Give Praise in all things

 Psalm 111 

“Praise the Lord!  I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.  Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.  Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.  He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.  He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.  The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.  He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever.  Holy and awesome is his name!  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.  His praise endures forever!”

The Psalmist is not saying I can wait till its time to go to Temple to praise the Lord, and it was his heart to give praise to God at all times.  To recall the work of the Lord, shall we look at this from heaven’s view; the Gospel of John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”  John is talking about Jesus, the one that had no beginning and has no end, and let us look at the apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians 1:16-17,  ^“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.”  

God the Father allows the Son to do all the Creating and as a Father it is reported in the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings, the Father said it is good on each thing Jesus created.  God the Father took great pleasure in each thing His Son created, and “I believe it went something like this, Son I’m so pleased with all that you have created, great job!”   

As the Psalmist reflected on creation, as he studies the heaven and the earth, he was full of praise to the Creator, has all the technology we so enjoy taken from our time of reflection?  He also reflected on what God had done for Israel, brought them to the promised land and out of captivity and gave them victory over nations that had a strong military and great cities.

Once more we are reminded that wisdom comes from God, not age, not a university or degrees, only from “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who practice it have a good understanding.  His praise endures forever.”  If you are not into praising God, you have a big problem, that is what each of His children will be doing for eternity with the heavenly beings.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Your Intercesser

Psalm 110:4-7

“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.  He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.  He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.”

As we began the first two verses, we share about the conversation God the Father is having with God the Son, Jesus the Christ.  So who is this person named Melchizedek?  I’ve found the Scriptures gives us the information needed, look with me at Genesis 14:18-20, ^“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”  Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”  

A note about what happened, it was a defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who attacked Sodom and carried off Lot, his wife and daughters and people.  What have we learned, Melchizedek was king of Salem, a priest of God?  Now please turn to Hebrews 7: 2b-3, “He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.  He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he continues a priest forever.” 

More light is shown on the king of Salem, it means king of peace and king of righteousness, and he is without father or mother or genealogy, no beginning, no end of life, and resembling the Son of God, he is a priest forever.  A priest forever is the promise the Father made to the Son, also found in Hebrews 7:17 and 21.  As a follower of Jesus, and a member of His family, verse 25 brings peace and joy that I cannot explain.  Verse 25, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

As you explore the remaining three verses, you will be looking at a time that’s yet to come, a time Jesus tells us only the Father knows, and on that day Jesus will deal with the many wicked leaders of the nations.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

I seen the Enemy, and it me

Psalm 40:12-17

“For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.  They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.   Be pleased to save me, Lord; come quickly, Lord, to help me.   May all who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.   May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their shame.  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!”   But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.”

I’m sure you have heard the phrase; “I’ve seen the enemy, and it is me” how well that applies to King David but does it also take residence in your life and mine.  His sins had overtaken the King, and most of his troubles were because of his sins.  And what about verse 13; is David’s cry any different than ours?  No, we also cry out to the Lord, save us, help me, and then we often try to blame it on those wicked people who are out to get us.

I wonder if God may not be using those who we want to destroy us as tools in His hand to bring us to confession and repentance?  I am well aware of how God does this in my own life when we get full of ourselves, and as a young man in my thirties I almost gave away everything chasing after lust.  But God, how I love those two words, yes, but God sent both the prophets and the enemies into my life to bring me to see sin as God does.

As I watch the current events in our Nation, and I wonder if verses 14-15, is not what is happening to those who hate our President.  “Let those who seek to take my life be disgraced and confounded.  Let those who wish me harm be driven back and humiliated.   Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be horrified because of their shame.” (HCSB)  I am not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I do know the word of God is active and sharper than any two-edged sword.

As we finish this chapter, David is asking a blessing on all who are a seeker of God, and that they would rejoice and be glad in the LORD.  Do you find joy and love for the God of your salvation?   And like all of us who stumble and fall short of God’s glory, we like the King proclaim; You, oh Lord are our helper and deliver us.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

And Darkness cannot over Come it

Psalm 110:1-2

“The Lord says to my Lord:  “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”   The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter.   Rule in the midst of your enemies!”

