O Lord, My every sense, member, faculty, affection, Is a snare to me, I can scarce open my eyes but I envy those above me, Or despise those below. So begins the prayer from The Valley of Vision entitled "Self-Deprecation." In a culture where low self-esteem is the ultimate sin, it’s refreshing to encounter confession that is so honest, so compelling, so familiar. Can you identify with this author’s sad situation? He realizes that our temptations don’t arise so much from things around us as things within us. A co-worker is honored and I wonder why nobody noticed my contribution. I silently applaud myself for buying a slightly-too-expensive gift for the family gift exchange. When asked for an opinion I’m ready with …
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And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. (Lk. 1:46-48a ESV) Yesterday, Grant Layman, one of the pastors at my church, gave an outstanding message from Luke 1:39-56, called Mary’s Song. He focused on Mary’s circumstances, Mary’s character, and Mary’s God. I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and have long since dealt with an unbiblical exaltation of Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation. She was not immaculately conceived, she was not perpetually sinless, and she is definitely not a co-mediator with Jesus. But during the message yesterday, I was freshly reminded of Mary’s example in humbly …
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"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." ( John 1:14John 1:14
[14]And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father, full of grace and truth. (ESV)
)
Every year about this time I read an article or hear an interview where someone describes what they love most about Christmas. In America, there are a lot of things to love. Hearing Christmas carols everywhere you go, gathering with family and friends, smelling Christmas cookies in the oven (and the eating of those cookies), extended family shopping trips, last minute gift purchases, live nativity scenes, piling in the car to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve, finding something you REALLY wanted under the tree on Christmas morning…
I’m sure you could make your own list. And it’s possible that we’ll find a few more things to love about Christmas this year - a new recipe, a new tradition, a
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Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! ( Ps. 105:1-6 ESVPsalm 105:1-6
[105:1]Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
[2]Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
[3]Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
[4]Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
[5]Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
[6]O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
)
Recently, we’ve been experiencing something of a mini-crisis in our home. My 85 year old mother-in-law, is suffering from dementia. Although she’s been with us for over 7 years now, she has completely forgotten that she’s ever lived with us. As her mental state has slowly
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“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” ( Ps. 100:4 ESVPsalm 100:4
[4]Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
) What does God value as we enter His presence? Gratefulness. Our culture puts a high value on being “real” as we come before God. Genuine. Vulnerable. Authentic. The Psalmists don’t hesitate to tell God when life is a mess and they’re struggling. (Check out Psalm 13, 42Psalm 13
[13:1]How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
[2]How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
[3]Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
[4]lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
[5]But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
[6]I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
, and 88). But in a society where self-expression is often hailed as the ultimate virtue, I’m not sure that “being real” before God is my problem. Being thankful is. Why is God so concerned that we be grateful? There are a number of reasons. Here are two. First, thankfulness makes God bigger in my eyes. “I will …
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I’ve spent a good amount of time in the past few years using the book, The Valley of Vision, as I meet with God in the morning. It’s a collection of prayers from various Puritans, put together by Arthur Bennett. Apart from God’s Word, it is the most helpful tool I’ve encountered for exposing the depth of my sin and the greater power and glories of the Gospel. Here’s one section from the prayer called “The Mover” that has affected me deeply:
O Lord, I am astonished at the difference
Between my receivings and my deservings,
Between the state I am now in and my past gracelessness,
Between the heaven I am bound for and the hell I merit.
Who made me to differ, but you?
For I was not more ready to receive Christ than …
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