Sunday Psalm IV

God, you're the eternal kernal;
the creative "big" before the bang theory.

I'm the temporal mist that fades;
the blade of grass quickly withered.

While I live through 1 day, You live through 1000 years.

Its no wonder that I want to feel justified by temporary things. 

Lord you have no need to justify your decisions as God.
You are completely other, unable to sin!

So qualities evident in the Triune God: The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit; are well worth clinging to...
God in the shortness of my days may I hunger for your attributes.

Holiness, love, compassion, peace, gentleness, patience and righteous living...
Those characteristics are always in You and therefore they've always had an eternal residency in You Lord.   

In Jesus death and resurrection I have by faith taken residency there too.
In right relationship with God, I live at the same address as holiness:)

Sunday Psalm III

I

Creation is groaning. 

Nature is enslaved.  

Coral reefs recede.

Fjords dissipate. 

Rivers never fill the sea. 

Returning home disappoints. 

Innocent babies cry.

People die. 

 

II

Knowing increases grief.

Forgetting decreases hope.

Remembering hurts.

Bitterness blockades. 

Destruction and sin. 

Dismay and decay.

   

III

But trust secures relationship. 

Glorious freedom is promised.

Eagerness sweetens the wait.

Truth is what Christ affords. 

IV

Righteousness imputed.

Humbly in Christ restored.

 

A Sunday Psalm II

Lord God,

Your Word has a way
into my heart for holiness;
into my head for discernment.

Your blood has a way
into my life for mercy;
into my trouble for salvation.

Your grace has a way
into my words for worship;
into my days for growing.

Thank you  God for this new life in Jesus.

Loving Others part 4

Biblical Statutes to drive a Love of Others 

Love unbelievers with:

 -Peace. “If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

-Compassion. “But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.” Luke 10:33.

-Mercy.  “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said Luke 10:36-37

-Looking inwardly. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

-Blessing your foe. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14

-Never seeking revenge. “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

-Acts and gifts. “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,” Luke 6:27

-Pray for them. “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Luke 6:28

-Give generously. “Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do.” Deut 15:10

-Serve everyone keep humble. “But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; Matthew 20:25-27

Loving Others part 3

 How Can We Love People Given Over to Their Sin?

I'm noticing through these posts that I actually don't struggle with loving people as much as the all-allowing society in which I live. I realize now: I do not love my society. We live in a time and place that following folly is encouraged and must be respected because that is their choice and excersize of freedom. But if that means offending the holy God and becoming so held by sin that it is an approved lifestyle. Its become hard to love people when they are "that far gone" and given over to their sin, then demanding I recognize their right to be a poster-boy for that sin... I want to love as Christ did...

Today seems to carry unprecedented levels of shamelessness and humanism. My culture gives liberty to sinful things, it legalizes destructive things and tolerates almost anything.We'll admit our wickedness because we no longer live in a culture that would disapprove of things that were once deemed wicked. So people are not ashamed of their dark actions. There is this sense of pathetic-honesty. Apologies are cheap to the rebellious. Much sin seems costless in this culture, and the spirit world isn't being addressed.

The local news exploits the deeds of sins that are unanimously abhorrent. So that there is a paradox effect on the viewer to make them feel saintly. The yeast of humanism shows its bulge in the form of self-reliance, subjective "truths", and an intellect that seeks the uniformity/approval of others. Parenting has gotten so permissive saying: "follow your heart." Youth don't think much about consequences unless they are taught to submit. Leaders are often watered down to people-pleasing. My culture's primary export is immorality... surely there is a cost to all this.

GOD is not silent. He is a Consuming Fire.

^"One slaughters an ox, one kills a man;
one sacrifices a lamb, one breaks a dog’s neck;
one offers a grain offering, one offers pig’s blood;
one offers incense, one praises an idol—
all these have chosen their ways
and delight in their detestable practices.
 So I will choose their punishment,
and I will bring on them what they dread
because I called and no one answered;
I spoke and they didn’t hear;
they did what was evil in My sight
and chose what I didn’t delight in." (Isaiah 66:3-4)

"For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.  For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen." (Romans 1:20-25)


For He says, "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Loving Others part 2

 The Continuing Debt to Love Others

Although loans and debts are to be avoided as much as possible, borrowing from someone isn't completely prohibited by the Bible so long as 1. Interest isn't exorbitantly accrued by the lender or 2. The borrower actively pays back and intends on eliminating the debt. 

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

For sound loans, what remains is an amount that a past due amount, this often comes in the form or a bill each month. Then a monthly payment chips away the debt. I have little experience as a lender. Yet I have much experience as a borrower. As a borrower, my motivation to keep paying gets challenged as time goes on. Owing money is difficult it can be defeating and enslaving the longer it goes on. But at its origin there is a contract at stake, the validity of your word needs to be made good on. 

 ^"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8

I spend so much time talking about debt because I have found this Romans 13:8 verse to be a prime motivator for me to love others by. Debt is always over me as the borrower, it is part of who I am. My promise to make good on that debt is also over me because I made a contract/covenant/promise on the debt.

It is a continuing debt. Because of Christ's example we will always have an outstanding debt of love. If I am tempted to rescind my debt to love others, I am walking away from obediently fulfilling the Law. Salvation comes with the cost of discipleship. Similarly, a love for God comes with a love for people.