Tag: bible

He Does Whatever He Pleases (Psalm 115 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 115

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. 2 Why should the Gentiles say, “So where [is] their God?” 3 But our God [is] in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. 4 Their idols [are] silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them; [So is] everyone who trusts in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the LORD; He [is] their help and their shield.

PSALM 115:1-9

HE DOES WHATEVER HE PLEASES

I never had an imaginary friend growing up, but I had a friend who had one. When ever we were deciding to play something he would say that his imaginary friend voted with him to play whatever he wanted to play. Even as a kid, I knew something was fishy. I was stuck with a conundrum, either I had to acknowledge his imaginary friend and give him double voting power or refuse to recognize his friend was real. Sometimes his imaginary friend made him go on quests. I feel like the whole thing ended up as either a power play or a sad process to avoid reality.

I imagine having a false god or idol is like having an imaginary friend. They are made in your image and so they think like you do at best, or at worst they are a sad delusion that keeps you from experiencing reality. The psalmist recognizes that false gods have no real power. The nations around Israel celebrated idols and attributed all sorts of power to them, but in the end, they were just stones carved by a mans hand.

The one true God of Israel was different. He couldn’t be reduced to an idol. He doesn’t think like we think. He made us, we didn’t make Him and because of that He has the right to expect us to fulfill our God-given purpose! He doesn’t give us glory, we give him glory! He doesn’t have to love His people, but He has chosen to love His people which really defines covenantal love.

As I reflect on these verses this morning I am grateful that the God of scripture is real. He moves as He chooses throughout history, including my own life. He is not bound by me or propped up by me but He holds us up by his mercy and goodness. This God who can’t be reduced to an idol can hear because he made the ear, he can speak because he made the tongue, he can hold because he made hands.

PRAYER

Father, All glory, honor, and power belong to you! You are truly great in all that you do. There is no one like you. You are not an idol fashioned by the minds of men to manipulate other, but we are indeed created after you and in your image. You are worthy of all of our worship and praise! I rejoice in your sovereignty. 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.

He Is Glorious In Ways Great And Small (Psalm 113 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 113

Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD’s name [is] to be praised. 4 The LORD [is] high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who [is] like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold [The things that are] in the heavens and in the earth? 7 He raises the poor out of the dust, [And] lifts the needy out of the ash heap, 8 That He may seat [him] with princes–With the princes of His people. 9 He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

PSALM 113:1-9

HE IS GLORIOUS IN WAYS GREAT AND SMALL

There are two different aspects of God that are magnified in how our churches often conduct worship. Some churches have what we might call “high church.” Often the ceilings in these worship spaces are high and designed to help the worshipper feel small. The aspects of the service focus on the transcendence of God (His greatness, otherness, bigness, holiness, etc.). The music comes through a large organ, orchestra, choir and other elements designed to get us to see the magnificence of God. People gather together dressed in their “Sunday best.” These elements all reflect that God is big.

Other churches meet in renovated spaces like old shopping centers. The ceilings are low. People wear jeans to worship. The music is often conducted through instruments like guitars and drums. These churches are emphasizing the Immanence of God. (Think Immanuel… “God with us.”) Their worship style celebrates that God has reached down to us in our lowly position.

Who is right? Well they both are! They are just emphasizing different aspects of who God is. I love this Psalm because it emphasizes both that God is high and mighty and that he stoops to help the lowly. What grace!

The whole universe declares His glory! Yet he stoops low to hear our humble prayers. He meets us at our moment of greatest need. He raises us out of our humble circumstances and introduces us to the riches of His grace! What a mighty God we serve indeed.

It can be difficult to hold these two aspects of God’s character in tension, but we must. We must never let His greatness eclipse His willingness to meet us where we are. We must never forget that God has come to us. Yet we must not also not take His grace for granted. He has stooped low so that He might raise us up!

PRAYER

Father, Thank you that you are both transcendent and immanent. We rejoice to know that you are sovereign over the universe and yet you condescend to meet us in our moments of need. You hear the prayers of the needy and afflicted. I am grateful that we can call out to you and know that you hear us. Meet us in our needs today. Let us be upheld by our great grace today and worship you with all of our hearts. 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 God-Centered Life (Psalm 112 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 112

Praise the LORD! Blessed [is] the man [who] fears the LORD, [Who] delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches [will be] in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; [He is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart [is] established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees [his desire] upon his enemies. 9 He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. 10 The wicked will see [it] and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.

PSALM 112:1-10

A GOD-CENTERED LIFE

People used to think that the sun circled the earth every day and that the earth was the center of the universe. Then a guy named Copernicus came along with his theory that the Sun was the center of our solar system and the earth rotated on it’s axis. For centuries most everyone had it all wrong.

