1 I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs.
2 I will be careful to live a blameless life—when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
3 I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.
4 I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.
5 I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride.
6 I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.
7 I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.
8 My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.
David Letterman would be proud. It's the "Top Ten reasons our lives are messed up."
1 We lack integrity: I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
2 We are lustful: I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
3 We are deceitful: I hate all who deal crookedly;
4 We are perverted: I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.
5 We are mean-spirited: I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
6 We are arrogant: I will not endure conceit and pride.7 We keep bad friends: I will search for faithful people to be my companions.
8 We aren't trustworthy: I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house
9 We are dishonest: liars will not stay in my presence.
10 We tolerate sin: My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.
I'm not saying we exhibit these traits all the time. I'm saying this is who we are by nature. I'm not even suggesting we don't try to overcome these deficits. I'm saying its hard to do. You know that. We've all tried and failed.
Rarely is it for lack of desire. Most often its for lack of ability. Our psalmist asks..." I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?"
So, he's taking ownership. That's a good thing. It's better than saying "the devil made me do it!" Its also far superior to sitting back and "trusting the Lord." While that sounds very spiritual, it's lazy...and it's a good excuse for continuing to wallow in our own dysfunction...which many of us prefer to holy living. He's basically saying "I'll fix all of these problems in my life if you'll help me." He even makes it very clear how he'll do it. He just wants help.
Is that's what's stopping us?
Take a look at yourself. Pick a couple of these "Top Ten" and get some help. It's the only way we will see joy return to our lives.
Live boldly out there today...
October 30, 2010
October 29, 2010
Psalm 100
1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Gratitude is a quality that is generally in short supply.
If I've learned anything in my years of ministry its that the more you give people, the more they want. It explains why most of this world is mad at God for one reason or another. He just hasn't given enough.
And you think I'm kidding. After He gave His only son to die as a sacrifice for our sin, I've heard countless people chastise God for being so self-centered and arrogant that He would demand our worship. So...they'll soak up the blessings but not give an ounce of themselves to God in return.
We live in the most affluent nation on earth and we think God owes us more. I'm concerned that this derelict attitude is creeping into the church. Why? Because our church today is an unsatisfied church. We want bigger buildings. We want better youth programs. We want better music. We want it closer to our house. And we walk across the streeet to the other church if we don't get it. We don't think we have enough. And if we don't have enough...whose fault is it?
God's...I guess.
I work with born again Christians every day...only a few demonstrate any visible level of genuine joy. Yet, our psalmist says "Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy...For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." I Can't say I've seen a lot of that attitude around. Oh, for sure, I see it in church on Sunday. We can "rock and roll" with the best of them. I'm talking about Monday.
Is God the God of Monday as well?
I'm confident a lot of this malaise among believers comes from a failure to pay attention. David says "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture." I think we've simply forgotten who we are...and "whose" we are. We think it's about us when it's all about God. Now, if that's the truth, how is it we got distracted? We weren't paying attention and got so caught up in the blessings we forgot we hadn't earned them. In fact, we just want more.
That's called "ingratitude." And you know what? we owe God more than that.
I might be talking to you today. I don't know...but you do. Gratitude is unmistakable. By it's very nature gratitude dispels selfishness and frustration. Have you thought about yourself today more than you thought about God? That's a problem.
Let's start over...let's "enter his gates with thanksgiving and go into his courts with praise. Let's give thanks to him and praise his name."
Live boldly out there today...
2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Gratitude is a quality that is generally in short supply.
If I've learned anything in my years of ministry its that the more you give people, the more they want. It explains why most of this world is mad at God for one reason or another. He just hasn't given enough.
And you think I'm kidding. After He gave His only son to die as a sacrifice for our sin, I've heard countless people chastise God for being so self-centered and arrogant that He would demand our worship. So...they'll soak up the blessings but not give an ounce of themselves to God in return.
