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Whoever Does The Will of God (Mark 3:31-35 Devotion)

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Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” 33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

– Mark 3:31-35 (NKJV)

There are two groups of people seeking Jesus. The first group is his actual mother and brothers who are outside the house who are calling for him. They probably want to tell/ advise him on what to do. The second group is the crowd at his feet that has been listening to him. Jesus looks at the crowd and says they are his mother and brothers. The distinction that he makes between the two groups is simple… “Whoever does the will of God.”

Jesus doesn’t show any favoritism for his family here. Whatever they want, if it is not the will of God, they can wait. He will not be manipulated. When their will and God’s will collide, it’s God’s will that matters. This is an important thing to grasp.

Throughout church history people have often pulled in their pagan prechristian beliefs into their practice either knowingly or unknowingly. Before the gospel made such an impact in Ephesus, many of the people practiced “magic.” Magic in that day consisted of getting beings or entities to do your bidding for you and you would often have to manipulate them into action. So you might call on an entity that had favor with whatever entity you wanted to act for you so you would use the name of one to get the other to do what you wanted. Unfortunately through a part of history and in some places today people try and “manipulate” Jesus to bend to their will and they will pray to someone like Mary (not that you can or should pray to dead people, you shouldn’t.) and ask her to ask Jesus to do something. The logic is pretty convincing for some people… Jesus has to do what his mom says, right? Wrong. These verses are helpful to know that Jesus in his humanity can’t and won’t be manipulated by his relatives, the saints or anyone. We should all seek God’s will, not the other way around.

This is what we’ve been praying every day, “Guide us in your will.” That’s a Christian prayer! We’re asking God to show us what He wants us to do! Certainly we’ve shared in prayer about what we want, need and feel, but at the end of it all we’re really asking, “Lord show us your will.”

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. What a grace it is to know that we cannot manipulate you to our will. We often do not even know the full situation. We can trust you and your promises because they come from you. Please guide us in your will and direction for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Testified and Tested (Mark 1:9-13 Devotional)

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It came to pass in those days [that] Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

– Mark 1:9-13 (NKJV)

My truck has a knob that can turn it from 2 wheel drive into 4 wheel drive. I hadn’t used the 4 wheel drive feature that much until a few years ago I had mistakenly gone off road on a very tall mountain in Wyoming. I almost got the truck stuck miles from civilization. But then I realized that I could transition my truck to 4 wheel drive and once I did, we were able to drive off the mountain in relative ease. If you had asked me before that moment about how good the 4-wheel-drive feature was on trucks like mine, I probably would have just shrugged my shoulders. But if you ask me the same thing now, I will share my story of how it worked to get me out of a jam. I have a testimony of how I used the 4-wheel-drive feature.

The author of Mark wants us to know that we can trust Jesus to bring us to God. He wants us to know that Jesus is the one that John the Baptist was talking about. He gives us two very good reasons to trust in the authenticity and authority of Jesus in this passage. One, he highlights the testimony of God the Father who speaks of Jesus that, “You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” We also see the presence of the Holy Spirit who comes down in the form of a dove. (So we see the trinity here together testifying to the ability of Jesus).

The second is that Jesus is “immediately” whisked away to the desert to be tempted. He is tempted by the devil and comes out unscathed. (Don’t forget that Jesus has been fasting, and that there are wild animals in the area either.) Jesus withstands all the temptations the devil musters. In these short verses, we see Jesus is endorsed by heaven and tested and proven faithful in the face of fierce opposition.

Father, We love you and want to grow in knowledge of you and your word. Thank you that you sent the best when you sent Jesus. We are grateful that he was perfectly obedient to you even to the point of temptation as we see here and ultimately death on the Cross. We are grateful that we can trust Him to bring us to you. We ask you to guide us in your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8 Devotional)

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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” 3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’ ” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 “I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

– Mark 1:1-8 (NKJV)

Several years ago I had a really bad infection in my heart. It was so bad that I had to be on powerful antibiotic medicine three times a day for a week. The medicine helped fight the infection, but the doctor said the infection was so bad that it had damaged part of my heart and I needed surgery.

In today’s reading we see people coming to John the Baptist in repentance for their sin and being baptized. John helped them recognize that this was a good first step, but they really needed more. He recognized that he had been sent by God to prepare the way for people to come to God, but he knew that someone else was coming who would bring God, the Holy Spirit, to the people. John could offer water, but what everyone really needed was the Holy Spirit.