When people began to embrace Copernicus’ ideas nothing actually changed. Our earth did the same thing it had always done. The sun still “rose” and “set” the same way it always had from our perspective. Yet when we embraced Copernicus’ ideas everything changed. The more people recognized that the sun was the center of our solar system, the more they were able to chart the heavens and make other discoveries into the world of astronomy!

The same things happens in our lives when we come into a right relationship with God. It’s like a Copernican revolution. God is still God, He does what He has always done. He has always been at the center of everything, yet when we begin to live God-centered lives instead of self centered lives everything changes for us!

Psalm 112 like Psalm 111 is written as an acrostic of the Hebrew Alphabet. Each line starts with a different letter like A, B, C, D, E, and so forth. The big idea is that we become like the things we worship. If we worship God and He is the center of our universe we will reflect back His goodness in our lives. This psalms basically says blessed is the man who is God-centered from A to Z and every way in between.

PRAYER

Father, Everything exists for you and your glory! You are worthy of all praise, honor, and worship! Too often I am tempted to center my life on me rather than You. But I was made to be filled and fulfilled in worshipping you above all in my life. Let me live a God-centered life in all that I do. 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.

In The Congregation (Psalm 111 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 111

1 Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with [my] whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and [in] the congregation. 2 The works of the LORD [are] great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them. 3 His work [is] honorable and glorious, And His righteousness endures forever. 4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD [is] gracious and full of compassion. 5 He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. 6 He has declared to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations. 7 The works of His hands [are] verity and justice; All His precepts [are] sure. 8 They stand fast forever and ever, [And are] done in truth and uprightness. 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome [is] His name. 10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do [His commandments]. His praise endures forever.

PSALM 111:1-10

IN THE CONGREGATION

This psalm is written as an acrostic of the Hebrew Alphabet. Each line starts with a different letter like A, B, C, D, E, and so forth. The idea is to state explicitly the totality of God’s goodness. He is good from A to Z and every way in between.

We are called on to praise GOD! The one true God. Maker of Heaven and Earth! The one who created us from dust and made us in His image! The author of Grace and Mercy!  We are to praise Him not merely with just our lips, not merely with just our hands, not merely with just our ears, not with just our feet, not merely with our voices… but our WHOLE HEART! All that we are is to be thrown into worship! 

Do we worship like this? Do we worship with our whole heart or do we hold some back? Do we keep a quiet corner of our lives for ourselves? Do we worship other things that are less deserving of our praise? Do we give ourselves over to anything inferior? For the psalmist nothing else will do but our whole hearts! We must give God our whole hearts!

But see where we are when we worship God in this way… We are gathered with others! We are in the assembly of the righteous. That means the company we keep. The counselors we listen to.

My Daughter sneezed the other day and someone said something other than “God bless you.” It stuck out to her because I always say “God bless you!” The kind of atmosphere she lives in at home makes it easy for her to talk about God and to pray. It stuck out to her for the first time that people in this world don’t always operate like that. 

Do we walk among those who make it easy to worship God with our whole heart? Do we make it easy for others with our bold example?  Do we surround ourselves with folks who encourage us to praise God with our whole heart? This is why Sunday school and small groups are so important! 

There is also the large congregation. I may not know everyone’s testimony but when we gather in each week from all over this community we gather in the name of Jesus and to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! We gather to praise Him and I’m encouraged in a positive way when I see everyone sing His praise! We have a positive peer pressure on one another to give God our whole heart! That is the best peer pressure there is! 

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for for calling us to faith. You are worthy of praise from our whole heart. Let us not keep anything back from you. Thank you for the greater church body who gathers to worship you. May we never be slack in assembling together. You are worthy of all our worship! Let us encourage one another and challenge one another all the more. 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.

Volunteers (Psalm 110 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 110

A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! 3 Your people [shall be] volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. 4 The LORD has sworn And will not relent, “You [are] a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord [is] at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill [the places] with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.

PSALM 110:1-7

VOLUNTEERS

I am reminded again about how prophetic the Psalms often are. This Psalm is quoted in both Matthew 22:44 and Acts 2:34-35 as referring to Jesus. We can safely place this Psalm in the category of being a Messianic Psalm. Indeed verse 4 is quoted throughout Hebrews 5-7 highlighting Jesus’ unique high priestly role and ability to intercede for us because of his humanity and his deity. There is also an aspect of this Psalm that appears to be still ahead of us when all the world will recognize Jesus as king.

So what do we do with such as psalm? How do we draw application?

