fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397 
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Post by fearnot on Jun 6, 2017 11:24:38 GMT -5
Thank you :-)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 6, 2017 11:34:42 GMT -5
6/6/17
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord and sing ( oh I have been continuing to listen to hymns and worship songs :-)
We ( I) am not to put my trust in humans for they cannot save. I am pretty sure this doesn't mean to never trust a human, of course we do, but because we all are human, even our husband or best friend will fail us at times.
The only one who will not fail us is God. But that does not mean we won't have trials or tribulation in this life, but the Lord does save us for all eternity and is with us thru our trials.
We can trust God because first off He is the Creator of everything and He is faithful, just, true and loving.
He also does miracles, and even when the psalmist mentions he give sight to the blind ( in a physical way) the Lord also gives sight to the spiritually blind, which is even way more important.
God also sustains the fatherless and the widow.
He did that for me as a earthy fatherless child ( for about 6 years).
And the psalmist ends with praising the Lord again.....we ( I) can't praise him too much!
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Post by Cindy on Jun 7, 2017 10:48:55 GMT -5
Not sure what for, lol, but you're welcome! I hope you saw that you could skip to Psalm 144 if you want to....6/6/17
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord and sing ( oh I have been continuing to listen to hymns and worship songs :-)
We ( I) am not to put my trust in humans for they cannot save. I am pretty sure this doesn't mean to never trust a human, of course we do, but because we all are human, even our husband or best friend will fail us at times.
The only one who will not fail us is God. But that does not mean we won't have trials or tribulation in this life, but the Lord does save us for all eternity and is with us thru our trials.
We can trust God because first off He is the Creator of everything and He is faithful, just, true and loving.
He also does miracles, and even when the psalmist mentions he give sight to the blind ( in a physical way) the Lord also gives sight to the spiritually blind, which is even way more important.
God also sustains the fatherless and the widow.
He did that for me as a earthy fatherless child ( for about 6 years).
And the psalmist ends with praising the Lord again.....we ( I) can't praise him too much!
Very well done! The only thing I'd add is that verses 7-9 have more than one meaning; at least that's what I see. Obviously it means exactly what it says, but it could also be a prophecy about Jesus, for He did these things. It can also be a prophecy about the 2nd coming and beginning of the Millennial Kingdom when Jesus will ultimately fulfill all these things completely. You're right too about it speaking both of physical blindness and spiritual blindness. It's also speaking of both physical hunger and spiritual hunger.
“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:7–9)
here are a few verses that show the prophecy and some that show the initial fulfillment and some the final fulfillment too.
““So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 3:5)
“to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:7)
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” (Isaiah 35:5)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1)
““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,” (Luke 4:18)
“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.” (Acts 5:19)
“Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:26)
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5)
“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” (Luke 9:17)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 7, 2017 11:45:57 GMT -5
Oh! Opps!! LOL
Well........ I can always go backward now,
and do the two I skipped,
starting with 144.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 7, 2017 12:11:28 GMT -5
6/7/17
Psalm 144
It starts off about the Lord training the psalmist for war....and tho it could mean physical war, I think it could also be for spiritual war ( against or sin etc.)
And tho hands are used for physical battles, they sometimes used for prayer in spiritual battles).
In any case the psalmist says that the Lord is His ( and our, and my) my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer!
Then the psalmist asks why does God even care about us. I have to admit at times I wonder the same thing, at our worst, we are uncompassionate killers of each other, but even at our best, we sin every day ( even the most saintly).
The psalmist wants God to come down...me too!!
Oh oh....v. 9 there is the bit about a 'new' song. I am not against 'new' songs to the Lord, not even new types of rhythms.....but in any case, here we go with singing ( actually I have sometimes been singing along quietly with some of the hymns, worship songs etc.......very quietly! :-)
Then David asks the Lord:
v. 1o " From the deadly sword
11 deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful. "
And then, things will be well.
I think we all long for the peace that only Jesus can bring ( I sure do)!
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Post by Cindy on Jun 8, 2017 10:58:20 GMT -5
Oh! Opps!! LOL
Well........ I can always go backward now,
and do the two I skipped,
starting with 144.  yep, lol. You must be exhausted with all you've been having to do lately!6/7/17
Psalm 144
It starts off about the Lord training the psalmist for war....and tho it could mean physical war, I think it could also be for spiritual war ( against or sin etc.)
And tho hands are used for physical battles, they sometimes used for prayer in spiritual battles).
In any case the psalmist says that the Lord is His ( and our, and my) my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer!
Then the psalmist asks why does God even care about us. I have to admit at times I wonder the same thing, at our worst, we are uncompassionate killers of each other, but even at our best, we sin every day ( even the most saintly).
The psalmist wants God to come down...me too!!
Oh oh....v. 9 there is the bit about a 'new' song. I am not against 'new' songs to the Lord, not even new types of rhythms.....but in any case, here we go with singing ( actually I have sometimes been singing along quietly with some of the hymns, worship songs etc.......very quietly! :-)
Then David asks the Lord:
v. 1o " From the deadly sword
11 deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful. "
And then, things will be well.
I think we all long for the peace that only Jesus can bring ( I sure do)!
Well done!
Now, Next are Psalms 145-150, and they're very important and are called The Final Hallel. The name derives from the Hebrew “praise the Lord,” which was often transliterated to "Hallelujah" in the Septuagint and Vulgate instead of translated. It not only means "praise the Lord", it's a cry of pure joy! Psalm 145 begins the grand doxology of the entire collection, for praise plays a greater part of Psalms 145–150 than in most of the others. The word “praise” occurs 46 times in these six psalms. Since these are the greatest praise psalms and also end the book of Psalms, I'd like you to pay special attention to these last 6 psalms, for they have much to teach us about ourselves, about God and about praising Him, and finally about joy and how we can always have the joy of the lord in our hearts. All the psalms have something to say about these things, but in these last 6 it's concentrated. By the way, Psalm 145 is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. They did this to make them easy to memorize, not just for affect.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 8, 2017 11:22:16 GMT -5
That was interesting about the reason for the acrostic poems to help with memorizing.
Didn't we already do 146 tho? Shall I do it again, tomorrow?
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 8, 2017 14:13:32 GMT -5
6/8/17
Psalm 145
Like you said the is a psalm of praise. Here David says he will praise God forever and forever.....which sounds to me like David knew,
he would live ( in some fashion....but in David's case, with the Lord) forever.
V. 3 says God is so great, that no one can fathom just how great God is. This is certainly true
Speaking of God ( and what to think on about God) David uses words like: majesty, wonderful works, awesome works, great deeds, abundant goodness, righteousness, graciousness and compassion, slowness to anger, rich in love , goodness, His might, trustfulness, faithfulness, fulfilling our desires, watching over us etc.
These are all good things for me, to meditate on in my quiet times or when depression tries to sneak in or in prayer.
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Post by Cindy on Jun 9, 2017 10:53:31 GMT -5
That was interesting about the reason for the acrostic poems to help with memorizing.
Didn't we already do 146 tho? Shall I do it again, tomorrow?
6/8/17
Psalm 145
Like you said the is a psalm of praise. Here David says he will praise God forever and forever.....which sounds to me like David knew,
he would live ( in some fashion....but in David's case, with the Lord) forever.
V. 3 says God is so great, that no one can fathom just how great God is. This is certainly true
Speaking of God ( and what to think on about God) David uses words like: majesty, wonderful works, awesome works, great deeds, abundant goodness, righteousness, graciousness and compassion, slowness to anger, rich in love , goodness, His might, trustfulness, faithfulness, fulfilling our desires, watching over us etc.
These are all good things for me, to meditate on in my quiet times or when depression tries to sneak in or in prayer.
Note that verse 2 tells us how often we should praise God: “Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.” (Psalm 145:2) Then starting with the next verse he tells us some of the reasons why we should praise Him. Then verse 5 reminds us to meditate on God and all He's done regularly too. But in fact, it's when we are dwelling on the Lord and all He's done for us that we begin to praise Him. Verse 7 reminds us that our praising, even when we sing our praise, should be done joyfully, not as a "duty", but out of love and gratefulness to Him.
“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” (Psalm 145:13) This is our blessed Hope and wonderful news about our God. He is always loving and always faithful to all His promises. Every Word in the Bible is true and will come true. We are not waiting for some fantasy that we've dreamed up. We're waiting for a sure thing that will happen, and when it does, it will be forever! The next verses tell us what some of those promises are and what the Lord has and will do.
“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)
It is a great comfort as a Christian to know that God is always present in me both essentially and relationally. No matter what the trial, He is there. Sometimes He might seem faraway, but He’s really no further away than He’s ever been. His promise to us is, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). God is always with us to support our service to Him. Jesus commands us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations … and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19–20). If you doubt you have the power to witness, remember that you have the same resource as any evangelist—the presence and power of God! God’s continual presence is also a shield against sin. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Nothing will ever tempt us without His giving us the strength to resist. The omnipresence of God should also motivate us to holiness. Most of us prefer to sin with no one else watching. But when we sin—whether in thought, word, or action—we sin in the presence of God. Strength for today
“He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” (Psalm 145:19)
We were created to find our meaning, identity, and purpose in the existence, character, and plan of God. Our identity was meant to be rooted in his love. Our hope was designed to be tied to his grace. Our potential was meant to be connected to his power. Our purpose was meant to be structured by his will. Our joy was meant to be wed to his glory. In every way, our vision of what is necessary, true, worthy, and meaningful was meant to be rooted in a functional worship of him. We were created for the dignity of living large and meaningful lives—lives that literally are connected to things before the creation of the world and extending far into eternity. This kind of big-God, big-picture living means that we care about things that do not immediately involve us, because God, who is the source and center of our lives, does. God’s purposes become our functional life goals, the things God says are valuable become the real-life treasures we seek, and God’s will provides the fences within which we live. We start to understand that grace cuts a hole in sin’s shrink-wrap. Grace reaches in, pulls us out, and locates us in a place that is more exciting and meaningful than anything we could have ever conceived of ourselves—the kingdom of God. Heart of the matter
Since we already did Psalm 146, I'm going to do something a little different for the next psalm. What I want to do is share my notes about this psalm now so that you can hopefully read them along with the Psalm itself. The best way to get the most from the Psalms (or any portion of scripture) is to read the chapter or portion you're on all the way through one time. Then go back to the start and take it apart verse by verse, learning what you can about each one. Finally, after you've done that, go back to the beginning again and now read it all the way through one more time with new understanding of what is being said. I'm going to go ahead and post this much now and then start a new post for the Psalm 147 for you.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 9, 2017 11:16:21 GMT -5
I will go pull up 147 read it thru all the way and then see if you posted on it yet, and read again line by line and once again, read it all at once ( having already read your notes)......
finally the edit button decided to work again LOL
I had typed 137 by mistake and could not correct it, but finally whatever glitch happened...unhappened and I have changed to the correct number!
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Post by Cindy on Jun 9, 2017 11:27:58 GMT -5
The best way to get the most from the Psalms (or any portion of scripture) is to read the chapter or portion you're on all the way through one time. Then go back to the start and take it apart verse by verse, learning what you can about each one. Finally, after you've done that, go back to the beginning again and now read it all the way through one more time with new understanding of what is being said. Remember to pray before you begin your reading. Here are the notes for you:
We can be fairly certain about when this was written. The reference to God building Jerusalem & gathering the outcasts of Israel (v. 2) causes us to zero in on that period immediately after the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. The psalm has been attributed to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who supposedly wrote it for the people to use in their worship when the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt. Opening up Psalms
The hard questions that God posed to Job (Job 38–41) and Israel (Is 40), the psalmist here turns into declarations worthy of praise. The MacArthur study Bible If you have time, it would be good to read those chapters.
