More History in Song (3 Days in Psalm 106)

Friday, May 7th, full One Year Bible readings:
1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 ~ John 5:24-47 ~ Psalm 106:1-12 ~ Proverbs 14:30-31
Saturday, May 8th, full One Year Bible readings:
1 Samuel 5:1-7:17 ~ John 6:1-21 ~ Psalm 106:13-31 ~ Proverbs 14:32-33
Sunday, May 10th, full One Year Bible readings:
1 Samuel 8:1-9:27 ~ John 6:22-42 ~ Psalm 106:32-48 ~ Proverbs 14:34-35

Psalm 106 is another Historical Psalm that chronicles not only the provision God made for the nations of Israel, but many of the sins and failures of the people. The essence of the 48 verse Psalm is captured in the opening eight verses.

¹ Praise the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

² Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD
or fully declare his praise?

³ Blessed are they who maintain justice,
who constantly do what is right.

⁴ Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,

⁵ that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise.

⁶ We have sinned, even as our fathers did;
we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

⁷ When our fathers were in Egypt,
they gave no thought to your miracles;
they did not remember your many kindnesses,
and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

⁸ Yet he saved them for his name's sake,
to make his mighty power known.

Psalm 106:1-8

Can you feel the emphasis and weight of verse eight? "Yet He saved them for His name's sake, to make His mighty power known." I love the fact that both verse eight and verse forty five are in the same psalm. It encourages me to think that the psalmist was able to rightly understand or at least find a balance in the understanding of the purpose of God's love and mercy.

⁸ Yet he saved them for his name's sake,
to make his mighty power known.

⁴⁵ for their sake he remembered his covenant
and out of his great love he relented.

Psalm 106:8,45

Each of these verses offer a reason for God's salvation and love. Verse eight says it is for God's sake, while verse forty five says it is for our sake. I believe they are both true, but should fall in that same order: for God's sake, and for our sake.

While it is likely true that there are far smarter people who disagree on this subject, it is my understanding and conviction that God offers salvation first and foremost for the purpose of His glory! I believe His love for us is the second reason he offers us salvation.

May I never elevate myself to the centerpiece of the purpose of salvation. It would be folly for someone to think I am someone great in place of thinking God is great.

It's like transferring value incorrectly. Humanly speaking, if someone pays $10,000 dollars for something, they generally think it is worth $10,000 dollars. But, just because Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, died on the cross for me, that does not mean I was worth it. In fact, He is the only one worth anything, and my only worth is found in Him and should be offered to Him.

As you read through this amazing psalm over the next couple of days, thank and praise God for His forgiveness and mercy. He forgives us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to display His glory AND His love!

For more on the significance of the Historical Psalms read my post from last Tuesday on Psalm 105.

Daddy Day

A few years ago a friend of mine, who is also a pastor, shared with me how for years he and his children had a Daddy Day once a week on his day off. It is something the whole family looks forward to.

Since then we have designated Friday to be Daddy Day in the Price Family, and the boys love it. They talk about it all week as they tell me each night what they want to do on the next Daddy Day.

This morning we flew kites, and now we are going to eat lunch with momma.

Warning: Totally Non-Spiritual

Ok, I realize this is totally nonspiritual, but take a look at these old pictures and guess where my wife and I are going on our date tonight!! Woo hoo!!

I'll give you a hint (though I'm sure you don't need it), "SPACE, (pause) the final frontier. These are the voyagers of the..."

Criminal Goes Free (Please Read!)

I am wondering this evening, "What is the best way to share Jesus with you?"

For starters, if you find this question sounding a little strange to your ears, please forgive me and humor me for a moment.

Jesus Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He is a real person, and is alive today. He has set me free from my addiction to sin and has given me a purpose for living.

I love Him with all my heart, and I'm overflowing with thankfulness.

Seriously, I want to share what He has done for me with as many people as will give me a chance.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Will you give me a chance?

Some people will just invite you to a church and pawn it off on the "preacher" to tell you about Jesus. But, that's not me.

I'll tell you. I'm telling you.

Jesus is the real deal. He alone has the power to rescue you from a wasted life spent chasing after the wind.

Did you know that Jesus loves you?

No, I'm dead serious! He loves you so much that He willingly was tortured to death so that our Creator God could forgive our sin.

You see, God is Holy, meaning He is perfect; and because we have each chosen to do wrong, we have distanced ourselves from our Creator.

We could never be "good enough". The stain of sin that marks our lives cannot be removed by a sinful person.

Thus, on our own, we have no chance for restoration. His holiness and justice will not allow it.

Our sinfulness has set us on a path of eternal destruction.

However, because of His amazing love for you and me, He paid the price for our sin and offers us a full pardon. We call this grace.

And, let me just say, true grace is quite scandalous! Think about it - how do you feel about a convicted criminal being set free AND the crimes being wiped totally off his record, all because an innocent man willingly paid the price - dying in his place?

So, what do you think about Jesus now?

Will you receive His pardon, or will you reject it?

I want to personally invite you to contact me if you have been challenged by what I've written. I make myself available to answer your questions to the best of my ability. (share your comment below or shoot me an email at bj@fbctrussville.org)

Thanks for giving me a chance!

I'd be honored if you would give me another chance in the future by subscribing to my blog.

I hope you have a fulfilling day.

In Christ Alone,

B.J.

PS: Please feel free to forward this post or a link to this post to any of your friends. I'd love to share with them too!

The Importance of History in Song (3 Days in Psalm 105)

Tuesday, May 5th, full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22 ~ John 4:4-42 ~ Psalm 105:1-15 ~ Proverbs 14:25
Wednesday, May 6th, full One Year Bible readings:
Ruth 2:1-4:22 ~John 4:43-54 ~ Psalm 105:16-36 ~ Proverbs 14:26-27
Thursday, May 7th, full One Year Bible readings:
1Samuel 1:1-2:21 ~ John 5:1-23 ~ Psalm 105:37-45 ~ Proverbs 14:28-29

Our full One Year Bible readings have us in Psalm 105 for three days followed by three more days in Psalm 106. Both of these psalms are "historical" psalms in that they recount what God has done throughout history for the nation of Isreal - clearly God's chosen people.

Psalm 105 focuses on the promises of God through the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron.) It also recounts their significant dealings with powerful foreigners like Abimelech (Genesis 20), Potephar (Genesis 39-41), and Pharaoh (Exodus 7-14).

The opening and closing of this psalm are beautiful and help each worshiping member of the congregation remember why it is important to know what God has done for them. Learning from history can save us a world of heartache and pain.

As my wife often says (and I think she got it from Beth Moore), "Why not learn this lesson from the Book instead of going on the field trip!"

Additionally, let me add, singing their history was and is an important way to pass God truth and testimony on to future generations. Contemporary worship leaders and song writers today need to keep that in mind for the sake of our children.

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

³ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

⁴ Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.

⁵ Remember the wonders he has done...

⁴² For he remembered his holy promise
given to his servant Abraham.

⁴³ He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy;

⁴⁴ he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for-

⁴⁵ that they might keep his precepts
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 105:1-5, 42-45

Today, as an act of worship, remind yourself of the things that God has done for you in the past, and PRAISE HIS MIGHTY and HOLY NAME! Remember all that He has done throughout history; we are heirs of His faithfulness and His promises. Pass them on to the next generation through the things you say and way you live!

Point of View (Psalm 104)

Sunday's full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 17:1-18:31 ~ John 3:1-21 ~ Psalm 104:1-23 ~ Proverbs 14:20-21
Monday's full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 19:1-20:48 ~ John 3:22-4:3 ~ Psalm 104:24-35 ~ Proverbs 14:22-23

Our readings have camped us in Psalm 104 for the last two days. From the opening phrase to the closing proclamation, this is truly a psalm of praise. It is mostly to praise God for his mighty and awesome works, such as the glory of His creation.

Have you noticed the point of view in which songs are written? I have noticed that many worship songs have been written from the first and second person point of view and are thus to be sung directly to God. This helps facilitate a personal conversation between the worshiper and God.

However, some worship songs use primarily the third person point of view and thus, rather than encourage a conversation with God, they facilitate a conversation about God. Both songs have there place, and both can be used to bring GREAT GLORY to GOD!

Psalm 104 actually does both. (As you read it, notice how the pronouns change.)

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

² He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent

³ and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.

⁴ He makes winds his messengers, ^a]">[a]
flames of fire his servants.

⁵ He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.

⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.

⁷ But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

⁸ they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.

⁹ You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.

²⁰ You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

²¹ The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.

²² The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.

²³ Then man goes out to his work,
to his labor until evening.

²⁴ How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

²⁵ There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.

²⁶ There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

²⁷ These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.

²⁸ When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.

²⁹ When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.

³⁰ When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.

³¹ May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-

³² he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

³³ I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

³⁵ But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 104:1-9, 20-35

Today, as an act of worship, speak of Him and to Him! Proclaim His great works. He has done amazing and marvelous things. Open your eyes to the majesty of His creation. Join with the psalmist and PRAISE HIM!

East to West - Casting Crowns (Psalm 103)

Today's full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 15:1-16:31 ~ John 2:1-25 ~ Psalm 103:1-22 ~ Proverbs 14:17-19

Psalm 103 has, perhaps, the clearest explanation, in the Psalms, for why we should worship God with overflowing gratitude. He models for us something we would never do on our own - give grace - unearned unconditional love.

¹⁰ He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103:10-14

A couple of years ago Casting Crowns released a song called East to West which captures the essence of these verses in Psalm 103. I hope you will take five minutes and allow this song to minister to You. Then, offer it back to the LORD!

Today, as an act of worship, bring a heart of true thankfulness before the LORD and praise Him.

For A Future Generation (Psalm 102)

Today's full One Year Bible reading:
Judges 13:1-14:20 ~ John 1:29-51 ~ Psalm 102:1-28 ~ Proverbs 14:15-16

Psalm 102 is "A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD." (NIV text note). It breaks my heart to read such a lament of suffering, struggling, and pain.

The human experience is often filled with highs and lows. One moment you're on top of the the world; the next moment you're in the pits of despair. I thank God that He has not abandoned us, but has given us hope and a future.

Even here in middle of Psalm 102 we read of the glory and provision of God, as well as, a word of scholarly instruction ("Let this be written...")

¹² But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever;
your renown endures through all generations.

¹³ You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come.

¹⁴ For her stones are dear to your servants;
her very dust moves them to pity.

¹⁵ The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

¹⁶ For the LORD will rebuild Zion
and appear in his glory.

¹⁷ He will respond to the prayer of the destitute;
he will not despise their plea.

¹⁸ Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD :

Psalm 102:12-18

May those who come behind us be lifted up and spurred-on by our daily walk with Christ. May they we drawn to this magnificent God - the Creator and Sustainer of all!

Today, as an act of worship, pursue God in such a way as to magnify His glory for the sake of future generations!