Spiritual Jedi Armor.

When I was in the Air Force between 1989-1996, I was issued things I’d need when I went into battle. So, because of my position as an mobile aerial port specialist and rigger, I was issued an M-16, a helmet, a flack jacket, a gas mask and other pieces that would aid my success to the mission. Paul talks about the things we need to put on in order to be successful in our spiritual battle against the enemy. Those items are found in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Paul tells us to put on the belt of truth. Look, Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) so in order to remind ourselves, we need the truth that God gives us. Truth is what we use to combat the number one means the enemy uses to mess up your life and that is deception. Satan will use our culture, family of origin, our past mistakes to tell you lies about who you are. But Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that we are “God’s masterpiece, created new in Christ Jesus to do good things.”

Paul tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. This is not talking about our saved condition since God has brought us from darkness to light through Jesus but more of a call to holy living…set-apartness from the world. As we follow Jesus every day, we try to look more and more like him. And in doing so, we look less like the world. James 4:17 tells us if you know what to do but fail to do it, it is sin. Live in a way that helps the world know you serve Jesus Christ.

He also calls us to put on the shoes of peace which is referring to sharing the Gospel with other people. We want everyone to know the hope they can have in Jesus so we don’t shy away from talking about how Jesus can change your life for the better. We offer a peace-filled life in Christ to all who would accept.

Pick up the shield of faith. We have an undeniable faith in Jesus to save us. Satan will come at you with lies, accusations, doubt, struggles and temptation. The shield of faith is taking the promises of God, the character of God and the power of God and holding those up against everything Satan throws at you. We have faith in what God says about us and how he will save us.

Put on the helmet of salvation is Paul’s charge. We live in such a way that our faith in that salvation makes every decision for us. Look, 90% of all spiritual battle occurs in the mind. So we transform the way we think by allowing the Holy Spirit to rule our thoughts and way of life. Jesus says in John 15, abide in me. He’s calling us to live with the kind of faith that helps us stay connected to him.

Pick up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It’s how Jesus battled Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4. After every temptation, Jesus said, “It is written…” Jesus knew the Bible and used its power against the Devil. So, my challenge is for you to memorize at least 10 verses this summer. Commit to memory those verses that will help you battle Satan. Some of those might be Ephesians 2:10, Galatians 2:20, John 3:16, and Philippians 4:13.

Finally, pray all the time. Prayer is powerful and should be a part of your daily life. If you aren’t talking to God every day, you are simply inviting the enemy to attack. Prayer is simply talking to God about your hopes, dreams, your marriage, your kids, your church, ministry opportunities and the list goes on.

So our challenge is to put on the whole armor of God in order to combat the enemy. Be in God’s Word every single day. Pray all the time. Make sure you’re asking God to give you wisdom and vision in the day to day battle the goes on. Blessings on the journey.

Spiritual Jedi

Most everyone I know loves the Star Wars franchise. We grew up not well off financially so eating out and going out were seldom events. So imagine my surprise when we jumped in the car to go see The Empire Strikes Back!! It was an incredible moment and I watched everything Star Wars since then.

But what if I told you we really were in a battle against evil? What if I told you there was such a thing as a spiritual light saber (tune in next week for more on this)?

Paul introduces us to this battle against an unseen enemy who truly wants to destroy everything you love. In Ephesians 6:10-12, he describes our battle which is not against flesh and blood but against the unseen world following the Devil himself. But how does the Devil attack us if we can’t see him? Well, he’ll attack you where you are most vulnerable. Where ever the vulnerable place is in your life is where the Devil will attack. Here are the top 5:

Anger. I’m 50% Irish so I blame my anger streak on my heritage. But there is something about anger, if unchecked, allows the Devil to breakthrough your defenses and set up basecamp. Once we’ve allowed that, we will begin to justify all kinds of things to make us feel right about it.

Pride. Most of us have had moments of overconfidence. There have been times in your life when someone you know fell down metaphorically and you laughed. You said that would never happen to you. You are too “on top of it” for that to happen to you. When you do that, you’ve invited the enemy into your life.

