Today's brief passage marks the end of both Ecclesiastes and our look into the life and wisdom of King Solomon, bringing closure to the history of a unified Israelite kingdom.
After recounting that life's pursuits, including worldly wisdom itself, are largely meaningless, the Teacher points out that life's purpose comes mainly in recognizing its center and focus, God Himself. While the world may try to exalt human achievement as central to the universe, we know that any one' person's impact on the earth will be fleeting and relatively small.
Yet, God "has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (3:11) God has created humans in His image in a special manner unique from all other creatures. God has placed within us a longing for the eternal, for a greater purpose. He has given us the facility to worship, but, in many cases, we choose to worship the created rather than the Creator.
God carries out His will to draw people unto Himself. When we reflect on what God has done, we are drawn to His eternity, which gives life purpose: "I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." (3:14)
So, the Teacher goads the young: "Remember your Creator/ in the days of your youth... " (12:1)
Knowing God and living in obedience to His commandments will bring true and lasting joy. He has revealed Himself, but we must continue to seek Him out. In his book, _The Pursuit of God_, A. W. Tozer writes:
"I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate [in 1948]. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a dedly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present[,] or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted....
"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or, if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things[,] he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose[,] he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever."
QUESTIONS
1. How has God revealed Himself to you this week? How can you give thanks for that?
2. When life appears like a grind, how can you step back to recognize the greater purpose of value of God's eternal purpose?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
May 30
Wise Up!
A few years ago I went through my VW phase of life. I went out and bought a 1978 VW convertible. Several things were wrong with it including the passenger side rear view mirror was broken. So I ordered a new mirror and began the simple process of changing it. I worked for hours trying to get that thing off. Patience is not one of my stronger character qualities and in the end I had broken both the base to the window and the molding and still the window was attached to the car.
This point I was faced with a major life crisis. Would I humble myself and ask my friend BILL (an expert at VW’s) or would I spend another 2 hours trying to do it myself. All I had to do is say... "Bill, I need your wisdom." Yet if I did this I would be admitting I was inadequate and needed help. The male ego is a very fragile thing and this became a tough choice.
In the end I made one of the wisest choices in life. I decided to humble myself and ask Bill for his wisdom. Bill came over and in 60 seconds he had the thing off. The problem was it was a reverse screw thread. After I spent 45 years of my life figuring out how threads work, along comes some crazy guy in Germany who decides to change the rules on me.
Well, all of us face similar life choices daily. We think we can run our lives pretty well. We do a good job for a while but one day the wheels come off. At this point we are faced with a dilemma. Will we continue to try to run our lives or will we turn to God for help. But the stakes are much higher when it comes to life. At risk is our eternal soul and the lives of many people around us.
Today there are a lot of voices you can turn to. We have Dr. Phil, Oprah, Tyra Banks, Howard Stern, Jerry Springer and the latest self help book but usually the voice we listen to in the end is our own. Most of us really believe we know best how to fix our lives.
Ecc 7:27-29 tells us the wise person goes to God for wisdom. We don't have enough wisdom or experience to know how to live. Our creator is the one who has the blueprints for how life works. So the plan is clear for today. Read God’s Word and put into practice everything he tells us. He can show us how to wise up.
A few years ago I went through my VW phase of life. I went out and bought a 1978 VW convertible. Several things were wrong with it including the passenger side rear view mirror was broken. So I ordered a new mirror and began the simple process of changing it. I worked for hours trying to get that thing off. Patience is not one of my stronger character qualities and in the end I had broken both the base to the window and the molding and still the window was attached to the car.
This point I was faced with a major life crisis. Would I humble myself and ask my friend BILL (an expert at VW’s) or would I spend another 2 hours trying to do it myself. All I had to do is say... "Bill, I need your wisdom." Yet if I did this I would be admitting I was inadequate and needed help. The male ego is a very fragile thing and this became a tough choice.
In the end I made one of the wisest choices in life. I decided to humble myself and ask Bill for his wisdom. Bill came over and in 60 seconds he had the thing off. The problem was it was a reverse screw thread. After I spent 45 years of my life figuring out how threads work, along comes some crazy guy in Germany who decides to change the rules on me.
Well, all of us face similar life choices daily. We think we can run our lives pretty well. We do a good job for a while but one day the wheels come off. At this point we are faced with a dilemma. Will we continue to try to run our lives or will we turn to God for help. But the stakes are much higher when it comes to life. At risk is our eternal soul and the lives of many people around us.
Today there are a lot of voices you can turn to. We have Dr. Phil, Oprah, Tyra Banks, Howard Stern, Jerry Springer and the latest self help book but usually the voice we listen to in the end is our own. Most of us really believe we know best how to fix our lives.
Ecc 7:27-29 tells us the wise person goes to God for wisdom. We don't have enough wisdom or experience to know how to live. Our creator is the one who has the blueprints for how life works. So the plan is clear for today. Read God’s Word and put into practice everything he tells us. He can show us how to wise up.
Friday, May 29, 2009
May 29
The Struggle for Meaning and Purpose in Life.
One of the greatest struggles for the postmodern world is to find purpose and meaning in life.
The novel Steppenwolf, by Hermann Hesse is a story written from a postmodern perspective. At the novel's end, Harry Haller stands looking at himself in a mirror. During the course of his life he had experienced all the world offers. And now he stands looking at himself, and he mutters "Ah, the bitter taste of life!" He spits at himself in the looking-glass, and then he kicks it to pieces. His life has been futile and meaningless.
If there is no God, if there is no grand design to life, then life itself becomes meaningless. Life has no ultimate purpose without God. If death stands with open arms at the end of life's trial, then what is the goal of life? To what end has life been lived? Is it all for nothing? Is there any goal or purpose for the universe?
I love what Apryl wrote yesterday about the achievements of mankind. How long until all of our achievements vanish from the earth? The truth is, without God, no one will remember anything about our lives in two generations. How much do you know about your great-grandparents lives? Yet with God, giving a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus will count for all eternity. We might forget the small acts of kindness and love we do in Jesus’ name, but he never will.
Solomon makes it clear today, the only thing a god-less world offers us is emptiness.... the emptiness of human wisdom, the emptiness of pleasure, the emptiness of achievement, the emptiness of labor and the list goes on and on. The only hope for meaning and purpose is a life lived for God.
So here is our homework.... share a random act of kindness to someone in the name of Jesus.
Make a phone call to a lonely person.
Bring a cup of coffee to a fellow worker who has mistreated you.
Forgive someone who hurt you.
Go out of your way to smile to some and share a word of encouragement.
Be creative and make up your own act.....
One small acts of kindness, done in the name of Jesus, will give you hope, meaning and purpose in life.
Just do it!!!
One of the greatest struggles for the postmodern world is to find purpose and meaning in life.
The novel Steppenwolf, by Hermann Hesse is a story written from a postmodern perspective. At the novel's end, Harry Haller stands looking at himself in a mirror. During the course of his life he had experienced all the world offers. And now he stands looking at himself, and he mutters "Ah, the bitter taste of life!" He spits at himself in the looking-glass, and then he kicks it to pieces. His life has been futile and meaningless.
If there is no God, if there is no grand design to life, then life itself becomes meaningless. Life has no ultimate purpose without God. If death stands with open arms at the end of life's trial, then what is the goal of life? To what end has life been lived? Is it all for nothing? Is there any goal or purpose for the universe?
I love what Apryl wrote yesterday about the achievements of mankind. How long until all of our achievements vanish from the earth? The truth is, without God, no one will remember anything about our lives in two generations. How much do you know about your great-grandparents lives? Yet with God, giving a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus will count for all eternity. We might forget the small acts of kindness and love we do in Jesus’ name, but he never will.
Solomon makes it clear today, the only thing a god-less world offers us is emptiness.... the emptiness of human wisdom, the emptiness of pleasure, the emptiness of achievement, the emptiness of labor and the list goes on and on. The only hope for meaning and purpose is a life lived for God.
So here is our homework.... share a random act of kindness to someone in the name of Jesus.
Make a phone call to a lonely person.
Bring a cup of coffee to a fellow worker who has mistreated you.
Forgive someone who hurt you.
Go out of your way to smile to some and share a word of encouragement.
Be creative and make up your own act.....
One small acts of kindness, done in the name of Jesus, will give you hope, meaning and purpose in life.
Just do it!!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
May 28
Ecclesiastes
There's a show on the History channel called Life After People. It speculates about what would happen to the earth if suddenly all the people disappeared. How long would it take for the Sears Tower in Chicago to crumble? The Hoover Dam? The Eiffel Tower in Paris? The Statue of Liberty? How long will it take before there are no traces of people on the planet? It's a very interesting show, but also quite unsettling. It puts into perspective how insignificant human accomplishments are. Plants and animals would thrive without humans hunting or polluting. After a few thousand years, there would be no evidence of anything humans have done.
Reading Ecclesiastes made me think of Life After People, especially Essl 1:4-11. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, streams flow, and the men of old will not be remembered. Our lives and accomplishments are meaningless... without God who created us and loves us. Solomon had it all: riches, wisdom, wives, servants, a palace. Every material desire was at his fingertips. Yet he writes "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? (Essl 1:2-3) If Solomon's accomplishments and possessions meant nothing, how much less is anything that we do?!
I think Ecclesiastes paints a picture of what life would be like without God. Life would be meaningless. Thankfully, He gives us love, and He gives our lives meaning!
There's a show on the History channel called Life After People. It speculates about what would happen to the earth if suddenly all the people disappeared. How long would it take for the Sears Tower in Chicago to crumble? The Hoover Dam? The Eiffel Tower in Paris? The Statue of Liberty? How long will it take before there are no traces of people on the planet? It's a very interesting show, but also quite unsettling. It puts into perspective how insignificant human accomplishments are. Plants and animals would thrive without humans hunting or polluting. After a few thousand years, there would be no evidence of anything humans have done.
Reading Ecclesiastes made me think of Life After People, especially Essl 1:4-11. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, streams flow, and the men of old will not be remembered. Our lives and accomplishments are meaningless... without God who created us and loves us. Solomon had it all: riches, wisdom, wives, servants, a palace. Every material desire was at his fingertips. Yet he writes "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? (Essl 1:2-3) If Solomon's accomplishments and possessions meant nothing, how much less is anything that we do?!
I think Ecclesiastes paints a picture of what life would be like without God. Life would be meaningless. Thankfully, He gives us love, and He gives our lives meaning!
Monday, May 25, 2009
May 25
The wisdom of small creatures
Proverb 30:24‑28
In our culture we tend to parade modern day superstars and beautiful people as our hero’s and models. If you wear a bikini in the Miss America pageant, stand against homosexuality and say you are a Christian you are put up front. If you can throw a hardball 95 miles per hour and say you are a Christian you are on the cover of our magazines. Today in our reading we have a sage named Agur who models downward not upward. He picks four creatures that normally I would squash with my feet and says they can teach us something very important.
Let’s just consider the Ant. Ants teach us that time is later than we think. Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up food in the summer. The ant works today for tomorrow. Putting it another way, the ant knows what time it is in life. One thing you will never find is a lazy ant. Today is Memorial Day, and many of us will be attending picnics. Ants attend picnics, but they don't play at picnics. You will never find ant sitting back on lawn chair stuffing potato salad in his face. When ants attend picnics they are working. Ants are wise because they know picnics don't occur in January so now is the time to gather the food and store it up because HARD TIMES are coming. Ants are always at work, straining and carrying the load. Instinctively they use summer to prepare for winter.
