Sing a New Song. Psalms 33-34; Colossians 3

May the mumbling commence!

Warm up those vocal cords!  It’s time to sing a new song to the Lord.  OR it’s time to sing an old song in a new way.

This coming Sunday, the church where I minister will be having a hymn sing in lieu of a sermon.  I always look forward to those types of Sundays because I get to sing my old favorite hymns and learn some new hymns that are a favorite for someone else.

Indeed, it’s a time of joyfulness and praise.  Praise the Lord!  Alleluia!  Read from the beginning of Psalm Thirty-three:

  Let the godly sing with joy to the Lord,

for it is fitting to praise him. 

Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre;

make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. 

Sing new songs of praise to him;

play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy. (Verses 1-3)

Think about the words that you sing, and sing them with unbridled joy.  Too often, we do not see the beauty in the poetry of the songs that we sing.  Their beauty is hidden in the form of the written music. 

It is powerful to see the words of a hymn in their poetic form.  Let the joy bubble forth!

And together we make melodies.  Different notes are utilized.  Harmonies may complement unison.

It is refreshing to sing a new song… let it soak into our heart and soul.  It is also refreshing to sing an old favorite in a new way.  The meaning of the words is given new vitality in a new setting.

We taste these songs with our ears and our souls.  We taste and see that the Lord is good.  Read a verse from Psalm Thirty-four:

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! (Verse 8)

Trust in the Lord and find joy beyond your comprehension.  Makes you want to sing doesn’t it?  It makes me want to sing… well make a joyful noise anyway.

It is the call of the Apostle Paul to the Colossian church.  Read from chapter three:

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 

Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Verses 12-17)

Singing well cultivates the fruit of the Spirit.  Many of the fruits of the Spirit are seen in this passage.  These fruits bring about harmony in the church body… unity in diversity.

So sing old and new hymns to you with the same joy and thankfulness.  Everything that we say and do is an offering to the Lord and marks us as either a good or poor representative of Christ Jesus.  Wow!

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out

Forgiven. Psalm 31-32; Colossians 2

May the mumbling commence!

Through the work of Jesus and our faith in that work, we are forgiven.  Rejoice!  It is the only proper response.  Read from Psalm Thirty-two:

Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, 

            whose sin is put out of sight! 

Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin,

whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 

When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, 

             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.

Interlude 

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them.

I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord."

And you forgave me!

All my guilt is gone.

Interlude 

Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion 

            to you while there is time,

that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 

For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

Interlude (Verses 1-7)

There is great joy in forgiveness.  No longer is our sin in the sight of the Lord because of what Jesus did.  It is time for us to be honest with ourselves.

That means confessing our sins.  Confess sins and be healed… forgiven… guilt-free.  And the Lord provides for us a hiding place… a place of protection… a place of the Lord’s victory.  May it be so!

Make us dead to sin, O God, so that we might live a new life in the resurrection of Jesus.  Read from Colossians chapter two:

When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure – the cutting away of your sinful nature.  For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross.  In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ. (Verses 11-15)

In baptism, we are buried with Christ.  Our sinful natures bite the dust, but we are raised from the dead to live anew in the light of Christ Jesus.  Victory is ours!  We have only to claim it.  And the currency of that victory is right relationships with both God and all of creation.

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out

The Peril of Good Times. Psalms 29-30; Colossians 1

May the mumbling commence!

Beware of good times.  Beware that you begin to depend on your own devices.  It is a good way to be shattered upon the hard rocks of life.  Read a couple of verses from Psalm Thirty:

When I was prosperous I said,

"Nothing can stop me now!" 

Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.

Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. (Verses 6-7)

Many people are terrified of the valleys of life – and for good reason.  But, it is NOT the case with good times.  It is all too easy to begin to depend upon our own resources and forget God.

Then, we relearn the old saying, “Don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”

It is only the favor of the Lord that makes us secure… not or money or possessions or knowledge.  Only the Lord makes secure.  May we remember that lesson when things are going good for us.

That is the kind of wisdom that the Apostle Paul prays for the Colossian church.  Read from Colossians chapter one:

So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.  Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better. 

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the light.  For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.  God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins. (Verses 9-14)

In that security in the Lord, we receive complete understanding and spiritual wisdom… over time.  That waiting… and waiting well is where patience and endurance need to come in.  Allow the joy of the Lord to be your strength.

And thank the Father.  God has opened a way for our freedom.  Now that is prosperity and good fortune.  May we not misuse it!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Sanctuary. Psalms 24-28

May the mumbling commence!

“Who do you run to when it all comes down?”

These are lyrics from a song by the rock group called “Heart”.  So, who do we run to when it seems like our life is falling down around us?  It makes me think of the meaning of sanctuary… a place to go for protection.

Sometimes, we might need something like a City of Refuge like in the days of the Hebrew Bible.  These cities of refuge were places to run to when a person accidentally killed someone.  There, they would be protected from the avenger from the dead person’s family… if they were found blameless in the death.

Sometimes, we simply need a place of safety and rest in times of storm that seem to have no bearing on our actions.  Sanctuary is an important function of the house of the Lord that we may have forgotten.  We may have forgotten that the church is not a holding pen for the righteous but a hospital for sinners.

These thought erupted for me as I read this portion of Psalm Twenty-seven.  Read it below:

The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord's perfections 

and meditating in his Temple. 

For he will conceal me there when troubles come; 

             he will hide me in his sanctuary.

He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 

Then I will hold my head high, above my enemies who surround me.

At his Tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,

singing and praising the Lord with music. 

Listen to my pleading, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."

And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming." 

Do not hide yourself from me. Do not reject your servant in anger.

You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now;

don't abandon me, O God of my salvation! 

Even if my father and mother abandon me, 

            the Lord will hold me close. 

Teach me how to live, O Lord.

Lead me along the path of honesty, 

for my enemies are waiting for me to fall. 

Do not let me fall into their hands.

For they accuse me of things I've never done 

and breathe out violence against me. 

Yet I am confident that I will see the Lord's goodness 

            while I am here in the land of the living. 

Wait patiently for the Lord. 

            Be brave and courageous. 

            Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. (Verses 4-14)

The house of the Lord is a place to go for sanctuary in times of storm.  The Temple is a place to run to when everything seems to be falling apart.  And, in that place of rest and security and protection, we might be transformed.

We will find delight.  We will find restoration through sacrifice.  We will find ample reason to worship the Lord.  We will find teachings that will help to guide our life in the land of the living.

And, if we wait well… if we are patient, we will rediscover our courage to be and do and stand as the Lord has created us to be.  

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out

The Lord Is My Shepherd. Psalm 22-23; Philippians 4

May the mumbling commence!

God loves us.  That is without question.  God provides for us and directs us.  God shows us the way to transformation – personally and as a community.  God shows us the way to transform people we have trouble getting along with into friends… one that we share table fellowship with.

God is our Shepherd.  These thoughts are the deep compassionate love of God made known in Psalm Twenty-three.  It is a well known and well loved Psalm.  Psalm Twenty-three has made its way into the consciousness of people outside the circle of Christian faith.  This Psalm is beloved because it reminds us of God’s love for us through all times in our lives.  Read it below:

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have everything I need. 

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams. 

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 

Even when I walk through the dark valley of death,

I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings. 

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  

I find rest in the Lord… rest in green meadows and along peaceful streams.  And my strength is renewed.  With newfound strength, I will seek the path the Lord, my Shepherd, has put before me.

I greatly desire to honor the name of the Lord.

When hard times come up, I trust in the Lord’s presence and protection.  I am comforted.  My enemies will join me at the banquet prepared by the Lord.

My blessings overflow.  Thank you, God.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Your loving care, O Lord, follows me wherever I go.  With You nearby, I will always dwell safely in Your house.  Praise God!

And I give thanks for the fellowship of all my Christian brothers and sisters.  Indeed our cups overflow!  Read from the end of Philippians in chapter four:

At the moment I have all I need – more than I need! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable to God and pleases him.  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.  Now glory be to God our Father forever and ever. Amen. (Verses 18-20)

Yes!  No doubt about it!  God loves us.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

God, the King, Saves. Psalms 20-21; Philippians 3

May the mumbling commence!

God save the king?  No, God is the King!  Read from Psalm Twenty:

In times of trouble, may the Lord respond to your cry.

May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm. 

May he send you help from his sanctuary

and strengthen you from Jerusalem. 

May he remember all your gifts

and look favorably on your burnt offerings.                          Interlude 

May he grant your heart's desire

and fulfill all your plans. 

May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory,

flying banners to honor our God.

May the Lord answer all your prayers. (Verses 1-5)

Who alone is worthy of our gifts and burnt offerings?  God is.  God is King.

Whose victory do we celebrate?  Is it the victory of a human king or president?  NO!  We celebrate the victory of our God and seek the fulfillment of God’s plans.

So, it’s not God save the king.  It is God the King saves.  Think about that one!

May we throw away our own reasons for self confidence and embrace knowing Christ Jesus by faith – just as the Apostle Paul does in Philippians chapter three.  Read a passage from it below:

Yet I could have confidence in myself if anyone could. If others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!  For I was circumcised when I was eight days old, having been born into a pure-blooded Jewish family that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin. So I am a real Jew if there ever was one! What's more, I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.  And zealous? Yes, in fact, I harshly persecuted the church. And I obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that I was never accused of any fault. 

I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.  Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. (Verses 4-9)

Let’s not play the credentials game.  Instead, let’s pursue knowing Jesus more and more together.  That is priceless – paid in full by the grace and mercy on love displayed through Jesus.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

For the Beauty of the Earth! Psalm 18-19; Philippians 2

May the mumbling commence!

For the beauty of the earth!  Oh, creation makes my heart sing!  There are wonderful verses at the beginning of Psalm Nineteen… wonderful verses to read in this week that celebrates the creation… the earth specifically.  Read them below:

The heavens tell of the glory of God.

The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. 

Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known. 

They speak without a sound or a word;

their voice is silent in the skies; 

yet their message has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to all the world.

The sun lives in the heavens

where God placed it. 

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom

after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete

eager to run the race. 

The sun rises at one end of the heavens

and follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat. (Verses 1-6)

Creation has eloquence that our human words cannot touch.  Its message is without rival.  Let us take time look and listen.  If we do, we will begin to see the wondrous love that the Lord has for all creation.

Indeed, every knee will bow before our Lord Jesus.  All the knees of creation!  Read from Philippians chapter two:

Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 

Though he was God,

he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 

He made himself nothing;

he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 

And in human form he obediently humbled himself

even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. 

Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven

and gave him a name that is above every other name, 

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father. (Verses 5-11)

Join the chorus of the creation in praise of the Lord God, who created it.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Joyful, Restful & Secure. Psalm 16-17; Philippians 1

May the mumbling commence!

With the Lord at our side, we will not be shaken.  We will not be moved.  Joy will be our reward.  We rest safely and securely in the Lord’s hand.  Read from Psalm Sixteen:

I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. 

I know the Lord is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 

No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises!

My body rests in safety. 

For you will not leave my soul among the dead

or allow your godly one to rot in the grave. 

You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Verses 7-11)

O how wonderful to be with the Lord!  The very thought steadies me.  God is the best personal trainer for my heart attitudes. 

What joy!  What safety!  What rest is ours!

There is joy in the presence in the presence of the Lord.  It is worth repeating.  There are pleasures beyond our imagination when we live with the Lord forever.

Through Christ, death in defeated.  Decay is not in our future when we trust in Jesus.  Praise the Lord!

May that message of life be preached no matter the motive – just as the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians chapter one:

Some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.  They preach because they love me, for they know the Lord brought me here to defend the Good News.  Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.  But whether or not their motives are pure, the fact remains that the message about Christ is being preached, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.  For I know that as you pray for me and as the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will all turn out for my deliverance. (Verses 15-19)

Yes, even when it causes me pain and grief, the preaching of the message of life through Christ Jesus is a cause for unbridled rejoicing.  There is no end to the joy.

May it be so!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out