Day of Praise: February 2015

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Day of Praise

Sa, 02/28/15, "Day of Praise"

"[Jesus said,] 'But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.'" - Matthew 13:16

Faith, which is to trust in what can only be seen with the eyes of the heart, is a simple but profound mystery.

Faith is truly a gift from God, as God says plainly in Ephesians 2:8-10 through Paul.

And faith, which is to trust in what can only be seen with the eyes of the heart, is the way that we receive the abundant life that God gives through Jesus alone by God's grace alone.

The point in all this is this. If you have faith in Jesus and his life-giving work, then praise God, for God alone can work such simple, yet profound, faith in us.

That same faith is God's gift to help us see that even hopefully restful Saturdays and hopefully worshipful Sundays and "back to the grindstone Mondays" are happy days because God is in our midst! May God bless you in your rest, your worship, and your labors so that your rest, worship, and labors may be a praise to God.

"[Jesus said,] 'But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.'" - Matthew 13:16

Praise God!

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Friday, February 27, 2015

Day of Praise

Fr, 02/27/15, "Day of Praise"

"Jesus said to him, 'I will go and heal him.' The centurion replied, 'Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.'" - Matthew 8:7-8

As with the centurion, who was in charge of 100 men, believe it because it's true -- Jesus needs only to say the word, and it will be.

In the beginning, God only said "Let there be light," and there was light.

And so it has been ever since, in that God only needs to say the word, and it is.

So when Jesus, on the cross, says "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," then we are forgiven. He said it, and it is done.

What need ye today?

Believe that God need only say the word, and it will be.

Such is the power and blessing of God's word in our lives.

Dear God, send your Holy Spirit to work such a simple and yet profound faith in us. Give us radical confidence in your word. And give us radical faith to believe that whatever you say, it will not only be, but it will be best for us, as you lead us in eternal and everlasting life. Amen.

Praise God!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Day of Praise

Th, 02/26/15, "Day of Praise"

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." - Luke 3:16

This is John the Baptist speaking. He is different from John the Apostle, who wrote the Gospel of John. John the Baptist most likely knew what he knew about Jesus through special revelation. John the Apostle most likely knew what he knew about Jesus directly from Jesus.

Special revelation is when you know something, but you don't know how you know it.

God has always wanted to give us the treasure of special revelation. God gives it in the form of wisdom that helps us counsel our children and friends and in the form of knowledge that we often call discernment. The fruit of such wisdom and knowledge is peace, which like the wisdom and knowledge is a peace that passes all understanding.

In sum with special revelation, we have wisdom and knowledge and peace, but we don't know how we have it. It's beyond explanation. It's a "God thing."

God wants to give these spiritual gifts today. For you to receive them, as God gives them, there are two things that you need to do, both of which are acts of surrender to the work of God's Holy Spirit. In other words, when you do them, you must realize that you couldn't do them unless God had worked them in you by His Holy Spirit. So praise God for them.

That being said, the two things you must do to regularly receive the special revelation of wisdom, knowledge and peace is to believe that they exist and to pursue them more than you pursue material treasure.

Here are some key Bible verses to encourage you to believe in and to pursue these spiritual gifts, remembering always to give credit and praise to God.

2 Chronicles 1:10 - "Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

Psalm 49:3 - My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.

Proverbs 2:6 - For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Isaiah 11:2 - The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—

Daniel 2:21 - He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Luke 21:15 - For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

1 Corinthians 12:8 - To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit...

Colossians 1:9 - For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

God wants to give these spiritual gifts today. Believe they exist; pursue them; and praise God who alone can give them!

Praise God!

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Day of Praise

We, 02/25/15, "Day of Praise"

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" - Mark 2:17

Tricky. So please bear with me.

In today's verse, Jesus says that he didn't come to call the righteous. However, God's own word in the Bible book of Romans tells us that no one is righteous, except God.

So when Jesus says that he didn't come to call the righteous, there is an implicit phrase, namely, "those who think they are." So what Jesus is saying is that he didn't come to call [those who think they are] righteous [but really aren't because no one is righteous, except God].

The heart of this matter is this: the people who think they are righteous (but really aren't because God alone is righteous) are people who have a confidence problem. Oh, yes, they have confidence, but their confidence is seriously misplaced.

