Bible Chapter: Psalms 145 & 146

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    One of the most important things that anyone can do is to pass on the knowledge of the Lord to the next generation. We read here that one generation shall praise Your works to another and declare Your mighty acts. Each new generation must learn about the power and love of the Lord so that they can know and serve Him as well. It is a deceit of the enemy when people say that they are not going to talk to their children about God, but let them make up their own mind. It is critical to pass on the goodness of the Lord each new generation.  The Lord’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His power and dominion will last through all generations. Everyone needs to know about the greatness of the Lord.
    In coming to the last five Psalms in this book, one of the unique features of this collection is that these last five Psalms all start and end with the admonition to praise the Lord. The psalmist challenges the reader to not put our trust in human leaders where there is no help. Instead, we are to put our trust in the Lord who watches over strangers and cares for the fatherless and widow. The way of wicked people will be turned upside down, God will win.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    We see a few times in these two Psalms that it is the Lord who preserves those that love Him and judges the wicked. We are told here that the wicked will be destroyed by God. This is an important principle to remember when temptation comes and look so attractive. Wickedness will be judged by God and people who continue in it will one day pay a price. It is always best to live in God’s righteousness and obedience.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I am reminded of the multiple admonitions to praise the Lord. I want to encourage people to continue to praise God, not just because of good things they have received, but because God is always worthy to receive praise.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 143 & 144

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    David prayed in a time of distress and pleaded to the faithfulness of the Lord to receive an answer. His prayer included the longing that the Lord would answer him speedily as his spirit failed, lest he be like those who go down into the pit. He prayed that God would cause him to hear his lovingkindness in the morning because he put his trust in God.  His deep longing was that the Lord would lead him in the way he should walk. He also prayed for the Lord to teach him God’s divine will and lead him in uprightness.
    Blessed be the Lord my rock. God is the shield and deliver for all who take refuge in Him. He will guide and lead us in the spiritual battles that we all face. Compared to our eternal God, our human lives are like a passing shadow. But we still have the privilege of singing songs of praise to the God of our salvation who is our deliverer in times of trouble.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    We will all face challenging times, we will all deal with stress. David gives us a good example of what to do in times of distress. This good example is to honestly cry out to God in our pain and seek His delivery. He acknowledged that his spirit was failing him and feeling like those in failure. He knew that he needed to hear from God and prayed that he would, so that God would lift up his soul and deliver him. He prayed for the Lord to revive him. This is what all believers must do when they face these difficult times.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people understand that the Lord is the solid rock, and His faithfulness and righteousness will be what we need for life. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 141 & 142

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    I learned about verse 3 while reading the story of Corrie ten Boom.  She and her family were part of the Dutch underground that was helping Jews escape the Nazis in The Netherlands during WW II.  When she was betrayed and arrested, she prayed this verse.  Lord, put a watch, put a guard before my lips so that I don’t say anything that will hurt people or allow anyone to be captured.  This is a good prayer for anyone. It is so easy to say things that hurt people.  It is so easy to insult.  It is much better to uplift with our words.  (Read the great book, The Hiding Place.)
    The Psalmist cried to God because He was his refuge and provision.  He called on God to hear his cry and deliver him from the persecutors.  He prayed for God to set him free from the prison that bound him.  He poured out his heart to God.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Lord, let the wicked be snared in their own nets, in their own traps.  The wicked have many ways to try to ruin people.  They have many tools of destruction.  Lord, let me escape them.  That prayer is a good illustration and insight.  We must understand that the forces of evil are always out there to trip us up.  We don’t need to live in fear, just awareness and a close connection with the Lord.  Note to self:  pay attention and don’t let yourself fall into these traps.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Open your spiritual eyes.  Quite regularly I read about church groups and individuals who say they are following Jesus who are making really bad choices and walking away from what the Bible and change what it says.  The Bible doesn’t change. God’s eternal truth is eternal truth.  Don’t get caught in traps.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 139 & 140

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    How often do people think of others who are very important to them?  How about the young couple in love who are planning to be married soon?  She is always on his mind and he is always on her mind.  They communicate often, count down the days to the wedding and spend hours together as the time flies by in each other’s presence.  Look at these verses: Psalm 139:17-18 NLT
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
Wow, think about that.  God’s thoughts about us are too numerous to count.  That is an exceptional encouragement to all to know that God cares about us to much that we are constantly on His mind.  Because our relationship with God is based on love, we must reciprocate and God must be continually on our minds.  He must be a central part of our lives.
    Through the Psalms we are reminded that we can pray to God for His protection in our lives.  Deliver us, Lord, from evil people.  We know that God will help the persecuted and give justice to the poor.  As we trust in God we have the privilege of praising God’s name.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Psalm 139 ends with a challenging prayer.  God, search me and know my heart and thoughts.  Do we really want God to do that?  Do we really want Him to see if there is any wicked way in us?  That should be our prayer.  As we live close to the Lord, our desire should be for righteousness to shine through us.  We should desire a heart that is pure before the Lord.  That is an important reminder for ourselves: keep the place (inside) clean.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Sin looks like lots of fun.  The tempter always puts it out there with a high gloss to make it look so desirable and fun, with no price or penalties.  That simply is not true.  Always remember that.  Sin extracts a high price.  Right living before God brings the greatest benefits and blessings.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 139 & 140

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    How often do people think of others who are very important to them?  How about the young couple in love who are planning to be married soon?  She is always on his mind and he is always on her mind.  They communicate often, count down the days to the wedding and spend hours together as the time flies by in each other’s presence.  Look at these verses: Psalm 139:17-18 NLT
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
Wow, think about that.  God’s thoughts about us are too numerous to count.  That is an exceptional encouragement to all to know that God cares about us to much that we are constantly on His mind.  Because our relationship with God is based on love, we must reciprocate and God must be continually on our minds.  He must be a central part of our lives.
    Through the Psalms we are reminded that we can pray to God for His protection in our lives.  Deliver us, Lord, from evil people.  We know that God will help the persecuted and give justice to the poor.  As we trust in God we have the privilege of praising God’s name.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Psalm 139 ends with a challenging prayer.  God, search me and know my heart and thoughts.  Do we really want God to do that?  Do we really want Him to see if there is any wicked way in us?  That should be our prayer.  As we live close to the Lord, our desire should be for righteousness to shine through us.  We should desire a heart that is pure before the Lord.  That is an important reminder for ourselves: keep the place (inside) clean.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Sin looks like lots of fun.  The tempter always puts it out there with a high gloss to make it look so desirable and fun, with no price or penalties.  That simply is not true.  Always remember that.  Sin extracts a high price.  Right living before God brings the greatest benefits and blessings.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 137 & 138

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    The nation of Israel was in a time of captivity in Babylon. There came a time when the sorrow of their situation caused them to feel that it was impossible to praise God and sing the songs they would have sung. There is an interesting expression of hanging their harps on the willow trees. That expresses what they were thinking, we cannot sing the songs of Zion in this strange land. They could not forget Jerusalem and all the destructive things that happened.  They felt that praise God in that situation was impossible.
    In Psalm 138, David expressed his desire to praise God with his whole heart. He said he will worship God in His temple and magnify the name of the Lord above all names. He was thankful for the answers to prayer that God had given him. Even though God is on high, He never forgets the lowly. That is an expression of God’s love for his creation. The mercy of the Lord endures forever.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    There have been many times in life when challenges have come in various forms. At those times it is difficult to feel like praising the Lord. One lesson to learn is that He is worthy to be praised even when we don’t feel like it, because praise and worship to God is not about us, but about Him. Whatever my “harp”is, whatever I use to sing praise and express worship to God, I cannot just hang it up and quit when life is difficult.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Don’t forget God. Get out your harp and praise him. We don’t have to wait for perfect situations to occur before we give praise and worship to our Eternal Creator. Let it be said of you as David said, I will praise you with my whole heart.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 135 & 136

