Discover The Book Ministries050814AM COR-12 LHC-09 REFUGE FOR THE LONELY.ABANDONED.PSALM 13 Christ our Refuge: Loneliness of Life—Feeling Abandoned Psalm 13 Everything was going so well for so long—Goliath, worship leader for the king, warrior, king’s cabinet, king’s son-in-law and then everything fell apart! Christ is our Refuge—but not if we can’t see His open arms. Sometimes, in the […]
Just As I am
050814PM COR-13 REFUGE FOR THE LONELY.THE PITS.PSALM 40 Christ our Refuge: Loneliness of Life— Just as I am in the Pits Psalm 40 Christ is our refuge; we can flee to Him at any time and in any condition—and He will never turn anyone away. In a pitiful muddy mess David trudges to the Lord. […]
Pathway to the Pits
050820AM COR-14 Refuge for the Lonely.The Pathway to the Pits.Psalm 40.doc Christ our Refuge: Loneliness. Life in the Pits Psalm 40 This message is available for free as part of the COR-Christ our Refuge Series as an MP3, text file or an entire series download at: www.dtbm.org Fleeing to Christ as our refuge works in […]
Finding Christ in the Pits
050827AM COR-15 Refuge for the Lonely.Finding Christ in the Pits.Psalm 40.doc Christ our Refuge: Loneliness. Finding Christ in the Pits Psalm 40 This message is available for free as part of the Christ our Refuge Series as an MP3, text file or an entire series download at: www.dtbm.org As we open to Psalm 40 this […]
Escaping the Pits
COR-16 050828PM How does God rescue us from all the pits we fall into through life? That’s what Psalm 40 is all about! The Pathway out of the Pits Christ is our refuge we can flee to Him at any time and in any condition—and He will never turn anyone away. So how did […]
Rejoicing in the Pits
050904AM COR-17 REFUGE FOR THE LONELY.REJOICING IN THE PITS.PSALM 40 Christ our Refuge: Loneliness. Rejoicing in the Pits Psalm 40, 70 Since Hurricane Katrina hit last Sunday— • Millions of lives have been disrupted. • Tens of thousands have lost everything. • Tens of thousands are homeless. • Thousands are out of touch with friends […]
Praying from the Pits
COR-18 050904PM The last two steps in the pathway out of the pits of life are prayer and praise. Psalm 40 shows us that praying and praising gets us through the pits. In fact if we back up through all we have seen so far—it all makes so much sense. When we pray we […]
Living and Working with a Tough Crowd
051016AM COR-23 MINISTERING IN CAVE.PSALM 57 Christ our Refuge: Living and Working with a Tough Crowd Psalm 57 This message is available for free as part of the COR-Christ our Refuge Series as an MP3, text file or an entire series download at: www.dtbm.org Every day, most of us leave from home to study or […]
Life in the Minor Key
051030AM COR-24 SOULIN PRISON. PSALM 142.DOC Christ our Refuge: Life in the Minor Key: Is Depression Sin? Psalm 142 Most of the Bible is in the major key. Saints fearlessly witnessing, churches valiantly serving against all odds—and what a joy those sections are to our souls. But side-by-side with all that is the minor key. […]
Bring My Soul Out of Prison
051030PM COR-25 SOUL IN PRISON. PSALM 142.DOC Christ our Refuge: Bring my Soul out of Prison Psalm 142 THERE ARE NO SUPER SAINTS! That is the first lesson of our look at David tonight. We all struggle with the same challenges in life—that is the message of James 5.17. James 5:17 Elijah was a man […]
Coming Back to God
ACL-19 DAV-13 DSS-40 971102am COMING BACK TO GOD JAMES 1:13-16 DAVID ON PSALM 51 Where have all the songs gone? The ornate halls of Jerusalem’s royal palace were strangely silent these days. It seemed as if David had lost his voice. In days past sweet songs of God’s power were often heard coming from the […]
Set Free
ACL-20 971109AM 59-16 FORGIVEN “THE SONG OF A SOUL SET FREE JAMES SERIES 59-16 PSALM 32 One day which was just like all the other days, the generals of King David’s cabinet made their way to the palace. Walking the cobbled streets up the winding way to the palace as they did each morning. Arriving […]
Learning from Failures
ACL-21 DAV-12 971116AM DAVID PSALM 32 “LEARNING FROM FAILURE” PSALM 32 This morning we need to soberly look at a story of two men. Men who towered over their generations. Men who held the highest offices to be had on earth. Yet from their privileged position one is elevated to heavenly proportions and the other […]