The word baptize literally means “to come into” or immersion. We see that picture in the water when someone is immersed or baptized into the water. We can also understand that it is by Jesus that we can be baptized or “brought into” the family of God through the Holy Spirit (John 3).

As we embark on this journey of reading through Mark, I am struck by the ministry of John. He was preparing the way for Jesus. He knew he didn’t have the one thing people really needed, only God did, and so he preached to prepare the way. I am grateful for those whom God has used in my life to prepare the way and point to the work of Jesus.

Father, thank you for sending John to prepare the way for Jesus. Thank you for sending people into my life who have pointed me to you and helped me come to know you and trust in you. I humbly ask that you would use me to point others to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Let us go Into the House of the LORD (Psalm 122 Devotion)

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PSALM 122

A Song of Ascents. Of David. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” 2 Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together, 4 Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5 For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. 7 Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” 8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace [be] within you.” 9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

PSALM 122:1-9

LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

It’s fun to hear all the reasons that people don’t attend church. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a straight face. It’s like “really? That’s the reason you don’t come to church?” I could list them all and try and answer each one, but for each argument lobbied, a dozen new ones would come up. It would be like whack-a-mole and no one likes to do that. 

What is a whole lot more interesting is the reason that people give for going to church! I love to hear folks talk about worshiping God and what the Lord has done! I never get tired of hearing testimonies of changed lives! I’ve longed to take a skeptic by the hand and walk them through our church (the people, not the building) and say, “Listen to this man, he met Jesus and came off drugs! How about this woman here! She met Jesus at 83! And this couple over here, they were at home one night when a neighbor knocked on the door and shared, ‘I have a burden for you.’ This one over here was in a revival meeting as a teenager and the Holy Spirit gripped his heart! Wait there is more, this little girl was led to the Lord by her momma. This woman was in church one day and she heard about God’s grace. This boy had a friend die and it awakened him to the reality of God and he began asking questions about Jesus. This man was alone in his shed and the Holy Spirit brought the word of God home! This girl was at camp and her family was praying for her when she was gripped by the Holy Spirit!” When you see church that way (all those people living out an imperfect faith in a perfect God) you have a lot to celebrate when you get together! I look forward to Sunday every week! For me it’s the day that we all get together and celebrate what the Lord has done in our lives, we pray for one another, and we seek His will!

What is your attitude like when going to worship? There will always be a lot to complain about if you are looking for that sort of thing, but there is so much more to celebrate!

How you enter worship matters. It shows your attitude towards God and His people. When you’ve been looking forward to worship all week long, you will enter worship with anticipation and joy. That’s the first thing we learn from this psalm. Look forward to gathered worship each week! Are you looking forward to Sunday? I hope you are!

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for this incredible reminder that attitude matters! I am grateful that you have blessed us with the opportunity to know and worship with so many wonderful people! I know that you live and reign in their hearts and I look forward to the day when your kingdom comes in it’s fullness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

All My Springs Are In You (Psalm 87 Devotional Thought)

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PSALM 87

1 A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song. His foundation [is] in the holy mountains. 2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah 4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This [one] was born there.’ ” 5 And of Zion it will be said, “This [one] and that [one] were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her.” 6 The LORD will record, When He registers the peoples: “This [one] was born there.” Selah 7 Both the singers and the players on instruments [say], “All my springs [are] in you.”

PSALM 87:1-7

ALL MY SPRINGS ARE IN YOU

We went tent camping with my parents when I was a child. I remember one specific trip the most. It seems like we found the most ideal camping spot. It was right by an ice cold stream fed by mountain springs and melting glaciers. The water was crystal clear and the bubbling of the water was calming. The water was so pure and near the source that you could drink it. My siblings and I jumped in and played in it even though it was ice cold (it was a 90 degree Montana summer).

The beauty of a spring is that it brings life to everything near it. It waters the landscape and gives vegetation an opportunity to thrive. It brings cool refreshing water to those who come and drink from it’s pool. And, if a spring is big enough, it does more than water those that are close. It turns into a stream and wanders down the landscape to water those far from it’s initial offering. It sends water cascading down the hill side in a waterfall to those below.

