Thursday, March 1, 2018

Psalm 29

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. vv.3-7


Read chapter 29
The voice of the Lord is powerful indeed!  When God speaks, things happen.  The voice of the Lord in this chapter is described like a world wide storm, like what literally happened in the flood during Noah's day of thunder and earthquakes over the whole earth.  So God's mighty voice when He speaks, all the earth will hear and fear.  It'll be heard by all men -"over the waters," it will reach all people- "powerful," all governments -"full of majesty."  It will humble the rulers- "breaks the cedars," and break great nations -"divides the flames of fire."  It even shakes the barren places- "the wilderness" and cause fear- "makes the deer give birth."  In this day of silence of God, we eagerly wait expectantly  for God to speak and break His silence and the whole world to know and fear the one and only God.  Speak Lord and bring your Kingdom! 
What do you most want to happen once the voice of the Lord is heard?

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Psalm 28

To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
Do not be silent to me,
Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit...

Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him. vv. 1,6-7


Read chapter 28
This is another Psalm of David while facing a time of trouble.  He starts his prayer saying to God he'll cry.  A cry is a natural utterance for sorrow and David goes to God to cry.  How often when people are in trouble or distress or just need a good cry do they turn first to friends, family, the governments, a sappy movie, religious organizations, food and lastly (and maybe) to God.  That's not to say that it's wrong to torn to others for help, but to turn to God first and foremost presenting your requests, angers, feelings, etc.  Even in verse seven, the sequence of events is that David first trusted and then was helped.  This psalm starts off with David's prayer of calling out to the Lord and ends with how God heard and answered him.  
Who do you usually go to first when in times of trouble?  David also cries to the Lord to not be silent, wanting His answer.  That can be hard for us too, waiting on God's answer and cause us to turn elsewhere.  What is something you're facing right now that you haven't "cried" to the Lord about yet?  Or not trusted Him in patience for His answer?

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Psalm 27

When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” v.8


Read chapter 27
This is a command, a command with a promise.  The command to seek Him and the proime that they shall find Him.  To seek is to search out intently.  I think of the game Hide and Go Seek, a game every kid loves and when the person doing the seeking finds someone it's like the best moment ever.  They shout for joy, their pride is boasted that they found him/her all on their own.  So too the joy when seeking out the Lord, there's fear and unknown as to where or what you're seeking but when a treasure or truth is found it's over flowing joy!  This command and response between the Lord and David is how we should respond too.  When God says something our response should be yes with the same words/idea that God said.  God says, "Seek my face," we say, "Your face I'll seek."  God says, "I'm the way, the truth, and the life," we say, "Yes Lord I do believe you are the only way, the only truth, and the only life."  May we always respond this way to God.  Do you seek God earnestly as seeking in a game to find the prize?  How does that look?

Monday, February 26, 2018

Psalm 26

My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord. v.12


Read chapter 26
Without a solid foundation a building sinks.  Without a base of support a bridge will collapse.  
David here isn't talking about a physical place he's standing on but his foundation and firmness in God.  He is so confident in the Lord's promises that he cannot be moved.  His foundation is on God's truths and continues to grow on that.  As David was king and head of the congregation or assembly (Hebrew qahal and Greek ekklesia which often translated is church), he blesses the Lord.  He tells of the marvelous truths of the lord and going along with why he has his firm standing in Him and for others to have too.  Although we aren't a king, we too should tell of God's truths that brings glory to God and helps others to strengthen their sold ground, their confidence in the Lord.  Do you stand on solid ground with your confidence in God?  How can you build your foundation?  Now do it.
Share with someone today about a glorious truth of the Lord.

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Psalm 25

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.  vv.6-7


Read chapter 25
David uses the word remember to call to mind and act upon.  Oh how often I wish I'd forget past sins, the ones I know I'm forgiven from but still haunt me or come to mind at random times.  We can't necessarily do this but God can.  God can chose what He wants to remember and not.  Here David is asking God to remember His mercies of old- His mercy He had since the beginning on Adam and Eve and throughout many generations of the tribe of Israel.  He's also asking God to gorget his sins.  If He didn't He'd have to act on them as the Just God that He is.  Praise the Lord that through Jesus Christ we've been forgiven ALL our sins.  Yes some have baggage/repercussions that still comes with them in this life and we will all face the judgement seat, but in His mercy, lovingkindness and goodness we are FORGIVEN!  What sin do you wish to forget?  Do you feel free and forgiven from it?  Why or why not?

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Psalm 24

For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters. v.2

Read chapter 24
Another creation reference!  From Genesis 1:9 "Let the water under the heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear" we see the world was all water till land was made.  There was also water for underneath the earth as we see in Genesis 7:11, " all the fountains of the great deep were broken up."  Many evolutionist go the other way and say that over the process of millions of years of the sea slowly wearning away that the land came forth.  Were the continents floating on waters then?  Perhaps.  From the result of Noah's flood of the great deep bursting forth and causing tof other eruptions such as volcanoes and plates shifting we now see fill this space and fill great ocean basins.  Yet this is not how God originally created it.  How have you learned different than this?  Can you find other sources that agree and don't agree with this idea of land and water creation?

Friday, February 23, 2018

Psalm 23

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. v.4


Read chapter 23
A psalm everyones familiar with and continues to teach of characteristics of our God.  This psalm uses the common metaphor in scripture of Shepherd and his sheep in reference of God and His people.  Sheep are dumb, dirty animals and seem to stray often yet the Shepherd provides, protects, and guides them.  In this verse four it's cool to note that the sheep didn't just stray and wander into the valley of the shadow of death, but that the shepherd led them and is walking through it with them.  How are God is walking with us in the terrors of this life!
The rod and staff are not the same thing.  The rod was similar to a club and used as a weapon to fight off wild beasts.  Whereas the staff was used to guild the sheep to keep them on the path by gently prodding the sheep with it.  So too God protects His people form enemies and guides them in His way of righteousness.  And this is comforting to know someone cares and looks out for you.  So how are you like a dirty and dumb sheep?  What valleys of death are you walking through right now and do you feel God's presence with you?  How do you allow God's rod and staff to comfort you?