NUN – The 14th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
(Psalms 119:105)
This is a verse that I would venture to say we are all familiar with. We have probably heard it so many times in fact that we now can hear it and process it with out catching what it really says. Let’s take a minute here and take it apart.
The Word here is compared to a LAMP and a LIGHT.
Now the word used here for LAMP means just what it says… a lamp. We use lamps to light up spaces. Rooms, hallways, even outdoors, lamps provide light so we can see OUR ENVIRONMENT for what it is, and SAFELY INTERACT WITH IT.
The Word light on the other hand talks specifically about the role light has in illuminating things. This is really interesting. Not only does light illuminate our SURROUNDINGS but it can illuminate US. It reveals truths about who we are and where we are.
Notice what this lamp and this light do for us: THEY GUIDE OUR FEET and ILLUMINATE OUR PATH. See, the thing that the Word is Illuminating is the path we walk on, and it does it so that we can safely navigate the road we walk in this world.
Now, knowing this about the Word, do you realize that walking in this World without really reading, studying, meditating on God’s Word is like going into the woods at night with a flashlight but never turning it on?
You know the truth about God’s Word, but are you applying it? You know that it is a light, but are you USING IT?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Psalm 119:97-104
Mem – The 13th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept Your commandments.
(Psalms 119:98-100)
Do you love the Word of God? Do you think about it all day long? Do you see it as a constant guide? Is it sweet to your taste, sweeter than honey? I hope in light of today’s verses you can answer yes to those questions…
This section of verses compares and contrasts the Word of God with worldly sources of wisdom. It points out that the source of our understanding should be the WORD OF GOD; and it reminds us that the wisdom we draw from God’s Word is far superior to the stuff of this world.
WORD vs. ENEMIES – By nature, our enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) are always trying to get a leg up on us. They want the upper hand so they can DEFEAT us. In this psalm, we read that we can be WISER than those enemies if the Word of God is our constant companion! You wanna beat the devil? You wanna gain the victory over your flesh? You wanna see the things of this world lose their grip on you? Then let the Word be your guide as you walk the straight and narrow path that traverses this broken place we call earth. Love the Word of God; let it dictate how you walk, where you walk, when you walk, and who you walk with. It truly can give you the victory!
WORD vs. TEACHERS – We can learn a lot from our teachers. They are people who want to share with us what they have learned as they have walked through life. However, the Word can give us insights into life that a teacher never could. The Word can cut in and discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts… a teacher can never do that! If we can “Think Biblically”, we may find that the insights we have into what is going on in the world around us excel even our teachers. Even the smartest of the smart in this world are nothing in comparison with the Word of God!
WORD vs. ELDERS – I am sure in life you will have people tell you that “you’ll get it when you are older”. Sometimes this is true, but other times it is an excuse. There are times when those who are older and “wiser” (in the worldly sense) than we are can give UNBIBLICAL bad advice. Just because someone is older doesn’t mean that what they have to say is correct. Ultimately, the Bible is where we need to go to get TRUE WISDOM.
MY FRIENDS, DRINK DEEP AT THE WELL OF GOD’S WORD!
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of Your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept Your commandments.
(Psalms 119:98-100)
Do you love the Word of God? Do you think about it all day long? Do you see it as a constant guide? Is it sweet to your taste, sweeter than honey? I hope in light of today’s verses you can answer yes to those questions…
This section of verses compares and contrasts the Word of God with worldly sources of wisdom. It points out that the source of our understanding should be the WORD OF GOD; and it reminds us that the wisdom we draw from God’s Word is far superior to the stuff of this world.
WORD vs. ENEMIES – By nature, our enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) are always trying to get a leg up on us. They want the upper hand so they can DEFEAT us. In this psalm, we read that we can be WISER than those enemies if the Word of God is our constant companion! You wanna beat the devil? You wanna gain the victory over your flesh? You wanna see the things of this world lose their grip on you? Then let the Word be your guide as you walk the straight and narrow path that traverses this broken place we call earth. Love the Word of God; let it dictate how you walk, where you walk, when you walk, and who you walk with. It truly can give you the victory!
WORD vs. TEACHERS – We can learn a lot from our teachers. They are people who want to share with us what they have learned as they have walked through life. However, the Word can give us insights into life that a teacher never could. The Word can cut in and discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts… a teacher can never do that! If we can “Think Biblically”, we may find that the insights we have into what is going on in the world around us excel even our teachers. Even the smartest of the smart in this world are nothing in comparison with the Word of God!
WORD vs. ELDERS – I am sure in life you will have people tell you that “you’ll get it when you are older”. Sometimes this is true, but other times it is an excuse. There are times when those who are older and “wiser” (in the worldly sense) than we are can give UNBIBLICAL bad advice. Just because someone is older doesn’t mean that what they have to say is correct. Ultimately, the Bible is where we need to go to get TRUE WISDOM.
MY FRIENDS, DRINK DEEP AT THE WELL OF GOD’S WORD!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Psalm 119:89-96
Lamedh – The 12th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Even perfection has its limits, but Your commands have no limit.
(Psalms 119:96)
What an awesome little section of scripture. The focus is on the ETERNALITY of God’s Word. The psalmist tells us that God’s word will abide forever, and points out that the commands contained in it remain relevant even today.
The last verse of the section is my favorite. The psalmist reminds us that though even those things we think are “perfect” here on earth have a limit, His Word has NO LIMIT.
Think about the most perfect day you have ever had… No matter how great it was it, came to an end. The perfect family never stays perfect… The “perfect guy” or “perfect girl” never turns out to be as perfect as they look on TV, and even a baseball pitcher who throws a perfect game will never have a perfect season, let alone a perfect career.
All the things we call PERFECT here eventually come to an end. A flaw appears, or the circumstances change, and what was once perfection becomes a thing of the past.
The Word of God is different. It is PERFECT. Not in the way things of this world are perfect though… It is perfect in the heavenly sense. It will endure forever. Knowing that, do you think you should spend a little more time in it, and take what it says a little more seriously? Think about it.
Even perfection has its limits, but Your commands have no limit.
(Psalms 119:96)
What an awesome little section of scripture. The focus is on the ETERNALITY of God’s Word. The psalmist tells us that God’s word will abide forever, and points out that the commands contained in it remain relevant even today.
The last verse of the section is my favorite. The psalmist reminds us that though even those things we think are “perfect” here on earth have a limit, His Word has NO LIMIT.
Think about the most perfect day you have ever had… No matter how great it was it, came to an end. The perfect family never stays perfect… The “perfect guy” or “perfect girl” never turns out to be as perfect as they look on TV, and even a baseball pitcher who throws a perfect game will never have a perfect season, let alone a perfect career.
All the things we call PERFECT here eventually come to an end. A flaw appears, or the circumstances change, and what was once perfection becomes a thing of the past.
The Word of God is different. It is PERFECT. Not in the way things of this world are perfect though… It is perfect in the heavenly sense. It will endure forever. Knowing that, do you think you should spend a little more time in it, and take what it says a little more seriously? Think about it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Psalm 119:81-88
Kaph – The 11th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
This set of verses is really unique. The Psalmist describes himself as “Waiting for God’s rescue” and “straining his eyes to see God’s promises come true”. At times we might feel like this. We are waiting, waiting, waiting… and we may begin to feel like God’s rescue will never come, or His promises will never be realized. It is at this time that we realize WHY it is so imperative that we are in God’s Word. If we have been in the Word, we will not lose heart, for we will be reminded daily of the promises of God, and we will see vivid examples in the pages of scripture showing us how He has always been faithful.
My friends, stay in the Word. It doesn’t guarantee that life will always go your way, but it does keep us in a place of HOPE and ASSURANCE. You will go through times of difficult just like the psalmist describes… but the Word will be the thing that keeps you from being swept away!
This set of verses is really unique. The Psalmist describes himself as “Waiting for God’s rescue” and “straining his eyes to see God’s promises come true”. At times we might feel like this. We are waiting, waiting, waiting… and we may begin to feel like God’s rescue will never come, or His promises will never be realized. It is at this time that we realize WHY it is so imperative that we are in God’s Word. If we have been in the Word, we will not lose heart, for we will be reminded daily of the promises of God, and we will see vivid examples in the pages of scripture showing us how He has always been faithful.
My friends, stay in the Word. It doesn’t guarantee that life will always go your way, but it does keep us in a place of HOPE and ASSURANCE. You will go through times of difficult just like the psalmist describes… but the Word will be the thing that keeps you from being swept away!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Psalm 119:73-80
YODH – The Tenth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
You made me; You created me. Now give me the sense to follow Your commands. May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in Your word.
(Psalms 119:73-74)
Here in this little section the psalmist talks about how God MADE him, and continues to care for him in every way, even by DISCIPLINING him! As he talks about this “Womb to Tomb” relationship with the Lord, He points out what a central role the Word plays.
As we look at this section, I want to focus in on the first two verses in particular (vs 73-74). The truth contained in the first verse is universal… God made each and every one of us! The second half of the verse is left up to us. Will we allow the Lord to give US the sense that we need to really FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS?
The Lord’s wisdom often runs contrary to the ways of this world. Often, for us to have the “sense” we need to follow the Lord, we will end up looking at least slightly crazy from the perspective of this world. Self-preservation is the focus of the wisdom of this world, but God’s wisdom teaches self-sacrificial love. Self esteem is a must have for those who operate by this present ages rules, but from God’s perspective, humility is the way up. Truly, we need God’s wisdom to follow His commands… and that means rejecting a lot of what this world calls wisdom.
If we seek the wisdom of the Lord and reject the wisdom of this world, then the second verse can be a true statement of the testimony we will leave: A SOURCE OF JOY FOR THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD!
The key my friends, is what we find at the close of verse 74… Where is your hope? Is it in the Lord, or is it the things of this world? The decision of where you place your hope will greatly affect the path you take and the mark you make… the choice is yours!
