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Sunday Psalm Building Up Or Tearing Down

Sunday January 19, 2020

Sometimes where we live and the people with whom we communicate add trouble to our lives and the lives of others by what they say or do.  How can we obey God and still live in truth and at peace with those around us?



When I am in trouble, I pray, “Come and save me, Lord, from deceitful liars!”  What punishment is fitting for you deceitful liars?  Your reward should be sharp and flaming arrows!  But I must live as a foreigner among the people of Meshech and in the tents of Kedar.  I have spent too much time living among people who hate peace.  I am in favor of peace, but when I speak of it, all they want is war. (Psalm 120:1-7 CEV)


We live in a technical world where Facebook, text messages and Instagram message etc. are communicated at split second speed.  Often the truth is not verified before the message is sent and the written words cause grief for the person who has been written about.  The person who wrote the above Psalm is troubled by those he calls “deceitful liars”.  We should also be on our guard around people who easily get angry over all sorts of events and make scathing remarks about persons their anger is directed at. 

Those of us who have given our will and lives over to the care of God need to pay attention to what God says about how we treat our neighbours.  We are told to treat our neighbours as we ourselves would like to be treated.  Before we convey something about another person we need to stop and ask ourselves if we would like someone to speak about us this way.  We need to ask if what we say or do will build a person up or tear them down. 

The writer of the Psalm says, “I have spent too much time living among people who hate peace.”  Are we people who seek peace in all circumstances or are we people who like to “fuel the fire”?  Jesus is the Prince of Peace and if our desire is to be more like Him, we need to first allow Him to give His peace to us. 


Prayer: Lord Jesus, Make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.  Amen


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Audio for Sunday Psalm Building Up Or Tearing Down

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