Ever wondered about the vast difference between our limited resources and God's boundless power? Journey with us as we share personal stories and reflections from the heart, teaching our kids about the value of scarcity and contrasting it with God's infiniteness. Through our exploration of the Psalms, we welcome you to a space of reverence for God's unstoppable power and offer ways to harness it through service and devotion.
Let's travel through Psalms 120-134 together, as we recognize the spiritual significance of Jerusalem to the Church and the critical role it has played in our spiritual evolution. How often do we remember to pray for our places of worship? Let's delve into the depth of mercy and the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. Feel the joy and laughter that accompany the restoration of fortunes and experience the power of God's protection.
The Church is not just a building, but a family, and children are indeed a precious part of it. Discover the challenges and blessings of raising children in the light of the Psalms, acknowledging their importance in the church as a gift from God. Learn about the covenant between God and David, and God's desire to bless His people, dwelling in Zion. Let's come together as a community to guide the next generation in God's ways while also enriching our spiritual journey. Tune in and prepare for an episode that will open your heart and deepen your faith.
Ever wondered about the vast difference between our limited resources and God's boundless power? Journey with us as we share personal stories and reflections from the heart, teaching our kids about the value of scarcity and contrasting it with God's infiniteness. Through our exploration of the Psalms, we welcome you to a space of reverence for God's unstoppable power and offer ways to harness it through service and devotion.
Let's travel through Psalms 120-134 together, as we recognize the spiritual significance of Jerusalem to the Church and the critical role it has played in our spiritual evolution. How often do we remember to pray for our places of worship? Let's delve into the depth of mercy and the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. Feel the joy and laughter that accompany the restoration of fortunes and experience the power of God's protection.
The Church is not just a building, but a family, and children are indeed a precious part of it. Discover the challenges and blessings of raising children in the light of the Psalms, acknowledging their importance in the church as a gift from God. Learn about the covenant between God and David, and God's desire to bless His people, dwelling in Zion. Let's come together as a community to guide the next generation in God's ways while also enriching our spiritual journey. Tune in and prepare for an episode that will open your heart and deepen your faith.
in it and just pray, just ask the spirit some move to speak to you, to show you what you need this morning. God, thank you so much really for who you are, for everything that you do. I think it's an understatement and I'm sure we fully appreciate, but I hope that we do when we're learning to that. You really are all of creation. You're over everything, you're in everything, you do everything. There's nothing about our life that you're unaware of. As we finish up this series, I pray that we are overwhelmed with gratitude by how much you love us and how much you've done for us and, as always, I pray that it's always you speaking and not me. God, protect the words that come out of my mouth, protect those who are listening. God, allow it to be things that not only challenge us but to grow us and to mature us into what it means to follow you. God, thank you so much for everything that you do and everything that you are, because without you, none of this exists. I would love you. We thank you, so let me pray Amen.
Speaker 1:You know the holidays are crazy. I think I talked about it last week. I feel like we had our harvest festival and then, all of a sudden Thanksgiving here and, before you know it, christmas is here. You know, there's Black Friday deals all over the place, and if you missed anything on Friday, you can do stuff on Monday and Cyber Monday. And then, somewhere like in the middle of that, there's Giving Tuesday, which, by the way, I think is an amazing thing, but I was. I'd love to be able to compare how much money is given on Giving Tuesday versus how much money is spent on Black Friday. Right, my kids are in an age now where they're starting to understand money. Griffin, at least, understands that money is not an unlimited resource.
Speaker 1:We were at the Nutcracker village over. It was on Friday, and I gave each boy $15 to spend. And so before we go into this conversation and before we even get there, my first thing to them is don't buy the first thing. You see the first bright, shiny object, right. And so we arrive and what is grievance? A glowing sword. I want, I'm like I said not to do that. I was like hold on, like we haven't even, like we haven't even got into the event, and he already wants to spend it. And so he ends up buying a sword, and then later he buys some chocolate and then. So he's he spent his money and so, whatever, it's a little more methodical. So he's walking around and it takes him two hours to even consider making a purchase. And at this point I'm like I wish you would have just bought the first thing you saw, because you're driving us.
