A New Song

Today's Reading: Psalm 98, Leviticus 4:1-5:13, Isaiah 2, 1 Corinthians 16

Psalm 98 - 1a - Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! - There are several times in the Psalms that you see the instruction to sing to the Lord a new song. I like that God wants us to create new songs for Him. In other words, He doesn't want our spiritual lives to stagnate. We ought to be trying our best to learn new things about God every day. That isn't going to happen if we don't spend time praying, reading, and living in fellowship with other believers.

Have you ever heard a travelling speaker use the same stories over and over when they come to preach? Maybe it's because I was a youth pastor for so many years, but I remember hearing guys speak and wondering if God had done anything in their lives in the past 20 years! I heard the same stories year in and year out. When we are intimately connected to God, we grow, and growth brings about a new song. Let your life be a living symphony for Him.

There is another thing that I love about this Psalm. It's the many different ways to worship. From instruments to nature singing, the psalmist shows that creation sings God's glory. So should we!

Leviticus 4:1-5:13 - We've already read about a number of the offerings that the Children of Israel were instructed to give to God. Now we come upon the laws for sin offerings. It's interesting to note the classifications of people. God clearly had laws for all of his people. There are implicit instructions given for how an offering to atone for sin should look. This chapter is an important reminder for New Testament believers that sin has consequences. God has called us to live holy lives.

Isaiah 2 - 5 - O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord - Isaiah was right in the middle of prophesying God's message to the nation when he called the nation to immediate repentance. Can you relate to Isaiah? I can. Whether it's my own stubbornness or the stubbornness of someone else, far too many of us have experienced the pull away from God. Don't go! Stay faithful. Instead, replace the desire to run away with the desire to walk in the light of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 16 - The apostle Paul ends his first letter to the Corinthian believers with instructions on how to collect offerings for the saints gathered across the ancient near east world. He also tells them that he hopes to see them on his future travels. Paul's letter closes with personal greetings. I love that the Bible includes these greetings. We get a glimpse into Paul, the man. We get an even deeper understanding of the church, their bond to Paul, and how they grow spiritually.

Estranged from God

Today's Reading: Psalm 97, Leviticus 3, Isaiah 1, 1 Corinthians 15

Psalm 97 - 6The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.7All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! - Psalm 97 is a song of rejoicing in the power and majesty of our God. The psalmist uses images of creation to demonstrate the power of God. I love how he mocks the powerless idols that people worship in place of the Creator God. Do you want to worship the Creator of coastlands and clouds or darkness and fire of lightning and the earth of mountains of the universe, or do you want to worship items made by man? How sad that many of us are freaking out because the god of money had died. Like those who worshipped idols in the past, we have made our own gods that we depend upon and worship. Those gods are false. They will never be God. May we recognize the power and majesty of God, this day and forevermore.

Leviticus 3 - Leviticus 3 gives us the guidelines and procedures for the peace offering. This was an offering that was given as a reminder and symbol of the covenant relationship that God had with His chosen people. The person making the offering was to offer an animal without blemish before the Lord (vs. 1 and vs.6).I think one of the reasons God asked for an animal without blemish was because He is without blemish. God's relationship with the people was perfect on His part. We need to remember that God is holy. There is no sin in him. We should strive to live holy lives too. We will never be sinless this side of heaven, but we can strive to live holy lives.

Isaiah 1 - 4Ah, sinful nation,a people laden with iniquity,offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord,they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.- Isaiah begins his book with a vision that he received from the Lord. Here he proclaims the guilt of the people of Israel. This chosen people had forsaken their God. And, God would punish them for their straying from His precepts. I'm especially struck by the words "they are utterly estranged." Have you ever been in an estranged relationship with someone? It's no fun. Now, imagine being the chosen people of God and suddenly finding yourself estranged from Him. Your sins have brought punishment. How sad to be estranged from God!

7Your country lies desolate;your cities are burned with fire;in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. 8And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. - This is a picture of a nation that had disobeyed God coming under extreme judgment. What a sad picture. A country desolate. Cities burned with fire. There are a lot of parallels to the prophecies about the end times. But, God has saved a remnant of people who are faithful to Him.

I'm so glad that Isaiah's first chapter doesn't end after the first nine verses. There is hope. Isaiah gives us God's prescription for the nation in verses 16-19 16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;cease to do evil,17learn to do good; seek justice,correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. 18“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

It's beautiful to read about the grace of God, isn't it? Though our sins are as scarlet they shall be as white as snow! I love that picture. There is something beautiful about being pure. When is the last time you felt spiritually pure? Has it been awhile? Confess your sin. Ask for God's forgiveness. He promises us that if we confess our sins that He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). He will do it for nations when God's people repent. May we, who are children of God lead the way when it comes to confession. And, may our passions be to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless and plead the widow's case.

1 Corinthians 15 - 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” - Somebody once said that the greatest difference between you today and five years from now are the people you meet, the places you go and the books you read. When I was a youth pastor, I used that quote a lot. It's sad how many lives are changed forever because of the company that they keep. Who we hang out with matters. Be careful about the friends that you choose. They will rub off on you. At the same time, don't abandon your mission field.There is a fine line between loving people into the Kingdom and being drug down. Be careful, but don't forget to be a missionary every day too.

Do Something About Injustice

Today's Reading: Psalm 96, Leviticus 2, Esther 9-10, 1 Corinthians 14

Psalm 96 - 1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

God has always loved when His people tell about His marvelous works to others. In the New Testament, Jesus instructed His followers to go into all nations and make disciples. The Lord desires for people who have no knowledge of Him to hear about Him. In fact, God is passionate that every nation, every tribe, every tongue would hear the works of God. May we take these words seriously. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God has spoken of this issue. How are you doing when it comes to sharing His works?

Leviticus 2 - Leviticus chapter two gives us the laws for the grain offerings. Again I'm struck by the detail that went into the instructions for how offerings should be prepared. The grain offering was an offering that was meant as a pleasing aroma to the Lord and accompanied prayer requests to the Lord.

Esther 9-10 - 9:1b - on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. - I love the way that this verse is written. The writer of Esther, writing through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes sure that we all get the point that it was on the very day when the enemies of the Jews had planned for their destruction that the opposite happened. God is a powerful God with a great sense of humor. I think God delighted in the fact that those who sought to destroy His children were not only thwarted but got a dose of poetic justice.

Don't you love it when the good guy wins? I do! If ever there was an underdog, it was Mordecai. Just days before God used him to deliver the Jews, Mordecai was dressed in sackcloth and ashes, outside, yes that's right, outside, the gates of the palace. He was the ultimate outsider. The insiders wanted him dead! And, God wanted to use him. Mordecai was a willing vessel in the hands of our Powerful God. And, God loves to use humble instruments to display His marvelous works. What might God be calling you to do for Him? It's probably not saving an entire race from Genocide. But, wouldn't that be AWESOME! There are those in the world today that face terrible atrocities. Would you be willing to be a spokesperson for them? One place these atrocities are taking place is the Congo. Check out this video to see how you can be a modern day Mordecai!



Another way to be a modern day Mordecai would be to do something about human trafficking. Kerry Hilton, a missionary in Calcutta's Red Light District is making a difference by taking oppressed women off the street and providing them with skills through Freeset Bags. Watch this video about this wonderful ministry:



One other wonderful example of a modern day Mordecai is the International Justice Mission. I love what this organization does, freeing people from modern day slavery. Check out this video:



What might God be calling you to do about injustice?

10:3 -For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.

Want to know one of the characteristics that makes someone great? It's when they seek the welfare of other people. It's when they become reconcilers. It's when they are people of peace. I love that Mordecai's care for others is pointed out in this verse. What are some ways that you are presently seeking the welfare of others? If there is no way, find something that you involve yourself that will help lift others up.

1 Corinthians 14 - The gifts of prophecy and tongues were causing quite a stir in the Corinthian church. In this chapter, the Apostle Paul admits to speaking in tongues, but then says, in verses 18-19 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.- Why would Paul say this? Because tongues were being abused at Corinth. Chaos was ruling the day in public worship at Corinth. Paul wanted the church to have some guidelines for corporate worship, and he laid them down here.

The principle that is most important in 1 Corinthians 14 is this: Our spiritual gifts should be used to build up the church. The purpose of our spiritual gifts is to advance God's kingdom. When our gifts have an opportunity to build up ourselves or build up others, we should always default to building up others. Look how many times Paul uses the term "build up" in chapter 14:


4: build up himself . . . builds up the church.

5 so that the church may be built up

12 building up the church

17 but the other person is not being built up

26 let all things be done for building up

So, Christian, do you know your spiritual gift? If you need help there are some spiritual gift inventories available at my church web site in the sermon resource section at www.wccmn.org. If you know your gift, ask yourself how well you are doing in using it to build up the church. If that's not happening it's time to take a severe look at why God gave you your gift and start using it for the building up of others.

14:33 -For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. - How do you picture God? Ask a dozen people that question and you may just get a dozen different answers. We probably all have some false concepts about what God is truly like. But, verses like this one give us glimpses into the character of God. God is not a god of confusion but the God of peace. If you're praying and not getting peace, take time to pray longer, for as we spend time with Him, His will becomes more clear to us.

Ultimate Love

Today's Reading: Psalm 95, Leviticus 1,

Psalm 95 - 1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God,and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

What beautiful words the psalmist writes as he speaks about our God who is so worthy of praise. I love the picture of how God holds both the depths of the earth and the heights of the mountains in His hands, and how that same God calls us the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. There is something beautiful about thinking of God as a shepherd. He cares tenderly for us. We have much to rejoice in.

