6 Jul (Lamentations)

The Book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. In spite of God's warnings through Jeremiah the prophet, the people didn't listen, and God used Israel's enemies once again to bring them to repentance.

Jeremiah is called the Weeping Prophet, and for good reason...he went through hardship to warn the people, only to see them reject God's Word and be destroyed by Babylon.

Lamentations 1

(v.2) Sometimes when we go through hardships, we realize that we didn't have as many friends as we thought...we feel alone. Of course, that's probably not accurate, but nonetheless, we always have our Heavenly Father by our side!

(v.3) God brought destruction upon Judah, but He did get out a remnant to Babylon to be saved for His purposes.

(v.9) Israel didn't realize how God had provided for them, and they trusted in their own instead. If they had only trusted in their true King, they would've avoided all these troubles!

(v.15) In Jewish culture, the wine press is important. We will see this imagery many times in the Old and New Testament. Nowhere is it displayed more poignantly than in Rev 14:19 where Jesus has returned and His robe is soaked with blood, as if He mashed grapes in the wine press.

(v.16) The Comforter is the Holy Spirit. I remind my kids that in Gen 15:2 Abraham's servant and helper was Eliezer. In Hebrew, Eliezer means Comforter. In Gen 24 the unnamed servant, Eliezer, acts out as a type of the Holy Spirit and gathers a Bride for the Son at the command of the Father.

Lamentations 2

(v.3) The use of the term, right hand, is another type in the Bible...it refers to Jesus. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father right now in heaven, and the Father's right hand carries out His will.

In this case in the book, God has removed or pulled back the work of His right hand...they are without protection.

(v.9) By this time, the Law of Moses had become just a meaningless ritual that the people did out of habit and tradition...it didn't bring them closer to God. The Feasts and the Sabbaths were meant to keep God on the minds of the people, and for them to be thankful for what God had done for them. We too can let life get in the way of our gratitude towards God, we must be careful with that.

(v.20) This is a gross verse, where it seems that there was such a famine in the land, that mothers ate their own children for food. Now, most likely the children had already died, so the parents ate the child for any nourishment to stay alive. Nonetheless, not a great image to ponder!

Lamentations 3

(v.9) This is the exact opposite of Prov 3:5-6 where if we walk with the LORD, He directs our paths straight.

(v.17) When we are far from God, we have no real peace...only with Him are we at peace! John 14:27

(v.32) God is just, but He is also compassionate. We see so many times in the Bible that He relents from His anger at the cries of His beloved. Even when we sin, and we cry out to Him, if we have a truly repentant heart, He will hear us and comfort us. 2 Chron 7:14

Lamentations 4

(v.10) Here again we see that out of desperation and survival mode, the women cooked their own children to live. This is a far cry from where they could've been had they listened to God. We Americans can learn from this, because we are on the same path. All our wealth can go in an instant, and we can be faced with tragic times like what is described here. The most important thing I have found, is to start with your family, and make sure our hearts are with God, then we can work on the community...then the county...then the state...then the country!

(v.17) So many nations rely on America to save them, but in the future, we may not be able to help them anymore...we may be looking for help as well. Our only true help is with God!

Lamentations 5

(v.2) Israel will be ruled by the Gentiles for centuries...the fall to Babylon began the Times of the Gentiles...meaning that Israel is ruled by others. One day, they will be dependent upon no one...only their King...Yeshua!

There are two terms that often get confused:

The Times of the Gentiles (TOG) ~ This started at Babylon, and will end when Jesus returns

The Fullness of the Gentiles (FOG) ~ This is the Church, which started at Pentecost and will end with the Rapture. I like to remember it with the FOG term, since during the time of the Church, Israel will not see God's Word correctly...like they're trying to see through a fog. Luke 19:42

(v.21) Repentance is defined as turning back to God...only then will we be walking with Him and enjoying His blessings.

Apr 6 (Psa 45, 47, 111, 130, 131, 146)

Songs of Joy and Praise

Psalm 45

(v.3) Jesus is love, but He's also the Avenger of Blood, and will return to bring justice and judgment upon the unbelieving world. Jude 25

(v.4, 9) Jesus is the right hand

(v. 11) This is another OT reference to the Messiah who is God, otherwise, we wouldn't worship Him.

