Tag Archives: Psalms

Plastic Prayers Make Plastic Churchgoers

Posted on August 4, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Open up your heart to God, just like David did. Get it all “out on the table,” then allow God to deal with the questions, the fears, the pain, the problems, the doubts. He patiently waits on us to clean out the closets of our heart. He delights in meeting with us when we do. Honesty is the road to transformation. We trade in our plastic religiosity to become authentic Christ followers. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged authentic christ followers, bible, faith, God, honest praying, honesty, hypocrisy, Jesus, lament, plastic christians, plastic churchgoers, prayer, praying, Psalms | Leave a comment

Psalms, Worship and Prayer

Posted on July 6, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

One of the reasons I love to read the Psalms before I pray, is that they prime the pump of worship. They help us to focus on the goodness and greatness of God. As we are awestruck by his glory, we are ready to praise and worship. With wide-eyed wonder we are then ready to pray. Worship and praise affects my praying in every way—it provides right perspective, it prompts faith, it helps us focus and refocus our requests. As we worship, we realize the joy of his presence and we are changed. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged compassionate, faithful, gracious, pour out our hearts to God in brutal honesty, Praise, prayer, Psalms, psalms as a prayer book, psalms prime the pump of worship, trustworthy, Worship | Leave a comment

Meditating on Your Works

Posted on July 5, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

When we slow down our reading and praying and take time to meditate and listen, we become more aware of His presence and more sensitive to His voice. Our whole perspective on the day changes as we remember the greatness of the God who loves us and cares for us. As we walk through the day aware of his goodness, we recognize his good works all around us Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged abundant goodness and righteousness, bible, faith, glorious splendor of your majesty, God, greatness is unsearchable, Jesus, meditate on God's goodness, meditating on God's character, Psalms, wondrous works | Leave a comment

New Songs

Posted on July 4, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Old songs; new songs; sing them both with passion and joy. We serve a great God and he is worthy of our praise! Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged God is doing something new, hymns, new songs, old songs, past experiences, Psalms, spiritual songs | Leave a comment

Contrast

Posted on March 7, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Meditating on the greatness of God refreshes the psalmist. His concerns about the wicked begin to melt away in the beauty of God’s righteous character. He has found a place of refuge from the hand of the wicked. Surely God will bring protection. Surely God in his justice will do what is right with the wicked. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged contrast, faithfulness, Glory, lovingkindness, meditating on scripture, Psalms, righteousness, take refuge in God | Leave a comment

Sweeter than Honey

Posted on February 4, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

The essence of the moral law—The Ten Commandments—is an expression of a way of life that flows out of love for God and for neighbor and reflects the perfection of our holy God. While it can be misused (a point well established in both the Old and New Testaments), the law was intended as a God-given expression of the will and wisdom of an all knowing, all-wise God. The law laid out a way of life for those whom God had entered into covenant. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged Psalms, sweeter than honey, the law, the ten commandments, Torah, way of life | Leave a comment

Panting for His Commands

Posted on November 7, 2024 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Do you long for God’s word? Do you go after it with panting? Is your desire to understand and do God’s will so intense that you pant after his commands? Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged hunger and thirst, intense desire to know God, panting for God's commands, prayer, Psalms, scripture, Word of God | Leave a comment

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs

Posted on September 27, 2024 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

One good indicator of a life lived in the fullness of the Spirit is a joyful, singing heart. When the Holy Spirit is really in control, he fills you with joy and he fills your heart with singing. Life lived in the flesh doesn’t produce joyful songs, but life in the Spirit always does. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged filled with the spirit, hymns, Psalms, Singing, spiritual songs, Worship | Leave a comment

Hide and Seek

Posted on July 21, 2024 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

We all have times when we wonder if God is hiding. We have times when we don’t feel the sense of his presence. But know that he is there, hoping that you will remember the childhood delight of seeking him diligently—hoping that you will not give up the search before the laughter and joy of “finding.” Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged child like, God seems distant, hide and seek, Psalms, Seek and you shall find, Where are you God? | Leave a comment

Never Alone

Posted on December 17, 2023 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Christmas can be a lonely time. Even in the midst of the crowds, it is common to feel lonely this time of year. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged away from home, Christmas, grief, home for Christmas, Hope, loneliness, Psalms | Leave a comment