June17
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PSALM 107 THEY CRIED TO THE LORD THEY WERE DELIVERED FROM DISTRESS
21 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders. – Psalm 107:21-32
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A GOD WHO HEARS YOUR CRIES FOR RESCUE by ILMA
Have you ever wondered if the other little gods have such power?
Can they do what our Lord does; he calms storms and it cowers?
Can they bring life to something just be breathing on it?
Will they even be at par with his might and omniscience?
Do not ever doubt the Almighty God who has dominion over all things
He made all creation so he can do with them as he pleases
Our Lord God is steadfast in his love, he never wavers but is firm
Those who fear him and serve him, he will pardon their sins
Go to the Lord and thank him for his faithful love; give him praise
Let the whole congregation exalt him so with the whole human race
Cry out to him and you will never be minimized or taken for granted
He is a just and compassionate God; he knows every detail of your problems.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it a good idea to cry out to God rather than to others about your trials?
Monthly Archives: June 2022
PSALM 107 DELIVERANCE TO PRISONERS IN AFFLICTION
June 16
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PSALM 107 DELIVERANCE TO PRISONERS IN AFFLICTION
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.
17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
– Psalm 107:10-20
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SUFFERING: AFTERMATH OF SIN by ILMA
The Lord promised deliverance from troubles to all his people
He gives assurance of salvation to those who continue to be faithful
The Lord is steadfast in his love and is full of mercy to his saints
The wicked will suffer as a consequence of sins and disobedience
When God brought you out of darkness into the light
He still gave you a choice to choose Him so you can have life
Some were foolish to follow their cravings and the flesh
They forget to thank the Lord and give him all the praise
Because God is good and loving, he hears the cry of his beloved
There are no guarantees to the unrighteous who continue to be wicked
For the Lord hates evil and he punishes all unrighteousness
To avoid suffering and the pains of hell, seek the path to righteousness.
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REFLECTION
• According to this psalm, how can we avoid suffering? What is its root?
PSALM 107 THE LORD DELIVERS
June 15
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PSALM 107 THE LORD DELIVERS
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
For his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
-Psalm 107:1-9
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WHEN YOU CRY TO THE LORD by ILMA
The Lord is good and steadfast in his love which endures forever
Give him gratitude and praise and you will thrive even as you suffer
Remember how you have wandered in deserts and have no dwellings?
You were hungry and thirsty and your whole being almost fainted.
When you cried out to the Lord during these troubled times, he listened
He delivered you from your distress and led you to a straight way to travel
Thank the Lord for he is the only one who can satisfy your whole being
Never forget all the good deeds and wonders he did especially his blessings.
When you cry out to the Lord, he hears you but often miss his answer
You focus on your expected outcome and miss out on the actual response
Trust in the Lord for he knows what is best for you; he is all powerful
Be grateful that the Lord’s love for you is steadfast and unconditional.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it a good practice to dwell on the wondrous deeds that the Lord has done for all his people when we go through trials and sufferings?
• How does gratitude change our attitudes?
PSALM 50 GOD’S REBUKE TO THE WICKED
June 14
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PSALM 50 GOD’S REBUKE TO THE WICKED
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
You thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!” – Psalm 50:13-23
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REPROOF TO THE WICKED by ILMA
To all those who expects something from the Lord and doesn’t serve him
Why do you think you have a share of God’s grace when you choose to sin?
The covenant between God and his people are exclusive to those chosen
The wicked hates to be told what to do and to follow God’s discipline
This is a reproof from the Lord himself to the unbelievers
“If you forget Me who made you, you won’t be delivered”
Salvation is only for those who follow God’s way
If you continue to sin, you are going the opposite path
Be ready for God’s judgment and wrath if you defy Him
While you still can, repent and turn away from all your sins.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think that the wicked expects from God what he gave his covenant people in this psalm?
PSALM 50 THE LORD OWNS ALL THINGS
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June13
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PSALM 50 THE LORD OWNS ALL THINGS
The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.
– Psalm 50:1-12
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HUMAN SACRIFICE DOESN’T PLEASE THE LORD by ILMA
The Lord made all things in heaven and on earth
He provided all living creatures and brought life to them
The Mighty Lord speaks and calls his covenant people
In turn, they promised to offer sacrifices to their Maker.
The Lord speaks and rebukes the faithful to focus on relationship
It is necessary that they follow his will and fulfill their calling
Since all things are owned by God himself, he has no need for offerings
The Lord expects all his saints to continue to live in harmony with Him.
It is easy to forget that we can actually give something to our Lord
We think that we possess something as we live in this world
True worship in truth and Spirit is what’s expected of his servants
Not human sacrifices nor works of the flesh are ever going to please God.
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REFLECTION
• What does the writer remind us about our covenant with God in this psalm?
PSALM 38 DO NOT FORSAKE ME LORD
June 12
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PSALM 38 DO NOT FORSAKE ME LORD
15 But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!”
17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
accuse me because I follow after good.
21 Do not forsake me, O LORD!
O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation! – Psalm 38:15-22
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MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD by ILMA
My Lord, I am constantly surrounded with much troubles
Please take pity on me and pull me out of this rubble
My foes are unstoppable, they never sleep
Day and night, they cunningly scheme.
They render evil though I treat them right
May you equip me with much wisdom and insight
Do not forsake me especially when I am weak
It makes these trials less hopeless and bleak.
How long will you make haste to help me, O Lord?
Without your presence, I can’t navigate this world
You are my only source of help, deliverance and joy
May you grant me all I need to thrive and exult.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it a good practice to run to God’s throne when we are beset by troubles and attacks from the enemy?
PSALM 38 LIKE A MUTE MAN
June 11
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PSALM 38 LIKE A MUTE MAN
9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my nearest kin stand far off.
12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long.
13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.– Psalm 38:8-14
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IN SILENCE I ENDURE THE ENEMY’S ATTACK by ILMA
O Lord, I open up my heart to you, nothing is hidden from you
It hurts as friends including my companions and relatives turn aloof
They have chosen to lay snares to hurt me; grant me strength
It was shocking to realize that they were intentionally hurting me
There were manipulation and treachery that I didn’t see clearly
I totally trusted them and never thought they can be that wicked.
Because I know that you will never forsake me, I will keep silent
I have become like a man who does not hear all their evil schemes
Like your Son, I will be like a lamb being brought to the slaughter
I will not say a word to defend myself; God is my vindicator
Help me to endure the attacks of the enemy; keep me lowly
I will follow how your Son dealt with them with much humility.
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REFLECTION
• Why is keeping one’s mouth shut considered wise as Proverbs 21:23 says?
• How can a fool look wise when he is silent as Proverbs 17:28 says?
PSALM 38 REBUKE ME NOT IN YOUR ANGER LORD
June 10
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PSALM 38 REBUKE ME NOT IN YOUR ANGER LORD
O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart. – Psalm 38:1-8
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REBUKE ME NOT IN ANGER LORD by ILMA
O Lord, forgive me for my weaknesses and sinfulness
My iniquities have overwhelmed and pestered me
I bow down on my knees for letting the flesh win
I am so weak and crushed; forgive me for all my sins.
O Lord, rebuke me but not in your anger or I won’t survive
Discipline me, but please be gentle on me or I won’t thrive
I repent of all my sins, forgive me and cleanse me Lord
Without your gentle rebuke, I won’t navigate this world.
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REFLECTION
• Why did the psalmist request for a gentle rebuke from the Lord?
• How is discipline important in a believer’s life?
• Comment on how the world view rebuke and discipline nowadays.
PSALM 96 TELL OF HIS SALVATION FROM DAY TO DAY
June 9
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PSALM 96 TELL OF HIS SALVATION FROM DAY TO DAY
Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. – Psalm 96:1-13
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ATTRIBUTE TO THE LORD THE GLORY by ILMA
All you people of God, sing to the Lord a new song
Proclaim his splendor and majesty to the whole world
Tell of his salvation to all the ends of the earth
He is faithful to provide and rescue all his saints
Ascribe to the Lord the glory; he is all righteousness
Worship him in the splendor of his majesty and holiness.
Tremble before him for he is omnipotent and omniscient
Let the heavens be glad and the earth and all things in it rejoice
Let the field exult and all the trees of the forest sing loudly
The Lord will come to judge; attribute to the Lord all the glory
All will stand before him and give an account of all their deeds
Repent and worship the Lord, who forgives and takes away all sins.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to tell everyone of God’s deeds and attribute glory to him?
PSALM 97 LIGHT IS SOWN FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
June 8
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PSALM 97 LIGHT IS SOWN FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! 2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.4 His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.7 All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! 8 Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD. 9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. 10 O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name! – Psalm 97:1-12
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THE LORD MANIFESTS HIS PRESENCE by ILMA
Though no one has seen the Lord, he has made his presence felt
Clouds surround him when he first made manifest Himself
Just look around you and we know that we have a Maker
Go outside, take a walk and discover all the beauty of nature
No human hands can make landscapes so breath-taking
The Lord is clearly present in all of his majestic creativity.
Praise the Lord, he who generously gives and supplies our needs
He is the Most High over all the earth; let us worship only him
O you, who love the Lord, you must turn away from all wickedness
The Lord’s light shines upon all those who live in righteousness
He preserves the lives of all his faithful servants and delivers them
The Lord bestows grace and peace to all those who exalt Him.
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REFLECTION
• How has the Lord manifest Himself in your life aside from nature around you?
• Why is it important for believers to experience God’s presence in their lives?
• What could be the reason for not having the Spirit’s presence in your life?