“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (Psalm 147:1)
God created you to praise Him, to recognize Him as eternal, sovereign Lord & King of all creation. There are no other gods before Him, & none besides the Almighty deserve your adoration & deepest love. When you pray, do you praise God before you bring Him your petitions? Is worship your primary concern? Learning to praise God is key to spiritual growth, to understanding who He is & how He works in your life. It's difficult to pull your mind off personal problems & place it on God, especially when your heart's troubled. But by focusing on Him, you can see your life the way God does. You are aware of His grace & daily care, & your spirit is revitalized. Pride & self–reliance vanish in the face of an all–sufficient Lord. Read and heed Psalm 147:1: “It is good to sing praises to our God.” As you give God glory & honor, you experience His joy & peace in a fresh, transforming way. I praise You, O God, for Your mighty acts, Your excellent greatness, & Your holy character. You are eternal, sovereign Lord & King of all creation. There are no other gods before You! Enter His gates
Praising God is work that is its own wages; it is heaven upon earth; it is what we should be in as in our element.… In giving honour to God we really do ourselves a great deal of honour. Opening up Psalms.
“The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.” (Psalm 147:2)
God cares (vv. 2–6) there were lots of broken hearts among the Israelites during the years of their captivity. Their beautiful city of Jerusalem lay in ruins, their glorious temple had been demolished, their homes had been destroyed, & they were far from home. They must have frequently wondered: Does God care? The psalmist wrote to answer that question triumphantly. The fact that God had gathered them home proved his care. In doing so, He had healed their broken hearts. But healing broken hearts is not a one time thing with God. This is characteristic of him. It is his modus operandi. The people could, therefore, continue to look to God for the healing of broken-heartedness. Opening up Psalms.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
There are two reasons You don’t turn to God. One, you believe he will take away something you need— something you trust in. Two, you don’t believe you are good enough to come to God. The truth is, all you have to do is turn to him and speak honestly, and he will meet you. God meets the hurt with compassion (Psalm 147:3). God meets the angry and promises justice (Romans 12:19). God meets the self-loathing by taking their shame on himself. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” And, “anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (Rom 8:1; 10:11). You expected judgment and a deaf ear; you get the God who loves you and hears you. If you want a relationship with God, respond to him in the same way you respond to someone who loves you, someone you have been avoiding. Tell God that you have been wrong. Confess your sins. Confess that your world is about you rather than him. Confess that you are living as if you know better than God. Confess that you are trying to save your own life rather than lose it (Matthew 10:39). Confess that you are trying to make life work apart from Jesus. Heart of the matter
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:4)
It's amazing to think He knows every single star by name...but it's even more amazing to realize that He knows every single one of us intimately - by name - as well!
This author sets forth an unusual treatment for broken hearts, prescribing what we might call ‘the therapy of the stars’. Immediately after telling his readers that God heals the broken-hearted, he assures them that God also numbers the stars. He could by merely looking into the night sky see countless numbers of stars. But he knew they weren’t countless to God. The fact that God had them all numbered could mean only one thing: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5) His logic is inescapable. If God was great enough to number the stars, he was certainly great enough to heal their broken hearts. He possesses both the power and the understanding to do so. The author precludes this objection by carrying his therapy one step further. The same God who numbers the stars also has them named. He knows them individually! The implication is clear. The God who knew the stars knew his people individually. In addition to having the power to heal their broken hearts, he himself had the heart to lift ‘the humble’ (v. 6). Opening up Psalms
“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.” (Psalm 147:5–6)
God is omniscient; He knows everything. Since His knowledge is infinite, God never learns anything, nor does He forget anything. When you pray, you’re not telling God something He doesn’t know. He merely chooses to work through our prayers. God knows every detail of our lives. Think about some of the wrongs you did as a child when your parents weren’t around. You never would have done those things in front of them because you didn’t want to be punished. You might have gotten away with a few things. But “God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccles. 12:14). Even though the eternal penalty for sin has been paid by Christ, God still disciplines us when we sin. (Heb. 12:5–11). Is there anything in your life you would be ashamed about if God knew? If so, repent, because He does know! Strength for today.
He knows each of the myriads of stars (cf. Isa. 40:26). Yet the One who has so much power and understanding (cf. Isa. 40:28) sustains the humble in the face of opposition. This too displays His grace. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
“Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.” (Psalm 147:7)
The worshippers are here urged to sing or praise ‘with thanksgiving’ and to do so with the harp, which was often used in worship. The emphasis on thanksgiving suggests that praise should flow in part from God’s kindness towards us in the past. The reasons the psalmist assigns for praise are God’s care for the natural order (vv. 7–9) and his delight in the reverent, trustful worship of his people (vv. 10–11). Opening up Psalms.
“He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;” (Psalm 147:8–10)
Note how all these Scriptures attribute all expressions of weather—good or bad—to the direct controlling hand of God. The insurance companies refer to major natural disasters as “acts of God.” The truth is, all expressions of nature, all occurrences of weather, whether it be a devastating tornado or a gentle rain on a spring day, are acts of God. The Bible teaches that God controls all the forces of nature, both destructive & productive, on a continuous, moment-by-moment basis. God, who is the loving heavenly Father of every true Christian, is sovereign over the weather & He exercises that sovereignty moment by moment. When we complain about the weather, we're actually complaining against God who sent us our weather. We are, in fact, sinning against God (see Num 11:1). Trusting God
With rain & food He sustains plant & animal life (on ravens, see comments on Job 38:41). Job 38:39–41 For his own safety, Job stayed clear of lions, not hunting their prey for them. Nor could he even provide food for black ravens, whose young are often forgotten by their parents. Job could not be the nourisher of the world’s wild kingdom. Therefore since God cares for them (Jesus said ravens are fed by God, Luke 12:24), who are of less value than humans, would He neglect His care of people? The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The psalmist focuses on the rain the Lord sends on the earth and his provision of food for the beasts. The Lord’s care goes so far as to provide grass on the barren mountains and food for young birds that are quite helpless. It is easy to read the psalmist’s words without giving due thought to the care of God and how deeply indebted we are to him for kindly providing it. Every single day we drink from a fountain of blessings. Every day we walk a path that is hemmed up with his goodness. When problems come we may quickly ask ourselves why God has allowed such to come to us. It seldom occurs to us to ask the same concerning our innumerable blessings. Opening up Psalms.
“the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,” (Psalm 147:11–12)
God does not delight in physical strength, but in the spiritual strength of those who fear Him. The Open Bible
God should be praised because even though He is so great, He delights not in the mighty but in anyone who trusts Him. This is more evidence of His grace. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
These things, so impressive and delightful to men, mean nothing to the Lord. Albert Barnes writes: ‘Not in the pride, pomp, and circumstance of war is his pleasure; not in the march of armies; not in the valour of the battlefield; —but in the closet, where the devout child of God prays; in the family, when the group bend before him in solemn devotion; in the assembly—quiet, serious, calm—when his friends are gathered together for prayer and praise; in the heart that truly loves, reverences, adores him.’ Opening up Psalms
“for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.” (Psalm 147:13–14)
God had once again given security and peace to the city and the surrounding areas (vv. 13–14a). He had also given bountiful crops (v. 14b). The restoration of these blessings, after years and years of their absence, was no small reason for praise. Opening up Psalms.
“He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” (Psalm 147:15–18)
The author did not want to leave any doubt about the source of these remarkable blessings. It was the powerful, effective word of the sovereign God. That word ‘runs very swiftly’ (v. 15). The word which goes out of his mouth is, as it were, very eager to accomplish the thing that he commands. And this word does not return ‘void’ to the Lord but rather accomplishes his purpose (Isa. 55:11). The psalmist again appeals to the natural order to make his point. The snow, the frost, the hail, the cold, the thawing and the wind are all examples of the effectiveness of his word (vv. 15–18). Opening up Psalms.
God sovereignly oversees the normal and the extraordinary. The MacArthur study Bible
Reminds me of “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) We can always simply look at the weather and see that God's Word always does what He wants it to do, and know that He always keeps His promises to us! Which also makes us realize the honor we have been given to have His Word.
“He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 147:19–20)
The people of God were enormously blessed because they had received the word of God in a special way. He had declared ‘his word to Jacob’ & ‘his statutes and his judgements to Israel’ To make sure his point would not be missed, the writer says of God: “He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 147:20) With the concluding ‘Praise the Lord!’ the psalmist leaves by the same door through which he entered. Opening up Psalms.
That God chose Israel out of all the other nations is amazing, especially since He began by choosing just 1 man - Abraham. From him, God built the nation of Israel. That reminds us of our own election. God chose each of us out of all the other people on the earth to belong to Him, be loved by Him, & be His child. He told Israel that His choice had nothing to do with anything about them. It wasn't because they were better than others, or more numerous - they weren't. The same is true of each of us. There was & is nothing about us that would cause God to choose us. The only reason He chose us was because He wanted to; because He loves us. That alone would be enough to praise Him for, yet He is constantly providing, guiding, & helping us!
May God bless you as you study His Word with Him and fill you with His joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 9, 2017 11:37:09 GMT -5
arrrrgghhh I typed 137 by mistake and now the edit button is not working.....maybe I can fix it later but I meant as I am sure you know, 147!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 9, 2017 13:06:28 GMT -5
6/9/17
Psalm 147
This starts of stating how pleasant it is to praise God.
I know for me the most peaceful and joy filled times are when I am either praying, listening to songs of praise to my Savior or reading His word, especially when it touches my life, thoughts, emotions, spirit is a powerful truthful, hope filled way.
v. 3 "3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds."
This verse has always been special to me, because of the times I have been brokenhearted and the Jesus will comfort me, and bind up my wounds.
I really like the fact that my God knows every single star, they are numbered and named even.
But it is not so surprising since He made/created them, it points out His infinite power and unlimited knowledge, and that is comforting, because like you said, our God, also know each and every one of us.
I really was convicted about how we (I) often, ask WHY or even grumble about trials, tribulations, pains, people, circumstance, news, etc etc. but I often fail to be grateful and ask about all the many blessings.
I am always interested in weather and my Lord's creatures and sometimes forget how He cares for them. I know there have been times when I felt like : Oh no....I forgot the feed the wild birds ( as if they would up and all die because of my neglect......) forgetting that my God has been providing for them since he created them.
It's not that He does not want to allow me the pleasure of caring for them, but I need to be cognizant that He provides for them, and for me.
It is really great God puts in black and white in His word, that He does not need me to be a 'super' human in strength.....after all He has all the power and I can actually be strong in Him.
His very word, is powerful ( and I must not forget Jesus is the Word and is God) it hastens to do whatever He commands.
And yeah, more weather :-)
I love the images of snow like wool and frost like ashes!
and so we are to Praise the Lord.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 10, 2017 13:16:37 GMT -5
6/10/17
Psalm 148
This praise to my God starts with Heavens and heights that should praise Him as well as the angels, heavenly hosts, stars, moon and sun...really the whole created (by my God) universe.
Then the praise to be given to the Lord moves to earth both animate and inanimate.
It lists a number of such things, and of course human ought to praise their Creator!
Which brings it right down to me!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 11, 2017 19:14:36 GMT -5
6/11/17
Psalm 149
So this psalm of praise starts with a new song by His faithful people to God their Maker.
It even suggests dancing.
And God delights in them....that is such a lovely thought!!
It talks of having a double edged sword which I know can mean God's word, as well as a sword of iron or steel.
and this psalm ends as it begins ....praise the Lord. which I am thinking I should make a habit to do in the morning and night and in between.
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Post by Cindy on Jun 12, 2017 11:28:39 GMT -5
arrrrgghhh I typed 137 by mistake and now the edit button is not working.....maybe I can fix it later but I meant as I am sure you know, 147!6/9/17
Psalm 147
This starts of stating how pleasant it is to praise God.
I know for me the most peaceful and joy filled times are when I am either praying, listening to songs of praise to my Savior or reading His word, especially when it touches my life, thoughts, emotions, spirit is a powerful truthful, hope filled way.
v. 3 "3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds."
This verse has always been special to me, because of the times I have been brokenhearted and the Jesus will comfort me, and bind up my wounds.
I really like the fact that my God knows every single star, they are numbered and named even.
But it is not so surprising since He made/created them, it points out His infinite power and unlimited knowledge, and that is comforting, because like you said, our God, also know each and every one of us.
I really was convicted about how we (I) often, ask WHY or even grumble about trials, tribulations, pains, people, circumstance, news, etc etc. but I often fail to be grateful and ask about all the many blessings.
I am always interested in weather and my Lord's creatures and sometimes forget how He cares for them. I know there have been times when I felt like : Oh no....I forgot the feed the wild birds ( as if they would up and all die because of my neglect......) forgetting that my God has been providing for them since he created them.