Leviticus 1 - Leviticus 1 deals with the laws for burnt offerings. Great detail about how Aaron and his sons should kill each animal, how the animal should be cut up, how the fire should be arranged, the side of the altar that the sacrifice should take place, etc. But what I found poignant was the end of verses 9, 13 and 17. Each of those verses talk about the purpose of the burnt offerings. These offerings were given as a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Burnt offerings left nothing but the skin. So, these were costly offerings, extravagant even, so that God might be glorified. I wonder what the equivalent to a burnt offering might be in our society. And, I wonder when the last time I gave God a gift as extravagant as a burnt offering was?

Esther 8 - This, in my opinion,is the most beautiful chapter in the book of Esther. Haman's treachery had been exposed in Esther 7, but his plan hadn't been stemmed yet. So, in Ester 8, Esther takes another risk. Going before her king, she cries, falls at his feet, and pleads for the Jewish people. The king, who has by now exalted Mordecai agrees to Esther's request. He declares the Jews should be protected. When the edict comes down to 127 provinces, great rejoicing breaks out. I love how this chapter ends. Esther's faithfulness and the prayers of the people had resulted in answered prayers. Look what Esther 8:16-17 says, 16The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. 17And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

1 Corinthians 13 - How many weddings have you been to where this passage is read? At almost every wedding that I officiate, this is read. It's a beautiful description of God's love. It's a love that cannot be shown apart from the work of His Spirit in us.

One of the things that strikes me most about 1 Corinthians 13 is that it was written to a church; a church that was struggling to love one another. And, Paul shows them the most excellent way. I love how he ends this chapter. 13So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

For more on 1 Corinthians 13, you can go to the Woodbury Community Church sermons page or to the Woodbury Community Church iTunes podcast page and download the series Ultimate Love.

Easter Sunday Challenge Readings

Today's Reading: Psalm 94, Exodus 40, Esther 7, 1 Corinthians 12

Psalm 94 - 10 He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge— 11 the Lord—knows the thoughts of man,that they are but a breath.

Happy Easter! It's been a good day. Today in church, I asked the question, "What would you do if you knew that today was your last day on planet earth?"

Most people will never know the day that they are going to die. Among those that do are convicted criminals, sentenced to the death penalty. Such were the men on either side of Jesus when Christ died on the cross for our sins.

While we may not know the day that we will die, God does. Psalm 94 tells us that the Lord knows the thoughts of man and that our days are but a breath. We spend so much time this side of heaven trying to make a name for us, instead of recognizing that history is truly His story. May we spend our days on the things that truly matter. May we be a people who store up treasure in heaven, recognizing that God is worth giving our very best to.

Exodus 40 - 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

In Exodus 40, God gave Moses instruction on how and when the tabernacle was to be constructed. Moses followed all of these instructions. And then something spectacular happened. The glory of the Lord filled that tabernacle!

What an impact this would have had on the children of Israel! This was a visible manifestation that God was present and that He was directing the children of Israel. Even Moses, the friend of God, the one whom God talked to on the mountain, was not allowed to enter the tent of meeting when God's presence filled it. Our God is an AWESOME God!

Esther 7 - My study Bible titles this chapter, the rescue of a nation. It's an appropriate title, as God does bring deliverance to the Jewish people, thwarting Haman's plan, and even requiring the life of Haman to be paid. But, the rescue of the Jewish people began in Esther's first chapter. These first seven chapters show what happens when we are willing to be God's people for such a time as this. God put you on this earth, at this time, in the place where He has you, for such a time as this. How are you using your influence to make a difference for Jesus Christ?

1 Corinthians 12 - 1 Corinthians' twelfth chapter has been called one of the greatest teaching on spiritual gifts in the Bible. Really, 1 Corinthians 12-14 should be taken in it's entirety as a teaching on spiritual gifts. Apparently there were some divisions in the church over which spiritual gifts were the greatest. Paul talks about all of the gifts being important for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Here are some of the things we should take from this passage:

1) Every follower of Jesus has at least one spiritual gift.

2) All of the gifts are vital to the body.

3) God has given local congregations every gift needed to accomplish his purposes.

4) When one member of the Body of Christ hurts, we all hurt.

5) There was a better way for this church to go in relation to spiritual gifts, which Paul would reveal in1 Corinthians 13. Hint: It's love!

God Exalts The Humble

Today's Reading: Psalm 93, Exodus 39, Esther 6, 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

Psalm 93 - Psalm 93 is a short psalm about the majesty and glory of the Lord. The psalmist uses beautiful imagery to paint a picture of our God ruling the earth which He created. He is worthy of our worship and He reigns in power. The God who created this universe, rules it. His works are mighty and even the waves obey Him.

Exodus 39 - The priestly garments are woven together in this passage. Once again we see the incredible detail and symbolism that went into that which would be used for worshipping Jehovah. There was such awe and reverence towards God in those days. The priestly gowns would have made the people think about certain aspects of God and His divine rule.

Esther 6 - I can't even imagine what Mordecai must have been thinking. He had been praying. He had been fasting. He knew that Esther had dined with the king and Haman earlier in the evening. And then . . . Haman, the enemy of the Jews came and killed him? No. Tortured him? No. Arrested him? No. He honored him! He honored Mordecai. Had Haman's heart changed? No. In God's divine plan, Haman sought honor for himself, and ended up having to give honor to one who had truly served the king. God honored Mordecai in his time. And, soon, God would deliver the Jews.

I love that fact that we have a God who says that "He exalts the humble." It doesn't always happen quickly. In fact, some will not see that exaltation until heaven. But, if you have faithfully served the Lord in humility be sure of this; God's promises always come true. Mordecai truly lived a humble and obedient life. God is looking for people who will be obedient no matter the cost. Will you be that person?

1 Corinthians 11:2-34 - This chapter of Scripture gives instructions for public worship. The church at Corinth had some serious issues. I think all churches have issues that we need to work through. It's just part of being human beings trying to live in community with one another. One of the issues the Corinthian church dealt with was the issue of whether or not women should wear head coverings in public worship. In Corinthian culture, which was incredibly sex saturated, to not wear a head covering meant that you were either single or that you were married but available. Paul asked the women who were married in that congregation to wear head coverings in worship. To not do so would have been dishonorable. In our culture this might mean wearing a wedding ring or something else to show that you are married.

Paul ends the chapter giving instruction on the Lord's Supper. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. It is also a Sunday in which our congregation will celebrate the Lord's Supper. Paul talks about the significance and the sacred attitude with which we should come to the Lord's table in verses 23-32. May these verses be a sacred reminder to you.

23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

27Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.31But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

A Poem for Good Friday

I wrote this poem last year on Good Friday and thought I'd repost it here. It uses the last words of Christ from the cross throughout the poem.

A Poem For Good Friday

Hoisted upon Calvary's tree
To rectify the sin in me
Jesus looked upon the crowd
Announcing in a voice so loud

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do"
Beautiful words spoken to Gentile and Jew
Callously gambling for a piece of His clothing
The soldiers oblivious man's redemption He was buying

"Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
Crowd spoken mockery on Golgotha's sod
Criminals, on either side of the Lamb
Both facing life's final exam

"Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
Criminal's jeering words in the form of a cuss.
"Jesus remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!"
Contrasting words, heart changing, unable to stay mum.

The lips of our Lord move a second time
Responding to the one convicted of crime
Looking straight at the man, knowing all of his vice
"Today you will be with me in paradise."

That's when His gaze came upon those He loved,
Some women, a disciple and the mother beloved.
"Dear woman, here is your son," pronounced He to Mary.
"Here is your mother," to John, while so wearied.

And then in the middle of that solemn day
Darkness hovered, black sky, not just gray
He who was holy became sin, no facade
And for the first time God was separated from God

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Was the awful cry that came from that tree.
The only thing in all the world capable of dividing the Trinity
Was the sin of every man, every woman, every boy, every girl, yes even you and me.

Later knowing that all was completed
That sin and Satan would soon be defeated
Jesus, all divine, showed His humanity
"I am thirsty," He said, displaying no vanity.

When He received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished."
His time had come, His work was accomplished.
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

At that moment the world reacted
But most of humanity was too distracted
To notice the veil in the temple torn in two
From top to bottom what should we construe?

That Jesus' death on the cross paved the way
For us to have access to God when we pray
The earth shook and the rocks split
On the day God was hit and we offered spit.

The bodies of some dead were raised to life that day
Holy people appeared in Jerusalem to convey
That Jesus is God, He is the way, Centurion and squad
Declared, "Surely He was the Son of God!"

No bones were broken
Prophecy spoken
Declared body piercing
Blood and water producing

As evening approached so did two powerful men
Perhaps they were remembering when
Jesus had spoken and challenged their thinking
Waiting to live for Him until the world was sinking

They took His body, wrapped it in a shroud
Just as Pontius Pilate had allowed
To the tomb He was taken
Christ had been forsaken.

Forsaken by man and forsaken by God
So great was the cost on the road that He trod
But great is the victory He won on Golgotha
A victory summed up in the word Marantha

The Lord is coming soon is the word's special meaning
Three days later, He arose and sin took a beating
He will come again soon to take those who are His
Truer words never spoken, it's the truth, that it is

Will you be like humanity's generations?
Too busy, distracted, for His interventions?
Don't miss Calvary's message of Christ's great love
Offered to all of us who are undeserving of.



- Brian Schulenburg
April 9, 2009