How The Book of Psalms Concludes

"Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp."  (Psalm 150:3)

Every month the Lord Jesus calls me to not only conclude the month, but also every day, even throughout the day, with the last Words of the Psalms, "Praise Him....Praise the Lord."

Now this is not some egoistical god of the nations calling his subjects to worship him while he sits on some throne just receiving.  This is the "call" of Fellowship.  This is, "The Lord [Who] is my Shepherd," in Whom, "....I shall not lack."  This is Jesus Christ, "The Good Shepherd [Who] gives His Life for the sheep", calling us to, "Abide in Me and I in you."  Words of praise to the Living Triune God are returned with, "I have loved you with an Everlasting Love; therefore, with loving kindness I have drawn you."  Never think that worship is a "one-way street."  Praise is fell0wship, in the deepest sense of the word.

Notice the next time we go through the Bible just how much the Living Triune God showers Words of Love, Blessing, Provision upon us, "As the Father has loved Me, even so have I loved you."  Worship is not standing some place and looking up and directing our praise somewhere beyond us.  I repeat: Worship is, "Fellowship, Partnership," in the Living Triune God, in the "deepest" sense of these Biblical Words.  Worship is living in Jesus Christ's, "Abide in Me, and I in you."  It is akin to Brother Lawrence's, "The Practice of the Presence of God."

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!"

Father, in Jesus' Name, I do praise You!  Amen.

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* If you want the best insight into what is going on in Israel, you need to read Carolyn Glick, the best no nonsense writer to date. For her latest article, go to:   jhs58.blogspot.com

* Conference Prayer Call Wednesday, February 5 at 21:00hrs.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Praise Him....Sing Praises!"

"Praise the Lord!...Sing Praises To The Lord...." (Psalm 147)

This is the day of the last five Psalms.  "Praise Him...," is a recurring theme in the Book of Psalms, indeed, throughout Scripture.  When we are distraught, "Praise Him...."  When there seems to be no answers to our deepest cry for help, "Praise Him...."  When depression and heartache overwhelm, "Praise Him...."

"Praise Him..," takes my focus from me to the Living Triune God in Jesus Christ.  "Praise Him..," is not only a "focus-call," it is also warfare.  In, "Praise Him..," that which is attempting to depress, discourage, defeat is not the focus of our lives; Jesus Is.  The psalmist said at one point, "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved...."  My call to you and me today?  "....Set the Lord always before [you and] me," and, "Praise Him."

Our tendency is to focus on ourselves, our troubles.  The Bible teaches us that such focus is the way of further discouragement, ultimate defeat.  So, I call you and me today to do what David did, "I have set the Lord always before me...," which is another way of saying, "Praise Him...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, show me how to keep you, "....always before me...." Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

This Is The World "Around Us"-I Pray Not Within Us

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."  (Romans 1:16)

There you  have it.  "....the gospel of Christ is the power of God...."  No, "Gospel of Christ," and you have no power, period.

Consider:

"In America between 1946 and 2006, the suicide rate quadrupled for males ages 15-24 and doubled for females the same age....Reuters Health reported in 2019, 'Suidal thinking, severe depression and rates of self-injury among U. S. college students more than doubled over less than a decade....As social commentator Kay Hymowitz wrote in City Journal in 2019: "Loneliness, public-health experts tell us, is killing as many people as obesity and smoking. … Germans are lonely, the bon vivant French are lonely, and even the Scandinavians — the happiest people in the world, according to the UN's World Happiness Report — are lonely, too. British prime minister Theresa May recently appointed a 'Minister of Loneliness.' … consider Japan, a country now in the throes of an epidemic of kodokushi, roughly translated as 'lonely deaths.' Local Japanese papers regularly publish stories about kinless elderly whose deaths go unnoticed...."

Though people have more money, better health care, better health, better housing and more education, and live longer than at any time in history, they — especially young people — are unhappier than at any time since data collection began.  Why has this happened?....There are any number of reasons.., but the biggest reason may be the almost complete the loss of values and meaning over the last half-century." (Front Page Magazine)

The above "preaches itself."  There is really little to add.  I pray; I write, and hopefully, when the occasion arises, I can share personally with those whose life has no meaning.  I tell you frankly, however, those described in the article above could have found a fellow in me 50 years ago.  The chorus has the words, "This is my daily bread, Your very Words spoken to me."  From that moment in the summer of 1970, when Jesus clearly spoke to my heart, to this very second, I am being sustained by, "The Word of God," Himself, even Jesus Christ.  Consider this great hymn of praise below.  It is my prayer for you and me today---------- and all those suffering from loneliness.

