In this episode Emma and Lauren (but mostly Lauren, our favorite JTJ podcast teammate) walk us through Psalm 88 - the psalm most commonly associated with “dark nights of the soul.” When we see the psalmist express deep and intense emotions, how do those expressions impact our understanding of God’s character? 
 
 Additional scripture referenced in this episode: 
 1 Chronicles 6:33 - Who was Heman?
 1 Chronicles 25:1 - Who was Heman?
 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is
 John 10:35 - Scripture cannot be broken
 Matthew 5 - God’s Word lasts
 Deuteronomy 31:8 - God will not leave you
 Romans 8:18 - Sufferings compared to Christ 
 John 3:16 - For God so loved the world
 Isaiah 53 - Christ the suffering servant
 
 For more information about Watermark’s Care & Recovery ministries: https://www.watermark.org/ministries/care
 
 Grab a Psalms Join The Journey Journal:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898 

What does "this one was born there" mean? Emma Dotter walks through Psalm 87 and shows how the story of Nicodemus in John 3 connects to our passage today. In the Old Testament, Zion is the place where God would meet with his people in the temple. We see in this psalm that Zion carries deep spiritual significance because it represents a people or nation belonging to God. There are people from all over the world who place their faith in Christ and are reborn, similar to how Zion represents a new birth and new identity as the people of God.
 
 Additional Scriptures Referenced:
 Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-20
 John 3:1-17 – Story of Nicodemus
 Galatians 4:26-27; Revelation 3:12, Revelation 21:2,10  – Zion is the future home of those who trust in Christ
 
 
 If you have questions about following Jesus or growing in your understanding of who God is, feel free to reach out to us by emailing [email protected].
 
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

In today’s episode covering Psalm 86, Emma Dotter is joined by Watermark’s Worship Director, Hayden Browning. Watermark Music’s song, Undivided Heart, is rooted in today’s psalm. Hayden shares how this psalm not only intersected with his own life but also inspired the worship song we sing together as a church. 
 
 **Check out Watermark Music’s new song, Behold The Lamb: https://watermarkmusic.fanlink.tv/beholdthelamb 
 
 If you are interested in serving on Watermark’s Worship Team as a bass player or electric guitar player, email [email protected] 
 
 Grab a Psalms Join The Journey Journal:
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 Got kids? Check out the Psalms Join The Journey Jr. Journal:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898 

God encourages His kids to ask Him to operate in ways that challenge the status quo and put His character on display. In today’s episode covering Psalm 85, Emma addresses this idea and more! 
 
 Additional Scripture referenced in today’s episode:
 2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord isn’t wishing for anyone to perish
 
 Grab a Psalms Join The Journey Journal:
 https://a.co/d/7rt0H3g 
 
 Got kids? Check out the Psalms Join The Journey Jr. Journal:
 https://a.co/d/eYBgvUM 
 
 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898 

Ever wonder if God is depriving his people of anything good? Today Emma Dotter is joined by Watermark Student's graduate Anna Sharpe to talk through Psalm 84. If we are wondering if God is withholding good from us, we have to first define what good is. We see throughout the Bible, that true joy and happiness comes only from abiding in Jesus. The best gift God could ever give us is the gift of His Son, and that can never be taken away. We can follow the psalmist's example of being honest with God about how we are feeling and praise Him for what we know to be true of His character. 
 
 Additional Scripture Referenced:
 1 John 4:19 – "we love because he first loved us" 
 Matthew 7:9-11 – Sermon on the Mount
 
 If you'd like to connect with Watermark's ministry for college students, check out Rally Kickoff tonight: https://www.watermark.org/events/6140-rally-fall-kickoff
 
 To hear more of Anna's story, check out her previous episode on the podcast: 
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey/id1600151923?i=1000633334783
 
 Grab a Join The Journey Journal for Psalms:
 https://a.co/d/7rt0H3g
  
 Got kids? Check out the Psalms Join The Journey Jr. Journal:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

How can we make sense of passages in the Bible talking about mercy and others where the writers are crying out for judgement on their enemies? Today, Emma Dotter dives into Psalm 83, an imprecatory psalm, to answer this question. The God of the Old Testament truly is the God of the New Testament. All of us in our sin were enemies of God before Christ's sacrifice for us and our salvation. On the cross Jesus incurred the wrath of God, and in so doing he provided mercy and forgiveness for those who would believe. On the cross, judgement and salvation happen at the same time. God is glorified both when he defeats those who oppose him and when he saves those who oppose him. 
 
