Christmas Cookies and The Word

Psalm 119:103 - "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

We're decorating for Christmas today. In a few hours our home will be transformed. A Christmas tree will stand where a living room chair now sits. Nativity sets will go up. Our railings will be decorated with greenery. Lights will be up throughout the house. And, a wonderful aroma will invade our home as some of the dishes we only prepare at Christmas time will be baked. I love this time of year.

Honey was the sweetener of choice in ancient times. It was a delicacy, and the taste of honey brought pleasure to the mouth. As I read today's verse, I thought about the treats that will come out of our oven. I love the Christmas cookies and coffee cakes. David picked one of his day's greatest delicacies to compare the Word of God to. And he said that God's Word was of greater delight than any of it.

A while ago I was interviewing a young woman for a position that we had open at Wooddale Church. As we conducted the interview we asked her to share her view on various doctrines. When we came to the doctrine of Scripture she began her answer by saying, "I believe that the Bible is the most beautiful book ever written." I loved her answer. She was the first one that I had ever heard in any interview setting (or ordination council for that matter) refer to the Bible as beautiful. She understood what David was talking about in this passage. God's Word is more than just the breath of God. It is beautiful. It is delightful. It is powerful. It changes lives. And, it's worth devoting significant portions of our life to.

I've asked you several times over the past few days to spend time in God's Word. I hope you'll do it. It's the tradition of many people during the Christmas season to read through the various tellings of the Christmas story. I'd encourage you to try that. Read through the familiar story (I really like Luke's telling of it, in Luke 1-2) and see if you can learn anything new. Ask God to reveal something new about His nature or about His love for the world. And, revel in the beauty of God's Word. It's sweeter than honey, and better than Christmas cookies:>)

Dear God,

You are truly amazing. You have provided us with Your Word and we are grateful for that. Thank You for sending us Your Son. Thank You for this time of the year where we can reflect on You. Thank You for life's little pleasures like honey and Christmas cookies. We love You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Taught at the Feet of God

Psalm 119:102 - "I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me."

Okay, I have to admit it. I'm jealous. I really am. I wish that I could have been there, one time, when Jesus taught a group of people. From the New Testament accounts of Jesus' teaching, we read that He taught unlike anyone who preceeded Him. And, I'm pretty sure that the world has never seen anyone who teaches quite like Him since He ascended into Heaven.

But, I'm also happy. I'm happy that I have the Bible. I'm happy that I have the very breath of God in my fingertips, every time I hold His precious Word. David said that he hadn't departed from God's laws, because he had been taught by God, Himself. And, you know what? We have been too. Every time we break open our Bibles and truly allow God to speak to our heart, God has taught us. Very few people were fortunate enough to ever hear Jesus speak more than once. But, we have multiple spots in Gospels where Jesus' teaching comes alive. We also have multiple spots where we see God, the Father speak. And, multiple spots where we see the evidence of the Holy Spirit's work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Marvel today in the fact that you've been taught at the feet of God. You hold his very breath in your hand, every time you read His Word. Are you ready to pick it up and read?

Dear God,

Your Word is precious. It represents that which You are passionate about. Help us to remember that. Give us the discipline to be daily in Your Word. You are our Delight, and we love You so much.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Crooked Way

Psalm 119:101 - "'I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word."

--THE FOLLOWING STORY IS A MODERN DAY PARABLE. IT NEVER REALLY HAPPENED.--

It was quite a hike.

Bobby had been hiking these mountain trails all his life. Hiking next to him gave me the confidence that whatever came our way, we'd be prepared for it. As we walked we swapped stories about our lives. Most of my stories involved my suburban life. I don't think Bobby was really all that interested in my ramblings about cul-de-sacs and SUV's (that never really went off road), but he humored me. When Bobby spoke I was enthralled. He grew up in the mountains. My biggest fears growing up were that I would get stuck on the wrong side of the tracks. Bobby talked about having to escape from mountain lions and bears. He warned me about the dangers of the wild. He also taught me to respect the land. And, when he said it, it carried a bit more authority than my eighth grade science teacher's words from years ago.

As we hiked further Bobby's talk changed. He began to talk about the deepest things in life. He began to talk about God. It took me by surprise that this mountain man was an amateur theologian. He would talk about God's love and God's plans. He talked about the paradoxical relationship between God's grace and His furious wrath. He also talked about anthropology. He called it the doctrine of man. And, he said that all men were created in the image of God. He said that all men have sinned and our sin has separated us from God.

It was then that we happened upon it. It was a path, and it looked gorgeous. The tree lined path was awash in colors of fall. I started to run towards it. It was as if I was being pulled toward the path.

"Wait!" shouted Bobby. "That path looks great, but it is dangerous. It starts as a wide, beautiful path, but if you take it too far, you will never come back. Stay away!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Mountain man was afraid of a mountain path. I thought he could handle anything.

It was then that he told me about the group of experienced hikers, who years ago took the path and never came back. The path led to treacherous terrain, that even the best hikers couldn't pass. The tricky thing was that it looked so easy. As soon as one believed that it was, the path swallowed them up.

Bobby told me, "That's the way it is with life. There are lots of paths that look harmless, but they ignore God. And, the people who walk those paths are led to eternal destruction. 'Ole King David once said, 'I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.' We need to take a page out of David's book."

That night we came upon a narrow pass. I didn't want to venture out on the path. It looked like it would be a tough hike. "Are you sure about this?" I asked Bobby.

"Oh yeah," Bobby said. "I'm sure."

Who was I to question the mountain man? So, I followed. It was the toughest three hours of my life. There were many times that I was afraid I was going to slip right off of that mountain. But, it was also a series of great lessons. And, when we got to the clearing, I was in awe. There I was, looking at the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen.

"This isn't heaven," Bobby said. "But, I think it's as close as you can get this side of glory."

"It sure was tought to get here," I said.

"Yeah, it was," said Bobby. "But that's the way it is with God. Walking with Him is not always easy. In fact, I think walking with Him is the toughest thing in the world. But, it's worth it."

"Yes, it is, Bobby. Yes, it is."

Dear God,

Sometimes walking with You looks so tough. Help us to remember that anything worth something costs something. And, help us to remember that our cost is nothing compared to Yours. Thank You for showing us the way. Thank You for being our Guide.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Benefits of Obedience

Psalm 119:100 - "I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts."

This past Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving with several close friends and family. Among the close friends was my friend Jamal. Jamal grew up in Somalia. He is Somali/American and runs a Somali restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. Jamal is a huge checker player. He loves that game. If you ever visit his restaurant, Safari, in the Midtown Global Market, you'll find that Jamal has a checker board ready to take on all comers. He hadn't lost for seven years, before Thursday. Then my Dad entered Jamal's life. My Dad hadn't lost a game of checkers in eleven years. (He also hadn't played in eleven years.) My Dad and Jamal traded victories all afternoon long. They had so much fun that we had to go to the Global Market on Friday for more checkers. Dad and Jamal split four games, each winning two games. As they talked I found out that the elders in Jamal's village would play checkers all day long. The elders were the respected men of the village. They were considered the leaders in that community.

When David talks about the elders in Psalm 119:100 (I'm so excited that we've made it to day #100!) he is talking about the same type of men that Jamal spoke of. These were people who were respected in Israelii society. They were considered to be the "answer men." If you needed advice, you were to go to the elders. David's words in Psalm 119:100 may seem boastful at first glance. But, they are anything but boastful. David was merely stating the truth. Obedience to God's commands leads to great understanding. Just as in yesterday's verse, David spoke about the fact that meditating upon God's statutes gave him more insight that his teachers, (education is something that should bring you insight) today's verse reminds us that obeying God's commands yields understanding.

So, how are you doing when it comes to obedience? When I talk to teenagers about obeying their parents, I hear audible groans. They don't like the word obedience. But, it's what God calls us to! We need to obey Him. One of the benefits is understanding! May you be a person of great understanding!

Dear God,

Thank You for Your radical call on our life to holiness. We want to be a holy generation. We want to be people that You can depend on. We want to reflect Your glory to this world. We want to be people who understand our times because we are obedient to You. Help us to be these people.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Lens of Scripture

Psalm 119:99 - "I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes."

I hope that you've had a chance to go beyond just reading these blog entries and that you have had the chance to meditate upon the Scriptures on which they are based. Today's Bible verse talks about the value of meditation. In David's life, biblical meditation yielded great insight. He knew how to face life's circumstances head on because of the insight that he had gained from the study of God's Word.

