Wisdom at any Cost!

Proverbs 4

Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. ­– Proverbs 4:5 NASB

What kinds of things do we spend our money on? Movies and music, the latest electronic gadgets, lattes and lunches, golf clubs and hunting rifles, handbags and hairstyling – the list goes on and on. The bottom line for most of us is if we want something bad enough, we figure out a way to get our hands on it. Even if it means going in debt to do it. Which makes the verse above so interesting. Here Solomon tells his son to acquire wisdom and understanding. That word can actually be translated "buy" or "purchase." It seems to carry the thought, "to possess at any cost." He is telling his son, and us, to make it our mission to get our hands on wisdom and understanding. They are both that valuable. He's not saying, "Son, you have got to have the latest iPhone or iPad." He is not telling his son to "acquire stock" in some Fortune 500 company. He is not telling him to spend his hard-earned money on good, reliabletransportation. No, he is pleading with his son to make it his mission in life to possess these two priceless commodities: wisdom and understanding.

But how do we obtain these two qualities or attributes. By using the term "acquire," Solomon is indicating that they will cost us something. There is a price involved. Both are only available from one source: God. And they do not come cheap. As Solomon tells us elsewhere, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10 NASB). So both of these valuable commodities begin and end with God. He is the source and the seller. Which means I have to deal with Him if I want to get my hands on them. The price? A healthy fear of God and a growing knowledge or understanding of Him. I grow in my fear of God as I spend time with Him. And my fear changes from a simple-minded dread based on ignorance to a multifaceted awe and reverence based on a growing knowledge of just how holy, powerful, and majestic God really is. But I don't acquire this understanding easily. The wisdom that God offers doesn't come cheap. It requires that I spend countless hours pursuing a relationship with Him. As I do, I will find myself wiser and more understanding. And the side benefits are pretty significant as well: God's provision and protection, guidance in the way of righteousness, life, health, and integrity. So it pays to purchase wisdom and understanding. It makes good fiscal sense to acquire them both. But to do so, I will have to make them a priority in my life. I will have to want them bad enough to spend what it takes to get them. I will need to give God my time, my undivided attention, my affection and devotion, my obedience and trust, and ultimately, my life. But it will be well worth the cost. Solomon put it this way: "The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day." (Proverbs 4:18 NLT).

Father, I spend my time, money, and resources on a lot of things. And none of them can deliver what they promise, let alone what it is I really need. Which is wisdom and understanding. Only You can provide those two things and they do not come cheaply. They come from time spent with You. They are only available through effort spent in seeking an intimate relationship with You. You are the key to both. Never let me forget that. There is no other way. There is no discount for acquiring wisdom and understanding. Amen





Then you will…

Proverbs 2-3

Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. ­– Proverbs 2:9 NLT

Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD…

Then you will what is right, just, and fair…

Then you will know how to find the right course of action every time…

Then you will find favor with both God and people…

Then you will gain a good reputation…

Then you will gain renewed health and vitality…

Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine…

There are some pretty significant promises in these two chapters, and they are all linked to our pursuit of and desire for wisdom. But not just any wisdom – the wisdom of God. Only God can grant it. So it would only make sense that we seek it from Him through His Word. The promises when we do are staggering. They sound almost too good to be true – much like the advertising claims for a new product or service. But these promises are far from empty. They are the commitments of a faithful God to His children. When we seek His wisdom, His will, and His way, we are blessed beyond belief. He will guard and guide us. He will protect and provide for us. He will help and heal us. He will give us an increasing awareness of His greatness and a growing appreciation for His kindness. The wisdom of God is essential to life in this fallen world and it is ours for the asking. He freely gives it to all those who seek it. But we must desire it enough to pursue it. We must need it enough to obey it. We must recognize its worth and rely on its direction. But where do we find this wisdom? On the pages of Scripture. In the words of the prophets, apostles, poets, and from the lips of Jesus Himself. To read God's Word is to hear from God Himself. He has filled the pages of the Bible with His revealed will and matchless character. He shows us His power, might, mercy, grace, love, holiness, righteousness, justice, and faithfulness – over and over again. He gives us a glimpse of His expectations as well as His exhortations. He speaks to us, encourages us, admonishes us, directs us, convicts us, comforts us, and reminds us of His unfailing love and unending mercy. All we need we find in His Word. So why don't we spend more time in it? Why don't we obey it? Why aren't we more passionate about it? The enemy, the flesh, and the world. They all three conspire to draw us away from the wisdom of God and attempt to replace it with a hollow alternative. The Proverbs are a call for us to remember where true wisdom comes from – from the lips of God Himself. Seek it and then you will …

Father, everything I need I can find in You. Your wisdom is sufficient to meet every need that comes my way. Yet I seek so many other things than You. I listen to so many other voices than Yours. Give me an increasing desire to hear Your Word and to obey it. May I grow in my ability to discern right from wrong as I grow in my knowledge of Your Word and Your will. Amen





Killed By Complacency.

Proverbs 1

That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen. For they are simpletons who turn away from me -- to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them. ­– Proverbs 1:31-32 NLT

We're all familiar with the verse in this proverb that says, "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7 NLT). But it goes on and reminds us, "Only fools despise wisdom and discipline." It seems clear when reading this proverb and virtually every other one, that to live without a fear of God is to reject the wisdom He offers through His Word. It is to live the life of a fool. I used to think the fool was some poor soul whose elevator didn't go all the way to the top floor, who was a few bricks short of a full load. He was the guy who just couldn't help doing foolish things. In most cases, I thought the fool was describing the typical non-believer. He was lost and without God in his life, so he ended up doing foolish things. But the more I read and studied Proverbs, the more convinced I became that the fool can just as easily be describing the typical believer. Essentially, a fool is someone who lives his life as if there is no God. I can believe in God and still live as if He doesn't exist. I can act in ways that are contrary to His commands and do so with a belief that He doesn't see what I am doing. I can say things that are offensive to His ears, but do so as if I believe He doesn't hear me. To live as if God doesn't see me or hear me is to live the life of a fool. To ignore His teaching, reject His discipline, or to fail to seek His counsel is to live like a fool.

You can have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and still eat the bitter fruit of living your own way. You can choose to ignore what Christ taught. You can decide to live your life according to your own terms. You can neglect the reading of your Bible and miss out on hearing from God, and end up experiencing the full terror of the path you have chosen. Solomon puts it this way: "Their own complacency will destroy them." That word translated "complacency" is rich in meaning. Positively, it can mean quietness, ease, or prosperity. But in this context, Solomon seems to be using its more negative meaning, which refers to a smugness, self-sufficiency, complacency or even careless security that can take over our lives when we think we have everything we need without God. In his commentary on Proverbs, C. H. Toy describes it as a “repose gained by ignoring or neglecting the serious responsibilities of life.” Our complacency as Christians can end up killing us. It can lull us into a dangerous sense of well-being. We can get so satisfied with our lives as they are, that we end up neglecting God's Word. We spend little or no time in it. And if we don't readGod's Word it is impossible to hear from the one who wrote it. And if we don't hear from Him, how are we supposed to obey Him? Our self-sufficiency ends up being self-destructive.

