Ascent Week 14

Psalm 133

How good and pleasant it is
   when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head
   running down on the beard,
running don on Aaron's beard,
   down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
   were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
   even life forevermore.

Ascent Week 9

Psalm 128

1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
     who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
     blessing and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
     within your house;
   your children will be like olive shoots
     around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
     for the man who fears the LORD.
5 May the LORD bless you from Zion;
     may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
     all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children's children--
     peace be on Israel.

Please comment below!

See you Sunday!

Ascent Week 8

Psalm 127

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the guards stand watch in vain.

2 In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

for he grants sleep to those he loves.

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,

offspring a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are children born in one’s youth.

5 Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their opponents in court.

Good For the Soul

One of the things that I think we have lost a great deal of in our national religious consciousness is the idea of confession. This is one area that I think our Catholic friends might have it on us (not that I believe that any man has the power to forgive sins). Though there is something about sharing your sin with another human being that is not only cathartic, but healing in both the soul and the body.

David said it best in the 32nd Psalm. Take a moment and read it, then come back and let's finish this post together.

So David says that the one who is forgiven is blessed, or happy. When you've screwed up, you know you need someone to forgive you. And when you receive that forgiveness there is a weight that just lifts off of your shoulders, isn't there?

At the end of verse 2, David talks about the one in whose spirit there is no deceit. What does that mean? It means that there is happiness when one isn't so concerned about "keeping a lid" on the sin that is in their lives. When we are bold enough to say, "This is my sin, and this is what I deal with," we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and we can be hurt. It's dangerous to confess our sins. But look at the next verse. Keeping quiet about sin, or making everyone think that we have no sin is the best way to loose our grip on reality. Look at the words David uses here: "my bones wasted away", "my groaning all day long", "your hand was heavy on me", "my strength was sapped" (emphases added). These are words that describe both physical and emotional draining...emptiness.

But in verse 5, David says, "Then I acknowledged my sin." He confessed that his sin was real, that it was he'd done what he had done and didn't try to "keep the lid" on it anymore. And what happened? He was forgiven! Not only that, but he found that his life was now not only rejuvenated, but also protected! He was protected by his "Hiding Place," God Himself!

Finally, in verses 8-10, David talks to you and I. He says (and I paraphrase here), "Don't be an idiot. Don't be a donkey (or whatever other word you may want to use)! Don't be one who lacks understanding! Don't be a loser who can't understand right from wrong! Don't kick back at God and keep on telling Him 'NO!' Be one who listens to wise instruction. Be one who is surrounded by God's unfailing love! And you will have reason to rejoice!"

My brothers and sisters, confession is, indeed, good for the soul, but it is also good for the body. And when we confess and repent of our sins, God is all about forgiving us...and not only that, but keeping us, too!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and we'll see you on Sunday!!!!

Ascent Week 3

Ascent to Sunday:

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
     "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
2 Our feet are standing
     In your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a city
     that is closely compacted together.
4 This is where the tribes go up-
     the tribes of the LORD-
   to praise the name of the LORD
     according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There stand the thrones for judgement,
     the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
     "May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
     an security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
     I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
     I will seek your prosperity.

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Ascent Week 1

As you read this Psalm, remember that these are people traveling from their homes far from Jerusalem, and their thoughts begin from where they are. Eventually, these Psalms will begin to talk about the wonder of God's house and the glory of God Himself.

Psalm 120New Living Translation (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

I took my troubles to the Lord;
    I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
    and from all deceitful people.
O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
    How will he increase your punishment?
You will be pierced with sharp arrows
    and burned with glowing coals.

How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
    It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
I am tired of living
    among people who hate peace.
I search for peace;
    but when I speak of peace, they want war!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.