God the Father allowed us the privilege of listening to a conversation between the Father and His only Son, Jesus the Christ. Have you wondered why God the Father let us know about it in Psalm 110 conversation.  Turn with me to Hebrews 1:2-5, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”?   The message from the Father is giving us understanding not to put our trust in anyone, but Jesus, not angels or man, both are created beings.  If your religion has taught unwise things about angels look at Revelation 19:9-10, and verse 10 is key to recall, “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

When Jesus returns to earth, the Scripture states clearly, the following; “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, he judges and makes war.  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Jesus has been given many names in the Scriptures; I want to focus on { The Word of God}.  In the Gospel, according to John in chapter one and verses 1-5, we find the following; “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.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The faithfulness and forgiveness of God

Psalm 109

As I read this Psalm, my mind kept going to God is just and faithful, but often we forget the mercy that He has shown, we forget the price the Father paid to buy us out of bondage from sin.  Have we forgot Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Do you recall Romans 3:23-26, ”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because, in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

God, who is Holy and Righteous, has a high requirement for a person, and it has not one thing to do with the color of your skin, the parents you had or anything.  For before a Holy God, your good acts are religious acts are like filthy rags, unless they are covered by the blood of Jesus.  You may recall Hebrews 9:22, “Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”

As we reflect on those verses above, should we pray the prayer of the Choirmaster of David?  As one messy saint to another, who also has been given grace through the faith that we have been given by the Father, should we not pray that their eyes be open to receive Jesus.  I’ve fallen short in this area much like the Choirmaster, I have shared in my blog the names of people I believe are evil, and if I came face to face with them, I do not doubt I would be respectful of their past title, but would also make the same points to their face.  When I pray to my Father, I ask Him to open their eyes to the love and forgiveness that I have found in Jesus Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Hard Work and responsibility

Psalm 108

“My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all 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, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.  Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.  God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph, I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.  Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.   Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia, I shout in triumph.”  Who will bring me to the fortified city?  Who will lead me to Edom?  Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?   Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.  With God, we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.”

I’ve often wondered what’s wrong with me when I read a Psalm like this one from King David.  In the first verse, the King is telling God I’m all in, my mind, body, and soul, you alone are God and I will give praise and worship only to You.  David tells us that every morning at the break of day, he begins with worship and praise to the one true God and that he not only does it before his people but also among the nations.

David, as a boy taking care of his father's sheep, learned lessons that are not taught to the youth of our day.  He learned about hard work and responsibility that it was his duty to protect his father's business.   In that David was alone at night with the sheep, his job was to keep them safe from all predators.   David had I’m sure, witnessed the power of a bear and lion and knew it was God who had helped him fight and kill the ones that came to get the sheep.  He had no problem with God’s immutable character or Him being sovereign.  He also understood how God had allotted the tribes of Jacob’s portions of land, and David realized that without God, they were in a mess.

We in the USA would be wise to once more not look to others for a coalition but to God before entering into a battle.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What is it about you God delights in?

Psalm 107:23-43

“Today let’s look at verses 33-43, He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.  He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.  And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.  By his blessing, they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.  When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.”

God is not needy in any way, but He enjoys the praise of His People, let me give a small part of what John Piper wrote on the subject matter.  “The question is not whether God delights in his children. He does. The question is twofold: One, what is it about us that he delights in? And two, why does he tell us that he delights in us? What effect does he want it to have? (When I say “God,” I mean all that God is for us in Christ. I mean the triune, Christian God.)”  The two things John stated were; First, notice some of the texts that speak of God’s delight in his people and his praise of them.

·      Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness.”

·      Psalm 147:11, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”

·      Romans 2:29, “But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

At root, what God delights in about us is that we delight in him.

John used many more verses, but my goal is not to republish his paper but to bring attention to his teaching on this subject.   The second part of the question.  To answer our questions above, we also need to see the truth that God commands us to delight in him.

