THANKFUL TO BE HIS

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100

What’s the good word in this Psalm that can encourage us today? The LORD God who made us and cares for us is GOOD! There is no darkness or evil intent in Him towards us. His love for us never ceases! Even if we are unfaithful to Him He remains faithful! He keeps His promises! His Word never fails! If you doubt this look to the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Jesus, our Good Shepherd reigns and keeps watch over His flock–you and me–until He brings us safely Home.

Our response to such goodness? Worship and praise and honor and blessing —a loud shout-out to our Lord and King!

That Look

Judges 6:1-40; Luke 22:54-23:12; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 14:5-6

In today’s New Testament selection in Luke, Peter’s three time denial of his Lord is heartbreaking to read about, especially at the moment when as the rooster crows and Jesus turns towards him, makes eye contact and looks at him.

What was Jesus saying with this look that He gave Peter?

“I told you so, Peter?”

“Why, Peter?”

“Don’t you love me Peter?”

“Even you, Peter?”

Or

“I love you Peter.”

“Remember the words I spoke to you tonight, Peter –‘I have prayed that your faith may not fail.'”

“I will not forsake you nor hold this against you.”

Or maybe all of the above?

Peter wept bitterly and his soul was in anguish as he recalled Jesus’s look and of his own despicable lack of courage to confess he knew Jesus.

Haven’t we all turned our backs on our Lord at times, just like Peter? Haven’t we denied being His followers by our silence?

Jesus sees us for who we are, often fearful and fretful and He looks at us with eyes of compassion. He turns us back to Himself, forgives us, and gives us strength to be His witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Jesus, thank you for looking upon us in love even as you looked upon Peter. Thank you for turning us back to You when we wander away from You. Grant us courage to live and love as your followers that others may know You as their Savior and LORD. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

New Year Focus

Genesis 5:1-7:24; Matthew 3:7-4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19

New Year

New Focus

Better yet…Refocused

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 when he was being tempted by Satan.

“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 when he was being tempted by Satan.

“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 when he was being tempted by Satan.

God’s Word.

Acceptance of God’s will.

Worship God–Father, Son and Holy Ghost–alone.

Lord God, grant that in this New Year we daily feast on Your Word, humbly accept Your will for our lives, and worship You alone. May we greet each day as a gift to love you and one another; to serve and not look to be served; to listen to Your voice and heed Your call. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

My Levi

Malachi 1:1-2:17; Revelation 21:1-27; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 31: 10-24

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” Malachi 1:2

“My covenant with him [Levi] was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a
covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction
was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace
and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should
guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the
messenger of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:5-7

As the end of the year nears
 and I recall God’s walk with me
 I am tempted to ask,
  ”where were you, God?
And where will you be in the
 days to come?”
You will be where you said you’d be
in your Word and gifts of body and blood
and water
  and in the midst of all who
   call upon your name.
For Jesus is my true Levi
 who alone faithfully escorts me
  on life’s journey.
He came in the flesh–Immanuel.
He is my priest who speaks God’s truth
 and guides me in His way to life
  everlasting.
He is God’s messenger who teaches
 God’s ways.
Jesus, the way, the truth, the life. John 14:6

Let us “sing to the Lord a new song, his praises
in the assembly of the godly!
 Let them praise his name with dancing,
 making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
 He adorns the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149:1,2-4

Jesus, our Levi priest who walks with us, thank you
for humbling yourself to become one of us
for leaving the glory of heaven for a time
to ensure that we might live with you
for all time in eternity.
Be with us in the year to come,
May we lean on you as we
live out our days so that we may
confidently answer the question
“How have you loved us?”
You gave your life for us!
We give you thanks and praise!
Amen and amen.

Everything Everywhere

Photo by Julie Ayers

Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9

Fear and anxiety
Everything everywhere all at once
disorients
throws us into super hero mode
or else sends us running
deep into false light,
makes us “put up our dukes”
or scoots us out the door
away, away.
Either way
God is with us
our Immanuel
come-in-the-flesh God
Jesus.
He gently lays His hand upon our raised fists
and says “Peace be with you,
I have already fought and won.”
or
He keeps pace with us stride for stride
as we escape until
we run ourselves spent.
He never leaves us or forsakes us
He is always with us.
“Be still and know that I am God.”

Thank you, Jesus, for fighting our fight,
for stilling our restless,
fearful heart. 
To You be all glory now and forever!
Amen.

AND YET

Jingle bells, candy canes, and gifts galore abound
  to the detriment of stretched thin checkbooks
    and longing, empty souls.

Christmas cheer meant to generate
  peace, good will to men falls
   short of a world in great need
  of peace.

For war rages,
  evil abounds.

and yet…

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty
  who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
  and begun to reign.
The nations raged,
  but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets
  and saints, and those who
   fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyer of the earth.”
Revelations 11:17-18

And when the fight is fierce,
 the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song.
And hearts are brave again,
And arms are strong. 
Allelulia! Alleluia!

The golden evening
 brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!   William W. How 1823-1897

LORD, you have begun your reign on high and in our hearts. Though we face warfare-struggles of mind, body, and spirit we are not defeated. For you, O Lord, have defeated and triumphed over this world’s ruler by your death on the Cross. Your victory over sin, death and the evil one ushers into our hearts and minds peace that passes all understanding. Thank you for our Advent King who now rules at your right hand and will come again with final judgment and victory shouts! To Him be all glory, honor, and praise! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

  

WRAPPED

Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135-1-26; Proverbs 30:5-6

O God, You wrap Yourself around me in Your Old Testament word
  where law and gospel point to Your righteous ways.
Your finger of condemnation points to lurid idols, subtle false gods,
  perverse practices pitting man against pure love.
Death and destruction mercifully turn hearts still beating away
  from the false to You, the only living, only true God
    Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Turn around. Repent.

The gospel comes in words of comfort–words declaring
  iniquities forgiven, tossed into the sea, thrown up higher than the heavens.
You, God, don’t hold sin against us, because of Your beloved Son promised
  in prophets’ words.

O God, You wrap Yourself around me in New Testament words.
  The law words remind me that the wages of sin is death.
“He called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given the power
  to harm earth and sea saying ‘do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees
    until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'”

Gospel words, Your words, O God, “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne
  will be their Shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water,
    and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 

Wrapped in truth! Thanks be to You, O God, now and forever! Amen.

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Proverbs 30:5

Blessed

Ezekiel 35:1-36:38; James 1:1-18; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 27:23-27

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

I love the Lord, because he has
heard my my voice and my plea
for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him
as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name
of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my
soul!”
Gracious is the Lord, and
righteous;
our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple,
when I was brought low, he save me.
Return, O my soul, to your
rest;
for the Lord has dealt
bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:1-7

Thank you, Lord God, for hearing our prayers in our time of need. Thank you for graciously preserving our faith in the midst of trials. May our lips forever speak praise to You! Amen.

COME!

Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-Psalm 114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.

For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” (For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23)

Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:18-24; 12:28-29

Lord God, judge of all, our Lord Jesus bids us come near to You without fear and trembling because of what He did for us on the Cross. He poured out his lifeblood that our sins might be covered. (“though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are crimson, they shall become like wool” Isaiah 1:18) God, You do not see our filthy rags of sin but you see us in new clothing (“for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” Isaiah 61:10). Confessing “Jesus is Lord” we join with the saints above as well as the saints on earth to worship You and give You thanks and praise for what You have done for us through Your Son! Amen and Amen!

With all the angel choirs,
With all the saints on earth
Pour out the strands of joy and bliss
True rapture, noblest mirth.
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice; give thanks and sing!
~ Text by Edward H. Plumetre

Prayer

“If someone wants to describe adequately the usefulness of pious, earnest prayer, he will, in my opinion, surely find a beginning more easily than a conclusion.  Pious prayer offered in faith is familiar conversation with God.  It is a salutary remedy to all the difficulties of life.

It is the key to heaven and the door to paradise.  It shows us how much we depend on God, and it is a ladder of ascension to God.  It is a shield for our defense and a faithful messenger of the ambassador.

It is the refreshment in the heat of misfortune;  it is medicine during illness.  It is a winch, drawing us to heaven, and a vessel that draws water from the font of divine kindness.

It is a sword against the devil and a defense against misfortune.  It is a wind that blows away evil and brings earthly benefits.

It is a nurse that nurtures virtues an conquers faults.  It is a great fortification for the soul and gives free access to God.  It is a spiritual feast and a heavenly delicacy…”

Johann Gerhard goes on to include even more thoughts about prayer and concludes that there are four truths on which our certainty upon prayer rests:  “God’s omnipotent kindness; God’s unfailing truthfulness; Christ’s intercession as our mediator; and the Holy Spirit’s testimony.”

“Lord, teach us to pray,”

His disciples said–

Fill our hearts,

may we be led

to trust You solely

and be fed

with Heavenly food.

Word and bread and wine,

Body, Blood and Promise sure

never ending to receive.

Amen. Lord.  Amen!