Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 4
Saturday


DISPOSABLE
CULTURE

READ:
Psalm 136:1-9,23-26
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Oh, give thanks to the
LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures
forever. _Psalm 136:1
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More than ever, we live in a disposable culture. Think for a minute about some of the things that are made to be thrown away__razors, water bottles, lighters, paper plates, plastic eating utensils. Products are used, tossed, and then replaced.

This disposable culture is also reflected in more significant ways. Many times true commitment in relationships is seen as optional. Marriages struggle to survive. Long-term employees are discharged just before retirement for cheaper options. A highly revered athlete leaves to join another team. It seems as if nothing lasts.

Our unchanging God, however, has promised that His loving mercy endures forever. In Psalm 136, the singer celebrates this wonderful promise by making statements about God's wonder, work, and character. He then punctuates each statement about God with the phrase, "For His mercy endures forever." Whether it is the wonder of his creation(vv.4-9), the rescue of His people (vv.10-22), or His tender care for His own (vv.23-26), we can trust Him because His mercy will never fail. In a temporary world, the permanence of God's mercy gives us hope. We can sing with the psalmist, "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever" (v,1). __Bill Crowder

````````````````````````````````I sing of mercies that endure,`````````````````````````
```````````````````````````````Forever builded firm and sure,`````````````````````````
```````````````````````````````Of faithfulness that never dies,````````````````````````
`````````````````````````Established changeless in the skies. __Psalter``````````````````
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God's grace is immeasurable;
His mercy inexhaustible; His peace inexpressible.

***********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 136:1-9,23-26***********************************

1 Oh, give thanks to the
LORD, for He is good! For
His mercy endures forever.

2 Oh, give thanks to the
God of gods! For His
mercy endures forever.

3 Oh, give thanks to the
Lord of lords! For His
mercy endures forever:

4 To Him who alone does
great wonders, for His
mercy endures forever;

5 to Him who by wisdom
made the heavens, for His
mercy endures forever; 6 to
Him who laid out the earth
above the waters, for his
mercy endures forever; 7 to
Him who made great lights,
for His mercy endures
forever__ 8 the sun to rule
by day, for His mercy
endures forever; 9 the moon
and stars to rule by night,
for his mercy endures
forever....

23 who remembered us in
our lowly state, for His
mercy endures forever;

24 and rescued us from our
enemies, for His mercy
endures forever; 25 who
gives food to all flesh, for
His mercy endures forever.

26 Oh, give thanks to the
God of heaven! For His
mercy enures forever.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote of Psalm 136, "we know not by
whom this psalm was written, but we do know that it was sung in
Solomon's temple (2 Chron. 7:3,6), and by the armies of Jehoshaphat
when they sang themselves into victory in the wilderness of Tekoa.
From the striking form of it we should infer that it was a popular
hymn among the Lord's ancient people. Most hymns with a solid,
simple chorus become favorites with congregations, and this is sure
to have been one of the best beloved." (Treasury of David).