Is this a new song?

Is this a new song?

I’ve heard it before. I’ve even sung it before, as recently as last week. So is it new?

When the valley seems so dark and deep
And the burdens hard to bear
When the storm clouds gather in the east
And it seems that no one cares

Remember you are not alone
Look closely and you’ll see
The Savior watching over you
And He’s watching over me

(more here...)

A lot can happen in a week. We collect new frustrations. New joys. New prayers. New predicaments with others. New encounters with God. So when we hear a familiar song, but we’re not the same person that we were the last time we heard it, is it new?

In one sense, yes.

Each time we gather together, we have new blessings to celebrate from living off of God’s faithfulness for the past 7 days. We have a fresh coat of blood covering our sins from yesterday. When we sing of “storm clouds” that gathered and how our Savior was “watching over me”, we remind ourselves of the new ways that He did do just that, not once upon a time, but a few hours ago. Even now. Fresh memories; fresh mercies.

And next week? He'll do it again. So we'll do it again: Sing an old song like a new song. Again and again.
~ Lisa

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
~ Psalm 40:3

My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
~ Lamentations 3:20-23

Pray for China

It's 8/8/08.

The number 8 is significant in Chinese history. As the world focuses its attention on the Olympics beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, may believers worldwide also focus attention on the competitions going on behind the scenes. For souls. It's significant.

This resource, "China Games and Beyond" (PDF) provides devotions and prayers for the church in China, for Chinese athletes, and for their coaches, during both the Olympic games and the Paraolympic games. Also check out "Serving China.com" for other web resources.

Let the games begin...

Who Is Calling Whom? Lessons from Narnia

“Speak your thought, Human Child,” said the Lion.

“I was wondering—I mean—could there be some mistake? Because nobody called me and Scrubb, you know. It was we who asked to come here. Scrubb said we were to call to—to Somebody—it was a name I wouldn’t know—and perhaps the Somebody would let us in. And we did, and then we found the door open.”

“You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,” said the Lion.

“Then you are Somebody, Sir?” said Jill.

“I am.”
~ from The Silver Chair, C. S. Lewis

God called Abram to swap his nationality for a new patriotism in an unknown world. God called Moses to leave Egypt for a magical land flowing with milk and honey. Jesus called his disciples to “Follow me” to places they couldn’t imagine.

What does God call me to do? You to do? For starters: He calls us to be His. To be saints—sacred ones, set apart for His use.

Then we, in turn, call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—leaving behind thoughts of earthly things and setting our minds instead on things above, in a new realm, a new kingdom.

He calls us; we call Him. We find the door open, and Somebody lets us in.

“...to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...”
~ 1 Corinthians 1:2

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
~ Colossians 3:2,3

“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
~ Revelation 22:17

If we could see the difference...

Yes, the small things...

"I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make,
and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect,
and all the consequences of those prayers down through the centuries,
we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives.”

--Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

A small thing.

He is so sick; his skin looks awful. I wish I could do something. Why am I thinking like that? He killed my family and brought me here.

His wife is good to me and I like doing things for her. His illness must sadden her. I wonder if she would listen?

They have the weirdest ideas about ‘god.’ ‘Rimmon’, they call him and ‘Hadad’. They claim he is the god of storms. He goes into that temple with the king to worship the silent, still ‘god’ made by men. Why would he listen about some other god? Why would he care about YHWH?

I dare not try and talk to him, he is too important and too busy. He talks to his king all the time about war and fighting and political things. He is too important for me to bother. Perhaps, if I tell his wife she will tell him. But what good would that do? Why would she listen to a girl, and a foreigner at that? Slaves, like children, are to be seen, not heard. And why would he listen to her anyway? She is just a woman.

Why am I even thinking like this? It is none of my concern. What is the tug I feel in my heart? What can I do anyway? Why am I having trouble sleeping – waking up thinking of him and his illness?

It would be just a small thing, just a short suggestion. I guess this will never leave me alone unless I tell her. Who knows; she may just ignore me?

