Self-Reliance

Psalm 108

I’ve struggled with self-reliance since I can remember.  I’m a proud guy.  I tend to rely on my own wit and intellect to solve problems, to deal with sin, and to plan.  It’s landed me flat on my face more than once.  Yet, I tend to do it over and over.

Who was it that defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly expecting different results?

I’m learning that God wants me to rely on Him.  I’ve got the mental and emotional bumps, bruises, and scars to prove it!

Psalm 108 is about the praise of God.  Toward the end, the author asks for help and deliverance from an enemy.  He writes this in Psalm 108:12-13,

Oh give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain.  Through God we shall do valiantly; and it is He who will tread down our adversaries.

Why are we so quick to rely on ourselves instead of trusting God?  Sin influences self-reliance.  Sin is rebellion against God–it says, “I know better than You.”  Our culture encourages self-reliance.  Let’s be honest–if you’re reading this blog, the chances are pretty slim that you worry about where your next meal will come from, where you’ll sleep tonight, and how you’ll make enough money to provide for your family.  Livin’ in the land o’ plenty makes us plenty self-reliant, and can make us starved of God.

Often, it takes times of pain or change for us to get our focus back on God.  I recently read a blog that suggested that the current economic crisis may be God’s way of getting our attention–to get us to simplify, de-clutter, to be more aware of the needs of the lowly, and to be more generous instead of being so selfish.  I think he may be onto something.

When we let God have His rightful place in our lives, we really can do valiantly.  It may not be in a way that we imagine or like, but when enough time passes for us to gain perspective, we see that God is always right.

That’s the choice we have:  to rely on self (and thus allow God to get our attention through any means He sees fit), or to rely on Him.  Relying on God can be scary, filled with unknowns, and sometimes leave us with a few more questions than answers (at first), but it sure is a great roller coaster ride. 

And a great boost to our faith.

A Few Fries Short of a Happy Meal…

Psalm 107

I love those expressions for stupidity:

• He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer…
• He’s dumb as a box of rocks…
• He’s a few fries short of a Happy Meal…
• (Fill in your own here):  ________________________________________________________________

None of us want to be considered “mentally dull.”  But it may be more common than we’d like to think…

Psalm 107 is about recalling the love and mercy of God.  The author relates several stories–people wandering through the desert, prisoners in chains, foolish people, sailors, poor people–and shows how God pours out His mercy on them when they look to Him.  The author concludes the psalm with these words in Psalm 107:43,

Who is wise?  Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord.

How often do we stop and reflect on how God has shown His mercy to us?  Not very often–we rarely slow down, much less stop!  According to the Psalm, if we don’t do this, we’ve got a few cobwebs upstairs that need to be swept away…

My wife and I have had a wonderful opportunity recently to do this, with our decision on whether or not to move back to NC.  We’ve talked, prayed, and reflected on how God has worked through this decision–conversations, observations, even through things like blogs and reading over a pre-published book for a friend.  It’s been so amazing to see God work in the little things, in that “still small voice” that the Bible speaks of.  When you take the time to do it, reflecting on how God has worked in your life can be a great relief of stress and anxiety, and a huge encouragement to keep moving forward in your faith.

How has God worked in your life recently?  Have you stopped speeding through life long enough to think about it?  If not, then according to this psalm, you’re not the (fill in your dumb expression here) __________________________________________________.

Consistency

Psalm 106

I’ve learned that one of the big things about parenting is to be consistent.  When it comes to discipline, have a plan and be consistent.  If you’ve ever watched one of those British nanny shows (why are they always from Britain?), the parents have no plan.  The result–their kids run the house and run all over them.  All of us know a parent/parents that have kids who run over them–they get whatever they want, they’re never disciplined beyond a buttload of empty threats (that seems to be the only consistent thing).  I know I’m not perfect in this area, but I think my wife and I are pretty consistent.

Consider another aspect–keeping promises to your kids.  This is something I’ve learned the hard way–never make a promise to your kid that you don’t intend to keep (no matter how tired or worn out you are).  To do so can crush a kid’s spirit.  We need to be consistent.

