Reading Psalms
- as an individual
- as (a member of) a group
Reading Psalms
I woke up and got up at around 3:30 a.m, washed up, and prepared breakfast. Then I went upstairs to read the Bible and Our Daily Bread.
Though I still felt tired, I left home at 4:45 and headed for the Uchikawa River. Almost every time I take a walk along the river, I hear several bullfrogs croaking near the Buddhist temple, but they were silent this morning.
The goats in the pen beside the elementary school were quiet, too.
I walked farther, until I found these blue morning glories by the river.
I crossed the bridge, and walked along a major street in the shopping district. I took another picture in front of a building on the street.
I've signed up for a new Bible Memory Challenge at Do Not Depart.com. We are going to memorize Matthew 7:1-14 this time. I'm looking forward to learning these verses by heart.
Reading a Psalm
The key verse in Psalm 4
Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;The principle of Faith:
In peace I will lie down and sleep,Let the light of your face shine on us. (4:6 b) --
'Us' refers to David and his enemies
David prayed to God (4:1) and he was filled with joy (4:7).
Joy comes from being loved by God unconditionally
God knows each of us thoroughly, and yet He listens to us when we call to Him(4:3).
I took these photos while taking a walk in the morning.
Though I was still sleepy and tired when I started, I felt refreshed as I kept walking along the river. The occasional cool breezes were comfortable.
I took a day off and got on a local train on the Joetsu Line to escape from the dreary routine.
The train passed through the rice fields, headed for the mountains. and entered a long tunnel.
In the middle of the tunnel, the train stopped at a dimly-lit platform.
I was the only passenger that got off there, and I headed for the stairs with hundreds of steps leading to the unmanned station on the surface of the earth, and it was going to take me about 10 minutes to get to the exit.
I had been to this place once before-- at that time, I was a senior high school student, and I was going on a hike in the mountain near the station with my classmates on a class outing day.
As I went up the long stairs in the tunnel alone, I thought of some of my classmates, and realized that I had lost touch with all of them, while I was studying and working in different cities.
Reading Psalms
(1) as public statements and (2) as private statements
Psalm 3
David --(1) king of Israel and (2) the father of Absalom
David was in the middle of a crisis when he wrote this poem. (3:1-2)
He focused his attention on the LORD. (3:3-4)
He was sure that the LORD would answer his prayer.
He fully trusted in the LORD. (3:5-6)
He asked the LORD to deliver him and declared that deliverance comes from the LORD. (3:7-8)
Conclusion:
From the LORD comes deliverance. (3:8)
Cf. (3:2) Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."
David paid attention to the LORD instead of himself and his problems.
Reference: The sermon by he Rev. Inoue Satoshi at TMC (The video is in Japanese.)
Marcel has been dreaming of visiting Japan some day, and he is now teaching himself the Japanese language.
He has written down hundreds of useful expressions in his notebook, and some of them are quite puzzling.
For example, すみません (sumimasen) is a phrase that can be translated as "Excuse me," "I'm sorry," or "Thank you," depending on the contexts.
The word どうも (domo), which originally means 'somehow', can be used as an informal greeting, and it may also imply "Thank you,' 'I'm sorry," or "My condolences."
そうですね (sodesune) can mean "I agree with you," "You are right," " I see your point," "I'm listening to you," "Let me see," "I don't know what to say," and so on, depending on the way it is said.
He finds it interesting to learn these vague, ambiguous and versatile expressions.
--Reviewing the sermon by the Rev. F.--
Matthew 9:35-38
1. What motivates us to spread the Good News?
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.
(Matthew 9:36)
2. What happens when we pray?
(Matthew 9:37-38)
After the disciples asked the Lord to send out workers into His harvest field, they themselves were sent out as workers.
There is a botanical park run by our city about twenty-five-minute walk from my house, where I go at least once a month early in the morning. These are some of the photos I've taken there.
Today's Scripture
Romans 8:15–17(NIV)Insight
The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit—also known as “the “Spirit of God” or “the Spirit of Christ”—is the scriptural evidence that we’re saved. Paul makes clear that if anyone doesn’t have the Holy Spirit “they do not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). The Spirit gives us new birth and new life (John 3:5–6; 6:63; Titus 3:5) and is the seal and deposit guaranteeing our salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14). Assuring us that we’re God’s children, He enables us to affectionately call out to God, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:14–15; Galatians 4:5–7). When we’re “led by the Spirit” and “live by the Spirit,” He’ll make us more like Christ (Galatians 5:16–25). Equipping us with spiritual gifts, He empowers us for ministry (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–7). The indwelling Spirit helps us to pray, interceding for and with us (Romans 8:26).
When it seems others are getting away with wrongdoing, we struggle with the injustice. But with God’s mercy at work in our hearts and the hearts of others, we can forgive as He’s forgiven us and receive the blessings He’s prepared for us.