‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord”’(Psalm 122:2). Why do we go to the House of the Lord? We go ‘to give thanks to the Name of the Lord’(Psalm 122:4). We seek His mercy for our past sins: ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!’(Psalm 123:3). We seek His help for our future temptations: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord...’(Psalm 124:8). As we receive mercy and help from the Lord, we worship Him: ‘Blessed be the Lord’(Psalm 124:6). In our worship, we ‘look to the Lord our God’, drawing encouragement from His Word: ‘The Lord is on our side’- In Him we have the victory (Psalm 123:2; Psalm 124:1-5). Rejoicing in God’s blessing, we pray for others: ‘May they prosper who love You’(Psalm 122:6).
‘My grace is sufficient for you’(2 Corinthians 12:9). These are tremendous words! Believe them. Apply them to yourself. Let the strength of the Lord come to you as you reflect on these great words. God is speaking His Word to you. Whatever is going on in your life, whatever difficulties you are facing, God’s Word is still the same: ‘My grace is sufficient for you’. Do you think God will let you down? Don’t believe it - not even for a moment! It is a lie of the devil. It’s ‘as old as the hills’. Way back in Genesis 3:1, Satan was spreading doubt: ‘Did God say?’. God says, ‘My grace is sufficient for you’. Satan comes along and says ‘Surely you don’t believe that!’. ‘When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, By the living Word of God I shall prevail’(Redemption Hymnal, 261). Did God say? - Yes! He did say!
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Christmas Worship
Here are a few articles you may find helpful.
Preparing for Christmas: Learning from Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38, 46-55)
Preparing for Christmas: Learning from John the Baptist (Luke 1:13-17; John 1:19-34)
Wise men (and women) still seek Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12)
Jesus Christ - “God with us” (Matthew 1:23) - is truly God and truly Man
Jesus: God with us, God for us, God in us
Invitation, Protection, Victory (Matthew 1-2)
A Journey with Christ (Matthew 1:5-6; John 8:1-11)
Matthew 1:1-25
The Virgin Birth - Believing the Fact and Receiving Its Message
Let us go to Bethlehem.
Looking back from Bethlehem, looking on from Bethlehem
We look back from Bethlehem - back to the very beginning.
First Sunday after Christmas Day: Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23
Season of Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) II – Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2: (1-7), 8-20
Season of Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) I – Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
A Christmas Message
Jesus Christ - God with us: Readings in John, Matthew and Luke
Christ is born: Readings in Luke and Matthew
The Birth of Christ: Readings in Matthew and Luke
Look For God’s Blessing In The Pulpit. Look For His Blessing In The Pews.
2 Chronicles 5:2-6:42
Without the blessing of God, our worship is empty. We must look for God’s blessing in the place of worship. What we must pray for is this: ‘the glory of the Lord filled the House of God’(5:14). We must look for God’s blessing in the pulpit, praying that the preachers of God’s Word will be ‘clothed with salvation’. We must look for God’s blessing in the pews, praying that all of God’s people will ‘rejoice in His goodness’(6:41). Where does the blessing come from? - It comes from this: God is ‘good’ and ‘His steadfast love endures for ever’(5:13). All of our praying for the Church can be summed up in this prayer: ‘O Lord God... Remember Your steadfast love...’(6:42). More than anything else, we must pray for this: ‘God’s love... poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit...’(Romans 5:5).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Without the blessing of God, our worship is empty. We must look for God’s blessing in the place of worship. What we must pray for is this: ‘the glory of the Lord filled the House of God’(5:14). We must look for God’s blessing in the pulpit, praying that the preachers of God’s Word will be ‘clothed with salvation’. We must look for God’s blessing in the pews, praying that all of God’s people will ‘rejoice in His goodness’(6:41). Where does the blessing come from? - It comes from this: God is ‘good’ and ‘His steadfast love endures for ever’(5:13). All of our praying for the Church can be summed up in this prayer: ‘O Lord God... Remember Your steadfast love...’(6:42). More than anything else, we must pray for this: ‘God’s love... poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit...’(Romans 5:5).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Real Work For The Lord Emerges Out Of True Worship Of The Lord.
