Day of Praise

Th, 02/12/15, "Day of Praise"

"When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." - Nehemiah 6:16

God wants us to live with peace and joy that are born from confidence in Him, from certainty in His call to us, and without fear of our enemies. 

Peace, joy, confidence, certainty, and no fear. 

All these filled the heart of Nehemiah in days of old, and God works to fill our hearts with the same today. 

God makes these treasures of the heart possible by giving us eyes of the heart (Ephesians 1:18). The eyes of the heart are able to see things as they really are. 

What Nehemiah saw with the eyes of his heart was that God is Sovereign over all things. Therefore, Nehemiah knew that his enemies were only a temporary distraction and that God would deal with them so that Nehemiah could fulfill the calling God had given him. 

This is the same lesson that God taught Elisha's servant in 2 Kings 6:15-17 when the servant was worried because the enemy surrounded them. But Elisha assured the servant that those who were for them were greater than those against them. And then Elisha prayed to God that God would open the servant's eyes, and sure enough God did so that the servant was able to see into the spiritual realm where the armies of God stood ready to defeat their enemies. 

How did Nehemiah and Elisha see these things? How can we see the victory of God when we're threatened by people and things that would steal peace, joy, confidence, and certainty from us?

In Matthew 5:1-10, Jesus gives us The Beatitudes, specifically in 5:8 we receive the beatitude, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Through faith in Jesus and his saving work for us on the cross, God cleans our heart and makes it pure. With our heart clean through faith in Jesus, we can see God. We can see things as they really are with the eyes of the heart. We can see that God is Sovereign over all things. Like Nehemiah, we can know that enemies are only a temporary distraction and that God will deal with them so that, like Nehemiah, we can fulfill the calling God has given us. And we, like Nehemiah, can taste peace, joy, confidence, certainty, and no fear. 

God helped Nehemiah long ago. And God will help you today too. 

"When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).

Praise God!

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Day of Praise

We, 02/11/15, "Day of Praise"

"And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests." - Nehemiah 2:8

Ta daaaa!

Ya know, the expression you say whenever you accomplish something.

Nehemiah could've said "Ta daaaa!" a whole bunch.

The Daily Bible intro to today's verse says, "It takes little time to see that Nehemiah is a man of action. He immediately travels to Jerusalem, assesses the situation firsthand, devises an ingenious plan for working on the wall [of Jerusalem that's been sabotaged], sidesteps his opponents, and completes his primary mission within six months of receiving his commission from the king!"

Ta daaaa!

Nehemiah accomplished a whole bunch in quick fashion!

Ta daaaa!

A number of years ago, my friend Larry Loyacano and I noticed that when most people say "Ta daaaa!" they usually have one hand out towards others and one hand pointed up to the sky. To us, it looked like the hand out towards others was saying "Thank you" to someone who was complimenting a job well done. Whereas it looked like the hand pointed up to the sky was saying "But give credit where credit is due, so Praise God!" 

And so it seems with today's verse, when Nehemiah says, "And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests." (Nehemiah 2:8)

Nehemiah is indeed saying "Ta daaaa!" But Nehemiah's not saying, "Look, y'all! I've accomplished a whole bunch and in quick fashion too! Are you impressed with me?!?!"

What he is saying is, "Thank you, to all of you who are complimenting me on a job well done. But let's give credit where credit is due, so Praise God! Ta daaaa! 'Because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.'" (Nehemiah 2:8)

Friends, we're in the middle of a work week and there's lots of work still to be done. When people compliment us on a job well done, we can indeed smile and thank them. But let's also remember to give credit where credit is due! Let's praise God for the skills and abilities and wisdom and strength that made it possible for us to get those things done well. 

Indeed let's all say it together, "Ta daaaa!"

Praise God!!!

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Day of Praise

Tu, 02/10/15, "Day of Praise" 

"Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage..." - Ezra 7:27 

They called it TLD, Troop Leader Development. It might as well have been called Wilderness Survival, as in the merit badge that you were at least implicitly expected to earn if you hoped to be nominated for TLD. And both of them might as well have been called Misery Training. 

With both TLD and Wilderness Survival, there was a requirement, at least when I was in Boy Scouts, to take a scrape of food, a compass and coordinates, and a match and go spend the night in the wild. 
As the luck of the Divine draw would have it, both overnights were accompanied by rain. Lots of rain. Biblically-sized lots of rain. I'm not exaggerating or kidding. 

It was miserable. Just what was needed for Misery Training. 

Both times we had to build lean-tos from whatever wood we could scrounge together, but in pouring rain a lean-to was little if any shelter from the storm. And building a fire with one match was a hilarious proposition, so our food either went uncooked or uneaten or both. It didn't matter because there wasn't much food anyway. 

So in sum, we stayed up all night, soaked, and hungry. A bunch of teenage boys. Troop Leader Development. Wilderness Survival. Misery Training. 

But it's funny how God helps us remember, because I do remember. "Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage..." (Ezra 7:27) 

God did it in Bible days with Ezra and the gang. God did it 30+ years ago with a bunch of teenage boys. 

God will do it for you today. 

Come what may. Whatever your Misery Training may look like, take heart. "Because the hand of the LORD my God [will be on you, have] courage..." (Ezra 7:27) 

The LORD will help you and be your strength!

Praise God!

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Day of Praise

Mo, 02/09/15, "Day of Praise"

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

Good morning! How ya doin'? Can we have an objective chat? Maybe over a cup of coffee? I understand that the issue in today's verse is a sensitive one. The issue of tithing. So I promise not to get all excited. Let's just have a little chat. Can we? Thanks. 

I remember how I got started. I was in high school. I'd experienced some challenges that even then, I knew, had stirred a deeper hunger and thirst for God in my heart. I had been drawn to read my Bible. And when I came across an encouraging verse, I'd write it on an index card and tack it on my desk top or bulletin board. 

I was drawn in by God's promise in Malachi 3:10 (today's verse). At the time, I didn't know that this verse is the only verse where God invites us to test him. I did know that Jesus tells us not to test God. So I was curious why God would invite us to test him and also promise to pour out unimaginable blessings through the act of tithing. 

I did know that God means "give 10%" of what you receive when God, in the Bible, says to tithe. I came to see later that 10% is a starting point that goes hand-in-hand with spontaneous giving beyond 10%. 

But through it all, I've discovered that, while there are indeed many blessings that God pours out with tithing, there are two that I value the most: detachment and thankfulness. 

Yes, there have been times when I've been surprised by "unexpected money from heaven." But I no longer see that money as a reward from God in heaven. Such "surprise money" seems to happen to everyone, so it's not necessarily connected to tithing. Besides, it seems strange to me that, if God wants my heart and wants me to have his heart, then why would God tempt my heart to tithe money so I could set my heart on getting "surprise money"? That seems backwards to the ways of God. So I don't see getting money as one of God's blessings for giving money through the tithe. 

So let me just wrap up here by saying a few words about the blessings of detachment and thankfulness that God always does give through tithing. 

Detachment is simply this. I am able to see money and the things I can get with money for what they are. They are not my life or happiness. God is my life and happiness. Let's say I give 4%. (And it is give 4%, not tithe 4%, because that would be like saying that I 10% 4%. Tithe means 10%. So I tithe 10%. I give 4%.) Ok say let's say I give 4%. That means I'm not giving 6%. If I make, $50,000, that means I'm not giving $3,000. My conclusion has always been that $3,000, or the things I can get with it, are not going to secure my life or my happiness. It may "hurt" my budget to give that $3,000, but what it does even moreso is detaches me from the $3,000 and the stuff I might buy with it, and it nurtures an even greater trust in God, which is exactly what my heart is hungry for--a greater trust in God. So tithing hurts my budget, but it feeds my heart by detaching me from the money and the things it might buy, therefore driving me closer to God. Detachment is always a blessing. 

And since my heart is nurtured, it feels greater peace, so my heart wants to say "thank you" to someone. And the obvious one to give thanks to is God. It's as plain as that. My heart is freed from things that will always wear out and freed for the God who never fails. Thankfulness is a blessing that God always gives through tithing. 

There's so much more. But that's enough for today. Thanks for sharing a cup of coffee. 

Praise God!

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Day of Praise

Sa, 02/07/15, "Day of Praise"

"Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews." - Esther 10:3

Mordecai recognized a very important truth: freely grace was given to him by God, so freely he passed grace along.

And just as Jesus tells us in Luke 16, when we pass along God's grace by "working for the good of people and speaking up for the welfare of all" (Esther 10:3), then we come to be "held in high esteem by many other people".

It's a simple relationship principle. Good works can only be a thank offering to God because all that God gives us is grace. But good works have the power to change things with other people, namely, good works have the power to open the door of someone else's heart so that they'll be open to a word of truth.

And when they're open to a word of truth, we can share with them the ultimate truth that will change their lives forever: God gives us his love and goodness through his Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Happy Saturday, Friends! God loves you! So spread the love, Friends. Spread the love!

Praise God!

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Day of Praise

Fr, 02/06/15, "Day of Praise"

"Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" - Esther 4:15-16

Here's some morning coffee. Thinking about the following question will probably wake you up!

What is held in common by the following list of people? Biblical Persian Queen, Vashti; Biblical Jewish man, Mordecai; Biblical Jewish woman, Esther; John the Baptist; Martin Luther; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Dale Carnegie; T.D. Jakes; and my daughter, Cassidy DeGreen.

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller? (That's a movie reference when a question was asked, and no one responded.)

Anyone?

Answer: They all believe in speaking up!

I love the way T.D. Jakes says, "Speak up!"

I don't know about you, but for as many times as speaking up has gotten me in trouble, I've gotten in trouble a whole lot more for not speaking up.

Speak up!

But let's take a quick lesson on speaking up from Esther in today's Bible verse. When speaking up:
1) Prepare: get prepared to speak up instead of just "winging it";
2) Look to God: the best preparation is something that sets our mind on spiritual things while at the same time turning us from the desires of our flesh, which is why Esther called for and carried out a fast;
3) Ask Others for Prayer Support: Esther asks Mordecai to "Gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me";
4) Count the Cost: Esther's speaking up will not become muddied by fear because she's acknowledging the potential consequence before she speaks. Counting the cost in advance makes it possible to speak up clearly;
5) Trust God's Holy Spirit to Guide: remember what the Book of Esther does not say. That's right! The Book of Esther does not talk about religious things like you'd expect from a religious book. But the very absence of religious language makes a huge point, namely, as helpful as religion should be, it is only helpful if it points us to God! Trust God to guide;
6) Just Do It!: the time will come when it's time to speak. Esther says, "When [the prep] is done, I will go to the king." Speak up!

So there's a few things we can learn from Esther about speaking up.

And how about we grab number three up there before we close? Let's pray for one another.

Dear God, many will need to speak up today. Grant that our speaking up will be moved by, inspired by, led by, empowered by, blessed by, and, when necessary, corrected by you, our great God and LORD of heaven and earth. Amen.

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Th, 02/05/15, "Day of Praise"

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." - Zechariah 9:9

Thank you! Many of you responded yesterday, saying why you're not "morning people" and how it's hard to be happy in the morning, let alone sing! The thing that tickled me, though, is how many of you have such a sense of humor about it all. I was laughing throughout the day from your responses.

And I'm glad you all had such a sense of humor yesterday about happy mornings because today's Bible verse comes right back at us with the same appeal, saying, "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!" (Zechariah 9:9).

It's as if God is saying, "I'm determined for all you people to be joyful and happy."

Even in the morning.

And this time God offers the chuckle, saying, "See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9). And you know what I'm talking about if you've seen the movie, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (2011). In the movie, there's a scene where all the good guys get a regular horse, except Sherlock Holmes, who gets a mini horse that looks like what's described in today's verse. It looks as if Sherlock Holmes is riding "on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

It's hilarious!

And yet he's the hero. The genius. The warrior who overcomes evil.

And so it will be with Jesus, according to the prophecy. And so it was fulfilled. On Palm Sunday, Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, as noted in John 12:14-15, "Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 'Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt'" [fulfilling today's verse from Zechariah 9:9].

Can you picture it?

It's hilarious! A king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt!!!

And yet Jesus truly is the hero. The genius. The king. The warrior who overcomes evil. Far greater than Sherlock Holmes or any other hero for that matter. For Jesus is mighty God in man, riding on a baby donkey, on an itty bitty, beast of burden.

Eeeyaw! Eeeyaw!

It's enough to make you smile, chuckle, even be happy, isn't it?

Even in the morning.

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." - Zechariah 9:9

Praise God!

Day of Praise

We, 02/04/15, "Day of Praise"

"Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" - Psalm 147:1

Somebody long ago impressed on me that if you have to get up in the morning, you might as well get up happy.

I mean, what's the alternative? Mopin' around? I can see the cow holdin' the sign in a ChikFilA ad, speakin' to the moper, sayin', "Reeeeally?"

I do realize how Dr. Gary Chapman, in his many books on relationships, talks regularly about morning people versus night owls. I honor that.

But, I still contend that, if you have to get up in the morning, you might as well get up happy. After all, in my 50 years, I've only met one person who responded to considerate happiness with surly miserableness. And I think they were trying to be surly.

Everybody else was clearly blessed by the happy morning person to some degree or another. In response, some give a little smile. Some chuckle. Some get downright happy.

Smiles and happiness change things, especially when they flow from thinking about the goodness of our God. That's why the psalmist, in today's verse, is inspired to write, "Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" (Psalm 147:1)

So here's a great "happy, sing-praises-to-our-God" song to take into our day. If you can't carry a tune, at least carry it in your heart. It'll change your outlook on the day, and probably aaaaaalmost everybody else too.

By the way, there are a gazillion little phrases like "God hears our prayers," or whatever else you like, that you can use to create and add verses, so be happy and have fun with it! Here's the song:

"God is so Good"

God is so good,
God is so good,
God is so good,
He's so good to me!

He cares for me,
He cares for me,
He cares for me,
He's so good to me!

I love Him so,
I love Him so,
I love Him so,
He's so good to me!

I praise His Name,
I praise His Name,
I praise His Name,
He's so good to me!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Tu, 02/03/15, "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."

Recently, 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.

As the season of Lent is just around the corner, starting with Ash Wednesday on February 18, you may want to look into fasting as part of your Lenten discipline. Remember, just like today’s scripture, Jesus himself speaks of fasting by saying, “when you fast,” not “if you fast.” In other words, Jesus understands fasting to be as much a regular part of the life of faith as is worship, prayer, serving those in need, forgiveness, and tithing. Spiritual disciplines are not oppressive.  God’s word tells us consistently that spiritual disciplines are just healthy.

 

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!

 

Day of Praise

Mo, 02/02/15, "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 wife and 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."

Friends, invite a neighbor over to sit under your vine and fig tree.

And may the prosperity of relationships reign.

Praise God!

 

Day of Praise

Sa, 01/31/15, "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. I have a wife. I adore them all.

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

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 wife and 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!

 

 

 

Day of Praise

Fr, 01/30/15, "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 God’s 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 God as Lord.

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!

 

Day of Praise

Th, 01/29/15, "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!

 

Day of Praise

We, 01/28/15, "Day of Praise"

Here’s a rerun of one of my favorites.

"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, there is some mountain or mountain of a person that is waiting for you that will humble you.

Trust the God who made every mountain!

He will work with your humility and bless you!

Praise God!

 

Day of Praise for Today and an apology

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your patience. Please accept my apology for the major headaches I continue to have in setting up and correcting the groups that I’d created over four years on my Blackberry. The groups got very garbled in switching to my new phone which I needed because my Blackberry was literally falling apart.  Thank you for your kindness, and please keep telling me what needs to be fixed. I want this to be right so it can be a blessing to you and all of us instead of a headache!

PS – You all have ordered almost 300 Day of Praise books.  Knowing that, we’re preparing the first order of books, including the financial details, so that every penny can go to long-term missionaries. Thank you for your additional patience on this matter.

 

Tu, 01/27/15, "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!

 

Day of Praise

We, 01/21/15, "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 what we’ve said 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 Day and a Happy World. Let's go!

Praise God!

Day of Praise

We, 01/21/15, "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 what we’ve said 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 Day and a Happy World. Let's go!

Praise God!

 

Day of Praise

Mo, 01/26/15, "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 DeGreen Senior Pastor Christ The King Lutheran Church, LCMC 611 Riverchase Parkway West Hoover, Alabama 35226 Ph: (205) 988-5004 Em: pastorchris@ctkbham.org Web: www.ctkbham.org

 

 

Day of Praise

Th, 01/22/15, "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.

I remember the time 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 DeGreen Senior Pastor Christ The King Lutheran Church, LCMC 611 Riverchase Parkway West Hoover, Alabama 35226 Ph: (205) 988-5004 Em: pastorchris@ctkbham.org Web: www.ctkbham.org

 

 

Day of Praise

We, 01/21/15, "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 what we've said 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 Day and a Happy World. Let's go!

Praise God!

 

 

 

 

Pastor Chris DeGreen Senior Pastor Christ The King Lutheran Church, LCMC 611 Riverchase Parkway West Hoover, Alabama 35226 Ph: (205) 988-5004 Em: pastorchris@ctkbham.org Web: www.ctkbham.org