Seeking the Face of God

Psalm 119:58 - "I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise."

The little girl's voice has been heard in our home quite a bit lately. My wife was the first one to hear her. It was at her job. Some of the women there played this video for her. She made sure that we saw the video too.

Here is her video:



I love this video! And I love the way that the little girl is so excited about her God. May we, like her, seek God's face with all of our heart. May our hearts long for God. May we seek Him. May we, like the little girl, smile when we think about the incredible truth that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Dear God,

Help us to desire You more than anything else. Help us to, like this little girl, seek Your face. Help us to long for You and to bring as many people to You as we can.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Our Great Portion, Our Delight, Our God

Psalm 119:57 - "You are my portion, O LORD; I have promised to obey your words."

The New Living Translation simply translates this verse, "Lord, you are mine! I promise to obey your words!"

What a beautiful truth. If we are followers of Jesus Christ, He is ours, and we are His. When I think about God being my portion, or God being mine, I am blown away. We belong to God, but He has given Himself to us.

When a couple is married, we speak of them giving themselves to each other. As the bride of Christ, He has given Himself to us and for us. Because of that, how can we do anything but respond with obedience?

Our response should be that which many of us have sung in the old hymn, How Great Thou Art.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

God is great. His ways are hard to fathom. May we long for a relationship with Him that is growing sweeter and sweeter every day.


Dear God,

Thank you that the theological truth that You are ours is shown all over Scripture. Thank you that we belong to You. Help us to remember that You desire for us to honor You with our lives. You long for us to be faithful to You. You demand our obedience. Help us to be what You long for us to be.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Peak Performance

My friend, Scotty Brown, runs a ministry called Peak Performance. It's an evangelism and leadership school that takes place in the mountains of Nepal. I love what Scotty's school does in the lives of students. He just put a 9:10 movie on YouTube that chronicles the ministry. This ministry is more than just a school in the mountains. It is a ministry to unreached people. It is a ministry to leapors. It is a ministry to girls who need to be rescued from slavery. You've got to check this movie out. And, if you are a college student-young adult, pray about participating in it yourself! It will change your life.

Just Do It

Psalm 119:56 - "This has been my practice: I obey your precepts."

Several years ago the Nike Corporation had a very successful ad campaign. It featured many atheletes who encouraged consumers do Just Do It! The idea that they were trying to convey was that you just needed to go out there and exercise, and that exercise would look better if you used their products.

So, what's your spiritual practice like?

Devotions, or taking time out of each day to devote to your relationship with God can seem a daunting task early on. It is so daunting that so many people decide not to spend any time with God.

David is finishing his thoughts from Psalm 119:55 when he writes that this has been his pracitice. He was talking about spending time with God. And, if Dvid were here today, he'd encourage you to do it.

So, let's commit to continue to spend time with God. No matter how many distractions that you face in your life, do not let the most important part of your day pass you by. Make it your practice!

Dear God,

Thank you that you actually want to spend time with us. Help our desire for You to grow every day. We love you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Interview With God

My brother Randy sent me an e-mail earlier today with a link to a website with this video. I watched it, and wow! All I can say is watch it for yourself. It will make you want to live life differently.

In The Night . . .

Psalm 119:55 - "In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law."

It's Saturday night and we are on our annual fall retreat. I love what we have experienced this evening. You see, on Saturday nights, for the past few years, we have spent a good deal of time in what we call, A Night Of Prayer. We set up stations all over the sanctuary. Students pray for their friends and family who don't know Christ. They pray for different churches around the Twin Cities. They pray for different countries. They pray for their own needs. They also have a place where they can go to be prayed over, or a place where they can go to confess sin.

This has been a powerful evening. God has moved. Students have met with their Savior. And, I love it.

As I read Psalm 119:55 tonight, I thought about David's words, In the night I remember Your name. This is a night that our students have remembered God's name. They have dealt with the issues in their life. They are excited about who God is. They remembered that He is Who matters most. He is to be praised. And for that, I praise God.

Dear God,

Thank you for the nights that we remember You. Forgive us for too many nights in between where we forget. Help us to live for you. Help us to bring You glory. Help us to exalt Your name. You are good, and Your love endures forever.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Always On My Mind

Psalm 119:54 - "Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge."

This evening, I'll be taking a group of about 75 people on our annual Senior High Fall Retreat. I love retreats. They give people an opportunity to get away from the pressures of every day life and reflect on what it is that God wants to teach them. Our theme for this weekend is Extraordinary: When God Uses Ordinary People to Accomplish Extraordinary Things. I'd appreciate your prayers as we go with our students.

I couldn't help but think about our weekend retreat as I read Psalm 119:54. David talks about God's decrees being the theme of his song wherever he lodged. David was a musician. He loved to sing. The Psalms are really a songbook that David and a few others composed to God. And, this Psalm, in particular is all about God's decrees. But the part that struck me about this verse what David's longing to sing of God's decree wherever it was that he lodged. David lodged in many places. He was hotly pursued by enemies, and his lodging became a cave. He knew what it was like to lodge in a field with sheep and in a castle with servants. Wherever David went, God was always on his mind.

It reminds me of the old Elvis Presley song Always On My Mind.

Elvis' divorce from Priscilla kept her on his mind constantly. It's sad. And yet, in a beautiful way, God wants to be on our mind constantly. He is a jealous God. He desires fellowship with us. So, throughout your day today, focus on Him. Focus on His desires for your life. Focus on His presence. And, may you, like David, constantly have a song on your lips, of praise for all that God has done for you.

Dear God,

Thank You that we can count on the fact that You will never leave us or forsake us. You are faithful and true to Your word. Help us to live in constant awareness of Your presence. Help us to live this and every day as if You were walking alongside of us. Because, You are. And, that is beautiful.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Righteous Indignation

Psalm 119:53 - "Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law."

Eugene Peterson paraphrases Psalm 119:53 as follows, "But when I see the wicked ignore your directions, I'm beside myself with anger."

Have you ever felt that way? It's called righteous indignation. And, it's easy to feel that way. But, let's be honest. All of us are guilty of forsaking God's law from time to time. So, what is it that makes David so angry here? I think it's the repeated disregard for the laws of God that the ungoldy show. David has already talked about how he was being continually mocked by his accusers. He felt angry, because these were people who had no regard whatsoever for his God.

Fast forward about a thousand years and Jesus Christ comes on the scene. Instead of righteous indignation for the ungodly, Jesus was indignant towards those who called themselves followers of Yaweh, but who worshiped Him with their lips only. Jesus had compassion on the unrepentent. It was for them that he came.

Today, I see many believers who treat the world like the enemy. The world is not our enemy. Satan is. And, Satan has convinced multitudes that they don't need God. These multitudes need to see the love and grace of God lavished upon them. So, be His hands and feet to a world that needs Christ. And, let's let God be the judge.

Dear God,

It's easy to get frustrated when we see Your name defamed, and your people mocked. It's easy to want to fight back. Help us to show your love and grace to your largest critics. Do a miracle. Bring those who are farthest from you into a relationship with you, and use us in your redemptive process.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Comforts You?

Psalm 119:52 - "I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them."

One of our children loved his blanket when he was younger. He carried his blanket around everywhere he went. He was a little bit like the character Linus, from Charles Schultz's famous Peanuts cartoons. I remember the day that he lost it and we couldn't find it. It was awful. There was no comforting the child. I felt so bad. He cried and cried. We bought him another one, but it took some time to get used to it. It just wasn't the same. As he grew older, his need to have that blanket grew less and less. But, his need for us didn't. He will still climb into bed with us and give us hugs every morning. And, when he's sad, he just wants mom and dad to hold him.

David found comfort in his heavenly father, and in God's law. There was comfort in God's Word. And, there still is. When the world around us changes, the Word of God doesn't. God's standards remain the same for all people at all times. There is comfort that comes from knowing that God has bondaries. Those boundaries are not to be broken. They aren't there for our misery, but for our protection, and His glory.

