Tag: Bible Study

Redeem Us For Your Mercies’ Sake (Psalm 44)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 44

1 To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old: 2 You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. 3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. 4 You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. … 8 In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever. Selah 9 But You have cast [us] off and put us to shame, And You do not go out with our armies. … 22 Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast [us] off forever. 24 Why do You hide Your face, [And] forget our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground. 26 Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.

PSALM 44:1-4, 8-9, 22-26

REDEEM US FOR YOUR MERCIES’ SAKE

Have you ever been unfriended on Facebook or unfollowed on another social media platform? Someone you thought was a friend sends a quiet but unmistakable signal that they’d rather not hear from you. The first thing you do is try and figure out how you have offended them? What did I do? What did I say? Is it me? 

The Psalmist in this Psalm laments that it feels like God isn’t present anymore. They’ve lost a battle. God should have gone out with them. He didn’t. They search for sin. Why aren’t we friends anymore? They feel like they’re an animal that has been taken out to where the jackals and other scavengers are and the leg is broken… It’s not a good situation to be in.

For me, the interesting part is verse 22. “For YOUR Sake.” Does this mean that there is purpose in the suffering that these people are facing? Purpose Like Job?… Like Joseph?… Like Jesus? This passage probably sounds familiar because I quoted from Romans 8 yesterday on the blog post, but here it is again. Paul writes from his situation in Romans 8:36-39: As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (37) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, (39) nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

Then see how it ends, “And redeem us for your mercies’ sake.”

  • And He would Redeem them (And Us)
    • It was for their sake that:
      • God the father would Step back from his Son (Matthew 27:46)
      • He would be Sacked and even his clothes would be gambled for by enemy soldiers (Luke 23:34)
      • He was led like a lamb to the Slaughter (Isaiah 53:7, Acts 8:32). 
      • His disciples were Scattered (Matthew 26:31)
      • He was Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16)
      • He was Scorned by Soldiers (Luke 23:35-39)
      • He was Shamed when he who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. (This last bit comes from a message that was I heard and took notes for, I did not write the name of the pastor and so am not able to give full credit to the author, only to confess it is not original with me).

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your incredible mercy and grace! Thank you that you love us in spite of ourselves. Your grace and mercy know no bounds. We are grateful for your kindness to us that even in our suffering there is purpose. We rejoice in you today. Help us to trust you in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Can The Sons of A Heretic Still Worship The Lord? (Psalm 42)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 42

1 To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where [is] your God?” 4 When I remember these [things], I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And [why] are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him [For] the help of His countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. 8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song [shall be] with me–A prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 [As] with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, “Where [is] your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

PSALM 42:1-11

CAN THE SONS OF A HERETIC STILL WORSHIP THE LORD?

The answer is yes. You can read the story of Korah and his rebellion in Numbers chapter 16. While Korah along with many others who had stepped out of line were swallowed up by the earth, his sons were spared (See Numbers 26:9-11). The line of Korah still existed and his descendent served in and around the tabernacle. By the time that David came to reign, they were known for their musical ability in worship and many of the Psalms are attributed to them. What great grace this is to see that the sins of the father are not the destiny of the children.

I love how this psalm begins. Talking about a panting deer longing for water. These folks knew what it was like to be thirsty. They could see in nature a picture of a panting deer longing for a cool and refreshing drink and think about how they longed for, craved, needed to worship the Lord.

I can’t help but think of the moment that Jesus stood up and said that if anyone was thirsty they should come to Him for a drink (John 7:37). There is no reason to go thirsty in this sense today! God has given us His Holy Spirit! My Big takeaway today is to make sure that I am satisfied in Christ and not trying to fill my heart from broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13).

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful that you meet our deepest needs. I long for you in my soul like a deer pants for water. I want to be satisfied and filled in you, Lord. Please keep me from pursuing the things in my life that do not satisfy. Keep me from chasing the things that won’t fulfill me. Let me trust in you and you alone to provide all that I need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Betrayed By A Friend But Blessed By The Lord (Psalm 41)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 41

[Psa 41:4-10 NKJV] 4 I said, “LORD, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” 5 My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” 6 And if he comes to see [me], he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; [When] he goes out, he tells [it]. 7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt. 8 “An evil disease,” [they say], “clings to him. And [now] that he lies down, he will rise up no more.” 9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up [his] heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them.

