August 8 Reading
Psalms 74-76 and Romans 9:16-33
posted by Debbie @ 12:00 AM
6 comments
I'm Waiting as Fast as I Can | In the Word
An Online Bible Study Community hosted by Dori Knight ... Led & Moderated by Debbie O'Connor.
Monday, August 08, 2005
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Welcome!
Please feel free to read along in the Word of God with us, and leave comments as you are moved to, but keep in mind that this is not a place for theological debate. The moderator reserves the right to delete any comments that are not in keeping with a spirit of peace, love, and mutual respect.
Enjoy, and be blessed …
Dori Knight
August Reading Plan
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1 | Psalms 57-59; Romans 4
2 | Psalms 60-62; Romans 5
3 | Psalms 63-65; Romans 6
4 | Psalms 66-67; Romans 7
5 | Psalms 68-69; Romans 8:1-21
6 | Psalms 70-71; Romans 8:22-39
7 | Psalms 72-73; Romans 9:1-15
8 | Psalms 74-76; Romans 9:16-33
9 | Psalms 77-78; Romans 10
10 | Psalms 79-80; Romans 11:1-18
11 | Psalms 81-83; Romanns 11:19-36
12 | Psalms 84-86; Romans 12
13 | Psalms 87-88; Romans 13
14 | Psalms 89-90; Romans 14
15 | Psalms 91-93; Romans 15:1-13
16 | Psalms 94-96; Romans 15:14-33
17 | Psalms 97-99; Romans 16
18 | Psalms 100-102; 1 Corinthians 1
19 | Psalms 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2
20 | Psalms 105-106 ; 1 Corinthians 3
21 | Psalms 107-109; 1 Corinthians 4
22 | Psalms 110-112 ; 1 Corinthians 5
23 | Psalms 113-115 ; 1 Corinthians 6
24 | Psalms 116-118 ; 1 Corinthians 7:1-19
25 | Psalms 119:1-88 ; 1 Corinthians 7:20-40
26 | Psalms 119:89-176 ; 1 Corinthians 8
27 | Psalms 120-122 ; 1 Corinthians 9
28 | Psalms 123-125 ; 1 Corinthians 10:1-18
29 | Psalms 126-128 ; 1 Corinthians 10:19-33
30 | Psalms 129-131 ; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 31 | Psalms 132-134 ; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Previous Posts
- August 7 Reading
- August 6 Reading
- August 5 Reading
- August 4 Reading
- August 3 Reading
- August 2 Reading
- August 1 Reading
- July 31 Reading
- July 30 Reading
- July 29 Reading
6 Comments:
Psalm 74
I can "hear" the heartbreak in this psalm. The writer is feeling rejected by God. I've felt that myself too...you know..those times when your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling and you wonder if God has just left you to wander around until He remembers that you're lost and confused. Our heads know that God won't leave us because we have that promise, but our hearts are a little slower to convince.
What a sad commentary in verse nine "There is no longer any prophet." There is no one in the nation left to proclaim God's word to the people. Instead, these people are in a foreign land and are being "Babylonianized." Everything that sets them apart is being stripped away from them. I guess because we just studied Daniel in Sunday School, I think of Daniel and his three friends Mishael, Hannanaih, and Azariah, who we all know as "Sharach, Meshach, and Aminuteago, umm..Abednego. Everything about them was changed, even down to their names, in hopes of making them less Hebrew and more Babylonian. They went from having names that meant "Who is what God is" (Mishael), "God is Gracious" (Hananiah) and "One who God helps" (Azariah) to names that mean "Who is what Aku (the moon god) is" (Meshach) "command of Aku" (Sharach) and "servant of Nebo" (Abednego).
Asaph is living and writing in this time of God's judgement on His people. He wonders if they've been forgotten and left to wander in a land where they are not at home.
But, Asaph knows his God a little better than that. Even in those moments where he is tempted to doubt, he knows that God is the one who brings salvation (verse 12). He goes back to his foundation, knowing that God is the One who will help him. He prays for God to remember His people. We can know that when God "remembers" it is an action and He always moves.
Psalm 75
Asaph is prainsing God, knowing that GOd is the one who judges and shows mercy.
Asaph promises to praise God's name forever.
(not much to say on this one..it didn't hit home as much as the first)
Psalm 76
I love the words "In Judah, God is Known." Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could say "In _______ (place name here) God is known, His name is great." I pray that God would give me opportunities to make His name known.
I love verse four "You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game." The God we serve is a big God. We can't fit Him into our little "God Boxes." I love knowing that my God is bigger than any mountain I may face. He can bring me through.