Take comfort today in His Word. Know that it is relevant. God wants to speak to you through it. And, I believe that the more you read, the more comfort you'll find.

Dear God,

Thank you that your words are like a sweet smelling aroma. They can bring comfort to the most troubled soul. Help us to follow your law. Help us to spend time with you. Help us to know that there is nothing better than you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Faith in Difficult Circumstances

Psalm 119:51 - "The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law."

Have you ever been made fun of because of your faith? My guess is that David was. It could be that the mocking that David talks about in Psalm 119:51 was over something else. Either way, it hurt. No one likes to be mocked. No one likes to be mocked in the way that David was mocked either. It was extreme. The mocking went on without restraint. Perhaps the mocking was aimed at his family. Maybe it was at the way that he governed. Maybe it was at his beliefs. It was so bad that David could only describe it as a mocking that showed no restraint.

How would you respond in that circumstance? I think it would be tough. I might even be tempted to blame God, or to turn my back on him.

Not David. David says that he won't turn from God's law.

Now that's devotion. And, that is what God desires from us.

Not long ago I heard about some missionaries in an Islamic country. The missionaries had served in this country for many years. They had a few friends that served on the field with them, and among them was another couple, around the same age, who served many miles away.

This past year, tragedy struck. The friends of the missionary couple that I know were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. The couple that I know have made the heroic decision to replace their friends -- to go to the site where their friends were martyred and continue their work. Talk about faith in difficult circumstances.

So, how's your faith? What would it take to shake your faith? How do you live out your faith in the difficult circumstances of life? Keep trusting! God loves you and He believes in you.

Dear God,

When times are tough and our faith is weak, help us to trust in you. When we are tired and hopeless, bring back hope. When we are tempted help us to never stray. Help us to live for you no matter the cost!

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Great Article on my Pastor in the Star Tribune

Yesterday's Minneapolis Star Tribune had a front page feature on my pastor, Leith Anderson. I'm proud of the work that Leith is doing, and the way that he lives his life. He's the real deal. Check out the article by following this Link.

Youth Pastors and Halo

Yesterday's New York Times had a fascinating article about the popular video game Halo and the use of it in churches all across America. The title of the article is Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Popular Video Game at Church. You can read the entire article by following this Link.

After you read the story answer this question for me: How do we as youth pastors possibly look good in this story? I've played Halo with students on multiple occasions, but I've got to tell you, after reading this article, my stomach turned. What is it that we are saying to the world around us when we play? Do you think we look at all two-faced when we say that we value life and then play the game? Or, is it a different thing, since in Halo it's aliens? Maybe it's time that we re-examine that entire Christians are to be set apart deal and begin to take it serious in all parts of life.

Thanks to Jon Clauson for sending me the link.

When You Suffer

Psalm 119:50 - "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."

Have you ever been through a period of suffering? Maybe you lost a loved one. Maybe you lost a job. Maybe it was extremely difficult circumstances that led to a depression. Mabye your suffering was over your faith in God, or your faith in someone that no one else had faith in. Perhaps it was an illness. Perhaps you are suffering now.

So, how do you get through life when life gets tough. In the past few years, several people that I have known have decided to end their own life. It's sad. In their moment of despair, these friends thought that the answer for them was suicide. It's not the answer. The answer is something that David discovered long ago. The answer is that no matter how tough the circumstance, no matter how great the suffering, God is true to His word. God has promised relief. It may not come when we want it, but it will come. And, it was this promise from God that sustained David during his darkest nights.

What has God promised for those who love Him? Scripture tells us that it is so grand that no mind can even conceive of it. We know that it is good. It is paradise. And, it is awaiting those who love God.

Reach out for His comfort today.

Dear God,

When we are sad, discouraged and downright suffering help us to remember that You have promised you children an inheritance that will never fade away. Help us to reach out in love for you. Help us to trust.

Thank you for loving us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

Hope

Psalm 119:49 - "Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope."


Poet Emily Dickinson once wrote the following about hope,

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune
Without the words,
and never stops at all."

I love that. There are those in this world who have become too afraid to hope. Hope brings with it the possibility of despair. And, because of that, some have decided that they would rather not hope at all.

I want to suggest that hope, in anything or anyone but God, will bring disappointment. Hope in God is not a guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Philip Yancey, the famous Christian author wrote an entire book dedicated to the topic several years ago when he penned his famous work, Disappointed With God. (It's worth picking up if you've never read it.)God is worth putting hope in. He always follows through on His promises. It's just not always as fast as we'd like, or necessarily done the way that we would want.

Aren't you glad that you don't have to make decisions for God? Aren't you glad that you aren't God? I know that I'm not worth hoping in. I'll continually fail those who put their hope in me. God won't. And, He's worth trusting with our all.

Dear God,

We place our hope in You. We need Your touch in our life. There is nothing on earth that compares to You. Help us to believe when our faith is weak. Help us to trust when we are disappointed. Help us to never stop loving You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Biblical Meditation

Psalm 119:48 - "I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love,
and I meditate on your decrees."

It's been 48 days now since I began this journey of a verse a day through Psalm 119 for 176 days. I have to say that these weeks have been some of the most spiritually satisfying that I have ever enjoyed. In today's verse, David talks about worshipping God. As he does, he lifts his hands toward heaven, in celebration of the commands of God. Again, David tells us that he loves the commands of God. And, then David tells us that he meditates on God's decrees.

That is, in a sense, what we have been doing these last 48 days. Many of you have undertaken this journey with me. You have meditated on God's Word. Instead of trying to digest large portions of God's Word, you have taken in delicious samples, bite sized portions, if you will, of God's Word.

How has it been?

I've loved these 48 days, but I've found that they make me hunger for more. I've been thinking about what comes next. One idea? To go through this same exercise with the words that Jesus spoke while he was here on earth. I'd begin with the Gospel of Mark, then go through Matthew, John, and finally Luke.

I don't know. It's just a thought. And, I'd probably do that paragraph by paragraph, rather than verse by verse.

But, for today, I am reminded of the value of biblical meditation, and in awe that God's Word is so alive.

Dear God,

It was the Apostle John who mentioned that all the books in all the world couldn't contain the stories about you. You are so vast. You are so wonderful. Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for the love that is literally shown all over the pages of Your Word. Thank You for allowing us to think deeply about Your words for hours on end and know that we are only scratching the surface.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Loving God's Commands

Psalm 119:47 - "for I delight in your commands because I love them."

Do you love the commands of God?

I was at lunch a while ago with a person who had walked away from God. He was searching in all the wrong places for fulfillment in life. He knew that he should probably come back to God, but he didn't want God, or anyone else for that matter, telling him how to live.

God loves you. His commands are not meant to ruin your life, they are meant to enhance your life. They are meant to protect you and to show you the best way to live.

Celebrate His commands as you do whatever it is that you are going to do this weekend. Learn to love His commands, because they are His desires for us.

Dear God,

The weekend is here. This is the time of the week that many like to check out on their relationship with you for awhile. Help us to love your commands and to follow you no matter what. Thank you that your commands are good and trustworthy and worthy of being followed.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Intimidation Factor

Psalm 119:46 - " I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame,"

Who intimidates you?

Maybe you are one of the few people in the world that isn't inimidated by anyone, but most of us could probably name at least one person or group of people who intimidate us.

When it comes to sharing your faith, who initimidates you? Most people would answer that question, "Almost everyone!"

It can be tough to speak about that which is most important in our life. When I ask people why they are afraid of sharing their faith the answers I normally hear are, "Rejection," "Fear of offending someone," "Not knowing what to say," or, "I'm afraid of saying something wrong."

David said that he would speak of the statutes of God before Kings. In other words, David didn't care who it was that heard about his love and devotion for God. In Acts 25-26 we read the story of Paul and his defense of his faith before two very powerful men, Festus and King Agrippa. Paul was not intimidated by either one of these leaders. To King Agrippa, he preached so passionately and persuasively that Agrippa declared, "'Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?' Paul replied, 'Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains'" (Acts 26:28-29).

