Walk With God

SHOW NOTES: In Season 4, we will look more closely at the Gospel of John and learn more about Jesus. John was one of Jesus’ disciples and he presents an up-close view of Jesus. Readers are given the opportunity to observe the mission of Jesus through His works and words. His audience is the whole world – Jew and Gentile. And he writes for a very specific purpose, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)

SHOW NOTES: Do you find yourself in the middle of a difficult project at work or at home? Perhaps you’ve had to face some health issues lately. Even the everyday routine of our lives can seem overwhelming and stressful. Let’s consider God’s instructions for a man called to be the new leader of Israel. Joshua was to follow in the footsteps of the amazing leader, Moses. God commanded him, “Be strong and courageous.” But God doesn’t stop there. He tells each of us how to walk with strength and great courage. Tonight's Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9 (link)

You can email us at – [email protected]. Share your comments. Ask your questions. We love hearing from you!

Select Scriptures: Gen. 24:63; Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2; Ps. 119; 2 Timothy 2:7

SHOW NOTES: Are we really supposed to meditate? What does it mean to meditate? How will it benefit me if I take time to meditate? The Psalms tell us to meditate 14 different times. Did you know that Isaac meditated? And the LORD commanded Joshua to meditate on His Law day and night. There are times when God calls us to a special time with Him. Do I reply and take the opportunity to meditate on His wondrous works? Let’s learn more about this spiritual discipline and grow in our personal walk with God.

We invite you to email us at – [email protected] - with your comments and questions. We would love to hear from you!

SHOW NOTES: Are you weary or discouraged? Perhaps you long for a measure of mercy and grace. Pause. Take a deep breath. Today’s message from the book of Hebrews reminds us that we can run to Jesus. He understands our weaknesses. Jesus provided access to the throne of grace and we can approach with confidence. Come before God with a sincere heart and offer words of praise and thanksgiving to Him. Let us encourage one another in love and good deeds. Tonight's Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7; 7:23-27; 10:19-25.

We'd love to hear from you - comments, Bible questions: Email us: [email protected]

INTERLUDE: "Jesus: Our Confidence" (Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7; 7:23-27; 10:19-25)

SHOW NOTES: Psalm 146. Does your day begin with praise to the Lord? In the middle of the day, do you sing praises to His name? The last five psalms (Ps. 146 – 150) lead us in praise and worship. When we begin our day, offer praise to the Lord. Throughout the day, sing praise to the Lord. Psalm 146 reminds us that the Lord alone is worthy of our praise – all day, every day! Tonight's Scripture: Psalm 146.

Email us at – [email protected] - with your comments and questions. We would love to hear from you. On September 1, the podcast will feature answers to your questions and we’ll share some listener comments.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT:

BRENDA

Hey Friends! My name is Brenda. Walt and I are glad you have joined us.

We have been on this journey for ten weeks … walking through the Psalms together. And today as we wrap up the Psalms for this particular season, we are going to look at the Final Hallelujah Psalms. These are Psalm 146 – 150 and are often viewed as the five-fold conclusion to Psalms. Each of these is a joyous song of praise and each one begins with “Praise the LORD!” – in the Hebrew – Hallelujah! … CELEBRATE THE LORD!!!

“These final five psalms are a panoply of praise for the God of glory. They are intended to be a distinct unit, as indicated by all five psalms beginning and ending with “Praise the Lord” (Hallelujah!). They reflect a shared focus of each psalm on the praise of God ... An established practice in early Jewish tradition continued to this day is to recite these five psalms, together … as part of the daily morning liturgy.”

(From The Moody Bible Commentary, p. 877-878)

Walt, I know you can give us a better idea of the Jewish people gathering for morning prayers.

WALT

Well, I can and I would love for you to join me as we approach the Western Wall or sometimes called the Wailing Wall in historic Jerusalem. I would like to say this is one of my favorite sites on a trip to Israel but I have a lot of favorite sites. As you approach the Wall, it is divided into a men’s section and a women’s section where they come to pray. Women can approach the wall on the right side – at the women’s court – and men go to left side – the Court of the Men.

