He is worthy of our Praise

Psalm 66

The Psalm begins in this manner; “Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!  Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!  So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.  All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.”

Jesus tells us in Luke 19:37-40 this truth; “As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”  Many of our voices have been silent, and our family, neighbors, and friends, need to hear what God has done.  The Psalmist reminds us of God turning a sea into dry land and leading them into a land flowing with riches, homes they did not build and all kinds of abundance.  He also reminds them of the many trials and tests the Lord took them through.  It is about time we do the same, tell others what God has done for us, if not now when?

I want to do as verse 16 declares, “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.”  It all began with my barber asking me to attend a Bible Study, I was Baptist, I was not sure he was anything, so I went to see why he would go to a Bible study.  I was shocked when I got there, my barber and three other guys were standing in a buffet line with Bibles under their arms, in the middle of a lot of businessmen.  I prayed, please do not let anyone who knows me see me with these guys! 

We had a private room and once inside I put on my religious face and played the game of church, not planning on ever coming back or letting my barber cut my hair again.  But God had other plans, and for six months I returned each week and would even change my schedule to make sure I was there.

My wife asked Christ into her life after watching what God was doing with my life and saw a new man living in my body.  In our first few years, the test did come, I had been giving thanks for small things, but the Scriptures tell us to give thanks to God in all things.  In 1970 our home and all we had was blown away by a hurricane, when we returned home, our house set back from the road about 100 yards and we looked, and it was totally destroyed.  I looked in the car, and my wife and one-year-old daughter were safe, and the Lord spoke to me and said, now give me thanks and I did.  I passed the test, and God began to show us what only He could do with two under-resourced kids that had little goals or even dreams of what God wanted to do for us.  It’s now been 49 years of watching God’s favor on our lives, in five days we will witness our baby girl turning 50.  She is a mom of two sons, a follower of Christ, married to a man who is in love with Jesus.  Often, I messed up and looked to others or self to get my needs met outside of Christ, but like David when confronted by God, I quickly repent.

Let me close with verse 20, “Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Everyone on Planet Earth is Religious

Psalm 65:1-5

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.  O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.  When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.  Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!  We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!  By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;”

Have you ever ask this question of yourself, how much truth do I need, do I need more insight, more knowledge that is found in these five verses to seek after God?  I often hear people make foolish statements like I’m not religious, but that is a lie, everyone is religious, but is your religion able, does it have the ability to atone for your transgressions?  I’ve yet to meet the perfect person, my flesh desires to be left to its own will, and passion is for all to think much higher of me than God, than I know to be true.  But God, placed atonement for all who will receive, by sending His Son to planet earth to take the form of a man, His name is Jesus.

In John’s Gospel chapter 1:1-5, we are given this insight; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  John was an eyewitness to Jesus’s ministry, and he tells us Jesus is the Word, and Jesus is the Creator of all that has ever been.  In verses 11-13, we are given more information; “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

At the age of 27, a Baptist in name and religion, I opened a hotel Bible and read from Romans 10:8-13.  After reading it, I got down by the bed on my knees and told Jesus, I have not one thing You need, but You have forgiveness, and I’m a sinful man, I need You in my life, that night I became part of the family of God. 

Uninformed Christians make statements like; I’m a dirty rotten sinner saved by grace.  That is not right, if you have received God’s grace, God calls you His child, He also calls you a saint, and it is based on His actions, not anything you have done.   My pastor closed His sermon with this question: “When God looks at you, what does He think?”  Over the now 50 years of being in Christ and having Christ live in me, I can make this statement: “He is very fond of me,” and that is because I'm His child.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are you angry with God?

Psalm 63

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.  Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name, I will lift up my hands.  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.  But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.  But the King shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.”

Stop reading and put yourself in the story, you’re a young boy, and a prophet of God named Samuel comes, and you are called out of the fields of your dad, watching his sheep.  You have older brothers, but Samuel says God has picked you to be the next King.  One day you’re sent to bring food to your brothers who are in the army of the King, and you see the enemy of Israel making fun of them and God, and there on the spot you volunteer to fight this giant.

You have been living in the King’s presence, you are best friends with his son, and one day the King hears the ladies sing a little song.  It goes like this; Saul has killed a thousand, but David, has killed tens of thousands, and for the first time, you become a threat to the King’s kingdom in his mind.  Now you’re hiding out in the wilderness in a cave, with a bunch of misfits who have come to be with you.

