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Psalm 77 – Turning Point

Throughout the book we see the Psalmist on an up-and-down journey. We see psalms of victory riddled with praise, we see psalms of discouragement reflecting dark days of the soul, and most often we see psalms with elements of both. The only thing that seems as consistent as this reality of a roller-coaster type journey is the obvious “turning point” found in each. It’s the attitude expressed that always seems to get them over the hump.

“I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” – Psalm 77:12

This is great instruction. When we focus on the bad, we spiral down. When we meditate on the loss, we suffer more loss. When we consider our works and deeds, they are always second (or worse) to someone else’s out there.

But, when we focus on the greatness of our God, when we meditate on His great victories, when we consider His works and His mighty deeds. Things change.

Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; 

You display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

Psalm 77:13-15

Psalm 76 - God's Got Game

Guest Post: Tray Pruet

"You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains, rich with game." - Psalm 76:4

Well I actually added that last comma….sorry God, but he does have game….and it’s rich.

I was just amazed yesterday, and I was searching for words to describe God….but realized that any word used, falls short. Not that ‘resplendent with light’ came to mind….but I realized that all these descriptions, are merely words trying to capture the glory of the Creator. All the Psalms, 150 in all…..with all the words contained, still fall short. Yet we live as though we are serving a finite God. We give Him a Sunday or two every now and then to hold him at bay.

I read yesterday that in recent years, via the Hubble telescope that it is (conservatively) estimated that there are 350,000,000,000 galaxies….conservatively estimated! Why? Why did our Creator create things that no one in history knew about until recently. Maybe he is wanting us NOW to know….even with your fancy computers and telescopes....you cannot fathom the depth of me. You could spend your whole life trying to describe me…and still fall miserably short, not even scratch the surface.

God forgive me for not giving you my all, and forgive me for thinking you are smaller than you are.

Psalm 75 – Approachable

I’ve enjoyed being married to an author and communicator. It’s interesting to me to see how people interact with Jen depending upon how they know her. If you were to watch those who first met Jen through one of her books or from the audience of a conference she was speaking at, you’d think she hung the moon (Which I’m pretty convinced she did). It’s fun to listen to the emails that come to her saying “I know Jen probably isn’t the one who checks all the emails” as if she has a team of assistants doing it for her. It’s flattering to see women at the “signing” table, wanting to grab a quick picture with her, and give their 15 second expression of how much they appreciate her work.

It’s fun to hear the stories because to me, to her kids, and her friends, she’s just Jen. The gal we love, adore, and appreciated just as much even before the first book was published. To us, it’s no surprise her fan base is growing. We’ve been fans for years. The more you know her, the more comfortable you are around her, the more you know you can be yourself, the more you know you can trust her, the more you know… she’s just Jen. (Sorry Jen, if you somehow found this, I know you’re embarrassed that I’m even writing this.)

Each of us has experienced our own level of “celebrity status”. Most of us with crowds like our third grader’s classmates, because we brought the cup cakes. Regardless of who’s expressing it, it feels good to be appreciated. And it feels good to express appreciation to others… especially those we hold a high opinion of.

In Psalm 75, the Psalmist gives us some insight to how we can interact with a really big God. It reminds us that we don’t have to be star-struck or deal with a personal assistant whose job is to keep you from wasting His time.

“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.” – Psalm 75:1

I was captured by this phrase, “Your Name is near”. So I did some research on why the Psalmist chose to use the word “near”. What I found is that it’s also the Hebrew word commonly used for “neighbor” and is meant to communicate a close physical proximity in where we intentionally take residence. Its root means “to cause to approach” or “to be approachable”. So it’s not just talking about a neighbor… it’s talking about a good neighbor… an approachable neighbor.

This is the gift of God. That who He is… all He has done… and that His name literally represents a close proximity and personal presence. That closeness is because HE caused it and because He willed it. No wonder Jesus calls us to remain in Him. It’s His very nature to do the same. It’s the reason He came to earth and put on skin.

I’m thankful today that we don’t just have a God of the universe, we have a personal God, who is close and who we can call daddy. A God who is approachable. What does that change? Everything. And as the Psalmist says (twice in one verse), we should give thanks.

Psalm 74 - Devastating

I'm reminded today how we often let the physical and temporary things in our life become central and therefore seem critical. When they are taken away or even challenged it can quickly feel like a devastating loss. In chapter 74, the Psalmist reminds us that while we may be derailed by what we consider a "devastating loss", a sovereign God cannot be contained. No matter the temporal object destroyed, an eternal God is still in control.

They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

They said in their hearts, "We will crush them completely!"
They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

But you, O God, are my king from of old;
you bring salvation upon the earth.

Psalm 74:7-8, 12

Psalm 73 – Order Now

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

It’s interesting to look at life and see how often we reflect on what we lack. We obsess on what is absent from our lives and imagine that all of our problems and anxieties would be resolved if that one element was changed. For the cancer patient it is the desire to be healthy again, for the unemployed it is a job, for the poor it is wealth, for the single it is marriage, for the childless it is to have a child, for the overweight it is to be thin, for the jailed it is freedom.

Some of these are huge barriers and issues. They are factors that if resolved would truly change the trajectory of a person’s life. But, others are just things we like to blame any unhappiness in our life on. It’s easier to point at an external factor as the cause for our poor attitude, than to take responsibility for our actions and behavior. When these feelings take root, envy is not far behind:

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles’ their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. (Psalm 73:3-5)

Through infomercials, magazine articles, and other media we are led to believe that this sentiment is true. Celebrities, executives, and trust fund kids don’t have any of the burdens that plague man. We are told if we just had more money, looked better in a bathing suit, or had a nicer car, our troubles would melt away. But, it is all just a fantasy. True peace comes from the King. His offer isn’t good for the “first 100 callers”, it is good for an eternity, and the benefits start today. Order now, callers are standing by.

Psalm 72 – Taking Lead

We all have a following. It may be as simple as an individual child, an employee, a friend, or someone we’re mentoring. It may be as vast as a company, a team, an organization, or even a church. While the scope in which we lead may vary greatly, we’re constantly in a position of influence.

Leadership has become quite an endeared term to us, and honestly, rightfully so in many cases. However, when we allow the idea of leadership to surpass the significance of what or whom we are leading, and what we represent, we run the risk of losing what makes it special.

David understood this. When praying for his son, and future king, he prayed knowing the benefit of yielding his leadership completely to the path of the one who “spoke and it was”. Here’s what he prayed for and the appropriate response that comes with it.

“Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.” – Psalm 72:1-2

A look into the Hebrew shows that this request was for God to offer a divine level of discretion (justice) and that He would grant him the ability to lead with His righteousness. The word righteousness is the Hebrew word “tsdaqah” which can be applied in a number of ways, each of which are amazingly appropriate: That he would lead with rightness (abstractly), rectitude (subjectively), justice (objectively), virtue (morally), or prosperity (figuratively).

It was a given that if granted, Solomon would then lead with a “straight course”, not veering to the right or left, and offer justice to the “afflicted” (humble, lowly, needy, poor). What a great example to us all, as a praying parent, a dependent leader, and as a developing child (His child).

“This psalm belongs to Solomon in part, but to Christ more fully and clearly. Solomon was both the king and the king's son, and his pious father desired that the wisdom of God might be in him, that his reign might be a remembrance of the kingdom of the Messiah. It is the prayer of a father for his child; a dying blessing. The best we can ask of God for our children is, that God would give them wisdom and grace to know and to do their duty.” – Matthew Henry

Psalm 71 – Drowning

When I was in high school, I went swimming with a group of friends in a pond near my house. After a couple of hours hanging out, one of my friends started flopping around and yelling for help. He wasn’t a very good swimmer and it was obvious he wasn’t playing around.

I remember swimming out and trying to help, only to be rewarded by him pushing me under the water, trying to lift himself up by pushing on my head. It was a short struggle, but we eventually made it to shore. It’s amazing we didn’t both drown.

“Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me.” – Psalm 71:2

Lately, I’ve been drawn to studying world religions again. Specifically the difference between what and who they claim Christ to be, and what and who Christianity claims Christ to be, it’s THE difference.

All other religions place the responsibility on the believer to save themselves through a form of their own “righteousness”. It’s a journey to somehow earn a salvation through righteous acts. In contrast, Christianity is the only religion that depends completely on the righteousness of God, not man’s righteousness, to save us.