Portrait of Scripture
ZNA-421 890604AM Ps19-1 A PORTRAIT OF SCRIPTURE PSALM 19 PART #1 Perhaps the clearest picture of the Power of Scripture was painted by a shepherd boy on a grassy hill in the Middle East 3,000 years ago. Unquestionably the most majestic and awesome affirmation of the Divine Scriptures is in Psalm 19. As we turn […]
Divine Directions
ZNA-411 890813PM DIVINE DIRECTIONS Psalm 19:8a Psalm 19:8 Let’s dig in and see the first half of this verse. The Statutes = KD says: “declarations concerning man’s obligations” Scroggie said: “God’s directions designed to secure obedience and check disobedience” Others have “God’s guidelines for living” said: The word statute or precepts is the Hebrew word […]
Divine Decrees
ZNA-409 890827PM Ps19-5 DIVINE DECREES PSALM 19:8B Our precious portion of scripture to meditate upon in our study this evening is Ps. 19:8. Note the second half. This is the fourth of six sets of divine snapshots of the perfect sufficiency of God’s word each focuses on a special facet of God’s written revelation. Our […]
Judgment of God
ZNA-404 890924PM Ps19-7 JUDGMENTS OF GOD PSALM 19:9B As we open our Bibles to the Psalm extolling the majesty of God’s word, Psalm 19:9 is our text. Many years ago a missionary statesman stood holding a well worn Bible and said: Though the cover is worn and pages torn… and places bore traces of tears– […]
God’s Plan for the Family Pt 1
ZNA-233 930502AM FAMILY-1 FAMILY SERIES PART ONE GOD HAS NO GRANDCHILDREN PSALM 78 A biblical family is a choice every generation must make. This morning each of us is either a personal member of God’s family or not. You can’t get spiritual life by association, only by personal reception… To best understand the biblical family […]
A Song of the Word Psalm 19
ZNA-90 970406AM The Song of the Word Psalm 19 On 9/22/96 we began a journey. We have studied the Psalm or Song of the Word. As we open our Bibles to the Psalm extolling the majesty of God’s word, Psalm 19 years ago a missionary statesman stood holding a well worn Bible and said: Though […]
Thirsting After God
DAV-01 ZNA-66 981101AM David # 1 “DAVID: THIRSTING AFTER GOD” THE SECRET OF A LIFE THAT IS SATISFIED AT ALL TIMES PSALM 63 This past Wednesday I preached at my home church. The church where I was saved and baptized and dedicated my life to the Lord and preached my first sermon— which by […]
Thirsting for God When Depressed
DAV-02 ZNA-65 981101PM David #2 Psalm 142 CONFESSIONS OF A CAVEMAN PSALM 142 THIRSTING FOR GOD SERIES Turn in your Bible to the 142nd Psalm. It sure has been a wonderful evening. I can’t think of many things that are more delightful than little lives as D. L. Moody used to always say: children […]
Blessings OF Afflictions 8
031019AM WFL-32 DOAGL-32 Psalm 119-13 Afflictions-8 The Disciplines of a Godly Life: Meditation Psalm 119: Part 12 The Blessing of Affliction – Bringing God to Our Doorstep This morning you and I are just a heartbeat, just a brainwave, just a breath – away from the Door to Eternity. For a moment can I remind […]
Blessings Of Afflictions 5
030921AM WFL-29 DOAGL-29 Psalm 119-10 The Disciplines of a Godly Life: Meditation Psalm 119: Part 10 The Blessing of Affliction – We Get Focused on Our Teacher Two old men sat down and wrote their summary of life. One was the father, the other his son. Both wrote under the inspiration of God’s Spirit. Both […]
Ezra and the 119th Psalm
WFL-20 030622AM God has designed a plan for the complete takeover of your heart and mind. He wants us to ponder — What are we here for? If we lose sight of our purpose in life, we often compensate by increasing motion. Yet it is motion without purpose. Daily time in the presence of […]
Longing for God
WFL-19 030608AM From the earliest times Ein Gedi has been known and inhabited by desert travelers. From the rocks there flows the coolest, sweetest, and freshest waters imaginable. The contrast between the stark and barren and lifeless shores of the Dead Sea and the sun baked mountains that ring it – and the lush green […]
What Happens in Heaven When We Give?