So let’s take the wisdom of an ant and apply it to our lives in 2009. Here is a lesson they teach us. Don't let the Urgent crowd out the Important. This is an ant's motto. Urgent things are… things that act on us, visible things, pressing things, insisting, popular actions, often they are pleasant, easy, fun things to do. Important on the other hand has to do with results, contributing to the mission, values, high priorities, goals... things that count for eternity.
-Urgent things are watching the TV, surfing the internet, newspapers, keeping the grass green.
-Important things… knowing God, reading the Bible, praying, going to church, spending time with our families, getting involved in a small group, loving people, listening to people, taking a walk with a child, mentoring a young person, having family devotions…. things that are truly important… Be careful of the tyranny of the urgent. Winter is coming.
Proverb 30:24‑28
In our culture we tend to parade modern day superstars and beautiful people as our hero’s and models. If you wear a bikini in the Miss America pageant, stand against homosexuality and say you are a Christian you are put up front. If you can throw a hardball 95 miles per hour and say you are a Christian you are on the cover of our magazines. Today in our reading we have a sage named Agur who models downward not upward. He picks four creatures that normally I would squash with my feet and says they can teach us something very important.
Let’s just consider the Ant. Ants teach us that time is later than we think. Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up food in the summer. The ant works today for tomorrow. Putting it another way, the ant knows what time it is in life. One thing you will never find is a lazy ant. Today is Memorial Day, and many of us will be attending picnics. Ants attend picnics, but they don't play at picnics. You will never find ant sitting back on lawn chair stuffing potato salad in his face. When ants attend picnics they are working. Ants are wise because they know picnics don't occur in January so now is the time to gather the food and store it up because HARD TIMES are coming. Ants are always at work, straining and carrying the load. Instinctively they use summer to prepare for winter.
So let’s take the wisdom of an ant and apply it to our lives in 2009. Here is a lesson they teach us. Don't let the Urgent crowd out the Important. This is an ant's motto. Urgent things are… things that act on us, visible things, pressing things, insisting, popular actions, often they are pleasant, easy, fun things to do. Important on the other hand has to do with results, contributing to the mission, values, high priorities, goals... things that count for eternity.
-Urgent things are watching the TV, surfing the internet, newspapers, keeping the grass green.
-Important things… knowing God, reading the Bible, praying, going to church, spending time with our families, getting involved in a small group, loving people, listening to people, taking a walk with a child, mentoring a young person, having family devotions…. things that are truly important… Be careful of the tyranny of the urgent. Winter is coming.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
May 24: Proverbs
Today's passages echoed the truth that wisdom -- and, in large part, our faith-walk generally -- requires a long-term orientation. As the cadets learn at West Point, wisdom urges us to "choose the harder right over the easier wrong." Like Moses chose in his life, so must we: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:24-27)
"A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (22:1)
This proverbs speaks to that long-term orientation. A good name only comes through faithfulness and kindness over many years of time. Also, as we seek to live for and honor God, His reputation ultimately becomes entwined with our own. A great test of our motivations lies in the question: How do people perceive God as a result of watching my life? Do I lead them closer to Him or farther away? Lord, may You help us to lead lives that draw people unto Yourself and bring glory to Your Name.
"He who brings touble on his family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise." (11:29)
"The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." (14:1)
"A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity." (17:17)
Relationships have an amazing power to bring both great blessing and great pain. Unreconciled conflict can cripple our strength and destroy our ability to worship and love. Bitterness drives us to hurt those people who have loved us. While our families are not perfect -- simply as a result of our being in them! -- we may approach our relationships with our family members with gratitude and seek to bless them. God does not promise us an easy road with our families, but He desires us to love them richly. How do your actions today influence your relationships 20 years from now? How can you become a friend who stands by others in times of adversity? How can you give thanks for your true friends?
"Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
through love his throne is made secure." (20:28)
"A ruler who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops." (28:3)
What drives us? We may see many examples of how power can corrupt man's vision and lead him to all sorts of self-seeking activities. Yet, the greatest motivation is love: love for God and love for others (Matthew 22:37-40). While we see many worldly examples of how Machiavellian tactics lead to short-term or perhaps even life-long gains, God's Word is clear in its message that love brings true blessing. David's love for His Father established his family on the throne. How does God's concern for the poor flow against the ways in which leaders in government and business use them?
"Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared." (3:25,26)
May we look beyond today's troubles and gratefully see God's amazing provision and faithfulness.
"A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (22:1)
This proverbs speaks to that long-term orientation. A good name only comes through faithfulness and kindness over many years of time. Also, as we seek to live for and honor God, His reputation ultimately becomes entwined with our own. A great test of our motivations lies in the question: How do people perceive God as a result of watching my life? Do I lead them closer to Him or farther away? Lord, may You help us to lead lives that draw people unto Yourself and bring glory to Your Name.
"He who brings touble on his family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise." (11:29)
"The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." (14:1)
"A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity." (17:17)
Relationships have an amazing power to bring both great blessing and great pain. Unreconciled conflict can cripple our strength and destroy our ability to worship and love. Bitterness drives us to hurt those people who have loved us. While our families are not perfect -- simply as a result of our being in them! -- we may approach our relationships with our family members with gratitude and seek to bless them. God does not promise us an easy road with our families, but He desires us to love them richly. How do your actions today influence your relationships 20 years from now? How can you become a friend who stands by others in times of adversity? How can you give thanks for your true friends?
"Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
through love his throne is made secure." (20:28)
"A ruler who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops." (28:3)
What drives us? We may see many examples of how power can corrupt man's vision and lead him to all sorts of self-seeking activities. Yet, the greatest motivation is love: love for God and love for others (Matthew 22:37-40). While we see many worldly examples of how Machiavellian tactics lead to short-term or perhaps even life-long gains, God's Word is clear in its message that love brings true blessing. David's love for His Father established his family on the throne. How does God's concern for the poor flow against the ways in which leaders in government and business use them?
"Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared." (3:25,26)
May we look beyond today's troubles and gratefully see God's amazing provision and faithfulness.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
May 23
Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your wealth.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
More than 250 years ago, while the original 13 colonies were still part of Great Britain, Professor Alexander Tyler did an analysis of the Athenian Republic, which had fallen 2,000 years earlier, he declared:
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves excessive gratuities from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy and is always followed by a dictatorship.”
It's a stunning fact of history that the average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. According to that reckoning, American may be living on borrowed time. But to add to the 200 year figure Professor Tyler also showed the sequence through which these nations pass:
From BONDAGE to SPIRITUAL FAITH;
from SPIRITUAL FAITH to GREAT COURAGE;
from GREAT COURAGE to ABUNDANCE;
from ABUNDANCE to SELFISHNESS;
from SELFISHNESS to COMPLACENCY;
from COMPLACENCY to APATHY;
from APATHY to DEPENDENCY;
from DEPENDENCY back to BONDAGE.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that we are very far into this cycle. But I am not one to sit around predicting the end of the world, there is work for us to do right now.
The hope for this our great nation rests not upon what takes place in Washington, DC but what takes place in the individuals that sit in church tomorrow. This is the plan to change the world this Memorial Weekend.... ask God to change your heart, then ask God to change your family, following that, ask God to change Fairfield County, CT, New England and then the Nation.
Frankly, it boils down to one person – You!! Have you allowed God to change your heart concerning money? Today’s scripture verses speak about honoring God with our money, staying out of debt and using money to help the poor. As Christ followers we need to reject the propaganda from our culture. We don’t need to buy the latest gadget sold to us for three easy payments of $19.99.
We need to cling to the principles of spirituality, discipline, delayed gratification, integrity, work, and make a commitment to God to follow with complete obedience His financial principles. Only then will our lives, our families, our city and our country have a chance to roll back the tide of the inevitable collapse.
It is late..... but it is never too late with God!!!!
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
More than 250 years ago, while the original 13 colonies were still part of Great Britain, Professor Alexander Tyler did an analysis of the Athenian Republic, which had fallen 2,000 years earlier, he declared:
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves excessive gratuities from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy and is always followed by a dictatorship.”
It's a stunning fact of history that the average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. According to that reckoning, American may be living on borrowed time. But to add to the 200 year figure Professor Tyler also showed the sequence through which these nations pass:
From BONDAGE to SPIRITUAL FAITH;
from SPIRITUAL FAITH to GREAT COURAGE;
from GREAT COURAGE to ABUNDANCE;
from ABUNDANCE to SELFISHNESS;
from SELFISHNESS to COMPLACENCY;
from COMPLACENCY to APATHY;
from APATHY to DEPENDENCY;
from DEPENDENCY back to BONDAGE.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that we are very far into this cycle. But I am not one to sit around predicting the end of the world, there is work for us to do right now.
The hope for this our great nation rests not upon what takes place in Washington, DC but what takes place in the individuals that sit in church tomorrow. This is the plan to change the world this Memorial Weekend.... ask God to change your heart, then ask God to change your family, following that, ask God to change Fairfield County, CT, New England and then the Nation.
Frankly, it boils down to one person – You!! Have you allowed God to change your heart concerning money? Today’s scripture verses speak about honoring God with our money, staying out of debt and using money to help the poor. As Christ followers we need to reject the propaganda from our culture. We don’t need to buy the latest gadget sold to us for three easy payments of $19.99.
We need to cling to the principles of spirituality, discipline, delayed gratification, integrity, work, and make a commitment to God to follow with complete obedience His financial principles. Only then will our lives, our families, our city and our country have a chance to roll back the tide of the inevitable collapse.
It is late..... but it is never too late with God!!!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
May 22
May 22, 2009
Proverbs and Justice
Proverbs 21:15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
Proverbs 24:11-12 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
The evangelical church has a blind spot. There is something that historically we don’t see that we should, that is the character of God in the area of justice. For decades we have been champions at preaching the word but we have neglected matters of justice.
Where was the evangelical church in March 7, 1965 when Civil Rights leaders were crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge?
Where was the evangelical church in 1973 when the Supreme Court gave the right to take the life of an unborn child?
Even today estimates are that 27 million people are still being held in the bondage of modern day slavery.
Is God concerned about the needs for such people? Jesus himself told the religious leaders of his day that they neglected justice and that they were hypocrites for doing so (Matthew 23:23).
If you need to be inspired about what one person can do in the fight for justice, this Memorial Weekend watch the movie, “Amazing Grace.” It tells about the 40 year struggle to overthrow the injustice of slavery in the British Empire by William Wilberforce. One person, plus God can change the world.
May we speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and defend the rights of the needy.
God loves justice. May we love it, too!!
Proverbs and Justice
Proverbs 21:15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
Proverbs 24:11-12 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
The evangelical church has a blind spot. There is something that historically we don’t see that we should, that is the character of God in the area of justice. For decades we have been champions at preaching the word but we have neglected matters of justice.
Where was the evangelical church in March 7, 1965 when Civil Rights leaders were crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge?
Where was the evangelical church in 1973 when the Supreme Court gave the right to take the life of an unborn child?
Even today estimates are that 27 million people are still being held in the bondage of modern day slavery.
Is God concerned about the needs for such people? Jesus himself told the religious leaders of his day that they neglected justice and that they were hypocrites for doing so (Matthew 23:23).
If you need to be inspired about what one person can do in the fight for justice, this Memorial Weekend watch the movie, “Amazing Grace.” It tells about the 40 year struggle to overthrow the injustice of slavery in the British Empire by William Wilberforce. One person, plus God can change the world.
May we speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and defend the rights of the needy.
