Psalms 102

• A man in distress, calling out to God. He wants God to respond right away. He is physically, and emotionally in pain. He is alone – an outcast – and his enemies taunt him.
• What happened to this man? “because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down.” Is God punishing him? He seems to sorrowful for something.
• In spite of this, he recognizes God’s supremacy and authority. He understands God’s heart and love. He puts his hope in this truth.
• Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord : (Psalms 102:18 ESV)
• but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you. (Psalms 102:27, 28 ESV) – Amen.

2 Corinthians 3

• A real lasting legacy is not one that is imprinted on stone, on a wall, or a document. It is one that is imprinted in people’s hearts.
• My confidence is (and should always be) in Christ. “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 ESV)
• People’s hearts and mind are covered with a veil which makes it hard to understand the old covenant (that is, the Old Testament). It is only through Christ that that veil can be lifted. That is why it is difficult to understand/explain the OT, unless you point it to Jesus.

Isaiah 6

• How great and AWEsome is God. He is mighty and powerful. The Creator, He holds the world in His hand. Supernatural beings know, and they worship Him. There is nothing He does not know. He sees the world and He sees my heart.
• Just as now is the time I teach my son and show him my love, so is this life the time God teaches us and shows us His love. Our circumstances are all opportunities to grow and experience God’s love for us.
• The logical, reasonable, proper response to all this is obedience, trust, boldness, love.
• Lord, forgive us. We have seen and heard, but we do not try to understand. Our hearts have been dull. We turn back to you, seeking to know you and not just to know about you. Thank you for your patience, thank you for your grace, thank you for your love.

Key Takeaway from yesterday’s message by Nick Vujicuc: It seems that the God he knows is so much bigger than the God I know. Of course, He’s the same God – but Nick knows God more personally, more intimately. In his circumstance, he’s learned to be dependent, to have more faith and in effect, experience more the blessings of his faith. That is, knowing and experiencing God.

But there’s another difference: Nick knows God’s Word. It is evident in the way he speaks and the way he prays. I think that is what is missing with me.

Leviticus 8

• Jesus’ sacrifice has made it so easy for us. We forget that in Moses’ time, obeying God’s commands promptly and correctly is a matter of life and death. I take this truth for granted often. God’s grace is so amazing.