First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Psalm 48

Today’s passage: Psalm 48

Helpful thoughts:

  • Instead of the city being a fortress for her king, God is the fortress for His city.
  • People with the greatest understanding of all that God is are the ones with the most reason to praise Him.
    • Knowledge results in worship and obedience.
  • Even after looking through the magnificent components of the construction of Jerusalem, the one thing the Psalmist encourages the reader to do, is to tell of the greatness of God.
    • Towers, ramparts, and citadels fall.  Our God remains forever.

Questions to consider:

  1. What are we often tempted to trust in when things are going well?  When we have plenty of money, protection, safety, etc.?
  2. How does a growing knowledge of the Lord bring about greater affection for Him?  How would this knowledge precede and change our desires and actions?
  3. When you think/talk of the history of the church, who tends to be the main character(s)? (Do we talk first about what God has done or what man did? Or even about the building?)  What has God done?  Why should we praise Him?  What should we ask Him to do in and through us for His glory as a church?

Devotional: Psalm 47

Today’s passage: Psalm 47

Helpful thoughts:

  • God is not great because we praise Him.  He is great and so we are right to praise Him.
    • He is the Lord Most High, He is to be feared.
  • All peoples are to join in this praise.  This psalm calls the Jews and all Gentiles together in praise.
  • Our praise to God is not a compulsory chore.  God has chosen to give us an inheritance!  We praise Him because He is worthy and because He has given us reason for joy!

Questions to consider:

  1. Sinclair Ferguson said, “When you have a superficial view of sin, you will have a superficial view of grace.”  How can an overblown view of ourselves steal away our ability to enjoy and praise God?
  2. What are some reasons that God is worthy of all worship?  Which of His attributes amaze you the most?
  3. In what way does Jesus and the Gospel message give us specific reason to be thankful for our inheritance and cause us to rejoice?

Devotional: Psalm 46

Today’s passage: Psalm 46

Helpful thoughts:

  • God does not become our fortress and strength when all is nice and neat and in it’s place.  He is our fortress when the earth gives way and the mountains crumble into the midst of the sea.  When everything in this world is falling apart, you are safe.
  • Our task is not to figure out why God does or allows what He does, but to be still and know that He is God.
  • The “Hosts” in the name, Lord of Hosts, communicates God’s power and guarantee of victory.  God has never known defeat and He never will.
    • “In this world you will have tribulation.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
  • Eternity is a lot longer than a day, and week, a month, or even a lifetime.  “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21

Questions to consider:

  1. What is true of the life of a Christian? (John 8:52)  How might we desire to redefine “safety” or “security” when things aren’t going “well” in this life?
  2. How does learning and thinking about the attributes and promises of God help us during times of difficulty?  Why is worship better than worry?
  3. How has God even used difficulty in your life to make you grow? (Romans 8:28-29)

Devotional: Psalm 45

Today’s passage: Psalm 45

Helpful thoughts:

  • This is a Messianic Psalm.  Though it’s content seems like it could have been written for Solomon, Christ (The Anointed One – Verse 7) should be in view.
  • The king rides out in victory for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness!
  • Remember, the bride of the King will be clothed in His righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10)

Questions to consider:

  1. Who is the bride of Christ? (Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:7-9)
  2. How could verses 10-11 be compared to passages like 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 or Ephesians 4:17-24?
  3. Why was the Psalmist motivated to write and sing? (Verse 1)  What is true of our actions when our hearts are filled with the love of Christ?

Devotional: Psalm 44

Today’s passage: Psalm 44

Helpful thoughts:

  • Parents in Israel were commanded to teach their children the Law and tell them of the things that God had done (Deuteronomy 6).
  • Prayer comes from a heart of humility and a belief that God is truly powerful and sovereign.
  • Even in the midst of suffering, when the Psalmist believed God was not acting according to His promise, he still went to God to make his appeal.  There was no running to the gods of the other nations.

Questions to consider:

  1. Does God ever sleep?  Does God forget?  Would He reject the people of His covenant promise forever?  Why not?
  2. Did God allow Israel to be destroyed in this instance?  Did this Psalmists fears come true?
  3. Why do you think God put these Psalms of lament in the Bible?  Where was the loyalty and the place of hope in this lament that made it a true model for us in times of hurt and confusion?

Devotional: Psalm 43

Today’s passage: Psalm 43

Helpful thoughts:

  • The world is not going to agree with true Christians and support their belief.  This world is not our home.
  • God’s truth is the light that will guide us through these darkened days.
  • When we get distracted by the lure of the world, we will think God has abandoned us (Or that He is unable to help) and discouragement is sure to come.  But when we go back to the truth of God’s Word, we will find joy…exceeding joy…in Him!

Questions to consider:

  1. What kinds of things happen and what things might people say in this world that get me discouraged (What am I not getting that I want)?  Why do I get so discouraged by them (Think motivations, desires, goals)?
  2. What truths from God’s Word bring you joy?  What truths about the character and nature of God bring you joy?  What could you do to help you keep these truths in the front of your mind?
  3. Do I believe that joy in God is possible in the midst of my trial?  Why or why not?  Am I willing to talk to somebody about it?

Devotional: Psalm 42

Today’s passage: Psalm 42

Helpful thoughts:

  • Times of great distress in this life increase our yearning and groaning for the presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:1-2).
  • In the midst of hardship (Even when it felt like he was being swallowed up in a storm at sea), the Psalmist looked back on times of joy in worshiping God with other believers and looked forward to the faithfulness of God.  Fellowship and worship encouraged him.
  • The psalmist fought the lies of the enemy with truth.

Questions to consider:

  1. Is it better to have a bad day as a Christian or to have a good day as an unbeliever (Or even a decade)?  Why?  What truths would help you to answer this questions correctly?
  2. How important is the gathering of the church in the midst of this world?  How does the church serve as home away from home?  (Hebrews 10:23-25)
  3. Does God actually ever leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6)?  What are some things we have come to believe are the signs of God’s “presence” in our lives?  How would Matthew 16:25 help us to think more accurately about our calling and God’s plan for “our” lives (Which He has bought with a price…1 Corinthians 6:19-20)?

Devotional: Ruth 4:13-22

Today’s passage: Ruth 4:13-22

Helpful thoughts:

  • God provided an heir.  The line was saved, the land and inheritance redeemed.  Naomi (Who had called herself embittered) was blessed.
    • Ruth had been unable to conceive in her marriage to Mahlon.  God gave her the gift of conception.  Life is a gift that starts at conception.
  • Ruth loved Naomi!  This love is not an emotional feeling but the expression of a covenant commitment.  This is the kind of love that we are called to give.
  • This special baby boy is very special indeed.  He would become the grandfather of King David, and therefore, in the line of the Messiah. (Matthew 1:1-17)

Questions to consider:

  1. What insight does this passage give us to the value of life?  How should we view every life that is given?
  2. What insight does this passage give us to the nature of love?  What is a biblical definition of love?  What would be a cheap substitute definition of love?
  3. Beyond the amazing details of this story, why is it in the Scripture?  What is a major reason we need to know this narrative?  How is God’s covenant faithfulness and love put on display towards all of us in this short book?

Devotional: Ruth 4:1-12

Today’s passage: Ruth 4:1-12

Helpful thoughts:

  • How lucky that the closer redeemer would happen to walk by as Boaz sat down at the gates of the city…or how providential!
  • The Redeemer laws (Land) and the Levirate marriage were two different but connected things.
    • Both Boaz and the other redeemer had an interest in the land.  But whether there would be a willingness to marry Ruth and provide an heir from the line of Elimelech or not had to be decided.
    • Neither men had a legal obligation to Ruth according to the letter of the Law (Neither of them were brothers of the deceased and the nearer redeemer could have brought this up).  But both understood the spirit of the law.
    • Had the nearer redeemer taken the land and left the care of Ruth and her child(ren) up to Boaz, there would have been the possibility of legal disputes over the land in the next generation.
  • A helpful clarification.  No money was being exchanged for the land or for Ruth.  This land was an inheritance.  It was not for sale on the open market.  So, the land was acquired by inheritance.  Boaz acquired a wife, he didn’t purchase Ruth.
  • The people of Bethlehem bless Boaz and Ruth with remembrance of the mothers of Israel (Rachel and Leah), and the ancestor of Boaz, who herself had been previously widowed (Tamar).

Questions to consider:

  1. In what ways were the women referenced in the blessing so appropriate?  Where were they from?  How did they compare to Ruth?
  2. What motivation seemed to drive the nearer redeemer?  What prevented him from taking the role of the redeemer? What differed in Boaz’s approach?
  3. Is there ever a time when we could honor the Lord’s commands and NOT benefit from it (Like the man who deferred his responsibility to Boaz thought)?  How are we blessed when we love our neighbor as ourselves and do the right thing?