·   Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” 

·  Romans 5:2, “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God

    Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

I hope you will give thought to verse 43, “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.”

My prayer for Jan and I is that we would give more thought to our Father and Lord’s steadfast love and allow it to flow out of our lives into those we come in contact with.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

But God

Psalm 107:16-22

“For he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.  Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.  They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.”

God calls us His Saints, fifteen times in the New Testament He refers to us as His Saints.   And still, we have allowed the world, group or person to draw us away from following God for a quick fix of a real problem.  I hope you have not fallen prey, but I have more than once.  

Often, the mess I make looks unfixable, but God, what a powerful phrase, “but God.”   God has broken down the chains and bronze gate of sin, and He has also broken down and shown love and forgiveness when I came with a broken and repentant heart.  One would be wise to read about Paul and Silas in a Philippian jail found in Acts 16:16-28, and their imprisonment for doing the right thing.

What is referred to in verse 16, is not the same as verse 17, that spot the fool.  We exchange our title from saint to fool, we abandon walking in holiness and look to ourselves and take our eyes off of Jesus.  Folks that is an easy thing to do in this culture that looks at us as fools for looking to Jesus.

Now reread verses 18-22, and get a great understanding of what a repentant heart of a sinner does to the heart of God.  Only a fool would think they could con an all-knowing God, so one must come with a broken and contrite heart of repentance before the throne of God.  When that takes place, you also will experience what so many, including these Jewish folks did in these verses listed above.  It should bring joy and peace and a deep desire to worship the only God and to guard against leaning to one's own understanding.

Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, and be there for them when they fall, but never agree with the sin that locked them in the prison of sin.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Confession bring Blessing

Psalm 107:1-15

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north and from the south.  Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.  Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul, he fills with good things.  

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.  So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

In the first nine verses, we witness the return of Israel from exile in Egypt, how when they cried out to the Lord in need and distress, He shows his loving-kindness, and the covenant He made with Abraham and the promise He made with Moses.  As we had read in both the book of Numbers and Deuteronomy the accounts of the people rejecting God’s direction, and when they repented God always showed redemption.  It seems to me that the people following Moses out of Egypt are not much different than we are today.  That like us, when adversity and danger came on them they cried out to the Lord.  When we read verse eight, it reminds us that a follower of Christ should be a lighthouse to those who have not yet stepped out of darkness into the light, making clear to all that God has done beautiful works in our life.

Verses 10-15 reminds us of a time in each of our lives when we were also walking in darkness.  Maybe it would be helpful to explain what we mean by “darkness.”  Walking in darkness is anyone that tries to get their needs met outside of Christ.  Why do so many find it so hard to accept God’s only Son, Jesus Christ?  Because people think they have to do more than confess and repent of their sins, so they try good works, and that only brings about pride, they try religions, and that road always leads to how well you perform.  My friend Bill Gillham always gave this as a concept – The Christian life is not difficult to live; it is impossible.  Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever really lived the Christian life.  He is the only one who can live it today, and that is exactly what He wants to do – through you (see John 15:5 and Galatians 2:20).

When Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, He told him how to have a personal relationship with Christ; you will find that in John 3:1, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Jesus was talking about faith, a rebirth of the Spirit of God, not a physical rebirth, and He explains that in John 3 verses 5-8.  If you tried religion and the being good rout outside of the dying to what you can do and looking to Christ alone, today is a great day to bow your knee to Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive you and come into your heart.

Like the people who came out of Egypt and rebelled against God’s leadership, when they confessed and sought the Lord, verse fourteen and fifteen give us the results.  “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Not waiting for God's counsel

 Psalm 106:13-48 

The story of the people of God in the time of Moses and Caleb and how the Jewish people are still experiencing the results of their rebellion against God’s promises and commands.  As we read yesterday in verse four, the Psalmist was asking God to remember him, and verse 13 tells us; “But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.” 

