Thought for the Day

Start and End Every Day with a Psalm
By Reverend Andrew Martinez

Psalms 147
1. This morning I opened up my email as I usually do or (I go to the psusa.org website to read the scriptures of the day pcusa.org which has an option to email daily lectionary readings). I chose the second psalm which reads as follows:

Psalm 147:1-11
[1] Praise the Lord!

Photo by Anthony S. Policastro

How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
[2] The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
[9] He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.
[10] His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
[11] but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Take Away
• In this week of broken hearts it is good to "sing praises to God; for he is gracious and a song of praise is fitting."
• In this week of challenges it is good to go to the Lord who "builds up Jerusalem" and "lifts up the downtrodden."
• Even this week of downpours is cause to "sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre", for the rain, "makes the grass grow."

I thought of losing Elva Aukland and losing Jeannette Anderson as I read this psalm. I encourage you to both start the day and end the day with a psalm, particularly if your heart needs tending and mending. Read a psalm, even take a line and make up a tune!

Finally, I want to focus on Elva as I conclude. Elva memorized scripture in her home as a child. Elva was a person who wondered why some Christians perceive God as distant, for to her "it's like we walk hand in hand." Elva was one of the brightest women around, and the cheeriest. She would say hiding the word in her heart through scripture memorization and also having a personal devotion each day made her that manner of woman.

All this is to say that Elva was somebody special. But she became that person, not through accident, but through practicing what King David (who wrote the psalms) modeled. Elva, like David knew:

How good it is to sing praises to our God,

for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

Make Every Effort - Sept. 24, 2010
By Reverend Andrew Martinez

Reverend Andrew Martinez In my prayer time this morning I was reminded of when the term "make every effort" was used by Paul. I then went to the Internet, using the site, http://bible.oremus.org/ and typed in "make every effort." 2 Peter 1.1-10 1Simeon* Peter, a servant* and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:* 2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by* his own glory and goodness. 4Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. 5For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7and godliness with mutual*affection, and mutual* affection with love. 8For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10Therefore, brothers and sisters,* be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. Notice the specificity of what to make every effort in 5For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with  goodness, and goodness with  knowledge, 6and knowledge with  self-control, and self-control with  endurance, and endurance with  godliness, 7and godliness with  mutual*affection, and mutual* affection with  love.  8For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.  What to take away and use: You can take one or two of these specific behaviors and ask God to assist you as you make every effort to grow in that one or two areas this week.  Notice the warning not to be ineffective or short-sighted.  We are so used to freedom we can forget that we belong to Christ.  We are servants-he is our master and Lord.  Therefore we are encouraged to "make every effort" to live out the grace we have been given by a new manner of behavior.  What area is the Holy Spirit reminding you to make every effort to improve with God's help? Remember forgiveness It is amazing how this make every effort passage ends with the cross.  At the cross we are given the power of a fresh start.  At the cross we are renewed yet again to remember all our sins are cleansed.  What a boast to spiritual life!  Remember the cross and cleansing from past sins as you give yourself to God and the Holy Spirit to make every effort this week.

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