(Psalm 4)
Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender!
When I was in trouble, you helped me.
Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.
How long will you people insult me?
How long will you love what is worthless
and go after what is false?
Remember that the LORD has chosen
the righteous for his own,
and he hears me when I call to him.
Tremble with fear and stop sinning;
think deeply about this,
when you lie in silence on your beds.
Offer the right sacrifices to the LORD,
And put your trust in him.
There are many who pray:
“Give us more blessings, O LORD.
Look on us with kindness!”
But the joy that you have given me
is more than they will ever have
with all their grain and wine.
When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace;
you alone, O LORD, keep me perfectly safe.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
16.3 God Gives Rest To The Faithful
(Hebrew 4:1-3a)
God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest. For we have heard that Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did not accept with faith. We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised.
God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest. For we have heard that Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did not accept with faith. We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised.
16.2 Hold Firmly The Confidence In God
(Hebrew 3:12.-15)
My fellow believers, be careful that no one among you has a heart so evil and unbelieving that he will turn away from the living God. Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you help one another every day, as long as the word “Today” in the scripture applies to us. For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.
This is what the scripture says:
“If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God.”
My fellow believers, be careful that no one among you has a heart so evil and unbelieving that he will turn away from the living God. Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you help one another every day, as long as the word “Today” in the scripture applies to us. For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.
This is what the scripture says:
“If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God.”
Friday, April 10, 2009
16.1 God Protects Israel At The Red Sea
(Exodus 14:10-22)
When the Israelites saw the king and his army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the LORD for help. They said to Moses, “Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? Look what you have done by bringing us out of Egypt! Didn’t we tell you before we left that this would happen? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians. It would be better to be slaves there than to die here in the desert.”
Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again. The LORD will fight for you, and all you have to do is keep still.”
The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward. Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground. I will make Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honor by my victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers. When I defeat them, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”
The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.
Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.
When the Israelites saw the king and his army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the LORD for help. They said to Moses, “Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? Look what you have done by bringing us out of Egypt! Didn’t we tell you before we left that this would happen? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians. It would be better to be slaves there than to die here in the desert.”
Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again. The LORD will fight for you, and all you have to do is keep still.”
The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward. Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground. I will make Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honor by my victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers. When I defeat them, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”
The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.
Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.
15.4 Song Of Praise And Thanksgiving
(Psalms 66)
Praise God with shouts of joy, all people!
Sing to the glory of his name;
offer him glorious praise!
Say to God, “How wonderful are the things you do!
Your power is so great that your enemies
bow down in fear before you.
Everyone on earth worships you;
they sing praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.”
Come and see what God has done.
his wonderful acts among men.
He changed the sea into dry land;
our ancestors crossed the river on foot.
There we rejoiced because of what he did.
He rules forever by his might and keeps his eyes
on the nations.
Let no rebels rise against him.
Praise our God, all nations;
let your praise be heard.
He has kept us alive and has not allowed us to fall.
You have put us to the test, God;
as silver is purified by fire,
so you have tested us.
You let us fall into a trap
And placed heavy burdens on our backs,
You let our enemies trample us;
We went through fire and flood,
But now you have brought us to a place of safety.
I will bring burnt offerings to your house;
I will offer what I promised.
I will give you what I said I would
when I was in trouble.
I will offer sheep to be burned on the altar;
I will sacrifice bulls and goats,
and the smoke will go up to the sky.
Come and listen, all who honor God,
and I will tell you what he has done for me.
I cried to him for help;
I praised him with songs.
If I had ignored my sins,
the LORD would not have listened to me.
But God has indeed heard me;
he has listened to my prayer.
I praise God, because he did not reject my prayer
or keep back his constant love from me.
Praise God with shouts of joy, all people!
Sing to the glory of his name;
offer him glorious praise!
Say to God, “How wonderful are the things you do!
Your power is so great that your enemies
bow down in fear before you.
Everyone on earth worships you;
they sing praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.”
Come and see what God has done.
his wonderful acts among men.
He changed the sea into dry land;
our ancestors crossed the river on foot.
There we rejoiced because of what he did.
He rules forever by his might and keeps his eyes
on the nations.
Let no rebels rise against him.
Praise our God, all nations;
let your praise be heard.
He has kept us alive and has not allowed us to fall.
You have put us to the test, God;
as silver is purified by fire,
so you have tested us.
You let us fall into a trap
And placed heavy burdens on our backs,
You let our enemies trample us;
We went through fire and flood,
But now you have brought us to a place of safety.
I will bring burnt offerings to your house;
I will offer what I promised.
I will give you what I said I would
when I was in trouble.
I will offer sheep to be burned on the altar;
I will sacrifice bulls and goats,
and the smoke will go up to the sky.
Come and listen, all who honor God,
and I will tell you what he has done for me.
I cried to him for help;
I praised him with songs.
If I had ignored my sins,
the LORD would not have listened to me.
But God has indeed heard me;
he has listened to my prayer.
I praise God, because he did not reject my prayer
or keep back his constant love from me.
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