True Religion (1)
“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24 NASB
Boast – Go ahead! Brag a little! Let the works of your hands and the thoughts of your heart be recognized. Get a little publicity for yourself. Ah, but remember what Jeremiah says (actually what YHVH says) in the previous verse. Make sure your bragging is not about your intelligence, your power or your money. Then what is it about? God Himself gives the answer.
“Boast” is the Hebrew verb halal. Ah, you recognize it? You see the root in halleluyah, or perhaps in tehillah (rendered “psalm”). The same word we usually translate “praise” is also the word for “boast.” This helps us understand that the principal meaning is not found in personal self-acclaim but rather in sincere and heartfelt thankfulness. This kind of exaltation comes from recognition of the right relationship between giver and receiver. When YHVH tells us to “boast” in understanding and knowing Him, He is instructing us to gratefully acknowledge that He is the Sovereign who grants blessings to His own. Our boasting is praise of Him, not us. Intelligence, wealth and power mean nothing in the face of the King of the Universe. To Him we owe our lives and to Him we offer boasting praise. Now we understand why we are commanded to praise (boast) the King.
How do we apply this exhortation to boast? First, let’s make sure we do not limit our praise to the weekly “worship” service. In fact, if James is correct, true religion has almost nothing to do with attending a weekly meeting, singing standard songs, listening to some speaker expound religious material or exchanging greetings with others. Elements of praise might be found in such a meeting, but this is not worship as defined by the apostles, prophets or Torah. Read James 1:27. Then decide if you are worshipping when you attend.
Secondly, now that we realize there is a difference between worship and praise, we need to ask, “When do I boast in the Lord? When do I find myself praising Him?” Keep track today. Discover for yourself what leads you to boast in knowing Him? If you find that your praise comes only when life is good, you might want to make some adjustments. If you realize that you don’t boast in Him at all during the course of your usual activities, you might want to do some soul-searching. If you discover that God is always on your mind, you might thank Him for your keen spiritual apprehension, a true gift. If you observe that God is rarely on your mind, you might seek repentance and renewal.
You see, in the end, boasting (praising) is a very personal activity; personally motivated and personally revealing. We are quite quick to extol our power, wealth and knowledge. Now we must ask, “Are we so aware of His presence that our praise of His care exceeds our own inclinations to self-exultation?”
Topical Index: boast, praise, halal, worship, James 1:27. Jeremiah 9:24
The flip side of knowing who to blame is knowing Who to glorify.
If we can see clearly where the true responsibility lies, then we will also know where the true credit lies. If I believe that the good things in my life were accomplished by me, then I will naturally believe that I deserve the praise. And, because I did not correctly see where the responsibility for providing those good things for myself lay, and so thought I should take it on myself, then I will believe that the credit is also mine. If I want to change the focus of my praise, then I must change the focus of what I believe is up to me. If I am taking what was NOT mine; namely, the responsibility for giving to myself the good things of life, then I am going to be lying if I then go to church and open my mouth and SAY that God did it, when in my heart, as far as I can see, I did it. In my heart, I am still going to be glorying in myself, no matter what is coming out of my mouth. This problem lies farther back up the creek, I think.
To trust is the ability to choose to trust at the trusting points. As a human, in my flesh, I am going to naturally wait until it feels ‘safe’ to trust. But, for a human, that is only going to be after I think I have nothing to lose! The trusting points, however, are ALL at the points where I still have something to lose! And, further, if I am not actually investing trust at those points, I am going to be left with nothing that I perceive I should praise YHVH for, which means that I will be opening my mouth for other reasons at those praise points. Frankly, if I have not invested faith and trust, but instead invested in myself, I am going to need another motive to ‘get in the mood’ to praise Him. Sadly, I see the churches seem to be spending more energy giving their parishioners unholy motives for praise, for the purposes of ‘getting them in the mood’, then they spend showing them their duty in trusting Him for their daily bread. Sigh.
If I am going to get to a point where I am thankful for EVERYTHING, then I am going to have to get to a point where I am TRUSTING Him for that everything. Nothing is easy! Not even praise! But, if I am going to praise Him out of unfeigned lips, then what else could it be? It all boils down to trust. Even praise.
OUCH! This one hit me square between the eyes — with a brick! How many times I can remember when I overcame an obstacle, and when I did, I triumphantly proclaimed, “Look how smart I am!” Now in truth, most times, I was joking with my wife about fixing some broken item in the house (and the phrase I actually use is, “I am such a smart fart!”), but, how easily it was to shout about my “smarts”!
After reading this one, I had to immediately pray for forgiveness from YHVH! Who do I think I am? I am nothing without Him! YHVH should be the ONLY one receiving the glory for all accomplishments — great and small.
Thanks for the timely reminder that praise should always be at the forefront of our thoughts and actions.
Recognition and Remembrance
O man, – what do YOU have that you have not received?
The (honest) answer? Absolutely nothing!! Zero. Zip. Nada. Squat.
EVERY [every] good gift and EVERY [every] perfect gift has a Source. [a gift implies a Giver] These gifts are from “Above” and come down to each us from our Father, our Benefactor – our Father who is in Heaven and Yes, “hallowed” [holy] is His Name.
Why, o why, please tell me why.. [inquiring minds want to know] do we have such a hard time with the facts? Facts are [indeed] stubborn things.
