The Attributes of God:

Where do we turn for clarity in a confused world? Pt 1 Psalm 119 “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.”                   Where do we turn for answers in a morally confused world? Where can we find certainty in a world where there seems to be disunity and uncertainty?                   Psalm 119 sits at the center of the Bible. In many ways, it is not just a celebration of God’s word; it is a reminder that the Bible is the foundation of life. The Psalm is an acrostic, with each line of each stanza starting with a Hebrew letter. The words that divide the Psalm (Aleph, Beth, Gimel, etc.) are letters of the Hebrew alphabet, similar to A, B, C, D... This acrostic is more than just a literary form; it serves as a reminder that from beginning to end, and everything within it...

The Overlooked Psalms Today reading Psalm 116-118 Psalm 117, "Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His loving kindness is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!"                   There are often two Psalms we frequently ignore, one because it is so short, the other because it is so long. Separated by only one Psalm, the two Psalms stand at the center of the Bible. In today's devotional, I would like us to look at the first of these two psalms, and then on Monday, we shall examine Psalm 119.                   Psalm 117 is only two verses (17 words in Hebrew), but in these two verses, we see the central themes that run throughout the rest of scripture. The Psalm begins with a simple call for all the nations to enter into the praise of the Lord. The Psalm...

The God of Science Today’s reading: Psalms 111-115 Psalm 11:2-Great are the works of the Lord; They are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever.”                   Do we believe in science or the God who created the laws of science? Do we see scientific laws as the work of chance or the work of a divine creator? For many, science is more than the discovery of scientific laws that govern our universe. They see science is the basis for gaining knowledge and understanding of human evolution, so that, through science, we can discover meaning, purpose, and an understanding of life, which can provide a pathway for social progress. However, the tragedy is not that we seek to understand the world through scientific discovery, but that we do so without considering the God who created the laws of science. To remove theology from scientific ...

Finding Hope in a Broken World Today’s Reaching Psalm 106-110 Psalm 107:19-20, Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distress. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”                   The one thing we can all agree on in our present world, regardless of our political affiliation, is that we are living in a broken world. There is something deeply wrong in our culture. We are facing a social collapse as different factions vie to gain supremacy, believing that their party will provide the answers and that they can restore our world. If we only had the right leader, the right government, the right solution, all our problems would be solved. However, the issues we face in our world run much deeper than those that can be resolved through political means. Until we come to realize that the problem lies with us rather than others,...

Surrendering to God’s sovereign reign. Today’s Reaching: Psalm 101-205 Psalm 103:19, “the Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules overall. Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His Word, obeying the voice of His word!”                   At the core of our sin nature there resides a desire to usurp God’s sovereignty and set ourselves up as king. We strive to conform God to our perspective. Instead of conforming our moral truth to God’s word, we conform God’s word to our moral perspective.                   Woven through these five Psalms is the affirmation that God resides in heaven, clothed with splendor and majesty (104:2). The starting point of our understanding of God is the recognition that He is the sovereign ruler of the whole universe. In Psalm...

Seven Commands Today’s Reading: Psalm 96-100 Psalm 100:1-2 “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.”                   Psalm 96-100 shares a common theme. In each of these Psalms, the writer extols the praise of God’s reign over the world. There is no nation, no people, no part of the world or the universe that is outside the realm of God’s sovereign oversight and control. However, His rule over the universe is both absolute and perfect. To oppose His reign is to face His judgment (97:3-5). To submit to His control is to discover the joy of His protection and deliverance (Psalm 98). However, unlike human leaders, His rule is perfect and a source of joy for He cares for His people. When we look at all the confusion and challenges of this world, we have hope because we have one who is in control of our lives. So how should we respo...

Finding Security in an Insecure World Today’s Reading Psalm 91-95 91:1, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”                   When we look at all the uncertainty and turmoil in our world, it is easy to become gripped with fear and anxiety. It seems that every place we look, we see threats and fears. Not only do we see turmoil on a global level, but we also see the uncertainty with the political division in our own country. Even more fearful is the uncertainty we experience in our own lives and circumstances. Permeating our culture is a culture of fear, conflict, and competing worldviews that shows no signs of abating. Jennifer Gerlach examines the fear that grips our culture in her article in  Psychology Today . She writes, “Centuries ago, the threats that faced our ancestors were severe and short-lived. Today, our fears are often much more...