This afternoon we were able to get away from Fort Collins and travel to Summit County for a week in the mountains. I’m glad for the break especially for Debbie. As we arrived we were greeted by one the local residents, a male and female moose.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.” Psalm 123:2 NLT

When hardships persist and difficulties linger longer than one can endure, the key to relief is a steadfast focus on the Lord. This psalm of ascent opens with, “I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.” (Psalm 123:1 NLT)

This focused attention is in anticipation of the slightest signal from the “one enthroned” to signal, a decision; to take the action needed for the “contempt” to come to an end. We see the desired relief, “Lord, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt.We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant.” (Psalm 123:3,4 NLT)

I am reminded of the cry of those in Revelation, who had been killed for the cause of Christ, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10 NIV)

When hardships prevail, our desire is to just “get out” – to get it to stop. However, there are lessons and spiritual character that is developed in the “test of faith.”  James reminded believers, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3,4 NIV)

But there is a time, known to the Father alone, when the time comes for the Lord to execute His judgment and come to the aid of His people, especially those who have endured much for their faith. We take heart in the words of the psalmist, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 ESV)

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You that you give us the strength to keep our eyes on You, as we wait for help and deliverance for our struggles and difficulties. Grant us perseverance, help us possess the attitude of “joy” in the midst of the trial. 

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1 NLT

For the spiritual pilgrim arriving in Jerusalem was a joyous experience. It not only signaled the end of the long journey, but the anticipation of being in God’s House and the City of the Lord. This is the context of this psalm, for we read, “And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:2 NLT)

Throughout the ages Jerusalem has stood as the visible symbol of God in the midst of His people. It was the seat of the government, the “City of David” it was the center of worship, it was the hub of commerce and political presence in the nation.

The psalm declares, “Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached.” (Psalm 122:3 NLT) Standing within the gates of the city and viewing the Temple in all of its splendor would have been an impressive sight.

Jerusalem was the key to the strength and vitality of the nation. So we read, “Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces.” (Psalm 122:6,7 NLT) When there was peace and prosperity within the “holy city” all was well elsewhere. 

It points to the fact that when the heart is right, when the heart is healthy, the body is healthy. But in Jerusalem was the “House of the Lord.” So the psalmist expresses with joy, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘let us go to the House of the Lord.” When I read that verse, I notice that it doesn’t point to just a personal motivation or decision; but one expressed in the context of relationship. This was not a solo “pilgrims” journey. It was God’s people in relationship on a journey together.

In our spiritual lives, we need the encouragement and mutual investment in each other’s lives. Perhaps life is tough and filled with challenges, temptations and struggles. Before you realize and when you almost missed it, you are reminded, “it is festival time.” You then hear the invitation, “let’s go to the House of the Lord.” “Let’s go to Jerusalem..together.”

The next to the last verse of this psalm shows this priority of community. “For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” (Psalm 122:8 NLT)

It is important to remember, “the world can be dangerous place.” Don’t travel alone. Be connected, be encouraged and be an “encourager.” Being in God’s House restores us to the plumb line of our faith and our focus; and should be a cause for joy.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You for Your presence. Thank You that in life we don’t have to ” go it alone.” You have made us for relationships and You have ordained that we “travel together” to the heavenly Jerusalem.

My day began early with a 7:30 a.m. fitness center workout. I had a chiropractor appointment at 9:30 and a scheduled conference all at 10:30 a.m. and was going to a lunch, which I passed up and then to CSU for an Energy Symposium and then my 2:45 medical massage appointment and then home to get a reference letter out to meet a timeline for a friend. But Andy (our dog) was thankful for the walk, even though it came later than usual.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”  Psalm 121:1,2 NLT

I believe these were the verses that were most often shared during my health crisis. When you are in trouble (as we saw in Psalm 120) two thing happen? You begin to look for help from some source. Or, you gain a great appreciation for your true source of help.

Over the years as a pastor, I have seen people in crisis look aimlessly and randomly for help from some source. There was more desperation than faith, confidence and clarity. As the spiritual pilgrim begins the journey to Jerusalem the hills and mountains become an obvious part of the landscape.

When he “looks up to the mountains” it is not just a gaze of the beauty of creation. In his day the spiritual pilgrim would see the hills dotted with shrines and altars to various idols and gods. So the question is natural, “where does my help come from?” Is it Baal? Is it Ashtoreth? Is it Molech, who demands the death of my child? Is is the sun? Is it the moon or stars?

Where is help that is steadfast, true and reliable? We don’t view idols in our day, but we do see all kinds of “sources of help” call for our attention and trust. Have you asked yourself, “where does my help come from?” When the supports of life are removed, when it seems the bottom has dropped out, where do you turn?

I like the strong confidence of this psalm. “….my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!” This is not the God who was made by human hands; this is not the God who is part of creation; this is the God who is above all and creator of all.