2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1
‘Work in the Temple of the Lord’(4:11; 5:1) is no ordinary work. This work is ‘most holy’(3:8,10; 4:22). Real work for the Lord emerges out of true worship of the Lord. If we are to be the Lord’s workers, we must first be His worshippers. Worship comes first. This is vitally important. Take away worship from the place of highest priority, and you have nothing left - nothing which can really be called the work of the Lord. You may have busy people, doing this, that and the other, but you will not have servants of the Lord doing the work of the Lord - without worship. We sometimes ask, “Where are the workers?”. God asks, “Where are the worshippers?”. Begin to worship the Lord. Keep on worshipping Him. Worship the Lord, and let Him show you ‘what you must do’(Acts 9:3-6).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Work in the Temple of the Lord’(4:11; 5:1) is no ordinary work. This work is ‘most holy’(3:8,10; 4:22). Real work for the Lord emerges out of true worship of the Lord. If we are to be the Lord’s workers, we must first be His worshippers. Worship comes first. This is vitally important. Take away worship from the place of highest priority, and you have nothing left - nothing which can really be called the work of the Lord. You may have busy people, doing this, that and the other, but you will not have servants of the Lord doing the work of the Lord - without worship. We sometimes ask, “Where are the workers?”. God asks, “Where are the worshippers?”. Begin to worship the Lord. Keep on worshipping Him. Worship the Lord, and let Him show you ‘what you must do’(Acts 9:3-6).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
When Our Service Of Worship Ends, Our Service In The World Begins.
1 Chronicles 26:1-27:34
We are called to serve God. At the heart of our service, there is this - ‘ministering in the House of the Lord’(26:12). Part of our worship involves the dedication of ‘gifts for the maintenance of the House of the Lord’(26:27). There is more to serving God than worshipping Him in His House. There is more to serving God than supporting the work which takes place within His House. We are to serve Him in the world. When our service of worship ends, our service in the world begins. We must offer our whole life to God - not only the ‘religious’ part. For God’s people, there were responsibilities outside of the House of the Lord - ‘the service of the king’ and ‘the affairs of the king’. We are to serve God in our everyday life. This is part of our obedience to God. Be faithful in ‘all the work of the Lord’, ‘in everything pertaining to God’(26:30,32).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We are called to serve God. At the heart of our service, there is this - ‘ministering in the House of the Lord’(26:12). Part of our worship involves the dedication of ‘gifts for the maintenance of the House of the Lord’(26:27). There is more to serving God than worshipping Him in His House. There is more to serving God than supporting the work which takes place within His House. We are to serve Him in the world. When our service of worship ends, our service in the world begins. We must offer our whole life to God - not only the ‘religious’ part. For God’s people, there were responsibilities outside of the House of the Lord - ‘the service of the king’ and ‘the affairs of the king’. We are to serve God in our everyday life. This is part of our obedience to God. Be faithful in ‘all the work of the Lord’, ‘in everything pertaining to God’(26:30,32).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Give Thanks To The Lord. Sing Praises To Him.
1 Chronicles 16:7-36
Here, we are called to worship - ‘O give thanks to the Lord... Sing praises to Him... Glory in His holy Name... Seek His presence continually’(8-11). We are to ‘remember the wonderful works that He has done’. We are to call on others to worship Him - ‘Sing to the Lord , all the earth!’. We ‘worship the Lord’ and, filled with heavenly joy, we say to those around us - ‘Let the earth rejoice... “The Lord reigns!”’(12,23,29,31). In a book of so many names, this marvellous song of praise stands out. It is a high point. Everything else seems so commonplace. Treasure God’s special high points of praise and worship. Don’t despise the ordinariness of everyday life. Why does God give us His high points? - He wants us to return to our everyday life with renewed strength. ‘Wait on the Lord and renew your strength’(Isaiah 40:31).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Here, we are called to worship - ‘O give thanks to the Lord... Sing praises to Him... Glory in His holy Name... Seek His presence continually’(8-11). We are to ‘remember the wonderful works that He has done’. We are to call on others to worship Him - ‘Sing to the Lord , all the earth!’. We ‘worship the Lord’ and, filled with heavenly joy, we say to those around us - ‘Let the earth rejoice... “The Lord reigns!”’(12,23,29,31). In a book of so many names, this marvellous song of praise stands out. It is a high point. Everything else seems so commonplace. Treasure God’s special high points of praise and worship. Don’t despise the ordinariness of everyday life. Why does God give us His high points? - He wants us to return to our everyday life with renewed strength. ‘Wait on the Lord and renew your strength’(Isaiah 40:31).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Our Meditation On God’s Word Is To Be Accompanied By Obedience To His Word.
