Category: Praise - Jethro TOOLS

Resting in God

11/26/2025

Psalm 92
What is rest? Often when we think of rest we think a day off work equals rest. In the musical world there is a musical symbol for rest that tells the musician to stop playing the instrument and be silent for a specific musical measurement of time. We also think of rest as taking a nap or sleeping longer, and hopefully waking up feeling rested, and not tired. On another level, the Bible speaks of a sabbath rest. We are to imitate God and His work at creation. As He worked for six days and then rested, we are to do the same. Biblical rest involves ceasing from work, but it also involves also involves a trust in God to supply. When we come to the place of realizing that our effort is not sufficient it is then that we can fully rest in God to abundantly supply. The author of Psalm 92 invites his audience to praise God. The praise of God is to be natural, but how does the praise of God lead us to rest in God? If you notice the heading in your Bible, this Psalm was written for the Sabbath day. What is to happen on the Sabbath day? This is the day that God’s people are to rest. In Psalm 92 the author exhorts his audience to praise God for His care and deliverance. Praise declares God’s greatness (1-4) and delights in Him and His work (10-15). When we rest in God, as described in the Bible, it is to be a time not only of ceasing work but also praising God for how He cares for us and delivers us each day. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says that He will give rest to those that come to Him. Have we ceased our work and come to Jesus for true refreshing rest? If that is true then we can truly praise Him as described in Psalm 92.

For More See PSALMS

Faith and Giving

7/6/2025

Matthew 6:1-4
Road Construction Ahead… Now that summer is here we see those bright orange signs spring up like dandelions after a rain. Those highway signs warn us in advance about what lies down the road. If we disregard the sign and continue on our merry way we will wind up in some ditch with damage to our vehicle and have great difficulty explaining why we ignored the warning sign. In much the same way Jesus provides a warning to His audience, in Matthew 6, about what lies ahead and the practice of righteousness. He begins by highlighting the incorrect practice of righteousness in giving (2). Some people were drawing attention to themselves and their gift when they gave a tithe in the temple. The instruction of righteousness (3) follows the warning as Jesus points out how to give without drawing attention to ourselves as the giver. Righteous giving is rewarded by God who is righteous (4). To put it simply, we can either be rewarded by man or God. The reward of man is limited to earthly praise and recognition, but on the other hand the reward from God has lasting eternal value. Jesus desires for us, like His audience, to practice our giving as anonymously as possible. When we give this way we set aside the possibility of personal recognition here and now, and believe by faith that God offers a much better reward for a life of faithful righteousness. The righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). Self centered giving seeks to gain something from giving. God’s desire is that we give with a pure motive from a pure heart that seeks to bring honor to Him alone through the gift. Jesus closes out Matthew 6 with a call to seek His kingdom and He will reward the practice of our faith (Matthew 6:33). A warning well heeded will lead to the road of righteousness.

For More See MATTHEW

Hope for One

3/30/2025

Luke 19:28-40
Words have meaning and sometimes the smallest words have greater meaning. Scripture mentions three important words by stating, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13).” We often talk about faith and love, but what about hope? What is the significance of hope? Little girls are given the name Hope and towns are named Hope. Why? In hope there is a belief and desire that something better will happen. Thus, little girls are named Hope and towns in new locations are named Hope. We as people are looking for and hoping for something better. The same was true in Jesus day. The people had correctly understood the Old Testament prophets as they spoke about a coming savior (e.g., Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-8; Micah 5:2). Now, as Jesus entered Jerusalem in Luke 19, the people saw Him as the king that had come to save them. They recalled the miracles that Jesus had performed and began praising Him (37). The crowd praised Jesus as the king who had come to save them (38), while Jesus acted as a king by giving commands (28-31), riding into the city (35) and accepting the praise (39-40). Hope moves us to act. Yet why do we lack hope and become hopeless? Perhaps we believe only what can be seen rather than in God who is unseen and at work. Perhaps we believe that nothing will change because even God has not done anything about the problem. Faith in Jesus changes our perspective by helping us see beyond the problems to the new life and hope filled reality that God offers. Hope challenges us to believe differently in the midst of hard times. That is why we name children Hope, and live in towns called Hope, and have hope in only one Savior. Jesus is the saving king who has come to give hope to a world that puts hope in all the wrong places.

