Thanks Living: Totally Engaged

As I was searching for verses for for my "Thanks Living" devotions this morning, I read Psalm 138:1—"I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You."

As I was mediating on the verse, I thought I had studied this verse before, so I checked my blog. This is a repost from January 12, 2013, but it fits perfectly with "Thanks Living". 

Repost from January 12, 2013. 

Totally Engaged

Throughout this year (2013), each day of the month, I'm "Treasure Hunting" in a Psalm. I've created a "Ponder Every Morsel of Truth" Book to record the truths as I learn them. The Twelfth of each Month, I'm studying Psalm 138. Here's what Treasure I found today (January 12, 2013).

I will give thanks to you

with all my heart.

I will make music

to praise you

in front of

the false gods.

Psalm 138:1 (GW)

This is a personal Psalm. David is speaking directly to God, with reverence, but also with familiarity, as seen by the word “you” or in some translations “thee”. 

I will give thanks to you. That is praise and honor as in casting down before God in worship.  

With all. Whole. Complete. Entirety. Nothing left out. “All In”

My heart. The inner man, indefinite, soul, comprehending mind, affections and will. Thoughts and emotions. He was “totally engaged”.

I will make music to praise you. The music is praise to God in and of itself. 

In front of.  Not only was David giving thanks and praise God, he was doing it for all to see. The word for “in front of” or “before”  means conspicuous; easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable; noticeable; prominent; striking; noteworthy. David was not hiding his praise and worship to God. His praise was "out there for ALL to see". But he was not doing it for show—remember he was "totally engaged" in worship to God. David just didn't care who saw him praising God.

The false gods. David lived in an area where the surrounding nations had idols erected to false gods. David was not intimidated by the false gods. He knew that God, Jehovah, was the only true God who was worthy of worship. 

My translation:

“God, I am exceeding grateful to You. I honor and praise You with all of me—I am totally engaged in singing your goodness and mercy, and I don’t care who hears me! I am not ashamed of You, for You and You alone are God Almighty.” 

To create a positive day I cannot be ashamed of my God—I should be totally engaged in praising Him! 

Thanks Living: Surround Sound

So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate. The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. Nehemiah 12:31, 38, 40, 46

Large thanksgiving choirs. 

Songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Can you hear the songs of praise and thanksgiving being sung by two large choirs to God? The stereo sound of having one on each side? The first "surround sound"! 

Position Available! 

Job title: Chiefs of the singers

Responsibility: To sing songs of praise and thanksgiving, and lead the Choirs in songs. 

Qualifications: A heart filled with Thanks Living. Willing to worship God with songs of praise and thanksgiving. 

It's much easier to sing praises and give thanks to God in a group. It's important to do that! But true Thanks Living begins in the hearts of individuals. Yes, it must begin in my very own heart. I must be willing to sing praise and thanksgiving to God in private before joining the choir. 

I want to be part of a "Surround Sound Choir of Thanksgiving"! And to be part of that choir, I need to make sure my heart is filled with thanks to God, and that I'm making a habit of Thanks Living. 

Proverbs 10:9-13: Trouble. With a capital "T".

He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known. He who winks with the eye causes trouble, but a prating fool will fall. The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins. Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding. Proverbs 10:9-13

Walks: of moral and religious life

Integrity: (morally) innocence

Securely: assurance, boldly, without care, confidence, hope

Perverts: make crooked, distorts

Ways: of moral action and character

Become known: be revealed, discovered, of person

Winks: blink the eyes (as a gesture of malice)

Trouble: hurt, injury, pain

Fall: ruined, fail

Hatred: exceedingly hateful

Stirs up: awakens

Strife: discord

Covers: conceal

Sins: transgression against individuals

Wisdom: ethical and religious

Understanding: intelligent, discreet, discerning

Rod: staff for smiting

Back: body

Devoid: needy, lacking, in want of

Understanding: the will and even the intellect

Trouble. With a capital "T". And I'm not talking about "pool" (The Music Man). 

Yes, TROUBLE! Where does trouble begin? It begins in the heart. When one ignores and has a hatred for wisdom, trouble takes root and begins to fester and grow. And then that leads to attitudes and those attitudes are then put into action. 

