Day of Praise

Sa, Sep 29 "Day of Praise"

"Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: 'Ask all the people of the
land and the priests, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh
months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?"'"
- Zechariah 7:4-5

Happy Saturday, Everyone! Today's verse is the same as yesterday's. I'm using the same verse because I want to thank all of you who regularly respond to Day of Praise. It is a blessing!

In particular, also, I wanted to share a response to yesterday's devotion from Neil C. Gustafson of Raleigh, North Carolina. Neil's reflection is full of wit, humility, and thankfulness for God's grace. Here it is. Neil writes --

Fasting is interesting to me. I never fast more than a few hours between
meals....

In John 6, Jesus says not to work for food we eat but for food that endures
to eternal life.

That verse really intrigued me when I studied it a few years ago. It stayed
on my mind for days.

When I miss a meal or so and get really hungry, it is all I can think about.
It physically and mentally overwhelms me. I believe that Jesus is saying
that is the way I should be about Him. My love/devotion of Him should
overwhelm me.

The fact is that I NEVER am like that for Jesus.

My conclusion is that I am a sinner; it is just who I am. It permeates
through my entire being (physical and mental). The good news is that it is
not about me or whether I am a sinner or not, it is 100% about Him.

I believe that as a Christian, I am no less a sinner than non-believers.
What separates me is that because of Jesus' sacrifice, I can still have a
relationship with God. It is not dependent on me, so there is nothing I can mess up. It is all about Him and He cannot mess up.

Praise God!















Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, Sep 28 "Day of Praise"

"Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: 'Ask all the people of the land and the priests, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?"'" - Zechariah 7:4-5

Fasting is giving up earthly food for a meal or longer so you can focus on and eat the spiritual food that God alone can give. Jesus refers to this spiritual food in John 4, when the disciples are trying to give him earthly food, Jesus says, "I have food that you know nothing about."

Throughout this week, three different people have shared with me that they were fasting. They are different in that one's a young woman, one's a young man, and one's an older man. They are different in that their fasts were of varying lengths. But they are the same in that they all clearly know the Lord with a depth that is greater than the typical believer.

You may need to talk to your doctor before trying to fast, especially if it's more than one meal. But if you're able to try the spiritual discipline that is fasting, then it is certainly one way to grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord.

May God bless you richly today. The Lord is with you by the power of the Holy Spirit, as He has shown us plainly in Jesus Christ.

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, Sep 29 "Day of Praise"

"'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty." - Zechariah 3:10

Bet you haven't done that lately. Ya know, invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree.

Well, it's best that we all start doin' it on a regular basis.

If you check out the twenty (20) Bible verses where "vine" and "fig tree" are paired, what you discover is that being under a vine and fig tree represents being under God's blessings. Easily understood blessings under the vine and fig tree are prosperity, safety, beauty, hope, and the expulsion of fear. Blessings under the vine and fig tree that require a little more thought (but blessings nonetheless) are peace from a foreign king, a place to repent, a place to reveal faith and joy even in hard times, and a place to look for the fruit of a person's life.

The point is that a person's heart gets healthy under the vine and the fig tree.

In contrast, within those same twenty (20) Bible verses where "vine" and "fig tree" are paired, what you discover is that the absence of a vine and fig tree (and therefore the absence of blessings to sit under) brings bad news, namely, the bad news of ruin by way of destruction, judgment, plague or drought.

The point is that the absence of a vine and fig tree represents stepping out from under God's blessings. And taking your life into your own hands. News flash -- that's not a good idea.

So what then does "'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty" (Zechariah 3:10) mean?

It means we should all regularly "invite a neighbor" to our home to sit under our blessings.

Talk to them.

Listen to them.

Visit together.

Catch up on one another's lives.

Be thankful to God and encourage each other.

And watch what happens to your hearts: prosperity, safety, beauty, hope, and the expulsion of fear. And if you really invest your heart in the visit, maybe you'll see a few of those rarer blessings like repentance, a testimony to faith and joy in hard times, and conversation about the fruit of a person's life.

My kids and I do this all the time. We sit under the vine and fig tree to talk, listen, visit together, catch up, be thankful to God, and encourage each other. It's a blast. We do it when it's just us. And we also enjoy "inviting people over to sit under our vine and fig tree."

