January 9, 2014
Wholehearted praise is the only appropriate response when recognizing God’s name and works. When we recognize who God is (His Name), and see the “marvelous things” He has done (His works), our response is always worship. Those who don’t worship God have failed to recognize God’s character and creation. But since we were made for worship, they give their praise to other lesser things (nature, sports teams, rock stars…). Who gets your worship?
January 5, 2014 | Psalm 139:13-15 |
Jonathan Combs kicked off our SHAPEd for Significance sermon series with this introductory sermon. We learn in Psalm 139 that God creates us personally and uniquely for a purpose. Will you join the #shapedchallenge to discover why God created you?
December 29, 2013
The psalmist wrote to call all of creation to worship. He began with the inhabitants of heaven (angels, hosts, sun, moon, stars) and ended with the earth (sea creatures, the deep, snow, rain, fire, mountains, hills, trees, beasts, creeping things, birds, kings, princes, old men, young men, maidens and children). He calls them to praise the Lord because of two reasons: 1) Who God is, and 2) What God has done. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of earth have not answered this call to join the heavenly host in praise. The earth has become what CS Lewis called the “silent planet.” Our mission is to join the psalmist in calling all nations and tribes to worship the Lord, to proclaim the Name and Salvation of our Lord until every knee bows and every tongue confesses. To call the inhabitants of earth to join the heavenly chorus and to be silent no more.
December 27, 2013
Those who put their trust in governments should recognize that they are only made up of men. These “princes” cannot save. Only God can save. Put your trust in God alone. Less politics. More prayer.
December 22, 2013
This psalm of David shows his familiarity with the worship of the Tabernacle. The temple incense was made from a recipe of ingredients that were not to be used elsewhere. The priests burned the incense in censers that filled the temple with their fragrance. The daily evening sacrifice was a burnt offering whose smoke would waft upward from the temple altar. David asks God to accept his prayer as incense and his lifted hands as sacrifice. Perhaps David was hiding in a cave or laying down under the stars, far from the house of the Lord. He asked God to let his voice and body be like the tabernacle’s worship.
December 13, 2013
This psalm of ascent calls the Lord to remember His promise to David, that the Messiah would be born in his line. The psalmist wrote this for worshipers to sing as they climbed Zion’s hill, urging God to keep His promise to send the Anointed One. “Of your body” is an unusual phrase in the Hebrew, literally, “of the fruit of your womb.” Of course, David had no womb. But Mary did.
December 8, 2013
Our plans for building a house for our family, or for the church may be well-intended, but will not succeed without the Lord. Can you furnish your house with love, joy and peace without the Spirit of God? It is good that you work to provide food, shelter and education for your kids, but who will shepherd their hearts? Who will save their souls? Who will prepare them for eternity? When we decide to BE the family of God, He will BUILD the house. As Jesus told Peter, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.” Let God build your house.
December 7, 2013
The principle of sowing and reaping is found throughout the Bible. The principle involves at least two features: 1) You reap according to what you sow. You sow grass, you get grass. Sow weeds, get weeds. 2) You reap more than you sow. This is the principle of multiplication.
We can choose to sow good seed even in seasons of suffering. Even when it is tempting to eat the seed rather than sow it. When we sow good seed, we can trust the Lord with the harvest. And when the time for reaping comes, He turns our weeping into joy.
December 3, 2013
One of the psalms of ascent, this one written by David, it encourages pilgrims to prepare themselves for worship in Jerusalem by praying for its shalom (peace). Perhaps we need songs to sing as we get ready, loading our kids in the car and driving to church each week. In this way we would bring our glad worship to the house of the Lord.
December 2, 2013
This is one of the 15 “Psalms of Ascent.” Psalms 120 through 134 were written for pilgrims to sing as they ascended towards the holy city, Jerusalem and the temple mount. Today, many pilgrims, both Jew and Christian alike, read these psalms on the Southern steps approaching the Huldah or Triple Gate to the temple mount. But we don’t have to go to Israel to be inspired and encouraged by these psalms. Who will help me climb out of this valley? Who will answer my cry and need? My Helper is the Creator. He is the Lord!