If Psalm 4 frames the Jewish evening as an example of prayer for us, then Psalm 5 frames the Jewish morning. “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
David gives us Psalm 4 which we could read, meditate on, pray to God, or sing in the evening before we go to sleep. As he wrote this psalm, I wonder if he thought of his time as a shepherd boy in the fields. Did he look at a starry sky like this and talk to God?
Have you ever felt ganged up on? Like everyone is against you? Like attacks are coming from all directions and you just can’t catch a break?
We may have all felt this way at one time or another for a variety of reasons.
God knows what the kings and nations of the earth do not – He has the very top player on His team. He calls this player “Son.” He has anointed this player above any others, and He would give this player anything he asks.
What does it mean to “be a disciple”? In the Christian context, a disciple is one who follows Jesus. If we are going to seek to be disciples of Jesus, then we are wise to look to scripture to help us know the way to follow. We begin with Psalm 1. This psalm sets two paths in front of us: the way of the wicked and the way of the blessed. The word “blessed” in scripture catches my attention.
guest post by Bill Lewis Sometimes my burden seems difficult and following Jesus seems so heavy. I should go to church, probably be in a discipleship group, serve in a ministry and give abundantly out of my sometimes meager income. Is God capricious and difficult to follow? All of this seems so overwhelming that I…
guest post by Nancy Golden My husband Phil and I recently took my ninety-year old mother to visit a doctor for a second opinion. We don’t see Mom as often as we would like since she lives in another city and our schedules are quite full. Mom doesn’t drive any more and doesn’t get out much.…
A Lenten Study by Bishop Dick Wilke For our first post in our “Interviews with Influencers” series, From the Branches had a chance to catch up with Bishop Dick Wilke regarding his new Lenten study, published through Abingdon Press, and featured this year as an online course for Be A Disciple. Bishop Richard B. Wilke…
The successful expansion of any movement is in direct proportion to its success in mobilizing and occupying its total membership in constant propagation of its beliefs. (The Strachan Theorem, from Richard Peace, Small Group Evangelism – A Training Program for Reaching Out with the Gospel) There are two streams of disciple making which could be…
My name is Derek Maul; I’m a Jesus-follower, a pilgrim-in-progress, and an author for Upper Room Books. I’m also a real fan of this ongoing experiment with on-line learning. My Passion My passion is to connect people – men and women – with a more vibrant, authentic experience of what I call “The Life-Charged Life.”…
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