Continuing with the psalms – let’s get it done!  Please read Psalm 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, and 97.  Throughout all of the psalms, we are learning how to pray, how to praise.  There’s a little controversy about whether Psalms is the longest (it’s divided into 5 books, so some scholars say that Jeremiah is longer…. okay, so it’s a very little controversy, LOL!). At any rate, a great deal of time is spent here in Psalms – must mean that learning to pray and praise is super important – but we knew that part already!

I like how the message translates this:

“How blessed the man you train, GOD, the woman you instruct in your Word, Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor” (Psalm 94:12-13 MSG)

I like the mental picture – as we submit to God’s training, He provides a circle of quiet… I think I’ve experienced that circle of quiet, have y’all?  Take a deep breath – studying the Word can turn our clamor into calm. 

A few random chapters today!  Please read Psalm 1, 2, 10, 33, 71, and 91.  I do love Psalm 91 – that’s one of my favorites! What are you circling today?

Well, in the middle of my year with the message translation, most days the psalms make me go back to the NKJV! I want to read these familiar friends in familiar language! But a couple of phrases I really like in the MSG:

“if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it!” Psalm 2:12 MSG

“GOD ’s grace and order wins” Psalm 10:16 MSG

Every time, God’s grace wins every time.  Without exception, every time.  Thank You, Lord!

Please read Psalm 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, and 87.  Do you have a favorite psalm?  Have you discovered a psalm that is new to you as we’ve read together this year?  Here’s one of my highlights from today:

“We pondered Your love-in-action, God, waiting in your temple: Your name, God, evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever it is spoken, near and far; Your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.” (Psalm 48:9-10 MSG)

I love the mental picture there: God’s arms HEAPED with goodness IN ACTION”. Not just goodness, ready to give us good things – goodness in action, ready to do good things and give us good things to do in His Name!

A few Psalms today!  Please read Psalm 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46.  Though I am mostly reading from the Message translation this year, I like to compare the NKJV (another favorite) sometimes.  What’s your favorite translation?

Where the NKJV says “I remember”, the MSG says “I rehearse”.  Look at how this one word changes the feel of the verse in a good way:

“I rehearse everything I know of you” (Psalm 42:6)

Rehearse means to prepare, practice, read through, run through/over, go over. I like the idea that we can rehearse everything we know about God – especially because I tend to “rehearse” and “replay” all my failures or regrets. We need to replay or rehearse God’s faithfulness!

Let’s try it: God is good, kind, generous, loving, patient, wise. God is good, kind, generous, loving, patient, wise. God is good, kind, generous, loving, patient, wise…. What do you know of God?  Do you need to remind yourself of these traits and rehearse?

Couple of chapters today – let’s read Proverbs 30 and 31.  Sometimes it can be hard to get through the Proverbs – it’s not a story, it’s separate sentences and truths, but hang in there!  Get out your highlighter and mark what stands out to you.  Maybe write one down to carry around and think about today!

“Leaders can’t afford to make fools of themselves…. the people who depend on them are hurt” (Proverbs 31:4, 5 MSG)

Everyone is in a position of leadership or at least a position to leave an example to someone – the people within our sphere of influence are hurt when we fail.  Whoever you are, whatever your station, there is someone who looks up to you. Let’s take the opportunity of being a good example seriously!

Solomon has more wisdom to share with us today!  Let’s read Proverbs 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.  Can you draw anything out to apply to today?  The Bible is living Word – we ought to live in the knowledge He gives to us.

“When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.” (Proverbs 29:2 MSG)

So true.  Solomon is speaking from direct experience – though his father David was a great king, Solomon had opportunity to witness ungodly and unjust rulers.

One proverb that really stood out to me today was:

“The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.” (Proverbs 29:25 MSG)

Sometimes we get “afraid in advance” – nothing has even happened yet, but we are afraid of what might happen. With God, we can be confident – with Him, all things are possible and all roads lead to restoration. That’s a comfort!

Today we are all in 2 Chronicles!  Please read 2 Chronicles 29:3-36, chapters 30 and 31. Does anything stand out to you today?

“I have decided to make a covenant with the GOD of Israel and turn history around so that GOD will no longer be angry with us. Children, don’t drag your feet in this! GOD has chosen you to take your place before Him to serve in conducting and leading worship— this is your life work; make sure you do it and do it well.” (2 Chronicles 29:10-11 MSG)

I like that. I also notice that the people consecrated themselves BEFORE bringing work to clean the temple (that’s important). I also notice that God laid a firm foundation again for their lives – the MSG says in 29:36 “so quickly”. God rushes to restoration when we turn to Him!

30:5 tells us that no one living had ever celebrated the Passover correctly.  Wow – how sad. It’s been a long time. I love Hezekiah’s invitation in 30:6-9. God is bringing the people back into right standing. This is a relief and joy after so many evil kings! Hezekiah was singular in his purpose and wholehearted in his service to the Lord – that’s a tremendous example!

So easily applicable to us today: take your place to serve Him.  This is your life’s work – make sure you do it well!

Here we go!  Today we are reading 2 Kings 16:19-20, 2 Chronicles 28:26-27, Isaiah 13, 14,15, and 16.  The Old Testament isn’t always easy to read, but I hope you are seeing that God always restores and is always at work to get His children back. Here’s what I am thinking about:

I hear lots of people reject the “God of the Old Testament”.  They won’t read the Old Testament because He seems harsh.  They won’t believe His kindness because they don’t see it, but God is not harsh.  Not in the OT, not in the NT, not now. His character toward His people is always the same. In every judgement, there is love and there is an opportunity for restoration. Every time.

“When this is all over,” Judah answers,  “the tyrant toppled, the killing at an end, all signs of these cruelties long gone, A new government of love will be established in the venerable David tradition. A Ruler you can depend upon will head this government, A Ruler passionate for justice, a Ruler quick to set things right” (Is. 16:5 MSG)

God always wants us back. He is a righteous judge, and He doesn’t act without a cause.

Please read Isaiah 1:21-31, and Isaiah chapters 2,3,4 and 5 this morning. What are you learning from daily spending this few minutes in the Bible?  Here’s what stands out to me:

Isaiah 5, the chapter on the disappointing vineyard is, well, disappointing. I notice how the vineyard was equipped for the immediate and for the future – even a wine press was built as the land was prepared for seed, because the expectation was that the land would produce good grapes.

God has an expectation for our lives as well – we have been prepared for all good things. Now it is up to us to purposefully grow into those good things! The Lord has given us what we need – now let’s walk in what is possible!

“Come, family of Jacob, let’s live in the light of God” (Isaiah 2:5 MSG)

Today we are reading Isaiah 28, 2 Kings 17:5, 2 Kings 18:9-12, 2 Kings 17:6-41, and Isaiah 1:1-20.  Let’s get into it!

I just want to unpack Isaiah 28 a little bit.  Want to do it with me?

“will” suggests future tense: “the Lord has a mighty and strong One who WILL bring them down” (Is. 28:2 NKJV)

not immediate, not all at once: “line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 28:10 NKJV)

patience: “Whoever believes will not act hastily” (Isaiah 28:16 NKJV)

process: 28:26 – “God teaches him” (Isaiah 28:26 NKJV)

moving us forward: “the Lord… wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance” (Isaiah 28:29 NKJV)

All of these things represent a process – there’s a benefit to operating in faith.  When you KNOW that the Lord will solve your problem/heal your body/provide your need/ease your worry, then what do you do? You wait on Him in confidence – and now waiting is a pleasure because you KNOW the answer will come. Praise Him in the meantime. Somehow I got into NKJV this morning, but I liked it!

“Then one of the priest whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord” (2 Kings 17:28 NKJV)

Even in this priest’s captivity, he still had a tremendous purpose. I’m noticing that after a chapter in Isaiah on waiting and the process, we have chapters in which lots of difficulties took lots of years.  God is still and always at work.