It's not that He does not want to allow me the pleasure of caring for them, but I need to be cognizant that He provides for them, and for me.
It is really great God puts in black and white in His word, that He does not need me to be a 'super' human in strength.....after all He has all the power and I can actually be strong in Him.
His very word, is powerful ( and I must not forget Jesus is the Word and is God) it hastens to do whatever He commands.
And yeah, more weather :-)
I love the images of snow like wool and frost like ashes!
and so we are to Praise the Lord.
Well said hon. Our God is a great God and loves us more than we can even imagine. It seems like the more I grow in my faith, the more of His love I feel and understand, but at the same time realize that there's so much more that I don't feel or understand yet. It's exciting to know that one day we will know, feel and understand all of His love for us - that great day when our minds, feelings and our body are completely pure, without spot or blemish, and we stand before Him. I can't wait! Here's what I wrote for you about psalm 147. I'm afraid that it may take you a whole day to read and assimilate it all....
The best way to get the most from the Psalms (or any portion of scripture) is to read the chapter or portion you're on all the way through one time. Then go back to the start and take it apart verse by verse, learning what you can about each one. Finally, after you've done that, go back to the beginning again and now read it all the way through one more time with new understanding of what is being said. Remember to pray before you begin your reading. Here are the notes for you:
We can be fairly certain about when this was written. The reference to God building Jerusalem & gathering the outcasts of Israel (v. 2) causes us to zero in on that period immediately after the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. The psalm has been attributed to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who supposedly wrote it for the people to use in their worship when the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt. Opening up Psalms
The hard questions that God posed to Job (Job 38–41) and Israel (Is 40), the psalmist here turns into declarations worthy of praise. The MacArthur study Bible If you have time, it would be good to read those chapters.
“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (Psalm 147:1)
God created you to praise Him, to recognize Him as eternal, sovereign Lord & King of all creation. There are no other gods before Him, & none besides the Almighty deserve your adoration & deepest love. When you pray, do you praise God before you bring Him your petitions? Is worship your primary concern? Learning to praise God is key to spiritual growth, to understanding who He is & how He works in your life. It's difficult to pull your mind off personal problems & place it on God, especially when your heart's troubled. But by focusing on Him, you can see your life the way God does. You are aware of His grace & daily care, & your spirit is revitalized. Pride & self–reliance vanish in the face of an all–sufficient Lord. Read and heed Psalm 147:1: “It is good to sing praises to our God.” As you give God glory & honor, you experience His joy & peace in a fresh, transforming way. I praise You, O God, for Your mighty acts, Your excellent greatness, & Your holy character. You are eternal, sovereign Lord & King of all creation. There are no other gods before You! Enter His gates
Praising God is work that is its own wages; it is heaven upon earth; it is what we should be in as in our element.… In giving honour to God we really do ourselves a great deal of honour. Opening up Psalms.
“The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.” (Psalm 147:2)
God cares (vv. 2–6) there were lots of broken hearts among the Israelites during the years of their captivity. Their beautiful city of Jerusalem lay in ruins, their glorious temple had been demolished, their homes had been destroyed, & they were far from home. They must have frequently wondered: Does God care? The psalmist wrote to answer that question triumphantly. The fact that God had gathered them home proved his care. In doing so, He had healed their broken hearts. But healing broken hearts is not a one time thing with God. This is characteristic of him. It is his modus operandi. The people could, therefore, continue to look to God for the healing of broken-heartedness. Opening up Psalms.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
There are two reasons You don’t turn to God. One, you believe he will take away something you need— something you trust in. Two, you don’t believe you are good enough to come to God. The truth is, all you have to do is turn to him and speak honestly, and he will meet you. God meets the hurt with compassion (Psalm 147:3). God meets the angry and promises justice (Romans 12:19). God meets the self-loathing by taking their shame on himself. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” And, “anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (Rom 8:1; 10:11). You expected judgment and a deaf ear; you get the God who loves you and hears you. If you want a relationship with God, respond to him in the same way you respond to someone who loves you, someone you have been avoiding. Tell God that you have been wrong. Confess your sins. Confess that your world is about you rather than him. Confess that you are living as if you know better than God. Confess that you are trying to save your own life rather than lose it (Matthew 10:39). Confess that you are trying to make life work apart from Jesus. Heart of the matter
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:4)
It's amazing to think He knows every single star by name...but it's even more amazing to realize that He knows every single one of us intimately - by name - as well!
This author sets forth an unusual treatment for broken hearts, prescribing what we might call ‘the therapy of the stars’. Immediately after telling his readers that God heals the broken-hearted, he assures them that God also numbers the stars. He could by merely looking into the night sky see countless numbers of stars. But he knew they weren’t countless to God. The fact that God had them all numbered could mean only one thing: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5) His logic is inescapable. If God was great enough to number the stars, he was certainly great enough to heal their broken hearts. He possesses both the power and the understanding to do so. The author precludes this objection by carrying his therapy one step further. The same God who numbers the stars also has them named. He knows them individually! The implication is clear. The God who knew the stars knew his people individually. In addition to having the power to heal their broken hearts, he himself had the heart to lift ‘the humble’ (v. 6). Opening up Psalms
“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.” (Psalm 147:5–6)
God is omniscient; He knows everything. Since His knowledge is infinite, God never learns anything, nor does He forget anything. When you pray, you’re not telling God something He doesn’t know. He merely chooses to work through our prayers. God knows every detail of our lives. Think about some of the wrongs you did as a child when your parents weren’t around. You never would have done those things in front of them because you didn’t want to be punished. You might have gotten away with a few things. But “God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccles. 12:14). Even though the eternal penalty for sin has been paid by Christ, God still disciplines us when we sin. (Heb. 12:5–11). Is there anything in your life you would be ashamed about if God knew? If so, repent, because He does know! Strength for today.
He knows each of the myriads of stars (cf. Isa. 40:26). Yet the One who has so much power and understanding (cf. Isa. 40:28) sustains the humble in the face of opposition. This too displays His grace. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
“Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.” (Psalm 147:7)
The worshippers are here urged to sing or praise ‘with thanksgiving’ and to do so with the harp, which was often used in worship. The emphasis on thanksgiving suggests that praise should flow in part from God’s kindness towards us in the past. The reasons the psalmist assigns for praise are God’s care for the natural order (vv. 7–9) and his delight in the reverent, trustful worship of his people (vv. 10–11). Opening up Psalms.
“He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;” (Psalm 147:8–10)
Note how all these Scriptures attribute all expressions of weather—good or bad—to the direct controlling hand of God. The insurance companies refer to major natural disasters as “acts of God.” The truth is, all expressions of nature, all occurrences of weather, whether it be a devastating tornado or a gentle rain on a spring day, are acts of God. The Bible teaches that God controls all the forces of nature, both destructive & productive, on a continuous, moment-by-moment basis. God, who is the loving heavenly Father of every true Christian, is sovereign over the weather & He exercises that sovereignty moment by moment. When we complain about the weather, we're actually complaining against God who sent us our weather. We are, in fact, sinning against God (see Num 11:1). Trusting God
With rain & food He sustains plant & animal life (on ravens, see comments on Job 38:41). Job 38:39–41 For his own safety, Job stayed clear of lions, not hunting their prey for them. Nor could he even provide food for black ravens, whose young are often forgotten by their parents. Job could not be the nourisher of the world’s wild kingdom. Therefore since God cares for them (Jesus said ravens are fed by God, Luke 12:24), who are of less value than humans, would He neglect His care of people? The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The psalmist focuses on the rain the Lord sends on the earth and his provision of food for the beasts. The Lord’s care goes so far as to provide grass on the barren mountains and food for young birds that are quite helpless. It is easy to read the psalmist’s words without giving due thought to the care of God and how deeply indebted we are to him for kindly providing it. Every single day we drink from a fountain of blessings. Every day we walk a path that is hemmed up with his goodness. When problems come we may quickly ask ourselves why God has allowed such to come to us. It seldom occurs to us to ask the same concerning our innumerable blessings. Opening up Psalms.
“the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,” (Psalm 147:11–12)
God does not delight in physical strength, but in the spiritual strength of those who fear Him. The Open Bible
God should be praised because even though He is so great, He delights not in the mighty but in anyone who trusts Him. This is more evidence of His grace. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
These things, so impressive and delightful to men, mean nothing to the Lord. Albert Barnes writes: ‘Not in the pride, pomp, and circumstance of war is his pleasure; not in the march of armies; not in the valour of the battlefield; —but in the closet, where the devout child of God prays; in the family, when the group bend before him in solemn devotion; in the assembly—quiet, serious, calm—when his friends are gathered together for prayer and praise; in the heart that truly loves, reverences, adores him.’ Opening up Psalms
“for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.” (Psalm 147:13–14)
God had once again given security and peace to the city and the surrounding areas (vv. 13–14a). He had also given bountiful crops (v. 14b). The restoration of these blessings, after years and years of their absence, was no small reason for praise. Opening up Psalms.
“He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” (Psalm 147:15–18)
The author did not want to leave any doubt about the source of these remarkable blessings. It was the powerful, effective word of the sovereign God. That word ‘runs very swiftly’ (v. 15). The word which goes out of his mouth is, as it were, very eager to accomplish the thing that he commands. And this word does not return ‘void’ to the Lord but rather accomplishes his purpose (Isa. 55:11). The psalmist again appeals to the natural order to make his point. The snow, the frost, the hail, the cold, the thawing and the wind are all examples of the effectiveness of his word (vv. 15–18). Opening up Psalms.
God sovereignly oversees the normal and the extraordinary. The MacArthur study Bible
Reminds me of “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) We can always simply look at the weather and see that God's Word always does what He wants it to do, and know that He always keeps His promises to us! Which also makes us realize the honor we have been given to have His Word.
“He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 147:19–20)
The people of God were enormously blessed because they had received the word of God in a special way. He had declared ‘his word to Jacob’ & ‘his statutes and his judgements to Israel’ To make sure his point would not be missed, the writer says of God: “He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 147:20) With the concluding ‘Praise the Lord!’ the psalmist leaves by the same door through which he entered. Opening up Psalms.
That God chose Israel out of all the other nations is amazing, especially since He began by choosing just 1 man - Abraham. From him, God built the nation of Israel. That reminds us of our own election. God chose each of us out of all the other people on the earth to belong to Him, be loved by Him, & be His child. He told Israel that His choice had nothing to do with anything about them. It wasn't because they were better than others, or more numerous - they weren't. The same is true of each of us. There was & is nothing about us that would cause God to choose us. The only reason He chose us was because He wanted to; because He loves us. That alone would be enough to praise Him for, yet He is constantly providing, guiding, & helping us!
May God bless you as you study His Word with Him and fill you with His joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
6/10/17
Psalm 148
This praise to my God starts with Heavens and heights that should praise Him as well as the angels, heavenly hosts, stars, moon and sun...really the whole created (by my God) universe.
Then the praise to be given to the Lord moves to earth both animate and inanimate.
It lists a number of such things, and of course human ought to praise their Creator!
Which brings it right down to me! Psalm 148 is cosmic in scope and comforting in message. It’s a depiction of how God brought order to chaos in the very beginning. God put the heavens, heights, angels, hosts (His armies), sun, moon, stars, and waters in their place—each a sign of His rule over the universe (Psa 148:1–5). God rules over the elements commonly depicted as gods in the ancient Near East; He rules over the symbols of chaos. And this cosmic depiction is comforting. The version of the creation story we typically hear tells how things came to be, which is good. But when the story is cast like it is in Psa 148—where we see God as ruler and Lord over chaos—the message moves beyond an intellectual knowledge. If God rules over chaos, and has since the beginning, He can bring order to the chaos in our own lives. For this reason, the psalmist praises God both for His creation and for His work in his own life. The end of Psa 148 further reveals God’s intimate work with the worshiper: The psalmist declares God praiseworthy because “he has raised high a horn [the symbol of strength] for his people … for the children of Israel, a people close to him” (Psa 148:14). God’s work in creation proves that He is the most worthy partner in adverse situations. When things get tough, God will come through. Next time things seem get rough, try replacing the cliché of “God is in control” with “God is Lord over chaos.” The tense here is important. God isn’t trying to be Lord—He is Lord. When God spoke, the chaos was subdued. Likewise, when God speaks truth into our lives, the chaos in our lives is subdued. Through Christ’s work, we have the opportunity for this intimate relationship with God. Through Christ’s efforts in us, we can become people who act with Him to subdue chaos. Connect the Testaments 2 Samuel 23:1–24:25; Jude 1:17–25; Psalm 148:1–150:6.
