Christian Corner

[Anonymous]

The Power Of Music



February 10, 2014



In Wales, the music of men's chorus groups is deeply engrained in the culture. Prior to World War II, one Welsh glee club had a friendly yet competitive rivalry with a German glee club, but that bond was replaced with animosity during and after the war. The tension was gradually overcome, though, by the message on the trophy shared by the two choruses: "Speak with me, and you're my friend. Sing with me, and you're my brother."



The power of music to heal and help is a gift from God that comforts many. Perhaps that is why the Psalms speak so deeply to us. There we find lyrics that connect with our hearts, allowing us to speak to God from the depth of our spirits. "But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" (Ps. 59:16). Amazingly, David wrote this song as he was being hunted down by men seeking to kill him! Despite his circumstances, David remembered God's power and mercy, and singing of them encouraged him to go on.



May our God give us a song today that will remind us of His goodness and greatness, no matter what we may face.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long. —Crosby



"I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel." —Judges 5:3 (nlt)





Insight

David did not immediately assume the throne after Samuel the prophet anointed him king of Israel. In fact, despite the promise of God, David had to run for his life. Today's psalm was written by David while he was fleeing from his predecessor Saul. Here, David describes the actions of evil men (vv.6-7) but expresses confidence in the sovereignty of God (vv.8-10).

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional is titied Covering Sinkholes.



In late May 2010, tropical storm Agatha hit Central America, producing torrential rains and landslides. Once it finished its course, a 200-foot-deep sinkhole opened in downtown Guatemala City. This sinkhole caused the ground to collapse suddenly, sucking land, electrical poles, and a 3-story building into the depths of the earth.



Though sinkholes can be devastating, the most universal and damaging sinkhole is the one that happens in the human heart. King David was an example of this.



The surface of David's life looked stable; however, his interior life rested on a fragile foundation. After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12). However, God's intense conviction after Nathan's confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life. To prevent this spiritual sinkhole from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Ps. 32:5). As a result, God covered David's sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.



We too will experience God's grace when we confess our sins to Him. He will completely forgive and cover our spiritual sinkholes.

Thinking It Over

What habitual sins, secret addictions, or hidden

vulnerabilities are weakening your interior life?

Remember, God longs to give you complete forgiveness.



When we uncover our sins in repentance God will cover them.





Insight

Psalm 32 is one of the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6,38,51,102,130,143), which are prayers confessing sins and turning to the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness. For about a year after his adultery with Bathsheba, David refused to admit that he had sinned—that is, until the prophet Nathan confronted him (2 Sam. 11–12). As a result, David penned Psalms 32 and 51. In today's psalm, David celebrates the forgiveness he received (vv.1-2), warns of the terrible burden of living with unconfessed sins (vv.3-4), and encourages sinners to repent or face chastening by the Lord (vv.3-6,8-11). In the New Testament, Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2 to show how God forgives sinners—by grace through faith alone (see Rom. 4:6-8).

[Anonymous]

The devotional for March 3 is titled Instant Gratification.



When the Polaroid SX-70 camera was introduced in 1972, it revolutionized photography. An article by Owen Edward in Smithsonian magazine described the camera as "a miracle of physics, optics and electronics." When a photo was snapped, "a blank square would emerge from the front of the camera and develop before our eyes." People were sold on speedy, immediate results.



Oswald Chambers saw a strong connection between our desire for the immediate and lust: "Lust simply means, 'I must have this at once'; it may be a bodily appetite or a spiritual possession. . . . I cannot wait for God's time, God is too indifferent; that is the way lust works."



In Psalm 27, David wrote of his waiting on God during a time of great trouble when there was no solution in sight. Instead of giving in to despair, he maintained his confidence that he would "see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (v.13).



We live in a world that worships the immediate. When it seems there is no sign of our deepest longings being fulfilled, the psalmist urges us to cling to the eternal God. "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" (v.14).

Help me, O Lord, to be content! My lips to seal,

To every vain desire, each whim—instead to kneel,

Acknowledging Thee, Lord and King, and in that place

To kneel, to pray, to wait until I see Thy face! —Adams



The answer to our craving for the immediate is to focus on the eternal.



Insight

One of the main focuses of this psalm is the Lord's "house" (v.4). At the time of David's writing, the temple had not yet been built. The place of worship (the tabernacle) was regarded as a symbol of the presence of God among His people.

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional for March 13, 2014 is titled "Without Power".



