TODAY’S DAILY READING: Psalm 96

Psalms 96:1
“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.”

A few years ago while visiting a church, this particular verse was shared during the praise and worship. The worship leader drew application from the verse by encouraging everyone to sing whatever came to their mind at the moment. The result was a vast array of voices singing, speaking and in some cases shouting out different things about the character of God. While I do not doubt the sincerity of the worship team, or the congregation for that matter, I wonder if that is the best application for this verse. The psalmist, a song writer himself is actually encouraging us to author our own song to the Lord.

Songs are often written out of experience. A person endures a difficulty in life and puts a poem to music that reflects the way they felt or the things they learned. The same is true when we have happy, sad or lonely experiences. Rarely are songs ever written without a story behind them. As a result, perhaps the Psalmist is encouraging us to experience more of the Lord so we have more to sing about. If you haven’t taken a step of faith lately, perhaps now would be a good time. The end will be that you have written a new song about the faithfulness of the Lord.

Take some time to pray about what new ways the Lord a wants you to serve Him.

Pastor Jim

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 17-18 & Psalms 93-94
Old Testament: 2 Kings 17- It’s A Secret

2 Kings 17:9
“Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city.”

Webster’s dictionary defines secret as, “kept from view or hidden.”mIt goes on to speak of something as “being covert or… Read More
2 Kings 18- Against The Odds

2 Kings 18:33
“Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?”

Assyria was on a campaign to conquer the world. Their armies were sent out to defeat any nation that showed the least resistance. Judah… Read More

Psalm 93- It Cannot Be Moved

Psalm 93:1
“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.”

It seems to me, if one thing is certain in life, it is that things are constantly moving. We live on a moving … Read More

Psalms 94:1-3
“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. Lord, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?”

There are certain Biblical topics that we love to avoid. While it is wonderful to share about the love, mercy and grace of God we are a bit more reluctant to speak regarding His holiness or the reality of divine judgment. The Bible however has much to say regarding God’s view of sin and the fact that the day is coming when He will exact vengeance on those who live in rebellion against Him.

It is not as though there are two irreconcilable sides of God’s personality. His mercy and His vengeance both stem from His great love. His love for all humanity and desire for the salvation of every man woman and child in the world cause Him to endure the mocking jeers of the rebel as well as allowing His children to suffer the weight of an increasingly ungodly world. When your heart breaks over the condition of the world think about how God is holding back His judgment so that sinners have time to hear ad respond to the message of the Gospel. But the day is coming when God will exact His vengeance on this fallen and rebellious planet. The cries of His people for justice are stored up in the throne room of heaven and will one day be poured out on the earth and the workers of iniquity will be punished for their rebellion against God and their mistreatment of His children.

No man has to face the judgment of God. We can all avoid it by trusting in the work of Christ on the cross. If we choose to reject Christ then we are choosing to face the vengeance of God without the covering of Christ. Imagine standing alone and unguarded in the face of a violent storm with nothing to provide you with covering or protection.

Pastor Jim

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 15-16 & Psalms 91-92
Old Testament: 2 Kings 15- Still Here

2 Kings 15:4
“…the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.”

Over the years I have discovered something about myself, I am better at projects than I am at maintenance. My yard is a classic example. We worked hard to irrigate, lay sod, and plant trees, and our yard looked good for a little while. As time went on however, we discovered that neglect undid much of our labors, and before… Read More

Psalm 91- Falling

Psalm 91:7
“A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.”

The Psalmist is speaking of the benefits derived from living in an intimate, abiding relationship with God. Jesus also spoke on the same subject when He refered to Himself as the vine and us as the branches. He made it clear, the only way to bear fruit in our life was by remaining… Read More

Psalm 92- Planted In The House

Psalms 92:13
“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

It seems the devil and the Lord both understand the importance of the church. The Lord exhorts us regarding the need to be in fellowship, and the devil uses a wide array of tactics to keep us away. We have all heard phrases like,

“I am too busy.”

“No one was nice to me there.”… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 13-14 & Psalms 89-90
Old Testament: 2 Kings 13- Crying Out

2 Kings 13:4-5
“So Jehoahaz pleaded with the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. Then the Lord gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before.”… Read More

2 Kings 14- Secret Weapon

2 Kings 14:25
“He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.”

The Northern tribes of Israel reached the zenith of their strength under king Jeroboam II. Here we are given insight… Read More

Psalm 90- Time Management

Psalm 90:10
“The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.”

When we are young we think we will live forever; death, even aging, is for other people. As we age, we still cannot imagine a world of which we are not a part. Yet, the Psalmist is making clear, we have been designed by God with a shelf  life. In other words, one day we will expire. The bodies that we live in will no longer be able to sustain… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 11-12 & Psalms 87-88
Old Testament: 2 Kings 11- Armed And Dangerous

2 Kings 11:12
“And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, ‘Long live the king’”

There are times in life when we are required to do things that seem almost impossible. The odds are stacked against us… Read More

2 Kings 12- Giving

2 Kings 12:9
“Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord; and the priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the Lord.”