Distraction. This might be the worst one currently as most Americans are very distracted. Social media does it to us all the time. You’ve experience God moving in your life in some way and then it happens. Work calls and they need you to work weekends. Something happens with the kids or your marriage. Some out of the blue thing occurs which makes you adjust the Kingdom work you were going to get in to.

Division. The Devil knows if he can get us to turn on each other, he’ll pick us off one by one. Jesus prayed for our unity in John 17 but for some reason, our selfishness gets in the way of working together for the cross and we end up with arms crossed, not working together.

Isolation. Over the last three years we’ve been isolated. It appears the very thing that kept us physically healthy has weakened us spiritually. Social distancing and isolation have been a death kneel for many folks who called themselves Christians. The worst thing we can do is say, “I don’t need people or the church. I’ve got this. I don’t need anyone.” The Apostle Peter says that the Devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). Don’t be alone…it’s dangerous.

To be sure, we need Jesus Christ and we need the church. There’s way too much at stake to not take this battle seriously. Be alert. Realize the unseen world is real. Know where your vulnerabilities lie. Know through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can defeat the Devil. Blessings on your journey.

Great Mothers.

At different ages, we tend to think about our moms in different arenas. At age 4, you think she’s superwoman. At age 18, she’s so out of touch with the times. At age 35, you want to loop her in on important decisions and some of you just wish you could call mom one more time.

The story of Hannah and Samuel in 1 Samuel 1 is a time honored story about how godly women live. We are made aware that Hannah is infertile. So we learn early that Godly women have difficulties. Most of the time, we see Godly women with halos and angel wings. While that can be true, moms are just people and all people have difficulties.

Infertility in America is a growing problem. About 12% or 7.3 million people in America cannot have kids. Children are a blessing from God. And if you are struggling with infertility, I don’t know why you can’t have children and others can. But I do know this: your value to God is not based on your ability to have children. God loves you! You are made in his image. And you are part of a faith story that so many women of faith have as well.

To list a few godly women who struggled with infertility are Sarah, Abraham’s wife, who had her only child when she was 90 years old. Ruth, who was childless in her first marriage, remarried a guy named Boaz and so started the lineage of King David. Then there’s Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist who had him in her older years. So often childless women are the righteous matrarchs of faith.

Great mothers also keep great priorities. Hannah had a real, authentic relationship with God. She believed in the power of prayer and asked God to give her a son, which God eventually does. She also had a priority to love her husband, Elkanah. Even though she was childless, their marriage was one of honor, trust, support and true love.

Hannah also loved her extended family as well. Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah, always taunted Hannah because Hannah didn’t have kids and she did. But there is no record of Hannah getting back at Peninnah.

When Hannah finally had Samuel, she poured into her son before giving him back to the Lord to become the prophet and priest of Israel. For as many as 7 years, she taught him to love God and love people. She taught him the Hebrew ways of honoring God. She taught him to live in a way that honored God. Hannah used those first few years to mold Samuel into the incredible man he would become for Israel.

Finally, great mothers make great plans. Hannah promised and planned to raise Samuel in the fear of the Lord and then give him back to God to serve in Kingdom work the rest of his life. Both God and Hannah had planned on Samuel becoming the prophet and priest of Israel and the king-maker for Saul and David.

In your own life, what kind of parent are you? We all have problems we deal with on a day-to-day basis. Do you include God in your difficulties with prayer just like Hannah? And do you set priorities to love God, your spouse, and your family just like Jesus loves you? What plans do you have in place to make sure your children know who the Lord is?

Parenting is an adventure. We are blessed to have children. Live every day in such a way to help those around you to see just how important God is in life. Blessings on the journey.

Graduation is a Mile Stone but Just the Beginning.

Graduation is a time of paradox—excitement combined with fear, beginnings blurred with endings, plans riddled with uncertainty. But it’s only the start of the rollercoaster called adulthood.

Here are four pieces of life advice that can support and equip you in your life as you venture into the world.

Plans and Dreams Change (But God Doesn’t). I’ve often heard, “God’s plan will take you places in your life you haven’t thought of yet.”

The pressure for a new graduate to appear successful and confident is excruciating. This is intensified by the well-meaning individuals who ask, as a form of small talk, “So, what are your plans now?” Not having a ready answer—or a traditional one—can turn a simple question into an agonizing struggle for grads who feel the pressure to perform according to everyone’s expectations.