And a few notes:
“lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,” (Psalm 148:8)
"Stormy winds that do His bidding," Which Jesus fulfilled! Mark 4:39.
“you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,” (Psalm 148:9)
Jesus fulfilled this one too in Matthew 21:18–20 and Mark 11:13–14 & Mark 11:20
“wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,” (Psalm 148:10)
Jesus will fulfill this one during the Millennium. Isaiah 11:6 and He spoke of how the Father cares for them as did the prophets and David.
“He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 148:14)
The dispensation of the old covenant was that of distance. When God appeared even to his servant Moses, he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet. Both in the sacred worship of the tabernacle & temple, the thought of distance was always prominent. The mass of the people didn't even enter the outer court. Into the inner court none but the priests might dare to intrude; while into the innermost place, or the holy of holies, the high priest entered but once a year. It was as if the Lord in those early ages would teach man that sin was so utterly loathsome to him, that he must treat men as lepers put without the camp; & when he came nearest to them, he yet made them feel the width of the separation between a holy God & an impure sinner. When the gospel came, we were placed on quite another footing. The word “Go” was exchanged for “Come”; distance was made to give place to nearness, and we who were afar off, were made near by the blood of Jesus Christ. Incarnate Deity has no wall of fire about it. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” is the joyful proclamation of God as he appears in human flesh. Not now does he teach the leper his leprosy by setting him at a distance, but by himself suffering the penalty of his defilement. What a state of safety and privilege is this nearness to God through Jesus! If you know it, are you living in the power of it? Marvelous is this nearness, yet it is to be followed by a dispensation of greater nearness still, when it shall be said, “The tabernacle of God is with men, and he doth dwell among them.” Hasten it, O Lord. Morning and evening:
Two reasons are given for earth’s praise: 1) His name alone is exalted in heaven (Psalm 148:13) and 2) He has exalted Israel on earth (Psalm 148:14). A horn: Refers in general to the strength and prosperity of the nation, which became the cause of praise for Israel. This suggests that Israel will enjoy better times than in the past, that is, during David’s and Solomon’s reigns or after returning from the Babylonian Captivity. A people near to Him: Cf. also “My chosen people” (Is 43:20) and “His own possession” (Psalm 135:4). MacArthur study Bible
6/11/17
Psalm 149
So this psalm of praise starts with a new song by His faithful people to God their Maker.
It even suggests dancing.
And God delights in them....that is such a lovely thought!!
It talks of having a double edged sword which I know can mean God's word, as well as a sword of iron or steel.
and this psalm ends as it begins ....praise the Lord. which I am thinking I should make a habit to do in the morning and night and in between.
Over the centuries this psalm has been misunderstood & misused. It was by means of this psalm that Casper Sciopius in his Clarion of the Sacred War inflamed the Roman Catholic princes to initiate the Thirty Years’ War. So inflammatory was that work that it was said to have been written not with ink but with blood. It was also with this psalm that the Protestant Thomas Münzer initiated the War of the Peasant. We see from these & other instances, that when in her interpretation of such a Psalm the church forgets the words of the Apostle, ‘the weapons of our warfare are not carnal’ (2 Cor 10:4), she falls back upon the ground of the OT … round which even the Jews themselves did not venture to maintain.… Therefore the Christian must transpose the letter of this Psalm into the spirit of the NT. KJV Bible Commentary
Thirty Years’ War (1618-48) It was one of the longest & most destructive conflicts,as well as the deadliest European religious war in history, resulting in eight million casualties. Initially a war between various Protestant & Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the great powers. The war was preceded by the election of the new Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II, who tried to impose religious uniformity on his domains, forcing Roman Catholicism on its peoples. More:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years%27_War
The War of the Peasant: 1524 to 1525. When the peasants of Europe began to read the scriptures for themselves during the Reformation, their ideas of justice started to change. What right had feudal overlords to enslave & fleece them, who were their equals in Christ? Increasing resentment against the heavy exaction of the feudal system, crop failure in Stühlingen, Germany, the writings of Luther & new Bible-derived notions of the equality of man precipitated the tragic Peasant's Revolt of 1524-1525. The peasants agreed to be corrected by scripture if any of their demands should be shown to be in error. Luther at first took a middle ground between the nobility & peasants, acknowledging that many of their demands were just. Led by men such as Thomas Muntzer, who wanted to "destroy the godless," the peasants revolted. Luther became frightened by the spreading rebellion & urged in violent terms that the revolt be put down. Over 100,000 peasants died & the misery of those who remained worsened. The victors destroyed their farming implements & homes & increased their tax burdens. As a consequence, the strongest groaned under increased oppression & the weak simply perished. more:
www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/german-peasant-revolt-11629931.html
that's so amazing to me because when I read this psalm it's very obvious to me that the last half is speaking of the Millennial Kingdom which Jesus will bring in. It's not something we can do ourselves or even begin ourselves. Yet even today there is a large section of Christianity that follows the false teaching that we are to bring in this Kingdom. I guess some folks just don't understand how sinful we are and that we literally are incapable of doing anything of ourselves, or that Jesus will be the one to do this Himself and doesn't need us at all!
“Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.” (Psalm 149:1) this verse caught my attention this time and made me realize that it's yet another reason that we're not to give up meeting together - in other words - go to church. (Hebrews 10:25) While we are to praise God alone, and even with others, we're also especially to do so with our local congregation.
This psalm has a great deal to teach us about spiritual warfare too. So let me share some of my notes with you rather than putting it in my own words. That way you'll know I'm not just making it up lol, besides, this is very important for you in order to be rid of the last of your problems on waking up and other times.
There are two groups of verses: one deals with praise (vv. 1-4) & the other with judgment (vv. 5-9). Through the linking of these two concepts, this psalm teaches us that there is tremendous power in worship & praise. Of the mighty spiritual weapons given believers, worship & praise are chief among them. They enthrone God to deal directly with our spiritual enemies (see note on “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3) KJV But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.). From Psalm 22:3: Unquestionably, one of the most remarkable & exciting things about honest & sincere praise is taught here: Praise will bring the presence of God. Although God is everywhere present, there is a distinct manifestation of His rule, which enters the environment of praise. Here is the remedy for times when you feel alone, deserted, or depressed. Praise! However simply, compose your song & testimony of God’s goodness in your life. The result: God enters! His presence will live (take up residence) in our lives. The word “inhabit” (Hebrew yawshab ) means “to sit down, to remain, to settle, or marry.” In other words, God does not merely visit us when we praise Him, but His presence abides with us & we partner with Him in a growing relationship. Let this truth create faith & trust, & lead to deliverance from satanic harassments, torment, or bondage. Notice how this text ties 3 words together: “praises,” “trusted,” & “delivered”! Since God is enthroned in the praises, worship is the key to entering fully into His presence. The concept here is that praise releases God’s glory, thus bringing to the worshipers actualized responses of His kingly reign. His enthroned responses through the Holy Spirit can take many forms. This verse should be a guiding goal for all personal & corporate worship times. Spirit filled life study Bible
Rejoicing in Him, their Maker & King, they should praise Him with song, dancing, and musical instruments. Their whole beings should enter into the praise. The Bible Knowledge Commentary.
The new song is a song of salvation. Personal praise is sweet to God, but the praise of a congregation of saints is sweeter still. KJV Bible Commentary
Praise is your best weapon against Satan. When you praise God, you are showing the heavenly hosts, powers, principalities, demons of darkness, & angels of light that your great God is worthy of praise—no matter what your circumstances. Praise produces victory, & victory evokes praise. The process is cyclical. Genuine praise must flow from your heart even during times of sorrow, discouragement, trial, & temptation (Ps. 42:5). The praise of His people brings glory to God. “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2) “My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 63:5–7) “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) The Woman’s Study Bible
GRATITUDE: A THANKFUL SPIRIT
Gratitude begins by acknowledging who God is and what He has done. This heartfelt emotion is not dependent upon the response of another person or upon the nature of what is received as a gift. Ingratitude, on the other hand, begins with a heart that refuses to be satisfied, that rejects the Giver as well as His gift (Rom. 1:21).
Life itself is a gracious gift from God. There is no gratitude except what is built on this foundation. A spirit of gratitude must be cultivated, then passed on to others, especially to those in your own household, by example. These are some ways to accomplish this:
Remember that a grateful person is humble and focused on God, while the ungrateful heart is full of pride and focused on self. Ruth beautifully emulated such a spirit of gratitude and humility (Ruth 2:10). She responded graciously even to the smallest kindness.
Do not take for granted the small and ordinary daily blessings (Matt. 6:11).
Look for blessings from God, being careful not to overlook the hidden, subtle, indirect gifts from God (Col. 4:2). Recognize that not every gift you desire may be beneficial to you. God is the all-wise Giver. Consider His plan and priorities for your life, being careful not to lose sight of the big picture because of a tragic but small interruption.
Remember to thank God even in the midst of adversity and trials (Hab. 3:17–19; 1 Cor. 10:31; Phil. 1:3; 2:14; 1 Thess. 5:18).
Gratitude to God and others should be expressed not only regularly but also publicly (Ps. 35:18; John 11:41, 42). Family members and close friends should not be taken for granted.
Record your blessings and keep a record of God’s faithfulness to you.
Complete the cycle of gratitude by reaching out to give to others in the Spirit of Christ (2 Cor. 9:12).
A grateful spirit and thankful heart are an integral part of the holy life. The woman who is thankful and has a heart full of praise brings joy to the Father and glory to His name. An attitude of gratitude will bring to your heart a host of blessings and make you a channel of blessing to others.
MUSIC: MAKING MELODY IN YOUR HEART
Music played a prominent part of the battle plan between Jehoshaphat and the enemies of Judah (2 Chr. 20:20–23). Not only did that music strengthen the morale of the Hebrew soldiers, it also signaled defeat to God’s enemies. Believers, as they lift their voices in singing are engaging in spiritual warfare! Music was used to drive away the evil spirit that terrorized King Saul (1 Sam. 16:16, 17, 23). As David played skillfully, Saul was soothed.
Music was also used to create a holy environment for the ark—the symbol of God’s presence—in the tabernacle of David (2 Chr. 5:11–13). Psalms 98 and 100 tell us to praise God with music of all kinds. Musical praise is not limited to singing; cymbals, trumpets, horns, and harps are all pleasing to God when used as instruments of praise.
Music is for all believers—that they might have a melody in their hearts to give them courage to defeat evil and make space for the Lord (Eph. 5:19). Musical praise is not restricted to those who are gifted or formally trained. The battle cry of victory begins in the heart as worship and can be expressed by anyone with a melody of praise. The Woman’s Study Bible.
Personal praise is sweet to God, but the praise of a congregation of saints is sweeter still. Our joy in God stems from the fact that He is God, not from what He can do for us. KJV Bible Commentary
“Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.” (Psalm 149:3)
For the Israelite it was natural to celebrate before the Lord with dancing (Psalm 150:4), as well as singing and praising. In a culture where dance has become associated with immorality, it requires discretion for this art to be brought into the praise of God. The dance of Israelite worship was of the type called “folk dance” today, involving groups of worshipers in procession (Psalm 68:25). Such dancing was never meant to call attention to the individual dancer, but was part of the colorful pageantry of a community festival. The Apologetics Study Bible
The word machol might mean “dance in a ring.” Dancing was a part of worship in ancient Israel; for example, David danced when the ark was brought to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:16). Faithlife Study Bible
Dance is an expression of joy and praise.