God loves justice. May we love it, too!!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
May 21
Proverbs: Control of the tongue
Have you ever squeezed too much toothpaste out of the tube? Once toothpaste is out, it can't be put back. It's the same with what we say. Once words leave your mouth, you can't take them back.
Words are powerful. That's clear from today's reading. The two types of speech outlined are foolish and wise. Foolish talk brings pain, destruction, ruin, judgment. The tongue of the wise brings gladness, rejoicing, healing to the bones, sweetness to the soul and comfort. Proverb 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath" Its very important to be aware of what we are saying. James 3 describes how the tongue is a small part of the body that can bring great evil. Like a spark setting a forest on fire, or a rudder steering a huge ship, the small tongue can have a great effect, for good or for evil. Proverb 16:23 says "A wise man's heart guides his mouth" The words that we say are a reflection of what's in our heart.
We are all aware of the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Too bad this is a lie. Personally, I find words can be more painful than physical wounds (I'm sure many of you would agree with me). Memories of physical pain fades, but hurtful words can wound someone for many years. I would almost rather be punched in the face, than be hurt by someones words.
Slander, gossip, hurtful talk, quarreling, lying. These are all things that poison our hearts and lead us to ruin. Remember, be slow to speak. Think about what you say before you say it. Ask yourself, "Is this what God would want me to say?" Wisdom also means knowing when to be silent. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.
Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
Have you ever squeezed too much toothpaste out of the tube? Once toothpaste is out, it can't be put back. It's the same with what we say. Once words leave your mouth, you can't take them back.
Words are powerful. That's clear from today's reading. The two types of speech outlined are foolish and wise. Foolish talk brings pain, destruction, ruin, judgment. The tongue of the wise brings gladness, rejoicing, healing to the bones, sweetness to the soul and comfort. Proverb 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath" Its very important to be aware of what we are saying. James 3 describes how the tongue is a small part of the body that can bring great evil. Like a spark setting a forest on fire, or a rudder steering a huge ship, the small tongue can have a great effect, for good or for evil. Proverb 16:23 says "A wise man's heart guides his mouth" The words that we say are a reflection of what's in our heart.
We are all aware of the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Too bad this is a lie. Personally, I find words can be more painful than physical wounds (I'm sure many of you would agree with me). Memories of physical pain fades, but hurtful words can wound someone for many years. I would almost rather be punched in the face, than be hurt by someones words.
Slander, gossip, hurtful talk, quarreling, lying. These are all things that poison our hearts and lead us to ruin. Remember, be slow to speak. Think about what you say before you say it. Ask yourself, "Is this what God would want me to say?" Wisdom also means knowing when to be silent. Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.
Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
May 20
Turkeys and adultery
Proverbs 5:3-5 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
The world we wake up into today does not want to admit there are any sexual boundaries. The rule to thumb is, do whatever comes naturally to you. This is what I call, “Jerry Springer thinking” and this way of thinking is dangerous and deadly. We can learn a lot from Solomon as well as turkeys on this topic. What can a turkey teach us about faithfulness in marriage? Male turkeys, often referred to as toms or gobblers, are created with a unique ability. When a tom gobbles, all hens within range answer the call and move toward him. During the spring mating season, toms call for potential mates all day long. There is an exception, however. If a tom already has a hen with him, most of the time he will not leave his lady to check out another, no matter how enticing the response. The tom is wired to know that females come to him. In most cases, a mature tom will not leave the hen he can see to chase down a hen he cannot see. It's against his nature. But there are exceptions. Every now and then the tom will violate everything he knows to be true and leave his hen, most of the time he never comes home. What sounded like a willing mate was in reality an imposter holding a gun. A tom who stays with the lady he's with is virtually guaranteed to live out his days in contentment.
Take whatever steps you need to protect yourself from death. Be ruthless in establishing clear boundaries and accountability in this area. Who do you have asking you the hard questions?
Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
Proverbs 5:3-5 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
The world we wake up into today does not want to admit there are any sexual boundaries. The rule to thumb is, do whatever comes naturally to you. This is what I call, “Jerry Springer thinking” and this way of thinking is dangerous and deadly. We can learn a lot from Solomon as well as turkeys on this topic. What can a turkey teach us about faithfulness in marriage? Male turkeys, often referred to as toms or gobblers, are created with a unique ability. When a tom gobbles, all hens within range answer the call and move toward him. During the spring mating season, toms call for potential mates all day long. There is an exception, however. If a tom already has a hen with him, most of the time he will not leave his lady to check out another, no matter how enticing the response. The tom is wired to know that females come to him. In most cases, a mature tom will not leave the hen he can see to chase down a hen he cannot see. It's against his nature. But there are exceptions. Every now and then the tom will violate everything he knows to be true and leave his hen, most of the time he never comes home. What sounded like a willing mate was in reality an imposter holding a gun. A tom who stays with the lady he's with is virtually guaranteed to live out his days in contentment.
Take whatever steps you need to protect yourself from death. Be ruthless in establishing clear boundaries and accountability in this area. Who do you have asking you the hard questions?
Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
May 19
Here are some of my thoughts:
When we come into this world, there is always someone there to tell us how to do things. For example, your boss, your parents, your mentor ect ... In this case you have Solomon sharing his instructions with you.
Here's the problem with that. As humans, we don't like taking instruction (at least most of us). We like to feel independent and free of needing someone else's help. However, that's not the case. We should always look toward the help and the wisdom of someone else. When we start to depend on ourselves or justly on someone else, we begin to bark up the wrong tree. As a christian your goal is to always trust in God. Solomon shares repeated amount of times how wisdom comes from the fear of God. So do you fear him enough to trust him? Not as in a i'm so scared that i'm afraid to pray, but more like he's so powerful and sovereign that i have no choice but to fear him.
We need to take time to realize that out of our own hearts comes sin, but out of God comes hope. The emphasis on our hearts and the evil that it holds is spoken about by solomon repeated amounts of times. Yet, no matter how many times he tells us, we tend to forget just how evil our heats can be. I really won't stress any specific part of scripture, but rather bring up the point of: Have you taken time to check and evaluate your heart? Do you fear God? or are you a self sufficient unit that needs nothing and your heart knows all ?
Monday, May 18, 2009
May 18
People don’t plan to fail, people fail to plan.
Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.
John Maxwell has done some excellent work on the value of planning. He uses a nautical illustration to make his point. He says, “Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course.”
Navigators see the trip ahead.
A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do.
Navigators draw on past experience.
Navigators listen to what others have to say.
Navigators examine the conditions before making commitments.
Navigators make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact.
Navigation strategy: (PLAN AHEAD)
P—Predetermine a course of action
L—Lay out your goals
A—Adjust your priorities
N—Notify key personal
A—Allow time for acceptance
H—Head into action
E—Expect problems
A—Always point to the successes
D—Daily review your plan
The secret to the Law of Navigation is preparation
It’s not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support and success; it’s the size of the leader.
Only three percent of people have written plans for their lives. It seems that those who make the maximum impact on the world are people who know where they are going.
Take 10 minutes right now and make a plan for the day. Chart out where you want to go with the 24 hours God has given you. Plan your work and work your plan is the wise advice from Solomon.
We all have this great plan to read through the Bible this year. How are you doing on your journey?
Send me an email about your journey.
Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.
John Maxwell has done some excellent work on the value of planning. He uses a nautical illustration to make his point. He says, “Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course.”
Navigators see the trip ahead.
A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do.
Navigators draw on past experience.
Navigators listen to what others have to say.
Navigators examine the conditions before making commitments.
Navigators make sure their conclusions represent both faith and fact.
Navigation strategy: (PLAN AHEAD)
P—Predetermine a course of action
L—Lay out your goals
A—Adjust your priorities
N—Notify key personal
A—Allow time for acceptance
H—Head into action
E—Expect problems
A—Always point to the successes
D—Daily review your plan
The secret to the Law of Navigation is preparation
It’s not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support and success; it’s the size of the leader.
Only three percent of people have written plans for their lives. It seems that those who make the maximum impact on the world are people who know where they are going.
Take 10 minutes right now and make a plan for the day. Chart out where you want to go with the 24 hours God has given you. Plan your work and work your plan is the wise advice from Solomon.
We all have this great plan to read through the Bible this year. How are you doing on your journey?
Send me an email about your journey.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
May 17: Proverbs
Today's proverbs highlight the supreme value of wisdom:
"How much better to get wisdom that gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!" (16:16)
We live in a information-saturated world. The 24-hour news cycle, millions of blogs, billions of pieces of statistical data, and billions of interpersonal relationships create a tangled Web of information. It can be overwhelming just to consider all of the possible pieces of information we might process in a single day. Coming to reliable conclusions despite the noise becomes more challenging as the number of pieces of data rises.
In contrast to this worldly knowledge, however, stands wisdom. As we may infer from these verses, only God can give wisdom. It is a marvelous gift that gives life and allows us to bless others. It helps to put life into perspective and allows us to determine the proper priorities. A key verse reminds us:
"In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight." (3:7,8)
To handle wisdom, we need a discerning heart and listening ear:
"Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge." (23:12)
We may see from other verses that it is imperative for us to seek out wisdom, much in the way that we must intentionally seek after God. Wisdom will not just fall into our laps; rather, we must strive to obtain and live out this wisdom. Wisdom clearly does not come when we seek to dominate conversations or flatter ourselves. Instead, wisdom comes to the humble and the patient -- to those willing to listen. This humility may be summed up in this verse:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (9:10)
Wisdom then imparts the grace that we need to understand and treasure God's sovereignty. We may plan for the future, like good stewards of the time and talents God has given us, but ultimately:
"Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (19:21)
From Romans 8:28, we know that His will is ultimately for the best: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
QUESTION
How can you better apply this promise?
"By wisdom a house I built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knoledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures." (24:3,4)
"How much better to get wisdom that gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!" (16:16)
We live in a information-saturated world. The 24-hour news cycle, millions of blogs, billions of pieces of statistical data, and billions of interpersonal relationships create a tangled Web of information. It can be overwhelming just to consider all of the possible pieces of information we might process in a single day. Coming to reliable conclusions despite the noise becomes more challenging as the number of pieces of data rises.
In contrast to this worldly knowledge, however, stands wisdom. As we may infer from these verses, only God can give wisdom. It is a marvelous gift that gives life and allows us to bless others. It helps to put life into perspective and allows us to determine the proper priorities. A key verse reminds us:
"In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight." (3:7,8)
To handle wisdom, we need a discerning heart and listening ear:
"Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge." (23:12)
We may see from other verses that it is imperative for us to seek out wisdom, much in the way that we must intentionally seek after God. Wisdom will not just fall into our laps; rather, we must strive to obtain and live out this wisdom. Wisdom clearly does not come when we seek to dominate conversations or flatter ourselves. Instead, wisdom comes to the humble and the patient -- to those willing to listen. This humility may be summed up in this verse:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (9:10)
Wisdom then imparts the grace that we need to understand and treasure God's sovereignty. We may plan for the future, like good stewards of the time and talents God has given us, but ultimately:
"Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (19:21)
From Romans 8:28, we know that His will is ultimately for the best: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
QUESTION
How can you better apply this promise?
"By wisdom a house I built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knoledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures." (24:3,4)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
May 16
Proverbs 8 Wisdom in a Relative World
Wisdom is personified in our chapters today .... here is what wisdom says to us:
-Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
-Wisdom is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
-Long life is in her right hand.
-Wisdom will be life for you.
