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Archive for the ‘Worship’ Category

A Pretty Poor Trade

Posted in Bible Study, Bible Study, Genesis, God Stories, Priorities, tagged , , , , , , on February 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Genesis 25-26, I’ve marveled at Esau’s short-sightedness every time I read the story of him selling his birthright to his younger brother Jacob. There’s hungry and really wanting some food, but to give up your birthright as the oldest son is a pretty high price to pay. There are a lot of things in play here. First off, Esau’s mind was in the moment not the long-term ramifications. Second, his value system was skewed. That which was truly important, he valued too lightly while placing undue value on that which was both fleeting and common. Third, God who exists outside of time, knew the outcomes these two brothers would walk in. He had foretold it to Rebekah when she prayed to the Lord about the struggling twins inside her womb. That struggle continued through their birth and into their adulthood.

My takeaways are not necessarily to be like Jacob. He was not “righteous” in all this. But we can learn from Esau. I will not be ruled by my stomach nor by short-term benefit for long-term loss. I will prioritize that which is truly important, even the seemingly lesser things that are truly valuable like morning coffee with my beloved when I am in town. And I will seek the LORD with all that I am, seeking to walk in the path He has laid out for me to bless and serve wherever He takes me.

Lord, help us to keep our eyes on you, trusting you with the big picture. Help us to value things rightly, making the things of God, whether big or small, our priority. And lead us in the way of righteousness, loving and serving from a heart that is daily being shaped more and more to be like yours. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us today. Amen.

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From One Family

Posted in Bible Study, Bible Study, Genesis, God, God Stories, Prayer, Worship, tagged , , , , , on February 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Genesis 12-15, Today’s reading is bookended with God speaking great and mighty promises to Abram. The first is that through Abram’s family, a great nation will come that will bless all the families of the earth. In chapter 15 the LORD repeats the promise that it will be through Abram’s very own son that a great nation will be brought forth who will be the blessing to all nations. This is an amazing promise in its own right but considering that Abram was75 years old when we first meet him and the second promise comes some time later as he and his family sojourn in the land of Canaan, it will require a miracle to occur. Fortunately, no promise of God will go unfulfilled AND God is in the miracle business. Being the Creator and Sustainer of all life, it is no big deal for God to create life through Abram and Sarai. It is the timing that often trips us up.

We are four thousand years later, and we know how true these promises are and how they have been, and are being, fulfilled. First came the nation of Israel which still exists today. Second came Jesus, the Messiah for all mankind. God’s promises to Abram fulfilled. But God hasn’t stopped making promises and He is still fulfilling promises. You and I are recipients of so many promises from God. A foundational promise for me is a universal promise to everyone who bends the knee in surrender to Jesus as Lord. He says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” I can bank on that because He is faithful and true. He was to Abram. He is to you and He is to me.

O Lord God Almighty, you are faithful and your promises are true. We give you all the faith we can muster knowing that you are able to take our offerings and do what we can’t with it. You are building and shaping us into a nation of priests to minister to all nations. Lord, we say yes. Use our words, our actions, our giving to further your kingdom. May the Good News of Jesus transform us in such a way that it flows to everyone we meet and everywhere we go. Be glorified O LORD our God. Be glorified!

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Restoration

Posted in Bible Study, God, job, Prayer, tagged , , , , , , on February 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 40-42, Job’s long requested interview with God ends today and to say it went differently than Job had in mind would be a significant understatement. The LORD’s response to Job is exactly what Job needed to hear. God lovingly puts Job in his place by articulating His place. Job “the Righteous” is properly humbled. There was nothing wrong with Job’s actions before calamity befell him. The only area where Job needed correction was in his heart where pride had taken root. Like an undiagnosed disease, Job’s pride had to be brought to the surface and dealt with. And God did.

Look at the amazing ripple effect of Job’s calamity. Job had a personal encounter with the LORD and it changed him. Job had his pride brought into view and he was humbled and repented. Job’s friends were rebuked by God, they were humbled, and they repented and apologized to Job. Job forgave and then Job interceded for them. If we stopped right there with right relations between God, Job, and Job’s friends restored, it would be a win, win, win. But God, in His overflowing generosity, restores Job’s family line and restores material blessings upon him. The author emphasizes how over the top this is by pointing out the blessings upon Job’s daughters. Within the intensely patriarchal society of the day, this shouts of God’s goodness and generosity. God sees the big picture. And in His wise and loving way, He always draws those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose, into closer fellowship with Himself and with His family.

LORD, I thank you for Job and the picture you give us of this man and his journey into deeper fellowship with you. I can’t help but marvel at the transformation in Job through these 42 chapters. It seems Job knew about you and tried hard to honor you at first, but by the end, Job came to truly know you and that made all the difference. LORD, help us to know you, to learn from you, to grow to be like you, following the leading of your Holy Spirit more and more. Do what you need to do to crush pride and whatever else might be present in our heart that hinders our relationship with you and others. We love you LORD and we give ourselves to you this day.

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God Whispers

Posted in Bible Study, God, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Priorities, Spiritual Growth, Worship, tagged , , , on January 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

1 Kings 19:9-13, God Whispers. Interestingly, after writing this morning’s devotional, I joined our church’s 21 Days of Prayer online. I am traveling for work so I can’t be there in person. Jason, one of our pastors, did the lead in and used these verses to encourage us to be quiet and ask the LORD to speak to us as we meditated on Psalm 122. I was arrested by these verses, particularly the fact that there was a wind, an earthquake, and a fire that came before the whisper.

So many times, I can’t hear the LORD because of the wind, earthquake, and fire. The social media feeds, the never-ending news cycle, how my favorite sports team is doing, even the emotionally charged conversations I have in my head trying to figure out how to resolve a conflict, these are wind, earthquake, and fire. I cannot necessarily shut out all of these, but I can choose to place myself where I am ready to hear. I can choose to shut the doors where many of these enter in to steal my attention.

Like the psalmist said, “I quiet my soul like a weaned child”. I think this imagery is intentional. As we mature, we no longer have the same needs of an infant in the faith, yet we will never lose the need to sit quietly with our heavenly Father and receive from Him what we truly need. And many times, it comes as a gentle whisper…

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Turning the Corner

Posted in Bible Study, God, job, Orphans, Responsibility, Spiritual Growth, Trials, worldview, tagged , , , , , , on January 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 29-31, Turning the Corner. Our time in Job thus far has been bookended by accounts of Job’s righteousness. In chapter 1 God speaks of Job’s righteousness so we know Job is truly a good and righteous person. In chapter 31 Job goes on to list all the things that he does that are good and right. Job’s righteousness is impressive and puts me in my place by comparison. Which, when I think about it, is possibly a good thing for both Job and me. It is good for Job because it uncovers an area of his life, pride and entitlement, that are NOT character traits that endear us to God. It is good for me because I still have a way to go to even measure up to Job’s righteousness AND I can receive the warning from Job’s pride. It is the slippery slope that comes when our reputation supersedes our relationship with the Father.

But everything is about to change. Job’s three friends have run out of steam. Their accusations and false help have not stuck. And Job’s heart is laid bare with all of his goodness peeled back to reveal an area of need. God loves Job just like He loves us. What seemingly started as a dare between God and Satan has become a tool God uses to reveal to Job his need that he would never have seen without his suffering AND the interactions with his friends. And God will use this to bless not just Job, but his friends too. I am excited to see where God takes us in the coming days.

Father, you love us too much to let us remain stuck. In Isaiah you call out righteousness laid over pride as filthy rags. You desire that we act right towards others, but you desire that to spring forth from our ever-growing relationship with you. So, we bend our knees and lay all our ambitions and motivations before you now. You know them already. We ask that you help us to see ourselves rightly and live surrendered. We offer ourselves to you that you might transform us. We are your children and our desire is to live as faithful men and women of God. Be glorified, our Lord and our God!