PSALM 41:4-10

BETRAYED BY A FRIEND BUT BLESSED BY THE LORD

I chose to meditate on the middle of this Psalm this morning. I emboldened a few words to help us notice that this section of the Psalm begins and ends with a plea to the LORD for mercy. David knows that God’s mercy would heal his affliction because David’s SIN is the CAUSE of the affliction. His soul is sick for what He has done.

We note in verses five through eight that David apparently has developed some frenemies. Being in a position of power there are some who perhaps see this sickness as his demise and they are plotting how to used if for their political gain. They have labeled this sickness a “wicked” disease. They are the kind of folks who love misery. They visit David only when something bad happens. David is wise enough to know that their visit isn’t about their interest in his well being, but they are plotting his downfall. They are really just seeking to ruin his reputation.

In verse nine, David notes the betrayal of a friend. Someone he thought was a close ally has turned against him and talked behind his back. Too often in Christian circles there are those who seem to be more like Judas than Jesus. They sense a weakness or sin in someone and rather than caring for that individuals restoration they harm them with malicious gossip. We shouldn’t shoot our own wounded like that. We’re not sinning less than the ones we are condemning.

As a king, David was in a unique position to execute vengeance. His vengeance wouldn’t be personal, but corporate. He was in the position of being king and the sins of his frenemies were tantamount to treason. For the sake of the nation, he would have to address their grievous behavior. There are times where individuals need to face Justice. 

We should note one thing for sure. Our words matter. We are accountable for the words we speak. In the case of David’s frenemies, their words were treason as they attempted to undermine the throne. Too many times those who bare the name of Christ have let bitter hearts speak ugly words. We should note that we will give an account to the Lord for the things we have done and said.

PRAYER

Father, We all stand today in need of your mercy. We are all sinners. We are grateful that you meet us in our affliction. We are grateful that you see fit to meet us in our neediest moments. We pray that you would guard our hearts from bitterness. Keep our lips from uttering lies or falsehoods. Let us not delight in the downfall of others. Keep us from that sort of pride. We seek for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

From The Pit And Mire To The Pulpit And Choir (Psalm 40)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 40

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, [And] established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth–Praise to our God; Many will see [it] and fear, And will trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed [is] that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] Your wonderful works [Which] You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; [If] I would declare and speak [of them], They are more than can be numbered.

PSALM 40:1-5

FROM THE PIT AND MIRE TO THE PULPIT AND CHIOR

Have you ever had a dirty rotten, no good day? Ever feel like you have fallen in a hole and left for dead? Every feel like you are covered in the grossness of slime? David did… Apparently even God’s chosen kings may face slimy pitts. 

David wrote a song about it… well not really that, but how the LORD picks his servants up from stuff like that. How God’s done it before and how He will most certainly do it again! 

David teaches us how to have joy in the midst of sorrow. 

Verse one is kind of scary to me. I’ve never waited patiently for the Lord until I had to. I’ve always tried to figure out how to get out of a fix and then when I’m exhausted I end up giving it all back to God. 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation, where you knew that if God didn’t do something, that nothing would happen? You are at the end of your rope. There is nothing else for you to do but call to God and wait. 

In verse two we really aren’t told much about David’s situation. It could have been literal. Later the prophet Jeremiah would be thrown into the bottom of a well and literally have to wait for help from others. It might just be a metaphor though for another time that David found himself in a jam. 

It might have been family difficulty. David had plenty of serious issues with his wives, adultery, misbehaving children, grown kids who caused a civil war, etc.

It might have been his personal sin that led him there. Like when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, killed Uriah or like when he was proud of himself and declared a census.

It might have been adversity like when he was on the run from king Saul.

It might have been emotional distress like when he was caught in Goliath’s hometown with Goliath’s sword and he pretended to be insane and act the fool, drooling down his beard. 