What words can I use? How can I say it quickly and convincingly?
“If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
Where did those words come from? They are perfect! Short and to the point. Somehow, I really believe he will be cured. Where did I get that idea? Before I was brought here, I remember seeing many people with this illness but none of them were cured by the prophet. Still, I really believe my master will be cured.

She listened to me, and she told him! My very words! Well, not really my words, but words that came into my head. He told the king!

He is going!

He is back and he is cured! He looks so healthy. His skin looks better than mine – so clear and clean. My mistress is smiling like she never has before. She even smiled at me.

He is telling her about the muddy little river and about deciding to swallow his pride and walk into the water. What did he tell her? It sounded like, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” What did he say about the dirt in the mules’ packs? I couldn’t hear that.

His servants are excited and nervous. They said something about him promising to worship YHWH. Will there be two of us now?

He has called for me! I am to tell him about YHWH.

A small thing?

Really?

~ Posted by Ed Ditto

Is God on Vacation?

Last Sunday in Harvest, Alabama, they loaded god into an elaborately-decorated chariot. The short street along his route ahead was swept clean for his journey by the highest-ranking official present, Governor Bhandare of the state of Orissa in east India.

Where was he going? For a week’s visit to his old home, Auntie’s House, the old Church of Christ building a hundred yards away, remodeled several years ago into a Hindu temple before the larger temple was built in 2005.

Think of it as god’s yearly summer vacation. You go to the beach; he goes to Auntie’s House. Then when time is up, he’ll get back into the chariot for his ride back home, and in a ritual descent, enter the newer temple again.

But not without grief, for he left the wife at home during this vacation. And she’ll be none too pleased with him when he returns. She’ll shut the door in his face, and he’ll have to bribe the female gate-keepers before he can reenter their dwelling.

In the Hindu religion, this Festival of Chariots (Ratha Jatra) is wildly popular. The people celebrate in the streets, thrilled with the opportunity to glimpse their god outside of his inner sanctum. They are ecstatic as he rides past them in his chariot.

But I wasn’t there last Sunday to see his chariot go by. I was at another famous festival. A Christian one. One we gather for every Sunday.

We, too, celebrate that our God, Yahweh God, the One God, stepped out of His inner sanctum to come live in ours. We, too, are ecstatic that He journeyed away from His heavenly palace to enter our dusty streets so we could see Him.

But it’s no summer vacation for Him. He has taken up permanent residency in our hearts. His temple is our bodies. We have the pleasure of His presence every second, every day, all year round. In the Christian religion, how much more we have to celebrate!

For God “who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24,25).

Because we are His living, breathing offspring, we know His divine being is not “like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by heart and imagination of man” (Acts 17:29).

Every day is a festival in Christ!

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD!
~ Psalm 106:48

Move the Dirt

Nine times in the history of Earth people have come back to life and then died again (ten if you count Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones). Have you ever wondered about those people?

What would I do?

Join me as I imagine.

I die, there is a funeral, a grave is filled and, like the Thief, I am in Paradise.

The Thief and I are introducing ourselves along with a man named Lazarus and a young girl who says her dad is Jairus. Suddenly, we are joined by an angel. “Ed, you are wanted back on Earth – back in your old body – alive again.”

“Who wants me?”

“Paul, Elijah, Elisha and Ezekiel.”

“No, thank you. Please tell them that I don’t want to go back. I like it here.”

Gently, from the angel, “Peter asked for you by name.”

“WOW! I am truly honored that an Apostle, Peter, would call my name, but look around at this place. Have you ever been to Earth? Please tell Peter, that I respect him greatly, but I don’t want to go back.”

The angel is gone.

The Thief, Lazarus, the girl, and I are together again. Both Lazarus and the young girl, with knowing looks, tell me “You will go.”

A strong yet gentle soft voice; “Ed, come forth!” It is the voice of the only One to whom I cannot say “No.” It is the voice of the One who, as He is asking me to do, left this place and came to the Earth (that He created). He knows exactly what He is asking. He has earned the right to ask me to come back.