When you approach, I encourage you to watch people picking up an available copy of the Jewish prayer book – the siddur (See-door). Then, they take some time to meditate and express their thoughts to the One whose presence is in this holy site. You may observe – Shuckling – movement as they pray & recite, bobbing up and down.

“Shuckling” – rocking back and forth – engage in prayer with mind, heart, and mouth – King David writes (Psalms 35:10), "My whole being will exclaim: Who is like You, O Lord?"

BRENDA

I’m reminded of our flights from JFK or Newark and we’re flying over the Atlantic Ocean, going into Ben Gurion and as it is morning, we observe those Jewish men will gather and they will face toward Jerusalem. They begin those morning prayers.

As we begin in Psalm 146 today, what I want us to realize is that we are actually beginning that daily morning prayer. This is the first Psalm where these people begin. And, I have to say it is a great place for us to begin our morning and our day. So, where’s our heart as we begin because Psalm 146 begins with these words,

“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”

These are words of praise to the Eternal, to Yahweh. My soul, my whole being – all that I am praise the LORD.

My soul includes emotion, will, and mind. Remember Mark 12:30 says, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength.

And, verse 2 moves into, I will praise … for as long as I live. Lord, as long as You give me life, I will praise You. In fact, I will sing praises … as long as breath fills my lungs.

And so, even here, I pause after these first two verses of praise How much of your day – how much of my day – is filled with praise? Genuine praise to the LORD? “In everything give thanks.” – 1 Thess. 5:18

We are called to praise the Lord.

WALT

The next four verses talk about the power of God and they contrast God’s power to man – mortal man who doesn’t have the power to help. I love verses 3 and 4. I’ll read them together.

“Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”

The psalmist is reminding us, don’t trust in men – even princes, even the most powerful rulers and kings. Their power, their wealth. We think of trusting in the government or trusting in those who have power and authority. Don’t do that. Trust in the Lord. Turn to Him and don’t expect rescue from mortal men. There’s no salvation with them. Salvation is with God alone.

And then, in verse 4, the whole idea of the spirit departing and returning to the earth. That’s the dust-to-dust idea. We are again reminded that we are just mortal. We do have an ending and yet with that is the challenge, who should I trust?

Let’s look at the next two verses.

“How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;”

That’s who you place your hope in! And, that’s where you experience help. This blessedness and the joyfulness of those who place their hope in the God of Israel, as their helper and as their keeper. This hope is centered on the Eternal God.

I love the phrase here, “Who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever.” This is a great expression – El, Olam – unto the Eternal, the Everlasting God. He keeps faith. He must keep faith because He is the Creator God who created us and wants to have a relationship with us.

BRENDA

And I especially love verses 5 and 6. They are such great verses to cling to on those days when I wake up and it’s not easy to praise God this morning. Or I might wake up on the wrong side of the bed, not feeling joyful, but that whole idea that the God of Israel is my helper. My hope is centered on the Eternal God. Why? Because He is Elohim. He is the Strong Creator God, the Maker of heaven and earth. This takes us back to Psalm 121 from last week. I look up to the hills. Where does my help come from? And, what was the answer? “My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Yes, He is faithful forever. He is True. We can trust in Him.

As we look at the final portion of this Psalm –

“Who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry,

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down;

The Lord loves the righteous;

The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow,

But He thwarts the way of the wicked.”

As we read through these verses, we really need to get out the dictionary to look up the meanings and to better understand the definition of these words.

The oppressed (who are these people?) – those who are not receiving justice, they not being lifted up and cared for in the world. Food for the hungry. Frees those who are imprisoned. Who are these people? There are many different ways we can be imprisoned in this world. Sometimes, we are caught in the trap of sin or we are caught in guilt or sometimes we are imprisoned within our own family or relationship situations. It’s not just those people sitting in a literal prison cell.

