cLIMBING hiGHER

The Bible contains beautiful songs that express and shape our deepest feelings. During these difficult times, let them uplift you as together we climb higher.

Sermon Series: “Climbing Higher: Songs of Ascents”

• Too Long (Psalm 120)
  We are distressed and scattered – but God still answers when we call.

• My Help Comes from the LORD (Psalm 121)
  The road we are on is difficult, but God is helping us every step of the way.

• Going to the House of the LORD (Psalm 122)
  We want to be together:  so pray for peace and do good.

• I Lift Up My Eyes (Psalm 123)
  As we climb higher, we will encounter opposition from others. When we lift our eyes to God, He provides the mercy we need to keep moving.

• The LORD on Our Side (Psalm 124)
  Sometimes we feel like we just can’t, and we’re right.  But God can.

• Surrounded (Psalm 125)
  The LORD surrounds His people.  Because we know who we are and where we have come from, we can endure hardship and not be moved.

• Restored (Psalm 126)
  We are in such a dry, difficult place: we need restored.

• Home Builders (Psalm 127)
  There are a lot of good things we can spend our lives building. All that matters, though, is that we build with God.

• Family Blessing (Psalm 128)
  Change in the world starts in our homes. Change in our homes starts in ourselves.

• Afflicted (Psalm 129)
  Sometimes God’s people hurt. Looking to Jesus in our pain will make us realize that we’re still here and will help us to remember that He will overcome.

• Crying and Calmed (Psalm 130 & 131)
  God is a father who helps when we are in trouble and keeps us on the right path.  Through His forgiveness, we can know calm and quiet in our souls as we hope in Him.

• Remember and Arise (Psalm 132)
  Through our pain, God can teach us something. Through His Son, we can climb higher.

• United and Blessed (Psalm 133 & 134)
  It has been a long road, and the journey isn’t over.  Yet, we are united, blessed, and able to keep climbing because Jesus is Lord and He’s given us His Spirit.

Articles

• You’re the Inspiration
  Singing has always been important to God’s people. Yet, the Psalms aren’t just any songs: they were inspired by God. As such, they have incredible power to shape who we are.

• Don’t Stop the Music
  Even with all of his considerable accomplishments and epic failures, King David’s ultimate legacy was his love of God and music! As we study, meditate, pray, and sing his inspired words through our own highs and lows, we can be blessed, too.

• Your Song
  Jesus loved the Psalms. He quoted and fulfilled them. They helped Him and were ultimately about Him. We would do well to give these sacred selections our attention, too.

• Sing a Song
  Since our faith began, Christians have benefited from singing’s power to engage our hearts and stay in our minds. When we specifically sing the Psalms, we bring our feelings to God to shape as we are filled with the Spirit.

• More than Words
  The Psalms were more than a songbook to the first Christians and should be to us, too. They are deep, rich, and worthy of our meditation.

• My Father’s Eyes
  In the Psalms, the Apostles not only found great insight into who God is but also practical guidance on how to be like Him. As we meditate, pray, and sing these inspired words, we can begin to look like our Father, too.

• I Write the Songs
  When you follow the Lamb and sing the Psalms, you are learning the “new song” of Revelation. Not only do the Psalms give you the words to express the joy of being in God’s presence, but you experience that presence more through the very act of singing.

• An Old-Fashioned Love Song
  There is so much we can learn from the Psalms as they present us a millennium-spanning vision of praise to our God. Whatever your musical preferences or situation in life, there is a psalm for you.

Bible Study

• Addressing One Another and Singing to the Lord
  Singing together plays such an important role in how we are taught and in how we are filled with the Spirit that God gave us a whole book in the Bible of nothing but songs.

• Singing with the Understanding
  Singing with your spirit and mind glorifies God, brings you closer to Him, and builds up the church! As we learn some basics about four-part harmony, we will better experience coming into God’s presence with singing.

CONNECT 5 Minute Devotionals

• His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
  As the songbook of ancient Israel and the early church, the Psalms have expressed and shaped the emotions of the faithful for millennia. Hear how Psalm 118 speaks stability into our uncertain times.

• I Shall Live
  We might feel like we're surrounded and falling; but, God helps us, and we shall live.

• Open the Gates
  While debates rage about when to "open the gates", the conclusion of Psalm 118 reminds us Who saves us, how He redeems the rejected, and what we should be praying.

• Number Our Days
  Psalm 90, the oldest song in the songbook, teaches us to look to God to satisfy us in the morning with His steadfast love. As we do, we can rejoice and be glad each day, even in these tough times.

• Praise in the Wilderness
  Even in the wilderness, we can praise God once we realize His steadfast love is better than life.

• Bless the LORD
  What do you give God who has everything? Your praise - and as He always does, He still blesses you more.

• Let Us Go to the House of the LORD
  Won't you be glad when they say, "Let us go to the house of the LORD?" If so, we should pray for our cities.

More Lessons

For more lessons and devotionals, visit our podcast archive.