Joy: A quality or attitude of delight and happiness, which is ultimately grounded in the work of God as Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Among the many situations in which joy is experienced, Scripture recognizes as supreme being accepted in the presence of God. God’s people find their joy in him. God himself gives joy to his people: Ne 12:43; Job 8:21; Ecc 2:26; Isa 9:3; Ac 13:52; 14:15-17. Music: Music played a major role in the lives of people in biblical times. Music comes from God: God’s presence inspires music Ps 96:13 See also Ps 98:4. It is a gift of God Job 35:10. Music was closely associated with praise & worship. Music was employed extensively in the tabernacle & the temple. Many psalms are dedicated to the “director of music.” Uses of music: For divine inspiration 2Ki 3:14-15; 1Sa 18:10. To relieve depression 1Sa 16:23 See also 1Sa 16:16-18. At times of mourning. Prophets sometimes prophesied to musical accompaniment 1Sa 10:5-6 See also 2Ki 3:14-19. To celebrate victory. At times of celebration. As an expression of joy. For pleasure. Lack of music is a sign of judgment Isa 24:8 See also Rev 18:22. Dictionary of Bible Themes
I removed all the scripture references, or most of them anyway as it was so long. But if you need any, I'll get them for you.
“For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4)
How comprehensive is the love of Jesus! There's no part of his people’s interests which he doesn't consider & nothing which concerns their welfare which isn't important to him. It were a sad thing for us if this mantle of love didn't cover all our concerns, for what mischief might be wrought to us in that part of our business which didn't come under our gracious Lord’s inspection! Rest assured that Jesus cares about your meaner affairs. The breadth of his tender love is such that you may resort to him in all matters; for in all your afflictions he's afflicted, & like a father pities his children, so does he pity you. The meanest interests of all his saints are all borne upon the broad bosom of the Son of God. Oh, what a heart is his, that does not merely comprehend the persons of his people, but comprehends also the diverse & innumerable concerns of all those persons! Do you think that you can measure the love of Christ? Think of what his love has brought you—justification, adoption, sanctification, eternal life! The riches of his goodness are unsearchable; you shall never be able to tell them out or even conceive them. Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! Shall such a love as this have half our hearts? O my soul, tune your harp to a glad song of thanksgiving! Go to your rest rejoicing, for you're no desolate wanderer, but a beloved child, watched over, cared for, supplied, & defended by thy Lord. Morning and evening: 1 John 3:1 —How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
“Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.” (Psalm 149:5)
Are your sins too bad? One common feature of all world religions, except for the religion revealed in the Old and New Testaments, is that the gods demand some kind of human penance when they are wronged. Human beings must pay the gods back by giving more money, adhering to proper rituals, going through some form of self-punishment, or practicing some means of works righteousness. When religions are shaped by the way people treat one another, such a system is unavoidable. The psalmist knows this. He knows that all other gods keep records of who has been naughty and who has been nice. But God is holy, and his forgiveness is holy. Nothing can compare to it. As a result the psalmist says, “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130:3–4). Do you ever think that your sins are too bad, and that forgiveness for those sins requires you to get your act together first? If so, you don’t fear God. You are minimizing his forgiveness. You are acting as though his forgiveness is ordinary, just like that of any person or make-believe god. If you think like that, you don’t believe he is holy. In contrast, the fear of the Lord leads us to believe that when God makes promises too good to be true, they are indeed true. Heart of the matter
“May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.” (Psalm 149:6–9)
Psalm 149:6–9 It would appear that this section is eschatological in nature & looks 1) to the Millennium when all nations & peoples will acknowledge Christ as king & 2) to Jerusalem as His royal capital. MacArthur study
Psalm 149:6–9 The psalmist called for the Lord’s people to employ dual weapons of spiritual warfare: the praise (“exaltation,” often translated “high praises”) of God & the “two-edged sword.” In the hands of OT warriors, the sword was a literal weapon; in the hands of Christians, it is the Word of God (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rv 1:16). The praise of God, combined with the proclamation of the Word, make up the believers’ dual weapon in carrying out the Lord’s decree of judgment against evil authorities (Ps 149:7–9). The passage brings to mind the events that occurred when the Judean King Jehoshaphat was attacked by several foreign armies; he sent singers out ahead of his forces lifting a hymn of praise to the Lord, & the enemy armies fell into confusion & destroyed themselves (2 Ch 20:18–26). The Apologetics Study Bible
It is no coincidence, however, that the book of Hebrews describes the Word of God as “… quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword …” (Heb 4:12). Today, converts are not made with a steel sword, but with the quickening power of the Word of God. We fight against principalities and powers; we fight in the power of God’s Spirit. Metaphorically, for those who have a new song to sing, the song of redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ, the two-edged sword is to be used against the prince of the power of the air (see also Rev 19:12–15). KJV Bible Commentary.
God’s people should be a singing people. They should sing in the sanctuary (vv. 1–4) because God is their Savior (v. 1), their Maker, and their King (v. 2). You are reminded again that praise pleases God and beautifies God’s people (v. 4; Ps. 147:1, 11). You should sing at home (v. 5), even when in bed! Sing when you wake up in the morning, when you take a nap, when you go to bed at night. If it is a bed of illness, sing to the Lord even more. Sing to the Lord on the battlefield (vv. 6–9). God’s Word is your sword (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12), & it should be on your lips as well as in your hand. Praise is a wonderful weapon for defeating the enemy. With the Word
This psalm reminds me how very important praise is, and how it important singing praise or playing an instrument in praise, or even dancing in praise is. It's a very important weapon in our arsenal for spiritual warfare and needs to be done daily. It is also very important to do this as a congregation (or in a congregation). In other words to do this in partnership with others, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”” (Matthew 18:20) & But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. (NKJV Psalm 22:3) We enthrone God, or place Him on His throne, where He belongs in the hearts of all, when we praise Him. This is one of the major weapons God has given us for spiritual warfare too, and one that's often forgotten. We think to praise God when we "feel like it" but rarely when we don't feel like it. The Lord first showed me how important it is to praise Him when we don't feel like it when I was studying the scripture that says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15) To me a sacrifice meant something precious or important you give up of yourself for another - in this case, God. So praising God when I felt like it didn't seem like a sacrifice at all. The only time it would seem like a sacrifice to me is if I didn't want to praise Him or didn't feel like it, like if I was grieving, or hurting, or depressed etc. If I praised Him then I would be giving up my negative feelings and praising Him anyway. We're told to praise God, to rejoice in Him and to give thanks to Him constantly at all times in many places throughout the bible, such as: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and “Be joyful always;” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) I've found that when I obey the Lord and begin to praise Him even especially when I don't feel like it, that praise turns to worship, and worship to praise and thanksgiving, and I begin to feel ... well, wonderful! It gives us a feeling of being at peace with God, surrounded and protected by His love, and so much more. This is so very important for our well being. It's funny that so often we don't wonder why God wants us to praise Him. It's certainly not for His benefit though! He doesn't need our praise at all. It's to help us! Like everything else, it's something God gives us to enable us to live a life of victory here and now. We'll talk more about this when we talk about the next and last psalm.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 12, 2017 19:40:07 GMT -5
Thank you so much, that was great info!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 12, 2017 19:48:17 GMT -5
6/12/17
Psalm 150
Also a praise psalm
V. 1 is as you pointed out, the importance of praising Him with others ( i.e. church)
And for all His endless greatness and power.
Using musical instruments of various kinds.
And even with dance....one thing I found interesting in your info was when people dance for the Lord,
the dancer is not the focus, ( like in ballet for example when the whole focus is on the prima ballerina) it is instead on God.
You will probably think I am a nut but I often quote v. 6 to pets I have had in the past, and to many wild or semi wild animals and birds I come in contact with.
v. 6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord".
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Post by Cindy on Jun 13, 2017 11:36:03 GMT -5
Thank you so much, that was great info!!! 6/12/17
Psalm 150
Also a praise psalm
V. 1 is as you pointed out, the importance of praising Him with others ( i.e. church)
And for all His endless greatness and power.
Using musical instruments of various kinds.
And even with dance....one thing I found interesting in your info was when people dance for the Lord,
the dancer is not the focus, ( like in ballet for example when the whole focus is on the prima ballerina) it is instead on God.
You will probably think I am a nut but I often quote v. 6 to pets I have had in the past, and to many wild or semi wild animals and birds I come in contact with.
v. 6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord".
Psalm 150:1–6
This concluding psalm fitly caps the Psalter and the Final Hallel (Pss 145–150) by raising and then answering some strategic questions about praise: 1) where? (150:1); 2) what for? (150:2); 3) with what? (150:3–5); and 4) who? (150:6). This is the fitting conclusion to Book Five of the Psalms (Pss 107–150) and to the entire Psalter. The MacArthur study Bible
Praise ye the Lord. To all who read this psalm, to all in heaven and all in earth, to all who are aware of the excellency of God’s greatness, to all who have experienced His grace, to all who have been warmed by His love, this is an exhortation. Praise God in his sanctuary. This expression has been variously understood by scholars. The Vulgate renders it, “in His holy places.” Luther, in his German version, translates it, “in His holiness.” The Septuagint renders it, “in His holy ones.” It is a phrase designed to indicate that God, the strong God, is to be praised in the holiness of His Temple, His tabernacle, His church, and in the bodies of those who are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). A holy God is to be worshiped in a holy place. But in addition, we are to praise him in the firmament of his power, that great expanse above us which shows His power and glory. This verse tells us who is to be praised; i.e., YAH, the strong God. It also tells us where He is to be praised. KJV Bible Commentary
I realize that all the notes I give you could be both overwhelming and tedious at times. However, the only reason I post them for you is because I know that the information in them is something that can and will help you. But it won't help you if you don't read them and really think about what they're saying and try to assimilate it so that it's part of you. (which would include taking note of the portions that are most important or relevant to you and adding them to your notebook and or Bible) I also realize that it takes a lot of time for you to type stuff out in reply, and that it's hard to do when you're in pain etc, as well as when you're extra busy anyway. Those things are true for me too, but then I've had many years to practice taking this time for the Lord regardless of my circumstances. Plus, people come away with different ideas even though they read the same thing... not always, but they often can, and both people's ideas are often correct. Anyway, I wanted to show you a little bit of what I mean.
When I read the note that I posted above, it excited me because to me it showed a number of different ideas about praise. It showed that we're to praise God for who He is, and praise Him "in His Holiness", which to me says to praise Him for His holiness. Holiness is being perfectly pure, without any spot or blemish of sin, and separated from all that's not holy. There's no one that's holy as the Lord and it's hard for me to even imagine what true holiness is like, being totally pure in thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds. It's also amazing to me to consider that the Lord is transforming us so that we will one day be completely Holy. To me that is totally mind boggling, and definitely something that I would praise the Lord for! It tells me that we're to praise Him "in His Holy places", which to me would be church as well as my physical body. On the other hand, we could think of all of nature as being a holy place too. Of course it also says to praise Him in His sanctuary, and both our local churches and our bodies are His sanctuary now. So I can see myself praising God in church, when I'm outside in nature, and praising Him for dwelling within me. We're also told to praise Him “in His holy ones” which really took me by surprise, because we are His Holy Ones!! So that tells me that I should praise Him for all the brothers and sisters in Christ that I have, especially the ones I've come to know, but also those I haven't met yet. Thinking of that reminded me of how Paul frequently said that he always praised God for those who were saved that he was writing to. I don't know why, but I'd never thought of praising God for that before. I've praised Him for saving people, and I've praised Him that He's allowed me to know and fellowship with you and others, but that's as close as I've come to this.
Did you get the same thing from it or did you see something else?
Psalm 150:2 tells us why we're to praise God. It's to be for what's He's done and who He is.
Psalm 150:3–5. These verses tell us how God is to be praised. The instruments in these verses represent the wind, the strings, and percussion instruments, so cover all the instruments there are.
Psalm 150:6 obviously tells us who is to praise God. Everyone and everything! In this verse voices join the instruments in the praise of our Lord! And one day this will be fulfilled when all will bow before the Lord in worship! “I heard every creature which is in heaven, & on the earth, & under the earth, & on the sea, & all that is in them, singing, To Him who sits on the throne, & to the Lamb be praise, & honor, & glory, and power, for ever & ever” (Rev 5:13).
