#Psalm 119:164
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Grace Nugget for 12.10.22
Grace Nugget for 12.10.22
Grace Nuggets: Simple reminders of God’s great love for you.
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#compassion#daily devotions#Daily Encouragement#God#God&039;s promises#grace#Grace Nuggets#Holy Bible#Holy Spirit#Hope#Jesus Christ#passion for God#Psalm 119:164#Trusting God#worship
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True Worshippers Don't Have to Be Told to Worship God
The act of worship is expressed daily by every creation – nature, animals, the heavens, and mankind. This act that we do is praise.
Praising is very important, and learning about it has and will do wonders for your life. That is why we do it so much! We praise at ballgames, concerts and celebrities idols. We don’t have a problem with praising anyone or anything. However, when the scriptures tell…
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#Hebrew 13:15#John 4:23#Luke 19:40#Praise#Proverbs 4:5#Psalm 119:164#The Act of Worship#True Worshippers#Worship God
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Various necessary observations suitable for a Christian, published long ago by an anonymous believer.
I. That you keep a close watch over your heart, words, and deeds continually. Psalm 93:1, Matthew 24:42, Luke 12:36, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 15:34, 16:13, Colossians 3:17.
II. That with all care the time be redeemed that has been idly, carelessly, and unprofitably spent. Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5.
III. That at least once in the day, private prayer and meditation be made. Psalm 119:164, Daniel 6:10, Luke 18:1, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2.
IV. That care be had to do and receive good in company. 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
V. That your family be with all diligence and regard instructed, watched over, and Christianly governed. Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 4:9 and 5:6,7, Proverbs 31:27, Ephesians 6:4.
VI. That no more care be spent on matters of this world, than must needs be. Matthew 6:31, Colossians 3:2, 1 John 2:15.
VII. That you stir up yourselves to generosity to God's Saints. Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 13:16.
VIII. That you prepare yourselves to bear the cross, by whatever means it shall please God to exercise you. Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23 and 24:27.
IX. That you give not the slightest rein to wandering thoughts. Job 31:1, Ephesians 5:3.
X. That you spend some time in mourning, not only for your own sins but for the time and age in which you live. Ezekiel 9:4, Psalm 119:136.
XI. That you look daily for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for your full deliverance from this world. Matthew 24:44.
XII. That you acquaint yourself with some godly person, with whom you may confer about your Christian state, and open your doubts for the quickening of God's graces in you. James 5:16.
XIII. That you observe the departure of men from this life, their mortality, the vanity, and alteration of things below, the more to despise the world, and to continue your longing for the life to come. Isaiah 57:1, Philippians 3:20, 1 Peter 1:24, Revelation 22:20.
XIV. That you meditate often upon your death and departure from this life, how you must lie in the grave, turn to dust, leave all glory and wealth: and this will serve to subdue that pride of life.
Source: William Perkins, Satan’s Sophistry
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The Ultimate Bible Reading Plan
About
This list of resources and guided Bible Reading plan was compiled by Ryan Birk. It contains the scriptures to read daily as well as links to each scripture on the Bible App to make it easy for you. You will also see videos and helpful links. For more helpful resources, please visit HolyMountaiin.com
CLICK HERE to learn how to save this page to your phone as an app.