You made me; You created me. Now give me the sense to follow Your commands. May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in Your word.
(Psalms 119:73-74)
Here in this little section the psalmist talks about how God MADE him, and continues to care for him in every way, even by DISCIPLINING him! As he talks about this “Womb to Tomb” relationship with the Lord, He points out what a central role the Word plays.
As we look at this section, I want to focus in on the first two verses in particular (vs 73-74). The truth contained in the first verse is universal… God made each and every one of us! The second half of the verse is left up to us. Will we allow the Lord to give US the sense that we need to really FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS?
The Lord’s wisdom often runs contrary to the ways of this world. Often, for us to have the “sense” we need to follow the Lord, we will end up looking at least slightly crazy from the perspective of this world. Self-preservation is the focus of the wisdom of this world, but God’s wisdom teaches self-sacrificial love. Self esteem is a must have for those who operate by this present ages rules, but from God’s perspective, humility is the way up. Truly, we need God’s wisdom to follow His commands… and that means rejecting a lot of what this world calls wisdom.
If we seek the wisdom of the Lord and reject the wisdom of this world, then the second verse can be a true statement of the testimony we will leave: A SOURCE OF JOY FOR THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD!
The key my friends, is what we find at the close of verse 74… Where is your hope? Is it in the Lord, or is it the things of this world? The decision of where you place your hope will greatly affect the path you take and the mark you make… the choice is yours!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Psalm 119:65-72
Teth – The Ninth Letter in the Hebrew Alphabet
Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver.
(Psalms 119:72)
In this section of our Psalm, the writer begins to talk about how valuable the Word of the Lord has been to him. As I began thinking about this section, specifically about Verse 72, I caused this question to rise in my mind: “How valuable is the Word of God to you?” Another way to put it would be to ask, “How much is your Bible worth?”
Now, I want you to think about this, because how YOU might answer that question initially may be quite different from the truth. So, let me ask you a couple of other questions to help you out…
1. What is the most valuable thing you own?
2. If time and attention were the “tell tale signs”, what would they indicate is thepossession that is most important to you?
3. If we asked your family, how valuable would they say your Bible is to you?
4. If we asked your family, what things would they say are worth more to you than your Bible?
Think about these questions for a little while, and then look at the Psalmist. He says the Word of God was worth more than MILLIONS in GOLD and SILVER. That is pretty intense. There is a lot you can do with millions. Can you honestly repeat the sentiment of the psalmist? Does it show?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Psalm 119:57-64
HETH – The 8th Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your instructions.
(Psalms 119:59-61)
I really dig these 3 verses and the connection they make between God’s WORD and our BEHAVIOR. The way I look at these verses, we see 3 specific things that God’s Word does to modify, change, or improve our behavior.
Changes our direction – The first thing I notice is that when we are submitted to God’s Word, it can and will alter the direction our life is taking. Here the Psalmist is looking at his own life and pondering the direction he is heading, and when he introduces the WORD we see that it causes him to TURN. Sometimes this turn is slight, a degree here or a degree there… other times it is a full 180 degrees. Regardless of how significant the change may be, we see that if God’s Word is really allowed to work in our lives, it should be producing COURSE CORRECTIONS on a REGULAR BASIS.
Moves us forward – Secondly we note that if the Word is being heard and heeded properly it will produce INSTANTANEOUS OBEDIENCE. Often we know the right thing to do, and we may even plan on doing it, but we delay. We think, “I realize this probably isn’t the best thing I could be doing, but I’ll deal with it later”. That attitude is an indicator that we are not allowing the Word to do the work God wants it to. When our heart attitude is right we will HURRY TO OBEY the commands of the Lord.
Keeps us steadfast – Even while we are moving forward, changing direction, hurrying to serve and obey, we need to be FIRMLY ANCHORED. This world constantly throws us curveballs, but if we will keep relating to the Word of God the way we should, we will never be pulled off of our firm foundation. Do you realize that there are people who actually want to drag you into sin? Most people that don’t know the Lord are not going to make holiness easy… they will attempt to make it difficult. In light of this, we need to be ANCHORED in the Word of God. We need to KNOW it so that it can serve to keep us firmly anchored in truth.
My friends… read God’s Word! Be doers, allow it to actually change your life! Listen to what it speaks, and believe it as you seek to follow Jesus, the “Living Word”.
I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your instructions.
(Psalms 119:59-61)
I really dig these 3 verses and the connection they make between God’s WORD and our BEHAVIOR. The way I look at these verses, we see 3 specific things that God’s Word does to modify, change, or improve our behavior.
Changes our direction – The first thing I notice is that when we are submitted to God’s Word, it can and will alter the direction our life is taking. Here the Psalmist is looking at his own life and pondering the direction he is heading, and when he introduces the WORD we see that it causes him to TURN. Sometimes this turn is slight, a degree here or a degree there… other times it is a full 180 degrees. Regardless of how significant the change may be, we see that if God’s Word is really allowed to work in our lives, it should be producing COURSE CORRECTIONS on a REGULAR BASIS.
Moves us forward – Secondly we note that if the Word is being heard and heeded properly it will produce INSTANTANEOUS OBEDIENCE. Often we know the right thing to do, and we may even plan on doing it, but we delay. We think, “I realize this probably isn’t the best thing I could be doing, but I’ll deal with it later”. That attitude is an indicator that we are not allowing the Word to do the work God wants it to. When our heart attitude is right we will HURRY TO OBEY the commands of the Lord.
Keeps us steadfast – Even while we are moving forward, changing direction, hurrying to serve and obey, we need to be FIRMLY ANCHORED. This world constantly throws us curveballs, but if we will keep relating to the Word of God the way we should, we will never be pulled off of our firm foundation. Do you realize that there are people who actually want to drag you into sin? Most people that don’t know the Lord are not going to make holiness easy… they will attempt to make it difficult. In light of this, we need to be ANCHORED in the Word of God. We need to KNOW it so that it can serve to keep us firmly anchored in truth.
My friends… read God’s Word! Be doers, allow it to actually change your life! Listen to what it speaks, and believe it as you seek to follow Jesus, the “Living Word”.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Psalm 119:49-56
ZAIN – The seventh letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
These eight verses are really neat… the talk about how the Psalmist HAS relied upon God’s word in the PAST, and currently all he knows to be true is being assaulted by his enemies. In light of this, the Psalmist declares:
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
(Psalms 119:54)
What a cool concept! Let’s break it apart, take a close look at it, and then put it back together so we can see how it applies to us.
YOUR STATUTES HAVE BEEN MY SONGS – Statutes are literally MANDATES or DECREES… they truths God has declared that have immediate implications for our lives. Not simple statements, but declarations that require a response. The psalmist writes here that those things that God had decreed and mandated had become SONGS HE WOULD SING. A song is often an expression of what is going on in the heart of a person. When I write songs, I attempt to give voice to the work God is doing in my heart. I believe that is what the psalmist is talking about here… the things God decreed had become the “songs of His heart”. No longer cut and dry “regulations”, these Statutes of God had become the very breath of life to the psalmist.
IN THE HOUSE OF MY PILGRIMAGE – This is an AWESOME statement! It is somewhat paradoxical in nature, but gives us a picture of the life of a real believer. This person KNEW that they were on a PILGRIMAGE. Pilgrimage is in essence an attitude of SOJOURNING, a recognition that this world is not our home, that we are merely passing through. In this life of pilgrimage, the Psalmist found that IN GOD AND HIS WORD He found a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE! So, we are just passing through, but we have a permanent resting place in the Lord!
If we put this together, it tells us this:
We may experience difficulty, and at times we may see circumstances that make believing the promises of God difficult. At these times, we need to let the song of our heart be the statutes of God, and remember that though we have a permanent place in Him, we are merely passing through this world! My friends, it can be a lonely road… We need to know the Word of God, and be in constant communion with the God of the Word if we are to sing pilgrim songs as we rest in Him!
These eight verses are really neat… the talk about how the Psalmist HAS relied upon God’s word in the PAST, and currently all he knows to be true is being assaulted by his enemies. In light of this, the Psalmist declares:
Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
(Psalms 119:54)
What a cool concept! Let’s break it apart, take a close look at it, and then put it back together so we can see how it applies to us.
YOUR STATUTES HAVE BEEN MY SONGS – Statutes are literally MANDATES or DECREES… they truths God has declared that have immediate implications for our lives. Not simple statements, but declarations that require a response. The psalmist writes here that those things that God had decreed and mandated had become SONGS HE WOULD SING. A song is often an expression of what is going on in the heart of a person. When I write songs, I attempt to give voice to the work God is doing in my heart. I believe that is what the psalmist is talking about here… the things God decreed had become the “songs of His heart”. No longer cut and dry “regulations”, these Statutes of God had become the very breath of life to the psalmist.
IN THE HOUSE OF MY PILGRIMAGE – This is an AWESOME statement! It is somewhat paradoxical in nature, but gives us a picture of the life of a real believer. This person KNEW that they were on a PILGRIMAGE. Pilgrimage is in essence an attitude of SOJOURNING, a recognition that this world is not our home, that we are merely passing through. In this life of pilgrimage, the Psalmist found that IN GOD AND HIS WORD He found a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE! So, we are just passing through, but we have a permanent resting place in the Lord!
If we put this together, it tells us this:
We may experience difficulty, and at times we may see circumstances that make believing the promises of God difficult. At these times, we need to let the song of our heart be the statutes of God, and remember that though we have a permanent place in Him, we are merely passing through this world! My friends, it can be a lonely road… We need to know the Word of God, and be in constant communion with the God of the Word if we are to sing pilgrim songs as we rest in Him!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Psalm 119:41-48
VAU – The Sixth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Let your love, GOD, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
(Psalms 119:41-42)
This is one of the many benefits of knowing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God that we do not often think about. If we are regularly interacting with God’s Word, then we KNOW WHAT IT PROMISES and are able to PRAY ACCORDINGLY.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people praying for things that ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE with the Word of God, and then wondering why He didn’t answer the way He thought they would. Just as often, I am sure there are people failing to ask God for certain things, because they are UNAWARE of the promises He gives in regard to them.
