A Lesson In Praise
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Posted:Nov 27, 2014 3:17 am
Last Updated:Nov 28, 2014 11:40 am 7886 Views
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Read: Psalm 150
Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:1
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 30-32; 1 Peter 4
Psalm 150 is not only a beautiful expression of praise, its also a lesson in praising the Lord. It tells us where to praise, why we´re to praise, how we´re to praise, and who should offer praise.
Where do we praise? In God´s sanctuary and mighty firmament (v.1). Wherever we are in the world is a proper place to praise the One who created all things.
Why do we praise? First, because of what God does. He performs mighty acts. Second, because of who God is. The psalmist praised Him for His excellent greatness (v.2). The all-powerful Creator is the Sustainer of the universe.
How should we praise? Loudly. Softly. Soothingly. Enthusiastically. Rhythmically. Boldly. Unexpectedly. Fearlessly. In other words, we can praise God in many ways and on many occasions (vv.3-5).
Who should praise? Everything that has breath (v.6). Young and old. Rich and poor. Weak and strong. Every living creature. God´s will is for everyone to whom He gave the breath of life to use that breath to acknowledge His power and greatness.
Praise is our enthusiastic expression of gratitude to God for reigning in glory forever. Let every creature rise and bring Peculiar honors to our King; Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud amen!
Praise is the overflow of a joyful heart.
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Resting In God
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Posted:Nov 25, 2014 4:46 am
Last Updated:Nov 26, 2014 3:56 am 7446 Views
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Read: Romans 4.16-22
He did not waver . . . through unbelief . . . being fully convinced that what [God] had promised He was also able to perform. Romans 4:20-21
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 24-26; 1 Peter 2
It was our last holiday together as a family before our eldest went off to college. As we filled the back pew in the little seaside church, my heart filled with love as I glanced along the row of my five reasonably tidy . Please protect them spiritually and keep them close to You, Lord. I prayed silently, thinking of the pressures and challenges each of them faced.
The final hymn had a rousing chorus based on the words of 2 Timothy 1:12. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him. It brought a sense of peace as I was assured that God would keep their souls.
Years have passed since then. There have been times of wandering for some of my , and outright rebellion for others. Sometimes I've wondered about God's faithfulness. Then I remember Abraham. He stumbled but never failed in his trust in the promise he'd received Gen. 15:5-6; Rom. 4:20-21. Through years of waiting and mistaken attempts to help things along, Abraham hung on to God'until Isaac was born.
I find this reminder to trust encouraging. We tell God our request. We remember that He cares. We know He is powerful. We thank Him for His faithfulness. Lord, my patience is often lacking and my timetable often does not match Yours. Forgive me for my times of doubt, and help me to trust You more. Thank You for Your faithfulness.
Some lessons of patience take a long time to learn.
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Hope In Suffering
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Posted:Nov 24, 2014 5:14 am
Last Updated:Nov 25, 2014 5:06 am 7103 Views
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Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9
In this [living hope] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 22-23; 1 Peter 1
When I opened my Bible to read Jeremiah 1 through 4, the subhead ascribed to the book startled me: Hope in Time of Weeping. I almost cried. The timing was perfect, as I was walking through a season of weeping over the death of my mom.
I felt much the same way after hearing my pastor's sermon the day before. The title was Joy in Suffering, taken from 1 Peter 1:3-9. He gave us an illustration from his own life: the one-year anniversary of his father's death. The sermon was meaningful for many, but for me it was a gift from God. These and other events were indications backed up by His Word that God would not leave me alone in my grief.
Even though the way of sorrow is hard, God sends reminders of His enduring presence. To the Israelites expelled from the Promised Land due to disobedience, God made His presence known by sending prophets like Jeremiah to offer them hope hope for reconciliation through repentance. And to those He leads through times of testing, He shows His presence through a community of believers who love one another fervently with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22. These indications of God's presence during trials on earth affirm God's promise of the living hope awaiting us at the resurrection. Does Jesus care when I've goodbye To the dearest on earth to me, And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks, Is it aught to Him? Does He see? O yes, He cares!
We need never be ashamed of our tears.
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Dealing With Distractions
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Posted:Nov 21, 2014 4:35 am
Last Updated:Nov 22, 2014 3:44 am 7098 Views
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Read: Matthew 13:14-22
The cares of this world . . . choke the word. Matthew 13:22
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 16-17; James 3
A restaurant owner in the village of Abu Ghosh, just outside Jerusalem, offered a 50-percent discount for patrons who turned off their cell phones. Jawdat Ibrahim believes that smartphones have shifted the focus of meals from companionship and conversation to surfing, texting, and business calls. Technology is very good, Ibrahim says. But . . . when you are with your family and your friends, you can just wait for half an hour and enjoy the food and enjoy the company.
