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NO APPLAUSE NEEDED!… Isaiah 42: 18-25

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As this year draws to a close, once again I will be completing my reading of the entire Bible. Yes, from Genesis to Revelation.   Who said ‘whoop-dee-doo for you’?  I heard someone in the back row of the ‘peanut gallery’!  After all, I am a pastor and those types should be reading their Bibles… and not bragging about it.  Right?  Trust me, I am not tooting-my-own-horn.  Not in the least.

This will be my 25th reading of the Bible from cover-to-cover,  and none for sermon preparation.  This is my time with the Lord.  Sitting at His feet and hearing from Him.  I’m so glad I started this discipline in my devotional life.  I must admit something to you.  I’ve been a Christian for over 50 years, and read God’s Word for only half of those.  Just a tad less than half.  Suddenly you can see why I’m not bragging.  In addition, I’ve been an ordained pastor for over 40 years now.  The numbers belie the fact that for many years the Bible was not a passion of my soul, not a high priority over-and-above my  church work schedule and responsibilities.

I was so busy.  I had too much on my plate…for the Lord?!  Really?  To be honest,  my spiritual life was as dry as cold toast.  I don’t know if others could tell.  But I knew.

What could I do?  I’ve wasted so much time already. Way too much. How about you?  Maybe you’re thinking about spending more time in the Bible, especially with a new year coming with resolutions to be made and kept.  Start now.  Don’t wait for the new year.  You might even start by reading a chapter a day in the Gospel of John.  In three weeks you’ll have read all twenty one chapters and ready to move on to more Bible reading, every day, whether you feel like it or not, time permitting or not.

Maybe you’re wondering why I had you read from Isaiah 42.  I’ll tell you.  Focus in on verse 23.  My translation(ESV) says ‘…will attend and listen for the time to come.’  The original Hebrew reads ‘from now on’.  As I thought about this verse I could hear our Lord say gently to me, ‘don’t worry about what you didn’t do.  Start now…begin afresh…from now on.’  Today is a new day.   The right one to spend with the Lord who gave His Son as a Christmas gift to all, with the gift of forgiveness, renewal and eternal life.  Get close to Him.  You’ll never regret it.  ‘From now on…’!

Prayer:  Dear Lord, and you are dear and precious to me.  I love you and can’t wait to spend time with you.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

THAT UNUSUAL HIGH SCHOOL AWARD!……Read Isaiah 40: 1-8

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I was most perplexed.  Was it a compliment or not?  A good award to receive in my junior year at High School?  I wondered.  Mr. Gordon, our English teacher, was handing out awards, of his own making, to all his students.  Most likely to get into an Ivy League school, most entertaining, most popular, etc.– I think that’s what the awards were called then but it was a few years ago now, like over half a century!

I couldn’t wait to hear what award I was to receive from one of my favorite teachers.  But it sounded like most of the good ones were already taken.  Wonder what was left?  Then it was my turn.  My name was called.  I rushed to the front of the class to receive my coveted award from Mr. Gordon!  Here it was–The Constancy Award!  The what?  Did I hear right?  Not sure what that meant?  Did I need to eat some prunes?  Constancy…

At the time,  I was more embarrassed than appreciative of that award.  Years later, I’m glad I’m more of a dependable type than not.  Less susceptible to sales pitches and fads.    Someone you can count on.  One who doesn’t give up easily; has stability, endurance and perseverance.  Not such a bad award after all.  Not at all.  It’s kind of grown on me!

In Isaiah 40:6–‘All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.’  My English Standard Version has a footnote next to the word ‘beauty’ and it’s my word ‘constancy’.  But here the Bible is referring to the fleeting quality of life. As constant as it may seem, yet how quickly it fades away. Even its beauty will not last.

Verse 7 echoes that same thought comparing our lives to the seasonal growth and death found in God’s creation.  But don’t stop with that verse.  There’s good news in the next one.  ‘…but the Word of God will stand forever’!   ‘Will stand’… a promise made by God.  It will stand sure-footed and tall, upright and confident.  The Bible, God’s Word, will stand not just ’til the end of the year or the end of our lives. No, but forever!  That’s a promise.  That will stand when all else has fallen.  The Bible–God’s Constancy Award-winner for all time and eternity!  Good news?  I’d say so!  And I received the award!

