Tag: Psalm

September 24, 2023

September 24th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 116-118

Highlight Verse:

“The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This morning, I had the privilege of having breakfast with a group of guys that included a widower.

After six decades of marriage, he found the strength through the Lord to carry on.

Now, a year later, he lives a vibrant life that includes sharing his wealth of experience with us other guys.

This evening (I write these the evening before they get posted) I got word that the wife of a dear old friend from my Santa Cruz days passed away. I know that she is in the presence of Jesus now and all her pain has been washed away.

My friend’s pain right now is deep.

I know that he has a close relationship with God and will find strength drawn from that relationship.

Even so, he and his kids and grandkids could use all our prayers to get through this time.

From this passage we know that God cares for those who have passed from this world into His heavenly kingdom.

I believe without a doubt that he cares just as deeply for those left behind.

The psalmist speaks of moving on with an attitude of thankfulness. With that, God can get you through the hardest of times.

Have you had to deal with losing a close loved one?
How have you dwelt with that anguish? Please share that others may benefit from your experiences.
September 17, 2023

September 17th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 112-115

Highlight Verse:

“Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭112‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You can’t out give God.

Whether your generosity is in the form of low or no interest loans to the needy as suggested in this verse, or outright giving, the more you give up to help others, the more you store up in heaven.

It doesn’t stop there. I’m not sure how or why, but it seems like the more you give, the more God will bless your situation. It might not be financially, though it might be.

It seems like every time we take a risk and give more, some opportunity comes up or some windfall comes down and we have enough to make it.

Bottom line is, if you’re generous, give more and you will be blessed. If you’re selfish, give anyway. You may find you have more to live on after you give.

More importantly, you may find God changing that selfish heart into a generous one.

Now, if you’ll pardon my, I just remembered we got paid this week so I’m gonna go online and give some of it to the church.

Do you have stories of how you’ve been blessed with more than what you’ve given? Share them here.
Do you struggle with the idea of giving? Share and we’ll do our best to encourage you.
September 10, 2023

September 10th, 2023
Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 109-111

Highlight Verse:

“Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Growing up in the Lutheran Church, some of the basic building blocks of my faith came from Confirmation Class (Catechism).

One of the basics I remember from that class was the A.C.T.S of prayer.

That stands for:
- Acclamation
- Confession
- Thanksgiving
- Supplication
Many times, we tend to skip straight to the Supplication (or asking for things) part of the prayer without thinking about giving praise, confessing our sins, and giving thanks.

I think David and the other psalmists had it right when they concentrated on praising God for His many great works.

What are some of the great works of God that you have seen in your life?
What are some of the things you can thank Him for?
September 3, 2023

September 3rd, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 107-108

Highlight Verse:

“Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You don’t have to have known me long to know that I am a history buff.

I’m one of those who actually sometimes stops at those roadside historical markers.

Why?

Like every history professor I’ve ever had has said,

if you don’t study the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.

(Apparently, that saying is so popular that the autocomplete on my iPad keyboard has it memorized).

I know this is the day we study poetry in the Bible, not history, but the Bible’s poetry is integral to its history.

While this section of scripture refers to Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, this concept can be applied to all of history.

We can see God’s hand of grace and mercy throughout history; His love through all generations.

Let’s learn from the mistakes of the past and embrace the love of God displayed over time.

Have you ever stopped to study how God’s hand has repeatedly been seen throughout history?
How has the hand of God affected your history?
August 27, 2023

August 27th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 105-106

Highlight Verse:

“Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭106‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some years ago, I was at a music festival in Northern Colorado. It was evening and everyone gathered around the main stage for a time of worship and hearing from the Word of God.

One minor problem – a massive thunder storm was headed straight for us.

Someone onstage prayed that the storm would not hit us. I am sure that thousands in the crowd were praying the same thing.

Some would call it chance that the storm split in two. Rain and lightning struck to the north and the south. The festival grounds stayed dry.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

It was a miracle that happened in plain site that most people never noticed.

I believe there are many miracles that happen in plain site that we never notice. There is no way we could ever see all the miracles that happen around us.

This verse expresses our praise for those things we do not see.

Have you experienced miracles that were hidden to everyone else?
Share your stories here.
August 20, 2023

August 20th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 103-104

Highlight Verse:

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A thousand years before Jesus, David already had a good understanding of the redemptive work of God.

In this single verse, David recognizes that we mess up and that God is able to remove our guilt from us.

As far as east is from the west is an expression that presupposes that east and west never meet. Therefore our guilt is so far gone, we’ll never see it again.

This verse is in the middle of a Psalm of praise in which David lists many amazing attributes of God, any one of which is worthy of praise.

Understand the amazing gifts of God starting with Jesus’ sacrifice that paid the price for all we’ve done wrong, past, present, and future. Then you will have plenty of incentive to praise Him.

Does dwelling on the attributes of God, especially His forgiveness, make you want to bring Him praises?
Have you ever found yourself taking His grace for granted? Did it result in you praising less?
August 13, 2023

August 13th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 99-102

Highlight Verse:

“Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭102‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve never been good at journaling.

I gave it a try many years ago. I remember running across that journal some time ago and being impressed by my faith so long ago.

Then there’s the old Bible that I use for this study. I bought it 35 years ago long before the advent of YouVersion and Biblegateway dot com. While my study wasn’t as consistent as it is now, there are many highlighted or underlined passages and some scribbled notes in the margins.

44 years ago, my mom bought me a copy of “The Way”, a version of The Living Bible. I just grabbed it off the bookshelf and was surprised to find a few notes in there from early in my walk of faith.

That walk of faith began on this day, August 13, 1977, 46 years ago.

From margin notes to journals to this study, I have a not-so-steady trail to continue to inspire me to move forward and to pass on to future generations.

Without much thought, I’ve been living out this verse. And I’m glad to be able to look back on it.

Have you put down in words your thoughts and impressions about God’s Word and your faith?
Is there anything stopping you from writing now?
August 6, 2023

August 6th, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 95-98

Highlight Verse:

“Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭96‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I find it ironic that it takes a really old song to remind us to keep making new music.

I truly believe that music is near and dear to God’s heart.

Throughout the Bible, music seems to pop up spontaneously. Not just in the Psalms and the Song of Solomon but in spur of the moment songs by Moses, Miriam, David, and Mary among others.

Years ago, we had a foster child. We had just visited my Mom and little brother. Everyone was tired. We climbed in the car and proceeded to bicker at each other until we decided that instead of arguing, we’d just listen to some worship music.

45 minutes later, the album ended as we were stuck in a bad traffic jam near home. It was a situation that could have sparked more argument. But we were happy. We even talked to other motorists as the traffic had come to a complete halt as they cleared an accident a mile ahead.

When we let it, music has power to soothe and comfort, inspire and encourage.

We worship and invite the Holy Spirit to join us in giving praise to God.

If you read this Sunday morning, I encourage you to join with a local church and bring that music to life.

If that’s not possible, at least turn on some music and sing a new song to the Lord!

Have you ever experienced the same kind of mood restoration from music?
What kinds of music brings about the best results for worship and mood lifting for you?
July 23, 2023

July 23rd, 2023

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Psalms 89-91

Highlight Verse:

“For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Please excuse me if you’ve heard this old story before but it immediately popped into my head when I read this verse.

An older gentleman was determined to stay in his home even though torrential rains were bringing flooding to his neighborhood. He prayed fervently,

“Lord please save me from this flood.”

Despite his prayers, the water still rose. Soon it was entering the ground floor of his home. A neighbor came by in a row boat and offered him a ride out. “Nope, I believe the Lord will save me!”

They left and he climbed the stairs and fell to his knees. “Lord, I’ve always been your faithful servant, please save me from these floodwaters.”

By the time he finished praying, another boat came up to the second floor window and offered him a ride. “No thanks, the Lord is going to save me!”

They shook their heads at him and sailed off.

Not long after, he was forced to climb up to the top of the roof. He started praying again. Just then, a helicopter swooped down and offered him a ride to safety.

He waved it off yelling, “The Lord is gonna save me!”

Pretty soon the waters took him away. He drowned and went to heaven. As soon as he saw Jesus he chased him down and asked, “Why didn’t you save me from the flood?”

Jesus replied, “I sent two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want?”

I know that’s a silly story but it reminds us that sometimes God’s help comes in ways that we don’t want to accept. I’ve seen people rescued from bad situations through arrest, bankruptcy, and even divorce. Sometimes the rescue is as simple as accepting help or advice from someone you don’t want to deal with.

None of those situations is good on the surface.

But sometimes we have to go through some tough times to get back on the right track.

In some of those situations, I’ve seen finances, marriages, and even lives restored.

Have you rejected God’s help in the past because it wasn’t what you wanted?
Has your life been restored by taking the tough rescue?
Are you faced with deciding whether to accept that tough road now?
July 17, 2023

July 17th, 2023

Monday – Gospels

Reading – Mark 14

Highlight Verse:

“Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is another one of those “I never noticed that before” verses.

But then, as one who has been exposed to the Messianic Jewish culture, I am not surprised.

Song and dance played a prominent part of the culture.

That should explain why the longest book in the Bible is a book of songs (Psalms).

The song they sang to conclude the Passover meal was most likely the second half of the Hallel Psalms 115-118.

Right after those deep words of worship, they went out to Gethsemane where Jesus prayed in anguish as He faced what was about to happen.

Tonight we had a student night at a local park with another church. It was a lot of fun though many of us fairly melted in the heat.

At the end, a group got together in a circle and sang a worship song.

To me that was the best part of the evening.

That simple beautiful act focused my attention on why we were there in the first place.

I can’t help but think that the singing at the end of the Passover meal had the same effect on Jesus and His disciples.

Does the right music help you to focus on God?
Can you imagine what it would have been like to be in the room and listen to that group sing those beautiful Psalms?
What would that have felt like?

Tag: Psalm

This morning, I had the privilege of having breakfast with a group of guys that included a widower.

I believe without a doubt that he cares just as deeply for those left behind.

You can’t out give God.

More importantly, you may find God changing that selfish heart into a generous one.

One of the basics I remember from that class was the A.C.T.S of prayer.

I think David and the other psalmists had it right when they concentrated on praising God for His many great works.

if you don’t study the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.

Let’s learn from the mistakes of the past and embrace the love of God displayed over time.

One minor problem – a massive thunder storm was headed straight for us.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

A thousand years before Jesus, David already had a good understanding of the redemptive work of God.

I’ve never been good at journaling.

That walk of faith began on this day, August 13, 1977, 46 years ago.

I truly believe that music is near and dear to God’s heart.

When we let it, music has power to soothe and comfort, inspire and encourage.

“Lord please save me from this flood.”

Jesus replied, “I sent two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want?”

But sometimes we have to go through some tough times to get back on the right track.

Song and dance played a prominent part of the culture.

Right after those deep words of worship, they went out to Gethsemane where Jesus prayed in anguish as He faced what was about to happen.

That simple beautiful act focused my attention on why we were there in the first place.