http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2089,%2096,%20100,%20101,%20105,%20132&version=NIV
As we read through the Psalms, I like to read the text notes in my study Bible. Through doing that, I’m learning that many Psalms where composed to be addressed to Israel during one of the annual religious festivals – of which there were many. These festivals served as times of remembrance, worship and celebration for the work the Lord did in the life of his chosen people.
Outside of the obvious purpose of such festivals – to worship God – they also had great purpose in the faith of the Israelites. The celebration of what God has done helps his people remember that he is the God he says that he is and that he will do the things that he says that he will do. These celebrations spur God’s people on in their faith.
Psalm 105, as my text notes tell us, is “an exhortation to Israel to worship and trust in the Lord because of all his saving acts in fulfillment of his covenant with Abraham to give his descendants the Land of Canaan”. It is also a call to trust in the Lord.
Let’s declare today a festival – one where we worship and celebrate all the things God as done in the lives of his covenant people (that’s us!). Let’s spur one another on in faith and issue a call to trust in the Lord. Here’s my challenge to each of you. Share on today’s blog something that God has done in your life – maybe in the way he has totally changed you, maybe an answered prayer, maybe how he has rescued you or provided for you. Let’s each write our own story – our own Psalm – to be shared at this festival. It doesn’t even have to be poetic – it just needs to be a story about God’s work in your life.
It’s easy to share – click on the link, and it will take you to the blog where you will be able to post a comment. It’s that easy, so please share your story and be part of our own festival of remembrance, worship and celebration. Imagine the glory God will receive and the encouragement each reader will get if each person reading this blog shares their story - your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
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Wow, Carol, you taught class today, entertained your mom, and then posted this blog...Busy day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your service!!
**Well, I would love to hear from some others(other than KW, anonymous, and myself) if at all possible. I'm just playing around. The real problem is that I get tired of hearing myself talk, if you know what I mean...).
***Ye though I walk through the valley of the shadow of_______?...Fill in the blank, for as far as I am concerned, my trials have been great. I have had a great life; however, I've suffered immensely as well. Not to even get into it, but I have been delivered from the parts of my former self which caused my family, friends, strangers, and myself such harm, and which nearly caused me to lose my soul.
**Trying to keep this brief(although I could fill up 50 pages), I will share just one story in my life(there have been quite a few similar situations) in which I know I was saved by my Abba Father--->During my wild days, I was traveling so fast down an old country road in Mississippi that I literally flew through the air. It was seriously a Dukes of Hazard style of travel. When I landed, my left, rear tire blew out. That amounts to thousands of LBS. of pressure, and as if from a grenade, my car flipped as I was doing 70 or 80 miles per hour.
***After the smoke cleared, I landed in between 2 trees--->Otherwise, as I was upside-down, surely I would have been beheaded.
**Thanks to three people, I was spared: 1)My Lord and Savior. 2)My parents-->Their on-going intercessory prayers.
***Peace and love!
Standing on top of the mountain peak, I could see for miles and miles. The clean crisp air filled my lungs and the beauty of the view was breath taking. Life was good. But as time transpired, I found myself not on the mountain peak of life but in the lowest valley. Oh how my soul longed to be on top of the mountain peak again! But something happened, in the shadow of the mountain, I could see clear streams of water flowing down from the highest peaks. The lower the water flowed, the larger the stream became. Down, down, down the water traveled never content until it reached the lowest part of the valley. It was here I found the pools of water for my dry and thirsty soul. As I drank, encouragement rose up in my soul. Here in the lowest part of the valley, the water had transformed the dry dirt into fertile soil. The view was no longer spectator and my soul longed for the mountain peak but as I looked around, I saw something I had never noticed before. There around me were people in search of water for their dry and parched lips. Out of strength and without hope, they wondered in the valley until they also found the refreshing pools of water. I marveled in amazement as I saw new hope enter their minds. The more they drank, the more encouragement entered their souls. Now with new strength, they started up the mountain side with a new determination not to stop until they reached the peak.
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