In my elementary school years, I had a classmate who annoyed me. So one day I wrote a note, impersonating him as writing a mean note to a girl, and I threw it in the hallway, thinking someone would pick it up and get him in trouble. Someone did pick it up, and they informedContinue reading “A poem to guide us when we’re dealing with the aftermath of our sin – Advent Psalm of Confession, Preview”
Tag Archives: psalms
Five steps from lament to hope – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 5
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! Are you ready for another Psalm of Lament? Open a Bible to Psalm 12. This time I want to show you a simpleContinue reading “Five steps from lament to hope – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 5”
How to have hope amidst evil in the world – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 4
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! As we continue studying the lament of Psalm 137, the psalmist recalls the vicious attack from Israel’s enemies that led to Israel’s captivity.Continue reading “How to have hope amidst evil in the world – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 4”
How lament provides empathy in our despair – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 3
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! In the first post, I mentioned the zeitgeist that we seem to be under—with things beyond our control. It’s always been this way,Continue reading “How lament provides empathy in our despair – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 3”
When life is bitter pill – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 2
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my pastoral colleague, friend, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! As I mentioned in the previous post, we will turn our hearts toward lament in order to turn our heads upward toward God’sContinue reading “When life is bitter pill – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 2”
How lament turns our weariness into hope – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 1
This week I welcome guest blogger, Jeff Byerly. Jeff is my friend, pastoral colleague, ThD classmate, and traveling partner! He and his wife Tasha have two daughters, a son-in-law and new grandbaby! What in the world is going on these days? I remember sitting in my doctoral studies just a few years ago … priorContinue reading “How lament turns our weariness into hope – Advent Psalms of Lament, Part 1”
Introducing the Advent 2023 blog series
If you were at Faith Church this Sunday November 26, 2023, you would see our sanctuary floor lights shining the color now purple, as this Sunday is the First Sunday of the Christian Season of Advent. Why do we use the color purple for Advent? When I see the color purple in the sanctuary, IContinue reading “Introducing the Advent 2023 blog series”
A proper perspective on worship gatherings and God as judge – Psalm 96, Part 5
Finally the psalmist says in Psalm 96 that worship is when we come to God’s courts, which is participation in the gathered community of believers. That is worship services on Sundays, but it could also be participation in a smaller group. We need each other. We need vital relationships with other believers. Worship God byContinue reading “A proper perspective on worship gatherings and God as judge – Psalm 96, Part 5”
Some much needed perspective on how to worship the Lord – Psalm 96, Part 4
In Psalm 96, this psalm about perspective, the psalmist started with a repetitive phrase, “Sing to the Lord,” which we talked about here and here. And now later in his song, he returns to a repetition. Look at verses 7-8. “Ascribe…Ascribe…Ascribe to the Lord.” What does it mean to “ascribe”? “Ascribe is not a commonContinue reading “Some much needed perspective on how to worship the Lord – Psalm 96, Part 4”
Perspective in the middle of tough times – Psalm 96, Part 3
In Psalm 96, verses 2 and 3 instruct us to proclaim God’s salvation day after day. This is the same idea that is encapsulated in the word “evangelism,” which is about proclaiming Good News. The psalmist reminds us that we have Good News story to share, and in verse 3 he describes it as declaringContinue reading “Perspective in the middle of tough times – Psalm 96, Part 3”
Engaging Scripture 