Beware of culture creep!

They abandoned the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.

Judges 2:13-14

Idolatry always has consequences. In Israel’s case, it took just one generation for God’s people to become pagans. A generation chose idols over Yahweh. They forgot their history. They took for granted that their life in a land that their ancestors fought to receive from God would just always be. They assumed it was always theirs. They abandoned the Lord.

And such casual drift into worship of false gods is easy to do. The nations around Israel that previous generations just tolerated, to the next generation became role models and lifestyle barometers. One generation failed to completely follow God’s will. The next generation chose to completely follow Baal and Ashtaroth. Disobedience to God has generational decay as a sad consequence.

The idolatrous generation that preferred gross pagan worship (rites that included child sacrifice and religious prostitution)… that generation experienced judgment by God as well. Israel was regularly plundered and oppressed. Occupying Canaanite forces grew stronger. Sadly, the pagan gods just brought pagan occupation and oppression. Idolatry made everything worse. It always dominates and destroys. 

Hearts that are drawn to worship the stuff of this earth, or the lifestyles of those outside God’s people, are always going to pay this kind of price. Heeding the setup warnings on the Book of Judges requires that we guard our hearts from “culture creep”. There are still types of Baals and Ashtaroths that can lull us into idolatry, and then oppress our lives miserably!

God gives

I am the LORD your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Psalm 81:10

This verse, situated in Psalm 81, which Asaph wrote as a spiritual history lesson for Israel, emphasizes four important ways God worked among His people. And what God gave to Israel in the Exodus, He also gives through Christ today.

First, God emphasizes PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. “I am the LORD your God.” The Jews have a unique covenant life with God. He is their God. They are His people. He cares for them in that relationship. He revealed His unique purposes, plans, passion, and position to them as His people. And through His people He sent One Who would save and bless the entire world!

Next, God emphasizes His RESCUE of His people. God brought about their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God gave them Moses as their leader. God brought about the means for their salvation when it took the Passover’s death angel to bend Pharaoh’s hardened heart to release Israel from bondage. In Christ we are rescued from sin’s slavery now!

God also emphasizes His POWER to His people. He brought them out. He made them His own. He kept them fed and cared for in the wilderness. In the covenant relationship, God’s supernatural power was the highest and greatest display of His constant care of Israel. They simply had to follow. And so it is with Jesus. His power saves us. We must believe and follow.

And finally, God’s PROVISION is emphasized. The command of joyful divine generosity is this: “Open you mouth wide! I’m going to fill it up with the good stuff!” God lived up to His promise of provision, not only in the wilderness, but beyond, in all of Israel’s history. He has kept covenant at His great cost, even when they failed. And His generous grace still pours to believers now, even when we are less than worshipful or obedient. In Jesus we are in relationship, rescued, empowered, and provided all we need for life and godliness by His great and precious promises!

the soils

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:20

Jesus told the parable of the soils in order to teach His disciples how the kingdom would grow as the gospel was preached. Not all who hear the gospel accept and believe the gospel. And not every soil in which the Word is planted will ultimately bear fruit. But the sower still sows.

Some people, caught in the schemes of the Devil, have the gospel plucked from their hearts before it even has a change to germinate into a convicting thought. This is a way the world wars against the gospel. And it isn’t just a post-modern problem. Jesus warned of it in His preaching.

Some people have an emotional reception of the gospel. Jesus says they receive it with joy thinking it to be wonderful good news. But when hardships come because of the gospel, they reject it. They assumed it was all about feel good prosperity. And the truth of endurance makes them swiftly wither away.

Still others seem to hear and believe, but never really “leave” the world’s cares fully for Jesus. And the worldly siren song is louder in their hearts than their praise of their Savior. They are choked silent by the overgrown jungle of materialism, pride, and sensuality. They never thrive because they never let the gospel change their hearts.

The kingdom grows however with fruit bearing disciples. They aren’t lulled by culture, deceived by Satan, or driven by their own emotionality. They believe that Jesus alone is Savior and Lord and that they are sinners made holy ONLY by Him. They follow Him and grow. They too share the seed of the gospel so that their lives may bear fruit for His kingdom, not all to the same degree, but all for the same ends… So Jesus will be glorified and His Kingdom made known!

hearts that test God

They tested God in their heart

by demanding the food they craved.

Psalm 78:18

Our sin can be particularly grieving to God when we put God to the test in our unbelief. In the long history of Israel recounted in Psalm 78, this is seen over and over. God was faithful to His people. They wanted even more from Him. God gave it to them in mercy. They did not repent and instead their hearts demanded even more. And then God would judge their sin.

Interestingly it all starts in the heart. They tested God first in what their hearts demanded. Sin begins with evil desire. And evil desire is often a twisted form of a good desire. In Israel’s case in the context of Psalm 78:18, it was a good desire to have food. But the desire became a testing of God in sin when Israel DEMANDED God give them a specific food they craved. Manna was His heavenly gift! Soon they demanded meat instead. And as their hearts assigned contempt for God’s care and demanded He provided differently, God’s anger arose because of their unbelief and failure to trust His saving power (Psalm 78:22).

God’s judgment on insolent hearts was first to give them all that they craved. Water sprang from a rock in the desert. Manna rained from heaven daily. A strong wind covered their camp in quail until there was so much meat feasting that they were nearly sick from it. And as they satiated their craving on quail, God struck them down mid feast. Even after judgment they still eventually returned to their whining, craving lack of faith.

Thankfully in judgment God had mercy. He did not destroy Israel and all His wrath was not poured out in an exercise of divine restraint (Psalm 78:38). He took into account His covenant and their weaknesses and kept covenant with them despite a consistent pattern of sinful craving and rebellion (Psalm 78:39). Thank God, He does not treat people as their sins deserve, but is great in mercy! This mercy even forgives me when I test God in my heart.

remembering the precious and powerful

I consider the days of old,

the years long ago.

Psalm 77:5

I keep a journal as a means of remembering, recording, and reflecting on God’s Word and work in my experience. Psalm 77 has insight in the process and reasons to do this. Here’s an outline:

1. Remembering can hurt. God can feel distant. (Psalm 77:1-3)

    A.  Faith cries out from the soul. (Psalm 77:1-2a)

    B.  Feelings confuse the soul. (Psalm 77:2b-3)

          1. Lack of comfort

          2. Expressions of sorrow

          3. Spiritual weakness

II.  Remembering can haunt. God can leave unanswered questions. (Psalm 77:4-9)

      A. Comfortless lack of sleep. (Psalm 77:4-6a)

      B.  Answerless litany of questions. (Psalm 77:6b-9) There are 5 listed. They are answered at the end of the psalm.

III.  Remembering can heal. God does great wonders and works. (Psalm 77:10-20)

       A.  Choose to believe despite feelings. (Psalm 77:10)

       B.  Conviction based on God’s person and work. (Psalm 77:11-20)

             1.  God’s unique work (Psalm 77:11-12)

             2.  God’s unique person (Psalm 77:13)

             3.  God’s unique revelation (Psalm 77:14)

             4.  God’s unique salvation (Psalm 77:15)

             5.  God’s unique covenant with His people (Psalm 77:16-20)

The multi-faceted reality of remembering is aided by writing it down. And the real beauty of the process is known when I read past journals regularly. Not only do I remember and worship God for His past faithfulness, but I deeply relate with my Father because those reflections came in the forging of my heart. I see God. I see what He is doing in me. Difficult or delightful, remembering all of that precious work of God is preserved and celebrated in journaling. God does great work!

Giants Fell

There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain.

Joshua 11:22

When Israel spied on Canaan land

the sight of giants gave them fear

they failed to trust God’s loving hand

rejected the gift that was so near

Giants seemed undefeatable

imposing strength and towering size

the Israelites were just pitiful

“We are grasshoppers in their eyes.”

And so filled with giant fears

a generation was left to wander

the desert wastes for forty years

in unbelief to whine and ponder

Yet Joshua always trusted the Lord

never giving in to giant worry

he lived to see God fulfill His Word

when Canaan was conquered the giants scurried

Cities of giants before Israel fell

As God gave His people inheritance

eventually all ended quite well

no more fears of gargantuan pestilence

The God who fells giants, makes them run

is still here to help defeat fear

all foes have fallen to His Son

with the power of His Spirit always near

when it all feels bad

“At the set time that I appoint

I will judge with equity.

