will He abandon His inheritance.
15 For judgment will again be righteous,
     And all the upright in heart will follow it.
16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
     Who will take his stand for me against those who do injustice?

17 If the Lord had not been my help,
     My soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.
18 If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”
     Your faithfulness, Lord, will support me.
19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,
     Your comfort delights my soul.
20 Can a throne of destruction be allied with You,
     One which devises mischief by decree?
21 They band themselves together against the life of the righteous 
     And condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord has been my refuge,
     And my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He has brought back their injustice upon them,
     And He will destroy them in their evil;
     The Lord our God will destroy them.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We can see how it goes when we look after ourselves or others.  Our efforts to stand up for justice and fight against evil is not that effective.  Of course, the Sovereign God is able, and one day He will set all things right.  Meanwhile, God will discipline those He loves, and allow consequences to fall on people.  We can seek and know God's truth, and live in it, knowing that we will be helped, comforted and blessed.

It is interesting that we often think God does not hear us or see us... yet He is the one who created the ears and eyes.  Of course He hears and sees everything.  God also created the brain and knows what we are thinking, so of course He is the best one to teach us what we need to know.  So whatever education a person seeks after, that will be their path.  And whatever a person invests in will be their inheritance and reward.  

If a person seeks after purpose, fulfillment, comfort and happiness in our own efforts, they will still struggle, and what is accomplished is only temporary.  And as they seek after the riches and "security" of this earth,  then that is their very temporary inheritance and reward.  

If a person seeks after God's truth and His heavenly promises, then this is what we will inherit!  God is the only one who can completely fulfill us!  He gives us great purpose, and gives us a joy that goes beyond anything we could ever imagine!  And only He is able to give us eternal life with Him!  As believers, we are God's inheritance.  He has invested in us, and He will not abandon us - ever.  

today's meditation (Ps.93) Having Faith in God Alone

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 93:1-5) The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
     The Lord has clothed and encircled Himself with strength.
     Indeed, the world is firmly established; it will not be moved.
2   Your throne is established from of old;
     You are from eternity.

3   The floods have lifted up, Lord,
     The floods have lifted up their voice,
     The floods lift up their pounding waves.
4   More than the sounds of many waters,
     Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
     The Lord on high is mighty.
5   Your testimonies are fully confirmed;
     Holiness is pleasing to Your house,
     Lord, forevermore.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We are to be responsible with the resources that God has given us, but let us not delude ourselves into thinking that we can change the climate on a global level.  We see how one storm, tornado or mudslide comes along and does a lot of damage, and we are unable to stop it or alter its course.

Whether we feel helpless or feel like we have the power, we need to know that God has more power than all powers combined!  He made everything and everything is ultimately in His control.  Nothing happens without God allowing it to happen.  And the Almighty God wants everyone to trust Him completely as well as know Him personally.  But the only way we can have a relationship with God is if we are holy, because He is holy, which is only possible through Him.  

We know all of this because God has given us His word.  And we can know that every word in the Bible is true and confirmed through the many testimonies in the Bible itself, and the testimonies of what we and other believers have witnessed.   We must realize that it is not about having some faith in God and some faith in ourselves, it is having faith in God and God alone.  Everything we have is from God, and God deserves our thanksgiving and praise. 

today's meditation (P.92) Expressing God's Joy

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Psalm 92:1-15)  It is good to give thanks to the Lord 
     And to sing praises to Your name, Most High;
2   To declare Your goodness in the morning 
     And Your faithfulness by night,
3   With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp,
     With resounding music on the lyre.
4   For You, Lord, have made me joyful by what You have done,
     I will sing for joy over the works of Your hands.

5   How great are Your works, Lord!
     Your thoughts are very deep.
6   A stupid person has no knowledge,
     Nor does a foolish person understand this:
7   When the wicked sprouted up like grass 
     And all who did injustice flourished,
     It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8   But You, Lord, are on high forever.
9   For, behold, Your enemies, Lord,
     For, behold, Your enemies will perish;
     All who do injustice will be scattered.

10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
     I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 And my eye has looked at my enemies,
     My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
12 The righteous person will flourish like the palm tree,
     He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Planted in the house of the Lord,
     They will flourish in the courtyards of our God.
14 They will still yield fruit in advanced age;
     They will be full of sap and very green,
15 To declare that the Lord is just;
     He is my rock, and there is no malice in Him.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

There is power in words, and when we start to speak out about things we believe in, even without God in the picture, it does something to a person's confidence.  But when God is involved, it becomes even more so.  

I remember as a kid, I was afraid to talk about my faith.  Then in Junior High, I hid my Christianity even better by trying to go along with the world here and there.  I was miserable and in a very dark place.  Eventually I went into a bit of a depression, bursting out in tears at the stupidest things.  My parents would ask what was wrong with me... but I didn't really know, and I had no words.

It was when I realized I was missing out on God's blessings, I confessed and apologized to Him and to my parents, verbalizing my struggles and my intentions of getting back to walking with the Lord.  Everything changed at that moment, including my confidence in sharing my faith with others.  It was like God's peace and joy within me wanted to be expressed!!!  The more I grow in the Lord, the more strength and confidence I have in Him, the more I want to serve and express!!!