RANK HAS ITS PRIVILEGES

Do you scream at the television when your favorite sport is on?  I do.  I not only scream but clap my hands and chant (“Fumble.  Fumble recovery.  Interception.  Dropped pass.  Incomplete Pass.  Sack,”—Recited in a timely manner before the Chicago Bears’ opponents have snapped the football).

The author of the 47^th Psalm exhorts us to exuberance concerning the King that our God is.  We are encouraged to exalt Him, and we’re reminded that future deliverance is coming our way—undoubtedly in recognition of His provision to that end previously.  Grasping that will give you peace, because it causes you to reflect on all the good God has done—knowing further good is coming on your behalf.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the son or daughter of the President of the United States?  I have, and frankly, I have a hard time getting my brain around that.  Getting to eat what you want, when you want it, prepared by some of the finest chefs in the world—a really nice house to live in, armed guards wherever you travel—and if you need a question answered, there isn’t a single one that your Dad can’t answer.  That’s what it must be like for American royalty—and it’s all that and more for us that our children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  This is the provision that peace is made of, and when you have a personal relationship with Him, that provision of peace is yours.

b(Les)sings

New King James Version (NKJV)

Psalm 47

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 ¹ Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
         Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
 ² For the LORD Most High is awesome;
         He is a great King over all the earth.
 ³ He will subdue the peoples under us,
         And the nations under our feet.
 ⁴ He will choose our inheritance for us,
         The excellence of Jacob whom He loves.  Selah
      
 ⁵ God has gone up with a shout,
         The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
 ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises!
         Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
 ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;
         Sing praises with understanding.
      
 ⁸ God reigns over the nations;
         God sits on His holy throne.
 ⁹ The princes of the people have gathered together,
         The people of the God of Abraham.
         For the shields of the earth belong to God;
         He is greatly exalted.

THE WORD WE LIVE IN

Mountain-moving earthquakes.  Devastating floods.  It’s not just the world we’re living in any more, but rather, the Word as well. 

You don’t have to go any further than your desktop “newsstand” to see the times that we’re living in.  Any more, the world reflects the Word.

What’s peaceful about a ravaging flood or devastating earthquake?  Absolutely nothing—unless you walk with God.  Wouldn’t you rather walk with someone that allows such things to happen than against?

The good news of Psalm 46 is that although such calamities go on, there is coming a time of their antithesis.  Where there is tumultuous nature, it will be replaced with placidness, and where there are wars that impudently snub their collective nose at peace’s Prince, they will be the victim of violence themselves, that their mayhem will come to a devastating end. 

The best news is that you don’t have to wait to have peace in the midst of turmoil—and if you come into a relationship with the personification of peace before being found midst the world’s disasters, how much greater that peace will be.

b(Les)sings

King James Version (KJV)

Psalm 46

 ¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 ²Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
 ³Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
 ⁴There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
 ⁵God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
 ⁶The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
 ⁷The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
 ⁸Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
 ⁹He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
 ¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
 ¹¹The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

THE BLACK HOLE EXPLAINED

When I was engaged to be married to my wife, my mind was clearly on another planet—and I’m glad to say that hers was as well.  When you’re head over heels in love, driving becomes potentially dangerous.  Falling in love should come with its own warning label:  DO NOT OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS EMOTION. 

My spouse calls this the, “Black Hole Syndrome”—where, when under the influence of love—all logic disappears.  I’ve enjoyed watching it over the years in many an engaged couple.

The psalmist maintains a similar relationship with God.  He describes the Almighty’s heavenly attributes in great detail and brings peace to the reader that puts him or herself in the writer’s place.  Giddiness is next to Godliness.

As anyone married longer than one day knows, love is a two way street, and what spouse doesn’t bask in the peace and security of their mate when described by them in glowing superlatives.

The black hole is known to exist in outer space.  It is also understood to be the chasm between logic and emotion that results in euphoric peace as two walk together as one.

If this isn’t you, make the Lord your partner and rejoice in the peace that a union with Him brings.  Are you willing?  He’s ready to dance.

b(Les)sings

Psalm 45

King James Version (KJV)

 ¹My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
 ²Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
 ³Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
 ⁴And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
 ⁵Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
 ⁶Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
 ⁷Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
 ⁸All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
 ⁹Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
 ¹⁰Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
 ¹¹So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
 ¹²And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
 ¹³The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
 ¹⁴She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
 ¹⁵With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.
 ¹⁶Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
 ¹⁷I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

DOWN TO A DULL ROAR

Hello again beloved readers.

Well, the Frontier interruptions are now down to a dull roar, so I should be able to post later today.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

b(Les)sings

HISTORY LESSON

It has been said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to fulfill it (George Santayana).”  This, of course, has a negative connotation.  We are also told that, “History repeats itself” (which can be either bad or good).  We have an example of this in the New Testament with  (I Cor. 10:11, NKJV)

:  “Now all^[a] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

We have numerous examples of this throughout the Old Testament, and Psalms in particular.  Psalm 44 is no exception to this. 

Its author reminds the reader of the history of deliverance that he’s seen by God’s hand, especially in comparison to the lack of human effort, that has extricated the troubled time after time.  The peace that such repeated deliverance brings is obvious, but perhaps not so obvious are periods of spiritual drought .  Sometimes God allows us to go through the desert of life so that we can more greatly appreciate the oasis that is Him. 

Peace comes when we choose to go to the One that can deliver it to us, rather than choose an attempt by us to deliver it to ourselves or others by our own efforts.

b(Les)sings

PSALM 44--KJV

[1] We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
[2] How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
[3] For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
[4] Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
[5] Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
[6] For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
[7] But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
[8] In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
[9] But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
[10] Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
[11] Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
[12] Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
[13] Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
[14] Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
[15] My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
[16] For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
[17] All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
[18] Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
[19] Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
[20] If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
[21] Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
[22] Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
[23] Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
[24] Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
[25] For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
[26] Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

---

I'M OK AND YOU'RE ANNOYING

Years ago, while in college, I was writing a paper for an interpersonal communications class, and strove for the most creative introduction I could.  I figured interviewing Transactional Analysis’ creator would be just the ticket. 

The woman on the other end of the phone was quite somber when I asked if Dr. Berne was available.  After a long pause she stated, “No.  Dr. Berne died this morning.”  Oops!

Dr. Berne had written Games People Play, and he later criticized (to some extent) the work done by a colleague that sprang forth from his original work.  That work was, I’m OK, You’re OK, written by Thomas A. Harris, M.D.

To take slight liberty with that title, the psalmist says at the beginning of Psalm 43, “I’m OK, and you (as a nation) are a bunch of jerks—get ‘em God.”

He reminds his Creator that he is fortified by Him, so why is He disregarding his need—and consequently, why should he have to be so overwhelmed?

He further petitions the Lord to send His light—the kind that ferrets out darkness—and truth—which battles the lies of life.

And the result?

Renewed intimacy with God that’s comparable to that of a newlywed couple’s.  In order to cement the peace that comes as a result of the situation, David reminds his soul to line up with that reality.

Sometimes our souls are stubborn indeed, but once they get the peace message (delivered by us) through their thick skins, they experience the liberation that such is.

b(Les)sings

Psalm 43

New King James Version (NKJV)

Prayer to God in Time of Trouble

 ¹ Vindicate me, O God,
         And plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
         Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
 ² For You are the God of my strength;
         Why do You cast me off?
         Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
        
 ³ Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
         Let them lead me;
         Let them bring me to Your holy hill
         And to Your tabernacle.
 ⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God,
         To God my exceeding joy;
         And on the harp I will praise You,
         O God, my God.
        
 ⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul?
         And why are you disquieted within me?
         Hope in God;
         For I shall yet praise Him,
         The help of my countenance and my God.

SO PLEASE STAND BY

Greetings beloved readers!

I am writing this in between spurts of internet service through Frontier Communications.

For those of you that know what I'm talking about, my speed test is presently download of .49 and upload of .01 (and it should be a minimum of 3.0 and .768 respectively).

Internet issues are supposed to be fixed within the next 24 hours--I will post again as soon as it is technologically feasible--at the moment, things are tenuous at best.

Thanks as always for following--and your patience.

b(Les)sings