Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Daily Nugget: Psalm 22 is the first of three prophetic Psalms about Jesus. It describes some of what would happen at Christ’s crucifixion. Although some believe it may have been written about 1,060 years B. C., it is very accurate about what happened to our Saviour. Some of the foretold events about Jesus’ death, according to this chapter, include: ”To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” Psalm 22:1 Jesus fulfilled it: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 Also: Mark. 15:34. “All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” Psalm 22:7-8 It was fulfilled: “And they tha

Daily Nugget: As was mentioned in previous Psalms, David was grateful for God’s help. In Psalm 21:1-6, David recalled what God had done for him. Despite David’s opposition from his enemies, he still trusted the Lord (Psalm 21:7). The leader would not waiver or worry as David knew he was safe in God’s hands. Many of God’s helps for David were dealing with those that opposed him. In Psalm 21:8-13, we see that the King’s enemies were severely dealt with: Psalm 21:8: God knew of David’s enemies. They could not escape from the eyes and reach of the Lord. Psalm 21:9: God’s wrath would be poured out upon them. No one escapes God’s anger when they attack God’s people. Politicians and false religions who intend to cripple Christianity need to learn this quickly before God deals with them. There is a terrible price for sin that they may have to pay. Psalm 21:10: David was confident that what his enemies thought was precious would be ripped from their grasp. God’s wrath would also be pour

Daily Nugget: Although Psalm 20 is concerning Israel, there is much that applies to us in this church age. One verse that teaches a principle that should be remembered today is Psalm 20:7. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7 Some trust in the things of this world, be it friends, government, cars, job, or wealth, but all can let one down. Friends can storm off and forsake you over the slightest matter. Governments can be corrupt and self-purposing no matter what they say before the election. Technology can break down. One can lose a long-held job over a simple decision by management. A bank account or investment can quickly be lost, as was experienced during the 2008 financial disaster. “They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.” Psalm 20:8 However, God “… will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5). His own (“his anointed”) are those that have trusted Christ’s finis

Daily Nugget: In Psalm 19, David points out three important truths about God and what He has done. In Psalm 19, verses 1-6, we are reminded of God’s wonderful creation. We see it every day, and there is no real explanation for all we see except God made it. Our sky and the contents of outer space show us what God has done (Psalm 19:1). Just having a day and night by simple planet movements should have most in awe and amazement for what God has done. Man’s science may think they explain all that is around, but it is usually just unproven theories. Often, their ideas violate their laws, constantly change, deny what God has said, and is sometimes a theory only accepted by people who have rejected what God said in the Bible. Often, the creator of an explanation of what surrounds us is from one that has denied that there is a God. Psalm 19:7-11 recalled the wonderful Word of God that He has preserved for us to know His will and way. His words are: 1. Perfect (Psalm 19:7), and that m

Daily Nugget: It was a joyful day for David when he was finally delivered from his enemies, including Saul (Psalm 18:1). In this Psalm, the king rehearsed many of God’s helps and interventions during the difficulties he faced. Verse two is a much-quoted verse for those that face tribulations and testing. It has been a reassurance and encouragement to so many. “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2 The verse tells us more of what God can mean to our life. We are reminded that: God is a rock. He is a firm foundation upon which one can build his life. A rock foundation that a house is built upon will withstand whatever is faced (storms, winds, and even fire and floods). A life obedient to God’s commands, preserved for us in the Bible, will also allow one to handle what happens during their life. He is a fortress. A fortress is a safe place for t

  Daily Nugget: “ I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me , O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.” Psalm 17:6 In David’s prayer, we find why he and so many pray.  He called on God’s help because he knew God would hear and help him. From experience, the leader had learned God listened to him.  The key to why David was so trusting in his praying is not just that he knew God would hear him, but he never forgot what God did for him in the past. Many pray for God’s assistance in matters, but they forget about it.  When the need was met, they never recognized that God answered their petitions. Since it was not realized, they most likely forgot to thank the Lord for His help. As a new Christian, I sadly found this out about myself.   I had prayed about a matter and told my friend Barbara (at the time, we were not married) about the need.  Time passed, and I forgot all about it until one day Barbara realized what I was praying about was answered.  She reminde

  Daily Nugget: “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Psalms 16:8-10 As mentioned previously, there are parts of the Psalms that are prophetic. In Psalm 16:8-10, the verses are talking about the then future first coming of the Messiah. New Testament verses refer to these scriptures and reveal that it is talking about Jesus. Peter in Acts 2:25 referred to some of Psalm 16:8: “ … he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:” He was talking about Jesus when he quoted much of the verse about the Lord: “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:” Acts 2:25 In Acts 2:27, Psalm 16:2 is referred to as a prophecy when Jesus led Old Testament sain

