Bible: Psalms Archives - Baptist & Reflector

JAN. 27: WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES OVERWHELM

January 22, 2019

By Greg Steele
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper

Focal Passage: Psalm 42:1-3,6-8; 43:3-5

There is a question that we like to ask when the trials and storms of life gather. “Why do bad things happen to good people.” Has this question ever plagued your mind? Of course, it has! One day, a woman asked R.C. Sproul that particular question and his answer to her was a classic. Dr. Sproul said this, “I don’t know, I haven’t met any good people.” His answer accomplished two purposes. First, it was designed to remind the lady that we are all sinners. None of us are really good people! Secondly, he wanted her to understand that no one is immune from trouble. This second truth is what we are looking at in the Psalm.

It would seem that the author of this Psalm is going through a time of stress, personal attack and inner struggle. His life has brought him face to face with circumstances that are out of his control and they have brought pain and confusion to his heart. [Read more…]

NOV. 25: A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

November 19, 2018

By Michael Koontz
Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman

Focal Passage: Psalm 138:1–8

As we study Psalm 138, King David is teaching us about praise. We are to praise the one true God. David said he did this with his whole heart. That place in us where our true self is seated. Our emotions, devotion, love, intellect, all that we are is to be focused towards Him and giving thanks and praise to Him alone. [Read more…]

NOV. 18: A PRAYER OF CONFESSION

November 12, 2018

By Michael Koontz
Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:12–13; Psalm 51:1–7; Psalm 51:10–12

This week we focus in on confession and forgiveness. I must constantly admit my sins and ask for forgiveness. The word ‘debts’ (Matthew 6:12) is a New Testament Greek term for sin. We have all fallen short of God’s righteousness.

Our sin is what causes separation between us and God. My sin problem was eternally solved at the age of 13 when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

As a Christian these past 31 years, I have continued to sin and must go back to the Father and ask for forgiveness. I’m forever saved, but if I sin today, that is causing an issue between me and God. [Read more…]

OCT. 21: A PRAYER OF PRAISE

October 15, 2018

By Michael Koontz
Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-9

As we start in Matthew 6:9b today, our text brings us to a subject that we once again do not put much thought into. [Read more…]

OCT. 14: THE OBJECT OF OUR PRAYER

October 9, 2018

By Michael Koontz
Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman

Focal Passage: Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5,11-13,19-22

Learning the truth that God is our Heavenly Father brings a wonderful understanding that He cares for us. Ancient (false) Greek gods were seen as a group who had to be appeased at all times and didn’t have the best interest of the human race in mind.

The One True God, our Father, has our best interest in mind. That God the Son would instruct us to pray in this way, using the term ‘Father’, teaches us truths that will help our relationship grow with our Heavenly Father. The term Father speaks, among other things, of the parent/child relationship and unselfishness. [Read more…]

APRIL 8: OUR SHEPHERD

April 3, 2018

By Rick Elsey Pastor
West End Baptist Church, Columbia

Focal Passage: Psalm 23:1-6

According to Wikipedia: “sheep are frequently thought of as unintelligent animals. Their flocking behavior and quickness to flee and panic can make shepherding a difficult endeavor for the [untrained].” Sheep need a good shepherd. As a shepherd himself, David would know this to be true. [Read more…]

JAN. 21: VALUE ALL

January 15, 2018

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage: Acts 16:16-19; Psalm 139:13-16

Two mischievous boys hid away in a large department store at closing time. They didn’t steal anything during the night; they just changed the price tags on hundreds of items. When the store opened, customers were surprised to see an item that had been $5.99 now had a price tag of $49.99; something that was $150 now had a sticker price of two dollars! That is exactly what Satan has done in our culture: he has cunningly changed the “price tag” — the value — on just about everything. Things that once were considered valuable are now “sold” cheap, and items of no real lasting value are held in high regard. Human life, for example, was once sacred and precious; today’s world has greatly underestimated it. Purity, modesty, and courtesy are things that once were treasured, but now are often disregarded and even mocked. [Read more…]

JAN. 21: I AM WONDERFULLY MADE

January 15, 2018

By Joshua Franks
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Bruceton

Focal Passage: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

One of my favorite memories growing up was getting to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Very few things brought joy into my little heart like waking up and running to the living room to see what kind of hijinks Bugs Bunny and his friends were up to. Every now and then they would have a storyline that featured “The Drunk Stork.” His job was to deliver babies but he was usually drunk and delivered them to the wrong family. [Read more…]

AUG. 27: THE LONGING

August 22, 2017

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 42:1-11

In II Corinthians 1:4, Paul writes that God “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort” others. Long before this was written, the psalmist used a painful time of discouragement to instruct us in how we should hope in God when it feels like we have lost Him. He was in a place of spiritual dryness (Psalm 42:1-2). Like a deer frantically panting for water in a dried-up river bed, he was thirsting to be in the presence of the living God. He had lost his appetite and was suffering from insomnia (v. 3). Spiritual discouragement causes us to feel that God is absent and is no longer actively working in our lives. Though He has promised to never leave us, He may occasionally withdraw His “felt” presence from our lives (Hebrews 13:5). [Read more…]

AUG. 20: THE PROTECTOR

August 14, 2017

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Psalm 141:1-10

Apart from the occasional, “Father, please give us safe travel,” how often do you pray for God’s protection? While it is entirely appropriate to ask God to watch over us physically, I fear that we do not ask for His spiritual protection nearly enough. Jesus taught us to pray this way: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). During His high priestly prayer, He asked the Father to keep His followers from the evil one (John 17:15). [Read more…]

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