“Lord, Help!”

March 31, 2009

Eddie Rescue Leave a comment

Have you recently read Psalm 107.  Take a few moments to read it before you continue here.  help

It has been a while since I read it.  I guess if we tried categorize it, we’d probably say it speaks to those who were “at the bottom” whether or not their fault.  Upon calling out to the Lord for help (verses 6,13,19,28):  “He saved them!”     How faithful the Lord is!!

Are you in distress?  Are you in trouble?

they cried in their trouble,  and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, (vss 6-7)   He will lead you to safety!

  • He will lead you from darkness and the deepest gloom; He’ll snap those chains (vs. 14)
  • He will send out word and heal you, snatching you from the door of death (vs. 20)
  • He will calm your storm to a whisper and still the waves (vs. 29)

 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!  Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.”

The LORD Like a Father

March 23, 2009

Eddie Comfort, God as Father Leave a comment

   The Lord is like a father to his children,  tender and compassionate to those who fear him. – Psalm 105:13

our-fatherIn a society in which there are many fathers that do not model what a father should really be, to have the title of this post “The LORD Like a Father” could bring negative images to a person’s mind who has had an early father that has not been a role figure to them.  It grieves me where those conditions prevail in a home.  Sometimes their fathers left them no model to follow and the trend continues. 

If you didn’t have or don’t have a Father who demonstrated tenderness adn compassion in your home while you were growing up, then look up those words and become a student of their definitions.  Your heanvenly Father possesses those characteristices.  He is a Father of compassion and a Father of tenderness. 

Reject images of behavior from an earthly father poision you thinking toward your heavenly Father.  He welcomes you to crawl up in his lap and lean over on his breast when you hurt.

You Are Invited!

March 22, 2009

Eddie Easter Leave a comment

eastersunrise

“Change!” – Not God!

March 19, 2009

Eddie God as Creator, God is Sovereign, Perspective Leave a comment

 

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
They will perish, but you remain forever;
they will wear out like old clothing.
You will change them like a garment
and discard them.
But you are always the same;
you will live forever.    Ps 102:25-27seasons3
In less than 24 hours from the time I am writing this, spring arrives.  It can be calculated years in advance.  Recall it is determined by the tilt of the earth.  The point is that God set it in motion.  Time was created that first week (day four).  So our years, seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds are determined by either the earth’s rotation on its axis or revolution around the sun. 
Now this isn’t intented to be a science lesson, rather a reflection — on what the Psalmist reminds us:  God, who put all this into motion will disassemble it one day.  It will wear out and perish.  But, the One who set it into motion never changes.  It’s call immutable.
“Change” has been talked about in the news a lot over the last 12 months.  I rejoice because the One I read about in His Word will “remain forever,” is “always the same,”  and “will live forever!”
The elements that make up life may change – eventually will end, but You, Lord, remain forever!  Amen!!

The Content of Thanksgiving!

March 17, 2009

Eddie Praise & Thankfulness Leave a comment

1      Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!make-a-joyful-noise
2      Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3      Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4      Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5      For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.  Ps 100:1-5 (NLT)
Everytime I read this Psalm, memories flash back to Vacation Bible School where I first heard it as a memory passage.  I was very young then, but the truths are timeless.
The first thing I notice is the activity associated with giving thanks:  shout with joy, worship with gladness, come before him with joy.   I confess, I don’t always come before him like this!
It is noteworthy that in the midst of my thanksgiving there is acknowledgement that the LORD is God!  He is my creator and I am His.  I am a sheep in His pasture (btw, why should I want to wander off from the LORD’s pasture?)  This portion of my thanksgiving maintains my correct perspective in where I fit God’s creation.
Coming into His gates (presence) with thanksgiving and praise:  the reason I can is because of three things (it’s a great idea to reflect on these so I can be genuine in my offering to the Lord):
1. The LORD is good!
2. His love continues forever!
3. His fathfulness is everlasting!
In the timeline of my life, I see where all of these are true!
Lord, you are good,  ever-loving and ever-faithful.  Amen.

Praise Overflowing – Psalm 96

March 16, 2009

Eddie God is Sovereign, Praise & Thankfulness, Worship Leave a comment

This truly is an awesome Psalm of Praise.  In the previous post, I explained the difference in praise and thanksgiving, although sometimes the use of the words are interchangable at times.