I reminds me of what God had to say to the church in Laodicea in the book of Revelation. "You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me -- gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference" (Revelation 3:17-19 NLT). Indifference. Complacency. Self-sufficiency. Smugness. They are all characteristics of the fool. That individual who has decided that he has no need of God's wisdom as revealed in His Word, no awareness of God's constant presence, no desire to hear what God may think of his plans, and no concept that his self-sufficiency is actually destroying him. "…they are simpletons who turn away from me -- to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them" (Proverbs 1:32 NLT).

Father, I have lived the life of the fool so often it's embarrassing. I have rejected or even ignored Your Word altogether. I have acted as if You don't even exist. I have become satisfied with my life as it was and unwilling to make the changes You have lovingly suggested. I have become complacent, smug, and self-sufficient far too often. Yet I know that Your wisdom is worth pursuing. It is more valuable than anything else I can pursue in life. Give me an increasing desire to seek Your wisdom. May Your Word become increasingly more satisfying to me. Amen





Love.

Song of Solomon

Place me like a seal over your heart, or like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, and its jealousy is as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. ­– Song of Solomon 8:6 NLT

This is probably one of the most hotly debated books in the Bible. The interpretations of its meaning are countless and questions regarding its purpose are endless. Some see it as an allegory with deeper spiritual meaning. Others read it as an actual autobiographical story featuring events from the life of Solomon himself. There is little debate that it is a love poem. That is clear from a cursory reading of the eight short chapters. But why is it in the Bible? If all Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof and training in righteousness, why is this book included? What is it attempting to teach us? As I read through it this morning I was struck by the many times that it caused me to reflect on the love of God. It seems to reveal the kind of love God has for His people and that He longs for them to have for Him. It is the same kind of love that Christ has for His bride, the Church, and that He desires to receive in return. And finally, it is the kind of love that any husband should feel for his wife and she willingly returns to Him.

It is indeed a book about love. Whether it is about real people and real events, I can't say. But it IS about love. And a faithful, eyes-for-you-only kind of love that God illustrates in His love for those He calls His own. It is the kind of love that caused Christ to take on human flesh and die a sinner's death in our place on the cross. This kind of love is selfless and sacrificial. It is passionate and powerful. It is intimate and intense. I cant help but read this book and be reminded of my Father's love for me. I am blown away by the way in which Christ expresses His love for me each and every day. God the Father and God the Son call out to me daily, longing to have a love relationship with me that is two-way, not one-way. But so often I am more than willing to accept their love, but refuse to return it. The Song of Solomon shows love that is given and received. Neither character can live without the other. There is a level of infatuation in the poem that borders on embarassing. The words these two use to describe their love for one another are syrupy and saccharine. The almost feel a little bit over the top and uncomfortable to read – like you're looking at someone's private love letters. But the love expressed here is genuine and sincere. It is intimate and personal. There is a sense of infatuation and focused quality behind the love expressed in these eight chapters that reflect the way we are loved by God and the manner in which we should return that love to Him.

Father, may my love for You and Your Son grow to such a degree that it is almost embarrassing for others to listen to me express it out loud. May I discover the intense kind of love for my heavenly Father and His Son that they have expressed to me so often. Help me to learn to love as I have been loved. And help me to recognize just how loved I really am. Amen





The Desire For Discernment.

Psalm 119:141-146

O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. ­– Psalm 119:169 NLT

The psalmist longed for the ability to discern right from wrong. He desired wisdom and he knew it could only come from one place: God. So he prayed and asked God for it. Remember Solomon's dream? In it, Solomon was asked by God, "What do you want? Ask and I will give it to you." Wow! What an opportunity. Here was the God of the universe handing Solomon a blank check and telling him to fill in the amount. He could have asked for anything, but I think God knew Solomon's heart. God knew what Solomon was going to ask for. And what was it? Wisdom. "I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around. And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count! Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?" (1 Kings 3:7-9 NLT). Solomon asked for discernment – the ability to discern right from wrong. And God gave it.

The writer of Psalm 119 was anxious for God to give him the same thing. He knew the key was his ability to understand the commands and decrees of God. "Your decrees are always fair; help me to understand them, that I may live" (Psalm 119:144 NLT). He wasn't content with a blind obedience. He wanted to understand the intentbehind the commands of God, because he knew that they were the source of life. Like children who obey without understanding, we can go through the motions, but as soon as we get the chance, we stop obeying because we have never really understood the real reason behind the need for obedience. To understand the commands of God is to understand the heart of God. There is method to His seeming madness and there are reasons behind His rules. The psalmist longed to know what they were. Do you long for the same thing? Do you want to understand the heart of God? Do you desire a discerning mind that can tell the difference between right from wrong, good from evil? Rules are great. But they are really intended for those who can't discern right from wrong. Rules are for the unruly. But if we all knew right from wrong, if we all knew the heart of God and how to please Him, no rules would be necessary. Even the Ten Commandments can become burdensome and laborious if we never get to know the God who gave them. What was His intent? What was His real desire behind them? That is what the psalmist wanted to know. Do you?

Father, I want a discerning mind, but more than that, I want to know You. Open my eyes so that I might see the way You see. Give me a heart that is similar to Yours. May I see the world the way You see it. Don't ever let Your Word just become a list of dos and don'ts to me. I want to grasp the meaning behind them and get to know the God who gave them. Amen





A Confession of Obsession.

Psalm 119:89-140

Oh, how I love your law! I think about it all day long. ­– Psalm 119:97 NLT

What kinds of things do you find yourself thinking about during the day? For most of us it probably varies. When we're at work, we probably think about work-related things, or we may think about going home. If we're at home, our minds may dwell on the myriad of things we need to accomplish around the house, or again, we may find ourselves wishing we were at work. All throughout the day we find ourselves thinking about a lot of different things. Some good. Some not so good. And occasionally we may find ourselves thinking about a single thing so much that it borders on an obsession. It could be someone we are deeply in love with and we just can't get them off our mind. It could be an event that is coming up of extreme significance in our lives, and we can't stop thinking about it. It could be a particular item we long for, like a new car, and we find ourselves daydreaming about it throughout the day. But how many of us find ourselves obsessing about the Word of God? How many of us would dare to claim that we're obsessed with God's Word? The psalmist did. He said he couldn't stop thinking about it. He claimed that the words of God were sweeter than honey. They were his treasure, his heart's delight. He meditated and thought on them constantly. He considered them so wonderful he couldn't get enough of them. He literally cried because there were those who chose to reject and disobey God's Word. He found himself filled with rage over those who disregard what God has to say. He loved the Word of God and couldn't understand why everyone else didn't feel the same way. He had found God's Word to be fulfilling, comforting, directing, encouraging, convicting, and restoring. He went to bed at night thinking about it and woke up with it on his mind first thing in the morning. To the psalmist, the Word was life.

