GOD'S CARE

“You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary" (Psalm 68:9 NKJV).

Our verse speaks of the God’s care for His people as they journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. God’s care is shown in His blessing His people. Thus, our verse speaks of the size of the blessing, the strengthening from the blessing, and the season of the blessing.

Size of the blessing - “Plentiful rain.” God blesses liberally and thus is characterized by “plentiful” not by stinginess. The sinful pleasures of the world cannot equal God’s blessings. Sin may promises fulfillment, but it only defraud and deceive. God’s blessing is more than a sprinkle; it is “plentiful rain." If Divine blessings seem small, it is only because our sin has limited the blessing.

Strengthening from the blessing - “Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance.” The word “confirm” means to establish or to strengthen. Marching through the wilderness would have caused the Israelites to become discouraged and weary both spiritually and physically. But Divine blessings came to strengthen them physically and spiritually. This is what Divine blessings can do for us too. However, we must be careful to use our blessings to strengthen our faith rather than using them to satisfy our carnal appetites and desires.

Season of the blessing - “When it was weary.” It is important to note that God is timely with His blessings. When we are down and ready to give up, He comes to the rescue by blessing us. When we are parched and dry, He sends “plentiful rain.” When we are faint and faltering, He strengthens us in the faith by His providentially timed blessings. We can count on God to be there during those times of weariness and discouragement with His blessings to lift our spirits. He will always meet our need when it matters most.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Our work is to cast care; God’s work is to take care!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Dissensions

In Gal. 5:19-20 we read, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies" (NKJV).

Dissensions is the is the Greek word dichostasia (διχοστασία = dee-khos-tas-ee'-ah). It is made up of two words: “dicha” which means asunder or apart and “stasis” which means a standing. Thus the word means a standing apart, hence an act of sedition. Literally, dichostasia means a standing apart which is a picture of discord, disunity, contention, division into opposing groups. Dissension is strife that arises from a difference of opinion and stresses a division into factions.

In Classical Greek dichostasia was used to describe political revolt. Dichostasia is not found in the Septuagint (LXX). In the New Testament dichostasia is only used by the apostle Paul and always carries the idea of variance. Here in Gal. 5:19-20, it is on the ‘vice-list’ of the “works of the flesh” and is totally contrary to godly behavior.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would suffer agony on the cross (Psalm 22:14-15)

New Testament Fulfillment – Mark 15:34-37

Bible Facts

Jeduthun was a Levite of the family of Merari, and one of the three masters of music appointed by David (1 Chron. 16:41- 42). His name means “lauder and praising.” He was also a choir director according to Psalm 39, 62, 77. In 2 Chron. 35:15 we see Jeduthun listed as the “king’s seer” which is synonymous with being called a prophet

Bible Quiz

What did the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision represent?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: Who in Scripture was known as “The last Adam?” The Lord Jesus is known as the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45)

That’s in the Bible

"Wings of the wind”

“And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind” (Psalm 18:10 KJV).

“Wings of the wind” - The expression “wings of the wind” carries the idea of going at top speed rather quietly. When David cried out to the Lord in his distress, the Lord acted on his behalf. The great deliverance is depicted as a storm - God came down in a storm, like a warrior in a chariot, carried along swiftly by a cherub. He was accompanied by darkness, rain, wind, hail, thunder, and lightning. At just the right time, God reached down and delivered David. God came in His glory to rescue David; God will be glorified in all that He does.

Did You Know – Christian History

Gerhard Tersteegen was born November 25, 1697 in Moers, Germany. He was a German Reformed religious writer.

After completing a few grades of school, he was apprenticed to an older brother who was a shopkeeper. Tersteegen was conscientious and thoughtful, but was plagued by frequent illnesses. A godly tradesman taught him that he could know Christ in daily life, and Tersteegen vowed to devote his life to God.

Unable to find time for devotions during the day, he spent entire nights fasting and praying. As soon as his apprenticeship was up, he rented an isolated cottage and worked alone like a hermit, knitting ribbons to support himself. He thought much about God and read theology. His diet was as simple as could be - meal, milk and water - and he gave whatever money he saved to the poor.

His lifestyle embarrassed his well-to-do family, who came to the point they would not even mention his name. When he fell gravely ill, they left him unattended. It was after this that darkness closed around him. For five years, he had no impression of God and even began to doubt His existence. Yet he wrote hymns of faith. But mere words were not able to ease his troubled mind.

Then one day God drew close to Tersteegen and this sorrowing man finally knew absolute peace. Further, in 1727 a revival took place and what started as a journey of solitude took a new direction as people began coming to him for spiritual guidance. Before long he was giving personal counsel from morning to night. The numbers seeking his guidance grew to the point that he was forced to move into a house to better accommodate them. In 1731 he published his first collection of hymns, The Spiritual Flower Garden. These hymns were so popular that they were sung at weddings, social gatherings, and even spoken as greetings. Some of his sermons have been translated into English, including Godliness, and Warnings and Admonitions.

While at peace inwardly, he seldom had a moment’s peace outwardly, for there were always people clamoring for his spiritual advice. When he was sixty-one, his constant speaking so wore him out that it almost proved the death of him. He lived nine more years, counseling, revising books and writing letters, but he was no longer able to preach or travel. Tersteegen died April 3, 1769.

A Little Humor

During a hurricane, a woman shook her husband and said, “Wake up Sam. The house is shaking so much I’m sure it’s going to be blown away.” “Let it blow,” said the husband, rolling over. “We are only renting.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“He who has slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God!”