Is God Leaving?

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Listen to Psalm 78:1-8 read by Jonathan Dent

Reading: Psalm 78:56-64 (NIV)*

But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High;
they did not keep his statutes.
Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless,
as unreliable as a faulty bow.
They angered him with their high places;
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
When God heard them, he was furious;
he rejected Israel completely.
He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent he had set up among humans.
He sent the ark of his might into captivity,
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
He gave his people over to the sword;
he was furious with his inheritance.
Fire consumed their young men,
and their young women had no wedding songs;
their priests were put to the sword,
and their widows could not weep.

Response

LORD God, collectively as a nation, we have wandered away from you. LORD in your mercy lead us back to the center of your holy will. Give us repentant hearts that seek your face. Lord Jesus, help us to fall in love with you afresh. Amen.

Happy Independence Day to all my American followers!

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The photo of Jerusalem on the cover of Psalm 365, Volume II


Take a journey to the cross.


To view further details or purchase click here.


* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

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Today’s quote and prayer from
Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer


Today’s
Reading:
Psalm 78:65-72 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
I want a heart of integrity—
a heart that is pleasing to you.
Help me to become an instrument you will use
for your good purpose in this strife-torn world.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
A Warning Against Hypocrisy

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
So you must be careful to do everything they tell you.
But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders,
but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

“Everything they do is done for people to see:
They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
they love the place of honor at banquets
and the most important seats in the synagogues;
they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces
and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher,
and you are all brothers.
And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’
for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Nor are you to be called instructors,
for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
The greatest among you will be your servant.
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
(Matthew 23:1-12).

* * *

The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them.
And this is how we know that he lives in us:
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

(1 John 3:24 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The LORD Looks at the Heart

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading:  Psalm 78:65-72 (NIV)*

Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
    as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
He beat back his enemies;
    he put them to everlasting shame.
Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
    he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
but he chose the tribe of Judah,
    Mount Zion, which he loved.
He built his sanctuary like the heights,
    like the earth that he established forever.
He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheep pens;
from tending the sheep he brought him
    to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
    with skillful hands he led them.

Reflection

Up to this point Psalm 78 has catalogued a long list of Israel’s transgressions. They have been a stubborn and rebellious people who have been unfaithful to the LORD. They have been unfaithful despite His mercy and the miracles He performed on their behalf. Now this final portion of the psalm represents a turning point in the history of the nation.

Once again, the LORD intervened in the affairs of Israel. He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance (v. 70-71).

God chose a man; He chose a leader. Often the LORD chooses the most unlikely candidates for leadership. He did not go to the palace; He went to the sheep pen. He overlooked Jonathan, the courageous royal son of Saul, and instead He called out David, the youngest son of Jesse—a man after God’s own heart. (See 1 Samuel 13:14)

What does God consider when He looks for a leader? When selecting the next king, the prophet Samuel was told, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The LORD is not looking for physical strength or a handsome face, but he is looking for integrity of heart (v. 72).

That should give hope to every one of us. I cannot change my stature or significantly alter my appearance, but through repentance and faith I can change the condition of my heart.

Response

LORD God, I want a heart of integrity—a heart that is pleasing to you. Help me to become an instrument you will use for your good purpose in this strife-torn world. Amen.

Your Turn

Can we change our hearts or is that God’s job? What role do we play?


bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

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Today’s quote and prayer from
Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer


Today’s
Reading:
Psalm 78:56-64 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
collectively as a nation,
we have wandered away from you.
LORD in your mercy,
lead us back to the center of your holy will.
Give us repentant hearts that seek your face.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans
to trap him in his words.
They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.
“Teacher,” they said,
“we know that you are a man of integrity
and that you teach the way of God
in accordance with the truth.
You aren’t swayed by others,
because you pay no attention to who they are.
Tell us then, what is your opinion?
Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said,
“You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?
Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”
They brought him a denarius,
 and he asked them,
“Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them,
“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed.
So they left him and went away.

(Matthew 22:15-22).

