Day 4
As we conclude our study of Psalm 1, I hope you have observed God’s truth and God’s voice for you. I believe the key to Bible study/meditation is staying in a particular passage of Scripture for a period of time. It can be a few days like we just did or it can be an extended period of time. If you were to read 1 John for a whole month, reading and observing and studying there is no doubt in my mind that you would have a real good understanding of what God’s love looks like. Maybe that is your next study.
As we finish let’s review what Howard and Bill Hendricks said about observation. They gave us six things to look for in a passage of Scripture:
· Things that are Emphasized
· Things that are Repeated
· Things that are Related
· Things that are Alike
· Things that are Unlike
· Things that are True to Life
As we read Psalm 1 today what does this Psalm tell you about reality? What aspects of the text resonate with your experience?
Hendricks says that this is where you need to use your “sanctified imagination.” You need to look for principles. Don’t just study a passage of Scripture as if it were some academic lesson, rather than real life.
One last question about Psalm 1:
· How should we understand this prosperity that God blesses us with as we delight in His law?
May God continue to bless you and speak to you as you study and meditate on His Word.
Great job!
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Some questions to ponder as you read and observe:
- What is a blessed or happy person like?
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What are the ungodly like?
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How are the righteous and wicked contrasted?
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How should we understand this prosperity that God blesses us with as we delight in His Law?
Take your time as you study and remember to ask the Holy Spirit to teach and help you in your study.
Finally, how are you doing with memorizing verse 2? ”But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
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As we continue our study of Psalm 1, I want to recommend a book by Howard and Bill Hendricks called “Living By the Book”. It is a helpful resource if you are looking for help engaging God’s Word.
In simple step-by-step fashion, you’ll learn how to: Observe, Interpret, and Apply the Scriptures. They suggest six things to look for in a Bible passage. I would like to apply those things to our study on Psalm 1.
But before I do that, how did you do in yesterday’s reading? As you read Psalm 1 did you make some observations? Did you see some key words or phrases?
Let’s go back and read the Psalm again today but this time we are going to look for things that are emphasized and things that are repeated in the passage.
Emphasized: Hendricks says that the Spirit of God uses a number of tools to emphasize ideas, events, people, and other material in Scripture. As you read Psalm 1 today, what does the happy person do and not do? What is the source of his delight? What does he do to experience such delight?
Repeated: Hendricks says that there is probably no tool of teaching more powerful than repetition. Repetition reinforces. Are there any words or ideas repeated in Psalm 1?
What are some of the emotions we see in this Psalm?
Continue to read and observe today. As you meditate, begin memorizing verse two; “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2
Let that verse begin to settle in your heart today.
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DAY 1
I’m glad you made the decision to join me and others this week in studying the great Psalm.
Today I want us to READ PSALM 1 three times. Here is a format to help you:
(1) Simply READ.
I want you to experience and hear God’s voice in this passage: What does God want to say to you as you observe this passage? If you have any questions, simply comment.
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The Daily Office
I was asked after Sunday’s sermon on silence and solitude what is the difference between a “quiet time” and what I had called a “daily office”. Let me clarify. A quiet time or devotions, normally take place once a day, in the mornings, with the emphasis on “getting filled up for the day” or “praying for the needs around me.” The Daily Office normally takes place at least twice a day, and is not so much a turning to God to get something; it is about being with God; about communion with him.
The goal of the Daily Office, as with a “quiet time,” is to pay attention to God throughout the entire day while I am active. This is the great challenge for all of us. With the pressures of the world, and our own stubborn self-wills it can become easy to live most of our waking hours without any consistent awareness of God’s presence.
The word Office comes from the Latin word opus, or “work.” For the early church, the Daily Office was always the “work of God.” Nothing was to interfere with that priority. Let me give you the format that I have been using for my Daily Office.
First, Silence and Centering. I stop my activity and pause to be with God. Psalm 46:10a “Be still, and know that I am God.” I move into God’s presence and rest there; that alone is no small feat. I especially have to work hard during the midday time to get centered on God. For me I try to begin and end each Office with two minutes of silence.
Second, I read Scripture. The important thing to remember is “less is more.” I take a smaller passage or just a verse and read it slowly—aloud if possible—thinking about the different words or phrases. Be attentive to your heart to what God is doing inside of you.
Third, I will do a devotional reading. The devotional readings should help to stretch you. I have read classics from the puritans to contemporary pastors. Use a variety.
Fourth. I like to think about the questions that the devotions present or that the Holy Spirit puts into my mind.Finally, I pray. Sometimes I write my prayers other times I use ACTS.
Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. I have learned to pray the Psalms which have been very helpful especially in seasons when I am dry.
The most important thing is for you to create a rhythm of stopping to be with God at set times each day in order to grow in your relationship with Him throughout the day.
Remember it’s not about doing it right; it’s about showing up and allowing Him to do His work in you.
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Hiding God’s Word in Your Heart
As we talk about spiritual disciplines, God has asked us to hide His Word in our Heart. This comes by meditating and memorizing scripture. As a church, we value this as one of the ways we GROW in the spirit-filled life. Our purpose is to become more and more like Jesus Christ.
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Psalm 19:7-8
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4
There are a lot of tools you can use to memorize scripture. Some write a verse on an index card or a post-it-note, and place it in various places. Or they recite it over and over again to name a few. Please realize though, that memorizing is not a means to the end, you need to HIDE it in your heart and APPLY it to your life I recall a time when I was a young athlete and struggled with my temper because I wanted to do my best. A Christian coach gave me some practical tools and disciplines to help me. I worked on memorizing the scriptures but now needed to apply them. He gave me a tool to use – it was a STAR (a visual reminder for me, so I placed a star in various places-like my shoe!) Here it is:
S –STOP (scripture comes to your mind)
T – Think
A – Act (Will you obey the Holy Spirit or your flesh?)
R- Review (How did it work?)
There is true freedom in KNOWING God’s word. The more we study and meditate on His Word, the closer we will GROW toward God. If we store His Word in our heart, the more likely we will be able to use it when faced with temptation or to encourage or exhort others. There is joy in knowing God’s word. Hiding God’s word in your heart allows it to grow something and bear fruit. I am encouraging you to practice these disciplines in your daily life as well as spending time alone with God.
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What will this Year Bring?
As we move into the New Year, you may have found yourself thinking about last year and what you could have done differently, asking yourself questions about what worked, what didn’t, or what’s next? As you evaluate the previous year, and what’s ahead, you know there will be changes, new opportunities and even uncertainties. You may intentionally be setting new goals or re-thinking how you do things.
Whatever this year brings, let us be reminded of the fact that God is walking alongside of us, remembering that His grace is sufficient for us. Romans 8:28 tells us that we know God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
When we celebrate Communion, it is a holy time of worship set aside to corporately come together as one body to remember and celebrate what Christ did for us.
And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
”This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:24
When you prepare for communion, take some time to examine yourself as we are told to:
A man ought to examine himself
before he eats of the bread
and drinks of the cup.
1 Corinthians 11:28
Pray and ask God to help you to confess your sins and lay them at the cross. In the psalms, David cries out:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139:23-24
Because of what Christ did for us – by paying the penalty for our sins at Calvary, and because of His great love, we are called to humble ourselves having grateful hearts showing the same kind of love and compassion toward others. We are told to walk as children of the light, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And so whatever this year brings, according to Ephesians 6:10-11, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might putting on the full armor of God so that we may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Paul tells us again in Ephesians 6:18 “with all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” And in Philippians 4:6-8 “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, LET YOUR MIND DWELL ON THESE THINGS!”
Blessings to You in this New Year! Pastor Eric
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Hope
1 Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
As the year comes to a close, there are some who may be feeling a sense of hopelessness as we face this time of recession, and uncertainty in our country. I know there are some whose hopes have been crushed, whose dreams have been unfulfilled – Bah Humbug!
The apostles experienced the loss of hope and great uncertainty when Jesus died. Peter experienced additional shame and disgrace because of his denial of even knowing Jesus.
