Echo

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 62. Here is what I learned.

God has spoken once, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God. Psalm 62:11 (AMP)

God has said this once, and I have heard it ·over and over [twice]: God is strong. Psalm 62:11 (EXB)

God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated? “Strength comes Straight from God.” Psalm 62:11 (MSG)

"God hath spoken once." So immutable is God that he need not speak twice, as though he had changed; so infallible, that one utterance suffices, for he cannot err; so omnipotent, that his solitary word achieves all his designs. We speak often and say nothing; God speaks once and utters eternal verities. All our speaking may yet end in sound; but he speaks, and it is done; he commands, and it stands fast. "Twice have I heard this." Our meditative soul should hear the echo of God's voice again and again. What he speaks once in revelation, we should be always hearing. Creation and providence are evermore echoing the voice of God; "He that hath hears to hear, let him hear." We have two ears, that we may hear attentively, and the spiritual have inner ears with which they hear indeed. He hears twice in the best sense who hears with his heart as well as his ears. "That power belongeth unto God." He is the source of it, and in him it actually abides. This one voice of God we ought always to hear, so as to be preserved from putting our trust in creatures in whom there can be no power, since all power is in God. What reason for faith is here! It can never be unwise to rest upon the almighty arm. Out of all troubles he can release us, under all burdens sustain us, while men must fail us at the last, and may deceive us even now. May our souls hear the thunder of Jehovah's voice as he claims all power, and henceforth may we wait only upon God! The Treasury of David

Echoes. We like to hear good things over and over. “You look good.” “I love you.” We never tire of hearing praise and thanks. The echoes of God’s truth should be music to our ears, as it provides comfort and assurance. 

The echo of God’s never-ending supply of power and strength should ring loud and clear over and over. And that echo will provide encouragement knowing that God’s strength is exactly what I need to get through my day. 

To create a positive day, I need to listen to the echo of God’s truth ringing loud and clear as I go about my day. 

Exercise Gratitude Repeatedly

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 67. Here is what I learned.

God! Let people thank and enjoy you.  Let all people thank and enjoy you. Psalm 67:5 (MSG)

God, the people should ·praise [thank] you; all people should ·praise [thank] you. Psalm 67:5 (EXB)

The repetition shows that this was the principal thought in the mind of the author of the psalm. It expresses an earnest - an intense - desire, that all nations should acknowledge God as the true God, and praise him for his mercies. Barnes' Notes on the Bible 

Let the people praise thee, O God! Having spoken of all nations participating in the saving knowledge of God, he next tells us that they would proclaim his goodness, and exhorts them to the exercise of gratitude. The repetition used clearly shows of itself that he alludes to an event of a new and unprecedented kind. Calvin's Commentary

Exercise of gratitude. Repetition. I like the picture that creates. We know that physical exercise is a set of repetitions to build up strength and flexibility, not to mention remain healthy. The same can be true of “gratitude exercise”, for repetitions of expressing praise will build up our spiritual strength and help our souls to remain healthy. 

Good trainers know that you can’t just exercise one time and then call it quits, because well you did exercise. To be effective, exercise must be done often and with increases resistance in order to continue to be beneficial. 

Exercising gratitude may begin with praising God for the good things, that’s easy. But exercising gratitude in the midst of something you don’t understand or as you go through a difficult situation—that will strengthen your soul. Because no matter the situation, you know that God is worthy of praise. 

To create a positive day, I need to exercise gratitude repeatedly! 

Wait

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 27. Here is what I learned.

·Wait for [Hope in] the Lord’s help. Be strong and let your heart be brave, and ·wait for [hope in] the Lord’s help. Psalm 27:14 (EXB)

Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. Psalm 27:14 (MSG)

Please answer me: Don’t give up. Wait for the Eternal in expectation, and be strong. Again, wait for the Eternal. Psalm 27:14 (VOICE)

Wait, I say, on the Lord; this is repeated, to express the importance of this duty, and to encourage to it. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible 

Wait on the Lord - This is the sum of all the instruction in the psalm; the main lesson which the psalm is designed to convey. The object is to induce others, from the experience of the psalmist, to trust in the Lord; to rely upon Him; to come to Him in trouble and danger; to wait for His interposition when all other resources fail.