We see it and hear about it each and every day in the news. We see the results of ignoring God's moral laws and what happens when everyone is left to do what is right in their own eyes. Sin and lawlessness becomes the norm and with it the strife, discontentment, destruction and death. 

Wisdom and understanding will followed brings security and hope. What a contrast to the aftermath that foolishness leaves behind. 

Trouble. With a capital "T". It all begins in the heart! When a heart is permeated with a deeps sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), then wisdom will reign and bring security and hope!

Proverbs 9:10: Start at the Very Beginning

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Fear: reverence, piety

Beginning: first principle of; starting place

Wisdom:  ethical and religious; to know

Knowledge: discernment, understanding, wisdom, including obedience

Holy One: divine name

Understand: perceive, give heed to, distinguish, consider with attention

I enjoy Musicals, and one of my favorites is "Sound of Music." When 

Fräulein Maria teaches the von Trapp children to sing, she "starts at the very beginning." 

Let's start at the very beginning

A very good place to start

When you read you begin with A-B-C

When you sing you begin with do-re-mi

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/s/thesoundofmusiclyrics/do-re-milyrics.html

When seeking wisdom, one too must start at the very beginning—and that is fearing God. Why is that beginning of wisdom? 

I used a new kitchen appliance last night—a pie maker. A few days ago, I read the recipes so that I could buy what I needed. When I started making the pies last night, I carefully read the instructions as I assembled the pies. I set the timer and waited. When I opened the lid, I was a bit surprised that the edges of the pies were quite well done. 

I checked the instruction booklet, and found it recommend that I use a different pie crust for the top than the bottom. However, that instruction was listed AFTER the instructions on how to cook the pies. If they had included that bit of information AT THE BEGINNING, it would have been very helpful! The pies were still edible, just the edges were a bit crunchy. 

Start at the beginning. If you really want to learn something new, starting at the very beginning is vital in gathering all the information necessary. Missing a key step can change the outcome. 

Back to our question, "Why is fearing God the beginning of wisdom?" Because He is the source of wisdom. He is the omnipotent, all-knowing One. As the source of wisdom: He is the One who understands the past, present, and future. He is the One who created everything, so He understand it all. He is the One who designed the World and all that is in it.

What better place to seek answers and knowledge than from the One who created us and the World in which we live. 

Start at the very beginning. Wisdom is available. Yet, we can't go it on our own. We need the guidance and understanding that only God can provide. Wisdom is attainable, if we go to the source. Fearing God begins with a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). For when my heart and mindset is focused on fearing and honoring God, then I'll want to listen and obey His wisdom. 

Start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!

Words and Music

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 47. Here is what I learned.

For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding. Psalm 47:7 (AMP)

For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with a well written song. Psalm 47:7 (NLV)

He’s Lord over earth, so sing your best songs to God. Psalm 47:7 (MSG)

Let your hearts and heads go with your voices. Understand what you sing; and feel what you understand; and let the song be what will give instruction in righteousness to them that hear it. Sing wisely  Anglo-Saxon. Multitudes sing foolishly. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible 

Sound doctrine praises God. Even under the economy of types and ceremonies, it is clear that the Lord had regard to the spirituality of worship, and would be praised thoughtfully, intelligently, and with deep appreciation of the reason for song, It is to be feared from the slovenly way in which some make a noise in singing, that they fancy any sound will do. On the other hand, from the great attention paid by some to the mere music, we feel sadly sure that the sense has no effect upon them. The Treasury of David

Often tunes get stuck in my head. The other day I woke up with “Jingle Bells” on my mind... guess I was thinking of Christmas in July. Just because a tune is catchy or has words that sound good, doesn’t mean that it is a good song. 

When I sing praises to God, I need to first make sure that the words and meanings are doctrinally correct. Secondly, I need to make sure that the words are honor God, and not me or mankind. And lastly, I need to make sure that as I sing the song, I’m not bring attention to myself, rather should be giving glory to God. 

To create a positive day, the words and music of my songs need to be true praise and worship to God. 

The Message of My Music

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 47. Here is what I learned.

Make music to praise God. Play music for him! Make music to praise our king. Play music for him! Psalm 47:6 (GW)

Sing praises to God. Sing praises. Sing praises to our King. Sing praises. Psalm 47:6 (EXB)

Sing: to make music (in praise of God); to celebrate in song and music—give praise, sing forth praises, psalms; original meaning hum, murmur.

