Psalm 19

In Psalm 19:7-11 there are several "math equations" that tell us about God and His Word.

1. The law of the Lord = PERFECT--reviving the soul
2. The testimony of the Lord = SURE--making wise the simple
3. The precepts of the Lord = RIGHT--rejoicing the heart
4. The commandment of the Lord = PURE--enlightening the eyes
5. The fear of the Lord = CLEAN--enduring forever
6. The rules (just decrees) of the Lord = TRUE & RIGHTEOUS ALTOGETHER
1. They are to be desired more than gold, even much fine gold
2. They are sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb
3. They are a warning to his servants
4. They are rewarding for those that keep them.

The following verse from Psalm 19 is my prayer today and everyday.  Enjoy!
Psalm 19:11-14:
"Who can discern his errors?  Declare me innocent from hidden faults.  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!  Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Psalm 15

Question:  Who shall sojourn in your tent?
Question:  Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

Answers:

1. He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.
2. He who does not slander with His tongue and does no evil to his neighbor nor takes up a reproach against his friend.
3. He who, in whose eyes, a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear God.
4. He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.
5. He who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

Final Statement:  HE WHO DOES THESE THINGS SHALL NEVER BE MOVED!!!

Thank you, Lord, for these truths today.

Psalm 13

I.  How Long, O Lord?...(vv. 1-2)

1. Will You forget me forever
2. Will You hid Your face from me
3. Must I take counsel in my soul
4. Will I have sorrow in my heart
5. Will my enemies by exalted over me

II. A Prayer to God for Deliverance...(vv. 3-4)

1. Consider and answer me, light up my eyes.
1. Why?
1. Lest I die
2. Lest my enemies prevail over me
3. Lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken

III. A Prayer of Trust...(vv. 5-6)

1. I have trusted in the steadfast love of God.
2. My heart will rejoice in God's salvation
3. I will sing
1. Why?
1. He has dealt bountifully with me

I am so thankful for the Word of God today.  I look forward to spending time in it each day.  "His mercies are new every morning."  God Bless!!!

Burp!!!

Worship...

Great video that a buddy shared with me regarding worship.  Let's all prepare to live our lives in worship of our Lord everyday.  God Bless!

Discouragement is REAL...

Let's be honest.  Discouragement is real.  Whether you are in full-time ministry, in the business world, or unemployed discouragement is a reality.  I am currently reading a book entitled Children's Ministry Leadership.  Author Jim Wideman does a whole chapter on dealing with this issue.  I want to share with you today 10 ways to move past discouragement in your life. 

1.   Do what you do for the right reasons.
2.   Stay motivated.
3.   Stay in the Word of God.
4.   Pray continually.
5.   Choose to stay happy.
6.   Keep doing what God's called you to do.
7.   Lead people who'll follow.
8.   Mentor someone else.
9.    Be a self-starter.
10.  Refuse to quit.

The following was taken from Children's Ministry Leadership by Jim Wideman, pages 109-113. 
Group Publishing

Doing the Impossible

I do several things in my time with the Lord each day.  I am currently studying through the Psalms and (thanks to Mike Edwards) I am reading an on-line devotional by Henry Blackaby entitled Experiencing God Day by Day.  Here was Sunday's reading.  I thought this goes perfectly with what I shared last week about "risks."  To read that, click here.   I hope this encourages you today on your journey.  

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Don’t Avoid the Impossible

But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (Matthew 14:16)

"Jesus asked His disciples to do something that clearly was impossible. There were five thousand men, along with their families, and they were famished. There were only five loaves of bread and two small fish—obviously not enough to feed a multitude. The cost of food for even a portion of the crowd would have far exceeded the disciples’ small budget. It may have seemed absurd to the disciples that Jesus should ask them to distribute the paltry amount of food to the massive crowd. Yet that is exactly what Jesus asked them to do. Because Jesus had given the command, the disciples obeyed and witnessed an incredible miracle.

