Job Description for Following the Lord. Psalm 14-15; Ephesians 6

May the mumbling commence!

What does it mean to worship God rightly?  What is the job description of a worshiper of the Lord?  Read Psalm Fifteen:

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?

Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? 

Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,

speaking the truth from sincere hearts. 

Those who refuse to slander others

or harm their neighbors

or speak evil of their friends. 

Those who despise persistent sinners,

and honor the faithful followers of the Lord

and keep their promises even when it hurts. 

Those who do not charge interest on the money they lend,

and who refuse to accept bribes to testify against the innocent.

Such people will stand firm forever.

Well, there you have it.  Lead a blameless life.  Do what is right.  What does that mean?  The psalmist goes on to give examples.

Do not slander or harm or speak evil of anyone.  Despise habitual sinners.  Honor those who faithfully follow the Lord.  (Who decides that?  Not you or me!  God alone can decide the faithfulness of His followers.)  Keep your promises – even when it hurts to do so.  Lend money with no interest.  Do not accept bribes.  Do not testify against the innocent.

The only human being living or dead that can fulfill this job description is Jesus.  Thank God for Christ’s work on our behalf!  Let’s attempt to walk the path of obedience that Jesus blazed for us.

And that walk encompasses all of our lives – especially our day-to-day work lives.  Read from Ephesians chapter six:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.  Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.  Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. (Verses 5-8)

Work hard.  Work with enthusiasm.  Have an exemplary attitude.  You work not for your human employer.  You work for the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a work ethic that I strive for.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Stubborn Faith in God. Psalm 12-13; Ephesians 5

May the mumbling commence!

Be stubborn in your faith in the Lord God.  Stubborn faith in the face of all adversity… and of all prosperity will be rewarded.  God’s love is unfailing.  Read Psalm Thirteen:

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?

How long will you look the other way? 

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,

with sorrow in my heart every day?

How long will my enemy have the upper hand? 

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!

Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die. 

Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!"

Don't let them rejoice at my downfall. 

But I trust in your unfailing love.

I will rejoice because you have rescued me. 

I will sing to the Lord because he has been so good to me.

In his desolation, the psalmist feels abandoned… forgotten.  How long, O Lord, must we suffer indignation at the hands of evil people?  The question has been on our hearts and even our lips from time to time.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions like this one.  God can take it.  God can take it and transform it into something beautiful.

That is where our trust in the Lord comes in.  God’s love is unfailing.

Rejoice no matter the circumstances.  It is an attitude of gratitude deeply imbedded in the Lord.  Rescue will come from the Lord. 

Keep your eyes open.   Rescue may come in a form that we least expect.  And, when we see that salvation, let us sing unto the Lord who has been so good to us.

These are the kinds of songs that we sing when we embrace the life God is calling us to.  Read from Ephesians chapter five:

So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days.  Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.  Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Verses 15-20)

Let’s make the most of the opportunities that the Lord gives us by trying to understand what God wants us to do.  There is no better spirit than the Holy Spirit to fill and control our lives.  Sing psalms and spiritual songs in all times in your life.  Always give thanks.  Now that is the Christ-like attitude that we should strive for!

Enough mumbling for now…  Peace Out

Celebrate Resurrection! Psalms 7-11

May the mumbling commence!

Jesus is risen.  Christ lives forevermore.  Death is defeated!  Where is your sting, O Death?

Today we celebrate resurrection.  Rise to a new life in Christ Jesus.  God thought so much of us that He sent Jesus to take the penalty for our sin – all that we did wrong and all that we neglected to do.

It makes me feel very small.  I am a reason that Jesus had to die on the cross.

It makes me feel genuinely cherished.  In all of creation, God cares for you and me.  That’s astonishing!  That’s amazing!

Indeed, the majesty of the Lord fills all the earth.  Read Psalm eight:

O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens. 

You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise.

They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge. 

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—

the moon and the stars you have set in place—

what are mortals that you should think of us,

mere humans that you should care for us? 

For you made us only a little lower than God,

and you crowned us with glory and honor. 

You put us in charge of everything you made,

giving us authority over all things—

the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals, 

the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,

and everything that swims the ocean currents. 

O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!

Talk about God’s favor!  We are honored and loved.  There is no question.

Our lives matter.  God cares when no one else does.  So do NOT abuse the authority that the Lord gives us.

Look at all of creation and gain perspective.  Love all of creation and live LARGE – live life God’s Way, Christ’s Way.  Only then will our authority have proper context.  God cares about the smallest of his creations.  SO SHOULD WE.

Celebrate resurrection.  Live life God’s Way, Christ’s Way.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Tidal Wave of God's Love. Psalms 5-6; Ephesians 4

May the mumbling commence!

What gives us access to the Lord?  It is not our good deeds.  It is not for any intrinsic qualities that we may possess.  We are welcomed into the Lord’s presence based solely upon the unfailing love of the Lord God.  Read from Psalm Five:

Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;

with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple. 

Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me.

Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn. (Verses 7-8)

We enter God’s presence on the tidal wave of His love.  For no other reason can we worship in the presence of our Lord and Creator.  We give God our deepest awe.  The Lord alone is worthy of worship.

And part of worship is walking on the right path… the path that Jesus has blazed before us.  The path of Jesus disarms enemies and transforms them into friends… into brothers and sisters.  Lead us, O Lord.  Show us the Way.  All of us are dependent upon You.

Let’s live with the humbling knowledge.  And may that knowledge transform our relationships with all people.  Read from Ephesians chapter four:

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.  Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. (Verses 1-3)

Blessed unity in the family of Jesus Christ!  And this unity is not one of forced conformity.  It is a unity in the midst of diversity… like the diversity of the human body.  Peace can only be achieved through unity in the midst of diversity.

It is extremely difficult work.  Peace and harmony runs counter to the world.  But peace and justice and harmony… and unity are clearly the works that Christ calls us to.

Thank God for the tidal wave of His love for us!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Safe and Secure from All Alarms. Psalm 3-4; Ephesians 3

May the mumbling commence!

You and I can rest in the Lord.  We are secure.  There is that old rhyme: “Now I lay me down to sleep”.  Though its words are not biblical, there is a biblical precedent for them.  Read the last verse of Psalm Four:

I will lie down in peace and sleep,

for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. (Verse 8)

Through the Lord, we have a peace that surpasses understanding.  We can let go and rest deeply, knowing that we are safe.  And many of us know that feeling.  I have known that feeling when I am in the arms of the people I hold dear… the people I love.

There is nothing like the feeling when your child falls asleep in your arms.  It is a feeling that you cannot fully comprehend until you experience it.  It is precious.

But what is the foundation of this peace we have in the Lord?  Read the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church that is recorded in Ephesians chapter three:

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. (Verses 14-21)

The root of our peace in Christ is found in his love.  We struggle to comprehend that love.  It is beyond our capacity.

We need the power of God’s wisdom so that we can begin the lifelong process of learning that love – how wide it is, how deep it is, and how high it is.  That is the definition of the fullness of life that we find in Christ Jesus.  It is much more than we can dare to dream, hope or imagine.

In awe, praise the Lord!  Sing hallelujah.  Sing this Good Friday, through the tears of confession as Jesus takes our penalty on the cross.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Join in the Psalms! Psalm 1-2; Ephesians 2

May the mumbling commence!

Now, we start our journey through the Psalm book of the Bible.  And what better way to start than with Psalm One!  Read it below:

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. 

But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;

day and night they think about his law. 

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season without fail.

Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper. 

But this is not true of the wicked.

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 

They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly. 

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Here there are two paths juxtaposed.  One is wide and leads to destruction.  One is narrow and leads to life and prosperity.  The latter is like the edge of a keenly sharpened knife – stray but a little and it will fail.  These words echo the words we find in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series.  These words came from the mouth of Galadriel and were spoken to Frodo.

Thinking about these two paths can be worrisome.  Thank God for grace and mercy!  Thank God for the work of Christ Jesus!  Read from Ephesians chapter two:

God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Verses 8-10)

God’s special favor rests upon us – the Lord’s masterpiece.  We are created anew in Christ so that we can be what God originally planned for us to be.  How freeing is that?!?

Rejoice in these freedoms and use them wisely.  Rejoice especially this week – Holy Week.  Trek with Jesus to Jerusalem.  Today is Maundy Thursday.  Find yourself at the table with Jesus and his disciples the night Jesus was betrayed.

Live with the sadness of Good Friday.

With these steps of Jesus, we can fully appreciate the resurrection.  Celebrate Jesus!  He is risen!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Pray, Pray, Pray... Job 41-42; Ephesians 1

May the mumbling commence!

Don’t want to pray for your tormentors?  Join the club.  But, before we jump the gun too fast, read how Job prayed for his “friends” who tormented him through his time in the valley of the shadow of death.  Read from Job chapter forty-two:

After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was.  Now take seven young bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not been right in what you said about me, as my servant Job was." 

So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer. 

When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! (Verses 7-10)

It was Job’s prayer for his friends that restored his fortunes.  Job received twice as much as he had before this valley experience!  Pray for your tormentors and receive rich blessing from the Lord.  Let us meditate on that thought this Holy Week.

How should we pray?  Read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians from Ephesians chapter one:

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.  I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. 

I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.  Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.  And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church.  And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence. (Verses 15-23)

Constant prayer for our fellow brothers and sisters – it’s what we’re called to.  Pray for wisdom and understanding.  The goal is that we might know God better.  Pray for the light of Christ to reveal the wonderful future that awaits us.  It’s a rich and glorious inheritance.  Believe and receive incredible power from on high.

Christ is King!  Hallelujah!  Let’s walk in his Way… the way of obedience and constant prayer to the Lord God.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out