1 Chronicles 15:16-16:6
David called God’s people to worship. They were ‘to raise sounds of joy’, praising the Lord with ‘loud music’. David did not leave it to others. He gave the lead. Along with all the others, he was there, ‘dancing and making merry’. He was a true spiritual leader. He ‘blessed the people in the Name of the Lord’. He called upon the people to ‘praise the Lord’(16,28-29,2,4). God calls us to worship Him continually’(6). May God help us to be the kind of people who take ‘delight in the Word of the Lord, meditating on His Word day and night’(Psalm 1:2). Our meditation on God’s Word is to be accompanied by obedience to His Word - ‘be careful to do according to all that is written in it’(Joshua 1:8). This is the true ‘spiritual worship’ God is looking for - the dedication of our lives to Him (Romans 12:1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
David called God’s people to worship. They were ‘to raise sounds of joy’, praising the Lord with ‘loud music’. David did not leave it to others. He gave the lead. Along with all the others, he was there, ‘dancing and making merry’. He was a true spiritual leader. He ‘blessed the people in the Name of the Lord’. He called upon the people to ‘praise the Lord’(16,28-29,2,4). God calls us to worship Him continually’(6). May God help us to be the kind of people who take ‘delight in the Word of the Lord, meditating on His Word day and night’(Psalm 1:2). Our meditation on God’s Word is to be accompanied by obedience to His Word - ‘be careful to do according to all that is written in it’(Joshua 1:8). This is the true ‘spiritual worship’ God is looking for - the dedication of our lives to Him (Romans 12:1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Loves Every One Of Us.
1 Chronicles 6:1-60
The names tell a story - the story of what God is doing among His people. They speak of the faithfulness of God. He loves every one of these people. He loves every one of us. We forget the names. God doesn’t. Everyone is important to Him. We rejoice in ‘the great love of God’. We rejoice in Christ ‘who came to this earth to redeem every one’. In the many names, forgotten by us yet remembered by God, we hear the message, ‘God is love’. Among the many names, we read of those who ‘ministered with song’. We read of ‘the service of song in the house of the Lord’. God is calling us to worship Him: ‘Sing aloud, loud, loud! Sing aloud, loud, loud! God is good! God is truth! God is beauty! Praise Him!’(31-32; Church Hymnary, 415-416).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
The names tell a story - the story of what God is doing among His people. They speak of the faithfulness of God. He loves every one of these people. He loves every one of us. We forget the names. God doesn’t. Everyone is important to Him. We rejoice in ‘the great love of God’. We rejoice in Christ ‘who came to this earth to redeem every one’. In the many names, forgotten by us yet remembered by God, we hear the message, ‘God is love’. Among the many names, we read of those who ‘ministered with song’. We read of ‘the service of song in the house of the Lord’. God is calling us to worship Him: ‘Sing aloud, loud, loud! Sing aloud, loud, loud! God is good! God is truth! God is beauty! Praise Him!’(31-32; Church Hymnary, 415-416).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
The God Whom We Worship Is So Much Greater Than The Worship We Bring To Him.
Psalm 145:1-21
‘Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. His greatness is beyond understanding’. Let us worship our great God: ‘I will exalt You, my God the King. I will praise Your Name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your Name for ever and ever’(1-3). The God whom we worship is so much greater than the worship we bring to Him. Our worship is to be a ‘joyful celebration’. We celebrate His great love: ‘The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love’. We rejoice in His great faithfulness: ‘The Lord is faithful to all His promises’. Here on earth, we have only begun to worship our great God. Our worship will continue in His ‘everlasting Kingdom’. There, we will ‘praise His Name for ever and ever’(7-8, 13,21).
Psalm 146:1-10
‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(2). Praising the Lord our God: This is a lifelong commitment. We cannot maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We need the Lord’s help. We must never forget this: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain’(127:1). We are not expected to maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We have the Lord’s help. We must always remember this: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’(124:8). ‘Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, the Lord who remains faithful for ever’(5-6).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. His greatness is beyond understanding’. Let us worship our great God: ‘I will exalt You, my God the King. I will praise Your Name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your Name for ever and ever’(1-3). The God whom we worship is so much greater than the worship we bring to Him. Our worship is to be a ‘joyful celebration’. We celebrate His great love: ‘The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love’. We rejoice in His great faithfulness: ‘The Lord is faithful to all His promises’. Here on earth, we have only begun to worship our great God. Our worship will continue in His ‘everlasting Kingdom’. There, we will ‘praise His Name for ever and ever’(7-8, 13,21).
