ENDING PSALMS

It's Sunday!  I love Sundays.  I'm so looking forward to being with dear, godly people and being a part of the teaching and preaching of God's Holy Word.  I know I will be blessed by the singing of the choir and the specials, and the congregational hymns will speak to my spirit.   I finished up the book of Psalms today, and here are a few thoughts I had:   1) UNITY=ANOINTING -Psalms 133:1-2 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  2  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;" God loves unity among brethren.  Each local church should dwell in unity.  Following the Word, led by the Spirit, directed by a godly Pastor.  This is God's plan.  It is like the anointing of Aaron, the high priest.  In Exodus 30:25, we find that God had Aaron make special oil for the purpose of anointing.  This precious ointment was never to be duplicated outside of service to the LORD.  (the world was not to have a substitute.)  Aaron was the leader, and as the people followed him, they had unity in the body.  So God gives a church a Pastor.  He is not a perfect man by any means, but a God chosen man to lead the flock.  As we follow that man, there is unity in the church.  The anointing brought on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the anointed!  The unity of believers in a local church is what brings on the power and presence of God in a local church!  One equals another!   2) HAPPY- Psalms 144:15 says:  "Happy is that people, that is in such a case:  yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."  We have God as our LORD, so we such be very happy people!  When we are not, it is because we have our minds on us and our problems, instead of God and His solutions.  Focus on God and your life is filled with joy and happiness; focus on yourself, and your world closes in around you and fills your world with doom and gloom.  Happiness is a choice!   3) PRAISE- The last few chapters of Psalms is filled with the word "praise".  The last verse in Psalms, 150:6 says:  "Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD."  We have breath, and we should be praising the LORD!!  How do you praise God?  We praise God in our thoughts (prayer and meditation), in our voice (song), in our actions (pleasing to Him).  Let us realize that God is worthy of praise, and find time everyday to Praise His Holy Name!   4) FEAR GOD- Prov. 1:7 says:  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:…"   We have little fear of God now a days.  We see God as having so much love and so much grace, that He will not chasten His children.  God wants us so close to Him that He will have us on His knee, or bending over His knee.  Having experienced both from a loving father, I much prefer sitting on His knee!  How do you expect God to bless disobedience?  Without a conscious presence of sin, we would be proud and arrogant before God and man.  To walk Humbly requires us to have a fear of God and a consciousness of our own sin nature and it's disobedience in word, thought, or deeds.  You should only fear God IF you desire His knowledge and wisdom.  Do not fear Him IF you do not desire His blessings and approval.  But, if you desire to have the blessings and power and presence of God in your life…. Reverence Him, Fear Him, and Walk Humbly before Him!!   Hope you have a blessed day in the LORD!!  Dr. Mike Mutchler