How are you doing, are you angry with God, or you desire just one good shot at the King, do you find bitterness all around you?  If so you need to read and ask the Father, to open the eyes of your heart, for David was not angry or bitter, but often he was discouraged.  You see 1 Samuel 23:14b, gives us this insight, “And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.”

Do you recall the day God put the King in the same cave as David, and David’s men wanted to kill him, but David would not allow it, for he was the anointed King of Israel.  What would you have done, and guess what if you had you might have been the next King, but the hand of God who had protected you would no longer be on you?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

My Salvation, my Fortress

Psalm 62:1-8

“For God alone, my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.  How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.  They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"

After reading these eight verses of this Psalm, two thoughts came into my thinker: a quote from Blaise Pascal, “I have discovered that all human evil comes from this, man's being unable to sit still in a room.”  As that thought came into my mind, I also recalled a sermon about noise being the greatest enemy of having a close walk with God.  We in the West do not like quietness, we get in the car and turn on the radio, and we fill our home with noise, like cell phones and T.V.  But that was not the model David used, and as a boy watching his dad’s sheep, he had learned to be still and wait on God to speak.

As I looked up the quote I read one more I needed to recall and share; “Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” (Blaise Pascal)  As a people who are commanded to pray for our leaders in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”  I’ve set that as my goal to lift up those in high office that believe they control the affairs of the people of The USA.  My dad was a reader and student of history, and he often said, mankind does not learn from history, for if they did, history would not be repeated.

I’m only 77 years of age and not an authority on any subject, but I’m learning how to sit quietly in a room and wait, I said learning, I’m just a beginner, but with the Lord’s help, I’m improving.  This I know, no person has become President of the United States of America on their own ability; God has allowed them to hold that office. 

I’ve also observed that as this nation chases after the little gods of this world, stuff becomes more important than people, people value animals that have no soul, over people who do!  As we have lost a heart for God, we have not trained our children in what is righteous and holy, or even what a price has been paid to give them the freedoms and liberties they take for granted, and are so willing to give up, because they have no understanding of what they never earned.                              

Mr. President, I’m praying for you, I believe you were born for such a time as this.  

American people who like me, do not answer polls, but we vote.  We also do not put trust in the media, or the people who desire to destroy you, your family, and anyone who stands for good.  My prayer is that God arranges this uneducated man who loves Jesus and tries to follow Him, to reach you so that you read Psalm 62:1-8.  I believe it will be a blessing to your life.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Faithful Father

Psalm 61

“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth, I call to you
 when my heart is faint.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.  Let me dwell in your tent forever!  Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.  Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!  May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!  So, will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.”

I have this philosophy that verse one is familiar to the believer as well as the non-believer when disaster comes into our life.  Often both groups blame God for the death of a loved one, the loss of a marriage, or even a failed business venture. 

One who is daily basking in worship and praise will have the attitude of a lady Jan, that I met while working as volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse.  She was sitting in a plastic chair in her front yard, her home had been flooded, and most of what she owned was lost.  My heart went out to Mrs. Burleson, and after a lady I had sent out to pray with her and share what had to happened to her home, came back and shared her story; I wanted to do so much more. 

As we got ready to leave that afternoon, I gave her a business card and told her we would be back the next day to finish up and if she needed anything to call me.  What she said has never left me.  Her word, Bob, my Father has been faithful to me for 78 years, and I am going to trust in Him.  I reminded her that her Father and mine had sent Samaritan’s Purse and those men across the street a Baptist men’s group doing the same thing we were doing, and we would be back.  As we drove home that night, I knew God's desire was for Jan and me to restore her home.  God is so faithful, I could not do the job by myself, but God, as I shared the story with my adult class, sent men with the resources to do so, and God let us be part of His plan. God supplied materials and the appliances that were needed, not used stuff, but new, out of the box, and we got to be part of it.

Yes, both David and you and I have so much good going an often we forget to praise the Father, to understand His love and patience with us, and it is a fact, trouble, and disaster will happen to all people, but many will not have the heart of a David or Mrs. Burleson.  We often read over verses we should ponder on, such as 2 Samuel 7:14-15, it is referring to Solomon who would replace David who replaced King Saul.  Give thought to these words: “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.”

My prayer is that Mrs. Burleson's story and David’s are also your accounts, if not it can be, so begin today by asking the Father to give you that kind of heart.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice 

Who am I - that you blessed me so much?

Psalm 60

As I read this Psalm it seems to begin with a defeated David, but the more I sought to have understanding, it is a king who told God, without your blessing we only have defeat.  We live in a time and a culture that does not believe they need God, and that is not a new thing, it is the nature of man, God calls it flesh.

