Scripture Read:  Psalm 95, 96

Key Verse:  Psalm 95:7

“For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

Observation:

The title of this Psalm is “Let us sing Songs of Praise”, and that is evident throughout this whole Psalm.  The beginning talks about giving God the glory and singing praises to Him.  When we sing unto Him and give praises, it writes to do those things with thanksgiving and with a joyful noise.  Then, it writes WHY we do what we do, because He is God, the creator of all things, and THAT is why we worship God. The next section breaks it down such as what to do, saying that we should bow down and kneel before God, again stating why we do it, and what happens if you don’t.  Towards the end, it takes a critic kind of tone. If there is a blind eye and they stray away from giving glory to God and not making known His ways, they aren’t going to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Application:

The Key idea here is giving God the glory and making joyful noises to Him.  The key verse makes it stand out for me event more, and what pops into my head is this, To whom do you give the glory?  Everything that you do that isn’t for the glory of God, is pretty much useless.  And for me, that’s a hard idea to overcome.  A verse that pops up is 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Are you serious?  Whatever I do?  Whatever I eat or drink?  That is something serious.  It’s hard for my mind to overcome an idea like that, but it can’t be more true in my eyes. I tend to think that I’m the most important person out there in MY story.  But I keep forgetting.  I’m not the main character in the story of my life.  NO, God is the most important character.  I am merely just a sheep in his care.  He is OUR God, and we are the sheep.  In the history of the world, am I the main character? No, Jesus is, so why do I walk around like I’m the man, and it’s all about me, when it isn’t?  And it’s not just the things that we tend to think of, but everything else.  From every interaction that we have with people, to what we say while we’re on the phone, or just in passing conversations.  But because life can be so short, and we don’t know when we’re going to be taken away, have to make sure that we give God the glory. Matthew 10:32-33, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” So my question to myself and to you, the reader, is, to whom do you give the glory?  To yourself?  To God?  Be honest, because sometimes, I do it for me, and only for me.  Do you? And if that’s true, what’s must change?

Prayer:

Lord, You are the creator of all things, You reign upon high, You are the king.  I pray that as we continue to live out our lives, that every single thing that we do would be for Your glory, and of what You have done.  Let us not take for granted what You have provided for us, and constantly remind us of who You are. As we continue to live out each day, let us be examples of Your love, and of the ultimate sacrifice that Your son made.  Keep our hearts and our minds sharp, and focused, on what You have for us.  Amen.

By Tim 217staff team