“I am coming but it is scary. What happens when I fail while I am there this time? I am so safe here and so vulnerable there. I will be like I was. I will sin there. I will disobey You again. I will have to die again. I thought all that was past.”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“I have not changed, Ed, my grace was sufficient for before and it will be sufficient for now.”

“Tell them to move the dirt.”

“They already have.”

~ Posted by Ed Ditto

What is God singing? (and other random thoughts in the night)

It’s 3:13 a.m.
It’s dark.
And I’m wide awake.

My mind bounces. Barrion’s provoking questions from class last night continue to demand answers. Why do I study the Bible? Why don’t I study the Bible? Wish I had heard Clyde sing his solo in class last week:

“No one ever cared for me like Jesus;

There's no other friend so kind as He.
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me;
O how much He cared for me.”

I sing words in my head from last night’s 6:30 medley:

“...whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You”

“...find rest my soul in God alone”
“...to find our way in the darkest night, let Your light shine on us”

Stuart changed the words on You Are My Hiding Place to better reflect the scripture: “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with songs of deliverance. ” ~ Psalm 32:7

So God is singing over me? Surrounding me with HIS songs?

I keeping hearing voice after voice. The teens: Adam working hard for Jesus in New Orleans. Stories of Cody knowing how to paint. Serving; growing; worshiping. Memories from Long Beach, MS: Charlene Tate singing Had It Not Been the Lord—“the water would have engulfed us.”

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
~ Zephaniah 3:17

C.S. Lewis had Aslan sing Narnia into existence. But what does God’s singing voice sound like? A deep bass like James Earl Jones? Or maybe Jim Carrey (please, no)?

It’s 4:23 a.m.
Still dark.
Still awake.

Thoughts still flit. Will I ever go back to sleep? Will it rain tomorrow—oops, I mean, today? The e-mail from my sister: her friend visited Central on the 5th Sunday Family Night, and loved our singing and scripture sharing.

I hear His voice mingled amidst all these. But I’m listening for a solitary voice. And it’s not my own. It’s His. I want to hear His alone.

So just from Him, just to me, He sings me back to sleep this morning, with:

“I have called you by name, you are mine.”

~ Isaiah 43:1

He continues,

“I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
~ Isaiah 43:3

And more,

“You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you.”
~ Isaiah 43:4

There is no sweeter sound than God singing over me.

It’s 5:28 a.m.
It’s light.
And I’m at rest.

--Lisa

12 Sins We Blame on Others

Author: Ben Reaoch, on Desiring God blog

It started in the Garden. Adam said to God,

The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.
~Genesis 3:12

The first man, caught in the first sin, turns to blame his wife. And he extends the blame to God as well! He implies that he would have remained innocent if God hadn't put Eve in the garden with him.

The blame-shifting in the Garden continues today. Our proud hearts send us desperately looking for someone else to point to every time we're confronted with our own sin. There must be someone else—our spouse, sibling, parent, boss, co-worker, pastor, friend, or God, himself.

We are so desperate to justify ourselves that we become irrational. Here are 12 examples.

1) Anger I wouldn't lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.

2) Impatience I would be a very patient person if it weren't for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn't have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren't so slow, I would never become impatient!

3) Lust I would have a pure mind if there weren't so many sensual images in our culture.

4) Anxiety I wouldn't worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure—if I had more money, and no health problems.

5) Spiritual Apathy My spiritual life would be so much more vibrant and I would struggle with sin less if my small group were more encouraging, or if Sunday school were more engaging, or if the music in the worship service were more lively, or if the sermons were better.

6) Insubordination If my parents/bosses/elders were godly leaders, then I would joyfully follow them.

7) A Critical Spirit It's not my fault that the people around me are ignorant and inexperienced.

8) Bitterness If you knew what that person did to me, you would understand my bitterness. How could I forgive something like that?

9) Gluttony My wife/husband/roommate/friend is a wonderful cook! The things they make are impossible to resist.

10) Gossip It's the people around me who start the conversations. There's no way to avoid hearing what others happen to say. And when others ask me questions, I can't avoid sharing what I know.

11) Self-Pity I'll never be happy, because my marriage/family/job/ministry is so difficult.

