Salvation and Blessings

As I write this post, my heart is so full! Yesterday, I spent a wonderful day with my church family. I am moved by seeing how God is working in and around my life. I am so thankful that He led my family to Williamson, GA and to Oak Hill Baptist. God is clearly moving in peoples' lives and it is an incredible blessing to be a small part of His work. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

In Psalms 32-35, we continue to read of David's prayers and testimony of God working in his life and those around him. Throughout David's honest and passionate God-inspired words, he consistently directs others and himself to fear God and trust Him as savior. David also provides guidance and instruction with clearly defined results for those who obey God and those who do not. Through David, God describes His salvation and blessings to us.

David describes God as his "hiding place". With God, he was able to rest with protection and sweet fellowship. Throughout his life, God saved David from a myriad of personal and public battles. Through these songs and prayers, we learn truth about that from which God saves us:

• Sin - "Evil will slay the wicked"
• Guilt - "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away"
• Separation from God - "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil"
  

Freedom from sin and the associated guilt results in blessings from the Lord. David was able to exhort others to walk with God and from his own experience could also communicate God's blessings:

• Deliverance - "he delivered me from all my fears"
  
• Unfailing Love - "The earth is full of his unfailing love"
  
• A Joyful Heart - "Sing joyfully to the Lord"; "In him our hearts rejoice"
  
• Protection - "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them"
• Comfort - "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted"

These are God's promises to us that we can claim in our own lives... today. Thank you, Lord, for your Word, your promises, your salvation and your blessings!

"Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation...
My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long."
~Psalm 35:9, 28

As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States of America, I want to thank God for the many blessings poured out on our country. Most of us have no idea how blessed we are or the sacrifices required for the freedom to live as we do. May we not take them for granted.

On behalf of the contributors to this blog, we are so very thankful for all of the men and women in the past, present and future who have showed incredible strength, honor, and sacrifice for our country. Thank you! May God bless you and your families on this day!