I’M SO READY, GOD!

Posted on January 27, 2021 by randscallawayffm

I’m so ready to forget all world thoughts swirling around my head and center all my attention on You, God.  I want to worship you with all that is in me.  I want to remember all the ways you have provided and protected and praise you alone.  Yes, I am so ready to thank you for each glorious act of your mercy and grace.  I want to shout to the world how much you love us and how you are teaching me to love more deeply and intimately.  The world needs to know about your love that led you to come down and save us.  You gave your life for my life.  I’m so ready to hear from you, to be led by you and to obey you completely with no holds, nothing held back. 

But the battle isn’t over just yet.  The enemy still persists in drawing our attention away from you.  He works hard to show us all the ways to keep so busy in all things that we become confused and full of anxiety.  He may be the prince of this world but you are the King of kings and Lord of lords!  You win.  You are all that our enemy is not.  So, our trust and faith are built on nothing less than you, the rock of our existence and salvation.  Your promises are true and everlasting!

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

The worship leader took the first five verses from 57:7-11 and the last eight from 60:5-12 and made a new psalm. (See those psalms.) God’s truth is adaptable to new situations and old songs become “new songs” when new challenges are matched with changeless theology. The writer opened with praise to the Lord (vv. 1-5) and then reminded Him of His promises to conquer Israel’s enemies and give them the land (vv. 6-9). He closed with prayer for God’s help and an expression of confidence in the power of the Lord (vv. 10-13).

Praise, prayer, and promises form a combination found often in the psalms, a pattern that we ought to imitate in our own daily lives!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalm and Proverbs

Psalm 108, The Message

1-2 I’m ready, God, so ready,
    ready from head to toe.
Ready to sing,
    ready to raise a God-song:
“Wake, soul! Wake, lute!
    Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!”

3-6 I’m thanking you, God, out in the streets,
    singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
    every cloud’s a flag to your faithfulness.
Soar high in the skies, O God!
    Cover the whole earth with your glory!
And for the sake of the one you love so much,
    reach down and help me—answer me!

7-9 That’s when God spoke in holy splendor:
    “Brimming over with joy,
I make a present of Shechem,
    I hand out Succoth Valley as a gift.
Gilead’s in my pocket,
    to say nothing of Manasseh.
Ephraim’s my hard hat,
    Judah my hammer.
Moab’s a scrub bucket—
    I mop the floor with Moab,
Spit on Edom,
    rain fireworks all over Philistia.”

10-11 Who will take me to the thick of the fight?
    Who’ll show me the road to Edom?
You aren’t giving up on us, are you, God?
    refusing to go out with our troops?

12-13 Give us help for the hard task;
    human help is worthless.
In God we’ll do our very best;
    he’ll flatten the opposition for good.

TRUTH: “The deeper your love, the higher it goes; every cloud’s a flag to your faithfulness.”  Yes, Lord, I’m so ready to tell your story and praise your name all day long.

Christ alone
Cornerstone
Weak made strong
In the Saviour’s love
Through the storm
He is Lord
Lord of all

You will always be, Lord, oh, yeah…

Proverb 30:3-6, The Message

“I flunked ‘wisdom.’
    I see no evidence of a holy God.
Has anyone ever seen Anyone
    climb into Heaven and take charge?
    grab the winds and control them?
    gather the rains in his bucket?
    stake out the ends of the earth?
Just tell me his name, tell me the names of his sons.
    Come on now—tell me!”

WISDOM:  The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true;
    he protects everyone who runs to him for help.
So don’t second-guess him;
    he might take you to task and show up your lies.”

Abba Father,

You are the center of my life and the cornerstone of my faith.  My hope and faith is built on You.  My trust is in You.  So, that’s why I’m always ready to praise you, prayer asking for your help based on your promises and the realty of your glory and power.  Your promises to be with us, help us, and see us through troubles and perplexities of this life hold true.  You are God and I am not.  I need you every hour of every day and I praise you for being there every time.  Thank you for your saving grace, your mercy and unending love.  Thank you for your Holy Presence in all lives who believe in you.  Continue to work out your salvation in me.  Teach me your ways.  Keep me focused on the One and Only who gives life eternal.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THEN YOU CALLED OUT TO GOD

Posted on January 26, 2021 by randscallawayffm

The emphasis in 105 is on Israel’s exodus from Egypt and in 106 on God’s longsuffering care of His people. This psalm focuses on the Lord’s redemption of the nation from captivity in Babylon (vv. 2-3). While the circumstances described in the psalm could be experienced by almost anyone, they especially apply to what Israel had to endure while in captivity. The word “redeemed” is often used in Isaiah to describe this great deliverance.

When God’s people called out to God their thinking changed.  Their thoughts shifted from their overwhelming circumstance to God’s everlasting power and glory.  God’s love never runs out on His people, declares the songwriter of truth.  God’s love never runs out on us today!  Jesus was sent as our Redeemer to deliver us from all our sins so that we can be set free from that life that only leads to death.  We go from hopeless to full of hope!

God’s love and care never runs out on those who believe and call on His Name.  Our psalmist closes with “If you are really wise, you’ll think this over—it’s time you appreciated God’s deep love.”  I ask myself, how wise am I?  Do I appreciate all the ways God expresses his unchanging, relentless, unconditional love for me? 

When we call out to God, we immediately see our circumstance from a new perspective.  We go from hopeless to full of hope because no matter what is happening around us or to us, God’s love never runs out on us.  He comes “in the nick of time” when we let go, give up what the world says and, most of all, our own plan. 