Christ will lead you into many situations that will seem impossible, but don’t try to avoid them. Stay in the middle of them, for that is where you will experience God. The key difference between what appears to be impossible to us and what is actually possible is a word from our Master! Faith accepts His divine command and steps out in a direction that only God can complete. If you only attempt things that you know are possible with the visible resources you possess, those around you will not see God at work. You will be the one who receives the credit for a job well done, but God will have no part in it.
Take inventory of your life and the decisions you are presently facing. Have you received a word from the Master that awaits your next step of faith? If you will proceed with what He has told you, no matter how incredible it might seem, you will experience the joy of seeing your Lord perform a miracle, and so will those around you."

Psalm 3

God gave me some words.  I was reading Psalm 3 recently and these can to me.  I am not a writer, but that doesn't matter.  So, here you go.  Take this for what it is and make fun if you will. 

Here are the actual words to Psalm 3 penned by King David.

 ¹O LORD, how many are my foes!
   Many are rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
    there is no salvation for him in God.
                         Selah ³But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
   my glory, and the lifter of my head.
⁴I cried aloud to the LORD,
   and he answered me from his holy hill.
                         Selah
 ⁵I lay down and slept;
   I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
⁶I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
   who have set themselves against me all around.

 ⁷ Arise, O LORD!
   Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
   you break the teeth of the wicked.

 ⁸ Salvation belongs to the LORD;
   your blessing be on your people!
                         Selah

Here are my words penned by Derek.

Verse 1
Here they come.
They're closing in.
My foes are so many, they'll be my end.

Insults, mockery, ridicule is their cry.
"There is no salvation for him, he'll die."

Chorus
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me.
But You, O Lord, will deliver me.
But You, O Lord, lift my head and dry me tears.
I cried aloud and You answered me.
And You, O Lord, rescued me.
You rescued me.

Verse 2
 As lay down on my pillow tonight
Despite the turmoil, there's an end in sight.
I will not fret and I will not freight
I'll wake again with You by my side.
Though enemies are many and want to succeed
You, O Lord, You rescue me.
You rescue me.

Bridge
 Arise, O Lord and save me.
Strike and break the wickedness of my enemies.
Salvation belongs to You, O Lord
Bless us all in one accord

Books I Am Reading...

I do this from time to time.  I like to tell everyone what I am reading, as if they are sitting on the edges of their seats wondering.  Anyway, here is the lengthy list.

I am currently using this resource in my time with the Lord each day.  It is an extremely helpful resource that has really (over the last week) energized my study.  When I purchased this resource it came with an access code that enables me to use this tool online. 
I have also started a journal.  I look up the text that I am studying for that day, read over it several times, and then break it down verse by verse reading the study notes that go with each verse. 
This is a very useful resource.  I would recommend this resource to any person who is serious about study God's Word. 

Children's Ministry Leadership by Jim Wideman is a used book that I recently purchased on Amazon.  One of my main responsibilities at Ada First is children's ministry.  Ironically, this is something that I feel that I am not equipped to do so I decided to get equipped.  This resource is surprising me, however.  I was expecting many practical tips and resources that could be used to lead children's ministry.  I was pleasantly shocked to realize that it has more to do with the leadership potential and structure of the person leading the children's ministry.  I am still in the infant stages of reading this book, but I am really getting a lot out of it.  This book is yet another resource that I have come into contact with lately that has led me to think about risks/faith.  I am looking forward to getting to some of the nuts and bolts of children's ministry in the later chapters.  Great book thus far!

