Psalm 107 - 7.17.23
Scripture
Psalms 107:2 NLT
“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.”
Observation
This is a psalm of of thanksgiving and praise. The psalmist, (most likely David), wants people to know of God’s faithfulness to those who call on His name. The psalmist gives examples throughout this psalm of the many troubles God’s people were in. Some of these troubles were even from their own wrongdoing by rebelling against God. But in God’s grace, when the people cried out to Him for help, He was faithful to rescue them each time. Verses 6, 13, 19, and 28 of this psalm remind us of that because each verse is identical, saying:
“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.”
So in return, the psalmist implores anyone who has experienced God’s faithfulness and goodness in their lives to tell others just how good and awesome God truly is.
“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.”-Psalms 107:8
Application
Share with someone the wonderful things God has done in your life.
We who are Christians have all experienced God’s love and faithfulness in our lives. We all have different backgrounds and different stories to tell. Each are unique in their own way. Each are personal to us. And that is what makes them great! You see, while you may have some people out there who are skeptical about if the Bible is true, or if God is real or not; there is no disputing the physical evidence of what He has done in our own lives. So when we share our stories, it makes God that much more real to those we are sharing our stories with. These stories of ours may be the closest thing to church or hearing the gospel message as they are going to get! So be bold. Let’s share our stories of the great things God has done in our lives. Let people know that what God did for you, He can do for them. He is just a prayer away. 🙏🏽
Prayer
Father God I just want to thank You for Your faithfulness, kindness, and never-ending love for me. Even though I don’t deserve it, You are always there for me time and time again. I pray that I may be bold and courageous when it comes to sharing with others the stories of Your goodness in my life. May You reveal Yourself to them through these stories. May they want to know You more, and want to have that same relationship that I have with You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Psalm 106 - 7.14.23
Scripture
Psalm 106:7b-8
…they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
to make his mighty power known.
Observation
The Israelites had sinned, they had forgotten what God had done for them, the lost sight of the miracles and didn’t give any thought to how kind God had been to them. The rebelled against God despite all he had done and God would have been justified in destroying them all.
YET, he saved them. Wow.
His reason? “for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.” This wasn’t a one-off event for God. Rather, he was making known to the world something about who he is always is and always will be. Namely, what Jesus said about God in Luke 6:35, “he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
Application
There are so many appropriate responses to this - praise God and be in awe of his extravagant kindness (like the psalmist here), rejoice in the ways God has demonstrated this kindness to me, share with others about God’s kindness, imitate this kindness by loving my enemies (what Jesus was teaching about in Luke 6). And I’m sure there are even more.
But where I feel drawn today is to reflect on the fact that God has been kind to me for his name’s sake, not because I deserve it. It sounds cliché to say it, but the truth is I am blessed. Like crazy blessed. I have been saved. I have been forgiven. I have a future hope of eternity with God. I have an incredible wife, amazing kids, the best church family and ministry, a beautiful home, always enough food on the table… it’s overwhelming. Especially when I know how much I sinned and rebelled against God, and how I still struggle to get it right. God is so kind, so merciful, so patient with me. And as time goes on, I don’t ever want to lose sight of the fact that it’s all grace.
Prayer
God, you have been so kind to me. Thank you for being the God who is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Not just some ungrateful and wicked people in the Bible, or people out there in the world somewhere, but TO ME. Thank you. May I never lose sight of it, and may it inspire deepest praise and devotion to you. Amen.
-Levi Thompson
1 JOHN - 07.13.23
SCRIPTURE-1 John 1:1 AMP
“I am writing about what existed from the beginning, what we have HEARD, what we have SEEN with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]—”
OBSERVATION
As I read John’s letter one observation is that John is sharing his personal testimony of what he has “Heard and Seen” with his own eyes.
“I am writing about what I have “seen” with “my own eyes”.
John was one of Jesus beloved Apostles—and certainly spent time with Him—following Him closely.
John was an ‘eye’ witness to the healings, the calming of the Storms on the sea, Peter walking on water, demons being cast out, Five Thousand being fed with Christ’s multiplication of five small loaves of bread and two small fish…and on and on…in fact-
John said:
“…there are also many OTHER things which Jesus did, which IF they were recorded one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25 AMP)
…AND—So—John shares his Stories about Jesus.
APPLICATION
Share my Stories about Jesus!
Jesus is STILL Doing So many things that they cannot be contained in ANY book!
Just last Sunday we heard testimonies from our Youth Camp of how Brooklyn stepped out in faith and prayed for her sister Madison who was healed—on the spot— and Noah was prayed for and received healing from Jesus-on the spot—of his ankles/feet which had been hurting for a very long time.
We have SO many stories in our church of people being healed—some instantaneously in church services!
“Jesus Christ IS the SAME— yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 NLT)
This above scripture is God’s word to us. Do we believe it?
Take Jesus at His Word-
Be prepared for God to use you and remember it’s not about us—so we may not be feeling at our best OR it may feel like an inconvenient time.
Pastor Levi pointed this out in a teaching when he shared that so often Jesus ministered powerfully “on HIS way”—meaning Jesus Stopped what HE was doing to minister to someone.
I remember being at a restaurant not too long ago when I simply paused my conversation to ask a waitress how we could pray for her as we said grace. She burst into tears saying that morning she had just asked God to send someone to her today.
You never ever know how God will use you. It’s simply being open and available to show HIS Love.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
Like John, I have SEEN and HEARD with my own eyes—Your goodness.
I pray as I enter into this coming rooted challenge I will lay down the world and pick up my Stories of You.
Bring to my memory more and more of the ways you have—and continue—to work in and through me.
Build and strengthen my faith so that I can be bold and fearless and loving.
Sow into me and FILL me with ALL of You that is More than I can Contain. I want Everything, Lord. May Others SEE YOU when they see me. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Tina L Kudelka