But it is just that kind of loss of hope and disappointment that the resurrection of Jesus is designed to relieve. We need a little Easter hope at Christmas. As a matter of fact, we should be living in that Easter hope all year round. In this advent season, I want you to see that if Christianity is true at all, then Jesus is just as much able to meet us today and help us in the face of discouragement and hopelessness as he was in the first century.
In the midst of the Christmas rush take a moment and see that Jesus is doing exactly the same thing today as he did 2,000 years ago: he gives us a living hope in the face of discouragement and hopelessness.
When Jerome Groopman diagnosed patients with serious diseases, the Harvard Medical School professor discovered that all of them were “looking for a sense of genuine hope—and indeed, that hope was as important to them as anything he might prescribe as a physician.”
After writing a book called The Anatomy of Hope, Groopman was asked for his definition of hope. He replied: “Basically, I think hope is the ability to see a path to the future. You are facing dire circumstances, and you need to know everything that’s blocking or threatening you. And then you see a path, or a potential path, to get to where you want to be. Once you see that, there’s a tremendous emotional uplift that occurs.”
The doctor confessed, “I think hope has been, is, and always will be the heart of medicine and healing. We could not live without hope.” Even with all the medical technology available to us now, “ we still come back to this profound human need to believe that there is a possibility to reach a future that is better than the one in the present.” In our day we speak of “hoping against hope” or “hoping for the best,” which implies that we are not very hopeful.
But this is not what “hope” means in the Bible. “Hope” here in 1 Peter 1:3 does not imply a wishfulness but rather a dynamic confidence that does not end with this life but continues throughout eternity.
We must put our hope in God, for it is He who holds the future. It is in Christ that we can experience a living hope this Christmas.
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From “Humbug to Hallelujah”
Our theme for this Advent season is “From Humbug to Hallelujah.” We often feel isolated and sometimes depressed during this time of year. Busy schedules filled with parties, shopping,and church activities sometimes rob us of the joy God intends for us during this season. Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” is the story of a man who is forced to take stock of his life. Ebenezer Scrooge was confronted with the truth about life and the consequences of his actions. He had given all his efforts to selfish pursuits. Instead of bearing fruit that glorified God and served others, he had become a miser full of bitterness and pride.
But what about us? It’s easy to fall into a humbug attitude when the pressures of Christmas overwhelm you. This attitude is like a tightening chain around your chest; it squeezes the joy of Christmas out of your heart. Think of some of the humbugs that are pressing on you even now as you get ready for the holidays. (Be honest! Take a moment and offer them up to the Lord.)
Some of the things I will touch on in this sermon series are:
• the unrealistic expectations fueled by commercialism;
• past family hurts;
• over-crowded schedules that lead to tensions;
• maybe you are lonely because a loved one is gone.
All of these can take the hallelujahs from our lips. This Advent series is about changing our humbugs to hallelujahs, so we can truly know the joy of Christmas. Like the shepherds after seeing the baby Jesus returning,glorifying and praising God. Luke 2:20
I pray that God would reawaken the joy of Christmas for you and your family this Advent
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Days of Uncertainty?
In these days of financial uncertainty, I feel inadequate to give financial advice. Even though I cannot predict or change the financial trends, I do feel more than adequate and very confident in the truth of God’s word.
Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
While the Psalmist offers a wonderful affirmation of the nature of our God—“our refuge”—“our strength”—“a help in times of trouble”, I am most drawn to the phrase “very present”—God is a very present help in times of trouble.
He is not just a present help (Which in itself is sufficient) but a VERY present help. Very present meaning: extremely present; exceedingly present. Our God is present to you right now and right here.
Therefore, whatever uncertainty you are facing at this moment, whether it is financial or otherwise, whatever may create insecurity, fear, and anxiety in you – know this, Jesus our loving Lord is with you—now!
Hebrews 13:5b “I will never leave you or forsake you”
Matthew 28:20b “He is a very present help in time of trouble!”
I would encourage all of us to be aware of each others’ needs during this time. I believe there is an opportunity to speak the truth of God’s Word and to display the love of Jesus. As well, if you have a need, I pray that you would ask for help and seek counsel from another Christian that you are doing life with.
Let us encourage each other with those words, “He is a very present help in trouble.”
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