The modern day church has come a long way from the words of John Huss the reformer (C. 1370-1415) who said, “Seek the truth, Listen to the truth, Teach the truth, Love the truth, Abide by the truth and defend the truth…Unto death.” There has been a dramatic paradigm change in our culture and the church over the past 20 years. That change has been the rejection of the absolute moral authority of the WISDOM of the Bible. The problem isn’t that the culture has thrown out that authority, the problem is the church has thrown it out. Leading Christian researcher George Barna has warned of a growing crisis in the church. .”When a majority of Christian adults...as well as three out of four born again teens proudly cast their vote for moral relativism, the Church is in trouble," he said. Barna spoke on the release of a report by his Barna Research Group. It revealed that among all adults, only 22 percent believed in moral absolutes, while 64 percent thought truth was always relative to the person concerned and their situation. Among interviewees identified as being born again, just 32 percent believed in moral absolutes. The picture was even gloomier among teen-agers questioned in a parallel inquiry. Eighty-three percent of all teens thought moral truth depended on the circumstances, with just 6 percent believing in absolute truth. Only 9 percent of teens identified as being born again accepted the idea of absolute truth, compared with 4 percent of other teens. We are in deep weeds with these stats.
Here is just a quick list of the benefits of following God’s absolute wisdom in our lives:
Marriages would be saved the divorce rate would plummet
Children would grow up in two parent homes
Violent crime and abuse would stop
AIDS would disappear in one generation
Abortion would not be an issue ,, there would not be any unwed mothers
This would greatly impact poverty in the US and around the world
People would live healthy lives because they would take care of their bodies
Pornography and other addictions would cease
Deaths from siroccos of the liver and various forms of cancer would wane
The US government would not be filled with liars ... we could trust our politicians again.
Wars would come to an end
Greedy investment bankers would not swindle billions
The church would be a place of harmony and grace.
Families and governments would learn sound financial practices and we wouldn’t be in the economic mess we find ourselves today.
This is just a quick list. The point of today’s verses.... wisdom says to all of us, keep my commands and you will live.
Wisdom is personified in our chapters today .... here is what wisdom says to us:
-Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
-Wisdom is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
-Long life is in her right hand.
-Wisdom will be life for you.
The modern day church has come a long way from the words of John Huss the reformer (C. 1370-1415) who said, “Seek the truth, Listen to the truth, Teach the truth, Love the truth, Abide by the truth and defend the truth…Unto death.” There has been a dramatic paradigm change in our culture and the church over the past 20 years. That change has been the rejection of the absolute moral authority of the WISDOM of the Bible. The problem isn’t that the culture has thrown out that authority, the problem is the church has thrown it out. Leading Christian researcher George Barna has warned of a growing crisis in the church. .”When a majority of Christian adults...as well as three out of four born again teens proudly cast their vote for moral relativism, the Church is in trouble," he said. Barna spoke on the release of a report by his Barna Research Group. It revealed that among all adults, only 22 percent believed in moral absolutes, while 64 percent thought truth was always relative to the person concerned and their situation. Among interviewees identified as being born again, just 32 percent believed in moral absolutes. The picture was even gloomier among teen-agers questioned in a parallel inquiry. Eighty-three percent of all teens thought moral truth depended on the circumstances, with just 6 percent believing in absolute truth. Only 9 percent of teens identified as being born again accepted the idea of absolute truth, compared with 4 percent of other teens. We are in deep weeds with these stats.
Here is just a quick list of the benefits of following God’s absolute wisdom in our lives:
Marriages would be saved the divorce rate would plummet
Children would grow up in two parent homes
Violent crime and abuse would stop
AIDS would disappear in one generation
Abortion would not be an issue ,, there would not be any unwed mothers
This would greatly impact poverty in the US and around the world
People would live healthy lives because they would take care of their bodies
Pornography and other addictions would cease
Deaths from siroccos of the liver and various forms of cancer would wane
The US government would not be filled with liars ... we could trust our politicians again.
Wars would come to an end
Greedy investment bankers would not swindle billions
The church would be a place of harmony and grace.
Families and governments would learn sound financial practices and we wouldn’t be in the economic mess we find ourselves today.
This is just a quick list. The point of today’s verses.... wisdom says to all of us, keep my commands and you will live.
Friday, May 15, 2009
May 15
2 Chron. 8:11 Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy."
Our scripture passages today make it clear that Solomon was the wisest man on earth. This guy has the equivalent to 20 PhD’s . He has doctoral dissertations in everything from clams to zucchini. When I was reading all of his accomplishments I was really impressed by them. But unlocking the mysteries of the universe is different from have the power to make the right choices in life. Since Solomon was so wise he clearly knew what God thought about missionary dating and marriage. God is not in favor of believers dating and marrying non-believers, it is just too great of a chasm when it comes to the issues of the heart. Yet here we find Solomon marrying a non-believer and building her a special palace so he doesn’t offend God. I would say this is a pretty un-wise move on Solomon’s part and my IQ is a lot less than his.
There is nothing wrong with education. But we must realize the limitations of education. Studies about crime have not stopped crime. To stop crime you must change the human heart. Studies on marriage doesn’t stop our divorce rate. To stop divorce you must change the human heart. Wisdom can diagnose a problem but it can’t change a heart. To really experience change in life we need wisdom and power, God’s power. So go and get your PhD but realize you need a changed heart to find true happiness in life.
Thought for today: What bright idea have you had today that is outside the boundaries of God’s wisdom that will eventually cost you dearly? When you discover it ask God for strength to do his will.
Here is something you can do that is really wise: Catch up on your Bible reading!!
Our scripture passages today make it clear that Solomon was the wisest man on earth. This guy has the equivalent to 20 PhD’s . He has doctoral dissertations in everything from clams to zucchini. When I was reading all of his accomplishments I was really impressed by them. But unlocking the mysteries of the universe is different from have the power to make the right choices in life. Since Solomon was so wise he clearly knew what God thought about missionary dating and marriage. God is not in favor of believers dating and marrying non-believers, it is just too great of a chasm when it comes to the issues of the heart. Yet here we find Solomon marrying a non-believer and building her a special palace so he doesn’t offend God. I would say this is a pretty un-wise move on Solomon’s part and my IQ is a lot less than his.
There is nothing wrong with education. But we must realize the limitations of education. Studies about crime have not stopped crime. To stop crime you must change the human heart. Studies on marriage doesn’t stop our divorce rate. To stop divorce you must change the human heart. Wisdom can diagnose a problem but it can’t change a heart. To really experience change in life we need wisdom and power, God’s power. So go and get your PhD but realize you need a changed heart to find true happiness in life.
Thought for today: What bright idea have you had today that is outside the boundaries of God’s wisdom that will eventually cost you dearly? When you discover it ask God for strength to do his will.
Here is something you can do that is really wise: Catch up on your Bible reading!!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
May 14
Dedication of the Temple
1 Kings 8
2 Chronicles 5, 6, 7
Yesterday, we read about the enormous efforts that went into building the temple. Today's passage is the dedication of the temple to the Lord. Here are some thoughts:
- There were a lot of sacrifices made to God that day. As the ark was being brought to the temple, there were so many sheep and cattle sacrificed, they could not be counted. Later, after Solomon addressed the people, about 150,000 cattle, sheep, and goats were sacrificed. To give you an idea of how big that number is, think about this: according to a 2007 census, there are about 118,000 people living in Stamford, CT. There were more animals sacrificed that day to the Lord than there are people living in Stamford! That is a HUGE gift to God! The celebrations and festivals lasted for 22 days.
- Solomon mentioned many times God's promises to his father David. And everyone of them He kept. He promised that David's son would build the temple, He promised His enduring love, He promised rest to His people, He promised to never leave them. That's one thing that makes our God different from other "gods" : He keeps ALL His promises.
- The temple was a splendorous place, filled with gold, bronze, brass, precious stones, and purple, crimson, blue yarn. Solomon orchestrated a momentous task of building a glorious house for God. He had every reason to be proud of what he accomplished. But Solomon was humble. In his prayer, he acknowledges that not even the heavens can contain our great and mighty God. Even less would be the temple's ability to hold Him. I find it amazing that despite all his earthly accomplishments, Solomon had the right perspective and humbled himself before God.
- The temple was a place where all people were welcome, especially sinners. When people sin against God, the correct response then AND now is to come into His presence and confess. Even foreigners were welcome to acknowledge the Lord. He wanted and still wants ALL people to know His name.
This was an amazing time in the history of God's people. His chosen people were living in the land that He had promised to Abraham and He was living among them through the temple. Today, it is even MORE amazing that God is living among us and in us through His Holy Spirit, no matter where we are in the world!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
May 13
2 Chron. 6:30 . Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men).
Does the content of our hearts ever take God by surprise? Is God in heaven thinking, wow, Solomon just sinned and I didn’t realize this was going to occur? Absolutely not, God knows everything about our hearts. He knows every heart ache we experience and every heart ache we create. He also knows why we do, what we do. We can’t even figure that out most of the times. But God is never surprised at our sin. He is surprised when we don’t ask for forgiveness. What disappoints God is that sin breaks our fellowship and our relationship with him. That is why we need the cross and forgiveness every day of our lives.
Here is a prayer I often pray from the book “Valley of Vision.”
O Lord,
No day of my life has passed
that has not proved me guilty in thy sight.
Prayers have been uttered from a prayerless heart;
Praise has been often praiseless sound;
My best services are filthy rags.
Blessed Jesus, let me find a covert in they appeasing wounds.
Though my sins rise to heaven thy merits soar above them;
Though unrighteousness weights me down to hell,
Thy righteousness exalts me to thy throne.
All things in me call for my rejection,
All things in thee plead for my acceptance.
I appeal from the throne of perfect justice
to thy throne of boundless grace.
Grant me to hear thy voice assuring me
that by thy stripes I am healed,
that thou wast bruised for my iniquities,
that thy hast been made sin for me
that I might be righteous in thee,
that my grievous sins, my manifold sins, are all forgiven,
buried in the ocean of thy concealing blood.
I am guilt, but pardoned,
lost, but saved,
wandering, but found,
sinning, but cleansed.
Give me perpetual broken-heartedness,
Keep me always clinging to thy cross,
Flood me every moment with descending grace,
Open to me thy springs of divine knowledge,
sparkling like crystal
Flowing clear and unsullied
Through my wilderness of life.
The issues today isn’t, are we guilty? The issue today is, are we forgiven?
Does the content of our hearts ever take God by surprise? Is God in heaven thinking, wow, Solomon just sinned and I didn’t realize this was going to occur? Absolutely not, God knows everything about our hearts. He knows every heart ache we experience and every heart ache we create. He also knows why we do, what we do. We can’t even figure that out most of the times. But God is never surprised at our sin. He is surprised when we don’t ask for forgiveness. What disappoints God is that sin breaks our fellowship and our relationship with him. That is why we need the cross and forgiveness every day of our lives.
Here is a prayer I often pray from the book “Valley of Vision.”
O Lord,
No day of my life has passed
that has not proved me guilty in thy sight.
Prayers have been uttered from a prayerless heart;
Praise has been often praiseless sound;
My best services are filthy rags.
Blessed Jesus, let me find a covert in they appeasing wounds.
Though my sins rise to heaven thy merits soar above them;
Though unrighteousness weights me down to hell,
Thy righteousness exalts me to thy throne.
All things in me call for my rejection,
All things in thee plead for my acceptance.
I appeal from the throne of perfect justice
to thy throne of boundless grace.
Grant me to hear thy voice assuring me
that by thy stripes I am healed,
that thou wast bruised for my iniquities,
that thy hast been made sin for me
that I might be righteous in thee,
that my grievous sins, my manifold sins, are all forgiven,
buried in the ocean of thy concealing blood.
I am guilt, but pardoned,
lost, but saved,
wandering, but found,
sinning, but cleansed.
Give me perpetual broken-heartedness,
Keep me always clinging to thy cross,
Flood me every moment with descending grace,
Open to me thy springs of divine knowledge,
sparkling like crystal
Flowing clear and unsullied
Through my wilderness of life.
The issues today isn’t, are we guilty? The issue today is, are we forgiven?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12
Here are some of my thoughts:
In today's society we live for today. "I want it, and i want it NOW!" that's one of the things we find ourselves saying. We are sinners by birth due to our sinful heart.
When a child is born parents do their best to make sure they raise that child (at least most parents) in good and upright ways. At some point children become greedy, and start crying. Not only do they begin to do that, but then they learn to lie. If the parents did such a good job, then how did the child begin to lie? It's because of our sinful hearts.
By nature we live for today. We want things done our way and we want it done ASAP. I'm no one to sit here and tell you that i'm free of that either. I love having things done my way no matter how troublesome it might be for someone else. I want things delivered on time (if not earlier), i want to show up late and have no one complain about it, I want to pay bills late because it's convenient for me, ect ... As a society and as human beings we are greedy, and we want things done our way. In other words, we live for today not thinking about tomorrow.
I enjoy reading about Solomon because even though he made his fair mistakes in his lifetime, he didn't live for today, but instead for tomorrow.
I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
Solomon stands out from the crowd. The wisest man alive was one who lived for tomorrow and not for today. He had his moments where he failed, but when he shined the most is when he stuck to God's ways and thought about tomorrow. He began his kingship with bloodshed not because he's ruthless, but because he thought about tomorrow and followed his fathers (David) instructions. He holds on to what God has to say to him.
Today we live for the materialism of today, instead of the glory of God for tomorrow. We tend to forget that the stuff we get today will rust and wither away tomorrow. The glory of God is eternal and everlasting. Still we tend to sway the wrong way. Take time to consider your ways and your actions. The actions of today will make a difference tomorrow.
Monday, May 11, 2009
May 11
Watch and Walk
1 Kings 2:4 If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.
This is a summary of how to live life. Watching is the gaze of the heart. Watching is initiated by faith to see beyond the bling-bling of this world. Watching is having our heart aligned with the priorities of God. Our faith must start on the inside. We are changed from the inside out. When the eyes of our hearts are in tune with God we see the world for what it really is. We can look beyond the facades and see what is really important.
Walking is putting our watching into action. Walking is the outward application of our inward convictions. Many times we use the expression “Walk the walk don’t just talk the talk.” Walking is putting shoe leather on our faith.
Our lives cannot be divided. The world says there is a sharp contrast between the sacred and the secular. That division is not found in the Bible, it is not found in this charge to Solomon. We tend to think that the sacred part of our life is Bible reading, prayer and church attendance. The secular part of our lives includes eating, sleeping, working and our recreation. This second category of walking is usually thought of as unspiritual and God is not interested in it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Lord Jesus is a perfect example of how to watch and walk. He could turn a conversation of asking for a drink of water into the gospel message (John 4). The apostle Paul exhorted us to “do all to the glory of God.”
This combination of watching and walking at each step of the day’s journey is the secret to the victorious Christian life. Today as you relate to people, work, play, eat and enjoy life, bring God into everything you do. Ask God to have spiritual eyes to see real need of our world and then ask him for wisdom to walk each step in line with his will.
Today is accountability day. Send me an email about what day you are on.
May God bless you with 20-20 eye sight today and godly sneakers.
Apryl will be adding her insights to our Bible reaching team every Thursday. I am so thankful for her heart for the Lord. I am looking forward to her insights into the Word.
1 Kings 2:4 If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.
This is a summary of how to live life. Watching is the gaze of the heart. Watching is initiated by faith to see beyond the bling-bling of this world. Watching is having our heart aligned with the priorities of God. Our faith must start on the inside. We are changed from the inside out. When the eyes of our hearts are in tune with God we see the world for what it really is. We can look beyond the facades and see what is really important.
Walking is putting our watching into action. Walking is the outward application of our inward convictions. Many times we use the expression “Walk the walk don’t just talk the talk.” Walking is putting shoe leather on our faith.
Our lives cannot be divided. The world says there is a sharp contrast between the sacred and the secular. That division is not found in the Bible, it is not found in this charge to Solomon. We tend to think that the sacred part of our life is Bible reading, prayer and church attendance. The secular part of our lives includes eating, sleeping, working and our recreation. This second category of walking is usually thought of as unspiritual and God is not interested in it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Lord Jesus is a perfect example of how to watch and walk. He could turn a conversation of asking for a drink of water into the gospel message (John 4). The apostle Paul exhorted us to “do all to the glory of God.”
This combination of watching and walking at each step of the day’s journey is the secret to the victorious Christian life. Today as you relate to people, work, play, eat and enjoy life, bring God into everything you do. Ask God to have spiritual eyes to see real need of our world and then ask him for wisdom to walk each step in line with his will.
Today is accountability day. Send me an email about what day you are on.
May God bless you with 20-20 eye sight today and godly sneakers.
Apryl will be adding her insights to our Bible reaching team every Thursday. I am so thankful for her heart for the Lord. I am looking forward to her insights into the Word.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
May 10: Psalms 45, 47, 48, 87, and 110
Today's passages conclude the Messianic psalms and our present look at psalms in the Chronological Bible. These psalms touch upon not only the character of the Messiah to come, but also speak to the glory that will fill His Kingdom.
In Psalm 45, we learn of the coming King's majesty and how He will "ridge forth victoriously/ in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness... " The King's throne "will last for ever and ever;... You love righteousness and hate wickedness... " These reference calls to mind Revelation 19:11-16, where it describes Jesus's triumphal riding forth to establish His Kingdom:
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' [Psalm 2:9] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: 'KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.'"
Later in Psalm 45, we learn more about the purity and loveliness of the princess (by analogy, the Church) prepared for the King. Clearly, this coming Kingdom will remain glorious from beginning to end. Its splendor comes from God Himself. Psalm 47 teaches us that God's great sovereignty will be fully displayed in this Kingdom.
In Psalm 110, David addresses the Messiah's chief offices. These are not physical spaces, but rather the responsibilities that the Messiah will carry in His ministry and His Kingdom. David's song of praise reminds us that Jesus will both be priest and king. In addition, as Moses prophesied, Jesus will be a great prophet: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him." (Deuteronomy 18:15) Let's take a look at these three offices:
1. Prophet. A prophet speaks on behalf of God. His role is not purely future-telling, but it also involves speaking about past and present circumstances from God's perspective. According to Paul (1 Corinthians 14), prophets must seek God's wisdom through the Holy Spirit; this is not a whimsical or self-driven "talent." Instead, this office typically brings about man's furor, as people are forced to recognize their shortcomings and God's sovereignty. In our rebelliousness, such recongition is painful, yet it either brings about repentance or further hardness of heart. For examples of responses to true prophesy, we might recall Pharaoh's growing hardness of heart in response to Moses's cries to let the Israelites go to worship; David, on the other hand, truly has a change of heart upon hearing Nathan's rebuke for his murder of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba. Peter argues in 2 Peter 1:19-21 that we have great blessings from having God's Word presented to us: "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2. Priest. A priest ministers to people, acting as an intermediary between man and God. Moses and Aaron marked the start of the Levite priesthood, as they interceded for the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert. Later, Moses instituted a more formal priesthood, in which the responsibilities morphed into a profession. Jesus goes much further than any man can, however, as He is the only intermediary that can truly save (John 14:6). 1 Timothy 2:5,6 teach us: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."
In Psalm 110, David references Jesus's enduring priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek." Fortunately, we have much more elaboration on this topic in Hebrews 7. In short, Melchizedek, king of what would become Jerusalem and a priest of God, blessed Abraham, after which Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. The author of Hebrews explains: "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever." (Hebrews 7:3) Jesus's priesthood, then, stands in contrast to the earthly Levitical priesthood: "Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:26-28)
3. King. The kind serves as an earthly example of God's sovereignty. Jesus will sit at the Father's right hand in the coming Kingdom and will provide leadership over the earth. He "judge the nations" and stand firm against evil. The day is coming.
QUESTIONS
1. How could the Israelites have become confused about the nature of Jesus's ministry from these psalms? (Remember: We have the hindsight of history.)
2. How can you remember Jesus's all-encompassing sovereignty this week? How can you praise Him for that?
In Psalm 45, we learn of the coming King's majesty and how He will "ridge forth victoriously/ in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness... " The King's throne "will last for ever and ever;... You love righteousness and hate wickedness... " These reference calls to mind Revelation 19:11-16, where it describes Jesus's triumphal riding forth to establish His Kingdom:
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' [Psalm 2:9] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: 'KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.'"
Later in Psalm 45, we learn more about the purity and loveliness of the princess (by analogy, the Church) prepared for the King. Clearly, this coming Kingdom will remain glorious from beginning to end. Its splendor comes from God Himself. Psalm 47 teaches us that God's great sovereignty will be fully displayed in this Kingdom.
In Psalm 110, David addresses the Messiah's chief offices. These are not physical spaces, but rather the responsibilities that the Messiah will carry in His ministry and His Kingdom. David's song of praise reminds us that Jesus will both be priest and king. In addition, as Moses prophesied, Jesus will be a great prophet: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him." (Deuteronomy 18:15) Let's take a look at these three offices:
1. Prophet. A prophet speaks on behalf of God. His role is not purely future-telling, but it also involves speaking about past and present circumstances from God's perspective. According to Paul (1 Corinthians 14), prophets must seek God's wisdom through the Holy Spirit; this is not a whimsical or self-driven "talent." Instead, this office typically brings about man's furor, as people are forced to recognize their shortcomings and God's sovereignty. In our rebelliousness, such recongition is painful, yet it either brings about repentance or further hardness of heart. For examples of responses to true prophesy, we might recall Pharaoh's growing hardness of heart in response to Moses's cries to let the Israelites go to worship; David, on the other hand, truly has a change of heart upon hearing Nathan's rebuke for his murder of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba. Peter argues in 2 Peter 1:19-21 that we have great blessings from having God's Word presented to us: "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2. Priest. A priest ministers to people, acting as an intermediary between man and God. Moses and Aaron marked the start of the Levite priesthood, as they interceded for the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert. Later, Moses instituted a more formal priesthood, in which the responsibilities morphed into a profession. Jesus goes much further than any man can, however, as He is the only intermediary that can truly save (John 14:6). 1 Timothy 2:5,6 teach us: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."
In Psalm 110, David references Jesus's enduring priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek." Fortunately, we have much more elaboration on this topic in Hebrews 7. In short, Melchizedek, king of what would become Jerusalem and a priest of God, blessed Abraham, after which Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. The author of Hebrews explains: "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever." (Hebrews 7:3) Jesus's priesthood, then, stands in contrast to the earthly Levitical priesthood: "Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever." (Hebrews 7:26-28)
3. King. The kind serves as an earthly example of God's sovereignty. Jesus will sit at the Father's right hand in the coming Kingdom and will provide leadership over the earth. He "judge the nations" and stand firm against evil. The day is coming.
QUESTIONS
1. How could the Israelites have become confused about the nature of Jesus's ministry from these psalms? (Remember: We have the hindsight of history.)
2. How can you remember Jesus's all-encompassing sovereignty this week? How can you praise Him for that?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
May 9
Psalms for the days of doubt and despair.
There are particular days in our lives when our hearts are filled with doubt and despair. These days can be triggered by the silence of God, an outbreak of evil, personal spiritual struggles or life just not working out like we thought it should. Whatever the cause, these days can leave us disappointed with God and doubting his goodness or even his existence.
What should we do when we feel abandoned by God? Turn to Psalm 22. This is the greatest Messianic Psalm. For those who deny the inspiration of the Bible and the deity of Christ this chapter stands like the Rock of Gibraltar against their assaults. Some say it is only an expression of David as he went through a difficult time. But there is no record that David ever endured this kind of rejection, scorn and violence. David wrote of something that was more than his experience. He wrote about Jesus and his agony on the cross. God gave him a glimpse of the coming Messiah and his suffering and glorification. And all of this is 900 years before the birth of Christ. Hundreds of years before crucifixion was even used as a form of execution. There is no denying that crucifixion was in the mind of David.
Here is how the chapter starts:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
If this was true for David and Jesus, certainly it could be true for you and me. Tension between our experience and theology will cause us to doubt God. During storms not only does God seem far away, he is also silent. Feelings of abandonment and being utterly forsaken can happen to any person. When this feeling appears in our hearts, it is not time to put on a pretending, faking or happy face. In honest and truthful words we need to pour out our hearts to God. Tell him what we are feeling, the pain we are going thorough and even our doubts. Every devout Jew memorized Psalm 22 for times of great distress and darkness. When they were in darkness, couldn't get a prayer out, this psalm was recited.
The silence of God is a terrible feeling… but it happens quite regularly in life. Even our own Lord Jesus felt this abandonment. Jesus knows your loneliness. YOU are not suffering alone. He feels your pain. Our God is a God well acquainted with suffering.
There are particular days in our lives when our hearts are filled with doubt and despair. These days can be triggered by the silence of God, an outbreak of evil, personal spiritual struggles or life just not working out like we thought it should. Whatever the cause, these days can leave us disappointed with God and doubting his goodness or even his existence.
What should we do when we feel abandoned by God? Turn to Psalm 22. This is the greatest Messianic Psalm. For those who deny the inspiration of the Bible and the deity of Christ this chapter stands like the Rock of Gibraltar against their assaults. Some say it is only an expression of David as he went through a difficult time. But there is no record that David ever endured this kind of rejection, scorn and violence. David wrote of something that was more than his experience. He wrote about Jesus and his agony on the cross. God gave him a glimpse of the coming Messiah and his suffering and glorification. And all of this is 900 years before the birth of Christ. Hundreds of years before crucifixion was even used as a form of execution. There is no denying that crucifixion was in the mind of David.
Here is how the chapter starts:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
If this was true for David and Jesus, certainly it could be true for you and me. Tension between our experience and theology will cause us to doubt God. During storms not only does God seem far away, he is also silent. Feelings of abandonment and being utterly forsaken can happen to any person. When this feeling appears in our hearts, it is not time to put on a pretending, faking or happy face. In honest and truthful words we need to pour out our hearts to God. Tell him what we are feeling, the pain we are going thorough and even our doubts. Every devout Jew memorized Psalm 22 for times of great distress and darkness. When they were in darkness, couldn't get a prayer out, this psalm was recited.
The silence of God is a terrible feeling… but it happens quite regularly in life. Even our own Lord Jesus felt this abandonment. Jesus knows your loneliness. YOU are not suffering alone. He feels your pain. Our God is a God well acquainted with suffering.
Friday, May 8, 2009
May 8
Psalm 131:1 My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
The world we live in is exploding with information. It is estimated that a week’s worth of “The New York Times” contains more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
It is anticipated that 4 exabytes (4.0 X 10 to the 19th power) of unique information will be generated this year. That is more than the previous 5,000 years combined!! The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years. This means that half of the information a college freshman learns, will be outdated by the completion of their junior year.
So what does this have to do with the Bible Reading team in Stamford in 2009? Well, the truth is that we are more ignorant today than we were yesterday, at least with the volume of information.
John Naisbitt, author of 1982 best seller Megatrends said this, “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge. This level of information is clearly impossible to be handled by present means. Uncontrolled and unorganized information is no longer a resource in an information society, instead it becomes the enemy.”
For us the battle is getting worse. Not only does this massive wave of information overwhelm us, but on top of the wave sits some expert who tells us it is foolish to believe in God or the story of a grand scheme for the universe.
What should we do as we are assaulted by all of this information? Don’t sweat it. The experts of today are usually debunked by the end of the following week. As Christ followers, we should not bury our heads in the sand intellectually, but we also don’t need to abandon our faith at the latest bit of information. Have faith in the truth of God’s word. It has proved itself to be able to change lives over the centuries. Rather than add to your knowledge, add to your behavior. It is not “knowing” that transforms a life, it is “doing” that brings it about.
Use this weekend to catch up on your Bible reading. Make sure to ask God to change your life by the truth you discover in his word.
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
The world we live in is exploding with information. It is estimated that a week’s worth of “The New York Times” contains more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
It is anticipated that 4 exabytes (4.0 X 10 to the 19th power) of unique information will be generated this year. That is more than the previous 5,000 years combined!! The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years. This means that half of the information a college freshman learns, will be outdated by the completion of their junior year.
So what does this have to do with the Bible Reading team in Stamford in 2009? Well, the truth is that we are more ignorant today than we were yesterday, at least with the volume of information.
John Naisbitt, author of 1982 best seller Megatrends said this, “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge. This level of information is clearly impossible to be handled by present means. Uncontrolled and unorganized information is no longer a resource in an information society, instead it becomes the enemy.”
For us the battle is getting worse. Not only does this massive wave of information overwhelm us, but on top of the wave sits some expert who tells us it is foolish to believe in God or the story of a grand scheme for the universe.
What should we do as we are assaulted by all of this information? Don’t sweat it. The experts of today are usually debunked by the end of the following week. As Christ followers, we should not bury our heads in the sand intellectually, but we also don’t need to abandon our faith at the latest bit of information. Have faith in the truth of God’s word. It has proved itself to be able to change lives over the centuries. Rather than add to your knowledge, add to your behavior. It is not “knowing” that transforms a life, it is “doing” that brings it about.
Use this weekend to catch up on your Bible reading. Make sure to ask God to change your life by the truth you discover in his word.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
May 7
Psalm 42 Towards a Cure Depression
Depression is a major problem many people face every day of life. It impacts the rich, poor, learned, unlearned, professional, blue collar, all ethnic groups and all economic classes. Dr. Nathan Kline of New York Rockland State Hospital reports that he estimates 8 million people suffer from depression and most of these cases go unrecognized.
Sometimes the depression becomes so severe that people start to have thoughts of suicide. Statistics are that 750,000 people attempt to commit suicide each year. Last years 30,000 of them were successful. That is a staggering lost of life.
Do you ever suffer from depression? From our reading today we discovered that David, one of the great men in the Bible, was not immune to depression. Psalm 42 is a frank discussion about his depression. Since this was written beyond the Jordon, many expositors are of the opinion that this Psalm was written by David on the occasion of his flight from his rebellious son Absalom.
Can you imagine the pain of having your own son overthrow your kingdom? That could cause anyone to become depressed. But David was able to overcome his depression. I see several cures for depression in the Psalm but we will only look at two of them.
1. Desiring the Lord above all else in life. The deer analogy points to the longing of the human soul for the Eternal One, God. There is a desire in the human heart that can best be described as the desire of infinitude. We are so made that nothing which has limits satisfies. We try to satisfy this thirst with careers, houses, cars, money, sex, addictions and power but they don’t quench our souls. Our hearts are not satisfied until we have a relationship with God himself. St Augustine (300 AD) put it this way, “Thou hast made us for thyself and the heart of man is restless until it finds rest in Thee.” It seems at our lowest points that we are awakened to this deep thirst. Depression seems to compound it when it is unsatisfied. So here we need to make a hard choice, a choice to set aside the things of earth and become consumed in our pursuit of God. If you are suffering from depression make it your one and only desire to reconnect with God.
2. Develop relationships with others. In verse 4 David remembers the deep relationships he had going to worship. But now he is separated from them. He has lost part of his strength. Depressed people are lonely people. It these critical moments we need to do just the opposite of what we feel. When we become depressed the very first thing we want to do is to get alone. But the best thing we can do is just opposite of that, avoid being alone. When we are depressed we don't want to be around people. We want to withdraw. But withdrawing means isolation, and isolation during depression means alienation. Force yourself to be with people. This is again a hard choice we need to make. Call someone up on the phone and ask them if there is anything you can pray for. Join a small group at church. Serve others. Give yourself. Develop a friendship. If you are the type of person who thinks you can make it alone. You are just an accident waiting to happen. God has made us to live in community. One of the best things you can do if you are given to discouragement is to cultivate close friendships. And remember the old phrase... If you want a friend, be a friend.
If you are struggling with depression today and need someone to talk to, give me a call. I know about depression first hand and would love to talk with you. I promise there will not be any sermons... just a listening ear.
Depression is a major problem many people face every day of life. It impacts the rich, poor, learned, unlearned, professional, blue collar, all ethnic groups and all economic classes. Dr. Nathan Kline of New York Rockland State Hospital reports that he estimates 8 million people suffer from depression and most of these cases go unrecognized.
Sometimes the depression becomes so severe that people start to have thoughts of suicide. Statistics are that 750,000 people attempt to commit suicide each year. Last years 30,000 of them were successful. That is a staggering lost of life.
Do you ever suffer from depression? From our reading today we discovered that David, one of the great men in the Bible, was not immune to depression. Psalm 42 is a frank discussion about his depression. Since this was written beyond the Jordon, many expositors are of the opinion that this Psalm was written by David on the occasion of his flight from his rebellious son Absalom.
Can you imagine the pain of having your own son overthrow your kingdom? That could cause anyone to become depressed. But David was able to overcome his depression. I see several cures for depression in the Psalm but we will only look at two of them.
1. Desiring the Lord above all else in life. The deer analogy points to the longing of the human soul for the Eternal One, God. There is a desire in the human heart that can best be described as the desire of infinitude. We are so made that nothing which has limits satisfies. We try to satisfy this thirst with careers, houses, cars, money, sex, addictions and power but they don’t quench our souls. Our hearts are not satisfied until we have a relationship with God himself. St Augustine (300 AD) put it this way, “Thou hast made us for thyself and the heart of man is restless until it finds rest in Thee.” It seems at our lowest points that we are awakened to this deep thirst. Depression seems to compound it when it is unsatisfied. So here we need to make a hard choice, a choice to set aside the things of earth and become consumed in our pursuit of God. If you are suffering from depression make it your one and only desire to reconnect with God.
2. Develop relationships with others. In verse 4 David remembers the deep relationships he had going to worship. But now he is separated from them. He has lost part of his strength. Depressed people are lonely people. It these critical moments we need to do just the opposite of what we feel. When we become depressed the very first thing we want to do is to get alone. But the best thing we can do is just opposite of that, avoid being alone. When we are depressed we don't want to be around people. We want to withdraw. But withdrawing means isolation, and isolation during depression means alienation. Force yourself to be with people. This is again a hard choice we need to make. Call someone up on the phone and ask them if there is anything you can pray for. Join a small group at church. Serve others. Give yourself. Develop a friendship. If you are the type of person who thinks you can make it alone. You are just an accident waiting to happen. God has made us to live in community. One of the best things you can do if you are given to discouragement is to cultivate close friendships. And remember the old phrase... If you want a friend, be a friend.
If you are struggling with depression today and need someone to talk to, give me a call. I know about depression first hand and would love to talk with you. I promise there will not be any sermons... just a listening ear.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
May 6
In “A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World,” Ron Lee Davis retells the true story of a priest in the Philippines, a much-loved man of God who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no peace, no sense of God's forgiveness.
In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest, however, was skeptical. To test her he said, "The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary." The women agreed.
A few days later the priest asked, "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?"
"Yes, he did," she replied.
"And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?"
"Yes."
"Well, what did he say?"
"He said, “I don't remember. What God forgives, he forgets.”
Since we have all had a “seminary experience” in life many people are walking around with a heavy load of guilt on their hearts. Psalm 32 was written after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. David was unsuccessful in his attempts to hide it, and it took a terrible toll on his body and spirit.
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”
Guilt does take a heavy toll on our bodies. I picked up this statistic a few years ago and cannot verify it, but I heard that 50% of people in mental health facilities could walk out cured if they knew they were forgiven. I know in my own life that when I carry guilt around it saps my joy, my peace and my physical strength.
But there is hope in this psalm. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
If we have the courage to ask for forgiveness, God has the power to give it. Whatever debilitating guilt is silently eating away at your soul, come clean today and experience the wonderful freedom in Christ.
In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest, however, was skeptical. To test her he said, "The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary." The women agreed.
A few days later the priest asked, "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?"
"Yes, he did," she replied.
"And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?"
"Yes."
"Well, what did he say?"
"He said, “I don't remember. What God forgives, he forgets.”
Since we have all had a “seminary experience” in life many people are walking around with a heavy load of guilt on their hearts. Psalm 32 was written after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. David was unsuccessful in his attempts to hide it, and it took a terrible toll on his body and spirit.
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”
Guilt does take a heavy toll on our bodies. I picked up this statistic a few years ago and cannot verify it, but I heard that 50% of people in mental health facilities could walk out cured if they knew they were forgiven. I know in my own life that when I carry guilt around it saps my joy, my peace and my physical strength.
But there is hope in this psalm. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
If we have the courage to ask for forgiveness, God has the power to give it. Whatever debilitating guilt is silently eating away at your soul, come clean today and experience the wonderful freedom in Christ.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May 5
Here's some of my thoughts:
One of the things i struggle with the most as a christian is sharing my struggles. I mean, sharing my struggles with ANYONE. Even though i know God knows everything, i struggle telling him my struggles. Call it pride, or whatever you want either way, it is a struggle of mine. When you finally admit to your wrong doings, you feel great. There is relief that comes on you and weight that gets taken off your back.
Fact:
Lots of us have been carrying weight and have become accustomed to it, therefore we forgot what relief is really like.
Fact:
That doesn't mean we should continue this way, but instead we should find a way to get rid of the guilt and shame.
Psalm 139 is a psalm that is very close to my heart, and has helped me many times. How nice is it to know that God is always there for you? Better yet, how nice is it to know that he knew you, before you knew yourself? That he created you and no matter how much you screw up ... he didn't make a mistake. You are uniquely made and you are the work of God's hands.
This psalm has helped me to realize that no matter what my problems are ... God has an answer. No matter how low i've gone and sinned ... God didn't make a mistake and he loves me. God knows all my problems and has solutions. He is just waiting for me to come to him and share it with him. No matter what the issue is God will forgive and give you hope. There is a lot of people in this world who will go the rest of their lives w/o knowing what Psalm 139 has to share. Considered yourselves blessed.
When I awake,
I am still with you
AND he works round the clock! What more can you ask for?
Monday, May 4, 2009
May 4
Psalm 136.
There is a story about a monastery where the requirement is that you must maintain perpetual silence. The actual rule is that after every two years you are allowed to speak 2 words.
A young initiate, who had spent his first 2 years at the monastery, was called in by his superior to make his first 2 word statement. “Bed Hard” he said.
2 years later he was called in and his 2 words were, “Food Bad.”
After the next two years the superior called him in and the young fellow said. “I quit!”
The superior looked at him and said, “Well, that doesn’t surprise me. All you've done since you've been here is complain.”
Do some critical thinking with me. In the history of the planet, what nation has experienced the most affluence and prosperity? What society of people have had the most benefits, most health care, greatest access to food, clothes, sanitary living conditions, employment opportunities, political freedom, religious freedom, education, running water, recreation, and leisure time in the history of the planet? If you guessed right here in the USA you are correct.
Yet in the midst of this prosperity, what most characterizes our culture? We are a people who are given to complaining and whining. It is so easy for us to focus on all the things that are wrong. The scriptures make it very clear that people of faith should be thankful people. There are 140 references about giving thanks to God in the Bible.
Psalm 136 is a chorus that was sung at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple. Jehoshaphat also had this chorus sung on the day he put the choir in front of the army as they went into battle. In Jewish tradition this psalm is often known as the Great Hallel (The Great Psalm of Praise). This popular chorus was possibly #1 on the charts.
We are given multiple reasons for being thankful people in this Psalm, the nature of God, the acts of God, the creation of God, the deliverance of God but there is one theme that is mentioned 26 times. 26 times we are reminded of God’s love. Why would God go to such extremes to communicate this truth of his love? Because there is something within us that resists his love, let me tell you what that something is. We know how we really are on the inside. We know that in our hearts we are complainers and whiners at times. We know sometimes we aren't kind, loving people. We know that sometimes we don't forgive people who hurt us. Or that many times we live in outward rebellion against God. We know that many times we act like spoiled brats before God.
We know that if we were God we would have abandoned the whole human race 1000's of years ago.
The bottom line is that we know if we were God, we wouldn’t love us.
This is why we need to hear 26 times that God does love us. God's love is not human love. God's love is divine love. God's love is a bold love that will endure forever and nothing can separate us from it.
It’s like God has handcuffed himself to us in love. And only he holds the key. We don’t need to win his love. We already have it. And since we can’t win it, we can’t lose it. Our rebellion cannot diminish his love. Our goodness cannot increase it either. Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. God doesn't love us less if we fail. He doesn't love us more if we succeed. His love endures forever.
Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Had God not said those words, we would be fools for believing them. But since he said them, we would be fools for not believing them.
**** Send me a quick email telling me what chapter you are on!!! Accountability means growth!!!
There is a story about a monastery where the requirement is that you must maintain perpetual silence. The actual rule is that after every two years you are allowed to speak 2 words.
A young initiate, who had spent his first 2 years at the monastery, was called in by his superior to make his first 2 word statement. “Bed Hard” he said.
2 years later he was called in and his 2 words were, “Food Bad.”
After the next two years the superior called him in and the young fellow said. “I quit!”
The superior looked at him and said, “Well, that doesn’t surprise me. All you've done since you've been here is complain.”
Do some critical thinking with me. In the history of the planet, what nation has experienced the most affluence and prosperity? What society of people have had the most benefits, most health care, greatest access to food, clothes, sanitary living conditions, employment opportunities, political freedom, religious freedom, education, running water, recreation, and leisure time in the history of the planet? If you guessed right here in the USA you are correct.
Yet in the midst of this prosperity, what most characterizes our culture? We are a people who are given to complaining and whining. It is so easy for us to focus on all the things that are wrong. The scriptures make it very clear that people of faith should be thankful people. There are 140 references about giving thanks to God in the Bible.
Psalm 136 is a chorus that was sung at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple. Jehoshaphat also had this chorus sung on the day he put the choir in front of the army as they went into battle. In Jewish tradition this psalm is often known as the Great Hallel (The Great Psalm of Praise). This popular chorus was possibly #1 on the charts.
We are given multiple reasons for being thankful people in this Psalm, the nature of God, the acts of God, the creation of God, the deliverance of God but there is one theme that is mentioned 26 times. 26 times we are reminded of God’s love. Why would God go to such extremes to communicate this truth of his love? Because there is something within us that resists his love, let me tell you what that something is. We know how we really are on the inside. We know that in our hearts we are complainers and whiners at times. We know sometimes we aren't kind, loving people. We know that sometimes we don't forgive people who hurt us. Or that many times we live in outward rebellion against God. We know that many times we act like spoiled brats before God.
We know that if we were God we would have abandoned the whole human race 1000's of years ago.
The bottom line is that we know if we were God, we wouldn’t love us.
This is why we need to hear 26 times that God does love us. God's love is not human love. God's love is divine love. God's love is a bold love that will endure forever and nothing can separate us from it.
It’s like God has handcuffed himself to us in love. And only he holds the key. We don’t need to win his love. We already have it. And since we can’t win it, we can’t lose it. Our rebellion cannot diminish his love. Our goodness cannot increase it either. Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. God doesn't love us less if we fail. He doesn't love us more if we succeed. His love endures forever.
Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Had God not said those words, we would be fools for believing them. But since he said them, we would be fools for not believing them.
**** Send me a quick email telling me what chapter you are on!!! Accountability means growth!!!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
May 3: Psalm 119
The longest chapter in the Bible shows a godly servant's reflections on an intimate Father-son relationship and the supreme value of God's Word. The writer points out the two-way street of seeking and loving God -- and His compassionate and fatherly response. Organized as an acrostic, each of the 22 subsections stands alone as a psalm, and each subsection makes reference to God's Word.
The Psalmist clearly has committed his life to seeking out God. He seeks to "meditate on it all day long" and has "chosen the way of truth." He has made serious efforts towards these goals. The choices to follow God were personal and led him to hide the Word in his heart. As a result of seeking out the Father, this servant desires purity, holiness, and boldness in his life. He understands that we demonstrate our love for the Father through keeping His commands (John 14:21). The servant has signed up for the rest of his life:
"My heart is set on following your decrees
to the very end."
Yet, the servant is not merely reaching out to a God that is far off; rather, the Father is closely involved with the servant's growth. It is a tender father-son relationship, where the Father imparts knowledge and wisdom along the path toward maturity. He does so with a combination of gentleness and firmness, as the situation suggests. He intimately knows His children and what is best for them. This impartation of wisdom is not a passive or formulaic process; rather, it is active: God teaches, gives understanding, and directs the servant:
1. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light for my path."
2. "I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes."
3. "Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live."
The servant, in turn, delights in God's Word and His presence. His life is not a cakewalk, however, as he faces real struggles and real affliction. A friend recently suggested that evangelical Christians may have done others a disservice by proclaiming that coming to Christ is something like an "upgrade package" for life; instead, knowing God personally gives us both eternal life and eternal purpose. We are guaranteed to have struggles in this life: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted... " Yet, the servant receives both freedom (from the captivity of sin and affliction) and comfort in his struggles:
1. "I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts."
2. "My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life."
How might a treasuring of God's Word affect your life? One key area is decisionmaking. When we have hidden God's Word in our hearts, living according to His Word becomes more possible. His Word will work within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us into truth and into choosing to serve Him. When we are faced with a difficult decision, we might reflect on the following questions (and seek answers through prayer or Scripture-searching):
1. What does God's Word have to say on this topic? (It may be helpful to find a Bible with a concordance or to make use of a Bible search tool on the Internet, such as at http://www.biblegateway.com.)
2. What are the various options with this decision? Which ones would be most honoring to God? Which path is about living in fear? Pleasing others? Serving myself? (Given that our emotions and will can become torn in such a decision, it is important to seek after God's wisdom and discernment in prayer.)
3. How can I step forward in faith, given that the future is not clear? (Here, we may rely on God's faithfulness [Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:4].)
QUESTIONS
1. It appears that there are lasting benefits for following God's Word. How can you actively "hide" the Word in your heart?
2. How could you "meditate" more on God's Word? How might this affect your decisionmaking?
The Psalmist clearly has committed his life to seeking out God. He seeks to "meditate on it all day long" and has "chosen the way of truth." He has made serious efforts towards these goals. The choices to follow God were personal and led him to hide the Word in his heart. As a result of seeking out the Father, this servant desires purity, holiness, and boldness in his life. He understands that we demonstrate our love for the Father through keeping His commands (John 14:21). The servant has signed up for the rest of his life:
"My heart is set on following your decrees
to the very end."
Yet, the servant is not merely reaching out to a God that is far off; rather, the Father is closely involved with the servant's growth. It is a tender father-son relationship, where the Father imparts knowledge and wisdom along the path toward maturity. He does so with a combination of gentleness and firmness, as the situation suggests. He intimately knows His children and what is best for them. This impartation of wisdom is not a passive or formulaic process; rather, it is active: God teaches, gives understanding, and directs the servant:
1. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light for my path."
2. "I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes."
3. "Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live."
The servant, in turn, delights in God's Word and His presence. His life is not a cakewalk, however, as he faces real struggles and real affliction. A friend recently suggested that evangelical Christians may have done others a disservice by proclaiming that coming to Christ is something like an "upgrade package" for life; instead, knowing God personally gives us both eternal life and eternal purpose. We are guaranteed to have struggles in this life: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted... " Yet, the servant receives both freedom (from the captivity of sin and affliction) and comfort in his struggles:
1. "I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts."
2. "My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life."
How might a treasuring of God's Word affect your life? One key area is decisionmaking. When we have hidden God's Word in our hearts, living according to His Word becomes more possible. His Word will work within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us into truth and into choosing to serve Him. When we are faced with a difficult decision, we might reflect on the following questions (and seek answers through prayer or Scripture-searching):
1. What does God's Word have to say on this topic? (It may be helpful to find a Bible with a concordance or to make use of a Bible search tool on the Internet, such as at http://www.biblegateway.com.)
2. What are the various options with this decision? Which ones would be most honoring to God? Which path is about living in fear? Pleasing others? Serving myself? (Given that our emotions and will can become torn in such a decision, it is important to seek after God's wisdom and discernment in prayer.)
3. How can I step forward in faith, given that the future is not clear? (Here, we may rely on God's faithfulness [Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:4].)
QUESTIONS
1. It appears that there are lasting benefits for following God's Word. How can you actively "hide" the Word in your heart?
2. How could you "meditate" more on God's Word? How might this affect your decisionmaking?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
May 2
This importance of praise
Psalm 103 starts off with the repetition of the command to praise the Lord. “Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Why the repetition? The Psalmist wants to make sure that the community of faith makes praise a priority in every day. One of the commentaries says concerning this command, "There is nothing the soul of man is so prone to forget as to render thanks that are due, and more especially thanks that are due to God."
The importance of praise can be seen in a story that came out of the history of Napoleonic France. Leonard Griffith has given us a moving story of a political prisoner by the name of Charnet. Charnet was thrown into prison simply because he had accidentally, by a remark, offended the emperor Napoleon. Cast into a dungeon cell, presumably left to die, as the days and weeks and months passed by, Charnet became embittered at his fate. Slowly but surely he began to lose his faith in God. This eventually caused him to forget to praise and remember God. And one day, in a moment of rebellious anger, he scratched on the wall of his cell "ALL THINGS COME BY CHANCE," which reflected the injustice that had come his way by chance. He sat in the darkness of that cell growing more bitter by the day. There was one spot in the cell where a single ray of sunlight came every day and remained for a little while. And one morning, to his absolute amazement, he noticed that in the hard, earthen floor of that cell a tiny, green blade was breaking through. It was something living, struggling up toward that shaft of sunlight. It was his only living companion, and his heart went out in joy toward it. He nurtured it with his tiny ration of water, cultivated it, and encouraged its growth. That green blade became his friend. It became his teacher in a sense, and finally it burst through until one day there bloomed from the little plant a beautiful, purple and white flower. Once again Charnet remembered God and praised him. He scratched off the thing he had scribbled on the wall of his dungeon and in its place wrote "HE WHO MADE ALL THINGS IS GOD." Through the guards, and the gossip grapevine, the story of this man’s love for a flower reached the ears of Napoleon's wife. She was so moved by it and so convinced that a man who loved a flower that way could not possible by a dangerous criminal that she persuaded Napoleon to release him So Charnet was set free.
We can be set free from our prisons today if we just remember to praise the Lord.
Congratulations to all you radials who are continuing on this incredible Bible reading journey ... you have made it to the month of May.
Psalm 103 starts off with the repetition of the command to praise the Lord. “Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Why the repetition? The Psalmist wants to make sure that the community of faith makes praise a priority in every day. One of the commentaries says concerning this command, "There is nothing the soul of man is so prone to forget as to render thanks that are due, and more especially thanks that are due to God."
The importance of praise can be seen in a story that came out of the history of Napoleonic France. Leonard Griffith has given us a moving story of a political prisoner by the name of Charnet. Charnet was thrown into prison simply because he had accidentally, by a remark, offended the emperor Napoleon. Cast into a dungeon cell, presumably left to die, as the days and weeks and months passed by, Charnet became embittered at his fate. Slowly but surely he began to lose his faith in God. This eventually caused him to forget to praise and remember God. And one day, in a moment of rebellious anger, he scratched on the wall of his cell "ALL THINGS COME BY CHANCE," which reflected the injustice that had come his way by chance. He sat in the darkness of that cell growing more bitter by the day. There was one spot in the cell where a single ray of sunlight came every day and remained for a little while. And one morning, to his absolute amazement, he noticed that in the hard, earthen floor of that cell a tiny, green blade was breaking through. It was something living, struggling up toward that shaft of sunlight. It was his only living companion, and his heart went out in joy toward it. He nurtured it with his tiny ration of water, cultivated it, and encouraged its growth. That green blade became his friend. It became his teacher in a sense, and finally it burst through until one day there bloomed from the little plant a beautiful, purple and white flower. Once again Charnet remembered God and praised him. He scratched off the thing he had scribbled on the wall of his dungeon and in its place wrote "HE WHO MADE ALL THINGS IS GOD." Through the guards, and the gossip grapevine, the story of this man’s love for a flower reached the ears of Napoleon's wife. She was so moved by it and so convinced that a man who loved a flower that way could not possible by a dangerous criminal that she persuaded Napoleon to release him So Charnet was set free.
We can be set free from our prisons today if we just remember to praise the Lord.
Congratulations to all you radials who are continuing on this incredible Bible reading journey ... you have made it to the month of May.
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 1
Thanks-Living During the Swine Flu
Our last Psalm today is Psalm 100. It is called a psalm for giving thanks. This is a psalm for you since it is a psalm for the entire earth. It is a psalm that contains yesterday’s antidote to stagnant Christian living, a life full of worship and praise. It also presents us another cure from stagnation, a life of Thanks-living. Living each day with a thankful and grateful heart.
Every day now we hear of one more reason to live in fear: the swine flu, global warming, economic depression,
Unemployment, stagflation, Korea and Iran have nuclear bombs, Al-Qaeda has sleeper cells in the USA, Socialism is overtaking the land, pollution from all the pampers will kill us, the ozone layer is disappearing, over population, under population, the death of Christianity is on the horizon and the list goes on and on.
All of this negativity does have an impact on me. There are days that I just can’t turn on CNN ... Continual Negative News. It is very easy to be overwhelmed by this negativity and lose perspective in life.
Psalm 100 gives us several reasons to have an attitude of gratitude, even during the swine flu. This list included the fact that the Lord is God, he created us, he redeemed us, he cares and loves us, he is a good God and finally his faithfulness is eternal. All of these reasons have their origin in God and not the circumstances of our planet.
So what is our response to these incredible blessings? Nothing less than thanks-living is demanded. There is something wrong with our theology when doesn't lead thank-ology. The greatest tragedy that will occur on May 1, 2009 is that all over this land, a land blessed by God, people will go through the entire day only focused on the negative and never stopping and saying thank you to God for the good we have experienced. Maybe you think you don’t have anything to be thankful for. Let me tell you a story.
In 1636 during the 30 years War – it was one of the worst wars in the history of mankind in terms of the sheer number of deaths. On top of that, the plague killed thousands of people in Europe. In the city of Eilenburg, Germany there was a godly pastor whose name was Martin Rinckert. In a single year he buried 5,000 people from his community. That averages out to 15 people a day. Can you imagine the headlines of CNN during this period of time? What would be the response of Martin to a life filled with so much tragedy? If you look in a hymnal you will find a song written by him. It was a prayer that he wrote for his children, to teach them how to live a thankful life. Here are the words:
Now thank we all our God,
With hearts and hands and voices.
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom his world rejoices.
I don’t know about you but if I’d spent the year holding 5000 funerals of people, I am not sure I could have written that song for my children. It's an unusual thing that in history many who have the least to thank God about thank him the most. And many people who have the most to be thankful never express their gratitude.
Begin a life of thanks living today. Thank God for three blessings in your life right now.
Our last Psalm today is Psalm 100. It is called a psalm for giving thanks. This is a psalm for you since it is a psalm for the entire earth. It is a psalm that contains yesterday’s antidote to stagnant Christian living, a life full of worship and praise. It also presents us another cure from stagnation, a life of Thanks-living. Living each day with a thankful and grateful heart.
Every day now we hear of one more reason to live in fear: the swine flu, global warming, economic depression,
Unemployment, stagflation, Korea and Iran have nuclear bombs, Al-Qaeda has sleeper cells in the USA, Socialism is overtaking the land, pollution from all the pampers will kill us, the ozone layer is disappearing, over population, under population, the death of Christianity is on the horizon and the list goes on and on.
All of this negativity does have an impact on me. There are days that I just can’t turn on CNN ... Continual Negative News. It is very easy to be overwhelmed by this negativity and lose perspective in life.
Psalm 100 gives us several reasons to have an attitude of gratitude, even during the swine flu. This list included the fact that the Lord is God, he created us, he redeemed us, he cares and loves us, he is a good God and finally his faithfulness is eternal. All of these reasons have their origin in God and not the circumstances of our planet.
So what is our response to these incredible blessings? Nothing less than thanks-living is demanded. There is something wrong with our theology when doesn't lead thank-ology. The greatest tragedy that will occur on May 1, 2009 is that all over this land, a land blessed by God, people will go through the entire day only focused on the negative and never stopping and saying thank you to God for the good we have experienced. Maybe you think you don’t have anything to be thankful for. Let me tell you a story.
In 1636 during the 30 years War – it was one of the worst wars in the history of mankind in terms of the sheer number of deaths. On top of that, the plague killed thousands of people in Europe. In the city of Eilenburg, Germany there was a godly pastor whose name was Martin Rinckert. In a single year he buried 5,000 people from his community. That averages out to 15 people a day. Can you imagine the headlines of CNN during this period of time? What would be the response of Martin to a life filled with so much tragedy? If you look in a hymnal you will find a song written by him. It was a prayer that he wrote for his children, to teach them how to live a thankful life. Here are the words:
Now thank we all our God,
With hearts and hands and voices.
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom his world rejoices.
I don’t know about you but if I’d spent the year holding 5000 funerals of people, I am not sure I could have written that song for my children. It's an unusual thing that in history many who have the least to thank God about thank him the most. And many people who have the most to be thankful never express their gratitude.
Begin a life of thanks living today. Thank God for three blessings in your life right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)