As you can probably tell from reading these posts…I really like music. Songs have an uncanny ability to tell a story and to reach the heart of the listener. CityAlight is a fairly recent discovery for me, and I’m glad I have discovered them. They have put out some great music that is theologically rich as well as quite well done. This is a new song that has recently been released called “Your Will Be Done.”

I would encourage you to go through this whole song and follow the biblical references and let it refresh your heart. And I want to point something from the second stanza where it says: “How in the Garden he persisted I may never fully know. The fearful weight of true obedience it was held by him alone.” I have been reading a book called "Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund (I would highly recommend it so far) and he put me on to this quote by C.S. Lewis about Christ resisting temptation:

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.”

The incredible weight that Jesus bore in the incarnation - he knew the power of sin. He never gave in. He always fully did the will of the Father. And he knows what temptation is like…better than you or I ever could. We have a phenomenal Savior who can sympathize with our weakness, and he can give help (see Hebrews 4:14-16). He helps those who are in union with him - that is those who by faith and repentance believe. What a tremendous grace and privilege! Praise God.

Your will be done, my God and Father 
As in heaven, so on earth 
My heart is drawn to self-exalting 
Help me seek Your kingdom first 
As Jesus walked, so I shall walk 
Held by Your same unchanging love 
Be still my soul, O lift your voice and pray: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done.’ 

How in that Garden he persisted 
I may never fully know 
The fearful weight of true obedience 
It was held by him alone 
What wondrous faith, to bear that cross! 
To bear my sin, what wondrous love! 
My hope was sure, when there my Saviour prayed: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done.’ 

When I am lost, when I am broken 
In the night of fear and doubt 
Still I will trust in my good Father 
Yes, to one great King I bow! 
As Jesus rose, so I shall rise 
In ransomed glory at the throne 
My heart restored 
With all your saints I sing: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done!’ 

As we go forth, our God and Father 
Lead us daily in the fight 
That all the world might see Your glory 
And Your Name be lifted high 
And in this Name we overcome 
For You shall see us safely home 
Now as your church, we lift our voice and pray:  
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done!’ 

Dear World, We write to you from the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are at a loss in so many ways, unsure of what to do, unsure of what to say, and unsur...

There appears to be light at the end of this stay-at-home tunnel. The Governor has put out a plan to restart Ohio; though there is a still a long way to go. And though it is still a long road ahead of us, once this is passed, it could be something that we simply forget about and don’t learn from (surely not right away, but we have a tendency to forget). That would be tragic in its own right.

I think about Psalm 90:12: So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Having a heart of wisdom would enable us to live our lives in light of what is good and true and beautiful. A heart of wisdom would direct us in our priorities. A heart of wisdom would help us not only know what is most important, but also see our lives reflect that knowledge.

Ephesians 5:15-21: 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 

Be very careful…pay close attention to how you walk…that is, to how you live. Be wise, not foolish. We are to seek to understand what the will of the Lord is (his general precepts for our lives that are for our good)…and Paul shows us in part. It is being filled with his Spirit, speaking the Word of the Lord, singing, giving thanks, and loving/submitting to one another because of Christ. And in an even more general way - the wisdom that we are called to is knowing who the Lord is…it is the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; 15:33).

If we go back to Psalm 90 the first two verses are foundational:

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place 

in all generations. 

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, 

or ever you had formed the earth and the world, 

from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

Our God is eternal and unchanging…whereas this psalm tells us how our days are numbered. And so we are to live those days in wisdom. Part of that wisdom is learning where we find our satisfaction…where we find our contentment. Look at verse 14:

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

Our satisfaction is in the Lord. Our satisfaction is in the steadfast love of the Lord. And we see that most clearly in our Savior. …but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8; cf. John 3:16). And when we know the nature and character of God, we can rest in him more fully and live a life of wisdom and not folly.

So Lord, teach us to number our days rightly. Here is a great song/prayer from this psalm. Lyrics can be found here - or just follow along with Psalm 90.

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore Wisdom and Grace · BiFrost Arts Lamentations: Simple Songs of Lament and Hope, Vol. 1 ℗ 2016 Gospel Song Records Released on:...

One of my favorite hymns is “Rock of Ages.” It was written by Augustus Toplady to conclude a magazine article in which he emphasized that humans can never repay, through their own efforts, the debt which they owe to God. And it’s interesting he correlated that to the national debt of England at the time. There is nothing we can do on our own to satisfy the justice of God in regard to our rebellion against him.

Two passages from Paul’s letter to Titus highlight this. First I’ll go with 3:4-7:

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This may be the second largest “but” in Scripture (behind Ephesians 2:4). Paul reminded Titus right before this of how we were all foolish, disobedient, led astray, etc…BUT then the goodness and kindness of God appeared. And we have been saved not by our works, but only by his mercy.  

And then let’s jump back to 2:11-14:

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Here we see that "double-cure” that comes through the work of Christ on the cross. By his blood we are not only redeemed (saved from wrath), but we are also made pure (sanctified). It is all from the grace of God. The grace does not merely saves us, but thankfully, God’s grace makes us more and more like him. God’s grace conforms us to the image of Christ.  

I got to know a band called Vigilantes of Love when I was on a summer project with CRU in 1993. One of their songs is called “Double Cure” (here is a rare solo performance of it - and here is another version with lyrics) and there is a line in it that I have loved for years: “I wanna drink out of that fountain, on a hill called Double Cure…” I want the grace of God to keep me from the things that masquerade as fountains and I want to drink solely from the fountain of his grace. The hill of Calvary, because of Christ, is a fountain of life for sinners. Let us run to that fountain daily and draw from all that he has for us. The things of this world pale in comparison to all that we have in Christ

Music Rock of Ages (lyrics) Artist: Chris Rice Place: Namibia South Africa July 2017

4 Delight yourself in the LORD, 

and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

These words from Psalm 37:4 are likely familiar. They are also misused a lot! It is important for us to understand what the psalmist intended by those words. We must understand that our heart has been changed as believers and therefore our desires have changed. It doesn’t remove the delight; it actually enhances it. Let me share the words of Charles Spurgeon commenting on this verse:

“The worldly person says, “I thought religion was all self-denial; I never imagined that in loving God we could have our desires. I thought godliness consisted in killing, destroying, and keeping back our desires.” The religion of most people consists in abstaining from sins they secretly love. Negative godliness is common; it is supposed by most that our religion consists in things we must not do rather than in pleasures we may enjoy. And they suppose us to be a crabby, miserable bunch, who undoubtedly make up for denying ourselves in public by some private indulgence. Now it is true that religion is self-denial; it is equally true that it is not self-denial. Christians have two selves. There is the old self, and there they do deny the flesh with its affections and lusts; but there is a new self, a newborn spirit, the new man in Christ Jesus. Our religion does not consist in any self-denial there. No, let it have the full swing of its wishes and desires, for all it can wish for, all it can pant after, all it can long to enjoy. When I hear persons say, “My religion consists in some things that I must do and in some things that I must not do,” I reply, “Mine consists in things I love to do and in avoiding things I hate and would scorn to do.” I feel no chains in my religion, for I am free, and no one is more free. He who fears God and is wholly God’s servant has no chains about him; he may live as he likes, for he likes to live as he ought. He may have his full desires, for his desires are holy, heavenly, and divine. He may take the full range of the utmost capacity of his wishes and desires and have all he needs and all he wishes, for God has given him the promise, and God will give him the fulfillment of it.”

 (Spurgeon. (2017). The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes (pp. 721–722). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.)

Look at Ephesians 4:20-24 and see that, as believers, we have been renewed in righteousness and holiness - and our true desires are in accord with that. Or turn to Colossians 3, particularly verse 10 that speaks of believers being commanded to put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the imagoes its creator. All of this flows from the fact that Christ is our life as believers. And that is not only a good thing, it is the best thing. Let’s meditate on this truth and be overwhelmed by all that we, as believers, are given in Christ, and the true pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

All rights to Big Daddy Weave

In light of the past few days on the blog, the song I am posting this morning is another from Rich Mullins - though originally from Fanny Crosby. Take time today and find in Scripture all the references in this song to the care of our Great Shepherd. Why should we not doubt his mercies? How is he such a comfort? How do we know that God does all things well? Where is the perfect rest promised?

The hymns of old are so often filled with rich Biblical allusions - take the time and find them and may your soul be strengthened by these words leading you to the fountain of living water.

All of the way my Savior leads me 
What have I to ask beside? 
Can I doubt His faithful mercies? 
Who through life has been my guide 
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort 
Ere by faith in Him to dwell 
For I know whatever fall me 
Jesus doeth all things well 

All of the way my Savior leads me 
And He cheers each winding path I tread 
Gives me strength for every trial 
And He feeds me with the living bread 
And though my weary steps may falter 
And my soul a-thirst may be 
Gushing from a rock before me 
Lo a spring of joy I see 

And all the way my Savior leads me 
Oh, the fullness of His love 
Perfect rest in me is promised 
In my Father's house above 
When my spirit clothed immortal 
Wings it's flight through the realms of the day 
This my song through endless ages 
Jesus led me all the way

Rich Mullins & Beaker play their version of Fanny J. Crosby's classic hymn, "All The Way My Savior Leads Me" at a concert in Holland, 1994.

“It is the spirit of a truly godly [person], to prefer God before all other things, either in heaven or on earth.”

What does that mean for us? How is it that Edwards (this is a continuation from the previous two days) draws the above conclusion?

I think of Colossian 3:1-4: 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 

Our life is Christ. Apart from his we have no real life. And we, as we grow in understanding the nature of God, will long for heaven above everything else - and what we long for is to be with God. Edwards brings out Hebrews 11:13-16 where the saints died in faith longing for heaven; longing for a better home.

The main reason why though is because God is there. Heaven “is the place where God is gloriously present, where his love is gloriously manifested, where the godly may be with him, see him as he is, and love, serve, praise, and enjoy him perfectly.” That sounds phenomenal! The heart of the believer is in heaven, because he knows that is where his treasure (God himself) resides.

