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1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! 2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! 3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! 4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. 5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered - 6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen. 37 He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad to have them go - they were scared to death of them. 39 God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night; 40 They prayed and he brought quail, filled them with the bread of heaven; 41 He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert - 42 All because he remembered his Covenant, his promise to Abraham, his servant. 43 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy; his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out! 44 He made them a gift of the country they entered, helped them seize the wealth of the nations 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 The Message Bible)
Dear Friend, I pray for you a great Thursday! I pray doors open that were closed to you, and that you will enter in with joy and thanksgiving and make a testimony to share with others about what God is doing in and with you! As you pray, would you please pray for a longtime friend of mine, Mr. Rick Gonzalez of Mission, who is going to Houston to undergo a series of a new injections series to slow the progression of MD. Rick was a leader in our campus ministry unit at Pan American University in Edinburg, TX. (Now UTRGV). May he and wife, Maridol travel safely to and from Houston from their home in Mission, TX. May the shots do a wonderful job on Rick's body and strengthen him for a continuation of his faith-sharing.
Would you support changing the name of the Book of Psalms to The Remembrance Songbook? I know, it doesn't quite sound the same. There is beauty and purpose to the name, but this passage is a song of remembrance of the event we studied yesterday from Exodus. And in this version of the Bible, some songs sound like they would be led by yell leaders from A&M. Okay, and cheerleaders from UT. And honestly, the psalmist want us to praise God with enthusiasm and outright joy! You want to talk about joy? In the Fall of 1982, my SMU Mustangs were ranked number two football team in the nation. Their last regular season game was against that school in Lubbock. Texas something or other. Okay, Texas Tech. It was a great game. The Red Raiders wanted nothing less than to defeat the Mustangs. And they tied it up with 17 seconds remaining in the game, the Raiders scored and tied it 27-27. They kicked off and the receiver for the Mustangs fumbles the ball, quickly picks it up and throws a lateral pass to the other receiver who catches it and runs it all the way for the winning touchdown; Ponies win! That still brings joy to my heart. (I'm putting the YouTube link below so you can share in my joy and make my joy complete! It's only 3:11 long). The whoops and hollers from the parsonage in Edinburg could have been heard all the way to Seguin! The psalmist would have been a Mustang fan that day! Of course he would have torn up that lyre and gotten hoarse in shouting praises to God.
And that's just for a football game. Imagine remembering what God did for the people of Israel in giving them freedom from slavery. Re-read the verses where the psalmist says, "Remember the world of wonders He has made, His miracles, and the verdicts He has rendered...He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled...God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night. They prayed and He brought quail, filled them with the bread of Heaven; He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert." And the list continued of all the good that God had done for His people. All so that His people "could do everything He told them - could follow His instructions to the letter. Hallelujah!"
What that God has done for you gets you excited? What do you do to praise Him in response to all the good that has come your way?
PRAYER: God of liberation and freedom; speak to our hearts again and let us praise You with unbridled passion and joy. Great are our memories of You as is the constant presence of Your love; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Sing God's praises.
Receive my blessings of peace and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
SMU wins! Click here: https://bit.ly/465Dgok