This Creator God is the One who guides and protects from all danger. “He will not let you stumble…The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade…he Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.” (Psalm 121:3,5,7 NLT) The One who is with us in the journey, protects us in the journey. Even better news, He is the “round trip” God. “The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” (Psalm 121:8 NLT)

When the Lord is our helper, we can journey with confidence, knowing we will make it to our final destination.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You for the confidence that comes from trusting in You and finding in You our steadfast and reliable helper. Thank You that You journey with us and bring us safely home.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.” Psalm 120:1 NLT

The “Psalms of Ascent” are a collection of psalms that are believed to have been recited by spiritual pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem during one of the three annual feasts on the Jewish calendar. They are psalms for “going up” to worship. They not only reflect the hearts and woes and rejoicing of God’s people long ago, they serve as a challenge and present insight for “spiritual pilgrims” today, who are on a journey to the “new Jerusalem.”

The first verse of this psalm is really the response to what is reflected in the verses that follow. We read of the condition in which the spiritual pilgrim finds himself; separated from God’s presence and the place of worship.

So we read, “How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar.” (Psalm 120:5 NLT) Meschech was situated geographically north of Jerusalem, Kedar was to the south. Both of these locations speak of being in a situation away from the presence of the Lord and living among people who are hostile to faith. Regardless of the direction, when you are away from the presence of the Lord, it is hostile territory. 

The psalm reveals the environment faced by those who desire to be faithful to their God, “I am tired of living
among people who hate peace.  I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!” (Psalm 120:6,7 NLT)

When there is a hostile environment, it tends to wear a person down. Especially when they feel isolated, alone and as it were in a “foreign” place. Soon, a person says, “enough is enough.” A change needs to happen in me, others or the situation I am in. We see the cry to God, “Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.” (Psalm 120:2 NLT)

What is the result? We find the end at the beginning of the psalm, “I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.” (Psalm 120:1 NLT) In his desperation the pslamist “takes his troubles to the Lord.” He “cries out to Him.” Sometime we need to pray, and pray earnestly,  “Lord, change me or change my situation.”

How important it is for us to “take our troubles to the Lord.” The hymn of old, “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” contains the words, “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

The Lord is our burden bearer. He is the One who desires to work in our lives and in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. When we cry out to the Lord we will find as the psalmist declares, “He answered my prayer.” Sometimes, it is not as we would desire or anticipate. But as we trust in Him, God will do what is best. In His way and in His time.

The one living in Meshech and in distant Kedar decides to “make a move.” He begins a journey to Jerusalem, the place of the Lord’s presence and a place of worship. The path to a new destiny begins with one step in God’s direction.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You, when the pressures of life and our circumstances push us to the limits we can “take our troubles” to You. You hear our cry and You are faithful to answer. In the process You remind us how important it is to just “journey” with You. Help us to remember that “You are the way” that we are to follow.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV

(I am borrowing an alteration for these well known verses from my friend Cavin Harper of the Christian Grandparenting Network.)

This blessing is known as the Aaronic or High Priestly blessing. The Lord’s promise to His priests was, “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27 NKJV) Let’s take a closer look at what is involved in this concise but powerful blessing pronounced over God’s people.

First we see a declaration of God’s protection. One of the greatest declarations of God’s protection is God “as keeper.” “The LORD is your keeper: the LORD is your shade on your right hand.” (Psalm 121:5 NIV) “…for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.” (Proverbs 3:26 NIV) 

One of the greatest sources of comfort is the Lord is with you and you are safe. The psalmist declares,
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.” (Psalm 118:6 NKJV) “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in; From this time forth, and even forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8 NKJV)

We see a declaration of God’s pleasure. We can live with confidence that we are under the umbrella of God’s smile. The Lord’s “shining face” and His gracious acts reveal God’s pleasure. When someone looks you in the eye and gives you their full attention, it communicates value.

Finally we see God’s presence and peace. I recall the story of a young child who was afraid of the storm in the middle of the night. His father came into his room to comfort him. The child asked, “Dad are you there?” His father responded, “I am here.” The child asked, “Are you looking my way?” His father said, “Yes, son, I’m looking your way.”

I think of that when I read, “The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” The Lord is not only present but He gives us His full attention. He is looking our way. God’s peace is available to His people and is one of the most important promises and reassurances that we find in His Word.

When we hear this blessing, let’s be reminded of God’s protection, God’s pleasure and God’s peace. Remember we can not only be a recipient of God’s blessing, but a bestower of God’s blessing toward others.

Prayer for today…. Lord thank You for the reminder of your protection, pleasure and peace each time we hear these ancient words. Let us take heart in what You are to us and enable us to be channels of Your blessing to others.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing profane will ever enter it…” Revelation 21:23-27 HCSB

It is often said, that the “Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” The Bible contains God’s plan of redemption throughout its pages. When Jesus walked with the disciples traveling to Emmaus we read, “Jesus then explained everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophet.” (Luke 24:27 CEV) In other passages we see Jesus referring to the testimony of the Psalm about the coming Messiah.

I like fashion we see in the Old Testament prophets predicting not only events related to Christ coming as Messiah, but Christ’s “Second Coming.” The verses above from the end of Revelation reveal a connection to the words of Isaiah the prophet.