 Additional Scriptures Referenced:
 Examples of Imprecatory psalms – Psalm 5, 10, 17, 35, 58
 Judges 7-8 – God destroys the Midianites with Gideon's small band of soldiers
 Judges 4 – God defeats the Canaanites through Deborah and Barak
 Genesis 12:15-17 – Abrahamic covenant
 Romans 3:25; Exodus 25:17; Exodus 36 – propitiation
 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10 – Jesus as our propitiation
 
 If you're interested in serving on the Join The Journey Social Media or Hospitality Team, check out this link: https://www.watermark.org/search/serve?query=Join%20the%20journey
 
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 Got kids? Check out the NEW Join The Journey Jr. Journal for 2024:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

Who are the gods the psalmist is speaking to? Today, Emma Dotter is joined by faithful Watermark member, Rob Heath, to talk through Psalm 82. While there could be different meanings of what a potential "divine counsel" or "gods" may mean, we know that ultimately God is the Most High God and is Himself the source of all wisdom. 
 If you have questions about taking your next step with God, feel free to reach out to us here: [email protected].
 
 Additional Scripture Referenced:
 Psalm 89:5-7 –"God is more awesome than all who surround him" 
 Job 1:6 – "sons of God present themselves before the Lord"
 1 Kings 22:19 – "the multitudes of heaven standing around him"
 Daniel 4:17 – "that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men"
 
 To read more about the "divine counsel" check out this article: 
 https://www.gotquestions.org/divine-council.html
 
 Grab a NEW Join The Journey Journal for 2024:
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 Got kids? Check out the NEW Join The Journey Jr. Journal for 2024:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

Do you remember and celebrate God’s faithfulness? In ancient Israeli culture, God commanded them to celebrate His past faithfulness to them through various feasts. In today’s episode, Emma Dotter points out how Psalm 81 was probably referencing the Feast of Tabernacles and is a foreshadowing of Christ dwelling among us. Celebrating God’s deeds is important because gratitude moves us to action and combats discouragement.
 
 Additional Scriptures referenced: 
 Leviticus 23:40-42, “On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters.”
 Deuteronomy 28, 32:13-14, “He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape.”
 Luke 2:8, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”
 
 Grab a Psalms Join The Journey Journal for 2024:
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 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast: 
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

When those around you are going through suffering, how can we point them back to our Savior? Today Emma Dotter is joined by faithful Watermark member Lauren Browning to talk through Psalm 80. This passages displays both our sin and God's solution to our sin. Jesus Christ is the vine out of Egypt who brings salvation to the nations. Not only is Jesus the answer to our sin and suffering, but He is with us in our suffering. When we cry out to God, it shows the dependent nature of our heart. May we be reminded even in suffering to continue to abide with Jesus and look to Him as our salvation by the power of His Spirit.  
 
 Grab a Join The Journey Journal for Psalms:
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 Got kids? Check out the NEW Join The Journey Jr. Journal for 2024:
 https://a.co/d/eYBgvUM
  
 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898

How should we respond to God when He disciplines us for our sinful actions? In Psalm 79, Asaph writes a song of lament after Jeremiah had prophesied about God’s judgement over Israel and the Babylonians’ destruction of Jerusalem. Join the Journey Staff Member Lauren Atkinson and faithful Watermark Member and college student Gabby Parker point out that even in Israel's suffering and separation from the promised land, God is still with them. 
 
 Additional Scriptures Referenced:
 Matthew 18:21-22, “Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
 
 Interested in Rally? Check out the link below!
 https://www.watermark.org/ministries/college
 
 Grab a Psalms Join The Journey Journal for 2024:
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 Got kids? Check out the NEW Join The Journey Jr. Journal for 2024:
 https://a.co/d/eYBgvUM
 
 You can also check out the Join The Journey Jr. Podcast: 
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/join-the-journey-junior/id1660089898