Speaker 1:And so we're walking around and he ends up finding a sword that he likes, and then he ends up buying some popcorn and so, mind you, it's been almost two hours, griffin has spent his money, everett is still working on his, and so we get to a point where Everett's buying something and Griffin's like, oh, can I have that? I'm like, no, I was like you don't have any money. So what's he do? He looks at my mom, says my God, and I'm like, mom, if you buy that for him, I was like, if you want to bring him back tomorrow and buy it, I don't really care.
Speaker 1:But like in the moment, like he needs to understand that that that everything we have, even our resources, they're limited the time we have the money that we have. It's funny because it it's such a weird lesson to teach a kid, but it's an important one because it shows them that the things that they do spend their time and their money on. They're more grateful for them when they understand that it's not just an unlimited resource, right? And so when I think about how God continues to work in my life and continues to work in our church, the reality is is, while he is unlimited, we are limited. We have unlimited time on this earth. If I'm lucky, I have 70 years. Right, we have limited resources. I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who's a millionaire. Actually, that's not true. I know one guy is a millionaire wonderful family. If I ever need money, I'm going to call them.
Speaker 1:But, but the reality is is, I think, when we understand how limited we are, it reminds us and helps us to be grateful for how unlimited God is right. Because when we look at our life, when we look at the things that we accomplish, there's, there's this realization that just because I can't do it doesn't mean God can't right. And so we have to live in the realm of when God is calling us to do something, and God is calling his church to be something, that he has an unlimited resource and that he's going to make those things happen. And and I've talked about this as much as the world is convinced that the church is dying. I hate to remind them. We are not. God is not dead, he is not gone. Satan will not overcome and nothing in this world will stop him. Now it doesn't mean that we don't get in our own way sometimes, but God is an unstoppable force. And so when the Psalm is as they write these Psalms, some in the midst of struggle, some in the midst of great moments of joy, some coming out of captivity, they write these to remind themselves of how unlimited God is. And and I think that that's important because you and I, we don't have that luxury. We don't, like I said, we are limited. Our life is counted for the days, the resources. But the beauty of God is he allows us to tap into his unlimitedness when we serve him and we follow him.
Speaker 1:So Psalm 120, verses 1 through 7, says I call on the Lord in my distress and he answers me. Save me, lord, from lying lifts and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you? And what more besides you, deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom. Bush. Woe to me that I dwell in Meshach, that I live among the tents of Qadar. Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace, the one I speak there for war. I think that's such a powerful Psalm. I mean, we're surrounded by culture wars, we're surrounded by actual wars, and the Psalmist says but no, no, I'm for peace. And God, protect me from the sharp arrows, protect me from the deceitful tongue, protect me from from the evils of this world, because only you can do that. Israel was not unaware of war. Their nation was constantly at war, whether they were fighting themselves and their disobedience, or they were surrounded on all sides. They were some of their greatest enemies, just could not stand the fact that they served God, the only God of creation.
Speaker 1:Psalm 121, verses 1 through 8, says a song of praise. Says I lift my eyes up to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of a heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your shade, at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life and the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore. I love that the Psalmist is speaking of God in such a loving way. He says listen, god will protect you, god will wash over you, god will do everything he can to watch over your life to make sure that you're protected from harm. It is not. It doesn't mean that we're going to be protected from bad things all the time, because bad things happen and life is challenging. But the psalmist says that when you feel like no one cares, when you feel like no one sees you, when you feel like no one is in your corner, understand that God you serve will not even sleep, because that's how much he's concerned for you.
Speaker 1:I had this conversation with with Everett recently. He started wrestling and there's a boy in his wrestling that he is having an issue with, and it's not really a big issue, but they're kind of butting heads and and so Everett and I are talking after practice and so he's like telling me what's going on. I'm trying to help him, if some of you got to kind of navigate, but then I'm like, well, who is the boy? And so he tells me his name and he points him out and I'm like okay. And so I see the kid sitting there with his dad and and Everett looks at me. He's like why don't you go beat up his dad? I was like, hold on. I was like I understand that I've said to you before that I would do anything to protect you. And I do mean that. But I'm not just going to go start a fight with someone like out of the blue. But but I love it because, as simple as that is in his mind, he's thinking okay, you're my dad, you're gonna protect me. So this is how you protect me. Because in his mind he has no doubt that I will do whatever is necessary to protect him. He knows that and and so when I look at God and when we look at God, we should see God in the same light that he will do whatever it takes to protect us. He is for us, he wants us to be successful, he wants us to overcome things. He continues to be in our corner. He doesn't sleep, he watches over us as we come, as we go.