Psalm 146:1-10
‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(2). Praising the Lord our God: This is a lifelong commitment. We cannot maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We need the Lord’s help. We must never forget this: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain’(127:1). We are not expected to maintain this lifelong commitment in our own strength. We have the Lord’s help. We must always remember this: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’(124:8). ‘Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, the Lord who remains faithful for ever’(5-6).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Sends ‘His Blessing’ When His People Gather Together For Worship.
Psalms 130:1-131:3
We are not to pray to God with superficial words that don’t mean very much to us. Our prayer is to be a real cry from the heart: ‘Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord’(130:1). We are to ‘cry for mercy’ with a deep awareness of how sinful we really are: ‘If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?’(130:3). We must come to God with deep humility - ‘My heart is not proud, O Lord’(131:1). When we truly confess our sin, we receive God’s ‘unfailing love’ and ‘forgiveness’(4). ‘In the Lord’ we have ‘full redemption’(7). It is for ‘now’- ‘The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives’. It is ‘for evermore’- ‘But purer and higher and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!’. ‘Praise the Lord!... Give Him the glory!’(131:3; Church Hymnary, 374).
Psalm 132:1-18
‘Let us go to the Lord’s House; let us worship before His throne’(7). God is calling us to worship Him. We are to gather together as His worshipping people. As we gather for worship, we remember that ‘the Lord is King’. We do not only give Him the praise of our lips. We give Him the praise of our lives. We do not only sing to Him. We live for Him. We come ‘before His throne’ with this prayer, ‘Take my heart - it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne’. God hears and answers our prayer. He gives us His strength. We rise to His challenge: ‘Rise up, O Church of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings’(Church Hymnary, 36,462,477). The service of worship comes to an end. Let our service of living begin - and never end!
Psalms 133:1-134:3
God sends ‘His blessing’ when His people gather together for worship: ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!’(133:1,3). Many people like to think of themselves as ‘believers’, yet they show no interest in worshipping together with God’s people. What does God’s Word say about this? - ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...’(Hebrews 10:25). ‘Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the House of the Lord’(133:1; 134:1). Some people never miss a Sunday morning service - but they always miss the Sunday evening services! They are missing out on so much of God’s blessing. ‘May the Lord... bless you...’on Sunday evenings as well as Sunday mornings (134:2)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We are not to pray to God with superficial words that don’t mean very much to us. Our prayer is to be a real cry from the heart: ‘Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord’(130:1). We are to ‘cry for mercy’ with a deep awareness of how sinful we really are: ‘If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?’(130:3). We must come to God with deep humility - ‘My heart is not proud, O Lord’(131:1). When we truly confess our sin, we receive God’s ‘unfailing love’ and ‘forgiveness’(4). ‘In the Lord’ we have ‘full redemption’(7). It is for ‘now’- ‘The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives’. It is ‘for evermore’- ‘But purer and higher and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!’. ‘Praise the Lord!... Give Him the glory!’(131:3; Church Hymnary, 374).
Psalm 132:1-18
‘Let us go to the Lord’s House; let us worship before His throne’(7). God is calling us to worship Him. We are to gather together as His worshipping people. As we gather for worship, we remember that ‘the Lord is King’. We do not only give Him the praise of our lips. We give Him the praise of our lives. We do not only sing to Him. We live for Him. We come ‘before His throne’ with this prayer, ‘Take my heart - it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne’. God hears and answers our prayer. He gives us His strength. We rise to His challenge: ‘Rise up, O Church of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings’(Church Hymnary, 36,462,477). The service of worship comes to an end. Let our service of living begin - and never end!
Psalms 133:1-134:3
God sends ‘His blessing’ when His people gather together for worship: ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!’(133:1,3). Many people like to think of themselves as ‘believers’, yet they show no interest in worshipping together with God’s people. What does God’s Word say about this? - ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...’(Hebrews 10:25). ‘Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the House of the Lord’(133:1; 134:1). Some people never miss a Sunday morning service - but they always miss the Sunday evening services! They are missing out on so much of God’s blessing. ‘May the Lord... bless you...’on Sunday evenings as well as Sunday mornings (134:2)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Let’s Thank God For His Love. Let's Live To Please Him.
