Bonfire TONIGHT!

A quick reminder that TONIGHT @ 7 pm is the Bonfire @ Brian & Bonnie Lauer's home. You should have received an email with all the details. It is windy today, so if it's too windy to have a bonfire we'll head inside and play games, chat, etc. Hope to see many of you there, bring the fam!

Here are directions from the church to the Lauer's home:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=2530+Cape+Horn+Road,+York,+PA&daddr=Gun+Club+Rd&geocode=Fah2YQIdoG5u-ynbCSOiOYbIiTHu-TI2-4Jfmw%3BFXe6YQId27pv-w&gl=us&hl=en&mra=ltm&sll=39.949975,-76.60632&sspn=0.040334,0.090551&ie=UTF8&z=14

Psalms 6-10, 11-15 Rewind; This week, Psalm 16-20

OK, so, a few observations from the past couple weeks:

1) Time flies. This is an especially busy season of ministry and life (for me).

2) Being a consistent "blogger" does not come naturally for me (my wife is much better)

3) It's been great to hear (and read) about your interactions with the Psalms!

So, this week we are technically on Psalms 16-20...what I think works best is for me to post a reflection on the previous week's Psalms the week after we read them. I need time to process and reflect - sometimes I'll read something and then only later realize how God was (is) speaking to me. Or I'll find myself praying the words of a Psalm that I recently read.

So, since I haven't reflected on Psalms 6-15, here are a couple things that stood out to me...and PLEASE, feel free to share your own thoughts, observations, etc., by posting a comment below this blog entry (you need to click on the "comments" link).

• God's justice. The psalmist declares in multiple psalms that the "Lord judges" (7:8; 9:8). And not only does He judge, but He judges with uprightness and perfect understanding. If you look at the context, it's clear that the psalmist takes refuge in this fact. The question is, why would David (or you and I) take heart in knowing that our God is a righteous Judge? I think there's at least a few reasons why this attribute of God is reassuring.
  
  One, David believed that God would ultimately vindicate those who trusted and obeyed in Him. The prayer of the psalmist is that God would judge those who oppressed the poor, the righteous - that he would "right the wrongs" done against them. But judging is also used in the sense of testing "minds and hearts" (7:9), and rewarding those who are upright, who fear the Lord. Thus, David puts his confidence in the fact that the Lord will judge - both the righteous and unrighteous - and intervene on behalf of the righteous.
  
  Another reason to take heart in God's judgments is that God can be our justifier. Looking back to the time before Christ, the Apostle Paul explains that God had, in divine forbearance, "passed over former sins" (Rom. 3:25). But now, we know that through Christ's "atoning sacrifice" God is shown to be both just and merciful. Jesus experienced God's righteous wrath so that you and I did not have to. God cannot ignore sin ("sweep it under the rug"), for that would make Him unjust (and unworthy of our worship). But at the cross justice and mercy kiss.
  
  
• There is room for lament in the vocabulary of worship. Psalm 13 is a well-known lament. We can express our heartaches, our disappointments, our anger to God, all the time knowing He cares for us and wants to hear our heart's cries. I can recall some specific seasons of my life (loss of a family member, sickness, waiting for the house) where the laments became the language of my prayers. I would love to see us make more room for "laments" in our worship services, knowing that so many who come to our services are experiencing various trials and sorrows.

If you have been reading Psalms 16-20, you've discovered that Psalms 17, 18, 19 are lengthier. Spend some time reflecting on these psalms, they cover different themes.

This Week - Psalm 6 thru 10

We are in the 2nd week of our journey through the Psalms. Last week we were to read Psalms 1 through 5. This week we are reading Psalms 6 through 10.

Last night at rehearsal I shared that as we read through the Psalms (really any Scripture passage) the Holy Spirit can often direct our attention to a particular word or phrase. That's not to invalidate the need to read Scripture in context (both the immediate and overall) or to ignore what the text meant in its original setting. But it is to say that when we ask the Spirit to illuminate God's Word (shed light, bring understanding, make alive) we often find a certain word or phrase will capture our hearts and minds.

This was the case for me last week as I was reading Psalms 4 & 5. In Psalm 4:7 David says, "You have given me greater joy/than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine" (NLT). When I read that I thought, wow, Lord...is this true of me? Are You what brings me the most joy and satisfaction? I remembered Pastor Aaron's message on idolatry and the question he posed to us: "What - at this moment - are you trusting in?" I believe the Spirit brought my attention to that verse so as to provoke me to examine my own heart.

In Psalm 5: 7 David says, "Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house" (NLT). When I read the word "house" I thought of God's house - the tabernacle/temple in the OT, the church in the NT. As lead worshippers we "enter" God's house every Sunday (think of the Psalms that say "I will enter His gates with thanksgiving...his courts with praise"). But if we think that we can come into God's presence based on our own merits, talents, righteousness - we are sadly mistaken. If I'm honest, I know in my own heart I've been guilty of this faulty thinking.

For me, the thinking goes like this - if I've fulfilled my spiritual "do's" and avoided the spiritual "dont's" I'm worthy to come before Him. But David says it right - it is only because of God's unfailing love that we can enter into His house and experience His presence. A thousand or so years after David wrote this psalm the true heir to His throne - Jesus - would become the fullest expression of God's unfailing love towards us. 1 Timothy 2:5 -"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus" (NLT). There's nothing I can do to make myself presentable before God - it's only through Jesus that I (we) can come.

As you read in the Psalms take note of those words, phrases, or verses that grab a hold of you. Spend some time reflecting on why those words are sticking out to you - perhaps a situation you are in, or a prayer request, or a sin you are struggling with - a place where God wants to meet with you. Also, I've found it helpful to read from a few different translations as different translations often bring out nuances and give fresh renderings to these ancient texts. Biblegateway.com is a great resource to compare translations.

NOTE on COMMENTS:
I've modified the layout so that comments now appear below the actual posts. To leave a comment click on the comments link and type away. You don't need to have a Google account or ID to remark, it's open to everyone.

Recap of Fall Kickoff Mtg.

This past Sunday we had our fall kickoff lunch mtg. for the worship team - thanks to those of you who attended. I especially appreciated the time of sharing we had at the end, and the opportunity to pray for one another. It's rare that we have most of the team at one place at one time, so it was good to reconnect, however brief our time was.

Wanted to post a quick recap of what we covered, as well as some upcoming dates:

• Thank you for your continued faithfulness, excellence and commitment to this ministry. It's a joy to serve alongside each of you in the high calling of leading others in worship.
• This should go without saying, but it's important to be dialed into the teaching when we're on the worship team. It's a good thing to catch up with each other. But, as much as possible, let's refrain from a lot of chatter during the message so we can maintain an environment (in the backstage area) that is conducive to active listening. If you plan on going out to sit with your spouse during the service, please be aware that for the other service there will still be people following along with the message on the TV. Consider the time before and between services for conversation.


• I know many see the worship team as a primary source for fellowship, care, etc. - and we're certainly glad that we are creating an environment where we can all feel free to share openly and honestly. But, we (myself, Gordon, Connie) would strongly encourage you to participate in a growth group or mid-sized community (if you are not already). I know we all have busy schedules, but we need to do "life together" with other believers. I know how much I need it, and how much I benefit from it in the long run. Check out the groups and communities Living Word has to offer.


• I’m encouraging us to read through the Psalms together. The goal is to read 5 Psalms a week, going through all 150 in order. Most of us (at one point or another) struggle with maintaining regular time in God’s Word. So, knowing the rest of the team is going through the same passages might help us be more consistent. There’s no better book to be familiar with as a lead worshipper than the Psalms. Below you'll see more info on the Psalms reading schedule.

In terms of upcoming events...

• Oct. 8th (Fri) - Encounter Worship - "The Names of Jesus"


• Oct. 16th (Sat) - Bonfire at Bonnie Lauer's - begins at dusk - details to follow

Regarding the Psalms...

• The goal is to read through 5 Psalms (in sequence) a week...so this week (week of Sept. 19th), we'll read Psalms 1-5. You can find the text here at Bible Gateway (NIV). Here's a handy-dandy Bible iPhone app.


• I handed out some introductory notes (from the ESV Study Bible) on Sunday. They can be downloaded here.


• PLEASE feel free to interact with the posts I'll be making on the Psalms. My goal is to do one post a week on how I'm interacting with the Psalms in my own devotional time. It'd be great to hear how God is speaking and revealing Himself to you as you are reading along.

Looking forward to the Fall!