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Don’t Get In A Hurry

Be Still … It Still Works

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!

“God may be slow, but he is never late!” —Ray Noah

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.

My Offering of Worship: If you are impatient, become accountable for it with another believer. If you are like me, you know the areas where you tend to be most impatient. Maybe you are quick-tempered with the people around you. Maybe you’re filled with worry or wrestling with depression or anxious about the future. Maybe your impatience is with God because a healing hasn’t occurred, a deliverance hasn’t come, an answer hasn’t materialized. Whatever it is, become accountable for it with a brother or sister in Christ. James 5 says, “Admit your faults to one another, and pray for each other so you can be healed.” Because it is so natural to fall into impatience without realizing it, and it is so easy to justify, you will need someone to hold you accountable for it.

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Prince Charming

An Ancient Recipe for an Awesome Relationship

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.

2023-11-03 Prince Charming

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!

My Offering of Worship: If you are dating, engaged, fantasizing about your perfect match, raising kids, influencing grandkids, or in a position of mentorship, read this psalm aloud and talk (even if it is to yourself) about the qualities that make a prince or princess so charming.

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Where is the God of Old?

Miracles Are Still Possible!

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!

Where is the God of Old?

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!

My Offering of Worship: One of the keys to experiencing the miracle-working power of God in our day is found in the Great Commission of Mark 16:17-18, “And those who believe shall use my authority to cast out demons [divine power], and they shall speak new languages [divine communication]. They will be able even to handle snakes with safely, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them [divine protection], and they will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them [divine miracles].” Of course, God is sovereign and can do miracles whenever and wherever he desires, but one of the ways we can put ourselves in the position to experience miracles is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. In light of that, where can you step out to share the Good News with people who have never heard it before?

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Conflicted

The Gritty Gap Between Promise and Fulfilment

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.

“If you are in that gritty gap between God’s promise and its fulfillment in your life, 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!” —Ray Noah

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.

My Offering of Worship: If you are struggling with a sense of abandonment, disappointment, and vulnerability, like the authors of this psalm, then look up all the references to hope in the Bible. By the way, there are 180 Bible references to “hope” in the New International Version. You probably won’t need to read them all before you start putting on hope.

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Depressed? Practice Hope!

Do a Little Dwelling

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.”

Depressed? Practice Hope!

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!”

My Offering of Worship: Take some time to read Ephesians 1-2 and take note of all the blessings that are yours by virtue of belonging to Jesus. List them out on a piece of paper and then slowly, repeatedly, prayerfully thank God for each one.

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Flawed But Forgiven

Helplessly Flawed but Not Hopelessly Lost

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.

“We’re 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.”

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!

My Offering of Worship: Memorize Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, 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.” Then pray it with a sincere heart.

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No-Strings-Attached Faith

Trust When There Is No Visible Evidence

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.”

“Neither good times nor bad days should be relevant to your faith, because you are anchored in something far stronger than your circumstances: the immutable character of God.”

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?

My Offering of Worship: Re-read the list of people who exhibited organic devotion to God when on the surface, there was no empirical evidence to place truth in God. After you read of their deep water faith, ask God to give you that kind of faith.