I love all types of music and all kinds of worship styles from the contemporary to the more traditional hymns. Worship after all is about the heart before God. Which is why I love our verses as the Lord directs His people to build the place of worship void of things that would distract: an altar of earth or stones not hewed or decorated. The height of the altar must provide for the modesty of the priests robes, not too high to expose them. With all the emphasis today on worship production: lights, lasers, smoke machines…things that distract, I long to see worship returned to the simple where God is the focus and there is nothing to drawn my attention away from Him.
Simple worship is best,
Pastor Jack Abeelen
If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else.
But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else.
But if you are not diligent, then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.
Pastor William Del Casale
Psalm 57 was written by David when he fled from King Saul into a cave. David had wound up in a perilous situation, because Saul intended to kill him. David describes himself as being amongst lions (Psalm 57:4), but his response is to cry out to God for mercy, and to declare his trust in the Lord for deliverance (Psalm 57:1), while seeking for God to be glorified (Psalm 57:5). David is not relying on his own devices for deliverance because he is fully trusting in God (Psalm 57:3).
This passage describes David’s disposition as he faces adversity: His heart is steadfast in the Lord, and in that confidence, he desires to worship and praise the Lord. David’s walk with God is so strong that in this dire situation he does not respond with fear and trembling, but confidence and praise. In our local church body and the West in general, we are not going to find ourselves in a situation where we are being hunted down. However, we do face trials and adversity in our lives. Would it not be great if we could respond like David when those times do come? May our walk with the Lord be so strong that we can fully trust in God for deliverance, and that we praise Him as He guides us through life’s storms.
Jeff Mericle
These two verses describe the primary reasons why God has done virtually everything He has done since the beginning of time and everything He will do throughout eternity. They explain why He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Ephesians 1:3. It clarifies why He chose us before the foundation of the world in Ephesians 1:4 and describes why He has predestined us to adoption in verse five. Furthermore, it enlightens us to why He redeemed us though the blood of Jesus in Ephesians 1:7 and granted us an inheritance in Ephesians 1:11.
Reason number one for all of this: because He wanted to—it was His delight. When we truly understand the immensity of the blessing, the wonder of His choosing, and the exceeding greatness of the value of our adoption and inheritance, the only appropriate response is a humble gratitude to our God. And in response to our “Thank you,” He responds, “It’s My pleasure,” and it is!
Reason number two: the praise of the glory of His grace. The grace of God freely extended toward us in the excruciating sacrifice of His Son on the cross is the apex of His glory, the pivotal focus for all eternity. It was the fulfillment of all the ancient prophesies. And it is the event that will be celebrated forever as we sing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!”
In our narcissistic culture, we want to think that we are the primary focus in all God has done, but that is not entirely true. We were created to celebrate His glory and for the praise of His infinite value, not our own. Blessed be His name now and forever!
Tom Day
These two verses are the conclusion to a psalm where David was frustrated with the evil of others but yet decided to focus on the goodness of God. In verse seven, David makes it a point to say that God and God alone is able to bring joy to his heart, far more than any other earthly treasure or blessing. That means that we could lose everything we have physically in this life and still have gladness in our hearts. That seems impossible in reality, but it’s not.
The Lord is truly that good and when we put our trust in Him and Him alone, He has the power over our hearts to bless us with His infinite peace and safety. Sadly, we put too much stock in worthless things to allow our hearts to truly understand this reality and promise, but hopefully as we continue to grow in our faith, this impossibility becomes a reality for us.
Pastor Jason Witt
The Jews would often pride themselves as being the seed of Abraham. They’d go around telling people that we are of Abraham and followers of Moses. They are putting on their religious garments and put themselves over everyone else. Paul takes them back to the law. He says the law was to point you to Christ; it was never meant to save you. In fact, we were all condemned under the law. Therefore the law was to point us to Jesus Christ that we might be justified by faith to those who believe.
If you believe and were baptized in Christ, you are now one with the body of Christ. You can say we are all now one family. We are part of the family of God. We are all on equal ground. The things that separated us before no longer separate us because we are now one with Jesus. The answer to all of the division that we have been experiencing is faith in Jesus.
One in Christ,
Joshua Navarro
Amos was a humble shepherd called by the Lord to prophesy to the people of Israel. As a nation, the times were good and the people found comfort in their prosperity. The name of the Lord was religiously honored through worship services and festivals, but they had neglected to honor the very things that defined the nature of God; justice and righteousness.
If you and I let the outward practice of the Christian life be driven from any source other than God Himself, we are headed for a spiritual drought. Our dependent relationship with our Savior will bring forth good fruit over time. His desire for love, truth, and justice will take root within us and our hearts will be filled with active compassion for the lost, for the hurting, and for the oppressed.
Today, let’s make sure to allow God to work His purposes in and through us. His justice will run down like water; His righteousness will flow like a mighty stream.
Unhindered refreshment for our thirsty souls that results in love demonstrates the nature of God.
Jeff Deal
I love the way God’s economy works because I’m not a genius and His law of reaping and sowing is easy enough for a child to understand. If you went out to plant a garden, it stands to reason that if you only plant a few seeds, the harvest will be smaller than if you plant many. So it is with our lives spiritually. If we sow into our life things of the Spirit, eternal fruit will grow, but if we sow to the flesh, nothing lasting will come of it.
Too many times, we think this law of reaping and sowing won’t apply to us, that we can live as we please and escape the harvest that is coming. You would never plant an apple seed and expect oranges to grow, or strawberries and expect to harvest coconuts. We would do well to plant Spiritual seeds in our lives and then reap the eternal benefits.
And it doesn’t matter how long you have been sowing, just keep it up. We have a Father who is faithful to His Word!
Pastor Doug Hardin
As we see the days becoming increasingly evil, we need to redeem the time. Paul is the perfect example of a person who never wasted his time. Even while in jail, he was found praying, witnessing to the guards, and writing letters to the church. He did not waste time binge-watching shows or checking up on Peter and the boys on Facebook. Paul knew what it meant to use every opportunity for God’s kingdom and His glory; that’s what it means to redeem the time.
You can begin redeeming the time today, by spending time in His word, by praying for people who need to accept Jesus as their Savior, by using your social media as an avenue to share the gospel. If you are like me, this is convicting for you. Rather than getting discouraged by what you have not been doing, be encouraged by all that you can do. Start redeeming the time today!
For the King,
Pastor Daniel Batistelli
Maybe you’ve heard it said, “Don’t get mad, get even!” I can’t say I hadn’t done that before or hadn’t had that mind set. When I think about the times when I got even with people, it either created this chain of people getting even or it was gratifying for one second then left me feeling unsettled.
There will always be this constant battle of our flesh, but that is one of the reasons we have the Word of God. It helps us in the fight against the flesh, a fight that isn’t beneficial for anyone. It gives us direction that leads people to Christ. Next time you are wronged, pursue what will bless someone else and see how the mercy and grace we show will lead many to Jesus.
Resting in Him,
Pastor Sean Boehm
