Month: June 2012

Psalms 131 & 133 – Day 2

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It’s Not All About Me.
(Based on Psalm 131)

Lord, I don’t have an arrogant heart,
I don’t look down on others as if I’m better than they are.
I don’t walk around with an attitude of self-importance,
Or as if I am somehow God’s gift to the world.
I am calm and quiet, weaned off my incessant need for significance,
Like a baby gets weaned off its mothers milk.
So Israel, put your hope in the Lord and not me, from this point forward!

It’s All About Us.
(Based on Psalm 133)

How wonderful and delightful it is to live our lives alongside one another!
This sense of togetherness is pervasive, like the oil used to anoint Aaron,
It ran from his head to his beard and all the way to the bottom of his robe.
It is like the dew that falls on Mount Hermon, that covers the mountains of Zion,
For it was there that God promised His blessing to us as His people,
Life in the community of God that will never end.

Psalms 131 & 133 – Day 1

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The Beauty of Unity.

“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers lives together in harmony!” – Psalm 133:1 NLT

These two Psalms are also Songs of Ascent, a collection of Psalms that were sung as pilgrims made their annual journey to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover. Psalm 131 places the emphasis on the individual. In it, David expresses his humility. He doesn’t think too highly of himself. He refuses to think of himself as too smart for his own good or better than anyone else – in spite of the fact that he is the king. In Psalm 133, he turns his attention to the communal aspect of his faith. He recognizes that he is part of a collection of individuals who together make up the family of God. But it is about more than community, it is about harmony and unity. This is to be true of the church as well. In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul writes, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:1-5 NLT). He then goes on to describe the attitude that Christ had: One of humility, service, sacrifice, love, and obedience. Paul says that we are to have this same mindset. We are to pursue unity through humility.

In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul stresses the same idea: “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. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT). There it is again. Humility. Unity. Oneness. Paul saw the wisdom in what David had written hundreds of years earlier. It truly is wonderful and pleasant when brothers live together in harmony. And because of what Christ accomplished on the cross and due to the  influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we have the capacity to love as no one has ever loved before. We have the mind of Christ and can love as He loved, sacrifice as He did, humble ourselves in the same way He did, and give our lives away in selfless service to others. Especially within the context of the body of Christ.

Before He went to His death on the cross, Jesus spoke these words to His disciples: “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35 NLT). Jesus commanded His followers to love one another. That would be the distinctive characteristic that we belonged to Him. It would prove our relationship with Him. It is amazing how much emphasis we put on the Great Commission, feeling the need to go out into the world and make disciples. But we rarely, if ever, talk about this command from the lips of Jesus. He is calling us to love for one another – within the body of Christ, the church. He is commanding us to love as He loved – to the point of death. But is that really happening. Does the world know we are His disciples because of our selfless love for one another, or because of our acts of charity, our generosity, our missions endeavors, our ability to share the Gospel, or our organization effectiveness. Are the lost attracted to our love for one another? Do they see in us something they can’t see anywhere else in the world? Christ has given us the capacity to love and be loved. He has created a new thing called the church, the family of God. In it, we are to live out the character of Christ in the context of community. What good is it to express our love for the lost when we have a hard time loving one another? How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in harmony!

Father, as the church, we have failed to obey the command of Your own Son. We do not love one another as He has called us to love. We can be petty, selfish, divisive, competitive, and mean. We can attempt to do great things for Your kingdom while we refuse to love one another as we have been loved by You. Open our eyes and help us to understand that the church is a noun, not a verb. We are Your people. We are to live as such. We are Your children. We are to get along. We present You in the world. But if we can’t love one another, the Good News loses some of its power. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 122 & 124 – Day 2

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A Love For God’s House.
(Based on Psalm 122)

I was ecstatic when I heard the news that it was time to head to God’s house.
We were going to get to stand within the very gates of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was established as a city to unify the people of God by bringing them together,
It is where all the tribes of Israel gather to keep their promise to worship God,
To show gratitude for His reputation as their God.
There in Jerusalem, are thrones of judgment, including the throne of the house of David.
We need to pray for the peace, welfare and prosperity of Jerusalem,
Because as long as Jerusalem prospers, so will all those who love this city.
We pray for peace to exist throughout the city, inside its walls and its palaces,
For the sake of fellow Israelites, I say, “May there be peace in Jerusalem!”
Because the house of God is there, I will seek the good of Jerusalem.

God Is On Our Side.
(Based on Psalm 124)

Let us remind ourselves, “What if God had not been on our side?”
May all of Israel say, “What if God had not been on our side when our enemies rose up against us?”
We would have easily defeated by them when they turned their anger against us.
We would have been overwhelmed, our souls would have been drowned.
The raging waters would have flooded over our soul.
But let us kneel before God, who didn’t let any of that happen,
He helped us escape, like a bird from a trap set by a fowler,
God broke the snare and we escaped.
We find help in the reputation of the Lord, the one who made heaven and earth.

Psalms 122 & 124 – Day 1

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A Question Worth Asking.

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?” – Psalm 124:1a NLT

What if the Lord had not been on our side? What if He had not answered our prayers? What if He had refused to rescue us? What if He had not sent His Son to die in our place? These are all sobering questions that require us to consider NOT the consequences if our God ever failed to come through, but the reality that He always does. He is always faithful and true. He is always on our side. It may not appear like it at times, but His very nature, His character assures us that He is on our side.

These two Psalms are part of what were called the Songs of Ascent. They were sung by the pilgrims making their annual journey to Jerusalem for Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles, both celebrations associated with the Passover. These songs were sung along the way, reminding the travelers of their destination and the One to whom they were making this long arduous journey to worship. They were going to Jerusalem “to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel” (Psalm 122:4b NLT). The name of the Lord was synonymous with His reputation. He was El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), El Elyon (The Most High God), Adonai (Lord, Master), Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner), Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shephard), Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals), Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There), Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness), Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You), El Olam (The Everlasting God), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide), Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace), and Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord Of Hosts). God’s names were a picture of who He was and all that He had done for the people of Israel. So they went up each year to celebrate His activity in their lives and in the life of their nation.

But they also celebrated the reality that, without God, they would have no hope. Had God not been on their side, “The waters would have engulfed us; a torrent would have overwhelmed us” (Psalm 124:4 NLT). They recognized that life without God would have been no life at all. They understood that their help was from the Lord, the same Creator God who had made heaven and earth. This all-powerful God had chosen to have a personal relationship with them and provide them with His protection, provision and ongoing presence. But rather than take this fact for granted, they people of Israel reminded themselves what life would be like if things were different. They asked the sobering question, “What if the Lord had not been on our side?” We could probably stand to do the same thing. Without Him, our lives would be bleak indeed.

Father, my life is nothing without You. My future would be hopeless without You. My life would have no meaning without You. But because of who You are, I know I have help, hope, and healing at my disposal. I have a relationship with the God of the universe. Thank You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalm 110 – Day 2

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The Messiah.
(Based on Psalm 110)

Jehovah God said to my Lord, the Messiah,
“Sit at the place of honor at my right side, until I make all Your enemies your footstool.”
Jehovah God will stretch out the rod representing Your strength from Zion.
He will command You to rule over all of your enemies.
When that happens, all Your people will gladly follow You.
With the dawn of the day, You will arise in Your holiness and with youthful vigor.
Jehovah God has made a vow and will not change His mind,
You will be a permanent priest after the order of Melchizedek.
When You get ready to deal out Your wrath on the nations,
You will use Him who sits at Your right hand,
He will execute Your judgment among the nations,
He will punish them for their sins, leaving corpses in His wake.
He will shatter the heads of the nations.
He will refresh Himself at the brook along the way,
And complete His task with head held high!

Psalm 110 – Day 1

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The Ultimate David.

“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'” – Psalm 110:1 NLT

This is a somewhat confusing Psalm. It was written by David, but he appears to be talking about someone else. The term, Lord, is mentioned twice, but it seems a bit unclear as to who the Lord is in both cases. Is David talking about himself or someone else? Are all the statements in this passage referring to him or another person? In the Hebrew culture, the term, The Lord, was understood to be a reference to the Messiah, the coming Savior of Israel. So in the Psalm, David is referring not to himself, but to the future Messiah, God’s divinely appointed ruler over Israel. This Psalm is a prophesy regarding Jesus and His coming role as the conquering Messiah that will take place at the end of the ages. David knew there was a day coming when all the enemies of Israel and God would be completely destroyed by the King of kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus the Christ or Messiah. Over in the book of Matthew we have recorded an incident between Jesus and the Pharisees, where Jesus uses this very passage to point to himself.

While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them a question:“What do you think about the Christ?Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.”He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.  – Matthew 22:41-46 NLT

Jesus knew that this Psalm was a future prediction of an event yet to take place. It has still yet to take place. But there was no doubt in Jesus’ mind that Psalm 110 was talking about Himself. And it is a reminder to us that there is a day coming when Jesus, as the Christ (the Greek word for Messiah), will return to the earth to complete the plan of God for Israel and all mankind. Jesus’ work is not yet done. He sits at the right hand of the Father even as I type these words, but when God is ready, He will send Jesus to “strike down many kings when his anger erupts. He will punish the nations and fill their land with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth. But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way. He will be victorious” (Psalm 110:5-7 NLT).

For David, a king, this was a wonderful picture of victory over his enemies. He knew that someday God was going to give Israel complete victory over every one of their foes. David lived in a time when battle was a daily ordeal. He was surrounded by enemies and regularly confronted by war. There was never a day when someone didn’t want to destroy him or the nation over which he ruled. So the idea of final victory and no more wars was appealing to him. And it should be to us as well. Like David, we are surrounded by enemies, by those who oppose God and His ways. They live for this world and are influenced by the Prince of this world, Satan himself. Everyday we go to war with our own flesh, the world and the ruler of this world. We are under constant attack. There is never a time when we can take a day off or remove our armor. We must be constantly prepared to defend ourselves. The war is real and so are the casualties. We see them in the form of broken marriages, rebellious kids, addictions of all kinds, depression, anxiety, and an assortment of diseases. This Psalm assures us that there is a day coming when God will set all things right. His plan will be finalized. His Son, the Messiah, will complete what He came to do. He came the first time to provide a way of salvation for mankind. He made it possible for us to be made right with God. He offered all mankind a means by which they could escape the coming wrath of God against all who refuse Him. But there is a day coming when Christ will return, but this time it will not be as Savior, but as a conquering King. He will do battle with all those who stand against God and He will have victory. The enemy will be defeated once and for all. He will set up His kingdom on earth and He will rule from Jerusalem. There will be peace in the world for the first time since the creation of the world. Order will be restored, shalom will be present once more. He will be victorious.

Father, in the midst of the daily battles of life it is so easy to get defeated by what appears to be a hopeless cause. It can be so easy to want to give up and give in. Our efforts seem to make no difference. The battles we fight don’t seem to be winning the war. But in the Psalm You remind us that the ultimate victory is Yours, not ours. David had to fight his battles, but he rested in the knowledge that You were going to one day bring about complete victory. Don’t let me forget that. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalm 109 – Day 2

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Bad Times. Good God.
(Based on Psalm 109)

O God, You are one the one I praise,
Now I need to hear from You, for you to break Your silence.
The wicked and deceivers have no trouble speaking up,
They slander me and tell lies about me all the time.
I am surrounded by their hateful words,
And they oppose me for no reason.
I show them love and they respond with accusations,
But I continue to pray for them.
I do them good, and I get evil in return,
I get hatred as payback for my love.
This is what they have to say about me:
“Let’s get a wicked man to accuse him falsely,
Someone who can take him to court under false pretenses.
Then when his case comes up for trial, let’s hope he loses.
May even his prayers be viewed as sin when this is over.
We wish him a short life, so someone else can have his job.
Let his kids be fatherless and his wife a widow!
May his kids end up as homeless beggars, searching for food in the dump.
May his creditors take all he owns, and strangers end up with the rest.
May he have no future and his family name cease to exist.
May God remember his sins forever and punish his family accordingly.
He is a merciless man who refuses to care for the poor and needy,
He took advantage of the down-trodden.
He loved to curse others, so let him be cursed,
Since he refused to bless others, don’t let him experience it.
He clothed himself in a life of cursing and it has seeped into his own life,
Let curses surround him like the fancy clothes he wears.”

But Lord, I ask that You turn these curses back on my adversaries,
I ask You to treat me according to Your reputation. Show me mercy. Rescue me.
I am poor, needy, and suffer from a broken heart.
I am fading quickly and blown back and forth like a helpless insect.
I am weak from fasting and I have no energy left.
Everyone looks at me with either pity or disgust, shaking their heads.
Help me, O God, answer me according to Your mercy!
May they be able to see that it was You who rescued me.
Let them curse, but You bless.
When the rise up against me, let them be disappointed and let me rejoice.
Clothe them with shame and surround them with confusion like a garment.
When You act, I will praise You, O Lord, I will praise You among the people.
You stand by those in need, and deliver them from those who stand against them.

Psalm 109 – Day 1

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When All Else Fails – God Won’t.

“But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord, for the sake of your own reputation! Rescue me because you are so faithful and good.” – Psalm 109:21 NLT

David has some real classy friends. He loves and prays for them, and in return, they slander him, tell lies about him, falsely accuse him, and wish all kinds of bad things would happen to him, including that he would die and his children become beggars. As the old saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies? These people, whoever they are, have it out for David, and they are calling down the judgment of God on him. David is misunderstood, mistreated, disliked, and disdained by his so-called friends. So he does the one thing he knows to do in tough times – he calls on God. He appeals to the only one who can do anything about his situation. And he bases his appeal to God on the reputation of God for holiness, righteousness, justice and equity. He knows that God understands the situation better than anyone else, and that God is the only one who can do anything about it. God is fully aware of the accusations leveled against David and He knows whether they are true or not. David doesn’t have to defend himself to God, because God already knows the truth. David calls out to God because he is poor and needy and his heart is full of pain (Psalm 109:22). He claims, “I am fading like a shadow at dusk; I am brushed off like a locust. My knees are weak from fasting, and I am skin and bones. I am a joke to people everywhere; when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn” (Psalm 109:22-25 NLT). David is in a bad spot. He is under attack and overwhelmed by his circumstances, so he calls out to God. He appeals to His mercy, grace, righteousness, goodness, and unfailing love. He knows that if God is on His side, it doesn’t matter what his “friends” say or do to him. “Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me!” (Psalm 109:28 NLT). David knows that God will deal favorably with him. He will rescue and restore him. God will give David plenty of reasons to praise Him when it is all said and done. “I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them” (Psalm 109:30-31 NLT). While everything seemed to be failing around David, he knew his God would not let him down. He is faithful, true, reliable, and always ready to stand by those He loves. Friends may dessert and disappoint us, but God never will. When all else fails, God won’t.

Father, sometimes in the midst of difficulty it is easy to lose sight of the fact that You are faithful – all the time. I can easily begin to think that You have left me and forsaken me. But You are faithful. Your love is not fickle or fluctuating. Your character is always consistent. When everything and everyone else fails me, You never will. Thank You! Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalm 108 – Day 2

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Ready For Anything.
(Based on Psalm 108)

O God, my heart is stable and secure in You,
I will sing Your praises with everything in me.
Wake up, lute and harp. Help me welcome the dawn with music.
I will praise You among my own people and in front of the nations.
All because Your mercy is as high as the heavens,
And Your faithfulness extends to the clouds.
Magnify Yourself above the heavens,
And let Your glory be seen above the earth.
Answer my prayer by delivering those You love with mercy and faithfulness,
Save them with Your powerful right hand.
You have made Your promises based on Your holiness,
“I will rejoice in triumph, dividing up Shechem,
And measuring out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead and Manasseh are mine, Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter,
Moab is my washbasin, Edom is where I will throw my dirty sandal.
I will stand in triumph over Philistia.”
So who will make it possible for me to enter the fortified city?
Who will lead me in victory into Edom?
Aren’t You the one who has rejected us, O God?
Are You not going to go into battle with our army?
Grant us assistance from our enemies,
For the deliverance of men is worthless.
Only You, O God, allow our army to appear powerful,
Because it is You who really brings about their defeat, not us.

Psalm 108 – Day 1

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Well-Placed Confidence.

“My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart.” – Psalm 108:1 NLT

David is ready. He is prepared to face anything. He is strong and confident. Why? Because of God. This is not a case of self-confidence, but David’s confession that his hope and trust are in God alone. He knows that with God’s help he can face any situation with confidence and peace. He says, “With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes” (Psalm 1087:13 NLT). There is no enemy too powerful or problem too big for God. David has learned that fearing is futile and pointless when God is on your side. Trying to take matters into your own hands is ridiculous when you have the God of the universe fighting for you. David’s awareness of this fact causes him to sing God’s praises. He can’t help but express gratefulness for God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. He has seen it in the past and he is confident that he will see it in the future, all because of what he knows about God’s unchanging nature. God has promised to rescue His people “by His holiness” (Psalm 108:7 NLT). His very character assures that He will do what He has promised to do. He will come through. He will answer.

But in the midst of the storm it is easy to forget that God is faithful. When surrounded by trouble, it is tempting to doubt that God will keep His promises. Like David, we can begin to question God, “Have you reject us, O God” Will you no longer march with our armies?” (Psalm 108:11 NLT). It is during those times we must remind ourselves that God is faithful. He rescues. He restores. He may not do it according to our schedule or exactly as we would like it done, but He will do it. The temptation for us during what appears to be those seasons of inaction on God’s part, is to turn to someone or something else for help. In many cases, we are tempted to trust ourselves for the solution we’re looking for, in spite of our abysmal track record. But David knew better. He said, “all human help is useless” (Psalm 108:12b NLT). Anything we turn to as a substitute for God will eventually fail us. But with God’s help we will do mighty things. This is a lesson only learned through experience. It can be taught, but it is rarely caught, until we are forced to experience it first hand. Relying on God takes guts. Trusting Him when everything in you says to take matters into your own hands takes faith. But as we grow in our understanding of His character, we become increasingly more confident and quick to place our trust in Him and Him alone.

Father, continue to teach me to trust You. Thank You that my heart is more confident in You today than it has ever been. I still have a long way to go, but You have never given me a reason to doubt You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org