Introductions:
Click here for the: ABOUT VIDEO
Click here for the: FOUNDATIONS page
Click Here to join the: FB GROUP
Before you Begin:
here is a video on “reading/studying God’s Word”
Here is a video on “how to read the Psalms” (the psalms will be spread out throughout this reading plan)
Streetlights New Testament // Physical Copy
Breakdown of each Book of the Bible
"Each Day" our Daily Bread
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36
37 38 39 40 41 42
43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51 52 53 54
55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66
67 68 69 70 71 72
73 74 75 76 77
78 79 80 81 82
83 84 85 86 87
88 89 90 91 92 93
94 95 96 97 98 99
100 101 102 103 104
105 106 107 108 109
110 111 112 113 114 115
116 117 118 119 120 121
122 123 124 125 126 127
128 129 130 131 132
133 134 135 136 137
138 139 140 141 142 143
144 145 146 145 146
147 148 149 150 151
152 153 154 155 156
153 154 155 156 157
158 159 160 161 162
163 164 165 166 167
168 169 170 171 172
173 174 175 176
177 178 179 180 181
182 183 184 185 186
187 188 189 190 191 192
193 194 195 196 197 198
199 200 201 202 203 204
205 206 207 208 209 210
211 212 213 214 215 216
217 218 219 220 221 222
223 224 225 226 227 228
229 230 231 232 233
234 235 236 237 238
239 240 241 242 243
244 245 246 247 248
249 250 251 252
253 254 255 256 257 258
259 260 261 262 263 264
265 266 267 268 269 270
271 272 273 274 275 276
277 278 279 280 281 282
283 284 285 286 287
288 289 290 291 292
293 294 295 296 297
298 299 300
301 302 303 304 305 306
307 308 309 310 311 312
313 314 315 316 317 318
319 320 321 322 323 324
325 326 327 328 328 329
330 331 332 333 334 335
336 337 338 339 340 341
342 343 345 346 347 348
349 350 351 352 353 354
355 356 357 358 359 360
361 362 363 364 365
#the ultimate bible reading plan#the ultimate 1 year bible reading plan#1 year bible plan#thematic bible plan#streetlights bible#the bible project#ryan birk#thematic bible#read & rant#spirit andlife#spirit and life#spirit and truth#spirit & life#spirit && life#spirit && life collective
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Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet
…164Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments. 165Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing can make them stumble. 166I wait for Your salvation, O LORD, and I carry out Your commandments.…
Psalm 119:164-166
Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 165. - Great peace have they which love thy Law (comp. Proverbs 3:1, 2; Isaiah 32:17; James 3:18). There is always disquietude where there is sin. A sense of perfect peace and rest belongs to those who love and keep God's Law. And nothing shall offend them; rather, and they shall have no stumbling-block. Nothing shall cause them to stumble, much less to fall away from grace.
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Day 100 Ps 17, 35, 54, 63
Day 101 1 Sam 28-31, Ps 18
Day 102 Ps 121, 123-125, 128-130
Day 103 2 Sam 1-4
Day 104 Ps 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21
Day 105 1 Chron 1-2, Ps 43-45
Day 106 Ps 49, 84-85, 87, I Chron 3-5
Day 107 Ps 73, 77-78, I Chron 6
Day 108 Ps 81, 88, 92-93
Day 109 1 Chron 7-10
Day 110 Ps 102-104
Day 111 2 Sam 5:1-10; I Chron 11-12, Ps 133
Day 112 Ps 106-107, II Sam 5:11-6:23; I Chron 13-16
Day 113 Ps 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68
Day 114 Ps 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132
Day 115 2 Sam 7, I Chron 17, Ps 25, 29, 33
Day 116 Ps 36, 39, II Sam 8-9, I Chron 18
Day 117 Ps 50, 53, 60, 75
Day 118 2 Sam 10, I Chron 19, Ps 20, 65-67
Day 119 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalms 51, 69-70, 1 Chronicles 20
Day 120 Ps 32, 51, 86, 122
Day 121 2 Sam 13-15, Ps 3-4
Day 122 Ps 12-13, 28, 55, 2 Sam 16-18
Day 123 Ps 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64
Day 124 2 Sam 19-21
Day 125 Ps 5, 38, 41-42
Day 126 2 Sam 22-23, Ps 57, 95, 97-99
Day 127 2 Sam 24, 1 Chron 21-22, Ps 30
Day 128 Ps 108-110, 1 Chron 23-25
