Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Psalm 96:4-6 For great is the  Lord  and most worthy of praise;      he is to be feared  above all gods. 5  For all the gods of the nations are idols,      but the  Lord  made the heavens. 6  Splendor and majesty  are before him;      strength and glory  are in his sanctuary The psalmist also compares worshipping the one true God with idols.  The word "idol" in the Hebrew language meant "nothing" or "worthless"  Meaning they have no purpose and bring no real help or benefits to anyone.  In short, the implication is that it is a dumb move to put one's faith in a worthless idol. Specifically, why would you worship an idol when you can worship the God who created the universe?  God created human beings in His own image so we could worship the One who made us and enjoy the wonderful life He wants us to have.  God is with us no matter what we go through in this life.  Idols don't.   So if idols are so worthless why do people follow them?  I think

1  Psalm 95:1-2 Come,  let us sing for joy  to the  Lord ;      let us shout aloud  to the Rock  of our salvation. 2  Let us come before him  with thanksgiving      and extol him with music  and song. This psalm is a call to worship!  Worship is about singing.  Singing is a way of expressing joy and emotion.  Though we worship our God with our mind, heart and strength, we also worship God with our soul.  The soul is a deep place within us where we experience emotions and relationships.  Worshipping God with our heart and soul create an experience of coming into God's very presence.  As someone has said, "God has given us a heart for worship!"  When we worship God we are doing the very thing we are made for. Three times in these first two verses, the psalmist says, "let us".  "Let us" is an exhortation to praise God together as the family of God.  It is what we might call a, "call to worship".  Of course, we can worship God alone, but in

12  Blessed is the one you discipline,   Lord ,      the one you teach  from your law; 13  you grant them relief from days of trouble,      till a pit  is dug for the wicked. 14  For the  Lord  will not reject his people;      he will never forsake his inheritance. It seems like an oxymoron to say blessed is one who receives discipline.  The context of this passage was God was disciplining the people of Israel for straying from his commands and worshipping other gods.  God allows other nations to invade Israel, as a sign of his withdrawing his hand of protection.  But it doesn't mean that God had cut himself off from His chosen ones forever.  God uses this opportunity to teach the Israelites a lesson. He allows them to get what they want, which in this case wasn't Him.   Like any discipline, His intention is to teach them the consequences of their actions.  However as the psalms teach the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. God's mercies are new every morning. G

Psalm 93 1  The  Lord  reigns,  he is robed in majesty;      the  Lord  is robed in majesty and armed with strength;      indeed, the world is established,  firm and secure. 2  Your throne was established  long ago;      you are from all eternity. 3  The seas  have lifted up,  Lord ,      the seas have lifted up their voice;      the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. 4  Mightier than the thunder  of the great waters,      mightier than the breakers  of the sea—      the  Lord  on high is mighty. 5  Your statutes,  Lord , stand firm;      holiness  adorns your house      for endless days. Over the past several months we have seen many natural disasters.  Whether it was the flooding in Houston, or the fires in California, we see that there are times nature is unconquerable.  As the psalmist lifts up the majesty of His Lord, he uses this metaphor of the seas and its breakers to show God reigns over all.  He sits as King, higher than the spray is tossed, deeper

Psalm 92:12-15 12  The righteous will flourish  like a palm tree,      they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13  planted in the house of the  Lord ,      they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14  They will still bear fruit  in old age,      they will stay fresh and green, 15  proclaiming, “The  Lord  is upright;      he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. ” In our society, sometimes the old are looked down upon as their physical ability and appearance starts to diminish.  In a world which prizes outward beauty over inward beauty, t his psalm gives a beautiful image of how God's people will hold up over time and even bear fruit in their old age. " The cedar trees of Lebanon were known for their size, strength, durability, beauty, and usefulness. The blessings to come upon the righteous bring the same things. " (Guzik) As the apostle Paul taught the church in Corinth, " Though outwardly we may be wasting away, yet inwardly renewed day by day.&

14  Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he loves me,” says the  Lord , “I will rescue him;      I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15  He will call on me, and I will answer him;      I will be with him in trouble,      I will deliver him and honor him. 16  With long life  I will satisfy him      and show him my salvation. ” I memorized this verse about 25 years ago.  When I read it, there was just something about it that I found very comforting.  It is almost as if God were talking to me personally.  Notice it starts out, "Because he loves me".  This comment shows us the two way relationship between God and us. Then, he says "for he acknowledges my name".  One of the ways we love God is not being ashamed to acknowledge His name.  Finally, this leads to "calling on God". Calling on God shows that our trust in what He can provide, and usually happens in prayer.  And look at what He promises us as we love him, acknowledge, and call on Him.  Look at al

4  Psalm 90 A thousand years in your sight      are like a day that has just gone by,      or like a watch in the night. 5  Yet you sweep people away  in the sleep of death—      they are like the new grass of the morning: 6  In the morning it springs up new,      but by evening it is dry and withered. You often hear the phrase "a day is like a thousand years in your sight".   The idea is that God is outside space and time and so he sees everything from the aspect of eternity.  He knows the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega.  If he didn't he would not be God.  If God did not know something God would not be "all-knowing", and therefore not be God.  As such God is sovereign over all things.   We live mired in space in time.  In this psalm Moses is in the middle of the wildnerness wanderings after Israel was delivered by God miraculously through the Red Sea.  But Moses cannot see where they are going or when they are going to get there.  He is

Psalm 89 "If his sons forsake my law      and do not follow my statutes, 31  if they violate my decrees      and fail to keep my commands, 32  I will punish their sin with the rod,      their iniquity with flogging; 33  but I will not take my love from him,      nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. 34  I will not violate my covenant      or alter what my lips have uttered. 35  Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—      and I will not lie to David— 36  that his line will continue forever      and his throne endure before me like the sun; 37  it will be established forever like the moon,      the faithful witness in the sky.” The psalmist spends many verses describing the faithfulness and  mightiness of God. He talks about the covenant God has made with his servant and king David, which he will bless through David's line forever. God chose David to be His anointed one, and God will be with him in all He does. Even though David will falter, God's steadfast love w