As we read the “repeat chorus” we see that each lyric of resolve begins with “THEN they called out to God”…and everything changed.  God came in the “nick of time”, HIS time.  He is waiting on us to let go so He can work His goodness.  Let Him.  As I read this psalm from long ago, this contemporary praise song is playing in the background of my mind…

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me…

(Matt Redman)

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 107, The Message

1-3 Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
    His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
    Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
    from the four winds, from the seven seas.

4-9 Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
    looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
    staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.

Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.
    He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
    that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great drafts of water down parched throats;
    the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

10-16 Some of you were locked in a dark cell,
    cruelly confined behind bars,
Punished for defying God’s Word,
    for turning your back on the High God’s counsel—
A hard sentence, and your hearts so heavy,
    and not a soul in sight to help.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
    he got you out in the nick of time.
He led you out of your dark, dark cell,
    broke open the jail and led you out.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors,
    he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!

17-22 Some of you were sick because you’d lived a bad life,
    your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn’t stand the sight of food,
    so miserable you thought you’d be better off dead.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
    he got you out in the nick of time.
He spoke the word that healed you,
    that pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
    tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!

23-32 Some of you set sail in big ships;
    you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.
Out at sea you saw God in action,
    saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:
With a word he called up the wind—
    an ocean storm, towering waves!
You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out;
    your hearts were stuck in your throats.
You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,
    you didn’t know which end was up.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;
    he got you out in the nick of time.
He quieted the wind down to a whisper,
    put a muzzle on all the big waves.
And you were so glad when the storm died down,
    and he led you safely back to harbor.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
Lift high your praises when the people assemble,
    shout Hallelujah when the elders meet!

33-41 God turned rivers into wasteland,
    springs of water into sunbaked mud;
Luscious orchards became alkali flats
    because of the evil of the people who lived there.
Then he changed wasteland into fresh pools of water,
    arid earth into springs of water,
Brought in the hungry and settled them there;
    they moved in—what a great place to live!
They sowed the fields, they planted vineyards,
    they reaped a bountiful harvest.
He blessed them and they prospered greatly;
    their herds of cattle never decreased.
But abuse and evil and trouble declined
    as he heaped scorn on princes and sent them away.
He gave the poor a safe place to live,
    treated their clans like well-cared-for sheep.

42-43 Good people see this and are glad;
    bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks.
If you are really wise, you’ll think this over—
    it’s time you appreciated God’s deep love.

TRUTH:  It’s time we appreciated God’s deep love for us.

NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS?  LET’S GO DEEPER STILL…

The people described in this psalm needed God’s help, either because of their own folly or because of circumstances beyond their control, and they called on the Lord and He delivered them. Five specific situations are described involving people who lose something valuable:

When you lose your way

When you lose your freedom

When you lose your health

When you lose your hope

When you lose your home

God’s people lost it all, THEN they called out to God.  Everything changed.  God’s love never runs out, it never runs out on us!  Call out to God.  Believe Jesus and be saved.  New life with a new perspective is yours for the asking.

And what should we learn from these five pictures that depict God’s power and mercy in action? To be wise and obey the Word of God (v. 43; Hos. 14:9). Yes, God shows His love and mercy to the disobedient who repent and call on His name, but our Father would rather share that love with obedient children who would enjoy it even more (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

Proverb 30:5, The Message

WISDOM:  The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true; he protects everyone who runs to him for help.”

Abba Father,

Thank you for your love, mercy and grace that never runs out on me and others who believe on your Name.  Help us to trust and obey even through the storms of this life for we know you know and are there with us.  Teach us through the circumstances of life that challenge us.  Thank you for the lessons.  Thank you for your mercy.  Help me to love like you love.  Help me to forgive like you forgave us.  Thank you for hope in seemingly hopeless times.  Thank you for glimpses of your glory at work daily!

In Jesus Name, Amen

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

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HOW COULD YOU?

Posted on January 25, 2021 by randscallawayffm

When we read The Old Testament recounts of the wanderings of God’s people, His chosen, and see how many times they fall to the worship of idols instead of God, loving the enemy instead of God and went their own way instead of following God’s perfect way…we judge.  We think how could you walk miraculously on dry ground through a grand sea with the walls of waters divided just for you THEN turn right back on God, worship idols and forget God completely?  How could you forget all He has done for you?  How could you forget how He brought you out of slavery and bondage? How could you then turn your backs on Him?  How could you forget all those times in the desert that He fed you with manna, water and quail, even when you were grumbling and whiny?  How could you worship a “grass-chewing” bull?

How could you forget all the God has done, is doing and will do for you?  Wait?!  How could we?  Do we forget?  Do we go our own way?  Do we forget how God saved us?  In the middle of this virus of isolation, do we wander around in our own thoughts, thinking God has left us?  Are we turning to idols of distraction that divide us instead of unite us with God and with each other?  Are we going to let evil win our souls?  How could we, after all that God has done in our past, is doing right now and will do until we see Him face to face? 

Turn back to God.  Be encouraged! Let us lift up our eyes to worship and adore God, thanking God, praising Him and humbly repenting of going our own way, thinking our own destructive, depressing thoughts and asking, instead, of what He wants!  God created us to praise Him and love Him back.  God created us for purpose and a mission.  God is a God of second chances.  “Still, when God saw the trouble they were in and heard their cries for help, He remembered his Covenant with them, and, immense with love, took them by the hand. He poured out his mercy on them while their captors looked on, amazed.”

