Jim Gallagher

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Kings 7-8 & Psalm 61-62
Old Testament: 1 Kings 7- Limitless

1 Kings 7:13-14
“Now King Solomon sent and brought Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds.. Read More

1 Kings 8- Too Small

1 Kings 8:27
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!”

Seven years, hundreds of thousands of man hours, and countless wealth, was invested in the building of the Temple. When it was completed, it was one of the most glorious buildings of the ancient… Read More
Psalm 61- Cry Out

Psalms 61:1-2
“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I .”

We cannot be certain of the occasion that stirred David to write this psalm. It may have been a time of great… Read More

Psalm 62- Power

Psalms 62:11
“God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.”

A number of years ago, I came home from a long day of work, at the end of an even longer week. I was worn out and hungry. Since I was the only one home at the time, I was… Read More

Psalms 60:11
“Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.”

One of the pillars of the early church was fellowship. The apostles were sure to establish an atmosphere where people ministered to the needs of people. This type of fellowship became one of the chief characteristics of the church. We read of people selling possessions in order to provide for the needs of those who could not provide for themselves. We read of widows being cared for and exhortations given regarding orphans. We are exhorted to follow this same example and be sure that the body of believers learns how to minister to one another even weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice. Clearly the Bible places great value on the importance of people helping one another. In light of that it might seem quite a shock to read the words of David who wrote;

“Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.”

He is not suggesting that man is completely useless in providing assistance, but that there are seasons of life when whatever help men may offer is simply unable to meet our need. Their are times in life where we are facing struggles so great that earthly help is just not enough. It is during those seasons where we must receive comfort, strength, direction and help from God alone.

Perhaps you are going through something today that is more than you bear. Your friends and family have tried to help but the pain is still too much. It is for these exact moments in life that the promises of God were written. We must be careful not to cast blame on others for being incapable of providing a comfort that is available in Christ alone.  Instead we must learn to seek shelter under the shadow of His wings and allow the consolations of Christ to minister to us. Paul spoke of receiving comfort from Christ in the midst of the great discomfort of life. He experienced first hand what it was to suffer greatly and receive help from God that was even greater.

If you are facing something that seems too difficult to handle, remember there are seasons of life designed to draw us to our knees and into the presence of Christ where we can be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.

Pastor Jim

Questions for Psalm 60

1. David prays for restoration, notice how he prays and what he prays for specifically in verses 1-5. What can this detail show us about prayer?
2. As David is praying, he is asking for God to restore His favor on Israel. Sometimes when we try to do things on our own we realize how much we need the Lord. What is David’s realization in verse 11?
3. Verse 12 God is given His due praise. Is there something in your life that you haven’t allowed God to lead you in? Stop now and pray, give God His due honor and praise for the things in your life that you have tried to control. Remember verse 11!

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Kings 5-6 & Psalm 59-60
Old Testament: 1 Kings 5- Expanding Your Portfolio

1 Kings 5:13
“Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men.”

Building the Temple was a massive undertaking. It was to be a structure like no other. Unlike the pagan temples that were built in an attempt to reach up to the gods, this temple was built… Read More
1 Kings 6- The Temple

1 Kings 6:11-13
“Then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying: ‘Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments, and walk in them, then I will perform My word with you, which I spoke to your father David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.’” … Read More

Psalm 59- I Did It My Way

Psalm 59:13
“And let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth.”

In the early eighties, a well-known Christian band wrote a song called “God Rules.” In some ways, it became the anthem of many young Christians. I remember having a “God Rules” bumper sticker on my car, and proudly writing it on my school notebook. To me, that phrase was a slang term meaning little more than the fact God… Read More

 

Psalms 58:6
Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!

This has to be one of the most striking prayers ever recorded. David is looking at the behavior of those who have cast aside the ways of God and his heart cries out for justice. While it may seem harsh to ask God to break someone’s teeth there is an important principle that is vividly illustrated in David’s song. The principle is that there are certain things that should fill us with rage and produce in us a desire for righteousness.

The world we live in is filled with violence and it has become all too common to hear of school shootings, suicide bombings and other senseless acts of violence that take the lives of the innocent. Just recently, in response to one of these tragic events I heard a community leader say, “We will not respond with anger, fear or hate but with love.” While I completely understand the intent of her statement and the danger of allowing anger to control a life I also realize that there are certain things that should fill us with anger. We might go so far as to say there are certain things we must learn to hate.

It is only when we see the ravaging effects sin has upon individuals, families and culture as a whole that we will develop the proper attitude toward it and conversely begin to take the proper steps toward eradicating it.

Pastor Jim

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Kings 3-4 & Psalm 57-58
Old Testament: 1 Kings 3- Divided Heart

1 Kings 3:3
“And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.”

Throughout his life Solomon showed evidence of his love for the Lord. He wrote three thousand proverbs to instruct … Read More

1 Kings 4- Wisdom

1 Kings 4:30
“Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.”

Solomon was known for his great wisdom. We are told his understanding of psychology, botany and biology … Read More

Psalm 57- Shelter

Psalm 57:1
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.”

No matter where we live, we are faced with the storms of life. Growing up… Read More

 

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 1 Kings 1-2 & Psalm 55-56
Old Testament: 1 Kings 1- One Man Army
1 Kings 1:36-37
“Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, ‘Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.’”
…Read More

1 Kings 2- Man Up

1 Kings 2:2-3
“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” ...Read More

Psalm 55- Wings Like A Dove

Psalms 55:6-7
“So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness.”
Selah… Read More

 

Psalm 56- Book Of Tears

Psalm 56:8
“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?”

David refers to God’s book. This is not a reference to the Word of God; for he tells us that the content of this book is David’s tears. He is not the only writer to refer to a book that God… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Samuel 23-24 & Psalm 53-54
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 23- The Challenge 

2 Samuel 23:8
“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had…”

David was a man mightily used by God. Although he started his journey walking alone into the valley to fight the giant, he did not remain alone. David’s faith was magnetic, and he was soon surrounded by men of great faith. This chapter tells the story of some of the men who surrounded the king. Among those listed are:… Read More

2 Samuel 24- Consequences 

2 Samuel 24:10
“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’”

King David committed a sin by taking a census of the people, rather than trusting in the arm of God as Israel’s defense. His sin was forgiven, but the consequences were grave.

This passage is a vivid illustration of temptation, failure, repentance and results. In … Read More

Psalm 53- Don’t Be A Fool

Psalms 53:1
“The fool has said in his heart,
‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.”

Biblically speaking atheism is considered folly because God has gone to great lengths to reveal himself to mankind. Paul, when … Read More

Psalm 54- Strong Hands

Psalm 54:1
“Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength.”

This Psalm is a prayer set to music. In It, David is crying out to God to deliver him from those who are seeking to end his life. The title of the Psalm gives us insight into the situation he is facing.… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Samuel 21-22  & Psalm 51-52
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 21- Giant Killers

2 Samuel 21:22
“These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.”
… Read More

2 Samuel 22- Battle Plan

2 Samuel 22:35
“He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”

As the sun begins to set on David’s life, he begins to recall how faithful the Lord has been. As king of a nation surrounded by hostile adversaries, he was faced with constant battles. With … Read More

Psalm 51- Born Into Sin

Psalms 51:5
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.”

David makes reference to the fact that he was born into sin. He realizes that his sin is not just a mistake that he made but a consequence of his very nature. The bible teaches … Read More
Psalm 52- Good And Evil

Psalm 52:1
“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.”

We live in a world of contrast. On the one hand, we see the fingerprint of God all around us, demonstrating His goodness. Earlier in the Psalms, David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Samuel 19-20  & Psalm 49-50
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 19- It’s Not Free

2 Samuel 19:4
“But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’”

I recently watched a news segment which focused on two teenagers who decided to rob a local business. One of the boys was reluctant to get involved, while the other boasted confidently that “no one… Read More

2 Samuel 20- Dissenter

2 Samuel 20:1
“And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: ‘We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!’”… Read More

Psalm 49- Eternal Investments

Psalms 49:17
“For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.”

Have you ever heard the phrase “You can’t take it with you”? It seems like this sentiment might… Read More

Psalm 50- Promises

Psalm 50:16-17
“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?’”

One of the strangest phenomenon… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: 2 Samuel 17-18  & Psalm 47-48
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 17- Be Prepared

2 Samuel 17:23
“Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.”

It is remarkable how many Biblical phrases have become part of our everyday lives. When a person is diagnosed with a disease that advanced medicine has no hope of curing, it … Read More

2 Samuel 18- Pride

2 Samuel 18:9
“Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.”… Read More

Psalm 47- Clap Your Hands

Psalm 47:1
“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!”

Sometimes knowing the setting in which a psalm was written is beneficial to understanding its content. Other times, like in this psalm, the setting is not given because the truth is universal. Whatever our condition, whether we would classify it as good or bad, blessing or trial, God remains the same and is always worthy of the highest praise. The truths tucked away in this psalm … Read More

Psalm 48- Growing In Christ

Psalm 48:9
“We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple.”

We learn two very important… Read More