WFL-08 030223AM What does God need? Our all sufficient Lord needs nothing. Then what does God want? God’s Word tells us He seeks only two things: to save the lost and for them to worship Him! So as believers, found by our Savior, what does God want from us? For us to willingly […]
Are You Laying Treasures in Heaven?
WFL-06 030209AM Genesis honors Abel for GIVING the offering that pleased the Lord; Enoch for GIVING God his walk; Abraham for GIVING God his faith; Joseph for GIVING God his life with its hurts and fears. Exodus records that only the families GIVING the Lord what He desired were saved on Passover. Leviticus portrays crowds […]
The Discipline of Stewardship of Our Life
WFL-03 030112AM His movement became the fastest growing system in the history of the world. By 1980 his followers controlled almost 4/6ths of the world — and brutally held on to their power. Solzhenitsyn[1] said in the mid-1970’s that the salamander, by which he means the prison-camp network, is still alive. In The Gulag Archipelago (Vol. II, 1975) he […]
The Discipline of Scripture Reading
WFL-01 021229AM With each new year that comes, it is time to rethink our plans and priorities. To help us settle in on what the Lord desires for each of us, we need to refresh our minds with God’s plan. One key passage is I Timothy 4:7. Paul says we are to discipline our selves […]
David – Illuminating Power of Suffering
SUF-04 951112PM The Lord’s Purpose for Pain is that Suffering for God Enables Us to Experience: The Song Giving Power of Suffering in Paul and Silas’ Life Acts 16 and the Philippian JailPsalm 142 The Sight giving Power of Suffering in Job’s Life TO SEE GOD CLEARLY God takes Job on a divinely guided tour of pain. Along the way He teaches […]
Psalms – Christ Our Worship
OTI-19 970312WE The Psalms are preeminently focused upon our Triune God. His character is more clearly and dramatically proclaimed here than in any other book of the Bible. Divine Names are prominently in use: Adonai “Lord,” occurs 63 times, El and Elohim “God” occur 427 times, and the name Yahweh is found no less than […]
Is the Holocaust in Psalm 102?
