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BIBLE READING: Psalm 31-34                 I have vivid memories of being a child at my grandparent’s house for a holiday or Sunday afternoon dinner and being asked to say the “blessing”.   As a kid, I knew that meant the prayer but, I don’t think I fully understood what it meant.   The more I thought about it, I was never asked to say the “blessing” at church, it was always “the prayer”.   The only time I ever remember being asked to say the “blessing” is before we eat, and even at that the “blessing” is coming from God and not me.   The word blessing has a few different meanings in the Bible, namely in the Old Testament.   We see men like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob granting the “blessing” down to their sons.   We also see David use the word “bless” and “blessing” in the book of Psalms.   In our reading today is one such occasion, David says in Psalm 34 “I will bless the L...

BIBLE READING: Psalm 25-30                 Have you ever just poured out your heart to God in prayer, only to feel that God isn’t listening to you?   Although that may be a common feeling among us, I do not for one minute believe it is true.   Nevertheless, sometimes our feelings deceive us and we mistake the silence of God for the silent treatment.   That may have been the emotions that David is describing in today’s reading “To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.” (Psalms 28:1-2).   David was human just like the rest of us and there were times when his emotions got the best of him.   I could not imagine the guilt and shame that David must have endured during his lifetime. ...

BIBLE READING: Psalm 19-24                 You won’t have to go very far before you find someone who is on a diet.   Maybe they are not eating sugar or counting their calories, or they may even be taking some sort of weight loss supplement.   There is nothing wrong with people wanting to improve their health, taking control of what they are putting into their bodies; in fact, that is a very positive thing to do.   However, there is a problem when we become so infatuated with what we put into our bodies that we forget about what is coming out of our bodies.   In Psalm 19.14 David gives us a reminder about how those things that come out of our mouths are really more important than what we put in them.   “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”    If you were to have a conversation with my two so...

BIBLE READING: Psalm 8-14                 In preparation for a recent sermon, I began to do some reading from the prophet Isaiah.   As for a little background of the book, it contains God’s words to the nations of both Israel and Judah concerning their upcoming judgement.   Within Isaiah’s prophecy, he foretells of the impending Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, but also offers a tremendous amount of hope for the future of the nation, not only when they return, but in the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of an eternal kingdom.   The more reading I did, the more amazed I was at how I could see God’s magnificent plan revealing itself right before my eyes.   In vivid detail Isaiah describes intricate details of the coming of Jesus Christ as the Savoir of the world.   All of this is revealed to this prophet hundreds of years before it ever happens.   How does that happ...

BIBLE READING: Psalm 1-7                 As you begin to read and enjoy the book of Psalms, you will see that a few of them have somewhat of an introduction or instruction that is mentioned at the beginning.   It usually sounds something like “To the Choirmaster…” or a “Psalm of David” with a brief description about why or when the psalm was written.   It is the latter that seems most interesting because it gives you some background as to the emotions David was experiencing as he was writing the Psalm.   That is especially true when we read and begin a study of Psalm 3.   This psalm was written when David had to leave Jerusalem because of the threat that Absalom was presenting to him.   The fear and pain that David was experiencing was almost unbearable; in knowing that your own son had turned on you and was seeking your life.   Notice, I said “almost unbearable”.   David...

BIBLE READING: Job 39-42 God continues to question Job, but we notice He does not explain his servant’s suffering. When God gives Job an invitation to state his case, Job is in awe and he speaks to God; “I am unworthy…I put my hand over my mouth…I will say no more.” God reminds Job that as a man, he knows how powerless he is before God’s creatures. James 5.11 states that we know of Job’s perseverance and we know how the Lord ended by blessing him again. Look at 1 Peter 3. 13-18. In suffering we trust God. We may not be able to reason out what happens to us, or answer all questions man comes up with, but we can trust God. In chapter 42, Job replies to the Lord that “he” (Job) had spoken of things he did not understand. He continues that “now my eyes have seen you.” And “I(Job) despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”(ch. 42:6) In the epilogue, the last part of the book, God speaks to Job’s friends. “I am angry with you (Eliphaz) and your friends because you have not spoken...

BIBLE READING: Job 35-38 Job and his friends have a dilemma. Their reasoning says, God brings suffering only on the wicked. Since Job is suffering and since God brings that on men, then Job must be wicked. Elihu suggests that perhaps there is another reason for suffering, and that is To Instruct. (Ch. 33:19ff.) Elihu rebukes Job for saying or implying that God is unfair in allowing the good to suffer. One is not free to call God “unfair” in allowing the good to suffer. Later in Chapter 37:23, Elihu says words to praise God. “How great is our God beyond our understanding.” Earlier, Elihu had said, “There is more to be said in God’s behalf,” and he continues to say it. Truly today Scripture opens our understanding of the nature of God as He deals with mankind. We accept the book of Job as being inspired by the Holy Spirit. But as with all scripture, we need to consider the context, who is speaking, and why. In chapter 38, God answers Job. He says to Job that He will question him...