But it is up to us to remember who God is and humbly bow before Him and ASK for His help.  How could we?  Be still, let go and know He is God.  “Those who never learn, never turn to God, die in their own sin”, says the Psalmist.  Turn to God, how could we live life any other way?

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 106, The Message

1-3 Hallelujah!
Thank God! And why?
    Because he’s good, because his love lasts.
But who on earth can do it—
    declaim God’s mighty acts, broadcast all his praises?
You’re one happy man when you do what’s right,
    one happy woman when you form the habit of justice.

4-5 Remember me, God, when you enjoy your people;
    include me when you save them;
I want to see your chosen succeed,
    celebrate with your celebrating nation,
    join the Hallelujahs of your pride and joy!

6-12 We’ve sinned a lot, both we and our parents;
    We’ve fallen short, hurt a lot of people.
After our parents left Egypt,
    they took your wonders for granted,
    forgot your great and wonderful love.
They were barely beyond the Red Sea
    when they defied the High God
    —the very place he saved them!
    —the place he revealed his amazing power!
He rebuked the Red Sea so that it dried up on the spot
    —he paraded them right through!
    —no one so much as got wet feet!
He saved them from a life of oppression,
    pried them loose from the grip of the enemy.
Then the waters flowed back on their oppressors;
    there wasn’t a single survivor.
Then they believed his words were true
    and broke out in songs of praise.

13-18 But it wasn’t long before they forgot the whole thing,
    wouldn’t wait to be told what to do.
They only cared about pleasing themselves in that desert,
    provoked God with their insistent demands.
He gave them exactly what they asked for—
    but along with it they got an empty heart.
One day in camp some grew jealous of Moses,
    also of Aaron, holy priest of God.
The ground opened and swallowed Dathan,
    then buried Abiram’s gang.
Fire flared against that rebel crew
    and torched them to a cinder.

19-22 They cast in metal a bull calf at Horeb
    and worshiped the statue they’d made.
They traded the Glory
    for a cheap piece of sculpture—a grass-chewing bull!
They forgot God, their very own Savior,
    who turned things around in Egypt,
Who created a world of wonders in the Land of Ham,
    who gave that stunning performance at the Red Sea.

23-27 Fed up, God decided to get rid of them—
    and except for Moses, his chosen, he would have.
But Moses stood in the gap and deflected God’s anger,
    prevented it from destroying them utterly.
They went on to reject the Blessed Land,
    didn’t believe a word of what God promised.
They found fault with the life they had
    and turned a deaf ear to God’s voice.
Exasperated, God swore
    that he’d lay them low in the desert,
Scattering their children here and there,
    strewing them all over the earth.

28-31 Then they linked up with Baal Peor,
    attending funeral banquets and eating idol food.
That made God so angry
    that a plague spread through their ranks;
Phinehas stood up and pled their case
    and the plague was stopped.
This was counted to his credit;
    his descendants will never forget it.

32-33 They angered God again at Meribah Springs;
    this time Moses got mixed up in their evil;
Because they defied God yet again,
    Moses exploded and lost his temper.

34-39 They didn’t wipe out those godless cultures
    as ordered by God;
Instead they intermarried with the heathen,
    and in time became just like them.
They worshiped their idols,
    were caught in the trap of idols.
They sacrificed their sons and daughters
    at the altars of demon gods.
They slit the throats of their babies,
    murdered their infant girls and boys.
They offered their babies to Canaan’s gods;
    the blood of their babies stained the land.
Their way of life reeked;
    they lived like prostitutes.

40-43 And God was furious—a wildfire anger;
    he couldn’t stand even to look at his people.
He turned them over to the heathen
    so that the people who hated them ruled them.
Their enemies made life hard for them;
    they were tyrannized under that rule.
Over and over God rescued them, but they never learned—
    until finally their sins destroyed them.

44-46 Still, when God saw the trouble they were in
    and heard their cries for help,
He remembered his Covenant with them,
    and, immense with love, took them by the hand.
He poured out his mercy on them
    while their captors looked on, amazed.

47-48 Save us, God, our God!
    Gather us back out of exile
So we can give thanks to your holy name
    and join in the glory when you are praised!

Blessed be God, Israel’s God!
Bless now, bless always!
Oh! Let everyone say Amen!
Hallelujah!

TRUTH: “Still, when God saw the trouble they were in and heard their cries for help,
He remembered his Covenant with them, and, immense with love, took them by the hand. He poured out his mercy on them.  The New Covenant is Jesus who paid the debt of our sin.  Believe on Him and be saved for eternity.

Proverb 30:4-6, The Message

I see no evidence of a holy God.
Has anyone ever seen Anyone
    climb into Heaven and take charge?
    grab the winds and control them?
    gather the rains in his bucket?
    stake out the ends of the earth?
Just tell me his name, tell me the names of his sons.
    Come on now—tell me!”

5-6 The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true;
    he protects everyone who runs to him for help.
So don’t second-guess him;
    he might take you to task and show up your lies.”

WISDOM:  Know God. Know God keeps his promises.

Abba Father,

Great are you, Lord!  You keep your promises to us.  You love us, and because you do, you correct us and the way we are going.  You want the best for us.  Help us to hear your voice above all others and follow you.In Jesus Name, Amen

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WITH A WORD, GOD…

Posted on January 24, 2021 by randscallawayffm

When faced with trouble or challenges that are daunting to me, I remember what my mentors have always told me, “where God guides, He provides”.  If we are following God’s instructions “down to the letter”, as the Psalmist writes, God does the heavy lifting and with a mere word He solves the crisis while providing all we need–just as He promised.  “He is God, our God, in charge of the whole earth”…and He remembers what He promised.  So, we sing the verses of psalmist’s praise to our God, the One and Only God!

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me

This psalm focuses on the God of the covenant (promise), who works out His divine purposes in human history. “Tell everyone you meet what he has done!” is the major theme, referring, of course, to God’s mighty acts on behalf of Israel.  The psalmist saw the hand of God in the events of Jewish history, and this was the kind of encouragement the struggling remnant needed. He reminded the Jews that they were God’s chosen people and that God worked according to His schedule. Beginning with Egypt, the Lord had already revealed His power over the Gentile nations, and He will always keep His promises. Remembering these truths can bring God’s people encouragement at any time in history!

I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me
I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee
I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery
I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!

God kept the promise He made to Abraham and gave his descendants the land, helping Joshua and his army defeat the enemy on every side. God’s people live on promises, not explanations, and it is “through faith and patience” that we see these promises fulfilled (Heb. 6:12).

But God’s keeping His promise meant much more for Israel than victory over the enemy and the acquisition of riches. It meant accepting the responsibility of obeying the God who had been so faithful to them.  Before his death, Joshua reminded the people what the Lord had done for them and commanded them to serve the Lord and not turn to idols (Josh. 24:1-28). When we consider all that the Lord has done for us, we find we have the same obligation. 

Raise a hallelujah to God first, God alone, for only He is worthy of our full attention and praise. He always keeps His promises.  Be still and let go of the world and know that He is God.  Leave all the earthly idols behind to decay and return to dust.  Trust and obey what He tells us to do.  Learn from God and follow His instructions “to the letter”.  This is the best way to live for it is God who has the best way for us.

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me
I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee
I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery
I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 104, The Message

1-6 Hallelujah!

Thank God! Pray to him by name!
    Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
    translate his wonders into music!
Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs,
    you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
    be alert for signs of his presence.
Remember the world of wonders he has made,
    his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered—
        O seed of Abraham, his servant,
        O child of Jacob, his chosen.

7-15 He’s God, our God,
    in charge of the whole earth.
And he remembers, remembers his Covenant—
    for a thousand generations he’s been as good as his word.
It’s the Covenant he made with Abraham,
    the same oath he swore to Isaac,
The very statute he established with Jacob,
    the eternal Covenant with Israel,
Namely, “I give you the land.
    Canaan is your hill-country inheritance.”
When they didn’t count for much,
    a mere handful, and strangers at that,
Wandering from country to country,
    drifting from pillar to post,
He permitted no one to abuse them.
    He told kings to keep their hands off:
“Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed,
    don’t hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets.”

16-22 Then he called down a famine on the country,
    he broke every last blade of wheat.
But he sent a man on ahead:
    Joseph, sold as a slave.
They put cruel chains on his ankles,
    an iron collar around his neck,
Until God’s word came to the Pharaoh,
    and God confirmed his promise.
God sent the king to release him.
    The Pharaoh set Joseph free;
He appointed him master of his palace,
    put him in charge of all his business
To personally instruct his princes
    and train his advisors in wisdom.

23-42 Then Israel entered Egypt,
    Jacob immigrated to the Land of Ham.
God gave his people lots of babies;
    soon their numbers alarmed their foes.
He turned the Egyptians against his people;
    they abused and cheated God’s servants.
Then he sent his servant Moses,
    and Aaron, whom he also chose.
They worked marvels in that spiritual wasteland,
    miracles in the Land of Ham.
He spoke, “Darkness!” and it turned dark—
    they couldn’t see what they were doing.
He turned all their water to blood
    so that all their fish died;
He made frogs swarm through the land,
    even into the king’s bedroom;
He gave the word and flies swarmed,
    gnats filled the air.
He substituted hail for rain,
    he stabbed their land with lightning;
He wasted their vines and fig trees,
    smashed their groves of trees to splinters;
With a word he brought in locusts,
    millions of locusts, armies of locusts;
They consumed every blade of grass in the country
    and picked the ground clean of produce;
He struck down every firstborn in the land,
    the first fruits of their virile powers.
He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot,
    and not one among his tribes even stumbled.
Egypt was glad to have them go—
    they were scared to death of them.
God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day
    and a fire to light their way through the night;
They prayed and he brought quail,
    filled them with the bread of heaven;
He opened the rock and water poured out;
    it flowed like a river through that desert—
All because he remembered his Covenant,
    his promise to Abraham, his servant.

43-45 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy;
    his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out!
He made them a gift of the country they entered,
    helped them seize the wealth of the nations
So they could do everything he told them—
    could follow his instructions to the letter.

Hallelujah!

TRUTH: “He’s God, our God, in charge of the whole earth.  And he remembers, remembers his Covenant—for a thousand generations he’s been as good as his word.

Proverb 31:8-9, The Message

“Speak up for the people who have no voice,
    for the rights of all the misfits.
Speak out for justice!
    Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

WISDOM:  Is knowing WE are the misfits and Jesus Christ stood for us, in our place, and redeemed all who believe.

Abba Father,

Thank you for showing us how you work from day to day, how you keep your promises, how you love us, and how you provide a way out when we think all is lost.  Thank you, Jesus for bringing justice to all who believe in You, for redeeming us from all our sin, and for teaching us the right and best way to live for God and with each other.  Thank you for life eternal.  Thank you for guiding and providing through all generations.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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GOD CREATED ALL TO PRAISE!