For More See LUKE

The Disciple's Purpose

2/16/2025

1 Peter 2:1-10
It was January of 2020 and we watched in shock as the coronavirus in China exploded out of control. The problem grew so much that the government immediately began building a thousand room hospital to try and deal with the epidemic and needed beds. Soon people were in desperate need of doctors, specialized care, and medicine all over the world. Medical teams and essential workers functioned in a ballet-like dance, as each one did a specific task for the purpose of eliminating the virus from their country. Throughout the pandemic we saw medical staff repeatedly praised for their sacrificial service. As we open the book of 1 Peter, we read along with an audience of believers who was living in hard times. In chapter 2 Peter reminds these believers under pressure that they have been given a new spiritual life for the purpose of growing in Christ, building others for Christ and continuing on with their belief in Christ. The end result is praise for what Christ has done in each life, regardless of the trials that have been faced in the process. Peter is challenging his readers, and us as well, to remember what God has done and what He is doing. This spiritual birth (1-3), formation and connection (4-5) are not things we can accomplish on our own. This is accomplished through God’s initial work of grace on the cross that is built on the foundation of Jesus our Savior (6-8). God’s purpose is to change us, and grow us, so we can praise Him (9-10). Just as a doctor is praised for his work on desperately sick patients, likewise, we are called to believe and carry the message of salvation and healing through a great Savior. If we can tell others how great our doctor is, can we not also tell others how great our God is?

For More See 1 PETER or DISCIPLESHIP

Participate in Worship

7/14/2024

Psalm 95
Last night I walked outside before heading off to bed. The evening was quiet except for the singing of crickets, the occasional faint rumble of distant thunder, and the systematic staccato flash of lightning. The pitch black night sky was illuminated by the continued and consistent bursts of lightning that almost hurt the eyes to look at. Without a doubt, I knew there was a storm brewing because of what I saw. The pulsating flashes in the night sky announced that God was doing something. Just as the night sky as not silent about God’s work neither should the believer in Jesus be silent about His work in their life and world. In Acts 2:46-47 we see that the believers in the early church were beacons that displayed God’s greatness through their committed worship and devotion to God. What is our worship like? Do we have the same enthusiasm for God like the early church? Did you realize that believers in Jesus Christ are designed by God to be worshipers? Just as lightning lights up the night sky, we are to declare the praises of God who has saved us (1 Peter 2:9). So how do we worship? Psalm 95 provides a good starting point in directing our worship. The author begins with an invitation, and challenges his audience to participate in worship of the LORD (1-2). We are to worship God who is great (3-5) and proclaim His greatness (7). However, like the Psalmist, we must come to worship in humility (6). Worship is more than the songs we sing. Worship is a personal and corporate lifestyle honoring God. We are to sing and declare His praises, but we are also to daily live the reality of His power displayed through us. Like lightning, we as believers we are to be beacons that display God’s greatness through our committed worship of Him.

For More See PSALMS

Future Hope

3/3/2024

Ruth 4
The other evening I walked outside and glanced at the clear, dark evening sky. There, illuminated against the backdrop of the stars and rising moon was a long ribbon like cloud. We had just felt the furry of colliding weather fronts and their strong winds. Now that the storm had mostly subsided, it left this ribbon of cloud stretched across the sky from west to east. As clouds do, it changed as it was carried along with the breezes aloft. The weather pattern must have trapped the moisture forming the cloud between two unseen air currents. I was mesmerized. I had never seen anything like that. In fact, it lasted through the night and into the next morning, dissipating as the sun came up. Through the simple beauty captured in the sky I was reminded of God’s faithful loyal love toward us. We may not recognize all that He is doing, but His faithfulness like a beautiful ribbon flows through our world. We just need to stop and recognize His handiwork. That is exactly what happened in Ruth chapter 4. Naomi and Ruth waited as Boaz went to the city gate to discuss with a closer relative the plight of Naomi’s family and land (1-6). That man was unwilling, so Boaz stepped in to redeem the family through the purchase of the property and marrying Ruth (7-12). A son was born and the women of the town reminded Naomi that God has not left them helpless and hopeless, instead He has provided a redeemer. Where ever we turn we can see the work of God who loves us and sent His son to be our saving redeemer. Like the women said to Naomi, David also says to us, “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalm 103:2).”