Just like a drowning person who simply cannot swim, we need someone else to pursue and rescue us.

This is a crude illustration and certainly doesn’t fully grasp the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, but it certainly reminds me of what the Psalmist is praying for in verse 2 and explains how I can have peace and joy knowing that it’s not my righteousness, it’s his. Not only is it His righteousness, it’s His rescuing, it’s His delivering, it’s His turning, and His saving.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” – Isaiah 64:6

The quickest way to a miserable life filled with doubt, worry, guilt, and condemnation is to think that our righteous acts had anything to do with our salvation. When it’s His grace from the beginning… it truly can be a wonderful life resting in Him alone.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus (John 10:10)

Psalm 70 – EmUrgency

Guest Post: Tray Pruet

"Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; 
O LORD, do not delay.

Was David literally poor or needy?" - Psalm 70:5

I’m thinking this posture of David is one that we all need to take. David could have said….Lord I got this world on a string….I am it’s king…what do you have to offer me, or better yet….what can I do for you today if I have time? Though that was never David’s heart….is it ours? We would never say that…. But I wonder if sometimes in our hearts that isn’t exactly what we give or say. And I love that David seeks God’s urgency. I’ve done this so many times….but my prayers aren’t always answered in the manner or timing that I would have preferred.

As a parent, its one thing to be sitting in the living room watching the TV or talking to our wives….and one of the kids says…mom/dad can I get some help with this homework. We might say….give us a minute, or wait until the commercial. But one of our kids is hurt, or in trouble, or scared…..we drop everything to get there “without delay”. David seeks God’s urgency….because he is in need.

As a Sovereign God, when we seek God urgently…and he responds to us, in his timing…..I wonder what that says? Maybe he is teaching us to wait on Him, maybe he is telling us He’s got this, maybe He is teaching us patience.

Psalm 69 – Not Inoculated

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

Growing in faith is an example of something where we want the result, a stronger faith, without having to go through what it takes to get there. When it comes to faith, I wish the growth process were like an inoculation: you get one shot of faith and it protects you for life. Kind of like a measles shot. That way, we could suffer through the stretching, waiting and anxiety one time and be set from then on. Rather, as we grow in Christ we learn that faith is a muscle, not an antibody. The closer we get to Christ, the more our faith muscles are worked. Even David was continually stretched:

I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail looking for my God. (Psalm 69:3-4)

Throughout his life, David found himself in situations that continued to develop his faith in God’s deliverance. From his start with Goliath to being pursued by his own son, he found the trials he faced continually increased in complexity and required him to turn more and more over to God. While it’s frustrating at times to think that our walk will never get easier, that God will continue to push and stretch us to help us grow, I find comfort in knowing that He does it out of love for us and because He knows that the discipline and strength that we develop during these times brings Him even more glory.

Psalm 68 – Feels Good

There are certain things that are just good things. It doesn’t take a genius to recognize them. Even a child can tell. One of the most obvious good is realized when providing for those who are in need. And while you can’t always trust your feelings, it certainly feels good to help.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing.” – Psalm 68:5-6

God is a good God. While God is just, he is certainly a God of compassion. In the middle of a life filled with amazingly high highs and low lows, David remembers and worships this God of Goodness.

“But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds - his name is the LORD - and rejoice before him.” – Psalm 68:3-4

I love what Matthew Henry writes today: “God is the joy of his people, then let them rejoice when they come before him. He who derives his being from none, but gives being to all, is engaged by promise and covenant to bless his people. He is to be praised as a God of mercy and tender compassion. He ever cares for the afflicted and oppressed: repenting sinners, who are helpless and exposed more than any fatherless children, are admitted into his family, and share all their blessings.”

Psalm 67 – Me Church

Several years ago I had some conflict with another person on my leadership team. To be honest with you, it was a really tough time. While it wasn’t about something that was intended towards them, they took it personally. I found myself really struggling with wanting them to see that it wasn’t about them, and if they could just see that, we could both get over it. All along I was asking God for His blessing and favor for myself. It wasn’t until God told me, “Brandon, this isn’t about you either”, that I started to realize that I had taken something that was supposed to be about Him and was making it about me.

We’re a pretty selfish people. It's our nature… which makes it hard to put others first. It’s also the thing that makes it hard to put God first. This is a big problem in the Church. Most of the time we don’t even realize when we’re doing it. Selfishness causes much strife and tension. When we make it about us, our agenda and our comfort, instead of Him and others, we are simply going and pointing others in the wrong direction. We make it “Me Church” instead of “His Church”. This is what I thought about when I read Psalm 67:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us (Selah) that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” – Psalm 67:1-2

David is praying for God’s graciousness, His blessing, and His favor. This is a good thing. The difference between what David was saying and what we typically pray for is found in verse 2: “That YOUR ways may be known”.

Father, we desire your grace, blessing, and favor. Of course we do. Teach us to desire it not for our name to be known, but for yours to be known, and that others might come to know you as well. Amen.

Psalm 66 - Abundance

This week my ANC Restore Community (Community Group) had the opportunity to hear from the National Director of Habitat for Humanity Egypt. He was a humble man with a huge heart. He started the evening by explaining what he would mean by “substandard housing”. It was obvious that he felt it an important obstacle to cross with Americans to define what that means. He did so by telling stories of families of 12 living in houses 8 x 10 ft. One family he met lived together with 23 people in a house that was 400 SF. He capped it off by telling us how $1300 would be enough to build them new homes and literally change their lives. Even better, since the original $1300 would be reinvested, it would build 10 houses for ten families over the next 30 years.

It reminded me of a conversation I had earlier in the week with Steve Fitch (Eden Projects in Africa) about their upcoming trip to Ethiopia when he mentioned the “minus” four-star hotels they’d be staying at. I mentioned being at some pretty lame motels, to which he replied, “Bro, until you’ve been in a bad motel in a third world country… you have no idea what I mean.”

Then I think about those who lost everything they had in the apartment fire in the St. John’s district in Austin this week. When I first got the email about what had happened from a pastor friend in town, they described the people as losing everything they had. Very few if any have renter’s insurance. Very few if any have extra money in savings. Few have family they can move in with long term. And most have no “Plan B”.

These were three reminders for me this very week, each one of them offering some perspective. Each brought a lesson through the lens of contrasting abundance. Abundance is defined as an “extremely plentiful or over-sufficient quantity or supply”. Supply of what?

Enter Psalm 66… David Says that God brings us to a place of abundance:

“For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads, we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.” (Psalm 66:10-12)

With all the wealth, power, and position David had, he still found himself on the run for his life, living in caves, being slandered by those he valued. Yet he always found a reason to worship God and was known as a man after God’s own heart. While he certainly took moments to genuinely express his times of struggle, the overwhelmingly majority of his Psalms were wrapped in remembrance of God’s faithfulness and hopes for His promise to come.

So where does he find abundance? Let’s skip ahead to Psalm 62. It leaves no doubt.

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; 

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your hearts to him, 

for God is our refuge. 

Selah

Lowborn men are but a breath, 

the highborn are but a lie; 

if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; 

together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion 

or take pride in stolen goods; 

though your riches increase, 

do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken, 

two things have I heard: 

that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.

Psalm 62:1-2,7-12

I had a conversation last week with a friend about the authority of Scripture. I was sharing with him how over the past year or two, while I’ve always known it, God has shown me how all of scripture points towards a singular theme: The Cross (our desperate need for it and God’s Kingdom come and eternity through it).

That being true, it exposes my nature to constantly place my mind on the temporal, especially on the topic of abundance. Abundance is not what we have physically. Abundance is what we have eternally. If we believe the Gospel, we must believe this. We have hope abundantly through Christ. While it’s true that we have so much, it should not be the source of our abundance. While we should be thankful and even humbled, we should consider it nothing compared to His unconditional love.

“But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” – Psalm 66:19-20

God has not withheld eternity. Through His mercy and grace, He has offered life abundantly. Of all the days I’ve read Matthew Henry, I think today’s writing on David’s prayer in Psalm 66 nails it:

“It was not prayer that fetched the deliverance, but His mercy that sent it. That is the foundation of our hopes, the fountain of our comforts; and ought to be the matter of our praises.” – Matthew Henry

Abundant indeed.

“Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” – 1 Peter 1:2-3

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” – 2 Peter 1:2

“Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.” – Jude 1:2

Psalm 65 - Praised

Just a few thoughts from Matthew Henry today on Psalm 65:

6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,

7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.

8 Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy.

9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it. [a]

10 You drench its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its crops.

11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.

12 The grasslands of the desert overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.

13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.

"All the praise the Lord receives from this earth is from Zion, being the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, and acceptable through him. Praise is silent unto thee, as wanting words to express the great goodness of God. He reveals himself upon a mercy-seat, ready to hear and answer the prayers of all who come unto him by faith in Jesus Christ. Our sins prevail against us; we cannot pretend to balance them with any righteousness of our own: yet, as for our transgressions, of thine own free mercy, and for the sake of a righteousness of thine own providing, we shall not come into condemnation for them. Observe what it is to come into communion with God in order to blessedness. It is to converse with him as one we love and value; it is to apply ourselves closely to religion as to the business of our dwelling-place. Observe how we come into communion with God; only by God's free choice. There is abundance of goodness in God's house, and what is satisfying to the soul; there is enough for all, enough for each: it is always ready; and all without money and without price. By faith and prayer we may keep up communion with God, and bring in comfort from him, wherever we are. But it is only through that blessed One, who approaches the Father as our Advocate and Surety, that sinners may expect or can find this happiness." - Matthew Henry

Psalm 64 - iPhone Cowboy

The other day I saw an old cowboy sitting in the back of his Ford F-350. He was a leathery faced, cowboy-hat-toting, old school cowboy. He was sitting on the edge of the pickup bed, pretty sure he had a big dip in his mouth, and was sharpening his knife like he was on the North 40 about to skin a rabbit. The irony was that he was sitting in the parking lot of Starbucks, with his triple venti latte next to him, his earbuds lodged in his ears, talking on his iPhone.

Somehow grouping a knife with Starbucks and technology seems a bit random. They just don’t go together.

I’ve typically felt the same way when reading scripture about sharp objects and our words. Intellectually, I can easily make the connection. But I think in application, most of us fail to couple the two together. We treat them as unrelated. Somehow we forget that the two go naturally together. And when that reality is neglected, it’s usually a really bad thing that results.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from that noisy crowd of evildoers.

They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

Psalm 64:2-3

David reminds us that his enemy’s conspiracy and evil talk are intentional daggers against him. Throughout scripture we are reminded that it’s not just our enemies that do so, we must be aware, we do it as well:

Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.

Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue that says,
"We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips - who is our master?"

Psalm 12:1-4

Father, Your Word tells us that our tongue is like a ships rudder. Such a small thing turns the entire ship. Many times we are sabotaged by our own tongues. We betray ourselves. We betray others. We do damage beyond what our heart intends. Help us God. If what comes out of our mouth is a true overflow of our hearts… please help us. Help us to pray the claim of Job, “my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit.” We cannot do this on our own. We need a new heart. We need a new mind. Help us in Jesus name, Amen.

Psalm 63 – Starving

Fun Friday. That’s what I call it.

It’s the first night when Jen is speaking at an out-of-state conference and I turn into “Super Dad”. Fun Friday usually entails a dinner out on the town, some type of entertaining event like a movie or putt-putt, and wraps up with a shake from Fran’s.

A couple of months ago, I had a bit of a busy Friday, and “Super Dad” was running a little late on delivering the Friday fun. To which the kids quickly pounced claiming they were “starving”.

Feeling a little under the pressure, I entered into a lecture on how none of them have ever known what it feels like to actually be “starving”. I went on to tell them that from now on, “starving” is not a word we are allowed to use. You can say, “I’m hungry”, but never “I’m starving”.

The reality was that I was starving too. And it was making me a bit cranky.

It’s amazing what we’ll say and do when we’re in need. It takes us to a place of vulnerability that we cannot easily hide. Eventually it shows up in our words, demeanor, and even actions. Sometimes it can be a good thing. Sometimes it can be bad.

David was in the desert when he wrote Psalm 63. He was in need. He might have been a little desperate. Probably a bit vulnerable. And for him, it was a good thing, because He leaned on the strength of God’s faithfulness and goodness:

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you. – Psalm 63:1-3

Matthew Henry wrote, “When faith and hope are most in exercise, the world appears a weary desert, and the TRUE believer longs for the joys of heaven.”

While Henry was speaking mostly of life after death, I think the true believer longs for the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven today. It’s the realm, that because of the cross, breaks through in our lives when we are desperately seeking God and His will becomes ultimate in our lives. It’s the perspective that manifests when we are starving and looking only to God and His goodness to fill.

Father, David wrote that his soul “clings to you” and “your right hand” holds him up. Help us to find this confidence and place. We so easily deceive ourselves and misread our own motives. We so naturally stay self-sufficient. In a “dry and weary land, where there is no water”, thank you for your continued grace and mercy. Amen.

Psalm 62 - Muscles

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Do not trust in extortion, or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. (Psalm 62:5,6,10)

What are we willing to do to find rest? Where do we go when we need rest? Whether it is physical, mental, or spiritual, there comes a time when we need to either catch our breath or unplug our muscles, brain, or spirit from the grind.

It’s well known and documented that muscles actually grow during recovery and rest. The stress of exertion and exercise actually breaks down the fibers and that during the healing process they grow stronger. I think the same holds true with our brains. As we work, think, and imagine, we create new connections in our mind that, as we learn new things and activities, they grow stronger and better connected. However, as in school, you can’t turn on learning 100% of the time. At some point you need to shift to application and reflection. When we take this time to apply something we’ve learned and reflect on why it worked out the way it did, we actually grow stronger.

What about our spirit? I think it is governed the same way and God directs our paths so that when we follow Him we have adequate time and opportunity for spiritual development, application, and rest. That rest is to be found in Him and is the time when our spirit recovers and is strengthened. If we are constantly pushing, trying to find new opportunities to serve, study, worship, and give more, we risk burn out and fatigue from not listening to the Spirit reminding us that we are to “Come to me, you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” Serving, studying, worshiping, and giving are all important, but we can’t fall into the trap of societies motto that “more is better.” Our Spirit is a muscle and we must learn to listen to it, just as we listen to our body after a workout, and keep a balance between overtraining and letting it atrophy.

Psalm 61 – Day by Day

Guest Post: Tray Pruet

"Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him." - Psalm 61:6-7

I was talking to my daughter the other day and she revealed to me that she wanted to live to the oldest woman ever. My thought was…I sure wouldn’t want to live to be that old. I’m not really sure of her motivation….but I would bet that it revolved around the idea of just NOT DYING.

David here isn’t selfishly asking God to increase the number of day his life for his own glory….but so that he could serve Him, to fulfill his vows before God.

One thing that I love about this passage is the correlation between David’s words in verse 8; “Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day.” And the passage in Luke 9:23-25 when Jesus is talking to his disciples “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

It is truly a daily journey, one with choices…and like David, we can choose to honor God or choose not to. Another great verse, Joshua 24:15 say that you must, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve….but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”

Eccl. 12 - Short-Term Memory

A good quarterback has short-term memory. After throwing an interception, they need to forget that they did it and move on. If they can’t get it out of their mind, they’ll be too cautious or even hesitate. Since throwing a football is so much about timing, even the slightest hesitation can cause more mistakes.

We naturally have short-term memory in faith. That may be good for when we fall short, confess, and need to receive forgiveness avoiding a life of condemnation. But at times, our short-term memory hurts us; when we forget about God’s faithfulness and his goodness.

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them" – Ecclesiastes 12:1

I read a book a few years ago called, “Dangerous Wonder”. It was about the time as a kid that our imagination ran wild. A time when we daydreamed more than we worried. A day when we really thought superman could fly.

Then we grew up. And learned that he couldn’t.

I think Solomon is calling us to remember the early days of our faith, a day when we did not doubt our Creator like sifting sand. A day when all we felt was hope in what could be, instead of doubt that it might not. A day when superman could still fly, and we just happened to know superman.

As we wrap up Ecclesiastes, I’m thinking about this pleasure and joy that Solomon speaks of, the fact that most (if not all) of us are chasing after it, yet many have not found it. I’m also thinking about the “knowledge” he refers to throughout the book. And that we typically have much less of it than we think as well.

What captures my mind is this relationship between knowledge and joy. It seems that knowledge almost tortures joy. It seems they have a love/hate relationship and simply coexist in a world separate one from another. Some of the smartest people I know are also the most tortured people I know. In the same way, some of the most joyful people I know... well.. aren't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. I’ve heard it said, and at times agreed, that “ignorance is bliss”. Yet I think we’d all agree that it’s a different kind of bliss… the kind that most grownups would not be content with.

So where does wisdom come into the picture? It may indeed be the missing link between knowledge and joy. I think Charles Spurgeon said it right:

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” CS

Father, teach us to apply what we know. Don’t allow us to find contentment in just knowing. In the same way, don’t let us find contentment in bliss alone. It seems you’re already busy at doing both. So I guess I’m asking for this continued journey that each of us are on. Help us to see the intentional refining, the shaping, and the “becoming” in our adventure as Christ followers. Help us to find true joy and pleasure knowing that we’re on this path as a part of You making us who we need to be. Amen.

Eccl. 11 – Spit Ballin’

There are many areas of our faith in which we really don’t know what we’re doing. We think we do. We act like we do, but we don’t. Paul wrote, “We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.”

However, this shouldn’t keep us from doing what we think we should. We should not remain idle. In fact that’s probably the most important part. As Paul said in Romans 14, “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” Rest assured that one-day we’ll stand before God and we’ll see where we were off. But for now, the only one who knows it all, is God. Chapter 11 reminds me of that:

“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” Ecclesiastes 11:4-6

There’s so much division and argument on the ways we should live out our faith. It’s pretty much always been that way. There’s always been at least two sides to almost every issue. It’s funny how today we can be convinced of something that history shows cannot be solved with our own wisdom. That doesn’t mean we stop trying to understand, it just means we should have a bit more of a humble posture in thinking we know it all.

And whatever we do, we should do it to the Glory of God and out of affection for God. That’s much harder than it sounds. But if that’s truly our motive… I think God will be pleased with our efforts (and scripture tells us he'll give us a hand).

Eccl. 10 – Mixing Words

My 11 year old is getting into a little bit of trouble at school right now. He’s a good kid, first born, who typically avoids breaking the rules at all costs (so it's a bit funny that he's even in trouble). He’s not really in major trouble… he’s just getting a little sassy with his teachers. And he’s just smart enough to think he’s getting away with it. I don’t know where he gets it. (wink, wink). Although the indicators are obvious, he claims he doesn’t know when he’s doing it… so I told him to listen to himself when he’s talking. When he catches himself talking too much, he’s usually a little full of “it”.

“Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness-and the fool multiplies words.” – Eccl. 10:12-14

Our words are important.

There’s also a pretty blatant progression found in these verses that can serve as evidence for when we are speaking foolishly. Especially in regards to other people: First, (1) our accusations or thoughts about whatever we are talking of are unfounded or possibly based on “folly”, (2) our words in themselves seem to rile ourselves up causing us to spiral into more and more madness and (3) we find ourselves constantly reeling in our words trying to convince others to agree.

No good can come from it. And the advice continues:

“Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.” – Ecclesiastes 10:20

This whole chapter is about staying calm and choosing our words wisely. We’ve all struggled to do so. I think that this not only helps us maintain the right posture… but it also gives us an opportunity to evaluate our thoughts and validate them before acting on them.

This is a good reminder, one that we probably all need.

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” – Ephesians 4:29

God, Help us to control our tongue. Your word says it's like a rudder that turns the whole ship... so this is important. More than anything, change our hearts... that our words may just be an overflow of the transformation happening from within. Amen.

Eccl. 9 – Lucky Dog

I was intrigued by these verses today:

“The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope - even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!” – Ecclesiastes 9:3-4

These words remind me of a thought I had this past week while preparing my sermon. I was thinking about how we apply our understanding of God when he is correcting or disciplining us. If we think that God is just a mean puppet master who messes with us for His own sport, we probably won’t respond appropriately. But if we think of God as the righteous, worthy, God of love that He is, we’ll see that His correction is not for sport, but for restoration.

However... regardless of what we believe or think, it does not change truth.

Scripture tells us that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. This is because one day God will reveal himself in a way that no one will be able to deny it. Whether we thought of Him as Lord or not, it won’t change the reality that He is.

As Solomon wrote, “The same destiny overtakes all”… whether we want to believe it or not… “Anyone who is among the living has hope” and as He said, “even a live dog is better off than a dead lion.”

Eccl. 8 – Mind Map

We apply our minds in varying degrees. For our work, it seems the most natural, to apply them the most. We make much effort for our hobbies and likes. With our families, which might seem most intuitive and certainly most deserving, can often be the most neglected… and unfortunately our faith even beyond that.

“When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night- then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.” – Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

Solomon applied his mind in observation of all that we do in order to make sense of it. What he found was that it could not be grasped because it’s understanding was in a realm only a heavenly king could comprehend. Our response?

“Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, "What are you doing?" – Ecclesiastes 8:3-4

I can’t help but think about how different our concerns are as parents than they are as children. “No worries” comes to mind. My kids are oblivious to the concerns of this world, because they are unable to grasp them, are unconcerned if they could, and because they know I’m concerned about the big things for them. What if we could come to a place where we could see how temporal and ungraspable all this really is. And believe that there is one who does know, who really loves us, and who is in control. I would imagine that would bring a certain sense of peace, wouldn’t you say? Probably the peace we’ve been looking for.

It’s good to just let go. It’s good to be a child of the King.

Father, we apply our minds to many things. And most of the time they make us more worried than peaceful. If you help us to grasp anything, help us to remember that you are indeed in control, that you are indeed supreme, and that we can rest in these truths. Amen.

Eccl. 7 - Too Much

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

"Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself? The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." - Eccl 7:16, 18)

Can we be “too good” or “too wise”. Solomon clearly thinks so. How do we know when we’ve crossed the line? I think it’s when we believe we have “arrived” at goodness or wisdom. The day we wake up and think, “I am a really good person because I do x and don’t do y”, is the day we have started to become overrighteous, and probably self-righteous. That’s when it begins to rub off on others as the unattractive, holier-than-thou behavior that people cite as a primary reason they don’t go to church or are turned off by Christianity. The same attributes hold true for wisdom – who can tolerate the academic who sits in his office or at parties and carries on and on about how if people or the world would just do things the way he would prescribe, everything would be fine.

The common thread on both of these, and where self-destruction comes in, is that when we reach this point in our goodness, wisdom, or other characteristics, it becomes about us, and not about God. Our mind begins to attribute the blessings in our life as being earned through our rightousness or our wisdom. We begin to lose sight of mercy and grace and slide into a theology of works or Gnosticism. Better the man who recognizes and remains humble because he remains aware of his sin and ignorance, than the fool who naively thinks he’s got it figured out. Recognition of our shortcomings keeps us clinging to and focused on God.

Eccl. 6 – Smokin’ Dope

Empty calories are usually foods that give you a quick burst (sugar high) but the impending sugar crash is on its way. They seem to have substance but don’t. They offer no nutritional value and typically leave you wanting more. Drink a coke and you typically want another coke. Drink some water and you typically end up with a quenched thirst.

All man's efforts are for his mouth, 

yet his appetite is never satisfied.
Ecclesiastes 6:7

Here’s the problem. Empty calories typically represent all the foods I grew up loving. We quickly acquire a taste for them that is hard to deny. It takes work. The key is to do whatever it takes to acquire a taste for healthier food. While I have yet to master it, I know that if I were to put some discipline and even sacrifice into it and be creative and intentional about finding healthier foods that I like, I could and would acquire a taste for those as well.

And health would be my reward.

I’m thinking today of all my pursuits of faith that have left me feeling hungry. If I were to truly evaluate them, I’d probably find they were representative of empty calories. Most result in a quick hitting energy burst. And most were simply about me, my immediate craving or need, my own knowledge, my traditions, my Christian pride, whatever… Yet the things that leave me full, nourished really, are the things that begin and end with God and others. It’s once again a paradox.

The very thing we are chasing, nourishment of our soul, we allow to be hijacked by our own agenda and desires. And there are no winners.

