Psalm 95:6–Let Us Bow Before the Lord

Psalm 95:6–"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us knell before the Lord, our Maker!"

Reverence, the sincere act of offering honor and adoration, is an aspiration that we have perhaps lost as a people.  Our entertainment barely bats its eyes to criticize or parody any form of reverence and is even apt to deface God Himself if it can be construed as some joke.  But this is, in the end, a lie told to us by the father of lies, Satan.  It is a lie that deceives into believing that we are no longer creatures created by the Holy Lord, but that we are, in fact, creators of our own selves.  Again, this is a lie.

The truth is that we are creatures that have been created by God Himself.  This truth informs everyone one of our decisions and scenarios in life, whether we accept it in belief or not.  It is, it turns out, inescapable.  Yet much of our lives is predicated upon the deceptions of pride and vanity so that our time is expelled on uselessness, meaninglessness, and shallow superficiality.  But it was never meant to be so!

God has ordained that we bow before Him in humble praise and adoration.  This is not for His benefit, but for ours.  Humans are fueled by offering worship just as cars run on gasoline.  It is important, then, that we constantly remind ourselves of this truth so that we can run at optimum performance by putting in the 'right' fuel, which turns out to be a steady diet of reverently praising the Holy Lord Almighty,

Let us then always keep this focus before us and take seriously the call to worship in our lives.

Ephesians 2:18-19–No Longer Strangers Through His Spirit

Ephesians 2:18-19–"For in Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."

In Christ, we who were far off from God due to the prevalent forces of sin working in our lives, have been brought near to God through the blood of Jesus.  In addition to this, though, our fellowship with God has brought us nearer to one another in Christ.  This is to say that in our becoming children of God by virtue of Jesus, we have become brothers and sisters with all those who have been borne of the blood of the Lamb too.  We should celebrate this truth and all its beauty for it is profound and transformational.  Amen!

Proverbs 29:11–Holding Back Wisely

Proverbs 29:11–"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back."

When ready Proverbs today, I ran across this verse and stopped.  I had to read it again.  And again.  And again.  It convicted me.

It turns out that , according to this verse, I am most certainly a fool.  Now I do not desire to be a fool nor do I wish to continue to live life as a fool, however, I fear that my proclivities in this sector of my life have become so engrained that to become a wise man in this regard will truly take a miracle.

You see, I, like many members of my family, are opinionated.  And when I say opinionated, I mean that not only do I possess specific opinions on a wide array of topics but, and here's the downfall, I feel that it is my right, nay, my duty to inform the people around me my opinions. This is made all the more important when other's opinions happen to disagree or contradict my own.  In such a case as this, I have often been prone to fully venting my spirit in a excited display of opinionated portrayals.  In other words, I have exposed that I am both a fool and a jack@$$.

When I read this verse, I immediately tried to dismiss it under the presumption that I must be the wise man.  That facade, though, did not last long.  Midway into reading the next verse I had to go back and re-read verse 11 to make sure.  Yep, I thought to myself, I am a fool.

Therefore, my concluding prayer today is for myself and for all the opinionated fools like me:

May God grant that He would transform our foolish selves so that we would be content in holding back our opinions so that they could be shared quietly, effectively, and wisely.

John 6:28-29–What do we do?

John 6:28-29–"Then they asked Him, 'what must we do, to be doing the works of God?'  Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you would believe in the He whom He has sent.'"

It's so simple.  Jesus lays it out for us, defines what God asks for us in such straightforward and unequivocal terms: God desires for us to believe in the man that He has sent.  This statement, however, carries with it a secondary connotation.  To be sure, primarily it is referring to the Son, that we would believe in the Christ, Jesus of Nazarene.  Yet there is another sense in which Jesus makes this direct assertion.  We should not forget that He is also speaking of those people whom God has called and will call to speak His truth and to carry the message of Christ throughout history.  In this way not only is the work of God about believing in Jesus but it also infers that we would believe those in whom Jesus has imparted His Holy Spirit, aka. Christians.  So, in the end, our task is simple but it is also a challenge that we would commit to trust in Christ and the ones whom He has sent to preach the message of God!

