Through the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross,
the bibical Holy Days speak to all peoples of all times.

Psalm 98

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
Verse 1

The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
versus 2-3

More Than Just a Day..

Shout for joy to the Lord,
all the earth,
burst into jubilant song
with music.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;

make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,

with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Verses 4-6

Let the sea resound, and,
everything in it, the world,
and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;

let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and
the peoples with equity.
verses 7-9

Psalm 46..

God is our refuge and strength , very much found to be a help in distresses..
On account of this we will not fear when the earth changes and when mountains are slipping into the heart of the seas.

Let it's waters foam, let the mountains shake in it's swelling.
There is a river , it's channels gladden the city of God, the holy tabernacles of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be shaken ; God will help her at the turning of the morning..
The nations roared ; kingdoms were shaken; He gave forth his voice, the earth melted.

Jehovah of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is a refuge for us.
Come behold the works of Jehovah , who sets ruins on the earth;
causeing to cease wars to the end of the earth ; He breaks the bow and cuts apart spears ;
He burns the chariots in the fire.

Be still and know that I am God ! I will be exalted in the earth.
Jehovah of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is a refuge for us.

In His Presence Forever..

Sing A New Song

Shout for joy to the Lord,
all the earth,
burst into jubilant song
with music.

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things" is an unbeatable opening line for a song.

Written more then 2,500 years ago, Psalm 98 has been the inspiration behind several modern-day hymns.
Christians sing versions of Psalm 98 in different languages around the world every week.

Yet, even as this psalm has inspired Christians in worship,
it has also intrigued them in their Bible study.
Bibical scholars have made some interesting speculations about the original use of the psalm..
in ancient Israel's religious services.

Psalm 98 has been called an enthronement hymn.
It was probably sung at the Festival of Trumpets to celebrate God's kingship over Israel.

As the ultimate King, the Lord saved the Israelites from slavery and from their surrounding enemies.
He did marvelous things and made his salvation known to his people.

Yet this psalm also contains universal themes of the prophet Isaiah..
that God would not only save Israel, but also the entire world.

This ultimate salvation-- spiritual salvation-- began when Jesus Christ proclaimed:
" The time has come.
The Kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!"
{Mark 1:15}

Psalm 98 closes on a prophetic note:
"Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity"
(verse 9)

Thus, as we sing the modern arrangements of this ancient, inspired psalm,
we celebrate not only the history of salvation,
but it's present and future as well.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 63:8

Mary responded (to Elizabeth's blessing),"Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!..
For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
--- Luke 1:46-50...

Hi Sean... (((( Smiles ))))

How Many Birds Are You Worth?
Matthew 6:25-34

According to Jesus, what are we to seek in the place of food and clothing? What results from seeking this?

What is one thing you can do in the comeing week " to seek his kingdom and his righteousness?

What causes you to worry most?

What is God saying to you through this passage about handling your particular worry or disappointment?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all theses things will be given to you as well.
-- Matthew 6:33..

Religious Respectabiltiy
Matthew 6:1-8

Give Secretly, Pray Secretly
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men to be seen by them.
--- Matthew 6:1..

1.Did you grow up in an openly " religious home?
2.Were you taught any prayers as a child? Which one do you recall?
3.How does one handle giveing to the poor?
4.What does this passage tell us about the approach Jesus wants us to have in giveing to the poor?
5.Where do you go when you need to pray?
6. What do you find yourself praying for most often?
7. In praying what do you find is your greatest challenge?

A Judgemental Spirit
Matthew 7:1-5

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
---Matthew 7:1..

How is it with your soul?

What teaching from the Sermon on the Mount has been the most meaningfull for you? Most challenging? Most comforting?

In Verses 1-6 what is Jesus calling for: No judgement? Divine judgement? Self -judgement? Fair judgement? Other?

When should we remove the " speck" from a sister or brother? How should we do it?

How Jesus Complicates My Life
Mark 11:1-11

" Blessed is the comeing kingdom of our father David!"
" Hosanna in the highest!"
--- Mark 11:10..

1. The Revelation of the King
2. The Reaction to the King

A. The Pharisee
B. The Fickle
C. The Follower

"I look unto the Hills from where my Help comes from; My help comes from the Lord-- Maker of Heaven and Earth"


Thank you Heavenly Father for extending your hand to grab us out of the pit.


love
Boldylocks

COME AWAY GOD'S CHILD

"Upon the manger there the Faeries watched Him lay,
With Angels guarding at His side,
His face as Bright as Day,

"Come With us little Child,
Our Creator's Son in Man!
Let us take you far from here,
Into a better Land;

"A Land enchanted you deserve,
Come , Child, with us today!"
The Faeries pleaded at our Savior,
As He lay upon the hay;

"Come to our World of Happy Song,
With Crystal Waters- brilliant flowers
Where you, God's child belong.

