Many Motives for Giving ~ Raul Ries

…For God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

Lining Miami’s Flagler Street are beautiful royal palm trees. One night, vandals cut down six of the magnificent trees, and the city did not have the money to replace them. Then, at last, a donor came forward and offered to replace the lost trees. But while the former trees had been 15 feet tall and formed a perfect foreground for a big Delta Air Lines billboard, the new trees were 35 feet tall and completely hit the billboard. The donor? Eastern Airlines.

There are many motives for giving. What is yours?

Thought for the Day:

It is not how much you give but why you give!

Stand Firm in Our Teaching and Example ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

Stand Firm in Our Teaching and Example

2Thessalonians 1:1-3:16; Psalm 119:73-75; Proverbs 21:22

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.

Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-3:16

WORSHIP

Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Psalm 119:73-75

WISDOM

A wise man scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.
Proverbs 21:22

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

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

November 3rd, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Hebrews, Interpersonal Relationships, New Testament, Old Testament | leave a response

Hebrews 12:14-15 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Every leader could find reasons to be bitter. You will have an idea stolen by someone that prospers, you will make one mistake and an unforgiving boss delays or eliminates your potential for promotion, you have your reputation damaged or destroyed by an unethical co-worker and the reasons for bitterness can go on and on. Effective leaders seek God’s grace and do whatever has to be done to destroy a bitter root in their emotions before it can grow and cause trouble. Read 2 Samuel 13 and 14.

Absalom appeared to be a born leader. Not only was he the son of a king, but he also possessed exceptionally good looks and a winsome personality. His sensitivity to the felt needs of the masses enabled him to win their loyalty. Unfortunately, Absalom used his influence to lead people in the wrong direction. He organized a revolution against his father, King David, which ultimately resulted in his own tragic death.

Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from Absalom’s failure is the destructive power of bitterness. Absalom had never relinquished his anger over the rape of his sister, Tamar, by Amnon, another of David’s sons. The king’s failure to punish Amnon had no doubt contributed to Absalom’s anger. Like a row of falling dominos, each event in Absalom’s life led to another tragedy. Absalom had set a trap for Amnon and had arranged for his death, an act that forced Absalom into hiding for three years. No sooner had Absalom and David been reunited than Absalom began using his influence to undermine the king’s position.

Ultimately, the tragedy could have been avoided if Absalom hadn’t allowed his anger to knock over the first domino. As you lead others, be aware that both your natural and cultivated leadership skills can be impaired by bitterness. Be ready to forgive when you or someone you love has been wronged. Effective leaders do not allow bitterness to grow and cause trouble and defile many.

Is there something you have left unforgiven that consistently shows up as bitterness in your actions toward others? Will you ask God to show you the root of your bitterness? Will you take the first step of repentance and ask God to forgive your attitude?

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Tags: Bitterness, Forgiveness

« How do you react after a failure? (94-1)

Team Jesus ~ Mark Balmer

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

Message #DF143; Daily Devotional #1 - “Team Jesus”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): It’s sports time. Pro football is ramming ahead, NASCAR is racing for the finish line, and the World Series is rounding first, heading for home. The players spend months preparing for pre-season games and continue their regimen both during and after the season. In short, they are always game-ready. Each one is carefully chosen, and they must all work together for the good of the team. Every position is filled with the one gifted to execute that purpose. It’s game time. The strategy is planned, the bodies are trained, the mind is focused, and they are equipped to meet the opposing team. They suit up in their sports protection gear and proudly don their team jersey for who they represent. Let the games begin.

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen." Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20) After Jesus spent time in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry, He chose the first few of His twelve disciples. With the plan of salvation already in place (John 3:16), Jesus began to prepare His disciples for the Great Commission (Mark 16:15). He coached them and prepared them for the future works they would do in His name. They were all gifted to fulfill a specific purpose of their calling, and their minds were focused differently because of His presence (Romans 12:2). After He ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit came to counsel and equip them with the power to accomplish that for which they were called. So what started with two fishermen grew to four, which grew to twelve, which now includes everyone who has left their nets by the sea to follow Jesus—a team of people seeking first the Kingdom. By definition, a team consists of a group of people united for a common purpose, where each member uses their gifts to build up the team. Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. (Luke 11:23) Whose team are you on? If you want to be freed from the chains of sin, Team Jesus is for you. If you want to be filled with everlasting peace, exceeding joy, and abundant life, Team Jesus is for you. If you want to spend eternity with your Heavenly Father, Team Jesus is for you. This team is built on faith, hope, and love. Did the disciples miss a better opportunity when they left their nets to follow Jesus? Were they leaving treasure behind for others to snatch away? When we look at the world through the eyes of Jesus, we don’t see what we lost but how much we have gained. Although they did not see the complete picture when they followed Jesus, they walked by faith. Suffering came with the glory and defeat came with the victory, but through it all, they were more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). The torch has been passed for us to continue the work of sharing the Gospel with a lost world. Together we grow and learn (Proverbs 27:17) and are fit to face the opposing team. Alone we are weak, together we are strong, and with Jesus we are on the winning team (Ephesians 6:10).

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Every day is ‘game day’. Our mission is to seek and then bring to Jesus those who are lost; our strategy is to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit. How are you doing with these? The Bible is our guide, Jesus is our strength, and the Holy Spirit is our coach. All too often we forgo reading the Scriptures, trying to live on daily bread that is stale and moldy; we forget to call on Jesus when we are weak, trying to operate in our own strength; and we don’t pray nearly enough to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so we can know what to do and then have the power to do it. The disciples learned that Jesus satisfies the soul and their real treasure is in Heaven. 2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? JESUS, JESUS! YEA!

• How are you contributing to improve and encourage the team?

• Are you in a constant state of preparing and training yourself?

• Do you proudly display your ‘Jesus’ jersey?

• Are you always ‘game-ready’?

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Psalm 149:4; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 1:4

Plea bargaining? ~ Mike MacIntosh

Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" - Mark 11:7-10

What an amazing sight it must have been to see the huge crowds of people crying out to God, "Save us now!" The cries of their hearts were exactly what ours should be. Our nation should be calling out to the Lord in desperation, begging His forgiveness for our sin and our backsliding away from Him. We don't need new policies or revised laws--we need Jesus Christ! We should be crying out every day, "God, save me." Jesus is coming for His church soon. The apostle Paul said:

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

This is either comfort to you, as Paul says, or it's a wake-up call for you. We need to start living with fear, and awe, and respect of God in our lives. He is coming back, and it will be decisive and conclusive. Are you ready? So often we let our eyes watch things, and we let our minds hear things, and we let our hands handle things, and we let our heart be exposed to things that are really impure. We lack the fear of God. Recognizing who God truly is puts us in our place. And when we're in that place of reverent fear and submission to His will, we have peace. We have peace and comfort knowing that He is our God and that He is our Savior. And that's the only way that we'll ever find true peace. So cry out today to our Lord, asking Him to save us from our sins, to keep us from backsliding, and to rescue us from our sinful and prideful inclinations. He loves you so much and He wants to be your peace.

Grace Is not a License to Sin ~ Joyce Meyer

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. . . . What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? -Romans 5:20, 6:15-16 (KJV)

When Paul started teaching the people of his day about the Law and grace—how the law produces sin, but where sin abounds, grace abounds even more—the early believers got a bit confused. They reasoned, "Well, then, if the more we sin, the more grace abounds, and if God takes such delight in giving us His grace, then we ought to sin as much as we can so we can get more grace" (See Romans 6:15).

So Paul had to write to straighten them out, saying, "God forbid! Don't you know that when you sin you become a servant to sin? How can you go on living in sin when you have been declared dead to sin?" (See Romans 6:16).

Grace is not just an excuse to stay where we are, claiming that we don't have to do anything about ourselves and our lives because we are not under the law but under grace. That is the mistake the early believers were making.

Yes, God's grace will keep us from condemnation even though we sin. God's grace does keep our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life even though we aren't perfect. God's grace does save us, declare us righteous in His sight, assure us His blessings and a home in Heaven, carry us through this life, and give us peace of mind and heart and many, many other wonderful things.

But God's grace does more than all of that, it also teaches us to live as God intends for us to live—which is in holiness. It not only gives us the power to live, but it is given to us to lift us out of sin.

Shaking lean to's ~ Jon Courson

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. - Hebrews 12:25-27

‘In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord,’ wrote Isaiah (6:1). Under the reign of Uzziah — one of the greatest kings in the history of Judah — wealth flowed throughout the Jewish empire, and the borders of the nation were not only protected, but expanded. So powerful was he, it is said his name was on the lips of everyone from Babylon in the north to Egypt in the south. But when did Isaiah see the Lord? In the year Uzziah died.

So too, in each of our lives there are Uzziahs: good things, wonderful things — but things in which we trust and upon which we depend instead of trusting in and depending on God. And because He loves us and wants the best for us, our Father says, ‘As good as Uzziah might be, he’s not Me. As secure as you might feel because of his weaponry, it’s not nearly as secure as you would be if you were looking to and leaning on Me.’

Because we are so prone to put our trust in things which cannot be proven trustworthy, God shakes our world as surely as He shook Mt. Sinai in order to knock away anything we are trusting in and living for. Gang, He loves you enough to say, ‘If year after year, I let you trust in that, lean on him, or live for her, you will be a spiritual midget. I don’t want that for you. You don’t want that either. So, I’ve got to shake it to remove it, that you might again lean on Me, look to Me, and walk with Me — for then you’ll be blessed, strengthened, and prepared for eternity.’

Sharing His Essence ~ Jack Graham

“But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion…”

-- Luke 10:42

If you made a checklist of things that were necessary for your well-being, what would be on it? Naturally, you’d include things like food, water, air, and shelter.

But what about spending time with Jesus? Do you find daily fellowship with Christ Jesus essential? Well, I hope you do, because it is absolutely essential to your growth and effectiveness as a Christ-follower. You and I can see this truth presented so vividly in the story of Mary and Martha’s encounter with Jesus. You’ll recall that Martha had invited Jesus to come to her home for a time of refreshment. Maybe a meal and time of fellowship.

And after Jesus arrived, Martha’s sister, Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet soaking up his words and his very presence while Martha became busy with preparations. When Martha asked Jesus to send Mary to help her, Jesus told her that Mary had discovered the one thing necessary, the truly essential thing: spending time with him.

You see, as a Christ-follower, spending time with Jesus isn’t just a good thing to do, it is THE thing to do! To experience his presence every day of your life, you must seek him, spend time with him, and know his heart. Will you choose this one necessary thing today? I pray that you will.

TIME SPENT WITH JESUS ISN’T JUST A GOOD THING TO DO, IT IS THE THING TO DO!

Sing a song of deliverence unto our God ! ~ David McGee

Acts 16:27-30

"And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
NKJV

Life Lesson

No matter how bad your circumstances are, there is hope in God.

All of us at some point in our lives are held captive by something. It could be that you are captive by a bad decision you made. Praise the Lord. Maybe you are held captive by habits or even by outside circumstances that you have little control over. Praise the Lord. Maybe it's your health. Praise the Lord. Is your hope in an escape? Then your hope is in the wrong place. Is your hope in healing? Then your hope is in the wrong place. Is your hope in the Lord? You got it, that's where it should be.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." NLT

That's a promise that God has made to you, and He has an established track record of always keeping His promises. So, what are you doing while you are in the midst of your trials? Are you staying in His Word? Are you praising Him? Look around...who's watching? It could be that there are others...like you, or even jailors who are watching. What an incredible witness you can be by giving thanks to God despite your circumstances.

1 Peter 3:15 "Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it." NLT

You see, whether you have been beaten up like Paul and Silas or beaten down like the jailer, the Lord knows what is going on and wants you to turn to Him. His promises have not and will not change. So don't give up, friend. Stay focused on Jesus. Remember His words:

John 16:33 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." NKJV

Dear Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. Thank You that He rose from death victorious so that I may have victory in life over darkness through Him. Please give me the ability to glorify and praise You in good times and bad. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

We Have an Anchor ~ Chuck Swindoll

Hebrews 6:19

The word picture of an anchor is used often in ancient literature, but it's used only once in the New Testament in picturing hope as an anchor for our soul. Lots of hymns and gospel songs make use of this anchor metaphor. Every one of them comes back to Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul . . ."

There's something beautiful in this word picture that I would have missed without the insight of one very capable scholar:

The picture is that of an ancient sailing vessel finding its way through the narrow entrance to a harbor. This was one of the trickiest maneuvers the captain of a ship had to make. As his ship moved through the opening, he had to guard against a gust of wind running it onto a reef or a sandbar. The skeleton of many a ship could be seen on the rocks, giving testimony to the fact that its captain had failed his navigation test.

To minimize the risk, the olden-day skipper would lower the ship's anchor into a smaller boat, which would then be rowed through the narrow entrance of the harbor. The anchor would then be dropped and this ship, with sails down, would be pulled past the obstacles, through the narrow opening and into the safety of the harbor.¹

The point of all of this, of course, is not anchors and skippers, ships and harbors. The point is this: That is exactly what Jesus Christ does when the bottom of life drops out. Look closely at the verse:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil. (v. 19)

The imagery of that verse may not be clear at first glance. Let me put it in today's terms. In the days of the Tabernacle, the Hebrews gathered around it and within it as a place of worship. Within the Tabernacle were veils; behind the innermost veil was the holiest place on earth, the place we might call the "God-room." In this God-room, the light (it was actually called the shekinah) of God resided. It's my understanding that the light of God was a brilliant, blazing radiance that shone down into the God-room. Within that room was an ark, or a small chest, much lower and smaller than most pulpits. On top of that chest was a grail, with golden cherubim on either end (angel-like creatures with their wings folded in front of them). That entire piece of unique furniture was too holy for words.

Once a year, the high priest of the Israelites would enter that God-room with a small pan of blood which, precisely as God required it in the Law, he poured out on the grail (which was called the "mercy seat") there between the golden cherubim. God, witnessing the spilling of the blood and pleased with the sacrifice that had been made correctly by the priest, graciously forgave the Hebrew people for their sin. It was an annual event, the most sacred of all events. The Hebrews must have held their breath as the high priest went in with the pan, poured the blood, and came out of this room where God dwelled. The first-century Jews who read this word veil in Hebrews 6 understood all that. Look closely:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (vv. 19–20)

In other words, our Savior has gone through life, has taken all of life's beatings and buffetings, and has gone before us. And now? Now He pulls us toward Himself! He invites His followers within the veil. He says, "Come in. Find healing for your stress fractures. Find here the rest that you need, the relief from the burdens and buffetings of doubt."

Doubt, you see, will always try to convince you, You are all alone. No one else knows. Or cares. No one else really can enter in and help you with this. In Hebrews, however, the writer says that Christ is a constant priest—not once a year, but forever. He lives in the God-room. He is there, sitting alongside the Father, representing your needs to Him. And, child of God, there is nothing so great for you to endure that He does not feel touched by it and stay by you through it.

Know Your God ~ Charles Stanley

2 Peter 1:12-21

Throughout the world, and even within the church, one can find a wide variety of beliefs about God. To avoid confusion and deception, we need to know a few essential truths about the Lord.

The inerrancy of the Bible. Unless a person has a firm belief in this doctrine, all of his ideas about the Lord will be subjective. Scripture is God’s thoughts written without error by men who were governed by the Holy Spirit. Fulfilled prophecy is proof that this book is never wrong (Isa. 48:3).

An accurate understanding of God. The Lord is one divine Being expressed in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in every way, but their jobs differ. Think of the Father as the initiator, the Son as the implementer, and the Spirit as the energizer. All three were involved in creation as well as the plan of salvation.

The Son, who existed in eternity past, came to earth by being born of a virgin. He is the God-man, having added humanity to His deity. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death for our sins, rose bodily from the grave, and ascended to the Father in heaven.

The Holy Spirit is our power source. He indwells every believer in Christ, transforming character, revealing truth, and enabling obedience to God.

Our Creator wants us to know Him. Isn’t that amazing? He shares His thoughts with us and invites us to enjoy an intimate relationship with Him. Every day we have the privilege of opening His Word and having a heart-to-heart conversation with our loving God. He’s waiting for you. Join Him today.

Moses Leading Israel out of Egypt, by Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:28)

Moses left Egypt on two occasions, under two different sets of circumstances. On the first occasion, he left Israel behind in Egypt, going out in fear. On the second occasion, he is seen leading Israel out of Egypt, by faith.

Moses' first departure saw him fleeing for his life, fearing what the Pharaoh might do to him. Moses' heart had been drawn to the people of God. He went out to consider their situation. "When Moses was grown…he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren" (Exodus 2:11). Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. When his brethren became aware of this reckless deed, Moses was frightened. "So Moses feared and said, 'Surely this thing is known!' When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian" (Exodus 2:14-15). So, Israel was left in Egypt in bondage, and Moses' desire to see God's people delivered was thwarted.

Moses' second departure found him leaving courageously, with no fear of what Pharaoh might do. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king." Much had transpired between these two departures. For forty years, Moses had humbly tended sheep on the back side of the desert. "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God" (Exodus 3:1). There, the Lord revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush, sending him back into Egypt to demand the release of God's people. "I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob…Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:6, 10). So, Moses boldly confronted one of the most powerful leaders in the world. "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go'" (Exodus 5:1). Then, the Lord performed awesome wonders until He caused the will of mighty Pharaoh to be broken. "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). The ultimate difference in this second departure was that Moses had seen the Lord and had learned to trust in Him. "For he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

O Lord God, awesome deliverer, I know what it is to run away from situations in fear. I also know what it is to lead out in faith. The difference, Lord, is seeing who You are and what You alone can do. Please reveal Yourself to me that my faith might grow!

Heartbreaking Headlines ~ Bob Coy

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

When was the last time you were shocked, dumbstruck, or sickened by what you saw on the nightly news? No need to rehash the heartbreaking headlines here, but suffice it to say that we live in a wicked world. And anyone who's been alive long enough to have a sense of perspective will tell you it's only getting worse.

Why is that? Aren't we, as a race of people, becoming more enlightened, more self-aware, more in tune with others? Shouldn't we be getting better? Why aren't we?

This elusive question is answered by a question, a question posed to us by God through the prophet Jeremiah. Our real problem is us. More specifically, it's our heart, which is divinely defined as "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked."

When you get right down to it, man's problem isn't lack of education, wealth, or anything else. It's the presence of his heart, which follows him wherever he goes and influences everything he does. And because it's a fallen heart, bent on sin, it constantly seduces man away from obeying the will of God.

It's such a sinful and seductive force that God asks a rhetorical question: "Who can know it?" The answer is no one! No natural-born man can fully comprehend or exercise complete control of his own heart. On the contrary, it will be his slave driver and task master his entire life. That's why we see so many heartbreaking headlines.

Our only hope is for outside intervention by the only One who is greater than our heart...God (1 John 3:20). When we surrender ourselves to His purposes, when we open up our heart to Him, He comes inside and takes charge over it. Little by little, He purifies our wicked hearts, until our lives finally come to reflect His.

Discuss the truth revealed through today’s heartbreaking headlines. What have you seen in the news this week that is further evidence of the fallen condition of man’s heart? How has it made you feel?

Dig into Jeremiah 17:5–10. What is the point of the comparison made here? What does verse 9 mean to you personally? How can you see the truth of this verse as you look at our society today?

Decide as a group to pray for your unsaved friends. Ask the Lord to lovingly lead them to conviction and repentance. Be ready to be used by God to bring them hope and the Good News of the gospel.

No Free Passes ~ Greg Laurie

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

— Romans 5:3–5

Some people believe that as Christians, we are exempt from human suffering. They think that bad things happen to unbelievers, but not to Christians. But inexplicable things happen to godly people. Christians get cancer. Christians die in auto accidents. Christians have all the problems that other people in the world generally have. And it comes as a shock to us. We are surprised when we have problems in life—problems in our career, problems with our family, problems with our kids.

After my son Christopher went to heaven, I had people come up to me and say, "I can't believe this has happened to you of all people." The idea being that I because I am a pastor and preach the gospel, I should somehow get a free pass on the suffering experienced by the rest of the human race.

The Bible teaches that we all will have hardship. The apostle Paul wrote, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment . . . " (Romans 5:3–5).

You may look at some tragedy that has occurred in your life and think, Well, I don't see any good right now. But maybe a month from now you will see a little good. Then a little bit later, you might see a little more good. And it may not be until eternity that you see the big picture and the complete good.

But until that day, there is a God who promises that despite the worst tragedy, He can bring good out of bad.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

• "A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash." Proverbs 15:14 (NLT)about 4 hours ago from web

• Finding time to read the great spiritual classics is no mystery.Turn off the TV. Nothing on TV today will matter in10 yrsabout 4 hours ago 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 humble 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

Shattered Peace ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)
Program 27 – Shattered Peace

Has your peace just been shattered like a glass that drops out of your hand, falls on the floor, and goes into all these little pieces? And you reach down to try and pick them up, and you get cut and you bleed and you’re hurting? News came from somewhere, a message from someone and all of a sudden your peace is gone. What are you going to do?