1 Thes. 5:15–Do Good to One Another and Everyone

1 Thessalonians 5:15–"See to it that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone."

It is, unfortunately, perfectly natural for anyone of us to have a retributive bent.  After all, it is far more normal for us to wish ill will on those who have wronged us or to make enemies of those who have treated us as such.  However, in Christ we are called to adhere to another type of ethic altogether.  We are called to love, to truly love one another.  This is, to be sure, more difficult than the former but it is the right and the godly way to live.  Let us love then when we are confronted and bombarded with evil, and in so doing live as Christ.

Romans 12:4-5–Many Members=Many Functions

Romans 12:4-5: "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."
There are many partnerships and teams that are analogous to the Church.  From a football team to an army battalion, humans naturally accumulate into different files and functions within the roles they are asked to play at any time.  While the Church can be described like this, it is, however, something different too.  For the Church is always ordered into three ranked categories of function and relationship.

1. Vertical–As Christians, our focus always begins vertically.  That is to say that we are God-centered to begin with.  This distinction, ultimately, forms the basis for all Christianity as it inexorably informs the other two functions.

2. Horizontal Covenantally–From our God-centered focus, we are then commanded to live covenantally to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  That is to say that our love of Christ compels us to a sincere devotion toward every other Christian.  We, in a real sense, belong to every other Christian by virtue of belonging to Christ.  This is one of the main purposes of the Church: that we would grow in love to each other within the Christian community.  In this way, we will be equipped and capable to accomplish the third function.

3.  Horizontal Evangelistically–From Christ through the Church and into the world, it is our call.  We are exhorted and ordained to love people who are not Christians and to lead them into the truth that is a personal relationship with the Lord Almighty through His Son, Jesus Christ. Needless to say that this alone is a multifaceted endeavor but it is an essential task for the Church at large.

Now for the connection:

Each of the aforementioned functions within the Church are set before every Christian.  We are all called to commit ourselves to do each of them.  However, within that command, our personalities, gifts, talents, resources, and histories are all taken into consideration, meaning that every person actualizes the three Christian functions in slightly different-though-equally-valid ways (think of the pastor or the businessman or the evangelist, et al).

The point, then, really becomes that we would simply commit ourselves to loving God, loving our brothers and sisters, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Let us take these three task with the serious devotion and commitment that Jesus has shown us, being obedient to the Father unto death upon the cross.

Psalm 119:165–Loving His Law

Psalm 119:165: "Great peace have those who love Your Law; nothing can make them stumble."

Loving the Law of the Lord is tantamount to loving God Himself.  If we love God, we will love His Law.  Moreover, not only will we love His Law, we will take to the task of abiding by that Law with joy and desire.  It is like the love between lovers: if they truly love one another they will be more than happy to abide by their requests.  This sort of affection is meant as a shadow of our devotion to the Holy Lord.  We would do well, then, to desire the good Law of God.  And if we do not love the Law of the Lord, we should pray that God would stir a passion for it!

Simple Thanks

Today's blog is quite simple and will be perhaps a bit different than my normal order.

This last week (maybe the past few) has been intense if not outright overwhelming.  But the last 24 hours has been one blessing after another.  And, to be honest, I am in many ways simply speechless.

So for today's blog all I have to say is:

Thank You, Lord.  Thank You.

Amen.

Psalm 94:18-19–God Holds Us in Our Troubles

Psalm 94:18-19–"When I thought, 'My foot slips,' Your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul."

Life is full of cares and worries that can easily overtake our minds with a deluge of fear and trepidation that threatens to sink us with its weight.  It is then such a wonderful thing to remember that God has it covered.  He consoles even the most storm-broken soul and holds up the most downtrodden person.  Let us never forget this truth so that we may find comfort in the most dire scenarios. Amen and praise be to God who cheers the soul!

Romans 8:31-33–God Wants To Bless Us

Romans 8:31-33–"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies."

This passage is a series of questions, but it there are two statements, two answers to these questions that this passage offers for these questions.  The first is a statement in the form of a question: "If God is for us, who can be against us?"  This one sets the background for a whole slew of Christian theological awesomeness but it is but a lead in to the final statement: "It is God who justifies."

Needless to say, this passage is packed full of theology.  But, in truth, I must submit that it speaks for itself far better than my contemplations can convey.  All I can say that is appropriate or worthy of addition is this:

Thank You, Lord.  Amen!

Psalm 42:8–At Night His Song Is With Me

Psalm 42:8–"By the day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life."