How easily we can be distracted by many things, whether in our relationship with others or with the Lord.
Jesus told His followers that spiritual distraction begins with hearts that have grown dull, ears that are hard of hearing, and eyes that are closed (Matt. 13:15). Using the illustration of a farmer scattering seed, Jesus compared the seed that fell among thorns to a person who hears God's Word but whose heart is focused on other things. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful (v.22).
There is great value in having times throughout each day when we turn off the distractions of mind and heart and focus on the Lord. O Lord, help me to turn off all the distractions around me and focus on You. May my heart be good soil for the seed of Your Word today.
Focusing on Christ puts everything else in perspective.
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Can You Help?
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Posted:Nov 20, 2014 4:00 am
Last Updated:Nov 22, 2014 3:44 am 6990 Views
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Read: James 2:14-20
Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 14-15; James 2
The administrators of the high school in Barrow, Alaska, were tired of seeing students get into trouble and drop out at a rate of 50 percent. To keep students interested, they started a football team, which offered them a chance to develop personal skills, teamwork, and learn life lessons. The problem with football in Barrow, which is farther north than Iceland, is that it's hard to plant a grass field. So they competed on a gravel and dirt field.
Four thousand miles away in Florida, a woman named Cathy Parker heard about the football team and their dangerous field. Feeling that God was prompting her to help, and impressed by the positive changes she saw in the students, she went to work. About a year later, they dedicated their new field, complete with a beautiful artificial-turf playing surface. She had raised thousands of dollars to help some she didn't even know.
This is not about football or money. It is about remembering to do good and to share (Heb. 13:16). The apostle James reminds us that we demonstrate our faith by our actions (2.18. The needs in our world are varied and overwhelming but when we love our neighbor as ourselves, as Jesus said (Mark 12:31), we reach people with God's love. Open our eyes, dear Father, to those in need. Allow us to find ways monetarily and otherwise to help meet those needs. Help us to take the focus off ourselves and place it on those who can use our assistance.
Open your heart to God to learn compassion and open your hand to give help.
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Goodbye
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Posted:Nov 19, 2014 5:04 am
Last Updated:Nov 19, 2014 5:06 am 7827 Views
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Read: Numbers 11:1-10
When the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. Numbers 11:1
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1
When Max Lucado participated in a half-Ironman triathlon, he experienced the negative power of complaint. He said, After the 1.2-mile swim and the 56-mile bike ride, I didn't have much energy left for the 13.1-mile run. Neither did the fellow jogging next to me. He said, This stinks. This race is the dumbest decision I've ever made. I said, Goodbye. Max knew that if he listened too long, he would start agreeing with him. So he said goodbye and kept running.
Among the Israelites, too many people listened too long to complaints and began to agree with them. This displeased God, and for good reason. God had delivered the Israelites from slavery, and agreed to live in their midst, but they still complained. Beyond the hardship of the desert, they were dissatisfied with God's provision of manna. In their complaint, Israel forgot that the manna was a gift to them from God's loving hand (Num. 11:6). Because complaining poisons the heart with ingratitude and can be a contagion, God had to judge it.
This is a sure way to say goodbye to complaining and ingratitude: Each day, let's rehearse the faithfulness and goodness of God to us. Lord, You have given us so much. Forgive us for our short memories and bad attitudes. Help us to remember and be grateful for all that You have provided. And help us to tell others of the good things You have done for us.
Proclaiming God's faithfulness silences discontentment.
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Rooted Love
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Posted:Nov 18, 2014 4:53 am
Last Updated:Nov 18, 2014 4:56 am 8430 Views
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Read: Hebrews 13.15-25
Do not forget to do good and to share. Hebrews 13.16
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13
When I think of all the wonders of God's magnificent creation, I am especially awed by the giant sequoia tree. These amazing behemoths of the forest can grow to around 300 feet tall with a diameter that exceeds 20 feet. They can live over 3,000 years and are even fire resistant. In fact, forest fires pop the sequoia cones open, distributing their seeds on the forest floor that has been fertilized by the ashes. Perhaps the most amazing fact is that these trees can grow in just 3 feet of soil and withstand high winds. Their strength lies in the fact that their roots intertwine with other sequoias, providing mutual strength and shared resources.
