Read Psalm 47
Listening to a song this morning I couldn't help but focus on the truth we're shown and told over and over in the scriptures that our God reigns. See our God is in control, He is sovereign. Yet how many of us question and doubt this theology? Sure intellectually we'd say we believe God is in control, but how we live our lives often reveals a different story.
Read Psalm 47 and check the examples of God's control and awesome power over all creation. The Psalmist tells how we should respond to God's control - with absolute praise, worship and thanks.
All God wants from us is our devotion; our complete and unrelenting acknowledgement that He alone is God, that He alone is worthy of our praise. Let's be challenged this week to live with this one thought about our great God: that OUR GOD REIGNS!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Bragging Rights
Read 1 Kings 20:1-13
Bragging rights are reserved for those who win, but we all know there are people that boast before the competition. However much bragging is done before the event, time will always tell who has bragging rights.
Reading through 1 Kings I came across something that made me laugh. The King of Israel at the time was Ahab and he was being attacked by Ben-Hadad King of Aram. At one point in the conflict King Ahab sends this message to King Ben-Hadad, "One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off."
I laughed because so often we brag about things we're going to do, yet it doesn't happen. We may make great claims but all too often we come to realize we are not in control of the outcome. See the Lord promised Ahab that if he stood up to Ben-Hadad he would most certainly win the battle. And we're told in verse 13 this would happen so that Israel would know who the LORD is.
Too often we experience times when we want to take things into our hands and sometimes we get all puffed up with what we're going to do, how we're going to handle situations. Truth is we need to take everything to God because in the end only He has bragging rights as LORD of Lords and King of Kings.
Bragging rights are reserved for those who win, but we all know there are people that boast before the competition. However much bragging is done before the event, time will always tell who has bragging rights.
Reading through 1 Kings I came across something that made me laugh. The King of Israel at the time was Ahab and he was being attacked by Ben-Hadad King of Aram. At one point in the conflict King Ahab sends this message to King Ben-Hadad, "One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off."
I laughed because so often we brag about things we're going to do, yet it doesn't happen. We may make great claims but all too often we come to realize we are not in control of the outcome. See the Lord promised Ahab that if he stood up to Ben-Hadad he would most certainly win the battle. And we're told in verse 13 this would happen so that Israel would know who the LORD is.
Too often we experience times when we want to take things into our hands and sometimes we get all puffed up with what we're going to do, how we're going to handle situations. Truth is we need to take everything to God because in the end only He has bragging rights as LORD of Lords and King of Kings.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Time Is Ticking Away
Read Ephesians 5:14-16
It's been said "to waste time is a sin against God." So think about it - how do you spend your time?
Recently I was challenged, actually convicted about this. And I responded by spending time listening to a message by one of my favorite pastors and his message was called - Prayer: Our Time Saver. Ever think of prayer that way? He said God has given us all the time we need every day to pray, study His word, serve and worship Him. But the question is - do we make the best use of our time every day and deepen our relationship with God this way?
Ephesians 5:14-16 tells us to be careful how we live, making the most of every opportunity. Listen time is precious, it's a gift from God. And while God doesn't want us so busy that we miss out on probably what a lot of us do with our time - we keep so busy we neglect to rest. Rest is a wise investment in time. Think of it this way, of the top 10 Commandments God uses one of them to tell us to take a day off.
Yet most of us realize time is ticking away and agree we should make the most of our time. But how? Let's start by asking God in prayer, talking with Him how He wants us spending our time, what He wants us doing. Then believe everything else will fall into it's place because we're spending our valuable time talking and listening to our great and glorious God.
It's been said "to waste time is a sin against God." So think about it - how do you spend your time?
Recently I was challenged, actually convicted about this. And I responded by spending time listening to a message by one of my favorite pastors and his message was called - Prayer: Our Time Saver. Ever think of prayer that way? He said God has given us all the time we need every day to pray, study His word, serve and worship Him. But the question is - do we make the best use of our time every day and deepen our relationship with God this way?
Ephesians 5:14-16 tells us to be careful how we live, making the most of every opportunity. Listen time is precious, it's a gift from God. And while God doesn't want us so busy that we miss out on probably what a lot of us do with our time - we keep so busy we neglect to rest. Rest is a wise investment in time. Think of it this way, of the top 10 Commandments God uses one of them to tell us to take a day off.
Yet most of us realize time is ticking away and agree we should make the most of our time. But how? Let's start by asking God in prayer, talking with Him how He wants us spending our time, what He wants us doing. Then believe everything else will fall into it's place because we're spending our valuable time talking and listening to our great and glorious God.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Prayer of David
Read Psalm 141
Psalm 141 speaks so clearly about the kind of prayer life and relationship with God we all should desire. David writes about wanting his prayers to God being like a fragrant offering, a sacrifice to the God of heaven. Thinking about this should inspire our minds and our hearts because this is how God anticipates our relationship with Him.
And when David continues he asks God to guard his mouth so that the words that pour forth from his lips would be pleasing to the Lord. How often do we use our words for God's glory and for inspiring others? David's plea is that God would help him in this area - perhaps it was an area that David wrestled with in his own personal life. Then he says, Lord don't let my heart be drawn to anything that is evil. Now he's going deeper, now he's getting into the heart of the matter: motive.
This is what this psalm is all about. It's about David desiring correction when needed from as he says "a righteous man" who shows "kindness" when he rebukes. And it's about protection from God. You see David sees that when his eyes, our eyes are on the Lord, when we're focused on living for God that we'll walk this life in safety, unharmed by the traps and schemes of the wicked evildoers of our day. Listen there are those who do not want followers of Christ to follow Him. Yet greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.
Psalm 141 speaks so clearly about the kind of prayer life and relationship with God we all should desire. David writes about wanting his prayers to God being like a fragrant offering, a sacrifice to the God of heaven. Thinking about this should inspire our minds and our hearts because this is how God anticipates our relationship with Him.
And when David continues he asks God to guard his mouth so that the words that pour forth from his lips would be pleasing to the Lord. How often do we use our words for God's glory and for inspiring others? David's plea is that God would help him in this area - perhaps it was an area that David wrestled with in his own personal life. Then he says, Lord don't let my heart be drawn to anything that is evil. Now he's going deeper, now he's getting into the heart of the matter: motive.
This is what this psalm is all about. It's about David desiring correction when needed from as he says "a righteous man" who shows "kindness" when he rebukes. And it's about protection from God. You see David sees that when his eyes, our eyes are on the Lord, when we're focused on living for God that we'll walk this life in safety, unharmed by the traps and schemes of the wicked evildoers of our day. Listen there are those who do not want followers of Christ to follow Him. Yet greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Rules or Relationship?
Read Exodus 20:1-21
What's the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase - The Ten Commandments? Is it Charlton Heston? Is it ancient and outdated rules? Or do you think about relationship?
Most think The Ten Commandments are all about rules when the truth is verse one tells us what it's all about. When God spoke these words - I am the LORD your God - He was telling Israel and telling us from the start He is all about desiring a relationship with His people.
When I read the commandments I see something Jesus Himself said. Jesus said, Love God and Love people. And this is the same thing The Ten Commandments tell us. The first four commandments have everything to do with honoring our Father in Heaven. And the last six commandments have everything to do with honoring people.
Ultimately in verse 20 Moses says God has given these commands to test our trust, to test our relationship with Him. And finishes by saying - "so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Friends, God's always desired to have us in a right relationship with Him. Let's remember The Ten Commandments are all about honoring our Father by having no other gods before Him, by not taking part in idolatry or attributing to His name anything that cuts at the core of His character and finally by keeping the Sabbath, a days rest when we can reflect on the relationship God has established with His children. And let's be His people who also honor others.
What's the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase - The Ten Commandments? Is it Charlton Heston? Is it ancient and outdated rules? Or do you think about relationship?
Most think The Ten Commandments are all about rules when the truth is verse one tells us what it's all about. When God spoke these words - I am the LORD your God - He was telling Israel and telling us from the start He is all about desiring a relationship with His people.
When I read the commandments I see something Jesus Himself said. Jesus said, Love God and Love people. And this is the same thing The Ten Commandments tell us. The first four commandments have everything to do with honoring our Father in Heaven. And the last six commandments have everything to do with honoring people.
Ultimately in verse 20 Moses says God has given these commands to test our trust, to test our relationship with Him. And finishes by saying - "so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Friends, God's always desired to have us in a right relationship with Him. Let's remember The Ten Commandments are all about honoring our Father by having no other gods before Him, by not taking part in idolatry or attributing to His name anything that cuts at the core of His character and finally by keeping the Sabbath, a days rest when we can reflect on the relationship God has established with His children. And let's be His people who also honor others.
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