In late October 2012, a hurricane-spawned superstorm struck the heavily populated northeastern US, leaving massive flooding and destruction in its wake. During the storm, more than 8 million customers lost electricity. Power outages alone caused shortages of food, fuel, and water, along with the chaos of gridlocked transportation. The howling winds and surging waters left many neighborhoods crushed, flooded, and choked with mountains of sand. Media coverage of the event reported: "Millions Without Power."



Like a storm of nature, a personal tragedy can often leave us feeling powerless and in the dark. During such times, God's Word assures us of His help: "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength" (Isa. 40:29).



At our lowest point, drained of emotional resources, we can place our hope in the Lord and find our strength in Him. He promises us that, for each new day, "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (v.31).



God is our spiritual power source in every storm of life.

O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home! —Watts



It takes the storm to prove the real shelter.



Insight

To say the least, coping with life's many demands can be fatiguing at times. But the reading for today uses wonderful poetic imagery to describe the buoyancy that faith can provide. The believer who depends upon the Lord can "mount up with wings like eagles" (40:31). The text also mentions the supernatural staying power and stamina that only God can provide. In contrast to the strength that youth and health provide, the person of faith can persevere long after others have given up on the race of life. Finally, Isaiah 41:10 extends a wonderful promise of protection and care through life's threats and troubles.

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional is titled "Perspective From The Clouds".



In 1927 the silent film Wings, a World War I film about two American aviators, won the first Academy Award for Best Picture. When it was being filmed, production stopped for several days. Frustrated producers asked the director why. He responded: "All we have is blue sky. The conflict in the air will not be as visible without clouds. Clouds bring perspective." He was right. Only by seeing aerial combat with clouds as a backdrop could the viewer see what was really going on.



We often wish for blue skies instead of storm clouds. But cloudy skies may reveal God's faithfulness. We gain perspective on how God has been faithful in our trials as we look back on the clouds.



At the beginning of his terrible suffering, Job lamented: "May the day perish on which I was born . . . . May a cloud settle on it" (Job 3:3-5). His experience of despair continued for a long time until God spoke. Then Job exclaimed, "I have heard of You . . . but now my eye sees You" (42:5). Job had encountered the sovereign Creator, and that changed his perspective on God's purposes.



Do clouds of trouble fill your skies today? Sooner than you think, God may use these clouds to help you gain perspective on His faithfulness.

God, give us wings to rise above

The clouds of trial that block the sun,

To soar above gray skies and see

The love and goodness of Your Son. —Sper



Often the clouds of sorrow reveal the sunshine of His face. —Jasper



Insight

In Job 3:3-5, we have what many Bible scholars call Job's soliloquy. After a time of quiet agony, the great Old Testament saint breaks his silence and lets out his anguish. He calls for darkness and then destruction to overwhelm him. Instead of seeing God's light-filled and good creation, Job feels he is living in a world of darkness. But in Job 42:5-6, we see the resolution to Job's conflict. Out of the whirlwind, God challenges Job and points to creation as a witness to His reality. Although he is never told that his sufferings are the result of spiritual warfare from the devil, Job submits to the sovereignty of God and experiences restoration.

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional for April 1, 2014 is titled Free Tomatoes.



Packing groceries into the trunk of my car, I glanced at the vehicle next to me. Through the back window, I could see baskets full of bright red tomatoes—shiny, plump, and better looking than any I had seen in the store. When the car's owner appeared seconds later, I said, "What great looking tomatoes!" She replied, "I had a good crop this year. Would you like some?" Surprised by her willingness to share, I gladly accepted. She gave me several free tomatoes to take home—they tasted as good as they looked!



We see an even greater spirit of generosity in the Israelites when they gave to build the tabernacle of the Lord. When asked to provide materials for the sanctuary, "everyone whose spirit was willing . . . brought the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle" (Ex. 35:21). The Israelites eagerly donated their gold jewelry, colored thread, fine linen, silver, bronze, gemstones, and spices. Some also gave their time and talents (vv.25-26).



If we follow the Israelites' example and willingly donate our resources, we please and honor God with our attitude and offerings. The Lord, who sees and knows our thoughts and hearts, loves cheerful givers. He Himself is the best example of generosity (John 3:16).

Dear Jesus, You gave everything You had

for my sake. Help me to give with

a willing heart so that my gifts

will truly honor You.



The state of our heart is more important than the size of our gift.



Insight

The tabernacle became Israel's mobile place of worship during their journey from Egypt to the land of promise. Until it was replaced by Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, the tabernacle served not only as a house of worship, but also as the center of Israel's national life.

