Shout! Worship! Enter! Give Thanks! Praise!

Thursday, August 18, 2011 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

What the Word says:
Psalm 100:1 "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness;  come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

What we do:
"Shout for joy…"
"Worship the Lord …"
"Enter into His gates…"
"Give thanks to Him…"
"Praise His name…"

Why we do it:
"We are His people..."
"For the Lord is Good"  …All the Time!

My Healing from Chronic Pain Felt like a Dream

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

Psalms 126:1, When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dreamed.

This morning, when I awoke, it felt like a dream.

For almost four weeks I have been suffering with chronic pain. Chronic pain is not uncommon today. There are people who have suffered with pain for years. However, there is no pain like your own!

The pain I have been experiencing is the worst that I can remember. I experienced the pain of a torn Achilles tendon, after which I drove myself to the hospital for treatment. I've experienced the pain of a separated shoulder. I've experienced the pain of stepping a broken bottle and having the glass impaled in my foot. I've experienced the pain of concussion. I've experienced the pain of severe sprain in both ankles. I've experienced the pain of having tissue torn away from behind my kneecap. I even experienced the pain of having two front teeth knocked out from taking an elbow while playing basketball.

But never have I endured such pain as I have experienced over the past four weeks, day and night. X-rays showed no spine damage. My doctor could only recommend therapy and prescribe something strong for the pain. I opted to take only over-the-counter pain medicine such as Advil and Aleve. These medications took the edge off the pain. Every 3 to 5 hours the pain would return in full effect, causing great difficulty in simple tasks like bathing, standing or putting on my shoes.

Sunday before last, I showed up at church to preach carrying my shoes because I couldn't put them on until the pain medicine kicked in.

Well, as they say, "I've said all of that to say this."

This morning, August 16, I woke up without pain! 
Amen! 
Praise God! 
Hallelujah! 
Thank you Jesus! 

When I sat up, there was no pain. When I stood up, there was no pain. When I reach down for my shoes, there was no pain!

As with the children of Israel of old (who certainly endured far worse conditions than my own), not being "captive" to pain felt like a dream. For some 26 days, the joy of each new day had been greeted by excruciating pain.  Finally, as I twisted and turned in ways that would have made the pain worse, there was only discomfort, not pain.

I thank God for His mercy, for the prayers of believers, and for the healing power of my Lord Jesus Christ!

Light in God's Shadow

Monday, August 15, 2011 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

Psalm 91 (NKJV)

 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”  
 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge;
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
       
 7 A thousand may fall at your side,
         And ten thousand at your right hand;
         But it shall not come near you.
 8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
         And see the reward of the wicked.
       
 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
         Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
 10 No evil shall befall you,
         Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
         To keep you in all your ways.
 12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
         Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
         The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
       
 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
         I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
         I will be with him in trouble;
         I will deliver him and honor him.
 16 With long life I will satisfy him,
         And show him My salvation.”

Time for Another Praise Break

Tuesday, August 09, 2011 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

Psalms. 77:12, I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. (Read the entirety of Psalm 77)

When we read a scripture such as this one, we are reminded why David was called, "A man after God's own heart." David had the good sense, and the wisdom, to always give God praise regardless of the circumstances.

Praising God is not just saying, "Praise the Lord!" Praise is speaking in joyful detail about the power and goodness of God!

Have you taken a praise break today?

The Settledness of Living in God's Courts

Wednesday, August 03, 2011 Bryan Hudson 1 Comments

Psalm 65:4 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!  We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. 5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6 who formed the mountains by your power,  having armed yourself with strength, 7 who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. 8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

The word "court" literally means, "the place surrounded by a fence." A court is an enclosure, a settled abode, or a settlement.

Everyone abides somewhere. Not only do we have an abode called "home," we abide in many places of the heart of and mind. Whatever captures our interest, stirs our passion, or commands our time, defines the outlines of our "courts."

In this text, David is clearly focused on the courts of God. Looking at his life, especially when we consider his episodes in courts of failure and compromise, David learned to greatly appreciate the benefits of living in God's presence. He wrote, "We are filled with the good things of your house…"  and, "The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy"

This are the words of a man living in God's courts. What are the tone and substance of our words? When we, as dwellers in His court, are surrounded by the elements of God, our thoughts, words, plans, and actions will reflect a new "settledness" in us.