Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SOULJournal SOULJournal

Psalm_127

Scripture
Psalm 127:1-2
 

1  Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 2  In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves. Observation-What does it say?

The writer of this Psalm, King Solomon describes what meaningful labor looks like, not meaningless labor. It brings me back to the book of Ecclesiastes, where he describes throughout the book that all the toiling under the sun is meaningless. (See Ecclesiastes 1:3, Eccl. 2:11, Eccl. 2:17-26, etc.)
 

Understanding-What does it mean?King Solomon was a man with TRUE wisdom.I love King Solomon’s story. (By the way, he is King David and Bathsheba’s 2nd child, after the 1st one was taken away as a consequence of their sin.) In a dream, the Lord told King Solomon to ask him for anything he wanted. Instead of asking God for wealth, possessions, honor, to defeat all his enemies, etc., he asked God for wisdom. Because God saw that his heart wasn’t for those things, He blessed King Solomon with the knowledge and wisdom he asked for PLUS all of those other things anyway. (See 1 Kings 3:1-15 and 2 Chronicles 1: 7-13)King Solomon knew that true success wasn’t a byproduct of what he could do in his own strength. As the Psalm says, unless the Lord is behind it, it is all in vain. All the toiling and labor is in vain. It’s all meaningless. However, if we give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord in His strength and wisdom, none of it is in vain.

“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
 

Life Application

Are we spending our time and energy in vain, toiling and fighting for things that don’t last in light of eternity?
 

On Sunday, Pastor preached about using our words to build up, not destroy. He also spoke about what true wisdom looks like, as opposed to false. Here’s a reminder of the verse Pastor had in his sermon, regarding exalting ourselves. James 3:13-14 NLT- If you are wise and understand God’s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth.  And if you don’t brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don’t brag about being wise.  That is the worst kind of lie.The only reason why there is good in any of us is because of Jesus Christ. Apart from Him, we are nothing. Let’s toil and labor to build His Kingdom and not our own. If God is in it, it will not be destroyed.-Michelle Gaddi

Read More
SOULJournal SOULJournal

Ezekiel_45

 

Scripture

Ezekiel 45:21

“‘In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover, a festival lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast.

 

Observation - What does it say?

This new temple after the Israelites are brought back from exile is described with many changes. But one of the things that remains the same is the command of God to observe the Passover. The Passover festival had a very specific purpose of remembering and celebrating the miraculous way God delivered his people from Egypt.

 

Understanding - What does it mean?

It's interesting to me that remembrance and celebration of what God has done is a command.

Those people I’ve met who are the most passionate about loving God and loving others seem to all have something in common: They haven’t lost sight of what God has done for them. Their conversion experience hasn’t become old news. There results of continual remembrance are huge!

 

Psalm 22:27

All the ends of the earth shall remember

    and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

    shall worship before you.

 

That verse shows us that when we remember, the result is turning toward the Lord and worship springing up from our hearts. If we find the joy of our salvation fading and feel a bit stale or complacent, it would do us well to set aside some time to remember and celebrate. Relive in your memory where you were when God found you and the transformation He has brought to your life through Jesus Christ.

 

As we remember and celebrate, we’ll find our hearts echoing heroes of the faith in scripture:

 

Psalm 37:25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

Psalm 23:6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 22:22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

 

Life Application

Set aside some time today to remember and worship.

God, forgive us for losing sight of all you’ve blessed us with. I know that the enemy would love for us to believe that our life is nothing more than our present struggles. But you have been faithful! You’ve never failed us. Never. Help us to be more intentional about remembering your wonders and declaring your praises. Amen.

 

- Levi Thompson

Read More
SOULJournal SOULJournal

Psalm 125

Scripture  Psalm 125:1-2   
Those who trust in the Lord Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. Observation-What does it say?  Psalm 120-134 are a series of songs known as the Songs of Ascents.  These songs may have been sung as people were climbing the stairs to the temple.  Some scholars believe they were written in a Post Exilic time period, the period after Israel’s exile to Babylon.  Other Post Exilic writings include the five books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.  During this time, under the rule of Cyrus king of Persia, Israel was allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.   Even though Israel has returned from Babylon, it is not the complete end of their exile.  One of the major themes in the Post Exilic writings, the continued trust in the Lord.  These prophets warned against Israel's doubt in God.  The Songs of Ascents may have been used as a way to remind those entering the temple to put their trust in God, who protects those who serve him.   Exile, one of the major themes of the Bible, is a way to represent our position to God.  We are in constant exile, sojourners in this life, waiting to enter our heavenly home.  Those who have put their trust in God, and accepted the free gift of forgiveness through Jesus’ death on the cross, are constantly making their way towards that home.  Our future is secure in Jesus, even though we are in a world that seems insecure.  In John 17:14-16, Jesus prays for us, who are not of this world, but in it for the good of others, that they may come to find the way home through us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSua9_WhQFE Understanding-What does it mean?  I remember having days as a kid where school seemed like the most exhausting thing in life.  I was forced to be in an environment where I didn’t feel at home.  The kids around me were mean, they made fun of me for being skinny and having big teeth.  I was overwhelmed with the instruction from the teacher and felt as though I would never be smart enough to make it.  There were days that it was all I could do to hold back the emotion of wanting to go home.  But, that moment would always come, when I would open the door and find my mom waiting there, and I would finally feel as though everything in the world was right again.  As I got older, as with all kids, I had a better perspective that the school day was only temporary and the emotion I felt was also fleeting.  Through the scriptures, like the Songs of Ascents, God helps us find that perspective.  When we sing, the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever, it is a way of finding the perspective of God’s everlasting joy and fulfillment in our lives.   Life Application  Jesus, you have promised to make my burden light when I come to you (Matthew 11:28-30).  In you I live and move and breath (Acts 17:28).  Help me to always find this perspective when I feel lost and overwhelmed in this world that is not my home.  For you are the mountains around me, my stronghold, the place where I find rest.
-Tyler Galloway
 
Read More