Worship for Today: God reigns forever!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 146:10,

“The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.”

The psalmist in this psalm says he will praise the Lord all of his life, sing praises to him as long as he lives. He then enumerates things of the Lord he finds praiseworthy: the Lord is the Maker of heaven and earth, he upholds the cause of the oppressed, he provides food to the hungry and sets prisoners free. He gives sight to the blind, he lifts up, he loves, he watches over and sustains.

At the end of this psalm he points to something about the Lord that makes these praiseworthy things all the more meaningful and exciting. The Lord reigns forever! For all time, all generations! Have you ever stopped to think of what life would be like if we knew the Lord was not going to reign forever? What if someone else took the helm who was not like our God? What if it were another God that was not loving, would not sacrifice a son to redeem people, was not interested in providing for the needs of creatures? Not kind, not merciful, not bestowing riches of grace? What if we knew there was a “sunset” on life in the resurrection? What if eternal life faced the prospect of a new administration every so often and that what God did might be reversed or done over differently?

Those are some horrible thoughts! And, thankfully, one of the wonderful things about our God is that he reigns forever! He will never be succeeded by anyone and he won’t ever change! What we find out about God will be that which we will enjoy in him for eternity! No new God, no new administration, no prospect of all the wonderful things we have in God changing! Our God reigns forever!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God brings purpose to life!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 138:8,

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.”

David speaks of the purpose the Lord has for him and that the Lord will fulfill just that. His plea to the Lord is that the Lord will not abandon the works of his hands, his purpose for David’s life and yet it is precisely the love and faithfulness of the Lord that David couches his praise in this psalm that assures the Lord would never abandon this work in his life, verse 2.

It is just this very thing in life that many struggle with: purpose. When a sense of purpose in life is lost, mental and emotional health gets lost with it. Depression, anxiety, stress, a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness accompanies a lost sense of purpose.

The wonderful thing in our relationship with the Lord is that he brings to our lives true and meaningful purpose. He has a purpose for us which brings a sense of purpose to our lives. We were brought to life that we might experience a new birth and a new life with him. He has decided that he wants to bring to our lives a growth and maturity that can only be found in him. In Romans 8:28-29 we read, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

He has also determined that we will be coworkers with him in other people’s lives. We read in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” We are able to do so because the Lord has done something in our lives that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12:7, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Here, as coworkers with the Lord, our lives find ultimate purpose.

Apart from the Lord, life lacks true and meaningful purpose. With the Lord our lives take on an exciting purpose that only he can bring!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: The Lord has done great things for us!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 126:1-3,

“When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

It has been thought that this psalm was written after the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. Now, having returned and free to live in their homeland, their excitement is evidenced in their joy and laughter. “We were like men who dreamed”!

As I consider the season of joy these people experienced, I can’t help but think of the similar experience we will all share in the resurrection. From the vantage point of eternal life we will look back on the great tribulation of man’s experience in this life, suffering under God’s judgment and condemnation, facing physical death and the wrath he will express on a world in rebellion to him and recognize with shear joy that “the Lord has done great things for us”!

In his great mercy and love he sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice that we might share in his inheritance as members of his family! In the riches of his grace has made this available to us solely on the basis of faith! In love he has adopted us as his sons and daughters, not just saving us to be subjects making up a kingdom! We are family! In his incredible kindness he has made this available to all who will embrace him! His invitation goes out to all mankind! And, in his great mercy we find ourselves safely brought to our eternal homeland with him!

As surely as the Israelites were, we will be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy as we find ourselves home at last with our loving, wonderful Savior to spend an eternity with him! What a banquet that will be! And as I consider these things, I find I need not wait till then to express my joy, gratitude and excitement over what the Lord has done for me!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: The Lord is our help!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 121:1-2,

“I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

In this psalm, called a “song of ascents” and probably sung by groups making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for one of the three annual feasts where all male Jews were to assemble in Jerusalem, it begins with a provocative question followed with its immediate answer. “Where does my help come from?”

In this life mankind finds much to draw him away from the presence and purposes of his Creator: the accumulation of wealth, the enjoyable pursuit of recreation, the fulfillment of pleasures, possibly power in one form or another, the lure of that which seduces us and so forth. Not all these are bad within themselves, while some are. But caught up in a world that offers so much to attract us and draw our attention, when those times come in our lives, when we realize we have a need, and at times a desperate need, we may find ourselves looking, not to our Creator, but elsewhere for help.

Some may look to their wealth as their primary help, some may look to what science and technology provides, the advances in modern medical research and treatment, some look to government or possibly political power they have managed to garner. Some look to their “careers”, their 401Ks and retirement plans, some to family and friends. Unfortunately, many in desperation look to quacks and charlatans: those who prey on others who struggle with health and financial issues.

But the psalmist in this psalm looks to the very best place for his help, to the “Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Why look anywhere else? The creator of all certainly is a resource none other can match! The Lord is almighty! The Lord is our great provider! The Lord is transcendent and has power and control over all things both within and without the creation we find ourselves in! The Lord loves us! The Lord is compassionate and full of mercy! The Lord cares for us far more than anyone else can!

