Tag: jesus

Encountering God through Worship: Where Do We Encounter the Gospel inside the Book of Psalms? Psalm 10

Psalm 10 Complete Jewish Bible

10 Why, Adonai, do you stand at a distance?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in their arrogance hunt down the poor,
who get caught in the schemes they think up.

3 For the wicked boasts about his lusts;
he blesses greed and despises Adonai.
4 Every scheme of the wicked in his arrogance [says],
“There is no God, [so] it won’t be held against me.”
5 His ways prosper at all times.
Your judgments are way up there,
so he takes no notice.
His adversaries? He scoffs at them all.
6 In his heart he thinks, “I will never be shaken;
I won’t meet trouble, not now or ever.”
7 His mouth is full of curses, deceit, oppression;
under his tongue, mischief and injustice.
8 He waits near settlements in ambush
and kills an innocent man in secret;
his eyes are on the hunt for the helpless.
9 Lurking unseen like a lion in his lair,
he lies in wait to pounce on the poor,
then seizes the poor and drags him off in his net.
10 Yes, he stoops, crouches down low;
and the helpless wretch falls into his clutches.
11 He says in his heart, “God forgets,
he hides his face, he will never see.”

12 Arise, Adonai! God, raise your hand!
Don’t forget the humble!
13 Why does the wicked despise God
and say in his heart, “It won’t be held against me”?
14 You have seen; for you look at mischief and grief,
so that you can take the matter in hand.
The helpless commits himself to you;
you help the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked!
As for the evil man,
search out his wickedness
until there is none left.

16 Adonai is king forever and ever!
The nations have vanished from his land.
17 Adonai, you have heard what the humble want;
you encourage them and listen to them,
18 to give justice to the fatherless and oppressed,
so that no one on earth will strike terror again.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Having consistent and transformational encounters with God while on earth is meant to be foundational to the Christian life. Our God has not left us. Our God has not changed, cannot be changed, will not change, will never be changed. He is, was and forever be the same God – today, yesterday and every last tomorrow.

Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we’ve been filled with the very Spirit of God who longs to reveal to us daily the nearness and love of our heavenly Father. We are never left alone. There is nowhere we can flee from the presence of our God. It is likewise true God can always be found-sometimes in the most common places.

However, as much the Hebrews 13:8 remains forever true and unchangeable, it is more than well established through the Word of God that while things will always proceed according to God’s plan, humankind’s plan always, inevitably, falls apart and humanity struggles to regain the degree and measure of control they falsely believe they exercise over divine providence, and God ‘vanishes.’

Humankind inevitably will become all kind of flustered, frustrated and frayed.

10 Why do You stand far away, O Lord?
Why do You hide [Yourself, veiling Your eyes] in times of trouble? Psalm 10:1

The pitiful cries that are recorded in this Psalm 10 could be the words of many believers today.

Times of deepest troubles and severe persecution are touching every member of the Body of Christ in one way or another, many are repeatedly crying out: “Lord, why do you stand far off? Why do you (always) hide yourself in times of trouble?” 

What the Psalmist recorded 3000 years ago, mirrors the happenings of today, as many continue to ask, “Why does the Lord our God seem to remain silent while the innocents suffer? Why are those arrogant, evil men permitted to go unchallenged?”

We may not or never understand the full plans and purposes of God, but He has already appointed a time, a time known only to Him, to judge evil, the wicked.

We may be grieved by the wars, the atrocities, the incredible measures and degrees and divisiveness that are taking place today, but God has appointed a day to finish transgression, put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to set His King upon His holy Hill in Jerusalem.

For two thousand years, God has been pouring out grace upon grace, upon grace not willing that any should perish. But the day is coming when wicked and evil man will be called to a final account of their sins, day of wrath is surely coming when nations will be judged, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Jesus taught us in John 4:23, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” Your heavenly Father is seeking your worship. He longs for it. He so places highest values on your love, adoration that he would send his Son to die that the path to encountering him would be made available.

You, me, we, were first and foremost created to worship. You, me, we were all created to receive the love of your Creator and in response give him your heart.

You, me, we, will never feel as whole as when our hearts is connected to our Heavenly Father’s heart and you, me, we are giving, receiving love in worship.

Psalm 29 Complete Jewish Bible

29 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Give Adonai his due, you who are godly;
give Adonai his due of glory and strength;
2 give Adonai the glory due his name;
worship Adonai in holy splendor.

3 The voice of Adonai is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
Adonai over rushing waters,
4 the voice of Adonai in power,
the voice of Adonai in splendor.

5 The voice of Adonai cracks the cedars;
Adonai splinters the cedars of the L’vanon
6 and makes the L’vanon skip like a calf,
Siryon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of Adonai flashes fiery flames;
8 the voice of Adonai rocks the desert,
Adonai convulses the Kadesh Desert.
9 The voice of Adonai causes deer to give birth
and strips the forests bare —
while in his temple, all cry, “Glory!”
10 Adonai sits enthroned above the flood!
Adonai sits enthroned as king forever!
11 May Adonai give strength to his people!
May Adonai bless his people with shalom!

The Christian life is to be marked by disciplined heartfelt, genuine worship: worship filled with God’s presence and intimate nearness and nearness to the heartbeat of God that responds to a true encounter with the heart of God.

If that type of worship is new to you, that’s okay!

If the idea of encountering God in worship is new to you, there is joy and grace at the place of new beginnings.

Don’t allow your past to dictate the possibilities of your future.

Don’t allow past experiences where worship might not have been filled with encountering Jesus make you believe our future times of our worship won’t be marked by the power and intimacy and God’s presence. (Isaiah 6:1-10)

Where else Do We See the Gospel in the Psalms?

Asking how we see the gospel in the book of Psalms feels a little like asking, “How do we see the gospel in The Methodist Hymnal.”

Isn’t it there in every single song (hopefully)?

Of course, the Old Testament is different. But this is a book of music which Old Testament believers would have used to express their faith in the living God. 

In order to see the gospel in Psalms do we need to analyze every single chapter?

Are these not individual songs?

Or is there a unified theme to the Psalms which also points to the gospel?

I will argue that the Psalms not only point us to Jesus individually, the Book of Psalms as a compilation which will also point us to the finished work of Christ. 

How Do You Find the Gospel in the Old Testament? 

I suppose before understanding how to find the gospel in the OT, it’d be helpful for us to define the gospel.

The simplest definition is one given by JI Packer: God saves sinners.

If you’d like to put a bit more meat on your gospel presentation, I use two different frameworks with four points each.

The first is God—Man—Christ—Response.

The second is more of a story: Creation—Fall—Redemption—Glory. 

The first presentation centers upon God’s character and how humanity fails to meet God’s holy standard, as such the judgment of God is upon us.

But the good news is that Jesus Christ fixes this by fulfilling what is required through his life, death and resurrection.

Our only fitting response, then, is to respond to Him in repentance and faith.

When this happens, we are united to Christ and his record becomes our record. 

The second presentation centers upon the overarching story of the Bible.

God lovingly created us to love Him and enjoy Him forever.

We were made for rest, rule, and relationship.

But we made shipwreck of this, and so rather than having the blessings of obedience we are under the curse of disobedience.

Rather than having peace (rest), purpose (ruling), and healthy relationship we often experience the opposite.

Ultimately, we are alienated from God. But thankfully God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to bear our curse and to fulfill what God intended for humanity.

As such we now experience the blessings of Jesus’ obedience in our place.

He restores the rest, rule, and relationship we were created to enjoy.

Someday everything will be ultimately restored and we will live in a new heaven and a new earth. 

We could write entire books focusing on these various themes of the gospel.

But every gospel story follows this basic skeleton.

No matter where you find yourself in the Old Testament (or New Testament) you can find one of these various threads.

Every place in Scripture is either telling you something about God, something about our rebellion, something about His rescue, or something about our future restoration.

If you can spot this, then you can fill out the rest of the story. 

The Gospel in Psalms

For my studies, I have often compared the book of Psalms to a hymnbook.

That’s not entirely true.

It was a collection of poems throughout the history of Israel, many of which were set to music.

Most believe the 150 Psalms were compiled at some point after the Babylonian exile. How were they compiled? Did an ancient exiled editor just randomly pick a few poems, stick them together willy dilly, and then give them numbers?

Or was there an intentional structure? 

The first clue that there is an intentional structure is that many have headings.

In fact, we notice that there are five Books of the Psalms. This is likely intentional and connected to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). We also see that each of these books ends with a doxology.

This structure can help us understand the overall theme of the book of Psalms.

Taking the first two books as a bit of a thesis, I appreciate the summary given by The Bible Project.

They say, it is “the prayer book of God’s people as they strive to be faithful to the Torah as they wait for the Messianic Kingdom.”

How do these five books of Psalms support that theme?

And more importantly how does the story of the Psalms point to Christ?

Book I

Almost all of the psalms of Book I are attributed to David.

They carry a strong theme of fidelity to the Torah and the nature of the Davidic King and kingdom.

But they are often set in the middle of distressing situations.

Saul’s pursuit of David plays a prominent role throughout these.

And yet through this distress, we see a settled disposition to trust in the Lord.

The theme here is that of confrontation with the results of the fall.

The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent.

We see this theme played out through the conflict of Book I.

Book II

In Book II we are introduced to the Sons of Korah (Ps. 42-49), one psalm of Asaph (50), and then another group of psalms attributed to David (51-71).

It closes with a psalm of Solomon (72).

In this book, the posture towards the world is a bit different. Rather than a confrontation we see more of an invitation. Here the Abrahamic blessing is extended through the reign of the Messiah’s kingdom. But it is still set within a background of lament and longing and an underlying desire for repentance.

Book III

In Book III it is as if all the wheels come off of the locomotive.

The psalms further darken until they reach their climax in Psalm 88.

That is the psalm of lament where there is no positive turn.

It is only darkness.

But the book ends with a bit of a higher note in Psalm 89 as it points toward the promise of a messianic kingdom, but now it does so in light of the exile and the collapse of the Davidic Kingdom. How can the Messiah come through this?

How can a king sit on David’s throne when the people are divided, scattered?

Book IV

Book IV, opening with Psalm 90, seems like a response to the questions and the problems which the fall of the Davidic kingdom brings. 

Psalm 90 goes back to Moses and his call of repentance after the incident of the golden calf.

This is likely where the people are during the time when these psalms are compiled. There is an obvious theme here of the truth that “the Lord reigns.”

That is the answer to the exile. God is still able to bring that which He promised.

Book V

Book V has within it two sub-books: the Hallel and the Songs of Ascent.

These point to the promise of a new Exodus. Positioned within the middle of these sub-books is Psalm 119 — that really long psalm all about delight in the Torah. Once again, we see the original theme of the book of the Psalms.

The whole thing concludes with five Hallelu-Yah’s (Praise the Lord) — pointing to God’s coming rule and reign. 

The Psalms are a recasting of the history of Israel (really of all of humanity).

It tells the story of the gospel. God has decisively crushed the head of the serpent, but we are not yet there. We do not yet fully live in this redemption.

Therefore, we have some of the same struggles as the psalmist did. We have seasons of lament, where we are honest with God about our grief.

And we also have times of praise, prayer and worship — when the kingdom appears to be vividly breaking into our here and now. 

The gospel is in the structure of the Psalms through pointing to the coming Rescuer. Each of the Psalms point to Jesus. He is the long awaited for King.

He is the hope of the nations.

The Gospel in Psalm 88

Psalm 88 Complete Jewish Bible

88 (0) A song. A psalm of the sons of Korach. For the leader. Set to “Sickness that Causes Suffering.” A maskil of Heiman the Ezrachi.

2 (1) Adonai, God of my salvation,
when I cry out to you in the night,
3 (2) let my prayer come before you,
turn your ear to my cry for help!
4 (3) For I am oversupplied with troubles,
which have brought me to the brink of Sh’ol.
5 (4) I am counted among those going down to the pit,
like a man who is beyond help,
6 (5) left by myself among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave —
you no longer remember them;
they are cut off from your care.

7 (6) You plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into dark places, into the depths.
8 (7) Your wrath lies heavily on me;
your waves crashing over me keep me down. (Selah)
9 (8) You separated me from my close friends,
made me repulsive to them;
I am caged in, with no escape;
10 (9) my eyes grow dim from suffering.

I call on you, Adonai, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
11 (10) Will you perform wonders for the dead?
Can the ghosts of the dead rise up and praise you? (Selah)
12 (11) Will your grace be declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
13 (12) Will your wonders be known in the dark,
or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

14 (13) But I cry out to you, Adonai;
my prayer comes before you in the morning.
15 (14) So why, Adonai, do you reject me?
Why do you hide your face from me?

16 (15) Since my youth I have been miserable, close to death;
I am numb from bearing these terrors of yours.
17 (16) Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me,
your terrors have shriveled me up.
18 (17) They surge around me all day like a flood,
from all sides they close in on me.
19 (18) You have made friends and companions shun me;
the people I know are hidden from me.

Psalm 88 is horribly depressing.

Unlike the other psalms of lament, there is not a glimmer of hope here.

I believe this is an expression of what happens when the curses of Deuteronomy 28 fall upon a people.

It is precisely the situation which the exilic community is facing.

And with all of this pain comes deep questions. 

There are two questions which are crying out during an exile.

If the curse of the Law has fallen upon them, has their sin cut them off from God forever? How can an unholy people ever expect to return to a right relationship with God? Could they ever come back to the land? (That’s all one question, but trauma tends to ask the same question in multiple says). 

But these questions are cast against the background of God’s promises.

How can this be?

Has God cut them off forever?

Will they ever again be recipients of these great promises?

What does this mean for God’s name throughout the world?

Does this now mean that Babylon is more powerful?

Are they the victors? Did the serpent win? 

Ever feel this way yourself? 

I know I’ve had very dark nights of the soul.

I have felt in my bones the pain of Psalm 88. On one particularly low occasion I found myself praying Psalm 88. I felt like the psalm was written for me.

This is my situation.

This embodies my hurt.

But then I started to think of Christ.

Wait…Psalm 88 isn’t my psalm, it’s His. 

If anyone can pray Psalm 88 it is Christ who drank of the curse on our behalf. 

Jesus truly did bear in His body the full weight of the Deuteronomic curse.

Even though I’ve felt Psalm 88, and even though I may go through seasons where I can pray this and identify with it, I haven’t experienced it as deeply as Christ. He has gone several echelons deeper into the pit than I will ever go.

This is good news because the story doesn’t end with Psalm 88. We’re meant to read it with Psalm 89. And Psalm 89 invites us to hope in the coming Messiah.

That coming Messiah is Jesus — the resurrected One. As He shares in the death of Psalm 88, which our sin has brought about, He ultimately conquered death.

He did not stay in the grave. And through our union with Him, we won’t either!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 89 Complete Jewish Bible

89 (0) A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachi:

2 (1) I will sing about Adonai’s acts of grace forever,
with my mouth proclaim your faithfulness to all generations;
3 (2) because I said, “Grace is built to last forever;
in the heavens themselves you established your faithfulness.”

4 (3) You said, “I made a covenant with the one I chose,
I swore to my servant David,
5 (4) ‘I will establish your dynasty forever,
build up your throne through all generations.’” (Selah)

6 (5) Let the heavens praise your wonders, Adonai,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the angels.
7 (6) For who in the skies can be compared with Adonai?
Which of these gods can rival Adonai,
8 (7) a God dreaded in the great assembly of the holy ones
and feared by all around him?

9 (8) Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot!
Who is as mighty as you, Yah?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
10 (9) You control the raging of the sea;
when its waves rear up, you calm them.
11 (10) You crushed Rahav like a carcass;
with your strong arm you scattered your foes.
12 (11) The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
you founded the world and everything in it.
13 (12) You created north and south;
Tavor and Hermon take joy in your name.

14 (13) Your arm is mighty, your hand is strong,
your right hand is lifted high.
15 (14) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
grace and truth attend you.

16 (15) How happy are the people who know the joyful shout!
They walk in the light of your presence, Adonai.
17 (16) They rejoice in your name all day
and are lifted up by your righteousness,
18 (17) for you yourself are the strength in which they glory.
Our power grows by pleasing you,
19 (18) for our shield comes from Adonai —
our king is from the Holy One of Isra’el.

20 (19) There was a time when you spoke in a vision;
you declared to your loyal [prophets],
“I have given help to a warrior,
I have raised up someone chosen from the people.
21 (20) I have found David my servant
and anointed him with my holy oil.
22 (21) My hand will always be with him,
and my arm will give him strength.
23 (22) No enemy will outwit him,
no wicked man overcome him.
24 (23) I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
25 (24) My faithfulness and grace will be with him;
through my name his power will grow.
26 (25) I will put his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
27 (26) He will call to me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock of my salvation.’
28 (27) I will give him the position of firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
29 (28) I will keep my grace for him forever,
and in my covenant be faithful with him.
30 (29) I will establish his dynasty forever,
and his throne as long as the heavens last.

31 (30) “If his descendants abandon my Torah
and fail to live by my rulings,
32 (31) if they profane my regulations
and don’t obey my mitzvot,
33 (32) I will punish their disobedience with the rod
and their guilt with lashes.
34 (33) But I won’t withdraw my grace from him
or be false to my faithfulness.
35 (34) I will not profane my covenant
or change what my lips have spoken.
36 (35) I have sworn by my holiness once and for all;
I will not lie to David —
37 (36) his dynasty will last forever,
his throne like the sun before me.
38 (37) It will be established forever, like the moon,
which remains a faithful witness in the sky.” (Selah)

39 (38) But you spurned your anointed one,
rejected and vented your rage on him.
40 (39) You renounced the covenant with your servant
and defiled his crown in the dust.
41 (40) You broke through all his defenses
and left his strongholds in ruins.
42 (41) All who pass by plunder him;
he is an object of scorn to his neighbors.
43 (42) You raised up the right hand of his foes
and made all his enemies rejoice.
44 (43) You drive back his drawn sword
and fail to support him in battle.
45 (44) You brought an end to his splendor
and hurled his throne to the ground.
46 (45) You cut short the days of his youth
and covered him with shame. (Selah)

47 (46) How long, Adonai? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your fury burn like fire?
48 (47) Remember how little time I have!
Was it for no purpose that you created all humanity?
49 (48) Who can live and not see death?
Who can save himself from the power of the grave? (Selah)
50 (49) Where, Adonai, are the acts of grace you once did,
those which, in your faithfulness, you swore to David?
51 (50) Remember, Adonai, the taunts hurled at your servants,
which I carry in my heart [from] so many peoples!
52 (51) Your enemies, Adonai, have flung their taunts,
flung them in the footsteps of your anointed one.

53 (52) Blessed be Adonai forever.
Amen. Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Are We Believing the Promise That God Will Take Care of Us? How Can We Turn Adversity into Opportunity Like the Apostle Paul? Acts28:21-31

Acts 28:21-31 The Message

21-22 They said, “Nobody wrote warning us about you. And no one has shown up saying anything bad about you. But we would like very much to hear more. The only thing we know about this Christian sect is that nobody seems to have anything good to say about it.”

23 They agreed on a time. When the day arrived, they came back to his home with a number of their friends. Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him.

