Let us continue our study of Psalm 119 and see what God has to teach us about praying on the basis of His word.
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” Vs. 147
Consider a businessman facing a crisis in the business. Perhaps it is a cash flow crisis. (Have you ever had one?) Perhaps a key customer has gone elsewhere. Perhaps a key employee has left, or the bank has called the note. (Any of these sound familiar?) This passage tells us to first rise before dawn to cry for help. Why before dawn? How do we communicate to God that the issue is serious, and we desperately need His assistance and rescue? By focusing on Him and sacrificing the thing most important to us – our time. At dawn, there are no interruptions. Dawn is well before the business activities get underway (in most businesses). By meeting God at dawn, we are giving Him the best time of the day, and making our time with Him the foundation for the rest of the day.What is the basis for our cry for help? We cry because we have put our hope in God, through His word. It is not the Scriptures that save us. It is God working through His Scriptures. So we place our hope in His Word, because our hope is in Him. Our cry for help is a means for expressing our faith and trust in Him. If we trust Him, we will cry out for help. If we do not trust Him, but rather trust ourselves, then we will not pray and not cry out to Him. And He has no obligation to help us.
”Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your laws.” Vs. 149
We remind Him of His incredible love for us, and ask Him to listen to us on the basis of that love. We claim His promises (such as Matt. 6.33 and James 1.5) and base our prayer for rescue on those promises. It is according to His laws (His Scriptures) that we are asking Him to preserve our lives. We need to know what His Scriptures promise, so we can claim those promises in our requests.So when trouble and difficulties strike (and they will), rise at dawn, before anything else gets underway. Have read His word, and know some promises -this know them well. Place your hope in them. Believe them to be true. Prepare for the meeting with God, as you would for any other important meeting. Put your hope in God through His word. Then cry out to Him. Ask Him to rescue you. Trust Him to do as He has said. Trust Him to hear you, in accordance with His incredible love for you. Cry out to Him. Expect (trust) Him to preserve you according to (consistent with) His word. Then meet Him the next day, and the next day, and the next. Make it a lifestyle, and come to know Him by experience in ways you never would have otherwise. Watch Him rescue you, and praise Him for it.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
If I were the devil by Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey talking about the state of the world today
http://tinyurl.com/32kc3rb
Laminin (like sheep's wool?)
God's inside joke. You have probably seen this, but I came across it today. Not life altering, just thought it was a good example of God's humor
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
D.A. Carson "For Love Of God"
"People do not/ will not drift towards holiness apart from grace driven effort. People do not just gravitate towards prayer and obedience to scripture. Instead we drift towards disobedience and call it freedom, we drift toward superstition and call it faith, we cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation, we slouch into prayerlessness and delude ourselves with thinking we have escaped legalism, we slide away from Godliness and convince ourselves we're liberated."
D. A. Carson
D. A. Carson
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Warship Turns To Worship
John 4:24 "God is spirit and his worshippers must worship in spirit and truth." -NKJ-
Psalm 34:9 "O fear the Lord, you His saints! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear." -Amplified Bible from biblegateway.com-
A year or 2 ago I shared my 1st worship experience that I had ever had with the King (Jesus). It had taken me years to warm up to the idea of actually enjoying the 30 minutes of songs and worship before my pastor would get into the message for the day. I often wondered why people were so weird (raising their hands and crying, etc...) at church. Years later I was at church during spring training and before we got to our seats Blake had warned me about a teammate who was there with us by saying "Jules, this dude lets loose during worship so be prepared." I knew this guy pretty well and had played with him and he had all of our respect regardless of what he did off the field. We were all believers who were sold out for Jesus in our own minds but when I saw this guy sing and cut it loose during worship I was very uncomfortable but it was a different type. I was feeling small, I felt like I had more to give and get (I was holding back) and that day it started to burn in me. Fast forward 2 years, I'm on a men's retreat crying because God had revealed to me that my sinful pride has been in the way from allowing me to experience another level of God's goodness. I cried my face off and shouted (in worship) at the top of my lungs out to God, hands to the sky"He (God) is mighty to save!". I felt God's presence like never before, the Holy Spirit running through my veins filling me up with such an intense sense of life, I'll never forget it. My relationship with the Lord would never be the same and I knew it, I was so pumped to have this gift.
