PSALMS

It is an overcast morning, with rain all week in the forecast, but it is still a a great day to serve Christ.  Hope you are having a great time in the LORD.  Here are a few thoughts from the Psalms: 1)THE MAN WHO ABIDES- In Psalms 15, we see the answer to the question: "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?  who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" (vs. 1)  And then we get the character of the man who walks with God.  Verses 2-5 give us these details.  All of them are great character traits, but let me mention two of them, both found in verse four.  (there are eleven mentioned in all)  "but he honoureth them that fear the LORD."  The Bible tells us to give honor to whom honor is due!  We are to honor the godly examples around us.  When we have missionaries, we make a big fuss about them.  We honor them.  This is a biblical commandment. Here is another one found in verse four as well:  "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not."  You ever make a promise, and then find out it is much harder to keep that promise.  Godly people keep it anyway, even when they lose to keep their word.  Two years ago, I told someone who I loaned many thousands of dollars to, that it was forgiven, and they need not think about repaying it.  They said, they could pay it in full about two months later, but I had already told them I have forgiven them the debt, so I said: "Great!"; No I did not.  I said:  "I'm sorry, but you don't owe me anything, I've forgiven the debt."  Now, that cost me almost $10,000.00, but my character is worth much more than that.  I am not worried about the loss of money, I would be worried about the loss of character.  I want to be a godly man and that is what is most important.  How about you?  Can you recall something you told someone that you have not followed through with?  We need to work hard at keeping our word and doing what is right with people to be right with God.  Praise God, we are saved by Grace, but our actions show we are serious about our pursuit of God, or it shows the shallowness of our walk with the LORD.  Let your light shine!! 2) HELP CAN BE FOUND AT CHURCH- Yes it can!  In Psalms 20:2, it says: "Send thee help from the sanctuary,"  God sends out help to His people from His Church!  Every local church should be a place of spiritual help to all who attend.  The wisdom of God's Word is preached and the Spirit of God moves in our midst to teach, lead, and correct us.  You can be helped by attending church! 3) I LOVE THE CHURCH- Yes, this is what David was saying in Ps. 26:8- "LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth."  We too should have a love for church.  Do you have that?  I am not asking if you attend church, but I am asking if you love church.  Do you?  We must learn to love the things that God loves, and God loves the church.  His own Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ died for the church!!  This alone, makes it of tremendous value!  I love the church and I'm looking forward to being there today!  David also said in Psalms 27:4 "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple."  Wow!  David really, really loved church!!  So do I! 4) THE MORNING COMETH- In Psalms 30:5 it says: 'weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  You will have many sad days in life, but the morning is coming.  A new day with new grace and new mercy is just around the corner.  While your night seems bleak, on the other side of the planet, a new day is arriving... hang on dear friend... in twelve more hours, it will be yours to enjoy!  Think about this:  "God knows your trials.  Your trials are not to hurt you but to help you grow stronger.  Your problems are not for solving, but for growing.  God means it for good.  You don't know how you will survive, and yet... people do all around you!   You will make it too!  So, go ahead and weep if you must, but also realize it only endures for a night.... joy cometh in the morning!!  You will make it dear friend, because you are God's child and He loves you!  Hope you have a blessed day today.  Dr. Mike Mutchler, Pastor