One of the most encouraging truths you can share with a graduate is that even if their plans falter, God’s vision for their life is still secure. His purpose may (or may not) be different than what they were anticipating, but he will lead and guide them every step of the way.

A Degree Is Optional (But Integrity and Maturity Aren’t). In our culture, college has increasingly become a prerequisite for success. Going on to higher education can open a world of possibilities. Yet often we’re so busy caring about our grad’s career goals that we forget about their soul.

Colleges and degrees help graduates navigate the world of business, finances, and to get (and hold down) that little thing called a job. But there’s more to the substance of our lives. Grads need to consider their future work, but they also need to remember their souls.

Integrity, honesty, compassion, self-giving, and spiritual disciplines uphold graduates through the trials and tough times every adult faces. Focusing on the heart and pointing them to Jesus, we will encourage grads to be giving, sensitive, Christ-following individuals throughout their lives.

The World Will Tug at Your Heart (So Stand Firm). Do I need the world’s applause, approval, or acceptance? Should I alter my life to impress them, even if it’s not what would impress the Lord? Should I be swept into the current of what’s popular and lauded?

As teens head off to colleges and jobs, they’ll encounter a whole new level of peer pressure. New classmates and co-workers will influence—and perhaps change—them. Post-graduation is a season where commitments are tested and integrity tried.

That’s why it’s vital to send them off strong and equipped, committed to standing firm on truth. Point them to Scripture. Hold them accountable. Encourage them to find and join a local church. Model integrity. And most importantly, pray fervently. As you do, you’ll help them stand strong.

Keep God First (Always). The most powerful way you can help set grads up for success is by pointing them to Jesus Christ. Our human counsel can, and will, fall short. His never will.

As I think about the comments I received during graduation, I mostly heard things along the lines of “Reach for the stars” and “You’ve got this!” My friends wanted the best for me, and I’m thankful they cared enough to encourage me. But most of the words were hollow.

What if, instead of, “Reach for the stars,” we told our grads, “Reach for Jesus”? What if, instead of, “You’ve got this” we reminded them, “God’s got this”? What if we created with our words, and actions, a climate of desperate dependance on Christ? What if we prompted them to keep God first, no matter what?

We would have a generation of graduates more passionate about Jesus and more devoted to the things of God.

We only have so much influence over our graduates. So in addition to supporting them and cheering them on, point them to Jesus. And don’t forget to pray for their endeavors and successes. Pray they don’t give up after failure. Pray God leads them every day of their lives. Pray God places wise and godly people—and a healthy church—in their path. Pray they’ll stand strong and fix their eyes on Christ.

Jesus, the Perfect Mediator.

We all need help. We all need a priest. But not the kind we see today in fancy robes—those who claim to be God’s representatives to modern society. We need a perfect and sinless priest to represent us before a holy God. We need a representative to stand for us in the place where our sinful lives could not possibly survive—someone to successfully petition God for mercy, kindness, and compassion on our behalf. And the Pharisees understood this better than most.

Among the first things a Jew might have asked about another religion were, “Who is your high priest? Who mediates between you and God? Who offers the sacrifices to atone for your sins?” A Jew during the time of the early church may well have asked a Christian, “How are your sins going to be pardoned when you have no one offering sacrifices and no one interceding for you? How can you claim that this New Covenant supersedes and is superior to the Old Covenant made through Moses, when it leaves you without a high priest?”

The Christian would have replied, “But we do have a high priest, a perfect High Priest. He has offered sacrifice for our sins. He does not confine Himself to an earthly temple, nor does He have to sacrifice yearly, much less daily. He made one sacrifice that atones for all sins ever committed by His people, from the beginning to the end of time. That is how great a high priest He is and how great His sacrifice was. Not only that, but our High Priest is seated at the right hand of God and continually intercedes for those of us who belong to Him.”

The heart of the book of Hebrews (chapters 5–9) focuses on Jesus’ high priesthood. His superior priesthood, more than anything else, makes the New Covenant better than the Old. He has done what all the priests together of the old economy did not do and could never have done.

Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:1-10 NLT

The priests under the Old Covenant were bridge builders to God. Men could not come directly into God’s presence, and God therefore appointed certain men to be ushers, as it were, to bring men into His presence. The way to God was opened only as the priests offered sacrifices—day in and day out, year after year—presenting the blood of animals to God. The priests were God’s mediators.

But with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, the need for the Temple and for the Levitical priesthood was ended. There was no longer a requirement for a high priest such as those who succeeded Aaron, or for any merely human priest at all. Jesus was both High Priest and sacrifice, and provided eternally for man an opening into God’s presence. At His crucifixion, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two, exposing the Holy of Holies to anyone who would come to God through the Son. In one perfect act of sacrifice, Jesus Christ accomplished what thousands upon thousands of sacrifices by a multitude of priests could never accomplish. He opened the way to God permanently, so that any human being at any time by faith in Christ might enter into God’s presence.

Praise God for what He has done for us. May you feel the embrace of our loving God. May you know how much He has done to adopt you. May you see there is now nothing to keep you from a beautiful relationship with your Heavenly Father. Blessings on your journey.

Faith in an Awesome God.

If you are struggling with your faith, I highly recommend reading Hebrews 11, known as the faith chapter. Having have in the unseen, awesome God is an. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Faith is having complete trust and confidence in God. There is no sugar coating the importance of faith that this verse conveys. Without faith it is impossible to please God. It’s not half-way possible, or maybe possible, but it is impossible! If you don’t believe and have faith in God, then you aren’t pleasing to Him (ouch). Not only do you need to believe that He exists, but as this verse says you must also believe that He will reward you for following Him.

It’s not always easy, but the only way to please God is to get out of your comfort zone and take a step of faith. It’s not always going to make sense. Actually, most of the time it won’t make sense because if it made sense, then it isn’t faith. Just as hope that is seen isn’t hope (Romans 8:24), faith that is seen isn’t faith. So if you could see God, then you wouldn’t need faith, which is why it’s so important to Him. As your father, He wants to know that you believe He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.

You have to step out of the boat, just like Peter did, to find out what He has in store for you. If you don’t take that first step then you are going to miss out on all the blessings in store. Expect God to reward your faith! If something is holding you back, ask Him to remove the fear and to step forward in the abundant life He has for you.

May you have a faith that sees you through today and the days to come. May you feel God’s presence all around you. May you believe that God has a plan for you and will continue to bless you. Blessings on your journey.

Come and See!

What’s the first big thing in your life you felt compelled to shout about? Maybe that first career job or graduating from college. It could have been standing at the altar with the one you would spend the rest of your life with or when you first held your new born in your hands. We’ve all had moments that we could shout and be as excited as we’ve ever been.

For those of us who believe Jesus is exactly who he said he was, the story in Matthew 28:1-8 gives us reason to shout. See, two women are going to Jesus’ tomb on the Sunday morning after he dies to prepare his body but upon arrival, an angel is there and has rolled away the stone covering the tomb. He invites them to do several things that are so applicable in our discipled life.

The angel says, “come to the empty tomb”. It’s an invitation to see that Jesus has risen from the grave, conquering death. Have you every noticed in Jesus’ ministry, he’s always inviting people close to him? He never says, “Stay away…I don’t have time…I’m too busy.” Jesus is wanting you and me to come to him. His invitation is real and authentic. Nothing you have done will undermine your ability to draw close to him.

And the angel also says “See.” That word is one of encounter and experience. He says to us, “Check it out and see if Jesus is really who he says he is. There’s nothing to hide here.” Come and see. The women at the tomb that morning would have noticed several things. They would have seen the humility of God. How far would God go to have a relationship with each of us? All the way to the cross. They would have seen the reality of sin. Sin killed Jesus and sin kills me and you everyday. We need Jesus for life.

The women would have seen the mortality of human beings. The future for all of us is death unless the Lord returns first. All of us are going to die. But the beauty of being in Christ is that death is a stepping stone to eternal life with Jesus. Finally, they would have seen the victory of Christ over death. Jesus was not in the tomb. He is risen!

