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Psalms 90-100
Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. RitenbaughPsalm 90 serves as the introductory psalm to Book Four of the Psalms, spanning from Psalm 90 to Psalm 106, with the overarching theme of the Lord reigning. Identified as a prayer of Moses, the man of God, it sets the tone by focusing on the eternity of God and the frailty of man. It begins with the supremacy of God, acknowledging Him as everlasting, the Creator, and the foundation of all things. Moses contrasts this with the fleeting nature of human life, highlighting the vast difference in the perception of time between God and man. To God, time is inconsequential, as He is sovereign over it, while for humans, life passes in a mere blink. Moses urges us to understand that God is in complete control, unaffected by the urgency humans feel for immediate resolution of pain or crises. He emphasizes that even if we pass away, God's power over time ensures that He can raise us up, rendering the span of time in the grave insignificant to Him. This perspective encourages faith in God's timing, whether for reward or for avenging wrongs, as time does not alter His ability to act justly. Moses suggests that the wise response to this reality is to use our limited years—seventy or eighty—to grow in wisdom and align with God's ways, ensuring we are prepared whenever He acts. In Psalm 90, there is a tone of frustration as Moses reflects on the delay of expected events, yet he pleads for God's compassion and mercy to guide us through life. He asks for Christ's return and the blessings it will bring, but if that does not occur in our lifetime, he seeks a balanced life of good and bad, with satisfaction in our physical existence. He desires that the work of our hands be established, leaving a lasting impact for future generations. This psalm captures the present state of humanity, applicable to all until Christ's return, as it voices universal requests for wisdom, a good life, and the best use of our time. Moses provides a framework for daily prayers, urging us to seek hope, joy, peace, and prosperity while awaiting God's perfect timing for His plan.
Psalms: Book Four (Part One)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPsalm 90 stands as a cornerstone in Book Four of the Psalms, encapsulating the profound themes that resonate through the fall festival season. This psalm, attributed to Moses, opens with a powerful acknowledgment of God's eternal nature and sovereignty, declaring that the Lord has been the dwelling place for all generations, existing from everlasting to everlasting. It starkly contrasts God's timelessness with human frailty, noting that a thousand years in His sight are like yesterday or a watch in the night, while human lives pass like grass that flourishes in the morning and withers by evening. The psalm delves into the vast disparity between God and man, portraying humanity as transient and weak, easily turned to destruction by God's command. It expresses the terror and consumption felt under God's wrath due to human sin, with lives passing away like a sigh under the weight of His judgment. Moses laments that human days, typically seventy or eighty years, are filled with labor and sorrow, soon cut off as we fly away, emphasizing the brevity and insignificance of life without divine intervention. Central to Psalm 90 is the plea in verse 12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." This request highlights the need for divine guidance to understand life's fleeting nature and to prioritize it rightly, seeking wisdom through a relationship with God. It marks a turning point in the psalm, shifting from despair to a hopeful appeal for God's return and compassion, asking Him to satisfy His servants early with mercy so they may rejoice and be glad all their days. Moses further petitions for balance, requesting gladness to match the years of affliction and evil endured, and for God's work and glory to be revealed to His servants and their children. The psalm concludes with a yearning for the beauty of the Lord to rest upon them and for the work of their hands to be established, a plea for lasting significance and holiness that points to a future of divine presence and purpose. Through Psalm 90, the themes of numbering days, God's judgment, sovereignty, the disparity between God and man, and the hope of salvation emerge vividly, setting the tone for Book Four and reflecting the eternal scope of the fall festivals.
Psalms: Book Four: He Is Coming!
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPsalm 90, a prayer of Moses, encapsulates a profound plea for wisdom and perspective during the fall festival season, reflecting the overarching themes of God's eternal sovereignty and human transience. Within this psalm, Moses seeks divine guidance to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom, recognizing the brevity of human life compared to God's everlasting presence. He acknowledges that God has been around forever and is in total control, acting in wrath against sinful mankind, while mankind's life is fleeting, lasting merely 70 or 80 years, akin to a snap of the fingers. Moses urges the importance of accomplishing what needs to be done in this short span with the right perspective. His prayer concludes with an agonizing yearning for the return of Christ, longing for the work of his hands to be established, moving from a transitory existence to a firm foundation in the Kingdom of God. Through past, present, and future tenses, Moses conveys lessons pertinent to this time of year, emphasizing the need to conform life to God's will and achieve the ultimate goal of becoming like Him.
Psalms: Book Four: All His Benefits
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAll that we have has come from others, especially God. The Day of Atonement points out how needy and dependent on God we are; fasting shows our frailty.
Moses, Psalmist (Part 1)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughNot only is Moses the first recorded servant of God to write songs of praise, but all the other psalmists also generally follow his style and themes.
The W's and H's of Meditation (Part Four)
Sermon by David F. MaasMeditating on the perils of our transitory existence paradoxically leads to a longer, happier life as our portion of God's Spirit grows within us.
Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part Four)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. MaasWe must respond to our precious calling, choosing permanent eternal spiritual treasures, such as knowing God.
Simplifying Life (Part Two)
Sermon by David F. MaasWe are obligated to conserve and redeem time by prioritizing daily communion with the Father and Jesus Christ, dedicating time to spiritual practices.
Grow Up!
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughThe age of maturity used to be somewhere between 18 and 21 but it has steadily risen past college graduation to the threshold of a person's fourth decade.
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Forty): Ecclesiastes 12:1-14
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughEcclesiastes 12:1-14 emphasizes the brevity and the progressively harder difficulties of life and urges youth to seek God before the decline of old age.
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Thirty-Four): Ecclesiastes 9:2-12
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAlthough some try to make their lives easier by compromising, Solomon warns that all evil leads to death, and that doing evil in any circumstance is insane.
Simplify Your Life!
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughWe waste a lot of time on foolish pursuits, procrastination, and distractions. Getting control of our time is foundational for seeking God's Kingdom.
Stewards of the Mysteries of God
Sermon by Mark SchindlerThe lowly, not impeded so much with pride or ego, make better stewards than those who may seem more presumptuous and self-centered.
Are We Redeeming the Time?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughTime is fleeting; any of us could perish tomorrow. Procrastination in matters of godliness can be fatal, as the parable of the rich fool teaches.
Where is the Promise of His Coming?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsDoubting that Christ will return has always been problematic for the faithful weak as well as a tool of the heretics denying the second coming of Christ.
Those Who Mourn
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWorldly sorrow leads to death while godly sorrow leads to repentance and life. After godly repentance, sorrow is swallowed up in profound joy.
Looking Forward (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe church may fear that the Lord is delaying His coming, and scoffers make the seeming delay worse. However, God is giving people opportunity for repentance.
Numbering Our Days
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWe must allow God to show us how to carefully number our days in order to gain a heart of wisdom and develop a godly perspective upon our remaining time.
Vanity (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughVanity has many nuances, including transitoriness, futility, profitlessness, confusion, falseness, conceit, vainglory, denial, and idolatry.