Psalm 115

Happy New Year 2020!

SCRIPTURE

Psalm ‭115:3-4‬

‭‬‬

“Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.”

 

OBSERVATION-What does it say?

This psalm is all about giving God all the glory, honor, and praise! This psalm reminds us of God’s faithfulness. It reminds us that God is our helper and shield. It reminds us that God will bless those who put their trust in Him. It reminds us that there is no other that compares to our God!

  

UNDERSTANDING-What does it mean?

 

Don’t settle for the imitation brand. Get the original!

 

Have you ever wanted to purchase something, but the item was a bit out of your price range? Then instead of saving a bit more for it, you went ahead and bought a “knock off” version of that item so you could save a few bucks. Then once you took it home you began to notice some imperfections in the item. Then within weeks, the item begins to unravel and breakdown on you! I mean here you are with a broken down product, an empty wallet, and nothing to show for it. You were bamboozled!

 

In this psalm, the author is trying to express to the people of Israel to not fall into that trap. They serve a living God. They serve a God who is willing to help, shield, and bless them. The heavens belong to Him, and He is willingly bless them if they are to put their trust in Him.

So why put their faith in anything else?! Other nations may worship their gods. But their gods are man made. Their gods are imperfect. Their gods do not speak, see, or hear. Their gods are “knock offs” from the One True God. Worshiping those false gods will only leave them feeling...bamboozled!

 

LIFE APPLICATION

 

Put God first this New Year and see what He can do!

 

What a great way to start the New Year by our 28 days of prayer and fasting. It’s a great way we can put God first in our lives. It gives us a chance to “reboot” our systems, start fresh, get rid of all of life’s distractions, and put our focus back on God. So let’s put away those false idols in our lives that tend to take the place of God-(like work, money, television, internet, etc.). Let’s put God first. Let’s put Him back on the throne of our lives where He belongs. I’m sure He will bless us because of it!

 

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”-Psalms‬ ‭37:5

 

-Moses Gaddi

Mark 8

Scripture

 

Mark 8:38

 

38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Jesus was speaking to the crowd and His disciples about what it means to be His disciple. A disciple must: 1) Deny themselves. 2) Take up their cross. 3) Follow Him. 4) Not be ashamed of Him.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Jesus did not sugar coat the cost of being His disciple.

 

They must lose themselves for Him, the Gospel and not be ashamed of Jesus. Those who are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of when He returns. Another parallel verse to Mark 8 is in Luke 9.

 

Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

Life Application

 

Don’t be ashamed of your faith. Proclaim it boldly!

 

On December 3rd, I posted in our SJ blog about what it looked like to lose our lives and take up our cross for Jesus. Today, we are reminded that we cannot be ashamed of Him, His Words and our faith in Him.

 

Tonight, many of us will be ringing in the New Year with our families. In 2020, let’s commit/re-commit fully to the work of the Lord, proclaim our faith boldly without shame to our families, friends and neighbors and see the harvest unfold in our lives and at DSC! If we feel like we don’t have much to offer Him, He is the One who is able to multiply faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed.

 

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:58‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

-Michelle Gaddi

Mark_7

ScriptureMark 7:37³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement.  “He has done everything well,” they said.  “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”Observation Mark 7 starts with religious leaders finding fault in the disciples for eating with “unclean” hands.  They call out the failure to “follow tradition” to which Jesus counters that “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”  Further, he explains it is not that which that comes from outside the body that defiles; but, rather, that “from within, out of a person’s heart.”He then goes on to heal a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter and heal a deaf and mute man. UnderstandingJesus lived a blameless life, full of calling people into accountability and healing those with ailments.  He was REAL through and through.  He did not care for the worship of people’s lips if the way they lived their lives showed something else set on the throne of their hearts.  He did not care of the religions laws and traditions were followed if the heart was not in the right place. And, as result of all of this, people followed him wherever He went.  People shared the excitement of His presence and the things He had done…even when He asked them not to. Life ApplicationI loved this last verse because it reminded me of visiting a village in India late at night.  Hearing of a woman who was having hearing problems as we were about to board the bus to go home and turning around to go find her, wake her up, lay hands on her, pray for her…and SEE HER HEALED.Although I am not going this year, I am so excited that we have a team of people with hearts after God going to share His love with people in India.  The hands and feet of service will be multiplied, God’s love will be shared through fed bellies, healings of ALL kinds, people experiencing the deep-down-loved feeling of being seeing, known and loved.  I look forward in anticipation to the stories the team will return with, stories of seeing God move, stories of being used by Him.    Let us live out REAL lives like Jesus did – lives where our words, actions and hearts all align and are in alignment with God’s heart.  And let us lift up those who are going, as an extension of Desert Streams Church in Santa Clarita, across the world to love on those in India. ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.