TAKING UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH AND THE SWORD OF TRUTH
EPHESIANS 6:16-18
Our Responsibility to Grace – Psalm 101
When you consider God's grace, what comes to mind? Some Christian believers see grace as a license to do whatever they want. They believe that because they are no longer under the law, they are free to engage in whatever behavior they choose. After all, the blood of Christ covers…
He Wants Us to Be Joyful – Psalms 98-100
As a pastor, I often see people at their worst. It's normal; it's okay; I expect it. Most of the time, there is really nothing I can do or say to fix the problems. But I can encourage people to worship the Lord, to praise Him even in their lousy…
Worship I AM Because HE IS – Psalms 96+97
Our praise and worship is often linked to what God has done for us. That's normal and okay. But we can do better. I think of it in terms of good, better, and best. 'Good' is praising and worshiping God for what he has done. 'Better' is praising and worshiping…
Soft Hearts: God Loves Them – Psalms 94+95
Lately, we've been talking a lot about the parable of the sower, especially in our Wednesday night studies. We've talked about how we want our hearts to be good ground; ground soft enough that the seed of God's Word can penetrate, grow, and bear fruit. Unfortunately, there's an easy way…
Joyful But Always Respectful – Psalms 92+93
Praise and worship (as a practice) is an interesting thing. Some people are so reserved that it's hard to know if they really are glad to be God's children. Others lose all restraint to the point of bordering on hedonism. God wants us to praise and worship him. He wants…
Wandering or Walking: The Life You Choose – Psalms 90+91
The Bible is jam packed with choices. Adam could eat the forbidden fruit or not eat it. The Israelites could choose to listen to Elijah or the prophets of Baal. Jonah could choose to go to Nineveh or run away. The rich young ruler to sell all that he had…
Faithfulness That Reaches the Clouds – Psalm 89
We've all been hurt by loved ones. Right? Maybe it's a spouse, a family member or a close friend. When the hurt comes, so does the temptation to immediately believe the other person no longer loves us. We forget all the ways that person has positively demonstrated love in the…
Hope & Misery: An Odd Couple – Psalms 87+88
Do you remember the TV series 'The Odd Couple'? It was about two divorced men with strikingly different personalities sharing an apartment. Oscar was a messy, uncultured, average joe. Felix was neat, sophisticated, and highly cultured. Making things work as room mates was challenging. Picture your mind as an apartment.…
We Could All Use an Alignment – Psalm 86
God called David a "man after his own heart" (I Sam. 13:14, Acts 13:22). There are many facets to that statement that we won't unpack today. Rather, let's just accept the fact that it's true, then take a look into David's heart to understand a little bit better why it's…
Intention in the House of God – Ps. 84+85
There are some congregations within the collective church body that have made idols out of their buildings. By the same token, there are other congregations who think so little of their buildings that they don't keep up their properties. They make no effort to maintain a respectful environment, either. Both…