Psalm - Psalm 1

It's been a while since I've posted on the blog. I've been posting on Facebook, and sorry to say, I've forgotten to post the information here. 

Today, I'm starting a new Bible Study. I'm going to pick out one verse from each Psalm on which to focus. 

Psalm 1

Psalm 1:2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

Delight: things desired, purpose
Meditates: to ponder, contemplate, talk it over with oneself

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2 (AMP)

They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions], and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night. Psalm 1:2 (EXB)

I like that word in the Amplified Version - Habitually. It's important to create a habit of thinking about God's Word. If I habitually ponder what God's Word has to say, the greater impact it will have in my life. 

Psalm 1:2 - Habitually Meditate! 

Study of Psalm 119. Psalm 119:22, 23

This continues the study of Psalm 119.  (Start the series here: http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2017/09/study-of-psalm-119-psalm-1191.html)


God Provides (by Rhonda Sawtelle)
Psalm 119: God's Word....

vs. 22, 23: Provides Protection

Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies.
Princes also sit and speak against me, but Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Psalm 119:22, 23

Kept: Guard with fidelity, keep, observe, to guard, to protect, obey
Meditates: to ponder  i.e. (by implication) converse (with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter 

What the princes did or said against him did not divert his mind, or take off his thoughts from the word of God, and the ordinances of it; he thought of them, he spoke and discoursed of them; he declared them — he was not afraid nor ashamed to profess his regard unto them. (John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible)

No matter what others say. No matter what others think. No matter what others may do. No matter — God's word is to be obeyed. 

Extraordinarily Exceedingly - Hebrews

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? Hebrews 2:1-4 (NKJV)

must give: what must happen, i.e. what is absolutely necessary; it behooves, is right and proper; ought

more earnest: "extraordinarily, exceedingly" (J. Thayer); beyond expectation; further than the upper limit, going past what is anticipated

heed: to give full attention; to set a course and keep to it.

heard: to hear (listen), learn

drift away:  spiritually adrift – "sinning by slipping away" (from God's anchor); means to "lapse" into spiritual defeat, describing how we slowly move away from our moorings in Christ.

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/

Just meditating on the meaning of Hebrews 2:1 this morning. The importance of not only hearing and learning God's Word, but applying it to my life. 

It is absolutely necessary that I go above and beyond just hearing God's Word — I must give it full attention, determining to apply it and live it daily. If I don't learn God's Word then it will be easy to be swayed by Satan and the temptations of sin. If I don't know God's Word, I will not have the ability to discern between God's Word and false teachings. 

Extraordinarily exceedingly set a course to follow God — and stay on course! 

My thoughts as I read Hebrews 2:1-4 this morning in preparation for this morning's message. 

To hear the Message of Pastor Osborne, visit http://www.faithbaptistwh.org and look under the Media tab. 

Incomprehensible

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 4. Here is what I learned.

Tremble and do not sin. Think about this on your bed and remain quiet. Selah Psalm 4:4 (GW)

Tremble with fear and stop sinning; think deeply about this, when you lie in silence on your beds. Psalm 4:4 (GNT)

Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent (sorry for the things you say in your hearts). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 4:4 (AMP)

Tremble: be afraid, stand in awe, disquiet, fret, provoke, quake, rage, shake, trouble, be wroth.

Not: nay, neither, never, no, nor, not, nothing, rather than.

Sin: always against God, absolute; to miss, trespass.

Think: meditate, commune, consider, declare, desire.

Heart: inner man, mind, will, understanding.

Be still: be silent, cease, hold peace, quiet self.

Bed: place of lying, couch; act of lying, reclining. 

Selah: pause.

Why is it when something happens we immediate get angry and blame God? Perhaps if we had a right perspective on what God is doing, or better yet had a proper understanding of Who God is, our reaction would not be that of blaming God or going against God. 

In our finite minds who are we to think we can fully understand God and what His plan is? We are not that mighty or smart! When we don’t understand God’s actions or what we may deem as lack of action, it’s time to step back and pause. Take time to meditate and consider Who God is. It’s time to be silent. Time to be still and stop trying to figure out what God is doing. God doesn’t need our approval for His actions. 

“Stand in awe, and sin not.” If ye be angry, and if ye think ye have cause to be angry; do not let your disaffection carry you to acts of rebellion against both God and your king. Consider the subject deeply before you attempt to act. Do nothing rashly; do not justify one evil act by another: sleep on the business; converse with your open heart upon your bed; consult your pillow. Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

It’s time to have a healthy fear of God. Time to consider that God has a specific purpose and plan that is far greater than we can comprehend. In stead of blaming God, it’s time to spend time getting to know God, and trust Him. 

