The Power of the New Song.

Ps. 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Doesn't it just irk you when you hear some song that you can't get out of your head? A song you don't even like! For me, ‘Hey Jude’, or maybe ‘Hotel California’. Argh, now I just did it to myself.

Music is powerful. God designed it that way. The poet said, "Music hath (the) power to soothe the savage breast. (later, someone changed it to 'beast').

Music can inspire, encourage, teach, express, even depress, among many other things.

I am a music guy. I can at least make a tune on maybe 9 instruments. Though not accomplished, I love to sing as much as possible. I got my start in the ministry in music. (In prison, by the way. By the end of the day though, when they locked the doors, I was on the outside). So I love to sing this new song that God put in my mouth.

About the new song, this is the one God put in our mouth. It is a song of praise and worship to our God, a song expressing our love and gratefulness to our wonderful Lord. This is a song that the world didn't give, so it is a song that the world can't take away.

The verse goes on to tell us that “when others shall see it.” Did you catch that, “see it?” Not “hear it” but “see it.” It is more important that people see you sing than hear you sing. (That could be a real blessing the way some sing). Your song of praise is a testimony to the lost. So don't stop and don't be afraid to let them hear you. The result of that is that others will fear and trust the Lord.

So, get with it saint, rare back and sing that new song for God and those around you.

The Pit and the Pendulum

Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Published by Edgar Allan Poe in 1842, The short story, the Pit and the Pendulum tells of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition. According to one source, the man passes out while trying to determine the size of his prison room. When he wakes up, he realizes there is a large, deep pit in the middle of the room. He loses consciousness again and awakens strapped on his back, unable to move more than his head. He soon realizes there is a large blade-like pendulum hanging above him, slowly getting closer to cutting through his chest. He finds a way to escape but the burning iron walls of his prison start to move and close in on him, pushing him closer and closer to falling into the pit.

Just in reading the summary of this story, a person is terrified. Imagine the horror of the man who finds a crack, but is frustrated by an even greater malady.

And so it is with this world's system powered by lust, greed and avarice and added to that, the tempter and tormentor, Satan.

But God provides a way out of that spector, His hand reaches far down into that horrible pit, and if we will, by faith, grasp onto that saving hand, He will deliver us from the slicing pendulum and will set our feet on something secure, a rock and will establish our goings.
Are you in the pit today? Do you feel penned in, as if the walls are closing in on you? Do you feel lost and hopeless, trading one sorrow for a worse one? Look to Jesus. He is the only answer. Neither drink nor drug, porn or party, pride or passion can deliver from the prison of our problem, in fact, they only push us closer to the center of the room where the pit is. But He will bring you up.

One more thing, When the Psalmist speaks of God establishing our goings, that consistancy and purpose keeps the Christian away from the dangers of the pendulum. So many times we swing too far on the issues. Then we over correct and go too far the other way. Oh blessed thought that God can place us right where we need to be.

Waiting Patiently on the Lord

Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

We should be willing to wait patiently on the Lord, for He doeth all things well and His timing is impeccable. Besides, He waited patiently for us for much lesser reasons; our hold ups were sin, stubbornness, rebellion and ignorance. And yet He waited.

The result of waiting on the Lord... He inclines Himself to us. That is, the God of heaven bows Himself our direction, He comes to us to see to our needs. I picture a parent ministering to a helpless child. As that parent feeds, changes, and gives love to that little one, all that she is able to return is dependence and a growing appreciation for the one who has the wherewithal to minister to the needy.

God is so good to His children, fulfilling His promise to meet every one of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. While we can't ascend to where He is, He comes down to where we are. How true also of the cross. Jesus, divested of heaven's glory, wrapped Himself in a robe of human flesh, then lived and died for those He loves. He has done for us what we were incapable of doing ourselves. Yes, He inclined unto me.

"And He heard my cry." I am intrigued by the ability of a nurturing parent, deep in slumber, to hear the middle-of-the-night whimpers of a small child a room away. Her small cry is able to invade that parent's dreamland and alert them to their offspring's need. So God, in the din of the prayers of millions of saints, is able to distinguish the small cry of one of His own in need. And then, to meet that need, every time! Thank God for His watch care, His timing and His provision.

What is my Purpose?

Ps 39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Do you have those days when you wonder why you are even on the earth? Sometimes we feel that our parents sure made a mistake in conceiving us. Yet, with God, we are anything but an accident. God made us for a clear purpose. He knows our life before it is even lived and He has great plans for us. Much will unfold before us as we trod the pathway in which He directs us, and much more will be veiled until we reach heaven’s shore. Then we shall know, even as we are known.
My little girl, 6, failed her vision test at school the other day. She was informed that she would need to see an eye doctor. She may have to wear glasses. Her response to this, “I wish I was never born!” In her little world, this was the worst thing that could ever happen. That is, until her fashionable aunt told her how cool glasses are and that she wants to shop with her for them. Now she is gung ho about corrective lenses.
Funny how we adults are like that, every little eventuality that doesn’t match exactly with our agenda throws us into a tizzy, but in the end, we find that God’s plan wasn’t so bad after all.
God’s plan and purpose for us is much better than the one we could ever arrange.
David realizes a few things about life:

1. Our days are relatively short
"my days are as an handbreadth, mine age is nothing before thee."
2. So much of what we do is empty and worthless
"every man at his best state is altogether vanity."
3. Much of what we work for ends up in somebody else's bank account.
"he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them."

