Are you familiar with the term Advent? It is a Christian term meaning “the arrival”.
It is the period of time from November 29 through Christmas Eve. It is set aside to emphasize the birth (arrival) of Jesus, the son of God. History tells us that the Church created a yearly calendar to focus on the various features of the faith.
The main focus is that God came into history to work man’s redemption. ADVENT could stand for: “A Divine Visit Entering Natural Time”. Jesus was God in the flesh. God had a purpose in all this. It is the Bible that tells us what it is. It was for the redemption of mankind by God’s own plan.
It is referred to in I Timothy 3:16 as the “mystery of godliness”. It is the purpose of the church to reveal this to the world. It is not our place to decide Truth; it is our job to reveal it as it is. We do not have to improve upon it, We just have to proclaim it. Truth will always set you free.
Psalm 105 is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving to a loving God Who mercifully intervenes for His chosen people. It is one of three lengthy historical psalms which were set to music so that the Jewish heritage could be preserved in everyone’s memory. It lists the wondrous deeds God accomplished to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. God performed not just one act but many miracles because that is what the people requested and needed. His providence and care were shown by His actions toward His people.
Do you ever have dry spells? These are times when although you know you love God, you just can’t seem to get excited about Him. If you are in a dry spell right now, stop and think back on the last three times you prayed for help and God intervened in your circumstances causing them to change to your benefit. Let the memories of God’s generosity with His love and His supernatural deliverance water the dryness in your life.
Psalm 105:1-5
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory to his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he had done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.
Psalm 100 is the only psalm that is actually rendered “A Psalm of Thanksgiving.” Within the two stanzas of this psalm, we are admonished to praise and worship the Lord, and we are given good reasons for doing so.
Every parent knows the tremendous responsibilities involved in raising children. For many years parents commit themselves to feeding, clothing, and supplying the many needs of each child. Verse three in this psalm reminds us that, in a similar way, God has
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assumed responsibility for our well-being–we’re His people and the sheep of His pasture! Remembering the Lord’s commitment to care for His “children” is a good way to encourage your faith. God is your heavenly Father, and He delights in providing for your every need. Exercise “child-like” faith in God’s goodness; you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to praise and thank Him!
PSALM 100 (Message Bible)
On your fee now–applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.
Know this: God is God and God, God. He made us, we didn’t make him. We’re His people, his well-tended sheep.
Enter with the password: “Thank-you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.
For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.
“….that we should bring forth fruit to God.” Romans 7:4
At least once in his life a pastor should be able to preach a “silly sermon”. Today is my time to do that. I do not mean a useless sermon with no message in it, but rather an unusual type. Today I want to look at the idea of producing fruit. However, I want you to understand there are many different kinds of fruit. Fruit is not aways fruit as we think of it. Fruit, as referred to in the Bible, means production of something beneficial. It is the produce of our labor.
Apples, pears, peaches, and strawberries are all known fruits, but let us broaden our thinking. Ever heard of “cackle fruit”? It is an egg. Every thought of milk as a fruit? How about honey? Let us look at some Biblical references to honey. Remember, “a land flowing with milk and honey?”
Where do you get honey? It is produced by bees. It is their very life. Making honey is the only purpose of bees. In their effort to produce honey they spread pollen, but that is not an assignment the assume. It is a byproduct of honey production. Lesson, do what you do and other things will work out. Or, “seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to it”
Psalm 26 was written by David and expresses a time when there was a famine in the land for three years. David sought the Lord for the reason behind the famine and was told that it was due to Saul’s breaking of Israel’s covenant with the Gibeonites and having them put to death. Nothing had been done since that time to right the wrong done to the Gibeonites; thus the famine continued. David reveals in this psalm the spiritual character of one who is determined to live close to God.
David hates, “…the congregation of the evildoers;…” and he loves “… the habitation of thy house…” When the doors of the church are opened, do we desire to be inside worshipping and fellowshipping with God’s people? Or do we shun the company of Christians for worldly relationships and pursuits? God’s habitation is within the hearts of His redeemed. Reinforce your desire to live close to God by personalizing David’s convictions in this psalm, and notice where you end up, “in the congregation will I bless the Lord.”
PSALM 26
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hand in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.
My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.
There are many things you can say about life. What you say depends on your view of things. Do you see the positive or the negative of any given situation? Do you see the problems or the possibilities? Are you expecting victory or defeat? All of these are a product of attitude.
How you look at life will determine your ability to deal with situations you face. If I look at life itself as a joy I will be able to overcome the struggles and negative circumstances I may face. As a result I will walk away a winner no matter the outcome.
If I have a negative view of life and see no real hope of happiness I will fall into the trap of the devil and give up on anything going my way. There are enough temptations to “give up” on anything. The source of strength is in the joy of the Lord.
Everything in life will not be like I would like it. Things will happen that mess us up. We must remember three things. God loves me. God’s grace is sufficient. And, God is faithful. In the end we will win.
One of the most heartbreaking situations a parent can deal with is a rebellious child. King David wrote Psalm 3 when he fled from Absalom his son. This account is recorded in 11 Samuel 15:13-16. David’s own son rebelled and stole the hearts of the men of Israel away from David. As Absalom gathered an army of thousands to pursue his father, David fled, and while on the run, he wrote Psalm 3. He left us with the theme, “When pressures and trials increase, God is faithful to protect, sustain, and save us out of all our tribulations.”
Does it sometimes seem like “Everything goes wrong at once!”? Has it ever happened to you when you could least afford it, you got sick, necessitating an expensive trip to the doctor, on the -OVER-
way your broke down, and when you arrived home you found that one of your children had spilled a pitcher of grape juice all over your newly cleaned rug? You might be tempted to scream, “”Lord, how are they increased that trouble me!…(Psalm 3)
Imagine the terrible torment David felt, knowing his own beloved son had turned against him. But for one who knows God and the power of prayer, there is a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Don’t let problems overwhelm you; stay in the Word and in prayer, and be overwhelmed with God’s presence! -Marilyn HIckey
Psalm 3 (NIV)
O Lord, how many are my foes? How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him”
But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up mu head.
To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me
I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord come deliverance May your blessing be on your people.
“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Rom. 5:20
I have a few questions to ask you. Please think clearly. How strong is God’s grace? What can stop it from working? Whose sin abounded? Who’s grace abounded more?
The Bible clearly says we are saved by grace through faith. Grace is God’s electrical service that powers our lives. Faith is the switch that opens the path into our life.
The electricity that turns on the light in your home is always there. It does not wait at the electric company for you to call. The electricity itself does not have your name on it. It is just there for you to use when you turn on the switch. That is the way it is with God’s grace. The bill has been paid, once for all. The company(Jesus) takes care of making sure power is always available.
Can sin stop the power of God’s grace from reaching you? No. If sin could stop God’s grace, Jesus would never have died for us to begin with. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly”. The sin that abounded was ours. The grace that abounded more was God’s. If you had no sins you would need no grace. If sin can stop God’s grace we are all doomed to hell. The truth is that sin doesn’t stop grace, it activates it. Can dirt stop soap? Does soap only clean “unintentional” dirt? Or, does it clean even when we got dirty on purpose?
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