GOSPEL :: FAMILY :: MISSION
Psalm 74 appears to be a desperate prayer for help; for God to rise up and defend his people, his name, and his cause of righteousness in the world that he created for his own glory. A descendant of Asaph – David’s worship leader – wrote this Psalm on the front edge of the Babylonian invasion and the subsequent enslavement and exile of God’s people shortly after king Nebuchadnezzar utterly destroyed the temple in Jerusalem.2
Continue readingPsalm 73 begins the third of five sections in the book of Psalms, and it describes the journey of a believer who finds himself nearly destroyed by the confusion and heartache of being surrounded by wickedness. In the midst of his confusion and frustration, he ultimately finds refuge and understanding in the presence of God, whom he says is “the strength of my heart and my portion forever”.
Continue readingThe Psalm we are studying today is widely regarded as a prayer of David for his son, Solomon, as David is preparing to draw his final breathe on this earth and hand the reigns of kingship to Solomon.2
Continue readingAs we begin our Summer in the Psalms series, studying Psalms 71 – 80, we get to begin with a beautiful Psalm that is meant to guide us in our relationship with the Lord when we are feeling weak, alone, and helpless.
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We are officially at the end of our study of the book of First Samuel. What began with great promise and hope as the Lord miraculously gave Hannah her son, Samuel, who became a great prophet for the Lord, took an interesting turn when Samuel, a young boy at the time, confronted Eli for his failure to confront his sinful sons.
Continue readingAs we look at the text in front of us today, I cannot help but to smile a little bit as I think about how this passage has shaped up in light of what has already happened. Though it may not seem obvious, there is something beautiful happening in the background of our passage as the invisible, sovereign, hand of God works to preserve his chosen king from the disastrous situation he has gotten himself into.
Continue readingWe are nearing the end of our study in 1st Samuel. Ultimately, this story is about the sovereign hand of God as he establishes the kingdom of Israel on earth amidst the ups and downs of a nation that continually turns her back on God. It has been a story of disturbingly dark contrasts between what is holy and what is unholy – between what honors God and what is despised by God.
Continue readingOur passage today describes one of David’s great failures as a leader as he flees from Saul, takes shelter with the enemy, settles down to live in the enemy camp, and ultimately earns the trust of one of Israel’s greatest enemies.
Continue readingIf you have been following along in our study of First Samuel, you might feel a sense of déjà vu when you read this chapter because it is so similar to the events of Chapter 24when David spared Saul’s life in the cave of Engedi.
Continue readingThe passage in front of us today reads like a romance novel with a twist of action-packed drama. It is kind of like a Hallmark romance movie meets a good old fashioned Clint Eastwood revenge western.
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