MOI-03 NR5-09 010211PM This evening have you ever connected the happenings in the world, in our newspapers, history books, and on the evening news – with God’s Word the BIBLE? To begin with open to Isaiah 11:11 as God describes the 2nd Return of His People. The 1st was after the Babylonian Exile in 586 BC, this is […]
Find Hope in Christ’s Majesty-II
A Refuge for the Abandoned LHC-09 Christ Our Refuge Aug 14, 2005 | Psalm 13 tags: cor, 050814am Everything was going so well for so long—Goliath, worship leader for the king, warrior, king’s cabinet, king’s son-in-law and then everything fell apart! Christ is our Refuge—but not if we can’t see His open arms. Sometimes, […]
Thanks to God
EBG-16 SPC-56 981122AM American History chronicles numerous events called the “first” Thanksgiving. Perhaps the earliest recorded Thanksgiving celebration occurred 57 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1621. The first American Thanksgiving was at a small colony of French Huguenots[1] who established a settlement near present-day Jacksonville, Florida. On June 30, 1564, their leader, Rene de Laudonniere, […]
David – Turning Lonely Hours into Worship Time
061112PM DSS-49 David–Life of Worshiping God Psalm 63 DSS-43.doc David: A Life of Worshiping God Psalm 6 A life long personal pursuit of worshiping God is not only what God came seeking for (John 4), and what we will be doing forever as Revelation 4 onward teaches us—it is what we are to be now. […]
David – A Long Obedience in Worshiping God
DSS-48 061112AM David – A Long Obedience in Worshiping God This morning as we listen to his voice in Psalm 63—David is an old man, all alone, staying in the Judean Wilderness (code for the Dead Sea area) one of the most desolate spots on earth, and on the run from his own son Absalom. That […]
David – Ending Well by Going to the House of the Lord Forever
DSS-45 061022PM David ended well because his whole life was built around heading towards his eternal home. I would like to begin this evening where every verse in the Bible ends—with Jesus Christ. God’s Word ends with Jesus inviting us to join Him in Heaven. Revelation 22:20-21 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am […]
David – Ending Well by Fearing No Evil
061022AM DSS-44 David–Fearing No Evil DSS-38.doc David: Ending Well by— Fearing No Evil Psalm 23:4 Please open with me to Ecclesiastes 12. When God describes what happens as we age, he calls it difficult times or even “evil” days. Old age can become a time when life is hardest, strength is least, and evil is […]
David – Living Life Purposefully
061008AM DSS-42 David–Living Purposefully Psalm 71 David: Ending Well by— Living Purposefully Psalm 71 Jesus gave all of us something to look forward to. He told us what He would like to say to each of us when we arrive safely home to dwell with Him forever–“Well done good and faithful servant”! Christ’s well done […]
David – Ending Well
061008AM DSS-41 David–Living Purposefully Psalm 71 David: Ending Well by— Living Purposefully Psalm 71 Jesus gave all of us something to look forward to. He told us what He would like to say to each of us when we arrive safely home to dwell with Him forever–“Well done good and faithful servant”! Christ’s well done […]
David – Living Deliberately
060910AM DSS-39 David–Living Deliberately: No Coasting Allowed Psalm 31 David: Living Deliberately for God No Coasting Allowed Psalm 31 This morning Psalm 31 confronts all of us with a serious question—“Am I seeking the Lord deliberately with all my heart—or just coasting along spiritually”? Many weeks ago when we began this look at David’s life […]
David – Handling Betrayal in a Godly Way
060827PM DSS-37 David–Sleeping Grace Psalm 3 David: Sleeping in the Shadow of Danger Or The Grace of Sleep Psalm 3 In the midst of the worst time of his life David fell sound asleep. In the midst of one of the most dangerous situations David had ever faced he relaxed, sang a song to the […]
David – How to Respond when Slandered and Abused
060827AM DSS-35 David–Facing Painful Abuse Psalm 3 David: How to Respond When Attacked, Slandered and Painfully Abused Enduring Abuse 2 Samuel 16:1-14 One of the oldest and meanest tricks in the book is to hit someone when they’re down. Just sneak up on them when they are distracted by something else and hit them with […]
David Conquers
900318PM DAV-10 DSS-34 WFL-41 LIFE OF DAVID PART #6 DAVID CONQUERS PSALM 18 David – our focus these past weeks! Why? Because he’s so much like all of us… Loves God Falls… Sins… Discouraged… Encouraged… Righteous… Conquers… Worships God… In fact, David and Psalms (1/2 he wrote) mirror nearly all our lives the ups and […]
David – When Life Doesn’t Turn Out as Planned
DSS-33 060820PM Psalm 3 There is probably no more touching, poignant moment in all the incredible life of David than the scene of 2 Samuel 15:13-37. To the loud wails of the country people who watched (v. 23) a somber band of commanders in their armor walked in formation. They were surrounding the King of […]
David – Facing Consequences
060820AM DSS-31 David–Finding Daily Treasures Psalm 51 David: Finding the Treasures of God The Priceless Treasure of Forgiveness PSALM 51 Psalm 51 is a treasure display, much like the Florida museum of treasure hunter Mel Fisher, where case after case displays priceless gold and gems from shipwrecks on the sea bottom, so David has laid […]
David – Facing Consequences
060813PM DSS-29 David.Man Broke All Ten Psalm 51 David: The Man Who Broke All the Commandments Our Most Critical Needs PSALM 51 When David stood at the other end of Nathan’s boney finger, pointed directly in his face—he was guilty, and he knew it. David had broken every law in the book, God’s Book. DAVID […]
David – Purge Me
060813AM DSS-28 David.Cleanse Me Psalm 51 David: Cleanse Me PSALM 51:1-7 Have you ever felt so dirty that you just can’t stand it any longer? There is nothing like a good hot bath after camping for a few days, or working in the attic or barn—when you feel dirty, completely grimy, sweaty and stinky. That […]
David – A Forgiven Sinner
060723PM DSS-27 David–I Am Guilty Psalm 51 David: I am Guilty PSALM 51 I am guilty. I was wrong. I am sorry—please take from me the just punishment I deserve. So begins the greatest song about the love of God experienced by a most desperate man named David. David was overwhelmed. In a moment he […]
David – Coming Back to God
060723AM DSS-26 David–Coming Back to God Psalm 51 David: Coming Back to God PSALM 51 David fell so far, so fast—he didn’t even realize it until the dullness of his soul spread to every inch of his spiritual life. Soon his cold heart was combined with his tormented soul and trapped in a painfully chastened […]
David – Enjoying the Benefits of Being Forgiven
060716AM DSS-25 Forgiveness in the Present Tense Psalm 32.doc David: Forgiveness in the Present Tense PSALM 32 Forgiveness. Nothing matters more to any who have sinned—and God says all have sinned. One moment before your last breath, one thing will matter more than anything else— whether you are dying forgiven or unforgiven. That state (of […]
David – The Joy of Complete Forgiveness
060701PM DSS-24 How was David Forgiven Psalm 32 David: How Does God Completely Forgive? PSALM 32 The Miracle of Complete Forgiveness is wonderful, but how did God do such a thing? This evening we will start a look at our salvation and how God accomplished the once and for all sacrifice of Christ for our […]
The Miracle of Complete Forgiveness
060701AM DSS-23 David–The Miracle of Complete Forgiveness Psalm 32 .doc David: The Miracle of Complete Forgiveness PSALM 32 Have you ever wondered secretly in the back of your mind if you could be completely forgiven of all your sins? I mean the really bad ones that most or nearly all people don’t know about? COMPLETELY […]
David – The Song of a Soul Set Free
060625PM DSS-22 David–Song of a Soul Set Free Psalm 32 .doc David: The Song of a Soul Set Free PSALM 32 One day the generals of King David’s cabinet made their way to the palace. They walked the cobbled streets up the winding way to the palace, as they did each morning. Arriving at the […]
Confessoins of a Caveman
900225PM DAV-09 David-9 CONFESSIONS OF A CAVEMAN PART #9 PSALM 142 THE TAPE STARTS HERE: (is some of this message missing?) Ah there’s that word again: Loving loyalty to us— His faithfulness because we belong to Him and He’s going to send His lovingkindness and His truth. What a blessing to know that when we’re […]
No Regret Families
011112PM GDGW-9 HOW TO HAVE A NO REGRET MARRIAGE AND FAMILY Psalm 127-128 DWM-05 WFF-09 The Four Stages of a No-Regret Marriage and Family Psalm 127-128 When your life is done, and you look back those last few weeks or months that you have before cancer, or heart or respiratory problems overtake you – will […]
