Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Psalms 73

There's a question asked among the people of God that never seems to really get answered by any biblical reference I've ever heard.  The question is "why do evil people appear to prosper while the good suffer."  Part of the question is bad thinking for all we as believers think we aren't good people we are still sinful people.  We are however cleansed by Christ's righteousness because we have none of our own to claim.  2 Peter 3:9 answers a little of the question about why evil people remain on earth.  "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness but is patient towards you, not wanting for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."  God wants evil people to turn an seek him.  In Psalms 73 Asaph deals with our questions and frustrations.


1.  "Truly God is good to Israel to those whose hearts are pure."  It's an observation.
2.  "But as for me, I almost lost my footing.  My feet were slipping and I was almost gone."  There come points in our lives when we question things we say we believe and we get rattled.  Peter had them along with David and Thomas.  
3-9.  Asaph describes all the ways evil people prosper and seem to have no care in the world.  We ask the same questions.  We see things go on and think I'm struggling but those wicked people go on with no care in the world.  Hey what gives?  
10-12.  "And so the people are dismayed and confused drinking in all their words.  `What does God know?'  They ask.  `Does the Most High even know what's happening?'  Look at these wicked people enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply."  We see Asaph asking "Hey is God even paying attention?"
13-14.  "Did i keep my heart pure for nothing?  Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?  I get nothing but trouble all day long.  Every morning brings me pain."  I've been here watching people prosper claiming how great their life is getting drunk and having sex outside of marriage and wondered am I missing something.  But I wasn't.  For someone who has dealt with those thought please don't give in to them you will keep yourself from heartache.  
15-16.  "If I had really spoken this way to others I would have been a traitor to your people.  So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.  But what a difficult task it is!"  Asaph and I see this problem and we don't get it.  
17.  Here's the shift changing verse where we and Asaph start getting the answers we need.  "Then I went to your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked."  See part of the solution to the question is this we're looking at the wicked prospering and we've gotten our eyes off of God!  There's a rule I was taught in motorcycle safety school that applies here.  "Where you look is where you go."  You look at a wall for too long suddenly you see you're headed towards it.  When you take your eyes off God sin becomes more enticing and easier but Asaph went to God's sanctuary and his perspective changed.  
18.  "Truly you put them on a slippery path and sent them sliding over the cliff to destruction."  The wicked won't always prosper God knows their destination and he's called us to point them to God.  
19-20.  "In an instant they are destroyed completely swept away by terrors.  When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning."  God gave Asaph a view of things to come.  
21-22.  "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.  I was so foolish and ignorant-- I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you."  God lets Asaph see the error of his own ways and thoughts.  
23.  "Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand."  If God is holding your hand that is a great comfort.  
25-25.  "You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  I desire you more than anything on earth.  Asaph gets his eyes fixed back on God and all he wants is more of God's presence.  "And my heart turns violently inside of my chest I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us Oh how he loves us."  
26.  "My heart may fail and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.  See also Romans 8:31
27-28.  "Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.  But as for me how good it is to be near God!  I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."  

So evil people seem to prosper so what.  They won't last God showed Asaph that fact but in the process we as well as Asaph got our eyes fixed back on God and that's what really matters.  In light of eternity and God's love for us does it really even need to matter that evil people prosper.  What matters is did you point them to God?  








Weak Days by Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman - Weak Days




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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

2 Timothy 3

I started reading this chapter and i can tell you this I saw a lot of our world's current state of affairs in it, but there is hope at the end.  Seventeen verses that are packed.  


1.  It starts with a warning.  "You should know this Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times."  "Danger Will Robinson danger!"
2-5.  "For people love only themselves and their money.  They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful.  They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving.  They will slander others and have no self-control.  They will be cruel and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride and love pleasure rather than God.  They will act religious but they will reject the powers that will make them godly.  Stay away from people like that."  I have seen nearly all of these kinds of people.
6-9.  "They are the kind who work their way into people's homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth).  These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposes Moses.  They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.  But they won't get away with this for long.  Someday, everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as Jannes and Jambres"  From what i gather Jannes and Jambres were magicians who followed and annoyed Moses and Aaron.  While i can't verify that's completely true I do understand these verses to be a warning to them that God will bring their lies to light and judge them,  
10-11.  "But you Timothy, certainly know what I teach and how I live, and what my purpose in life is.  You know my faith, my patience, my love and my endurance.  You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured.  You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra- but the Lord rescued me from all of it."  Hey Timothy, this is who I am, here's my credentials; this is how you can trust what I'm saying.  
12.  "Yes and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."  Somehow the preachers on TV have missed this verse because they say when you follow God all your trouble disappears.  Jesus pointed out and entirely different picture in John 16:33  "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart because I have overcome the world."  We're going to have trouble count on it but for the believer we have someone to turn to named Jesus Christ the author and perfecter of our faith.  
13.  "But evil people and impostors will flourish, they will deceive others and themselves be deceived."  I read that last part and it reminded me of 2 things.  There was a series of graphic novels a few yrs back called Justice and in the prologue they gave a description of a classic Disney villain.  He or she does not see what they are doing as being wrong.  The things they do they see as benefiting to the hero where they think they are helping.  The second thing that came to mind is this:  My first girlfriend was a liar.  She had told so many stories to so many people she believed them.  False teacher think they're helping and bettering you and they believe the things they are saying deceiving themselves.  
14.  "But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught.  You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you."  Examine things against God's word see if they are true.  
15.  "You have been taught the holy scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus."  Like Timothy we need to rely on the foundation of God's word.      
 16-17.  "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."  