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional is titled Acts Of Kindness.



I was traveling with some men when we spotted a family stranded alongside the road. My friends immediately pulled over to help. They got the car running, talked with the father and mother of the family, and gave them some money for gasoline. When the mother thanked them over and over, they replied, "We're glad to help out, and we do it in Jesus' name." As we drove away, I thought how natural it was for these friends to help people in need and acknowledge the Lord as the source of their generosity.



Peter and John exhibited that same joyful generosity when they healed a lame man who was begging outside the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1-10). This led to their arrest and appearance before the authorities who asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" Peter replied, "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man . . . let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole" (Acts 4:7-10).



Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and a powerful context in which to genuinely speak to others about the Lord.

Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,

To reach out to others and meet their needs;

Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,

With mercy and love that flows from within. —Fitzhugh



One act of kindness may teach more about the love of God than many sermons.

[Obvious Li]

Today's devotional is titled Acts Of Kindness.



I was traveling with some men when we spotted a family stranded alongside the road. My friends immediately pulled over to help. They got the car running, talked with the father and mother of the family, and gave them some money for gasoline. When the mother thanked them over and over, they replied, "We're glad to help out, and we do it in Jesus' name." As we drove away, I thought how natural it was for these friends to help people in need and acknowledge the Lord as the source of their generosity.



Peter and John exhibited that same joyful generosity when they healed a lame man who was begging outside the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1-10). This led to their arrest and appearance before the authorities who asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" Peter replied, "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man . . . let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole" (Acts 4:7-10).



Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and a powerful context in which to genuinely speak to others about the Lord.

Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,

To reach out to others and meet their needs;

Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,

With mercy and love that flows from within. —Fitzhugh



One act of kindness may teach more about the love of God than many sermons.

i agree with you Fash.....i use these passages and concepts whenever i have one of my discussions with RW....it's better that way...... :ugeek:

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional is titled Acts Of Kindness.



I was traveling with some men when we spotted a family stranded alongside the road. My friends immediately pulled over to help. They got the car running, talked with the father and mother of the family, and gave them some money for gasoline. When the mother thanked them over and over, they replied, "We're glad to help out, and we do it in Jesus' name." As we drove away, I thought how natural it was for these friends to help people in need and acknowledge the Lord as the source of their generosity.



Peter and John exhibited that same joyful generosity when they healed a lame man who was begging outside the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1-10). This led to their arrest and appearance before the authorities who asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" Peter replied, "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man . . . let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole" (Acts 4:7-10).



Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and a powerful context in which to genuinely speak to others about the Lord.

Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,

To reach out to others and meet their needs;

Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,

With mercy and love that flows from within. —Fitzhugh



One act of kindness may teach more about the love of God than many sermons.

i agree with you Fash.....i use these passages and concepts whenever i have one of my discussions with RW....it's better that way...... :ugeek:

I use daily devotionals as a way of communicating with God as well as strengthening my faith.

[Anonymous]

Today's devotional is titled Probing questions.



While riding on a train a few years after the American Civil War, General Lew Wallace of the Union Army encountered a fellow officer, Colonel Robert Ingersoll. Ingersoll was one of the 19th century's leading agnostics, and Wallace was a man of faith. As their conversation turned to their spiritual differences, Wallace realized that he wasn't able to answer the questions and doubts raised by Ingersoll. Embarrassed by his lack of understanding about his own faith, Wallace began searching the Scriptures for answers. The result was his confident declaration of the person of the Savior in his classic historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.



Probing questions from skeptics don't have to be a threat to our faith. Instead, they can motivate us to seek a deeper understanding and equip us to respond wisely and lovingly to those who might question our faith. The apostle Peter encouraged us to pursue the wisdom of God in the Scriptures when he wrote, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15).



We don't have to have an answer for every question, but we need the courage, confidence, and conviction to share our love for Christ and the hope that is in us.



Christ is the ultimate answer to life's greatest questions.



Insight

Hebrew boys in the first century were taught the Old Testament. In today's reading, we see how Peter, a fisherman of the working class, had at his command a familiarity with the Scriptures when he quotes from Psalm 34:12-16 (vv.10-12) and Isaiah 8:12 (v.14). Peter may well have recalled these passages from memory.

[Chickenfeets]

A minor correction, Fash: Hebrew boys in the first century (as is the case with Jewish boys today) were taught the Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures. "The Old Testament" is a pejorative term used by Christians to highlight the ascendancy of the new covenant over the old through the figure of Christ.