God created you to praise Him, to recognize Him as eternal, sovereign Lord and King of all creation. There are no other gods before Him, and none besides the Almighty deserve your adoration and deepest love. When you pray, do you praise God before you bring Him your petitions? Is worship your primary concern? Learning to praise God is key to spiritual growth, to understanding who He is and how He works in your life. It is difficult to pull your mind off personal problems and place it on God, especially when your heart is troubled. But by focusing on Him, you can see your life the way God does. You are aware of His grace and daily care, and your spirit is revitalized. Pride and self–reliance vanish in the face of an all–sufficient Lord. Read and heed Psalm 147:1: “It is good to sing praises to our God.” As you give God glory and honor, you experience His joy and peace in a fresh, transforming way. I praise You, O God, for Your mighty acts, Your excellent greatness, and Your holy character. You are eternal, sovereign Lord and King of all creation. There are no other gods before You! Enter His gates
Yesterday I brought up the fact that praising God is one of our most important weapons of spiritual warfare. Praising Him brings us His joy, and His peace, among other things; both of which we always need. It's one sure way to defeat depression and any number of problems. I don't mean that if we praise God all our problems will disappear and we'll always be full of joy, because there's more to it than that. That's how the world thinks. They want a list of things to do in order to overcome this or that problem or to get the things they want. So if they heard this, they'd grab praise and be off and running with it, thinking they'd found the fountain of youth lol. But God doesn't work that way. He doesn't give us lists or 12 point (or 7 or 3 etc) programs that will fix your life. Instead He tells us to know and love Him, to seek Him and abide in Him. Praise is another way we do that. So, for a person who loves the Lord and His Word, who spends time with Him in His Word daily, and is applying what they learn and living their faith with His help, praise is another way to express our love and gratitude for who He is and all He's done. it's also another way to obey Him, since He tells us to offer praise.
Consider the apostles when they were in prison. What did they do? They praised God. They weren't praising Him in order to get Him to get them out of prison, they were praising Him simply because they loved Him and thought He was the best thing that could have ever happened to them. And God in fact did release them from prison at times. At other times they praised Him and He didn't release them. For that matter, they'd often been severely beaten before being thrown in prison, but they were praising Him anyway! Because they did, it prevented them from becoming depressed, it kept their focus where the Lord says it should be - on Him and not on their problems. While it didn't take their physical pain away, it did distract them from it and I'd be willing to bet that the Lord also eased their pain some too.
In John 15, Jesus spoke of Himself being the vine and us as the branches. Then He said, ““As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:9–12) When He says, "I told you this", He doesn't just mean the sentence before that one, but at least all of chapter 15 and probably most or all of 14 as well. In those two chapters, Jesus told His beloved disciples and also us, who are also beloved by Him, how to live. He tells us what's most important and this brings us His Joy, just as it brought His disciples Joy.
Most of us know that faith is a gift from God that He gives to each of us and that we can then grow that faith as we continue to trust and obey Him. What most of us don't realize though is that joy is also a gift from God that He will give each of us. “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11) David's not just talking about when we're in heaven here. He's speaking about when we are saved for that's when the Lord comes to dwell within us and we have joy in His presence. Remember too, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10) Joy is given us by the Holy Spirit too now that He dwells within us: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17) It's also one of the fruits of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (Galatians 5:22) Notice also the fruit that's listed just before and just after it: "love" and "peace". I've found that love, joy and peace and interrelated. When God gives us a new nature, that new nature wants to find love, joy and peace. It looks for it and because we seek it, we find it as it's the Lord's gift to us. We look for the good in others and in our circumstances because we know God is good and we know He will make good come out of even the bad things that happen. We know that when things look bad, we only have to wait a bit and the Lord will bring us good, and give us joy, for He turns weeping to joy, and mourning to dancing. I love how this psalm says it: “Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:6–8) In these next verses, the word that's translated "happiness" is translated as "joy" in most other versions: “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24–26) He's not saying that all he's said is vanity etc. He's saying that it's vanity for the sinner to heap up riches and ignore God. I could continue but you get the idea I'm sure.
What I'd like you to do now is to talk to the Lord about His gift of joy. Not just in general, but His gift of it to you personally. Reflect on His joy and how it's related to praise, and thankfulness and even contentment. Consider how joy is related to love and peace which God also gives us and which are all things that grow as we grow in our faith. As you talk to Him about all of this and reflect on it, be going over some of the psalms with Him, especially the great Hallel's. Psalm 113–118 are the Egyptian Hallel, then there's The Great Hallel (Psalm 120–136) and lastly, The Final Hallel (Psalm 145–150). Then let me know what you've discovered that you can apply to your life that will bring God's joy to you so that you can overcome that last bit of being down that happens when you first wake up.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 13, 2017 14:07:10 GMT -5
First I wanted to let you know, I always...
( well I think once or twice, I somehow missed seeing a post by you)
read your posts....
unless,
I somehow managed once or twice to miss seeing them,
but it was not on purpose.
I think waaaaay back a few years, when Eva was with us, and we were studying (???) something,
several times,
I read a good portion of a very long post,
but then, sort of skimmed over the rest,
because,
I was actually feeling worse than now......
in part because I was taking some weird meds.
But for the last few years, I have made every effort to read in entirety your posts, because they are so helpful, interesting,
and
don't seem so long anymore...
maybe they are not? LOL
Anyway, I do reflect on parts of each post, but usually it's one, two, or three things that really stand out to me.
That seems to be all I can digest.
And I think, on a different day, ( like reading scripture) something else might stand out?
But since we have to move on, I don't often go back and re-read,
so I can't test my theory, but I am pretty sure it would be true.
So many times when Leonard reads scripture (after we pray and before we eat dinner), we will both say, almost at the same time......
Wow, I don't remember -------- ( fill in the blank)!!!
He has been reading about Samson the last few nights....
and one simple little silly thing ( there have been several tho) was...
we knew Samson had been a judge in Israel, but both of us forgot it was for 20 years!
We both thought it was shorter than that? I have no idea why....
but tho we both have read about Samson ( and I have read it several times and maybe Leonard has also)
that little, almost unimportant fact, just didn't stand out enough for me to remember it....
but this last time, I was like 20 years???!!!
Really, that long...huh?
Kind of silly, I know, but scripture is never 'all done'....
like... now I know everything...
and I think, it will never be all done!
Besides Jesus is the Word, so He will never be done!!
But I do believe I could in fact, think even more on your posts than I do!
Well, I will maybe go back and re-read the psalms you suggested and will post on the first one today...until I better understand what I am to do.....
I am used to reading a chapter or a psalm etc. and posting on it....I
am not sure if you were saying as I talk to the Lord about His gift of joy and reflect on it...if I am to read all the psalms again you suggested and post on all of them today ( well tomorrow, since I am doing just one today).
Joy is still a little elusive,but in general, I mostly feel more peaceful, more trusting, and less worrying.
Oh, I called the imaging dept because they have now sent me two more letters, reminding me to come in for more breast images.......
and I called and told the appointment desk, I did not want to do that.....so she said: OK.
For a brief second or two, I felt a little worry....
I am so used to doing whatever the doctors say.....
but then, as I looked to Jesus, the worry left.
This is a looong post, but one last thing. I was telling our daughter about a FB post our grandchildren's dad posted the other day.
Then Hossanah said:
yeah, I was about to say something negative to Devon ( our grandson) about Damien ( the dad) but then I stopped myself and said, I really shouldn't be being negative about your dad, to you Devon.
And then I agreed with her ( in part)
but I also said to her,
you can in love, ( and remembering we all are sinners) be honest with your children about their dad,
especially if their safety is concerned,
because he is in a very unstable time.
( He called our grand daughter and had her in tears as he claimed he was suicidal......
Hossanah talked to him at that point, and said, he really needed to talk to someone else, but not his children about how he might kill himself!!!!
Anyway to make a long story short, Hossanah felt much better that I said that....
and she said, yes, I can tell them ,but not in an angry way,
but in a loving, factual way.....
Yes, I can do that.
I was only able to counsel her, because you had already told me that ....a week or two ago,
when I asked for your advise and counsel.
so once again thank you very much!!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 13, 2017 15:41:37 GMT -5
6/13/17
Psalm 113
It is kind of neat to be going back and re-reading some of the psalms! And as usual, I am seeing different things this time around that stand out today to me.
We as His servants are to praise God, now and forevermore. ( we are also more than servants but that's another story).
But as you have pointed out, this is not a chore that we ( I) 'have' to do, in fact, it is we ( I) who end up getting all manner of benefits from praising our God and Savior.
In fact, we ought, should, could praise Him all the time....not because of the benefits we will surely get, but because He is worthy, there is none like Him.
But speaking of benefits, my God does not just give them to the rich and mighty, but He is more apt to raise the poor and the needy up....and works miracles ( now and later in time and eternity).
My (our) God is worthy to be praise, and it will bring me ( us) joy, and peace.
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Post by Cindy on Jun 14, 2017 12:28:47 GMT -5
First I wanted to let you know, I always...
( well I think once or twice, I somehow missed seeing a post by you)
read your posts....
unless,
I somehow managed once or twice to miss seeing them,
but it was not on purpose.
I think waaaaay back a few years, when Eva was with us, and we were studying (???) something,
several times,
I read a good portion of a very long post,
but then, sort of skimmed over the rest,
because,
I was actually feeling worse than now......
in part because I was taking some weird meds.
But for the last few years, I have made every effort to read in entirety your posts, because they are so helpful, interesting,
and
don't seem so long anymore...
maybe they are not? LOL
Anyway, I do reflect on parts of each post, but usually it's one, two, or three things that really stand out to me.
That seems to be all I can digest.
And I think, on a different day, ( like reading scripture) something else might stand out?
But since we have to move on, I don't often go back and re-read,
so I can't test my theory, but I am pretty sure it would be true.
So many times when Leonard reads scripture (after we pray and before we eat dinner), we will both say, almost at the same time......
Wow, I don't remember -------- ( fill in the blank)!!!
He has been reading about Samson the last few nights....
and one simple little silly thing ( there have been several tho) was...
we knew Samson had been a judge in Israel, but both of us forgot it was for 20 years!
We both thought it was shorter than that? I have no idea why....
but tho we both have read about Samson ( and I have read it several times and maybe Leonard has also)
that little, almost unimportant fact, just didn't stand out enough for me to remember it....
but this last time, I was like 20 years???!!!
Really, that long...huh?
Kind of silly, I know, but scripture is never 'all done'....
like... now I know everything...
and I think, it will never be all done!
Besides Jesus is the Word, so He will never be done!!
But I do believe I could in fact, think even more on your posts than I do!
Well, I will maybe go back and re-read the psalms you suggested and will post on the first one today...until I better understand what I am to do.....
I am used to reading a chapter or a psalm etc. and posting on it....I
am not sure if you were saying as I talk to the Lord about His gift of joy and reflect on it...if I am to read all the psalms again you suggested and post on all of them today ( well tomorrow, since I am doing just one today).
Joy is still a little elusive,but in general, I mostly feel more peaceful, more trusting, and less worrying.
Oh, I called the imaging dept because they have now sent me two more letters, reminding me to come in for more breast images.......
and I called and told the appointment desk, I did not want to do that.....so she said: OK.
For a brief second or two, I felt a little worry....
I am so used to doing whatever the doctors say.....
but then, as I looked to Jesus, the worry left.
This is a looong post, but one last thing. I was telling our daughter about a FB post our grandchildren's dad posted the other day.
Then Hossanah said:
yeah, I was about to say something negative to Devon ( our grandson) about Damien ( the dad) but then I stopped myself and said, I really shouldn't be being negative about your dad, to you Devon.
And then I agreed with her ( in part)
but I also said to her,
you can in love, ( and remembering we all are sinners) be honest with your children about their dad,
especially if their safety is concerned,
because he is in a very unstable time.
( He called our grand daughter and had her in tears as he claimed he was suicidal......
Hossanah talked to him at that point, and said, he really needed to talk to someone else, but not his children about how he might kill himself!!!!
Anyway to make a long story short, Hossanah felt much better that I said that....
and she said, yes, I can tell them ,but not in an angry way,
but in a loving, factual way.....
Yes, I can do that.
I was only able to counsel her, because you had already told me that ....a week or two ago,
when I asked for your advise and counsel.
so once again thank you very much!!!!
I am used to reading a chapter or a psalm etc. and posting on it....I am not sure if you were saying as I talk to the Lord about His gift of joy and reflect on it...if I am to read all the psalms again you suggested and post on all of them today ( well tomorrow, since I am doing just one today). Joy is still a little elusive,but in general, I mostly feel more peaceful, more trusting, and less worrying."
No, that's not what I wanted you to do. This is what I actually said:
Now, I'll try to say it in another way.... All of this is to be done at the same time in one day. BUT you could also take the first day and spend it going over the notes I gave you and see what you get from them. If you do that, then be sure to ask the Lord to guide you and show you what He wants you to learn from them first. As far as posting goes, if you do this first, just post and let me know that's what you're doing (or have done). You can also share what you got out of them for yourself too. Then, the next day do what I suggested and what I'll now try to put in a different way for you:
1. Open your bible to one of these Psalms (it doesn't matter which one, just whichever one you want to) Psalm 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, Psalm 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, or 150. (I removed the Great Hallel as it's got so many in it.)
2. Talk to the Lord asking Him to guide you to what He wants you to learn. Then talk to Him about His gift of joy - not in general, but His gift of joy to you personally.
3. Go to any scripture(s) that come to mind as you're talking to Him, read them and talk to Him about how they relate to what you're talking about with Him.
4. Consider how joy is related to love and peace which God also gives us and which are all things that grow as fruit as we grow in our faith, talking to the Lord about this.
5. As you talk to Him about all of this and reflect on it, be going over some of the above psalms with Him,
6. When you're done, come to FH to post and let me know what you've discovered that you can apply to your life that will bring God's joy to you so that you can overcome that last bit of being down that happens when you first wake up.
7. If you're worn out, or just out of time, after your time with the Lord on either of those days, then just post and let me know you'll tell me about it the next day. What's important is the time you spend with the Lord learning from Him, not what you do here. So if it would be easier for you to post about your time the day afterward, that's fine too.
You might also spend some time or a whole day going over some of the notes on the psalms that I wrote for you and talk to the Lord about them as well.
When you do post, I don't want to know what any of the psalms say - we already did that. What I want you to post about is what the Lord tells you from His Word that will personally help you overcome your problem. When I say things like "what the Lord tells you" I don't mean that I expect you to hear a voice in your head. The Lord speaks to us from His Word.
Let me give you an example of what might happen: Let's say you chose to start with Psalm 145, so you open your bible to that psalm. You ask the Lord to guide you to what He wants you to learn and then you talk to Him about what happens to you some mornings as you wake up and ask Him to help you overcome that and to show you what you need. You talk to Him about how He gives us the gift of Joy and mention that you'd really like to experience that, and again ask His help in doing so. You begin to read the psalm slowly. As you read, verse 5 seems to stand out to you, and it talks about meditating on His wonderful works. You talk to Him about that and continue to read. Verse 9 stands out to you too, speaking of how the Lord is so compassionate toward us. You think about His compassion toward you in the past, and even right this moment as He guides you to what you need to know and works with you to experience His joy. You begin to feel a great love for Him swell up within you. That causes you to begin worshiping Him. The more you think about how much He loves you and how He is always ready to listen and can't wait to see you every morning, your love for Him feels like it's overflowing and you realize that you're also feeling His love for you. As you sit and relish the feeling of His love around you, you suddenly realize that you're not just feeling love, (both His for you and you for Him) but that you're feeling joy too! You have the one thing that every human being needs in order to be fulfilled - God, and you will have Him always and forever!
6/13/17
Psalm 113
It is kind of neat to be going back and re-reading some of the psalms! And as usual, I am seeing different things this time around that stand out today to me.
We as His servants are to praise God, now and forevermore. ( we are also more than servants but that's another story).
But as you have pointed out, this is not a chore that we ( I) 'have' to do, in fact, it is we ( I) who end up getting all manner of benefits from praising our God and Savior.
In fact, we ought, should, could praise Him all the time....not because of the benefits we will surely get, but because He is worthy, there is none like Him.
But speaking of benefits, my God does not just give them to the rich and mighty, but He is more apt to raise the poor and the needy up....and works miracles ( now and later in time and eternity).
My (our) God is worthy to be praise, and it will bring me ( us) joy, and peace.
JOY. Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian. Joy occurs frequently in songs of praise, most frequently in the book of Psalms (1 Chr 16; Pss 20; 33; 47). The prophets speak of joy, both its being taken away on account of exile (Ezek 24:25; Joel 1:12) and of the joy that will return when the people are restored (Isa 35:10; Jer 31:13).
In the New Testament, joy is still used for victory, as shown by the disciples returning with joy since even the evil spirits listened to them (Luke 10:17). However, the victory focuses more on salvation (Luke 15:7)—the presence of Christ, the bridegroom, gives reason for joy (John 3:29). In the New Testament letters, joy is a desired attribute of Christians. Paul expressed frequently the joy he had regarding the salvation of those he was writing to and prayed that they might be full of joy.
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit; it is expected of Christians because it is the natural result of having received salvation. The joy comes on account of what Christ has done, irrelevant of whatever other circumstances are happening in one’s life.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary
JOY State of delight and well being that results from knowing and serving God. A number of Greek and Hebrew words are used to convey the ideas of joy and rejoicing. We have the same situation in English with such nearly synonymous words as joy, happiness, pleasure, delight, gladness, merriment, felicity, and enjoyment. The words “joy” and “rejoice” are the words used most often to translate the Hebrew and Greek words into English. Joy is found over 150 times in the Bible. If such words as “joyous” and “joyful” are included, the number comes to over 200. The verb “rejoice” appears well over 200 times.
Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It is not something people can create by their own efforts. The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for pleasure is the word from which we get our word “hedonism,” the philosophy of self-centered pleasure seeking. Paul referred to false teachers as “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4 HCSB).
The Bible warns that self-indulgent pleasure seeking does not lead to happiness and fulfillment. Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 records the sad testimony of one who sought to build his life on pleasure seeking. The search left him empty and disillusioned. Proverbs 14:13 offers insight into this way of life, “Even in laughter a heart may be sad” (HCSB). Cares, riches, and pleasures rob people of the possibility of fruitful living (Luke 8:14). Pleasure seeking often enslaves people in a vicious cycle of addiction (Titus 3:3). The self-indulgent person, according to 1 Tim. 5:6, is dead while seeming still to be alive.
Many people think that God is the great killjoy. Nothing could be a bigger lie. God Himself knows joy, and He wants His people to know joy. Psalm 104:31 speaks of God Himself rejoicing in His creative works. Isaiah 65:18 speaks of God rejoicing over His redeemed people who will be to Him “a joy.”
Luke 15 is the most famous biblical reference to God’s joy. The Pharisees and scribes had criticized Jesus for receiving sinners and eating with them. Then Jesus told three parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The explicit theme of each parable is joy over one sinner who repents.
The joy of God came to focus in human history in Jesus Christ. The note of joy and exultation runs through the entire biblical account of the coming of Christ (Luke 1:14, 44; Matt. 2:10). The most familiar passage is the angel’s announcement of “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10 KJV). Jesus spoke of His own joy and of the full joy He had come to bring to others (John 15:11; 17:13). He illustrated the kingdom of heaven by telling of the joy of a man who found treasure (Matt. 13:44). Zacchaeus was in a tree when Jesus called him, but he quickly climbed down and received Jesus joyfully (Luke 19:6). He had found life’s ultimate treasure in Christ.
As Jesus’ death approached, He told His followers that soon they would be like a woman in labor, whose sorrow would be turned into joy (John 16:20–22). Later they understood when the dark sorrow of the cross gave way to the joy of the resurrection (Luke 24:41). Viewed from this perspective, eventually they came to see that the cross itself was necessary for the joy to become real (Heb. 12:2). Because of His victory and the promise of His abiding presence, the disciples could rejoice even after the Lord’s ascension (Luke 24:52).
The book of Acts tells how joy continued to characterize those who followed Jesus. After Philip preached in Samaria, the people believed and “there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:8). After the work of Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia, “the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52 HCSB). Paul and Barnabas reported such conversions to other believers, “and they created great joy among all the brothers” (Acts 15:3). After the conversion of the Philippian jailer, he “rejoiced because he had believed God with his entire household” (Acts 16:34).
Joy in the Christian life is in direct proportion as believers walk with the Lord. They can rejoice because they are in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). Joy is a fruit of a Spirit-led life (Gal. 5:22). Sin in a believer’s life robs the person of joy (Ps. 51:7–8, 12).
When a person walks with the Lord, the person can continue to rejoice even when troubles come. Jesus spoke of those who could rejoice even when persecuted and killed (Matt. 5:12). Paul wrote of rejoicing in suffering because of the final fruit that would result (Rom. 5:3–5). Both Peter and James also echoed the Lord’s teachings about rejoicing in troubles (1 Pet. 1:6–8; James 1:2).
Joy in the Lord enables people to enjoy all that God has given. They rejoice in family (Prov. 5:18), food (1 Tim. 4:3–5), celebrations (Deut. 16:13–15), fellowship (Phil. 4:1). They share with other believers the joys and sorrows of life: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15 HCSB). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 14, 2017 17:09:41 GMT -5
It's 3:00 and I only just got on the net and was able to read what I was supposed to have done......I had a feeling, I didn't understand, and I was right about that anyway LOL
So I will first write down ( in case the net or our server goes down again, this has been going on for over a week or more)
the praise psalms you suggested and ask the Lord about the mornings, and see what He shows me from them.
Another day, (tomorrow....if I can get online) I will read your notes.
I will post either tonight or tomorrow on the psalms....but it seems like our server or whatever is going on, almost always goes down at night....but today it was all morning and 1/2 of the afternoon.
Also I have strangely been very tired the last couple of days. I was hoping as summer very slowly creeps in, I might find more energy, but so far, the last couple of days, it's not been happening.
I can hardly stay awake.
However, when the net is up I listen to praise and worship songs for an hour or so, and I have been peaceful and very joy filled.
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Post by Cindy on Jun 15, 2017 9:52:23 GMT -5
It's 3:00 and I only just got on the net and was able to read what I was supposed to have done......I had a feeling, I didn't understand, and I was right about that anyway LOL
So I will first write down ( in case the net or our server goes down again, this has been going on for over a week or more)
the praise psalms you suggested and ask the Lord about the mornings, and see what He shows me from them.
Another day, (tomorrow....if I can get online) I will read your notes.
I will post either tonight or tomorrow on the psalms....but it seems like our server or whatever is going on, almost always goes down at night....but today it was all morning and 1/2 of the afternoon.
Also I have strangely been very tired the last couple of days. I was hoping as summer very slowly creeps in, I might find more energy, but so far, the last couple of days, it's not been happening.
I can hardly stay awake.
However, when the net is up I listen to praise and worship songs for an hour or so, and I have been peaceful and very joy filled.
Sounds good hon. Just do what the Lord leads you to do and it will be fine I'm sure. In fact, since this is Thursday already, why don't you plan on spending today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday doing this. You can post whenever you feel led to or you can wait till Sunday and then let me know what you learned from your time with the Lord. If you're concerned about not being able to remember something, just take notes. You can do that even when you're spending time with Him; I do it all the time lol. Then when you come to post, you'll have your notes to remind you of what you want to say.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 15, 2017 18:09:10 GMT -5
I have not yet re-read your notes but I did go back and re-read Psalms 113-118
and 145-150
And I took some notes.
Before I forget tho, I wanted to say, one thing that really helped was when you wrote, that the Lord is excited to see me each morning.
So I am still not sure I understand 100 percent,
but I will write what I have so far, and if I need to go back over them and expand, I will do so.
Psalm 113
v. 2 speaks of praising the Lord for now and forever more.....
and I realized since my joy is not where I think it ought to be (sort of more minimal and iffy....kind of like our computer network/server whatever...on again off again),
means I do not spend enough time with the Lord, and/or praising him.
Psalm 114
V,2 I am indwelled by God the Holy Spirit but me as a church, is often more empty church due to my spending only a small amount of real quality time with the Lord....and thus a small amount of joy.....it is certainly more than it was when I first joined FH of course and I have more peace, and thankfulness....but since I am working mostly on the joy factor.....
Psalm 115
v. 1 I need to focus more on God's love and faithfulness to me. I also need to once again, spend less time with the world and it's false idols ( less news etc. which is mostly downers and not joy bringing.....yes it points to how close we are getting to the end.....but in a way, that goes without saying, I KNOW every day is a day closer, and there is no question the world is going down the drain.