How are we any different, we referring to the Church, are we doing the same thing?  How often have you made a decision and looked back on the results and it was a major mistake because you were in a hurry?  In the financial area, both Jan and I, refuse to let the urgent make us take an action, in fact, if a salesperson tells you that you must do it today, we walk.  We now want to pray before making a significant decision, so the deal that is too good to pass up is never that good.  If you don’t get it today, is a sure sign we are leaving without the item.  In so many other areas of life, we often move too fast and have not allowed God to show us what is best.  What about you, are you seeking counsel before making a big life decision, are you asking people who you trust to pray and seek God’s counsel with you, are you letting the urgent, your want’s, overcome God’s best?

We see that they kept exchanging the glory of God for all kinds of idols, in verse 20, 28, and 34-38.  Now I know the enemy of your soul is speaking loud and clear in a voice that sounds like your voice, and he is saying once more, old Bob is talking crazy.  You do not worship objects, but that’s not correct, many of you worship people who sing, perform, or play sports.  Others worship money, what it can buy and the ability to live in a neighborhood you can’t afford, and others the title they have, or hope to get.  It may be your pastor or the church you go to, the people you know or your children, and many today put their worship in government to be their protector, lots of things to worship, but only one that can change your heart, and that is Jesus Christ.  So, remember that this kind of rebellion against the authority of God over your life will get you a lot of pain and heartache.

I believe a prayer that the Psalmist prayed was answered in 1948 and is still happening to this day, it is the prayer in verse 47, “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your Holy name and glory in your praise.”   We who are still alive that witnessed God answering that prayer in 1948, and He is again doing it, but it was His timetable, not the Psalmist.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

How is God's creation speaking to you?

Psalm 106:1-12

This Psalm is titled “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,” and, yes He is always good!  The first three verses jump off the page; “Praise the Lord!  Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?  Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!”  As found in Psalm 19:1-4, God's creation, the sky, the sun and stars, the moon all give testimony to God’s goodness, His faithfulness, and the work of His hands.  If the created would only observe them, we would learn so much about what God is speaking to each of us.  Verse two shares that both night and day, they pour out speech.  As you read verses 3-4, it is not referring to human language, but that God is communicating His message to all who observe His creation. The apostle Paul in a letter to the Romans, chapter 1:18-20, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

In verse three of Psalm 106, the Psalmist is not referring to a perfect person but one like you and me who practice righteousness, they do not live trouble-free, but they do have peace and joy that others are missing.  They are the ones voicing verse six that both they and their fathers have sinned and have acted wickedly.  This is an impossible task for a natural man, for that person has allowed a culture that does not take responsibility for anything, to mold them.  That’s not nor should it be a culture that creeps into the Church, but I’m sure it has.

In verse seven we find that mankind has been ignoring God’s work for a long time, it is not a new thing, they did not see God's hands in the plagues in Egypt to set them apart from the others who lived there.  But when the Red Sea parted and they walked on dry land, those desiring to kill them the army of the Egyptians, who entered to destroy them before God allow the waters to come over them.   For a short time, they acknowledged and praised the Lord, but they soon, like us, we're asking, what have you done to make my life better today?  God in His great mercy and love for Israel, used this to make His name known among all the people of the earth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The attributes of God

Psalm 105: 23-45

One thing, I’m coming to grips with is, the old brain has the information stored, but the “cookies” (using computer language) I’ve acquired over the 77 years have slowed down the processor.  It seems more often than not the word I’m looking for shows up long after it is needed in a conversation, and usually the person I’m talking to will help me and that sure does not restore my pride.  

As Jan and I have studied the attributes of God, it has become clear that He is unlike anything or anyone we can imagine and aren’t you glad that He is.  He is infinite meaning self-existing, without origin.  If you said God is wisdom, you would be correct, for He is not able to make a mistake (Romans 11:33) If you stated God is sovereign, once again you are 100% correct, over all that He has created.  If you were to say God is Holy, yes that’s what sets him apart from all created beings.  If you told me God is a trinity, “The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, once more you hit it on the head.  If you referred to God as faithful in that, He never forgets His promises, and they will all come to pass.

