Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Daily Nugget: With all six verses of Psalm 150 praising God, it is a wonderful song to conclude the Book of Psalms. It is a reminder that we can praise Him with so many means. We can praise God with music (vss. 3-6). However, verse six states that any breathing creature should also praise Him. This could include animals, reptiles, and fish. “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 150:6 Since we do not know the minds of God’s other creatures, how do we not know that they also have an understanding that there is something greater than they to whom they owe their gratitude? Could it be that my Labrador happily running among the snowflakes is grateful in her own way for the crisp, clear day that the Lord has given her? Perhaps, the trumpeting call of an elephant in the early morning is not just summoning his companions, but is acknowledging his thankfulness for the new day. Maybe even the whip-poor-will's night song is sharing his contentme

Daily Nugget: “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” Psalm 149:1 Read also: Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:19. Although focuses are different in New and Old Testament times, both involved living by faith. When putting faith and obedience in God, something similar happened to Old Testament saints as it does for believers today. All became different people. They had a “new song” in their lives. New goals, desires, and allegiances proved they were children of God. All that are born-again today certainly are not perfect, but they all should be able to testify that they are not the same person they were before salvation. When Jesus becomes one’s Saviour, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer. The Holy Spirit is just that; it is Holy, and it wants the new child of God to strive for holy living. After the Spirit of God comes into one’s life, it desires to make changes in one’s lifestyle. For some, conviction urges one to

Daily Nugget: “Praise” is mentioned many times in the book of Psalms. Although the subject is mentioned in 64 chapters in the book and a total of 132 times throughout it, it is most used in Psalm 148. “Praise” is mentioned eight times in this chapter. I learned a long time ago if you hear or read something from God, pay attention. If you hear it more than once, you better be doing what you are shown, but if God says “praise” as many times as He has said it in this Psalm, you had better be giving it your undivided attention and make it a priority in your life. It is important to God that you praise Him. Praise God: For His mightiness and his creation that is unseen by us: His Heaven, angels, and the multitudes that are with Him (Psalm 148:1-2). For His great creation that is too vast for our eyes and imagination: sun, moon, stars, and things that are higher than the heavens (vss. 3-6). For all that is on Earth: creatures, weather, land, and people (vss. 7-10). For Himself a

Daily Nugget: All, especially the children of God, certainly have all the reasons in the world to praise our holy God. There is nothing that escapes His knowledge and nothing that, unless it is His will, He does not take care of. We see much of what God has done all throughout the Bible, and especially in the Psalms. This chapter reminds the hymn singer of some of what He has done and does. God: Rebuilds up that which is broken. (Psalm 147:2, 3). Knows about everything in the universe He created and is in control of all He has made (vss. 4, 5, 9, 15-18). “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.” Psalm 147:4 Blesses whom He will and hinders those that are doing wrong (vs. 6, 8, 11, 13, 20). We look around and much of what we see and hear appears to be out of control, but it is not. God knows exactly what is going on, and He is in total control. We may not understand what is going on, but we must trust that God does. Today’s Thought:  Every

Daily Nugget: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” Psalm 146:3 Most look for their country’s leaders to bring change, prosperity, safety, and peace to their nation. In my lifetime, two American leaders have improved those situations. President Reagan and Trump are those leaders, but at best, their love and help for their country are only temporary. Others will follow that will not have America’s best interest in their decision making. Politicians (“princes”) will always let many down because they are only human, have their own agendas, and often make mistakes. However, there is One that wants to be a leader in everyone’s life. He is not concerned with one’s race, sex, financial credibility, nor history. He wants to be the trusted Leader in everyone’s life. The One that wants what is best for you is none other than the holy God of Heaven. As mighty as He is, God is concerned and cares for everyone. There is nothing He can gain from an

Daily Nugget: “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works….” Psalm 145:4-7 One reason the Word of God was preserved is mentioned in Psalm 145:4. It was kept intact so that future generations would know what God has done. His great works were recorded so they could be shared in the future. God wants all to know what He has done for His people. That is why the genealogies have peppered the pages of the Bible. God wants us to understand who our ancestors were and what they did, so we would not repeat any of the sins and mistakes they have done. God also wants us aware of our godly forefathers and how He blessed them.  God wants future generations to know the promises and covenants He has made with His people. “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and

