Psalm 28 - 8.19.24
Scripture
Psalm 28:7 NLT
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Observation
In the beginning of this psalm, David is crying out to God for help. David pleads to God to not punish him unfairly with the wicked. David yearns for God to rescue him from his troubles. Then starting in verse 6, David gives thanks to God for answering his prayers. David’s response is to trust in God wholeheartedly. He no longer experiences fear. Instead, David has peace because of God’s faithfulness. These are all reasons why David wrote this psalm, along with many others. He wanted to give God ALL his praise and worship!
Application
God turns our trials into triumph.
David, the man that we all know as “the man after God’s own heart”, was no stranger to trials in his life. From fighting a literal GIANT, to being on the run because many people wanted him dead, to the heartache of losing a baby, David had experienced it all. But through all of his life’s ups and downs, one thing remained constant…David’s relationships and love for God. David didn’t allow life’s tough moments to break him. Instead, David trusted God. He cried out to him regularly and David found out firsthand of God’s faithfulness. God turned David’s trials into triumph, which caused David to write so many beautiful psalms/songs about God’s goodness.
So I want to encourage anyone out there that may be going through a rough patch right now. DO NOT GIVE UP! Look up! Seek God wholeheartedly the way David did. Tell Him your troubles and ask Him for help. God’s Will may not be to remove us from the situation, but rather give us the strength and endurance to sustain us through it. At the end of the day, if we don’t give up, and we stand strong in our faith, it will build our faith and make us even stronger for it. Try it and see. Allow God to turn your trial into a triumph. Allow Him to turn those tests into testimonies. See what David saw and KNOWS. And that is God is good and faithful. ❤️😊
“For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” -Psalms 100:5
Prayer
Father God, You are so good and faithful. I pray that others who do not yet know You may see just how good and faithful You really are. I pray that You may draw them to You. I pray You may soften their hearts, and open their ears, so they may hear Your calm, still voice calling them into a relationship with You. I pray they accept that invitation. I pray that they may put their faith and trust in You. May they experience Your goodness and faithfulness the way that David had, and the way that I have. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Matthew 18 - 8.16.2024
Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.
Matthew 18:32 - 35
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?
The ending to a parable of Jesus describing a story about an unmerciful servant, who was granted mercy by his master, only to turn right around and behave wickedly to somebody in his debt.
I have of late thought often of various family members that moved on and away from family holding on to so much bitterness and anger inside their heart. I always seem to arrive at the same question-thought towards the end of my reminiscence, “Was all that anger worth it?”
Application - How will you apply this to your life?
While several of the themes of this parable are mercy and forgiveness towards brothers and sisters in Christ, I could not stop thinking about forgiveness and mercy within the context of family and…coworkers. 😁
I felt the Holy Spirit reminding me of an incident involving a speeding coworker and my daughter who was driving me while we were all on the way to work. And low and behold as I searched my heart I found a root of bitterness and anger which led me to ask myself, “Was all that anger worth it?”
Prayer - Write out a prayer.
I am so amazed by your mercy, Lord Jesus. I am so amazed by your heart. Thank you for giving us the blueprint on how we ought to deal with brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to practice this heart-concept Lord. I pray to You Lord, that you would help me to let go of any anger or bitterness that I may have harbored towards a brother or sister in Christ. I pray that I would let go of any anger I may have toward my family and friends. I pray Lord, that I would not look at anyone with bitterness or anger friend or foe, coworker or not, whoever you decide to put on the same path that I happen to tread on this wonderful earth you have created, may I, in turn, extend a portion of the mercy and grace that You have extended to all of us. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee
Psalm 26 - 8.15.24
SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 26:4
"I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites."
OBSERVATION:
David knew the joys of obeying the Lord. He learned from the Scriptures and then passed on a legacy of wisdom. David took hold of God's Word with all of his heart, and he was determined not to abandon what he had learned, and he allowed God to show him how to choose His way.
When David said he didn't sit with the deceitful nor associate with hypocrites, he wasn't implying that he didn't associate with them. He meant that he didn't act like them. David devoted his life to God, and he realized that a person who clung to idols wasn't able to commit his spirit into God's hands. There was a stark contrast between David's total trust in God, and those who clung to worthless idols. David loved the Lord and was committed to giving God his first allegiance, and because of that, he didn't stay away from unbelievers. He lived his life demonstrating what a faithful person was in contrast to a faithless person. Because of David's obedience to God, he was granted protection and peace. When the lies of the enemy came against him, God defended him. David was delivered from trouble. God showed David that his cries for help never went unheard, and in the midst of David's times of panic, God brought stability. When David's life was in despair, God brought David relief. God's Word gave David the guidelines for living a blameless life, and he put them into practice. The joys and benefits of being God's companion paid off for David, and he knew that following God's ways allowed him to be blessed.
APPLICATION:
Father God, thank You for giving me a heart to share Your love with others. There is a difference between hanging out with sinners, and purposely going out to be among them. Help me to be a godly influence as I reflect Your great love for them. Thank You for delivering me, saving me, and for being merciful to me. Because of Your great love, I pray You will help me to lead a blameless life before You, and that You will lead me to the ones who still need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord that You watch over the way of the righteous. You are our caring Shepherd and our dependable guide. When we obey You, we have hope for eternal life and security. You defended, guided, and pardoned David, and You grant us the same requests as we follow and obey You. I thank You that You have forgiven our sins, and have shown us Your ways, and have taught us Your path, and I pray that we will be faithful back to You by sharing Your love, associating ourselves with non-believers by meeting their needs, and instructing them in Your ways.
- Robin Orefice