1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2 Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
4 Let all who fear the Lord repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”
5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
7 Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
10 Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
12 They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
13 My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
17 I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die.
Have you ever dodged a bullet?
Figuratively speaking, we all have…at one time or another. It’s a strange mixture of feelings. From dread, to panic and finally exhilaration when we realize we have survived. After the dust settles it takes awhile to figure out what happened…and what it meant. Often we never figure it out.
As I was reading through today's Psalm I was having visions of war and conflict…with ultimate victory. This is not uncommon for our psalmist. But today, he implies that the whole ordeal was the Lord's doing…for the purpose of disciplining him. Look at the last verse: "The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die". Why? I have no idea…and our writer doesn't even seem to be interested in why…as though this is simply one of the cycles of life.
On my way to work one morning I passed a serious accident. A car had rolled over several times and slammed into a light pole on I-25. How many times have we endured a clear threat to our very existence and never recognized it as a "come to Jesus" moment. Cancer? Car accident? Combat? And, when we survive we walk away with a sense of relief and thanksgiving…but rarely with a sense that we just endured a "smackdown" from God. I think this is primarily because we don't want to contemplate the notion that we might serve a God who is not beyond disciplining us…who will go to any lengths to get our attention.
Remember Job's friends advising him to "curse God and die?" Human response to trouble is so childish. We suffer, and then shake our fists at God…as though we don't deserve such treatment. The reality is..God could punish us severely every day of our lives and he would not exhaust "just cause." So let's get past that…just as the psalmist did.
Back up a verse to verse 17. "I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done". It seems the point may simply be so we have a story to tell. And in the telling of the story, our hearts gravitate back to the center of our being…God himself. What trouble are you facing today? How about using it as an opportunity to proclaim "The Lord is for me…I will not fear." Somewhere in that story you move toward God and He has gotten what He wants out of you.
19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord.
20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.
21 I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!
22 The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you!
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
"This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." This is one of the most familiar verses in scripture. We've heard it since we were children…repeated in church nearly every Sunday. I think the ritual led me to believe this verse applied specifically to Sundays. I don't ever recall hearing it around the house on Monday. Well, when we think about it…what's so special about Monday?
Actually, what's so special about Sunday anymore? We have early service so the guys can get home to watch the NFL. We have Saturday night service so others can get up early on Sunday and go fishing…or take their family to the mountains. We've basically quit Sunday night service. You know, the kids have to get to bed because school comes early in the morning. We mow the lawn…go shopping…you get the point. Worship has just become a small event we wedge into an otherwise busy day off from work.
First, I think we might consider making Sunday a special day again. It will give us a taste of the glory and goodness of God. It may just get us rejoicing again. Then...I wonder what would happen if we opened our hearts enough to see every day as an opportunity to "enter the gates that lead to the presence of the Lord?" We would probably find ourselves rejoicing regularly.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Live boldly out there today...
November 20, 2010
November 19, 2010
Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love;
The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
Perhaps our psalmist was in a bit of a hurry or maybe his spirit was particularly content and he didn't have a lot to say. What's important is…his mind still wandered toward God.
I've had days like that…when words just seem to get in the way of the tranquility. When I sit on my deck in the woods, with nothing on my mind but the peace surrounding me, my heart becomes very thankful that I have been given such a blessed life. That is the moment that my heart should wander toward God and I should praise Him for His unfailing love and faithfulness. In fact, let me suggest that we memorize this Psalm and recite it as a prayer when we are feeling particularly blessed.
Live boldly out there today...
Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love;
The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
Perhaps our psalmist was in a bit of a hurry or maybe his spirit was particularly content and he didn't have a lot to say. What's important is…his mind still wandered toward God.
I've had days like that…when words just seem to get in the way of the tranquility. When I sit on my deck in the woods, with nothing on my mind but the peace surrounding me, my heart becomes very thankful that I have been given such a blessed life. That is the moment that my heart should wander toward God and I should praise Him for His unfailing love and faithfulness. In fact, let me suggest that we memorize this Psalm and recite it as a prayer when we are feeling particularly blessed.
Live boldly out there today...
November 18, 2010
Psalm 116
1 I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.
2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
3 Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave[a] overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”
5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!
6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.
7 Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.
8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!
10 I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
11 In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!”
12 What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
14 I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
15 The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.
16 O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people—
19 in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
At first I was disappointed with the psalmist today: "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy." That's a pretty self-centered way to describe a love relationship. Shouldn't I "love the Lord" simply because He is my Lord? Maybe…but it's more likely I love Him because He took care of my "sin problem".
Very unlike Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach while feeling out of sight." Now that is beautiful! Inexhaustible!
"But…will she make me breakfast every morning?"
Well, come to think of it…there is some truth to it. It's human nature to love those who love us. And, we tend to define that love by the things people do for us. On the contrary, we tend to define whether we love another by how we feel about them, not by what we do for them.
Interesting contradiction.
So…do we have a teaching moment? Is it honest, or fair, to hold you accountable for your actions in deciding whether you love me, but you simply need to trust that my heart is filled with love for you…regardless of my actions?
That was a rhetorical question…
Therefore, what do we see in the Psalmist that proved his Love for God?
"I will pray as long as I have breath"
"So, I walk in the Lord's presence"
"I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord's name for saving me"
"I will keep my promises to the Lord"
"I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving"
Our challenge today is to live in such a manner that we could anticipate hearing God say "I know Lee loves me because…" Take a look at how the psalmist's demonstrated his love for God. Perhaps something there can fit nicely into our own daily lives.
Live boldly out there today...
2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
3 Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave[a] overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”
5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!
6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.
7 Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.
8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!
10 I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
11 In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!”
12 What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
14 I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
15 The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.
16 O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people—
19 in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
At first I was disappointed with the psalmist today: "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy." That's a pretty self-centered way to describe a love relationship. Shouldn't I "love the Lord" simply because He is my Lord? Maybe…but it's more likely I love Him because He took care of my "sin problem".
Very unlike Elizabeth Barrett Browning. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach while feeling out of sight." Now that is beautiful! Inexhaustible!
"But…will she make me breakfast every morning?"
Well, come to think of it…there is some truth to it. It's human nature to love those who love us. And, we tend to define that love by the things people do for us. On the contrary, we tend to define whether we love another by how we feel about them, not by what we do for them.
Interesting contradiction.
So…do we have a teaching moment? Is it honest, or fair, to hold you accountable for your actions in deciding whether you love me, but you simply need to trust that my heart is filled with love for you…regardless of my actions?
That was a rhetorical question…
Therefore, what do we see in the Psalmist that proved his Love for God?
"I will pray as long as I have breath"
"So, I walk in the Lord's presence"
"I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord's name for saving me"
"I will keep my promises to the Lord"
"I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving"
Our challenge today is to live in such a manner that we could anticipate hearing God say "I know Lee loves me because…" Take a look at how the psalmist's demonstrated his love for God. Perhaps something there can fit nicely into our own daily lives.
Live boldly out there today...
November 17, 2010
Psalm 115
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
2 Why let the nations say, “Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.
4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
6 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
7 They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk,
and throats but cannot make a sound.
8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
10 O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
11 All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel
and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.
14 May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.
17 The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
18 But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!
The Psalmist presents us with an interesting challenge today. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” He reveals one of the insidious qualities of human nature…the ability to believe that we can take on the qualities of another simply by affiliation.
Another term for this is “armchair quarterback.” I faithfully follow my college football team each week. To the degree that I am registered on one of the blog pages that discusses the game each weekend. I am always amazed at how “smart” these bloggers are. It appears that…if you listen to them…our team would never lose a game. They know when the coach should be fired. They know when the players should be yanked off the field…and which ones. They have the prescription for a perfect outcome every week…after the fact.
I often read and wonder…”if they are so smart, why aren’t they coaching the team?” The truth is they aren’t as smart as they think they are. But…they are hooked up to a blog page that allows them to be “the smartest person in the room.”
As Christians…if we aren’t careful…we have a tendency to do the same thing with our faith. We parade around like we are something special because we figured out the key to salvation…like we deserve Gods unfailing love and kindness. This kind of arrogance doesn’t look very good on a person who is supposed to demonstrate the same humility Christ did (Philippians 2).
I suppose it’s hard to be humble when we have a God who is “our helper and our shield, who remembers us and will bless us.” Humans have a tendency to want to show it off. “Look what I have that you don’t have!” Let’s not fall into that trap.
Be bold out there today…
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
2 Why let the nations say, “Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.
4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
6 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
7 They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk,
and throats but cannot make a sound.
8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
10 O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
11 All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel
and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.
14 May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.
17 The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
18 But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!
The Psalmist presents us with an interesting challenge today. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” He reveals one of the insidious qualities of human nature…the ability to believe that we can take on the qualities of another simply by affiliation.
Another term for this is “armchair quarterback.” I faithfully follow my college football team each week. To the degree that I am registered on one of the blog pages that discusses the game each weekend. I am always amazed at how “smart” these bloggers are. It appears that…if you listen to them…our team would never lose a game. They know when the coach should be fired. They know when the players should be yanked off the field…and which ones. They have the prescription for a perfect outcome every week…after the fact.
I often read and wonder…”if they are so smart, why aren’t they coaching the team?” The truth is they aren’t as smart as they think they are. But…they are hooked up to a blog page that allows them to be “the smartest person in the room.”
As Christians…if we aren’t careful…we have a tendency to do the same thing with our faith. We parade around like we are something special because we figured out the key to salvation…like we deserve Gods unfailing love and kindness. This kind of arrogance doesn’t look very good on a person who is supposed to demonstrate the same humility Christ did (Philippians 2).
I suppose it’s hard to be humble when we have a God who is “our helper and our shield, who remembers us and will bless us.” Humans have a tendency to want to show it off. “Look what I have that you don’t have!” Let’s not fall into that trap.
Be bold out there today…
November 16, 2010
Psalm 113 and 114
Psalm 113
1 Praise the Lord!
Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
3 Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.
5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?
6 He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.
7 He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.
8 He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
9 He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 1141 When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—
2 the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom.
3 The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs!
5 What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?
6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.
8 He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.
I worked for a couple four star generals during my military career. Everybody knew...without being told...that these were seriously important men. They were constantly traveling throughout their commands ensuring their intents were followed. When they were "in the building" they were rarely seen. They were holed up in their offices conducting high level meetings. Yet, their presence within the command was profound. Rarely seen, but always regarded, they were bigger than life even though the average soldier or airman never saw them...and were reasonably certain the general knew nothing about them.
Not the kind of man you would invite over for a backyard barbecue or ask for a twenty dollar loan for gas money. These men have far more important concerns in their lives. Seriously. Few people have ever suggested it should be some other way. It's "just the way it is." In fact, many of us have seen the same dynamic played out with our parents, our teachers, or perhaps our coaches. The important people are inaccessible. they are, well, "too important" to get bogged down in the details of our lives.
The real problem here is many of us have the same view of God. He is far too important and busy to be involved in our insignificant little lives. Our Psalmist today reminds us this is not the case. After spending five verses portraying the majesty and might of God he concludes his psalm with a portrayal of divine intimacy that might surprise us: He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.
Have you ever thought God could not possibly be interested in you miserable life with it's mundane problems? This kind of thinking leads to a sense of desperation that compounds the problems in life. This is not who God is. He has never been this way. Our God is fully aware of our needs and regularly reaches into our lives to make a difference. The ultimate example being the offering of His Son Jesus to deal with our sin.
The Marines have a slogan, "lead from the front." The idea being that the only way a commander can properly assess the needs of his troops is to be with them. A marine commander is always with his marines. I'd hesitate to suggest God is a "marine" but I will suggest this is His model. I encourage you to approach your life today with the same confidence we find in the Apostle Paul, who wrote, My God shall supply all my needs accouring to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4)
Live boldly out there today...
1 Praise the Lord!
Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
3 Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.
5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?
6 He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.
7 He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.
8 He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
9 He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 1141 When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—
2 the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom.
3 The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs!
5 What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?
6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.
8 He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.
I worked for a couple four star generals during my military career. Everybody knew...without being told...that these were seriously important men. They were constantly traveling throughout their commands ensuring their intents were followed. When they were "in the building" they were rarely seen. They were holed up in their offices conducting high level meetings. Yet, their presence within the command was profound. Rarely seen, but always regarded, they were bigger than life even though the average soldier or airman never saw them...and were reasonably certain the general knew nothing about them.
Not the kind of man you would invite over for a backyard barbecue or ask for a twenty dollar loan for gas money. These men have far more important concerns in their lives. Seriously. Few people have ever suggested it should be some other way. It's "just the way it is." In fact, many of us have seen the same dynamic played out with our parents, our teachers, or perhaps our coaches. The important people are inaccessible. they are, well, "too important" to get bogged down in the details of our lives.
The real problem here is many of us have the same view of God. He is far too important and busy to be involved in our insignificant little lives. Our Psalmist today reminds us this is not the case. After spending five verses portraying the majesty and might of God he concludes his psalm with a portrayal of divine intimacy that might surprise us: He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.
Have you ever thought God could not possibly be interested in you miserable life with it's mundane problems? This kind of thinking leads to a sense of desperation that compounds the problems in life. This is not who God is. He has never been this way. Our God is fully aware of our needs and regularly reaches into our lives to make a difference. The ultimate example being the offering of His Son Jesus to deal with our sin.
The Marines have a slogan, "lead from the front." The idea being that the only way a commander can properly assess the needs of his troops is to be with them. A marine commander is always with his marines. I'd hesitate to suggest God is a "marine" but I will suggest this is His model. I encourage you to approach your life today with the same confidence we find in the Apostle Paul, who wrote, My God shall supply all my needs accouring to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4)
Live boldly out there today...
November 15, 2010
Psalm 112
Praise the Lord!
How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.
Their children will be successful everywhere;
an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever.
Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously
and conduct their business fairly.
Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
They share freely and give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor.
The wicked will see this and be infuriated.
They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.
Just in case you were wondering...how can we feel confident that we are faithfully living the way God intends?
Our Psalmist gives us some pretty clear indications:
1. We are joyful.
2. Our children will be successful.
3. We will be wealthy,
4. We are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
5. We will not be overcome by evil.
6. We will not fear.
7. We will have influence and honor.
Wow! Can you imagine your life being a narrative of these qualities? A couple of things leap out at me.
First, Godliness impacts our attitude. We will be joyful, generous people...living without fear. This promise alone would make the journey worth it. I remember an old commercial that said "if you have your health, you have just about everything." Well...if we have "joy" we have absolutely everything. Think about it: If I lose my job but God gives me a spirit of joy, how bad is it...really? The gravity of most problems is directly related to how we respond to them. But remember, joy is not something we can manufacture. Joy is the natural product of following God faithfully. Are you living joyfully...without fear? If not pursue God ferociously!
Also, Godliness impacts our circumstances. Our children will be successful, we will be wealthy and influential. Scripture tells us that "the sins of the father will be visited on the sons to the third generation of them that hate me." Well, here the converse is promised. My faithfulness will directly impact my children in a positive way. As much as we love our children, this should be all the motivation we need to live obediently. Wealth and influence logically follow. Yesterday we were reminded that obedience results in wisdom. Wisdom generally results in meaningful consequences. Wisdom generates smart decisions and smarter insights. The world will take note.
By the way... "The wicked will see this and be infuriated."
Live boldly out there today...
How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.
Their children will be successful everywhere;
an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever.
Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Good comes to those who lend money generously
and conduct their business fairly.
Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
They share freely and give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor.
The wicked will see this and be infuriated.
They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.
Just in case you were wondering...how can we feel confident that we are faithfully living the way God intends?
Our Psalmist gives us some pretty clear indications:
1. We are joyful.
2. Our children will be successful.
3. We will be wealthy,
4. We are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
5. We will not be overcome by evil.
6. We will not fear.
7. We will have influence and honor.
Wow! Can you imagine your life being a narrative of these qualities? A couple of things leap out at me.
First, Godliness impacts our attitude. We will be joyful, generous people...living without fear. This promise alone would make the journey worth it. I remember an old commercial that said "if you have your health, you have just about everything." Well...if we have "joy" we have absolutely everything. Think about it: If I lose my job but God gives me a spirit of joy, how bad is it...really? The gravity of most problems is directly related to how we respond to them. But remember, joy is not something we can manufacture. Joy is the natural product of following God faithfully. Are you living joyfully...without fear? If not pursue God ferociously!
Also, Godliness impacts our circumstances. Our children will be successful, we will be wealthy and influential. Scripture tells us that "the sins of the father will be visited on the sons to the third generation of them that hate me." Well, here the converse is promised. My faithfulness will directly impact my children in a positive way. As much as we love our children, this should be all the motivation we need to live obediently. Wealth and influence logically follow. Yesterday we were reminded that obedience results in wisdom. Wisdom generally results in meaningful consequences. Wisdom generates smart decisions and smarter insights. The world will take note.
By the way... "The wicked will see this and be infuriated."
Live boldly out there today...
November 14, 2010
Psalm 111
1 Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.
3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.
4 He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
5 He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.
6 He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.
7 All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.
8 They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
9 He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise him forever!
This isn't the only time we are told that the "Fear of the Lord" is the foundation of true wisdom. The phrase actually occurs a number of times in Scripture. However, an interesting caveat is added in this Psalm: "All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom."
Most of us would generally agree that "wisdom" is knowledge of what is true...coupled with just judgment, discernment, or insight. This, of course, is what makes wisdom a little more difficult to attain than knowledge. The ability to faithfully judge or discern the truth is often clouded by our personal perspectives and preferences.
Our nation is constantly debating issues like immigration, abortion and pollution. And...these are important issues that serve to define us as a nation. Does it really matter? Let's not forget that scripture tells us "righteousness exalts a nation but sin is the reproach of any people." There are consequences when we stand for things that dishonor the Lord. We need to take the time to be engaged in the conversation and express our views. The truth surrounding each of these issues is that...at their core...they are spiritual in nature. How we treat strangers, innocents or the environment ought to be a matter of faith, not policy.
And, there is a lot at stake...
The fact is, we will never find consensus on most of the thorny issues because we don't adhere to the same source of authority. People who profess to be wise line up firmly on both sides of the question as though the answer is self-evident. Coincidentally, the position a person takes has a strange corrolation to their political persuasion. If politics is our authority we soon find that the standards change every election cycle. I also suggest that our ability to accurately discern is not a function of which cable news station we watch.
I am not suggesting that people who disagree with me are always wrong. That's not even the point. The point isn't to agree with each other. The point is to agree with God. And, since countless people don't even entertain the notion of "God" we have a problem. How would we, as believers, live in harmony with them? We might get lucky on some issues but luck is not a good strategy.
Now, the Psalmist tells us that our ability to honor God is properly a function of our willingness to obey God's commandments. Hmmm. This leads me to the conclusion that there is something divinely informative about the act of obedience. As I devote myself to obedience God's Spirit performs a sacramental act of grace in my life allowing me to understand the world around me.
Even if others disagree...
So...would you like to know what your life means today? Begin with an unwavering commitment to obeying God's commandments.
Live boldly out there today...
2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.
3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.
4 He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
5 He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.
6 He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.
7 All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.
8 They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
9 He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise him forever!
This isn't the only time we are told that the "Fear of the Lord" is the foundation of true wisdom. The phrase actually occurs a number of times in Scripture. However, an interesting caveat is added in this Psalm: "All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom."
Most of us would generally agree that "wisdom" is knowledge of what is true...coupled with just judgment, discernment, or insight. This, of course, is what makes wisdom a little more difficult to attain than knowledge. The ability to faithfully judge or discern the truth is often clouded by our personal perspectives and preferences.
Our nation is constantly debating issues like immigration, abortion and pollution. And...these are important issues that serve to define us as a nation. Does it really matter? Let's not forget that scripture tells us "righteousness exalts a nation but sin is the reproach of any people." There are consequences when we stand for things that dishonor the Lord. We need to take the time to be engaged in the conversation and express our views. The truth surrounding each of these issues is that...at their core...they are spiritual in nature. How we treat strangers, innocents or the environment ought to be a matter of faith, not policy.
And, there is a lot at stake...
The fact is, we will never find consensus on most of the thorny issues because we don't adhere to the same source of authority. People who profess to be wise line up firmly on both sides of the question as though the answer is self-evident. Coincidentally, the position a person takes has a strange corrolation to their political persuasion. If politics is our authority we soon find that the standards change every election cycle. I also suggest that our ability to accurately discern is not a function of which cable news station we watch.
I am not suggesting that people who disagree with me are always wrong. That's not even the point. The point isn't to agree with each other. The point is to agree with God. And, since countless people don't even entertain the notion of "God" we have a problem. How would we, as believers, live in harmony with them? We might get lucky on some issues but luck is not a good strategy.
Now, the Psalmist tells us that our ability to honor God is properly a function of our willingness to obey God's commandments. Hmmm. This leads me to the conclusion that there is something divinely informative about the act of obedience. As I devote myself to obedience God's Spirit performs a sacramental act of grace in my life allowing me to understand the world around me.
Even if others disagree...
So...would you like to know what your life means today? Begin with an unwavering commitment to obeying God's commandments.
Live boldly out there today...
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