And then in verse 8, He opens the eyes of the blind. Who are the blind? Sometimes, those of us who are the most blind can truly see with our eyes. But we don’t choose to open our eyes and our mind. Those who are weighed down (bowed down) and they are carrying a heavy burden. He cherishes those who love the righteous way, the godly way.

As we go into verse 9, I am so reminded of last season when we went through the book of Ruth.

• Protects the foreigners among us (watches over the foreigner, the stranger)

• He supports (sustains, cares for) the fatherless (orphan) and the widow

Who was that last season?

WALT – That was Ruth. God did that but He did it through a faithful man. A man who was doing what the Bible taught – helping the helpless – and that man was Boaz.

As we read these verses, we think of all the ways people are pressed down, or may find themselves in a struggle or a trial in life. Yet, these verses tell us who we should turn to. We turn to the Lord because the Lord loves the righteous. He will protect the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

And then the last phrase in verse 9, “But He thwarts the way of the wicked.” And that phrase takes me back to Psalm 1. The way of the wicked is like what – like chaff? Yes, it will be blown away and will not stand in the judgment.

As we come to these last five chapters in the book of Psalms, do you see how these verses are pointing us back to the other Psalms that we have studied throughout this whole season. God’s Word weaves together. It is living. It is true. He uses it to speak to our hearts, our souls, and our mind.

Reading verse 10, “The LORD will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!”

Praise the Lord! Praise the Eternal. He will reign today, tomorrow, and forever. For all eternity. He will be your God. And that cry here is to O Zion, that is Jerusalem, throughout the generations. That city of promise. As we read this Psalm and we listen today to these words, our hearts should sing, “Praise the LORD!”

WALT

And I think we can learn something here from the people of God – the Jewish people. For the last three thousand years, they start their mornings with these words of praise to the Lord. Let our mornings begin with Praise to the Lord. Let our lips speak and sing praise to the Lord throughout every day. We keep repeating that because the text keeps repeating it – again and again. Hallelujah! (Halel – unto / Yahweh – the LORD).

And with that, the recognition that men and women need to praise the Lord! I don’t know about you but when I start my day with a time of praise, it changes my perspective and begins my day on the right foot.

In Psalm 146, the psalmist vows to continually praise God. He exhorts his readers not to trust in man, even princes who have some power. But instead, trust God. He alone is worthy to be praised! For His power, His justice, His mercy, and for His coming Kingdom, where His Will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Let’s talk about the HEAD TO HEART – I’m going to get real with you. I do truly marvel, wonder, stand in awe of the LORD, offering praises to Him. Even this morning in our church service, just being overwhelmed with some of the songs that we sang that talk about praising the Lord. And, at one point, I was almost moved to tears. I was reminded of just how awesome and wonderful and powerful and what a Helper He is to those who will come to Him.

So, how can I incorporate more active praise and worship into every single day of my life? For me in a practical way, that involves the choice in the morning to listen to praise music on my way to work instead of the local Sports Talk program. I need to make a choice. And, how about you? How will you spend your time in the mornings?

BRENDA

That’s a real challenge. How will I spend my time? We have a choice. We all have the same number of hours each day, the same number of minutes and how will we break that down? Will we take time in the morning to offer those words of praise to the Lord? To open our Bible and reflect on a Psalm. I’d encourage us even in this coming week to open our Bible, just as the faithful Jewish followers do even to this day, and look at these last five chapters in the book of Psalms.

As we close today, as a closing benediction, I want to read Psalm 150, the final Psalm, which serves as the fitting doxology.

1 – Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

2 – Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3 – Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.

4 – Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

5 – Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

6 – Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 150 – Amen and Amen.

Friends, do you have some Bible questions as we have gone through the book of Psalms in this season? And maybe some questions from the book of Ruth during the previous season. We’d love to hear from you. And, next time on our podcast, we’re going to enter into some Bible question time as well as discussion. You can email us at [email protected]

We have repeated the email address in our Show Notes where you can also find the transcript.

