Change of Perspective

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 13. Here is what I learned.

Ever have one of the days, months, weeks, when life becomes overwhelming? When you wonder, “if God loves me, why does He let this ‘bad’ stuff happen to me?” Feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are caring it alone? 

This is how David felt in Psalm 13:1-4 (EXB).

1 How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I worry [or bear pain; hold counsels] and feel sad [hold sorrow] in my heart all day? How long will my enemy ·win [rise up] over me?

3 Lord, look at me. Answer me, my God; tell me [light up my eyes], or I will die [sleep the sleep of death].

4 Otherwise my enemy will say, “I have won [finished him off]!” Those against me [My foes] will rejoice that I’ve been defeated [shaken; moved].

To be honest, I’ve have days like this. Chronic pain and headaches can become overwhelming, especially when it becomes my focus. And there are times the pain is screaming so loud, that I can’t focus on anything else. 

Forgotten. Alone. Fearful. Hurting. Unheard. All are emotions that are very real and can rob us of hope. 

Thankfully, Psalm 13 doesn’t end with despair and hopelessness. David gives us the “remedy” for those overwhelming times in our lives.

5 I trust [have confidence] in your love [loyalty; covenant love]. My heart is happy [rejoices] because ·you saved me [of your victory/salvation].

6 I sing to the Lord because he has taken care of [been good to] me.

Psalm 13:5, 6 (EXB)

David was overwhelmed with hopelessness, so He turned His attention to the source of hope—God. David turned his attention and thoughts to the one “constant” in his life—God. David changed his attention from his situation and feelings to the facts about God Almighty. 

Facts:

1. God’s love is unconditional.
2. God keeps His promises.
3. God is salvation.  
4. God has proven Himself in the past—has taken care and been good to me. If He’s done it before, He can do it again. 

On those days I feel overwhelmed by pain, life, emotions, I need to stop and re-focus on the facts of God. Changing my perspective begins with a change of focus from emotions to facts. But just any random facts; rather facts about God Almighty! 

To create a positive day, I must change my perspective from me to God. Then and only then, can I rise above my situation and enjoy a positive hope-filled day! 

I can do it MYSELF!

Throughout this year, 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 Sixteenth of each Month, I'm studying Psalm 11. Here's what Treasure I found today.

“I can do it MYSELF!” Sadly this isn’t just what a child would say. It seems that I find myself saying this phrase and acting as if I can do it “all by myself”. 

In Psalm 11, David has this same struggle... “I can do it myself!” But David has a “talk with himself” and realizes that “No, I can’t do this alone. I need God!”

Psalm 11:1-3, describes David's situation of danger. Where can he go? He's afraid, in danger, and he wants to find a safe place to be. 

Fear is a powerful emotion. I wrote on my blog June 22, 2010,

“Fear is a powerful thing. It can paralyze a person from doing something great. It ignores all other facts and creates its own reality.”  

The more I think about and focus on what I fear, the greater my fear becomes. 

David realizes that in Psalm 11:1-3. David wants to run and hide. But as we all know, running and hiding doesn’t help, because we take the ‘fear’ with us.  Rather, David had a better solution to his fear. He had a “talk with himself” and realizes that “No, I can’t do this by myself. I need God!” 

David's fixed resolution to make God his confidence: In the Lord put I my trust, v. 1. Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary   

I like how Matthew Henry said that... “Fixed resolution to make God his confidence.” David set it in stone, so to speak. David knew for a fact, that he could not “do it himself”, he needed God, so He would trust God—period.

As I thought about this Psalm, I realized a few things.

1. “I can do it myself” is not a new  concept. For some reason, “doing it myself” is the stubborn, obstinate way allowing fear to take hold.

2. In order for me to  be able to “tell myself” something, I need the knowledge. That means I need to study to learn more about God and what He does and can do.

3. I need to listen to myself, when I’m speaking truth.

4. And the most important aspect... is to know whom I’m to trust the most—God.

To create a positive day, I need to “get out of the way”, give up the “I can do it myself” mentality and trust God to do what He says He will do, and is very capable of doing! 

A Name

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.

LORD our Lord, ·Your name is the most wonderful name

[How majestic is your name]

in all the earth!

Psalm 8:1 (NXB)

Name. How majestic, grand, magnificent, marvelous, “mind-blowing", monumental, noble is God’s Name. 

The Hebrew word for “Name” means “embodying the (revealed) character”. So what Name of God did the Psalmist use. He actually used two names.

LORD is Yahweh. God’s proper name; His name of deity.

Lord is Adonai. Adonai means master, ruler, owner, and is such a title as is given to an owner of land, to kings, or to rulers, and is applied to God as being the ruler or governor of the universe.

So the very Name of God, Yahweh Adonai is “mind-blowing” in and of itself. Simply because the power and authority in His Name. It reveals Who God is. 

When we hear a name of a celebrity or sport’s player, we immediately associate that name with a characteristic, or action, or something about that person. But when we hear God’s name, how do we react? Of what do we think?  

One of the Ten Commandments is “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” Exodus 20:7 (KJV) 

What does that mean? 

No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter;

God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name.

Exodus 20:7 (MSG). 

When we lose lack of respect for a person’s name, we also lose respect for the person. This is a sad fact of our society today. People think nothing of swearing and using “OMG” flippantly. 

If we could grasp even the smallest amount of understanding of Who God is, we would begin to understand the magnificence of God’s name and then the very being of God, Himself. 

To create a positive day, I need to respect the very Name of God, for it reveals His character, His ability—Who God is. And when I recognize Who God is, that changes my outlook on life. 

What? Who? Where? Why? How?

Throughout this year, 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 Fourteenth of each Month, I'm studying Psalm 150. Here's what Treasure I found today.

What? Who? Where? Why? How? Five questions journalists include when writing a news report. What is happening? or What is about to happen? Or what should happen? Who is involved? Who is affected? Where does it take place? Why is it happening? Why should it happen? How does it happen? 

In Psalm 150 David, the Psalmist, answers the specific questions. 

What? The “what” is PRAISE. If you’ve been following the Ponder Morsel posts, the theme of many of them, have been Praise. 

Who? To Whom is our Praise directed? Psalm 150 begins “halelu-yah, praise ye Jehovah”. 

Praise God, or the strong God. Praise him who is Jehovah, the infinite and self-existent Being; and praise him who is God, El or Elohim, the great God in covenant with mankind, to bless and save them unto eternal life. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Where? 

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his ·Temple [holy place; or holiness]; praise him in his ·mighty heaven [strong firmament; Gen. 1:7]. Psalm 150:1 (EXB)

God is to be praised locally, (in his Temple) and as far as the Heavens expand! Meaning  that everyone, and everything NEAR and FAR are to Praise God. The where, is literally “everywhere”. 

Why? 

First, for God’s “might acts of power”. The literal translation is “His mightinesses”. Just think of the strength and power used to create the world, and sustain it. On Jan 4, 2013 I wrote about the Ultimate Greatness of God. 

The fact the sun weighs Think about the Sun for a moment. Its diameter is about 860,000 miles. The sun weighs 4.4000000000000000000000000000000 pounds— that is 4.4 followed by 30 zeros pounds! And yet it “hangs” in space! (Ultimate Greatness, Jan 4, 2013.)

That one act alone displays God’s MIGHTINESSES! 

The second “Why?” is because of “magnificent greatness.”

"Praise him according to his excellent greatness," or, as the words may bear, "according to his muchness of greatness". "God is great," that is, he is greatest, he is greater than all; so great that all persons and all things are little, yea, nothing before him. The Treasury of David

What am I to do? Praise. Who? God. Where? Everywhere. Why? Because of Who God is. He the mightiest. He is the greatest.  Next month, I’ll look into the HOW do I Praise Him. 

When I take notice of the mightiness and greatness of God, and acknowledge Him in my life, that creates a positive day!

Who & Actions

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.

Praise ye Jehovah.

Praise Jehovah, O my soul.

While I live will I praise Jehovah:

I will sing praises unto my God

while I have any being.

Psalm 146: 1, 2 (ASV)

This psalm is a general psalm of praise which might be used at any time, containing thoughts such as are appropriately suggested by a contemplation of the character of God, and his dealings with people. The idea is that of the blessedness of trusting in God; the security of those who do it; the superiority of this confidence and peace over any which is reposed in princes; and the evidence that it will be safe to trust in him, furnished by his merciful interpositions in behalf of the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the bowed down, the righteous, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As I read through this Psalm, I realized it was packed with reasons God deserves my praise. I like alliteration outlines, so I created this outline of Psalm 146.  

The purpose of praise is God. (vs 1)
The plan of praise is all my life. (vs 1)
The practice of praise is in song. (vs 2)
The prolongation of praise is eternity. (vs 2)
The perverse direction of praise is to people. (vs 3)
The proof of inadequacy of praise to people. (vs 4)
The premium for praising God—happiness. (vs 5)
The principle of praise is that God is faithful forever. (vs 6)
The help for the pauperized is praise-worthy. (vs 7)
The penitent peoples’ reason for praise. (vs 8)
The love of God is provocation for praise. (vs 9)
The persistence of praise. (vs 10)

What I learned today from Psalm 146, are specific examples of God’s character—Who He is, is why He does what He does. And because of Who God is and His actions, He is worthy of praise and honor. 

To create a positive day, I need to recognize Who God is and take notice of His actions and care in my life.