DO YOUR RULERS WORRY YOU?

CHRIST IS WATCHING AND RULES FOREVER                      

Psalm 2:1-3    

Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,

“Let us burst their bonds apart

and cast away their cords from us.”

After Psalm 1 spoke of two men, this next psalm expands to the behavior of the nations and their leaders, who have gotten together and rebelled against God. The people plot and scheme; their actions are against the LORD, and his anointed King. They are rebelling against the rules of God, as if the restrictions set by God are a curse, rather than the loving boundaries of a caring ruler.

Although for a time they seem to be able to live according to their own will, the LORD is far from indifferent!

Psalm 2:4-6

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

“As for me, I have set my King

on Zion, my holy hill.”

It is laughable that man would think he has a chance in rebelling against the LORD. God has chosen His King; no rebel will be able to escape His wrath. There are no earthly powers that can in any way thwart the decrees of God.

Psalm 2:7-9

I will tell of the decree:

The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron

and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

What a wonderful prophecy of the Messiah’s sovereign power! His power will have no boundaries and no rivals. The works of the Father and the Son have been decreed from eternity past.

It is certainly unwise for rulers to fail to heed this clear warning.

Psalm 2:10-12

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The wise kings will listen, fear God, and serve Him with joy and reverence. The wise will find refuge in the Messiah.

As we look at governments in our own times, and those who are in power, it may seem to us that they are in control; their rebellion and evil seem to be without restriction. But in truth, God is watching. And in His perfect timing, His wrath will come and Christ will reign.

It is interesting that many individual people, as well, think that they can rebel against God, presuming that He is indifferent to their rebellion. In contrast, men and women who are wise fear God; they listen to His Word; they repent of their sins, and submit to and honor their King.

We live in a world of rebellious people. May we avoid following their example, but rather, take refuge in our King. We know the end of the story. So let us rejoice in the final outcome and be patient, as God unfolds His sovereign will.

WILL WE PROSPER, OR PERISH?

OUR FRUITS EXPOSE HOW WE WALK!

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

So much has been written on this psalm and, I am sure, we are all very familiar with its content: two men, two patterns of life, two results, and two destinies. Every man left to himself will always live according to wickedness; he will be in the way of the sinners, and will surely be one of the scoffers.

Only Christ lived perfectly the manner of life described in the first sentence; so He is the only one Who could take our place. Only He could provide a way for us to be able to enjoy both the grace of God and the power of His Spirit that cause us to be truly blessed.

Such blessing is not the product of our own merit, yet our lives are, none-the-less, made up of daily choices. Every day, every hour, every minute we are confronted with decisions that will place us on the path of blessedness, or the path of destruction.

These verses clearly indicate that if one is not following the way of the Lord, he will not love the word and will not meditate it. A person who has not been transformed by the word of God will not have fruits that please God. He will not desire to spend time with the followers of Christ.

There will be a judgment day, when even those who have become children of God will have all their actions judged, and all that were not godly will be exposed and destroyed.

1 Corinthians 3:14-15

            If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

No true believer can approach this truth and be superficial in evaluating his own life. We are so quick, many times, to rationalize or try to justify our sins. But there are no valid excuses, and our lives suffer because of the wrong decisions we make. God’s careful and sure evaluation will expose our works.

We are so quick to lose sight of the fact that God knows about every thought, every action we make. He will judge us!

These verses are a real blessing for us, because they warn us and give us a standard by which to measure our lives. As I read them I also realize that, even though we might have fallen, we can start afresh and walk correctly and love the word of God, and God will prosper our lives according to His word.

As human beings who live each day by grace, we are rooted in the promises of God. We begin our relationship with God by grace and we live it each day, needing His grace in order to make any degree of progress spiritually. If it were not for grace, we would be completely hopeless.

So as you read this psalm today, allow God to expose your life, allow God to direct your path, be committed to obedience, and live by grace in the blessings of God.

May God work in us a desire that grows into a strong resolve to please Him with our lives and to be pleased with His perfect care.

GRATEFULNESS MUST FUEL OUR WORSHIP

PRAISE GOD FOR THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE

Psalm 149

Praise the LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the godly!

Let Israel be glad in his Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

Let them praise his name with dancing,

making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;

he adorns the humble with salvation.

Let the godly exult in glory;

let them sing for joy on their beds.

Let the high praises of God be in their throats

and two-edged swords in their hands,

to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishments on the peoples,

to bind their kings with chains

and their nobles with fetters of iron,

to execute on them the judgment written!

This is honor for all his godly ones.

Praise the LORD!

The psalmist is praising the LORD of his salvation. God has always saved those who humble themselves before Him. Israel rejoices in the midst of the godly, as they recognize God as their Maker and Savior.

The psalm divides itself between praise based on what God has already done, and praise for what is expected in the future. One day, the Lord will reign physically over all the nations. His judgment on them has already been written and declared, for the sake of His godly ones.

All those who know the LORD should praise Him for the works He has already accomplished and, by faith, trust in His promises.

As believers, we know that our salvation begins when we humble ourselves before God.

Matthew 5:3-7

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

        “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

        “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

        “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Jesus made it very clear that the blessed are those who have recognized their position and mourn for their sin. They recognize their great need of forgiveness and, as they are being transformed, they desire righteousness and show mercy to others.

Every one who has by grace through faith, truly experienced the transforming work of God, should gratefully praise the Lord.

Living in a sinful world, our hearts should long for the day when the Lord will establish His kingdom and reign here on earth. All those who are godly should praise God, in whom they have set their hope.

We set our hope in the Word of God.

1 Peter 1:22-25

        Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

        “All flesh is like grass

                and all its glory like the flower of grass.

        The grass withers,

                and the flower falls,

        but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

        And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

We rejoice and praise God for the Word that was preached to us and has transformed our lives. We have hope because it remains forever.

Dear friends, the complete trustworthiness of the Word of God continually gives me much peace. I can look at every event and every situation in life, knowing that I can evaluate them all in the light of the Word of God. It is there where I find out about the character of God; it is there where I learn to trust in the wisdom of the Lord; it is there where I find peace in understanding the power of God; and it is there where I am amazed and assured by the love of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

        For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

       

As you take time today to thank the Lord for what He has done in your life, take time also to pray that these verses will also become effective in the souls of those whom God has placed in your life.

LACK OF PRAISE EXPOSES LACK OF LOVE FOR GOD

GOD DESERVES OUR PRAISE!

Psalm 148:1-2

Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his hosts!

There are times when we seem to have lost sight of our reasons to praise the Lord, when the situations of life seem to overwhelm us. As believers, we know we should be praising our Lord, but our praises are distracted, not whole-hearted and sincere.

But the writer in this psalm is bubbling with praise. The call to praise is directed to every created being. The heavenly host offer continuous praise to the God of heaven and earth. It is not an effort, but the reaction to the majesty and splendor of the LORD.

The praise does not stop in heaven; in fact, all nature is praising the LORD.

Psalm 148:3-6

Praise him, sun and moon,

praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the LORD!

For he commanded and they were created.

And he established them forever and ever;

he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

The laws of nature are continuously promoting the majesty of the creator of the universe. Everything was created perfectly by God, and its existence, perfection, and order is a continuous praise to God. Nothing came to be by its own volition, but everything came through the spoken word of its Creator and Lord. Everything functions because of God’s perfect sustaining power. We also are able to function in this world because we can rely on God’s decrees continuing forever and ever.

Psalm 148:9-12

Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

Beasts and all livestock,

creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

Young men and maidens together,

old men and children!

Animated and unanimated things, animals and people, young and old, famous and ordinary, rich and poor: all have been created by the careful work of God.

Psalm 148:13-14

Let them praise the name of the LORD,

for his name alone is exalted;

his majesty is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his saints,

for the people of Israel who are near to him.

Praise the LORD!

Israel and all God’s saints are called to praise the LORD. Man is commanded to exalt only Him, for He alone is worthy to be praised. He is above all things; His decrees and will are not tied to circumstances or people. They are the result of His careful planning.

There will come a day when every creature will be forced to bow down and recognize the majesty of God. In the world today, we witness the reality that many people are bent on raising themselves to the place of God. They praise the creatures instead of the Creator. But those who are His, who have been set apart and are near Him have no excuse, they must praise Him. Often, I think I have the right to decide what is best for me, to require that my life have the comforts I prefer, that situations meet my expectations, that people elevate me to my desired significance. And then my expectations of God are self-centered, and I tell myself  that my lack of praise for God is only my reaction to external events, when it’s actually the result of inward sin.

My reflection on this psalm has taught me that not only my actions need to change, but my heart also needs to be corrected. I am saddened by the way my lack of praise exposes my lack of love for God and my overwhelming love for self.

Worship and praise in not something we only do on Sunday, but are rather the expressions of our daily love for God. I am grateful that God uses the Holy Spirit and His Word and His people to produce praise in us. May God help us to look to God not for a change of our circumstances, but for a change of our hearts, when we are not praising the LORD the way we ought to do.                   

STOP RIGHT NOW AND PRAISE GOD: THERE ARE GOOD REASONS!

ONLY ONE FITTING RESPONSE: PRAISE!

Psalm 147:1
Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

If we would only take to heart these few words: It is good, it is pleasant, and it is fitting to praise our God.

The psalmist begins by reminding us whom we are praising: the self-sufficient God who created and sustains the universe, who is sovereign over all. He is Jehovah, and it is right to praise Him. Not to praise Him is wrong because everything about Him deserves our praise. It is the righteous thing to do. If we know God, then praising is our normal and expected response. It is also pleasant to praise God; our meditation and reflection upon Him will not only be a wonderful exercise for His children, it will also please our God.

Psalm 147:2-6
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The LORD lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.

The psalmist is probably writing this psalm after the return from exile, observing the care of God for His people. He praises God for His power and His meticulous care for all of His creation. He cares for the broken-hearted and heals their wounds, while sustaining the heavens with astounding precision. All of His works are done with unending power and wise, particular care. What does God expect in return? Our humble dependence and praise. At the same time, God is not indifferent to the arrogance of man, and He will react in due time!

Such astounding care as this should produce thankfulness in the children of the Lord.

Psalm 147:7-11
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Since God provides so carefully for his own, our songs of thankful praise are His due. As we reflect on the work of God, only one kind of response is fitting: the fear of God and trust in His steadfast love.

Since God provides so thoroughly and lovingly, He is certainly displeased by sounds of complaint or arrogance from His creatures. The only fitting sounds are songs of thankful, trusting praise. Man’s total dependence on God pleases Him, the creator and sustainer of all.

God’s work is perfect, generous, and timely. He is the one who protects His own, He is the one who provides, and He is in undisputed, sovereign control! God makes His promises and keeps them faithfully!

Psalm 147:12-20
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the LORD!

Israel recognized that they had been blessed like no other nation, and they needed to praise their God.

Thinking on this psalm, I have recognized God’s particular grace, as He has dealt in my own life. What I have, what I know, who I am, what I enjoy – as well as all my spiritual blessings - are not in any way the result of any personal merit.

A life of thankful praise is my ONLY fitting response. The foundation of my praise is to be my fear of God and my humility before Him. Even the very circumstances that cause me to react otherwise, are God’s meticulous intentions to produce that humble fear I need. The children of Israel had to endure exile and hardship so that they would respond in a way pleasing to God.

All I know today is that whatever God ordains for me to endure should never produce rebellion or arrogance, but thankful praise for His providence for my spiritual growth and good!

HAVE YOU ALLOWED CIRCUMSTANCES TO STOP YOU FROM PRAISING GOD?

START THE DAY PRAISING THE LORD!

Psalm 146

Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD, O my soul!

I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

This is how we all need to start our day! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

Praise Him that I am alive and that I know Him. Praise Him because I know that He has revealed Himself through His Word. Praise the Lord because I know His grace. Praise the Lord that I am forgiven. Praise the Lord that I have direction for my life. Praise the Lord because I have a Good Shepherd. Praise the Lord that He has prepared good works for me to do today. Praise the Lord that God wants to use me to help advance the Gospel in the lives of the people around me. Praise the Lord…and I just got us started!  Let’s not stop…

As we think about the Lord, it is obvious that we should not trust in man, but only in the Lord Himself.

Psalm 146:3-4

Put not your trust in princes,

in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;

on that very day his plans perish.

           

Mortal men have no power to do anything apart from God. Therefore, to trust in man is in vain.  I know I will be disappointed if entrust my joy or comfort to the behavior of people around me. I should not look to them for help or care, but to the Lord. If God chooses to use men, then my praise still needs to go my heavenly father.

Psalm 146:5-9

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them,

who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed,

who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;

the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.

The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the sojourners;

he upholds the widow and the fatherless,

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

God is active and caring; He, the Creator of heaven and earth, certainly has the power to take care of me. God is faithful and just, He is the provider, He is the one who can free us from our difficulties. God has proven Himself time and time again. It was the Lord who opened our eyes so that we could contemplate our great salvation. He has made us free from the bondage of sin. He is the One who raises up the humble, and watches over and upholds us.

Psalm 146:10

The LORD will reign forever,

your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the LORD!

The LORD will reign forever; only He is utterly trustworthy and fully sufficient. So we praise the LORD! What a way to start our day!