Are you intelligent? – This, is a gift. A functioning mind or a healthy brain is the gift of God. You may say, “but I worked hard for this.. (whatev).” Who gives you the ability to work? to function with unction? – [ It is the LORD]
Are you healthy? This, is a gift. Are you “wise?” Are you “wise enough” to realize and to recognize- ALL we have [life itself] IS the gift of God? Your family, your wife, your husband, your friends? Gifts. – All of them.
Got teeth to chew your food? – Thanked God for your teeth lately?
Breathing in and out? Breathing “good air” right now? Have you thanked the ONE who gave unto you, your very first breath? According to the Shepherd/King, ~ Let everything that breathes – praise the LORD!! ~
Yes, Let every creature, every “tribe” on this terrestrial ball, – TO HIM all majesty ascribe, and crown HIM – LORD of (??) – ALL.
LORD of every thought and action,
LORD to send and LORD to stay;
LORD in speaking, writing, giving,
LORD in all things to obey;
[both] -Now and evermore to be.
King of (all) kings! and LORD of (all) lords. LORD of the macro – and – LORD of the micro.
Ours will be the very same confession and profession of Thomas the Doubter, when we also will see the nail-scarred hands of the resurrected Messiah,
-“My LORD and my God!!” Hallelujah!- for the cross.
http://www.uu.edu/centers/rglee/fellows/spring03/willmore.htm
Many of the endevors that we find ourselves involved with in our lives need our discernment to realize whether we are trusting God or testing God. Are we trusting God to provide, or are we putting God on notice that He needs to provide and thus testing God? Testing God is the litmus test that many people use to determine the depth of their faith, but this error is found on that broad path that leads to destruction.
If I may borrow lyric of Mr. Wesley and ask Abba that our tongues be among them.
Go ahead! Sing it, it really feels right and good! 😀
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.
Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.
Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.
I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!
I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.
Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.
See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.
Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.
Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.
Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.
With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
He is so worthy to be praised! So worthy to be glorified! He loves us – He LOVES US!! Even when we are mad, or confused, or lost, or struggling, or are holding on to our ignorance as though it holds the wisdom of the ages!-until we find we are dying in spite of ourselves. We have all fallen into those pits and even called them home. But HE knows exactly what brought each one of us to that place and only He knows exactly what is needed to bring us out. His Love singles you out-He always hopes, He never gives up, His mercy endures forever. “I will not die, but I will live and tell what the Lord has done! He has disciplined me but He did not allow me to be killed!..I give thanks to You, because you have answered me. You are my Savior; the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…..give thanks to the Lord because He is Good – because His Mercy ENDURES FOREVER!” Ps. 118
“Are we trusting God to provide, or are we putting God on notice that He needs to provide and thus testing God?”
Thank you, John. That is a very, very good question!
Actually, I’ve found that He’s Big enough to take it. : )
“Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in My house, and put me to the test, says Adonai-Tzva’ot.” Malachi 3:10
He’s so awesome!
He’s big enuf to take anything we may throw at Him!! Love is like that..- and God is love!!
This, (from the archives!) Another home run, brother Skip!
“By David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 25:1
Praying Life, Breathing Soul (from skipmoen.com)
Soul – Hebrew is a language of concrete images. It is not like the Western European languages that we use; languages full of abstract terms without physical references like “time” or “omnipotent” or “omniscient”. Hebrew deals with tangible assets. So, the word nephesh (soul) is not really an abstract term for some ethereal, mysterious spirit entity. If we thought of soul like that, we would be forcing a Greek meaning on the word. Nephesh is first and foremost a word for breath, the physical movement of air in and out of a body. Breath means concrete evidence of life. Nephesh takes on the idea of all of my life, all that breathing animates. So, nephesh becomes the concrete expression of who I am, completely. My physical being, my emotions, my thoughts and my choices. Nephesh is the summary word for “me”.
David’s private prayer addressed to God alone is full of concrete images. I perform an action (lifting) by placing an object (my living) before my Creator. I carry myself to the altar so that God can carry me to His heart. I am Isaac, voluntarily lying down on the stones, awaiting sacrifice or redemption at the hand of God.
When prayer becomes intensely personal, there is no room for my agendas. All I can do is place myself before Him, ready for whatever He decides. Job uttered the same thought, “Though He slay me, yet I will worship Him.” What God does with the offering I bring is entirely up to Him. Prayers that dictate and demand have no place on the altar of self-sacrifice. And didn’t Jesus echo the same words: “He must take up his cross daily”.
The prayer of lifting up my soul is the transforming prayer that converts who I am into a living sacrifice. My very breathing becomes my prayer. I live because He carries me. I live because He cares.
The end of prayer is not the moment when I rise from my knees. It is the moment when I stop breathing. As long as He grants me breath, I will lift up myself to Him. I am a living prayer, glorifying my Creator in every moment. Pray life! And live soul!
~ And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul ~ (Genesis 2.7)
Who gave us our first breath and will receive our last? – Let everything that breathes praise the LORD!! ~ (Psalm 150.6)
Laurita, Your comments are so insightful regarding what you have called trusting points, as well as our propensity to trust only when we have nothing to lose. You have spoken to me today in a huge way. Thank you so much.
Reading Carl’s post I was reminded of a favorite quote….such a favorite I had it framed….from George Mueller.
“I live in the spirit of prayer; I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. The great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.” I can’t even imagine what earth would be if we switched the word pray for the word PRAISE. “I live in the spirit of praise; I praise as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise….(and since He lives in the praises of His people) and the Glory of His Presence is all around us!” We praise You Lord, God, Creator, Savior!!