When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,

it is I who keep steady its pillars.” Selah

Psalm 75:2-3

Whether it is processing natural disaster that has brought unbelievable destruction and death, or just looking at a truly sick world that is unhealthy in nearly every aspect (pandemic, societal unrest, economic uncertainty, and moral abandonment), this psalm is a firm reminder that God is very much in control. He has appointed His time to deal with all of this. We feel the world is tottering and reeling, but God keeps the pillars firm. And those who trust in God can be confident even while all these pressuring issues demand our attention and lead us to the temptations of fear and unbelief.

God steadies the world as its pillars wobble. It is held firm by the cross and the foundation of an empty tomb. He has done so since the start of the worldwide pandemic. He still steadies us, even as this virus continues unabated and humbles science, dealing out still more rounds of sickness and death. God provides comfort for all loss, not only from disease, but from disaster. And no tornadic storm, hurricane, or blizzard is unknown or a surprise to Him. These tragedies call humanity to trust in the power and mercies of a God Who holds us steady, even as we wrestle with these losses and changes. As world population grows, these storms and natural events continue to get our attention. Yet our attention should, as this psalm calls us, be pointed to the God Who holds us secure amid our uncertainty.

And in a human society rife with the ongoing aftermath of evil, we must trust that God has appointed His means to judge with fairness in the time He has determined. God sees the wrong and will render His judgment. Innocents are still slaughtered. Injustice still marginalizes many people. Power is often corrupted by the powerful. Economies can fail us. And as prices go higher, the richest seem to only prosper more. It is a painful realization on a day-to-day level. Yet it is not the wealthy who have the true power. Riches cannot save. It is God Who keeps the pillars!

Ancient Israelites sang this song, in the first person, reminding themselves of what God Himself says and personally promises: 

• “I will fairly judge in the time that I appoint.”
• “I will keep you safe when it feels like everything else is shaking.”

In worship, my soul sings these truths too.

How the Spirit helps us know God

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13

Christians can know, believe, and be blessed with the truth of God’s Word because we have the gift of God’s Holy Spirit with us Who helps us fully understand God’s truth. We aren’t brilliant in and of ourselves. We MUST have the Holy Spirit’s insight into God’s Word in order to be taught what God wants us to know. The Spirit’s rule is indispensable. He makes the difference between knowing ABOUT God and TRULY knowing God possible. With the Spirit’s help, as I open my Bible and read the pages, I can freely understand what God says. Furthermore, Paul says Bible teachers are led by the Holy Spirit to impart truth that is not merely human, but that is also taught to us by the Holy Spirit of God.

So as I intake scripture, both in my own study, and in the preaching of the Word from others, I humbly ask the Holy Spirit to lead, to interpret, to teach, and to freely give me God’s Truth. It isn’t a habit of study alone that helps me. It isn’t the longevity of 51 years of Christian exposure to instruction that makes God known to me. This is ALL the work of God’s Holy Spirit in my spirit. Every time the Book is read this is true. And that direct spiritual encounter is needed, appreciated, and a wonder to my soul.

Spirit of God,

I thank You for Your precious ministry of making that which is spiritual known in me. Forgive me for thinking I have my own insights. You make the truth clear. You reveal Jesus. You instruct me. You lead me to understand God’s truth so that I might have the mind of Christ!

Amen

a humbling admission

Truly God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:1-3

This psalm of Asaph opens Book Three of the Psalter with a candor worth considering. I think it would do most Christians a lot of good to admit that this same struggle occasionally grabs our own hearts. I know I have been there. I remember once a few years back, as I drove to the church office to do the Lord’s work in my vehicle of the time, a 20+ year old Jeep SUV closing in on a quarter million miles, out of nowhere an obnoxious Audi comes behind me at full speed, crosses the double line, and passes me, flipping me the bird with a grin as he did so. I remember angrily praying out loud something like this: “Lord, why do the wicked get to have the good cars? The way this dude drives, he doesn’t deserve it!” My feet were stumbling. I was envious.

We live in a world that pushes materialism and the good life on us as the only measure of success and happiness. And Christians, if we aren’t in a worship perspective, we can fall for this. Our feet can almost stumble; our steps can nearly slip. That’s why a true worship perspective as described in Psalm 73 gets us back on track.

Outwardly the wicked can seem to have the good life. Read Psalm 73:4-15 for Asaph’s sketch of those observations. It looks like we should be envious of materialism. We can end up feeling defeated. But the perspective of God’s power, punishment of sin, and provision for His people changes everything! In worship in God’s sanctuary, Asaph perceives the truly big picture and repents of his envy:

• God judges the wicked and none of their material success saves them (Psalm 73:16-20).
• We are wrong to envy materialism (Psalm 73:21-23).
• God is always with us, protecting, guiding, and holding us eternally. That is priceless (Psalm 73:23-26).
• God settles it all in the end… we don’t! (Psalm 73:27)
• The faithful righteous have much to testify to concerning God’s great work on their behalf. That is the true treasure (Psalm 73:28).

all of you agree

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:10

Division in the church is nothing new. In the city of Corinth, a church that was planted by the apostle Paul himself became split with quarrels. The main issues involved celebritizing past leaders as well as an unwillingness in the church to take action on immoral behavior. They were starstruck but not sin-sick. The result was shattering to the unity of the Body of Christ and this ultimately took the eyes of the members of the Corinthian church off Jesus and on people.

There were camps of disciples. Some claiming to follow Paul’s teaching… others liked Apollos. Still others claimed Peter or Cephas as their guru, and then there was this super-spiritual sanctimonious group that just said, “Ahem…. We follow Jesus.” It was all a big mess. Paul chides the church for this childish bragging and points out how all of them have got their eyes completely off the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:11-17). After chastising their childishness, Paul again points to the wisdom and power of God in the cross of Christ to refocus all of them away from their infighting divisions and to the unifying salvation found only in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18-35).

Petty disagreements are always a problem among Christians. And today is no different. We still divide over Christian celebrity and consumeristic ceremonies. And some ministries place character on the back burner in order to attract consumer Christians. Then this becomes a temptation for all churches. But disciples are made not by showtime pageantry, fog and laser lights, and hipster motivational speakers. Disciples are made by individual commitment, clear gospel preaching, sound doctrine, accountable living, and honest connection in community with believers. It is anti-consumeristic to follow Jesus because He requires we deny self and load up a heavy cross on our backs. It is an inconvenient truth.

Oh that we would hear the call in our Lord Jesus Christ to agree together! Oh to end petty divisions over people and personal preferences so that the gospel brings us again into unity!

transcending trouble

Your righteousness, O God,

reaches the high heavens.

You who have done great things,

O God, who is like you?

You who have made me see many troubles and calamities

will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

you will bring me up again.

Psalm 71:19-20

These two verses are strangely paralleled in a song of praise. They capture the tension that a life lived long with God will inevitably come to know. On one hand, we praise God for His transcendent and unique holiness. Only God is God. Only He is truly righteous. And His power and might are displayed to us. We worship His majesty, power, holiness, and glory. No one is like God.

And then, on the other hand, God will bring us to experience difficulties. Yes, we worship a transcendent God. But we also live in a broken world. And so God may lead us to know trouble and hardship as we experience our sin-marred lives. He calls us to trust and worship Him even as difficulties and tragedies hit our lives and leave us whirling emotionally and spiritually. We need God’s transcendence even more in the depths of such suffering. Thankfully He is still the God of wonders even as we live in a world of blunders!

O Lord,

I have seen, and continue to see, many troubles and calamities in a world that You are still going to make new. Yet even in these hardships, You are better… perfect… and powerful! You revive the soul overwhelmed in crisis. You raise me from the depths of difficulty to again praise Your greatness! And in the tension there is great glory given to You for Your works of power. Thank You for being great, even in the grittiness and grime of rough times!

Amen

refreshed in a culture of joy

…so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.