Psalm 47

(v. 5) Jesus has ascended, and He will come back again in the same spot. Acts 1:11

(v.7) God is our King, and we should turn our allegiance to Him, not man.

Psalm 111

(v.1) Praise the LORD = Hallelujah!

(v.4) The LORD is full of grace and compassion...we just have to look and see that He was incredibly patient with His people, even though they were rebellious.

(v.10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. If we are in awe of Him and what He's done for us, then we praise and study His Word...so we gather His wisdom!

Psalm 130

(v.4) The God of the OT is the same as the NT...He forgives if we repent.

(v.7) This is a prophecy of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for us!

Psalm 131

The picture here is a young baby suckling on Momma's breast...peaceful and contented. That is how we are when we are walking with Christ. We don't worry about things we can't control, and we lay those problems at the foot of the cross...He knows what to do with them.

Psalm 146

(v.3) It's ok to admire a person and try to emulate their good deeds and work ethic, but we must not idolize anyone. God is the ONLY being that should be worshipped and praised. When we lift up our leaders, we need to pray for them, that they follow God and rule righteously.

(v.5) If we are His, we are joyful and at peace. We know where our final destination is, so while we're here on earth, we need to serve and love others like Christ did.

Apr 3 (Psa 122, 124, 138)

Songs of Joy and Praise

Psalm 122

This psalm is focused on Israel, as is the majority of the Bible. God views all time and events with Israel as His focus. Only now, during the time of the gentiles, has God focused on putting together and bringing home His Church. Once the Church is raptured, God will once again focus on Israel, and save them from their enemies.

(v.8) The Bible tells us that Israel will not have complete peace, until the Prince of Peace comes. However, we are still to pray for the peace for Jersusalem and Israel. This is the same as God knowing what we need and desire, but He still wants us to pray and call out to Him.

The USA has been blessed because it's the nation that God established to evangelize the world, but also because it's been a friend and ally to Israel. Currently, in 2010, that has changed. If we don't change our mistreatment of Israel, then Gen 12:3 will be our epitaph. We are on a dangerous path.

Psalm 124

(v.1) This phrase is similar to "But by the grace of God, go I" since if we acknowledge that we are guided and protected by God. If we didn't have God, then we would be susceptible to evil and even more problems.

(v.8) We need to always remember that God created everything...He is all-powerful and mighty, and this is what is referenced when we see the fear of the Lord...His ability to destroy us, but He loves us, and wants to have fellowship with us.

Psalm 138

(v.1) We need to worship without fear of what people will think or say about us. We need to sing to Him like when we are alone and no one is there but God.

I also like how the psalmist says to sing to the LORD before the gods, or the worldly idols that many people worship. We need to be bold and open in our faith, not reserved, ashamed or fearful of what others will think.

(v.4) This is a reference to the Millenium, where all the leaders of the earth will worship and praise Jesus as He sits on the Throne of David in Jerusalem!

(v.6) Even though God is almighty and powerful, He cares about the lowly, poor and needy. He actually focuses on us, and rebukes the rich and prideful in their folly.

(v.7) God's right hand is Jesus, and He will guide us and protect us if we're walking with Him.

(v.8) After we have been saved and justified in Christ, the Holy Spirit works in us to perfect us. We will not be perfect until we're in heaven, when we're glorified in Christ. Until then, the Spirit will sanctify and purify us, through trials and God's Word.

Apr 2 (Psa 119)

Songs of Joy and Praise

Psalm 119

This psalm is long, but if we read it all the way through, we will be blessed. There is so much to learn from this one psalm! I challenge you to read this whole psalm, and see if it doesn't bless you and motivate you to follow God even more!

(v.9) This is good advice for a young man or woman...stay in the Word and walk with God, and you will avoid many troubles you would have if you let the world influence you!

(v.15) This is important for us...we need to sit back and think about God...His characteristics, His ways and His many blessings. So many people who call themselves Christians, don't think about hell, heaven, prophecy or the like. They just go do their church thing on Sundays, and live a worldly life the rest of the week. God wants us to pray to Him many times a day, and to include Him in ALL PARTS of our day.