Then, he asks, “So, what am I here for?” "And now, Lord, what wait I for?"
He then answers his own question:

1. I am here to hope in God. "my hope is in thee." God never disappoints. Putting all our eggs in the "God basket" is a safe investment of our hopes and dreams.
2. I am living a life of forgiven sins. "Deliver me from all my transgressions"
That is, living a clean, rather, a cleansed life. No guilt, no shame, no regret. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Now that's living!
3. I am here to have a good testimony, thereby glorifying God, the chief end of man. "make me not the reproach of the foolish."

Friend, put your hope in the Lord today, rather than in things, people and events. Ask God to wash away your sins in the blood of Jesus and praise Him for His forgiveness. Finally, live for God and glorify Him. How simple, yet how fulfilling!

Our Hopes and Our Problems

Ps 38:9 "Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee."

We know that two contrasting things are ever before the Lord, Our Hopes and our problems.

This verse assures us that the Lord in heaven misses nothing that is inside of us. The most lofty desires and expectations that we have are on the Lord's 'to do' list.

We find in the previous chapter that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He shall give us the desires of our heart. Now, don't get this backwards, The Lord in not a cosmic Genie bent on making our every wish His command, rather, He is constantly working within us to mould us into the image of His dear Son. When sufficient headway is made in that matter, our delight and desire become one with His. the New Testament tells us that if we pray according to His will, He hears us. So be assured, your desires and hopes are sure-fired important to the throne in heaven.

Not only are our desires laid out before the Lord, our groanings are also constantly manifest before Him.

Romans 8:26 informs us; "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Imagine that, the Trinity works in tandem to ascertain the deepest problems we experience. Jesus told us that not a sparrow falls from its roost without His notice, yet the very hairs of our heads are numbered. Further, more important to God than our head hair is our heart hurt.

Know, child of God, that God knows all about you. He is our Heavenly Father who loves and cares for each child of His as if we individually were His only concern. In that we can take hope and comfort.

Take time now to talk with Him about these matters. Yes, He already knows and answers are already on the way, but He wants your fellowship.

The Steps of a Good Man (or woman, boy or girl)

Ps 37:23 The Steps of a good man...
Decisions, decisions!
1. They are Ordered by the Lord - set up, laid out. This is the way, now go in it. Prov 3:5-6 God doesn't want us to stumble in the darkness. Tho we may be confused as to which path to take, He wishes to give us clear direction in both big and small things.
We should consider:
a. Biblical principle. We cannot know God's will without having our noses in the Book for clear direction. His Word lives and is quick and powerful for you today.
b. Earnest prayer. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Jms 1:5 "upbraideth not" means that He will not chide us, not be upset that we ask.
c. Seek guidance from mature, Christian sources. Your spouse, a parent, a good brother or sister in the Lord whose wisdom the church values, and especially, your shepherd, the pastor.
d. The Holy Spirit's leading.
DO NOT "follow your heart" The Word is explicit that the heart is desperately wicked and unknowable. Go rather with god's Spirit as He guides into all truth. And please don't kid yourself with the line, "I have peace about this" using it as an excuse to do the wrong thing.
e. Finally (and least), look for Open and Closed doors. I say least, because sometimes we tend to kick down doors which have been shut, or just go in a window. And we hesitate at doors which are wide open. However, if we walk with God and delight ourselves in Him, we will be able to recognize “shoulds” and “shouldn'ts.”
"he delighteth in his way." I am not convinced whether the pronouns "he" and "his" refer to the Lord or the good man, or if they are split, but no matter which interpretation, it is a good thing. If God is happy, I am happy. If I am happy in doing right, He is pleased.
Whether the person is happy doing God's will, or God is pleased seeing the individual walk in God's path, or if the person is thrilled doing what he knows he should do, any combination is a winner.
Vs 24 - "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."
Mind you, following in the Lord's way does not guarantee it is always a primrose path. That road can be rough and rocky, steep and treacherous, straight and narrow, in fact, it usually is all of the above. Even Dorothy's yellow brick road to Oz was fraught with peril, yet along the way she met life-long friends, learned tremendous life lessons and eventually clicked those ruby reds to get back to Kansas. So it is with us, our steps will take us through valleys deep, forests frightening and waters treacherous, yet, hand in hand with God, we will make the promised land (which, by the way, is far superior to Kansas), all the while gathering great relationships and learning by leaps and bounds.
Decision making is not an easy task, but God never said we'd have to go it alone, He will never leave us nor forsake us while we choose in both big and small matters.

Ps 37:21 - The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

Never has this been truer than the days in which we live. II Ti 3:3 warns of "Truce breakers" in the end times. That is, people will not keep the word. It used to be that a man's word was his bond. A handshake was enough to seal a deal. Now, even when a contract is signed in blood, it seems that one party will always wiggle out, no matter the consequences for the other party.
This holds true in every area of life. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the empty promise, "See you Sunday."
Covenants and contracts mean little anymore. A person's good name should be backed by his or her word. We are to be debtors to no man. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't borrow, as in a mortgage, or a car purchase, but it means that we are to pay what we owe, when we owe it. Especially, we should do no harm to others by backing out of or being dilatory in our payments.

It would seem then, that the Christian might be loathe to help someone in need. While it is true that we should not co-sign on loans as clearly taught in the Bible, nor would we extract usury from loans, that is, exorbitant interest, see that the true Christian heart will show mercy and give - 21b.

Better than loaning is giving. The Word says that when the poor ask of us, we should give to them considering it a loan to the Lord, Who will be a debtor to no man. He always keeps current.

As Christians, we must guard our testimony in paying our debts, keeping current on payments and not being contract breakers.