QUOTES FOR MARCH 24, 2026

 

LESSONS FROM PS 128

 

Lessons from Psalm 128

 

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. 

 

The "fear of the Lord" in the Bible refers to having a deep respect, reverence, and awe for God’s power and authority.  It does not mean being afraid of God, but rather leads to love for Him.  It involves standing in awe of God's majesty, power, wisdom, justice, and mercy.  The fear of the Lord is also related to the theological virtue of hope3. It warns us to be mindful of God and not to trivialize His judgment or wrath.  Obedience to God is a key aspect of the Christian faith. It demonstrates our love for God and respect for His authority. When we obey Him, we honor His wisdom, goodness, and right to govern our lives. Obedience to God involves faith, trust, love, and a willingness to share in His sufferings.

You will eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

1.        You will eat the fruit of your labor and enjoy what you do.

2.        You will be blessed.  You are honored, consecrated to the Lord.  You have his blessings, benefits and promises.

3.        You live in spiritual, material, emotional, intellectual and completeness in the Lord.

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.

1.         Your spouse will be fruitful in every area of life.

2.        Your children will be saved, sanctified and holy.  You shall see household salvation.

3.        This is the blessing, promise and benefit of being a person who serves the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, all the days of your life.

1.        The Lord will bless you from where He is to where you are.  The blessings come whenever, whenever you find yourself.

2.        May you see the prosperity of your community.  In particular the place where you dwell.

3.        This will be all the days of your lives.  This is a daily blessing.  It is the mercies of God every morning because God is faithful.

May you live to see your children’s children, peace be on Israel.

1.        The legacy and promise of this psalm is that you will see the your children and grandchildren.  Long life and family. 

2.        It will be a place of peace.  Remember this is psalm that was sang or recited by the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem during one of feastse1

 

 

 

lessons from history

 

1 Cor 10:13 – Lessons from History

 

 

1.      In Vs 1-4, Paul reveals the following examples of history of the Hebrew people which are of note to the Corinthians and to us.

 

a.      The were under a cloud.  They had the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night guiding them  This was the visible presence of God.

b.      They passed through the Red Sea.  This was God’s care and protection. 

c.      They went through these acts and were baptised with Moses and the law.  This identified them with Moses and all he represented.

d.      They ate the same spiritual food.  This was the law and the physical food which was manna which translated means, “What is it?”

e.      They drank the same spiritual water that came from a rock which Moses struck.  This rock was a type for Christ.  He is the rock of our salvation, the boulder the builders rejected.  He is the Cornerstone and capstone.  He is the rock on which the church and our lives are built.

 

2.      In Vs 5-10, there are powerful warning for the Corinthians and us from this history.

 

a.      Even though they had all these examples it did not keep them idolatry, grumbling and rebellion.  The result was all of them perished in the desert. 

b.      There is a warning that even though God does all these things for, in and through you that does not mean our heart can be kept from evil, wrong and sinful choices.  God may sanctify us at the beginning, but sanctification, holiness and righteousness is a continual choice.  Being spiritual and anointed by God does mean you cannot fail or fall.

c.      Paul used the example of how the people asked Aaron to make them a golden calf after Moses had been away with God.  They then worshipped the idol and engage in deviant and unholy activity.  The result is they engage in intimate relationships with others than their spouses and the result was 23,000 died that day of the judgment of God.  There are always consequences to our actions.

d.      Paul uses two more examples.  He says they tested Christ.  They did it by speaking against the Lord and Moses and the judgment was poisonous snakes.  They grumbled and those that did were destroyed by an avenging angel.  Many scholars believe that the angel that led Israel in the desert was Christ himself. 

 

3.      In vs 11-12, Paul then begins to give the Corinthians and us lessons from history which should not and cannot be ignored. 

 

a.      In vs 11, Paul says three things.  First, these things he has mentioned are examples from history.  Next, they are warnings for us.  Not just the Corinthians but us today.  Thirdly, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.  This culmination is Jesus Christ.  He has come and He is now ready to come back. 

b.      In vs 12, Paul warns about the arrogance that you think you can stand firm because standing firm is a choice.  Be careful you don’t fall.  Paul is just reminding them they can fall, it doesn’t mean they will but guarding one’s heart is essential.

 

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

 

1.      This verse is so powerful it reveals five important things for you to remember.

2.      No temptation that has overtaken you or is facing you is not one all mankind hasn’t faced.  Remember we have three main adversaries.  The devil, the world and us.  Everyone of us face this so don’t think it strange or that you are the only one going through this.

3.      God is faithful.  He will never leave or forsake you.  God is with you. 

4.      He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to endure.  You have God’s promise of divine help and rescue if necessary. 

5.      When you are tempted now noticed there is assumption that you will be tested.  Jesus was and so should you expect it.  God will provide a means of escape or a way out.  This is a promise. That you can endure it. 

6.      The reasons we are tempted are as follows.

 

A.     It is allowed for strength and helps us to develop character.

B.     It teaches us to respond godly, positively and turn any situation around for good.

C.      They are design to make us wiser, creative, resourceful, compassionate, and empathetic.

D.     It helps to destroy our own desires and selfishness.  It purifies and refines us.  It teaches us obedience. 

E.      It makes us more like Jesus because he learned obedience by the things he suffered. 

 

 

 

 

 

LASTING HONOR

 

     This is our last message in the summer of the Psalms which is fitting knowing that Tuesday is fall.  I hope you have enjoyed these messages as much as I have enjoyed giving them to you.  In summary, Psalm 111 and 112 are written by Ezra.  They are acrostic psalms which means, they are the Hebrew Alphabet with a truth about God.  Psalm 111, is about who God is, and 112 is our response to God in lifestyle.  Remember true religion is action based.  You show your faith by what you do or it is vain.  There are four things we are going to learn today from these last two verses of Psalm 112.

 

 

1.      They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor.  Generosity is a mark of the follower of God.  God loves a generous and cheerful giver.  In Jesus’ society there were three cardinal rules of faith, prayer, fasting and alms.  Alms were the practical outgrowth of prayer and fasting.

 

a.       Jesus says when we do it to the least of these we are doing it unto Him.  Ezra has you are sowing seeds.  It is the law of the harvest  andwhen you sow you receive.  Ezra was also reminding them they had been in captivity for 70 years.  Now was their chance to redeem and touch others

b.      Ezra also didn’t want them to miss the blessing of giving to those who cannot give back to you.  .  Writers in the New Testament remind us that it is the responsibility and duty of the Christian to give especially when it is in our power to do so.  Remember everything you have belongs to God and must be available for His use. 

 

2.      Their righteousness endures forever.  It is the quality of being morally right or justifiable.  Choosing to be good, virtuousness, upright, decent and walking in integrity.  This is a sign of being connected with God.  This is who God is and who we should be. 

 

a.      This is a wonderful promise and we are building legacy.  Jesus said I go to prepare a place for us.  And where He is so we shall be.  What we do counts for eternity.  It also affects those after us. 

b.      Noah saved the human race, Abraham was the Father of many nations, Joseph saved his world, Moses delivered Israel from Egypt, Joshua conquered Canaan, David gave us Jesus, Solomon built a temple, Daniel gave us a glimpse in the future, Isaiah showed us Jesus, John the Baptist was a forerunner, Jesus the Messiah and Savior and Paul gave us the New Testament.  What is your contribution only you can craft your legacy?  In the Lord all things are possible.  Remember He can do more than you can ask or imagine. 

 

3.      Their horn will be lifted high in honor.  In the bible horn means power, glory, strength, royal authority, enabling power, honor, dignity, and dominion.  This means that those who follow the Lord will have true honor.  It means you will distinct, one of a kind. You will be given privileges by God.  You will have the characteristic and nature of God.

 

a.      You will have the congratulations and kudos from God.  You get to reign and ruler with Him and the prestige that comes from that.  It also means in your personal life and dealing with others you will a person of integrity and you will be same person in public as you are in private.  You will be honest, truthful, ethical, and moral.

b.      The rewards of the overcomers in Rev 2-3 are amazing.

 

1.      To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

2.      The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

3.      To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

4.      To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—  that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery, just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.

5.      The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

6.      The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

7.      To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Now that is honor.

 

4.      The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away and the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.  Ezra closes with what happens to those who chose wickedness. 

 

a.      The greatest tragedy of the wicked is they miss the amazing of heaven and choose hell.  They miss eternal and abundant life and get a life full of ashes and broken dreams.  Ezra hits on a theme of Solomon when he says the fool chooses their own way.

b.      Pride, pleasure and possessions will always leave you hollow.  The book of Ecclesiastes is a testimony to this.  Vanity all is vanity.  What a contrast.  People choose momentary pleasure instead of the eternal.  Let this not be you and let us pray that it is not what happens to those we love.

 

KEEP IT SIMPLE

 

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

 

 

1.       As we have learned in previous messages that when Paul came to Corinth after Athens, he made a conscience decision to do several things.  He decided to reset his life and ministry.  When he arrived in Corinth, he was sick, fearful, and trembling.  He was in a weak period of his life.  He started working in his tentmaking trade with Aquila and Pricilla.  He then went full time when Timothy and Silas arrived.  After persecution and slander from his fellow Jew he decided to go exclusively to the gentiles.  He then decided to preach only about Jesus and his crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection.  He would emphasize the broken body and shed blood of Jesus and the benefits thereof. 

2.      Paul then focused on making sure that the message he brought and the preaching he delivered was not laced or full of wise and persuasive words.  Paul was an orator.  This training was required to be a rabbi, teacher, scribe, and a member of the Sanhedrin which he was.  In Galatians when we hear his testimony Paul was a student of Gamaliel the foremost scholar and teacher of his day.  Paul excelled and was Gamaliel’s best student.  He was more than capable of delivering a emotional, persuasive and effective message and sermon.

3.      Part of Paul’s reset was to keep his message simple, clear, and concise.  Paul’s decided to tell them his testimony of who he was, how he got saved and why he was doing what he was doing.  This is an excellent preaching style. 

4.      Paul like all the apostles used signs, wonders, and miracles to attract an audience.  This of course was simply following Mark 16:15-18, which states that these signs follow them who believe.  This is a wonderful component of the gospel. 

5.      Paul relied on the demonstration of the Spirit’s power.  It came in the form of the gifts of the Spirit.  Now Paul later in the book gave regulation and order to the practice.

6.      Paul saw the blind eyes open, demonic people freed, in fact aprons and clothes he used were used in healing people and driving out demons.  This brought about a platform for the gospel.  Signs are given to show people the way to Christ.  Healing is designed to show the healer.

 

5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

 

1.      Paul then reminds the Corinthians that our message must never rely on human wisdom. 

2.      He also understood how the devil operated with accusation, temptation, and deception.  He was keenly aware of the attack of the world with pride, pleasure, and possessions.  He also comprehended our inner struggle with our desires, wants and needs. 

3.      So, faith had to rely on God’s power.  Only resurrection power can fully free and deliver us from our adversaries. 

4.      Here are some wonderful benefits of resurrection power. 

 

a.      When we submit to God and resist the devil, he must flee from us.  Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. 

b.      We have been born into a new life and all the benefits and resources that come with that.

c.      We have fellowship, friendship, and a relationship with the creator of the universe.  He is our Father, friend, and Lord.

d.      Eph 1:18-20 says we have light, hope, holiness, riches, and an inheritance.  Our faith is based on God’s power and wisdom. 

PRAYERS FOR THE DEPRESSED

 

If You Feel Suicidal:

Lord, I come before You with a heavy heart. I feel so much and yet sometimes I feel nothing at all. I don't know where to turn, who to talk to, or how to deal with the things going on in my life. You see everything, Lord. You know everything, Lord. Yet when I seek you it is so hard to feel You here with me. Lord, help me through this. I don't see any other way to get out of this. There is no light at the end of my tunnel, yet everyone says You can show it to me. Lord, help me find that light. Let it be Your light. Give me someone to help. Let me feel You with me. Lord, let me see what You provide and see an alternative to taking my life. Let me feel Your blessings and comfort. Amen.

If Your Friend Feels Suicidal:

Lord, I come before You with a heavy heart for my friend. He/She is struggling so much right now with the things happening in his/her life. I know You can be his/her greatest comfort. I know You can step in and make a difference. Show me how I can best help him/her. Give me the words and actions that will keep him/her from taking that ultimate step of suicide, Lord. Let him/her see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that suicide is not the route to take. Lord, let Your presence be felt in his/her life and let your comfort be what he/she needs. Amen.

Father I feel as if you dealt me a hand that is unfair. This mountain seems insurmountable and my cares and worries weigh so heavy on my soul, that I see no way out. I feel as though I am on an ocean, adrift, just knowing I cannot make it. Psalm 68:19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.   1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Abba, when depression sets in, sometimes I think of ending it all. I feel pathetic and weak because I know this is not the way but I just feel as though I have no other way out. I feel guilty because I know so many people suffer so much more than I do yet they survive and I know suicide is wrong but I am not well.