Oh Precious One, do you know what I wish I could do? I wish I could just walk over to you, reach out and take your precious face in my hands and reach out up dry your tears. And say, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” But I want you to know that your wound, your hurt has been filtered through God’s sovereign fingers of love. He is training you. He is going to make you stronger. I know you can’t believe it now, but He is going to make you stronger as a result of what you’re going through. It is not without purpose.

God has a plan and He is going to use it, and He is going to take your pain. He’s going to take your hurt and He’s going to use it as a platform for future ministry. You may not be able to understand that now, you may just want to shut me off right now—don’t. Listen, because we’re in a very important portion of Jeremiah right now.

We’re in a portion where he is going to talk about the people. He’s going to tell us what’s happening to them. But what I want us to do is, I want us to watch the spokesman for God. I want us to watch Jeremiah. Yes, we’re doing chapter 13, 14 and 15 of Jeremiah, but the foundation for this, the springboard for this, is Jeremiah chapter 12 verse 5, “„If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out…,‟” they’ve worn you out, “„…then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace….‟” (Jeremiah 12:5)

In other words, if this trial, this hurt, this pain, this shattering of your peace causes you to fall down so that you cannot get up, then “…[what are you going to] do in the thicket of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5) Don’t fall down in a land of peace. Now as I told you in yesterday’s program, I told you: “Hey, it was a time of peace.” And because it was a time of peace, we know that Josiah was ruling. We know that Josiah is the one who turned the nation around and they made a covenant to follow God. And God told Josiah, [I am not bringing war in your days. I am not bringing evil against you in your days. I am not bringing judgment in your days because you’ve returned to Me, because you’ve repented, because you are clinging to Me, because you want to be obedient to Me, but it is coming.] (PARAPHRASE, 2 Kings 22:19-20) So when we look at Jeremiah chapter 12, we know that it is the days of Josiah, but we also know that the horses are coming and Jeremiah is going to have to compete with the horses. It’s not going to be a land of peace. He is going to find himself, so to speak, in the thicket of the Jordan.

So let’s go back to 2 Kings chapter 23. Now this is where I told you that we would return to as we brought yesterday’s program to a close. And remember now, what is happened is Pharaoh Neco is going up, he is leaving Egypt, he is going up to make war against Assyria. On the way up, Josiah feels like he’s got to go and stop Pharaoh Neco. He goes out, and and it doesn’t say so in 2 King 22, but it tells us in another passage that when he goes out, Pharaoh Neco says, “Hey, don’t come against me. This is not of God.” (See 2 Chronicles 35:21) But Josiah doesn’t listen and so Pharaoh Neco kills him. It shattered, it dropped, it broke, the peace is over, the peace is gone.

Watch what happens, it says that, “…When Pharaoh Neco saw him…,” and I’m in 2 Kings 23 verse 26, “…he killed him…,” the “him” is Josiah, “…at Meggido. His servants drove his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in [the] place of his father.” (2 Kings 23:29-30)

So we come to the second king that is going to rule during the days of Jeremiah. Josiah is from 640 to 609 B.C. Now who comes on the scene is Jehoahaz, but he is only going to reign three months. Now just think about this because Josiah has been ruling for 31 years. For 31 years, they have virtually had peace for 31 years. There’s been, more or less, a sense of revival during Josiah’s time. From the time of the 18th year of the reign of Josiah, when the Word of God is found in the House of God, Jeremiah has already been prophesying. He’s been on the scene five years before this, but now it’s like what’s happening when a nation all of sudden has a ruler then the ruler is gone, then another ruler, then another ruler. People don’t know what’s going on. So the peace is gone.

Watch and listen carefully. This is why combining the prophets with the history in Kings and Chronicles is so important. And so it said, “Jehoahaz…,” verse 31, “…was twenty-three years old when he became king,…he reigned three months in Jerusalem…his mother‟s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the sight of the LORD….” (2 Kings 23:31-32) You go from a good king to a bad king. You go from a good president to a bad president. You go, you go down the moral ladder. And this is what’s happening here. “Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem….” (2 Kings 23:33) So who is reigning now? It’s Pharaoh Neco.

Egypt is in power over the southern Kingdom. Not only that, but he imposes on the land a fine of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold. So now the taxes are going up. Now there is a new debt in the country. And so it says, “Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in…place of Josiah….” (2 Kings 23:34)

Now, who is Eliakim? Another name for Eliakim is Jehoiakim. So in 609, after three months of Jehoahaz reigning, in 609 Jehoiakim comes to the throne. Now he’s going to rule until 597, because what he’s going to go from is peace to chaos, and you’re going to see it. He’s saying to Jeremiah, [Don’t stumble, don’t fall down in a land of peace because how are you going to compete with the horses in the thicket of the Jordan?] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 12:5) So it says, “[He] made the son of Josiah…in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and brought him to Egypt, and he died there. [And] Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the command of Pharaoh….” (2 Kings 23:34-35) He’s paying off a debt and he’s getting it out of the skins of the people. It says, “…He exacted the silver and [the] gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give…to Pharaoh Neco.” (2 Kings 23:35)

In other words, the king determined who was going to give what. Does this sound a little familiar to you? A little déjà vu? Then it says, and “Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother‟s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah [Pedaiah Pedaiah]…,” excuse me, “…of Rumah. He did evil in the sight of the LORD….” (2 Kings 23:36-37) Second bad king, this one is going to reign longer. And then it says this: “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years….” (2 Kings 24:1)

Hey, now you’ve got the evil from the north that Jeremiah has been warning the people about. That God has been warning the people about through Jeremiah. What’s happened? The peace is gone. The cavalry is coming. The horsemen are coming. All of a sudden the peace is shattered. And He is saying, [Jeremiah, don’t you dare fall down in the land of peace. Don’t you weary yourselves with these footmen because I’m telling you the horses are coming and you’ve got to be strong enough to compete with the horses.] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 12:5)

Beloved, I don’t know if your peace was shattered when you lost your home. I don’t know if your peace was shattered when you lost your job. I don’t know if your peace was shattered when you lost a loved one. I don’t know and I’m so sorry, but I want you to know you can make it. I’ll tell you how when you come back.

When the glass shatters, when the peace is gone, in a million little pieces, what are you going to do? You need to cling. You say, “Cling to whom?” There is only one to cling to and that’s to God. So we come to Jeremiah chapter 13 and he opens with this awesome, awesome illustration.

He says in Jeremiah chapter 13, verse 1, “Thus the LORD said to me, „Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.‟ So [I went and] I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the LORD and [I] put it around my waist.” (Jeremiah 13:1-2) A linen waistband; linen was what the priests wore. They could only wear linen. They wore it close to their bodies. And he says, “Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, „Take the waistband that you…bought, which is around your waist, and [I want you to] arise, [I want you to] go to the Euphrates….‟” (Jeremiah 13:3-4) And there He says, [I want you to hide it there. And then I went to the Euphrates and I dug. I dug.] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 13: 4-5)

Now you say, “Hey, the Euphrates is a long ways away. That’s going to take a little while to get to the Euphrates.” Yes, and there is debate because others say it was Parah, a place that was close to Anathoth. Where it was really doesn’t matter. It only matters that Jeremiah took off that linen waistband and he dug and he put it down in the rocks. And this is what happens, look at what he says. “So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD…commanded me. After many days the LORD said to me, „Arise, go to the Euphrates….‟” (Jeremiah 13:5-6) He says and dig, “…And I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, [I looked at] the waistband… [and] it was totally [totally] worthless.” (Jeremiah 13:7)

He couldn’t wear it; it was full of holes, it was worthless. You want to underline the word, “worthless.” It had no value whatsoever. Now why all this? Why this action? Why “go get yourself a waistband”? Why “put it around your waist and wear it for a while”? Why “take it off and go to the Euphrates and bury it, dig it, put it in the rocks, and get it out” only to have it absolutely worthless? Because He wanted to give a visual picture to Jeremiah about the people. Listen to what he says, “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, „Thus says the LORD, “Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.”‟” (Jeremiah 13:8-9)

“Pride” is a keyword because God resists the proud. God, it says, “If I’m going to draw near to you, you’ve got to humble yourself.” That’s what Josiah did. When the Word of God was found in the House of God then what Josiah did is Josiah humbled himself before God. (See 2 Kings 22:8-11) But He’s saying, “I want you to do this with this waistband because I want you to let people see, and I want you to know, that this waistband, this ruined waistband is a picture of the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem that I am going to take and make totally worthless.”

What did you have pride in? Let me ask you a question. Were you competing with the things of this world? Did you buy a house that you really couldn’t afford? And you thought that you were making a good investment? Was that your goal? Was that your dream? What’s happened to it now? So many times we try to live above our means. I mean, we think “After all, we deserve it.” After all, I’ve turned on Christian television. And when I turn on Christian television I’ve heard them say over and over and over again— I heard one preacher say, “Listen, if you’re going to drive a rattle trap of a car, don’t park it in our church parking lot. God doesn’t want you living like that. God wants you to live prosperous.”

He said to them, another one, “Go out and go in your neighborhood, in the neighborhood you want to live in, look for a house and claim it in the name of Jesus. Hey! You’re King’s kids. You’ve got to dress like King’s kids. You’ve got to have everything that the King’s kids have so that you can show what it’s like to belong to God.” Na-ah, because our God’s name is Jesus Christ, He’s the Son of God. He and the Father are one. [He who was rich became poor for us.] (PARAPHRASE, 2 Corinthians 8:9)

Yeah, you say “that we might become rich.” Yes, not financially rich, but spiritually rich. He suffered; you and I are going to suffer. You see it over and over again not only in the Gospels, not only in the Book of Acts, but you see it in the lives of the church as they go on. God does not call us to teach prosperity to the nations, financial prosperity. And so, here he is saying this, “„“…I [am going to] destroy the pride of Judah…[I am going to destroy] the…pride of Jerusalem. This wicked people, [who refuse] who refuse to listen to My Words....”‟” He says, “This is what I’m going to do.” “„“…Who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them…to bow down [before] them, let them be just like this waistband [this waistband, this waistband that] is totally [totally] worthless.”‟” (Jeremiah 13:9-10)

Pride is worthless; pride will keep you from God. And so he gives this parable, this visual picture, of what God is going to do with pride. What have these people done? They have turned from God.

Watch what he says, let me read it to you again, ’cause I want you to get it. “„“For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole [house] of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,” [says] the LORD, “that they might be for Me a people, for renown…,‟” he says, “„“…for praise, and for glory; but they did not listen.”‟” (Jeremiah 13:11)

He says, “My intention was not a ruined waistband, my intention was a beautiful waistband that would cling to me like the waistband clings to the waist of a man.” I wanted to make you Judah, I wanted to make you Jerusalem, I wanted to make you Israel, a people for praise, for renown, for glory and you would not listen to me.

A glass shattered, but God’s there. We’ll look at it more in our next program.

Fearful Threats Meet Their Victor ~ Bob Caldwell

Psalm 112 — Fearful Threats Meet Their Victor 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. It is inevitable that we will all suffer trouble at some time in our lives. We cannot avoid it so we would be well served to know how to get through such times of great adversity. What is it that causes some to stand steadfast when tragic news and trouble seems to come from all sides? The answer is given in this psalm. Build a life upon reverent fear that moves you to live out obedience to God's will when the times are good. Build a life that is shaped by being a generous and kind person to the poor. God, who is selfless love personified, will always honor the one who has lived in harmony with His selfless love. He will come to your aid through others of a kindred spirit when your hour of greatest need is upon you. Psalm 113 — The Unexpected Glory of God 113:5-6 Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth? Ultimately, God's greatness is not seen in His fathomless power and wisdom in originating all of creation but in His humble relationship with His creation. His ultimate glory is that although He owes nothing to fallen, rebellious humanity He acts to relieve the painful and burdensome results of our fall. He hears and answers the cry of the poor and needy. This was the most unexpected feature of how God was revealed through Jesus Christ. He defined Himself as meek and lowly. He came to serve and not be served. He came to give Himself as an offering for sin. Nowhere else is there a revelation of God like this in all the world. Psalm 114 — God Among Us 114:1-2 When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. Although it had never before occurred in human history, a nation of slaves within the great Egyptian Empire walked out of Egypt unhindered and with great wealth. They then travelled through the most forbidding of natural obstacles to the Promised Land—a feat that was never done again. But it happened for Israel because God was among them. God has made you His dwelling place in Christ. We are His chosen Temple. Therefore, let us walk on to our own Promised Land. There is no Red Sea or desolate desert that can stop us. When God is with us, there is nothing that can ultimately stand against us. Psalm 115 — To Whom All Glory is Due 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. When we contrast God with the manmade replacements for Him, it will become self evident who serves the true and living God. This contrast should be evident in the praise of God's glory that is offered up by those who are benefactors to that glory. These obvious blessings in our lives should be undeniable proof. Conversely, where people put their trust in man and the gods of man the ultimate result will reveal how much greater is a life lived to the glory of the only true and living God. May the non-believing "Gentile" world see that all the good God does for us comes from the One in whom we trust. And may they one day join us in saying, "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory."
Psalm 112-115 The Blessed State of the Righteous 1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. 9 He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. 10 The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 113 The Majesty and Condescension of God 1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD's name is to be praised. 4 The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth? 7 He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, 8 That He may seat him with princes— With the princes of His people. 9 He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD! Psalm 114 The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel 1 When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2 Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. 3 The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. 5 What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? 6 O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters. Psalm 115 The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. 2 Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?" 3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. 12 The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. 13 He will bless those who fear the LORD, Both small and great. 14 May the LORD give you increase more and more, You and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's; But the earth He has given to the children of men. 17 The dead do not praise the LORD, Nor any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the LORD From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
Psalm 112-115 This psalm, like Psalm 111 is an acrostic. Each half line of poetry begins with a word starting with a different (sequential) letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It reviews the virtues of a godly person and the resulting blessings. v. 1 who delights greatly in His commandments – See Psalm 1. v. 2 mighty – gibor (Heb.) This word usually refers to a warrior or mighty hero, but can also mean "prosperous" (Boaz in Ruth 2:1). v. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house – The promises of this psalm is in the "wisdom" tradition of Proverbs. It is important to remember that these blessings are clearly linked for the believer with the reality of suffering for Christ (Phil. 1:29). This is not a blanket "guarantee" to spare us from pain in this fallen world. v. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness – This wonderful perspective has comforted countless believers in the midst of trials and struggles. v. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends – There were no banks, lending institutions, or social security in ancient times; borrowing and lending was a personal and intimate transaction. The wealthy man or woman who followed God recognized it as their personal responsibility to help the poor and needy. he will guide his affairs with discretion – Or, he conducts his affairs with justice and equity toward others. v. 6 be shaken – "stumble" on the path v. 7 evil tidings – malicious rumors his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD – This is the secret of the stability of the righteous. v. 8 until he sees his desire upon his enemies – He will triumph over his enemies. v. 9 He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor – See v. 5. his horn – The metaphor is of a wild ox…with curved horns flashing in the sun. v. 10 The wicked will see it and be grieved – As in Psalm 1, the behavior and blessing of the righteous is contrasted with that of the wicked. Psalm 113 Psalm 113-118 make up the Hallel, the six psalms of praise that are chanted together at Jewish festivals such as Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). Jesus recited Hallel with his disciples at the celebration of the Last Supper (Mark 14:26). v. 1 Praise the LORD! – Hallel-lu-Jah! (Heb.) This Hebrew word (an imperative or "command" form of the verb) has been imported into almost every language where the people of God worship. servants of the LORD – the "slaves" or servants of God are His faithful, worshipping Him together v. 2 from this time forth and forevermore! – The reference to time is in counterpoint to the reference to space (from east to west) in the following verse. v. 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down – God's praise is to extend beyond the limits of time and geography. v. 4 The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens – The spatial image is expanded: not only does God's glory extend from one side of the earth to the other, it is also above all peoples and nations. v. 5 Who is like the LORD our God – This question reformulates the challenge the archangel Michael threw at his fellow archangel, Lucifer (Satan) when the devil turned against God and wanted to be "as God." (Micha-el (Heb.) means "Who is like God?) v. 6 who humbles himself – The image is of God seated on His royal throne far above all things, looking down at the tiny universe. v. 7 dust…ash heap – "Ash heap" is better translated: dung heap. These images illustrate how Hebrew poetry often intensifies or clarifies the meaning of a phrase through the following parallel. The poor (God's righteous people) are not just humiliated in the dust, they are sitting on a manure heap; but He will raise them up even from such a fate. v. 8 That He may seat him with princes – The contrast with v. 7 is striking: from the manure heap to a palace reception. v. 9 He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children – The righteous woman is blessed with the highest fulfillment of social status in ancient society within the home. (See Hannah as the prototype of the Israelite woman in 1 Sam. 1; also Ruth.) Psalm 114 Psalm 114 is the second psalm of the Hallel. It celebrates God's deliverance of His people from oppression. v. 1 a people of strange language – Or "foreign tongue." The unintelligible speech of the oppressors is a theme that reappears in the prophets (Is. 28:11, 33:19). v. 2 His sanctuary – qodesh (Heb.) is the same term for "holiness." Israel is to be the special dwelling place of God, hence a "holy" people set apart for His praise. His dominion – the place of His rule on earth. v. 3 The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back – This verse compresses together the two defining miracles that marked the beginning and the end of Israel's wilderness wanderings: the parting of the Red Sea under Moses (Ex. 14) and the dividing of the Jordan River under the leadership of Joshua (Josh. 3). v. 4 The mountains skipped like rams – These verses depict in strong poetic repetition how the normal course of nature was dislocated by God's intervention on behalf of His people v. 7 the presence of the Lord…the presence of the God of Jacob – The personal reality of God as the covenant-keeping Lord was enough to bring about the disruption of natural events. v. 8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters – This verse refers poetically to the events of Exodus 17, where God provided water for Israel in the desert. Note the progressive display of God's power from His mastery of the "waters" (v. 3), to the land (v. 4-6), and finally to solid rock; all are under His dominion. Psalm 115 Psalm 115 is the third psalm of the Hallel (see introduction to Psalm 113). his psalm is a direct challenge against idolatry that calls to mind the mocking attacks of the prophet Isaiah upon graven images, their makers, and worshippers (Is. 40-41). v. 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to Your name give glory – The basis of any contrast between the true Faith and falsehood is in who GOD is, not in the earthly status or success of His worshippers. Israel was a small and politically insignificant people; but the GOD of Israel made the heavens and the earth. v. 2 Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?" – The contrast is clear: the "nations" could point to their gods, located in a temple. Their mocking question to Israel throughout history was: "Exactly where is this so-called "God" of yours?" v. 3 But our God is in heaven – The clear answer of Israel to the mocking challenge was: He is not here because He is above all things. He has made all things and rules all. v. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands – See the Apostle Paul's argument against idolatry in Acts 17:24-29, which reflects the classic Jewish apologetic against idolatry and polytheism. v. 5 they have mouths – Idols may be made to resemble a living being with mouth, eyes, ears, nose, hands and feet, but they are really only lifeless blocks of matter, totally incapable of acting on behalf of those who bow down to them. To worship them is the height of folly! v. 8 those who make them – It is an ancient and proven principle: we become like that which we venerate; to bow down to lifeless things puts one in danger of becoming "like" the thing upon which one hangs one's heart. v. 9 O Israel – This begins a different tone: different groups of the worshipping community are singled out and called upon to place their trust in the Lord, rather than in lifeless idols. He is "help and shield" to all of Israel. (This continues through v. 11.) v. 12 The LORD – begins a section that reflects upon the blessings God bestows on those who follow Him alone. v. 14 May the LORD – From a Biblical worldview, children are the direct result of God's blessing. v. 15 May you be blessed – In contrast to the idols, God has made all things. "Heaven and earth" is a rhetorical form meaning "all that exists…from A to Z" (Gen. 1:1). v. 16 even the heavens – This picks up the sense of v. 3: God is above all things (the theological term for this is "transcendent"); He is not limited or ultimately defined by anything else except Himself. v. 17 dead do not praise – The consistent message of the Scripture is: this life is the time to walk with God, the time to praise and honor Him; as Heb. 9:27 puts it: "After this, the judgment." v. 18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore – But the psalmist reminds us that our worship of God begun in this life will continue forever.
"Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?" –Psalm 113:5-6 We praise You today, Lord, that You are the same today, yesterday, and forever. And we praise You for the cohesive message we receive in Your Word. Thank You, God, for sending Jesus Christ to show us Your compassionate and loving Spirit. Through Jesus we see that You love those that the flesh casts aside. Humble us, Lord. Humble our hearts so that we may become more like You.
Missions Prayer Being a part of the Missions Prayer Group has been such a blessing to me. Praying for the different prayer needs reminds me daily that my hope is not in this world—and that this world is but a vapor. We are involved in a spiritual battle but that battle belongs to the Lord! And what a mighty Lord we serve! Prayer Points for the upcoming medical mission trip to India, for God's provision and protection for the travellers for those who will be treating the sick and injured, that the love of Jesus would come pouring through that those who have come for medical care will meet the Lord through His servants