The first half of this stanza identified two ways we can focus intentionally on God’s Word. This passage reveals yet a third way that we can do so. You can read it for yourself in Psalm 119:117-120:
In the first half of this strophe, we saw that being intentional about being in God’s Word is the only way that we can maintain a relationship with the Scriptures that helps us grow. It won’t happen by accident; we must choose to stay on the right path, and be strategically deliberate in staying there.
The first way listed here is through a simple determination to obey God’s Word. The second way listed is found in verses 116 and 117, and shows us that we must seek God’s grace and help to stay connected to him.
The third way that we can stay focused in our relationship with God and his Word is by simply recognizing and standing in awe of who God is. When we realize that it is only by the grace of God that we can stay connected to God, we realize just how helpless we are, and how much need we have of him. That realization should bring us to our knees in awe and wonder.
And it is when we see God for who he fully is, that’s when we can begin to see just how bad the world’s way is. It is only as we tremble in awe before a holy God that we will ever see the distorted values of this world. Those things that this world entices us with are empty, and they cannot give us what we need. That can only come from the Creator of everything.
The weakest faith gets the same strong Christ as does the strongest faith.
I have read and enjoyed several of the novels written by James Markert over the last few years. His writing style is fun and engaging, and his ability to capture my attention and hold it is pretty steady. With this novel, however, I had a harder time staying connected to it for some reason.
For the life of me, I cannot point to anything I didn’t like about Midnight At The Tuscany Hotel. It just didn’t grab my attention like his other novels have. Don’t get me wrong, the story line was great, and it was an intriguing plot, set in a time period I love, and had an air of the mystical with an emphasis on Greek mythology. I loved that part of it.
All in all, it was a great book. I just had a difficult time staying engaged for whatever reason. I may come back to this book in a year or two and read it again, and probably enjoy it immensely. At that point, I will probably be able to enjoy it more fully.
A Broken Arm
Last weekend, our church went on a Men’s Retreat to Discovery Ministries, in Eminence, MO. It was an excellent weekend together, with some great relationships, fun times, a strong challenge to be the men God wants us to be…. And a broken arm.
I fell. I’d like to have a good story to explain what happened, like rescuing a kitten from a raging torrent at the river, or saving a peanut butter sandwich before it hit the mud, or something. But I don’t. I slipped on some wet moss and went down – hard – on my elbow.
So after the weekend, I went to the ER to confirm the injury I suspected had happened, and then to an orthopedic specialist. Needless to say, the simple things are now hard to accomplish, like tying my shoes and buttoning my shirt. And typing.
For the next few weeks, I will have to simplify my life in order to let this heal. I’ll be pausing most of the activity here for a few days as well. I apologize for that, and wish I could write more, and post more, and create more. But this elbow needs to heal.
Stick around though. Things will pick back up soon, I promise. Thanks for understanding. And thanks for any prayers you might send my way. I appreciate them.
To know that God knows everything about me and yet loves me is indeed my ultimate consolation.
Parkview Men’s Retreat
This weekend, several of the men from our church are headed to Eminence, MO, to Discovery Ministries for a weekend retreat.
I am pretty excited about this opportunity, looking forward to the quality time spent with several of the guys in our church family. We will spend a few hours floating the Current River, sitting around and talking, and learning what it means to overcome the obstacles we face as men striving to be the best men, the best husbands, and the best dads that we can be.
I would appreciate your prayers for us as we go, that we can have an impacting weekend!
I have been a longtime fan and reader of the leadership material produced by John Maxwell.
I was first introduced to Maxwell at an InJoy conference several years ago that our ministry staff went to in the Kansas City area, and was immediately hooked. Since that time, I have read several of his books, and gained a lot of leadership abilities from doing so.
Maxwell spent the first portion of his career in ministry, and that influenced a lot of his leadership abilities. Drawing lessons from the Word of God was a natural connection, and an excellent source of foundational material for successful leadership. Seeing a need in contemporary society for leadership, and recognizing the void that existed in this area, Maxwell began to implement biblical principles into the leadership framework, and has since become a mainstay in the leadership community.
It was only natural, then, to produce a Bible with footnotes based on a theme of leadership. Inside The Leadership Bible, Maxwell has given overviews of each book, with emphasis on leadership material found within that book. From there, on various pages throughout Scripture, you can find various examples of the Laws of Leadership, and leadership profiles of people found within the pages of God’s Word.
