Psalm 8 - 7.22.24
Scripture
Psalms 8:3-4 NLT
“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
Observation
In this psalm, David writes about all the glorious things God has created and put in place on this earth. David is in awe of the splendor of God. David can’t even fathom how a God so BIG and AWESOME in nature, can care so much for something as insignificant as we mere mortals. God cares and loves us so much, that He is willing to partner with us and give us authority to help Him accomplish His mission. How blessed are we? How majestic is He? 🤔
Application
As small as we are in scale to this universe, God still keeps us in mind and loves and cares for us so deeply.
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.”-Jeremiah 1:5a
“Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head.”-Luke 12:7a
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” -Psalms 139:1-6
God knows us intimately. His desire is for us to know Him in that same way. But how do you get to know someone intimately? 🤔
By spending time, (uninterrupted time) with them. By knowing their likes, their dislikes, and the desires of their heart. By knowing their character. By communicating with them, and letting them communicate with you. By truly taking the time to listen to one another. You see where I’m getting at here right? 😉
It is an honor and privilege that the God of the universe, this super intelligent, eternal being, desires to spend time with a mere mortal, and sinner like me. It’s still hard for me to fathom! He loves me so much that He even came out of the comforts of His home in Heaven, to live a lowly life and die a sinner’s death. All this so I can have the opportunity to have a relationship with Him and spend eternity with Him. Now who wouldn’t want to know and serve a God like that?!
So I do my best to get to know Him more each day by spending time in His Word, spending time in prayer, and also taking the time to listen to what He has to say (PB&J: Prayer, Bible Reading, & Journaling). I’ll do my best to tell others about Him because when you’re in a great relationship, you can’t help but tell others about it. And I’ll do my best to make Him proud and do things that won’t upset and disappoint Him. Because at the end of the day, this is a relationship I must cherish.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I am truly humbled by how much You love and care for me. With all the extravagant and beautiful things that You created in this world, You consider me Your masterpiece. You choose to partner with me, an imperfect being to accomplish Your mission on this earth. I am in awe of You. I choose to honor You. I choose to worship You. May the life I live be pleasing to You. May the relationship we have together arouse others to desire that same type of relationship with You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Numbers 9 - 7.19.2024
Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.
Numbers 9: 15-18
On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.
Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?
Numbers chapter 9 verses 15 through 18 records the nature defying cloud-by-day fire-by-night system used by the Lord to communicate with the Israelites. When the cloud lifted, the nation moved out. When the cloud settled, the nation encamped. When evening came the cloud looked like fire.
Application - How will you apply this to your life?
What exactly is God’s will in my life?
I have been pondering this question for so long now that it is part of a subconscious daily routine. It is amazing however how God’s word draws me into His revelation when I least expect it. In a season where the nation of Israel was preparing to enter the promised land, God provided clear and concise directions.
And in a world where the power of algorithms is the latest hot topic, I believe that the word of God has been there and done that. While the cloud-fire lasted for but a season in the life of Israel, I yearn for it in my life today.
Prayer - Write out a prayer.
Lord, God please order my steps today. Tell me when to move. Tell me when to stay. May you be the fire inside me when night falls. May you be the guide of my path, my way. I thank you for the opportunity to draw closer to You. I treasure the moments I have here on earth to ponder what it is like to be close to You. I pray that these thoughts that I have about You are not simply thoughts but that I would live a life where the Holy Spirit would guide my own spirit to be closer with You. I am in awe of your cloud by day and fire by night, and I would truly be humbled by such guidance. Where the world has given over to worship of AI, I choose to remain true to you. I worship You, the one and only God, the creator of the Universe, the living Savior, and my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
-kenneth lee
Psalm 6 - 7.18.24
Psalm 6:1-3; 6
S - 1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
O – This Psalm is a lamentation by David who sensed he was under the chastisement of God, but he still knew he should ask God to shorten the trial. There is a place for humble resignation to chastisement, but God wants us to yearn for higher ground and to use that yearning as a motivation to seek Him and get things right with Him.
In his agony David pleads for deliverance – but on the ground of God’s mercy, not his own righteousness. David knew that the LORD’s chastisement was righteous, but he also knew that God is rich in mercy. (endouringword.com)
A – I know so many of us this morning who can relate to David’s anguish for many of the different things we are experiencing. Those things may or may not be the result of our own sin, but the pain and frustration is all the same. We NEED God to get us through these things. We need to cry out and lay each of our needs at His feet and let Him take the load. And if we believe sin has played a part in our circumstances, then let’s take the opportunity to confess those things and let God move us past them. As we just wrapped up our 7-day rooted challenge, I pray that each person who was seeking Him and growing those roots deeper, truly came away from that time feeling connected! I think most of us would say they have memorized this scripture:
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
That verse carries so much truth! Well, don’t they all? But this one always packs a punch for me. When I am going through the chaos and crying out to God, I must stop and ask myself if I am even taking the time to connect with Jesus. Most of the time, I have been “too busy” to put in the time and effort, not giving Him the chance to speak to my heart or lead me where I need to go. In this Psalm God’s chastising hand was heavy upon David. His life seemed to be nothing but tears and misery. David felt God was angry with him and he lacked a sense of God’s presence (familiar?) and the only reason we would not feel God’s presence is because we have not been connecting to the source. He does not turn his back on us and as we go through each of our own trials, it is imperative that we call on the Lord to bring us through them. He has already promised us that He will!
P – Lord I thank you that your promises never change. That you said there is nothing that can separate us from your love. You said there will be trouble on this earth, but we need not fear any of it because you have already given us victory over every battle. Help us to hold onto that promise and live like we remember that! Help our lives be a testimony to those around us who are watching. Please help myself and others to always go to you amid the pain and suffering and not turn to any of the many other things we can get so caught up in to help ourselves feel better. Let us always turn to YOU for our comfort and our sanity! Thank you, Jesus, that you hear our cries and our desperation, and being the good Father that you are, are right beside us holding us up as we get through our pain.
Amen!
Crystal Penrod Flory