Young king Jehoash began his reign by repairing the Temple of the Lord. In order…Read More

Psalm 87- Gates Of Zion

Psalms 87:2
“The Lord loves the gates of Zion, More than all the dwellings of Jacob.”

Jerusalem is without question a beautiful place. It sits atop mount Moriah and is surrounded by the mountains of Judah. Standing on the Temple Mount you can look out in every direction and see the beautiful hill… Read More

Psalm 88- Where Do You Turn?

Psalm 88:3
“For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave.”

This Psalm is entitled, “A Contemplation of Heman.” Heman was one of Israel’s worship leaders. As such, he was a man who was committed to the Lord, and to His service. Yet, he describes a time in his life when trials have mounted up against… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 9-10 & Psalms 85-86
Old Testament: 2 Kings 9- Introspective

2 Kings 9:6
“Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.’”

Many men have been called and anointed by God for service. Unfortunately, too many follow the example of Jehu. He spent the… Read More

2 Kings 10- Part Way

2 Kings 10:31
“But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.”

When Jehu became king of Israel, he went on a rampage against those who had been loyal to Ahab, and his ungodly… Read More

Psalm 85- Mercy And Truth

Psalm 85:10
“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.”

One of my favorite movie lines of all times is at the end of “The Princess Bride.” As the narrator comments upon the kiss of Wesley and Buttercup, he states, “Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most… Read More
Psalm 86- Unite My Heart

Psalms 86:11
“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”

Uncertainty makes life difficult. There are times in each of our lives when we have been crippled by indecision. We struggled so long to make a decision, that the decision was ultimately made for us. In those times, we might say our problem was double-mindedness. We could not make a decision because we either wanted… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 7-8 & Psalm 83-84
06Old Testament: 2 Kings 7- 4 Leprous Men

2 Kings 7:3
“…four leprous men…”

The city of Samaria was under siege. The Syrian army with all it’s forces, had surrounded the city, and was starving out the people. The difficult times had caused the people to behave in deplorable ways. Sins so repulsive they are difficult to mention, ran rampant throughout the city. Within this scene, we read of four men living on the outskirts of the city. These men were lepers who were no longer living, as much as they were waiting to die. In this condition, they looked at one another… Read More

2 Kings 8- Quick Fix

2 Kings 8:18
“And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Sometimes, the reason a person fails to walk with the Lord is quite simple. In the case of Jehoram, king of… Read More

Psalm 83-  Who’s The Real Enemy?

Psalms 83:1
“Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God!”

Prayer takes on many different forms. Sometimes it is appropriate to offer praise for the many blessings we receive from God, other times it is important to intercede for the needs of others; and we must never forget to take time to petition God for the issues that affect our personal… Read More

Psalm 84- Heart’s Cry

Psalm 84:1-2
“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”
Since we have been created by God, and in the image of God, it is natural for the heart to cry out for God. Every heart makes this cry. All over the world, and throughout time, people have been observing and realizing, there is more to life than what the eye can see. This has… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 5-6 & Psalm 81-82
Old Testament: 2 Kings 5- Church Life

2 Kings 5:3
“Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’”

Namaan was a Syrian general and a man of prominence within that nation. He was a courageous, well-spoken individual, who… Read more

Psalm 81- Perspective

Psalm 81:4
“For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.”

After choosing His people, God established laws to govern their behavior. There were moral laws and social laws, as well as ceremonial laws. All of which, when followed, would serve to benefit the individual, as well as the nation.
The Psalmist draws our attention to a particular set of laws… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Kings 3-4 Psalm 79-80
Old Testament: 2 Kings 3- Redirected

2 Kings 3:7
“…And he said, ‘I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.’”

Jehoshaphat made the same mistake we all make, he made a decision without first consulting the will of God. His decision seemed, on the surface, to be a wise one. The king of Moab was… Read More
2 Kings 4- Empty Jars

2 Kings 4:6
“Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, ‘Bring me another vessel.’ And he said to her, ‘There is not another vessel.’ So the oil ceased.”

Living conditions in Israel had become very difficult; the nation was constantly at war with its enemies, years of… Read More

Psalm 79- Memories

Psalm 79:8
“Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low.”

Memory is a funny thing. There are certain things that no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to… Read More

Psalm 80- Revive Me

Psalms 80:18
“…Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.”

The Psalmists describes Israel as a vine that was taken from Egypt and planted in a garden by the Lord. Unfortunately, the walls that protected it had deteriorated and the wild beasts began to devour the vine. This psalm… Read More