Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....December 7, 2020
We continue in our series on hope found here and this week our focus is on the Compassion of God.
This week, I want us to consider together The Promises of God’s Compassion by looking at a Psalm where King David speaks of God’s goodness, greatness, compassion and grace, Psalm 145.
In the original Hebrew, Psalm 145 is written as an alphabetical acrostic. An acrostic is a form of a poem in which usually, the first word of each sentence spells a word or phrase. King David begins each verse with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The first verse begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the second verse with the second letter, and so on to the end of the Psalm.
Jewish tradition teaches that the ancient Israelites recited the 21 verses of Psalm 145 twice in the morning and once in the evening.
Psalm 145 New Living Translation (NLT)
1 I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.
4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.
5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendour and your wonderful miracles.
6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness.
7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.
8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.
The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.
14 The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
15 The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it.
16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.
21 I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.
Some teachings have 3 points, some teachings have 4 points and some teachings have no point at all.
Think about that for a moment.
The purpose of this teaching is to remind you of the promises of God’s compassion and there are seven points that I want to briefly cover with you this week.
1st point - The Compassion of God’s Position
King David said I will exalt you, my God and King, (in Hebrew ’e-lo-w-hay ham-me-lek) and praise your name forever and ever. To “exalt” is to lift up, to raise above, David is affirming there is a king who is a greater king than him a God who is worthy to be praised for ever and ever.
Our God is above all powers, all thrones, above all He has created, so great is the Lord, no one can measure His greatness. Yet, in His compassion, the eternal God, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, cares about you. You are created in His image, you are His beloved creation and He wants to be in a real relationship with you.
Sin separated us from God, so God sent Jesus on a rescue mission to save us. Jesus gave up His position and humbled Himself for you. Jesus was incarnated into this world, born as a fully human baby in a stable not a palace, grew into a man, lived a spotless life, then went to the cross to pay the penalty for your sin and mine. He died, He conquered death, He conquered sin, His sacrifice was sufficient for all who would repent and accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Then on the third day He rose from the grave. Appeared to His disciples. Then Jesus ascended to return to His position at the right-hand of God in Heaven and He has promised one day He will return.
Then The Holy Spirit came, and His position is with us, right now. If you know Jesus as Lord and Saviour the Holy Spirit dwells within you. He is changing you, transforming you, empowering you, helping you to be the person God saved you to be.
One day we will see God face to face.We will see Him in Heaven, we will see Him in all His glory, we will see Him in His position of Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, the eternal one. We will see Him in His true position as:
Jehovah-Elohim, the Lord God,
El Elyon - the most high God,
El Olam - everlasting God,
Adonai - our master,
’e-lo-w-hay ham-me-lek - our God King.
2nd point - The Compassion of God’s Power
In Ephesians 3:20-21, the Apostle Paul speaking of God’s power wrote, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!”
God is always active, God is always at work, from before time as we know it began God was active, then in His creative power He spoke everything into existence, His power sustains everything we can see and everything we can not see. We can not fully comprehend the power of God or measure His greatness, yet in His Compassion, God’s power works in us and through us everyday to accomplish His purposes.
When was the last time you experienced God working in power in your life? Did you tell anyone what God did?
There is nothing more powerful than God, that is why King David said that each generation should tell the next generation about God’s power, God’s Majesty, God’s splendour, His miracles, His deeds and actions.
We are meant to tell people how great and powerful God is...Take a look around your room for a moment...
If we have been faithful in communicating to the next generation about God, His power, His purpose, the message of the Gospel, then where are they?
Who are the next generation that will continue to tell the next and the next and the next? The message of the Gospel must be shared, to our community, to our colleagues, to our friends, to our family.
Folks, the unsaved must hear what God has done, is doing and will do. The lost must be told how they can be found. The sinner must be given the opportunity to repent.
The sacrifice of Jesus over 2000 years on a cross still has the power to wash away sin, God is still able to save. The Power of the Gospel is able to save, and we must tell others how they can turn to Christ and be set free from their sin and be assured of a place in Heaven. Be prepared as in 2021, I am going to be doing a teaching series on the Gospel and just what It is. Should be interesting.
Do you believe in the Power of God?
Do you believe in the Power of the Gospel to save?
Then tell someone!
Tell your generation, tell the next generation, tell them how the compassion of the power of God has saved you.
Tell them about God’s works and mighty acts. Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, tell the children and younger people how you have seen God at work in your life. Remember what I have taught you all....the Gospel is your encounter with God...your testimony...SHARE IT!!!
3rd point - The Compassion of God’s Personality
There are so many facets to God’s personality, here are a few that King David proclaims in Psalm 145:
God is good, abundantly good.
God is righteous.
God is gracious.
God is merciful.
God is compassionate.
God is slow to anger.
God is a loving God.
These are all facets that we should have in our own lives. How can we develop them in our own lives?
Not in our own efforts or strength, we must allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to change us and transform us.
Galatians 5:22-23, “the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
If we, as disciples of Jesus, want to be more like Jesus, we should have a personality that reflects God’s personality, and a compassion that reflects His compassion.
4th point - The Compassion of God’s Pre-eminence
God is eternal, His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion, His rule, will endure through all generations. He’s over all because He made everything. God comes first in everything. God is meant to be the most important person in your life... and so I ask you....is He?
God is not an optional extra. God is more than important He is pre-eminent, He surpasses everything because He created everything.
God has no rival.
God has no equal.
Now and forever our God reigns supreme.
His is the Kingdom.
His is the glory.
He is the Name above all names.
He is the great I AM.
And yet in the Compassion of God’s Pre-eminence, as the lyrics from the song ‘What a beautiful name’ remind us:
You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now.
Romans 8:38, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
5th point - The Compassion of God’s Provision
Do you remember the lyrics of singer Don Moens' song, Jehovah Jireh?
Jehovah Jireh
My provider
His grace is sufficient
For me, for me, for me
My God shall supply all my needs
According to His riches in glory
He will give His angels
Charge over me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me
God cares about you and God cares for you.
He cares about your problems.
God cares about the difficulties in your life.
God is able to provide exactly what you need.
God will give you strength when you are weak.
He will lift you up when you fall and carry you when you are overwhelmed.
Read the words of Jesus from Matthew 6:25-27, “I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
God is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. King David said “When God opens His hand, He will satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.” God gives blessings with an open hand! God in His compassion cares about you and will provide for you.
6th point - The Compassion of God’s Presence
God is the Creator of everything but He is not a distant impersonal God, as King David said, “The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.”
The truth is we are never alone.
God in His Compassion is always with us.
He is always near to those who have called on Him in truth.
Let me break that down a little, to call on God in truth we must first accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you have repented from your sin and turned to Jesus...then you have been born again and you have been adopted into God’s family and have free access to God the Father through Jesus, His Son.
To call on God in truth requires us to be honest with Him - the prophet Jeremiah reminds us that God sees into our heart and mind - we can not hide our true feelings and emotions from God.
In another Psalm of David, Psalm 139, he states, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me... You know my thoughts even when I’m far away... You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord... I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!”
In His Compassion God’s Presence is always with us.
Last point - The Compassion of God’s Preservation
Psalm 145:20-21, The Lord protects all those who love Him, but He destroys the wicked.
In His compassion, God preserves those who love Him. If you are in Christ, if you have been saved from your sin, then you have the assurance that God is with you. God is with you now and when you step into eternity God will welcome you home.You will be welcomed not because of who you are or what you have done, or how good a life you have lived, you will be welcomed because of what Jesus did has done for you.
Your eternity is secure in Christ because “The Lord protects all those who love Him, but He destroys the wicked.”
God watches over those who believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the life. He will save those who have placed their trust in Him.
But He will destroy those who rejected Christ, those who rejected the free gift of eternal life, those who died without repenting and turning to Jesus. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
If you have never asked Jesus into your life, if you have never asked God to forgive you and save you, then turn to Him now and He will save you. God is able and willing to save you.
