Do you think the author started out having a good day or a bad day when he wrote Psalm 148?

On a good day I might try to think about God in this way. It feels like our language is incapable of really saying how great God is.

On a glum day, I might remind myself of God’s greatness in this way. It could just turn a bad day into a good day.

Many times, (but not always), we let our feelings lead us when we should be submitting them to God in order to let Him lead us. He has promised to trade us beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning. Our choice. A Father who offers trades like this loves His children.

Psalm 148 New Living Translation

¹ Praise the Lord!
   Praise the Lord from the heavens!
      Praise him from the skies!
 ² Praise him, all his angels!
      Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
 ³ Praise him, sun and moon!
      Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
 ⁴ Praise him, skies above!
      Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
 ⁵ Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
      for he issued his command, and they came into being.
 ⁶ He set them in place forever and ever.
      His decree will never be revoked.
 ⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,
      you creatures of the ocean depths,
 ⁸ fire and hail, snow and clouds,
      wind and weather that obey him,
 ⁹ mountains and all hills,
      fruit trees and all cedars,
 ¹⁰ wild animals and all livestock,
      small scurrying animals and birds,
 ¹¹ kings of the earth and all people,
      rulers and judges of the earth,
 ¹² young men and young women,
      old men and children.
 ¹³ Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
      For his name is very great;
      his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
 ¹⁴ He has made his people strong,
      honoring his faithful ones—
      the people of Israel who are close to him.
   Praise the Lord!

I would love to hear what God is telling you about the following video clip.

How do these trends affect world missions?

Here are a few of my first thoughts:

1. God wants to prosper people.
2. Poverty is often a result of this broken world, or a corrective measure from God.
3. There is more wealth than ever in the world.
4. World Missions is a more expensive and more accessible project than ever before.
5. The gospel flows the easiest among the poor.
6. Wealth often chokes out the gospel.
7. God is in control of world events.

As you watch this “big picture” video ask God, “What part do I play in all this?” We get this big picture because all the people who play their part. In Revelation 13:8 we are reminded that Jesus was slain before the foundation of this world. He had a part to play. So do I. So do you. A fatalistic approach to life says, “God will do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, so I do not need to do anything. I will just wait it out, see what happens and pray that my needs will be met.” The Bible teaches us that God puts tremendous weight on human choice, and on human obedience. He wants friendship with us. He wants to work with us. He wants to work in this world through us.

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ^{Revelation 13:8 NKJV}