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Praise the Lord.  Yes, actually praise the Lord, all you who serve Him.  Think of all that the Lord has done.  He delivered Israel from the bondage they experienced in Egypt.  No enemy was too strong for God.  This is true because God is alive and well, He is powerful in the world He created and impacts the lives of His people.
    Gods people are also challenged to give thanks to God, for His mercy and love endure forever. The psalmist repeated the same phrase over and over to get his point across.  What God does in our lives is because of His great love for people.  So, we as His followers must continually express our thanks to Him. His love to us is expressed in many ways.  We know His love through our personal relationship with Jesus.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Always remember the blessings of praising God and remembering that His mercy endures forever.  Remember all His promises and provisions.  He delivers us when we need.  People need constant reminders of the good things because we so easily forget the things we should remember.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Do you think God has abandoned you and rejected you?  That is not possible.  Always remember His care for you.  Learn to obey and apply what the Bible says.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 133 & 134

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    When brothers live together in unity!  Wow, what an awesome concept.  We see here the same desire Jesus had in John 17, when He prayed that believers would be characterized by love, holiness and unity. This very important longing was the focus of His last recorded prayer.  Jesus longed that the church would be one, as the Godhead is one.  Genuine and intense love for God and for other believers will enable Christians to experience God’s presence in a meaningful and effective way.  May it always be said that God’s people dwell together in unity.  It is a most refreshing way to live and experience God’s blessing.
    A note to all believers:  bless the Lord continually.  All you servants of the Lord, lift your hands to bless and worship the Lord.  Keep on gathering in the Lord’s house and worship Him.  Don’t be in a hurry to get your “obligation” out of the way.  God made the heavens and the earth and is worthy of your praise and time.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    As I have lived my life being involved in churches, I have seen how easy it is for people to get a bee in their bonnet and get fussing over things, usually not very important things.  I believe this is often a direct attack of the enemy.  It is also a sign of spiritual immaturity.  This doesn’t mean that we always have to agree, but we can disagree without being disagreeable.  Bible doctrine is not up for debate and change.  Procedures and traditions are up for discussion.  Are they the best?  When we keep our focus on the issues, things go much better.  Note to self: always keep these thoughts in mind.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help believers always remember the critical importance of unity in the Lord.  We can never afford to let anything cause division or fussing in our midst.  The battle is against evil, not one another.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 131 & 132

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    We must wait on the Lord. As we learn to do that, our soul can be quiet in the Lord’s presence. Today and tomorrow and forever, the best thing is to continually hope in the Lord.
    We find here a prayer for King David and his descendants. We also see the importance of the presence of the Lord in His tabernacle. David’s heart was after God and, if his sons were to have God’s blessing, they too must keep God’s covenant and worship God.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    As I think about King David and the things he did, and the things that happened in the nation after he was gone, I am reminded of the importance of not only knowing about God but knowing and serving Him. David accomplished mighty things for God.  And, at the same time, experienced many failures in his life. The consequences of some of these failures impacted the nation and David’s descendants. There are many lessons to be learned through David’s life. I must be sure that I understand and apply the lessons of obedience and the consequences of failure to obey. I have often wondered how things would have turned out differently if David had kept the focus on what God wanted him to do and didn’t allow his flesh to interfere.

3.  How can I help someone?
    We can learn from both positive and negative illustrations. King David gave us many illustrations of both. Learn to follow the examples of obedience and not to participate in the examples of disobedience.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 129 & 130

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    The psalmist expresses the thought that many times he has been afflicted, and yet his enemies have not prevailed against him. They tried many painful things but the righteous Lord was there to help. Let them all be put to shame and turned back.
    The Lord is responsive to those who cry out to him from the depths of their pain. When people are discouraged and miserable as they suffer from their sin and rebellion, God responds to them with the assurance that He will forgive. God longs to show mercy to those who have been troubles and repent,.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    There are times when people feel that they are the only ones who have ever faced affliction. This is another Psalm that shows many have experienced affliction and that there is hope in reaching out to the Lord. We see here the cry of a voice who calls out to God that His ears would be attentive to the hurting person. We can learn that as we wait for the Lord, He will be there with us.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Learn to wait on the Lord. Learn the truth that God will never abandon you and that He will always be on time even when we think He is late.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 127 & 128