Edwards goes on to then state that the saint will prefer God above all things on earth. We’ve looked before at Psalm 27:4. There is great longing, but also action of seeking after God. It flows out of a heart that has seen the glory of God and longs for his presence.

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; 

my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, 

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, 

beholding your power and glory.  (Psalm 63:1,2)

We could turn to the New Testament and Paul’s letter to the Philippian church: 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Phil. 3:7-11)

The longing in those verses is palpable. Paul’s desire is to know and gain Christ. Now here is the reality though - we don’t all feel like this. As Edwards wrote: “The saints are not always in the lively exercise of grace, but such a spirit they have, and sometimes have the sensible exercise of it.” What I believe Edwards was seeking to communicate is that though this is not always felt (or seen) to be the case in us, it truly is the spirit of the saint to prefer God above everything else.

Why is this so important? Well, particularly in this time, when so much has been ripped away, the saint has a solid hope. Edwards wrote: “…whatever changes a godly man passes through, he is happy; because God, who is unchangeable, is his chosen portion…on which he builds as his main foundation for happiness…” The believer can be content in this time of discontent of the world, because our hope has not shifted, has not failed, has not changed…and never will. Our hope and our joy is in the eternal, unchangeable God who sent his only Son for us to redeem us from our sin.  

Here’s a song by Sandra McCracken that, in some sense, calls on our own souls to recognize the goodness and beauty of God.

Call Him Good (Psalm 104) Written by Sandra McCracken, Don Chaffer, Derek Webb From the album "God's Highway" by Sandra McCracken © 2016 Same Old Dress Music...

I want to continue a bit more on what I wrote about yesterday. This is a theme that has been continually coming up in what I have been reading and studying. It all tends to relate back to the presence of God in the life of the believer. I decided to reread an old sermon by Jonathan Edwards called: “God the Best Portion.” Edwards’ message is a deep reflection on Psalm 73:25, yet it also reminded me of Isaiah 26:3.

3 You keep him in perfect peace 

whose mind is stayed on you, 

because he trusts in you. 

This verse is a great promise of God, and we likely think about it in relation to the benefit we receive as believers - kept in perfect peace. However, I think the point is that the believer is looking to and trusting God alone. The believer is longing for God and his presence. Just a few verses later in that chapter we read:

8 In the path of your judgments, 

O LORD, we wait for you; 

your name and remembrance 

are the desire of our soul. 

9 My soul yearns for you in the night; 

my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. 

The soul of the believer yearns for God and his presence - because we know that the presence of the holy, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, gracious, good God is our good. Knowing who God is should draw us to him more and more. I think of our Larger Catechism question 7: “What is God?” The answer is this:

God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. (see also the Confession Chapter 2)

And to be honest, as good as that definition is, it cannot touch the depth and breadth of who God truly is. God is a God worth seeking, worth knowing, worth loving. He is the one for whom our souls should yearn. And as we get to know the God revealed in Scripture and most gloriously manifested to us in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, we cannot help but long for him. This God who gave himself for us to save us from our sins is our only true and lasting satisfaction and portion in all of life. The saint cannot be satisfied with anything less than God. That reminds me of a quote by Burroughs as well as one by Edwards from this message (and I may take another post to reflect a bit more on this message)

“Therefore you will observe, that whatever God may give to a gracious heart, a heart that is godly, unless he gives himself it will not do. A godly heart will not only have the mercy, but the God of that mercy as well; and then a little matter is enough in the world, so be it he has the God of the mercy which he enjoys.” ~ Burroughs

“Offer a saint what you will, [but] if you deny him God, he will esteem himself miserable. God is the center of his desires; and as long as you keep his soul from its proper center, it will not be at rest.“ ~ Edwards

Here is a song about longing for God’s presence by Shane and Shane.

The nearness of God is the greatness goodness we can experience while we reside on the planet earth. We want to not only know about God the Father, Son, and ...

For me, a place of rest and tranquility and peace would be waking up in tent looking out at the scene of the picture above. The mountains have always been a place to which I have been drawn. I love the serene beauty and the sounds of nothing but nature. If I could think of a place that would bring me contentment - this would be on the top of the list.

In our men’s groups we are studying the book The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (and it is a book I would highly recommend). In our study last night and this morning we looked at a point the author made that a truly contented Christian is content with any condition/circumstance they find themselves in, but they are not satisfied. What he means is that a believer is content with what they are providentially given in this world (with affliction, with blessing…whatever), yet the only thing that truly satisfies a believer is God and his presence.

Psalm 73:25: Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

It also reminded me of Psalm 16 (which we have looked at a few times in this blog). Burroughs made this point: “A little in the world will content a Christian for his passage, but all the world, and ten thousand times more, will not content a Christian for his portion.” The only portion that will satisfy is God himself (Psalms 16:5; 73:28).

From there Burroughs went to Philippians 4:7,9: 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 

Do you see the difference between verse 7 & 9? It moves from the “peace of God” being with you to the “God of peace” being with you. And Burroughs writes: “Here is what I would observe from this text, That the peace of God is not enough to a gracious heart except it may have the God of that peace.”

The blessings of God are wonderful, but without God himself they mean very little. A Christian will only truly be content with God himself. We don’t just want the grace of God…we long for the God of grace. We don’t merely rejoice in the mercy of God…we rejoice in the God of mercy.

It is the presence of God that brings the Christian to contentment. The covenant of God with his people could be summarized with this promise: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” God will be our God…we will be in his presence. And through Christ God has dwelt with us (John 1:14). And he will be with us to the very end of the age…and we will be with him forever. That is our greatest joy and our greatest longing.

Here is a song that goes back to my youth group days, but it still speaks just as strongly. It’s “My One Thing” by Rich Mullins. (see THIS for a live version - and it reminded me of seeing Rich live in high school and singing this song in the audience)

It seems as though restless is becoming an apt word to describe people in our country (and perhaps throughout the world). We are seeing stories of protests all over the country clamoring for the ‘shelter in place’ orders to be lifted. And though it’s becoming more and more apt, I think it is simply becoming more and more visible. Naturally we are restless people. It was the great theologian Augustine who wrote in his Confessions: “Thou has formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”

This is a truth that has been set forth throughout Scripture. Our hearts wander and pursue other places of refuge. In Isaiah 30 we see the prophet call out Israel for its stubbornness in continuing to look to Egypt for its salvation. They sought refuge in Pharaoh rather than in the Lord. This was the sign of a rebellious people. They even called out for the prophets to speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions (Isaiah 30:10).

And yet in all of this we see in verse 15 a spotlight shining brightly on the heart of God.

15 For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; 

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” 

The call is to return; to repent. The people of Israel were called to repent of their trust in what cannot save. They were called to return and rest in the Lord alone. It is a call to faith in the Lord, and in the Lord alone. There is no one who can deliver the salvation that God’s people long for but God himself. And it is in God alone - in our quietness and trust in him that we shall find strength.

When we turn and rest, and trust in our Lord we will sing with the words of Exodus 15:1-18 and Isaiah 12 (see verse 2 below).

2 “Behold, God is my salvation; 

I will trust, and will not be afraid; 

for the Lord GOD is my strength and my song, 

and he has become my salvation.” 

But you were unwilling…These are the sad words that complete Isaiah 30:15. The people instead ran to other places of refuge (all that would fail). Let us learn from history and not be people unwilling. Let us be people who trust…who have faith…who repent of our false gods (idols, other sources of trust and refuge). Let us learn to rest. It is hard for us to be still and to trust, especially in the midst of some massive unknowns (but isn’t the unknown the place where our resting in God is actually tested?). This is a time where we feel the heaviness of the unfamiliar and the somewhat scary. But the call remains the same, and so does the heart of our God.

In Isaiah 30:18 we read: Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. Hear the heart of God in that for his children. And hear that same heart in the words of Jesus from Matthew 11:28,29.

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Lord, calm our anxious hearts. May we find our rest in You and in You alone.

A song written by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend and featured in the Getty's album "Awaken The Dawn". The song is about being still and trusting in...

My daily routine in the morning has been much the same for many years. I started a habit of Bible reading when I was younger (thankful for my mother encouraging that), and by God’s grace, I continue in that habit (though honestly it is constantly a fight to make sure it’s not just reading, but also devotional in nature). One of my standard approaches to reading Scripture is to use the M’Cheyne Reading Plan and along with that D.A. Carson’s devotional books called For the Love of God (you can find the books [there are two volumes] here or go to the daily blog). This is a great resource that helps connect the readings and points your heart to Christ. As an aside - I know it’s already over halfway through April, but if you don’t have a plan to read God’s Word - it’s never too late to start, and today is always a good day.

All that to say as I was reading this morning one of the readings was 2 Timothy 3. We are probably all very familiar with verses 16 & 17:

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The divine nature and value of Scripture in our lives is something we should know. Scripture is God’s ordinary means of grace: which means this is how God has set forth for us to grow (at least one of his key methods).

But aside from that what I want to point out is the two verses prior:

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul is charging Timothy to continue in what he has learned and in what he has believed. He knows the character of those he has learned it from and how, since his childhood, he has known the Scriptures - the sacred writings. Look at that last phrase: which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

It is in the Scriptures that we are made wise to salvation. It is not through nature or common sense (see Psalm 19), but through God’s revelation of himself. And what do the Scriptures do? They reveal Christ Jesus. The Scriptures do not save - it is Christ who saves. If in our reading of Scripture we miss Jesus, we have missed the point (see the interaction between Jesus as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection). As we see Jesus thought Scripture we see the heart of God and we see the glory of God.

This reminds me of something I saw from Dane Ortlund:

Let’s not just stop at our salvation, our faith in Christ, let us press on to know him…to know his heart and his love. Let our gaze into the face of our God transform us (2 Cor. 3:18).

Two songs this morning. First is Wes King simply saying that he believes in the Word of God.

And the second is this beautiful song from Fernando Ortega:

From "Live in St. Paul"-DVD. Eternal God, Unchanging Mysterious and Unknown Your boundless Love, unfailing In Grace and Mercy shown. Bright Seraphim in endle...

