And It Starts Today

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 96. Here is what I learned.

Sing to the Lord, bless (affectionately praise) His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:2 (AMB)

Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Psalm 96:2 (NLT)

Sing to the Lord! Praise his name! Day after day announce that the Lord saves his people. Psalm 96:2 (GW)

Day-to-Day 

Adj.

1. of or belonging to or occurring every day; "daily routine"; "a daily paper"

Synonyms: everyday, regular, usual, routine, accustomed, customary, habitual, constantly.

Habitual: means made a norm or custom or habit or fixed practice.

Customary: means in accordance with convention or custom.

Usual: means commonly or normally encountered, experienced, or observed.

Habitual. Customary. Usual.

Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex. Norman Vincent Peale 

I am to make it a fixed practice, a daily custom, a normal experience to proclaim the good news of God’s saving grace. Proclaiming, talking about God is to be an automatic reflex. But, why is talking about God’s amazing saving grace so hard? It is the most precious wonderful gift, yet I am hesitant to discuss it. 

Habitual. Customary. Usual. It doesn’t happen all at once. It’s “day-to-day”.  I need to create a habit of proclaiming God’s amazing grace to those around me—and it starts today. Then, when tomorrow comes, I’ll make it a point to do it again. Day-to-day. It’s not yesterday, then next week. It’s the “here and now”. Today. 

To create a positive day, I need to create a habit of sharing God’s amazing saving grace with those around me, and it starts today.

Possession—it’s Mine, but do I keep it in Storage?

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 twenty-fifth of each month, I'm studying Psalm 62. Here's what Treasure I found today.

He is my rock and my ·salvation [victory]. He is my ·defender [fortress]; I will not be ·defeated [shaken]. Psalm 62:2 (EXB)

He alone is my rock and the One Who saves me. He is my strong place. I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:2 (NLV)

Possession: custody, dominion, hold, occupancy, occupation, possessorship, proprietary, proprietary rights, proprietorship, retention, tenancy, tenure, title.

When I look around my apartment, I am thankful that God has supplied me with several nice things. Some, I was able to buy new, others I bought at yard sales. And each day I make good use of my possessions. Whether it’s reclining on the Daybed working on the laptop, or watching TV, or making a meal in the kitchen using pots and pans, I avail myself of my possessions. 

But every now and then, I need to get something out of my storage unit, and I’m reminded of things that I have stored away. Some of those stored items I use once a year, like the Christmas decorations. But there are other items that I haven’t used for years, but they are still mine, but I don’t avail myself of my possessions. 

Psalm 62:2 lists several characteristics of God, that ARE MINE, but do I avail myself of them, or do I keep them in storage? When I place my possessions in storage, they are not readily available, and often I forget what I own! Out of sight, out of mind is true. If I keep the truths about God in storage, and don’t actually believe them and act on them, I’m not availing myself of the possessions that God has given me. That’s pretty sad if I ignore the gifts God has given me and put them in storage. And it sure makes it harder to get through each day, when I don't use what God has given me. 

God is my rock. Security. 

God is my victory. Salvation.

God is my fortress. Strong place.

If I truly avail myself of my possessions, than I will not be defeated! I will have victory. It’s only a matter of getting the truths out of storage, and availing myself of God!

To create a positive day, I need to grasp the truth of my possession—it’s MINE, and make sure I’m not keeping it in storage and going it on my own. 

Stormy Waters

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 61. Here is what I learned.

From the end of the earth will I call unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 (ASV)

When I’m far from anywhere, down to my last gasp, I call out, “Guide me up High Rock Mountain!” Psalm 61:2 (MSG)

"When my heart is overwhelmed." Troubles are of various kinds; some are provoking, some are gnawing, some are perplexing, and some are overwhelming; but whatever form they assume, they are troubles, and are part of the wear and tear of life.... Overwhelming troubles are such as sweep over a man, just as the mighty billows of the ocean sweep over and submerge the sands. These are troubles which struggle with us, as it were, for life and death; troubles which would leave us helpless wrecks; troubles which enter into conflict with us in our prime, which grapple with us in our health and strength, and threaten to conquer us by sheer force, no matter how bravely we may contend. Such trouble the Psalmist knew. - Philip Bennett Power, in "The 'I wills' of the Psalms," 1861.

"Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." The language is very remarkable. It gives us the idea of a man suffering shipwreck. The vessel in which he has been sailing has sunk. He has been plunged into the mighty ocean; and there he is buffeting the waves, struggling for life, panting for breath, and just about to give up all for lost. Suddenly he discovers a rock towering above him. If he can but climb up to the top of it, and get sure footing upon it, the billows will not be able to reach him, and he will be safe. Now, the prayer in our text is the cry of that poor wretch for help. He is so spent and exhausted, that he cannot reach the rock himself. He shouts aloud for the friendly hand of some one stronger than himself, or for a rope that may be flung to him by those who are already safe on the rock, if by these helps he may gain it. "Lead me to the rock," cries the poor perishing wretch. "O, lead me, guide me, direct me to it; for I am so worn and spent, that I cannot reach it otherwise. I am at the point to die; and I must sink, and be no more seen for ever, if there is none to help me." Thus he calls for some one to rescue him from the deep, and to place him on the "rock," But what rock? He knows that unless the rock be a high one, he will not be in safety, though he should be on it. "The rock," he says, "must be higher than I, or the waves will reach me, and wash me off again." It is not a rock, the top of which just shows itself above the sea, no higher than a man's own body, that will save the life of a shipwrecked mariner. Such a rock may occasion the wreck, but it will not afford any help to the sufferers afterwards; it is a rock to split upon for destruction, not to stand upon for safety. "Lead me to the rock," or as it is in the Prayer-book version, "Set me upon the rock, that is higher than I!"... The text having shown us the danger of sin, does not leave us comfortless; it shows us the security of the refuge. We have before remarked, that the prayer of David, as a shipwrecked man, is, to be "led to," and set upon, a "rock," that is higher than himself. The expression seems to imply much. The rock that is higher than he, must be higher than any man; for David was a mighty monarch. He implies, therefore, that the refuge he seeks must be more than any "arm of flesh" can afford him; it must be therefore divine. - Condensed from a Sermon by Fountain Elwin, 1842.

So overwhelmed that I fell like I’m drowning in the stormy waters, and too weak to even grasp the life preserver. Yet, all I need to do is cry out to God and He will lift me up. No matter my troubles, no matter the depths of my despair, God in His mercy is ready to rescue me. 

To create a positive day, it’s not about me doing it on my own, especially when the stormy waters are swirling around me, rather, it’s about crying out to God and simply trust Him to lift me up. 

Waking up with Great Anticipation!

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 twenty-third of each month, I'm studying Psalm 57. Here's what Treasure I found today.

Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre! I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]! Psalm 57:8 (AMP)

"I will awake early," Literally, "I will awake the dawn," a bold figure of poetry, as if the writer had said - The morning shall not awake me to praise; but in my songs I will anticipate the dawn. R. T. Society's Notes

Anticipation:  enthusiasm, anxiousness Synonyms: alacrity, ambition, anticipation, ardor, avidity, earnestness, excitement, fervor, greediness, gusto, heartiness, hunger, impatience, impetuosity, intentness, keenness, longing, promptness, quickness, solicitude, thirst, vehemence, voracity, yearning, zeal, zest, zing.

Remember those days when we were kids and were so excited for a vacation, or a special day, that we woke up extra early, and jumped out of bed? We were filled with so much joy, excitement, anticipation that there so just NO WAY we could stay asleep. 

Psalm 57:8 expresses the same thrill of anticipation concerning praising God. The very thought of praising and giving thanks to God, wakes me up rejoicing! Literally, waking singing a song! 

If I want to awake singing a song of praise to God, there are a few things I must do—before I go to sleep!

1. I need to take time to consider and think about who God is. 
2. I need to take time to count the wonderful blessings God gave me that day, week, month, year.
3. I need to take time to contemplate God’s greatness.
4. I need to take time to collect some praise music to fill my mind as I drift off to sleep.

Waking up with great anticipation to praising my awesome wonderful God, is the best way to create a positive day!

God’s Favorites

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 30. Here is what I learned.

When things were going great I crowed, “I’ve got it made. I’m God’s favorite. He made me king of the mountain.” Psalm 30:6 (MSG)

God’s favorite. Being a favorite can be a lot of fun! You get extra treats, you get to enjoy special celebrations, everything is taken care of, and you just sit back and enjoy. 

But being a “favorite” also brings responsibilities and a higher standard of accountability. 

As I thought about “being God’s favorite” a couple people came to mind; Job and Mary.

Job was a “favorite” of God’s because, “He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” Job 1:1 (NLT)

God knew that Job was a “favorite” and even brought Job to the attention of Satan. Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Job 1:8 (NLT)

Mary, was also a “favorite”. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! Luke 1:28-30 (NLT)

First and foremost, both Job and Mary were a “favorite” because they obeyed God. It’s that simple. They were people of integrity and feared God.

Secondly, because they were a “favorite” both were asked to do “more than the average person”. Being a favorite brings responsibility. 

Thirdly,  simply because they went through, what we would consider hardships, they did not turn from God, rather they “got to know God better”. 

And lastly, they remained a “favorite of God’s”  because they continued to obey and honor Him, not based upon the blessings or “good times”, rather because of Who God is. 

Being a “favorite” does have it’s blessings! But it also has it’s responsibilities. To create a positive day, I need to remember that if it want to really be one of “God’s Favorites”, then I must first and foremost fear God!