The people of God praise Him for His mercies and care. Praising God is not work, but is the only gift given to the creator, the Most High God, our Father. Thanksgiving is the only sacrifice that is pleasing wholly to God. We cannot give Him gifts He gave us. It becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in covenant with God! Salvation only comes from God, with Him all things are possible. God sent His son, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. He gathers outcast sinners by His grace, and will bring them into His holy habitation. To those whom God heals with the consolations of his Spirit, He speaks peace, assures them their sins are pardoned. And for this, let us praise Him also! Man's knowledge is soon ended; but God's knowledge is so deep that can never be fathomed. And while He tells the number of the stars, He hears the broken-hearted sinner.While He feeds the young ravens, He will not leave his praying people destitute. Clouds look dull and melancholy, yet without them we could have no rain, and no fruit. Thus afflictions look black and unpleasant; but from clouds of affliction come showers that make the soul to yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness. The psalmist does not delight where sinners trust and glory; but a serious and suitable regard to God is: faith. We are not to be in doubt between hope and fear, but to act under the gracious influences of knowing faith, hope and love in a gracious Father. ~ Paraphrase, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Psalm 147
1 Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.
6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God on the harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion,
13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.
14 He grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise the LORD.
MSNBC has a wonderful video for November 21st. Zack Dunlap, age 23 of Fredrick, Tillman County, Oklahoma was declared brain dead, pronounced dead and coded for work to begin on him for organ donation. Zack stopped the operation by grabbing the nurse’s hand. His church had posted a large billboard in front of his church asking for prayers. Zack had been in a terrible car accident last Sunday and had severe head injuries.
Matthew 18: 19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
His family and neighbors who prayed for him say it is a sign from God, they know this was a miracle from the Lord. They say that prayer saved him and committing his life to the Lord’s purpose. (The link is sometimes temperamental, you can see this video from the MSN homepage under most viewed videos.)
Link
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us&tab=m138&vid=1d777273-d89b-4da7-b80f-6d3d29051f08&playlist=videoByTag:tag:Most%20Watched%20News:ns:MSNVideo_Top_Cat:mk:us:sd:-1:sf:HourlyCount:vs:0&from=MSNHP>1=10547
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