* * *

The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them.
And this is how we know that he lives in us:
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

(1 John 3:24 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

A Nation that Abandons God

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading:  Psalm 78:56-64 (NIV)*

But they put God to the test
    and rebelled against the Most High;
    they did not keep his statutes.
Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless,
    as unreliable as a faulty bow.
They angered him with their high places;
    they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
When God heard them, he was furious;
    he rejected Israel completely.
He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,
    the tent he had set up among humans.
He sent the ark of his might into captivity,
    his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
He gave his people over to the sword;
    he was furious with his inheritance.
Fire consumed their young men,
    and their young women had no wedding songs;
their priests were put to the sword,
    and their widows could not weep.

Reflection

Sin has consequences. We can pretend it isn’t so, but we’re fooling ourselves. Unchecked sin on a personal level can have devastating consequences—consequences that lead to heartache and an early grave. I think we all know individuals who became trapped in sin and wandered down a self-destructive path.

Today’s reading from Psalm 78 reminds us that a whole nation can abandon God and become mired in the consequences of sin. The nation of Israel did just that. The psalmist tells us they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow (v. 57).

When Israel abandoned God, He in turn abandoned them. We read, “He rejected Israel completely. He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans. He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy. He gave his people over to the sword; he was furious with his inheritance” (v. 59-62).

Has God changed? If the LORD abandoned His people in ancient times, will He treat our nation—any nation that turns away from Him differently today? There are consequences for sin and that truth applies to nations too. When collectively we abandon the ways of God and the precepts He has established from the foundations of the world, we can expect dire days ahead. That’s what happened to ancient Israel, and it can happen to us today as well.

Response

LORD God, collectively as a nation, we have wandered away from you. LORD in your mercy lead us back to the center of your holy will. Give us repentant hearts that seek your face. Amen.

Your Turn

Are you concerned about the spiritual state of your nation? What are you doing about it?


bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

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Today’s quote and prayer from
Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer


Today’s
Reading:
Psalm 78:50-55 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
I am thankful your Spirit sought me out
and drew me to the cross of Jesus.
I bow before you in praise and gratitude.
I pray you will show the same mercy to many others.
Give me a heart of compassion
for those who have not experienced your saving grace.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet
to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants and said,
‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner:
My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered,
and everything is ready.
Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field,
another to his business.
The rest seized his servants,
mistreated them and killed them.
The king was enraged.
He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants,
‘The wedding banquet is ready,
but those I invited did not deserve to come.

So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’
So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find,
the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests,
he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.

He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’
The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants,
‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:1-14).

* * *

The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them.
And this is how we know that he lives in us:
We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

(1 John 3:24 NIV)

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian followers!

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

God’s Mysterious Choice   

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 78:50-55 (NIV)*

He prepared a path for his anger;
    he did not spare them from death
    but gave them over to the plague.
He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,
    the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
But he brought his people out like a flock;
    he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
    but the sea engulfed their enemies.
And so he brought them to the border of his holy land,
    to the hill country his right hand had taken.
He drove out nations before them
    and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;
    he settled the tribes of Israel in their home.

Reflection

Understanding God’s choice is not a simple matter. Today’s reading from Psalm 78 draws our attention to the choices God makes. Why did God choose the people of Israel? Why did He decide to get behind this rebellious people? Why did the LORD throw His active support behind a slave revolt? Why did He show mercy to Israel, but pour out His wrath on Egypt?

Of course, we can ask the same questions on a personal level. Why did God choose to save me from my personal pile of sin and destructive habits? Why did He show me the incredible love of Jesus through his death on the cross? Why did the message of the gospel touch me so deeply and transform me so radically, while it bounced off others around me like a babble of meaningless words?

We may never know the answers to these questions. What I do know is God did not choose the best and the greatest when He chose Israel. Furthermore, at this present time, God overlooked the best and the greatest and instead He chose you and me. St. Paul writes, “My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, CEV).

