116th Week Psalm Chapters 30-33 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

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Click on Title for Video Intro


Monday, Psalm 30
Theme:  A celebration of God's deliverance.  Earthly security is uncertain, but God is always faithful.  
Author:  David
 Psalms 30
Verse 5
Mindy Strayer

Verse 5:  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

THOUGHT
I loved this verse! I am a morning person, especially with a large coffee!  I love to get up early in the morning and get a start on the day.  I wake with a feeling of excitement in anticipation for what the day
may hold.  Knowing that the day is just jammed packed with possibilities.

I think all of us have those days that we just can’t wait to have over for one reason or another.  We go to bed upset, and then when we wake up the next morning, we feel refreshed.  That is God’s Spirit renewing ours.

We all have times in our lives when we sin.  God is angry with us, but He is merciful when we ask for forgiveness.  His grace begins to again change our hearts.  This changing is painful.  However, when we allow God to change us, He favors us, and this lasts for an eternity.  He alone can take us from weeping to shouting for joy!

Aren’t you glad that because we claim Jesus is our Lord, we have God’s favor?  Every morning He brings us refreshment and fills our hearts with His promises!

PRAYER
Lord, we recognize Your holiness.  How grateful we are to be called children of God.  Thank You, Jesus, for Your gift of salvation that allows us to live in the fullness of God’s grace and mercy.  Thank You, Lord, for everyday that gives us reason to shout out in praise unto You, who we love!  We love You, Lord. AMEN


Tuesday, Psalm Chapter 31A (Verses 1-16)
Theme:  In times of stress, depending upon God requires complete commitment.
Author:  David, although some say Jeremiah.  
Psalms 31A
Verses 5 & 15
Mindy Strayer

Verse 5:  Into your hands I commit my spirit;
Verse 15:  My times are in your hands;

THOUGHT
When we can give our whole lives to God, we can then say with complete trust and comfort that, “My times are in your hands, Lord.”  What peace that brings us, knowing that God has our life’s events in His Hands.  

I am the type of person who tends to worry about things, not wanting to step on any toes, wanting to be liked, that sort of thing.  But over the last few years I do not worry nearly as much as I used to because I have a relationship with Jesus.  When I start to feel like I am getting overly anxious about something, and it starts to consume my thoughts, the Holy Spirit directs me to pray it out.  I talk to God.  I find His voice in scripture.  And I trust His ways.  He is faithful to take away the burdens. Remember that God works all things together for good for those of us who claim Him as Lord.

PRAYER
Thank You, Jesus, for redeeming us.  Thank You for being trustworthy and faithful.  Help us, Lord, to daily surrender our lives over to You, so that we may live with complete freedom and fulfill Your purpose for our lives.  AMEN


Wednesday, Psalm Chapter 31B (Verses 17-24)
Psalms 31B
Verse 19
Mindy Strayer

Verse 19:  How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.

THOUGHT
I looked up the definition for goodness.  “The quality or state of being morally sound: good, moral, probity (complete and confirmed integrity, uprightness), rectitude (the quality or condition of being correct in judgment, the quality of being straight), righteousness, rightness, uprightness, virtuousness.  Goodness is also described as being the beneficial part, valuable and useful.”  Are these characteristics of our Lord or what!?!

God is sooooo Good!  Isn’t He!?  He never runs out of goodness for His people.  In the “good times”, He is good.  In the “hard times”, He is good. To bestow means to award or to grant. So, God awards or grants us, His people, His children, goodness.  His Word says that men are able to see this goodness.

Believers can see God’s goodness in each other’s lives. Nonbelievers cannot see God in the goodness that He gives unless the Holy Spirit reveals it. We can help them to see by talking about the goodness of the Lord in our lives and in the people that we commune with daily.  And we can pray that God would send out His Holy Spirit of revelation so that ALL would be able to say to the Lord, “Oh God, You are soooo Good.”

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for being so good to us.  We do not deserve all that You do for us Lord.  We praise You.  We say Thank You from the depths of our hearts. Thank You for loving us so much.  Help us to spread Your love to those whom You put in our path.  In Jesus Name.  AMEN


Thursday, Psalm Chapter 32
Theme:  Forgiveness brings true joy.  Only when we ask God to forgive our sins will He give us real happiness and never from guilt.  
Author:  David
Psalm 32
Verses 1, 7, 11
Delores Little

Verse 1:  Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Verse 7:  You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Verse 11:  Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are up right in heart!

THOUGHT
The first few verses in this chapter deal with the word sins.  Sometimes the devil makes us feel self-condemnation, and we know Romans 1 tells us through Christ we don’t have that.  BUT being human, we do go through that at times, and here are 7 questions to ask ourselves.

1. Why should I continue to condemn myself when God no longer condemns me?

2. Is my self-condemnation drawing me into a closer relationship with God, or is it driving me farther from Him?

3. What good am I doing by refusing to forgive myself?

4. Is my self-condemnation helping or hurting my relationships with other people?

5. Does my refusal to forgive myself impress God? Does He find me more devout because of my guilt and shame?

6. Is there any Biblical basis for with-holding self-forgiveness?

7. How long do I intend to condemn myself?  What will be the end result?

I find answers for all these questions in verses seven and eleven.  I have learned through the Word that praise breaks the yoke off of us through Christ, our Lord, and He is our hiding place.  He protects us from trouble and surrounds us with SONGS of DELIVERANCE.  Isn’t that just so great???

In verse eleven we are to rejoice in the Lord, You righteous.  Notice He doesn’t say “You are condemned.” Christ has made us righteous in Him, and we can sing and rejoice in that.  Let us start this week rejoicing to our Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

PRAYER
Father, forgive us when we don’t forgive ourselves and turn all this over to You.  We praise and give You the Glory as You lift us up to go through this week.  By the power of Your blood and love we can do this.  Bless everyone today and all they do for You.  In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN


Friday, Psalm Chapter 33
Theme:  Because God is Creator, Lord, Savior, and Deliverer, He is worthy of our trust and praise.  Because He is faithful and His Word is dependable, we can rejoice and sing, giving thanks and praise.  
Author:  Anonymous
Psalm 33
Multiple Verses
Delores Little

THOUGHT
This Psalm is a liturgy in praise of the Lord, the sovereign God of Israel. It calls us to praise and gives us motivations for praise.  It is written as a language of praise and most likely was sung by the voices of the Levitical choir.

Verses 1-3:   “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

These verses are the call to praise.  The righteous or Assembly of God are called to sing praises to God at church and home or in the car.  Sometimes I do shout it out and lift my hands to Him.  We serve an awesome God. 

In the following verses we see praises to God’s creation that He has made on earth:  

In verse 11 speaks of the purposes of His heart through all generations. The heart, in Biblical language, is the center of the human spirit, from which spring emotions, thoughts, motivations, courage and action - “the well- spring of life”.  

Verse 12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.”  This verse is for us as He calls us to Him, and we have accepted Him as Lord of our life.

Verses 20-22:  We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.

PRAYER
We do praise and thank You for always being here for us and for calling us to You.  Help us follow the paths You put us on.  Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This is the day the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it.  In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN 






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