There’s Within My Heart a Melody

“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.”  Psalm 33:1

I have been overwhelmed with joy as I read this verse and thought over the many changes in my life, since Jesus came into my heart!  I will never understand, at least in this life how GOD could love one that was so unlovely, but He did and I was the beneficiary of this most excellent love! “Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous”

My mind has taken me back to the day of my salvation and the ones in the beginning of my walk with Jesus.  There in the vast wilderness of Alaska GOD put a song in my heart, a song that I can’t get out of my mind, it is deep within me and there is no escaping it’s melody, this is the song of my salvation! “for praise is comely for the upright.”  

I’m remembering North Star Baptist Church where GOD put me with a handful of other believers that became such an essential part of my life.  We were family in every sense of the word!  We spent all our time together because we loved each other.  Whether we were at church or afterward getting together for fellowship over a cup of Russian tea, there we were, just family, loving each other in the presence of our Savior!  

There have been many things happen since those special days, some good, some not so good but my song continues, it refuses to leave my heart!

Let Us Sing a song of rejoicing.

A song we lift up high.

One of the ever loving JESUS.

Of CHRIST I testify.

His love it stands forever.

Never to dissipate.

He brings His song of happiness,

And He removes all the hate.

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100

I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy!

“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11

Happiness is the desire of every heart, but true happiness is only found when a person is washed in the blood of CHRIST, forgiven forever of their sins, and made righteous through Him.  All other happiness is temporary and in time will fade away. “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice”

True happiness causes the one that is blessed with its benefit to shout with uncontrollable  voice.  It can not be contained but will be exposed for all to see and hear.  Joy is the badge of happiness.  The expression of joy is always present while happiness is alive in the heart. “shout for joy”

Why settle for temporary happiness when your joy can be made full!  A half empty cup is lukewarm but a cup that is full is perfect to the taste.  Joy is made complete when your joy is in the LORD. “all ye that are upright in heart.”

We used to sing the song,

There is joy in my heart.

We all sang together

And when we would part.

Just a little melody 

Of the joy we each did share.

Happy hearts in JESUS.

Sending happiness through the air.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

Your Choice - Sorrow or Mercy

“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.” Psalm 32:10

Resistance to GOD is the downfall of mankind.  How foolish it is to resist  The loving GOD who only has your best interest in mind.  It is like saying, “I don’t care how much peace I will receive by my trusting Him, I would rather drown in my sorrows.  I would rather have my agony and my shame. I will resist until I fade away into the anguish of Hell.” “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:”

To accept the invitation of GOD’ mercy and grace is to claim by faith, GOD will fulfill what He promises. He is in fact the ALMIGHTY, who is , was and is to come! It is not to be  received by making some kind of agreement with GOD, you’ll give this for that, but to completely depend on Him and leave your destitute self out of the equation. “he that trusteth in the LORD,”

I don’t know if there is a more wonderful word than the word mercy. This word expresses more comfort then I can convey from my heart. A kind gesture from another is one thing but when JESUS took on my sins and  wiped my heart and soul from the devastation of that sin, and made me the righteousness GOD in Him, it is simply mind boggling.  “mercy shall compass him about.”

Oh wandering soul, 

Would you hear me please.

Please here what I have to say.

You don’t have to live your life

With trouble and fear.

And have agony along the way.

Mercy awaits! It’s already done!

Come forward my friend don’t shun.

JESUS your SAVIOR did this for YOU!

Not forgotten, He’ll make you a son!

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Obedience Isn’t Painful

“Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” Psalm 32:9

I can’t say I have never wanted to be a horse.  But of course If it would be possible let me be a stallion, a beautiful, big, black stallion. At least that is what the boy in me would want.  When I look at pictures of these beautiful creations of GOD it inspires me.  I have however never had the desire to be a mule.  Who in their right mind would want to be a pack animal?  I know I have friends that would argue for the mule and I’m sure they would be right in their argument.  Yes, mules are also beautiful.  I write as a child, knowing I could not be either. “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule”

While the horse and the mule may both be beautiful they also must be brought into subjection by the use of the bit and bridle.  They don’t come with the desire of obedience but through force they are brought into subjection.  “which have no understanding:”

Each pull on the reins brings pressure to the mouth and tongue of the horse/mule which brings pain. Once the animal learns relief comes by moving away from the pain it turns to obedience and relief comes. “whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle,”

I know as you are reading this you are getting the idea that we are like the horse and mule but the explanation for this verse is just the opposite.  GOD never wants you to be a horse or a mule or even to act like one.  GOD wants us to come into obedience through love for Him and the desire to receive direction for our good.  GOD never wants to whip anyone into obedience, He wants it to come natural.  If you feel you have a bit in your mouth it isn’t because GOD put it there.  It’s because you might be acting like a horse’s/mule’s butt!  Forgive the salty language.  “lest they come near unto thee.”

I felt the pain, I move away,

I went the way intended.

Not knowing I had a stubborn heart,

My pain was only extended.

When I felt the loving hand 

Of the SAVIOR, it was very splendid.

I reached out and took a hold 

And since on Him depended.

“Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.” Psalm 25:4-8

I've Got My Eye On You

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8

There are different views on this verse.  One believes it is David that is the instructor and the other believes it is GOD.  David certainly had gone through enough in his experiences to be a great instructor.  In the end it was GOD that gave the instruction to David for the purpose of using him to instruct others. “I will instruct thee” I believe both views are correct.

I suppose one could say knowledge is alright without experience attached to it but experience allows the student to see the results of our decisions before defeat is upon us.  It helps prepare our way for success. I thank GOD today for all the teachers of His wonderful Word.  Those who without any other intention but to instruct us in the way we should go to have successful lives in CHRIST, teach us through their experience using GOD’ Word as the final authority. “and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:

The good instructor will keep a constant eye upon those he teaches.  The student is never out of the eyesight of the instructor.  My mind wanders back in time when my mother would say, “i’m keeping an eye on you”!  I may have taken this to say she was always watching me, so I had better not get into trouble but it was never her intent to catch me doing wrong but rather to guide me in a good direction. “I will guide thee with mine eye.”

I walked a darkened path.

Unable to find my way.

Stumbling with every step.

Many scars would come to stay.

Coming face to face with trees

And the limbs that hit my face.

I stubbed my toes on the rocks.

The sight of me was a disgrace.

All it took was one to instruct

To guide my darkened way.

To take me by the hand,

And tell me what to say.

“I believe LORD JESUS, help my unbelief”.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

The Shelter of the Most High

“Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.” Psalm 32:7

People hid themselves from their troubles in many different ways.  Whether it be a bottle or a pill, it never works.  Some hid themselves in work and others in play.  Some by extracting themselves from society and others become involved in order to forget.  I have tried some of these and was never satisfied.  Satisfaction only comes when you can say of JESUS, “Thou art my hiding place;”

Temporary fixes are just that, temporary!  Alcohol seems to work but when the bottle is empty it leaves you worse than you were. A pill is easy to take but it  gives you false hope and pulls you under its control of dependency. Seclusion from the world never works, you are alone in your agony. CHRIST alone is where your peace comes from. “thou shalt preserve me from trouble;”

The greatest part of having trouble is when you are released from it.  While  our own vain attempts to remove trouble brings more defeat the joy of the LORD is present when it is GOD that answers our desperate prayer.  The LORD can and will put a skip in your step and a song in your heart. “thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.”

Just think about it and let your heart cry out with joy. “Selah.”

I was wasted away in a shattered state.

I was broken deep within.

I tried to change my desperate way,

But I fell deeper in my sin.

I realized I was wasting my time,

My methods would never work.

Everything I did, seemed to fail.

I was even more berserk. 

Only JESUS can make a way

And seal your peace within.

Trust Him with all you have,

And your joy will soon begin.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

Talk and Walk

“For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.” Psalm 32:6

There is no greater tool to use that will bring others to the wonderful saving grace of CHRIST than the personal testimony of the believer.  No other act can be compared to telling others what CHRIST has personally done in your life.  They will see themselves in your testimony.  This is what David has done in the first five verses of this Psalm.  Now he sees the outcome. “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found:”

There are and always be those that refuse the grace of GOD, just as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be today (Matthew 24:37-39).  But the fact remains, the personal testimony of the believer has much to do with the salvation of the one that will listen and turn. “surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.”

The personal testimony doesn’t end at the day of salvation but continues in the real life of those that claim CHRIST.  If all we have is a story of how we were saved and then live a life that is unbecoming of the LORD we cause more trouble than we do peace.  We will be the cause of the destruction of others.  

There was one that cared for me

That told me of the SAVIOR.

The life he led was pure and sweet.

Above all he was of good behavior.

I saw in him a life I wanted,

His testimony, it was real.

It was the way he lived his life,

That brought such great appeal.

Thank you David Pettis. 

“Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” Mark 5:19b

Change Clothes and Wash the Sheets

“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Psalm 32:5

Clean clothes makes the body of the one that wears them feel better.  Dirty clothing not only feels bad but it also looks bad. It is refreshing to crawl into a bed made with clean sheets.  But to slip into a bed with dirty sheets is disgusting.  It seems better to me for one to change their clothes and make their bed using clean clothes and sheets than to continue  looking and smelling bad.  While this may seem a bit strange as an example for our acknowledgment of our sins, the picture is the same.  

We can continue living a life filled with sin or we can change our clothes.  We can be miserable in our sin or we can change the sheets.  The choice is ours.  David said, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee,”

We must come to GOD completely not holding anything back.  GOD knows what we are and what we are doing.  We know what is going on in our own lives, there is nothing hidden from us.  Don’t think you can hid anything from GOD. “and mine iniquity have I not hid.”

We either continue living a miserable life or we give it all to GOD.  I’m not only talking to the lost here but also the believer that is living a life of misery because they have allowed sin to continue in their lives. “I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD;”

The greatest part of the acknowledgment  of our sin is the forgiveness we receive from GOD!  The LORD wraps us in new garments, He changes our sheets.  A person can do all they will to clean themselves up but in the end they will fail.  Only through CHRIST can one be made completely clean. “thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”

Wow! Just think about it!  Set free! “Selah.”

I found myself full of sin.

I’d wandered off the trail.

I felt so dirty in myself.

Living this way I’d fail.

One way to overcome,

That’s the way I took.

I asked for forgiveness,

From my LORD.

And my sin, I forsook. 

“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” Zechariah 3:3-4