St. Paul writes, “The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Why does the gospel light go on for some, but not for others? We could spend an eternity pondering these questions and not arrive at a satisfactory answer. Ultimately, we must allow God to be God. We did not choose Him, but rather He chose us and for that we can be eternally grateful.

Response

LORD God, I am thankful your Spirit sought me out and drew me to the cross of Jesus. I bow before you in praise and gratitude. I pray you will show the same mercy to many others. Give me a heart of compassion for those who have not experienced your saving grace. Amen.

Your Turn

Do you understand God’s sovereign choice? How do you respond?

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian followers!


bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

The Parable of the Two Sons

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Today’s quote and prayer from
Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer


Today’s
Reading:
Psalm 78:40-49 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
I believe in your wrath
because you are grieved
at the hate and harm
we generate in this world.
Jesus, I want to hear you calling
and follow you to the place
of deep personal change.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parable of the Two Sons

“What do you think?
There was a man who had two sons.
He went to the first and said,
‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered,
but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them,
“Truly I tell you,
the tax collectors and the prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,
and you did not believe him,
but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.
And even after you saw this,
you did not repent and believe him.
(Matthew 21:28-32).

* * *

Dear friends,
 if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence before God

and receive from him anything we ask, 
because we keep his commands 
and do what pleases him.

(1 John 3:21-22 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

God’s Wrath is Real

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 78:40-49(NIV)*

How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and grieved him in the wasteland!
Again and again they put God to the test;
    they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
 They did not remember his power—
    the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,
the day he displayed his signs in Egypt,
    his wonders in the region of Zoan.
He turned their river into blood;
    they could not drink from their streams.
He sent swarms of flies that devoured them,
    and frogs that devastated them.
He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
    their produce to the locust.
He destroyed their vines with hail
    and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
He gave over their cattle to the hail,
    their livestock to bolts of lightning.
He unleashed against them his hot anger,
    his wrath, indignation and hostility—
    a band of destroying angels.

Reflection

There are several things I would like to believe. I would like to believe God never gets angry, His patience is everlasting, and that there is no such thing as the wrath of God. I would like to believe Jesus never raised his voice in anger—that he winks at my sins, as though they were no big deal, and then moves on. I would like to believe there is no hell, no burning lake of fire, and no Satan to deceive me.

I would like to believe these things, but I would be wrong. I would be putting myself above the authority of the word of God, which says such things are so. Today’s reading from Psalm 78 reminds us God’s wrath is real, and I don’t want to find myself on the receiving end of it, as was the case with the Egyptians. He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility—a band of destroying angels.

I confess I am tempted to believe in a comfortable gospel, because a comfortable gospel doesn’t call me to account and demand that I change. The Jesus of the comfortable gospel doesn’t demand I sell all and follow him. The Jesus of the comfortable gospel promises me prosperity and self-actualization. I can become what I want, rather than what he wants. The comfortable gospel leaves me as I am—like a pig in a mud wallow. But somehow, Lord, I believe you want more from me. You want my life—my changed life.

Response

LORD God, I believe in your wrath because you are grieved at the hate and harm we generate in this world. Jesus, I want to hear you calling and follow you to the place of deep personal change. Amen.

Your Turn

What kind of gospel do you believe in? Does it require personal change?


bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

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Today’s quote and prayer from
Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer


Today’s
Reading:
Psalm 78:32-39 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
I cannot boast because of my righteousness.
You know all my shortcomings.
I have an impressive pile of personal sin.
Forgive me through the mercy
of your son, Jesus.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Authority of Jesus Questioned

Jesus entered the temple courts,
and, while he was teaching,
the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him.
“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked.
“And who gave you this authority?”

Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question.
If you answer me,
I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
John’s baptism—where did it come from?
Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask,
‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people,
for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said,
“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
(Matthew 21:23-27).

* * *

Dear friends,
 if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence before God

and receive from him anything we ask, 
because we keep his commands 
and do what pleases him.

(1 John 3:21-22 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.