Praise Befitting

/ The Pastor

Praise the Lord ! Praise the Lord , O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
[Psalms 146:1‭-‬2 ESV]

Praise is befitting You for You are glorious.
Your beauty is beyond words,
for when I gaze at Your creation I stand in silent awe.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg,
for to see Your full glory and beauty would short-circuit my brain;
not to mention that as a sinner I can’t see You face to face and live.
Your beauty is beyond words,
and,
Your holiness is perfect.
And thus as a sin-stained creature I am nothing in Your sight.
But You, Oh Lord my God, are full of
Mercy
Grace
Compassion
Forgiveness
Yes, praise is befitting You for You do not give to me as I deserve.
But You gave me Jesus.
Oh wow, You gave me Jesus.
Your beauty is beyond words.
Your holiness is perfect.
and Your love is amazing.
Yes, Lord, Your love; for You are love.
Ohhhh,
I am at a lose for words as I meditate on You.
May even my groanings and sighings be praise befitting You.
Praise to You, oh Lord!
Praise to You!

Salvation and Submission

/ The Pastor

This is part of the Great Thanksgiving liturgy in the service of Holy Communion that I wrote for this morning. The inspiration comes from the Gospel text, Luke 8:26-39. To God be the glory!

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God, Kings of kings and Lord of lords.
You reign supreme over all creation, yet you are closer to us than we are to ourselves.
You are a God that knows our hearts better than we know ourselves.
You know our deepest and darkest secrets.
You know our longings.
You demand obedience.
You demand submission.
You demand holiness.
Yet, we fall short continually. We are sinners, but you are a God that saves. You have redeemed our lives through Jesus Christ; conquering the demon of sin. You have freed us and cleansed us. You have prepared our home. For this reason, we go and proclaim all that You have done for us. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we join in singing Your unending praise…

Beautiful Jesus

/ The Pastor

We worship God because he sent Jesus to reveal His love and grace to sinful people through his death and resurrection. As you prepare to worship on this Lord’s Day, reflect on the beauty of Jesus; the glory that shines forth revealing the Father. Don’t enter your places of worship out of a sense of duty to one another, but because of what God has done through Jesus Christ. As the psalmist says, in Psalm 27:4, “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.“

The following poem is dedicated to the beauty of Jesus…

Lord Jesus you are beautiful,
And your heart is full of mercy.
Your love is all encompassing,
Your compassion has no boundary.

Your presence gives me holy peace,
Your comfort soothes my broken heart.
I was weak, blind and oh so lost,
From you I’ll never be apart.

You shine forth the Father’s glory,
Your face glows brighter than the sun.
Your beauty takes my breath away,
And with you I am so undone.

I long to gaze upon your face,
And to bask in your loving glow.
Lord Jesus you are beautiful,
And its you that I want to know.

Thy Will Praying

/ The Pastor

Your Word is truth.
Your Word is life.
Your Word is powerful.
Your Word is right.

Your Word illumines.
Your Word reveals.
Your Word convicts.
Your Word heals.

Your Word teaches.
Your Word guides.
Your Word is wisdom.
Therein Your will resides.

And yet…

I am often repetitious in praying according to MY will and not Yours. Teach me to pray rightly, oh God. Show me by Your Word how to pray according to Your will. Guide my heart in seeking Your will continually.
Teach me, oh God, teach me.
I know that Your Word is perfect; without flaw.
I know that Your Word is eternal.
Forgive me for when I seek my flawed will.
Forgive me for I am selfish.
Help me, Oh God, help me.
Help me to know Your will.
Your Word is THE excellent starting point;
The very Word I profess to hold high.
So open my heart and send Your Spirit,
That I may engage Your Word.
May I hear Your will and pray thus.
May I know Your will and seek thus.
May my selfish ways fall away.
Oh God, THY will be done.
Amen.

Peace-Filled Sleep

/ The Pastor

As You stand watch over me,
I can rest in peace this night.
I can close my eyes and sleep,
And Know that I’ll be alright.

For Satan will not distress,
Nor demons ever annoy.
Evil will not disturb me,
Nor devils ever destroy.

So,

I rest secure,
And You ensure,
That my life is surely Thine.
I sleep in peace,
Your love won’t cease,
Thus Satan should just resign.

Oh Jesus died for my sins.
My life is most surely His.
I will not fret,
And won’t forget,
Through him I certainly win.

So if death comes near to me,
Looking for this life to take.
I still won’t fear,
For You are near,
And with You I’ll always be.

So yes I will close my eyes.
In peace I will surely sleep.
My life is claimed,
In Jesus’ name,
Thus my life has no demise.

Why Praise is Due

/ The Pastor

You are my sunshine,
Though the clouds roll in.
You are my shelter,
That I live within.

You are my buckler,
Who defends my soul.
You are my strong shield,
You that I extol.

You are my safe place,
A place of true peace.
You are my comfort,
My life will not cease.

You are my Savior,
Lord Jesus he saves.
You’re my Redeemer,
I fear not the grave.

You are my strong Rock,
On You I’ll not fall.
You’re my foundation,
On You I’ll stand tall.

You are my Father,
Whose arms I run to.
You are my Keeper,
You’re always in view.

You’re my everything,
Your love is so true.
You’re my awesome God,
That’s why praise is due.

We Will Praise the Lord

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

“Praise the Lord ! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.” [Psalm 111:1 ESV]

I pastor a congregation who can be described as a “church in a box”. What I mean by that is each and every Sunday a trailer is backed up to the building we rent at a county park. The trailer is then unloaded so we can set up for worship. Following our 9:00 AM worship, the take-down crew gets to work as we need to vacate the building by 11:30 AM. As long as this pastor doesn’t get too long winded, we still have plenty of time for Sunday school/Coffee fellowship time. For 10 years this congregation has had that routine. I’ve been part of that routine for the past 3 years.

Now, we are investigating a former church building that is up for sale. The location is a little farther away, but the size is great, the lot is big enough for expansion and the price is in our ballpark. There are still many questions that need to be answered, but the excitement is high. What is God up too? That is the question we are trying to discern. Is this God gift-wrapping a property for us that He may be glorified or is Satan presenting a stumbling block to trip and derail this congregation? Questions, questions and more questions. God help us.

Whatever the outcome I echo the psalmist in the verse above. Praise the Lord ! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Yes, Sundays are a challenge, especially considering this is an aging congregation. We don’t have the freedom to do certain things when we want to do them because the building is not ours (i.e. When funerals happen, we have to make phone calls to find a venue). But where ever God places us, we will worship and praise the Lord. We will praise the Lord in the company of the upright. The upright made that way through our common faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We will worship corporately as a congregation because we love the Lord and we love to be together:

– whether it is at a building in the park or in a school or in someone’s pole barn, we will praise the Lord.
– whether we have to meet in living rooms, basements or garages, we will praise the Lord.
– whether we have to share space in someone else’s fellowship hall, wander from place to place, or meet in a tent outside, we will praise the Lord.

With that said, my prayer is that we keep our eye on the ball and remember who we are and whose we are. We are not here to build our kingdom but we are here to advance THE Kingdom. I can not say that enough. If this place is being gift-wrapped by God for us, I will gladly unwrap it and give glory to God. If this is Satan putting a stumbling block in our way, then I say to him, “Go back to hell. We will worship the Lord where ever God places us.”

Praise the Lord where ever you are, for it is right to give God thanks and praise in all places and at all times. Praise the Lord, all you people – the upright, the congregation – praise the Lord.

Help Me, Oh Lord My God!

/ The Pastor

“Help me, Oh Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.” (Psalm 109:26)
Help me Oh Lord my God!
Guide me with Your Holy Spirit.
Help me, Oh Lord my God!
Teach me to know Your ways.
Help me, Oh Lord my God!
Show me the path to follow.
Help me, Oh Lord my God!
I want to glorify You with my life.
As the psalmist cried out to You for help;
knowing his shortcomings;
knowing his failings;
knowing his sin;
I cry out to You.
I cry out to You for help that I may not be crushed by my sin.
Save me according to Your steadfast love,
For my faith is in Jesus.
I am weak.
I fall short.
I often turn from You.
If salvation were up to me, I would certainly be damned.
Please do not turn from me.
Please do not give to me as I deserve.
May Your grace shower me and drench me.
May I be caught up in Your river of Life;
sweeping me away in a torrent of Love.
“Help me, Oh Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.”

Help Me Father

/ The Pastor

Father God,
You have called me to the holy calling of being a daddy.
I am happy.
I am thankful.
I am overwhelmed,
Overwhelmed at what this calling means.
Help me, Father, help me.
Help me be the daddy my kids need me to be.
May they see in me what it means to love You.
May they see in me what it means to obey You.
May they see in me what it means to serve You.
I want to be an example to them of what a godly life looks like; one that honors and glorifies You.
Help me, Father, help me.
Sometimes I feel like I am messing this daddy thing up.
Sometimes I feel like such a failure.
Sometimes I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.
Help me, Father, help me.
Grant me wisdom and strength.
Grant me compassion and boldness.
Grant me mercy and empathy.
Grant me gentleness and tenderness.
I want to be the daddy my kids need me to be.
I want to honor You.
Help me, Father, help me.

Holy Trinity Prayer

/ The Pastor

On this Holy Trinity Sunday, I offer this prayer that I wrote for the Great Thanksgiving in the service of Holy Communion. To God be the glory…

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, oh God. As our heavenly Father, You have shown a love that has secured our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. You have sent Your Holy Spirit to guide and inflame our lives that You would be glorified. You have kept us from the evil one and have promised us a place at Your table where we can feast in peace; worshiping You forever without hindrance. You are our awesome God and thus are worthy of all glory. For that reason, we join with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven in singing Your unending praise…