Now, I get a smaller version of the Holy Spirit running through my veins in church, one that isn't as intense as the way I had been moved in those mountains (Sierra Nevada - Lake Arrowhead) that weekend. I occasionally wonder why and this morning it hit me, it hit me real hard. The reason I don't experience the Lord like I did that weekend on the retreat is because of my sin. I continue to make the choice not to press in on Sundays, I just go half way (give or take a few). I don't cut it loose, and it's my sinful pride or maybe laziness that keeps me at a distance when God is calling out to me with arms wide open "come closer my son, I have more for you"! I have been allowing myself to believe this lie that I can only dive deep when I'm in the mountains on a men's retreat and that is a ridiculous lie. It makes me wonder what other limiting beliefs I have in my life that need to be squashed. Bottom line is that's it's time we cut it loose in church and fight the war over worship. Our pride (or whatever it is for you) and God are at ends here and this battle is going on inside of us and we have the final say as to who wins this war. Are you willing to fight this battle are you strong enough to wage another war against sin and death? What limiting beliefs is the enemy telling you to keep you in the back of the bus and off the frontline? No more, no more....
Thanks for your time.
Psalm 34:9 "O fear the Lord, you His saints! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear." -Amplified Bible from biblegateway.com-
A year or 2 ago I shared my 1st worship experience that I had ever had with the King (Jesus). It had taken me years to warm up to the idea of actually enjoying the 30 minutes of songs and worship before my pastor would get into the message for the day. I often wondered why people were so weird (raising their hands and crying, etc...) at church. Years later I was at church during spring training and before we got to our seats Blake had warned me about a teammate who was there with us by saying "Jules, this dude lets loose during worship so be prepared." I knew this guy pretty well and had played with him and he had all of our respect regardless of what he did off the field. We were all believers who were sold out for Jesus in our own minds but when I saw this guy sing and cut it loose during worship I was very uncomfortable but it was a different type. I was feeling small, I felt like I had more to give and get (I was holding back) and that day it started to burn in me. Fast forward 2 years, I'm on a men's retreat crying because God had revealed to me that my sinful pride has been in the way from allowing me to experience another level of God's goodness. I cried my face off and shouted (in worship) at the top of my lungs out to God, hands to the sky"He (God) is mighty to save!". I felt God's presence like never before, the Holy Spirit running through my veins filling me up with such an intense sense of life, I'll never forget it. My relationship with the Lord would never be the same and I knew it, I was so pumped to have this gift.
Now, I get a smaller version of the Holy Spirit running through my veins in church, one that isn't as intense as the way I had been moved in those mountains (Sierra Nevada - Lake Arrowhead) that weekend. I occasionally wonder why and this morning it hit me, it hit me real hard. The reason I don't experience the Lord like I did that weekend on the retreat is because of my sin. I continue to make the choice not to press in on Sundays, I just go half way (give or take a few). I don't cut it loose, and it's my sinful pride or maybe laziness that keeps me at a distance when God is calling out to me with arms wide open "come closer my son, I have more for you"! I have been allowing myself to believe this lie that I can only dive deep when I'm in the mountains on a men's retreat and that is a ridiculous lie. It makes me wonder what other limiting beliefs I have in my life that need to be squashed. Bottom line is that's it's time we cut it loose in church and fight the war over worship. Our pride (or whatever it is for you) and God are at ends here and this battle is going on inside of us and we have the final say as to who wins this war. Are you willing to fight this battle are you strong enough to wage another war against sin and death? What limiting beliefs is the enemy telling you to keep you in the back of the bus and off the frontline? No more, no more....
Thanks for your time.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Quest For Character
We're all chasing something. No question about it, if we unpack our desire and motivation it comes right down to a quest for some feeling we want to experience. John MacArthur wrote a small book "The Quest For Character", in which he references 2 Peter 1:5-8, the character of an effective disciple/saint.
2 Peter 1:5-8 "... make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you posses these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
If we make our primary goal to obtain all these characteristics, we'd be pretty well off in the peace, purpose, and fulfillment department. Reality is that we don't and I'm as guilty as any. It's hard, life happens and in a world where distraction is a battle every minute, how can we win? Think about how distracted we are, we will have in person conversations and check in coming text messages at the same time likes it's no big deal. How rude is that, how rude am I? What I want to challenge all of us on today is to stop at the end of each day (on the ride home or wherever) and ask yourself if you added or built any of these characteristics today. Make it a priority to grow in these areas and see what happens to your life and walk.
"Love is not a separate quality distinct from other virtues. ...it's the perfect expression of them combined."
Johnny Mac "The Quest For Character"
2 Peter 1:5-8 "... make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you posses these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
If we make our primary goal to obtain all these characteristics, we'd be pretty well off in the peace, purpose, and fulfillment department. Reality is that we don't and I'm as guilty as any. It's hard, life happens and in a world where distraction is a battle every minute, how can we win? Think about how distracted we are, we will have in person conversations and check in coming text messages at the same time likes it's no big deal. How rude is that, how rude am I? What I want to challenge all of us on today is to stop at the end of each day (on the ride home or wherever) and ask yourself if you added or built any of these characteristics today. Make it a priority to grow in these areas and see what happens to your life and walk.
"Love is not a separate quality distinct from other virtues. ...it's the perfect expression of them combined."
Johnny Mac "The Quest For Character"
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Foreman Grill
Psalms 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."
I probably speak for many of us when I say that the Foreman Grill has been worth it's weight in gold. In my career as a consumer of cheap meats, frozen in a package, I have watched this device turn mud into magic. I love to watch the fat drip off the meat guaranteeing that my mouth will only experience the leanest of portions. Up until my recent meat smoking trials on the barby, the Foreman Grill was tough to beat, it was highly efficient. This morning my pal and I were in the Word and we both got hit with this picture of our lives (in Faith) being like a slab of meat on a Foreman Grill. We come to the grill (Jesus), take a leap to experience the heat (the Spirit or what everyone is talking about, "this Jesus thing"), and watch as the fat (sin) drips off and we become a more pure and enjoyable piece of meat (human being). Our desires change, our dependence on worldly recognition disappears, being stressed out by the things of the world fade away. We become more ready to meet the King.
I say all this in relation to the above verse because we have to take the step/leap or even chance on Jesus. Give God a try, taste a little bit of Jesus, pick up your dusty Bible and put your nose in it, smell it, feel it, hear it, but first of all like an infant who puts everything in it's mouth, taste it. Taste and see that the Lord is good! He is all we need, try it out one time.
I probably speak for many of us when I say that the Foreman Grill has been worth it's weight in gold. In my career as a consumer of cheap meats, frozen in a package, I have watched this device turn mud into magic. I love to watch the fat drip off the meat guaranteeing that my mouth will only experience the leanest of portions. Up until my recent meat smoking trials on the barby, the Foreman Grill was tough to beat, it was highly efficient. This morning my pal and I were in the Word and we both got hit with this picture of our lives (in Faith) being like a slab of meat on a Foreman Grill. We come to the grill (Jesus), take a leap to experience the heat (the Spirit or what everyone is talking about, "this Jesus thing"), and watch as the fat (sin) drips off and we become a more pure and enjoyable piece of meat (human being). Our desires change, our dependence on worldly recognition disappears, being stressed out by the things of the world fade away. We become more ready to meet the King.
I say all this in relation to the above verse because we have to take the step/leap or even chance on Jesus. Give God a try, taste a little bit of Jesus, pick up your dusty Bible and put your nose in it, smell it, feel it, hear it, but first of all like an infant who puts everything in it's mouth, taste it. Taste and see that the Lord is good! He is all we need, try it out one time.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Why Do We Do What We Do?
"We try to manage behavior in the hope that it will change alienation (being apart from God) but the scriptures teach that alienation is handled (Christ's sacrifice) so that takes care of our evil deeds (sin)"
Matt Chandler
This really hit me today and reminded me of how my foundational instincts (which are sinful by nature) are to manage my behavior in order to draw closer to God or to reap blessings. It's crazy because I know better than to do this but yet the battle is still heavy. I keep trying to earn his love and blessings and it leads me to being depressed because my mind condemns me. But I know better because of Romans 8.
Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
We aleady have the victory so let's draw closer by not being strangers to His Word (reading, podcasts, church, fellowship, etc...)
I would love to hear some stories or other methods how people draw closer to the Lord.
Matt Chandler
This really hit me today and reminded me of how my foundational instincts (which are sinful by nature) are to manage my behavior in order to draw closer to God or to reap blessings. It's crazy because I know better than to do this but yet the battle is still heavy. I keep trying to earn his love and blessings and it leads me to being depressed because my mind condemns me. But I know better because of Romans 8.
Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
We aleady have the victory so let's draw closer by not being strangers to His Word (reading, podcasts, church, fellowship, etc...)
I would love to hear some stories or other methods how people draw closer to the Lord.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
For Freedom Has Come
Fellas on the day we celebrate our independence and freedom as a nation I can't help but think of also celebrating our freedom in Christ. Here is a short video of a benediction or poem by Jimmy Needham. It always hits home with me. Enjoy.
trying to die to myself,
-tmart
Monday, June 21, 2010
Fathers Day
FATHERS DAY ....
Let me start by saying Happy Fathers Day to all you dads that have little ones. Today, while listening to our team chaplain talk about father's day I was really convicted on the importance of our role as fathers. Now, I know some of you don't have children but I still think there are some good thoughts here so hang with me for a few minutes. It has been said that the most important person in a kids life is their father. You can also make a case that the most troubled kids often times had to grow up without a dad in the house. We as fathers have an ENORMOUS role in our household. We ARE the spiritual leaders of our household. Our chaplain had some key thoughts that really hit home for me so I want to share them with you. First, our children are around us constantly so it's a natural thing for them to pick up on little things we do, faces we make, etc. They copy certain sayings we say (I know this because one of my daughters says "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout" and she's 3 years old). They watch us constantly. They watch how we treat our spouses, and how we punish them or show humility when we are wrong. Basically, as fathers, we are laying down the foundation for how our kids will parent their kids. How many times can you look back and say "Well, my mom/dad did it like that and I think that's exactly how I'm gunna do it." Our Chaplain was saying if he handles something poorly with his wife or even one of his kids the first thing he does is go to the child and tell them he handled the situation wrong and that he's sorry. That way his kids see humility. I'll tell you what I love. My wife sometimes remembers getting up early for school and always seeing her dad having his quiet time reading his Bible. I think that's awesome. A few years ago, I stayed with my friend Steve in Orlando for 6 weeks. Steve has 4 boys who any parent would be proud of. Every morning around 5:30 a.m. he grabbed his Bible and started his day off right. Like a child I watched him and studied him because he was different. His boys and his wife respected him as the spiritual leader he was. I want that to be me one day but I haven't grasped the whole 5:30 thing yet. My friend Mickey in Chicago has daughters that have that awesome Godly glow from being taught at an early age what Jesus' love is all about. All my spiritual mentors that have families are leading by example. No, they're leading by Christ's example and it is inspiring. Here's what I'm getting at. Our spiritual walk not only affects our lives and our kids lives. It has the potential to affect our grandkids and great grandkids lives, and on and on. But, here's the kicker. We'll only have that kind of impact if we live our own lives in a way that reflects the glory and greatness of God. If they just see us then maybe we haven't gotten the point....if they see God in us then that's when we're really parenting. Thanks for reading
-waino
Let me start by saying Happy Fathers Day to all you dads that have little ones. Today, while listening to our team chaplain talk about father's day I was really convicted on the importance of our role as fathers. Now, I know some of you don't have children but I still think there are some good thoughts here so hang with me for a few minutes. It has been said that the most important person in a kids life is their father. You can also make a case that the most troubled kids often times had to grow up without a dad in the house. We as fathers have an ENORMOUS role in our household. We ARE the spiritual leaders of our household. Our chaplain had some key thoughts that really hit home for me so I want to share them with you. First, our children are around us constantly so it's a natural thing for them to pick up on little things we do, faces we make, etc. They copy certain sayings we say (I know this because one of my daughters says "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout" and she's 3 years old). They watch us constantly. They watch how we treat our spouses, and how we punish them or show humility when we are wrong. Basically, as fathers, we are laying down the foundation for how our kids will parent their kids. How many times can you look back and say "Well, my mom/dad did it like that and I think that's exactly how I'm gunna do it." Our Chaplain was saying if he handles something poorly with his wife or even one of his kids the first thing he does is go to the child and tell them he handled the situation wrong and that he's sorry. That way his kids see humility. I'll tell you what I love. My wife sometimes remembers getting up early for school and always seeing her dad having his quiet time reading his Bible. I think that's awesome. A few years ago, I stayed with my friend Steve in Orlando for 6 weeks. Steve has 4 boys who any parent would be proud of. Every morning around 5:30 a.m. he grabbed his Bible and started his day off right. Like a child I watched him and studied him because he was different. His boys and his wife respected him as the spiritual leader he was. I want that to be me one day but I haven't grasped the whole 5:30 thing yet. My friend Mickey in Chicago has daughters that have that awesome Godly glow from being taught at an early age what Jesus' love is all about. All my spiritual mentors that have families are leading by example. No, they're leading by Christ's example and it is inspiring. Here's what I'm getting at. Our spiritual walk not only affects our lives and our kids lives. It has the potential to affect our grandkids and great grandkids lives, and on and on. But, here's the kicker. We'll only have that kind of impact if we live our own lives in a way that reflects the glory and greatness of God. If they just see us then maybe we haven't gotten the point....if they see God in us then that's when we're really parenting. Thanks for reading
-waino
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday Scripture
Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out!
Check out these two Old Testament scrips to help drive home the idea of God's depth and greatness. Why do we constantly try to put God and His works in a box? Yep you guessed it, because we want control. Give it up son! Somethings we just won't understand till we touch down in Heaven, enjoy the bliss of the unknown!
Psalm 92:5 "How great are your works O Lord, how profound your thoughts!
Job 11:7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?"
Check out these two Old Testament scrips to help drive home the idea of God's depth and greatness. Why do we constantly try to put God and His works in a box? Yep you guessed it, because we want control. Give it up son! Somethings we just won't understand till we touch down in Heaven, enjoy the bliss of the unknown!
Psalm 92:5 "How great are your works O Lord, how profound your thoughts!
Job 11:7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?"
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
This Can't Be Life?
Have you ever asked this question "This can't be life?". For you English majors out there I know that it's not postured as a question as written but if you know me and hear the way it falls off my tongue you'd know that indeed it is a question. So the question here is wrapped around thoughts that are triggered by life's circumstances that beg the question "how can this be?"
To explain better, we pursue a dream or an activity (could be anything we see that has value) and do all we know to prepare for success only to see it not work out. Unfortunately most of the time we see a bump in the road as the end of the world when it really ends up being a small obstacle that prepares us better for the climax.
I mention all this to expand on the topic of Freedom. Freedom from being defined by this world. Why do we continue to identify our self worth with our accomplishments such as making it to the MLB, being an All-Star, HOF, closing big deals, owning a business, etc...? Listen to what Paul says here in Galatians
Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
Can you relate, have you felt burdened by a dream, or a failure? Ask yourself why? It's more often than not because we are defining ourselves by what we do not who we are IN Christ. I've done this so many times and I really believe that is why I couldn't handle failure as a player. It drove me into depression so many times, a crippling depression that nobody (friends and family)could shake me out of, it made be literally ill. Let's no longer live in slavery to our worldly dreams let's be alive in our identity in Christ.
To explain better, we pursue a dream or an activity (could be anything we see that has value) and do all we know to prepare for success only to see it not work out. Unfortunately most of the time we see a bump in the road as the end of the world when it really ends up being a small obstacle that prepares us better for the climax.
I mention all this to expand on the topic of Freedom. Freedom from being defined by this world. Why do we continue to identify our self worth with our accomplishments such as making it to the MLB, being an All-Star, HOF, closing big deals, owning a business, etc...? Listen to what Paul says here in Galatians
Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
Can you relate, have you felt burdened by a dream, or a failure? Ask yourself why? It's more often than not because we are defining ourselves by what we do not who we are IN Christ. I've done this so many times and I really believe that is why I couldn't handle failure as a player. It drove me into depression so many times, a crippling depression that nobody (friends and family)could shake me out of, it made be literally ill. Let's no longer live in slavery to our worldly dreams let's be alive in our identity in Christ.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Listen Up
James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
When was the last time you actually listened to what somebody was saying objectively without putting your own spin on it? When was the last time you really heard someone all the way out instead of preparing what you were going to counter with before they ended their thought? Challenge! I hearby pronounce myself guilty on both charges.
When was the last time you actually listened to what somebody was saying objectively without putting your own spin on it? When was the last time you really heard someone all the way out instead of preparing what you were going to counter with before they ended their thought? Challenge! I hearby pronounce myself guilty on both charges.
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