by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 132-134
I am up early this morning. I love to get up early and watch the sunrise – and think about another day – a day which the Lord has prepared for me. There’s always more to do and more to learn.
This morning as I read Psalm 133, I can’t help but think of my husband’s recent mission. He has been gathering pastors together for bi-weekly prayer meetings. There are many denominations involved in these meetings, and they are very careful to keep the spirit of unity.
We can find ourselves separating over so many doctrines and cultural preferences. But the Lord wants unity. He wants us to see ourselves as many parts of the same body of Christ. If we agree on the essentials – Jesus Christ, Him crucified, dead, buried, resurrected, and the born again experience He provided – then we are part of the same Body of Christ.
My husband uses the term “twelve tribes, one nation” when speaking about unity. The tribes of Israel had different banners, different leaders, and even different customs. However, when it was time for war, they came together as one nation – God’s nation. That’s the way we are as Christians. It’s okay to have our different tribes with different customs and doctrines. However, we are to appreciate each other as being part of the Lord’s body.
With these parameters in mind, the prayer meetings my husband has been leading are truly powerful. The men of God are growing to have such a love and appreciation for each other. They realize that basically they all desire the same thing. They are praying for awakening in our region, for the Holy Spirit to move, and for God’s presence to take back our nation.
The level of prayer is increasing with each meeting. The anointing of God is flowing every time.
“How good it is for brothers to dwell together in unity. It is like precious oil upon the head…There the Lord commanded the blessing – life forever.” (133)
I Corinthians 11:17-34
The bawdy Corinthians carried their behavior over into the taking of the Lord’s supper. (What else would we expect)?
These new Christians are taking the bread and wine as Jesus had told them to do – in honor of Him, and committing themselves to Him. However, they are chowing down on the bread in a gluttonous way. And they are getting drunk on the wine. What a mess!
The communion which we honor in our services today is a sacred thing, and not to be taken lightly. Jesus said that we are to do it in remembrance of Him. When we take the bread, signifying His body, and the wine, signifying His blood, we are demonstrating our allegiance to Him. We are symbolizing the fact that we are part of Him and partakers of all that He has for us.
If we haphazardly go through the motions of communion without any thought, we are in danger of mocking the cross of Christ. And we don’t want to go there!
As we prayerfully examine ourselves through the process of taking the Lord’s supper, we find the act of great benefit. If there is any sin which has crept into our lives, we repent. If there is anyone we need to forgive, we do it. If there is any sickness in our body, we receive the healing from the Lord – and the peace which comes with it.
We are saying through this prophetic act that we give our all to Jesus and we want all that he has for us.
As we think about what we are doing, we can expect a miraculous walk with the Lord.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 129-131
Do you see yourself as a weaned child sitting in God’s lap and leaning your head against His breast? That’s the way He wants it.
We study the Word and we apply it to our lives. We have learned how to bind the enemy and loose the angels to work on our behalf. We pray the Word and speak the Word.
Yet in every life, no matter how smart we think we are, we come to a point where we realize that we don’t know it all. God is smarter than we are. He has all the answers, whereas we just have some. There’s always more to learn.
When I come to those times in my life, I run to Psalm 131. It’s a way of casting the care on the Lord and counting on Him to rule supreme in our lives. He knows it all, and He knows just how to get the job done.
When “matters are too difficult for me” to understand or assimilate, I quiet my soul, and I rest in the lap of my God. He is my Rock, my Deliverer, my Counselor, and every good thing in my life comes from Him.
Maybe today you are facing some things too difficult for you. If so, you can do the same. You can put your trust in your God and wait for His answers to come.
Shalom.
I Corinthians 11:1-16
We come again to some of Paul’s specific instructions to the people of Corinth – and of that day. All of Paul’s writings concerning the women of the day have brought lots of confusion.
I have my own ideas about these instructions, as I have studied some of the history surrounding the day. I have to put in the disclaimer that these are my own convictions, and if you have others, then go with what you believe.
The people of Corinth were a bawdy bunch. And then add to that the reality that the women of the day were not educated. So as the church services were being conducted, with men and women sitting on opposite sides of the church, the women were shouting across the aisle – asking questions of their husbands. Lots of confusion ensued.
Now, within that setting, Paul was trying to bring order out of the confusion. He wants the women to be more orderly and more submissive to their husbands. He wants them to have a “covering” in their own husbands before they minister. (Before they pray or prophesy).
Now I realize that some people take this as a rule that women are to wear head coverings – such as a hat or scarf. Others take it as an order that women are not to cut their hair. I think that it has a more spiritual meaning.
I think that it means that a woman is to be meek and teachable, and not loud and obnoxious in her behavior. She is to show respect for the order of the meeting and not try to take over.
If you have a different take on any of this, that’s fine with me. We just have to go with what we believe, since this is not one of the fundamental doctrines of the church.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 126-128
Are you striving too much? Relax. If you are His, God has your back.
There have been times when I would be in total anxiety over my family or the church we were leading. I would stay awake at night, turning it all over in my mind. Should I do this? Or that?…And then the inevitable, “What if?”
Finally I would come to my senses, get out of bed, go into the den, and begin reading the Bible. Very often I would turn to Psalm 127. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”(V. 1)
It was as if fresh oil had been poured over me, soothing my soul. I would pray these verses back to God, thanking Him for His intervention in my situation. He would give to me even in my sleep.
