Daily Notes & Observations is a 365-part series that follows a chronological daily Bible reading schedule and contains a short article based on something found in the text for each day. This material is also available in paperback.
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 25, 29, 33, 36, 39.
The 29th psalm praises God for His power over the natural world. At the end, the psalmist states the obvious conclusion: God is the supreme authority over all things.
“The Lord sat as King at the flood; yes, the Lord sits as King forever” (Psalm 29:10).
The Creation demonstrated the power of God to make all things. The Flood demonstrated His power to destroy that which He has created.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132.
“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.
“Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:1-5).
All people are to worship and praise the Lord. This invitation to come and glorify God was not just for the nation of Israel, but was for “all the earth.” In this short psalm, there are several reasons given as to why we ought to praise the Lord.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68.
“Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?
“The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’
“He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:1-4).
This psalm is prophesying of the crucifixion of Christ. This passage was quoted in the disciples’ prayer following the arrest and release of Peter and John (Acts 4:25-26). After quoting the passage, this commentary was added:
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 106-107.
Psalm 106 chronicles the history of the Israelites sinning against God, then being punished by Him for their sins. But in spite of their sin, God was always willing to save them when they cried out to Him.
“Nevertheless He looked upon their distress when He heard their cry; and He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness” (Psalm 106:44-45).
God’s grace is remarkable. Despite their chronic sin, He was still willing to deliver them.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 133.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever” (Psalm 133:1-3).
Unity among God’s people is something we should all desire. In this short psalm, David makes two comparisons to illustrate why unity is good and pleasant.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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