Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this! (Psalm 107:1-2)      

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I like the way The Message version of the Bible renders the psalmist’s call to gratitude: “Oh, thank God—he’s so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world!”

God is good—all the time!  That truly is the testimony of my life—and I have a feeling it is true of your life as well.  Certainly, I ought to be proclaiming God’s goodness to anyone who will listen—and even to those who won’t—much more than I do.  Add to that the fact that I am, on my best day, not so good, and on my worst day, frankly, pretty bad, only adds to the brilliance of God’s overwhelming goodness.

The New King James translation of the psalmist’s words are even more meaningful to me: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Mercy—I can really relate to that.  Now don’t misunderstand what I’m saying:  I’ll take either enduring love or enduring mercy—I can’t live without either one.  Love and mercy are simply different facets of the same diamond we understand as the goodness of God.

But God’s mercy really speaks to me, and I’ll bet if you thought about, it, you would say the same.  Someone said that mercy is not getting what you deserve.  The truth is, you and I depend upon God’s mercy every single moment just to draw in the next breath, since the holy and righteous God has had every reason and right to annihilate us from the planet because of our sinfulness.  Jeremiah said it well in Lamentations 3:22-23,

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The entirety of Psalm 107 is simply giving one example after another of how God in his faithful love and enduring mercy has freed his people from what they deserve.  And at the end of each example, the psalmist expresses the call to gratitude:

Oh, thank God, he is so good!  His love never runs out!

I’ll bet you could write your own Psalm 107.  In fact, that might be a good assignment for you on this Thanksgiving Day.  And then, like the psalmist suggested, we should go tell the world.  Now that’s a pretty tall order, so how about starting with the people with whom you will enjoy the holiday meal today?  Write your psalm and share it with your spouse, your family, and your friends.

I am not sure how they will feel about it, but you will certainly feel pretty good.  That’s what heartfelt gratitude to God for his faithful love and enduring mercy does.

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“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)

PREVIEW: 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 with which God gifted us is that we would in turn offer praise with it 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, different 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. So, go ahead and give God now what he will ultimately receive from all creation—praise!

A Journey of Worship // 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 with which God gifted us is that we would in turn offer praise with it 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, different 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 surpassingly great: “Praise him for his mighty works, praise his unequaled greatness!” (Psalm 150:2)

No matter what, God is loving and faithful: “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.” (Psalm 25:10)

No matter what, God is good and kind: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

No matter what, God is just and fair: “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” (Psalm 103:6)

No matter what, God is with you and for you: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4)

No matter what, if you are God’s and God is yours, you are going to be just fine: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

John Newton, author is 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 declares of God, “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”

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 matter what Satan 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, 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!

PREVIEW: 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, 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. 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. And rightly so. That is our assignment for the time being. But Divine justice will come 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)

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 149:6-9

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, according to 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 are more accustomed to thinking 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. 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. Even to this day, people living in Israel wake up to the reality that most of the world hates them and wishes they didn’t exist.

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 persecution, if not outright terrorism, endure beatings, rape, and imprisonment 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 someday.

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!

PREVIEW: Whatever was created—which pretty well covers it—owes its 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. And isn’t it only right and fitting that “they” should offer continual and heartfelt praise to the One who created them?

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 148:5-7,13

The writer of this psalm 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 its 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.

They” traded the truth about God for a lie. So, they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. (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, in every thought we think, and in whatever we do. If you and I will do that, at least two of “them” will do what “they” should be doing!

PREVIEW: What can a created being give to a Creator who has it all, who knows it all, and who does it all? Only your fear and your hope: “He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:10-11) 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 rightful ruler of your life—and based on that, places unmitigated trust in his wisdom and goodness.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 147:10-11

I love the way the Message translates these verses: “God is not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him. Those who fear God get God’s attention; they can depend on his strength.”

How do you make God happy? He has everything he wants, and he can create what he doesn’t have.

God is all-powerful—after all, he even created all the stars and calls them each by name: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:4)

God knows everything there is to know—there is no limit to either his power or his understanding: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5)

God has even ordered provision for the daily needs of his earthly creatures: “He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.” (Psalm 147:8-9)

So accurately, abundantly, and consistently does God care for the earth’s higher inhabitants so that their utter and ceaseless gratitude to him is only fitting: “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.” (Psalm 147:7)

God has fixed up this little globe called Earth to run amazingly well, sustaining its ecological systems: “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool?and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles.?Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” (Psalm 147:15-18)

What, then, can a created being give to a Creator who has it all, who knows it all, and who does it all? Only your fear and your hope: “He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:10-11)

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 rightful ruler of your life.

What causes God pleasure is the hope that looks to him for protection, peace, and provision: “For he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.” (Psalm 147:13-14)

What causes God pleasure is the patience that waits for him to execute justice and fairness: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

What causes God pleasure is trust that expects him to fulfill his good purposes to all those who belong to him: “He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.” (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!

PREVIEW: Here’s a biblical bottom line for you: God alone is faithful—no one else is! That is why in God alone you should place your trust. That is why upon God alone you should look for justice, provision, and freedom. That is why upon God alone you should place your hope. And that is why God alone is worthy of your eternal praise. What other god can make that claim, and back it up like our God has?

A Journey of Worship // 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: “Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.” (Psalm 146:1-2)

• That is why in God alone you should place your trust: “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. (Psalm 146:3-4).
• That is why upon God alone you should look for justice, provision, and freedom: “He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.” (Psalm 146:7)
• That is why upon God alone you should place your hope: “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows. He frustrates the plans of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:8-9)
• That is why God alone is worthy of your daily worship: “Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.” (Psalm 146:1-2)
• That is why in God alone you should place your trust: “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. (Psalm 146:3-4).
• That is why upon God alone you should look for justice, provision, and freedom: “He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.” (Psalm 146:7)
• That is why upon God alone you should place your hope: “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows. He frustrates the plans of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:8-9)
• That is why God alone is worthy of your eternal praise: “The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God, Jerusalem throughout the generations. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146:10):

God alone is everlastingly faithful. Who or what else can make that claim—and back it up?

So, in whom or what are you putting your hope at this moment? A presidential candidate or a political party. The government? Your investments? The media? Your doctor? Science? Technology? The guarantee of the American dream? None 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 continually keep his eye on you (Psalm 33:18), provide you with everything necessary for life, health, happiness, and peace (Acts 17:28, 2 Peter 1:3) shower you with his favor (Psalm 147:11), and fulfill his promise of your eternal life (Psalm 16:10, 2 Corinthians 5:1). So put your all your hope in God:

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 43:5)

Hope in God and you will never be put to shame: “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.” (Psalm 25:3)

Put your full confidence in God and you never will be disappointed: “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5).

My friend, only the Lord God Almighty is everlastingly faithful.

PREVIEW: When you are in a time of corporate worship, even when you don’t particularly like the style of music or the song choices, you can still have a great experience of worship. How? By the simple choice of coming into God’s presence to give him what he deserves: your love, your gratitude for his goodness, and your joy that he has brought you into his holy presence. When you sacrifice what you want for what God deserves, you will enter God-please, life-changing worship.

A Journey of Worship // 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 plentiful, 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. Looking around, I noticed that people were not engaged in the worship—at least in my self-righteous opinion. They watched, enjoyed, and applauded after each song the worship band performed perfectly. 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 watched and enjoyed “worship,” which was performed onstage by their band of spiritual “rock stars.” Worship was happening “voyeuristically,” if you will.

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 others worship.

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 who will do it, I will worship you with all 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 from and 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 is what David is doing here in this psalm—finding reason to give God the worship he deserves. That is 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

PREVIEW: Time flies, and one day before you and I know it, we will go the way of all the earth. And when that day comes, what will those who have been under our influence say about us? What will they say about the thumbprint we have left on their lives? What kind of legacy are we creating by the way we live in the present? Sobering, isn’t it? May we treat Moses’ prayer in Psalm 90:12 with utmost seriousness, “Lord, teach us to number our days aright so we might live them wisely?”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 144:10

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. For good or bad, the finish line is not that far off. 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, but also of you as well.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of spending time with two men who have served as my spiritual mentors. They were both great leaders in their day, and their influence in my life had 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. But the day came when they finished their earthly race.

At the time, seeing them was a bittersweet experience for me. I was sad because the reality was that they were not what they once were. Yet I was glad by the reward that most certainly awaited 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 defeats, the sorrows and joys of their long and illustrious careers, King David’s words at the end of this psalm, Psalm 144:15, aptly summed up their lives:

Blessed are the people of whom this is true;
blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

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

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? What kind of legacy are you creating by the way you live in the present? Sobering, isn’t it?

May we treat Moses prayer in Psalm 90 with utmost seriousness,

Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. O Lord, teach us to number our days aright so that we might live them wisely! (Psalm 90:10-12)

Yes, Lord, teach us to number our days aright so we might live them wisely.

PREVIEW: King David knew his sin problem was very deep—and incredibly troubling. And it wasn’t his problem alone. He knew that humanity was fundamentally flawed because of a sinful nature (“Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you” Psalm 143:2) and that no matter how much we try, we will ultimately steer off the cliff and into personal sin. And from David’s personal experience, he knew that would probably happen early and often. So, he 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. So will we!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 143:10

David was aware of his inability to live a righteous life before God. That’s not to say he didn’t try or that he 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 humanity was fundamentally flawed because of a sinful nature (“Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you” Psalm 143:2) and that no matter how much we try, we will ultimately steer 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: “Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. (Psalm 143:1)

It would require the daily renewal of God’s loving guidance: “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 143:8)

It would require God’s constant shepherding to keep David walking in his will and on the straight and narrow path: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. “(Psalm 143:10, cf. Psalm 23: 1-4)

Living a 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. The journey 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 will 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 three-mile race then, and I will need all the speed in the world then. So, if you’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

PREVIEW: David had a cave. But so did the other greats in the Bible: 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 yourself. 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, and your heart gets exposed! Put a person in the cave of distress, discouragement, or doubt, and true character will show up. And if you’re brave enough to open up to the truth about you, the cave will reveal just how much work God still must do to get you ready for great things.

A Journey of Worship // 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 a core curriculum in the classroom 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 yourself. 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, and your heart gets exposed! Put a person in the cave of distress, discouragement, or doubt, and true character will show up. And if you’re brave enough to open up to the truth about you, the cave will reveal just how much work God still must do to get you ready for great things.

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deut 8:2)

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

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deut 8:3)

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. The cave is where God breaks you down to build you up:

Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. (Deut 8:4-5)

That’s what God does in the cave. And 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 are in a cave and complaining to everyone else but God, you are 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 on Easter Sunday, the crucified Jesus rose as Lord and Savior for all humankind.

God does great work in caves—the best of which is resurrection. Perhaps that will change your mind about caves.

PREVIEW: Our words matter! They can either kill or they can give life. What we say can not only destroy others, but it can also destroy us. That is why David asked the Lord to set a guard over his mouth. He knew that only God’s help would enable him to gain mouth mastery. And that help would begin with a changed and cleansed 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? Perhaps like me, you need to ask God to clean up both your heart and your mouth. And if we get God’s help, there isn’t anything we can’t do…even zipping our lips!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 141:3-5

One researcher has found that the average American has 30 conversations a day and will spend one-fifth of their life talking. Over the course of a year, our conversations could fill sixty-six books at 800 pages each.

So, 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 the Barbie’s head himself?

Your words matter! Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that our words can either kill or they can give life. That means what you say can not only destroy others, but they can also destroy you. That is why David asked the Lord to set a guard over his mouth: “Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed.” (Psalm 140:3) David realized he needed a zipper on his speech because of the damage it could cause others as well as himself. He knew how easy it was to be enticed into conversations with those who took no thought to the damage their conversations could inflict: “Take away my lust for evil things; don’t let me want to be with sinners, doing what they do, sharing their delicacies.” (Psalm 140:4) He knew just how easily it would be to unleash a destructive torrent of words that he couldn’t trust himself to keep his tongue in check. That is why he recognized the need for accountability partners: “Let the godly smite me! It will be a kindness! If they reprove me, it is medicine! Don’t let me refuse it.” (Psalm 140:5) David understood what Jesus said about our words: They reveal what is going on within us. that our words only reveal what is already inside our hearts:

You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. (Matthew 12:34)

That is why control of our mouths must begin with reforming our hearts.

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 were 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, probably every day! We can’t do it alone. I know I can’t—I’m living proof of that. But I believe 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!

PREVIEW: King David did what he could as the king to promote justice in his kingdom, but even he had his limits. And when he reached those limits, he would make his appeal to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Universe, God himself. That was the only way David could maintain his sanity as a leader in a sea of evildoers and their injustices. That is a good idea for you and me as well. We need to do what we can to uphold justice in our world, but there comes a time for sanity’s sake that we must turn all the evil and injustice over to the Chief Justice. One day soon, he will hold court, and then every evil intent and wicked act will be brought to light, judged, the sentence will be pronounced, then carried out. But, my friend, this calls for great perseverance and patience on our part.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 140:12

King David was one of the most amazing leaders in human history. Flawed, certainly, but skilled, courageous, inspiring, visionary, and successful like few other leaders of men. Yet even David had his detractors. They were there from the beginning, when he first stepped onto the scene in Israel, to the end, when death after a full life concluded his chapter. At each step, there were enemies, haters, and pretenders nipping at the heels of David’s credibility and authority to lead.

Even in this Golden Age of Israel, there were evildoers who promoted wickedness and perpetuated injustice. But David knew that ultimately, God was the Great Discerner of human motives and would reveal the wicked intent of their hearts sooner or later. Though it may not seem like it at the moment, he was confident that God would come to the rescue of the poor and innocent, bringing about divine justice to all who were oppressed.

King David did what he could as the king to promote justice, but even he had his limits. And when David reached those limits, he would make his appeal to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Universe, God himself. That was the only way David could maintain his sanity as a leader in a sea of evildoers and their injustices.

That is a good idea for you and me as well. We need to do what we can to uphold justice in our world, but there comes a time for sanity’s sake that we must turn all the evil and injustice to the Chief Justice. One day soon, he will hold court, and then every evil intent and wicked act will be brought to light, judged, the sentence will be pronounced, and then carried out. This calls for great perseverance and patience on our part. James talks about this in his New Testament epistle,

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (James 5:7-9)

The next time you’re tempted to get discouraged about all the injustice that is beyond your scope of authority, either in the world at large or in your personal world, don’t grumble about it. Take it to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Universe and leave it with him.

“ God will invade … When the Author walks on to the stage the play is over. — C. S. LEWIS

PREVIEW: How many days do you have left? I don’t know. No one does, except God. He knows the exact number of years, days, and hours—right down to the second—that you will occupy your temporary address on Planet Earth, the exact moment that your death will occur. Now, that may not seem like a cheery thought to you, and in fact, most people would find that sobering at best and frightening at worst. But when you know that your life is in God’s hands, you can live in unshakeable comfort and complete security just knowing that he has your life so ordered that you will neither die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what has already been recorded in his book. You see, life and death are far above our pay grade, so let’s happily let Father God take care of that department.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 139:16

How many days do I have left? I don’t know. No one does, except God. He knows the exact number of years, days, and hours — right down to the second — that I will occupy my address on Planet Earth and the very moment my death will occur.

Now, that may not seem like a cheery thought to you, and in fact, most people would find that sobering at best and frightening at worst. Not me. I find great comfort and security in knowing that God has my life so ordered that I will neither die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what has already been recorded in his book. You see, life and death are far above my pay grade, so I will happily let Father God take care of that department, thank you very much.

So, if I truly and correctly understand this profound truth, then I am set free from the fear of death to live the life that God has planned for me fully. So, what does that mean for you and me?

We can enjoy an intimate walk with the One who is intimately involved in each minor detail of every single day we have lived — and will live:

You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say?before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there,?then up ahead and you’re there, too — your reassuring presence, coming and going. (Psalm 139:1-4)

We can rest assured that we are never out of his sight, and, in fact, that he is guiding our every move:

Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit, to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute — you’re already there waiting! (Psalm 139:5-10)

We can know with confidence that our circumstances do not limit our Heavenly Father:

Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light! It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. (Psalm 139:11-12)

In truth, God is so involved in our lives that he was even there at the very moment our mother and father conceived us, and that he superintended even the most infinitesimal details of my physiological and temperamental formation:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God — you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!?I worship in adoration — what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Yes, we can relax, knowing that God sees us, knows us, guides us, and continually cares for us:

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong — then guide me on the road to eternal life. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Wow! God knows everything about you and me. He planned us, built us, watches over us, can steer us back on track when we wander from his purpose, can be completely trusted to keep us safe until our sovereignly allotted number of days ordained for us are up, and then will take us to the next life that he has prepared for us for all eternity.

The psalmist was spot on in summing up this marvelous and loving Heavenly Father’s perfect oversight of our lives:

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand. (Psalm 139:6, NLT)

Yet even if we can quite wrap our minds around such knowledge, let’s not allow that to keep us from enjoying this day and praising the One who oversees every detail, big and small, of our lives!

“ When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. — CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

PREVIEW: As we passionately pursue God’s purposes, God has passionately committed himself to fulfilling His purposes in us. No matter what things may look like—horrible circumstances and hateful people notwithstanding, God will never abandon the work that he has lovingly and painstakingly invested in us, and He will ultimately bring that work to perfect completion. No way—you can’t stop God from doing what God does!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 138:8

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.

“God will perfect everything that concerns you.” (Psalm 138:8, NKJV) I have heard my wife use King David’s phrase many times in her public prayers. I like that thought, don’t you? Nothing will stop God from fulfilling His purpose for my life—nothing!

That was the essence of David’s thinking in this psalm. Nothing could get in the way of what God had in mind—God’s perfect will for his life—not even David’s own fleshly desires. That’s the caveat to this truth: the perfecting is of that which is according to God’s will, which, of course, is what ought to concern us more than anything else in this life.

The New Testament writer Jude captured the essence of this truth in his benedictory prayer when he wrote, “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25) Likewise, the Apostle Paul wrote similar words in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

How comforting and empowering to know that if we are passionately pursuing God’s purposes, God has passionately committed himself to fulfilling His purposes in us. No matter what things may look like—horrible circumstances and hateful people notwithstanding (Psalm 138:7)—God will never abandon the work that He has lovingly and painstakingly invested in us, and He will ultimately bring that work to perfect completion.

What David had discovered was that when we are for God, and when God is for us, we cannot lose! 2 Chronicles 16:9 reminds us of this profound truth,

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Wow! God desires to fulfill his purposes in this world, and he is actually scouring the earth, looking for fully devoted people in order to release his enabling power in their lives. Is your heart fully committed to him? If it is, then God will find you, and sooner or later, you will come into the greatest joy that anyone can ever experience in this life: God fulfilling his purposes for you and through you.

Yes, God will perfect that which concerns you! In other words, There’s no stopping God!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 137:7-8

If you are going to enjoy the Psalms, sooner or later, you’ll have to deal with a psalm like this. This is a downright nasty little psalm that calls for the violent destruction of the Babylonian people—akin to the call for a Jewish Jihad against this mighty empire that had leveled Jerusalem, including its temple, and hauled off most of Judah’s inhabitants 1,000 miles to the east. This outburst is what we call an imprecatory psalm—the calling down of a divine curse, a prayer for violent vengeance.

So, the question is, what place does such an angry psalm have in a loving God’s songbook?

First, this isn’t simply a religious rant. Psalm 137 should not be isolated from the other psalms—or the rest of Scripture, for that matter. It makes sense only in the context of both theological and historical settings. The writer wasn’t just calling down vengeance because he didn’t like someone. The Babylonians had perpetrated great violence against God’s people, so the psalmist was only calling on God to do what God had promised to do.

Second, this is not a call to take vengeance into human hands. The psalmist sees God as judge, jury, and executioner and, upon that basis, makes his plea for the proper execution of Divine justice.

Third, though it isn’t acknowledged within this psalm, other Scripture shows that before the Jews had called down judgment on their captors, they had first thoroughly repented before God for the very things that had brought them under the iron fist of Babylon in the first place. (Daniel 9:1-19) As Jesus later called us to do, they had taken the beam out of their own eye before they bothered with judgment for their tormentors. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Finally, this prayer, and others like it, is aligned with God’s prophetic indictment of Israel’s enemies. The writer is praying what the Scripture has already declared, calling into fulfillment God’s judgment against some extremely evil people.

Now, for the most part, our prayers should be along the lines that Jesus taught: “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (Luke 6:27-28 NLT) But when evil goes beyond the pale, it is certainly appropriate to pray for what is at the core of God’s being: Justice.

However, I need to offer a caveat: If you are going to unleash an imprecatory prayer, just remember that Divine justice is blind; it cuts both ways. So, make sure your own evil has been covered by the blood of Christ, which comes by grace through faith through the acknowledgment and repentance of sin.

“ I tell you, brethren, if mercies and if judgments do not convert you, God has no other arrows in His quiver. — ROBERT MURRAY M’CHEYNE

PREVIEW: One of the critiques of modern worship choruses is that they are too simple and overly repetitive. On the other hand, the great hymns of the church are deeply theological and majestic both in lyric and music. But there is room for both—the modern worship the Holy Spirit has birthed in the contemporary church, as well as the hymns of our historic faith. So, if you’re cranky over your music pastor’s typical song selection, do what Psalm 136 calls you to do: Focus on God’s goodness throughout the history of the world and throughout your personal history as well. God has been faithful in all he has done, and merciful, too. He is the loving Creator and Redeemer—he always has been, he is right now, and when you wake up tomorrow or the next day, and every day after that, he still will be. “O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever!”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 134:2

One of the critiques of modern worship choruses is that they are too simple and overly repetitive. The great hymns of the church, on the other hand, are deeply theological and majestic both in lyric and music. I truly love both—the modern worship the Holy Spirit has birthed in the contemporary church as well as the hymns of our historic faith. Both move me to joyful worship of Almighty God.

Psalm 136 is akin to a modern worship chorus. In each of the twenty-six verses that comprise the psalm, you will notice simple, soundbite phrases that recall the goodness of God as both creator and redeemer, followed by the same line thirty-six times: “His love endures forever!”

So, if you are one of those who, frankly, just dislikes modern worship, think about this psalm the next time you are tempted to get a little cranky about your church’s worship. If you want to be critical of your worship leader for his song selection, you might as well line up this psalmist right beside him and take your shot at both!

Or you could do what this psalm calls you to do: Focus on the goodness of God throughout the history of the world, and throughout your personal history as well. God has been faithful in all he has done, and merciful, too. He is the loving Creator and Redeemer—he always has been, he is right now, and when you wake up tomorrow or the next day, and every day after that, he still will be.

O give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever!

Now—don’t you feel much better?

“ Christian, remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity. — CHARLES SPURGEON

PREVIEW: God is always good, always kind, always perfect, and always has his eyes upon us. Therefore, we can trust him. But the way we fret and fear betrays our lack of trust in God. That’s understandable—we’re only human. Rarely do we see what God is doing or understand how he is working out his plan. Circumstances distract us from keeping a steady gaze upon his goodness and greatness. But even though our human frailty keeps us from seeing and understanding his ways, God still asks us to trust him. And when we do, our trust becomes a precious gift to him. So, where are you doubting today; what circumstances are distracting you? Reject fear and anxiety, then offer your trust to God—and add your gratefulness as a way of giving thanks in advance. Do that, and before you know it, God’s goodness and greatness will be vindicated once again, and you will see his compassionate love.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 135:3,5,6,14

What is the psalmist saying here, and what does that mean for the people—you and me—that God calls his own? Let’s start with what he is saying:

• God is all-powerful. He does what he pleases. He blesses; he punishes. He sets up; he tears down. He rewards; he judges.
• He is the great God, the Creator and Sustainer of all, and he will accomplish his purposes through and for all that he has created.
• No one stands in his way. Just ask Pharaoh, or Nebuchadnezzar, or Pilate, or Caesar, or Satan!
• No president or judge or politician; not the wealthy or powerful or famous can thwart his will. God will accomplish his purposes.
• No one will get their way—including you and me. God will get what God wants!
• What does that mean for God’s people?

So, what does this mean for you and me? Well, how the psalmist describes God might be a little frightening—and it should promote the fear of the Lord in our hearts—but keep in mind the first line of this selected psalm: God is good.

He will never do anything that’s not saturated in his love for mankind and his perfect plan for the eternal ages. No matter what, whether he is blessing or punishing, setting up or tearing down, rewarding or judging, God is always good, and therefore we can trust him.

As someone once rightly said,

God is too wise to make a mistake,
Too kind to be cruel,
But too wise to explain himself.

We may not always understand what God is doing, or why he is doing it, or how good can come out of difficult and hurtful experiences but based on the Word of God and the track record of God’s goodness, we can trust him.

Yes, God is good—all the time!

“ God makes no mistakes. — CHARLES SPURGEON

PREVIEW: The Father wants worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) In other words, God-pleasing worship is balanced. It honors God with heart (Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God”). It engages God with the mind (Matthew 22:37 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”). And it reaches out to God with the body (1 Corinthians 6:20 – “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies”). That is why you will find various physical expressions of praise throughout Scripture: Singing, shouting, clapping, kneeling, prostrating oneself, dancing, and, yes, quite frequently the raising of hands.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 134:2

Raising your hands in worship is not a pre-requisite for God-pleasing praise—not necessarily! There is no rule that says, “Thou shalt lift thy hands in worship.” The Father wants worshipers who worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) In other words, God-pleasing worship must come from the heart and in a way that is congruent with Scripture—authentically.

Yet true worship requires all of us—spirit, mind, and body. Obviously, our heart must reach out to God when we worship him; otherwise, our worship would be nothing more than a heartless ritual (and there is already far too much of that among his people today). God wants not just formulaic expressions of worship; he wants worship to come from the overflow of a loving and grateful heart.

Our mind should be engaged in worship as well. If we park our brains in neutral when we praise, our worship is incomplete—and open to all kinds of weird and wild expressions that sometimes occur among certain groups of believers. To worship in truth means to worship with theological knowledge of the One being worshipped, which is most pleasing to him.

Yet, can we truly worship in spirit and in truth if we don’t engage our entire being? Authentic “spirit and truth” praise must even include physical engagement. Balanced worship honors God with heart (Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God”), mind (Matthew 22:37 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”), and body (1 Corinthians 6:20 – “You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies”). That is why you will find various physical expressions of praise throughout Scripture: Singing, shouting, clapping, kneeling, prostrating oneself, dancing, and, yes, quite frequently the raising of hands.

Perhaps you came to Christ in a tradition that expressed worship without physical demonstration. I would encourage you to challenge that assumption. The next time you gather with the body of Christ and the singing starts, try lifting your hands to the Lord. The Apostle Paul, while speaking directly to men but I believe in general should be applied to all believers in the church, wrote, “In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy” (1 Timothy 2:8). So, raise your hands to God in worship. I think you will find it quite freeing. In fact, you may want to practice first in your own private worship time just to get used to the action.

When my children were small, they would often come to me and lift their hands, hoping I would pick them up. Of course, I would. In that moment, they would have yet another indication that I loved them. And, of course, I was delighted to know they loved me, too—with their whole being.

Don’t you think that is true of your Heavenly Father as well?

“ The climax of God’s happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of His excellence in the praises of His people. — JOHN PIPER

PREVIEW: Unity is a very big deal to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When you have unity between people—at work, at school, at home, and at church—there you will find that life is pleasant. And that’s how God meant for life to be—especially for his people. For where God finds unity, there God commands his blessing. In other words, you will not need to ask God for his blessings—which is not a bad thing to do—he will insist on blessing you.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 133:1, 3

Unity! I’m not always sure what it is, but I sure know when it ain’t!

And I know when it is. For where you have unity between people—at work, in school, in home, and at church—there you will find that life is pleasant. And that’s how God meant for life to be—especially for his people.

So how can we achieve and maintain unity?

First, unity requires us to understand how important it is to God. In his final prayer before the cross, knowing what awaited him in the hours ahead, Jesus prayed for the unity of his followers in John 17:20-23,

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

What a person prays for in their final prayer reveals what is of utmost importance to them. For Jesus, that was our unity. The next time we have opportunity for disunity, we ought to stop and think about that.

Second, achieving and maintaining unity requires humility. For unity to occur, I must subjugate my desires and needs to what is good and best for others. Speaking of unity, the Apostle Paul exhorted us to follow Christ’s example in Philippians 2:1-4,

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others…[an attitude] that was the same as that of Christ Jesus.

Third, unity will be achieved when we submit ourselves to the spiritual leaders God has placed over us, whose primary task is to equip us to carry out God’s purposes on Planet Earth. And those purposes include the body of Christ being built up and coming to the full unity of the Spirit. Paul taught about this in Ephesians 4:12-13,

[Spiritual leaders are called] to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Fourth, unity will have its best chance when each of us makes unity our personal responsibility. How do I go about that? Once again, Paul hits the nail on the head in Romans 12:9-21. Take a moment to read his checklist for unity, but verse 18 encapsulates it well:

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Yes, it may be difficult to define unity, but when you and I do our part to achieve it in the body of Christ, look out! Good things will happen: “For there God commands his blessing, even life evermore.”

Like the great preacher Vance Havner once said, “Snowflakes are frail, but if enough of them get together, they can stop traffic.”

What do you say we stop some traffic this week!

PREVIEW: Of both David (Psalm 69:9) and Jesus (John 2:17), the Word of God says, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” So how about you? I’m not suggesting that you dance so wildly that you embarrass your spouse like David or that you take a whip to worship with you next weekend like Jesus, but what I do hope for is that the same zeal for God’s house that consumed David, and the Son of David will consume you. Me, too!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 132:3-5

David had a passion for the house of God. He couldn’t tolerate the thought that as king, he would be able to build himself an unbelievably opulent palace while God’s dwelling was just a humble tent, the tabernacle, that had been used since the exodus.

Then there was the time David publicly danced with delight as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem to its resting place at the Tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:14). The king’s public display of affection for the Divine was so extreme that his watching wife despised David for it. But he didn’t care because his exuberance for the house of God exceeded his capacity to contain it.

David had a passion for the house of God.

David wanted desperately to build God a permanent structure—a temple. He knew God deserved the best. So, he located property for the building, but rather than throwing his royal weight around to get a good deal for it, he insisted on paying full price. He said, “I won’t offer the Lord something that has cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).

David had a passion for the house of God.

God had other plans, however, and told David that it would be his son, Solomon, who would build the temple. So, what did David do? He set about to make all the preparations for its construction in order for Solomon to have a good head start when he was inaugurated as Israel’s king (2 Chronicles 22:5).

David had a passion for the house of God.

The Son of David, Jesus, was passionate about God’s house, too. Although he predicted that not one stone of it would be left upon another because of God’s judgment against the corrupted worship that took place there (Matthew 24:2), he did his best to bring purity to it. He drove the moneychangers from the temple—and not with gentle persuasion either. He made a whip—and used it. He overturned the tables they used to carry out their shady commerce. With an illustrated sermon that no one would ever forget, Jesus cleansed the temple. (John 2:13-16)

The Son of David had a passion for the house of God!

Of both David (Psalm 69:9) and Jesus (John 2:17), the Word of God says, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

So how about you? I’m not suggesting you dance so wildly that you embarrass your spouse or take a whip to worship with you next weekend, but what I do hope for is that the same zeal for God’s house that consumed David and the Son of David will consume you. Me, too!

May it be said of you, “Zeal for your house consumes me!”

“ Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, there a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults. — JOHN CALVIN

PREVIEW: Wrestling with the decision of godship, that is, the decision who or what will exercise control and rule from the throne of our heart, is more prevalent than we care to admit. While the decision should be made once and for all, the fact of the matter is it is a daily match for most of us. How so? When we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather that a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne. However, when we surrender to God’s supreme rule over our lives, then the very things we futilely attempt to attain on our own—grace, security, confidence, contentment, and hope—inexorably come our way. There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 131:1

There is only One who is God—and that’s not you! That is what King David is saying of himself in this brief song of assent. The Message translates verse one this way:

God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.

Wrestling with the decision of godship, the decision of who or what will exercise control and rule from the throne of our heart, is more prevalent than we care to admit. While the decision should be made once and for all, the fact of the matter is it is a daily match for most of us. How so? When we fret and worry over matters we can’t control, when we meddle and manipulate to get our plans fulfilled, when we come to God after the fact for help, when we pray as a last rather than a first resort, when we cut corners in our financial stewardship because we can’t afford to give to the Lord’s work, and when we put our hope in government (or anything else) at the expense of our trust in God, in effect, we have removed God from his rightful throne.

There is room for only one God in your life, so let God be God. He has a perfect track record in that role, you know, and you don’t.

And, by the way, when you allow God to be God, good things happen for you:

• You become the recipient of greater grace. Recognizing God’s rightful role takes true humility (the opposite of pride and haughtiness), as David describes, “My heart is not proud, O LORD,
  my eyes are not haughty”—Psalm 131:1a. Of course, the Bible repeatedly tells us this is always the catalyst for greater grace. (Proverbs 3:34)
• You become the recipient of greater security. You put things that are above your pay grade back into the hands of the only One wise enough to handle them—what David calls “great matters or things too wonderful for me”—Psalm 131:1b (See how Paul describes them in Romans 11:33-36)
• You become the recipient of greater confidence. Someone else is running the universe, which means you don’t carry that great weight upon your shoulders. David says, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul”—Psalm 131:2a … which is possible only when you first walk with the Shepherd who leads you beside quite waters and restores your soul.
• You become the recipient of greater contentment. David describes it “like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content”—Psalm 131:2b (MSG) Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6)
• You become the recipient of greater hope. “O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore”—Psalm 131:3. It is by Biblical hope, as Paul teaches, “we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” (Romans 8:24) “Hope” as Paul says in Romans 5:5, “does not disappoint us…”

Hmmm…grace, security, confidence, contentment, hope. I think I’ll let God be God!

“ I have one passion. It is He, only He. — NICHOLAS LUDWIG VIN ZINZENDORF

PREVIEW: God doesn’t keep lists. Aren’t you glad for that? Unlike some of us who keep track of the mistakes and offenses of others, our gracious God doesn’t! When we confess our sins and repent of our offenses, the Lord remembers them no more. How amazing is that! God takes the worst sins of the repentant sinner and obliterates them from his record. He wipes them from his memory bank—“as far as the east is from the west”—which, the last time I checked, was a long way. No wonder the psalmist called us to “fear” the Lord in response to God’s unmerited forgiveness. To fear the Lord meant to reverence him and to offer him a heart of gratitude, praise, and love. Obviously, that is the proper response to a God who goes out of his way to forgive people who have gone out of their way to offend him.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 130:3-4

God doesn’t keep lists. Aren’t you glad for that? Unlike some of us who keep track of the mistakes and offenses of others, our gracious God doesn’t! When we confess our sins and repent of our offenses, the Lord remembers them no more. The Apostle John wrote, “When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse of from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

King David, who not only knew a great deal about personal sin, but Divine pardon as well, spoke in Psalm 103:3 & 12 of a God, “who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” How amazing is that! God takes the worst sins of the repentant sinner and obliterates them from his record. He wipes them from his memory bank—“as far as the east is from the west”—which, the last time I checked, was a long way.

One of the most moving and poignant descriptions of this forgiving God was penned by the prophet Micah. He spoke of God not just in terms of his willingness to forgive, but even more, of his passionate desire and aggressive search for ways to extend forgiveness to sinners. Take a moment to absorb this mind-boggling truth from Micah 7:18-19,

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

No wonder the psalmist called us to “fear” the Lord in response to God’s unmerited forgiveness. To fear the Lord meant to reverence him and to offer him a heart of gratitude, praise, and love. Obviously, that is the proper response to a God who goes out of his way to forgive people who have gone out of their way to offend him.

