Thursday, November 19, 2009

Dinner with the Dead Guy.

The way that John writes this, it's almost like it's no big deal. Which I guess it's really not a big deal for Christ who is all-powerful. I'm still amazed at the thought of sitting down to dinner with a guy who not too long ago was wrapped up and in a tomb.

John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table

Lord, thank you for showing your amazing power.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Desperation

Kenny spoke on one of my favorite topics yesterday - Desperation. He spoke of the woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus Daughter. Two people whose lives were vastly different, but both came to Jesus with reckless abandon, because they were desperate for help. And he helped them.

Today I read Psalm 107 - if you're ever feeling desperate, this is the Psalm for you.

107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.

39 When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
42 The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Lord, let us tell the world of how you deliver desperate people even as you have delivered us.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Psalmist Got His Wish...

Psalm 102:18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

His words were recorded - and we are praising.

Hallelujah!

Friday, November 06, 2009

Sometimes Loving Means Hating...

From today's reading...

Psalm 97:10
O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Monday, November 02, 2009

From Everlasting.

I'm from 1971. Maybe you're from 1949 or 1996. Where is God from?

Psalm 93:2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.

Still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that God has no beginning and no end. That is incredible.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Now No Condemnation.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Now No Condemnation.

This is a message worthy of spreading. Shout it from the rooftops and in the ball stadiums and over the internet. Now No Condemnation.

There is a catch - You must be in Christ.

Lord, Thank you for providing freedom in Your Son.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Into the Sanctuary

The psalmist was envious of the wicked, upset that though he tried to live a righteous life, he was not prospering as the wicked man was. He was having difficulty understanding the prosperity of the wicked until he went into the sanctuary...

Psalm 73:16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

We need quiet time with God for many reasons, but this is one of them - to discern truth about life. Spending time with God helps me remember why I'm here and what this life is all about. In case we forget - the Psalmist reminds us at the end of this song...

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


Lord, our flesh will fail. Be our strength and our portion.