Author: Brian

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

Saint Patrick’s Day Collection

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Collections

Here are a few helpful posts on St. Patrick’s Day:

10 Things You Should Know about St. Patrick – Michael Haykin (Crossway)

St. Patrick: Reclaiming the Great Missionary – Mike Pettengill (TGC)

Who Was Saint Patrick and Should Christians Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? – Stephen Nichols (Ligonier)

Sermon Songs: Mark 6:30-44

On By BrianIn Mark Hymns

MusicNotes

Tell me of His great compassion
Offering His truth and rest
See His amazing provision
Twelve baskets of food were left
So in your need look to Jesus
He will provide for you too
Don’t lose hope – He’s not done with us
Behold He loves me and you
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 Psalms 66-70

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

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

  • Praise the Lord – Psalms 66-68 give us numerous reasons to praise the Lord. We can praise him for his past deeds – especially answered prayers (66), for his many blessings (67), for his provisions, his deliverance, and his majesty (68).  Ponder these reasons.  Where have you seen these reasons in your life?  Then praise the Lord!
  • Purpose of Blessings – Often we want blessings for our own enjoyment, but Psalm 67 takes us beyond ourselves. We should seek blessings so that God’s way might be made known on the earth, so that the nations might see God’s saving power – and then praise him.  Is that your desire?  How might that desire affect your prayers?

Reflections on Psalms 61-65

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

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

  • Look to God – Psalm 61 bids us to cry out to God for help, for he is our refuge and shelter. Psalm 62 calls us to pour out our hearts to God and trust in him, for he is our refuge and fortress.  Where do you need God to be your refuge today?  Talk to him about it.
  • Satisfied – Psalm 63 tells us that God’s love is better than life and in God we find satisfaction. Psalm 65 tells us that we find satisfaction in his house; that is, in his presence.  His many blessings bring joy.  Both psalms tell us how to respond – seek the Lord and sing praises to him.  How does your life reflect these two responses?  How might you grow in these areas in your daily life?

Psalms 61-70: Seek the Lord and Rejoice in Him

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(61, 69, 70) What is David seeking in these psalms (61:1-2, 69:1, 70:1)?

Why is David confident in doing this (61:3, see also 62:1-2)?

(63) What is David seeking in Psalm 63:1 (see also 69:32, 70:4)?

What words in v1 help us understand the intensity of David’s seeking?

How might we seek what David was seeking (v2, 6, 8, see also 62:8)?

(63, 65) As we seek and find God, our response ought to be praise and rejoicing (70:4).  What divine attributes and actions lead us to this response?

Psalm 63 –

Psalm 65 –

How have you experienced God in one of these ways?

(66) For what awesome deeds of the Lord might you use this psalm as your testimony?

(66, 67, 68) As we experience and testify to God’s awesome deeds, what further goal do we have (66:4, 67:3-5, 68:32)?

(51-60) Which verse(s) or psalm especially speaks to you, and why?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Yes, You Can Please Your Heavenly Father – Kevin DeYoung
Over and over, more than a dozen times in the New Testament, we have this motivation. We ought to be generous. We ought to be godly. We ought to love and live a certain way because it pleases God.

Lay Aside the Weight of Discouragement – Jon Bloom (DG)
What discourages us is not as powerful as it feels in the moment. We overcome our fear by confronting our discouragement and exercising faith in God’s promises. Those are precious moments in which we will see the power of God.

The Blessing of Weather That Confounds the Control-Freak – Trevin Wax
In a world where we try to sustain the illusion that we are in control of reality, the weather does not comply. Again and again, we remember: This is bigger than us. We must react to reality, for we cannot subdue it. Call it common grace for a technologically idolatrous age.

Study at the University of Jesus – Erik Raymond
In other words, you are never to graduate from the University of Jesus. You are always attending. Always studying. Always learning. Always marveling.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Sermon Songs: Mark 5:21-43

On By BrianIn Mark Hymns

MusicNotes

See Jesus going with Jairus
To heal his dying daughter
See a sick woman touch Jesus
And receive His healing power
The daughter dies but do not fear
Jesus restores her to life
Trust Him today in your own tears
Soon we’ll have eternal life
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 Psalms 56-60

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

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

  • Responding to fear – Psalm 56 bids us to trust in God when we are afraid. Indeed God is greater than anything that can come against us so we need not fear.  Psalm 60 reminds us that he is our fortress, refuge and strength.  What brings you fear?  Will you trust in your refuge?
  • Exalted – The Psalmist exalts, gives thanks, and praises God for his great love and faithfulness (Psalm 57). How have you experienced God’s love and faithfulness?  Give thanks to God and exalt him!