We don’t know what the pit was, so that gives us a little freedom as we read, to read our story into it as well. I asked the question on FB, “what are some of your favorite hymns or praise songs and why.”  One of my former student pastors shared a hymn that his grandfather used to sing, but that he also pictured himself in the hymn…. It had a double meaning. It meant something to his grandfather and it meant something to him. They could both sing it and offer praise to God.

We can join David here in this Psalm because if you are a believer the LORD has delivered you out of a slimy pit. 

This provoked a NEW SONG for David. The old songs wouldn’t do. God had delivered him again, he needed to sing a new song for this moment of deliverance. So he wrote one! 

Praise God for new songs! New Songs mean that there are new generations and new circumstances of deliverance! God is still on the move! Movements that gave us most of our hymnals are contemporary when you consider that Christianity has been around for more than 2000 years!

David professes a blessing on those who put their trust in the LORD. Indeed He is the only one who can deliver us from the mire of sin and shame. He is the only one that can lift us out of our circumstances. He is the one to whom we lift our heads.

At any moment the Lord is doing a billion acts on our behalf of which we are completely unaware…. Doesn’t that get you excited?! The Lord is worthy of all Praise, honor and glory!

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that you are the kind of God who delivers his people from miry clay and sets our feet on solid ground. I can’t help but see you again as a Good Shepherd who delivers His sheep no matter how lost they get and how tangled or muddy they become. Your love and grace are greater than I can imagine. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Taking My Grief To The Lord (Psalm 39)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 39

1 To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.” 2 I was mute with silence, I held my peace [even] from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. 3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. [Then] I spoke with my tongue: 4 “LORD, make me to know my end, And what [is] the measure of my days, [That] I may know how frail I [am]. 5 Indeed, You have made my days [as] handbreadths, And my age [is] as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state [is] but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up [riches], And does not know who will gather them. 7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope [is] in You. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. 9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did [it]. 10 Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. 11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man [is] vapor. Selah 12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I [am] a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers [were]. 13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more.”

PSALM 39:1-13

TAKING MY GRIEF TO THE LORD

Grief is a difficult thing. Some days it makes us sad, some days we are bitter, or angry, sometimes it comes out as a depression, sometimes we eat to stuff it down inside. Sometimes we fast because even food has lost it’s luster. When we are grieving someone we love we might be tempted to lash out at those who didn’t love them like we think they should have. We might be tempted to say things in our grief that wouldn’t be right, good, or wholesome and can take a tragedy and make it even worse.

It seems like David is in the midst of grief as he prays to the lord to number his days. He sees life as a vapor. And like most of us, he is tempted to let loose his tongue and tell us what he really thinks. But he knows that’s not a good idea. For the sake of honoring God and worshipping the LORD, he needs to be quiet. What he wants to say is probably the truth, but he’d be sinning in saying it or at least saying it in the way that he wants to say it.

He is in the presence of wicked folks and either they will misunderstand it or in getting it out, me might not be able to control the venom that comes with it and he knows that God doesn’t need him to add his two cents. 

There are moments in my life, like David, where I need to show restraint. It is foolish to vent every word that pops into our heads, even if those words are exactly true, but not put forth in a manner that is pleasing to God.  There is wisdom in determining the right time to speak.

You would think that with all of this build up, David would blow up, but rather than blowing up at someone he takes his prayer to the Lord. He requests that God would help him know how short life is. Sometimes we can be tempted to believe that this life is everything and so we might waste our time, energy, and money on short sighted pursuits. 

So David prays “Lord help me to see from your perspective. Help me to see what I don’t see.” David doesn’t have the whole picture. A healthy dose of humility is healthy here. There are moments where we should not speak, but rather take everything to God in prayer. There are sorrows and insights that should only be shared with the LORD.

PRAYER

Father, Help me to see things from your perspective. Help me to see the things I don’t see. Show me how to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. Show me when to keep silent. Hear me when I express my groanings about everything that is going on in the world. In my grief, give me grace that I might demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Delight Yourself In The LORD (Psalm 37)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret–[it] only [causes] harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.