But what about me? Am I even remotely obsessed with the Word of God? Is it always on my mind? Do I think about it constantly? The honest answer is no. And yet I truly believe that I love God's Word. I read it, study it, teach it, believe it, and try to live my life according to it. But I think the difference between the psalmist and myself is that he viewed the Word of God as equal to God Himself. The laws, decrees, principles, precepts, and written expressions of God's expectations for man were to the psalmist a direct extension of God Himself. To read God's written Word was to speak with God. It was to hear directly from God. It was like having intimate communication with God. For many of us, we have disconnected the Scriptures from the One who wrote them. We look at the Bible as some kind of self-help guide or a manual for living, with helpful tips and techniques on everything from child-rearing to marriage. And while the Bible can and does address life issues, it is really the revelation of God. It is the written Word of God that shows us who God is and how He wants to relate to mankind. The psalmist seemed to understand this. He didn't look at it as a document to be studied and applied. It was the direct communication of God to man and was to be obeyed. And what he had found was that the Word of God brought life. It brought joy, peace, contentment, wisdom, well-being, direction, it made meaning out of the difficulties of life, gave insight into the day-to-day decisions we all face, and provided answers to all of life's questions. The psalmist was obsessed with God's Word because He was obsessed with the God who spoke it to begin with. It was his lifeline to God. And he held onto it relentlessly and faithfully.

Father, may I grow ever more obsessed with Your Word. May it permeate every area of my life. May I grow deeper and deeper in love with it as I realize just how powerful and life-changing it really is. May I see it as more than just a document to be read and studied, but as a revelation of who You are. May I search for You in it and find You. May it fill my mind and fulfill the desires of my life. Amen





An Instrument of Thy Peace.

2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72

Bless the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things. Bless his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen! ­– Psalm 72:18-19 NLT

Solomon had God-given wisdom and blessings beyond belief – also directly provided by the hand of God. He reigned over a powerful kingdom that was hand-picked by God as the people group upon which He would shower His grace and mercy. God dwelt in their midst, directed their paths, and protected their borders. Solomon's wisdom and the nation's wealth were gifts from God and Solomon knew it. He also knew just how dependent he was on God's continued presence and provision. He was nothing without God. And his song recorded in Psalm 72 is a clear indication of his's comprehension of his need for God. Everything he had and all that he was as a man was directly attributable to God. He knew he could not judge well without God's help. He knew he could not rule fairly without God's direction. He knew his reign could end up destroying the lives of those he ruled if God was not on his side. Solomon knew that his kingdom would be a blessing only as long as God continued to bless his leadership. His kingdom was simply a conduit through which God could bless the people of Israel and the nations around them.

What a healthy perspective for all of us to embrace. To recognize that I am nothing without God could have a powerful impact on how I live my life. It would puteverything in perspective. My role as a husband, father, employee or even employer takes on new meaning when I realize that I have been placed where I am by God Himself and that I am nothing without Him. Solomon longed to do what was right. He wanted to rule righteously and lead his people justly. He knew that he had been given authority and responsibility by God to care for the people of God. He took that role seriously. He longed to rule well and represent God faithfully. What about us? Do we see ourselves as God's conduits through which He wants to pour out His grace and mercy to those under our care? Do we long to lead well and administer our daily responsibilities righteously so that those around us are blessed by God through us? Take a close look at this Psalm. It is actually a prayer – a request from an earthly king to his heavenly Father – that his life would make a difference in the world. Solomon wanted to leave the world a better place than he had found it. He wanted to be used by God. Do you?

This all reminds me of the prayer of St. Francis of Assissi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Father, my life and ministry are nothing without You. I cannot accomplish anything of value without You. I want my life to leave a lasting impact on those around me. But I can only do it because You graciously choose to use me. Make me a willing vessel through which Your blessings might be poured out on those around me.  Amen





The Little Foxes.

1 Kings 3-4

Solomon had four thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand horses. ­– 1 Kings 4:26 NLT

A quick read through chapters three and four of 1 Kings and you immediately see a picture of success and blessing. Solomon is not king of Israel. He has inherited a powerful and secure kingdom from his father David. He is enjoying an unprecedented period of peace. He is blessed with tremendous wealth and unparalleled wisdom. Both gifts from God. His kingdom is the envy of other nations who send their dignitaries to investigate first-hand if all that they hear about Israel is true. When it comes to wisdom, Solomon was without peer. He was an author and composer. He was a botanist, biologist, herpetologist, ichthyologist, zoologist, and ornithologist. He was powerful, erudite and one of the most influential leaders in the known world. He seemed to have everything going for himself, including the blessing of God. But in this glowing picture of success there is a dark mark, a flaw. It is small and seemingly insignificant. But it's there. Solomon had a love affair with "stuff." He was enamored with material things and all the trappings of success and power that came with his position. He was obsessed with knowing. Intelligence and learning were like an addiction to him. And when we come to the book of Ecclesiastes, we'll discover just how much all this accumulation of wealth and wisdom ended up meaning to him.

But you catch a glimpse of what is to come in one small verse nestled within these two chapters. It simply states that Solomon had 4,000 stalls in which he maintained and cared for 12,000 chariot horses. Wow! That's some stable. Just another example of Solomon's vast wealth. But there's more. It's also a not-so-subtle reminder of Solomon's struggle with the trappings of his position. You see, Solomon knew better. He would have known that God had warned His people that when they choose a king for themselves, there was going to be stipulations and requirements. God's king would rule according to a different set of standards. While the people would demand a king like all the other nations, God was going to make sure that the man to lead His people would march to a different drummer and lead according to a separate set of standards. All the way back in the book of Deuteronomy, God had communicated His terms:

"You will soon arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, and you will conquer it and settle there. Then you may begin to think, 'We ought to have a king like the other nations around us.' If this happens, be sure that you select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite, not a foreigner. The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the LORD has told you, 'You must never return to Egypt.' The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will lead him away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate vast amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. – Deuteronomy 17:14-17 NLT

We read later in 1 Kings 11 that "Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh's daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The LORD had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations, because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And sure enough, they led his heart away from the LORD" (1 Kings 11:1-3 NLT). Solomon had wives and lots of them. He had horses by the thousands, and his wealth was immeasurable. Now it can be argued that Solomon's wealth was give to him by God. Yet even the blessings of God can become stumbling blocks if we lose sight of their intent or allow them to take significance over the one who gave them. Solomon's wealth would become an obsession. His wisdom would leave him with more questions than answers. His wives would turn him away from the very one who had given him all he enjoyed.

