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In God We Trust!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 20
Focus: Psalm 20:7

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

You would think by now we’d know how foolish it is to trust in anyone but the Lord for our safety and security. That is not to say that we shouldn’t lock our doors at night, put our money on deposit with the banks, expect our leaders to provide a strong national defense, think through long-term investment strategies that will help us in our retirement years, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with that! In fact, the Bible calls us “prudent” when we think in those terms. But our first and fundamental trust needs to be in the Lord. He is our source. He is our provider. He is our future. In fact, Deuteronomy 30:20 says that the Lord is our very life! And when our primary trust for that which will bring us peace, joy and comfort begins to drift back to human beings and man-made institutions, we are on the road to eventual disappointment. Just ask anyone who has lost a boatload of money in the sinking economy lately.

Here’s the deal: Be wise, work hard, and do the things that will provide for both short and long term safety and security. But make the primary and ongoing source of your well being God. Rather than trusting in chariots and horses, look at the coin in your pocket and do what it says: In God We Trust.

How can you do that? I think prayer is one of the best ways. Each and every single day, come before God and acknowledge your dependence on his provision. Before every meal, return thanks for his goodness. When you lay your head down on the pillow, review your day and ask yourself if you have honored God in everything you have thought, said and done. At every decision, ask him for guidance.

I’ve heard it said, “Those who put their trust in the Lord will never be put to shame.” (Psalm 25:3)

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“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

 

Making Life Work: Make God the critical part of your moment-by-moment life, keep him as the senior partner in every decision, and once in a while, look at all the broken down chariots that litter life’s highway as a reminder that trusting in the name of the Lord is far better.

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Nature Speaks

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 19
Focus: Psalm 19:1-2

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.”

I love nature! There is nothing that speaks to my heart more clearly of the majesty of Almighty God than the beauty and wonder of creation. Whether rafting the class five rapids of a pristine Rocky Mountain river, or watching the brilliance of the morning sun appear over an eastern wall of an Arizona canyon, or walking through the majestic California redwoods, or hiking the stunning Pacific Coast Trail, or gazing up at an African sky so clear and close it seems as though you could reach out and touch a star, time and again I’ve uttered these words:

How could anyone who sees what I see not
bow in worship to the Mighty One who created it?

Indeed creation is an irrefutable witness of the loving God to all mankind. St Augustine wrote, “Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead He set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that?”

Unfortunately, some people cannot see or hear God in what is plainly evident. That’s because the god of this age has blinded their eyes. (II Corinthians 4:4) But that shouldn’t stop you from deepening your worship of the Creator by expanding your appreciation for his creation. Take a moment to absorb what St. Basil the Great wrote,

“I want creation to penetrate you with so much admiration that wherever you go, the least plant may bring you the clear remembrance of the Creator. …One blade of grass or one speck of dust is enough to occupy your entire mind in beholding the art with which it has been made. … The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, even our brothers, the animals, to whom Thou gavest the earth as their home in common with us. …We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to thee in song, has been a groan of pain. May we realize that they live, not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee and that they love the sweetness of life.”

Nikola Tesla was a brilliant scientist who invented the method of generating electricity in alternating current. During electrical storms, apparently Tesla would sit on a black mohair couch by a window to watch the awesome display. He would then applaud whenever lightening struck—perhaps one genius recognizing the work of a Superior Genius.

You and I will have multiple opportunities today to recognize the work the Creator. Let’s make sure we do!

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“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe — the starry heavens above and the moral law within.” (Immanuel Kant)

 

Making Life Work: If you can, take a walk sometime today, or if you get a clear sky tonight, go out and appreciate the beauty of what God has created. And tell him thanks!

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Standing On The Promises

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 18
Focus: Psalm 18:30

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

As you read tPsalm 18, which is a fairly lengthy psalm, your eyes will likely be drawn to verse 30. Initially it will seem that David’s words here are an abrupt, although delightful, departure from the rest of the psalm. At first blush, it seems that David has taken a side-bar to attest to the inspiration and veracity of Scripture. Yet upon further review, this verse is in complete unity with the rest of the psalm, simply and succinctly verifying David’s testimony of God’s faithfulness to him.

The title of the song at first seems to suggest that David penned these words after a Divinely orchestrated deliverance from King Saul’s insane jealousy and murderous rage. However, the internal evidence of the psalm indicates that this is really a retrospective on the faithfulness of God over the course of David’s life in fulfilling the promise to establish David as king over an everlasting dynasty in place of Saul. (See II Samuel 7:8-16)

In looking back, David reflects that even though the road he has travelled to kingship has been rocky, to say the least, and at times, the success of his journey certainly hung in the balance, yet at the end of the day, at the end of each day, God had been faithful to David. God had kept him. God had delivered him. God had exalted him. And now, David offers this wonderful song of praise that recognizes the many qualities of God that has made him worthy of David’s praise.

Then we come to that wonderful verse, verse 30, where David’s worship takes on an increased volume of heartfelt praise as he sings in effect, “Yes, the promises of God have proved to be true and trustworthy. Every word he has spoken over me has been flawlessly fulfilled. I can count on his word; I can stand on his promises. With God, I am on safe and secure ground.”

Of course, what David said of the words of God (see Psalm 12:6, 30:5) is also true of the Word of God. In the next psalm, Psalm 19:7-9, David proclaims,

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

Now here’s the deal: What was true for David is true for you. The Word of God is as true today as it was in David’s day. And out of God’s Word, through your time of prayer and refection upon it, God will speak to you as he did David (remember, it will always be in line with his written Word), and give you a word specific to the circumstances you face. And you can depend on God’s word in those times to be flawless as well. God’s promises to you are certain.

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“God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak. The second person of the Holy Trinity is called ‘The Word.’ (A.W. Tower)

 

Making Life Work: Are you standing on the promises of God? Are you claiming his word? Are you leaning into his Eternal Word? David would say to you, “You can depend on God’s Word—and his word. And of all people, I would know.”

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The Apple Of Your Daddy’s Eye

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 17
Focus: Psalm 17:8

“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.”

Did you know that God has favorites? The Bible tells us that he held the nation of Israel as the apple of his eye. Really—you can read about that in Deuteronomy 32:9-11 and Zechariah 2:7-9.

The good news is that God not only played favorites with Israel, he holds you as the apple of his eye, too. How so? Through Christ’s blood! You see, when you came to Christ by grace through faith, God took all the love he displayed for Israel, and for his Son, and he placed it on you. Now you are the one he loves.

A great writer by the name of Brennan Manning tells the story of an Irish priest who was on a walking tour of his rural parish one day. And there by the roadside he found an old man, a peasant, kneeling in prayer. The priest was quite impressed, so he walked over and interrupted the man: “You must be very close to God.”

The peasant looked up from his prayers, thought for a moment, smiled and said, “Yes, he’s very fond of me.”

This simple man had a simple faith that revealed a profound self-awareness of his true identity—he knew he was loved by God, and that was all that mattered! Manning developed his own personal declaration from that touching story. He would say of himself, “I am the one Jesus loves.”

It sounds a little arrogant, but he’s actually quoting Scripture. Jesus’ closest friend, John, identified himself in his Gospel as, “the one Jesus loved.” If you were to ask John, “What is your primary identity in life?” he wouldn’t reply, ‘I’m one of Jesus’ disciples—actually one of the three in his inner circle!” He wouldn’t say, “I’m one of the twelve apostles.” Nor would he identify himself as “the author of the Gospel that bears my name.” Or to really impress you, John would not tout his work in the Revelation. Rather, John would simply say, “I am the one Jesus loves.

I hope that you, too, will take to saying that. More importantly, I pray that you will start believing it in your heart, because if, and when, you truly grasp how great the Father’s love for you really is, it will change your entire life! Peter Kreeft insightfully wrote, “Sin comes from not realizing God’s love. Sin comes from thinking ourselves only as sinners, while overcoming sin comes from thinking ourselves as overcomers. We act out our perceived identities.”

You act as your perceived identity. Do you act sad, lonely, discouraged, hopeless, worthless, afraid? Or do you act like you’re the apple of your daddy’s eye? You are, you know—you’re the apple of God’s eye!

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And that is what we are! ” (I John 3:1)

Think how your life would change if you started to live out that identity!

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“Not only do we only know God through Jesus Christ, but we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ; we only know life and death through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ we cannot know the meaning of our life or our death, of God or of ourselves.” (Blaise Pascal)

 

Making Life Work: Friend, your identity is the one Jesus loves. Now start perceiving it. You are the apple of God’s eye—that is who you are. Your Father is watching over you at this moment with great delight. Now go act like that’s true, because it is!

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When God Is All You’ve Got

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 16
Focus: Psalm 16:2

“I said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’ ”

When God is all you’ve got, you’ve got it all!

David’s confession that apart from God he had no good thing was not the admission of a desperate person in dire need pathetically clinging to his God. No, this was a bold and delightful a recognition that in his utter dependence on the Lord, he had, as the Apostle Peter recognized a thousand or so years later, “everything that pertains to life and godliness.” Just what did “everything” mean in David’s mind? The rest of Psalm 16 describes it for us:

Blessing (“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup.” v. 5)

Favor (“surely I have a delightful inheritance.” v. 6)

Wisdom (“the LORD, who counsels me; at night my heart instructs me.” v. 7)

Security (“because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” v. 8)

Emotional well being (“therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.” v. 9)

Invincibility (“because you will not abandon me to the grave.” v. 10)

Satisfaction (“you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” v. 11)

If you are in a place that provides all that—God’s blessing, divine favor, spiritual wisdom, personal security, emotional health, supernatural intervention, and soul-soothing satisfaction, what more could you possibly ask for? Anything else you have in life—material abundance, physical health, relational well-being, even fame and fortune—is just icing on the cake.

If you focus on all the things you don’t have in this world, you will live a discontented life. Of course, that is not to say asking God for the things you need, even the things you desire is not appropriate.  It is—that is, if you ask in accordance to his will. But if you find yourself wrestling with chronic discontent, covetousness and lust for temporary stuff, try focusing instead on all the blessings of just belonging to your Heavenly Father.