I am so grateful for a God who forgives my transgressions—and remembers them no more. There is no other god like him, and I will be eternally indebted to his mercy and grace. When I think about his “unfailing love and…full redemption” (Psalm 130:7), I am simply undone. How about you?

What love, what mercy, what grace…what a God!

“ Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again. — AUGUSTINE

PREVIEW: Like Israel of old, you have enemies, too. However, your enemies are usually not physical, flesh and blood adversaries; they are spiritual forces that attack you from within—your moral character, your emotional stability, and your spiritual vitality. They seek to weaken your resolve to trust in God’s sufficiency and obey his commands. They seek to enslave you to a life that is far less than God’s best. Maybe even now they have the upper hand in your life. The psalmist would say to you, “Maintain your hope, don’t surrender your trust, strive to overcome every temptation, and get back up when you stumble. Whatever you do, don’t quit if you’ve failed. It may seem that you are down for the count, but you are not because God will give you the victory over your enemies.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 129:1-2

Some people don’t like being reminded of their troubles. They think we ought to talk only of the positive things in life and leave out all the pessimistic stuff. They’d rather hear only of the sunshine of God’s grace and not the storm clouds of life’s difficulty. Even considering the reality and nature of Satanic opposition sends them posthaste into the fetal position.

I understand that. I prefer to move past, if not bury, all the difficult and distasteful things life brings my way. But isn’t that to ignore the fact that this thing called the Christian life is all about spiritual warfare—that we do have an Enemy who constantly seeks to destroy our very soul and that we are called to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony of faithfulness in the fight?

The psalmist understood quite well from the history of Israel’s enemies—literal foreign enemies who sought to defeat and enslave God’s people. These enemies were there from the beginning (“from my youth”) and never went away—Egypt, Edom, Moab, Philistia, Assyria, and Babylonia. These foreign, godless enemies oppressed Israel early and often, but each time, God gave his people victory over them.

You have enemies, too. That’s not being pessimistic; that’s just being real. Unlike Israel, however, your enemies are usually not physical, flesh and blood adversaries; they are spiritual forces that attack you from within—your moral character, your emotional stability, and your spiritual vitality. They seek to weaken your resolve to trust in God’s sufficiency and obey his commands. They seek to enslave you to a life that is far less than God’s best. And perhaps, like Israel, these enemies have “oppressed you from your youth,” or as the Message puts it, “They’ve kicked me around ever since you were young.” In other words, the same doubts, fears, temptations, and weaknesses you had as a young person or as a young Christian are still doing a number on you. Maybe they have had or even now have the upper hand in your life.

The psalmist would say to you, “Maintain your hope, don’t surrender your trust, strive to overcome every temptation, and get back up when you stumble. Whatever you do, don’t quit if you’ve failed. It may seem that you are down for the count, but you are not because God will give you the victory over your enemies.”

Israel had enemies—and God gave victory over each one. You’ve got enemies, too, but God has already given you victory over each one through Christ’s victory over sin. Think about that: All your adversaries have already been defeated—even if they don’t act like it. So go ahead and remind those enemies—depression, lust, anger, sickness, scarcity—that they are nothing but losers.

And you are anything but!

As the Apostle Paul declared in Romans 8:37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Yes, they may have you down for now, but you are not out! Christians never are.

“ Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. — C.S. LEWIS

PREVIEW: What does it mean to fear the Lord? This is by no means a theological definition, but for all intents and purposes, to fear the Lord means to make him and his purposes both the center and the circumference of your life. It is to be consumed with love, fueled by faith, and characterized by obedience in a moment-by-moment walk with God. It is to care more about what God cares about than anything else. That is what it means to fear the Lord, and that is what it takes to be blessed by the Lord.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 128:1-2

King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, began his most famous book, Proverbs, by writing, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). What followed was a collection of wise sayings intended to lead the God-fearing person into a life that the Lord would uniquely bless.

Solomon’s father, King David, who was Israel’s most beloved king, began his most famous book, Psalms, by writing, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3 )What followed was a collection of worship songs that expressed the blessed condition of one who feared the Lord.

Blessed fear—almost seems like an oxymoron. Fearfully blessed—same with that. Yet, for the person who fears God, blessings are guaranteed. And for the person who lives a genuinely God-blessed life, there you will find the fear of the Lord at their core.

What does it mean to fear the Lord? This is not a theological definition, but for all intents and purposes, to fear the Lord means to make him and his purposes both the center and the circumference of your life. It means to be consumed with love, fueled by faith, and characterized by obedience in a moment-by-moment walk with God. It means passionately caring more about what God cares about than anything else.

That is what it means to fear the Lord, and that is what it means to be blessed by the Lord.

You see, blessing in the purest sense is to be consumed by your love for God, to be fueled by your faith in God, and to be characterized by your obedience to God. A person who lives that kind of life knows pure and unassailable joy at the deepest level. Earthly success, material wealth, personal popularity, and all the other attributes the world says are needed for the blessed life are simply pale compared to a life characterized by blessed fear.

When you fear the Lord, you are truly blessed. When you are truly blessed by God, it is because you fear the Lord.

May God grant you holy fear, and may God richly bless you.

“ Fear only two: God, and the man who has no fear of God. — HASIDIC PROVERB

PREVIEW: How do we get God on our side? Simple: we get on God’s side! And what is the best way to ensure the Lord’s help? Not just to get the Lord on your side—that can be tricky business, given the exceeding craftiness of our own humanistic motives (“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out” Jer 17:9). Rather, the only surefire guarantee of the Lord’s help is to get on God’s side—and stay there—by maintaining God-honoring goals, focusing my interest on God’s purposes, setting my family apart for his glory, and exerting all my energies “as unto the Lord” (Col 3:17, 23). If you are like me, achieving that will require a good deal of recalibrating your life so that from the center to the circumference, you are aligned with God’s will.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 127:1-2

During the Civil war, President Lincoln was asked if God was on his side. His reply was, “It is not is God on my side, but am I on God’s side?”

That’s a great question to ask yourself in any of life’s endeavors. Whether it is in pursuing your personal goals (“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain”), protecting your interests (“Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain”), producing a good living (“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat”), practicing a life of tranquility (“he grants sleep to those he loves”) or planning for a happy family (“how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children” Psalm 127:3), at the end of all your efforts, nothing of lasting value and eternal consequence will have been accomplished if the Lord has not helped.

And what is the best way to ensure the Lord’s help? Not just to get the Lord on your side—that can be tricky business, given the exceeding craftiness of our own humanistic motives (“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out” Jeremiah 17:9). Rather, the only surefire guarantee of the Lord’s help is to get on God’s side—and stay there.

Perhaps Lincoln’s question is a good one to ask yourself today: “Am I on God’s side?” Are my goals God-honoring? Are my interests dedicated to his purpose? Is my work his work? Is my family set apart for his glory? Are all my efforts done “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:17, 23)?

If you are nervous about answering those questions as if you were giving account to God himself, then wouldn’t you say it is time to recalibrate your life so that from the center to the circumference, you are aligned with God’s purposes?

I hope you will join me today for a little recalibration. If we can pull that off, we will be in good standing to get the Lord’s help. And, like the Apostle Paul, the testimony of our life will be, “But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.” (Acts 26:22)

“ We cannot help conforming ourselves to what we love. — FRANCIS DE SALES

PREVIEW: As is true for every Christian, you, too, will get a season in what seems to be a wasteland, what we might call a desert experience. It is a barren place that is bordering your life physically, emotionally, financially, relationally, or spiritually, seemingly preventing you from moving into the place of fruitfulness that God intends for you. But don’t forget: God specializes in creating streams in the desert, turning bareness into fruitfulness, and birthing life from death. So, dear desert dweller, get ready to laugh. God is about to end your stream of tears and send you a stream of restoration.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 126:4

You’ve got a Negev; so do I. Everybody gets a Negev at some point in their life. Spending time there just seems to be core curriculum for Christians.

So, what’s a Negev? The Negev was the desert that sat on Israel’s southern border, and it was an inhospitable, intimidating, and impossible place. It was a borderline of barrenness. Israel had a physical Negev, but your Negev is not geographical; you may very well be living with a barren place that is bordering your life physically, emotionally, financially, relationally, or spiritually. And your desert experience is likely preventing, or so you think, from moving into your Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, a place of fruitfulness that God intends for you.

And here’s the deal with deserts: To the natural eye, there is no quick way out or easy way through. To the natural mind, there is nothing but barrenness, with no hope for life, and no prospects for change. The desert represents death—the end of a dream, the end of the line, the end of the story.

But God specializes in creating streams in the desert, turning bareness into fruitfulness, and birthing life from death. God brought the Israelites through the desert to the Promised Land, David out of the wilderness into the palace, Israel back from Babylonian exile to rebuild Jerusalem, and Jesus from death’s tomb to eternal glory. As you can see, deserts—physical, emotional, financial, relational, spiritual—are no big deal to God; some of his best work is done there.

Your Negev may look like the end of the road for you but don’t lose hope. Though you may weep tears of sorrow or tears of repentance or tears of intercession over your desert (“those who planted their crops in despair will shout “Yes!” at the harvest,” Psalm 126:5). You see, God will water your Negev with those tears and in the proper time, bring forth so much abundance (“And now, God, do it again—bring rains to our drought-stricken lives,” Psalm 126:6). And when, not if, but when that happens, you will have to pinch yourself to make sure it is not a dream (“those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing,” Psalm 126:1).

So, dear desert dweller, get ready to laugh. God is about to end your stream of tears and send you a stream of restoration.

“ He who has not looked on Sorrow will never see Joy. — KAHLIL GIBRAN

PREVIEW: God sometimes uses difficult trials to purify our faith and evil times to bring a better kind of prosperity than mere temporal stuff to our lives. But in a sense, when the psalmist prays, “Do good, O Lord,” he is foreshadowing the very prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:13, “Lead us not into temptation.” The Message captures the psalmist thoughts when it translates that line in the Lord’s Prayer, “Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.” That’s not a bad prayer to pray, I’d say. Given the choice between tough times and good times, I will pray for the latter, following both the psalmist’s and the Lord’s examples.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 125:4

God is good—all the time! That isn’t just modern American “Christianese.” No, that is biblical truth.

The fact is, God is all wise, fundamentally good, and always in charge! That never changes, even in tough times, which is likely the setting for this psalm. Some Bible scholars believe Psalm 125 was written during the time of foreign domination—perhaps at the hands of the uber-wicked Assyrians—or at least during a time when it seemed likely that Jerusalem would be overrun by the godless.

This is yet another Psalm of Assent, and the writer penned the song for people to sing on their way to worship in Jerusalem. It prompted them to call upon God for two things:

First, to keep Jerusalem pure: “The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.” (Psalm 125:3)

Second, to keep Jerusalem prosperous: “Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart”. (Psalm 125:4)

The writer recognized that people were seriously tempted to fall away from God when times were tough—either by giving in to the godless culture that had swallowed the land or by abandoning their trust in the God who seemed to withhold much-needed provision.

Of course, we recognize that God sometimes uses trials to purify our faith and tough times to bring a better kind of prosperity to our lives. But in a sense, the psalmist here foreshadows the very prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:13, “Lead us not into temptation.” The Message captures the psalmist’s thoughts when it translates that line in the Lord’s Prayer,

“Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.”

That’s not a bad prayer to pray, I’d say. Given the choice between tough times and good times, I will pray for the latter, following both the psalmist’s and the Lord’s examples. Sure, I am willing to embrace trial as a necessary friend (James 1:2, MSG), but my first choice is to hold hands with the goodness of God.

Yes, do good, dear God, and keep me safe from myself and the Devil!

“ Christian, remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity. — CHARLES SPURGEON

PREVIEW: Who better to have helping you than the God who created everything and who, by his power, sustains everything he has created. All other helpers will fall short and will ultimately fail, but there is One who never fails. And best of all, he is yours, and you are his. Better yet, he needs no convincing to act on your behalf. By virtue of you being his child, he not only stands at the ready to help you, he actually goes ahead of you and prepares the way before you get there. Yes, the Lord is our helper!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Let’s add a bit more context to our verse. The psalmist writes, “If the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.”

He is throwing a lot of analogies at us to describe not just the rough spots that we find ourselves in from time to time, but this is a desperate situation that we are not sure we can survive. We find ourselves in deep weeds with no help, no human escape, no remedy. We despair of life, if not physically, then emotionally, relationally, financially, or spiritually.

Then the psalmist declares those words that we depend on for our very life, breath, well-being, meaning in life, and joy: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (v. 8). Or as the Message puts it, “God’s strong name is our help, the same God who made heaven and earth.”

Who better to have helping you than the God who created everything and who, by his power, sustains it? All other helpers will fall short and will ultimately fail, but there is One who never fails. And best of all, he is yours, and you are his.

Better yet, he needs no convincing to act on your behalf. By virtue of being his child, he not only stands at the ready to help you, but he also actually goes ahead of you and prepares the way before you get there. (Isaiah 45:2) He commands you not to fear, for he will lead you and guide you into good success wherever you go. (Joshua 1:3,7-9) He has promised you health and prosperity, joy and purpose, righteousness and wisdom. (Proverbs 3:5-6; 4:11) He says he will stand beside you and walk with you—especially when the going gets rough. (Isaiah 43:2) He will even be your rearguard—he’s got you covered. (Isaiah 58:8).

What an incredible reality—God is on your side, and therefore, as you stay on God’s side, you cannot fail. So many people place their trust in people and institutions, in politicians and political systems, in bankers, coaches, parents, and preachers, which are at best very flawed and quite temporal. But those who trust in the Lord for his help will not be disappointed.

Isaiah 49:23 says of those who find their help in the Lord, “Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”

Hallelujah, with God as your God, help wanted is help received!

THE BIG IDEA: We live in a day when passion for the physical house of God is downplayed. For many, it is downright unimportant. Now there are some good reasons for focusing on the spiritual house of God over the physical, but still, if the literal house of God was important to King David, and the Son of David, King Jesus, should we have a little passion for the physical house of God, too—or a lot.

Meditation // Psalm 132:3-5

I will not enter my house or go to my bed—I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.

David had a passion for the house of God. He couldn’t tolerate the thought that as king, he would be able to build himself an unbelievably opulent palace while God’s dwelling was just a simple tent, the tabernacle, that had been used since the days of the exodus.

Then there was the time David publicly danced with delight as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem to its resting place at the tabernacle. (2 Samuel 6:14) The king’s public display of affection for that which represented the Divine Presence was so extreme that his watching wife despised David for it. But David didn’t care because he was passionate about the house of God.

David wanted desperately to build God a permanent structure—a temple. He knew God deserved the best. So he located property for the building, but rather than throwing his royal weight around to get a good deal for it, he insisted on paying full price. David wasn’t into immanent domain apparently, like too many politicians today. He said, “I won’t offer the Lord something that has cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24) David had a passion for the house of God.

God had other plans, however, and told David that it would be his son, Solomon, who would build the temple. So what did David do? He set about to make all the preparations for construction in order for Solomon to have a good head start when he was inaugurated as Israel’s king. (1 Chronicles 22:5) David was passionate for God’s house.

The Son of David, Jesus, was passionate about God’s house, too. Although he predicted that not one stone of it would be left upon another because of God’s judgment against the impure worship that took place there (Matthew 24:2), he did his best to bring purity to it. He drove the moneychangers from the temple—and not with gentle persuasion either. He made whips—and used them. He overturned the tables they had used to carry out their shady commerce. With an illustrated sermon that no one would ever forget, Jesus cleansed the temple. (John 2:13-16) Jesus was passionate about the house of God!

Of both David (Psalm 69:9) and Jesus (John 2:17), the Word of God says, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Saint Augustine aptly captured the reason for that zeal,

In the house of God there is never ending festival; the angel choir makes eternal holiday; the presence of God’s face gives joy that never fails.

We live in a day when passion for the physical house of God is downplayed. For many, it is downright unimportant. Now there are some good reasons for focusing on the spiritual house of God over the physical, but still, if the literal house of God was important to King David, and the Son of David, King Jesus, should we have a little passion for the physical house of God, too—or a lot.

So how about you? I’m not suggesting you take a whip to worship with you next weekend, but what I do hope for is that the same zeal for God’s house that consumed David and the Son of David will consume you. Me, too!

“ Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, there a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults. —JOHN CALVIN

THE BIG IDEA: There is an all-to-large category of people in every church whose behavior, by and large, we excuse. However, God doesn’t. He doesn’t find them acceptable; they and the unseen attitude of their hearts he finds deplorable. They are the kind of people who will say one thing to your face but say another thing behind your back. Even worse to God than what they say about you is what they think about you in their hearts. The psalmist says they speak peace when they are in front of you, but even before you turn away from them, their minds are flooded with ill will toward you. We might say they are two-faced. The Bible calls them hypocrites. And while we pretty much excuse their behavior and accept their ways in our culture, there is One who doesn’t!

Meditation // Psalm 28:3

Do not take me away with the wicked, and with workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.

There is a far too large category of people whose behavior, by and large we excuse. However, God doesn’t. He doesn’t find them acceptable; they and the unseen attitude of their hearts he finds deplorable. They are the kind of people who will say one thing to your face, but say another thing behind your back. And even worse to God than what they say about you is what they think about you in their hearts. The psalmist says they speak peace when they are in front of you, but even before you turn away from them, their minds are flooded with ill will toward you.

We might say they are two-faced. The Bible calls them hypocrites. And though we pretty much excuse their behavior and accept their ways in our culture, there is One who doesn’t! God’s righteous gaze cuts right through the syrupy surface of their lives with utter moral clarity and labels the wickedness of their hypocritical hearts, calling them what they truly are: Workers of iniquity.

Now I realize that at this point in your reading you might be thinking this is anything but an encouraging little devotional thought for the day. And truthfully, it is not. Rather, this is an exhortation. And the exhortation I have for you is twofold:

One, it is most likely that you will rub shoulders today with the kind of people David describes in this psalm. Be careful of them. Discern their hypocritical hearts and don’t be tainted by their iniquitous ways. If you allow them into your inner circle, they will ensnare you. So be careful.

And two, don’t be one of them. It is so easy to fall into this kind of two-faced living. Ask God to keep you from hypocrisy. Don’t fall into the pattern of saying one thing but thinking another in your heart. Ask God for integrity of word and thought.

That’s what David prayed: Keep me from them and keep me from being one of them. Hope you will pray that too!

“ Next to hypocrisy in religion, there is nothing worse than hypocrisy in friendship. — JOSEPH HALL

THE BIG IDEA: What is it that is making you cry today? A heart broken by a fractured relationship? A dashed hope or the death of a dream? A failed family? A personal sin? The consequences of a past mistake that continues to haunt you? What is it that is making you feel such deep sadness? Entrust those tears to God. And let the very next tear that fills your eyes and spills down your cheek be a reminder that your tears never really just dry up and fade into a painful memory, they go right into the bottle of that One who truly cares!

Meditation // Psalm 56:8

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Aren’t tears a mysterious part of what it means to be human? It is strange that we have the capacity to cry—to expel water from our eyes when we are sad. It seems to serve no real purpose—although science can explain the physiological “why” and mental health experts can explain the psychological “why”.

That still leaves the question of “why” tears—why were we created with that capacity?

Perhaps this psalm provides a clue. Maybe they are to remind us that God cares about the things that make us sad enough to shed tears. So much does he bear our sorrow that he collects our tears in a bottle, as the New Living Translation says, or as other versions put it, “he records them in his ledger.” In other words, God takes note—implying that he is not only aware of our sadness, but he will not forget it.

What is it that is making you cry today? A heart broken by a fractured relationship? A dashed hope or the death of a dream? A failed family? A personal sin? The consequences of a past mistake that continues to haunt you? What is it that you feel such deep sadness over?

It is likely that no one truly knows the depth of what you are feeling right now. Maybe no one will ever see those tears that have rolled down your cheek—and the intense hurt that caused them. Even if they do see your tears, how sad it is that long before your pain is healed, people will forget and move on.

But there is One who sees…and One who cares…and One who never forgets…and One who will never move on! And He wants you to know that, my friend. And that One, your Heavenly Father, simply asks you to take comfort in His compassion for you:

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:13)

And that compassionate, loving Heavenly Father likewise asks you to place your trust in him. In fact, so strongly does he desire your trust, that he extends the invitation twice in Psalm 56 just to make sure you really know his heart for you:

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:4,10-11)

I hope you will do that. Entrust those tears to God. And let the very next tear that fills your eyes and spills down your cheek be a reminder that your tears never really just dry up and fade into a painful memory, they go right into the bottle of that One who truly cares!

“ A child’s tear rends the heavens. —YIDDISH PROVERB

THE BIG IDEA: God planned me, built me, watches over me, can steer me back on track when I wander, will keep me safe until the numbers of days ordained he has ordained for me are up, and then take me to the next life that he has prepared for me. My life will be over when he says it’s over!

Meditation // Psalm 139:16

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How many days do I have left? I don’t know. No one does, except God. He knows the exact number of years, days, hours and seconds that I will occupy my address on Planet Earth; the exact moment that my death will occurs.

Now that may not seem like a cheery thought to you, and in fact, most people would find that sobering, at best, and frightening, at worst. Not me. I find great comfort and security in knowing that God has my life so ordered that I will neither die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what has already been recorded in his book. You see, life and death are far above my pay grade, so I will happily let Father God take care of that department, thank you very much.

So if I truly and correctly understand this profound truth, then I am freed from the fear of death to fully live the life that God has planned for me. I can enjoy an intimate walk with the One

• Who was intimately involved in each minor detail of my day (Psalm 139:1-4)
• Who never lets me out of his sight (Psalm 139:5-8)
• Who guides my every move with his Fatherly hand (Psalm 139:9-10)
• Who is not limited by my circumstances (Psalm 139:11-12).

In fact, God is so involved in my life that he was even there at the moment my mother and father conceived me in love, and he superintended even the most infinitesimal details my physiological and temperamental formation.

God knows me! He knows everything about me. He planned me, built me, watches over me, can steer me back on track when I wander from his purpose (Psalm 139:23-24), can be completely trusted to keep me safe until the Divinely allotted numbers of days ordained for me are up, and then take me to the next life that he has prepared for me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand (Psalm 139:6, NLT), but it won’t keep me from enjoying this day and praising the One who is in charge of it!

PREVIEW: Before you could even receive God’s amazing grace, he first had to unleash his righteous wrath upon Christ as he hung on the cross, bearing the just and deserved punishment for your sins. Jesus was afflicted so you could be acquitted. Mercy—not getting what you rightly deserve—was made possible only through Christ’s death. What that means for you is that every single day, every minute of every day, each second of every minute, each breath you take, and heartbeat by heartbeat of which you are unaware, it is all a gift of God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord. And for that, you ought to be continually and eternally overflowing with gratitude!

Moments with God // Psalm 123:2

I don’t know how much thought you give to God’s mercy, but frankly, without it, you wouldn’t even be reading this devotional blog today. And you are not alone—apart from Divine mercy, I wouldn’t have written it.

No one captured our utter dependence on God’s mercy better than the prophet Jeremiah, who wrote in Lamentations 3:21-23 (NKJV),

This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

What is Divine mercy? Simply this: Not getting what you rightly deserve. Grace, the other side of your utter dependence on God, is getting what you don’t deserve. Out of God’s great love (mercy is sometimes translated lovingkindness) and compassion, he has extended his grace through salvation, by which he lavished upon you all heaven’s riches at Christ’s expense. Keep in mind that neither mercy nor grace was, is, or ever will be due to your own merit.

Yet before you could even receive his grace, God first had to unleash his righteous wrath upon Christ as he hung on the cross, bearing the just and deserved punishment for your sins. Jesus was afflicted so you could be acquitted. Mercy—not getting what you rightly deserve—was made possible only through Christ’s death.

What that means for you is that every single day, every minute of every day, each second of every minute, each breath you take, and each heartbeat that you are not even aware of is a gift of God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord. And for that, you ought to be continually and eternally overflowing with gratitude!

Yet not only are God’s grace and mercy undeserved, unmerited gifts to you, but they are also your privilege once you become his child through faith in Christ. That is why, as the psalmist has done here, you can appeal to God for a specific extension of his mercy in your time of need. And that, my friend, is a very good thing indeed since coming to the Father by virtue of his mercy requires you to remember the very reason for your righteous standing before a holy God: Christ’s atoning death. As the writer of Hebrews 4:16 exhorts us,

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

When you remember, understand, and make your appeal to Divine mercy, your being exudes love, gratitude and humility, and that becomes a sweet smelling and irresistible fragrance to your merciful and gracious God.

“ Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved. — JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

PREVIEW: Why should I pray for the peace and prosperity of a city that is not even in my country? My goodness, I have enough to worry about in my own community, much less one that’s clear across the ocean! But Jerusalem remains a special place in God’s heart. It’s special because he chose it as the physical place that would house his uncontainable presence, to be the city where his temple would be constructed, and the sanctuary of that temple would serve as the central location for God’s people to worship him. And even though there is no longer a temple, it is very clear from scripture that Jerusalem has a prominent place in God’s grand plan for the eternal ages, where once again, Jerusalem will be the central place in the entire universe, in all creation, where redeemed beings will gather to worship Almighty God.

Moments with God // Psalm 122:6-7

Why should I pray for the peace and prosperity of a city that is not even in my country? My goodness, I have enough to worry about in my own community, much less one that’s clear across the ocean! And why should Jerusalem get singled out for special attention? What about London or Moscow or Pretoria or Sao Paolo? Aren’t those cities important to God?

Well, yes, those cities are important to God—all cities are! But Jerusalem is special. It’s special because God chose it as the physical place that would house his uncontainable presence. He selected the land of Canaan as the place where his people would live, Jerusalem to be the city where his temple would be constructed, and the sanctuary of that temple would serve as the central location for his people to worship him.

Even though there is no longer a temple, it is very clear from scripture that Jerusalem has a prominent place in God’s grand plan for the eternal ages. Once again, Jerusalem will be the central place in the entire universe, in all creation, where redeemed beings will gather to worship Almighty God.

I think that is reason enough to love Jerusalem. That is plenty of motivation to pray for the city above all others. Since Jerusalem factors significantly with the people and purpose of God, I will go out of my way to be protective of it. (Psalm 122:8) And since it once housed the Great House of God, and one day will again, I will do what I can to contribute to its prosperity. (Psalm 122:9)

Perhaps you have never been to Jerusalem, and maybe you don’t give the city much thought. I want to challenge you to rethink that—on both levels. Do what you can to go there—make plans to go there at least once in your life. And in the meantime, consciously pay more attention to its goings on, keep your eye out for news about it, attend functions in support of it, and most of all, pray for it!

Do all that, and sooner or later, you will fall in love, like I have, with a city. There’s no place like it!

“ “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. — JEWISH EXILES FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY

SYNOPSIS: When we are in Christ, we are kept from all harm. But doesn’t that seem like a huge overstatement? It does to me! I mean, you and I and most of the people we know have experienced harm—car wrecks, lost jobs, disease, divorce, death of loved ones, and… well, pick your poison. Ah, but is it really harm, child of God? It might hurt, and hurt a lot, but don’t we know by now that our Heavenly Father turns what is meant for evil into that which is good?

Moments with God // Psalm 121:1-8

According to this psalm, along with many other scriptures, when I am in Christ, I am kept from all harm. But doesn’t that seem like a huge overstatement to you? It does to me! I mean, you and I and most of the people we know have experienced harm—car wrecks, lost jobs, disease, divorce, death of loved ones, and… well, pick your poison.

Ah, but is it really harm, child of God? It might hurt and hurt a lot, but don’t we know by now that our Heavenly Father turns what is meant for evil into that which is good? As Joseph proclaims in Genesis 50:20,

God turned into good what you meant for evil.

Doesn’t our Lord take all things—even really bad things—and turn them into things that reveal his glory in our lives? The Apostle Paul Romans 8:28 and then again in Romans 8:38-39,

We know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans. …For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.

Then there is what the prophet Jeremiah said to encourage the Jewish exiles, longing for a return from slavery to the freedom of their homeland, which, though written two thousand years ago,  I have no problem applying to all Christians everywhere in every age,

Though you will be in captivity for decades, I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised and bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:10-11)

So, if we base our lives on God’s immutable Word, we know that all that happens to us is working for us, provided that we love God and fit into his plans.

Hasn’t he promised never to leave us nor forsake us? (Joshua 1:5) Will he not be true to his Word and walk with us even through the valley of the shadow of death? (Psalm 23:4) And when we die, didn’t Jesus himself promise that we really wouldn’t die? (John 11:25-26) He most certainly did.

It sounds to me like that no matter what, we win! Nothing can come to us that first doesn’t have to pass through the One who constantly watches over our comings and our goings. And to get to you and me, evil and harm first must pass the Divine Purpose Test: If it can’t be used for God’s glory in my life, God prohibits it from harming me. I like that, don’t you? He is watching over us and the people we care about. So, we can quit worrying and relax in the safety of his hands.

The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was held in a Nazi concentration camp in the 1940s and finally martyred by hanging, wrote from his prison cell, “Much that worries us beforehand can, quite unexpectedly, have a happy and simple solution… Things really are in a better hand than ours.”

The Lord is watching over you like a Heavenly Hawk, and nothing will escape his loving eye—not even one little detail. So be assured today that everything coming your way—good and not so good—will be used in his great transformation project to turn you into the image of his dear Son. (Romans 8:28-29)

Yeah, I like that!

“ God makes no mistakes. — KARL BARTH

SYNOPSIS: Like the ancients to whom the Bible was written, we, too, live in a culture that stands in stark contrast to the culture of God. Hostility and deceit are simply a way of life. Our godless culture forces its way into our lives each day through the airways and, of course, through the people with whom you must interact. Like me, you are probably sick and tired of having to endure a culture God never intended for mankind. But remember this: One day soon, you will no longer have to endure such hostility and dishonesty. One day, perhaps sooner than you think, the Son of God will break through the clouds and call you to your eternal home where truth and peace are as close as the air you will breathe. And what a day that will be!

Moments with God // Psalm 120:6-7

Perhaps you scratched your head when you read this psalm, as I did, unable to pull out much application from it other than the psalmist’s upset with the deceitful, hostile people he was forced to endure. But digging into the title of the psalm sheds some much-needed light on the rest of the psalm.

This is what is called a psalm of assent. There were fifteen of them, and they were songs to be sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem (the city had a relatively high elevation for the Promised Land, sitting at 2,700 feet above sea level). These psalms were written in a time when Israel had only one central location for corporate worship—the sanctuary of the Tabernacle/temple in Jerusalem—and they were required to go there three times each year for one of the religious festivals prescribed in the law of Moses.

As they journeyed, they were to worship—not a bad idea for you and me as we make our way to weekly worship at our church. In this particular psalm of assent, these pilgrims had to make a long journey since they lived in Meshech, way to the north in Asia Minor, and Kedar, which was in Ishmaelite territory in Arabia. (Psalm 120:5) Both places were known for violence, and in each godless location, deceit was an acceptable way of life. (Psalm 120:2-3)

So now we see how this psalm of assent is a little more applicable to our lives. We, too, live in a culture that stands in stark contrast to the culture of God. Hostility and deceit are simply a way of life, even if you don’t live all that far from the church where you worship. That godless culture forces its way into your life every day through the television, radio, or through your computer, and, of course, through the people with whom you must interact. And, like me, you are probably sick and tired of having to endure a culture God never intended for mankind.

One day, we will no longer have to endure such hostility and dishonesty. One day, perhaps sooner than we think, the Son of God will break through the clouds and call the people of God to their eternal home where truth and peace are as close as the air we will breathe. And what a day that will be!

But in the meantime, God has given us a place to which we can run and find truth and peace—the sanctuary of our church. There, God’s Truth is proclaimed, and there, through our worship, the peace of God transcends the chaos from without and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7) And best of all, you aren’t limited to three times a year; you can go at least once each weekend to get your defense shields recharged as you gather with the rest of God’s children to offer your worship and receive his grace.

Now that the psalmist has reminded you of this stark contrast between culture and church, perhaps you should sing a song of assent on your way to worship this coming weekend.

SYNOPSIS: The wise counsel that comes to us when we live “according to” God’s Word lifts us far above our limited, shortsighted, earth-bound perspective and provides a heavenly view of life as we journey through it. God’s Word becomes, as Timothy Dwight described, “a window in this prison-world through which we may look into eternity.” It is, as Henry Ward Beecher wrote, “God’s chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbour is, and how to reach it without running on rocks and sand bars.” That’s why we must invest the first and best part of our day (Psalm 119:147) to reading, studying, meditating, and applying God’s Word.

Moments with God // Psalm 119:24</strong

As you read through all 174 verses of Psalm 119—the longest chapter in the Bible—you will notice the repetition of the phrase “according to.” In fact, it’s found twenty times—that is once every eight or nine verses. Obviously, it is an important phrase to the writer since he repeats it so often.

But what is of import is that the phrase is describing the one whose life is lived “according to” the Word of God. And to the one who so orders their life, the rest of the psalm is mostly a detail of the various benefits that follow. And, of all those wonderful benefits, perhaps the greatest is that these holy statutes serve as a personal counselor—a Divine Guidance System, if you will—your divine GPS!

What a comfort! The counsel that comes to us when we live “according to” God’s Word lifts us far above our limited, shortsighted, earth-bound perspective and provides a heavenly view of life as we journey through it. The Word of God becomes, as Timothy Dwight described, “a window in this prison-world through which we may look into eternity.” It is, as Henry Ward Beecher wrote, “God’s chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbour is, and how to reach it without running on rocks and [sand] bars.”

That’s why we must invest the first and best part of our day (Psalm 119:147) to reading, studying, meditating, and applying God’s Word. Psalm 119:130 reminds us that “the unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” As you can see, not giving full devotion and the highest place to the Word of the Lord would be nothing less than foolish.

If you have chosen to read God’s Word each day, whether through this blog or in some other form, I congratulate you. There is no better investment. Psalm 119:89 says the Word of the Lord is eternal—nothing else in this world can lay claim to that distinction—so while all else around you is being shaken, because you have delighted in his laws, you won’t be!

As Psalm 119:165 promises, “Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” That’s what you get when you follow your Divine Guidance System.

SYNOPSIS: The literal and exact center of the Bible is Psalm 118:8, which reminds us that by miles, it is far better to put our trust in God than to depend on flawed, inconsistent, undependable human beings. God has a track record of indefatigable goodness, boundless faithfulness, perfect timing (although not our timing), undefeatable strength, and unmatched authority, and he is more than willing and always able to unleash his move and might on behalf of his children. You may be tempted to day to lean on the arm of flesh in whatever difficult circumstance in which you find yourself, but don’t! Open your Bible to its literal, exact center and let the eternal word of God remind you that far better than any human option is to lean on his everlasting arms. While I can’t predict what you will have to endure, I will assuredly predict that you will come out on the other side with the everlasting God holding you securely in his loving, protecting arms.

Moments with God // Psalm 118:8

This isn’t original with me, but I thought you might find it interesting nonetheless:

The shortest chapter in the Bible is the previous chapter in the Book of Psalms, Psalms 117. The longest chapter is Psalm 119. Tucked between these two chapters is Psalm 118, the literal center of the Bible.

There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118, and there are 594 chapters after Psalms 118. If you add these numbers up, you get 1188.

What is the center verse in the Bible? None other than Psalms 118:8 (Msg), which tells us,

Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities.

Does this verse say something significant about God’s perfect will? Obviously, it does! So, the next time someone says they would like to find God’s plan for their life and that they want to be in the center of his will, just send them to the exact middle of His Word, and there they can read the central point of God’s purpose for mankind:

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in human beings. (NKJV)

Now, isn’t it odd how this worked out, or was God at the center of it?

“ The Holy Bible is an abyss. It is impossible to explain how profound it is, impossible to explain how simple it is. — ERNEST HELLO

SYNOPSIS: The Bible tells us that we will never be declared righteous in God’s sight by our best efforts to be righteous. In fact, all of humanity is in the same boat: we all sin and fall way short of God’s standards for righteousness. Yet scripture also tells us that God proves his love for us in that while we were still in sin, God sent his son Jesus to die so that his death would pay the legal debit for our legal adjudication of innocence. In other words, God has stubbornly persisted in loving us. And what can diminish his love for us? Nothing—not even our best efforts to drive him away. No wonder the authors of these psalms would often exclaim after writing of God’s great love and enduring faithfulness, “Praise the Lord!” What else is there to say?

MOMENTS WITH GOD // Psalm 117:1-2

They say that dynamite comes in small packages, as does one of the most powerful truths in all of Scripture. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, with only two verses, but how profound they are. The entire message that God has graciously communicated to mankind through his Word be summed up right here:

God’s love toward us is great, and his faithfulness is unending.

Love and faithfulness—that is our God in a nutshell. He loves us unconditionally. We did nothing to deserve or earn his love. We can never earn his love through our best efforts to be righteous and to do righteous things. In fact, we have gone out of our way to repulse his love for us. Consider these declarations from scripture:

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 4:6)

Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law, we become conscious of our sin. …[Saving] righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:22-23)

Yet Romans 5:8 adds, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In other words, even at our worst, God has stubbornly persisted in loving us. And what can diminish his love for us? Nothing—not even our best efforts to drive him away:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Praise God. He is faithful morning after morning, with each new day, to extend mercy, cover us with grace, shower us with goodness, and embrace us with everlasting love. His love endures forever.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is God’s faithfulness.

No wonder the authors of these psalms would often exclaim after writing of God’s great love and enduring faithfulness, “Praise the Lord!” What else is there to say but …

Praise the Lord!

I would encourage you to listen to this song—How Deep the Father’s Love—then let it inspire you to lift up a prayer of gratitude to your loving, merciful, gracious Heavenly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2mn86HdQFY&feature=related

“ God loves each and every one of us as if there were only one of us. — ST. AUGUSTINE

SYNOPSIS: There’s nothing like coming face-to-face with death to bring clarity to what is most important in life. In Psalm 116, the psalmist had either come through a literal near-death experience or he had gone through something spiritually that was so intensely difficult that death would have been a welcomed option. Whatever the reason for this deeply personal psalm, staring the Grim Reaper in the eye led the writer to this bottom line: I love the Lord! I don’t wish a near-death experience for you, but I do pray that you would come to the same overriding conclusion of what is first and foremost in life: The extension of God’s mercy to you and your response of love to the Lord. Tell me, what else in life is more important than that?

Moments with God // Psalm 116:1-6

There’s nothing like coming face-to-face with death to bring clarity to what is most important in life. The psalmist had either come through a literal near-death experience, or he had gone through something spiritually that was so intensely difficult that death would have been a welcomed option. Whatever the reason for this deeply personal psalm, staring the Grim Reaper in the eye led the writer to this bottom line: I love the Lord!

I don’t wish a near-death experience for you, me, or anyone, but I do pray that we would come to the same overriding conclusion of what is first and foremost in life: The extension of God’s mercy to us and our response of love to the Lord. Tell me, what else in life is more important than that?

Now I understand, as do you, that “love” is a term used rather loosely in our world. We love our favorite food, a certain TV show, a song, or a celebrity—we even love our pets (dogs I can understand; cats I can’t). And when we are teenagers, we love our best friends one day and hate them the next. Love is a squishy thing in our culture.

But when a near-death experience peels all the false “likes” and faux “loves” back from the core of what love truly is, we find a response of love for God that expresses itself in very real terms and quite practical actions. The psalmist mentions several:

Prayerful dependence on the Lord in daily life: “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Please, Lord, save me!’” (Psalm 116:3-4)

Calm assurance in the face of death: “The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.” (Psalm 116:15)

Heartfelt gratitude for God’s goodness: “I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 116:17)

Ruthless follow through of our vows to obey God’s law: “I will fulfill my vows to the Lord…” (Psalm 116:18a)

Authentic demonstration of public praise for the God we claim to love: in the presence of all his people—in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 116:18b-19).

Do you love the Lord? I do! How about we don’t just say it but show it today in one of those ways? After all, in his mercy, he has saved us from a great deal of bad stuff in life (“Then I called on the name of the Lord: Please, Lord, save me! … He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” Psalm 116:4,8) and from even worse stuff after death (“The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die” Psalm 116:15).

Wow! Now that I think about it, I really do love the Lord!

“ When the time comes for you to die, you need not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from God’s love. — CHARLES SPURGEON

SYNOPSIS: In Biblical times, idols made of wood, stone, or precious metals were a constant enticement to God’s people. In our day, we don’t worship literal images as the ancients did, but wouldn’t you agree that we are just as susceptible to the seduction of less obvious yet more sophisticated idols of health, wealth, comfort, celebrity, power, pleasure, and self-preservation? Don’t you agree that the love of money, the pursuit of fame (or at least the homage we pay to those who have attained it), the jockeying for top position, and the relentless indulgence of the flesh come between many and their singular devotion to God? Honestly, if you are placing importance, expending energy, and making personal investment in something that drowns out your full-throttled devotion to God, you have made it into an idol. At the end of the day, however, our idols will have amounted to nothing. They cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, act, or offer anything that benefits our preparation for eternity. The wealth, power, pleasure, and fame they may produce in this life will crumble on that day when all creation stands before Almighty God—and so will all who have worshipped them along with or in place of God. So don’t give your worship to another. It belongs to God alone.

Moments With God // Psalm 115:8

American Idol! When the show was still in its infancy, nearly 100 million Americans tuned in to vote for one lucky dude who, only weeks before, was just as un-famous as you and me. But after several episodes of weekly exposure to the American masses, he hit instantaneous stardom when he was crowned the new American Idol.

By the way, even after several seasons, my wife still loves the show, so I dare not use this blog to trash it. That would not go well for me. But as entertaining as this and similar shows are, they expose a growing problem in our culture: Far too many people are way out of balance in their adoration of anything celebrity. We have an American idol problem, so to speak. Just like the people to whom the psalmist referred, we, too, have our idols, and we would be wise to take note of his warning that not only will these idols come to certain doom, but so will those who have created them, as well as those who elevate them to places of disproportionate importance in their lives.

Of course, we don’t worship literal images made of wood, stone, silver, or gold like the ancients did, but wouldn’t you agree that we are just as susceptible to the seduction of less obvious but more sophisticated idols of wealth, celebrity, power, and pleasure? Don’t you agree that the love of money, the pursuit of fame (or at least the homage we pay to those who have attained it), the jockeying for top position, and the relentless indulgence of the flesh come between many and their singular devotion to God?

Perhaps you would have to admit your guilt of divided devotion. Maybe you sometimes struggle with hanging on to “your” money when you really ought to be investing it in God’s work. Perhaps you wrestle with the desire to be admired for what you have done when you should really be offering acts of selfless, anonymous servanthood. It could be that there are times when it is difficult for you to put the things of God ahead of your own plans for pleasure, comfort, entertainment, and self-preservation.

If you are placing importance, expending energy, and making personal investment in things that drown out your full-throttled devotion to God, you have made them into an idol. If so, here’s the deal: At the end of the day, those things will have amounted to nothing. They cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, act, or offer anything that benefits your preparation for eternity. (Psalm 115:5-7) The wealth, power, pleasure, and fame they may produce in this life will crumble on that day when all creation stands before Almighty God—and so will all who have worshipped them ahead of God.

Don’t give your worship to another. It belongs to God alone. As Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” Friend, worship only God, and he will be for you:

Your protection: “All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.” (Psalm 115:11)

Your provision: “The Lord will bless those who fear him, both great and lowly.” (Psalm 115:13)

Your posterity: “May the Lord richly bless both you and your children.” (Psalm 115:14)

Your prosperity: “May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.” (Psalm 115:15)

Your peace: “The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 115:17-18).

No idol will do that for you—American or otherwise. Only God can, and only he is worthy of your worship.

“ The Human heart is an idol factory. — JOHN CALVIN

SYNOPSIS: I love the earth. I think God brought his A-game when he created this planet. But don’t miss the point: Like everything else, it was created. And we, as the highest order of God’s creation, were given the assignment to manage the rest of creation on God’s behalf—and that includes lovingly and wisely caring for Planet Earth. But we are the earth’s stewards, not its Savior, and while this planet is our home, don’t confuse it with our heaven. We are simply to watch over the created cosmos, being careful not to cross over the thin line that exists between watching and worshiping. Grasping this is so important, you see, because the earth actually worships its Creator. We should follow suit! I don’t want to get caught up worshiping something that worships Someone else. Do you? I want to give my worship to the Creator.

Moments With God // Psalm 114:1-4,7

You see a lot of earth worship these days. If you don’t know what I am talking about, pay a little more attention to what is going on in the environmental movement. In my view, a radical form of environmentalism that is tantamount to idolatry has replaced common-sense stewardship of the earth—earth worship, to be precise—the worship of creation over the Creator.

Think about it: Blind loyalty, if not fawning love, is offered to the cosmos, monetary offerings are given to uphold its cause, the words of its high priests are revered without challenge, its message is spread by aggressive followers with the fervor of door-to-door evangelists, and those who don’t readily accept the message are mocked and marginalized.

Sounds like a religion to me!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the earth. I think God brought his A-game when he created this planet. But don’t miss the point: Like everything else, it was created. And we, as the highest order of God’s creation, were given the assignment to manage the rest of creation on God’s behalf—and that includes lovingly and wisely caring for Planet Earth. But we are the earth’s stewards, not its Savior, and while this planet is our home, don’t confuse it with our heaven. We are simply to watch over the created cosmos, careful not to cross over the thin line between watching and worshiping.

Grasping this is so important, you see, because the earth actually worships its Creator. That’s what this psalm is about. And though God has put the systems in place that run the physical world day in and day out, season by season, eon after eon, every once in a while, he breaks back into it and commands the cosmos to fulfill extraordinary things for his purposes. Those extraordinary acts are, in reality, nothing more than the release of pent-up praise the creation longs to give its Creator. In other words, during those extraordinary moments of earth-shattering activity, the planet is praising.

And yet, when the earth simply goes about doing what the earth does—rising and resting with each twenty-four-hour period, moving seamlessly from one season to the next—it too, in those ordinary moments, is offering praise to the One who created it and by his mighty power, sustains it. Moment-by-moment, day-by-day, year-by-year, the earth is worshiping.

The creation worships its Creator. What an awesome thing to consider. What an amazing thing to behold. I don’t want to get caught up worshiping something that worships Someone else. Do you? I want to give my worship to the Creator, and as I care for his creation, even then, I am offering him his rightful worship.

Earth worship! Sure, go ahead. Join the earth in worship of its Creator.

SYNOPSIS: Whenever man invents god, there you find a deity who is unapproachable, aloof, angry, interested only in his subjects keeping him happy, and characteristically impossible to please. But God is not an invention; He is the Inventor. And the Great Inventor has taken the initiative to walk among his people. Moreover, he condescends to lift them up and fill their lives with satisfaction, significance, and joy. He is the God who stoops—imagine that! And this God who stoops was at his condescending best when he not only walked among his people but when he became one of them. You see, he was not merely a God who got his hands dirty for a day before returning to the riches of heaven; he became poor for a lifetime so that we, through his poverty, could become rich for eternity. Yes, thank God for a Savior who stooped!

Moments With God // Psalm 113:4-9

Who is like the LORD our God? He is the God who stoops.

No one could ever have invented a condescending deity like that in a million years. Even if we had thought God up, it would have been a long stretch to imagine One who would be moved by interest in the plight of his creation, full of compassion and pity, extending grace and mercy, exuding love and kindness, much less One who actually stoops to do something about it.

The God who stoops—who’d a thunk it?

Whenever man invents god, there you find a deity who is unapproachable, aloof, angry, interested only in his subjects keeping him happy, and characteristically impossible to please. But God is not an invention; He is the Inventor. And the Great Inventor has taken the initiative to walk among his people. Moreover, he condescends to lift them up and fill their lives with:

• Satisfaction: “He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.” (Psalm 113:7)
• Significance: “He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people.” (Psalm 113:8)
• Joy: “He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.” (Psalm 113:9)

He is the God who stoops—imagine that!

And this God who stoops was at his condescending best when he not only walked among his people, but when he became one of them. You see, he was not merely a God who got his hands dirty for a day before returning to the riches of heaven, he became poor for a lifetime so we, through his poverty, could become rich for eternity. (2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:6-8)

He is the God who stoops!

The late Carl F. H. Henry, arguably America’s preeminent twentieth-century theologian, put it simply yet so profoundly: “Jesus Christ turns life right-side-up and heaven outside-in.” The Condescending Christ stooped to lift fallen humanity from the quagmire of sin into the undeserved riches and indescribable glory of Almighty God.

Yes, thank God for a Savior who stooped!

“ Jesus Christ, the condescension of divinity, and the exaltation of humanity. — PHILLIPS BROOKS

SYNOPSIS: I know what you are thinking: “No bad news for the believer—you gotta be kidding!” Yes, there is no such thing as bad news for the God-fearing, commandment-keeping believer. I realize that you could point to any number of faithful people in the Bible—Joseph, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, the disciples, Paul, even Jesus himself—and remind me that they indeed experienced bad news during their respective journeys on earth. And talk about bad news—what about Job? If you were to look up the definition of bad news in the dictionary, you would find Job’s picture there.! I wholeheartedly agree with your point, but that is not what I am talking about. I didn’t say that the godly are immune to bad things, only to bad news. You see when God is on your side, or perhaps more correctly, when you are on God’s side, no matter what, you win! And that’s good news.

Moments With God // Psalm 112:6-8

You’ve heard it said, “No news is good news.” The psalmist puts a different spin on that old bromide: There is no bad news! Let’s take a look at what he said:

• This applies to the one who reverences God and relishes his law: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.” (Psalm 112:1)
• For that one, good things will happen, and even bad things will be turned into blessings: “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” (Psalm 112:4).
• Furthermore, God will not only pour blessings on the one who fears him but he ensures prosperity to their posterity: “Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.… They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. (Psalm 112:2,9)
• When you fear the Lord, you have nothing to fear: “Heart ready, trusting in God, Spirit firm, unperturbed, Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies (Psalm 112:8 MSG)

Now I know what you are thinking: “No bad news for the believer—you gotta be kidding!” Yes, there is no such thing as bad news for the God-fearing, commandment-keeping believer. I realize that you could point to any number of faithful people in the Bible—Joseph, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, the disciples, Paul, even Jesus himself—and remind me that they indeed experienced bad news during their respective journeys on earth. And talk about bad news—what about Job? If you were to look up the definition of bad news in the dictionary, you would find Job’s picture there.!

I wholeheartedly agree with your point, but that is not what I am talking about. I didn’t say that the godly are immune to bad things, only to bad news. You see when God is on your side, or perhaps more correctly, when you are on God’s side, no matter what, you win! And that’s good news.

How so? God turns even bad things into good things for you, and while he is at it, he uses them to bring glory to himself as well. That’s what is promised to God-fearing, commandment-keeping believers in his Word. I love how John Newton, the former notorious slave trader who was dramatically and profoundly converted to Christ, put it,

“We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.”

Wow! No bad news for believers! If you doubt Newton’s theology, take a moment to read Romans 8:28.

Now, again, please don’t think I am promising a pain-free life. I am not; nor is God. What God promises is to use all the things that occur in your life for his purposes and even use them as the very catalyst that will conform you to the image of his Son. From that perspective, what others consider bad news you can embrace as good news. So, in a very real sense, you, dear God-fearing believer, are immune to bad news.

Now that’s what I call good news!

SYNOPSIS: God wants you, on a regular basis, to call up from your memory banks the things that he has done. He wants you to delight in his sovereign acts and stand in awe of the mighty works of his hand. God didn’t perform them only to have them written in the history books and then to be forgotten. They are to be remembered, pondered, delighted in, and to lead his people to offer him eternal praise. I’m sure if you allow yourself some time to ponder anew the past acts of God on behalf of his people and on your behalf, too, nothing but good things will come from it. I can’t think of a downside to a session of praiseful pondering, can you?

Moments With God // Psalm 111:1-3

When was the last time you took some time to remember what God has done? Psalm 111:4 says, “He has caused his wonders to be remembered.” In other words, built into God’s mighty acts is a reminder to remember the One who performed them.

God wants you, on a regular basis, to call up from your memory banks the things that he has done. He wants you to delight in his sovereign acts and stand in awe of the mighty works of his hand. God didn’t perform them only to have them written in the history books and then to be forgotten. They are to be remembered, pondered, delighted in, and, as Psalm 111:10 says, to lead his people to offer him eternal praise:

Praise him forever!

Before you leave this time of reflection on Psalm 111, perhaps you should take a moment to speak forth your delight in the great things God has done. The psalmist has even provided a wonderful template of praise just for you. For instance,

• You can reflect on the undeserved compassion that God has extended to you: “How gracious and merciful is our Lord!” (Psalm 111:4)
• You probably ought to include a verbal gratitude list for the gracious provision he has made for your daily needs: “He gives food to those who fear him.” (Psalm 111:5)
• While you are thinking about that, thank him for staying true to his character and his promises: “He always remembers his covenant.” (Psalm 111:5)
• You might want to bask in the Divine power that has led to victories in your life: “He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations.” (Psalm 111:6)
• You could add your appreciation for his fair and just rule, too: “All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.”(Psalm 111:7-8)

And best of all, why not let the reality of your redemption cause you to be undone with love all over again: “He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!” (Psalm 111:9)

I love Joachim Neander’s 17th Century hymn, Praise To the Lord the Almighty, especially the words of the third verse:

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

I’m sure if you allow yourself some time to ponder anew the past acts of God on behalf of his people and on your behalf, too, nothing but good things will come from it. I can’t think of a downside to a session of praiseful pondering, can you?

“ The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder. — G. K. CHESTERTON

SYNOPSIS: The day is coming when God will call a halt to this current season of gentle persuasion, and Jesus will literally, physically, and forcefully return to earth to rule over it in power and glory. And to those who have refused his rule, he will crush them as with a rod of iron. This time of rule is what we refer to as the millennial reign of Christ—the thousand-year period between the Second Coming and the Great White Throne judgment, where the Kingdom of God will thoroughly cover the earth from one end to the other. That time is coming, my friend, and it is coming soon! I urge you then, in light of God’s unbreakable promise, to lovingly and willingly submit to his thorough rule as Messiah, King, and High Priest of your body, mind, and heart. Do it today!

Moments With God // Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110 is arguably the most thoroughly messianic of all the psalms. The Holy Spirit inspired King David to write of a future time when the Messiah, not only his descendant but, more importantly, his Lord—he who was superior to David and to whom the king would submit both his life and kingly authority—would rule the earth as both king and priest:

The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”( Psalm 110:4),

Moreover, this Lord, King, and Priest would rule in wrath and judgment over those who refused his authority

The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts. He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth. (Psalm 110:5-6)

What we need to remember as we read this psalm is that this is what the future holds—for Jesus, for you and me who have willingly submitted to his righteous rule, and for a world that has grown tone-deaf to his loving invitation to submit to his rightful authority. In this present moment, God is preparing Christ’s enemies for destruction (Psalm 110:1), Christ is representing the needs and concerns of believers in heaven before the Father as our high priest (Psalm 110:4, cf. Hebrews 7:24-26), and the Holy Spirit is calling the world to God through Christ through the witness of the church (2 Corinthians 5:18-22).

Now, as much as anything, here is what this psalm should cause us to think about: The day is coming when God will call a halt to this current season of gentle persuasion, and Jesus will literally and physically return to earth to rule over it in power and glory. And to those who have refused his rule, he will crush them as with a rod of iron. This time of rule is what we refer to as the millennial reign of Christ—the thousand-year period between the Second Coming and the Great White Throne judgment, where the Kingdom of God will thoroughly cover the earth from one end to the other.

That time is coming, my friend, and it is coming soon! I urge you then, in light of God’s unbreakable promise, to lovingly and willingly submit to his thorough rule as Messiah, King, and High Priest of your body, mind, and heart today.

Christ’s full and complete rule over you is only right and fitting!

“ Jesus must be Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all. — UNATRIBUTED

SYNOPSIS: What made David a great leader was how he endured under pressure. It wasn’t just his amazing victories, his ever-expanding kingdom, his winsome personality, and his musical skill, but it was his dogged determination to please God. David took his cues from the Chief Justice of the Universe rather than what would make him a more popular leader at the moment. More than anything, David wanted God’s blessing more than everything else—high approval ratings, more power, a larger palace, increased fame, and a stellar legacy. He simply lived for God’s smile, and that’s what made him great, that’s what fueled his endurance under pressure, that’s what enabled him to run strong and finish well. If you are a leader—in your home, at school, in your business, in the community, or at the church—live for God’s smile, and you, too, will be a great and enduring leader. At least God will think so, and he is really the only one who ultimately counts.

Moments With God // Psalm 109:28

Can you imagine what it’s like being the president? At any given time, half the country, give or take, admires you and thinks you are doing a decent job, while the other half can’t wait for you to just go away. And that’s on a good day! It can be much worse than that for a president. Think about it—it is not uncommon for a sitting president to have sixty to seventy percent of the citizens treat him as if he were Satan’s spawn.

It is hard to imagine why anyone would want that job. And yet, every four years, a herd of politicians line up for their chance to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. That can only mean one of two things: They are either crazy or they are called. (Actually, there are several other motives we could talk about—but we’ll save that for another time.)

I’m not sure who said it, but they were right: It’s lonely at the top. Leadership at any level is a tough job—president, pastor, principal, or parent. In fact, it is not only tough, but it can also be lonely, sometimes thankless, and even downright painful. It certainly was for King David.

David is another man whose leadership we tend to romanticize. But if we could catch David in a brutally honest moment, I think he would tell us just how unromantic his job was. If we just go by what he says in the Psalms, David lived with persistent criticism for much of his reign. It might even seem from reading these psalms, which, in a way, was nothing more than David’s spiritual journal, that he was a little paranoid. But that was only because people were out to get him.

What made David a great leader was how he endured under pressure. It wasn’t just his amazing victories, his ever-expanding kingdom, his winsome personality, and his musical skill, but his dogged determination to please God. David took his cues from the Chief Justice of the Universe rather than what would make him a more popular leader at the moment.

If you read this entire psalm, you will notice yet again that David bookends this detailed account of his detractor’s vicious accusations with his dependence on God:

O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me. (Psalm 109:1-2)

But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them. (Psalm 109:30-31)

More than anything, David wanted God’s blessing more than everything else—high approval ratings, more power, a larger palace, increased fame, a stellar legacy. He simply lived for God’s smile, and that’s what made him great, fueled his endurance under pressure, and enabled him to run strong and finish well.

If you are a leader—in your home, at school, in your business, in the community, or at the church—live for God’s smile, and you, too, will be a great and enduring leader. At least God will think so, and he is really the only one who ultimately counts.

Oh, by the way, before I go, I want to encourage you to give your president a break. Here is a good rule of thumb: Pray for him twice as much as you criticize him. Do that, and I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you’ll quit criticizing him.

“ Enduring setbacks while maintaining the ability to show others the way to go forward is a true test of leadership. — NITIN NOHRIA

SYNOPSIS: What are you facing this week? Has God helped you in the past? Why wouldn’t he help you again? As you pray over this situation, call to mind the mighty acts of God from your past—and let the Holy Spirit birth confidence within you for the present. What God has done for you yesterday, because he is the unchanging and dependable God, and because he loves you with an everlasting love, he will do for you today, and again tomorrow. The outcome has been predetermined. You win! Now, get in there and play the game of your life.

Moments With God // Psalm 108:1-4

A few years ago, since I was unable to watch it live, I recorded a pro football game on television in which God’s favorite team—and mine—was playing. I’m not normally a big fan of recording anything because I like the sense of watching something “live.” I like knowing the outcome has yet to be determined.

So, I broke my own rule and watched a game that had already been played. But also I broke a second rule: I had purposely found out who won the game before I watched it. I didn’t want to waste my time and get all bummed out if my team was going to lose. I know—I’m a fair-weather fan! But I’ll tell you what: I watched my team play with a lot more confidence because I knew they would crush the other team.

In a sense, that is what David is doing in this psalm. He is asking God for help in giving him victory over his enemies, but he is doing so confidently, knowing that the outcome has been predetermined. He has viewed the end of the contest in advance, and now he is returning to play the game.

You see, the words of David’s psalm are taken from two previous psalms in which he had cried out to the Lord for help, and in both cases, the Lord heard David and gave him victory. The first of these psalms is Psalm 57:7-11, where David fled into the cave to escape from King Saul. And you know the outcome of that contest: David ultimately triumphed over Saul’s murderous intent. God took care of Saul by taking him out of the picture, and God took care of David, taking him all the way to the throne by making him King over all of Israel.

The second is from Psalm 60:5-12 where God gave David an overwhelming victory against an extremely large Edomite army. The title of this particular psalm tells the story

For the choir director: A psalm of David useful for teaching, regarding the time David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and killed 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. To be sung to the tune “Lily of the Testimony.”

There is something about a past victory that gives you confidence going into a new battle today. When God has helped you in the past, given you victory over the Enemy, supernaturally supplied your need, provided a spiritual breakthrough, and seen you through when there seemed to be no way through, you pray a little differently in the next crisis. You go to him with greater assurance, firmer expectation, and deeper peace than you might otherwise.

What are you facing this week? Has God helped you in the past? Why wouldn’t he help you again?

As you pray over this situation, call to mind the mighty acts of God from your past—and let the Holy Spirit birth confidence within you for the present. What God has done for you yesterday, because he is the unchanging and dependable God, and because he loves you with an everlasting love, he will do for you today, and again tomorrow.

The outcome has been predetermined. You win! Now, get in there and play the game of your life.

“ Pray and let God worry. — MARTIN LUTHER

SYNOPSIS: The entirety of Psalm 107 simply gives one example after another of how God, in his faithful love and enduring mercy, has freed his people from what they deserve. And at the end of each example, the psalmist expresses the call to gratitude: “Oh, thank God, he is so good! His love never runs out! All of you set free by God, tell the world!” I bet you could compose your own Psalm 107 of his love and mercy in your life. In fact, that might be a good assignment for you and me this week. And then, as the psalmist suggested, we should go tell the world. Now, that’s a pretty tall order, so how about starting the part of the world in which you live? Write your psalm and share it with your spouse, your family, your friends, and then your co-workers.

Moments With God // Psalm 107:1-2

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this.

I like how The Message version of the Bible renders the psalmist’s call to gratitude: “Oh, thank God—he’s so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world!”

God is good—all the time! That truly is the testimony of my life—and I have a feeling it is true of your life as well. Certainly, I ought to be proclaiming God’s goodness to anyone who will listen and even to those who won’t, much more than I do. Adding to that, the fact that I am, on my best day, not so good, and on my worst day, frankly, pretty bad, only brings out the brilliance of God’s overwhelming goodness even more.

The New King James translation of the psalmist’s words is even more meaningful to me: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Mercy—I can really relate to that. Now, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying: I’ll take either enduring love or enduring mercy—I can’t leave without either one. Love and mercy are simply different facets of the same diamond we understand as the goodness of God.

But God’s mercy really speaks to me, and I’ll bet if you thought about it, you would say the same. Someone said that mercy is not getting what you deserve. The truth is, you and I depend upon God’s mercy every single moment just to draw in the next breath since the holy and righteous God has had every reason and right to annihilate us from the planet because of our sinfulness. Jeremiah said it well in Lamentations 3:22-23,

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The entirety of Psalm 107 simply gives one example after another of how God, in his faithful love and enduring mercy, has freed his people from what they deserve. At the end of each example, the psalmist expresses the call to gratitude: Oh, thank God, he is so good! His love never runs out!

I bet you could compose your own Psalm 107. In fact, that might be a good assignment for you and me this week. And then, as the psalmist suggested, we should go tell the world. Now, that’s a pretty tall order, so how about starting the part of the world in which you live? Write your psalm and share it with your spouse, your family, your friends, and then your co-workers.

I don’t know how they will feel about it, but you will certainly feel pretty good. That’s what heartfelt gratitude to God for his faithful love and enduring mercy does.

“ Peace of conscience is nothing but the echo of pardoning mercy. — WILLIAM GURNALL

SYNOPSIS: Psalm 106 says that “God gave the Israelites exactly what they asked for—but along with it, they got an empty heart.” That should stand forever as a sobering reminder that what we desperately want may not be what we desperately need. They are often two different things, and we would be wise to recognize the difference. When we persistently refuse God’s provision, fail to exercise trust in his abundant care, forget to practice contentment in his goodness, neglect gratitude for his love, and greedily insist on what we want, there comes a point when God will say, “fine, have it your way.” What a sad and scary thing—that we might actually get what we want!

Moments with God // Psalm 106:13-15

The psalmist begins, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 106:1). So, here’s an important question: Do you give only theological assent to that belief, or do you truly believe that God is indeed good in the real world of your everyday life? The acid test that theological belief is congruence with practical belief in the daily manifestation of trust, contentment, and gratitude.

Quite often, when the ancient Israelites’ collective belief was put to the test, it failed. In this psalm, the writer details Israel’s sad history of unbelief as God led them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Along the way, God performed some of the mightiest miracles of all time—the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night, water from the rock, manna to eat every single morning for forty years—just to name a few. At every step, God’s miraculous and more-than-enough provision sustained his people.

Yet Israel was still dissatisfied. The people griped, they complained, they lusted for other things—they tested God, as well as their leader Moses, at every turn in the bend. So God decided to put them to the test as well, to see what was truly in their hearts. And here’s how he tested them: He gave them what they incessantly insisted on!

And when the children of Israel got what they wanted, they lustily, greedily, indulgently consumed it until it made them deathly sick—literally! God gave them what their hearts craved until their hearts caved under the weight of their own foolish desires. The Message translation of this text puts a more spiritual twist to it:

He gave them exactly what they asked for—
but along with it they got an empty heart.

That should stand forever as a sobering reminder that what we desperately want may not be what we desperately need. They are often two different things, and we would be wise to recognize the difference. When we persistently refuse God’s provision, fail to exercise trust in his abundant care, forget to practice contentment in his goodness, neglect gratitude for his love, and greedily insist on what we want, there comes a point when God will say, “fine, have it your way.”

What a sad and scary thing—that we might actually get what we want!

In all honesty, I hope I never get what I want. I don’t trust my own heart and the desires it conjures up. What I pray for, however, is to get what God wants me to have—all of it—and, along with it, contentment in the good and wise provision of the One who lovingly and continually watches over me.

Trust, contentment, and gratitude—that’s the acid test of a faith that is not only theological, but practical!

“ All our discontents about what we want appear to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have. — DANIEL DEFOE

SYNOPSIS: From this side of heaven, it seems as though the believer is either in the sweet spot of God’s grace or the hot seat of challenging circumstances. Life seems to bounce between the two. Figuratively speaking, you are either just a step ahead of the poor house or you have one foot in the Promised Land. But when you discipline yourself to view things from a heavenly perspective, you will understand that nothing you experience—for sure, the good, but yes, even the bad—that first hasn’t gone past God and through Christ before it gets to you. Yes, perspective is everything.

Moments with God // Psalm 105:43-45

From this side of heaven, it seems as though the believer is either in the sweet spot of God’s grace or the hot seat of challenging circumstances. Life seems to bounce between the two.

Has that been true for you—figuratively speaking, you are either just a step ahead of the poor house or you have one foot in the Promised Land? Throughout my life, I have drifted from one to the other, sometimes on a daily basis, but mostly it has been seasonal. Of course, I prefer the sweet spot to the poor house—who wouldn’t?

That’s the human perspective—we either get a burden to bear or a blessing to enjoy. This psalm speaks of both: Joseph under the oppressive yoke of the Egyptians (Psalm 105:17-18), or Joseph in the driver’s seat of Pharaoh’s court. (Psalm 105:20-21) The same was true for the nation of Israel: They suffered the indignity of slavery in Egypt for 400 years (Psalm 105:23) but later were delivered to the Promised Land, where they enjoyed the blessings for which others had labored. (Psalm 105:43-44)

But what we see as either burdens to bear or blessings to enjoy, God sees from the perspective of purpose. At times, God gives us a problem; at other times, God releases his provision—but at all times, God is fulfilling his purposes in us, for us, and through us. That is the better perspective—a heavenly perspective.

What a better way to go through life—whether we are enduring a season of burdens or enjoying a season of blessings! When God allows us to endure a problem, his purpose is that through it, we would live with an attitude of gratitude and call attention to his glorious deeds:

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. (Psalm 105:1-2)

When he has brought us into the sweet spot of his favor, he does so that we might be energized and enabled to bring praise to his name through our obedience:

Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy; his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out! He made them a gift of the country they entered, helped them seize the wealth of the nations…So they could do everything he told them—could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105:45, The Message)

Perspective is everything. From an earthly point of view, we bounce between problems and promises! But from heaven’s perspective, God is faithfully fulfilling his purposes.

Now let’s see—earth-bound view or heavenly perspective? I’m thinking heaven is the better way to go!

SYNOPSIS: Most of the time, unlike a storm of nature, a personal storm has no end in sight. And when you are in one, you are constantly reminded of how small, insignificant, and truly powerless you are. But there is One who is bigger than the storm. And Psalm 104 reminds us that, “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” So, if you are in a personal storm, just know that God will make your storm his servant—which means that since you belong to God, he will make your storm servant to you as well. God will work the storm for your good. That is his promise, not mine!

Moments with God // Psalm 104:7-32

There is nothing quite like the unleashed power of nature to remind you of how small, insignificant, and truly powerless you are.

Then there are personal storms! You may be going through one right now. In many respects, the fury of nature is nothing compared to the devastating power of a personal storm. With frequent regularity, friends will describe to me their own personal storm—everything from an unbelievably huge financial crisis to an untreatable physical ailment to an unrelenting relational disaster to an unyielding emotional trauma—and they are truly big, hairy, audacious personal gale-force storms. And it is usually the case that their storm is not of their own doing.

You see, as you and I journey through life, storms happen!

I would rather face nature than go through what many of my friends have gone through. Not to downplay the trauma and the loss, at least a tornado, or an earthquake, or a hailstorm comes to an end—and then you can pick up the pieces and begin to rebuild. Most of the time, a personal storm has no end in sight. And when you are in one, you are constantly reminded of how small, insignificant, and truly powerless you are.

But there is One who is bigger than the storm. And the psalmist reminds us that, “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” (Psalm 104:3-4) If you are in a personal storm, I don’t know how long or how devastating it will be, but I do know that God will make your storm his servant—which means that since you belong to God, he will make your storm servant to you as well. God will work the storm for your good—that is his promise, not mine!

I don’t mean to minimize the sense of desperation your storm has brought you—I think I understand a little of what you are going through. But as surely as the storm reminds you of how small, insignificant, and powerless you are, I would also remind you that your God is bigger than your storm, and he is going to see you through it.

Storms happen—but so does God!

“ God is not a deceiver, that He should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us. — AUGUSTINE

SYNOPSIS: God’s manifold and gracious benefits aren’t given to just anybody—although they are available to everybody. There is a critical caveat found in Psalm 103:18: To live under these Divine blessings requires covenant-keeping. God keeps his covenantal promises only with those who keep their covenantal promise to obey his laws. Still, though this is a conditional covenant, we get the far better deal, by miles. Even when we don’t always live up to our end of the bargain, God looks upon us through his eyes of compassion, sustains us by his mercy, forgives our repentance, and patiently, lovingly, enduringly keeps us in his family.

Moments with God // Psalm 103:1-5

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

I love this psalm—it’s one of my favorites. For most people, it is right up there with the Twenty-Third Psalm, and if you are a lover of the Psalms, I suspect it has at least made your Top Ten.

David is on his game in this psalm; he’s in the sweet spot of Divine favor, the blessing zone, if you will, as he calls up from his memory banks his Top Ten list of why it is so good to belong to God:

1. Forgiveness—Psalm 103:3
2. Healing—Psalm 103:3
3. Redemption—Psalm 103:4
4. Compassion—Psalm 103:4
5. Satisfaction—Psalm 103:5
6. Justice—Psalm 103:6
7. Revelation—Psalm 103:7
8. Patience—Psalm 103:8
9. Mercy—Psalm 103:9-14
10. Love—Psalm 103:17

No wonder David “bookends” this psalm with “praise the Lord, O my soul” (Psalm 103:1, 22). What soul wouldn’t pour forth unfettered praise at the realization of all the undeserved and life-sustaining blessings that God graciously gives!

Of course, these benefits aren’t given to just anybody—although they are available to everybody. There is a critical caveat found in Psalm 103:18:

From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

To live under these Divine blessings requires covenant-keeping. God keeps his covenantal promises only with those who keep their covenantal promise to obey his laws. Still, though this is a conditional covenant, we get the far better deal, by miles. Even when we don’t always live up to our end of the bargain, God looks upon us through his eyes of compassion, sustains us by his mercy, forgives our repentance, and patiently, lovingly, enduringly keeps us in his family.

All I can say to that is, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits! (Psalm 103:2)

So, take some time to remember the benefits of belonging to God. My guess is, like David, you, too, will be singing a little soul music!

“ He rides pleasantly enough whom the grace of God carries. — THOMAS A` KEMPIS

SYNOPSIS: When you are in a bad way, instead of the reflexive complaint we often lift, “Why me?”, the better prayer is always to ask, “God, what next?” Of course, pouring out your lament before the Lord is appropriate. Repentance, or at least honest soul-searching, will certainly be called for. It is not even a bad idea to detail the cause and effect of your situation. But at the end of the day, look toward a better tomorrow. And simply, boldly, undeservedly appeal to God to use you as an example of his grace and mercy for future generations. That, my friend, is a great way to squeeze blessing out of what is otherwise difficult circumstances.

Moments with God // Psalm 102:18

Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.

The writer of this psalm is in a bad way—a very bad way. In fact, the title says the author was a man who had been severely “afflicted.” We don’t know the man’s name, nor do we know the specific nature of his affliction, but we do know the depth of his despair since, to a greater or lesser degree, we have all been there at some point in our lives.

Perhaps you haven’t experienced the severity of the psalmist’s affliction, but you can at least identify with portions of what he is feeling:

• There have been times when something so hurtful has happened that you can’t even eat: “I forget to eat my food.” (Psalm 102:4)
• It could be that you are so devastated that you have even experienced a notable weight loss: “I am reduced to skin and bones.” (Psalm 102:5)
• Perhaps you have gone through something that has caused sleepless nights and has even isolated you from sustaining relationships: “I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.” (Psalm 102:7)
• Maybe you have even had something happen that has made you the fodder of gossip and ridicule: “All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.” (Psalm 102:8)
• Chances are, you have gone through a dark period that has reduced you to nothing more than an emotional wreck: “For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears.” (Psalm 102:9).

And at the bottom of all this despair, like the psalmist, you have laid the blame at God’s feet: “Because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.” (Psalm 102:10)

Now we can debate whether God is the source of all that pain (although the ancients tended to look at both personal pain and national despair, first and foremost, as the result of God’s displeasure with their sin—no matter what form his wrath came in), but I think the more important point of discussion ought to be what we will do about it going forward. Instead of the reflexive complaint we often lift, why me?” I think the better prayer is always to ask, “God, what next?”

The psalmist decided to take his pain to God, “Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you.” (Psalm 102:1) Then he boldly made an appeal to the Lord’s greatness and compassion, “But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her.” (Psalm 102:12-13) And then he even had the holy chutzpah to ask the Almighty to make an example of grace and mercy out of him to future generations, “Let this be written for a future generation that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.” (Psalm 102:18) I love it!

I think that is a great way to pray when you find yourself in a really bad way! Of course, pouring out your lament before the Lord is appropriate. Repentance, or at least honest soul-searching, will certainly be called for. It is not even a bad idea to detail the cause and effect of your situation. But at the end of the day, simply appealing to God to use you as an example of grace and mercy for future generations is a great way to squeeze blessing out of what is otherwise a really bad way.

Making an example of grace and mercy out of you—it is certainly better than the alternative!

“ Free grace can go into the gutter and bring up a jewel. — CHARLES SPURGEON

SYNOPSIS: Total purity—that is the subject of this psalm. Or we might call it, aggressive blamelessness. Whatever we call it, it is most likely a reality that we agree with intellectually but don’t actually live it out in reality. But to live as authentic God-followers, our reality desperately needs to change since only those with pure hearts, clean hands, honest tongues, and transformed minds will experience the fullness of God. Aggressive blamelessness is called for in our thought life, our relationships, our conversations, and our intolerance of arrogance, self-righteousness, and human pride. The psalmist was committed to that kind of aggressive blamelessness—not just in theory, like you and me—but in the reality of his everyday life.
It’s not an impossibility, you know … not when we ask for God’s help to live that way.

Moments with God // Psalm 101:2

I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should.

I’m not sure you’re ready for this! I don’t think you can handle it! You’re not tough enough! Sorry, but I’m just being real! My guess is, you’re just not up to it!

I hate to admit it, but I don’t. I wish that weren’t the case—I pray, literally, that this sad admission will not be the case for long. I pray that God will transform my heart, and yours, too, so you and I can truly offer this kind of psalm to the Lord.

What I am talking about is total purity, of course. That is the subject of this psalm. And my opening admission is not making excuses for you and me, it is simply stating our current reality—a reality that desperately needs to change since only those with pure hearts, clean hands, honest tongues and transformed minds will experience the fullness of God. Aggressive blamelessness—that’s what this psalm is describing.

The psalmist was committed to that kind of aggressive blamelessness—not just in theory, like you and me—but in the reality of his everyday life. Perhaps you would disagree with my assessment of your weak commitment and failure to practice that kind of aggressive blamelessness. Okay, so how do you stack up against these different arenas where the palmist is calling for intense purity:

• In your thought life (Psalm 101:3): Have you banned all wickedness from entering your mind through what you watch or think about?
• In your relationships (Psalm 101:4): Have you deliberately distanced yourself from unabashedly sinful people?
• In your conversations (Psalm 101:5): Do you cut off dialogue with those who fudge the truth and traffic in rumors, gossip, innuendo, and negativity?
• In your tolerance levels (Psalm 101:5): Do you find unacceptable and intolerable those whose attitudes are uppity, arrogant, and prideful?

Yeah, me neither!

Here’s the deal: Let’s ask the Lord to help us become aggressively blameless. We can put feet to our prayers by joining the psalmist in surrounding ourselves with others of likeminded purity (Psalm 101:6), distancing ourselves from the dishonest (Psalm 101:7), and actively, aggressively, and vocally challenging those who live in opposition to the values of heaven (Psalm 101:8).

So let’s get ready to rumble!

“ Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish. — JEAN DE LA FONTAINE

SYNOPSIS: As you are on your way to join others in your church gathering of worship, in light of the One you are going to worship, it is wholly appropriate that you prepare. First, as you and your family are driving to church, go through a preflight checklist of things for which you are grateful. And just so it doesn’t become routine, add this rule: Your thankfulness has to be from the past seven days. Second, actually begin to sing a song of praise as you drive onto the church parking lot. As you walk up to the church, sing to the Lord. Yes, people will think you are weird—but who cares? They’re just thinking the obvious. The parking team may give you a quirky look, but what does that matter? You aren’t singing for their benefit; you’re singing for Jesus.

Moments With God // Psalm 100:1-5

Shout out praises to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with joy. Enter his presence with joyful singing. Acknowledge that the LORD is God. He made us and we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give him thanks. Praise his name. For the LORD is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.

The writer of this psalm exhorted those who came to worship God to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; to give thanks to him and praise his name.

So, as a modern worshipper, how do you prepare to worship Almighty God?

Perhaps you have a set routine as you ready yourself for church services, or maybe you don’t. It could be you go through a checklist of pre-flight instructions—I doubt it. Quite likely, your preparations for church just simply happen—a random scramble followed by a mad dash to get you, the kids, and the dog out the door. Hopefully, the dog doesn’t go with you. I totally understand that scene.

I would like to suggest a couple of things, however, that will not only enhance and elevate your experience of worship but it is wholly appropriate in light of the One you are preparing to worship. First, as you and your family are driving to church, go through a preflight checklist of things for which you are grateful. And just so it doesn’t become routine, add this rule: Your thankfulness has to be from the past seven days.

Second, actually begin to sing a song of praise as you drive onto the church parking lot. As you walk up to the church, sing to the Lord. Yes, people will think you are weird—but who cares? They’re just thinking the obvious. The parking team may give you a quirky look, but what does that matter? You aren’t singing for their benefit; you are singing for Jesus. I know, I’ve lost you on this one, but I’m serious. Try it for a month, along with the gratitude exercise, and see if it doesn’t elevate your worship game.

By the way, I am not the first to suggest such a thing. Two hundred years ago, John Wesley included a pre-flight checklist in the front of the hymnbook he authored. Here are his “Directions For Singing”:

1. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
2. Sing them exactly as they are printed here without altering or mending them at all.
3. Sing all. See that you join with a congregation as frequently as you can, let not a slight degree or weariness hinder you.
4. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
5. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation so that you may not destroy the harmony.
6. Sing in tune. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it, do not run before or stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move there exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too slow.
7. Above all, sing spiritually. Look to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself or any other creature. To do this, attend strictly to the sense of what you sing.

Great—you can sing lustily, but no bawling!

“ When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart. — LAMAR BOSCHMAN

SYNOPSIS: What a thought! You can walk and talk with God like Moses. You can minister to God and for God people like Aaron. You can hear God’s voice and know his will like Samuel. You can hear God’s voice, experience his power, receive his forgiveness (although keep in mind, he is never soft on sin), present your needs before his throne—and be heard! Now tell me this: What other god is there like our God?

Moments With God // Psalm 99:6

Praise the Lord our God. Worship before his footstool. He is holy! Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. They prayed to the Lord and he answered them. He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them. They found you to be a forgiving God, but also one who punished their sinful deeds.

Over the course of several palms, the writer has been extolling the majesty and holiness of God—which makes him separate, distinct, and altogether higher than any other being. He alone is God—high and exalted, pure in righteousness and justice, beautiful in his majesty, and unapproachable in his holiness. The only possible response anyone, either high or low, has in his presence is to tremble before his throne:

The Lord reigns! The nations tremble. He sits enthroned above the cherubim; the earth shakes. The Lord is elevated in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. (Psalm 99:1-2)

Yet he is a God who has made it possible to approach him; he is a God who listens to his people when they call upon him; he is a God who, although he punishes misdeeds, also forgives sin and restores the penitent heart:

O Lord our God! You answered them and forgave their sins, yet punished them when they went wrong.Psalm 99:8)

Of all the people on earth, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were arguably the closest to God. They witnessed his awesome power, heard his voice, and represented his will to the people of Israel. Yet each was still a flawed, fallen human being—one a rehabilitated murderer, another the designer of the golden calf-idol, and the third a relationally isolated, hard-nosed prophet.

Although we hold each of these three men as bona fide Bible heroes, and rightly so, the details of their lives demonstrate that they were just regular guys—and yet each was invited to walk with Almighty God in an intimate relationship. Perhaps through these three holy men, God was saying that he desires to bring his people into a saving, sanctifying, and enduring relationship, and that includes you and me.

What a thought: You can walk and talk with God like Moses. You can minister to God and for God like Aaron. You can hear God’s voice and know his will like Samuel. You can hear God’s voice, experience his power, receive his forgiveness (although keep in mind, he is never soft on sin), present your needs before his throne—and be heard!

Now tell me this: What other god is there like our God? And what other people are so blessed like us to have a god who walks with them, forgives their sins, and hears their prayers? There is no other god like that—only our God.

Perhaps today you are not feeling so blessed. Not true, you are blessed beyond measure, because you belong to Almighty God. And when that truth hits you today—and I pray that it does—perhaps you will respond as the psalmist did in his final verse,

Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy. (Psalm 98:9)

How blessed you are to be able to approach the Unapproachable!

“ God is always awaiting the chance to give us high days. We so seldom are in deep earnest about giving him his chance. — FRANK LAUBACH

SYNOPSIS: Wouldn’t it be great to be so in love with Jesus and so overwhelmed by his saving grace and mercy and so grateful for the most dramatic search and rescue that ever took place when he saved you from utter darkness and eternal damnation that you just lost yourself for a season in unfettered worship like King David was when he danced before the Lord? Of course, there are cultural differences that shape our expressions of worship, but wouldn’t you agree that after all God has done for us out of his undeserved loving-kindness, we need to loosen up a bit in how we express our love and gratitude for God in worship from time to time? It might be a stretch for you, so try this when you are in a private place and time, but just lose yourself in the wonder of worship by shouting for joy and dancing a jig for Jesus. I have a suspicion that it would do you some good.

Moments with God // Psalm 98:4-5

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing.

Years ago, when I first began planting churches in Africa, I was in the western region of Ethiopia, and I was called upon to preach in one of the thriving churches that are springing up every year there by the hundreds. It was in what you might call a backward part of the world. It was remote, underserved, and lacked access to almost everything we take for granted in America: education, healthcare, infrastructure, goods and services, etc. Yet despite the deprivation, it was a veritable “ground zero” for a modern-day Holy Spirit revival akin to what we read about in the Book of Acts. One of the things I loved most about being there—an experience that continues to this day wherever I go in East Africa—was the unfettered worship these people lifted to God when they gathered for church services.

On that particular occasion, right before I was to preach, the choir sang—two songs. Back-to-back songs. Songs that were twelve minutes each! I know; I timed them. And not knowing the language, I sat for twenty-four minutes listening to singers I didn’t know lifting love songs I didn’t know to the God who has rescued them from utter darkness and brought them into the kingdom of his Son. And I’ve got to tell you: I was moved.

In the front row sat a man who began to get “blessed” by the choir. He began to shake, then he began to shout, and then he began to dance back and forth across the front of the sanctuary with dance moves that I suspect would be physically impossible for any American to duplicate. Not a practiced routine, mind you, you could tell this was totally spontaneous. After a bit, this fellow finally danced back to his seat, only to get “re-blessed” within a few seconds, whereupon he began his shaking-shouting-dancing routine all over again—for the twenty-four minutes of the two choir songs.

My first thought was, “Wow, this would never happen where I’m from. This man is calling attention to himself, and I’d have to set him straight about propriety in worship.” But then I began to understand that this man was simply and authentically lost in the wonder of worship. He wasn’t calling attention to himself; he was expressing unfettered praise to God in a way that I had never, ever come close to experiencing. So was everyone else in the place that day.

And then I was a bit jealous!

Wouldn’t it be great to be that in love with Jesus and that overwhelmed by his saving grace and that grateful for the most dramatic search and rescue that ever took place when he saved you from utter darkness and eternal damnation that you just lost yourself for a season in unfettered worship? Of course, there are cultural differences that will shape our expressions of worship—I get that—but wouldn’t you agree that after all God has done for us out of his mercy and grace, we need to loosen up a bit in how we express our love and gratitude to God in worship from time to time?

Certainly, the psalmist thinks so.

“ The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance. — C. S. LEWIS

SYNOPSIS: What is there in this present world that is fundamentally holy and thoroughly fair? Not much! For sure, you can find pockets of righteousness and justice here and there, but the prevailing forces of this present world are anything but. Everywhere you look—the media, the courts, the economy, the entertainment industry, the academy—most of what you see is unrighteous and unfair. Now the scary thing is, we are continually and strategically pounded with the systemic evil of this world that we start to become immune to it. It is highly likely that the daily barrage of unrighteousness and unfairness has brought us to the point of not even seeing it anymore—and if we do see it, we’re not even bothered by it. That is scary, sad … and wrong! That has got to change! It is time to embrace a love-hate relationship with our current situation.

Moments with God // Psalm 97:11-12

Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

If you love the Lord, then you’ve got to hate! Hate evil, that is.

I realize this is a bit complicated, but it is impossible to love God with all your heart and, at the same time, mindlessly embrace the values of this fallen world. Those are not my rules; they are God’s. God actually calls you to hate this fallen world’s values. You see, the very foundation of God’s rule over both the larger universe and the smaller world of your life is righteousness and justice: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.”  (Psalm 97:2). In other words, from the center to the circumference of God’s being, he is holy and fair.

So, tell me, what is there in this present world that is fundamentally holy and thoroughly fair? Not much! Sure, you can find pockets of righteousness and justice here and there, but the prevailing forces are anything but. Everywhere you look—in the media, the courts, the economy, the entertainment industry, the academy, and unfortunately, too often, in the church—most of what you see is unrighteous and unfair.

Now, the scary thing is that we are continually and strategically pounded with the systemic evil of this world to the point we become immune to it. It is highly likely that the daily barrage of unrighteousness and unfairness has brought us to the point of not even seeing it anymore—and if we do see it, we’re no longer bothered by it. That is scary, sad … and sinful!

That has got to change! It is time to embrace a love-hate relationship with our current situation. We belong to a righteous and just God, whom we are called to love wholeheartedly. But our love for God requires us to hate this unrighteous and unfair world in which we live for the time being.

So, it is high time we change how we think about this present world—which is nothing more than our temporary residence. The Apostle Paul’s call for the transformation of our worldview is long overdue. In Romans 12:2, Paul issues this critical challenge:

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (The Message)

A passionate love-hate relationship is called for. It will be a little risky to hate what is going on in your world. (By the way, and I think this goes without saying, while we are to hate the world, we are to love the lost.)

In fact, you will be hated back by the very world you hate—that is understandable—so get comfortable with it. But here’s the deal: God has promised to guard your life, deliver you to a better place (“You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked” Psalm 97:10), shine his favor upon you, and fill your heart with joy (“Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right” Psalm 97:11) if you throw in with him.

Love God—hate evil! That’s what I’m going with!

“ Jesus Christ did not say, ‘Go into the world and tell the world that it is quite right.’ — C. S. LEWIS

SYNOPSIS: The saints in the Bible knew of God’s holiness. When God passed by Moses in the cleft of the rock, Moses tasted the holiness of God. When Elijah called down fire from heaven on the false prophets, the people saw the holiness of God. When Ananias and Saphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit, the church knew the holiness of God. But other than a relatively few cautionary tales, the New Covenant people were somehow able to partake in the holiness of God without being consumed by it. I wish that for you—and for me, too—that we could partake in God’s holiness without being consumed by it. I am not sure how we can come into that kind of experience—and perhaps I don’t really know what I am asking for—but there is something deep within my spirit that cries out to know God in his holiness. May God grant us a deeper, transformational revelation of Divine holiness so we can truly worship him in the splendor of his holiness.

Moments With God // Psalm 96:7-9

O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.

I don’t know that we really “get” the holiness of God. And that’s too bad. We throw that term around a lot—holiness—and we have a sense that his holiness is not to be trifled with, but I don’t think we know how to wrap our minds around the concept.

We know God as a loving Father—guiding, providing, and protecting. That one is easier to absorb, at least in theory. We know God as revealed through his Son, Jesus—compassionate, servant-hearted, gentle, and caring. We know God through the infilling of the Holy Spirit—empowering, energizing, and enabling us to do his bidding. But the holiness of God—do we really know him that way?

The saints of old did. When God passed by Moses in the cleft of the rock, Moses tasted the holiness of God. When Elijah called down fire from heaven on the false prophets, the people saw the holiness of God. When Ananias and Saphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit, the church knew the holiness of God. But other than a relatively few cautionary tales, the New Covenant people were somehow able to partake in the holiness of God without being consumed by it.

I wish that for you—and for me, too—that we could partake in God’s holiness without being consumed by it. I am not sure how we can come into that kind of experience—and perhaps I don’t really know what I am asking for—but there is something deep within my spirit that cries out to know God in his holiness.

May God grant us a deeper, transformational revelation of Divine holiness beyond the positional holiness imputed to us at salvation and the empirical holiness of our obedience to Christ so that we can truly worship him in the splendor of his holiness.

“ How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing, it is irresistible. — C. S. LEWIS

SYNOPSIS: Given the track record of the Shepherd’s goodness, why would we ever harden our hearts to the Good Shepherd’s voice? It doesn’t make sense, does it? And yet that is precisely what we do when we wander off on our own or want things that aren’t good for sheep or worry over stuff that the Shepherd has under his control (which is everything, by the way). I hate to admit it, but sometimes I am just a dumb sheep—and I have a feeling that you are, too.

Moments With God // Psalm 95:6-7

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

Sheep. Not the brightest animal on the planet. In fact, some would call them downright dumb. They are defenseless, too. They have nothing within themselves to fight off their enemies. And not only are they dumb and defenseless, but precisely because they are dumb and defenseless, they are totally dependent on the goodness of the shepherd.

Sheep. Not the brightest animal on the planet. In fact, some would call them downright dumb. They are defenseless, too. They have nothing within themselves to fight off their enemies. And not only are they dumb and defenseless, but precisely because they are dumb and defenseless, they are totally dependent on the goodness of the shepherd.

Sheep. That’s what we are. And from the description above, perhaps that is exactly why the writers of Scripture chose this particular animal from among all the animals on the planet to describe the people of God. Not bright enough, not strong enough, not sufficient enough to survive apart from the goodness of the Shepherd.

Yes, we are the flock under his care. And that is a good thing because the care of our Good Shepherd has always been sufficient. There has never been a time when the Shepherd has not led us to green pastures or kept us on the safe path or stood guard over us through the night watch or preserved us from the attack of the enemy or brought us through the valley of the shadow of death. In fact, the Shepherd is so good that he even laid down his life to provide eternal life for dumb, defenseless, and dependent sheep like us. There has never been a time when the Good Shepherd has not been more than sufficient for us, nor will there ever be.

So then, given the record of the Shepherd’s goodness, why would we ever harden our hearts to the Good Shepherd’s voice? It doesn’t make sense, does it? And yet that is precisely what we do when we wander off on our own or want things that aren’t good for sheep or worry over stuff that the Shepherd has under his control (which is everything, by the way). I hate to admit it, but sometimes I am just a dumb sheep—and I have a feeling that you are, too.

But today is a new day, and you have a fresh reminder of the goodness and sufficiency of the Good Shepherd. So listen to his voice and follow his command, for he will lead you to that place where sheep do best.

Where is that? I don’t know—I am just a sheep, too. But the Shepherd knows, so just listen and follow.

“ God alone satisfies. —THOMAS A` KEMPIS

PREVIEW: Like small children, we sometimes get into a huge upset over things that happen in our grown-up world—a bruised ego, a blocked desire, a broken promise, a shattered dream. And sometimes we get foot-stomping mad, or we get profoundly sad, or we start being bad—or all three. From our view, the world sometimes seems like it is coming to an end. At times, it feels like our feet are slipping, that we are losing our grip, that we don’t have the wherewithal to hold it all together much longer. But how do you think God sees our situation? Of course, his perspective is much like ours as parents with our children—only multiplied by indescribable love, unlimited wisdom, and unmatched power to the nth degree. So, the next time you are upset, take your owie to him and let his comfort give you hope and cheer.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 94:17-19

When our children were small, they would sometimes come to my wife and me in a huge upset—tears, wailing, the whole nine yards. It might have been the result of a skinned knee, a snatched toy, a bad dream, or any number of earth-shattering events. From the child’s view, the world was coming to an end, but from our perspective as parents, their cause for concern was no big deal, and the solution was never beyond our resources to rectify.

Of course, all parents experience that with their children—it is just a universal role moms and dads are called to play. But it is also universal that as adults, we forget what we know to be true for our children, and we will often get in a huge upset over things that happen in our grown-up world—a bruised ego, a blocked desire, a broken promise, a shattered dream. And sometimes we get foot-stomping mad, or we get profoundly sad, or we start being bad—or all three.

When our children were losing it like that (in Psalm 94:18, the writer said, “when my foot was slipping”), we would pick them up and say something like, “There, there, little one, it’s going to be okay.” We would comfort their pain, dry their tears, kiss their owie, and send them on their way with the knowledge that things were going to be okay. And each time, our consolation worked wonders to restore peace and confidence in their little world.

I suspect you know where I am going with this by now. From our view, the world sometimes seems like it is coming to an end. At times, it feels like our feet are slipping, that we are losing our grip, that we don’t have the wherewithal to hold it all together much longer. But how do you think God sees our situation? Of course, his perspective is much like ours as parents with our children—only multiplied by indescribable love, unlimited wisdom, and unmatched power to the nth degree.

Along the way, I had a couple of disappointing things happen in my world—people who let me down, a partner who didn’t appreciate the sacrifice I had made to advance a shared ministry, a situation that made me foot-stomping mad. And like the psalmist, I found anxiety rising within me. Often—far too often—I didn’t handle it too well.

Yet, as you would expect, in time, I felt better. Not because the situation was any different than before or that it had magically resolved itself. What had changed was my perspective. And my perspective changed because I finally did the right thing and ran to my perfect, loving, powerful Heavenly Father.

So, like you, I don’t know what disappointment today may bring, but at least on this day, and hopefully, every day going forward, I will take my owies immediately to Abba Father and get nice and comfy in his arms. I am going to let him hold me and soothe my aching heart until I absorb his perspective and see my world from his vantage point. And I know exactly what is going to happen: His comfort will give me renewed hope and cheer.

It works every time!

“ To be of a peaceable spirit brings peace along with it. — ~THOMAS WATSON

PREVIEW: What are you facing today? A demanding boss at work? An impenetrable clique at school? A depleting ailment in your body? An unsolvable problem in your finances? A looming disaster in your family? What is the gathering storm in your life right now? It is pretty intimidating, I would imagine. Storms are like that. But here’s the deal: God was there before your storm got started. He will be there long after your it blows itself back into oblivion. It follows, therefore, that he will be with you as you ride out the storm. So look for him through the winds and the waves. Listen for his voice above the chaos. He is “mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore—the Lord above is mightier than these!” (Psalm 93:4) Your storm, after all, compared to God, is nothing more than a tempest in a teapot.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 93:1-2

What are you facing today? A demanding boss at work? An impenetrable clique at school? A depleting ailment in your body? An unsolvable problem in your finances? A looming disaster in your family?

What is the gathering storm in your life right now? It is pretty intimidating, I would imagine. Storms are like that. They rise up as if to consume you: “The floods have risen up, O Lord.” They dominate your world and color your entire view of life: “The floods have roared like thunder.” They batter every fiber of your existence: “The floods have lifted up their pounding waves.” (Psalm 93:3)

But here’s the deal: God was there before your storm got started. He will be there long after that storm blows itself back into oblivion. It follows, therefore, that he will be with you as you ride out the storm. So look for him through the winds and the waves. Listen for his voice above the chaos. He is “mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore—the Lord above is mightier than these!” (Psalm 93:4)

No matter what the storm, small or big—and they are all big, from the perspective of them in the midst of them—you are not alone. There is One with you who is higher and mightier than your storm—so high and mighty that he makes your worst hurricane nothing more than a tempest in a teapot!

Got a storm? Make yourself a cup of tea just to remind the storm of Who’s in charge!

“ There is a God in heaven who over-rules all things for the best; and this is the comfort of my soul. — DAVID BRAINERD

PREVIEW: Though the number of those who flout God’s laws is growing in strength and numbers today, like flourishing grass, one day they will stand before a Righteous God who has established an unchangeable moral code for the universe. Here is how the psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said it in Psalm 92:7,9: “Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever… Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.” It is a harsh truth—but it is still the truth: Those who have flaunted their freedoms and lived in disregard to God’s law will be forever destroyed. And from that perspective, as the psalmist said, they are senseless fools. They just don’t get it. But you do! So, stick by what you get, and in the end, you will really get it—the eternal favor of the Lord.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 92:6-8

I usually don’t watch beauty pageants—I’m not a big fan and I have a philosophic aversion to them—so I pay them no mind. However, one from a few years back got a lot of press, which caught my attention. It wasn’t so much that I was intrigued, I was dismayed with the way the first runner up to the crown was viciously treated by so-called cultural elites. What was her crime? It was for what I thought was a sane and sensitive answer to the question she was asked on gay marriage.

This beautiful young woman, who many felt should have won the title if she had given the politically correct answer, was vilified and marginalized, and called everything from homophobic, ignorant, intolerant … and even worse.

She gave the same answer that a vast majority of Americans would have given, and that I hope all born-again Christians would have given: That while we live in a country where you have the freedom to do certain things, including being gay, her moral beliefs and value system led her to believe that marriage should be preserved for a man and a woman. She said it respectfully, she said it calmly, she said it gracefully. She shared her opinion, which, the last time I looked, was still an American value. And then, for her, all hell broke loose.

So, what’s the deal with an increasingly vocal, radical, and hateful bunch in our country who preach tolerance the loudest but themselves are the most intolerant, and viciously so, when anyone doesn’t kowtow to their elitist dogma? How about this:

They just don’t get it!

They don’t get the fact that though they are growing in strength and numbers today, like flourishing grass, one day they will stand before a Righteous God who has established an unchangeable moral code for the universe. Here is how the psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said it in Psalm 92:7,9:

Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever… Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.

It is a harsh truth—but it is still the truth: Those who have flaunted their freedoms and lived in disregard to God’s law will be forever destroyed. And from that perspective, as the psalmist said, they are senseless fools. They just don’t get it.

But you do! You get that God will be exalted and unrepentant sinners will be destroyed. You get that those who have put their trust in God, who have submitted to the rules he has established for his creation, who love, honor, and respect him, will, as Psalm 92:12-14 says,

Flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green.

Don’t be surprised that there will be people who don’t get that! But you do; you get it. So, stick by what you get, and in the end, you will really get it—the eternal favor of Lord.

“ An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support. — FULTON SHEEN

PREVIEW: Have you ever watched a hen in a downpour spread her wings and, in one fell swoop, gather all her chicks under those wings and hunker down in the storm? The babies literally disappear from sight until the storm passes while the mother absorbs the maelstrom. What a moving illustration of our Heavenly Father’s tender but protective love for us—his helpless kids. What an awesome thing that we belong to a God who longs for us to find shelter in our time of storm under the shadow of his wings! As the songwriter put it, “The raging storms may round us beat; A shelter in the time of storm.”

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 91:1-4

A few years ago, my wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai. It was in July, and we were on the rainier side of this lush island, and man, was it raining. Throughout the day, the clouds would burst, and the downpour would send both man and beast running for cover.

We had a ground-floor condo for the week that opened up into the grassy interior of the resort. Throughout the week, we noticed that a hen and her brood of about five or six baby chicks roamed the resort. Free-range chickens in Paradise—what a life!

On one occasion, when the downpour hit, we were in the room, and the hen was right outside our sliding glass doors. When the clouds burst, it looked as if a fire hose had been turned on; it was unbelievable. Then the most amazing thing happened: those baby chicks made a beeline for momma hen. I didn’t know chickens could run that fast. And momma hen spread her wings like she had done it a million times before and, in one fell swoop, gathered all the babies under her wings and hunkered down in the storm. The chicks literally disappeared from sight for about 10 minutes while the mother hen absorbed the maelstrom.

As we watched this tender scene in amazement, my wife and I simultaneously commented on this passage. As touched as we were by the mother hen’s love for her chicks, we were awestruck and undone by the Heavenly Father’s tender but protective love of his helpless kids—chicks like us.

What an awesome thing that we belong to a God who longs for us to find shelter in the time of storm under the shadow of his wings! And what love the Father has for us that he should send his only Son to absorb the storm of sin and protect us from the righteous wrath of the One who cannot tolerate that sin.

And the Son, Jesus Christ, still longs to gather us under his wings, as a hen gathers her brood. But here’s the deal: You’ve got to run to him!

Got a storm? Start running!

“ Nobody seriously believes the universe was made by God without being persuaded that He takes care of His works. — JOHN CALVIN

PREVIEW: Are you as amazed as I am with the speed of time? What once seemed interminable when I was a kid—school, chores, the preacher’s sermon, winter, life—now seems to rush by like a speeding locomotive. I blinked and suddenly this fifteen-year-old kid panting to get his driver’s permit is now in the fourth quarter of life and panting just walking up the stairs. Watching my wife-to-be walk down the aisle has turned into the new adventure of grandparenting—overnight! Staring in amazement at the mystery of life as our daughters were born seems like only yesterday. Now they are in their own careers, well into marriage, bringing up children of their own, and making a significant impact in this world. Yes, time flies! So use your allotment of it wisely!

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 90:10,12

True story: Kermit the frog was once heard saying, “Time’s fun when your having flies.” Kermit got his idiom a bit garbled, but that is quite understandable when Miss Piggy is stalking you!

Kermit was on to something! The truth is, time does fly—whether you are having fun or not. Moses was reflecting on how relatively brief life was when he said in Psalm 90:10,

The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

How true that is! Are you as amazed as I am with the speed of time? What once seemed interminable when I was a kid—school, chores, the preacher’s sermon, winter, life—now seems to rush by like a speeding locomotive. I blinked, and suddenly, this fifteen-year-old kid panting to get his driver’s permit is now in the fourth quarter of life and panting just walking up the stairs. Watching my wife-to-be walk down the aisle has turned into the new adventure of grandparenting—overnight! Staring in amazement at the mystery of life as our daughters were born seems like only yesterday. Now they are in their own careers, well into marriage, bringing up children of their own, and making a significant impact in this world.

Time flies!

You could certainly add your own experience to the narrative. And those of you who are older can definitely add an urgent witness to the speed of life even more than I can at this stage of life: Suddenly, the grandkids are getting married; great-grandchildren are arriving; the body is not working quite like it used to even though the mind still thinks of yourself as a youngster, full vim and vigor; you are facing life without your soul-mate—and something you never dreamed possible is now a gritty reality.

Time flies!

Yes, time flies, and I need to add a sobering twist. As the poet said, “Tis one life will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” That is the truth, my friend. Time flies, so use it wisely. Make the most of it. Time is a gift from God, that’s why it’s called the present.

So perhaps it would be a good idea to follow Moses’ lead and pray that prayer today—and every day: “Lord, teach me to number my days soberly, so that I might live each of them wisely.”

“ As if you could kill time without injuring eternity. — HENRY DAVID THOREAU

PREVIEW: The fact that God makes a promise guarantees he will keep that promise. Yet that has not been our earthly experience, has it? We have been made promises only to have them broken. Parents, friends, teachers, bosses, politicians, preachers, and even our spouses—all have made promises, and chances are, most, if not all, have failed to deliver on their guarantees. In the realm of human relationships, our experience has taught us that a promise made is not necessarily a promise kept. And we, ourselves, have made promises only to break them before the ink dried on our guarantee. Not so with God. He makes covenants, and because he is a covenantly faithful God, he will do everything he has promised to do—guaranteed!

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 89:33-34

Did you catch that? “I will not break my covenant,” says the Lord. So here’s the good news: God makes promises—and he keeps them.

We ought to be grateful for that! You and I are alive today—saved, forgiven, adopted into God’s family, walking daily in an intimate relationship with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit for good works, destined for an eternity full of unending purpose and indescribable fulfillment—only by virtue of God’s faithfulness to his promise.

The fact that God makes a promise guarantees he will keep that promise.

