by Suellen | Uncategorized
Psalm 119
If you want to know the importance of the Bible, read this one psalm. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, and it is totally devoted to God’s Word and its significance. As you read, you will be reminded of it’s special qualities and what it does for those who follow it.
There are many attributes of the Word of God.
The Word causes a young man to keep his way (V. 9)
The Word is my counselor. (V.24)
The Word revives me and strengthens me. (V.25, 28)
The Word brings me salvation and lovingkindness. (V.41)
The Word teaches me good discernment and knowledge. (66)
The Word is forever settled in heaven. (89)
The earth stands according to the Word.(91)
The Word is exceedingly broad. (96)
The Word is pure.(140)
The Word makes me wiser than my enemies. (98)
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (105)
Those who follow the Word have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble. (165)
The unfolding of the Word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (V.130)
So what’s David’s response to God’s Word?
I have ‘treasured Thy word in my heart that I may not sin against Thee. (V.11)
I have rejoiced in Thy precepts as much as all riches, and I will teach them to others. (V. 14)
I will speak of Thy testimonies before kings and not be ashamed. (V. 46)
I have promised to keep Thy word. (V. 57)
I wait for Thy word. (V.81))
I will never forget Thy word. (V. 93)
At midnight I will arise and give thanks to Thee because of Thy righteous ordinances.(V.62)
If you haven’t seen it before, I hope this psalm will help you to see the power of God’s Word. It changes hearts and brings wisdom. It lights the path and keeps you on track. it revives and strengthens you. God’ Word is truly a miracle for us to cherish.
Teach me thy statute. Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law.
I Corinthians 8
In this letter to the Christians at Corinth, Paul is having to deal with some social issues of the day. We don’t have the same situations arising now, so sometimes we may get bogged down in details which aren’t of any consequence.
In this chapter, Paul is addressing the eating of things sacrificed to idols. As we said earlier, there was a temple in Corinth for the “goddess of love” and many were sacrificing animals to her. As part of the ritual, they would then eat the meat.
Obviously, someone who had turned from the idol would not want to eat meat sacrificed to her. It would be to them a form of worshiping her.
Paul is saying here that there is only one God. This idol is not a god of any sort. The meat is not really tainted, but if someone thinks that it is, their conscience will be defiled by it.
In modern English terms, don’t do anything which will cause your brother to stumble. Don’t do anything which will cause him to have a guilty conscience and then break fellowship with God.
“Take care lest your liberty become a stumbling block to the weak.” (V. 9) We need to look out for our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 116-118
“Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (116:7). There goes David again, talking to himself. He kept himself in shape doing that, didn’t he?
Encapsulated in this set of psalms is a concept which has been very special to me. Sometimes people get the idea that it is selfish to pray for their own needs. We can always find someone worse off than we are, so these people feel that they are being selfish to “bother” God with their own needs.
Not me! I think that my God is big enough to take care of those worse off … and me. He loves us all.
In fact, I look at it from a different perspective. “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.”(116:12-13)
Jesus paid a big price to set us free from sin and sorrow. He suffered a horrendous death – and He did it for us. Not just so that we could go to heaven but so that we could live an abundant life here on earth as well. So how do I repay Him? I partake of what He has done. That’s what He wants from me. He wants me to receive all that He paid the price for.
What if you gave your child an expensive present; one for which you had worked long, extra hours to pay for? Then, what if your child refused to open it because they thought they didn’t deserve it? Wouldn’t you say, “Open it!?”
Well, that’s exactly what Jesus is saying. “Open the package I brought you! Lift up the cup of salvation and drink from it!”
Then Psalm 118 has a similar tone. “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes…This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (118:22-24)
Many people take the last verse here and say it in speaking of a new day – maybe first thing in the morning. There is nothing wrong with being joyful and rejoicing in each day, but I think that this verse means something much more meaningful. This verse is speaking of the Day which the Lord prepared for us by going to the cross. That Day is speaking of a season – in fact a new dispensation – which Jesus paid for by His death, burial, and resurrection.
What should we do in response to this new Day? We should rejoice and be glad in it!
