HALLELUJAHS THAT LAST A LIFETIME!

Posted on January 30, 2021 by randscallawayffm

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

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!

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!

There is always and forever something to thank God for when we forget about ourselves and what we think we need to have.  We need only to watch social media, television or a movie for a few minutes to be commanded, “you NEED this” or “have it your own way” and “think about yourself first and pamper your inner self.”   Our hallelujahs fade quickly with that kind of thinking and behaving. 

Our minds form a hardening spiritual dementia of forgetfulness when self becomes the center of our attention, pushing God and all He has done for us to the side.  Jesus becomes a compartment we go to only when in trouble or when it is time to worship for an hour with others on any given Sunday.  God doesn’t just do one thing for us, isn’t there to only relieve our troubles for a moment, or to be thought of as a mere temporary rescue when we decide to call on him as the last resort when we get tired or can’t handle life. 

God is SO much more!  Living in tandem with God is living life to the full!  It is knowing that God is in the lead, in control, pointing out the pits and helping us avoid falling.  It is knowing God’s created purpose for us and learning to live out that purpose with His wisdom and teaching all along the way.  It is knowing Jesus died to save us from death to rising to real life forever with Him!  It is knowing we are loved and cherished as one of God’s children.  Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we can approach God in awe on our own.  God listens to us and if we pause after prayer, God speaks to us.  It is a relationship with our Abba Father, God that is intimate and precious, full of unconditional love, grace and mercy.

The Psalmist sets us straight!  “God’s works are so great, worth a LIFETIME of study—endless enjoyment!”  As my favorite hymn reminds me this morning, playing in the background of this hallelujah time, God is truly great!  Yes, and Amen!  “Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father”!  God proves over and over what only He can do out of a love for us that is beyond our human thinking!  Love God back because He first loved us.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 111, The Message

1-10 Hallelujah!
I give thanks to God with everything I’ve got—
Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
God’s works are so great, worth
A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment!

Splendor and beauty mark his craft;
His generosity never gives out.
His miracles are his memorial—This God of Grace, This God of Love.


He gave food to those who fear him,
He remembered to keep his ancient promise.

He proved to his people that he could do what he said:
Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift!
He manufactures truth and justice;
All his products are guaranteed to last—
Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.

All that he makes and does is honest and true:
He paid the ransom for his people,
He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.

The good life begins in the fear of God—
Do that and you’ll know the blessing of God.
His Hallelujah lasts forever!

TRUTH:  God paid the ransom for his people then and Jesus paid the ransom for us now.  Never out-of-date, never obsolete…great is His faithfulness to those who believe and love him back.  He keeps his promises.  He always has and always will be God.

Proverb 30:12-16, The Message

Don’t imagine yourself to be quite presentable
    when you haven’t had a bath in weeks.

13 Don’t be stuck-up
    and think you’re better than everyone else.

14 Don’t be greedy,
    merciless and cruel as wolves,
Tearing into the poor and feasting on them,
    shredding the needy to pieces only to discard them.

15-16 A freeloader has twin daughters
    named “Gimme” and “Gimme more.”

WISDOM:  The above wisdom is how not to be living in God’s kingdom!  Avoid thinking only of self.  God first.  Others second.  Self last.

Abba Father,

Great is your faithfulness to us every single day!  Your manna of mercy is fresh each morning.  Each day is a new opportunity to love and live for you here while we prepare our hearts, minds and souls to live with you there forever!  Continue to teach us to live in your rhythm and flow.  Help us to love others like you love us, nothing held back, unconditional and full of mercy and grace.  Help us to live our lives with you in the lead for your ways are always the best way!  Guide our thought-life with wisdom to solve dilemmas not be one who creates bigger messes.  Yes, you are God and we are not.  To you be all glory for all that you are and all that you do that no one else can do!  I raise a hallelujah forever to you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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JESUS IS KING OF OUR LIVES FOREVER!

Posted on January 29, 2021 by randscallawayffm

As we read Psalm 110, which is all about Jesus, immediately this song is playing in the background of our minds this morning!  “Only King Forever” by Elevation Worship…

Our God, a firm foundation
Our rock, the only solid ground
As nations rise and fall
Kingdoms once strong now shaken
But we trust forever in Your name
The name of Jesus
We trust the name of Jesus

You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious

Unmatched in all Your wisdom
In love and justice You will reign
And every knee will bow
We bring our expectations
Our hope is anchored in Your name
The name of Jesus
Oh-oh, we trust the name of Jesus

You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious

We lift our banner high
We lift the name of Jesus
From age to age You reign
Your kingdom has no end

You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious…

Colossians. Hebrews. 1 Peter. Psalm 110.