There is a little saying or proverb that Solomon wrote. It speaks of the very problem Solomon would experience as a result of his tendency to ignore the commands of God. It's found in the Songs of Solomon and reads, "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom" (Song of Solomon 2:15 NIV). This saying speaks of the little things that sneak in and destroy what is of real value. They are subtle and seemingly insignificant, but if left unattended, they can wreak destruction. It's the small areas of disobedience, the little sins that can do so much harm if left unconfessed and unaddressed. Like small foxes in a vineyard, they will end up doing harm that cannot be repaired. Solomon had it all. His kingdom was fruitful and flourishing, but he had allowed the "little foxes" of disobedience and compromise to infiltrate his vineyard. And the effects would be serious. No amount of wealth or wisdom can replace willing submission to the commands of God. Compromise is subtle and creeps in slowly, causing us to cut corners spiritually and water down our commitments to God. It happened to Solomon and it can happen to us. Even the blessings of God can end up turning us from God – unless we continually remember the one from whom the blessings come.

Father, keep me more in love with You than with Your blessings. Continually convict me when I stray from the path You have established for me as Your child. Keep me in Your Word and give me the strength and determination to obey it. Open my eyes so that I might see the "little foxes" that lurk in my life, ready to destroy what You have blessed me with. Amen





We Could All Use A Little Good Sense.

Psalm 119:45-88

You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. ­– Psalm 119:73 NLT

Give me the sense to follow Your commands. That should be the first prayer I pray each and every day. Because even though God made me, I still have the tendency to disobey His commands. All because of the fall and my own sin nature. Rather than follow His commands faithfully and willingly, I am tempted to do things my way or the world's way. So I need God to give me the good sense to do what is right. And to do that He sometimes allows me to suffer – to learn His lessons the hard way. The Psalmist seemed to understand this fact. "The suffering you sent was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your principles" (Psalm 119:71 NLT). "I know, O LORD, that your decisions are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it" (Psalm 119:75 NLT). Sometimes God has to get our attention by allowing us to learn just how much we need Him. Difficulty comes into our lives and we often discover that it is all because we have disobeyed the clear commands of God. It could be something as simple as His command to have no other God's in place of Him. But how often do we break that command? We make idols and cheap God-replacements out of just about everything and everyone. We worship our work and our careers. We expect money to meet all our needs. We give entertainment a special place in our lives because we think it can bring us joy. We put people on pedestals, hoping that they will bring us happiness or make us feel significant. We place our faith in the government or political leaders. And so God allows us to learn the valuable lesson that there really are no other gods beside Him. They disappoint us, let us down, turn their backs on us, and fail to deliver whatever it was we were expecting them to do for us. Then we can say with the Psalmist,  "I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word" (Psalm 119:67 NLT).

The amazing thing about this Psalm is the author's repeated expressions of love for the laws or commands of God. He delights in them. He loves them. He meditates on them. He wakes up at midnight thinking about them. He says that they are the music of his life. The commands of God are worth more to him than millions in gold and silver. Why? Because he has learned that obeying God's commands is the secret to contentment, joy, peace, satisfaction, wisdom, and the blessing of God. God loves us so much that He is always teaching us the value of keeping His commands, of living life on His terms and not ours. He knows we are surrounded with other options and the daily temptation to trust in something other than Him for our needs. But He faithfully disciplines us, allowing us to learn that He alone can satisfy our every desire. More money, nicer cars, bigger homes, raises, recognition, friends, fame, or any other thing this world has to offer can ever replace the role of God in our lives. He wants us to love Him by making Him the highest priority in our lives. But we can't really love Him if we are not willing to obey Him. And we can't effectively obey Him if we don't know what He wants us to do. And we can't know what He wants us to do if we never spend time in His Word. The Scriptures are where we discover God's expectations of us. As we read it, He speaks to us through His Holy Spirit, convicting us, directing us, and prompting us to take the next step in our spiritual journey. Faithful obedience to His Word brings His blessing. The Psalmist knew it. But do we?

Father, Your Word is alive and well. Your commands are written down in black and white. They are there for us to discover and obey. But we sometimes we refuse to even read them, let alone obey them. Give us the sense to follow Your commands, because it alone will bring us the joy, contentment, peace and fulfillment we are looking for. Amen





The World Vs. The Word.

Psalm 119:1-44

Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. ­– Psalm 119:36-37 NLT

A love for the world and a love for the Word of God. Those are our two options. We can cultivate one or the other, but it is next to impossible to cultivate both and have them each equally flourish. To try and do so would be like attempting to nourish the weeds and the flowers in your garden equally. Ultimately, the weeds, if given equal right to exist in your garden, will take over completely. They will end up dominating the flowers and choking them out. Which is exactly what happens to many of us in our spiritual lives. We believe we can love the world and the Word of God equally. We can give them both a portion of our attention and affection, and we think they each will prosper. But the Psalmist knew better. He knew that a love for Gods Word was the key to life and happiness. He asks God to "Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way" (MSG). In these first 44 verses of this, the longest of the Psalms, we read over and over again of the Psalmist's single-minded love for God and His law, found in His Word. The Psalmist speaks of God's law, statutes, decrees, commandments, principles, and truths – all of which are found in His written Word. These are God's spoken and written expectations of His people. They are His expressed will for the way in which we should live. They give guidance, direction, comfort, wisdom, joy, understanding, blessing, and ultimately, true happiness. What is amazing is that the world offers the same list of benefits. The only problem is, the world can't deliver what is promises. Yet we pursue the world with a vengeance, expecting it to provide what only God Himself can provide. Sure, the world offers temporary fulfillment and what looks like happiness and joy. But it is always short-lived. The joy doesn't last. The fulfillment never lingers.

Every one of us as Christ-followers struggles with a constant urge to love the things of this world. We spend countless hours watching media, playing games, attending sporting events, reading books, going shopping, working out – none of which is evil or inherently sinful. But how many times have we confessed that we don't spend much time reading our Bibles, but we always seem to have time to do any and all of the above. There's always enough time to watch a little TV at the end of the day. There's always enough time to catch up on the latest news in the morning before starting our day. There's always enough time to see a movie, grab a latte or read the latest best-selling book. But we just never seem to have enough time to read God's Word. And I think the real issue is less about time than it is about the perceived benefits. For many of us, reading our Bibles does not seem to bring us much joy. It doesn't seem to give us much insight. We're looking for answers to life's problems, and if we don't get it on the first reading, then we get disappointed. But the Psalmist seemed to understand that the Word was simply a means of hearing from the one who wrote it. The commands of God were only important because they were spoken by God. They were his link to God. Do we read our Bibles that way. Do we desire to hear from God, spend time with God, listen to God? Or is our time in the Word just another task to check off our to-do list?

