Bro Gary Wednesday 8/31/11

Bro Gary Wednesday 8/31/11

Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

It is important that we keep it real as to how good God is.  There are many things that can take our mind and our thoughts, not always bad things; even good things can rob our soul.

Psa 34:1  A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I will bless the Lord at all times, David knew good times and bad times.  He knew blessings from God and He knew times of persecutions, one of his bad times he brought upon himself because of his sin. 

Holy men of old wrote as they were inspired of God and this is why we have the Old Testament.  It is wonderful that we have the story of creation.  It is wonderful to know who made the sun, the moon and the stars. 

When we think of how God has kept everything in its place when just a little variation could bring an end to all of us.  I will bless the lord at all times.

Taste the good things of God.  People taste in sin and experience what Moses taught, that he chose rather to suffer affliction with the righteous than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.  Those that have tasted sin find a temporary satisfaction from it and thirst for more. 

The three crosses down by Boyer Creek:  My mother told me of Ann, she was married to Kenny Kelly.  Kenny had a dad that introduced him to sin at a very young age.  He introduced him to things that he should have taught him against. 

Ann was Liz Lombard’s daughter.  My mom visited Ann and she told my mother that she was heartbroken.  She said that Kenny went to the bar every night and she had urged him to quit.  He said, “No, I love the night life, I love the bar, I love the bar crowd.” 

One night they left the bar in Paradise headed toward Plains and hit the left side of that bridge and three were dead at the scene.  One of them was Kenny Kelly.

It pays to whet your appetite toward the good things of God.  He did leave the bar life.  He’s already been in eternity for some time and has regrets that I hope none of us know anything about.  His and Ann’s lives could have been so different.

May God help us that are saved to realize how blessed we are.  There is nothing like hearing someone thank God for a changed life.  We were all headed down the broad road of sin.  You can look back and see how sin has paid someone that you knew.  Sin is the same no matter what location it is in.

Two of the most promising young men in the graduating class of 1965 yielded to sin: alcohol, and drugs; one filled an early grave.  It is sad.

Psa 34:2  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord.  We have a wonderful treasure in salvation to have our sin removed and to have a new nature.  We need to keep God real.  We can become so empty.

Psa 34:3  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Lot had an uncle and when there was contention and the choice was given Lot which parcel of land he wanted, Lot was selfish.  He pitched his tent toward Sodom and ended up in Sodom.  There is a scripture there that says God magnified mercy.

My only protection is being rightly related to God.  People get so touched in the head in thinking that none of their family could end up deep in sin.  I had as good of parents as any and I was headed down into sin as deep as any have ever been headed.  It was not my parent’s fault; we all make our own choices.

God fulfills his responsibility to draw on hearts.  When he chooses to go back and draw again after being refused, He magnifies mercy.  It wasn’t just toward someone else that He magnified mercy; He magnified mercy toward me. 

God comes back and calls over and over again even though he fulfills His promise when He calls once.  Magnified mercy! 

Our grief would be unbearable if it wasn’t for the mercy of God.  Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.

We pray for mercy and for magnified mercy for those that we are burdened for.  Because God is great we can ask for these magnified mercies.  We need to be faithful to thank Him for the mercy that He shows.  God’s grace is marvelous!

Psa 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

This is a marvelous scripture: I sought the Lord and He heard me.  Children have fears sometimes that are unnecessary such as a closet without lights.  It isn’t very long and other fears become to come in.  If it wasn’t for God we would have such fear in this life today. 

David wrote: I sought the Lord… and He delivered me from all my fears.

Psa 34:5  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

Moses after being up with the Lord on the mountain, when he was coming down his face was so illumined that he had to cover it with a veil. 

God can lighten the dark places.  We can look at Him with our burdens.  There are times of heavy burdens.  Family may be very sick.  A loved one may pass away.  It is wonderful that you can have a place to go.

Psa 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

It is wonderful to be delivered.

Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Don’t let anything mess up your appetite.  Be hungry for the worship of God.

Psa 34:9  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

This fear means to honor Him.  God is the God of power and might and is worthy of all honor and praise.  He is the God of the Universe.

Psa 34:10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

As strong as a lion is there are still times when they don’t have enough to eat.  This is because the lion is trusting in himself.  If we seek God we will not want any good thing.

Psa 34:11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Psa 34:12  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

Psa 34:13  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Psa 34:14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psa 34:16  The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

We want to keep in God’s favor.

Psa 34:17  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Over and over God has delivered us out of our troubles.  When we are troubled we can go to Him and he will deliver us.

Psa 34:18  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psa 34:20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Psa 34:21  Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

Psa 34:22  The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

It is wonderful that the Lord redeems us; He buys us back through the blood of His son and renews us over and over again.

None that trust in Him shall be desolate:  “There is nothing sadder in all creation than a soul in isolation away from God and home.”

Those that trust in God will not be desolate.  God has promised and will grant and give us what we need in our soul.