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    We have human abilities and talents to accomplish certain things. We are reminded here that unless God does the building, we labor in vain. The Lord is our protection and without Him we waste our time. We waste our resources with long hours and hard work when we are not trusting in God and letting Him guide and protect us. We are also reminded here of the blessing that God gives in giving children to families. We live in an age when some people think children are just an interruption to the ease and convenience of life. “My career advancement is more important.”  That is not true because children are God’s plan for marriage.
    To fear God and walk in His ways brings God’s blessing.  We are also reminded of the blessing of work and the reward of our labors. Work is not a bad thing and we must always remember that honest work brings reward. The feeling of accomplishment work brings is a blessing from God that will never come from laziness.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    I see an important balance between using the talents and abilities God has given and trusting for God’s help and guidance in life. God expects us to work, and at the same time He expects us to trust in Him to lead and protect.  We then have the reward, the fruit of our labors.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I am thinking of two different things that the Bible teaches. One is that we must be willing to be generous and help those who have a true need. The other is that we must not be lazy, but use the abilities God has given us to work and provide. If the emphasis is put on either one of these thoughts, life is out of balance. I want to help people understand these truths.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 125 & 126

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Trusting in the Lord is an expression of faith in God Who cannot be moved and abides forever. The Psalm expresses the thought of the mountains that surround Jerusalem. Standing in Jerusalem, one can look around and see all the hills that still surround it. This is a beautiful picture of the protection of the Lord to His people. We are encouraged to turn aside from wicked ways and let God lead and protect.
    There are times when God’s people do things they shouldn’t, and the result is that these actions bring consequences. This happened to Israel from time to time. But, God was always there to hear their cries and repentance. God will restore his people.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    A good lesson to remember is that believers in the Lord always have Him surrounding them  and the forces of wickedness will not win in the end. There are times of sewing in tears, but we are reminded here that they will lead to reaping in joy. We are also told that the one who continually goes forth weeping and bearing seed for sowing will doubtless come again with rejoicing in the harvest. I must always remember this, for it is easy to become discouraged in the battle.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help the discouraged and defeated continually focus on and reach out to the Lord for His help. Never give up.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 123 & 124

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Unto You, Lord, I lift up my eyes.  Believers in God continually look to Him for help and comfort.  They look forward to a time when God will put an end to the hatred and evil in the world. Lord, have mercy on us.  Some day the Lord will return and deliver believers from all the evil.
    If the Lord had not been on our side.  Wow, what a thought that is, God and I being on the same side.  Without God’s help we would be swallowed up and overcome.  Without God, we have no chance for victory over the difficulties of life.  The spiritual battle would be lost.  Only God can save us.  God will win the spiritual war.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.  Whatever help we need we have it in God.  We need this constant reminder because we can easily be overwhelmed in the battle. The spiritual battle continually works to destroy us and cause us to give up.  So, keep on looking to the Lord and remembering that we are on the same side as God as we fully submit to and trust in Him.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Don’t get sidetracked.  Continually trust God and live for Him.  God is our help.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 121 & 122

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    What is the source of all the help we need in life? We see here that our help comes from the Lord, who made the heaven and earth. We are also told that God, who keeps his people, is never a sleep. He is always available to give us the strength and help we need. The Lord is also our source of preservation from the impact and destruction of evil, for He will preserve the souls of those who trust in Him.
    David expressed a delight that many people do not understand. He talked about being glad to go to the house of the Lord. He knew how to joyfully experience the presence and fellowship of God and the blessing of being with other believers. God’s house was not a boring place, but an exciting setting to enjoy God’s love and power.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    I have gone to church all my life. Since my father was a pastor, we went to just about every service that ever happened in the church. There are many people who would equate this with punishment. But, it is not punishment, but it is an opportunity to come into God’s presence and get to know Him as Lord and Savior. David wrote that he was glad when they said to go to the house of the Lord. I know that one of the problems in going to church is that many church services are dull and boring. It is up to those in leadership to seek God and to be alive in what they do in church. As a pastor myself, this is an instruction I must follow and never make God boring.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people look up to the Lord for their help and be assured that God is never too busy to be there for them. Truly, God is our keeper who will preserve us from the destruction of evil. As each person grows closer to God they will know the joy of being in God’s presence.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 119 & 120

