Psalm 33; II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 119 - "Shout To The Lord"

 

The Lord took me to Psalm 33 this morning. This Psalm reminds us to praise God. Yesterday morning He also had me focusing on praising Him. There is much to praise Him for but along with the praises comes work to be done. I keep asking Him for His wisdom and His peace throughout these changing days. I pray for His strength to be mine not just in the physical sense but in the emotional, mental, and especially the spiritual sense. I do not want to just get through these days but I want to praise Him through them. Matthew Henry writes of this Psalm, Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon the righteous. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. Woo hoo! I desire to have holy joy. I must be on my guard to not allow the enemy to steal my joy. He would love to mess me up but I cannot allow that to happen. Instead I must stand in the promises of God's Word knowing I do not have to fear anything ahead but instead am empowered by the Holy Spirit as Paul wrote in II Timothy 1:7. Verse four of Psalm 33 reminds me of yesterday's sermon. It reads in The Passion Translation: For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, His word can be trusted, and everything He does is reliable and right. Yes! David showed us in Psalm 119 how he believed God's Word as truth. In verse 151 he wrote ...all Your commands are true. In verse 66 he wrote ...for I trust Your commands. In verse 42 ...for I trust in Your Word. If we do not trust God's Word to be truth, we have no basis for living the life God desires for us. I know I want to live as God desires of me. I desire to not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to Him. I love verses twenty and twenty-one of Psalm 33 in The Passion Translation: The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts. His wraparound presence will strengthen us. As we trust, we rejoice with an uncontained joy flowing from Yahweh! God knew I needed this reminder this morning as I look to the week ahead. He knew I needed reminded of the hope I have in Him as I trust Him. He knew I needed reminded of His wraparound presence being my strength. He knew I needed reminded He will fill me with joy as I trust Him. Plain and simple. He knew and He provided. Woo hoo! I do not know what the week ahead looks like but God does. I do not have to worry about anything but instead must allow Him to direct me to do as He desires. As I do, I will experience holy joy in ways I have never done so before. I am holding Shout To The Lord close in my spirit as I begin this week.

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hand
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In You

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunity to bring the message yesterday You gave me! Thank You for open hearts to what You desired for all of us to hear! Thank You for the week ahead as we draw closer to being in the building! Thank You for giving me Psalm 33 this morning that reminds me of the hope I have in You as I allow Your wraparound presence be my strength so I can be filled with holy joy! Lord, when the anxiousness comes I pray You will calm my spirit. When decisions need made, I pray You will make them for me. Father, I pray Your wisdom to be mine throughout these days more than ever before. Cleanse me so You can fill me. May my focus stay upon You. May You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts in a mighty way. Thank You for being My Holy Joy! Amen.