"Enjoying God"
With Psalms 15-17 on the agenda, you can bet we will handle a few different topics, but at least one thing we will discuss in our ability to enjoy relationships!
Are your current relationships a source of joy or stress? Parents, are you enjoying your children? Husbands, are you enjoying your wives? Saints, are you enjoying your God? If not, why not? Are we too busy trying to fix or mold or get that we have lost the ability for simple enjoyment of relationship? I can guarantee you that enjoying relationships on the horizontal will grow as you enjoy the vertical relationship!
Psalm 15 delineates the character of a person who gets to enjoy the Bedouin-style "tent hospitality" of God! The Bedouin nomad is known for hospitality - opening the tent and extending warmth and protection and fellowship with their guests. who experiences that fellowship with God?
Psalm 16 is a sheer celebration of the benefits of entrusting your life to a faithful and good God! The benefit does not flow from simply saying you trust Him, but in reality keeping Him at a distance. If you run to Him for refuge He will care for you, and that care extends from this life even into death. David is so satisfied and pleased with what God has given Him, he would never consider worshipping elsewhere!
If you are mostly a "Martha" -- so busy serving God that you have no time to enjoy Him, then tonight's Psalms may be just what you need. How will you know unless you....
....VIEW AND SEE!
Steve
Psalms 15-17
February 16, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Psalm 15, Psalm 16, Psalm 17
Psalm 1
January 9, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Psalm 1
"How to Find Happiness" We will open our Bibles to Psalm 1, which is familiar territory for many of God's people. Psalm 1 will serve as our intro to our year-long study of the Book of Psalms which will be on Wed nights, starting Jan 12. But for now..... Psalm 1 is simple, clear, and makes no demands. Instead, the Psalmist present two choices and urges the reader to make a decision based on what is presented. The big question is, what kind of life do you want to live? The Declaration of Independence guarantees people of America the right to pursue happiness. Donald Trump promised to "Make America Great Again", but couldn't make Americans happy again. In terms of national "happiness", people from Finland topped the 2018 survey, with Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Switzerland rounding out the top 5. Those are some cold yet happy people! Brrrr. What about America? A humble 18th place and dropping each year. Regardless of national happiness, and how that is determined, the opening statement of Psalm 1 is "Oh how happy is the man......". And the Psalm goes on to describe the life of a happy man and compare his [or her] life to the opposite. Throughout the Psalm we will see some themes repeated from our recent study of Philippians while asking the questions, "Am I happy?", and "Who is responsible for my happiness?" This is a simple and great Psalm that may help get things on track for 2022. Lord knows, we need it! View and See.....!!!
Psalms 2-3
January 12, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Psalm 2, Psalm 3
"The Heart of Worship" Tonight, after an intro to the Psalms and a little fun, we will start the ball rolling with Psalms 2 and 3. Psalm 2 is quoted a number of times in the NT, and could be title "Rebellion is No Joke". If you have ever thought to yourself, "What's the deal with the world? Why are people so set against Jesus?", then Psalm 2 is for you. I have often taught from Psalm 2 at Megiddo in Israel, just above the Valley of Armageddon. Wanna know why? You will understand after tonight! Psalm 3-5 seem to all be connected together and to an event in the life of King David. A very tough time when his Son Absalom "stole the hearts of the people of Israel". His leadership was undermined by his own good-looking, charismatic, and somewhat bitter son. How does he handle it all as his approval ratings plummet and he is forced off the throne. He is a laughingstock whom people are gossiping about. How would you feel? How would you handle it. The Psalms are full of raw emotion and heart. I believe the fruit of our study will be a return to the heart of worship. May God put a song in our hearts! If your life is dry, and your praise is flat, and you need Psalm-thing to sing about, then..... http://....view AND SEE! Steve