I'm takin' this personal.....

Psalm 138 is another possible psalm written be David....although some Bible scholars think this psalm may have been written long after David passed away.......

 This happens to be one of the Psalms where the writer refers to the God of Israel as "Lord". This is a special title one gives to Him...because in Hebrew this has a very personal title...a "personal covenant name".
 This covenant name "Lord" is special and unique because its meaning derives from the relationship a person has with God. It involves an agreement that declares: 1) God agrees to always love and help His people and 2) the people agree to love and obey Him...with all their hearts.
 Another facet of calling God "Lord" is that it takes on a more intimate and close relationship between God and man. When the word "Lord" is spoken, it serves as a reminder to His people that He will: 1) never give up on us and 2) He is always there to help us.

 Our part in our relationship with the Lord reminds me of the verse in Saint Matthew 8:4, where Jesus speaks to the man who He had just cleansed of leprosy and said: " Go worship the Lord the way Moses instructed you to do so. Quietly present yourself before the priest, along with the offering that goes along with this (lambs with flour mixed with olive oil), for this will be the appropriate expression of worship and gratefulness for what He has done for you. In fact, it is out of a grateful heart of your healing...that will bear witness of who I Am. Words are not needed... it will not be necessary to say anything to anyone, for your healing and devotion to the Lord...will be the evidence needed to declare who I Am."

                                 A Gleaning from Psalm 138:8

 " Lord, kindness and mercy are a part of Your very Name! I know from the depths of my own heart that it is Your plan to perfect, complete, and finish my life You and You alone have designed. In fact, it is when I come in line with Your thoughts and plans You originally intended for me that I discover....who I really am.
 I know Your love for me is eternal...because it is what Your heart desires to do! Because I am now aware of desire You have for me....I know You will not abandon me...You will not desert me...and You will never give up on me.
 How do I know this?...Because I was made....out of Your very hands!"

"The Call"....of Gettysburg

 He arrived in Gettysburg one day before he was scheduled to speak. He had taken a train to Gettysburg and had made arrangements to spend the night at the Wills home overlooking the town square instead of getting a room at the local hotel....

 Gettysburg Pennsylvania in the year 1863 had approximately 2400 residents. The town consisted of 10 major roads, a railroad stop, 8 churches, 6 taverns, 3 weekly newspapers, 2 banks , and a college with a seminary.
 David Wills was a prominent lawyer in the area who had been given the job of purchasing land to create a National Cemetery to all those who had fallen at the Battle of Gettysburg...earlier that year between July 1st to July 3rd.
 On the eve before President Lincoln was to give his speech, the Wills home had received 38 guests for dinner. Lincoln had been given the upstairs master bedroom that overlooked the town square, and proceeded to go over his speech for the following day...a speech consisting of only 10 complete sentences and 272 words, yet a speech that would be forever written in the hearts of the American people.
 Although there were only 2400 people who lived in Gettysburg, the following day over 15000 people would be on hand to hear...."The Gettysburg Address". The date: November 19th, 1863...and is remembered as "The Day of Remembrance".

 Earlier, on July 1st, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had put his focus around the town of Gettysburg, and had launched a large segment of the Southern army to this area...only to meet the resistance of Union General George G. Meade and the Union forces.
 The first day of fighting witnessed the Confederate army drive back the Union soldiers...right through Gettysburg and onto a place known as Cemetery Hill.
 On the 2nd day, Lee struck the flanks of the Union army and both sides suffered heavy losses in areas known as Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp's Hill, and Cemetery Hill. The 2 days of battle seemed to signal a Confederate victory forthcoming.....then came July 3rd....

