Tag: sin
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Gather ‘Round and Listen!
16Come and hear, all you who fear God,and I will tell what he has done for my soul.17I cried to him with my mouth,and high praise was on my tongue.18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,the Lord would not have listened.19But truly God has listened;he has attended to the voice of my prayer.–Psalm 66 We…
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Predestination, David Style
1Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,and to you shall vows be performed.2O you who hear prayer,to you shall all flesh come.3When iniquities prevail against me,you atone for our transgressions.4Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness…
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How to Turn Back to God
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.–Psalm 51 While his army was away at war, King David once stayed home. And some lonely night he saw a woman privately bathing. He desired her and being the king, he slept with her. Even though he…
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God, the Only Hope
7Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,8for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,9that he should live on forever and never see the pit.–Psalm 49 The general understanding was that after death, a person went to Sheol, the underworld, the grave, the place…
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Humility Matters More
8Good and upright is the LORD;therefore he instructs sinners in the way.9He leads the humble in what is right,and teaches the humble his way.10All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.–Psalm 25 I love the Joseph story in Genesis for many reasons. And my favorite new reason…
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Cashing that Paycheck
20“The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me.–Deuteronomy 28, part 2 The final chunk of this chapter is a depressing jolt of reality. Show covenant love to God…
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Nobody Escapes
26“‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’–Deuteronomy 27 Imagine you are watching a movie where all the heroes are trapped. And one by one they try to escape the trap. Some try valiantly, but fail. Others almost make it, but…
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Empty-Hearted Worship
No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: 17Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.–Deuteronomy 16 In the context here, the men were to gather at the three festivals and bring with them agricultural gifts from their fields and vines. These were intentional and required gatherings that were…