Praying With Personal Integrity
090830AM DWM-15 Praying.doc Praying with Personal Integrity Psalm 66:18 DWM-50 One of the greatest tools God gave us was the tool that the Apostle Paul used so widely. Prayers from a heart and life of integrity can touch the whole world. Paul lived in integrity. As he faced prison for his testimony he declared […]
The Life Changing Book
960922AM BYT-10 Open your Bibles to the Psalm extolling the majesty of God’s word, Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (KJV) Many years ago a missionary statesman stood holding a well worn Bible and said: Though the cover is worn […]
The Power Of Scripture
960929AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 BYT-11 Part #2 Perhaps the clearest picture of the Power of Scripture was painted by a shepherd boy on a grassy hill in the Middle East 3,000 years ago. Unquestionably the most majestic and awesome affirmation of the Divine Scriptures is in Psalm 19. As we […]
Have You Met Your Creator
961103AM BYT-12 Genesis 1: The first words the Bible opens are the Creator introducing Himself to us, His creations. “In the beginning God . . . “ John 1: The Gospels start and Jesus is introduced as the Creator announcing His coming to earth “In the beginning was the Word . . .all things were made by Him […]
God’s Word – The Divine Teacher
961110AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part #5 BYT-13 “God’s Word: The Divine Teacher” Our text this morning is Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (KJV) IN THE DRAWING ROOM (1954 R.B. Munger) We […]
Restoring The Soul
961117AM BYT-14 The source that gives ultimate light is the sublimely described Scriptures.Psalm 19:7-9 has six synonyms for God’s Word and twelve qualities ascribed to it. Each of these 18 descriptions of the Word of God is an inspired photo of the divine power of God’s Word. It is sufficient. It can absolutely meet its purpose! […]
God’s Word Restores The Soul
961124AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part #6 BYT-15 “God’s Word: Restoring the Soul” Our world[1] is filled with mysteries. For thousands of years humans have lived, left their accomplishments and died. Only in our day of global travel and television has the magnitude of these ancient mysteries been confirmed. Who constructed the […]
The Divine Witness
961201AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 7 BYT-16 God’s Word: the divine Witness Do you know what Abraham Lincoln had in his pockets the night of his assassination at the Ford Theater? The actor John Wilkes Booth, shot and mortally wounded the 16th president of the US, on April […]
The Security Of The Divine Directions
961208AM BYT-17 Flight 961 It was a typical flight. One that occurs thousands of times every day around the world. Ethiopian Air Flight 961 took off November 23rd, 1996 from Addis Ababa. Onboard were 163 passengers and 12 crew members. Among those flying that Saturday were Mr. & Mrs. Andy Meakins. Andy was an elder at […]
Follow The Divine Directions Or Face Disaster
961215AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 8 DIVINE DIRECTIONS BYT-18 Psalm 19:8a Psalm 19:8 The statutes [or directions] of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: (KJV) “God’s directions are the only way to make it to happiness now and forever!!” God has given guidelines for life. What happens if you […]
The Glory Of God
961222AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 10 the DIVINE decrees Psalm 19:8b BYT-19 “The glory of God” On an unnamed hill, surrounded by sheep contentedly munching their grass, a handful of shepherds witnessed the greatest sound and light show ever staged. God’s birth announcement filled the front page of the sky […]
Our Glorious Lord
961229AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 10 the DIVINE decrees Psalm 19:8b BYT-20 “our glorious God” Please open with me to Luke 9:28 on our way to our study of Psalm 19. 19Come with me to the place Jesus let His Glory shine. Come to that hallowed spot that Peter couldn’t […]
Fearing God
970105AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 12 “fearing god” Psalm 19:9a BYT-21 the divine condition The fear of the Lord may best be described in the lives of two shepherd boys. Both knew only nomadic life. Following the pasture. Feeding the sheep. Leading the flock. Protecting the weak. It was a […]
The Divine Condition