Day 129 Ps 131, 138, 139, 143-145
Day 130 1 Chron 26-29, Ps 127
Day 131 Ps 111-118
Day 132 1 King 1-2, Ps 37, 71, 94
Day 133 Ps 119:1-88, 1 King 3-4, 2 Chron, 1 Ps 72
Day 134 Ps 119: 89-176
Day 135 Song of Solomon
Day 136 Prov 1-4
Day 137 Prov 5-8
Day 138 Prov 9-12
Day 139 Prov 13-16
Day 140 Prov 17-20
Day 141 Prov 21-24
Day 142 1 King 5-6, 2 Chron 2-3
Day 143 1 Kings 7-8, 2 Chron 4-5
Day 144 2 Chron 6-7, Ps 136
Day 145 Ps 134, 146-150
Day 146 1 King 9, 2 Chron 8, Prov 25-26
Day 147 Prov 27-29, Ecc 1-6
Day 148 Ecc 7-12
Day 149 1 King 10-11, 2 Chron 9, Prov 30-31
Day 150 1 Kings 12-14
Day 151 2 Chron 10-12
Day 152 1 Kings 15-16, 2 Chron 13-17
Day 153 1 Kings 17-19
Day 154 1 Kings 20-22, 2 Chron 18
Day 155 2 Chron 19-23
Day 156 Obadiah, Ps 82-83
Day 157 2 Kings 1-4
Day 158 2 Kings 5-8
Day 159 2 Kings 9-11
Day 160 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chron 24
Day 161 2 Kings 14, 2 Chron 25, Jonah
Day 162 2 Kings 15, 2 Chron 26
Day 163 Is 1-4
Day 164 Is 5-8
Day 165 Amos
Day 166 2 Chron 27, Is 9-12
Day 167 Micah
Day 168 2 Chron 28, 2 Kings 16-17
Day 169 Is 13-17
Day 170 Is 18-22
Day 171 Is 23-27
Day 172 2 Kings 18: 1-8; 2 Chron 29-31; Ps 48
Day 173 Hos 1-7
Day 174 Hos 8-14
Day 175 Is 28-30
Day 176 Is 31-35
Day 177 Is 36-39, Ps 76
Day 178 Is 40-43
Day 179 Is 44-48
Day 180 2 King 18:9-19:37; Ps 46, 80, 135
Day 181 Is 49-53
Day 182 Is 54-58
Day 183 Is 59-63
Day 184 Is 64-66
Day 185 2 Kings 20-21, 2 Chron 32-33
Day 186 Nahum
Day 187 2 Kings 22-23, 2 Chron 34-35
Day 188 Zephaniah
Day 189 Jer 1-4
Day 190 Jer 5-8
Day 191 Jer 9-12
Day 192 Jer 13-16
Day 193 Jer 17-22
Day 194 Jer 23-26
Day 195 Jer 27-30
Day 196 Jer 31-34
Day 197 Jer 35-37
Day 198 Jer 38-40, Ps 74, 79
Day 199 2 Kings 24-25, II Chron 36
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#DailyDevotion When We Wait On The LORD, We Don't Do Nothing
#DailyDevotion When We Wait On The LORD, We Don't Do Nothing
Psalm 119 161Princes pursue me without a reason; before Your word (dabar) I stand in awe. 162I am delighted with Your word (imrah) like one finding much spoil. 163I hate lying and am disgusted with it, but I love Your teaching (torah). 164Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous decrees (mishpat). 165Those who love Your teaching (torah) are very happy, and nothing can make them fall. 166I wait for You to save me, O LORD, and I do what You order (mitsvah). 167I keep the truths (edah) You wrote and love them very much. 168I keep Your regulations (piqqud) and the truths (edah) You wrote because all my ways are before You.
Well the reason princes i.e. people who worship power pursue you is you stand in awe of the LORD's word. Their power, prestige, influence, wealth etc don't impress you. You are captive to the word of God and they can't stand that. When you give more than mere lip service to the word of God, this fallen world and all that is fallen cannot exist in the same space as you. You are a threat to their power and existence.
It is interesting in this psalm dabar and imrah, both words for "word," the first being word in general and the second being spoken word are often used in close proximity. So in worship we do have the written word but it is spoken and when it is spoken the Spirit carries it into the ears of those listening. Having the word of God is like finding much spoil—at least it should be for us. We should sacrifice everything to have the word preached to us and taught to us. There is nothing greater in the world than that. For it teaches us to hate lies and love the teaching of the LORD. His teaching is life. It causes us to be disgusted with everything that is a lie. A lie may not be much, I mean it may not be too far from the truth. But when you shoot a bullet and it's off by just a millimeter, at a 100 yards, it's going to miss the mark. Straying from God's word just a little bit eventually has us separated from the by zillions of light years if we do let His word make a correction so we can get back on target with the truth of His teaching.
Based on verse 164 the monks used to pray seven times a day. In my hymnal 3 of those survive: matins, vespers and compline. The other four were 6 and 9 am and 12 and 3 pm. I suggest you at least begin the day with God and end the day with Him. If you can remember and give thanks at lunch, that's not a bad way to break up the day. Psalm 55:17 has evening, morning and noon as prayer times. The psalmist here uses seven times a day to praise the LORD for His mishpat/righteous decrees.
If you are not fighting the LORD and what He wants you to do and how He wants you to live, but trust Him that He knows what He is talking about AND you love what He teaches (you will need to be born from above to do this) you will be happy. You will be living a productive life that doesn't cause misery for those around you and yourself.
He waits for the LORD to save him and does what the LORD orders. I think there are two distinct things going on here. One is waiting on the LORD. That means he is going out trying to control the situation that is bothering him. He's given that control to God. While he waits, he doesn't do nothing. There is plenty to occupy our time with doing what God has revealed for us to do in His word that has nothing to do with our situation we've given to Him.
He confesses he loves the LORD's truths and keeps them. This is the same sort of keeping Jesus says to do to His teaching in the end of Matthew and in John. It's not so much doing them as keeping them pure. Keeping in 168 is more like doing being related to piqqud. So we keep God's word pure (unlike Eve in Gen. 3) and then we go about doing them. Thanks be to God, the LORD Jesus kept all the teaching in word and deed in our place for us.
Heavenly Father, grant us Your Spirit, so we may love, keep, and observe Your word while we wait for You to save us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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#Christ#Christianity#devotion#edah#faith#imrah#Jesus#LCMS#Lutheran#Messiah#Mishpat#mitsvah#piqqud#Prayer#prayertimes#שׁבר#שׁמר
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about him
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Psalm 119:161-168 (JDV)
Psalm 119:161 leaders have persecuted me without cause, but my heart fears only your words.Psalm 119:162 I rejoice over your word like one who finds much treasure.Psalm 119:163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your instruction.Psalm 119:164 I praise you seven times a day for your righteous judgments.Psalm…
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August 18, 2020
Verse: Psalm 119:161-168
Write/ Copy Gods words :
161 Rulers persecute me(A) without cause,
but my heart trembles(B) at your word.
162 I rejoice(C) in your promise
like one who finds great spoil.(D)
163 I hate and detest(E) falsehood
but I love your law.(F)
164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous laws.(G)
165 Great peace(H) have those who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.(I)
166 I wait for your salvation,(J) Lord,
and I follow your commands.
167 I obey your statutes,
for I love them(K) greatly.
168 I obey your precepts(L) and your statutes,(M)
for all my ways are known(N) to you.
What is your Favorite verse(s):
166 I wait for your salvation,(J) Lord,
and I follow your commands.
Explain in your own words what you just read:
Ruler, persecute me without a cause, but inside my heart tremble at your word. I will rejoice in your promise like the one who find great break. I hate & despise lie but I really love your law. I will praise you seven times a day, for your righteous law.
Commitment / what will i do :
I will always obey your command for I really great love them
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6 & 17 <3
6. Favorite title you used:
I don't really put a premium on titles, but of the kinda interesting ones it's probably either 'seven times a day', which is a very blasphemous appropriation of Psalm 119: 164 "Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments." -- or 'Doll Parts'.
17. Your favorite character to write this year?
hmmm... John? I'll say John, I think it just so happens that a lot of my favorite writing happens to be from his POV. Something about a tortured-sadist-obsessive dad who wants to protect his kids more than anything but also to fuck his oldest son really does something for me.
Thank you for the ask, angel! <3 <3 <3
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A Deeper, Biblical Meaning of Thanksgiving
In America, we are getting ready to start Thanksgiving Week. It commemorates the first meal our colonists had with the natives roughly 400 years ago. However, Thanksgiving has become a stressful time for many. It is just weeks after Halloween, and just weeks before Christmas, and this time of year can be hard on people who do not have close family or friends to celebrate with.
Growing up Christian, Thanksgiving wasn’t associated as a Christian holiday, as its roots are not based upon religion, but of a time of necessity for people who came to a new land, looking to survive.
I want to propose that Thanksgiving can and should be a religious holiday, especially that for Christians, or anyone who worships God. Next week starts Advent, the season that prepares all of us for the coming birth of Jesus Christ--the day we celebrate that the Savior was born in a stinky, smelly barn, most likely carved out of rock in the mountainside. Easter celebrates the day when Christ was raised from the Dead. These two holidays bring about Thanksgiving in the hearts of us today, but when we read the Bible, we see that Thanksgiving wasn’t just a season or a specific time of the year, but that God’s people were always, or should have always had thankful hearts, and I believe we should too.
King David came from humble beginnings and because of God’s blessings, David became King. But David’s life wasn’t glamorous or perfect, or sinless. In fact, there were a lot of things in his life that could have turned off David’s heart to being thankful, but instead, even in the middle of running from his life, or when his mistresses’ baby died, David still found reasons to celebrate and be thankful that God was on his side. David wrote many of the Psalms we find in the Old Testament. In the ones that are attributed to King David, many of them recite David’s Thankfulness for God and for God’s provisions, even when some of them were consequences of David’s sinful choices.
Psalm 51 is David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving, even after the sins he committed because of his lust for Bathsheba.
In Psalm 119, we read, “I praise You seven times a day, because Your Law is right” (119:164, NLV). In Hebrew, ‘Mishpatim’ is the word we see as “law.” However, there were and still are two different types of laws that the Israelites and Hebrews obeyed from God. The Mishpatim were the laws God set in place that God explained why that law was created. These laws “made sense” to the Hebrews to follow. However, there was a second type of law that was made that King David apparently didn’t refer to: the Chuckim laws. These laws were God-Given as well, but their explanations were not given as to why the people were commanded to follow them. Regardless of which laws David was referring to, what I would like to point out is the fact that David was committed to thanking God for His laws seven times a day.
If David praised God 7 times a day because of the laws, how many more times a day was David praising and thanking God for other things? How many times a day do you praise and thank God? I certainly can testify that I do not praise God enough. I don’t count it, but I know it is not enough for all the wonderful things that God has done for me.
The book of Leviticus, which records many of the offerings that were required of the Hebrew people based upon the sins in which they had committed also lists a Thanksgiving Offering, listed under the Peace Offerings in Leviticus 7. The Thanksgiving Offering was the same type of animal sacrifice as the Guilt offering, but also included leavened and unleavened bread.
In the New Testament, we are called to Praise and Thank God, most by Paul. Paul, like David was in a habit of praising, worshiping and thanking God for everything in their lives--the good, the bad and the ugly. And they called us to do the same: Ephesians 5:20 says, “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be Thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:1: “I (Paul), urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”
The Bible calls us to live thankful lives. I am urging us Christians, especially American Christians, to live thankful lives, not just for this time of year, or because of everything that God has blessed us with, but thank God for everything that is going on in our lives, especially for the things that we don’t find good. Because God is still in and through everything we have going on.
Peace and Blessings
Cody Marie
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How To Keep A Good Attitude
‘‘I will praise you seven times a day.’’
Psalm 119:164
A bad attitude is like a flat tyre; you won’t get anywhere until you change it.
Few things in life are more important than your attitude, and here are four ways you can keep a good one:
1) Realise your attitude needs to be constantly adjusted. Anything you don’t maintain eventually deteriorates.
The stronger your natural inclination is towards doubt and negativity, the more you will have to work at it.
So begin each day with an attitude check, and throughout the day, look for red flags signalling that you’re not doing so well.
2) Pray because you will need God’s help to maintain a good attitude. The Bible says: ‘Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you’ (Psalm 37:3-5 NLT).
3) Look for what’s good, and you will find it. Mother Teresa required two things from those who worked with her in the Calcutta slums: a desire to work, and a joyful attitude.
Think: if she could be joyful amongst the dying and destitute, surely you can too!
4) Look for people with faith and spend time with them.
Where are they?
You will find them soaring above the doubters like eagles. If you’re having a bad day, get close and ‘draft’ behind them the way racers do. If they’re having difficulty, you be the one to get out in front and make things easier.
Seven times a day David paused to praise God. Can you imagine what that would do for your attitude?
