Archive for February, 2010
SOTD Psalm 31
Psalm 31
Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
2Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
3For you are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
4you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the LORD.
7I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
8and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
10For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.
11Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13For I hear the whispering of many—
terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
save me in your steadfast love!
17O LORD, let me not be put to shame,
for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go silently to Sheol.
18Let the lying lips be mute,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.
19Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
20In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.
21Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
23Love the LORD, all you his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD!
SOTD Psalm 30
Psalm 30
Joy Comes with the Morning
A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.
1I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9″What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”
11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
SOTD Psalm 29
Psalm 29
Ascribe to the LORD Glory
A Psalm of David.
1Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
3The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over many waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!
SOTD Psalm 28
Psalm 28
The LORD Is My Strength and My Shield
Of David.
1To you, O LORD, I call;
my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary.
3Do not drag me off with the wicked,
with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
while evil is in their hearts.
4 Give to them according to their work
and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.
6Blessed be the LORD!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
SOTD Psalm 27
Psalm 27
The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David.
1The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
6And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8You have said, “Seek my face.”My heart says to you,
“Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!
Love One Another
The weekend before last was Valentine’s day, the day of love. It is a day where we as Americans exchange approximately 180 million Valentine’s day cards and spend approximately 1 billion dollars on candy as a part of the total spending on Valentine’s day gifts overall that is approximately 13 billion dollars. All to celebrate love.
If you were to ask those in our American culture today what “Love” is, you’d probably get a variety of answers. Some might say it is a feeling, others might say it is an ability. Some might say it is a choice while others might say love will happen whether you choose it or not. Others say it is all you need….
This year, rather than waiting for 2 hours to get a poor table at a restaurant (is their a custom of slipping the Maitre d’ some extra Valentine’s day compensation to get a good table that I’m not aware of?), my wife Cory and I were blessed to be up in the mountains with the college-aged Revolve ministry. It was such a blessing to get to be away with many dear brothers and sisters.
Our topic for the weekend was, oddly enough- Love.
However, we weren’t talking about the sappy love between a man and a woman, but rather the highest form of love that the Bible describes.
Our theme verses for the weekend were John 13:34-35 where Jesus begins his extended discourse with His disciples before He is taken and crucified. After Judas leaves the room, Jesus charges His disciples with a new commandment- that they love one another just as He loved them.
And the disciples weren’t left guessing as to what Jesus was referring to when He said to “love.” They had seen how He had lived with them for the past 3 years and had learned who He really was. Later in this discourse with the disciples, Jesus further defines it by saying- “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13). Certainly Jesus had laid down His life for His disciples in His three years of ministry to and with them, but I can’t help but think He is hinting at what was about to come in the next 24 hours- His own death. Jesus had time and again foretold His death to the disciples and all along pointed to that as the most important part of His ministry on earth.
Why did Jesus die? Did He die to pay a penalty for sins? Absolutely. Did He die to conquer death? Absolutely. Did He die for us? Absolutely. But even more than that, 1 Peter 3:18 states, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh…” Christ atoned for sins and conquered death for the purpose of reconciling men to God, to bring them into a right relationship with Him where they would live to enjoy Him above all and glorify Him above all.
If I am to love like Jesus loved, and the cross was the greatest expression of His love, I can’t die for someone’s sins, or conquer death for someone else, but I can be a part of the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-20). The way that you and I can best love others is being a used by God to bring others to Himself. This applies both to sharing the gospel with those that don’t know God but also being used by God as a member of the body of Christ to help others draw nearer to God in their relationship with Him through the gospel. We can’t truly be those that really love others if we haven’t richly experienced that love through the gospel ourselves.
So, if that’s the command that Jesus left with His disciples, are we doing that? How do we love those around us? Is our kind of love the kind that only goes as far to do nice things for others, to serve them occasionally and share mutual interests with them? Does our love go as far as to be used by God to bring others closer to Himself? Do we love others enough to talk about God with them? Do we care about others enough to lovingly correct them when they are sinning against God and choosing other things above Him?
In a world that accepts all the lesser forms of love as the real thing, do we really love one another?
SOTD Psalm 26
Psalm 26
I Will Bless the LORD
Of David.
1 Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
3For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.
4I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.
5I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
7proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O’ LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.
L.A.G.E.F.A.S.E.O.W.L. Let’s All Go Eat Food And Shoot Each Other With Lasers
Date: Saturday February 27th
Time: 6:00 pm to 9 pm
Where: Outta Bounds Adventure Center
2751 Green River Drive Suite 101
Cost: $10 ~ includes dinner
~BRING A FRIEND ~
Northpoint permission slip required
Parents drop off and pick up
SOTD Psalm 25
Psalm 25
Teach Me Your Paths
Of David.
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 2O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12Who is the man who fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
SOTD Psalm 24
Psalm 24
The King of Glory
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the LORD
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
9Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
Selah