24-27 Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it. When the unbelievers got cantankerous and started bickering with each other, Paul interrupted: “I have just one more thing to say to you. The Holy Spirit sure knew what he was talking about when he addressed our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet:

Go to this people and tell them this:
“You’re going to listen with your ears,
    but you won’t hear a word;
You’re going to stare with your eyes,
    but you won’t see a thing.
These people are blockheads!
They stick their fingers in their ears
    so they won’t have to listen;
They screw their eyes shut
    so they won’t have to look,
    so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face
    and let me heal them.”

28 “You’ve had your chance. The non-Jewish outsiders are next on the list. And believe me, they’re going to receive it with open arms!”

30-31 Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

GOD Will Take Care of Me? I Just Got Bit by a Poisonous Snake!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? I Doubt it! Not Worth Believing! Not Worth One Single Moment of My Time! You’ll Stop Talking and Just Keep Walking on By! Not on Any Day of the Week Which has a ‘Y’ at the End of it! Tell it to the Hand!

In moments of despair, depression, and disillusionment, we all need to take a cue from our brother Paul and shake it off. Literally, Paul shook the snake off him and didn’t suffer any effects from what should have been a lethal bite.

Friend, I’m gonna tell on myself and keep it real here: I am hardcore horrible at shaking things off and choosing to believe the best. But so I want to emphasize shaking off disillusionment is key to getting back up when life knocks us down.

And when we shake all of that slithering snake bit envenomated trash off us, we need not make ourselves, obligate ourselves, suffer any ill effects from it either.

Meaning, when you start spiraling into disillusionment, you have to first stop obsessing over the lie that you have been abandoned by God and shake it off.

But we have to be assertive, we have to be God seeking, ready to take things a step further, make sure the venom of catastrophizing isn’t lingering inside us.

Paul learned the hardcore way what we have to learn, too: when you make it through the storm and all hell breaks loose on the shore— when you’ve been through all and it still keeps coming— we’ve got to pick up our Bibles, read the Word of God, Pray and Pray some more. God will hear us and we shake! it! off!

Bad memories? Bad Experiences? Bad Judgement? Bad Choices? Bad Decisions? Bad Results! Catastrophic Results! Lingering Results! My Sin is ever before Me!

Who of humanity can actually, genuinely, truthfully claim they have not been there, done that, have one or two or 10 mega tons of hardcore hardened regret?

I Suggest Raise Up! Pray Up! Pound your chest right now and say, “Get off me!”

Nah, you didn’t do it.

By my own confession, personal experience; You didn’t say it out loud. You said it in our head, and that doesn’t count. Say it out loud so the whole of your soul is shaken, is stirred, you can hear yourself, feel yourself, making that declaration.

Say it again so you feel it in your soul.

Say it a third time so the devil and his demons start shaking!

The Bible gives no record of Paul screaming, running around, or freaking out.

Why?

I think it’s because he didn’t do any of that.

Paul knew he wasn’t going to die on Malta.

Paul didn’t make a scene because he knew Rome was waiting, Rome was where Paul would proclaim the gospel of the risen Messiah before Caesar himself.

Well, friend, I’m with Paul.

I’m not going to inflict more suffering upon myself die on my Malta, because my arrest, prison in Rome is waiting too. Paul told his crew in the middle of a storm, “This has to happen.” And I’m telling myself, “This has to happen” too. 

If you are shipwrecked and gasping, grasping for life, you’ve been on “Malta” trying to figure out why you’re there, I want to point you back to the who.

Who is in control of your life?

Who cares? Who loves you? Who gave you the vision or dream for your life?

I pray that you answered “God” to all of those questions, stand firm in the faith that has brought you this far. It’s time to shake off the disillusionment.

This action isn’t just for you.

It’s for everyone who is watching you too!

See, when Paul got bit by the snake, no one came around him to help.

Everyone stood there, watched to see what he would do or what would happen.

Child of God, people are watching you.

People are always going to be watching you and for you, to start that fatal walk.

People are waiting for you to lose it, to walk away, or to curl up and die. But look at you! You are still here, still surviving and steadfastly refusing to ever give up.

I’m standing up! I am putting my running shoes on and tying them tight. and giving God some praise because God is still here, you are going to shake it off.

Speed Dial God Pick, Pray, yourself up and get ready because Rome is waiting.

Do we know what to do in our own Malta?

If we find ourselves there, how should we live?

Remember, dear friend, Paul didn’t want to go to Malta either.

Visiting Malta was not at all in his plan.

And yet . . .

When a viper attacks Paul, the local islanders think he will die. But Paul shakes the snake off, and no harm comes to him. When Paul does not die, the people think he is a god. But no, Paul is not a god. He does represent God, however.

Paul is almost all the way to Rome, but the witness of God through him continues every step of the way. Paul is on Malta because of a storm and a shipwreck. Paul gathers kindling for bringing warmth. And God continues to take care of him in different ways. God also takes care of the people of Malta.

The chief official of the island opens his home to welcome the shipwrecked visitors. During this time, God heals the official’s sick father through Paul.

A single moment of recognizing opportunity, sharing hospitality, becomes the momentous setting to see God’s healing power, many others are healed also.

At first glance, we see Paul shipwrecked on an island, delayed for three months on his journey to Rome. But soon we can see that God has brought Paul and the others there to bring presence, assurance, healing and the good news of Jesus.

In addition, we see God taking care of Paul and the others by bringing them to Malta. But then we also see that God takes care of Malta by bringing Paul and the others there and we witness the testimony of the healed being sent forth!

And as they travel on to Rome, they meet other people and are welcomed and encouraged. Doors are kept open! God, the Disciples are visible, welcoming!

May we too take heart and learn from God this day.

May we the Body of Christ, His Church in the world, be people who look again and again to see our God who is always at work taking care of us and others.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 46 The Message

46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
    courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
    the tremors that shift mountains.

    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
    this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
    God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
    but Earth does anything he says.

7     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything.”

11     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It! Just How Do I Say ‘Yes’ to God? Proverbs 3:5-8

Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible

5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths.

7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom;
but fear Adonai, and turn from evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and give strength to your bones.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Those Hidden Conversations – God with My Sins

Trust in Adonai with all of your heart …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

Do not rely on your own understanding …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

In all your ways acknowledge Adonai …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

Then Adonai will level your Paths …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

Don’t be wide eyed and conceited about your own wisdom …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

But fear Adonai, and turn from evil …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

This will bring health to your body …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

And give strength to your Bones …!

Yes! No! Maybe Maybe Not? Doubtful! Do Not Get Your Hopes Up! Forget It! Not On Any Day of the Week With a Y in It!

Do we seriously want to learn how to say yes to God? Many of us do. But saying yes to what God asks may include saying no to what you want and to what others think is best…how do we simply say yes when it’s hard to do?

This is when things get hopelessly complicated right? It is so easy to go along with God’s program when we are on board, but what about when God’s “ask” requires us to risk too much, leave our comfort zones, or walk by blind faith?

Saying yes to God is a bold declaration. In our ‘wise’ finite minds, we have to be certain we know just what we are getting into before we claim we are “all in.”

What Does It Look Like to Say YES to GOD?

Since I am a person who constantly needs concrete, real-life examples, I have been praying, seeking God, and going back and forth into the Bible for some answers. I wanted to see what saying yes looks like. Does that make sense?

So I opened my link to Biblegateway.com, started by making a list of all the ordinary, flawed, messed up, scared, and insecure people in the Bible who said yes to God not knowing, suspecting, what it would mean for their lives.

People In The Bible Who Said YES To GOD

  • Noah said YES when God asked him to build the ark.
  • Abraham said YES when God asked him to sacrifice his only son.
  • Joseph said YES when God asked him to forgive his brothers who beat and sold him into slavery.
  • Moses said YES when God told him to go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the Israelites go.
  • Rahab said yes when asked to hide the Israelite spies and risk her own life and the lives of her family.
  • David said YES when God asked him to fight the giant Goliath with only a slingshot and a few stones.
  • Esther said YES when Mordecai told her to go to the king to save her people.
  • Daniel said YES when God told him not to bow down and worship other idols.
  • Mary said YES when the angel told her she would carry God’s son, Jesus.
  • The disciples said YES when Jesus asked them to leave everything behind and follow him.
  • Paul said YES when God asked him to deliver the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles.
  • Ananias said YES when Jesus told him to touch Paul’s eyes, restore his sight, begin his apostleship to the Gentiles, plant churches, write letters which eventually became the bulk of the New Testament, by far, the greatest evangelist of the 1st century church.

How Do We Say Yes to God?

Proverbs 3:5-8 Amplified Bible

5 
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6 
[a]In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
7 
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.
8 
It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts]
And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones.

First, determine to say no in your mind.

“A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.” – Proverbs 25:28 MSG

I like how the New King James Version put it as well:

“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”

That word “spirit” can also mean mind.

And isn’t that the truth.

If we can’t rule our minds, then we are defenseless against the enemy’s schemes. We are like a home with its doors and windows knocked in. Anyone can come in and steal and kill whatever they want. A person without the ability to control their thoughts is the exact same person that the enemy will go after.

Telling yourself no means confronting the thoughts that are not from God.

Thoughts of rejection, insecurity, doubt, self-doubt… these things are not from God. And if those thoughts are running amok, and rampant in our minds, we are actually telling God no! We cannot believe both the world’s lies and God’s truth at the same time. If we are accepting the lies, then we are rejecting God’s Truth.

Where in your thought-life do you believe lies?

Second, have faith in God’s promises.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.“ – Hebrews 11:1

Saying yes to God means stepping out into the unknown; moving forward in something that you believe God is asking you to do (it’s confirmed in His Word).

When those young people stood up before the whole church, they had no idea where God was going to lead them. I remember in fall 2005 confessing to my pastor that I was planning to be a great evangelist because I didn’t see any women in my future. He just laughed and told me no! I married my wife 2010.

If you read Hebrews 11, you’ll see all those ‘heroes of the faith’ who have gone before us with faith to see things that were unseen at the time.

Take the Patriarch Abraham for example; God asked him to leave his country and go somewhere else to establish a new covenant with Him. BY FAITH Abraham obeyed and went out even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrew 11:8-9 and Romans Chapter 4)

Here are more verses for mediation.

Do we .01% believe God when he says these things? Do you trust that He is working all things for YOUR GOOD? That He does have a purpose in your life?

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”– Romans 8:28

 “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  –Isaiah 40:31

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”-Isaiah 43:2

Even our lack of faith cannot thwart God’s purposes.

All of the saints spoken of in Hebrews 11 were flawed humans just like us, and God still used them.

Why? Because they (some very reluctantly) continued to say yes to Him!

Exodus 3:1-12 Amplified Bible

The Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro (Reuel) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God. 2 The [a]Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing flame of fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was on fire, yet it was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, “I must turn away [from the flock] and see this great sight—why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned away [from the flock] to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then God said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet [out of respect], because the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

7 The Lord said, “I have in fact seen the affliction (suffering, desolation) of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters (oppressors); for I know their pain and suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand (power) of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a land [that is] good and spacious, to a land [b]flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]—to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me; and I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.

The Mission of Moses

10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and then bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.”

They ultimately rejected the lies of the enemy and continued to trust despite their very obvious and severe shortcomings.

This word is for us too.

This day, if God is asking you to move forward on something – say YES!

How will you know if God is asking you to say yes to something?

He will confirm it through His word.

Do not be shy to ask for confirmation, either!

Ask God to confirm what He is asking. He will do it.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 Complete Jewish Bible

8 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:

2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!
The fame of your majesty
spreads even above the heavens!

3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast
you established strength because of your foes,
in order that you might silence
the enemy and the avenger.

4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place —
5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them;
humans, that you watch over them with such care?

6 (5) You made him but little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
7 (6) you had him rule what your hands made,
you put everything under his feet —
8 (7) sheep and oxen, all of them,
also the animals in the wilds,
9 (8) the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

10 (9) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious
is your name throughout the earth!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Worship that is Worthy; Worship of the Only One Who Is Worthy and it is not Me, Myself nor I nor any Angels! Revelation 5:12

Revelation 5:11-14 Complete Jewish Bible

11 Then I looked, and I heard the sound of a vast number of angels — thousands and thousands, millions and millions! They were all around the throne, the living beings and the elders; 12 and they shouted out,

“Worthy is the slaughtered Lamb to receive
power, riches, wisdom, strength,
honor, glory and praise!”

13 And I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth and on the sea — yes, everything in them — saying,

“To the One sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb
belong praise, honor, glory and power
forever and ever!”

14 The four living beings said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshipped.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Bible scholars teach us that whenever a Roman emperor entered a city, the citizens shouted, “Worthy!” The apostle John, who had been exiled because he confessed Jesus as Lord, knew that only Jesus was worthy—not the emperor.

Today we are inspired, empowered, invited, welcomed, to see with spiritual eyes what John saw happening in heaven. We are summoned to join with the multitude of angels and other creatures in singing that the Lord is worthy.

God alone is worthy of all our praise and honor because he is the Creator and Savior. We owe every single breath to the One who has made us, and we have new life, purchased by the blood of Christ, because he was slain for our sake.

From the beginning, Our Lord Jesus, Our living Savior Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, He alone is worthy to open the scroll of history (explained in Rev. 6-9).

The One who died on the cross and who alone rose from the dead, giving us new life in order to serve and rule with him, is the One who now reigns. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to him, and his kingdom will never come to end.

Shall we lift up our voices and sing with all the creatures of our God and King?

“To him alone. . . to God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit be maximum praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! . . . Amen.”

Asking Ourselves; Why Our Worship Is Worth It

Psalm 78:1-8 Complete Jewish Bible

78 (0) A maskil of Asaf:

(1) Listen, my people, to my teaching;
turn your ears to the words from my mouth.
2 I will speak to you in parables
and explain mysteries from days of old.

3 The things which we have heard and known,
and which our fathers told us
4 we will not hide from their descendants;
we will tell the generation to come
the praises of Adonai and his strength,
the wonders that he has performed.

5 He raised up a testimony in Ya‘akov
and established a Torah in Isra’el.
He commanded our ancestors
to make this known to their children,
6 so that the next generation would know it,
the children not yet born,
who would themselves arise
and tell their own children,
7 who could then put their confidence in God,
not forgetting God’s deeds,
but obeying his mitzvot.
8 Then they would not be like their ancestors,
a stubborn, rebellious generation,
a generation with unprepared hearts,
with spirits unfaithful to God.

The psalmist and music leader Asaph wrote Psalm 78 to give praise unto the Lord and offer a testimony of remembrance to future generations of God’s faithfulness. His testimony in word and song is as relevant today to remind our generation and those to come after us why “worship is worth it” regardless of whether we feel like it or the state of the times makes us doubt His presence.

1. We Must Keep the Chain Going

In Psalm 78:2-4, Asaph stated his purpose: “I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

By current generations keeping the testimony of God’s faithfulness alive, future generations are admonished, reminded and, are too, given blessed assurance that our living Lord is capable and willing to handle the circumstances of today.

We voluntarily stress ourselves by contemplating the impact of inflation, the ethical and moral state of our country, the war in Ukraine, In Israel, effects of the pandemic, tepid enthusiasm, lukewarm spiritual condition of our churches.

However, our grandparents can give a very different testimony of fighting, living through world wars, pandemics, depressions, and segregation.

They did not have the technology and means of communication of today, yet, our God was actively present, did mighty things in spite of the circumstances.

Rest assured our Savior is still seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father.

Paul, in his second letter to his fellow servant Timothy, gave special attention to the testimony passed down to him. He wrote, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

2 Timothy 1:1-10 Complete Jewish Bible

1 From: Sha’ul, an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua

2 To: Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and shalom from God the Father and the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.

3 I give thanks to God, whom, like my forbears, I worship with a clean conscience, as I regularly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere trust, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice had first; and I am convinced that you too now have this trust.

6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time, 10 but made it public only now through the appearing of our Deliverer, the Messiah Yeshua, who abolished death and, through the Good News, revealed life and immortality.

Similarly, David wrote in Psalm 145:4, “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

Our personal testimony of redemption is our greatest praise unto our Savior and serves as a witness to the world.  

2. We have Been Fed

God “opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them corn of heaven” to feed His people.

We in the church age have been fed bountifully as well.

In John 6:51, Jesus described himself as the “living bread that came down from heaven.”

We have 66 books from which to feed upon.

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus indicated such when he spoke, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

This fact is complemented by Jesus’s words in John 6:63: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life..”

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “we will even now feed on Thee as our spiritual meat, and will pray Thee to chase away all wicked unbelief from us.”  

3. We have Been Clothed in His Provision

Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, clothed His chosen people with a cloud in the daytime and “all the night with a light of fire.”

He used Moses and protected them with the “clave of rocks in the wilderness.”

Our inheritance and clothing today are solely given through the power and provision of Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 61:10, the prophet wrote that the Lord, “has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.”

Job had this understanding as well when he wrote in 29:14, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.”

The proven failings of our self-righteousness are described to be as “filthy rags,” cogitating not only uselessness but also their repugnant nature in the eyes of an all-holy, all-righteous God. 

Ephesians 5:25-27 explains that He gave himself for the church “that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

4. We have Been Cleansed

The long soul shaking, spirit quaking rollercoaster ride of disobedience to repentance to obedience and return to disobedience expounded in the journeys of the Israelites reveal God’s deliverance in terms of His mercy and grace.

Following a manifestation of judgment, “they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.”

The foundation of our covenant is the cleansing power of the blood of Christ.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:28 specified, “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many of the forgiveness of sins.” 

Hebrews 9:14 asks us, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

Christ was our propitiation, or deflection, from the wrath suffered as punishment for our sins.

Unlike the sacrificial system in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ was the perfect offering once and for all.

When we are connected through His cleansing and purifying blood shed on the cross, we are protected, granted the inheritance of Jesus Christ as a joint heir.

The Heavenly Father sees the imputed righteousness of His son upon the believer. This cleansing is an eternal sealing from sin’s dominion over our lives.

Thus, we are judgment proof for all of eternity.     

5. He is Always Present

God “made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.”

Indeed, He is the good shepherd as extensively identified in Psalms 23.

David’s early life gave him a critical understanding of the importance of the shepherd being close to his flock. In Psalms 46:1, the psalmist declared the Lord to be “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

The safety and provision of His flock are of the utmost importance to the shepherd.

Similarly, our pastors are the shepherds of our churches by feeding them only the pure doctrine and theology from the Word of God for their guidance and growth.

He is given the charge in Acts 20:28 to, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”   

6. He Fights Our Battles

In Psalm 78 verses 43-52, Asaph recalls how our mighty Lord ravaged Egypt precipitating the deliverance of His people.

He contaminated the rivers with blood, sent devouring flies and frogs, inundated the land with caterpillars and locusts, crops were decimated by hail and frost, and their cattle were slaughtered by hail and flocks by thunderbolts.

Further, the anger of the Lord sent the angel of death upon them. Despite the wrath and indignation, Asaph emphasized in verse 52 that our Lord, “made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.”

The children of God in the Old Testament fought many of their battles against physical forces in claiming their land inheritances through the blessing of God.

Our inheritance is in Jesus Christ, an ever-present Lord and Savior.

His blood fought and won our battle over the judgment and dominion of sin.

However, like the Israelites had to drive out occupiers from their inheritance, we must use the power of the Holy Spirit to drive out the contemplations of the flesh and besetting sins by claiming the blessings of our covenant in our very own personal wildernesses in a world beset, over run, overwhelmed, with sin.

