Mission Faithwalk

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD . (Psalm 139:4)   “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5)               That God knows what is going to happen before it does causes some people great difficulty. Others, it provides with an escape. What happens is not their fault, God made them do it. One of the divides among Protestants is between the Armenians, who believe that God knows but doesn't (always) determine, and the Reformed, who believe that God's foreknowledge is due to His choices. At least, that's my simplified understanding of it.             I recently wrote about God's existence outside of time ( Eternal Now ). Given that He can enter time at any point, He can effectively work backward, forward and even possibly sidewise i...

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13) You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.( Psalm 139:2-3)             El Roi is one of God's names. It was given him by an Egyptian slave girl on the run from her mistress. She was out of resources and out of ideas. She was well past the "Hang in there, Baby. Friday's coming" and the "tying a knot at the end of her rope" stages. Then God showed up and this is the name she gave Him. Clearly, seeing doesn't refer to mere stimulation of the optic nerve. It has to do with awareness, and more. She had God's attention.           The passage from Psalm 139 is one of my favorites. Again, it points out that God is aware. He notices. I'...

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9)   Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)               What does it mean that God is faithful? Faithful to whom? Faithful to what? First and foremost, it means that God is faithful to Himself. He does not work at cross purposes with Himself. This sounds obvious, but it is very different from the way we live. We know that we should eat right, exercise, get a good night's sleep, not over-indulge in anything, and not eat, drink, smoke or otherwise take into our bodies things that are harmful to us. The research has shown that the healthiest, wealthiest, more stable sort of family is the traditional family, yet we divorce, we redefine family to mean nothing because it means ...

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. (Deuteronomy 10:17)           An attribute is " a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic or inherent part of someone or something." Today's attribute is impartiality. God doesn't play favorites. I suspect many people will respond to this idea with a "Huh?" What about the Jews? Aren't they "God's chosen people?" What about the Church? Isn't it the Bride of Christ? What about Jesus, Himself? How can anyone say that God is impartial?           Let's begin with Jesus. Jesus didn't sin, yet He paid for the sins of others through His death on the cross. Jesus' goodness didn't save Him from suffering. Yes, He is the only begotten of the Father, but that didn't save Him from suffering.           The Jews w...

Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)             Peace has been on my mind recently. Christmas is often associated with "Peace on earth, good will toward men." As I scrolled through John looking for "Peace I give you, not as the world gives..." I came across today's passage. At first glance, it does and doesn't have to do with peace. Yes, Jesus commanded Peter to put his sword away, and that is one aspect of peace. But the other half of what He says is also about peace. "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" Whatever the Father said, Jesus accepted, even when it meant battling with Himself. He was at peace with the Father.             All peace requires absolute, unconditional surrender. The peace the world talks about is absolute, unconditional surrender to it. The peace God talks ab...

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)             Today is Boxing Day. We don't hear much about it in America. It's the day on which to take time to thank all the Post Office employees, delivery people, shop clerks and servants for their service, particularly their service during the extra-busy holiday season. You know, all those cashiers in whose line you had to wait "forever" over the past month, those invisible people who get paid minimum wages to help you deal with the unreasonable expectations you faced.             I like the idea of Boxing Day, because I am one of those invisible people. I used to be one because I worked in retail. Now I am one because I'm serving my father. I'm glad to do so, but I understand the feelings that can accompany such a position. I'm ...

Friday, December 23, 2016 Christmas Concert 2016 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)             There doesn't seem to be a theme for my Christmas concert this year, beyond   the fact that the songs have gotten my attention. Last year's songs are all here bec...

ָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה   (Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Cha-nu-kah.) Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light. (First Blessing) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזְּמַן הַזֶּה (Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem bi-zman ha-zeh.) Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time. (Second Blessing) ָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה (Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a...

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)               Remember the three men thrown in the fiery furnace? The ones who told the king that whether God rescued them or not, they would not bow down to the king's golden image? They answered the psalmist's question. What can mortal man do to me? An friend of mine who is an atheist once asked me if he gave me poison to drink, I'd drink it. I told him that if he had the authority to require it of me, I would. I think my answer surprised him. Mortal man can do unthinkable things to our bodies, it's true. What is also true is that if they don't kill me, God is with me. If they do kill me, I am with God.               Don't tell me how courageous I am, or how strong or faithful.... I am often very afraid. What t...

I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints. (Psalm 52:9)           Have you ever met someone whose name didn't fit? The name mismatch that comes to my mind wasn't for a person. It was for a dog, and I was responsible. I got a collie puppy, and thought "Lassie, big, bold, courageous, British," so I named him Excalibur. Mind you, I loved Cal, but he was loving, gentle and shy. That's not exactly the image created by the name Excalibur. I'm not sure I was any wiser in naming Grace. Grace seems to me to refer to something calm, fluid, and gentle. She's more likely to have me say, "Oh my goodness, Grace-ious!" with her vast stores of energy and stubbornness.          God's names aren't like that. Did you know God has more than one name? Did you know He has more than three or four? God has lots of names...

Great is the LORD , and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. (Psalm 48:1-3)             What does it mean to be "worthy" of praise? It's obvious: you have to be something or do something that impresses people and since we're talking about praise, that something has to be positive or it has to be justified. In today's passage, God is praised for doing two things: for being present, and for being a protector. Because of God's presence and His protection, His city was beautiful. It brought joy and blessings to others. What was there in the Old Testament is elsewhere in the New: "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God ...

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. (Psalm 47:6-8)             It hasn't been very long since I talked about being thankful that God is God and I am not. Not only is He God (and I am not!) but He is King (and I am not!) It is in our old nature to want to be God and King/Queen. Sometimes, I don't even realize I'm rebelling. "All I want is...." something little that I deserve to have just as I want it to be.... I can be so duplicitous that even I am duped, but God is not. Instead, He's so patient.             That's the reason we need to keep singing praises to God and to our King. It's not to make God feel better. It's to keep reminding ourselves not only of who He is, but also of what He is like. We nee...

I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever. (Psalm 45:17)             So many thoughts and memories came to mind as I read this verse this morning. One is of a man who doesn't exist named Montague. He lived in a society that banned all books. It was even his job to burn any books that were found. That led to curiosity about them. He stole and read one and eventually became for his community the book of Ecclesiastes (I think.)   It gives a new meaning to the idea that "you are what you read."           Another thought that comes to mind is a pair of sayings: "You may be the only Bible someone will ever read", and one attributed to Francis of Assisi "Preach the Gospel. Use words if necessary."   What we as Christians say and do perpetuates His memory through all generations, like the ripples made by a rock t...

In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever . (Psalm 44:8)               "My dad's ______er than your dad." Isn't that the way kids used to boast? Maybe some still do. As Christians, why don't we say "My God is ____________er than your god"? Granted, boasting is seen as arrogance. Granted, some people aren't comfortable with acting as if there is a competition. All the excuses you care to mention are probably true. I suspect, however, that we don't say it because we're afraid God will not show up and perform if we put him on a stage and turn the spotlight in His direction. I'm not afraid He can't measure up (and more than "measure up".) I'm afraid He won't.         I'm trying to think like the three mee who were thrown into the fiery furnace. They told the king that God could save them, but even if He didn't, they would not bow down to the king's image...

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6)             This passage should be stenciled on my walls, on my dashboard and anywhere else it will fit. It's the type of self-talk I need on a daily basis. Not "You can do it! You're great! You're a winner!" No. I need to ask myself what I'm really disturbed about when I'm disturbed, and that is almost daily. Why is my soul downcast? What's actually wrong? Some of you have been treated to my therapeutic public "Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine." It actually helps. The reason behind it is ambivalent anxiety, amorphous angst, diaphanous depression... all as substantial as smoke but it's just as obscuring of the vision and its stink seeps into every pore and fiber of li...

Praise be to the LORD , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen (Psalm 41:13)        Recently, I mentioned the idea of looking at God's attributes after Christmas, but I had really thought that the time spent on verses that use the word "praise" would lead to considering more of God's attributes. Today's verse is an example of what I expected. What does it mean that God is "from everlasting to everlasting"? What does it mean that He is eternal? What does it mean to us?             "Eternal" means that He's been around forever. In fact, He was around before time as we know it began. Time is a measurement of duration and change in the physical realm. In the spiritual realm, if there is even the concept of time, it is probably not measured in the way we think of it. Some of suggested that God exists in an everlasting now. He does not change. The passage of time doesn't aff...

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD . (Psalm 40:3)             Having trouble praising God? Your heart just isn't in it? You don't know what to say? Praise and exuberance just isn't your thing? I can relate. Oh, when something happens, I can spontaneously praise, but praise as a discipline? Ha! Daily, purposefully, deliberately praise? Praise because God deserves it even if I don't feel like praising? That's just hard. It's not my style. I hate generic or scripted greetings or praises. I want to have depth but I don't want to use other people's words. Do you see how much harder I make praising?            One answer to the challenge of praising more is to ask God to put a new son in your mouth, a hymn of praise to him. Another answer is to get your ego out of it - use someone else's words. Forget ab...

My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. (Psalm 35:28)             Do I really think the Lord is righteous? When I can't find something, when I get sick, when I want something I know God could do something about, when the universe doesn't revolve around me, do I really think God is righteous? Do I believe it enough to praise Him for it? I have to confess, righteousness is not the first term that comes to mind when I'm not happy. So, since Scripture is clear that God is righteous and worthy of praise for His righteousness, some research is in order.              The Hebrew word for "righteousness" is used to describe someone acting in accordance with appropriate standards. How should a god - the God - act? This is always an interesting area of consideration. First, God should act like a spiritual being, not a physical one. He sho...

             I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD ! let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:1-3)             When you're happy, hopeful or excited, it's easy to praise God. When you're angry, sad or anxious, it's harder to praise Him because of your negative feelings, but those negative feelings provide energy you can draw on if you can only turn your focus. It's when I am neither up, nor down, that I find praise most difficult. There's no emotional component to motivate the expression. This is one of the reasons I sometimes say that I don't like peace - if peace is the lack of conflict it can feel like being "dead" - there's nothing there. Better a little drama than the emptiness of that kind of peace. Fortunately, that's a reductionist versi...

Sing joyfully to the LORD , you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.   Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. (Psalm 33:1-3)             This is a time of year in which hymns are more familiar. Most people have heard "Silent Night." Silent Night Holy Night All Is calm All is bright Round yon virgin mother and child holy Infant So tender ... and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace             This is how if often sounds to me when we sing it. All the phrases are separate from the others. I understand. This is how we've learned to sing it so that everyone is singing together, and everyone can breathe frequently enough to sing, especially that first peace.        Today's passage is about s...