Meditations

One Year Bible: II Kings 20:1-21:16, Acts 21:17-36; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 18:9-10

PTL!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
(Psalm 150:6)

Our God is worthy of praise! At all times, in each place, and through every means, the highest and best use of the breath of life is that it would offer praise to the great and glorious One, the Creator and Sustainer of all. Praise the Lord!

That is not only the message of this final psalm, but it is really the underlying call to all 150 of them. From the beginning to the end of this amazing songbook for the human race, the psalmists have taken us by the hand and walked us through the whole gamut of life’s circumstances. They have masterfully drawn us into the cornucopia of emotions that attend those human experiences, and they have reminded us that through all of our ups and downs, victories and defeats, good times and bad times, joys and sorrows, the one thing that remains constant is God’s worthiness to be worshipped.

No matter what, God is ceaseless in his power and is surpassingly great. (Psalm 150:2) No matter what, God is loving and faithful. (Psalm 25:10) No matter what, God is good and kind. (Psalm 34:8) No matter what, God is just and fair. (Psalm 103:6) No matter what, God is with you and for you. (Psalm 23:1) No matter what, if you are God’s and God is yours, you are going to be just fine. (Psalm 37:4)

John Newton, author of Amazing Grace, wrote, “The Lord himself is our Keeper. Nothing befalls us but what is adjusted by His wisdom and love. He will, in one way or another, sweeten every bitter cup, and ere long He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.” (Psalm 30:11) That is why under every circumstance and with every breath, we can praise the Lord.

No matter what things may look like, no matter what man may say, no mater what the devil may throw at you, no matter what you may feel, God is still God, he is always victorious, his will shall be done on earth, his purposes for you shall be fulfilled, and he is therefore always worthy of your praise. So why don’t you just go ahead and give God now what he will ultimately receive from all creation—praise!

Let everything that has breath—that means you—let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Yes, praise the Lord!

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling ‘darkness’ on the wall of his cell.”
~C.S. Lewis

One Year Bible: II Kings 18:13-19:37, Acts 21:1-16; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 18:8

The Tables Will Be Turned

To carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.
(Psalm 149:9)

God’s people have been the victims of injustice for far too long, but the day is coming when they will be not only victorious, but the administrators of justice upon this evil world. (Psalm 149:6-9) With humility and through indignity, the saints of God have borne the yoke of oppression, but when Christ returns to set up his Father’s righteous rule on the earth, it will be with glory, praise and joy that his people will carry out just punishment upon those who have served Satan’s purposes. (Psalm 149:1-5)

Now that kind of militant talk may make you a bit uncomfortable. You prefer to love your enemies and pray for those who have persecuted you. You’re more accustomed to think in terms of forgiveness and reconciliation, peace and tolerance than judgment. And rightly so. That is our assignment for the time being.

But at the proper time, Divine justice calls for Divine judgment. And Divine judgment is only right and fair when you consider the cruelty and wickedness that has been carried out against the people of God throughout the centuries. Just think of what the nation of Israel, the Jews, have endured—not the least of which was the horror of the holocaust.

And what about the church? Anywhere between one hundred to three hundred thousand believers are killed each year throughout the world for nothing more than believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Daily, in other parts of the world, the saints are mistreated, suffer economic terrorism, endure beatings, rape, imprisonment and death—by the thousands. Just because we don’t see those horrors here in the western world does not mean it is not happening elsewhere—or won’t happen here some day.

Yes, Divine justice is coming to this world. It has to, or God isn’t just and righteous. And when justice finally arrives, you and I will lift our voice in praise, and along with all the saints and the heavenly hosts, say, “just and true are your judgments, O Lord.” (Revelation 16:7)

Yes, the day is coming, sooner than you think, when the tables will be turned, and the saints of God will be in charge. God’s justice demands it; God’s fairness ensures it.

And thank God, by his grace and mercy, through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you and I will be on the right side of the table!

“Your life is short, your duties many, your assistance great, and your
reward sure; therefore faint not, hold on and hold up, in ways
of well-doing, and heaven shall make amends for all.”
~Thomas Brooks

One Year Bible: II Kings 17:1-18:12, Acts 20:1-38; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 18:6-7

The Ubiquitous They

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
(Psalm 148:5)

The writer tells us that “they” should praise the Lord, since it was He who spoke the word and “they” were created. So who in the world is “they”?

Have you ever heard people refer to “they” when they are talking? “They” did this; “they” did that; “they” want this; “they” want that. I call that the “ubiquitous they”—everybody in general and no one in particular. The psalmist is referring to the “ubiquitous they.” In this case, everybody and each one!