What does this have to do with “smokin’ dope”? Kinda reminds me of President Clinton when he admitted to smoking marijuana. While he confessed he did it, he also confessed he didn’t “inhale”. Depending on who you talk to, that’s either good because he didn’t “really” want to take it in or bad because he “wasted” a hit. Either way, since he was just riding the fence, it was a lame attempt at both “appearing” cool and keeping it “innocent”. Falling short of both. It was really a lose/lose situation.

So my progression leads me to a reminder of this: Not only is there a natural leaning that leads us to emptiness and wasted effort where there are no winners, but there’s also a way in which the cost is even greater:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” – Prov. 14:12

Eccl. 5 – Promises

Guest Post: Alex Shootman

"When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." Eccl. 5

Why do we promise stuff to God anyway? Sitting in church, saying, “God – if you just do XYZ then I will really behave this time”. We cannot imagine that it makes God feel better when we promise Him something. First of all, He already knows if we are going to keep our promise and second; He does not need our promise. All of these broken promises we have made to God because we didn't have enough sense to just listen and keep our mouth shut when we came into the house of God. So we promise instead of listen. And then we break our promises. We make promises because it makes us feel better. We get sort of satisfied, “I promised God I'm going to give Him everything, you know. Whew, took care of that today!” And then we feel relieved of guilt of amassing things, because after all, it all belongs to God.

But in the end, when we break our promise we feel worse than not making one. And when we keep a promise, it is merely self-discipline, because we cannot earn grace anyway.

“We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot” Abraham Lincoln

Eccl. 4 – Influences

Guest Post: Tray Pruet

"Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning." - Ecclesiastes 4:13

Being poor creates need. Being wise and poor lets you see where you can sustain yourself…get your needs met.

I know this, I don’t want to become the old foolish king. I think about President Obama, and his Cabinet. The President can’t be completely knowledgeable in ALL areas, so he ask those people who are known for their expertise in certain areas to fill in the gaps. The president may have a working knowledge of Finance….but he has a Secretary of Finance (it may be called something else) there to instruct the President in areas of finance. A foolish President would go against (not listen to) the advice of the ‘expert’ in a certain area….much like the foolish king.

God, surround me with your men…and allow them to feel the need to speak into me, when you direct. God allow me to receive your words…..don’t allow my heart to harden. Do what it takes, Lover of my Soul.

I would still like to be more associated with the wise youth. I still enjoy the wonderment of new things. I believe this is why Christ tell us we must be like a child….a child believes 100%....whatever a parent tells them. A child believes a parent can catch them if they fall….100%. Children don’t hold anything back. To a child…a parent has super-human strength. That is the kind of faith Christ wants us to have….not a blind faith, but one rooted in trust and love.

Eccl. 3 - Unquenchable Thirst

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

"He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Eccl. 3:11

What an incredible gift, or curse, God has placed in our hearts. The concept of eternity. For the believer, it is the ultimate carrot to keep us pursuing God, to strive to find and develop a deeper relationship with Him. To have the security and blessing that despite the troubles we face in our lifetimes, there is the promise of an eternity with Him. However, for the non-believer, there is the curse of an unquenched thirst; the unwillingness to have the faith to believe, but being unable to shake the instinct that there must be something else, something eternal.

I think God put eternity in our hearts as the driver to seek Him. Like a hunger pang drives us to the pantry, the pang of eternity drives us to question and seek God. I thank Him for letting me discover and get to know Him, and for continuing to fill me with hunger pangs to get to know Him more deeply. The thirst is never quenched.

Eccl. 2 - The Man in Black

I love Johnny Cash. From the time I first heard “A Boy Named Sue” when I was in fourth grade I was hooked. Although I’ve had seasons following other artists, bands, and genres, there’s always been a place for Johnny Cash.

My favorite album was his final album: “American IV: The Man Comes Around”. It has a simple black cover with a silhouette of Johnny on it and “CASH” in big white letters at the top. It was released less than a year prior to his passing in September of 2003.

The song list is an obvious reflection on life and a pondering of eternity. From the title track “The Man Comes Around” to the final song “We’ll Meet Again”, the CD is packed with a journey of reflection on faith, family, and friendship. The things that when it’s all said and done, he has found to be the most meaningful.

Solomon has found this eternal perspective (in an obviously much deeper, direct, and God inspired way). He lived life to the “full”. He literally dipped his toe into everything that might bring pleasure. He found delight in his work. And yet when comparing the temporal to the eternal, there’s no comparison:

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Solomon went on to reveal that no matter what we believe about these things… it doesn’t change what is true… in the end

“The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.” – Ecclesiastes 2:14

I can’t help but think about the revelation that in due time “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord”. This is a reality. As Johnny said, “when the man comes around”… no matter what we believe about this truth… we’ll not only see it, but we’ll understand it, and we’ll all agree on it.

This brings me both peace and a sense of urgency. It’s an urgency to not only share the Good News of Christ, but also to enjoy the life God has offered. In a world full of legalism and pain, somehow, I think the two work wonderfully together.

“A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Eccl. 1 – Shockingly Refreshing

I grew up in western Colorado. While it certainly gets cold in the winter (and I’ve shoveled my fair share of snow), what might surprise you, is how hot it can get in the summer. It’s a different kind of hot than we get in Texas. It’s a dry hot. It’s a hot that will scorch you in minutes. During the summer, we always seemed to end up swimming, tubing, wading, jumping from bridges and/or fishing in the Colorado River. Since it’s primarily melted snow runoff, it’s shockingly cold. But to a kid on a hot summer day, shockingly refreshing as well.

That’s how I feel about Ecclesiastes. It’s shockingly refreshing. Different. Surprising… Refreshing.

Each of us feel the pull to succeed, to climb the ladder, to follow the rules, to chase after… whatever we chase after… the list goes on. We put the pressure on ourselves to stay in the chase. And we feel the pressure from our culture to do the same. In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, a man filled with God’s wisdom puts it all in perspective.

"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?”

(Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)

Keep in mind here that Solomon is not having a pity party. He’s teaching something very important. And while he does not yet say what IS meaningful, we know what’s coming. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks of study in this book. I know it’s always challenging to me… especially in causing me to rethink my priorities.

Father, I pray that our labor is for you. I pray our toil is about you. Therefore our joy will be for and about you and your mission. Help me to see where I make it about me. Help me to see when I make it temporary and meaningless. I pray that you bring eternal things to the minds of your people. Amen.

Psalm 60 - Skill v.s. Will

"Save us and help us with your right hand that those you love may be delivered." - Psalm 60:5

This verse reminds me of the conversation between Moses and God in Numbers. The Israelites are complaining because they only have manna and no meat and God tells Moses that He will provide meat for a month. “But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?".

The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."

If God wants it to happen, do we really think it can happen? Is His arm too short? Our mindset must be He can do it; the question is “Will He do it?”

Psalm 59 - Troubles

David is obviously in a tough spot. He finds himself in a moment where he simply needs deliverance. While he dedicates the beginning of this Psalm to painting the picture of his situation followed by his plea to God to intercede, he closes it out by showing us (once again) why he is known as a “man after God’s own heart”.

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” – Psalm 59:16

We have troubles. Jesus told us that we would. Then He told us to take heart because He had overcome the world. It’s interesting to me how we’ve slowly come to believe that somehow, if we follow Him, He’s promising that won’t happen. We need to remember that while it may be our goal to live a life without troubles, Christ’s goal is to reconcile us with God, regardless our troubles. It’s his goal to help us find peace with God so when the troubles come we have an eternal fortress.

David worshiped God and sang of his strength and love. He worshiped because God had become his true fortress, his refuge in times of trouble. Whether we have physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual troubles… we can know that because of His love and strength, we have refuge in Him.

Psalm 58 - Ultimate Victory

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then men will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” (Psalm 58:10-11)

Friday was Good Friday, the day we remember a time evil thought it had truly triumphed, when the prince of darkness thought he had succeeded by nailing the son of God on a cross, it is comforting to know that Easter provided a way for the ultimate happy ending. For every moment where it seems the evil and oppressive have won, there is a resurrection and judgment day ahead. God is victorious. Not just “will be” victorious, he “is” victorious. The cross wasn’t a setback, it was victory, although it wouldn’t be recognized as such for 3 days.

God, thank you for your victory and your promise to reward the righteous. Thank you for the sacrifice of your son on our behalf, that we would be able to ultimately celebrate victory with you for eternity.