To create a positive day, I don’t need to understand what God is doing, rather I need to trust God and allow Him to work... even if it is incomprehensible to me.  

On My Mind

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 1. Here is what I learned.

They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions], and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night. Psalm 1:2 (EXB)

Delight: delightsome, desire, purpose, a valuable thing, things desired.

Laws: of codes of law, instructions, teachings.

Meditate: soliloquize, to ponder -- imagine, study. 

Day: daily, in the daytime.

Night: literally night, opposed to day.

In late 2012, I thought that I needed to do more meditating. That is I’m creating this Ponder of Morsels Book. “I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you.” Psalm 119:15 (MSG).

On January 1, 2013, as I started studying the 31 Psalms I had picked, I wondered if my study would have an impact in my life. Would I really mediate on the truth I found each day? Would my Ponder Morsel be in my thoughts?  The answer is YES! God has shown me that He has much to teach me and I’m enjoying focusing my thoughts on His truth. 

It’s exciting to see what God wants to teach me each day and what morsel of truth, I can think on throughout my day..... and night. 

Psalm 1:2 discusses meditating on God’s teaching day and night. In order to meditate, one first has to study the learn God’s instruction. The idea of “day and night” means continually. That does not mean that I don’t think of other things. Rather, it means that as I go about my day, and wake up at night, the Ponder Morsel is “on my mind”. 

On my mind. There are  songs that “get stuck in our heads” and we can’t seem to get them off our mind... example “It’s a Small World” or “The Song that Never Ends”. Have you ever loved someone so much that he/she seems to be always on your mind? That is the concept meditating day and night. God’s truth is ever present. And not only is God’s truth always on my mind—it should have an impact on my thoughts, actions and attitude. 

For example, I woke up many times last night, and was starting to focus on the pain and getting very frustrated that I could not get comfortable. But my Ponder Morsel for yesterday was “peace in the midst of pain”. As I started focusing on all that God had done for me, His love and care, and His goodness, I found that I was overwhelmed with peace. As my focus changed from the pain to God, that allowed my mind and soul to realize God’s peace. The pain remained, but the frustration and worry was erased. When the soul is at peace, the body can relax and my mind is no longer racing with thoughts of pain and agony. 

I have also found myself thinking of past Ponder Morsels as I go about daily routines. I’ll do something, or hear a song, and it reminds me of a truth.  This is what Psalm 1:2 is teaching. When I study God’s Word and take the time to think on it, the truth will have an impact in my life. 

Ponder Morsels are not just cute sayings, or stories, rather they are morsels, tidbits, of God’s truth. When I have a desire to study God’s truth, and ponder it continually, it can have an impact on my life. To create a positive day, God’s truth must always be..... on my mind. 

God's GPS

I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you.

Psalm 119:15 (MSG) 

I will meditate on thy precepts,

And have respect unto thy ways.

Psalm 119:15 (ASV & KJV) 

Like the descriptive meaning of Psalm 119:15 from Gill's Exposition of the Bible: 

"I will meditate in thy precepts,.... In his own mind; revolve them in his thoughts; consider well the nature, excellency, usefulness, and importance of them, and the obligations he lay under to observe them. The Targum is, "I will speak of thy precepts;'' in conversation to others, and recommend them to them;

so the Arabic version: and have respect unto thy ways; or "look" (s) unto them; take heed unto them, and walk in them, and not wander from them; make them the rule of walk and conversation; as travelers look well to their ways, that they do not miss them, and go into wrong ways; they observe the directions that have been given them, and keep unto them; and so good men refer to the ways of the Lord, which the Scriptures point out unto them; see Jeremiah 6:16: “This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.’” 

As I read that this morning, what came to mind is my own personal "GPS" from God. However, the GPS only works as good as you pay attention to the directions. And God's GPS ALWAYS has the right directions, unlike some GPS/Map Aps from companies.

The overall idea of Psalm 119:15 is that first I realize the importance of God's Word in living day to day. Secondly, the goal is to "think about it, so that it has an effect on my life". God's Word should have an impact on my actions, attitude, and speech. And lastly, this doesn't "just happen" I have to make a conscious effort to ponder every morsel from God. 

Each day as I make an effort to "Create a positive day", I have to realize that can only be accomplished if I follow God's GPS.