The Importance of a Place of Refuge

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Psalm 31, Psalms

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Reading:                                    Psalm 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

(Verses 1-5)

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;     

let me never be put to shame;     

deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,   

come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge,  

   a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,   

  for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,     

for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit;     

deliver me, LORD, my faithful God. (NIV)

Reflection

We all need a place of refuge. Here as David begins Psalm 31, he pleads with God to hear him, and become a rock of refuge for him. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

David spent many of his early years fleeing from King Saul. At other times the Philistines were a threat. There were many occasions in which David needed a fortress—a rock of refuge from his enemies. Often he found himself calling out for the LORD to rescue him.

Are we any different? We may not have physical enemies who are seeking to kill us, but in the spiritual realm the demonic forces of hell are constantly seeking opportunities to trip us up, so that they can launch their vicious assault. Trouble and affliction comes to every human life. We are not immune simply because we have put our faith in Christ. We too need a safe place—a rock of refuge.

But the rock to which we flee is not an inanimate object, fixed and unmoving. No, we come to the living rock which is Christ. He travels with us on this earthly pilgrimage. The apostle, Paul reminds us that even the people of Israel wandering in the wilderness were not alone. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:3-4).

The veins of that rock were opened wide for us. Jesus bled and died so that we could experience new life and complete forgiveness. As he hung dying, Jesus called out to his Father with the words of this psalm, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Now daily that living rock accompanies you. He is the fount of forgiveness and a sure refuge in a time of need.

Response: Lord God, I thank you for Jesus. You alone are my rock and my eternal fortress. Amen.

Your Turn: Is Jesus your living rock? Why is the analogy of Jesus as a rock a comfort to you?

Preaching and Teaching

14 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by in Psalms

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This post is a re-blog of some thoughts by Lawson Murray of Scripture Union on the importance and centrality of God’s word. Though it is written from a leader’s perspective, I believe it embodies wisdom that we can all appreciate.

Dr. Lawson Murray's avatarBible Engagement Blog: JumpIntoTheWord

I love to read, study, teach and preach the Word. But looking back on more than three decades of ministry I realize I could have done more to help others develop confidence in the Word, build community focused on the Word, and encourage conversations about the Word.

So what can teachers and preachers do to promote confidence in, community around, and conversations about the Word? Consider the following:

  • Read the Scriptures every time you teach or preach the Word. Don’t cut out or truncate the reading of the Word to make more time for what you want to say. The Word of God should always be the main point, not the footnote of the lesson or sermon.
  • Public reading of the Scriptures should be done with conviction, enthusiasm, passion, fluency and expression. Worship teams/choirs practice their singing – Scripture readers should likewise practice their reading.
  • God’s Word is holy. Read it…

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The God of Sudden Turn-a-Rounds

13 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by in Psalm 30, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 30
(Verses 6-12)
When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
To you, LORD, I called;
to the LORD I cried for mercy:
“What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”
You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever. (NIV)

Reflection
Every psalm in the Book of Psalms reveals to us an aspect or characteristic of God. Here in Psalm 30, we see the LORD God of mercy, redemption and sudden turn-a-rounds.

We all go through times of triumph as well as times of deep discouragement. My emotional life often swings between these two extremes. Some days my glass is half full; on other days it is half empty. My faith level soars and plummets, often quite abruptly depending on circumstances. David also experienced these swings between optimism and pessimism. They are a trademark of his psalms. Perhaps that’s why I love them. They reflect my own life experience.

In the opening lines of today’s reading, David swings between a position of utter confidence and security to a position of shaken dismay. When trouble or disaster strikes we may well ask, “Where is God in all this?” Like David we may call out, “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help.”

God is always on His throne. He is not caught by surprise when you lose your job, a relationship breaks down or you suffer a great loss. He remains secure, but more than that He is a God of great mercy and sudden turn-a-rounds. He is the LORD God of resurrection. He turned the disciples mourning into dancing when He raised Jesus from the dead. Always, always, always remember He can do the same for you. In the course of this psalm He turned David around. Jesus is the resurrection artist. And remember this: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Response: You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God turned around a seemingly impossible situation for you?

Why should I praise God?

11 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Psalm 30, Psalms

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Reading:                                         Psalm 30

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.

(Verses 1-5)

I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
LORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.

Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. (NIV)

 Reflection

If you ever want an excuse to break out in praise, just read the opening lines of Psalm 30. There are plenty of excellent reasons to praise God, and David gives us several of them right here. I will exalt you, LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

The LORD has lifted me out of the depths of sin and the Slough of Despond on more than one occasion. Furthermore, the LORD provides more than just forgiveness. He also gives victory over the sin and the discouragement that entraps us. He has defeated the minions of hell. Praise the LORD!

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. If you enjoy good health, praise the LORD. He is your healer. Whether through miraculous means or natural process God is our healer, and we can thank Him for the strength, energy and rejuvenation He brings into our lives. Praise the LORD!

You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. In Ephesians, chapter two, Paul tells us that we were dead in trespasses and sins. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7). Praise the LORD!

We serve a God of mercy, redemption and turn-a-rounds. He turns our mourning into dancing. See Psalm 30:11. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Praise the LORD!