We are thankful for you, our listeners, as we spread out over the world, in 17 countries, on 6 continents. We are still looking for someone in Antarctica. So, if you know anyone in the Research Station, bring them in.

Until our next time when we are together, may you continue to … Walk with God.

ENGAGE WITH US! Share Your Thoughts! – Email us at – [email protected] – with your comments and questions. We would love to hear from you. Our September 1 podcast will feature listener comments and answers to your Bible questions.

SHOW NOTES: The Songs of Ascent prepared the hearts of Jewish pilgrims as they were walking toward Jerusalem for one of the three main feasts. These different scripture passages served as truthful reminders of the Lord and His many attributes. When we read and reflect on these Psalms, our hearts and minds swell with praise and gratitude for the almighty, powerful God of heaven and earth. Psalm 121 is a comfort in the midst of troubles and difficult times. He is our Helper, Keeper, and Protector. What an encouraging Psalm to study this week in our time together! Tonights' Scripture: Psalm 121

Walk with God TRANSCRIPT: Journey through Psalms

BRENDA

Hey Friends! My name is Brenda and we are glad you have joined us. A few days ago, Walt and I were reviewing the podcast stats with our “boss,” Rick, and we were very encouraged and we are thankful for you – our listeners. The number is growing and there are listeners now in 16 countries! Wow! We would love to hear from you. Would you email us your comments and questions – [email protected] ? Check the Show Notes to confirm our email address.

Psalm 121 – The Lord the Keeper of Israel. A Song of Ascents. This Pilgrim Hymn affirms that all true help comes from the Lord who is the Keeper of Israel. (Dr. Charles Ryrie)

WALT

All Powerful Creator – Psalm 121:1-2

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

We, as readers, need to ask questions about the Biblical text. The first question we ask is …

What is the setting? Jewish families are traveling together on their way to Jerusalem for one of the three main feasts. If they are coming from the Galilee region, walking south along the Jordan River Valley, they could look to the east and see the mountains of Jordan rising up. Then, looking west they would see the mountains of Samaria and the Judean Wilderness as they got closer to Jericho (864 ft. below Sea Level). From the lowest point on the earth, these travelers would go “Up to Jerusalem” at 2,400 ft. This is a difference in elevation of more than 3,200 ft. – climbing up … It makes sense this Psalm would be spoken aloud as they walked to Jerusalem – “I lift my eyes to the mountains.”

When I read Psalm 121, I am reminded of this verse from one of Jesus’ parables …

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30) “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and he fell among robbers and they stripped him and beat him, and went off leaving him half dead.” This parable is about a traveler on the Jericho road, though only about 15 miles as the crow flies, the road winds through the rocky Judean Wilderness.

BRENDA

When we need help, we cry out to the Lord – The All Powerful Creator

The LORD is our Keeper – Psalm 121:3-5

3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

Have you ever slipped on loose gravel as you were walking along a rocky path? There are stones everywhere in Israel and it is very easy to slip.

REPETITION of the Biblical Text

1. Stresses the importance of this Truth!

2. Firmly reminds the readers!

• v. 3 – He who keeps you

• v. 4 – Behold, He who keeps Israel

• v. 5 – The Lord is your keeper

Then, He will not slumber – to sleep lightly (v. 3)

He will neither slumber nor sleep (v. 4)

• Sleep is the natural rest or repose intended by the Creator to restore the powers of the body and mind, when exhausted or fatigued.

• BUT, the LORD never gets exhausted or fatigued.

v. 5 – The LORD is your shade … He provides Protection and Shelter

The LORD is our Keeper! The LORD does not sleep! The LORD is our Protector!

WALT

We are reminded in this Psalm that the Lord is our Helper and He is our Keeper.

Everlasting Guard – Psalm 121:6-8

6 The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.

8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.

