Author: Brian

Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor

Prayer Quote of the Week

On By BrianIn Prayer Quotes

praying-hands-smPrayer is not an option for the believer but a divinely ordained duty, a duty done in obedience, rooted in love for God….  Such love draw the believer to the Father, leaning upon the Son, and depending upon the Spirit in prayer.  The true believer prays because he has been loved and because he loves is return.

– Jonathan Edwards

Reflections on Psalms 81-85

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Which psalm or verse especially reflects your heart today?  Use those words to talk to the Lord.

  • Temple – Psalm 84 proclaims the Psalmist’s desire to praise and seek the Lord at his temple. The church is God’s temple today (see Ephesians 2:19-22 and I Peter 2:4-5).  Do you have the psalmist’s desire to gather with God’s people to praise and seek the Lord?
  • Revive Us – Psalm 85 is a cry for God to revive them. God has forgiven their sins in the past, and the Psalmist’s desire is that God would do it again that they might rejoice in him.  For what sins do you need to seek forgiveness?  How do you need the Lord to spiritually revive you?  Ask him.

Psalms 81-90: Our Great God

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(86, 89) How does God compare to other gods (86:8-10, 89:5-8)?

How should we respond?

81:8-10 –

82:1-8 –

83:18 –

86:9, 89:5 –

(90) How does God compare to people (v2-4)?

How should we respond (v12)?  What does that mean?

(85-86, 89) What attributes of our great God do you find in 85:10-11, 86:5 & 15, 89:14?

How should we respond?

85:1-7 –

86:1-4, 16-17 –

89:1 –

(84, 89) Our great God is present with his people.  How should we respond to his presence (84:1-12, 89:15)?

(89) Describe the covenant our great God made in v3-4, 19-37.

In what ways does this covenant point to Jesus?

What does it mean for us?

(81-90) Which verse(s) or psalm especially speaks to you, and why?

Sermon Songs: Mark 6:45-52

On By BrianIn Mark Hymns

MusicNotes

See Jesus walking on water
Striding through waves of the sea
Hear the men cry out in terror
Thinking a ghost they now see
Fear not for Jesus is with you
Behold this theophany
Trust as the wind blows against you
Walk through life down on your knees
Tell me the story of Jesus
Write on my heart ev’ry word
Tell me the story most precious
That I might live what I’ve heard

(Some words by Fanny Crosby, to the tune of “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”)

Reflections on Psalm 76-80

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Which psalm or verse especially reflects your heart today?  Use those words to talk to the Lord.

  • Great God – Psalm 77 reminds us that we have a great God. In response, we should ponder his mighty works (Psalm 77), tell of his glorious deed to the next generation (Psalm 78), and fear the Lord (Psalm 76).  What part do these responses have in your life?
  • Help – Psalms 79-80 are cries for help to God for deliverance and restoration. Asaph appeals for help for the glory of God’s name.  How would God’s help bring God glory?  For what situation do you need to cry out to God for help – for the glory of his name?

Current

On By BrianIn Current Collection

So Christians made The Shack by Wm. Paul Young a bestseller.  This despite serious doctrinal concerns suggested in the book.  But it was just fiction, you say.  Now Young has written a new non-fiction book which removes any doubt of his heretical views.  Plus a review of his second book Eve, and a response to one of his unbiblical ideas.

What Does The Shack Really Teach? “Lies We Believe About God” Tells Us – Tim Challies

Unshackled: The god of WM. Paul Young – David Steele

Eve – Tim Challies

Scandalized by the Substitute: A Response to Young and Gungor – Owen Strachan (TGC)

 

Reflections on Psalms 71-75

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Which psalm or verse especially reflects your heart today?  Use those words to talk to the Lord.

  • Talk about God – In Psalm 71, the psalmist wants to tell of God’s righteous acts, deeds of salvation, mighty deeds, righteousness, wondrous deeds, power, and might. Is this your desire?  When do you have opportunities to do this?  How might you create more opportunities?
  • God is our portion – Sometimes we might envy the wicked like Asaph in Psalm 73. But Asaph remembers their fate.  In contrast, it is good for him to be near God, for God is his desire and portion.  Is God your desire and portion?

Psalms 71-80: Remember and Teach

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(74) What does Asaph ask God to remember in v2, 18, 22-23?

Does God forget?  What does Asaph mean?

(79) What does Asaph ask God not to remember in v8?

Can God forget?  What does Asaph mean?

(77) What does Asaph want to remember in v3, 6, 11?

Why is remembering so important?

(78) What did Israel fail to remember in v10-11, 40-42?

What actions go along with their forgetting in these verses?

How are their actions and their forgetting related?

Read v35-37.  Is remembering enough?  What must go with it?

(78) Not only are we to remember, but we are then also to teach the next generation (v4-8).  What are we to teach?  Why?

What application do we find here for parents?  For the church?  For children and youth?

(71) Go through the psalm noting each occurrence of the following words (or their synonyms): hope, refuge, praise, tell.  How would you describe his testimony?  What has God done in your life?

He wants to tell others about what God has done in his life (v15-18).  Who could you tell this week?

(73) What causes Asaph to almost stumble (v1-14)?  What is he afraid his words might do (v15)?  Where does he find his answer, and what is the answer (v16-20)?  What blessings does he have in God (v23-28)?  What application do you need to make in your life?

(71-80) Which verse(s) or psalm especially speaks to you, and why?