Psalm 57 - Gut Level Worship

I have a pattern in the weight room. My favorite exercises are the ones that come most naturally to me. Since the lady who just got off the shoulder press did more weight than I can lift, I prefer to just stay away from that machine. My pride, the extra work it takes, and the pain afterwards keep me from focusing on the areas I need most.

This is a common trend when practicing sports as well. Whether it’s golf or dribbling a basketball, when people are watching, we tend to "display" our best shots in both. Even when we DO find the courage to focus on our weakness, rarely do we do so as much as we play to our strengths. And the gap widens.

It’s the same in our faith journey. Each of us has strengths we lean towards. We may have some habits that are good. We may have things we like to do that are good. And there are other things, good things, even biblical things, that don’t come natural to us that we tend to avoid. Sometimes it’s because we don’t like it. Sometimes it’s because we feel we don’t do it well. Sometimes it’s because of pride. Sometimes it’s because of selfishness.

Serving where we benefit nothing is one of those things. And I’m reminded today through Psalm 57, that true and deep worship is another.

Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! 

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; 

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; 

let your glory be over all the earth.

(Psalm 57:8-11)

David worshipped his guts out. He recognized that it took a deliberate “awakening” of his soul to do so. From other Psalms, we know that it came from his great appreciation for and trust in God.

Yet the majority of us look literally bored during worship. Why is that? Since God is worthy of our praise, what’s wrong with this picture? And I just don’t buy the, “that’s just how I worship” thing. Take a moment to think about how we act at a sporting event when our favorite team scores a touchdown or makes a game winning basket… reckless abandon sound familiar? Honestly, that’s a glimpse of how capable we are of worship.

As I think back to when worship scared me, I see a combination of three things: (1) fear, (2) pride, and (3) lack of focus on the one I’m worshipping.

My answer to those three things today are (1) who cares, (2) who cares, and (3) He deserves better.

I don’t say these things to beat up those who don’t worship (and I certainly don’t expect a show from those who don’t know Christ). There are still moments that I’m distracted more than I should be. But I’m done making excuses myself. I’m going to worship with all I’ve got. God deserves better. Scripture tells us that, God inhabits the praises of His people. The gift of God is His presence through His Spirit.

Listen, we NEED the Spirit. The Spirit is our counselor and guide. The Spirit allows us to understand truth. The Spirit walks with us and leads us. If this alone was the benefit of worship, it would be worth it.

I was thinking about the phrase that, “God inhabits the praises of His people” and did a google search this morning. It pulled up a BLOG written in 2007 by a guy who (Believe it or not) lives 5 miles from my house. In it, he was struggling with the etymology of this passage of scripture (Psalm 22:3) since some versions don’t use the word “inhabits”. As he was struggling with whether or not God really did “inhabit” our praise, he wrote:

“Later in the day I went on a rather ambitious bike ride. Early in the ride I was mulling over the idea that God inhabits the praises of his people. I was considering the evidence: not actually a scripture quote, but supported by the whole tenor of scripture and by experience, and even by reason. But somehow that didn't quite satisfy me. Then, out of the blue, God spoke. Clear as day, and quite clearly not from my own thoughts, he said, "Praise me and see if I show up." I laughed out loud. Two reasons: first, the absurdity of making something as personal as God's presence in response to praise into a theoretical exercise which "merits further study." And second, the warmth of God's presence as I immediately began to praise him.

"Praise me and see if I show up." Great line, God! Thanks for helping me see you more clearly and personally. You are beautiful beyond description, absolutely matchless, and supreme over the universe. I love you.”

Great words.

Here’s the deal. It doesn’t matter what some transliterations say about this scripture (By the way, the Hebrew word used does literally mean “inhabits” or “dwell”). God simply shows up when we worship Him. That’s the truth. So let’s take a lead from David. Let’s worship our guts out.

Psalm 56: Fruit of Trust

It seems somewhat impossible that we could actually defeat fear entirely. By the tone of David’s Psalms and through the repetition of his requests, it communicates one of two things: either (1) that he’s reminding himself that he should not fear or (2) he’s actually experienced a complete departure from fear. Either way, it is accompanied by complete trust and the natural response of worship…

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” – Psalm 56:4

…and the fruit of trust? The elimination of fear.

“In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” – Psalm 56:11

I guess the reason this section stands out to me is because of the glaring areas in my life that I still fear. While I still worship, I wonder today how much this fear inhibits a complete abandonment in my expression of thanks. I wonder where else fear is holding me back.

Father, your Word says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear”. Help me to let go of pride and selfishness and teach me to trust you in all areas of my life, that I might not get in the way of your work. Amen.

Psalm 55 – Argument & Anguish

It’s Holy Week. Some call it Passion Week. Today (Tuesday) is known as the “Day of Argument”. It was the day when Jesus’ authority was challenged in the temple. It was the day he confronted the Jewish leaders, the day of the Olivet Discourse (The Great Eschatological Discourse), and the day Judas agreed to betray Jesus.

I can’t help but think about these confrontations as I read David’s words about the “stares of the wicked” and those who revile him in their anger:

At the voice of the enemy,
at the stares of the wicked; 

for they bring down suffering upon me 

and revile me in their anger.

My heart is in anguish within me; 

the terrors of death assail me.

Fear and trembling have beset me; 

horror has overwhelmed me.

I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! 

I would fly away and be at rest.

Psalm 55:1-6

For David, there was much anguish and terror in this season. For Jesus, we know there was much anguish as he considered the gravity of his journey later in the garden. And just as there was a moment of surrender for Jesus when He submitted to God’s will, we see David’s surrender to the reality of resting in God’s rescue and peace (vs.6)

Then in verse 22, David reminds us again of God’s “upholding” and sustaining power:

Cast your cares on the LORD 

and he will sustain you; 

he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 55:22

On the cross, what might have seemed to an observer, to be the greatest fall… of the one we know to be the most righteous… to those who believe, became the greatest victory.

David knew this truth. Not yet framed with the exact path in which Christ would give up his life, but certainly with the surrender and trust that it represents. The full absorbing of the reality that even in death, we find victory.

David understood the paradox in our journey. The one that we so easily forget… that in our worst moment, thru our greatest trial, at the time of our most horrifying fear, we can find peace. Most of what we know, feel, and see is temporal. God is sovereign, His love is eternal, and His grace is enough.

Psalm 54 – Take Hold

Last night we celebrated the first year of Austin New Church. It was an amazing time of worship, reflection, celebration, and commissioning. As I sift through all my emotions, more than anything, I just felt comfort. Seemed strange to me really… I try to be really aware of “feelings”… and that’s honestly where I was. Then I read Psalm 54 this morning:

Behold, God is my helper;
The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
Psalm 54:4 (NAS)

When I first read this verse, it sounded like the focus was on us... my help... my sustainer. It sounds as if it’s almost written to communicate God as fuel for our agenda. But it’s not. And since our nature is to so easily make things about us, I thought I’d dig in a bit

Here’s what I found:

The Hebrew word (azar) translated into the phrase “my helper” actually means to “surround and to protect”. The word “sustains” (camak) means to “take hold of” or to “uphold”. And if you look into the NAS instead of the NIV, you see that it says not only does the Lord, “take hold of” us, He takes hold of our “soul”.

The focus is celebrating God's effort, not ours. The emphasis is on His love nature and ability, above all others, to surround and protect. The victory is found when He takes hold of our very soul. This is where true comfort comes from. When God surrounds and upholds our soul. This is true sustenance.

Father, the word “sustain” has been a big theme for me lately. I know there are all kinds of surface things that keep that in my mind, some more selfish than they should be. But I also have a great desire to find my sustenance in you alone. I desire to find comfort in you. Thank you that you are able. Thank you that you are love. And thank you for making a way through Jesus to live in a restored relationship with you. Amen.

Psalm 53 - Denial

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane (I love the quote at the end)

The fool says in his heart, “There is not God.” (Psalm 53:1)

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Rom 1:20)

Atheism is living in denial of God. Denial can happen around a number of events in our lives from disease to death to personal flaws. In most cases, we choose denial because it is easier than dealing and living with the alternative. The same holds true for atheists. It’s easier for them to live their lives without the tension caused by knowing there is a creator and judge. It’s easier to live without feeling we are ultimately accountable for our behavior and decisions. It’s easier to believe we’re here by an evolutionary accident than because we are loved. It’s easier to live without responsibility than to have to answer to God.