Why go anywhere else for help?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: Our God listens to our prayers!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 116:1-2,

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

How astonishing that the Creator of the cosmos listens to us! You might think he has bigger things to attend to! Here the psalmist speaks of his love for the Lord, acknowledging that when he had cried out to the Lord in his distress, the Lord listened to him, “he heard my cry for mercy.” He goes on to say that the Lord “turned his ear”, which means that the Lord responded to his prayer.

On a number of occasions Jesus spoke of taking our cares and concerns, our pleas, to our heavenly Father. In Matthew 6:5-11 he provided for us what we refer to as “the Lord’s Prayer”. In it he tells us to ask the Father to provide for our daily needs, to forgive us our sins, to keep us from temptation and save us from “the evil one”. Jesus wanted us to know that when we finally arrive at the conclusion in our lives that we are sinners, that we stand condemned before our heavenly Father and are facing his certain retribution and judgment for that sin, we can call out to him and our Father hears us! If we embrace him in faith and ask for his forgiveness he will rescue us from his coming wrath and provide a place for us in his kingdom!

Our God responds to prayer! He is there, he cares, he listens and he responds according to his purposes in our lives! How wonderful we have a God of grace who will receive us as his own when we cry out to him!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: The works of the Lord bring delight!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 111:2-5,

“Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.”

The psalmist here observes that those who delight in the great works of the Lord ponder them. Those who know the Lord and have a clear understanding of the things he has done can’t help but delight in them because of the nature of what it is the Lord has done! I suspect that delighting in these things the Lord has done causes those who do so to ponder them even further and that in turn causes them to delight in them all the more!

Just what are these things the Lord has done that the psalmist has in mind here? What are these things that cause delight among those of us who ponder them? He says these things are great, that these deeds are glorious and majestic. The psalmist says these deeds manifest the Lord’s grace and his compassion. In verse five he says the Lord provides food for those who fear him and that he remembers his covenant forever.

God is our great provider! He has provided us life and he sustains life. Although we are all under his judgment and condemnation for sin, he brings us into existence and provides for our lives as long as we live. But this life is just a doorway to eternal life! No matter what age we face death, the Lord remembers his covenant, the promises he made to Abraham. Our Lord is faithful to credit us with righteousness if we but embrace him in faith just as Abraham did. When we do so we inherit the promises the Lord has made; a certain inheritance that he lavishes on us with all of his riches in his eternal glory!

As I “ponder”, I think of all the wonderful things God has done to provide us his covenant. He satisfied his divine sense of justice by providing his Son as a sacrifice, taking the punishment for our sins on himself! He foretold these things beforehand through his prophets and sent his Son to live among us to bring the message. He gives us the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance that he has promised those of us who emulate the faith of Abraham.

The list of all the Lord has done is a long, long list! How true the psalmist’s words that those who ponder these things delight in them! To think of them is to delight in them and in the Lord who brings them about!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 96:2-4,

“Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.”

In this psalm the writer exhorts us to sing the praises of the Lord, to proclaim his salvation every day and declare his glory and his “marvelous” deeds. Why? Because of the greatness of the Lord, that he is worthy of our praise and is to be feared.

As I think of the Lord’s worthiness of our praise a lot of things come to my mind. The first of which is that he has brought us to life. I exist because the Lord brought me into being! Is there need to look for any further worthiness of the Lord for me to praise him?! And yet there is so much more! He sustains all life from moment to moment. Our continued existence is entirely due to his conscious effort of maintaining life! And not just this life; he will maintain our lives throughout eternity.

The psalmist here points to another reality of the Lord that makes him worthy of our praise and worship: his salvation that we are to proclaim day after day. We are all offspring of the family of mankind who has collectively turned their backs on God in sin and rebellion. Having turned from God and becoming estranged from him and subject to the horrors of his divine justice for sin, we deserve nothing less than the expression of his righteous anger and judgment. But in an inconceivable love for us, in his wonderful mercy for us, he has reached out to us and made a way for us to become his children. He sent his Son to take our place of punishment for our sins. In a wonderful expression of his grace he has made our participation in his promises to Abraham, a wonderful inheritance, available to us solely on the basis of embracing him in faith!

This is a great Lord with a heart that is worthy in every respect, every aspect of our praise and worship!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Psalm 93:1-5,

“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the Lord on high is mighty. Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.”

When one thinks of Jesus Christ, what is seen? What do they perceive him to be? What is his personality like? Is he typically soft spoken and tender, always exuding love and kindness? Is he judgmental, harsh, expecting us to tow the line? Is he wise and erudite, the sage to come to when answers are needed?

I’m sure he is seen as all of these depending on who is doing the looking and what their circumstances happen to be at the time. For me, I tend view Jesus Christ as God Almighty in his deity and a manly-man in his humanity. I picture him as virile: energy, power and forcefulness. Bold, distinctive and assertive.

This Psalm certainly portrays the Lord in this light! “He reigns”, robed in majesty and armed with strength! Eternal, “mightier than thunder of the great waters” and mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord is mighty! This is the image of Jesus Christ as the rider of the white horse we read of in Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Jesus Christ is all of these things and so much more! Loving, tender, merciful, full of love; he is also the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately