I will praise Him!
The Ruins, Mackenzie King Estate, Gatineau Park, QC — photo by David Kitz
The LORD Reigns
14 Saturday Oct 2017
Tag Archives: nations
“The LORD Reigns.”
17 Sunday Sep 2017
I will praise Him!
The glory due His name — photo courtesy of Donald Adam
Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
(Psalm 96:7-10, NIV)
Declare His Glory Among the Nations
10 Sunday Sep 2017
I will praise Him!
Manitoba sunrise — photo by David Kitz
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
(Psalm 96:1-3, NIV)
The Plans of the Nations
22 Tuesday Aug 2017
Posted in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 33, Psalms
Tags
1914, atheists, blaming God, citizen, conflict, disaster, human stupidity, Kingdom of God, Margaret MacMillan, national interests, national objectives, nations, plans, slaughter, The War that Ended Peace, war, World War I
Reading: Psalm 33
(Verses 10-15)
The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do (NIV).
Reflection
I confess I am a bit of a history buff. I am currently reading The War that Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan. The subtitle is The Road to 1914. As you might guess, it highlights the causes of World War I. Throughout, the author meticulously points out that war was not inevitable. A change in course by any of the key players in the years leading up to 1914 could have prevented this monumental catastrophe. Each nation had plans and objectives that they considered in their best interest. Quite naturally the pursuit of those plans led to conflict with neighbouring nations with opposing objectives.
MosaiCanada 150, Jacques Cartier Park, Gatineau, Quebec — photo by David Kitz
What does the psalmist say about national objectives? The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Nations pursue their own perceived national interest. Despite the rhetoric we sometimes hear, they do not pursue the plans and purposes of the LORD. For political leaders national self-interest trumps the purposes of God. In fact the purposes of God are seldom considered. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Was it God’s plan and purpose to have millions of Christian believers go to their slaughter in World War I? Many atheists purport that this is what we believe. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are responsible for our own actions. God does not cause war. Humans cause war and they carry it out. Why should we suddenly blame God for what we have engineered through our own dogged stupidity? Blaming God for our own arrogant idiocy is the pinnacle of irresponsibility, yet we do it all the time, both on a national and a personal level. Most often we are the author of our own disaster. We stubbornly fail to pull back and change course before it’s too late.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
Response: LORD God, thank you for choosing me to be to be one of your people. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to you, my Father. You watch over me. You, O LORD are my inheritance, and first and foremost I am a citizen of your eternal Kingdom. Amen.
Your Turn: How does personal conflict escalate? Do you blame God rather than yourself?
The Ends of the Earth Will Turn to the LORD
13 Thursday Jul 2017
Posted in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 22, Psalms
Tags
baptizing, Christ, crucifixion, faith, generations, good news, gosp, great commission, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Lord Jesus Christ, nations, prophetic, repentance, Savior, the LORD, worship
Reading: Psalm 22
(Verses 27-31)
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the LORD.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (NIV)
Reflection
This final portion of Psalm 22 signals the ultimate triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the first half of this psalm Christ’s humiliation, suffering and death by crucifixion are vividly portrayed. With stunning accuracy and detail, David depicts these events from Christ’s perspective. Only God-breathed prophetic insight could reveal such truth through a human vessel. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).
Dominion belongs to the LORD — photo by David Kitz
With today’s reading we discover the worldwide impact of Christ’s redemptive death and resurrection. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
Christ’s gospel—the good news of the Kingdom—has been voiced abroad. Death, hell and the grave have been conquered. Jesus Christ is Lord over all! Keep in mind that this turning to the LORD by all the families of the nations was an alien concept to the people of Israel during David’s time. Yet again, David spoke prophetically of the time when the gospel message would burst forth from its Jewish cocoon and be declared and received by ready hearts all over the world. Our Savior’s commission will be fulfilled. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
We have the promise of the worldwide spread of the gospel from generation to generation. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the LORD. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!
Response: Father, thank you for the good news of the gospel. Jesus is alive and reigns forever. Help me to do my part in bringing the message of your love and redemption to the world. I want to see people from all nations turning to you in repentance and faith. Amen.
Your Turn: How can we spread the good news? What are you doing to tell His story?
None like you, Lord
02 Sunday Jul 2017
Posted in Psalm 86, Psalms, Sunday's Psalm
I will praise Him!
Evening fishing near Durham, ON — photo by David Kitz
Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
(Psalm 86:8-10, NIV)
“Where is their God?”
27 Saturday May 2017
Tags
desperate, forgive, forgiveness, generations, glory, God, mercy, nations, Savior, sins
I will praise Him!
Crabapple blossoms in spring — photo by David Kitz
Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your name’s sake.
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
(Psalm 79:8-10, NIV)
His Face Shines on Us
15 Saturday Apr 2017
I will praise Him!
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Radiant glory — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
(Psalm 67:1-5, NIV)
Be Still
02 Thursday Mar 2017
Posted in Psalms, Thursday's Thought
I will praise Him!
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Sunset on the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz
Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
(Psalm 46:8-11, NIV)
The Nation whose God is the LORD
28 Tuesday Feb 2017
Posted in Psalms, Tuesday's Truth
I will praise Him!
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Parliament Hill as seen from the Chateau Laurier — photo by David Kitz
I love the Psalms 