Bible Studies

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The Songs
Psalm 19 – Holiness
Key Verses: (NRSV)

• 1: “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaim His handiwork.” – As God reveals Himself to us through Nature, we learn of His magnificence and power, giving us the ability to feel and experience His presence.
  
  
• 4: “yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” – God’s handiwork is visible and available to everyone each day, speaking volumes, and teaching of His glory.
  
  
• 7: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” – As God reveals Himself through the Bible we learn of His holiness, giving us the ability to learn and grow.
  
  
• 10: “More to be desired are they than gold…” - The consistency of God’s Word and the importance of their teaching continue to provide us with the most valuable possession we can gain: knowledge of Him.
  
  
• 13: “Keep back your servant also from the insolent, do not let them have dominion over me.” – As God reveals Himself in our daily lives, we learn of His grace and forgiveness, giving us the ability to be protected from harm and saved for eternity.
  
  
• 14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you.” – David teaches us a prayer to allow God into our hearts, to transform us for His purpose as we give our thoughts and words over to Him as sacrifices on the altar of forgiveness.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Do you revel at the magnificence of God’s creation? Do you allow yourself ample opportunity to soak in the grandeur of God that He reveals to you in the wonders of Nature around you each day? When you witness a sunset, or a night sky, or beautiful forest, or even a flower in a pot on a windowsill, do you thank God for this moment of revelation? David says that God can be found in these things and that through them we can experience His presence.
  
  
• Do you accept the Bible as the Word of God? If you do, do you recognize that time spent studying His Word will provide you with a continuously growing understanding of who He is and His plans for you? Have you experienced inspiration and growth each time the Holy Spirit has lead you to a new understanding? Is it not amazing how the scriptures are always opening new insights and wisdom to us, no matter how familiar the verse?
  
  
• Do you see God active in your daily life? David tells us that God is also revealed to us in our daily experiences. Reflect on a recent experience in your life where you encountered God at work. How did you come to recognize God was actively involved in that experience? As you grow closer in your relationship with God, do you find that you recognize His presence more frequently? Have you ever attempted to maintain a journal of these experiences with God? Do you see that the more you seek God and the more you document His presence in your life, the more you will avail yourself to His love and be able to respond to the plan He has for your life?
  
  
• Are the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart acceptable to God? Do you see how each thought, each syllable that we produce, can be viewed as an offering to God? What are you leaving at His altar? Is it worthy of Him? Does it reflect His amazing love for you? When you are struggling with sinful emotions such as anger and self-righteousness, when you feel tempted to talk badly about another person, or when you are about to scorn and ridicule, if you were first to visualize these thoughts and words as holy sacrifices to God, will it help to keep you from making those utterances that you know you should not make? Can you allow His Word into your heart so that He can clear you from “hidden faults” and make you “innocent of transgressions?”
  

Promise of the Gospel:

God does not hide from us and He is not distantly removed from our lives in some far off place. He is here, revealed in His creation, available through His word, and active in our lives. At all times, even when we feel a distance between us, He promises to be there available to us to lift, inspire, comfort, and transform our lives. It is simply a matter of looking. When we begin to realize His continuous presence in our lives we are inspired to do the things that will make our lives worthy and holy sacrifices to His glory.

FUMC Devotionals

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