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Beginning of Wisdom

Posted in Bible Study, God, Spiritual Growth, The Father, Trials, Vision, worldview, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , on January 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 24-28, Beginning of Wisdom. Unlike most of scripture, the only way to properly read Job is in its entirety. The Bible is amazing in many respects. One of those is that it encompasses a variety of literary styles. In telling Job’s story and capturing the dialog of Job and his three friends, we see descriptions of God and His character that are opinions and not hard facts. The mixture of truth, half-truth, and misunderstanding about God is combined in a way that emphasizes foundational truth about God and His ways, but only when we read the entire story. If you are like me, it has taken multiple reads to get to the point that I can see this and not get tied up in the warped theology espoused by Job’s friends and, to a degree, but Job.

When we get to Job 28:28 I cannot help but release a big sigh. In my mind I have been trying to parse out the truth versus misunderstanding in each person’s dialog. Even Job speaks at times with more emotion and less faith than I am comfortable with. As an engaged reader it is a mental and emotional roller-coaster. But then I read a verse that I can hang my hat on. ‘And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”’ I find this truth throughout scripture. I find this truth in evaluating the world on a macro level. And I have found this to be true in my 65 years on earth.

LORD, you are the source of all wisdom. When things don’t make sense, when evil seems to triumph, we know we can trust you and trust your heart. You have made all things – seen and unseen. You exist outside of time – the past, present, and future are all now to you. We bow to you, acknowledging our great limitations and your limitless nature. That out of all this, that you love us and desire what is best for us, we humbly, reverently, give you thanks and offer you our lives. It is in the mighty Name of Jesus that we pray,

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My Redeemer Lives

Posted in Bible Study, God, job, Spiritual Growth, Trials, worldview, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , on January 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 17-20, My Redeemer Lives. Lately I have had this tremendous sense of gratitude that we live in a day and time when God’s progressive revelation of Himself has come so far. In the days of the Prophets, the understanding of God was limited to the Law and the mixed messages coming from true prophets and false prophets and priests. When the people were wandering in the wilderness, they had Moses and the stone tablets, but we saw how much weight that carried. That whole generation (except Joshua and Caleb) died because of their lack of faith. From Abraham to Moses, there was God’s promise to Abraham, but not a lot more to rest your faith on. So, for Job to proclaim this truth, years before God spoke to Abram (who became Abraham) in the midst of his great suffering, is a testament to his faith. And it is BIG faith statement.

I have this mental picture right now that won’t go away. I see a kitten hanging on the end of a rope. There is both terror and determination in the kitten’s eyes. The caption reads, “Hang in there, baby.” Job’s cry are the words the kitten is thinking as it dangles. And there is a reward as the rope is pulled up and rescue ensues. Our Redeemer does live and He is our Rescuer. Job may not be correct in saying his suffering is from God, but he is absolutely on target when he says My, and Our, Redeemer Lives.

Faithful Redeemer and Lord, we thank you that in all things and at all times we can trust you. Even when we are at the end of our rope, you are there. Psalm 139 comes to mind, you know me, you know us, and we are yours. Thank you for rescuing us, for sending Jesus to die that we might live. Thank you for redeeming us, purchasing us with a price far beyond our worth. We pause to let that sink in… You paid so much for us because you love us and you have good plans for us. Such knowledge is too wonderful, to amazing. But that is who you are… our wonderful, amazing, glorious Redeemer, Savior, and Lord! Amen!

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Patience in Pain

Posted in Bible Study, God, job, Spiritual Growth, Trials, worldview, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 14-16, Patience in Pain. As an engineer I see most things in a cause and effect paradigm. Having experienced God’s grace in many tangible ways, I fully count on His sovereignty to win the day and outcomes to be good, eventually. There are many Biblical promises such as Jeremiah 29:11 that point to this. God’s past actions and His present promises provide the framework for my belief that my current pain will be transformed into future blessing. Grief, suffering, and heartache are not to be denied, but they can be tempered and endured with the knowledge that the One who has been faithful will remain faithful.

