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This one is for the kids, for the next generation. Psalm 127 connects the blessings of God that come in the major arenas of life, work, family and our home. It’s a reminder that from the view of heaven, our efforts no matter how full of heart and skill and hard work, our efforts are worth-less than they could be, would be if God was involved. But it's not an either/or, it's a both/and. It's not either we work or God works, it's "run to the battle and the Lord will fight for you." It's praying, "Lord do it again," while at the same time going all-in for what He is doing. This episode will lead you into a prayer for revival, that the next generation might live in the land of God's-move!

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Lewis Smedes writes: “To miss out on joy is to miss out on the reason for your existence.” C.S. Lewis said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” That’s a command. In other words, the Bible puts joy in the non-optional category. Which means that joylessness is sin, one that  I think, some of us religious people are particularly prone to indulge in.  I'm not saying we don't go through tough times...we live in a fallen world. But if I believe that Jesus is full of joy, then perhaps a personal relationship with a good, joyful Jesus should rub off?

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Psalm 122 carries a powerful message that has been resonating with my heart and saturating my soul during this time in the psalms…it’s the invitation to enter into God’s presence. There’s this deep sense of longing for a sacred space where we can encounter God himself, our Creator, our Savior, our Father.  I rejoiced when they invited me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord." What is the house of the Lord? What do you think of when you hear that phrase, "The House of the Lord?" 

Let me simply say this, when it comes to the house of the Lord, there is more here than you can see with your eyes or hear with your ears. The house of the Lord where we find the presence of God is far more expansive and diverse, far more everything that you can even imagine.

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Psalm 121 is one of the first of a small group (14) of psalms called the "Psalms of Ascent." They were songs for pilgrims on a journey to the holy place, the presence of God. Psalm 121 beings with a question and an answer that should direct and motivate the steps of our journey. 

The question is "Where does my help come from?" And the answer is, "My help comes from the Lord." Who can I trust for help? My help comes from the Lord. Where do I go when I need help? My help comes from the Lord. In this episode we will hang out for a bit with this question and answer.  Where does my help come from? The Lord. My help comes from the Lord!

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Psalm 119 is a love-song to God's Word. If you walk away from this episode with anything, don’t miss the deep, deep love, reverence and devotion the psalmist has for the word of God and the ways of God. Rather than looking for loopholes to escape them, he is looking for ways to dive deep into their embrace. The word, guides, instructs and revives our souls. It’s a lamp and a light, of greater value than much gold. So we should immerse ourselves in scripture. Meditate and memorize. Learn from and lean on. Revere, respect and be devoted to it.

But, it will not compete with the hustle, noise and distractions. If you ignore it often, you will soon easily forget it. And clutter, anxiety, foolishness and the relentless demands of the world will soon fill you and shape you. So again similar to the last episode, my question is not so much are you in the Word as it is, is the Word in you. Is it in you often enough and deep enough that the Spirit of God can breath life into your soul through the word of God? How much time do you give the word? Could you be accused of being in love with it?

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If it wasn’t so stinking long, Psalm 119 would be the theme chapter of More Than Bread! Because it is a deep dive into an almost never ending feast of words about the Word. Psalm 119 is a love song to divine instruction, a heartfelt celebration of the psalmists deep devotion and unwavering commitment to the ways of God laid out in the word of God. The writer of Psalm 119 is captivated by the wisdom of God. He is hungry to hear the words of God. He lived in the midst of a people of the book! 

In this episode that is the question I will ask at the end. Are we a people of the book? Are you a person of the book? Or am I just a person with the book? 

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There’s so much in this psalm. 

• Giving thanks to God because He is good. 
• Taking refuge in God.
• The name of God and the right hand of God.

But more than any of it, I just can’t get past those four words, “His love endures forever.” Whose love endures forever? God’s love endures forever and nowhere do we see that more evident, nowhere is that more clearly proclaimed that it is in the face of Christ. Christ is the face of God. Christ is the only God we know, OT and NT, doesn’t matter. Christ is the face of God. And his love endures forever. And forever, even when we reject him. His fierce love endures.  Don't we need to be loved like that?

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If I had to give a title to this Psalm, if I had to hold out the theme that impacts me the most it would be the Psalmist’s vision of a high and humble God. High and humble. "Let the name of be blessed, the very name of the Lord is to be praised. He is exalted above all the nations, his glory surpasses the heights of heaven." And yet he stoops down. He bows low. He lifts up the poor from the dust. He humbles himself, comes down to our level. He reigns in majesty, but he also brings his heart close to the most vulnerable. He is our high and humble God and we are called to this same life of humility. I'm praying that this psalm will bring us low so that we can find life!

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As we dive into Psalm 107, I want you to imagine that you are in a gathering, perhaps church, perhaps a smaller group, and you are sharing stories,. At Calvary we call them God-stories, stories of God at work in and through us and all around us. Psalm 107 is a call for God-stories. In the first two verses, you will hear these words, "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. He love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Their stories like our stories are good and hard, a mixture of joy and struggle, desperation and redemption. But every story has a transition, it happens when someone cries out and God responds! What is your God-story? Who will you share it with this week?

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Psalm 103 is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving that celebrates the unfailing love and mercy of God. It invites us to saturate our souls in the goodness of God and pause for a few moments to remember his blessings…all the blessings he pours out on His people, His family.  As I read the Psalm, don’t miss how the Psalmist paints His picture of God, the attributes of God—His compassion, patience, and steadfast love. 

In the permanent record of his words, God has told us time and time again that he loves us... and he has used a variety of illustrations in the hopes that one of those stories would resonate with the deepest chords of your heart.  But every story, every illustration, every metaphor was simply a pre-view of the real deal...the cross.  The crossed changed everything, redefined love, set our eyes on the reality and depth of the love of God. Courageous, passionate, relentless, steadfast, never-ending, unfailing love. Isn't that a love that you need to know today?