PSALM 37:1-9

DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD

Is it possible to seek pleasures that are too small? I imagine it’s that way for those who love the scent of coffee but can’t stand the drink. They settle for the intoxicating aroma, but they miss the glorious taste of a fresh well brewed cup of coffee (Dark Roast!). Okay so maybe coffee isn’t the illustration. I think C.S. Lewis compared it to children turning down the chance to go on a vacation at the beach because they were too busy making mud pies in the slums. Or maybe this will make sense, what if I enjoyed the smell of my wife’s perfume, but snubbed my nose at her company? You would say that I’m missing something! I’m missing everything!

So it is when we find delight in things that God has made, and made for us to enjoy, but neglect our enjoyment of Him. David counsels us to delight ourselves in the LORD. That is where true and lasting delight comes from. The desire to enjoy more of the LORD is not fantasy, but completely attainable. We can be delighted in the Lord and the Lord will give us the desires of our heart, which is more of Him!

Like any parent who enjoys seeing their children pursue the noblest and best thing, God delights in rewarding us when we seek him (Hebrews 11:4). God delights in giving himself to us! There isn’t a more precious, valuable, wonderful or awesome thing in the universe that we could delight in other than the one who called it all into existence. We were created to delight in the glory of God.

PRAYER

Father, I delight myself in you today! I run after you with all that I am. All my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I long for you alone to fill the empty spaces of my heart and mind. Let me be completely delighted in you today. Thank you for the millions of ways you are at work in my life, help me to glimpse just a few that my heart might be delighted with you. Don’t let me pursue the smaller pleasures of life so much that I miss the real treasure of walking with you. Let me not be so broken that I call it a pleasure to pursue something that is really just pain and misery. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

I Will Bless The LORD At All Times (Psalm 34)

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PSALM 34

1 [A Psalm] of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise [shall] continually [be] in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear [of it] and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

PSALM 34:1-4

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES

 We are told that David wrote this Psalm reflecting on some of the lowest days of his life. You can read the details in 1 Samuel 21. David is on the run from Saul. He stops by a place of worship. Grabs some food and is looking for a weapon. The only weapon they have on hand is Goliath’s sword. So they give that to David. One of Saul’s spies is there and he heads out to tell Saul so David is on the run again. 

He ends up in the City of Gath… For those of you who don’t know. This is the city Goliath was from and he is carrying Goliath’s sword! Everyone knows that it is David who killed their beloved Goliath. Goliath’s momma lives there, his cousins, etc…. This seems like it is the exact wrong place to be. David might be at an all time lowest situation of his life where he has to feign madness in order to escape with his life.

David says that he will bless the LORD at all Times. This is the highs and the lows. I love this psalm because it acknowledges the lows. 

Even in his low, David finds joy in the LORD. He invites us into his joy. Have you ever experienced something and had to get someone else involved? Unexpected joy is that way!

Have you ever  been so blessed in Jesus that you have to share the blessing? When it comes to gardening, some of our church folks are really good and they remember us when the harvest comes in! They get a bunch of squash, tomatoes, peppers, or whatever and they call us up and say, “would you like some squash?” They give it to us to enjoy too, because they’ve got too much! When they share, it not only feeds them, but nourishes us as well.  

David is saying, “I’ve got so much of the LORD’s goodness, I need to share it with you.” And His sharing blesses not only him, but us as well. 

This is what I love about corporate singing. We get together and we all come from different backgrounds. God has taken us on different journeys, but he is the same faithful God. 

  • Some come from addiction and he has helped you
  • Some come from pride and he has humbled you
  • Some come from tremendous hurt and you see his healing

It’s not just a combination of different voices, but of different testimonies and different stories of God working so that when we sing great is thy faithfulness it’s not just words, it’s lives. It’s the prodigal son come home, it’s the salvation of a lost sinner, it’s the comfort over the loss of a loved one.  Somehow when we gather together and we share in our joy with one another this mingles into praise. I love it when God’s church gathers together to magnify the LORD together and sing his praise! Even when I’m in a low, I am still encouraged and find comfort and joy.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for the incredible joy that you have blessed me with in ways big and small. Thank you for your kindness to me and uniting me with a people so loving and gracious. Thank you that there are days that I have more joy than I know what to do with and it just spills over into others lives. Thank you that others have let their joy spill into mine. You know me and you know what I need. You are worthy of all praise honor and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Worthy Of All Our Worship (Psalm 33)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 33

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! [For] praise from the upright is beautiful. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. 4 For the word of the LORD [is] right, And all His work [is done] in truth.

