Most people love to claim credit for themselves on any project that went well. They may choose to neglect telling others that there was a group working on the project, and instead claim all the credit for themselves. They may acknowledge the fact that a couple other people helped them, but downplay their contributions to the project. Very few people are going to say that they were part of a group who did something great and emphasize the other people’s contributions to the project.
In Psalm 44, the psalmist says that they heard from their fathers what God did in the past. Their fathers could have easily claimed that they did it all with their own skill. They could have claimed that they drove the people out and possessed the lands by their own power. But, they didn’t. Their fathers could have also easily said that God helped them some, but it was still mostly by their own efforts that they did these things. But, they didn’t. Instead, they said to the Lord their God, “You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad. For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them” (vs 2,3a). They fully acknowledged that God was the one who did all the work. Without God, they could not have done any of these things.
God also works in our lives, like He did in the fathers’ of the psalmist. Most of the time He’s not driving out herds of people before us or possessing lands for us, but He’s still working to do something great in us and for us. When God does something in your life, do you acknowledge that He did it and that it was not by your own strength? When people ask about it, do you tell them it was fully by God that these things happened, or do you briefly acknowledge it but claim you did most of it? We need to acknowledge that God did something great and that it was not by our own power.
-Kaitlyn Hamilton
Reflection Questions
Who do you most often give the credit to when something goes right in your life?
For what events of your personal past can you give God glory? What did He do? What did He save you from? How did He show His strength, power and wisdom?
How can you do a better job of giving God the credit and telling others (including children) what He has done for you? How can this help others, including the next generation?
Today I want to break down a single verse in praise to God and consider what Paul was getting at:
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)
We are quite ready to think of God as a king, since we are so familiar with the language of God’s kingdom from the Old Testament, but God is rarely called “king” in the New Testament. I see Matthew 5:35, here, 1 Timothy 6:15, and Revelation 15:3. The fact that Paul is choosing to use this language at all probably means he is doing something special, trying to point to attributes of God he feels the Ephesians should be dwelling on.
You may recall that New Testament Greek has no word meaning “eternity.” But that concept has been put into English translations where people thought it sounded right. It has been suggested that the history of these insertions was aided by some unhelpful translations of the Greek in Jerome’s Vulgate Latin (back in the fourth century), affecting how later versions were produced. (For example, Revelation 10:6 has a phrase which in the Vulgate is something like “there will be no more time” rather than “there will be no more delay”.) So, the first words of praise in 1 Timothy 1:17 are more like “Now to the King of the ages.”
It has been pointed out before that when the Bible begins it never tries to explain who God is, it assumes the existence of God. There is no great effort put in to describe God as “eternal” in the sense philosophy attaches to that word. It seems obvious that God is beyond the scope of the universe God created, and we accept that God is beyond our understanding. Romans 16:26 is a text with a similar sort of feel.
The next term used to describe God is given in the NASB as “immortal.” In 1 Corinthians 15:53 Paul uses two images to describe how our frail bodies will change with resurrection. In the NASB it says we need to “put on the imperishable” and “put on immortality”. Another way to express those ideas might be to put on “incorruption” (the inability to decay) and “immortality” (the inability to die). The term Paul used in 1 Timothy 1:17 was the one for incorruption or imperishability. Paul referred to God this way one other time, in Romans 1:23. When Paul returned to praising God in 1 Timothy 6:16 he used the other term from 1 Corinthians 15:53, and described God as “immortal,” so the letter does use both words. I guess the NASB put the wrong word in chapter one because they wanted to have a more commonly understood term.
The third term applied to God is “invisible.” The Greek term itself simply takes the word for “visible” and puts “a” at the start to negate it. This kind of word construction happens a lot with terms we are familiar with, like “amoral,” or “agnostic” (“not knowing”). With this word the meaning is a bit ambiguous, maybe saying “invisible,” maybe saying “unseen.” This is another case where Paul returns to the topic in 1 Timothy 6:16. The word is used just a few other places in the New Testament: Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15 and 16, and Hebrews 11:27.
The fourth point Paul makes is that God is the only God. This is classic Jewish theology, basic day-one stuff. Abraham understood this, Moses stated this clearly in Deuteronomy 6:4. The language Paul uses to describe it I could transliterate in English letters as “mono Theo” – “one God,” close to how monotheism gets its name. For similar language elsewhere in the New Testament you could look at John 5:44, 17:3; Romans 16:27; Jude 4. Of course, other passages of scripture establish that God is the only God, just with different words.
By the way, if you are using a translation that has the phrase “only wise God” and wondered about that, I checked on it in my book that tries to track all the differences in the Greek manuscripts for the New Testament. The committee that produced the book figured that difference pretty certainly got into the text for the King James Version (and thus all the translations that follow from it) by way of a copyist who was remembering the phrasing in Romans 16:27. There are manuscripts from too many lines of transmission without the extra word to think that it was originally in 1 Timothy 1:17. But it is still obviously a legitimate way that Paul wrote about God so there is nothing wrong with the phrase.
The fact that Paul called for “honor” to be given to God brings up John 5:23, where we are told that those who do not honor the son do not honor the Father who sent him. It also brings up John 8:49, where Jesus says that he honors his Father.
That God receives “glory” brings up Romans 16:27, where Paul calls for God to receive glory – and that glory was to come to God through Jesus Christ. Also Philippians 2:11, “that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The phrase given as “forever and ever” is more like “to the ages of the ages” – as there was no word for eternity to use so this is casting the intention far into the future.
“Amen” – “truly,” or “so be it.” Please be careful what you say Amen to, because it is supposed to mean you are agreeing, and that is supposed to matter.
I suspect that Paul thought his audience would be familiar with a lot of scripture, so it may be necessary to follow up on some of the references I listed to get all the meanings he intended them to see. Particularly it may be necessary to read part of chapter six before everything ties together, as I suspect Paul intentionally linked these two parts to each other.
The single verse we have examined is a prayer, seeking to exalt God. I can’t be sure whether breaking it down this way has caused you to gain insights, but I figure it was worth a try once. Now please put it back together again and take the time to pray Paul’s prayer. Give it time and heart. It’s short, you can say it more than once if you choose. You don’t have to use the words your Bible version offered, you have enough words to choose from now to put it in the terms that make sense to you. And if it strikes a chord with you, maybe you will even choose to memorize it. Amen.
Reflection Questions
Why do you think Paul put a prayer into the middle of his letter to Timothy?
Why do you think Paul emphasized, in his prayer, that God was the King?
How often do you pray to God with just praise? How often with prayers that are not your own words? Have you had experiences of prayer in the past that you look back on with great joy, but that you just haven’t taken the opportunity / effort / whatever to put back into your life recently?
New Testament: 1 & 2 Thessalonians Intro – see below
Yesterday we looked at David dancing and worshiping God as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the Tabernacle. Today we are looking at a song of praise, written by the very same man, King David.
This Psalm speaks of different aspects of who God is, and David tells us that he meditates on those attributes and tells everyone about them. I think that in this he also invites us to do the same. Last week in his class at Family Camp about the Bible, Steve Mattison spoke to us one day about meditating on the word of God, and on God’s goodness and on all His attributes, and how scripture calls for us to do this day and night. It simply means to keep reminding yourself of these truths and thinking about them all the time. That is what David speaks of himself doing in this Psalm. He says, “I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.” (Psalm 145:5 NLT)
Then the rest of the Psalm just speaks of how awesome God is. He speaks of how the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love, how He always keeps His promises, and how He helps the fallen and the hungry and thirsty. David speaks of how God’s Kingdom with last forever and how God’s eyes are close to those who call on Him. There are many more that David speaks of here and all these attributes are amazing and worthy of all of our praise.
So the question is, what can you praise God for today? I’m sure there are things that He has done for you that are deserving of your praise. But you may right now be in a difficult place, where you may be struggling and feel far from God. If you are, then something that would be a good practice for you at this time is to meditate on what God has done for you in the past, and praise Him for those things and praise Him for what He has promised to do in the future. It may seem difficult to do in the middle of the storm you may be going through, but remember Paul and Silas who were beaten and thrown into prison, or David when he was being hunted down by Saul, who wanted to outright kill him. They and others in the Bible and throughout church history, when they found themselves in a dark place chose to focus on God’s goodness, rather than their storm and to praise Him, because no matter what He is worthy of our praise.
So let me leave you with David’s words that he ends this Psalm with, “I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145:23 NLT)
-Jonny Smith
Reflection Questions
Is God deserving of your praise? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?
What are some of the best ways for you to show your praise to God? How often do you do them?
Do you meditate on God’s words and on His goodness/wonderful works? Would there be benefit in doing this more? If so, what benefits?
Is God still deserving of your praise when you are in a difficult place and time? Why or why not (answer in more than a couple words)?
1 & 2 Thessalonians Introduction
Scholars believe Paul wrote the first letter to the Church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, while in Corinth – just a few months after he left Thessalonica, between 49 and 51 AD.
The main theme of 1 Thessalonians is Jesus’ Second Coming. Since Jesus is going to return, Christians are called to live lives worthy of God – blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father. When Jesus returns, the dead in Christ will rise first, then the living will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Paul tells the Thessalonians to encourage each other with these words.
While unbelievers will suffer God’s wrath, “…God has not appointed us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct the misunderstanding that the “Day of the Lord” had already come. More details are given of Jesus’s return – when “he will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Paul gives details of the rebellion that will take place before the return of Christ, and the rise of the “man of lawlessness” (the antiChrist). Paul warns in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
May we take to heart Paul’s encouragement and his warning in these two books, and fervently seek the truth. I’ll close with 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”
We are currently looking for a new house. We love where we are now, but we’re outgrowing our space and ready to raise our family with more room! We have toured SEVERAL houses, put in offers for a few, and yet still have nothing to show. I’m looking for a house that fits my needs, or at least one that I can alter (without too much cost) that will give me happiness in a home. I would say right now, I am yearning for a house. There have been moments where I have even shed a tear of disappointment, frustration, and sadness over ‘losing’ a house that was never mine. There are times where there is intense emotion behind my desire for a dwelling place.
God sure has a funny way of teaching me lessons… He really likes to teach me especially while I am trying to teach others. When I signed up for this week of devotions, I hadn’t even met with a realtor. Now, as I type up this message, I just spent three days stressing over what amount to offer on a house only to be rejected without a counter within hours and I opened up my Bible to “Longing for God’s House”… ironic, huh? So now, here I am reminding you but reminding me that the house I should be longing for is the house of God (Psalm 84:2). My heart is aching for a space to call home, and yet I am ignoring the promise of a dwelling place of the LORD of Hosts (v. 1). I’m out here struggling to feel “happy” with my current circumstance, but I have forgotten that I can reside in the house of an Almighty God and I should be praising Him CONTINUALLY (v.4)!
We are told God gives grace and glory; that he doesn’t withhold the good from those who live with integrity (v.11). I have been so focused on seeking out something for myself rather than focusing on how I am living and trusting God to show me the good He is providing.
Maybe you aren’t looking for a physical home right now, but I bet you are searching and yearning for something. Maybe it’s a promotion at work, a hand to hold, a new car, to finish school, peace for your mental health, anything. Everyone in some capacity is seeking “happiness”. Are you looking in the right place?
-Sarah Johnson
Hello! I am Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson. My husband and I just welcomed little Eli in August of 2022 and we are LOVING being parents, although we miss some sleep too… We live in Minnesota and attend Pine Grove Bible Church; I have a heart for missions and would love to talk to you about it!
Questions for Reflection:
This Psalm gives us four ways to be happy:
1. Reside in God’s house
2. Praise God continually
3. Get your Strength from God
4. Trust in the LORD of Hosts
Which area do you need to focus on to feel happy? Is there more than one?
I found one verse especially that caught my eye in how God reveals Himself… Which verses did you find?
Prayer:
LORD of Hosts, I pray today for myself and others, that we put our energy into longing for your house. I pray that we live our lives with integrity so we can experience your good things. I pray those seeking happiness find it through trusting in you. God, thank you for all you are and all that you do in our lives each day. We praise you for the promise of a perfect dwelling place to come. In your son’s name, Amen.
And, in preparation for starting the book/letter of Galatians tomorrow in our New Testament reading, here’s Steve with our…
Introduction to Galatians
Paul wrote the book of Galatians to the churches in Galatia. Paul was very direct in addressing their turning away from the gospel. In 1:6, Paul says, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…” This was obviously a serious problem, since Paul then went on to say in 1:8, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!”
You’ll find out in Chapter 3 that their problem was that they were trying to be justified by observing the law. Paul argued that justification comes through faith in Jesus alone, not by works performed according to the law.
Paul also pointed out that as far as Christ is concerned, there is no distinction between Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female – all are one in Christ. Paul then went on to say that if they belong to Christ, then they are Abraham’s descendants, and heirs according to the promises to Abraham. This applies to us today, as well.
Paul defined the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He also pointed out that they (and we) should live by the Spirit, and not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
In 6:7-8, Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
The book of Galatians is just as relevant to us today as it was to the original audience when it was written. As you read it, consider how this letter applies to you today.
As I began reading Psalm 71 I immediately took to heart the first sentence, “In you, LORD, I have taken refuge.” How many times do we have troubles and look to things other then God? We look to our friends, our families, sometimes video games, sugar, so many things when our first response should be to look to God. Our writer goes on to ask God to be his rock of refuge, to which I can always go. We can go to Him anytime day or night. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night because something is bothering me. While I know my husband would not get upset if I woke him, it is not something I want to do. But guess what, God is there! He is always with us.
The Psalm goes on to ask about not casting him away when he is old, not forsaking him when his strength is gone. He asks God for help. He says he will always have hope and he will praise God more and more. He will tell of his saving acts all day long. He will praise Him with the harp, the lyre, his lips and his tongue. The writer of this Psalm really knew that God is AMAZING!
All of this made me think of a few things. First, as I said earlier, God is aways with us. I have a great support system and God has put wonderful people in my life to help me navigate the craziness of this world but do I put God aside and try everything else first and then go to Him? I know I do sometimes, then I realize I should have gone to Him first. Many times when I go to him first, he puts the right help in front of me to navigate my problem and sometimes he tells me I just need to wait on it.
Second, when he is talking about his enemies, I think of the enemies that are trying to take us away from God. They will stop at nothing to tear us from the love of God. Verse 4 says “Deliver me, my God from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.” We need to stand firm in our faith, seek God, spend time in His word, and be careful that we don’t get pulled away. It is so easy to walk away, to spend time away from God. We need to be purposeful in our walk with Him so we are not tempted to walk away.
Lastly, he is praising God. We need to praise God for all he has given us. My husband says he is part of the joyful noise club. I am too, I don’t have a beautiful voice but the Bible doesn’t say we have to have a beautiful voice, it says to make a joyful noise. It also doesn’t say we need to be Bible scholars to speak his word or tell others of the great things He does. Verse 17 says, “I declare your marvelous deeds.” Go out and declare His marvelous deeds in your life.
-Jeani Ransom
Questions for reflection:
How do you take refuge in God? Do you seek others first or God first?
How can you show your praise to Him today?
What marvelous deeds has He done for you? Who can you share them with?
Have you ever wondered why some things “made it” into the Bible? Why do we need to hear about what people did thousands of years ago? 1 Corinthians 10 gives us one reason. In verses 6 and 11 Paul writes that these things took place as examples for us. He was referencing the Israelites as they wandered in the desert and telling us not to do the things they did (indulging in sexual immorality, putting God to the test, grumbling, etc.).
Yesterday we talked about God’s expectations. Sometimes rather than just giving us a list of do’s and do not’s He gives us examples of others’ choices and how that worked out for them. We can look in the Bible and find a lot of examples of people who made good choices and bad choices. We can learn from both of these.
We can also learn from David’s example in Psalm 57. Many of the Psalms tell us what the circumstances were when it was written. This one says it was when David fled from Saul into a cave.
Verses 1-3 – David cries out to God, believing He will save him
Verse 4 – David tells God some of his problems
Verse 5 – David exalts God
Verse 6 – David tells God more of his problems
Verses 7-11 – David tells God that his heart belongs to Him; he gives thanks and sings praises to God
It seems as if David does believe in God’s ability to protect him, but at the same time sees the big problems that are in his life at that moment. He reminds himself of God’s faithfulness, but the fears and trials don’t go away. He finally simply decides to praise God and recognize Him for his greatness, even in the midst of his difficult circumstances.
-Todd and Amy Blanchard
Reflection Questions
What can you praise God for right now in your life, no matter what your circumstances are?
Whose example in the Bible do you want to follow? Whose do you want to avoid?
Are you being a good example of a faithful child of God for others to follow?
What character trait of God did you see in today’s reading?
Seek Grow Love 