I read the story in Acts 5 yesterday where the Apostles were beaten for preaching the Gospel. Their response to suffering the beating was rejoicing. How could they rejoice when their backs were bruised and bloodied? Because they were able to look beyond the pain to the wonderful work the Holy spirit was doing. They could see the kingdom of God growing. As I type, I get a glimpse of the millions of martyrs through the ages, and I realize that there has never been a tear shed or blood spilled by one of the Lord’s saints that hasn’t resulted in the kingdom expanding. What the enemy means for evil, God turns into good. That’s why we can have patience in the pain.

Father, we are so thankful that you walk with us through life, even carrying us when it gets overwhelming. Job’s friends could not see past their paradigm that had only an earthly cause and effect perspective. We know that you move in heaven and earth and sometimes we won’t see the great good you are doing until later… sometimes much later. We simply ask today that you will help us to grow in faith to exercise patience in the painful times. That includes not just our times of pain, but that of our friends, neighbors and people we meet. May your grace flow through us today. In Jesus’ Name.

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Power of Community

Posted in God, Jesus Christ, The Father, worldview, Worship, tagged , , on January 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Genesis 8-11, Power of Community. There is tremendous power in an aligned community. A new “technology”, the brick, gave the people of Babylon the opportunity to build a structure that would rival any that then existed. And community pride was the vehicle that drove them to try to do just that. I hear echoes of the serpent’s temptation of Eve in the garden in the rationale behind building the great tower.

God calls us to community too, but it is to be God-centered community. Knowing Him and following Him is the way to life to the full. Jesus said this very thing in the Gospel of John. Connecting John 14:6 and John 10:10, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and in him alone is life to the full. When we follow Jesus in discipleship community, we will find ourselves surrounded by brothers and sisters in the ultimate community of mercy, grace, and power.

Lord, guide us to seek you first and foremost. Help us to properly prioritize everything in our life that you are the center of our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We desire to live in a faith community that continues to grow and fill the whole world with the knowledge of you. Be glorified in and through us, faithful LORD.

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Arguing with God

Posted in God, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Job 21-23. It was freeing for me when I realized I didn’t need to act pious before God. As I grew in our relationship, recognizing that His love and forgiveness were way bigger than my sin and assorted stumbles in life, I became able to stop trying to be righteous. It made any perceived distance between us shrink and I began to understand what it meant to “walk with God”. And instead of striving and trying to act right against the current of the world, my fleshly desires, and the temptations of Satan, my heart and my mind became more desirous of pleasing my faithful Lord. Doing what brings joy to Him became my desire. Because I knew He loved me unconditionally AND knew all that I thought, it became totally fine to talk it out when I was unhappy, confused, angry or any other emotion that I had attempted to stuff when I was trying to act righteous.

I recognize this in Job today. He is ready to argue with God. We know He doesn’t have the whole picture and some of Job’s assumptions are not correct, but I am encouraged because He never loses faith in God. He may be ready to challenge God that He has made a mistake in punishing him, but He does not lose faith that God is there or that He will listen to Him. While very limited in the New Testament, lamentations are a common theme in the Old Testament. As many as 60 of the Psalms are considered lamentations and there is even one whole book that is a collection of distressed heart cries to God called Lamentations. Being honest with God, even if it is an argument we are going to lose, is the path to greater intimacy with the Lover of our soul.

Father, thank you, that we can be real with you. We do not need to hide how we feel. Beyond the fact that there is nothing we can hide, there is truly more mercy, grace, and love readily available to us, that we can only receive when we let down our guard and let you in. That you gently, lovingly, pursue us, encouraging us to open up, is truly a great gift. Even when we don’t fully understand what’s going on, we put our trust in you. You are faithful and true. Blessed be the Name of the LORD, our God! Amen!

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