Year's ago I heard a pastor say that he read the newspaper with one hand and the Bible with the other. In other word's he looked at life's circumstances with a biblical world view. Do you think that really works? I do. I believe that when we look at the headlines of the day through the lens of Scripture we have more insight than those who do not. When we read about atrocities in other countries, the Christian should be motivated to act, becaue Jesus has compassion for those who have no voice. When we read about injustice we should be motivated to act, because Jesus cares about justice. When we elect our leaders that decision should be made through the lens of Scripture. Are the people that we are voting for people who display the biblical characteristics of leaders? Are the lawmakers that we are electing people who care about God's laws?

As you walk through life, may you see things through the lens of Scripture. Let God be your guide as you navigate life's journey.

Dear God,

You offer insight to those who seek You. Thank You for Your perfect will. Help us to seek to understand Your will and honor You with the choices that we make. You are great and Your knowlege is a gift. We love You and seek to glorify You with our lives.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Secret

Psalm 119:98 - "Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me."

For the past twelve months, Rhonda Byrne's New Age book, The Secret, has been towards the top of the New York Times Bestseller list. It's a shame, really. Because, Byrne's book is leading many people astray from the truth. Amazon.com writes that Byrne's assertation is that positive thoughts can lead you to wealth, health and happiness. She also says that negative thoughts can lead to terminal illness, poverty and widespread disasters. Needless to say the book has received quite a bit of negative publicity. But, it's still selling like crazy. Why? American's love the idea of anything that will bring us wealth and happiness. Even if it is the antithesis of what it is that Christ has called us to. The title of Byrne's book creates an instant interest as well. We love secrets.

Well, let me let you in on a different, and a much better secret today. It's one that King David discovered thousands of years ago. If you want the competitive advantage, study and internalize the commands of God. When David felt like his enemies would destroy him, he had confidence in Christ. His confidence came because of his unfaltering faith. He was absolutely convinced that he was wiser than his enemies because he not only knew, but lived out the commands of Christ in his life.

It's no different today. I hope that you are not walking around with a bunch of enemies. But, you do need God's wisdom. His wisdom is contained in His Word. Spend time in it, and you will have what you need to make life's most important decisions. You will know how to lead others as you spend time in God's Word. You will know how to be a better spouse and parent as you spend time in God's Word. You will know how to treat people better as you spend time in God's Word. You will know how to handle finances as you spend time in God's Word. You will know how to care for your body as you spend time in God's Word. You will know how to handle conflict as you spend time in God's Word. And, I could go on and on. The Bible isn't an irrelevant book that should sit on a shelf in your room collecting dust. It is wisdom. It is the very breath of God. It will change your life. That's the secret. Now, go spend time with God.

Dear God,

Thank You for the gift of Your Word. In it is contained wisdom that we all need for our every day life. Help us to grow and learn as we spend time with You. Give us the courage to live by Your precepts.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Are You Doing Today?

Psalm 119:97 - "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long."

"What are you doing today?"

It's a question that I ask a lot. As a father of four, I want to know what my kids are up to. I also ask them, "What did you do today?" At the dinner table or at the end of the day, I want to know what it is that my kids spent their time doing.

So, what are you doing today?

Today is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's been a busy few days in the Schulenburg home. My parents and sister have been in town for Thanksgiving. We've had so much fun with them. On Thursday we had 18 people in our home for Thanksgiving dinner. Yesterday was spent in shopping malls and exploring the city of Minneapolis. This evening we'll be part of a group of 30 of our friends and family going to the Minnesota Timberwolves game. I love this time of year!

It can be so easy in this time of year to get so busy that we forget about God. We need to ask ourselves where God falls in our plans. Lordship means that God always takes priority in our day. He isn't an afterthought. He is our consuming passion. We meditate upon Him throughout the day. Daily meditating upon the Word of God allows us to meet the challenges of our day in a godly manner. That's what David is getting at here. He was Israel's greatest King, not because of his own accumen or prowess, but because he depended upon God and His precepts. So, should we.

Dear God,

We want our one consuming passion to be You. As we love You, we will love others. Help us to remember that. Help us to remember Your faithfulness. You are our Great Redeemer and King. Thank You for your wisdom.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Nothing Compares!

Psalm 119:96 - "To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless."

Perfection. Just hearing the word can seem a bit daunting, because we are far from perfection. Just when I think that I've perfected something, I'm brought back to earth in a grand display of humble pie.

I grew up a Chicago Bull basketball fan. When Michael Jordan joined the Bulls, he electrified the city of Chicago and the nation. His game was as close to perfection as I had ever seen. Jordan is fond of saying, "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Yes, even the game's greatest player has failed over and over again. There is a limit to earthly perfection. But not to God's perfection.

God will never say, "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." God always succeeds. Even when it looks like God is close to losing a battle, His ultimate plan triumphs. That's worth trusting in. He is worth placing all of your faith in.

Nothing compares to Christ. Nothing.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your utter perfection. I can't understand it. I am awed by it. But, greater still, I am awed by You. How can it be that You an infinitely perfect God would love me, an infinitely flawed human being. Nothing compares to You, Father. Nothing compares to You, Jesus. Nothing compares to You, Spirit. Nothing.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving

Psalm 119:95 - "The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes."

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this day. It's a day that our family will celebrate with 18 people in our home. I can't wait. We'll be putting the turkey in the oven in about 30 minutes. Like millions of people around the United States, our family will be surrounded by additional family members and some close friends.

And, I think that this is one of those days that Satan hates. He hates when people come together in love. He hates when God is thanked for what He has provided and what He has done over the course of the past year. He hates fellowship.

When you read a verse like today's verse, and you read about the wicked waiting to destroy David, it may feel like you can't relate. But, remember, the most wicked one, the deceiver, the father of lies, the accuser of the brethren, is wanting to destroy you. And, he wants to destroy this holiday. And, he wants your life to be a failure. God has different plans.

As you go through your holiday, make God a part of it. Sometime during your day, spend time publically praising God for the ways in which he has blessed you. Consider sharing your holiday with someone that may not have anyone to share it with. If you're reading this too late, invite someone over for a post holiday meal. Spend time with God today. Don't let the busyness of the day rob you of your time with Him. And, like David, ponder the Word of God.

I don't know what it is, but Thanksgiving always gets me thinking about Christmas too. Maybe it's those day after Thanksgiving Christmas sales. At the end of the Luke 2 account of Jesus' birth we find Mary, the mother of Jesus, pondering all that God has done in her life. "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Take time today to celebrate him, just like Mary did.

Dear God,

Thank You for this past year. You have blessed us with more than we deserve. You are the Provider. You are the One who deserves all glory, honor and praise. Thank You for family and friends. Help us to have eyes of compassion for those without someone to celebrate with this holiday season. Comfort those who are spending their first Thanksgiving without a special loved one. Help the next generation, our children, to see You in us. Help us to put you above all else in our Thanksgiving celebration.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

I Am Yours

Psalm 119:94 - "Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts."

The words that David writes in Psalm 119:94 are profound. He seeks God's intervention for his salvation, and then he says, "I am Yours." Three simple words that carry so much meaning!

David the king, belonged to God. So many kings in the Ancient Near East world rejected God. Not David, he was God's. He viewed himself as a possession of the Almighty. Do you? Can you say, as we approach this Thanksgiving holiday that you are grateful for God's ownership of you? For God to own you means that He is Lord of your life. Your life is in His hands.

In 1876, just one year before he died, George W. Robinson wrote the words to the hymn, "I Am His, and He is Mine." Read the words of this 131-year-old hymn:

Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as I now know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as I now know, I am His, and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.

His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

I hope that you can say that You are His. If not, let this be the day. The Bible tells us that, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) Trust Him with your life.

Dear God,

I am Yours, and I thank You for saving me. Help me to live my life in such a way that I'll draw others to You. I want to hear as many as possible say, "I am His!"

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

"You Changed My Life Today!"

Psalm 119:93 - "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life."

One of the most special things about my job is that I get to spend time with high school students in a variety of settings. Some days I actually get to go into the public high school and teach classes. That's what I did today. At 7:55 this morning I was teaching a combined health class at the largest high school in the state of Minnesota. I taught all day long. By the time the day was through I had a chance to speak to over 200 students.

My daughter, Breanna, attends this school. As I drove her in today, we talked about lunch time. We would be sharing the same lunch period, and I wondered if she would want me to eat with her. She wasn't so sure if that is something that she would want. So, I agreed to eat with the teachers. When lunch time arrived, I went to the cafeteria to get my lunch. I saw a number of Wooddale students and took the time to talk with them. Then I saw my daughter. She motioned for me to come to her table. When she did, I saw a girl that had been in my last class. The girl spoke up. "You changed my life today! Thanks for coming to my class! Will you sit with us for lunch?" My daughter was thrilled. She wanted me to join the table and talk with this girl.