You will never encounter a Jewish boy who will say he is studying "the Old Testament."



The word "Tanakh" represents the first letters of the three main divisions in the Hebrew Bible (the best version of which I find is the Tanakh, published by the JPS): Torah (the "Teaching"), Nevi'im (the "Prophets"), and Ketuvim (the "Writings").



The Torah is also known as the "Five Books of Moses": Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.



For an even more interesting insight about what Hebrew boys were taught in the first century, I recommend you pick up a JPS Tanakh and compare it with what you call "the Old Testament." You might find it quite enlightening.

[Anonymous]

A minor correction, Fash: Hebrew boys in the first century (as is the case with Jewish boys today) were taught the Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures. "The Old Testament" is a pejorative term used by Christians to highlight the ascendancy of the new covenant over the old through the figure of Christ.



You will never encounter a Jewish boy who will say he is studying "the Old Testament."



The word "Tanakh" represents the first letters of the three main divisions in the Hebrew Bible (the best version of which I find is the Tanakh, published by the JPS): Torah (the "Teaching"), Nevi'im (the "Prophets"), and Ketuvim (the "Writings").



The Torah is also known as the "Five Books of Moses": Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.



For an even more interesting insight about what Hebrew boys were taught in the first century, I recommend you pick up a JPS Tanakh and compare it with what you call "the Old Testament." You might find it quite enlightening.

Chickenfeets, I copied and pasted this daily devotional from Our Daily Bread..



I have been in a conservative Jewish synagogue and we respected their traditions; my husband wore a yarmulke..



And yes they chanted in Hebrew from the Tanakh and paraded the Torah around the walls of the congregation for people to touch..



Old testament is not intentionally meant as an offensive term, it's like secular people referring to us as "religious".

[Obvious Li]

A minor correction, Fash: Hebrew boys in the first century (as is the case with Jewish boys today) were taught the Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures. "The Old Testament" is a pejorative term used by Christians to highlight the ascendancy of the new covenant over the old through the figure of Christ.



You will never encounter a Jewish boy who will say he is studying "the Old Testament."



The word "Tanakh" represents the first letters of the three main divisions in the Hebrew Bible (the best version of which I find is the Tanakh, published by the JPS): Torah (the "Teaching"), Nevi'im (the "Prophets"), and Ketuvim (the "Writings").



The Torah is also known as the "Five Books of Moses": Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.



For an even more interesting insight about what Hebrew boys were taught in the first century, I recommend you pick up a JPS Tanakh and compare it with what you call "the Old Testament." You might find it quite enlightening.

yes...what christians refer to as the Pentateuch........ :ugeek:

[Anonymous]

A minor correction, Fash: Hebrew boys in the first century (as is the case with Jewish boys today) were taught the Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures. "The Old Testament" is a pejorative term used by Christians to highlight the ascendancy of the new covenant over the old through the figure of Christ.



You will never encounter a Jewish boy who will say he is studying "the Old Testament."



The word "Tanakh" represents the first letters of the three main divisions in the Hebrew Bible (the best version of which I find is the Tanakh, published by the JPS): Torah (the "Teaching"), Nevi'im (the "Prophets"), and Ketuvim (the "Writings").



The Torah is also known as the "Five Books of Moses": Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.



For an even more interesting insight about what Hebrew boys were taught in the first century, I recommend you pick up a JPS Tanakh and compare it with what you call "the Old Testament." You might find it quite enlightening.

yes...what christians refer to as the Pentateuch........ :ugeek:

My pastor uses the word Torah.

[Obvious Li]

A minor correction, Fash: Hebrew boys in the first century (as is the case with Jewish boys today) were taught the Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures. "The Old Testament" is a pejorative term used by Christians to highlight the ascendancy of the new covenant over the old through the figure of Christ.



You will never encounter a Jewish boy who will say he is studying "the Old Testament."



The word "Tanakh" represents the first letters of the three main divisions in the Hebrew Bible (the best version of which I find is the Tanakh, published by the JPS): Torah (the "Teaching"), Nevi'im (the "Prophets"), and Ketuvim (the "Writings").



The Torah is also known as the "Five Books of Moses": Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.



For an even more interesting insight about what Hebrew boys were taught in the first century, I recommend you pick up a JPS Tanakh and compare it with what you call "the Old Testament." You might find it quite enlightening.

yes...what christians refer to as the Pentateuch........ :ugeek:

My pastor uses the word Torah.

if your pastor was a Rabbi...he would be correct....... :ugeek: