IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PSALMS

Today is Friday.  I enjoyed yesterday very much.  We took about 30 to see the production:  Mary Poppins in downtown Portland at the Keller Auditorium.  It is simply amazing to see all of the beautiful props and scene changes.  A truly enjoyable time.  Then I preached at Timberline Baptist Church for Pastor Rhodes who was on vacation.   I enjoyed myself greatly.  Then I took my wife out to eat and led the cook to Christ.  He opened up the door and I simply shared Christ and then led him in prayer.  He cooked the meal in front of us and so it was easy to talk with him.  Today I will play a game of golf with one of my sons.  I'm looking forward to spending time with him.  I love all of my children dearly.  I'm in Psalms again, and here are a few thoughts: 1) AN OVERWHELMED SPIRIT- In Psalms 77:3, it reads:  "I remembered God, and was troubled:  I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.  Selah."  In this song of Asaph, the chief musician of David's kingdom, we see he speaks of a common trial.  Our spirits get overwhelmed.  It is easy to have this done.  We are not all powerful, all knowing, and all sufficient.  We need God, and when our spirit get's overwhelmed, it simply reminds us that we are not our own savior.  We need God!  There are so many trials that we face where we do not have the answer, nor the power and ability to affect change if we had the answer.  Thus, it overwhelms us.  But, we were not made to have the answers.  We do what we can do, and then we trust fully upon the LORD JESUS CHRIST to do what we cannot do.  He will see us through!!  He will!!  Yes, He will!!!  Trust Him dear friend when your heart too is overwhelmed. 2) GOD'S ALLOWANCES- God makes allowances for us.  In Psalms 78:38,39 it reads:    "But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.  39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again."  God could have destroyed them and us, but He did not.  The reason is that He remembered that we and they are but flesh.  We are temporal beings that are here and then gone.  We are like the flower of the field that fadeth and is no longer around.  The grass that is today and tomorrow gone.  So, God doesn't expect that much out of us, but saves us for His own sake and purposes.  Not because of our value, but because of His love and grace.  The next time you want to come down hard upon yourself, for being so human.... remember like God does, that you are just flesh.  Don't excuse our humanity.... but do make allowances for it! 3) HOW LONG?  In Psalms 79:5, it says:  "How long LORD?  wilt thou be angry for ever?  shall thy jealousy burn like fire?"  Nineteen times in fifteen verses we have the phrase "how long" in the Psalms.  How long God?  It seems to be an universal question asked God by His people.  We are impatient because we see the emergency, when God sees the plan just unfolding.  We think everything just came to a head and now we need God to act quickly.  God saw the whole thing develop and never once got excited about any of it.  How long becomes an issue for us to deal with.  It is our tribulation to teach us patience.  Our test is to wait for God's answer and deliverance.  It will come!!  But to wait while it seems it is all falling down around us?  Yes, that is the secret.  We see the whole structure cracking and falling apart, but God sees the butterfly ready to emerge!  He is doing a work on the inside and soon all will see His handiwork.  Wait I say on the LORD. Hope this has blessed your heart as God blessed mine by sharing these little nuggets with me this morning.  Keep in mind that God has to share them with my heart before I can share them with you.  They bless me if they don't bless anyone else.  May God bless you dear friend.   Pastor Mike Mutchler