I am quite certain that if you will do that, you will come to the place where you realize that when God is all you’ve got, you’ve got it all!

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“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” (John Piper)

 

Making Life Work: Gratitude is the path for reorienting your discontent to a deeply satisfying life in God.  And best of all, thanksgiving is something anyone can do. So here is the challenge. For the next seven days, morning, noon and night, practice thanksgiving therapy by noticing all the things you have—even the little things—and then praying gratefully. A thankful heart will change your life—and it will reorient it toward the glory of God.

 

 

 

 

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How To Live A Blessable Life

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 15
Focus: Psalm 15:1

“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”

What is the life God blesses? David couldn’t have spelled it out any clearer than in Psalm 15: It is the life of integrity! The person of complete integrity, which I realize, in the truest sense is redundant—spiritual, relational, financial, moral, intellectual, physical integrity—is the one upon whom God’s favor, power and provision will rest.

Now integrity is a word that gets thrown around a great deal these days—and that’s part of the problem: It gets thrown around instead of lived out. So just what is integrity? I think the simplest and best definition I know is this: The congruence of what you believe with how you behave. For the Christian, it is the marriage of Biblical values, principles and world-view with our moment-by-moment attitudes and actions. In short, it is to practice what we preach at all times and under every circumstance.

David provides some very specific areas of integrity that are absolutely critical to living under the blessing of God:

  • Moral Purity—Verse 2: “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous.”
  • Compassionate Honesty—Verse 2: “who speaks the truth from his heart.”
  • Rejection of Destructive Opinion—Verse 3: “and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.”
  • Revulsion of Evil People—Verse 4: “who despises a vile man.”
  • Promotion of Good People—Verse 4: “but honors those who fear the LORD.”
  • Ruthless Trustworthiness—Verse 4: “who keeps his oath when it hurts.”
  • Risky Generosity—Verse 5: “who lends his money without usury.”
  • Rigid Honor—Verse 5: “and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.”

Any person who lives organically, unbendingly and consistently this way will themselves be living, as verse 5 concludes, in the stability and security of the palm of the Heavenly Father’s hand: “He who does these things will never be shaken.”

The tides of an increasingly nasty culture and the natural drift of our own falleness will make living out this kind integrity extremely difficult. We will have to fight opposite currents every day, if not every moment of our lives. But such a well-lived life will be worth it along the way and at the end of our journey. It is the only way to live!

Besides, if we invite him, Better Hands will guide and empower us on the voyage!

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“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.” (Oswald Chambers)

 

Making Life Work: Any person who lives organically, unbendingly and consistently this way will themselves live, as verse 5 concludes, in the stability and security of the palm of the Heavenly Father’s hand: “He who does these things will never be shaken.” Take a moment to resubmit your life and your ways to those Heavenly Hands!

 

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Nobody’s Fool

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 14
Focus: Psalm 14:1

“The fool says in his heart, there is no God.”

David is not referring here to the atheist who flat out denies the existence of God—although we could easily argue the foolishness of such a position. Nor is he speaking of someone who is intellectually challenged. Rather, he is speaking of the person who is morally lacking. That one may even be very bright, and it could be they believe in God, but for all intents and purposes, they live as if God doesn’t exist. That kind of person is, in effect, a practical atheist.

You might find it interesting to know that David referred to such a person more than once in the Psalms. He uses identical language in Psalm 53:1, and in Psalm 10:4, he actually gives us a pretty clear definition of how the fool lives: “In all his thoughts there is no room for God.” From David’s position, he apparently had to contend with a number of people who were bright enough to work themselves into positions of influence and powerful enough to command his concern, but they concerned David because of the damage that they were able to inflict precisely because they lived and acted without regard for the laws of God.

You know people like that. So do I. They are very smart, successful, and perhaps even quite magnetic in their personalities. But they live with no thought for God. They act without regard for his moral law, with no consideration of his right to rule their lives, and oblivious to his eternal purposes in this world. They are practical atheists. In fact, some of these “fools” might even be sitting next to you in church.

I suppose, however, that the most important question to ask is not about these people—these fools, but rather, about you. Although you believe in God and claim him as your Sovereign Lord, is he? Is he the Lord of everything in your life? That is, does he hold absolute rulership in your thinking, your planning, your interacting and every facet of your moment by moment living? Or at times, do you live as if he doesn’t exist—as a practical atheist?

You know, I have to confess that at times I am a fool. I think, plan and do without giving God the highest consideration. I have a feeling you do too. I don’t mean to live that way; neither do you. I just neglect to give God his rightful place. In that sense, you and I are no different from the type of person David calls the fool.

Wouldn’t you agree that at some level, this psalm calls you to accept those stinging words as a rebuke to the way you have lived. If you want to be nobody’s fool—especially not God’s—change is in order!

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“An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.” (Fulton J. Sheen)

 

Making Life Work:So what say we do what Jesus called some of the early Christians to do who had fallen into that same trap of practical atheism: “Remember the heights from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5) In other words, let’s get back to the practice of putting God first in every waking thought we have. Or, as Paul taught in Romans 12:1, “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 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.” That’s what you might call practicing the presence of God. And it’s the best antidote to practical atheism.