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God has given us an amazing gift.  It is His written WORD.  We see the value of it throughout this Psalm.  This is a theme repeated over and over again.  In God’s Word we find everything we need.  We find what we need as we carefully read the Bible, think about it and see ways to apply it in our lives.  How can a person cleanse his ways?  By taking heed to the Word.  When we hide God’s Word in our hearts we have victory over sin.  God’s Word is a powerful light to guide us in everything we do.  This will come as we delight in the Word.
    We can call on God for His deliverance.  There are those around us who hate peace and love war.  God is our deliverance and hears our cries to Him.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The entrance of God’s words gives light.  This is the great insight of Psalm 119.  When God’s Word enters a person’s heart, it lights the way to knowing Jesus.  It lights the way to hope and eternal life. It gives all the light people need.  This is something to continually remember.  When the times come when I am fighting a battle or discouraged, I must remember that the solution is always found in God and in His Word.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Read the Bible.  Read the encouragement of these Psalms.  Read what it says about the power of God’s Word and the impact it will make on your life.  Then, let it make the impact God desires for you to have.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 117 & 118

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Psalm 117 is the shortest song with only two verses. But, it has an eternal impact. It is an encouragement for all nations praise the Lord. The love of the Lord and the faithfulness of the Lord endure forever. We are encouraged to praise the Lord.
    In Psalm 118 the writer uses repetition to emphasize various themes. We are told that God’s love endures forever and are encouraged to say it as a reminder of this truth. We are also reminded that the Lord is with me and that it is better to take refuge in the Lord than anything human. Even when we are surrounded we know we have God’s help because the Lord is our strength and song. We are also reminded rejoice in the day that the Lord gives us.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Jesus referenced Psalm 118:22 when he talked about the stone that the builders rejected. We find this in Luke 20:17 NKJV “Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'?”
    In talking about Jesus, Peter also quoted it.
Acts 4:11 NKJV “This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' ”
    This passage from this Psalm, along with the references in the New Testament, give hope and assurance for putting my trust in Jesus. There are so many prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus. 2,000 years ago people rejected Him, and people still reject Him. But His track record has proven that people can put their faith and trust in Him and He will never abandon them.

3.  How can I help someone?
    It doesn’t matter where a person lives, God is open to receive their praise. Jesus never came to win a popularity contest. Even though countless people reject him, those who receive Him find the life that He promised.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 115 & 116

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God is worthy to receive all the glory.  Honor and praise never must go to any person, only God.  God is the creator of everything.  There are manmade idols who are made to look like people, but they can’t do anything.  And yet, people worship them.  They cannot speak or hear.  This Psalms challenges God’s people to put their full trust in the Lord.  God will bless those who fear Him.
    God is our Deliverer.  God hears our cries to Him.  His salvation leads us to a relationship of love for God.  God protects us and has an amazing eternal plan for all who receive the gift of salvation He offers.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Life is important to people.  Life is important to God.  God created life and gave us a commandment to not commit murder.  So, there is an interesting verse that tells us that precious in the sight of the lord is the death of His saints.  If life is so important, why is the death of a saint precious?  Because that is the time when the faithful servant of the Lord enters into God’s presence and receives the promise Jesus made for a home in heaven with Him.  We mourn the loss of a loved one.  We are sorry to see them leave us.  But, for them, and for God, it is eternal victory.  I must always remember this when a believer in Jesus leaves this world.  For them, it is a joyous occasion.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Give God the glory in everything you do.  Remember that, it will make all the difference in the world.  And, when God calls you home as a believer, it will be amazing.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 113 & 114

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Praise the Lord!! All of God’s servants must praise the Lord from now and forever. From early morning to late at night, God’s name is to be praised because He is high above all the nations. There is no one like the Lord. He cares about the poor and afflicted and gives them His help.
    The psalmist expressed delight in the amazing things God had done for Israel. When God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, He did many miracles. The psalmist expressed this thought by saying that the sea fled and the Jordan River turned back. It is interesting that he asks a question of the sea, what ails you? And then he tells the earth to tremble at the presence of the Lord.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Verse three says, From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD'S name is to be praised. This is really good advice to help a person through everyday life. Sometimes our days can be very long and filled with many challenges. Even these long and difficult days will be better when we can remember to praise the name of the Lord throughout whatever we are experiencing. The name of the Lord is to be blessed from this time and forevermore. The more we can remember all that God has done the better off we will be.