Yet that has not been our earthly experience, has it? We have been made promises only to have them broken. Parents, friends, teachers, bosses, politicians, preachers, and even our spouses—all have made promises, and chances are, most, if not all, have failed to deliver on their guarantees. In the realm of human relationships, our experience has taught us that a promise made is not necessarily a promise kept.

And we, ourselves, have made promises only to break them before the ink dried on our guarantee.

Not so with God. He makes covenants, and because he is a covenantly faithful God, he will do what he has promised to do. Even though we may fail him—and suffer the consequences of our failure, either through Divine punishment, natural outcomes, or both—God will stay true to his promise. (Psalm 89:30-37) God cannot help himself. Psalm 89:35 reminds us,

Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David-

No, God will not lie to David, nor will God lie to you. Of course, this psalm specifically refers to God’s covenantal promise to King David, but it should be generally applied to God’s covenantal promise to all who are his people by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That’s me, that’s you, and that’s a very good thing!

So here’s the deal: Even though the people around you may fail to keep their end of the bargain, and though you may not always follow through with what you have said you would do, you can relax with God—he will always come through for you.

Guaranteed!

PREVIEW: Did you know that God has a favorite city? In a unique and special way, God loves Jerusalem. He has his reasons, and I am not entirely sure what they are, but I can’t disagree with him. Jerusalem is beyond amazing. It is absolutely breathtaking! But as spectacular as it is, one day soon, when Jesus reigns in his full glory, the entire world gaze longingly on the city, and the nations will come to worship there. Even Israel’s mortal enemies will bow the knee in wonder in the city of God. And you will worship there, too. As will I. So, until that day, pray for the city of the great King!

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 87:2

There are certain cities that I just love. I’ll bet you have favorite places, too. For me, San Francisco, for all its weirdness, has to be one of the most spectacular cities of all. The Golden Gate Bridge to the north, the Bay Bridge to the East, Alcatraz in between, North Beach, Fisherman’s Warf, the amazing skyline, the outstanding restaurants—what a cool city!

Denver is also a great city in my book. The drama created by the Great Plains abruptly crashing into the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, the majestic front range all the way from Pike’s Peak in the south to Long’s Peak to the north, is nothing short of a never-ending Kodak moment. The spectacular panoramic view Denverites get every single day is second to none.

But Portland—my home city—is at the top of my list! There is nothing like the Great Northwest. The fall colors are every bit as wonderful as New England’s. The summers are indescribable. The fragrant blossoms on a spring day can almost make you forget the rainy winter you’ve just endured. The rivers, bridges, verdant hills, lush canopy, and view of Mt. Hood will take your breath away, guaranteed. I am so blessed to live here.

And then there are cities I don’t like. I won’t mention any names, but, for instance, the initials of one such disliked city is “L.A.” You figure it out. What were they thinking when they put that one together!

God has a favorite city, too. Did you know that? He has his reasons, and I am not entirely sure what they are, but I can’t disagree with him. Jerusalem is pretty amazing. I hope you will get a chance to go there if you haven’t already. One of my favorite views of any city in the world is the one you get coming up over the Mount of Olives, and looking westward over the Kidron Valley, getting a glimpse for the first time of the Temple Mount of the holy city, Jerusalem. Breathtaking! Absolutely breathtaking!

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Hark! how the angels sing,
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna to your King.
(“The Holy City,” by Frederick Edward Weatherly)

God loves Jerusalem, and one day, when Jesus reigns in his full glory, the entire world will come to worship there. Even Israel’s mortal enemies will bow the knee in wonder in the city of God. And you will worship there, too. As will I.

So here’s the deal: Until Jesus returns, pray for Jerusalem’s safety and prosperity: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.” (Psalm 122:6) Nurture a passion for the city of the great king since God is so passionate about it. Start reading up on it. Check out the brochures that describe the city. Plan a trip to Jerusalem before you leave Planet Earth.

Above all, however, remember this: As spectacular as the view of the holy city is from this side of eternity, it ain’t nothing compared to what Jerusalem will be like when King Jesus lives there!

“ Ten measures of beauty descended to the world, nine were taken by Jerusalem. — HAROLD J. WARNER

PREVIEW: We don’t normally encourage people to pray for signs, somehow thinking that true faith doesn’t focus on physical answers. We teach faith over sight; that it is more spiritual to believe in the invisible than to grasp for the visible. But David’s faith led him to believe God for and boldly ask for a literal, physical sign that would prove to the whole world that he was living under Divine favor: “Give me a sign of your goodness!” What is so bad about that?

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 86:17

I have taken to praying this psalm regularly. Not so much the second part about my enemies—I may be naïve, but I don’t think I wrestle with people who are out to get me quite like David did. It’s the first part of that verse that I love: Give me a sign of your goodness.

Here is the way some of the other translations put it:

Send me a sign of your favor. (New Living Translation)

So look me in the eye and show kindness…Make a show of how much you love me. (The Message)

Show that you approve of me. (Contemporary English Version)

Show me proof of your goodness, Lord; those who hate me will be ashamed when they see that you have given me comfort and help. (Good News Translation)

That is a great prayer to pray in any version—and even better if God so happens to answer it. What was the sign David was looking for? For sure, David needed protection (“Guard my life,” Psalm 86:2), but he wouldn’t mind if God threw in a little mercy, too (“Have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long … Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did,” Psalm 86:3,16). David wanted God to give him reason to laugh (“Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you,” Psalm 86:4), perhaps from the knowledge that yet again he had been forgiven of his sins (“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you … But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” Psalm 86:5,15). In general, since David had fully devoted himself to God (“For I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you,” Psalm 86:2), he wanted his life to be living proof that God loved him.

We don’t normally encourage people to pray for signs, somehow thinking that true faith doesn’t focus on physical answers. We teach faith over sight; that it is more spiritual to believe in the invisible than to grasp for the visible. But David’s faith led him to believe God and boldly ask for a literal, physical sign that would prove to the whole world that he was living under Divine favor. What is so bad about that?

So go ahead, pray for a sign of God’s goodness today. I am! I am asking that God will show me a literal, physical sign of his favor today. I, unapologetically, want the whole world to know that he approves of me. I am requesting that God will look me in the eye and make a show of how fond he is of me—not tomorrow, but today!

Who knows, maybe God will grant our request today!

“ Humility is the gateway into the grace and the favor of God. — HAROLD J. WARNER

PREVIEW: There is no deep, mysterious secret to the revival of favor that the Biblical writers promise the true believer. There is no complex set of rules and regulations the believer must master in order to live in the blessing of abundance promised in the Bible. It is so simple even a child can get it. In fact, all good parents drill this into their children early and often: Listen and obey!

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 85:6-9

I don’t think reducing God and his Word to formulas is a good idea, but if we can distill his Word down to one, here is a simple prescription for Divine favor:

HEAR — THEN DO!

Listen to God, then do what he says. Hear and do! James echoed that command in the New Testament when he said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Then, for the one who hears and does, James added, “He will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22,25)

There is no deep, mysterious secret to the revival of favor that the psalmist is seeking in Psalm 85. There is no complex set of rules and regulations the believer must master in order to live in the blessing of abundance promised in the Bible. It is so simple even a child can get it. In fact, all good parents drill this into their children early and often:

LISTEN AND OBEY!

You have no problem with that—right? Neither do I! So here’s the deal: Why aren’t you doing that?

I am not trying to be judgmental or confrontational; I am just asking a serious question. You have areas of your life where you are either not listening to God or not obeying what you hear—or both! So do I. And that may be the very reason you and I are not living in the full abundance of God, spiritually, financially, physically, professionally, or relationally.

So what are you going to do about it? I think I will do a little evaluating today—some listening first, then obeying. I plan on getting this one right. You can hold me accountable on that one. And when I get to the end of my life, I hope that I will have so lived that on my headstone are inscribed these words:

HE LISTENED—AND OBEYED GOD!

“ When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die. — JIM ELLIOT

PREVIEW: The New Testament teaches us that we no longer need to go to the temple in Jerusalem to worship—a good thing, since it no longer exists. Under the new covenant, God, himself, continually dwells in you, personally—you are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet while God dwells in you individually, your salvation is not to be divorced from God’s people collectively—the church. You and I, together, make up the new covenant temple of God. As we come together corporately, the very place where we gather—church building, school auditorium, family room, under a tree—along with those who gather, are the temple of God, his holy dwelling place on earth. Something powerful happens when we, the body of Christ, come together to exalt the head of the body, Jesus Christ. As Christ is worshiped, God’s presence fills the temple. And that is something to sing about!

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 84:10

Do you sing on your way to church? The Israelites did. There was a whole series of songs written just for people on their way to the Tabernacle and, later, the temple in Jerusalem. While this is not officially one of them, they were called psalms of assent. These songs usually extolled the blessings of belonging to God and the anticipation of coming to the earthy dwelling that housed God’s uncontainable presence.

Perhaps we ought to revive that tradition. I’m sure it would heighten our anticipation of entering the Lord’s presence with the community of believers and deepen our experience of his mighty presence in the house of worship.

Of course, the New Testament teaches us that we no longer need to go to the temple in Jerusalem to worship—a good thing since it no longer exists. Under the new covenant, God, himself, continually dwells in you, personally—you are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 6:19) Yet while God dwells in you individually, your salvation is not to be divorced from God’s people collectively—the church. You and I, together, make up the new covenant temple of God. (1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:15-17; Eph 2:20-22)

As we come together corporately, the very place where we gather—church building, school auditorium, family room, under a tree—along with those who gather, is the temple of God, his holy dwelling place on earth. Something powerful happens when we, the body of Christ, come together to exalt the head of the body, Jesus Christ. As Christ is worshiped, God’s presence fills the temple.

Now, that is something to sing about!

If you have lost the kind of anticipation for going to church that makes you sing, I would suggest you have misplaced your understanding of what the community of believers is all about. I would challenge you to go back and find it—it is crucial to your spiritual health. When you come to church, you are coming into the very place and to the very people who are now the dwelling place of God! And where God dwells, there is both earthly joy and eternal pleasure. (Psalm 16:11)

One day of the kind of earthly joy and eternal pleasure we experience as God dwells among his people is better than a thousand days on the best beaches of Maui or on the rides at Disneyland or on the greens at Pebble Beach or in between the sheets of your bed. If you don’t get that, your vision is clouded.

So start singing about it on the way to church, and pretty soon, it will get into your spirit and you will begin to see what the psalmist saw—and then you can write your own psalm of assent.

PREVIEW: There is a time when it is appropriate for you to get good and angry—not just good, and not just angry, but good and angry! Now the question is, when is that appropriate time? I don’t think I can give you a sure-fire answer for every situation, but there is a clue here within this psalm that seems to echo other times in Scripture where good anger was called for. It is when the people who are upsetting you are upsetting you because they are hindering, hurting, or plotting the destruction of God’s people and God’s plan. It’s not when someone cut you off in traffic, or took your seat in church, or pulled out fifteen coupons in the “15 Items or Less” check-out line when you were in a hurry. It’s when their motive, known or unknown to them, is to destroy the work of God. That’s when it is appropriate to pray like the psalmist: God, make them pay.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 83:1-5,16

“May my enemies know the fiery terror (Psalm 83:14) of your judgment; make them to know the tempest of your storm (Psalm 83:15). Make Edom, the Ishmaelites, the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Tyre and Assyria (Psalm 83:6-8) like refuse on the ground (Psalm 83:10), nothing more than a tumbleweed tumbling along (Psalm 83:13). Make them pay, Lord!”

Have you ever prayed like that? Have you ever gone before the Lord and named names, calling down the fire and the fury of heaven upon the heads of your enemies? Have you ever been brutally honest with God?

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless it’s called for. If you are doing that a lot, it may reveal more about the condition of your heart than the people with whom you are upset. Perhaps you need to do a little soul work, asking God to do a deep work of healing in your heart, teaching you how to truly forgive your enemies, and learning how to patiently put judgment in his just hand.

Yet there is a time when it is appropriate for you to get good and angry—not just good, and not just angry, but good and angry! Now the question is, when is that appropriate time? I don’t think I can give you the definitive answer for every situation, but there is a clue here within this psalm that seems to echo other times in Scripture where good anger was called for. It is when the people who are upsetting you are upsetting you because they are hindering, hurting, or plotting the destruction of God’s people and God’s plan. Psalm 83:3 says,

With cunning, they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.

So that’s it—that is how you get good and angry. It’s not that someone cut you off in traffic, or took your seat in church, or pulled out fifteen coupons in the “15 Items or Less” check-out line when you were in a hurry. It’s when their motive, known or unknown to them, is to destroy the work of God. That’s when it is appropriate to pray like the psalmist.

But here’s another clue that will keep you good when you are angry: Don’t just pray for their ruination; pray for their redemption. At the very least, pray that the Divine punishment brought down upon their heads will serve as a witness to others of the glory of God’s great name (Psalm 83:16).

So, if you can manage to include those two aspects authentically in your prayers, go ahead, name names!

“ I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever. — THOMAS JEFFERSON

PREVIEW: Human longing for God’s justice has been a common theme in every age—including ours. Too often, the powerless have been hassled by “the man,” with impunity. Throughout history, the rich have built their wealth on the backs of the poor, men have treated women as chattel, adults have neglected children, ruling parties have disenfranchised minorities, captains of industry have enslaved “lesser” human beings, and those who have the means to prevent and eradicate poverty, hunger, and disease have stood by while the lives of untold millions have been needlessly imprisoned in misery and whose lives have been ruined. Perhaps at some level, even you have felt hassled by “the man.” There is something in us cries out for God to intervene, isn’t there? And sometimes, we feel as though the God of justice who rules from heaven above has turned a blind eye to the plight of the unfortunate. But there is a day coming when God will rise to bring both the living and the dead to full account. And on that day, justice and fairness will finally and fully reign throughout all of creation. It may not seem like it today, but that day is coming.

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 82:1-4,8

The opening line is a little confusing. Who are the “gods” that Almighty God is addressing? According to the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, God is speaking to one of three possible audiences: (1) human judges who are condemned by the Great Judge for being unjust; (2) the principalities and the powers of other nations that oppress Israel; (3) pagan deities judged by God, who rule the darkness of the world.

Whatever the case may be, his entire psalm is a plea for God to rise up against the powerful who use their positions of power—either through aggression or neglect—to harass and abuse the powerless: the poor, the orphan, the destitute, the oppressed. In fact, this psalm is more than a plea; it’s a challenge, really, to the Almighty to do what a righteous God ought to do: Ensure liberty and justice for one and all.

That has been a common theme in every age—including ours. Too often, the powerless have been hassled by “the man” with impunity. Throughout history, the rich have built their wealth on the backs of the poor, men have treated women as chattel, adults have neglected children, ruling parties have disenfranchised minorities, captains of industry have enslaved “lesser” human beings, and those who have the means to prevent and eradicate poverty, hunger, and disease have stood by while the lives of untold millions have been needlessly imprisoned in misery and whose lives have been ruined. Perhaps at some level, even you have felt hassled by “the man.”

There is something in us that cries out for God to intervene, isn’t there? And sometimes, we feel as though the God of justice who rules from heaven above has turned a blind eye to the plight of the unfortunate. But there is a day coming when God will rise to bring both the living and the dead to full account. And on that day, justice and fairness will finally and fully reign throughout all of creation. It may not seem like it today, but that day is coming.

The Christian must never forget that we are people of the resurrection. What does that mean in this context? Simply this: We follow a Risen Savior who rose from the tomb victorious over death, hell, and the grave. And that is a permanent reminded that Jesus broke the chains of sin, sickness, and suffering on the days he rose from the tomb, and in so doing, sent notice throughout time and eternity that he will not rest until the rulers and principalities and world systems and spiritual dominions that have caused the ruination of God’s plan for the human race are brought under his fair and just dominion.

It may not seem like it today, but the empty tomb and the Risen Savior we celebrate are to remind us, not just on Easter Sunday, but every day, that God has not turned a blind eye to this planet, nor to you. So, on this day, be reminded that “the man’s” days are numbered.

And when “the man’s” number is up, then the innumerable and unending days of the rule and reign of the Son of Man will begin—and then there will truly be liberty and justice for all!

“ God puts Christ’s enemies as a footstool beneath His feet, for their salvation as well as their destruction. — ORIGEN

PREVIEW: God’s unconditional grace, unlimited love, and undeserved mercy—for which we are all unspeakably grateful—come with some conditions for us. There is a sense in which his unlimited grace is limited, his unlimited love is limited, his unlimited mercy is limited, and we must do some things to unlock the door for them to operate in our lives in a transformational way. There are some big “ifs” to this relationship we enjoy with God. But “if” you are fulfilling the big “ifs” in your relationship with God, then you can expect an unimaginable supply of unconditional grace, unlimited love, and undeserved mercy.

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 81:8,13-14

We often speak of God’s unconditional grace, unlimited love, and undeserved mercy—for which we are all unspeakably grateful. But let’s not forget that God does have some conditions for us; there is a sense in which his unlimited love is limited; there are some things we must do to deserve his mercy. There are steps we must take to access the blessings of his grace fully. There are some big “ifs” to this relationship we enjoy with God.

God is a conditional God. Did you notice how the psalmist put it? “If” God’s people listen to him, “if” God’s people obey him, then, and only then, will he fight on their behalf and give them victory. The psalmist is only echoing what is taught in a hundred other places throughout Scripture: The blessings of the covenant that God has made with us are conditional—God’s unconditional, unlimited, and undeserved favor flows to us only as we walk in loving surrender to his rulership over our lives. God has covenanted to bless us as we covenant to obey him.

In our Christian culture, there has been a tendency to emphasize grace in a way that is not balanced by truth, love that is not balanced by obedience, and mercy that is not balanced by authentic repentance. That has led to what has been called “easy believism”—an unhealthy and risky view of salvation. It is time for us to reexamine what Scripture tells us rather than mindlessly allow current preaching trends to adjust what the Bible teaches to what our culture finds acceptable. We must adjust our beliefs and behaviors, as painful and costly as that might be, to what God’s Word says, not vice versa.

So, on this particular day, as you examine your heart, honestly and openly ask yourself if you are living up to your end of the bargain. Check to see if you are meeting the conditions of the covenant. The painful part of doing that may be that you are required to do some costly realigning of your life.

The upside is that if you are fulfilling the big “ifs” in your relationship with God, then you can expect an unimaginable supply of unconditional grace, unlimited love, and undeserved mercy.

“ Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider. — ST. AUGUSTINE

PREVIEW: How do you pray for a once-godly nation—Israel in ancient times, America in the current hour—that is now suffering the just punishment for rebellion? You do what the psalmist did: Boldly, persistently, and unashamedly pray for restoration! God has been very clear that consequences will follow sin; the law of sowing and reaping is unmistakably clear in Scripture. Yet the psalmist, along with other Biblical writers, often placed their hope in the mercy of God—and prayed like crazy for a crop failure. I think it’s okay to pray for a crop failure. In fact, I would even say it’s wise to pray that way. Why? God may just substitute his mercy for discipline. The Message translation says of God in Micah 7:18, “Mercy is your specialty.”

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 80:1-3

How do you pray for a once-godly nation that is now suffering the just punishment for rebellion? You do what the psalmist did: Boldly, persistently, and unashamedly pray for restoration!

Three times, the psalmist made the exact same appeal for the restoration of Israel—Psalm 80:3,7,19.

Restore us, O God;
make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.

Each appeal is more intense than the previous, building to this crescendo of importunity in the final verse. He even sneaks in another plea for revival in the chapter’s penultimate verse—Psalm 80:18,

Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name.

This guy is bent on spiritual awakening and national renewal in Israel!

What is interesting about Psalm 80—which you would agree is especially applicable for America for right now—is that this desperate cry for restoration came during a time when the Almighty had removed his blessing because of the nation’s persistent rebellion. It was most likely written at the tail end of the Northern Kingdom’s rebellious run as a nation, and they were suffering the harsh reality of life without the protective hand of God—deservedly so!

How like America! We, too, have strayed from our once-declared dependence upon the Almighty’s protective hand. We have abandoned the collective sense of our national raison d’être: To serve God’s purposes in the earth. Our belief that American greatness results only from Divine Sovereignty has been severely damaged, perhaps without remedy. Some have said that we have traveled so far down the road of spiritual rebellion that God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if he withholds punishment on this nation much longer. That is really what we deserve.

But in truth, isn’t what was true of Israel, and what is true of America, true of you and me, too? At the end of the day, aren’t we all undeserving of anything but God’s judgment? Yet what is even more interesting about Psalm 80 is that the appeal for restoration is not based on the worthiness of Israel, it is rather rooted in the immutable character of God—who is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and delights to show mercy rather than send calamity!

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
(Psalm 103:8-14)

Rend your heart and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
(Joel 2:13)

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
(Micah 7:18)

God has been very clear that consequences will follow sin; the law of sowing and reaping is unmistakably clear in Scripture. Yet the psalmist, along with other Biblical writers, often placed their hope in the mercy of God—and prayed like crazy for a crop failure.

I think it’s okay to pray for a crop failure. In fact, I would even say it’s wise to pray that way. Why? God may just substitute his mercy for discipline. The Message translation says of God in Micah 7:18,

Mercy is your specialty.

Since mercy and grace are what makes God, God, why not tap into them and pray for the restoration of a once mighty nation—and perhaps, a once blessed life!
=

“ Free grace can go into the gutter, and bring up a jewel! — CHARLES SPURGEON

PREVIEW: For the president, the leader of the free world and our national spokesman, to proclaim that America is not a Christian nation should ignite a holy conflagration among Christians. But not, perhaps, in the way you think. The fires of revival will never burn again in America because of political or social activism. Don’t forget that! That is not to say you should disengage as a political or social activist. By all means, if that’s your deal, go for it! What America needs most is another great awakening! And that will only happen as believers act like believers and churches act like churches are supposed to act. That will only happen as we, both individually and corporately, humble ourselves in repentance and prayer. As the great revivalist Charles Finney said, “There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience.”

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 79:6

A decade or so ago, Newsweek magazine headlined “The End of Christian America” while President Obama explained to the Turkish people that America is not a Christian nation.

Technically, you could make that argument. For sure, there are a lot of Christians and churches in America—which I believe to be the catalyst for America’s unprecedented greatness. Yet when you look at America culturally, politically, internationally, morally, judicially, and spiritually, does the evidence tell you that, indeed, we are a Christian nation?

Biblically, you can see the danger of mistaking our national politics for the true faith. Just because we hang the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, or insist that school kids “pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” or have “In God We Trust” on our coins, or claim the deep spiritual roots of our forebears does not guarantee the “Christian-ness” of America. Just go back to any number of places in the Old Testament and see how that mindset worked out for Israel.

But while it might be technically and biblically true that we’re not a Christian nation, to do so with the sense of pride that seems to be behind these current-day pronouncements should cause us, one and all, a great deal of concern. You see, spiritually, any nation, including the great nation of America, that does not acknowledge God or call upon his name, or root their national values in the unchanging moral laws that he has made known is a candidate for Divine wrath, according to not only this particular psalm, but a whole host of other Biblical teaching as well. Pride in our spiritual diversity now will one day cause our corporate knees to turn to putty as we stand before the judgment of Almighty God. Those who are so bold today will not be on that day!

For the president, the leader of the free world and our national spokesman, to proclaim that America is not a Christian nation should ignite a holy conflagration among Christians. But not, perhaps, in the way you think. The fires of revival will never burn again in America because of political or social activism. Don’t forget that! That is not to say you should disengage as a political or social activist. By all means, if that’s your deal, go for it!

What America needs most is another great awakening!

And that will only happen as believers act like believers and churches act like churches are supposed to act. That will only happen as we, both individually and corporately, humble ourselves in repentance and prayer:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14).

As the great revivalist Charles Finney said, “There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience.” Renewal will only happen as we truly live out our faith in deed, not just in word. Renewal will only happen as believers begin to clean up their act. The next great spiritual awakening in America will only happen when Christians get serious about penetrating this society as salt and light exemplifying the real Jesus and the real kingdom, living proof of a loving God to a lost world.

So let me ask you this: If you were the only Christian left in America, and the spiritual renewal of America depended on your witness, what hope would there be for America?

Sounds like you need to get with it! Me, too!

“ A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. — CHARLES FINNEY

PREVIEW: I have a deep concern that we have been in a fifty-year or so cycle of parental neglect. I’m not just talking about our culture; I’m speaking of the church. Christian parents have been neglecting one of the most basic and important roles that God calls a father and mother to play in the lives of their children: Teacher. You see, the better we become at doing church, the more parents have abdicated their duty to teach their own children the sacred things of God. We have outsourced that to the children’s pastor, or the youth leader, or the small group mentor. Not that I have anything against those people—those are roles God calls people to serve within his family—but frankly, pastors and mentors have not been called to the primary role of instructor in your child’s life—you have! They are only there to assist you and complement the spiritual foundation you are laying down.

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 78:4,6-7

I realize my title is a bit negative, but I have a deep concern that we have been in a fifty-year or so cycle of parental neglect. I am not just talking about our culture; I am speaking of the church. Christian parents have been neglecting one of the most basic and important roles that God calls a father and mother to play in the lives of their children: Teacher.

You see, the better we become at doing church, the more parents have abdicated their duty to teach their own children the sacred things of God. We have outsourced that to the children’s pastor, or the youth leader, or the small group mentor. Not that I have anything against those people—those are roles God calls people to serve within his family—but frankly, pastors and mentors have not been called to the primary role of instructor in your child’s life—you have! They are only there to assist you and complement the spiritual foundation you are laying down.

The psalmist calls us to pick up the mantle and begin to teach our children well. The parent’s job is to teach, train, and equip so well that when the child comes of age, they will not refer to “the God of my father,” but will exclaim, “my Lord and my God.” You see, God doesn’t want to be your child’s grandfather, he wants to be their Heavenly Father. That is less likely to happen if you surrender your teaching role to another.

Likewise, you are called to teach them the things of God so well that they not only will continually remember the mighty acts of God, but they will know in no uncertain terms that it is now their role to pass the sacred things of God on to their children, who will, in turn, pass it on to their children, and thus, a perpetual cycle is established where “the next generation would know.”

This is a lengthy psalm, but I would suggest it provides the core curriculum that must be mastered in every godly household if the Christian community is going multiply a godly heritage throughout Planet Earth. Within it you will find:

• History 101—the mighty acts of God among his people. (Psalm 78: 12-16)
• The Law of Cause and Effect 201—what happens when God’s people rebel. (Psalm 78:18-21)
• Ownership 301—God’s sovereign choice gives him the right to place demands upon our lives. (Psalm 78: 68)
• Living On Purpose 401—honoring God by living a life of integrity and skill (Psalm 78:70-72).

All your child needs to know can be learned in Psalm 78. Recess is over—time to get to class!

“ It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. — ? FREDERICK DOUGLASS

PREVIEW: Ask most people and they will tell you they prefer a God of love, not wrath. They like a Jesus who is “full of grace,” but they are not so sure about a Christ whose grace is perfectly balanced with “truth.” They have, at least in their minds, as Dorothy Sayers notes, “efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him ‘meek and mild’ and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.” You see, most people are very uncomfortable with a Deity who actually punishes sin, preferring a world where “all dogs go to heaven”—as do all people. All of which would render judgment, punishment, and hell entirely irrelevant. However, though perfectly loving, resplendent with grace, unequaled in patience, and a place of safety for his children, God is also a bit dangerous because he is organically just. God is just, and like it or not, we should all be eternally grateful!

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalms 76:7-9

Ask most people, and they will tell you they prefer a God of love, not wrath. They like a Jesus who is “full of grace,” but they are not so sure about a Christ whose grace is perfectly balanced with “truth.” You see, most people are very uncomfortable with a Deity who actually punishes sin, preferring a world where “all dogs go to heaven,” as do all people. All of which would render judgment, punishment, and hell entirely irrelevant.

Yet throughout the Bible we find in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a capacity for righteous wrath: Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire, moneychangers are given the bum’s rush right out of the temple, greedy Ananias and Sapphira drop dead in church, and at the proper time, the living and the dead will face the final judgment. Though perfectly loving, resplendent with grace, unequaled in patience, and a place of safety for his children, God is also a bit dangerous because he is organically just.

I prefer a God like that. I don’t want the syrupy, doting eternal Santa Claus who does nothing but dispense goodies to one and all—even the bad ones. I want a God who is fair and true and just…and dangerous.

However, what I prefer, what anyone prefers, matters little. Like it or not, the kind of God we get is a God of love—and of justice! Likewise, the kind of Savior we get wasn’t the sugary sweet version so many in our culture have made him to be—a sanitized, tame, Mr. Rogers version of Christ. Dorothy Sayers was right,

To do them justice, the people who crucified Jesus did not do so because he was a bore. Quite the contrary, he was too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have declawed the lion of Judah and made him a housecat for pale priests and pious old ladies… To those who knew him, however, he in no way suggests a milk-and-water person; they objected to him as a dangerous firebrand.

But the Bible is quite clear: Jesus is no pussycat—he is the Lion of Judah, and one day, as 2 Timothy 4:1 says, “Jesus Christ [will] judge the living and the dead.” And on that day, all of heaven will thunder, “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were the Holy One…Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” (Revelation 16: 5,7)

All of creation, including you and I, will be utterly amazed at the justice and fairness of God’s judgment, and we will stand in solidarity to declare in unison, “That’s exactly right—true and just are your judgments!”

Justice will finally be served by the only One who can be trusted to judge in righteousness and fairness. What a relief!

PREVIEW: If we could truly absorb the truth that God rules over all—big and small—and embrace it as a guiding principle for our everyday lives, what a difference would it make in how we approach life! We would live with less anxiety about the current global climate. We would be a great deal less upset about our current leaders or a lot less dependent on them to solve our every problem. We would be a lot less worried about whether we would have a job, good health, or a happy family when the sun comes up tomorrow. In fact, we would not lose any sleep at all about the sun coming up tomorrow or not. Why? Because God truly does rule over all, big and small!

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 75:6-7

What a great reminder! It is neither the Democratic nor the Republican National Committees that get their candidates elected; it is not how well organized the parties are at the grassroots level; it is not the hundreds of millions of dollars that we now spend to “buy” elections—although those factors certainly play into the outcome. But at the end of the day, it is what God permits that determines who will rise and who will fall.

The truth is we see only a little slice of history. From our perspective, the country was desperately needing change, or we were at war, and we needed a wartime leader in the Oval Office, or the economy was in shambles and we needed an administration with financial savvy to fix us, or whatever other scenario we used to describe our current context. But God lives outside of time and above circumstances, and he is moving human history to a foreordained conclusion. Daniel 2:20-21 reminds us,

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

If we could truly absorb that truth and embrace it as a guiding principle for our everyday lives, what difference would it make in how we approach life? I think we would live with a lot less anxiety about the current global climate. I think we would be a great deal less upset about our current leaders or a lot less dependent on them to solve our every problem. I think we would be a lot less worried about whether we would have a job, good health, or a happy family when the sun comes up tomorrow. In fact, we would not lose any sleep at all about the sun coming up tomorrow or not.

Now, I’m not claiming that we should adopt a do-nothing, careless approach to life. Of course not—that would make us unworthy servants (see Matthew 25:24-30) of a Master who expects us to do our best with what we have been given (Colossians 3:23-24). But remembering that God rules over all, big and small, that God controls all, big and small, that God uses all the events of this world, big and small, to bring about his perfect plan, and helps me to live out my life in a much more purposeful, peaceful, and productive way.

Here’s the thing: God rules—live with it!

“ When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. — C. H. SPURGEON

PREVIEW: You’ve had moments when you dared to be brutally honest with God. You said something to the effect, “God, where are you? You’re really letting me down!” Or worse! Don’t worry, Jesus had a moment like that, too: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But Jesus would remind us that the best part of our walk with God is not what he does for us, as glorious as that may be, it is what he does in us! And those best things, faith, humility, trust, and Christlikeness, are best forged in the crucible of silence.

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 74:9

Have you ever talked to God like the writer of this psalm did? I have! There have been times of desperation in my life that led me to frustration with God—when a loved one was on her death-bed, when a conflict arose that seemed to have no resolution, when a financial need was staring me in the eyes and I had absolutely no answer for it; when an attack came from out of nowhere that just sucked the life out of me.

You’ve had those moments, too. And if we dared to be brutally honest with God, we said something to the effect, “God, where are you? You are really letting me down on this one!” Or worse! Don’t worry, Jesus had a moment like that: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Perhaps your desperate cry to God has been more general—like the one in this particular verse. Your holy discontent has led you to prayerfully complain to God that he never seems to show up in his power and glory, with signs, wonders, and miracles, as he did in days of old—and there seems to be no indication that he will anytime soon. You are desperate for God, but he doesn’t seem desperate for you.

The writer of this psalm most likely penned this prayerful lament after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. The Jews were deported to Babylon, the Holy Land had been overrun and defiled by pagans, and God’s people were in a bad way—with no end in sight. Worst of all, God was silent—he wasn’t acting (“no miracles”), he wasn’t talking (“no prophets”), and there was no game plan except for more of the same (“we don’t know how long this will be”).

So, the psalmist poured out his complaint—which is always a good thing. And even though it wasn’t in this psalm, God did give his people some profound advice (I guess his advice is always profound since, after all, he is God) through a prophet who served around the same time as the Palmist. His words are recorded in Jeremiah 29:1-23. I hope you will take the time to read them.

Of course, this passage contains the verse that everyone loves: Jeremiah 29:11—I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and give you a hope and a future. But read the context. God is, in essence, saying to them, “This difficult time is going to take a while, and yes, I will see you through it. But in the meantime, bloom where I’ve planted you. Even though you don’t hear me or see me, I am still at work. I’m doing my part, so you do your part by staying faithful and useful to me.”

Here’s the deal: The best part of our walk with God is not what he does for us, as glorious as that may be, it is what he does in us! Faith, humility, trust, and Christlikeness are best forged in the crucible of adversity. God has done that with all the greats—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, Job, Daniel, and Paul. And with each of those spiritual heroes, part of the crucible included God’s silence. As Oswald Chambers called silence “the first sign of his intimacy,” noting that,

God’s silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself.

Are you frustrated with God’s silence in your time of desperation and adversity? Why should you be any different than the greats of our faith? Out of the fire of adversity, including the silence of God, comes deeper understanding and intimacy with God, along with the fruit of righteousness. So, while frustrating times seem to last far too long, fruitful people are those who have endured through them while trusting God to do his work … no matter how long it takes.

PREVIEW: We sometimes look at how the rich and famous live, and we envy them. Maybe we think, “Am I missing something? How come living the righteous life doesn’t bring those kinds of rewards?” After all, shouldn’t doing the right thing, living the holy life, and doing our best to honor God have some payoffs here and now? Perhaps you should do what the psalmist did to cure his bout with envy: Go into God’s sanctuary and there understand the destiny of the wicked. And remember: this earth is not your true home. You’re not home yet. Heaven is where you are headed, and my friend, it is no consolation prize. It is the grand prize for faithful living.

A JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 73:2-3,17

Haven’t we all had those moments when we’ve envied the prosperity of the wicked? We see the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous—the luxury cars they drive, the jewelry they wear, the vacations they take, the enormous homes they own—complete with walk-in closets the size of the average living room—a gaggle of sycophants who tend to their every need, hang on their every word, and stroke their bloated ego.

And what did they do to come by such prosperity? Certainly nothing worthy of eternal accolades! For that matter, they did nothing to add any real, lasting value to this world either except to look cool, rap out a few trashy lyrics, catch some air on a half-pipe, shoot the ball through a hoop, or perhaps appear on one of the thousands of reality shows on TV these days to get famous for being famous. It’s not like they discovered a cure for cancer, solved world hunger, or even made life better for even just one of the billions of people on this planet who could really use a helping hand.