 On the morning of the 3rd of July, 1863, there was severe fighting at Culp's Hill, and the Union army was able to regain some of the ground it had lost in the previous 2 days of engagement.
 In the afternoon, Lee mounted a "2nd invasion", and after a massive artillery bombardment, attacked the Union Center at Cemetery Ridge. This time, the Union forces held, and as a result General lee's Confederate forces suffered tremendous losses. Amidst this battle was the well-known "Pickett's Charge", and the results of the 3rd day were....Lee's "2nd invasion" had failed. From there, Lee was then forced to lead the Confederate army...in a painful retreat back to the state of Virginia.
 It is recorded that over 51000 soldiers from both the North and South had been killed, wounded, captured, or missing...in what became the bloodiest battle of the entire Civil War.

 Now, as the cold winds of November began whipping through this small town of 2400 residents known as Gettysburg, President Lincoln has arrived to "redefine the purpose of this cold and bloody Civil War".

 On the day of this historic speech by President Abraham Lincoln, an Edward Everett was the opening speaker for the dedication ceremony. He spoke for approximately 2 hours in length, comparing the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg to the Greek gods of mythology.
 Lincoln's speech...it took approximately 2 minutes......

 Later, President Lincoln received a note from Everett that read: "I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in 2 hours, as you did...in 2 minutes."

 The Gettysburg Address...by Abraham Lincoln. A total of 10 complete sentences....

"1. Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
2. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
3. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.
4. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that this nation might live.
5. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
6. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow...this ground.
7. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our power to add or detract.
8. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
9. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus so nobly advanced.
10. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us...that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom...and the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."


 The Gettysburg Address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln....often comes to my memory as we in America are about to celebrate our 4th of July and America's Independence.
 Yet it also reminds me how many of our honored soldiers have died....for the beliefs we enjoy today....freedom, equality, and respect for all those who have embraced our "American flag."
 At the same time, this time of year also reminds me of another dedication ceremony that took place centuries before the Battle of Gettysburg.

 It was during the reign of King Solomon of Israel, at a time when the newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem had just been dedicated. In fact, on the very night King Solomon had dedicated the Temple with prayers and offerings to the Lord... the Lord actually appeared to him and confirmed He had accepted the prayers and offerings given that day. God then spoke to King Solomon and reminded him that if he and the people of Israel ever face a drought, with the heavens themselves being shut up and no fresh rains upon the land, if they ever find locusts invading and destroying their crops, or if they ever find themselves plagued with deadly diseases, here then is what they are to do:

                              A Gleaning from 2 Chronicles 7:14 ( This took God only....one sentence.)

 " If my people, who are called..by My Very Name, shall humble themselves and pray, seeking My Presence in their daily lives, and turn from lifestyles that are abhorrent to the Lord,....
                             I will hear their cries from the very heavens,
                                   I will forgive them of their sins,
                                        I will heal...and restore their land."

Decisions...Sometimes are critical to our life!

Jeremiah, a prophet in the Old Testament, was born around 650 B.C., in a town in Israel called Anathoth. Jeremiah himself was a priest in the Jewish faith, and God instructed him to be a prophet of the Lord as well.

 Jeremiah was not too excited about this request from the Lord. The calling involved speaking to the people of Judah...and Jeremiah was apprehensive about doing that. Yet, God encouraged Jeremiah that He would make Jeremiah strong...and give him the "tools"  needed to "do the job".

 The prophet Jeremiah had similarities to the renowned prophet of old, Elijah...becoming discouraged at certain times of his life. What brought on this discouragement was the fact the people of Israel had no interest in the words Jeremiah spoke...and certainly had no interest in the lifestyle Jeremiah proclaimed. 
 The Lord had discussed about the lifestyles of the people of Israel with Jeremiah and said if the people of Israel would just be open-minded enough to listen to the words Jeremiah spoke, they would see for themselves that following after other gods and accepting their lifestyles....would only hurt the people of Israel. The Lord spoke to Jeremiah and through the voice of Jeremiah in declaring this to the people of Israel that it was important for them to take some time and see the way of life the True God of Israel wants them to have and how it would help them. If they would do this and turn away from the lifestyles these false gods were promoting...it would do them good and the people of Israel would be glad of their decision. Yet, this train of thought would  demand the people to turn from the present lifestyles they were now living.........