For more see RUTH

Hope Under Pressure

2/18/2024

Ruth 2
Have you ever heard the whisper of wind through the branches of a pine tree? The other day I was out for a walk and felt a slight breeze on my face and heard its whistling whisper as it moved through the needles of a large pine tree positioned right by the road. I could not see the wind but I could see its effect on the pine tree as it gently swayed its branches. The result of the wind passing through the pine branches with their long needles was a soothing, almost musical song. I stood in the middle of the road transfixed, watching and listening to the tree dance and sing. It reminded me of how God works in our lives. You see we may not see Him, but if we pay attention we can see His action that provides motion and music all around us. A tree that does not bend with the wind will be broken under its pressure. In Ruth chapter two we see Ruth in a place of acceptance and submission in her situation. She does not remain bitter like Naomi, instead she takes the step of faith, seeking God’s provision of food (1-3). Ruth finds herself in a field belonging to a close relative and begins to see God provision (4-13) and blessing (14-16). Up to this point, Naomi, Ruth’s mother in law, has been in a bitter fight with God resisting His movement and work in her life. However, as Naomi hears of Ruth’s day and sees the abundance of her effort she credits God and for the first time begins to express hope (19-22). God will faithfully provide and give hope even in the pressures of perplexing problems. Like Naomi, the music of hope in our lives is best played as we submit to God and bend under His direction. When we do, we are able to sing a song of praise in the midst of pressure… just like a pine tree on a windy day.

For More see RUTH

Faith Over the Impossible

12/12/2023

Luke 1:67-80
The unbelieving priest. That sounds like something that is completely opposite of what it is supposed to be. Zechariah was the religious leader who was to lead the nation in the worship of God, yet his belief faltered. Why? In Luke 1:5-25 God sent an angel to tell Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son. Up to this point they were childless. From the text we understand that their inability to have children had been a matter of prayer. So when the angel announced that their prayer had been answered, Zechariah’s faith wavered. He wanted to know how they could have a child since they were old. All Zechariah could see was the human physical impossibility and not faith in the all powerful God despite the seeming impossibility. Have you ever been there? You know, the situation that you have prayed about and nothing changes. We may start out believing but when the answers do not come we easily move from discouragement to disillusionment and perhaps even distance from God. Remember, just because God does not provide the answer in our timeframe, does not mean that God is not at work or capable to work. Zechariah seemed to allow the dark cloud of despair to distort his view of God and doubt His word. Because of his unbelief the angel Gabriel pronounced God’s judgment on Zechariah. He would be silent, unable to speak until the birth of his son (Luke 1:20). Following later in the chapter Luke records that people had to use gestures to communicate with Zechariah (61-63) leading us to believe that he was deaf and mute. Imagine, at least nine months in the solitary confinement of your own thoughts. It seems that God used that time to do His work in old Zechariah’s heart, because the first words out of his mouth were praise to God (68). The life of Zechariah reminds us that we must live by faith believing that God is at work to save us from our sin and self centered pity and trust Him. If you find yourself in the doldrums of despair try praising God for His past and present work. It will change your focus and reignite your faith.