I love Paul's passion. I love David's passion. And, I pray that all of us may have similar passion. Let's not be initimidated to share our faith or our beliefs with as many people as possible. And, let's show it too. Let's let our lives AND our words bear witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the best thing that ever happened to us.

Dear God,

We all have opportunties every day to speak up for You. Help us to take those opportunties. May we reflect Your character in word and deed. May You be glorfied in everything that we do every day.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

How Would You Introduce Jesus Christ?

As a Christian, I continually have the privilege of introducing people to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love Him. He has changed me, and he loves me like no one else ever will. Comedian Steve Harvey has a pretty cool dream. It will never happen. But, if he were able to introduce Jesus Christ to the world, this is how he'd liek to do it. Enjoy! And, thanks to Marceia Duhm for e-mailing this to me.

Freedom!

Psalm 119:45 - "I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts."

How would you like to experience pure freedom? I'm talking about freedom from guilt, from shame, from the bondage of sin. Wouldn't it be great to be able to escape that? As long as we walk in the way of the Lord, we can. David knew that there was a direct correlation between walking in the path that God calls us to and experiencing freedom. I know that David's statement here is absolutely true. The times in my life where I have felt the most lighthearted and free were the times that I knew that I was walking in a path that was pleasing to the Lord.

Today, celebrate the freedom that can be found in Christ. Celebrate the joy that He wants you to know. Celebrate freedom; true freedom!

Dear God,

Thank You so much that You offer us freedom. Help us to walk in Your ways. Help us to trust that Your ways are better than our ways. Help our love for You and Your laws to increase.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

How Idealistic Are You?

Psalm 119:44 - "I will always obey your law, for ever and ever."

There is no way that David was able to pull it off. We know that David was a man after God's own heart, but he was also a man. So, what's the lesson that we can learn from Psalm 119:44? How about this: God loves it when we desire to please Him. David made a bold statement in verse 44. But, it was a statement that stemmed from a passion for holiness.

Let's hope that all of us would desire to obey Christ like this. Too many times our knowledge that we are sinners becomes a licence to sin. A few years ago the WWJD craze hit Christianity. Bracelets were all over the place. WWJD stood for What Would Jesus Do? The bracelets were so popular that even non-Christians were wearing them as fashion statemnts. The WWJD idea came from Clarence Sheldon's classic work In His Steps, a book in which a pastor challenges his congregation to ask what Jesus would do before the make every decision. In the fictional book, the church is used by God to transform their world. Is it idealistic? Yes. But, sometimes idealism is so beautiful. So, what would happen if we tried to live like David talked about in this verse? Maybe our world would be transformed. At a minimum, you would be, and God would be pleased. And, that's worth it!

Dear God,

We really do want to please you with our lives. Help our knowledge that we will sin not become license to sin. Help us desire to please you. Help us not to lose the idealism that we once had. Help us to be changed by You and to be used by You to change Your world.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Happy Birthday, My Best Friend!

Today is my best friend's birthday. It as 19 years ago today that she officially became my girlfriend. We were sophomores in college and we'd been dating for about a month. I'll never forget that night. There was a full moon. We were in the mountains of Virginia. And, she looked so beautiful. 19 years, and four children later, she's still my best friend.

I love you, Cyndi.

It's True!

Psalm 119:43 - "Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws."

Prior to joining the staff of Wooddale Church, I served as the Student Ministries Pastor at First Evangelical Free Church in Moline, Illinois. I loved the years that our family spent there. They were years of learning. They were years that forced us to grow as a couple. They were the years that our last two children were born. And, they were years where we saw God work in special ways.

One of the things that I remember about the church building where we served was the cornerstone of the building. It was an engraved brick that said, "First Evangelical Free Church - Holding Forth the Word of Truth."

What do you call the Bible? I've heard it called God's word, the Word of God, the Bible, my biblical (from my best friend in high school), Scripture, the Holy Bible, and many other things. But, I don't believe that I've ever heard a friend or pastor refer to the Bible as the Word of Truth.

Think about the power of those words. God's word, unlike any other words that we will ever hear in life is absolutely true. There is not a bit of exageration in it. It's reliable. It is worth building our lives around. It is worth allowing it to transform our lives. God's word isn't God, but it is inspired. Not inspired like a sermon that I might preach, or a speech by a politician. It is truly he breath of God.

If it's been awhile since you've allowed yourself to be blown away by the Word of God, allow yourself to reflect on just how precious this Word of Truth is. Put your hope in the God of the word, and share about that pecious Word with the world aroudn you.

Dear God,

Your Word is true, and it's a precious gift. Thank you for giving it to us. Help us to immerse ourselves in your word and to share it with the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Fools for Christ

Psalm 119:42 - "then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in Your word."

When you think about it, we Christians believe some pretty strange things. We believe that God created the earth. We believe in the virgin birth. We believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. We believe that Jesus is coming again. We believe that heaven is real and so is hell. We believe that people who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will not go to heaven.

And, the world hates that message. The world says that the message smacks of arrogance. The world says that those who believe such things are fools. And, the world has said that for a long time. David's enemies taunted him. They made fun of his belief in God. And, David prayed that God would prove His word to be faithful.

In this verse we are reminded that God will be true to His word. But, God works in His time and not ours. David would have to rely upon God, love and trust God, and love his enemies as he waited for God's truth to be revealed.

We live in a world that continues to reject God. And, they continue to think that Christians who take God at His word are fools. Are you ready to live as fools for Christ?

A fool for Christ will:

1) Love those who mock her.

2) Believe that God will follow through on what His word says.

3) Speak of for Christ when the opportunity arises.

4) Not think of themselves as having it all together, but recognize that it is only because of Christ that we have anything to offer the world.

5) Reject the world's system in favor of God's.

What else? What would you say that a fool for Christ will do? I'd love to hear from you.

Dear God,

Sometimes it is hard to live for you. There are times where we don't want to feel different. There are times where we grow weary. Give us faith. Help us to know that you always follow through on Your word. Help us to always love a world that treats us like we are foolish. Help us to embody Your love.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Salavation From What?

Psalm 119:41 - "May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise;"

One of my favorite theological truths about Jesus is that He is God incarnate; God in the flesh. Jesus Christ left the glory of Heaven to dwell among us. In a moment's time the Prince of Peace entered our world of war.

In Psalm 119:41, David pleads with God for His unfailing love to come to him. He longed for God's salvation. Those of us who have tasted and seen that Jesus Christ is God, know this love. We have experienced God's grace. We have been granted His salvation. Because of the incarnation, we have reason to celebrate. Faith in Jesus Christ, and He alone, is the basis for our salvation. Romans 10:9 tells us that "If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved."

Do you know what a HUGE deal that is? The greatest gift in all of the world has been offered to you. The God of the universe wants to save us. A couple of years ago, my brother Mark and I were talking. He asked, "Brian, what is it that God saves us from?" The seminary grad answered his businessman brother, "From hell. From Satan. From ourselves."

"Wrong!" he answered back. "God saves us from God."

My brother was right. God saves us from His furious wrath. And, that is a message that is being lost on the church today. David understood it. He understood that his salvation was completely dependent upon God. So many today want to believe that Jesus will save everyone in the end. Or, we want to believe that there are more important things that the church can be involved in than seeing lost people come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus still transforms lives. The majority of people in the world will reject His message. Too often that is because of the messengers. In today's Minneapolis Star Tribune, actor and activist Martin Sheen is interviewed. In the interview he says, "I'm a radical Catholic who sincerely believes in the Gospels. We are commanded by the Gospels to love our enemies. I love Gandhi's quote about [how] Christianity would be a great religion but it's never been tried." You can read the complete interview here: Link.
It's a valid point. A new book, released earlier this week entitled, unChristian reports about the incredible skepticism that has arisen towards Christianity by today's 16- to 29-year-olds. This new generation believes that Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, and full of hate. Only 16% of non-Christians in their late teens and twenties have a positive impression of Christians. To read more follow this Link.

Martin Sheen and the book unChristian aside, we have to recognize that even when Jesus walked this earth, with a love like the world had never seen, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3).

If it is true that if there is salvation to be found in God, if Jesus Christ is the Savior, then there is something that we need to be saved from. I read a blog entry on The Ooze Blog, yesterday, that concerned me. The most disturbing part was this paragraph, which read, "This alleged holocaust by God, or at least the threat of it, portends much harm. It is a distraction from the true plan of the creator---a plan for peace and restoration. There are adequate resources in the church to thwart hunger, disease, pollution, everything, yet those resources are too often being used to save souls from hell. There is way too much focus on dying and not nearly enough on living. Jesus' focus was not for us to save souls. He told the believers to make disciples---people who live out the way of the Sermon on the Mount." You can read the post, and my response to it, in it's entirety Here..

It is time for the church to get back to the whole Gospel. Yes, we need to be about social justice. Yes, we need to care about the earth, and take care of God's creation. But, of utmost importance is sharing the Gospel. The Gospel won't be heard if Christians try to preach repentance without demonstrating love. But, some will never want to hear it. Remember what Jesus did when he walked into a town? "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:35-38).

Jesus was filled with compassion. He loved his enemies. He loved those who would never follow Him. We need to do the same.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your incredible gift of salvation. There has never been a gift like it, and there will never be another like it. We do not deserve it. Forgive us for making Christians look hypocritical, judgmental, full of hate, and by default making You look bad. Give us courage to walk with You when others won't. Give us compassion to meet people where they are at. Give us wisdom to know understand the economy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Help us to make investments in the things that really matter. We hear all the time that the church has enough resources to solve world hunger, disease, famine, etc. If that is true, then help us to do it. If not, then help us to give more than we do, and to do more for others than we do for ourselves. Bottom line is, we want to please You. We want to ultimately be about the things that You are passionate about. We want to love You, to make You known, to make You look good, and to love others more than we love ourselves.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

To the Prodigals

Psalm 119:40 - "How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness."

Not long ago I had a conversation with a father who was clearly distressed. His child had made one bad decision after another. She had once walked closely with God. She was active in inviting her friends to church and had even seen many of her friends come to faith in Jesus. Something happened along the way. Seduced by the lure of the world, this girl ran from God. Today, she is addicted to drugs and alcohol. She has watched her life spiral out of control. She is finally ready to give God control of her life. She knows that the things that she has been chasing are killing her.

I had a conversation with another father some time ago. He too was distressed, but his distress stemmed from a marriage that was falling apart. He felt helpless as he watched his wife make one poor decision after another. Her embrace of alcohol, rejection of her husband and children, and denial of the faith was wreaking havoc on her life, and the life of everyone that she once claimed to love.

Maybe you've been there. Maybe you've run from God. Maybe you are there today.

In Psalm 119:40, David cried out, "How I long for Your precepts!" When does one long for the law of God? Often times it's when we realize that we need God's touch in our life more than ever. It's when we are at the end of our rope. It's when we are drowning and we need a lifeline to pull us in.

It's Peter, who jumped out of the boat to walk with Christ on water, and then took his eyes off Christ and began to sink.

It's the Prodigal Son who wasted his inheritance and then while dining with the pigs realized that he desperately needed his father's forgiveness.

It's my friend Joe, who battle drug addiction. He has been in and out of rehabilitation more times than I can count. When he's clean there is no one like him for zeal for the Lord. And, when he's not, it's the saddest thing I've ever seen.

To the prodigals out there, and if we are true to ourselves we know we're all prodigals from time to time, remember that when we walk with the Lord, when we follow Him, we experience life to the full. When we don't we trade the glory of heaven for the temporal satisfaction of hell.

Do you know what will preserve the life of the prodigal daughter and prodigal wife that I mentioned earlier? The same thing that David said in verse 40. It's following God. Both of these women are so close to losing everything because they want to live life without regard to God's standards. I pray that they'll be healed. I pray that they'll come back. And, I pray that all of us prodigals will run back to the Father.

Dear God,

Thank you that you love prodigals. Thank you that none of us have ventured so far that we enter back into Your arms. Help us to live for you. Help my prodigal friends. Help us to long for you, like David did.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

A Worried Cub Fan

I love baseball. It's my favorite sport -- always has been. And, there is no team that I love more than the Chicago Cubs. So, why am I so upset tonight? My Cubs are in first place. They hold a two game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers. And, they could clinch the division tomorrow with a win over Reds coupled with a Brewer loss to the Padres.

Three games left. Magic number: Two. And, Cub fans all over the world almost convinced that the Cubs will find a way to blow it.

That's the problem with growing up a Cub fan. We are way to used to the phrase Wait 'til next year.

I hope this is the year. Go Cubs.

Wise Words From A 16th Century Puritan Pastor

Psalm 119:39 - "Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good."

I love the way that C. H. Spurgeon wrote. The man, who history has called, The Prince of Preachers was an incredible orator, but also quite proficient with the pen. In his classic work, The Treasury of David, Spurgeon analyzed every verse of the Psalms, phrase by phrase.

As I read today's verse, I turned to Spurgeon for help. When David asked God to take away the disgrace taht he dreaded, Spurgeon was convinced that the disgrace had to do with David's enemies. The King James Version of the Bible translated this verse, "Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good." David was pleading with God for divine intervention in dealing with his enemies. He wanted God to not allow his enemies to make a mockery of him. I would agree with David. I don't like it when a mockery is made of me. But, I'm not a King. When David battled enemies, his entire country was effected.

When talking about the end of this verse Spurgeon quoted Richard Greenham. Greenham was one of the most prominent Puritan pastors of the 16th century. I'd love to have one of Greenham's original books some day. Spurgeon, quoting Greenham wrote the following of the words, for thy judgments are good, which are found at the end of Psalm 119:39.

"The judgements of the wicked are bad judgments, but the judments of God are good; (At this point in the reading I was thinking, 'Wow! This Richard Greenham was a real rocket scientist.') I pray against those, I appeal to these: I fear one, I approve the other. Now the judgments which God pronounceth in His word, be they threatenings in the law, or consolations in the Gospel, yea, and those also which He executeth in the world, whether upon the godly or godless, they must needs be good. 1. Because God is goodness itself. 2. He cannot be deceived. 3. He will not be bribed. 4. He alone is no respecter of person, but judgeth according to every man's work."

So, today, let's focus in on a God whose judgments are good. His desires for us are good. Let's try to remember that God does make demands of us. That God's demands are for His glory and our betterment. Let's pursue God with everything we have. And, let's rejoice that His judgments are good.

Dear God,

There is not one of us who deserves Your love. Your judments are indeed good. They are not fair, or we would all be condemned to hell. Thank You that You deal with men in grace and love. May You be lifted higher in our lives.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God Keeps His Promises

Psalm 119:38 - "Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You." (NASB)

Have you ever had someone promise something to you and then not deliver on that promise? I know that I have. In fact, I know that I've too often been guilty of making a promise that I failed to deliver on.

God will never do that.

Psalm 119:38 says, "Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared," in the New International Version of the Bible. The New American Standard Bible translates it more liteally when it says, "Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You."

At first glance this verse may look like David is making a deal with God. If God fulfills His end of the bargain then David will fear God. But, that's not a completely accurate way to look at this verse. David wasn't bargaining with God. God had already made a covenant with him. That covenant is recorded in 2 Samuel 7:16, which says, "Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever." (NASB)

When God made this covenant with David, the King responded with the following prayer,

"18Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19"And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future And this is the custom of man, O Lord GOD.

20"Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD!

21"For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know.

22"For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23"And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?

24"For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.

25"Now therefore, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken,

26that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel'; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You.

27"For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

28"Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

29"Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

Did you notice the similarity of verses 24-26 with Psalm 119:38? In the Psalm, David was merely asking God to do what God had promised to do. He saw God's fulfillment of His promise as a reason to worship God.

So, what has God promised us?

He's promised to forgive us when we truly repent.

He's promised to never stop loving us.

He's promised salvation to all those who make Him Lord of their life.

He's promised to return.

He's promised to never leave us or forsake us.

He's promised to listen to us.

He's promised to watch over us.

He's promised to accomplish His purposes in our lives.

He's promised to . . . well you get the idea.

I'm just hitting the tip of the iceberg.

We may not have a throne that will never end . . . but then again . . . we, who are joint heirs with Jesus do have thrones . . . and we will rule with Christ for eternity . . . and He will be our God . . . and we will be His people . . . and God will keep His promise.

Dear God,

We will never be You. We will never be God. And, we thank You for that. But, You have made promises to Your children that are spectacular. Those who have been redeemed by You will live and reign with You forever. Sometimes it's easy when we are living our day-to-day lives to feel like your promises have been forgotten. Help us not to live with a temporal perspective, but with Your eternal perspective. Help us, to like David, look at your answered promises as a reason to worship you. For, you, God are worthy of our praise.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Really Matters

Psalm 119:37 - "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."

Are you ever amazed at how much time you spend on things that won't really matter when all is said and done? I know that I'm guilty of that.

So, how do we determine what things are worthwhile pursuits and what aren't? Is it wrong, for example, to have wealth?

No. It's wrong if wealth has you.

Is it wrong to have hobbies that require excessive amounts of time? No. It's wrong if our hobbies have us.

Is it wrong to sin? Of course. We can all agree that sin is a worthless thing to pursue. But, sin, catches our eye all too often. The temptation to puruse that which displeases God is ever present.

David knew this. He asked God to actually turn his eyes away from sinful things. He was incapable of this without the assistance of God. And, so are we.

All too often the good things in our life can begin sin when we allow them to crowd God out of the place that He so rightly deserves. May we never allow anything to creep into our life and take the place that God deserves. All such things are worthless.

What really matters? God. Life is about God. Pursue Him with all that you have.

Dear God,

Like David, we ask that You would turn our eyes from sinful things. Help us to pursue You with everything that we have, everything that we are, and everything that we hope to be. You are worthy.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Distraction

Psalm 119:36 - "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain."

How easy is it for you to get distracted?

It's pretty easy for me. I've often times wondered if I have Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.). I don't remember A.D.D. being checked for when I was growing up. Nowadays, when I hear the profile of the ADD person, I say, "That sounds like me."

Do you ever feel like you have Spiritual A.D.D.? You plan to spend time with God but that time gets crowded out by so many other things. I think that's the point David was trying to make in Psalm 119:36. He wanted God to help him care more about God than anything else in his life. For David, the big request was that he wouldn't desire selfish gain, or wealth, more than he desired God. It might be something else for you.

Is there something that distracts you from God?

I ran across this video on YouTube today. I did a Google search on the words "Spiritual A.D.D." and this video came up. It's thought provoking and worth watching.



Dear God,

Help us not to get distracted in our relationship with You. Help us to desire You more than anything that this world has to offer. Take away our spiritual A.D.D. and lead us in Your ways.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Delights You?

Psalm 119:35 - "Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight."

Our family is traveling to the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa today. We're driving to a church that we were privileged to serve at for 5 1/2 years. It's been a few years since we have been there. And, we're excited to go back! We're excited to see old friends. We're excited to show our kids the house where we lived. We're excited to show Jeremy and Zach the hospital where they were born. We're excited to see our old church. And, we're excited about going to Whitey's.

Whitey's? If you've ever lived in the Quad Cities you have spent time at Whitey's. It's the best ice cream place in the entire world. And people in the Quad Cities are proud of it! Summer nights in the QCA (Quad Cities Area) often times involve at trip to one of the several Whitey's locations all over the city. You might even say that people from the Quad Cities take delight in this ice cream.

While delight for ice cream is kind of fun, delight in the Lord brings with it the ultimate satisfaction. Where is it found? It is found by walking in the commands of the Lord.

Walking in God's way means that our priorities are straight. It means that we are trusting that God ultimately has our best interests in mind, and although His idea of what those best interests are may be different than ours, His ways are better. When we come to realize that we find incredible satisfaction and delight.

The best days of my life have been the days where I have walked with God. They are the days where I have truly sensed His presence and His guiding hand. The days aren't always easy, but they are satisfying.

So, what delights you? Really.

My friend Greg Speck speaks in schools all over America. Normally there is a rambunctious group of young men sitting in the back row when Greg speaks in the school's gymnasium. The noise from the constant talking is a distraction, so Greg will ask one of the young men to stand up.

He'll say, "I'd like to ask you a couple of questions."

The boy usually responds, "What, are you talkin' to me? Yo, bring it on! Bring it on!"

"Okay," says Greg. "Do you have a stereo system at home?"

"Dude, I've got an iPod with 7,000 songs connected to a speaker system that you wouldn't believe. Uh huh! What you got? Huh?"

"Well, I'm sure it doesn't compare, but let me ask you another question. Do you have a video game system?"

"I've got a video game museum; from Pong to the Playstation 3 and everything in between."

"Alright. How about a car? Do you have a car?"

"You bet. I've got a 1985 Ford Fairmont with rims like you wouldn't believe and a spoiler, and a souped up engine. It's incredible."

"Do you have a baseball bat?"

"Yeah, I have a baseball bat."

"When you get home from school today, would you take that baseball bat and take it to your iPod and speaker system?"

"No, that's stupid. Of course not. What's wrong with you?!"

"Would you take the bat to your video game system. You know, use your X-Box 360 for some batting practice?"

"No, of course not! What's wrong with you, fool?"

"Okay, would you take the bat to your car?"

"To Bessie? Don't be talking about my car like that?"

"You named your car Bessie?"

"Don't be messin' with Bessie!"

"Okay, one last question. If you could have any girl in this auditorium and have your way with her sexually, with no chance of getting caught would you do it?"

At which point the boy usually responds, "Any girl?"

"Yeah," Greg says, "Any girl."

"Well, sure," the boy responds.

It's at that point that two things usually happen. The young ladies in the gymnasium respond, "Loser!"

And, Greg says, "That's what is wrong with us today. We've become a society that loves things and uses people instead of a society that uses things and loves people."

When it comes to God, I'm afraid His bride (us, the church) has grown to love all of the things that the world has to offer and we have grown to view God as something that we use to get what we want. Our prayers reveal much about how we view God. Our prayers have become appeals for more of everything but the things that delight God. May we become people who become passionate about that which God delights in.

What delights you?

Dear God,

We are so guilty of finding delight in things apart from you. Help us to remember that every good and perfect gift that we have comes from You. You delight in taking care of Your children, but You want Your children to delight in You. You are our greatest satisfaction. You are our delight. Help us not to forget. You are God, and You alone are worthy of our pursuit. Help us to remember that.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Something God Loves

Psalm 119:34 - "Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart."

Welcome to day 34 of this 176 day journey through Psalm 119. I hope that God is teaching you new truths about Him as we work our way through this ancient chapter of Scripture together. I know that God is instilling within me a new appreciation for His holiness, His love, His mercy, His law, and His word. Over the past month we've seen David continually cry out to God for help in falling in love with His law. Keeping the law of God was tough for David, thousands of years ago, and it's tough for us today.

We live in a day where people are increasingly rejecting God in favor of living a life where they are their own god, answering to no moral authority but themselves. Some of the best selling books in America last year were books attacking Christianity. Christopher Hitchens', God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, Richard Dawkins', The God Delusion, Karen Armstrong's, A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and Sam Harris', Letter to a Christian Nation all appeared on the New York Time's Bestseller List, some reaching number one, and all asserting that the real problem with our world is those who actually believe the tenants of their religion. They were particularly infuriated by those who believe that their religion is the exclusive means to finding God.

So, what's a Christian to do? We live in a day where our faith is consistently under attack. But, the faith has always been under attack. To be a Christian and try to separate spiritual warfare from the Christian life is to deny the fact that there is a very real war that takes place every moment of every day for the souls of men. Remember, history is God's story. It's not ours. We are bit players in His glorious purpose. As such, we have a responsibility to stand for Him. We are to know Him and make Him known. Our lives are for His glory. If we make life all about us, like so many in the world do, we miss out on what it is that God has created us to do.

So, let us, like David, cry out to God for understanding in this day in which we live. God loves that. He loves when we ask for wisdom. When he gave Solomon the unique opportunity to ask for whatever it is that he wanted, God was pleased when Solomon asked for wisdom (See 1 Kings 3). He was so pleased that He gave Solomon more wisdom than any man that lived on the face of the earth. 1 Kings 4:29-34 describes Solomon's wisdom, "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."

When God gives us understanding, His desire is that we would use it to follow Him. When we obey God, it makes a difference in the world and in our life. Solomon's wisdom was used by God to make a huge difference in the world around him. But, wisdom alone isn't enough to keep us following Christ. Solomon's life took a tragic turn when he, despite his knowledge, chose to disobey God. Before we are too tough on Solomon, remember that we too, every time we sin, reject the knowledge that the Holy Spirit reveals to us, in favor of following our own way. In a very real sense we put ourselves in the place that God belongs every time we sin. We try to put ourselves in control of our lives. For a moment, we become our own god. And, then, through the Holy Spirit's work in our life, we realize that we have made a most grievous error. We have broken the first commandment. We have broken that which God is most passionate about. We have loved ourselves more than we have loved God.

So, let us pray for God's understanding so that we might keep God's law and obey it with all my heart.

Dear God,

Forgive us for those times when we put ourselves ahead of You. Every time we do we break Your first commandment. We have all been guilty of not loving you with all of our heart. You desire our hearts more than anything, and we insist on pleasing ourselves more than we please you by chasing after our own desires. We don't want to be our own gods. We need You. Help us to understand You and Your desires and to follow you with all of our heart.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Great Article by John Ortberg for Teachers of God's Word

There is nothing that excites me more than having the opportunity to preach. There is also nothing that scares me more. It is a huge responsibility. Anyone who takes this responsibility seriously knows what I am talking about. John Ortberg, the Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, has written a phenomenal article for Christianity Today entitled Birthing A Sermon. It's not a long read, but it is power packed. If you are a pastor or if you have any opportunity to teach God's Word, i.e. Sunday School teacher, Bible Study Leader, Christian School Teacher, etc., you need to read this article. Check it out: Link

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

Psalm 119:33 - "Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end."

One of my favorite lessons to teach is one that I call The Nine Values of World Changers. It's a lesson that deals with the biblical characteristics that are seen in the lives of most people who have a huge impact on the world. One of those character qualties is endurance. Towards the end of his life, the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, his young apprentice and said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8) This was written in the last chaper of the last recorded letter that we have of Paul's. He was proud of the way that he finished his life.

My Grandpa was a pastor for many years. Several years before he died my Grandpa called me into a room in my parent's home and asked to have a private conversation with me. He asked if I would be willing to preach the sermon at his funeral (He would later change his mind). He asked if I would speak from 2 Timothy 4:7-8. Grandpa wanted people to know that his life's ambition was to follow Christ and honor Him until the very end. Several years passed between Grandpa's request and his death. The last time I visited my Grandpa he was struggling with dimentia. My parents told me that he probably wouldn't recognize me, my wife or our children. We went to Grandpa's retirement home expecting the worst. What we found was an old pastor, sitting in a church service with a retirement home chaplain. When he saw us come in, he smiled, instantly recognizing our family. He spent the next hour or so with us talking about ministry. He talked about his life. He introduced us to his friends. He told me that he prayed for our family every day. He told me that he was proud of me. And, he pointed out a friend at the center who didn't yet know Christ. Grandpa asked me to pray that the man would come to know Christ before he died. Grandpa died two months later. And, he finished life well.

In this verse, David tells God that he wants to learn how to follow God's decrees so that he can follow them until the end. May we all end well. And, may our decision be to follow Jesus.

Dear God,

I have decided to follow you, and I need you to help me walk the path of truth. May I finish my life strong. May you be glorified in me. May many come to know you because of seeing you reflected in me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Start Running!

Psalm 119:32 - "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."

Are you a runner? I wish I was. I really do. It seems like every time I get into a rhythm with running, it is quickly disrupted. I could come up with every excuse in the book, but they all fall short. I dream about one day being able to say that I ran a marathon, but unless I start running it's never going to happen.

Are you a spiritual runner? Like running for exercise, running along the path of God requires moving beyond motivation to motion. David describes the state of his life as being one whose heart has been set free, after he runs in the path of God's command.

What does a heart that is set free look like?

It looks like a heart that feels no guilt. There are no lingering regrets. There is love found there. It's a love that can't get enough of the object of that heart's desire. What's the object? It's better asked, "Who is the object?" And, the answer is God. A heart that is set free can only be set free because of the touch of God within the person. It's only made possible because of Christ.

So, today, let me encourage you to run!

Run with God and in the end find a heart that has been set free.

Dear God,

Thank you that you have provided for us the path to a heart that is truly set free. Help us to run with you each and every day. Help the world around us to notice the joy in us that only you can bring in a life. May you be glorified in your church.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Are You Ashamed Of?

Psalm 119:31 - "I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame."

What are you ashamed of?

"Wow, that's bold," you may say.

"None of your business," may be your reply.

And, you know what? You're right. It is bold. And, it's not really any of my business.

But, if you are like me, there are things about your life that you hope are never broadcast for the rest of the world to see. There are ugly parts of your life, hidden away in some secret place that you don't want anyone else to know about. And, try as we may, it's futile to try to hide it from God. You may have something that you have been able to hide from every single other living person, but to God it's known, and has been from the very beginning.

I wonder why David is almost pleading with God here not to be put to shame. It sounds a little bit to me like David is trying to make a deal with God.

"I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;" it's here where I want to editorialize and add the words, "Really, I do."

"do not let me be put to shame."

If David truly held fast to the statutes of God, he would have nothing to be ashamed of. But, we know that David, like you and like me was a sinner. And, it's our sin that should cause us to feel shame.

There is a difference between feeling shame and being put to shame though. I believe that David was truly pleading that God would not put him to shame. He had seen many men put to shame through their own arrogance and feeling that they didn't need God. He didn't want to be one of them. May we not be that person either.

So, what are you ashamed of?

Here are some practical suggestions.

1) Confess it to God. It's about time. It's not as though it will be a surprise to Him.

2) Agree with God that it is wrong. And ask God for the strength to walk away from it.

3) Find a person or group of people that you can trust and confess your sins to them. James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to each other. Don't pick just anyone to confess to. Find someone or some people that will hold you accountable and ask you how you are doing in relation to that sin on a regular basis.

4) Pray . . . Pray . . . Pray

God wants to take that shame and turn it into rejoicing for the work that He is doing in your life.

Praise God for the gift of His grace and mercy, and for His correcting hand in our lives.

Dear God,

Like David, we ask that You would keep us from shame. Give us the courage to walk with you and walk away from sin. Thank You that You love to change lives. Begin with us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Choose Wisely

Psalm 119:30 - "I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws."

I love the scene in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indiana Jones stands in front of the knight who is guarding the holy grail. There are so many choices in front of Indiana Jones. He needs to choose the correct cup or he and his ailing father will die. Two of Jones' associates choose poorly and die. The knight had given all three the admonition to choose wisely.

In Psalm 119:30, David says that he has chosen the way of truth. Wise choice! Choosing to follow Jesus isn't always easy. But, it is always wise. There is a book in my library that was written about 20 years ago called, Love is a Decision. My wife and I started to go through that book while we were college students. I didn't like it. I couldn't possibly understand how anybody would have to choose to love someone. Anyone who has been married for any amount of time will tell you that to stay married, often times you have to choose to love someone. The same person who you fell in love with years ago can become difficult to love after all of the pretenses of dating are stripped away. True love says, "I choose to love you, no matter what."

And, that is the type of love that we are to show to God. We choose to love Him even when the temptations and the pull of the world are strong. Loving God means choosing to do what is right. It means picking Him above everything else.

May you choose wisely!

Dear God,

Thank you that when we choose You we don't go away disappointed. Following you brings us joy and satisfaction that the world will never understand. May we become less so that you become more.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Deception

Psalm 119:29 - "Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law."

I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of the word deceitful. I don't like to deal with deceitful people. When I do, it's usually the last time. I don't like to see other people treated in a deceitful way. And, I certainly don't like it if the word decitful refers to me.

In Psalm 119:29, David asks the Lord to keep him from deceitful ways. He didn't point his fingers at other people's deceit. David squarely recognized that it was his own deception that required him to plead for the grace of God. Like David, you and I are guilty of deception too.

Have you ever fallen for the lie that you are better than others? You're not. You and I are guilty of being deceivers and being deceived when we feel that we have the right to act as the judge in the life of someone else. We have been deceived when we feel like we've got it all together.

Today, ask God to help you extend His grace to others as He has so lavishly extended it upon you. Ask Him to keep you from the deception that you can do it on your own. Ask Him to tranform you anew. And, ask Him to help you walk in His word.

Dear God,

We've done it again. We have somehow come to the conclusion that we are better than someone else. Help us to remember that the good that dwells inside of us is only because of you. Help us not to deceive or to be deceived.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

How Is Your Soul Doing?

Psalm 119:28 - "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."

How is your soul doing today?

Not, "How are you?"

No, this question is deeper. How is your soul doing today?

Nobody gets to see your soul. In fact, seeing our soul is something that is even tough for us to do as individuals. But, it's there. It's the part of us that will exist for eternity. Long after our bodies have decayed, our souls will live on . . . and on . . . and on.

So, how are things with your soul?

Some people are under the mistaken impression that once you become a Christian things are supposed to be perfect. You never have conflict with anyone. You always get the good parking spot. You don't have days filled with doubt and despair. You never get seriously sick.

Wouldn't that be nice? But, that's just not the case. Christians are no more immune to life's trials than those who are not Christians. There are days where our hearts ache. Recent news stories have focused on Mother Theresa's 50 years of doubt and despair. She never had a day where she doubted God's presence until she began her ministry to the destitute on Calcutta's streets. And then she never had another day in her life where she felt God's presence. And yet, Mother Theresa continued to serve. She continued to serve God, despite the fact that she couldn't feel His presence.

And, David, weary and in despair cried out to God in Psalm 119:28 for God's divine comfort. Like Mother Theresa, David wanted to feel the presence of God. And, David, in his wisdom, knew where to go to find that comfort. He asked God to strengthen him by His word. God's word can do that like nothing else.

I stood by the deathbed of a woman not long ago. Her family was frantic because the death was coming so unexpectedly. A granddaughter had just had lunch with her a couple days before. Her son was in town and a family dinner was planned for the following day. Her brother and sister-in-law had plans for the next week. And, her hair stylist had just seen her earlier in the day for her normal appointment. There were no indications, prior to her being admitted to the hospital that night that this woman was sick. And, just four hours after being admitted to the hospital this woman was on her last breath. A pastor's job in a situation like this is to bring order to the chaos. And, there is no better way to do that than to go to God's amazing Word. As I read Psalm 23, the entire family calmed down. Including the patient. And then, the patient breathed her last and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, how is your soul today? Is it weary with sorrow? Go to the Word. Is it ecstatic with joy? Go to the Word. Is it somewhere in between? Go to the Word.

Go to the Word!

Dear God,

It's so easy to let this world and all of it's trial keep our eyes focused on us instead of You. Bring order to our chaos today. Take control of our lives. Allow your Holy Spirit to teach us and make us more like You. Take away the weary feelings and replace them with your peace and joy.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Before You Go To The Word of God . . .

Psalm 119:27 - "Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders."

One of my best friends in ministry is Mark Brown. Mark is the Student Ministries Pastor at Trinity Church in Redlands, California. He was also a classmate of mine in college. We didn't really know each other in college, but after we graduated, and both got married, our honeymoon apartments were right next to each other. We lived next door to each other for about nine months. We maybe talked a grand total of five times in that nine month period.

Then, while I was serving as a youth pastor outside of Washington D. C. and he was serving as a camp director in central Virginia, our paths crossed again. We were in the same seminary class and he invited me to bring my students to the camp that he ran. I did. And, a lifelong friendship was forged.

My northern Virginia, Presbyterian students, loved Mark's Southern Baptist teaching. Every time Mark would teach he would begin the lesson with the words, "Before we go to the Word of God, we must first go to the God of the Word. Because, there is no way that we can comprehend what it is that God wants to teach us without His Holy Spirit guiding us."

I was reminded of that simple lesson as I thought about today's verse. David was asking God to help him understand God's precepts. He knew that he could never comprehend the depths of what God was trying to teach without God's help. David understood James' words long before they were written: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

When was the last time you asked for God's wisdom as you read His word? Maybe that is a natural thing for you. Maybe you do it every time. But, maybe, you've been trying to understand spiritual things with your natural mind. I talk with people regularly who tell me about how they are disenfranchised by their study of Scripture. Invariably they admit that they are just going through them motions and have not asked for God's help teach them as they read.

Invite Christ to be your guide as you walk through the pages of His word.

Dear God,

We need you to help us understand the mysteries that are wrapped up in your sacred word. Help us to not grow weary of time spent with You. Help us to keep you as our first priority and our first love.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Great Story on Samkon Gado

My favorite player in the NFL is a backup runningback for the Houston Texans. His name is Samkon Gado, and he is a graduate of Liberty University. While in college, Gado only started two games. He went undrafted and was eventually signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers. He was the surprise of Green Bay, his rookie season, when injuries to the backs ahead of him forced his coaches to give him playing time. Eventually Gado would be traded to the Texans.

Samkon is a Nigerian native who sees football as a means to an end. He is studying to become a doctor. Earlier this year, Gado asked his coach if he could miss a few days of Texans training camp because he was studying for his M-CATs and his exam was during camp. His coach granted him the days off. And, Gado made the team as the third string runningback.

Check out this great video about Gado's desire to make a difference in Nigeria:

He listens

Psalm 119:26 - "I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees."

Do you know what I think one of God's greatest gifts to us is? It's that He listens. We never have to wonder if God is listening to us when we pray. He loves to hear His children talk to Him. He loves to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly in our lives. It's not like He doesn't know what is going on with us. But, God desires for us to recognize His supremecy in our lives. He wants us to acknowledge that He is there. He wants to show His great hand of mercy and love in our lives.

When David was at his worst, he reached out to God. I love the way Eugene Peterson paraphrased these verses in The Message. Take a look at his rendering of Psalm 119:25-32.

"I'm feeling terrible—I couldn't feel worse!
Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember?
When I told my story, you responded;
train me well in your deep wisdom.
Help me understand these things inside and out
so I can ponder your miracle-wonders.
My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn;
build me up again by your Word.
Barricade the road that goes Nowhere;
grace me with your clear revelation.
I choose the true road to Somewhere,
I post your road signs at every curve and corner.
I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me;
God, don't let me down!
I'll run the course you lay out for me
if you'll just show me how."

It was a difficult time for David. And, through it all, David was able to trust in his God.

The more I dwell upon it, the more I feel like Psalm 119:26 may be some of Scripture's most beautiful words. "I recounted my ways and you answered me. . ." God answered David.

And, God answers us. When He does, it requires us to be ready to be students at the feet of the ruler of the universe. It requires us to say, "Teach me your decrees." We want God to teach us the lessons that He wants us to learn. The sooner we learn, the better life will be.

Dear God,

Thank You for listening. Help us to listen to you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Take some time to listen to what God wants to say to you today through His word.

Dust

Psalm 119:25 - "I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word."

Someday I'd like to do a Biblical word study on the word dust. The word appears exactly 100 times in the New International Version of the Bible. It's found in the second chapter of the Bible and found in the 18th chapter of the Bible's last book, Revelation.

In Scripture we read that man was created from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7), that dust was placed on the head as a symbol of mourning (Joshua 7:6, 1 Samuel 4:12, 2 Samuel 1:2, 15:30, Job 2:12, 42:6), that the disciples were to shake the dust off of their feet when the encountered a town that refused to hear the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:14, Acts 13:51), and we read about a little known event in the life of David, the same man who I believe wrote Psalm 119.

The story is found in 2 Samuel 16. David's sin with Bathsheba brought about numerous consequences in his life. His family would never recover from the sorrow that David brought upon them. David lost the son who Bathsheba carried in her womb. He lived out of fellowship with God for a period of over a year. He had one family crisis after another. And, in 2 Samuel 16 we read about one of those crises. David's son Absalom grew to hate his father. He planned a coup, to overthrow his father's government and rule as the new King of Israel. David fled with his top advisors. And something strange happened. In 2 Kings 16:5-14 we read,

"When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came. He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left. Thus Shimei said when he cursed, 'Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow! The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!' Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, 'Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head.' But the king said, 'What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,'then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'' Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 'Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him. Perhaps the LORD will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.' So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there."

David truly felt like a cursed man. And, part of that cursing involved the humiliation of the fleeing King of Israel, who was afraid that his own son was going to kill him, being pelted with stones and dust by a relative of his predecessor, King Saul. David's bodyguard offers to go take care of this troublemaker, but David refuses. Why? Because David felt that he deserved this cursing. He deserved this punishment. He, the King of Israel, deserved to be chastised. He knew that he hadn't lived like a man after God's own heart.

In Psalm 119:25, David writes as a man very familiar with dust. He knew the story of creation. He knew that in comparison to the God of the universe, he was dust. He had used dust as a symbolic means to express his grief before God. And, he had been covered in dust in an unforgettable moment of time in his life. God preserved David's life on multiple occasions. And, I believe that David, while looking back on all of these occasions, could think of no more appropriate place for him to be in front of his God than in the dust. He couldn't stand. He needed to be face down, prostrate before the God who is the perfect embodiment of the law. He needed God's grace.

And, so do we. We need to recognize that we are so little. History is God's story. We are bit players in His eternal story. And, the sooner we understand that, the better. May God be pleased with our lives! May He take delight in the way that we follow Him. May our lives be an accurate reflection of Christ to the world around us. And, may we celebrate that God loves people of the dust.

Dear God,

At funerals we are reminded of our mortality. Our lives are not long. They are here for your glory. Forgive us for seeking the glory that only you are deserving of. Forgive us for thinking that we are something more important than we are. Like David, help us to come to the realization that we must not think higher of ourselves than we should; that your holiness is something that should cause us to be in awe. Help us to remember that you are not just the God of love, but also the God of wrath. Help us to live in wonder of who you are.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The World's Greatest Counselor

Psalm 119:24 - "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

A few weeks ago my daughter, Breanna, and I visited the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was an incredible day. We both love presidential history and I was blown away by the events chronicled in the Ford Musueum. My favorite moment of the tour was when we entered a room that was an exact replica of the room where the Presidential Cabinet meets in the White House. Breanna and I each took turns dreaming about what it would be like to sit in that room as the President of the United States. And, I thought, what a wonderful gift a good cabinet would be to a president.

I have a friend who serves as the youth pastor at a church in Iowa. He has been a youth pastor for over 20 years. The guy is sharp. I've been blown away by the depth of his marriage. He hasn't gone without difficult times. His oldest child has made some mistakes that have caused great pain in their family. But, he is seeing God work on his child's life in remarkable ways.

Several years ago, my friend told me that he and his wife make it a practice to go to a counselor at least one time a year, whether they need it or not. Why? Because, there is something incredibly healthy about being able to debrief all that you have been through in the past year. Think about it. 365 days is a long time. If I look back at the past year, there are so many different things that I've experienced. He told me that being able to have one more person as a sounding board in his family's life was a great thing.

Counselors can be a wonderful gift. It's not just professional counselors that we are talking about here. When you have a huge decision to make, it's important to surround yourself with wise counsel. Proverbs 15:22 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

Human counselors are great, but can't compare with God's counsel. And when human ideas conflict with God's ideal in the life of a Christian, God must win out. David nailed it. The statutes of God were his counselors. Like President Ford, David would have had numerous counselors. Those counselors would no doubt have disagreed from time to time. God doesn't do that. He is the ultimate counselor. His words are recorded for us and are incredible gifts. Take advantage of His counsel today!

Dear God,

You are the Great Counselor. You provide us with the guidance that we need to live our daily lives. Thank you that you also provide us with friends and other Christians to help us when we need more input. Thank you for the gift of your word.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Crazy Christians

Psalm 119:23 - "Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees."

Have you ever heard the phrase crazy Christians? It's a phrase that is typically used when talking about Christians who are hypocritical and fake.

A former student of mine has completely turned his back on Christianity. His main reason? Because of what he sees in other Christians. In his process of turning, this student has decided that all Christians are crazy. And, that makes me sad. And, it makes me wonder if that is what David felt like in Psalm 119:23.

Now, David, of course, wouldn't have been called a Christian. He was a Jew. Jesus Christ had not yet come to offer salvation to the world. David believed that the Messiah would one day come to earth, and trusted in God's promise.

And, I believe that the rulers of other countries thought he was crazy. Like any politician, David was the object of pulic ridicule, scorn and contempt. He had his detractors and his enemies. He knew the lonley road of leadership. He knew the pain that came from the words of others. And, he knew that the only way to get through it all was by holding on tight to the promises of God. So, in his times of distress David spent time with God.

I know that there have been many times in my life, when under the microscope of criticism I have felt pain. And, my strength during those times is God's word.

Joe Stowell, the former president of Moody Bible Institute had an opportunity to dine with the evangelist Billy Graham on an occasion a few years back. Joe says that he asked Graham what Graham's greatest joy in ministry was. He was expecting to hear Graham talk about some great crusade or the number of souls that had been saved. Graham responded, "The greatest joy in all my life, far and away has been my fellowship with Jesus."

Wow!

That is powerful. And, that is the kind of relationship that I believe that David, the man after God's own heart, had with his Lord.

When we are hurting, being slandered, oppressed and discouraged, may we always go first to God. May we meditate upon his life-giving Word. May we bask in the presence of the glory of Christ.

Dear God,

Thank you that you are with us in the darkest of days. Thank you that you are with us in the best of days. And thank you that the darkest of days can be the best of days when we focus on you. May you be glorified in our lives today and forevermore.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

I Wonder . . .

Psalm 119:22 - "Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes."

I wonder what he was feeling . . .

when he wrote these words:

Remove from me scorn and contempt

Do you remove something that isn't there?

Was he feeling the pain that would inevitably come if God was showing him scorn and contempt?

I wonder if . . .

I've ever been the object of the scorn of God.

That's a selfish thing to wonder.

I wonder.

I wonder if . . .

David felt like he had to bargain with God.

He felt like he had to prove himself.

He truly felt that he kept God's commands.

I wonder.

And, I wonder how it would feel if you felt like you were living under God's scorn and contempt to have that removed. To be washed clean. To be forgiven.

I know.

Dear God,

I do know. For, I am a sinner, saved by grace. I have been washed clean. You are so good. You are so full of grace. You are God and Your love endures forever. I am so blessed.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.