Advent is beginning and Psalm 39 gives us a direction in how to prepare
Moving into Advent Next Week -Psalm 39/ John 6
Someone dialled a wrong number and got the following recording: "I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes." - from: http://www.hotsermons.com/sermon-illustrations/sermon-illustrations-
Today's Collect is about stirring up our wills so that we can change for the better in our actions and thoughts"
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. " BCP 1928
Often our lives seem unmanageable and we desire change but can't seem to get out of the rut we are in. Didn't Jesus do that with His disciples in today's Gospel? " WHEN Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do" God always knows what He is going to do, but He challenges us to find the way to do things in His Will, and not our way .
"Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little" But Andrew had an idea," There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? "
We too must start with a thought of possible change even though it seems quite difficult if not impossible. Change begins there. “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”
– Wayne Gretzky
Use what talents you possess, the woods will be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”
– Henry van Dyke
OK. I agree to change with God's help. But what should I change? Today's Psalm gives us some good direction for that.
1. Change our speech." I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." I Peter 3:10 also," For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Guile is deceit . ( literally baiting people with false words)
In other words, say one thing, and do another. We are all too familiar with that problem. That is our problem as well. We call it sin. We should confess that we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. ( General Confession, p. 6 BCP)
Instead of sinful words with the tongue a good Scripture to put in our behavior is ," Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Mark Twain
Comfort And Encouragement Bible Verses
"There are times in everyone’s life when we need encouragement and comfort. The Bible is great for this type of need also.
Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. "from encouragement scriptures from the web
2. BE humble before God. Psalm 39:4
"LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am."
No, we do not have all the answers. We are not the Decider. We should humbly lay our prayers, petitions before God and ask Him for wisdom, for the LORD is wisdom.
As the morning prayer reading for Friday reminded us from I Peter 5..." all of you be subject to one another , and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." vs 5
" Cast all your care upon Him for He cares for you." I Peter 5:7
That is the thrust of our Advent preparation. We have worries, cares and fret about much but God is giving us new hope through His change in our lives and hearts, as we speak , as we listen to others before God in humbleness and lastly as we have just said realize we are strangers here but His care is eternal.
3. Lastly as in vs 12: Realize we are under God's Hand as Strangers and Sojourners
Psalm 39:12
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
"12, 13. Consonant with the tenor of the Psalm, he prays for God's compassionate regard to him as a stranger here; and that, as such was the condition of his fathers, so, like them, he may be cheered instead of being bound under wrath and chastened in displeasure." biblehubcommentary.com
We are frail and not only should this make us humble, but we are strangers and sojourners here. Our eternal home is God Himself.
Someone dialled a wrong number and got the following recording: "I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes." - from: http://www.hotsermons.com/sermon-illustrations/sermon-illustrations-
Today's Collect is about stirring up our wills so that we can change for the better in our actions and thoughts"
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. " BCP 1928
Often our lives seem unmanageable and we desire change but can't seem to get out of the rut we are in. Didn't Jesus do that with His disciples in today's Gospel? " WHEN Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do" God always knows what He is going to do, but He challenges us to find the way to do things in His Will, and not our way .
"Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little" But Andrew had an idea," There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? "
We too must start with a thought of possible change even though it seems quite difficult if not impossible. Change begins there. “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”
– Wayne Gretzky
Use what talents you possess, the woods will be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”
– Henry van Dyke
OK. I agree to change with God's help. But what should I change? Today's Psalm gives us some good direction for that.
1. Change our speech." I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." I Peter 3:10 also," For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Guile is deceit . ( literally baiting people with false words)
In other words, say one thing, and do another. We are all too familiar with that problem. That is our problem as well. We call it sin. We should confess that we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. ( General Confession, p. 6 BCP)
Instead of sinful words with the tongue a good Scripture to put in our behavior is ," Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Mark Twain
Comfort And Encouragement Bible Verses
"There are times in everyone’s life when we need encouragement and comfort. The Bible is great for this type of need also.
Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. "from encouragement scriptures from the web
2. BE humble before God. Psalm 39:4
"LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am."
No, we do not have all the answers. We are not the Decider. We should humbly lay our prayers, petitions before God and ask Him for wisdom, for the LORD is wisdom.
As the morning prayer reading for Friday reminded us from I Peter 5..." all of you be subject to one another , and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." vs 5
" Cast all your care upon Him for He cares for you." I Peter 5:7
That is the thrust of our Advent preparation. We have worries, cares and fret about much but God is giving us new hope through His change in our lives and hearts, as we speak , as we listen to others before God in humbleness and lastly as we have just said realize we are strangers here but His care is eternal.
3. Lastly as in vs 12: Realize we are under God's Hand as Strangers and Sojourners
Psalm 39:12
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
"12, 13. Consonant with the tenor of the Psalm, he prays for God's compassionate regard to him as a stranger here; and that, as such was the condition of his fathers, so, like them, he may be cheered instead of being bound under wrath and chastened in displeasure." biblehubcommentary.com
We are frail and not only should this make us humble, but we are strangers and sojourners here. Our eternal home is God Himself.
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