Word of Mouth

You may have heard it said that “word of mouth” is the best advertising. Have you ever wondered why that is the case? It is simple really; we trust the opinions and insight of Word of Mouththose we trust. Imagine that! I can think of many times when I’ve asked people I trust for recommendations when I needed work done on my house, my car, medically, etc. I trust other people’s experiences. Even for less serious things like vacations. People come back from vacation and they talk about their experiences. It is fresh on their mind, they’re excited about it, and they want to share with the people in their lives. However, far too often we shy away from this same concept when it comes to sharing our faith. I know I do. Psalm 105 starts with three concepts: 1) give thanks…2)call upon his name…3)make known his deeds. As Christians we may find it easier to do the first two than the third. We are often too worried about what others will think and maybe we are afraid that they will no longer want to be friends with us. This is a lie from Satan. Very rarely are the people in our lives so shallow that with a genuine sharing of what is important to us would they refuse to be friends or talk to us. For example, how many times have you or I passed up the opportunity to talk about what we learned on a Sunday when on Monday someone asks how was your weekend? Do you answer that by telling them about what you did or what God did? Most of the time I’ve focused on what me and my family did rather than what God did through church or my small group. How about you? And folks, this is just one example. I challenge you to join me in answering that one question differently from now on! Start with this and I bet we will find many other opportunities to “make known his deeds”.

 

 

Lord, help me to put the focus on you and to share with others the joy of my salvation. Amen.

 

 

 

Where to Start

Have you ever looked at changes you need to make and thought, “Where do I start?” If not, please write a book so the rest of us can figure out your secret. This is probably one of the most difficult questions to answer and certainly there are many books and articles about setting goals and learning how to follow through on those goals. Often, however, we make this more difficult than it needs to be and when it comes to making changes in our spiritual lives we often start in the wrong place. I can remember having conversations with friends about what I need to be doing different at church – talking about ways I could serve better and more effectively. I’ve talked with friends about ways to serve within the community and how to be a better witness within the community and the world. We’ve also talked about ways to be a better Christian in the workplace and how we can impact those relationships with the Gospel. When we get outside of these areas the conversation becomes more uncomfortable because we have to get in each other’s personal space and in their daily lives. Psalm 101 offers a great perspective on where we should start making changes when considering how to walk blameless. First it starts with our heart! To grow in our relationship with Christ, we learn to “walk with integrity of heart”. We do this by reading His Word and aligning our internal life – our thoughts, motives, attitude, desires, etc. – with what we learn about God through His Word. The second, place to make changes is in our household. This is talking about how we conduct ourselves at home. When we think the world isn’t watching, whether single or married, how do we conduct ourselves at home? Do you live daily at home with integrity of heart? When your head hits the pillow at night and you drift off to sleep, are your thoughts filled with Godly thoughts or does your mind wander to places it shouldn’t? So as you go through this Christmas season and approach the new year, ponder the way that is blameless and start by examining your heart and your home.

 

Lord, help me to walk with integrity of heart and change my heart oh God! Help me to see how I walk at home and give me the desire to make the changes to become more like you. Amen!

Thanksgiving from Psalm 96

As we enter the Thanksgiving holiday week here in the U.S., take a moment to read Psalm 96 and let it be your guide to praising God and giving him thanks:

1.  Sing a new song

If you have my musical abilities this can be frightening thoughts so here are a few suggestions. Lookup praise and worship songs on youtube or ask some friends to recommend something they have heard recently – a great conversation starter for any friendship. Also think outside of the box, like poetry and sing that to God. I’ll sing my new song in my head this week and base it on his salvation and blessing His name (verse 1).

2.  Declare His glory and works

What has God done, specifically, in your life this year? Maybe you’ve had peace in difficult times; maybe unexpected blessings; maybe you are learning to find joy in struggles. Whatever it is give Him the glory rather than accepting praise as your own. Remember your accomplishments are not yours but are His and for His glory.

3.  Fear God above all others

This may seem out of place but it actually fits perfectly. The word means to “fear; morally, to revere” and so as such we take an active role in be thankful that He is above all. Think about all the possible gods we let creep into our lives…idols, things, people, success, pride, etc., that we put before God at times in our life. By placing appropriately fearing God we recognize his ultimate place. Be thankful for a reverent fear of God this Thanksgiving.

4.  Ascribe strength to God

Ascribe is an active acknowledging of this attribute of God’s character. Give thanks to God by acknowledging this attribute of God. How has God been your source of strength this year? Take a moment to think about and give Him thanks for having that strength the we so desperately need each day!

5.  Ascribe glory due Him

Again, take time to acknowledge His glory. This is not something we just need to see but we need to recognize that glory is due Him! He owns it…He is it…He deserves all the glory we and everything in the universe can muster! This Thanksgiving take heart and passionately give him glory. Two ways mentioned in verse 8 are to bring offerings and to come into his courts. He wants your time, energy, possessions, and for you to be in relationship with Him.

6.  Worship in the splendor of His holiness

Give thanks to God for his splendor, His beauty, and His holiness. One way of expressing our thanks is to worship Him. Don’t wait for a special time, worship Him now, today, in whatever you are doing.

7.  Tremble before Him

This is a cry for us and all the earth to tremble before Him but this trembling is more like a trembling dance in awe of the splendor of His holiness. This is a joyful trembling. I don’t dance. It’s not that I don’t dance well…it’s that I don’t dance at all. Join me in trembling before God this week – we can laugh together as we give thanks to God in this way!

