Posts tagged Psalms
'I lift my eyes to the mountains' - 8 September 2024

How do we get help from God? Is it only when we ask, or does God get involved and help us all the time?

This talk looks at times in life when we need help, and not just comfort, and the hope that believers through history have found in Psalm 121, which starts, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

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Severn VineyardPsalms
’Seeing Christ in nature’ by Owen Lynch - 22 January 2023

Have you ever had an encounter with Christ Jesus in nature? Owen Lynch looks at how prominently nature featured in the Psalms and was woven into Jesus’ teaching as well as Old Testament stories. Do we tend to separate spiritual and physical things, or can we learn from looking for God’s nature in the world and universe around us? This talk concludes with a visual meditation on Psalm 104, and there’s a guide for how to take this further at the end.

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‘Encounters With God - Stories from the Old Testament, part 8 - David’ by Jack Saunders - 24 July 2022

What do we want to be remembered for? Jack Saunders looks at the Old Testament character of David and the range of famous stories which come to mind, from his battles as a youth to his leadership and preparation of a temple in his old age. But his memorable passion for being after God’s heart probably came from the range and depths of his worship. To be that good at worship, David must not have just shown up to lead it in public, but privately pursued worship as a passion. What space and commitments are we making in our lives to develop who we are in ways which will memorably show up in relationships with others, and what can we do if we want more of this?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of "Search Me!" (Psalm 139)' by Mal Calladine - September 13 2020

Are you anxious about what to do in life? In this talk, Mal Calladine looks at a worship Psalm where the writer's main concern isn't to work out their activity but bond in their being with God. We can generate needless stress for ourselves by focusing on working to please people, or God, instead of being strengthened through healthy relationships. Can letting God search, test and shape our character relieve us of stress as well as guiding what we do?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of "Train me!" (Psalm 18)' by Bern Leckie - August 23 2020

How can we face huge obstacles and learn to overcome them? In this talk, Bern Leckie looks at Psalm 18 and the training journey David is taken on by God after crying for help in a desperate situation. He sees what God can do, then starts to walk with God, get trained and strengthened by him, and finally can do everything he needs to claim victory in God's strength. Can we apply this where we need help and strengthening in our lives?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of Chillax (Psalm 37)' by Mal Calladine - August 2 2020

How can we make a difference in difficult times? In this talk, Mal Calladine looks at why our hurried, anxious responses to challenge can make life worse, but if we can learn to become a non-anxious presence, we can change our world. We can learn about how to do this from the writer of Psalm 37. Like them, can we trust God to help us, creating space in our lives for trust and delight to grow?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of Longing (Psalm 84)' by Joanna Moss - July 19 2020

How do our desires shape the direction of our lives? In this talk, Joanna Moss looks at Psalm 84, and how a longing to be with God and in His presence can influence and bless the rest of our lives. Through this Psalm we learn that as we take time out from our busy lives to centre on God and receive His blessings, we can become more aware of God’s presence in us and at work in our lives. Can this Psalm be an encouragement for us to seek more time to just be with God?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of Relief (Psalm 23)' by Sarah Dowdeswell - July 5 2020

How good is the feeling of relief? In this talk, Sarah Dowdeswell looks at how important it is for us to feel "Phew!" or "Finally!" kinds of relief when our circumstances change. Psalm 23 has become famously useful for connecting with God when we need relief, even if we are not yet seeing the changes we would like. Can we believe that God's grace is bigger than the circumstances we are in?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of "You Rock!" (Psalm 24)' by Claire Lynch - June 21 2020

When we are feeling lost, how can we regain peace and perspective? In this talk, Claire Lynch looks at a Psalm with a heart cry to God about his awesomeness. It points to a “King of Glory” who is strong, victorious, connects people to God and is coming to change our city and the rest of the world. We recognise him as Jesus. But when we hit challenges and obstacles in life, are we welcoming him in to do what he does best?

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‘Cries of the Heart: The Cry of Praise (Psalm 103)’ by Dan Green - June 7 2020

How can we turn difficulty and pain into positivity and praise? In this talk, Dan Green looks at a time when David chose to turn his focus from himself to God. As David reminded himself of God’s character and what he had done, David gained a fresh perspective on his own place in the world. Could this also help us to find more joy, thankfulness and peace in life?

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'Cries of the Heart: The Cry of Pain (a Lockdown Lament)' by Mal Calladine - May 17 2020

What happens when we bring our pain to God? In this talk, Mal Calladine looks at Psalm 40, a heartfelt cry of desperation quoted across our culture, including at the end of every U2 concert. If we can identify with the urgent call for help to deal with stuff which looks too hard for us, maybe we can feel God’s closeness the way this writer could too.

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