Whatever was created—which pretty well covers it—owes their existence to the word of the Lord. He spoke, and out of nothing “they” were created: Angels, heavenly beings, solar systems, weather patterns, geological formations, plant and animal life, rulers and authorities, along with “young men and maidens, old men and children.” (Psalm 148:12) I think it’s safe to say, you and I are included in this list. That is who “they” are.

Now isn’t it only right and fitting that “they” should offer continual and heartfelt praise to the One who created them? Unfortunately, and unbelievably, many of “them” have turned from worshipping He who created them and worship what He created instead. (Romans 1:25) How absurd is that!

But you can change that—me too! Let’s do what we were created to do. As we go about our day, let’s make it our aim to lift up praise to the name of the Lord in all that we say and in whatever we do. If you and I will do that, at least two of “them” will do what “they” should be doing!

“My mind withdrew its thoughts from experience, extracting itself from the contradictory throng of sensuous images, that it might find out what that light was wherein it was bathed… And thus, with the flash of one hurried glance, it attained to the vision of That Which Is.”
~Saint Augustine

One Year Bible: II Kings 15:1-16:20, Acts 19:13-41; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 18:4-5

What To Give Someone Who Has Everything

The LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
(Psalm 147:11)

How do you make God happy? He has everything he wants and can create what he doesn’t have. He is all-powerful—after all, he even created all the stars and calls them each by name. (Psalm 147:4) And he knows everything there is to know—there is no limit to either his power or his understanding. (Psalm 147:5)

He has even fixed up this little globe called earth to run amazingly well, sustaining both ecological systems (Psalm 147:15-18) and daily life (Psalm 147:8-9) so accurately and abundantly that utter and ceaseless gratitude and praise (Psalm 147:7) by its higher inhabitants is only fitting.

What can you give to a God who’s got it all and does it all? Only your fear and your hope! What satisfies God to the core of his being is the fear that arises not out of terror, but from the kind of reverence and respect that comes from knowing that he is the giver and sustainer of life itself, the rightful owner of Planet Earth and ruler of your life. What causes God pleasure is the hope that looks to him for protection, peace and provision (Psalm 147:13-14), that waits for him to execute justice and fairness (Psalm 147:3,6), and that expects him to fulfill his good purposes through you and all those who belong to him (Psalm 147:19-20).

What gift can you offer to the one Being who truly has it all? Just your very life, that’s all.

Do you want to bring a smile to God’s face today? I think you know what to do!

“God desires to be loved by men, although He needs them not;
and men refuse to love God, though they need Him in an infinite degree.”
~Plaintes Du Sauveur

One Year Bible: II Kings 13:1-14:29, Acts 18:23-19:12; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 18:2-3

Everlastingly Faithful

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
(Psalm 146:5-6)

Here’s a biblical bottom line for you: God alone is faithful—no one else is!

That is why God alone is worthy of your praise (Psalm 146:1-2) and in him alone should you place your trust (Psalm 146:3-4). God alone will give you justice, provision, and freedom (Psalm 146:7), vision, hope and reward (Psalm 146:8), security and fairness (Psalm 146:9). That is why he reigns forever (Psalm 146:10); he alone is everlastingly faithful.

Who or what else can make that claim—and back it up?

What are you putting your hope in at this moment? The government? Your investments? The media? Your doctor? Science? Technology? The guarantee of the American dream? Not that any of those are inherently bad, but they are not God. They do not have unlimited power, foreknowledge of what the future holds, indisputable justice and complete moral clarity. Only the One who created all things, sustains the universe moment by moment, and holds tomorrow in his hands will be able to continually keep his eye on you (Psalm 33:18), provide you with everything necessary for life, health, happiness and peace (Acts 17:28, II Peter 1:3), shower you with his favor (Psalm 147:11) and fulfill his promise of your eternal life (Psalm 16:10, II Corinthians 5:1).

So put all your hope in God (Psalm 43:5) and you will never be put to shame (Psalm 25:3), nor will you be disappointed (Romans 5:5). Only he is everlastingly faithful.

“I have a better Caretaker than you and all the angels. He it is who lies
in a manger…but at the same time sits at the right hand of God,
the Father. Therefore be at rest.”
~Martin Luther

One Year Bible: II Kings 10:32-12:21, Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 18:1

Make The Choice!

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
(Psalm 145:21)

I had occasion to be in another city recently where I attended a worship service. From all outward appearances, the church seemed to be thriving. The building was attractive—and innovative, the guest services were effective, the publications were outstanding, outreach opportunities were plenty, the mission of the church was cleverly stated, the people were great looking, the worship band was hip, the songs were the latest—the “cool factor” of this church was extremely high. Oh, I almost forgot, they were even observing the 11th Commandment: Thou shalt have a cool café that serves Starbucks coffee and blueberry scones!

