People in the Millennium ~ Raul Ries

He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning books; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Isaiah 2:4

It is important to understand that there will be humans living in the Millennial Kingdom. Often people picture the reign as strictly spiritual, but the millennium will be an actual physical Kingdom as well; where Jesus Christ rules the world with righteous judgment. Those humans that enter the millennium are all those who did not take the Mark of the Beast, including the Jewish remnant.

Imagine living as a human being in a righteous world where Jesus Christ is the ruler and leader of the world!

Thought for the Day:

Do you realize that we will be ruling and reigning with Jesus Christ
In His Millennial Kingdom?

The Good News Is Bad News for the Ephesian Economy ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

The Good News Is Bad News for the Ephesian Economy

Acts 18:18-23; 19:11-20:3; Psalm 119:81-83; Proverbs 21:25-26

So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing." And he sailed from Ephesus.

And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"

Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship."

Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's travel companions. And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"

And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being called in question for today's uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering." And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Acts 18:18-23; 19:11-20:3

WORSHIP

My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, "When will You comfort me?"
For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
Psalm 119:81-83

WISDOM

The desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous gives and does not spare.
Proverbs 21:25-26

What areas of conflict are you delaying resolution? (94-3) ~ Barry Werner

What areas of conflict are you delaying resolution? (94-3)

November 4th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Conflict Management, Ephesians, Leadership Principles, New Testament, Old Testament | leave a response

Ephesians 4:15 says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Read 2 Samuel 14 and 15.

Absalom, King David’s son, knew Amnon, his half brother, had raped his sister Tamar, yet he failed to confront Amnon directly. Instead Absalom harbored his anger for two years before finally arranging the murder of Amnon (2 Samuel 13).

King David also shirked his responsibility to settle the conflict in his family when he failed to discipline Amnon, then compounded the problem by banishing his son Absalom to another country for the murder of Amnon. Later, when David relented and allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, he refused to talk to him for another two years. When Absalom finally forced the issue and David gave his son an audience, it was too late and Absalom became embittered and resolved to take the kingdom from his father.

Both Absalom’s and David’s conflict avoidance strategy not only failed to work but eventually escalated into open conflict that ended in another of David’s son’s death. Had either or both dealt promptly with the issues surrounding the rape in the palace both Amnon and Absalom’s death may have been avoided.

The key to conflict management is prompt reconciliation by “speaking the truth in love.” Leaders that are effective conflict managers balance the truth (confrontation) and love (reconciliation). Effective leaders learn to be peacemakers by dealing directly with disagreements and seeking amicable resolutions. The actions of Absalom and David only serve to prove that putting off confrontation strains relations and inevitably compounds the problem.

What areas of actual or potential conflict are you delaying giving your attention? Determine to start now with the goal of reconciliation. Seek God’s wisdom before taking your first step and then set a time to make your first step to resolve the issue.

• 

« Do you have unforgiveness that consistently shows up as bitterness? (94-2)

The pain of intimacy ~ Mike MacIntosh

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

One night I was present as a police chaplain when a shooting incident occurred. A man had taken a hostage at gunpoint and was holed up in an apartment. I tried to talk with the man for two hours to reason with him and facilitate a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Eventually, tensions escalated and the man threatened the police officers. It looked as if he would kill his hostage. So the SWAT team stormed in and fatally shot the gunman. A few hours later, I had the daunting task of talking with the man's widow.

The next day, I received even more terrible news. My daughter told me that the son of dear friends of mine had just been killed in an auto accident along with two other young men. I had to call the parents, and then drive several hours to meet with my friend and the parents of the other victims. That day I went from one shock to another.

Nine weeks went by before I got a full night's sleep. The devil -- the accuser -- was tormenting me. But I kept on praying, and in time I began to see things differently. I thought about all of the parents with children lying in the hospital. I thought of all the people who were suffering physical abuse, financial ruin, and broken relationships. I realized that there were many people going through much more pain than I was.

Through prayer and an ongoing relationship with God, He helps us put things into proper perspective. Our heavenly Father promised that He will not allow anything into our lives that will destroy us. Pain and hardship are intended to make us stronger, to humble us, to make us more tenderhearted and gentle towards others. That's what happened to me during that agonizing period of my life. Though it was a time of great struggle, my faith grew stronger, and my relationship with God grew deeper.

This is the lesson that is available to us: as we deepen our intimacy with God through prayer, we grow. We are transformed into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Emmanuel, God with Us ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “Foolish Wisdom” by Pastor Dave Folkerts; 10/31-11/1/09,

Message #DF143; Daily Devotional #2 -“Emmanuel, God with Us”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18) “Think about it. We worship a poor, homeless man, born out of wedlock from a small rural town, who was sentenced to death.” (Pastor Dave Folkerts) Jesus could have come to this earth in any form He chose. He is God. He could have been a wealthy man, dressed in lavish robes and jewels, if He wanted to be. He could have given wealth to the poor, solving all their earthly problems, rather than ministering to them with love and compassion. The world awaited His arrival, expecting a Messiah with the grandeur of Solomon, but receiving a carpenter instead. He might have been more popular with the masses had He chosen to appear as a King rather than a pauper. He could have made a grand entrance, delivering His message of salvation and immediately ascending back into heaven if He chose to. Why did He come to us in a form that the world has always shunned? We rarely think beyond the sacrifices Jesus made at the cross. In truth, His sacrifices began long before He went to the cross (Philippians

2:5-8).

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Jesus came to this world to deliver a message of Salvation and to teach us that the ways of the world are not God’s ways. Jesus is God in human form and by example, showed us the truth about the God we worship. Contrary to what Satan would lead us to believe, Jesus showed us that our God is not a God who rules the earth with vengeance and wrath, but a God who has given forgiveness and love beyond human expectations. He taught us that true greatness comes when we serve, that our greatest gains come when we give, and that true life comes when we die to ourselves (Mark 8:35). We are taught by His example that our God values us even when we are at our weakest. He loves us when our bodies are at their frailest. When our hearts have turned away from Him and when we are committing the most evil acts that man can commit, He reaches out to us to offer us forgiveness. He sees us when we are at our worst and yet loves us anyway. He gives compassion to those from whom the world would turn away its eyes. He brings peace and rest to the weary and desperate. In one of His greatest displays of humility and love, He brought a towel and basin to wash the feet of the disciples who confessed that they were not worthy to serve Him (John 13:5).

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Many of us have turned away from God when we have had turmoil and anguish in our lives. We have blamed God for the way our lives have turned out, when we have made bad choices and given in to the deceptions of this world. Do you want to know the truth about God? Take a good look at Jesus and His life here on earth. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He turned the world upside down for us. His message is one of pure love. He is our Lord. He could have easily used His power to force us into submission, yet instead He ministered to the poor, the ill, and the weary. He never sinned, yet He gave His life for us who sin. The world teaches us to let no one control our lives but easily gives in to the control that Satan holds. When we take a close look at the example Jesus set for us, it is not difficult to choose. There are only two choices. We can choose the world of evil and deception, stockpiling the “things” of this world, or we can give up the things of this world, take up our cross, and follow Jesus (Mark 8:34).

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Isaiah 29:14; 1 Corinthians 2:14

Confusion Is not from God ~ Joyce Meyer

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.
— 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)

I was holding a meeting in Kansas City, and it came to my heart to ask the audience how many of them were confused. There were about 300 people at that meeting, and from what I could tell, 298 of them raised their hands. And my husband was one of the two who didn't raise a hand.

I can tell you that Dave has never been confused in his life because he doesn't worry. He doesn't try to figure out anything. He is not interested in having all the answers to everything because he trusts God.

When you trust God, you can relax and enjoy life. You don't have to go through life worrying and trying to figure out how to solve all your problems. Think about all the things you have worried about in your life and how they have all worked out. That ought to help you realize that worry and reasoning are a waste of time and energy.

Stop worrying. Stop complicating your life by trying to figure out everything. Just admit that you don't know, that you are not able, that you need God. Then go on living, and enjoy life while God is giving you the answers.

All For Love ~ David McGee

John 15:13

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
NKJV

Life Lesson

God paid a very high price for you.

Jesus' death on the cross is a historical fact. The fact that He rose from the dead is verified from literature. More documents exist that verify Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead than that George Washington crossed the Delaware or that Julius Caesar ever lived. Every one of the disciples except John died a martyr's death, but even under severe torture they would not and could not deny the truth of Jesus. Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian said, "He appeared to them alive on the third day as the divine prophets foretold."

Jesus said He laid down His life for His friends. The cross was no accident or tragic surprise. It was part of an incredible plan. Jesus orchestrated His own sacrifice. He willingly grew the tree He would be nailed to. He willingly picked Judas as an apostle to betray Him. He willingly put Pontius Pilate in power to order him crucified. Jesus was not held there by any man-made nails, but was held there by our need for a Savior and His love for you. The simple fact is He could have escaped at any time. When He chose you... when He chose to have a relationship with you, He needed to make a payment for your sins. When He chose you, He chose the nails.

Did Jesus die on the cross for your sins? You, my friend, have to make that decision. He is the Savior of the world; the question is, is He your Savior? You can often tell what something is worth by the price that is paid for it. God paid a very high price for you.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for loving me so much. Thank You for paying the price that I could not pay. You died on the cross, held there only by Your love for me. You rose from the grave that I may have eternal life. Please forgive me for my sins and give me the power to live for You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Moses Keeping the Passover, by Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. (Hebrews 11:28)

When Moses boldly led Israel out of Egypt, his fearlessness was based upon his faith in the true and living God. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:28). His confidence in the invisible Lord God had been confirmed by what he saw regarding the Lord's faithfulness when he kept the Passover, by faith.

The crushing blow of God's judgment upon Egypt was the death of the firstborn in every household. "The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…So Pharaoh rose in the night…Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, 'Go, serve the LORD as you have said'" (Exodus 12:29-31). Israel was delivered from this judgment by trusting in the Lord's protection, which was provided through the shed blood of the Passover lamb. "Now the LORD spoke to Moses…every man shall take for himself a lamb…a lamb for a household…Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it…For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:1, 3, 6-7, 12-13). Responding in faith, Moses and the Israelites were delivered. "By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them."

We, too, are delivered from judgment by faith in the blood of the ultimate Passover Lamb. "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). We who trust in the shed blood of Christ are forgiven, delivered from the eternal wages of sin by God's abounding grace. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 1:7 and Romans 6:23). This eternal life (of endless duration and abundant dimensions) is ours through the New Covenant of grace. "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20).

Lord Jesus, my Passover Lamb, I thank You for Your shed blood that rescued me from the eternal judgment that I deserved. I praise You for the abundance of life that Your New Covenant of grace brings to me, by faith!

When Logic Fails ~ Chuck Swindoll

Hebrews 6:20

Human logic breaks down in crisis. The mystery is enormous, and it is the enormity of it all that calls for faith. I'm sorry if that sounds like an overused bromide. But if we could unravel it, why would we need faith? If that were true, all we'd really need is the answer in the back of the book and someone to point it out to us; we'd read it, and that's all there would be to it. But God's plan is that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is faith and patience that stretch us to the breaking point. Such things send doubt running.

When you find yourself dealing with doubt, let me give you three things to remember. First, God cannot lie. He can test, and He will. He can say no, and He sometimes will; He can say yes, and He will; He can say wait, and occasionally He will—but God cannot lie. He must keep His word. Doubt says, "You fool, you're stupid to believe in a God who puts you through this." By faith, keep remembering that God cannot lie.

Here's the second piece of advice that helps me: We will not lose. Doubt says, "You lose if you trust God through this. You lose." If I read anything in this whole section of Hebrews 6, I read that in the mysterious manner of God's own timing, for some unexplainable and yet unchangeable purpose, those of us who trust Him ultimately win—because God ultimately wins.

There's a little chorus Christians love to sing. It is quiet and tender, yet tough and true:

In His time, in His time,
He makes all things beautiful
In His time.
Lord, please show me every day,
As You're teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say,
In Your time.¹

God cannot lie. We will not lose. Your mate has walked away from you, an unfair departure—you will not lose, child of God. Your baby has been born and for some reason, it has been chosen to be one of those special persons on this earth. You will not lose. You've waited and waited, and you were convinced things would improve, yet things have only gotten worse—keep remembering, you will not lose. God swears on it with an oath that cannot change. You will not lose.

Third—and I guess it's the best of all—is that our Lord Jesus does not leave. To quote a verse from Scripture, He "sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

"Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever . . ." Hebrews 6:20. That means He is there at any time . . . and always.

God cannot lie. He will always keep His Word.
You cannot lose. God is trustworthy.
Our Lord Jesus does not leave. He is with you even now.

Sacrifice of praise ~ Jon Courson

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15

‘I don’t feel like praising the Lord,’ some say. ‘The traffic bugs me,’ or, ‘The dishes are getting to me.’ Gang, those are the best times to praise Him —because then it’s a sacrifice of praise as you worship the Lord in spite of your own fleshly inclinations.

You see, here’s the deal: In my Christian walk, I find myself going through seasons ...

There’s springtime — when, with new understandings and fresh growth, I sense the Lord’s presence in my heart. Springtime leads to summertime — those warm, wonderful days when the new growth bears fruit from which people glean. Summertime leads to fall — when the winds blow and shake the leaves off my tree. Fall leads to winter — when the fall winds give way to a cold, wintry silence. And I used to freak out in wintertime. Then I learned that if I am going to be a man who walks by faith and not by sight, I must not constantly monitor my feelings because feelings are fickle. The Lord allows you and me to go through regular seasons of wintertime, asking us, ‘Are you going to walk by the state of your emotions — or by the promises of My Word?’

This has afforded me the privilege of being a minister of the Gospel regardless of any tragedy or heartache in my own life. Truly, if I hadn’t learned the lessons of the winter season, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. But the good news is this: winter doesn’t last forever. It gives way to spring.

Tonight during worship, some of you were elated, caught up in an overwhelming sense of the Lord’s presence. And that’s good. Others of you said, ‘I’m here tonight. But I don’t feel anything. However, I’m still going to lift my hands and my voice in a sacrifice of praise to the One who has done so much for me in the past, to the One whose touch I know I will feel again in the future.’

Problem Solved! ~ Charles Stanley

1 Peter 1:1-25

Mankind was created to have a loving relationship with God. However, this relationship was broken when Adam and Eve listened to the Devil and disobeyed the Lord. Sin entered their very natures and has been passed down to all their descendants.

Now we all have a big problem: alienation from God. But our all-knowing Lord had a plan of salvation in place even before He created anything (1 Peter 1:18-20). When the time was right, the Son of God paid our penalty for sin with His substitutionary death, and in so doing, He opened the door for forgiveness and reconciliation.

In His grace, God saves us on the basis of faith in His Son, and calls us to a “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-21). Together, believers make up the body of Christ—or “the church”— through whom He achieves His work on earth.

The Lord gives us new natures empowered by the Holy Spirit, who comes to live within each Christian. He transforms our characters into the image of Christ and enables us to live godly, obedient lives.

One day we will all stand before the Judge, and He will pronounce our eternal destiny—either heaven or the lake of fire. Those who have been reconciled with God through Christ will be welcomed into their heavenly inheritance.

We need these truths firmly planted in our minds. Then we will grasp not only our desperate situation but also the goodness and love of God, as revealed in His amazing rescue plan. He has proven His care for us in our most urgent need. Will He not, then, provide for every other need in our lives?

Mercifully Minded ~ Bob Coy

"And should I not pity Nineveh?" Jonah 4:11 (NKJV)

The Book of Jonah ends on an odd note. After all the familiar features of the book have passed, Jonah's faithless flight, the big fish, an unprecedented revival, etc....after all of this, God asks Jonah this lingering question, "And should I not pity Nineveh?"

To understand the declaration behind this question, we need to know that Jonah's attitude toward the people of Nineveh was wrong. These were the Assyrians, some of the most wicked and perverse people to ever walk the planet. God called Jonah to preach a message of repentance and salvation to them, but deep down the prophet wanted to see them get what they deserved: divine judgment. So Jonah actually got depressed when they begged God for His mercy, and God delivered.

It's at this moment, as Jonah sits moping about their salvation, that God asks Jonah, "And should I not pity Nineveh?" The point is profound. Jonah's agenda was judgment, but God's was grace. They were looking at the same situation through two completely different lenses. Jonah's heart's cry was, "I want to judge and destroy them!" While God's was, "I want to spare and save them!"

God's question was a way of getting Jonah to recognize how far he'd drifted from heaven's mindset toward sinners. "Jonah, My way is to seek and save the lost, not to obliterate them. You're off target, and you need to become more like Me. You need to become more mercifully-minded."

Sadly, there's a little bit of Jonah in all of us. From time to time, we lose focus of God's heart, and our unspiritual side wants to call for judgment on this or that group of people. When all the while, God just wants to spare and save them. Why? Because He's merciful, and we, who've reaped the benefits of His mercy, should be too.

Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13 NKJV)

Discuss the concept of mercy with your group. What examples of mercy have you seen recently? What do you believe causes a person to have a judgmental attitude vs. a merciful mindset?

Dig into Jonah 4. What impression do you get from this prophet? How would you have responded to this display of God’s mercy? How have you experienced James 2:13 in your own life?

Decide as a group to pray for a missionary in a foreign field where there is real resistance to the gospel. Encourage that person with a letter or e-mail.

Finding Purpose in Pain ~ Greg Laurie

"But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren."

— Deuteronomy 4:9

When the Israelites were poised to enter the Promised Land, God warned them about forgetting Him in their prosperity. Prior to this point, Israel had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Every day they would come out of their tents and find manna waiting for them like the morning paper. They would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then God would guide them through the wilderness with a cloud by day and fire by night. They were completely dependent upon Him for everything.

But then God brought them to the brink of the Promised Land. They could see the lush, green hills and flowing rivers. They had probably heard about the cluster of grapes the Israelite spies had brought back with them—a cluster so large that two men had to carry it. So they could hardly wait to finally enter Canaan. But God essentially said, "Now watch out, because when you get there, the danger is that you will forget all about Me."

Often it is during times of prosperity that we will forget God. Prosperity has a tendency to make people proud and self-sufficient. We don't think we need God when we have our salary and our investments and our career and our home and our health and our family. But when an economy goes south or a stock market crashes or a home burns down, then hopefully we turn to God and are reminded of what really matters. Adversity levels us and keeps us humble.

You see, when pain hits, when tragedy strikes, we pray—and we pray a lot. Pain reminds us of a deeper need: the need for God in our lives. So we should not always be so afraid of pain, because God can use it to bring us closer to Him.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

• "A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash." Proverbs 15:14 (NLT)12:18 AM Nov 3rd from web

• Finding time to read the great spiritual classics is no mystery.Turn off the TV. Nothing on TV today will matter in10 yrs12:17 AM Nov 3rd from web

• Today, by the Spirit's power, I’ll do the best I can with what I have out of love for Jesus. My definition of success7:36 AM Nov 1st from web

• Thanks to all you pastors who joined in our noisy conference call this AM. What fun! YOU are truly a group of radicals!10:33 AM Oct 30th from web

• The world is hungry for hunble people with absolute confidence in God. Obedience,not ego, is the source of true confidence10:22 AM Oct 30th from web

• I have zero confidence in myself but unlimited confidence when obeying what God has clearly commanded all of us all to do.10:16 AM Oct 30th from web

• PASTORS: Our next CONFERENCE CALL IS IN 10 MIN. at 10am PST. If u get PD CONNECTION email rw@saddleback.com 4 ACCESS CODE8:54 AM Oct 30th from web

• ALL Pastors subscribed to PD CONNECTION email me rw@saddleback.com 4 your ACCESS CODE 2 our next Conference call on Friday!3:28 PM Oct 29th from web

• "Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled & aflame! Be alert servants of the Master." Rom.12:11(Msg)10:48 AM Oct 29th from web

• "Be content with who u are &don't put on airs.God's strong hand is on u;he'll promote u at the right time"1Peter5:6(Msg)10:47 AM Oct 29th from web

• It is impossible to exxagerate God! "Christ's love is so great you'll never fully understand it" Eph3:19 NLT10:45 AM Oct 29th from web

• RT @shawnmichael Rick, you are officially cool. You just got a shout out from Bono ion stage at the Rise Bowl,12:20 AM Oct 26th from web

• RE:Web Flamers "Warn a DIVISIVE person once,then warn him a second time. After that,have NOTHING to do with him."Titus3:104:01 AM Oct 24th from web

• God so loved the world he gave his only begotten system, so that whosoever believes could argue over interpretation. NOT!7:07 PM Oct 23rd from web

• When believers focus on loving Jesus,differences melt away.When we focus on anything else,the more divided we are.Gal.3:286:58 PM Oct 23rd from web

• "The world of the generous gets larger & larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller & smaller." Proverbs 11:24(Message)10:25 AM Oct 23rd from web

• Do ur giving while living! "If I should die with more than 10 pounds wealth, may every man call me a liar & a thief"Wesley10:14 AM Oct 23rd from web

• “When u hear a nightingale u hear an excellent preacher.He exhorts with this Gospel,not merewords but by deed&example”Luther10:08 AM Oct 23rd from web

• Success is the stewardship of great ideas. If you don’t write them down, you’ll lose them."Write down the vision" Hab.2:211:26 AM Oct 22nd from web

• "The world is charged with the grandeur of God...Glory be to God for dappled things" Geral Manley Hopkins11:12 AM Oct 22nd from web

Confession, Restoration, Healing ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)
Program 28 – Confession, Restoration, Healing

Are you in trouble? Are you feeling absolutely desperate? And what are you going to do? You say, “I don‟t know what to do. I‟m trying to do this and I‟m trying to do that, but I‟m not sure it‟s going to work and I am desperate.” I understand and God has an answer, a solution to your desperation, and that is that you cling to Him. Don‟t try to handle it yourself; cling to God. We‟ll talk about it today as we look at God‟s precepts for life.

When I was growing up, I had a wonderful aunt and uncle, Aunt Dutchie and Uncle Scott. And Aunt Dutchie and Uncle Scott never had children; they were unable to. And yet, they kind of adopted my mother so that really Aunt Dutchie became like a mother to my mother, although she had a mother. Her mother was divorced, had been married a couple of times. I loved my grandma Elsie, loved her dearly and she was a precious, precious woman, but she had some rough years in there. And my mother had rough years, but there was Aunt Dutchie and Uncle Scott.

They lived in a little, tiny, cracker box of a house. It didn‟t matter to me because I just loved being there. I loved the yard, I loved the weeping willow, but it wasn‟t much of a house. As a matter of fact, it used to be an old garage, but then they added on. But you had to go down the steps to the kitchen, and off the kitchen was the bedroom of Aunt Dutchie and Uncle Scott. They bought that place because they lost their home in the Great Depression. They only had two more payments to make and instead of going to the family and saying to the family, “We only have two more payments to make. Can you help us right now?” They took it into their own hands and they ended up selling that house and moving into this small, small, little cracker box where they lived for the rest of their lives.

What do you do when you lose your home? What do you do when you lose your job? What do you do when all of a sudden you are in a desperate situation?

Well, Jeremiah, in Jeremiah chapter 13 is saying, [Listen, I want you to understand this visual aid of a waistband, a linen waistband to be put around your waist and then later he tells Jeremiah take it off, go down to the Euphrates, and dig a hole, and put the linen band there, go home and then come back. And He sent him back again. He says, “Dig it up.” And he digs it up and it‟s absolutely worthless. And he says, “This worthless linen band is like the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Because of their pride they will not cling to Me as the waistband clings to the waist of a man. If they had, I would have made them a people for praise and renown and glory, but they wouldn‟t listen.] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 13:4-11)

What happened? They thought that they could take care of the situation themselves. They had a problem and the problem was pride. The problem was they were not going to listen to God. They were going to do it their way.

In Jeremiah chapter 13, he says, when he shows them the ruined waistband which he says is totally worthless, says, “Then…,‖ in verse 8, ―…the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‗Thus says the LORD,‗―…so [I will] destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words….‖‘‖ (Jeremiah 13:8-10)

Now I‟m not saying that Aunt Dutchie and Uncle Scott were wicked, I‟m just using the illustration of losing a home.

It says, ―‗―This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods….‖‘‖ (Jeremiah 13:10) Instead of running to God, instead of clinging to God, they wanted to be like all the nations. They wanted to have gods from all the different nations to make sure that they had their bases covered. They didn‟t want to be caught short. Oh foolish, foolish people, the only time you‟re caught short is when you refuse to cling to God. You say, “Turning to idols? How stupid.” Listen to this.

This is an article that came out in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Sunday February the 15th in the year 2009. It‟s by Sam Wood. It says, “PHILADELPHIA—Faith might move mountains, but can a small piece of plastic move a four-bedroom house? In this dismal real estate market, lots of people think so, provided that the plastic is a figurine of St. Joseph.”

Now who was St. Joseph? Well, St. Joseph is a saint that is supposed to watch over the house, that is supposed to take care of your property. And what has happened in Pennsylvania is, all of a sudden they have gone from selling these figurines of St. Joseph to having super records of sales. Why? Ever since the mortgages became a problem, all of a sudden, they‟re selling all these figurines.

It says, “„We have over 5,000 items in our store,‟ Norma DiCocco, who owns the St. Jude shop in Havertown, Pennsylvania. „And you know what the No. 1 item is? The St. Joseph statue.‟” She buys figurines by the gross now. She estimated that she has sold six to eight thousand in the last year. What was a good seller has become a super-best seller. They only cost a dollar thirty-nine, she‟s not making a lot of money. But, “„It was not until the real estate market really tanked that St. Joseph took off the way that it did.‟” You know who bought one? A Jewish woman, a Jewish real estate agent conceded that she needed a small miracle. “As she walked with a shovel to a four-bedroom home,” she dug a hole, just like Jeremiah dug a hole and buried the waist band, but she didn‟t bury a waistband, she took the figure of St. Joseph and she put it in the ground. “Head down, feet pointing towards the heavens, face pointed towards the house.” This was the ritual; this is the way that she was supposed to bury so that a miracle could happen. You know what? She sold that four-bedroom house. Now, she says, “„It really does help. It seems to work no matter what faith you have. Recently we planted one, and in three weeks the house sold.‟”

Are you turning to even religious statues instead of turning to God? You know, if we would be clinging to God as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, if we would be holding onto Him, gripping Him, then no matter what happened then we would be able to be in the long run, through the trial, a people for praise and renown and glory.

But what do you have to do to cling to Him? You have to listen to Him. And the problem is, is we‟re so busy, we‟re working so hard, we‟ve got to get ourselves out of this situation, we‟ve got to get ourselves out of this trauma. And so instead of clinging to God, what we do is we take the Word of God and we close the Book and we set it aside because “I‟ve got do this, I‟ve gotta do this, I‟ve gotta do this.” And instead of clinging to Him, instead of falling to our knees, instead of hanging on to Him and saying, [God, you said „Seek first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness and you would take care of what I eat, and you would take care of shelter over my head,” you‟ve promised it to me in Matthew chapter 6. All these things will be added to you, be anxious for nothing.] (PARAPHRASE, Matthew 6:31-33) God I‟m going to cling to you. Instead of clinging to Him, we set Him aside because we‟ve got our pride and we think, in a sense, that we can pull ourselves out of this situation; that we can get ourselves out of it. That is pride.

Everything that comes into your life, good or bad, is filtered through God‟s fingers of love. And He has a purpose and that purpose is to train you. That purpose is to make you strong. Remember He says, [If you faint in the land of peace when you‟re running with the footmen, what are you going to do, how are you going to compete with horses in the thicket of the Jordan?] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 12:5)

Let‟s go to Jeremiah chapter 13 because in Jeremiah chapter 13 he then turns to the waistband and this is what he says, ―‗Therefore you [shall]…speak this word to them, ―Thus says the LORD…God of Israel, ‗Every jug is to be filled with wine.‘‖‘‖ (Jeremiah 13:12) Don‟t tell us that. We know that. ―‗―…do we not…[know well] that every jug is to be filled with wine?‘ then say to them, ―Thus says the LORD, ‗…I am about to fill all the inhabitants of [the] land—the kings that sit for David on his throne…,‘‖‘‖ evil kings but they‟re sitting for David on his throne, ‗―‗―…priests, the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! I will dash them against each other, both the fathers…the sons together…I will not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them.‘‖‘‖ (Jeremiah 13:13-14) What‟s going to happen? They‟re going to be filled with wine, they‟re going to get drunk. They‟re going to trip over one another because they would not listen to Him. They‟re going to fight against one another and they‟re not going to survive. We‟ll come back to this in just a minute and you don‟t want to miss the answer.

Welcome back, Beloved. I‟m so excited about—well, I‟m excited every week, but I‟m excited about this week‟s lesson because it is so imperative that you and I know what to do when things, all of a sudden, move from peace to turmoil. When they move to destruction, when they move to a shattering experience, what are we to do? We are to cling to Him. And if we don‟t cling to Him, then what‟s going to happen? If we do not listen, we‟re going to be like a bunch of drunks. We‟re going to be walking around and we aren‟t sure where we are. And we are bumping into everybody all over and we can‟t handle it. I‟ve never been drunk in my life, but I‟ve watched a lot of drunks and I‟ve been with people that have gotten drunk. They don‟t know what‟s going on. And sometimes they wake up and they don‟t know who they‟ve slept with. Sometimes they wake up and their body is bruised and they don‟t know what happened to them. Sometimes they don‟t wake up. Well, in this life. And many times, they wake up in hell.

God is speaking to His people and He wants them to understand: You have moved from a time of peace now to a time of turmoil. [And in the thicket of the Jordan you better be able to compete with horses.] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 12:5) Watch what He says, I‟m in Jeremiah 13, verse 15, ―Listen and give heed, do not be haughty….‖ (Jeremiah 13:15) Now remember, He said you wouldn‟t cling to me, that‟s why it‟s a worthless waistband because of the pride of Judah, because of the pride of Jerusalem. He says, “Listen, don‟t be haughty, don‟t be full of pride.” ―…For the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God, before He brings darkness…,‖ He says ―…and before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains…,‖ (Jeremiah 13:15-16) It is getting dark, you can‟t see where you‟re going. ―…And while you are hoping for light He makes it into [a] deep darkness, and turns it into gloom.‖ (Jeremiah 13:16)

What does he mean when he says, give glory to God? Well, if you and I were to go to Joshua chapter 7 and verse 19 through 26, what you and I would find is that when they went in and they took Jericho, they were not to take any spoils, but Achan did. Achan went in and he saw those beautiful things and he took those spoils. And he took them home and he buried them and the family knew about it. So then when the children of Israel, go up against Achor and they cannot defeat the enemy and they‟re crying out to God, „Why?” And God says, “Because there is sin in the camp.” And they find out that Achan did it. And then they say, before they stone him to death and his family, “Give glory to God.” In other words, confess your sin. Don‟t die without being what God wants you to be. I‟m going to punish you, I‟m going to take your life, I‟m going to take the family, but give glory to God. (See Joshua 7:19-26)

You see this same statement used in John chapter 9 when the blind man is healed and the Pharisees are just so upset and he‟s giving glory to Jesus and they say to him, “Hey, tell us who did this. Give glory to God, confess.” (See John 9:15-24)

So what God is saying is, “When you mess up confess. Because if you don‟t confess it‟s like a mist coming up and you‟re walking this perilous path and you can‟t see it. You‟re going to stumble. You‟re going to fall. The light that you had is all of a sudden going to be gone and you‟re going to be in darkness.” So he says, “Give glory to God.”

He says, ―But if you will not listen to it…,‖ and Jeremiah is speaking and he says, ―…My soul [is going to] sob in secret…,‖ he says, ―…and my eyes will [weep bitterly] and flow down with tears, because the flock of the LORD has been taken captive.‖ (Jeremiah 13:17) I‟m going to weep because you went into captivity and you didn‟t have to go into captivity. If only you had listened. If only you had clung to Me, then you wouldn‟t be like this drunken person out of control. If only you would have confessed, the darkness would have become light. But you won‟t listen, and so I am going to weep bitterly for you.

Now watch what He says, He says, ―Say to the king and the queen mother….‖ (Jeremiah 13:18) So here‟s the king and the queen mother standing there in their crown, in their glory, ruling and he‟s saying, “Say to them „Take a lowly seat, because the crown has fallen from your head.‟” Now watch what it says because this gives you a cue to the time of the writing, because Jeremiah is not going to get terribly chronological until the end of the book, until the second part of the book, then he‟s going to start telling us chronology, but now we have to pick it up by just little words and phrases like this, so watch what he says. ―Say to the king and the queen mother, ‗Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head.‘ The cities of the Negev…,‖ that‟s of the south, ―…have been locked up, and there is no one to open [them up]; all Judah has been carried into exile, wholly carried into exile.‖ (Jeremiah 13:18-19)

When Nebuchadnezzar came down, he didn‟t come down and attack them from the north, he came up from the south, great strategy. The land of peace that Jeremiah was growing weary in has now been overrun with the horsemen. And Jeremiah is having to compete with the horses.

And so from here we go back to 2 Kings chapter 24 and there we see hey, ―In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, [in the days of]…Jehoiakim [and he] became [a] servant for three years.…‖ (2 Kings 24:1) ―[And] the LORD sent against him bands of Chaldeans, [and] bands of Arameans, [and] bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD….‖ (2 Kings 24:2) But they wouldn‟t repent. They wouldn‟t cling. They wouldn‟t listen to God. And it says, ―Surely at the command of the LORD it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done.‖ (2 Kings 24:3) And what had Manasseh done? ―…[Manasseh had filled Jerusalem with] innocent blood…and the LORD would not forgive.‖ (2 Kings 24:4) So Jehoiakim dies, and ―The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates. [And] Jehoiachin..,‖ this is the king with his mother, ―…was eighteen years old when he became king…he reigned three months in Jerusalem…he did evil in the sight of the LORD….‖ (2 Kings 24:7-9) And he was carried away into captivity; the crown fell from their head. Why? Because they did not run to the Lord.

What about you? Where are you going to run in the time of trouble?

God Met in Our Despair ~ Bob Caldwell

Psalm 116 — God Met in Our Despair 116:5-6 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. When we find ourselves under great adversity with our troubles pressing heavy upon us, there are few times we can then say to ourselves, "Return to your rest, O my soul" (v. 3-7). Our appreciation and sincere thankfulness for the good in our lives becomes acute when that good has been removed for a season. No one appreciates clean, refreshing water like a person on the verge of death in a dry and thirsty land. So it is for God. We hear with our ears that God is gracious, righteous, and merciful, but it may be little more than a string of words. No words can describe our gratitude when our minds and emotions—our very lives—are being crushed under the weight of life's troubles and God restores us with His abundant life. Our dull, unthankful hearts often are not awakened by anything less than trouble! Let our troubles become a messenger of God's bountiful riches and the path to abundant joy found in thankful praise to our God. Psalm 117 — God's Riches Revealed 117:1 Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! God's mercy and truth are often unseen by both believer and non-believer and the great loss that results is more than can be calculated. As gold is of no value if left in the mine, so God is of no personal value if His riches are neither known nor appreciated by faith. The psalmist therefore asks a Gentile world that had little understanding of God to see Him through the lens of His people. To look at the lives of God's people and see the proof of a merciful, kind God. The truth of God should be on display by all who claim to know Him. His truth not only sets us free to enjoy the riches of God's grace, but is for the world to make such riches their own. Psalm 118 — I Fear No Man for God is with Me 118:5-6 I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The psalmist found himself in deep and troubled waters. Distress pressed hard against him. At times, such is life for us all. We are visited by troubles that defy any human solution. It is in these moments that what once was only a distant concept of God can become a life-changing reality. For the psalmist, God became close and personal, committed to taking on his troubles. When we turn to God in such times as this, He becomes so real that we too can declare, if God is for me, what can man do to me? (v. 6.) It is clear where our trust must lay. Not in the shifting loyalties and half-promises of man, but in God (v. 8-9). God is the author of each new day and we will find this is more than sufficient to live in hope and rejoicing; "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!"
Psalm 116-118 Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death 1 I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. 3 The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!" 5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. 6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the LORD In the land of the living. 10 I believed, therefore I spoke, "I am greatly afflicted." 11 I said in my haste, "All men are liars." 12 What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows to the LORD Now in the presence of all His people. 15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints. 16 O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 I will pay my vows to the LORD Now in the presence of all His people, 19 In the courts of the LORD's house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! Psalm 117 Let All Peoples Praise the LORD 1 Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! Psalm 118 Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy 1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever." 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, "His mercy endures forever." 4 Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever." 5 I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. 6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. 10 All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 11 They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12 They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD. 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. 27 God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. 29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 116-118 This "Thanksgiving" psalm is the fourth of the Hallel (see introduction to Psalm 113). v. 2 He has inclined His ear to me – Typically, when possible, Hebrew poetry will choose a concrete expression ("turned His ear") over an abstract one ("heard"). v. 3 pains of death – Or, cords or ropes. In ancient times, ropes and nets were often used as instruments of battle. The poet may have come close to death in battle or through a near-fatal illness. pangs – anguish or agony Sheol – the grave; place of the dead v. 4 "O LORD…deliver my soul!" – This should not be "spiritualized"; the psalmist was not praying that his "soul" be saved, but rather begging for concrete, actual rescue. v. 5 righteous…merciful – Righteous, meaning just. Biblical religion sees these as the two absolute poles of God's character: He personifies absolute justice but is also supremely merciful. This is to be exemplified also in the life of the follower of God; see Micah 6:8: "act justly…love mercy." v. 6 The LORD preserves the simple – This does not mean "simpleminded" but simple or pure in heart. v. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul – In light of who God is and the way He behaves, the poet turns his attention inward and exhorts his deepest inner being to be at peace, even when confronted with dangers and terrors. v. 8 soul…eyes…feet // death…tears…falling – Note again the Hebrew love for concrete expressions. v. 9 I will walk before the LORD – To "walk" before God meant, for the believer in Israel, to represent Him in kingly service (Gen. 17:1, 1 Kings 2:4, 1 John 1:7). v. 10 I believed, therefore I spoke – The poet had faced doubt and uncertainty in his affliction, even to the point of despair. v. 11 I said in my haste, "All men are liars." – In a moment of desperation he declared that there was no one who could be trusted. v. 12 What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? – The answer is, of course, "Nothing!" But in humble thanksgiving the psalmist expresses his complete gratitude to the Lord for His aid and help. v. 13 I will take up the cup of salvation – The "cup" is probably the pitcher in which a drink offering is carried to the altar to be poured out in celebration (Ex. 37:16). And call upon the name of the LORD – in joyous celebration in the Temple v. 14 I will pay my vows to the LORD – the vow of the poet to offer a thanksgiving offering (v. 17) Now in the presence of all His people – in the Temple congregation v. 15 Precious in the sight – This verse has been a comfort to bereaved believers through the ages. v. 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving – in the midst of God's people in the Temple (v. 18) v. 19 In the courts of the LORD's house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem – The poem ends with the psalmist surrounded by the joyous, worshipping crowd in the courtyard of the Temple. Psalm 117 This little psalm, the shortest chapter in the entire Bible (and only two chapters away from the longest!), is the fifth of the Hallel (see introduction to Psalm 113). v. 1 Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! – The focus of the psalmists challenge to praise God is not just Israel but "all nations" (Matt. 28:18-20). v. 2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us – Better translated: "His kindness overwhelms us!" The dimensions of God's faithful covenant love are almost unimaginable. the truth of the LORD endures forever – the Hebrew words for "faithfulness" and "truth" are closely related, hence the association called up by this verse. Psalm 118 This is the closing song or chant of the Hallel (see introduction to Psalm 113). v. 1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD – This entire phrase is compressed into two Hebrew words. The starting imperative "give-thanks," signals the psalm as a "Thanksgiving" song. for He is good! – This is the key characteristic of God that Satan calls into question; "Does God really have the best for YOU in mind?" Giving thanks for what He has done for us is an antidote to this spiritual poison. For His mercy endures forever – He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; His kindness will never fail. v. 2 Let Israel now say…the house of Aaron…those who fear the LORD – The repeated phrase calls different groups in the worshipping congregation gathered in the Temple to proclaim (probably with a responding shout of acclamation): "His mercy endures forever." v. 5 in distress – The Hebrew word has the connotation of "restricted" / "narrow"; hence the contrast in the next sentence with a "broad" or "wide-open" place. v. 6 The LORD is on my side – In Hebrew this phrase is the apex of simplicity: two word = "LORD" + "with-me"; that basically says it all. v. 7 The LORD is for me among those who help me – Most English translations obscure the fact that this verse begins with the same two Hebrew words as v. 6: "LORD" + "with-me." I shall see my desire on those who hate me – Literally: "I will stare at those who hate me." In many cultures, one can only stare directly at someone who is one's inferior. v. 8 It is better to trust in the LORD – Similar to v. 6-7, this verse and the next begin exactly the same: "Better to take refuge in the LORD…" v. 9 than to put confidence in princes – This phrase, in typical Hebrew fashion, amplifies and expands on the parallel phrase in the previous verse (v. 8): misplaced confidence in man in general is expanded to include even the most powerful on earth, princes. v. 10 All nations – In v. 10-12 the poet plays on the word "surround." He is encircled by foreign armies like a man in the midst of a swarm of angry hornets, but he will destroy them (Literally translated, cut them off…cut them off…cut them off). v. 12 They were quenched like a fire of thorns – Meaning either that the enemies involved died out as quickly as the sputtering flame of a burning thorn branch or, keying off the image of hornets or bees surrounding the speaker, like bees caught in the flames of a burning torch. v. 13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall – The poet now speaks directly to his enemies. v. 14 strength…song…salvation – A classic Hebrew elaboration: God is even more than my "strength," He is my "song." But it doesn't end there: He is my deliverance from all the things attacking me. v. 15 the tents of the righteous – "Tents" is probably a hint pointing toward the time when Israel was in the wilderness, encamped around the "tent" of the Lord (the tabernacle; Num. 24:2-9) just as the "righteous" (God's men and women who act justly) are gathered in worship around the sanctuary in the temple (v. 19). The right hand of the LORD – A common Hebrew phrase. Someone's right hand was their sword-arm, the symbol of their strength. v. 17 declare – recount or remunerate all that God has done v. 18 The LORD has chastened me severely – The Hebrew words "chastened" and "severely" sound alike; "chastening" is the experience of every believer, as God "child-trains" us (Heb. 12:5-11). v. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness – The psalmist is going into the Temple courtyard with a loud shout, "Open the gates for me…" righteousness – justice and equity; it is likely that justice was spoken in the gates of the Temple v. 20 righteous – God's people who "act justly" (Micah 6:8) v. 21 You have…become my salvation – This is the deepest level of God's mercy to us: He Himself has intervened to deliver us from death. v. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone – This is an important verse for Jesus' understanding of Himself and His mission (Luke 20:17). It became a favorite verse of the early church as it explained His rejection by the leaders of the nation and ensuing exaltation by God (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:4). In the context of the psalm itself, it expresses the wonder that the poet feels as he looks around at the huge stones of the Temple and realizes his fate is similar to that of a block of limestone initially rejected by the quarrymen but, in the end, put in the most important position of all in the majestic edifice of the Temple. v. 23 the LORD's doing – The psalmist realizes, with all God's people: Only the Lord could have done this! v. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it – His troubles behind him, the psalmist realizes, "This is God's day…He has made it possible; we should rejoice and ‘dance' ("exult") through it!" v. 25 Save now – This begins a new section of the psalm, a communal prayer for continued deliverance and prosperity v. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! – Recalled by the crowds greeting Jesus on His final entry into Jerusalem as they shouted "Hosanna!" on His way to the Temple (Mark 11:8-10). v. 27 He has given us light – Probably suggests the priestly blessing of Israel by Aaron, repeated each Sabbath in the synagogue: "The LORD…make His face shine upon you" (Num. 6:25). Bind the sacrifice with cords – the animal about to be offered in thanksgiving the horns of the altar – The square altar in the Temple had a "horn" jutting up from each corner; probably for literally tying down the ropes holding the sacrifice and, poetically symbols of strength. v. 28 You are my God…You are my God – Two different titles are used in Hebrew: El and Elohim; literally: "My-God You are…my-Majestic-God You are." v. 29 give thanks – Closes the psalm with the same call to worship it began with in v. 1.
"I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" –Psalm 118:5-6 Too often, God, we are afraid of what man can do to us. Too often, God, we compromise our faith in You because of our fear of man. We pray today to take the truth of this verse to heart. What can man do to us when You are on our side? Nothing. We praise You, Lord!
High School Ministry Many of our students are taking the initiative and starting bible studies on their campuses. Four have started up this year and a few more are about to begin! I visited one study that had started four weeks prior and it was already up to 35 students. It's cool to see the kids hanging out together outside of church; they are really becoming more and more like a family. Prayer Points that the Lord would give us vision on how to make the youth room more comfortable and homey that the Lord would provide for building expansion that the Lord would provide furniture (couches, coffee tables, and lamps) for the youth room