If we don’t eat, we become malnourished. The same applies to spiritual food or feeding on the bread of life, God’s word. From a survey of 1050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors in 2005-06, 81% said there was no regular discipleship program or effective effort of mentoring their people or teaching them to deepen their Christian formation at their church. Only 25% of their church’s membership attended a Bible Study or small group at least twice a month. 26% of pastors said they regularly had personal devotions and felt they were adequately fed spirituality. Psalm 106 explains how to have a balanced spiritual diet so you can embrace your promised land.
Seek God’s Glory
Praise and and thank God for His goodness and eternal love. The proper response is to speak of His mighty deeds and show forth His value by practicing righteousness continuously (Ps. 106:1-3). Seek God’s glory by speaking of His mighty deeds and practicing righteousness.
Ask God’s Favor
Ask God to show favor to His people and intervene with salvation. Celebrate with His people when He prospers them with gladness (Ps. 106:4-5). Ask God to favor His people so you can celebrate with them.
Confess Your Sin
We have sinned, committed iniquity and behaved wickedly like our fathers who rebelled at the Red Sea when they forgot His miracles in Egypt. God saved and redeemed Israel from the enemy. They finally believed His words when He made His power known in drying up the sea and covering Pharaoh’s army with the water (Ps. 106:6-12). Repent of sin in response to “Red Sea” or miracle experience in your life.
Listen to God
They quickly forgot His works, didn’t wait for His counsel, coveted food intensely in the wilderness and tempted God. He gave them their request and sent a wasting disease among them (Ps. 106:13-15). Listen to God and don’t forget His miracles in your life.
Obey God’s Word
The earth swallowed Dathan and the company of Abiram when they envied Moses and Aaron. A fire consumed the wicked (Ps. 106:16-18). Obey God’s word and don’t envy or rebel against His appointed leaders.
Stand in the Gap for Your City
They worshiped a golden calf and exchanged their glory for the image of an ox. They forgot their Savior who did awesome things by the Red Sea. Because Moses stood in the breach to turn away God’s wrath, He didn’t destroy them. They despised the pleasant land, didn’t believe His word, grumbled in their tents and didn’t listen to the Lord’s voice. God swore that He would scatter them among the nations (Ps. 106:19-27). Stand in the gap for your city instead of worshiping idols so they can enter into the “promised land.”
Pray Against Sexual Sin and Materialism
They ate sacrifices to Baal-peor so that the plague broke out, but Phinehas interceded. He removed the plague in response to Phinehas’ prayers and it was reckoned to him for righteousness (Ps. 106:28-31). Intercede against sexual sin and materialism that plagues the church and our culture.
Show Patience
When they were rebellious against His Spirit at the waters of Meribah, Moses spoke rashly (Ps. 106:32-33). Societal and church breakdown tempts God’s people towards rashness and impatience.
Reject Idols of Success
Israel did not destroy the peoples as He commanded, but mingled with the nations, learned their practices and served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons and shed innocent blood to the idols of Canaan. They polluted the land with their blood, became unclean and played the harlot with their deeds (Ps. 106:34-39). Reject idols by not mingling with the culture or sacrificing your children to the gods of success and upward mobility.
Do Spiritual Warfare
Therefore, God allows the nations and enemies to rule, oppress and subdue them under their power. Many times He would deliver them, but because of their rebellion, they sank down in their iniquity (Ps. 106:40-43). Disobedience to God enables the world, flesh and devil to rule, oppress and subdue you.
Pray Fervently
When God heard their cry out of distress, He remembered His covenant and showed compassion in the presence of their captors (Ps. 106:44-46). God responds compassionately when His people cry out with heartfelt prayer.
Praise God Continually
Save, gather us from among the nations, give thanks to His name and glory in His praise. Bless the God of Israel eternally (Ps. 106:47-48). God rescues His people when they praise His name and ask for His help.
As you consider the above headings, where is God convicting you? As the Holy Spirit to build you up in that area, and begin to practice that spiritual discipline.
