Psalm 48

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

You are wonderful and we praise your name! Your temple in the time of David was on Mt. Zion. Strong and beautiful. Sacred and holy. Your citadels and ramparts defined your great power and might. And we rejoice because it was the crown of your majesty.

But the temple is not there in Jerusalem any longer. Your word says “the tabernacle is among men” now. Yes, Jesus is our King. He lives in the spiritual hearts of men and women. No one, past, present or future, will ever be able to defeat you! No one is able to take you from your reign on the throne of grace and truth.

We ponder your great love. Your name, God, still evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever it is spoken. We are thankful that your temple is no longer in a single location on a single mountain top. Your temple is wherever we are, because we are your children, created in your image, fearfully and wonderfully made. And you are to be praised around the earth! Jesus is our Savior and our judge. He is righteous, holy and true.

When we see the ancient city, the strong walls and towers, we are reminded of your strength and protection in our lives, even thousands of miles from the City of David. When we dream of climbing the heights of your fortress, we are dreaming of worshipping you in heaven. We will share this dream with our children and our children’s children. For it is not a dream, but reality. We see you in the Land of the Living. We see you in the simplicity of the infant or the complexity of a bee hive. We see you in the feathers of the birds in the sky above and in the garden flowers nestled in the soil. You are everywhere we look. And we praise you!

Your love guides us forever and forever. Today, we worship you and your Son Jesus, in whose name we pray.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald

Psalm 47

Posted on by richlyspeaking

We’re reading through, and with intentionality, praying through the Psalms during this school year. There are 150 Psalms, divided into 180 different readings. See this post for more info.

The audio file below is the entire episode for today. The text below is today’s prayer. I’m reading the Contemporary English Version of the Text, copyright 1995, by the American Bible Society.

God. Abba. Father.

We sing praises and applaud your greatness, mighty God! We shout, “Joy to the king of Kings!”

You, Yahweh, are the One True God. You are the Most High. You rule the earth. You have put every nation under your authority. Then you give the power to rule to your chosen people, those who call you Father and submit to your Lordship. You have given us a great inheritance. You have given the people of Israel their Promised Land.

We join with believers around the world in singing praise to you as you sit high on your great Throne of peace and grace. We worship you and only you today. We thank you for the deliverance from pestilence and the outcomes of elections. Everything and everyone will bow down to worship you. Heaven and nature proclaim your prominence over the birds of the air, the fish in the sea, man and woman on earth. You are greater than governments and economies, universities and cultural entertainment.

You rule the world! Your Throne is holy. Your judgements are just. One day, everyone on earth will worship at your feet. You are to be praised above all else.

You are the Mighty God. You are the Comforting Holy Spirit. You are the grace of Jesus. And it is in His name we pray.

Amen.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

Isaiah 63. Who is our Hero? The Messiah.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

Because of the importance of Israel and its people, and my personal love for The Land, I’m inviting you to join me through the key Old Testament book of Isaiah.  Each day I’m posting some simple thoughts about this complex prophet.

Isaiah 63

“Who is this hero?” … “It is me, the LORD! I have won the battle and I can save you!” (v1, CEV).

Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy. It is Jesus’ robe that is covered in blood as God begins to move in a final judgment.

Look at the comparisons between v2-3 and Revelation 19:19:

“What are those red spots? Your clothes look stained from stomping on grapes.” “I alone stomped the grapes! None of the nations helped. I stomped nations in my anger and stained my clothes with their blood.””(v2-3, CEV).

“He threw the grapes into a pit where they were trampled on as a sign of God’s anger … and when the grapes were mashed, blood flowed out…” (Revelation 14:19, CEV).

Jesus is our hero. He has rescued us from the enemy. So, as the prophet says, let’s rejoice! “I will tell about the kind deeds the LORD has done. They deserve praise! The LORD has shown mercy to the people of Israel: He has been kind and good.” (v7, CEV).

Isaiah goes on to tell again of the human cycle of sin and remembering and repentance and redemption and being saved (remember Chapter 59?).

Yet, the chapter ends on a tragic note: “We act as though you had never ruled us or called us your people.” (v19, CEV). Even though our hero has shown up to save us, for those with hardened hearts, ignoring Him will not be good news. Can you imagine a lifeguard reaching out to a drowning swimmer and their offer of help is refused? We must want to be saved.

May we never forget the Cross and the unconditional love and grace given to us by Jesus. He IS our hero! He has saved us!

If you’re new to this journey through Isaiah, you can start here.
(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.