PSALMS 93-113

It's Sunday!  I love Sundays!  I'm looking forward to preaching on the series "WHEN THE WORD BECAME FLESH".   Five Sermons about the birth of our Savior.  I enjoyed starting it last Sunday and look forward to today's message.  I have so much to share today, I hope I can get it all in.  I read in Psalms this morning and I jotted down a few things to share today.  Here they are: 1) SHEW THYSELF- Psalms 94:1  "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself."  The Psalmist is crying out for justice here and he is asking God to show Himself.  He tells how his enemies disregard God altogether and don't think that God will do anything, but David reminds them:  Psalms 94:9  "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?"  Yes, God hears and sees what they are doing.  When David looks at his critics, he almost slips as we are told in verse 18: "When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up."  But, God was there for him.  Now, God will be there for us too!  Perhaps we too need to pray at times "O God.... shew thyself!"  Don't look at the critic, look to the Creator!! 2) THE HEAVENS DECLARE-Psalms 97:6  "The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory."  In studying for to days sermon, I researched the star of Bethlehem.  You can read it by looking up: www.bethlehemstar.net  It is fascinating!  The whole story of Christ's birth and death, were told in the stars.  God let us all know His plan in the stars and planets.  No wonder David said that the "heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory."  We have so much light here in our cities, that we never look up to see His handiwork!  The Heaven's declare! 3) LABOR MORNING TILL EVENING- Psalms 104:23  "Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening."  The previous verses tell us that the young lions lay down in their dens when the Sun ariseth, but man is just going to work at that time.  Of course, now days, man goes to work well before the Sun comes up so many times and tries to get home before it sets.  But the idea is still there.... work is God's plan for man.  Don't shy from it, work it! 4) THE WORD OF THE LORD TRIED HIM- Psalms 105:19  "Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him."  This is speaking of Joseph, and it tells us that "the word of the LORD tried him."  For 13 years, Joseph was either a slave or a prisoner.  He knew what God showed him, but for these years of trials, he patiently waited on the LORD's timing.  Now, it wasn't easy to wait in these terrible circumstances.  verse 18 says:  "Whose feet they hurt with fetters:  he was laid in iron:"  We forget that Joseph was human too.... the word of the LORD tried him.  This means that it was a great trial of faith to still hold to what God had told him in light of 13 years of experience that told him the exact opposite!  Wait on God's Word, Cling to Faith... stay hard pressed against God.... lean on Him... be patient... and you too will see His word fulfilled in your life! Well, so much for today.  Have a blessed Sunday!  Pastor Mike Mutchler