Worship That is Commended by God

Worship That is Commended by God

Upon reading through passages like Psalm 50, the question is often raised: What are some indicators that one’s allegiance or worship or devotion to God is NOT merely lip service?  First of all, we come to God always from a disposition of being a receiver.  We must not...
Help When We Need It Most

Help When We Need It Most

In Psalm 46:1-7, the Psalmist puts forth that God is our refuge, strength and stronghold in order that we may not fear.  However, one of the implications is that no one learns the heights of the greatness of God’s power and protection in those ways until it is...
Gaining God as Our Ultimate Joy and Hope

Gaining God as Our Ultimate Joy and Hope

In Psalm 43:4, the Psalmist refers to God as his exceeding joy.  The question often arises: Does having God as our exceeding joy exclude having other desires or even finding a measure of joy in other things?  No, but the way to tell what rules your heart is to assess...
How Hoping in God Attacks Depression

How Hoping in God Attacks Depression

What do we need to do when our thoughts attempt to sink us into despair? The first thing to do is to identify the proper object of hope.  We saw it in the first exhortation the Psalmist gives to his soul in Ps.42:5—Hope in God.  What we need to understand about this...
The Wise Mouth of the Righteous

The Wise Mouth of the Righteous

Wisdom speaks God’s mind in God’s ways, whereas folly is spoken from a position of personal offense with self-exalting motivations.  Wisdom cannot come from a disposition of self-centeredness and neither can justice or fairness or upholding a standard that is outside...