Romans 15:32

One of the great life experiences comes to those who will give themselves to Christian ministry. It is the mutual ministry, true joy, and meaningful fellowship that binds hearts together in service to Jesus Christ. For Paul it was found everywhere he went. He had not been to Rome, but knew the church both by reputation, and by knowing some of her members that he had encountered along the way in his missionary travels. In fact, virtually all of the last chapter of Romans (16:1-23) is a long list of familiar names to both Paul and the believers already in Rome.

Paul unveils his itinerary to the Roman church. First, he was traveling back to Jerusalem in order to deliver a large monetary gift to the suffering saints there. The Gentiles were helping their Jewish fellow Christians who were under intense persecution. Once that gift was properly delivered to the apostles, Paul had a priority one trip to Spain in the works… to bring the gospel where it had yet to make an inroad. On the way to Spain, Paul planned to visit Rome, encouraging the church there to strategically support his Spanish mission trip. He trusted the redemptive work of the gospel to prepare the church to receive him, support him, and join with him in bringing the gospel where it had yet to be preached. This is the kind of commitment that you ask of your friends. Paul was confident that in Christ, his Roman friends would serve the advance of the gospel with him.

This led Paul to anticipate two things from Christian fellowship with this church: joy and refreshment. When Christians are in Christ we enjoy being together. We laugh! We love each other well. We rejoice in our God. It is a great time. It is truly a lot of fun. And we are also refreshed. Spiritual and emotional batteries should recharge in Christian connection! If the opposite ever happens, we have lost our way! The expectation should always be that even in the hard tasks to which we are called, as we mutually labor, the joy of the Lord is our strength. In true Christian fellowship we know joy and refreshment together. And this leads to committed, strong, faithful mutual ministry.

my God Who knows

You know my reproach,

and my shame and my dishonor;

my foes are all known to you.

Psalm 69:19

Never do I face a difficulty alone when I am God’s child. In this psalm, despite having the pain of a broken heart caused by personal attacks against him, David persevered in worshipful prayer to God. He knew God knew how he felt (Psalm 69:20). In this imprecatory song, David lamented his pain to God, called to God for justice, begged God to act on his behalf, knew God was well aware of all that was happening, and ultimately praised God Who had always delivered him (Psalm 69:30-35).

And so I take hope in God. I’ve never had the dire situation David faced, where enemies literally sought to kill me. And so David’s emotional intensity encourages me to be unafraid to let God know my own feelings during rough events. I have been overwhelmed before. I have felt hurt by my own mistakes as well as the misunderstandings and sometimes deliberate ill-will of others who were not fond of me. God knows all of that. He even knows things of which I am completely oblivious. And so I am encouraged to trust the God Who knows.

Lord,

I am kept because You know me and You keep me. And You know my hurts, my heartaches, my shame, and my dishonor. And you have kept me safe in You. I know that You will continue to do so! You know, You save, and You lead!

Amen

a primer on Christian conscience

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:12

This is a good reminder that I answer to God for my actions. The context of this stern sentence is relationship with other Christians in matters of conscience. The temptation in these issues is to judge others, defend our own positions even if others disagree, and inevitably divisions in the church are the result. But the apostle Paul reminds us we are not the judge of hearts… God is. Furthermore, we should remind ourselves that God holds each one of us individually accountable. I believe He starts with my heart first!

2021 now makes it two REALLY HARD YEARS in a row. 2020 was all about uncertainty with a pandemic. 2021 has been all about disagreement over the new normal. This year, in my over 33 years of ministry involvement, I have seen the most divisiveness ever in churches… not just in my church home, but every church… every pastor I speak with is experiencing it. Christians aren’t getting the Bible’s message on how to handle conscience issues. A conscience issue is a concern that doesn’t have direct biblical commands to direct it. Se we are left to apply principles from scripture as we best can, and we also utilize our own comfortability and sense of right and wrong to navigate the issue. These sorts of things have become societal land mines now buried everywhere in the church: masks, vaccines, politics, and racial justice are probably the biggest right now. All these controversies are creating explosive chaos because conscience-honoring biblical truth is scarce among us. We have forgotten that God sees us.

From Romans 14 then, a short primer on loving one another while understanding differences of conscience:

• If I can only hold one position over another, I AM A “WEAK BROTHER”. (Romans 14:1-2)
• It is wrong to pass judgment on conscience issues. (Romans 14:3-11)
• God holds each of us accountable to Him for our conscience. (Romans 14:12)
• It is wrong to force a conscience issue position onto another person. (Romans 14:13-16)
• God is actually glorified when each person, in conscience and in faith, holds a different view! (Romans 14:16-19)
• Recognizing valid positions and refusing to fight actually builds up the church. (Romans 14:19)
• If I truly have the ability to understand and respect differing views, limiting my opinion actually grows the church. (Romans 14:2-23)

A Prayer to the Awesome One

Awesome is God from his sanctuary;

        the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.

    Blessed be God!

Psalm 68:35

O Awesome One

God in Your Holy Place

now making us Your dwelling

we worship You.

O Faithful One

God of Your people

now living with us

we come before You.

O Powerful One

God of all miracles

Who protects, heals, restores

we need You.

O Strong One

God of all ability

Who parted seas and shook the earth

shake us too.

O Blessed One

Who gave desert manna and water

provide always for us and

bless us now.

Amen

full lives

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Romans 12:15

Christians should not solo through life events. We have other friends and family in Christ who share life with us. We are never islands of personal experience. We are to share good times and bad, laughter and tears, celebrations and disappointments, happiness and sorrow.

I am not alone because I have invited others to share life in Jesus with me. And this isn’t just about 90 minutes on Sunday either! It’s an every day joy and duty to live in Christian community. It is truly “life together”. I allow other people full access. And I share with them my full availability. This is what it means to believe, obey, and follow the command that Paul gives here. It is a full willingness to be open… clear in how I live… clear in entering the lives of my brothers and sisters with empathy, love, and respect.

Looking at my week, I am planning my days in many ways around obeying these two polar opposites: rejoicing and weeping. I will support folks in hard circumstances. I will hear their stories, rejoice where God is blessing them, and cry with them in pains. I will attend a funeral at the end of this week both in celebrations of a long life that made deep impact for Christ, and in sorrow for a family who has honestly felt the loss of so much. I will counsel broken relationships, care for needy situations, rejoice in God’s healing, and worship with those grateful to God for His gifts. And others will enter into these sorts of things with me. I share my joys and sorrows knowing I need friends with me in the journey. This is the life that Christians can live… full, powerful, filled with God’s presence because we dare to open our lives together before Him.

two types of testimony

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth,

and high praise was on my tongue.

Psalm 66:16-17

This psalm calls those who worship God to joyfully share their experiences of God at work. There are two categories of such testimony as recorded in verse seventeen. They are broad experiences that we keep in mind with God even today. And it is good to remember that God works both these ways.

The first category is described as the God Who is there in our pains and troubles. This is described with the phrase: “I cried to Him with my mouth”. We cry out in difficulty. We cry out to God in our helplessness. We cry out to Him overwhelmed and repenting of our sin. We cry out to Him in danger. We cry out to Him in fear. These are prayers of intensity, urgency, and emotion, often the simplest prayers not asking much, but expressing depth. They come from what is wrong in our world. They can be short, powerful cries to God, often in the vein of: “O God… No!”

There is a second kind of testimony about God. These are testimonies of pure praise, perhaps not as intimately linked to our own heartaches or pains, but insights into the very character of God that move our souls. The phrase “high praise was on my tongue” captures this sort of worshipful testifying. We can’t help but tell of His holiness, His glory, His power, His salvation, His grace, His mercy, and His love… ad infinitum! You start really thinking of the attributes of our great God, and your heart will inevitably sing! These prayers are moving, with the simple declaration: “God, You are ________!”

O Lord my God,

When I in awestruck wonder consider… what You have done to deliver me, and Who You are in Your majesty, my soul will declare Your greatness!

Amen

unfathomable, unsearchable, inscrutable

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 11:33

Unfathomable riches in Christ…

Valued beyond price!

Unfathomable wisdom in God’s Word…

Always before my eyes.

Unfathomable knowledge of God…

Forever to make me wise.

Unsearchable statues of God…

Faultless and true.

Unsearchable judgments of God…

Rendered on what I do.

Unsearchable decrees of God…

Perfect through and through.