The final thought is this...Psalm 145 ends with these words: "I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless His holy name forever and ever."
May I encourage you to praise the Lord for all He has done, is doing and will continue to do in your life.
Every two weeks, we have our Hospice Interdisciplinary Team Meeting and I have a Spiritual Thought at the beginning of the meeting. Here is the one I used last month right before Thanksgiving:
The more we express thanks, the more gratitude we feel...
The more gratitude we feel, the more we express thanks...
It's circular and it leads to a happier life.
There is a wonderful feeling when we express thanks to God daily as the Israelites did with the Psalms.
There is Hope Found Here, God loves you, God cares for you. God’s Compassion for you is shown in His Position, His Power, His Personality, His Pre-eminence, His Provision, His Presence and His Preservation.
May each of us praise the Lord and bless His holy name forever and ever. I love you all:)
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
Children's Prayers
A mother was teaching her 3-year-old the Lord's prayer. For several evenings at bedtime she repeated it after her mother. One night she said she was ready to solo. The mother listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer. "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some e-mail, Amen."
A woman invited some people over for dinner. At the table she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" The girl replied, "I wouldn't know what to say." "Just say what you heard Mommy say," the mother answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?
A 5 year old boy was sitting down to eat when his mother asked him to pray for his meal. He replied, "Mom we don't have to. We prayed over this last night." His mother had prepared leftovers from the day before.
A 4-year-old boy who was asked to return thanks before Christmas dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't he know that I'm lying?"
A daddy was listening to his child say his prayer "Dear Harold," At this, dad interrupted and said, "Wait a minute, "How come you called God, Harold? The little boy looked up and said, "That's what they call Him in church. You know the prayer we say, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, Harold be Thy name."
One night Mike's parents overheard this prayer. "Now I lay me down to rest, and hope to pass tomorrow's test, if I should die before I wake, that's one less test I have to take."
A five-year-old said grace at family dinner one night. "Dear God, thank you for these pancakes." When he concluded, his parents asked him why he thanked God for pancakes when they were having chicken. He smiled and said, "I thought I'd see if He was paying attention tonight."
A little boy's prayer: "Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we're gonna be in a big mess."
Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. "Fine," said the pleased mother. "If you ask God to help you not misbehave, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me not misbehave," said Johnny. I asked Him to help you put up with me."
A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if You can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am!"
A little boy was saying his bedtime prayers with his mother: "Lord, bless Mommy and Daddy, and God, GIVE ME A NEW BICYCLE!!!" Mom: "God's not deaf, son." Boy: "I know, Mom, but Grandma's in the next room, and she's hard of hearing!
Little Johnny was softly saying his night prayers kneeling down, and his mother was beside him. "Say your prayers louder, darling, I can't hear you," Said Little Johnny's mother. "But I'm not talking to you" was the instant reply.
One Sunday in a Midwest city a young child was "acting up" during the morning worship hour. The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle. Finally the father picked the little fellow up and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just before reaching the safety of the foyer the little one called loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me! Pray for me!"
And this particular four-year-old prayed: "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
This week in our look at the worlds religions, we study.....Sikhism
Traditional Sikh men are recognizable by their starched, symmetrical turbans and full beards. Because Sikhs are not to cut their hair, older men’s beards and hair are piled on top of the head, under the turban. A few Hindus and some types of Muslims also wear turbans, though of a different style. This led to a tragic case of mistaken identity in the first reprisal killing after September 11, 2001, when an enraged American murdered a Sikh store owner in Phoenix, assuming anyone wearing a turban was Muslim.
The Sikh religion is unique in attempting to synthesize one religion out of two very different ones. Nanak, its founder, was born into a Hindu family during the late fifteenth century in the Punjab region of northwest India. This was during the period of the Moghul Empire, when a Muslim minority ruled over the Hindu majority.
Besides his Hindu upbringing, Nanak was highly influenced by a Muslim teacher. He apparently had a contemplative personality and spent much time reflecting on religion. At about age thirty, he claimed to receive a revelation from God while meditating. He was called to be a prophet of the true religion and preach the message of the essential unity of Islam and Hinduism.
For the next several decades, Nanak wandered India, teaching his concepts and organizing communities wherever people accepted his message. These followers were called Sikhs, a Punjabi word meaning “disciple.” Nanak taught that there is only one God, called The True Name. Hindu polytheism, he said, just sees many different facets of this one God. Also similar to Islam, he believed in the duality of the universe, the reality of both the material and spiritual worlds. The earth was created by God; humans are the pinnacle of that creation. From Hinduism, Nanak retained the concepts of karma and reincarnation and taught that The True Name would eventually free humans from the cycle of rebirths. He also taught very simple forms of worship, rejecting most of the rituals of both religions.
Despite rejection and occasional persecution, Nanak was a pacifist and never retaliated or sought revenge. He was given the title Guru Nanak. To Hindus, a guru is a teacher or guide, but to Sikhs, the word means “leader.” Guru Nanak continued to teach, compose hymns, and organize the Sikh community until his death in 1552. He was followed by nine more gurus. The first three continued to promote his nonviolent emphasis, but as the Sikh community grew and its teaching became more widely known, they faced increasing opposition from the Muslim rulers of northern India. Many Sikh gurus were imprisoned and executed. Beginning with the fifth leader, Guru Arjan, the Sikhs became more militant, taking up arms and defending themselves against persecutors. Guru Arjan also compiled the writings of the previous gurus into the Granth, the Sikh scriptures.
The Sikhs became excellent warriors, calling themselves Singhs, which means “lion” in Punjabi (most Sikhs have the last name Singh). The Muslim rulers continued to target Sikh leadership, however, and since the assassination of the tenth guru, Gobind Singh, in 1708, the Sikhs have looked to the Granth for leadership rather than a human guru. When the British colonized India, they employed the Sikhs as soldiers and policemen, vocations in which they continue to predominate in modern, independent India.
Sikh worship consists primarily of prayers and hymns. There are no priests, and anyone with knowledge can lead worship. Corporate gatherings are held in the gurdwara, which has characteristics of both Muslim and Hindu worship spaces. Like a mosque, the main worship room has no furniture, just mats or carpets on the floor, and the scriptures are prominently displayed on an ornate stand. Although there are no idols, large portraits of the ten gurus hang on the walls. An integral part of corporate worship is the communal meal at the end. Even non-Sikhs visiting a gurdwara are encouraged to accept their hospitality and join in the meal. Many gurdwaras also have sleeping facilities any traveler is welcome to use.
Sikhs, like other Indians, have migrated all over the world. Gurdwaras can be found in most major European and North American cities. And though they can be found throughout India, most Sikhs continue to live in Punjab, the country’s breadbasket. The geographic center of the Sikh religion is the Golden Temple, a magnificent building in Amritsar, Punjab’s principle city. Although Sikhism rejects the Hindu concept of caste, Sikhs still tend toward certain vocations. In addition to soldiering and policing, they are most often found in occupations related to transportation (e.g., airline pilots, railroad engineers, taxi drivers).
As mentioned, most Sikhs have the family name Singh and belong to mainstream Sikhism. The religion has, however, produced two small splinter groups. Udasis are ascetic holy men who wander the villages and cities, wearing only a simple cloth and carrying their begging bowl for sustenance. Sahajdaris focus more on the pacifist teachings of the early gurus. They also are generally clean-shaven rather than bearded.
Conversion is rare, but a few Europeans and North Americans, attracted to the religion’s simplicity, have converted. Sikhs number about nineteen million, making them a small minority in today’s India. In fact, the country now has more Christians than Sikhs. This has produced a nationalist movement among the Sikh community who believe the state of Punjab should become an independent country. Some of these nationalists have adopted terrorist tactics, attacking government buildings and installations.
The 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham concerns a Sikh family that has immigrated to the United Kingdom. The British-born daughter struggles between her traditional parents and the Western culture in which she has grown up. The father, consistent with Sikh vocational preferences, is an airline pilot. The movie features Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, but the director and most of the other actors, including the main character, are Sikhs.
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
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