“A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.  Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain which God has desired for His abode?  Surely the Lord will dwell there forever.”  (Psalm 68:15-16)

Did you catch this?  Every mountain is the Lord’s.  Why do you worry about special places, they all belong to the Lord.  Why do you worry about special times, all time belongs to the Lord.  The Lord has come into our midst and calls us to abide with Him.  When He lifts us up to abide with Him, we are the mountain of Bashan, for the word means to be fruitful and those who are in the Lord are fruitful.

Lord, You have spoken time and again about growing in truth and about bearing fruit.  You have mentioned the goodness of Your law and having it grow in us.  Lead me to see the good things You are growing in me that I would become one of Your mountains where You dwell.  Guide me in Your ways, O Lord, and I will walk in them.  Open my heart to truth that I would hold fast to it.

Lord Jesus, You are the One who will lead me up every mountainside and along every stream.  Guide me according to Your purposes to see in You the hope of glory and the goodness You have given by Your grace.  Help me now and always to be guided by Your will and way that I may be a high dwelling place now and always.  Thank You, Jesus, for giving grace.  Amen.

“When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold.  When the Almighty scattered the kings there, it was snowing in Zalmon.”  (Psalm 68:13-14)

Events in history remind us of the mighty fall.  We are like sheep and lie down in a particular fold and regardless of where we are, we are under the eye of the King of all kings.  The Almighty does scatter the proud and boastful.  He humbles those who ravage His sheep.  The Lord knows the coming and going of all and it is in His hands.  Come then into the presence of the King.

Lord, I see it in history when the mighty tyrants seem to have everything under their dominion but they come to naught.  Guide me to always keep the perspective of truth where I see how these mad things spoken and done in the moment amount to nothing.  Keep me from being caught up in the ongoing insanity of this world knowing that all things are in Your hands, O Lord.

Lord Jesus, how sad it must have been for You to have looked at the proud and arrogant as they threatened You.  You through whom all things have their being looked into the eyes of those who hated You and threatened You and You met them with love.  Guide me in Your ways, O Lord, that I would walk in the love You teach me, knowing that all things always have been in Your hands.  Amen.

“The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: “Kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”  (Psalm 68:11-12)

The Lord is in control.  The Lord will not be thwarted.  For a time, the enemies of the Lord may seem to prevail, but their days are numbered.  The Lord creates all days, they are His and He will bless whom He will bless.  The one who remains in the House of the Lord will be forever blessed.  Come then into the Lord’s protection and rest in the One who is Lord and King.

Lord, this world is in constant turmoil.  I see so many things and hear so many more about this and that.  The world tries to convince me that You have no power.  For a time they seem to prevail, but I know their day is coming with wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Help me, O Lord, to remain in Your house and hold true to what You have taught me.  Guide me, Lord, in the way I should go today and every day.

Lord Jesus, you are the King who has come and conquered death.  I am the woman who divides the spoil.  Your enemies flee before You.  In this world I do not see this as Your enemies rail all around.  Bring my eyes to see and my ears to hear the simple truth that You are King of kings and that all things are in Your hands, including me.  Lead me today, O Lord, to follow where You lead.  Amen.

“You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.  Your creatures settled in it; You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.”  (Psalm 68:9-10)

Think for a moment on the reality of this world.  In spite of all that man does to man, humanity has been fed, blessed and cared for.  Throughout history all that is needed has been provided.  The widow and the orphan are provided for.  The hungry are fed.  The Lord provides, but we must work by the sweat of our brow.  He brings the rain in due season and the fields are refreshed.

I listen to those who say otherwise, and I believe their report.  Lead me back to the simple truth that You provide what is needed in due season.  I have little to complain about Lord, for You provide for all of those in need.  Guide me into a frame of mind that simply sees the goodness You have provided for all with the seasons unfolding as You have planned that we may praise You.

Lord Jesus, teach me to praise You in season and out of season.  Guide me in the way I should go and empower my feet to walk in that way.  Lead me by the example You have given to walk as You walked and to live as You would have me live.  In all things, help me to be thankful and know that in You alone is the hope of all people, for You alone modeled the way we need to go.  Amen.