Inscrutable actions of God…

Showered in grace and love.

Inscrutable presence of God…

Spirit’s presence like a dove.

Inscrutable ways of God…

Leading to my true home above.

lest I forget

…then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 6:12

Today is Thanksgiving Day. For many people in American culture the day is simply the official start of the rat race filled with holiday shopping, feasting, football and family. Its origins historically were at least Christian influenced, but that is being quickly lost in this generation.

So I’m going to let my Thanksgiving begin with reflection on this scripture. Deuteronomy 6:10-12 reminds Israel of the good gifts God was giving to them. 

• He honored a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in bringing them to Canaan. They did not earn it. It was a gift.
• They moved into cities they did not build.
• They moved into homes furnished with goods they did not buy.
• Wells they did not dig watered them.
• Farms, vineyards, and orchards that they did not plant fed them.

All the good stuff of their lives was a gracious gift of God.

And the unfortunate tendency would be to accept these gifts and then drift from thanking and remembering the God Who gave them. Humans will forget God if we don’t pay careful attention to regular worship, thanksgiving, and praise.

Lest I forget, here is my list:

• I have life in Christ, forever, that I did not earn. 
• I have the everlasting promises of God in Christ that I trust by faith… I did not make them. God did it all.
• I have a home and family that God blesses me with daily.
• I have the Church, the Body of Christ, as my family in Jesus… a deep gift I live in daily.
• I have the blessing of being cared for by people who love me, even when I am imperfect in my love to them!
• I have mission, purpose, and joy in the gospel that brings peace.
• I have the honor, joy, and privilege of a life of ministry. Caring for people, though challenging and humbling, is rewarding. And God makes me a better man through all my family, all my friends, and all my experiences!

near in Word and prayer

Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

Deuteronomy 4:6-8

Today I am reminded of the unique nearness of God in both His Word and in prayer. Moses said these words to Israel not long before they would enter into the Promised Land to end a 40 year, generational judgment ending in renewed blessing. He reminded them that the Law of God made God near to them. They could be wise in God’s ways. They could understand God’s will. They could do what pleased the Lord God by reading and obeying His Word. God is near in His Law. Other nations would wonder at God’s closeness to His people. He revealed Himself not as a distant and angry deity, but as a close and caring Creator.

Moses also reminded Israel that God is near in prayer. He hears when His people pray. When they seek Him, walking in His ways, God is close to them. God leads His people. He cares about their needs, concerns, praises, and worship. He receives and answers prayer. Especially in the Old Covenant, God was very relational. And now in Jesus Who fulfilled all God’s Law for us, God remains relational. Prayer is a major experience of His nearness. We should love to be praying!

Lord,

I am grateful for Your Word. You show Yourself clearly as I come to You for wisdom and understanding. Your Holy Spirit, near me even now as I read, guides me to see You and Your care for Your people. In Your Word You are instantly and intimately accessible.

I am grateful for the nearness of prayer. My pains and sins may sometimes cloud You as seeming to be distant. That is the fault of my broken sinfulness. You are always ready to hear me. You know me. You loved me forever in Jesus! You forgive my transgressions. In prayer You are also instantly and intimately accessible. You are near, and I will call out!

Amen

soul security: waiting in silence

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Psalm 62:5-7

The deepest life lessons and the dearest moments with God will come while waiting in silence. David reminds himself even from the very first line of this psalm that God is worth waiting for (Psalm 62:1). Here he talks to his soul, commanding himself to silently wait for the hope that he knows will eventually arrive in God.

Waiting is a lost art in an Amazon Prime world! We are used to our drive-thru lifestyle… always busy, cramming our agendas, breathlessly breaking the sound barrier with our pace, always on the move, always working, always busy, and so restless it takes an Ambien to put us down at night. This is not the way of a soul that rests in God! He calls us to contemplation. God calls us to trust… by waiting… ready to silently expect Him to move on His cosmic scale. And although we live tragically hurried lives, God is not bound by our schedules. He calls us to halt our pace, to sabbath rest, to renewing worship by taking rest as one of His best gifts. “The sabbath was made for man,” just as Jesus taught. And we would do well to get away and rest just like Jesus modeled for us.

The results of waiting for the Lord are soul-satisfying, and humanly healthy. Look at this list of results from Psalm 63:5-7:

• A sense of real hope in God.
• Finding strength in God.
• Finding security in God’s protection
• Salvation. Hello?! That’s a big one!
• Shelter in His presence.
• Stability in our shaking situations.
• A focus on true worship as awareness of God’s glory pushes out busy thoughts and brightens the silence.
• Power in God’s might.
• Protection in His refuge.

Lord,

Help me to be a person willing to permanently forfeit the rat race! I tell my soul today: “wait in silence”! You are my hope. You are my shelter. Jesus, You are my salvation. I will not shake under your shelter.

Amen

agenda of kingdom care

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:40

These are the words Jesus will say to His blessed believers at the last judgment. They will be blessed by God the Father. They will inherit the kingdom that has been God’s sovereign work prepared before the universe began. 

Why do these ones find blessing in the end? It is because their faith in Christ led them to a life changed by Christ. Their actions backed up belief. They fed the hungry and gave drink to the thirsty. They welcomed strangers into their homes. They clothed the naked. They visited the sick. They reached out to prisoners. Every time they cared for another person with specific, action-based love, they really cared for Jesus. That is the basis of their reward. They stood on the right to enter the kingdom of life because of Jesus’ saving work. They were rewarded in His kingdom because they already lived to make His kingdom visible after they had been changed by Jesus.

Jesus, the rewarding King, is also Jesus, the promised punisher of sin. And those on His left, on the basis of the same judgment, will be sent from Him, cursed to eternal fire because they had not come to Jesus for the change that would have led them to care well. Thus by not doing anything for the “least of these” they failed to show their commitment to the King.

The stakes could not be higher. And the advance of a present kingdom could be no clearer. Christians will not only say they love Jesus, but our lives will be arranged by an agenda of kingdom care. We will give to, sacrifice, enter into he needs of those around us, Christian and non-Christian alike, to live out a gospel looking like Jesus. Let’s feed those who hunger (not just on Thanksgiving). Let’s clothe the shivering (not just in winter). Let’s welcome the strangers (especially the immigrants). Let’s care for the imprisoned (without judgment). This will keep us busy until Jesus calls us into account.

life in the Spirit

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11

The fact that believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit upon salvation is more than a theological point. It goes much deeper. This is the Spirit of God Who raised Jesus from the dead! That same Spirit, Who brought about the victory of all the ages, lives inside each Christian. He Who raised Jesus raises us! And He will be the assurance that eternal life is ours as well. Our God lives… in us… and will raise us again one day as well.

The Holy Spirit is alive in me right now. He leads. He works. He confirms the truth of scripture. He is the new life in me that is not my own. His resurrection power is currently remaking me. His resurrection power will raise my body when death is defeated! Praise the Lord for His Holy Spirit.

the best surprise

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Matthew 24:42

It’s early morning as I write this. I’ve had a long night before hitting the pillow. I’m short an hour or so of my normal sleep cycle. It would have been so easy to stay in bed today. But this reminder from Jesus Himself rings like an alarm clock in my soul, stirring me from thoughts of slumber to realize I must be awake and alert. My Lord will return and as His own teaching reminds me, wicked days mean I need to expect Him all the more.

I’m not a prophecy aficionado. You won’t find me in a robe and sandals on a street corner holding “The End of Near” on a home made sign. But I do believe Jesus is coming again to judge this world and to physically reign over all of us. I also believe Jesus warned us to be ready for that time. Certainly our world is callously dismissive of the concept of accountability before a holy God. If we aren’t living in days like “the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37-38) that preceded the Genesis Flood, then we can’t be far from them.

My soul must be ready. And so, rather than curse the darkness of these days, I choose to await the bright dawn of the coming Son of Man, working early to be ready. Jesus will return. This will ALL be dealt with… the whole mess will resolve in Jesus! Creation will be restored to all that God intends. A new heavens and a new earth will be the home of righteousness and God’s people will rejoice in peace in it. I must now do my best to be alert for my Master.

Wake up! The Day is drawing near. And our Lord wants us ready for His surprise! (Matthew 24:44)

Safe in the Storm

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 57:5

I need mercy and Lord, You provide.