(v.19) For those of us who are born again, our home is not on this earth. We are travellers here, and we are lost without God.

(v.34) The more we come to know God and His Word, we will understand the Bible better, and it will bring us to another level of comprehension...that's the Holy Spirit at work! John 14:26

(v.37) This is the hardest part about being born again...leaving the things of the world behind. Just like Lot's wife, we want to look back and partake of things we did before we were saved, but they are not constructive for us. God's plans are better for us, so we must let Him guide us.

(v.42) We need to pray and read the Word every day, so we can be confident in what we believe, and be able to witness to others. I sought the Scriptures to see if it was true Acts 17:11 when I was taught something, and I found the Bible to be incredibly accurate and written outside of time. Jesus was all over the Old Testament, and I saw how the Holy Spirit wrote about Him in every book of the Bible!

(v.50) When we are having struggles, we need to go back to God's promise to us...His salvation in His Son. All our worldly troubles are faded away when we remember that God is with us, and He has provided a final resting place for us!

(v.59) This is the definition of repentance...changing our direction, and turning to God.

(v.66) I pray this every day...that God will teach me His ways, and His Word so I can be a better son to Him, a better husband to my wife, and a better Daddy to my kids.

(v.71) Often times, we call out to God when we're in trouble...not so much the rest of the time. God wants us to call out to Him daily, in whatever situation. People often wonder why a loving God would allow death and evil to exist, but they are necessary for us to see Him and His goodness. God didn't create evil...it came about from pride by Lucifer. But as God says in Rom 8:28 He works everything out for good for those that love Him.

(v.73) Whenever I read this, I think of God making and molding us in the womb. He loves us, and He thought of us before He created the universe. John 17:24

(v.83) All of us become discouraged and even doubt our salvation. It's part of our sinful nature. However, as the psalmist writes, even in dark times, God's Word is ingrained upon us, and we never completely walk away from Him.

(v.94) I am yours, save me! How wonderful a verse is this? It is believed that this is what Martin Luther was taught, to help him stay strong in his convictions to reveal the corruption in the Roman Catholic Church. We need to be at our end, and completely submit to His will, and He will guide and save us!

(v.98) Unbelievers are usually intellectuals. They think they have figured out life and think that mankind dictates its own destiny. There are so many people with MD, Phd, or the like behind their names, and yet, they are fools. They have rejected God, and they desire the "wisdom" of man instead of God. We who are His, are wise in His Word! 1 Cor 1:27

(v.100) This is something to think about, but we at this time are more knowledgeable of God's Word than those in the times of Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel and even the early Church. There have been prophecies that were a mystery to them, that make sense to us today, since time and events in history have revealed their meanings.

(v.102) It is good to use other's input like this blog and great Bible scholars. This blog is a compilation of many years of teaching to me by great men of God. However, no one is a better teacher of the Word than the Holy Spirit. We all should read the Word ourselves, pray and meditate upon what we are reading, and the Spirit will teach us personally!

(v.105) What a vivid picture this paints! God's Word lights the way for us, and we will never be in darkness if we trust in Him!

(v.113) I read this to say that those who straddle the world and the things of God are hypocrites. Trying to love the world and God will not work...we must choose our Master, and follow Him. Matt 6:24

(v.120) We should be afraid of God's wrath. It is terrible. But do not let your heart be troubled, for God has given us a way to avoid His wrath...His Son! Since we know this, we are relieved and grateful to God for doing this for us, and we rejoice and serve Him because of it!

(v.133) Even though we are saved and righteous in Christ, we are still sinners. The psalmist makes a good distinction here...we will sin, but we must not live in habitual sin. In other words, if there is a sin that always turns us away from God on a regular basis, then we must stop. Any sin that has dominion or power over us is not good. Sometimes we'll slip and sin, but if we aren't doing that sin as a lifestyle, then we are still walking with God.

(v.154) How comforting is it, that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, in intercession for us? We have the only case of nepotism that is good! Rom 8:34

(v.160) The Bible is God's Word, and in it's original Hebrew and Greek, is incredibly precise.

