Notice especially today’s Verse. Do not skim over it. It is taken from one of those long “lists” of the Old Testament, but really contains a truth needed in our hearts and lives.

“And these are the singers. They were employed in that work day and night.” 1 Chronicles 9:33

Singing, day and night?

Thus was the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple always (and appropriately) permeated with song!

Singing, setting the Psalms to music, teaching others to sing … all full time jobs! (According to 1 Chronicles 25:7 there were 288 of these singers! A pretty large choir when all gathered together!)

But did they, in that old dispensation of law, have all that much about which to sing?

Apparfently so!

Remember … “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20

I can see God’s GRACE throughout the entire Bible, Genesis through Malachi as well as Matthew through Revelation!

And Grace sets one to singing!

In a quick perusal of the Psalms, I just found 33 instances of singing unto the Lord! (The first explicit song in Scripture is found in Exodus 15, where redeemed Israel comes up out of the dry bed of the Red Sea, having been delivered by the Power of God!)

Last night in the Revival Meeting, just prior to my preaching from Romans 5, the guest “singers” at Church particularly blessed my heart. They exalted our Lord Jesus Christ in a magnificent fashion! Hallelujah!

But … does this singing transfer in to our lives, as New Testament Christians?

I submit to you that wherever the Holy Spirit is, there is song! Songs of praise unto the dear Lord!

And come to think of it, the Holy Spirit indwells YOU … if you’re a born again Christian!

Singing in our hearts, souls?

Here’s the normal (healthy) Christian life, part of it anyway… “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, SINGING and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20-21

Are you among the “singers unto the Lord” today?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: COME BEFORE HIS PRESENCE WITH SINGING.” Quoting Psalm 100:1-2.

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Only an infinite God can promise His “eternality” … and as Christians our great God certainly qualifies!

Psalm 73:23 is a “new” verse to me. Yes, it has been in the Bible for centuries, but early this morning it came alive in my heart!

Here it is: “Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.” Now I need to point out … this is the Psalmist Asaph praying to the Lord.

A commitment to live “continually” with God!

But also … every time Asaph sought God, or every time he needed God, or every day as he communed with God … God indeed was “there.” Apparently “continually” so!

This speaks volumes about God’s faithfulness, unchangeableness, even His unfathomable love.

Asaph calls out to God (as he does through the whole 73rd Psalm) … and God is “by his side!”

Hebrews 13:15 … “For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” What a promise!

Matthew 28:20 … “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Equally thrilling!

No doubt about the Lord’s tenacity, loyalty, power! (As in the last half of our verse … “Thou hast holden me in Thy Right Hand.”)

But look at our Text yet again, at Asaph’s faithfulness. Or at least by this point in the Psalm he is faithful. As I’ve said, He’s the one pledging … “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee.”

(So I can make a deduction. Seems that if I am determined to be “with Him, by His Side,” He immediately will “hold me in His Right Hand!

Wow!

Watch Asaph’s faith grow. He began the Psalm with doubts … but no more! Follow the progression …

“22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 23 NEVERTHELESS I AM CONTINUALLY WITH THEE: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” Psalm 73:22-28, from doubt to certainty! From ignorance to assurance!

Our being “continually” with the Lord might be compared to Jesus’ great “Abide in Me” Statements from the Gospel of John.

One example … “If ye ABIDE IN ME, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

God … continually with us!

Question is … will we (like Asaph) be/live/fellowship continually with Him?

Psalm 115:8 says that those who worship idols will eventually be just like them, just like the gods they serve!

Psalm 73:23 perhaps proves that.

God is faithful.

Asaph shall be faithful too.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Are YOU continually with Him?

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I can hear him saying it now, though he has been in Heaven for a while, a godly old Preacher … “The Christian does not live his life by EXPLANATIONS, but by PROMISES!”

Yes, there will be some things come into your life that you CAN NOT EXPLAIN! But there will never come anything to which you cannot apply one of GOD’S PROMISES!

If this is so, and I think it is, the Bible is The Book we need!

Several authors through the years have complied lists of those marvelous promises. One volume, “All the Promises of the Bible,” immediately comes to mind. (Written by Herbert Lockyer.)

By even the most conservative of calculations, at least 7,000 such Promises appear on the Pages of Scripture! (Some say a lot more than that.)

I may not know WHY a loved one died, early in life. (In other words, I have no explanation.)

But I do know this, he went “absent from the body, present with the Lord.” That’s a PROMISE from 2 Corinthians 5:8!

And I do know he did not walk the valley of the shadow of death alone! I have this PROMISE … “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for THOU ART WITH ME.” Psalm 23:4, comforting!

I say there is a promise for every life situation … either specifically or generally.

How about this one? “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

This is has helped many a time. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

This one too … “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10

Get you a few today and live by them!

And there will be plenty of them left for tomorrow as well

In fact, you can use one again and again!

So many Promises that Peter said: “Whereby are given unto us EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES: that by these ye might be …!” Might be everything we need to be living for Jesus on this earth! (I just quoted part of 2 Peter 1:4.)

Paul, add something else to the conversation please …“Having therefore these PROMISES, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

Go on your own PROMISE search today!

Get INTO God’s Word and become a prospector!

“He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a REWARDER of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6, sounds like a Promise to me!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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