Not here, with arid wasteland's man,
Who will crush you with the Thorn.
Come with us to our secret Realm,
Oh holy child newborn!"

After the faeries pleaded then the angels softly said:
"He will not go- His face is set"
With Love this Child is led"

For men's mistakes He'll give His life
To save Earth from the dead
And lead back Earth to Heaven's Realms,
So come with Him instead"

With that the Faeries understood-
This God Child will turn bad to good;
With love they kissed His tender face,
Of him whom came to save man's race."

(given by the Holy Spirit)

Hi Lil'Aug, I enjoyed your poem that was well written and interesting Thanks for Shareing it.. ((( Smiles )))

Celebrating our Creator for us believers is the most important and the most fulfilling thing in life.
There's nothing better then shareing God's love & hope for all of us..
As one big family in Christ.

" ... how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to thoses who ask him."
Matthew 7:11

Honored
Ephesians 5:33-6:4

1. The Challenge of Manhood

11. Father's Day Gifts

Gifts from Fathers
Gifts for Fathers

111. The Model Father

1: When you hear the word "father" what comes to mind?
2: How do theses ideas about "father" influence your ideas about God?
3: How do your ideas about God influence your ideas about" father"?
4: What can you do to either be a better father(men)or encourage men to be better fathers(women and children)?

Basic Discipleship
Matthew 7:13-23

1. Two Gates v. 13-14
11. Two Trees v. 15-20
111. Two Claims v. 21-23

Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
--- Matthew 7:13-14

1. Who are the false prophets we need to guard against?
What "test" does Jesus give us?

2. What are the "good fruits" Jesus is looking for?
How can theses fruits be cultivated?

3. What was the fault of the "evildoers" (v 23)?
What does Jesus mean by the phrase "will of my Father"?

4. In liveing your life do you tend to walk on the narrow or broad road?
What makes the broad so tempting?
What makes the narrow so difficult?

" God You Reign"

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, " The Lord has done great things for them."
--- Psalm 126:2..

A Deeper Well Isaiah 12
Why praise God? (vs.2)

1. In the Bible Zion can refer to..
a. A place (read Psalm 78:68-69)
b. Or, a metaphor of God's gathered people
(read Hebrews 12:22& Revelation 14:1)

Can you think of a place that has a double meaning for you?
Maybe a place where something special happened- spiritual or relational that has become for you a symbol of something special or sacred?

2. In Isaiah 12, salvation moves back and forth from " this day" to " that day."
Notice how salvation is always moveing between past, present and future:
a. Salvation as past (read Ephesians 2:5&8)
b. Salvation as present (read First Corinthians 1:18 & Philippians 2:12)
c. Salvation as future(read Romans 13:11)

Can you share something of your own expirences of God's salvation as past, present and future?

3. Can you share something of "this day" in your life(maybe prayer time), and share, how "that day"
(Zion that awaits us, Isaiah 12:1&4) changes "this day"?

How great is our GOD

Our God is Sovereign

God heard their groaning and he remembered his convenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.
So God looked on the Israelities and was concerned about them.
----- Exodus 2:24-25

1. The Power of the Promise v. The Pervasiveness of the Problem.
11. Transcendence v. Immanence
111. What Sovereignty Means for Me.

1. Describe what you think it means that God is sovereign.
2. Give an example from your own expirence of how you have had to trust in God's sovereignty.
3. Why do you think trusting God is both " dangerous" and a source of peace as well?

The Model for Praying and Fasting
Matthew 6:9-18

" This,then,is how you should pray."
----Matthew 6-9..

1. In what ways have you given of your talents, time and treasure to the work of God's Kingdom?
Is there a new area of ministry you would like to try?

2. Useing the prayer(known as the Lord's prayer)as a model, what three things related to God are expressed first(vv.9-10)?
What three things related to our needs are expressed next(vv.11-13)?

3. What do verses 12,14, and 15 say to you about the relationship between forgiving and being forgiven?

4. What is the purpose of fasting?
In what situations, that you are currently facing, might fasting be helpful?

5. What "acts of righteousness" or "religious disciplines" are valued in your circles?
In what ways can they be used to impress others?
When have you given in to that temptation?

6. In getting serious about your spiritual life, what is something you need to start doing?