Here we see the psalmist give us a powerful example. He asks the Lord to shape His life with the ongoing work of salvation, BY His love, according to His promise. Many of us might think “huh? I thought salvation was all about going to heaven?” Guess what… If we read our bibles more, we would know that SALVATION is something that HAS happened, IS happening, and WILL happen. We HAVE BEEN justified, we ARE BEING sanctified, and we WILL BE glorified.
To put this same thought into my own words it might look like this: “God, thank you for your love for me, and thank you that your Word promises to save me fully. I’m glad salvation isn’t just a past act, but that it is something going on now, and something I can look forward to in the future. I’m so glad you wanna make me more like you, and I can’t wait until that day when I will actually be saved from this sin nature that constantly fights within me. God, please keep working in my life, the way you have promised, keep shaping me into you image by the ongoing work of your love, saving me completely.”
When we can relate to God and His word this way, the second verse I quoted above (vs. 42) can be true in our lives. When we actually trust in God’s Word in real tangible ways, when we pray God’s promises like we really mean it, then the opposition we face in this life will not be able to take us out. The psalmist here says people mocked him and ridiculed him… yet he didn’t fall or falter. Why? Because he trusted in the WORD OF GOD! My friends… trust the Word of God, and you will be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Read it.
Know it.
Believe it.
Live it.
Love it.
Let your love, GOD, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I'll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
(Psalms 119:41-42)
This is one of the many benefits of knowing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God that we do not often think about. If we are regularly interacting with God’s Word, then we KNOW WHAT IT PROMISES and are able to PRAY ACCORDINGLY.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people praying for things that ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE with the Word of God, and then wondering why He didn’t answer the way He thought they would. Just as often, I am sure there are people failing to ask God for certain things, because they are UNAWARE of the promises He gives in regard to them.
Here we see the psalmist give us a powerful example. He asks the Lord to shape His life with the ongoing work of salvation, BY His love, according to His promise. Many of us might think “huh? I thought salvation was all about going to heaven?” Guess what… If we read our bibles more, we would know that SALVATION is something that HAS happened, IS happening, and WILL happen. We HAVE BEEN justified, we ARE BEING sanctified, and we WILL BE glorified.
To put this same thought into my own words it might look like this: “God, thank you for your love for me, and thank you that your Word promises to save me fully. I’m glad salvation isn’t just a past act, but that it is something going on now, and something I can look forward to in the future. I’m so glad you wanna make me more like you, and I can’t wait until that day when I will actually be saved from this sin nature that constantly fights within me. God, please keep working in my life, the way you have promised, keep shaping me into you image by the ongoing work of your love, saving me completely.”
When we can relate to God and His word this way, the second verse I quoted above (vs. 42) can be true in our lives. When we actually trust in God’s Word in real tangible ways, when we pray God’s promises like we really mean it, then the opposition we face in this life will not be able to take us out. The psalmist here says people mocked him and ridiculed him… yet he didn’t fall or falter. Why? Because he trusted in the WORD OF GOD! My friends… trust the Word of God, and you will be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Read it.
Know it.
Believe it.
Live it.
Love it.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Psalm 119:33-40
HE – The fifth Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
These eight verses work together to help us remember that in our relationship with the LORD, HE is the initiator and WE are the responders. As we read the Psalm we see a back and forth between the LORD’S work and the PSALMISTS response. One cannot take place without the other… if the Lord didn’t initiate, we would not be able to respond… on the flipside, if we didn’t respond, the Lord would not move on. Sometimes you may feel like your relationship with the Lord has stalled, or maybe reached a plateau. I would venture to say that what you are observing is an indication of a failure to respond on your part. God speaks… we must respond.
Notice the first two verses:
GOD TEACHES HIS STATUTES – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THEM TO THE END
GOD GIVES UNDERSTANDING – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THE WORD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART
There is this call and response… God teaches, psalmist responds; God enlightens, the heart of the hearer is enlarged. This description of God’s work and what it causes goes on, and the emphasis is on this ongoing work that GOD is doing, and the fact that He is doing it in connection to HIS WORD. Verse 40 (the final verse in this section) marks a real shift in the content of the Psalm… Here the psalmist cries out that he “LONGS FOR GOD’S PRECEPTS”. – This causes me to ask myself a question… am I longing for God’s Word? Do I hunger for it? Am I finding myself drawn to it? If not, then maybe I need to look back and see if I have failed to respond to God’s ongoing work in my life. Maybe I have allowed myself to Plateau by not pressing in… and now I’m losing my appetite.
God is the great initiator, but that does not excuse us from PURSUING HIM. Here the Psalmist tells us that in light of all God does, HE IS LONGING FOR GOD TO SPEAK. Beyond that, He wants God to QUICKEN him in HIS righteousness. Are you hungry for God’s righteousness? Are you thirsty for His voice? Do you long to see Him work in your life? If you answered yes to these questions, then look for HIM to speak, and be prepared to respond!
These eight verses work together to help us remember that in our relationship with the LORD, HE is the initiator and WE are the responders. As we read the Psalm we see a back and forth between the LORD’S work and the PSALMISTS response. One cannot take place without the other… if the Lord didn’t initiate, we would not be able to respond… on the flipside, if we didn’t respond, the Lord would not move on. Sometimes you may feel like your relationship with the Lord has stalled, or maybe reached a plateau. I would venture to say that what you are observing is an indication of a failure to respond on your part. God speaks… we must respond.
Notice the first two verses:
GOD TEACHES HIS STATUTES – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THEM TO THE END
GOD GIVES UNDERSTANDING – THE PSALMIST KEEPS THE WORD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART
There is this call and response… God teaches, psalmist responds; God enlightens, the heart of the hearer is enlarged. This description of God’s work and what it causes goes on, and the emphasis is on this ongoing work that GOD is doing, and the fact that He is doing it in connection to HIS WORD. Verse 40 (the final verse in this section) marks a real shift in the content of the Psalm… Here the psalmist cries out that he “LONGS FOR GOD’S PRECEPTS”. – This causes me to ask myself a question… am I longing for God’s Word? Do I hunger for it? Am I finding myself drawn to it? If not, then maybe I need to look back and see if I have failed to respond to God’s ongoing work in my life. Maybe I have allowed myself to Plateau by not pressing in… and now I’m losing my appetite.
God is the great initiator, but that does not excuse us from PURSUING HIM. Here the Psalmist tells us that in light of all God does, HE IS LONGING FOR GOD TO SPEAK. Beyond that, He wants God to QUICKEN him in HIS righteousness. Are you hungry for God’s righteousness? Are you thirsty for His voice? Do you long to see Him work in your life? If you answered yes to these questions, then look for HIM to speak, and be prepared to respond!
Psalm 119:25-32
DALETH – the fourth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
The psalmist continues to sing his praises to God for his Word, doing so by starting each “verse” in this 8 verse “poem” with the letter DALETH. I want us to focus in on 3 of these 8 verses in particular today. They are:
I lie in the dust; revive me by Your word.
(Psalms 119:25)
I weep with sorrow; encourage me by Your word.
(Psalms 119:28)
I cling to Your laws. LORD, don't let me be put to shame!
(Psalms 119:31)
Just looking at these 3 verses, we see that when a person is:
SPIRITUALLY DRY – The Lord can revive them; but the vehicle through which He often does this is HIS WORD. Maybe you have had this kind of experience before… spiritually you feel like your sucking dust, you’re in a desert place and you long for a drink of water. The Word of God is no Mirage… it is a FOUNTAIN of life, a RIVER of living water. All we have to do is be faithful to turn to it, to open it’s pages and open our hearts, and the Lord will speak and REVIVE us. The King James uses the word QUICKEN to describe what God’s word does… I like that, it gives us the impression of a dead thing being INFUSED with life.
SPIRITUALLY WEIGHED DOWN – The Lord can relieve the burden! God’s word offers us both strength and encouragement. We go through times of sorrow, times when as the King James puts it, “our soul melts with heaviness”. At these times we often cry out to the Lord for RELIEF, when what the Lord really wants is to GIVE US STRENGTH TO BEAR THE BURDEN. When we turn to His word in these times, He is able to give us strength that can come from no other place! My friends, seek God in times of difficulty, and do it by opening his word.
Notice the attitude of the Psalmist… because he knows that the Lord can do these things through His word, HE CLINGS TO THE LAW OF THE LORD! My friends, are you clinging to God’s Word? Are you hanging on to it for dear life, or is your relationship to it casual? I pray that as we continue to study this Psalm it would cause all of us to fall more in love with the Bible, and recognize the central role it should play in our lives.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Psalm 119:18
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
We have all heard the term, "More than meets the eye." You have also heard "Never judge a book by its cover." I do not know about you, but I like to be pleasantly surprised. I like it when things or people go beyond my expectations. I have played sports for years. It is always fun when the person you think will be no good ends up being the best person on the court.
Enter the Word of God. The Psalmist asks the Lord to open His eyes: "that I may see Wondrous things from your law." What type of Wondrous things? Imagine all the prophesy pertaining to Jesus before He came. Imagine the gift it was to understand all these things. One man did. His name was Simeon. By the brief story we recognize that this man knew a the general time Jesus would come to earth (probably judging by the 70 week prophesy in Daniel). He also recognized that Jesus would do far more than set up and earthly kingdom, but that he would be the salvation of both Israel and the Gentiles. What a Wondrous thing indeed!
Read God's Word. Ask the Lord to open your eyes. There are great and Wondrous things He is just waiting to reveal to you.
We have all heard the term, "More than meets the eye." You have also heard "Never judge a book by its cover." I do not know about you, but I like to be pleasantly surprised. I like it when things or people go beyond my expectations. I have played sports for years. It is always fun when the person you think will be no good ends up being the best person on the court.