In this Easter season we can’t come to the cross without considering all of these things. When we think of our accountability before God it is overwhelming and, ultimately depressing. How can we stand before a holy God with the sin in our lives? How can we face Him with the unmet needs in this world? We can’t. Not without Jesus. Without Jesus the prospect of considering and facing God would rationally lead to denial. How can someone live a productive life knowing their destruction awaits at the end of their life? Thank God for Jesus.

He is our path out of denial.

Psalm 52 - Huge Accusations

My kids are liars. Well, at least that’s what they say about each other. If you were to ask the accused, they would say they were actually “just kidding”. I digress. To call someone a liar is an amazingly strong accusation. We don’t let our kids get away with it (even when it’s true) instead we teach them to say, “I’m not sure you’re telling the truth” as a healthy alternative.

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

Your tongue plots destruction; 

it is like a sharpened razor, 

you who practice deceit.

You love evil rather than good, 

falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah

You love every harmful word, 

O you deceitful tongue!

Psalm 52:1-4

Plotting destruction, speaking deceit, and liking it: These aren’t small accusations in the eyes of God. To make them, you better be sure. And if it’s true, we better beware, especially if there is any part of us that enjoys it (See verse 4). David understood that. He knew both sides of that fence. His strategy? Chase after the heart of God and ask Him to search through his.

Our problem is that we are people of extremes. And we fool ourselves. We don’t understand that there are soft and secret words that can be just as harmful and deceitful as the loud and proud (vs.4). We don’t consider it evil when we stretch the truth or make assumptions about others, yet scripture tells us that any speaking falsehood is evil (vs.3). We think each word stands on its own although scriptures shows how each word builds on it self and can become even an unintentional plot of damage (vs.2). And we don’t even see how when we do this, even in private, we are a disgrace in the eyes of God (vs.1).

David understood what was at stake. Psalm 52 reminds us in verse 5.

“Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.” – Psalm 52:5

Wow, that’s serious. There are three things that stand out to me in this list of consequences: The first seems to be a personal consequence, whatever that may look like, the second of provision or position, and the third possibly the consequence of a full or vibrant life.

These things are significant. As believers, how we view others is significant. How we view ourselves impacts how we view others regardless of who they actually are. And it’s a big deal to God. So big that David has confidence that God won’t put up with it.

We need to invest more time into thinking how we treat one another.

Father, the hidden sins are the hardest for us. The irony is that they’re the most obvious to others. We easily fool ourselves. We indict ourselves only on what we think others see or know. And we begin to believe it ourselves. I’m reminded today that you know everything. And we could be indicted on every account. So we come back to Grace, the very thing that Christ came to give. Thank you for that act of benevolence. Amen.

Palm 51 - Do Anything

Since this is the online version of my personal study and journal, I usually don't publish "guest posts" two days in a row. But I just thought this was so good that I wanted to share it. It's from Tray Pruet, Associate Pastor at Austin New Church:

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." - Psalm 51:12-13

I think this is an awesome perspective. David has just, in his own words, ‘sinned ONLY against God’ by committing adultery with Bathsheba. Nathan has confronted him about his sin. But what about Bathsheba, what about the murder of Uriah the Hittite? Yes there were personal offenses….sins even……but David recognizes that ultimately….the offenses…even the LUST and the LYING were infinite offenses against an infinite God.

And here David comes in verse 12 and 13….and says, (paraphrased) God…do what you need to do (Hebrew) tear me down to build me up. Physically break me, restore my joy of salvation you gave me.

A friend of mine in construction from Corpus once told me,

"In the renovations of older homes…you can never have enough money in job to cover the cost of what you can’t see. What lies behind the walls or under the floor is always a risk. The walls are a veil to the mess that lies beneath."

In this weekends Serve Austin Sunday project (at Soli Deo Gloria), we got to experience some of that first hand. We were to replace the subfloor of the bathrooms (because they were old and squishy), replace the tile, and reset the fixtures. Easy enough, until you cut into the subfloor and find moisture. Not only has their been a water leak, but the sewage line, that is all gravity fed….is running uphill (not a good thing). It may have even been originally built this way. So several things now have to be TORN APART to be made right.

That is what David is saying here…. God, I know I was born this way…. "Surely I was sinful at birth, 
sinful from the time my mother conceived me…" (vs.5) So no matter the mess, no matter the cost, no matter the pain, tear me down, to restore me…..so then I can help restore others. In the Hebrew…the word ‘restore’ in verse 12…is exactly the same as "turn back to you" in verse 13.

At Austin New Church, this is what I hope to see happen time and again. To see people come to faith, or return to faith, so that they in turn can point others to the joy of Salvation in Christ alone.

Psalm 50 - Promise & Obey

Just a short post today coming from a friend on Psalm 50:

"What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you." -Psalm 50:16-17

God has made many promises to us throughout scripture. From promises of eternal life through the belief in His son (John 3:16), to others about health, blessing, wisdom and peace.

After reading this today I’m reminded of the promise “fads” that sweep over the church from time to time. “The Prayer of Jabez” is one that I think fits this well. There were thousands of people who believed that by reciting the simple prayer (it is a good one, by the way) they could bind God to His promise to “bless them greatly”. I wonder if Bruce Wilkinson had included this verse from Psalm 50 as a postscript, what people would have thought. The people who want the promise without the obedience or the blessing without the faith.

God, as you renew your people and your church, fill us with the desire to love your instruction and your Word. Glorify yourself through our obedience and lead us in your everlasting way. Amen

Psalm 49 – Threatened by Love

Over the past year and a half (or so) I’ve been approaching the Bible in a different way. I’ve been reading it looking for the answer to the question, “God, in what ways did you love us?” It initially came from Jesus’ command, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

I’m reminded of this search today as I read Psalm 49. I really hope to not only understand the instruction of God’s word but also to hear the utterance of His heart.

“My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding. I will turn my ear to a proverb; 
with the harp I will expound my riddle” – Psalm 49:3-4

What’s behind this for me? I’ve come to a place where I’ve embraced the reality of struggle in the Christian journey. I'm not talking about the struggle of comprehending doctrine or truth, more so the struggle of not understanding our own flesh and our battle to actually do what’s right. Paul addressed this struggle in detail in his “I do not understand what I do” speech.

As a church leader, there is an added pressure to “have it all together”. Reality: I don’t. None of us do. There are things we are convinced of, but what about the things we’re not? What do we do? How do we act? How do we lead with confidence?

My answer? “Read with love and lead with love”.

What do I mean by that? First, we should always read scripture through the lens of love. I believe it was written with this lens. When we do, it changes everything. If God is love, why wouldn’t we? If we’d do so, we’d see the “why” behind every mandate, recommendation, suggestion, and hope of the Bible.

Second, always lead with love. This should be the motive and the “how” we do all things. Even when we decide something should be done because of love (even tough love or discipline) in our application, we often let our flesh take over, and leave love at the door. Not a good idea.

It’s interesting to me how much this attitude is being criticized even by many believers. I’ve heard others say it sounds too much like the “social gospel”, or some kind of watered down “new age” movement. Honestly, if we find ourselves resisting love as a real, viable, and holistic answer, we need to take a look at ourselves and ask why we’re so threatened by it. What tradition, personal bias, insecurity, or fear do we have? We should ask this if we hesitate to offer love, even more so if we find ourselves criticizing it.

I guess here’s my point. Love never fails. Love casts out fear. Jesus said the greatest command is love. Paul said that even compared with faith and hope, that love was the greatest. When we don’t know what to do, when we’re confused, when we’re threatened, when we’re offended and even hurt… love. And we can’t go wrong.

Psalm 48 – Corporate Church

I’ve come to truly love the “sending” of the Church. I love the opportunity to band together in unity of Spirit when we go out into our workplaces, social circles, schools, and neighborhoods as ambassadors for something greater than ourselves. I’ve grown to love experiencing faith in new and exciting ways. I’m learning more and more each day the joy that comes from intentionally living out the command to “love others” Monday through Saturday. Call it an attempt to be “missional”. Call it an effort to live “incarnationally”, whatever we call it… I love it.