Oh, yeah, you're all invited to my house for Thanksgiving Day from 11 am - 2:30 pm. Seriously. It'll be a blast. Lots of figs and fruit of the vine. Bring a dish to share.

But it will end at 2:30 because, shortly thereafter, I'm going to my brother, Ben's, and enjoy sitting under his vine and fig tree. (I haven't told him yet, so I hope he's gonna be home.)

Until then, friends, invite a neighbor over to sit under your vine and fig tree.

And may the prosperity of relationships reign.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, Sep 26 "Day of Praise"

"Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: 'I am with you,' declares the Lord." - Haggai 1:13

Presence. Never underestimate the value and power of presence.

I received the following email at 11:54 last night -- "Hey PC! By chance do you have a break in your schedule this week to come visit [my wife] and our new born baby girl, who are both, at this moment in Critical care units @ [this hospital]? No emergency. Your smile and presence, would be a world of reassurance for us all!"

I haven't seen this couple in years. Yet they would like someone's "smile and presence".

I'm not being falsely modest when I say I'm nobody special. That couple just wants someone who will represent the truth of today's verse from Haggai where the Lord said to the people: "I am with you".

God promised it through Haggai. In other words, God promised to be present, but he made the promise to be present through a person who was present, namely, the prophet Haggai.

That's the way God chooses to work with his word, that is, through means, like the water in Holy Baptism, the bread and wine in Holy Communion, and through ordinary people in hospitals, homes, ball fields, and workplaces. God chooses to tell people that He Himself is present through people who are present.

I have friends in Birmingham who are driving to Atlanta today to be present with a loved one who's having surgery tomorrow. They will be present, but they'll also represent the truth that God is present because that's how God chooses to work. In the same fashion of the email I received late last night, my friends who are driving to Atlanta will be the "smile and presence [that will] be a world of reassurance for us all!"

I myself will always be grateful for the man (not a pastor mind you) from our church who came and visited with me before my back surgery in November 2009. He was my "smile and presence [that was a] world of reassurance!"

To be sure, Jesus, being the Son of God, is the ultimate means through which God gives us his presence. Jesus' last words in the Gospel of Matthew are "behold, I am with you, even to the end of the age."

Yes, Jesus is the ultimate presence of God, but make no mistake about it, because Jesus lives in you by the power of the Holy Spirit, somebody this week and next week and every week needs you to be the "smile and presence [that will] be a world of reassurance for us all!"

Presence. Never underestimate the value and power of presence.

Go visit and encourage someone soon.

"Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: 'I am with you,' declares the Lord." - Haggai 1:13

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, Sep 25 "Day of Praise"

[God said to Daniel in a vision,] "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." - Daniel 12:13

There it is.

Resurrection.

In the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.

"You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." (Daniel 12:13)

I've been walking around for the last hour just smiling at the mere thought of it.

When I die, it's not the end.

When you die, it's not the end.

Death does not have the final word.

God does.

And as great as that is.

God actually gives us more.

Yes, if there really is resurrection...

Then there is more than resurrection.

Resurrection, until it happens, is a future event.

What about the present?

With resurrection, God covers that too.

With resurrection, God covers the present too.

That's why, in today's verse, God also said to Daniel in a vision, "As for you, go your way till the end."

Operative word is "go".

As in, "Go, get on with it."

As in, "Go! Live with confidence!"

As in, "Go! Live with a confidence that doesn't fear death because, well, because there's resurrection."

That's exciting to me for my life.

That's comforting to me too.

Ya see, I got kids. Three of 'em.

One day, unless something very rare happens and we all die together, one of us, probably me, is gonna say some last words to the others.

I think about those words from time to time.

My last words are gonna be "Go, get on with it."

I'm not being morbid.

To the contrary, it's empowering.

It's empowering to envision my kids living with a confidence that doesn't fear death because, well, because there's resurrection.

Indeed, life's good.

Now.

And forever.

Because, well, because there's resurrection.

[God said to Daniel in a vision,] "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." - Daniel 12:13

Praise God!





Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, Sep 24 "Day of Praise"

"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing" - Ezra 1:1

Today's verse is the simplest reminder of why we trust the promises of God: God has the power to do whatever it takes to fulfill his word.

In the case of today's verse, God moves the heart of a foreign king to fulfill his word. Furthermore, that foreign king did not even acknowledge God, let alone trust or worship God. And yet God moved that king's heart so that, at the right time, God came through for all who trusted and worshiped him.

