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.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 110-112
Our dominion has been restored! That’s what Psalm 110 is all about.
“The Lord says to my Lord.” (110:1) refers to God speaking to Jesus (Mentioned in Acts 2:34-35).
“Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.
The Lord will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying,
‘Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.'”
We see the prophetic picture of our current day. Jesus is seated at the right hand of our Father, and He will wait there until His enemies are made a footstool. Now here is the important part for us. God says to us that we are to rule with the rod out of Zion.
What am I talking about? Zion is a type for the presence of God and the rod is a type for his Word. When we are saturated with His presence and power, we speak the Word out into the atmosphere and rule over the enemy. Angels hearken to the voice of His word and obey it.(Remember Psalm 103)? Demons have to obey it also.
God’s Word is the powerful ruling tool of the born again believer. Wow! We have a job to do, don’t we?
On to Psalm 112. This is one of my favorite psalms.
If you ever have a bad day, run to this psalm and you will get a pick-me-up.
If you are a righteous man or woman, you are blessed. (And of course, if we are born again, we are righteous). Your descendants will be mighty upon the earth. Wealth and riches are in your house. On and on and on. This is good! Believe it and speak it, and you will receive it.
I like the verse which says, “He will not fear evil tidings; his heart is steadfast trusting in the Lord. His heart is upheld, he will not fear until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.” (112:7-8)
Peace pours all over you as you read these verses.
God is good and He is on our side! Always.
I Corinthians 5
Right in the middle of the love letter from Paul, here comes a stern rebuke.
If someone is a Christian and really walking with the Lord, he or she will want to flee from evil. There is no way that a person who is spending time with the Father on a regular basis will want to live a sinful life.
So we come to this special case in Paul’s letter. He recognizes an imposter.
Here is a man having an affair with his father’s wife. (His step-mother). We saw earlier that Corinth was a sinful city and here is our proof. This man thinks that he is okay conducting himself in this manner.
Not so!
Paul goes after this one in a big way. He even “turns him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” (V. 5). Paul uses his ability to “rule” by praying against this man.
Just a note: I wouldn’t try this if I were you. I’m sure that Paul had a special direction from God in this case. We see later in the next letter that the man repented and Paul actually told the people to stop holding this against him. So there was an outcome in mind when he did this.
I once had a woman come to me who was angry at her husband, wanting me to turn him over to Satan as Paul had done. She was furious with me when I wouldn’t do it! (I think she needed a bigger dose of God’s loving, forgiving Spirit).
The main point for us here is to realize that a sinful lifestyle and a God-filled life don’t go together. Any way you cut it, these two don’t coincide.
Our God is a holy God and when we are His temple, we will be holy also. As we really give ourselves to Him and His Word, our desires will even change. We will want to please Him in every respect.
A holy life is what I desire. Don’t you?
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 107-109
Have you ever noticed that trouble can prompt someone to turn to the Lord? Psalm 107 really addresses that.
There were those who dwelt in sorrow because of rebellion against the Lord. As they were in trouble, they cried out to Him and received his mercy.
Then there were those who were just fools. They weren’t trying to rebel, they just thought they knew what they were doing. But the path of fools inevitably leads to sorrow, so they cried out to the Lord.
Then there were those who arrogantly pursued their goals of money and fame. They found themselves in despair and turned to the Lord.
In every case, God heard their cries for help and He delivered them from their sorrow. God was faithful even when they weren’t.
Trouble does often make a person turn to God, but there’s a better way. The better way is not to be rebellious or a fool or someone just pursuing materialistic goals. The better way is to seek God from the time of your youth – and to never let up on seeking Him.
If you and I are wise, we learn from the mistakes of others and spend our lives basking in the lovingkindness of the Lord.
There are those who are hungry for Him, and He makes them to lie down in green pastures. He blesses them and they multiply greatly, and He does not let their cattle decrease.
“Who is wise, let Him give heed to these things.”(107:43).
I think I will!
I Corinthians 4
Paul has a few obstacles which come up over and over. There are always those who are trying to edge into the fellowship of believers and upset the apple cart. That’s what we have here.
Sometimes the ones who bring trouble are the Judaizers who want to being the Jewish law to the people. This time the trouble-makers are those who are trying to promote themselves as great teachers. They bring false doctrine and then they try to hold themselves in high esteem before the congregation. Usually these come against Paul’s teaching and try to usurp his authority as apostle.