We don’t just need consistency with our kids.  We need it in every aspect of life.  The problem is, we’re not consistent.  We deal with this thing called sin.  It completely messes with our consistency.

I’m so glad God isn’t like us.

Psalm 106 is all about God’s consistency.  He is a holy God (He must deal with sin).  He is a compassionate and merciful God.  He always keeps the covenants (agreements) that He makes.

We don’t.  We’re sinful.  We’re fickle.

Psalm 106 contrasts God’s consistency with our inconsistency.  The beginning of the Psalm contains these words in Psalm 106:3,

How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times!

That ain’t me…

God alone keeps justice and practices righteousness at all times.  We don’t.  We’re sinful.  But, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, our lives can be consistent–we can be characterize by justice and righteousness even though we’re not perfect.  We can live our lives in such a way that when we do screw things up, it’s an exception to the rule.  We can totally do that because of God’s grace.  We can totally do that because of God’s consistency–He will never break His agreement with a follower of Jesus Christ:  to forgive their sin, to restore them, to transform them, to empower them to holiness.  Is it automatic?  No.  It’s a process, and we do have a responsibility in that process.  But during those times when sin seems to have the upper hand, God’s grace is a great comfort.  His consistency is a great comfort.

What must we do to echo His consistency in our lives?

Marketing Jesus

Psalm 105

I recently read a blog post about doing church with built-in press–a church that doesn’t rely on conventional marketing techniques to let the community know they’re there, but by simply being different, they create a buzz.  As I read Psalm 105, the opening verses brought this post back to my mind.  Check out what the author writes in Psalm 105:1-2,

Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.  Sing to him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.

Sounds like a marketing pitch to me!

As you read through the rest of the Psalm, you see how the author markets God–by telling how God keeps His covenants (His agreements).  He retells the history of the Israelites from their beginnings with Abraham to the early days of the Exodus out of Egypt, thus telling his readers about God’s deeds and wonders.

When was the last time we told anyone about God’s wonders and deeds?  When was the last time we “marketed Jesus”?  When was the last time we told someone about what He has done for us?  In our culture, this usually doesn’t take place in a vacuum–we usually don’t walk up to total strangers and say, “Hey!  Let me tell you a story about Jesus…”  But there are people in our lives that we can tell–people that we have a history with, people that we have built trust with:  friends, family, co-workers.  Hopefully, they see the change Jesus is making in their lives, but there usually needs to be that vocal bridge–that telling of our story and what Jesus has done in our lives… His deeds and His wonders.

How can we do a better job of “marketing Jesus”?

Sunrise, Moonrise

Psalm 104

Have you ever stepped outside, looked around, and just been blown away by nature?  For some of you reading this, that may be a tough thing to do because you live in the middle of an urban or suburban sprawl.  You may not even be able to see the stars at night because of all the light pollution.  I remember my first experience with light pollution.  I was in my early teens, and we were on a trip, and we stayed with a buddy of mine in the Hamptom Roads area.  I remember playing basketball at, like, 10:00 PM.  It was so bright outside–the sky was glowing red–because of all the light pollution.  When I was little, I remember being able to walk outside at night and see the stars so clearly… and now it’s very “fuzzy”, because there are no less than seven cities and towns all around the horizon that have enough light to wipe out the horizon.  But there are still places you can can where you’re just blown away by nature.  For me, it’s the beach. 

Last month, on our vacation to the OBX, I couldn’t sleep one night because the bed was so darn hard.  I got up at 3:30 AM, watched some TV, and then headed out to the beach to watch the sun rise.  Absolutely amazing… the sand, the dawn’s first light glistening off the surf, the sound of the waves, the glow of the clouds.  I just sat there and prayed, thanking God for the spectacular light show.  There’s only one thing that can beat it… a full moon rising over the ocean.  That’s jaw dropping.

Psalm 104 is a reflection over God’s work of creation, and the author is absolutely blown away with what he sees.  Here is his reaction in Psalm 104:33-34,

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the Lord.

Yeah… me, too.

What about nature and creation just blows you away, and brings a response like the author of Psalm 104:33-34?

Temporary Situation

Psalm 103

All of us at some point have been in a “temporary situation.”  In between jobs; in between homes; in between relationships.  It can be a frightening place to be–your mind races with all of the “what ifs”.  But it can also be a rewarding place–to reflect on how you got to where you are, to learn lessons from the experience, to decide on a path for the future.

We’re all in a temporary situation.  This life is temporary.  We’ve got a limited amount of time, because someday we will die.  Therefore, we’ve got choices to make about what we’ll do with our life.  Psalm 103 addresses our temporary situation.  Look what the author writes in Psalm 103:15-18,

As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.  When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; and its place acknowledges it no longer.  But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant, and who remember His precepts to do them.

As we journey on through this temporary situation of life, sometimes it becomes hard to see God’s love and mercy.  I recently had a conversation with a friend who told me he had walked away from the church, and was in the process of totally walking away from Christianity.  My friend had been a preacher for years.  Some bad experiences at several churches over the course of a decade lad him to a crossroads in his life.  He decided to walk away and find something else.  It seems as if he couldn’t see God’s love and mercy in his situation, so he decided to turn around and walk away.  It was one of the toughest conversations of my life.  I love my friend dearly, and I’m still broken from that conversation. 

But I also know of people who’ve had it much worse, who’ve been tortured and beaten for their faith, whose wives have been raped before their very eyes, whose families have been killed… and their faith has only been strengthened.  They chose to, as the author of Psalm 103 wrote, “keep His covenant.”

What’s the difference?  We could spend a lot of time thinking and talking about the elements of each situation, and what would cause one person to walk away from Christ would cause another to walk closer to Christ.  Each person decides which path they will walk, which journey they will take during this temporary situation we’re all in.

As for myself, I continue to see God’s lovingkindness in my life and the lives of others.  People who were formerly far from God have found Jesus and are learning to live the Jesus life.  It’s kind of like letting a one year old run around without diapers sometimes, but the changes that I see are amazing.  In my life, God is pressing me on issues within my life that need to be addressed–anger, materialism, and things of that nature.  I’m seeing what it really means to keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them.  It’s not easy.  It requires change.  But it brings great blessing when I do. 

May we all do what God has called us to do in the short time that we have.

Gimme a Faith and Pain Cocktail

Psalm 102

This morning I read about a popular preacher in CA whose son was killed in a car crash.  He leaves behind a wife and child, and they are expecting another child in November.  I’m sure the family has gone through (and will continue to go through) a whirlwind of emotions:  grief, pain, joy at memories, anger, and hopefully comfort from faith.  Having gone through something similar several years ago with the loss of a good friend who was expecting his first child a month before his death, it can take a long time to work through the emotions and loss, and sometimes pain and faith can intermingle into quite an intense and beautiful cocktail (although the beauty often isn’t seen until long after).

Psalm 102 is a psalm of deep pain and faith all happening at once.  The writer is going through an intense situation that has robbed him of joy, appetite, health, and sleep.  He feels as if God has tossed him aside and left him wide open for his enemies to destroy him.  Yet, his pain is eased with faith.  Look what the author writes in Psalm 102:18-22,

This will be written for the generation to come; that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.  For He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord gazed upon the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to set free those who were doomed to death; that men may tell of the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

In the midst of suffering, the author has enough faith to write that future generations will look at his situation and serve God because of it.

What about us?  When life gets tough, do we have the ability to look through the mess and see God?  It’s cool to be angry with God and to question him (He’s big enough to handle it), but how many of us can, like this author, look through the pain and see that God may be at work?  None of us can perfectly.  Granted, there are horrific situations that test the strongest of faith and can crush the smallest of faith.  But sometimes, we lose perspective.  Sometimes we think that no one has it worse than we do, when in fact there are people in our world–people on our street–who are going through worse things.  Thank God for His grace.  Sometimes, we can’t see what He’s up to until much later, and sometimes not at all.  But often, far down the road, we can look back and see the beauty in the midst of the pain–that the situation forced us to take inventory, to deepen our reliance on God, and our faith to increase.

No matter what we go through, we can say just like the author did at the end of this Psalm,

But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.  The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You.

Intolerant

Psalm 101

Our culture wouldn’t do well with today’s psalm.  It’s pretty intolerant.

I find it ironic (and sadly funny) that those who preach tolerance are very intolerant of those who disagree with them in any way, shape, or form.  To be truly tolerant is to allow room for any view, no matter how whacked out, messed up, or evil you believe it to be.  Yet, I don’t know of any person who is truly tolerant. 

Think about it.  You tell someone about your faith in Jesus, and they reply, “Wow.  I’m glad you’ve found your truth” or something similar to that phrase.  You can deduce from that statement that they’re glad you’ve found your truth, but it isn’t true for them.  Here’s the rub–the gospel is true for everyone.  That’s why you hear so many people speak of Christians needing to keep their faith to themselves.  Such people are still intolerant, no matter how tolerant they claim to be.  If they want to truly be tolerant, they need to be cool with Christians telling them about Jesus (even if they still reject it).  But most aren’t. 

No one is truly tolerant.

Psalm 101 is truly intolerant.  Read it in full:

I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.  I will give heed to the blameless way.  When will You come to me?  I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.  I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not fasten its grip on me.  A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil.  Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy (silence); no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.  My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me.  He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.  Every morning I will destroy (silence) all the wicked of the land, so as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity.

At first glance, this seems like the author is pretty darn intolerant and self-righteous.  But on closer examination, his intolerance isn’t necessarily of people, but of sin.  He won’t allow evil, arrogance, slander, and deceit to get a grip on him.  Here’s the thing–the author is David, the great king of the Old Testament.  At points in his life, all of these things got a grip on him.  He was a terrible father, an adulterer, a murderer, and an arrogant jerk.  It’s no wonder that he sings to God–only God can forgive him.  It’s possible that this is a psalm of repentance and dedication.

There are times we must be intolerant.  Nothing destroys relationships like slander; therefore, we may have to avoid a slanderous person.  Nothing annoys and cuts down like pride; therefore, we may have to cut off a relationship with an arrogant jerk who sees himself as better than others.  Sometimes it may be a friend.  It hurts.  It’s painful.  But sometimes it is necessary–for our sakes (so that we don’t get caught up in it), and for theirs (so that they know that what they’re doing isn’t right, and is hurtful).

What parts of your own life do you need to be intolerant of?

Taking Stuff For Granted

Psalm 100

My wife and I have been doing a lot of thinking and letting God challenge us lately about stuff.  All the stuff we have.  All the stuff we have packed up in boxes in the shed not being used.  All the stuff sitting around the house.  It’s really starting to bug us.  Having read through Psalm 100, I’ve a new reason to be bugged about it.

I’m not sure I’m really thankful for any of it.  I take it for granted.  And I’m starting to think I have way too much.

Read the second half of Psalm 100,

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him; bless His name.  For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.

When this was written, most of the audience who heard it were thankful to have enough to eat for the day and to have shelter over their heads.  A majority of their time was spent harvesting, butchering, and preparing food for the day.  God instructs them to be thankful.

I take for granted that I have enough shirts in my closet to wear a different one every day for at least three weeks.  And that’s just shirts…

How can I be more thankful for what I have?  Praying thankfully is certainly a start (we’re instructed to pray prayers of thanksgiving), but if I continue to fall into the trap of consumerism, am I really thankful… or just greedy?  My wife and I are starting to think that as we go through our stuff, we’ll downsize… and not through a yard sale or eBay or Craigslist.  We’ll give it away.  If it’s not worth giving away, and can’t be reused or recycled, then we’ll pitch it.  I don’t know yet.  In some weird way, the thought of giving stuff away makes me thankful for what God has given me. 

Speaking of giving, God is a giving God.  Jesus gave everything.  Jesus instructed a rich dude to sell everything, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow Him.  I’m starting to wonder if we shouldn’t take Jesus at His word instead of pussy-footing around His words.  If we want to be like Him, and if we want to truly be thankful, it’s going to take more than words.  It’s going to take imitation of Him.  It’s going to require giving.

Now that I’ve stated publicly what I want to do… I now have to do it.

George W. Bush Goof-ups, Murderers, and Big Fat Liars

Psalm 99

Of the current late night talk shows, the one I like best (if I’m ever awake that late) is Letterman.  For several years, on every show, he’s showcased “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches”, where the research guys at the show find verbal slip-ups that the president has made on tape.  No matter if you love Bush or hate him, they’re hilarious.  A while back, the subject of Letterman’s Top Ten list was his favorite George W. Bush moments.  It’s pretty funny.  Check it out…

One of the things I love about the Bible, and that convinced me of it’s authority, is that it’s not afraid to show the sins and failures of it’s characters (which REALLY makes Jesus stand out because of His sinless life).  Psalm 99 does just that.

Psalm 99 is all about encouraging people to worship God because of His great power, justice, and righteousness.  The second half of the Psalm mentions several “heroes” of the Bible.  Look what the author writes in Psalm 99:6-9,

Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called on His name; they called upon the Lord and He answered them.  He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies and the statute that He gave them.  Our Lord God answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, and yet an avenger of their evil deeds.  Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy hill, for holy is the Lord our God.

While Samuel (the last judge of Israel who has two Old Testament Bible books named after him) is mentioned here, the focus seems to be on Moses and Aaron, who God used to lead the ancient Israelites out of Egypt, because of the mention of God speaking to them in the pillar of cloud (if God did this to Samuel, I can’t find it).  Moses prayed on behalf of the ancient Israelites multiple times, pleading with God to forgive them for their stubborness, complaining, and lack of trust in Him.  Aaron was the first priest, offering sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.  They called upon God and He answered them… in spite of their “Top Ten List” worthy mistakes.

Moses was a man of pride and a murderer in his younger days and, at times in his latter days, a man of rashness who failed to give glory to God (he once struck a rock to miraculously give water to the people, but God told him to speak to the rock–a seemingly small indescretion, but it failed to give glory to God).  Aaron was nothing short of a big fat liar.  Early in the trip away from Egypt, Moses was gone for an extended period of time.  The people came to Aaron (who was Moses’ older brother), and asked him to make an idol for them.  He took their gold jewelry and proceeded to construct an idol for them, which lead to all kinds of debauchery.  Moses came back, asked Aaron what happened, and Aaron’s response was worthy of a clip on Great Moments in Presidential (or, in his case, Priestly) Speeches:  I threw the gold into the fire, and this calf came out.  His actions led to the death of many people.

Yet, God was a forgiving God to them.  God had every right to strike them down on the spot for their sin.  He didn’t.  He continued to allow them to lead.  Were there consequences for their actions?  Yes.  Neither Moses nor Aaron were allowed to enter the promised land.  Both died on the way.  But their sin was forgiven.

God’s grace is a truly humbling thing.  To know that He forgives us of our sin, no matter what it may be, is mind-blowing.  Are their consequences for our sin, even with forgiveness?  Yes.  Adultery can be forgiven, but it still may result in a broken marriage or divorce.  Greed can be forgiven, but there can still be bankruptcy and crushed credit.  Gossip can be forgiven, but there can still be damaged friendships and ruined reputations.  But no matter what, there is forgiveness.  There is comfort.  There is healing that can only be found in Jesus, our great God and Savior.

Grace.  Grace.  God’s grace.  Grace that can pardon and cleanse within.  Grace.  Grace.  God’s grace.  Grace that is greater than all our sin.

And for that grace, God indeed deserves our praise.