This song holds a special place in my heart for a few reasons i read this series of books called the Wayfinders Stone trilogy and it spoke of a stone on strapped to their shoe so they could find their way.  my wife is legally blind and very often she holds my hand for guidance.  in Psalms 119 David refers to God's word being a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  
Thy Word- Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant - Thy Word - [Live]




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Monday, November 10, 2014

Psalms 65

The other night i was reading in Psalms and i came across Psalms 65.  As i started reading it again I had thought of the song by Mac Powell and Caedomn's Call.  "God of Wonders far beyond our galaxy the universe declares your majesty."  Often I think we lose the wonder of God.  There is another song by Kim Hill that speaks of God saying: "I have made you too small in my own eyes Father forgive me."  We need a bigger view of God and King David can provide it.  

1-2.  "What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion.  We will fulfill our vows to you for you answer our prayers.  All of us must come to you."  We pray to a God who answers prayers.  The last line says "All of us must come to you."  Jesus completed this thought in John 14:6.  "Jesus told him `I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  No other way to salvation.  
3.  "Though we are overwhelmed by our sins you forgive them all."  There comes a point when God shows you your sin and lets you see it for what it truly does to break his heart but praise be to God that he forgives us.  
4.  "What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts.  What festivities await us inside your holy temple."  Most people see church as that thing you do on Sundays or on holidays.  Me? No i look forward to Sundays.  When you go to church expecting to draw near to God it brings great joy.  
5.  "You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our Savior.  You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas."  Recently Marion and i were talking and i was telling her how often I consider quitting on doing this bible study.  People rarely comment or get involved.  We went to church that day and it was like Micah was speaking only to me in saying God can use each of us to make a difference.  I often pray asking God for what he wants said in these studies and not my words.  I also pray for the people reading it.  God continually adds people to the study and not me he's doing it.  Though they may not say much God is at work I don't understand it but he is answering prayer.  Let me also say i am not a teacher by any stretch of the imagination.  Never wanted to be never tried to be but God has me doing as Pastor Greg said "Zac's a seed slinger.  He goes online and slings the seed of God's word. "  I continue to trust in the words of Isaiah 55:11 "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. "  Recently i have added a few friends on face book some i don't know that well but i also share this on there and have been thinking if just one person reads these simple bible studies and draws closer to God then I have done exactly what God wanted by posting it.  
6.  "You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength."  Corpus doesn't really have mountains but my sister, and dad and i once climbed a large hill that looked like there was a cave in it but it wasn't a cave at all.  
7.  "You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations."  Anyone else remember when Jesus was asleep in the boat and the disciples woke him up in the middle of a terrible storm thinking they were going to drown.  He said 3 words "Peace be still."  Instantly all was calm.  He never lost that power he still has it.  
8.  "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.  From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy."  This reminds me of another song by Geoff Moore and the Distance.  "Every mountain, every valley every morning sunrise the evidence of God." 
9-13.  "You take care of all the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile.  The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a beautiful harvest of grain for you have ordered it so.  You drenched the plowed ground with rain  melting the clods and leveling the ridges.  You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.  You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.  The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.  The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep and the valleys are carpeted with grain.  They shout and sing for joy."  
The bible starts by saying "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  Further on God looked on all he created and said it was very good.  He's still in control of it all.  Don't forget that!


Be Magnified by Kim Hill Be Magnified Worship Lyrics Video 

 
 
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Your Name by Phillips Craig and Dean Your Name (With Lyrics) Phillips, Craig, & Dean



You are Gold alone by Phillips Craig and Dean YOU ARE GOD ALONE, Philips, Craig and Dean

 
 
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How great thou art by Hillsong Hillsong Conference 2008 How Great Thou Art



God of Wonders/ Agnus Dei by Cliff and Danielle young, Michael W. Smith and Third Day Third Day: God of Wonders & Agnus Dei- 2001 GMA Dove Awards



This is one of my all time favorite songs and i was there for one of their concerts.  Evidence of God by Geoff Moore and the Distance Evidence Of God 

 
 
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Like Incense / Sometimes By Step by Hillsong Hillsong LIVE: "Like Incense / Sometimes By Step" featuring Brooke Fraser Ligertwood (HQ)


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