God's steadfast love is unending.  It does not fail, it does not fade, and there is no off-time.  Humans, however, are seasonal beings.  Be it night to day, spring to summer, or minute to minute, we are naturally an undulating sort, full of ebb and flow.  But even among these many cycles of up and down, we can be stabilized by Him who is: God.  Whether morning, noon, or night, we have the distinct privilege of enjoying the presence of the Lord it only we would seek it in humility and faith.  It truly is that simple.

Therefore, my prayer tonight is that you and I would seek His face in our beds as well as in our cars just as strongly as we would in the pews.  In this way we will be sure to enjoy the uttermost of His great goodness in our lives.  And I don't know about you, but that's what I want!

Psalm 16:8–I Shall Not Be Shaken

Psalm 16:8: "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."

This is a verse which I take very seriously.  It forms the impetus and motivation for most of life, actually.  My thought process's course is founded upon a basic presumption that is so foundational to the core of who I am that I am compelled unabashedly to share it.

God is our Creator.  Because of this, He knows the correct direction and trajectory for every one of us to take.  In other words, He has the right by virtue of being our Creator to set the bearing for our lives.  We are thus obliged by conscious and bound by our beings to either adhere to God's prescribed route or to reject it.

In the end, if we set the Lord always before us, as this verse conveys, it turns out we will inevitably be taking each step as it is meant to be taken in the correct direction; our footing will be sure and our purpose will remain intact and propelling.  However, if we neglect the prescription of this verse, we will inevitably find ourselves lost, anemic, and failing.

The only right course of action, then, is to forever strive to set the Lord before us and follow Him!

1 John 5:12–Whoever Has the Son Has Life

1 John 5:12: "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life."

In truth, all theology points to Christ Jesus.  If it does not, to be sure, it will ultimately be found to be anemic and wanting.  What this means, quite plainly, is that our spirituality our and our eternal livelihood rests solely in the Son of God, Jesus of Nazarene.  No other religion of any repute can make this claim, but this is, it turns out, the foundational claim of Christianity: Jesus is God in His very nature.

This is the basis for Christianity.  Thus the irreducible backdrop by which all theology finds its support is not a set of assertions or theological propositions; it is a relationship with the Son of God, Christ Jesus.  Not only should we strive to never forget this truth, we should so let it seep into every molecule of our beings that we would live every moment in praise to the God who His through faith in His Son.

Amen!

Philippians 1:21–For Me To Live Is Christ

Philippians 1:21: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

This verse lends itself to easy misinterpretations but it is still one of my favorites.  The basic context of this verse is that Paul is telling the readers that there is nothing, not a single thing that is more powerful or more important than Christ.  In fact, everything is but vainly worthless compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing and loving Christ.  Not even our own life is more valuable than knowing God and being known by Him.

But we sin hinders our ability to see this profoundly affective truth.  It is no wonder that we have a skewed system of evaluation.  We rank and file everything in life but we do so comparing and contrasting rubbish to other rubbish.  It all, then, comes into proper light and perspective when we begin to see the Holy Lord of the universe.  We are privileged to receive a revelation of what life was meant to be: that is, devoted in faith to God for every fiber of our being to be sustained moment-to-moment by His powerful Word.

Recognizing how foundational this assertion becomes is thus necessary for us to say in faith and in truth: "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

2 Corinthians 10:17-18–No Use Boasting In Myself

2 Corinthians 10:17-18: "'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'  For it is not the one who commends himself who will be approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

I warn you: today, I am going to be rather autobiographical and expose a disdainful part of myself in reference to this verse.  It may get a little long.  And please forgive me my pride, anyone whom I may have injured in the past for my egotism.

I have always had a busy mouth.  What I mean by that is that I have often found myself talking more than is ever necessary.  And while I can faithfully attest that by the grace of God I have seen significant sanctification in my speech, I must say that in my earlier years the motivation for my mouthiness was two-fold: pride and insecurity.

When I was younger, I was very insecure about my intellect but I was also very prideful of my ability to communicate.  As a result, the main content of my speech mostly dealt with how great I thought I was, especially in regards to my intelligence.  It was as if by telling people how smart I was then maybe I would actually be how smart I told everyone.  The truth, however, was far more dubious.

Instead of proving my brain power by telling people about how smart I was, the only thing I proved was how much of a donkey I could be.  After all, a prideful person is already difficult while a prideful person that tells you how proud they are is an altogether bane.  So rather than letting everyone known about the greatness of me I let everyone know about my own supreme deficiency: personal pride.

