Worship 001

Worship  001 

-OK, deal me in.

Just a few things to consider.  God is a God of order and if I may use the terms, propiety and proprietary.  Worship is all about Him not about us.  Worship is something you give not something you get - or something out of which you "get."  It is 100% to, for and about Him.

There are four "boundaries/expecatations" with which we must deal if we are to worship well.  
Acts 2:42 NASB
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

That's the "box."  It is to filled with:
Philippians 4:8-9 NASB
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

It is NOT entertaiment.  It is NOT a once a week innoculation.  It is NOT a party, circus or rodeo.  It certianly is not intended to "get" us something - it is intended to "give" Him everything.

Now, a word about "culture."  Culture is NOT the problem.  Purple hair, electric guitars and clapping (as we have here) is not more an issue than neck rings, bare breasts and body piecings are in Africa.  Worship IS NOT confined to the values of the West any more than it is cinfined to the traditional forms we find in Hebrais or Messianic worship.

OK - bare-breast may be debatable but not every "culure" has a "thing" about that.  for some cultures it is not a sexual thing - it's just their thing.

My point is that "culture" is not a bad thing.  Culture is parrt of who we are , where we are and how we are.  The line in drawn at sin not culture.  If you've ever had the experience of worshipping with another "cultural group" it can be a real "Wow!"

Yes, there is a place where "how" we worship, "what" we do and even "what we don't do has to be examined.  But the guiding idea - admonition, imperative (???) is
1 Corinthians 14:40 NASB
But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

That means we do things that are "seemly" and we do them with dignity and in a "fixed succession of rank or character.  Now that certainly excludes a rodeo, circus or even concert atmosphere.
But - I fear we are shooting at the wrong targete.  It's NOT about culture!!!!!  It IS and always HAS BEEN about the worshipper being more focused on themsleves than on the worshipped.  We are to worship "HE" not "ME."  It's about giving to Him as much as we can of that which He is so very derserving.

Now that's all about the gathering of the saints on the Lord's Day for corporate worship.  Let me just say that worship limits us - worshipful expands us.  Applying the criteria for "worship" to include all we are and do is "worshipful."  

Chew in this:
John 4:23-24 NASB
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. [24] "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

One definition of the word worship above is,, "to kiss the hand."  I like that - we, in submission and honor, kiss that hand of God.  Mmmmmmmm  gotta chew on that one for sure!

Finger Thinking 042713

I've been reading Isaiah and Jeremiah - wow!!

But what really hit me (blame the Puritans) is how everything God calls His people to account for (Judah and Israel that it) is just as applicable to the "church" today.  As a matter of fact the Puritans had the lovely habit of referring to Israel and Judah (those who had the faith of Abraham no the "religion" of Moses for faith trump form every time) - as the "church in the Old Testament.  So leaping from that, the whole of the prophetic writings apply to the "church of today" as well.

As Martin Luther is reputed to have once said, "A golden plated turd is still a turd."  It's the old "lipstick on a pig," thing.  We are rich and big and hollow.  We are sending men and women into the field for harvest while we let our neighbor do to hell.  We are more concerned about the unborn and guns than we are the hell bound men and women around us.  We are more committed to the Constitution than we are the Scripture.  We are more focused on establishing our own security than trusting Him with it all.

We invite the world and the devil into our homes on giant HD screens.  We watch trash sponsored by trash and see nothing wrong with it at all.  We laugh at sin, we are engaged by corruption and oh how we love the tough guy who just shoots everybody.

We will carry a copy of the Constitution in our back pocket while our Bibles gather dust.  We'll memorize the arguments for the Second Amendment but we know very little of God's Word by heart.  We'll home-school everything except our faith - that we pay others to do.  We have to get our kids into competitive sports so they can learn to "beat"/"defeat" others.

We will sing God's praises because there are 5,000 people in the building on Sunday morning but only a few are believers.  We will sing God's praises with lyrics the prophets would detest and we are happy.  We want excitement and engagement instead of solemnity and our engaging God.  We will read hundreds of books written by questionable teachers but we will not examine their teaching by the Word.

We are indeed the church and we are no different than the "church in the OT."  We are faithless in content, context and commitment.  We are ripe for refining.

