Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

God’s Power Made Known! Reflections: Today’s readings reveal a theme of how God showed the world His power. The psalmist cries out to God that they might be delivered so the world can know that they didn’t serve an impotent God. He reasons with God that unless God rescues them that the nations will say, “Where is your God?” As God comes to deliver them, the people will praise God and future generations will tell of His love and power. In Deuteronomy, we see the Israelites are about ready to enter into the Promised Land, Moses discusses with them their purpose and why. They are to drive out the nations so that the people might know the true God. God loved the Israelites not because of their power and might but because He had made a covenant through Abraham to bless them and make their name great. It was not because of their numbers or stature, but the power of the God who called them. As God delivered them Moses made it abundantly clear that they should obey the covenant and ...

“New Wine, New Wineskins!!!” Reflections: In our readings today, we see 3 different time periods in the life of God’s people, Israel. In the psalm, we see the psalmist lamenting that Judah’s enemy (the Babylonians) had reduced the temple to rubble. The psalmist wonders how long the Lord’s judgment will last and if there will be consequences for their oppressor. He pleads for mercy. In Deuteronomy (which means 2nd Law!), we see Moses stating the terms of the covenant, which if Israel had obeyed they wouldn’t be in the mess they are in. Importantly, it starts with love of God, from which all obedience flows. We see God is even interested in the practical ways the Israelites could remember the laws, by tying it on their wrists and pasting to their foreheads! He wanted faith to be taught in the home and for parents to remind their kids of God’s laws, so that it would go well with them every day! Here we see the vision for parents being the primary faith mentors for their chil...

Reflections on Today’s Readings: Over the summer I am going to try a little different method with the Daily Bread. Each day I am going to reflect on the readings, and see if there is a single theme, we can take with us on our way. Hope you enjoy it! Today, we see the relationship between the Law and the Gospel. In Deuteronomy 5, we see Moses’ account of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai (also called Mt. Horeb). This was part of the Covenant (or Promise initiated by God) with His People, the Israelites. If you remember, there have been two other covenants, one given to Noah, and also one to Abraham. Covenants were a common way of nations making treaties with each other with conditions for how they would act in relationship. God’s covenants were different in that God initiated them, yet the receivers of the Covenant still had their part to play! The Ten Commandments provide the framework for how the Israelites would relate both to God, their neighbors, and to eac...

Psalm 78:56-64 56 But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes. 57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow. 58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. 59 When God heard them, he was furious; he rejected Israel completely. 60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans. 61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy. 62 He gave his people over to the sword; he was furious with his inheritance. 63 Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs; 64 their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep. Reflections: Here again today we see the lament of the psalmist, as God has withdrawn his hand of protection and favor and is angry with His people, Israel. He is furious in fa...

Psalm 78:40-55 40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland! 41 Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember his power— the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, 43 the day he displayed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan. 44 He turned their river into blood; they could not drink from their streams. 45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them. 46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. 48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. 49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels. 50 He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them...

Psalm 78:9-16 9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; 10 they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. 12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. Reflections: We see here that the downfall of the men of Ephraim (the northern kingdom) was related to their willful choices of disobedience. The turned back on the day of battle, did not keep God’s covenant, and refused to live by His law. Can we say “stubborn hearts”! Despite all God had done ...

Psalm 78:1-8 A maskil of Asaph. 1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their ancestors — a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. Reflectio...

Psalm 77:16-20 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Reflections: The psalmist shows the sovereignty of God over the Creation He made. Since technology and scientific reasoning was minimal, nature played a big role in people’s lives. Since they were powerless over it, they turned to other gods to protect them from nature. The psalmist reflects on God’s power over the sea, especially through the deliverance of the Israelites through the Red Sea. Despite feeling powerless, when they acknowledged G...

Psalm 77:10-15 10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Reflections: As the psalmist considers all the challenges before him and the apparent successes of his enemy he concludes with these words. He concludes that he will make his appeal to the Lord who has stretched out His right hand before and will surely do it again. As he remembers all that God has done in delivering the people of Israel time and time again, he reflects on the greatness of the Lord. The psalmist first remembers God’s works...

Psalm 77:1-9 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm. 1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: 7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? ” Reflections: Today we see the psalmist returning to the lament style psalm. Though he is crying out to the Lord, he does not feel comforted. His faith needs to move beyond feelin...

Psalm 76 For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song. 1 God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great. 2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. 4 You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. 5 The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. 6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. 7 It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? 8 From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet— 9 when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. 10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. 11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all th...

Psalm 75 For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song. 1 We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds. 2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity. 3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. 4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns. 5 Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly. ’” 6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. 7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. 8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs. 9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob, 10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wi...

Psalm 74:18-23 18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name. 19 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever. 20 Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. 21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. 22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. 23 Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually. Reflections: As the psalmist continues to reflect on the primary cause of their hatred of their enemies, that they had mocked God, he continues to show trust that God will honor them in His covenant with them. Importantly, the psalmist trusts not in his own ability to overcome the darkness that surrounds him, but in God’s power and God’s promise in His covenant with th...

Psalm 74:10-17 10 How long will the enemy mock you, God? Will the foe revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them! 12 But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth. 13 It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. 14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. 15 It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever-flowing rivers. 16 The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. 17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Reflections: The psalmist reflects on why God has waited to destroy his enemy, especially when his enemy is mocking God. He acknowledges that everything has come from God’s hand so he certainly has the power to do...