Press On

One thing I really admire about David is his unwavering faith and confidence in God. When David was dealing with some pretty difficult things in his life and his enemies were constantly after him; he never lost sight of what was important - his relationship with God. David consistently praised God even amidst some scary circumstances. He never forgot who was ultimately in control of his life and who had the power to save him. He knew that God heard him when he cried out and he knew that God would keep his promises. Psalm 57 is no different from any of his other Psalms in illustrating David’s unwavering faith and confidence in God. He knew God would protect him. “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings” (1) He knew God would keep his promises. “I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me” (2) He knew that God would rescue him. “He will send help from the heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness” (3) Even though David was being threatened by his enemies he still praised God. “I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey –whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth.” (4-5) David had such great confidence in God and I am sure this is what helped him to keep his focus on God amidst his difficult circumstances. “My heart is confident in you, O God, my heart is confident. Wake up my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth” (7-11) I truly believe that the key to remaining faithful and confident in the Lord in all circumstances lies within David’s example. Praising God in all circumstances and never taking our focus off the one who gives us life; the one who loves us greatly and freely, is how we can remain faithful to him. This is how we can be as confident as David. This is how we can remain strong when things come our way that threaten to knock us down. This is how we can press on. Press on!

God is On Your Side

Overwhelmed; totally consumed by all that was happening around me, but mostly all that was happening to me. Fear gripped me. I was losing my footing and the threat of slipping all together was just about too much to bear. I had no idea what I was going to do. I had no idea where I was going to go. Loneliness surrounded me; so completely lost and nowhere to turn. Depression set in; there is no hope for me. I will never get out of this pit. These are the thoughts that crossed my mind again and again when I lost my job, and every time I was reminded of the mistakes I have made, and how I had failed. While I didn’t have a physical enemy in the sense that David did, I still felt as if I was being hounded day and night by my very own enemy. I will tell you that most of these thoughts are not true. That is, they are lies fed to me by Satan, meant to keep me right where he wanted me. In these days, I turned away from God. I wasn’t seeking him. I wasn’t praying to him. I believed he was angry with me and that he was punishing me. Both of which were also lies. God was not at all surprised by the sin that lead me to lose my job, my apartment, my independence. He knew it was going to happen. So, how could he be angry with me? He loves me so much that instead of turning his back on me, when I turned my back on him, he stood back and waited for me to realize how much I needed him. He sent people in my life to remind me that he was good all the time. He sent people to encourage me and to direct me to his Word. It was there that I found what I had been looking for, hope. David had hope. He trusted God. All his confidence was in him and his promises. Even when the world seemed to be against him, David never lost sight of God. He kept his eyes firmly focused on him. “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (3-4) David knew that he could trust God to take care of him. He knew that even in the midst of seemingly terrifying and difficult circumstances, God was on his side. He was not afraid to cry out to God every time he needed him and he recognized that he needed him all the time. “My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know; God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised. Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (9-11) God is on your side too. He is not against you. He is not out to make you fail. He doesn’t laugh at you when you do. If you have turned from him, he is waiting for you with open arms. He loves you deeply, no matter what you have done and no matter where you have been he will never take his love away from you. If you are overwhelmed and struggling right now, cry out to him. He hears your cries. He knows what you are going though. Are you going to continue to try to handle everything in your own strength, or are you going to trust God with your life? He will take care of you. “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light” (13)

Overwhelmed?

Have you ever been overwhelmed? To be overwhelmed by something can also be likened to being completely submerged by it. Almost as if you are drowning. When something completely consumes or overpowers your thoughts, and your feelings. It is hard to think of anything else. Have you ever been felt this way? In Psalm 55, David says, “Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles” (1) Can you identify with David? I know I can. There have been many times in my life that I have been completely overwhelmed by my circumstances. I even felt as if I was drowning in the chaos of one problem after another and I wondered when it was going to end. Some of you may know what I am talking about. David is once again overwhelmed by those who are against him, but in this Psalm he is not speaking of yet another enemy, he is speaking of an equal, a friend. “It is not an enemy who taunts me – I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me – I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you – my equal, my companion and close friend.” (12-13). Have you ever heard someone say, “It’s often those we are the closest to that hurt us the most.” Often when we are hurt by someone close to us, it can definitely occupy and consume our thoughts and feelings. When we are betrayed, and hurt by someone close to us, it hurts deeply, and it often takes a while to heal from that wound. David was certainly overwhelmed by the betrayal of a friend. He was wounded and hurt. Was there something else going on at the same time? Possibly. David could have felt as if he were drowning in all of this chaos, but he was confident in one thing, God. David’s strong confidence in God’s promises and saving power helped him to keep going through the storm. It have him strength and hope he needed to press on. “But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress and the Lord hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me” (16-18). When I have felt overwhelmed I will admit that I have not turned to God first. While I never really want God to be a last resort, sometimes, that is how I treat him. It shouldn’t be that way. God should be my first resort. He should be your first resort. I admit I often choose to try to handle things on my own before I choose to turn them over into God’s hands. Do I really think I can do a better job? No. How many of you handle things the same way? The truth is that God should be who we turn to first in all things – the good and the bad. He should be the leader in all of our major decisions. He is always ready and willing to listen to us – morning, noon, and night. He is always there for us. He loves us and promises to take care of us. Why don’t we let him? “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall” (22)

"Et tu, Brute?" Betrayal of the Close Kind

Have you ever been betrayed? Whenever I think of someone being betrayed, I think about Julius Caesar and how he was betrayed by someone very close to him, Brutus. I remember having to read this play by Shakespeare in high school and then I remember the teacher selecting a group of people to reenact the betrayal scene. A not so comedic moment in history turned into a barrel of laughs as the weapon of choice, a yardstick, was plunged in between the side and arm of my classmate. As he stumbled around, over dramatically knocking things all over the place, he turned to the classmate playing Brutus and said the famous line, “Et tu, Brute?” and then he fell on the ground. While this one example was comedic, betrayal of any kind is no laughing matter. It hurts deeply. Most of the time it comes out of the blue, it’s unexpected and it knocks you on your feet. I was handed a letter from someone I considered a friend. The contents of the letter would tell me otherwise. He took it upon himself to list everything he didn’t like about me, in great detail. It was mean and it was meant to be hurtful. I cried a lot. I internalized all that he said and believed it to be true. (It wasn’t) I held onto that for a very long time, refusing to even let go of the letter, reminding myself of what others thought of me. They were all lies! Lies! Lies! Lies! Meant to destroy me, and they did. I was deeply hurt by someone I trusted and cared about. This was a wound that wasn’t going to heal quickly. I am thankful that I had friends, whom I hadn’t even been friends with long, who stood up for me and told me that all of those things in the letter, written to hurt me, were not true. They told me that they didn’t see any of those things about me because they loved me. The love I felt from them helped to heal the hurt I felt at the hands of my so-called “friend”. In Psalm 54, David is once again surrounded by his enemies, but he is trusting in God to rescue him and deal with his enemies as they deserve to be dealt with. “For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing about God. But God is my helper. The Lord keeps my alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them” (3-5) What constantly amazes me about David is that even in the midst of difficulty, he never forgets to praise God, the source of his strength, peace, and hope. “I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies” (6-7) Praising God in the midst of our difficult circumstances, is the key. It is our circumstances that change, not God. Our circumstances get difficult, not God. He remains the same. If you are going through a difficult time right now, stop what you are doing, stop dwelling on your circumstances and stop dwelling on the people that have hurt you and praise the God that never changes and remains the same. The very same God who holds you close, and who rescues you from your enemies. He loves you, greatly! Why not praise him for that?