Daily Nugget: “My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.” Psalm 144:2   Also: Psalm 18:2, II Sam. 2:23. An obedient, walking-with-the-Lord Christian has little to fear.  Psalm 144:2 points out seven helps upon which God can be relied.  They applied to David and his people, and they are available to today’s believers also. The provisions of the Lord include: He is good.    We do not desire the blessings God dumps on his faithful followers, but because of His merciful love, He bestows so much on us. We would not have anything if it was not for His generosity! He is our fortress.   Like biblical fortresses, God is a protector of all within His family — the family of God.   No one can get through God’s mighty fortification, unless, for His reasons, He allows them. He is our high tower.   Many fortresses had at least one high tower in them.   One could see far away troubles or enemies t

Daily Nugget: “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10 In this Hebrew hymn, David pleads for God’s help.  He asks God for something that is very wise to request and is that which will always keep one from having regrets in life.   The leader asked God to teach and show him His will.   If we know God’s desire and follow it, we will always be where and what God wants us to be and will accomplish what He has planned for us. Unfortunately, our fleshly desires are often followed rather than God’s way, and we find ourselves in a harmful situation or wrong direction.   All our mistakes in life are because we did what we wanted and did not seek God’s guidance in our decision making.   God’s leadership is never wrong. Knowing God’s will can be found: In His Word, the Bible. In the Word of God, God has carefully preserved examples of others facing similar challenges with which we may have to face.  

Daily Nugget: David often found himself in trouble. In this Psalm, he wrote recalled the time he had to hide in a cave. Perhaps, it was the cave, he and others hid in, in I Sam. 22:2. Most can also relate to how he felt at that time. All will, or will sometime, feel the same as did David. Things were not looking up for him. His problems were overwhelming and seemed too much for him to bear. However, whatever place or trial we find ourselves facing, we have someone we can turn to and to whom we tell all our problems, as did David. That great Listener is the holy God in Heaven. We can unload our tribulations to the listening ears of a friend, but rarely will the person be able to solve the problem. Talking to God is different. He will listen and can do something about the situation. Not only can we talk to God and have the situation handled the way God knows best, but we can tell Him all the details. Much of the time, when we tell others our troubles, there are some things we

Daily Nugget: David was a man of prayer. The prayer warrior had some important advice for others that also wanted their prayers to be heeded by the Holy God. Like the burnt offerings and incense burned in the Tabernacle, David wanted his prayers to be a sweet savor (Gen. 8:20-21, Ex. 29:18, 40:25-28, Lev. 3:5) unto the Lord who heard them (Psalm 141:1-2). To have his prayers to be pleasant and heard of Him, David knew that he had to be obedient to God’s commandments. He purposed to keep himself as holy as he could. David asked God to help him with the words that came out of his mouth (Psalm 141:3). We, too, must keep our promises, make our language glorifying to God, and never utter words that we will one day regret. David asked that God would help him keep from doing wickedness (Psalm 140:4a). David asked that he would not let the wickedness of the ungodly be duplicated in his life (Psalm 141:4b). David purposed to heed the advice and rebukes of godly people (Psalm 141:5).

Daily Nugget: David, like many, has faced an enemy that was not like most. Common decency and common sense were nowhere to be found in the villain. This wrongdoer was also void of normal moral and social standards. There was little he would not stoop to, to get his way. The king recognized this danger to him and society as an “evil man.” Although there have always been menaces to normality and morality, today’s society also sees evilness. With efforts for decades to remove God’s morals from conventional thinking, they have succeeded. Because of past plans, plots and schemes, we now have a majority that does not know right from wrong. Although not all social engineers were in politics, some preyed on the innocent in school systems, and the media were careful of the “news” they disseminated. Ungodly intentions have brainwashed millions of their “students.” We see evilness today in: Entertainment. People watch movies, video games, and television that capitalizes on crime, imm