8.  Let all of nature give thanks.

Take some time to go outside and look at all that God has created. Give him thanks and listen to and watch nature give thanks to God. The sounds, the smells, the visuals, and the feel of all that God created give thanks to Him for being the Creator.

 

Lord, I worship you and give you thanks will all that I have today. Amen!

Listening is Praise

ListeningIsPraiseQuoteListening, hearing, and doing, are often discussed in parenting and relationships but rarely do we look at where and how it relates to our praise of God. Listening has been defined repeatedly and hopefully by now you realize the active nature involved in listening!

The psalmist in Psalm 95 invites us into praising God and goes through the typical how and why about praising God. What I find interesting here is the inclusion of our response in verses 7-8. It just seems to be something that we rarely think about. God wants our response to who he is and his relationship with us to be one of listening with our hearts. A big part of what pleases God in our relationship with Him is when we listen – truly listen and in doing so, not hardening our hearts. He wants our hearts. Listening is critical to our heart and our praise. Now this verb for listening means to hear intelligently. It’s not just hearing something and assuming it comes from God. It is about knowing what was heard because of the relationship that we are in with God. In order to hear intelligently, you need to recognize his voice – knowing that what He is saying is in line with His Word. Then we have to work to not harden our hearts. Again a verb. We do this. It does not happen passively. We intelligently hear his voice and act accordingly because He loved us first and we love Him. By acting on what we hear from Him, we guard our hearts against becoming hardened, cruel, and fierce, because our hearts are firmly, intelligently in His will, grace, and mercy.

Lord, help me to listen intelligently and to be able to hear your voice more clearly each day. Today, as I listen help me to move to action! Amen.

 

Where Do You Live?

I live at the office. I live on the golf course. I live at church. I live on the computer. I live in Tennessee. I live in my head. And there are so many more responses to this question that I’m sure you’ve heard or even said yourself. Have you ever really taken the time to think about the number of places that we “live” each day. Often we use this phrase as an active doing that we are living in – we use it as a verb. However, think about using it as a noun. A place, somewhere you intentionally go to be. A dwelling place. Not a place to do but a place to be – to exist – a place to stay. Most of these places or ideas that we choose to retreat to are the result of our attempts to find a resting place in a stressful world. Psalm 91 is a great reminder of how we need to deal with the stresses, fears, anxieties of life. Psalm 91 tells when we have God as our dwelling place then He provides protection. I was reminded of this at lunch this when a friend used the old adage “not under my roof”! The owner of the house provides the protection to those who choose to continue living there. It’s funny how we are often willing to think that way about our house, but we want God to protect us from this life while choosing to do things our own way. Psalm 91 verse 9 starts with “because” which tells us that protection is provided as a result of choosing to dwell with God. To be, exist, live, stay in Him. When you make God your dwelling place, then you are under his protection. Consider this week all the places that you would offer as an answer to “Where do you live?” and evaluate if you are choosing to dwell in that place instead of dwelling with the LORD.

 

Lord, thank you for making a way possible for me to dwell with you. Today I choose to leave behind the worldly places I live in each day and instead want to dwell with you. Amen.

Numbered Days

The past two weeks have been filled with more funerals than I care to count and hopefully we can have a break from these for a little while. However, they do tend to make us think and evaluate many aspects of our own lives. Some of that can be a positive and some of the reflections are less than stellar. Some of these funerals of the past few weeks have been for friends who had been battling illness or were elderly and others have been for people who were, by our standards, too young to pass away. Their days have been cut short. (click to read more)

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Hello!?! Is Anyone There?

I can hear my wife saying “Does anyone hear me? Some days I don’t know why I talk!” Of course this is in reference to the kids not hearing what is being asked of them 🙂 (and of course nothing to do with me). Don’t we all feel like this sometimes? Interestingly we don’t expect God to be the one not listening to us. Truth be told it only feels that way because we do not understand His viewpoint, timing, and full plan! We only see from our limited perspective. Let’s take a look at this interaction at the end of Psalm 89.

In Psalm 89 we see a very authentic interaction but it’s then ending that caught my attention. I can think of times in my life when I’ve looked toward heaven and honestly asked God questions like:

  • How long, Lord? Are you paying attention? How long must I endure this? How long will these consequences last?
  • Are you hiding? I don’t hear you…are you there?
  • Are you angry and if so how long will this go on? I’ve asked for forgiveness but are you angry with me? The situation?
  • Who can live forever? I don’t know how long I can do this?
  • Who can deliver but you? How long will you be silent? No one else can deliver me but where are you?
  • Where is your love that I used to know? I know what it feels like to experience your love but where is that right now?
  • Hello!?! Remember what I’m going through down here? (I sense a little sarcasm here, which quite frankly I have used in my own conversations with God).

These questions are in this portion of the text and really, no answer is given. Sometimes it helps to say or write what is going on in our head just to get it out. However, do not end the conversation there. Notice in Psalm 89:52, the closing line, “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.” I believe that this was written with fervor, not a ho-hum attitude that I have unfortunately used at times but rather a whole-hearted, heartfelt, surrendering to His will. Oh that we would all have that attitude and response as part of our authentic conversations with God.

Lord, help me to be open and honest with you in a way that honors your place as Lord of my life! Amen.