For more see LUKE or SONGS OF CHRISTMAS

Invitation to Worship

6/18/2023

Psalm 95
Do you remember the school song from your high school or college days? Most schools will have some sort of theme song that is used on various occasions to emphasize the school and its values. I vividly recall one song from one of my previous schools. The song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name was written by Edward Perronet and it captures, in words and music, the picture of honor and submission given to Jesus as the King above all kings. The words of the first verse begin,
All hail the pow’r of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall, Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him, crown Him, crown Him, crown Him, and crown Him Lord of all.
I still remember sitting in chapel and hearing the words of the chorus echo through the auditorium. Crown Him, crown Him, crown Him rolled like thunder through the student body each time we lifted our voices in praise. The worship of God is an expression of praise from our lips, but it is also the submission of our heart, our attitude, and ultimately our life to the King of all. For us as people the concept of submission is often difficult. We as people, at the core, are rebellious and prideful, as we seek our own way apart from God. Our worship of God is not looking for what we can get from God. Instead, the worship of our life and our words is to seek the glory of God by declaring His greatness and submitting to His way in our life. May the constant worship of our great God and savior Jesus Christ continuously roll through our lives each day with thunderous reverberation as we crown Him Lord of all. So, like Psalm 95, I invite you to join me in worship. It is a simple invitation that you can pass on to others as well. Come let us worship and bow down.

For more see PSALMS or INVITATION SERIES

Reflections on Worship

2/13/2023

Psalm 95:1-7
The sun was just setting in the western sky as I stepped our for a short evening walk. However, my eyes were distracted by the sight of flashing beacons on a plane as it flew overhead. My prayer was, “Lord, you know that we live in a busy world where we use what you have given us and flaunt our power only to neglect your power and grace that you display in the simplicity of the setting sun. Thanks for allowing me to see that illustrated before me.” In almost the next instant, my ears heard the scream of an ambulance and my eyes caught a glimpse of its flashing lights as they sought to solve someone’s emergency. Then in perfect contrast, from the other side, my ears heard the joyful honk of geese as they peacefully winged their way to their evening rest. Again my thoughts turned to praise, “Thank you God that you have placed us here to be your witnesses to people in pain, and yet we are still blessed to hear creation sing out your praise.” This simple stroll outside illustrates that worship of our great God can occur anytime and any place. Psalm 95 gives two invitations, first the invitation to praise God (1), and second the invitation to worship Him (7). As we recognize the greatness of God we should be drawn to honor and worship Him. Along with the psalmist, I invite you to come and sing out your praise to God through a heart full of worship. His greatness is on display for all our world to see. May you hear creation sing out our Creators praise, and hear the call to come and worship Him for His greatness and grace that He constantly puts on display for us.

For more see PSALMS

Be Still

10/23/2022

Psalm 46
Where I grew up there was a simple saying… “Two men working together can do the work of three or four men working alone.” You would think that it is not possible, but it is. The sheer efficiency and ability to team up on a project, plus the boost of morale helps the team of two accomplish much more together than multiple people alone. I have seen that truth play out in physical life and also in spiritual life. For those of us who know Christ as Savior, we have a partner and strong refuge that we can always rely on. Psalm 46 reminds us as people that God is as a strong defender. This Psalm is written as a song reminding the hearer that God’s power is sufficient for victory over the disasters experienced in nature and the conflicts brought on by nations. Psalm 46 describes God’s strength (1-3), and presence (4-7) that are essential for us to function in a world that is falling apart. We can respond in confidence to the chaos of our world as we worship God who is not only present but powerful to protect (8-11). When we stop our own striving and effort (10), we then have the space to be still and observe who God is and what He does. This Psalm reminds us to praise God for the victory He brings because of His strength and presence. The problem is the difference between knowing that truth and practicing that truth. When I am still and stop my striving, I realize that God is at work in my world for His honor and His praise. He can only be lifted up or exalted as I cease trying to solve my battles my way. When I pause and rest in God, others will take notice and see God’s strength. Have you teamed up with God or are you trying to work out your life alone and on your own?

For more see PSALMS or MISAPPLIED SCRIPTURE VERSES

Priority of Prayer

10/16/2022

James 5:13-20
Have you ever had someone stop and pray for you? It is amazing how that moment in time can change your perspective regarding the difficult life situation at hand. This week I had someone stop and pray for me, and it encouraged me to pause and trust God yet again for the difficulties I was facing. On the other hand, over the course of this week, I have had the chance to pray with and for others involved in various situations. I realized that I was incapable of bringing a solution to the situation, but by faith I trusted God to work His solution. In these verses, James wants his audience to pray to God about their personal situations (13). However, we as people often do everything else and talk to everyone else but God. James challenges his audience to call others to pray over them when they have been spiritually weakened and have lost faith in God (14-16). He wants his audience to see that faith in God in impossible situations is possible. James illustrates this by giving the example of Elijah as one who prayed and saw God respond (17-18). As James closes the book, he provides an encouragement and challenge to rescue and restore those who have wandered from their faith in Christ (19-20). Today we can still display the reality of our faith by praying in the good and bad times. We can encourage the faith of others who have become weak by praying for them and we can share the burden of restoring the faith of others. Our faith is strengthened when we pray because we practice our belief in God by calling out to Him regarding the situation. May God help us see the value and necessity of a mature faith that prays. Who are you praying for and who is praying for you?

For more see JAMES

Whom Shall I Send?

5/1/2022

Isaiah 6
Years ago I worked for a printing company that produced anything from business forms to business cards and brochures. One of the key steps in the printing process was a quality check. The easiest way to make sure that a customer received a quality product was to wash your hands. Printing ink on your hands would leave dirty fingerprints on the printed message. Similarly, as kids I am sure we all heard the same message… WASH YOUR HANDS FIRST! Mom always mandated we clean up first before coming for a meal. Cleanliness is a priority for health and none of us wanted to have sand in our sandwich. In Isaiah 6 the prophet Isaiah had a vision of God and His complete sovereignty and power (1-2). But what followed was earthshaking praise as the angels declared God’s holiness (3-4). At that moment Isaiah realized his shortcomings, sin and impurity in comparison to God (5). However, God took the unclean Isaiah and purified him in preparation for speaking God’s message of truth to a sinfully corrupt people (5-6). Then God asked the question, “Whom shall I send?” (8). That question is staggering. The God of the universe seeks the involvement of sinful Isaiah. Like Isaiah we need to clearly understand who God is. However, our view of God will impact our view of our self, our world and the urgency of His message. We need to realize that God desires to cleanse us because He seeks to use us to deliver a clear message about Him. Our view of God will impact our response and availability. Like a dirty smudge mark on printed paper sin in our lives will distract others from God’s message. Remember that God cleans us and calls us so He can use us. What a privilege and responsibility! Today, God still asks, “Whom shall I send?

For more see QUESTIONS FROM GOD

Waiting on God: Hopeful and Expectant

1/2/2022

Psalm 42 & 43
Today I am getting help … my second granddaughter is helping me write this. At one point she and her older sister had a dental appointment. Like every good dentist the kids received toys and everyone was happy, well that is, at least until they got home. A problem developed because the older sister got a green car and the young one did not. Being the sisters that they are, the car was not shared. The little one helping me write this really wanted a car. She could look at her sisters car but could not play with it. The more she looked at the car the more she wanted one for herself. She thought and worked out schemes to take her sisters play car for herself. The jealous desire for the toy car caused relationship friction and fights all because one had what the other wanted. Jealousy and greed are the evil twins of the same problem. Greed wants what another has while jealousy is discontent that someone else has what you want. It is a problem that starts in our corrupted hearts when we are young and grows with us unless we get God’s help to deal with it. There was a man named Korah in the Bible who was a grumbling leader and fought for his own way (see Numbers 16). However, his descendants learned a valuable lesson about jealousy, greed and personal pride. God used them to write a number of worship Psalms including Psalm 42 & 43. Oh yes, you are wondering how the car situation was resolved. Well, it took a bit of time and another visit to the dentist where the one who was without a car was able to get her own blue car. Funny how God worked that out, just like the He did with the descendants of Korah.

