I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Psalm 122:1
Happy Advent Season! Advent is Latin for “coming”, and it is the season we prepare ourselves for the coming of our King on Christmas morning! Now I know this is the busiest of busy times of the year. Most likely you just got done traveling for or hosting Thanksgiving with family. Now it’s a mad dash to find all the presents on sale. Get them wrapped. Get the tree up. Get the house decorated. Then it’s only a few weeks until all the Christmas parties and family get togethers start taking over every weekend. You are busy, I get it.
However, we are busy here at church as well. We have our cookie sale this Saturday, Wednesday nights are now busy with dinners and an extra worship service each week, we are hosting a Christmas party on the 16th, we have the preschool Christmas program on the 18th, the Sunday school Christmas program on the 21st, and then comes the big day we all have been preparing for with three worship services on Christmas Eve and one more on Christmas Day. Normally we do not have a Christmas morning service here at Peace in Christ, but because Christmas falls on a Sunday this year we are still having the late service. There are so many opportunities to come worship, eat, serve, and gather at church in the next 25 days!!! Hopefully every church is this busy and active during this season! My question for you is will you have the same attitude as King David in Psalm 122?
David starts this whole psalm by admitting he was glad when the people said they wanted to go to the house of the Lord. So, when it comes to four or five extra worship services, four dinners, a cookie sale, and two Christmas programs, all on top of your regular Saturday/Sunday morning services during this season of Advent, are you going to get tired of all this extra “church stuff”, or are you going to be glad to come to the house of the Lord again and again? I hope you are glad! I hope you see each one of these “extras” as a chance to truly prepare yourself for the celebration of your King, the one and only begotten Son of God, being born in the flesh. God literally became just like you, in order to save you! If the good news that Christ is born, the Word of God has become incarnate in the flesh, doesn’t make you glad, I don’t know what will. If coming to the house of the Lord to hear you have salvation and eternal life in your Savior and King Jesus Christ doesn’t make you glad, again I don’t know what will. If you are too busy with the hustle and bustle of all the holiday requirements to come spend time in the house of your Lord who was born for you, I think you are missing the whole point of this entire season!
I know you are busy, and I know you have a hundred and one things to get done by yesterday. However, there is also a reason we have extra opportunities to come to the house of the Lord during this busy season. We all need those extra opportunities to come just be in the presence of our God, to forget about all those things “we have to do” for a few moments, and to set aside all that stress and focus on preparing ourselves for the real reason for the season. Instead of grumbling that we have to go church one more time, I pray this Advent season you can be like David and genuinely be glad that you get to go to the house of your Lord one more time. I pray we can all gather together with happy hearts and rejoice in the fact that our King is born! Our King has won our salvation and eternal life through His death and resurrection. And our King is coming back to end all sin, suffering, and death! So, from a pastor, I lovingly encourage us all together, “Let us go to the house of the Lord to hear His good news as often as possible during this busy season!” – and hopefully you are glad to hear this!
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Happy Thanksgiving. I preach tonight at our Thanksgiving Eve service at 6:30. Then drive six and a half hours to mom and dads. The whole family is going to be there. All of us getting together is happening less and less now that we are all working adults living in Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, and Minnesota. So I am very excited to see the boys and Ava. Oh, and the rest of the family too! It is a short trip for me driving down tonight and coming back Friday night, but worth it to see the family.
We have been getting lots of snow here. We were spoiled with such a long, nice fall almost all the way through November. But now that winter is here, it is coming at full speed. I love the snow and have thoroughly enjoyed tracking the deer movement through the fresh snow in my yard. However, this is the first Minnesota winter where I actually have to shovel snow. Last year, I had a heated garage and the plowing was always done for me at the apartment. I have had to shovel the drive way twice this year and it is a decently long driveway. However, it is also a good workout to shovel it. The chickens don't like the snow very much; although, they are getting better about going outside even in the cold. They finally laid their first two eggs! Now I just have to get them trained to lay the eggs in the nesting boxes instead of on the ground. Silly chickens.