Romans 9:16-33
Wow--awesome truth in the first verse I read. "It does not therefore depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Nothing we do really depends on us, but totally on God.
I also love verses twenty and twenty one...they remind me to remember who I am and Who I am talking to. "Who are you O man to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, Why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" God created me just the way that I am. I am not a mistake, and neither is my spastic nature. He has plans for me, and if those plans include flipping burgers at Wendys, I'll do it. (but I really hope they don't include flipping burgers at Wendys)
Paul quotes Hosea where God says "I will call them my people who are not my people; and I will call her my loved one who is not my loved one." It makes me so thankful that God didn't stop with just the Jews. Yes, they were and still are His chosen people, but He also gave grace to those of us who are not Jewish. We were not His, and now we are. Isn't God amazing!
Apologizing for the length of my first post...and the digression to Daniel. It just helped me understand it better.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you,
Jess
Write on, Jess! You're blessing me. I think you're already making God's name known. Imagine what you have time yet to do.
God is bigger than any mountain we face. So true and such a faith builder. The mountains melt like wax before Him!
Thanks so much for your wonderful posts. I have not finished my reading today, but I enjoyed your posts. Off to read for myself.
Blessings!
Hey, Jess, great to see you again! And to read your posts.
I loved the movement in Ps 76 from seeing only rejection and oppression (vv.1-9) to a plea for God to act (vv 10-11), then remembering God's salvation acts and power in the past (vv. 12-17), and then changing the whole tone of his prayer to one of pleading but with a note of real hope now (vv. 16-23). It's another good reminder for me to focus on who God is and His power ... puts everything else in perspective.
Ps. 75 I found this just a tad difficult to follow who was speaking what and when. Especially in v.10. So I looked up my trusty notes at the bottom of the study Bible and found that others find it hard to know who is speaking in v.10 too. Probably God?
You know my 'aha' of the bull's eye pattern of many Psalms? (Do you, Jess ... I've been raving on about them lots lately. Basically a concentric pattern of reading with the main truth at the centre, supported by the surrounding framework.) Well, this fits too except for v.10 which seems to be a repeat or summary of the main idea again. Let me ramble on......
Ps. 75: 1,9 Praise God.
Ps. 75: 2-3, 6-8 Judgement is indeed coming at the appointed time.
Ps. 75: 4-5 - the bull's eye of it all - don't boast or be arrogant!
Then v.10 seems to reemphasize the main point with an added note of hope for the righteous.
I'm no theologian, but anyhow, it sure helps me understand some of these psalms.
Ps 76 - God is to be feared. Judgement is real. Thank God we're saved.
Romans 9:16-23 More judgement. I hate judgement. And as for that stupid stumbling block - trying to be made right with God by good works - how I hate it. I could so easily be drawn into that if I were born into a different family at a different time. But I wasn't and God in His mercy has chosen to redeem me. I don't get it. But boy, am I thankful!
Great post, Suzanne. You're so right about works -- so deadly. I still struggle with it. I am always tempted to fight in the flesh. To reason, rationalize, argue, act (great alliteration, eh? Good thing I'm not really trying to impress anyone! :))
On that note, who are we living for? Ourselves, others or God? The keynote scripture I heard in this weekend's service was Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do...do it ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus. What a challenge. Can I overeat in Jesus' name? Be lazy in Jesus' name? Ignore my kids in Jesus' name? Disresepect my husband in Jesus' name? Disregard the feelings of others in Jesus' name? OF COURSE NOT!
I'm preaching to me right now. I need to hear this. I'm shaking in my shoes because I have to tell my pastor that my husband wants us to visit other churches. He probably already knows because I told his secretary yesterday when he was out and we weren't in his church on Sunday, but I still need to tell him myself. I need his advice and understanding and I need to tell him he has blessed me. I hate delivering bad news. I hate that my husband wants to go. Oh it hurts so much.
Still I know that God is with me. Jesus is my King and Priest. He is for me, who can stand against me? He placed my husband in his position as head of my family. He made Jim and King and Priest over us under Him. I must follow as I promised when we married. I must honor the man I love, and I do. I truly know that I am blessed. My husband LOVES me, he is faithful, kind and generous with me and our children.
I'll be so glad when this communication is OVER and we can move on whether we stay or go. Honesty and communication are so important in relationships.
I have something else to say! :)
In Psalm 73 I was so blessed by verses 23-26 -- especially with all the uncertainty swirling around me.
Yet I(Debbie) am always with you (Jesus);
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in Heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
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