Day 6 – 22 Days in Psalm 119

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:41-48

Vav.

May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word; so I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Your ordinances. So I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be ashamed. I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love. And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; and I will meditate on Your statutes.[1]

Who among us has not had an encounter with someone that reproached them (a reproach is an expression of disapproval or disappointment)? The most natural reaction is to become defensive and lash out with equal or greater disapproval. But the psalmist relied instead on God’s loving kindness and His salvation according to His Word. Can you imagine that the answer to the one or ones that bring reproach against us is in the Word of God. Though we don’t tend to view the Word in quite that way we find that Jesus Himself would rely upon the Word as an answer to the temptations the devil brought against Him.

It is not so strange or far-fetched that the Word of God would contain answer to personal reproach because the Word of God is transformational. It transforms the manner in which we think about God, ourselves and others. It is impacts the way we see our circumstances, our pasts and our futures. The Word of God causes us to walk in freedom. How then can we not worship the giver of the law, the ordinances, and the statutes?

Gracious Lord, thank you for Your Word. Thank You for the liberty we find contained in it. Thank You for the confidence to speak Your Word and of Your Word in high and low places. Thank You for the privilege of celebrating Your Word. Like the psalmist help us to maintain our focus on Your Word that it would never be taken out of my mouth. Then will we continue to praise your because we love Your Word. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:41–48.

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Day 5 – 22 Days in Psalm 119

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:33-40

He.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to dishonest gain. Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways. Establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your ordinances are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me through Your righteousness.[1]

The law, commandments, and statutes of God represent a manner of life but in order to receive the benefit from them we must first know them and observe them. The first part is the simplest of the two in that we can learn them by hearing, reading, studying, memorizing them, and meditating upon them. It is the latter part, the observance of them that complicates things. We have to have a will to observe them and that runs contrary to our nature. The Apostle Paul captured it well in his letter to the Church in Rome: “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). The writer’s remedy was to ask God to turn his eyes away from vanity, literally, “make my eyes to pass not noticing evil, falsehood, other items of trust not God, idols, human power and the like.”

Now, of course, I know that because of Jesus we are no longer bound by the law, but that does not invalidate the law. The law could not save us, nor could it sustain us, and yet we still need to have our wills bowed to perform His good and perfect will. This is a lifelong process of becoming. The longer we walk along with Him, the more like Him we become. The longer we study and serve Him, the more of His Word we know and practice. But it all starts, as with the writer, with a sincere desire to be revived through His righteousness. Do you have that desire?

Our God and Father, humbly we seek Your presence and power. We are not satisfied with the little we know of You. We desire a deeper and closer walk with You. We want to know You like never before. We want to come into Your presence where Your Word tells us there is the fullness of joy and at Your right hand pleasures for evermore. So today we pray with the psalmist, “make our eyes to pass not noticing evil, falsehood, idols, human power, and anything that requires our trust but is not You.” Establish Your Word in us today and we will walk in Your righteousness. Amen.

 

 

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:33–40.

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Day 4 – 22 Days in Psalm 119

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:25-32

Daleth.

My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.[1]

How often have you experienced difficulty in understanding God’s Word to you and for you? If you are like me, it is more often than you want to admit. You can read commentaries that interpret the meaning of a particular passage of scripture, but still be left wondering what it means for your life. The writer had an intense desire to know and understand God’s Word. His lack of understanding so burdened him that he was filled with grief and as wfaint. To his thinking, his soul was as low as it could go.

It is rare to find someone today with such a high view of scripture. In fact, ones who do have such a high view are often ridiculed by their fellow believers and accused of deifying, making an idol, of the Bible. Perhaps the root of this present generation of believers’ defection from God is precisely because they lack the understanding the writer craves, or even the desire to have it. Note these two parallel verses: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint” (Proverbs 29:18); and, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). I like the sentiment of the Westminster Confession of Faith that confesses the Word of God as our only rule of faith and practice (paraphrase). May it be so or become so for each of us today.