12) Selfishness I would be more generous if we had more money.

Making excuses like this is arrogant and foolish. It's a proud way of trying to justify our actions and pacify our guilty consciences. And it keeps us from humbling ourselves before God to repent of our sins and seek his forgiveness.

Consider James 1:13-15, which leaves us with no way of escaping our own sin and guilt. We cannot blame God, for he "cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one."

Instead, we have to accept the humbling truth that "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." This will end the blame game, and it will send us pleading for Christ's mercy and grace.

A Prayer of Psalm 119

Lord,
Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.

I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.

Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Amen.

~ Psalm 119:129-133

Be still....in THIS unique moment

Who is God? “I AM”

Where is God? Here

When is God? Now

What is God? Love

How simple He makes it for us—I am here now. To love. To be loved. In this moment—yes, even this one.

Are we too deaf to hear? Too busy to slow down? Too apathetic to care?

“Outlandish as it may sound, the mystery of eternity is wrapped up in daily attentiveness. Communion with God is affirmed by the way we embrace this one day.” ~ Ian Stackhouse

Lord,
in THIS moment,
may we be attentive to You.
Increase our awareness that
every second with You is sacred.

The Season for Fruit

Last year was a bad year for blueberries. Right after the bushes bloomed, we experienced a hard freeze beginning April 1st with temperatures below 20 F for three nights in a row. This resulted in the complete loss of every berry on my bushes. I had to write the year off and wait. This year appears to be a bumper crop year... if it will rain at the right times.

What, pray tell, does this have to do with memorizing Scripture? Look closer at Psalm 1:3 near the middle of the verse, "...which brings forth it's fruit in season..."

There is a place and time when fruit comes, well, to fruition. It doesn't happen all the time! Yet that is exactly what I expect of my walk with God; a constantly fruitful and rewarding experience for myself.

The truth is everything has a time, including the transformation I undergo by being in His Word. I just need to abide in His Word (like the tree planted by streams of water) and patiently wait for the season for fruit. It will come.

It amazes me how a truth so profound can be so simple and so easily overlooked.

David

Did You Remember?

Is it worth my time?

Why should I memorize scripture?

See if it:

• helps you not sin (Psalm 119:11)
• gives you guidance for life (Psalm 119:105)
• provides words to fight temptation (Matthew 4:4)
• stocks up material to meditate on (Joshua 1:8)
• prompts words of blessings to others (Proverbs 25:11)
• prepares you to explain your hope (1 Peter 3:15)
• equips you to teach others (Colossians 3:16)
• on and on and on (Isaiah 55:11)

Allen has challenged the body to memorize James 1:1-8 (NIV). Here is an audio version you can listen to or download to help you along. While you’re at it, double up and memorize Psalm 1 with a few in David’s Wednesday night class. (And read Stuart's post below for extra insight into that Psalm.) For extra memory motivation and practical tips, read “An Approach to the Extended Memorization of Scripture.”

It takes time to put the Word in your heart. But it is ALWAYS worth it. Try it!

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
~ Psalm 1:1,2

The Blessed Ones - Psalm 1

“Blessed is the man …”

There they are, the very first words of the first chapter of the longest collection of writings in the most widely read, the most widely translated, and [simply put] the most important Book in the history of mankind. You know, the one clearly titled “The Book” (well at least it was in the original language).

In Psalm 1, “Blessed” would sound more familiar to our present day ears as “How Happy!” That’s pretty much at the core of our lives, isn’t it? We gravitate towards those people and activities in life in which we derive delight, joy, satisfaction, enjoyment … all those synonyms for Happiness.

How many books have been written trying to sell the “Secrets to Happiness”? 10,000? 100,000? I decided to see if I was in the ballpark by doing this search on Amazon.com. The result?

Showing 1 - 12 of 274,559 Results
Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill
The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want
Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment
Stumbling on Happiness

And on and on the list went …

With page after countless page having been dedicated to the subject, can we really expect the Psalmist to reveal something profound in 6 short verses – a mere 120 words or so?