Enter the Word of God. The Psalmist asks the Lord to open His eyes: "that I may see Wondrous things from your law." What type of Wondrous things? Imagine all the prophesy pertaining to Jesus before He came. Imagine the gift it was to understand all these things. One man did. His name was Simeon. By the brief story we recognize that this man knew a the general time Jesus would come to earth (probably judging by the 70 week prophesy in Daniel). He also recognized that Jesus would do far more than set up and earthly kingdom, but that he would be the salvation of both Israel and the Gentiles. What a Wondrous thing indeed!
Read God's Word. Ask the Lord to open your eyes. There are great and Wondrous things He is just waiting to reveal to you.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Psalm 119:9-16
Psa 119:9-11 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. (10) With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! (11) Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. The first verse answers a difficult question. The second verse asks the Lord for help. The third verse is a declaration of love and commitment.
There is one thing that stands out above all in these verses. It is the power of the Word of God. How can a young amn stay pure? Only by the Word. How is it that we keep from sinning against the Lord? By hiding His word in our heart. It becomes crystal clear that there is power in the Word of God.
This world is influential. It sends messages to us through everything! Every time we turn on the tele it is telling us we want. How often have you seen a favorite drink or food on the television and wanted it? More so then anything, they are not trying to convince you of their product immediately, but are simply trying to introduce you and familiarize you with their product. This not only applies to a product, but applies to every sort of message the world is trying to communicate.
Enter the Word of God. When you read the Word of God, you may not even remember the verses you read. Nevertheless, what you are reading is having an incredible effect on the decisions you will make that day. It is a cleansing, purifying, anti-world we need. Most of all, it has greter power than the influences of the world.
We are involved in a great tug-of-war. Without the Word hidden in your heart, you will not stay pure and you will sin against the Lord. With the Word hidden in your heart you will not be swayed by the influences of the world.
These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. The first verse answers a difficult question. The second verse asks the Lord for help. The third verse is a declaration of love and commitment.
There is one thing that stands out above all in these verses. It is the power of the Word of God. How can a young amn stay pure? Only by the Word. How is it that we keep from sinning against the Lord? By hiding His word in our heart. It becomes crystal clear that there is power in the Word of God.
This world is influential. It sends messages to us through everything! Every time we turn on the tele it is telling us we want. How often have you seen a favorite drink or food on the television and wanted it? More so then anything, they are not trying to convince you of their product immediately, but are simply trying to introduce you and familiarize you with their product. This not only applies to a product, but applies to every sort of message the world is trying to communicate.
Enter the Word of God. When you read the Word of God, you may not even remember the verses you read. Nevertheless, what you are reading is having an incredible effect on the decisions you will make that day. It is a cleansing, purifying, anti-world we need. Most of all, it has greter power than the influences of the world.
We are involved in a great tug-of-war. Without the Word hidden in your heart, you will not stay pure and you will sin against the Lord. With the Word hidden in your heart you will not be swayed by the influences of the world.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Psalm 119:1-8
Psa 119:5-6 Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! (6) Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
Have you ever been ashamed before Jesus? I love the passion in which the Psalmist writes down his words. "Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!" The psalmist is not just singing, he is crying out. He is requiring of the Lord from the bottom of his heart.
I find it funny that we either get ashamed before the Lord, or we get ashamed of the Lord. Ever carry around your Bible and get ashamed, or embarrassed? Both have the same result, we cower away from what the Lord wants.
The fact of the matter is that we all get ashamed in one way or another. We should not. Take a moment to just go to the Lord. Ask Him to direct your way. Ask Him to direct, that you might not be ashamed. If we had no care for our own personal image, and we stood confidently before our Lord, who knows what God could do through us!
Have you ever been ashamed before Jesus? I love the passion in which the Psalmist writes down his words. "Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes!" The psalmist is not just singing, he is crying out. He is requiring of the Lord from the bottom of his heart.
I find it funny that we either get ashamed before the Lord, or we get ashamed of the Lord. Ever carry around your Bible and get ashamed, or embarrassed? Both have the same result, we cower away from what the Lord wants.
The fact of the matter is that we all get ashamed in one way or another. We should not. Take a moment to just go to the Lord. Ask Him to direct your way. Ask Him to direct, that you might not be ashamed. If we had no care for our own personal image, and we stood confidently before our Lord, who knows what God could do through us!
Psalm 119 - Intro
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the whole Bible. Rather than try and do the whole thing in one sitting, we are going to break it up in pieces. You see, Psalm 119 is what is known as an “acrostic” and it goes through all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, one stanza for each letter, an each line of a particular stanza starts with the letter it represents.
Just as the layout of the psalm is planned, so is the content. It isn’t random, but is actually very intentional in what it addresses. This beautiful Psalm is all about the WORD OF GOD. It talks about what the Word of God is, what it does, and how we should relate to it. So, over the next 22 days we will be taking a look at this psalm, and getting to know the WORD a little better… What it is, what it does, and how we should relate to it as believers.
So, start reading Psalm 119 now, and let it stir up a deeper hunger in you fro the glorious Word of God!
Just as the layout of the psalm is planned, so is the content. It isn’t random, but is actually very intentional in what it addresses. This beautiful Psalm is all about the WORD OF GOD. It talks about what the Word of God is, what it does, and how we should relate to it. So, over the next 22 days we will be taking a look at this psalm, and getting to know the WORD a little better… What it is, what it does, and how we should relate to it as believers.
So, start reading Psalm 119 now, and let it stir up a deeper hunger in you fro the glorious Word of God!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Psalm 118
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
(Psalms 118:22-23)
There is a Jewish traditional tale that may be true, or it may be a myth… it goes something like this…
When Solomon’s temple was being built, all of the work was done offsite. Stones were cut, things were prepared, and all of the noisy messy stuff was done far away from the temple mount. When pieces were ready they would be brought to the temple mount and as silently as possible put into place. One day a stone came that didn’t seem to fit with the other stones. No one knew what to do with this stone, so it got shoved to the side and soon forgotten. When the temple was nearly done everyone realized that one majorly important piece was missing… THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE! This was a special stone that would sit at the top of one of the corners, a CAPSTONE. As the builders all frantically looked for this stone, someone eventually found it. It was pushed off to the side, the very stone that no one could find a place for, it had been neglected and rejected, and it was the most important stone of all.
This story, whether true or not, is a shadow of what this Psalm is prophesying. Jesus is the stone that the “builders” (the religious leaders of the day) rejected. He was cast aside, not fitting the picture they had of who Messiah was and what He should be all about. After he was crucified, He rose again and became the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE “TEMPLE” OF GOD! You see, Jesus is our foundation, he is the chief cornerstone. He is the show piece, the most beautiful thing God could ever give us… yet He was rejected by men, cast off as if He were garbage!
What are you doing with Jesus today? Are you honoring Him as the precious cornerstone of your life, or are you pushing Him away because He doesn’t fit in with your plans??? Think about it… And don’t make the mistake the Pharisees made!
(Psalms 118:22-23)
There is a Jewish traditional tale that may be true, or it may be a myth… it goes something like this…
When Solomon’s temple was being built, all of the work was done offsite. Stones were cut, things were prepared, and all of the noisy messy stuff was done far away from the temple mount. When pieces were ready they would be brought to the temple mount and as silently as possible put into place. One day a stone came that didn’t seem to fit with the other stones. No one knew what to do with this stone, so it got shoved to the side and soon forgotten. When the temple was nearly done everyone realized that one majorly important piece was missing… THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE! This was a special stone that would sit at the top of one of the corners, a CAPSTONE. As the builders all frantically looked for this stone, someone eventually found it. It was pushed off to the side, the very stone that no one could find a place for, it had been neglected and rejected, and it was the most important stone of all.
This story, whether true or not, is a shadow of what this Psalm is prophesying. Jesus is the stone that the “builders” (the religious leaders of the day) rejected. He was cast aside, not fitting the picture they had of who Messiah was and what He should be all about. After he was crucified, He rose again and became the MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE “TEMPLE” OF GOD! You see, Jesus is our foundation, he is the chief cornerstone. He is the show piece, the most beautiful thing God could ever give us… yet He was rejected by men, cast off as if He were garbage!
What are you doing with Jesus today? Are you honoring Him as the precious cornerstone of your life, or are you pushing Him away because He doesn’t fit in with your plans??? Think about it… And don’t make the mistake the Pharisees made!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Psalm 117
Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise Him, all you people of the earth. For He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD's faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(Psalms 117:1-2)
Do you ever feel like you just don’t want to praise God? Not in the “I feel angry at God” kind of way, but more like “I just don’t really feel up to singing/praying/expressing praises to God right now”. These feelings can be for any number of reasons… maybe you’re sick, maybe you’re tired, maybe you just don’t feel like you’re connected to Him; whatever the reason may be, your response is a complacent “Mehh, maybe later”.
Today’s short little Psalm tells us that no matter who you are, or where you live, you always have at least 2 reasons to praise the Lord. According to these 2 little verses EVERY PERSON ON EARTH has 2 reasons to praise the lord ALL THE TIME.
These 2 reasons are really quite basic, but if we can grasp them then they can be quite revolutionary in the affect they can have on our life and our worship.
Reason #1 – God loves you with an unfailing love. No matter what your current experience may be, this is a fact you can take to the bank. GOD LOVES YOU… And His love isn’t one that changes based on how well you are doing! It is an unfailing love! Now, my love, it is a love that will at some point (probably many points) fail. But God’s love, it NEVER FAILS. So, why should you praise God? Because right now, He loves you more than anyone else in this world ever could; He always has, and He always will!
Reason #2 – God is FOREVER FAITHFUL. The commitment that God has made to protect you, love you, and serve you will never expire. It isn’t like a warranty or a service plan… it has no lifetime, it is ETERNAL. He will never let you down; he will never leave you hanging. So why should you praise God? Because He is the only person in the entire universe that will take care of you for all eternity!
My friends stop whatever you are doing right now and take some time to PRAISE THE LORD!!!
(Psalms 117:1-2)
Do you ever feel like you just don’t want to praise God? Not in the “I feel angry at God” kind of way, but more like “I just don’t really feel up to singing/praying/expressing praises to God right now”. These feelings can be for any number of reasons… maybe you’re sick, maybe you’re tired, maybe you just don’t feel like you’re connected to Him; whatever the reason may be, your response is a complacent “Mehh, maybe later”.
Today’s short little Psalm tells us that no matter who you are, or where you live, you always have at least 2 reasons to praise the Lord. According to these 2 little verses EVERY PERSON ON EARTH has 2 reasons to praise the lord ALL THE TIME.
These 2 reasons are really quite basic, but if we can grasp them then they can be quite revolutionary in the affect they can have on our life and our worship.
Reason #1 – God loves you with an unfailing love. No matter what your current experience may be, this is a fact you can take to the bank. GOD LOVES YOU… And His love isn’t one that changes based on how well you are doing! It is an unfailing love! Now, my love, it is a love that will at some point (probably many points) fail. But God’s love, it NEVER FAILS. So, why should you praise God? Because right now, He loves you more than anyone else in this world ever could; He always has, and He always will!
Reason #2 – God is FOREVER FAITHFUL. The commitment that God has made to protect you, love you, and serve you will never expire. It isn’t like a warranty or a service plan… it has no lifetime, it is ETERNAL. He will never let you down; he will never leave you hanging. So why should you praise God? Because He is the only person in the entire universe that will take care of you for all eternity!
My friends stop whatever you are doing right now and take some time to PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Psalm 116
What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD.
(Psalms 116:12-13)
In this Psalm David begins by talking about the fact that God really does hear our prayers. He doesn’t just hear, but in fact, he answers them! As David lists off some of the ways the Lord had been so wonderful in answering his prayers, he is brought to this question…
“What can I give to the Lord for all that He has done for me”? It is a great question to ask. Each one of us can look at our lives and see that have so much to be thankful for, so much that the Lord has done for us. It is a natural response for us to look then and say, “What can I do to repay you, even in part?”
How would you answer that question? What can you give to the Lord? The truth is we really have nothing in and of ourselves to offer Him. Anything good in us is only because of Him, so there really isn’t anything we can do to pay Him back. In light of this truth David says he will TAKE the cup of salvation. In other words, what He will give to the Lord is His willing acceptance of the work God wants to do in his life.
Today, what will you give to the Lord? Will you take the cup of his salvation? Will you call on Him and receive all that He wants to do in you? My friends realize today that what the Lord wants from you is a yielded life… He wants to be able to work freely in you and through you, unrestricted!
(Psalms 116:12-13)
In this Psalm David begins by talking about the fact that God really does hear our prayers. He doesn’t just hear, but in fact, he answers them! As David lists off some of the ways the Lord had been so wonderful in answering his prayers, he is brought to this question…
“What can I give to the Lord for all that He has done for me”? It is a great question to ask. Each one of us can look at our lives and see that have so much to be thankful for, so much that the Lord has done for us. It is a natural response for us to look then and say, “What can I do to repay you, even in part?”
How would you answer that question? What can you give to the Lord? The truth is we really have nothing in and of ourselves to offer Him. Anything good in us is only because of Him, so there really isn’t anything we can do to pay Him back. In light of this truth David says he will TAKE the cup of salvation. In other words, what He will give to the Lord is His willing acceptance of the work God wants to do in his life.
Today, what will you give to the Lord? Will you take the cup of his salvation? Will you call on Him and receive all that He wants to do in you? My friends realize today that what the Lord wants from you is a yielded life… He wants to be able to work freely in you and through you, unrestricted!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Psalm 115
All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield.
(Psalms 115:11)
In this Psalm the Psalmist talks to us all about the difference between the LORD and the idols that men and women create. As he goes on he calls on all Israel to trust the Lord. He asks that all the priests, the descendant of Aaron would fear the Lord. Then, in the verse we will focus on this morning, he tells us that “all who fear the Lord” should trust the Lord. In each one of these instances the writer reminds us that the Lord is both our HELPER and our SHIELD. He is there not only to assist and empower us as a “helper”, but also to PROTECT us as our shield.
This idea of fearing the Lord is one we have talked about before. In the most simple of terms it is the recognition that God is ALL POWERFUL and we are woefully un-powerful. It is the acknowledgement of the fact that before Him, we stand as sinners, and He is utterly holy. This FEAR is simply the natural result of a biblical recognition of who God is and who we are.
Having come to the place of biblical fear of God, an appropriate and reverential respect, we are admonished to trust Him. Now, you might read that and think, “How could you have a real reverential respect for God without first putting faith in Him”? The answer is quite simple. The writer isn’t talking about a one time decision… when the psalmist says trust the Lord; he means keep on trusting the Lord! So, if you fear the Lord today, then take a step back and trust the Lord! Trust Him with the details of your personal life. Trust Him with your fears about what may or may not be going on in our country. Trust Him with your future, trust Him with today, and trust Him with all that you have and all that you are!
(Psalms 115:11)
In this Psalm the Psalmist talks to us all about the difference between the LORD and the idols that men and women create. As he goes on he calls on all Israel to trust the Lord. He asks that all the priests, the descendant of Aaron would fear the Lord. Then, in the verse we will focus on this morning, he tells us that “all who fear the Lord” should trust the Lord. In each one of these instances the writer reminds us that the Lord is both our HELPER and our SHIELD. He is there not only to assist and empower us as a “helper”, but also to PROTECT us as our shield.
This idea of fearing the Lord is one we have talked about before. In the most simple of terms it is the recognition that God is ALL POWERFUL and we are woefully un-powerful. It is the acknowledgement of the fact that before Him, we stand as sinners, and He is utterly holy. This FEAR is simply the natural result of a biblical recognition of who God is and who we are.
Having come to the place of biblical fear of God, an appropriate and reverential respect, we are admonished to trust Him. Now, you might read that and think, “How could you have a real reverential respect for God without first putting faith in Him”? The answer is quite simple. The writer isn’t talking about a one time decision… when the psalmist says trust the Lord; he means keep on trusting the Lord! So, if you fear the Lord today, then take a step back and trust the Lord! Trust Him with the details of your personal life. Trust Him with your fears about what may or may not be going on in our country. Trust Him with your future, trust Him with today, and trust Him with all that you have and all that you are!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Psalm 114
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.
(Psalms 114:7-8)
This Psalm talks all about the work that God did with the Israelites when He led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and eventually into Promised Land. The interesting thing about this Psalm is that the Psalmist focuses on how the earth itself responded to the work of God; seas parting, rivers opening, mountains and hills skipping like livestock; all in all a pretty amazing description of how ALL of creation is subjected to God’s control.
The Psalm ends with a description of how God caused water to come pouring out of rock… a demonstration of His complete control of the elements. Before that closing thought though, we see the main idea behind the psalm… the psalmist says “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” This idea of the earth trembling isn’t one of terror, but of reverential respect. We need to recognize that with a word God could cause all the elements of the earth to dissolve. He can do ANYTHING.
Today, tremble before the Lord, but not in terror. Do so in holy reverential worship, recognizing that God is so much greater than you, and that nothing is beyond Him. Be amazed at the power of our God today, and remember how God cleared a path for the Israelites… He can still do the same for you!
(Psalms 114:7-8)
This Psalm talks all about the work that God did with the Israelites when He led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and eventually into Promised Land. The interesting thing about this Psalm is that the Psalmist focuses on how the earth itself responded to the work of God; seas parting, rivers opening, mountains and hills skipping like livestock; all in all a pretty amazing description of how ALL of creation is subjected to God’s control.
The Psalm ends with a description of how God caused water to come pouring out of rock… a demonstration of His complete control of the elements. Before that closing thought though, we see the main idea behind the psalm… the psalmist says “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” This idea of the earth trembling isn’t one of terror, but of reverential respect. We need to recognize that with a word God could cause all the elements of the earth to dissolve. He can do ANYTHING.
Today, tremble before the Lord, but not in terror. Do so in holy reverential worship, recognizing that God is so much greater than you, and that nothing is beyond Him. Be amazed at the power of our God today, and remember how God cleared a path for the Israelites… He can still do the same for you!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Psalm 113
Who can be compared with the LORD our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of His own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the LORD!
(Psalms 113:5-9)
I love this passage, for in it we are reminded where our true hope should reside. Our country is in the middle of an election cycle that keeps addressing these very themes. One candidate says we need “change”, the other says we need “straight talk”… I agree with both but where are we gonna find them? This last week Franklin Graham said this:
“I’d like to propose that the change we need is a change of the human heart – a moral and spiritual change – and we need some straight talk from the greatest manual on life ever written – God’s Word, the Holy Bible.”
I really like that… It is so true! In one sense, that is what this psalm is talking about. The leader that can “tell it like it is” and “bring the change we need” is Jesus Christ. He isn’t an elitist, separated from those he cares for, but He is able to transform them! He loves all men, and can transform those in economic turmoil, and those facing bereavement… He is the change we need.
So my friends, there is a change I can believe in, and there is a source for straight talk, that person is Jesus Christ. He tells it like it is and He can do the impossible in making us new men and women. Trust Him, listen to Him, rely upon Him… Jesus is one leader that will never let us down!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Psalm 112
Psa 112:6-7 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. (7) He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Believing in God is crucial. We have been studying what it is to truly believe in the Lord in our Jr. High class. It is more than a one time thing. It is more than praying "the prayer" of salvation. It is something we have to decide to do every day. Every time we mess up, we can look back and see it is from a lack of faith in what God is doing.
The righteous man described in these verses is never shaken and steadfast. I do not know about you, but sometimes I feel like I am on a roller coaster. In this life everything is always changing. Where do we find some sturdy ground? How do we keep from feeling like we are in quick sand? The righteous man finds the answer in the Lord. He trusts and believes on Him for everything. He is not afraid of bad news, because he knows he has God.