Lord, forgive my procrastination when it comes to hearing, reading, studying, meditating, and memorizing Your Word. Give me the desire of the writer of this psalm to know Your Word so I can meditate daily upon it. Open the eyes of my understanding so that I can see the specific Word in it You have for me. Cause me to subordinate every other form of wisdom to Your Word so I can run the way of Your commandments. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:25–32.

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Day 3 – 22 Days in Psalm 119

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:17-25 – October 9, 2016

Gimel.

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing after Your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, who wander from Your commandments. Take away reproach and contempt from me, for I observe Your testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.[1]

The Word of the Lord tells us how to live, move, and have our being. The challenge is not merely reading the Word of God but in gaining insight, knowledge and wisdom from it. Doing so necessitates possessing a depth of understanding that goes beneath and beyond what is simply on the printed page. In Acts Chapter eight, Deacon Philip encountered a treasury official of the Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians reading from the Prophet Isaiah while he was riding in his chariot. He was reading but he had no understanding of what the words meant. Understanding the complexity of reading the Word of God the writer pleads to have his eyes open just so he could behold the wonders in it. So great is his appeal that begs God to refrain from hiding what it all means from him. Were that our desire, our hunger and thirst for the Word of God as great as that of this writer.

Lord, forgive me for shying away from Your Word. Forgive me for investing time and energy into that which has no life. Forgive me and cause to well up in me a desire like that of this writer. May these words be life-giving to us today and be a Word downloaded into us just on time. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:17–24.

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Day 2 – 22 Days in Psalm 119

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:9-16 – October 8, 2016

Beth.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.[1] 

There is such incredible disdain and disrespect for the Word of God. It is viewed as everything from an out of date relic of the past, to a compendium of stories, little more noteworthy than Aesop’s Fables, designed to teach a moral lesson and nothing more; and yet, it is still the number one best-selling book in the world. The writer askes an ageless question: “How can a young man keep his way pure?” It is also a relevant question in a time when there is a veritable buffet of worldly pleasures from which to sample, all of which steal a young person’s, and for that matter, any person’s purity. The answer to his question is so simple that it sounds trite. One maintains their purity by the Word of the Lord which he has treasured in his heart.

The problem today is that most people, including those who lay claim to being followers of Christ, do not know what the Bible says. The Bible is life giving. It is not restrictive, robbing of the opportunity to enjoy the fullness life has to offer. It instead sets forth that which clues even the casual reader into beginning to see and understand what pleases, and conversely, what displeases God. But one cannot employ what they have not learned, and one cannot espouse what they have not read.

I love the Word of God. It is the most interesting of all books one could possibly read. It is full of mystery, wisdom and understanding, knowledge about who we are and who God is. It is an adventure novel, and yes, even has some of the spiciest romance, without being pornographic, one can imagine. I challenge you to get your Bibles, pull away from the television, put away your electronic devices and your computers. Take a break from all your social media and read about the Lord. You will be glad you did!

Gracious Lord, thank You for leaving us such a rich record from which we can learn of You. Help us to reorder our priorities so that we can make time to spend with You and Your Word. Open the eyes of our understanding so we will comprehend that special Word You desire to speak to us as we read. Take away our excuses, forgive us of our procrastination, and motivate us afresh to seek Your face through Your Word. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:9–16.

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22 Days of Consecration – Day 1

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Psalm 119:1-8 – October 7, 2016 
Aleph.

How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes! Then I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all Your commandments. I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments. I shall keep Your statutes; do not forsake me utterly! 

How wonderful it would be to lay claim to having a blameless way, walking in the law of the Lord, observing His testimonies, and doing no unrighteousness. But I can no more make such a claim than could the psalmist even though such was his earnest desire. One of the tricks and traps of our enemy, the devil, is to bring accusation against us. He is called the accuser of the brethren for a reason (Re. 12:10). His job is to kill, steal and destroy (Jn 10:10), and he masterfully performs his job by convincing the earnest and diligent believer to doubt the genuine nature of their relationship with Jesus because of their inability to live a life of sinless perfection.

          All believers should desire a deeper, closer relationship with Jesus. We should all be dissatisfied with where we are in Christ enough to motivate us to drawer near still. But the fact that we are not as close as we desire does not mean that we have slipped out from under His protective care. We know what the psalmist did not because we dwell on this side of the resurrection where Jesus won the victory over death, Hell and the grave doing what the law could never do; and because He did we don’t have to be ashamed nor come as beggars into His presence. We are not perfect, though we strive to be so, but we can rest in the assurance that He will in no wise cast us out (Jn 6:37).

Heavenly Father, we strive to walk in perfection but our nature betrays us. We repent of our sin but our enemy reminds us and torments us. Help us to remember the grace extended to us through Your sacrifice on the cross, and even more than that, the victory won in the resurrection from the dead. Help us, therefore, to walk this day in the light of Your grace and mercy knowing as we repent we have no longer any need to be ashamed. Amen.

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Lent 2016 – Day 45

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Luke 23:26-32

When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.[1] 

Having been condemned to death, now Jesus must carry the cross beam of the instrument of His execution to the place where it would be carried out. Remembering that Jesus was fully human as well as fully God, His body surely had to have been in a weakened condition following the brutality He had endured at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Now to add insult to injury He is forced to try and carry His own cross. One can only imagine that His pace was slowed and perhaps eventually stopped as He was unable to carry the cross any further as He made His way down the Via Dolorosa. It is no wonder, then, that the soldiers reached into the crowd and found an African, Simon from Cyrene whom they forced to stand in for Jesus.

Luke does not say much about this man but the fact that he is mentioned at all makes him a significant figure in the story of Christ’s crucifixion. He is significant because he is just one of the many just standing by watching this oddly cruel parade wind its way through the streets. He is significant because he is not a Jew, but an African having nothing to do with Jesus. He is significant because his story is our story. He is significant because he could not refuse and perhaps did not want to refuse when he looked in the face of Jesus. When he encountered Jesus he had no choice but to follow and serve him. Something outside of him compelled him to carry Jesus’ cross. Something outside of each one of us compelled us and compels us still to carry the cross of Jesus; and, when we have looked in the face of Jesus we care not that we have been compelled against our will, suddenly it becomes our will. What joy it is to gaze upon Jesus.

Gracious Lord, we are so grateful for the day we met You. We are grateful that our encounter with You left us with no choice but to follow and serve You. Oh, how grateful we are that You found us when You did; and saved us from all our sin. Forgive us Lord when we fall short of Your glory. Forgive us when we fail to heed Your call to pick up Your cross. Thank You, too, that you have made Your cross light enough to carry. Help us, we pray, to continually surrender our wills to Your will, for the sake of Your everlasting Kingdom we pray. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 23:26–32.

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Lent 2016 – Day 44

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Luke 23:1-7

Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.” When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem at that time. Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.[1]

When the enemy decides to come against the people of God he will come with everything he has in his arsenal. Such was the case with Jesus. Though His passion, resurrection, and ascension was the fulfillment of prophecy, the intensity of the attack, the persistence of his enemies to take him down, and the willingness those enemies to use anything or anyone to do it demonstrates how the devil will come after us as well. Pilate and Herod examined Jesus and found nothing in Him that would warrant the most heinous punishment meted out for the worst of criminals. Yet His accusers were focused and determined to complete their mission and fulfill their agenda.

In case you have missed it, the experience of our elder brother Jesus is not unique. There are forces that desire to bring accusation against us just as they brought them against Jesus. They are so focused and determined that little will assuage their hatred. It is no accident that the enemy makes false accusations against us. It is no coincidence that we always seem to be in the position of having to defend ourselves. It is all part of the enemy’s strategy he employs to accomplish his ends. What are his ends? Remember, he comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy.’ While he will certainly win some battles, the good news is that he will not win the war. There was a Good Friday, but there was also an Easter Sunday. Gratefully God has the final word.