For more see PSALMS or DISCIPLESHIP

Simeon & Anna: Praise for God's Grace

12/19/2021

Luke 2:21-38
Waiting is not an easy thing to do. Lately I have been irritated with other drivers. For example, at a traffic light that just turned green, someone three cars back starts honking their horn because everyone else is not moving fast enough to suit them. Perhaps you have experienced what I am talking about. We do not like to wait in line in traffic, or really anytime at all. We are in an instant society that relies on high speed internet, fast cell phones, microwaves and drive through coffee shops. We don’t like to wait. Very simply, we do not live patiently while waiting. In Luke 2:21-38 we see that Simeon lived a righteous life while he waited to see the Savior as God had promised him. He faithfully followed God’s direction by going to the temple where he saw Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. He then spoke with perception and wisdom about this baby as the Savior for all people. As if on cue, Anna steps in and begins to praise God for the redeemer that God has sent. Both of these people were elderly and had spent many years waiting for this moment. God worked through the patient devotion of Simeon and Anna to spread and affirm His message of the Savior. God’s desire is to develop our devoted faith in Him and our persistent and consistent practice of righteousness. This kind of righteousness is not instant or intermittent devotion that lacks the refinement of persistent faith in God. Simeon and Anna were known as righteous people who lived by faith while they patiently waited for the Savior to arrive. God desires that we persistently follow Him in faith, patiently wait for His return and tell others of our Savior. That is what Simeon and Anna did.

For more see CHRISTMAS

Delivered to Declare Praise

11/14/2021

Exodus 15:1-21
Have you ever written a song? I had the unimagined torture of composing a song for a college music appreciation class. It was a very unpleasant experience because music and I do not get along. If I remember correctly my masterpiece was a composition that combined the music of Mary had a Little Lamb with the words of the poem Roses are Red and Violets are Blue. Go ahead and laugh, but believe me you would never add it to your favorite music list. It was not easy listening or catchy. It was just a dreaded requirement that was needed to pass a dreadful class. The class never grabbed my interest, so I did as little as possible to get a passing grade. However, when it comes to our relationship with God we should always be singing His praises. How do we praise God? Exodus 15 provides an example from the life of Moses and the people of Israel that we can follow. First, we need to declare what God has done (1-5). We tell what we have seen God do in our lives. Second, we need to describe God’s power (6-12). We should tell of God’s strength that worked in a way that we could not. Third, we need to define God’s difference (13-18). We simply tell how God works and delivers in ways that are completely unique to get us to where we are. When we use these verses as a guide to praise God it will be glorious music to God’s ears and to all who hear, which is much better than my clumsy composition for music class. So, let the world hear your song of how God has saved you and how He alone is completely unique and worthy of your praise.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

For more see FEAR, FAITH & FOLLOWING

Worship in Faith

9/26/2021

Exodus 12
Quite a while ago I had to get my vehicle worked on and the mechanic noticed the parking permit on my windshield and asked, “Are you a preacher?” I responded affirming his observation. At that point he became a bit embarrassed about his poor choice of words at times. I assured him that I was not offended. A short while later I went to pay the bill by providing a debit card. Unknown to us there was a problem with the machine that day. As he scanned my card the machine responded with the message “Redemption.” He looked at me in shock and said, “You must really be a preacher even the machine says so.” The first card did not work so I produced a second, and the same message of “Redemption” appeared. He looked at me with a smile and said, “Well I can’t believe it, I have had redemption twice in one day.” He was amazed that I forgave him and I praised God for the past conversations and His present work in the life of this man. That is worship. However, often we think that worship only happens at church. Worship is much more than what happens one day a week for one hour at church. Worship involves all of life (see Romans 12:1-2). In Exodus 12 God institutes a special feast so the people would continue to remember His powerful action of deliverance from Egypt (1-11). It was to be a joy filled celebration remembering God’s power and faithfulness (14-28). Like the nation of Israel we are called to worship by remembering God’s action of redemption through Christ. In doing so we reaffirm our belief and help others renew their faith in the God of redemption. Let us worship in faith and live to proclaim God’s redemption.

For more see FEAR, FAITH & FOLLOWING

Who is God? Creator, Redeemer, Restorer

6/13/2021

Genesis 1, Genesis 3, Acts 2, Revelation 7
This past week I was saddened when I was made aware of the passing of two people. One was an elderly man and the other was a young woman. Both were described as adventurous and joyful, both had contracted cancer, but both had trusted Jesus as their savior. They lived life differently because of Christ and they lived to bring honor to God their savior as His image bearer. We are created by God and bear His image (Genesis 1:26-27). We resemble our creator in the aspect of being relational people in need of relationship with God and others (Genesis 1:28-29). The results of Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3) have led to broken relationships with God and others, distorted worship of our self and others instead of God, and the destruction of murder by taking the life of others created in God’s image. Peter proclaims that Jesus came and was crucified thus becoming the source of salvation for all people (Acts 2:36). This message rang true and 3000 people respond (Acts 2:37-41). The church was started and redeemed people were now restored to worship their creator and redeemer. All those who are redeemed from sin by faith in Jesus Christ will one day be united together in their praise of their savior (Revelation 7:9-10). In Christ the divisions of geography, race and language are removed as people from every tribe, and nation worship their creator and redeemer as part of the family of God. We start our journey of faith here on earth but it continues forever in heaven through the worship of our creator, redeemer and restorer. The two that I mentioned earlier are doing just that.

For more see QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Responsible Action of Faith Based Hope & Love

3/7/2021

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
How thankful are you? If we think of Thanksgiving we often view it as a time to give thanks for what God has provided. For most of us, most of the time, we are thankful for all the good things in life. We are thankful for the inventions that make life easier, for family, health and food plus many other nice things, but, what about the bad events, the loss of dreams, health or family? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to be thankful in all things. True thankfulness finds its satisfaction in the fact that God knows everything and that God will work His perfect will based on His perfect love. A perfect example of this is the death of Jesus to pay for sin. The darkness of His death brought the light of hope through the salvation that God now offered through Jesus. Let us live a life of hope in Christ regardless of circumstances. Let us be truly joyful, always praying and completely thankful. Our thanks will draw us to praise God and our prayer will cause us to see even more things to thank God for. So, let us give thanks in all things as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, because thankfulness shows acceptance of God’s will even if it is not understood. Our thanks is an expression of faith and hope in God, regardless of the situation that we face.

For more see also 1 Thessalonians

Payment Applied

1/24/2021

Ephesians 1:7-12
The other day I noticed the solitary and silent bird house perched on a post in the garden. In the summer it is fun to watch some small birds make a nest in the house and then listen to their chatter as they defend their home and raise a family. I do not know what is going on inside because I can’t see inside the bird house. The activities of making the nest and raising a family of birds are unknown to me until I see the final result. The final revelation of all the activity in the nest is seeing little birds that sit in the tree and sing. I now understand what was hidden. In much the same way God has an unknown mystery that was hidden from the eyes of humanity. That mystery is the payment of salvation, by grace, through Jesus. God the Father works out His plan of salvation through His son. Through Jesus, humanity is offered the payment for sin and the forgiveness of sin. In His time and through His grace God revealed Jesus, the one who administers and fulfills the plan of salvation through His birth, life, death and resurrection. The purpose of God doing this is to unite all those who believe in Him into one spiritual family. Like the little birds we are now able to sing the praises of Jesus who gave us a new life.

For more see Ephesians

Adopted Identity

1/17/2021

Ephesians 1:3-6
I remember in some of my schooling and studies going through a small group study on identity. It was a good study but some struggled with the reality of being part of God’s family. It is easy to academically work through and comprehend our relationship as adopted children of God, but as believers in Jesus Christ it may be much harder to realize that we are now spiritually related to those next to us. As we look at the first chapter of Ephesians we see that God the Father makes adoption into His family possible through Jesus Christ. If you are adopted that means someone else has made the decision to make you part of their family. That is exactly what God the Father has done for us spiritually. Those who are adopted are now heirs and they share in the Father’s inheritance. For us as believers in Jesus we are part of the family and the family is part of us. God made us part of His family through His grace and for His pleasure. Our job as adopted children is to live the reality of being spiritual heirs who have all the blessings and the relationships with others and our Father God. The result is to praise God for His glorious work of grace that He poured out on us through Jesus.Through Christ’s sacrificial work on the cross, God the Father has made it possible for all people to be His children. If we believe that, and accept that reality, we are instantly adopted and given a new spiritual identity.

For more see Ephesians

Ahhh.... Christmas

12/23/2020

John 1:1-13; John 20:31
Ahhhh… Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year…. The other year we were in downtown Chicago and decided to walk through the Christmas Market. It was suppose to be fun and relaxing but instead it turned into an extreme practice of patience as we battled wall to wall people and claustrophobia. After taking 30 minutes to walk like penguins bounced about like a pinball we finally made it out of the compacted crowd. Ahhh… Relief at last! Then out of the corner of my eye I saw something and pulled my wife saying we really need to see this after what we just experienced. Before us was a life size Nativity scene. We paused, pondered and praised God for the proclamation of the truth of Christmas displayed in the midst of chaos. Proclaming and presenting Jesus as the Savior of the world is the message of our text today. Ahhh… Reality. John writes so that we may believe that Jesus is the Savior and by believing we may have life in His name.

For more see Christmas

Practice of Thankfulness

11/23/2020

Verse: Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
Thought: What the heart thinks the mouth says.
Prayer: Lord may my heart be so full of your goodness that my mouth overflows with your praises.

Verse: Psalm 75:1 We give thanks to you O God… for your name (presence) is near
Thought: Though God is not seen His actions make His presence known.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for helping me see you through your wonderful work in my life.

Verse: Psalm 92:1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to your name
Thought: Thanks is music to God’s ears.
Prayer: Lord thanks for all you have done. May my praise be music to your ears.

Verse: Psalm 105:1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name
Thought: I am most thankful when I have called out and prayed for God’s involvement.
Prayer: Lord, thanks for your faithful listening. May I always declare your greatness to the world.

Verse: Psalm 106:1 Give thanks to the LORD for He is good and his love endures forever
Thought: The love of God cannot be separated from the goodness of God
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the goodness that you pour out through your everlasting love.

Verse: Psalm 119:62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws
Thought: True righteousness and justice is found in God.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thanks for being the reliable perfect standard of what is right.
For more see Psalms 119

Verse: Psalm 139:14 I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made
Thought: God’s design of us is more important than what others think of us.
Prayer: Thank you God for the attention and thought that that you have taken in designing me. May my view of my self accurately reflect how you made me.

For more see Thankfulness

Thankfulness and Faithfulness

11/22/2020

Psalm 107:1-9
As a child I fondly remember receiving birthday presents. As I unwrapped the gifts I became more excited as I realized how useful this gift was or how much fun I could have with this new toy. The problem was that my Mom kept a list of who the presents were from and I was expected to write a short thank you note to each of the people who gave me a gift. I dreaded doing this. I would often put it off as long as possible until my Mom made me sit down and write two or three sentences expressing my thanks. I believe that my parents saw the value of instilling in me, from an early age, the habit of thankfulness. When we are thankful for what we do have we appreciate the blessing of new gifts and the graciousness of the giver. In Psalm 107 the author gives an invitation to give thanks to the Lord. The reason to give thanks is found in God’s faithful display of His love for His people. This Psalm was written about the people of Israel returning to the land after God had punished their continual disobedience. They were wandering (4), in need of food and water (5) and discouraged or faint in their spirit (6). Are you wandering and in need of direction for life? Are you in need of daily provisions? Are you in need of encouragement to replace discouragement? The Lord is good and faithful in showing His unfailing love. Trust Him and praise Him. When we thank God for His past faithfulness we will be able to rest in the present because our faith sees a good, faithful and loving God at work.

For more see Thankfulness

The LORD is My Shepherd

5/13/2020

Psalm 23:1
Today, many of us may not understand the life of a shepherd, but we find great comfort in the simplicity of Psalm 23. David wrote this Psalm and he understood the importance of a shepherd to sheep. As you read the first verse you can see David reflecting on his sheep herding experience. He credits God as his shepherd who provides all that he needs. David never lacks anything because God knows exactly what he needs, just as he knew exactly what the sheep under his care needed. God in His faithfulness and care provides what is needed to the people under His care. David pictures himself as a sheep looking to God as his shepherd for his needs to be met and listening to God for directions in life. This Psalm is more than just a few words on a page. This is a song of praise to God that expresses a deep confident reliance on God as the shepherd who cares for His sheep. This is also a Psalm that was to be learned by others and sung in praise to God. Are you finding all your needs being met in the LORD as your shepherd? Are you confidently communicating praise of the LORD, your shepherd, to others?

For more see Psalm 23