There is a peace which can come to us only by this very thought. We all need God’s intervention in our lives. Whether you are facing sickness in your family or rebellious children or financial concerns, every person on the planet has issues which arise from time to time. Issues which are too big for you to handle. You need God’s help.
“How blessed is everyone who fears the lord and who walks in His ways.” (128:1). That’s you, isn’t it? Well then rest in Him and in His ability and wisdom.
He does indeed have your back!
I Corinthians 10:14-33
“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable.” (V. 23)
I love this verse, because it can quell the argumentative spirit which arises from time to time. There have been times when in talking with teens, they would ask questions like, “Is it a sin to smoke?” Or, “Is it a sin to drink wine at a wedding?”
My son brought a teaching to our church which I’ll never forget. He compared legalistic thinking to a number line. When someone is asking “Is this a sin?” They are really saying, “How far can I go and still be OK?” “Where is my limit of safety?” “Is this too far, or is it permissible,” as they move their finger along the line?
Those are not the right questions. The question should be “How can I live my best life?” “Where is death and where is life as I journey down my path?” Because I want life!
Rather than thinking in terms of lawful or unlawful, think in terms of life or death. What brings life and what brings death?
When you and I have that frame of reference, we are not trying to get away with anything. We are reaching for God’s best. We want all that He has for us, and we vigorously reach for it.
Let’s reach for the “profitable ” life!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 123-125
“Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” (125:1)
I love that picture. Steadfast and immovable. That’s the way I want to be, don’t you? I want to trust in my Lord so completely that nothing which comes my way throws me off.
It all has to do with how we view Him and our relationship with Him. If we see Him as a God way out in space who is always doing strange things, then there is no way we can develop our trust. (Unfortunately, that’s the way many think of God). However, if we see Him as he really is – a God who loves us and only wants the best for us, we will develop our relationship with Him and learn to trust Him.
Every day we should be spending time with our Creator. As we pray and read the Word, our eyes are opened to the truth. Our Father will lead us to certain scriptures and talk to us about our lives and our challenges. He will be our daily guide, taking the journey with us – showing us what to avoid and what to embrace.
Only when we can walk with our God day by day can we develop the trust which makes us immovable.
I want to have that close walk with my Lord all the days of my life.
I Corinthians 10:1-13
“If any man thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall.”(V. 12)
The Old Testament Jews are to be an example for us. They all had manna given to them on a daily basis. They had a rock which followed them, giving them water as they needed it. (And the rock was Christ). They all experienced God’s hand opening the Red Sea, allowing them to walk through on dry ground. They all experienced the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night which led the Jews through the wilderness.
Yet most of them still didn’t believe God. They were afraid of the giants in their new land. They acted immorally, they grumbled and complained, they made an idol to worship, and they tried the Lord in every way. They just didn’t believe the Lord and didn’t take Him at His word – after all that He had done.
Now it’s our turn. In our generation we are surrounded by those who don’t believe – just as the Jews were. Are we going to let their thinking affect us? Are we going to be swayed away from believing our God?
Let’s make sure that we don’t fall as they did in the wilderness. Let’s make sure that we study the Word and talk to God regularly – and believe Him.
Let’s stand strong – and see our Father’s hand work all around us.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 120-122
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” (122:6)
It seems to me that even unbelievers would have to notice the anomaly which exists with Israel. This is a sign of God’s faithfulness and the truth of His Word.
We are in the New Covenant now, and Jesus is the Way for everyone – even the Jews. However, God’s covenants will not be broken, and the Jews still have a special place with God because of his covenant with Abraham.
In Matthew 24:32 Jesus says to “learn from the parable of the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”
The fig tree in New Testament times represented the nation of Israel, and it’s budding was a sign of the end times coming. Throughout the Word there are references to the day when Jews would be gathered from the four corners of the earth to return to their own land.
With all of this in mind, it makes the return of the Jews and the re-founding of Israel in 1948 easily recognizable as a modern-day miracle. And beyond that, think of how that tiny nation, in the midst of adversarial nations all around, has survived – and thrived. Indeed it’s a miracle that the whole world pays attention to such a small nation. The hand of God is clearly on that nation.
So where does that leave the rest of us? As for me, I plan to support Israel with prayers and my vote. Anyone who tries to disavow that special nation may find themselves in trouble with God. In fact, I believe that one reason our nation has thrived has been because of our standing with Israel all of these years.
Let’s don’t stop that now. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem – and prosper.
I Corinthians 9
“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means win some.”(V.22)
Paul’s mission to take the gospel to all men is a passion that consumes him. Unlike other ministers, Paul doesn’t even expect to receive the normal amount of pay for his work. He wants no one to discredit the gospel because of his attitude. Therefore, he earns his living through the making of tents so that the gospel will be preached free to all.
Further, Paul tries to relate to all of those to whom he is ministering. To the Jews he becomes as a Jew. To those who are not under the law, he becomes as one not under the law. As he relates to all men the best that he knows how, more can receive from him. He knows how to bring the message in a way that it is palatable to each one.
He is truly “running the race in such a way that he may win.”
I like that phrase, and want my own life to line up that way. I’m sure that you do also. We have aim and we have purpose. God’s purpose.
Let’s run the race God has put before us with vigor and a determination to win. We all have a great prize ahead of us if we do!