THIS psalm of all songs is prophetic and proclaims Jesus, Son of God, sitting at God’s right hand on the throne.  Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords will rule forever!   Jesus and Peter both stated that David wrote this psalm (Matt. 22:43; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42; Acts 2:33-35), and since David was a prophet, he wrote it about the Messiah (Acts 2:30; 2 Sam. 23:2). He certainly did not write about any of his own descendants, for no Jewish king was ever a priest, let alone a priest forever (v. 4; 2 Chron. 26:16-23). Also, no Jewish king ever conquered all the rulers of the whole earth (v. 6).

This psalm is quoted or alluded to in the New Testament more than any other psalm, verse 1 at least twenty-five times and verse 4 another five times. Ten of these quotations or allusions are in the book of Hebrews alone. Jesus used verse 1 to prove His deity and silence the Pharisees (Matt. 22:41-46) and also to answer the high priest during His trial (Matt. 26:64).

The psalm presents two pictures of Messiah from the past–His exaltation as King (vv. 1-3) and His consecration as Priest (v. 4)–and a third picture from the future, His victory over the enemies of God (vv. 5-7).

Jesus IS coming back, you know…

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 110, The Message

1-3 The word of God to my Lord:
    “Sit alongside me here on my throne
    until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
You were forged a strong scepter by God of Zion;
    now rule, though surrounded by enemies!
Your people will freely join you, resplendent in holy armor
    on the great day of your conquest,
Join you at the fresh break of day,
    join you with all the vigor of youth.

4-7 God gave his word and he won’t take it back:
    you’re the permanent priest, the Melchizedek priest.
The Lord stands true at your side,
    crushing kings in his terrible wrath,
Bringing judgment on the nations,
    handing out convictions wholesale,
    crushing opposition across the wide earth.
The King-Maker put his King on the throne;
    the True King rules with head held high!

TRUTH:  God gave the Word and He won’t take it back.  God’s promises are true.  Jesus is coming back one more time to claim his own and set up His Kingdom forever.  Are we ready?  I am!! 

Proverb 30:1-6, The Message

1-2 The skeptic swore, “There is no God!
    No God!—I can do anything I want!
I’m more animal than human;
    so-called human intelligence escapes me.

3-4 “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 have shown your glory so many times in our lives.  You have protected us from our enemies.  You have provided for our needs enough to share.  You have given us Your Word of assurance and promises that come to realization before our eyes and before those who came before us.  Your Word is truth.  You are Truth.  You are also love, mercy and grace.  You are healer.  You are sustainer of life.  You are God and we are not.  Thank you, Jesus for leaving your throne of heaven to save us.  Thank you for your promise to come back again to bring all believers in you to where you live forever as King of kings and Lord of lords!  Continue to teach us and prepare us here for life forever there.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.…”John 14:1-3

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RESCUE PRAYER

Posted on January 28, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Lord, do something!  How many times have we been in yet another overwhelming circumstance, with seemingly no way out to us, and prayed this quick prayer?  Lord, we need you to act!  Lord, bring justice!  How many times have we been in situations where people are telling lies about us so we will be blamed for a project gone wrong?  You want justice and you want it now!  Lord, it’s unfair, is our cry for mercy.  Then, at the end of our ropes, when we are at the end of our rants, we pray, “Lord, save me”.  This is the order of human thinking.  Maybe our prayers should begin with Lord, save me. 

This psalm is about David.  David is being harassed by Saul for Saul is jealous of David.  David is being lied about and chased down by Saul’s officers who are loyal to their King.  David cries out to God for rescue, judgement of his enemy and for his help to live.  But he closes with,

“Help me, oh help me, God, my God,
    save me through your wonderful love;
Then they’ll know that your hand is in this,
    that you, God, have been at work.”

“Save me”, David asks of God.  Not only save him physically but in all other ways as well for David wants what God wants in the end…for others to know God.  Do we?

Had we been in this situation with David, we might have prayed as he did! There was terrible injustice in the land, and only God could remove Saul and put the rightful king on the throne. David did not avenge himself but put the matter in the hands of the Lord (Rom. 12:17-21). Do we?