The Millennials by Thom and Jess Rainer is a book about me.  No, its not my biography.  That will come much later in my life.  This is a book about my generation.  I downloaded this book for free several months ago to my iBooks app on my iPhone.  My budding Curt Holland, Pastor of Adults at the Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, really put me on to this book.  I am amazed to read about me.  I don't always enjoy reading books on statistics from surveys taken, but this one is good.  It is interesting to read things about my generation.  What we believe in, what we expect of previous generations, what we want in the workplace and what we want in a host of other things.  This is an real eye-opening book.  It would do the Baby Boomer Generation to read this book.  It would give them great insight.  Just ask Curt Holland, http://www.donelson.org/staff

One final book that I am reading is entitled Fit to Serve Him Longer...and Better.  I recently had a Skype conversation with my friend James Evans.  I was telling him how the Lord had (and has) been speaking to me about my physical health.  I believe God wants me to be not only spiritually and emotionally healthy, but physically healthy.  James sent me this book.  I am only in chapter 2, but it is challenging.  I look forward to my next Skype conversation with James when we will unpack this book some more. 

There you have it.  Now your mind can rest easy because you know what I am reading.  How about you?  What are you reading?

Risks...

I have been challenged a lot lately in one area.  I must take risks.  Now, I am not talking about doing things by the seat of my pants (even though they are big pants) and just doing whatever feels right or what is the hottest thing going.  I recently attended a training where this point was emphasized extensively. 

I was listening to a church planter discuss what risks looked like in his ministry in the early stages of the church plant.  I was floored at some of the things that he did.  Several years after he had started the church (the church was running several hundred people at this point) God spoke to him. 

God told him that he was longer taking risks.  God reminded him how in the infancy stages of the church, the faithful church planter had taken big risks and God had proved faithful during those risks.  The church planter heeding the reminding of God and began taking risks again.  God has continued to prove faithful in this ministry.  The church now runs over 1,000. 

This got me thinking (that is dangerous, I know.).  What risks I am currently taking in my ministry at Ada First?  Am I believing that God will prove Himself faithful in my ministry?  

I think something for us to remember is that in the Christian world, risk is just another word for faith. 

In what areas of my ministry am I trusting God's faithfulness?  I am not doing this nearly enough, if at all.  I hope that this gives us something to think on.  I hope this challenges us not only to think, but to act.  I need to get off my "blessed assurance" and take some risks (have faith).  God please help me to do this.

In this situation, OUR ACTIONS NEED TO SPEAK A LOT LOUDER THAN OUR WORDS!

Be A "Benefit"

I recently began studying the Psalms in my time with God.  I have learned two things right off the bat.  One, I love my new ESV Study Bible.  You should get one.  Two, keeping a journal is important.  I have never been one to journal, but it keeps me focused and less distracted and it enables me to go back and review what I have studied.

I would like share some insights with you from Psalm 1.  Specifically verses 3 & 4.  You can read them here.  The writer, in verses 3 & 4, is contrasting the fruitfulness of two individuals.  He uses two similes that link to agriculture in ancient Palestine.


1.  Righteous Person
This is a tree that is planted in a very dry climate.  It kind of reminds me of the trees that are in my backyard that are now dead because of the severe drought that Oklahoma is experiencing.  However, this tree is different than the ones in my backyard.  It thrives because of its constant water supply.  It is piped into the source that makes it useful.  It bears fruit not for itself, but for others.  If the righteous person is described with theses characteristics it will prosper.  However, it will not prosper for its own self, but for the benefit of others.  This does not mean material possessions necessarily.  If my walk with the Lord is planted and connected to the source of nourishment, it will bear fruit and prosper not for the use of Derek, but for the benefit of others.

2.  Wicked Person
The wicked person is the same person that is described in verse 1.  This person lives an immoral life and does not care about the Lord's instruction.  This person is described as chaff.  Chaff is the husks and straw removed by threshing grain.  It is a very light substance that, when tossed into the air, is blown away by the wind.  Those people who reject God's instruction are like the chaff.  They are blown away and are no benefit to anyone.

I don't know about you, but I want to be a "benefit."  I don't want to live for my own prosperity and success, but to make every decision, no matter how insignificant, with the view of pleasing God by knowing and doing His Word (verse 2).  Be a "benefit."

We Need Men!!!

One of my pastor buddies from Nashville shared this video with me this morning.  YOU REALLY NEED TO WATCH THIS!!!  It is time for men in our churches to rise up.  I would love to hear your comments about this video.