Author: Pastor Howie

In our passage today we are reminded by Paul that we are to pursue unity in the body of Christ. He shows us how our walk is displayed and then defined. It’s displayed by having a walk of humility, of gentleness, of patience, of bearing with others in love. When we let the Spirit of God develop those in us, the result is peace.

Another aspect of this unity is in the giftedness of the believer. The church has been given gifted men to lead them to spiritual maturity so that they in turn would use their spiritual gift to benefit the rest of the body of Christ so that they are motivated to spiritual maturity, the result of which is unity.

How are we doing?

How do we live victoriously in a world that challenges our faith or opposes it altogether? Paul shows us that there is divine enablement. My toaster requires a source of power to enable it to cook my bagel. If we aren’t tapped into the resources available to us, we will not mature in our faith. Get plugged in.

In this final psalm written by David, he gives us three reasons for praising God – praise God for His deity by looking at His worth, His wonder, and His works; praise God for His dominion that exalts His attributes, His acts, and His affection; and praise God for His deliverance based on His character and our cries. God is worthy of all our praise for who He is and what He has done. This praise isn’t for us alone. We are to include others in an anthem of praise. We are also to pass on that praise to succeeding generations. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

The psalmist asks a good question in Psalm 119:9. How can a person be made clean or pure? Perhaps we could also ask it this way: Do you want to be clean or pure? If so, he continues by sharing how that is possible. Since COVID we have all gotten used to seeing hand sanitizer almost everywhere we go. It’s become routine. Psalm 119:9-16 is about God’s heart sanitizer. It stresses the importance of being in God’s Word so we not only know how to get clean from sin, but also how to keep clean.

A.W. Tozer said that “Satan’s greatest weapon is man’s ignorance of the Bible.” How much time are you spending in God’s Word? So, again, I ask you – Do you want to be clean or pure from sin?

When you first read Psalm 91, it sounds like if you trust God, you shouldn’t have any problems at all, that He comes swooping down and snatches from whatever trouble you are in. But that doesn’t seem to be our experience as Jesus followers. Even Jesus Himself had problems and was then crucified. You would think that of all people, He would never experience trouble. Yet, He even said that in this life you will have trouble. I believe that initially this Psalm is for Israel that if they wholeheartedly trusted God as a nation, they could experience God’s protection from enemies. Just read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. That said, I believe there are applications for the believer today. If we trust God, we can see that He is our haven, He is our hope, and He is our help. Let’s remember that God IS there with us in every trouble. Do you believe Him? Do you believe His Word?

All the nations are invited to join in this praise to God for all the wonderful things that He has done. The psalmist has plenty of reason to give his own praise. One reason is that God has heard his prayers for deliverance and his praise. He can say that because after a time of introspection, he had determined that there were no sins that he was holding onto, trying to protect, unwilling to let of. No, he wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t have any sins that would hinder God from hearing him.

How about you? Is the reason your prayers are being answered because you are harboring some sin in your heart that you won’t let go of? When we confess our sins and know we are forgiven, we have the confidence then that God hears our prayers and praises.

First of all, let me apologize that the entire service is not streamed. I neglected to click on the ‘go live’ button to start the streaming, but most of the message is available for viewing.

If you have ever felt like your circumstances compared to being in the wilderness, you’re not alone. As a matter of fact, you’re in good company. David felt that way. He is in an actual wilderness. But he didn’t feel alone. He knew God was with him. Even though he was out there on the run from an enemy, he still founding it fitting to praise God. Can we respond in the same way? In our trials, we still have a God worth seeking. In our trials, we still have a God worth singing about. In our trials, we still have a God who satisfies. Lift up your hearts and give Him praise.

James says that a double minded person is unstable in their ways. Robert Berlin looks at I Corinthians 2 and addresses the need to have the mind or Spirit of Christ, which is in conflict with the mind or spirit of the world. They are not compatible. As a Christian we are directed to have the mind of Christ, which then directs our actions, thoughts, and words. As Christians, we are to pursue the mind of Christ.

Does God have a plan for your life and does that plan include trials? David thought so. He was running for his life from Saul who was closing in on him. David cried out to God for help because he knew God was loving and faithful to those who trust Him. David knew that God’s plans for him would be completed. The result was exalting the person of God, giving Him the praise He is due. Do we recognize the sovereign hand of God in our trials? Do we trust His perfect plan? Can we proclaim His praise?

Psalm 51 is for everyone. Why because we’re all sinners in need of forgiveness. It’s a great psalm because it assures us that all our sins when confessed will be forgiven when done so with a sincere and broken spirit for our wrongdoing. It’s a great psalm not only because we can be forgiven, but our joy can be renewed and our relationship with God restored. Is God’s hand heavy on you because of some unconfessed sin? Admit your sin, confess, repent and experience the joy you once had.