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When was the last time you heard someone, your children or grandchildren ask,
"How long until we get there?" "How long until we eat?" "How long until this Coronavirus is over?" What week are we into this global pandemic? For so many of us, it is too long. David knew what it was to wait for relief, for rescue, for help. So, God inspired him to write Psalm 13. Take a moment to read these 6 verses. Read it again. Can you see the three prayer sections? v 1-2, v 3-4, v 5-6 v 1-2 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? David's problem. David's honest questions to God. David's spiritual feeling and spiritual reality that he feels...
What is your soul and spiritual condition these days? Do you feel close to Jesus or distant? How are you responding to this "shelter in place" time? Spend some time asking Jesus to help you see your real spiritual condition... v 3-4 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. How many prayers does David pray? How does David address God? "O Lord" = Jehovah = Covenant Keeping God "God "= Elohim = Creator "Enlighten my eyes..." What a prayer request! Pray this for yourself. Pray that for your family. Pray this for Southtown Baptist Church. Pray this for everyone you know. Pray that God's face will shine on each of us. Pray that God will bring us out of spiritual darkness and into the light. Pray this for the world. v 5-6 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. What are the three ways David experiences God? "Your lovingkindness" = checed = zeal to do kindness "Your salvation" = yeshuwah = that which is delivered "dealt bountifully with me" = gamal = to deal out lavishly God answered David's prayer bountifully. How is God answering your prayers? Ponder Ps 13. Can you see God eagerly and zealously desiring to bless you bountifully? Let Him bless you. Receive. Marvel. Enjoy. Pray for others. Being blessed together, Pastor Chris
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There is nothing better than Easter. Nothing better than Jesus rising from the dead. I marvel and try to picture each day of Easter week and then each day of those 40 days where Jesus walked around in His resurrected body... Luke 24:50-53 tells us about that 40th day.
"Then Jesus led them out to the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." When was the last time you were on a walk? Who was it with? What did you talk about? Did you notice the shift in the conversation after the first twenty minutes? Or maybe you did not walk that long... "Then Jesus led them out to the vicinity of Bethany." I love trying to picture Jesus when He is walking with people. I love when the Bible gives us a glimpse into what they were talking about during their walk. The Bible does not record most of those walking conversations. But, I bet they were some of the best ones. Was their shock and amazement at full throttle? Were their fears calmed down? Were their doubts dealt with? Were most of their questions answered? Were their hearts renewed? "He lifted up His hands and blessed them." When was the last time you let Jesus bless you? When you meet with Jesus do you sense His blessings coming on you? What are those blessings? "He left them and was taken up into heaven." Another miracle experienced... wow! "Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." They were never the same again after that. What could top that? Pentecost... Ministry... Lives transformed... Millions of churches around the world... Still marveling over Jesus, Pastor Chris Easter Week. Holy Week. The Most Important Week in history.
As you read through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John about this week, what is the Holy Spirit directing your attention too? What disturbs you? What overwhelms you? What do you love about it? In the midst of so much darkness, there is so much light. Jesus is light. When the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table. And Jesus said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God...." Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." Luke 22:14-20 This Good Friday Worship Service, I too look forward to celebrating the Lord's Supper with all of you. This will be one of the most unique Lord's Suppers since we will be in our own homes with just our immediate families. Please make preparations, much like the disciples did. Get some bread and juice to be the symbols of the body and blood of Christ. Set the table how you would like, room for everyone. See you all Friday at 7pm via our Facebook or Website. Praying for a special time. As a dad, like all parents, I have desired and continue to strive to be an expert on each of our four children, now semi-young adults to young adults.
When they come home, or I come home or when I see them for the first time that day or evening, I want to discover how they are doing by observing them. I want to know how they are doing emotionally, relationally, physically, spiritually and how they are doing with their responsibilities. I have learned to notice the expressions on their faces, the focus of their eyes, the descriptive words they use to share about their day, their slouch or determination of their posture. I seek to listen. I seek to ask questions. Sometimes I have a moment with them as we greet and walk by. Other times, we are able to connect with a deeper conversation. Then I pray and seek to give them what they need from me, their dad. Do they need encouragement? Do they need a listening ear? Do they need a challenging word that gets them moving? Do they need to be yelled at? Do they need a hug? Do they need a companion to go do something? Where have I learned to be a dad? I have two great dads. My biological dad, Mark Christian Reinertson. And my Creator, my Heavenly Father. As we are facing this Global Corona Storm, we have been looking at Psalm 46 during our Wed evening Encouragement & Prayer time. There are at least 6 different characteristics of God in this Psalm. Take some time reading, rereading, and thinking through each characteristic. Which characteristic do you need to lean into today? Examine your own current state of being. How are you doing emotionally, relationally, physically, spiritually, and stress wise with all your responsibilities? Wait, ask God to help you see yourself. Pray, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Ps 139:23-24 If you read v 19-22 of Ps 139, you will read the relational and spiritual condition of David. His heart and mind are full of confusing emotions toward his enemies and God's enemies. Is it righteous or unrighteous emotions and thoughts? It is challenging to discover the reality of our own heart, mind and soul condition because God made us very complex and wonderful. What is God helping you see about you? Let's be extremely real with Jesus. Let's listen to what He says about our heart, mind and soul condition. Then, let's lean into Him in Ps 46 as... v 1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." v 11 "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." God - Elohym, The Supreme One Refuge Strength Ever-Present Almighty God (Warrior God/Host of Heaven's Armies) God of Jacob (Jacob the schemer, liar, manipulator) Are you encouraged yet? Praising God for being an expert on each of us. Praising God for letting us lean into Him in all of His wonderful characteristics. Praising God in this Global Corona Storm together, Pastor Chris |
AuthorPastor Chris Reinertson enjoys all sports, especially those involving a ball. He loves to hang out with people and challenge them to be Jesus REVolutionizers. Archives
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