So that’s my rant! And my point is we sometimes look at how people like that live and envy them. Perhaps we think, “Am I missing something? How come living the righteous life doesn’t bring those kinds of rewards?” After all, shouldn’t doing the right thing, living the holy life, and doing our best to honor God have some payoffs here and now?

I’m reminded of the story of Henry C. Morrison, who, after serving as a missionary for forty years in Africa in the late 1800s, became sick and had to return to America. As his ship docked in New York harbor, a great crowd gathered to welcome home another passenger on that boat. Morrison watched as President Teddy Roosevelt received a grand welcome home party after his African Safari. Resentment seized Morrison, and he turned to God in anger, “I have come back home after all this time and service to the church, and there is no one, not even one person here, to welcome me home.”

Then, a still small voice came to Morrison and said, “You’re not home yet.”

And neither are you!

Dear friend, don’t get so earthbound. Heaven is not the consolation prize; it is the grand prize. It is your real home, and it is way beyond any of the ephemeral stuff the rich and famous enjoy for this brief season on earth. The next time you’re tempted to envy, come into the sanctuary—that place of intimacy with God—and allow the Holy Spirit to give you that moment of clarity—and pray for that moment to become a way of thinking.

“ God destines us for an end beyond the grasp of reason. — THOMAS AQUINAS

PREVIEW: Wouldn’t it be great if our presidents-current and future—began their reign by declaring their utter dependence on God? Wouldn’t it be great if they saw their administration as a conduit of God’s blessing on us? Wouldn’t it be great if they played fair with both the bigwig and the little guy? Wouldn’t it be great if they fundamentally saw themselves as both servant of God and servant of the people? If we ever got a leader who was both an authentic servant of God as well as a public servant in the truest sense, we wouldn’t be crying out for term limits. As much as we wish for that kind of leadership in the White House…or in the governor’s mansion…or in the mayor’s office…or in the pulpit, we should be even more intent on praying for those very qualities to be endowed to them from on high. And, of course, we ought to pray that they would have the kind of heart into which God places the stuff of great leadership.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 72:15

It has been a long time since we have had a national leader like the one described in this royal psalm. This is a psalm of Solomon, who, of course, was King David’s son and successor to the throne. Under Solomon’s reign, the nation of Israel expanded economically, educationally, militarily, and spiritually — “happy days were here again” for God’s people.

Solomon began his reign by declaring his utter dependence on God. You can see it here in this song, which is really a prayer to God declaring the kind of leader he wants to be. Notice what he prays for:

He speaks of being divinely endowed with justice and righteousness so that those same two qualities will characterize his leadership.: “Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly.” (Psalm 72:1-2).

He desires the nation to be prosperous and fruitful primarily as a result of his righteous rule: “May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful….May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.” (Psalm 72:3,7)

He declares his intentions to look out for the little guy—the needy, poor, oppressed, and the innocents: “He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.” (Psalm 72:4,13-14).

No wonder he thinks his leadership can endure and his influence expands: “May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!… May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 72:5,8)

People will not be crying out for term limits with this leader; he is both an authentic servant of God and a public servant in the truest sense. His people love him!

Wouldn’t it be great if our presidents began their reign by declaring their utter dependence on God? Wouldn’t it be great if they saw their administration as a conduit of God’s blessing on us? Wouldn’t it be great if they played fair with both the bigwig and the little guy? Wouldn’t it be great if they fundamentally saw themselves as both servant of God and servant of the people?

Who wouldn’t want to follow a leader like that?

But as much as we wish for that kind of leadership in the White House…or in the governor’s mansion…or in the mayor’s office…or in the pulpit, we should be even more intent on praying for those very qualities to be endowed to them from on high. And, of course, we ought to pray that they would have the kind of heart into which God places the stuff of great leadership.

Solomon was wise enough to know that he couldn’t be that kind of leader without the prayers of the people. That is why he includes a prayer request for himself in the song: “May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.” (Psalm 72:15)

Wouldn’t it be great if we began praying and blessing our president like that? Who knows what good it might do him, and in the process of praying and blessing him, it might do us some good, too!

PREVIEW: With trials come evaluations. For that matter, evaluations come no matter what, be it trials or triumphs. If you are alive, you are going to get evaluated! And if you have an influential position of some kind, just multiply that by the “nth degree.” Wow, that sounds like a barrel of fun! Until the day you die, you will be evaluated, i.e., criticized—and even after you die, at least for a while, others will still be talking about you. So what! Put your hope in God—after all, he’s the only critic who really matters.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 77:7-13

The New Living Translation renders this verse, “My life has become an example to many.” The New King James says, “I have become a wonder.” Portent, example, wonder—whatever the case, people were talking about the writer of this psalm. He was being evaluated—how fun!

We’re unsure if David wrote this song or if it was one of his musicians. It is generally believed that the composer was in his old age and, surprisingly, still facing trials—reminding us that much like weird relatives, they never really go away!

As is always the case, with trials come evaluations. For that matter, evaluations come no matter what, be it trials or triumphs. If you are alive, you are going to get evaluated! And if you are in a position of influence of some kind, just multiply that to the “nth degree.” Again, how fun!

The psalmist was going through a challenge, and people were talking. Some thought his trial was proof that he was under God’s curse, while others saw that God was caring for him even in his trial. Now, if I were to venture a guess, more people were amazed that God’s loving care had yet again sustained him than those who were putting a negative spin on it. Yet the psalmist was more focused on his naysayers than his encouragers. (Psalm 71:4,10-11,13,24) He was simply doing what we human beings shouldn’t do but do anyway: Giving undue weight to the critic.

But he also did something right—something you and I need to practice when we are under the bright lights of another’s evaluation: Put our hope in God:

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth…. As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. (Psalm 71:5,14)

Whether the critics are dead on, or dead wrong, or perhaps even both (as they say, even a broken clock gets it right twice a day), leaning on God to see us through (“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” Psalm 71:12), and even to cover our goofs with his grace (“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.” Psalm 71:20) is the only good way to go through challenging times and blunt the criticism of our evaluator.

Yes, you will be evaluated in life—how fun! Until the day you die, you will be evaluated—and even after you die. So what! Put your hope in God—after all, that’s the only thing that really matters.

As the Apostle Paul said, “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:2-4)

PREVIEW: Do you ever wish that God would give Satan and his human friends a very public smackdown? I’m sure you do, but you probably think it is a bit spiritually unseemly to have those kinds of thoughts. Yet is it such a bad thing in light of the cosmic conflict for our eternal destiny that we should want a clear and unmistakable trouncing of the Enemy and his flesh and blood representatives? Listen, if King David, the man after God’s own heart felt that way—and the Holy Spirit saw fit to include David’s holy taunt in the Holy Writ (actually, it wasn’t the first nor would it be the the last time David prayed this way), I have a feeling that you can go ahead and do a little spiritual trash talking in your prayers, too.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 70:1-5

Good vs. evil…the force vs. the dark side…the white hats vs. the black hats—it’s not just the theme of almost every Hollywood movie; it’s a cosmic reality. C.S. Lewis noted,

There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.

And you are ground zero in that cosmic conflict. You belong to God, and therefore, Satan hates you. And those who don’t belong to God, those who are, in reality, in the camp of darkness, don’t care a whole lot for you either. They would love to see you fail, and fall, and bring disrepute to the name of God. That might sound a little pessimistic, but it is true, so get used to it.

David was writing about people like that in this brief psalm. They weren’t too thrilled with David, and whatever the king’s dire circumstances at this time were, these folks thought they had him dead to rights. They were hoping for a very big and very public failure so they could say, “Aha! See, we told you he would crash and burn. Serves him right!”

Knowing their evil intent, David cried out to God for an immediate (Psalm 70:1, 5) and dramatic rescue (Psalm 70:3) from these ne’er-do-wells. But did you notice that he didn’t just want to squeak by on this one? He wanted an undeniable victory. He prayed for a deliverance that would cause his enemies to shut their traps and hang their heads in shame. (Psalm 70:2) He wanted his rescue to be so undeniably a God-thing that it would become a cause for the righteous to lift their heads with holy pride. (Psalm 70:4)

Do you ever feel that way? I’m sure you do, but you probably think it is a bit spiritually unseemly to have those kinds of thoughts. Yet is it such a bad thing in light of the cosmic conflict for our eternal destiny that we should want a clear and unmistakable trouncing of the Enemy and his friends? Listen, if the man after God’s own heart felt that way—and the Holy Spirit saw fit to include David’s holy taunt in the Holy Writ (actually, it wasn’t the first time David prayed this—see also Psalm 40:13-17), I have a feeling that you can go ahead and do a little spiritual trash talking in your prayers, too.

Next time you are talking to God, go ahead and ask him to give Satan a very public beatdown on your behalf. And when it happens, I’ll cheer with you!

PREVIEW: The dark night of the soul. Everyone gets at least one. And when you get your dark night, it is likely that you will focus on your own imperfections as the source of your dire straits. And likely, you will be partially correct. Your specific mistakes and your general state of sinfulness often open the door to difficult and disastrous events. But King David didn’t let his imperfections stop him from courageously coming to God and seeking deliverance during his dark night of the soul. He recognized his own folly, but he knew that his wrong didn’t make the disproportionate response of the evildoers who pounced on him right. He also recognized that getting a hearing from the Almighty didn’t require sinless perfection; it required authentic repentance and courageous contrition. So, despite his folly, he appealed to the love and mercy of God to turn his dark night into a bright tomorrow. You can and should do the same.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 69:5,13

We’re not sure what the source of David’s despair was, but he turned it into a lament, a plaintiff prayer to God for deliverance and vindication. Whatever was going on, this psalm represents David’s dark night of the soul:

My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me. Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head. (Psalm 69:3-4)

Interestingly, several New Testament writers prophetically applied much of Psalm 69 to Jesus. Jesus, too, had a dark night of the soul as he carried the sins of the entire world in his sinless body to Calvary. The difference between Jesus and David was that Jesus was without sin and undeserving, while David was quite sinful and much deserving—as he, himself, recognized: “O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you.” (Psalm 69:5)

You will notice in the title that David wrote this psalm to be sung to the tune of “Lilies.” What you may not realize is that another song was written to the same tune, Psalm 45. That song, however, is quite celebratory, extolling King David as handsome, strong, victorious, just, and whose reign will endure.

How true to life is that! One moment, you are riding high, and the next, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. People who once adored you now want to string you up. It happened to David, it happened to Jesus, and it will likely happen to you. You, too, will have a dark night of the soul.

During that dark night, it is likely that you will focus on your own imperfections as the source of your dire straits. And likely, you will be partially correct. Your specific mistakes and your general state of sinfulness often open the door to difficult and disastrous events. But David didn’t let that stop him from courageously coming to God and seeking deliverance. You can and should do the same.

David recognized his own folly (Psalm 69:5), but he knew that his wrong didn’t make the disproportionate response of the evildoers who pounced on him right (Psalm 69:4, 22-28). He also recognized that getting a hearing from the Almighty didn’t require sinless perfection; it required authentic repentance and courageous contrition. So, despite his folly, he appealed to the love and mercy of God (Psalm 69:16) to turn his dark night into a bright tomorrow.

Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful.

For David and for you, God is the God of salvation. His specialty is saving the imperfect. You would never know God as the God of salvation if you didn’t need saving. The fact is that you need saving from your sins—which he has done. And you will need saving from the effects of sin—yours and others—at times, specifically, and generally in all of life.

Remember that when you are in the middle of your dark night and, it looks like the day will never come. God is still the God of salvation for imperfect people like you, so cry out to him. David didn’t exhaust the Divine supply of love and mercy; there’s plenty left for you.

And the God of your salvation still specializes in turning dark nights of the soul into better tomorrows.

“ Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved. — JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

PREVIEW: The testimony of history is that the Lord alone is a great and gracious God. Therefore, we should always cast our lot with him, for in the long run, he always wins, and so do his people. When in doubt, put faith in the God of history rather than fear in the difficulty of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. God is the God of forever! However, most of us, while we might appreciate the importance of history, are more focused on what is facing us today. And the question that always arises for us is if God is great and gracious for us today. And the answer to that concern is a resounding yes.

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 68:19,35

Honestly, it took me a while to “get” this psalm. Not only did I have to read it through a couple of times, but once I was within the psalm, I had to stop and restart several more times just to figure out what David was trying to say. I now have greater sympathy for those of you who are daily readers of this blog.

My conclusion: This is a great psalm! David is tracing the glorious history of God and his people from their mighty and miraculous deliverance from Egyptian slavery to the enthronement of God’s presence in the sanctuary in Jerusalem. And, in case you didn’t know, that history covers several hundred years—years of ups and downs. But through it all, God always cared for his people, and at the end of the day, led them inexorably toward a preordained victorious conclusion.

The testimony of history, then, is that the Lord alone is a great and gracious God. Therefore, we should always cast our lot with him, for in the long run, he always wins, and so do his people. When in doubt, put faith in the God of history rather than fear in the difficulty of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. God is the God of forever!

Most of us, however, though we might appreciate the importance of history, are more focused on what is facing us today. And the question that always arises is if God is great and gracious for me today. And the answer to that concern is yes. That is why, after praising God for his mighty and miraculous work throughout Israel’s history, David then says, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” He is not only the God of forever, but he is also the God of right now.

You see, history is simply a series of daily experiences. String enough daily events together, and you’ve got history. God’s historical track record is comprised of revelations of his mighty and miraculous character as well as demonstrations of his great and gracious work in the daily lives of people like you and me. And since God is always true to his character, since he is always faithful to his covenant, you can trust that he will bear your needs today and lead you inexorably to a foreordained victorious conclusion, too.

So, what is the takeaway from this psalm? Simply this: How God proved himself to his people, Israel, he will prove himself to you today. He has the history to back that claim up.

He is the God of forever, and of right now!

PREVIEW: Don’t ever feel selfish for asking God to bless your family, your church, and yourself! In fact, that is a highly spiritual thing to do. How is that? If you want Divine blessing so that people will look at you and see God’s favor in your life and be attracted to the God of your salvation, then God guarantees his blessings. But if that is going to happen, then you cannot ask for selfish blessings. You cannot misspend God’s graces in foolish ways. You cannot ask for stuff that you will spend on your own humanistic desires. Rather, your motives, plans, hopes, and dreams need to be sanctified, which means that you need to delight yourself in the Lord first for him to grant you the desires of your heart:

MY JOURNEY OF WORSHIP // Psalm 67:1-2

I never feel selfish for asking God to bless my family, my church, and even me! In fact, I think it is a highly spiritual thing to do. How is that? The second verse of this psalm provides the key: I want Divine blessing so that people will look at me and see God’s hand. I want them to see God’s favor in my life and be attracted to the God of my salvation.

Now if that is going to happen, then I cannot ask for selfish blessings. I cannot misspend God’s graces in foolish ways. I cannot ask for stuff that I will spend on my own humanistic desires. My motives, plans, hopes, and dreams need to be sanctified, which means that I need to delight myself in the Lord first if I am to expect that he will grant me the desires of my heart:

Take delight in the Lord, and he’ll give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:4)

That really puts the onus on me to clean up my desires, doesn’t it? But if I can live with the purest of intentions—if I can live with a kingdom mindset—then I can expect God’s extraordinary grace, his undeserved blessing, and the favor of his face to shine down upon me every day of my life. I love how Ken Sande puts it:

“When you draw on God’s grace to put off your self-centered attitudes and act on His principles, you put His glory on display. Your life points to His vast wisdom, compassion, and transforming power, and as you look for God’s glory, the impact reaches far beyond yourself because you give everyone around you a reason to respect and praise God. Glorifying God is not about letting others see how great you are. It’s about letting them see how great the Lord is.”

Now, that’s the way I want to live. I want to be living proof to this lost world of a loving God. So, I am going to pray this prayer today: “God, bless me a lot! May I know your grace in new ways. Let the bright glory of your favor cause my life to shine so much that others will see me and be attracted to you!”

And I am audacious enough to expect that God will do that for me!

Incidentally, there was another Old Testament character who dared to pray that way: Jabez. Here is his short story from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10:

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

He dared to ask God for the moon, so to speak, and guess what? He got it. I love the profound simplicity of the last line of that story: “And God granted his request.”

Ask God for the moon…and the earth, too! Perhaps God will grant your request, and you’ll be the next Jabez story—unless I beat you to it!

PREVIEW: Fiery trials aren’t much fun, to say the least. But scripture often presents God as the great silversmith and you as the precious but unrefined silver. And when you are in the Refiner’s fire, be assured that you will never be left in the fire too long, but neither will you be taken out too soon. Rather, you will always be under the watchful eye of the One who fully understands the refining process. And when, as a result of the fire, your life reflects the image of Christ, you will be ready, purified like pure silver, fit and pleasing to God. So, if you are in a fiery trial, hang in there; you’re going to really shine when it is all said and done.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 66:10-12

What is the difficulty that you are going through at this moment in your life? My prayer is that God will use this trial to develop deeper character in you.

I realize that trials aren’t much fun. But I also know that God uses problems and pain in our lives to do some of his best work. James 1:2-4 says, “Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

The psalmist saw the difficult situations God allowed Israel to endure in that light. I hope that you, too, will see your trying situation, above all else, as the work of the Great Refiner to bring about his pure character in you.

I came across this story of how a silversmith describing the process of purifying silver. I hope it gives you a whole new perspective:

The silversmith said, “To refine the silver, I sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured. I never take my eye off the silver in the furnace. I don’t want to take it out too early because if I take it out too early, it won’t be purified. But I don’t want to leave it in the fire too long, because if I do, it will be injured. When the silver is in the fire, I focus. I don’t let anything distract me. I let nothing take my focus off the silver. I watch the silver carefully, waiting for the right moment to take it out.”

The silversmith was asked, “How do you know when it is the right moment?”

And he said, “I know the silver is pure when I can see my face reflected in it.”

The Old Testament prophet Malachi describes God as a refiner and purifier of silver: “He’ll be like white-hot fire from the smelter’s furnace. He’ll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He’ll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He’ll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they’re fit for God, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to God.” (Mal 3:2-5)

What a profound picture of God, the great silversmith, and you, the silver. You are never left in the refiner’s fire too long or taken out too soon but are always under the watchful eye of the one who fully understands the refining process. And when, as a result of the fire, your life reflects the image of Christ, you will be ready, purified like pure silver, fit and pleasing to God.

Hang in there; you’re going to really shine when this is all said and done.

“ God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain. — C.S. LEWIS

PREVIEW: What would you do if you worshipped a god who never heard your prayers? Or if you believed in no god at all? How sad, scary, and frustrating that would be! And yet billions of people on this planet live that way. But we have a God who hears us when we pray! How blessed are we that God has chosen us as his people, has given us the awesome privilege to come into his courts, and has invited us to pour out our hearts to him. And he hears us! But if we don’t take advantage of that privilege, as Phillips Brooks said, “it is an infinitely foolish thing.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 65:2-4

What would you do if you worshipped a god who never heard your prayers? Or if you believed in no god at all? How sad, scary, and frustrating that would be! And yet billions of people on this planet live that way.

Over the years, it has been my privilege to travel to many places and engage in missionary work, and one of the sobering things I witness wherever I go is a profound sadness and emptiness in the souls of people who don’t know our God.

In the former Soviet Union, I’ve talked with people who had been indoctrinated their entire lives with the communist propaganda that God didn’t exist. That Soviet system promised the Russian people everything, but in the end, it not only didn’t deliver, but it also robbed their souls of the joy, peace, and hope that comes only from being connected to the Creator. What I saw in their eyes was a bleak reminder of what happens to the human spirit when you take God out of the picture.

Russia isn’t the only place where that happens. I’ve witnessed desperate Hindus in Sri Lanka making sacrifices of food to their gods while their emaciated children played in a sewage-infested stream nearby. I’ve seen devout Catholics in Central America pouring out their hearts to icons and animists in Africa worshipping snakes, but none of them walked away from their respective religious rites with any sense that their prayers had been heard. And every day here in America, people worship their stuff, yet they crave more since, in reality, they are giving their worship to a god that cannot hear.

But we have a God who hears us when we pray! And like the psalmist said, how blessed we are that God has chosen us as his people, given us the awesome privilege to come into his courts, and invited us to pour out our hearts to him. And he hears us!

He hears our pleas for forgiveness—and answers: “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.” (Psalm 65:3)

He hears our prayers for provision—and answers: “Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.” (Psalm 65:4)

He hears our request for intervention—and answers: “You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas” (Psalm 65:5)

And even when we don’t ask, he still fuels this global ecosystem with what it requires to keep us alive: “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it…You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.” (Psalm 65:9,11)

How blessed we are—God hears us when we pray. As the Apostle John said, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

How blessed, indeed, that we are His, and He is ours!

“ If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing. — PHILLIPS BROOKS

PREVIEW: Most of the time, God’s Word instructs us not to complain. Yet, there is a form of complaint that is not only acceptable but also quite therapeutic. David did it in this psalm; David does it a lot in the psalms: He gripes to God. The whining and griping we voice, for the most part, grates on the people who must listen to us. It does us no good—even if they give in to what we want, they have been pushed down the path to a negative opinion of us. But when we pour out our complaint to God, good things happen in us and for us, not the least of which is that our whining will turn to worshiping.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 64:1

Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint.

One of my favorite stories is of the monk who joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first ten years, the abbot called him in and asked, “Do you have anything to say?”

The monk replied, “Food bad.”

After another ten years, the monk again had an opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, “Bed hard.”

Then, at the end of thirty years, once again, the monk was called before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he broke his silence and blurted out, “I quit.”

The angry abbot shot back, “It doesn’t surprise me one bit. You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here.”

Great story. Like the abbot, I’m not a big fan of complaining or complainers. My unspoken response to those who complain is what a friend once said to me when I was complaining: “Build a bridge and get over it.” Once in a while, I will actually say that if I feel a jolt like that, it would be good for the griper.

Most of the time, God’s Word instructs us not to complain. Paul said to the Philippians, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:14-15)

Yet, there is a form of complaint that is not only acceptable but also quite therapeutic. David did it in this psalm; David does it a lot in the psalms: He gripes to God. The whining and griping we voice, for the most part, grates on people who have to listen to us. It does us no good—even if they give in to what we want, they have been pushed down the path to a negative opinion of us. But when we pour out our complaint to God, things happen.

What things? First, we get out what, by and large, shouldn’t be bottled up inside. Second, voicing our upset gives us a chance to evaluate whether we should really be upset or not. Third, we put what we can’t control in the hands of the One who is in control of all things. And fourth, as we are asking God to change the circumstances we are griping about, God does something even better—he changes us.

Notice in this psalm how David starts off with whining (Psalm 64:1-7) and ends up worshiping:

[When God acts on our behalf] then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done. Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult! (Psalm 64:9-10).

That is usually what happens when you follow the psalmist’s plan for problem-solving: whining is replaced with worshiping. And anytime you end up worshiping, you are in a good place.

Give It Some Thought: Every hero of our faith got wilderness school. And each would tell us that the desert was the most productive time of their lives. You see, the desert is the place where you get stripped of every false dependency while, at the same time, your faith is forged in God alone. That is never a pleasant process. Frankly, it is the toughest thing a believer is forced to endure. It requires solitude, involuntary insignificance, forced simplicity, soul-searching, patience, and desperation, to name a few—the necessary ingredients to an altogether deeper dimension with God, ingredients that are only extracted and catalyzed in the blast furnace of the desert. The desert is where the rebel soul learns the ways of God.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 63:1

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

David wrote this psalm in the desert—not the kind of place you would first think of as the perfect setting for such an eloquent prayer like this. But if you were to study the lives of all the greats in God’s Hall of Faith, you would find that, almost without exception, each had spent a season in the desert.

The most famous desert dweller, Moses, spent forty years on the backside of the Sinai wilderness. He, however, was only one in a long line of many: Abraham was schooled in the desert, Elijah got it, too, and so did John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul. God’s people, Israel, spent forty years wandering in the desert; forty years it took for God to drain 400 years of Egypt out of them.

Even Jesus, God’s own Son, spent forty days and nights fasting and praying in the dangerous and desolate Judean wilderness. Now, if the very Son of God needed wilderness school, guess what? The desert is going to be core curriculum in your school of spiritual maturity as well.

My sense is that each of these heroes of faith would tell us that, in hindsight, the desert was the most productive time of their lives. How could that be? Well, the desert is the place where you get stripped of every false dependency, while at the same time, faith in God alone is forged in the core of your being. That is never a pleasant process. Frankly, it is the toughest thing a believer is forced to endure. It requires solitude, involuntary insignificance, forced simplicity, soul-searching, patience, and desperation, just to name a few—the necessary ingredients to an altogether deeper dimension with God, ingredients that are only extracted and catalyzed in the blast furnace of the desert. Andrew Bonar, a nineteenth-century Scottish preacher, said,

In order to grow in grace, men must be much alone. It is not in society that the soul grows most vigorously. It is in the desert that the dew falls freshest and the air is purest. The backside of the desert is where men and things, the world and self, present circumstances and their influences, are all valued at what they are really worth. There it is, and there alone, that you will find a Divinely-adjusted balance in which to weigh all around you and within you.

All the greats were driven into the desert, and there they found God. It seems that in our day, we’ve done our best to avoid the desert, which has only left us devoid of deepness with God. Maybe we need to reconsider the desert; it may not be such a bad place after all. The desert is where the rebel soul learns the ways of God.

“ In the deserts of the heart let the healing fountain start, in the prison of his days teach the free man how to praise. — W. H. AUDEN

Give It Some Thought: Your feelings are neither good nor bad; they just are what they are. But you have not been called to follow your feelings. Those feelings, rather, are simply meant to be a reminder, a catalyst, if you will, that in any particular moment of pain, you need to realign your life by faith and in trust to God’s perfect plan. So, the next time you get an emotional ouch, go ahead and say, “That stinks!” but refrain from attaching a judgment from the hurt too quickly. Take it to God, and yes, pour out your heart, but don’t forget to make a holy sandwich out of it—a trust and faith sandwich!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 62:5-8

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

A while back, I was with a good friend who had been through an especially rough stretch in his life. His world had been rocked, and he had been deeply disappointed by people who had been close to him. Yet he had landed upright and was now in a very good place spiritually, emotionally, and professionally. In fact, in my observation, he was in a better place than before his disappointment. Truly, God had been a shelter for him in the time of storm; much like David, he had found refuge in the God who turns bad into good for his children.

I asked my friend, in hindsight, to share with me the biggest takeaway from his experience. I thought his response was nothing less than profound. I’ll paraphrase what he said: “I learned that my feelings were simply my feelings. I was hurt and disappointed, but that was okay—those were just my feelings. But I learned not to attach judgments too quickly to those feelings. Though I felt bad, I learned not to think or say, ‘this is the end of the world”, or ‘those people who did hurt me deserve to suffer.’”

In other words, he learned to detach from how he felt at the moment in the sense that he gave the circumstance time to be reworked by the God in whose hands his life was held. In the rearview mirror of life, he was able to assess his painful past in a whole new and much brighter light. The things that hurt and the people who disappointed me are now a cause for thanksgiving.

That is what David is doing in this psalm. It is likely that Psalm 62 was written during or shortly after the personal upheaval that he experienced with his rebellious son, Absalom. On the one hand, David is pouring out his feelings to God (“Pour out your heart to him,” Psalm 62:8b)—which is good—but on the other hand, he is placing his faith in the One who is master over both feelings and the circumstances that led to those feelings (“O my people, trust in him at all times … for God is our refuge,” Psalm 62:8a and c).

Interestingly, David sandwiches his feelings (“pour out your hearts”) between a statement of trust (“trust him at all times”) and a declaration of faith (“for God is our refuge”). By the way, that is a great way to master your feelings and bring them under the dominion of God’s sovereign will for your life: Sandwich them between trust and faith!

You see, feelings are neither good nor bad—they just are what they are. But we have not been called to follow our feelings. Our feelings, rather, are simply meant to be a reminder, a catalyst, if you will, that in any particular moment of pain, we need to realign our lives by faith and in trust to God’s perfect plan.

So the next time you get an emotional ouch, go ahead and say, “That stinks!” but refrain from attaching a judgment from the hurt too quickly. Take it to God, and yes, pour out your heart, but don’t forget to make a holy sandwich out of it—a trust and faith sandwich!

“ The important thing in life is not what happens to me but what happens in me. — LIFE LESSONS

PREVIEW: King David is unashamedly praying for God’s blessing on his life and on his reign as king over Israel. He asked for it all: Divine favor, protection, success, and even long life. He clearly understands that he can do nothing without God: he can’t be an effective king, he can’t even live a decent life if God doesn’t grace him with what only God can give. So, he aggressively, boldly, pointedly asks. In everything David did, and in every prayer request he lifted to God, his motive was that God’s name could be lifted high throughout the earth and throughout every generation. When your motive, like his, is to squeeze the last ounce of glory for God out of your one and only life, then you, too, can unashamedly ask the Lord to empty heaven’s treasury of blessing nd pour it out upon you.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 61:5-8

You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name. Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations! May he reign under God’s protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him. Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.

King David is unashamedly praying for God’s blessing on his life and on his reign as king over Israel. He asked for it all: Divine favor, protection, success, and even long life. He clearly understands that he can do nothing without God: he can’t be an effective king, he can’t even live a decent life if God doesn’t grace him with what only God can give. So, he aggressively, boldly, pointedly asks.

But David had a great motive for asking. It wasn’t just so he could reign as king over Israel more successfully, or just so he could have a problem free ministry, or just so he could live a longer life. All that was fine—and there is certainly nothing wrong in asking for any of it. What David mostly wanted was to squeeze the very last ounce of glory for God out of his one and only life. In everything he did, and in every prayer request he lifted to God, his motive was that God’s name could be lifted high throughout the earth and throughout every generation.

That’s a great motive for asking. It is also a sure way to receive from the Lord. In Psalm 37:4, David wrote, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What do you desire in your heart? What do you seek in prayer? Make sure the Lord factors first and foremost in all you are hoping for—not because he needs that from you, but because he deserves that from you—and he will pour out his unlimited supply of heavenly grace upon your life.

God looks for people who are wholly bent on glorifying his name. And when he does, the treasury of heaven will open to that person in uncommon ways. The chronicler said, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

When the Lord looks today, may he find that person in you. And may you be blessed beyond your wildest imaginations!

“ What is man’s chief end? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. — WESTMINSTER CONFESSION

PREVIEW: We all go through seasons that could be labelled as “desperate times.” So what is a believer to do in times like that? As the psalms teach us, we are to “unfurl our banner.” In other words, we are to declare our loyalty to God! We are to shout our trust in his goodness! We are to make clear to the world whose side we are on! We are to affirm our submission to his will and align ourselves once again to his sovereign purposes. We are to refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity and defeat. We are to intensify our intentions and redouble our efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad. And then simply and patiently we are to entrust our lives to God our deliverer to save and help us with his strong right hand.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 60:3-51

You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

David’s reign as king over God’s people came to be known as the Golden Age of Israel. Yet there were times during his reign, as you can discern from this psalm, that all was not well with the nation. There were situations and seasons where it seemed as if the people had abandoned their God, and God had abandoned his people.

On this occasion, David sensed that God had not been with Israel in battle as he had expected. We are not told why—if there was some national sin that caused God to withhold his favor, or if David’s leadership was to blame, or if God was just simply testing and deepening Israel. Admittedly, this psalm is shrouded in a bit of mystery, and at times, it is clouded with pessimism with occasional sun breaks of optimism.

That is so true of our lives as well. Sometimes we just don’t know. Sometimes difficult things happen, and after some serious soul-searching, we simply cannot produce an adequate explanation. I am sure many Christians who are caught in the vise-grip of our present unpredictable economy may be feeling this way today. And I certainly know of several God-honoring churches and missional organizations, too, that are experiencing severe financial challenges. I am sure a lot of believers right now would join David and say, “You have shown your people desperate times.”

So what are you to do in those desperate times? Unfurl your banner, that’s what! In other words, declare your loyalty to God! Shout your trust in his goodness! Make clear to the world whose side you are on! Affirm your submission to his will and align yourself once again to his sovereign purposes. Refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity, and defeat. Intensify your intentions and redouble your efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad.

And then simply and patiently entrust yourself to God to save and help you with his strong right hand. After all, the One who loves you goes by the name “Deliverer” for good reason. As David did, change your tune so that at the end of the day, you are placing well-founded optimism in the God who delivers! Again, the best thing you can do in desperate times is to entrust the future to the One whom Psalm 68:20 confidently declares, “Our God is a God who delivers.”

PREVIEW: Chances are, at some point, people in your life will try to assassinate your character and ruin your reputation. And when that happens, remember this one thing: Though people can kill your body, assassinate your character, and ruin your reputation, they can’t steal your song. You see, at the end of the day, evil people will be no more, but your integrity will keep you in favored standing with the only One who has the power of eternal life and death. Powerful people may try to bring you down, but God’s power will prevail. He is your strength. People may try to force you out, but you have One whose name is Fortress. They may make your life miserable, but you belong to One who is your Refuge.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

David was in trouble—due to no fault of his own. He had been a model citizen. In fact, he had proven himself a true national hero during a military crisis when Israel’s warriors had failed to step up and demonstrate courageous leadership. As you know from 1 Samuel 17, David had unintentionally made a name for himself on the battlefield by killing Goliath of Gath—the champion-giant of Israel’s archenemy, the Philistines.

As a result of this heroic act, David, still a young man, was recruited into King Saul’s army and fast-tracked right to the top as captain and confidant to the mercurial king. He was even given Saul’s daughter, Michal, as his wife. But things turned bad when the unstable king began to show signs of irrational and insane jealousy toward David. It got so bad that he “took out a hit” on David’s life.

This psalm was written when David got wind of Saul’s plan, forcing him to leave his wife, abandon his home, and flee for his life. As you can see from the title given in the Psalter (Psalm 59:1), Saul had sent his henchmen to stake out David’s house in order to carry out their immoral and illegal plot (Psalm 59:3). And according to David’s song, they were doing more than just trying to murder him: They were attempting to assassinate his character in the eyes of a nation that had come to adore him as their warrior-hero (Psalm 59:10-11). So, David writes about them and puts a tune to it—a song that preserves their evil in perpetuity and invites Divine destruction down upon their heads.

Now you might be wondering what all this has to do with you. Perhaps you’re asking, “Is there anything in this psalm that elevates it to the status of good devotional material meant for your edification today?” That’s a good question—I’m glad you asked. You see, although I doubt that you will ever have a “hit” taken out on your life, chances are there will be people in your life from time to time who will try to assassinate your character and ruin your reputation. And when that happens, you can hearken back to David’s experience and, if nothing else, remember this one thing:

Though people can kill your body, assassinate your character, and ruin your reputation, they cannot steal your song.

At the end of the day, evil people will be no more, but your integrity will keep you in favored standing with the only One who has the power of eternal life and death. Powerful people may try to bring you down, but God’s power will prevail. He is your strength. People may try to force you out, but you have One whose name is Fortress. They may make your life miserable, but you belong to One who is your Refuge.

Here is the deal, my friend: Evil people and unfair times will pass, but God stands forever. And you belong to Him, so you will stand forever, too! So go ahead and sing. I normally don’t recommend Elton John songs for worship, but you may want to even sing one of his: I’m Still Standing.

“ Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise. — THOMAS WATSON

PREVIEW: In the psalms, King David not only prayed for an abrupt and horrible end to the wicked, but prophetically declared that those who witness that end will literally be compelled to acknowledge that God is indeed the righteous judge of the earth who avenges his people. That isn’t just a pipe dream, by the way. It will happen someday. The world will one day have to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that God is the righteous judge and that he has vindicated his people. Sometimes it looks as if evil has gotten away with it—but there is a day coming when God will be vindicated, and Jesus will be acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and you will be recognized by this evil world as the one God has loved.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 58:10-11

The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”

Read this entire psalm and I think you will agree with me that for the most part, it’s not too cheery. I doubt that you will come away from it feeling uplifted and ready to take on the day. It is just not that kind of psalm. But it’s still God’s Word, and therefore, it must have something in it that the Holy Spirit wants to use to encourage and enlighten us today.

When you think about it, we can identify with what David is feeling. He is pouring out his frustration before God with the wicked who are in positions of power. And much like today, the manipulation, lying, cheating, and downright wickedness of ungodly rulers who use their power to abuse the righteous and frustrate their righteous intentions has caused David to get good and angry. So, in this prayer, righteous indignation flies off his lips in the most descriptive language as he calls on Almighty God to so crush the wicked that they become a very public cautionary lesson on what ultimately will happen to those who oppose God and abuse his people.

The psalm ends with David not only praying for an abrupt and horrible end to the wicked, but prophetically declaring that those who witness that end will literally be compelled to acknowledge that God is indeed the righteous judge of the earth who avenges his people.

That isn’t just a pipe dream, by the way. It will happen someday. The world will one day have to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, that God is the righteous judge and that he has vindicated his people. Fast-forward to the end of God’s book, the Bible, to Revelation 3:9, and to the end of the present age, where the Apostle John records these words from the exalted Christ’s very own lips:

I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

Sometimes it looks as if evil has gotten away with it—but there is a day coming when God will be vindicated, and Jesus will be acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and you will be recognized by this evil world as the one God has loved. One day, perhaps soon, maybe later, finally the wicked will be forced to say “uncle!”

So, hang in there—that day is going to be spectacularly great!

PREVIEW: David ran into a cave to escape King Saul but ran straight into God instead. That’s what happens in caves. And though the cave was the most frustrating experience of David’s life, in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. You see, the cave became the place of testing and separation, and forging for David until, as an unknown poet has said, he was “pressed into knowing no helper but God.” Pressed into knowing no helper but God—that’s what happened in the cave, and that’s the one thing David was going to need if he were to be a great king. And that’s what you will need if you are going to live an extraordinary life.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 57:1

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

This psalm is a song for cave-dwellers, as you’ll notice in the title: “A psalm of David A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.”

At this point in his life, David had expected to be king with a kingdom, but instead, he ended up in a cave hiding from another king, Saul. And this wasn’t just an overnight stay; the cave became his home for a spell—months if not years—and with no prospect that it would ever be different.

David had run into the cave to escape Saul, but the thing is, he ran right into God. That’s what happens in caves. And though the cave was the most frustrating experience of David’s life, in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. You see, the cave became the place of testing and separation and forging for David until, as an unknown poet has said, he was “pressed into knowing no helper but God.”

Pressed into knowing no helper but God—that’s what happened in the cave, and that’s the one thing David was going to need if he were to be a great king.

By the way, it was there in the cave that David wrote three of his most moving psalms—Psalms 34, 142, and our psalm for today, Psalm 57. So, I would like to make an observation from each of these three psalms that are especially relevant if you are in a “cave” of your own right now:

To begin with, if you’re in the cave, look up—God is there! David penned Psalm 34:18 in his cave: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In the cave, a brokenhearted David came into a profound experience of the God of the brokenhearted. And so will you if you will look for God there.

Next, if you are in the cave, speak up—God is listening! Talk to God; he can handle it! That is what David did, and it was great therapy. In his cave, David wrote these words in Psalm 142:1-2, “I cry aloud to the Lord…I pour out my complaint before him; before him, I tell my trouble.” If you are complaining about your cave to everyone else but God, you’re missing a great opportunity to talk to the only one who can do something about it. So try talking to him!

Finally, if you’re in a cave, toughen up—God is at work! Embrace your cave; God’s purpose is being served there. He’s teaching you, like David, how to “king it!” David wrote Psalm 57:2 in the cave: “I cry out to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.” Don’t short-circuit the cave—you’ll miss God’s purpose!

If you are in a cave right now, I want to encourage you not to worry. God’s got a lot of experience with caves. You see, he’s been there! The Son of David, Jesus, was put in a cave. When he died, they buried his lifeless body in a cave, which looked like it would be his permanent resting place! But his enemies didn’t know that God does his best work in caves because the cave is where God resurrects dead stuff! A cave was where a dead Messiah became a Risen Savior—and the cave is where your dead dreams or dead ministry or dead career or dead marriage will take on resurrection life.

I don’t know about your cave—how deep, dark, and devastating it is—but I do know that God works in caves! David ran into his cave looking for refuge, and he found resurrection.

And you will, too. So hang in there—look up, speak up, and toughen up—resurrection is coming!

PREVIEW: It is likely that no one truly knows the depth of what you are feeling right now. Maybe no one will ever see those tears that have rolled down your cheek—and the intense hurt that caused them. Even if they see your tears, how sad it is that long before your pain is healed, people will forget and move on. But there is One who sees…and One who cares…and One who never forgets. And he wants you to know that, my friend. And that One, your Heavenly Father, simply asks you to take comfort in his compassion and to place your trust in him.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 56:8

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Aren’t tears a mysterious part of what it means to be human? It is strange that we have the capacity to cry—to expel water from our eyes when we are sad. It seems to serve no real purpose—although science can explain the physiological “why,” and mental health experts can explain the psychological “why.”

That still leaves the question of “why tears”—why were we created with that capacity?

Perhaps this psalm provides a clue. Maybe they are to remind us that God cares about the things that make us sad enough to shed tears. So much does he bear our sorrow that he collects our tears in a bottle, as the New Living Translation says, or as other versions put it, “he records them in his ledger.” In other words, God takes note—implying that he is not only aware of our sadness, but he will not forget it.

What is it that is making you cry today? A heart broken by a fractured relationship? A dashed hope or the death of a dream? A failed family? A personal sin? The consequences of a past mistake that continues to haunt you? What is it that you feel such deep sadness over?

It is likely that no one truly knows the depth of what you are feeling right now. Maybe no one will ever see those tears that have rolled down your cheek—and the intense hurt that caused them. Even if they do see your tears, how sad it is that long before your pain is healed, people will forget and move on.

There is One who sees…and One who cares…and One who never forgets. And he wants you to know that, my friend. And that One, your Heavenly Father, simply asks you to take comfort in his compassion (Psalm 103:13), and to place your trust in him. In fact, so strongly does he desire your trust, that he repeats the invitation twice for emphasis.

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? … I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:4,10-11)

I hope you will do that. Entrust those tears to God. And let the very next tear that fills your eyes and spills down your cheek be a reminder that your tears never just dry up and fade into a painful memory, they go right into the bottle of that One who truly cares!

“ A child’s tear rends the heavens. — YIDDISH PROVERB

PREVIEW: Betrayal is a painful part of the human experience. No one gets a pass in life on being stabbed in the back by someone thought to be a friend, not even the greats: Not Julius Caesar, not William Wallace, not the brightest theological mind who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, not even the most perfect human being who walked the earth, Jesus Christ. And if Jesus had his Judas, guess what? You’ll have one, too, at some point in your life. But since it will happen, we must remember that it doesn’t help much to continually dwell in a state of “why me?” or “how could she?” or “why did he.” Healing begins when we bring our truest, rawest feelings into God’s presence, as often as necessary, until we begin to regain our spiritual vitality and emotional stability—and then understand that God will use our friend’s betrayal to equip us to transform our world.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

What’s the worst thing that could happen to you? I suspect that right up there, close to the top, would be the utter horror of being betrayed by someone who has been very close to you. What makes betrayal’s shock, humiliation, and devastation so unbearable is that it comes from the hand of one with whom you have entrusted your inner thoughts, secret aspirations, and even life itself. The pain of betrayal is perhaps the worst of all.

David was enduring that pain—that’s the reason for this psalm: “It is not an enemy who taunts me—I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, companion, and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.” (Psalm 55:12-13)

As you read through this sad song, you will experience some raw emotions leaking out of David, emotions that range from feeling as if he could just curl up and die (Psalm 55:4) to being overwhelmed with dread and fear (Psalm 55:5) to escapist thinking (Psalm 55:6-8) to outright anger and revenge (Psalm 55:15). It’s just natural to feel all those things when someone who shouldn’t have has stabbed you in the back.

Betrayal is a painful part of the human experience. No one gets a pass in life on being stabbed in the back, not even the greats: Not Julius Caesar, not William Wallace, not the brightest theological mind who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, not even the most perfect human being who walked the earth, Jesus Christ. And if Jesus had his Judas, guess what? You’ll have one, too, at some point in your life.

David had a man named Ahithophel—a once trusted confidant who turned on him. (2 Samuel 15:12) This may be the unnamed man of which David is venting in Psalm 55. Ultimately, David turned away from the wide range of negative and corrosive emotions described above by taking his pain to the Lord. And that’s the best therapy for betrayal. It doesn’t help much to continually dwell in a state of “why me?” or “how could she?” or “why did he.” Healing begins when we bring our truest, rawest feelings into God’s presence, as often as necessary, until we begin to regain our spiritual vitality and emotional stability.

It may take a while to get past the devastating pain, the seething anger, and the insatiable hunger for revenge, but we must not give up until victory comes. David didn’t. He just kept bringing his pain back to God: “But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:16-17) That’s how you get the upper hand in a betrayal.

And by the way, if you are going through the painful wound of betrayal right now, remember you are walking where great people have walked before. Their greatness came because they didn’t allow betrayal to ruin them; they learned how to turn their pain into greater submission to the Lord. David did (read 2 Samuel 15:25-26). So did Jesus. He responded to Judas’ treachery with obedient submission to the will and purposes of God. And look what happened: he transformed the world.

Perhaps God wants to use your pain to transform your world, too!

PREVIEW: President Abraham Lincoln was once asked during the Civil War if he believed God was on his side. His response was one that we would all do well to think about since it represents the only true guarantee of Divine help and victory. Lincoln said, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side, my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Here’s the deal: If we are on God’s side, we cannot fail. If we are on God’s side, then God will be on our side, and our victory is guaranteed.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 54:4

Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. … But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them. I will sacrifice voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies.

Hallelujah! Surely, God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

You will often hear people talk about God being on their side. Politicians, religious leaders, and even ordinary people like you and me toss that belief around like a pro athlete guaranteeing a victory in the big game. But just saying it doesn’t make it so!

President Abraham Lincoln was once asked during the Civil War if he believed God was on his side. His response was one that we would all do well to think about since it represents the only true guarantee of Divine help and victory. Lincoln said, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side, my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”

Here’s the deal: If we are on God’s side, we cannot fail. If we are on God’s side, God will be on our side, and our victory is guaranteed. David discovered that—the story can be found in 1 Samuel 23:7-29—which is the basis for this psalm. He was on the run from King Saul because the king was bent on having David killed. The young shepherd had just landed in the next of what had been too many hideouts, Ziph, when the people of that village turned him into Saul. The king seemed to finally have David cornered—it looked like it was game, set, and match this time.

But David was on God’s side—and God was on David’s side. Suddenly, just as Saul was ready to pounce, the king got the bad news that enemies on another front, the Philistines, were attacking, so he left pursuing the cornered David to tend to that concerning business. And David was once again delivered when there seemed no possibility of escape. (1 Samuel 23:27-29)

Was it a coincidence that Saul was distracted at that moment when he had David dead to rights? Not at all! You see, God was at work here, bringing about his purposes in David’s life. David was destined to be king, and God was teaching him how to be a good king. And good kings need to know that God can be counted on for help and sustenance when the king is on God’s side.

God wants you to know that, too. Even when there seems to be no way out for you, God is close by; he is working out his plan, teaching you how to be a king; he is showing you that he can be counted on to help and sustain you. And there is only one way to really learn that, which, like David, means that you will have to have your back against the wall so that the only way out is through a mighty and miraculous deliverance through the strong hand of God.

And when you are on God’s side, sooner or later, like David, that will be your story, too!

“ Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. — CHARLES SPURGEON

PREVIEW: The more people are choosing to live their lives as if there were no God means they have no true and unchanging source of Authority to live by, no Creator who exercises loving control over their existence, no daily Source of guidance beyond the prevailing but fickle winds of current culture, no Redeemer to rescue them from their sin nature, and no Provider to meet their needs for daily sustenance, comfort for sorrow, protection from the devourer, or significance for an otherwise brief and meaningless existence. Perhaps most dreadful, they have no sense of security for what happens after this life is through. On the other hand, how amazing it is to live as if there is a God. How great it is to know Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. How satisfying it is to have the security of a Creator who watches over every second and every detail of this life and the joy of knowing that he has made provision for all eternity.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 53:1,5

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” … There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread.

With regularity these days, “new” studies come out that proclaim, “America Is Becoming Less Christian.” Apparently, the number of people of the multiple thousands that are surveyed shows the percentage that claims Christianity as their faith continues to drop while the percentage of those who claim no religion continues to rise. In 2022, the Pew Research Center reported that those claiming no faith grew from 9% in 1993 to 29% by 2022. I am not sure how much stock to put in surveys these days, and all kinds of issues about this particular one could be debated, but that’s not my main concern here.

The real concern is that more and more people are choosing to live their lives as if there were no God. How sad! What that means is they have no true and unchanging source of Authority to live by. There is no Creator who exercises loving control over their existence. They have no daily Source of guidance beyond the prevailing but fickle winds of current culture. They have no Redeemer to rescue them from their sin nature. They cannot turn to a Provider to meet their needs for daily sustenance, comfort for sorrow, protection from the devourer, and significance for an otherwise brief and meaningless existence.

And maybe most dreadful of all, they have no sense of security for what happens after this life is through.

No wonder David puts them in the category of “fool.

My point is not to rail against those who have rejected God. The insecurity of their lives is condemnation enough. The real take-away from this psalm for me is simply to acknowledge how amazing it is to live as if there is a God; to know Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior; to have the security and joy of a Creator who watches over every second and every detail of my life.

You see, I have a moment-by-moment Source of guidance for my life. I have a Redeemer who rescues me from my sin nature and even trumps my every sin with the grace of forgiveness. I have a Provider who meets my every need according to his unlimited riches. I have a Comforter in times of sorrow, a Protector in times of danger, and a Creator who has created me as his workmanship to do good works which he prepared for me to do long before I was even born.

And best of all, I have the assurance of life after this one is over—and I don’t live with insecurity, fear, or dread about what will happen tomorrow. I am truly blessed!

Yes, the truly blessed have said in their hearts, “There is a God!”

PREVIEW: The Founder and Finisher of our faith has commanded us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use us—even those who persecute us. (Mat 5:44) But there is also a deep, God-implanted sense in the core of our being which sees injustice inflicted in the world—both the world at large as well as the smaller world of our private lives—and cries out for the day when an all-knowing and all-powerful God will set aright every wrong. Of course, we rejoice when evildoers see the error of their ways, bow their knees in repentance, and make right the wrongs they have committed, but when they don’t, our innate sense of fairness yearns for the innate righteousness at the core of God’s character to hold the wicked accountable for their wickedness. And that day will come. Sooner or later, it will come.!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 52:6-7

The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying other.”

Christians aren’t supposed to laugh at others, right? Isn’t it always poor form to snicker at their misfortunes—even those who invite calamity upon themselves by their own foolish actions and mean deeds? Isn’t it true that we’re not even supposed to wish “bad things” upon our worst enemies—those who torment us for our faith, belittle our Christianity, and despise our God? After all, the Founder and Finisher of our faith has commanded us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use us—even those who persecute us. (Matthew 5:44)

True, for the most part! But there is also a deep, God-implanted sense in the core of our being that sees injustice inflicted in the world—both the world at large as well as the smaller world of our private lives—and cries out for the day when an all-knowing and all-powerful God will set aright every wrong. Of course, we rejoice when evildoers see the error of their ways, bow their knees in repentance, and make right the wrongs they have committed, but when they don’t, our innate sense of fairness yearns for the innate righteousness at the core of God’s character to hold the wicked accountable for their wickedness.

And that day will come. Sooner or later, it will come. It may be swift and sure, or it may take a lifetime, or it may have to wait until justice is meted out at the Great White Throne judgment, but that day will surely come. And rightly so!

When David wrote this psalm, he had just come through betrayal at the hands of Doeg the Edomite. David was on the run from King Saul, literally just a step ahead of certain death, and he sought respite and refreshment with the priests of the Lord in the city of Nob. (1 Samuel 21-22) But the dirty dog Doeg spied David there and ratted him out to Saul. Saul promptly marched on Nob, and using Doeg as his executioner, killed all eighty-five of the priests along with the entire village when he couldn’t find David. It was that tragic story that provided the context for this hard-edged psalm of David as he fantasizes about Doeg getting his Divine comeuppance.

Dirty rotten Doeg owned that moment, but it was David who got the last laugh. It didn’t come immediately—how we wish for that—but at the end of the day, it is David who belongs to the ages as the man after God’s heart, while Doeg lives in infamy, his name enshrined in ignominy as Saul’s horrible henchman, ratfink, snitch, and murderer of the Lord’s priests!

And so it mostly goes in God’s economy for believers in every age. We may face trials of many kinds, persecution for our faith, humiliation, injustice, and even death, but we get the last laugh, for that day will come as sure as the dawn when God’s justice will be satisfied. While you may grieve at the slowness of that day, don’t fret, for one day, you will stand in awestruck reverence as Divine justice and righteousness are vindicated—and on that day, in a way that is wholly appropriate, you will laugh!

“ Children are innocent and love justice, while most adults are wicked and prefer mercy. — G.K. CHESTERTON

PREVIEW: King David’s well-known affair with Bathsheba is far worse than what we now consider a mere sexual indiscretion as he tries to cover up his adultery with even worse crimes—conspiracy and murder. Eventually, as God confronts David with what his sin will unleash in the future— rape, incest, murder, sedition, and death—his personal remorse is devasting beyond description. But this is more than just a cautionary tale, in this story. You see, we are David! We are in no less need of the mercy and grace of Almighty God than this sinful yet heartbroken king. And not only are we, too, in need of a God who will forgive all our sins, but we are in desperate need of a merciful God who will create within us a clean heart and grant us a willingness to fully obey going forward. In David’s psalm of repentance, we find the everlasting truth of this story: True repentance is the means of God’s saving grace! For it is only by heartfelt and honest repentance that we can know the deepest and best joy of all—the joy of our salvation!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

This well-known psalm of David is often referred to by the byline, “After David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.” But that is only the beginning of the tragic, sin-filled story of David’s affair with Bathsheba. It gets far worse as the king tries to cover up his adultery with even worse crimes. But as David comes to grips with what he has done, his own personal remorse is devasting beyond description as he realizes what his sin will unleash in his family in the years to come: rape, incest, murder, sedition, and death!

I can’t imagine the depth of this man’s anguish, whom scripture memorializes as “a man after God’s own heart,” as he came before the Lord carrying the guilt and shame of the Bathsheba affair. He had not only committed adultery, but he had also conspired to commit murder, he had murdered a gifted and loyal soldier, and he had knowingly covered the tracks of his affair for several months.

But all the while, King David—the shepherd boy who slew Goliath, the greatest king of Israel, the sweet singer of Israel—was absolutely miserable.

Then a courageous prophet named Nathan came to David and stood before the king—the most powerful world ruler of his day, a man who held the power of life and death over pesky little prophets like Nathan—and confronted the king with his evil. And David repented.

In the king’s moving prayer of contrition before the Lord, which is what Psalm 51 really is, David expressed to God the depth of guilt, shame, and humility that revealed why, despite such a horrible sin, he was still a man after God’s heart.

This psalm provides a great case study of authentic repentance. David didn’t want just to off-load his guilt by getting this sin off his chest. He wasn’t just attempting to get a pass by coming clean. He wasn’t just feeling sorry because he had finally been caught. Not at all!

David recognized the utter horror of having offended a holy God. He realized the indescribable pain of having messed up the lives of people over whom he had just played God. He fully confessed his wicked act, and the wicked heart that had led to the act.

For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5)

And by so doing, David cast himself upon God’s infinite mercy, recognizing that only then could he be granted a heart that was truly clean, tender to the Lord, and willing to do the things that God desired.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you… The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (Psalm 51:10-13,17)

I cannot imagine David’s pain! Or can I? Have I not offended the Lord just as coldly and willingly as David? Have I not murdered, conspired, been willfully unfaithful, and concealed sin before a holy God who demands holiness in me? Yes—I have! Not visibly, but certainly in my heart—at the very core of what makes me fully me—which Jesus pointed out is just as offensive to a holy God and corrosive to my spirit as the physical act of sin. (Matthew 5:21-28)

You see, I am David in this psalm. And so are you. And we are in no less need of the mercy and grace of Almighty God than this heartbroken king. And not only are we, too, in need of a God who will forgive all our sins, but we are in desperate need of a merciful God who will create within us a clean heart and grant us a willingness to fully obey.

True repentance—what a grace! Only then can we know the deepest and best joy of all: The joy of our salvation! (Psalm 51:12)

PREVIEW: Your integrity is something that God didn’t create. He created you with the capacity for it. He gives you the courage and the strength to live it out. But at the end of the day, you alone must live a life of integrity. You have to make the difficult choices that are congruent with your deeply held values. You have to resist the temptation to compromise and to gratify your flesh. God can’t do it for you—you must do it. And by your choice of integrity in every dimension of your life, you have recognized God’s sovereign Lordship over all of you. Your integrity is an offering of obedience—something that is always the far better sacrifice (Psalm 51:16-17, 1 Samuel 15:22).

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 50:9

I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens.

To paraphrase King David, God will take no bull from you, but he does want your gratitude!

When it comes to your worship, what you give to God is fine, but he really doesn’t need it. Why? He already has it all. He created it. As the psalmist said, “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10), so sacrificing a bull or a sheep wasn’t necessary for pleasing him.

But there is something that God didn’t create that he wants very much—your gratitude and your integrity. Psalm 50:14 says, “Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God and keep the vows you made to the Most High.”

Gratitude is something that you form in your heart as a response to God. It is perhaps the most genuine acknowledgment or recognition of God’s goodness and sovereign Lordship over your life that you can give to God. It is an act of appreciation for what God has done. It is an act of loving obedience that makes your worship genuine. It is an act of faith that recognizes God’s constant and continuing care for you. Thanksgiving shows a heart that truly belongs to God. It is an act of trust so powerful that it accesses God’s desire to be intimately involved in the day-to-day affairs of your life, according to Psalm 50:23.

And here is something else to think about: Thanksgiving catalyzes your integrity. G.K. Chesterton said, “Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues.”

Like gratitude, your integrity is something that God didn’t create. He created you with the capacity for integrity. He gives you the courage and the strength to live out your integrity. But at the end of the day, you alone have to live a life of integrity. You have to make the difficult choices that are congruent with your most deeply held values. You have to resist the temptation to compromise and to gratify your flesh. God can’t do it for you—you have to do it. And when you choose integrity, you have recognized God’s sovereign Lordship over your life. Your integrity is an offering of obedience—something that is always the far better sacrifice (see Psalm 51:16-17, cf. 1 Samuel 15:22).

Now here is the power of integrity: by your consistent uprightness, you have proven the authenticity and depth of your love for God. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will do what I say.” (John 14:15)

God doesn’t want any bull from you. He wants your heart! The psalm ends with David repeating this again for emphasis, “Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you my salvation.” (Psalm 50:23, NLT)

Watch your step today. Your integrity is a pleasing offering to God. And take time to be thankful. It reminds you of how good God has been. And it makes him pretty happy, too!

“ A state of mind that sees God in everything is evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart. — CHARLES FINNEY

PREVIEW: “You can’t take it with you!” We ought to somehow tattoo that bit of wisdom into our minds, think about it every morning as we head off into the day, and then reflect on it every night as we lay our head down on the pillow. In our culture, as I suspect has been the case in every culture, it is so easy to get caught up in the race to get rich, to have things, to look good, to gain power, to become admired, and to keep up with the proverbial Joneses. But at the end of the day, this truth remains intact: You can’t take it with you.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 49:16-17

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.

“You can’t take it with you!” We ought to somehow tattoo that bit of wisdom into our minds, think about it every morning as we head off into the day, and then reflect on it every night as we lay our head down on the pillow. In our culture, as I suspect has been the case in every culture, it is so easy to get caught up in the race to get rich, to have things, to look good, to gain power, to become admired, and to keep up with the proverbial Joneses.

But at the end of the day, this truth remains intact: You can’t take it with you.

There was once a very rich man who knew he was going to die, so he had all his assets converted into gold bars, put the gold in a big bag on his bed, draped his body over the bag, and then he died! When he woke up, he was in heaven at the pearly gate. Saint Peter met him at the gate and, with a concerned look on his face, said, “Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! That doesn’t happen too often. But unfortunately, you can’t bring that in.”

The man pleaded, “Oh please, I must have it. It means everything to me. It’s my life!”

Saint Peter wasn’t impressed: “Sorry, my friend, if you want to keep that bag, then I’m afraid you’ll have to go to ‘the other place.’ You don’t want to go there, believe me.”

But the man was unchanged, saying, “Well, I won’t part with this bag.”

Peter said, “Have it your way. But before you go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you’re willing to trade eternal life for?”

The man said, “Sure, go ahead. Then you’ll see why I could never part with this.”

Saint Peter looked in the bag, saw the gold bars, and with a puzzled look on his face, said to the man, “You mean you’re willing to go to hell for what we pave our streets with?”

The writers of this psalm said, “This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings…Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them… But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.” (Psalm 49:13-15)

Make sure to keep that perspective; it will save your life. And do your investing in the only One who will make your efforts count beyond this life for all eternity. As missionary martyr Jim Elliot profoundly noted, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

“ There is nothing like a calm look into the eternal world to teach us the emptiness of human praise. — ROBERT MURRAY MCCHEYNE

PREVIEW: Not only is the body of Christ the Church of the living God, but the church building can and should be very special as well. The physical church is a wonderful place to come and meditate on God’s unfailing love, just as the Tabernacle was to the psalmist thousands of years ago. In light of that, I would encourage you to add a new dimension to your regular routine of worship—as if worship should ever be routine! Not only should you actively fellowship with God’s saints in the church (Hebrews 10:24-25) but make it your practice to slip into your church’s prayer room or sanctuary often for a time of simple solitude and quiet meditation. It can be with other people present, or just go in when you are alone and give it a try . Just sit and soak in the presence of God and quietly reflect on who he is and what he has done.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 48:9

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

There was something very special to the psalmist about the city of Jerusalem and the Tabernacle that housed the earthly manifestation of the uncontainable presence of the Lord. As you read the rest of Scripture, you will find that God thought it quite special, too.

Of course, the New Testament teaches us that under the new covenant, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers individually (1 Corinthians 6:19) and collectively (1 Corinthians 3:16-17), which means that now we, the body of Christ, are God’s temple, his dwelling place on the earth. Yet there is still something special about the physical place where believers come together to collectively lift their voices in praise, pour out their hearts in prayer, share their love in fellowship, serve one another in kindness, teach God’s anointed Word, and convincingly call the lost to salvation.

Yes, we are the church—let’s not forget or get confused about that. But neither let us forget that the place we gather is also the church and by virtue of our collective presence, along with the active presence of the Holy Spirit, the building becomes sanctified as well. It, too, is God’s temple.

I bring that up to remind us that the physical church is still a wonderful place to come and meditate on God’s unfailing love, just as the Tabernacle was to the psalmist thousands of years ago. In light of that, I would encourage you to add a new dimension to your regular routine of worship—as if worship should ever be routine! Not only should you actively fellowship with God’s saints in the church (Hebrews 10:24-25), but make it your practice to slip into your church’s prayer room or sanctuary often for a time of simple solitude and quiet meditation. It can be with other people present, or just go in when you are alone and give it a try. Just sit and soak in the presence of God and quietly reflect on who he is and what he has done.

Do it often and see if you don’t grow in your appreciation for the house of God, and more importantly, for the unfailing love of the Lord of the church.

PREVIEW: It may seem like the world is coming apart at the seams and the things you had counted on for stability, security, and satisfaction in your own life may seem, at best, tenuous. So why not sing? I mean, God is still the King! He still rules over the nations. Nothing that is going on in our world, or in your life, for that matter, has unseated him from his holy throne. The upheaval we are facing on earth hasn’t caused worry, fear, and instability in heaven. Things are going according to plan—so go ahead and sing!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 47:6-8

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.

From your current view of the world, there may not be much to sing about. The global economy is in shambles, and no one seems to know what to do to un-shamble it. The prospect of lasting peace in the Middle East seems next to impossible, and no one seems to know how to fix it. Terrorism threatens to encircle the planet, and no one seems to know how to stop it. People are scared, confused, and directionless, and no one has an answer.

And the things you had counted on for stability, security, and satisfaction in your own life may seem, at best, tenuous. So why not sing? I mean, God is still the King! He still rules over the nations. Nothing that is going on in our world, or in your life, for that matter, has unseated him from his holy throne. The upheaval we are facing on earth hasn’t caused worry, fear, and instability in heaven. Things are going according to plan—so go ahead and sing!

You might think I am joking, but I’m not. Singing songs of praise is not meant just as a response to God for his goodness in the good times. Singing is an act of faith in challenging times that recognizes a higher reality than the one you see in your horizontal viewfinder: that God is King—he always was, and always shall be.

Go vertical with your gaze once in a while, and you’ll see that God is still in control. Do that as the regular practice of your life, and you will find that you have much to sing about. This is not the proverbial whistling past the graveyard, but an act that not only expresses faith and that not only builds faith, it also becomes an act that actually releases even more faith into your life. Moreover, I think your praiseful singing unnerves the god of this age since it reminds him of the unstoppable plan of Almighty God to rid creation of his nefarious presence.

Want more faith in these troubling times? Need more strength to face your challenges? Want to feel more confident about your future? Sing! Sing! Sing!

That’s what I’m going to do as soon as I finish writing this devotional blog. It is early in the morning; I’m in my study; no one is here but God and me, so here goes:

Our God, is an awesome God;
He reigns, from heaven above with wisdom, power and love.
Our God is an awesome God.

Wow! Suddenly, the world doesn’t seem so scary!

“ I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing. — WILLIAM JAMES

PREVIEW: God’s plans for you, his purposes for the people in your life, his timing in your circumstances, and his design for bringing about justice and vindication in the world around you are in his control—not yours, nor mine. And though frustrating at times, we truly ought to be thankful for that, since we have been spared from the very judgment we long to be poured out on this rotten old world. As the old saying goes, “God may be slow, but he is never late!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Patience is a virtue that defines us as Christian. Patience is one of the character qualities of Christ and, therefore, one that we, too, are called to exercise. The Apostle Paul speaks of patience as one of nine fruits in his list of the fruit of the Spirit.

And, perhaps out of those nine, patience is the most difficult to cultivate in our lives. Arguably, it is more difficult than love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (well, maybe not self-control). We are easily irritated with people; we get frustrated with ourselves; we fret over circumstances; we are especially impatient with God.

Phillips Brooks, a nineteenth-century New England preacher, was well known for his poise and quiet manner, but at times, suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day he was feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion, and someone asked him, “What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?”

He said, “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!”

Perhaps that’s the greatest frustration of all! We don’t like God’s timing! We get irritated with his slowness! We think he should do things the way we want, and when we want!

When I was a kid, there was an old saint in our church who was fond of saying, “God may be slow, but he’s never late.” That bit of old country wit was not only sound theology; it was sage advice!

God’s plans for you, his purposes for the people in your life, his timing in your circumstances, and his design for bringing about justice and vindication in the world around you are in his control—not yours, nor mine. And though frustrating at times, we truly ought to be thankful for that since we have been spared from the very judgment we long to be poured out on this rotten old world.

This psalm speaks of that time when God will intervene in this world to defend his honor and vindicate his people. But until then, we are called to practice patience—with our circumstances and with God’s timing. We are to be still, trust that God is God, and in due time, he will make the way things ought to be clear to the whole world.

Until then, practicing patience in the daily ordinariness of our lives is really a matter of trust and obedience. And if for no other reason, we ought to develop it since our impatience won’t hurry God’s timing one second.

“ There are three indispensable requirements for a missionary: 1. Patience 2. Patience 3. Patience. — HUDSON TAYLOR

PREVIEW: We have elevated charisma and charm over character as the key attraction quotient in romantic relationships. The general trend is to put body shapes and bank accounts, personality types and earning potential at the top of the list, while godliness and goodness, inner fortitude, and a committed core are too often ignored. It is personal integrity (“truth”), a balanced view of oneself along with deference to others (”humility”), and godly character (“righteousness”) that we must teach our children and grandchildren to cultivate in themselves and value in their romantic other.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 45:1-4

My heart is overflowing with a beautiful thought! I will write a lovely poem to the King, for I am as full of words as the speediest writer pouring out his story. You are the fairest of all; your words are filled with grace; God himself is blessing you forever. Arm yourself, O mighty one, so glorious, so majestic! And in your majesty go on to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to awe-inspiring deeds!

As you read this song, you will likely recognize that some verses were interpreted and employed by the New Testament writers as the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. For instance, in Hebrews 1:7-9, referencing Psalm 45:6-7, the writer records that God himself inspired the sons of Korah to foretell of Jesus when they wrote,

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

But back in the title of this psalm and you will also see that this is a love song, probably written for a wedding. It’s the ancient Hebrew equivalent to “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” or “Colour My World” or “Nothing Compares To You” or, sorry, some other syrupy song we’re forced to endure at wedding after wedding. In the case of this psalm, however, there is nothing syrupy or shallow about it.

In fact, there is something compelling and desperately needful here that we would do well to teach our children as they prepare for marriage. Now I know I am swimming upstream against the overwhelming currents of culture, but perhaps you and I can start a romantic revolution on this one. I hope you will help me—because the fact that we have ignored the message of this psalm in our society has caused, at best, extreme disappointment in many marriages, and at worst, nightmarish relational disasters.

What am I talking about? Simply and sadly this: We have elevated charisma and charm over character as the key attraction quotient in romantic relationships. The general trend is to put body shapes and bank accounts, personality types and earning potential at the top of the list, while godliness and goodness, inner fortitude, and a committed core are too often ignored.

I know, what I’m proposing doesn’t sound very romantic by Hollywood’s standards, but it sure is a great deal more enduring and consistently satisfying. A couple that pays attention to my relational checklist will find something far better than physical and economic attraction: A lifetime of fulfillment and fruitfulness.

Did you notice what the psalmist said made Prince Charming so charming? It was his personal integrity (“truth”), the balanced view he held of himself along with his deference to others (”humility”), and his godly character (“righteousness”). Maybe if we would start teaching our children and grandchildren to value those qualities above all others instead of letting pop culture decide what’s best for them, we could start that romantic revolution!

“ Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested. — OSWALD CHAMBERS

PREVIEW: If God’s love is indeed unfailing—and it is—then because he is a God who is faithful to his covenant with us, he is still a God of miracles. What that means is we can expect that what he did for his people in the past, he will do for his children today. So, join me as I join another outstanding hero of the faith, Moses, who prayed, “Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory.” (Psalm 90:16) Yes, show us your glory once again, O God! Give us a fresh testimony of your mighty power. May our children speak of what you did in our day. Do it Lord, do it again!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 44:1

We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

We have all heard the great testimonies of what God did in years gone by: How he healed the lame, unstopped the ears of the deaf, opened the eyes of the blind, and even raised the dead. Our grandparents talk of amazing spiritual breakthroughs, missionaries speak of outstanding deliverances from danger, and pillars of the church reminisce of eleventh-hour miracles. Our Bible brings us one story after another of God’s mighty hand working on behalf of his people in the past.

So, I want to know, where is that God? I join with Elisha as he cried out, “Where is the God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:14) I am not satisfied with the second-hand stories of what God has done in the past. I want my own stories of what God has done today! So did the Psalmist; that’s why he cried out,

Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 44:26)

If God’s love is indeed unfailing—and it is—then because he is a God who is faithful to his covenant with us, we can expect that what he did for his people in the past, he will do for his children today. So, join me as I join another outstanding hero of the faith, Moses, who prayed,

Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. (Psalm 90:16)

God, show us your glory once again! Give us a fresh testimony of your mighty power. May our children speak of what you did in our day. Do it, Lord, do it again!

“ A man with God is always in the majority. — JOHN KNOX

PREVIEW: Don’t we often find ourselves in the gritty gap somewhere between the promises of God and the fulfillment of those promises? Guess what? That’s called the life of faith! And, moreover, that’s exactly where faith is expressed, tested, and rewarded—the gap between promise and fulfillment. Now what are you to do with that? Well, if you are in that gritty reality, you’ve got to just “grit it out.” You’ve got to “faith” it! You’ve got to put on hope—and keep it on! There is no easy alternative. Sometimes, that is just the way of faith.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 43:2

You are God, my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?

You can relate to this psalm, can’t you? I can. Sometimes—many times—our circumstances seem to indicate anything but a Heavenly Father who is closely and lovingly hovering over every detail of our lives with his generous and providential care. Sometimes our reality is a sickness that attacks our bodies, a devil that attacks our families, a failure that shakes our confidence, a temptation that tests our resolve, a sin that cracks our character, people that disappoint our expectations, and events that wallop the stuffing out of us. And sometimes, that’s on a good day.

So, in the midst of that raw, gritty reality of life, where is the God who has promised to meet our every need, deliver us from our every danger, fulfill our every desire, answer our every prayer, and bless our every moment? Sometimes he seems distant, silent, and uncaring. And we are conflicted. Yes, we believe in his goodness, trust his promises, and depend on his kindness, yet we cry out, “Where are you…why have you abandoned me…do you not care…is all that I believe about you not the reality of how you deal with your people today?”

The writers of this psalm, the sons of Korah, likely had experienced this same raw, gritty reality for themselves and, more likely, had witnessed it as a common occurrence in the lives of all God’s children. And they, too, were conflicted. So, they wrote a song about it. On the one hand, they poured out their hearts to God, expecting him to rescue them (Psalm 43:1), protect them (Psalm 43:2), guide them (Psalm 43:3), fill them with joy (Psalm 43:4) and lift them out of their anxiety to a place of security in him (Psalm 43:5). They trusted that God could do that, would do that; they had enough faith to boldly pray and make those requests of him.

Yet their reality was a sense of abandonment, disappointment, and vulnerability. (Psalm 43:2)

Now really, isn’t that where much of our Christian lives are lived, too? Don’t we often find ourselves in that same gritty gap, somewhere between the promises of God and the fulfillment of those promises? Guess what? That’s called the life of faith! And moreover, that’s exactly where faith is expressed, tested, and rewarded—the gap between promise and fulfillment.

Now what are you to do with that? Well, if you are in that gritty reality, you’ve got to just “grit it out.” You’ve got to “faith” it! You’ve got to put on hope—and keep it on! There is no easy alternative. Sometimes, that is just the way of faith.

So, if that’s just the tough reality of your world right now, please consider this:

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint.” (Rom 5:3-5)

Hang in there! You won’t be disappointed.

PREVIEW: When it comes to the onslaught of difficult people and circumstances that regularly rob you of your joy and stability in life, the Bible calls us to practice hope! How? By dwelling on the love and kindness that God has for you. By dwelling on all the things he has done for you for which you are grateful. By dwelling on all the promises he has made to you in Scripture—all of which will be fulfilled in his time. By dwelling on the promise of heaven. Basically, the Bible calls for some reverse worrying. What do you do when you are worried? You dwell on the negative. So just turn that around and dwell on the truth of God’s Word. Do that—practice hope—and watch it “rock your world.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 42:11

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

I’m not a mental health expert, so don’t throw away your medications or reject advice if you are under the care of a medical professional. And please don’t take this as the final word on clinical depression. So, with that caveat out of the way, let me just say that I think the authors of this psalm, the sons of Korah, David’s worship team, are on to something.

And since we believe this sacred book, the Bible, is God’s perfect revelation of himself and his will for mankind, then let’s lean into it as our perfect and only rule of faith and practice. Let’s treat it as we should—as the first, highest, and best authority by which we will live our lives!

In light of that, when it comes to the ups and downs that we commonly experience in our daily existence, this psalm reminds us that the recipe for emotional balance and inner joy is to practice hope. The psalmist says, “put your hope in God.” The Apostle Paul said it a bit differently—but he had the same thing in mind: Put on…hope.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

Practice hope! How? Start by dwelling on the love and kindness that God has for you. Dwell on all the things he has done for you for which you are grateful. Dwell on all the promises he has made to you in Scripture—all of which will be fulfilled in his time. Dwell on the promise of heaven. Basically, just do some reverse worrying. What do you do when you are worried? You dwell on the negative. So just turn that around and dwell on the truth of God’s Word. Do that—practice hope—and watch it “rock your world.”

Don’t believe that will work? Well, let me give you just one example of how hope can change you. Suppose you were to receive a phone call later today from an old friend who enthusiastically says, “Friend, I have good news. You can take a 7-day trip to Hawaii with my company which won’t cost you a dime. We have room for two more…but here’s the catch: we leave tomorrow evening at 9:00 PM. The boss is taking us on his private jet, and we’ll be staying at his beachfront villa in Maui.” You tell him you’ll call him right back, and the minute you get off the phone, you and your spouse, who was listening in, start thinking and planning. Out comes the pen and paper, and you begin to prioritize what you need to do to make this happen. Then you call the friend back and tell him you’re in.

If that were to happen, I guarantee that you would then begin to ruthlessly align your life over the next 24 hours to pull off that all-expenses paid trip to paradise. You might say that the hope of Hawaii tomorrow changed the way you lived today.

There’s something even better and more permanent than Hawaii. It’s called heaven. So why don’t you live like you are going there not only tomorrow but live every day like you are going there, because you are! Here’s the deal: You will be amazed at how hitching your hope to the promise of heaven (or the love of God, or the blessings of salvation, or any other truth of God’s Word) will change everything you experience today—even your emotions.

So why not give it a try? As the psalm says, “Put your hope in God!”

“ He that lives in hope dances without music. — GEORGE HERBERT

PREVIEW: Living in God’s favor is not about sinless perfection. None of us will reach that lofty plane in this life. I wish we could—I especially wish I could. But because I have been fundamentally infected with sin, that will not happen until I reach heaven. I—and you—will continue to stumble into sin until the day we die. And that sin will bring uncomfortable if not outright tragic consequences into our lives. So what is a helplessly flawed Christian to do? One, cultivate self-awareness of your propensity to sin. Two, cultivate godly sorrow for your sinfulness. And three, cultivate a repentant heart—then repent, early and often.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 41:4,12

O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you…In my integrity you uphold me set me in your presence forever.

The juxtaposition of these two verses presents a problematic incongruence. It appears that David is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. On the one hand, he is connecting his personal sin with physical malady and public hostility. On the other hand, he claims that it is his personal integrity that gives him favored status before the Almighty.

However, there is no incongruence for David—or for you and me. Yes, we are all helplessly flawed, but there is hope! You see, we can also be fully forgiven, and as a result, live under the high favor of God if we are sincerely repentant for our sinfulness.

Living within God’s favor is not about sinless perfection. None of us will reach that lofty plane in this life. I wish we could—I especially wish I could. But because I have been fundamentally infected with sin, that will not happen until I reach heaven. I—and you—will continue to, as a good friend of mine was fond of saying, “dip ourselves in the yogurt” of sin until the day we die. And that sin will bring uncomfortable, if not outright tragic consequences into our lives.

So how, then, can we claim a personal integrity that invites the attention, honor, and favor of God? I would suggest there are three characteristics we can, and should cultivate, as David did, that will allow us as flawed people to be fully forgiven and highly favored:

First, we must cultivate self-awareness. Not an over-indulgence in introspection and self-absorption, but a healthy consciousness of both our strengths and weaknesses. I was recently speaking with a person about a relational crisis they were experiencing, and they were pouring out their heart about how difficult the other person was. When I asked them to share what flaws they brought into the troubled mix, I got a blank stare and an admission that they couldn’t think of any. That is not all that uncommon in troubled relationships. Although they are not always willing to be as honest as the person I interviewed, many times they are simply unaware or unwilling to consider the pain and problems they are contributing to the situation. David was incredibly self-aware…and he often asked God to make him even more aware, painfully aware of his own flaws (see Psalms 26:2, 139:23-24). Maybe you should too!

Second, we must cultivate godly sorrow. Not self-pity, but redemptive sorrow. Self-pity leads only to depression; self-awareness without sorrow for sin brings only hopelessness, unproductive navel-gazing, and a pessimistic approach to life. However, as the Apostle Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, while worldly sorrow brings only death. I think that was the secret to a seriously flawed David’s favor with God—he experienced deep sorrow for his sins. Perhaps we should ask God to break our hearts quickly anytime we think, say, or do anything that breaks his heart.

And third, self-awareness and godly sorrow must lead to sincere repentance. I’m not talking about feeling bad that we’ve been caught in a goof or are having to “pay the piper” for our imperfections. I’m talking about confessing our offense, making amends when we should and can, and turning from our sinful actions by walking an opposite path toward holiness and kingdom fruitfulness.

Well, that’s a mouthful—but I think you get the picture. That’s how you can be a “deeply flawed person of integrity” and live under the full forgiveness and high favor of the Almighty. And hallelujah, that is only possible with the God we serve!

“ God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination. — AUGUSTINE

PREVIEW: Neither good times nor bad days should be relevant to our faith, because our lives are anchored in something far better, infinitely stronger, and eternally lasting: the immutable character of God. As a result, we must exhibit profound trust in spite of circumstances and offer unfettered praise in scorn of consequences. Both in private and in public, we must exude organic devotion to God that comes with no strings attached. Only then can we exclaim, “Bless is the one who makes the Lord their trust.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 40:4

Blessed are you who give yourselves over to GOD, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing, and ignore what the world worships.

Are you willing to trust the Lord even when it doesn’t make sense? Are you willing to praise him unconditionally? Will you speak of his love and goodness even when, on the surface, circumstances would seem to indicate anything but his loving-kindness toward you?

Of course, committed Christ-followers always answer quickly and resoundingly with a “yes!” to those questions. But what happens when, like David, you find yourself in a “slimy pit” (Psalm 40:2), or when the will of God requires painful and costly sacrifice on your part (Psalm 40:6), or when your personal failings have landed you in deep weeds (Psalm 40:12), or when there are those who want to destroy your life and ruin your reputation (Psalm 40:14-15)? What happens then? Are you just as willing to trust the Lord and give testimony to his great faithfulness?

In a very real sense, neither good times nor bad days were relevant to David’s faith because his life was anchored in something far better: the immutable character of God. As a result, what you witness in David is a profound trust in spite of circumstances and unfettered praise in scorn of consequences. Both in private and in public, he exhibited organic devotion to God that came with no strings attached (Psalm 40:9-10),

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

There have been many spiritual heroes, like David, who have exhibited that kind of organic devotion. Such is the case of one of our Early Church Fathers, Polycarp. In the year 155 AD, 86-year-old Polycarp, a man who had been discipled by the Apostle John, was burned at the stake. When given the chance to recant before the fires were lit, he said, “Eighty and six years I have served Christ and He has done me nothing but good; how then could I curse Him, my Lord and Savior?”

Now that’s bless-able devotion! But you might ask: How was Polycarp so blessed since he was burned to death? Well, Polycarp has been elevated to that eternal cloud of witnesses alongside David, while his executioners have been relegated to the dustbin of history. You see, from this side of life, trust doesn’t always make sense, but from the eternal side, unconditional trusting bears the fruit of eternal blessing.

So yes, blessed is the one who makes the Lord his trust! David was blessed—so was Polycarp. I want to be one of those in the company of the blessed, too! Don’t you?

PREVIEW: Take a stroll through a cemetery when you get a chance and read the epitaphs on the tombstones. On them, you will see the history of those dearly departed ones succinctly packaged by the dash between two dates — the date of their birth and the date of their death. The dash is what we call life. One little dash, but what a story it tells. And often, those who are left behind sum up the departed one’s dash with an inscription left on the headstone, an epitaph. So, here is a question of utmost importance: What will yours say?

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 39:4-7

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath. We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

One day you will have an epitaph chiseled on a headstone. If you doubt that, take a stroll through a cemetery, and you will see that everyone gets one. Seriously, as morbid as it might sound, I’d highly recommend that stroll because what you’ll read on those markers will tell a lot about the people buried beneath them.

On the headstones, you will see the history of those dearly departed ones succinctly packaged by the dash between two dates — the date of their birth and the date of their death. The dash is what we call life. One little dash, but what a story it tells. And often, those who are left behind sum up the departed one’s dash with an inscription left on the headstone, an epitaph.

Some of those inscriptions are profound. Some express tremendous love or a deep sense of loss. Even those that are quite humorous still deliver a sobering reminder. There are websites dedicated to the more memorable tombstones in history. But whether profound, heartwarming, heart-wrenching, or even funny, each epitaph is quite instructive, like the one that not only made me laugh, it really made me think:

This is what I expected — but not so soon.

Epitaphs like that will remind you of the unavoidable reality that one day, you, too, will have your entire life summed up and chiseled onto a stone for others to read. There is a New England headstone that captured this sobering truth:

As you pass by and cast an eye,
As you are now so once was I.

We will all have an epitaph one day. King David, the author of this psalm, got one. I will get one, and so will you. The only question is, what will yours say? So, here’s the deal: Whatever you hope it will say means that you will have to live your life that way between now and then.

David, who was far from a perfect man, apparently did a great deal of thinking about the end of his life. That’s what this psalm is all about. And it really changed the way he lived out the rest of his dash, so much so that at the end of it, his friends wrote on his headstone:

A Man After God’s Own Heart. (Acts 13:22)

Hmm! I think I’ll take some time today, and while I’m at it, I’ll take some stock, too, on what my tombstone will say. Why don’t you join me? And if our current appraisal is not what we would hope for, let’s make a course correction — beginning today.

“ Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. Why shouldst thou be afraid to die, who hopest to live by dying. — WILLIAM GURNALL

PREVIEW: Be open to the possibility that sickness is the result of sin. I’m not talking about living under a load of paralyzing guilt and spiritual paranoia. God wants you to live in the blessed freedom of forgiveness, the delight of his unmerited favor, and the incredible joy of abundant living. At the same time, be willing to live the examined life. Check in with God a lot, as well as with trusted believers, and open your heart to the things that may be not only blocking the favor of God but actively inviting his punishment.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 38:3

Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.

Is sickness the result of sin? My definitive answer is, maybe!

That question has been on the minds of people for ages. And for a good portion of human history, there was a perceived connection between bad behavior and the disfavor of the local god. Even in the history of the Old Testament Israelites, as well as in Christian history over the last two thousand years, the belief was that personal and corporate sin led to Divine punishment, including sickness.

It wasn’t until the last fifty years or so that we in the Western world have come to the point of view that there is no spiritual-physical link between sin and sickness. And to be sure, the fact that I catch a cold, come down with the flu, or contract a disease does not imply that some egregious sin had been committed.

On the other hand, in a very real sense, all sickness is the result of sin — original sin. Romans 5:12 reminds us that because of one man’s sin, death entered the human race. And since, by virtue of Adam’s sin, we are all sinners, guess what? We will all experience death. And the dying process, which begins at birth, by the way, includes bouts of sickness along the way.

Having said all that, there is truth that sickness is sometimes the result of specific sins in our life. David understood that, and reading this psalm makes it pretty clear that he was associating unbearable physical pain, the symptoms of a debilitating illness, and excruciating emotional distress with the things he had done that had violated the laws of God.

I think we ought to be open to that possibility, too. I am not talking about living under a load of paralyzing guilt and spiritual paranoia — hopefully, you know me well enough to realize I would never suggest that. God wants us to live in the blessed freedom of forgiveness, the delight of his unmerited favor, and the incredible joy of the abundant life.

At the same time, we ought to be willing to live the examined life. We need to check in with God a lot, with trusted believers, too, and open our hearts to the things that may be not only blocking the favor of God but actively inviting his punishment. In Psalm 139:23-24, David invited the Divine searchlight to scrutinize the inner recesses of his life:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

There really is great freedom in taking such an open and honest posture before both God and man. Not only that, it may just prove to be one of the best preventions for both physical and mental health you will ever run into.

“ The unexamined life is not worth living. — SOCRATES

PREVIEW: Make the Lord the center and the circumference of your world. Therein lies the key to success in life — to fruitfulness and fulfillment in all you do. Not just to make things happen for yourself but to actually have God working on your behalf to give you what you have set your heart to do. You see, God wants to grant you success. And success, as he defines it, is far greater, longer lasting, and more satisfying than what the world offers. So, delight yourself in the Lord, and you will find that the Lord delights himself in you!

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 37:4

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

I love these verses, particularly verse 4. It’s one of my favorites. Therein lies the key to success in life — to fruitfulness and fulfillment in all you do. Not just to make things happen for yourself, but to actually have God working on your behalf to give you what you have set your heart to do.

But this is no automatic formula to riches, power, and fame that David is talking about. In this verse itself is the essential context that we must grasp and apply if we are to enter into the blessed life the psalmist goes on to describe. Furthermore, the entire chapter of Psalm 37 provides valuable insight that further explains verse 4. You and I would do well to read and absorb this whole psalm in context.

So let me give you a heads up on some of David’s caveats to the success he promises:

First, you’ve got to put God first and make him foremost in your life. Another way of putting it is that God must be both the center and circumference of your existence. I think that’s what David had in mind when he said, “Delight yourself in the Lord.”

God will not grant you willi-nilli any old desire. That would be irresponsible of God and dangerous for you. However, when you delight in God above all else, that in itself will shape the desires that arise in your heart and guard you from foolish, selfish, sinful, and harmful wishes.

Second, you’ve got to delay gratification and practice patience. You will find in the rest of this psalm that, over and over again, David speaks of not getting in a rush to see the plan of God unfold in your life and not getting caught up in the false success of those who are far from God. In due time, God will bring about his promised blessings. Here is how David sees it in verse 7:

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

And third, you must refuse to cut corners and commit to a consistent walk of uprightness before God. If your life is characterized by incongruent living — saying one thing but doing another — don’t expect God’s deep and abiding favor. Though much of this psalm is dedicated to this truth, notice in particular how David puts it in verses 18, 34 and 37:

The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever…Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it…Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.

God wants to grant you success. And success, as he defines it, is far greater, longer lasting, and more satisfying than what the world offers. So, delight yourself in the Lord, and you will find that the Lord delights himself in you!

“ God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. — JOHN PIPER

PREVIEW: Are you overcome with anger, or if you are distressed, or maybe even depressed because sin and sinners seem to triumph everywhere you turn, do what King David often did in his psalms: write a prayer where you not only pour out your complaint to God, but you extol his eternal character. Dwelling on the eternal character of God is the antidote to the spiritual road rage that threatens to consume you when you focus on the ephemeral nature of both sin and the sinner.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 36:10

Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

I have to admit it — I was really ticked off! I was fighting back road rage. I was considering intimidating the driver of the other car with hyper-close tailgating, or perhaps speeding up and cutting them off, or maybe even performing the dreaded PIT maneuver (and if you don’t occasionally watch car chase videos, you won’t have a clue what I’m talking about).

So what was my problem? Well, I was on the way to a birthday celebration — a friend had turned 90 — and the car in front of me had about every bumper sticker offensive to Christianity on it you could possibly imagine. The one that sent me over the edge was next to a culturally appropriated “fish” symbol — you know, the one that has feet and the name Darwin on the inside of our beloved fish. Anyway, right beside that bumper sticker was another one that said, “We Have The Fossils — We Win.”

I was beginning to hum “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Stand Up For Jesus” and I would intermittently mumble, “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” (Judges 7:18) I was ready to pounce — in Jesus’ name, of course. But I didn’t do any of that. Rather, I eventually settled for calmingly passing the car that was causing my upset and giving the “Philistine” occupants my most righteous stare.

Drats! They didn’t even see me.

Okay, it wasn’t quite that bad, but I was more than a little ticked off. You, too, get that way sometimes when you see the unrighteous flaunting their disregard of God and their disrespect for Christians. As followers of Christ, we often long for the day God steps in to judge sin with a display of Divine justice that will leave no doubt )although when we consider the lives of the sinners we know and love, that prospect is rather frightening).

David was feeling that way in this psalm. Out of the twelve verses that make up Psalm 36, six are used to complain about the wicked (Psalm 36:1-4,11-12). But as David is venting, I think he comes to grips with the fact that there was not much, if anything, he could do about the evil residing in the hearts of those wicked people who were ticking him off. So, as he often does, he talks himself out of his “road rage” by focusing on the character of God: his love and faithfulness (Psalm 36:5), his righteousness and justice (Psalm 36:5), his protection and abundance (Psalm 36:7-8), and life itself (Psalm 36:9-10) that the godly find when they make the Almighty their sanctuary.

Dwelling on the eternal character of God is the antidote to the spiritual road rage that threatens to consume us when we focus on the ephemeral nature of the sinner. You’d think I would get that by now — but I guess, like David, I have to relearn it just about every other day. I’ll bet you do too!

“ To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. — C. S. LEWIS

PREVIEW: as amazing as God’s work in nature was, it wasn’t even his best work. You see, you are his best work! You are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). The best of God’s power and majesty, glory and strength were on display when he redeemed you from your sin, made you a part of his forever family, and gave you a divine purpose for this life and the one to come. And none of that due to your own worthiness, mind you! It was all because of his great love! So whether you live in a place of beauty or not, why don’t you do what David did by falling to your knees to ascribe to the Lord glory and strength that he so richly deserves?

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 29:1-6 (TEV)

Praise the LORD, you heavenly beings; praise his glory and power. Praise the LORD’s glorious name; bow down before the Holy One when he appears. The voice of the LORD is heard on the seas; the glorious God thunders, and his voice echoes over the ocean. The voice of the LORD is heard in all its might and majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, even the cedars of Lebanon. He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull.

If you are a big fan of nature, like I am, you will love this psalm. David is extolling the indescribable majesty and awesome power of God in the ongoing witness of nature: The vastness of the deep blue oceans, the breathtaking beauty of the mountain peaks, and the chest-rattling sounds of the thunder complete with fear-inducing fierceness of an electrical storm.

Truly God was doing some of his best work when he created the cosmos.

The work that I now do requires more air travel than I ever imagined doing. Whether it is to Africa, or to some city in the Midwest or East Coast of the United States, each trip, along with navigating the unpredictability of air travel these days, the process of getting to, through, and home from airports, sleeping in hotels, all of which imposes physical and mental exhaustion on me, I never tire of flying back to the pristine beauty of the Pacific Northwest where I live. Nor does flying over the majestic Rocky Mountains. Seriously, when you see such grandeur, you wonder if God was just showing off when he created these places — the stunning beauty of Mt. Hood or Mt. St. Helens or Mt. Rainier, or the snow-capped wonder of the Front Range with its unhindered view of several 14,000 footers all the way from Pike’s Peak on the South to Long’s Peak on the north. Truly, it is hard to beat the views!

Sometimes it seems as though the pilots are flying the aircraft so close it seems as though you could reach out and touch God’s handiwork. Words can’t do justice to its overwhelming wonder. No artist’s canvas comes anywhere near God’s unequaled artistry, or in the case of St. Helens, his unequaled power. Without fail, each time I take in these scenes, I feel compelled to do what David did in Psalm 29:1,

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

But as amazing as God’s work in nature was, it wasn’t even his best work. You see, you are his best work! You are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). The best of God’s power and majesty, glory and strength were on display when he redeemed you from your sin, made you a part of his forever family, and gave you a divine purpose for this life and the one to come. And none of that due to your own worthiness, mind you! It was all because of his great love!

So whether you live in a place of beauty or not, why don’t you do what David did by falling to your knees to ascribe to the Lord glory and strength that he so richly deserves?

“ There is no peace more wonderful than the peace we enjoy when faith shows us God in all created things. — JEAN-PIERRE DE CAUSSDE HALL

PREVIEW: When David wrote, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them,” he was coming off a life-threatening episode that was the result of a major lapse of judgment on his part. Yet God had pulled his bacon out of the fire, and David was not only relieved, but he was also very grateful. Now, I am not advocating that the mistakes we make are no big deal. They are…and they can be very costly. But friend, we serve a God who trumps our mistakes with his grace and turns our goofs into glory for himself and good for us. We may take a few lumps along the way, but at the end of the day, even on our best day, it is God who makes something beautiful out of it. I love how the famed hymn writer, John Newton put it, “We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.”

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 34:4-7

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

You’ve got to notice the title of this psalm to really appreciate it:

A Psalm of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.

David was on the lam…just a step ahead of death due to King Saul’s maniacal and murderous hatred. On this particular occasion, out of desperation, David sought refuge, of all places, in the Philistine city of Gath. Gath, you might recall, was the hometown of a famed warrior-hero that David had killed in stunning fashion on the battlefield: Goliath.

David is seeking refuge in the city of his enemy rather than in the shelter of the Almighty. Now to be fair, David has done a lot of things right up to this point in his life. He has depended on the Lord, day after day and night after night for years, patiently enduring and deftly avoiding Saul’s relentless posse. But now he makes a big mistake — and it almost costs him his life.

The people of Gath recognize David for what he is: the chief warrior of their archenemy Israel, and they want the Philistine king to have him executed. Suddenly, realizing the pickle he’s gotten himself into, David comes up with a crazy idea: He’ll go postal. So he feigns insanity, starts scratching at the door, drooling in his beard, and howling at the moon (okay, I added that last one). When the king sees David in this deranged state, he says, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”(1 Samuel 21:14-15)

With that, David beats a retreat back to the cave of Adullam, and there as before, he finds God in the cave. That is where the much-relieved David penned these immortal words: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

Now I am not advocating that the mistakes we make are no big deal. They are…and they can be very costly. But friend, we serve a God who trumps our mistakes with his grace and turns our goofs into glory for himself and good for us. We may take a few lumps along the way, but at the end of the day, even on our best day, it is God who makes something beautiful out of it. I love how the famed hymn writer, John Newton put it,

We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.

Come on now, aren’t you glad for that? Along with me, on a few occasions you have said, “Whew, God pulled my bacon out of the fire on that one!” That being translated, is “the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them!”

You might want to thank God for that little fact, by the way. I think I will!

“ Only GOD can turn, a MESS into a MESSAGE, a TEST into a TESTIMONY, a TRIAL into a TRIUMPH, a VICTIM into a VICTORY. — UNKNOWN

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 33:10-11

The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Every four or eight years, new presidents stand before the American press for their first prime-time press conference. Almost without fail, the main subject of their public address is the worsening national economy — an alarming upswing in unemployment, inflation, home foreclosures, rising interest rates, bank failures, and a host of other bleak economic indicators. It is almost like new presidents are reading the from “The New Presidents’ Playbook.”

These presidents understand that much is riding on their ability to communicate with the American people and convince them that their plan to bail out our economy must be supported, and if it isn’t, the damage done will be irreparable. Agree or disagree with these presidents’ plan for prosperity du jour, one thing you’ve got to give them, they are (usually) extraordinary communicators with astonishing brainpower and off-the-charts winsomeness that make half the country want to put their hope in his or her plan.

But, news flash, the president is not really in charge — no president really is. And as the people of God, we must not forget that! God is in charge. Economies, presidents, and even nations come and go, but, as David says, “the plans of the Lord stand firm forever!”

Sure, poor economies affect our day-to-day lives; so do bad presidents and evil empires. But just remember, they will come and go. It is the “purposes of God’s heart” that transcend the current state of affairs in our world.

So today, as you consider the current president’s roadmap to peace and prosperity, and as you listen to the endless debate heating up the halls of Congress in Washington, DC as to how our problems can be solved, you really should pray for these leaders—they really need your help and mine. Actually, they seriously need God’s help.

But at the end of the day, I would suggest that you hitch your wagonload of hope to God’s star — because he’s really the One in charge.

And he always will be!

“ Fear is of the flesh and panic is of the Devil. — A. W. TOZER

PREVIEW: “What joy there is for those whose sins are forgiven!” So wrote King David. When God forgives you, your sins are not only covered, they are also neutralized, vaporized, and remembered no more. David had committed several egregious sins against Almighty God (2 Samuel 11) and against the very people he was called to shepherd as king over Israel. He had royally (no pun intended) messed up, so in this psalm he was talking from first-hand experience about the before and after picture of the forgiven life. He, more than most people, knew the indescribable joy in having his sin-slate wiped clean. I know that joy, too, and I suspect you’ve experienced it as well. How privileged we are to belong to a God who forgives all our sins — and does so with great joy. I can’t think of a greater benefit and blessing in this life than that.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 32:1-2

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

What would life be like for you without God’s forgiveness? I don’t know about you, but I’d be depressed, fearful, under so much guilt I doubt if I could function, and worst of all, hopeless. There would be no joy — I would be stuck in the quicksand of regret for things I had done in my past, I would have no sustained energy to face what I need to do throughout this day, and I would have no courage to face the unknowns of tomorrow. I would be a royal mess!

Oh, I could postpone all those sad realities of an unforgiven life by some sort of other coping mechanism. I could numb all my pains by drinking or doing drugs. I could temporarily avoid that reality by overworking or overspending or overachieving or overeating or oversleeping. I could get a momentary feel-good fix through Internet porn or an extra-marital affair or some other sort of sexually addictive behavior to forget about the fact that I am hopelessly lost. I could surround myself with all kinds of friends through non-stop partying, being funny, playing sports incessantly, or overloading my calendar with other social activities. There are all kinds of ways I could avoid the pain of the unforgiven life. Lots of people do that every day — that’s how much of the world copes.

But that doesn’t negate the awful truth that they are living an unforgiven life. They can only postpone their hopeless reality for so long, but at some point, living a life apart from a forgiving God will come home to roost.

I realize have painted a pretty bleak and depressing picture — not a great way to start a devotional—but it’s true.

On the other hand, what joy there is for those whose sins are forgiven! Not just forgiven but covered…neutralized…vaporized and remembered no more. David, who wrote that psalm, had committed several egregious sins against Almighty God (2 Samuel 11) and the very people he was called to shepherd as king over Israel. He had royally (no pun intended) messed up, so in this psalm, he was talking from first-hand experience about the before and after picture of the forgiven life. He, more than most people, knew the unbearable pain of having messed up (“When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat” Psalm 32:3-4) and the indescribable joy in having his sin-slate wiped clean (“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” Psalm 32:1).

I know that joy, too, and I suspect you’ve experienced it as well. How privileged we are to belong to a God who forgives all our sins — and does so with great joy. I can’t think of a greater benefit and blessing in this life than that.

Perhaps you are wondering if God can really forgive you for all the bad things you have repeatedly done. The answer to your wonder is, yes, he can. Forgiveness is who he is (“Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” Ex 34:6-7). Forgiveness is what he does (“He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.” Psalm 103:3-4) And forgiveness is what brings him joy (“You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” (Micah 7:18)

I don’t know what you are facing this day, but I hope the simple fact that God has completely forgiven you will brighten your day and give you a profound joy that will sustain you for the rest of your life.

“ God pardons like a mother, who kisses the offense into everlasting forgiveness. — HENRY WARD BEECHER

PREVIEW: When you truly understand that you are always within the sovereign and loving Father’s competent care, like Jesus and David, you can lay your worries down and rest in peace and declare, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Just knowing that nothing will touch you that doesn’t first pass through his hands provides a sense of peace and security that most people never dream possible. Knowing that all the days of your life, from beginning to end, have already been laid out in God’s mind births a rare and priceless confidence that overcomes all of life’s fears — even the fear of death, which is at the bottom of most of the neurosis that plagues the godless — because you know that he is with you, even in the valley of the shadow of death.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 31:5,15 (NLT)

Into your hands I commit my spirit…My times are in your hands.

In God’s hands — that’s a great place to be. David’s belief that God would care for him through the thick and thin of life gave him the necessary fortitude to make the journey with the kind of sweet spirit and deep faith that earned him the appellation “a man after God’s own heart.”

Of course, Jesus knew what David knew: That even in the midst of the most horrible, torturous suffering possible, the cross, he was squarely in the competent and caring hand of his Heavenly Father. And at the end of his suffering, when he had completed the task of redemption and satisfied God’s righteous wrath by bearing the full punishment for the sins of humanity, he, too, committed his spirit into God’s hands.

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

When you truly understand that you are always within the sovereign and loving Father’s competent care, like Jesus and David, you can lay your worries down and rest in peace. Just knowing that nothing will touch you that doesn’t first pass through his hands provides a sense of peace and security that most people never dream possible. Knowing that all the days of your life, from beginning to end, have already been laid out in God’s mind births a rare and priceless confidence that overcomes all of life’s fears — even the fear of death, which is at the bottom of most of the neurosis that plagues the godless.

In another psalm, Psalm 139:16, David wrote,

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Knowing that God has completely planned out your life from beginning to end, that he is watching over each detail, every circumstance, every spit second, and every square inch of your existence with great love and care, that you will not die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what he has foreordained, and that he will fulfill every good purpose in you, ought to give you the kind of confidence and courage to live your one and only life to the fullest and to the glory of God.

Yes, you can commit your spirit into his hands. In his hands — that is the best place to be!

PREVIEW: Why has God blessed you? Of course, he loves you as his dear child, and wants to give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3-4) But he gives you life and breath, health and happiness, peace and prosperity that you might be an instrument of his praise to those who will listen, and even to those who won’t. He answers your prayers and pulls you out of the pit so that your voice would rise in public gratitude to him. Even in the midst of hardship, he gives you inner joy that others might know of your hope in the goodness of God.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 30:11-12 (NLT)

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Apparently, David was physically sick. So sick that he believed he was going to die. And his detractors were openly hoping for it, gloating over his misfortune. (Psalm 30:1) But David appealed to the Lord who raised his from his deathbed and restored his health. (Psalm 30:2-3)

I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

What did David do in response to God’s gracious intervention? He used it as a platform to talk about the goodness of God. He understood that the reason God spared his life, at least in part, was to now be an instrument of praise, as we see in Psalm 30:9,

What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

Fast forward from King David (at times, a no good, dirty rotten sinner) to you (at times, a no good, dirty rotten sinner, too). Have you given any thought to why God has been so gracious and merciful to you? Do you know the reason why he has answered so many of your prayers? Do you think it is simply to give you a more comfortable life or to satisfy your every whim?

Of course, God loves you as his dear child and wants to give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3-4) But he gives you life and breath, health and happiness, peace and prosperity that you might be an instrument of his praise to those who will listen, and even to those who won’t. He answers your prayers and pulls you out of the pit so that your voice would rise in public gratitude to him. Even in the midst of hardship, he gives you inner joy so that others might know of your hope in the goodness of God.

David got it. He understood that his life had been spared and his prayers answered so that he could worship among the wicked (Psalm 30:1) and sing among the saints (Psalm 30:4) as living proof of a loving God.

God wants you to “get it” too. So, starting today, look for opportunities to speak a good word for God among those who will listen, and even to those who won’t. Remember, your job is to share the Good News with everyone. It’s up to God to convict them of truth. You don’t have to get weird about it, but in the course of your conversations, talk about the goodness of God in your life and let God take it from there.

Remember, that’s the reason you even have life: To be an instrument of praise!

“ Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. — DIETRICH BONHOEFFER