God's plan for us is like that. Our ability to stand tall in spite of the buffeting winds of life is directly related to the love and support we receive from God and one another. And then, as the writer of Hebrews says, we are to do good and to share 13.16. Think of how tough it would be to withstand adversity if someone were not sharing the roots of their strength with us.
There is great power in the entwining gifts of words of encouragement, prayers of intercession, weeping together, holding each other, and sometimes just sitting with one another sharing the presence of our love. Lord, thank You for entwining Your strength into my life. Lead me today to someone who needs the love of shared strength from resources that You have given to me.
Let the roots of God's love in your life be entwined with others who need your support.
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Defeated Adversary
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Posted:Nov 17, 2014 3:38 am
Last Updated:Nov 18, 2014 4:53 am 8421 Views
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Read: Ephesians 6:10-18
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5.8
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12
The roaring lion is the legendary king of the jungle. But the only lions many of us see are the lethargic felines that reside in zoos. Their days are filled with lots of rest, and their dinner is served to them without the lions having to lift a single paw.
In their natural habitat, however, lions aren't;at always living a laid-back life. Their hunger tells them to go hunting, and in doing so they seek the young, weak, sick, or injured. Crouching in tall grasses, they slowly creep forward. Then with a sudden pounce, they clamp their jaws to the body of their victim.
Peter used a roaring lion as a metaphor for Satan. He is a confident predator, looking for easy prey to devour (1 Peter 5.8. In dealing with this adversary, God's must be vigilant at putting on the whole armor of God and thus they can be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might Eph. 6.10-11.
The good news is that Satan is a defeated adversary. While he is a powerful foe, those who are protected by salvation, prayer, and the Word of God need not be paralyzed in fear at this roaring lion. We are kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1.5. James 4.7 assures us: Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Lord, we know that our enemy seeks to devour us. Please protect us from him. We believe Your Word that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
No evil can penetrate the armor of God.
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Heartbreak And Hope
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Posted:Nov 14, 2014 2:27 am
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2014 3:43 am 8582 Views
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Read: Lamentations 3:1-6, 16-25
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. —Lamentations 3:25
Bible in a Year: Lamentations 3-5; Hebrews 10:19-39
When American country singer George Jones died at the age of 81, his fans remembered his remarkable voice and his hard life and personal struggles. While many of his songs reflected his own despair and longing, it was the way he sang them that touched people deeply. Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot said, “His voice was made for conveying heartbreak.”
The book of Lamentations records Jeremiah’s anguish over the nation of Judah’s stubborn refusal to follow God. Often called “the weeping prophet,” he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and saw his people carried into captivity. He wandered the streets of the city, overwhelmed by grief (Lam. 1:1-5).
Yet, in Jeremiah’s darkest hour, he said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (3:21-23).
Whether we suffer for our own choices or from those of others, despair may threaten to overwhelm us. When all seems lost, we can cling to the Lord’s faithfulness. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul. ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” (v.24). I’m thankful for Your faithfulness, Father, even in the times when I am unfaithful. Help me to remember, like Jeremiah, that my hope comes from You, not from my circumstances.
The anchor of God’s faithfulness holds firm in the strongest storms.
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Creeping Christmas?
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Posted:Nov 13, 2014 5:26 am
Last Updated:Nov 14, 2014 2:28 am 8652 Views
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Read: Galatians 4:1-7
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15
Bible in a Year: Lamentations 1-2; Hebrews 10:1-18
I love Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Christ and the beauty and wonder of the season make it the most wonderful time of the year for me. In recent years, however, the season has been accompanied by a growing irritation. Every year Christmas stuff comes out earlier and earlierâcreeping all the way back to early fall.
Christmas used to be limited to December, but now we find radio stations playing Christmas music in early November. Stores start advertising Christmas specials in October, and Christmas candy appears in late September. If weâre not careful, this growing deluge can numb us even sour us to what should be a season of gratitude and awe.
When that irritation begins to rise in my spirit, I try to do one thing: Remember. I remind myself what Christmas means, who Jesus is, and why He came. I remember the love and grace of a forgiving God who sent us rescue in the Person of His . I remember that, ultimately, only one gift really matters God's indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15). I remember that the salvation Christ came to provide is both the gift and the Giver all wrapped up in one.
Jesus is our life all year long, and He is the greatest wonder. O come, let us adore Him! Living God, I thank You for the unspeakable gift of Your . Draw my heart to Your own, that my worship to and gratitude for Your will never be diminished by the distractions of the world around me.
Jesus is our life throughout the year.
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