Author: missionspaul

Psalm 113
Day 113: Be blessed!

There are days like today when I need to declare some faith statement, like this one:
Who is like the Lord our God …?

Maybe you need to join with me…
Feeling weakened ….who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovak-m’kaddesh (Lev 20:8 The Lord who sanctifies) = He lives within us to empower us to live holy lives.

Feeling away from God …who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovah-Shalom (judges 6:24 God is Peace) = God has brought peace and contentment and satisfaction between Himself and us.

In sickness …who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovah-Rophe (Isaiah 53 God heals) = He cures or heals not only in physical terms but spiritual and moral)

Needing provision …who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovah-Jireh (Genesis 22:14 The Lord who sees) = He knows our needs and makes provision.

Weary from battling …who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovak-nissi (Exodus 17:18 God my banner) = God is our battle deliverer.

Not knowing what to do …who is like the Lord our God?
Jehovah-rohi (Psalm 23 God my Shepherd) = He feeds, leads, protects and cares for us.

Who is like Him and where is He? 1 John 4:4 He that is in you is greater than He that is in the world!!

Sometimes we live our lives like He just has the edge over the devil. He’s just a little greater.
But God in you is much more significant, far superior, cannot be compared to the god of this world.

All that thrills my soul is Jesus;
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand,
In my blessed Lord I see.
Thoro Harris

Who is like the Lord our God? The answer is no one!
This is our faith statement today and that is why we are blessed!

Psalm 112
Day 112: Be blessed
Blessed men and women…
Love obeying God, v1
Expect the best is yet to be, v4
Steadfast on the day of bad news, v7
Secure when under attack, v8
Esteemed for their strength to remain, v9
Donate generously, v9.

Psalm 111
Day 111: Be blessed

This last week the report of the Berwick review into the NHS was released. The review reminds us that the NHS is still a world-leader of “commitment to health and healthcare as a human right”. However, as a leader, I was interested in a certain phrase: “fear is toxic to both safety and improvement”. Of course the staff of the NHS should take responsibility for their actions, but a culture of fear never brings out the best in a person.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The fear of man brings the opposite. It breeds failure not success. The fear of the Lord is leadership.

The fear of the Lord means this:
1. What God sees is more important than what the boss sees.
2. The praise and glory of God is more important than the rise and fall of man.
3. You are safe to be who you are for He accepts you for who you are.
4. The journey is always more important than the destination. How equals what.
5. Policies are kept through relationship not because of the handbook.
6. Everyone is equal and everyone has something worth hearing.
7. Information is only held back for the good of all not the power of the one.
8. There is no favouritism.
9. Laughter is heard and heads are held high.
10. People don’t need to be reminded to be thankful for what they have.

This is the fear, the respect that every family, church and work-place yearns for. It is what I try to achieve as a leader. Join with me and make a difference. Be a blessing!

Psalm 110
Day 110: Be blessed
Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. V3

It is easy for Christians to lose their true calling.
The animal trainer enters the cage of lions carrying the stool. Yes he has whips and a pistol but the stool is as important. He holds the stool by the back and the thrusts the leg toward the face of the wild animal. The animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. It is said that in the attempt to focus on all four things at once, a kind of paralysis overwhelms the animal, and it becomes tame, weak and disabled because its attention is fragmented.
Don’t become like a tamed lion. That’s not your calling. You are a soldier of Christ’s army in your work-place, home or wherever the Lord has placed you. Make yourself available to be used by God. Stand up stand up for Jesus ye soldiers of the cross ….
Let’s stop talking about it, let’s stop saying what the church should be doing.
Where are the soldiers who are rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of Jesus Christ?
It’s not easy, it won’t be so, hard times will come, opposition will come and we won’t be successful in everything. But a soldier keeps going until the battle is over.
It’s not easy, but if God doesn’t give the enemy into our hands so that people are saved and the harvest rescued, then it won’t be because we haven’t gone.
If we became totally passionate in our love for God, no compromise, sold out for Him, and simply not being afraid when given the opportunity to speak about our faith in Jesus and what He has done for us. If all that happened and still people were not finding Jesus, then at least we could return to our eternal home as soldiers who have at least fought.

The blessed are willing!

Psalm 109
Day 109: Be blessed

Are you a man or woman of prayer? (v4)

When you witness wickedness and deceit…
When people have spoken against you behind your back…
When things are thrown back in your face…
Do you pray? (v2-5)

When you have served an evil man…
When the leader no longer leads…
When others are complicit…
Do you pray? (v6-10)

When you see extortion…
When you see mistaken praise from men…
When you see a legacy of sin…
Do you pray? (v11-15)

When you see a trail of suffering and broken hearts…
When cursing is loved and blessing is forgotten…
When the drink was cursed…
Do you pray? (v16-18)

When you see purchases of finery…
When you want judgment more than anything…
When you long for God to act…
Do you pray? (V19-20)

When you need a miracle…
When your heart is wounded…
When what you have left is nothing…
Do you pray? (V21-23)

When the effects are showing on you physically…
When your best years seem to have come and gone…
When the enemy seems to laugh even more…
Do you pray? (V24-25)

The Lord our God will help and save you…
He will be known in your life and work…
Where there is cursing He will begin blessing…
If you are a man or woman of prayer! (V26-28)

You will know and sing for joy…
Your enemy will be put to shame…
For God is near the needy and unjust…
If you are a man or woman of prayer! (V29-31)

Prayer: the road to blessing!

Psalm 108
Day 108: Be blessed

From verse 7-9 …
“God has spoken. Yesterday was a dark day, a day to cry “Save us!” Today I speak in response to that.
Shechem was the man who raped Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. Man has come and taken away ruthlessly from you and violated your trust. Yet I come and will turn the experience into a gift.
The valley of Succoth was where Jacob limped to after his struggle with the Angel of the Lord. I will measure off once again an area known as ‘booths’ to become that place of refuge for you. I will protect you, shield and cover you.
Gilead was the mountainous area east of Jordan and what you face is indeed that. But it was also the birth area of the prophet Elijah and you are and will hear my voice again. This mountain that you climb is “in my pocket” (Msg).
Manasseh means to forget but more than what you understand by that word. It is the taking away of something. Yesterday happened, but Manasseh is mine, I have taken it. Say nothing of it (Msg).
Ephraim means “fruitfulness in the land of suffering”. It is my helmet. The defence of your life is that fruitfulness is always found in suffering: this is the heart of mission.
Judah is how I will rule in your life. It means “Let God be praised”. That’s it. Praise is the rule.
Moab was the incestuous son of Lot with his oldest daughter, again an evil history. But Ruth was a Moabite who moved from obscurity to significance. I will mop the floor with your history (msg) and turn things around for you.
Edom was Esau’s nickname, the one who lost his inheritance. Those who trade in what I have given them I spit on (msg).
Philistia was Israel’s arch-enemies, it means ‘a land of wanderers’. This enemy has tried to attack you to deflect you off the path, but I triumph over this.
I have spoken, In triumph I will …. And in triumph I shout!”

Psalm 107
Day 107: Be blessed

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say this.
One of the highlights of being a Pastor of a church was to hear the countless public testimonies from people who were grateful to God. Of course, over the years I have heard a lot of self-advertisement instead of testimony. But real testimony is the testifying to Jesus Christ as the only important person in the story of life. Tonight I will be visiting an Elim church in South Wales which has seen hundreds and hundreds of people come to saving faith in Jesus. I am looking forward to being taken back to the centre of our faith: salvation through Jesus Christ.
The blessed are not silent. They make the most of every opportunity to speak up, to shout about it and to live loud so that all may hear.
So go on today: speak to someone of the love of God and what He has done for you.
For some:
He has led you into peace and satisfaction, v4-9.
He has broken every chain and set you free, v10-16.
He has healed and rescued you, v17- 22.
He has stilled your raging storm, v23- 32.
He has given you a fruitful life, v33-39.
He has lifted you out of your suffering, v41.
Pray the line that best fits you and then look forward to the opportunity of saying so to others!
The blessed do this and are blessed!

Psalm 106
Day 106: Be blessed!

Throughout these Psalms we have tried to stay focused on the word ‘blessed’. It has been quite difficult in some of the laments we have read!
Today the Psalmist explains that living the blessed life is acting justly and doing what is right. He then goes on to reveal more fully what that means. Perhaps as you read this list you will pause and meditate at the place which best fits you right now.
1. Find joy in the success of God’s people, v5.
2. Don’t think of yourself more superior than the previous generation, v6.
3. Continually appreciate what God has done for you, v7.
4. Believe the promises of God, v12.
5. Be patient and wait for things to change, v13.
6. Resist the cravings, v14.
7. Be careful what you ask for, v15.
8. Keep relationships as good and as healthy as you can, v16.
9. Don’t trade in the glory for something that glitters, v19-20.
10. Learn to stand in the gap praying for others, v23, 30.
11. Be content with what you have and where you are, v25.
12. Become like Christ not man, v35.
13. Know it’s never too late to cry out in repentance, to change and begin again, v44.

This is the blessed life.

Psalm 105
Day 105: Be blessed

The Psalmist declares “Give thanks to the Lord ..” followed by a lengthy description of the Bible story.
The story of your life so far hasn’t been smooth. There have been times of holding on to God’s covenant to you; times when you wandering from the truth and times of famine and emptiness. You have known restrictions from chains but have known exaltations too. You know what it is to be an outsider and even disliked. You have gone through hard times. You know brokenness and despair. You have had times of courage of stepping out for God. You also know the times of wonderful provision.
The Psalmist knows all this and doesn’t fail to give thanks.
Likewise let us now begin to thank God for what we have been through and what is around us now.
The A-Z of thankfulness.
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of “Camp complaining”
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To “thank” is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We’ll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there’ll be good times and yes, some will be bad, but …
Zion waits in glory … where none are ever sad!

Praise the Lord, be thankful and be blessed!

Psalm 104
Day 104: Be blessed

When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth, v30.
Look around at all you see. The clouds, the effects of the wind, water, valleys and mountains, animals and birds, the grass and plant life, wine, oil and bread, the trees and rocky terrain, the moon, the sun and the seasons, the working man, and the sea. Think about all these wonderful creations as the Psalmist does. It is all because of the Spirit.
Father, send your Spirit to create and renew us.
God is not a God of disorder, no matter how helpless you may feel.
The Genesis account says the heavens and the earth were completed. Paul says in Philippians 1 that the good work started in you will be completed.
There is nothing too immense in your life. There is nothing too numerous in your life. There is nothing too intense in your life. … There is nothing too small in your life. There is nothing too detailed in your life that God cannot and will not bring into an order and arrangement that glorifies Him where He can say it is completed, it is finished, it is good.
All this happens when he sends His Spirit.
Maybe you have lost something or it was never there? Send your Spirit of Creation!
Maybe you have seen something broken in your life? Send your Spirit of renewal!
Be blessed!