Through the Bible - Genesis 47, Matthew14:22-36
Good morning,
Today will be a momentous day in American history with the inauguration of President Obama. One of his first orders of business will be to give his inaugural speech. Already known as an excellent if not great orator, expectations will be high.
Moody Bible Institutes devotional "Today in the Word" has been going through the book of Exodus. Today it is on chapter 20 where Moses delivers kind of an inuaugural address, one from God in the form of the ten commandments.
Ex 20:2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. NKJV
Today's verse will come from Psalm 108 which I read in my devotional reading in the Psalms. It is fitting for today.
Ps 108:12 Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.
13 Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. NKJV
or from the NLT
For the help of man is useless.
13 Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. NKJV
or from the NLT
Ps 108:12 Oh, please help us against our enemies,
for all human help is useless.
13 With God's help we will do mighty things,
for he will trample down our foes.
for all human help is useless.
13 With God's help we will do mighty things,
for he will trample down our foes.
In our High School Sunday School class the other day the question was asked "how many of you think you know the 10 commandments". None of the kids volunteered. As one of the two adults in the class, we wouldn't boldly state that we could rattle them off. Most people would start off by quoting don't lie, don't steal, don't murder etc. I would imagine that few would start off with "you shall have no other gods before me", but it the foundation upon what the others are built. Our relationship, our dependence upon God.
If you were to step back and evaluate our country on this day, how do you think we would "stack up"? Consider how we are trying to remove the 10 commandments from public places, remove prayer from schools and public events, remove In God We Trust from our coins and promote things like abortion that the Lord hates. I am afraid, literally, that that we have many gods before Him.
As we look forward to the inaugural address I hope that we as a nation will not put our dependence on a person, even though, as president, he be the most powerful person in the world. May we, instead of turning from Him, may we "hasten to Him".
If you look back through Biblical times, the changing of national leaders is important in turning the country to or from God. Think of David, Josiah, possibly Hezekiah as positive examples. Think of the anxiety of Isaiah chapter 6, the year King Uzziah died, and the uncertainty that is recorded.
We will need to pay attention to what President Obama has to say and honor him as our leader. But first and foremost we are to pay attention to God's Word and honor Him. He has put the leaders of the nations in place (see Romans 13), for His purposes.
As today's verses point out, with God, "He can do mighty things, He will trample down our foes" because in the big picture, God is sovereign, and (hope or trust) in man, in the end is useless .
Let us pray that Barak Obama would be a president who will turn to, "hasten to" the Lord.
Read the psalm below, insert nations such as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and the United States into these verses.
In Christ,
Mike
Ps 108:1-109:1
(Ps 57:7-11; 60:5-12)
A Song. A Psalm of David.
108 O God, my heart is steadfast;I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, lute and harp!I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy is great above the heavens,And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,And Your glory above all the earth; 6 That Your beloved may be delivered,Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
7 God has spoken in His holiness:"I will rejoice;I will divide ShechemAnd measure out the Valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine;Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;Judah is My lawgiver. 9 Moab is My washpot;Over Edom I will cast My shoe;Over Philistia I will triumph."
10 Who will bring me into the strong city?Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? 12 Give us help from trouble,For the help of man is useless. 13 Through God we will do valiantly,For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
NKJV
(Ps 57:7-11; 60:5-12)
A Song. A Psalm of David.
108 O God, my heart is steadfast;I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, lute and harp!I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy is great above the heavens,And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,And Your glory above all the earth; 6 That Your beloved may be delivered,Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
7 God has spoken in His holiness:"I will rejoice;I will divide ShechemAnd measure out the Valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine;Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;Judah is My lawgiver. 9 Moab is My washpot;Over Edom I will cast My shoe;Over Philistia I will triumph."
10 Who will bring me into the strong city?Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? 12 Give us help from trouble,For the help of man is useless. 13 Through God we will do valiantly,For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
NKJV
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