Wait, I say, on the Lord - Repeating an idea with which the heart was full; a lesson resulting from his own rich experience. He dwells upon it as a lesson which he would fix deeply in the mind, that in all times of danger and difficulty, instead of despondency, instead of sinking down in despair, instead of giving up all effort, we should go forward in the discharge of duty, putting our trust solely in the Lord. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When something is worth repeating.... it’s worth paying attention to, and worth doing. Wait on the Lord. No matter the circumstances you may find yourself, wait on the Lord. If you are seeking answers, wait on the Lord. If you want to know what direction to go, wait on the Lord. 

Wait on the Lord. Don’t move ahead without Him. Wait on the Lord, trust in Him and what He is doing. 

To create a positive day, I need to wait on the Lord and that means fully trusting in what He is doing, where He is leading, and His timing for it all. 

Majestic

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 8. Here is what I learned.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9 (AMP)

Majestic: astonishing, awe-inspiring, awesome, ceremonious, cool, dignified, elevated, exalted, fab, grand, grandiose, imperial, imposing, lofty, magnificent, marvelous, mind-blowing, monumental, noble, out of this world, regal, royal, smashing, sovereign, stately, stunning, sublime, sumptuous, superb, wonderful, wondrous.

When I stop and think for just a moment about the majestic, awe-inspiring, wondrous the Name of God is..... I can’t even grasp the full concept. But what I can grasp makes me praise God and gives me confidence that God is in control. 

Just when I think I grasp how majestic and awe-inspiring God is.... He is more than that. He surprises me with showing just how majestic He is. 

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! 

Simply repeat that over and over until the fact sinks in! 

To create a positive day.... it starts with saying, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! Then taking that fact and apply that truth to all that I do. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name.... in all the earth! 

And Repeat!

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 67. Here is what I learned.

Let everyone give thanks to you, O God. Let everyone give thanks to you. Psalm 67:3 (GW)

Let the peoples praise You [turn away from their idols] and give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise and give thanks to You. Psalm 67:3 (AMP)

May all people live to praise You, Our True God; may all come to praise You. Psalm 67:3 (VOICE)

There’s a song that “Lamb Chop” (puppet) sings with his friends... 

This is the song that never ends.

It just goes on and on my friends.

Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,

And they'll continue singing it forever just because . . . (and repeat)

The song continues “forever” because it doesn’t have an ending. That is what my praise to God is to be.... never ending. When I think I’m done praising God for Who He is and all that He does, I’m to start over again and repeat! 

He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23 (AMP)

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP)

At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:20 

To create a positive day, I must first START the “Praise that never ends”, then continuing singing it.... and repeat! 

Short-Term Memory Loss

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 146. Here is what I learned.

I will praise the Lord ·all [with] my life; I will ·sing praises [make a psalm] to my God as long as I live. Psalm 146:2 (EXB)

I want to praise the Lord throughout my life. I want to make music to praise my God as long as I live. Psalm 146:2 (GW)

While (as long as): yet, again, besides, henceforth, continuance, repeatedly, still more —again.

The best way to remember something is to talk about—and talk about it often! I have to say, that I’m thankful for my blog. For without my posts, I think I would forget most of the amazing things God has done for me. 

Sadly, when it comes to thanking and praising God for His love and mercy, I have short-term memory loss. I thank God, and then quickly go on about my day..... all to often forgetting the amazing grace and love God provides. And if I don’t stop and praise God, that short-term memory loss turns into long-term memory loss, and I find myself totally forgetting to praise God. 

If I really am to praise God with all my life, throughout my life, as long as I live—then it begins here and now. Praising God isn’t to be only on Sundays, or only on the special holidays. I am to be constantly praising God with my speech, my actions, my attitude. The more I praise God, the more the reasons of praise will “stick in my mind,” and I won’t suffer from “reasons for praise short-term memory loss.”

To create a positive day, and cure my reasons for praise short-term memory loss, I need to be praising God all day, every day!