I think part of our application today comes from the fact that God is in control. We are reminded that he has inspired words and events thousands of years ago that spoke both to the present situation and were in a sense prophecy about Jesus. I believe we can take the yet to be fulfilled aspects of this Psalm in the same way. We can trust that God is in control and he is working all of history to it’s rightful conclusion with Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I think we can also take verse three to heart. Have we volunteered for the Lord’s service. Are we part of the body of Christ? Do we take our calling to be a part of His church seriously? Do we use our gifts for His kingdom and His glory. Do we understand what it is to belong to something bigger than ourselves in this sense. The sin of the American culture is selfishness. We plan according to our own personal wants and desires with little regard for the needs of others to whom the Lord has placed us in proximity. Volunteering for the Lord’s service requires a commitment to the Lord and to each other. Do we take that commitment seriously?

PRAYER

Father, I am humbled to realize again just how in control you are. You are able to speak across thousands of years with clarity and intention. We rejoice in Jesus our high priest and we are confident in your love for your people. We look forward to the return of Christ and the ushering in of a new heavens and a new earth. Help us to take seriously this day our calling to be a part of the body of Christ. Let us not forsake gathering together with your people, in your name, but let us encourage and strengthen one another all the more as the day draws near. 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.

I Give Myself To Prayer (Psalm 109 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 109

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. 4 In return for my love they are my accusers, But I [give myself to] prayer. 5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

PSALM 109:1-5

I GIVE MYSELF TO PRAYER

I was taught a lie when I was younger. Someone taught me to say, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But sometimes words do hurt and to be honest the impact of words can last longer than mere physical bruises or even broken bones. As a pastor I’ve dealt with many folks who faced challenges in life precisely because of something that someone else said to them or about them. Words like gossip and insults can do real damage.

James reminds us that, “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6).

So where do we go when someone uses their tongue against us? What do we do when we receive insults or others gossip about us? Sometimes our reaction can be to hurl back insults or to gossip about the gossipers. We want some sort of retribution. We want them to feel what we feel… but that’s not what David does. David talks to God about those who are talking about him. Like Nehemiah he turns insults into intercession. Indeed this is what Jesus commands us to do in the gospel of Matthew, “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).

What grace and comfort there is to talk to the Lord about those who have been talking about us. He knows what we endure. To confess to our Lord the feelings we have and ask for grace to minister to those who have been so mean to us is a healing balm for our soul. Words do hurt, and there are few things that can render their intended poison ineffective. Prayer and forgiveness for our enemies go a long way towards doing that.

There was a church who really hurt my family growing up. They said things about my dad in ignorance that lead to his resignation as their pastor. I hated church and church people for a long time and I knew they were all hypocrites. But when I took seriously the word of God about forgiveness and Matthew 5:44 God did something wonderful in my life and the life of that church. You can read a bit about that story here.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for hearing my prayers. I am reminded that while I was still your enemy Christ died for me. Sometimes it seems like people make themselves our enemies by the words they say. Gossip and insults surely don’t win us friends. You know how I’ve been hurt by words of others. I thank you for the grace of taking my hurts to you. I thank you for the privilege of praying for others. I thank you that by merely praying my perspective on those who offer slander and malicious gossip changes from a position of defense to a posture of grace. I want everyone to experience the same grace that I have experienced from you. I know that while there are times I’ve been abused by others words, certainly there were times where I abused others with my words as well. I thank you for your grace and forgiveness. 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.

Recycled Praise (Psalm 108 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional5 Comments

PSALM 108

1 A Song. A Psalm of David. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy [is] great above the heavens, And Your truth [reaches] to the clouds. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth; 6 That Your beloved may be delivered, Save [with] Your right hand, and hear me. 7 God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead [is] Mine; Manasseh [is] Mine; Ephraim also [is] the helmet for My head; Judah [is] My lawgiver. 9 Moab [is] My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Over Philistia I will triumph.” 10 Who will bring me [into] the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? 11 [Is it] not [You], O God, [who] cast us off? And [You], O God, [who] did not go out with our armies? 12 Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. 13 Through God we will do valiantly, For [it is] He [who] shall tread down our enemies.

PSALM 108:1-13

RECYCLED PRAISE

We have seen this Psalm before or at least we have seen pieces of it in two other places (Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12). In a sense this is a recycled Psalm. David has taken pieces of other Psalms and put them together in a new context and a new way of praise. It think it’s very fitting seeing as how we have been going through these early 100 psalms and noting that God’s faithfulness in the past is fuel for our faith in the present and the future. How great it is that we can use parts of old songs and prayers in the face of our present circumstances.

