PSALMS 72-92

It's Sunday!!  Oh how I love Sundays!!  I get to go to church and be with God's people and hear the singing of God's praises and hear God's Holy Word taught and preached.  I'm looking forward to the service already.  This morning, I read in Psalms again.  Here is some of the thoughts that I had as I read: 1) **DON'T STOP, GO FORWARD!!  In Ps. 78:9, it says: "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle."  They were prepared, but they stopped instead of going forward.  We are tempted to do that all of the time.  I've pastored in Oregon now for almost 24 years, and I've seen church after church desire to buy land and build a new facility, but their members stopped and turned back in the day of battle.  We have a wonderful church, but the one thing that has set us apart is our willingness to follow our pastor forward!!  Sometimes, it was the worst of economic times, but still as we go forward, God parts the Red Sea, and we go over on dry ground!  Don't ever discount God's ability.  We sometimes want it all down on paper before we ever proceed, but that is not how God likes it done.  Without faith... it is impossible to please Him!!  Go forward in faith!! 2) SHINE FORTH- In Psalms 80, in verses 1, 3, 7, & 19. David asks God to "shine forth".  It means:  "God, smile on us!"  And that is all we need.... God to smile upon us and all will be well. Dear LORD, please "shine forth" upon us today so that our lives are pleasing to you and we are a blessed people. 3) ARISE, O GOD- Twelve times in the Psalms it reads "Arise, O God" or "O God, Arise".  David felt like all of us at times, we need God to show Himself strong in our lives.  He is strong, but we are weak and fearful at times.  We don't always see His work behind the scenes and want to see Him arise and show Himself in our lives.  Here is where our faith comes in.  Can we walk in peace, not seeing God arise??  He will, and He does, but not always in our timing.... let us walk in faith! 4) Psalms 85:6 "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?"  This question is a good one.  We often find ourselves in need of a "revival".  God, revive our hearts that we may serve thee in fullness of joy! 5) Psalms 90:12- "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."  Our days are numbered by God and we do not know how many, or how few we have left.... but the idea here is to live with an awareness that they are indeed numbered and we must make the most out of each day for good and for God.  Love your family, your friends, and your church.  Let them know!  Live for God each day and influence others for Christ!  Speak up a good word for the Savior!!  Our days are numbered.... LORD, teach us to think of that each and every day! Well, so much for today!  Have a blessed Sunday.  May God richly bless you and yours!  Dr. Mike Mutchler, Pastor of Grand View Baptist Church (the greatest people on earth!)