Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Psalm 30 Thanking God for All He Has Done


Daily Bible Study for Tuesday August 9, 2016

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns



Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.




“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”

Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I will keep it with the New King James Version.

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

Luke 12:6-7
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Song:  This Is How We Overcome    By: Hillsong
Psalm 30
Thanking God for All He Has Done
Many in the body of Christ have a special Psalm or two that really stands out for them. Holy Spirit used the Psalms to encourage David in his times of trouble. They take on great meaning when we have actually lived the verses. I invite you to come with me today as I give you a testimony of what the Lord has done for me. May it encourage and inspire you – may it strengthen you and spur you on in your faith and your walk with Jesus. Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father;
Thank You for healing Your children! Lord, You may get angry with us for a moment, but Your mercy endures forever. Your favor gives us life, and for that we say, “Thank You!” Father, I ask You today to bring out Your glory and place it on full display through me. Show those who will read this message that You love them and want to help them to come up and away from any pit they are in. Cause Your word of truth and Your message of love and hope to sink deep into their hearts and souls. Make it to go forth shining as the Sun with healing in His wings, unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. Father, as we partake of Your goodness today, we will make it our aim to be doers of Your word and not hearers only. Thank You for always watching over Your word to perform it in our lives when we trust and obey You. We give You all the glory, all the honor and all the praise right now and forever more in Jesus name. Amen!
When a person gets pulled up from a really slimy pit in life by the merciful hand of the Lord, it is hard to know where to begin to praise Him! He is so good, so faithful, merciful and full of grace. He is a loving God. Many have given Him a terrible reputation. All of that has come from the pit of hell. But thanks be to God I am here today to tell you of the one true God; and I know Him – He is good, really, really good! There are not adequate words to describe my thanks to Him for all He has done for me. We can most certainly suppose that David expressed the same sentiment. God had been so good to him in his hour of trial.
In these verses we see that the Psalmist cried out to God and was healed. He did a lot of praising and thanking in this Psalm. He expressed his gratitude for all that God had done. But how many really take the time to do that. Not just once or twice when the relief comes, but every day for the rest of their lives? Not many on the planet will keep coming back to the Lord to continually thank Him for the mercy He has shown His people. But He deserves our highest praise and ongoing thanks. He has saved us from so much. Many of us have experienced His emotional healing touch. We have been healed physically. We have seen Him restore our families and other relationships. We have seen Him restore our finances and we have seen Him cause us to prosper in every way. Yet how many really keep saying thank you long after all the excitement of that initial “whoop – la?”
Let’s look at an event that took place when Jesus did some healing while on the planet and see what happened to illustrate this point…
Luke 17:11-19
 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
There’s so much packed into these few verses that we could talk for hours! Glory to God! And isn’t that what we are here to do? Give glory and gratitude to God? The ten lepers saw someone in whom they had faith could heal their disease. They cried out for help, and as always, Jesus responded favorably to the request. He gave them a word of instruction. We see this a lot. As we do, we remember the words that His mother had told the disciples at the wedding feast at Cana – “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Because they did what they were told, a miracle occurred. The day the lepers were healed, He simply gave them a command – that was their part. They had to act in faith and be obedient, and in so doing, they received their healing miracle. The same thing is still happening today – hallelujah!
Maybe some of you have experienced His miraculous healing power and you know the joy it can bring. Out of the ten guys who received their healing, only one came back shouting and giving glory to God – only one. Why didn’t the others do the same? Maybe they were too concerned about going to the priests. Maybe religion had the best of them. But this foreigner held nothing back in showing his heartfelt gratitude to Jesus for what He had done for him. How many of us in the world today are showing God this kind of heart felt gratitude for all He has done for us? Many of us have called on the Lord at some time or another in times of trouble, haven’t we?
Daily He saves us from accidents and troubles that we know nothing of. He gives us our every breath and sustains our lives in a multitude of ways. The Psalmist in today’s chapter knew that God had been angry for a moment. I can relate. While I was living in sin, it seemed as though His face was turned away, just like the words penned in today’s verses. And it’s true. While God knows every single thing that is going on in our lives at all times, He cannot look at us with favor while we are choosing to walk in darkness.
In all my growing up years, as I mentioned previously, I was in survival mode. I didn’t even know how to seek God. But if I even dared to try, He would have been right there showing me a way. When I started raising my girls and going to a church regularly for the first time in my life, He put people in my path to point me closer to Him. In some ways I was excited and went for it, but I only skimmed the surface.
Then I slid way far backwards in a time of despair. I know that He was turned away from me at that moment. He knew that I knew about Him at that point, but I wasn’t seeking Him. I was seeking my own way to comfort myself and bandage up my gaping wounds without even knowing how. The sorrow that lasts for a night can be a really long night for us humans when we are walking in sin. I am talking really long. When I threw myself into the pit in 2003, I stayed there for two years and some months before I finally gave up and surrendered to the Lord’s will. That was after He spared my life from an attempted suicide that very nearly took my life. I was in a dark pit beyond any horror movie I had ever seen. I wanted out. When I finally cried out to Him, He showed me that favor we see today in verse 5.
Maybe you can relate. If so, you know what it is like when the Lord brings you from a place of complete loss and devastation to a place of joy and prosperity. It is something worth shouting about, isn’t it? I remember the first time this verse really came to life for me. While it had deep meaning for me before this particular event, it became even brighter the morning after I danced with my husband to be on December 17, 2012. We had just been courting for one month at the time. There was no talk of marriage yet, but the Lord had already shown me that he was the one that He had selected for me to marry. We were invited to a friend’s Christmas party. The evening was so lovely. There was live music, decorations, food and many familiar faces from the church where we had met.
Suddenly a song came on that was an ‘oldie’ from the 50’s, and Denny came and took me in his arms and we danced. I felt as if my feet were 10 feet off the floor. I felt like Cinderella at the ball with her prince charming – and my Denny is a very charming man, both inside and out – glory to God! The next morning when I got up to spend time with the Lord, He showed me this verse. I cried and cried and gave Him thanks. Ever since He lifted me out of the slimy pit I was in back in 2005 when I surrendered to him, I have been giving Him thanks…
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.
 How about you? What has God brought you through that you can praise Him for? Did you know that even if you are still in a dark pit, it is right to give Him thanks and praise? That’s right. The Psalms are filled with verses that give Him thanks. I did a Bible study a few months back and pulled a lot of verses that show thanks. With Bible Gateway, it is easy. In our chapter today, we can see how Jesus marveled that only one of the ten lepers thought it worthwhile to turn and come back and thank Him. He certainly deserved that thanks and glory, and He appreciated it. While I was still in the pit, I learned to give God praise and thanks even in the storm I was in. That is what He used to bring me out – just like He did when He opened the prison doors for Paul & Silas. The Lord will always respond favorably to thanks and praise. He knows the heart. If we can praise Him in the storm, we will praise Him when the Son shines on us.
When the “morning” came in my life, after coming to Florida, I was filled with gladness. Though I struggled with some things on my journey since arriving here in my growing up process, I have been so grateful to the Lord for all He has done for me. To me, He is worth everything. He is worth giving up my own plans, He is worth my time, my effort, my money, He is worth it all. He is the pearl of great price…
Matthew 13:45-46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
When Jesus comes walking by our house, the only real response should be that of praise, adoration and thanks. A heart like that He will not deny. There was another woman who thought Jesus was worth it all…
John 12:3
Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
While Judas, a thief, was sitting there complaining about the cost, Jesus was receiving Mary’s costly gift and her display of affection. It was appreciated by the Lord so much that He made sure it was in the scriptures for everyone to see. This kind of worship and praise and heartfelt gratitude is not only appropriate; it is a necessary thing for the heart He has set free. God is worthy of our highest praise. There shouldn’t be a day go by that we do not give Him thanks for all He has done, in the past and in our current days. He wanted the Israelites to set up a memorial so they could remember all that He had done for them…
Joshua 4:1-9, 20-24
And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying:“Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’”
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”
And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
The Lord wants us to remember the great things that He has done for us. Think about that for a moment. How would you feel if you gave someone a very special gift and they didn’t even bother to thank you for it? It is no different with God. He, above all people deserves to be thanked for His mighty deeds for the sons of men…
1 Chronicles 16:7-36
David’s Song of Thanksgiving
On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord:
Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
11 Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
14 He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel for an everlasting covenant,
18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
19 When you were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it.
20 When they went from one nation to another,
And from one kingdom to another people,
21 He permitted no man to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”
23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
24 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
27 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and gladness are in His place.
28 Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
30 Tremble before Him, all the earth.
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved.
31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
35 And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;
Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.”
36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.
My friends, whatever you may be going through right now, the Lord wants you to know this. He wants to turn your sorrow into songs of praise and gladness. He wants you to be filled with gladness. He wants to remove your spots and make you clean. He is not the one who brought the trouble to you, but He will be happy to be the one to take away your pain. He has done it for so many. The Bible is full of testimonies. And I am a living breathing soul right here to tell you that what He has done for me, He will do for you. All you have to do is seek Him and ask. He never says no to a sincere heart that is looking to Him for help, healing and deliverance. Why not take the time right now to pour out your heart to Him? Cast all your cares on to Him and ask Him to show you the way out. You will be so glad you did – I promise because He said so and He cannot lie.
Questions:

What did the Psalmist say he did in the beginning of the chapter?

How did the Lord respond to his request?

What does this Psalm instruct us to do?

How long does the Lord stay angry?

How long does His favor last?

What did the Psalmist say he would never do in verse 5? Does that describe you?

What did the Lord do for David in verse 11?

What has God done for you that you can thank Him for?

What do you need Him to turn in your life so that you can be shouting His praise and giving Him thanks?

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

The Lord will always respond favorably to a request for healing
It is right to continue to thank the Lord for all He has done
Our heavenly Father wants to turn our sorrow into dancing and shouting His praise

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for always hearing my cries for help in times of trouble and despair. Father, today I want to give You thanks for all You have done for me – starting with sending Your Son Jesus to save my soul from the pit of hell. Thank You for being my Healer, my Comforter and my Deliverer. Lord, You know where there is still pain or sorrow in my heart. Today I am releasing it to You and asking You to heal me, just like You healed those lepers. Thank You in advance for all You will do in response to this prayer. I believe I receive my answer right now in Jesus name. Amen.

What can you give God thanks about right now?

And God Said… You fill in the blanks.





Psalm 30:11

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,


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