Free Bible study on Psalm 50

Psa 50:14  Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.

When God brought Israel out of the Egyptian bondage to Mount Sinai, He gave them His laws and ordinances.  In the Old Covenant, the sacrifices played a very large and important part in their worship. Many in Israel misunderstood the significance of their sacrifices. They sacrificed to God thinking that God would be hungry and needed to eat those things they offered.

In this psalm, the psalmist is trying to correct the mistaken idea of the people with regards to the sacrifices. God says it is not that He is hungry that He requires those animal sacrifices. He says the cattle on a thousand hills are His (verse 10). And, “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (verse 12). The statement means God has the whole world at His disposal and therefore, it is foolish of them to think that He is in anyway dependent on them to fulfil His hunger. If He were hungry, said the psalmist, He would not tell them and ask them to give sacrifices; He can take care of Himself.

Hence, reproving them for such foolish and blasphemous notions, He teaches them to: “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High” (verse 14).

The word “offer” means literally, “sacrifice”. In those animal sacrifices that the Israelites were offering, they were doing them as part of their religion. They were doing them religiously and as part of the rituals. They were not doing them from the heart. In those sacrifices, God was teaching them to be thankful and offer the sacrifices of thankfulness. God was telling them that He was the source of their blessings and they needed to give thanks to Him. But they missed the lesson and offered the animal sacrifices because it was commanded in the law; it did not proceed from the heart of thankfulness. The psalmist corrects them: “Offer unto God thanksgiving.”

We must always give thanks to God for His blessings. The one offering acceptable to God is praise and thanksgiving out of a pure heart. It is the will of God that we be thankful: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18).

It is the will of God that we be thankful for everything, in every circumstance, and for every event that may be good or bad. A storm is not a bad thing; give thanks even if it happens on your wedding day. A fall and have your arm broken is not a bad thing; give thanks because it could have been worst. A failed relationship is not the end of the world; give thanks that you have realised it earlier and not after the wedding that he could not be trusted to be faithful.

Some people act as if they had nothing to be thankful for. We call it ingratitude; they are ungrateful.  Ingratitude is probably the less attractive attitude anyone could possess. From young, parents have been teaching their children to give thanks for anything they receive from anyone. Why? It is because it is the right thing to do. Grateful people are beautiful people.

“I used to complain that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” Ungrateful people are complainers; they are never thankful for what they have. I belong to a generation in which I don’t throw away a pair of shoes until it is really worn out. I wore shoes with holes when I was a student. Up to today, I don’t throw away my shoes until the sole drops off. My good wife is even thriftier; she tries to glue it back. Grateful people don’t worry if their shoes got holes. Those who returned from mission trips can testify how those poor children over in those countries were tremendously thankful when they were given a simple loaf of bread. But over here, we are spoilt with choices and we complain. We need to count our blessings.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

Let us be thankful to God for all things that He has blessed us with. When we put in our offering, it is not that God needs the money; He is teaching us to remember the source of our blessings and be thankful: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Let us offer unto God thanksgiving!

Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

How can you tell if a politician is lying? If is lips are moving!

We've all heard the jokes about politicians - - "How can you tell if a politician is lying?  If is lips are moving!" It is truly a shame that their past conduct has branded them with such a terrible reputation.  Surely their potential for doing good has become severely limited because of their inclination to tell lies. Christian, do see a lesson there?  Can you understand the critical need for honesty in all that we do?  The Scriptures have a good deal to say about this...

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:25)

"Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight." (Proverbs 12.22)

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." (Colossians 3:9)

From these verses we conclude that honesty is necessary in order to:

• Maintain our relationship with others ("we are members one of another")
• Please the Lord ("lying lips are an abomination" to Him)
• To demonstrate that we have truly been converted ("put off the old man with his deeds")

Christians, remember that "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).

- by Greg Gwin

How to improve my marriage

Practical Rules for A Happy Married Life

1. Never both be angry at once.
2. Never talk AT one another, either alone or in company.
3. Never speak loudly to one another unless the house is on fire.
4. Let each one strive to yield more often to do the wishes of the other.
5. Let self denial be the daily aim and practice of each.
6. Never taunt with a past mistake.
7. Neglect the whole world rather than one another.
8. Never make a remark at the expense of one another.
9. Never part for a day without words to think of kindly during absence.
10. Never meet without a loving welcome.
11. Never let the sun go down on any anger or grievance.
12. Never forget the happy hours of early love.
13. Never forget that marriage is ordained of God, and that His blessings alone can make it what it ought to be.

- by Johnny Ramsey

 

Candace Payne Chewbacca mask

Pure Joy

Candace Payne, a wife of nearly 15 years and the mother of two children, posted a video for her friends on Facebook of her unboxing a Chewbacca mask and laughing hysterically.  Her video with the caption “It’s the simple joys in life” has gone viral with the number of viewers approaching 150 million at the time of this writing.  This number does not include the “shares” and the discussions that have gone on world-wide.  See the Facebook video here: https://www.facebook.com/candaceSpayne/videos/10209653193067040/

What is it about her video that has captured so much attention?

I think it’s pure joy.

Payne recently shared how she came to buy the mask at Kohl’s:  “I honestly wasn’t there for the mask,” Payne told Good Morning America.  “I was there for myself for some yoga pants because I’m trying to work out more.  And it’s not really going that well, but I ended up going to the toy section because I got discouraged about the yoga pants and I thought, ‘Maybe not today.  But I can get a toy for my kids.’  And I walk through the toy section and I accidentally bumped my shoulder into this box.  And I had seen this before, but I didn’t realize it made sounds until that moment.  It accidentally started making the growl, and I went, ‘I need to get that.  Like, I don’t think my kids need that; I think I need that.’”

She was so excited about her find, that a few minutes later in her car, she couldn’t resist opening the box and putting on the Chewbacca mask while making a Facebook video for her friends.  She enjoyed it so much that she erupted in jubilant laughter, and it was her joy that has become infectious.

Candace shared on Good Morning America that the best note she received as a result of her video is from a mom who has a daughter with autism who laughed over and over for the first time in over two months as she watched Candace’s hilarious stunt.  “From one mama heart to another mama, to see a child laugh that you haven’t seen laugh, those are the stories that I’m going to take with me every day,” said Candace. *

Now consider the source of true, abiding joy…  It is found in Jesus.

The Apostle Peter wrote a letter to some Christians who were undergoing intense persecution (1 Peter 1:6-7).  Yet, he acknowledged that they had true joy even in dire circumstances:  “Though you have not seen Him (Jesus), you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).

That true, abiding joy comes from knowing that through Jesus, we are cleansed of our sins, reconciled to God, and on our way to heaven!

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Joy is the byproduct of salvation in Christ.  When a man from Ethiopia learned about Jesus from Philip and was baptized into Christ, he “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:36-39).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).  True joy comes from knowing Christ.

Won’t YOU trust and obey Jesus today?  Then, YOU can know true joy!

-- David A. Sargent

* From “‘Chewbacca Mom’ Shares The REAL Reason Her Video Blew Up The Internet” by Hillary at www.qpolitical.com

David A. Sargent