I also need to think on how He is my help and will bless me, plus being more thankful for his love, now, and forevermore.
Psalm 116
v.1 I can have joy because God heard my cry for mercy, and I can call on Him for as long as I live.
v.3,5 I can rejoice that whenever I have been ( or will be) overcome by trouble, sorrow or in great need, the Lord is compassionate, and has ( and will) deliver me......esp. my soul from the 2nd death.
v.16 Jesus has freed me from my chains and I could be joyful and give a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
Psalm 117
Joy and peace because His love towards me is great and His faithfulness endures forever ( forever is a joy filled word to me).
Psalm 118
v.1 is like Ps. 117 Joy = the fact that God's love for me endures forever!
v.5 Jesus has set me free of fear-what can man do to me? ( I actually am free from fear waaaaaaay more than I ever was, but I still do have moments when fear tries to overcome me, because of how crazy people in the world are becoming.
But the Lord has let me live in this small coastal village, where we have been very insulated from the madness of big cities and I am so grateful.
v. 14 reminds me I can be joyful because I do not need to be strong in myself, but the Lord God is my strength.
v. 17 I will not die ( well my body yes, but even then I will get a new body....that is a joyful thought!!!)
v.24 kind of goes along as an antidote to my morning depression because it says: this is the day the Lord has made....rejoice ( Joy) and be glad in it.
Hummmmm I forgot to write what Ps I was looking at LOL
Opps!
I wrote I can praise His greatness, majesty, goodness, compassion, love, and look forward to His kingdom with joy also His faithful promises to me, can bring joy.
v. 14 He will uphold me when I fall
v. 18 He is near when I call which also is a reason to be joy filled ( He is not far away).
I think I will take a short break and do 145-150 later.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 16, 2017 14:30:55 GMT -5
6/16/17
Psalms 145-150
Today I will do Psalms 145-150 and then start working on re-reading your notes.
Psalm 145
In order to have joy I need to lock in my mind v.1 to praise my Savior with my heart, spirit, mind....forever and ever.
v.8 another reason to feel joyful is that Jesus has been compassionate and loving to me.
v. 13 and trustworthy and faithful, providing for my needs all of my life.
v. 19 a cause for joy is He heard my cry and saved me.
Psalm 146
I can praise the Lord God all my life as long as I live and sing praises ( and He inhabits the praises of His people)
6. Joy for creating everything
and
v.7 for setting me free
and
v.8 giving me 'sight'
and
v.9 sustained me when I was fatherless
and
v.10
He reigns.....forever!!!
Psalm 147
v.3 Joy because He healed my broken heart
v.5 because He is all knowing ( I don't want to be all knowing myself, it is more fun and joyful to know, that my God, can forever surprise me, and give more more and more knowledge and wisdom, forever and ever.
v.10 I don't have to be 'strong' either, for Him to love me, His love for me is unfailing ( and just like He is all knowing, it is a joyful truth that He is all powerful! He can over come anything, but He can also give me strength for eternity.
v.18 and His word is powerful!
Psalm 148
v. 14 In praising Him, I join with a multitude of brother and sister believers, and all He has created, which brings me close to his heart.
Psalm 149
v.4 It is a joy to know that the Lord delights in me!
Psalm 150
I can praise Him in many different ways, words, song, dance etc.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 17, 2017 10:23:33 GMT -5
Today I am going to start reading your notes from the beginning of this thread.
About our weird internet problem.....finally ( because the landlord and his family came last night,
and everyone but us told them about intermittent or very little internet, and they themselves could not get online.....he then called the server.)
The server tried to fix the problem from the office to no avail and told him they would have to order a new modem and install it, in order to fix the problem....I think they will bring it out once they get it, but don't know how long that will take.
So, I may just start putting up some notes in a post
which I will continue to add to as an edit
and then
go back and organize it
because I never know when or how long we will be on......it seems like we can still be on, an hour or two and then off for 4 or more hours and on again for an hour....but not always even that much.
So that is why I am going to be posting in such a strange way
if you happen to come and just see some random sentences or partial sentences even....I just want to get some of your ideas up and will organize later....as long as I can even continue to get on for some time anyway.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 17, 2017 11:01:39 GMT -5
So now I will begin posting some of your notes I am re-reading that are helpful to me ( well they all are LOL but you know what I mean.
"it may take time for it to go away completely and for you to accept the changes the Lord has made within you, so that the old feeling is replaced with a new good one. It depends on you and the Lord really, and how much time you spend in His Word daily."
"This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it"
I pray for people I see on the street, or in the store, just whoever the Lord points out to me. I pray for the people I hear about on the news....all the regular members of FH....neighbors, my own family, the body of Christ in general."
"It's hard for us to truly understand godly beauty when all we've been exposed to is earthly or worldly beauty. Plus, just as importantly, remember what the Lord tells us that we will find exactly what we are searching for. if we are searching to find ugliness, then that's what we'll find. If we are searching for beauty, then that's what we'll find....grandma's equal love and love is beautiful... God calls grey hair a crown...
Worldly beauty is one of the idols that many Americans have...poisonous lies...
beautiful is someone without makeup who you can see is innocent of those lies, someone who, like a child, accepts themselves the way the Lord made them and simply enjoys the life they've been given.
Spiritual food can seem unsatisfying at first, but have you ever had someone say to you, “I love you”? Wouldn’t you gladly pass on a buffet in order to hear such words?
a fed spirit is satisfied for this life and the life to come.
It’s true I’m feeling bad. It’s only unpleasant, however; it’s not doomsville.
2. It’s not doomsville because I’m not letting it be. I'll allow some good healthy pain, but I won’t allow anguish, misery, woe, & disaster.
3. I’m in control here. God has created me as an emotional being, so I can expect to have emotions. But God has also given me the fruit of the Spirit: self-control. So I'll control my feelings & they can’t control me.
4. I am angry. I can, however, handle anger in a biblical, healthy manner. I don't lie to myself about this emotion & I don't try to squelch it or hold it in. I'm also not a person of temper tantrums. I choose self-control.
Two misbeliefs undergird this kind of despair:
1. God is not the source of life. Man is.
When we're despondent over loss, we're telling ourselves that the person or thing we lost is crucial to our lives & happiness.
The untruth lies in the fact that nothing & nobody but God is crucial to anyone.
2. Since I lost X, my world has nothing of any significance in it.
A person can lose his/her health, reputation, vision, hearing, legs, hands, even family members, money, homes, physical attractiveness, life goals & plans & yet recover & go on living a wonderfully rewarding & meaningful life. When you suffer a loss, you're going to feel the sting; but the key to recovery is not to repeat that someone or something is of such importance that you cannot go on after losing it. You can go on. You are important. Part of the self-talk of nearly all depressives includes the statement, “The future is hopeless.
Instead:
“Even though I feel I have no hope, my recovery is assured. Thank God, these feelings of depression won’t last.”
Freedom from lies we tell ourselves
even when we're asleep - unaware of what's really going on - God takes tender, loving care of us, always giving abundantly...protecting her and considers her precious.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 18, 2017 12:11:47 GMT -5
I have a feeling that I will need several more days or longer to finish all your notes.
I am about 3/5 thru the first page.
However, today is Hossanah's birthday and father's day.
Then we have the grandchildren home and we may have to split being with Devon about 4 1/2 hours ea.
plus Tue we will have to start cleaning the apt.
for landlord Brent ( and these guests 2 adults,
2 children, and a dog....almost certainly means all beds will need tending, crumbs and dog hair everywhere, and all towels used....
So tho I will be able to spend a couple hours each day, I still don't think, I will get thru all the pages before the end of the week......
Oh and the fact, that our internet is still on the blink a lot.....we are waiting for the server to put in a new modem....so we never know when we may be able to get on , nor for how long....
and I sometimes feel better, but then sometimes,
I am in pain and very very tired.
But I am truly enjoying going over the notes.....some of it is like brand new, I either don't remember very well or it is just making a much stronger impact.
I also have been listening to a lot of gospel praise and worship music which really does life my soul and spirit!!! a LOT!!!!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
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Post by fearnot on Jun 18, 2017 14:33:52 GMT -5
I am putting this note in because it is true and holds true even to this day....I still hold in a lot of stuff. It's funny, at one time I was diagnosed among other things as catatonic because I refused to be vulnerable ( yes, you were right it was a temper tantrum) I just shut down all together, because then no one could hurt me....but that didn't last tooo long but on a smaller scale I still will often freeze when scared,(perhaps also a "paralysis of self-pity")..... which is why I need to find more joy in the Lord who is strong and who loves me
This is the first note that caught my eye today....not exactly about joy, but perhaps a lack of it, has to do with a temper tantrum even now.
"In a way it was probably your way of throwing a tantrum. You simply held everything inside yourself, which is a very, very unhealthy way to deal with emotions. But since you didn't get the love you needed when you showed them, you just kept them inside. That's something you most likely have to deal with to this day."
And you mentioned not to deny God our true feelings.
"David was, or how sick or tired, he always told the Lord and then before he was done, he'd wind up praising God, which is exactly what we need to learn to do every day. "
But we can also dishonor God if we have inappropriate feelings and out of control actions and call it a moving of the Holy Spirit.
A joy stealer is self-pity and at "The heart of self-pity is envy....
The mind becomes engrossed in a morbid, temporal perspective."
"Instead of leaving the hurt in the past they continue to hurt us as we relive the event.....
what he (I) needed was a new way of understanding it.....The new perspective was that of being able to look at the situation as God did.
If you want to understand what's going on, you spend time with the One who knows. You talk to Him, you reaffirm your love for Him, your commitment to Him, regardless of whether or not you get the full answer....
If He doesn’t tell us the answer to the question we're asking, then we know that either it's not for us to know or it's not time for us to know it."
And that would help allow joy to come in, I am thinking
"When Jesus was on earth He experienced every kind of struggle that we do. He was physically and verbally abused, abandoned by friends & family, ridiculed..."
"We can leave the hurt or the person who hurt us in God’s hands..."
"We will not know God intimately unless we know His Word.....
the purpose of fasting isn't so much going without food as it is to have more time to spend with God
Everything turns inward in depression
Like a boomerang that always returns, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get away from yourself. Pain is like that.
But there are choices.
Your decision is between calling out to the Lord or not.
When we engage in self-pity we are in a position of pride & mistrust.....
we say through our self-pity, ‘I am too good for this’, or, ‘I don’t deserve this’.
It is mistrust in that we are not trusting in the providence of God....
Every time I am tempted to entertain the old feelings of self-pity I remind myself, & God, that I do not own that situation any more. I have given it to God & I must refuse to take it back.
Self pity= Joy snatcher
It's not our place to be concerned whether someone else has a better pilgrimage than we do.
Our pilgrimage is unique & the task for us is to accept what happens, as our journey is designed to make us more like our Savior.
So whether the road is rough or smooth we work at being content & faithful to follow God wherever He leads.
If you are a Christian you will suffer.....
the righteous on his worst day is far better off than the unrighteous on his best day...
Be assured that God will be your counselor & friend; He will guide you; He will direct all your ways.
God himself will receive you to glory—you! Wandering, erring, straying, yet he will bring you safe at last to glory! This is your portion; live on it this day, & if perplexities should surround you, go in the strength of this text straight to the throne.
His 2nd coming assures us that we will live & reign with Him forever. Such a hope keeps this life from becoming “tedious & tasteless”—regardless of the seasons or situations.
The ultimate source of inner joy is God Himself
We are pilgrims, living on God’s promises, and His promises never fail.
The jealous God will not permit the righteous to be alienated from Him.
Sin another joy stealer
The greater our nearness to God, the less we are affected by the attractions of sin.
Oh ha I just read an answer to something I didn't see and you asked why did I stay in a room alone when at my aunt's. Well, my mom would never let me cook with her....she did not want the mess and clean up from a young child.....she let me dust at home, and later I ironed but she never once, let me or tried to teach me to cook.
Once she did say once when I was older, that she would rather I read, and prepare for a job like being a teacher....than learning to cook....I could always do that later.
Ok I am on page 2 so I am going to do a few things....I am not sure if I will get back here later on today or not....
MS]
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yep, lol. You must be exhausted with all you've been having to do lately!
!!
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