Speaker 1:So in 122, verses 1 through 9 this is a prayer specifically for Jerusalem Said I rejoice with those who said to me. Let us go to the house of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your gates, jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord. According to the statues given to Israel, there stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love you be secure where they be. Peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say peace be within you. For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God, I will seek your prosperity.
Speaker 1:Jerusalem, and in the nation of Israel, was a huge part of bringing us to where we are today as a church. They ushered in Jesus, they were established, they were the people of God and for them, when the Psalmist, as he, writes this, there's this understanding that Jerusalem is the praying for its protection, that that God will watch over it, because out of Jerusalem, out of Israel, comes Jesus and out of Jesus comes the church. So they understood that and once again, they were surrounded constantly by their enemies, who opposed them, who opposed their God. The Psalmist prays for them. God, watch over them. What if we prayed for our churches in the same way they prayed for Jerusalem? What if we prayed for protection in our churches to seek prosperity, for peace to be within you, for security? What if we prayed for our churches and believed the importance of the church? Today, in the culture, as we see churches close their doors left and right, are we praying for these churches? Are we praying for our church? Are we praying to continue to see God's kingdom manifested here through us?
Speaker 1:Psalm 123, verses 1 through 4,. I lift my eyes up to you, to you who sit and throne in heaven, as the eyes of the slaves look to the hand of the master, as the eyes of the female slave look to the hand of a mistress, as the eyes look to the Lord, our God, who shows us his mercy. Have mercy on us, lord. Have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt. We've endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud. Once again, they're capturing so many different emotions and feelings. They're seeking God for mercy and praying, that they could understand just a little bit what that is.
Speaker 1:You know, I want to think about mercy, the first thing that comes in my mind has to be Jesus on the cross. The greatest act of mercy ever given to all of humanity was the moment that Jesus decided to die. I know that you're not unaware of it, but none of us deserve that. None of us deserve to be shown mercy, none of us deserve to be shown grace. If God decided to wipe out the entire world, there's nothing anyone could do to stop it. But as the psalmist cries for mercy, I thank God for mercy. I thank God for the fact that he chose to die on my behalf. I thank God that His kingdom is now accessible to us because of the sacrifice that was made. The very first verse says I lift my eyes up to you, to you who sit and throne in heaven.
Speaker 1:This entire year, the focus has been His kingdom first. His kingdom first is this idea of continuing to look up and stay focused on what is he calling us to do? What is he calling us to be? Psalm 124, 1-8,. The Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive. When their anger flared against us, the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We've escaped like a bird from the fallow snare. The snare has been broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Speaker 1:I often wonder if there was ever a way for me to see how many things God spares me from every day. I know that's hard to ask, right Because we don't know that. But the Psalmists understood that if it wasn't for God, I wouldn't have made it this far anyway. I'm 37 years old and I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that it had not been for God, I probably want to be standing here today. My life would have come to an end probably more than a couple of decades ago, when I thought that it wasn't worth living, as I've gone through Church hurt, as as Danny and I navigated the loss of two babies, as I've seen financial ruin, that if it wasn't for the grace of God I wouldn't be here. As Israel says, if it wasn't for God, the enemy would have destroyed us. If it wasn't for God, this church wouldn't still be standing. If it wasn't for God, the kingdom would have no hope. You and I would have no ground to stand on. But because of his protection, because of his grace, when the enemy comes they don't stand a chance.
Speaker 1:Psalm 125, verses 1 through 5,. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever more. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous must might use their hands to do evil. Lord, do good those who are good to those who are upright and heart, but those who turn the crooked ways. The Lord will banish what the evil doers. Peace beyond Israel. Psalm 126, verses 1 through 6,.
Speaker 1:When the Lord restored the fortunes as Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations the Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, lord, like streams and in the Negev, those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, or return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Speaker 1:Do you live in such a way, in such a way that the people look at your life and think, man, god is really doing something for them? You know that the Psalmist is saying is as we cry out, as we experience moments of grief, that we understand that we will have joy in our life. I will never understand people who know God and they're miserable. I can't fathom it because I and maybe it's just a lack of me understanding but with everything God has done in my life and listen, it doesn't mean that I'm always like unicorns and rainbows and like I'm always. I'm not always like super chipper, all the time I have days, I'm human. But but how can we serve God and not think man, he's amazing, it's amazing what he's doing? You know, I'm here, I'm breathing, I'm alive, my kids are doing great, miles will be three soon. Thank God for that, because I can't handle the twos like, but as I sit here and it's just, how can you have a relationship with God and you're just like, yeah, and listen, I would say is because I don't think you really understand what God has done.
Speaker 1:How often do we reflect on everything I know? Around Thanksgiving, we all talk about what we're grateful for, about the rest of the year. What about all the other times that the God protects us and provides? What about all the times that you're convinced that you're not gonna make it to the next paycheck? And you do? What about you know when your car is falling apart and you have no hope of getting anything fixed and all of a sudden someone in the church comes up and says listen, let me, let me help you with that. That's God. That's God working. That that's God reminding us we is. That that's God calling us to live and to be joyous. I don't know about you, but this world gives a whole lot more joy. So I'm.
Speaker 1:127 said unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain In vain. You rise early and stay up late. It's what it's willing for food to eat for. He grants sleep to those he loves. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. You hear that kids, you're a heritage. The Bible calls you a reward. Yeah, next time mom and dad get bad. Like the Bible says, I'm a reward. Don't do that. It won't end well. So, like arrows in the hands of a warrior, our children, born in one's youth, blessed as the man, his quivers full of them, they will be put. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Speaker 1:You know, there's two aspects to the Psalm that I enjoy it, and one is the beginning. It says unless the Lord builds the house, the labors will build in vain. Unless God is establishing our church, the church will not last. Unless God is establishing himself in our life and we're allowing him to tell us how to live and to live for him, it will not last All the labor, everything we do has to be in light of what God is already doing always. And then the last half of this is having kids is a great joy.
Speaker 1:We are called to raise up the next generation of believers. A church that has no children in it does not have a great future. So when you see kids here, when we're, when we're with kids and and we do our kids, church break off and you're here in church and your worship, and there's some kids over here and they might be a little rowdy, thank God they're here, because that's the future of our church, because the kingdom God provides this offspring to raise up, to show the truth and listen. It doesn't have to be biological. Adoption is a wonderful thing. Fostering is a wondering thing. But if God has brought children into your life, into your church, even when they drive you nuts, remember that God has given you a precious gift to raise and to teach His ways so that His kingdom will continue.
Speaker 1:Psalm 128, blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him. You will eat the fruit of your labor. Blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house. Your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May you live to see your children's children's peace beyond Israel. Your families are a blessing. Your children, your grandchildren. God has given them to you. Do not underestimate their importance.
Speaker 1:I've been in ministry for a long time. Well, I think it's a long time, but compared to others probably not. But one of the things that when I first got in the ministry that was kind of beat into my head was protect your family. A couple generations ago, a lot of ministers sacrificed their family for the church, and I don't think they did it wrong, I don't think they meant to do it, but I think the demands were so heavy and there was this idea that as the minister, especially of a smaller church, you have to give everything, and if your family gets neglected, it just happens. And I can tell you that I know a lot of older ministers and almost every single one of them their greatest regret is they didn't protect their family enough, and so that's something that I appreciate the elders of this church helped me to do. That's something that I take very seriously, because my family is my first ministry. If I am not bringing my kids to Jesus, then nothing else matters, and so I will do, and I hope that you will do whatever you have to do. Your family is your first ministry. It's not your career, it's not your job, it's not how fast you can climb the ladder, it's not whether or not your name is recognizable in the community. It's whether or not you're raising your kids to follow Jesus, and if God has given them to you, do not take that for granted.
Speaker 1:Psalm 129. They have greatly oppressed me from my youth. Let Israel say they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me. Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long, but the Lord is righteous. He has cut me from the cords of the wicked. May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. May they be like grass on the roof which withers before it can grow. A reaper cannot fill his hands with it, or one who gathers fill his arms. May those who pass by not say to them the blessing of the Lord be on you. We bless you in the name of the Lord. That's a Psalm that the Psalmist is talking about in a young age. How difficult it was, but understanding that God was there to protect him.
Speaker 1:Psalm 130. Out of the depths I cry to you, lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord. My whole being waits and in His word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watch, and wait for the morning more than the watch and wait for the morning. Israel puts your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. He himself redeemed Israel from all of their sins. Psalm 131. My heart is not proud, lord, my ears are not haughty. I do not concern myself with the great matters of things too wonderful for me, but I have calmed and quieted myself. I am like a weaned child with his mother. Like a weaned child. I am content. Israel puts your hope in the Lord, both now and forever more. Psalm 132.
Speaker 1:Remember David and all his self-denial. He swore an oath to the Lord. He made a vow to the mighty one of Jacob. I will neither my house nor go to my bed. I will not allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the mighty one of Jacob. We heard it in Ephrahrath. We came upon it in the fields of Jahr. Let us go into His dwelling place, let us worship at His footstool saying Arise, lord, and come to your resting. Place you in the ark of your might. May your priests be clothed with your righteousness. May your faithful people sing for joy For the sake of your servant, david, do not reject your anointed one. The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath you will not revoke One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. If your sons keep my covenants and the statuses or the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne forever and ever.
Speaker 1:For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for His dwelling, saying this is my resting place forever and ever. Here I will sit and throne, for I have desired it. I will bless her with abundant provisions For poor, I will satisfy with food, I will clothe her priests with salvation and her faithful people will ever sing for joy. Here I will make you a horn grow for David and put up a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.
Speaker 1:Psalm 133,. How good and pleasant is it? How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity. There's like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's head, down the collar of his robe, as if the dew of the hermit were falling on Mount Zion, for there the Lord bestows His blessing even life forevermore. Psalm 134, says Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord, lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the maker of heaven and earth.
Speaker 1:I said I know it's a lot, but I think those Psalms are so important, not only for the nation of Israel but to help keep us reminded that the God is still God. Nothing will stop him, nothing will get in his way, no enemy will prevail, no man of sorrow will overwhelm him, that he loves you so much that salvation and mercy and forgiveness has been offered. That he loves us so much that he loves his church so much that, as we continue to walk in his will, he walks with us, in front of us, beside us, behind us. I love the holidays. I love seeing family that I don't always get to see. I love watching my kids as they get older. Every year it's a little different Ever. It's a lot more mature now than it used to be. He got his own Thanksgiving plate this year and didn't want anyone to help him. Griffin tried and he dropped it In miles. We just feed him whatever we can get him when he's not running around.
Speaker 1:But as you gather with your family this season, as we come to the end of the year, as we reflect upon the new year and what's coming If you're not doing it already, I hope and I pray that you prioritize God in your life, that he really is your focus, that you are constantly reminded that everything you have is because of him. In his ways, whatever challenges are coming your way, the maker of the heaven and the earth, the Lord of all creation, will be with you. He will walk with you. He will help you understand in ways that you can't. As you gather with your families and you continue to help raise your children and maybe even raise your grandchildren, as you go here and back and forth and schedules get busy and sports come into play, I hope that you realize that they're a gift, and part of that gift is you get to teach them who God is. It starts in your house.
Speaker 1:I did student ministry for about 15 years. One of the things that I always heard not always, but a lot of times well, I'm hoping you're going to teach my kids something about God. Well, I hope you do too, because they're going to learn more from you than they're ever going to learn from me. Not only that, but your personal walk with God. That's yours too. You have to invest in it. You have to put the time in the psalmist that they understood.
Speaker 1:As they ascended to the temple, they would sing these songs and remind themselves, and they would take the time to memorize them and to know them. Because you want to see your relationship with God grow, you have to do it, and I pray that you understand the importance of community Not only your family, but your church family, that we're glad that you're here and that we're all growing together and we're all trying to figure this out, and that we can do so much more together than we'll ever do alone. That, no matter what we do, the one thing that has to be our focus until we meet Jesus is how do we keep looking up? Because when you can look at God and keep him in proper perspective, I promise everything else will fall into place.