Posted on January 23, 2021 by randscallawayffm

“In the beginning, God…” (Genesis 1) Creation began with words from God’s lips.  At the close of each “day” God called His creation good, perfect in every way.  Creation was made to give honor and glory back to Him and to give pleasure to his created humans.  “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, a hymn written in the 17th century, gives a musical backdrop to our psalm today.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful:
the Lord God made them all.

God gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.

Can we imagine the Garden of Eden before the Fall of Adam and Eve?  Imagine running through the grass without thorns or stickers.  Imagine drinking from pure streams cascading down a mountain side.  Dream of blue skies that never rain on your sunny day.  Enjoy animals that are peaceful and kind to you and each other.  There are no enemies among the creatures of this perfect picture of tranquility.  Now, can we imagine doing the very thing, the only thing, God asked us not to do?  That’s what Adam and Eve did.  But don’t get too judgy, we seem to do it all the time. 

Evil has limited power but enough manipulative schemes to get our attention with anything that draws us from God.  But this power is not as great as our God’s power who loves us beyond our human thinking.  Evil hates us because we are God’s created.  Evil wants the worst not the best for us.  Evil, the fallen angel, wants all that is of God destroyed.  The serpent of evil began his distractive manipulations with Adam and Eve.  We can’t rationalize, “the devil made me do it” because at the end of the day, they had a choice.

God knew this would happen because He is God.  He created us with the freedom to choose right and wrong, evil or Him.  Why?  Well, think about it.  Do you want someone to love you because they are dictated to love you OR do you want someone to love you because they want to love you?  Someone who loves us because they WANT to love us and be with us is real, unconditional love.  God desires the same from us.  He does not want our love returned to him only from a place of obligation, duty or rules.  God wants a wholesome, honest, loving, delightful relationship with us, from a heart that desires to be with Him as much as He wants to be with us!  So, knowing that we might not choose wisely and regret it, knowing we might fall to evil’s schemes, God created a Plan to save us from ourselves.  That Plan was Jesus.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  (John 1) This WORD was Jesus, God’s One and Only Son, who paid the debt of our foolish, regretful, and repentant sin of turning from God to evil’s schemes of self-destruction of our very souls.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Creation.  Doesn’t it all make sense now?  Bless the Lord, O my soul, indeed!  Now read this Psalm knowing God’s extreme love for us!  God’s Word, all of it, is always about Him!  Bless the Lord, o my soul…

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 104, The Message

1-14 O my soul, bless God!

God, my God, how great you are!
    beautifully, gloriously robed,
Dressed up in sunshine,
    and all heaven stretched out for your tent.

You built your palace on the ocean deeps,
    made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings.
You commandeered winds as messengers,
    appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.

You set earth on a firm foundation
    so that nothing can shake it, ever.
You blanketed earth with ocean,
    covered the mountains with deep waters;

Then you roared and the water ran away—
    your thunder crash put it to flight.
Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out
    in the places you assigned them.

You set boundaries between earth and sea;
    never again will earth be flooded.
You started the springs and rivers,
    sent them flowing among the hills.
All the wild animals now drink their fill,
    wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Along the riverbanks the birds build nests,
    ravens make their voices heard.

You water the mountains from your heavenly reservoirs;
    earth is supplied with plenty of water.
You make grass grow for the livestock,
    hay for the animals that plow the ground.

14-23 Oh yes, God brings grain from the land,
    wine to make people happy,
Their faces glowing with health,
    a people well-fed and hearty.

God’s trees are well-watered—
    the Lebanon cedars he planted.
Birds build their nests in those trees;
    look—the stork at home in the treetop.

Mountain goats climb about the cliffs;
    badgers burrow among the rocks.
The moon keeps track of the seasons,
    the sun is in charge of each day.

When it’s dark and night takes over,
    all the forest creatures come out.
The young lions roar for their prey,
    clamoring to God for their supper.
When the sun comes up, they vanish,
    lazily stretched out in their dens.
Meanwhile, men and women go out to work,
    busy at their jobs until evening.

24-30 What a wildly wonderful world, God!
    You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
    made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.
Oh, look—the deep, wide sea,
    brimming with fish past counting,
    sardines and sharks and salmon.
Ships plow those waters,
    and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.

All the creatures look expectantly to you
    to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
    you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
    they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
    revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
    the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.

31-32 The glory of God—let it last forever!
    Let God enjoy his creation!
He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake,
    points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt.

33-35 Oh, let me sing to God all my life long,
    sing hymns to my God as long as I live!
Oh, let my song please him;
    I’m so pleased to be singing to God.
But clear the ground of sinners—
    no more godless men and women!

O my soul, bless God!

TRUTH:  Creation was made to praise God, the Father of it all!’

Proverb 30:5-9, The Message

WISDOM:  The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true;
    he protects everyone who runs to him for help.
So don’t second-guess him;
    he might take you to task and show up your lies.”

7-9 And then he prayed, “God, I’m asking for two things
    before I die; don’t refuse me—
Banish lies from my lips
    and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on,
    neither too much nor too little.
If I’m too full, I might get independent,
    saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’
If I’m poor, I might steal
    and dishonor the name of my God.”

Abba Father,

I love you, without reserve, no holding back, no conditions, no bargaining, I just love You back with all that is in me.  Help me to love others like you love me.  Great are you, Lord.  Great is your unchanging, unconditional love for us.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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FROM HEAD TO TOE!

Posted on January 22, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

We have a new doctor of primary care in our lives.  He is an interesting man as most doctors are.  He actually takes time to hear you before diving in to “fix” you.  He examines us “from head to toe” as he calls it because he says everything matters in the evaluation of our care.  I think of this head-to-toe attitude, which is refreshing in the medical community, as I read, thank and praise God with “all that is in me” while considering our psalm for today. 

From head to toe I praise God for listening to my conversation with Him each morning, for loving me so much He sent a part of Himself, Jesus, to redeem me from my sins—sins to be remembered no more.  I praise God for guidance in all areas of my life.  I praise God for comfort and encouragement when I am down.  I thank God for bring clarity when I am perplexed and confused.  I thank God for protection from my spiritual enemy.  I thank God for provisions enough to share with wisdom to share it.  I thank God for His insight in decision making that affects more than my life.  I thank God for abiding in me as I abide in Him.  I praise God for being the One and Only who does great, impossible feats that are miraculous as only God does.  Yes, I praise God from my head down to my toes!   

The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes

Yes, I thank God for saving my soul, so my soul automatically responds with loving praise back to Him.  This is the head-to-toe relationship we have!

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 103, The Message

1-2 O my soul, bless God.
    From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
    don’t forget a single blessing!

3-5     He forgives your sins—every one.
    He heals your diseases—every one.
    He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
    He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
    He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
    He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.


As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.

He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
    he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
    ready and able to fly at his bidding,
    quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
    alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
    everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

TRUTH:  There are no requests in this psalm; it is only praise to the Lord. In studying this psalm, we must remember that God’s blessings on Israel depended on their obedience to His covenant, and believers today must also be obedient to God’s will if they would enjoy God’s head to toe best!  (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1). 

You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find

Proverb 30:5-6, The Message

WISDOM:  The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true;
    he protects everyone who runs to him for help.  So don’t second-guess him;
    he might take you to task and show up your lies.” 

And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore

Abba Father,

With all that is in me, from head to toe, I praise Your Holy Name.  Thank you, just thank you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

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WHEN GOD SHOWS UP!

Posted on January 21, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Believers in God suffer right along with those who don’t believe.  “It rains on the just and the unjust.” –Jesus (Matthew 5:45)  As believers, we sometimes faint in our trust and faith in God when our troubles come to a peak of despair, when we can’t see a way out.  But then, just as suddenly as the circumstances become seemingly unbearable physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—God shows up!  The entire situation changes and believers see God at work in all His glory!  Jesus promised us life with him forever but he also said there would always be troubles in this world until we are with Him.  Jesus promised He would be with us through thick and thin here.  Jesus promised He was coming back again to claim His own to take us there. 

Knowing and believing this Truth helps us to rise and give Him glory each day.  Trusting that God knows what He is doing keeps us from losing our senses and helps us to keep calm, focused and carrying on no matter what is happening around us.  We know, through good times and bad times, God will show up and do what only God can do!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Thank you, Jesus for saving us and for your Holy Spirit that helps us through this changing life while trusting in an unchanging God!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 102, The Message

1-2 God, listen! Listen to my prayer,
    listen to the pain in my cries.
Don’t turn your back on me
    just when I need you so desperately.
Pay attention! This is a cry for help!
    And hurry—this can’t wait!

3-11 I’m wasting away to nothing,
    I’m burning up with fever.
I’m a ghost of my former self,
    half-consumed already by terminal illness.
My jaws ache from gritting my teeth;
    I’m nothing but skin and bones.
I’m like a buzzard in the desert,
    a crow perched on the rubble.
Insomniac, I twitter away,
    mournful as a sparrow in the gutter.
All day long my enemies taunt me,
    while others just curse.
They bring in meals—casseroles of ashes!
    I draw drink from a barrel of my tears.
And all because of your furious anger;
    you swept me up and threw me out.
There’s nothing left of me—
    a withered weed, swept clean from the path.

12-17 Yet you, God, are sovereign still,
    always and ever sovereign.
You’ll get up from your throne and help Zion—
    it’s time for compassionate help.
Oh, how your servants love this city’s rubble
    and weep with compassion over its dust!
The godless nations will sit up and take notice
    —see your glory, worship your name—
When God rebuilds Zion,
    when he shows up in all his glory,
When he attends to the prayer of the wretched.
    He won’t dismiss their prayer.

18-22 Write this down for the next generation
    so people not yet born will praise God:
“God looked out from his high holy place;
    from heaven he surveyed the earth.
He listened to the groans of the doomed,
    he opened the doors of their death cells.”
Write it so the story can be told in Zion,
    so God’s praise will be sung in Jerusalem’s streets
And wherever people gather together
    along with their rulers to worship him.

23-28 God sovereignly brought me to my knees,
    he cut me down in my prime.
“Oh, don’t,” I prayed, “please don’t let me die.
    You have more years than you know what to do with!
You laid earth’s foundations a long time ago,
    and handcrafted the very heavens;
You’ll still be around when they’re long gone,
    threadbare and discarded like an old suit of clothes.
You’ll throw them away like a worn-out coat,
    but year after year you’re as good as new.
Your servants’ children will have a good place to live
    and their children will be at home with you.”

TRUTH:  This psalm is about God’s people then but it is also about Jesus coming back to earth once more, for the last time, to claim His own.  “The godless nations will sit up and take notice—see your glory, worship your name—When God rebuilds Zion, when he shows up in all his glory, when he attends to the prayer of the wretched. He won’t dismiss their prayer.”

“Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:9-11, NIV

YES!  And Amen!

As believers face and deal with the painful crises that come to us, if we are to overcome and glorify God, we must keep three assurances before us;

Circumstances will always change,

God’s Covenant does not change,

Know the unchanging character of God!

Jesus IS coming back, you know.  We just don’t know when.  So, be ready!

Proverb 29:18, The Message

WISDOM: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

Jesus, the One and Only Son of God.  Believe Him.  Listen to Him.  Follow Him.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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MY THEME SONG

Posted on January 20, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You…

This song by Casting Crowns is the background of our psalm today.

As leaders we are fed much instruction about ways to lead better, be stronger and more influential, set measurable goals, be disciplined and be accountable to the numbers that tell the story of a productive person.  This is the world’s theme song of success. 

People say I am a leader without trying to be.  My desire is to help ultimately.  It seems God puts me in places to lead for “such a time as this” for various reasons and seasons of life.  I’m not always sure why but I know my desire is to obey God and go where He sends.  My theme song of leadership doesn’t always match what the world says because my song of songs is built on God’s love. 

No matter what is happening, whatever situation needs a solution or strategy, the bottom line and foundation of problem solving must be God’s love and His justice.  “Justice”—just as if it never happened, is the meaning given to me years ago by a wise sage.  We must set things right with God and others in such a way just as if it never happened.  God provides His justice to those who are repentant of their sins and cleanses us with His justification—”just as if” we had never sinned in the first place.  This is complete forgiveness of all sin.  This is God’s justice.  It is up to each person to decide to receive His justice, clean the slate of our sins and move forward with Him, leaving the old life behind. 

Our first thought, when we lead must be love, God’s love in us that leads to humility, justice and mercy for others.  (See Micah 6:8)  Because God’s love is richer, deeper, unconditional, limitless, unchanging and relentless, we ask for wisdom from God by asking what He wants us to be and do for this day.  We have learned much from pandemic living as leaders.  We can make plans but God decides.  So, we look to God and find Him as promised ready to show us the right way that is just and fair in His thinking.  We protect our intimate relationship with Him first and then with others at all costs to our own interests and wants.  (See Phil 2, Jesus’ example)  This is love and justice.  This is a theme song I will sing and learn all the verses! 

Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You  (Casting Crowns-“Life Song”)

Our Psalmist writes the verses to a theme song that we all learn, sing and live.  He is talking about David, the apple of God’s eye, as His leader.  When David became king, first in Hebron and then at Jerusalem, he inherited a divided land and a discouraged people whose spiritual life was at low ebb.  David was named as God’s answer to Israel’s problems.

Everything rises and falls with leadership, but many of King Saul’s officers were fawning, flattering “toadies” who were unable to work with a man like David. God’s spirit left Saul to his own devices because Saul left God.  David is outlining what kind of integrity and characteristics he will expect from his team to lead God’s people with him.  We could accurately call this psalm “Leadership 101” because in it David spells out the essentials for successful leadership in the work of God.

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 101, The Message


1-8 My theme song is God’s love and justice,
    and I’m singing it right to you, God.
I’m finding my way down the road of right living,
    but how long before you show up?
I’m doing the very best I can,
    and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.
I refuse to take a second look
    at corrupting people and degrading things.
I reject made-in-Canaan gods,
    stay clear of contamination.
The crooked in heart keep their distance;
    I refuse to shake hands with those who plan evil.
I put a gag on the gossip
    who bad-mouths his neighbor;
I can’t stand
    arrogance.
But I have my eye on salt-of-the-earth people—
    they’re the ones I want working with me;
Men and women on the straight and narrow—
    these are the ones I want at my side.
But no one who traffics in lies
    gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
I’ve rounded up all the wicked like cattle
    and herded them right out of the country.
I purged God’s city
    of all who make a business of evil.

TRUTH:  My theme song is God’s love and justice, and I’m singing it right to you, God.

Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

CHORUS:
Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

Proverb 29:2,4,8,12,14,23,26,27, The Message

LEADERSHIP 102 WISDOM: 

“When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.”

“A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.”

“A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down.”

“When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.”

“Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.”

“Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honors.”

“Everyone tries to get help from the leader, but only God will give us justice.”

“Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil; the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.”

Abba Father,

I give my life to you, all that I am, all that I have.  May my theme song be delightful to your ears.  I love you with all my heart, mind and soul.  Your grace and mercy is overwhelming.  Your unconditional love is amazing me each day.  I don’t deserve what you do in and through me and for me.  And what you do for me, you do for others finding and following you, too.  Keep us all abiding in you as you abide in us.  Cleanse every part that is offensive to you and keep us moving closer and closer to You.  Give us wisdom in all that we are and do, whether it is in following or leading, let my life-song sing to You and Your glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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ON YOUR FEET!

Posted on January 19, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Let’s forget about ourselves,
And magnify the Lord and worship Him
Let’s forget about ourselves
And magnify the Lord and worship Him
Let’s forget about ourselves
And magnify the Lord and worship Him
Oh, worship Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord

This old chorus I grew up with says it all!  Take five!  On your feet!  Or on your knees!  No matter what posture you take, applaud God and thank Him.  Come into His Presence right where you are with thanksgiving to Him.  Let me get you started.  We are alive this morning!  We are breathing!  We have been given another day to be a difference in this world by asking God what HE wants from us and for us.  With that prayer, God will guide us.  Pray expectantly and He will answer this prayer.  Be ready to do what He will do in us and all around us.  May Your Kingdom come!  May Your will be done!

The psalm is a fitting climax to the collection of “royal psalms” (93, 95–100) and sums up their emphasis on God’s sovereign rule, His goodness to His people, the responsibility of all nations to acknowledge Him, and the importance of God’s people exalting and worshipping Him.

We are urged in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit of God, and the evidence of this fullness is that we are joyful (5:19), thankful (5:20), and submissive (5:21–6:9). In Colossians 3:16-25, we are instructed to be filled with the Word of God, and when we are, we will be joyful (3:16), thankful (3:17), and submissive (3:20-25). These three characteristics of the believer controlled by God’s Spirit and God’s Word–and they go together–are presented in this wonderful psalm of thanksgiving.

SO…Forget about ALL that is going on around you for it is distracting us to the point of insanity.  We are tense and fearful.  We are throwing around our opinions in order to hurt someone, not find resolution or unity of thought.  We are fighting against ourselves.  We are duped into thinking the worst not the best.  And most of all we are assuming what others are thinking and only come up with more deception of thought.  STOP this train of thought and derail it!  Praise and thank God as the new train to ride!

Let’s forget about ourselves
And magnify the Lord and worship Him
Oh, worship Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord

tuscany sunset, Italy

Do we think God doesn’t know what is going on in this world?  Do we think He doesn’t care?  Do we think we know what God is thinking about it all?  Do we think we can solve all the world’s problems of selfishness and sinful ways without Him?  Look to God the One and Only who can bring peace in trouble with His extreme, unconditional love.

Better question:  Do we really believe that what we believe about God is really real?  Our behavior will always reflect our true belief.

So, we pray.  We turn our worldly worries into worship.  We center our whole being on who God is and who we are not.  We are not God, we are the sheep of HIS pasture, His domain.  He shepherds us, not the other way around.  Believe me, we don’t really want God’s job. 

Let’s forget about ourselves
And magnify the Lord and worship Him
Oh, worship Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord

Turn off all the noise and magnify the Lord.  That means to shrink ourselves before Him and realize how great and magnificent our God is.  Forget the world.  Think God.  Thank God.  Be joyful, submissive and thankful.  That’s what God wants from us.  Let’s do this!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 100, The Message

1-2 On your feet now—applaud God!
    Bring a gift of laughter,
    sing yourselves into his presence.

3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
    He made us; we didn’t make him.
    We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
    Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
    Thank him. Worship him.

5 For God is sheer beauty,
    all-generous in love,
    loyal always and ever.

TRUTH:  “Know this:  God is God…”  Enter His courts with “thank you”!  Make yourselves at home with worship, thanksgiving and praise to God and God alone!

Let’s forget about ourselves,
And magnify the Lord and praise His name;
Let’s forget about ourselves,
And magnify the Lord and praise His name;
Let’s forget about ourselves,
And magnify the Lord and praise His name;
Oh, praise His name, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Proverb 29:8, The Message

“A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down.”

WISDOM:  Remain calm.  Abide in God.

Abba Father,

I thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in our lives.  I thank you for saving my soul and making me whole.  I thank you for growing my character to be more and more like you.  I’m not there yet, but I know you are growing me.  Thank you for protecting me from things that would destroy me.  Thank you for helping me through troubles that might have disabled me but it didn’t because of you.  Thank you for giving me more chances to come back than I deserve.  Thank you for provisions enough to share.  Thank you for family and friends that love you, too.  Thank you for bringing lost loved ones back to you.  Thank you for working still on the ones who have not yet found you.  Thank you for fighting all my battles and delivering me from the evil one.  Thank you for life everlasting.  Only You, God.  Only You.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS OUR GOD!

Posted on January 18, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee

This ancient hymn is playing in the background of my mind as I worship God this morning while reading and meditating on this psalm written for pure praise.  Join me in praise to God!

Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 99, The Message

1-3 God rules. On your toes, everybody!
He rules from his angel throne—take notice!
God looms majestic in Zion,
He towers in splendor over all the big names.
Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you!
    Holy. Yes, holy.

4-5 Strong King, lover of justice,
You laid things out fair and square;
You set down the foundations in Jacob,
Foundation stones of just and right ways.
Honor God, our God; worship his rule!
    Holy. Yes, holy.

6-9 Moses and Aaron were his priests,
Samuel among those who prayed to him.
They prayed to God and he answered them;
He spoke from the pillar of cloud.
And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them.
And then God, our God, answered them
(But you were never soft on their sins).
Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain.
    Holy. Yes, holy is God our God.

Holy, holy, holy!
Though the darkness hide thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see

Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity

TRUTH:  He is God and we are not.  Holy and great are your Lord, God of heaven and earth.  You rule!  You always have and you always will!  There is NO ONE like YOU!

Proverb 29:18, The Message

WISDOM: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Oh thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea

Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Oh God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!

Abba Father,

Indeed, you are God and we are not.  You alone are holy and you alone can make us holy.  You are God in three persons.  Thank you, Jesus for saving our souls.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for guiding, leading us out of trouble, convicting our hearts when we stray, comforting us when we mourn, challenging us to grow in Godly character by teaching us what is right, and for what we should be thinking and doing.  Yes, Holy and Great are You, God.  I praise you with all that is in me.  Help me to love like you love.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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