A Psalm for Today: Psalms 76:4
You are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
In the old testament typology, mountains represent governments. Throughout history there have been nations, empires, and ideaologies that want to rule the world. In the book of Daniel there was a stone cut out without hands that crushed the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The parts of the statue represented different kingdoms, some very powerful and successful, but they were crushed by this stone which became a mountain which filled the whole earth. That mountain is the kingdom of God. Isaiah said that of the increase of His government and peace there would be no end. Of all those kingdoms, the mountains of prey, that would attempt to rule the earth, the kingdom of God is far more glorious and excellent. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 74:21
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 74:21
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
One of the meanings of the word ashamed in the Hebrew language is disappointment. In Isaiah 61:7, God promises a double portion for our shame. Someone has been disappointed. Be encouraged today for God will give you a double portion for Your hurt. The key is trusting in Him. Now hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:3.James says that God has chosen the poor rich in faith. The recognition that apart from God we have nothing is to be poor in spirit. Those who recognize their spiritual poverty and turn to God will have cause for great rejoicing. They will truly praise the Lord.
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
One of the meanings of the word ashamed in the Hebrew language is disappointment. In Isaiah 61:7, God promises a double portion for our shame. Someone has been disappointed. Be encouraged today for God will give you a double portion for Your hurt. The key is trusting in Him. Now hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:3.James says that God has chosen the poor rich in faith. The recognition that apart from God we have nothing is to be poor in spirit. Those who recognize their spiritual poverty and turn to God will have cause for great rejoicing. They will truly praise the Lord.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A Psalm for Today: Psalm 73;3
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 73: 3
For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
I am sure many of us as Christians have experienced this type of envy. You struggle and have difficulties as you try to walk uprightly and maintain your integrity. You do what is right even when it hurts. You look around and you see immoral people prospering. Seemingly, they have no troubles and you think it's not fair. If we focus on the temporal we will always be subject to external circumstances. If we focus on the eternal we recognize that there is a judgement coming for the wicked. Our reward is eternal. The psalmist was snapped back to eternal reality when he stepped into the sanctuary and encountered the presence of God. He saw the end of the wicked and realized that God is our eternal reward. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore.
For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
I am sure many of us as Christians have experienced this type of envy. You struggle and have difficulties as you try to walk uprightly and maintain your integrity. You do what is right even when it hurts. You look around and you see immoral people prospering. Seemingly, they have no troubles and you think it's not fair. If we focus on the temporal we will always be subject to external circumstances. If we focus on the eternal we recognize that there is a judgement coming for the wicked. Our reward is eternal. The psalmist was snapped back to eternal reality when he stepped into the sanctuary and encountered the presence of God. He saw the end of the wicked and realized that God is our eternal reward. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 72:3
A Psalm for Today: Psalm 72:3
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
Mountains in scripture speak of government. The larger the mountain the greater authority it had. The stone cut out without hands, that crushed the other kingdoms, became a mountain which filled the whole earth. That mountain was the kingdom of God of which Isaiah says of the increase and peace there will be no end. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Where the Lord reigns there is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit both individual and corporately. Great peace have they whose God is the Lord..
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
Mountains in scripture speak of government. The larger the mountain the greater authority it had. The stone cut out without hands, that crushed the other kingdoms, became a mountain which filled the whole earth. That mountain was the kingdom of God of which Isaiah says of the increase and peace there will be no end. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Where the Lord reigns there is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit both individual and corporately. Great peace have they whose God is the Lord..
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 66:10
A Psalm for Today: Psalm 66:10
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.
Most of us have heard the story of a man observing a silversmith purifying silver. The artisan would heat the silver until it was liquid and then would keep raising the heat until he was able skim the impurities off the surface. He repeated this process as the impurities would have different melting points. After observing the patience of the silversmith doing this several times, the interested onlooker asked, "How do you know when it is ready?" The siversmith replied, " When I can clearly see my reflection in the silver." The trying of our faith has a maturing work as it produces perseverance. "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. James 1:3,4 As in the case of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, it was the fire that revealed the fourth man. Are you presently going through a fire? If you truly believe that God is working all things together for your good because you love Him and are called according to His purpose, you will come through the fire more like Jesus.
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.
Most of us have heard the story of a man observing a silversmith purifying silver. The artisan would heat the silver until it was liquid and then would keep raising the heat until he was able skim the impurities off the surface. He repeated this process as the impurities would have different melting points. After observing the patience of the silversmith doing this several times, the interested onlooker asked, "How do you know when it is ready?" The siversmith replied, " When I can clearly see my reflection in the silver." The trying of our faith has a maturing work as it produces perseverance. "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. James 1:3,4 As in the case of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, it was the fire that revealed the fourth man. Are you presently going through a fire? If you truly believe that God is working all things together for your good because you love Him and are called according to His purpose, you will come through the fire more like Jesus.
Monday, August 4, 2014
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 64:10
A Psalm for Today: Psalms 64:10
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him, and the upright in heart shall glory.
There is coming a day when the last enemy, death, will be put under His feet. The righteous will rejoice and all the upright in heart will glory in the full manifestation of His victory at Calvary. David is writing about the response of God's people when He delivers His people from their enemies. We can rejoice and be glad that Jesus defeated and spoiled principalities and powers on the cross. It is by virtue of what He has done that we can be called the righteous. Let us praise Him who has crushed the head of the serpent.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him, and the upright in heart shall glory.
There is coming a day when the last enemy, death, will be put under His feet. The righteous will rejoice and all the upright in heart will glory in the full manifestation of His victory at Calvary. David is writing about the response of God's people when He delivers His people from their enemies. We can rejoice and be glad that Jesus defeated and spoiled principalities and powers on the cross. It is by virtue of what He has done that we can be called the righteous. Let us praise Him who has crushed the head of the serpent.
A Prayer for Today
Father, we bless You this morning. We thank You, Lord, that You love us and that You have given us a future and a hope. We pray for those this morning who feel as though they have no hope. Lord, draw them unto Yourself and open their eyes to the fact that You are the God of hope and that there is no lasting hope apart from You. May they understand that if we hope only in this life we are of all men most miserable. We pray that all of us would take our eyes off the temporal and the arm of the flesh and look to You. May we understand that our natural lives are but a vapor and wouldn't even make a good dot on the time line of eternity. Thank You that through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ we have life that is eternal. We pray this in the name of Jesus and for His sake. Amen
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