As Mr. Nance so ably reminded us this past Wed night, God is not trying to hide His Word or His Will from us, to the contrary it should be called the “Message of the Obvious”. There are no secrets to decipher, no puzzles to solve. So what message does the Psalmist have for us?

Is Psalm 1 a blueprint to Happiness?

I think we want it to be … we want to “Stumble” upon it, as one of the books listed above so enticingly promises. Don’t we just want to be able to say the right magic words or participate in the right rituals at the right times and know for certain that Happiness would be waiting in our Inbox later that day – like the confirmation email you get after you sign up on a website? And in case that piqued your interest as it did mine, I’ll save you the trouble - yes, happiness.com is already up and running.

After some reflection, I don’t believe being such a blueprint is the intent of this Psalm, despite our desires to the contrary. We are simply being told the way things are … "I am going to describe the ones who are happy". And what do we learn about them?

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night

The law is so invasive in and pervasive throughout their lives that it directs how and where they walk, stand, sit, and meditate every day and night. Hmmm … that pretty much covers the 24-hour cycle, doesn’t it? And yet somehow, it is not a burden? It is to be delighted in?

Ok, I can hear you from the other end of the internet … “But didn’t you just finish teaching a class about how Christ came to abolish the idea of Law-keeping and to firmly establish the righteousness which comes by faith?”

Well yes, I did. The texts are numerous and very direct. Here is one concise example:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law,
has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
~ Rom 3:21

And yet, the Apostle Paul lets us know there was a purpose for the Law to act as a tutor, to teach us the language of covenant, the A-B-C’s of a relationship with God, if you will:

So also, when we were children,
we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, …
that we might receive the full rights of sons.
~ Gal 4:3-5

Even though we have moved on to adulthood through Christ’s work, we don’t forget those fundamental principles we learned as children do we? Sin and its consequences, the Holiness of God, Sacrifice, Promise, Deliverance, and at the very core, Love:

The entire law is summed up in a single command:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
~ Gal 5:14

And now that the time has fully come, we can understand and commune with the Law-giver in a way that was previously unknown. In a way that frees us from any burden to justify ourselves in His presence, because He has taken the curse of the Law on His shoulders. We are free to have direct, continual access to Him:

… we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place
by the blood of Jesus
~ Heb 10:19

And by faith we know that is where we want to be, where we desperately need to be … in His presence. How does Happiness flow from there? I honestly don’t know. I daresay it is Indescribable. Immeasurable even. It must be dynamic and unique to each of His children – in each of our specific circumstances and stages of life. I don’t think we have to know how it “works”, but rather:

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.

We are simply called to put down deep roots with Him. Delight in Him and drink from His Spirit ... continually, with the full expectation that He is sufficient.

“Blessed is that man” indeed.

~ Posted by Stuart

How Sharp Is Your Sword?

" …Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
~ Ephesians 6:17

“I need to liven up my daily Bible reading.”

“I really have no clue on how to study the Bible; I’ve never done it.”

“How can I avoid boredom from re-reading the same stories I’ve read a million times?”

“I can’t stay awake to read the Bible.”

Can you relate to any of these? We can. We spoke them all tonight—in a class coordinated by David Nance, “Improving Your Personal Bible Study”, held on Wednesday nights this summer to address these very issues and more.

The Lord has placed us in a community of believers to learn from each other and to help each other grow. Opportunities such as these provide extra encouragement as well as new skills to nurture our individual relationships with God, and consequently with each other.

Take the first challenge to the class: commit to reading the Bible every day this quarter (now through August). Even when you don’t understand the prophecies, even when you’re in the boring genealogies, even when you’ve read it before. Read it anyway. At least a little. Every day.

“I want encouragement by seeing how excited other people are about studying.”

“There are people I don’t know, and I can get to know them in this way.”

“I imagine we’ll see that the Word is a lot bigger than we individually experience it.”

Let the Scriptures come alive to you and lead you into the very heart of God. There’s no better place to be!

"For the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow,
and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
~ Hebrews 4:12

"Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts."
~ Jeremiah 15:16

Death of a Soldier: A Tribute of Honor

We lost one of our own last week...one of the good ones.

