Day of Praise: June 2015

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Day of Praise

Tue, 06/30/15, "Day of Praise"

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." - Psalm 103:8

Have you ever met a hot-head? Someone who got mad at the drop of a hat?

Well, the only true God, who has revealed himself perfectly through Jesus, is not a hot-head.

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." (Psalm 103:8)

"Slow to anger" does not mean "never gets angry." But "slow to anger" is very different from a hot-head.

You feel safe around "slow to anger." On the other hand, you walk on eggshells with a hot-head.

You are safe with God. Always safe. So, live in him. Rest in him. Share your heart with him. Your fears. Your worries. Your joys. Your victories. Trust him.

God is here.

For you.

We know this through Jesus Christ.

May your day be filled with his peace.

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." - Psalm 103:8

Praise God!

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Day of Praise Daily Encouragement · 1601 Southcrest Trail · Hoover, AL 35244 · USA

Monday, June 29, 2015

Day of Praise

Mon, 06/29/15, "Day of Praise"

"To this John replied, 'A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, "I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him." The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.'" - John 3:27-30

It has nothing to do with my being a preacher. But I must say that, without exception, the happiest people I know are the ones who admit that Jesus is greatest, who praise Him, who speak of Him to others, and who show them His love.

In today's verses, when John the Baptist says that Jesus must become greater and he himself (John) must become less, it's not because John has low self-esteem. To the contrary, John the Baptist loved himself enough to "receive [what was] given him from heaven," namely the unmatched joy of being the "friend who attends the bridegroom," getting the groom ready to be joined to his bride.

Okay, I know this is heavy stuff this early in the morning. So let's boil it down.

1) John is glad for Jesus to be greater than John is.

2) John sees that it's a joy and a gift from God that John gets to serve Jesus because Jesus is indeed greater.

3) John also sees that the greatest way to serve Jesus is by helping him to connect with his bride, the Church, which is made up of many people/members.

4) Finally, John sees that the greatest way to serve Jesus so that he can connect with his bride, the Church, is by listening for Jesus, listening to Jesus, and speaking of Jesus to others.

So, what does this mean for us today?

In sum, if you listen for Jesus and to His word, then you'll have the God-given joy of knowing how to bring others to Christ.

Admit that Jesus is greatest. Praise him. Speak of Him to others. Show them his love.

Joy awaits you.

And who doesn't want more joy?

Have a great day sharing Jesus.

Praise God!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/27/15, "Day of Praise"

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." - 1 John 4:10

When I was in seminary, I had a professor who used to say the same thing all the time -- so much so that many students made fun of him.

But he was right.

What he said all the time was "grace, recipiency, thanksgiving."

"Grace" is undeserved love, namely, God's love for us. "Recipiency" is simply the reception of God's grace. And "thanksgiving" is the response to God's grace; we say, "Thank you, God!"

That's what God's getting at in today's verse, namely, that God loves us, and all we can really do is receive it and say, "Thank you!"

Some friends of mine had grandparents who would wake up each morning, and the first thing they'd do was shout to God, "Thanks, God!"

And that's a good game plan for us all, namely, wake up, and then let everything we do through the day be a great big "Thanks, God!" for all his great love for us.

Have a great day!

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." - 1 John 4:10

Praise God!

Friday, June 26, 2015

Day of Praise

Fri, 06/26/15, "Day of Praise"

"But you are a shield around me, O LORD." - Psalm 3:3

One of my all-time favorite movies is "Gladiator." I honestly do not think it's because of the violence. Instead, "Gladiator" is one of my all-time favorite movies because of the themes of hope and perseverance by the protagonist, Maximus.

I also love how Maximus never meets a stranger when it comes to those who are willing to work together with him for the sake of both surviving and also defeating the enemy.

In one scene, Maximus, and many others who've been enslaved, are about to be thrown to the "lions" of the gladiators for the sheer sport of it in the 2nd century.
The following is the dialogue as Maximus and the slaves are in an arena, waiting for some gates to open and release vicious and overpowering animals or men, which will mark the death of most of the slaves but also becomes a ray of hope and perseverance for the slaves who will stick together.

Maximus: [while Cassius continues his introduction] Anyone here been in the army?
[an unknown slave responds yes and tells Maximus he served under his command at Vindobona]
Maximus: You can help me. Whatever comes out of these gates, we've got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together we survive.

Basically, what they do, in working together, is they form "a shield around" each other, which is the image of what God does for us in today's verse from Psalm 3:3.

It's an image of daily life for believers as we walk by faith in a fallen world. Each day and each moment, we never know what's going to be thrown at us by life, but if we stick with God and one another, we find that God is eager to be "a shield around me, O LORD" (Psalm 3:3). We also discover the power of believers who will work together in the face of overwhelming odds, and in so doing, we learn again the power of friendship and the power of the Body of Christ, when what binds us together is love for one another and honor of what is right and faith in the living, mighty God.

So, as life comes at you and throws all sorts of arrows and animals and gladiators at you, stick with God and stick with others who are committed to God and God's Word. And, with those other believers and the one true God in whom you believe, you'll discover again and again the power of strength and honor.

"But you are a shield around me, O LORD." - Psalm 3:3

Praise God!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Day of Praise

Thu, 06/25/15, "Day of Praise"

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8

Kisses on the cheek. A blessing on the forehead. Praying together. The magic words, "Sweet Dreams."

All of these (and more) are treasured bedtime rituals.

But they're all vain and meaningless and empty, even the prayers, if they're not coupled with 1) a personal relationship with the Lord, 2) calling on the name of the Lord, and 3) claiming the promises of God. All 3 of those elements (relationship, calling, claiming) are implied or explicit in today's verse from Psalm 4:8.

I remember going through a season of my life (years actually) where I couldn't sleep. Some may call it insomnia, but it wasn't a condition of my body. It was a condition of my mind. I couldn't shut the crazy thing off.

And then one day, God spoke some ancient and everlasting truth to me, saying, "Hey big guy, ya think you're so smart and strong, but all you're getting is exhausted. How 'bout you let me do the heavy lifting? I know you hold onto all that stuff in your mind because you're worried that it won't get done or it won't get done well enough or it's the wrong thing to be getting done. But holding onto it through the night isn't getting it done. To the contrary, holding onto all that stuff through the night is making you your own worst enemy. And that's the threat to you that I want to defeat. Indeed, I promise, that's the threat to you that I will defeat; namely the threat that you pose to yourself when you think that you can do a better job of bringing peace to projects or conflicts or bedtime than I can. So give it all to me. Put your mind and your fears to rest. I've got you covered. Go 'lie down and sleep in peace'. And oh, don't forget...Sweet dreams."

So now, waking or sleeping, that's what my life is by God's grace and what God wants all our lives to be...a dream, a beautiful unending dream, that just keeps getting better everyday.

A Sweet Dream indeed.

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8

Praise God!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Day of Praise

Wed, 06/24/15, "Day of Praise"

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." - 1 John 4:11

Love CARES.

C - Costs - Cost Jesus his life. Us too.

A - Answers - Answers the Father's call to serve. Jesus answered so that we can too.

R - Reaps - Reaps rewards. As we sow, so shall we reap.

E - Expresses - Expressions of love flow naturally, like Jesus washing the disciples feet. So we can too.

S - Sees - Seeing with the eyes of the heart, love responds to countless opportunities to help others see God's love too.

Love CARES.

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." - 1 John 4:11

Praise God!

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Day of Praise

Tue, 06/23/15, "Day of Praise"

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." - Psalm 30:11-12

Claim the promise, Friends. Please, don't give up. Claim the promise.

Please join me in the following prayer:

Dear Lord, You know the burdens that have created anxiety or tears or wailing in my soul. But I am claiming your promise because you never break a promise. You promise to turn my wailing into dancing; you promise to remove my sackcloth and clothe me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.

Now, Friends, as you go through your day. Meditate on the promise, think about it, claim it all day with the simple phrase, "Wailing into Dancing. Wailing into Dancing. Wailing into Dancing."

Then, believing and claiming God's promise, look for God. Listen for him.

He will bless you.

And each time he does, simply look up and pray, "O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever."

Praise God!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Day of Praise

Mon, 06/22/15, "Day of Praise"

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." - Proverbs 15:13

In the 12th Century, Bernard of Clairvaux wrote some words that would become the lyrics to one of the greatest hymns ever. It goes like this:

"Jesus, the very thought of you
fills us with sweet delight;
But sweeter far your face to view,
And rest within your light."

