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28 minutes ago
28 minutes ago
Psalm 130
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 From the depths of despair, O Lord,
I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer.
3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.
5 I am counting on the Lord;
yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word.
6 I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from every kind of sin.
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16 hours ago
16 hours ago
Romans 12: Living Life
Study 30: Do good!
I am sure you are aware that evil is all around us in this world. It is easy for us to become unenthusiastic and downcast in the face of the stress, pain and atrocity of evil. What is our response to be, says Paul? We are to overcome evil with good. We are to overcome evil by living such good lives of love of God and others, that evil is vanquished.
Evil wants to snatch away your inner joy and dependence upon God. We can overcome and conquer evil by submitting all to God - remembering that our love for God must always be stronger than any other love. That is good overcoming evil!
It is why in what we call the Lord’s Prayer, we pray “Deliver us from evil!” We have three enemies – satan, the world and our old nature. All three evils died a death when Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose again to new life three days later. They just refuse to accept it! Light always overcomes darkness, good always overcomes evil.
When we are tempted to sin, we are to resist. That is one way you conquer evil – by refusing to bow to it’s seductive requests. When our enemies do wrong against us, we are to forgive them. Just as God forgives us. That is good conquering evil. That is light overcoming darkness! Remember that God who lives within you, is greater than anything that would tempt you away from Him. Let His light dispel the darkness and evil which threatens to over come you. Resist in the power of the Holy Spirit and overcome evil with good.
Go! Live such a good life, that nobody can accuse you. Go – let your light shine in darkness! Overcome your enemies with love! Overcome evil with good.
Throughout this chapter Paul has chronicle living a life worthy of loving God. The Christian life is to be active and dynamic – reflecting a God who is also active and dynamic in this world! How so? Because He has people like you and I who are living lives worthy of being called His children! WOW!
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2 days ago
2 days ago
Psalm 149
(As read by Anne)
149:1 Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance!
Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
149:4 For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.
He crowns the humble with salvation.
149:5 Let the saints rejoice in honor.
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
149:6 May the high praises of God be in their mouths,
and a two-edged sword in their hand;
149:7 To execute vengeance on the nations,
and punishments on the peoples;
149:8 To bind their kings with chains,
and their nobles with fetters of iron;
149:9 to execute on them the written judgment.
All his saints have this honor. Praise Yah!
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2 days ago
2 days ago
Romans 12: Living Life
Study 29: Love your enemies
Paul continues on the theme of loving enemies! Now he recalls an ancient proverb! The meaning of the proverb is that by doing good to those who wish us harm in some way, that person will become discomfited and humiliated for the wrong he has perpetuated. If our enemy doesn’t repent or relent after doing that, then God’s judgement will be upon them.
Do you have people who are against you? How are you treating them? Do you desire to win them over – loving enemies so that they become friends? Isn’t that also a picture of God? God loves us! Once we were enemies of God but He has done all He can do to get us over to be friends with Him. When Jesus was on the cross, He handed all judgement of those who persecuted him, over to God. It is God’s place and right to execute judgement upon people. It is our place to love our enemies and win them over as friends. We can do it by using the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Pray that God will stimulate your imagination to plan how you may do it and use His power to help you!
As Christians we are to love people into the Kingdom of God. Doing kind deeds to all –those who are actively against us, those who ignore us and treat us with contempt as well as those that love us. As Christians, our job is to love. If those that despise us are hungry, we are to feed them so their hunger is gone. If they are thirsty, we are to offer them something to drink, so their thirst is satiated.
Can imagine what your town would be like if you and your church acted like that towards other people? The Church actively loving the town where they are located. For we are to love – love not just in words but also in action. Pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten the minds of the churches as to how you can put love into action. Then you will win enemies over as friends.
Go! Show kindness to those who oppose you and win them over as friends – just as God did for you!
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3 days ago
Psalm 128
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord-
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord's blessing
for those who fear him.
5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!
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3 days ago
3 days ago
Romans 12: Living Life
Study 28: Leave it to God
Romans 12:18 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
How do we react when somebody hurts us or hurts somebody we love? Our natural reaction is to try and find some way to get even with them. This can be done in various ways. It could be by ignoring them – withdrawing away and not having any communication with them directly. Or it could be the spreading of malicious gossip that is a revenge tactic. When in the church hall after a church service people talking to each other “Did you hear what so and so did to me?” Those are forms of revenge.
Remember as Christians, we are to be in harmony with each other and to do all we can to be at peace with each other. We are not to seek revenge on others in any form. We are commanded by Jesus, who is our Lord, to forgive others who have sinned against us. While our inner nature and desire maybe to seek revenge, we are commanded to forgive and restore ourselves to those who have hurt us. If we have bitterness inside us, it eats away at us. It keeps eating away at us until we rid of that bitterness.
Paul here quotes from a book he would have been well familiar with – Deuteronomy 32:35. ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them.’ Why does Paul do this? Because it is not our place to exact revenge! It is God’s place to avenge! It is God’s place to judge evil and not ours.
Now there may well be times when we need to seek justice against those outside the church in order to seek justice. But this is not to be done out of revenge. As for troubles with those inside the church? We are, you may remember, to do all we can to be at peace with each other and do all we can to be harmonious.
Remember when Jesus was on the cross and people hurled insults at him? Did he retaliate? No – he forgave. That is also what we are to do also. We can do it if we ask for the Holy Spirit to help us.
Go! Be ready to forgive those who have done you wrong!
Go ask for forgiveness if you have done wrong against somebody else.
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Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!4 days ago
4 days ago
Psalm 137
(as read by Jenny)
137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
137:2 On the willows in its midst, we hung up our harps.
137:3 For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
137:4 How can we sing Yahweh's song in a foreign land?
137:5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
137:6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you; if I don't prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
137:7 Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, "Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!"
137:8 Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.
137:9 Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.
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4 days ago
4 days ago
Romans 12: Living Life
Study 27: Be a peace-doer
v18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
As part of bringing honour to God Paul now says that followers of Jesus are to do all they can to live at peace with everyone! It isn’t possible to live entirely at peace with everyone! Why do I say that? Evil and evildoers must be opposed, as must be those who are oppose Jesus – very difficult to be at total peace with everybody, particularly those who oppose the work of Jesus and the work of the Church for God’s glory!
Many people endeavour to oppose Jesus and His Church and want to block the work being done by you and I to bring honour and glory to God. And that is the key – the glory and honour of God. As much as we are cajoled to compromise our faith, we are to resist. We can resist in the power of the Holy Spirit within us – resisting temptation to capitulate to sin.
We are to refuse to inflame quarrels. We are to take the initiative towards positive peacemaking with those who are against us. But sometimes people are either uninterested or unwilling to be at peace with us! How do we overcome those people with good – particularly those who insist we compromise our faith and our morals? Ask the Holy Spirit for help and guidance! He will help in the most surprising of ways!
When peace is broken or unattainable, is that because of the other person or is it because of our own action or inaction? If you have done all you can for peace, then your conscience is therefore clear. You can leave it with God and let Him handle the situation. It is by His grace and His grace alone that the most difficult of tasks can be overcome.
Within the Church itself however, there is always to be peace between the Christians. Part of being at peace with others is encouragement and edification of others and of self. There is to be no quarrelling accusations, prejudice and judgmentalism with the church as we have seen previously in these studies. For sure, people are to be allowed their opinions – otherwise the Church will be operating as a brainwashing Cult and not a Jesus-centred, God-glorifying Church.
Go! Be a peacemaker and as far as you can, be at peace with others – inside the Church and outside it.
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Click on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!4 days ago
4 days ago
Psalm 126
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 When the Lord brought back
his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
"What amazing things the Lord has done for them."
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with
shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
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5 days ago
5 days ago
Romans 12: Living Life
Study 26: Be honourable
As we saw in our last study, we are not to pay back evil with yet more evil. We are to retaliate against others with love to those who would wish us harm. We are to behave in such a way that we are above and beyond reproach – that is being criticized for our behaviour! That is what Paul means by honourable here. We are to refrain from doing what is evil and wrong but we are also to do what is right.
As Christians we are to act in such a way the people will ask the reason why we are so different. They will ask why you do what you do – particularly if you do the things that Paul has been talking about in this chapter! You will be seen to be living a life of honour which reflects your relationship with God. As you do this you show to others that you are a Christian – a child of God – who is in an exciting and dynamic relationship with God. People will ask why are you so different from us – giving you honour! But not only that, even if they are atheist or agnostic, they will be giving honour to God because you are His child.
Can you imagine if more people took seriously what Paul is writing here in Romans 12? The world would be turned upside down and a revolution would be in evidence! Not a revolution borne from violence but a revolution of loving God and loving others! That is what the Church is supposed to be like – harmonious communities of Christians proclaiming that they love God and showing that they do that by loving other people. Christians doing things which bring praise and honour to God and people outside the Church remarking how honourable they are! Imagine!
Can it be done? Yes! If we as Christians asked the Holy Spirit to help us as He empowers us!
Go! Live your life in such a way, that you are seen as honourable and therefore the God you claim to love is also honoured. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you – He will help if you ask!