We will engage the "culture' in battles over morality but whoa to the Pastor who does so on Sunday.  We hate the "big" sin while we collect the small.  Idolatry is a thing of the past?  Satan and the demonic are not more?  And God forbid you suffer some mental illness that makes folk uncomfortable - there's no place for you pal!

Yeah - I'm pretty fed up with the common "church" and the "common" Christian.  Not that I'm perfect - I could write volumes concerning my faithlessness and failure.  But at least I am aware and willing to take up the fight.  What about you?

A Hard Parting

Idolatry is a big part of what's wrong with the Church today.  Not just collectively but individually we allow idols to creep into our lives and steal the love and devotions that rightly belongs to God.

But not every affection for something or someone other than God is idolatry.

I grew up in, well, a type of hell.  Alone is the best word to describe it Even though I had a mother and father and sister I none-the-less grew up alone.

Then when I was 14 and had proven I would indeed work hard to learn t play the guitar I was able to acquire "Guinivere."   She is a 1965, Gibson J-45 and from the moment I played her I knew she was special.

For over 40 years she has been a blessing from God.  Whenever my soul could not make what I felt come to my lips it sent it to my fingers.  Whenever my heart broke or soared my fingers wept and/or celebrated.  She was a wonderful gift from Him that allowed me to "speak" without speaking.

Just wood and metal but a tool God graciously gave me to through which I could opennenly and freely celebrate and mourn.  A gift through which I poured out my heart, called others to worship and told His story as well as my own.  Just a piece of wood and simply a tool but no less a gracious blessing and a sign of God's care and love for me.

Well, I have to let her go.  Times are tough, she's a classic and needs must be met.  It's hard to hold back the tears and sobs as I write and it's just little embarrassing.  But though she was just wood and metal she was always there and always understood.  She, for all her inanimateness was my friend, my dear friend.

No, she wasn't (isn't) some idol I have to expel but a dear and valuable friend with whom I have to part.  Yeah, my heart is breaking and I don't know if I'll be able to keep it together when JD comes to get her.

Freud is said to have said that, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."  Well, sometimes in our lives a place person, even even thing is just that except it was where or through or how God touched us and healed us and blessed us and, well some of you will understand.

So I want you to think of what in your life God used and is using.  Those pesky secondary things and people He touches us with and through.  Friends and family they are blessing we cherish not idols we worship - don't get them confused.  Celebrate the blessing and don't be ashamed to mourn their loss.

God bless and comfort us all when we part with them.

Michael

Romans 8:7 "The Problem"

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.  Romans 8:7  ESV

John Milton wrote,
"The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.   Paradise Lost

Though the very center of our "self" is the heart, the mind is no less important to the comfort and growth of the believer.  We have looked at - and will continue to look at - the keeping of the heart, it is the mind my attention is drawn to today.

We do not get a lobotomy or even a de-frag when we come to Christ.  Not only the content of our minds, but the very manner in which we employ it is relatively the same.  We keep our memories and we think in the same old way.

This is a great source of confusion and consternation for the believer.  It is in the conflict between the mind of the flesh and the mind of the spirit that the believer senses trials and temptations.

A simple thing like - well - right and wrong is a good example.  Prior to our redemption, right and wrong tended to be fluid.  We were much more "tolerant" in drawing a line between the two.  For the sake of relationships, status, acceptance, etc., we were inclined (that is "bent") towards cutting a lot of slack for those to whom we looked for companionship, acceptance, success and comfort.

This manner of thinking does not automatically change when one comes to Christ.  There is no re-installation of the operating system.  The mind works in the same old way - the information we had before is unquestioned and figured into our decisions.  So we find ourselves making what were once "good" decisions, sound decisions that now, because of our new loyalty, are - wrong.

But, we all found that there were very few who challenged or questioned our thought processes (much less their own).  So, we brought our fleshly/worldly knowledge and thinking into the Kingdom with us and tried to make it work.  Of course, we discover that it doesn't.

That's ok, however, for such is the case with many of our fellow believers.  We think in worldly ways based on worldly knowledge using worldly processes.  Is it any wonder that we struggle in our minds concerning our salvation?

Any simple run of the word mind via a concordance will make it very clear that our minds are just not right - neither content nor processes nor propositions "fit" any more.

Two verses highlight this point:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  Phil 2:5
and
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by d the renewal of your mind,  Rom. 12:2

We see two things.  We are to have the mind of Christ and our minds are to be transformed.  Hence, the assumption that there is no wiping of our minds when we are redeemed and we are able and expected to change them.

The "mind of Christ" is the goal; "renewal" is the method.

This is no easy or quick task.  It is a daily - if not momentary - duty in which we are to be engaged.

The means:
This renewal of the mind has at least two elements.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  2 Cor. 10:5a

To do this, we must first recognize those arguments and opinions which pit themselves against the knowledge of God.  We do this by taking every thought captive.

We have all heard this verse used in reference to the world's objections and arguments against the faith - but we need to understand that this same kind of argument and opinion dwells in us - not just outside us.

Unless we accept the duty of taking every one of our thoughts captive and discerning whether it is in obedience to Christ, our "arguments" and "opinions" will continue to be stumbling blocks to our growth, security and comfort.  To fail in this duty - to fail to accept this duty - will be to fall short of the comfort and effectiveness of which we are rightful possessors.  We will be weak and pliable.  We will be tossed and thrown.

"Duty"??  Did I say duty?  Yes, it is the duty of every citizen of the Kingdom to give honor, homage and obedience to the King.  We certainly don't expect it of His enemies.  But to not expect it of ourselves is to put the vassal over the Lord.  It is to make ourselves sovereign and Him just a servant.

These duties are not for our salvation but rather because of it.  We are indeed new creatures but such naive and clumsy ones.  The "duties" of prayer, study, worship, stewardship are our means of training, our means of growth.  Though you may not see it, there is a great deal of work done between the acorn and the oak.  There are principles and providences and processes at work in the acorn that we can say are its duties.  However, though we may indeed be nuts as well, unlike the acorn, we are able to intentionally avoid our duties - and this much to our harm.

So let us accept the duties of capturing every thought and subjecting it to the scrutiny of the Word and the Spirit.  Let us, through the duty of prayer, study, and attending to the Word preached and taught meticulously examine the content and operation of our minds.

Secondly, we are to direct our minds to particular things.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Phil. 4:8 ESV

This is not rainbows and puppies and cute little bunny rabbits.  The true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable - excellence and praise worthy are those things which God describes thusly.  It is His criteria we much discern by and not our own.

Here we have very clear ends to the stick.  What does and what does not meet this criteria?  Are we seeking the one and avoiding the other?  Or, are we just wandering about stumbling upon the one and wallowing in the other?  What influences your thoughts the most?  Is it TV or the Word?  Is it Vogue or Romans?  Is it God's whatevers or just whatever?

Though it is beneficial to look, to hunt for those things about which God would have us think, it's benefit is hindered when we accompany it with what the world offers.  It's like eating a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts and drinking a Diet Coke - dubious in its benefit at best.

We may not be able to think God's thoughts but we are able to think about God's Word.  But how beneficial is it when we spend a couple of hours engaged in the Word and many more passively taking in the babble and confusion of the world.  Again - Kripsy Kreme and Diet Coke - it's just self-deception - silliness - dumb.

No, if we are to really take up the duties of a servant of the King, there is much about which we must think and much about which we must not.

Let me stress that word "MUST."  We must - not that we might be saved, not even that we might stay saved - but rather that we might actually experience the glory and comfort and security of being saved.  The "imperatives" in the scriptures are imperative for living the faith.  They are not optional, they are not occasional - they are immediate imperatives - right now and always now.

In light of the quote I cited from Milton - many believers long for heaven but because they do not attend to their minds, they live a hellish existence here.

Finger Thinking 041713 There ain't nothing friendly about Casper the ghost!

I have a dear friend and brother who has written a book titled Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes.  It's been out for a while and has done pretty well but it is interesting that so little attention has been paid to this work not to mention the insights and guidance the author can provide for believers as well as non-believers.

I find it distressing that so little attention - not to mention credibility is given to this critical subject.  The Gospel of Mark is replete with references to demons and possession and yet the church today keeps its head in the sand when it comes to the enemy and his little helpers.

Oh, I know - that was then - this is now - right?  Hooey!!  To deny the existence, operation, danger and influence of the demonic is to deny the scriptures - period!

Yeah - today we'd rather just call it mental illness and give it a pill.  Well folks, after 20+ years of working with psychiatrists, psychologists and their patients that assumption does what assume always does.  It leaves folks - even those who are afflicted with some mental illness out in the cold when it comes to the work of the Prince of the power of the air.  So, they are just "honey out of luck!"

There is nothing "fantastical," or "sensational" in this book.  It was not written to tickle your ears or feed your flesh.  It does provide the reader with a sound and clear BIBLICAL perspective on our latest cultural IED - ie: ghost hunting.

Mom's and Dads who would never consider allowing their kids to play with Ouija  Boards of Tarot Cards will actually sit and watch these hellish TV shows with them.  I find that utter irresponsible and terrifying!  Oh - these same parents will let thie kids watch the MTV and reality trash as well.  No wonder our kids are numb and dumb.

But - this is about a book, an important book and a ministry, an important mnistry and the fact that the church - the "common" church is just too given to cultural compromise to get off its duff, get its head out of the sand and look at a very very serious issue.

Yeah,  I guess I'm a little irritated!  Ok, I'm a lot irritated.  Self-denominated believers just can't seem to be bothered with the fact that Satan and his little helpers have their own TV shows and a teaching young and old alike lies straight out of the pit of hell.

Yes, the subject is outside our comfort zone - but "we" (believers) are supposed to be uncomfortable here anyway.  Unfortunately we have grown to find "fictional" sin on TV and in movies and demons being contacted and engaged as "ghosts" to be entertaining.

To be honest, if I had my choice I vote for the gladiatorial games and circuses of ancient Rome over the lies we see on TV.  Patti and used to watch a show called Castle until the two main characters started carrying on an affair right in the house where his college age daughter and his mother lived.  So much for that show!  So now we live on Duck Dynasty and old TV shows on Netflix.

But back to my point - BUY the book - know the truth - then USE it!!!!!!


James 4:17 NASB
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Think - Pray - Do!

041213 Thinker

William Bridge in his work, A Lifting Up for the Downcast, offers us these thoughts:


Nine things there are, which usually are grounds and occasions of the discouragements of God's people.
I.  Sometimes their discouragements are drawn from their greater and grosser sins.
II.  Sometimes they arise from the weakness of grace.
III.  Sometimes they are taken from their failing in and non-acceptance of duty.
IV.  Sometimes they are draw from their lack of evidence for heaven, and non-assurance of the love of God.
V.  Sometimes they come from their temptations.
VI.  Sometimes from their desertions.
VII.  Sometimes from their afflictions.
VIII.  Sometimes from their unserviceableness.
IX.  Sometimes from their condition itself.

For Bridge as well as other Puritans being "downcast" was not a sin but rather a common result of the redeemed living among the unredeemed and striving to be in but not of the world.  Downcast-ness comes in every battle and we must accept that we are in a continuous battle - every moment of every day.

Now we must pray that we appreciate our downcasted-ness and respect it as a very real and clear evidence of our "otherness."  We are a colony of the redeemed living on foreign shores among peoples utterly opposed to us and our Master.  

Downcast-ness should not provoke despair.  Despair is a sense of futility - even a sense of vanity and we must claim the fact that, although we may not see the why or how of it, our lives are - cannot be - futile or vain if they are lived for Him and by Him.

It is, from my perspective, the insidious spirit of covetousness - comparing our selves to others and/or the "norms" of the culture - that is the most common poison that casts us down. 

Paul writes:

2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 11 NASB
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; [8] we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [11] For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Note:
afflicted - not crushed
perplexed - not despairing
persecuted - not forsaken
struck down - not destroyed
delivered over to death - Jesus made manifest

This is our lot here.  Jesus Himself told us so.  Are we willing to forgo the comfort of this world so He might be seen?  

Do we long for heaven?  Heaven has been described many ways but a true picture is that heaven is the utter and complete absence of sin.  Do we ache for our sin and the lostness of others?  Do we long to be where sin is not and can never be?  Then we will, at times, be downcast - but we are so only for a short time and then we will never be able to be downcast again.

Long for heaven and await His pleasure of calling you there.  As long as you wake up, regardless of how downcast you may be, He has something for you to do for Him.  You may not see it - you may never know you did it - but He uses us all for His name's sake.

Stand up - stand firm -- yeah, I dare you :-}}}}

041113

Was just reflecting on how things seem to be going for followers of Christ in our country and, well - things just don't look too good.

Oh, please, know that trials and tribulation are all in god's hands and we have every reason to stand fast - but when gov't officials see "bible believing" Christians as a threat - well we need to prepare.

No, we don't need guns and bullets - get a grip guys - we need His strength to love those who have chosen to be our enemies and to vilify and even oppress us.

Here's a version of a poem that is worth our considering:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

That "they" will come for us is no nut-ball idea.  They have been and will escalate their opposition and attacks and once started - it's all "down-hill."

Well, I want to make a statement of where I stand and who I serve.  I want to get out ahead of the curve and make it plain I am His and will remain so.

Now - history shows us that when a group of people are targeted for vilification they are typically made to wear some symbol that identifies them as members of the unacceptable group.  Well, I've picked mine and suggest you follow suit - let's start something!!

With heartfelt apologies to my Irish friends (especially my wife) I have chosen what has long been the symbol of the Irish Easter rising.  The lily.

The lily has long been a symbol of the resurrection - and with all the respect I can muster for the symbol of the cross - The resurrection is something we all too often just think of once a year.  BUT without the resurrection, the cross was just a killing.

So, I am ordering a lily pin (maybe a couple) and i intend to wear it prominently.  they can be found at  http://www.sinnfeinbookshop.com/easter-lily-metal-badge/

Year - it's the Sinn Fein folks but I doubt my $7 is really gonna be used for something bad.  If you find a more comfortable source - let me know.

Why not just wear a cross?  Well - there are just too many nut jobs out there that have abused it until it's message is lost in the mix.  And besides, I want to make it plain that i believe:

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  (1Co 15:12-17)

Will you join me in this?  

Even better ----- 041012

Acts 20:35 NASB
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Absolutely !

But I've learned - there is blessing in asking!

Ask how you can give.

Ask if you are in need.

--ask God of course - but dump your pride and anxiety and ask if you are in need - and/or ask those in need---ask about needs.

If we do not share our burdens, if we do not seek out the burdened - the blessedness does not happen.

Oh, it's not easy or comfortable - but what price is too high to bless and/or be blessed?

Just a thought.

Oops - there goes another idol - & another & another ---& -well you get my point

"I'm not good enough!"
Ok, according to who?

Is it all those in your life who made it their perverted objective to convince you of that?

Is is some super-christian author who wrote a book that you took as your measure?

Is it the culture you live in with all sick and twisted expectations and demands?

Is is a husband who is clueless?  A wife who is demanding?  A mentor who is not such a hot mentor?

From my perspective, these are all idols we grab hold of and worship and serve.  We somehow get ahold of and then they get ahold of us.

Duhhhh- the world (power and influence), flesh (pleasure and self sufficiency)  and the devil (perversion and poison) --- oh yeah!

So whose rules do you play by?  His or an idol's?    Think well over this - it's a critical issue.

Junk food is bad food and most "christian" book stores and sections are just chock full of junk - poison - yuck.  They are one person's perspective on live and the Word.

We can eat food - real food or we can eat (pardon my earthiness) - we can eat digested and expelled food.  Most of what you will find in the "Christian Living" sections are just that - manure and not good manure.

It is the Word of God you should be going to for directions, insight, understanding and - wait for it -------- HOPE.

If you are feasting on junk food you are poisoning yourself!!!!!!!!

Some things I'll tell you -
1.  God says there is NO condemnation for His.  There is correction - even discipline and of course all of His suffer - but we suffer because we ARE His!
2.  God sets standards we will not meet here - period - give up any hopes of a fleshly - self-sufficient holiness - never gonna happen!  But praise God, in Christ we are what only He could make us.
3.  The believer's life is a battle - from baptism to burial it is a battle.  Period!  Now it's a battle in a war that has been won by our King but it IS a battle!

So, you feel like a failure - Mmmmmm maybe - just maybe that's good.  If you're seeking to please, appease or serve an idol - rejoice in your failure, repent of your error and return to Him.

Here are the lyrics of a great song that encourages me when I am tapped and/or trapped by the idols around me --

Songwriters: FRANCISCO, DON RICHARD

I know what you've been hearing
I've seen you hide your fear
Embarrassed by your weaknesses
Afraid to let Me near
I wish you knew how much
I long for you to understand
No matter what may happen, child
I'll never let go of your hand

I know you've been forsaken
By all you've known before
When you failed their expectations
They frowned and closed the door
But even though your heart itself
Should lose the will to stand
No matter what may happen, child
I'll never let go of your hand

The life that I have given you
No one can take away
I've sealed it with my Spirit, Blood and Word
The everlasting Father
Has made His covenant with you
And He's stronger than the world you've seen and heard

So don't you fear to show them
All the love I have for you
I'll be with you everywhere
In everything you do
And even if you do it wrong
And miss the joy I've planned
I'll never, never let go of your hand

The life that I have given you
No one can take away
I've sealed it with my Spirit, Blood and Word
The everlasting Father
Has made His covenant with you
And He's stronger than the world you've seen and heard

So don't you fear to show them
All the love I have for you
I'll be with you everywhere
In everything you do
And even if you do it wrong
And miss the joy I've planned
I'll never, never let go of your hand
I'll never let go of your hand

May God bless you - further free you - restore and strengthen You in His Mercy and Grace! 

Walking through Psalm 34 verse 2

Psalm 34:2 ESV
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

And what else can my soul boast in?  All I may have boasted in has been stripped away.  That in which I placed too much confidence has betrayed me and cast me down.

God and God alone is faithful - the idols that capture us and give us false comfort fall over and fail.  We must boast in Him and in Him only.  

This too is hard when we are cast down and in trials and yet it is all we can boast in for He alone is eternally faithful.  

"Let the humble hear it and be glad!". 

We may boast in Him and we should consider the blessing such boasting can be to the humble.

Oh, look and see what the Lord has done - what the Lord has kept from you.  He is always at work for His children.  And though the suffering we endure be mighty, He is mighty to save - and is not our salvation the greatest of blessings?

But who are these "humble" ones?

Perhaps they are those who are strong in the Lord.  It may be they are those who are weak.  I think it must be both.  None of us can be blessed too much especially by His praise.  We are encouraged and strengthened.  We have our hope renewed.  We are caught up in those. Blessings and praises.

But, it can be hard.  When we are despairing we can have a sense of "but not me," that dampens our praise.  This comes from our flesh and our enemy!  It certainly does not come from Him.  We must pray to have whatever hinders us removed and echo those praises as best we can.  He is able and willing to do this for His children.

"Humble?". How are we to define this?  We can get into all kinds of discussions but I think that the humble are those who are aware and appreciative of His sovereignty regardless of there feelings in their circumstances.  They are those - and it is hard - who say, "not my will but Thine."

For many that is frightening.  They are cast down and dismayed and the flesh demands its solutions, its way.  Oh what a battle that is and we can not afford to dismiss it or minimize it.  It is very real - it is not uncommon.  But even that is His fight - in and for us.

Father, I can not say, "not mine but Thy will be done," without Your blessing of strength and courage.  As it was for our Lord, it is hard for e as well.  Take from me any fear or mistrust that my flesh so relishes and give me Your peace and comfort.  Let me - no enable me to - "boast in You," regardless of my circumstances.  I want to, I need to - enable me oh Lord - for Your name's sake.
Amen

Walking through Psalm 34

Psalm 34:1 ESV
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

David wrote this after the Lord delivered him from one enemy while still being pursued by another.  It wasn't the end of his troubles and yet he accepted the blessing as the trial continued.

Verse 1
Though made at the time of his deliverance this is not a commitment new to David.  But he makes it here - again - a reaffirmation - a standing commitment a purpose.

This Psalm is not just for tough times.  But we tend to be drawn to it more so then than when we feel at ease and comfortable.  That's just us.  We take a lot for granted when we are not in distress - or at least I have learned I did.

But I have been convicted that this is a Psalm we should read daily - among others.  It presents us with evidence and assurance but it also admonishes us to draw close and stay close to Him.

This first verse is a tough one when we are despairing and yet even so we have cause to bless and praise Him.  Even though it might be a really fight - we need to do it - it is the foundation upon which all our prayers are built.  The best of starting places.

Consider its similarity to, "hallowed be Thy name.". There is no difference.  Jesus teaches us that.

Yes, it may be hard to do and it may taste like ashes in one's mouth but it is true that regardless of where we are or how we are He is oh so worthy of our praise.

Father,
When I am unable - or struggling - please - please put Your praises in my mind and heart and on my lips.  Make me able Lord to reach up out of my struggle and pain to bless  and praise You.
Make me see You worthiness and sense Your pleasure.  Do not let my raging turmoil silence my praise.  Do not let my suffering silence my blessing of You.
Help Thou my little faith and in my pain let me praise You for You are worthy to be praised - always - in everything.
Amen

If you never considered it - I beg you to do so.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Let's come clean.  My wife and I are now (actually have been) undergoing trials we never though we would.  Of course we know that we are not alone.  But as most of you know, in these trials, we feel very alone.

We are fortunate that our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing all they can to help us and walk with us through this - but that feeling of isolation still sneaks in and chokes one's heart and hope.  

We were doing OK - and then things began to go wrong(?) - or at least grow not good.  Then we found that there was little we could think of to "fix" things.  Like many of you we began to wonder why.  The more we wondered the darker it seemed to grow - and the more desperate we began to feel.

But - God has been faithful - through brothers and sisters who love Him we are loved, prayed for and to the degree possible provided for.  We can't deny His blessings even though we feel that sense of desperation.  It's a very hard thing to count your current blessings when what seems like disaster looms ahead.

We have both voiced Paul's comment that:

2 Corinthians 1:8b

 For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

No, we in no way think we are anywhere close to the despair Paul felt - but at times it does feel that way.  

We are also learning to count whatever we have left as "dross" compared to the grace and mercy we have in Christ.  But the danger there is to begin to be bitter towards having acquired all the "dross" and beating yourself up for it.  We find ourselves wanting for someone to just come and take it all and sell it for whatever can be had.  That looks and feels like quitting - like faithlessness.

We know He is sovereign and our trial is for His glory and is not for our injury but our benefit - it just doesn't feel that way.  The fight is to remember it is good regardless of how it feels.

So what would I have you consider?  Consider that this could be you or someone close to you - and it can happen more suddenly than you think.  Consider your intimacy with God when things are "good" and work on making it and keeping it as do Stanton and healthy as possible.  Do not wait until that intimacy comes from a trial - from desperation.  That intimacy can never be too deep nor too constant.

Consider how prepared you are to serve others as we see the Body doing in Acts 2.
Consider that suffering is part of our walk - it can be long and small or sudden and crushing.  Consider being prepared - knowing and trusting Him more deeply - trusting Him for everything and submitting to Him more broadly.

I wish we had - but we thought we were.  We never do considered we would be where we are.

Prayers are offered.  Prayers are sought.

May He draw you closer and may you run to Him often.

It is finished - He is risen - but He isn't done!

OK - it's the Monday after.  Not an easy day for those disciples.  Still amazed, confused and frightened.  But, "it is finished," will come to mean more and more as they are empowered and instructed over the following 39 (?) days.

There are two lessons I hope we will take from this.

First, without the empty tomb the cross is just a very very sad event.  I understand why we use the cross as the symbol of our faith - it is appropriate.  But I wish someone would design an empty tomb that could be worn - either with or I stead of the cross.

No, I don't want to detract from the significance of the cross in any way but I am saddened that we typically only think of the empty tomb once a year.

Second, I hope we realize from what comes after the tomb - that there is still a plan and process that God is working in the lives of believers.  Ignorance, misunderstanding, the flesh, - all these things are worked through by the Spirit in the lives of those early believers.  We do ourselves and others great harm when we forget that it is so in our lives as well!  We also impose a burdensome yoke on new believers when we have unrealistic expectations of them.

The great commission is primarily to teach - to teach as witnesses and to teach as those who are just a little bit further ahead in our walk than others.  But, too much of the "teaching" we find in the church is more world and flesh focused that Christ and the faith focused.

Catechism has gonna the way of the Dodo bird and with it the opportunity to firmly ground believers - young and old - new and mature - in the fundamentals of the faith.

"It IS finished!". "He is risen!". But we aren't finished nor is He finished with us.  Oh, we will rise on that great day but between we really need to be about the work of growing in maturity, knowledge, understanding and right living.

Just some post Resurrection Sabbath thoughts.

Father - let me not be idle as You complete what You have begun in me.  Give me a hunger and a conviction to do all I can to work with You as You conform me to His likeness.
Amen