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Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Psalm 23 goodness and lovingkindness seventeen
As we continue on our study in Psalm 23, we come to a section that is hard to to to... what would be the word or words to use here. The phrase is, "Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, " Let me begin with that this is a hard passage for all of us. As we live our lives, we sometimes cannot see the goodness in what we are facing... nor can we feel the lovingkindness. Sometimes life is hard... and for some of us it is harder... and for some it is harder than one can think of. We often ask or think, where is the goodness, the lovingkindness? How can it be here in this situation...
I believe that a key to understand this phrase is in the word, "follow". You see the goodness and lovingkindness follows us, it doesn't go before us. You see we need god's help in the present. That is we need His help while we are going through life that no matter what we are going through that God's goodness and lovingkindness will come into play. So when we are walking were we shouldn't we turn to God for His goodness and lovingkindness (forgiveness). Now we also need to see that our God is helping us through those times... Have you seen God doing things in your life? Goodness and lovingkindness. Think about it how do we know that God is working? When He does for us the things we cannot do for ourselves. When He comes to the rescue or when He makes a bad situation not that bad... When we look back on our life seeing God working... Now next week We will touch more on this though. One verse to help us, Romans 8:28 "And we know for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."
Monday, March 18, 2013
Psalm 23:5 Person sixteen
As I was thinking about what to write this week, I really pondered to not write anything. It's been a hard week, a hard couple of months and a hard year. In times like these it is not easy to write about heaven; even though we have the hope, as believer's in Jesus Christ..., that we will be going to Heaven to be with our Lord. So this week think about your walk with Jesus Christ! It is so important, so many of us in different times of our lives, neglect that walk with Jesus; we go astray. Like sheep we go astray...for whatever reason. So today is the day to return...to Jesus. Today is the day to trust Jesus.
So on to our study, did you notice that the psalmist started to refer to us not as sheep but, as a person (verse 5). Sheep don't need a table to eat, people do. The psalmist continues this to the end of the psalm when He says, "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." You know when we go to heaven we don't go as sheep, no but as a person. A person with a personality. A person that God wants to fellowship with; a God who wants us to dwell in his house. You see God wants us there in heaven with Him. A place more glorious than we can think...It's perfect and God will also perfect us. Now there is only one way for that to be done. That way is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Some may say, that by saying that I'm narrow minded...But think about it, no matter how hard we try to be good...don't we all fail; never mind trying to be or act perfect. Or how about this has anyone else ever came back from the dead to live forever? Only one. So why not put your trust in the one that has; Jesus Christ. The one who says He can do it for you; if you believe in Him.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Psalm 23 goodness fifteen
Our next phrase is a hard one to get a handle on. "Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life." As we walk our lives on earth, it is evident that it is hard. That difficult times are here and we can see them in the future. Not only that, there is a lot of bad things that happen in this world. Living life even when there is clear sailing also takes a lot of work. On top of that we are always in a learning mode. Think about it, we need to be learning, thinking all the time because each day is different and problem....come and we need to go through them....So life is hard and seeing God's goodness and loving-kindness, well sometime it's just hard to see.
So let's talk about the everyday grind of life. Work, school, chores, cooking, eating and interacting with one another. All of these things can bring, let's call it stress, Work can be work. but sometimes it seems to be too much work. School well school is school, and sometimes we don't get what needs to be learned right away. Chores some days those task seem to be so big....The eating thing sometimes even causes problems. Do I need to go into socializing with each other.
There is a principle we need to grasp. It is in Roman 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God that all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Now as believers, this verse is true. All things work together for good. Let me tell you it is hard sometimes to see the good. Sometimes the "good" doesn't show up right away! It's days....behind. Sometimes the "good" isn't the "good" for you, but for someone else; a greater good. Now that's when it really gets hard. Now we also must remember that God's loving-kindness never fails. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins; His mercies are new every morning, great is thou faithful, oh Lord.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Psalm 23:5 Table fourteen
Do you like it when someone does something for you? Doesn't it make you feel good. When someone does something, just for you, in a special way; because they love you. Well so far we have been looking at all that God does for us, as we walk on this earth, that is in relation as The Lord being our shepherd. Now in verse 5 there is a little more personal note; the Lord as host... The Lord is doing 2 more things for us. The first, He prepares a table for us. That is He provides a meal or meals... for us. I don't know about you but food just seems to taste better when someone else is cooking. Think back, has the Lord been providing in this way for you? Taking care of the need of physical food for nourishment? He does more than just lead us to the feeding trough. He provides the food also.
Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil; My cup over flows."
Now to the second thing He does. Anoints our head with oil. Well this is something that we don't do now a days. Well in, the good old days, that is biblical times, one would anoint his guest when they came to their home. It showed respect and honor...and made the guest welcomed. An example of this would be Luke 7:36-46. Isn't that great that our God welcomes us... not because of our deeds or because we are so and so; but because of who we are in His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. You know that Gods arms are wide open for His children, when we are having a bad day or we mess up or whatever, we can always go to our loving Father. His loving arms are waiting to hold you... If you have never trusted... the Lord Jesus, He's waiting for you, no matter who you are or where you have been or what you have done, He's waiting for you to come to Him...
Now when you have experienced all that God has and is doing for you, you can say just as the Psalmist say, "My cup over flows.". Don't let the world cloud your vision as to seeing all that God is doing for you. Sometimes we look around, we see this and that, and it looks a whole lot better than what we have. We think that if we only had this or that we would be better off...but letting God provide is the best way. Let me tell you, I know it's not easy. Let me say that again it's not easy, and boy do I know it. Also we even sometimes think if I was over there, I would be better off...we forget to let God lead...We need to let Him be the Shepherd! For He is the Good Shepherd! And as we see He does a lot more than leading, directing, protecting...He cares for your health(food) and He also cares for you socially (He welcomes you, anoints your head). Remember He is also our Father.
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