February – 17 – Our Mighty God

Sunday School Lesson

February 17

Our Mighty God

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 114

Background Scripture: Psalm 66

 

Psalm 66:1–9, 16–20

1. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

 

2. Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

 

3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

 

4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

 

5. Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

 

6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

 

7. He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

 

8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:

 

9. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

 

17. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

 

18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

 

19. But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

 

20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

 

Key Verse

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.—Psalm 66:1

 

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Identify the allusions in Psalm 66 to God’s rescue of Israel at the crossing of the Red Sea.

 

2. Discuss the impact that sharing one’s personal testimony can have on other believers.

 

3. Write a prayer of gratitude to God for one way that He has shown His power in his or her life.

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Assyrian	Uh-sear-e-un.
Babylonian	Bab-ih-low-nee-un.
Canaanites	Kay-nun-ites.
Edomites	Ee-dum-ites.
Moabites	Mo-ub-ites.
Philippians	Fih-lip-ee-unz.
Philistines	Fuh-liss-teenz or Fill-us-teenz.
Selah	(Hebrew) See-luh.
Zechariah	Zek-uh-rye-uh.

Introduction

1. The Mother of All Bombs

As I sat down to write the draft for this commentary, the radio informed me that the US military had just dropped a MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) bomb in a strike in Afghanistan. Nicknamed the “Mother of All Bombs,” MOAB is the largest nonnuclear bomb in the US arsenal. Due to its massive size—21,000 pounds and 30 feet long—it can’t be delivered like other conventional bombs. It is transported within range of its target by a specially modified cargo plane, released, and then remotely guided to its target. One MOAB yields an explosive force equivalent to 11 tons of TNT.

The power of the bomb wasn’t limited to the battlefield. The MOAB also took over the news cycle. Whatever else the commentators planned on discussing that day fell by the wayside. Pundits debated whether such a show of force was justified and speculated on the political implications of the event. Others wondered if there was justification for such a weapon to exist at all. Throughout the day, world governments weighed in with messages of support or condemnation regarding the use of the bomb. The entire world took notice when a weapon of that magnitude was unleashed.

Psalm 66 explores a different type of might—God’s power. God’s mighty acts toward Israel were so great that every nation had to take notice and react.

 

1. Lesson Context

Traditionally, the Psalms are seen as a collection of five books. These five are Psalms 1–41, 42–72, 73–89, 90–106, and 107–150. Our texts for today and last week fall in the second of these five books. As overall characteristics, the psalms of this second book feature relatively many songs of trust and/or complaint plus some praise hymns.

The five books that compose the Psalms are seen to consist of subcollections that share similar themes. In that light, today’s text from Psalm 66 fits with the short collection Psalms 65–68. These four songs focus on the entire earth and all her nations. The nations are depicted as confessing (or needing to confess) God’s power and praising (or needing to praise) Him for His just rule.

This concern in Psalm 66 with other nations’ worship of God has led scholars to wonder if an international crisis was the background for its writing. Two possibilities are usually suggested. One is the Assyrian crisis of 701 BC (see 2 Kings 18:13–19:36); the other is after the release from Babylonian captivity. The date of the psalm’s writing under the latter proposal would be after the rebuilding of the temple in 515 BC, since Psalm 66:13 refers to that structure (compare Ezra 6:15).

No one knows which theory (if either) is correct. Yet this uncertainty does not rob the psalm of its dynamic power. It can be applied to any deliverance the people of God experience.

Remembering that psalms are ancient Israel’s worship songs, Psalm 66 presents itself as five stanzas. These five consist of verses 1–4, 5–7, 8–12, 13–15, and 16–20. Three of the stanza transitions are marked by the word Selah, occurring at the ends of verses 4, 7, and 15. One stanza transition is marked by the psalmist’s shift to writing in the first person in verse 13. Today’s lesson explores the first two stanzas in full, part of the third stanza, and the entirety of the fifth.

 

1. Come and Praise

(Psalm 66:1–4)

1. Appeal Made to Everyone (vv. 1, 2)
2. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

 

The hymn opens with a roar as all … lands of the world are charged to make a joyful noise in acknowledgement of the one true God. Since His works are not constrained within the borders of Israel, every nation everywhere is challenged to join Israel in worshipping Him. The same challenge concludes the stanza (see below). The imperative make a joyful noise suggests to some the idea of a triumphant army celebrating a victory (see also Psalms 81:1; 95:1; 98:4; 100:1).

