Don't keep your blessings to yourself

Reading this again reminded me that my life has a purpose and that is to live for the Lord and give myself for others.

October 27, 2015

Worship:           

       

Rita Baloche
2002 Sardache Songs (adm by Integrity's Hosanna! Music)/ASCAP and Integrity's Hosanna! Music/ASCAP

When the battle's fierce
And the walls are crashing in
And I have no place to go
Surrounded by my foes yet not alone
'Cause one thing I know that they don't know

You prepare a table for me
And bless me in the presence of my enemies
You fill me till my cup overflows
You restore my soul

If not for You
I would surrender to my fears
And hope would surely slip away
I find comfort knowing You are near
Ready to save, renew my strength

I will lift up my eyes
To where my help comes from
I know You hear my cries
You are my champion 

http://www.newreleasetoday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=61577

Video:

  https://youtu.be/pCC3O5r3ODM

Witness:

Sometimes I struggle to find a song to worship with. Sometimes I struggle with the WORD, though usually, it’s a time factor more than anything else when it comes to the WORD. There is an irony in there somewhere. Most people say they don’t have time for the WORD, they are excusing themselves do to the business of life―real or imagined. I try to spend 1-2 hours in quiet time, yet by the time I get to the WORD, I often run out of time and have to go to work.

This time, I struggled in this section. Usually, God has impressed something on my heart or something comes as I begin writing. This time, I searched my mind for what God might have me share in this section. Then it hit me. I had read or heard somewhere today, perhaps in the message on Haggai I listened to today by John Piper about the Lord’s people who had returned to the promised land, but for 18 years had concerned themselves about their own houses and had neglected the house of the LORD. How often have I made excuses on why I can’t be more involved in the work of the Lord? I tell myself that the work I am doing at home is the work of the Lord, and it is. However, to do that to the neglect of helping others in the body of Christ is to neglect the house of the LORD. Listen to what God told His people in Haggai:

Hag 1:1-11

1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built.'"

3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the Lord. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands." NIV

If one wonders why there is so little blessing in their life, perhaps it is due to a stingy attitude in their life and not a “Scrooge” attitude. Oh now you are saying, “I think you made an error here, are not ‘stingy’ and ‘Scrooge’ saying the same thing?” On the contrary, Scrooge was the most generous of men after his haunted night. Before he had great wealth, yet with no friends and a mean and callous heart, he was the poorest of souls. Yet when confronted by the truth, his wealth may have dwindled, but O what he gained in friends and blessedness of generosity. By way of contrast, George, in It’s a Wonderful Life had forgotten this. Once content in his poverty, having a richness in family and friends and generosity, now wanting to end his life when faced with calamity. Clarence, the angel, had to remind him that he had such a great influence in the life of others:

 Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

When he finally came to his senses, he rejoiced in the blessed wonderful life he had lived in giving to others, and his brother declared with a toast:

A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town.

What do we miss when we neglect the House of the LORD? More importantly, how do we honor God when we neglect His House?

Consider these verses:

1 Cor 3:16-17

Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

NIV

1 John 3:17-18

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth NIV

WORD:

Ps 23:5-6 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. NIV

Ps 23:5-6 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. KJV

 The metaphor seems to change here from Shepherd to that of a host, though Wiersbe seems to think it has not. He says:

Psalms 23:5

Some students believe there is a change of metaphor here, from the shepherd and his sheep to the host and his guest, but this is not necessarily the case. "Table" doesn't necessarily refer to a piece of furniture used by humans, for the word simply means "something spread out." Flat places in the hilly country were called "tables" and sometimes the shepherd stopped the flock at these "tables" and allowed them to eat and rest as they headed for the fold (see 78:19). After each difficult day's work, the aim of the shepherd was to bring the flock safely back to the fold where the weary sheep could safely rest for the night. Sometimes at the fold, the shepherd would spread out food in a trough, because sheep lie down and rest after they have eaten. As they slept, they would be protected by a stone wall that surrounded them, and the shepherd himself would sleep across the opening and be the door (John 10:7-9). During the night, thieves and dangerous animals might approach the fold, but there was no way they could reach the sheep. The Lord doesn't always remove the dangers from our lives, but He does help us to overcome them and not be paralyzed by fear. This is what it means to be "more than conquerors" and have peace in the midst of danger (Rom 8:31-39).

The shepherd would examine the sheep as they entered the fold to be sure none of them was bruised, injured, or sick from eating a poisonous plant. To the hurts, he applied the soothing oil, and for the thirsty, he had his large two-handled cup filled with water. He would also apply the oil to the heads and horns of the sheep to help keep the flies and other insects away. The sheep knew they were safe and they could sleep without fear. 

(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

Most, however, concur with what this Commentary says:

Psalms 23:5

23:5. In this verse the scene changes to a banquet hall where a gracious host provides lavish hospitality. Under this imagery the psalmist rejoiced in the Lord's provision. What was comforting to David was that this was in the presence of his enemies. Despite impending danger, the Lord spread out a table for him, that is, God provided for him.

The image of anointing the head with oil, which was refreshing and soothing, harmonizes with the concept of a gracious host welcoming someone into his home. In view of the table and the oil, David knew that his lot in life (his cup) was an abundant blessing from the Lord.

(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.)

It’s difficult for me to decide who is right. I hate leaving at this point, but I have to go to work. I guess you can munch on that until tomorrow (pun intended).