These concluding verses should bring comfort to any believer walking through uncertainty and challenges. Remembering that God is both a Keeper and a Shade. From all adversaries of the day and night ...

Merism … This is a literary term.

1. The sun … the moon

2. Your going out … your going in

These include the two contrasting parts and everything in between.

1. Throughout all hours of the day and into the wee hours of the night

2. Wherever you may go – away from home, to work and school, errands, … and then as you return home

The LORD will protect you. He will guard you. From now and forever!

BRENDA

Head to Heart – How will I apply the Truths from this Psalm to my heart and life?

How can this passage change my actions, words, attitudes?

1. Where do I look in times of trouble? Do I look to the All Powerful, Mighty Creator? Yes, my help comes from the LORD! These are good verses to meditate on and to memorize. “Thy Word have I hid in my heart.”

2. The LORD does not need a nap and He does not fall asleep. It’s comforting to know that the LORD is always alert. He watches over and keeps me safe. Do I embrace this truth or is my mind filled with anxious thoughts and worry? How can I apply these truths about the LORD and release my worry? When I lay down to sleep, I can rest knowing that the LORD is taking care of every detail that pertains to me.

3. The LORD is sovereign and all powerful. He is my protector and helper. Looking at my daily schedule, where do I need to confess my lack of trust in the LORD and acknowledge that I am not completely believing He is able to care for me?

Email us at – [email protected] - with your comments and questions. We would love to hear from you. On September 1, the podcast will feature answers to your questions and Bible study information.

WALT

This is one of my favorite Psalms when we are traveling in Israel. I like to read and reflect on these verses on the day we drive south from the Sea of Galilee, along the Jordan River Valley, to the city of Jericho. Ancient travelers would have talked together and reminded each other how the Lord had cared and provided for them over the past months and year. They were preparing their hearts and minds for an important time of worship at the festival.

Until our next time together, may you continue to trust the All Powerful Creator in your daily … Walk with God.

.

SHOW NOTES: We bring our offering of praise for what God has done. He extends grace and favor to us. Would You show us Your lovingkindness and restore our relationship with You? Once again, we want to delight in You and celebrate Your grace, truth, righteousness, love, and mercy. The Lord promises to give what is good to His children. Tonight's Scripture: Psalm 85.

Psalm 85

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people

and covered all their sins.

3 You set aside all your wrath

and turned from your fierce anger.

4 Restore us again, God our Savior,

and put away your displeasure toward us.

5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

6 Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,

and grant us your salvation.

8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;

he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—

but let them not turn to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Love and faithfulness meet together;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,

and righteousness looks down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,

and our land will yield its harvest.

13 Righteousness goes before him

and prepares the way for his steps.

SHOW NOTES: Our God is known and His name is great! He is a mighty warrior - strong, powerful, and mighty. In the midst of life’s struggles, battles, and troubles, we are reminded that He is excellent and majestic. Take time to pause and reflect on the victorious God we serve. He is eternal, righteous, and just. He is worthy of our praise! Tonight's Scripture: Psalm 76

SHOW NOTES: When you look at the world around you, what do you see? Your focus may go immediately to the struggles and trials in your life. It can be very difficult to notice the beauty and blessing around you when caught in the midst of a raging storm or standing in the center of trouble. In this psalm, David draws our attention to the Lord as our Redeemer, Creator, and Provider. God hears our prayers. He can still the roaring waves and He provides generously for us. We can find satisfaction in the presence of the Lord. Tonight's Scripture: Psalm 65

SHOW NOTES: Martin Luther wrote a beautiful hymn, "Mighty Fortress is Our God," based on this psalm of praise. It is a bold statement of confident trust in God. He is the Creator and the King over all rulers and nations. We all search for a place of refuge, protection, and safety yet God tells us to “cease striving, and know that I am God.” Let’s run to the Lord because He alone is our refuge and strength! - Tonight's Scripture: Psalm 46