Psalm 138:2

Psalms 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Three points:

1. Worship

Worship and humility are kissing cousins. Worship is an acknowledgment of God's authority, power, wisdom, sovereignty, and love. Do we really worship God?

2. Praise

Thanking God for what He is doing and will do. A very hard thing to do if things are difficult, but we never know what good will come out of our difficulty.

3. Magnified

The Bible is maligned by most, yet God, the author, has elevated this book even above His name. Do we read it in its plain, normal sense and live it?

Jude 1:21

Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Three points:

1. Keep

We need the attitude and desire to remain in the love of God. Out of the love of God would be a mocker, following our own ungodly lusts, separators from truth, and sensual as it is written in verse 19.

2. Waiting

This is the idea of expecting something. We are to expect the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Waiting is one of the hardest things in the world, but we gain strength by waiting.

3. Leading to eternal life

We do not get to heaven by what WE do; it is what HE does. God created; He wants life. Why should we remain against Him? Thank God today for what He has given.

Luke 10:2

Luke 10:2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Three points:

1. Harvest

The harvest is the souls of men. Many are waiting to hear the gospel. Most will not respond, but it is our work to be at the harvest.

2. Few

Why are there only a few? Maybe motivation, maybe things are more important than working in the harvest, whatever, we need to pray to the Lord to send laborers.

3. His

It is His harvest. We are His servants; that is the hardest thing in life--to submit to Him, but once you do, you will find that His yoke is easy, His burden light.

Isaiah 45:23

Isaiah 45:23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'

Three points:

1. What God says is true

He makes a promise here--repeated in the New Testament twice. What He says He will do; He does not take back, retract, what He says. His promises are true. Some promises are for blessing; some are in judgment.

2. Bow

Bowing is an act of submission. Today people are working hard to remove all traces of God and his ways from life and culture. It won't work. Even these proud, arrogant people will have to acknowledge that He is King of Kings and Lord of lords.

3. Tongue

Every person will acknowledge him verbally. Inside they may be refusing, but they will have to acknowledge their defeat and His victory. They will have to acknowledge His sovereignty; something most refuse to do today.

Philippians 2:9-10 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Jeremiah 12:10

Jeremiah 12:10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down my portion; they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Three points:

1. Shepherds

These are leaders of nations. As an application can be applied to any leader--families, churches, businesses, groups, gatherings, educational leaders, or anything else. There are good leaders who do the will of God, and there are evil leaders who do the will of themselves or worse. What kind of leader are you?

2. Vineyard

This is Israel, but an application could be made of schools, church, or families. What are we doing with the vineyards for which we are responsible?

3. Pleasant to desolation

Our goal is to make whatever God has us responsible for a pleasant place. God's standards are to be followed. If things are done God's way, according to His standards and rules, anything can be pleasant.

1 Corinthians 7:23

1 Corinthians 7:23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

Three points:

1. You

Paul is speaking specifically to Christians, but the Lord Jesus died, paid the penalty, and suffered for all. If they after conviction of sin, repent, and call on the name of the Lord Jesus by faith, they will also be among the "you". Remember it is...you.

2. A price

Slaves were bought and sold in auctions. All people are slaves of sin. The Lord Jesus paid for you with his death and blood; it is something much more than money. It was done for...you.

3. Slaves of men

We are to be free. We are to be slaves to man's philosophies, religions, or lusts; we are to be slaves of Jesus Christ. He is Lord. He is the most kind and loving master anyone could ever have. He is the master of...you.

Psalms 119:18

Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Three points:

1. Open

Sometimes we see but don't comprehend what we are seeing. We even say, "I can't believe what I'm seeing", when something shocking happens. Spiritually we are blind until God opens our eyes. Jesus healed the blind who were blind physically, and we need Him to open our eyes spiritually. Especially in these evil days.

2. Wondrous things

To many the Bible is a dull, old book full of boring tales and poor fiction. They really need God to open their eyes. Read a passage and spend some time thinking about it. Think about each word, and what it means, then apply it to your life.

3. Law

If wondrous things can be found in God's law, what even more wondrous things can be found reading about the life of our Lord Jesus. Read it; it will surely change your life.

Psalm 96:1

Psalms 96:1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!

Three points:

1. Sing

There is such a place for music for our souls. Heaven is full of music is the earth. Consider the animals, the birds, even the insects have a song. Our souls should have a song, too.

2. A new song

This is a time of excitement, expectation, and hope. The hope is found only in the Lord Jesus. He is in control of our lives. Whatever happens he knows. He will use it to strengthen us and for us to help others. There is always hope.

3. All the earth.

None is dismissed. All are included. Some exciting things in this song: salvation, His glory, His dealings with people, His creation, His holiness, His kingdom, His faithfulness--wow!