Tag: Christianity

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?

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?