What is the message of my music? Am I praising God and telling of His great power and mighty works? Or am I murmuring about my troubles and pain? 

The message of my music

has an effect on those who hear it.

First, it has an effect on me. Yesterday, I found this to be true. I was doing some housecleaning, and that always increases my pain. Chores actually hurt. But, I put in my CD’s and found that the song “God is Good” by Don Moen, changed my attitude. I found myself singing along and smiling... in spite of the pain. The message of the music effected my attitude and perspective and sure made finishing the chores easier. 

Secondly, the message of my music has an effect on those around me. If all I do is murmur, complain and talk about how bad things are.... that creates a message of hopelessness and despair. That is not a very uplifting or positive message for others to hear. 

And lastly, but most importantly, the message of my music has an effect on God. On March 28, I wrote about “Praise Looks Good on You”. When we praise God, it’s looks good on us to God. I like to think of it as “making God smile”. When I’m praising God, giving Him the honor due Him, it’s pleasing to Him. 

The message of my music—praise or murmurs of complaints—both will have an effect on me, those around me, and God. The choice of the message of my music is up to me. I can choose which song to sing. I can pick one of “nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen” or I can pick one of “God is Good!” 

To create a positive day, the message of my music must be that of praise and honor to my Almighty and loving God, for then and only then, will my music effect me and those around me in a positive way. 

Poor Me to Praise God!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 150. Here is what I learned.

What? Who? Where? Why? How? Five questions journalists include when writing a news report. On January 14, 2013, I shared the answers to the first four of these questions. Today, I’ll look at “How?”.

Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise him with castanets and dance, praise him with banjo and flute; Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Psalm 150:3-5 (MSG)

The Trumpet is the loudest and used  to make an announcement. It get’s everyone’s attention.  The strings are softer and more personal, requiring the strumming of the fingers. The castanets and dancing are results of the overflowing joy of praise. Praising God cannot, and should not, be contained The banjo and flute, using touch and our ‘wind’ to make harmonious music of praise. The cymbals and a big bass drum, loud and strong add to the harmony of praising God. 

As I thought about praising God with music, I couldn’t help but think of what music does. 1) allows me to express my joy and praise 2) changes my attitude to that of one of joy and praise. 

When I’m in a “good mood” and happy, singing and praising God is almost automatic. I find myself humming a song, or singing (when no one is around). Music is a natural outcome of being happy and joyous. 

Yet, when I’m in a “bad mood” I don’t feel much like singing. However, if I listen to praise and joyous songs, the music lifts me up and changes my attitude to one of praise to God. 

How should I praise God? With music. For music is an expression of my feelings—my heart and soul. If I don’t feel much like praising God, then I need to change my feelings—heart and soul and get “turned around” and music can do that was well. 

I have several artists which I enjoy listening to if I’m in a “praising mood” their songs help me express my praise to God. If I’m in a “poor me” mood, their songs give me an “attitude adjustment” and change my poor me into Praise God! The artists I enjoy are (in no particular order) Damaris Carbaugh; Bryan Duncan; Don Moen; The Ball Brothers; 4 Him; Philips, Craig & Dean.  

The music I listen to, the TV shows I watch, the books I read, all have an impact on “how I feel” and my attitude. What I feed my mind is what comes out. I continue to learn that on days I having a harder time praising God, I need to make sure I’m feeding my heart and soul “praiseworthy materials”. For praiseworthy materials will produce praise and joyous expression to my amazing almighty God. 

To create a positive day, when I don’t feel very positive, I need to listen to praiseworthy material so that I’ll change my attitude from “poor me” to “PRAISE GOD”! 

The Ball Brothers

I have been blessed by the music of the BALL BROTHERS. It's uplifting music with an awesome message.

I thought I'd share this special deal with you. It's for a limited time, so don't wait! (And no, I do not profit in anyway by the sale of their music. I just enjoy their music, and want to share it with others.)

For a limited time only, you can download of all of their songs for only $25!

This deal is good through JULY 14, 2011 ONLY!

http://www.theballbrothers.com/everything.cfm
You can also purchase the download as a gift!  If you would like to gift the "everything Ball Brothers collection" send them an email  (contact@theballbrothers.com) after you place the order and give them the email of the person you would like to gift the download to.

Listening to great music helps make the day a positive one.