I need shelter Lord, in You I hide.

Covered by Your wing,

I can weather anything.

You fulfill Your purpose in my pain.

In Your faithfulness You reign.

Lions surround.

Weapons abound.

But You are on high!

You answer my cry!

Enemies lie in wait to end me,

But Your hand protects me.

They trip into their own pit.

Their own net catches them in it.

With steadfast heart I sing.

I am secure by deliverance You bring.

I will give thanks globally

for You save me totally.

Your grace greater than the sky…

Your faithfulness with You on high!

look and live

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”

Numbers 21:5

Selfish desire can have a demoralizing, poisonous spread among God’s people. It did so in Israel under Moses on several occasions. The Israelites in the wilderness, led and fed by God, were living under a plan from God that they didn’t like. After seeing tremendous victory in the defeat of the King of Arad who had harassed the nation of Israel, many now presumed they could speed up their wilderness wandering. But God led them in a winding road on purpose. They were to take a winding way, around Edom, and the people grew impatient, accusing, and complaining. They questioned God’s goodness, they questioned Moses’ leadership, and they ignored God’s provision, considering manna from heaven as “worthless food”. This was faithless, selfish, willful rejection of God and His care for them.

Yes, this generation had been already doomed to die in the desert because of their unbelief (see Numbers 14 for how they all went down). They were brought out of Egypt to die in the desert. But not their children. It seems though that they thought they could just shake off that consequence. After all, hadn’t God just given them an awesome military victory against this Canaanite king? But their actions show unchanged hearts. Their grumbling and rebellion only intensified.

So God sent snakes of fire among them and many of the grumblers died from their poison. Then the people recognized their sin and pled once again for undeserved mercy. And God told Moses how to make a way of faith. A bronze snake, fashioned in the likeness of a fire-snake, was lifted on a pole. Faith would save them. Bitten and bitter Israelites looked to it and were healed, a precursor to the cross of Jesus (John 3:14-25) that Jesus Himself proclaimed. In Jesus, all those poisoned by sin introduced by The Serpent can be healed by faith, looking to His cross. God will save even the most selfish, rebellious heart that will humbly look to His sole means of salvation.

deliverance from “frenemies”.

God will give ear and humble them,

he who is enthroned from of old, Selah

because they do not change

and do not fear God.

Psalm 55:19

David’s prayer for deliverance from “frenemies” is accompanied by a firm trust in God’s refining justice. What is a “frenemy”? It is a friend who has turned against you, which is the pain David gave to God in this psalm (see Psalm 55:13). David trusts that those who work against God and His people, who betray even close friendships, do so to their own downfall. They seek the ultimate harm of God’s people and plan, but ultimately they themselves will find that God will cast them into destruction. They destroyed a relationship. God will destroy them. David trusts God, even as he waits for God’s justice to have its effect.

Why does God bring justice against those who oppose His rule? Why would He humble those who intimately betray? The two reasons stated in this verse are powerful: 1) They do not change, that is, they refuse to humble themselves and repent of their sin. These our lives diabolically dedicated to evil and pain. They have no intention, no desire, no sense of the holy, and in their twisted deception of themselves, will not turn to God. 2) They do not fear God. They have been captivated in self-fulfillment to such a degree that they will stomp on their closest relationships to get what they want. They worship the false and profane a holy God by what they selfishly desire to achieve. For those who will not repent and will not bend the knee and humble the heart before God, His judgment will fall. This is an inescapable reality.

Meanwhile, the rewards for God’s righteous ones are renewing. He hears the cry of the one who is harassed by God-haters who are former friends (Psalm 55:16-17). God safely redeems those under human oppression when they call out (Psalm 55:18). He keeps His righteous people in place, even as all the world capitalizes on betrayals to try to eliminate them (Psalm 55:22). 

In the end those who oppose God and seek the destruction of His people and plans do not live to see half their days (Psalm 55:23). The heritage received and passed on for God’s people of faith is protection, trust, security, and most importantly, redemption. We are saved! David’s observations concerning even the most emotionally intimate of oppressions all find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. Jesus is our Savior, Defender, Judge, Redeemer, and Friend!

broken black crown

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17

Every child of Adam has been shackled by mortality. Death will always be our end in this world. Sin will always be our default moral programming. We are all born in fealty to Emperor Death as our king. Adam’s sin leads to Death’s win. In every soul. Inevitably.

Until Jesus came to reign instead. But in order to break Death’s iron fist, Jesus Himself had to die. To cover sin’s horrendous stain, Jesus had to shed His blood on the cross. To ensure that grace and life would start a new reign in those whom Christ redeemed as they came to Him in faith, Jesus had to give Himself as a sacrificial gift and then be raised again to new life by the Father’s power in order for us to have eternal life… free from death’s tyranny.

Once death had its dark empire; now it no longer reigns. Instead, death now gives way to life for the Christian. Once death was the prospect of eternal separation from God in punishment for what our sins deserved, but now death is the bright gate to eternal life, joy, and fellowship with our God forever for those who by gospel belief know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Grace is abundant in Christ. Righteousness reigns in the life that Jesus gives us! The dark cloud lifts in the reign of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shining now and forever!

Lord Jesus,

You now reign to end death’s reign. I am alive in You, made alive by You, to always have life in You, for You, by Your grace. And although death is still in this world, writhing, bitterly sulking in its own death throes like a poisonous snake still quite dangerous to those who do not yet know Jesus, it has no power over Your people. You Who died and are now alive reach nail-scarred hands through death’s fog to draw us to You in our last earthly moments… to enter the embrace of our Savior! PRAISE THE LORD! You reign in life so that we might reign in life too.

Amen

the total package

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:11

Because we have been justified by God through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we have peace with God. This is life’s biggest deal. This is the best, all-inclusive, most life-changing gift ever given. It closes the open loop of sin and death that led us down a broad gate into a burning hell. We would never be good enough because none of us, even through one action, could match the holiness of God. We are given instead the righteousness of His perfect Son. We are reconciled to God.

Paul has explained this so clearly in Romans 5:1-11. Here is an attempted summary:

• We are justified by faith and bring nothing but our faith with us in the deal (Romans 5:1).
• Jesus is our Justifier (Romans 5:1).
• We stand in what Jesus does by faith, secure in a future hope that sees us safe from initial justification all the way through to future glory (Romans 5:2).
• We gain a full rounded perspective in life, enduring suffering because God gives us a confident hope in our position in Christ (Romans 5:3-6).
• There is a golden chain of personal experience of the gospel that transforms even our toughest experiences (Romans 5:3-6). It looks something like this: suffering —> endurance —-> character—-> hope—-> God’s love—-> Holy Spirit indwelling.
• We were weak, helpless in our sin, impotent. Christ is strong, righteous, and powerful to save (Romans 5:6-8).
• We were saved from the worst possible future: the wrath of God (Romans 5:9).
• We were enemies. Now we are family (Romans 5:10-11).

Lord Jesus,

I rejoice in Your work. You have a church now, worldwide, Your body of believers who by faith are changed by You forever! I am reconciled to God by faith in Jesus. Nothing will take away what You have done. And so I endure any hardship, let You keep making me what You desire, wildly excited in the hope I have since I am in God’s love, not under His wrath.

Amen

bigger & better Deliverer

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”

Matthew 22:41-42a

Even Jesus’ own critics were silenced when they had to confront the reality that David himself prophesied that the Messiah, who would be born of the king’s lineage, would also be the Lord that David worshiped. Jesus has let the Pharisees struggle with a theological hot potato. They had no answer back to Him once he showed how David called the Messiah “Lord”. Jesus gave them a scripture clearly pointing to Incarnation — God becoming man. Ultimately it pointed to Jesus Himself, the One Who asked them this question. And the Pharisees were silenced by the implications of the teaching Jesus just set loose in their minds.

Yet David believed what the Pharisees could not. David knew that One coming after him would be mightier, and would not only be a deliverer for Israel, but would be The Deliverer for the world. God was doing a much bigger thing in sending a Messiah than anyone ever could imagine. The Lord was coming. And as Jesus revealed Himself to His enemies through that scripture, the Lord had indeed already come. David’s Lord was showing His authority. And soon enough, in His death and resurrection, Jesus would indeed be The Deliverer beyond what they ever could have hoped.

O Lord of David… Lord of me,

What a wonder Your Incarnation truly is! You came to set Your people free from sin’s dominion and death’s destruction. You came to widen the definition of God’s people, breaking down dividing walls between Jew and Gentile and offering deliverance for all the world. You surprise us in grace and mercy! You thrill us with Your love. You have us in awe of Your majesty, Jesus, Son of David, Son of God, Lord of all!

Amen

It is all God’s doing.

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:26

God gives His righteousness by faith to all who believe that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord. God is just. He has judged all sin at the cross in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. God is the Justifier. We could not save ourselves, even by keeping God’s Law, and so through Jesus God will see us as perfectly forgiven. Every person whom God saves is a sinner falling far short of God’s glory in desperate need of salvation, unable to do what is good. Every person saved by Jesus is made right with God by a gift of God’s grace… redeemed solely in the work of Jesus… a gift that no person deserves.

This is the very root and substance of ALL Christian doctrine. Jesus died for our sins. He provides forgiveness of sins. Through His death and resurrection we find true life, eternal life, and meaningful life right now. And we live in and by His great grace in this present time, knowing God is both holy and just to deal with our sin, and God is gracious and merciful to give us such life by the grace that is in Jesus.

I live my days in the grace that can only be mine because Jesus gave Himself for me. I am a sinner saved by grace. God is holy and just to judge all sin, and because Jesus carried all my sin with Him to the cross, I am right with God by faith in His Son. I will trust Jesus. I will believe Him. I will accept His sacrifice and not try even to think that my “goodness” impresses a holy God! The praise goes to Jesus Who has saved me. My life is His. I bring nothing to the deal… Jesus paid it all!

doing… not just saying

But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips?

For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.”

Psalm 50:16-17

One of the worst kinds of wickedness gives lip service to the Word of God, but lives far away from it. Those who may look impressive by reciting scripture or having a form of knowledge “about” God’s Word are not close to God at all if they fail to “do” God’s will as He has revealed it. God isn’t impressed with what we say we know. He wants us to live under the discipline of His will for us as His word reveals it to us. To fast-forward to the New Testament book of James: God wants doers of His Word, not just hearers of His Word.

This is of particular warning to those who have been “given much” in terms of scriptural truth. I have lived a half century, from childhood, in the American evangelical church. I have tons, literally tons, of published resources at my disposal, more than any Christian could digest in twenty lifetimes, for understanding God and His Word. I’ve invested my life and my resources in personal and academic study of biblical teaching, ancient language, and two thousand years of church history, teaching, and theology. Yet with all that, my sinful struggle is STILL to be superficial, to recite and parrot the truth, while secretly resisting the life-changing application of God’s Word.

Lord,

It does me no good to know only about You. I want to know Your Word, to know You, to experience transformation as a follower of Jesus. Forgive my sinful holding back, my wicked pride stops with just the facts. Give me a holy discontent with mental trivia so that I may be changed by the discipline of Your loving precepts, rebukes, and wisdom in what I do. I want Your words to lead the way for what I do… every day… for Your glory… to lead me to know You in all Your glory.

Amen

worship turned upside down

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:22-23

Humans will build a god of nearly anything EXCEPT God. We crave to worship something… and we will. Everybody worships. Nobody is exempt. That object of worship can be something human, and most commonly is so these days. Societies enshrine leaders, philosophies, celebrities, politicians, artists, entertainers, and achievers in various fields. Such hero building is de facto worship, and the systems built around them (Hollywood, political parties, sports franchises, businesses, communication platforms, and social media) have all become religious temples in their own right. Our idolatry may not look as overtly “pagan” as when Paul wrote to first century Rome, but it is certainly a replacement for God and it ignores Him just the same.

People are worshipers. It is what God made us for. We are created to give God our worship, to be enthralled in His glory alone. It is human to grow close in heart to our Creator. But sin has twisted us. It has made us foolish, even as we tell ourselves all the human and earthly stuff we adore makes us wiser. We can sincerely worship what destroys us. And that is exactly the end game of Romans chapter one. When God is not our glory, sin will be. Sin will lead us to dishonor, to embrace shameless immorality, to have debased minds, and to propagate a topsy-turvy morality that gives approval to what God decrees is sin that leads to death (Romans 1:32).

Lest I nod my head in agreement that such is the end of those caught in false worship, I must look at my own heart. This stuff seeps in. Because the appeal of these false glories is indeed strong, the influence can be subtle. And as culture hurls away from God’s truth at breakneck speed, it becomes easier for anyone to be allured by these false objects of worship. A generation now exists that is content in being foolish about God… a generation that embraces a “wisdom” that is self-proclaimed. Everything is now permissible in the name of tolerance, individuality, and self-expression… everything, that is, except the insistence that the One True God calls us into account before Him. This makes the gospel all the more important in a marketplace crammed full of idols. Culture constantly creates brand new idols like kids playing with Mr. Potatohead! Fortunately, the gospel isn’t sold like these commodities, it is offered free to the all who believe. And Christians must realize we proclaim it to an upside-down world!

secure mission

Walk about Zion, go around her,

number her towers,

consider well her ramparts,

go through her citadels,

that you may tell the next generation

that this is God,

our God forever and ever.

He will guide us forever.

Psalm 48:12-14

This was a song meant to be sung in the temple of God. It is a song about the temple of God AND the God of the temple. This temple on the beautiful mountain of Zion was to be “the joy of all the earth” (Psalm 48:2). Within the citadels of Zion God had made His very self the fortress of Israel (Psalm 48:3). God was to be worshiped with a sense of secure faith. And a big part of that worship is known in a secure mission at the end of the psalm.

Once again a call is made to tour the towers, ramparts, and citadels of the temple complex. But the goal of that tour was not just worship, but to bolster security for a big purpose. The goal was an increased confidence in the greatness of God to be passed along to the next generation. God kept His people secure. He dwelt among them in a real temple. He could be known in real ways. He commissioned them to proclaim Him and His truth to the next generation. The confidence of Zion wasn’t just a call to worship, it was a catalyst for generational faith.

How much more in Christ can we trust in the secure confidence of our saving God?! Jesus dwelt among us, died for our sin, rose again to insure our eternal salvation, lives with us, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, indwells each believer as His temple. We are secure. And this same Jesus commands His followers to tell this good news to the next generation. This is our God! He is our God forever and ever.

the extent of Your reign

Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,

a great king over all the earth.

Psalm 47:1-2

Sometimes I forget, Lord

that You are King of this whole earth

that nothing escapes Your rule

my perspective sees a remnant in worship

but Your command is global

All peoples are called to praise You!

There is no hermit nation

there is no isolated island

that You don’t control fully!

You are the Great King

I remind myself that You reign

and despite nations raging against You

despite the gospel often hated

millions ARE turning to You

and Your glorious kingdom stretches broad

You command our history.

You control our destiny.

You provide our eternity.

The world is Yours!

Great King over all the earth… rule on!

what to give to make a difference

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.”

Leviticus 23:22

At the most crucial moment of annual blessing in the agricultural rhythm of ancient Israel, the nation was called to care for the neediest as they reaped the yield of their hard work. Two commands are given by God and emphasized as absolutely crucial as God invokes His covenant name. First, farmers were to leave rows of unharvested produce at the edges of their fields. Secondly, the needy among them were to be given access to ALL of the field to glean remnants behind the harvesting crews. This way all could work for their bread… even the destitute and the immigrants could work at harvest time. A culture of care was mandated by God. He insisted that the resources be made accessible so nobody needed to go hungry.

Now I know this is a command to Israel in a culture of agriculture. Times are certainly very different now. Most of us are far removed as consumers from the production of the food we eat. Yet I believe some principles must carry over to help Christians have a godly response to poverty in our times. With the holidays soon upon us, some folks will at least have a passing thought for the less fortunate. Some actions we might want to consider are… First and foremost God seriously cares about the poor and wants His people to care about them too. It is the very root of the gospel that God gave His Son completely to care for ALL of us at the deepest place where we could not in our soul poverty care for ourselves. Jesus saves sinners from their eternal, ultimate poverty. God gave Himself to make the difference. 

In an extension of this, God also expects that we provide ways for the needy among us to be involved in their own provision and care. The workers in Israel LET the poor into the field to glean and left places for them to harvest for themselves. And however Christians adapt that principle to make choices to help those in need, we need to do so in a manner that dignifies the work so that people can own their own recovery efforts. Bottomless handouts are not the solution and do nobody any good in eliminating the problem. Being generous in providing opportunity to help the poor and the needy seems to be the call and the principle to keep clear. It extends in Christian charity today. 

Yes, we must give. God will make a difference as we do. But we should also counsel, care, educate, providing work skills and money management skills, supporting the poor through hard work and celebration of their accomplishments, and we must work hard ourselves to diminish the suffering of poverty in the richness of God’s kingdom.

not sensing God

Rise up; come to our help!

Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Psalm 44:26

Life with God is wonderful, but this psalm reminds us that it is not easy, and sometimes our experience of God doesn’t quite jive with our expectations from God. The psalm is a cry from a perplexed people, who though to the best of their reckoning believe they are committed to obeying their covenant with God, aren’t really experiencing much from God in return. Read the psalm. They feel defeated and rejected. They admit their bewilderment while still stubbornly clinging to their faith.

There has been a contemporary saying I’ve heard most of my Christian life: “Trust God when you cannot trace Him.” Yes, I know Jesus has sent His Spirit and is “with us always”. Yet there are indeed real seasons I have experienced the power of that truth because God felt distant. There can be times where I am puzzled at God’s lack of activity, praying hard in that season, but finding very little in terms of answers. I may feel God’s seeming absence. 

And just as this psalm reminds us, when I can’t sense God I must still surrender to Him. Faith presses into these seasons… crying out for help… asking God to rise to the occasion… appealing to His purposes and trusting His amazing grace. And eventually those times will turn. They always do. I’ve experienced them, and God never fails. Never. 

My feelings fail me. My faith may feel inadequate and totally stretched. I may falter. But God is always faithful. So in seasons of God’s seeming disregard, trust Him all the more! Appeal to Him! Ask God to be God… and you can know for sure that He will.

the reward of discipleship

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”

Matthew 19:27

Peter’s question may sound selfish or out of line, but Jesus does not rebuke him for it. The question was legit based on the events that proceed it. It is a rare recorded instance in the gospels of Jesus inviting someone into discipleship and them turning Him down. For that reason alone we should really make sure we understand what is going on.

A young man came to Jesus sincerely wanting an answer to the MOST IMPORTANT of all questions: “What must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus pointed him first to God’s Law as the standard for “good deeds” and the young man welcomes the authority of God’s Word. He knows keeping God’s commands is what God required of the Jews, but he also knows something was still incomplete as he asks Jesus, “what do I still lack?” Matthew 19:20. He sees in Jesus a glimmer of the “something more” his soul is missing.

Jesus then powerfully makes this young man the same offer he made all twelve disciples: “Go, sell everything, give it all away, and follow me.” If this young man had followed through, church history would have been different. We would always have a list of 13 apostles instead of twelve. So this is significant. There is a decision made at that moment that is heartbreaking to read. This rich, young, influential (he was a “ruler” according to Luke 18), moral, and seriously religious man walked away from Jesus. The one thing he still lacked, he chose to still lack at the end. Wealth was his stumbling block.

The disciples are amazed at both Jesus’ offer AND this guy’s rejection of Jesus. They marvel that Jesus demanded such a price. It moves Peter to ask his question. After all, the twelve of them HAD all left past careers behind to follow Jesus when He chose them. What were they going to get? 

Jesus gives them two answers. First, in the kingdom yet to come 12 apostles will serve as ruler over the 12 tribes of Israel. That’s the eschatological far view of the end game. More immediately, a second answer was that any person who will surrender life to follow Jesus receives blessing now and eternal life. The reward of following Jesus is Jesus… now and forever. It is that second answer that all followers of Jesus can know right now. My life is magnitudes better following Jesus! My life in Him grows, stretches, expands, and matures in a glorious present of worship RIGHT NOW and forever with Jesus. Jesus now and forever is the reward of discipleship.

talking to myself

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God.

Psalm 42:5

This refrain rings twice in Psalm 42 and it is quite interesting and very practical. It is spiritual self-counsel that I am reminded I need. The psalmist is confronting his emotional state. He is questioning his soul and pushing beyond an emotional perspective to deeper truth. The psalm does not deny the reality of feeling depressed. It sums it up succinctly. There were two symptoms of deep sadness described early in the psalm: 1) tears flowing easily any time of day or night. 2) wishful thinking focused on a perceived better past.

So the self-counsel asks “why”. Why am I so down? But is also maintains true faith perspective beyond just a mere emotional outlook - “Hope in God!” Yes, it is okay to talk to yourself… to ask yourself why you feel how you feel. And in doing so, lean into faith beyond your feelings! God is your hope. God is bigger than this for He is worthy of praise. He is salvation. He is God.

I have seasons of possessing a downcast soul like this. In fact, what medical prognosticators call “Seasonal Affective Disorder” is something I experience to one degree or another at this time of year. Some years it is mild. Some years it is worse. I know this about myself. It is one reason why I have been hovering in the Psalms lately. As daylight shortens I catch myself feeling sad at losses, dreading longer nights, even angry that my “free time” mornings and evenings are spent in darkness. Even now, my early morning devotional time is surrounded by darkness as sunrise is still a ways away. It feels so long. 

During late fall and early winter I can slip into comparison with the past as well, tending to remember decades past with a wistful sadness, grieving life change. Feeling like pre-empty nest parenting was the fun and easy summer of life. Unrealistically comparing past decades of ministry as “better” (wake-up call: they were hard too!). Just feeling wistful over nearly everything! Feeling like the best of times are gone for good. But that is not true. Those are feelings, and attributing actual fact to them is a lie. When I cherish these feelings in my heart, I am no longer hoping in God.

To “put my hope in God” involves repenting of my false treasures of long days or past ministry experiences. Instead I trust God to keep doing the new thing even in what feels like shorter days… He commands His grace now. His song is with me now. (Psalm 42:8). And talking to my soul, I choose to trust God. And the earth will turn by His command… the coming winter will be spring soon enough. God… not time… not my feelings… not my wants… is my salvation.

unrestrained mercy; faithful grace

As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain

your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

ever preserve me!

Psalm 40:11

King David was not tenuous in his bold trust in the saving grace of God. His confidence came from a firm faith in God’s deliverance of His people (Psalm 40:9). As a result, David was an exuberant worshipper, telling God’s good news and celebrating God’s faithfulness in worship with the congregation gathered in corporate praise (Psalm 40:9-10). David penned this psalm with specific instruction for it to be given “to the choirmaster”. His desire was for all of Israel to praise God’s saving work as enthusiastically as the king himself did.

God is worthy of our praise. David’s observations of God’s mercy, grace, and faithfulness are magnified by massive degrees of magnitude in Jesus Christ! We ought to feel overwhelmingly excited when we think about the gospel. Unrestrained mercy flows from the cross to sinners! His mercy saves all who will turn to Jesus from their sins, believe the gospel, and start following Jesus as Lord. Never again does sin condemn them to judgment. Instead mercy covers us! All of us! All parts of us! Amen! God is great in mercy.

Faithful grace also preserves us in Jesus. He who began our salvation is faithful to complete it! We can confidently praise the God Who sustains, keep, beautifies, and transforms our lives by His steadfast love and everlasting grace. God is great in grace.

Brevity: reflections on the 39th Psalm

Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

Psalm 39:5

What is the measure of my days?

It is fleeting.

…small enough to hold in my hands.

…nothing in comparison to You, Eternal One!

All human history is a short exhale and is gone.

What is the impact of my life?

This shadow of a man

only seen by Your light,

will one day simply fade

with only Your glory in sight,

…remembered no more.

What is the reason for my work?

…toiling in turmoil

…heaping up worldstuff

like mounds of sand.

But someone else will receive it at shadow’s fade.

What now should I wait for from my God?