We live in the most affluent nation on earth and we think God owes us more. I'm concerned that this derelict attitude is creeping into the church. Why? Because our church today is an unsatisfied church. We want bigger buildings. We want better youth programs. We want better music. We want it closer to our house. And we walk across the streeet to the other church if we don't get it. We don't think we have enough. And if we don't have enough...whose fault is it?
God's...I guess.
I work with born again Christians every day...only a few demonstrate any visible level of genuine joy. Yet, our psalmist says "Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy...For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." I Can't say I've seen a lot of that attitude around. Oh, for sure, I see it in church on Sunday. We can "rock and roll" with the best of them. I'm talking about Monday.
Is God the God of Monday as well?
I'm confident a lot of this malaise among believers comes from a failure to pay attention. David says "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture." I think we've simply forgotten who we are...and "whose" we are. We think it's about us when it's all about God. Now, if that's the truth, how is it we got distracted? We weren't paying attention and got so caught up in the blessings we forgot we hadn't earned them. In fact, we just want more.
That's called "ingratitude." And you know what? we owe God more than that.
I might be talking to you today. I don't know...but you do. Gratitude is unmistakable. By it's very nature gratitude dispels selfishness and frustration. Have you thought about yourself today more than you thought about God? That's a problem.
Let's start over...let's "enter his gates with thanksgiving and go into his courts with praise. Let's give thanks to him and praise his name."
Live boldly out there today...
October 28, 2010
Psalm 99
1 The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake!
2 The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!
4 Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel.
5 Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the Lord for help, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, but you punished them when they went wrong.
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem, for the Lord our God is holy!
"It's not fair!"
It's one of the first real complaints registered by children.
And one thing I know for certain...although everybody doesn't agree about what is fair, everybody has a notion of fairness. The notion is central to our nature and we have an absolutely foolproof "fairness" meter...with a hair-trigger...inside us that registers the moment something is unfair.
So, it doesn't escape my notice when your piece of pie is bigger than mine. As I grow older I learn not to reach across the table and grab yours, but that doesn't mean I didn't notice. Nor does it escape my notice when my friends work hard and faithfully...yet don't get promoted.
"Its not fair."
Which, of course is why it is such good news that our Lord is returning to run things. We are certain that He is fair. Not only is He fair, He "invented" fairness." In fact our psalmist says exactly that. "Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness." It doesn't get better than that. Finally, we don't have to keep our eye on everything. We can relax and rest assured that Christ will not let our neighbor get away with...well, you know, whatever. I can see why the writer says "exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!" That's the most gracious response we can offer to a God who has finally put things right.
But then there's this "justice" thing. Which, I guess, is not quite the same as "fairness." We're told that Christ has "acted with justice and righteousness." Actually, justice sort of takes all the fun out of fairness. Verse 8 says "You were a forgiving God...but you punished them when they went wrong." If we really want fairness we have to accept the fact that our bad behavior demands punishment. OK, it "sounds" fair, but I'm not enthusiastic.
Life would be so much easier if it weren't fair...
Forgiveness and punishment are two sides on the coin of justice. Forgiveness is critical. It's what assures us that even though we are being punished (disciplined) we are not abandoned. Forgiveness doesn't allow abandonment. That really wouldn't be fair. After all, it's in our very nature to "go wrong." Unfortunately the coin of justice demands consequences so punishment is the other face of the coin.
Which is why Christ died for us. Somebody had to pay the consequences for our sin. The reason Christ's sacrifice is perfect justice is because it offers 100% forgiveness while paying 100% of the punishment.
What if Christ would have quarreled with God and said "it's not fair that I should die for those losers down there!" Jesus would have been right...it wouldn't be fair. If God would have let His son off the hook, guess what? We wouldn't be here.We would already have died for our own sin. That's the punishment.
You know what? I'm just not that interested in fairness any more. How about you?
Live boldly out there today...
Let the whole earth quake!
2 The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy!
4 Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel.
5 Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the Lord for help, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, but you punished them when they went wrong.
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem, for the Lord our God is holy!
"It's not fair!"
It's one of the first real complaints registered by children.
