Encourage yourself

I don’t remember in which confess of faith it is stated that our purpose is to know and worship GOD.  To me worship often begins with singing.  Singing plays a big role in the Bible. Over and over we are told to sing to the LORD (60 times in Psalms alone).“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 96:1)

In troubling times the LORD told the Jews to sing and amazing thing happened.  “And when they (the Jews) began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

In Isaiah 30:29-31 suggests that as we sing to the LORD the punishing arm of the LORD comes against our enemies to the beat of the music.

Since I find myself encouraged and refocused as I sing to the LORD in trouble, I believe that is what David did to encourage himself in the LORD. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his GOD” (1 Samuel 30:6).

On one occasion I needed refocusing bad but had to get to class to teach.  So as I drove I listened to and sang with a chorus I’d just heard: “YOU are worthy of it all, YOU are worthy of it all.  For from YOU are all things and to YOU are all things YOU deserve the glory”.

After singing it increasingly with gusto and volume, my windows rolled up on the truck, by the time I reached class I was renewed in SPIRIT and ready to teach.

Sometimes I sing the old classics like “trust and obey” or “Almighty GOD” and other times choruses… Whatever the SPIRIT lays on my heart.  Here are a couple choruses that lift me up.

I worship YOU, ALMIGHTY GOD there is none like YOU, I honor YOU, O Prince of Peace, that is what I long to do. I give YOU praise for YOU are my righteousness, I worship YOU, ALMIGHTY GOD there is none like YOU.

Down at YOUR feet O LORD is the most-high place,in YOUR presence LORD I seek your face, I seek YOUR face. For there’s no greater honor, no higher calling then to bow and kneel before YOUR throne I am amazed by YOUR glory, embraced by YOUR mercy,O LORD, I live to worship YOU. O LORD, I live to worship YOU.

Hugs

Sharon

The Veil

As we talk about things concerning the LORD they can come alive to us. That is why we should be in a life group so we can take part in discussing the Word of GOD

This week as we finished up our series in Exodus, I was explaining to the life group the veil that divided between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (and temple). As we discussed it I became overwhelmed by the privileges we obtain in the New Covenant that JESUS established on the cross through the shedding of HIS blood for our sin and fulfilling the Law (1 Corinthians 11:25, Hebrews 7:19, 7:22, 8:6, 12:24).

In the Holy of Holies only the High priest could go one time a year and he had bells sewn in the hem of his robe so if he did something wrong and died in that place the people would hear that the bells were no longer jingling and pulled him out with the rope tied on him.

The Holy of Holies was where the arc of the covenant stood and the mercy seat on its top is where GOD met with Moses to give him instructions for the people. It was a very sacred place and only the high priest could go in one a year to offer the blood of bulls to cover the sins of the people.

The instant JESUS died on the cross the veil that kept people out tore from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45) signifying that the way into the Holy of Holies (the Presence of GOD) was now open (Hebrews 9:8). For JESUS blood didn’t just cover the sins of the people that year but took away all sin committed under the 1st Covenant= the Law and thereby established the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15, 10:11-12, 14-20).

Up until JESUS died for us, there was a barrier but now through JESUS we are invited to boldly enter into the very throne room and talk to GOD. While there we obtain mercy and grace to help us in times of need (Hebrews 10:19-22, 4:16).

Thinking on this I pictured the throne room as seen in Revelation 4 where angels encircle the thrown and bow before HIM. The following songs came to my mind and I couldn’t help myself I sang them to the LORD.

Down at YOUR feet O LORD is the most-high place, 
in YOUR Presence LORD we seek YOUR face, we seek YOUR face. 
For there is no greater honor, no higher calling than to bow and kneel before YOUR throne. 
I am amazed by YOUR glory, embraced by YOUR mercy O LORD, I live to worship YOU. 
O LORD, I live to worship YOU.

I worship YOU ALMIGHTY GOD there is none like YOU, 
I honor YOU O Prince of Peace, that is what I long to do. 
I give YOU praise for YOU are my righteousness, 
I worship YOU ALMIGHTY GOD there is none like YOU.

hugs
Sharon L Manning