Paul in Ephesians 6:12, tells us that our battles are not against “flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

These forces cannot be overcome with bullets or bombs, mines, hand grenades.

Our most effective arsenal needs only to consist of the power, the provision, protection, and guidance of the Holy Spirit as promised in the Word of God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 145 Complete Jewish Bible

145 (0) Praise. By David:

(1) I will praise you to the heights, my God, the king;
I will bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is Adonai and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is beyond all searching out.
4 Each generation will praise your works to the next
and proclaim your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor
of your majesty and on the story of your wonders.
6 People will speak of your awesome power,
and I will tell of your great deeds.
7 They will gush forth the fame of your abounding goodness,
and they will sing of your righteousness.
8 Adonai is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in grace.
9 Adonai is good to all;
his compassion rests on all his creatures.
10 All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,
and your faithful servants will bless you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship,
and they will tell about your might;
12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts
and the glorious majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,
your reign continues through all generations.
14 Adonai supports all who fall
and lifts up all who are bent over.
15 The eyes of all are looking to you;
you give them their food at the right time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 Adonai is righteous in all his ways,
full of grace in all he does.
18 Adonai is close to all who call on him,
to all who sincerely call on him.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 Adonai protects all who love him,
but all the wicked he destroys.
21 My mouth will proclaim the praise of Adonai;
all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, Hurry and do Come down! Have Hope! Be the Hope! for I Must stay at your House today.” Luke 19:5-6

Luke 19:5-6 Easy-to-Read Version

5 When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.”

6 Zacchaeus hurried and came down. He was happy to have Jesus in his house.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

The story of Zacchaeus always fascinates me.

Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town. Word had spread about Jesus, and Zacchaeus wanted to get a glimpse of him. The crowds were so thick that Zacchaeus had to climb a tree in order to see Jesus pass by. But then Jesus stopped right in front of the tree little Zacchaeus was in, looked up at him, and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

The crowd overhearing this exchange was surprised—and not in a good way!

Zacchaeus was a tax collector for the Romans, and the people saw tax collectors as greedy collaborators who took advantage of the hardworking local citizens.

But then the crowd heard Jesus look and call up to only Zacchaeus.

But then the crowd witnessed Zacchaeus come down from the tree, ignoring the crowd, and what they were saying, the complaints they were voicing about him.

Then the crowd witnessed Jesus giving his full attention to Zacchaeus and not to anyone of them. None of them were being called to open their homes to Him.

Then the crowds witnessed Jesus walking and talking with Zacchaeus, walking away from the crowds and straight into the Roman Collaborators lavish home.

And not surprisingly they began to grumble and complain, get agitated at the offense of not being noticed, not being acknowledged, not even being invited.

And then finally, perhaps the last straw, they saw the door to Zacchaeus’ home being closed, probably being locked a hundred ways to Sunday, left out by Jesus.

Then they witnessed Jesus and Zacchaeus opening the door, hearing the locks being released, watching the two of them smiling, and conversing together.

But then in the days and weeks which followed, the crowd watched Zacchaeus transform. He gave generously to the poor, showed up at his neighbors’ doors, knocked, apologized, paid back four times what he had cheated from people.

This whole scene was unlike so many of Jesus’ other interactions with people.

Jesus didn’t heal Zacchaeus from a physical illness. He didn’t give Zacchaeus food or water. In fact, Jesus asked Zacchaeus for something—a place to stay.

In fact, Jesus offered Zacchaeus something he had probably given up on, had never been invited by anyone to receive hospitably – invitation to have hope.

If you’re like me, in these divided days, these suspicious days, these days when people are afraid to speak with for fear of giving offense, using all of the wrong pronouns, you might tend to wait for an invitation from someone to spend time with them—speak about Jesus to them, especially when you are “busy.” But is there anyone whom God might be prompting you to connect with Jesus today?

Risking what Jesus Risked, Reaching out in Prayer

John 17:20-26 Easy-to-Read Version

20 “I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 21 Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.

24 “Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. 25 Father, you are the one who always does what is right. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these followers of mine know that you sent me. 26 I showed them what you are like, and I will show them again. Then they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will live in them.”

With the indescribable exuberance of this new found faith, belief in Jesus, Zacchaeus had a new mission to fulfill, a new calling from God on his life.

Our own calling—our kingdom bound mission—starts with prayer. God works ever so powerfully through prayer, and we all can always go to God in prayer.

With deep faith in God, we can spend time with the Lord any time of the day.

In one of the best-known prayers in all the Bible, Jesus prays alone before His Father for you and me in John 17. What a comfort it is to read these words, see him reaching out to us. And what a role model he is for us in our life of prayer.

Many Christians and churches receive prayer requests regularly. Praying for neighbors or others (sometimes enemies?) in our life, whether for a specific request or general blessing, is a great way to participate in the work of the Lord.

We do not actually read of it happening in Luke’s Narrative, but I can envision both Zacchaeus and Jesus stopping before, in the midst of the angered crowd, to settle them down, bring peace into their lives and homes and community, and praying with and for and on behalf of those in the crowd who were stirred up.

And I can envision that the remaining life of Zacchaeus was spent leading in prayer, in community, in harmony, with his fellow villagers – in God’s name!

But I also want to encourage you to be a leader in prayer. Reaching out to others and asking “Come down from your sin and tell me How can I pray for you?” can be the exact moment of God, for God, words, exactly what people need to hear.

Joining God’s mission doesn’t necessarily mean moving to a different region or country; you can be in ministry, a missionary, right in your own neighborhood!

Many believers are often surprised that people who don’t seem to be religious will often welcome our invitation to be in prayer if they are actually being asked.

Being invited to come down from our Sycamore Trees to be a part of prayer with others reminds them that they matter, are seen not just by you, but also by God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 84 Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: On the gittith. A song of praise from the Korah family.

84 Lord All-Powerful, the place where you live is so beautiful!
2 Lord, I cannot wait to enter your Temple.
    I am so excited!
Every part of me cries out to be with the Living God.
3 Lord All-Powerful, my King, my God,
    even the birds have found a home in your Temple.
They make their nests near your altar,
    and there they have their babies.
4 Great blessings belong to those who live at your Temple!
    They continue to praise you. Selah

5 Great blessings belong to those who depend on you for strength!
    Their heart’s desire is to make the trip to your Temple.
6 They travel through Baca Valley,
    which God has made into a place of springs.
    Autumn rains form pools of water there.
7 The people travel from town to town[a]
    on their way to Zion, where they will meet with God.

8 Lord God All-Powerful, listen to my prayer.
    God of Jacob, listen to me. Selah

9 God, watch over the king, our protector.[b]
    Be kind to him, the one you have chosen.
10 One day in your Temple is better
    than a thousand days anywhere else.
Serving as a guard at the gate of my God’s house is better
    than living in the homes of the wicked.
11 The Lord God is our protector and glorious king.[c]
    He blesses us with kindness and honor.
The Lord freely gives every good thing
    to those who do what is right.
12 Lord All-Powerful,
    great blessings belong to those who trust in you!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Does Anyone Seriously Try to Get in Touch With, Envision, Connect With, The Day-to-Day Life of Rabbi Jesus? John 4:1-6

John 4:1-6 New Living Translation

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

4 Jesus[a] knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did).  3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noon time.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

When in Bible Study, when we try to share a brief story of Jesus with others, we often focus on his birth, his death for our sake, and his resurrection. We might also mention some of those amazing things about his teachings and miracles.

But how often do we talk about or think of what Jesus’ day-to-day life was like?

Jesus was fully God and fully human, which means that he got thirsty, tired, and hungry. We are going to go on, presume being human, he had normal bodily functions, had to go to the bathroom to relieve himself sometime during the day, perhaps several times, one way or the other, every single day from birth.

Several passages in the Bible describe Jesus’ spending time with his followers and doing very human things: he feasts at a wedding, he walks, travels with his disciples, and in our reading today we observe that he also gets tired and gets weary and has to sit down by a well, where he asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water—ends up in a friendly chat, telling her that he is the Messiah!

I wonder how many meals Jesus ate with his followers, how many walks he went on, and how many jokes he cracked over a campfire at night. I wonder if he ever took time out from the seriousness of his ministry and mission to just have some serious and prolonged efforts at just “cutting loose,” fun with the guys?

Did the infant Jesus burn his hand on a hot pot which was that day’s dinner? Did he as a growing and maturing youth and teenager, play neighborhood games?

I wonder how much the disciples learned by just seeing their Rabbi act just like one of the guys, smiling, crying, getting angry, chit chatting about who cares?

I wonder how much of Rabbi Jesus “rubbed off” on influencing his disciples just simply by his day to day actions, chit chats, calm moods, ‘in a crisis’ behaviors?

Mark 4:35-41 New Living Translation

Jesus Calms the Storm

35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

I wonder if Jesus’ disciples experienced God’s glory as much through Jesus’ everyday conversations and the way he lived each day as they did through his teachings, his ministry and mission, parables and miracles among the people.

We read much in the Gospels of the profound impact Rabbi Jesus had in drawing great crowds of the curious, the followers, the healed, the fed, the enlightened.

John 6:22-24 English Standard Version

I Am the Bread of Life

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

Maybe reading and studying and fellowshipping, we might come to see and to identify with Jesus and his disciples and come to the conclusion living a life like Jesus shared daily with his disciples is not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

It should not be that difficult for us to see He did lots of ordinary things in his day-to-day living, just as we do. How can we help to bring the presence of Jesus in ordinary ways as we spend time with the people God has placed around us?

1 Corinthians 11:1 Amplified Bible

Christian Order

11 Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Apostle Paul writes to the followers at Corinth

“imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

Was this meant that Paul had divine powers and the Corinthians should likewise display their divine powers as Paul did who was imitating Savior Jesus Christ?

Not by a long shot …

Paul knew he had no such divinity, did try to pass himself off as having them.

Neither were the Corinthians being led to believe that they had divine abilities.

Matthew 5:43-48 Amplified Bible

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, [a]love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46 For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that? 48 You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Paul is here teaching them to be Imitator’s of Christ Like Behaviors … Love, Mercy, forgiveness, compassion, generosity, service, living Spiritual Gifts, actions towards towards God, one’s enemies, towards each other’s neighbor, getting your hands and feet and the rest of yourself into the work of ministry.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58 Amplified Bible

55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].

What Jesus Did for us everyday! ‘Became A Weary Savior!’

John 4:4-6 Amplified Bible

4 Now [a]He had to go through [b]Samaria. 5 So He arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the tract of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired as He was from His journey, sat down by the well. It was then about the sixth hour (noon). 

Jesus took the “shortcut” between Judea in the south and Galilee in the north. He went through Samaria. He was weary and tired, thirsty and hungry from his long journey around his homeland – we can truly envision he was exhausted.

He rested by the historic site of Jacob’s well.

So much history and promise come together in this moment.

We expect something grand to happen. Jesus has come to the well dug by Father Israel. (Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. [1]) [1] Genesis 32:22-28.

What great word do we hear from Jesus?

What triumphant deed does he do?

None. At least, not at first.

Jesus’ primary initial action was simply to sit down.

He was a weary Savior.

He was an exhausted Savior!

He was thirsty, hungry and exhausted just as we would be on that journey.

Sounds almost bizarre as our hearts exalt, hold Jesus in the highest of places.

At the same time, something wondrous is once again revealed to us all: Jesus became flesh. Human flesh. Mortal flesh. Wearying flesh. He knows us not only because he is God, but also because he was one of us whose feet got dirty, whose arms and legs grew very tired, and whose stomach growled when it was empty.

Jesus is a Savior who knows us; he knows us not just because he is God, but also because has lived in our world, sharing our burdens, and feeling our weariness.

Can you begin to connect with, relate to Him who came to us to love, redeem us?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 42 Complete Jewish Bible

Book II: Psalms 42–72

42 (0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:

2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?

4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.

6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
8 (7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”

12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Bless the Lord, O my soul, with all that is within me to bless His Holy Name, forget none of these benefits; Being Healed, Transformed, Freed, and be truly Forgiven. Psalm 103:1-5

Psalm 103:1-5 Complete Jewish Bible

103 (0) By David:

(1) Bless Adonai, my soul!
Everything in me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless Adonai, my soul,
and forget none of his benefits!

3 He forgives all your offenses,
he heals all your diseases,
4 he redeems your life from the pit,
he surrounds you with grace and compassion,
5 he contents you with good as long as you live,
so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

This is a special Psalm for me, so much so that I just feel like sliding deep into a comfortable chair and breathe, contentedly breathe. But there is so much more.

The Psalm is not only a familiar Psalm, but it opens our eyes and ears to the sheer totality of what God has done for His people. In Psalm 103:1–5, the author highlights the individual aspects of God’s love for his people. In 103:6–12 he binds, focuses, upon God’s concern with the community of believers together.

Psalm 103:1 The Psalmist acknowledges that being a person of faith in this God of Israel cannot praise half-heartedly.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

The “soul” and “all that is within me” stresses that there is no medium ground with God. Either we are all in with God, or we are all outside of His realm. The Psalmist claims pointedly that with his whole heart and whole soul, the believer is committed in blessing/praising/worshipping Adonai God for all He has done.

Deuteronomy 6:4-19 Complete Jewish Bible

(A:vi, S: v) 4 “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one]; 5 and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

(S: vi) 10 “When Adonai your God has brought you into the land he swore to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov that he would give you — cities great and prosperous, which you didn’t build; 11 houses full of all sorts of good things, which you didn’t fill; water cisterns dug out, which you didn’t dig; vineyards and olive trees, which you didn’t plant — and you have eaten your fill; 12 then be careful not to forget Adonai, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves. 13 You are to fear Adonai your God, serve him and swear by his name. 14 You are not to follow other gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples around you; 15 because Adonai, your God, who is here with you, is a jealous God. If you do, the anger of  Adonai your God will flare up against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth. 16 Do not put Adonai your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah [testing]. 17 Observe diligently the mitzvot of Adonai your God, and his instructions and laws which he has given you. 18 You are to do what is right and good in the sight of Adonai, so that things will go well with you, and you will enter and possess the good land Adonai swore to your ancestors, 19 expelling all your enemies ahead of you, as Adonai said.

In Psalm 103 v. 3, he notes that when we are in that relationship with God, the first aspect means that we remember: do not forget even one of God’s benefits.

In the swirl of life, anxiety, pressures, threats to life, we can easily slip into forgetfulness, especially with regard to what God has done for us.

Hence the Psalmists strong exhortation “And forget not all His benefits.” As an individual believer we are each called to remember, not forgetting one thing of what God has done, 100% refreshing our memory with all that God has done.

The first item of required remembrance is “Who forgives all your iniquities.” 

We live in a sinful world, we are too often tempted, and more than we’d like to admit, we sin. But God… reaches out to forgive us. We need to recall that such is our heritage as people of God. How often we need reminding? Thank You, Lord.

More remembrances: “Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.”

I look back at the so many times I have been injured and those scars to prove it.

Even greater is God’s protection in the midst of injuries, diseases that affect all of us. Several times over the past six decades I am reminded of these “benefits” continually. The phrase “forget not all His benefits” is a call for us to take stock of our hard circumstances bless God, praise His name, repeatedly, continually.

In Psalm 103:6–12 the author now directs our attention to our life together as the people of God, as one people.

Some of the statements are looking back to the ancient days of Moses when God delivered the people.

“The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed…”

Think of the great Exodus and recall the words exchanged between Moses and God at the burning bush, recall the indescribable holiness of that moment and when God sent the plagues to provoke the Egyptians to allow Israel to escape.

God not only delivered, God decisively delivered. As they were receiving the Law they rebelled and built for themselves their golden calf, God executed His own judgement. Yet, when, as he punished the one’s of that rebellious generation, He also sustained them with water and food in the wilderness for forty years.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever” (vv. 8-9).

The generation of Israelites learned in the hardest ways about God’s anger against sin. But they also began to learn that God does not retain His anger forever. Rather they learned of His mercy, grace, forgiveness—repeatedly.

He further illustrates this with

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (vv. 11–12).

See also Jeremiah 31:34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Note that some of these actions of God are seen only in part in present our lives.

The key; healing, transformation, forgiveness, freedom are foremost in God’s work.

That sustains us until Jesus Christ returns and He brings the complete blessing of God’s salvation and deliverance.

Today we see glimpses of that, but the day will come when the fullness of what God has already accomplished for us will be proclaimed throughout creation.

All of these promises are foreshadowed in Psalm 103.

What a blessing that we can read, refresh, and remember all of this.

May the whole of Psalm 103 become an essential part of our memory work, and our surest, truest, proclamation of all what God has done, is doing, and will do.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible

16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:

(1) Protect me, God,
for you are my refuge.
2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good outside of you.”
3 The holy people in the land are the ones
who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.

4 Those who run after another god
multiply their sorrows;
To such gods I will not offer
drink offerings of blood
or take their names on my lips.

5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup:
you safeguard my share.
6 Pleasant places were measured out for me;
I am content with my heritage.

7 I bless Adonai, my counselor;
at night my inmost being instructs me.
8 I always set Adonai before me;
with him at my right hand, I can never be moved;
9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices,
and my body too rests in safety;
10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol,
you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.
11 You make me know the path of life;
in your presence is unbounded joy,
in your right hand eternal delight.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Does the Bible speak to us? As if, and when, we will want the Bible to Speak to us, what aught it to teach to us that God’s Word Is a Lamp Unto My Feet? Psalm 119:105

Psalm 119:105-112 Complete Jewish Bible

נ (Nun)

105 Your word is a lamp for my foot
and light on my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
that I will observe your righteous rulings.
107 I am very much distressed;
Adonai, give me life, in keeping with your word.
108 Please accept my mouth’s voluntary offerings, Adonai;
and teach me your rulings.
109 I am continually taking my life in my hands,
yet I haven’t forgotten your Torah.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me,
yet I haven’t strayed from your precepts.
111 I take your instruction as a permanent heritage,
because it is the joy of my heart.
112 I have resolved to obey your laws
forever, at every step.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

To be called a Christian is to believe in Jesus Christ and the supporting text that talks of life before, during, and after His time walking amongst people.

That text is the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

Within Scripture itself, aside from the various stories and characters we read about, there are several verses that give us insight into why God has blessed us with His Word to begin. One such verse is written in the Book of Psalms.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” (119:105)

Verses such as this are rare areas where the Bible talks about itself.

These verses highlight the importance of not only hearing God’s Word but living accordingly.

In order to live life according to God’s will, we first have to know how He has called us to live.

In order to know that, we cannot rely first on our own thinking, but instead, must actively read, study, listen to and discipline to hear what the Bible says.

This verse from Psalms 119 embodies the wisdom we receive from reading the Bible. The verse also reveals an important truth – to live like a Christian is to live like Christ, sacrificed all He had, who lived out God’s teachings perfectly.

How Is God’s Word a Lamp Unto My Feet?

The phrase “God’s word is a lamp unto my feet” is a metaphorical statement meant to emphasize the wisdom that comes from following God’s instruction.

This particular chapter 119 in the Book of Psalms is authored by an unknown person. Over the course of this passage, the author writes in an acrostic pattern, including twenty-two stanzas with eight lines each.

Each stanza begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

This chapter lacks a cohesive narrative as each stanza is written with varying topics and tones.

One underlying theme that is present throughout is the idea of understanding God’s Word. The writer assures people who follow God’s Word are blameless (119:3). The speaker wants to do better in following God, and that only occurs when living by the Lord’s precepts. The phrase “God’s word is a lamp unto my feet” appears far into the writing, as the 105 verse.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

This verse furthers the idea that dependence, reliance, on God’s Word is the only way to successfully live as a Christian. Lamps are used in society to create a light for their movement and activity. The Hebrew word for lamp is niyr.

This description of a lamp is more equivalent to the subtle light of a candle.

The implication then is that there is limited visibility of the surrounding area, but just enough light to navigate.

With enough light to navigate through life, God gives us the narrowed direction that we need, not all at once, but as needed.

In this way, God’s Word operates for the speaker as a form of direction.

In the verses following 105, the writer continues on to ask God for teaching (Psalm 119:108). The speaker wants to learn from God. This illustrates God’s Word operating as a lamp in bringing wisdom into the mind of a believer.

When they compare God’s Word to being a light on a path, that pathway is life.

Within the details of Psalm 119, abiding by God’s word in every instance creates a more fulfilling life.

Walking in the light is very distinctive from walking in the ways of the wicked (Psalm 119:110). If God’s Word is a lamp, helping us to navigate the pathway of life, then we know God’s Word is intended to help us live prosperously.

God does not fully reveal the future with the lamp He gives us.

However, our prosperity in living by God’s Word is not contingent upon how much of the path ahead we can see. That prosperity is not contingent on any financial and occupational standards, but on a closeness with God. And He gives us just enough of the light of grace to be successful in life (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God is the speaker’s chief concern in Psalm 119 and according to Jesus is to be our chief concern too (Matthew 22:35-37).

If we can focus on loving God, obeying His Word, then we will have better lives.

This idea is not only present in Psalm 119 but also in other passages where God reveals similar commentary on His Word.

What Does God Say about His Word?

In addition to what we read in Psalm 119, there are other areas in the Bible where the Bible talks about itself and offers key insight into why reading God’s Word is vital for any Christian.

These other passages from Scripture complement the message from Psalm 119.

Upon reading, we can confirm that the Bible is intended to offer God’s wisdom alone to believers, and help us all to live according to God’s commandments, not other ideas that we sometimes confuse with God.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The Bible when followed or when ignored, reveals certain truths and emotions that lay in our hearts.

If God’s word is meant to edify our behavior, how we respond to His teachings will reveal characteristics about our beliefs, personality, and more.

For example, the Bible says to forgive others just as we ask God for forgiveness (Matthew 6:15).

If we find that exercising forgiveness is difficult, then God’s Word has revealed truth to us.

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

Reading, interpreting, and living by God’s Word is as essential as our daily food and drink. Jesus himself indicates the significance of applying God’s word to our lives. Just as we instinctively know to eat and drink to live and survive, and we make plans to do so, we should instinctively respond likewise to Scripture.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Certain translations indicate that Scripture is God “inspired” rather than breathed. Whatever the translation or word choice, the Bible makes full admission that God Himself did not physically write the Bible.

Neither is Jesus known to have written anything.

Nevertheless, the purpose of the Bible is consistent throughout each book. By reading, we learn how and why we should aim to be more Christ-like. In this way, God redeems us from our sinful nature.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31)

The tangible things and people in our lives, and the ideas that they exclusively represent pass away with time. However, since the beginning of time, God’s Word has been true and has endured throughout the generations.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

To live according to God’s Word is not as simplistic as rehearsing or reciting what Scripture says. Instead, to live by God’s Word means to narrowly design your life in a way that reflects, reveals, His teachings. God wants us to live so in tune with Scripture that we think about what He teaches throughout the day.

Why Reading Your Bible Is Important

The aforementioned verses from the Bible highlight God’s desire to improve our lives. By following His commandments we will live a life that is more mature, spiritually prosperous than what we would have outside of Him.

Recognizing that God’s Word is intended to redeem us by making us better people is important for any Christian to do early on in their faith journey.

If we call ourselves believers in Christianity, then we should understand what our religious text, the Bible, says about the high value of God’s truth, our faith.

The more disciplined, the more studious, the better versed we are in the Bible, the more we can learn what it means and looks like to become more like Jesus.

The more like Jesus we are, the more God can call us to His purpose, His service.

Not only will we be transformed, redeemed, but we can help God redeem others.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:1-16 Complete Jewish Bible

א (Alef)

119 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
3 They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
4 You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
5 May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
6 Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
7 I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
8 I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
13 I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
16 I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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My God! My God! My ABBA Father, My Savior, How Great Art Thou on Earth as You are in Heaven? Psalm 19

Psalm 19 Complete Jewish Bible

19 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:

2 (1) The heavens declare the glory of God,
the dome of the sky speaks the work of his hands.
3 (2) Every day it utters speech,
every night it reveals knowledge.
4 (3) Without speech, without a word,
without their voices being heard,
5 (4) their line goes out through all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.

In them he places a tent for the sun,
6 (5) which comes out like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber,
with delight like an athlete to run his race.
7 (6) It rises at one side of the sky,
circles around to the other side,
and nothing escapes its heat.

8 (7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect,
restoring the inner person.
The instruction of Adonai is sure,
making wise the thoughtless.
9 (8) The precepts of Adonai are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The mitzvah of Adonai is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
10 (9) The fear of Adonai is clean,
enduring forever.
The rulings of Adonai are true,
they are righteous altogether,
11 (10) more desirable than gold,
than much fine gold,
also sweeter than honey
or drippings from the honeycomb.
12 (11) Through them your servant is warned;
in obeying them there is great reward.

13 (12) Who can discern unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from hidden faults.
14 (13) Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins,
so that they won’t control me.
Then I will be blameless
and free of great offense.

15 (14) May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

There’s nothing quite like a triumphant hymn to truly make you feel closer to the Lord. When you sing out those lyrics, it’s almost like His power, strength and majesty and love just wash over us. And one of the most powerful hymns of all time is ‘How Great Thou Art.’ I just love hearing this amazing hymn and now that I know the story behind the song, it makes it that much more beautiful.

The hymn “How Great Thou Art” is a timeless worship song, cherished by generations of believers for its inspiring description of God’s greatness.

Its verses resonate deeply in our souls, leading us into genuine moments of awe as we contemplate the wonder of who God is and how God works in our world.

“How Great Thou Art” is a classic hymn that remains popular today because it invites us to marvel in fresh ways at our Creator’s beautifully designed creation, His majesty, His Power and his inspiring, wonderful presence in our lives.

Each verse of this song serves as one gateway after another to understanding God more deeply and celebrating our great God in worship. When we sing the beloved hymn “How Great Thou Art,” we can grow closer to our great God.

The hymn originated as a poem written by Swedish pastor Carl Boberg in 1885.

Boberg was inspired to write the poem after experiencing a wondrous sight in nature: a sudden thunderstorm followed by a clear, beautiful view over a bay.

The poem was set to music in Sweden, and the song later went through various translations. In the 20th century, British missionary Stuart Hine translated the hymn into English and expanded it with additional verses. Hine’s version of “How Great Thou Art” became popular around the world after George Beverly Shea sang it during Reverend Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades in the 1950s.

Just as a subtle or most likely, not so subtle reminder, here are some truths for us to contemplate an awesome God, “How Great Thou Art,” reveals about God.

1. God’s indescribable glory in creation.

The opening lines of “How Great Thou Art” exclaim:

“O Lord my God,/when I in awesome wonder,/consider all the worlds thy hands have made./I see the stars/I hear the rolling thunder,/Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”

This echoes Psalm 19:1, which declares: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

It also evokes the imagery revealed in Psalm 29:3-4: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.”

As we enjoy God’s creation – from the sparkling stars to the powerful thunder, to the forest glades we each wander through – we can’t help but marvel at the wondrous beauty of its precise design and power.

 Nature itself is evidence of God’s glory and creativity. Romans 1:20 points out:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” 

Psalm 104:24 celebrates God’s creative power: “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” 

Job 9:10 says about God: “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

Throughout the entire song, “How Great Thou Art” emphasizes the importance of noticing the wonder of God’s work around us. Every single part of God’s creation shows us something valuable about God that can inspire us with awe. Singing “How Great Thou Art” can motivate us to spend time in nature as often as possible, experiencing environments that help us discover God’s greatness.

2. God’s holiness and righteousness.

Another profound truth “How Great Thou Art” reveals about God is his perfect holiness and righteousness.

The awe expressed in the hymn’s refrain, “Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,/How great Thou art, How great Thou art!” reminds us of the vision of God’s holiness the Bible describes in Isaiah 6:3, where the seraphim angels call to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

God’s holiness means that he is absolutely uncorrupted by sin and completely morally pure.

Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.”

The hymn’s refrain captures the reverent awe we feel when we think about God’s great holiness and righteousness.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we see that God’s holiness and righteousness are accessible to us through relationships with Jesus: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This profound truth should inspire us to praise God like the hymn’s refrain does. It aught also to motivate us all to live lives that reflect God’s character by growing to be more holy ourselves.

Ephesians 4:24 encourages us to: “… put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The refrain of “How Great Thou Art” calls us to strive for a greater, deeper, reverence for God’s majesty. It highlights a grateful response to God’s perfect nature, inspires us to make that response our own.

3. God’s constant presence with us.

“How Great Thou Art” reflects on God’s constant presence with us as it describes experiencing the extraordinary presence of God during ordinary moments like walking in nature: “When through the woods and forest glades I wander,/and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees./ When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur/And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.”

In Psalm 23:4, King David also uses the imagery of walking to describe the power of God’s constant presence:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Throughout the Bible, God promises us to be present with us.

In Exodus 33:14, God assures Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promises his disciples: “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

God’s presence is a tangible reality we each can experience regularly through reading,  study, prayer, meditation, other spiritual disciplines and practices.

In fact, if we have saving relationships with Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live right inside our souls, as 1 Corinthians 3:16 points out: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”

Psalm 139 beautifully describes God’s presence with us everywhere, pointing out in verses 7-10:

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

In its refrain, “How Great Thou Art” encourages us all to notice God’s loving presence with us wherever we go – even unto the furthest reaches of eternity.

4. God’s plan to save us.

One of the most moving verses in “How Great Thou Art” declares: “And when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in./That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,/He bled and died to take away my sin.”

This verse reminds us of what is perhaps the most famous Bible verse of all, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:17 Complete Jewish Bible

17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved.

The timeless hymn’s reflection on God’s profound love for us through Jesus’s coming and ultimate sacrifice invites each and every single one of us to feel a reverent awe at God’s wondrous plan to save our souls from sin and death.

Jesus’ death on the cross made it possible for humanity to connect with God again, as 2 Corinthians 5:17-18:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

In Ephesians 1:7-8, The Bible highlights the enormous generosity of God’s grace through his plan to save us:

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us…”.

Isaiah 53:5 prophesies about Jesus’ healing work for us on the cross:

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” 

Jesus offers forgiveness from sins to all who place their faith in him, fulfilling God’s plan to save us.

Singing “How Great Thou Art” can help us focus on the greatest gift of all that God has given us through Jesus, the world’s Savior. Just like the song says, we “scarce can take it in,” but it’s still important to remember it on a regular basis.

5. God’s Unchanging promise of eternal life.

“How Great Thou Art” concludes with a triumphant declaration of hope:

“When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation/And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart./ Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,/And then proclaim: ‘My God, how great Thou art!’”

This evokes the promise of Revelation 21:4, which envisions our future joy in heaven, saying about God:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Jesus describes our eternal life with him when he says in John 14:2-3:

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” 

Titus 1:2 assures us that we have “…the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.”

When we sing the song “How Great Thou Art,” we joyfully celebrate the reality of this unending hope. “How Great Thou Art” reminds us that our great God has prepared great joy for us to experience in heaven with him for eternity. 

In conclusion, “How Great Thou Art” is an incredibly stirring powerful worship hymn that resoundingly declares and proclaims and celebrates God’s greatness.

It invites us to

explore the wonders of God’s glory displayed in creation,

explore God’s perfect holiness and righteousness,

explore God’s constant presence with us,

explore God’s loving plan to save us,

discover God’s promise of eternal life for all who choose relationships with him.

As we sing “How Great Thou Art,” we cannot help but to perceive, to receive so much more of God’s awe-inspiring greatness and worship him with gratitude.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 29 Complete Jewish Bible

29 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Give Adonai his due, you who are godly;
give Adonai his due of glory and strength;
2 give Adonai the glory due his name;
worship Adonai in holy splendor.

3 The voice of Adonai is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
Adonai over rushing waters,
4 the voice of Adonai in power,
the voice of Adonai in splendor.

5 The voice of Adonai cracks the cedars;
Adonai splinters the cedars of the L’vanon
6 and makes the L’vanon skip like a calf,
Siryon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of Adonai flashes fiery flames;
8 the voice of Adonai rocks the desert,
Adonai convulses the Kadesh Desert.
9 The voice of Adonai causes deer to give birth
and strips the forests bare —
while in his temple, all cry, “Glory!”
10 Adonai sits enthroned above the flood!
Adonai sits enthroned as king forever!
11 May Adonai give strength to his people!
May Adonai bless his people with shalom!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Never Forget 9/11! Never Forget God! Nor ever Forget the Lord’s Prayer: it is His Meaning behind the Powerful Phrase ‘For Thine Is the Kingdom’! Matthew 6:5-13

Matthew 6:5-13 King James Version

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

T0day, marks the 23rd anniversary of the attack against the United States known simply as 9/11. That day is a day that is ingrained into to each of us old enough to remember. Looking back, it is hard to believe 23 years have passed.

I recall hearing of the first tower being struck by a plane. At first it seemed it was a horrible accident. It was not even clear what type of plane it was, whose plane it was, was it Hollywood special effects, a preview of a new epic movie?

What is your story from that day?

Where were you on that day?

Where on earth or in Heaven Was GOD?

On that day, the death toll from the four commercial aircraft, the Pentagon, and the World Trade Towers totaled 2,996 with another 6,000 injured. That is not the whole story. Nearly 10,000 first responders and volunteers have since been diagnosed with cancers caused by the toxic fumes & dust. Quoting the USA Today newspaper, “By the end of 2018, many expect that more people will have died from their toxic exposure from 9/11 than were killed on that terrible day.”

I had questions……. If we are honest with ourselves, …I bet we all had questions following that day.

Why would a religion that was supposedly built upon peace, teach and demonstrate that much hate & violence towards others?

Do you recall all of the celebrating & parades shown from the Arab world?

…. More importantly to me, and my faith, Where was GOD during this? …. Why does GOD even allow such violent and murderous things like this to happen?

I was shocked. I was confused. I was hurt. I was crying I was angry, I was scared.

I didn’t know what was coming next.

An all out attack upon the United States?

Had somebody made a declaration of war against us?

Was God’s day of judgement coming and coming right quick?

I was questioning GOD….and I didn’t even know if it was alright to question GOD. For all I knew, GOD might strike me down just for challenging HIM.

After all, I just saw what happened on television and who knows any details, who knows how many people were just suddenly killed and severely injured?

Today, I’d like to share what I’ve discovered since.

Maybe this will help some of you as well. The first thing I have learned is that GOD, His Kingdom is definitely big enough to handle our stresses, questions.

He has a whole universe which He created. HE has broad shoulders. GOD is not petty. HE did not give up on me, even when I was close to giving up on HIM.

The second thing I learned was that I wasn’t even the first person to question GOD. In fact, the Bible offers several examples of this very thing.

In Psalm 10:1, the writer asks Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?

Jesus Himself asked this same question in Mathew 27:46 about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

The destruction of the Twin Towers was devastating to me, watching it over & over the collapse of the buildings, the billowing black clouds of smoke, the dead being carried out, the ash collecting upon cars and on the faces of those on site.

Your Kingdom Come

“This . . . is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. . . .’” —  Matthew 6:9-10

Most of us are confronted by many challenges – some simple others are not so simple but greatly challenge our faith, face many, many choices each day too.

On a daily basis, What clothes will I wear? What will I have for breakfast? What route will I take to work? What do I need at the store? Tasks will I focus on?

There is one choice, however, that is far more important than all the others: God, His Word’s on the matter before us and Prayer, Which kingdom will I serve? Where will I spend my best efforts—in the kingdom of God or in the kingdom or domain or country or community or family that I am dwelling in?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and Holy Spirit, where can I help, how can I serve, how can I support those around me, who need it most?

Jesus teaches us to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come.”

As we pray these words, we are making a commitment to living God’s way.

“Your kingdom come” means, first of all, “Rule over me! Master my soul. Make me a loyal citizen of your kingdom.” It means, “Lord, rule in my life and master me in such a way that my deepest desire is to walk with you. May your principles and ways be the air that I breathe.”

“Your kingdom come” also means, “Help me to see your kingdom advance in the people around me—my family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and neighbors. Help me to foster a love for kingdom living in them as well.”

This also means seeing institutions and organizations abide, align with those principles of God’s kingdom. And as the Lord’s kingdom comes, is revealed and acts, any evil forces that revolt against him will be overwhelmed and shattered.

My Lord and Savior’s Prayer and My Life’s Prayer

Philippians 3:7-14 The Message

7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.

10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

Focused on the Goal

12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

I read where researchers in Europe went door to door, asking people about their belief in God. One question was this:

“Do you believe in a God who intervenes in human lives, who changes the course of history, and performs miracles?” A typical response to this question was “No, I don’t believe in that God. I believe in the ordinary God.”

I admit that it can be tempting to fall back in our faith, prefer “the ordinary God”—that is, a God who is there when I need him but who remains mostly quiet and who cares how distant in the background while I go about my life.

Fortunately the Scriptures do not let us settle with that notion of an ordinary God. The Jesus we meet in the New Testament entered our world, carried our burden of sin to the cross, bled, died in our place, and then rose from the dead and later ascended to rule with God in heaven. This is not any “ordinary God.”

The God of the Bible does in fact break into our lives in all kinds of surprising, beautiful, and disruptive ways.

John 3:16-18 The Message

16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

In fact, the one true God is beyond anyone’s broadest definition of the term extraordinary. And all of this is conveyed in this remarkable prayer of Paul:

“God, I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings” and then to experience that resurrection as well.

What a prayer!

How would my life, your life, our lives change if this became our life’s prayer?

What could happen if we all prayed this “Lord’s Prayer” this “my life’s prayer” for the people in my life, in your life and in all our fellow Body of Christ lives?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 32 The Message

32 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
    you get a fresh start,
    your slate’s wiped clean.

2 Count yourself lucky—
    God holds nothing against you
    and you’re holding nothing back from him.

3 When I kept it all inside,
    my bones turned to powder,
    my words became daylong groans.

4 The pressure never let up;
    all the juices of my life dried up.

5 Then I let it all out;
    I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God.”

Suddenly the pressure was gone—
    my guilt dissolved,
    my sin disappeared.

6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
    when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
    we’ll be on high ground, untouched.

7 God’s my island hideaway,
    keeps danger far from the shore,
    throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.

8 Let me give you some good advice;
    I’m looking you in the eye
    and giving it to you straight:

9 “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule
    that needs bit and bridle
    to stay on track.”

10 God-defiers are always in trouble;
    God-affirmers find themselves loved
    every time they turn around.

11 Celebrate God.
    Sing together—everyone!
    All you honest hearts, raise the roof!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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