Temporary Becomes Permanent

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 15. Here is what I learned.

Lord, who shall dwell [temporarily] in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell [permanently] on Your holy hill? Psalm 15:1 (AMP)

Lord, who may ·enter [dwell/abide/sojourn in] your Holy Tent [the Tabernacle]? Who may live on your holy mountain [Mount Zion]? Psalm 15:1 (EXB)

Two words for dwell are used in Psalm 15:1:

dwell: dwell for a (definite or indefinite) time. 

dwell: to reside or permanently stay. 

As I read this verse this morning, what came to mind is how I view temporary. Sometimes we are glad for “temporary” such as with dealing with pain. When pain become permanent... that is often hard to accept. Other times, temporary can provide help while we wait for the permanent, as in a temporary crown that the Dentist provides. 

As I read Psalm 15:1, I realized that the temporary is to prepare us for the permanent. Eternity is a long time! And throughout eternity we will be praising and worshiping God Almighty. During this temporary period on earth, I need to be practicing worshiping and praising God. I’d like to be ‘prepared’ for when the temporary become permanent! 

To create a positive day, I need to make sure I’m engaged in worshiping and honoring God, so that when the temporary becomes permanent, I’m ready! 

God’s Good

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.

Crowds of disheartened people ask, “Who can show us what is good?” Let Your brilliant face shine upon us, O Eternal One, that we may know the undeniable answer. Psalm 4:6 (VOICE)

There are many who pray: “Give us more blessings, O Lord. Look on us with kindness!” Psalm 4:6 (GNT)

There are multitudes who say, Who will shew us good? Man wants good; he hates evil as evil, because he has pain, suffering, and death through it; and he wishes to find that supreme good which will content his heart, and save him from evil. But men mistake this good. They look for a good that is to gratify their passions; they have no notion of any happiness that does not come to them through the medium of their senses. Therefore they reject spiritual good, and they reject the supreme God, by whom alone all the powers of the soul of man can be gratified.  Adam Clarke 

As for worldlings, this is their unceasing cry. "Who will shew us any good?" Never satisfied, their gaping mouths are turned in every direction, their empty hearts are ready to drink in any fine delusion which impostors may invent; and when these fail, they soon yield to despair, and declare that there is no good thing in either heaven or earth. The true believer is a man of a very different mould. His face is not downward like the beasts, but upward like the angels. He drinks not from the muddy pools of Mammon, but from the fountain of life above. The light of God's countenance is enough for him. This is his riches, his honour, his health, his ambition, his ease. Give him this, and he will ask no more. This is joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Oh, for more of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that our fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ may be constant and abiding! The Treasury of David

What is good? What is a blessing? Perhaps I need to look first, at Who is giving the blessing. For if God is supplying the blessing... than it is truly good and worth rejoicing! Next, what is the outcome of the blessing? Does it bring glory and honor to God? Than yes, indeed it is GOOD! 

My prayer is that I not define “good” from my perspective, rather that I would see God’s good and His blessings each and every day. For God’s good is far more lasting and gratifying than any earthly good. 

To create a positive day, I need to make sure I’m looking and accepting God’s good, and that I’m not satisfied with the temporary good the world supplies.