Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

Blessed by the God of love, called to be “His people, the flock of His pasture”we “praise” Him and “give thanks” to Him (Psalm 79:13). He is our “Shepherd” (Psalm 80:1). He restores our soul. He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake (Psalm 23). He is “our Strength.” In Him, we rejoice with true happiness (Psalm 81:1). “All the nations” belong to the Lord (Psalm 82:8). He is “the Most High God of the whole earth” (Psalm 83:18). Those who know the Lord as their Shepherd and their Strength, the One who “saves” (Psalm 80:19) and “satisfies” (Psalm 81:16), are to pray and work, with the goal of bringing others to the knowledge of Him.

Genesis 1:23 - “the evening and the morning” The repeated pattern of nature – evening, morning, evening, morning… – speaks to us of God’s great faithfulness. Without the sustaining power of God of perfect faithfulness and constant love, our world would return to chaos – “without form and void” (1:2). Whatever changes may take place in our world, let us never forget this: God’s mercies are renewed every morning. He is the God of great faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23).

Genesis 1:20 - “Let the waters bring forth abundantly.” What abundance of blessing there is when the living water of the Holy Spirit are flowing freely among the Lord’s people (John 7:37-39; Ezekiel 47:5,9). Genesis 1:21 - “great whales” Remember “the great fish” that swallowed Jonah (Jonah 1:17). This was God’s way of showing us that “salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). From the story of Jonah’s mighty deliverance, we look on to the mighty miracle of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. He died, but He did not remain dead. He rose from the dead.

‘Write this song, and teach it to the people of Israel’(Deuteronomy 31:19,22). Moses did not delay his obedience to God. ‘Write... Teach...’: God is speaking to us about the renewal of our worship. Don’t say, ‘It’s never been done that way before’- ‘the seven last words of the church’! Moses’ song was ‘a witness for God against the people of Israel’(Deuteronomy 31:19). It can still help us, in this generation, to confess our sin - We ‘have dealt corruptly with Him’(Deuteronomy 32:5) - and glorify our God - ‘I will proclaim the Name of the Lord’(Deuteronomy 32:3). Modern music can help us to hear afresh the ancient message: ‘Ascribe greatness to our God...’(Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Mission Praise, 40). Let us praise God ‘in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’(Ephesians 5:18-20).

Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12 The Lord’s work is moving on. The Lord’s servant – Moses – is looking towards the future. He is pronouncing God’s blessing on the people of Israel. He pays special attention to each tribe. There is a Word from the Lord for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The people of Israel had been “blessed” – “a nation saved by the Lord” (Deuteronomy 33:29). The future lay with the whole people of God, as they moved forward together. There was, however, to be one man who was called to special leadership among the people – Joshua. For this work, Joshua was “filled with the Spirit” (Deuteronomy 34:9). The people of God were moving forward, but they would not forget where they had come from – how the Lord had led them. They remembered Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10-12) – and they gave thanks to God.

Grace, Gratitude, Glory – These three words summarize the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, the preaching of the Gospel, the message of the Bible. We live in an age where there is a great call for originality and novelty. Often, people lose their bearings. They don’t know what to believe. In such a time as this, we need teaching which is both simple and profound – simple enough to state clearly the message of the Lord’s Supper, the Gospel and the Bible; profound in a way that makes us conscious that, in the Lord’s Supper, the Gospel and the Bible, we are in contact with Someone greater than ourselves – the God of grace, the God of glory. As we consider this God – the God of grace, the God of glory, we must allow our hearts, and not only our minds, to be deeply affected, so that, from our hearts, there arises a song of thanksgiving. We have God’s call to thanksgiving. “Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His So...