Psalm 103:1-22
‘Praise the Lord’(1-2,20-22). Let’s praise Him for His ‘steadfast love’. He is ‘abounding in steadfast love’(8). How are we to respond to His ‘steadfast love’? Are we to say, ‘God loves me. I can do what I like’? No! We must not think like this. We’re not to say, ‘I’ll keep on sinning. God will keep on forgiving’(Romans 6:1-2). God’s Word tells us something very different. Loved by God, we learn to love Him. When God’s ‘steadfast love’ has really touched our hearts, it changes our lives. This is the great change which the Psalmist has in mind when he writes, ‘As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him... The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him’(11,17). Let’s thank God for His love - and live to please Him!
Psalm 104:1-35
‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(33). Do you feel like giving up? Other things are becoming more important to you. Worshipping the Lord is being pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes are creeping in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping the Lord has gone! Little-by-little, you are drifting away from the Lord. It’s time to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping the Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Praise the Lord’(1-2,20-22). Let’s praise Him for His ‘steadfast love’. He is ‘abounding in steadfast love’(8). How are we to respond to His ‘steadfast love’? Are we to say, ‘God loves me. I can do what I like’? No! We must not think like this. We’re not to say, ‘I’ll keep on sinning. God will keep on forgiving’(Romans 6:1-2). God’s Word tells us something very different. Loved by God, we learn to love Him. When God’s ‘steadfast love’ has really touched our hearts, it changes our lives. This is the great change which the Psalmist has in mind when he writes, ‘As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him... The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him’(11,17). Let’s thank God for His love - and live to please Him!
Psalm 104:1-35
‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(33). Do you feel like giving up? Other things are becoming more important to you. Worshipping the Lord is being pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes are creeping in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping the Lord has gone! Little-by-little, you are drifting away from the Lord. It’s time to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping the Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Let Us Worship The Lord With Holy Fear And Heartfelt Love.
Psalms 98:1-100:5
‘Exalt the Lord our God... Make a joyful noise to the Lord’(99:5,9; 98:4,6; 100:1). We are to worship the Lord with joy. We are to glorify God. We are to enjoy Him. In our worship, we must never forget the holiness of God: ‘He is holy!... The Lord our God is holy!’(99:5,9). In our worship, we rejoice in the love of God: ‘His steadfast love endures for ever... He has done marvellous things!’(100:5; 98:1). The God of ‘awesome purity’ loves us with the most perfect love of all: ‘No earthly father loves like Thee...’. Let us worship Him with holy fear and heartfelt love: ‘O how I fear Thee, living God, with deepest, tenderest fears... with trembling hope and penitential tears! Yet I may love Thee too, O Lord, Almighty as Thou art, for Thou hast stooped to ask of me the love of my poor heart’(Church Hymnary, 356).
Psalms 101:1-102:28
‘I will sing of Your love... I will walk with integrity of heart...’(101:1-2). These words were written many centuries ago. ‘Things are very different now’- so we’re told! Worshipping the Lord and walking with Him: Are these things out-of-date now? Are they to be forgotten? So many people have no time for the Lord. They feel that they can do without Him. They refuse to worship Him. They do not walk with Him. In our ever-changing world, there is something we must never forget: The Lord is ‘enthroned for ever’. His ‘Name endures to all generations’. In all the changes of life, the Lord ‘remains the same’. His ‘years go on through all generations’. His ‘years will never end’(12,24,27). These words were ‘written for a future generation’. They were written for us. We must not forget to ‘praise the Lord’(18)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Exalt the Lord our God... Make a joyful noise to the Lord’(99:5,9; 98:4,6; 100:1). We are to worship the Lord with joy. We are to glorify God. We are to enjoy Him. In our worship, we must never forget the holiness of God: ‘He is holy!... The Lord our God is holy!’(99:5,9). In our worship, we rejoice in the love of God: ‘His steadfast love endures for ever... He has done marvellous things!’(100:5; 98:1). The God of ‘awesome purity’ loves us with the most perfect love of all: ‘No earthly father loves like Thee...’. Let us worship Him with holy fear and heartfelt love: ‘O how I fear Thee, living God, with deepest, tenderest fears... with trembling hope and penitential tears! Yet I may love Thee too, O Lord, Almighty as Thou art, for Thou hast stooped to ask of me the love of my poor heart’(Church Hymnary, 356).