Response: Lord God, I thank you for your mercy and grace. You are good to me. Amen.

Your Turn: What can you praise God for today?

We Are Put Here to Serve Others

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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My normal Psalms posts are on a bit of a hiatus as I get ready for the launch of my Little Froggy book this weekend. Instead I decided to re-blog this post Morning Meds post. Be blessed.

wally12662013's avatarMorning Meds (Take 1 each Morning with all the Prayer You Need)

God is waiting to show you the way. God is waiting to show you the way. 42 Jesus called the apostles and said, “You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people.43 But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone. 45 It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”–Mark 10:42-45 (God’s Word)
​Jesus left His honor and glory in heaven and became a man. Not just any man, but the perfect man, a man without sin. He spent His time here serving others and humbled Himself, even to the point of allowing…

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John 3:1-2

27 Thursday Feb 2014

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Have you ever put yourself in the shoes of a Bible character? B.J. Richardson puts himself in the shoes of Nicodemus in this highly inspirational post. When like Nicodemus, we encounter Jesus, we get far more than we expect or bargain for.

Beejai's avatarTHE RIVER WALK

Nicodemus Edit

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” (John 3:1-2)

Daily Bible Reading: Leviticus 7:1 – 8:36

Relate: I like Nicodemus. He’s my kind of guy. First off, his name is both idealistic and pragmatic at the same time. It means “victory of the people” which shows that his parents (or himself if it is an adopted name) had a zealot streak longing to become free from Roman oppression. Yet Nicodemus is a Greek name (Nike = victory, Demos = people) so they or he recognized that to truly engage the world, there had to be some concessions with a thoroughly Hellenized society beyond and within Israel’s borders. And engage…

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There is a place of peace in the midst of the storm.

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Psalm 29, Psalms

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Reading:                                   Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. (NIV)

Reflection

In Psalm 29 we see and hear the LORD, the God of the storm. There is an evocative poetic style to this psalm that helps the reader to picture the fury of the approaching tempest. But we not only see the flashes of lightning and the power of the wind, we also hear the booming thunder as it shakes the desert. The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

Nine times the psalmist repeats the phrase the voice of the LORD. In this psalm, the voice of the LORD is a very active force. The voice of the LORD thunders, breaks, strikes, shakes, twists and strips. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD spoke the world into existence, set the planets in their orbit, and scattered the starry hosts across the heavens. A thunderstorm sweeping down from Lebanon is as nothing to Him.

But the LORD of the storm is also the LORD of peace. One day on the Sea of Galilee Jesus our Lord brought peace to the storm. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mark 4:37-39).

Response: You are the LORD of the storm and the LORD of peace. Help me trust you completely. Amen.

Your Turn: Jesus says to us, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

How to Claim Scripture When You Pray

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Psalms

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For today’s post I am re-blogging a post by a fellow writer and retired teacher, Janis Cox. Her thoughts on using scripture in prayer are excellent. We need to surround our loved ones in a scripture-based circle of prayer. (My regular Psalms blog returns tomorrow.)

Janis Cox's avatarUnder the Cover of Prayer

How to Claim Scripture When You Pray

prayer-circle-family

Do you wonder about all the verses in the Bible? I do. There are so many and each verse can mean something to me a different way at a different time.

I learned something even more fantastic as I read through The Circle Maker. If we take a verse from God’s Word we can pray it back to God. I have done this a couple of times before. Now, though, it feels like it should be something I do on a more regular basis. We have written about praying the Scripture in previous posts. Here are some. You can search for more by using the search button on the sidebar.

Praying God’s Promises

Have You Prayed the Scriptures?

How Can We Pray Using the Scriptures?

When we circle someone in prayer, we can add Scripture to that prayer. For instance let’s say…

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A Come from Behind Olympic Victory

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by in Psalm 28, Psalms

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Reading:                                       Psalm 28

(Verses 6-9)

Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever. (NIV)

Reflection

David’s ends Psalm 28 with a doxology of praise. Yes, it is good and fitting to praise the LORD. He hears our cry for mercy. He is not a God of harsh judgment or we would all perish. He is my shield and strength despite my frequent failings. David declares, “My heart trusts in him, and he helps me.” I can join in David’s declaration and personally testify to the truth of these words, “My heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”

Our God does not stand afar off. He is near to those who call on Him.

David was not one to be shy or reserved in his expression of praise. He exults, “My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” When David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he gave full expression to his joy.  Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets (2 Samuel 6:14-15).

Yesterday I watched as Canada’s women’s Olympic hockey team scored a late-rally, come-from-behind, overtime victory over a shocked American team. There was no shortage of leaping, dancing and rejoicing in the Canadian ranks. The outburst of praise and jubilation was completely fitting.

But as born-again children of God, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we have a far greater reason—an eternal reason—for bursting forth in praise. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ has scored a late-rally, come-from-behind, overtime victory over death, hell and the grave. And he scored that victory for you and me, who are on an international team—Team Believer. What a victory! What a celebration!

We join with David in declaring, “The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.”

Response: Lord God, hear my prayer, “Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.” Amen.

Your Turn: Why do we put limits on our expressions of praise to God, when our praise is boundless in sporting events?