Psalm 119:49-56
Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law. I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them. Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law. This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.
Yesterday we talked of the persecution so many of our brothers and sisters experience across the globe. We are pretty lucky in this country, as any persecution we experience pales in comparison. However, when we are the ones who suffer, suddenly it becomes very personal and very painful, regardless of the scale.
No matter where we live, no matter what our stage in life, age in life, income level, status in society, etc. we will suffer. And when we do, God alone can give us the hope we need. His promises are the only salve that can soothe and strengthen us.
You and I need to diligently search His Word for His sweet promises, for His promises preserve our life. We need to learn them, believe them, and make them a part of every day. We need to remember His name in the night, as we lay on our beds longing for peace and rest. Because, ultimately, what will get us through is our focus – not on the here-and-now, on temporary things, but on eternity. Whatever we suffer, it will not last forever, praise His holy name!
So, let’s go to God, tell Him our heartaches, struggles, and pains. He will hold us, strengthen us, and remind us of His great promises. Look to Him, dear friend, for He is our hope in times of need.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Friday, November 10, 2006
A Little Pressure
Psalm 119:41-48
May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word. Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.
This last weekend at our church we had a service for the persecuted church. There were many things that touched me about the service, and I am always so thankful to be reminded of the wonderful freedoms we have here in America.
Yet there was one thing that really got me, and is sticking with me. I can’t stop thinking about it, and that’s definitely a good thing. It is remarkable how the people in these countries cling to the Word of God! Some of them do not (or at least should not) even have access to a Bible, yet it is so dear and precious. They have outsiders bring Bibles to them, or recite entire books from memory (try doing that one!). They themselves have much of the Word memorized. They love it, consume it, drink it in. They are passionate about the Word. They are passionate about Jesus. And they are willing to die for both.
One thing said that has really made me think and reflect on my own life and habits, is that these people always make time to read and reflect upon God’s Word. No matter how tired they are, they still make the time to take it in. They spend hours, sometimes all night long, just worshipping God in secret, in the dark so as not to be caught. And when they are caught, they fearlessly proclaim Christ to their captors, sometimes to their own demise, sometimes to the demise of their family. They boldly speak of the One for whom they gladly suffer! One boy even said (after losing his ENTIRE family in a church fire) that it’s not hard being a Christian, because we have Jesus.
WOW!
Sometimes I wonder if a little persecution wouldn’t be good for the American church. Not that I desire it, as I truly enjoy the freedom to worship, serve, and speak freely of my Jesus. But it seems that it might do us some good – push us to our knees, pull us into the Word, and make us choose which side we’re really on.
A Church under pressure is one that will explode with the love of Christ!
May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word. Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.
This last weekend at our church we had a service for the persecuted church. There were many things that touched me about the service, and I am always so thankful to be reminded of the wonderful freedoms we have here in America.
Yet there was one thing that really got me, and is sticking with me. I can’t stop thinking about it, and that’s definitely a good thing. It is remarkable how the people in these countries cling to the Word of God! Some of them do not (or at least should not) even have access to a Bible, yet it is so dear and precious. They have outsiders bring Bibles to them, or recite entire books from memory (try doing that one!). They themselves have much of the Word memorized. They love it, consume it, drink it in. They are passionate about the Word. They are passionate about Jesus. And they are willing to die for both.
One thing said that has really made me think and reflect on my own life and habits, is that these people always make time to read and reflect upon God’s Word. No matter how tired they are, they still make the time to take it in. They spend hours, sometimes all night long, just worshipping God in secret, in the dark so as not to be caught. And when they are caught, they fearlessly proclaim Christ to their captors, sometimes to their own demise, sometimes to the demise of their family. They boldly speak of the One for whom they gladly suffer! One boy even said (after losing his ENTIRE family in a church fire) that it’s not hard being a Christian, because we have Jesus.
WOW!
Sometimes I wonder if a little persecution wouldn’t be good for the American church. Not that I desire it, as I truly enjoy the freedom to worship, serve, and speak freely of my Jesus. But it seems that it might do us some good – push us to our knees, pull us into the Word, and make us choose which side we’re really on.
A Church under pressure is one that will explode with the love of Christ!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Contentment
Psalm 119:33-40
Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.
This time of the year always seems to breed discontentment in me. With the generosity of the season, I want to give, give, give, and our bank account just won’t allow it. That is when I begin to look around and notice all the people who have more than me and who can (seemingly) just go out and spoil all the people within their circle of influence.
Oh, how I wish that could be me! Gift-giving is definitely my love language, and I really don’t get to express it much, being a stay-at-home mom and all. So, rather than looking out, at all that I want and do not have, I need to look up. Up to the One who has everything. Yes, the One who is and has all that I need.
Verses 36-37, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word,” has become a passage very familiar and very dear to me. I cry these words from the very depths of my heart every time I begin to complain about our small house, or our not-so-new cars, or my “outdated” wardrobe, or our depleted bank account. Such stupid things, really – “worthless.”
When I read and meditate on this passage, and allow God to turn me toward His truth and His Word, I find that the discontentment fades, and I begin to see that there are at least twice as many people out there (probably many of you reading this) who are worse off than Chris and me! How lucky we are to even own a house! How lucky we are to have 2 working cars! How lucky we are to have the health of every single person under this roof! How lucky we are to have a family that loves each other (even the kids!), and looks out for each other, and prays for each other, and enjoys each other! How lucky we are to have Christ and His Word so easily accessible! How lucky we are!
How lucky, indeed.
Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.
This time of the year always seems to breed discontentment in me. With the generosity of the season, I want to give, give, give, and our bank account just won’t allow it. That is when I begin to look around and notice all the people who have more than me and who can (seemingly) just go out and spoil all the people within their circle of influence.
Oh, how I wish that could be me! Gift-giving is definitely my love language, and I really don’t get to express it much, being a stay-at-home mom and all. So, rather than looking out, at all that I want and do not have, I need to look up. Up to the One who has everything. Yes, the One who is and has all that I need.
Verses 36-37, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word,” has become a passage very familiar and very dear to me. I cry these words from the very depths of my heart every time I begin to complain about our small house, or our not-so-new cars, or my “outdated” wardrobe, or our depleted bank account. Such stupid things, really – “worthless.”
When I read and meditate on this passage, and allow God to turn me toward His truth and His Word, I find that the discontentment fades, and I begin to see that there are at least twice as many people out there (probably many of you reading this) who are worse off than Chris and me! How lucky we are to even own a house! How lucky we are to have 2 working cars! How lucky we are to have the health of every single person under this roof! How lucky we are to have a family that loves each other (even the kids!), and looks out for each other, and prays for each other, and enjoys each other! How lucky we are to have Christ and His Word so easily accessible! How lucky we are!
How lucky, indeed.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Laid Low in the Dust
Psalm 119:25-32
I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
We’ve all been here, haven’t we? Big or small, our mistakes have a wonderful way of humbling us – “laying us low in the dust.” I was just there, as you know, and am still working my way out. God has definitely “preserved my life according to His Word.” Praise His holy name!
Tonight, this makes me think of Rev. Ted Haggard, who I really don’t know much about apart from the media frenzy that has surrounded him the last couple of days. He was, apparently, a very influential Christian leader, and it has been discovered that he has been maintaining a secret homosexual relationship for quite a while. In his apology to his church, he wrote “there is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life.”
I’m sure there are many Christians who are outraged, repulsed, and many other descriptive words over this whole incident. I, myself, am sad and so sorry for Mr. Haggard and his family. He was in Satan’s crosshairs, and like so many of us, he went down when he was hit. I think those of us who can see our own “repulsive and dark” sides will be sad for him and his family. Everyone else, well, in my opinion they are just turning a blind eye to their “repulsive and dark” side, because we all have them.
That is why we must be in the Word, not just for study, not just for discussion or to mark it off our list of things to do. No, we need to be consuming the Word, and letting its fire consume us. We need to ask God to preserve our lives and to strengthen us according to His Word. And when we see a brother or sister fall, we need to get down in the dust with them, take an elbow and help to lift them to their feet again. If it wasn’t them, it may have been us.
You see, it is in keeping our eyes on Christ and in the Word that we keep ourselves from worshiping and idolizing our Christian leaders. Then, if they stumble, rather than being disappointed and discouraged in our faith, we can simply walk beside them remembering that they are made out of dust, just like you and me. We can encourage them, and help to restore them.
Let’s pray for Rev. Haggard and his family – pray that God would preserve their lives, and strengthen them; pray that God would use this for His great glory, redeeming this situation in ways you and I could never imagine! And let’s pray for any other brothers or sisters who have fallen prey to the enemy’s flaming arrows – so swift and accurate. I pray that it not be one of us next time.
I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
We’ve all been here, haven’t we? Big or small, our mistakes have a wonderful way of humbling us – “laying us low in the dust.” I was just there, as you know, and am still working my way out. God has definitely “preserved my life according to His Word.” Praise His holy name!
Tonight, this makes me think of Rev. Ted Haggard, who I really don’t know much about apart from the media frenzy that has surrounded him the last couple of days. He was, apparently, a very influential Christian leader, and it has been discovered that he has been maintaining a secret homosexual relationship for quite a while. In his apology to his church, he wrote “there is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life.”
I’m sure there are many Christians who are outraged, repulsed, and many other descriptive words over this whole incident. I, myself, am sad and so sorry for Mr. Haggard and his family. He was in Satan’s crosshairs, and like so many of us, he went down when he was hit. I think those of us who can see our own “repulsive and dark” sides will be sad for him and his family. Everyone else, well, in my opinion they are just turning a blind eye to their “repulsive and dark” side, because we all have them.
That is why we must be in the Word, not just for study, not just for discussion or to mark it off our list of things to do. No, we need to be consuming the Word, and letting its fire consume us. We need to ask God to preserve our lives and to strengthen us according to His Word. And when we see a brother or sister fall, we need to get down in the dust with them, take an elbow and help to lift them to their feet again. If it wasn’t them, it may have been us.
You see, it is in keeping our eyes on Christ and in the Word that we keep ourselves from worshiping and idolizing our Christian leaders. Then, if they stumble, rather than being disappointed and discouraged in our faith, we can simply walk beside them remembering that they are made out of dust, just like you and me. We can encourage them, and help to restore them.
Let’s pray for Rev. Haggard and his family – pray that God would preserve their lives, and strengthen them; pray that God would use this for His great glory, redeeming this situation in ways you and I could never imagine! And let’s pray for any other brothers or sisters who have fallen prey to the enemy’s flaming arrows – so swift and accurate. I pray that it not be one of us next time.
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