Well, as Thanksgiving is tomorrow and my birthday is Friday, I most certainly have an abundance of things to be thankful for. I never dreamed that as I turned 28, I would own 17.5 acres of woods with a house, garage, and chickens, my own tractor, a car and a truck, and be blesses with lots of other material possessions. I am so thankful for the career I have as an ordained minister at an amazing congregation with an awesome staff to work with. I am so thankful that I am alive and healthy after some of the craziness of this year. I will take a wicked scar on my arm being the worst thing left from a week in the hospital, nothing to show for falling off a roof, and making it safely through another hunting season. God has blessed me every day for 28 years, and I am so content with where my life is, that the next two days will be a time of reflection and giving thanks to God.
I pray you are just as content with your life, and can see how abundantly God has blessed you no matter where your life is at as well. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
We have been getting lots of snow here. We were spoiled with such a long, nice fall almost all the way through November. But now that winter is here, it is coming at full speed. I love the snow and have thoroughly enjoyed tracking the deer movement through the fresh snow in my yard. However, this is the first Minnesota winter where I actually have to shovel snow. Last year, I had a heated garage and the plowing was always done for me at the apartment. I have had to shovel the drive way twice this year and it is a decently long driveway. However, it is also a good workout to shovel it. The chickens don't like the snow very much; although, they are getting better about going outside even in the cold. They finally laid their first two eggs! Now I just have to get them trained to lay the eggs in the nesting boxes instead of on the ground. Silly chickens.
Well, as Thanksgiving is tomorrow and my birthday is Friday, I most certainly have an abundance of things to be thankful for. I never dreamed that as I turned 28, I would own 17.5 acres of woods with a house, garage, and chickens, my own tractor, a car and a truck, and be blesses with lots of other material possessions. I am so thankful for the career I have as an ordained minister at an amazing congregation with an awesome staff to work with. I am so thankful that I am alive and healthy after some of the craziness of this year. I will take a wicked scar on my arm being the worst thing left from a week in the hospital, nothing to show for falling off a roof, and making it safely through another hunting season. God has blessed me every day for 28 years, and I am so content with where my life is, that the next two days will be a time of reflection and giving thanks to God.
I pray you are just as content with your life, and can see how abundantly God has blessed you no matter where your life is at as well. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Psalm 67
Praise the Lord the election is over. Someone had to win, someone had to lose, and now we move forward. However, for some reason unknown to me, there is still so much hatred, anger, and division lingering. Fingers are being pointed, blame is being dealt out abundantly, and nothing has even actually happened yet. Maybe it is my laissez faire attitude, but I don’t think who our president is worth all the fuss that I have not been able to avoid.
One of the most frustrating arguments I have seen way too many times is that equality is being thrown out the window. So many people honestly thought the candidate who lost (I refuse to mention names) was going to bring equality for all people (meaning mostly LBGT, immigrants, women, etc.). And now that the other candidate won (you know who), that equality is never going to happen. Now I could rant and rave for about thirty-six to two thousand pages on why I agree or disagree with that whole ball of wax. Instead I want to just turn to the Psalm.
Psalm 67 verse 4 says: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity.” I wish every citizen of our country would hear those first nine words about being glad and singing for joy. I wish we could stand together as one people and be glad about everything that is still good in our country thanks to the blessings God continues to shower upon us, but I won’t hold my breath either. The psalmist tells us exactly why we can be glad and why we can sing for joy – because there is only one God and He will judge everyone with equity. He judges all people the same way. See right there it is – equality for all – exactly what everyone wants and is so strongly opinionated about. Except, I have a feeling all of those upset people disgruntled by the lack of equality for everyone in our country, are probably the very ones who do not want God’s equity. God’s equality is not about everybody getting to do everything you have ever wanted no matter what life style you choose. God’s equality is not about mankind deciding citizen’s rights. God’s equity in His judgment, where all mankind truly is equal, is about your faith. Are you part of His kingdom through faith in His Son or are you part of the kingdom of darkness through your rejection? Are you living according to His Word as a result of your faith or are you living a life of sin to spite God and His ways? This is the judgement that will come to all people, perfect equity, perfect equality, alleluia!!! And so we, the people of God, can be glad and sing for joy because we know we will be judged as faithful – not because of what we have done but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and through us! However, anyone actively rejecting the faith of Jesus Christ probably would not be glad or sing for joy as they will find out His judgment of equity means wrath and condemnation for all non-believers. Equality for all. Equal eternal life for all believers, equal eternal death for all non-believers. That is God’s equality, that is God’s equity. So we as the people of God can be glad, we can sing for joy. Because we know God’s equity for us is only possible through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be glad and sing for joy because you as a believer are saved in Jesus Christ. And share God’s equality with all those angry upset people, so that Lord willing more can be brought into the Gospel of Jesus Christ and come to know God’s equity rather than the world’s equality.
One of the most frustrating arguments I have seen way too many times is that equality is being thrown out the window. So many people honestly thought the candidate who lost (I refuse to mention names) was going to bring equality for all people (meaning mostly LBGT, immigrants, women, etc.). And now that the other candidate won (you know who), that equality is never going to happen. Now I could rant and rave for about thirty-six to two thousand pages on why I agree or disagree with that whole ball of wax. Instead I want to just turn to the Psalm.
Psalm 67 verse 4 says: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity.” I wish every citizen of our country would hear those first nine words about being glad and singing for joy. I wish we could stand together as one people and be glad about everything that is still good in our country thanks to the blessings God continues to shower upon us, but I won’t hold my breath either. The psalmist tells us exactly why we can be glad and why we can sing for joy – because there is only one God and He will judge everyone with equity. He judges all people the same way. See right there it is – equality for all – exactly what everyone wants and is so strongly opinionated about. Except, I have a feeling all of those upset people disgruntled by the lack of equality for everyone in our country, are probably the very ones who do not want God’s equity. God’s equality is not about everybody getting to do everything you have ever wanted no matter what life style you choose. God’s equality is not about mankind deciding citizen’s rights. God’s equity in His judgment, where all mankind truly is equal, is about your faith. Are you part of His kingdom through faith in His Son or are you part of the kingdom of darkness through your rejection? Are you living according to His Word as a result of your faith or are you living a life of sin to spite God and His ways? This is the judgement that will come to all people, perfect equity, perfect equality, alleluia!!! And so we, the people of God, can be glad and sing for joy because we know we will be judged as faithful – not because of what we have done but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and through us! However, anyone actively rejecting the faith of Jesus Christ probably would not be glad or sing for joy as they will find out His judgment of equity means wrath and condemnation for all non-believers. Equality for all. Equal eternal life for all believers, equal eternal death for all non-believers. That is God’s equality, that is God’s equity. So we as the people of God can be glad, we can sing for joy. Because we know God’s equity for us is only possible through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be glad and sing for joy because you as a believer are saved in Jesus Christ. And share God’s equality with all those angry upset people, so that Lord willing more can be brought into the Gospel of Jesus Christ and come to know God’s equity rather than the world’s equality.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Psalm 36
I am not too arrogant to admit that there have been times in my life when I strayed quite far from a Christian life style. The temptation of temporal pleasures caused me to not only sin, but dive in head first into the downward spiral of a sinful lifestyle. The more I partook of that certain sin of that time, the more I wanted to keep doing it. So, when David starts this verse with “transgression speaks to the wicked, deep in his heart,” sadly enough I know exactly what he is talking to. Transgression has a way to spark a fire in the heart of a sinner that can cause him or her to want nothing more than to fuel that fire. And as one feeds that fire with an immoral lifestyle, he or she is actually foolishness enough to think they are getting away with it. Because they can keep it hidden from family, friends, and people, they think their iniquity cannot be found out. Either that or they are so enthralled with their iniquity, they really believe no one would blame them for it even if they did find out. And while you are desperate for more of your sinful passion, there is absolutely no fear of God in your thoughts. This is a pattern that is extremely hard to break. And for those who have never known the steadfast love of the Lord, it can be almost impossible to get out of the grasp of this soul-consuming transgression. And there are so many vices, sins, and passions that transgression can use to pull you into its trap.
Fortunately enough for me, I have known the steadfast love of the Lord. Even while I was running fiercely away from it, I always knew it was there. And in fact, it is the steadfast love of the Lord that is the only thing that can overcome and defeat transgression. Listen to how David compares this transgression that takes over, controls, and dominate to the steadfast love of God. Transgression has the power to overtake the wicked, fill his heart, and cause him to react; however, the steadfast love of the Lord doesn’t just have the potential to fill, it does fill. And not just the heart of a few men, but all of creation. Extending to the heavens, like mountains reaching the clouds, His love fills every part of creation, both man and beast. Instead of lying in bed plotting trouble, the children who know this love, feast on the abundance of His house. They see the light and receive from the fountain of life. Instead of lurking in the darkness desperate to get their next fix to feed something they can’t control, the upright leap in the light, happily receiving their fill of what is generously given to them. The steadfast love of the Lord not only trumps transgression, it is the refuge from it. The upright who have escaped transgression’s death grip find their refuge in the Lord. And as David prays in verse 11, once one is safe in the steadfast love of the Lord, they never want to go back to their old wicked ways. They never want that arrogance to come back over them again. They never want those temptations to drive them away from the presence of the Lord again.
Even Christians find themselves being drawn into transgression's webs, and you may have dark spots on your record of life. However, the steadfast love of the Lord is always bigger. The steadfast love that Jesus Christ won for you you by dying on the cross erases all those dark stains. His love will always trump transgressions bests efforts. Transgression has power, but it is limited. God is all-powerful that can rescue anyone from even the tightest clutches of evil. Christ has overcome the darkness so that you can always be in the light. Your heart has evil tendencies, but Christ died to claim your heart as His own and fill it with His steadfast love. If you are caught in that downward spiral of transgression right now, call on the Lord and beg Him for His steadfast love to come rescue you, bring you back into the light, and be your refuge. If you have been in that spiral before but still feel ashamed of those previous acts of evil and arrogance, trust in the steadfast love of the Lord. His forgiveness is REAL! Which means those sins are not only forgiven, they are completely gone. Quit dwelling on your tainted record and start feasting on His abundance! If you are in the refuge of His wings, feasting on His abundance, living in His love, still continue to pray this psalm. Let this psalm be a reminder that transgression is a real enemy, but also a reminder that it is a defeated enemy. Pray that you may not be swept back into those old sinful habits, but rather remain and abide in the steadfast love of our Lord! Amen.
Fortunately enough for me, I have known the steadfast love of the Lord. Even while I was running fiercely away from it, I always knew it was there. And in fact, it is the steadfast love of the Lord that is the only thing that can overcome and defeat transgression. Listen to how David compares this transgression that takes over, controls, and dominate to the steadfast love of God. Transgression has the power to overtake the wicked, fill his heart, and cause him to react; however, the steadfast love of the Lord doesn’t just have the potential to fill, it does fill. And not just the heart of a few men, but all of creation. Extending to the heavens, like mountains reaching the clouds, His love fills every part of creation, both man and beast. Instead of lying in bed plotting trouble, the children who know this love, feast on the abundance of His house. They see the light and receive from the fountain of life. Instead of lurking in the darkness desperate to get their next fix to feed something they can’t control, the upright leap in the light, happily receiving their fill of what is generously given to them. The steadfast love of the Lord not only trumps transgression, it is the refuge from it. The upright who have escaped transgression’s death grip find their refuge in the Lord. And as David prays in verse 11, once one is safe in the steadfast love of the Lord, they never want to go back to their old wicked ways. They never want that arrogance to come back over them again. They never want those temptations to drive them away from the presence of the Lord again.
Even Christians find themselves being drawn into transgression's webs, and you may have dark spots on your record of life. However, the steadfast love of the Lord is always bigger. The steadfast love that Jesus Christ won for you you by dying on the cross erases all those dark stains. His love will always trump transgressions bests efforts. Transgression has power, but it is limited. God is all-powerful that can rescue anyone from even the tightest clutches of evil. Christ has overcome the darkness so that you can always be in the light. Your heart has evil tendencies, but Christ died to claim your heart as His own and fill it with His steadfast love. If you are caught in that downward spiral of transgression right now, call on the Lord and beg Him for His steadfast love to come rescue you, bring you back into the light, and be your refuge. If you have been in that spiral before but still feel ashamed of those previous acts of evil and arrogance, trust in the steadfast love of the Lord. His forgiveness is REAL! Which means those sins are not only forgiven, they are completely gone. Quit dwelling on your tainted record and start feasting on His abundance! If you are in the refuge of His wings, feasting on His abundance, living in His love, still continue to pray this psalm. Let this psalm be a reminder that transgression is a real enemy, but also a reminder that it is a defeated enemy. Pray that you may not be swept back into those old sinful habits, but rather remain and abide in the steadfast love of our Lord! Amen.