The setting for this Psalm is 1 Chronicles 18:3 and 12, yet I began reading in 1 Chronicle 17 to get a better understanding of what Psalm 60 is all about.  You will recall David desired to build God a house, a dwelling place other than a tent, in that David was living in a home.  Nathan, the prophet, told him to do what is in your heart, for God is with you.  But that very night God spoke to His prophet and said, David is not the one to build me a dwelling place, but it will be one of his sons.

Many a person has begun to do something for God, without being open to a Nathan.  For Nathan was saying, not you, not at this time, but that is not David’s attitude.  Listen to this portion of David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 17:16-21, “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?  And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God!  And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know, your servant.  For your servant's sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.  There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt?”

How many Church leaders have refused to listen to advice and gone with the emotion and zeal that drives them?  David was not such a man, and you will see as you read 1 Chronicles 18:3-6, “David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates.  And David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000-foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots.  And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians.  Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.”  It is very apparent God honors a person who listens and obeys his instruction.

Verse 12 of Psalm 60, states; “With God, we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Fear often leads us astray

Psalm 59

Once more, we look at 1 Samuel to have an understanding of what the Psalmist is telling us.  Look at 1 Samuel 19:11-12: “Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.  Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped.”  We must remember that Michal is the daughter of King Saul and has learned well from her dad, as we will see in verses 13-17, “Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”   And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.  Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’” 

If you are a coward and Saul fits that role well, he knows God has anointed David to be the next king of Israel, and though Saul often leads the army of Israel into battle, power, hate, and fear have totally made him a weak king.  He would not face Goliath but sent out a shepherd boy to face the giant.  You know how that came out, and I bet you understand that Saul ignored God’s commandment by not waiting for Samuel, in fear of the people, and made a sacrifice that only a priest could make.  On that day, God left Saul and told Samuel to go to Jesses' home and anoint one of his sons as the new King of Israel.

What we see is a man without God allowing his flesh and fears to turn into hate for anyone that might take their place.  Saul's actions of taking authority only given to God’s priest or prophet had become a target for God’s judgment.  The same is being played out today from much of Congress.  In their hatred for the President of the United States, and they look foolish to the voters.  The sad thing is many who go by the name of Christian are joining the group.  Instead of doing what God requires of all who are followers of Christ, to pray for your leaders.  I've wrestled with my emotions because my flesh despises many of those who know the truth but keep up the attack against President Trump. 

Now let me be open, I’m a mess, and so are you, and so are those who accuse and lie, and so is the President.  Never forget the danger in power and fear, it often makes one seek their way and not God’s.  You should read Psalm 59 and look at how it ends in verses16-17, “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.  For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.  O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me, steadfast love.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The affect of Fear & hate on a Leader

Psalm 59

Once more, we look at 1 Samuel to have an understanding of what the Psalmist is telling us.  Look at 1 Samuel 19:11-12:“ Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”   Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped.”  We must remember that Michal is the daughter of King Saul and has learned well from her dad, as we will see in verses 13-17, “Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”   And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.  Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’” 

If you are a coward and Saul fits that role well, he knows God has anointed David to be the next king of Israel and though Saul often leads the army of Israel into battle, power, hate, and fear have totally made him a weak king.  He would not face Goliath but sent out a shepherd boy to face the giant.  Now you know how that came out, and I bet you understand that Saul ignored God’s commandment by not waiting for Samuel, in fear of the people, and made a sacrifice that only a priest could make.  On that day, God left Saul and told Samuel to go to Jesses' home and anoint one of his sons as the new King of Israel.

What we see is a man without God allowing his flesh and fears to turn into hate for anyone that might take their place.  Saul's actions of taking authority only given to God’s priest or prophet had become a target for God’s judgment.  The same is being played out today from much of Congress, in their hatred for the President of the United States.  The sad thing is many who go by the name of Christian are joining the group.  Instead of doing what God requires of all who are followers of Christ, to pray for your leaders.  I've wrestled with my emotions because my flesh despises many of those who know the truth but keep up the attack against President Trump. 

Now let me be open, I’m a mess, and so are you, and so are those who accuse and lie, and so is the President.  Never forget the danger in power and fear, it often makes one seek their way and not God’s.  You should read Psalm 59 and look at how it ends in verses16-17, “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.  For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.  O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me, steadfast love.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Cultures & People

Psalm 58

Psalm 58 could be referring to our day, our culture, our judges, Congress, our leadership in State and Federal offices.  Something happens when a person wants power and wealth, it’s like a heroin or cocaine addiction, once you're hooked, you're under its influence and you will do anything; steal, lie, maybe even kill to get what you want.

