The Joy of the Lord
(NIV) Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
(NIV) Neh 8:5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 The Levites —Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Oh, how I love the book of Nehemiah. I preached a series on the unlikely heroes of the Bible, and Nehemiah was certainly one of those people.
Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the King of Babylon, which meant he drank from the King’s cup to ensure the contents were safe. In this capacity, Nehemiah became a trusted advisor to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah heard of the plight of Jerusalem, and he began to grieve. People were returning to their homeland after living in exile, but life there was not good. Because there were no walls, the people lived in a state of anxiety, knowing they were not safe.
So Nehemiah, who had been responsible for one man’s safety, began to feel the burden for the safety of the Jewish people. With the approval of the king, Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem where, against incredible odds, he oversaw the building of the wall. We begin today with the wall rebuilt, and the people eager for revival.
When we read of the sermon delivered by Ezra, the priest, it is foreign to us. First, the words of the law were read aloud for six hours. Secondly, all of the people stood in reverence to the Word. For six hours. And then they wept. The people wept because they were convicted of their sin.
When we begin to understand the holiness of God, and how our sin separates us from God, we necessarily grieve. But the lesson here is that once we realize our sin, and mourn, and then repent, there is cause for joy.
May we today and every day take joy in what God has done in our lives, knowing that the joy of the Lord is the source of our strength.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Guard my Thoughts and Direct my Speech
(KJV) Prov 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright:
but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
(NIV) Prov 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
This morning I have read assorted scriptures, which is somewhat unusual for me. Normally, I read and reread a specific scripture. I look at the scriptures before and after, trying to put the reading into context.
I settled on today’s scripture, and I immediately thought of my own speech. While I am not prone to anger, I do sometimes speak without thinking which is never a good thing.
But as I have grown older, I have seen the benefit of keeping my thoughts to myself. Doing so is easier than cleaning up the mess that occurs when I speak before thinking.
Today as I prepare for another week that is busier than it should be for two retired people, I pray that God will direct my thoughts and guide my responses. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to God and uplifting to His people.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us Draw Near
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Sometimes I think scripture becomes so familiar that we can miss some of the importance lying therein. And there is the lack of understanding caused by shifting cultures and way of life. The book of Hebrews accounts for a marked change from Old Testament Law to New Testament promise.
We are told in these brief verses that we are to
- draw near
- be sincere
- have faith
- have hope
- spur others on
Because we live on the resurrection side of history, it is easy to miss the full importance of what Jesus did when He became the sacrifice for sinners. Where the blood of animals was symbolic, the sacrifice of Jesus was anything but symbolic. Where Old Testament Law was never meant to save us, but to point us toward the Savior, the promises of the New Testament yield everlasting life to all who believe.
May we cherish the lessons from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and apply these truths to our hearts as we share with others in love and in action.
In the name of the Father , and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lift Up Your Hands in Praise
(NIV) Psalm 134
A song of ascents.
1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD bless you from Zion,
he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
We have reached the last of our Psalms of Ascent. We have climbed as high as we can climb, and it is time to praise God for all He is worth! In Psalm 30 we are told that weeping lasts only for the night, but joy comes in the morning. But now that we have reached the summit, there is only praise!
He brought me out of the miry clay,
Henry J. Zelley, 1898
He set my feet on the Rock to stay;
He puts a song in my soul today,
A song of praise, hallelujah!
I was told as a young girl there is a God-shaped hole in each of our hearts, and it can only be filled by Jesus. Other relationships, while satisfying, will not alleviate the longing deep within. We can buy houses, cars, jewels, but truly only Jesus can satisfy our souls.
Almost fifty years ago, the Holy Spirit fell upon me in such a powerful way that my immediate response was to drop to my knees, and as the tears flowed the praise bubbled up inside of me. I knew then that my life would never be the same.
Then, almost twenty years ago I was in a Bible Study with Rev. Dr. Bryan Fink at Asbury UMC. Bryan emphasized intentional discipleship and I knew that whatever I did from that day forward I had to seek holiness. I have taught holiness, I have preached holiness, and I have lived holiness for most of my life.
Have I been perfected in holiness? No, not this side of heaven. But God is perfecting me in love. I still make mistakes, I still stumble, but my heart’s desire is to be in constant fellowship with Jesus as we travel this pilgrim road, and to take as many people with me as possible.
May we lift our hearts and our voices in continual praise to the One, True, and Living God today and every day, for “every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Unity
(NIV) Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
Unity—the quality of being at one with each other, and in this case, particularly at one with God’s people. David is thought to have written this psalm and it expresses God’s desire that His people not be divided by petty differences but instead, come together as one body.
In my lifetime, I have heard of churches splitting over the color of carpet or the style of singing in the worship service. Of course, theological differences involving issues such as human sexuality or eschatological (end time) predictions have not only severed churches but entire denominations.
David compares living together in unity to the precious oil used to anoint a priest. The oil would run down the head of the priest, onto his beard and then onto his robe. It was a symbol of abundance as it flowed freely and the pleasant aroma of the oil enhanced the experience.
May we seek out unity in our families, churches and in our communities, knowing that such behavior is pleasing to God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 