We all need to feel a sense of community. Paul certainly fostered that within the church in Rome as we see here in the final chapter in Romans.
Psalms 73: Book Three God Is My Strength and Portion Forever A Psalm of Asaph.
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalms 74: Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil of Asaph.
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!
4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs.
5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.
6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!
Psalms 75: God Will Judge with Equity To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
2 "At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, 'Do not boast,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.'"
6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9 But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
Things to think about…
1. In these three Psalms 73, 74 and 75 we see a progression in the psalmist. In this case it is Asaph. The first Psalm seems to say seeking after the Lord hasn’t done any good, although he sees more clearly towards the end of the Psalm. Psalm 74 asks the question, why has the Lord cast off His people? Then Psalm 75 rejoices at the fact that the Lord is in complete control, regardless of what happens, we should sing praise to our God. This progression often happens in life as we mature and develop in our walk. Maturity in Christ is a process that involves hardship as well as seasons of deliverance and joy.
2. Asaph in Ps 73 says his feet almost slipped, he almost stumbled when he looked and considered how the wicked were being blessed, Ps 73:1-12. Have you ever thought like this? I certainly have. Why does the Lord seem to bless those who have no regard or care for Him, yet often the Lord’s people struggle and often do not have the abundance of the world. We know that material things are a snare to a soul that has been born in sin. This is all of us of course. But we understand through His word that we are saved eternally. This of course was the revelation that Asaph writes about from vs 17. He entered the house of the Lord and then he understood. The wicked are placed on slippery places. Rather than Asaph falling, the wicked will fall. They will slip into eternity and be lost forever. It is only when we are in the Lord’s presence and in His word that we see the true end of all those who reject Christ. Aspah finishes with “those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works” Ps 73:27, 28. May these words comfort as well as challenge us to give the gospel to those who would have ears to hear.
3. Asaph in Ps 74 wants justice. The people of God are languishing and the wicked are not being punished. Asaph, as he does, shares very candidly what is going on in his heart. He wants the Lord to act. He finishes with “Arise, O God, defend your cause”, vs 22. Sometimes this is the prayer we offer up, even for an extended season as we wait for the Lord to deliver us. These are rying periods in our lives, but they are generally what is used by the Lord to make us grow and conform to His image and less of ourselves.
4. Psalm 75 is a confirmation and a trust by Asaph that the Lord will act. Note that at the time of writing Asaph is expecting that the Lord will act on his behalf. It hasn’t happened at this point. But Asaph is praising the Lord that He will act according to His character. The wicked will not go unpunished. Asaph says “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs”, Ps 75:8 This is the hope of every believer. Often we need to go through the wrestle and strive a little before we see and experience the dawn of deliverance in the soul.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon title was ““All Israel will be saved”” - from Rom 11:25-36
1. What has been your understanding of the Jewish people in the past. Have you always thought that the Lord had plans for the nation, or did you think that all the OT promises to Israel are really for the church? Discuss
2. Israel became a nation again in May 14th 1948. The dry bones that Ezekiel spoke about in Ezek 37 were indeed living. Israel is a modern day miracle. The Hbrew language was dead and now has been revived to be taught as the national language. Jews are also returning to the land in record numbers. Almost hal;f of the world’s Jewish population resides in Israel. The Lord quoted to Abraham regarding His descendants that “Those who bless you I will bless”. How has Australia blessed Israel and how should we bless Israel as a church?
3. Praise the Lord that He never breaks His promise. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. We may have broken promises or others have broken promises to us, but the Lord will never break His covenant promise to His people. This is the good news. Discuss what this means for you.
Prayer Points
1. The Lord blessed again with our Sunday service. New people, as well as being blessed by the word and worship. Pray they will feel connected into the church.
2. Our Elders confirmed with an open call. Pray the Lord continues to teach and bless them
3. Christmas season – joy and unity promoted in Christ.
4. Growth in our kids and youth ministries
5. Pray for testimonies that people will be giving. Please consider when you would like to give yours.
6. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
7. Witness over the Christmas season.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. New folk to church.
2. Word and worship blessed. Elders Doug and Graham confirmed with an open call.
3. Churches have been recognised as essential services and will be allowed to operate without restriction after new vaccination restrictions come in.
Announcements
1. Country Carols, monster trucks, fire works – Sat 11th Dec. Must book online to get tickets. Go to the Tivoli drive in website. Feel free to park at CBC if required.
2. Kids@church back. Please check your rosters
3. Recharge Youth – back on Friday 6:30pm at church all high schoolers.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
