Bible Reading: Psalms 108, 109, & 110
Psalms 109:1-4 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. 4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
What do you do when you have adversaries? How do you respond when people are speaking about you falsely? Sometimes people accuse you falsely and bring accusations against you - what do you do?
You give yourself unto prayer.
David had many adversaries. Not only did he face the invading nations in battle, but he was hated by his own king, Saul, and his son, Absalom, became his enemies. He had a conspiracy within his kingdom.
David's response here is very important. He did not try to argue with his adversaries and he did not try to defend himself. He gave himself to prayer.
This Psalm is Messianic in nature and prophecies the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. What did Jesus do? He gave himself to prayer. He told Peter to put away his sword. He handled the situation through praying to the Father.
Instead of gossip; instead of fretting; instead of trying to defend yourself; instead of running - give yourself unto prayer. God hears and God knows. He can take the situation and work it together for good for you (Romans 8:28).
In Christ,
Rody
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
David was provoked to number Israel
Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21 & 22; Psalm 30
1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
Why was it a sin for David to take a census? The answer is that God did not instruct David to number Israel as he had instructed Moses to do. This was David's idea and unfortunately it has to do with pride.
David was trusting in resources rather than in the name of the Lord. It was not always so, but at this point in David's life, he fell to the temptation to glory in the size of his army.
God always wants his children to know that it is not the resources that win battles in the spiritual war, it is God. He gives the victory. The battle belongs to God. David knew this, but in his success as king, he gave in to the temptation to trust in his own powerful army.
1 Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord 's, and he will give you into our hands.
This was a costly lesson for David and all of Israel. The size of their army was decimated by God through a plague that he brought because of David's census.
Can a Christian do something like this? Yes. When we start counting the size of our budgets or glory in the number of converts we have we are doing the same things. We must always remember that Jesus is to get the glory and all battles are won by him! He is our rock and our strength!
In Christ,
Rody
1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
Why was it a sin for David to take a census? The answer is that God did not instruct David to number Israel as he had instructed Moses to do. This was David's idea and unfortunately it has to do with pride.
David was trusting in resources rather than in the name of the Lord. It was not always so, but at this point in David's life, he fell to the temptation to glory in the size of his army.
God always wants his children to know that it is not the resources that win battles in the spiritual war, it is God. He gives the victory. The battle belongs to God. David knew this, but in his success as king, he gave in to the temptation to trust in his own powerful army.
1 Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord 's, and he will give you into our hands.
This was a costly lesson for David and all of Israel. The size of their army was decimated by God through a plague that he brought because of David's census.
Can a Christian do something like this? Yes. When we start counting the size of our budgets or glory in the number of converts we have we are doing the same things. We must always remember that Jesus is to get the glory and all battles are won by him! He is our rock and our strength!
In Christ,
Rody
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Rejoice in the Lord
Bible Reading: Psalms 95, 97, 98, & 99
Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Are you rejoicing right now? For the righteous, we have much to rejoice about. Here the Psalmist says to rejoice in the Lord. We may not have the right circumstances in our lives right now (right in our own eyes, that is), but we can always rejoice in the Lord. He is good!
First, the Psalmist says for the righteous to rejoice in the Lord. Are you righteous? You are if you believe in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
What a cause for rejoicing! the fact that Jesus Christ counts us righteous when we believe on him! Wow! I am saved from the condemnation that my sins deserve! I can always rejoice in the Lord for that.
Not only that, but every time I think of the holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, I can be thankful. I am called to be holy, but I am not. I still sin. I am not always perfectly holy...but Jesus is!
1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
There is no sin in Jesus. He is perfectly holy. When I think of this, I can be thankful. His holiness makes him a sinless sacrifice. He is the lamb of God without spot or blemish that takes away the sin of the world!
1 Peter 2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
He bore our sins in his body! He is holy and we can be thankful and rejoice in the salvation that we have in him! Praise the Lord and thank you Jesus!
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
In Christ,
Rody
Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Are you rejoicing right now? For the righteous, we have much to rejoice about. Here the Psalmist says to rejoice in the Lord. We may not have the right circumstances in our lives right now (right in our own eyes, that is), but we can always rejoice in the Lord. He is good!
First, the Psalmist says for the righteous to rejoice in the Lord. Are you righteous? You are if you believe in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
What a cause for rejoicing! the fact that Jesus Christ counts us righteous when we believe on him! Wow! I am saved from the condemnation that my sins deserve! I can always rejoice in the Lord for that.
Not only that, but every time I think of the holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, I can be thankful. I am called to be holy, but I am not. I still sin. I am not always perfectly holy...but Jesus is!
1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
There is no sin in Jesus. He is perfectly holy. When I think of this, I can be thankful. His holiness makes him a sinless sacrifice. He is the lamb of God without spot or blemish that takes away the sin of the world!
1 Peter 2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
He bore our sins in his body! He is holy and we can be thankful and rejoice in the salvation that we have in him! Praise the Lord and thank you Jesus!
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
In Christ,
Rody
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