God makes it clear that our confidence is to be placed in God.

Having a great day and a great life is directly tied to how much you put your faith and confidence in God and his Son, Jesus Christ. So put your faith and confidence in God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

Here's a few Bible passages to illustrate:

2 Chronicles 32:8 -
"With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

2 Corinthians 3:4 -
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.

Ephesians 3:12 -
In [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Put your faith and confidence in God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

Praise God!

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Day of Praise

Tu, 02/24/15, "Day of Praise"

"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?'" - John 1:38

I remember when a five year old boy came up to me with two things: a smile and one of his parents. He had a request. He wanted me to hear him answer nineteen faith questions that his parent was about to ask him. The questions ranged from understanding creation as the handiwork of God to describing the faith concept of one God in three persons, otherwise known as both the Trinity and also the greatest mystery of the Christian faith.

This was a five year old, remember.

I listened. He perfectly recited the responses to nineteen faith questions.

And he never once stopped smiling.

Why?

Because he's been taught to love and want God's Word.

When you couple the two things that God made us to hunger for (1 - the pleasing of our parents, in accord with God's Word, and 2 - knowing God intimately by way of knowing His Word), then you get a young kid who loves to make his parents happy by showing others how much he knows God's Word.

This young boy will become an adult who will love to make His Heavenly Father happy by sharing the Word of God with others.

This will be because this young boy has been taught to want what we was made by God to want. He wants to please God and know God through His Word.

What do you want?

Jesus not only asks the question in today's verse, but he asks the question strategically as does any good counselor. And Jesus is a good counselor. Indeed the best.

What do you want?

Though it may be worded slightly differently, in substance Jesus asks the same question ("What do you want?") at three critical places, according to God's Word in the Gospel of John. Jesus asks, "what do you want?", 1) as the first words out of his mouth at the start of his public ministry, 2) as basically the first words out of his mouth at the start of his passion when the leaders come to arrest Jesus, and 3) as basically the first words out of his mouth at the start of his resurrection life.

Hmmm.

Do ya think the question "What do you want?" is critical to good beginnings?

Do ya think the question "What do you want?" is critical to getting off on the right foot?

The vast majority of people reading this Day of Praise are not little kids. So that beginning that is the beginning of our lives has passed us by.

But the vast majority of people who are reading this devotion are doing so at the start of this day. Jesus teaches us today that there's a critical question for good beginnings and getting the day off on the right foot, namely, the question, "What do you want?"

Sooooooo? What will it be? What is it? What do you want?

A smiling little boy has already answered the question for all of us.

In our heart of hearts, what God made us to really want is to know God our Father and to please Him by knowing His Word.

So, as the demands and requirements of life in this world come at you today, don't forget to make time for what you really want.

Pursue the Word of God.

"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?'" - John 1:38

Praise God!

Monday, February 23, 2015

Day of Praise

Mo, 02/23/15, "Day of Praise"

"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ" - Matthew 1:1

You're in.

You got the job.

You have a place in the world.

And it's important.

There's no reason to reinvent the wheel in explaining what I mean. The Daily Bible says it really well. And succinctly to boot.

"Matthew's genealogy contains several happy surprises. Back in Jesus' early roots are not only such notable righteous men as Abraham and David, but also several who stand out in history as being particularly unrighteous, including wicked King Manasseh. Not only are there Jews, as would be expected, but also Gentiles, including a Canaanite and a Moabite, whose respective countrymen have been notorious enemies of God's people. Also somewhat surprising, in view of their social status at this time, is the listing of women as well as men. Furthermore, at least two of the women are known best for sins which they had committed." (The Daily Bible, 1984, Harvest House, commentary by F. LaGard Smith, p.1353)

See! You're in! Jesus' family includes righteous and wicked and Jews and Gentiles and friends of God's people and enemies of God's people and men and women and those with good reputation and those with bad. Surely you're in there somewhere. You're in Jesus' family and lineage.

So you've got the job! You get to tell the world about Jesus! After all, since the Holy Spirit has opened the way for you to know Jesus personally, to be over at his house all the time, and to eat a meal with him regularly, then telling others about Jesus is a piece of cake.