This is the picture we have of the influence of the city of God (Jerusalem) in this Psalm. The blessings that God has poured out on Jerusalem cascade down and bless those beyond the gates of the city. People form every tongue tribe and language are and will be ultimately blessed by the spring of living water that bubbled up out of Jerusalem. People from Rahab (not the woman from the book of Joshua, but a place in Egypt), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia. Some of these places we remember as enemies of God’s people now coming in and being blessed by the LORD they had opposed.

We remember that we serve a God who turns enemies into friends and welcomes home sinners as saints through the precious blood of Jesus.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” – Matthew 5:44

How great it is that we can be born again into a new life in Christ! Should heaven keep the birth certificates of the born again it won’t list any location other than Jerusalem, because that is where Jesus Christ the lamb of God laid down his life for my sins and three days later rose from the dead! That is where the details of my new birth were accomplished. I’ll be a citizen of that great country by the work of God.

PRAYER

Father, How great is your grace that cascades and flows down to others? How do you take so many in who have been your enemies? How do you love us even when we are unlovable? I don’t know how, I just know that you do! I am so grateful that I have been born again to a new life in Jesus Christ! I am grateful that you have called me to be an ambassador of reconciliation to others in the name of Jesus! I am grateful for the opportunities you have put in my path today to tell others of you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Commanded To Praise (Psalm 81)

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PSALM 81

To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. 2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. 3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this [is] a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob.

PSALM 81:1-4

COMMANDED TO PRAISE

I had a few friends who were cheerleaders in high school. They would lament about how often they would do a cheer and there wasn’t much of a response from the crowd. Some of the cheers even asked or demanded the crowd to yell. It’s a pitiful game when all you hear are the cheerleaders and the crowd wasn’t in it.

I had a different experience in college. A bunch of our students had formed a group of fans who were ready to respond to all the cheer commands. What they brought to the game was infectious. Not only did the student fan group respond but they got others involved as well.

I’ll confess that I’m a bit of curmudgeon. I’m an introvert and by nature I don’t get to riled up in public, even when watching my favorite team play. Yet, when I attended the college games I felt compelled to participate in the cheering. I walked out of those games extremely more emotionally invested and blessed by a fellowship centered on sports.

How much more worthy of praise is our LORD. Should we be surprised to see that it is commanded of his people? Even though our personalities may not lean towards singing songs of praise, we are called to it. And even though we may not feel it, we are commanded.

So what do you do when you just don’t “feel it”? You offer praise and you seek to offer praise to the Lord with your whole heart. This command like all the others is for our good and his glory! It’s not that he needs your voice or mine, but that I need it. I need to let my voice join in others who are worshipping the Lord. I need to enter into the fellowship of adoration of our Lord. My heart needs the joy that comes from celebrating his goodness… especially on days where I don’t feel it.

It is not a lie to sing about the goodness of God when you don’t feel it. I think sometimes we wrestle with the lie in the wrong place. The lie is not in God’s character, it is in our feelings. When we don’t feel like praise we must know that our feelings are doing the lying and they must be rebuked and brought to the truth. The way we do that is through offering praise even when we don’t feel like it.

That is where the beauty of the psalms really unfolds because how many of these psalms/songs have wrestled with feelings of abandonment, grief, brokenness and pain? Many of them start there, but all of them end on the goodness and glory of God! We need to sing praise because God is worthy and because our hearts need it! Indeed the moment we just don’t feel like singing praise is the moment we probably most need to sing praise.

I can’t tell you how many times a song of worship for the Lord has come at the right time in the midnights of my life. If Paul and Silas can sing in chains, then maybe I can sing in the midst of depression and oppression. If we are commanded to offer praise than we must know it is because God is worthy and it is good for my own soul.

PRAYER

Father, you are worthy of all adoration and praise. When I don’t feel like praising you, my feelings are telling a lie for regardless of how I feel you are worthy! Let my life be in tune with the truth of your glory. You are worthy of all glory, honor and praise! I need to praise you. Thank you for those you have put in my life that provoke me to praise you! Thank you for pastors, teachers, musicians, artists, friends, and even critics who force me to keep my eyes on you. Thank you for the mountain tops and the valleys that provoke songs to arise from my heart. Thank you for the psalms/songs that grab my attention by pinpointing my emotions and drawing a straight line of worship. May you ever be glorified in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Forgive Us! We Have Gone So Long In The Wrong Direction (Psalm 79)

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PSALM 79

1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. 2 The dead bodies of Your servants They have given [as] food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. 3 Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, And [there was] no one to bury [them]. 4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those who are around us. 5 How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. 7 For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his dwelling place. 8 Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake! 10 Why should the nations say, “Where [is] their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants [which has been] shed. 11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die; 12 And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. 13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.

PSALM 79:1-13

FORGIVE US! WE HAVE GONE SO LONG IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

I picked my mother up from the airport in New Orleans one evening and headed back to Mobile, AL. Somewhere along the way I took a wrong turn, or maybe I didn’t take the right turn, either way the result was that we were traveling north in Mississippi not East like we should have been. My mother was quick to notice that we were headed in the wrong direction, but I was slow to concede that I was off track. It wasn’t until we were well into rural Mississippi that I pulled over to a gas station and asked for directions to Mobile and found out that we had spent serious time and miles going in the wrong direction. In short, it would take a while to get back on track.

On one level I got what I deserved. I was the one who made the decision to press so far in the wrong direction and so I should be the one to repent all those miles… but my mom, as much as she disagreed with my foray into rural Mississippi also paid the price. She knew we were headed in the wrong direction, but she paid the price the same as me because reguardases of who was in control of the vehicle, we were in the same vehicle.

After a series of bad kings, finally there arises a “good” king in Israel. And as he steps up to lead he has to note that the nation has gone so far off track and even though he didn’t lead the nation in sin, he will have to lead the nation in repentance. He wonders though, as much as his heart has been set to do what is right, is it enough? Has the nation already gone too far? So he calls out to God for his mercy.

We live in families and nations. There may be folks who are leading who have brought us far away from God. It wasn’t our choices that brought us collectively there, it was theirs, but because they were in the driver’s seat, they took us for the ride and so we find ourselves repenting of their sin.

PRAYER

Father, I acknowledge that there are many sins that I am guilty of in my own life and I am grateful that you have brought me to repentance on the sins that I own. I also confess that I belong to a country that stands in need of repentance. On one level I know that I’m not in control and I’m not actively in rebellion, but on another level I know that our nation is far from you o Lord and so I confess and repent of the sins of my nation. Only you can heal our wounds. Along with the psalmist I ask, “is it too late? Or is there still time?” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Cast Your Burden On The LORD (Psalm 55)

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PSALM 55

1 To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. 2 Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. … 22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

PSALM 55:1-5, 22

CAST YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD

I was at the beach the other day loaded down with all of our beach gear. I somehow had managed to try and carry/ pull an ice chest, along with some beach chairs, a bag of toys, towels, etc… I was barely making progress to the spot my wife picked out. I didn’t start out with the intention to get loaded down. I started out with the intention of having a fantastic day at the beach. As I loaded up I didn’t ask for help, I just started carrying everything (Which was so much easier when everyone was little). Finally my family must have noticed my struggle and before I knew it, everything was off of me and on to them and the journey became much more bearable.

Sometimes we go through life like that. Along the way we pick up burdens or problems and we think we have to carry it all. It’s at this point that David reminds us to cast all our cares on the LORD! We are given the freedom to give our problems over to God. Indeed, if we don’t take them to God, where are we taking them? We don’t have to carry our troubles on our own, we can cast our burdens on the LORD. We can trust Him to take care of our issues and challenges. He is more than able to handle it.

I know I feel a lot better about an issue after I’ve prayed over it and placed it in the Lord’s hands. I am grateful that he encourages us to carry our problems to him. We come to him not as perfect people who can carry everything, but as those changed and changing by grace who trust him to carry all of our burdens and challenges.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that we can cast all our cares on you. I am grateful that you hear me when I pray for those who I am worried about. I know I bring many requests each day for health and healing of loved ones, for those who don’t know you, and your grace to develop leaders. Thank you that you see and know the burden I carry and you have bidden me to cast my cares on you. I trust in you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

A Plea For Deliverance and Forgiveness (Psalm 25)

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PSALM 25

1 [A Psalm] of David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. … 6 Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they [are] from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD. 8 Good and upright [is] the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. 9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. 10 All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. 11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it [is] great. … 18 Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins.

PSALM 25:1-2, 6-11, 18

A PLEA FOR DELIVERANCE AND FORGIVENESS

Psalm 25 is written as an acrostic through the Hebrew Alphabet. It give it poetical flair as well as more opportunity to be memorized, you would know if you forgot a verse. 

It was meant to be used by individuals. Pay attention to all of the personal pronouns, I, Me, and My occur 33 times throughout the Psalm. When we battle different song styles, one of the key criticisms of modern worship lyrics is the “me” centeredness of it all. While we should be careful to not make a song about “Me.” Songs do come from a very personal place. There is both an individual and corporate component to this psalm.

This morning as I read I couldn’t help but think of the mercy and grace of God. It’s good to ponder that He “teaches sinners in the way,” and, “the humble he guides in justice.” How incredible is the LORD that He allows us to call out to Him as individuals. How great it is that when we humble ourselves, He hears our prayers. How marvelous that even more than hearing our cries for forgiveness He leads us in His way!

I was provoked to examen my life again for area’s of sin. To see if there where places in my life where I may have grown callous. I was provoked to pick up an attitude of gentle submission to the Lord to ask him for direct my steps. I confessed my sins.

PRAYER

Father, search my heart. Examine my life. Look into my inner thoughts. Whatever isn’t of you; Whatever hinders me from understanding and receiving your grace; I pray that you remove it. I don’t want to have anything between you and me. Teach me to walk in your way. Forgive me of my sins. Prove me holy by the blood of Christ (not my own merit, for I have not merited anything). Let me walk in humility and righteousness. May my life be pleasing to you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Learn to Work Well (Proverbs 14)

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Pro 14:1, 4, 23 NKJV The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. … (4) Where no oxen [are], the trough [is] clean; But much increase [comes] by the strength of an ox. … (23) In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter [leads] only to poverty.

Dear Daughter, when I was in college I got used to the habit of cleaning my truck every weekend. I didn’t grow up in a family that cleaned out the vehicles very often. In fact my grandparents had several vehicles they just let go and didn’t maintain. So when they finally stopped running they were pushed to the side and a new vehicle was purchased. Their house looked like a junk yard. Reflecting back, my grandfather was probably clinically depressed and self medicating with alcohol.

The way I got started cleaning out my vehicle every weekend was thought a friend at college. He was cleaning out his car and asked if I wanted to clean out my truck to. He didn’t realize it, but by encouraging and teaching me this habit he probably rescued me from a cycle of depression as well. Because until that time I didn’t realize the value of maintaining the things that would maintain me. My friend used to always say, “take care of your vehicle and it will take care of you.”

There are many things in life that I pray you are blessed to take care of. Perhaps one day you will be blessed with a husband and family. There will be small thing you can do that will help you maintain and build your household. These same small things if neglected will tear your family apart. Its your responsibility to seek joy in doing the small things (like family prayer time, cleaning up, encouraging one another, taking time for gratitude, etc.) well. It won’t only be a blessing to those around you, it will bless you more than you know.

It’s a blessing to pick up toys, fold laundry, clean cars, power wash sidewalks, feed animals, clean up after animals, cut grass, clean house, make our beds, and all the other little things we do along the way. There is profit in it every time. Cleaning and maintaining a car demonstrates our gratitude for having a vehicle. Making the bed demonstrates our gratitude for having a bed.

Sharing my grandparents DNA I’m prone to fits of depression as well. I know that for some folks the issues are deeper than what I’ve faced and a chemical solution to a chemical problem might prove very helpful. But I’ve found that when I’m most prone to depression is when I let the small things go. So I’ve learned to be diligent about making my bed, cleaning out my vehicle on the weekend, etc. Doing these small things well has become an act of gratitude and worship for me, knowing that God had endorsed a healthy work ethic.

To be sure there are days we should rest (one in seven) but there are also days where we should work (six out of seven). I encourage you to work well to the glory of God.

Father, Thank you for the blessing of raising my children. I ask for wisdom for my wife and I in leading our children and guiding them. I pray that you would allow us the grace of finding our fulfillment in putting our hands to work in whatever ways you have called us to. I pray that my children will have a good work ethic and see the way to worship you in work six days a week and in rest one day a week. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Join us in reading a Proverb A Day through the Month of May (or any month you want)