I have not always been a fan of thunderstorms. As a child I was horribly afraid. I would have nightmares about tornadoes that were so vivid and frightening. But as I’ve aged, I’ve also grown to appreciate the power and majesty behind a storm. Even last week I sat out on the porch as we had a pretty strong storm roll through this area simply to watch and be in awe. And now I’m trying to teach my children to also appreciate the grandeur in the storm.

Psalm 29 is a psalm about a storm, but more so it is about the God of the storm, and the God who sits enthroned above the the storm. I remember it was the summer of 2000 and I was taking a seminary class while on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) before heading overseas. And the class I took was on the Psalms and it was taught by Dr. Mark Futato. It was that time that opened my eyes up to the beauty of the Psalter. And Dr. Futato’s favorite psalm to teach on was Psalm 29.

I won’t go through the extent of the psalm but it begins with a call to ascribe, to give glory to the Lord…to give the glory that is due to his name. God is splendid in holiness and majesty and he is due the glory of our praise (and well beyond). And then we see a storm develop. Thunder in the distance. It is powerful and mighty. As it moves across the countryside it shakes the trees and causes the animals to dart for cover. The lightning illuminates the sky.

And the response is that in his temple all cry, “Glory!” (Ps. 29:9c). There is no other appropriate response than to cry out in praise. And then we come to the conclusion.

10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; 

the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. 

11 May the LORD give strength to his people! 

May the LORD bless his people with peace! 

The word used for flood is the same used of the flood in Noah’s time. The Lord is not off his throne in a time of absolute chaos. The Lord is enthroned. He reigns. Is the Almighty King of Creation. And this enthronement is forever. There is no end. We do not have to worry about a coup that will knock the Lord off his throne.

And as the enthroned King the Lord (as this psalm points out) does two things: he gives strength to his people and he blesses them with peace. He has the power and the resources to do that. And not only can he, but he does. Read through the first 5 verses of Romans 5 and you will see that. We have peace with God through Christ Jesus, and the Spirit has been poured into our hearts.

In the midst of all we are going through (this seems like the past 4 weeks have lasted a wee bit longer than that) God is on his throne. This is not out of his control. We can rest secure in that fact. And in the fact that God loves his children so deeply that he gave Christ so that we could have our sins dealt with and come and fully worship the God of glory.

Praise To The Lord (Joyful, Joyful) [Acoustic] Recorded Live in Dallas, Texas on 11.22.19 from "Hymns In The Round" https://fanlink.to/HymnsInTheRound - A HU...

Today is Saturday and I slept in - therefore this post is going to be simply an great song. I recently came to know the group CityAlight (they are an Australian church - great lyrics and good music) and we have sang a couple of their songs at church (which I cannot wait to do again). Here is one of my favorites, and I certainly think it applies to our current situation.

Before you play the song - just a reminder - the place we learn the truths in this song is not from this song, but from Scripture. Don’t let the lack of routine in this time keep you from Scripture - let this time drive you more and more into Scripture.

“Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me”

What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to His
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave

To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

CityAlight ~ Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (Lyrics) get "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me" Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2T15n2J Apple Music: https://appl...

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4).

This is probably a familiar text to most of you. There is a desire of David to enjoy the delightfulness of God. What David longs for is the presence of God. He knows, like Asaph, that it is good to be near to God - that the nearness of God is his good (Psalm 73:25). And what David does is he makes the choice to pursue that good. Even in the midst of enemies that may be surrounding him, his desire and his choice is to seek after the Lord.

He knows that in the presence of the Lord there is not only great delight, but great security. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5). He starts the entire psalm with a statement of fact which all believers can say with confidence:

The LORD is my light and my salvation; 

whom shall I fear? 

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; 

of whom shall I be afraid? 

There is an understanding in David that he knows where his security rests: it rests in the place of blessing - the presence of the Lord. The Lord will hide him in the shelter of his tent (Psalm 27:5) and he will be lifted up above his enemies (Psalm 27:6). So what does David do? Does he simply bank on that truth and do nothing? No, he seeks the face of the Lord with his heart, with his whole soul (Psalm 27:8). He longs to be taught the way of the Lord and to have understanding.

He is confident in God and knows that as he seeks after the Lord he will be received and he will be blessed in the presence of God. Even in the midst of troubling circumstances (we may not have physical enemies surrounding us but a virus likely counts) he expresses such trust and confidence in the Lord.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD 

in the land of the living! 

14 Wait for the LORD; 

be strong, and let your heart take courage; 

wait for the LORD! 

We have seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living - we have seen and heard the gospel. First Timothy 1:11 uses the phrase: the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. In the gospel we see the glory of God. In Christ Jesus we see the glory of the blessed God. And in the gospel we are brought into the presence of God (1 Peter 3:18). Let us rejoice, rest secure, and seek the presence of our God in the face of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Provided to YouTube by catapultdistribution Psalm 27 (One Thing) · Shane & Shane Psalms, Vol. 2 ℗ 2015 WellHouse Records Released on: 2015-10-23 Auto-generat...

Sometimes while reading Scripture it seems as though it leaps off the page at you. That’s what happened for me this morning as I was reading Psalm 81. This is a familiar psalm for me, but this morning the heart and character of God shone through this psalm with the brightness of the sun.

1 Sing aloud to God our strength; 

shout for joy to the God of Jacob! 

2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, 

the sweet lyre with the harp. 

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, 

at the full moon, on our feast day. 

4 For it is a statute for Israel, 

a rule of the God of Jacob. 

5 He made it a decree in Joseph 

when he went out over the land of Egypt. 

I hear a language I had not known: 

6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; 

your hands were freed from the basket. 

7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; 

I answered you in the secret place of thunder; 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 

8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! 

O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 

9 There shall be no strange god among you; 

you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 

10 I am the Lord your God, 

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; 

Israel would not submit to me. 

12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, 

to follow their own counsels. 

13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, 

that Israel would walk in my ways! 

14 I would soon subdue their enemies 

and turn my hand against their foes. 

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, 

and their fate would last forever. 

16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, 

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” 

As you read through that psalm - what leapt off the page for you? We see that it begins with a call to give God great praise. God has delivered his people from slavery, from bondage. The allusion is to the exodus, and for believers today there is a greater picture - our redemption from slavery to sin. But what it shows is God responds to our pleas, to our cries. And then when we see verses 8 & 9, God’s heart admonishes and warns his people of danger - specifically of the danger of foreign gods, of idols that we bow down to and to whom we give our allegiance.

And then the folly of that turning to false gods is shown so clearly in verse 10. The image is of baby birds opening their mouths wide as can be for their mother to feed them with everything they need. God is saying to his people - “Simply open up…come to me…and I will fill you with all you need.” Can you hear the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30? What about Psalm 23:5 or John 15:11 or Ephesians 3:14-19?

Yet the Lord will let us suffer in our poor choices to help us to see our own folly. Yet he longs for us to choose the path of blessing, the path of abundance. He is the God who longs to bless us (see v. 16).

Oh may we hear the heart of our God! May we hear the delight he has in his children and how he delights (yes…delights) to care for us and to provide us with abundant blessings. His grace is magnificent. And those blessings are most clearly and gloriously shown to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us open our mouths wide and be filled with the goodness of our God!!

Two songs this morning. The first is Good and Gracious King by CityAlight. Beautiful words. The second is from The Gray Havens - Storehouse. (Here’s a little information about the song)

"Good and Gracious Kingl" from our new album "Only a Holy God" recorded live at our church St Paul's Castle Hill available to purchase at http://apple.co/2h3...

As I have written previously, I continue to dig deep into my collection of music, and not surprisingly, old hymns (mostly re-tuned) have been some of the most beneficial in this time. There is something that the old hymn writers knew of God in the midst of sorrow, pain, doubt, fear, worry, and more.

Today I turn to a hymn originally written by John Newton. Newton’s mother died when he was seven, but she had taught him the Bible at a very young age, and that proved beneficial later in life. At age 11 he started a life at sea. He was not a man of faith, but rather quite godless. He later wrote of his life of moral abandon: “I sinned with a high hand, and made it my study to tempt and seduce others.” His life at sea was not easy. At one point he was flogged as a deserter from the navy and spent 15 months living as a half-starved and poorly treated slave in Africa.

It wasn’t until later in his life at sea that Newton was converted. And it was surprisingly as he commanded a slave ship that his faith matured (which may seem a bit contradictory). Once he left the life at sea he was influenced by the Wesleys and George Whitefield and became increasingly disgusted with the slave trade and how he had taken part in it. He also became acquainted with William Cowper, a very skilled poet, but also one who knew depression all too well. I don’t know this, but I would not be surprised if the words of this hymn were influenced by his friendship with Cowper (and certainly by his own life experiences).

Take time and read through these words, listen to the music, and let the truth of God’s covenant love and grace soothe your heart. As believers we are graven on the heart of our God and he will never let us go (John 10:28). There is no safer (or more blessed) place than in the arms of our Savior and in the presence of our God.

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says.
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise.
Yes, he speaks, and speaks to thee,
May he help thee to believe!
Then thou presently wilt see,
Thou hast little cause to grieve.

"Fear thou not, nor be ashamed,
All thy sorrows soon shall end.
I who heaven and earth have framed,
Am thy husband and thy friend.
I the High and Holy One,
Israel's GOD by all adored,
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord."

"For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain,
But my mercies I'll renew,
Thou shalt soon rejoice again.
Though I scorn to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease.
'Tis but for a moment's space,
Ending in eternal peace."

"When my peaceful bow appears,
Painted on the watery cloud,
Its to dissipate thy fears,
Lest the earth should be o’erflowed.
'Tis an emblem too of grace,
Of my covenant love a sign.
Though the mountains leave their place,
Thou shalt be forever mine.

Thou afflicted, tempest-tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
Do not think thou can be lost,
Thou art graven on my heart.
All thy walls I will repair,
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew,
And in thee it shall appear,
What a God of love can do.

Music is a gift. Music can quite often soothe a troubled spirit (cf. 1 Samuel 16:14-23). There is something about music that eases the heart and mind. I have certain “go to” music when I need a bit of a lift in my own spirit, and perhaps you have the same thing. It can be instrumental masterpieces that pull together an entire orchestra in perfect harmony. Or it can be a simple acoustic song that has lyrics that perfectly fit the moment.

Yesterday I listened again to Sandra McCracken’s The Builder and the Architect album…and it’s wonderful. The second song on that album is called “Grace Upon Grace.”

In every station, new trials and new troubles
Call for more grace than I can afford
Where can I go but to my dear Savior
For mercy that pours from boundless stores.

Grace upon grace, every sin repaired
Every void restored, you will find Him there
In every turning He will prepare you
With grace upon grace.

He made a way for the fallen to rise
Perfect in glory and sacrifice
In sweet communion my need He supplies
He saves and keeps and guards my life

To Thee I run now with great expectation
To honor You with trust like a child
My hopes and desires seek a new destination
and all that You ask Your grace will provide.

The verses that this immediately brings to mind are John 1:14 & 16: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. We receive from the Lord grace upon grace. He has taken the sin of his people upon himself, but he has done more than that. His grace is abundant beyond any abundance we know - more than the abundance of wheat at the harvest. We have been given so much that it is impossible to comprehend, but absolutely worth giving God praise and it is more than enough to calm our anxious spirits.

[For a little extra this morning - go through the song and find all the Scriptural allusions]

Provided to YouTube by CDBaby Grace Upon Grace · Sandra McCracken The Builder And The Architect ℗ 2005 Same Old Dress Music Released on: 2005-01-01 Auto-gene...

Unlike many people, I don’t really dislike Mondays. Typically it’s my day off…a day to rest and recover a bit from a busy and draining (in a good way) Sunday. That has felt different over the past 5 weeks or so. I don’t have the same tiredness, but there is still emotional drain - and today with the cloudy and rainy skies and the temperature dropping - it’s a bit gloomy (especially as I type from a dark basement).

And the gloominess is a bit of picture of the longness of these days were are living in right now. There is uncertainty and (at least a bit of) trepidation. What is going to happen? When is the country going to open up again? Will we be safe from this virus? And sometimes the peace that we long for is hard to hold on to or even come by, but we have to go to the only source of peace in the midst of the uncertainty.

I think of Isaiah 26:3,4:

3 You keep him in perfect peace 

whose mind is stayed on you, 

because he trusts in you. 

4 Trust in the LORD forever, 

for the LORD God is an everlasting rock. 

Our Lord is our everlasting rock. He is the Rock of Ages. He is the one who can (and will) keep us in perfect peace. We are to labor to find rest in him. Our eyes must be fixed on him in the midst of whatever we are going through. He has proved his status as our rock over and over and over again. We can trust him. The resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate picture for us that our God is to be trusted. Our God gives us peace. Our God secures our hope. He truly is the anchor of our soul.

There is a great song written by Sandra McCracken called “Rock of Ages (When the Day Seems Long). [Here is a second version of it by Indelible Grace] Listen and let the words of truth wash over your soul. Our God is our solid and secure rock!

Lyrics written by Sandra McCracken and the music written by Indelible Grace's Kevin Twit. It has a nice haunting melody mixed with strains of Celtic influences.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Those are words that the believer can rightly speak every day, every moment of his or her life. This truth is not something we remember only one Sunday a year, but every day of the year. It is part of what the church has confessed from the earliest time: “…the third day he rose again from the dead…” (The Apostles’ Creed) and “…the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures” (The Nicene Creed). We confess this truth because it is the bedrock of our faith. If there were no resurrection we would all be fools and we would still be in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). [Remember to watch the final video in the series from Crossway]

But the truth is Christ has risen from the dead! The work of redemption was not only finished, but proven true in this glorious display of the power of God. Christ redeemed sinners from the curse of the law. That is something we must all grasp. And when we do it makes the truth so much more powerful.

I remember going to the Together for the Gospel conference in 2008. And there R.C. Sproul spoke on Galatians 3:10-14, and it may be one of the more powerful and faithful expositions of Scripture I have ever heard. I miss this man. He has had a tremendous influence on me and I would encourage you to take the hour and watch the message below. It will deepen your appreciation for the work of Christ on your behalf. Listen and let it lead you to deeper worship of our risen and reigning Savior!

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. 

There are so many songs I could pick for this day, but this one has words that speak well to the reality and the joy of what Christ did for us: “The Power of the Cross.” But it must be paired with this song: “Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed.” When we speak today, there is no separation between the cross and the resurrection. They are the work of God on behalf of sinners like you and me, and praise God they are!!

This message is from the 2008 Together for the Gospel conference. Purchase this conference as a digital download: http://www.ligonier.org/store/together-for-...

One final guest post by Tristan this week.

What should we make of this day––a day between the anguish of Christ’s death and the triumph of his resurrection? Do we go on mourning, or do we rejoice because we know what comes next? I think that both responses are appropriate, but neither seems completely satisfying given the limbo in which Holy Saturday leaves us. So let’s look at what Scripture tell us about this day.

Very little is recorded. In fact, it’s only Matthew who offers us any account of the day’s events. In chapter 27, beginning in verse 62, we read:

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that imposter said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Interestingly enough, Matthew doesn’t focus his attention on the response of Jesus’ disciples and friends. Rather, he is concerned with how those opposed to Jesus respond to his death and impending resurrection. And their response tells us two things.

First, it’s fascinating that, for Jesus’s entire earthly ministry, the Jewish leaders wanted him dead, but, now that they’ve accomplished their goal, they still feel like they’ve left the job undone. In their effort to drown out Jesus’ words, they can’t help but sense that he may have been telling the truth all along. They’d heard Jesus predict his resurrection over and over, but what if he really would rise from the dead on the third day? The chief priests and Pharisees haven’t chosen to submit to Jesus, but their inability to completely disregard his words tells us that they know that he speaks with authority. And this authority transcends even Jesus’ earthly life.

Second, notice how Jesus’ enemies label him. They call him an “imposter” and tell Pilate that, if the disciples steal Jesus’ body, then “the last fraud will be worse than the first.” This is what the chief priests and Pharisees think of Jesus––he’s a deceiver, and his movement is a hoax. But they also seek to prevent what they fear will be more deception. Why? Perhaps it is because they understand the significance of the resurrection. If Jesus actually rises from the dead (or, in their thinking, if Jesus’ disciples can convince the crowds that he’s risen from the dead), then he has been telling the truth. And if what Jesus said about his resurrection is true, it assures us that all that he ever said is true.

Holy Saturday prompts us to reflect on the authority and truth of our Savior’s words. Jesus’ lifelessness on this day may have caused his followers to question if he would rise again as he had said. And, in a world where decay, disease, and death seem to have the final word, we may live in the uncertainty that is Holy Saturday. But, yet again, Jesus assures us with his words: In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

And the song for today: Ah, Holy Jesus, How Have You Offended?

Holy Week, Day 7: Saturday Saturday, April 4, AD 33. To continue through the week, follow the link below for Resurrection Sunday: https://vimeo.com/89509380 The link for Palm Sunday: vimeo.com/89013208 The link for Monday: vimeo.com/89117797 The link for Tuesday: vimeo.com/89651201 The link for Wednesday: vimeo.com/89420035 The link for Thursday: https://vimeo.com/89420081 The link for Friday: vimeo.com/89429101

Today I am providing another guest post by Tristan. I so wish we could be together this evening for a service. I pray that today you meditate on this most important of days in the ministry of Jesus. Without this suffering, we would have no hope.

On Good Friday, the Church remembers Jesus’ death on the cross. And while it can be a bit off-putting to call something so terrible as death “good”, in this case, that label seems to be the most appropriate term at our disposal if we understand it properly. 

There are a number of places where the word “good” is used in Scripture, but it is perhaps most familiar to us in the creation account found in Genesis 1. As God knits together heaven and earth, fills the sky and the sea, allows the dry land to flourish, and, at last, creates man in his own image, there is this refrain: And God saw that it was good. The creation account finds its culmination in verse 31 where the text tells us, And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. In the beginning, God creates, and his creation is good. But this “good” isn’t the same “good” that I might use to describe freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies or an evening spent with friends. It is not the bottom tier of the “good, better, best” spectrum. No, this “good” is as good as it gets. In fact, the Hebrew word tov, which we translate “good,” actually has connotations of perfection or wholeness. It is as though God has said about his creation: “My work is complete; it simply cannot be improved upon.” 

And this is the same understanding of good warranted by its usage to describe the Friday on which our Savior was crucified. When God declared his creation good, it was in perfect relationship with him. But our sin destroyed this relationship. By violating God’s commandments, we made ourselves unfit to stand in his presence. That is why we need Jesus. Our only hope of returning to the goodness of Eden was through the death of a sinless Savior. 

In the account of the crucifixion we learn that, as Jesus breathed his last, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Mt. 27:51). In the Old Testament, the veil existed to keep the people of Israel from the direct presence of God. It’s not as though God didn’t want to have a relationship with his people. In fact, he created us for loving relationship with him. But, because God is also just, he must respond to sin by punishing it. He knew that, as a sinful people, Israel could not avoid his wrath with their sin unatoned for. The veil was a reminder that there was no way for them to be in right relationship with God on their own. But with Jesus’ death, all of that changed. Jesus is the way to the Father. 

In many ways, Jesus’s final words echo those of his Father at creation. As Jesus cries It is finished, he declares once and for all that his work is complete. It is perfect. It cannot be improved upon. Jesus’s death for our sins means that, by believing in him, we are on our way back to Eden, to the new heavens and the new earth, to perfect union with God. And that is good news indeed!

And then let me add another song choice - this one by Andrew Peterson. It is a meditative song that goes through the last words of Christ from the cross, appropriately called “Last Words (Tenebrae).” And because of the large repertoire of songs for this season, here is a great hymn: “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.”

Holy Week, Day 6: Friday Friday, April 3, AD 33. To continue through the week, follow the link below for Saturday: https://vimeo.com/89436644 The link for Palm Sunday: vimeo.com/89013208 The link for Monday: vimeo.com/89117797 The link for Tuesday: vimeo.com/89651201 The link for Wednesday: vimeo.com/89420035 The link for Thursday: https://vimeo.com/89420081