Psalms 101:1-102:28
‘I will sing of Your love... I will walk with integrity of heart...’(101:1-2). These words were written many centuries ago. ‘Things are very different now’- so we’re told! Worshipping the Lord and walking with Him: Are these things out-of-date now? Are they to be forgotten? So many people have no time for the Lord. They feel that they can do without Him. They refuse to worship Him. They do not walk with Him. In our ever-changing world, there is something we must never forget: The Lord is ‘enthroned for ever’. His ‘Name endures to all generations’. In all the changes of life, the Lord ‘remains the same’. His ‘years go on through all generations’. His ‘years will never end’(12,24,27). These words were ‘written for a future generation’. They were written for us. We must not forget to ‘praise the Lord’(18)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Worship the Lord And Pray For Revival.
Psalms 84:1-12
‘How I love Your Temple, Almighty Lord! How I want to be there! I long to be in the Lord’s Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God’(1-2). This is much more than paying lip-service to the Lord. This is real. Worshipping the Lord meant everything to the Psalmist: ‘I long for You, O God. I thirst for You, the living God; when can I go and worship in Your presence’(42:1-2). He found great joy in worshipping the Lord: ‘Let Your light and Your truth guide me... to the place where You dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight...’(43:4). He worshipped God with his whole heart: ‘O God, You are my God, and I long for You. My whole being desires You... my soul is thirsty for You’(63:1). This is real worship, joyful worship, heartfelt worship. May God help us to worship Him like that!
Psalms 85:1-13
We are to pray for revival - ‘Restore us again, O God our Saviour... Will You not revive us again that Your people may rejoice in You?’(4,6). We are to pray that God will ‘grant us His salvation’. We are to pray that ‘His saving presence will remain in our land’. We must pray that ‘His glory may dwell in our land’(7,9). We are to pray for real listening - ‘I will listen to what God the Lord will say’- , a real turning to the Lord - ‘turning to Him in our hearts’- , and a real sense of His blessing - ‘He will speak peace to His people’(8). Prayer for revival does not begin as a prayer for others. It begins with ourselves: ‘O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee; send a revival - start the work in me’. It begins with this prayer: “Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine; fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine’(Mission Praise, 587).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘How I love Your Temple, Almighty Lord! How I want to be there! I long to be in the Lord’s Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God’(1-2). This is much more than paying lip-service to the Lord. This is real. Worshipping the Lord meant everything to the Psalmist: ‘I long for You, O God. I thirst for You, the living God; when can I go and worship in Your presence’(42:1-2). He found great joy in worshipping the Lord: ‘Let Your light and Your truth guide me... to the place where You dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight...’(43:4). He worshipped God with his whole heart: ‘O God, You are my God, and I long for You. My whole being desires You... my soul is thirsty for You’(63:1). This is real worship, joyful worship, heartfelt worship. May God help us to worship Him like that!
Psalms 85:1-13
We are to pray for revival - ‘Restore us again, O God our Saviour... Will You not revive us again that Your people may rejoice in You?’(4,6). We are to pray that God will ‘grant us His salvation’. We are to pray that ‘His saving presence will remain in our land’. We must pray that ‘His glory may dwell in our land’(7,9). We are to pray for real listening - ‘I will listen to what God the Lord will say’- , a real turning to the Lord - ‘turning to Him in our hearts’- , and a real sense of His blessing - ‘He will speak peace to His people’(8). Prayer for revival does not begin as a prayer for others. It begins with ourselves: ‘O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee; send a revival - start the work in me’. It begins with this prayer: “Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine; fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine’(Mission Praise, 587).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Keep Your Eyes On Christ. He Will Keep You From Falling.
Psalm 72:1-20
Read the words - ‘His Name’ shall ‘endure for ever’(17) - and think of Christ. His Name is ‘the Name above all other names’. He is ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’(Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16). Read the words - ‘all nations call Him blessed’(17) - , and think of Christ. ‘From every tribe and language and people and nation’, God’s people have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (Revelation 5:9). Read the words -‘May His glory fill the whole earth!’(19) - and think of Christ. In the ‘new heaven and new earth’, ‘the holy city’ will shine with ‘the glory of God’. ‘Its radiance’, ‘like a very precious jewel’, will be shining from this ‘lamp’: Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(Revelation 21:1-2,10-11,23; John 1:29).
Psalm 73:1-28
It is so easy for us to lose our way - ‘my feet had almost stumbled’. We look at ‘the prosperity of the wicked’ and we become ‘envious of the arrogant’(2-3). What are we to do when the worldly attitude threatens to take control of us? We must remember the Lord, drawing near to Him in worship and standing up for Him in witness. When others are forgetting about God, we must continue to take our place in ‘the sanctuary of God’(17). In an age when so many show no interest in worshipping God, we must continue to say, ‘for me, it is good to be near God’. Our worship is not to end the moment we leave the place of worship. We are to tell others what the Lord ‘has done’ for us - ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together!’(28; 34:3).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Read the words - ‘His Name’ shall ‘endure for ever’(17) - and think of Christ. His Name is ‘the Name above all other names’. He is ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords’(Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16). Read the words - ‘all nations call Him blessed’(17) - , and think of Christ. ‘From every tribe and language and people and nation’, God’s people have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (Revelation 5:9). Read the words -‘May His glory fill the whole earth!’(19) - and think of Christ. In the ‘new heaven and new earth’, ‘the holy city’ will shine with ‘the glory of God’. ‘Its radiance’, ‘like a very precious jewel’, will be shining from this ‘lamp’: Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(Revelation 21:1-2,10-11,23; John 1:29).
Psalm 73:1-28
It is so easy for us to lose our way - ‘my feet had almost stumbled’. We look at ‘the prosperity of the wicked’ and we become ‘envious of the arrogant’(2-3). What are we to do when the worldly attitude threatens to take control of us? We must remember the Lord, drawing near to Him in worship and standing up for Him in witness. When others are forgetting about God, we must continue to take our place in ‘the sanctuary of God’(17). In an age when so many show no interest in worshipping God, we must continue to say, ‘for me, it is good to be near God’. Our worship is not to end the moment we leave the place of worship. We are to tell others what the Lord ‘has done’ for us - ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together!’(28; 34:3).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Think of Christ's Love. Think Of His Power. Let Your Heart Be Filled With Praise To Him.
Psalms 58:1-59:17
‘Surely there is a God who judges the earth’(58:11). Let these words send you to the Saviour. ‘Deliver me from my enemies, O my God’(59:1). Take this prayer with you to the Cross of Christ. There, at the Cross, you will meet the Saviour - ‘My God in His steadfast love will meet me’. In our Saviour, we have the victory over our enemy, Satan - ‘My God will let me look in triumph on my enemies’(59:10). What a Saviour we have! Think of His love. Think of His power. Let your heart be filled with praise to Him - ‘I will sing of Your strength... I will sing of Your love... O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my Fortress, my loving God’(16-17). What a great salvation God has given to us in Christ - the forgiveness of our sins, victory over our enemies and eternal life (1 John 1:7,9; 3:8; 5:4-5,11-13).
Psalms 60:1-61:8
There is so much to hold us back from worshipping and serving the Lord. We could so easily become discouraged. We need the encouragement of God’s Word. This is what we have here: ‘With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies’(12). At times, it may seem like our enemies have the upper hand. When we feel like this, we must remember the Lord - He is ‘a strong tower against the enemy’(61:3). When things seem to be getting out of control, we must fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ - He is ‘enthroned for ever’(61:7). ‘Day after day’, He calls us to worship Him and to live as His servants. He calls us to receive ‘His mercy... new every morning’, to be ‘renewed day by day’(61:8; Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Surely there is a God who judges the earth’(58:11). Let these words send you to the Saviour. ‘Deliver me from my enemies, O my God’(59:1). Take this prayer with you to the Cross of Christ. There, at the Cross, you will meet the Saviour - ‘My God in His steadfast love will meet me’. In our Saviour, we have the victory over our enemy, Satan - ‘My God will let me look in triumph on my enemies’(59:10). What a Saviour we have! Think of His love. Think of His power. Let your heart be filled with praise to Him - ‘I will sing of Your strength... I will sing of Your love... O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my Fortress, my loving God’(16-17). What a great salvation God has given to us in Christ - the forgiveness of our sins, victory over our enemies and eternal life (1 John 1:7,9; 3:8; 5:4-5,11-13).
Psalms 60:1-61:8
There is so much to hold us back from worshipping and serving the Lord. We could so easily become discouraged. We need the encouragement of God’s Word. This is what we have here: ‘With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies’(12). At times, it may seem like our enemies have the upper hand. When we feel like this, we must remember the Lord - He is ‘a strong tower against the enemy’(61:3). When things seem to be getting out of control, we must fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ - He is ‘enthroned for ever’(61:7). ‘Day after day’, He calls us to worship Him and to live as His servants. He calls us to receive ‘His mercy... new every morning’, to be ‘renewed day by day’(61:8; Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
What Kind Of Life Are You Living?