Henry Bragg sailed home early Saturday morning. But he left something behind.

A legacy of honor. It can’t be buried; it won’t be entombed. Henry’s life of integrity and value will live on in a place of highest honor in our memories.

Because he honored others, from the least to the Greatest, we return the favor to him. We join in the celebration of his victory, of the laying aside of his fighting uniform, to join his King in the homeland.

No more weariness; no more pain.

The battle is over.

Look at one tiny snapshot: of those asked to participate in his funeral service on Tuesday, to speak words or pray blessings or sing songs, there was an overwhelmingly common reply:

“It would be an honor to do so for Henry.”

Repeated so often, it doesn’t go unnoticed.

Not only was Henry a patriotic sailor from World War II, but he was a valiant warrior in the on-going battle we all fight between flesh and spirit. His greatest joy came in honoring his Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ.

As stories were shared at his funeral, this theme trumped all others. Henry knew how to glorify the Lord through his conversations with friends as well as strangers, through his defense of the Truth, and through the giving of his energy, finances, and time.

At Maple Hill Cemetery on that rainy Tuesday afternoon, the ceremonial U.S. flag covering Henry’s casket was folded, saluted, and handed to Henry’s wife, Gloria. This sentiment was expressed to her:

"On behalf of the President of the United States, a grateful nation and a proud Navy, I present this flag to you in recognition of your husband’s years of honorable and faithful service to his country."

May it be our honor to echo this same expression for our fellow comrade, Henry Bragg:

"On behalf of the family of grateful believers in the heavenly Kingdom, we recognize our brother’s years of honorable and faithful service to His God."

With amazing grace, his precious Lord took his hand. And so it is well with his soul.

He rests in peace. On the winning side. We will miss him.

~ In memory and honor of
Henry V. Bragg
December 14, 1923, to May 24, 2008

The Tower of Westin

I’m on the 45th floor.

Only the 45th . There are 73.

As I peer over downtown Atlanta from my room at the Westin Peachtree Plaza, I realize I am above almost everything else. Even among most of the other skyscrapers, I’m higher. Lights blink atop summits, warning aerial passersby: “I am here! I am here!” Looking down, matchbox cars speed along toothpick roads.

Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and
a tower with its top in the heavens…."
~ Genesis 11:4a

How much higher can we go? This Westin opened in 1976 as the tallest hotel in the world (over 700 feet), and was Atlanta’s tallest building for 11 years.

The tallest man-made structure now is a skyscraper (still under construction) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It already claims 2,000 feet, and is still climbing to some secretive height. It will house 30,000 homes, nine hotels, a park, a mall, and even a lake.

"…and let us make a name for ourselves."
~ Genesis 11:4b

But competition is stiff. Other buildings, already under construction or proposed, brag of greater heights upon completion. The "Ultima" Tower proposed for San Francisco would be over 2 miles high and house one million residents. (Interestingly, it is modeled from a God-design—African termite nests).

How much more attention do we need? Who will be the highest, the one looking down on all others, the one looked up to by all others? How much more can we accomplish with our concrete and steel, glass and aluminum?

Will our towers reach Heaven?

We can never reach God by building ourselves up. He never expected us to go higher and higher and get louder and louder to grab his attention. He doesn’t want us to work our way up to Him—He chose, and continues to choose, to come down to us.

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
~ Genesis 11:5

Or are we trying to BE gods ourselves? With enough engineering skill and construction know-how, we can figure it out on our own. “Me do it all by m’self.”

Well, sometimes it appears we CAN do it.

I look at new buildings going up outside my window. Cranes over 500 feet high are circling other buildings, gently placing more concrete blocks higher and higher. People all around are at work within the completed cells of the skyscraper office buildings. Functioning. Running. Efficient. A testament to man’s ability?

Then GOD scattered them from there all over the world.
And they had to quit building the city.
~ Genesis 11:8

But the idols we erect to ourselves in our high places are not safe.

On a Friday night two months ago, March 14, an F2 tornado shattered the illusion of our independence. The Westin hotel lost over 100 windows and the top swayed several feet.

We may look powerful, but we’re vulnerable. To a suicide pilot. To a dropped lit cigarette. To a growling earth-tummy.

To a furtive glance. To a prideful boast. To a grumbling tongue.

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
And he said to Him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
~ Matthew 4:8,9

The devil knows what tempts us on our high mountains. He glitters the gold of the world before us, promising it is ours, if we only will fall down and worship him.

Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"
~ Matthew 4:10

So though I enjoy the view on this visit and benefit from the God-given ingenuity of men smarter than me, I won’t seek satisfaction in them. I admire the created things, and even marvel at them, but I save my worship and fullest adoration for the Creator.

I zoom down the high-speed elevator to ground level. From the altitude of standing on my own two feet, He still lifts me high upon a Rock that is higher than I, inside the strongest Tower against all enemies.

My satisfaction doesn’t come from making a name for myself, but on making much of His Name.

Because at my lowest point, on my knees, I reach the Highest.

~ Lisa

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high?
~ Psalm 113:3-5

You, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
~ Psalm 97:9

The Pleasure of Pride

Thus says the LORD:
"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom,
let not the mighty man boast in his might,
let not the rich man boast in his riches,
but let him who boasts boast in this,
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD who practices
steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."
~ JEREMIAH 9:23-24

The pleasure of pride is like the pleasure of scratching.
If there is an itch one does want to scratch;
but it is much nicer to have neither the itch nor the scratch.
As long as we have the itch of self-regard
we shall want the pleasure of self-approval;
but the happiest moments are those when we forget our
precious selves and have neither but have everything else
(God, our fellow humans, animals, the garden and the sky) instead.
~ C. S. LEWIS

Humble yourselves… under the mighty hand of God
that He may exalt you at the proper time.
~ 1 PETER 5:6

What Is Freedom?

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

~ Galatians 5:1

To close each Wednesday night’s Galatians class this quarter, we join hearts in prayer, beseeching the Lord to send the newly-learned bits of knowledge deeper into our souls.

For knowledge itself is not our end goal—it is only a means to increase faith in the One who sets us free from ourselves.

This past Wednesday was a pivotal class with much discussion on what freedom is and is not.

Father,

We don’t understand freedom in its fullness. We sample it; we like it; we want more. Thank you for it.

But we can’t comprehend it. It seems simple in theory, yet it is fuzzy in practice. It is our present reality, yet a promised inheritance to come. It is our eternal Sabbath rest, yet it coexists with our active struggle against sin.

Its opposite? Slavery—but even that can masquerade as freedom. It sits “ME” on the throne as an illusion of liberty. We’re deceived by its false promise until we discover we’re never more enslaved than when we’re dying in the midst of self-will and self-worship.

Freedom, on the other hand, means JESUS is on the throne. He alone leads us to Life. His work eliminated our sin liability, so we live debt-free.

How can we owe you nothing, God? Will our pride let us accept that? Are you really that good, and do you really love us that much?

Grant us your wisdom to better appreciate our freedom; give us courage to live more fully in it; plant our feet more firmly on it.

Freedom is not just a concept to us; it is a Person. And his name is Jesus. We praise you for your priceless grace.

Always yours,
Amen

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
~ Titus 3:4-5

2008 Prayer for Our Nation

"The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped."
~ Psalm 28:7

Today is the 57th Annual National Day of Prayer. This year's theme is "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield".

2008 Prayer for Our Nation

Holy Father, in a world where so many are hungry,
You have given us food in abundance;

In a world where so many are hurting,
You offer to bind up our wounds;

In a world where so many are lonely,
You offer friendship to every heart;

In a world longing for peace,
You offer hope.

Yet, we are so stubborn and resistant.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.

Our nation is at a crossroads this year;
we look to you to be our strength and shield.

Please give us the guidance to elect one who will honor you
and to respond to the wisdom from above
so that our hope may be renewed and our blessings be treasured.

In God's holy name.

~ Dr. Ravi Zacharias
2008 Honorary Chairman,
National Day of Prayer Task Force