(v.164) The psalmist worships God seven times a day, but we who have the Spirit inside us, we can worship God much more than that a day! In our giving, our love, our kindness, our prayers and conversations with God all the day, we worship Him!

(v.172) It is natural and good to share with others what God did for us...be bold and without fear when sharing the Gospel of Christ!

(v.175) God's corrections or disciplines on us are for us to be closer to Him. He uses them to bring us back to Him, and to prepare us for work He has for us.

(v.176) He is our Good Shepherd, and will not let us leave His flock! Matt 18:12

Mar 31 (Psa 93, 94, 97-100)

Songs of Joy

Psalm 93

This psalm speaks of the eternal throne of Jesus. Before He made the universe, He planned out His death and reign of mankind. He made us, to love us...that's why He died for us. His power is greater than the strongest storm, since He commands the weather by His voice. Mark 4:39

Psalm 94

(v.3) As we have seen before in these psalms, the psalmist wonders why the wicked prosper and triumph in this world. I teach my kids that this may happen for a time, but in the end, they will be miserable and lost without Christ. We are better off to obey God and live for Him.

(v.9) I love this verse, since it makes us think of how incredible the human body is! I can't understand how someone could think that we came from ooze and are descendants of monkeys. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, in the likeness of our Creator. Praise God for His work!

(v.22) God fights our battles if we let Him, and who better to take care of our problems? He is our foundation, our stronghold...He delights in our reliance upon Him!

Psalm 97

(v.6) What we think of today as reading the stars, Astrology, is a pagan practice. But Astronomy is real and very interesting. Check the link at the bottom of the page, where it shows the danger of astrology.

(v.10) It is right to hate evil. If we are His, we hate it when we sin, and when others sin. However, we are to pray and let God take care of our sins, or others' sins. With the Holy Spirit in us, we desire good and the bad things we used to do, don't satisfy like they once did.

Psalm 98

(v.1) The right hand here is Jesus, who gained God victory at the cross!

(v.2) God has revealed Himself through the nation of Israel, and in His Word...the Bible. Today, with television and satellite communications, we are without excuse if we reject the Gospel of Jesus.

All of creation is waiting for the return of Christ, so once again, the whole of creation can be made right, and the curse of sin be lifted. Romans 8:22

Psalm 99

(v.4) I stress to my kids, that God is love and mercy, but He is also justice. If we sin and repent, we are once again in tune with God, but that doesn't mean there are consequences for our actions. I remind them of David, who sinned and repented, but he still lost his child as a consequence. 2 Samuel 12

(v.9) God is holy and pure, that is why we must be redeemed from our sins in order to be with Him in heaven. No man could fulfill the Law totally, so it took God Himself, Jesus, to fulfill the Law for us, and die for us. There was a consequence for sin...the death of the Son of God, to have His blood wash us clean.

Psalm 100

(v.2) Worship by song is Biblical and right. I used to be reserved about my singing and worship at church. Now, I sing and lift my hands when moved to do so. I like to close my eyes and picture us singing to Jesus on His throne in heaven! If we think of what God did for us, and all the blessings He has given us, we should lift our hands or get on our knees in worship to Him!

(v.3) This is a great verse...we are His sheep and He is our Good Shepherd. We need direction and guidance in this sinful world, so let's daily seek His face in prayer and the reading of His Word.

(v.5) God's Word endures for all generations, all cultures, and all movements. God is unmovable, so let's stop trying to change Him and His Word, and let Him change us for good!

Mar 29 (Psa 8, 16, 19, 24)

Songs of Joy

Psalm 8

(v.3) As part of our daily prayers, we should meditate and praise God for His wonderful handiwork with His creation. Think on the wonderful sunrises and sunsets, the beauty of an eagle in flight, the gurgling of a newborn baby...God has thought of everything, and He did this for our pleasure!

I even take this subject a little further, by reminding my kids that God's original creation was MUCH better than the most beautiful things we see today. After the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Flood of Noah, this universe has been under the curse of sin. Even so, it's loaded with such beauty amongst evil and darkness. I try to have my kids think upon how wonderful it will be when all we will see is beauty, instead of limited amounts.

