Psalm 150 is a hymn of praise, often used as a closing prayer for a group meeting or a church celebration. Today we can say it together as I will copy it whole. The author is unknown.
"Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him in His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of trumpets, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!"
The study of Psalm 150 in my bible tells us, "Music and song were an integral part of Old Testament worship. David introduced music into the tabernacle and temple services according to 1 Chron. 16:4-7. The music must have been loud and joyous as evidenced by the list of instruments and the presence of choirs and song leaders. Music was also important in New Testament worship. (Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16.) The writer was telling the individual listeners to praise God, a direct encouragement for each of us to praise God, too."
Remember to praise God every day for there are two roads to choose from: The way to Life and the way to Death. If we choose God's way to life, we will still face both blessings and obstacles, joy and grief, success and failure. Throughout it all God will be at our side, guiding, encouraging, comforting and caring. As my life at my age may any day be drawing to a close, I realize clearly that God's road is the right road. If you, too, know this, we will both be caused to daily praise God for leading us in the right direction and assuring our place in the perfect world God has in store for those who have faithfully followed Him.
This will be my last blog. Why don't you write one?
"God, be with my friends who have followed me in this endeavor over the years. Keep them in your care as you have cared for me. May the whole world know You and love You..... soon. Amen."
Love, Jo inMN
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
YOU ARE GOD'S HOUSE!
In 1 Cor. 3;9, 12 it tells us, "You are God's house.....Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually, there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials you'll be found out!"
Paul seems to be very frustrated with the Corinthians, just as he might be today with the world at large. Many people around the world may profess to be Christian, but their walk has one foot in the unbelieving world and one in the world which God asks us to live, a world committed to Him, both loving and faithful.
What does that look like to have one foot in each world? How does the traveler manage double thinking within his heart of hearts?
In fact, we each have our own answer for that, for somewhere along our faith paths we must have discovered where our routes veer off. Maybe the veering off is subtle or maybe very obvious, but either way, we have been there, each of us! And it's a place of darkness and, perhaps, danger. We're not anxious to return but go on our way sacrificing that one foot. Our walk doesn't quite get to the gathering of materials to build a house. God's house won't come until we're convinced to follow God absolutely!
Lord, Help us! Amen.
Jo INMN
Paul seems to be very frustrated with the Corinthians, just as he might be today with the world at large. Many people around the world may profess to be Christian, but their walk has one foot in the unbelieving world and one in the world which God asks us to live, a world committed to Him, both loving and faithful.
What does that look like to have one foot in each world? How does the traveler manage double thinking within his heart of hearts?
In fact, we each have our own answer for that, for somewhere along our faith paths we must have discovered where our routes veer off. Maybe the veering off is subtle or maybe very obvious, but either way, we have been there, each of us! And it's a place of darkness and, perhaps, danger. We're not anxious to return but go on our way sacrificing that one foot. Our walk doesn't quite get to the gathering of materials to build a house. God's house won't come until we're convinced to follow God absolutely!
Lord, Help us! Amen.
Jo INMN
Saturday, October 1, 2016
WE WANT TO KNOW YOU, GOD!
Lets look at 1 Cor. 2:14,15 and 16b. "The un-spiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gift of God's spirit! There 's no capacity within the unspiritual for God's gifts. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by Spirit."
Paul's message to the Christians of Corinth is understood and treasured by Christians today just as it was hundreds of years ago. I wonder if the Corinthians too, felt like they were hearing it for the first time.
This is a reminder to each of us to keep the path between ourselves and Jesus completely clear and also keep Jesus within hand's (and heart's) reach. Yes, we are His. Yes, we have His Spirit within us. Yes, we hear Paul's words and yes, we recognize their truth. But, how many times do we forget our Lord and our God and the gifts he is so willing for us to use?? Do we remember that our spirit is now Christ's Spirit and can hear the Holy Spirit completely and truly? And also, do we remember that through Christ's Spirit we can understand all that the Spirit is revealing?
We must keep the connection with Christ always, not only to understand what the Holy Spirit is revealing but to remember that without Christ we would understand NOTHING of God!
Lord, we need you. We are desperate to know and understand you. We need your Spirit within us. We are grateful for what we know about you. Now, we want to know YOU! Help us to know you! Amen.
Jo INMN
Paul's message to the Christians of Corinth is understood and treasured by Christians today just as it was hundreds of years ago. I wonder if the Corinthians too, felt like they were hearing it for the first time.
This is a reminder to each of us to keep the path between ourselves and Jesus completely clear and also keep Jesus within hand's (and heart's) reach. Yes, we are His. Yes, we have His Spirit within us. Yes, we hear Paul's words and yes, we recognize their truth. But, how many times do we forget our Lord and our God and the gifts he is so willing for us to use?? Do we remember that our spirit is now Christ's Spirit and can hear the Holy Spirit completely and truly? And also, do we remember that through Christ's Spirit we can understand all that the Spirit is revealing?
We must keep the connection with Christ always, not only to understand what the Holy Spirit is revealing but to remember that without Christ we would understand NOTHING of God!
Lord, we need you. We are desperate to know and understand you. We need your Spirit within us. We are grateful for what we know about you. Now, we want to know YOU! Help us to know you! Amen.
Jo INMN
Friday, September 30, 2016
JESUS-A BENEFIT TO THE WORLD
In 1 Cor. 1:18, "The Message that points to Christ on the cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense!"
Whether Paul was just a preacher as he maintained to the people of Corinth, or a man of God for his own time as well as ours, I don't really know. I do know that his words are still powerful today in the lives of all Christians, and I hope, also in the lives of those who may be trying to keep one foot on each side of the border between the world of indecision and the world where God reigns.
These worlds are where our hearts now rest. Some of us rest in the world of self and what is good for one's self and some live in the world of God and what's good for all, including His people. His people are those who call themselves His Children, those who have committed their lives to Him. Beyond the other border into the secular world are those who see God's people as errant fools, or those who have not as yet heard about Jesus' giving each of us the Way of Salvation. Oh, when will the world align itself with our beloved Lord?
God, may those who love you be instruments in some way to show others that all of the World will benefit by Your sacrifice on the Cross! Amen.
Lord, hear our prayers!
Jo INMN
Whether Paul was just a preacher as he maintained to the people of Corinth, or a man of God for his own time as well as ours, I don't really know. I do know that his words are still powerful today in the lives of all Christians, and I hope, also in the lives of those who may be trying to keep one foot on each side of the border between the world of indecision and the world where God reigns.
These worlds are where our hearts now rest. Some of us rest in the world of self and what is good for one's self and some live in the world of God and what's good for all, including His people. His people are those who call themselves His Children, those who have committed their lives to Him. Beyond the other border into the secular world are those who see God's people as errant fools, or those who have not as yet heard about Jesus' giving each of us the Way of Salvation. Oh, when will the world align itself with our beloved Lord?
God, may those who love you be instruments in some way to show others that all of the World will benefit by Your sacrifice on the Cross! Amen.
Lord, hear our prayers!
Jo INMN
Thursday, September 29, 2016
BEAUTIFUL TO NEED YOU, GOD
In Galatians 3:12,9 we find, "No one can sustain a relationship with God," (by trying) "to live by his or her own effort independent of God" I suspect it would be doomed to failure, as the Scripture suggest.
Paul, in his letter to the Christians of Galatia tries to extol the belief that if we want to have a relationship with God we must not try to run the show. God wants us in our entirety. He will design, direct and ultimately have the glory for any work we may do. And our desire to know Him more and more will create in God a desire to reveal Himself in the work He asks us to do, in the results of our prayers to Him, in our further neediness for His direction, in growth in our own spirit, and perhaps, even in a revelation for our eyes or ears alone.
God is generous in His gifts and we must be generous in our belief and our relationship with Him and with others. We must always seek God and His desires first.
Although there may be times when we feel far from God, we must not trust those feelings. We must know he is ever present. But it is imperative that we make the first move. Our prayers are the first move, always. God's ears are very good! Even a whisper or a thought directly to Him will find His listening ears. He is always delighted to hear from you and me, be it a simple request or an immediate troubled situation.
God, help us to remember that our life must not be independent from You. Keep us from believing that we can live our life well without You, not needing You. We know that our lives will be as nothing without your guidance. Help us to see the beauty in needing You. Amen.
Jo INMN
Paul, in his letter to the Christians of Galatia tries to extol the belief that if we want to have a relationship with God we must not try to run the show. God wants us in our entirety. He will design, direct and ultimately have the glory for any work we may do. And our desire to know Him more and more will create in God a desire to reveal Himself in the work He asks us to do, in the results of our prayers to Him, in our further neediness for His direction, in growth in our own spirit, and perhaps, even in a revelation for our eyes or ears alone.
God is generous in His gifts and we must be generous in our belief and our relationship with Him and with others. We must always seek God and His desires first.
Although there may be times when we feel far from God, we must not trust those feelings. We must know he is ever present. But it is imperative that we make the first move. Our prayers are the first move, always. God's ears are very good! Even a whisper or a thought directly to Him will find His listening ears. He is always delighted to hear from you and me, be it a simple request or an immediate troubled situation.
God, help us to remember that our life must not be independent from You. Keep us from believing that we can live our life well without You, not needing You. We know that our lives will be as nothing without your guidance. Help us to see the beauty in needing You. Amen.
Jo INMN
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
FOREVER! AMEN!
Mark 15:39 asks this question: "If you're really God's son, come down from that cross!"
The people jeered at the man who hung on the cross. "God's Son! What will they think of next? There's always someone in the world who is trying to draw attention to themselves. God's Son! What a nut!!
We ask ourselves, "Jesus, are you really God's Son?" The Scripture tells us this is so. They also tell us that Jesus died to take our place on the cross, and He died because He wanted to atone for our sins. Sounds like some kind of fairy tale, for someone to die in place of the guilty so that by believing the story others could become children of God, too. How could this be truth?
It could. It is because God planned it this way.
It is truth, and I know it. Without tangible proof, others may disagree, but I know. I know this because of the place within myself that acknowledges what is truth. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he died on a cross so that I may have true access to God through Jesus. He died that I might live without fear, with hope, with the Holy Spirit within me, and the knowledge that I am loved and forgiven and will have eternal life with Christ, the Father and His Spirit.. forever!
I know; I truly know! And I also know that I am not perfect except through the forgiveness of my God. May His Spirit reign in me...and in you...forever. Amen.
Jo INMN
The people jeered at the man who hung on the cross. "God's Son! What will they think of next? There's always someone in the world who is trying to draw attention to themselves. God's Son! What a nut!!
We ask ourselves, "Jesus, are you really God's Son?" The Scripture tells us this is so. They also tell us that Jesus died to take our place on the cross, and He died because He wanted to atone for our sins. Sounds like some kind of fairy tale, for someone to die in place of the guilty so that by believing the story others could become children of God, too. How could this be truth?
It could. It is because God planned it this way.
It is truth, and I know it. Without tangible proof, others may disagree, but I know. I know this because of the place within myself that acknowledges what is truth. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he died on a cross so that I may have true access to God through Jesus. He died that I might live without fear, with hope, with the Holy Spirit within me, and the knowledge that I am loved and forgiven and will have eternal life with Christ, the Father and His Spirit.. forever!
I know; I truly know! And I also know that I am not perfect except through the forgiveness of my God. May His Spirit reign in me...and in you...forever. Amen.
Jo INMN
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
READY WILLLING AND ABLE TO LEARN
Yesterday we talked about the saltiness of the heart. Today, I wish to tell you about one of those things which make the heart salty..the commandments from the Lord. Deut. 6;6 tells us, "Write these commandments that I've given you on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside of your children."
These words of Moses to the people of Israel were the very words God had instructed Moses to say. To us today, Moses words are still words of God from God Himself. The people in Moses day were afraid to hear God's actual voice, so with great relief and good intentions, they listened to God's words through Moses. Today we can read them in a Bible, or hear them from our church pew, but they are for us to hear, still!
A friend of ours many years ago, upon coming to visit us in a new house, brought a house-warming gift in the form of a plaque that had the Ten Commandments written on it. We hung it on the wall facing our most-used door, for us to see, for our adult children to see when visiting, and for all other visitors who entered. Those commandments were in our hearts and also in the hearts of our often visited children. Memorization came quite easy...through constant reading.
Any time a question came up from our own minds or the mind of another, child or visitor, we had plenty of time to talk about it, and it made for some very interesting moments, in fact, learning moments. We are never too old to learn and never too young to teach!
Lord God, prepare our hearts to learn, that when we find a teaching moment or need a moment to learn something more about you, we will be ready, and our hearts will be ready to accept what you have to say. Make us ready, willing and able to learn! Amen.
Jo INMN
These words of Moses to the people of Israel were the very words God had instructed Moses to say. To us today, Moses words are still words of God from God Himself. The people in Moses day were afraid to hear God's actual voice, so with great relief and good intentions, they listened to God's words through Moses. Today we can read them in a Bible, or hear them from our church pew, but they are for us to hear, still!
A friend of ours many years ago, upon coming to visit us in a new house, brought a house-warming gift in the form of a plaque that had the Ten Commandments written on it. We hung it on the wall facing our most-used door, for us to see, for our adult children to see when visiting, and for all other visitors who entered. Those commandments were in our hearts and also in the hearts of our often visited children. Memorization came quite easy...through constant reading.
Any time a question came up from our own minds or the mind of another, child or visitor, we had plenty of time to talk about it, and it made for some very interesting moments, in fact, learning moments. We are never too old to learn and never too young to teach!
Lord God, prepare our hearts to learn, that when we find a teaching moment or need a moment to learn something more about you, we will be ready, and our hearts will be ready to accept what you have to say. Make us ready, willing and able to learn! Amen.
Jo INMN
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