God’s Faithfulness

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.” -Psalm 146:5-7 (ESV)

In our Sunday School adult studies for this current quarter, we are studying selected Psalms. Psalm 146 is the assignment for Sunday, July 30. The central truth of Psalm 146 is: “God can be trusted as the One who reigns eternally.” So writes Dr. Allen Tilley, pastor of First Baptist Church, Carthage, Texas who wrote the commentary in the “Personal Study Guide” for students for the July 30 study session. Psalms 146-150 are known as the “Hallelujah Psalms” for each begins and ends with the word of praise to God, “Hallelujah!” Read this majestic beginning of Psalm 146: “Hallelujah! My soul, praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live!”

If we sometimes become lax in attending regular worship at our church and neglect to gather to study the Bible with our Sunday School class, we ought quickly to examine our laxness and see wherein we are failing. Are we bearing some grudge against a pastor or other church leader, or have we allowed the cares and pursuits of this worldly life to rob us of the joy of praising God for His faithfulness?

How faithful is our God? In Psalm 146, a hymn of praise to God, the psalmist lists nine definite ways God’s faithfulness is shown to us:

1. God executes justice for those who are oppressed (v. 7a)

2. He gives food to the hungry (v. 7b)

3. He frees prisoners (v. 7c)

4. He opens the eyes of the blind (v. 8a)

5. He lifts up those who are bowed down (v. 8b)

6. God loves the righteous (v. 8c)

7. He watches over sojourners (this can be translated as ‘resident aliens’) (v. 9a)

8. He helps the widows and the fatherless (v. 9a)

9. He brings the ways of the wicked to ruin (frustrates them) (v. 9b).

How can we describe God’s faithfulness? The Psalmist lists nine ways in three verses from Psalm 146. As good as the list is, more aspects of God’s faithfulness could be added. Hymn writers have been trying since King David’s time and before to find a way to express God’s faithfulness. Our best efforts in writing still fall short of the glory, majesty, strength, provision and all-encompassing faithfulness of the Lord of Lord and the God of the Universe. Think about and meditate upon the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” copyrighted in 1923, with words written by Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960) and set to “Faithfulness” tune composed by William M. Runyan (1820-1957). Here is the first stanza and chorus:

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Chorus: Great is thy faithfulness; Great is Thy faithfulness; Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me” Amen! Ethelene Dyer Jones July 30, 2017

God’s Faithful Love for Us

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure for ever.” -Psalm 136:1 (The Amplified Bible)

Psalm 136 with its 26 verses has the same refrain ending each verse. I used the Amplified Bible today in the introductory verse that begins this devotional because it best expresses the Hebrew word “chesed” (expressing God’s faithful love for us, His people) which is translated “His mercy and loving-kindness” which endure forever, now and for all eternity! Seek to think of the magnitude of God’s love: He knows us even before we are conceived in our mother’s womb (see Psalm 139:13); He knows us and woos us to Him while we are in this earthly life. Read meditatively all of Psalm 139 to see all the ways God follows each of us whom He loves.. Even the “hairs of our head are numbered” (see Matthew 10:30). With the Psalmist we can say assuredly: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” (Psalm 33:18). Not only is the Lord with those who fear and follow Him on earth, but He has prepared an eternal place for believers after this life is ended. Jesus promised, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). This promise is steadfast and sure, as the Psalmist declared: “The Lord redeems the soul of his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate” (Psalm 34:22). Indeed, the refrain that is repeated in each verse of Psalm 136, “His mercy and loving-kindness endure for ever” is intended to give us comfort and assurance in our earthly life and hope for the life beyond.

The writer of Psalm 136 gave a summary of what our reaction should be for God’s faithful love and mercy (undeserved favor) for us: “O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure for ever!” (v. 26, Amplified Bible).

I read about a “Blessing Bowl” in which a faithful follower of God wrote a major daily blessing on a 3 x 5 card, dated the card, and placed the card in a special bowl. At the end of each month, she reviewed what she had written on each card and had a record of events in her life that showed how God’s “mercy and loving-kindness endure for ever!” I thought the idea was a good one, and I began to record major blessings. I had already done this for a long time in a daily journal. The “blessing card” gave quicker access when I wanted to review God’s blessings to me at the end of each month, and have a special time of thanksgiving for His care for me. Time and obligations often preclude my listing all the blessings, but I find that there is always an outstanding one each day worthy of recording. Writing down special blessings gives me a record of God’s faithful love to me and also provides a springboard for thanks and gratitude. When we take time to record our outstanding blessings, we seek to become more aware of how God indeed is with us in our daily lives and through the triumphs and troubles we experience. We, as the Psalmist, can declare in all sincerity and truth: “His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!”

The writer of the beloved gospel song, “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” (words by Civilla D. Martin, music composed by Charles H. Gabriel, 1905), based the thoughts in the hymn on Matthew 10:29-33 and also expressed the major theme of Psalm 136 in beautiful words: “Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,/Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eyes is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free; For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Amen! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.23.2017.

