May 08, 2020, Psalms 68, Continuing Luke 13

One common theme that keeps recurring in the readings is Man and God connection. It happens through prayer, praise, and questions.  David inquired of the Lord. We are smart intelligent creatures but God is greater and King David reveals that we need God. We need daily bread, daily help. Which leads me to ask the question; What do you think about prayer thus far? What do you make of what is written?


When did Jesus pray?
His teaching about Pray reflects what?
What is he leading us to?
What does he want us to discover?
What about King David? How often does he pray?
What does he pray about?



After the Lord teaches them the Lord's prayer he tells them to ask and seek and keep on knocking because God will give good gifts to those that ask and according to the scripture that gift is the Holy Spirit. 


Do you think he prays daily for inner strength?


What about King David?

It has been 67 days reading the psalms and there is one common theme in the reading thus far. Communication with God. King David desperately seeks after God like a deer panting after the brook he longs for God. He has a thirst words for justice. For righteousness. It is almost a longing. As he prays he gets stronger. I love the scene in the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" where the Lord is praying in the garden. In this moment he goes to pray he is in distress. He has to be given over to wicked men (King David prays to God about the wicked and their actions) Something happens from heaven and Jesus gets up, and crushes the serpent head. 

A prayer for help!

Jesus Compared to Adam (Praying)

• Eve believes the serpent
• Adam believes the woman
• Jesus talks to God
• Even talks to the serpent (the devil)
• David talks to God 
• Moses talks to God 
• Jesus prays in the midst of testing
• Jesus calls on the Father
• Adam listens to Eve
• Adam ignores God
• David stays before God consistently (longing for help)
• Adam could have called on his Father

 Communication with God.

Psalms 68 

PSALM 68

The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered;

Let those who hate Him flee before Him.

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

As wax melts before the fire,

So let the wicked and guilty perish before [the presence of] God.

But let the righteous be glad; let them be in good spirits before God,

Yes, let them rejoice with delight.

Sing to God, sing praises to His name;

Lift up a song for Him who rides through the desert—

His name is the Lord—be in good spirits before Him.

A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows,

Is God in His holy habitation.

God makes a home for the lonely;

He leads the prisoners into prosperity,

Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land.

O God, when You went out before Your people,

When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.

The earth trembled;

The heavens also poured down rain at the presence of God;

Sinai itself trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

You, O God, sent abroad plentiful rain;

You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched and weary.

Your flock found a dwelling place in it;

O God, in Your goodness You provided for the poor.

The Lord gives the command [to take Canaan];

The women who proclaim the good news are a great host (army);

“The kings of the [enemies’] armies flee, they flee,

And the beautiful woman who remains at home divides the spoil [left behind].”

When you lie down [to rest] among the sheepfolds,

You [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver,

Its feathers glistening with gold [trophies taken from the enemy].

When the Almighty scattered [the Canaanite] kings in the land of Canaan,

It was snowing on Zalmon.

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;

A [high] mountain of many summits is Mount Bashan [rising east of the Jordan].

Why do you look with envy, mountains with many peaks,

At the mountain [of the city of Zion] which God has desired for His dwelling place?

Yes, the Lord will dwell there forever.

The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands;

The Lord is among them as He was at Sinai, in holiness.

You have ascended on high, You have led away captive Your captives;

You have received gifts among men,

Even from the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell there.

Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden day by day,

The God who is our salvation! Selah.

God is to us a God of acts of salvation;

And to God the Lord belong escapes from death [setting us free].

Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,

The hairy scalp of one who goes on in his guilty ways.

The Lord said, “I will bring your enemies back from Bashan;

I will bring them back from the depths of the [Red] Sea,

That your foot may crush them in blood,

That the tongue of your dogs may have its share from your enemies.”

They have seen Your [solemn] procession, O God,

The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary [in holiness].

The singers go in front, the players of instruments last;

Between them the maidens playing on tambourines.

Bless God in the congregations, [give thanks, gratefully praise Him],

The Lord, you who are from [Jacob] the fountain of Israel.

The youngest is there, Benjamin, ruling them,

The princes of Judah and their company [the southern tribes],

The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali [the northern tribes].

Your God has commanded your strength [your power in His service and your resistance to temptation];

Show Yourself strong, O God, who acted on our behalf.

Because of Your temple at Jerusalem

[Pagan] kings will bring gifts to You [out of respect].

Rebuke the beasts [living] among the reeds [in Egypt],

The herd of bulls (the leaders) with the calves of the peoples;

Trampling underfoot the pieces of silver;

He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.

Princes and envoys shall come from Egypt;

Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands [with the offerings of submission] to God.

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,

Sing praises to the Lord! Selah.

To Him who rides in the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,

Behold, He sends out His voice, a mighty and majestic voice.

Ascribe strength to God;

His majesty is over Israel

And His strength is in the skies.

O God, You are awesome and profoundly majestic from Your sanctuary;

The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people.

Blessed be God!

works cited

The Amplified Bible

online

Luke 12 

Parable of the Fig Tree

Then He began telling them this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any; so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground [depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight]?’ But he replied to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, [just] one more year until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit after this, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ”

The Lord does not really sugar coat things.

The vine-keeper says just cut it down, its been three years. 

It is blocking the sunlight, and depleting the soil

God is direct.
It is truth.

It is right.

It makes us think.

It goes deep into the soul.

It has the ability to make you feel naked and exposed.

I feel it too. 

His eyes see into the hearts of people. 

Have a awesome day!