Pastor Billington's Blog

Psalm 146:5-10 “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD, his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down. The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down. The LORD will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!”

God cares about the downtrodden. God cares about the hurting. He’s on the side of the righteous and helps them, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down. Blessed (“happy”) is the one who puts their hope in the Lord, because the Lord never fails!

For additional worship: God is Faithful

Psalm 146:1-4 “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, my soul. While I live, I will praise the LORD. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist. Don’t put your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.”

People will fail you. God won’t. But we sometimes question that. Why?

• We don’t trust Scripture. Scripture continually reminds us of the trustworthiness of God and shows us how He works.
• As a corollary, we don’t really believe in the sinfulness of mankind. We believe people are better than they are, even though Scripture teaches differently, and our own experiences in the world confirm the Bible.
• We have a limited perspective. We only understand a little. We only live for a short time. God sees and understands everything. Why do we think we know best?
• Even when we don’t see Him working, God is still at work. He is always working behind the scenes, as the book of Esther teaches us.

For additional worship: Waymaker

Psalm 145:14-21 “The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down. The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works. The LORD is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked. My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.”

The Lord supplies, preserves, saves and protects His own. It’s a part of His righteousness. If we fall (sin) and repent, He promises to pick us up again. Bless His holy name forever!

Micah 7:8 “Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.”

Matthew 6:27-34 “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.”

Jude 24-25 “Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”

For additional worship: His Name Shall Be (Matt Redman)

Psalm 135:8-13 “The LORD is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness. The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works. All your works will give thanks to you, LORD. Your saints will extol you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power, to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.”

God is gracious. God is merciful. God is slow to anger. God is loving and kind. God is good. God is faithful. God is eternal and His kingdom is everlasting. He is great and greatly to be praised! And the Bible shows us that this all applies to Jesus too!

Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.”

Revelation 5:11-14 “I looked, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!’ I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ Then the elders fell down and worshipped.”

For additional worship: Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain

Psalm 145:1-7 “A praise psalm by David. I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable. One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious majesty of your honor, on your wondrous works. Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness. They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.”

Although His greatness is unsearchable, we should still meditate on God’s glory so that we’ll be ready to declare His mighty acts from one generation to another. He is great, and greatly to be praised!

For additional worship: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Psalm 144:9-15 “I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you. You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword. Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep produce thousands and ten thousands in our fields. Our oxen will pull heavy loads. There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets. Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.”

How important is God to a person? A family? A community? A nation? A right relationship with God brings blessing and happiness.

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

For additional worship: You Are My All In All

Psalm 144:1-8 “By David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands to war, and my fingers to battle— my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me. LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him? Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away. Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke. Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them. Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.”

David gives us a glimpse of God’s great power. If God can make the clouds split, volcanoes erupt, and lightning strike, then David can trust Him to protect, rescue, and defend! God is a rock, fortress, tower, deliverer, and shield. He provides, even though we are so far beneath Him.

For additional worship: God Will Take Care of You

Psalm 143:7-12 “Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Revive me, Yahweh, for your name’s sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.”

This Psalm can make faith seem transactional, i.e. “I trust in You so you should reveal Your love to me.” But I think these are best viewed as requests based on faith and need. “Please answer me because my spirit fails.” “Bless me or I’ll go to the grave.” “Please reveal Your love to me because I trust in You.” “You are my protection, so I need You to deliver me.” “I am your servant; please destroy my enemies.” “You are loving, kind, and righteous, so I trust that You will rescue me!” Faith in the grace and love of God is the basis of our prayers for protection and guidance in this evil world.

For additional worship: In the Garden

Psalm 143:1-6 “Hear my prayer, Yahweh. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me. Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous. For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands. I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.”

All mankind sins. All mankind continues to sin. Even saints, who know better! It’s something we continue to struggle with throughout life. Even though we’ve escaped the eternal penalty for our sins through Jesus Christ, we aren’t completely free from committing sin until we enter into glory. So, we need to continue to ask God for mercy and forgiveness in everyday life, because we need His help and protection. In the midst of violence and oppression, when our hearts are overwhelmed, we need to dwell on God and seek His face. He is the only one who can help us. He is the only one who can sustain us. He is the only one who can give us hope and peace!

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

For additional worship: Kyrie Eleison