You might wonder why would Jan and Bob want to search for the attributes of God, it’s simple, if you love a person you want to know all about them, and we are in love with our Father.  You might find verse 42 encouraging as you study this Psalms; “For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham.”   Many a year had passed since God made this promise, yes, generations have come and gone, and yet the promise made to (Abram later to have his name changed by God to Abraham), found in Genesis 12:1-3.  “The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you; I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.^”

I’m afraid many today have developed false teaching, it is a truth we will be heir and co-heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, but we will not be all-knowing.  Our eternal life will be learning from our Father and Son and the Holy Spirit.  Now that is not to say we will not know a lot more than we do now, look at 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

From the Back Porch, 

Bob Rice

His Ways and His Thoughts

Psalm 105:16-25

I often turn to Isaiah 55:8-9 to remind me that anytime I step out of the authority of the Scriptures, I’m on dangerous ground.  Many a person worships a god of their making, such as Thomas Jefferson, who put together the Jefferson Bible that left out the miracles that Jesus, did.

All would be wise to read Isaiah 55:8-9 often; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  You want to show me a fool, show me a person who believes they have a full understanding of the ways of God.

God always is many, and I do mean many steps ahead of what is needed for the people of God, and this is just one account Joseph the younger big mouth favorite son of his father, sold into slavery.  Now remember he is just a young boy at the time this happens, and if you were Joseph, would you want to give up on God?

This is the account; “He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food, and he sent a man before them—Joseph sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles; his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true. The king sent and released him;
the ruler of peoples set him free.  He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elder's

wisdom.”  

If this boy had not believed God’s vision to him as just a boy in his father’s house, he would never have been picked by a Holy God who knows every thought before one enters your mind.  You may want to see that in Scripture, it is found in Psalm 139:4, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.”

We the people of the USA have been sold a myth that a college degree makes a person smart.  Once more parents would be wise to train up a child to have a fear of the Lord.  Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Then a young person would be capable of achieving success, out in this completive world.  Most would be better off spending that time learning a trade, and not taking courses from a God-hating professor whose goal is the same as his father the devil.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

His splendor and Majesty

Psalm 104:1-35

What a way to enter into prayer and praise to our LORD, verse one, “Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”  I’m guilty of often entering into prayer asking the Father to fix or help someone He loves, and not proclaiming His splendor or majesty, what about you?

The Psalmist goes on to share in verses 2-4, in verse five we see praise for making the earth, setting its foundations; but then the Psalmist under the leadership of the Holy Spirit states; it shall never be shaken or moved.  It requires one to wonder how dust, and that’s what God reminds us that we are but dust, could change God's design in any way.  That requires a lot more faith in mankind than my 77 years on planet earth has been witness to.  

In verses 6-8, it is a reminder of the floodwaters that covered the highest mountains, and you can find that account in Genesis 7:17-24.  Then in verse 9, we read about the covenant with all mankind to never flood the earth again or to destroy all of mankind.  He put what we refer to as a rainbow in the sky as a reminder to us of his faithfulness.  You may want to read Genesis 7:19-21 and Genesis 9:11-15 to get a better understanding.

We in the Texas hill country are beginning to understand the value of water, but many have not yet come around with the population growth, we need to do a better job of conserving and increasing our supply.  But not the Psalmist, no he is praising God for his blessing of water and all those it blesses.  (Psalm 104:10-18)

In his prayer and praise, the Psalmist goes on to acknowledge God’s hand in the moon and the Sun and how it even affects the forest animals.  Could it be that a person who lived before all of this technology is wiser than we are?  I am referring to verse 24, O Lord, how manifold are your works!  In wisdom, you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

The more we understand the DNA, the more we know it was not by chance but had an intelligent designer, the following is of interest.  Stephen Meyer describes in his book “Signature in the Cell,” how our DNA is made of “digitally encoded information.” All specified information like this, he writes, “always arises from an intelligent source, from a mind and not a strictly material process.”

As we close on Psalm 104, it is an excellent way to give praise to our Father, verses 33-35, I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.  May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.  Let sinners be consumed from the earth and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord! 