An Invitation and a Reason

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” -Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV)

In the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the authorship of Psalm 95 is attributed to David. However, in later editions, even the authorized King James Version (1611), no author is given. Many scholars, however, hold that the style and content are like so many of the Psalms of David. Even though we have no verification of authorship, the Psalm is the type of Psalm called “Enthronement,” seeking to have worshipers “enthrone” or raise up the Lord in worship and follow Him faithfully. The Psalm speaks forcibly of God as the Creator and the One who invites us to worship and bow down before Him, the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6). Scholars also believe the Psalm was used during the Jewish celebration called the “Festival of Booths.” At harvest time, the people went to the fields to gather in the harvest, making themselves temporary tents made of palm and willow tree branches to house them during this time of ingathering of crops. Workers lived in these booths for a week as a reminder of their temporary dwellings in the forty years of wilderness wanderings after God delivered them from Egyptian bondage. A holy convocation was held on the first and eighth days of the Festival of Booths. Verses five and six of this Psalm would have been the call to all the people to gather and worship before God, Maker and Creator, and the one who provided rain, sunshine and soil to bring the crops to the time of bountiful harvest. It was a glorious time of worship. To remind the worshipers that they were also “the people of his pasture” reflects on the cogent message of the 23rd Psalm, which is definitely a Psalm from the pen of David, and the most-quoted Old Testament passage of the entire Bible. We worship and bow down before Him because He made us and He keeps us with His hand.

What is involved in worship? One element is remembrance, as verses 8 and 9 remind us. At Meribah, soon after the Israelites’ release from Egyptian bondage, they complained to Moses that he had led them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness because they had no water. God commanded Moses to strike the rock and pure water to drink came forth abundantly. Again, when they had crossed the desert and were hoping to enter the promised land, the need for water arose. And the second time, Moses’ rod was the instrument used by God to bring forth water. Each time, the people failed to trust God in adversity (the need for water), and complained loudly. Because of their unbelief, none but Caleb and Joshua of the approximately 600,000 who came out of Egypt were allowed to enter the promised land. Even Moses and Aaron died before they went in to possess the physical land of Palestine.

What then is involved in worship besides remembrance? Confession, or acknowledging sins. Then praise, adoration, awe, wonder, love, thanksgiving, humility and reverence. Worship helps us recognize God as God, our Creator, Sovereign, Savior and Lord. A companion New Testament scripture to read and study as we study Psalm 95 is Hebrews 3:7 through 4:13. A portion of Psalm 95 is quoted in this passage in Hebrews: “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test, and saw my works for forty years.” (Hebrews 3:7b-9). Believers need to worship God in Spirit and in truth because He is our Maker and He is sovereign, He is our Shepherd and we are kept by His almighty hand. Selah! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.09.2017

Christian Characteristics of a God-Directed Life

“Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” – Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV)

I remember when I was much younger, as a young minister’s wife, I had the privilege of attending a state-wide Bible conference at which Dr. Julian T. Pipkin, then Georgia’s Secretary of Sunday School work, an excellent Bible teacher, was teaching the gathered group Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

To help us remember verses 12-13, and Paul’s command to Christians to “put on” characteristics needed by each Christian in his life, Dr. Pipkin, always dressed appropriately in suit, white shirt and tie when he appeared before an audience, came before the class that day and took off his coat; then his tie. Then he asked us to turn in our Bibles to Colossians 3:12-13 and asked for a volunteer to read the two verses. After the verses were read, he led in prayer. Then he said something like this:

“Now let us see if we can do what today’s scripture asks us to do.” He then went to the chair where he had laid his coat. He took it up, put it on, and also put back on his clip-on tie. He then looked neat and well-dressed, as Dr. Pipkin usually appeared before an audience. “ ‘Put on,’ God tells us through Paul’s writing, because we are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, we must deliberately put on (1) compassionate hearts, (2) kindness, (3) humility, (4) meekness, (5) patience, (6) forbearance, (7) forgiveness. Seven Christian characteristics or virtues should be as well-fitting to our lives as the clothes we wear, and as deliberately ‘put on’ daily as if we were dressing ourselves appropriately.”

Dr. Pipkin’s simple but profound illustration of showing us that we don’t “automatically”: have these virtues, we must ‘put them on’ deliberately, or develop them in our lives and use them for other’s good remained with me. He led us to talk about each of the seven virtues, and we had good group discussion of how we might exercise the virtues in daily situations. I came away from that Bible study very conscious that these Christian characteristics do not just “happen” in the Christian’s life. As Paul states, they must be deliberately cultivated, put into one’s life.

To put on the virtues of Christ calls the Christian to a holy lifestyle, to one that will not only benefit the “wearer” of these virtues but will help all those whom the Christian encounters in his daily walk.

As we met with Dr. Pipkin the next day at Bible study time, he asked us how conscious we were of “putting on” the seven Christian characteristics we had studied the day before, and how had we utilized any one of them in our encounters with those we had met. We were able to share how we were much more aware of how the “well-dressed” Christian approached others. We could name the seven virtues we were working to incorporate into our manner of life: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness. God, help each of us to put these on and practice them daily. - Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.02.2017