970119AM Ps19-12 The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 12 Psalm 19:9a BYT-22 “fearing god” Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (NKJV) The pre-eminate attribute of God is His HOLINESS. All other aspects of His character radiate […]
Liberating Truth
970202AM THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE PSALM 19 PART # 12 PSALM 19:9B BYT-23 “LIBERATING TRUTH” As you open your copy of God’s Divine Truth this morning, turn to Psalm 19:9. History records one tragic life lived off the pathway of truth. Let’s heed it! [1] Who really cared? His was a routine […]
Worship Is Better Than Gold, Sweeter Than Honey
970209AM BYT-24 Worshiping God is the highest calling we can have as His creation. We were created to worship God. Yet I find more resistance in my life to worship than anything else. Distractions pour in, doubts arise and the constant downward tug of the world, the flesh and the devil all make it hard. […]
Warned and Rewarded
970223AM BYT-25 We all are surrounded each day by warnings of every kind; that bothersome seat belt alarm in our cars, the smoke detectors when the toast gets stuck in the toaster, labels on food warning that it has too much fat or sugar and so on! Radiation, sun, and air are all dangerous, we […]
God’s Rewarded
970302AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 16 Psalm 19:11 “Great Rewards” BYT-26 ILLUSTRATION: RIMMER LETTER As you turn to this portion of Scripture let me read a letter[1] Dr. Harry Rimmer wrote in 1953, just a week before his death. He wrote to the great radio Bible teacher, Dr. Charles Fuller […]
What God Rewards
970316AM.DOC The Power of Scripture Psalm 19 Part # 17 Psalm 19:11 “Great Rewards” BYT-27 Psalm 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: [and] in keeping of them [there is] great reward. (KJV) Have you ever heard anyone say, “Well you can’t take it with you!” That is true. God no less […]
The Final Generation – Psalm 83, ISIS, Islamic Hatred of Israel & God’s Plan for the Future
Q&A-92 150830PM
The Justifying Death of Christ Opens for me the Sanctifying Life of Christ – The Sword of the Spirit Explained in Psalm 119
161113AM SWS-37 The Justifying Death of Christ Opens for me the Sanctifying Life of Christ: The Sword of the Spirit Explained in Psalm 119 Ephesians 6:17 & Psalm 119 We are looking at the final piece of our spiritual armor from Ephesians 6:17, which is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of […]
Psalm 119 – The Bible’s Longest Chapter is a Spiritual Diary on How to Use God’s Word as the Sword of the Spirit
161016AM SWS-36 Psalm 119: Ezra’s Spiritual Diary on How to Use God’s Word as the Sword of the Spirit Ephesians 6:17 & Psalm 119 What does the Sword of the Spirit look like when used in the life of a believer? Psalm 119: The Bible’s Longest Chapter is a Spiritual Diary on How to […]
With Jesus in the School of Suffering
Please join me in Psalm 119 and look over God’s curriculum in “The School of Suffering”, where our Lord shares with us what He expects from each of us as we go through all the various painful forms of suffering, afflictions, trails, and troubles.
The longest chapter in the Bible is the summary of the entire Old Testament written by Ezra after he had copied all of the chapters of the Old Testament into what we would call Biblical Hebrew, In fact, the famous Dead Sea Scrolls would be copies of the scrolls that Ezra hand wrote as the founder of the Biblical Scribes.
When Ezra was inspired by God to write the 119th Psalm, God used him to give us the most complete explanation of how God uses suffering as a classroom to teach us lessons in His Great Faithfulness that can never be learned anywhere else.
Living for Jesus Through The School of Suffering
As we open to Psalm 119:71, we as a nation are in the midst of one of the most challenging times American’s have faced for over a generation. But as bad as it may seem, think about how hard life was here in the USA in 1917.
That year, World War I was sapping the finances, wearing down the resolve, and destroying the young men of this nation. In the midst of all that, there was no government security for the sick or unemployed.
People only lived on what they could make and scrape out on their farms or in the cities. Even the churches were struggling. So much so, that one church in Kentucky couldn’t afford to keep their pastor as a paid staff member any longer.