The Psalmist said, "Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law. I am but a foreigner here on earth; I need the guidance of your commands. Don't hide them from me!" (Psalms 119:18-18 NLT). Do you sense the need, the longing, the dependency he had on God's Word. He craved to hear from God. He saw himself as an alien and stranger living in a foreign land. He couldn't make it without a word from God. Do we share that same sense of dependency and reliance? May our prayer be that of the Psalmist: "Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word."

Father, how many times I have allowed my love of the world to crowd out and displace Your Word. I confess that I have loved the world and the things it offers far more often than I have loved reading Your Word or obeying what it has to say. Give me the mindset of the Psalmist, that Your Word would become more precious to me than life itself. All because I begin to understand that Your Word is how I hear from You. It is how You have chosen to reveal Yourself to Me. Like a letter from a loved one I haven't seen in years, it is my connection and conduit of Your expressed love to me. Amen





Their Just Desserts.

1 Kings 2; Psalm 94

"The LORD isn't looking," they say, "and besides, the God of Israel doesn't care." Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is the one who made your ears deaf? Is the one who formed your eyes blind? He punishes the nations -- won't he also punish you? He knows everything -- doesn't he also know what you are doing? The LORD knows people's thoughts, that they are worthless! ­– Psalm 94:7-11 NLT

Justice. We all want it. At least we think we do. Especially when it applies to someone else. When we read of someone doing something wrong or unfair, we demand that justice be done. We want to see them brought to justice – whether it is a corporate executive who has swindled money from his investors or an extreme radical terrorist who has taken innocent lives in some cowardly fashion. We long to see justice served and the guilty punished. But what is justice? Do we understand what it even means? According to the dictionary definition, it is "the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause; the administering of deserved punishment or reward." It is both the quality of being just or righteous – doing the right thing, and it is the action of upholding what is right by punishing those who have done wrong.

There have always been those who believe that justice does not apply to them. They are above the law. They can somehow break the rules and escape justice. And sometimes our society allows them to do so. They may even believe that they can escape the justice of God. In Psalms 94 we see a glimpse of their attitude. They think that the God who created them cannot see what they are doing or hear what they are saying. He is somehow blind to their actions and attitudes, and even if He could see what they are doing, He is impotent to do anything about it. But the Psalmist reminds us of the idiocy of this conclusion. God sees all, and because He is just and righteous, He deals with all in a righteous way. Maybe not in the time frame we would like to see, but eventually God makes all things right. He brings about justice. No one escapes it. You see a picture of this in 1 Kings 2 as Solomon ascends to the throne of Israel. In this chapter Solomon begins his reign by establishing justice and giving some evil men their just desserts. In quick succession he deals with Joab for his murders, Shimei for his unfaithfulness, Adonijah for his deceitfulness and treachery, and Abiathar for his role in Adonijah's rebellion. Each of these men had acted unfaithfully in some way. They had committed an unjustice and deserved to be punished. Adonijah had attempted to take the throne of David away from Solomon. Joab had disobeyed David and killed two innocent men. Abiathar had aided Adonijah in his aborted coupe attempt. Shimei had turned against David and cursed him when he had been forced to flee Jerusalem when his son, Absalom took over the city. Each of these men were guilty and deserved punishment, and some of them had seen enough time elapse that they thought they had escaped justice. They were home free. But Solomon began his reign by making sure justice was served. The wrongs were made right. The guilty were punished.

In this story we see a glimpse of the justice of God. He will deal with the evil that exists in our land. We may feel like He is blind to what is going on around us, or perhaps incapable of doing anything about it. But God has a good memory and is patient. He will deal with the injustices of this world in His time and according to His ways. But rest assured, justice will be done. With the Psalmist we can cry out, "O LORD, the God to whom vengeance belongs, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen! Arise, O judge of the earth. Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve." (Psalms 94:1-2 NLT). He will do what needs to be done. He will right every wrong and punish every wrong doer. What Solomon did in an imperfect way, God will do perfectly. We can know that justice will be served. One day God will administer His justice righteously and completely. So when we see evil taking place around us, we can rest in the fact that God sees and God will act. He will deal with it.

Father, we live in a world filled with injustice. People take advantage of others. People unfairly harm others. The innocent suffer and the wicked seem to get away with doing what is wrong. But You are not asleep. You are not powerless or disinterested. You are just and righteous. You see all that is going on and You will repay each person for the evil they have done. Thank You for that reminder. But also, thank You for the assurance that my sins are forgiven. That I will not have to undergo punishment for the evil I have done because of Your Son's death on the cross. Never let me use that as an excuse to live the way I want to live, but help me to serve You obediently and faithfully out of gratitude that I am seen as just in Your eyes. The punishment for my sins has been paid in full. Amen





Old, But Not Forgotten.

1 Kings 1; Psalms 37, 71

Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. ­– Psalm 71:18 NLT

David has reached the end of his life. He is advanced in years and no longer the strong, virile young man he used to be. He is mostly bed-ridden and under the constant care of a nurse. Yet even in old age, David is still seeking the Lord and confident in His activity in his life. He has learned over the years that He can trust God to come through. And God does come through yet again. We have seen before that if David had a weakness it was in his parenting skills. He has lost two sons to death and had one of his daughters raped by her half brother. Now we see one of his sons attempting to usurp the throne without David's knowledge or permission. David is oblivious to what is going on. But Nathan the prophet is not. He gets wind of Adonijah's plan and informs David's wife Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. David had promised Bathsheba to make her son Solomon the next king of Israel. Yet Adonijah is just hours away from having himself declared king, leaving Solomon as a potential threat to Adonijah's kingship and therefore in danger for his life. Nathan and Bathsheba inform David what is going on and he responds by immediately having Solomon crowned king in his place, thus thwarting Adonijah's plan.

This story reflects David's understanding of how God worked in his life. God was protecting him by using Nathan and Bathsheba. The protection and presence of God in our lives does not mean we will not have opposition or trouble. It is going to come because it is part of living life in a fallen world. Yet we have the assurance that God will intervene in ways we can't always anticipate or see. God was fully aware of what Adonijah was doing, and God used Nathan the prophet to expose it to Bathsheba and David. God was protecting David even in his advanced years. While David was old, weak, and vulnerable, God was not. He was going to make sure that His plans for Solomon and his kingship would come about just as He had promised David.

David does not seem surprised at the news about Adonijah and appears to react calmly and quickly. He immediately has Solomon crowned king. He didn't hesitate or waver, because he knew this was what God wanted. Adonijah had simply created the unplanned impetus for Solomon to be crowned at this time. This all caught David, Nathan, and Bathsheba by surprise, but not God. It was countless experiences like this over the years that made it possible for David to write, "Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes" (Psalm 37:7 NLT). "The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming" (Psalm 37:12-13 NLT). "Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes" (Psalm 37:7 NLT). "Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread" (Psalm 37:25 NLT).

David was old, but not forgotten by God. And he had not forgotten that God was still in control. The plans of God would not be stopped, even by a disobedient son. God was watching over David even in his old age.

Father, thanks for the reminder that You are there for me even when I am oblivious to the danger around me. You are always alert and ready to step in, protecting me in ways that I don't even see. Thanks for surrounding each of us with friends like Nathan who are sensitive to Your leading and help us know what to do. You are always there for us. Amen





The Lord is For Me!

Psalm 115-118

The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? ­– Psalm 118:6 NLT

The Lord is for me! Really? Me? Why in the world would He be for me after all I have done to disobey, disappoint, and disregard Him in my life? But here it is in black and white and right in the middle of His Word to me. He is for me. He loves me. He answers my prayers. He helps me when I call on Him. But the problem seems to be that I don't really believe He is for me. I doubt that He really loves me. I think I have to earn that love and keep Him pleased by my behavior – and I'm not too good at that. I make mistakes. I fail. I give in to temptations and fall prey to my own sin nature too often. And because I think God loves the same way I do – conditionally and not constantly – I believe there are times He is not for me. That's when these four Psalms need to be a part of my daily reading schedule. Better yet, I need to memorize them and meditate on them so they are right there in my brain when I need them.

These Psalms speak of God's unfailing love and faithfulness. They remind me that God is always there for me. I literally walk in His presence each and every day (Psalms 116:9). He is watching over me, and I can trust Him. In fact, the Psalmist reminds me that "It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people" (Psalms 118:8 NLT). People let me down, just like I let them down. But God never lets me down. He never disappoints. He never fails to come through. He may not do things the way I want them done, but He always comes through – in ways I could never have imagined – and they are always for my good and His glory. "The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!" (Psalms 118:16 NLT). The Lord is for me. And He is always doing things for me. So why don't I trust Him more? I think it's because I don't recognize His hand in my life often enough. I have not trained myself to look for the signs of His presence. They are there. His answers to prayers. His interventions at just the right time. His provision in so many ways. His protection over me in spite of myself. God is for me. He loves me. That thought blows me away this morning. Now I need to remind myself of it it all day long!

Father, thank You for being for me. I couldn't live this life without You. Forgive me for not recognizing You in my life and praising You for all You do. May this year be filled with praises for who You are and all that You are doing. Amen





Praise the Lord!

Psalms 111-114

Praise the LORD! I will thank the LORD with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. ­– Psalm 111:1 NLT

Have you ever had trouble finding things to praise God for? If you're like me, you probably have no problem coming up with things to complain to Him about. It seems that there are always an abundance of issues we feel we need to bring to God that we are unhappy about or desire to have Him change. But why is it we can't see to come up with much to praise Him for? The writer of today's Psalms didn't seem to have that problem. He virtually flowed with praise as he recalled all that God had done in his life and the corporate life of the people of God. He said, "How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them" (Psalms 111:2 NLT). That seems to be the key. We need to ponder and think about the things that God has done – take the time to dwell on all the great things that He has done and is doing in and around our lives. I must confess that this is something I don't do enough.

The Psalmist dwells on every act of God – from the mundane to the miraculous. God is the one who divided the Red Sea and allowed the people to cross on dry land. But He is also the one who provides us with food each day. It seems that a byproduct of praising the Lord is a growing fear and reverence for the Lord. As we dwell on and recognize the many things He does that deserve our praise, we grow in our admiration of and reverence for Him. That turns into a more willing desire to obey and serve Him. "Praise the LORD! Happy are those who fear the LORD. Yes, happy are those who delight in doing what he commands" (Psalm 112:1 NLT). And obedience brings blessing. In God's grand economy, it seems that the more we praise Him, the more we end up being blessed by Him. As we praise God we discover just how incomparable He is. There is no one and nothing else like Him. Our praise of Him increases our admiration for Him. His worth increases in our eyes as we concentrate on all that He is and all that He does. But that takes time. It takes concentrated effort. It might be a worthwhile effort to regularly sit down and just write out all the things you have to praise God for. Make a list. Start with the simple, then move on to the more spectacular. When we begin to realize that NOTHING we have that is of any value comes from anywhere but Him, we just might begin to understand just how great He is and just how blessed we really are.

Father, forgive me for failing to praise You. I seem to have no problem complaining to You or demanding that You fix all my problems, according to my plan and my time frame. But then, even when You do, instead of praising You, I either take it for granted or take credit for it myself. Help me to see all that You do and praise You as You deserve. You are truly a great God and worthy of my praise. Amen





Unless the Lord…

Psalm 127

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. ­– Psalm 127:1 NLT

This is a psalm written by Solomon, the son of David who ascended to the throne after him. Solomon was the one who had the privilege and responsibility of building the temple that David had proposed and done all the preparation for. Solomon, as you might recall, was also considered the wisest man who ever lived. Which is significant to think about when you read this short psalm. In it he reminds us that unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. I have to believe he wasn't just thinking about any house. I think he probably had the temple in mind. That was one of the crowning achievements of his reign – constructing the house of God in Jerusalem. And I am sure that this message had been drummed into his head by his father David. David had made sure that Solomon knew the success of his reign was directly tied to his faithfulness to God. Solomon had been taught that without God everything becomes worthless and valueless, no matter how grand and impressive it may appear. A powerful kingdom without the power of God behind it was destined to failure. A city protected by a wall and surrounded by watchmen was more than vulnerable to defeat without the presence of God in their midst. Rising at the crack of dawn and putting in a full day of hard work would be fruitless and prove unnecessary when God could provide for you even while you were asleep.

The main theme to this little psalm is the uselessness of life without God. But it also talks about the many blessings involved with a life in which God is intimately involved. He uses the example of children and reminds us that they are a gift from God. They are of far greater value than a house or city we might build, or a career we might pursue. Yet oftentimes we can see our children as burdens rather than blessings. Yet with the help of God and a mindset that recognizes that they are given to us by Him, we can see great benefits and blessings in our lives as we raise them to walk in His ways. Unless the Lord builds a house or builds a family, the work of the builders in useless. Unless I recognize that I cannot build a healthy family without the help of God, no amount of energy or effort I exert will assure future success. This psalm is not advocating complacency or inactivity, it is reminding us of the essential nature of God's presence in everything we do – in all of life. I must make Him an integral part of every aspect of my life. To not do so, the psalmist teaches us, would be to court disaster and ensure our ultimate failure. Whether we're building a house, protecting our home, raising a family, or pursuing a career, we need to include our heavenly Father in all that we do.

Father, I have done a lot over the years without including You at all. And I can attest to the fact that it is useless and ultimately worthless. Even my greatest achievements accomplished without Your help have proven to be short-lived and not all that enjoyable. But anything I have done in my life where You were at the center of it has proved to be a blessing. Help me to see that life without You is worthless so that I will want to include You all the time and in everything. Amen



A Passion For The Things of God

1 Chronicles 26-27

They were responsible for all matters related to the things of the LORD and the service of the king… ­– 1 Chronicles 26:30 NLT

As you read these closing chapters of the book of 1 Chronicles, you have to keep reminding yourself that all of this is being done by David – a man who dreamed of building a house for the Lord, but was denied that privilege by God. Instead, David's son, Solomon, would construct the temple. But instead of pout and take his toys and go home, David decided he would do the next best thing. He began gathering all the materials and establishing the organizational backbone that would make the temple possible. Here he is in the closing days of his administration and life, and he is spending the vast majority of his time ensuring that everything needed to make the construction of the temple possible is ready. Not only that, he is putting in place all the administrative and organizational aspects of building and maintaining the temple in place – long before construction has even begun.

The amount of detail in these chapters is amazing. It can make for a difficult, if not boring read. But it reveals David's passion for God. Even though he will never see the completed temple or worship in it, he is going to make sure that it is built and that it is worthy of the One who will occupy it. I guess I am amazed at the magnitude of David's passion for God. He could just as easily have decided that since he is not going to get to build the temple, then all the work should fall on Solomon. But he was not going to take the risk that this dream of his would somehow die along with him. He was determined to see the temple built and his God honored. So he works diligently and determinedly to make sure every aspect of the temple's construction and ongoing maintenance is covered. His zeal for God's house reminds me of how Jesus reacted when He found the money changers selling inside the temple when He arrived in Jerusalem for Passover. He became angry and physically threw them out of the place. He was not going to allow His Father's house to be defiled in such a way. Like Jesus, David had a passion for the things of God. You might even say he was obsessed. He was consumed with the idea that the temple was to be a fitting dwelling place for the God of the universe. God deserved it. And David was going to see that God got what He deserved. Even if he never got to see it himself. Now that is dedication.

Dr. Thomas L. Constable puts it this way, "His preoccupation with God's promises and his preparations for their fulfillment served as a good example for Chronicles' original readers. David's zeal for the house of the Lord reflected his zeal for the reputation of the Lord. He truly put God's glory before his own personal ambitions." Could the same be said of me? Do I put God's glory above my own personal ambitions? Is making God great and making Him known more important to me than anything else? Sadly, the answer is most often, "No." But as we get ready to enter into another new year, that kind of attitude can change. I can and will make God number one in my life. I will give Him the glory He deserves. I will recognize His greatness and tell others about it. I will make the reputation of God more important than my own. What about you?

Father, like David, I will never get to build a temple for You. I never even came up with the dream to do so in the first place. But there are so many things I can do to bring You glory. Forgive me for the many times I make my own glory my passion. I want to fulfill my dreams and plans and make my own name known in the land. Give me the passion of David. May I spend the remaining years of my life doing anything and everything to give You glory and make You known. Amen



Great Is Our God!

Psalms 143-145

Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery! ­– Psalm 145:3 NLT

Christian singer and songwriter, Chris Tomlin, has a song out that we sing often in church. It is one of my favorites.

The splendor of a King,

clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in light,

and darkness tries to hide

it trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice

How great is our God,

sing with me How great is our God,

and all will see How great

How great is our God

And age to age He stands

and time is in His Hands

Beginning and the End,

Beginning and the End

The Godhead, three in one

Father, Spirit, Son,

the Lion and the Lamb,

the Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names

Worthy of all praise

My heart will sing

how great is our God

Name above all names

you are worthy of all praise

and my heart will sing

how great is our God

How great is our God. Great song and a great question. But just how great is He? Have you ever thought about it? If you had to describe the greatness of God, what words would you use? What examples from personal experience could you bring up? The Psalms remind us constantly of His greatness and how He deserves our praise. But why? What do we have to praise Him for? Do we really believe He is great or are they just words we sing without really thinking about what we say? As I read these three Psalms this morning, it struck me how little I think about God's greatness. The Psalmist says, "Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy of your righteousness" (Psalms 145:4-7 NLT). Do I do that? Do I tell my kids about the greatness of God – from personal experience? Do I think about his majesty and splendor? Do I find myself talking about His awe-inspiring deeds to those around me? The answer to all those questions is "No." Too much of the time God is a concept to me, rather than a personal and powerful presence in my life. I study and read about Him. I even pray to Him. But His majesty, power, greatness and goodness are more academic than experiential. Part of the problem is that I don't think about Him enough. I don't look for Him in my day. I don't recognize Him in my daily life. I have learned to operate as if He is not even there. I include Him when necessary, but I have basically learned to live life without Him. I fail to recognize His mercy, compassion and kindness. I don't realize that the next breath I breathe is a gift from Him. My very existence is completely up to Him. Every meal I eat is due to His kindness. The home I live in was provided by Him, not me. The family I was born into and the wife and children I live with were all given to me by God. God's greatness and goodness are all around me, but I have learned to ignore it or look right past it.

Praise is a habit. The more you practice praise, the more you see that is praiseworthy. The Psalmist said, "I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever" (Psalms 145:1-2 NLT). He made a habit of praising God. He looked for things to be thankful for. He learned to thank God for past examples of His greatness. I need to do the same thing. I need to begin praising Him more, thanking Him more, and looking for His greatness all around me. Because my God truly is great.

Father, You are great and greatly to be praised. Forgive me for not recognizing Your greatness enough. For not talking about it and thanking You for the countless examples that surround my life every day. Give me eyes to see what You are doing in and around my life. Give me breath to speak of your greatness to my wife and kids and all those in my life who need to here just how great You really are. May praising You become a daily habit for me. Amen



He Knows Me!

Psalms 131; 138-139

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. ­– Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

God knows you. He knows everything about you. He know things about you that you don't even know about yourself. Isn't that amazing? Doesn't that boggle your mind? It does mine. Because I struggle so much just with knowing a little bit about God. Sure, I know a lot of facts about God, but I wrestle with just how much I truly know Him. His knowledge of me is intimate and vast. After all, He made me. The Scriptures tell me He even knows the numbers of hairs on my head – even the ones I've lost! But do I know Him like that? No. But it is incredible to think that He knows me so well and is so deeply interested in me. David said that God knows my thoughts – even when I am far away. He knows where I am every minute of every day. You would think God is too busy to worry about where I am. But no, He is never too busy for me. He even knows what I am going to say before I say it. I agree with David when he says, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!" (Psalm 139:6 NLT).

There is no place I can go to escape from God. I can't hide from Him, even though I have tried. I can't keep anything from Him, but that hasn't stopped me from trying. I can never get away from His presence. Why? Because He is everywhere all the time? No, because He cares for me. Now that is amazing. He won't let me out of His sight. This one who cares for me so much is the same one who made me. He crafted me into exactly the person He wanted me to be. He knew what He was doing when He made my body, gave me my talents and abilities, and placed me in the time and place where I am living. Nothing was a mistake. Nothing about my life was not blind luck or fate. I have a God who made me, cares for me, watches over me, and has a plan for my life. Now that really is too great for me to know. But I need the reminder to consider just how much God loves me and cares for me. I lose sight of that fact easily and regularly. I can start to feel lonely and isolated, alone and distant from the God who created me. I can try to hide from Him because I think I've disappointed Him. I can begin to believe that He doesn't even know I exist. Then I read the words of David and am reminded that nothing could be further from the truth. "This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in!" (Psalm 139:6 MSG).

Father, help me remember what I've read today. Help me to believe it, think about it, stake my life on it. Because it is as true about me as it was about David when he wrote it. Forgive me for the many times I try to hide from You, embarrassed over my behavior and fearful of Your reaction to it. Help me to understand that I can't hide anything from You, because You are always there. You know me better than I know myself. You are never surprised by my actions or words. Because You know. And in spite of what You know about me, You love me. You care for me. And You never let me out of Your sight. Thank You! Amen



Preaching and Singing.

1 Chronicles 25

"xt David and the worship leaders selected some from the family of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for special service in preaching and music. Here is the roster of names and assignments: ­– 1 Chronicles 25:1 MSG

The temple David had dreamed of building was going to be more than just a place to come and offer sacrifices. It would feature the perpetual worship of God. He would be the solitary focus within its walls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In chapter 25 of 2 Chronicles, we are told that David assigned a group of men to do nothing but "proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals" (2 Chronicles 25:1b NLT).  They were worship leaders, and as such, they were to speak the truth of God set to music. In essence, they formed a temple choir for the purpose of praising God through music and song.  Music, always near and dear to David's heart, was going to play a significant role in the new temple that Solomon would construct. And us usual, David did his part to ensure that there were man assigned to this duty.

When we think of the temple we tend to only take into account the sacrificial system and the Holy of Holies, that innermost place where the presence of God was said to dwell. But as this passage indicates, there was so much more to temple worship than animal sacrifices. The building itself was an incredible sight to behold with its magnificent gold overlays, tapestries, pillars and ornate furnishings. It was a feast for the ears as much as it was for the eyes. Music filled the structure with a variety of instruments and human voices being used to praise God at all times. Visiting the completed temple would have been a sensory overload – filled with sights and sounds designed to praise and bring glory to God. He was the focus. Walking into the temple would have left little doubt that God was the center of attention. The sacrifices were for Him, but so was the music. The entire structure was built just for Him. Think about the difference between then and now. So much of what we refer to as "the house of God" today is about us. Our churches are built to bring us comfort and to accommodate our needs. Even the music is designed in many ways to entertain and encourage us. The sermons are directed at us. Rather than lift up the name of God and celebrate the Word of God, many messages from pulpits across our country today have become little more than short positive motivational speeches or talks filled with tips on how to live a better life. While the buildings themselves may be impressive architecturally, they do little to lift up and glorify God. Sadly to say, they have become man-centered, rather than God-honoring.

But David was not interested in building a place where men could feel encouraged and entertained. He wanted to build a house suitable for his God. He wanted everything about it to speak of the glory and majesty of God. It was to be magnificent in every detail, because David's God was magnificent in every detail. From the smallest brick laid to the highest note played, everything about the temple was to be about God, because He deserved it.

Father, we have somehow lost the significance of You even in our worship of You. We have made it all about us. We build buildings and sing songs that are designed with us in mind more than You. Help us to learn from David that You are always to be the center of our attention, the focus of our worship, and the reason for our existence. Amen



Passing the Torch.

1 Chronicles 23-24

When David was an old man, he appointed his son Solomon to be king over Israel. ­– 1 Chronicles 23:1 NLT

The older I get the more I find myself thinking about my legacy. What am I going to leave behind? What will people think about me when I'm gone? What will my children have to remember me by? They probably won't be fighting over the family estate or the contents of my will. Vast sums of cash will not end up dividing my family. If anyone of my children are hoping to strike it rich when I pass on, they're going to be sorely disappointed. But I do hope to leave them something. Like memories and knowledge that I loved them – if not perfectly, consistently. They will have my library of books, which will remind them that I loved to read and that, most of all, I loved to read books about our faith. They will have access to articles I have written and CDs containing messages I have given. These will remind them ofmy love for the Word and my passion for teaching it. They will know that I loved their mother passionately and completely – right up to the end. I hope they'll recall my sense of humor. At least I thought I had a sense of humor. I tried to laugh at life and even at myself. But if there is one thing I want to leave my children, it is my love for the Lord. .

David had that same desire. He wanted Solomon to love and serve God. He knew that the key to Solomon's success was going to be the health of his relationship with God, not the size of his army or the amount of gold in his treasury. So as David neared the end of his life, he did all he could do to help prepare Solomon for a future without him. And one of the things that was high on David's list was the construction of the temple. This was about more than building a magnificent building. It was about building a dwelling place for God Himself. The temple would assure the presence of God in the midst of the people of Israel. It would be a permanent and constant reminder of their dependence on God as they worshiped and offered sacrifices to God. So David did all he could do to make sure the temple got built. He was not going to let Solomon forget about it or change his mind. David made all the right preparations so that Solomon's job would be fairly easy. David did the heavy lifting, so Solomon could complete the task with relative ease.

That is what I hope I am doing. I want to set the foundation upon which my children and grandchildren will build their lives and their love for God. I want to spend the remaining years of my life doing the heavy lifting, so that my kids can have all that they need to enjoy a vibrant relationship with God all the days of their lives. In reading these two chapters of 1 Chronicles, we see David gathering, assigning, numbering, and preparing for a day he would not even be around to experience. Isn't that what we should be doing – preparing for a day when we will no longer be around? That's what a legacy is all about. It is leaving something of value behind that will be worth more than even if I was here. David's contribution to the completion of the temple was inestimable. You couldn't put a value on it. The time I spend now preparing building a spiritual legacy for my kids and grandkids is also beyond value. It is time well-spent. It will pay dividends for generations to come. David could have spent his remaining years wasting time on himself, enjoying life, taking advantage of the peace they were enjoying as a nation to travel, play golf, read, relax, take up a new hobby, etc. But he knew that the temple was going to be essential, because the temple was going to be the dwelling place of God – and God was the key to the future success of Solomon and the nation. So instead of relaxing, David planned and prepared. He was building a legacy.

Father, help me prepare for the future. Show me how to leave a legacy for future generations that will long outlast me. Keep me focused on the kingdom and not my own little world of comfort and convenience. Give us a parents a passion to prepare the way for our children and grandchildren. Amen