Nov. 30.....all his works

Psalm 103:22 “Praise the LORD all his works, everywhere in his dominion, praise the LORD, O my soul.”

Luke 1:78 “All this is the work of the kindness of our God."

Heavenly Father,

The word work is used in both of these verses, but I’m not sure the meaning is the same. So what is the connection? The Psalm verse calls for praise to come forth from “all his works”. This follows verses that tell of the angels and the heavenly hosts…God’s heavenly servants…giving praise to God. So besides the angels, all that God created “everywhere in his dominion” are to also give praise to God. That would be all the earth. The earth itself when left alone by man, gives praise to God by its beauty and perfection and intricate workings. All God created is good and works together in harmony.

 Man interferes. Man changes and destroys and uses up for his own benefit. How can man…that imperfect sinful being…praise God? Our mouths may “praise” but our actions fall short. Or sometimes our actions “praise”, but our thoughts and words fall short. We never truly “get it all together”. This is where the other “work” that is mentioned in Luke comes in. This work is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This work is the plan of salvation stemming from god’s mercy and kindness and love and compassion. This is God’s “work” to fix his other “works” (man).

The work of Jesus Christ very much praises God! Worthy is the Lamb! Because of Christ’s sacrifice and obedience, his work on the cross, we too can praise God by our redemption. Grace is praise. Grace…the work of the kindness of our God”….is how we his works can praise him, by following his Son!

 Praise the LORD! Praise the Son, Jesus Christ! Praise the LORD, O my soul, washed clean in the blood of the Lamb! Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Amen.

Nov. 29....rejoice!

Psalm 97:12 “Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous praise his holy name.”

1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen him you love him. Though you do not see him now you believe in him, filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Heavenly Father,

“Rejoice”! This command appears often in the scriptures, but sometimes I feel we don’t really know what rejoicing is. We feel inadequate and like we are missing something because we don’t know how to express our rejoicing. Most of us aren’t comfortable with dancing and clapping and singing and swaying and shouting Hallelujah…especially in church! We go to church to find you and worship you, but at the same time we’ve made church a solemn joyless place that stands on rites and ceremony and habit and “proper behavior”. We’ve killed the joy. We can’t rejoice because we’ve never allowed ourselves to display that much emotion in public. We are embarrassed when others do and feel like maybe we’re in the wrong place or that you might be frowning on us. We are bottled up and repressed. The verse from 1 Peter 1:8-9 is an important one. It should explain joy to us and release us to rejoice in all understanding of its meaning. “Though you have not seen him, you love him, and though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Our joy has one source: Jesus Christ and grace leading to our salvation. We have not seen him with our eyes…but we have seen him in our hearts! We see his love and we weep with joy! We see his sacrifice and we believe and accept his gift! We rejoice because we are free! We rejoice because we are loved! We rejoice because of Jesus Christ! Yes, sometimes our joy is inexpressible…and other times we leap and dance and sing and praise his holy name with great abandon! We are filled with joy! Amen.

Nov. 28....your ways are holy

Psalm 77:13-14 “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.”

Is. 54:10b “My love shall never leave you, nor my covenant of peace be shaken.”

Heavenly Father,

I’ve tried to pin down a good definition for the word “Holy”, but never seem to quite get it right. Holy is the opposite of ordinary. We are ordinary, you are holy! Holy is everything that we aren’t…goodness, mercy, love, extraordinary power and presence and wisdom. Holy is God…it is You, the One who was, is and forever will be! The psalm says that “your ways are holy”. The only right way, correct way, holy way is yours. You created, you sustain, you save, you know the Way. You have shown us the Way through Jesus Christ. He is our Way…the Way to our holiness. When we confess Christ as our Savior, we have found the Way. “You are the God who performs miracles”…sometimes we focus too much on that aspect of your holiness and want you to perform every miracle that we dream of, rather than rejoicing in the miracles you have already preformed all around us. We want to use your power and greatness to become nothing more than a “magician” or miracle worker to suit our whims….forgive me! Your power is “displayed among the peoples” in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. You promise that “my love shall never leave you, nor my covenant of peace be shaken.” We can depend on your holiness, and your love, and your peace. Just as you always ARE, so are your holy ways always the same and your promises forever. They are part of you, part of your holiness. Eternal God, eternal grace, eternal presence! Understanding your holiness compared to our ordinariness leads to worship, praise, thanksgiving. We come in humble obedience, to seek you, O Holy God! Show me your face, show me your will, show me your ways, O Holy One! Amen.

Nov. 27....Let all the earth worship

Psalm 66:4 “Let all the earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name.” 1 Cor. 10:16-17 “Because there is one loaf, we who are many, are one body. For we all partake of the one loaf.”

Heavenly Father,

“All the earth”…..Every Sunday morning, around the world time zone by time zone, people will awake and began to worship and praise you. Hopefully this happens on other days, as well. Our songs of love and thanks and praise rise upward to your ears. One body of Christ, one Father on high, one Holy Spirit unites us all! I long for the day that all the earth truly worships you. I long for when the Evil One is gone for good and we no longer live in fear and pain and confusion. Draw all hearts to you, O LORD! Open ears and eyes that are yet shut to see and hear your truth! May Jesus Christ live everywhere and in everyone! There is only One God…Jehovah, God Almighty, Yahweh, I AM! There is only one body of worshipers joined through the love of Jesus Christ! When we take communion we remember Christ’s body and blood given for us in sacrifice that we might all worship as one Body of your children. I rejoice in sharing the cup and the bread with all your children! I give thanks for the opportunity to gather in your name openly and joyfully! I pray for those who must worship you in secret or in danger. I pray that the out-pouring of the body and blood of Christ will wash clean the whole world once more and that a new awareness will arise among the lost, a need to seek and ask and find you! A need to come home to their Father through Jesus Christ the Son and Savior! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

Nov. 26....blameless life

Psalm 26: 11-12 “I lead a blameless life, redeem me and be merciful to me, my feet stand on level ground in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.”

Heavenly Father,

This psalm confuses me. The entire psalm is claiming a “blameless life”….a life devoted to you. We strive for that, but can anyone claim it? It makes me think of Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee praying in the temple about how good he is. Isn’t this what we are not suppose to do??? I guess what it really says is what most of us feel…I try, Lord, I try! We stumble through life trying to be the blameless person in this psalm. We want to love you with all our heart, mind, soul, and body. We want to follow your commands and obey your will. We want to be whole-hearted in our faith, and completely trust in you and believe without doubts…but we fail. Like the publican in the temple, we mutter quietly, with all honesty, “Be merciful to me a sinner.” Even here among the bold statements in this psalm about blamelessness, David adds the same plea…”redeem me and be merciful to me.” We all fall short no matter how hard we try. However, you gave us the solution to the problem…Jesus Christ, the only true “blameless life” ever led. The only One who can say in all truthfulness that he has loved and obeyed you fully! We come to you through him…our blameless sacrifice, our worthy Lamb, our Salvation! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.” (John 3:16) “God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ…it is by grace we have been saved.” (Eph. 2:4-5) No…I haven’t lived a blameless life. But…Jesus has and Jesus died for my sins that I might appear blameless through him! Thank you, O merciful God! Amen.