Friends, if you trust and worship God, God will come through for you. Believe it, because it's true!

Dear Lord, you know our frailties, uncertainties, burdens, fears, and needs. Give us your peace, we pray, trusting that you are Sovereign God and that, at the right time, you come through for all who trust and worship you. Amen.

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, Sep 21 "Day of Praise"

"For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name." - Daniel 9:18-19

"For your own sake, O my God."

"For your own sake, O my God."

"For your own sake, O my God."

Why do we do what we do? Who or what is our motivation?

In today's passage from Daniel, God tells us that even if we have the highest earthly motivation, (which is to share the Gospel of Jesus with an unbeliever so they can be saved), then our motivation still falls short. Our motivation still falls short not only of God's will but our motivation also falls short of what is really best for the unbeliever.

If we are sharing the gospel just for the sake of the unbeliever then we run the risk of defaming and profaning the Lord's name. Because we're looking first to bless the person, we are doing the right thing with the wrong motive.

The right motive, God says, and therefore what we look to do first, is bless and praise the Lord.

If we are witnessing and sharing the gospel to others for the sake of the Lord's name then it behooves us to be sure to be witnessing in a manner that does not profane His name and that it is in obedience to the Lord.

It's at this point that I probably should acknowledge that yes I know that today is Saturday and that I usually try to be short and sweet and cheery with Days of Praise on Saturdays because I realize that everyone needs a rest from thinking too hard from Monday to Friday. But isn't that exactly another application of what was just said above: "If we are sharing the gospel just for the sake of the [person] then we run the risk of defaming and profaning the Lord's name [because] we are doing the right thing with the wrong motive"?

I really do want you to have a restful Saturday. I myself want a restful Saturday.

But Daniel is God's instrument in today's verses to remind us that if we really want rest for our loved ones -- translation of "rest" = God's great mercy, God's forgiveness, God's attention, God's actions for God's places and God's people -- then we must desire that our paths are "paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23).

Think about it. Better yet, go to www.biblegateway.com and search "name sake" and just read, (you barely even need to think to be impressed), just read the thirty-four (34) Bible passages where God tells us all that He does for His name's sake.

The greatest blessings for us are all "for His name's sake."

So if we really want to rest today, or any day for that matter, thinking about what is done for God's name's sake will be a major part of our day.

"For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name." - Daniel 9:18-19

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, Sep 21 "Day of Praise"

"Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting" - Daniel 5:5-6, 27

One of the all time favorite activities is doodling. Ya know, while you're supposedly listening to someone else, you're drawing stuff on paper. Doodling.

I knew this guy in college who was constantly doodling crosses. All kinds of crosses. One cross looked like a scales; ya know, scales--the ancient way of weighing things, where you put something like a piece of silver on one side and a supposedly honest measure on the other to see how much the silver weighs. The key words being "supposedly honest" because the merchants used to cheat people all the time.

Like King Belshazzar of today's Bible verse. He apparently cheated his people all the time. So God sized him up and, through Daniel, told King Belshazzar, "you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting" (Daniel 5:27).

The "writing was on the wall" (Daniel 5:5-6), which is where we get that old expression from. We get it from the Bible. It's as if God is doodling crosses that look like scales and, like King Belshazzar, "the writing is on the wall" for all of us. And "we have been weighed in the balances and found wanting."

Uh oh. Unless, something happens to change things, we'd all be doomed.

And fortunately, God makes something happen. God sends his Son, Jesus Christ, to take on a very plain cross, with nothing fancy about it. It's a wooden post down into the ground and a wooden post going cross ways.

The writing was on the wall. We were going to perish because we'd been weighed by a fancy cross, a scales, and we'd been found wanting, lacking, falling short, not measuring up to the righteousness required for fellowship with God forever. The writing was on the wall, and we were on our way to hell.

But praise God that "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son," that whosoever believes in His forgiving work on that plain old cross, would not perish, but have eternal life.

So now, for all who believe in Jesus, there's a new writing on the wall. Life forever with God.

So if we get bored at all today, maybe we could doodle that! And may God be praised as we do.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, Sep 20 "Day of Praise"

"In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed." - Daniel 7:1

Last night before I went to bed, I read the Daily Bible verses for today where God gave Daniel a vision. All through the night, I kept dreaming about the song where God gives us a vision of himself. I pray the words to that song will be a blessing to you today as they have always been for me and for many.