I Corinthians 7:1-19
In chapter 7, Paul gives instruction concerning marriage. Through Paul’s own experience, he thinks that people are better off not being married – unless they don’t have self-control. When a man is a believer and his wife is not, or vice versa, troubles arise in the marriage. The two are unequally yoked because they don’t follow the same inner voice.
I have seen over the years how hard it can be for people to be unequally yoked. When a person becomes born again and hears the voice of God, their thinking will be different from one who doesn’t. The unbeliever thinks that the believer is foolish, and the believer thinks that the unbeliever is mean.
So if you are a believer and not married, I would highly recommend that you marry a believer. When the two of you are following the same voice – the same drummer, if you will, your life will be much easier. You will be free to run with the Lord together, with one accord.
Further, when one is weak, the other will build him up – not tear him down. You will be able to pray for each other and understand each other.
However, if you are already married to an unbeliever, pray for the salvation of your spouse. Be patient and expect God to work on your behalf. I have seen Him do it many times – in the most unusual circumstances.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 113-115
Sometimes when you’re reading the Bible, certain verses may jump out at you. They may be some which you have read many times, without much notice. Suddenly that verse or those verses are for you.
When that happens, God is speaking to you, and He wants you to know about it. He is giving you a promise, and he wants you to believe it. If you pray that promise back to Him and speak it out into the atmosphere, you will see that promise come to pass.
I knew a lady several years ago who had wanted a baby, but who had not been able to get pregnant. She and her husband had prayed about it and they had even seen a doctor about it, but to no avail. One day, as she was reading Psalm 113, the last verse leapt off the page. “He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children.” (113:9)
My friend took that verse to heart and began to pray it back to God. She also began to speak it into the atmosphere and to thank God for the promise. Within a short period of time, my friend was pregnant – and soon the joyful mother of a child.
There is power in the Word of God which He speaks to you. First of all, as you say it, it brings faith to you. Then, as you contend for it, you will see it come to pass.
If there is an area of your life which seems to be causing you some pain, seek God’s Word for something which speaks to you. You will see dramatic turnarounds come to you also as you vie for God’s best in your life.
Through faith and patience we inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12).
I Corinthians 6
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (V.20)
As we have already said, Corinth was a liscentious city. (Think the present day concept of Las Vegas, and you start approaching Corinth). In Corinth, the people literally worshiped the goddess of sex and immorality, therefore there were thousands of prostitutes surrounding the temple.
Paul really spared no words, however, when he was trying to straighten our their corrupt thinking. These people had grown up with such sin around, they thought it was normal.
In our present day society, sin is abounding also. According to the movies and TV, if people ever go on a date, they jump into bed with each other. It’s almost as if that is expected. No wonder our young people get so confused and get into so much trouble.
God designed it one way. He designed sex to be between two married people – and nobody else. That means that no two people who aren’t married are ordained for sex. Paul is trying to get that across.
I have something in my possession which is dear to me, and I have used it to give talks to young girls. It’s the most romantic item I have ever encountered. I’ll tell you about it.
My parents were married in their twenties and lived a long and happy life together until my father’s death 50+ years later. They had some battles along the way which they fought together. The hardships of financial lack and sickness raised their heads, but they fought through them together.
At the end of her life, my mother came to live with us, and of course, brought all of the things which were important to her.
After my mother’s death, as I was going through her belongings, I came across her wedding nightgown which she had saved all of those years. Many women save their wedding dress, but my mother saved her nightgown.
This beautiful satin gown with rows of lace spoke volumes to me. You see, their lives had been lived God’s way. They were virgins when they got married, and they had only had sex with each other all of their lives. Her wedding nightgown was a romantic token of their devoted love for each other. A token she even cherished until her death.
To many of you, this may seem far-fetched. However, that’s God’s design. Our society has moved so far beyond God’s plan, that His idea seems far-fetched. (Really our own ideas are the ones which are far-fetched).
The people who live their lives God’s way have a special blessing which only they can understand. It’s there for all of us if we enter in.
Maybe you say today, well it’s too late for me. I’ve already strayed so far from His plan that there is no hope.
There is always hope. When we turn to God sincerely, He washes away all that has gone before and we get to start over. With Him, forgiveness and new starts are part of His routine. He loves you and me and wants to help us get to the next step.
We just have to do it.