  Daily Nugget: “A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Psalm 15:1 Psalm 15:1 starts with a question David asked the Lord. He asked who should live (“abide”) in the tabernacle? At that time, there was no temple. It had not been constructed yet. Worship to the Lord was done at the tent tabernacle. Although it was portable and carried during their wilderness journey, it was then permanently raised on Mount Zion (“the holy hill), which today is called the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It was on this mount where worship was done. However, no one lived in the tabernacle. Levite priests and members of the tribe were the only ones that worked on the site and performed what was required for the Old Testament worship. This, and many other Psalms, speaks prophetically about the millennial reign when Christ returns and rules in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. During that time, I do not believe anyone will live at the temple either. So

Daily Nugget: Although this, and many Psalms, are prophetic, there is much in Psalm 14 that has pertained to people since man’s beginning. One type of people that have always been on Earth are those that deny the existence of God. God’s Word makes it quite clear that those God-deniers are “fools.” He also warns that they are corrupt and certainly should not be trusted. Even though they boast of their accomplishments, God sees their deeds as abominable, and there is nothing “good” about them. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” Psalm 14:1 A closer study can show that the atheist referred to here are a unique kind of fool. In Psalm 14:1, the Greek word for “fool” is “nabal.” Nabal was a man that married Abigail in I Samuel 25. Nabal was an unreasonable, rude (“churlish”) man (I Sam. 25:3). Noah Webster’s 1828 defines this type of fool with eve

Daily Nugget: In Psalm 13, King David found himself in a position he had been in previously (Psalm 10:1). Although he was an influential and powerful leader, he had his share of hard times. Some believe this Psalm was penned when he was fleeing from Saul.  “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?” Psalm 13:1 No matter the problem, the leader felt what so many feel when they are amidst tribulations. Often people in that situation feel alone and abandoned by God. They wonder where God is in their time of need.  Those in one of life’s storms believe that if God were by their side, they would not be in the predicament they find themselves experiencing. They feel He would not want such a trial in their life. I have heard many people question God when they find themselves in a similar situation. They often even ask why God would allow such an experience to befall them. Much of the time my answer to the

Daily Nugget: Many today see and hear the similar problem that David bemoaned in Psalm 12. Then and now, it is more difficult to find godly people. Many purpose or claim to be living the way God commands, but somewhere they failed (Psalm 12:1) from being and doing as He has instructed. For many, their fall from living their Creator’s way is because of the damage done by their tongues. Their concern and speech are about their unfruitful schemes and have little moral value (vanity — Psalm 12:2). They deceitfully flatter to win those to their fruitless ways, but their true, hidden purpose is only to benefit themselves. Defiantly, they speak what they want with little regard to what their speech will do to others. Their deceitful speech often hurts those involved in their sin (Psalm 12:5). As above the laws of the land they think they are, the Lord will deal with those ungodly, deceiving people (Psalm 12:3). God has promised He would, and what He says will come to pass (Psalm 1

Daily Nugget: Psalm 11 found David in a situation that many discover themselves in today. David was facing trouble and trials, and those around the King urged him to flee to a safer place. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” Psalm 11:1 Many who also are tempted to run from trouble forget one truth. An unsolved problem usually follows one wherever one flees. Often, those that run away from a situation face the consequences of the poor decision throughout their lives. Those who give up in a marriage often find that they have similar problems in the second, third… marriage. If a problem in a relationship were not solved, it would also be easier for it to happen in another relationship, or one will again quit on the next attempt in committing with a spouse. Those that do not do well in school often want to flee its challenges and sometimes do. Rather than staying and improving studying, and disciplin

Daily Nugget: King David felt what others often feel, that the wicked are getting away with their sin. Sometimes it seems like God is nowhere to be found and is not helping the godly in their time of trouble (Psalm 10:1). It appeared to David that God was not dealing with the sins of the ungodly. Their rampant iniquities included persecution of the poor, boasting, covetousness, pride, disobedience to God’s commandments, rebellion (Psalm 10:6), cursing, deception, fraud, trouble-making (Psalm 10:7), murder. They were also ignorant that God would one day deal with their wickedness (Psalm 10:13). No matter how out of control and rampant surrounding sin is, a prayer can summon God’s intervention (Psalm 10:12). A plea from the godly may unleash the judgment and wrath of God on the evil. God sees what they have done (Psalm 10:14), and He will be the helper of those that are weak. He will stop the attacking of the evil ones.  “The LORD” is king no matter what is happening. He is always in cha

Daily Nugget: All, especially God’s own, should praise the Lord for His goodness. This ancient Hebrew song in Psalm 9 did just that. It bragged about God. David made it clear to others: What marvelous things God had done in his life (Psalm 9:1). How God protected the King (Psalm 9:3-8) and how the unsaved should fear the mighty power and righteous judging of their Creator. The Lord is a safe place and protection for all (Psalm 9:8-10, 13). God does not forget the pleas of those in desperate need of protection (Psalm 9:12, 18). That the ungodly will reap the consequences from the sin they sow (Psalm 9:13, 15-17, 19-20). Today’s Christians have a similar responsibility to tell others about how God works in personal lives and how he watches over His own. If we do not tell them, who will? Because of many Christians’ silence on praising God for what He has done, the world knows little of how God is working in lives today. Perhaps that is why so many cry there “is no God” be

Daily Nugget: The purpose of good, godly music is to glorify God. It is not to exalt the singer or the flesh, as many modern Christian songs do today. This ancient Hebrew hymn in Psalm 8 did just that; it glorified God. Psalm 8 put many of God’s accomplishments to music in: Verse 1, 9: God has done more than any man has ever done. Verse 1: He has made beautiful Heaven higher than our skies. Verse 2: God has protected His own. Verse 3: God has made the celestial bodies. Verse 4: Yet, with all God has made, He has put man, that He also created, of great importance. God has: Verse 4: Allowed His Son to come to this Earth for a great purpose. Verse 5: Although man is not as important as angels, God has given him great responsibilities and respect. Verse 6-8: God has put man in charge of His earthly creation. Today’s Thought:  “The difference between God and man is God gives, gives, gives, and forgives, while man gets, gets, gets, but still forgets.” — Author Unknown Words to Understand: Ex

Daily Nugget: In the previous Psalms, King David made it clear that no one got away with sin, and if they did commit trespasses, the righteous Judge in Heaven would deal with their iniquity. In this song, the king is confessing to God that he expected to be judged similarly if he violated any of God’s commandments. In Psalm 6, King David made it clear that no one got away with sin. If they did commit trespasses, the righteous Judge in Heaven would deal with their iniquity. Here, in Psalm 7, the king confesses to God that he expected to be judged similarly if he violated any of God’s commandments. Psalm 7:3-5 shows David’s examination of his heart. He told God that if he had done wrong to those that meant him no harm, he did not expect any special treatment from God. He assumed the Lord would not protect the leader and that the enemy would do its worst to him (Psalm 7:5-6). Many want God to be hard on another sinner but somehow give themselves a “get out of sin card” and no

Daily Nugget: King David knew himself well, as we read in Psalm 6. He was aware he let God down many times.  The leader recognized that he deserved nothing from His Lord but rebuke and chastisement (Psalm 6:1). Knowing what he deserved, the king pleaded for God’s compassion and kindness to overlook his weakness and errors (Psalm 6:2) and to deliver him. The spiritual, mental, and physical battles (Psalm 6:3, 4) David fought were devouring and tiring him (Psalm 6:6). He was weary of all the hours and nights he thought and struggled over the obstacles he faced. Again, no matter what he faced and what troubled him, he knew he would be victorious. He was confident that God heard his earnest pleas (Psalm 6:6-8) and that God would deliver him from the worrisome challenges and trials. Today’s obedient Christian should also have that type of confidence. When God knows that we are relying on Him and sure of His giving us the victory, we can have the same peace the King had. Our

Daily Nugget: In Psalm 5, David again had to deal with the onslaughts of an ungodly enemy. He knew the only way they could be defeated was with God’s help. During the day, the king had the Lord on his mind as he meditated (Psalm 5:1) on the situation. It is read that he desperately cried out to the Lord (Psalm 5:2.) and prayed to Him in the morning (Psalm 5:3). As much as David was troubled by his adversary’s sin, he knew God was aware of their iniquity and would not tolerate it. The leader realized the Almighty would also handle their foolishness (Psalm 5:5) and dishonesty (Psalm 5:6). All the trouble that surrounded the king would not alter his faithfulness to the Lord, however. He still worshiped the Lord and was waiting on the Lord to make His will clear to David (Psalm 5:8). There may have been chaos surrounding him, but he had peace within. King David shared his faith and confidence with others that also may be in a similar predicament. He encouraged them to “