After reading the Psalm (included below), I reflect on the action words associated with praise in this Psalm:  “sing, proclaim, publish, tell, recognize, give glory, bring offerings, worship.”  I notice how nature offers praise, while wondering if this is really just simple anthropomorphic language.  Could nature really offer praise to the Sovereign Lord? fields-clap-their-hands

==> heavens (stars, planets, moon, sky) be glad; earth rejoice; sea and everything in it shout; trees and forests rustle (could it be applause to the Lord that I hear? [Isa. 55:12:    12 You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!] )

Consider the descriptors of the Lord: 

He saves
His glorious deeds
The amazing things He does
He made the heavens
Honor and magesty surround Him
Strength and beauthy fill His presence (sanctuary)
He is glorious and strong
His holy splendor
The Lord reigns
He will judge with justice and truth.

I come to this conclusion and prayer:  Lord, I fall woefully short in my praise to You, my Savior, Lord and God. 

PSALM 96

    1 Sing a new song to the Lord!
      Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
    2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
      Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
    3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
      Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
    4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
      He is to be feared above all gods.
    5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
      but the Lord made the heavens!
    6 Honor and majesty surround him;
      strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

    7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;
      recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
    8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
      Bring your offering and come into his courts.
    9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
      Let all the earth tremble before him.
   10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
      The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
      He will judge all peoples fairly.

   11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
      Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
   12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
      Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise
   13 before the Lord, for he is coming!
      He is coming to judge the earth.
      He will judge the world with justice,
      and the nations with his truth.

Praise & Thanksgiving

March 10, 2009

Eddie Praise & Thankfulness Leave a comment

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,  to sing praises to the Most High. – Psalm 92:1

have you ever considered the difference in “praise” and “thanksgiving?”  I had it explained to me this way:  2008_03_05_fatherandson-794281we give thanks for what the Lord has done.  We praise the Lord, simply for Who He is.    As I consider a child who come to his father and asks for something on a regular basis.  Each time the child says “thank-you.”  Then, one day he comes up and sits beside his father.  The dad waits for him to ask for something, when all at once he says, “Daddy, I just wanted to say ‘thank-you’ just for being my daddy!”  Even though the son said the words “thank-you,” he was really praising his father for being who he was. 

Lord, let us not forget the words of the psalmist:  ‘It is good to give thanks and to sing praises to YOU!.  Help us to remember to do both!

Rest in the Shelter

March 9, 2009

Eddie Protection, Rest Leave a comment

 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. – Ps 91:1

shelter-from-the-stormIt seems clear from the passage that rest comes from living in the shelter/shadow of the Most High/Almighty.  When I think about rest I think of being able to close my eyes in comfort, peace and tranquility.  There is no anxiousness, no concern; for Someone else is “minding the shop.”  Can I have this all the time?  It seems so for the only condition to finding this rest is by living in the shelter of the Lord.

So I must let God be my shelter everyday.  When He is my protection from my enemies, then how could I be anxious.  It’s a choice, right?  Like a choice to go indoors when the storm approaches.  When my life storms come, I live in His shelter.  I find rest there.  I remember that Scripture says elsewhere that He holds the storm in His hand!

“That I May Honor You!”

March 4, 2009

Eddie Honor, Obedience, Purity Leave a comment

   Teach me your ways, O Lord,  that I may live according to your truth!
   Grant me purity of heart,  so that I may honor you.  Psalm 86:11

The Psalmist has two desires in this passage:  (1) to live his life according to God’s truth and (2) to honor the Lord.

In order for me to be able to live my life according to God’s truth, this passage instructs me to put myself in the position to be taught the ways of the Lord.  How do I do that?  These came quickly to mind as I meditated on this passage: 

  • Bible studies
  • Corporate worship
  • Private, quiet times with the Lord
  • Simply putting the right things in my mind through what I read, view and listen to.

honor01What of honoring the Lord?  As I thought of honoring someone, it is like assigning value to them.  Much like an heirloom in the family.  To another person it may just seem like an old piece of furniture or object.  But I’ve assigned value to it because it has been in my family for many, many years.  I show honor to that object.   The best way for me to show honor to my Lord is when I have purity of heart.  There can be nothing else that is singularly more important to me than Him.  “Lord, like the Psalmist, grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you in my life, my thoughts, my speech, my all!  Amen.”

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