What we should understand is this; it has always been that way, wanting power and wealth is not a new thing.  In the business world, I had a guy that was in sales and promoted to management and became my boss.  It was known that he took advantage of the system and was making a little extra money on his expense account.  When he became my boss, he was always spending more time on people’s expense accounts than doing what he was being paid to do.  One day I ask my friend, Kim, what is wrong with that guy?  His answer was people always manage themselves.  What does that mean, I ask, and he said if you were a cheat and cheated on your expense account, then you believe everyone else is doing so?  I believe many in Congress, are just managing themselves.

Let’s look at Psalm 58:1-5, “Do you, rulers, indeed speak justly?  Do you judge people with equity?  No, in your heart, you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.  Even from birth, the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.  Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.”

What I am going to share next is just stating the truth, and it is not political, but many of you who hate and do not like facts and truth, will believe it to be, that’s between you and God.  “President Trump’s enemies continue to try everything to destroy him, his family, and the presidency. In the history of our country, no president has been attacked as he has. I believe the only hope for him, and this nation is God. This is a critical time for America. We’re on the edge of a precipice. Time is short. We need to pray for God to intervene. We need to ask God to protect, strengthen, encourage, and guide the President.” (Franklin Graham)

I’ve shared with you many times I grew up in a home where my folks voted Democrat, and my dad had to be in a union, and yet dad was his own man, but most of all dad and mom loved Jesus Christ and did the best they knew to train us in desiring Him.  I’m very conservative if you looked at the record book I voted in the Republican Party, but I’m not a Republican or a Democrat, or Independent.  The only title I wear with great honor is that I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, I’m a member of the Christian Army and on duty, looking to my Commander and Lord for what I’m to do on Planet Earth, this is not my home, I’m just passing through. 

I want all of you who are part of the Christian Army and feel defeated to understand this truth, the battle is not ours, it is the Lord’s and He is a mighty warrior.  Look at how the psalm ends; “Then people will say, “Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!  There is a God who judges on earth!”  (HCSB)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Whom do you seek in Disasters?

Psalm 57:1-11

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you, I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.  He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me—God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

 I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

They spread a net for my feet—I was bowed down in distress.  They dug a pit in my path—but they have fallen into it themselves.   My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.  Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp, and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.  For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”

We find this Psalm referring back to 1 Samuel 22:1, where David escaped from Saul when Achish, the king of Gath, realized he was in great danger from the king.  David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam.  It may be talking about 1 Samuel 24:1-3, where Saul comes into a cave where David is in the wilderness of Engedi.  He made a big mistake, for David and his men were inside, but even though God had put him into David’s hands, David would not take the life of God’s anointed.

As you read 1 Samuel 21-24, you see God answering the prayers of David.  God shows mercy to David, and David was never looking to himself, but God, and God became his refuge.  We know God did fulfill his purpose for David when we have the will to allow God to be our hiding place and shelter, we also will begin to understand our purpose, for each of us, was born to bring honor to our Lord.  Purpose happens with verse 5, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”

As you refer back to 1 Samuel 24, you see God’s hand in all areas of the Psalms, the trap Saul believed was with his army of 3000, against David’s 600, had not one thing to do with the size of his army but his need to relieve himself, he fell into God’s trap.  We see this Psalm repeating in verse 11, the prayer of verse 5.

Do you know God’s purpose for your life? If not, today is a great time to get “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren?  God’s purpose for you is unique, and you are the only one that can fill your place, begin today, asking and seeking God’s purpose for your life.

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

Making bad Choices

Psalm 56:1-13

For years I read a Psalm’s and a Proverbs, most days because someone told me that was a wise thing to do.  Like most of you, I was present in the room at school, but it was a requirement and not something I wanted to do, so to my regrets, I’m a very slow reader.  Then much later, someone said I should be reading five Psalms and a Proverbs. That is if I was going to grow in my walk with Christ, I just quit reading the Psalm unless they were part of a lesson I was teaching.  With that said, many of the Psalms are related to a time and place, an event, so shall we look at 1 Samuel 21:10-15?

“That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.  But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”  David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.  So, he pretended to be insane in their presence, and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me?  Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”

In 1 Samuel 21:10-15, we understand what the Psalmist is telling us.  In light of that, we know David is looking for a place to rest from Saul, who is trying to kill him, and yet this place of refuge turns out to not be a wise choice.  Each day you and I make choices; often they are driven by not need, not by God, but by fear or greed.

David, it sure seems has picked the wrong vacation retreat from Saul, and now he is sending up prayers asking God to save him from this new enemy that he fears will take his life.  When David refers to tears in your bottle, he is referring to prayers, and that God who is all-knowing will act on them at the right time.

Now if you are busy and have been working in a Psalm and or Proverb each day without understanding what has taken place, or even asking God to reveal more of Himself to your understanding so you can walk in victory in this wicked world.  May I offer a better way, stop trying to impress God, and start asking Him to reveal Himself to you each day, in the Scriptures you read.  In Psalm 56: 3-4, I need to run to my Father with all my needs.  In verses 5-6, it's a reminder that we live in a fallen world, a world that hates authority and wants to destroy all that is holy. 

In verses 9-13, I am reminded that You and You only Father have the power and authority over Satan and all the enemies of yours, so when the Bible instructs me to not fear what man can do, but fear the one who has the power to kill the body and place the soul in eternal hell. 

In verses 9-11 applied to a follower of Christ's life, no matter what is taking place, you will be an overcomer.  I’m not saying you will feel good, do you recall Daniel 3:16-18, ^“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”  Now let us return to verses 9-11 in Psalm 56, “Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help.  By this, I will know that God is for me.  In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—in God, I trust and am not afraid.  What can man do to me?”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The High Cost of a Wrongful Act

 Psalm 55:20-23

I believe one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was forgive myself for a wrongful act against a friendship.  My now ex-friend came to me after some time and asked me to forgive him, I had done the wrong, and did not dare go to him.  These were the words of my now ex-friend, “I’ve hated you and wanted to harm you, and have had no peace; I need you to forgive me.”  I share this not because I’m proud of my actions, but of what my now ex-friends act of doing the will of God, and it allowed me to share with him feebly, how sorry I was for my sinful actions.  But trust was broken, and it cost me a friend, a relationship, and it was one bought lesson that I would not wish on anyone.

David experienced an act of broken trust with a friend, a broken promise, but it also seems as if the person had no fear of God.  Spending a career in sales you work with and compete with all kinds of people.  It was what I referred to as those “Silver tongue devils” that got by with what David refers to as “buttery words,” but often would not do what they promised.  This one was smooth, it reminds me of David's third son Absalom. 

Do you recall that Absalom killed one of the king’s sons for violating his sister and was put out of Israel by David, it might be of help to read 2 Samuel 14:25, ^“In all Israel, there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot, there was no blemish in him.”  I’ve shared with many a young man that just because a girl or woman is beautiful, does not mean she has a good heart, there may be a demon living inside her.  The same goes for handsome men, as you will see with Absalom if you turn to 2 Samuel 15:1-6.  I’m not saying David is referring to Absalom, but his actions fit nicely into this Psalm.

If you read 2 Samuel 15:1-6, you understand that Absalom set out to turn the men of Israel against His dad, and then started a rebellion to kill his dad.  We also see that David did cast his burden on the Lord, and not only did God sustain him, He also protected him and gave him victory over all who rebelled.

Even though David’s heart was broken over what Absalom did, it also broke his heart when he was killed in battle.  But later, much later, Psalm verse 23 reflects God’s judgment on those who do evil and will not confess it with a broken and contrite heart.  Verse 23, “But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days.  But as for me, I trust in you.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What is the Purpose of Your Life?

Psalm 55:9-19

A purpose-driven life, but whose purpose yours or God’s?  We understand David was a long way from perfect, and when he messes up and seeks his own purpose one wonders how God could call David, a man after God’s heart, and he does such things?  We see in David’s life, a man who looks to God as his source, and he learned to do so at a young age, keeping his dad’s sheep.  While alone as the shepherd of those sheep, he killed both lion and bear to keep his father’s sheep safe. 

When he faced Goliath his time of training in those early days paid off, look at the account in 1 Samuel 17:45-47.  Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

David had no fear when he battled the enemies of God, but now it’s not a Goliath, it is someone he trusted, someone he worships and that is out to destroy him.  But David has a place of refuge, and you will find that in verse 16, “But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.”  I’ve always said none of us ever have more than three friends we would call at 3am in the morning and know they would take our calls, for John 15:15 tells us He calls us friends.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice