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Every Sunday A Psalms:Who Do We Choose To Lead Us
03/20/2016

Daily Devotions: by Christina Farris

Psalms 78:1-72 KJV
(1) Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
(2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
(3) Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
(4) We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
(5) For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
(6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
(7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
(8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
(9) The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
(10) They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
(11) And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
(12) Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
(13) He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
(14) In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
(15) He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
(16) He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
(17) And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
(18) And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
(19) Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
(20) Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
(21) Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
(22) Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
(23) Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
(24) And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
(25) Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
(26) He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
(27) He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
(28) And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
(29) So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
(30) They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
(31) The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
(32) For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
(33) Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
(34) When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
(35) And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
(36) Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
(37) For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
(38) But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
(39) For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
(40) How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
(41) Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
(42) They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
(43) How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
(44) And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
(45) He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
(46) He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
(47) He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
(48) He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
(49) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
(50) He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
(51) And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
(52) But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
(53) And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
(54) And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
(55) He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
(56) Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
(57) But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
(58) For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
(59) When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
(60) So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
(61) And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.
(62) He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
(63) The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
(64) Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
(65) Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
(66) And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
(67) Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
(68) But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
(69) And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
(70) He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
(71) From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
(72) So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Today is Palm Sunday a day to remember the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem. I spoke on this yesterday because of the fact I am doing a series on Every Sunday A Psalms. I want to keep in mind the Triumphal Entry of Jesus being chosen by the people as an earth king and reflect on the last verse of God choosing the earthly king. As our elections candidates are finalized for the upcoming term of President I think in general the Americans really want more choices then they have. I think the limit on choices causes our nation to limit our biggest election that comes every four years. People in general look for a leader that can handle the poor and give tax relief to the rich, forgetting the middle class often times unless these two things merge to help middle class by allowing them to keep their meager wage compared to the wealth, also the poor who continues to keep a hand out in society, even though some never ask. There is a point who do we choose to lead us?

Israel hated their life in Egypt for the Pharaoh was a cruel king. Yet the people often did not look to their own God for deliverance, they had forgotten his ways and the laws of father, because of the exile into Egypt for over four hundred years. God came by the prophet Moses as a Super Hero and Giant not to be reckon with. He produced plagues on Egypt that did not affect the children of Israel. God was going to redeem his people from Pharaoh hand even making it known by the final plague of the first son of all Egyptians dying. Yet it would not be the last act of destruction on Pharaoh, for Pharaoh had a control issue and desired not to let Israel go, despite the acts of God against him. The stubbornness of Pharaoh is then seen in the children of Israel, though chosen by God to be protected and provide for. God waited for Israel to ask for water and food, and yet instead of asking they grumbled. They were a people who did not like bring brought into the wilderness to endure a different type of hardship then at the king of Pharaoh. Did not want to speak to God directly, though their leader did. Not until they reached the place of grasping God was not their enemy and that his laws were good did they finally lift their voices to him. Yet the leader of God name Moses was forced upon them. They later would desire a king and chose Saul, who was not a godly king. God chose David who was man that cared for the flock of God and the sheep that would later come to know God because of his mercy and greatness.

God’s demonstration of love, of giving what we want taking it away and returning it when we recognize God’s provision and way is best. Now where are you in relationship with God might mean what are you receiving from God and what are you giving to God. Do you glorify God’s word and all that He does? Do you praise God’s name? God brings leaders into our life to rise up and to tear down again to only rise once more. Compared to Pharaoh, Moses was a good leader. Yet both had people doing not exactly what they desired. Pharaoh had Israel making bricks out of straw. Moses had people walking through a hot desert being lead by God to the Promise Land. Both worlds they grumbled and complained in. Both place they did not like. Both places were places of not really being given a choice in life to live. The people did not choose God’s way right away, and they never chose Pharaoh beyond the time of Joseph being a ruler in the land over the grain of the fields of Egypt. In reality Joseph sibling though glad for his leadership never want Joseph in power. A stiff neck people God called them. Not a people easily comforted. Not easily hushed by the gifts God provided. Not easily receptive to the blessings of God, but received them because of the need.

The Time of Christ came and he was a leader that brought the people to him for healing, for miracles of food, and stories of simple instruction. A people ready to listen in an environment that had once not been so free. A place of readiness to receive the truth of the love of God, only to be ready to turn away from the Messiah the minute he would not listen to their desire for Him to be king. The Triumphal entry was a reorganization of who they wanted Jesus to be, but not who He was going to be. Jesus would be a king of the heart and soul of man.

The history of Israel the objection to God’s plan for a plan of another and a plan of their own back to God‘s plan. It is the same in the world today, the rejection of God’s way to the attraction to the devil and our own only to then discover our own way and the way of the devil were never any good, and God’s way was best. God had prophesied the exile time of Egypt for Israel and the release time of Israel from Egypt and then sent Moses. David was never prophesied about but given to a people at a time when they would discover God‘s choice was best. Then came Jesus who was prophesied about and even told of his death and resurrection. Yet the perception of the Messiah was not exactly the type of leader Jesus was. They looked for a ruler in a world where man lead. Not for a ruler that would instruct the heart and faith of man. Man was not looking for everlasting God, only a God of provision when the going got rough. Man was looking for a Savior to affect their life in spiritual rebirth for eternity. Their leaders before had not been about eternal leadership, but about establishment of a time period. Moses a Savior to a people despite their hardness to trust in a loving God or his willingness to provide when asked. David a warrior king, but a man after God’s own heart. A man that brought peace to a nation with many battle scars, Jesus a Savior that would last through out the ages to come, because it was about spiritual birth and life with God eternal and not just a leader that would come and go leaving his mark on the world. God wanted us to know He was there no matter who was in charge. His power reigns despite the Pharaoh’s of our world, and Moses of our world. King’s like David would come and go. What we do in this world will only be a short time, but what we do eternal will be based on our faith in God. In who do we trust this day? Do we trust in the ruler of our heart, King Jesus to all that believe in Him? Believe in Christ today. He is the only way to be able to spend eternity with a loving God and Savior. God’s word will save you ever time, if you will follow His leadership, or it will take you to the cross you must bear in life. The Believers cross of always struggling and rejecting God, only to come to realization God’s way is best is only a reflection of mankind in general. It began in the garden and continues on today. Trust Jesus today, His way is best.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you for choosing to lead us, despite our obstinate behavior to his leadership at time, and our own desire to do our own will, not knowing your way is best. In Jesus precious name, Amen.