God Speaks
Discouragement and Depression Overcome by Remembering and Praise of God’s Goodness
Verse of the Day: [In the 21st century, as professed believers in God, we must confess that, we are like the people in David’s time.] “they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.” (Psalm 78:10-12 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Reflection.
Consider the following questions regarding Psalms 73, 77-78
> 1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
> 2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Psalm 73
1. God is sovereign, sees all that is going on and will deal with evildoers in His time and in His way.
2. Like Asaph, people may be tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked and become embittered. Instead, the righteous need to come into God’s presence and understand the final destiny of of the wicked ones.
Psalm 77
1. The LORD God takes action on behalf of His obedient people. He performs miracles, redeems His people and leads them like a flock.
2. People should be like the psalmist and bring their troubles to God, reflecting and relying on His promises of mercy and compassion.
Psalm 78
1. God blesses His people until they become disloyal, faithless and unreliable; then, in His fury, He abandons them and sends them into captivity until they turn back to Him and do what He commands.
2. People need a firm shepherd with integrity of heart who will lead them with skillful hands.
Prayer
> 3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 73, 77-78?
I declare, LORD God, that You are sovereign. You see all that is going on in my life and in my nation. I know beyond doubt that You are in the process of using Your faith-filled people to deal with the evil deeds and evildoers in Your time and in Your way. Reassure and strengthen people who may be tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked. Don’t let Your servants become embittered. Instead, Holy Spirit, help the righteous to come into God’s presence and understand the final destiny of the wicked ones. LORD God, thank You for taking action on behalf of Your obedient people–Jews or Gentiles. Please perform miracles, redeem Your people and lead us out of all kinds of bondage as You led Israel out of Egypt. Humble us and help us to bring all our troubles to You, LORD God. Help us to reflect and rely on Your promises of mercy and compassion. Father God, You bless people until they become disloyal, faithless and unreliable. Oh, how we have done so! Now, in Your fury, You have every right to abandon us and send us into the captivity of eternal damnation. In Your great mercy, help us to turn back to You and to do what You command. We need the great shepherd (Jesus) whose integrity of heart will lead us with skillful hands. May I and my nation return to You for cleansing and healing so that we can bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
> 4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 73, 77-78?
With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will converse with God daily about the evil I see going on around me.
- I will remind myself and others that the LORD is bigger and stronger than whatever problem I am facing.
- I will recount in public all of the great things God has done in the past.
- I will confess both privately and publicly where I, or the people for whom I am responsible, have turned away from or disobeyed God.
Share
I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.