psalm 87

psalm 87

"The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob."

When Jesus raised from the dead, God's Kingdom broke in for good. God's favorite place is no longer Jerusalem, it is wherever he dwells; which is especially with you. Do think of where you live the same way as the psalm writer thinks of Jerusalem? Why not? Through Jesus, it is a foretaste of the New Jerusalem.

Pray for love for your city.

psalm 86

psalm 86

"Make me wholeheartedly committed to you."

How can we expect deep and lasting transformation in our lives for the good unless God is the source? We can't. Halfhearted won't do. Neither will anything less. We may not know it because we haven't given ourselves over to him.

Pray for God to take it all and mean it.

psalm 85

10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed.

When the metaphor of kissing is connected, we listen. It is just interesting. So, does being right with God bring a peace that brings intimacy? I guess it does.

Pray for a closer touch from God.

psalm 84

 10 A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

What if you could just spend one whole day in the presence of God? You can…It isn’t about worship or service or anything else. It is about God and what he wants to happen.  Do you think God couldn’t focus on us exclusively? Why wouldn’t he?

Pray that God might fill you with clarity in your desires?

psalm 83

psalm 83

 17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace.

We always try to be peaceful with our emotions, but it is not as if it is totally biblical or anything. Vengeance is God’s, but we can cheer him on. Not very mature, but the only reason we could be pacifist, actually.

Pray for active peace.

psalm 82

5 But these oppressors know nothing;
      they are so ignorant!
   They wander about in darkness,
      while the whole world is shaken to the core.


Everyone has an ideal view of the world. That which we value makes up our value's system. So, when we make a value judgment about someone else, we are always speaking through a preset filter. How does a biblical worldview stack up? The poor and vulnerable are always on God's radar.


Pray for those who are vulnerable.

psalm 81

12 So I let them follow their own stubborn desires,
      living according to their own ideas.


God doesn't force anyone to follow him. Yet, if you want true freedom from that which binds you, and true hope in better days ahead, you follow him. He doesn't have to convince anyone. He gives his Holy Spirit to those who are open to receive, and then new life begins. Living a life worth living with a God worth loving.


Pray for courage of openness in someone you know who is in deep need.

New Song Luke 1:46-55

Jesus brings new life
New identity message

Mary and Elizabeth Luke 1:39-45

Mary and Elizabeth give us insight in what it means to live in a community of encouragement

Psalm 80

19 Restore us, O LORD God Almighty;
make your face shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

To have God’s face shine on us is a poetic way of saying, “Stick close to us and show us your glory, Lord!” If only God were here.... God is here.

Pray for His Presence.

Psalm 79

4 We are objects of reproach to our neighbors,
of scorn and derision to those around us.

When this psalm is created, the people of Israel are ridiculed by their neighbors. Today, many of our neighbors ridicule us again. Today, it is much less envy and competition, as it is in the days of Israel. Today, some of the scorn we receive is because some Christians act so over-the-top. It is actually helpful scorn. It reminds us we are to be a light way more than a judge.

Pray for graciousness.

Psalm 78
65 Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep, like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor.

This is a fascinating psalm in that it does a historical timeline in a very graphic way. When God, a non-physical reality, is described in human attributes it is called anthropomorphicism. God is also described in natural terms like "Rock, ' or in military terms like "fortress" and "shield." "Hungover soldier" is rather unique military term...
"O God, you are my strength and shield; you are my hungover soldier. Alleluia!" Don't think it works.

Pray to God like he is able to accomplish whatever you need to be a blessing in the world.

Psalm 77  

14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

 

God is displaying his power all over the place. The challenge is personally having access to the power. The Holy Spirit brings the goods and it is right to start by asking for the Spirit to fill you so you can be a blessing.

 

Pray to be a blessing.  

 Psalm 76

2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.

 

God is everywhere, and in ancient times, they thought of God especially coming to the temple of Jerusalem. Now the use of metaphor for God living in a tent or living anywhere specifically is seen in scripture without explanation.

 

Jerusalem has the unique role in the Old Testament because that is chosen as the capital city where God’s people seek him and worship him. When Jesus arrives, God, temple, holy presence and all are wrapped into one. Jesus is all.

 

Pray to sense the presence of God in your life this week.

Mary says, "Yes!" Luke 1:26-38

When you just trust God at his word

Psalm 75

 10 For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.”

 

God’s power comes through the Holy Spirit. God gives power to those he can trust. If you want that kind of power because you want to be a blessing to others, open yourself to the Holy Spirit and you will be blessed. Then watch what God can do.

 

Pray for power. More power, Lord.

Psalm 74

 20 Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence!

 

God will bring his peace into the world. There will come a day when everyone will know Jesus and his ways. It doesn’t mean everyone will want Jesus and his ways, but his light will make it all clear.

 

Pray for the light of Christ to come.

Psalm 73
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

Why would we purposely choose to ignore God and work against him? Because we can’t understand everything about him? Who would want to worship a God you could fully understand? He would only be as intelligent as you…

Pray for the desire to honestly seek the deeper things of God.

Psalm 72
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy and he will rescue them.

In biblical meaning, “pity” is not a matter of a superior looking down on, and making a value judgment of, a “so-called” inferior. It is sharing the suffering of another, emotionally. But, it doesn’t stop there. God’s people act; like the king in the Psalm, we respond with actions of blessing for those in need.

Pray for God to reveal someone who specifically needs your support.

Psalm 71 

18 Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

 

Followers of Jesus don’t retire. He doesn’t stop moving forward. Young people need Jesus in their lives. They discover trust in God when they connect acts of power with the God of power. They make this connection under the influence of the Holy Spirit, guided by a friend who is a friend of God.

 

How is God helping you make progress in being a guide to others? 

 Psalm 70

5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;

      please hurry to my aid, O God.

   You are my helper and my savior;

      O Lord, do not delay.

 

God uses his people to be a blessing for all people in the world. It is especially important for the message of ‘love your neighbor’ to go out through the actions of his people who reach out to those in need. Whether metaphorically or literally we all need a savior. There is more than enough blessing to go around.

 

Where is God drawing your attention? See.

Psalm 69

 9 Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

 

When people are skeptical of God, sometimes they may mock him, and are upset over the fact that you trust in him. This can be unpleasant, but God can take care of himself. I don’t know why someone would have such energy to be perturbed by a God they don’t think exists anyway.

 

Pray for skeptical people to be open to examining the evidence.

Psalm 68

But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

 

The violent language here doesn’t seem to be too much for those who trust in God. These words have been around for several thousand years and haven’t been “censored” out, yet. Regardless, if God is running around today crushing skulls or not, this passage has my attention.

 

Thank God for his mercy.

 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.

 

When we see the word, “nation,” in the Bible it generally means “people groups or ethnic groups” as much as it means political entities of independent sovereignty. The impact of Christianity continues to expand in an amazing way in all people/ ethnic/ language groups. “…all the nations” may not be such a stretch.

 

Pray for those who share the love of Jesus in ____________(fill in the blank with any country).

 

Psalm 66

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.

 

If we are honest before God we recognize our need for his forgiveness and we receive it. If we are not honest as his people, we choose not to receive the forgiveness he has already given on the cross. It doesn’t do us any good if we don’t think we need it. If we don’t know God and we are not seeking him we don’t receive the benefits of that forgiveness because we are not aware it exists. If we don’t know God and are open and seeking, he will find a way to draw us to the place of confessing our sins and realizing the forgiveness that is already available.

 

Pray for openness before God.