 

2. Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

 

The nature of the joyful noise is now refined in terms of the honour that God is due. The challenge for the crowd to sing in such a manner as to make his praise glorious allows no half-hearted or insincere praise! The word glorious captures the idea of an individual’s reputation in the community and how others regard that person (compare Psalms 79:9; 86:9; Isaiah 42:8, 12).

The Hebrew words for glory and glorious are based on a root that means “heavy” in various contexts. Some students propose, therefore, that to glorify someone is to add weight to his or her reputation. But conclusions regarding such added meanings are best avoided unless the author makes it clear that it is intended. One example of such an intention seems to be 2 Corinthians 4:17, where Paul—writing in Greek while having an expert knowledge of Hebrew—speaks of a “weight of glory.” A play on the common Hebrew root for the words heavy and glory is obvious in this case, given the construction of the sentence. But the same is not obvious in Psalm 66:2.

We may wonder how our singing glorifies God’s name. Is it through the skill of our voices, the level of our sincerity, the volume that results, or the nature of the lyrics? The psalmist doesn’t specify, but undoubtedly the level of our sincerity is the starting point for honoring the name of God.

 

What Do You Think? Other than congregational singing, what are some other ways we can bring honor to God’s name and reputation?   Digging Deeper Conversely, what are some ways that we may inadvertently detract from God’s reputation?

Those Annoying Songs

It’s happened to all of us: we get a song stuck in our head—one that goes around and around without end. That can be so annoying!

I’ve found that a short stint in children’s church can do just that. “Father Abraham had many sons. Many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you. So let’s just praise the Lord. Right arm!…”

There—I’ve planted the seed. “Father Abraham” will run through your mind all day long!

Though a song stuck in one’s head may be annoying, it is not damaging. But some thoughts that stick in our heads can indeed do great damage to us, thoughts like these: No one loves me. I always blow it. There’s no hope for me. I never do anything right.

Where do such thoughts originate? They are planted in our minds by our enemy. Satan keeps singing the same choruses over and over to us. It is a song with the title “God Does Not Care for You.”

How do you get rid of the devil’s songs that get stuck in your head? The wrong approach is to try to force those songs out of your head by strength of will; even if you succeed, they will merely return later (compare Luke 11:24–26). The right approach is to replace those songs with better ones. The Psalms, the hymnbook of ancient Israel, is a good place to find some great songs. They are life-giving and faith-building.

Genuine worship will renew your heart. Sing songs of praise like you mean it.

By the way, Father Abraham did have many sons. I am one of them, and so are you. So let’s just praise the Lord!

—C. T.

 

1. Acclaim Given to God (vv. 3, 4)
2. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

 

Having addressed the peoples of all lands in the first two verses, the psalmist now instructs them in a proper way to address God. The word terrible is not used here in the modern sense of “awful,” but in the older sense of “terrifying”; the idea of “inspiring awe” conveys the sense.

So great are God’s works of power that His enemies have no choice but to submit themselves to Him. The word translated submit doesn’t imply that the submission springs from heartfelt adoration! (Compare David’s use of this word in 2 Samuel 22:44–46 and its parallel Psalm 18:43–45.) God’s enemies are so overwhelmed by Him that it’s necessary for them to put on an outward show of deference to God, even if their hearts are not in it.

 

4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

 

We should be careful in understanding the sense of all the earth shall worship thee. In both the psalmist’s day and ours, most peoples of the earth do not worship the one true God. Thus this phrase should be understood as prophetic; this conclusion is supported by the future nature of the word shall. The Scriptures foretell a time when the entire world will worship Jesus (see Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10).

From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to use Israel as the beachhead from which He brings salvation to all the nations (Genesis 12:1–3; 22:17, 18). We know this is accomplished through Jesus and the spread of the gospel (Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 13:47).

When Jesus returns, He will come not as a suffering servant but as a conqueror. Then all the nations of the world will submit either out of heartfelt worship or begrudging obligation. Revelation 15:3, 4 predicts that those in Christ will sing the Song of Moses: “Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”

Regarding the word Selah, see the Lesson Context.

 

1. Come and See

(Psalm 66:5–9)

1. Recalling God’s Deliverance (vv. 5, 6)
2. Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

 

Echoing his own words in Psalm 66:3, above, the psalmist stresses anew why everyone should worship the Lord: His works toward humanity are terrible, again in the sense of inspiring terror or awe. What the psalmist implores the reader to come and see is the topic of the next verse.

 

6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

 

Specifically, the psalmist invites his audience to ponder anew what God did in the exodus. By the time God turned the sea into dry land to allow the Israelites to pass through the flood on foot (Exodus 14:21, 22), He had already worked 10 miracles in the form of plagues (Exodus 7–11). When the people saw the bodies of the Egyptian soldiers washed up on the beaches, they “feared … and believed the Lord” (14:31). Next came rejoicing (15:1–21). Every subsequent generation of Israelites should rejoice in him, as well, in remembering these facts (compare 1 Corinthians 10:1).

Psalm 66:2 refers to God’s glory or reputation. Here we are given a tangible way that God established His reputation among “the children of men” (66:5). The Song of Moses describes the fear that would fall over the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites—all peoples that Israel would eventually face in their conquest of the promised land—when they learned how God mightily delivered His people (Exodus 15:14–16).

What Do You Think? What steps can we take to remind each other of our victorious history with God?   Digging Deeper Which biblical figure in Hebrews 11 convinces you most of the importance of this question? Why?

1. Rejoicing in God’s Reign (vv. 7–9)
2. He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

 

The readers cannot be reminded too often of God’s eternal rule in power. The Song of Moses ends with this declaration: “The Lord shall reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). It is God who is the king of all the earth. In that capacity, He rules with great power and His accomplishments are awesome (compare Psalm 145:13).

As He rules, He sees everything. Nothing escapes His notice. He is able to behold the nations easily because He is sovereign over them as well as over Israel (compare Exodus 3:16; Psalm 11:4).

Any nation can suffer the consequences of being an enemy of God. Rebellion is always characterized by defiance of a higher authority. In effect, those who do so justify their actions by switching allegiance to a different authority. Often that different authority is merely the rebels themselves as they attempt to become autonomous; thus do the rebellious exalt themselves.

But no rebellion against God ever results in good. Before a nation, society, or person dares try to exalt self above God, the lessons of history should be consulted!

Again, see the Lesson Context regarding the word Selah.

 

Power Without Electricity

A thunderstorm rolled through, and the power went out. Our praise team was unplugged. No electric guitars, no electric keyboard, no microphones, and no overhead projectors. Our power for worship was gone.

No electricity also meant no lights and no air conditioning. Our sanctuary has no windows that can be opened, and it was cloudy outside; so the room was very dimly lit.

But as the service started, a cool breeze began to blow through the open doors. The aroma of fresh-fallen rain was exhilarating. The room brightened a bit as the clouds rolled back. We began praising Jesus to the accompaniment of a piano. It turned into a morning blessed by God.

Before we started the service, the elders and I prayed that God would get the power turned on … and He did! It was a powerful worship service. We praised God. We fed on the Word of God and the bread of life. We still didn’t have any electricity, but there was no shortage of power.

By the time we dismissed, the clouds were gone. I was locking up, a little past noon, when the lights came back on. “Go figure,” I said to myself. But then I said, “Thank You, Lord, for turning on the power before the power came on.”

What a great day in the Lord it turned out to be! Thinking about it makes me want to flip off all the circuit breakers this coming Sunday. Or perhaps I should leave to the Lord what level, type, and source of power we should experience. How often do you let earthly types of power—electrical or otherwise—pull your gaze away from the ultimate source of power? See Zechariah 4:6.

—C. T.

What Do You Think? What Scriptures will you memorize to remind yourself during times of crisis that the sovereign God is the ultimate source of power?   Digging Deeper How can you ensure that your recall of such Scriptures during crisis doesn’t end up being an empty mantra?

8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.

 

As we read the psalmist’s exhortation to the Israelites here, we remind ourselves that Christians inherit this mandate. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to make the voice of his praise to be heard. The recipients of God’s generosity need to take the lead in worshipping Him. How much more this is true for Christians today, who are aware of the great salvation provided by Jesus Christ (compare 1 Corinthians 10:11)!

 

9. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

 

The reason for this renewed praise is God’s continuing care for His people. The God who rescued an entire nation in the exodus is more than capable of preserving every individual soul (compare Psalm 30:3).

The psalmist’s generation may have experienced a life-threatening event (see the Lesson Context). Yet God sustains those who remain loyal to Him (compare 1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4). Life is always precarious and precious. Without God’s constant care, we are dead. The fact that He suffereth not our feet to be moved should assure us that we need not rely on our own power. That is what the wicked do, and they ultimately lose (compare Deuteronomy 32:35; Job 12:5).

 

III. Come and Hear

(Psalm 66:16–20)

1. Give Heed to My Testimony (vv. 16–19)
2. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

 

As we rejoin the psalm in the final stanza, the scene has changed again. In the first stanza (Psalm 66:1–4), all the nations are challenged to praise God. In the second stanza (66:5–7), Israel is to lead the praise before the nations by recounting God’s mighty rescue of His people from Egypt. The third stanza (66:8–12) recalls either the exodus or a more recent time of trouble and rescue. In the fourth stanza (66:13–15), the psalmist personally vows to offer sacrifices extravagantly to God as a response to His recent rescue.

Now, in the fifth and final stanza (66:16–20), the psalmist begins a personal testimony regarding God’s work in his life. His personal experience is about to become one of public declaration.

 

What Do You Think? What preparations can you make to ensure that the story of what God has done in your life endures as a witness to the next generation?   Digging Deeper Should drafting your own eulogy be part of this effort? Why, or why not?

17. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

 

This is another instance of parallelism that so often characterizes Hebrew poetry, with the words cried, him, and my mouth in the first statement reflecting extolled, he, and my tongue in the second expression, respectively. Thus it would be a mistake to think the psalmist is saying two different things. He is actually offering one thought, which he repeats with similar words.

This singular thought is important: instead of immediately asking for help or complaining about something, the psalmist extolled God. (The original word behind the translation “extolled” is rendered “high praises” in Psalm 149:6.) This reminds us that our praise of God should come first, no matter the circumstances of life.

 

18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

 

This acknowledgment is also reflected by David in Psalm 32:3–5. The psalmist knows that the condition of his heart matters to God. There are certain conditions that hinder the effectiveness of prayers (examples: Lamentations 3:40–44; 1 Peter 3:7), and unconfessed sin is certainly one of them.

 

What Do You Think? What plan can you enact to ensure that you take inventory on the condition of your heart on a regular basis?   Digging Deeper Is this something that others can assist with, or is it strictly personal? Why?

19. But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

 

The psalmist recognizes that God has, in fact, heard him. Given this successful outcome, the reader may be tempted to draw up a checklist of the various points of the previous verses that lead up to here. That may be useful in terms of the broad contours that prayer should take. But we should always caution ourselves that God is not like a fictional genie who grants our wishes as long as we follow a certain procedure.

 

1. Give Praise to God (v. 20)
2. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

 

In closing, the psalmist voices a praise blessing to God for attending to the psalmist’s prayer. Prayers to fictional gods are never heard (Psalm 115:4–6), and praying to the one true God is no guarantee that He will listen (compare Jeremiah 11:11; 14:12).

Going hand in hand with the psalmist’s prayer being heard is God’s continuing mercy. The word being translated occurs about 250 times in the Old Testament, with varying translations such as “lovingkindness” (Psalm 17:7).

 

Visual for Lessons 11 & 12. Associate this with the question to the left as you ask, “What role does singing play in indicating the condition of the heart?”

 

Conclusion

1. Remembering Our History with God

Despite the circumstances in the psalmist’s day, God was still sovereign and all-powerful. He was still worthy of praise. He was still the judge who ruled all nations and knew the true condition of every individual human heart.

All the above remains true today. Although we are surrounded by those who do not fear God, we can do so nonetheless. Although we are surrounded by those who do not praise God, we can do so nonetheless. We can make a commitment to remind ourselves continually of His history with us. We can also encourage each other by sharing our personal testimonies of how He has demonstrated His strength in our lives.

As we do (or, perhaps, because we do), we will find ourselves submitting to His ways, regardless of whether those around us do so as well.

 

1. Prayer

God, we know that You are always good and always strong, regardless of our circumstances. We praise You for the times when you have been our mighty deliverer. We pray this in the name of Jesus, who delivers us from sin. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

Praise reminds us of God’s might, and God’s might reminds us to praise.

 

 

 

KID’S CORNER

Jesus Christ Can Make Us Right

February 3, 2019

Philippians 3:7-21

 

Psalms 66:1-20

(Psalms 66:1) To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

Some of us may see some humor in this verse and use it to justify our singing, when we sing praises to God, for others may think our singing is sheer noise, but our “noise” or “shouting” can be our joyful praise to God. “Noise” may not be far wrong, when we think of some of the musical instruments and “noise makers” that did not sound as we might think of a well-trained marching band when King David rejoiced with the Hebrews as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem with great fanfare. We should be willing to make as much “joyful noise” to God as we do when cheering a football team during a game or after a victory. God deserves a joyful noise from “all the earth.”

(Psalms 66:2)  Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

Throughout more than 2,000 years of history, Jews and Christians have composed hymns that honor God, and various names try to describe His actions in history, His character, and His nature. The name God revealed to Moses (YHWH, Yahweh, Jehovah) indicates God is worthy to receive glory and praise for He is the self-existent One Who saves His people.

(Psalms 66:3)  Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

When we praise God, we can tell God, others, and remind ourselves of God’s many deeds that have won our appreciation and respect. These can be deeds from the Bible, as the Hebrews remembered God freeing them from slavery and leading them into the Promised Land, and God enabling King David to build Jerusalem into a city/fortress, and God coming to indwell the temple King Solomon built. We can also remember before God the things He has done in our own personal history. If we become concerned about our enemies, we can remember the power of God to help us, as He has helped us and His people in the past according to Scripture.

(Psalms 66:4)  All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

Certain individuals may be an exception to this general rule, for we know of atheists who reject God. But there may have been times or will be times in their lives when they let down their guard against God and have praised or thanked God before they have remembered that they reject belief in God. The New Testament declares that someday every knee will bow before the Lord Jesus. All that exists (except for some of the rebellious currently) praise the Lord.

(Psalms 66:5)  Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

If we think carefully, we can tell of some things that God has done in our lives—this may be easier to remember for some than for others. There are times in our lives when God does something that we want others to see or learn about immediately, particularly a new born baby or a grandchild’s accomplishments with God’s help. God does awesome deeds in our midst. Sometimes His awesome deeds are in what some would call “the small things.” Saving people from a tornado or earthquake, a famine or a plague, and giving eternal life to believers in Jesus are also awesome deeds of God.

(Psalms 66:6)  He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

The psalmist remembered Moses and the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea on dry land, and Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River on dry ground when they entered the Promised Land. These two landmark events led to rejoicing at that time and to the rejoicing of subsequent generations as they remembered the Lord’s love for and faithfulness to His people.

(Psalms 66:7)  He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

God rules over all and has the power to achieve any of His plans and purposes. No person, being or thing can defeat God. God watches all the nations and not just a few favored nations. God defends His people and fights with them against their enemies; therefore, no matter what their enemies feel like in the temporary victories they achieve, they should not exalt themselves; for God will humble them according to His timetable.

(Psalms 66:8)  O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:

God is the God of all peoples. All people need to live in a way that will bring God a blessing and true happiness in His relationship with them. The fact that some choose not to praise God for the fact that He has given them life does not lessen their obligation or our obligation to praise Him in ways that others can hear and appreciate.

(Psalms 66:9)  Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

Our very life depends ultimately on God. Our eternal life depends on what God has done for us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Moment-by-moment we depend on God for everything, whether or not we consciously recognize or want to acknowledge this fact. God also protects us from sin and when temptation comes, God will show us the way to escape if we will take that way. By leaning on God for spiritual and moral support, and by trusting in His word, the Bible, we need not slip into sin or poor choices.

(Psalms 66:10)  For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

God will test our faith and our obedience. God’s testing will show us how we are growing or failing to grow in our loving relationship with God and how prepared we are to face the future with full trust in God as Lord and Savior. Silver is tried with fire to remove impurities. Similarly, we go through fiery trials to help us live holy before the Lord.

(Psalms 66:11)  Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

Sometimes we find ourselves in troublesome situations that might test whether or not we will worry or trust in God. We might discover that we are in a situation that we cannot get out of by ourselves. Will we turn to God and ask Him to help us? Sometimes we will find ourselves under burdens too heavy to bear, perhaps even the burden of unforgiven sin. Will we take His yoke upon us so Jesus can share the load?

(Psalms 66:12)  Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

The Hebrews knew slavery in the land of Egypt and they also suffered persecution there at the hands of ruthless taskmasters. Yet, at the right time, God led them to freedom and into the Promised Land. We may be in a situation, or feel that we are, similar to what God’s people have suffered in the past, but God will save us in His perfect timing. We also think of heaven as a “spacious place” prepared by God for His people.

(Psalms 66:13)  I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,

God prescribed the ways for His people to come to Him. Burnt offerings could be offered throughout the year in appreciation to God for Who God is and what God does. Burnt offerings cost the giver something, but he could eat a portion of the offering with family and friends in ways similar to a thanksgiving dinner to God. Likewise, we want to keep our promises to God and worship God as He deserves.

(Psalms 66:14)  Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

Sometimes we have prayed in ways similar to some in the Bible, who made a vow or promise to God that they would do something special if He saved them. It is important for us to keep our vows and promises to God, for God has never failed to keep any of His good promises to us. If we have failed to keep one or more of our promises to God, we can ask His forgiveness and seek to make amends to Him by doing something as a substitute for a broken promise that can no longer by kept.

(Psalms 66:15)  I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

The priests were required to offer all of these sacrifices according to God’s instructions in behalf of the people who brought them; people could not offer these sacrifices themselves in their own way. We all have our own responsibilities to fulfill before God, and just as King Saul learned not to do what only Samuel (as God’s prophet and judge) could do, we need to learn what God forbids and requires of us. Similar to the special work of God’s priests, Jesus is the only One who could offer the perfect sacrifice (himself) as His Father required for us to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

(Psalms 66:16)  Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

Jesus told us not to throw our pearls before swine or give what is holy to dogs. Likewise, we want those who fear God (respect and reverence God) to hear what He has done for us so they will praise, honor, and thank God with us, and also come to love and trust God even more.

(Psalms 66:17)  I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

These last 4 verses deal with prayer. Since the psalmist has dealt with God’s rescue from trouble, he begins by identifying prayer as crying aloud to God. Sometimes we are so distressed we just automatically call out, and without thinking, we cry aloud to God, knowing He hears even the silent prayers of our hearts. We do not fail to praise God aloud in words at His marvelous and gracious dealings with us.

(Psalms 66:18)  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

To “cherish iniquity” means to relish, enjoy, pursue, embrace, possess that which is evil. We might cherish a precious moment with a loved one or someone we have not seen in a long time. We might cherish an antique heirloom or a special piece of jewelry. We should not cherish similar feelings toward any sin or evil practice. If we do, God will not hear our prayers until we turn back to Him in faith and sorrowful repentance, even asking Him to help us live godly in Christ Jesus instead of cherishing evil.

(Psalms 66:19)  But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

When we look back, we can see where God has truly listened to our prayers! He has listened to our heart cry and bestowed on us what is best for us. God has listened to the very words of our prayers and has respected our communication with Him, both rational and sometimes irrational requests, and has met all our real needs.

(Psalms 66:20)  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

We know from experience that God has not rejected our prayers, so we keep on praying and making our offerings to God. More important than the “things” God has given us in answer to prayer, God has given us His steadfast, unfailing love, which moved Him to send Jesus Christ into our world and the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

 

 

Jesus Christ Can Make Us Right

February 3, 2019

Philippians 3:7-21

 

 “And be found in Christ Jesus, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:9).

Perhaps every Christian can identify with the Apostle Paul who wrote that the worth of knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord and Savior far surpassed everything he had ever achieved or previously possessed. The value of knowing Christ and being known by Christ far exceeded all of this world’s rewards that upon reflection Paul came to consider as rubbish. Paul came to understand the infinite value of knowing Christ after he considered his past life. He came to recognize that he had sinned grievously against God and others—even persecuting the Church and approving the death of Stephen. Paul considered the fact that no amends he might make in the future could totally compensate for the damage he had done to others and even himself. Paul longed to be made totally right again, and he recognized that striving to obey God’s laws in the future would not erase his past and make him right. Only if God made him right would Paul be able to treat God and others right as God intended. He needed a righteousness that only God could give him. He needed and wanted God to forgive his sins and cleanse him from the true moral guilt that weighed upon his spirit. He wanted to change the direction of his life and become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ as his Lord. Thankfully, Paul met Jesus, and Jesus met all his needs. Jesus made Paul right. Jesus gave Paul the righteousness that can only come through faith and depends on faith in Christ.

 

Thinking Further

Jesus Christ Can Make Us Right

February 3, 2019

Philippians 3:7-21

Name ___________________________

 

1. What does this mean to you, “Christ Jesus has made me his own”?

 

 

2. What benefits does a follower of Jesus Christ enjoy because Jesus Christ has made them his own?

 

 

3. How difficult is it today for Christians or church members to say, “Do as I do and do as I say, because I imitate Jesus Christ”? Give a reason for your answer.

 

 

4. What can happen to a person who says they believe in God and Jesus, and who wear a cross around their neck on a chain, but who set their minds on earthly things?

 

 

5. What do you need to do to live each day as a person who knows that their citizenship is in heaven?

 

 

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. How can making a joyful noise to God bring happiness to God and to you, even when you do not feel joyful? How can you become joyful when you do not feel joyful? Making a joyful noise or shout to God brings God happiness because He loves to do what will make His children happy as their Heavenly Father. Our noises and shouts express our rightful appreciation and thanks to God for His many blessings to us. When we do not feel joyful because of less than happy circumstances and problems, by focusing on God and remembering to thank God for Who He is and for many of the things He has done for us through Jesus Christ, we will remember some of the reasons we have to praise God—which can bring some joy back into our lives. Reading some Psalms with the purpose of using them to praise God no matter how we feel can help us become more joyful. The Bible is full of reasons to pray, praise God, and live joyfully. We can also read one of the gospels in the Bible, and pause and thank Jesus for everything He has done and said as we read—thanking and praising Jesus as we read the Bible can bring us joy.
2. Think of some of the reasons and ways you praise others. How might you improve the ways you praise God? Usually for their achievements, for doing the right thing, for overcoming some adversity. I can improve the ways I praise God by reflecting on and thanking and praising God for being Who God is; for God’s achievements in my life, in the lives of others, and in the world; for always taking right and loving actions; for helping people overcome adversities (especially the adversity of sin and its results); for helping me and others receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

3. What does the psalmist say we should say to God? How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.

 

4. What are some of the awesome deeds that God has done that makes God worthy to receive our praise and the praise of all the earth? He turned the sea into dry land and His people passed through the river on foot. He rules by his might forever. He keeps watch on the nations. He keeps our souls among the living and has not let our feet slip.

 

5. Why is it important for God to test His people? So His people can see whether or not they are making spiritual progress toward becoming more conformed to the image of Christ.

 

Word Search

Jesus Christ Can Make Us Right

February 3, 2019

Philippians 3:7-21

Name ___________________________

 

E C E N H P M Y E A J F G B G

Y I X T E T I P R X C O S R O

F U A F Q R R H K O T H Y Q T

P I L V K S D E S C L V T K X

O J T Z D N C L J R X G L B S

W C S E W M Y F I O O R Z E A

E U E J T U O H S H I W Q S C

R D M D O J Q Y P V C C Y I R

Y F R U A W E S O M E F E M I

T P X I L I R W X I Y R B O F

W B R B U A J E S U S L K R I

S N Y A S R H P L R E H U P C

I R G O I C E V C S V Q G T E

N L F E U S F P S K A Y K N I

G H O T F B E X D Q D T J D Q

 

Shout

Joy

Glory

Praise

Awesome

Deeds

Power

Worship

Sing

Children

Rejoice

Exalt

Bless

Promise

Sacrifice

 

True and False Test

Jesus Christ Can Make Us Right

February 3, 2019

Philippians 3:7-21

Name ___________________________

 

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. Everyone on earth should shout for joy to God, or at least make a joyful noise to God! True or False

 

2. God is so powerful that even God’s enemies come cringing to Him. True or False

 

3. When the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea and the Jordan River their feet only got a little muddy. True or False

 

4. God keeps watch over the righteous nations on earth but totally ignores those nations that are rebellious. True or False

 

5. God tests the wicked and tries them as silver is tried. True or False

 

6. Despite all their suffering, God eventually brought His people into a place of abundance. True or False

 

7. When he was in trouble, the psalmist said he made vows to God. True or False

 

8. Because he had suffered unjustly and blamed God, the psalmist chose to disregard his vows to God. True or False

 

9. God will not accept an offering of fattened rams; therefore, only bulls and goats should be offered to God as burnt offerings. True or False

 

10. If we cherish iniquity in our hearts, they LORD will not listen to us when we pray and ask Him for things. True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

 

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. False
9. False

10.True

 

Prayer

God, we know that You are always good and always strong, regardless of our circumstances. We praise You for the times when you have been our mighty deliverer. We pray this in the name of Jesus, who delivers us from sin. Amen.