unfailing love

An Everlasting Love.

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“At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”

Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
    found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
   the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
    O virgin Israel!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
    and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
    on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant
    and shall enjoy the fruit.
For there shall be a day when watchmen will call
    in the hill country of Ephraim:
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”

For thus says the Lord:
“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
    and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
    ‘O Lord, save your people,
    the remnant of Israel.’
Behold, I will bring them from the north country
    and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
    the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
    a great company, they shall return here.
With weeping they shall come,
    and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,
I will make them walk by brooks of water,
    in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,
for I am a father to Israel,
    and Ephraim is my firstborn.

“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
    and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
    and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob
    and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
    and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
    and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
    and they shall languish no more.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
    and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
    I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
    and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 31:1-14 ESV

This chapter continues God’s promise of future restoration for Israel and Judah. While the northern kingdom of Israel had been in captivity for many years at the point at which Jeremiah penned these words, God had still not forgotten them. He had not turned His back on them. His inclusion of them in His promise of restoration provides us with a glimpse into God’s everlasting love and faithfulness. Those two words – love and faithfulness – are directly tied to God’s covenant-keeping nature. The fact that God keeps His word and fulfills His commitments is not based on some legally binding requirement that God is obligated to keep. It is based on His love and faithfulness. God’s love for Israel and Judah was what kept them in His favor for so long, even while they committed spiritual adultery, throwing themselves at false gods and offering their affections to lifeless idols. God’s discipline of His children was a sign of His love for them.

My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT

The author of the book of Hebrews would quote from these verses when attempting to get his audience, made up mostly of Jewish Christians, to understand the suffering they were experiencing. He wanted them to know that their suffering was not a sign of God’s absence, but of His loving presence.

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? – Hebrews 12:7-9 NLT

Like any loving father, God was disciplining His disobedient children because He cared for them. He wanted His best for them. God reminds the people of Judah and Israel that His love has not faded. It is the same love that put up with the rebellion of their ancestors in the wilderness.

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” – Jeremiah 31:3 NLT

Notice those two words: everlasting and unfailing. Those are so foreign to us when we think about human love. Our love ebbs and flows, waxes and wains. It seems to increase and then, just as easily, fades away in a heartbeat. We find it so easy to fall in and out of love with one another. So, it is difficult for us to understand a love that is everlasting and unfailing. Paul’s poetic description of love found in his famous “Love Chapter” of 1 Corinthians, provides us with a written illustration of God’s love for us.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT

Love, God’s love, never fails. It endures all the way to the end. Remember, what God is having Jeremiah write down on a scroll is His promises for the future restoration of Israel and Judah. While some of His promises will be fulfilled when the remnant returns from captivity in Judah 70 years later, it will only be a partial fulfillment. The rest is yet to come. So God has Jeremiah put down in writing the following words:

Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
    O virgin Israel!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
    and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
    on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant
    and shall enjoy the fruit. – Jeremiah 31:4-5 ESV

God is going to do something great, but it is in the future. It will be a re-creation of Israel’s original greatness. He will rebuild their cities. He will restore their joy. He will return their land to fruitfulness. In Isaiah 61, the passage Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth, the following verses describe God’s future restoration of Israel.

To all who mourn in Israel,
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
    repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
    though they have been deserted for many generations. – Isaiah 61:3-4 NLT

Remember, when Jesus read this passage in the synagogue that day, he told the people, “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4:21 NLT). Jesus, the Messiah, had come to bring these things about. And the day is coming when He will return to earth and complete His God-ordained mission. He will set up His kingdom in Jerusalem and restore Israel to its former glory. He will gather His people from all over the world and return them to the land of promise.

“For I will bring them from the north
    and from the distant corners of the earth.
I will not forget the blind and lame,
    the expectant mothers and women in labor.
    A great company will return!
Tears of joy will stream down their faces,
    and I will lead them home with great care.
They will walk beside quiet streams
    and on smooth paths where they will not stumble.
For I am Israel’s father,
    and Ephraim is my oldest child.” – Jeremiah 31:8-9 NLT

God’s everlasting love will endure to the end. He will continue to love His people and remain faithful to them until His plans for them are fully complete. And God reminds His people that the day is coming when they will see and experience the full extent of His great love for them.

The Lord, who scattered his people,
    will gather them and watch over them
    as a shepherd does his flock. – Jeremiah 31:10 NLT

“I will turn their mourning into joy.
    I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.” – Jeremiah 31:13 NLT

“The priests will enjoy abundance,
    and my people will feast on my good gifts.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 31:14 NLT

The love of God never fails. It never fades or diminishes in any way. We may experience His discipline, but as His children, we will never experience a loss of His love for us. His love for us is directly tied to His plans for us.

In his great love chapter, Paul tells us “love never ends.” And then he goes on to say, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT). In other words, we have a limited understanding of what God has in store. We can only see so far. We don’t know the final plans or exactly how and when God is going to accomplish them. But we can rest easy, knowing that His plans for us are based on His love for us. And His love never ends.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Psalm 145 – Day 1

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Sharing What We Know About God.

“Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” – Psalm 145:4 NLT

Six months ago, we started this journey through the Psalms of David. Our goal was to discover the character of God through the pen of David. We wanted to see what David understood about his God and how it impacted the way he lived his life. And Psalm 145 seems like a perfect way to wrap up this series. In it, David praises the greatness of God. He says, “I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness” (Psalm 145:2-3 NLT). David is blown away by the greatness of God and wants everyone to know. He is not content to internalize his thoughts about God and he expects everyone to “share the story of your wonderful goodness” (Psalms 145:7 NLT). David’s praise of God was not merely academic or rote. What he knew about God, he knew from experience. He had seen these attributes or characteristics of God lived out in his own life, day after day. He had seen God’s power, experienced His mercy and grace, felt His compassion, witnesses His mighty acts with his own eyes, and learned that God is always right in everything he does. David knew what the Scriptures had to say about God, but his awareness of God’s unfailing love, truthfulness, faithfulness, righteousness, compassion, mercy and grace came from his own personal interactions with God in daily life.

When David wrote, “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power” (Psalm 145:4 NLT), he wasn’t suggesting that they simply recount and retell the stories they had heard from their parent’s experiences in the wilderness. Many of us can tell stories from the Bible that illustrate God’s greatness, but how many of us can share personal encounters with God that speak of His goodness, greatness, love, and power? There is a huge difference between knowing about someone and getting to really know someone. I may know a lot about Abraham Lincoln, but it all comes from books and from the perspective of others. But I know my wife. I know here because I spend time with her and our lives are deeply interactive and entwined. We spend time together talking, sharing, interfacing, and impacting the lives of one another. The same should be true of my relationship with God. Praise for God should be personal and intimate. It should come from experience. David had come to know God because he had spent time with God. He had watched God work in and around his life, caring for him, providing for him, protecting him, correcting him, and revealing Himself to him. David had a lot to praise God for. When he spoke of God’s wonderful goodness, mighty acts, awe-inspiring deeds, unfailing love, and greatness, he was speaking from experience. He knew what he was talking about. And nobody could argue with him. So what will we have to tell the next generation concerning the mighty acts and power of God? What stories will we tell to illustrate our understanding of His greatness and goodness? Our lack of stories are not a reflection on God or an indication of His absence in our lives, but are simply an indication of our lack of dependence on Him. We have little to praise Him for because we have given Him few opportunities to work in our lives. We have become self-sufficient and have attempted to run our own lives according to our own plans. But David reminds us, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love him” (Psalm 145:18-20 NLT).

Father, may we truly have something great to share with the next generation. May we have stories to tell of your greatness and goodness because we have learned to wait on and rely on You. Amen

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

Psalm 144 – Day 2

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It’s Good To Know God.
(Based on Psalm 144)

I get down on my knees in celebration of the Lord, my rock,
He personally trains me for battle, equipping me to do battle.
He is who I turn to for mercy, protection, refuge, deliverance from trouble,
He is my shield in battle, and I confidently trust Him to subdue my enemies in battle.
Lord, what is man, that You bother to even acknowledge his existence?
Or the nations, that You give them any consideration?
Man is like a wisp of wind to You, his days are like a shadow that vanishes before Your eyes.
Lower heaven and come down, touch the mountains and make them erupt!
Send lightning, scattering the bolts around like arrows of destruction.
Reach down from on high, deliver me from the deep water, from the hands of pagan nations.
Whose words are full of lies and whose actions are always deceitful.
I will make up a brand new song celebrating You, O God!
I will sing praises to You using my favorite instrument.
I will sing of the salvation You bring to kings,
How You delivered me, David, Your servant, from the sword.
Separate me and deliver me from these foreign nations,
From all their lies and deception.
That our sons may grow to full height, like a plant,
That our daughters may be like corner stones in a beautiful palace.
That our storehouses may be full, that our sheep may multiply, filling our pastures.
That our oxen will be strong to do labor, our walls will keep us safe, and our people will stay content.
People who find themselves in those circumstances will be happy,
But their happiness will be because God is their Lord!

Psalm 143 – Day 2

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A Prayer For Direction, Not Just Deliverance.
(Based on Psalm 143)

Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Listen attentively to my cries for help!
Answer because of Your faithfulness and righteousness.
Whatever You do, don’t pass judgment on me,
Because there’s not a man alive who could pass that test.
I am calling to You because my enemies constantly pursue me,
The grind my life into the ground, forcing me to live in the dark like a dead man.
As a result, my spirit is weak within me, my heart is barren and lonely.
But I can recall the past, and I think about all those things You have done;
I reflect on all the things You have done with Your hands.
So I reach out to You, my soul thirsts for You, like dry land longs for rain.
Please answer me quickly, O Lord, because my spirit is fading fast,
Don’t turn Your back on me or I am as good as dead.
Let me tell others about Your unfailing love when I wake up in the morning,
Because I trust in You.
Show me the way in which You want me to live my life,
Because I am bearing my soul to You.
Rescue me from my enemies O Lord,
I run to You for protection.
Teach me to do what pleases You, because You are my God;
By Your good Spirit, lead me to a place marked by righteousness.
For the sake of Your reputation, revive me!
For the sake of Your righteousness, deliver my soul out of trouble.
And for the sake of Your unfailing love, destroy my enemies,
Put an end to all those who harass my soul,
Because I am Your servant.

Psalm 143 – Day 1

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Show Me Where To Walk.

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.” – Psalm 143:8 NLT

Prayer is an interesting activity. When we pray, we are oftentimes expressing to God what we want done. We are sharing our solutions to our own problems. In many cases, we treat God as some kind of cosmic Genie in the sky, except this Genie doesn’t limit our wishes to just three. We can go to Him on a constant basis with requests of all kinds. Or so it would seem. But the reality is that prayer requires an understanding of who God is and what His character is like. To ask God to do something that is not in His nature or that goes against His will would be ridiculous. But we do it all the same. God wants us to express our needs to Him, but I am not so sure that God needs help with the solution. Our prayers should be an expression of our trust and dependence on God. We got to Him because we know that He is the only one who can help. And He will help, but on His own terms and according to His own timing.

I find it interesting that David prayed quite openly and honestly with God in this Psalm. He shared that he was surrounded by enemies. He told God about his struggle with depression and his being paralyzed by fear. He asks God for rescue. He asks Him to preserve his life and bring him out of his distress. He even asked God to silence his enemies and to destroy all his foes. But the more enlightening thing was that David seemed to keep His requests consistent with what he knew about God. He appealed to God’s mercy. He asked God to answer because he knew God to be faithful and righteous. He knew that nothing he was asking of God was too great for Him, because he had heard about all the great things God had done in the past. He knew that his God was loving and would listen to him when he called to Him. Along with prayer for his problems, David asks God to “let me hear of your unfailing love each morning for I am trusting in you” (Psalm 143:8 NLT). What an interesting choice of words. He seems to be asking God to preserve him through the night and cause him to wake up to a renewed recognition of God’s unfailing love and mercy. He will “hear” of God’s love each morning. Others will be talking about it because God’s intervention in David’s life will be visible for all to see. It will be clear to all that this was a “God-thing.” Because David is trusting in God. Then David asks God to show him where to walk. He isn’t asking for literal directions, but is asking God to show him the manner in which he should live his daily life. He wants to know how to be a good king, a righteous father, a godly husband. He goes on to ask God to “teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing” (Psalm 143:10 NLT). He is asking God to train him to obey. David wasn’t just asking God to do thing for him, but he was passionate about learning to do what pleases God. He wanted to live a life in obedience to and dependence on God. Is that what we want? Is that what we pray and long for. David wanted rescue so that he could serve God. He wanted relief from trials and troubles, so he could spend more time worshiping and less time worrying. But he also knew that God would use those very same trials and troubles to reveal Himself to David through the display of His power, presence, love, mercy, and faithfulness. David trusted God. Do we?

Father, it is so easy for me to just come to You with my requests, but fail to want to get to know You. I want to hear of your unfailing love every morning. I want to wake up to a renewed realization of Your mercy and grace each day. I want You to teach me to do Your will, not mine. I want You to show me how to live my life in increasing obedience and dependence on You. You could give me all I ask for, but if I miss out on knowing You, I lose. Amen

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

Psalms 140-142 – Day 2

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You Are My God!
(Based On Psalm 140)

Save me, O Lord, from the evil person.
Faithfully keep me from the man who does wrong,
Whose heart is constantly plotting to do evil,
And lives to stir up trouble.
Their tongue pierces like the fangs of a snake,
Their smooth talk conceals poison.
Watch over me and protect me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked,
Acts as a watchman, guarding me from the violent man,
Who is out to knock me down every step I take.
These arrogant individuals secretly lay traps for me,
They lay a net along the path, using bait to lure me in.
I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”
Listen to my pleas for help!
You are Jehovah Adonai, the one whose strength provides my salvation.
You watched over me in battle, covering me with Your hand.
Don’t let the wicked have their way, O Lord,
Don’t let their wicked plans succeed, because they are proud.
As for the ringleader of the group who surrounds me,
Let the plans they have to harm me come back on them.
Let them get burned by their own wicked schemes,
Burn them with fire and let them fall into a deep pit from which they can’t escape.
Don’t let these men who slander others survive on this earth,
Let evil pursue them and overthrow them.
I know from experience that You will protect those whom they persecute,
You will show justice to those who deserve it.
Surely the righteous will have plenty of reason to praise Your name,
Those who live to please You will enjoy being in Your presence.

I Look To You For Help!
(Based on Psalm 141)

Lord, I call out to You, respond to me quickly!
Listen to the sound of my voice as I call out to You!
Let my prayer to You be a sweet fragrance to You, like incense,
And my uplifted hands like an acceptable sacrifice.
Guard my speech, O Lord, watch over what I say,
Don’t allow my heart to pursue evil,
Don’t let me follow the example of those who do wrong,
Or consume the “tasty treats” they offer.
Let the godly beat me into shape like a blacksmith does metal, out of love for me.
Let me find their correction soothing and healing,
But I will continue to pray against the wicked and all that they do.
Even their judges will be judged and thrown off the cliff to their deaths,
Then they will listen to all I have said and know I was right.
Our bones got scattered before we had a chance for burial,
We lie out in the open like rocks stirred up by the plow.
So I look to You, O Lord, it is in You I place my trust.
Don’t disappoint me!
Guard me from falling into the trap they have set for me,
And don’t let me take the bait they offer.
Instead, let them fall into their own traps and let me escape.

You Know What I Should Do.
(Based on Psalm 142)

I cry out to You, O Lord, I call out to You for mercy.
I spill my guts to You, I let You know all of my troubles.
But right when I felt like all was lost, You knew exactly where I was,
You were completely aware of all the traps they had set for me,
From my perspective, I looked around and their was no one to help me,
No one understand what I was going through, and nobody offered to help.
There was no one who even really cared.
So I cried out to You, O Lord,
I said, “You are my refuge, the only thing I really need in this life!”
Hear my cry, because I am at a really low point,
Deliver me from those who persecute me, because they are stronger than I am.
Release me from this prison, so that I can have reason to praise Your name,
Bring me into the company of other godly people, so they can support me.

Psalms 140-142 – Day 1

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Seeing God As God.

“I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God!'” – Psalm 140:6 NLT

What an interesting statement. “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God!'” Did God need to be told this? Was this some kind of revelation to Him from the lips of David? I don’t think so. But it was David’s way of saying that Jehovah (Lord), was the one he turned to, relied on, and believed in. David proved it by the content of the three prayers reflected by these three Psalms. David turns to God for rescue, protection, mercy, vengeance, justice, motivation for righteousness, help in times of trouble, refuge, compassion, empathy, understanding, encouragement, and strength. In fact, David knew he could turn to God when everyone else had proven themselves unreliable, unresponsive and uncaring. “I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then, I pray to you, O Lord” (Psalm 142:4-5 NLT).

To say that the Lord is my God is to say that He is my sole source of hope and the only object of my faith. I don’t have any other gods before me. I don’t worship anything or anyone else. I don’t turn to anything else for comfort or security, including fame, fortune, or friendships. To say that God is my God is to claim exclusive worship. It is to promise God that He alone is my Savior. He alone can rescue me. Only He can do something about my problems, which usually have far more to do with my own heart than my circumstances. To tell God that He is my God is a form of confession, but also a statement of commitment. Like David, I am saying that my allegiance belongs to Him, my prayers are directed to Him, my hope is placed in Him, and my worship is reserved for Him – and Him alone.

These three Psalms are expressions of need. They clearly indicate David’s hurt and heartache. David is opening up his soul to His God. He is telling Him exactly how he feels, because he knows that God cares and that God can do something about it. Every time we pray to God, we prove to Him that He is our God. We acknowledge our dependence on Him. Our prayers become “as incense offered” and our “upraised hands as an evening offering.”  God truly becomes our God when we rest in Him, rely on Him, turn to Him, and trust in Him.

Father, You are my God. You alone hear my prayers and have the capacity to answer them. You can do something about my needs and love me enough to do so. But I confess there are plenty of times I turn to other things for comfort, help, hope, security, and salvation. Thank You for Your patience with me. Continue to help me discover the truth of the statement, “You are my God!” Amen

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

Psalms 138-139 – Day 1

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Nobody Knows Me Better.

“The Lord will work out his plans for my life — for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.” – Psalm 138:8 NLT

There are times when I don’t even know myself. I do and say things that surprise even me. I can never know for sure how I will react to a given situation. I may respond in calmness and patience one day, then explode in anger and impatience the next. I have a limited understanding of what motivates me and why I act the way I do. Sometimes words come out of my mouth that catch me off guard. I can be disappointed in my own response to people and circumstances. There are those moments when I can appear as a stranger – even to myself.

But God knows me. He knows me better than I know myself. David understood this unbelievable characteristic about God. He knew that God was all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present. He knew that God was always there, and that God knew every single detail of his life, including what he was thinking and what he was going to say, even before the words came out of his mouth. David also understood that God had a plan for his life and that God was working that plan each and every day – regardless of what David’s circumstances might have looked like. All of this news about God can be both encouraging and scary. The fact that God knows everything there is to know about us can be a bit intimidating or we can find it comforting. David was prone to the latter. He understood that along with God’s divine attributes of omniscience (He knows everything), omnipotence (He is all-powerful), and omnipresence (He is everywhere at once), God was also all-loving, completely faithful, and a God who keeps all of His promises all of the time. So the fact that God knew all of David’s thoughts didn’t scare him, it comforted him. David was able to say, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me” (Psalm 139:1 NLT). That thought caused David to say, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand” (Psalm 139:6 NLT). David might not have fully comprehended the reality of God’s all-knowing, all-powerful presence in his life, he DID appreciate it. David knew that God had created him – he was a byproduct of God’s imagination and creative capabilities. He was not a mistake or an act of chance. “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16 NLT). What an amazing thought.

This understanding of God’s intimate relationship with him caused David to invite God to do something that for many of us sounds a bit risky. It sounds like an invitation that could end up producing some less-than-satisfactory results. But keep in mind, David knew that God loved him and had a plan for his life. He trusted God. There was nothing that God did not know about his life. There was nothing that David thought or did that was hidden from God. So he asked God to “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 1139:23-24 NLT). David was asking God to reveal to him what only God knew about him. David was asking God to show him things about his life he was incapable of seeing or even knowing. As men, we can’t really know our hearts. He can’t fully understand our motives. We are blinded by pride and self-righteousness, and we can deceive ourselves into thinking we are really better than we are. So David goes to the one source that can see past the facade and look into the inner recesses of our hearts. He asks God, the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-loving God to do an MRI of his life and reveal the results. David knew that God loved him and had a plan for his life. But David also knew that he was a man who was prone to sin. He knew his heart was not to be trusted. He knew that he was incapable of really knowing what was going on in his heart. So he asked God to examine, test, and prove him. He asked God to point out anything and everything that was an offense to Him. Scary? Yes. Risky? Not really. David was simply learning what God already knew. David was tapping into God’s limitless understanding and relying on God’s unfailing love for him.

Father, You love me. And what’s amazing is that You love me even though You know everything there is to know about me. There is nothing I can hide from You. I can’t fool you with my pious activities or acts of religious pretense. I can’t fake faith in front of You. You know me just as I am and yet You love me anyway. Give me the heart of David, that I might ask You to search me, know my heart, test me, know the cause of all my anxious thoughts, and point out everything in my life that offends You. The sooner I see the truth about myself, the sooner I can confess my sins and get back on Your path for my life. Amen

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

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 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