Maybe your life has been a roller coaster ride. Maybe you feel the ground shifting under your feet. Find the Lord, trust in Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, yet His mercies are new every morning.
Believing in God is crucial. We have been studying what it is to truly believe in the Lord in our Jr. High class. It is more than a one time thing. It is more than praying "the prayer" of salvation. It is something we have to decide to do every day. Every time we mess up, we can look back and see it is from a lack of faith in what God is doing.
The righteous man described in these verses is never shaken and steadfast. I do not know about you, but sometimes I feel like I am on a roller coaster. In this life everything is always changing. Where do we find some sturdy ground? How do we keep from feeling like we are in quick sand? The righteous man finds the answer in the Lord. He trusts and believes on Him for everything. He is not afraid of bad news, because he knows he has God.
Maybe your life has been a roller coaster ride. Maybe you feel the ground shifting under your feet. Find the Lord, trust in Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, yet His mercies are new every morning.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Psalm 111
Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
Solomon has a very wise Father. We often credit Solomon for penning down these words, but as we can see here, he must have learned this from his father. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? The word literally means to revere, even to the point of dread. This is how I feel about the ocean. I love going swimming. I love boogie boarding. However, I have a healthy respect for the ocean. I have had enought waves crash on me that I realize which one of us is bigger.
This does not mean that God wants us to be scared of Him. It is important for us to understand that He is all powerful, and we are not. Our attitude should be anything but flippant when approaching God. To fear Him, will be the first step to obtaining true wisdom.
Solomon has a very wise Father. We often credit Solomon for penning down these words, but as we can see here, he must have learned this from his father. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? The word literally means to revere, even to the point of dread. This is how I feel about the ocean. I love going swimming. I love boogie boarding. However, I have a healthy respect for the ocean. I have had enought waves crash on me that I realize which one of us is bigger.
This does not mean that God wants us to be scared of Him. It is important for us to understand that He is all powerful, and we are not. Our attitude should be anything but flippant when approaching God. To fear Him, will be the first step to obtaining true wisdom.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Psalm 110
Psa 110:4 The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."
This is the first time the name of Melchizedek is mentioned outside the book of Genesis. He is kind of a mysterious figure. Some will argue, "Was that Jesus Christ revealing Himself to Abraham or was that just a type of Christ." I cannot give a precise answer, however I can provide interesting facts.
1. Melchizedek was the first and only mention of a King / Priest in the Bible outside of Jesus. He was said to be a High Priest. This meant that he lead his people spiritually. He gave the offering that forgave their sins. He was the people's bridge between them and God.
He was also a King. He led the people. He ruled over them. They followed him wherever he said, and he had complete authority.
2. Melchizedek was king of Salem (Peace), later to be Jerusalem. Jesus promises to be Lord of Jerusalem and rule over it forever. Whoever this mysterious character was, he was on the throne of the most important city in history.
3. Hebrews tells us as well as our featured verse that Jesus came from the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Only a greater entitiy could bless and the lesser would receive. Melchizedek confidently blessed Abraham, knowing he was the greater entity of the two. Jesus does the same for us, blessing us as the greater.
4. Melchizedek broke bread with Abraham. Although Melchizedek was greater, he invites Abraham as an equal, to break and eat at his table. So Jesus invites us to His table to eat with Him!
There is plenty more to learn. To do so, turn to the following Chapters: Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7
This is the first time the name of Melchizedek is mentioned outside the book of Genesis. He is kind of a mysterious figure. Some will argue, "Was that Jesus Christ revealing Himself to Abraham or was that just a type of Christ." I cannot give a precise answer, however I can provide interesting facts.
1. Melchizedek was the first and only mention of a King / Priest in the Bible outside of Jesus. He was said to be a High Priest. This meant that he lead his people spiritually. He gave the offering that forgave their sins. He was the people's bridge between them and God.
He was also a King. He led the people. He ruled over them. They followed him wherever he said, and he had complete authority.
2. Melchizedek was king of Salem (Peace), later to be Jerusalem. Jesus promises to be Lord of Jerusalem and rule over it forever. Whoever this mysterious character was, he was on the throne of the most important city in history.
3. Hebrews tells us as well as our featured verse that Jesus came from the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Only a greater entitiy could bless and the lesser would receive. Melchizedek confidently blessed Abraham, knowing he was the greater entity of the two. Jesus does the same for us, blessing us as the greater.
4. Melchizedek broke bread with Abraham. Although Melchizedek was greater, he invites Abraham as an equal, to break and eat at his table. So Jesus invites us to His table to eat with Him!
There is plenty more to learn. To do so, turn to the following Chapters: Genesis 14:18, Hebrews 7
Monday, October 13, 2008
Psalm 109
Psa 109:27 That they may know that this is Your hand— That You, LORD, have done it!
David speaks some pretty intense words in this Psalm. It may seem like he has a bitter grudge against an individual. We know David to be a man after God's own heart, therefore, why is David so bitter?
I believe our featured verse gives us the answer. Remember when David first heard Goliath. He was angry. He was angry that Israel was allowing this man to put down the name of the Lord. We was not angry because the giant was putting down Israel. David did not get upset because he had some sort of Jewish pride. It was simply because Israel was allowing Goliath to put down the name of the Lord.
David wants justice, and he wants it that God may be glorified. His prayer is intense, however he recognizes that to disrespect the Lord is an intense sin. Those spoken about in this chapter are lying, thieving, men who step on the poor and disrespect the Lord. Their one concern is to bring themselves glory. David therefore prays that their names be blotted out of history.
May the most important thing in our lives be God. May we live that He might be glorified. May the works of our hands be testimony that - GOD HAS DONE IT!
David speaks some pretty intense words in this Psalm. It may seem like he has a bitter grudge against an individual. We know David to be a man after God's own heart, therefore, why is David so bitter?
I believe our featured verse gives us the answer. Remember when David first heard Goliath. He was angry. He was angry that Israel was allowing this man to put down the name of the Lord. We was not angry because the giant was putting down Israel. David did not get upset because he had some sort of Jewish pride. It was simply because Israel was allowing Goliath to put down the name of the Lord.
David wants justice, and he wants it that God may be glorified. His prayer is intense, however he recognizes that to disrespect the Lord is an intense sin. Those spoken about in this chapter are lying, thieving, men who step on the poor and disrespect the Lord. Their one concern is to bring themselves glory. David therefore prays that their names be blotted out of history.
May the most important thing in our lives be God. May we live that He might be glorified. May the works of our hands be testimony that - GOD HAS DONE IT!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Psalm 108
Psa 108:2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.
Have you ever watched the sunrise? It can be a beautiful thing. I remember waking up at the beach in Ocean City. It was really early. I walked out to the ocean and simply watched the sun come up. Life is slower for these brief moments. You are watching the beginning of a new day. You are thinking of everything that will happen that day. If you are looking forward to something, it can be very exciting.
Here is David. He has awoken. He is excited about a brand new day. He is excited to spend time with the Lord. Despite that his enemies are at his feet, despite the fact that they are in battle, despite the fact that he finds no help from fellow man, he wakes to a new day excited to see God work. What glorious faith!
It is a new day! Wake the world up. Be excited. Whatever may be happening in your life right now, get excited about what the Lord is going to do. He is worthy to be praised.
Have you ever watched the sunrise? It can be a beautiful thing. I remember waking up at the beach in Ocean City. It was really early. I walked out to the ocean and simply watched the sun come up. Life is slower for these brief moments. You are watching the beginning of a new day. You are thinking of everything that will happen that day. If you are looking forward to something, it can be very exciting.
Here is David. He has awoken. He is excited about a brand new day. He is excited to spend time with the Lord. Despite that his enemies are at his feet, despite the fact that they are in battle, despite the fact that he finds no help from fellow man, he wakes to a new day excited to see God work. What glorious faith!
It is a new day! Wake the world up. Be excited. Whatever may be happening in your life right now, get excited about what the Lord is going to do. He is worthy to be praised.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Psalm 107
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
(Psalms 107:2)
I love this verse, because it reminds us of a facet of redemption that we don’t often think about. We talk a lot about how Jesus saved us from our sins, and was judged so we wouldn’t have to be judged; but it isn’t very often that we talk about WHO we were bought back from.
This verse tells us that we were REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF THE ENEMY. What exactly does that mean?
Well, to redeem something is to BUY IT BACK. The Hebrew word actually means to BUY SOMETHING BACK FROM BONDAGE. So, as believers, we are people who have been bought from not just the bondage of sin and death, but from the control of our enemy the Devil. The Hebrew word used here for “enemy” is a word that can mean OPPRESSION or OPPRESSOR. And isn’t that exactly what the Devil is? He has come to steal, kill and destroy; the one who oppresses and assaults all within his grasp. Praise the Lord; we are no longer in his grasp! We have been taken from his hand, not by force, but by Jesus Christ paying the FULL PRICE! This means that as the REDEEMED OF THE LORD, the devil no longer has any right or claim on our lives!
So what are you gonna do about it? Tell the world about it!!! LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO!
(Psalms 107:2)
I love this verse, because it reminds us of a facet of redemption that we don’t often think about. We talk a lot about how Jesus saved us from our sins, and was judged so we wouldn’t have to be judged; but it isn’t very often that we talk about WHO we were bought back from.
This verse tells us that we were REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF THE ENEMY. What exactly does that mean?
Well, to redeem something is to BUY IT BACK. The Hebrew word actually means to BUY SOMETHING BACK FROM BONDAGE. So, as believers, we are people who have been bought from not just the bondage of sin and death, but from the control of our enemy the Devil. The Hebrew word used here for “enemy” is a word that can mean OPPRESSION or OPPRESSOR. And isn’t that exactly what the Devil is? He has come to steal, kill and destroy; the one who oppresses and assaults all within his grasp. Praise the Lord; we are no longer in his grasp! We have been taken from his hand, not by force, but by Jesus Christ paying the FULL PRICE! This means that as the REDEEMED OF THE LORD, the devil no longer has any right or claim on our lives!
So what are you gonna do about it? Tell the world about it!!! LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Psalm 106
Our fathers in
(Psalms 106:7-13)
Seeing God’s great power displayed, the children of Israel BELIEVED GOD’S WORDS and SANG GOD’S PRAISE. This is good. What happened next is not. What happened next is actually very bad. THEY SOON FORGOT HIS WORKS and THEY DID NOT WAIT FOR HIS COUNSEL.
There is a pattern that we see develop through out scripture, a pattern of FORGETFULLNESS among the people of God. When God works in our lives in visible, tangible ways, we shout and cheer, and promise to obey His commands. But, sooner than later, we forget what He has done, and as a result, we stop listening to His voice.
Now, the greatest thing that God has done for each one of us is DYING ON THE CROSS for our sins and RISING AGAIN so we can have new life in Him. If we REMEMBER this truth, it AFFECTS the WAY WE LIVE, and the WAY WE RESPOND TO HIS WORD. When we lose sight of the cross and the resurrection, then we quickly slide back into modes of living that are selfish and self-motivated.
The only way to avoid this problem that plagued the Israelites is to COME BACK TO THE CROSS DAILY. We need to keep Jesus and what He did before us at all times. So my friends preach the gospel to yourselves and each other everyday! Don’t neglect the “SO GREAT SALVATION” that the Bible tells us all about; LIVE IT!
Friday, October 03, 2008
Psalm 105
He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,"
(Psalms 105:8-11)
This is a great reminder to all of us of just how faithful God is to keep His promises. Here in
Here we see that God has made an EVERLASTING COVENANT to the nation of
If God meant it when He said this, do you think He means it when He promises us a “future and a hope”? Do you think He means it when He promises us that He will “wipe away every tear”? Do you think Jesus meant it when He promised that He would return?
My friends take God’s promises to the bank! Don’t doubt Him! Have a concrete confidence that the Lord will do what He has promised! Today, don’t let the opinions of man, or the circumstances of life dictate the decisions you make… Instead, base your choices and actions on the promises of God. BUILD YOUR LIFE ON THE ROCK!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Psalm 104
Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
(Psalms 104:2)
Does this verse remind you of anything? Any event in the life of Jesus? Can you think of a time when Jesus appeared as though he had been clothed in light?
THE TRANSFIGURATION!!!
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
(Matthew 17:1-2)
This idea of God as Light comes up throughout the scriptures over and over… Light is silent, but it transforms the way we see things… in fact, without it we are blind.
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
(1 Timothy 6:13-16)
God dwells in unapproachable light. As His children, we are called to walk in that same light.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1 John 1:5-7)
You guys know these things. Rather than add any more commentary, I just want to exhort you to do 2 things: Meditate on what it means for God to be clothed in light, and then ask yourself what it means to walk in that same light!
(Psalms 104:2)
Does this verse remind you of anything? Any event in the life of Jesus? Can you think of a time when Jesus appeared as though he had been clothed in light?
THE TRANSFIGURATION!!!
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
(Matthew 17:1-2)
This idea of God as Light comes up throughout the scriptures over and over… Light is silent, but it transforms the way we see things… in fact, without it we are blind.
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
(1 Timothy 6:13-16)
God dwells in unapproachable light. As His children, we are called to walk in that same light.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1 John 1:5-7)
You guys know these things. Rather than add any more commentary, I just want to exhort you to do 2 things: Meditate on what it means for God to be clothed in light, and then ask yourself what it means to walk in that same light!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Psalm 103
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalms 103:12)
This is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture. I love it because it helps us to understand that God’s forgiveness is not conditional or partial like ours is. When I forgive people, it often has strings attached… maybe it’s conditioned on their ability to keep repeating the sin, or accompanied with a commitment to “never forget”. This is not the way that God deals with sin that is perpetrated against Him.
We read here that God has removed our transgressions from us. He has forgiven us, and in so doing, He has taken our sins, and completely removed them. They are no longer connected to us! Now if I was God, I would probably file them a way in some sort of heavenly storage unit, where I could pull them out from time to time to threaten the sinner and keep him in line.
This is not what God does… he puts them as far away from us as possible, as far as “east is from west”. This is a really cool word picture, because “east” and “west” aren’t actual places. There isn’t a set mileage, like, “travel 9000 miles and you’ll get to the sin”. East and West never meet. They are INFINITELY separate. Notice, God didn’t say “north” and “south”. That would have been a calculable distance. Instead, He chose to use a metaphor that couldn’t be computed! Why? Because God wanted us to realize something very important; When He forgives, it’s FOREVER.
Rejoice today in this glorious truth… your sins have been taken care of COMPLETELY and ETERNALLY!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Psalm 102
Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
(Psalms 102:25-27)
I drove by my old neighborhood the other day when I was coming home from the doctor. It had changed. I have all these great memories from that neighborhood, memories of growing up, and none of it looks the same. The house I used to live in looks different. There is a big play set built where second base used to be in my yard, and the trees in “right field” are gone. (As I kid I thought about my yard in terms of a baseball field)
It’s a fact, everything in this life changes… nothing stays the same. We read here in this Psalm that even the heavens will one day grow old, and the Lord will change them like you or I change clothes. CRAZY!!!
In the midst of this changing world, we serve a God who NEVER CHANGES! That fact is one of the greatest truths about our God. He is never going to grow old, or get tired; He will be the same for all of eternity. Unlike my old neighborhood, I can trust that God will always be the same… faithful, true, available to you and I. My friends, be thankful today that our God NEVER CHANGES!
(Psalms 102:25-27)
I drove by my old neighborhood the other day when I was coming home from the doctor. It had changed. I have all these great memories from that neighborhood, memories of growing up, and none of it looks the same. The house I used to live in looks different. There is a big play set built where second base used to be in my yard, and the trees in “right field” are gone. (As I kid I thought about my yard in terms of a baseball field)
It’s a fact, everything in this life changes… nothing stays the same. We read here in this Psalm that even the heavens will one day grow old, and the Lord will change them like you or I change clothes. CRAZY!!!
In the midst of this changing world, we serve a God who NEVER CHANGES! That fact is one of the greatest truths about our God. He is never going to grow old, or get tired; He will be the same for all of eternity. Unlike my old neighborhood, I can trust that God will always be the same… faithful, true, available to you and I. My friends, be thankful today that our God NEVER CHANGES!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Psalm 101
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
(Psalms 101:3)
So, what kinds of things are you guys and girls setting before your eyes? What are the things that you are watching on TV, looking at in magazines, or even observing in the world? The Psalmist here says that he will not set any wicked thing before his eyes. From time to time we have inappropriate things cross our line of vision and have no control over it. That is not what the Psalmist is talking about. He is talking about what we choose to take in through our eyes. Those things affect us much more than we think!
Do we take pleasure in watching people do things we would never do? If we do, then we don’t really “hate the work of those who fall away”. The psalmist alludes to the fact that if we don’t hate the sinful behaviors of the world, those same behaviors will affect us. As he describes it here, they will CLING TO US.
So my friends be careful today about what you allow to pass through your eyes into your hearts. Ask yourself today, do I really hate sin, or am I allowing it to cling to me?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Psalm 100
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
Here is a sweet little Psalm. It reminds us to tak the focus off us and put it on the Lord. Its instructions are simply: serve the Lord with gladness.
I hope that your relationship with God is not a strenuous one. God wants your offerings from the willingness of your own heart. He wants you to do devotions, because you are devoted. He wants you to serve because you love. He wants you to serve because you are glad and have something to share.
If you are not experiencing the joy of the Lord in your service, stop. Take a break. Just spend some time with the Lord. After spending time in His presence, He will be faithful to put the joy back in your life.
Here is a sweet little Psalm. It reminds us to tak the focus off us and put it on the Lord. Its instructions are simply: serve the Lord with gladness.
I hope that your relationship with God is not a strenuous one. God wants your offerings from the willingness of your own heart. He wants you to do devotions, because you are devoted. He wants you to serve because you love. He wants you to serve because you are glad and have something to share.
If you are not experiencing the joy of the Lord in your service, stop. Take a break. Just spend some time with the Lord. After spending time in His presence, He will be faithful to put the joy back in your life.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Psalm 99
Psa 99:8 You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though You took vengeance on their deeds.
God is holy. We can spend a lifetime simply talking about the holiness of God. He is so holy, we could not have communion with Him without the blood of Jesus Christ. He is so holy that to look upon Him would spell death for anyone. He is so holy that to His box proves fatal.
God is to be worshiped because He is holy. Nevertheless, there are more attributes of God that are equally as dominant as His holiness. God is love. God is merciful. God is forgiving.
Think about what our relationship with the Lord would be like if He were not loving and forgiving. I often say, I respect God for His holiness, but love God for His grace. His perfect power and strength is met with an extreme desire for relationship. He desires to meet with us. He desires to spend time with us. He desires to forgive us our sins.
Praise the Lord for He is worthy to be praised (He is holy). Praise the Lord because He has forgiven you. Most importantly, do not take advantage of God's forgiveness. He has forgiven you that He might meet with you. Meet with Him, and spend time with your Savior.
God is holy. We can spend a lifetime simply talking about the holiness of God. He is so holy, we could not have communion with Him without the blood of Jesus Christ. He is so holy that to look upon Him would spell death for anyone. He is so holy that to His box proves fatal.
God is to be worshiped because He is holy. Nevertheless, there are more attributes of God that are equally as dominant as His holiness. God is love. God is merciful. God is forgiving.
Think about what our relationship with the Lord would be like if He were not loving and forgiving. I often say, I respect God for His holiness, but love God for His grace. His perfect power and strength is met with an extreme desire for relationship. He desires to meet with us. He desires to spend time with us. He desires to forgive us our sins.