3.  How can I help someone?
    It is a great thing to remember that God is always with his people and then share that encouraging truth with others. As we can encourage people to praise the name of the Lord, their lives will be better.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 111 & 112

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God is worthy to be praised for all His blessings in the care He provides for those who love Him. He is worthy to be praised with all our hearts both in our private and public worship. God’s name is truly awesome, awe-inspiring and He is worthy of the highest honor we can give Him. To truly fear the Lord is wisdom. As we are committed to the Lord and filled with respect for Him, His wisdom in our life will hate help us make wise choices.
    There are great blessings to all believers who fear God and follow God’s standards in daily life. These people find great delight in God’s commands because God is righteous and true. The psalmist said he will put his trust in God and not fear bad news or outward circumstances.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    We again find the writings in Psalms that extol the worship and praise of God. This makes me think of an old song we used to sing that said praise Him, praise Him, praise Him in the morning praise Him at noontime and praise Him when the sun goes down. That theme was an encouragement to just keep on praising God. That’s a great thing to do every day in life. Note to self: keep on praising God.

3.  How can I help someone?
    The thought of finding great delight in God’s commands is something that I trust all people will hear and understand. The enemy works hard to make people think that God doesn’t want them to have any fun and has filled His book with unreasonable rules that make life miserable. That is simply not true. God’s commands make life better.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 109 & 110

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    There are many wicked people in the world who deserve judgment and punishment. Here we see David praying for God to judge the wicked and deceitful people. He desires justice and that people who deserve it will pay the price for their crimes. He said there are people who surround him with words of hatred and cursing. So, he prayed that God would let the wicked person’s days be few and let his children be fatherless. May he lose everything because of the evil that he has done.
    I am reminded of a song we have song that says “the Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice, let the people be glad that our God reigns”. The psalmist wrote prophetically about the Lordship and leadership of Jesus who will be a priest forever.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    I don’t have to look far these days to find wicked people. All I have to do is pay attention to the news reports and I will see story after story of evil coming out of people’s hearts and bringing destruction and pain to others. There are still many wicked people in the world who deserve judgment and punishment. It seems these days that many people do not receive judgment and punishment and that they are getting away with their sin. This can be frustrating.  Whenever I am reminded that God is in control and that sinners will one day stand before Him, it brings peace and the assurance that they are not getting away with anything. God will be the righteous judge in His perfect time.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the importance of understanding accountability for their actions and the blessings of obedience to God. These thoughts seem to be missing in our world and people need to know the truths that come from them. Life is better when people understand and apply these truths from God.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 107 & 108

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    There is a theme that I see over and over again in the Psalms, and that is the encouragement to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever. I believe that the continued repetition of this theme is an encouragement for all believers to continually to do this, to give thanks to God because He is good and His mercy does endure forever. So then the challenge comes as it says that the redeemed of the Lord need to say so. The redeemed of the Lord need to let the world know of the greatness of God. God cares about us in our time of trouble, and as we reach out to Him He delivers us in our times of distress. So continue to give thanks to God because He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with His goodness.
    Wise people will observe the greatness of the Lord and understand His care and compassion. They will sing praises to God and the nations will hear it. So God’s glory will be exalted over all the earth and He will help us in our times of trouble.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    As I read the Psalms, one verse jumped out to me, talking about God being glorified above all the earth. I was reminded of the fact that God is the creator of all and as thus He is worthy of our praise. I was also reminded of the fact that millions of people believe that everything just happened by accident.  Somewhere in a slime pond some cell decided to form and then formed another cell and eventually animals and people came. This is an amazing insult to God, Who, in His infinite wisdom and creativity gave us the vast array of creation. It is important for me to continue to remember that God is the Creator so that I don’t forget the value of human life and His loving compassion for us. If human life is just a biological accident, then it has no value. If human life is God’s special creation, then it has extreme value.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people remember the loving kindness of the Lord and the fact that He made them and gave them extreme value. We are living in a time when so many people believe that life is not worth living. If they would realize God’s love and creativity they would know that their life has value and is worth living.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 105 & 106

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Give thanks to the Lord! We must be always ready to call on God’s name and make sure that everyone knows the awesome things that He does. This Psalm also encourages us to seek the Lord and the strength that He has and gives. The focus is on God’s awesome power. We are also challenged to not do harm to those that are God’s people in positions of leadership. We see that God has a plan, for example in the book of Genesis we see that Joseph was sold as a slave. We see God’s plans as He sent Moses and Aaron to lead His people. Never forget that God does know what He’s doing.
    Let us continue to praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever. Blessings come on those who keep justice and do righteousness at all times. Even when people are rebellious God does mighty works for His name’s sake that people would know God’s mighty power.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    These Psalms point out that Israel had experienced God’s miraculous intervention in their lives. They sang God’s praises.  Unfortunately, they soon forgot His mighty works and did not seek God’s counsel and guidance for the things they did. They lusted for the wrong things in the wilderness and tested God. God responded to their requests with sent leanness to their soul. It is important for each one of us to remember these lessons from Israel and apply God’s truth in our lives. We must not forget to seek God’s guidance last God give us what we want but in the long run it hurts our relationship with him. This statement, “leanness to their souls” is a sad and dangerous situation.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see that we must always remember what God has said and done we must always remember His works and His guidance guy really does have a better understanding of what is best and we need to continue to trust Him to provide His best for us.

Bible Chapter: Psalms 103 & 104

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Here we see a Psalm of thanksgiving and praise to God for all the blessings and benefits He gives to those who faithfully serve Him.  God is good.  He is always worthy to receive our thanksgiving for His blessings.  God is the One Who forgives and heals.  He gives us victory over sin.  God’s mercy shows compassion to all who fear Him.  We, people,  are God’s highest creation, for we are made in His image.
    God is very great.  He is the highest.  God laid the foundations of the earth and He takes care of His creation.  Sin has destroyed what God has created.  Sin is out to do anything to hurt God.  Wicked people will one day be removed.  God will be victorious.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The beginning of Psalm 103 is an amazing encouragement.  David is telling himself to bless the Lord with ALL that he has within him.  Don’t forget what God has done.  Remember His amazing power to forgive and heal.  Remember that God redeems life from destruction and crowns with His tender mercies.  God satisfies with good things.  Anyone who can do even these few things mentioned here will experience God’s great victories in life.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I encourage all to look at Psalm 103 and study the things David said to do.  Learn from the experiences he had and see the blessings of obedience and honoring God. Work to do what he said to himself: Soul, bless the Lord!!!!

Bible Chapter: Psalms 101 & 102

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    We read here of a desire to do what is right before the Lord.  Wickedness is rejected.  There is one very interesting statement where the Psalmist says that he will set nothing wicked before his eyes.  That is a powerful insight of the importance of what we look at.  This importance is more critical today because there are so many more things to put before our eyes.  Sinful or destructive things are much more readily available.
    We all will face times of distress in life.  When that happens we must reach out to God for help. The Psalmist expressed his hope in the Lord.  He reached out to Him and sought God’s mercy in his difficult time.  He knew that God is eternal and He will help His people.  God never changes and His people can rely on Him.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The desire to always do what is right and keep pure things in the forefront of our desire needs to be a constant reminder in daily life.  There are so many things that jump up and strive to pull people away from the Lord. This is nothing new, as the Psalmist wrote about it.  Job talked about it during his times of suffering.  This is something people will always deal with.  We can have God’s victory over impurity.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Don’t listen to the lies that say it doesn’t matter what you do or what you participate in. It does matter.  Compromise is a growing issue among believers.  Learn to overcome and be a person who lives in God’s victory.