For example, “You won’t need the light of the sun or the moon. I, the Lord your God, will be your eternal light  and bring you honor. Your sun will never set or your moon go down. I, the Lord, will be your everlasting light,and your days of sorrow will come to an end.” (Isaiah 60:19,20 CEV)

“Nations and kings will come to the light of your dawning day.” (Isaiah 60:3 CEV)

“Your gates will be open day and night to let the rulers of nations lead their people to you with all their treasures.” (Isaiah 60:11 CEV)

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” (Isaiah 35:8 ESV)

The significance of these and other examples point to the consistency and verification of the words of the prophets. The Bible refers to this concept in exercising “judgment.” “…[Let] every matter…be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” (Matthew 18:16 NIV)

This reveals a God outside of time. While God works in the confines of time, He exists outside of time. He can view into the future and reveal His plans and purposes to His prophets in the Old Testament and the New; even those events yet to come far into God’s divine time line.

God’s Word can be trust as valid and true. What the Lord says He will do, He will do. What He says will take place, will take place. This calls us to faith and perseverance. It challenges us to be on guard against the attitude of the “mockers” that Peter warns will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4 ESV)

God is still at work in the world today. Of that we can be certain.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You for the wonders of Your Word and the promises that You reveal concerning Your ultimate redemption of this world. Allow us to take heart, to have greater confidence and faith in You as we live each day.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation…so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children….Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.” Psalm 78:4,6,8 NLT

This weekend I attended a “Courageous Grandparenting” conference in Longmont at Life Bridge Church. It was well attended, inspiring and challenging.

A part of the challenge was the importance of passing faith from one generation to another. As I reviewed the verses of Psalm 78 I noticed the focus on redeeming a nation. We can observed in the Old Testament that God’s people struggled with their faithfulness and obedience and their commitment to transfer faith from generation to generation.

This is most evident when after the death of Joshua, and Israel settled in the promised land. We read, “…there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10 ESV) In the midst of a nation that had forsaken the Lord there was always a faithful remnant among the people. It was those individuals that provided a ray of hope.

What happened in one generation, may take two generations to reverse, but there is hope. How does it happen? It begins with a commitment, “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” (Psalm 78:4 NLT) That commitment must translate into actions, “He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children.” (Psalm 78:5,6 NLT)

If the present generation of faithful followers renew the commitment that was neglected in past generations, a change can take place. This was not “new” strategy; it was doing what had been neglected in the past. Spiritual conversations, “faith talk” must become a natural part of our interaction with children and grandchildren. It is not just “the duty of the church.” Seeds planted by one generation bear fruit in the next.

There is an expected result of these actions, “So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.” (Psalm 78:7 NLT)

When this happens in the course of time, individual faith, is transferred from one family to the next, from generation to generation and “obedience” replaces “rebellion.”

“Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.” (Psalm 78:8 NLT)

I often hear of the need of a “third great awakening” That may  not occur through some great “revival” or mass spiritual renewal. It may just happen over the course to time as parents and grandparents recapture their calling and priority to be guardians and conduits of faith from one generation to the next.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You for Your clear plan of a people, a nation that honors You. It is found in the faithful passing of the faith from generation to generation. May that challenge and calling be taken seriously in a growing number of families and may You strengthen and encourage those whose hearts are set on You.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word….I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9, 11 NLT)

A core doctrine of the Christian faith is that God’s Word is our “all-sufficient rule for faith and conduct.” In other words, it is a complete guide for what we believe and how we behave. The psalmist addresses a “young person” in this familiar verse, but we know that temptation is “no respecter of persons.” While pressures and temptations may be intense in ones youth, they do not cease with age.

I recall hearing about some young Bible College students asking an elderly minister, “at what age do temptations cease?” His response was, “I don’t know.”

The psalmist allows us to know that young or old, obeying God’s Word keeps us on the “straight and narrow.” The emphasis should be place on “obeying.” I notice the verse doesn’t say, “knowing God’s Word.” We are only kept safe to the extend that we “put into practice and action” God’s Word that we know.

That is why the next verse is of importance. “I have hidden your word in my heart…” Real life change, real strength comes when God’s Word moves from our minds to our hearts. We see in the gospel’s that for each temptation Jesus was confronted with, His response was one based on God’s Word.

The familiar words of instructions to Joshua as he succeeded Moses were, “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but  you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:7,8 ESV)

I notice a reflection of these commands to Joshua in this second stanza of Psalm 119. We read, “I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.” (Psalm 119:13 NLT) That is “keeping God’s Word in your mouth.

Then we read, “I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.” (Psalm 119:15 NLT) That shows “meditation” and seeking understanding that results in practical application.

Finally, I notice the attitude that is important toward God’s Word. We read, “I have rejoiced in your laws…I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:14,16 NLT)

We realize that we are not perfect and we can all be thankful for God’s grace. However, the Lord provides the way for us to follow. We need to see God’s Word as our lifeline. To delight in it. To learn it. To mediate on it. To recite it. To obey it. As we do, it will help keep us on the right path.

Prayer for today… Lord, thank You for Your Word that is so important to our life. It not only tells us of You, but it reveals us to ourselves. It protects us, it guards us and it will keep us from harm as we allow it to direct our lives.