Perfectionism is DEAD

Perfectionism. Yes, I’ve definitely written about it before and perhaps, I am writing about it about it again so I can get it just right. No, really, I’m not. I came to this realization a few years ago that there is absolutely no way possible that I can ever be perfect. No way whatsoever. It’s true. Boy did that ever take a load off! Here I was trying to do everything perfectly, and if anything or anyone got in my way I became angry. Some of you know what I am talking about. I tried really hard to make sure everything happen according to my plans. I became protective of my plans and anything or anyone that messed with them became enemy number one. No one messed with my plans and no one interfered with what I wanted to get done. I became angry when someone interrupted me when I was writing a paper, or playing my guitar, or pretty much doing anything. I also stopped doing things I didn’t think I could do perfectly. I stopped playing the guitar. I stopped trying new things. I didn’t pursue anything I thought I would fail at. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Does it sound familiar to any of you? I realized that I was wasting my time trying to be perfect and I was spending quite a bit of time being angry at too many people for no reason. I can’t be perfect. You can’t be perfect. It isn’t possible to be perfect unless your name is Jesus Christ and Mary is your Mother and God is your Father… just sayin’ Jesus Christ is the only person to ever walk this earth that has ever and will ever be perfect. Breathe a sigh of relief on that one! I did! Whooooosh! (That was me breathing a sigh of relief, just in case I lost you) The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standards. (Romans 3:23) That means everyone; you and I have both fallen short of God’s standards. We have sinned. In Psalm 53, David says, “But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” (3) This verse is also repeated in Romans 3:10. Not a single person does any good on their own. No one is perfect. You know what really kills me, when people who are Christians hold up other Christians as “perfect”. We place Pastors, Worship Leaders, and other Christians we see as “perfect” on a pedestal aiming for the perfection we see in them and when they fail to live the perfect lives we “think” they live, we are often judgmental and unloving towards them when they need the love of Christ the most. Have you seen this? I have. Even Pastors make mistakes. Everyone falls short of God’s standards. No one is exempt, except for Christ Himself. I have made mistakes. I have sinned. I am not perfect. I don’t live like I am. I still make mistakes. I still sin. I am not perfect, but God loves me exactly as I am. He loves you too, imperfections and all.

Thriving in the House of God

Life very rarely goes the way that I would like it to. It is a rarity when everyone and everything works together in accordance with my plans for the day, but wouldn’t that be nice? I mean if we didn’t have to deal with running late in the morning because we forgot the car needed gas, or we got behind someone who went under the speed limit, that would be nice right? If everyone was polite to one another and people thought about others before themselves, all the time, wouldn’t that be lovely? I don’t have any kids of my own, but for those of you who have kids, if you didn’t have to deal with a dirty diaper, or another mess made after you just cleaned one up, while you are trying to get out the door to get some errands done, wouldn’t that be great? The truth is, life is difficult. There are so many things that interfere with the plans that we have for ourselves, and quite often our plans don’t happen the way we wanted them to. I planned to bring a cake that I baked to a friend for her birthday. I didn’t plan on dropping it on the driveway in my hurried state to leave the house for work that morning. That kind of stuff happens all the time, doesn’t it? Unexpected things creep up on us, knock us off our feet, and put us in a daze. Illness, death, job loss, broken relationships, and financial hardships leave us scrambling for a new plan, when ours is left in shambles. Even the little things like a dropped cake take their toll on us and one thing after another can lead to an endless state of frustration and confusion. In Psalm 52, David says, “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.” (8) To thrive like an olive tree means to stand firmly and confidently; resting securely in the truth of God's love and trusting that even when things around you are difficult, God's love for you still remains and He in his infinite wisdom has a plan for you that is far better than anything you could possibly even imagine. The bottom line is, life is difficult, but God brings us hope. He has a plan designed specifically for each one of us. We can choose to trust him and follow the plans that he has for our lives, or we can continue to stumble around in the darkness with blinders on hoping for a chance to make things work. If we trusted in God and knew without a doubt that he had everything under control, when unexpected things creep up on us, we wouldn’t fret or fear because we would know that the very God who loves us is right there with us every step of the way. He is in control when things are out of control. David knew that even though things were difficult, God still loved him. He trusted in God and his love for him. Do you? When difficult things come your way do you trust God to handle them? Are you like an olive tree thriving in the house of God?

Here I Am, a Sinner; Broken and in Need of You

Here I am a sinner, broken and in need of you. Take my life, wash my fears away. For you are the Great I Am, rest assured I feel your hand, holding me until the darkness clears. Father to the fatherless; Redeemer of my soul, my life is Yours forever. My heart will always know. Your mercy saved me, mercy made me whole. Your mercy found me, called me as Your own.” (Mercy –Casting Crowns)

I remember sitting in my car and reading the words of Psalm 51 out loud as if they were my words and my own personal prayer to God. I was crying out to him asking him to forgive me, with tears streaming down my face, and I was asking him to have mercy on me, a sinner. The very next Sunday I found myself in the Pastors office praying with him and my friend Karen. I knew I needed Jesus Christ in my life and I knew that without him I would continue to roam around on this earth lost and without hope. Since that day, my life has never been the same. I have been radically changed by a God who loves me in spite of myself. His love will never let me go, no matter what I do or don’t do. Psalm 51 reminds me of that day, but it also reminds me of where I have been. I have found myself coming back to Psalm 51 on a few occasions, reading the words out loud and praying to God once again to forgive me and have mercy on me, a sinner. Psalm 51 also reminds me of who I am in the scope of who God is. He is almighty and powerful, a great judge, who shows compassion and mercy on all who seek after him. It also reminds me how serious it is to sin and that every sin is against God, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. When David wrote the psalm he was heartbroken over the sin that he had committed against God and it shows in the very words he wrote. “Have mercy on me O God, because of your unfailing love; Because of your great compassion blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you way and our judgment against me is just.” (1-4) David knew that what he had done was wrong and he knew that only God was capable of forgiving him. David was a man after God’s own heart. He desired to follow God and obey him each and every day. Following God each and every day is not an easy task. It’s not easy to choose obedience over rebellion. It’s much easier to do what I want to do instead of doing what I know is right, but in the long run, doing what is right and following after God wholeheartedly is far more beneficial than any temporary “thrill” could possibly be. David’s heart was broken over the sin he committed but he was also heartbroken over the possibility of being sent out of the presence of God. “Don’t banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” (11-12) It makes me wonder whether or not I would react the same way to the possibility of being sent out of the presence of God. I mean would I? Would you?

Worship in Spirit and Truth

In Psalm 50, the psalmist discusses worshipping God in spirit and in truth and worshipping God from the heart and not out of formality or obligation. Being authentic in your worship is incredibly important. God knows everything about you and sees you as you really are. If your heart is not in the right place when you are worshipping him, he will most certainly know it. There have been many times as a worship leader that I have had to take a step back and make sure my heart was in the right place before I lead the congregation in worship. There were also times when I didn’t take the time to prepare my heart, and those days, my worshipping of God felt contrived and untruthful. Worshipping God should first begin with the heart, making sure there is nothing in the way or nothing to prevent you from worshipping God the way you should and the way he deserves to be worshipped. Sin and distractions are two things that can get in the way of authentic worship. If you are more concerned with how someone else is worshipping around you or what type of music is being played during worship rather than the whole reason for the music in the first place, you may want to take a step back and make sure your heart is in the right place before you try to worship God. This is one way we can be distracted. Formality is what I’m talking about. I am also talking about self-catered worship. “We didn’t do this hymn, so I can’t worship” Or “That’s such an old song, how can I worship God with that?” I know I’ll probably step on some toes with that one. As someone who has not only lead worship but has also served on a worship committee designed to “help” the Worship Pastor pick appropriate music to worship God with, I just can’t help but to bring up the question, When did worship become about us and what we want not about God and what he deserves? If a song brings you into the presence of God and allows you to worship him like he deserves, then well, is there anything wrong with that song? I think not. When we concern ourselves with the formality of worship, we miss the point and the heart of worship – God. Second, If you have something in your life that is not honoring to God, how can you worship him like he deserves? If you are living your life far away from God, Monday through Saturday and come into church on Sunday and try to worship God, how does that work out for you? I mean, does it? I know from my very own experience if I had unconfessed sin in my heart, there was no way I could worship God authentically. I was lying to myself and I was lying to God until I confessed the sin separating me from authentically approaching his throne and giving him the worship he is due. When we try to worship God, but keep the unconfessed sin in our hearts to merely keep up appearances, we are only doing ourselves more harm in the long run. Ultimately, God is the only one that knows the condition of your heart. He knows whether or not your worship is authentic. He wants your heart in worship, nothing else. What really helps me to keep my focus on God while I am worshipping is to think about everything that he has done for me - and he has done a lot. I am so thankful for all that he has done and I would be totally lost without Him. When is the last time you took some time to really think about everything that God has done for you? If you’ve never thought about it, or haven’t thought about it in a while, take some time to focus on that. Then, making sure there are no distractions or sin in your life, take some time to worship God like he deserves and you don’t have to wait until Sunday! You can worship Him right now!

“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory… But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God” (Psalm 50: 14, 23)

In Whom Do You Trust?

I was so excited when I finally moved into my own place. Here I was ready to be on my own. I had a well paying job that allowed me to go on vacations with my friends and it allowed me to treat myself to some new clothes and other things quite often. I was enjoying life, but then life happened. Bills started coming and unexpected things happened, leaving me scrambling to come up with the resources to pay for what needed to be paid for. Before I knew it, I had taken out credit cards and was in way over my head in debt. In less than three years, I had lost my financial freedom. A little after that, I lost my job, the source of my financial input. I had so heavily relied on my finances, and my job and there I was left in the dust, clutching bills, debt and a box of tissues, tears streaming down my befuddled face. What went wrong? I’ll tell you what I suspect went wrong. I trusted more in my “wealth” and my job than I did in the God who provided it all for me, and I took it all for granted. I took HIM for granted. All that mattered to me was my paycheck. That’s what made me feel valuable, the number typed in the little box on the check that told me what I had earned. I worked hard to get what I earned, there’s no doubt about that, and I got what I earned. As hard as it really is to admit, at that time in my life, money was the god I served. It was more important to me than the God who had given me life and breath and who valued me just because he created me and who loved me. You see, I wasn’t really aware that HE loved me. I never took the time to learn about him and to see what he was all about because I was so consumed with my temporary wealth. That’s just it. Everything on this earth is temporary. Wealth. Status. Money. Power. Fame. We all want some aspect of it, but one day it will all fade away and only one thing will remain and that is God. He is forever. He remains the same. When everything around us changes, God is still the same God who is there to pick us up and hold our hands as we walk through this fickle life. This is the whole point the psalmist was trying to make in Psalm 49. Those who trust in the temporary things of this world are foolish and are bound to fall, but those who trust in God will never fall because God holds them with his righteous right hand.

“Why should I fear when trouble comes when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave… But as for me God will redeem my life, he will snatch me from the power of the grave. (Psalm 49:5-9, 15)

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

“How deep the Father’s love for us; how vast beyond all measure, that he should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure.”

“Your love is deep. Your love is high. Your love is long. Your love is wide.”

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

When I take the time to sit back and think about the love that God has for me I am astounded. It is hard for me to believe that he could love me as much as he does and I am amazed at the amount of forgiveness he has willingly given to me at the cost of his only son’s life. It has taken me a while to understand that God’s love for me is not conditional. It is not based on what I do, or what I don’t do, but instead, it is given freely and without limit. The very same is true for you as well. God’s love for you is infinite; there is no end to his love. Nothing you can possibly do could ever take his love away from you. His love is unconditional. You can’t earn it. It is given to you freely and with no strings attached. Unlike many of our relationships here on earth, God’s love for us is not based on what we do or don’t do. He loves us the same on our worst days as he does on our best days, it never changes. God never withdraws his love from us. His love is unlimited; in fact, it overflows on each of us. We have a never ending supply of God’s love at our reach each and every day. His love for us is great! It’s no small matter! God loves us immensely! Do you believe it? Do you believe that you are loved and cherished greatly? I tell you the truth that you are! You are loved far more than you could ever possibly imagine. You are loved with an everlasting love a love that will not fail a love that does not change and a love that will be with you each and every day through everything life throws your way; the good and the bad! Take sometime today to think about the love that God has for you, in fact take some time everyday to sit back and rest in knowing that you are loved greatly!

“O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your temple. As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory” (Psalm 48:9-10)

Worthy of Worship

“Worthy of worship, worthy of praise, Worthy of honor and glory; Worthy of all the glad songs we sing, Worthy of all the offerings we bring. You are worthy, Father, Creator. You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer. You are worthy, worthy and wonderful; Worthy of worship and praise.”

Worthy of Worship; that is the title of the hymn quoted above. (Written by Terry York and Mark Blankenship) I just love this hymn. It reminds me of the sole reason for worshipping God, because HE IS GOD. He deserves and commands our worship of him. He desires for us to worship with everything we have, not holding back any part of ourselves, but giving everything we are and have to him in acts of worship. This means all the time, not just when we are walking through good times in our lives, but also when we are walking through difficult times. Obviously, it is much easier to praise God and to worship him when we are not in the midst of a struggle, but how much more powerful would it be if we stopped and praised him in the midst of what seems like a hopeless situation, when our hearts are broken and in need of healing? Can we truly praise God then? Yes, definitely! It’s not easy to do, but it can be done. If we keep in mind that we should be worshipping God, for who he is, and not worshipping him based on our circumstances, we can indeed worship him in the even in difficult times. The psalmists do a fantastic job of reminding us who God is and they remind us to worship and praise him with all we are. When I am reminded of who God is and what he has already done for me, it is hard to avoid worshipping and praising him, as he deserves. Consider Psalm 47.

“Come everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is Awesome. He is the great King of all the earth” (Psalm 47:1-2)

Doesn’t that make you want to get up and praise God for who he is! Our God is an awesome God and he loves each of us greatly!

“I will give you all my worship. I will give you all my praise. You alone, I long to worship. You alone, are worthy of my praise” - Jeremy Camp

Truth to Hold Onto

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge” (Psalm 46:1-3)

Wow! Those are some pretty powerful verses, don’t you think? I mean isn’t that like saying, "God is on my side. He IS for ME. There is absolutely NOTHING anyone or anything can do to interfere with HIS plans for my life. Things might look scary on the outside, but God IS in control of everything. He's got my back. Bring it on!" That’s a pretty bold statement and a powerful one too! It takes a great deal of faith and trust in God to be able to say that and actually mean it. It’s one thing to be able to say it when you are walking in peaceful times beside still waters. It’s another thing to be able to say it when the waves are crashing all around you and the water threatens to drown you. It takes great confidence in knowing who God is, to be able to know, even in the midst of a great struggle that God is indeed in control and nothing absolutely nothing will happen without him standing right beside you. I have found great comfort in knowing that God is with me, even in my darkest hours, that he is right beside me; walking with me, holding my hand and guiding me where he wants me to be; and all because he loves me greatly! Do you know that the same is true for you? All of this is true for you! Let’s revisit some of the Psalms we’ve already covered to see these truths.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. (Psalm 33:4)

But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. (Psalm 33:11)

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. (Psalm 34:17-19)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. (Psalm 37:23-24)

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-3)

Wow! Now that’s some powerful truth to hold onto! When you are facing rough waters, hold on to the truth that God loves you greatly and that he is with you every step of the way. Hold on to the truths found in his Word. They can give you more hope than you ever imagined.

Love Song For a Savior

Psalm 45 is a love song written in psalm form addressing God as a king. It shows the love and devotion that the psalmist has for his beloved king. When I read it I was immediately reminded of the song by Jars of Clay called “Love Song for a Savior”, so today, take some time to sit and think about what the psalmist is saying in Psalm 45, but also take some time to read the words of this beautiful song, written by Jars of Clay.

"Love Song For A Savior"

In open fields of wild flowers,

she breathes the air and flies away

She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses

in no simple languageSomeday she'll understand the meaning of it all

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens

As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips

Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him

Someday He'll call her and she will come running

and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best

The sermon echoes through the walls

A great salvation through it calls to the people

who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens

As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips

Someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him

Someday He'll call us and we will come running

and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",

Not close enough to call you "God"

So as I sit and think of words I can mention

to show my devotion

"I want to fall in love with You"

"my heart beats for You"

Are you in love with Jesus Christ? Does your heart beat for him?

Perseverence in Adversity

Things just weren’t going my way. I lost my job, I had to move out of my apartment, I was struggling financially, creditors were hounding me, my phone was ringing off the hook, and my landlord didn’t return all of my security deposit to me, even though she knew how much I was struggling. I couldn’t find a job anywhere. I was battling depression and struggling to hold onto to everything that I had believed in. Was it too much to ask for SOMETHING to go my way? I was overwhelmed and exhausted and I needed some hope. Have you ever been there? On your last nerve and something was getting on it. Down to the last ounce of strength you have and something is threatening to take it away. It can be frustrating and hopeless. Fast forward three years. Here I am now, I am still looking for a job in my field, I still don’t have a place of my own, and I am still dealing with the mistakes of three years ago. The biggest difference is this time, I have the strength that doesn’t come from within myself, but instead comes from God. I have a greater hope in God because I know that I am loved regardless of what I have done. I know that love for me is far greater than I could possibly imagine and I know that I am not alone – AND I believe all this too! What is interesting to me about Psalm 44, is that the psalmist starts out remembering how God was there for his ancestors when they needed him. He recalls how God was victorious over their enemies and how it was God alone that caused them to win the battle. “They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them.” (44:3) The psalmist moves right from this into where he is presently, in a state of distress. He has been asking for help from God, but it has not yet come and the psalmist is struggling with that. It seems to him as if God has tossed him aside and doesn’t care about what is going on. The psalmist feels alone and abandoned, but in spite of this, he knows that God is still listening to his cry for help. He has not given up, he will not give up, and he most certainly will not forget about God. “All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path” (44:17-18) Things are not going the way the psalmist would like them too and yet, he is choosing not to become angry with God and he is choosing to continue to pray to and praise God. That is most certainly not easy to do. When things don’t go my way, the first thing I want to do is say, “Fine, well then forget you”, to whoever is involved” Not only is that not a good attitude to have, but it is not a fair or godly reaction to have either. Could you imagine if God reacted that way when we didn’t do what he wanted us to? We would all be in serious trouble! The whole point is this, life is going to be full of disappointments and heartaches. It is our choice and our decision to rise above that and consciously choose to obey God in the midst of adversity. Now, I’m definitely not saying that it is easy, because it’s far from it. What I am saying is that following God and obeying him, even when it looks easier to follow the world, is well worth the struggle and is well worth the wait. I am still waiting for God to answer prayer for a job in my field, that is true, but I have spent the last three years drawing closer to him and developing relationships with people I may not have had the chance to if my prayer had been answered right away. I am incredibly thankful for that! The truth is God is good all the time and all he does is good. His timing is perfect and all things happen when they happen for a reason. This is truth I hold onto every day and this is truth I will never let go of.

Discouraged? Praise God

Rollercoasters can be a lot of fun, if you like that sort of thing. Typically I do, but for the sake of this entry today, I am not referring to a rollercoaster in the sense that you cram yourself into a tiny seat (well for me anyways), strap yourself in, secure any loose items, and hold on for dear life. Instead, I am referring to life itself, which can be a bit of a rollercoaster at times. “When are you going to get off this rollercoaster?” my Mom asked. I looked at her with this blank stare, almost emotionless and shrugged my shoulders. There I was in the pit and she was asking me that question, of all questions. My emotions were all over the place. I went from incredibly angry, to uncontrollably sobbing, and then back to angry, and then I would smile for a split second before I went back to sobbing. It was intense. If you have been there, you know exactly what I am talking about. One minute you are finally “fine” and the next minute, something reminds you of where you are or of what has happened and you are right back to square one. It was a living nightmare. The rollercoaster I was on seemed to be never ending. It was like I was strapped in for good, or stuck in that tiny seat – take your pick. I couldn’t manage level ground. I felt as if there was nothing in my life that made sense and nothing seemed to be going good for me, or so I thought. In Psalm 43, we see once again that the author is finding himself on the rollercoaster heading straight towards discouragement. He is fearful of his enemies and he is starting to feel as if God has even tossed him aside. Which he knows is not true. I knew God hadn’t left me, but it sure felt like it. Have you felt like that before? The authot knew there was nothing he could do about his circumstances. He knew that ultimately God was the one who could do something about it, and he needed to trust God to handle it. It is not easy to let God handle the things that you want to control, is it? Nope, not one bit. I found that during the darkest hours of my life, God was teaching me to depend on him. Everything that I had depended on was taken away from me, so all I had left to depend on was God. It was my wake up call to see that I wasn’t taking God seriously. Now, am I saying that God took it all away? I don’t know. What I am saying is that by losing all of those things I depended on more than God, I could clearly see the state of my relationship with him. I didn’t really have one. If a relationship is two sided, well He was doing all the work and I was ignoring Him. That’s the harsh reality I faced. I needed the light of God to come down and illuminate the truth in the midst of the darkness of lies I believed. The author needed to find his way out of the darkness too. “… Rescue me from these unjust liars. For you are God, my only safe haven… Send your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God – the source of all my joy, I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!” (1-4) The author realized that while he was being tormented by his enemies, God was on his side. He knew that God was with him and he knew that he wasn’t alone. The author knew that the best thing to do when he was feeling discouraged was to praise God because ultimately, God is in control and God will take care of him. This is what I needed to realize too. I spent all my time pushing God aside and depending on my job and on the money it brought in. They were far more important to me than God and you know what, I didn’t really even care about my job either, so you can see where God ranked. It was a harsh reality to face, but an even sweeter reality to know that God loves me, is on my side, and is with me every step of the way each and every day.

Thirsting for the Living God

“As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship thee. You alone are my strength my shield to you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship thee.” As one of my favorite hymns says, God alone is my heart’s desire and I long to worship only him! When I read the first line of Psalm 42, I was immediately reminded of this hymn. “As the deer longs for the streams of water so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God the living God” (1-2) The writer of this psalm longs for God much like the writer of the hymn longs for God. What he is saying is that he needs God as much as he needs water. God is that important to him! He is struggling with his enemies when he writes this hymn. They taunt him with the God that he loves and he longs for things to be as they used to be before he had sinned and fallen short of the glory of the God he loves so much. “My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be. I walked among the crowds of worshippers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of great celebration!” (4) The psalmist is consumed by regret and guilt over the things he has done. He wishes things could be different. Have you ever felt that way? I know I have! I know I have thought, “If I hadn’t done that then…” “If I had only done this then…” I know I am not alone on that one! He didn’t spend all his time dwelling on what he had done or what he hadn’t done though. He recognized that he was discouraged and then he immediately turned his attention on the lifter of his head! “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my savior and my God!” (5) The psalmist turned his focus off of his problems and put it back on God, praising him in the midst of his discouragement! He remembered who was ultimately responsible for his happiness and who loved him far greater than anyone on this earth. “Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you… each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me and through each night I sing his songs praying to God who gives me life” (6,8) I don’t know about you, but I find great encouragement in that! No matter what you are going through, God loves you deeply and greatly. He loves you the same each and every day no matter what you have done and no matter what you haven’t done. Take hold of that truth today and never let it go!

Say No to Gossip

Two-faced people, they are those people who come into your life and pretend to be your friend, earn your trust, and then the first chance they get, they turn on you, stabbing you in the back. Usually, you are totally oblivious to the malicious plan they have up their sleeve for you until it is too late; until you are already a victim at the hands of someone you thought was your friend. It’s hard to be in that position, to know that someone you trusted and believed was your friend, really wasn’t. The vast majority of the relationships I had with people in high school were this way. I’m convinced this is just the way that high school is. I would have much rather have had those mean girls, you all know some, who were outwardly mean and nasty to me all the time, than the girls who were nice to my face but talked and gossiped about me whenever they had the chance. I think most of us would. Sadly, a lot of adults behave like this still. I’ve been in a situation at work where a co-worker was gossiping about me. Typically, I would have talked badly about her in return for her ridiculousness, but I’ve grown up and I’ve realized that this is not the way that Jesus would have dealt with the same situation. Instead, I confronted her, asked her pointed questions about the issues, without alluding to my knowledge of her gossiping, and then I asked that she come to me if there are any problems she wished to discuss with me in the future. Her reaction was not one of retaliation, but instead she apologized for not talking to me about it first. I went to her with an attitude of forgiveness and I was willing to take the initiative to make things right between us. Unfortunately, her gossiping continued and I ended up requesting a transfer from that department and she lost her job. Have you ever faced a situation like this? In Psalm 41, David is dealing with a similar situation. “But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask. They visit me as if they were my friends but all they while they gather gossip, and when they leave they spread it everywhere. All who hate me whisper about me imagining the worst. “He has some fatal disease,” they say, “He will never get out of that bed!” Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food has turned against me” (5-9) Can you imagine being faced with a difficult time in your life and feeling so completely alone because even your friends have abandoned you and are talking badly about you? Some of you have been there, I know. That makes a situation that is already difficult to deal with even more so. But you know what? Even in the midst of this situation, David knew he wasn’t alone and the same goes for you. God is with you every step of the way. He is there to help you handle whatever comes your way. Gossiping about others and taking matters into your own hands only makes things worse. It never makes things better. Turn it over to God. He will take care of you.

He Will Come and Save You.

It was snowing pretty hard and the roads were already getting slick to drive on as the snow accumulated on them. I was coming home from working a late shift and I was definitely tired. I made sure I paid close attention to the road conditions and my speed, driving very carefully down the windy back roads that lead home. I yawned, glanced at the clock and then back at the road and before I knew it, my car was spinning around in circles down the road and out of control. When I finally stopped I ended up down a small bank in a field covered with at least a foot of snow, facing the wrong direction. I sat there for a minute trying to catch my breath, waiting for some of the adrenaline rush to subside. When I got out of the car to see if there was any way I would be able to get out on my own I noticed that I had just missed a telephone pole by mere inches. I also noticed that there was no way I was getting out of there without someone pushing me out, but I was alone. I got back in the car and called my parents, who lived nearby; I had no idea what I was going to do. Right in the middle of my conversation there was a knock on my driver’s side window. It definitely startled me. I rolled down the window to see a man in a snow suit smiling at me. He said, “Those roads are slippery, huh? Can my friends and I help you get back on the road?” I have to admit at 2:30 in the morning I was not amused by his humor, but I was glad to see someone and he brought friends. I thanked him and allowed him and his four friends, whom had all been out snowmobiling in the field I happened to stop in, to help me get back on the road. They came out of nowhere! I still have no idea who they were, but I am certainly thankful they were there to help me get out of the snowy field and back onto the road. I am also thankful that I was able to walk away with no damage to myself or my car. So many times in our lives we can find ourselves in situations like I was in. We are stuck in a pit waiting for someone to come to our rescue. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been in the pit of despair. I’ve felt hopeless and depressed, but God came to my rescue in the form of the people around me who love me and he rescued me out of that pit. He gave me what I needed to get back on my feet and walk forward. He supported me and guided me and encouraged me when I needed it the most. He did the very same thing for David. Time and time again, David found himself up against his enemies. He cried out for God to save him and it never happened right away. David had to wait for God to rescue him. But God did rescue him and he heard his cries. He lifted him out of the pit and set his feet on solid ground. God gave David what he needed when he needed it. “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing a hymn of praise to our God Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:1-3) God does the same for all of us. He hears our cries and he will come to the rescue of those he loves. He loves you greatly! Do you trust him to come to your rescue when you need him?

"He will come and save you. He will come and save you. Say to the weary one, Your God will surely come. He will come and save you." He Will Come and Save You - Don Moen

Power of Words

Have you ever said something and then immediately regretted it? I know I have. Sometimes we say things we don’t necessarily mean when we are angry, or hurt, or when we are trying to defend ourselves. Sometimes we say things that are meant to “poke fun” at others. Sometimes we are sarcastic towards others and sometimes we seek to maim with the words that come out of our mouths. The bottom line is words can hurt. The old “I’m rubber you’re glue whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you” saying that I know we have all said at some point, really is not true. It may be something you say over and over to yourself to lessen the sting of an unbridled tongue that went off in your direction, but when you think about it, words really do hurt. I remember one particular instance in my own life when words have hurt me. I had this “friend” who took it upon himself to make a list of everything he didn’t like about me and then he gave it to me, like someone gives you a present they are proud of. There was no other intention in writing that and giving that to me than to hurt me, and it did hurt me, for quite a while. I’m sure we all have been victims of someone else’s careless words at some point in our lives, but have you ever hurt someone with your careless words? Have you ever said something to someone, or even behind their backs with the intention of hurting them? I know I have. I’ll admit it. When someone hurts me, my first inclination is to hurt them right back. How many of you react the same way? If you are really honest with yourselves, most of you react the same way. I’ll be the first to tell you it is really hard to take it when someone says or does something mean and hurtful to me and not react in a negative way - really, really hard. I think even David understood that. Look at what he says in Psalm 39. “I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” But as I stood there in silence – not even speaking of good things – the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.” (1-3) Wow, so how many of you can identify with David here? I know I can. David was being attacked by his enemies and he wanted so badly to give them a good tongue lashing, but he knew that it would not be honoring to God. He knew that it was sinful, but what David also realized is that by dwelling on what was said and what had happened he was only making things worse for himself. Ever wonder why the Bible says our hearts and minds should be guarded? This would be why. We can sin in our hearts, we can sin in our minds, and we can sin with our mouths. Words are pretty powerful and they can really hurt people. They can also really encourage people. At the risk of sounding cliché, you need to decide whether or not you are going to use your words for good, or evil – whether or not you are going to honor or dishonor God in how you speak to and interact with others.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

Seriousness of Sin

Sin; it’s a word not very many of us like to discuss. It is, however, a word that needs to be discussed on a regular basis. You might be thinking right now, “Oh great, now, she wants to make me feel guilty all the time.” Well, that is not my intention here. My intention is to help you to realize just how serious sin is. Sin is not to be taken lightly. It is a huge deal. I hear so many Christians say, “Oh, it’s ok if I do it this time, God will forgive me.” If they are not outwardly saying that, they are showing that very same attitude in how they deal with sin in their own lives. I’ve been guilty of that as well. This is a big trap that the enemy sets out to ensnare us with. Minimizing sin has become common place in today’s culture. It’s no big deal to sin and living in sin? Well, now, that doesn’t matter either. These are some of the attitudes that our culture has. I say this not to make myself appear better than others, or to be judgmental, because I am a huge sinner! I just want you to see just how society has viewed sin as such a tiny matter. Sin is not a tiny matter. It is a huge one! You see, when you minimize sin, you are in effect minimizing the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made when he died on the cross for our sins and you can’t minimize sin without minimizing the power of the forgiveness that is offered to us. Is that something you really want to do? All of that also minimizes God, and that, folks, is something that I never want to do. The Bible says that the wages, or what you earn, for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) I’d say that makes sin a huge deal, wouldn’t you? Sin is offensive. It offends God, but not in the human sense of the word. Sin takes something that is meant to be pure and holy and totally destroys it. That is why it is offensive to God. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he struggled with sin in his own life. “My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.” (Psalm 38:4-8) David was well aware how serious sin was. He was reaping what he sewed, when he chose to sin. He was dealing with the consequences of his sin and his heart was broken. David was also truly sorry for what he had done. “But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done” (Psalm 38:18) Have you ever felt deeply sorry over a sin that you had committed? I know I have. When you love God and know that he loves you it is not easy to know that you have sinned against him and it hurts. It is imperative that you know that even though God sees the sin in your life, it doesn’t cast a shadow over the love that he has for you. He still sees the beautiful child that he created in his very own image. He loves you the same on your worst days as he does on your best days. He loves you the same all the time. All of this just shows me how much I need him and how much I need his love even more. How about you?

Walking With God

Flying on an airplane is not one of my favorite things to do. It makes me nervous. I get anxious. I don’t know why. Maybe it is because I also suffer from motion sickness. I guess the thought of getting sick on an airplane doesn’t exactly sound like fun to me. Or, maybe, it has something to do with being in the close proximity of so many random and strange people I don’t know. That makes me nervous when I am not even on a plane. Perhaps it is even because I know we are so incredibly high in the air. I don’t usually have a problem during take-off, typically, my nervousness increases as the plane begins to get closer to the ground. My anxiety level seriously increases during this time. These times of anxiety can be crippling, if I let them be, but I have chosen not to let them have that control over my life.

One thing that is the biggest help to me is a song that I sing quietly to myself every time I start to feel anxious in any situation. When I feel the anxiety coming on I start to sing, “Oh, God you are my God, and I will ever praise you. Oh, God you are my God and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning and I will learn to walk in your ways and step by step you’ll lead me and I will follow you all of my days.” I usually sing this over and over until I can feel the anxiety subside. It might seem silly, but not only does this work for me; it also reminds me that God is in control of that situation. It also reminds me that step by step each day, God leads me.

This is what David is saying in Psalm 37. “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every single detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall for the Lord holds them by the hand.” (23) I find great comfort in this verse. What encouraging truth is found here! God directs each and every one of our steps and he does so with such great care. He enjoys each and every detail of our lives. He delights in them. He is with us every step of the way to enjoy the journey with us. How do I know this? The Bible is full of passages that say that God is with us. He is near us. If you take a look at the end of this passage, it says that the Lord holds us by the hand. Wouldn’t that mean that he is walking WITH us? I can find great comfort in that! It is so comforting to know that my awesome God is right with me, holding my hand and walking with me each step of each day. He directs each one of my steps and leads me on the path that he has provided and created just for me. He does the same for you! It makes me want to intentionally go for a walk with Abba every day! Knowing that he is walking with me hand in hand each step of the way gives me such peace and strength. When is the last time you went for a walk with Abba Father?

You Are the Light of the World

One of my favorite authors of all time is C.S. Lewis. His insightful and poignant way of writing and explaining his point of view on God and living the Christian life has been impactful on my life. My favorite quote by C.S. Lewis continues to inspire me each time I read it. “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen. Not because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

In my own personal relationship God, I have found that the more I learn about him, the more things in my life are illuminated and the more clearly I see his plans for my life. It’s as if a veil is removed and I can see things for what they really are. It’s in knowing him that I find out who I really am and who I am meant to be. In this life, Christians are meant to be a light in a dark and dying world. We are meant to help those who are lost find their way back to God and into a right relationship with him. I think David understood the very same point that C.S. Lewis was trying to make. As I was reading Psalm 36, verse 9 really struck me. It says, “For you are the fountain of life, the light be which we see.” God is life. God is the light in the darkness. Everything comes from him. Jesus Christ illuminated many things, especially for the disciples, when he walked this earth. He exposed the lies that many had believed and he was willing to lead them to the truth. We need to be willing to lead others to the truth as well, giving them the light they need to illuminate this dark world and enabling them to find their way. Life is found in the light. Hope is found in the light. Truth is found in the light. Jesus Christ is the light. The Word of God is the light. We can be the light bringing hope, and truth, and love and even life into this dark world. It is what we are meant to do. This is the point I think C.S. Lewis was making. The world is much brighter when illuminated by the truth.

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father” (Matt 5:14-16)

On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand

At some point in our lives, we have all cried out to God to rescue us. Whether it would be from something or someone, we were all ready and willing for God to come in and save the day. In Psalm 35, David is once again calling out to God to save him. His enemies are after him again and David wants to be victorious over them. He knows that God is powerful enough to reach down and move him out of harm and he knows that God is powerful enough to wipe out his enemies without much effort at all. There’s something else that David is fully aware of as well. “Lord who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and the poor from those who rob them?” (Psalm 35:10) David raises some pretty good questions, don’t you think? There is absolutely no one who can measure up to what God is capable of and he is capable of such great things one cannot even fathom all that he can do. To David, God was his refuge, his impenetrable fortress, and his strong tower. God was David’s shield, his protector, his victory. He was the rock that could not be moved. David took refuge in him. He relied on him. He depended on him. He trusted him. He knew that God was mighty to save and he knew that God would bring him Victory. David relied on God all the time, not just when he was in trouble. How much do you rely on God? Where do you seek refuge? If you are not seeking refuge in the Lord, today, I encourage you to do so. He is the only one who truly is mighty to save and he is the only one who is worthy of your dedication. He rescues the weak from the strong and there is no one, absolutely no one who can even come close to him. "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand"

Praising God at All Times

Life is pretty difficult. I thought I’d mention the obvious. Sometimes it is full of happiness and excitement and other times it is full of sorrow and despair. I have found myself in the depths of that sorrow and despair fighting to hold on to every ounce of hope I had left on more than one occasion. It wasn’t easy to hold on. The world was taking hits at me left and right, threatening to take me down with every swing. I was struggling to keep my grasp, my hand tightly bound to the hope I had in Jesus Christ. At that time in my life, he was the only good thing I had going for me. Sure, I had friends who were there for me, but Jesus Christ was there for me all the time when I really needed him. He was there to pick me up when I let the world tell me who I was instead of the one who created me. This is a time in my life when I found such great solace in music. It could take me from the pit of despair to the throne room and at the feet of Jesus, where I would weep tears of joy for all that he had done for me, instead of tears of sorrow over my circumstances. If you have ever been in the pit of despair, you know how incredibly difficult it is to sing praises to God when you are so low you don’t even want to get out of bed in the morning. You know how difficult it is to even function as you normally would when all you can do is think about what you are going through.

There I was deep in the pit, holding on to the Lord, and I was listening to “How Can I Keep from Singing” by Chris Tomlin. In fact it was on repeat and I was even playing along on my guitar and singing too. It brought up a good question. How can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing praise to God? The one who has given me so much? How can I stop praising him? I realized that just based on his love for me alone, I had more than enough reason to praise him, even in the midst of some very scary circumstances. God loves me! He deserves my praise and so as hard as it was to praise him when I was feeling utterly hopeless, I gave everything I had to lift my voice in praise. There were other songs that helped me praise him during this time too. “Praise You in This Storm” by Casting Crowns was one. “I’ll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands, for you are who you are no matter where I am” It reminded me that God was still God no matter what I was going through in my life and he was still in control. “Love Lifted Me” , a hymn that says “when nothing else would help, love lifted me” The love of God that came from him through his children helped to lift me out of the pit of despair I was in and helped to bring me back to living the life that God has called me to. The love of God is such a powerful thing! Why? Because He is such a powerful God and the sacrifice he made on the cross was a powerful sacrifice made once for all. Now, there is a point to all this. When I read Psalm 34, I was reminded of the time I spent in the pit of despair and I was reminded of how difficult it was to praise God in the midst of it, but reading this psalm showed me that David understood this as well. David struggled with desperation. You can see it in practically all his psalms. He struggled with fear. That is there too! Yet, in every psalm he doesn’t forget who God is and he doesn’t forget to praise him.

“I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow will darken their faces. In my desperation, I prayed and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.” (1-6)

Wow! David had such great hope and confidence in the Lord! He knew what it meant to praise God at all times and he did! He praised God when things were going well for him and he praised God when he was fearful for his life. He truly was a man after God’s own heart. God was most certainly with David every step of the way. He heard David’s cries and he answered them. He blessed David and he loved David. He loves you too! He hears you when you cry out to him!

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time” (17-19).

The book of Psalms should be an encouragement to anyone, especially those who are struggling right now. If you have found yourself in the pit of despair, there is hope. You are loved. Despite what the world tries to tell you, or what others may even be telling you, you are loved greater than you can possibly imagine. God’s love for you is powerful enough that he sent his one and only son to die on the cross as payment for your sins. Jesus has paid that debt in full. He loves you greatly. If you are struggling in the pit right now, it is my prayer that you would hold on to that hope and that you would cry out to God. He will hear you. Call out to him and he will save you. He is right with you as you read this. If you are struggling and you can’t think of anything to praise God for, simply praise him because he loves you. God is good all the time. He loves you all the time. If you aren’t in a place where you are struggling today, what a good opportunity to thank God for rescuing you! What a great opportunity to spend some time praying for those in your life whom you know are struggling. When is that last time you stopped to praise God for loving you?

“Taste and see that that Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (8)

Why Do You Praise God?

One of the best things we can do when we are struggling is to stop and praise God simply for who he is. In all the psalms I have covered thus far, David has done that. When he has been fearful of his enemies and waiting on the Lord to rescue him, he has praised God for who he is. When God has heard his cry and has moved him out of danger, David praises God for who he is. When David feels totally alone, he praises God for who he is. Well, the Psalmist in Psalm 33 is no different. It begins, “Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord for it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to him, play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.” (1-3) I love the next verse. It and the rest of the psalm answer the question why. Why should we praise God? We’ve already seen that it is fitting and pure to praise him, is there any other reason? “For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” (4) God’s Word is true. His promises are true. Everything he has said has happened. We can trust him. For me this is something I hold on to. I have had many people in my life promise me many things only to be disappointed again and again. God keeps his promises. I have a plaque with that inscribed on it sitting where I can see it every day, to remind myself that the word of the Lord holds true, and I can trust him. There is no one else in this world that can live up to that standard. Everyone in my life is bound to disappoint me at some point, if haven’t already, and yes it is hard when they do, but I know that I serve a God who will never let me down, who keeps his promises and who loves me far greater than anyone on this earth has and will ever love me. The same is true for you! Do you trust that God will keep his promises? Do you trust in his holy Word? The other verse I really like in this psalm is verse 11. It says, “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever, his intentions can never be shaken” Wow, I just find such encouragement in knowing that all the plans that God has for me cannot be changed by something I do, or by something someone else does. His plan and purpose for my life will prevail over everything. That means no one can mess them up! That means that no matter how many times I fail, I cannot mess them up! Now, that is good news to me! The same is true for you. You can’t mess up the plans that God has for you. They are unshakable! Why? Because HE IS!! God keeps his promises and his plans cannot be altered by anyone. These are two big areas that I praise God for on a daily basis. I am so very thankful that I serve a God who loves me, who has a plan for me, whom I can trust, and whom is unshakable! Aren’t you? What do you praise God for?

Obeying God

Obeying God is very rarely an easy thing to do. We are all sinners and we all fall short of the standards that God has for us. Needless to say, obedience just doesn’t come naturally. Most of the time it is easier to disobey someone than it is to obey them and when it comes to God, obeying him causes us to make some pretty steep sacrifices while disobeying him results in some pretty steep consequences. Can you think about a time in your life when it was hard for you to obey your parents? How about a time in your life when it was hard for you to obey God? Have you ever had a time in your life when you have consciously chosen to disobey God, or even ignored what he has asked you to do? I can think of a couple instances in my own life. David had some in his own life. This could be why he had so many enemies. David took what didn’t belong to him, Bathsheba, and then he plotted to murder her husband, and he did. All of this went against what God had told him to do and it was all in direct disobedience to God’s Word. David may have sinned greatly against God, but God still called him a man after his own heart. Why? David was repentant of his sins. He turned his life around. David committed his life to following God, to seeking him every day, all the time. David loved God and knew that he was loved by God. He continually praised God and looked to God even in the midst of some of the scariest times in his life. He was eternally thankful for all that God had done for him and he never forgot who had rescued him in his darkest hour. David’s life was centered on God and even though he wasn’t perfect, he was still a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm 32, we can see just how thankful David is. “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty.” (1-2) David felt the power of the forgiveness that God offers to all those who accept it, regardless of what they have done. David knew the seriousness of sin as well. “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” (3-4) When we keep sin to ourselves and refuse to confess it, our bodies feel it. It eats away at us, it causes us stress in our lives and it slowly dwindles away all of our strength. Have you experienced that? I know I have. It is horrible! “When I finally confessed all my sins to you and I stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (5) I think the reason David felt so horrible about the sin in his life and the reason I felt so horrible about the sin in my life is because we both knew how wrong it was. We both knew we were rebelling against a loving God who only wanted the best for us and yet, we consciously chose to do what was contrary to his plans for us. This is what happens every time we sin. This is what happens every time YOU sin. You consciously choose to rebel against a loving God all for your own selfish gain. It’s like you walk right up to him and spit in his face. Now, I don’t know of very many people who would actually ever want to do that to God, but when we chose sin over God, essentially we are taking all that he has given us, throwing it in the garbage and spitting in his face. It is so very important that we recognize the seriousness of sin in our lives. It is not a light matter and it should not be taken lightly. The Bible clearly says that the wages of sin is death! (Romans 6:23) That means when we sin, we deserve death. It doesn’t matter what we do, or why we did it, we deserve death! I’d say that is pretty serious! That is why Jesus Christ came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. God knew it was a heavy price for all of us to pay and he loves us all enough to give us another chance. Jesus Christ died once for all on the cross. He paid the penalty that is owed by you and me when he sacrificed his life on the cross. This is not to say that there are not still consequences for our sinful actions, because there most certainly are. There is however, no more condemnation or punishment for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1-4) I mention all of this for a reason, while obeying God is not always, or actually is rarely ever the easiest thing to do, it is however, the best thing to do. God has every second of your life planned out. He knows exactly what is going to happen. He knows when you will fail and he knows when you will be successful in following him. He has provided a path designed specifically for you to walk on. He has one that he designed for me to walk on as well. No two paths are the same. God doesn’t take this lightly either. He took care in planning out our lives before we were even thought of by our parents. How amazing is that?! Following God in obedience is not a once and done thing. It is a one day at a time thing. Every day when I wake up I must choose to be obedient to God and the call that he has placed on my life. It is not always easy. Some days it is downright hard, but I know that God is with me each and every step of the way guiding me and directing me on the path that he has designed just for me. If you haven’t trusted God in this way, it is never too late. He loves you and has a plan and a purpose just for you. First, take some time to ask God to reveal to you any sin in your life, ask for forgiveness, and then ask him to show you what he would like for you to do for today. Keep moving ahead, fixing your eyes on him and forsaking everything else. He’s got your back. “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise and watch over you” (8)

He's By Your Side

Have you ever felt so completely alone? I think we all have at some point. There have been times in my life when I have been surrounded by people, but I have felt so totally isolated. I’ve wanted to speak up, speak out, and cry out, but the noise of all the other voices around me were so loud that I was drowned out. There have been times in my life when I have chosen to be silent; when I have chosen to keep to myself all the things that were eating away at me and destroying my heart. There have been times when I have felt attacked by other people and when merely being in their presence would cause me fear and anxiety.

One such instance was a few years ago at the very first “real” job I had, working as an X-Ray Technician at a Hospital. I was excited to begin my new career and my new job. I was excited to see all that was in store for me as I stepped out into the real world and there was nothing that was going to get me down, or so I thought. Things started out ok. I had to learn a whole new set of procedures from what I learned in school, but I was ready and willing to do so and I was trying really hard to do all that was asked of me. That is when the emails started. I would come into work to find emails from my boss belittling me, calling me names, and telling me I was a horrible person just about every day I came into work. Spending the first 15-20 minutes of my shift crying was becoming part of my normal routine. It seemed there was nothing I could to right in his eyes. Then he started calling me into his office and complaining to me about everything and anything he could possibly think of. He told me other people were complaining about me. He told me people wanted to leave because of me and he told me that I needed to think about whether or not I really wanted my job. Here I was working hard to please him and do what was asked of me and nothing I did was good enough. I ended up staying late almost every day so he could complain to me about something. He even started to complain to me about things that had nothing to do with me. Then he started asking my advice on how I thought things should be done in the department. Boy, was I confused and it took every ounce of strength I had not to take my shoe off and throw it at him. He said some pretty nasty things about my appearance and nothing that we talked about was ever recorded in the paperwork that went to Human Resources exactly as we talked about it. He always made me look worse. I felt totally alone. Everyone LOVED him. There was no one I could turn to. I battled some pretty fierce demons at this time in my life, depression being the biggest one. I cried a lot, but I didn’t really talk to very many people about all that was going on and this trend got me into some huge trouble when I found myself wanting to follow my sinful desires. I had some real live enemies and they were not backing down.

When I read the book of Psalms and I see David’s heart and hear his cries to God to rescue him, I am immediately brought right back to the place I mentioned just a bit ago, the place where I felt so completely alone. I couldn’t help but to cry when I read this passage in Psalm 31 “Have mercy on me Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and my soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors – even my friends are afraid to come to me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.” (9-13) I am even tearing up now as I read it again. How many of you can identify with what David is feeling here? I know I can. Feeling totally isolated is not a good feeling, especially when you are surrounded by people! I didn’t want anyone to know that I was struggling with depression because Christians are supposed to be happy, right?

Well, I was wrong and if you are thinking that today, dear one, there is hope! It is ok to not be happy all the time because you know what? The Bible does not say that following Christ will guarantee your happiness. It doesn’t say that you will be happy all the time. It also doesn’t say that you HAVE to be happy all the time. Following Christ is HARD, it was never meant to be easy, otherwise how meaningful would Christ’s sacrifice on the cross really be? Some of you might be thinking, well, fantastic, now what? The whole point to following Christ, is knowing that you have someone who loves you greatly, who has a plan for your life and who has your best interest in mind by your side all the time. Once you know this, you can show the very same love that has been shown for you, when Christ died on the cross for your sins, to all those whom you come into contact with. It’s continually seeking God with everything you have all the time and not just when you want to or when you want something. Christianity is not about religion and getting what you want and being happy. It is about having a relationship with the God who created you and loves you each and every day whether or not you are happy to see him! David totally understood that and that is why he was able to be so real with God. That is why he was able to be crying out to God and asking him to rescue him, or asking God why he had forgotten about him and then in the next minute he is praising God for who he is or thanking God because he has answered his prayers! I cannot stress the importance of being real with God enough. I mean, really, there is no reason to be “fake” with him. He knows everything anyways, so you might as well just tell him. David was real with God and you can be too.

I’ve already shown you that David cried out to God to rescue him from his enemies in Psalm 31. While he was waiting for an answer, David praised God for who he was. “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence far from accusing tongues.” (19-20) I really believe David did this as a reminder to himself of who God is and I think this really encouraged him to continue to wait upon the Lord. I think it gave him the strength he needed to carry on. This is what knowing God does! The more you know him, the more weapons you have in your back pocket when the enemies are closing in.

David also never forgot to thank God for all that he had done for him. In this passage, he thanks God for answering his cry. “Praise the Lord for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.” (21-22) David was truly thankful that God saved him from his enemies. I often wonder if David even had a clue about just how encouraging all that he wrote would be for those that read it. I wonder if he even knew that people would be reading it one day.

I think it is interesting that after all of this, David even takes the time to offer a few words of encouragement. “Love the Lord all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. So be strong and courageous all you who put your hope in the Lord.” (23-24)

I think those are some words we can all take to heart. Be strong and courageous because following Christ is not easy, but God is mighty to save. He loves you and will hear you when you cry out to him. You are never truly alone when you have him right by your side.