PSALM 33:1-4

WORTHY OF ALL OUR WORSHIP

New Song! We are growing in our relationship to the Lord and so a new song is fitting! It doesn’t need to be too old and too familiar. We need to be stretched in singing so we think what we are singing about.   A New Song is a song of something new and fresh that God has done. Same God, new sin forgiven, new rescue. It’s the same old Truth with a new fervor of fresh experience. It’s new words that highlight the paise worthy character of never changing God.

We are to offer God our skill. Not just our “good enough,” but our best! We spend time developing skills to use for the sake of praise. Both a Harp and a lyre are stringed instruments that had 10 strings. We are to work together to bring the Lord paise like an orchestra or symphony works together to share great works of music. Each one in synch, in beat, on time with the other. Here it says to praise the Lord with 10 strings! All 10 strings we are to be singing his praise! The whole instrument is to be used in singing God’s praise, the whole realm of melody, not one note left missing. Not one string standing still, All plucked, strummed, stirred by the worthiness of our Lord. Some of us in our praise for God is a 2 or 3 string day. We need to praise God with all 10 strings! It is both instrumental and vocal! He is worthy of all of our praise. 

 You don’t praise God for what you feel, you praise God for who He is. You enter with gratitude for all the gifts of Grace He has given you. Often we don’t offer God all of our praise, because we covet and so we are not content. We forget our blessings and cry for more gifts, while ignoring the giver.  We don’t stop and thank him for the blessings we have. We have become entitled. We think we need material stuff, because we think the more we consume, the more we will be happy…. but the truth is the more we recognize God’s goodness in our lives, the more we return praise, the more we find ourselves not only contented, but elated in worshipping Him alone. He is worthy of all of our praise.

PRAYER

Father, You are worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. Before I lived a single day, you knew them all. You know not only my thoughts, my desires, my actions, but even the things hidden from me in my very own body. You know my pulse, breath, my life. I ask that today that I would worship you fully with all that you have given me. Let my breath utter out your praise. Let my eyes delight in the marvel of your creation, let my hears inform my heart of the goodness and pleasantness of a melody. Let all of me be offered in praise for you are worthy of it all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Sin is Serious (Psalm 32)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 32

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
(Psalm 32:1-11)

SIN IS SERIOUS

Let’s examine some of the words used here at the beginning of the Psalm today. Transgression is to trespass. It is a willful volition and stepping over a line into another territory. The largeness of the trespass is depends on who’s territory you have stepped into. If I cross my neighbors boundary, it isn’t as big of a deal as it is to unlawfully cross into a Military base boundary! Our problem is that we often think of sin as small… when in fact it is big, because of who we have trespassed. This is why David could say it was against the Lord that He sinned. He sinned and hurt Uriah and Bathsheba, but his real trespass was against the LORD.

FORGIVEN means to carry away. This is the same word that is used for a scapegoat. The scapegoat is one of two kid goats. As a pair, one goat was sacrificed (not a scapegoat) and the living “scapegoat” was released into the wilderness never to be seen again, taking with it all sins and impurities. This is what it means to be forgiven. A substitute has paid for your sins and carried them off.  

SIN means to “Miss the Mark.” Imagine you are playing basketball. It’s a big game. You dribble the ball down the court, you are wide open for a three pointer so you pull up and take a shot. The ball arks high into the air but completely misses the goal, the rim, the backboard, everything… the next thing you know you hear the crowd taunting you, “Air ball! Air ball! Air ball.” Now imagine that every trip down the court, every moment of your offense, you take your stance, take aim, and fail with every attempt to make a shot… not only do you not score any points, but your stats are zero across the board.

COVERED means to conceal. This is taken from the Day Of Atonement. Once a year the high priest would take the blood of a sacrifice into the Most Holy Place and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The Mercy Seat was the lid covering the Ark and the blood was sprinkled there because it came between the presence of God (symbolized as dwelling the the space between  the wings of the cherubim above the ark) and the broken law of God that was in the ark itself. 

Iniquity means that you are warped. It is to take something good and to twist it. It is to pervert something. I was replacing the ball joints on my old Explorer a few years ago. When I was taking the bottom joint out I decided to replace the whole A arm assembly. I undid the bolts but the arm didn’t want to fall out. So I beat the old A-arm out with a hammer… I didn’t think about how I would put the new A-arm back in. When it came time, sure enough it didn’t fit because the frame was bent. Sometime in the history of this vehicle the owner had wrecked the car so bad that it bent this part of the frame… I finally fit the new arm in, but it wouldn’t matter, the frame was warped… the car would almost always be out of alignment.

DOES NOT IMPUTE means that the Lord does not take into account. I used to like watching the old westerns. Sometimes you would see someone come into a shop and buy something but instead of paying they would say… “put it on my tab” and the shop owner would write down how much they owed on that ledger. He would impute it to their account. Imagine that the shop keeper chooses not to impute it to their account, they wouldn’t have to pay. The items would be free to them, but would still cost the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper would pay for the items in both loss of original cost and loss of revenue. By choosing not to impute our sins, Jesus chose to pay for our sins!

Deceit is the final word for sin here. This is where sin does it’s most awful damage. The biggest lies are the ones we tell ourselves. We often deceive ourselves and say that our sin isn’t as bad as it really is. Before you can find forgiveness, you have to come clean. There was a time when David did lie to himself, where he did try to hide or cover over his sin on his own. He thought he could go on like nothing ever happened, but that wasn’t the case. 

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that you are a forgiving God who has mercy on repentant sinners. I thank you for the work of Jesus Christ on the cross who died for my sins and rose again that I might have repentance and receive new life in you. Thank you that even when I didn’t know the full depth of my sin and depravity that you loved me and that Jesus died for me. Thank you seems like too small a word for all you have done in my life regarding sin. I am so grateful for your salvation. Please watch over me and keep me from falling into temptation. I love you LORD. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

A Song For The Storm (Psalm 29)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 29

A Psalm of David.

Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

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.

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

A SONG FOR THE STORM

In this passage we see David look out at a storm cloud on the horizon. He then uses the storm to show us the voice of the LORD speaking to his people. Some Psalms are best read at sunrise or sunset or even in the midst of the night. This Psalm is best read in the midst of a storm. It is said that in the early churches as they gathered on stormy days that they would read Psalm 29. With that in mind we will open up and begin to look at this psalm, a song for the storm. 

This song reminds us that God is sovereign over heavenly beings. Angels are commanded to offer Him worship because He is worthy of worship. Imagine that, we are telling angels to sing and offer praise to God. (We do this with some of our hymns too, like the Doxology, “Praise Him above ye heavenly Host“). Angels are eager to worship God. It is good and it is right that He is to be given praise!

The “voice of the Lord” peals like thunder through this Psalm seven times! It is interesting that the gospel writer John records this incident in his gospel.  [John 12:27-32 NKJV] (27) “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. (28) “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, [saying], “I have both glorified [it] and will glorify [it] again.” (29) Therefore the people who stood by and heard [it] said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (30) Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. (31) “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (32) “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all [peoples] to Myself.”

The storm moves across the Israelite landscape mocking of BAAL the storm God of the Phoenicians. The real God of all creation is at ease in the midst of the storm. He sits, ruling over all.

Storms are powerful and wonderful. They can stormy weather can be terrifying and miserable. God used a storm to bring the great reformer Martin Luther to where he began to seek after the Lord. In a similar way, He used a storm and the calm response of Moravian passengers on a ship, to being John Wesley to saving faith as well. God speaks in the midst of the storms.

Next time bad weather is rolling through, I”ll be pulling out my bible and reading Psalm 29.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for this incredible passage that helps us use the weather to recognize your glory, your holiness, your greatness, and to come to a place where we are in respectful fear and honor of You. We confess that you are worthy of all praise! Thank you for weather that commands our attention, changes our plans, and provokes us to praise the God of the storm. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.