I am more inclined to trust someone who did what they said they were going to do consistently.  How about you?  Did you ever stop to think that is the way God feels about us?  Let’s go farther down the road in this thinking.  What would happen in our lives if we did what we told God we were going to do regularly with sincere, obedient hearts to his will and plan?  Don’t you think He would begin to trust us with more?

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” –Jesus             Luke 16:10

Our next song of praise reveals the character of God and what He expects from His people.  God’s mighty works reveal the greatness of His character and His power.  God wants us to know Him, trust Him and obey Him.  Instead of resisting the Lord–a losing battle–we should be grateful to Him for rescuing us (v. 9) and saving us from our sins. Asaph spoke to the Jewish believers and told them to keep the promises they made to the Lord when Jerusalem was in danger. How easy it is to make vows and not keep them (Eccl. 5:1-6)! 

The psalm begins at Jerusalem and its environs (vv. 1-6), then moves to the entire land of Israel (vv. 7-9), and now it reaches the whole earth (v. 12). There will be a day when the rulers of the earth will bow to Jesus Christ and worship Him as King of Kings (Isa. 2:1-4; 11:1ff.; Rev. 19:11-16).

PAUSE AND REFECT

Knowing God is sovereign over earth’s rulers, what can you trust Him to do in your life?

Wisdom and Worship, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 76, The Message

An Asaph Psalm

76 ^1-3 God is well-known in Judah;
    in Israel, he’s a household name.
He keeps a house in Salem,
    his own suite of rooms in Zion.
That’s where, using arrows for kindling,
    he made a bonfire of weapons of war.

^4-6 Oh, how bright you shine!
    Outshining their huge piles of loot!
The warriors were plundered
    and left there impotent.
And now there’s nothing to them,
    nothing to show for their swagger and threats.
Your sudden roar, God of Jacob,
    knocked the wind out of horse and rider.

^7-10 Fierce you are, and fearsome!
    Who can stand up to your rising anger?
From heaven you thunder judgment;
    earth falls to her knees and holds her breath.
God stands tall and makes things right,
    he saves all the wretched on earth.
Instead of smoldering rage—God-praise!
    All that sputtering rage—now a garland for God!

^11-12 Do for God what you said you’d do—
    he is, after all, your God.
Let everyone in town bring offerings
    to the One Who Watches our every move.
Nobody gets by with anything,
    no one plays fast and loose with him.

TRUTH: “Do for God what you said you’d do—He is, after all, your God.”  Trust in His Plan whether you understand it or not.  Trust builds upon the foundation of our faith in Christ.  God sees and smiles when we trust and obey.  “To obey is better than sacrifice”, says God through Samuel.  1 Samuel 15:22

Proverb 24, The Message

^13-14 Eat honey, dear child—it’s good for you—
    and delicacies that melt in your mouth.
Likewise knowledge,
    and wisdom for your soul—
Get that and your future’s secured,
    your hope is on solid rock.

WISDOM:  Seek God’s wisdom as if your life depended on it—because it does!

Abba Father,

Thank you for the wisdom we seek. Thank you for protecting us from making foolish mistakes in our lives.  Thank you for picking us up, dusting us off and making good out our foolish follies in life.  Sometimes “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”, as You warned us on the Mount of Olives, your prayer place.  So, we pray right now for minds to know you more, hearts to love you with all that is in us with cleansed souls to house Your Holy Spirit that teaches us.  Help us to follow through with complete trust and obedience to you for that is the foundation of our intimate, holy relationship with You!  I am learning.  You are transforming me.  Continue your work in me. 

In Jesus Name, Amen