This came to a head once when during one exceptionally prideful episode in which I was too busy telling people how much I knew about everything to listen to any wisdom, when my grandfather told me something that I will never forget.

He said, "You know, you don't have to tell everyone how smart you are.  If you really are as smart as you think you are, they'll figure it out.  The best athlete never has to tell people how good he is; the way he plays will let everyone know."

This verse hits me square in the heart.  It has been a major part of my Christianity to put to death my pride so that I would not ever boast in myself but that I would only boast in the greatness of God and how good He has been to me.  I spent years trying to 'manage' my pride through self-examination.  But it was only when I looked squarely into the holiness of God and His Son, Christ Jesus, that my pride has been put to death in the flesh and I have been, by the grace of God, made new.

My earnest and ever-present prayer, then, is that I would keep my eyes fixed firmly on Christ and His awesomeness.  This is the only way to truly stop any root of pride from blooming in our hearts: to stare into the holiness of the Almighty Lord.  For in comparison to Him, we are but creatures who are wholly dependent on Him for sustaining existence moment-by-moment.

Proverbs 16:9–Humans Plan, God Establishes

Proverbs 16:9: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

The whole 16th chapter of Proverbs deals with this concept, but it is this verse that hits the nail on the head.  And it is an important verse to remember every so often, because isn't this just the case?  That we would plan each step but it requires the Lord for our plans to be established and reach fulfillment.

I can speak from experience that my heart seems to always be brimming with plans but it has been only when I have commited these plans to the Lord that I have been blessed to see these plans reach their potential, not at all because of my expert administration but because of God's great goodness.

It is, thus, a necessary remembrance to put every plan before God who ultimately establishes our steps!

Romans 14:8–No Matter What: We Belong to Him!

Romans 14:8: "For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's."

I find this verse incredibly profound as it remains wholly comforting.  It must be stated upfront, though, that while this is a true statement it is a statement solely for those of us who belong Christ.  Part of the nature of God's relationship with mankind is that He has given human beings a choice.  There are two possibilities: either we will belong to Christ in faith and obedience or we will claim ownership of ourselves.  Now while the latter possibility may seem like a positive thing, it is merely a facade, a dire and eternal facade.

The reality, however, is that the same God who created the vastness of the universe by the power of His Word also created every person by that same modem.  It is then inescapable that we belong, ultimately, to God.  When we refuse to accept that truth and we live our lives in foolhardy reprobation and utter disregard for who we are in Christ, then it is no wonder that God is just to 'leave us to our own devices.'  In a sense, it would be unjust of Him to bring us into His presence kicking and screaming!

Therefore, it is a great and lovely joy to be reckoned as a child of God and to be counted as His.  Let us take joy in this reality: that by the blood of the lamb, who is Christ Jesus, we have been permitted to enter into the holy Kingdom of God.

Amen!

Sharing a Blessing

Normally, I do not speak autobiographically in this blog.  However, I learned about something from my youth group bunch that touched my heart and confirmed that God is working.

For the past several months three of the youth group members have joined the worship team.  I am a leader in both of these ministries and it truly has been a wonderful joy to see these kids use their talents to worship God through song.

Well, this last weekend the youth group went on a missions trip.  For whatever reason, I was unable to go with them, relegated to other tasks.  Today, at worship rehearsal, the youth group members who were on the missions trip shared with me about something that happened on the trip.

On one of the nights, they were having a bonfire in the community when an acoustic guitar, an acoustic bass, and a hand drum were somehow passed around and the group apparently went into singing one of the worship songs we do fairly often: "Our God Saves" by Paul Baloche.  It occurred to me that for the past several months, when we were playing this song, these kids were singing and learning theology without even knowing it.  I guess that's why we're commanded to speak to each other in hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs.

To be honest, the whole thing brought me to tears of pride that I got the privilege of seeing God work on the hearts and minds of these young people through a song.

Amen and thank You, Lord!

Eph. 2:10–We Are His Workmanship

Ephesians 2:10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Identity and purpose are two of the most significant journeys that humans embark upon in their lives.  And there is a veritable deluge of possibilities vying to be the source and vision that we would adhere to, that which might define our identity and our purpose.  But this verse, along with many other verses is a solid and sobering reminder that our identity is and will always be found in God and in God alone.  The precursor to this verse is the famous: "For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing so that no man may boast."  But this statement about workmanship speaks primarily into identity.

I want this to be clear and unequivocal: there is no source of identity and purpose to be found anywhere but in Christ.  Image bearing is our identity and our purpose.  We should not ever forget this simple but profound truth.  It is who we are and it is what who are to be.  Let us keep this before us.

1 Cor. 6:19-20–Glorify God in Your Body

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Or do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body."

When we give ourselves to Christ, a major part of the ordeal is that we are given renewed vision to see life as it is and to understand who we are in Him.  This means, among many things, that we began see that our bodies as a place of praise, a site for worship that we take with us wherever we may go.  In other words, our bodies are temples for God and we are commanded here in 1 Corinthians to remember this truth and to live lives that reflect this recognition.  Let us then always keep this truth before us as we strive to live glorifying God with every pore in our bodies!

Psalm 119:14–Delighting in the Testimonies of God

Psalm 119:14: "In the way of Your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches."

This verse is not alone in expressing this content, but something about it made me stop and think today.  I had to ask: "Do you delight in the Lord and in His testimonies more than the choicest riches?"

Maybe you aren't as convicted by this simple question as I was but when I asked myself, I had to pause.  I have to admit, that it is not always the case that I delight in the testimonies of the Lord as much as in the riches of this world (by riches of this world I mean mostly food and internet).

But I want to; I want to desire the things of God above everything.

My prayer, then, for today is this:

Lord, please help me.  Please sanctify my priorities that I may desire You above all else.
Amen.

Psalm 46:1–God is Our Refuge

Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in times of trouble."

Trouble comes; there is no escaping this fact of life.  But how we handle this fact, how deal with the troubles that accompany this life, perhaps speaks more acutely about who we are and where we receive our strength from in the end.  To be sure, the only source of strength that is without reservation is, in the end, God Himself.  Therefore, it is all the more keen and necessary that we firmly fix our roots in Christ and in Christ alone.

James 1:17–Every Good Gift is From God

James 1:17: "Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

This is a wonderful verse, a certain reminder of the reality of our dependence upon God for every good thing.  It is quite often the case in life that when good gifts come we are prone to rationalize these providential pleasantries as if we deserve them or even that we've earned them in some way or another.  But the reality is that it is God Himself who blesses us with every good and perfect gift from above.  More than anything, then, when we perceive or realize the great gifts in our lives are, in fact, from God and we should, in turn, praise Him!  Praise God, then, for all the blessings that He has blessed us with in His name and in His good pleasure!

Psalm 149:4–The Lord Takes Pleasure in His People

Psalm 149:4: "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation."

It is a pleasant thought to consider that God delights in His children and that His delight radiates blessing to those in whom He takes pleasure. Additionally, those who are His people have been adorned with salvation as a by-product, so to speak, of His relationship.  This is to say that we, Christians, are blessed because God is pleased to bless us.  In a sense, then, our greatest joy is a reflection of His great joy in us.  Let us always keep this before us!

Isaiah 33:22–What Right Does God Have to Judge

Isaiah 33:22: "For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our King; He will save us."

I hear this complaint more often than I can count about sin and justice.  Although it finds itself in many variations, it usually renders itself as something like this: "what right does God have to judge me?"

While it can be easily ascertained that the heart content of this protest is one of pride and deflection, its sincerity should not be quickly snubbed.  To be honest, it is a simple and good question to ask.  One that does demand a verdict of the highest order.

The answer comes to us, at least in large measure, in the above verse.  God, being the Creator of all creation–not the least which being humans–has it in His full rights as Creator to set certain parameters, specific guidelines for His creatures to adhere to.  We call them commandments and laws.

By virtue, then, of His position as the supreme Creator, He also takes the stand as supreme Judge. This means, most acutely, that God has the right to judge us as He sees fit.  The importance of this assertion cannot be overstated so I'll try to say it another way: God is not obligated to judge us by our own standards.

So, as we would like to be judge and jury of our own lives, when we face down the ultimate righteousness of God Almighty, we can only quake at the reality of that judgment and rest our hope not in our own goodness, but in His graciousness as a good and loving judge.

In the end the answer to the question "what right does God have to judge me?" is that God's right comes quite simply: He's God and we're not.  We should never, not ever forget this basic truth.

Colossians 2:9-10–In Him the Fullness of Deity Dwells

Colossians 2:9-10: "For in Him the fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled with Him, who is the head of all rule and authority."

This is a verse about who Christ is: God incarnate.  But it is also a verse about the fact that we who are in Christ are jointly filled with Christ.  This is a beautiful proposition: that the Christ who is the fullness of deity fills us.  It turns out that this is the reality of the Christian existence, that the God who created and sustains the universe also inhabits us with His Holy Spirit.  In this way, we can accurately attest to deity dwelling within us by virtue of Christ's indwelling Spirit residing inside of us.  It is thus a good thing to remember who Christ is and who, in fact, we are in Him.

Proverbs 9:13-Beware the Seduction of Folly

Proverbs 9:13: "The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing."

To say that Folly is a loud and seductive woman that ultimately knows nothing is to say that the one who brazenly gloats of his indiscretion and seduces others to follow him, in the end, is but a fool who truly knows nothing.  This may be a bitter pill to swallow if you are anything like me. That is, if you have a proclivity, a natural tendency towards folly and foolishness.

It has been remarkable, then, to see God  transform my vision in this regard, that by the power of His in dwelling Holy Spirit who applies His holy Word to my life, my attraction to the woman Folly has been replaced.  This has, I am convinced, been entirely a work of God in transforming me to have a distaste for Folly as It has been replaced by a hunger for the things of God.

Additionally, the aforementioned verse reminds me that while fools trapped in bed with Folly will speak boldly and deductively try to lead skeptical people wayward to become fools in partnership, the wise one will be able to recognize that the fool is all the more ignorant because of their love of Folly.  Therefore, the task for the godly is to be trained to spot the fool so as to guard one's heart against Folly's seductive and ignorant ways.

1 John 1:8-9–Hiding Sin in Deception or Confessing Sin to be Forgiven

1 John 1:8-9: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us form all unrighteousness."

There is a profound truth asserted in these verses about the nature of mankind's relationship to God.  We are full of sin.  There is no way around this basic, fundamental truth.  We are born into sin.  It is the flaw of humanity and the cause of every hardship and strife that all humanity has ever had to face.  Any worldview, then, that does not address sin is not and cannot be true.  But all that being said, God has been merciful to us in Christ Jesus that if we confront and confess our sin, He is just and faithful to forgive us.  What's more, He not only forgives but He cleanses us too!  There is no greater and more beautiful proposition to have ever been made than this truth.  We are not worthy of this gift but God makes us worthy by His grace.  Amen!

God Sees the Heart

1 Samuel 16:7: "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

This verse is what God says to Samuel when Samuel feels called to choose David, the most unlikely of candidates, to become the new king of Israel. But it is a profound testimony to the holiness of God.  We would do wise to remember this basic truth: that God perceives a human not by appearance by the very weight of his or her heart.  Perhaps if we would strive to see people this same way, to see people as God sees them, then we would be all the more able to love as He loves.  Let us then pursue this sort of vision.

Psalm 150:6–Let Everything that has Breath Praise

Psalm 150:6: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!"

This is the last verse of the book of Psalms.  It caps the attitude of 150 chapters of prayer, praise, and prophecy.  It is, at the very least, a book of worship.  The verses therein are poetry of the highest ilk, singularly focused on relating to the Lord.  This final verse of this exceptional analogy of worship is both a prescription as much as it is a prophecy.  That is to say that it prescribes for us God's intention for everything, all of His creation to praise.  But it is also a prophecy that at some predetermined point everything that has breath will praise the Lord.  That is a day I look forward to with every atom in my being.  Amen!

Psalm 119:114–God is the Hiding Place

Psalm 119:114: "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."

This had been said many times–several times by me in the last month–but life can be overwhelming.  From jobs, to bills, to kids, to volunteering, to being a spouse, and all the other pressures that weigh on us, it is easy to be overwhelmed or to feel like all the strains are continually attacking us at every turn.  Because of this it is a good thing, a necessary thing to remember this verse and those like it.

Our hope is made secure in God and in God alone.  It is always a comfort, then, to be reminded that we are not alone in the muck and mire of this life; we have God as our hope and our hiding place amidst the storms.  Let us then always seek to rest our hope in God and in Him alone!