And one thing I know for certain...although everybody doesn't agree about what is fair, everybody has a notion of fairness. The notion is central to our nature and we have an absolutely foolproof "fairness" meter...with a hair-trigger...inside us that registers the moment something is unfair.
So, it doesn't escape my notice when your piece of pie is bigger than mine. As I grow older I learn not to reach across the table and grab yours, but that doesn't mean I didn't notice. Nor does it escape my notice when my friends work hard and faithfully...yet don't get promoted.
"Its not fair."
Which, of course is why it is such good news that our Lord is returning to run things. We are certain that He is fair. Not only is He fair, He "invented" fairness." In fact our psalmist says exactly that. "Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness." It doesn't get better than that. Finally, we don't have to keep our eye on everything. We can relax and rest assured that Christ will not let our neighbor get away with...well, you know, whatever. I can see why the writer says "exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!" That's the most gracious response we can offer to a God who has finally put things right.
But then there's this "justice" thing. Which, I guess, is not quite the same as "fairness." We're told that Christ has "acted with justice and righteousness." Actually, justice sort of takes all the fun out of fairness. Verse 8 says "You were a forgiving God...but you punished them when they went wrong." If we really want fairness we have to accept the fact that our bad behavior demands punishment. OK, it "sounds" fair, but I'm not enthusiastic.
Life would be so much easier if it weren't fair...
Forgiveness and punishment are two sides on the coin of justice. Forgiveness is critical. It's what assures us that even though we are being punished (disciplined) we are not abandoned. Forgiveness doesn't allow abandonment. That really wouldn't be fair. After all, it's in our very nature to "go wrong." Unfortunately the coin of justice demands consequences so punishment is the other face of the coin.
Which is why Christ died for us. Somebody had to pay the consequences for our sin. The reason Christ's sacrifice is perfect justice is because it offers 100% forgiveness while paying 100% of the punishment.
What if Christ would have quarreled with God and said "it's not fair that I should die for those losers down there!" Jesus would have been right...it wouldn't be fair. If God would have let His son off the hook, guess what? We wouldn't be here.We would already have died for our own sin. That's the punishment.
You know what? I'm just not that interested in fairness any more. How about you?
Live boldly out there today...
October 27, 2010
Psalms 97 and 98
Both of our Psalms today are prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. They were penned by King David.
Psalm 971 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad.
2 Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes.
4 His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory.
7 Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him.
8 Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord!
9 For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.
12 May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
Way back in the 60's there was a song by Country Joe and the Fish that said "hold on it's coming, hold on it's almost here." The song was an allusion to fabled stories about folks who had picked up hitchhikers that happened to be angels. The message was always clear: Jesus is coming soon...and then they'd disappear. We were doing a lot of hallucinogenics in those days. Serious people thought it was silly. Maybe not.
But trust me...its very near. And I don't need Country Joe McDonald to remind me.
Psalm 97 reminds us that nothing can stand in the say of Christ's return. "Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory. Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him."
I recall talking with a co-worker. He told me he didn't believe in a bodily return of Jesus. I wonder if Jesus knows that. I'm constantly amused at the authority with which so many people speak. Its as though saying it...or believing it...makes it true. So, if I don't believe Jesus is coming back...He's not? Psalm 981 Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!
5 Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song,
6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
9 before the Lord. For the Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
Come to think of it...this is the root of sin: The idea that we can create something out of nothing. To paraphrase Descartes, "I think it...therefore it is!" Only God can pull that off.
I don't mean to be picky, but if the earth quakes, mountains melt like wax and all the gods of this earth will tremble and bow down...I'm not convinced one man's bright idea will do much to stop the inevitable.
Even as Christians we don't always live our lives with Christ's return in mind. How many times should we find ourselves thinking "I'd hate it if Jesus came back while I was doing this!" The truth is, we should live every moment as though Jesus is right around the corner. Why? Because "all the wickedness of this world will be disgraced" when Christ returns. That's more trouble than I need right now.
On the other hand ..."Joy shines on those whose hearts are right." Disgrace? Joy? Even I'm smart enough to make that choice. How about you?
Live boldly out there today...
Even for my skeptical friend, I think he's missing the big picture. The primary motivator for denying Christ's return is wishful thinking. They don't want it to happen. If they did, it's not difficult to see it in scripture. Why don't' they want it to happen? Because it will upset their equilibrium.
Have you heard the phrase "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know?" In this case, "the god you know is better than the god you don't know!"
We all have our earthly gods that dominate our lives. It is the task of believers to tear down those gods every day and worship the one true God. If we don't, we begin to get comfortable with our gods and really don't want to live without them. The thought of the Messiah coming
all of a sudden looks more like a threat than like deliverance.
I confess. When I was young, preparing for a life of ministry as a military chaplain I used to pray and ask God not to return before I had a chance to be a chaplain for awhile. I wanted it that badly. That is the gospel truth and that is an earthly god staring me straight in the face.
Talk about pathetic!
David reminds us "the earth will break out in praise and sing for joy! The sea and everything in it will shout his praise! The rivers will clap their hands in glee! The hills will sing out their songs of joy." So, when Julie Andrews sings "The hills are alive with the sound of music," where do you think that comes from? Straight from Psalm 98. And I'll wager she never actually thought it would happen.
When I think about it, there isn't much I'd rather witness than a Killer Whale shouting praise to the coming Christ. I need to be a little more careful about the treasures I lay up here on earth. they might quickly become gods.
How about you? Anything you have going on right now that you couldn't give up?
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 971 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad.
2 Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes.
4 His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory.
7 Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him.
8 Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord!
9 For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.
12 May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
Way back in the 60's there was a song by Country Joe and the Fish that said "hold on it's coming, hold on it's almost here." The song was an allusion to fabled stories about folks who had picked up hitchhikers that happened to be angels. The message was always clear: Jesus is coming soon...and then they'd disappear. We were doing a lot of hallucinogenics in those days. Serious people thought it was silly. Maybe not.
But trust me...its very near. And I don't need Country Joe McDonald to remind me.
Psalm 97 reminds us that nothing can stand in the say of Christ's return. "Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory. Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him."
I recall talking with a co-worker. He told me he didn't believe in a bodily return of Jesus. I wonder if Jesus knows that. I'm constantly amused at the authority with which so many people speak. Its as though saying it...or believing it...makes it true. So, if I don't believe Jesus is coming back...He's not? Psalm 981 Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!
5 Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song,
6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
9 before the Lord. For the Lord is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
Come to think of it...this is the root of sin: The idea that we can create something out of nothing. To paraphrase Descartes, "I think it...therefore it is!" Only God can pull that off.
I don't mean to be picky, but if the earth quakes, mountains melt like wax and all the gods of this earth will tremble and bow down...I'm not convinced one man's bright idea will do much to stop the inevitable.
Even as Christians we don't always live our lives with Christ's return in mind. How many times should we find ourselves thinking "I'd hate it if Jesus came back while I was doing this!" The truth is, we should live every moment as though Jesus is right around the corner. Why? Because "all the wickedness of this world will be disgraced" when Christ returns. That's more trouble than I need right now.
On the other hand ..."Joy shines on those whose hearts are right." Disgrace? Joy? Even I'm smart enough to make that choice. How about you?
Live boldly out there today...
Even for my skeptical friend, I think he's missing the big picture. The primary motivator for denying Christ's return is wishful thinking. They don't want it to happen. If they did, it's not difficult to see it in scripture. Why don't' they want it to happen? Because it will upset their equilibrium.
Have you heard the phrase "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know?" In this case, "the god you know is better than the god you don't know!"
We all have our earthly gods that dominate our lives. It is the task of believers to tear down those gods every day and worship the one true God. If we don't, we begin to get comfortable with our gods and really don't want to live without them. The thought of the Messiah coming
all of a sudden looks more like a threat than like deliverance.
I confess. When I was young, preparing for a life of ministry as a military chaplain I used to pray and ask God not to return before I had a chance to be a chaplain for awhile. I wanted it that badly. That is the gospel truth and that is an earthly god staring me straight in the face.
Talk about pathetic!
David reminds us "the earth will break out in praise and sing for joy! The sea and everything in it will shout his praise! The rivers will clap their hands in glee! The hills will sing out their songs of joy." So, when Julie Andrews sings "The hills are alive with the sound of music," where do you think that comes from? Straight from Psalm 98. And I'll wager she never actually thought it would happen.
When I think about it, there isn't much I'd rather witness than a Killer Whale shouting praise to the coming Christ. I need to be a little more careful about the treasures I lay up here on earth. they might quickly become gods.
How about you? Anything you have going on right now that you couldn't give up?
Live boldly out there today...
October 26, 2010
Psalms 95 and 96
Psalm 95
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”
"Don't harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah..."
It's God's warning...that if we do so...we will never enter His rest. According to our psalmist, it's why the Hebrews wandered for forty years in the desert: Their hearts were hard before the Lord and He would not tolerate it.
There is a way to avoid this pitfall, even though it's natural for us to want to turn from God. Our psalmist reminds us. "Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!"
An attitude of worship forestalls temptation to harden our hearts before God. Worship puts us in a posture of humility. Worship recalls the truth of God's sovereignty over us. Worship rekindles a spirit of thanksgiving for God's great love and grace. It happens to me every Sunday. No matter how my week has been, I cannot get through worship without tears welling up in my eyes and my heart filling with gratitude.
My mom was right...church is good for me. I need to do it more often.
How's your heart today? Soft before the Lord, or hard? Nothing an attitude of worship cannot correct.
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 96
1 Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.
5 The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!
6 Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise 13 before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
And...part of meaningful worship is singing praises. "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves." Songs are narratives...stories put to music about Gods faithfulness and love. What makes music so special is that the melody sticks in our spirits and makes the story easier to memorize.
I once heard that "music is the language of God." At least it's a great thought. Music has a way of soothing our spirits and focusing our minds. Whether an old hymn or a new praise song, it's meant to orient us toward God. My favorite hymn is hundreds of years old.
What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.
How could my heart be hard while asking "my dearest friend" to ensure I never outlive my love for him? And then words from one of my favorite praise songs. Could you sing this with a bad attitude?
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after thee
You alone are my hearts desire
And I long to worship Thee
So the psalmist tells us to "worship the Lord in His holy splendor." This is surely our place of rest.
Live boldly out there today...
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”
"Don't harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah..."
It's God's warning...that if we do so...we will never enter His rest. According to our psalmist, it's why the Hebrews wandered for forty years in the desert: Their hearts were hard before the Lord and He would not tolerate it.
There is a way to avoid this pitfall, even though it's natural for us to want to turn from God. Our psalmist reminds us. "Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!"
An attitude of worship forestalls temptation to harden our hearts before God. Worship puts us in a posture of humility. Worship recalls the truth of God's sovereignty over us. Worship rekindles a spirit of thanksgiving for God's great love and grace. It happens to me every Sunday. No matter how my week has been, I cannot get through worship without tears welling up in my eyes and my heart filling with gratitude.
My mom was right...church is good for me. I need to do it more often.
How's your heart today? Soft before the Lord, or hard? Nothing an attitude of worship cannot correct.
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 96
1 Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.
5 The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!
6 Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
7 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise 13 before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
And...part of meaningful worship is singing praises. "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves." Songs are narratives...stories put to music about Gods faithfulness and love. What makes music so special is that the melody sticks in our spirits and makes the story easier to memorize.
I once heard that "music is the language of God." At least it's a great thought. Music has a way of soothing our spirits and focusing our minds. Whether an old hymn or a new praise song, it's meant to orient us toward God. My favorite hymn is hundreds of years old.
What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.
How could my heart be hard while asking "my dearest friend" to ensure I never outlive my love for him? And then words from one of my favorite praise songs. Could you sing this with a bad attitude?
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after thee
You alone are my hearts desire
And I long to worship Thee
So the psalmist tells us to "worship the Lord in His holy splendor." This is surely our place of rest.
Live boldly out there today...
October 25, 2010
Psalm 94
1 O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!
2 Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
4 How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast?
5 They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own.
6 They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans.
7 “The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
8 Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on?
9 Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
10 He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
11 The Lord knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
12 Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.
13 You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked.
14 The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.
15 Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.
16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.
18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side— leaders whose decrees permit injustice? 21 They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.
“The Lord isn’t looking, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
And that would be somebody's justification for bad behavior? This kind of talk tells us something important. Evildoers do bad things...that's what the word means. The only reason they behave is because they think somebody might be watching. They don't want to behave.
Don't trust them...as though they may have turned over a new leaf. They haven't. They're just waiting for an opportunity when nobody's watching.
Evildoers are not that smart either...to think God might not notice. Our psalmist asks. "Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?" I'm guessing that's a rhetorical question...no answer necessary.
The world is full of wicked people who are arrogant and boastful in their belief that God isn't engaged. As our psalmist says "They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans." And lots of other things we've seen. The truth is, "The Lord knows their thoughts; he knows they are worthless!"
Believers occasionally give in to temptation believing God is not paying attention. Don't fool yourself. God is aware of every detail in our lives. If this is the case...and it is...we also know that God cannot tolerate abuse against His children for long. If you feel under the gun today...abused by wickedness and wonder if it will ever end...relax. When all is said and done, this will not last. Judgment will bring justice, God's people will be restored because "the Lord is our fortress; our God is the mighty rock where we hide."
Live boldly out there today...
2 Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
4 How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast?
5 They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own.
6 They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans.
7 “The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
8 Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on?
9 Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
10 He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
11 The Lord knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
12 Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.
13 You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked.
14 The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.
15 Judgment will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.
16 Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave.
18 I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side— leaders whose decrees permit injustice? 21 They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.
“The Lord isn’t looking, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
And that would be somebody's justification for bad behavior? This kind of talk tells us something important. Evildoers do bad things...that's what the word means. The only reason they behave is because they think somebody might be watching. They don't want to behave.
Don't trust them...as though they may have turned over a new leaf. They haven't. They're just waiting for an opportunity when nobody's watching.
Evildoers are not that smart either...to think God might not notice. Our psalmist asks. "Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?" I'm guessing that's a rhetorical question...no answer necessary.
The world is full of wicked people who are arrogant and boastful in their belief that God isn't engaged. As our psalmist says "They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans." And lots of other things we've seen. The truth is, "The Lord knows their thoughts; he knows they are worthless!"
Believers occasionally give in to temptation believing God is not paying attention. Don't fool yourself. God is aware of every detail in our lives. If this is the case...and it is...we also know that God cannot tolerate abuse against His children for long. If you feel under the gun today...abused by wickedness and wonder if it will ever end...relax. When all is said and done, this will not last. Judgment will bring justice, God's people will be restored because "the Lord is our fortress; our God is the mighty rock where we hide."
Live boldly out there today...
October 24, 2010
Psalms 92 and 93
Psalm 92
1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.
4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
5 O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.
6 Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this:
7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
8 But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
9 Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.
14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
15 They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”You don't have to be a "rocket scientist to figure it out!
Whenever we hear this phrase we know the subject at hand is self-evident. In fact, it's so obvious that a less polite person would say "only and idiot wouldn't understand it!" Most of the time there's a lot of truth to it. If we spend a trillion dollars more every year than we take in through revenues...our budget is unsustainable. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.
Then we have our psalmist..."Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this." Ouch!
And what's the "this?" Good wins...evil loses. I'm not in the habit of arguing with scripture but, I'm not convinced a simpleton could figure this out. We observe a lot of evil around us and much of it appears pretty entrenched. It's going to be around for awhile.
I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting it's kind of like a physics problem. Water can exist in three distinct forms...solid, liquid or gas. However, it cannot exist in all three forms at the same time...except for brief moments of transition. This is good news for ice fishermen in Minnesota. When the solid begins turning to liquid...its time to move the icehouse.
The same is true with Good and evil...at least according to scripture. One cannot live in harmony with the other. One will eventually overcome the other. So, what we observe today is merely a transition period between the entrance of sin into our world and the return of Christ to destroy sin forever. After all, the promise is crystal clear. "The godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”I know, it seems like this process is taking a long time. And it is. Just don't let the length of this transition distract you from the truth...God wins!
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 93
1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
2 Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3 The floods have risen up, O Lord. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4 But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore— the Lord above is mightier than these!
5 Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.
And...here seems to be the evidence that good will triumph over evil.
Since God created the cosmos as we know it...it stands to reason that He possesses authority over His own creation. Although some would suggest this is a case of the classic "Frankenstein's Monster." God created something that spun out of control and has become a force that even God cannot control. Creation took on a life of it's own.
And of course, there are those who don't believe God was even part of the creative process. The cosmos evolved. Certainly a view that one can take. But, "Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this."
So when we cast an informed eye upon the world around us..."The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past."
I actually think it's so self-evident that we shouldn't even get bogged down in the debate. But please remember...the evidence isn't exclusively in the created world around us. The most compelling evidence is the faith that God has emplanted in our spirits. I understand our unbelieving neighbors would love to convince us our faith is ill conceived. But really...what do they know?
It's one or the other...it cannot be both. God is in control, or He is not. Which are you betting on?
Live boldly out there today...
1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.
4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
5 O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.
6 Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this:
7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
8 But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
9 Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.
14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
15 They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”You don't have to be a "rocket scientist to figure it out!
Whenever we hear this phrase we know the subject at hand is self-evident. In fact, it's so obvious that a less polite person would say "only and idiot wouldn't understand it!" Most of the time there's a lot of truth to it. If we spend a trillion dollars more every year than we take in through revenues...our budget is unsustainable. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.
Then we have our psalmist..."Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this." Ouch!
And what's the "this?" Good wins...evil loses. I'm not in the habit of arguing with scripture but, I'm not convinced a simpleton could figure this out. We observe a lot of evil around us and much of it appears pretty entrenched. It's going to be around for awhile.
I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting it's kind of like a physics problem. Water can exist in three distinct forms...solid, liquid or gas. However, it cannot exist in all three forms at the same time...except for brief moments of transition. This is good news for ice fishermen in Minnesota. When the solid begins turning to liquid...its time to move the icehouse.
The same is true with Good and evil...at least according to scripture. One cannot live in harmony with the other. One will eventually overcome the other. So, what we observe today is merely a transition period between the entrance of sin into our world and the return of Christ to destroy sin forever. After all, the promise is crystal clear. "The godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”I know, it seems like this process is taking a long time. And it is. Just don't let the length of this transition distract you from the truth...God wins!
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 93
1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
2 Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3 The floods have risen up, O Lord. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4 But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore— the Lord above is mightier than these!
5 Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.
And...here seems to be the evidence that good will triumph over evil.
Since God created the cosmos as we know it...it stands to reason that He possesses authority over His own creation. Although some would suggest this is a case of the classic "Frankenstein's Monster." God created something that spun out of control and has become a force that even God cannot control. Creation took on a life of it's own.
And of course, there are those who don't believe God was even part of the creative process. The cosmos evolved. Certainly a view that one can take. But, "Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this."
So when we cast an informed eye upon the world around us..."The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past."
I actually think it's so self-evident that we shouldn't even get bogged down in the debate. But please remember...the evidence isn't exclusively in the created world around us. The most compelling evidence is the faith that God has emplanted in our spirits. I understand our unbelieving neighbors would love to convince us our faith is ill conceived. But really...what do they know?
It's one or the other...it cannot be both. God is in control, or He is not. Which are you betting on?
Live boldly out there today...
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