Dear Lord and King, you reign forever and are most worthy of all our praise. We marvel at how You are able to turn around any situation, especially those that look impossible to us. The enemy of our souls has successfully distracted us from our ministry and mission. We desire to be out in front of very issue we face but instead react to every occurrence in our lives. Help us regain our focus so that we might return to the front lines of this war against the prince of this world. Empower us with Your Spirit so that we will not wilt under the relentless attacks of the enemy of our souls; and then, in Your mercy, bring us out victoriously so that we might add our witness to those who overcame and serve as models of faith to those who believe. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 23:1–12.

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Lent 2016 – Day 43

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Luke 22:39-46

And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done. Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”[1]

Have you ever tarried? Do you even know what that particular term means? The term is a throw back to the days when people would wait, or tarry before the Lord until they received that for which they prayed. But tarrying was not just about waiting, it also carried with it the sense praying with incredible intensity. That intensity is evidenced in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus retreated to pray. So fervent was his prayer that even the beads of sweat that fell from his head were like droplets of blood. Much of our prayer today lacks intensity. Not only do we refuse to wait before the Lord, but when we do we put God on a time table hoping that He will be so kind as to not inconvenience us any longer than is absolutely necessary. Like the disciples with Jesus, our circumstances have lulled us into a slumber when we should be praying, all while Jesus is laboring, tarrying in the Garden.

Perhaps Jesus’ question to His disciples should be the question we are required to answer today, “Why are you sleeping?” Given the state of our world, it is appropriate we acknowledge we have been slumbering while the world around us has been waiting from help and hope. When we should have been praying our sleeping made us susceptible to temptation, into which we willingly fell. While we were sleeping the Church we knew drastically changed and now we barely recognize it. It is time that we, like Jesus’ disciples wake up and pray that we might not continue to fall into temptation.

Lord, when we should have been praying we were sleeping. When we should have been praying our enemy crept in and occupied Your Church. When we should have been praying, but were sleeping, we fell into a multiplicity of sins. Today we bind up that spirit that lulls us into sleep and ask for the strength to awaken and begin taking back what our sleeping has allowed our enemy to steal. Forgive us of our slumbering and restore to us the joy of our salvation we pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 22:39–46.

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Lent 2016 – Day 42

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Luke 22:1-6

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. They were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.[1]

According to Jesus’ own words, Satan has a job. It is to “steal, kill, and destroy.” He executes this job with determination, persistence, and precision. None of us are immune to his devices and having left our guard down any of us can be used by him. Dr. Luke tells us the chief priests and scribes, looking for some way to bring Jesus down, found a willing accomplice in Judas. Who better to use to perpetrate a betrayal than someone on the inside. The nature of Judas’ motivation is really immaterial because for the right price a willing accomplice can always be found. Now, of course, in this instance Judas’ betrayal was the fulfillment of prophecy, but the truth of how the betrayal came about cannot be overlooked.

Judas was one of the twelve, one of the disciples. He was on the inside, among those closest to Jesus. It is a savvy move of the enemy, who knows there is no greater betrayal than that which comes at the hands of a friend. The closer one becomes the more acute the pain, anger, frustration, and disappointment if betrayed because it sneaks up on you and catches you off guard; and it is only able to do so because around your friends you drop your guard. Yes, Jesus knew from where and from whom the betrayal would come because He was God and human, but you and I don’t have that luxury, and we want to believe the best about those we ‘let in.’ While discernment was not an issue for Jesus, it is always an issue for us. We want friends. We crave relationship, but perhaps we should be more discerning about whom it is we so readily call ‘friend.’

Dear Jesus, we confess our desire to have friends has caused us to make mistakes in judgment. We trust those we should not and look over those who are devoted and loyal to us. Freely we take responsibility for the lapses in judgment we have shown. Give us now stronger spirits of discernment that we might not be blindsided by those with questionable motives. Help us to focus all our trust and confidence in You, trusting that You will lead us in the way we should go, and we ask it all in the name of Jesus our Christ. Amen.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 22:1–6.

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