The Myth of the Perfect Family
There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. As we open to Psalm 127-128, we open to two of the most beautiful pictures of marriage and family life in all of God’s Word, captured on paper for us to read. God allows us to see marriage and family life from His perspective, with children described as growing like these healthy green, fruitful trees, entwined lovingly into our lives as parents, and growing with us in godliness.
The picture seen in this Psalm would be the dream come true for every parent who knows and loves God today. But we must balance this picture with the reality taught by the other 1187 chapters of God’s Word:
Engineered by God: Loving the Way God Made You
Each of us here this morning are engineered by God; and as we open to Psalm 139, He wants us to understand His intentional design and reflect His glory, by loving the way He made all of the unchangeable features of our lives.
One of the greatest reminders of God’s creative power is the reality that each of us humans who have ever lived are distinctly, uniquely, and wonderfully different. From our fingerprint, to our tongues, from our DNA to our lives—we are all spiritual snowflakes, truly one-of-a-kind.
Learning to Worship the Lord by Viewing Each Day Through the Lens of Scripture
Application is the best part of Bible study.
But, just like a “straight from the garden” meal, there is so much work to do. For food grown or caught, there are many stages to go through. Pick up and clean or wash; cut up and prepare; cook and serve-and then at last: the meal. There is nothing like fresh, homemade meals, in all the world. It is the best; and it is hard!
The same is true for Bible study. The passage must be hunted, the truths must be dug out and stored, then they are prepared into personally applicable truths, then the meal: the personal prayerful application.
David: How to Sleep When Fear Surrounds You
As we open to Psalm 3 we can note some details that set this Psalm apart as a very special Psalm to learn from:
First, this is the first of the Psalms, called a Psalm, note the superscript says: A Psalm, and no other Psalm before this one says that.
Secondly, this is the first Psalm attributed to David in the Psalter, note it says: A Psalm of David. There are 72 others after this one ascribed to David, but this is the first.
Third, this is the first time we see the term Selah used in a Psalm. After three occurrences in Psalm 3, Selah shows up 68 more times in 38 other Psalms. This term is a pause for emphasis and reflection upon what has just been stated.
And finally, this is the first inspired setting to any Psalm. Note the rest of the title to Psalm 3 that says: “A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son”. Here we find a message from God to each of us on how to deal with fear. David flees for his life, pursed by his own son. What a fearful and sad time in life. What a rich time to learn from the God who is able to help us in time of need.
David’s Roadmap: The Pathway Back to God
Psalm 51 is a roadmap to anyone who has ever gotten away from the Lord; it is a beacon that clearly captures for us the roadway back to God.
David fell so far, so fast, and he didn’t even realize it until the dullness of his soul spread to every inch of his spiritual life. Soon his cold and lonely heart was combined with his tormented soul and trapped in a painfully chastened body. And he stayed at the bottom like that for almost a year.
Does that length of time surprise you? After all, think of whom it was that had fallen so far away from the God he passionately loved and served. For David was a man who was:
Getting out of The Ditch of Sin
Reaping the Results of Holy Habits
As we open to Psalm 101, may I remind you of a transformational truth? Your habits are shaping your destiny, one little action at a time.
Habits are the default settings of our soul. When we do not consciously plan our behavior we are taken over by habit. It is easier to operate by habit, also sometimes called our instinct, than it is to consciously choose each act. Therefore perhaps the most powerful part of our lives is that box of mental auto-choices we call our habits. Be sure that you are choosing to reap the result of holy habits, not unholy ones.
Living Through the Pits of Life
As we open to Psalm 40, David feels life’s become like a horrible pit. Probably the closest public event that would mirror David’s life is what the quake-struck residents of Haiti and Chile have felt, going through in the ten plus weeks since the 7.0 quake hit Haiti on 1/12/10 and less than a month ago, the much larger 8.8 quake hit in Chile 2/27/10. Since these twin events[1]:
Millions of lives were disrupted.
Over 200,000 have died.
Nearly 100,000 are still homeless.
Tens of thousands got out of touch with friends and family.
Multiplied thousands are jobless, and have become refugees.
And all of them are unsure about the future.