He shall preserve thy soul...even forevermore.

Psalm 131 sermon by Stu Johnston

The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament showeth His handiwork...

Day unto day...and night unto night, sheweth knowledge. Where is that? the knowledge, I mean...

Everywhere!

How shall he who occupies the place of the unlearned, say his "amen"?

That Gary Owens expresses that text perfectly for me. I remember "occupying the place of the unlearned". Not being able to understand the stuff that goes on in church is convicting as well. It is not totally disrespect that makes somebody laugh at some of the things that we do in church.

Unbelief is blinded, is true. But, confusion is blinding and when we don't explain what we are doing we are keeping people blind and not allowing them to enter into faith in Christ. We are, as it were, binding the hands of the Holy Spirit by our confusion. Shame on us.

Grief has often thrust me into the place of the unlearned, also. Everyone praising the Lord, when my heart is so broken feels like a telescope turned the wrong way. I am right here in the worship and enjoying the truths that are embraced by so many, but they are far away from me in grief. I am occupying the place of the unlearned.

I say, "Let the Amen, sound from His people, AGAIN. God grant clarity in Your Churches for the "unlearned's sake". In Jesus' Name, amen.

Ordered by the Lord?

I know that God said that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

I imagine the angels standing like ushers or servants with their clipboards, writing down the orders of the Lord. He cares about us just that much.

With the children that I watch daily standing at the precipice of walking; I get to watch the angels holding their feet to get them ready.

I love imagining them holding my foot and placing it where God wants it to be. I toddle and refuse to move my foot here and there and they are pulling and pushing my foot to the exact place, because of God's constancy and love, mercy and kindness.

Ponder anew?

What the Almighty can do

If with His love He befriend thee?

What can God do with my story of redemption and grace? How can God clean my life up and make it useful in His service? That is just one of the questions of Praise to the Almighty.

Before we can "Let the Amen" sound from His people again, we have to become and be "His people". So many times our testimony of redemption is so stained with stumblings and unbelief that we are always asking the question, am I Yours, Lord. How can You find the grace and mercy to clean me up and use me for You. Have You befriended me with Your love, Lord? I want to glorify You with my life, then.

The accusations of the devil are silenced in our praise and worship. Our sins, our unbelief, our questions and grapplings will be understood, by and by, they say. But, in the meantime, it is awesome to see God at work in our lives, cleaning and clearing out the "old man" and making us "fit for Heaven". Halleluia, What a Savior!

Be Thou My Vision, O Ruler of All...

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise; Thou mine inheritance, now and always; Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Why do we try to keep the commandments when we are already redeemed?

Shall we continue in sin that grace might abound? God Forbid... No, we have no idea how far our experiences are from God's holiness. He gives us His commandments to reign us in from our pagan tendencies, whomever we may be. Regardless how many generations of Christianity we may hale from. Christ is cleaning us up, in the Church from the curse of Hell and Death. May God give us grace to continue and pass on the baton to the next generation. Help us to grow up into the Grace of God that has been bestowed upon us! Thank you dearest Lord for Your Amazing Grace!!!