But I was bugged. As I looked around, I noticed that people were not engaged in the worship. They were watching, enjoying, applauding after each song that was performed perfectly by the band. And that, I think, was what bugged me: It was a performance—or it appeared that way to me. The congregation was really a “concert crowd” and they were watching and enjoying “worship” as it was performed onstage by their band of spiritual “rock stars”. Worship was happening voyeuristically.

Then it hit me! As I was looking around at everybody else and judging the authenticity of their worship, I suddenly realized that anybody else in that crowd could have looked at me “rubbernecking” and made the very same assessment: Voyeuristic worship. I wasn’t worshipping, I was watching.

It was in that moment that the Holy Spirit reached down and dislocated my heart—ouch! So I decided to worship. I literally whispered this prayer, “God, you deserve worship, and if I am the only person in this place that will do it, I will worship you with all of my heart. You’re going to get worshipped today, and I am going to be the one to do it!” And to the best of my ability, I did.

Now I’ve got to tell you, once I made that choice, and even though I didn’t particularly like the style of music or the song choices, I ended up having one of the greatest experiences of worship I’ve ever had. I came into God’s presence and experienced the joy of giving my love to him, basking in his goodness, and experiencing his presence. And guess, what? When I opened my eyes, I saw a different church—there were lots of worshipers.

What changed? Not the church so much; it was I that had changed. My perspective was different. My heart was softer. And my experience of worship came close to what I think God wants it to be for me whenever and wherever I gather with his people to praise him: Worship from the heart of the worshipper. I made the choice to worship—style of music notwithstanding—and I experienced God!

That’s what David is doing here in this psalm—finding reason to give God the worship he deserves. That’s what this psalm is calling for from you and me. So the next time you have occasion, join David—and me—by making that choice to worship the God who deserves our very best worship. There are plenty of reasons, you know!

And if you are the only one willing to do it—which you are probably not—make sure that God gets worshipped!

“When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart.”
~ Lamar Boschman

One Year Bible: II Kings 9:14-10:31, Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28

Time Flies!

Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.
(Psalm 144:4)

David’s words are so true—and sobering, aren’t they. Time flies, life is fleeting, and before you know it, those who were once so alive and vibrant are now ambling toward the twilight of their lives. And on occasion, the saying, “here today, gone tomorrow” forcefully intrudes into your world with an unmistakable wakeup call that this is not only true of the people you know and love, it is true of you as well.

I had the privilege of spending time this week with two men who have served as my spiritual mentors. They were both great leaders in their day, and their influence in my life has been nothing less than defining. In their prime, they were unequaled in visionary, courageous, innovative and skillful leadership. They did for the Kingdom of God what not many others have done. These men were spiritual giants—God’s generals. Now they are approaching the finish line.

Seeing them has been a bittersweet experience for me: I am saddened by the reality that they are not what they once were, but gladdened by the reward that most certainly awaits them for running strong and finishing well the race that God had set before them. Looking back on the ups and downs, the victories and the defeats, the sorrows and joys of their long and illustrious careers, King David’s words at the end this psalm aptly sums up their lives:

Blessed are the people of whom this is true;
blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.
Psalm 144:15

These were men of God, and they were blessed. And I am blessed to have their thumbprint all over my life.

But time flies, and one day before I know it, I will be where they are. And when that day comes, what will those who have been under my influence say about me? And what about you? What will they say about the thumbprint you have left on their lives?

Sobering, isn’t it!

O Lord, teach us to number our days aright so that we might live them wisely! (Psalm 90:12)

“The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light.”
~Felix Adler

One Year Bible: II Kings 8:1-9:13, Acts 16:16-40; Psalm 142:1-12; Proverbs 17:26

Need A Little Help Here!

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
(Psalm 143:10)

David was well aware of his own inability to live a righteous life before God. That’s not to say he didn’t try, or that he simply dismissed his failures with an, “Oh well, it’s just the way I am; I just can’t help myself.”

David knew the problem was much deeper than that—and much more troubling. And it wasn’t his problem alone. He knew that mankind was fundamentally flawed because of a sinful nature (Psalm 143:2), and that no matter how much we try, we will ultimately steer right off the cliff into personal sin. And from David’s personal experience, he knew that would probably happen early and often.

So the sweet singer of Israel makes his plea for help from above. If sin were to be overcome, it would take a little help from God—actually, a lot of help. It would require God’s active mercy (Psalm 143:1), the daily renewal of his loving guidance (Psalm 143:8), and his shepherding care to keep David walking in his will and on the straight and narrow path (Psalm 143:10, cf. Psalm 23: 1-4).

Living the godly life is not the easiest road to travel. Our lives are out of alignment because of the sinful nature that got passed down to us from Adam, and by nature, we will continue to drift toward the devil’s ditch. That will require a constant effort on our part to overcorrect just to keep on the “narrow way” (Matthew 7:13-14). Most of all, it will take daily dependence on God—day-by-day, perhaps moment-by-moment, coming to him and getting a little help from above.

To live the kind of life God has called us to live, we’ll need to exercise the same kind of temerity as the kid who wrote this prayer to God: “Jesus, I feel very near to you. I feel like you are beside me all the time. Please be with me this Thursday. I am running in a 3 mile race then and I will need all the speed in the world then. If you’re re not busy, could you be with me at the starting line, the finish line, and everywhere in between?”

Yeah, that’s what we need: A little help at the start, the finish, and all the way in between!

“Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.”
~John Chrysostom

One Year Bible: II Kings 6:1-7:20, Acts 15:36-16:15; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 17:24-25

Everybody Gets Cave Time

A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.
(Psalm 142:1)

We all prefer to live out in the sunshine of God’s grace, but from time to time we get the “cave” instead. “Cave time” is just core curriculum in the school of spirituality maturity. Call it whatever you want: the pit, the prison, the desert, the wilderness—the cave is basic training for believers.

Joseph had a prison; Moses had the desert; Jeremiah had a pit, Daniel had a den, Paul was in and out of jail so many times, like Motel Six, they “kept the light on for him.” Even Jesus had a wilderness. Oh, he got a cave, too. He once spent three days in one. If Jesus had “cave-time,” the cave won’t be optional for you. Every believer gets “the cave.”

What is the cave? The cave is a place of death, it’s where you die to self. The cave is the place of testing; it’s the blast furnace for moral fiber. The cave is where your mettle gets tested, your maturity gets revealed, your heart gets exposed! Put a person in the cave of distress, discouragement or doubt, and true character will show up. And if your brave enough to open up to the truth about you, the cave will reveal just how much work God still has to do to get you ready for great things. (Deuteronomy 8:2)

Likewise, the cave is the place of separation. Not only does God reveal the true you in the cave, he also strips you of every misplaced dependency. (Deuteronomy 8:3) In the cave, God separated David from everything he had once depended on, and all that was left for David was God himself.

The cave was perhaps the most frustrating period in David’s life—but in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. That’s because the cave is also the place of forging. (Deuteronomy 8:4-5) The cave is where God breaks you down in order to build you up.

That’s what God does in the cave. And by the way, God does some of his best work in caves. It was there in the cave of Adullam that David wrote three of his most moving psalms—Psalms 34, 57 & 142, including our key verse: “I cry aloud to the Lord…I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.”

If you’re in a cave and you’re complaining to everyone else but God, you’re missing a great opportunity to pour out your heart to the only one who can do something about it. Good things always happen when you get honest with God. So try talking to him—and be patient, God does great work in caves.

If you doubt that, just remember that empty cave on the outskirts of Jerusalem. For three days, it held a crucified body. But God does great work in caves—best of which is resurrection. Perhaps that will change your mind about caves.

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good; if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
~C.S. Lewis

One Year Bible: II Kings 4:18-5:27, Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

Zip It

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
(Psalm 141:3)

One researcher has found that the average American has thirty conversations a day and will spend one-fifth of their life talking. In one year’s time, your conversations could fill sixty-six books at 800 pages each.

How come, with so much practice speaking, few of us have ever gained complete or even consistent mastery of the content of our communication?

Think about it: Just a few inflammatory words set off a chain of events that look like World War III in your life. You come home from work tired and cranky, and yell at your wife…she yells at the oldest kid…he yells at little sister…she goes out and kicks the dog…the dog bites the cat…the cat comes in and scratches the baby…the baby rips the head off the Barbie doll.

Wouldn’t it be a whole lot simpler if the husband just ripped off Barbie’s head himself?

Your words matter! Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that our words can either kill or they can give life. That’s how powerful they are. And more importantly, our words reveal what is going on within us. Matthew 12:34 says that our words only reveal what is already inside our heart. That is why controlling our mouth must begin with reforming our heart.

So what does your mouth reveal about your heart? If we were to play back a tape recording of every conversation you’ve had this week, what would we learn about you? That you have a bitter, angry, hurtful, doubtful heart, or that your heart is faithful, hopeful and loving?

David knew he would need supernatural help if he was going to get both heart and mouth in the right place with God. That’s why he prayed for Divine help. You and I need to pray that too, every day! We can’t do it alone. I know I can’t—I’m living proof of that. But I think God will help us if we sincerely ask him. He never encourages us to do something that he is not willing to help with.

And if we get God’s help, there isn’t anything we can’t do…even zipping our lips!

“God has given us two ears, but one tongue, to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak. God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue.”
~Thomas Watson