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