Nov. 25.....fountain of salvation

Psalm 96:1-2 “Sing to the LORD a new song, sing to the LORD all the earth, sing to the LORD, praise his name, Proclaim his salvation day after day.” Is. 12:3-4 “With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation and say on that day: give thanks, acclaim his name, make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.”

Heavenly Father,

We give you thanks! We sing your praises! We tell of your wonderous deeds and exalt your holy name! Why? Because you have sent your Salvation for all the earth! “With joy, we will draw water at the fountain of salvation.” Salvation is life giving water welling up from the center of Jesus Christ and spraying in an endless fountain of life and delight. I love fountains! I love to watch the water, whether it drips, sprays, runs in a stream, or whatever. Water flowing is an image of life and an image of coolness and refreshing. I have 2 fountains that gurgle and drip in my gardens for the birds. They depend on the fountains to drip and provide water to drink or bathe in . If my fountains stop, they are puzzled and look for the water. Just as I provide their water daily, you provide mine. Salvation is always there, ready for me to dip into and drink my fill, to wash myself clean and be refreshed, renewed, recreated. Your fountain gives eternal life! Your fountain of love and grace never runs dry, never stops providing eternal life for all who come and draw water. All the earth, all who ever lived can draw water without the fountain ever running dry. Our appreciation should be so deep, so heart-felt that we bring everyone we know to the fountain and :”give thanks, acclaim his name, make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name!” Hallelujah! Praise the LORD! Sing of the Fountain of Salvation, now and forever more! Amen.

Nov. 24....O Rising Sun

Psalm 85:7 “Show us, O LORD, your unfailing love, grant us your salvation.” Luke 1:78-79 “Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Heavenly Father, What great faith David and others must have had as they waited year after year for the Messiah. Their daily cry was, “Show us your unfailing love, grant us your salvation.” And then they waited for the hope of the world to come. How much easier for us who know of Jesus Christ and that our peace is here! What joy we should feel every day as we awake! Our cry should be, “because of the tender mercy of our God, the Rising Sun has come to us from heaven, to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death!” Hallelujah! David cried out in longing for what we have been blessed to receive. Our salvation has come! I love the name “Rising Sun” or “Dayspring”. Just as each day the sun returns to bring light to our world, the Rising Sun, Jesus Christ, comes to shine light into the darkness of sin and despair and banish death and its shadow. Thank you, Rising Sun for our salvation! Amen.

O RISING SUN (8-31-06)

O, Rising Sun, return each day To cast your light upon the world To drive the darkness of despair Once more into the night! Salvation bring, cast out our sin Through Jesus’ blood and righteousness And push away the shadow of death With thy most Holy Light! Shine on, O Rising Sun! Shine thy heavenly light! With your ascension in the sky,

Drive back the sinful night!

Nov. 23....never will I leave you

Psalm 38:21-22 “O LORD, do not forsake me, be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O LORD, my Savior (salvation)” Heb. 13:5 “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Heavenly Father,

Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” when he was on the cross and separated from you by our sins. How heart wrenching! Our sins caused that cry of agony from our Lord. We seldom feel “forsaken” in this world where we live. In general our lives move along comfortably. That isn’t true for much of the world, but we have not experienced it ourselves. We most often feel “forsaken” when we or a loved one are in trouble….illness, death, circumstances we can’t control. Only then do we recognize your “absence” in our lives and beg for help. The forsakenness spoken of here is a deeper separation….a lack of your presence because of our sinfulness, a longing for “home” and our Father in heaven who we feel is so far away from because we are so worldly. I think the second line of this verse….”be not far from me, O my God”….is the one that touches my heart. I want to feel your presence more strongly. I want you to be my first thought and my last thought and every thought in between each day. I want to draw near and abide. I am assured of your presence and of my salvation through Jesus Christ. I believe when you say, “I will never leave you, never will I forsake you.” Jesus didn’t die in vain. Jesus died for the salvation of the world and for me! Knowing that creates a longing within me for that perfect world with you…the kingdom of heaven …the “place where you dwell.” My heart cries, “be not far from me”…come quickly! Like a child waiting for dad to come home, I long for my Father. “Save us, O Lord, carry us back”…..bring us home…all of us. Open the hearts of the lost and bring us all home. Amen.

"Redeem me, preserve my life"......

Psalm 119:154-155  “Redeem me, preserve my life; according to your promise.  Salvation is far from the wicked, they do not seek your decrees.”

Matthew 9:13  “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners”.

Heavenly Father,

“Salvation is far from the wicked”----because we sin and don’t obey your commands.  We don’t seek you or ask of your will.  We are selfish and self-centered in our sinful state.  Recognizing these facts is a start in finding redemption and salvation.  When we know how far away and lost we are, we can begin to long for home.  The more we see our sin, the more we seek to find you and beg for mercy.  Those of us who think we are “pretty good” and have a nice comfortable life are actually at a handicap.  If we think we already “have it all” we stop seeking something better.  If we don’t see what we have as bad, we have no desire for something good.  If we feel at home here on earth, we don’t long for our true home in heaven.  That should bother us.  Our imaginations are limited and many of us can’t comprehend what is to come and how much better heaven will be.  We aren’t sure why we should want something better and perhaps don’t truly believe it exists.  We must face our sinfulness!  We must become dissatisfied with this life and this world.  The other world awaits and Jesus has opened a door for us to see it.  We need to look through the Door at what lies beyond.  Scripture gives us hints---no pain  and suffering, a mansion of many rooms, our Father waiting for us, new bodies, a city of splendor, angel choruses, eternal light and praise.---we can’t comprehend such wonders or maybe don’t even think it is what we want.  Our earthly bodies don’t understand eternal bliss and we hate change and the unfamiliar.  But if we allow ourselves to dream and to imagine life with our Father, together in the great family of God, maybe we can began to long for it.  We will cry out, “Redeem me!  Preserve my life according to your promise!”  Jesus came to call the sinners---that’s us!  Jesus came to let us in, to open the door, to show us heaven and the kingdom of God that awaits us!  He is calling----listen!  He is the Way, the Truth, the Life.  Amen.

"He will call upon me and I will answer him".....

Psalm 91:15-16  “He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him; with a long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

John 14:23  “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word, and my Father will love him; we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him.”

Heavenly Father,

This psalm stanza is one of the most reassuring in scripture.  I am so glad it has been set to music, so this beautiful promise can echo in my mind and bring hope to my heart.  I feel such peace at these words.  I may “call upon you” and “you will answer me”.  You will “be with me in trouble”, “deliver me and honor me with a long life”, you will “satisfy me and show me my salvation”.  Just reading the words makes me sigh in contentment.  I feel loved by you.  I feel safe and cared for. The verse from John also has wonderful words of promise---“we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him.”  Wow!  You will come to me?  You will abide with me?  I feel loved, but also overwhelmed and unworthy.  Jesus spoke these words and the “we” is he and the Father.  Both of these wonderful verses have a preface.  The psalm verses began: “because he has love me….” And the John verse began : “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word….”  All we need to do to receive these beautiful promises is to first love you.  You ask nothing more---just love and the obedience shown by that love.  Loving you, calling upon you, obeying you----it seems a small price to pay for such royal treatment----deliverance, salvation, your abiding presence.  Jesus makes it possible for us to receive this abiding.  I am not worthy, but “worthy is the Lamb”!  Jesus carries us into your presence.  Jesus brings you to “make our dwelling place with him.”  He is the Word that we must be true to.  When we love him and are true to him, you came to abide with us.  Thank you for your wonderful promises of hope and love and salvation!  Amen.