Oh! What did you say? You don't know Jesus as well as you should? You don't sit at the table of Holy Communion with him as often as you should? You don't go to his house of worship as much as you should?

Well, all isn't lost.

No, to the contrary, you share in the victory over death and the grave. Jesus won, so you won...if you believe. It's there for you to claim...in faith.

After all, you're in.

You got the job.

You have a place in the world.

We're in God's family together. Matthew, er, God, says so. Right there in the genealogy.

So let's get out there today and tell the world about Jesus!

And later then, I'll see ya at the house. God's house. Where I look forward to being next to ya at the table, the Lord's table. Where we'll grab a bite of supper, the Lord's Supper.

Isn't it great to be in the family together?

"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ" - Matthew 1:1

You're in.

Praise God!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Day of Praise

Sa, 02/21/15, "Day of Praise"

"No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." - John 1:18

What does it mean that Jesus, the One and Only, has made God the Father known? Let's let the beloved song below help us to see.

"Have You Seen Jesus My Lord?"
Words and Music by John Fischer
(Written during his summer as the first music director at Ponderosa Lodge, the new high school camp at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center.)

Refrain: Have you seen Jesus, My Lord?
He's here in plain view.
Take a look; open your eyes.
He'll show it to you.

Verses: Have you ever looked at the sunset, with the sky mellowing red?
And the clouds suspended like feathers.
Then I say, you've seen Jesus, my Lord.

Have you ever stood at the ocean, with the white foam at your feet?
Felt the endless thundering motion.
Then I say, you've seen Jesus, my Lord.

Have you ever looked at the Cross, with a man hanging in pain?
And the look of love in His eyes.
Then I say, you've seen Jesus, my Lord.

Have you seen Jesus, My Lord?
He's here in plain view.
Take a look; open your eyes.
He'll show it to you.

Praise God!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Day of Praise

Fr, 02/20/15, "Day of Praise"

"Saul answered, 'But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?'" - 1 Samuel 9:21

Have you ever felt small and unimportant?

When I was a kid, I was quite overweight. I remember one day in 7^th grade when I was wearing this pair of dark maroon pants that were very tight on me. I sat down in one of my classes, and I heard the back seam of my pants rip. Mmmmm, 7^th grade, pants ripped in the back. Not good. Not everyone, but there were a number of students who had a field day with that. A few others then joined in.

I felt small.

But God, as always, was good. Amongst my peers were a few kind and encouraging voices. A very few. But my brother, Ben, my younger sister, Cheryl, and a girl named Billie Sue Dickson, were very encouraging.

God helped me to hear their encouragements. I will always be grateful to God for them.

In today's verse, Saul felt small. But Samuel was a lone encouraging voice. And out of Samuel's encouragement, Saul came to see how God could take smallness and turn him into a man with a changed heart, a man on whom God's Spirit would come with power, a man who could prophesy God's Word, a man who could strongly remain silent in the face of his detractors, a man who could be an instrument of victory over the enemies of others who felt small.

One voice, speaking with an ear toward God, can change a person who feels small into a person who lives large to the glory of God.

Friends, believe that God has given at least one voice to encourage you to live large to God's glory. Listen to them. Thank God for them.

And God has placed someone in your life so that you can encourage them to live large too.

Dear God, help us to see them and to speak. To your glory. Amen

Praise God!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Day of Praise

Th, 02/19/15, "Day of Praise"

"They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning." - 1 Chronicles 9:27

There were four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, who were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. Their work of guarding the house of God is a parable of sorts.

God calls us to guard our hearts, which is the house of God in us, the house of God's Son, Jesus, in us, the house of the Holy Spirit of God in us, and the house of God's Word in us. Your heart is very important as the home of the treasures of God.

This is why God both calls us to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23 - "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.") and God also calls us to trust God to be the primary gatekeeper of our hearts (Philippians 4:7 - "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.").

If you'd like to read extensively on this matter of guarding your heart so your life can abound in Christ, I highly recommend John Eldredge's "The Sacred Romance", T.D. Jakes' "He-motions", Andy Stanley's "Enemies of the Heart", or Joyce Meyer's "Knowing God Intimately".

But to go ahead and wrap for today on this matter of guarding your heart, I recommend giving thought to an old, simple children's song, 'Oh Be Careful Little Eyes.'

Lyrics:

Oh, be careful little eyes,
what you see (repeat)
For the Father up above,
is looking down in love,
So be careful little eyes
What you see.

Oh, be careful little ears,
what you hear (repeat)
For the Father Up above,
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little ears
what you hear.

Oh, be careful little hands,
what you do (repeat)
For the Father up above,
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little hands
What you do.

Oh, be careful little feet
where you go (repeat)
For the Father up above,
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little feet,
Where you go.

Oh, be careful little heart
whom you trust (repeat)
For the Father up above,
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little heart,
whom you trust.

Oh, be careful little mind
what you think (repeat)
For the Father up above,
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little mind,
What you think.

Actions:

"eyes" – point to eyes
"Father" – point up
"looking down" – shade eyes
"love" – give self a hug
"ears" – point to ears
"hands" – hold out hands
"feet" – march in place
"heart" – point to chest
"mind" – point to forehead

Praise God!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Day of Praise

We, 02/18/15, Ash Wednesday, "Day of Praise"

Today is Ash Wednesday. Worship someplace if you possibly can so that you can be reminded of your mortality, hearing God's Word, "Remember that you are dust. And to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19, Ecclesiastes 3:20).

Many churches share the imposition of ashes (reminding us of our mortality), which are imposed on each forehead in the shape of a cross, reminding us that, through faith in Christ and his saving work on the cross, our mortality is covered in immortality.

In essence, the imposition of ashes in the shape of a cross claims God's promise that, though we must die and return to the dust (unless Jesus comes again before we do), death cannot hold us because we're joined through faith in Jesus to the one who cannot be held by death because he's already defeated it by his death and resurrection!

Praise God!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Day of Praise

Tu, 02/17/15, "Day of Praise"

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'" - Psalm 122:1

Thank you for the great dialogue yesterday pertaining to worship. Thank you also to you who gave permission to pass along your comments.

Today's verse from Psalm 122 keeps the dialogue going. The following list of worship thoughts were sent to me some time ago from my awesome brother, Ben DeGreen, who lives in Kingsport, TN and worships weekly with his family.

With Ash Wednesday coming tomorrow and the connected Ash Wednesday encouragement to examine our faith life, Ben gives us some timely food for thought, saying:

Some questions for myself and others that desire to worship God.

1) Have you sinned against a brother or sister in Christ without making it right? If not, your worship will be distracted.

2) Do you think about and meditate on the words of a song or praise song, or are you just carried away by the rhythm of the song?

3) Do you concentrate and pray along with the words of a public prayer, or are you distracted by other things?

4) Do you come into the sanctuary before worship with the heart and mind to worship, quietly reflecting and praying on what worshiping God is, or are you distracted by talking and socializing with others?

5) Are you prepared to give of yourself in worship and by worship? Will you offer a sacrificial gift (tithe/offering) to the Lord?

6) Are you prepared to be used by God after worship to serve Him and others?

7) Are you mindful of others in attendance at worship? Do you act up, talk, use your cell phone, eat, drink, wear inappropriate clothing, etc. that distracts others from properly worshiping God?

8) Do you listen to the words of the sermon/message given by the pastor? Do you take notes to help your understanding? Did you bring your Bible to follow along with referenced Scripture verses?

Ben, thanks for encouraging all of us to think more deeply about our worship life so we can say with the Psalmist, "I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'" (Psalm 122:1).

Praise God!

Monday, February 16, 2015

Day of Praise

Mo, 02/16/15 "Day of Praise"

"I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?"" - Nehemiah 13:11

When God calls us to worship Him in the Ten Commandments, the book of Leviticus, and the Psalms, it's because God has ordained that blessings would flow to us from Him when we do.

And, therefore it makes sense, that when we neglect to worship, as today's verse calls us to consider, then we miss out on the blessings that God would give.

Furthermore, neglect of worship, as Joyce Meyer talks about in her book, "Knowing God Intimately," isn't just not going to worship. Neglect of worship is also having your body in a sanctuary while your mind is miles away, thinking about mowing the lawn or anything else that is not God and his wonderful grace.

The reason this is such a big deal is because God has chosen to work through the spoken Gospel of his sacrificial love, along with the Gospel ministries of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, to tell us again and again what we regularly tend to forget, namely that God and His grace are the power by which we have the life for which we always yearn.

And when we forget that God and His grace are our power, we start, what is called, striving. Striving is simply living out of your own limited strength instead of living out of the strength of the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus Christ.

And striving makes us tired. Weary. Bone tired. Weary existence tired. So that we become irritable. And snappy. And very unpleasant to be around.

And even if you say that you're not irritable and weary when you don't worship God, then I'd still ask you if you're joyful.

Saturday, with the devotion, "The joy of the Lord is my strength," I was flooded with replies and requests for prayers, asking for more of that strength. We are all honored to pray for each other to be sure. Honored beyond measure.

But please remember this, the "joy of the Lord" that is your strength is that God loves to be with you. It is God's joy to be with you. And God has ordained that the worship of God is the place where we are guaranteed to be reminded of that truth that "It is God's joy to be with you."

So, hearing that truth again in worship, AND BELIEVING THAT IT'S TRUE, we leave worship strengthened to face the world and all that comes with it.

The two verses go hand in hand. Saturday was "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10), and today is "Why is the house of God neglected?" (Nehemiah 13:11).

Dear God, thank you for loving us as you do so wondrously through your Son, Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for not just telling us like it is, but also helping us to understand why you command the things that you do. Thank you for filling your commands with blessings that become ours when we trust you, follow you, and do what you call us to do in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, specifically, for the gift of worship where you remind us again and again that your joy is to be with us and that your presence with us is our strength. Increase our hunger to worship you as only you can do so that our strength and joy in you might abound more and more each day. To you be praise and honor and glory, the One True God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Praise God!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Day of Praise

Sa, 02/14/15, "Day of Praise"

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'" - Nehemiah 8:10

Today is Valentine's Day. We think of it as a day of sweet and joyful sentiments, a day to celebrate love with spouses, children, parents, family, and friends.

But what do we when there's a challenge to sweet and joyful sentiments, when there's grief or loneliness or sorrow?

In today's verse, Nehemiah brings God's encouragement for times when joy is challenged by grief. In those times, God has a word for you, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

It's one of those great verses to meditate on and say over and over again. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

God promises that joy can heal grief like light can pierce darkness when we trust in the power of God's word.

Grief is real, as my mom and our family know as we near the anniversary of my dad's death. But the love and power of the God who spoke through Nehemiah is real too as he's the God who sent his son to die for us and our sin and who conquered grief, death, and the grave.

So in the light of God's promise, hum, pray, say, sing, whatever works for you, this uplifting song by Chris Tomlin, "Our God!"

Water You turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There's no one like You
None like You

Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There's no one like You
None like You

CHORUS
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God...

Into the darkness you shine
Out of the ashes we Rise
There's no One like You
None like You.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God...

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God...

Praaaaaaaise God!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Day of Praise

Fr, 02/13/15, "Day of Praise"

"So my God put it into my heart" - Nehemiah 7:5

A credit card company asks, "What's in your wallet?"

God asks, "What's in your heart?"

I once heard author/speaker Joyce Meyer aptly illustrate what Jesus Christ often sees when he takes up residence in the hearts of humanity in a broken, fallen, sinful world. She said that bitterness, anger, despair, rage, malice, greed, gossip, and coveting often leave little room in our hearts for the King of kings to find a throne on which to be seated in our hearts.

But make no mistake. God is faithful and works diligently to cast out the above-listed ills and replace them with the following: Concern for others, Wisdom, Honor, Action, Eagerness to Gather with Other Believers, and the Promise of God to be Faithful!

Bitterness, anger, despair, rage, malice, greed, gossip, and coveting are poured into our hearts by the evil one, our sinful flesh, and the world.

Concern for others, Wisdom, Honor, Action, Eagerness to Gather with Other Believers, and the Promise of God to be Faithful are poured into our hearts by the Author and Giver of Life through His Son and by His Spirit.

Dear God, you know what chokes our hearts and leads to a weary existence. And you know what strengthens our hearts and leads to abundant life even now. Pour into our hearts the treasures that you alone can give so that we may praise your name together, now and forever. Amen.

"So my God put it into my heart" - Nehemiah 7:5

Praise God!