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Attitudes of Blessed Man
ALEPH
1 (א) Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 (א) Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
And that seek him with the whole heart.
3 (א) They also do no iniquity:
They walk in his ways.
4 (א) Thou hast commanded us
To keep thy precepts diligently.
5 (א) O that my ways were directed
To keep thy statutes!
6 (א) Then shall I not be ashamed,
When I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 (א) I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,
When I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 (א) I will keep thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.
— Psalm 119:1-8 | The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of the Authorized English Version (CAMB)
The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of the Authorized English Version, by Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose, 1813-1891. Published by Cambridge University Press.
Cross References: Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 4:29; Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 6:17; Deuteronomy 12:1; 2 Chronicles 7:17; Job 22:26; Psalm 38:21; Psalm 71:9; Psalm 78:10; Psalm 101:2; Psalm 119:80; Psalm 119:117; Psalm 119:162; Psalm 119:164; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18
#blessed#undefiled#obedience#law#Lord#seeking#Psalm 119:1-8#Book of Psalms#Old Testament#Cambridge University Press#The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of the Authorized English Version#CAMB
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Keep a good attitude
Word for Today written by Bob and Debby Gass
Sunday 25th September 2022
'I will praise you seven times a day.' Psalm 119:164 TLB
Few things in life are more important than your attitude, and here are four ways you can keep a good one: (1) Realise your attitude needs to be constantly adjusted. Anything you don't maintain eventually deteriorates. The stronger your natural inclination is towards doubt and negativity, the more you will have to work at it. So begin each day with an attitude check, and throughout the day look for red flags signalling that you're not doing so well. (2) Pray because you will need God's help to maintain a good attitude. The Bible says: 'Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you' (Psalm 37:3-5 NLT).
(3) Look for what's good, and you'll find it. Mother Teresa required two things from those who worked with her in the Calcutta slums: a desire to work and a joyful attitude. Think: if she could be joyful amongst the dying and destitute, surely you can too! (4) Look for people with faith and spend time with them. Where are they? You will find them soaring above the doubters like eagles. If you're having a bad day, get close and 'draft' behind them the way racers do. If they're having difficulty, you be the one to get out in front and make things easier. Seven times a day David paused to praise God. Can you imagine what that would do for your attitude?
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May 8th 2022
Easter 4 May 8 2022
First Reading: Acts 20:17-35
Psalm: Psalm 23
Epistle: Revelation 7:9-17
Gospel: John 10:22-30
Sermon Text: John 10:22-30
Sermon Title:
Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Now, Jesus had not been to Jerusalem for about two months prior to our text this morning, but He returned for this celebration. “At that time, the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem”. (John 10:22a) Do any of you know the other names by which this feast is called? Many today call it “the Festival of Lights” or Hanukkah. This festival was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus, and it celebrated their victory over the Syrians and the cleansing and rededication of the temple in 167-164 B. C. following its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes. The festival lasts 8 days and begins in mid/late December; thus John records “it was winter”. (John 10:22b)
“Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade (or porch) of Solomon” (John 10:23) which was an area on the east side of the temple, with a roof supported by columns that provided some protection from the weather. This was a popular place for rabbis/teachers to gather with their students/disciples; so, it is assumed that at least some of Jesus’ disciples were with Him, though it is not mentioned by John.
“The Jews (leaders who were hostile towards Jesus) gathered around Him and said to Him; how long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly”; (John 10:24) which, of course, He had already done. Jesus is once again face to face with His adversaries, who accuse Him of being unclear with regards to whether or not He is the Christ. The word “suspense” here literally means to keep their souls in a state of uncertainty. But, what they say about Jesus is not true. They blame God for being unclear when in reality, they understood perfectly well what He was saying; they just didn’t like it. They did not want to be corrected or repent, they wanted to be justified by their own (so called) good works. They wanted to teach, rather than be taught by God’s Word; like so many in the church today.
“Jesus answered them, I told you and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness about Me”. (John 10:25-26a) Jesus knew their understanding and their motives; that they were willfully stubborn and hard of heart towards Him saying “but, you do not believe because you are not part of My flock”. (John 10:26b) So, Jesus declared them to be unbelievers who refused to hear and believe His Word. The Word of God remained hidden from them, as the Scriptures declare in many places will happen to the unbeliever.
Yet, Jesus continues to preach to them, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand”. (John 10:27-28) Therefore, eternal life is a gift of Jesus, given in and through the means of grace, as we saw this morning in the baptism of Ansley Jo. Ansley did nothing to earn God’s grace; it was given as a free gift.
These verses also mean that Jesus’ sheep actually “listen to His voice” (John 10:16b) and teaching, even when He speaks hard words to them, and calls them to repent and confess their sins. What great words of comfort these are to us poor miserable sinners. So, we pray with the psalmist, “give me understanding that I may keep Your law, and observe it with my whole heart … Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. (Psalm 119:34, 105)
Jesus’ sheep are also safe from being snatched away by the devil or other enemies of the church. This does not mean what some call “once saved, always saved”. No one can snatch us away from Christ, but we can choose to neglect, abandon, rebel against God and His Word and separate ourselves from His kingdom of grace; but Jesus’ word is clear, “My Father who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand”. (John 10:29) Jesus can say this with absolute certainty, because being true God as well as true man, “I and the Father are One”. (John 10:30)
This saying of Jesus is profound, and it quickly provokes the wrath of the Jews; for in saying this, Jesus is also “telling them plainly” that He is true God, and this is exactly how the Jewish leaders took what He said. “They picked up stones again to stone Him … (saying) we are going to stone you for blasphemy, because You being a man, make Yourself God”. (John 10:31-33)
Many of them continued to harden their own hearts towards Jesus, even claiming “He has a demon and is insane” (John 10:20a). All this, after He had spoken to them that He is “the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep”. (John 10:11) Jesus did nothing but good for people and He spoke nothing but the truth. Instead of embracing the salvation offered by Jesus, “they again sought to arrest Him” (John 10:39a) and in a little over a week, Jesus would be arrested and crucified for the sins of the world.
Jesus did not have to be persuaded to do this; for He said, “no one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord”. (John 10:18a) Jesus is now risen bodily from the dead, thus conquering death and He lives and reigns to all eternity. He has told us that hostility and persecution will continue to be the norm for His sheep, until He comes again in glory; to judge the living and the dead. The Apostle Paul also wrote, “Through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God”. (Acts 14:22)
Therefore, whatever any Christian endures for the sake of their faith in Jesus, is rightly called a cross, and we receive the same treatment from the world that Christ received. Luther said “A Christian, just because he is a Christian … must suffer at the hands of men and the devil; who plague and terrify him with tribulation, persecution, poverty and illness, and inwardly, in his heart, with his poisonous darts”. In all these things, Jesus watches over and cares for all the needs of His sheep.
Our (very familiar) Psalm today also speaks of the Lord Jesus as being our (Good) shepherd; confessing “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake”. (Psalm 23:1-3) These first three verses speak primarily of the Lord’s provision for His sheep each and every day of their earthly lives; both material and spiritual blessings; leading us on the right path.
Then in verses 4-6 we see how The Good Shepherd provides for us in times of sickness and persecution and death, and on into eternal life. “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me”. (Psalm 23:4) The Lord Jesus Christ has suffered death and risen from the dead for us. He has walked this valley before us; defeating death by His own death, so that we need not fear death or devil or worldly powers; because “He is with us”. (Psalm 23:4)
“Thou preparest a table before me (even) in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runneth over”. (Psalm 23:5) Even when we are harassed and persecuted for His namesake; for being His sheep; the blessings He gives to us in Word and sacrament; overflow. As the Apostle Paul wrote; “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”. (Romans 8:18) “And we know that for those who love God; all things work together for our good” (Romans 8:28) even suffering and death. He gives us the strength we need to bear our crosses and trials through His Word of forgiveness; the Gospel.
Therefore, we are certain that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. (Psalm 23:6) “For I am sure that neither death nor life … or anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”; (Romans 8:38b-39) our Good Shepherd (and leader); who has laid down His life for the sheep. As His sheep, we gladly hear Jesus’ voice in His Word, and we follow Him, no matter the cost, for in Him alone we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Amen.
The peace of God …
Amen.
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