Nov. 20.....ask, seek, knock

Psalm 3:7-8 “Arise, O LORD, save me, my God, salvation is the Lord’s, may your blessing be on your people.” Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives. The one who seeks, finds. The one who knocks, enters.”

Heavenly Father,

We can’t save ourselves. “Salvation is (comes from) the Lord’s”. If we want to be saved we have to ask for it. We have to ask, seek, knock until we find our salvation. This sounds like an urgent quest…ask, seek, knock…that we must embark upon. A job, a think “to do”, something that requires work. But salvation is already there, the “work” is finished and done by Jesus Christ on the cross. Our asking, seeking, knocking, is merely our way of coming to you to receive the gift of salvation. We don’t earn it, we don’t “do something” to get it, other than come before you and ask. We search our hearts, confess our sinfulness, and lay our unworthiness and inability to save ourselves before you and wait. I think every Christian must love the story of the prodigal son. We have squandered our inheritance and lived the wild life here on earth. We want to be saved. We want to go home. When we make that decision, we have already received your forgiveness! My favorite line of the story is: “but while he was still a long way off, the Father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” You don’t wait until we arrive broken in spirit, but while we are still for off, you began to run toward us. When we began to ask, to seek , to knock you put yourself there to give us our inheritance and throw a party for us because we have returned. The gift is waiting to be opened! Grace is all wrapped up I your great love and salvation is ours if we want it! Thank you! “May your blessing of salvation, be on all your people”. Run to us, please! Amen.

Nov. 19......longing, thirsty

Psalm 119:174-175 “I long for your salvation, O LORD! Your law is my delight! Let me live that I may praise you, may your laws sustain me.”

Rev. 22:17 “Let him who is thirsty come forward; let all who desire it accept the gift of life-giving water.”

Heavenly Father,

Longing…this idea is popping up a lot in my different readings. The idea that we are strangers, aliens in this world and that we long for our true home. Too often we don’t “long” for this far away home, and instead make ourselves much too “at home” in the current world. We focus totally on feathering our nests with all the things that make us happy and comfortable. We close our eyes to the misery around us unless it knocks on our door. It is becoming increasingly hard to ignore the signs of evil and the possible “winding down” of this world as we know it. We are becoming less comfortable…9/11, terrorists, hurricanes, tornadoes, flood, fires, earthquakes, famine, crime, lowered moral standards, high gas prices, global warming, war, strife, high cost of living, unemployment, lack of health insurance….the list goes on and on of the world’s misery and we are all touched by some part of it. It won’t be ignored! This world is dying. It is time to long for and focus on our true home! Is that your intention? If our “garden of Eden” becomes a snake pit of evil, will our hearts and minds and spirits finally long for salvation and eternal peace with you? It is too bad we have to be forced to see evil before we can seek goodness. We are thirsty for righteousness and salvation! We are ready to “accept the life-giving water” that you have provided! “Let me live that I might praise you!” You are “my delight”! You “sustain me”. You are my God, I am your child. I want to come home! I want to be with you forever! You died that we all might be saved! Lord, save my children and all the world in these last days! Bring us safely home! Amen.

Nov. 18....words and meditations

Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Jer. 17:10 “I alone probe the mind and test the heart”

Heavenly Father,

Unfortunately the “words” that exit my mouth show the “meditation of my heart” and it often is not a pretty sight. Forgive my, LORD, that my mouth opens so easily to say whatever pops into my head without real thought about whether it is appropriate or not. Worse, the words reflect on the true nature of my heart and I find that I’m not the “nice” Christian person that I usually think I am. If my heart were pure and righteous, than my words would be also. I need to not only curb my tongue and the words that shoot out of it, but I need a permanent change in my heart that stops me from thinking the words and thoughts in the first place! It says that you “probe the mind and test the heart” of each of us. You know my deep seated heart condition. You know the source of my thoughts and words. Operate on me, LORD! Cut out the bad, the unkind, the sinful, the hurtful, the proud, the intolerant, the urge to show off and be superior, the urge to command and dictate and rule. I truly pray that my thoughts and words can be “worthy” rather than worthless. I know that only the Holy Spirit within me can make this change. To be truly born anew in all things I must first be emptied of the old and unwanted. I want Jesus to be firmly set in my heart and no other. I want Jesus to speak through my mouth. I want Jesus to shine through my thoughts and actions. Make me “acceptable” in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer! “Create in me a clean heart, O LORD and renew a right spirit within me.” Thank you, LORD, for seeing me through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Nov. 17.....Before the face of the Lord

Psalm 114:7-8 “Before the face of the LORD, tremble, O earth, before the face of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into pools of water, the flint into flowing springs.” John 11:40 “Did I not assure you….if you believed, you would see the glory of God displayed?” Heavenly Father,

“I believe---help my disbelief”. That contradictory sounding statement found in the gospels seems to be the cry for most of us. We want to believe with all our hearts! We don’t want to have even a smidgen of doubt. And we need constant help from the Holy Spirit. You “assure us” in scripture that if we believe we will receive what we ask, and that we will “see the glory of God displayed.” But we are weak, we are human, and our moments of disbelief come through just like Peter walking on water. We look down instead of up, and we begin to sink and our vision of you becomes clouded with doubts, worries, hesitations, and other human thoughts. We need to draw closer to you, to our heart, our home. “Before the face of the LORD”…that is where we need to stand or kneel. If we truly draw into your presence, we will see. Most of us hesitate to draw near. Why are we afraid? Because of our sin? Because we are human and you are God? Because we fear rejection? Because we fear you will demand something we can’t give or show us things we don’t wish to know about ourselves? We are “flint” hard and unyielding and barren. Only you can draw forth “pools of water” and “flowing springs”. Our part is to come before you, ad allow you to show us your “glory”. Our part is to believe and seek and desire the “pearl of great price”. “Before the face of the LORD” we “tremble”. We are afraid, unsure, unworthy, broken. You heal us after we break. The sin flows out in Jesus’ blood and the Water of Life fills the empty place. When we are truly full, the water overflows and spills out around us. Help my disbelief! Every day strengthen my belief and show me your glory! Amen.

Nov. 16.....He cleft the rock

Psalm 105:41 “He cleft the rock and the water gushed forth, it flowed through the dry lands like a stream.”

Heavenly Father,

We always look for easy answers, easy solutions to our problems and try to use you like a “genie in a bottle” to grant our desires. Sometimes the rock has to be “cleft”. We have to break open before water can flow forth. You can’t help us mature without breaking our will, our self-centeredness. We have to recognize our total dependence on you to find peace. But once you have “cleft the rock” of our resistance, the waters will flow freely. We can become the source of living water that you wish for us to be. It all began in the desert, where you “cleft the rock” to bring forth water for the thirsty Israelites as they journeyed toward the promised land. They begged for water and you provided for your people what they needed from a seemingly impossible source…the rock. We all journey toward the Promise Land…our eternal home, your kingdom of heaven…and we all become thirsty along the way. “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” You never leave your people thirsty if they ask to be filled! We wander in sin and darkness, lost in our way. But once again you, “cleft the Rock” and brought forth the Living Water of Salvation. Jesus Chris died for us, was “cleft” for us that we might drink and be filled. His blood “flows through the dry land like a stream” bringing love, hope, peace, mercy, forgiveness, redemption. The River of Grace…flowing from the Rock! We’re told that we too must produce ”streams of water” and to do that we must be “cleft”, broken that Christ might flow forth into the desert for others. “Living Water” can’t be held in…it must flow outward. Make me a source of Living Water, fed by the Rock who was cleft for me. Amen.

Nov. 15.....safe in his dwelling

Psalm 27:5 “In the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling. He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.”

Heavenly Father,

Teach me that I might understand. “In the day of trouble”……Whether applying this to a big disaster or our smaller every day disasters, the result is the same….”he will keep me safe in his dwelling.” When trouble strikes there is only one place to turn….to you, O LORD. Our safe place is “in his dwelling”. I often like to pray Psalm 43:3 “……let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” When troubles abound we are too overwhelmed to find our way to your dwelling place. But if we ask for help…”send forth your light (Jesus) and your truth (Holy Spirit), let them guide me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” Your strength works in our weakness. I can’t come, I’m lost, I need help…send forth, guide me, bring me. We are carried into your presence by Jesus Christ. Once we are safe in your dwelling…the place you abide…we are “home”. I seem to use that word a lot lately. “Home”….with you. I long for it, need it, visualize it, hope on it! “He will hide me”…”and set me high upon a rock.” Is this a contradiction? Can we be hidden if we are high on a rock in plain sight? We think of hiding in darkness, in a hole, under covers. The Rock we are set high upon is the Rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. No one can touch me there. No one can harm me in the safety of the Rock, and the grace that saves me. Troubles come and troubles go, but the Rock remains. The Rock is still there. High on the Rock is the place to be. I am “hidden” from the enemy. Hidden from sin and death. Hidden from any true harm. Safety, shelter, security, dwelling….all are there on the Rock. He will bring me there. My Savior, my shelter, my Rock, my Redeemer, my Light, my Truth! I will not fear “the day of trouble” for he will keep me safe “in his dwelling”. Amen.

Nov. 14.....streams out of a rocky crag

Psalm 78:15-16 “He brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.”

John 7:37-38 “Whoever believes in me…from within him rivers of living water shall flow.”

Heavenly Father,

“Streams out of a rocky crag”….”rivers of living water”….sounds heavenly! My heart longs for this! Not much “living water” is flowing from me at the moment. I thirst for you, for righteousness, for clean flowing rivers of water. I feel arid at the moment and long for water…. like the deer, I pant for the water of life! I must draw closer! I must seek until I find. The “river of living water” depends on my belief. Is my faith weak? Am I being attacked by the evil one? Let your river of faith flow over me! Show me the Living Water, Jesus Christ! I stand at the well, a bit lost, a bit confused. Jesus is there waiting if I open my eyes to seek him. Like the Samaritan woman, I long for the water that will quench my thirst forever! I don’t understand all, just as she didn’t but I know my Master, my Savior, Jesus Christ! I know for water to flow from me, it first must flow into me from Jesus. I’m so thirsty right now! Jesus, the Rock, is the source of the River of Life. The water flows down in an endless waterfall of grace. I can drink, I can bathe, I can immerse myself in him. I will be filled! I will be changed. I will be born anew. I’m a cracked pot, a clay vessel that is very ordinary and worn out, but the Living Water will fill me and heal the cracks and make me new and useful. Fill me with Living Water! Use me! Change me! Set me in the stream and let the water overflow into and over me. Thank you, my Rock, my Savior, my salvation, my God! Amen.

Nov. 13.....lead me to the Rock

Psalm 61:2-3 “Hear my cry, O LORD, listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I will cry unto you when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” (paraphrase)

(This was written during an earlier stressful time, but strangely appropriate in these times)

Heavenly Father,

I wish that I had done this lesson on the day I was suppose to….rather than a day late because I was too busy. Instead I had to play “catch up”. Maybe it would have kept me on a more even keel if I had done it on time, instead of me getting mad and yelling at people about things that weren’t their fault. “The ends of the earth:….I guess that’s where I feel I am at times, and usually over something really stupid when so many people are handling much worse things in their lives. We usually cry loudest to you when our “heart is overwhelmed”. That is when we desperately seek that “Rock that is higher than I”. I feel low enough at the moment that it wouldn’t take a very high rock to be higher. I seem to let the smallest most unimportant things overwhelm me and then shove my burdens onto others, who don’t need them. Forgive me, LORD. Help me make things right. Lead me to the Rock, LORD! I’m floundering in a sea of uncertainty and confusion at the moment. I’m letting the world beat me down. I now I’m not the only one that feels that way. Put us on the Rock! Our “high place”, Jesus Christ. If I stop pressuring others when I am down, we can all find our Rock. Lift me onto the Rock and let me stop being irritated by small stresses around me. Lift all those who are struggling with small but irritating things in these tough times. Hear my cries, O LORD, listen to my prayers. Take away the things that overwhelm me, no matter how trivial or great. Thank you for being my Rock! Amen.

Nov. 12.....be still and know

Psalm 28:1 “To you I call, O LORD my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. If you remain silent I will be like one gone down to the pit.”

Jer. 29:12-14 “When you call me, pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me you will find me. When you seek me with all your heart you will find me with you.”

Heavenly Father,

The passage from Jeremiah seems to answer the verse from Psalms. David is in one of his desperate moods, begging for you to hear him and give him an answer. Like all of us, the answer he seeks is the solution that he desires. We feel you are deaf and not listening because we are in a panic and desperate for some certain result and we want it now! The louder we cry, the deafer you seem to us. Perhaps we are shouting too loudly to hear you. Our desperation is echoing all around us. “Be still….and know that I am God.” When we stop shouting that verse seems to hang in the air around us….”be still and know…..”. Your answer in Jeremiah is very clear: “When you call….when you pray to me, I will listen. When you look for me, you will find me. When you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you.” You have promised to always listen and to always be there. Our job is to seek and ask and knock….and wait and listen. Just as you promise to listen to us, we must also listen to you. We can’t hear your voice when we are busy ranting and stressed out. We must be still. David’s use of “the Rock” in this verse almost seems like an insult….he is speaking to a “rock” that is deaf and doesn’t answer him. But David shows over and over that he is aware of who the Rock really is. David’s Rock slew many a “giant” for him. His Rock hid him from his enemies and protected him. His Rock had mercy on him even when he sinned grievously. His Rock made great promises that he kept. By the end of this psalm he says “Praise the LORD!….my heart trusts in him and I am helped!” That’s why David always comes back to the Rock! Our prayers are heard and answered by our Rock! Thank you! amen.

Nov. 11.....love, grace justice

Psalm 92:14-15 “The shall bear fruit even in old age; vigorous and sturdy shall they be, Declaring how just (upright) is the LORD, my Rock (he is my Rock), in whom there is no wrong (wickedness).”

Phil. 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Heavenly Father,

A psalm to your justice, your upright character. In you there is no wrong, no sin, no wickedness. We are the ones who seek out and find evil, who create it every chance we get. Why do we do that, LORD? Why do we prefer sin to righteousness? Why do we want to sin and test our boundaries? You created us in your image, an image of purity and goodness and righteousness. Why do we choose to tarnish that image and make a mockery of it? The flesh you clothed us in is heavy, weighing down our spirit and seeking to be constantly satisfied and given pleasure. We blame Adam and Eve, but each one of us would have “bitten the apple” sooner or later. Our curiosity would have led us to it in our every thought and our free will would have caved in and chosen wrong, just as theirs did. Sin comes too easily and righteousness is hard! Thank you that you had a solution for us because you love us, even as imperfect as we are. You came down. You showed yourself to us and lived among us as one of us. Jesus Christ came to see and to save. Our idea of justice is whatever we feel is “fair” to us or favors us. We are truly self-centered. But you are truly just and upright! Your justice is tempered with love and is free to all. Your justice is even more perfect than we could ask for. You sent Jesus, our Rock and Savior, in whom “there is no wickedness”, no wrong, and redeemed us through one perfect sacrifice. Your love conquers all! Your love is justice wrapped in grace! You, O LORD, are my Rock , my strength, my justice! “I can do anything through him, who gives me strength. Grace is strength for everything. Thank you! amen.

Nov. 10.....Who is God?

Psalm 18:31-32 “For who is God except the LORD? Who is a rock, save our God? It is the God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.”

Heavenly Father,

“Who is God?”….”Who is the Rock?” This is a question we all have to consider eventually. Until we ask “who is God?” and truly seek an answer, we can not find you. As long as we let indifference veil your face, we will see nothing and not care. We have to want to find you and have a relationship with you. You are there…always. Waiting for us to call upon you. Waiting for us to call you, “Father” and desire to come home. Sooner or later we get “world weary” and want something more, something deeper, something more meaningful. Life here can be pleasant, but it doesn’t satisfy the soul. Our senses are overloaded and over-stimulated and we overdose on too much of both good and bad things….but they don’t satisfy. They don’t feed our hunger and thirst. They don’t “save us” or redeem us or heal us. Like all prodigal sons we find we are hungry and want to go home where we are loved and accepted. Our strength is found only in the Rock, who waits for us to make our way home. The Rock is my God! The Rock is my firm foundation! The Rock is my strength! The Rock is my stronghold, my fortress, my shield! I confess that you are God! ……not me., not my ways, not my will, not my worldly comfort zone. Only You, O LORD, are my rest, my salvation. Only you have a right to my heart, mind, soul, spirit. Only You, are my Father, my Savior, my Guide. Draw me home! Draw me deeper within your kingdom! Father, Son, Holy Spirit….You are my God! You are my Rock! Thank you! Glory and praise to your holy name. Amen.

Nov. 9....pride

Psalm 75:5 “Lift not up your horns against the Most High; speak not haughtily against the Rock.” (NAB) Is. 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.”

Luke 1:51-52 “He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud n their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places.”

Heavenly Father,

I’m confused. I read 3 translations of the Psalm verse for today and still am not sure I understand it! The author of the devotional book focuses on pride and the 2 other verses seem to support this idea. Maybe I’ve been too proud of my ability to understand your words and gain insight from them. Not this time! I guess the best I can pull out of the verse in Psalms is “lift not” and “speak not”……against the LORD, Most High, the Rock.” Sometimes we just don’t understand ….we don’t understand why things happen, or what your will is, or what the words in scripture mean, or why something is a sin, or where we should go, or what we should do. We want a better plan, a clearer message, a fairer decision, an obvious path to follow. As I write this I see several things in my own life coming together in this theme of confusion and not understanding. But the passage in Isaiah tells us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, your ways are not my ways” We don’t always have to understand. We just have to accept that You are God…and we are not. This is where pride comes in. We have to relinquish our ability to understand everything and our control of the situation. When we confess, “I don’t know the answers, but you are God and You know everything, so You take control.” We give up our pride and humble ourselves. We admit that if we knew all the answer we wouldn’t need God….but we don’t know all the answers and we do need you desperately! You can take our confusion and our helplessness and “lift up the humble” when we turn to you and listen and wait. But first we have to trust our God, our Rock and know that your thoughts and ways are best and right. Thank you, but being in control! Show me thy ways, teach me this paths. Amen.

Nov. 8.....My Rock, my peace

Psalm 144:1-2 “Blessed be the LORD, my rock….my refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer.” John 16:33 “I tell you all this that in me you may find peace. You will suffer in the world. But take courage! I have over come the world!”

Heavenly Father,

Reading David’s psalms of praise to the Rock are very uplifting. With David it is always, “my rock, my God, my fortress, my deliverer, my stronghold.” He saw you as a very personal God, a personal Savior. He knew he had a personal relationship with you and that all the strength, and security, and power he needed came from staying in that close relationship with you. As long as he could say, “my”….God, rock, fortress, deliverer, stronghold….he knew he was in the right place and you would answer him. He trusted deeply….no wonder you loved him! We know from other psalms that David often ranted and raved and begged and pleaded and questioned. His faith had its ups and downs just like the rest of us. But in the end he always came back to the source of his strength and peace…..my God, my Rock, my deliverer! David was able to see in you, the Father, his personal Savior we know as Jesus Christ. When I read the psalms I feel he is talking about Christ in many of them. That is a great depth of faith to go from “God Almighty Creator” to personal Savior and Good Shepherd, without having met Jesus face to face. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “in me you may find peace”….he came to show us the assurance of salvation that we might find peace…real peace….in him. He assures us, “I have overcome the world!” That we might know that we, too can overcome the world through him. He is our peace. He is our salvation, he is our Rock, our stronghold , our deliverer! He came to show us you, the Father, as David knew you and so that we might also say, “Blessed is the LORD!”….my Rock! My Peace! Amen.

Nov. 7.....I AM

Psalm 89:26 “He shall say of me, “You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior”.

Heavenly Father,

“You are”….our Father, our God, our Rock, our Savior. The most meaningful name we use to describe You (in our limited way) is I AM! All the power, wisdom, presence is wrapped up in those two words that only you can speak…I AM! You are today, were always, and always will be ! No matter what “tense” we use the result is the same. You existed from the beginning, before time, and will always continue to exist. You are our God! We are privileged to also cal you Father. You created us, gave is life, and continue to care for us like a loving Father. Like children, we disobey and try to live on our own terms, but you lovingly watch over us and guide us with a Father’s love and a Father’s discipline. Because we fail to live the sinless life you destined us for, you also provide us with a representation of yourself in human form….Savior…in the form of your incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. Savior….one who redeems us a great personal cost, with great unmerited, unending love. Brought back into right relationship through the One who saves us and brings us to the Father. Rock…this week we concentrate on the Rock , and what it means . A Rock that is Father, God, and Savior all rolled into one. A Rock to stabilize us, protect us, support us, with great strength and wisdom and love. We can rely on a God who is a Rock! We can rely on a Rock who is also Father and Savior! You Are! No one else comes close. I glorify and honor He Who Is, He who is Father, Rock and Savior, who is my God! Thanks and praise to your glorious name! Amen.

Nov. 6........my God

Psalm 18:1-2 “I love you, O LORD my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!”

Heavenly Father,

David has left us an impressive list of how he feels about you! Each description on his list begins with “my”….it’s a personal list…and the beginning is “I love you, O LORD….”. It’s a love psalm of praise for all you are to him. “My strength”….the all-powerful One of the universe is also our source of strength in body, mind and spirit. “My Rock”…you are the foundation, the hard immovable place we can cling to. “My fortress”….you surround us and keep us safe from or enemies. “My deliverer”….you step in when called upon and deliver us from the Evil One who threatens our safety and security. “My God”….no one else to worship and adore, no one else worthy of thanks and praise and honor and glory, no one else who has both created and chosen us. “My rock of refuge”….a safe haven, a home, a place to abide in the knowledge that this place is where you are and where we belong. “My shield”…threats come from all sides, but a shield (the shield of faith) protects us and causes the enemies weapons to bounce off harmlessly as long as we keep our Shield in place and stay behind it and trust it. “My salvation”….most important of all! Even if the enemy harms us here, our life is secure with youinI heaven through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift the enemy can’t take away from us. “My stronghold”…this sums up the rest! Our stronghold, our source of strength, our anchor, our foundation, our refuge and protection our salvation from sin and death, our home, our hiding place, our abiding place forever! As Thomas, who once doubted and faltered, testifies in John 20:28 “My Lord, and my God!” All we need! All we want! All we praise and honor! Amen.

Nov. 5....our Rock of Salvation.....

Psalm 95:1-2 “Come let us sing to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Heb. 3:13 “Encourage one another daily, while it is still today, so that none might be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Heavenly Father, You are the Rock! Worshiping the Rock of our Salvation gives us hope. We all know what a rock is. A rock is solid, hard, long-lasting. A rock can be hid behind. A rock can be thrown at enemies. A rock can provide a foundation. A rock can outlast us. These are positive aspects of a rock. A rock can also trip us. A rock can cause us to stumble. A rock can cause pain. A rock can be in our way and unmovable. These things seem negative, but they are part of what a rock is. Why would we want to see You, our God, in light of these negative aspects of a rock? We were told that Jesus would make men stumble and trip. He is a rock that is immovable and a rock that we must deal with. Until we see him as a building block rather than a stumbling block, we have a problem. When we begin to cling to the Rock, rather than look for a way around it , we began the journey home. The Rock of Salvation is strong and secure. He is constant and long lasting. He is a foundation and a fortress. He is a hiding place but also a weapon to destroy sin and death. Jesus is a Rock like no other. Sooner or later we all run into this Rock and have to deal with it. We can choose to avoid it, shove it away or go around it, or we can choose to lean on it, rest on it, gain confidence from it, find a firm foundation to build on. A rock will not be ignored forever. It will still be there. The Rock of Salvation is a permanent fixture. It becomes an altar of worship, a foundation of faith, a fortress that is impenetrable, an anchor to hold on to, and a permanent place to establish a home. I love the Rock of Salvation! I love Jesus Christ and seek his protection and help! The Rock is my home! Amen.

Nov. 4....God's love

Psalm 33:4-5 “The word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does, the LORD loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love.”

Rev. 19:5 “Praise our God, all you his servants, the small and the great, who revere him.”

Heavenly Father,

The psalmist makes a list of reasons to praise you. Your word is right and true. Jesus is your Word spoken into life for us to see. Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Jesus is your truth, your righteousness. If we follow the Word and listen to him, we will find you, and eternal life. You are “faithful” in all you do. You don’t make promises that you don’t keep. You are unchanging in your righteousness, love, and your word. You love righteousness and justice. You hate sin and injustice. Our world must appall you with its evil! But your “unfailing love” wins out over all. Your love is so great you came to save us despite our sin, our worthlessness. You bring light to the darkness, hope to the downtrodden, love to all who want to receive it. You want us all to turn from our sin and turn to your righteousness instead. We don’t have to live in darkness. Many would argue with the statement, “the earth is full of his unfailing love”. We see the evil, the darkness, the sin and wonder how we can survive and what to do about the evil around us. But your love is there. Your love is in all those who accept your love in Christ. Your love is a light being passed from one person to another. Small patches of light growing wherever they can find a chink to shine through. The earth is full of love….we just have to unbury it. It isn’t your love that fails, it is only ours. When we praise you, we allow the love to show and spread to others. Great and small will praise you! All will worship the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, and love will rule forever! Amen.

Nov. 3....sing and make music in your heart

Psalm 33:1-3 “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

Eph. 5:19b “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.”

Heavenly Father,

Psalms tells us to sing joyfully, praise with instruments, sing a new song, play skillfully, and shout for joy! What a happy uplifting list. Our praise should burst forth in exuberance and joy. This is what I missed in a small, dying, older church. There were so few people and they seem to sing automatically and quietly as if afraid to be heard. I know that they were happy and enjoyed singing, but because they were few and spread out, it didn’t really show. I love being in a joyously singing group of people who “shout to the LORD” for joy, with hearts full of praise and thanks. But Ephesians says to “sing and make music in your heart”. This is a contrast, a quiet joy that follows us through the day. Our hearts and minds continue to sing even when our lips are closed. I love having praise music in my head and try to keep it there at all times. Our praise can be loud and joyous or it can be silent and inner, but most important is that we do praise you at all times. Thanks should flow freely. Our minds and hearts should be on praiseful thoughts and aware of our blessing at all times. The psalm says, “It is fitting”….it is right that we do this. It is a correct response, a perfect reaction. Our heart is the source of our praise, and our heart should be tuned to your teaching and commands and your will. May my heart be filled today with your praise and may my lips sing joyfully and loudly of your goodness and kindness and love. Thank you, O LORD! Praise and honor and glory be to your holy name. Amen.

Nov. 2....praise the name of the LORD

Psalm 135:1-3 “Praise the name of the LORD, Praise him you servants of the LORD, you who minister in the house of the LORD, praise the LORD, for the LORD is good.”

1 John 3:2 “Now we are children of God………when he appears we shall be like him.”

Heavenly Father,

The OT people held your name to be so sacred that they wouldn’t say it out loud. It was highly exalted! We don’t treat your name with that much respect today. Unfortunately we often use it coupled with curses. How horrible! And I am one who has sinned this way…though I hate it when I do it. Where did this horrible habit start that gets passed down through the generations?? We are to praise your name! Lift it up! Honor it! With the coming of Jesus Christ we now have a name we can shout to the heavens, which has no superstitions against pronouncing it out loud….Jesus Christ is LORD! Worthy is the Lamb! We are told that his is the “name above all names”. Jesus is to be honored as the first born son, the incarnate LORD, the Lamb who was slain, our Savior, our Redeemer, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Good Shepherd, the Door, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, Living Water, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Immanuel, Prince of Peace, I AM! The list of names goes on and on, but they all come back to one name….the name you gave him at birth…Jesus Christ. Praise the name! Raise the name! Exalt it, lift it, sing it! The verse from 1 John for today says: “Now we are children of God….when he appears we shall be like him.” Wow! I don’t fully understand this promise. How will we be like him? He has saved us and made us sons of the Most High God. He has made us brothers and children of his Father….You, O LORD. He has redeemed us and given us eternal life. Eternal….with Him, with you, around the throne of grace. Because of him, my sin is no more, and I can be the child you intended me to be. Hallelujah! Amen.

Nov. 1....exultant praise

Psalm 149:5-6 “Let the faithful exult in glory, let them sing for joy on their beds, let the praise of God be in their mouths.”

Acts 2:46-47 “With exultant and sincere hearts they took their meals in common, praising God and winning the approval of all the people.”

Heavenly Father,

We, the faithful, should exult you, sing for joy in all circumstance and praise you aloud. I’m trying to understand the phrase, ”on their beds”….while sleeping? While sick? While relaxing? I like the feeling of falling asleep with thanks on my mind and waking in prayer. Maybe this is what it means. Our day begins and ends with you. In our most relaxed moments, when the cares of the world are yet to begin or we are done for the day, we praise you. At these moments we should “sing for joy”. Joy is more than a fleeting feeling of happiness. Joy is a deep seated feeling of contentment and security that results in inward singing and elation….an “all is right” sort of feeling of happiness. It isn’t dependent on the current circumstances, but on an inner peace found in our faith. This is a shared joy we have with all believers. The “faithful” exult you. We sing the same heart songs and speak the same words of praise. The psalms are a shared experience of praise. When I read these words, somewhere they are being read and shared by another Christian. Through the ages others have worshiped this same way. The praise is alive and on-going. The songs are intertwined. The exultation swells with each heart and voice added to it. The togetherness of the early Christians “won approval” of the people. Others saw and heard their “glad and sincere” praise. They recognized that it was heartfelt and genuine. All moments of shared worship are important for the witness they give. Some times our “shared worship” is a façade, a sham of the real thing. Forgive us! Increase our gladness and sincerity! Increase our togetherness! “May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, our strength and our redeemer.” You are worthy of all praise and glory. I sing for joy! Amen.

Oct. 31....the LORD loves his people

Psalm 149:4 “For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory” (NAB)

“For the LORD take delight in his people, and he crowns the humble with salvation.” (NIV)

Luke 5:31-32 “I have not come to call the self-righteous to a change of heart, but sinners.”

Heavenly Father,

This follows yesterday’s verse of “let them praise his name”…….why?……”for the LORD loves his people!” You love us! We praise you out of hearts full of love responding to your love. You proved your love….”He crowns the humble with salvation” or “He adorns the lowly with victory”. I like both translations. Both make me feel very special and very much loved. You crown us, adorn us….we, the lowly, the humble. Our crown?….salvation, victory over sin and death. Wow! What a great gift…grace! Whenever we think about your gift of grace, our hearts hear the wonderful song…”Amazing Grace” and the words fill us with wonder and gratitude. Grace truly is amazing! How can you love us that much? Why do you love us at all? We are sinful, disobedient, ungrateful, unruly, self-loving, self-willed, hard-headed, hard-hearted. And yet you loved us enough to die for us. You loved us enough to “come down” because we are too sin-ridden to come up. You died and rose and lifted us beyond the sinful shackles that hold us. You lifted us to victory, to salvation, to home, to heaven. I always come back to the word “home”. Home is where the heart is. Our hearts are with you in heaven. Home is wherever You are. Home is where we long to be. Home is with you, the Father and Jesus, our Brother. Home is away from this sinful dying world. Home is freedom and light. We want our crown! We are sinners and we want our hearts changed by Jesus. “Create in me a clean heart, O LORD, and renew a right spirit within me.” I have assurance that “the LORD loves his people” and salvation is mine through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Oct. 30.....dance and make music

Psalm 149:3 “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.” 1 Timothy 2:8 “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger or disputing.”

Heavenly Father,

Too often our worship of you is not full of the joy that should be there. We don’t dance….too disrespectful and would spoil our solemn service! We don’t play tambourines and harps…we’re too uptight and schooled to be serious. I think this is the sort of worship that I really crave. I want to sing in loud voice, tap my feet, sway to the music and feel light-hearted and free! I want to “shout to the LORD” in one voice with others and praise you with all that I am! It’s hard to find that. Many of us aren’t even comfortable to “lift up holy hands in prayer”. We worry about how it feels and how it looks to others. One important phrase here is “without anger or disputing”. I guess I feel that is where some traditional churches are headed….arguing over music and how to worship. There is too much arguing over music in the church. The young people want new songs and guitars and keyboards, and the older people want to sing what has always been sung and with a solemn organ playing. We find our churches either dying of a lack of enthusiasm or in argument and dispute over how they should change worship. I have left churches that were dying….not just because they were getting small and didn’t have any young people, but because they were dying in their “soul”. What building we worship in is not important. How we worship is more important. We have to find a place where we can worship in joy and spirit….with all our heart. A place where our hearts are “dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp”. Worship is about finding joy in our Creator, our God, our Father. It is about praising and thanking with grateful hearts. If it feels like a “dirge” instead, something is wrong and it is time to go where there is joy in our LORD, in our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit within us. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD! Sing! Amen.

Oct. 29.....sing a new song

Psalm 149:1 “Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful.”

Rev. 11:17 “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.”

Heavenly Father,

In Col. 3:16 we are told to sing “gratefully to God from your hearts.” All praise should be heartfelt and not just lip service. It must be wonderful to be a songwriter and truly create a new song from within ones heart! We can’t all do that. However, we can feel and believe the words we sing that others write. We can seek songs that move our hearts to say, “That’s exactly what I feel and want to say”. When we “sing to the LORD a new song” it is new because we are living the words to it in our own hearts. I feel my heart and voice swell when I find a song that touches my heart. The words are just “right” and the music is “right” and it just wells up out of me in great joy. This is the praise I love to sing….heart music. We are to praise you “in the assembly of the faithful”. Whether we sing psalms, hymns, or songs of praise, we sing them together as one. I guess that is why I feel sad when I see someone who doesn’t sing or when I am in a congregation that is small and scattered over a large sanctuary and who seem to sing with little heart and the sound is lost in the emptiness. I know sometimes it is just my perception because I love to sing and hear music. I love worshiping with much joy and gladness. In Revelations we see that the One we praise and sing to and thank, is the One who is and who was”. Our God is, was and will always be! “You have taken your great power and begun to reign.” With Jesus’ death and resurrection, your reign has begun. The work of salvation is done. All are saved! We have much to be thankful for and great reason to sing with a grateful heart! Our God reigns! We sing it loud and clear. Our hearts overflow with joy and thanks! Amen.

Oct. 28....put not your trust in men

Psalm 146:3-4 “Put not your trust in princes, in men, in whom there is no salvation. When their spirit departs they return to his earth; on that day their plans come to nothing.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Heavenly Father,

You give us a clear contrast here and a clear choice. In whom do we trust? If we place our trust in man…leaders, friends, relatives, bosses, ourselves….we get advice that might be good, or might not be good, but will always be questionable because it comes from man and this world. We have limited sight, limited wisdom and understanding. We base decisions not on right and wrong, but also on current fashion, feelings, prejudices, whims, and pressures and stresses from outside sources. When we trust n you, we know we are getting perfect wisdom and knowledge and that all your advice is made as our Creator, our Savior, and our Counselor….all rolled into One! Who knows us better than the One who created us and what is best for us? Who knows us better than the One who saves us and has looked at and removed each sin with great love? Who knows us better than our indwelling Counselor who resides in us and guides us with your direction and your will toward your goals? But we have to tap into that source of infinite wisdom…we have to listen and discern. That is the hard part! The worldly voices shout louder than the heavenly voice. Our worldly ears hear better than our spiritual ears. You promise to “make our paths straight” when we lean on your understanding and acknowledge you. If we ask your advice with all our heart and wait expectantly you will answer us. You will give us the guidance we seek and steer our feet on that straight path. Help me listen LORD, and understand your will. Help me follow even when I think I want something else. Teach me. Increase my trust and my understanding, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Oct. 27....trust in the LORD

Psalm 130:5 “I trust in the LORD, my soul trusts in his word.” (NAB)

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and in his word I put my hope” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

With these 2 translations I get the picture of “trust” and “wait” working together or being synonymous. When we trust, we also wait. Trust knows that what isn’t seen is still there. Trust knows that answers are coming, and waits patiently to hear them. Trust knows the source of the answers and waits in confidence. The source here is “the LORD”. We trust in the LORD, we wait for the LORD. No other source of answers is wanted or necessary. Only the LORD is trustworthy, worth waiting for. The second part speaks of our “soul” which “trusts in his Word”……I automatically capitalize “Word”, because to me it always signifies Jesus Christ, the Word incarnate. My soul knows it has been redeemed by Jesus Christ. My soul trusts in the One who has saved it. Jesus says in John 15:9: “As the Father loved me, so have I loved you, live on in my love.” The results of trust “trickle down”. The Father loved Jesus, Jesus loves us, we live on in that love with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The second translation of the Psalm’s verse adds…”in his Word, I put my hope.” Another term…”hope”…for the trust we feel in the LORD and his Word. Hope….expectation based on faith, trust, love. When we strive to form a relationship with the LORD and his Word, we increase our trust and our ability to wait, as we learn of his faithfulness. We see how our lives are changed by Jesus’ love. Love begets trust. Trust begets hope. Hope waits expectantly. Increase my knowledge of your great love and teach me to trust in You, and wait in hope and expectation. You are my LORD! You are my God! You are my Savior! Amen.

Oct. 26.....come home

Psalm 119:66 “Teach me wisdom and knowledge for in your commands I trust.”

John 4:50 “The man put his trust in the word Jesus spoke and started for home.”

Heavenly Father,

“Teach me wisdom and knowledge.” When I was growing up it was always important to me to have knowledge. I was raised to believe that being “smart” was a very desirable thing and I’ve always taken pride in being smart (even though I had little to do with it!) But wisdom is more than being smart, more than “book knowledge”, more than knowing facts. Another translation o this verse calls it “good judgment”. Wisdom is applied knowledge with an element of making the “right” decisions. Some people don’t think there are “right” decisions……each of us I different. That can be carried too far. There is an ultimate “right” and it is found in You. We trust your commands because we know you are the font of all wisdom and knowledge. You know best. You know right. We don’t always like what we hear and don’t understand it, but when we trust you, it becomes clearer. Wisdom comes from discerning your will. The verse from John is from the story of the man with the sick child who asks Jesus for healing. Jesus never saw the child….he just said, “you may go, your son will live”. The man trusted Jesus’ word and went home. He recognized Jesus’ authority and wisdom and trusted them. Teach me the wisdom of trusting you completely! Teach me wisdom for the benefit of others. The story in John is a parable for all of us: when we put our trust, our faith, in Jesus Christ…the spoken Word…we can go home. Jesus makes “home” possible. Jesus heals our infirmities and removes our sin and the punishment of death. Jesus says, “come home with me, the Father loves you.” Thank you for the wisdom found in Jesus Christ and your command. Amen.

Oct. 25.....Our God, our Father

Psalm 115:11 “Those who fear the LORD trust in the LORD he is their help and their shield.”

2 Cor. 6:16 “I will be their God and they shall be my people. I will welcome you and be a father to you and you will be my sons and daughters.”

Heb. 4:16 “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and find help I time of need.”

Heavenly Father,

3 verses to coordinate. We are told that “the fear of the LORD, is the beginning of wisdom.” When we fear you, we recognize your existence, we recognize your supremacy, we worship you based on these facts. You were first, you created us, you are our God, you are our Father. Sometimes that mix seems difficult for me. One minute I see you as the Almighty Go, Creator, Ruler of the Universe, I AM! The next I see you as Father, close and personal , who I cling to. The psalms verse speaks to that idea in a way….”He is their help (Father) and their shield (Almighty God)”. You have many attributes but the greatest is love. Love makes you both Creator and Father, Rock and Good Shepherd, Shield and Hiding Place, Almighty Everlasting Father and Savior, Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Your love is as great as your being. Love expanded to the nth power. Love above, around, and in everything. When we accept the simple statements of promise: “I will be your God, you will be my people.” And “I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters”, we find peace. We know all is right and will be right in this relationship. A Father begets children and loves them. Jesus Christ is the firstborn son and makes it possible for us to be adopted and made worthy to be part of your family. We can “approach the throne of race” through him. We receive “mercy and grace and help in our time of need”. Your mercy, your grace, your help. We can trust in you and your promise. We can “approach with confidence” knowing that Jesus has made it possible and that you love us and want to be our Father, our God. We can look at who you are rather then worrying about who we are. Look up! Look to the one we fear and trust! Look to our God, our Father! Thank you! amen.

Oct. 24.....holiness adorns your house

Psalm 93:5 “Your statutes stand firm, holiness adorns your house for endless days”. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Heavenly Father,

You have high standards! This verse tells us that your “statutes stand firm and holiness adorns you house”. You are King, God Almighty, Ruler of All you created. Because you are God and in charge, your statutes are the rules, the standards that we must follow. Your statutes “stand firm”…they don’t change, they don’t ease up, they don’t follow the current fashions. You have told us what is right and what is wrong. We are to obey you. Like all children, we sometimes rebel and fail to do your will. We think we have a better way, a more fun plan, an easier way. When we follow our own leading, we eventually end up in trouble and we do things that are not righteous along the way. Because you are a loving God, you have chosen to forgive us. You sent Jesus to take our punishment and if we accept his help you forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. I like the phrase: “Holiness adorns your house”. You have decorated our home with your holiness. You have draped love and perfection and goodness everywhere. You have painted the walls with kindness. You have papered with faithfulness. You have hung jewels of wisdom and mercy and understanding everywhere! A beautiful house built on grace. Grace is defined as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Your riches adorn our house of grace and we are invited to live there. Jesus is the door, open wide to allow us in. Wow! Our home forever! Forgive my sins of thought, word, and deed. Forgive my undone deeds. Thank you for Jesus Christ and the riches of your grace! Purify me and lead me home. Amen.