Reestablishing your Intimacy with God

As we begin to embark on a journey of renewed hope we can conclude no matter the uniqueness of what circumstances and decisions you have taken along this journey, it is safe to conclude that it involves having too high a view of yourself, too low a view of God and you have failed to understand who you are in Christ.  As we begin, we examine that the Lord is great and greatly to be praised.  We want to elevate God to his rightful place.  We turn to Psalm 48

Psalm 48 – Great is the Lord and more worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.  God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, they saw her and were astonished; they fled in terror.  Trembling seized them there; pain like that of a woman in labor. You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by the east wind. As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty, in the city of our God; God makes her secure forever.  Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.  Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth, your right hand is filled with righteousness. Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.  Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.  For this God is our God forever and ever, he will be our guide even to the end.

Just ponder the words – Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of all the earth.  God will establish his Jerusalem forever.  Revelation 21:2 says, I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  Within your temple we contemplate your loving devotion. Your name like your praise God reaches to the ends of the earth.  From this Psalm we can draw out several points for us to reflect on in this generation.

1)    God’s present dwelling place is in our hearts (verses 1,2)

2)    God himself is your refuge (3)

3)    God’s lovingkindness is the theme of the church (9)

4)    God’s deliverance marks the history of the church (4-8)

5)    The honor of God’s name is his own pledge to the you (10,11)

6)    The glory of the church is not transitory but eternal

a.    Society was founded and will be built up in holiness (1)

b.    It will be filled throughout with divine joy (2)

c.     Eternally safe from danger or overthrow (3)

d.    He is the everlasting Guide and light of the city (4)

7)    Acknowledge the Splendor of God’s Majesty

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.  The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders over the mighty waters.  The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.  He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.  The voice of the Lord shakes the desert, the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.  The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.  And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”  The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.  The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. 

We seek for peace in so many places but I encourage you today to find the Prince of Peace and seek to follow Him.  He longs for you to Know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of suffering with Him.

©2025 David W. Drake, President, Renewed Hope, Inc.