And I still love the corporate gathering of Church. I love the Spirit and energy. I love the momentum. I love teaching as well as hearing the Word of God. I love times of reflection and prayer. I love taking a moment each week to intentionally recall the cross through communion. Corporate worship through song is one of the most powerful things I experience each week. There is something special that happens when we exalt God together. There is something special that happens when you can physically and spiritually sense the Spirit moving among a body of believers.

As much as Austin New Church is a “sent” Church, it is also a body of gathering worshipers. It’s real. It’s thick. And I love it. For those who struggle balancing the role of the sending and the gathering of the church, Psalm 48 is another small reminder that there is every biblical precedent for both:

“Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.” – Psalm 48:10

“Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” – Psalm 48:9

Psalm 48 is listed as a song of the “Sons of Korah”. In other passages, "the Korahites," are described as expert warriors. More interesting, however, than the fighting Korahites are these “sons of Korah", who were somehow connected with the service of song.

"These are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Yahweh, after that the ark had rest. And they ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerus" – 1 Chronicles 6:32-32

One article I found about these “sons” said,

“In this way we are introduced to David's 3 great leaders in choral and orchestral music. Among them Heman the Korahite has at first the place of primacy, though Asaph, later, comes to the front. The events just referred to are mentioned again, more in detail, in the account of David's bringing the ark to Jerusalem. There it is said that at the suggestion of David "the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel," and also Asaph and Ethan, "and with them" several others, "their brethren of the second degree" (1 Chronicles 15:17,18). The record proceeds to speak of the services of "the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan," and their associates, in the pageantry of the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem. After that, it says, Asaph had charge of the services of thanksgiving and praise before the ark in Jerusalem, while Heman and Jeduthun served in the high place at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:4,37,39-42). Later, the record says (1 Chronicles 25), David made an elaborate organization, under Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, for song and instrumental music.”

Translated: Corporate worship was a big deal to David.

For years I’ve heard people say, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” In our postmodern world, it’s becoming more and more prevalent of a thought. Theologically, you can indeed receive Christ without a corporate gathering, and many have. But I would argue that the Christian life is incomplete without a time in which we come together to make God our centerpiece.

I think our problem is our posture and perspective. While the law certainly put different requirements on the gathering of God’s people, I don’t believe David saw worship as a mandate. I think He saw it as a privilege. I think He loved it. He saw it as an opportunity to exalt the King. He made much of God, and if we want to be known as a people after the heart of God, so should we.

Father, it's amazing how much we make things about us. Somehow we've even managed to do so in our faith. Help us to have a healthy view of both incarnation and exaltation. Give us a passion to be both a sent and a gathering people. Send us with a desire to love others. Help us gather out of love for you. And show us where the two appropriately intersect. Forgive me when I am selfish with my time and affections. Help me fully worship you in all areas of my life. Amen.

Psalm 47 – Reveille

Guest Post: Mike Kilbane

"The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God." -Psalm 47:9

Reveille is the bugle call that starts the day at military installations around the world. The flag is raised, a cannon is fired, and the troops assemble for roll call. The status, “All present or accounted for” is the expected response provided to the commander. I thought of this after reading this psalm this morning and the image of the nobles, kings, and presidents of all nations in formation, being presented to Christ the King.

Given the things going on today in nations across the world: the corruption, graft, oppression, hypocrisy – what would they report to their commander about the health and morale of their command? What if the leaders of the churches around the world were assembled on a similar field? What would they report?

Some day we’ll all be assembled on a parade ground in Heaven. We’ll all be called to do a “pass and review” for the King. For some it will be a time of glory and celebration. For others, a time of agony and unspeakable regret. The papers make it seem that the world is spinning out of control. It is spinning. It is crazy. But, it is not out of control.

Psalm 46 - Opinions

What’s your opinion of yourself? Seriously.

Like when our mom or dad used to say when we got a little out of line, “Who do you think you are?”, maybe we should take a moment to think that through. We all think something of ourselves. Maybe we view ourselves too lowly. Maybe it’s pretty squared with who we really are (probably not). Or maybe we think too much of ourselves, especially in comparison to other people.

The reality is, how we think about our selves impacts how we respond to and feel about others. It may determine whom we listen to, what opinions we’ll adopt, what our priorities are, how secure or defensive we are, and how much we may need their validation. While who we think we are may determine how we respond to others, who others think we are will determine how they respond to us. And we’re not always starting from the same point.

So let's make the jump, what does our lives (how we respond) tell us about our opinion of God? Seriously. How do we feel and what do we believe about Him?

“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. (Selah)”

-Psalm 46:1-3

"Therefore" is a really big word.

God is our refuge and strength… Therefore… we will not fear. Therefore we can trust that His ways are higher than our ways. Therefore we can lean on His ways and His understanding. Since, what we think about and how we feel about God directly impacts how we respond to God, is God our refuge and strength? Do we really see Him as that?

Honestly, many times we tolerate God. While we may fool ourselves into thinking He’s okay with that, or even fool ourselves into thinking we’re not doing that, “that” is not good. We “allow” Him to exist on the margins of our lives, and as long as He doesn’t get too involved, we’re okay. But then something goes wrong, a trial of life hits, or things spin out of our control. Then what do we do?

While God will not simply be “tolerated” (that's another study), He is still full of amazing Grace. Baffles me really. Why does He put up with us? I’m not going to answer that. Instead, today, I’m going to rest in Him. He is my refuge and my strength. Selah.

Father, it’s simply unreal how we treat you at times. Forgive us for our lack of perspective, faith, perseverance, discipline, effort, and love. Because of Christ, I don’t get what I really deserve. Thank you for your grace. Amen.

Psalm 45 – Sustainability

I had a great conversation yesterday with Dave Ferguson, Pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago. It’s a large church with 10 campuses. Dave’s an awesome guy and has a heart for church planting. Since Austin New Church has officially entered the journey of helping plant churches (not just be a church plant ourselves), we were talking about the sustainability of some of the modern church planting movements. And he asked me the question, “What do you mean by sustainable?”

Great question. Initially I thought, well, sustainable is when a church can survive on it’s own without outside support. But then my mind flooded with all the things that should be sustainable that are much more important than even financial feasibility. Is our vision sustainable? Are our values sustainable? Our hope is to create a reproducible model, but while it may reproduce, will it sustain? Do our goals have an inherent reality of sustainability? Are our intentional relationships based on a sustainable foundation or do they end after an event is over? The list continues.

The reality is, the only things that are sustainable are the things of God. And today’s scripture struck a chord with me. Psalm 45 is a wedding song. It’s laced with the imagery of Christ as the coming groom and the church as His bride. As the psalmist begins his description of the groom he writes,

“You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty. In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.” - Psalm 45:2-4

Christ, and all He represents, is eternal. Verse four tells us that it is in truth, humility, and righteousness that He rides forth victoriously and that in his right hand He displays awesome deeds. Verse two says that His anointing mark is grace. It is in His grace that all things sustain. It is in His grace that we find eternity. It is in His grace that we will find purpose beyond our plans.

I’ve had an interesting day already. After leaving an early morning meeting with a group of men from my neighborhood, I sensed the urge to pull over into the parking lot of a traditional Baptist church that I know has seen some recent ups and downs. I sat in their courtyard for a while and just prayed for them. During that time, God convicted me that while I knew all the church planters in the area, I didn’t even know the name of the Pastor who led that church.

As I sat there reading Psalm 45, a wedding song for the Bride of Christ, He reminded me that His purposes are far greater and more sustainable than my plans could ever be. He reminded me that whatever I do as a leader, it needed to include sustainability for HIS church, and never be about “my” church.

It doesn’t take much to make the jump and apply these truths to our personal lives as well. Whether it’s in our family or our career (hopefully both) there are sustainable pursuits and those that are fleeting. Somewhere in there we’ll find contributing factors to the difference between what our reputations are and what our legacy becomes.

Father, your Son taught us to pray for your Kingdom to come and your will to be done. May we see your Kingdom break through in our churches, our lives, our families, and in our priorities. We know this will happen when we submit our will to yours. Give us the desire, the wisdom, the hope, the courage, and the will that it will take. Amen.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” - Psalm 51:12


“Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.” - Psalm 119:116


“Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.” - Psalm 119:175

“The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.” - Psalm 147:6


“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” -Isaiah 46:4


“The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” -Isaiah 50:4