Pride is the problem. These men think that they know more than Paul – even when they don’t. More than likely they are smoother talking and smoother in their demeanor. People can easily get swayed by smooth people.
Today that problem still exists. New believers and foolish people can get carried off into strange doctrine by such prideful people. When this happens, almost always the foolish ones are idolizing the teachers. And almost always the teachers are loving it.
Those who are truly representing God realize that He gets the glory. They are not trying to get people to follow them. They want people to follow God Himself.
All of us need to be mindful of these things. If we are being taught, we need to be sure that the message is true to the Word. If we are teachers we need to be checking our hearts so that we don’t get into pride. (Remember that’s the sin of Satan: pride).
Pure hearts make for a pure message – and only God gets the glory. After all, it’s all a gift from Him.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 105-106
When we recite our own history with the Lord, we can always see that He is faithful to us even when we blow it. That’s the nature of our wonderful God. Faithfulness.
In these two psalms David recounts the history of God’s faithfulness even when the Israelites were not. He had promised that His hand would be lifted from them if they rebelled too much, so even those promises were fulfilled. God’s Word will not fail.
Which brings me to a special verse hidden in the middle of Psalm 105. In verses 16 and following, the psalmist speaks of Joseph – and how he was sent before his people to Egypt so that he could eventually save his nation from the famine which would come. (If you remember, the way he got there was not too pleasant: he was sold into slavery by his brothers).
Just recapping a little, Joseph had a couple of dreams when he was young. In one, he saw himself with his brothers binding sheaves of wheat in the field. Suddenly his sheaf arose and stood upright and all of the others bowed before him. (Genesis 37:5-7). Then he had another dream in which the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to him.( Genesis 37:9).
Needless to say, these dreams angered the brothers and his Dad. However, these dreams were God’s Word to him. God was making a promise to Joseph that this scenario would eventually happen. And it did. When Joseph became second in command in Egypt, his brothers came to him and bowed down to receive their provision.
However, in the meantime, Joseph went through horrible circumstances. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, lied upon by Potiphar’s wife, and thrown into prison. It took many years for all of these events to transpire. The dreams that Joseph had seemed to be impossible.
Yet they came to pass just as God had said. When the time came, Joseph was given the interpretation to Pharoah’s dream, and within a matter of days, Pharoah promoted him to second in command in all of Egypt.
That’s what we call a “suddenly.” It seems that things are going along in a negative vein, and “suddenly” God moves and turns things around.
Now for Joseph this had to be surreal, but I’m sure that looking back he could see how God had prepared him for this assignment. Joseph had learned skills as he was head steward in Potiphar’s house and as he was promoted to leadership in the prison. “In whatever he did, God was with him and made him prosper” (Genesis 39:43)
Why are we talking about this now? There is a key in Psalm 105:19: a principle which we need to know.
“Until the time that his word came to pass, the Word of the Lord tested him.” The Word itself tested him.
Have you ever had a promise from God, and then everything seemed to turn in the opposite direction? That’s the word testing you. Satan comes to steal the word, so he will try his best to make the opposite happen for you.
But stand firm. Just as with Joseph – if you stay strong, with a good attitude, and continue to believe what God has promised, you will see what He has promised coming to pass.
God is faithful.
I Corinthians 3
God gets the glory for everything. Not man.
Paul makes it very clear that divisions and strife people have are nothing more than carnality. Spiritual men aren’t divisive.
The Corinthians were saying, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos.” They were holding up this minister or that, but Paul rebukes them. “We are just ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but it was God who gave the increase.” (V. 5-6)
What a difference there would be in the world today if we could understand this. God is the One who makes the seed to grow – not man. Every minister exercises what has been given him by God, but the Lord is the only One who can make a person grow. It’s an individual relationship – and not someone else’s gift. Each person receives his ability to grow from God himself.
In our spectator world, there are those who think they have achieved great things for God just by listening to “some great preacher.” They are wrong. When we hear the Word – from a great preacher or from an ordinary man who loves the Lord – it’s what we “do” with it that counts.
The world is full of Christians who sit in the stands watching their favorite preachers perform. That’s not what our Father has in mind for us.
Let’s be those who take what we know and run with it. We must do what we know to do – with vigor – giving all the glory to God.
