Rande Greene

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

-John 15:8

If Genesis 3 teaches us anything it is that the enemy of your soul intends to distort the image and character of God in our minds. The goal of the serpent is to cause us to think wrongly about our Creator and Savior. Very few people are influenced to deny God exists. Many are influenced to underestimate God. The design and strategy of the enemy is to influence us to misperceive God; His intentions; His provision and His ability; to underestimate God.

We can be timid in our asking and praying. No one wants to presume upon God; no one wants to assume things about God’s will; no one wants to be an imposition upon the grace of God.

But we stand as great a chance of being too timid in our praying. We may not pray big enough.

What it meant to me.Be bold in praying. Don’t shrink back in timidity and fear. Go big or go home. What is God’s intention for His children.

Rande Greene

“But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked?”

-Genesis 3:9-11

Rande Greene

” For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

-1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Paul directly received divine revelation from the Lord himself. This act was instituted by the Lord on the same night in which he was betrayed. During the very same time human depravity was concocting and carrying out a scheme to sell our Lord for thirty pieces of silver Jesus was initiating a practice that would mean blessing and strength for his followers until he returns.

Rande Greene

“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD;

My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may lay her young– Even Your altars,

O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;

They will still be praising You. Selah

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You;

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring;

The rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

O LORD God of hosts hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed.

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts Blessed is the man who trusts in You! Psalm 84:1-12

The heading of the 84th Psalm identifies it as being written by a “son of Korah”. The sons of Korah became the caretakers and custodians of the tabernacle. They were Levites who under the direction of Moses had been given this care of the Tabernacle. Later they assumed the care of the temple in Jerusalem.

The dating of the 84th Psalm puts it being written around the time of King Hezekiah. During that time a very aggressive and violent Assyrian military power had devastated the northern ten tribes and had pushed down into the southern 2 tribes almost as far as Jerusalem. They were stopped short of Jerusalem.

Travel had not been permitted because of Assyrian patrols still making their rounds. But now the threat was gone. Once more it was safe to travel to Jerusalem to the temple. The author of this Psalm evidently had been separated from his duties at the temple for a while.

He and the devout were in route to the renovated temple with its restored temple worship.

Possibly years before he had exercised the ministry of a doorkeeper in the temple.

He is now joyfully recounting the days until he will again see the beauty of the worship of God in the temple precincts.

As he makes his way back to Jerusalem he writes this song revealing the longing of his heart.