(v.6) God made Adam ruler of the earth, and to keep it. But after Adam sinned, the earth is under the power of Satan. One glorious day, the last Adam, Jesus, will take back what was given to us, and rule with love and justice!

Psalm 16

(v.3) God delights in us believers, and He enjoys guiding us for His purposes...let's make the effort to allow Him to do that since He knows what is best for each of us!

(v.10) This verse is cited by scholars to be a verse about the Resurrection of Jesus...our Savior and Holy One. Peter cited this verse on the day the Church was born...the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:27

(v.11) God will direct us to a life of joy and contentment. I also take the time to show my kids that whenever the Bible cites the right hand, it is a sign of authority. This is usually given to Jesus, since He was given the seat at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Matt 25:34 & Acts 2:33

Psalm 19

(v.1) I teach my kids the silliness of the theory of evolution often, since it goes directly against the Word of God. He made all that we see today, including dinosaurs, in the beginning around 6,000 years ago. The whole universe speaks of a Creator and Designer, a loving God that created with Intelligence, not random chance.

(v.7) This points us to what Paul was saying in Romans 7 where the Law convicts us to see that we need God to save us from our sins. God in the flesh, Jesus, did that on the cross!

(v.11) We are warned to listen to God and obey, for if we do, we are rewarded with blessings and joy that the world envies!

Psalm 24

This psalm is about prophecy. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in His First Coming. One of the most important, was His entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey Luke 19 & Zech 9 on Palm Sunday. Most rejected Him as foretold, and Jesus ascended to heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection, to glory with the Father. Lastly, He is coming again to take ownership of the title deed of the earth that Adam relinquished to Satan in the Garden of Eden. When Jesus returns, He will have collected His Bride, the Church, and saved Israel from her enemies. He will rule and reign for 1,000 years, called the Millennium, and bring judgment upon the wicked and all those who refused Him.

Jan 11 (Genesis 29-30)

Genesis 29

In those times, when a man didn't own land or have a home for himself, he would become a servant for someone who did have those things. The service was to last for seven years, and at the end of those seven years, the servant had the choice to stay with his master, or leave with a booty from the master.

Jacob loved Rachel very much, and to him, the seven years flew by. I like to point out that all three wives of the Patriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel) were described as very beautiful:

Sarah ~Gen 12:11
Rebekah ~Gen 24:15-16
Rachel ~Gen 29:17

I also point out to my kids that Christ's church...His Bride...is very beautiful to behold in Psalm 45.

The first child between Leah and Jacob was Reuben, which in Hebrew means "the Lord has seen my misery." Leah really loved Jacob, and thought Jacob would love her more now that she bore him a son. But Jacob truly loved Rachel. Jacob didn't see Leah's misery, but God did.

Simeon means "God heard me" and was a tribute to Leah's faith and gratitude to God.

Levi was named for Leah's hope that Jacob would become finally attached to her.

Judah means "let Him be praised" Here we see Leah's genuine faith while suffering from a broken heart about Jacob.

Genesis 30

Since Rachel was barren and wanted to please Jacob, she did what Sarah did with Hagar.

Dan was named because Rachel felt "vindicated and judged" by God...but unlike Leah, God is not the focus.

Rachel again focused on her struggle with Leah, and named her next son from Bilhah as Naphtali, which means "fight or struggle."

Now Leah was done having children, but used the tactic of her maidserant to continue on with sons:

Gad means "troop or company" showing that Leah was really producing for Jacob.

Leah's glee continued, and she named the next son Asher, which means "happy blessing."

She then conceives herself, and has Issachar, which means "my hire" or that she earned her worth.

Leah's fortune continued with Zubulun, which means "honorable gift"

Leah then had a daughter who will be critical in the coming chapters. Her name was Dinah.

Then, "God remembered Rachel" and gave her two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph means "The Lord shall add to me another son" showing that she was a prophetess. Later, Benjamin was born, and means "Son of my right hand."

We end this chapter with Jacob finally getting the better of Laban, and prospering with two wives and the best of the flock to start anew.

But Jacob was to get a taste of what he dealt to his brother Esau. I teach my kids that there are consequences for our actions, and I point out this verse:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ~Gal 6:7