Praise the Lord for He is worthy to be praised (He is holy). Praise the Lord because He has forgiven you. Most importantly, do not take advantage of God's forgiveness. He has forgiven you that He might meet with you. Meet with Him, and spend time with your Savior.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Psalm 98
Psa 98:1 A Psalm. Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
David often tells us to sing to the Lord a new song. Immediately my mind jumps to exhortation toward the church at Ephesus. In Revelation 2 the Lord says that the church of Ephesus had left their first love. Everything ha grown kind of stale. Nothing was new.
We pay a lot to have something new. A new car often loses $2000 dollars worth of value the moment it is driven off the lot. Sometimes people get tired of a relationship because it loses that new and exciting stage.
All this to say that our relationship with Jesus is to be new every morning. You should not be living off that same relationship you had 5 years ago. Instead, you should be singing new songs. You should be learning new things. You should be experiencing who God is in a new way. Your relationship should be fresh.
People leave their first love because it stops being new. Jesus desires a fresh new relationship with you every day. Meet with Him and draw close. Be blessed!
David often tells us to sing to the Lord a new song. Immediately my mind jumps to exhortation toward the church at Ephesus. In Revelation 2 the Lord says that the church of Ephesus had left their first love. Everything ha grown kind of stale. Nothing was new.
We pay a lot to have something new. A new car often loses $2000 dollars worth of value the moment it is driven off the lot. Sometimes people get tired of a relationship because it loses that new and exciting stage.
All this to say that our relationship with Jesus is to be new every morning. You should not be living off that same relationship you had 5 years ago. Instead, you should be singing new songs. You should be learning new things. You should be experiencing who God is in a new way. Your relationship should be fresh.
People leave their first love because it stops being new. Jesus desires a fresh new relationship with you every day. Meet with Him and draw close. Be blessed!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Psalm 97
The LORD reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
(Psalms 97:1-2)
So often the rulers of this world and it’s systems of government build their authority on lies, distortion, and unjust actions. In the midst of all of the spin and rhetoric, it can be hard to find the truth. We end up feeling like we can’t trust those in authority, like maybe we are being lied to or used. I have good news for you today: there is a leader who can be trusted. His kingdom is not of this world, yet it is intimately involved in the details of this life. It transcends borders, countries, and continents. This leader is the LORD Jesus Christ!
We are told here that the LORD; not Putin, or Osama, or McCain, or Obama, or Palin, or Bush, or Biden, or Hussein, or Blair, or Arafat, or Hitler, or Mussolini; the LORD, the God who created the universe, reigns! What should the response be? LET ALL THE EARTH REJOICE!!! Not just this country or that country, this party or that party, but ALL OF THE EARTH. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, is the only one who has the right to claim the throne. We need to remember this. No matter who is in leadership here or anywhere else, we know this; the LORD is on the throne!
What makes the Lord’s leadership so great? It’s His platform… He isn’t campaigning to please one group or another… no; we read here that RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE are the FOUNDATION of His throne. Not just righteousness, or justice alone, but the 2 working in concert. Moral excellence, coupled with a stance of love toward all, and a promise to see justice served; this is what makes the Lord’s leadership so wonderful. I think I just might write in Jesus 4 president in ’08!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Psalm 96
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
(Psalms 96:9)
There are many things in this life that I find beautiful. My wife is beautiful. My daughter is beautiful. My mom and my sister are beautiful. I think it’s beautiful when fresh snow blankets everything, transforming our world into a different place. I think sunsets and sunrises are beautiful. Thunderstorms are beautiful. Riding in a convertible at the beach is beautiful. The ocean is beautiful. If I’m honest, I would have to say that LIFE is beautiful. I love life, and I’m kinda sappy, so I tend to see almost everything that still has the mark of our Creator on it as beautiful.
One thing that I will confess that I never used to think of as beautiful was holiness. I used to think of holiness as something frightening, alarming, something deadly to human touch. A few years ago, the Lord used this verse and a couple of others like it to change how I viewed holiness. It went from something that was FEAR inspiring; to something that was AWE inspiring. You see, God’s holiness is everything that makes him different from the stuff of this earth. He is altogether separate, and though we see glimpses of His character in His creation, His essence is totally different than anything we see here. My friends, the Lord is beautiful, and it is in part His holiness that makes Him beautiful. Where this world brings trouble, the Lord brings peace. Where there is hurt, the Lord offers solace and comfort. Where things here are broken and deficient, the Lord is perfect and complete.
When the psalmist said “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness”, some commentators say he was referring to the temple. That is really interesting to me. The temple was a manifestation of the beauty and holiness of the Lord; a place where people could go to meet with the Lord, and to worship Him. Today, WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit… God does not reside in a building, but in us, the hearts and lives of His people. We are called to live holy lives. To “Be Holy as He is Holy”. So, when we read these words, “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” it doesn’t just mean “worship the Lord because his holiness is beautiful”… it literally can mean, “Worship the Lord by stepping into the beauty that is His holiness, allow him to separate you from the world, to draw you unto Himself, worship Him there in that beautiful place where you are set apart for Him alone”.
Today my friends, allow the Lord to make your life beautiful with HIS HOLINESS. Set yourself apart today, and worship the Lord. It’s a beautiful thing!
(Psalms 96:9)
There are many things in this life that I find beautiful. My wife is beautiful. My daughter is beautiful. My mom and my sister are beautiful. I think it’s beautiful when fresh snow blankets everything, transforming our world into a different place. I think sunsets and sunrises are beautiful. Thunderstorms are beautiful. Riding in a convertible at the beach is beautiful. The ocean is beautiful. If I’m honest, I would have to say that LIFE is beautiful. I love life, and I’m kinda sappy, so I tend to see almost everything that still has the mark of our Creator on it as beautiful.
One thing that I will confess that I never used to think of as beautiful was holiness. I used to think of holiness as something frightening, alarming, something deadly to human touch. A few years ago, the Lord used this verse and a couple of others like it to change how I viewed holiness. It went from something that was FEAR inspiring; to something that was AWE inspiring. You see, God’s holiness is everything that makes him different from the stuff of this earth. He is altogether separate, and though we see glimpses of His character in His creation, His essence is totally different than anything we see here. My friends, the Lord is beautiful, and it is in part His holiness that makes Him beautiful. Where this world brings trouble, the Lord brings peace. Where there is hurt, the Lord offers solace and comfort. Where things here are broken and deficient, the Lord is perfect and complete.
When the psalmist said “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness”, some commentators say he was referring to the temple. That is really interesting to me. The temple was a manifestation of the beauty and holiness of the Lord; a place where people could go to meet with the Lord, and to worship Him. Today, WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit… God does not reside in a building, but in us, the hearts and lives of His people. We are called to live holy lives. To “Be Holy as He is Holy”. So, when we read these words, “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” it doesn’t just mean “worship the Lord because his holiness is beautiful”… it literally can mean, “Worship the Lord by stepping into the beauty that is His holiness, allow him to separate you from the world, to draw you unto Himself, worship Him there in that beautiful place where you are set apart for Him alone”.
Today my friends, allow the Lord to make your life beautiful with HIS HOLINESS. Set yourself apart today, and worship the Lord. It’s a beautiful thing!
Psalm 95
Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would listen to His voice today!
(Psalms 95:6-7)
Who is our God? Who is the one that we worship, the only one worthy of praise? The Lord our Maker… that’s who! In our world, people worship God’s of all sorts, and most of those God’s are things that they have MADE. People worship their jobs, their cars, their homes, their husbands/wives/boyfriends/girlfriends; they give all they have to the pursuit of things that are man made and broken in nature.
In Philippians 3:19, Paul tells us that some of the people around us have a really strange God. He says “Their God is their BELLY”! This means that they worship their flesh and its desires; they spend all of their time and energy feeding the lusts of their flesh, and in essence, they are worshipping themselves.
We are told here that we are not to worship anything that has been created; instead our worship belongs solely to the creator of all things. Whether created by us, mankind, or God; nothing we can find in this world is worthy of our worship. We are told here that we should WORSHIP, BOW DOWN and KNEEL before the Lord who made us… He alone is our God. He watches over us, cares for us; like a shepherd and His sheep, we are His flock, and he tends to our every need.
As we worship the LORD, the one who made heaven and earth, the one who made US; there is something we are told we should be doing on a daily basis. The psalmist says, “LISTEN TO HIS VOICE TODAY!” Friends, the Lord, the one who made you wants to speak to you today. He wants to guide and direct your steps; He wants to lead you in the paths of righteousness. He doesn’t lead with a bit and bridle, or a cattle prod… He does it with his voice. So my friends LISTEN TO THE LORD TODAY!
(Psalms 95:6-7)
Who is our God? Who is the one that we worship, the only one worthy of praise? The Lord our Maker… that’s who! In our world, people worship God’s of all sorts, and most of those God’s are things that they have MADE. People worship their jobs, their cars, their homes, their husbands/wives/boyfriends/girlfriends; they give all they have to the pursuit of things that are man made and broken in nature.
In Philippians 3:19, Paul tells us that some of the people around us have a really strange God. He says “Their God is their BELLY”! This means that they worship their flesh and its desires; they spend all of their time and energy feeding the lusts of their flesh, and in essence, they are worshipping themselves.
We are told here that we are not to worship anything that has been created; instead our worship belongs solely to the creator of all things. Whether created by us, mankind, or God; nothing we can find in this world is worthy of our worship. We are told here that we should WORSHIP, BOW DOWN and KNEEL before the Lord who made us… He alone is our God. He watches over us, cares for us; like a shepherd and His sheep, we are His flock, and he tends to our every need.
As we worship the LORD, the one who made heaven and earth, the one who made US; there is something we are told we should be doing on a daily basis. The psalmist says, “LISTEN TO HIS VOICE TODAY!” Friends, the Lord, the one who made you wants to speak to you today. He wants to guide and direct your steps; He wants to lead you in the paths of righteousness. He doesn’t lead with a bit and bridle, or a cattle prod… He does it with his voice. So my friends LISTEN TO THE LORD TODAY!
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