“O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness.  The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.”  (Psalm 68:7-8)

As it was then it still is now.  The Lord goes before His people.  The Lord provides what is needed.  As it was then it is still now.  There are times of adversity and times when things are not going as we would like.  The Lord still goes before us, for all that is needed is provided.  Walk then in the way of the Lord and be content, for the Lord your God goes before you.

Lord, I have bought into the soft soap about things going well if You love me.  Lead me to the place where I know, at all times and in all places, You are there with me, in front of me and preparing the way before me.  Guide me in the way of goodness that I would now and always abide in the way You have set before me knowing that all You do ends to the good.

Lord Jesus, You had the way prepared before You prepared the way before me.  Guide me in the goodness and grace You provide that I would walk according to the way You have established.  Lead me in the righteousness You give that in You, and only in You, would I walk this day and every day.  You are the Lord of my salvation and the only One that knows what is needed.  Amen.

“A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation.  God makes a home for the lonely; he leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”  (Psalm 68:5-6)

This world makes much ado about nothing.  Do not be politically correct, but be corrected by the One who knows all things and walk in the way of His prosperity.  Do not gain things in this world, but build up the eternal ways of the Lord in your heart that you may know the bounty of the Lord which is available to all.  Come then into His presence and do not be thirsty, but filled with His goodness.

Lord, I get caught up in wanting to be like this world.  Help me shed such desires that I may walk humbly before You,my God and Savior.  Lead me through the desert paths of this world and their false mirages to see clearly the goodness that is right before me.  Lead me in the way of eternal prosperity that I may abide in the richness of Your love.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead us in the narrow way of true wealth, which is abiding in You now and forever.  Humble my heart that I may see the goodness that comes by Your  grace and live into the everlasting life You have made possible for all who believe.  Lead me, O Lord, and give me a heart that will follow You alone through all that will come until we meet face to face.  Amen.

“But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness.  Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him.”  (Psalm 68:3-4)

Live the life you have been given.  Do what the Lord gives you to do.  Enjoy the daily life as it comes.  Through it all, sing praises to the Lord who made you, knowing that it is He who created all things and shares all that He made with us.  Rejoice and be glad, for God is good and gracious and shares of His bounty.  Sing praises and live uprightly before the Maker of all things.

Lord, I become worried in the ups and downs of daily life and do not remember Your goodness.  Help me now and always to see each day the good things You have provided in my life.  Let me learn how to rejoice in all circumstances knowing that You alone are God and all goodness comes from You.  May I sing praises to You now and always, Lord, for Your goodness.

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into this world to lead us in a new way of living.  Help me relax today.  Not be lazy, but relax and go about the business You give me to do that I may live in praise and thanksgiving for all of Your goodness.  Help me now and always to be a person of praise and to sing new songs to You for Your goodness.  Ride before me, Lord, in whatever direction You will lead me.  Amen.

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him.  As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God.”  (Psalm 68:1-2)

The way of the wicked is before us.  It remains in every culture, time and place.  First, the Lord must remove the wickedness in us.  By His grace and mercy He does. Then He will remove all wickedness from among the faithful.  This is the prayer of the righteous.  Lord, melt away all the wickedness of the world that only faithfulness would remain and righteous praise be heard.

Lord it is easy for me to deflect the truth and say that the wicked out there need to be removed,as I say it in wickedness.  Create in me a heart that is both bold and compassionate that I would stand fast upon Your Word in full repentance, while also desiring Your Kingdom and the goodness that has been displaced in this world by the wicked.  Lead me Lord where I need to be.

Lord Jesus, You are the hope of every generation.  Lead me in the way of truth that I would first seek You and the righteousness You offer, knowing that only then shall all other things that are needed be added.  Help me through the daily struggles to know that there are wicked in the world, and sometimes I am one of them; but my trust and hope is in You, O Lord, my God and my Savior.  Amen.

“The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” (1 Corinthians 6:13)

Perhaps you have heard the first part (“not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord”), but how frequently have you heard the second part (“the Lord for the body”)?  Your body, that two-legged thing that you are, with all its wobbly bits—the Lord is for it.  He is intended for it, you might say.

