Psalm 91 - 5.12.21

Scripture

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:9-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.”

Observation-What does it say?

In this psalm, the author writes about the safety and peace a person receives when they trust in God. The author writes just how safe a dwelling place you will have when you trust in God and reside in His presence. Those who trust in God will not fall into their enemies' traps. They will be protected from their enemies' attacks, no disease will ever harm them, and God will send His angels wherever they go to protect them from any harm. The Lord says “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.”-(verse 14).

Understanding-What does it mean?

There is no place I would rather be than in the presence of God.

I love this psalm. This psalm helped me through this Coronavirus season. When the world looked dreary and uncertain, this psalm raised my spirit and gave me confidence. It helped me put things in perspective. It helped me remember who I put my trust in. It reminded me Who is in control. This whole psalm is filled with these promises of God, promises for those who trust and love Him. These promises are my armor and protection as I walk out into this world-(vs 4). Just knowing that God is always faithful to keep His promises is more than enough for me to step out in faith each and every day, no matter what comes my way.

Life Application

Who is your trust in?

When you know what hits the fan, and the world seems to be going mad, who is your trust in? Are you going to let the media tell you how to act? Are you going to trust in your own strength to get you through? Is this world’s fears going to get the best of you? I hope not. I pray that instead, people can turn to God, turn to His Word. I pray that they can humbly ask God for help and guidance. I pray that God can send His angels to rescue His people from any harm. I even pray that God uses His people, (the Church), to go out in the world and be His angels for others in need. I pray we can live our lives boldly and faithfully, knowing that God has our back, and that nothing is impossible with God on our side. Amen.

-Moses Gaddi

Ephesians 2 - 5.11.21

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Observation-What does it say?

Paul is addressing the Ephesian church by basically reiterating the Gospel message to them. He starts with their sin condition, their conversion by God’s grace through Jesus Christ and then the privileges that “both converted Jews and Gentiles receive from Christ.” (Reference: biblestudytools.com) 

Understanding-What does it mean?

God's Grace is a FREE gift.

There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor towards us. It is a free gift (without conditions) that is available to all who would receive it. If we could earn this gift, then we would have a reason to boast about it, but because we cannot work for His favor, the only One we are able to boast about is Jesus Christ!  

Life Application

We do good works AFTER receiving His grace and Holy Spirit, not before. In Kids Church last Sunday, I taught the kids about Jesus and Nicodemus. This Bible story can be found in John 3.  Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a rule follower who believed that the only way to God was through good works, but Jesus explained to him about being born again. He had to be born again by “water and the Spirit” and explained how God’s plan was to send His son to die to save the world from their sins. It had nothing to do with works, like Nicodemus was accustomed to. (The Apostle Paul, writer of Ephesians is very familiar with that way of living, as a former religious leader and upholder of the law.)God’s heart is that we put relationship with Jesus before rules. The good works we do as Christ followers is a fruit of our faith relationship with Jesus. I pray we would all live in the freedom and enjoyment of being in relationship with Him first and allow the rest to follow.  

-Michelle Gaddi

Psalm_89

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 89: 1

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

OBSERVATION-What does it say?

This Psalm was written by Ethan the Ezrahite. In 2 Samuel 7:12-17, God promises King David that there would always be a king of the Jews. Ethan wrote this Psalm after the Jews were deported to Babylon. In it, he expresses a belief that despite what he sees, he has faith that the promises described in 2 Samuel 7:12-17, will still be fulfilled. (Reference: Wikipedia)

UNDERSTANDING-What does it mean?

Ethan kept the faith.

The promise of God to King David didn’t seem like it was going to happen. However, this Psalm is the writer encouraging himself in the faithfulness of the Lord and His promises, despite the circumstances around him showing him something different.

LIFE APPLICATION

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

Four things about faith in these two passages:

-It’s impossible to please God without it.

-We must believe He exists when we come to Him.

-We must EARNESTLY seek him. Definition for earnestly in Oxford dictionary is “with sincere and intense conviction; seriously.”

-We must be confident in what we hope for, even though we don’t see it yet.

What faith move or prayer is the Holy Spirit asking you to make today? 

-Michelle Gaddi

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