Here's the song:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

(Words: Dallan Forgail--8th Century)

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, Sep 19 "Day of Praise"

"How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" - Psalm 137:4

Psalm 137 is a lament. A dictionary defines lament in this way: la·ment/ləˈment - Noun: A passionate expression of grief.

I respect grief.

But with all due respect, I think Psalm 137 is mislabeled. Psalm 137 is not a passionate expression of grief. It's whining.

Yes, things have not gone the way that the people want them to, but they do have a choice at this point. They can whine, or they can believe that God is in their midst, blessing them and working on the situation.

I have a friend who doesn't sing very well, but he's singing some kind of a God song all through the day. He's the happiest, most thoughtful, and most generous person I know. He's got troubles. But he's happy. Because he hums and sings and thinks about God all day.

Maybe there's something to that. Think about it. Better yet. Let's hum and sing about it. All through the day.

So, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" (Psalm 137:4) Well, believe in God, trust God, and just do it. Sing and hum to God all day. You and those around you will be blessed.

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, Sep 18 "Day of Praise"

"In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." - Psalm 44:8

From time to time, I give you all a warning. So here's your warning: This one may seem dumb to you. So, I'll make the point right now.

Point: God made us all to love to praise the Lord.

So, there ya go; that's the point of our verse, "In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." (Psalm 44:8)

For those who want to read on out of curiosity, here ya go.

I like playing with words in a nonsensical sort of way, especially with the words that make names...anything to help people connect with another.

For example, when Donia and Donna were walking toward the worship sanctuary almost right next to each other, I said, "Hey, you two are almost related because you both have a 'D' and 'O' and 'N' and 'A' in your names." Everybody groaned, but then they met each other and, based on experience, they'll never forget each others' names. Anything to help people connect with another.

On a more famous scale, much has been made of the famous football quarterback, Tim Tebow. After every touchdown that Tebow either throws to someone or he himself runs, Tebow stops and bows his head and praises God.

Even though you pronounce his last name like iced tea (Teeee) and a rainbow (Bow) for "Tebow", I like to have fun with it and say, "Tim (Teeee) bows his head (bow) in praise to God. He's 'TeeeeBow'." Ya know, like Tim bows his head; he's Teeeebow. Get it? I told you it was dumb.

But hey, I don't do this stupid kind of stuff just to be stupid. I do it because I'll do anything that's moral to help people connect with another. In this case, anything to help people connect with THE other, that is GOD!!!

See, I don't know Tim Tebow personally, but you can feel his spirit in everything that he does, on and off the football field. And clearly a lot of people are watching his every move both on and off the football field. And clearly Tim Tebow knows it, so he too will do anything that's moral to help people connect with another. In this case, anything to help people connect with THE other, that is GOD!!!

I think Tim (Teee) bows to praise God (bow) for a reason. "TeBows" to remind us that "WeBow", to remind us that God made us all to love to bow our heads in praise to God.

Here are some Bible passages that testify to this truth, where WeBow and praise God and love every moment of it:

Genesis 24:48 - I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham...

2 Samuel 18:28 - He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

1 Chronicles 29:20 - Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise the LORD your God." So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD...

2 Chronicles 29:30 - So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped.

Nehemiah 8:6 - all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Psalm 66:4 - All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.

Psalm 138:2 - I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

Tim Tebow does not boast about himself when he does something good. Instead he lives the call of God in 1 Corinthians 1:31, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

"TeBows" to remind us that "WeBow". "Tebows" to remind us that God made us all to love to bow our heads in praise to God. He will do anything that's moral to help people connect with another. In this case, anything to help people connect with THE other, that is GOD!!!

"In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." - Psalm 44:8

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, Sep 16 "Day of Praise"

"Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: 'Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.'" - Job 38:1-3

All I remember is that he looked as big as the Biblical Goliath, and all I could do was laugh.

I was a non-scholarship, practice player with The University of Tennessee football team, commonly known to the public as a "walk-on", but commonly known to the scholarship football players as a "blocking dummy".

He, by contrast, was the all-time quarterback sack leader at Tennessee and was on his way to being the all-time sack leader in the National Football League, who would have his number retired at the University and enter the Pro Hall of Fame.

When we ran our conditioning tests at the start of training camp, we ran side by side, and he ran them faster than me, even though I was 5'10" and 174 lbs, and he was 6'3" and 295 lbs.

His name was Reggie White, aka, The Minister of Defense, because he was also ordained as a Baptist Minister around the end of high school.

Tragically he tasted a premature death from a heart condition, but he did a lot of great things with his life.

One thing he did was humble me, along with a lot of other people. In my case, I was supposed to block him, as he was on the punt return team and I was on the practice-squad punt team.

He said, "C'mon Chris, give me some more resistance!" I said, "Reggie, it takes three guys, twice my size, to try to block you in real games, and they can't do it. So what do you want me to do?"

It was humbling. And Reggie was merely a man.

Imagine how humbled Job felt in today's verse when God says, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." (Job 38:1-3)

I was humbled by a mountain of a man. Job was humbled by the God who made every mountain!

And yet if you read the balance of the book of Job, you see some great things come from being humbled: 1) Job's prayers are rich toward God and others, 2) Job's prayers are effective, 3) Job and his life are restored in a multitude of ways.

Today is Monday. There is some mountain or mountain of a person that is waiting for you today that will humble you.

Trust the God who made every mountain!

He will work with your humility and bless you!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, Sep 15 "Day of Praise"

"And [God] said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'" - Job 28:28

Throughout Job 28, Job has been repeatedly "asking" where one can find wisdom and understanding.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Job's conclusion is twofold: 1) wisdom and understanding do not belong to humanity and can't even be "found" by humanity and 2) wisdom and understanding belong to God and must be revealed by God to humanity, which is why "The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)

The "fear of the Lord" can be summed as "a recognition that God is God, and we're not." And because God is God, God can do whatever God wants to do, including annihilate us for our sin, if God wanted to.

Such fear of the Lord, such recognition that God can do whatever God wants to do, including annihilate us for our sin, is God's ordained way to open the eyes of our heart then to the magnitude of God's grace.

As the famous song goes, it (grace) is amazing, simply amazing, unfathomable, inspiring beyond compare.

God's grace then compels us to "shun evil" and find that, just as God has ordained the fear of the Lord as wisdom, so too has God ordained that to shun evil is understanding (Job 28:28). It just works because God has ordained it that our brains just work better and see things they wouldn't otherwise see when we pursue God and flee/shun evil. It's amazing, God's saying, how many "Oh, I get it!" moments we have when running to God and running from evil.

After all, God is God, God is the Creator of how things work, and we're not.

"And [God] said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'" - Job 28:28

Praaaaaaaaise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, Sep 14 "Day of Praise"

"I have not departed from the commands of [God's] lips; I have treasured the words of [the Almighty's] mouth more than my daily bread." - Job 23:12

In chapters 23 and 24 of the Bible book of Job, we learn two things: 1) what God has always desired for us, and 2) what tragically usually is instead.

What God desires for us is that we would treasure the words of the Almighty's mouth more than our daily bread (Job 23:12). For therein lies eternal life; in the Word of God, God gives us the best life in and with the Lord.

What tragically usually is instead is an impostor. Straying from the Word of God, we find what we seek, namely, earthly comforts that lull our souls to sleep, like the man who Jesus warned in Luke 12:15ff,

"Then [Jesus] said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.' And he told them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.'"

In chapter 24 of Job, Job is God's mouthpiece to give the same warning about "resting in a feeling of security" with anything other than God's Word by saying,

"[And Job said,] But God drags away the mighty by his power;
though they become established, they have no assurance of life.
He may let them rest in a feeling of security,
but his eyes are on their ways.
For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;
they are brought low and gathered up like all others;
they are cut off like heads of grain.
If this is not so, who can prove me false
and reduce my words to nothing?" (Job 24:22-25)

What God desires for us is that we would treasure the words of the Almighty's mouth more than our daily bread (Job 23:12). For therein lies eternal life; in the Word of God, God gives us the best life in and with the Lord.

Dear Lord, deepen our appetite for your word that we may speak from our hearts with Job. "I have not departed from the commands of [God's] lips; I have treasured the words of [the Almighty's] mouth more than my daily bread." (Job 23:12)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, Sep 13 "Day of Praise"

"I know that my Redeemer lives" - Job 19;25

Is it really possible to explain today's verse more clearly than the classic hymn? I'm not even gonna try. (Author suggestion: don't be in a rush while reading the following hymn or humming it in your heart. It's not a race. It's a list of promises, each of which is to be valued and cherished, one sweet promise at a time.)

"I Know that My Redeemer Lives"

I know that my Redeemer lives!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living head!

He lives triumphant from the grave;
He lives eternally to save;
He lives exalted, throned above;
He lives to rule his Church in love.

He lives to grant me rich supply;
He lives to guide me with his eye;
He lives to comfort me when faint;
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears;
He lives to wipe away my tears;
He lives to calm my troubled heart;
He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives to bless me with his love;
He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed;
He lives to help in time of need.

He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly friend;
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King!

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to his name!
He lives, my savior, still the same;
What joy this blest assurance gives:
I know that my Redeemer lives!

Hymn # 352 from Lutheran Book of Worship
Author: attr. John Hatton
Tune: Duke Street 1st Published in: 1775

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, Sep 12 "Day of Praise"

"My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes" - Job 16:16

God understands, and no one is exempt. God understands the weeping of every soul.

Yesterday morning, I had just visited a dear friend's mom at a local hospital. When I came out of her room, a young nurse came up to me and said, "Chaplain, the woman in 3102 wants to see you."

I told the nurse that I wasn't one of the hospital's chaplains, but I'd be glad to visit the room nonetheless.

As I entered the room, the woman who requested the chaplain was quick to offer that she and the strong man, who was wearing the tight bandana, were not married as I would think of it, but they were married in the eyes of the Lord.

I'd been down this road before, and what that means is "Don't jump to conclusions! Listen! Because God understands, and no one is exempt."

The strong man didn't say a word as the woman, who was in bed awaiting open heart surgery, never stopped talking about her fears.

I merely listened, waited, and asked if I could pray with them.

Holding their hands (with hers being small and his like leather), I had barely said "Lord" and started praying God's promises, when the tears started to pour.

From both of them.

Small woman needing open-heart surgery. And large, strong, unshaven, bandana-covered, leather-handed man alike.

No one is exempt.

Our hearts, and more specifically our fears, as we walk in faith, yearn to hear and hunger to taste the promises of Almighty God in Jesus Christ.

Look at people today as God is looking at you. The eyes never lie. Someone is hurting in their heart, "My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes" (Job 16:16).

Greet them. Ask how they're doing. Listen. And offer to pray.

The tears won't be far behind.

God understands the weeping of every soul. And we are his ears and mouthpiece of comfort for those who need to cry.

Praise God!





Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tuesday, September 11, 2021
"Day of Praise"

"Surely [God] recognizes deceitful men; and when he sees evil, does he not take note?" - Job 11:11

I don't hear anywhere near the amount of chatter about 9/11 this year as I have in years past. Have people forgiven? Or have people forgotten? All I know is that I remember people praying on that day (it was a Tuesday as is today) as I'd never seen people pray before that day. And I haven't seen such fervent prayer since.

Today, please stop to pray.

Thank you to Wikipedia for the following data and article.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001
8:46 a.m. – 10:28 a.m. (UTC-04:00)
Attack type
Aircraft hijacking, mass murder, suicide attack, terrorism
Deaths
2,996
Injured
More than 6,000
Perpetrators
al-Qaeda[1]
(See also responsibility and hijackers)
The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/11)[nb 1] were a series of four suicide attacks that were committed in the United States on September 11, 2001, coordinated to strike areas of New York City and Washington, D.C.
On that Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists from the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets. The hijackers intentionally piloted two of those planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City; both towers collapsed within two hours. The hijackers also intentionally crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and intended to pilot the fourth hijacked jet, United Airlines Flight 93, into the United States Capitol Building[2] in Washington, D.C.; however, the plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after its passengers attempted to take control of the jet from the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, including the 246 civilians and 19 hijackers aboard the four planes.

Suspicion quickly fell on al-Qaeda, and in 2004, the group's leader, Osama bin Laden, who had initially denied involvement, claimed responsibility for the attacks.[1] Al-Qaeda and bin Laden cited U.S. support of Israel, the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, and sanctions against Iraq as motives for the attacks. The United States responded to the attacks by launching the War on Terror and invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, which had harbored al-Qaeda. Many countries strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded law enforcement powers. In May 2011, after years at large, bin Laden was located and killed.

The destruction of the Twin Towers caused serious damage to the economy of Lower Manhattan and had a significant impact on global markets. Cleanup of the World Trade Center site was completed in May 2002, and the Pentagon was repaired within a year. Numerous memorials were constructed, including the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. After a lengthy delay, the 1,776-foot-tall (541 m) One World Trade Center is expected to be completed at ground zero in New York by 2013.[3]

For those who will remember, stop, and pray. Thank you!

Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, Sep 10 "Day of Praise"

"Then Job replied: 'Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?
Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?'" - Job 9:1-4

A dear, older friend of mine once summed up things like this, "God good; sin bad." Job used only slightly different words in today's verse, saying, "Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?"

Answer: We can't.

We can no more be righteous, in and of ourselves, before God than I can reach out my screened window and grab these beautiful stars that I'm looking at this very moment.

Yes, yes, I remember that, just a couple days ago in this devotion, we noted from Job 1:1 how God speaks of Job as being "blameless." Surely Job could be righteous, in and of himself, before God, couldn't he? But, biblically speaking, "blameless" merely means a person who is confronted by their sin and doesn't have to be dragged into a legal courtroom to get them to admit that they messed up.

So Job was blameless, but he was not sinless.

No one is sinless, except Jesus, which means that no one's heart is so in tune with the will of God the Father that they constantly act in accord with God's will. Only Jesus.

Which throws us back to Job's original question in Job 9:1, "How can a mortal be righteous before God?"

Only through faith in Jesus, which means that we trust Jesus to make all things right, including us.

To be sure, sometimes in surrendering to Jesus, he sends us to do something like pray for an enemy or pay retribution to someone we hurt.

But there is no way to pay back God. All we can do is thank Him.

So, "How can a mortal be righteous before God?"

Answer: 1) Don't wait to be dragged to court to admit a wrong. 2) Put your faith in God's Son, Jesus, who makes all things right. 3) Thank God. 4) Serve people...with a joy that springs from thanks to God.

That should make for a Happy Monday and a Happy World. Let's go!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, Sept 8 "Day of Praise"

"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

The Daily Bible reading for today is actually from the Bible book of Job.

Job is said to be blameless, upright, a God-fearer, and one who shuns evil. And yet Job loses all; he's personally afflicted; and he curses his birth.

How should we respond when calamity comes upon us, whether it's Job-like or 9-11ish or something to a much smaller degree?

Giving up often makes things worse, so hopefully we won't give up. But how do we hang in there and not give up? God speaks through the Psalmist to Job and all who've tasted violence, along with you and me. And God calls us to stop and pray and believe the word of God in our verse, "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)

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, Sep 7 "Day of Praise"

"At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored." - Daniel 4:34

Recently, someone dear to me asked if they could tell me something. "Of course," I said. They proceeded to tell me how they'd been drawn into the temptations of the world.

When they were done, we talked about both the temptation itself but also the process of confessing. Their closing comment was, "I feel better now that I've told you."

Confession is good for the soul.

Just ask powerful King Nebuchadnezzar, who, in today's Bible verse, tells how he himself had persistently turned away from God by sinning. But God, Nebuchadnezzar confesses, was and is more powerful; God is powerful and loving enough to bring us down to our knees.

And God is powerful and loving enough to restore us.

Nebuchadnezzar, who had persistently opposed God, was so moved by God's power and love, in dealing with Nebuchadnezzar's sin, that Nebuchadnezzar was compelled to confess his own sin to the world and encourage others to do the same. For he says in Daniel 4:37, "And those who walk in pride, [God] is able to humble."

Nebuchadnezzar had learned first hand what surely many of us have heard in Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Let us be encouraged by powerful King Nebuchadnezzar's testimony and the dear one who said to me, "I feel better now that I've told you."

Confession is good for the soul.

Praise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, Sep 6 "Day of Praise"

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" - James 1:19

As 9/11 approaches, many of us here at Christ the King Lutheran Church (LCMC) in Birmingham, Alabama remember our brother Tom Nelson's witness. Tom was at a conference at the World Trade Centers Hotel when the tragic events unfolded that day. His witness was and is that, as he and the others were being moved quickly away from the scene, he was moved by the Spirit of God to ask, "God, what do you want me to do?"

Such is the essence of today's Bible verse from James 1:19. We are called to "be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" so we can ask, "God, what do you want me to do?" and then listen for God's reply.

This same counsel is given by Andy Stanley in his book "Enemies of the Heart" as he describes the antidote to greed, which is generosity. Stanley says that you know that you have yielded to God's life-giving word so that generosity reigns in your heart over greed when you have a monetary windfall come your way and the first thing you do is ask, "God, what do you want me to do with this money?"

The TV commercials for insurance are true; life does come at you fast. But as it does, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19). For in so doing we can listen for God's response as we ask, "God, what do you want me to do?"

Praise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, Sep 5 "Day of Praise"

"and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east" - Ezekiel 43:2

Amazing!

What must it have been like for Ezekiel to have seen the glory of God?

Can anything compare?

What are the greatest things you've ever seen?

I've seen three things on an internet list of top 10 sights in the world and 39 of a top 100 in the USA.

But none of them compares to seeing each of my three children burst into the world. And seeing them laugh together (especially now as they're all three teenagers) is a very, very, very close second.

But God says in the Bible, in John 1:14, that each of us, like Ezekiel, has seen the greatest wonder known to humankind. We have beheld God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ, who even now is with us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Describing what we've seen in Christ is hard. How do you describe what some Bible dictionaries call "Weighty Importance" and "Inspiring Majesty"?

And yet it's possible.

God's glory, God's "Weighty Importance" and "Inspiring Majesty" is seen through God's mighty acts in creation.

No, you probably haven't seen the parting of the Red Sea as for Moses and the Israelites.

But, c'mon, think! God has done something for you that, when you stop and think about it, it's marvelous to behold.

Stars at night. Heart stopper!

Cahaba Lilies by day. Breathtaking!

Birth of a child. Oh, wow!

Laughter of a child. Glorious!

Laughter of an adult. Miraculous!

Looking in the mirror and smiling at what you see because life is beautiful, and by God's grace you have it. Glory!

Dinner on the table, prepared by your teenage children.

At their initiative. Silly amazing!

Jesus on a cross. Shedding his blood for you and me. Speechless!

Peeking for a moment at your loved ones together and bowed before God in prayer saying, "Dear Lord, thank you for...". Priceless!

A sun rise in the east. Incomparable!

The Son Rising from the grave after dying for your sin and mine. Beyond understanding and explanation!

Glorious. Weighty. Important. Inspiring. Majestic.

"and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east" - Ezekiel 43:2

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, Sep 4 "Day of Praise"

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'" - Daniel 3:16-18

Dear Friends,
Come what may today, remember that if you have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, then you know the "God who is able." And you will be able, therefore, to stand and endure, with courage, confidence, and wisdom from God, whatever comes your way.

For God sends forth His word by the Holy Spirit that we might yield to His Spirit and receive His Word where God literally tells us what He "is able" to do for you and all who believe.

Daniel 3:17 - If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.

Daniel 6:20 - When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" [Yes, God did.]

Matthew 26:61 - "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'" [Yes, Jesus did say that, as he referred to his body as the temple with the crucifixion and resurrection.]

Acts 5:39 - [Gamaliel said], "But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

Romans 8:39 - 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 11:23
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again [to the vine of God's people].

2 Corinthians 9:8 - And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Hebrews 7:25 - Therefore [Jesus Christ] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

God in Christ is able to do incomparable things for you and all people. Trust Him today, and you will see.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, Sept 3 "Day of Praise"

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." - Psalm 127:1

May God be thanked and praised for bringing fruit to our labors.

May you have a blessed Labor Day today.

Praise God!




Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, Sept 1 "Day of Praise"

"[The LORD says,] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean" - Ezekiel 36:25

Sprinkle. Clean. Water.

What a nice reminder...

of Jesus telling us that God's grace, like rain showers, falls on all people,

of Jesus washing the disciples feet and calling us to share such love,

of water spilling from Jesus' side when he was pierced on the cross where he died to cleanse us from sin,

of Gabriel Liam Swysgood's baptism tomorrow where he'll hear of God's love for him and be touched with water and the Holy Spirit,

of your baptism where you heard of God's love for you and were touched with water and the Holy Spirit and, depending on your tradition, maybe declared your love for God too right then or maybe it was later at your Confirmation,

of the water of Hurricane Isaac and our prayers for, on the one hand, the people who've tasted sorrow from that water, but on the other hand, some drought-stricken land that's about to get some much-needed water from the hurricane,

of the innumerable wonders of God relating to "Sprinkle. Clean. Water."

"[The LORD says,] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean" - Ezekiel 36:25

Praise God!






Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson