Posted on

What To Give Someone Who Has Everything

Our Fear and Hope—That’s What Impresses God

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.

What To Give Someone Who Has Everything - Ray Noah Blog

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

God 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.

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!

My Offering of Worship: Offer up a prayer of heartfelt reverence and unmitigated hope to God today,. That will bring a smile to his face.

Posted on

Make Every Day Thanksgiving Day – You’ll Be Grateful You Did

Practice Gratitude - It Opens the Door To More of God's Goodness

Today is Thanksgiving Day, so offer thanks to God with your whole heart! It will not only make God smile, it will do you some good, too. Bruce Chapman said it well: “Gratitude has been called the gateway to the virtues. As Cicero put it, ‘Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all others,’ opening the heart to deeper appreciation, compassion, repentance, forgiveness, generosity, and wisdom. Giving thanks should be cultivated as a habit. It is a kind of “therapy for the spirit.” Try some “thanks therapy” today – you’ll be grateful you did.

Thanksgiving Therapy //  Luke 17:15-17

One of the lepers, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?”

Every generation of parents ask a question of their children. It’s more of a prompting than a question. After receiving a gift or a favor, parents ask, “What do you say?” Of course, the expected response is, “thank you!”

That routine was repeated in my home when I was a child. My mother would ask me, “What do you say to Grammie for her brownies?” Now she didn’t really want my honest opinion—she would have gone postal if I had said, “Grammie, where in the name of heaven did you learn how to bake brownies? Every year they’re as hard as a rock! One of these times someone’s going to break a tooth.” My mom didn’t really care what I thought; she simply wanted a response of gratitude to show my acknowledgment for Grammie’s kindness and effort.

Parents still want their children to show gratitude even if their children don’t feel grateful. They want them to learn to offer thanks simply because it’s the right thing to do. Why? Simply because every human being lives with a debt of gratitude, owing thanks to someone for something. Of course, parents hope their kids won’t just parrot words of gratitude; they hope that the exercise of gratitude now will one day produce authentically grateful people.

And that is exactly what our Heavenly Father hopes for each of us! That is why you can’t go far into the Bible without a reference or an admonition to be thankful, as in this story of the ten lepers.

The ability to express gratitude is one of the fundamental signs of a redeemed life and a growing spirituality. To give thanks is one of the highest callings we have and one of the most self-benefiting things we can do. It keeps us from being self-absorbed. It produces an eternal perspective. It reminds us of how blessed we really are. It creates a perspective that sees that all of life is a gift.

At the end of each day G. K. Chesterton would say, “Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands [to experience this] great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?” That’s why Ambrose, Bishop of Milan said, “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” It keeps you focused on God’s goodness and not on yourself. And best of all, gratitude opens the door for more:

To be thankful for what we have received…is the surest way to receive more. (Andrew Murray)

So why not practice a little gratitude today! You’ll be grateful you did!

Practice Gratitude: Write a list of 10 things from this past week for which you are thankful. Then give thanks for them.

Posted on

Everlastingly Faithful

You Can Trust God

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?

Everlastingly Faithful - Ray Noah Blog

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 146:5-6

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever.

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.

My Offering of Worship: Offer a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, for he alone is worthy.

Posted on

Worship Is All About What God’s Likes and Deserves

Make The Choice to Worship

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.

Make the Choice - Ray Noah Blog

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 145:21

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

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!

My Offering of Worship: The next time you are in a corporate worship setting and you are not particularly enjoying it, offer the prayer that I prayed: “God, you deserve worship, and if I am the only person in this place that 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!” Then, get ready for God to change your heart and give you the most incredible experience of worship you have ever experienced: worship in spirit and in truth.

Posted on

Time Flies!

You're Not Getting Any Younger

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?”

Time Flies - Ray Noah Blog

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 144:10

Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.

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.

My Offering of Worship: Since you and I are not getting any younger, let’s take some time this week to project forward to the day of our demise. Think of what we desire those we leave behind to say of our spiritual legacy on that day. Then, obviously, let’s start living today in such a way that what we want them to say about us will be true.

Posted on

Need A Little Help Here!

With God’s Help, We Cannot Make It

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!

Need a little help here - Ray Noah Blog

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 143:10

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

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!

My Offering of Worship: If sin is to be overcome in our lives, it will take a little help from God. Actually, a lot of help: It would require God’s active mercy, his daily guidance, and his constant shepherding. So, like King David, let’s offer our plea to God for his help.

Posted on

The Cave

Core Curriculum in the Classroom of Spirituality Maturity

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.

The Cave - Ray Noah Blog

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 142:1

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

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.

My Offering of Worship: Are you in the cave? Pour your heart out to God! Then wait patiently for a resurrection into something better and more eternal: The image of Christ now stamped upon you.