I'd love to say that every time I speak someone says, "You changed my life today." But, that wouldn't be true. I don't know if the girl that I talked with understood what she was saying. I wonder what she feels changed about her life. She never said. But, it's amazing to think that someone could be so touched. And, it's humbling, because I know that if anything good happened in her life it was because of God, not me.

In Psalm 119:93 we read once again of God's preserving love. His laws are once again attributed to saving David's life. When I spoke at the high school today, I talked about biblical principles. I never once mentioned the Bible. I talked about loving others more than you love yourself. I talked about making wise choices with friends. I talked about being content with less. I talked about how special each student was. I talked about how each student is more valuable and more important to this world than any piece of art in any museum in all the world. The Mona Lisa, as wonderous a piece of art as was ever created, will never be able to come down from the wall and save a person who is having a heart attack, or discover a cure for cancer, or encourage someone when a person that they love has died. People do that. And, people are worth investing in.

Aren't you glad that God has invested in you? Aren't you glad that He loves you so much? Aren't you glad that He has changed your life today? If so, give him praise. Thank Him for His work in you.

Dear God,

Thank you for changing us! I'm not sure that any of us have arrived, so thank You for Your patience. Thank You for sanctification, that process by which we become more like You. Help us to look a little bit more like You each and every day.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

When God's Word Saves Lives

Psalm 119:92 - "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction."

By now, we know that David considered God's law his delight. He has said it numerous times already in this chapter. But now, David reveals new information. He says very clearly that if God's law had not have been his delight, he would have perished in his affliction. David attributes his very life to the law of God. That is a pretty spectacular statement. Could the same be said of us?

In many ways, those of you who have known Jesus Christ for a long time, may actually say these same words. Maybe you haven't known Christ for long, but it was being introduced to Jesus that saved you from a long term pattern of sin that would have ultimately ended in your ruin. In fact, anyone of us who is a child of God can echo David's words, because our ultimate end would have been ruin apart from God's grace. We need God's law and His grace.

This is Thanksgiving week in the United States. Take some time between now and Thursday to thank the Lord for His work in your life. He loves you so much. Praise Him for his love.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your love and grace. You are so good and Your love truly does endure forever. Help us to extend Your grace to the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Relevant and Enduring

Psalm 119:91 - "Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you."

I really love this section of Psalm 119. It's refreshing to read. I don't think a week goes by where I am not having a discussion with someone about how God's laws are not relevant for today. The truth is, we have a hard time swallowing God's law. It doesn't jive with our life. It doesn't say what we think that it should. It puts a crimp in our lifestyle.

It's time for us to admit, that God is the Lawgiver. It's not about us. It's about Him. We are here to serve God, not the other way around.

Some of my well meaning friends tell me that Jesus has eliminated the Old Testament law. Has He? Is all Old Testament law null and void? Not at all. Jesus came to fulfill the law. He brought about a new covenant in the law. He explained the law. He changed some law. He eliminated some law. But, He did not eliminate all. I love that way that Jesus summed up the law. When the leaders of the law sought to trick Jesus with an impossible question, Jesus blew them away. In Matthew 22:34-40 we read, "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"

So, we are to love God with everything we are. We are also to love our neighbor as our self. His laws endure to this day, for all things serve Him. Make it so!

Dear God,

Thank You for your enduring law. Help us to remember what You have called us to do. Help us love You with all that we are. Help us to follow You and desire You more than anything else in this world. We love You. May You be glorified in us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Faithful - Even In the Climate Change

Psalm 119:90 - " Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures."

God's faithfulness is a theme that David loves to repeat throughout his writings. He was enamored by it. And, why not? He was someone who had difficulty being faithful himself, and was surrounded by people who were not faithful to him. Take a moment to think about God's faithfulness in your life. Where have you seen it? What are some of the ways that His faithfulness has carried you through the storms of your life?

The beauty of this verse is the generational blessing of God's faithfulness. David, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, promises us that God's faithfulness will continue through all generations. Remember what I said about the word "all" a few days ago? All means all and that's all all means. All generations can expect to experience teh faithfulness of God. His faithfulness isn't dependent one iota on us. He is faithful. Are we?

At the end of this verse, David talks about God establishing the earth, and it enduring. There is a lot of fear today about our earth. Climate change is on everybody's mind. Whether or not you agree with the science of climate change, you're probably talking about it. Just today, another report came out from A Nobel-winning U.N. panel of scientists declaring that humanity faces a deep challenge in the years ahead. (See this:REPORT.) A warmer earth, the report says, means extiniction of more species, starvation, droughts, hurricanes, tornados, fires. And, all of that doesn't change who God is. He will continue to remain faithful. Through all generations. Will we? As Christians, God has called us to care for the earth. And, we should. We should do everything that we can do care for His creation. But, we also need to not let the fear of things to come, shake our allegiance to He who is eternal. God is number one, not the earth. God is God, not the earth. We care for the creation, and love the Creator. May we be ever faithful to our Creator, God.

Dear God,

I don't like hearing about climate change. I don't like to think about what could be on the horizon for the world. I'm tired of the debate and the posturing on both sides. But, if it's true, then we need to do something about it. We need to obey your command to care for your creation. Help us not to become so consumed with caring for creation that we forget the most important issues in life. This earth is our temporary home. We owe it to future generations to care for it. But, we also need to share You with this present generation. Help us to always keep You priority number one in our lives. Thank You for the lesson of faithfulness that David shows us throughout the Scripture. Thank You that we are to model our lives after You and if You are faithful, then we can be too. Help us to be faithful to You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Eternal

Psalm 119:89 - "Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens."

I can hardly fathom it. God's Word is eternal. It will never fade away. Just like our souls, God's Word is eternal. That means that God's living Word will exist forever in heaven with us. Tired of the Bible? That's too bad, because it isn't going anywhere.

The Bible is the best selling book of all time. It has been translated in more languages than any other book. It is described as being alive. It convicts the heart. It penetrates the soul. It is the very breath of God. Jesus Christ is the Word embodied (John 1). He's not literally the Bible, but He is the perfect embodiment of the Word.

God's Word is eternal. Think about that today. What does the eternity of the Word of God mean to you? What are the ramifications of God's Word being eternal? Why would the Bible need to be eternal when we will spend eternity with God Himself?

It boggles the mind. And, it places even greater value upon God's matchless Word.

Dear God,

It's all too easy to let our Bibles gather dust on the shelf. Help us not to let that happen. Help us to think deeply about what Your eternal Word means to us. Help us to treasure Your Word.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Ultimate Life Preserver

Psalm 119:88 - "Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth."

And thus, the eleventh section of Psalm 119 ends. Over the course of the past week, we've read about a King who was worried about his life. His enemies were surround him. His fear was overtaking Him. And, his shelter, his safety, his security, was God.

Now, David recognizes that it's not his enemies who control his fate. It's God. David asks God to preserve his life according to his love.

When I was about ten-years-old, and my family was on summer vacation, I had an experience that would change my life forever. My mom had agreed to purchase me some flippers for my feet. We vacationed at Lake Michigan, and I just though that these flippers were about the most amazing things I had ever seen. I dreamt of being a scuba diver. All week long I'd wear my flippers to the beach, and I spend hours in the waters of Lake Michigan. I was so proud of those flippers.

Toward the end of the week, while I was deep in the water, a seven-year-old girl, became disoriented in the water. She has been in an innertube and had floated out to a spot in the lake that was well over her head. She was a good swimmer, she thought, so she ditched her innertube. And, it was then that she panicked. I saw her flapping her arms and choking on water and all I could think was, "I need to get that innertube and put it back around her." I swam as fast as I could, and in the frenzy lost one of my flippers. I brought her the innertube and she swam back to shore. The people on the beach dubbed me a hero. I just cried. I was crushed. My flipper was gone. I didn't want to be a hero. I wanted to be a scuba diver! Later that afternoon my ten-year-old mind came to grips with what had happened. I had saved that girl's life.

Now I look back on the story, and realize that it wasn't me. I am a lousy swimmer. It was God. God was looking out for that little girl. She would eventually grow up to be a young woman that God would use in marvelous ways. She married a youth pastor and has discipled hundreds of girls throughout the years. God had big plans for her. David knew that his being the King of Israel was nothing in comparison to being the King of Kings. His life was completely in the hands of the ultimate Life Preserver, God. Don't minimize the role that God plays in sustaining your life each and every day. Thank Him for today and ask Him how he wants to use you in His overall plan.

Dear God,

You know how many breaths each of us are going to take in our life. You know the number of hairs on our heads. You know everything about us. You are the Giver and Sustainer of Life. Use us for Your glory.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

She Said Yes

Psalm 119:87 - "They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts."

When the images floated across our television set, we wanted to turn away in disbelief, but our eyes couldn't leave the set. Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado had become a war scene. Students were running out of the building, crying, and some of them had blood stains on their clothes. There were images of parents searching frantically for their children. And, thre was sadness. Deep sadness.

In the days that followed Columbine, stories emerged about heroic teenagers who took a stand for Jesus. One of those students was Cassie Bernall, whose story was told in a book by her mother, entitled, She Said Yes. Students who were in the library with her at the time of her death report that Cassie was asked, "Do you believe in Jesus?" She knew that if she responded, "Yes," she would certainly die. Even though her life was on the line, Cassie responded by saying, "Yes." And, here physical life ended. She entered into the presence of Jesus.

In Psalm 119:87 David talks about being plotted against by his enemies. His life was almost taken from him. Instead of growing bitter and turning his back on God, David coninuted to follow God's commands.

I wonder what it would take for me to cave in my faith. I wonder if there is a cost that would be too high. I hope not. Real faith is that which stands true even in life's toughest circumstances. May we exhibit this kind of faith in our life. May we desire God so much that nothing that the world throws at us can shake our faith in our faithful God.

Dear God,

Somtimes the cost of following You seems so high. And then we remember that our cost is nothing in comparison to Yours. Thank You for giving your only Son so that we could live forever. Thank You that You have given us that which we need to live a life today that glorifies You. Help us to trust You. Help us to glorify You. Give us a passion for Your Holy Word!

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

All

Psalm 119:86 - "All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause."

Paul Fink was the Homiletics professor at the college that I attended. He also taught Inductive Bible Study. Inductive Bible Study is to pastors as Anatomy and Physiology is to doctors. It's the essential course that must be taken and passed if you are going to succeed in the rest of the program. It is a foundational class. It's a class that gives pastors the skills that they will need for the rest of their life as they prepare sermons, Bible studies, etc.

There is a concept that Fink loved to share with his young Bible scholars. He would often say, "When you are studying the Bible and come upon the word all, don't try to make more of it that it is. All means all and that's all all means!"

It's a good priciple. And, it applies to Psalm 119:86. In fact, the word is beautiful in this context. All of God's commands are trustworthy. ALL of God's commands are trustworthy! ALL! And, in case you live in a cave, you'll find that this kind of guarantee is unusual. There are very few things in this life that we can absolutely depend upon. David couldn't depend upon being safe. But, he could depend upon the commands of God. Following God's commands is always worth it.

Take some time today to thank God for the complete perfection of His Word.

Dear God,

Thank You that we can completely depend upon You. Where You make commands, they are worth following. Where You speak about anything, it is worth listening to. Where You make promises, we know that we can depend upon them. Thank You for inspiring David to use the word all in this passage. We need to hear that.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Pitfall

Psalm 119:85 - "The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law." (NIV)

Psalm 119:85 - "These arrogant people who hate your instructions have dug deep pits to trap me." (NLT)

When I was a teenager one of the hottest video games was a game called Pitfall. The object of the game was to swing from vines across a jungle as you find your way to a buried treasure. While swinging through the jungle, you would encounter various pitfalls. It was impearative that you avoid the pitfall if you wanted to win the game.

David's verse deals with a much bigger pitfall than that of a video game. It's the pitfalls of daily life.

Bryan Wilkerson is the Senior Pastor of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts. He was our guest speaker at Wooddale Church yesterday. It was a blessing to have him in our pulpit. He brought a passionate message about being people who seek to understand God's will for our life, and live it.

In his message, he told a story about his son. His son was a high school student and many of his peers wanted him to swear. Wilkerson's son was a Christian who was committed to living his life in a way that brought glory to God. So, he wouldn't swear. He told his Dad that his friends wanted him to swear. Bryan responded by telling his son, "No, they don't want you to swear. They want you to stand strong. They want you to continue to resist. And, they wonder where you get the courage to stay so strong."

Today's verse reminded me of Wilkerson's illustration. Those who hate God desire to see God's people live hypocritically. It gives them more ammunition for the rejection of Christ. Let's not fall into the trap. Let's be people who live like Bryan Wilkerson's teenage son. Let's be people who commit to living our lives in a way to bring glory and honor to Christ, no matter how many pitfalls there are in our life.

Dear God,

You've given us all the strength we need to live for You. Help us to utilize Your strength. Help us to honor you. Show us where the pitfalls in our life are.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Wait

Psalm 119:84 - "How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors?"

Nobody enjoys waiting. Nobody!

When I first read this verse, I was going to focus on David's desire for his enemies to be punished. But, I believe that the bigger lesson here is the waiting. Can you feel the anguish that David is going through as he writes this verse? He is tired. He has been waiting for God to act for a long time, and it seems like God has been silent or slow in coming David's rescue. What seems like such a cut and dried answer to David, is not being acted upon by God in the way that David hopes. And, I'm sure that you can relate.

Dear God, please heal my mother . . .

Dear God, please heal my finances . . .

Dear God, please heal my marriage . . .

Dear God, please bring my husband back to You . . .

Dear God, please help my child to make a friend . . .

The prayers go up all the time. And, sometimes God chooses to act the way that we wish, and sometimes He chooses to act the opposite way.

So, how do you survive the wait? How do you respond when God doesn't act as we want him to?

Jesus gave us a hint when he was crying out in the Garden of Gethsemane for God's intervention. Mark 14:36 records his words: "'Abba,[e] Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'"

We need to recognize that God's will must be priority number one in our lives.

Second, we need to recognize that waiting sometimes allows for more clairty.

When we are praying for wisdom about a decision, sometimes God chooses to give the answer over the period of a long time. That way, when the decision is made, we can have greater clarity.

When we are praying for the salvation of a loved one, or for a sick friend, waiting can seem almost inhumane. And, then we realize that God isn't human. His ways are not our ways. And, He is worthy to be trusted.

Dear God,

Somtimes we don't want to wait. Sometimes we don't want to trust. Give us the faith and the strength to accept the things that are hard to accept, and to love You with all of our hearts.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Heat Is On

Psalm 119:83 - "Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees."

How do you live your life when the heat is on? How do you respond to the pressure that comes your way? Sometimes we can't help the way that our body responds to pressure. We get tired. We need to be refreshed. Sometimes the cost of following Jesus makes us feel like we just need to recharge.

David compared his life to a wineskin that was in the smoke in Psalm 119:83. To the person living when this Psalm was written, the imagry would have been unmistakable. A wineskin in the smoke shrivelled up. Maybe David felt like his life was shriveling before his eyes. And yet, in the midst of the heat, David continued to trust in God and follow his word.

May we be like David. After all, the heat is on, for most of us, every day.

Dear God,

When the heat is on in our life, help us to call out to You. Help us to remember the promises written in Your Word. Thank You for providing us with all that we ever need.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Blind Eyes 20/20 Sight

Psalm 119:82 - "My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, 'When will you comfort me?'"

I had a chance yesterday to spend some time with my oldest brother, Mark. I love that guy, and I love his family. As I read today's verse I thought about Mark. When he was in high school or college, I can't remember which, he was working for the Swift Corporation. His job was to clean the vats out where the ingredients for their foods were mixed. He would use a huge fireman's hose to do this. One night, he lost control of the hose. He wasn't wearing saftey goggles, and the hose pointed towards his eye. With massive pressure, the water from the hose entered his eye and he lost vision in the eye. Thanks to some great answers to prayer, good doctors, and God's grace, Mark eventually recovered his sight.

Have you ever felt spiritually blind? Like you were searching for God but couldn't see Him? David felt that way on several occasions. When his eyes were blind, his faith was 20/20 vision. When we can't see God in the present, sometimes we need to remember how God has moved in the past. Sometimes we need to remember where He has taken us. If we can look back on our lives from God's perspective, then we can see Him more clearly. God's comfort may not have come right away for David, but even with his blind eyes, David still had hope. I pray that you can too!

Dear God,

Help us to see You when our vision is cloudy. Help us to see Your incredible work in our life. Help us to remember where we have been and where You have taken us, and help us to see where You want us to go.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Feel Like Giving Up?

Psalm 119:81 - "My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word."

"I'm tired of being a Christian!"

"I'm not sure that God even exists!"

"I don't know if God really answers prayers!"

"I'm ready to give up!"

I hear Christians say things like this all the time. I just got off of my Facebook account reading two students echo similar sentiment. It can be so depressing. In this verse David is pleading with God for resuce. He needs God to show His power. And, even though that power hasn't been shown for some time, David decides that he will plant his feet firmly with Jehovah. He will trust in God's Word.

I wish all Christians could experience the things that I got to see today. I'm in Chicago on our mission trip prep trip. We are bringing a group of students to the south side of Chicago this summer. It will be our second year in a row working in this impoverished community. We partner with the Sunshine Gospel Mission in Chicago. This organization has been around for over 100 years. They have served the great city of Chicago well. A few years ago God opened the door for this ministry to purchase a building that is also over 100 years old in the heart of an impoverished neighborhood. The hope was to restore the builiding and bring hope to the neighborhood through free job skills training, after school care, youth groups, hip hop services, etc. When I was here a year ago, the building looked like a bomb had exploded in it. Today, this former crack house is ministering to hundreds of people from the neighborhood. The computer classroom was filled with about 12 people learning how to use Microsoft Office and being given the skills that they need to find a job.

That's hope! That's what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It's about getting our eyes off of ourselves and living for Christ. It's about being His hands and feet in this world. It's about caring for those who are less fortunate than us. It's about recognizing that there are people who are screaming out for God's salvation and recognizing that we might just be the tools that God has equipped to help bring his salvation to others. We can't save. Only God can do that. But, we can be part of God's redemptive work in this world.

Dear God,

I pray for my friends who are doubting today. I pray that You would help them to see the difference between empty religion and a life changing relationship with You. Help us to honor You with our everything.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Psalm 119 and Televangelism Scandals

Psalm 119:80 - "May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame."

The news came across wires all over the world yesterday. The ministries run by Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer, and Randy and Paula White were being investigated for possible misuse of donations. Apparently these ministries are set up to run as churches, not the typical Christian non-profit ministry. Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa has called for a congressional investigation into these ministries which have been allowed to run in a veil of secrecy all these years. This comes just a couple of weeks after the news broke of possible misuse of donations by Richard Roberts, the President of Oral Roberts University. And, the hearts of those who are followers of Jesus Christ break.

It's not that we are surprised. Anyone who has followed these "ministries" over the years knows about the false doctrine of "prosperity theology" that so many of these ministries propogate. Those who preach that God wants you to be rich, live like . . . well, they frankly live like they are rich; filthy rich. I watched the CBS Early Show today as Creflo Dollar tried to answer a reporter's questions about Rolls Royce automobiles and a $1,000,000 40th anniversary gift to Kenneth Copeland. And, I hurt, because these people, who I pray began their ministry with sincere hearts, have lost touch with the world around them. I don't know any of the people that I am writing about. And, I want to be careful, because I am talking about the body of Christ here. But, if these allegations are true, this is so sad. David knew the potential of being put to shame. It comes when we are not blameless towards God's decrees. And, all of us are guilty of that, every time we sin.

So, if our brothers and sisters in Christ are guilty, they may very well be put to shame. And, if they are, our role as the body of Christ is to in humilty seek to help restore them to the faith. Not to a position where they can misuse donations, but to where they can in humilty remember the God who motivated them to follow Him in the first place.

Dear God,

Help us to remember You. Help us to remember why we follow. Help us to remember that our purpose in life is to love You first and others second. Help us to remember that the love of money is not on your list of commands. You warn us about that love. And, most of us, including me, struggle with that love. Help us to remember that the answer to life's problems does not come from a huge paycheck, but from You. Help us to shower the world with Your love.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

United

Psalm 119:79 - "May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes."

This afternoon my wife and I were talking about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus spent a lot of time talking about the Kingdom. Often times when you talk to Christians their idea of the Kingdom is that it is Heaven. It's something that we wait to see until we die. It's where God is.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not just a future reality. God rules His kingdom. The kingdom isn't like some palace that God sits in. It's those who He reigns over. It's you and me. It's those who are followers of Jesus Christ. He will rule over His Kingdom forever and ever.

If you are my brother or sister in Christ, you belong to that kingdom. The New Living Translation translates Psalm 119:79 this way, "Let me be united with all who fear you, with those who know your laws."

What a beautiful picture. There is something fabulous about being united with one another. When we join together to accomplish God's great purposes on earth, outstanding things happen. Kingdom things can happen! And, we truly get a glimpse of what it means to do that which God is passionate about.

Dear God,

Help us to join together with other believers, united, to accomplish Your great plans. May we be so in tune with You that we can discern the times that we live in and join You in that great work. May Your Word, which we have been studying these past 79 days so envelope who we are that we live and breathe for Your great pleasure.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Our Worst Enemy Is Somone That Christ Gave His Life For

Psalm 119:78 - "May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts."

I was furious. In the span of a couple of weeks one person was making my life miserable. He was spreading lies about me. He was demeaning me. He was puffing himself up. And, I didn't knkow what to do. After all, I had only been working at this particular jbo for a few weeks. He had been working there for years. His constant jabs were getting to me. I was tired of having to defend myself. And, I was tired of the percived abuse.

That's when I told my wife about what was going on. i'll never forget the advice that Cyndi gave me. She said, "Brian, that guy that you work with is a close to an enemy as you have right now. God tells us to pray for our enemies. I think that you ought to pray for him."

And, I did. Every day I spent time praying for this co-worker. And, eventually my heart toward him changed. God softened me. I began to hope that things would go well in this person's life. I began to find out about the stress that he was going through. I realized that I barely knew him, and that God had put me into his life to love him.

David's prayer was for his enemies to be put to shame. I understand that prayer from the perspective of a king leading a nation. But, I believe that God's hope for us would be that we would pray for those we consider to be our enemeies. Our worst enemy is someone that Christ gave His life for.

Dear God,

Thank You for grace. Help us to extend it to the worst enemies in our life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God of Compassion

Psalm 119:77 - "Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight."

We're down to our final 100 days in the journey through Psalm 119. This unique chapter of Scripture has taught me much over the past 77 days. To say that David was passionate about the law and the Word of God would be an understatement. Today's verse again speaks of the delight that David took in God's law. It also speaks of David's desire to be extended the compassion of God. David desired God's compassion so that he could live.

Have you thought much about God's compassion lately? It's because of His great compassion that any of us are around today. We don't deserve God's compassion and yet he gives it to us anyway. Why? Because He can't stop loving us. It's impossible. It's one of several things that our all powerful God is incapable of. His love for you means that his compassion to you is great. But, even His love won't stop His judgment from coming to those who don't choose to follow Him. God's compassion has it's limits. So, call out to Him now. Tell Him that you need Him. He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you.

Dear God,

Thank You for your wonderful compassion. Thank You that you choose to love us. Thank You that Your love for us will never cease. Help us to trust You and Your good plan for us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God's Love Is Unfailing!

Psalm 119:76 - "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant."

Take a moment to think about God's love. Okay, are you ready? Go!

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How's it going? Are you thinking about it?

Take another minute.

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If you are like me, it can be tough to spend more than a few seconds thinking about any one thing. We live in a world where images are constantly crossing before our eyes, where competing sounds are constantly invading our ears, and multiple distractions are abundant. Finding the time to be quiet for just a few minutes can sometimes seem impossible. Perhaps as you read this blog you are multitasking on your computer screen. In one window is the blog. In another is iTunes. Some kind of messaging system is quietly running in the corner of your screen waiting for a friend to announce that he or she is online. Your word processessor is running in the background as you wait for some kind of inspiration to complete the work that needs to end up on a hard sheet of paper. Oh, and your widgets are also running, announcing the score of the college football game, the changing temperatures outside, and the latest update on your favorite stock investment. There are parts of that world that I love, and there are parts that shake me to the core.

So, let's try one more time.

Think about God's love.

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David tells us that it is unfailing. God's love is divine. There is nothing on earth that compares to it. The most passionate love can't compare with God's love. The deepest friendship can't compare. The most tender love? Can't compare. Nothing compares. Why? Because all of those loves will fail you from time to time. God's love is unfailing. It's unfailing! God's love is UNFAILING! If that's not enough to get you out of that chair, or couch, or wherever you are and start dancing, then I don't know what is. So, get up and celebrate. God's love FOR YOU is UNFAILING.

Dear God,

Thank You that we never need to worry about Your love failing. It is impossible. Help us to be discerning when we feel like Your love has disappeared. Help us to recognize that Your love won't go away. Give us faith in the days that we are weak. Help us to reach out to You in the toughest days. And, help the world to see You in us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God's Discipline

Psalm 119:75 - "I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it." (NLT)

He was so drunk that he was just about to pass out. The high school student had filled a 32 ounce container with Red Bull and Jack Daniels. 24 of the ounces were the hard liquor. He had spent the past couple of hours sipping on that concoction. When he started drinking a couple hours back, he took some perscription medecine that didn't belong to him. By the time I was brought to the student by his worried friends, his eyes were hardly open, and his blood pressure was dropping quickly. I quickly got him in my car and took him to the hospital.

It was quite a night. When the student became lucid enough to talk, he told me about what was going on in his life. Tough times at home and depression had led him to drink. The alcohol helped him forgot about his problems for a bit, but it never took the pain completely away. I told the student that I'd have to call his parents to pick him up. He understood. He was ready for a new lease on life. And, he was ready for the discipline. He knew he needed it.

I think most of us can relate. We know when we are wrong. And, whether we like it or not, discipline is sometimes just the thing we need. God disciplines his children. He disciplined David, and David thanked God for the discipline.

The student that was sent home, eventually enrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous. He got his life back on track. It wouldn't have happened had the discipline not come.

Thank God for the discipline that he brings to your life. No discipline is pleasent for the time, but in the end it brings healing.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your discipline. Thank you that you are not uncaring. Your love and care for us means that when we need it You bring correction to our lives. Help us to recognize it and rejoice in it.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

What Does Your Life Communicate?

Psalm 119:74 - "May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word."

I love this verse! David wanted fellow followers of Jehovah to rejoice when they saw him because of the hope that he had put in God's Word. And, I'm sure that those who David ruled over as King of Israel, did rejoice in the days that David followed God.

And, it makes me wonder: What is it that my life communicates to those around me?

I hope that people who interact with you and with me can rejoice because of the way that our lives reflect Christ and His love.

Today is my daughter Breanna's 15th birthday. She reminds me of the type of person that David is talking about here. She's a freshman in high school, and God is using her to share her faith with students all over her school. I have a feeling that people are genuinaly happy when they see her coming. Her smile and words of encouragment are her constant compainions. Happy Birthday, Breanna! You've made my day one to rejoice in!

Dear God,

Thank You for the gift of Your Word. Just as King David trusted in Your Word, and others rejoiced, we pray that our lives would be thoroughly grounded in Your Word. May our lives cause others to rejoice. And, may You rejoice in what You see in us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Birthday Blessings

Psalm 119:73 - "Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands."

I'm so happy that today's verse focuses in on the God who made and formed us. Today, my oldest son, Christopher, became a teenager. Cyndi and I are now parents of two teenagers. Tomorrow we will celebrate the 15th birthday of our daughter, Breanna. And, on Friday, we will celebrate Jeremy's 9th birthday! It's kinda crazy around here. And as I think about my children I am in awe of their God. God's hands formed Breanna, Chris, Jeremy and Zach. And, God's hands formed you and me. And, David understood that the created need the Creator to help us understand his law.

My friend Mark Brown is a pastor in California. He loves to practice the indispensible principle every time he preaches. He says, "Before we go to the Word of God we must first go to the God of the Word, because there is no way we can understand God's Word on our own." God wants us to understand Him. And, He promises us that if we ask for wisdom, He will give it. So, go ahead, ask. And, be amazed. God will reveal so much to you.

Dear God,

Thank You for creating us. Thank You for Your desires for our lives. Help us to understand You better. And, please give us wisdom to understand Your Word. And, God, thanks for my new teenager. Help him to always live for you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Pure Gold!

Psalm 119:72 - "The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold."

One of my college professors had the most extraordinary home I've ever been in. The home was designed to look like a miniature European castle. It had a mote, a dungeon, a great hall with coats of armor, weapons, and more. It was kind of a spooky place.

In his dungeon was a treasure chest. The chest was overflowing with coins. It had the appearance of being full of gold and silver. I'll never forget that treasure chest. When I asked him where all the coins came from he told me, "When I go to another country, I always visit the bank. I ask the bank if they have any coins that are no longer in use. (In the 1980s many countries changed their currency and were left with worthless coins.) I'll give them $10 US and they will give me a bag full of coins."

So, the coins, were worthless. But, the picture, was priceless. And, priceless is exactly how David would describe the the Word of God. It is more valuable to David than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. The average reader of David's writing would have never seen that much wealth in his or her lifetime. So, the image that David is giving in Psalm 119:72, is that God's Word trumps all. It is worth more than anything that the world will ever see.

Do you treat it that way? Tonight Heather Flies and I will be speaking to our volunteer youth staff. We're talking about the heart of the youth worker. In preparation for tonight I looked on my bookshelf for one of the books in youth ministry that encouraged and developed my thinking on youth ministry back when I began. It's called Back to the Heart of Youth Work, by Dewey Bertolini, and has long since gone out of print. I couldn't find the book on my shelf, so I bought it for .99 on Amazon.com from a used book dealer. It was fun to reopen the pages of a book that meant so much to me early in my ministry. I love Bertolini's book because of the first two chapters. These chapters deal with the personal spiritual condition of the youth worker's heart.

In Chapter One, Bertolini talks about Psalm 119. While writing about Knowing God, Bertolini says, "Three clearly defined qualities characterize one who has a heart of knowing God. Each of these must develop in our own lives if we are to take the first step towards being good servants.

1. Constantly nourish yourself on the Word of God (1 Timothy 4:6).

Effective youth ministry must begin here. To attempt to lead a person spiritually while at the same time neglecting one's own spiritual life would be a travesty. Any leader who fails to take nourishment daily from the Word of God will most certainly degenerate into a voice from a vacuum. It is much too easy and tragically too common to become so busy doing ministry that we forfeit the greatest privilege and most essential priority of all: our own personal walk with God.

Scan Psalm 119. It's 176 verses express in the clearest of terms the psamist's heartfelt commitment to the truth of the Word of God. Does your heart echo these same thoughts? 'How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways' (vs. 2-3). God's ways, as expressed in His Word, are:

- to be kept diligently (v. 4);
- to be rejoiced in and delighted in (vv. 14, 16)
- filled with wondrous things (v. 18)
- our counselors (v. 24)
- a reviving force and strengthening power (vv. 25, 28)
- to be cleaved to and trusted in (vv. 31, 42)
- to be kept continually forever and ever (v. 44)
- to be proclaimed without any shame (v. 46)
- to be loved (v. 48)
- our comfort (v. 50)
- the songs in the house of our pilgrimage (v. 54)
- righteous judgments (v. 62)
- better than thousands of gold pieces (v. 72) - TODAY'S VERSE!
- faithful and forever settled (v. 86, 89)
- never to be forgotten (v. 93)
- making us wiser than our enemies (v. 98)
- giving us more insight than our teachers (v. 99)
- giving us more understanding than the aged (v. 100)
- sweeter than honey to our mouths (v. 103)
- a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths (v. 105)
- the rejoicing of our hearts (v. 111)
- our hope (v. 114)
- wonderful and longed for (vv. 129, 131)
- pure (v. 140)
- truth (v. 151)
- founded by God forever (v. 152)
- awesome (v. 161)
- the songs of our tongues (v. 172).

Let's be honest. Does Psalm 119 accurately express our consistent attitude toward the Bible? Or do we tragically neglect God's Word? In a world permeated by seducing spirits disseminating doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1), we servants of Jesus Christ must daily saturate ourselves with the truth of the Word of God. To do anything less renders us poor servants, having committed a sin of omission of gargantuan proportions."

May all of us love God and His Word like this. May we recognize how awesome is the treasure that we have in it. May we become treasure hunters, never being content with less than knowing and loving God and His Word.

Dear God,

Thank You for the treasure of Your Word. You are more precious than all the gold, silver and wealth of this earth and all of the universe. Help us to love You like You long to be loved. Help us to grow to love Your Word more and more, every day.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

The Hard Times

Psalm 119:71 - "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees."

Several years ago I went through some of the darkest days of my life. No matter how hard I tried to get things right, it seemed like everything around me was falling apart. I questioned God. I wondered why He would allow me to go through such difficult times. (As if I was any more worthy to go through less suffering than anyone else. Talk about arrogance!) I wondered if the difficult days would let up. I wondered if it could get any worse.

I bet you've been there too. We all go through difficult times. Sometimes it takes years, but when we are able to get far enough removed from a situation to look back with a different perspective we can see that the ordeal didn't leave us permanently scarred. In fact, sometimes those toughest ordeals can teach us the most valuable lessons in life.

I didn't like the trials that I went through years ago. But, I rejoice that I went through them. I rejoice that God chose to work in the hardship to bring about His glory. David rejoiced when God took him through his own difficult times. Because, David recognized that those hardships brought about more intimacy in his walk with Christ.

Rejoice in the hardships! Rejoice in the good times. Rejoice!

Dear God,

You are good even in our darkest days. Help us to remember that. Thank You for your Word. Thank You for the comfort that it brings. Thank You for working through the fire.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Evangelicals and Scientists Travel To Alaska To See Global Warming First Hand

Recently, my senior pastor, Leith Anderson, and several evangelical leaders joined a group of scientists to study the effects of global warming. The unlikely pairing of scientists and evangelicals was chronicled by the PBS show NOW. The show aired on Friday night. You can watch it by following this LINK.

Calloused Blasphemy

Psalm 119:70 - "Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law."

This afternoon I spent time with the Student Leadership Team for Wooddale Senior High. This is a group of 10th-12th graders who have chosen to be peer leaders. They lead our Area Bible Studies, and our taking peers from their high school and neighborhoods through the book of Mark. The groups have already met twice, so today we prepared for their third meeting, in which they'll discuss Mark 3.

In Mark 3, Jesus confronts his critics; religious leaders who have accused Jesus of being possessed by the spirit of the Devil. Jesus responds to their criticism by addressing the unpardonable sin, saying, "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin" (Mark 3:29).

What a sobering verse. Earlier this morning, I had read our verse for today, Psalm 119:70. Remember, David is talking about the people who were smearing him with lies in verse 69. Now, in verse 70, David refers to these people as being those with calloused hearts. They are unfealing people who reject and make fun of those who follow God.

Today, the world is full of people whose hearts have become calloused towards God. The world is full of people whose hearts have grown so cold towards God that unless things change, they will spend eternity in hell. That truth should bring a tear to our eyes. To be a Christian and speak of hell, without having an urgency to be about God's work of rescue souls from hell, is to be someone who is not very different than those whose hearts have grown calloused towards God. Jesus was always about interacting with those who needed God most.

David loved God's law. We should too. But, we need to do more than love it. We need to live it. We need to live out the Great Commandment to love God first and our neighbors second. We need to live out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. And, we need to do it today.

Dear God,

Give us an urgency for your Gospel. Help us to be about your work of making disciples among all people groups. Help us to be passionate about our friends and neighbors who don't know you. Help us to not be afraid to share the truth of your word. Use us in your great work.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

I Want The Truth

Psalm 119:69 - "Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart."

What would it take to get you to stop following Christ? Can you imagine any circumstance or series of circumstances that would shake your faith in Christ so much that you would stop following Him? I hope not. But, sometimes, following Christ can be hard. We go through difficult seasons in our walk with Christ when we have followed Him for any significant length of time.

One of the characteristics of true faith is a heart that is fully devoted to Christ, no matter what the circumstances. That's the kind of heart that you see David expressing in Psalm 119:69. He is being lied about, but instead of blaming Christ, he goes to The Truth, and finds relief. God is our Truth. He is our Protector. He is there even in the worst of days. I don't know about you, but I want THE TRUTH!

Dear God,

Thank You that we can depend upon You even in our darkest days. Help us to follow You with a heart that is fully devoted to You. We love you! We love that you are THE TRUTH!

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Do As I AM . . .

Psalm 119:68 - "You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees."

I wonder if a quote similar to the quote, "Do as I say, not as I do," existed during the time of David. I'm sure there had to be something similar. After all, every generation has had its share of hypocritical teachers. And, I think most of us would say that we don't enjoy listening to that type of teacher.

That's what is so refreshing about the truth that David expresses in verse 68 of Psalm 119. God is good, and God does what is good. Pretty revolutionary, huh? No, really; think about it! God is good, and God does what is good.

Wouldn't it be great if that could be said of everyone? Wouldn't it be great if Christ followers could say, "I am a Christ follower, and I live like a Christ follower!" It's what we should strive for.

In their book, The Big Idea, Dave Ferguson, Eric Bramlett, and Jon Ferguson suggest that we no longer use the word Christian. Does that make you a little bit uneasy? It does me. The reason that they give is because over 80% of Americans call themselves Christian, and there is relatively no difference between the way those who call themselves Christians live their lives and the way that non-Christians live their lives. That is a tragedy. I understand the authors' reticence to use the word. But, rather than give up a precious word, how about living it? How about if we call ourselves Christians, that we agree to live like Christians? It's not revolutionary. It's expected that we will. And, it's God and the world who are looking for it to happen. Lead the way in your generation. Let's live like God intended us to.

Dear God,

There is no sense of hypocrisy in You. Every time we sin, we prove ourselves to be hypocrites. Help us to live our lives in a way that brings You pleasure. Help us to live our lives with passion and without surrender for You. Thank you that you have given us your Holy Spirit. We can do this, with you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

All We Like Sheep

Psalm 119:67 - "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word."

I don't know what David was afflicted with, but whatever it is caused him to stop straying and come back to God. In Psalm 119:67, David talks about straying from the Lord, and now coming back. And, he intimates that obedience to God's Word is the cure to a wandering heart.

Have you ever gone astray? It's all too easy to find ourselves in a spot in life where we want to say, "No!" when God wants us to say, "Yes!"

God's will for us in no secret. He has revealed to us His desires for us in His word. He has very specific mandates for our life. If we can get the first mandate down, the rest come easy. God's most passionate desire for His children is that we love Him. And, He wants us to love him with everything that we are.

Have you ever been so in love with someone that you found that you couldn't imagine living life without them? That's what God wants from us. And, when we do, the desire to stay close to Him will be there.

Dear God,

You have made it very clear that you are the Great Shepherd. We are the sheep of Your pasture. Help us not to be dumb sheep, thinking that we know better than You. We want to follow you. We want to know You. We want to love You. And, we want to know what it is like to be Your friend. Help us to follow Your commands. Help us to live as light in our generation. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Today's Students Are Crying Out For Knowledge

Psalm 119:66 - "Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands."

I just returned from spending 90 minutes with a group of teenagers at an event that we call Pizza and God Talk. It's a bi-monthly gathering of students who are committed to talking about spiritual things. These students come from a wide variety of perspectives. Some of the students are more committed to talking about God than others, but each night we meet I am amazed at their questions and insight.

Tonight's questions began with, "Is it ever okay to lie?" A spirited discussion was had by those in attendance. There was passion on both sides of the issue. Then the question, "Do the ends ever justify the means?" was asked. Another great discussion.

Tonight as I reflect on Psalm 119:66, I thank the Lord that David's prayer for being taught knowledge and good judgment is still be prayed by people today. God promises us that if we ask for wisdom that he will give it. Many people think that this generation of students is walking away from God. While there are many who have strayed, and while church attendance figures for people in the twenties is abysmal, I am blown away by the commitment of those students who do choose to walk with God. To walk with God in their generation is tough. And, yet, I see students doing it and shining as stars in their generation.

May God raise up a generation of students who call out to Him for knowledge and discernment. May these students, like David, change their world for Christ.

Dear God,

Today, we ask you for wisdom. We need your knowledge and discernment as we walk in our world. Thank you that you love us and have promised to give wisdom to those who ask.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

God is Good All the Time

Psalm 119:65 - "Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD."

When I lived in the south, preachers loved to bound up to the pulpit, put on a cheesy grin, and pronounce, "God is good, all the time, and all the time . . ." and the expected response from the congregation was for them to shout back, "God is good!"

I hated this exercise. I just thought it looked so dumb. It wasn't that I hated the message. I just hated the way that the message was usually given.

As much as I hated that exercise, the truth of those words remains. God is good all of the time. It's one of His attributes. God is a good God. He's good when I'm not feeling happy. He's good when I can't sleep. He's good when I wonder how I'm going to pay the bills. He's good when I am stressed. God's gooddness never ceases.

That's why David's plea for God to do to him according to his Word puzzles me. God had been so good to David. This guy had been spared from giants, lions, bears, enemies. He had ascended to the throne of Israel. He was rich. He had prestige. What could he have been lacking?

David's plea for God's gooddness reveals the truth that no matter where we are at in our stage of life we can sometimes forget God's goodnness to us. Maybe it wasn't that David forgot God's gooddness as much as it was that David didn't want God's gooddness to stop. Maybe God wants us to pray in such a way. But, maybe God just wants us to trust that He is who He is. God is good. He has never been anything but good to us. So, let us celebrate the truth of God's gooddness and extend that gooddness to others.

Dear God,

You are good. Thank you that we can know that and trust in that. Help us to remember that when we feel like life shoudl revolve around us. Help us to live for you when we don't feel like doing it. Help us to trust that you are who you say that you are, and to remember those times that you have proved yourself to be who you are.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Props to Assembly of God Youth Ministries

One of the heartbreaking experiences that every youth pastor goes through is when you graduate a group of students and know that many of them will graduate from church. So many of our brand new college students get sucked into a lifestyle that eventually brings them signicant pain and lifelong baggage. The Assembly of God Denomination is doing something about it. Check out this video:

Well done! I can't wait to see similar ministries start all over the country.

How Great Is Our God's Love

Psalm 119:64 - "The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees."

How much does God love us? David loves to answer that question. In Psalm 139, David tells us that God loves us so much that he thinks about us constantly. If we were to try to put a number on how many times a day that God thinks about us, it would outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore (vs. 16-18). The Apostle Paul spoke of God's love as being so great that nothing could separate us from it (Romans 8:38-39). The Apostle John spoke of the person of Jesus being so great that the entire world was not large enough to contain the books that could be written about Him (John 21:25).

I love the way David describes God's love in Psalm 119:64. He says that the earth is filled with God's love. Think about that for awhile. The earth is filled with God's love. Filled!

I write this as Southern California is being ravaged by fire. It can be easy to forget God's love in the midst of the trial. But, in the midst of Southern California's trial, communities are banding together. Stadiums are becoming sanctuaries. Gatherings are becoming prayer meetings. God's love will shine through even in this rough time. Why? Because, that's what God does. And, that's what God's people do. Jesus told his followers that they would be the light of the world. When we live that way, the world sees the love of God in action. God is love! God's people are the reflection of that love. Let your love so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and gloify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16)! Church, let it shine! Let it shine.

Dear God,

The earth is full of your love. On this night of tragedy and destruction in Southern California, let your love be evident. Let the church rise up and praise you. Let your glory be declared in the nation. Help us to be an accurate reflection of your love to the world around us.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Friends of God

Psalm 119:63 - "I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts."

I spoke to a room full of junior highers today. It was a special experience, because two of the junior high students were my children. My daughter introduced me to her peers, and my son sat in a row full of his friends. I chose to speak about the fact that God believes in us. As I spoke I scanned the room.

Do you know what I noticed?

I noticed peer groups. I watched who was sitting with who. And, I thought, as I taught, about the impact that peer groups have on students. In Psalm 119:63, David spoke of being friends with all who fear God and follow his precepts. In other words, those who were friends of God were friends of David. I like that. The closest people in our lives should be those that are friends with God. Can you say that is true of you? Who is it that you count among the closest people in your life.

One of the things that I told our students today was the famous quote, "The biggest difference between you now and five years from now are the books you read, the people you meet, the places you go." Our friends have a huge impact on us. That's one of the reasons that David was so passionate that his friends be people who are friends of God.

Throughout his life, when David was in trouble, he had a group of friends that were faithful to him. They were called his mighty men. David's mighty men were there when King Saul wanted him dead. His mighty men were there when his son planned a coup of David's kingdom. His mighty men were there when David sinned and when David lived a life that glorified God. Friends will do that. They will lift you up when you need it. They will give you a swift kick in the seat of your pants when you need it. They will encourage you and hold you accountable. They will protect you.

So, what kind of friend are you? Make it a priority to become the type of friend that David would have surrounded himself with. And, surround yourself with those friends.

Dear God,

We all need friends. We all need people who will lift us up when we are down. We need friends who will hold us accountable. We need friends who are loyal and true. We need friends who are friends You! Help us to live our lives in such a way that we surround ourselves with these type of people. Help us to be this kind of friend to others.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

When God Wakes You Up

Psalm 119:62 - "At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws."

Not long ago I was talking with someone who told me that they never understood the passage in Scripture where we are instructed to pray without ceasing. No one can actually do that. The person talked about how his understanding of this passage was that we were to be in a continual attitude of prayer. When we go throughout our days, we are to have conversations with God. When we have decisions to make, God is to be the first one that we go to. When we face temptation throughout the day, we are to run to God.

Then he told me, "Brian, I had the most incredible experience last night. I went to bed praying to the Lord. I fell asleep. When I woke up, I found that I was still praying."

For my friend, this was a very special spiritual experience. I'm not quite sure that this is what God meant when He instructed us to pray without ceasing. And, I'm not sure my friend truly prayed all night long. I questioned him about it and he didn't think that he had. He was just in awe over his God that day. He was grateful that he went to sleep with praise on his heart and awoke the same way. And, I think that's what was probably happening to David when he wrote this verse. He had so much to be grateful for, that he felt the need to wake up in the middle of the night and praise God for His righteous laws.

What about you? What has God blessed you with? It's probably more than you really stop to thank Him for. Unless you are a person who can pray 24/7 without stopping, you probably can't possibly run out of things to be grateful to God for. He has blessed us in more ways than we can count. Does that mean that our lives look perfect? Far from it! Life is hard. We will not even begin to experience life like God intended it to be until we reach heaven. But, this side of heaven gives us plenty to be grateful for. May we, like David, praise God for all that He is, all that He has done for us, and all that He promises to do.

Dear God,

Forgive us for the times that we complain. We have so many things that you have blessed us with. It's not that we deserve it. You have given us more than any of us deserve. Thank you for your mercy and grace and love. Thank you for your patience. Thank you that you love us like you do.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

John Piper on Satan's Ploy to Get Christians to Waste Their Life

John Piper has a terrific article at CT Online about sin and the way that Satan uses guilt over our sin, particularly sexual sin, to make Christians ineffective in their walk with God. The article is so well done and I plan on using it with people who struggle with guilt. Check it out by following this LINK.

The Dark Days

Psalm 119:61 - "Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law."

I've never been bound with ropes. I don't have enemies that are trying to hurt me like that. I have watched plenty of movies or TV shows where the terrorist organization binds the hero with ropes and begins to torture him. I can't imagine that it is ever something that I would want to go through. I imagine that the person that is in such a condition would dream of death's release. David may have experienced such a thing. Some of the men who served in David's army certainly did. Euguene Peterson's paraphrase of the Psalms quotes this verse as if David truly did experience this binding with ropes from the first person perspective when he writes, "The wicked hemmed me in—there was no way out— but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me."

If it is true that David did indeed face such persecution, it must have been on of the darkest moments of his life. And his response to the darkest time in his life was to not for one minute forget the plan that God had for him.

When we go through the dark days of life, God is there. We may not ever be interrogated by terrorists, but we will go through our own dark days. And when you do, remember, you are never alone. God's plans for you are good. That knowledge will keep you going in the darkest of days. God's plans for you are good! They are better than you could ever imagine.

Dear God,

I pray today for those who are going through the dark night of their soul. Give them strength for each new challenge. Give them hope for the difficult times. Help them to trust that You love them and have good plans for them. Help them to grow more and more in love with you no matter how hard the days are.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Mark Driscoll's Session at the Convergent Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Mark Driscoll, Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, recently spoke to the Convergent Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I've had a lot of people ask me about my take on the emergent church movement. There are things that I love about the movement, and there are some things that turn my stomach. Driscoll does a good job of covering some of the major theological underpinings of the movement in his address. I'd encourage you all to download this one and listen to it. You can access the sermon by following this Link and going to the September 21 address labeled Session 3.

Today is the Day

Psalm 119:60 - "I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands."

Have you ever talked with someone who you knew was a train wreck waiting to happen? The decisions that they were making in their life, compounded with their total disregard for God's standards had sent their life in a spiral? I've spent a lot of time recently with folks like these. And, I am constantly reminded of just how close all of us are to making similar poor choices.

If you are one of the people that I speak of, let me encourage you to take David's approach from Psalm 119:60. David recognized that now was the time to get things right with God. I spent time with two people a few years back in the span of one week. One was in the midst of a drug addiction and recognized that he needed help, the other was also in the midst of addiction, but didn't care. The one who sought help, found healing. It didn't happen right away. In fact, he went through rehab several times. But, he is well now. The other? Still struggling with addiction and has almost died on multiple occasions. The latter always wants to put God off. The former realized that without turning to God, healing would never begin. Today is your day to find healing and hope. Run to Jesus. He's waiting with open arms to bring you freedom.

Dear God,

Thank you that you are still the God who heals. Help us to run to You. Help us to run to your desires. Help us to follow you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

True Confession

Psalm 119:59 - "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes."

What is true confession? It is agreeing with God that what you have done is sin, and then turning from that sin. And, that is what David talks about in Psalm 119:59. He has considered his ways. And, upon consideration he has turned from them and to the statues of God.

So, when is the last time that you took time to truly consider your ways? Did you know that God desires that we would daily confess our sins to Him? When we are followers of Jesus Christ, it only makes sense that when we sin, it saddens us and causes us to want to make it right with God. True confession comes from a heart that desires to please God. True confession means that we will do everything in our power and with the power of the Holy Spirit working in us to stop the pattern of sin.

Does this mean that a Christian can attain sinless perfection here on earth? No. We will continue to struggle with sin as long as we are on this side of heaven. But confession, and living our lives in a way that is consistent with God's word will allow us glimpses of what heaven will be like. When we become passionate about the things that God is passionate about, our appetite for sin will decrease. And when the appetite decreases, our lives go better. Consider your ways, as I do the same.

Dear God,

Thank you for the brains that you have given us. Thank you that we have the ability to consider our ways. When I consider my ways I see so many ways in which I fall short. Help me to run to You and away from sin. Help me to make You look good in my generation.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.