…deliverance from transgression

…silence from the enemies He has shut up

…answered prayer from a God Who hears

I am a sojourner, a guest on this planet, in brevity, destined for eternity.

all our longing; all our sighing

O Lord, all my longing is before you;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

Psalm 38:9

Psalm 38 is a song of lament. It isn’t a sappy, happy-clappy, feel good poem fit for an inspirational poster. It is a psalm confessing sin, acknowledging that current troubles are directly related to past disobedience, and a song of soul sorrow recognizing God is both our Judge when we sin as well as the Deliverer of our souls in salvation. It would not be the kind of song to be repeated in catchy phrases in the fog-machined, mood-lit gatherings of pop culture influenced mega-Christianity. It’s all really a bit too depressing for today’s consumer Christian.

Bible scholars label this song as “penitential”. It means David is acknowledging his suffering is his own damned fault. Literally. He has offered his offering to God as the Law requires (the title suggests “for the memorial offering”), but he still feels the weight of his offense and the pains of his suffering. He vows before God to simply do one thing in his brokenness: “for you, O LORD, do I wait” (Psalm 38:15).

Meanwhile, the following effects of sin weigh on David’s heart and he pours them to God in prayer:

• His conscience knows God has punished him for sin. God’s arrows wound him and God’s hand presses down hard on him (Psalm 38:2).
• His soul feels so sorrowful over these things that his body is physically sick (Psalm 38:3-5, 7, 10).
• He is emotionally crushed and mourning over the foolishness of his sin (Psalm 38:5-8).
• Friends stand aloof and enemies gleefully plot to see David’s demise as he is in this condition (Psalm 39:11-12. 19-20).
• David’s most common response is simply silence in his brokenness (Psalm 38:13-14).

Sometimes the enormity of our sin will hit us as overwhelmingly as it did David. It should. It is the right response in that season to pour out the pain, the regret, the confession, and the sorrow to God. It may be the best thing a truly penitent person can do… to mourn over sin and eventually find comfort in Jesus. For Jesus does not forsake us (Psalm 38:21 contrasted with Matthew 28:20). Jesus is the Lord of salvation (Psalm 38:22 contrasted with Hebrews 2:10) who has suffered for our sin more deeply than we ever will!

Jesus knew.

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Matthew 16:21

Jesus knew His mission. He was laser-focused on His work of redemption. He knew His ministry would culminate in His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. And He openly prepared His disciples for that reality. And they got that message. Peter was so upset about it at first that he confronted Jesus over it, vowing that his Lord should never suffer such a fate. And Jesus rebuked him. The very notion of Jesus having some ministry that did not come into fruition with dying for sin was absolutely Satanic in its origin (see Matthew 16:22-23). No doubt about it… Jesus knew His mission.

So what should a disciple’s response be to a Master committed to die for the sins of the world? According to Jesus Himself, we follow Him carrying a cross as well (Matthew 16:24). He dies… we die. Just as Jesus was willing to give His life for the world, so we must be willing to lose our lives for His sake in order to find true eternal life. Discipleship is entered into in order to exchange my life and gain my soul… devoted to Jesus for eternity (Matthew 16:25-26). Jesus knew His followers would have to make a serious commitment.

In this light, the Christian life is all about Jesus… Who He is… what He has done… and what He will do when He comes again in His kingdom (Matthew 15:27-28). Jesus knew this. Jesus taught this. Jesus expected His followers to believe and to seriously commit to nothing less than a gospel of His sacrifice and resurrection, entrusting all their hope, all their lives, and their eternity in commitment to this soul-saving, gracious, glorious truth.

be unhurried and unworried

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 37:7

This verse helps us have a faith filled and faithful perspective when we feel tensions that may cause us to doubt God is at work in the world. We are called into worshipful contemplation of God with the command to “be still before the Lord”. We are called into unhurried confidence in God with the call to “wait patiently for him.” Both are not easy when the observations of the world around us make it look like people sinfully succeed without God.

If we let our souls get hurriedly drawn into this world and drift from our worship we will worry. It seems the options are clear here: we can rest in faith or we can be restless and fret. And two situations that we observe can pull us quickly into hurry and worry.

The first observation is seeing the temporary, apparent prosperity of the wicked. The wealthiest sinners among us tend to demonstrate the worst traits and it seems unfair for them to enjoy what looks like “the good life” while living such a bad one! But that is a very limited perspective. In fact, many of the wealthiest, the famous, the celebrities, or the powerful in terms of earthly prestige are woefully unhappy. They find worship of success to be disappointing.

The second observation comes from experiencing the evil actions of others. It was true in David’s day that sin led to abundant wrong in the world. It is equally true today, whether it is criminal activity, or just the cruelty which which people selfishly treat one another, people carry out evil actions. And if we only focus on all the compounded badness, we will lose the peace of being still before God and the joyful reward of faithfully trusting Him.

Lord,

Although sinful people appear to prosper, I know better. My soul only prospers in You! And although sin is still all over my culture and I expect to see it there, I will not worry. Jesus is still saving souls from it, and He is the Righteous Judge!

Amen

facets of His favor

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast you save, O LORD.

Psalm 36:5-6

These two verses of heartfelt worship call us to praise God for five facets of His favor shown to us.

1) God’s steadfast love (grace) is vast. In the poetry of this psalm it rises up into the atmosphere to transcend the stars. It’s like saying that the grace of God fills this universe. And so it indeed does. Grace is found everywhere when we repent and turn to God. There isn’t a sinner that can’t find it in Christ! It leads us to the joy of sins forgiven and worship from grateful hearts.

2) God’s faithfulness is our atmosphere. We live and breathe and enjoy all of life because God is faithful to us. And we can see it everywhere under the blue skies He gives. And even clouds show His faithful provision as His rains water and bring growth. God is always faithful to His children. Breathe it in! And speak it out again in praise!

3) God’s righteousness and holiness are firm mountains of truth. They will not crumble. They can be mined infinitely for the vast treasures of His wisdom. They shelter us. They tower over us. They invite us to hike on up and enjoy the view! They invigorate us with the climb as we live in and under His righteousness and worship Him in His holiness.

4) God’s judgments are deep. From the soaring summits of God’s righteousness, to the ocean depths of His judgment, to know God is to know a life of superlatives. We would judge sin superficially, given our own bent toward sinning. But not so with the all wise, all holy, all powerful God! His decrees, demands, and determinations are perfect, final, and complete. His judgment is without flaw, final, and without appeal.

5) God’s salvation is wonderful. He chooses to deliver those He calls into worshipful relationship with Him. And when God saves, it is also perfect and complete. The God Who is gracious, righteous, faithful, holy, and judging is also a God Who offers His salvation to His creation. In Jesus I experience the wonder of that great salvation daily! How great is our God!

praying under fire

Let those who delight in my righteousness

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

“Great is the LORD,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Psalm 35:27

Sometimes those who do right are not appreciated for their obedience to the Lord, but quite the opposite, they are hated for it. David’s appeals to God in this psalm are a language of prayer to be used to help the righteous endure when the wicked attack them for being faithful. So here are some prayer observations from this psalm to help those enduring such persecution:

• Appeal to God to be the One Who acts on your behalf. David asks God to content and fight for him (Psalm 35:1). He asks God to use both defensive and offensive means to protect him (Psalm 35:2-3). He trusts that God knows and has seen and then calls God to vindicate him in his situation (Psalm 35:22-25).
• Trust that God’s honor defends the honorable. Dishonor will befall all those who do evil (Psalm 35:4-6). Their own plans to destroy the righteous will defeat them. God has a record of judgment through plans of the wicked backfiring (Psalm 35:7-8)!
• God defends the powerless! This should lead to rejoicing for the righteous when they are attacked, knowing no situation is too big for God (Psalm 35:9-10).
• Don’t hold anything back in pouring out the situation and how you feel about it to God. He hears our prayers. Articulating our need in detail helps us trust God with the details (Psalm 35:11-16), and it is a way to prevent our souls from turning bitter as we acknowledge even our most difficult feelings to the Lord Who will do something about it all.
• God can handle the hard questions of the afflicted. Turn them to God, so that your heart is not against God (Psalm 35:17-21).
• Trust the ending that God has already revealed in His Word: The wicked are ultimately put to shame. The righteous rejoice together with God forever (Psalm 35:26-28).