From the Back Porch, 

Bob Rice

We all need a Mentor

Psalm 103:17-22

“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.  

Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!   Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!  Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!”

If you understand even a part of verse 17 your way ahead of many, who goes by the name Christian, now do not pat yourself on the back too quickly, what about the last part of the verse, those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.  When I was a young man God sent Ken Ryan into my life and Ken's background was being a navigator, not the pilot but the ministry began by Dawson Trotman.   After seeing the benefits of basic discipleship principles in his own life, Dawson wanted to teach them to others, echoing the call of 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

I am so glad that God sent Ken into my life, for he would not allow me to just read Scripture, he required me to put it to memory and to store it in my heart.  Matthew 15:18, But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  What we store up in our minds and hearts will always come to the surface.  That is why Ken would tell me I did not believe the Scripture that I put to memory because I was not acting on what it said.  It is so easy to be a social Christian, but once you choose to follow Christ, then you have chosen to no longer do your will but to seek Christ and His will.  

I’m still on that journey; it seems that often I am not making any headway.  Then I look back to men who I had the blessing of mentoring, like Wendell Campbell, who is now married and has a wife who also has an active walk with the Lord, and four children and his oldest son Brandon is almost ready to leave the nest and has been mentored by his dad.  My thoughts go to Major Flash, and John Carrico and others whom I was able to pour my life into and see the men of God they have become.  Not that long-ago James Williams, and now for many years, Paul Wendell, who cons me into allowing him to mentor me by asking me to be his mentor. 

The problem is there are so many who need help to navigate the traps and schemes of the thief that’s come to steal and kill and destroy.  Unlike the angels who obey and do the will of God, the divine beings who dwell with God, you and I have a choice every day, to obey or look to someone or something other than God.  At best we are as His Church, an ungrateful and unfaithful, people, easily discouraged.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Does the Church have an Identity Problem?

Psalm 103:1-16

“My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.  My soul praises the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits.  He forgives all your sins​; He heals all your diseases.   He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with goodness; your youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord executes acts of righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.   He revealed His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.  The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.  He will not always accuse us or be angry forever.  He has not dealt with us, as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.  For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.”

Could it be the Church has an identity problem, and I’m talking about the Holy Catholic Church, the universal Church, that is living on planet earth today?  It is not a denomination no it’s not Roman Catholic or the Southern Baptist, it is anyone that has by faith entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Do we know who God is, not who we want Him to be, but do we grasp even a small understanding of His attributes?  It seems to me most do not for if they did, there would be more praise, and less complaining and more acts of righteousness taking place.

Not only is the Church ignorant about who God is, but they also have little understanding of who they are in Christ.  What is your true identity in Christ?  Let me list a few that come from one of my mentors.

Romans 1:24   You are now justified and redeemed

Romans 6:7     Free from sin’s power

Romans 8:1     Indemnified (God does not reject you, just your sinful  

                        Performance)

Romans 15:7   Accepted in Him

1 Cor. 1:30      Have wisdom, righteousness sanctification, redemption

1 Cor. 2:16      Mind of Christ is in you

1 Cor. 6:11      Washed, sanctified, justified

1 Cor. 6:17      One with the Holy Spirit

1 Cor. 15:22    Alive (formerly dead)

2 Cor. 3:3        His laws are written on your heart

2 Cor. 3:14      Your hardened mind is removed (mind transplant)

2 Cor. 5:21      The righteousness of God (cannot get more righteous)

Gal. 4:7           A son and heir of God

Eph. 1:3           Blessed with every spiritual blessing

Eph. 1:7           Redeemed, forgiven

Eph. 1:10,11    Have an inheritance in heaven

Eph. 2:6           Seated in heaven (now)

Eph. 2:10         Created for good works (which He can do through you

Col. 3:3            Your life is hidden with Christ in God (see this by faith)

That’s not all that the Bible states about your identity in Christ, but I hope that you explore more about who you are in Christ and who God is.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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