If, as in today's verse, a cheerful face is the result of a happy heart, then we're blessed to know from one of God's faithful, Bernard, how to have a happy heart:
1) Stop and think of Jesus,
2) Picture the face of Jesus, which was one of our Days of Praise, where we encouraged seeing him Shepherding and his face shining radiantly from within, and
3) Rest in Jesus.

Try those three things today, multiple times, especially when you realize that you're not as happy as you want to be. Think of Jesus. Picture Jesus. Rest in Jesus.

In closing, I commend to you the wonderful, practical, thankful and happy heart song from the children's videos Veggie Tales episode with Madam Blueberry:

I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie!
For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks every day!
Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have,
That's an easy way to start!
For the love that He shares,
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks every day!

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." - Proverbs 15:13

Praise God!

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Day of Praise

Sat, 06/20/15, "Day of Praise"

"Son, your sins are forgiven." - Mark 2:5

Is there any sweeter sound than the words "I forgive you"? Especially when, as in today's Bible verse, Jesus the Son of God is speaking those words to us, is there any sweeter sound than "I forgive you"?

I'm guessing that "I love you" and "Thank you" are up there too.

Whatever the sweet sounds are to you, have a great Saturday by speaking some of that sweetness today to the people around you. And I pray you'll go to a Church on Sunday so you can hear more about God's sweet word, which he himself says is "sweeter than honey." (Psalm 19:10 & 119:103)

Mmm, mmm, good livin'!!!

"Son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5).

Praise God!

Friday, June 19, 2015

Day of Praise

Fri, 06/19/15, "Day of Praise"

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17

When I was in high school, my two best friends were Barry and Lisa. They wound up marrying each other and are still happily married to this day. I'm happy for them; after all, they were my best friends, and they still are very dear to me.

That's the way it is with friends. Ya love each other at all times.

Barry doesn't remember it. But he kinda bullied me before we knew each other. We were in elementary school, and our respective schools were participating in a city-wide celebration of our nation's bicentennial. Our schools sat next to each other, and he and I sat close to each other. He didn't want anyone around him to sing, but I wanted to sing. We tangled.

A couple years later, we both tried out for the 7th grade football team. He had never played. I got some revenge when we lined up against each other. So our first two encounters weren't very friendly.

But one day, he got a bloody nose after school, and all his friends abandoned him. I had a chance to be a friend. And for the next six years, Barry and I were inseparable.

And even though we live a six-hour drive apart, when, by whatever means, we get to chat, it's as if we were never apart. That's the way it is with friends.

And that's the way God is with us. The Lord is always near us, but sometimes we stray. Yet when, by whatever means, we get to chat, it's as if we were never apart. Because, through Jesus, God is a friend who loves at all times.

So, delight in God's friendship today. And reach out to an old friend that you haven't talked to in a while. And celebrate again the good things, namely friendships, that God has given us by his grace.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." - Proverbs 17:17

Praise God!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Day of Praise

Thu, 06/18/15, "Day of Praise"

"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" - Proverbs 20:24

We don't need to understand. We only need to believe what God has made plain through His Son, namely, Almighty God is for us.

A couple years ago, an old friend from 30 years ago just showed up out of the clear blue. It was more like out of thin air. And in these two years, my old friend's family and mine have discovered a bounty of things to be shared from church to music to meals.

And all this started when my old friend heard my name in the grocery store that is less than a mile from our church.

We discovered that our families had lived barely ten miles apart for almost twenty years. But then they moved to a house just two miles from the church. And then God started directing some steps and blessing our already-blessed lives by weaving our families back together. Amazing.

All of this is to say that God is good. All the time, God is good. God is good, directing our steps, leading us to doors and windows of blessing. Sure, we can do what we want. But what God wants is always better. And we know this through the sin-forgiving cross and the life-giving resurrection of God's Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Enjoy! It's gonna be a great day! God is planning on it!

"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" - Proverbs 20:24

Praise God!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Day of Praise

Wed, 06/17/15, "Day of Praise"

"for the battle is the LORD's" -

1 Samuel 17:47

Little David knew it and shouted it for all to hear, as huge Goliath stood before him in today's verse. Whatever is before you today, God is on top of it, ahead of it, bigger than it, LORD over it!

So give it to God! For the battle is the LORD's! He will conquer the matter and lead you through!

Trust him. Look for him. And you will see!

So have a great day!

Praise God!

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/16/15, "Day of Praise." Here's one of my favorites from the past which was stirred in my heart from some recent events.

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." - Proverbs 3:3

When I had just turned 16, (don't you love it when a story starts like that?), I ran my parents' new car into a parked car.

Somebody out there has done the same. C'mon, 'fess up!

The rest of you are saying, "How do you do that?"

In my case, I was nervously looking at street numbers on the houses at dark-dusk, trying to find the house of the girl I was going to a school dance with.

In sum, I wasn't watching where I was going.

People do that all the time. They don't watch where they're going...spiritually speaking especially.

Ya see, here's the deal, Jesus is the Way. Period. He leads us on the Way. Period. He is faithful in leading us on the Way. Period. His "love and faithfulness never leave" us (Proverbs 3:3). Period.

So why do we keep running into things spiritually...at least? Because we're not watching where we're going. We're not watching the Way. We're not watching Jesus.

So, since so many of you have responded to Biblical meditation encouragements in the past, here's the meditation for today: "Lord, you're always faithful." "Lord, you're always faithful." "Lord, you're always faithful, and help me keep my eyes on you!"

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you..." - Proverbs 3:3

Praise God!

Monday, June 15, 2015

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/15/15, "Day of Praise"

"I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together like sheep in the fold; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture They will be noisy with men." - Micah 2:12

The Elcott commentary puts it this way about today's Bible verse, "With a characteristic abruptness Micah turns from the height of sin and punishment to the height of the deliverance... Israel and the remnant shall be gathered together as a goodly flock in the luxuriant pastures...The return from captivity symbolized the eventual restoration of the people of God into His everlasting kingdom."

With similar words, I'd put it this way about today's Bible verse, "With the snap of his fingers, God can turn a really bad situation into a really good one...everyone who trusts the Lord will be gathered together...such a turn around and gathering symbolizes God bringing everyone who trusts Him into His everlasting kingdom and feast."

Sounds good! But what does that even look like?

Maybe this story will help. (I've changed the prisoner's name in this true story.)

Last week, I met a total stranger in the lobby of the jail that my wife, Amanda, and I had gone to serve. The person we met had been beaten up by her son, who in serving our country in Iraq has come to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The mom was there because her son was being released for her to take to the VA. His name, she said, was Tom Post. We swapped phone numbers, and Amanda and I invited her to church and fellowship.

Well, as my wife and the women went to serve on the women's floor, the jailers led us six men to one of the multiple men's floors; we had no choice in the matter.

Apparently God did.

Apparently God did have a choice in the matter because after the jailer chose the floor, then one of our men kinda said "eenie, meenie, miney, moe" and chose the blue, non-violent offenders side of that floor instead of the green, violent offenders. Then my partner, Roderick, randomly picked one of the five blocks on the blue side for us to enter for Bible study. When we entered the block, God first spoke to the prisoners for 40 minutes through Rod and then for 10 minutes through me. All of a sudden a jailer came in and asked for someone to get their stuff to leave. Well this taaaaall guy moves to go up to get his stuff but turns and looks at me and steps to me, so I moved toward him. He thanked me for what I said, saying it changed his life. I asked his name...Tom Post!!!

Hmmmmm!

Like I said earlier about today's Bible verse, "With the snap of his fingers, God can turn a really bad situation into a really good one...everyone who trusts the Lord will be gathered together...such a turn around and gathering symbolizes God bringing everyone who trusts Him into His everlasting kingdom and feast."

What's in front of you today? No matter how it goes at first, expect God to do great things for you, to turn bad things into good in the snap of a finger, and to bring you together with the right people you need.

Your job is to believe!

Praise God!

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Day of Praise

Sa, 06/13/15, "Day of Praise"

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." - Acts 2:42

Life is so good in the Body of Christ, which is also known as the Fellowship of Believers, the Communion of Saints, and the Church.

Most of you know that I'm a pastor. But recently, I've been at a lot of church gatherings, not because I'm a pastor, but because life is so good in the Body of Christ.

For example, Wednesday was dinner, worship, and dessert fellowship. Thursday was jail ministry and jaw-dropping work of God that I'll tell you about on Monday. Friday was God's presence with a number of hurting souls and lost souls and then dinner with friends in Christ.

Our young adult kids were happily at a combination of ministries in different states and countries, and they also just "hung out" with good Christian friends.

I tell you all this because there are hundreds of you who read this devotion, but not all of you are enjoying all that's available to you in the Fellowship of Believers.

I realize that hurtful or disappointing things happened to many of you in a church, but there are so many more positives available for you going forward than there are negatives behind you.

Besides, the Everlasting and Eternal Heaven is going to have other believers in it, so you might as well start to enjoy it now!

Get involved in a church. And if you are involved, get more involved and/or invite others to get involved.

Because life is so good in the Body of Christ. So good! That's why in days of old "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42).

Praise God!

Friday, June 12, 2015

Day of Praise

Friday, 06/12/15, "Day of Praise"

"The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." - Proverbs 18:10

Ya know those cardboard "bricks"? Ya know, the ones that every preschool and kindergarten and church nursery has for little kids to play with and build on? I used to love playing with those things and building tunnels and towers.

Don't tell anyone, but I still do.

However, there were times when I played with the bricks and I got really nervous, mostly when The Bully, LH, was around. He'd act like he was minding his own business until you finished your cardboard brick project. Then he'd waste no time in coming over and kicking it at you and into you and over you. Quite frankly, it hurt.

In lots of ways.

Because I was so focused and put so much energy into building it, LH's bullying made me feel like my whole world was crashing down around me. Even now 40+ years later, I can remember the sensations of anger and hurt and fear and disappointment. What I don't remember was knowing what to do. For some reason, it never dawned on me to tell the teacher. All I could see was my world crashing down and the one who had destroyed it.

Don't tell anyone, but I still do.

Has your world ever come crashing down around you? Maybe when you were 5? Or were you 25? I can relate to 45 and 50.

Sensations of anger, hurt, fear, and disappointment. And for some reason, it never dawns on us to tell the "Teacher." All we can see is our world crashing down and the one who destroyed it.

God has a "suggestion" for times like this -- Run.

Run to the "Teacher," the Lord.

To find shelter and refuge, safety and peace, courage and strength. Treasures of the soul. That lift up our hearts. Like a Lord of the Rings giant eagle scooping us up and bringing us to rest on an Elfish Tower where the masters of healing can do their thing to give healing to a hurting and injured soul.

Indeed, when your world is crashing down in small ways or large, run to the Lord. Call on his name.

For "the name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10).

Praise God!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Day of Praise

Th, 06/11/15, "Day of Praise"

"Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away." - Mark 16:2-4

Good Morning!
This is Dear and Divine, Sweet and Sovereign, Almighty and All-Knowing and All-Present God, who has shown you my face and my heart through my Son, Jesus. I know what's in front of you today, including the large stones that you're wondering how they're going to be rolled away. I will be handling all your heavy lifting today, large stones included. And I will be your strength for everything else.
Okay, now that we've got that established, have a nice day!
Love,
God

Praise God!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Day of Praise

We, 06/10/15, "Day of Praise"

A few verses from Proverbs 11:
2 - "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
11 - "Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed."
17 - "Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves."
24 - "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
25 - "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." - Proverbs 11:2,11,17,24,25

I can't make up my mind. Sorry. Proverbs 11 has five very practIcal ways for us to live with faith in God's grace this morning:

1 - Be humble. In Proverbs 11:2, God promises that the humble will get wisdom, and who doesn't need wisdom every day?
2 - Speak a blessing on your city. In Proverbs 11:11, God promises that a word of blessing from a believer onto a city will lift up that city, and who doesn't want to live in a city that's growing closer to God?
3 - Be kind. In Proverbs 11:17, God promises that the one who is kind to another actually also benefits oneself, and who doesn't want more divine benefits?
4 - Give freely. In Proverbs 11:24, God promises that, well, you can't outgive God. Period!
5 - Be refreshing. In Proverbs 11:25, God promises that "whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." I'm not sure how to describe "refreshing" succinctly, so let's try this: we all know someone who's refreshing; act like them, and the same will come back to you. So says God, so I say, let's take it to the bank. Ahhh, refreshing!

So, come what may, there's your formula for a happy day. May God's blessings rain abundantly on you, your peeps, and your city!

Praise God!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Day of Praise

Tu, 06/09/15, "Day of Praise"

"Guard my teachings as the apple of your eye." - Proverbs 7:2

When God calls us to have his "teachings as the apple of [our] eye" (Proverbs 7:2), God's calling us to have his word as the love of our life.

Our inspiration to have God's word as the apple of our eye, to have his word as the love of our life, comes from the very fact that God promises to have us as the apple of his eye. He promises that we are the love of his life!

God makes this plain in Deuteronomy 32:9-11, where it's written:

9 For the Lord's portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.
10 In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.

You may not love the poetic style of God's words there in Deuteronomy 32, but how can you not like the substance?

In sum, God's saying that what he wants out of life is us! The love that he longs for is a relationship with us. We are God's "portion." And so much does he love us that he comes and looks for us when we're lost and rescues us from the gutter. He then shields us, cares for us, and guards us "as the apple of [his] eye," like an eagle vigilantly watching its young, so that when we fall, God catches us and "carries [us] aloft" and lifts us back up.

Friends, whether or not you resonate with poetry, I beg you to ponder God's testimony here as to how deeply he loves you "as the apple of [his] eye."

And if you will ponder his deep love for you, you will gladly "Guard [his] teachings as the apple of your eye" (Proverbs 7:2), and you'll probably even pray to God as in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

Praise God!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Day of Praise

Mo, 06/08/15, "Day of Praise"

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3

When I was a kid, I did some things that, well, were not too smart.

What about you?

Like when I was in first grade, I got a rush out of leaning back in my classroom chair and falling backwards. All the way to the floor. To this day I have no idea why that seemed fun. I do know, however, that the fun did indeed stop when, with one of the falls, I broke a chair. I remember being sent to the principal's office and getting a different rendition of "you'll shoot your eye out, kid." My teacher, Miss Deakins', and the principal, Miss Carmack's version was, "Don't you know you could crack your skull open, kid?"

"Uh, no, Ma'am, it never occurred to me," was what I thought, I think, but I really don't remember because, well, I don't think I was thinkin' at all. I mean that's why we all do stupid things as kids...and as adults.

We just don't think.

That's clearly the point in the contrast of today's Bible verses.

The only reason that we "walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers" is because that's what we do (walk, stand, even sit) when we don't think. We do stupid, wicked, sinful, mocking, destructive stuff.

In contrast is the one who thinks...with their heart. The one "whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night." To delight is to think with your heart. To delight is to want to please another, to want to find out how to please another. So day and night thought is given, one meditates day and night on the law and commands and statutes and word of the Lord.

I know people who admit to going weeks at a time without even once thinking about the Lord or his word or worshiping him. I want to say, "what are you thinking?" But, of course, that's the point: they're not.

Hey, I'm not condemning anyone; we're all sinners for whom Jesus died. But the one who's not thinkin' about the Lord, who just walks/stands/sits, well, they're missin' out on a lot of good livin'.

I mean God says in today's verse, "That person [who delights in God's Word and meditates on it day and night] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers." Whatever they do prospers!

I mean think about it this way. Don't people in this country want to prosper? And yet around every turn, people are either tryin' to get rid of God's Word or find every way under the sun to not make time for it. And look at the result. Our country's not prospering. By any earthly measure, not one thing is really getting better. What are people thinkin' that they could possibly have a better life by getting rid of God's Word or by neglecting it? What could they possibly be thinking?

Uuuuuuuuh, they're not.

So, let's all do this. Let's all pick one person who clearly doesn't walk with God, and let's think about 'em. Study 'em. Think about 'em some more. And ask God to help us see how we can feed 'em with and invite 'em to God and to his word and to the worship and praise of Him who made us...with a brain...maybe a simple brain...but a brain nonetheless...so we can think of Him...and delight in Him...and meditate on his word day and night...and prosper.

Come to think of it. I've got a person in mind right now. What about you? Think about it!

"Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night...whatever they do prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3

Praise God!