“What brings confinement, misery and depression? What brings freedom and happiness?” Man, the answer to questions like those could take years and many more words than this simple blurb allows. If you would stay with me I will try to bring a rapid fire answer…

How blessed is he…
Whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
Psalm 32:1 (NASB)

This is the answer David brings to our table. As you read Psalm 32 you will soon discover that it is a Psalm of Thanksgiving. Many will jump at a chance to read a psalm that gives reasons for joy and happiness, but will quickly be disappointed when they discover that it doesn’t give them what they want (relief from pressure, healing, money, a way out, etc). So many are searching for joy in their lives and too often it is like a bar of soap in the shower (or the tub if you’re a “tub” person). The more you look for it and try to grab it with all your strength the farther away it slides! I hate that, don’t you? In this particular psalm David is saying that great joy comes as a result of being forgiven. Unconfessed, and therefore, unforgiven, sin is a festering sore. A life lived like that is hopeless and meaningless. But, when forgiveness comes then comes true freedom and joy!

Once forgiveness is secured, a haven is found in the One who forgave. The great joy that is found in Psalm 32 comes as a result of being forgiven. Our response to this is immediate praise and adoration of the One who forgave us!

Grace & Peace,
Scott

It is the end of a “Monday” and as I sit at my desk I am thinking about going home and the myriad of things I need to get done this week. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the daunting tasks that lay ahead of me in any given week. When I feel that way, I just plough through the week and hope for the best. I know that by Thursday I had better have about everything done, or boy am I in trouble.

But wait…one task that is no task but a joy is knowing God and knowing Him better so I can love and honor Him better. How do I approach this joy of knowing God? What guides me from week-to-week? And why do I put God off at times? Some of these answers are easier than others, and the questions themselves convict the very core of who I am. Yes, I am very contemplative this week…some weeks are just like that for me.

Knowing God must become for us children of God the priority of our daily activity. I know that, you know that, but do we practice it? The verse that has really stuck in my mind today is something Paul wrote that challenges and troubles me.

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:8)

This challenges me for the obvious reasons…I really want to know Christ who went to the cross for me. I want to know why He did this…I want to know the power of His passion in doing this…I want to know how to have that kind of passion in my life.

This troubles me for one basic reason—I fall so short of doing this! I cannot believe I let time go by without this pursuit as a priority. A major privilege in my life is to preach and teach God’s Word to others. I don’t take this lightly (never have). You put me in a classroom or behind a pulpit and its like saying to a pit bull, “Sic ‘em!” This is what drives me in ministry; I am off the wall in love with helping others understand what God’s Word means for their life.

So, just like many college teams do on Monday afternoon (Clemson definitely needs to do this!)…I do a gut check. Am I for real? Or, am I just going through the motions, pretending to be a pastor? A mentor? A teacher? Honest answers are demanded at this point in the conversation to myself.

How about you? Read Philippians 3:8 carefully and do a “gut check” today. Is your passion to know the Savior who died for you? And, how do you express that passion? How do you pursue “knowing Christ”?

I Love Ya!
Scott

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
—Psalm 19:1

What captures our attention? Let God capture our attention! In the beginning God… this is the only concept worthy enough of describing the unspeakable awe of the universe; it is unutterable in any other way. We cannot escape the sense of the infinite and the eternal when considering all of God’s created beauty. But what does the infinite and the eternal really do? What is it that they end up explaining for you and for me? In Psalm 19 we find the answer…

David begins this psalm by describing the eloquence of nature. This is God revealing Himself naturally, and nature screams at the top of her lungs to tell us of the beauty, glory and majesty of an awesome God. No matter if it is night or day creation tells the story of a great Creator. Every season has its language to tell the story. But we learn from Romans 1:19ff that we twist creation and pervert it in such a way that we end up worshiping the creature instead of the Creator. We need more and more is what David gives us in Psalm 19.

The psalm goes on to describe a revelation that is special—God’s law, His Word. This is the clarity of scripture. God’s Word leaves us without a doubt about the Creator and why He designed us and the world. Scripture takes us from ignorance to understanding; it is clear enough to get us from scratching our heads, to bowing our knee. The Bible is so powerful that it changes lives not just for a short time but for eternity.

David concludes this beautiful psalm by declaring that this revelation of God must be experienced. My conclusion? It is not enough to read the Word…we must live by the Word. We must allow God’s Word to do the work in our lives it was designed to do, and according to David this involves three activities: forgiveness, dominion and acceptance. Read the psalm this week and let it change you.

In our busyness around Calvary let’s not allow our schedules to dominate…let God’s Word! I love you all so much and am so thankful to have every opportunity to love and minister to you. It has always been my desire to keep God’s Word first and foremost at Calvary.

Grace & Peace,
Scott