"O God beyond all praising,

we worship you today

and sing the love amazing

that songs cannot repay;

for we can only wonder at every gift you send,

at blessings without number

and mercies without end:

We lift our hearts before you

and wait upon Your Word,

We honor and adore you,

our great and Mighty Lord.

"Then hear, O gracious Savior,

accept the love we bring,

that we who know your favor

may serve You as our King;

and whether our tomorrows 

be filled with good or ill,

we'll triumph through our sorrows

and rise to bless You still:

to marvel at your beauty 

and glory in Your ways,

and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise."

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Conference Prayer Call at 21:00hrs. tonight

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Oh, Give Thanks! For...."

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!  For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:3)

I took particular note today of the progression from calling me to consider the universe, then Jesus' involvement in the particulars of my daily life-------- from my birth. Note the progression of Psalm 136: 

The Universe:

"Give thanks to the Lord-

Who does great wonders--

Who made the heavens--

Who made the sun to rule by day--

the moon to rule by night--

Our daily life:

Who remembered us in our lowly state, and rescued us from our enemies--

Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever."

When Jesus called Abraham, the latter could not grasp the enormity of the promises of, "The Word of God;" therefore, He took him outside the tent and told him, "Look now toward heaven, and count the number the stars if you are able."  Then in effect, He told Abraham, "So shall be My blessings." 

Today's text is a sweeping reminder of the limitless power, blessing, faithfulness, "....for His mercy endures forever", of the Living Triune God.  Look at, "....the heavens-- the sun and moon...;" then look at your, "....lowly estate..," from which Jesus delivered you.  I did.  I thought of Planet Earth traveling right now at over 66,000 mph around the sun.  I thought of the power of the Godhead Who, "....laid out the earth above the waters,.." and the literal control He has of His Universe.  Why do we ever come out from under the Blanket of His "control," and ever doubt that Jesus' would, "....remember[] us in our lowly estate.., and rescue[] us from our enemies"?!?

You and I need to allow Jesus to take us outside our tents regularly and ask us to number His blessings, "....if you are able."  Then of what we can, "name them one by one."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for those innumerable, "....great wonders...."  Amen.

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* I sent two great articles on the global threat to World Jewry at:   jhs58.blogspot.com
* Conference Prayer Call tomorrow at 21:00hrs.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Where Was God?"

"And Jesus stood before the governor and questioned Him the governor saying You are the King of the Jews-- And Jesus said You say."  (Matthew 27:11, Greek Text)

This is "Holocaust Remembrance Day," the day when Russian Forces liberated the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.  Many of the soldiers were very kind to the living victims of this German atrocity, contrary to what far too many of them did to the German population, especially women, as they entered Germany.  Some have said about all of this, "Where was God?"  My response always has been: Where He always was/is/and ever shall be.  I have no other "answer."

Our text today is for me an answer to a confused humanity's, "Where was God in all of this?"  Mankind observes such unbelievable atrocities, some "man made," some of "nature," and just cannot "understand."  Many blame God, Who to them is, if indeed they actually believe He exists, the god of the deists, "out there," having created, but left us to our own devices.  God must be "gone," even forgotten about us and the human condition, a sort of, "You broke it; you fix it."  The desire in humanity to understand, to have reasons, explanations, answers is never-ending.

Then today we read of, "The Word of God," Our Lord/King/Savior/Deliverer, Jesus the Christ, before the the First Century's super power.  The world believes that Jesus was brought to the Roman Governor by the religious leaders of the Jews, then was tried, convicted, and sent to, "the death of the Cross," by man.  He was not!  Jesus tells us, "I Am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep....No one takes [My life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father."

"Where was God" at Auschwitz?  "Where was God" in your deepest hour of suffering?  Some may even be asking, "Where is God now in my life?"  Jesus is at the same "place" He was before the Sanhedrin, before Pilate, on the Cross, at His Death and Resurrection.  Jesus, "Himself bore our sins in His Own Body on the Tree."  He bore the atrocity of Auschwitz, the atrocity of your sin and my sin, "in His Cross."  And right now, in this very moment, Jesus is in the "Throne Room of Glory," bearing those "unanswered" questions, that pain and bewilderment, and affirming to you and me, "I will never, no never leave you nor forsake you"; therefore, right in this very moment, you and I can take unspeakable comfort in the reality of Hebrews 7:25, "He always lives to intercede for them."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that I never have to wonder, "Where are You!"  Amen.

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Conference Prayer Call January 29, at 9:00 PM

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2