Prayer:  Thank you Lord, for being dependable.  For giving us your Word.  In Jesus’ name.    Amen.

PTL!… Psalm 150

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How many times have I used the initials PTL! in a letter or e-mail?  Lots and lots.  Praise the Lord!   No, not ‘pass the loot’ as some wiseguy is now thinking!  However, Christmas is coming, so I may rethink that for a moment!

Psalm 150 is the last of the psalms, and it ends on a great note of praise to God.  As I meditate upon it,  I keep wondering how a journalist would look at this song of praise, Psalm 150.  You know, the ‘who, where, when, how and what’ questions that they use to cover a story.

As I was taking notes, I saw those journalistic questions come right out at me and make themselves quite evident.  Who?  Verse 6 calls on everyone and everything with breath to praise the Lord.  No one left out.  Everyone included.  Don’t worry about your net worth or income, education status or anything else that tends to divide people.  All that becomes invisible and unnecessary  when we praise the Lord.

Where?  Verse 1 says ‘in His sanctuary’ and ‘in His mighty heavens’.  Where?  In worship…in the heavens.  Really, wherever we find ourselves is the very best place in all the world to pause, ponder and praise our Lord.  Anywhere.  Everywhere.

Why?  Verse 2 tells us of ‘His mighty deeds…His excellent greatness’.  Why?  His power, His creation, His salvation in Jesus Christ alone, His choosing us before the foundation of the world.  His character.  His holiness and purity,  goodness and mercy.  That’s why!  Praise the Lord!

How?  Verses 3-5 tell us that our praise of God happens with human voice, all kinds of musical instruments,  and then dance with an excitement and energy and devotion that keeps building and building.  So, today– PTL!  Praise the Lord your God wherever you are; for all He is, has been and will be, for all He’s done; with whatever creative expressions of praise we can muster.  Praise the Lord!

Prayer:  We praise you, O Lord, with our entire being for all you are to us.  Thank you for Jesus our Savior and the Holy Spirit our Comforter.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

HERE’S A QUESTION FOR YOU… Psalm 149

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When I was a graduate student at Princeton Seminary,  I took a test that if passed, I would receive the Robinson Award… and $150 to boot.  That was big bucks in those days, my ‘salad days’.  My portable television was losing its ‘picture-hold’, so the screen kept scrolling up, around and around, so that if I didn’t get a different set pretty soon, I’d need to see a chiropractor on a regular basis or become a bobble-head doll long before they became popular!

What did I have to do to win such a coveted award with those 150 smackers?  Memorize the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession of Faith. All 107 questions and answers verbatim.  Piece of cake!  Who doesn’t know that?  Besides me… and most of the human race, then and now!   But I worked hard at it.  Over and over again…memorizing while driving my 1963 VW beetle wherever I went.  Racking my brain until the little gray cells said ‘no more’.  On the day of the test, it all came together.   I won…along with buying that new television! However, 41 years later,  I only remember the question and answer to that very first catechism question, and it’s the big one–

‘What is the chief end of man?  Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever’.   Step back a moment–isn’t that the most apt question in life?  Our chief purpose?  To glorify God.  And all that that means, individually and collectively.

The next part really amazes me–to glorify Him AND to enjoy Him.  As it says in Psalm 149:2–‘Let Israel be glad in his Maker…’ and verse 4–‘For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation’.

Did you notice that the enjoyment runs both ways?  We delight in Him, and He takes pleasure in us.  A  loving, mutual relationship.  Nothing one-sided about it.  God takes such pleasure in those of us who trust in Him, who have received His salvation in Jesus Christ.  That’s you?  If not, ask His Son Jesus into your life today.  He loves you so much.

What about those of us who already have believed in Jesus, and maybe for a long time?  Does enjoying Him describe how we feel about our Lord?  Can’t wait to spend time with Him?  Nothing more important to you in all the world?

I ask myself the same questions.  I must be honest–sometimes yes, and sometimes… Maybe you feel that way?  I do know this that if I spend more time with Him, in prayer and in the Bible, doing for others, that my delight in the Lord keeps building.  The more I give to Him, the more enjoyment I receive.  The New Year approaches with time to decide to delight in the Lord, to enjoy Him.  Resolution #1?  More time with Him and for Him.   Go for it!  I will…

Prayer:  We want to live for you, our Lord.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

EVER GET SICK AND TIRED ABOUT?…Psalm 147

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Do you ever get just sick-and-tired of asking God for this, for that, for more of whatever, for lots and lots of, well,  lots and lots!  Sometimes my prayers seem like I’m on an asking-binge.  Want this…need that.  Over and over, again and again.  I wonder if God doesn’t get weary and bored with all of my begging and selfishness.  Do I need to wonder?  Ever feel that way?

I have a twinge of guilt over wanting more and more when He’s already given me so much.  Let me turn the tables–what gives God pleasure in my relationship with Him?  What is it that pleases Him?  Forget me…or you.  Him?   Any ideas?

Read Psalm 147.  We’ll find out what pleases Him.  Think of it–to please our God!  What a fabulous thought!  Right?  And it’s really simple…praise and singing and more praise to Him.  Simple, right?  Verses 10 and 11 tell us that ‘His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor His pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love’.  His pleasure is in us as we bow in worship to Him.  He’s crazy about us.

Loves us enough… not to leave us that way!  He wants us to mature and  grow up… in Him.  To be more and more like His Son Jesus.  To produce more and more of that fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5).  To worship Him.  To fear,  reverence and cherish Him.  To bow down before Him telling Him how much we love Him.

And wonder, with eyes wide open, at the majesty of His creation.  We praise Him (Psalm 147:1)…we sing to Him (Psalm 147: 7)…and then we praise Him once again (Psalm 147: 20).

Praise and thanks–that’s what pleases God!  Especially when we sit at His feet in worship and adoration.  That’s good posture.  Good for the back that becomes strengthened for those contrary headwinds of life.  Let’s please God today…and every day!  Praise…and sing…and praise all over again!

Prayer:  Lord, to please you today is our heart’s desire.  For you to know how much we love you and worship you.  In the name of your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT… Psalm 146

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What do you most like to do in life?  Maybe your job (yeah right, you say!), or a hobby or helping at a food bank or being with your children/grandchildren?   I am almost never, ever bored because there are so many interesting things to do.  If I were to list them, you might throw up your hands and say what a dull man John really is!  We’re all different in so many ways. What grabs you, may have no interest whatsoever for me.

Psalm 146 has something for all of us.  Like what?   How about praising our Lord?  The final five psalms in our Bible are all ‘praise songs’.  Each begins and ends with “Praise the Lord”, which is but one word in Hebrew.  A familiar one–‘Hallelujah’.

‘Hallelu’–Praise, ‘Ya’–Yahweh.  Praise the Lord!  Praise all through your day.  As the psalmist says, ‘I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being”.  Whatever time we have left in this world, fill it with uplifting praises to our Lord.   We’ll be singing His praises for all eternity, so why not get started now?

They say that this life is no dress-rehearsal.  But maybe, in some ways, it is.  When I sang lead with a Gospel quartet called ‘Livin’ Harmony’, we would practice and practice,  rehearse and rehearse…until we felt comfortable with the words and music.  Took lots of time and effort, feeling like the proverbial ‘grind, grind, grind of the grindstone’.  But the end result was worth it.  The audience could enjoy what they would not have if we had not worked hard to make it as good as we could.  Practice made perfect…well,  almost!

In the same way, you can tell when you’ve spent time through your day praising and thanking the Lord.  Others probably can sense it also.  Since we’ll be praising Him for all eternity, why not start right now?  Why not…even when you feel quite the opposite?   When you’d rather shake your fist at Him in disappointment, hurt or anger.  Praise Him anyway.   Practice now.  Do it.  Will come in handy later.  Practice will make perfect in the ‘sweet by and by’…with Him who is worthy of all our praise.

 

Prayer:  Lord, we praise you today.  Every day.  All day.  Day in and day out.   In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS THOUGHT… Galatians 4: 1-7

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Is this the season ‘with a song in the air’?  Instead the song has only one word, maybe two–sale, sale…buy, buy!   Christmas joy determined by the deepest discount,  the biggest holiday bonus or corporate bottom-line success.  ‘Tis the season to be selling…buying!

We as Christians are uncomfortable with this merchandizing of the Messiah.  We should be.  In Galatians 4:1  the Apostle Paul talks about the fullness of time, when God sent His Son, the promised Messiah.  Christmas…the giving of a gift from God to all the world.  A gift.  Given.  Not earned.  Not deserved.  Not anything but a gift willingly given out of the best motive of all… love.  Love without strings.  Love that can’t be repaid or even reciprocated.  Not really.

But it can be received.  As a gift.  Graciously.  Thankfully.  Humbly and possibly on our knees with our hands outstretched, reaching up to God Himself, the Giver of all good gifts.  I was looking at Galatians 4:9.  Was stuck here for a moment.  Had to reread it.  ‘But now that you have come to know God–or rather are known by God…’  Yes, when we believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him into our lives, when we decide to trust Him and throw our hats into His ring, we begin a lifelong relationship with God Himself.  That’s big, indeed!  Here’s something bigger–‘…or rather to be known by God…’  It’s one thing to know God.  That’s amazing in itself.  What really grabbed me was the thought that God had been seeking to know me.

The Lord has been on the lookout for you.  Hunting high and low, under every rock, in every crevice, over hill and vale.  Searching for, reaching out to and sacrificing everything… to know us.  To have a relationship with us.  He loves every bit of us, warts and all.  Christmas is about God’s giving all that He had and all that He cherished.  God’s gift.  His open hands, extended toward us, hoping we’ll take His… and thank Him and cherish Him because we are known and loved by Him!  Known by Him!  We are His…forever!

 

Prayer:  Oh Lord, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ.  And thank you for knocking at our doors with hands wide open, giving the gift of Jesus.  Amen.

SHUT YOUR… Psalm 141

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All of you are off-the-hook on this one.  That’s right. This one is for good old me.  ‘It’s me, it’s me, oh Lord.  Standing in the need of prayer’.  Prayer…to keep me in line.  Now, don’t worry.  I haven’t robbed a bank.  Or stolen from a neighbor’s garden.

Psalm 141: 3– ‘Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;  keep watch over the door of my lips!’  My mouth. My big mouth.  Often with foot-in-mouth disease!  Most people think it.  I  say it.  Did I hear someone say that I’m not the only one?  Really?  I’m not alone!

What comes out of our mouths can be devastating.  Guard your mouth!  Keep the hurtful words in,  allow the loving and encouraging ones to come out.  A guard–for controlling what could cause a destructive ‘wildfire’ when not restrained (James 3:1-12).  A guard who opens and closes the ‘door of my lips’. A guard who knows when to and when not to.   Wisdom to know when to keep quiet, when to shut my trap!  Wisdom also to know when to speak up and speak out.

Pray for that wisdom.  God promises to answer that prayer (James 1:5-8).  How and when that wisdom from the Lord will come, I have no idea.  Not a clue.  But when it does, and it will, you’ll know it.

Hang in there…and wait on the Lord.  My prayer is that the Lord will make me a kinder, more compassionate person who knows when to bite his tongue.  Good idea?  Not a bad prayer?  Join me?  Guess I’m not alone after all!

 

Prayer:  Lord, you know our foibles and failures.  Our hearts really want to be more like your precious Son.   We need your Holy Spirit’s help.  Amen.

A GOOD PIE FOR THANKSGIVING!… 1 Peter 5: 6-11

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I’m already looking forward to the pie we’ll be having for Thanksgiving dinner.  What will it be?  Pumpkin or cherry?  Maybe my favorite, Dutch Apple?   Any of the above would be fine with me.  A little slice of this, a big piece of that. How about a dollop of ice cream?   See, I’m thankful already!  And I don’t even know if we’re having  pie for Thanksgiving!  Hey, can’t hate a guy for dreaming, can you!?

The Apostle Peter says to eat some humble pie this season.  He says, ‘Humble yourselves…under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:6-7).  ‘Humble yourselves’–not a suggestion.  A command.  Like taking an honest look at ourselves.  Being realistic about who we are.  Not demeaning ourselves or fostering a negative self-image, but rather a merciful and kindly look.

Examine that business about casting all your cares, anxieties and worries on the Lord.  In the original Greek that phrase is an adverbial participial phrase.  Which in plain English means that ‘casting our cares’ is directly connected to the verb… to humble ourselves.  I don’t think that was too plain!  Sorry about that. It’s Greek to me too!

Let me try that again.  When we worry and fret, bite our fingernails, it’s really a form of pride.  Putting those concerns on my shoulders rather than on His.  ‘I can handle it.   I’m tough.  I’ve got it under control’.  Nothing humble about that.

Remember, humble pie is not made with gravel that you can grovel in.  No.  No self-pitying ‘poor me’.   We can work hard at using the gifts God has given us.  But we also know that ‘all things work together for good’ (Romans 8:28),  and that when we need His help,  Jesus says to ‘come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28).  All through our lives,  Jesus is there helping and hauling, caring and carrying.   Being humble is thanking Him for all He’s doing for us.  Plain trusting the Lord.  No matter what.  Chew on that for awhile.  Wouldn’t it be good to have some humble pie this Thanksgiving?  Enjoy…!

 

Prayer:  Lord, for being there always, thank you.  A thousand times, thank you!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR SUPPLEMENT TODAY?…2 Peter 1: 1-11

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For many years, I took vitamin supplements.  A lot of us do for good reasons.  Trying to stay healthy is an important goal that I could work at a lot harder.  How about you?  It’s hard.  Goodies that may not be good for us are so tempting.  Will power, I have.  It’s the won’t power that I lack!

Plus I’ve lost confidence in scientific studies that contradict each other.  Eggs are bad, now they’re good.  Coffee will stunt your growth, now it helps build your immune system.  You know what I mean?   The Apostle Peter in his 2nd letter asks us to ‘make every effort to supplement your faith…'(2 Peter 1:5).  Take your supplement…make the effort…do it!

Not vitamins… but faith, then virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, and brotherly affection, culminating all this with love.  Let’s be very clear.  Doing these things never earns anyone’s salvation.  That comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  In Him alone…by faith and not works.  These supplements are in addition to something else.  It’s the growth that comes after salvation has been received.  It’s the flower after the seed has been planted.  It’s exercising the gifts God has given to each of us who know Him as Lord and Savior.

Similar to what the Apostle Paul said–‘work out your salvation…’ (Philippians 2:12).  You can’t work out what’s not within.  Jesus’ half-brother James wrote: ‘faith without works is dead’ (James 2:26).   Saying we’re Christians means nothing without the evidence.  Without the fruit, was anything ever really planted?

Accept God’s gifts to you…and put them to work for Him, for others.  That completes the circle.  Adds health to our system, with the body of Christ fully functioning at its best.  Don’t ignore what God has given you.  Gifts can shrivel and die.  We gave a friend a lovely bouquet of flowers to say we care.  We could see them in the window at their workplace.  They were there for days and days.  Never watered.  Sad and dying.  Finally dead.  We could see this as we drove by.  The gift of flowers was joyfully given.   Grudgingly received?  Obviously, in hindsight, not really wanted.  We could see them, in that window, making a statement as we drove by.  Gift given…not received.  So sad.

Let’s remember what Peter urged us–‘make every effort to supplement…’  Make every effort to be thankful.  Make every effort to pray first of all.  Make every effort to really put Christ in Christmas this year.  Make every effort to live more for Him in the new year.  Make every effort…Have you had your supplement today?

 

Prayer: Lord, we ask for more…of you, of love, of forgiveness, of growing daily to be more like your Son Jesus Christ.  Amen.