Once the angel reveals Jesus is risen, he tells the women to “go and tell” the world the story. And that’s our invitation as well. It’s such a relief to see the tomb is empty but we can’t stay there. It’s more than good news…it’s great news! and you can tell that story of life with your family and friends, in your workplace and in your neighborhood. If necessary, use words but your life will reflect the risen Savior best. Now, go and tell how Jesus has changed your life. Blessings on the journey.

A Little Donkey Ride.

This week is called “Passion Week” in the Christian community. Yesterday is known as Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. It is the week he will give his life for the world (John 3:16-17). The festival is Passover that Jesus, his disciples and all the Jewish community will celebrate. It’s the celebration of Israel being released from slavery in Egypt and making their way toward the Promised Land.

Part of the process of Passover is that every family selects a lamb to be sacrificed for the Passover meal. That selection happens on the 10th of Nisan in the Jewish calendar. Not coincidentally, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on lamb selection day. The Lamb of God, who will be sacrificed, rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.

The story is found in all four gospels. And in every account, there are some truths we can pull out of the story. For this blog, I’m using John 12:12-19 and in this pericope, we discover Jesus is more appealing than religion. So many people are in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and they come streaming out of the gates toward Jesus on the road calling out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD.” That word means, “Save now…deliver us now.”

In Jesus’ ministry, they had seen his love and compassion…his forgiveness and inclusiveness. They had noted over the last 3 1/2 years how Jesus had reminded everyone of the love of God and how everyone was invited to the table of the Father. Jesus was so fresh and vibrant, so authentic and real. The people and us had been longing for something different for so long. And there are differences between religion and Jesus.

Religion emphasizes the outward but Jesus focuses on the inward. Religion was all about appearance and keeping the rules but Jesus was about changed hearts. Religion is often about what you can’t do but Jesus is about what you can do. Religion was consistently saying, “Thou shalt not…” while Jesus was saying, “Come as you are.”

Religion was about creating barriers for people while Jesus was tearing them down. The religious elite where categorizing and fencing in people while Jesus says in Matthew 11, “Come to me ALL of you who are tired and burdened and I’ll give you rest.”

Religion is often reminding us how we must work our way to heaven while Jesus says, “I am the way.” Religion is about what you must do; Jesus says it’s already been done.

In John’s account, he quotes two Old Testament prophecies from Psalms 118 and Zechariah 9, reminding us all that Jesus fulfilled so many old prophecies, some 300 Jesus fulfilled. He’s riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Zechariah foretold that 500 years before it happened.

And finally, following is more important than inspection. Four groups of people are at Jesus’ triumphal entry. The disciples are there. The guys that have been following Jesus for over three years. The eyewitnesses to Jesus resurrecting Lazarus are there and their group of friends who want to see Jesus. The Pharisees are there wagging their fingers, “Look, the whole world is following him.”

This week we celebrate the Passion of the Christ. And Jesus is the one foretold…the Messiah…the Son of God. As you read the story, you have to choose one label for Jesus. To you, he’s either a liar, a lunatic or Lord of all. So how will you respond? What group would you be in as Jesus rides into Jerusalem? How will you respond now that Jesus has visited you? My hope is you’ll be a follower and walking so close to Jesus that his dust settles upon you. Blessings on your journey.

Pray for Change.

When have you prayed like there’s no tomorrow? I mean one of those prayers that leave your heart pounding and a glisten on your forehead. We have all said those “generic” prayers but how many of us have really prayed for change in our lives and a different self?

David does that in Psalms 139 but before he gets to the meat of his prayer, he acknowledges God is supreme. He knows God is all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. We serve an awesome God who has never been and will never be beaten in any regard. Like David’s prayer in Psalms 139:23-24, we too should be praying for transformation. There are four different parts of the prayer we need to imitate that David prays.

First, we pray for God to search our heart and show us the places we do not look like Jesus. Without Jesus, we don’t have good hearts. Jeremiah knew this as he states in Jeremiah 17:9, ““The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

If we prayed this honestly, what would God show us? Are we prideful, self-centered, or prejudiced? Are we compassion, loving, and forgiving? When you openly pray this, God will show you where your heart truly is and what you might need to work on in order to look more like his son Jesus.

Secondly, we pray for God to show us the things that make us anxious or worried. For each of us, it’s something different. Maybe you are worried about your marriage or your kids. Maybe you are anxious about the career path or being able to pay your bills. What I do know is what we fear the most shows us where we trust God the least. But we cannot be driven by fear if we follow Jesus. God has given us a spirit of boldness, love, and power, not a spirit of timidity.

The third thing David prays for and we should as well is that our sins be uncovered. The things in our life that distance us from Jesus should be revealed so that they no longer hinder our walk. It’s easy to see other people’s sin but much more difficult to see mine. I can point out all the deficiencies in your life but never see how I need to change.

So to help with that, we should ask ourselves three questions: What are others trying to tell me? There are always a handful of people who are jealous and trying to give you false info about yourself. I’m not talking about those folks. But your have 10-12 people in your life you trust and if they are all saying the same thing, maybe it’s time to be aware of what they are revealing to you.

You might ask yourself, what have I rationalized for a time? or where am I most defensive? Those two honest answers will reveal areas of your life you should examine to be more in line with how Jesus would want us to live as his disciple. Ultimately, when sin is revealed, it reminds us as imperfect people there is only one person who can make us right again and his Name is Jesus.

Finally, like David, we ask God to lead us. Once I said “yes” to Jesus, I threw away the script the world gave me and now I live like Jesus would live. So, if someone takes advantage of me, we don’t return with worse action. If someone hits me, I simply walk away. If someone talks poorly about me, I bless them. I follow another way of life…the one Jesus has called me live.

When we pray for God to search us and then lead us, it will totally change and rearrange your life for the better. Jesus can and will change your life for the better. Blessings on the journey.

Worship Joyfully.

If you had your life to do over, what would you do differently? Maybe you’d climb Mt. Kilimanjaro; or you’d hike the Appalachian Trail; or maybe you’d save more money. I don’t know what your item would be but most of us would do something different with at least one thing.

A survey was taken of folks across America who were in their 90s and asked the same question. Far and away, the top three answers were reflect more, risk more, and do things that outlive me more.

For those of us that love God and his son Jesus, most of us would respond to God more appropriately with our life. The writer of Psalms 100 gives us four ways we could be different in how we respond to God.

Verses 1-2 remind us to make a joyful noise and come before him with singing. With singing…but so many of us have excuses of why we can’t sing. I’ve heard some say, “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.” But respectfully, I’d say, “Get over it.” Jesus calls us in Mark 12:30-31 to worship God with everything we have, bad vocals and all. I’m always amazed that some believe enthusiasm for the most worthy thing in the universe must be carefully contained. We are called to sing for all that God has done for us…give him praise and adoration for his mercy and grace.

Verse 2 reminds me to serve God gladly. We should respond to God with emotion but also with motion. Our very lives should reflect a servant heart for God and others as we strive to imitate Jesus in our life. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 9 that God loves a cheerful giver. That word “cheerful” can be translated “hilarious”! That is how I want the world to think of me. I serve in ways that the world thinks is crazy…hilarious by their standards. I should serve God because of the life he’s given me.

Verse 3 reminds me to love God intelligently. The first word of the verse is “know” or “acknowledge”. Paul tells us in Romans 12 to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And we are to know a couple of things about God. First, we should know his Lordship. Basically, He is God and you are not. You are his craftsmanship. You are a divine incident. Secondly, we should know his ownership. We are his people. And if you are a baptized believer, He paid for you with Jesus’ blood. Know who God is in your life.

Verses 4-5 tell me to thank God consistently. We come together on Sundays to worship, love, serve, and thank a wonderful Heavenly Father. But it doesn’t end on Sunday…it’s an every day affair. The Psalmist gives us three reasons why we should thank him: He’s a good, good Father, He’s merciful and He’s faithful to all his promises.

What if we decided to live every day in a worshipful posture to an almighty God? What if every day we worked at our job, loved on our spouse and kids, were good neighbors all as ways we worshiped our Heavenly Father? We are called as believers to worship him daily, serve him faithfully, love him completely, and thank him for everything He’s done for us. Blessings on the journey.