Daily Nugget: J. Vernon McGee 1 points out that this chapter shows three characteristics of God. It reveals His omniscience (God knows all), His omnipresence (God is everywhere, always), and His omnipotence (God is all-powerful). There is nothing God does not know about us (Psalm 139:1-7).“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” Psalm 139:1 He knows your: intentions (vs. 1), when you get up and lay down (vs. 2), your thoughts (vs. 2), where you are going (vs. 3), how you do things (vs. 3), what you have said (vs. 4), and what has troubled you (vs. 5).  There is no place one can go to escape the presence of God (Psalm 139:7-17). “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” Psalm 139:7 He is in Heaven (vs. 8), near the grave, or world of the dead (“Hell” — vs. 8), near you when you are in bed clothing (vs. 9 —“wings of the morning”), far away at sea (vs. 9), near you in the dark (vs. 11-12), with y

Daily Nugget: “A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” Psalm 138:1 There is an unusual phrase in the first verse of this Psalm.  The phrase is “… before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.”  There is only one God.  It is our Creator, our Saviour, and our Deliverer.  There are no other “gods,” so whom is David referencing here? All Christians are surrounded by those who put faith in false gods.   For some, it is many of 33 million “gods” and “goddesses” of Hinduism.   Others have made the false, unbiblical teachings of cults, some even claiming to be Christian, their “gods” they follow and obey. Many claim not to have any trust in any “god,” but they rely on things, and money to be what they put at high esteem. We are encompassed by false beliefs everywhere we. David realized this fact.   Knowing he was outnumbered by heathens and not able to talk to most about the Lord, the King made his beliefs public

Daily Nugget: This is a sad song that Israel sang. The time referred to in this hymn was when God’s people had been captured (Psalm 137:1-3) by the Babylonians and taken to a foreign land. There they found themselves slaves to their captives. Their freedom was lost all because of their sin (Lamentations 1:8). They found themselves surrounded by godless people, and all Israel could remember was, what it was like in Jerusalem. Their beloved Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. Israel pined for their freedom and their country. They remembered how it was before captivity left them grief-stricken. In the past, they and their Jerusalem were known for joyous singing and happiness. In their bondage, they could not (Psalm 137:4) utter a note when they were requested to sing. Their hearts were broken, and their spirits were crushed. Too many today find themselves with a similar sadness. They remember the joy and good times they had before they reaped the consequences of their sin. When

Daily Nugget: Psalm 136 is a hymn giving God credit for much of what He has done. It is always good to remember what He has done for us. Our God is generous with His forgiveness and mercy which none deserves. In this song, the singer is reminded that God is good to all (Psalm 136:2), not just to those that obey and reverence Him (Psalm 136:3). In this piece of music, He is also accredited for:          His creation (Psalm 136:5-9).          His deliverance of Israel (Psalm 136:10-20).          His blessings on His people (Psalm 136:21-22).   Although the hymn reminds one what God has done, the repeating words “mercy” and “endureth for ever” are in all 26 verses. This repetition clearly points out that God’s goodness was not just for the past.  His undeserved kindness will extend to believers and followers forever.  God is not done helping those that certainly do not deserve His loving gifts. His mercy is never-ending.   We can and are receiving it today.  

Daily Nugget: Much of the Book of Psalms reminds the believer to be thankful for a mighty God and all He has done for His people. This Psalm is no different. This chapter starts with “Praise ye the Lord,” and it ends with the same reminder. Old Testament and New Testament believers should have one grateful emotion in common with each other. We both have so much to be thankful for. We have so many reasons we should be praising the Lord.” Some of which we should be appreciative to the Lord for, include: For His controlling of the weather (Psalm 135:7). For God’s deliverance of Egpyt’s bondage of Israel (Psalm 135:8). Today’s believers also need to be thankful for safety in this life and liberation from sin. For the miracles, God allowed to happen in lives (Psalm 135:9). For deliverance from enemies (Psalm 135:10-11). For the land, God gave Israel (Psalm 135:12)! For his enduring faithfulness to His people (Psalm 135:13). For His future judgments (Psalm 135:14). Many belie