Psalm 39:1-13
Some live to a ripe old age. Some die young. How does God view our time on this earth? - This is what the Psalmist says, ‘My life span is nothing compared with Yours’(5). The quality of our living is more important than the quantity of our years. “How am I living?’- This is the question of quality. It is more important than the question of quantity - “How long have I lived?”. “What am I doing with my life?”- This is the question each of us must answer. Life is not only about survival - living for a long time. It is about revival - living in the light of eternity. The Psalmist asks the question - ‘Lord, what am I waiting for?’. He gives his answer - ‘My hope is in You’(7). Let us live as ‘citizens of heaven’- ‘We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Saviour’(Philippians 3:20).
Psalm 40:1-17
We have been saved by the Lord: ‘He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my feet secure’(2). He calls us to a life of worship and witness. We are to worship Him with ‘a new song...a song of praise to our God’(3). We are to be His witnesses, sharing with others the Good News of His salvation: ‘I have not hid Thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation...’(10). God has given out His call to worship and witness. May our response be like the Psalmist’s: ‘I delight to do Thy will, O my God’. Let us worship the Lord - ‘Great is the Lord’. Let us be His witnesses - ‘I have told the glad news of deliverance’. Let us pray for the Lord’s help: ‘let Thy steadfast love and Thy faithfulness ever preserve me!’(8,16,9,11).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Some live to a ripe old age. Some die young. How does God view our time on this earth? - This is what the Psalmist says, ‘My life span is nothing compared with Yours’(5). The quality of our living is more important than the quantity of our years. “How am I living?’- This is the question of quality. It is more important than the question of quantity - “How long have I lived?”. “What am I doing with my life?”- This is the question each of us must answer. Life is not only about survival - living for a long time. It is about revival - living in the light of eternity. The Psalmist asks the question - ‘Lord, what am I waiting for?’. He gives his answer - ‘My hope is in You’(7). Let us live as ‘citizens of heaven’- ‘We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Saviour’(Philippians 3:20).
Psalm 40:1-17
We have been saved by the Lord: ‘He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my feet secure’(2). He calls us to a life of worship and witness. We are to worship Him with ‘a new song...a song of praise to our God’(3). We are to be His witnesses, sharing with others the Good News of His salvation: ‘I have not hid Thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation...’(10). God has given out His call to worship and witness. May our response be like the Psalmist’s: ‘I delight to do Thy will, O my God’. Let us worship the Lord - ‘Great is the Lord’. Let us be His witnesses - ‘I have told the glad news of deliverance’. Let us pray for the Lord’s help: ‘let Thy steadfast love and Thy faithfulness ever preserve me!’(8,16,9,11).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Worshipping The Lord With Joy
‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord”’ (Psalm 122:2).
Why do we go to the House of the Lord?
* We go ‘to give thanks to the Name of the Lord’ (Psalm 122:4).
* We seek His mercy for our past sins: ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!’(Psalm 123:3).
* We seek His help for our future temptations: ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord…’ (Psalm 124:8).
As we receive mercy and help from the Lord, we worship Him: ‘Blessed be the Lord’ (Psalm 124:6).
In our worship, we ‘look to the Lord our God’, drawing encouragement from His Word: ‘The Lord is on our side’- In Him we have the victory (Psalms 123:2; 124:1-5).
Rejoicing in God’s blessing, we pray for others: ‘May they prosper who love You’ (Psalm 122:6).Awaiting Christ’s Return , Let Us Worship God And Walk In His Ways.
God calls us to worship Him - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…’- and walk in His ways - ‘Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord’ (Isaiah 2:3, 5).
We are moving towards the Day when ‘the pride of men shall be humbled and brought low’, the Day when ‘the Lord alone will be exalted’ (Isaiah 2:11, 12, 17).
How are we to get ready for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ? God calls us to keep on worshipping Him. We are to encourage one another to keep on walking with God. ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching’(Hebrews 10:25).
Let our pride be humbled and let the Lord be exalted as we await Christ’s Return in ‘faith’, looking to Him alone for our ‘salvation’(1 Peter 1:7-9).
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