David blends two thoughts together to meet his present circumstances. He blends the concept of steadfastness/ courage with the principle that it is God who fights for us. When David met Goliath on the hillside his courage came not necessarily from his own ability, but that God wouldn’t let the giant go unanswered. David’s courage came from God.

We can have the same courage facing our present circumstances, especially as we pray and seek after God’s will. We know that it is God who fights our battles and we can take courage and remain steadfast knowing that God is in control.

I can’t help but be reminded today of Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” written at a crucial time in Luther’s life when he was facing persecution. I’ve included the second verse because it’s what sticks out most in my mind in light of our present reading. It has served as an encouragement and has become an anthem in my own life when facing moments that call for courage in our Christian walk.

1. A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your faithfulness in our past that gives us confidence to face the future. Thank you for grace to be steadfast and courageous because you are not a God who is moved or unseated by our trivial challenges, but you are in control of all your creation. We look to you for your wisdom, your grace, your discernment in the midst of whatever challenges we face. We seek after you and your will. 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.

He Saved Them Out Of Their Distress (Psalm 107 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 107

Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, [And] He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. 8 Oh, that [men] would give thanks to the LORD [for] His goodness, And [for] His wonderful works to the children of men!

13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, [And] He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. 15 Oh, that [men] would give thanks to the LORD [for] His goodness, And [for] His wonderful works to the children of men!

18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, [And] He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered [them] from their destructions. 21 Oh, that [men] would give thanks to the LORD [for] His goodness, And [for] His wonderful works to the children of men!

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that [men] would give thanks to the LORD [for] His goodness, And [for] His wonderful works to the children of men!

PSALM 107:5-8, 13-15, 18-21, 27-31

HE SAVED THEM OUT OF THEIR DISTRESS

We have three wonderful kids. At times as they were growing up they got themselves in a few binds. Sometimes it was hurt feelings over an issue with a sibling. Sometimes it was scraped knees. Sometimes it was something more serious that required a trip to the ER. Sometimes it was a mess of their own making and we had to deal with disciplinary issues at school. The point is that they all had a place to go when they found that they were in a mess. They knew they could come home to mom and dad.

Some days all three kids come in with three or four different types of binds to handle. As their parents we delight in saving our kids through life’s problems. We are here for them.

In the Psalm today we see God’s faithfulness on display over and over again through all the binds that the Nation of Israel finds itself in. God delights in saving his people through their problems. He is present in the famines, the storms, the messes of their own making and more. He is an always present, always able God.

Notice how gratitude is tied into salvation. The Psalms at this point are teaching us to remember and be thankful for God’s goodness. He indeed is a God who saves!

Often I pray and I thank God for His goodness to me and to us as a people. It’s one of my “go to” things whenever I pray. Part of it is routine, but the reason it is routine is because I don’t want to forget the goodness of God. It is something that in some sense is future tense, but is also past tense and present in my life. His goodness has undergirded my existence and is beyond my temporal experience. It is present when I see it and recognize it and it is present even when I don’t feel it. God is good! And he is worthy of our praise!

I can’t help but be reminded of how Jesus tells us to go to the Father in prayer recognizing that he is the giver of good gifts. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:11)!

PRAYER

Father, You have been my rescue and deliverer in all of my scrapes and binds. You have delivered me from my sin and given me eternal life in Jesus Christ! You have guarded my path and guided my steps when I have trusted in you. You have been a shield and my salvation! I rejoice in your goodness. You are a good father who loves his children and delights to give good gifts. I celebrate your goodness today and am grateful for your kindness that had been shown to me. Let me reflect your love and grace to others this day! 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.

The Sin of Forgetfulness (Psalm 106 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 106

We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly. 7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea–the Red Sea. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; So He led them through the depths, As through the wilderness. 10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated [them], And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 The waters covered their enemies; There was not one of them left. 12 Then they believed His words; They sang His praise. 13 They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,

PSALM 106:6-13

THE SIN OF FORGETFULNESS

I am delighted to post on facebook each Sunday evening about our worship experience at church. I generally look back at the day and share a few of the many things I am grateful for. To be honest, some Sundays are tough. Many are filled with stress and anxiety of trying to communicate with so many people both corporately and individually. If I wanted to complain, Sundays provides no shortage of opportunities to commiserate about the problems I perceive. But I believe Sunday and the worship of the LORD serves a greater purpose than dwelling on our problems, it is a day to reflect on the goodness and grace of God. It’s a day for praise! So I post what I am grateful about in the gathering of the saints each Lord’s day. I do it for my own heart as well as to disciple those who are prone to pessimism.

Some have confused this with boasting, if it is, it’s certainly in the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24, 1 Corinthians 1:31) and not in what I’m doing! The practice has been so good for my heart and my relationship with the Lord. I lament for those who I sincerely believe belong to the Lord, but are critical of me for doing what the Lord has commanded us all to do: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord [is] at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:4-8).

Today as I read through this Psalm I was aware of just how bad an attitude of ingratitude can be. When we forget what the Lord has done, we stop looking for Him to work in our lives and trusting him for the future. Ingratitude is a sin and here it is noted as forgetfulness. Not the kind for forgetfulness that happens with age or as a side effect of taking medications, but the intentional dismissal of how God has moved in the past.

How terrible it is to forget the deeds of the Lord for then we enter into lives challenges filled with anxiety and depression. We face obstacles ahead of us forgetting how the Lord has conquered the challenges behind us. We turn in on ourselves and fail to look forward in faith. Not only do we sin against God by forgetting His deeds and being ungrateful, but we heap anxiety and fear into our lives like never before.

There is a reason that praise is a remedy for our fears. There is a reason that David’s melody soothed a troubled kings heart. It is right and good to praise God and be grateful for what he has already done so that we can rightfully trust Him and rejoice in what He will do. Every problem before us becomes a platform for Praise. Praise God for those people he puts in our lives who have come along with the Word, not to teach us something we have never heard before, but to REMEMBER the Lord!

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful for your word. I am grateful for the psalms that teach us to cry out to you in the good times and bad, the happy and sad times of life. I am grateful for how I have seen you move in my own life. I cherish the opportunity to remember your testimonies and how you have delivered me from my sins. I am grateful to see your hand at work every day in my life. I pray that I would never lose sight of my purpose for all the problems I face. 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.

Into the Dark (Psalm 105 Devotion)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional1 Comment

PSALM 105

He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants. 26 He sent Moses His servant, [And] Aaron whom He had chosen. 27 They performed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made [it] dark; And they did not rebel against His word. 29 He turned their waters into blood, And killed their fish. 30 Their land abounded with frogs, [Even] in the chambers of their kings. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, [And] lice in all their territory. 32 He gave them hail for rain, [And] flaming fire in their land. 33 He struck their vines also, and their fig trees, And splintered the trees of their territory. 34 He spoke, and locusts came, Young locusts without number, 35 And ate up all the vegetation in their land, And devoured the fruit of their ground. 36 He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land, The first of all their strength.

PSALM 105:25-36

INTO THE DARK

How does God harden the heart of an individual and send them into the dark? He does it with the Light! Note John 3:19-21 says, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:19-21). Or how about Isaiah the prophet who says, “Here am I! Send me!” and what is the promised result for this evangelistic fervor? “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here [am] I! Send me. And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:8-10).

Then there is the curious case of Judas Iscariot who walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, and saw him perform sign after sign. He sat at Jesus’ feet when he was teaching. He experienced casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Yet, we are told that Satan entered into his heart and just moments after Jesus had looked him in the face, shared a meal, and washed his feat, Judas walks out on those same two feet into the night to betray Jesus.

In today’s passage we see how God used the plagues in Egypt to plunge Pharaoh and his servants into darkness. Not just metaphorically, but physically as well. Was this judgement or was it grace? On the one hand God has come against Egypt in such a way as to demonstrate that all their god’s are worthless idols beginning with their pagan sun worship all the way down to honoring pharaoh as a god himself (by taking his first born son). It was grace to show that the Egyptians had placed their hope in false gods, but it would become judgement. When their gods were proven to be false and the LORD was proven to be true, they didn’t forsake their false gods for worshipping the LORD. Isn’t this what Jesus said in John 3:18? “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

So as God delivered Israel from Egypt and softened the heart of his people (and a few Egyptian converts along the way) he also hardened the hearts of Pharaoh and many other Egyptians. But we note it was the same miracles, the same signs, the same plagues, that were to bring about the salvation of one nation and the judgement of another.

The sobering reality is that this is how God does his work. We must respond to what light we have today so that we are not plunged into darkness later. Our reaction to Jesus matters. Am I pressing in to him or am I running from His persistent grace? God’s word doesn’t return void. As one African theologian put it, “The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.”

PRAYER

Father, Thank you for your persuasive grace that opens eyes to see and hearts to believe. I want to always be pressing into the light of grace that you have shed on my heart. I want to draw near to you. I want to drink deeply from your grace and mercy. Keep me from ever hardening my heart to you. I pray for those even now who have appeared to harden their hearts. I ask that you would soften them to receive the light of your gospel and grace, rather than shrink back from the holy, I pray that they would press into your grace and mercy. 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.