      But, they didn't........

 The people of Israel were way too much into their false gods and the lifestyles they offered to the Israelites, particularly the gods offering sex as a way of worship...and even child sacrifice {Note: The logic on child sacrifice at this time was that if a person would sacrifice as innocent as a child, surely these gods would see the sincerity in their devotion and the agricultural foods and crops would receive the "blessings of the gods".}

 During this period of history, there were actually a number of prophets that spoke for the Lord God, the only True God of Israel. The prophet Zephaniah had been proclaiming the Lifestyle of the Lord shortly before the arrival of Jeremiah. Numerous Biblical historians point to the fact the prophets Habakkuk and Obadiah were also living around this time, proclaiming the True Message from the True God of Israel.

 Yet, the people of Israel were "all into" their false gods and the lifestyles that accompanied these disgusting gods. Having sex with a priestess of the false god Baal....was just too much to turn down; living lives for personal gain...even at the expense of others...was just too much to not want; and the desire for personal success...no matter what the cost...was just too much to turn away from.
 Yet, the prophet Jeremiah obeyed the calling the True God of Israel had given him, and continued to announce to the people of Israel...the Lifestyle the Lord offered to them.

 In chapter 23 of the Book of Jeremiah, it is written that false prophets were living in the area...just like the prophets of the True God who lived among them. These false prophets were telling the people of Israel that these prophets of the True God of Israel...like Jeremiah...were speaking only lies. Furthermore, these false prophets were saying the words they spoke were actually the true words...of the True God. Things were all messed up. 
 Later in this chapter, the True Lord God of Israel responds to all this "trash talk"...that was coming straight from the mouths of these false prophets. 

                                        A Gleaning from Jeremiah 23:28-29

 " Go ahead...all of you loud mouth false prophets", says the True God, "Tell everyone your putrid dreams built on nothing but lies...because all your "trash talk" has no truth in them. In fact, these dreams and "forecasts" you proclaim to the people of Israel are entirely NOT true...and entirely stupid! These words you speak is like someone sitting at a dinner table for an evening meal...only to find out the main course is....STRAW!
 My words...the true words of the only True God....are made of the finest wheat...and "melts in your mouth" from the very first bite! My words bring passion and purpose to Life itself!
 Oh, and hear is something you might want to "prophesy"...all you false prophets. When My Word confronts all the lies you have spoke...it will be like a sledgehammer crushing rocks...and trust Me....I will crush all your lies....to pieces! All this stubborn resistance to My Lifestyle...will be nothing more than crushed rock...something to walk on! Then the people of Israel will see for themselves...what a joke all of you are. Then, the people of Israel will cry out: "What do we do now?" One word will be on the lips of my prophets, the true prophets of the True God...and that word is "Repent!"

 In the New Testament, the apostle James gives further instructions for us concerning our decision to embrace His Lifestyle...the Lifestyle of the True God....

                                       A Gleaning from James 1:5-6

 " If you find yourself in a position where the lifestyles around you...don't make any sense, or if you are not sure which lifestyle is the...right lifestyle, take a moment, focus yourself on the Lord...the True God...and ask Him.
 He loves you...and loves to help you in making healthy and good decisions regarding how we are to live. The True God will not "come at 'ya" in a condescending manner...when you speak to Him, nor will He be ready to criticize everything you want to discuss with Him.
 Yet, remember when you decide to come to Him and ask for His guidance...He demands your undivided attention. You gotta put your whole heart into this, and give Him your trust...that He is truly listening..and will answer...you...in a very personal way.
 If you come to Him and doubt that He is even listening, or you come to Him in a half-hearted manner, you are only hurting yourself from getting some answers you desperately seek and need to have. You will be more like a wave in the sea...being blown around by whatever direction the wind may carry you, kind of like floating adrift, going this way or that, and that won't help you at all in getting some answers about life you are needing.
 Instead, put your heart into it when you discuss your life with the Lord...and make the decision to listen to what He has to say...which is the most valuable option you have!"