Author: Scott Lane

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 62:1-12 (day five)

“From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

How many sermons a week do you listen to? Who preaches those sermons?  Is it your local church pastor (once a week)?  Is it podcasts? Other sermons you access online?  I’m not suggesting your spiritual maturity is directly connected to how many sermons a week you hear. Instead, I want to suggest that perhaps the most influential preacher in your life could/should be… YOU!! Sometimes our tendency is to only listen to ourselves. When we listen, we hear struggle, pain, doubt, anxiety, etc. Nothing wrong with that (we ask the Spirit to search us and show us).  But don’t stop there. Once we listen (to ourselves and to the Spirit), we then should speak/preach to ourselves- asking the Spirit to guide us and teach us. That’s what David is doing in some of Palm 62, and he is preaching a terrific sermon – exactly what he needed to hear/learn/remember. The sermons we preach to ourselves can be life-giving and transformational. So maybe a helpful rhythm would be to not only listen/hear BUT ALSO speak/preach (all with the help and guidance of the Spirit).

“What is it that is capturing your idle thoughts? What fear or frustration is filling your spare moments? Will you just listen to yourself, or will you start talking? No, preaching—not letting your concerns shape you, but forming your concerns by the power of the gospel.”- David Mathis

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 37:1-40 (day five)

It may be one of the most incredible promises in the Bible- God will give you the desires of your heart. No denying it is in the scriptures. How can this be true?  What is God really promising?

I think we need to ask another question or two in order to answer these questions. How do you see God? Or in other words, What is your view of God?  Is God a genie in heaven granting you wishes?  Whatever we want, he gives and does?  Is God a cosmic grandfather who is easily persuaded or caves into all our requests- wants us to be happy and is able and willing to spoil us above and beyond anything else. These may seem silly or extreme, but I have visited with lots of people (some who claim to be believers) who have this view and mindset.

The key to understanding the promise, is to consider its context. Two words are key. Delight and Heart. While affection is certainly a part of delight, the scriptures indicate that determination and discipline are also facets of delighting in the Lord. Determination and discipline to Learn about Him, Love Him, Know Him deeper. The scriptures also describe the heart as the place where priorities, values, decisions, desires, affections, and convictions are formed and ultimately shape and influence our thinking, feeling, and character (to name a few). So yes, when we delight in God and our hearts are renewed and reshaped by the Spirit- our desires become His desires. We see Him as a gracious, loving, sovereign God whose values and priorities become ours. And what we then begin to desire and ask for (shifts and transforms), becoming what He wants and desires for us. And God is promising to give us those things.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 16:1-11 (day five)

“As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.” Why do you  come to church?  Have you ever asked yourself and analyzed that question?  Past the “Sunday School Answers.” What is it about church attendance and participation that makes it worth your while?  Worship. Learning. Growing. Serving. While there are several answers and potential layers to these questions, I wonder if being with and near the people of God is one of your first few answers. We use church words like “fellowship” and “community” to describe it.  Is it unhealthy or unbiblical to put that much value and emphasis on being with God’s people. If we deem being with people as much as being with the Lord is that wrong?  Are those things mutually exclusive?  No says David. Not so says Paul. No says the scriptures. Why? How?  When we are near and with God’s people, we sense and see God’s presence, His power, His love, His grace, His wisdom, and His grace – just to name a few. Being with God’s people (saints) should bring Delight (David, Psalm 16) Joy (Paul, Romans 1) Encouragement (Hebrews 10). When we gather to worship, pray, study, serve, and fellowship, we are gathering with saints- those whom God has called, loved, filled, and blessed. We are nearer to God when we are nearer to His People. That’s a wonderful reason to be in church!  That’s a great reason to Deepen Relationships!

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 51:1–19 (day five)

This Lenten Season I am reading through Journey to the Cross, by Paul David Tripp. There are several reflections on sin, confession, and repentance. In light of the theme and profound significance of confession and repentance in our Re:Verse text this week, I wanted to share a couple of quotes that have caused me to think, pray, weep, and rejoice.

“You can’t repent of what you haven’t confessed, you can’t confess what you haven’t grieved, and you can’t grieve what you haven’t seen.”

“If you are aware of your sin, you are aware of it only because you have been visited by amazing Grace. Don’t resist that awareness.”

“Humble confession is always stimulated and ignited by the character and commitment of the person you need to confess to. It is his or her love for you that propels the honest transparency that fear crushes. It is not only pride that keeps us from admitting what we need to admit and confessing it without excuse or shifting blame – fear does too.”

“(Confession) forces you to admit that you’re way more spiritually needy than you would like to think you are. Asks you to admit that you’re a person in constant need of forgiveness. Causes you to admit that your biggest problem is not your history, your family, your friends, your culture, your economic situation, your church, your neighbors, your age, or your physical condition. Confession requires you to admit that your biggest problems live inside you in your heart.”

May God give us awareness of our sin, and show us our need for confession and repentance!!

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 19:1-14 (day five)

“What do you believe about the Bible?” I sometimes get asked that question. I’ll give you my answer shortly.  But first, let me ask you that question. How would you answer?  My answer, is that I believe what the Bible says about itself. And the place I go to is 2 Timothy 3:16-17. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬
If you wanted to unpack those verses, especially how it is “profitable,” I would point you to the Psalms. One of which, is Psalm 19:7-11. Has it dawned on you how great a gift the scriptures are? How would you describe the bible’s place in your life?  Treasure. Guide. Lamp. Light. Sweet. Invaluable. Maybe a great exercise today or this weekend would be to write out your own convictions about the Scriptures. What words would you use to describe God’s Word?  Then, maybe evaluate if your time, energy, and effort would accurately reflect your words.

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 14:1-7 (day five)

The phrase, “There is no one who does good” is repeated twice in this Psalm. When you read this and then read it again what happens in your mind and your heart?  Are you defensive?  Are you convicted?  The psalmist moves from the singular (the fool) to the plural (they have all). Just when you might think he is only referring to someone else, we realize he is talking about all of us. The fool won’t/can’t see the “foolishness” in their own life and heart. But through the work of Christ (come from Zion- see verse seven) God’s people do. And when we confess and repent, we find grace and peace in the humbling truth about the human race.

The fool does not feel his corruption, but the person in Christ does. The fool does not perceive the light of salvation, but the person in Christ does. The fool does not know his own wretchedness as he ought, but the person in Christ does. The person in Christ, despite the attacks of the opposition of the wicked, can rest in the reality that the Lord acts faithfully on his behalf.   Daniel Akin

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 30:1-12 (day five)
“O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

There is something transforming and life-giving about saying “thank you.” I would suggest those are possibly the two most powerful words we can say. Why?  Couple of reasons. Saying “thank you” shifts the focus from an internal perspective outward (in the case of this Psalm, upward). We look and search outside of our circumstances and emotions for a reason or person to be thankful. Second, it is a great practice of humility to recognize and appreciate the fact that there are times (maybe many) where we need help. I would also suggest that being thankful (regularly) is a discipline. What if there was a place in our daily journal and/or prayers for a place of thanksgiving?  What if we consistently found a reason, relationship, promise, truth, or experience (both good and bad) for which to express thanks? How would that deepen our relationship with the Lord? How would that deepen our relationships with others? Maybe a prayer prompt for today would be- Thank You, Lord for …(what would you say or write).

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 66:1-20 (day five) Did you notice the shift (progression) of the pronouns in Psalm 66? Beginning as general (they, them) moving to corporate (us, our, we), and concluding as personal (I, my, me). Same faithfulness and power. Same attention and kindness. Same wisdom and character. How do you see God working in the world?  How do you see God working in our church?  How do you see God working in your heart and life?  Maybe the prompt is for us to be constantly looking and listening for God’s activity and work in the world. Maybe the prompt is to learn and trust the unchanging nature and character of God. And maybe the prompt is to pray, sing, and celebrate that this grand and glorious God gives His affection and attention to each of us (me). “This is MY story this is MY song, Praising MY savior all the day long.”  Tell Him. Praise Him.