GOING DEEPER INTO THE MEANING…

The silence of God indicated that the Lord was not answering prayer and working on David’s behalf. Often, we cry out to Him but nothing seems to happen. David reminded the Lord that he did not pray only when he needed help, for he praised the Lord often and thanked Him for His mercies. In fact, in the Hebrew text, “O God of my praise” opens the psalm. God was silent, but the enemy was vocal, speaking hateful, lying words and accusing David of crimes he had never committed. The word translated “adversaries” or “accusers” gives us the English word “Satan,” one of the names of the Devil. Satan is the accuser (Rev. 12:10) and the adversary of believers (1 Peter 5:8), and he uses people to accomplish this work. Like our Savior who was falsely accused, David was innocent of the charges. God’s people return good for evil, most people return good for good and evil for evil, but Satan’s crowd returns evil for good. David responded to God’s silence and to the enemy’s attacks by praying to the Lord. His faith did not waver.

Knowing God’s covenant, David was predicting what would happen because of the sins his enemy had committed. (See Lev. 26:14-39.)  Jewish tradition states that the “sins of the father” be visited sins on future generations!   All of this evil would come right back on David’s enemy’s own head and penetrate his very being, for sinners hurt themselves far more than they hurt their victims.

“Lord, help me!”  As a faithful son of the covenant, David had a right to ask God for the help he needed. His desire was that God might be glorified by showing mercy to His servant (vv. 21, 27). He wanted God to do some wonderful thing that only He could do, and this would tell his enemies that Jehovah was fighting David’s battles.  “Magnify your mercy!” was David’s cry at the end of his song. He wanted the Lord to be mindful of his needs, for he was “poor and needy”. He had a broken heart, and he felt as if his life was fading away like the shadows of evening.  Raise you hand if you have ever felt this way!

Finally, David promised to praise the Lord and give glory to Him when all these trials were ended, and he did. After David had been made king over all Israel, he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and sought to honor the Lord (2 Sam. 5-6). God did help David, in His own time and His own way, and so He will do for us. 

God’s promises are true.  God is our rescue. 

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 109, The Message

1-5 My God, don’t turn a deaf ear to my hallelujah prayer.
    Liars are pouring out invective on me;
Their lying tongues are like a pack of dogs out to get me,
    barking their hate, nipping my heels—and for no reason!
I loved them and now they slander me—yes, me!—
    and treat my prayer like a crime;
They return my good with evil,
    they return my love with hate.

6-20 Send the Evil One to accuse my accusing judge;
    dispatch Satan to prosecute him.
When he’s judged, let the verdict be “Guilty,”
    and when he prays, let his prayer turn to sin.
Give him a short life,
    and give his job to somebody else.
Make orphans of his children,
    dress his wife in widow’s black;
Turn his children into begging street urchins,
    evicted from their homes—homeless.
May the bank foreclose and wipe him out,
    and strangers, like vultures, pick him clean.
May there be no one around to help him out,
    no one willing to give his orphans a break.
Chop down his family tree
    so that nobody even remembers his name.
But erect a memorial to the sin of his father,
    and make sure his mother’s name is there, too—
Their sins recorded forever before God,
    but they themselves sunk in oblivion.
That’s all he deserves since he was never once kind,
    hounded the afflicted and heartbroken to their graves.
Since he loved cursing so much,
    let curses rain down;
Since he had no taste for blessing,
    let blessings flee far from him.
He dressed up in curses like a fine suit of clothes;
    he drank curses, took his baths in curses.
So give him a gift—a costume of curses;
    he can wear curses every day of the week!
That’s what they’ll get, those out to get me—
    an avalanche of just deserts from God.

21-25 Oh, God, my Lord, step in;
    work a miracle for me—you can do it!
Get me out of here—your love is so great!—
    I’m at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.
I’m fading away to nothing, passing away,
    my youth gone, old before my time.
I’m weak from hunger and can hardly stand up,
    my body a rack of skin and bones.
I’m a joke in poor taste to those who see me;
    they take one look and shake their heads.

26-29 Help me, oh help me, God, my God,
    save me through your wonderful love;
Then they’ll know that your hand is in this,
    that you, God, have been at work.
Let them curse all they want;
    you do the blessing.
Let them be jeered by the crowd when they stand up,
    followed by cheers for me, your servant.
Dress my accusers in clothes dirty with shame,
    discarded and humiliating old ragbag clothes.

30-31 My mouth’s full of great praise for God,
    I’m singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds,
For he’s always at hand to take the side of the needy,
    to rescue a life from the unjust judge.

TRUTH:  For God is always at hand to rescue us—in His time and in His way.  Always.

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 rescuing me over and over again.  May others know you because of what you did for me and others who believe that you are really real.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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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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