Worship and Praise Him

Psalm 33:1-9

English Standard Version (ESV)

33 ^(A)Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    ^(B)Praise befits the upright.
² Give thanks to the Lord with the ^(C)lyre;
    make melody to him with ^(D)the harp of ^(E)ten strings!
³ Sing to him ^(F)a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is upright,
    and all his work is done in ^(G)faithfulness.
⁵ He ^(H)loves righteousness and justice;
    ^(I)the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

⁶ By ^(J)the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    and by ^(K)the breath of his mouth all ^(L)their host.
⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea as ^(M)a heap;
    he ^(N)puts the deeps in storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
⁹ For ^(O)he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2033:%201%20-%209&version=ESV)

The age old debate, “What kind of instruments belong in the church?”   From what I understand this is not a new debate but one that spans over many generations.  Even the piano and the organ were once taboo in the churches (and still is in some), they were bar instruments, not meant to be used in the holy place. I don’t know of many churches that use harps and lyres today like is mentioned in this scripture.  But that really isn’t the point.   David did play the harp skillfully and that is what he used to praise the Lord.   

Then, the next question, “Do we sing hymns or praise songs?”  Funny, I thought hymns were praise songs!!!!  The first definition in the Bing  Wikipedia dictionary is this, “ A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure orpersonification. The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος (hymnos), which means "a song of praise". Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymnbooks.”

I would certainly consider a “praise song” a hymn!!!!  Some may debate by “new song” we should change styles of music but I personally don’t think that is what this is saying.  I think the psalmist is telling us that the new song should be more in our attitude of praise.  Realizing what the Lord has done for us should be the bases for our praise not what type of song we are singing. 

So often when we are in worship service we get stuck on how we are singing rather to whom we are singing.  We get stuck on how loud the music is or how often we repeat a phrase, or that we can’t hear ourselves sing, and the list goes on.  At that point we are not singing a new song in our heart or if we are it certainly isn’t the song our Savior wants us to sing! 

When we praise the Lord we need to meditate on who we are singing to.  We need to realize that we are praising the One who made this world, the One who commands all things into being.  We need to focus on being in awe of Him not on the style of music, not on whether we should stand or sit, raise our hands, clap, and not on whether the person next to us is singing in tune or not but rather we should focus on the Lord!  When we do that, the music will bring glory to Him, there will be loud shouts of praise and adoration that has nothing to do with the song being sung!  There will be joy in the hearts of everyone.

Next time you have the opportunity, seek the Lord during your praise to Him and you will find Him in the midst of all that brings Glory to Him, whether from the hymnbook or the notebook.  If you don’t like the song being sung, then sing your own song to Him in your heart, He will hear it!  My dad never sings out loud at church even though he can sing, but I believe he worships even in his silence.  So, if you don’t like the song, don’t sing it, it won’t bring praise to the One you are to be praising.  Praise time should focus on the One worthy of praise, so be silent and focus on Him not your surroundings. If you are too tired to stand, then sit, but whatever you do, don’t focus on this world and its inhabitants, focus on the Lord and His glory and praise time will be a time of joy no matter what or how it is being sung! 

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Run to Him

Psalm 32:6-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ Therefore let everyone who is ^(A)godly
    offer prayer to you at a time when you ^(B)may be found;
surely in the rush of ^(C)great waters,
    they shall not reach him.
⁷ You are a ^(D)hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from ^(E)trouble;
    you surround me with ^(F)shouts of deliverance. Selah

⁸ I will ^(G)instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will ^(H)counsel you with my eye upon you.
^9 (I)Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    which must be curbed with ^(J)bit and bridle,
    or it will not stay near you.

^10 (K)Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds the one who ^(L)trusts in the Lord.
^11 (M)Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
    and ^(N)shout for joy, all you ^(O)upright in heart!

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2032:%206%20-11&version=ESV)

Yesterday we looked at the importance of repentance and today we look at the result of repentance.  When we pray we find that we have a hiding place in the Lord our Savior.  We find that the only way to find refuge in the troubled time is to go to that hiding place.  In interviews I have been asked what I do to relieve stress and my answer is, “I pray”.  I have wondered if that is what I should say in an interview but it is my belief that if they don’t want to hire me because I pray then it is not the place for me to work.  I follow that up with a statement that I believe in a higher power than myself and I believe that God is in control and will guide and direct me, so, I pray.  We can go for a walk, exercise, run, play the piano, read a book, watch TV, drink alcohol, sleep, eat lots of chocolate, . . . but the reality is that the only place we can find comfort and the best results is in the arms of our Lord and Savior.

God is not a God that is going to force us to come to Him but He is One that will reward us when we do.  We need to stay near to Him in the good times and the bad.  If, in an interview, they were to ask me how I celebrate, I could just as easily tell them that I pray and thank God for His goodness.  It doesn’t matter if the times are good or bad, we need to be near our Father.  If we do not understand that He is ultimately the one in control we will begin to second guess ourselves.  This is something I do quite often.  In my heart, I know that He is in control but in my head thoughts that I am being punished come to my mind.  There are days I live in regret of ever stepping outside of my comfort zone and beginning a new career.  It seems like if I would have just been satisfied with where I was, I wouldn’t be starting over.  I feel the lesson I am to learn is to always put my trust in Him and be satisfied, yet I still haven’t learned that lesson.  Then, I read these verses that tell me that God is the One guiding me and I need not worry but trust in Him.  I do understand that He is in control so I need to understand that He will see this journey to completion and He is giving me opportunities like I have never had before.  When we follow Him, He will guide us home safely.

As you seek Him, run to Him when you are troubled and run to Him when life is at its best, the key is to always run to Him.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

I Repented of My Sin and Won the Victory!

Psalm 32:1-5

English Standard Version (ESV)

A Maskil^[a] of David.

32 ^(A)Blessed is the one whose ^(B)transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man against whom the Lord ^(C)counts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit ^(D)there is no deceit.

³ For when I kept silent, my ^(E)bones wasted away
    through my ^(F)groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night your ^(G)hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up^[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah

⁵ I ^(H)acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I ^(I)will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2032:%201%20-%205&version=ESV)

The old song, “Victory in Jesus”, my favorite song of all time, I hope it is sung at my funeral someday.  If you sing all the verses of this song (some hymnals don’t have all the verses), the Gospel message is clearly stated.  The verses Psalm that we read today also tell the Gospel story, although it was many years before Christ that David wrote these words.  At the time of this writing the sacrifice was an animal and there were certain rituals you followed to be forgiven, yet it was not the ritual that saved you. It was not the slaying of the lamb that caused you to be blessed, it was the repentance of your sin and so it is today.  The slayed lamb was the pathway to the Father but if you slay the lamb without repentance it is only a slayed lamb.

Without repentance of our sins, Christ sacrifice on the cross means nothing.  He died for those who recognize their sins and cling to Him.  If we truly want to be blessed we must repent.  If we truly want Christ to reign in our lives we must repent.  Have you ever gone to the Father and repented of your sins?  If not, I highly recommend it.  For me there is a cleansing feeling that comes over me when I repent and know that He has forgiven me.  Even as Christians we stumble in this world.  Although we may live our lives in a manner that is worthy of the calling in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:1), there are times that we blatantly sin against our Father.  We tell a justifiable lie, we seek vengeance, we have bad thoughts toward another, we forget to put God first and strive for status in this world, the list goes on.  When we recognize that sin and repent of it, God will bless us.  David, a man after God’s own heart, recognized that and confesses.  Even though he knew God personally, he lied, he committed adultery, he murdered, and that is just what was recorded.  One thing is for sure though, he repented.  He knew who his Father was and where his strength came from and he repented.  He was blessed for it and so can we be blessed when we repent.

Just yesterday several people in my Bible study prayed that God would bless me.  You know what?  He already has.  How?  By forgiving me of my sins, both now and in the future.  Because I have confessed He has blessed me.  But, I must continue to repent when I fall short, in order to have a blessing from the High Priest, Jesus Christ.  As you go about your day today, thank the Lord for the blessing of forgiveness and thank Him for the opportunity to confess.  We might as well confess because He already knows and He is waiting to bless us. 

Seek Him and know His ways that you may walk in His path and repent of your sins and be glad.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila  

When We Think We Are Having a Bad Day

Psalm 31:19-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁹ Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    ^(A)in the sight of the children of mankind!
²⁰ In ^(B)the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you ^(C)store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

²¹ Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously ^(D)shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in ^(E)a besieged city.
²² I had said in my ^(F)alarm,^[a]
    “I am ^(G)cut off from ^(H)your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all you his ^(I)saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly ^(J)repays the one who acts in pride.
^24 (K)Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031:19%20-%2024&version=ESV

1 Samuel 30:4-6

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵ David's ^(A)two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶ And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke ^(B)of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,^[a] each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Samuel%2030:4%20-%206&version=ESV

David, a chosen man of God, surely he never had any problems?  Why is it that we think that if we are God’s chosen people then trouble should not ever come our way?  David was certainly chosen by God but he encountered many hardships along the way.  You would have thought that a loyal man like David would have been honored by the king rather than hunted by the king but we find throughout I Samuel that the king was jealous of David and plotted to have him killed.

In I Samuel 30 we find David in distress over the city, in which they dwelt, had been invaded and all the women and children were captured.  Not only David but his entire supporters were in distress and those who David had trusted now plotted to kill him.  Sometimes we think we are having a bad day when we break a fingernail!  At that point in David’s life I am sure he was wondering what he had done to deserve all of this.  The king wanted to kill him so he left his homeland to remain safe and now the place he chose to be safe had somehow been destroyed.  What was God doing?  David didn’t know but he recognized that God was in control and the only One to turn to was God.  God answered him and showed him what to do.

I have found myself in distress.  Those who I thought  appreciated me, those who I tried so hard to please, have turned on me.  Be it jealousy, stupidity, or ignorance, it doesn’t matter, when others turn their backs on you, you feel pain.  When you think God has turned His back on you, you feel agony.  The silver lining is that when you think God is no longer listening, He is.  When you think He has turned His back on you, He is actually seeing all those tears that you are crying.  We need to be like David and draw our strength from Him.  He is the maker of all things.  He has a plan and it is up to us to wait upon Him.

As you seek Him, remember, He is watching over you and He has a plan.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Grace Grace God's Grace

Psalm 31:9-18

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁹ Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am ^(A)in distress;
    ^(B)my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and ^(C)my bones waste away.

¹¹ Because of all my adversaries I have become ^(D)a reproach,
    especially to my ^(E)neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street ^(F)flee from me.
¹² I have been ^(G)forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like ^(H)a broken vessel.
¹³ For I ^(I)hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
^(J)as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I ^(K)trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My ^(L)times are in your hand;
    ^(M)rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
^16 (N)Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!
¹⁷ O Lord, ^(O)let me not be put to shame,
    for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go ^(P)silently to Sheol.
¹⁸ Let the lying lips be mute,
    which ^(Q)speak ^(R)insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031:%209%20-%2018&version=ESV

There is a song my girls used to sing, “Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I’ll go eat worms.”  It was a silly little song but as I read this I had to think of that song.  David was feeling pretty sorry for himself and I can relate.  There are times in this world that I feel like that song and I do just what David did, I pout.  I can relate to David because he believed that he had been anointed King and yet he had to wait.  Waiting is one of the most difficult things to do.  I have to think of Christmas as a child, waiting to open those presents was so difficult.  But then when the gifts were all opened the excitement was all gone.  Of course we were able to enjoy the gifts but the excitement had somehow left.  I don’t know that I really ever enjoyed the excitement of waiting that was more like the agony of waiting but the excitement of opening was fantastic. 

Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies but I don’t think He wants us to model our prayer after David’s.  Yet so many times I find myself praying much like Him.  I don’t pray for those that hurt me to die but I do pray for the Lord to not reward their bad behavior. 

I trust that if you are going through a difficult time, you will be your faith in Jesus Christ.  That He will give you the strength to endure and that as you wait upon Him you will feel the excitement of opening a gift.  This gift, from Him, will be the gift that will not lose its excitement once it is opened. 

As I continue to find out how much grace He has to offer, I pray that I will give out to others the grace that He has afforded me.  That I will pray for my enemies that they may know Him and know Him to the fullest.  That they will live in Him and not in Sheol.

As you seek Him may you also grow close to Him and the grace that He gives.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

The One Who Knows

Psalm 31:1-8

English Standard Version (ESV)

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

31 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
² Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

³ For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
⁴ you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

⁶ I hate^[a] those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
⁷ I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
⁸ and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031:%201-8&version=ESV)

When we are in distress, like I am now, we have to remember that even the best of the best struggled with life issues.  I am not talking about David, I am speaking of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  While He hung on the cross to take the weight of the world’s sin on His shoulders, He quoted a verse in today’s passage, “Into you hand I commit my spirit”.  

I cannot fully compare my life to Christ because we all know I have not lied a sinless life.  He was sinless but felt the pain of our sins as they were laid upon Him.  The only way Christ would make it through this ordeal was to cry out to God and let Him know that He knows who is in charge.  He lets Him know that He still trust Him. 

David, although not sinless does the same thing.  When things are tough He doesn’t reject God but clings ever so closely.  We too, need to cling to God.  I have to put my dreams  on the back burner or throw them  away and put my full trust in the only One that really knows and understands what I am  going through.

Putting my trust in Him and Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Hope and a Future

Psalm 30:8-12

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸ To you, O Lord, I cry,
    and ^(A)to the Lord I plead for mercy:
⁹ “What profit is there in my death,^[a]
    if I go down to the pit?^[b]
Will ^(B)the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
^10 (C)Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into ^(D)dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
¹² that my ^(E)glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2030:%208%20-%2012&version=ESV

As I read this passage and write this blog I am in distress.  Oh it is nothing life threatening but a part of me has been yanked out of my being.  Twenty years of hard work, has gone down the drain.  All my hopes and dreams have vanished from me and I don’t understand why.  People ask what my goals are and the goals I had for myself have been stripped away and I don’t understand why. It is hard to try to figure it all out.  Today as I write this I am still in mourning, not dancing.  I am still in sackcloth not in clothes of gladness.  But if I have learned anything over the past two years it is this, God is in control.  As I struggle I need to keep in mind that ultimately all that really matters is that Christ died and rose again for my sins.  There is more to life than a career.  There is more to life than retirement.  I must cling to the promise that there is a hope and a future for me.  A future that is greater than anything that can be found in this world.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila