“As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10 Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.” vv.9-11
Read chapter 140
In the historical fictional book series of The Chronicles of the Kings by Lynn Austin one of the evil characters makes out David to be a sorcerer that prayed curses on people and twisted verses like this to make his point. David here is not doing sorcery but is praying in truth of the God of Justice, of the Protector God. Prayers in the Bible are inspired prayers meant more than just to see the persons heart but to give truth to who God is and prophesies of what's to come and of past. Charles Spurgeon saw how David put it as, "The tremendous outburst at the end has in it the warmth which was so natural to David, who was never lukewarm in anything; yet it is to be noticed that concerning his enemies he was often hot in language through indignation, and yet he was cool in action, for he was not revengeful. His was no petty malice, but a righteous anger: he foresaw, foretold, and even desired the just vengeance of God upon the proud and wicked, and yet he would not avail himself of opportunities to revenge himself upon those who had done him wrong."
When you pray it's ok to tell the Lord of how mad or scared or frustrated you are, but let the Lord revenge.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Psalm 139
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them! v.17
How great is the sum of them! v.17
Read chapter 139
My love language is thoughtfulness. I know that wasn't one of the five love languages listed in the book by Gary Chapman, but over the years I've realized that it is one for me. What I mean by feeling the most loved by thoughtfulness is that it brings me the greatest joy when someone does something for me unexpected or when I'm not around. It shows that someone was thinking about me not just because I was present but because I was absent. It shows me that someone cares to go out of their way to do something for me no matter how simple the matter that they just thought to do it. Even when maybe a surprise fails, the saying is true to me, that it's the thought that counts. Maybe it means so much to me because I feel forgotten a lot. Forgotten by friends, forgotten by family, forgotten by community, even feeling forgotten by God. But this verse restores that love language of thoughtfulness when David the psalmist says how numerous and how precious God's thoughts are to him, and to us too! They're not only a great sum but more than the sand of the sea as we read in the following verse. When one person writes me a card it makes my week, can you even imagine if we grasped everything thought of God towards us? I'd be in seventh heaven.
Our emotions are strong, aren't they, ladies? Our hearts can easily lie to us. "God doesn't really love me."
But His truth is stronger than our emotions. Let's stand on the eternal reality of our Savior's love for us; let's remember that "by this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything." (1 John 3:19–20)
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Psalm 138
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me...The Lord will perfect that which concerns me." vv.7-8
Read chapter 138
To be reminded of this hope, that when I walk in the midst of trouble, God will revive me. This is exactly what I need to hear today as I feel like I'm stuck in the midst of trouble. God's the only one that can revive my exhausted, burnout soul of this battle I'm having to be in charge of. Charles Spurgeon says, "When we are somewhat in trouble it is bad enough, but it is worse to penetrate into the centre of that dark continent and traverse its midst: yet in such a case the believer makes progress, for he walks; he keeps to a quiet pace, for he does no more than walk; and he is not without the best of company, for his God is near to pour fresh life into him." The Lord cares for that which concerns us, everything in our life concerns us, therefore the Lord cares for everything in our lives. He will perfect it according to His will. Just as Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" so the Lord will complete, or in other words perfect, you. Might not be until the day Jesus returns that we see this perfection but in the midst of trouble we can have that hope that the Lord will see us through.
How do you need to be reminded that the Lord will revive you?
Read chapter 138
To be reminded of this hope, that when I walk in the midst of trouble, God will revive me. This is exactly what I need to hear today as I feel like I'm stuck in the midst of trouble. God's the only one that can revive my exhausted, burnout soul of this battle I'm having to be in charge of. Charles Spurgeon says, "When we are somewhat in trouble it is bad enough, but it is worse to penetrate into the centre of that dark continent and traverse its midst: yet in such a case the believer makes progress, for he walks; he keeps to a quiet pace, for he does no more than walk; and he is not without the best of company, for his God is near to pour fresh life into him." The Lord cares for that which concerns us, everything in our life concerns us, therefore the Lord cares for everything in our lives. He will perfect it according to His will. Just as Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" so the Lord will complete, or in other words perfect, you. Might not be until the day Jesus returns that we see this perfection but in the midst of trouble we can have that hope that the Lord will see us through.
How do you need to be reminded that the Lord will revive you?
Friday, October 28, 2016
Psalm 137
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy. vv.5-6
Read chapter 137
Do you know anyone that tries to forget their sorrows? Maybe by drinking or drugs or even just making themselves so busy they don't have time to think? Well that's what the psalmist is saying here in verse five, that he doesn't want to forget the sorrows of Jerusalem, their hometown, while they were in a foreign land being surrounded and indulged with that culture. Yet the psalmist doesn't want to forget, so much so that he says then let my right hand forget it's skill and that his tongue stick to his mouth so that he can not talk or sing. The right hand is the dominant hand for most people and not only would it not be able to play the harp but the majority of other daily living tasks and survival too. So they would rather be unskilled and mute then play and sing to the gods of Babylon. While they are by the rivers of Babylon, a great and prosperous nation, their greatest joy is in their home, where the Lord founded them and promised them as an inheritance, despite the state that is was then in from captivity. Even today we don't see Jerusalem as the city God once made it and intended it to be, but will be restored and become the capitol of the new earth, "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband" Rev. 21:2.
How have you tried to forget your sorrows? What is good about remembering them?
let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy. vv.5-6
Read chapter 137
Do you know anyone that tries to forget their sorrows? Maybe by drinking or drugs or even just making themselves so busy they don't have time to think? Well that's what the psalmist is saying here in verse five, that he doesn't want to forget the sorrows of Jerusalem, their hometown, while they were in a foreign land being surrounded and indulged with that culture. Yet the psalmist doesn't want to forget, so much so that he says then let my right hand forget it's skill and that his tongue stick to his mouth so that he can not talk or sing. The right hand is the dominant hand for most people and not only would it not be able to play the harp but the majority of other daily living tasks and survival too. So they would rather be unskilled and mute then play and sing to the gods of Babylon. While they are by the rivers of Babylon, a great and prosperous nation, their greatest joy is in their home, where the Lord founded them and promised them as an inheritance, despite the state that is was then in from captivity. Even today we don't see Jerusalem as the city God once made it and intended it to be, but will be restored and become the capitol of the new earth, "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband" Rev. 21:2.
How have you tried to forget your sorrows? What is good about remembering them?
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Psalm 136
For His mercy endures forever.
Read chapter 136
"For His mercy endures forever" is repeated in every verse of the twenty-six verses of this psalm. You can really tell it is written to be sung; I imagine backup singers singing "His love endures forever" during the whole song. Songs or hymns with a simple chorus usually become most loved by people, which we can imagine this one was probably a favorite especially because it is filled with praise.
Yet why do you thing this is the chorus, to be reminded over and over again that His mercy endures forever? Some translation say "His LOVE endures forever," "His LOVINGKINDNESS endures forever," "His FAITHFUL LOVE endures forever," etc. The Hebrew word is checed and does mean all these different things. Maybe this was chosen to be the chorus because that's the thing we need to be reminded most about God that we easily forget no matter how simple it seems. We might not need to be reminded that He's Creator or that He's Just, but when times get tough or scary or change happens what we need to be reminded of most is that God's lovingkindness endures forever, His undeserved favor remains, the Lord's steadfast love never dies.
In what way do you need to be reminded that "His mercy endures forever"?
Read chapter 136
"For His mercy endures forever" is repeated in every verse of the twenty-six verses of this psalm. You can really tell it is written to be sung; I imagine backup singers singing "His love endures forever" during the whole song. Songs or hymns with a simple chorus usually become most loved by people, which we can imagine this one was probably a favorite especially because it is filled with praise.
Yet why do you thing this is the chorus, to be reminded over and over again that His mercy endures forever? Some translation say "His LOVE endures forever," "His LOVINGKINDNESS endures forever," "His FAITHFUL LOVE endures forever," etc. The Hebrew word is checed and does mean all these different things. Maybe this was chosen to be the chorus because that's the thing we need to be reminded most about God that we easily forget no matter how simple it seems. We might not need to be reminded that He's Creator or that He's Just, but when times get tough or scary or change happens what we need to be reminded of most is that God's lovingkindness endures forever, His undeserved favor remains, the Lord's steadfast love never dies.
In what way do you need to be reminded that "His mercy endures forever"?
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Psalm 135
For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places. vv.5-6
Read chapter 135
Do you know how great the Lord is? The psalmist here is sure for he knows, a great treasure to have is that assurance. What does it matter if we know how great He is? So much! Knowing His greatness causes for adoration, especially when we are reconciled to Him. It's like that popularity people strive for, that if the most popular girl or guy is school is friends with you, you think you're so cool or you would do anything to be recognized by them. Yet the Lord's not one of those mean popular kids that is a bully to get whatever he wants, no He's they one everyone wants to be friends with, the one everyone wants on their team, the one everyone wants to fight their battles. Whatever the Lord pleases He does for His will. "No region is too high, no abyss too deep, no land too distant, no sea too wide for his omnipotence: his divine pleasure travels post over all the realm of nature, and his behests are obeyed" (Charles Spurgeon). Everything was created for His glory. The way the world is now is not how God intended it to be. He did not create sin, but did give free will. What pleases Him is that His creation would choose to follow after Him, not be forced and that is the dispensation we're living in.
How great is the Lord to you? How have you seen Him do what pleases Him? Why do we see things that don't please Him?
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places. vv.5-6
Read chapter 135
Do you know how great the Lord is? The psalmist here is sure for he knows, a great treasure to have is that assurance. What does it matter if we know how great He is? So much! Knowing His greatness causes for adoration, especially when we are reconciled to Him. It's like that popularity people strive for, that if the most popular girl or guy is school is friends with you, you think you're so cool or you would do anything to be recognized by them. Yet the Lord's not one of those mean popular kids that is a bully to get whatever he wants, no He's they one everyone wants to be friends with, the one everyone wants on their team, the one everyone wants to fight their battles. Whatever the Lord pleases He does for His will. "No region is too high, no abyss too deep, no land too distant, no sea too wide for his omnipotence: his divine pleasure travels post over all the realm of nature, and his behests are obeyed" (Charles Spurgeon). Everything was created for His glory. The way the world is now is not how God intended it to be. He did not create sin, but did give free will. What pleases Him is that His creation would choose to follow after Him, not be forced and that is the dispensation we're living in.
How great is the Lord to you? How have you seen Him do what pleases Him? Why do we see things that don't please Him?
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Psalm 134
Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord! v.1
Read chapter 134
This is the last step in the psalm of ascents that started in chapter 120. The destination has been reached and the psalmist sings out praises in blessings to the Lord. The sojourner didn't quick stand in line for some fast food that he could only get in Jerusalem or go get the best discounts in the market, but did what he came to do: bless the Lord. So when we arrive where we're headed each day we ought to do what God created us to do: bring Him glory. How easy it is to get distracted of what we came to do and not that those things are bad but God deserves the priority. The journey might have worn us out that we just want to indulge in something to treat ourselves, but that can also distract us form our focus of the goal of our destination.
The destination of any trip sets the tone of the travel. As the sojourner in a foreign journeyed home to Jerusalem so we're sojourners in this present world till we enter the Kingdom. What is your tone of travel?
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord! v.1
Read chapter 134
This is the last step in the psalm of ascents that started in chapter 120. The destination has been reached and the psalmist sings out praises in blessings to the Lord. The sojourner didn't quick stand in line for some fast food that he could only get in Jerusalem or go get the best discounts in the market, but did what he came to do: bless the Lord. So when we arrive where we're headed each day we ought to do what God created us to do: bring Him glory. How easy it is to get distracted of what we came to do and not that those things are bad but God deserves the priority. The journey might have worn us out that we just want to indulge in something to treat ourselves, but that can also distract us form our focus of the goal of our destination.
The destination of any trip sets the tone of the travel. As the sojourner in a foreign journeyed home to Jerusalem so we're sojourners in this present world till we enter the Kingdom. What is your tone of travel?
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