It’s the promise that the Church may not make frequently enough.  God sent our Lord Jesus for a specific purpose: to become flesh (John 1:14), that He might bring about “the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). These bodies, headed towards the grave—God wants them.  He wants you, flesh and bone, both for your sake and for His glory, that His creation might experience the joy for which He created, namely, His Son.

Thus He sent His Son to cancel the power of sin, death, and the devil and to reveal God’s redemption in His own flesh.  This flesh He now bestows on the Church, His new creation, by joining believers to Himself in the Spirit and promising them a share in His resurrection (what else is Holy Communion?).  Your body (you!) has a Lord, a groom and a guardian, and therefore, it has a future (a happy one!).  And so, as St. Paul writes, glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:20).

LET US PRAY:  O God, who created our father, Adam, from the dust of the earth, and fashioned our mother, Eve, from his side: we praise You for Your new Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, sent into our flesh that our flesh might rise in His Spirit.  Grant us grace to glorify You in our bodies, living for You, even as You live for us; through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau     

WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL LIFE JOURNEY?

Devotional for January 21, 2018 based upon Mark 1: 14-20

One of the things that I find very interesting about the Gospels is the way that at times they describe different events in the life of Jesus and the disciples’ relationship with Jesus.  Other times – even when they describe the same event – they mention different details or emphasize different aspects of a particular event.  Such is the case in the spiritual life journey of the disciple Peter.

Mark 1: 14-20, our Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday, January 21, tell of Jesus’ calling Peter to become a disciple.  Verses 17 and 18 – Jesus said, “Follow Me,” and they (Peter and his brother Andrew) immediately left their nets and followed Him.  “Immediately” is a word that the Gospel writer Mark uses often.  There is an immediacy – an urgency – to everything in the Gospel of Mark.  I see Peter, being called by Jesus, responding immediately.

In Mark 1 Peter begins following Jesus.  John 2 tells of how Peter, along with the other disciples, actually come to have faith in Jesus.  After telling the story of Jesus’ turning water into wine, the Gospel writer John says in verse 11, “Jesus did this, the first of His signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

But then Luke 5 tells us that even though Peter had begun following Jesus and had come to believe in Jesus, he still went back to his old ways of life.  Jesus uses Peter’s boat as a place from which to speak to the crowds and then tells Peter in verse 4, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”  Peter responds in verse 5 – “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.”  Not continuing to follow Jesus, even though he had come to faith in Jesus, but instead going back to his old life, Peter experienced futility and frustration and fishing all night and catching nothing.  Peter responds – after a miraculous catch of fish in verse 8 – “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”  I had begun following You and had come to faith in You, but still I had gone back to my old way of life, which has resulted only in futility and frustration and fishing all night and catching nothing.  Luke ends his recording of this event by saying in verse 11, “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Him.”

There is one more incident in this sequence.  In John 21, after the resurrection, Peter says to six of the other ten living disciples, “I am going fishing.” (verse 3)  The verb tense is saying not “I am going to go fishing once,” but “I am going back to fishing – I am going to go back to keeping on fishing.”  Peter must have been a person of influence, because the other six disciples say, “We will go with you.”  And with what result?  “That night they caught nothing.” (verse 3)  Again, not continuing to follow Jesus, even though they believed in Jesus and even though they had experienced the resurrection of Jesus, but instead going back to the old way of life, they fish all night and catch nothing.  Again Jesus appears on the shore.  Again there is a miraculous catch of fish.  Again Jesus recalls Peter and the other disciples to a life of following Him.

Where do you see yourself in the story?  Have you just begun to follow Jesus?  Have you recently come, or are you beginning to come, to faith in Jesus?  Have you returned to your old way of life even though you had begun following Jesus and had come to faith in Jesus?  Are you experiencing the futility and frustration that results from doing that?  Are you fishing all night but catching nothing?  Have you recently made a renewed commitment to follow Jesus?  Have you again – even though you have experienced in a mighty way the love of God as shown on the cross and the power of the empty tomb – gone back to your old way of life, only to again experience the futility and frustration of fishing all night and catching nothing?  Have you recently again experienced being recalled by Jesus?  Have you recently again experienced the grace and forgiveness and new life available from Jesus?

Wherever you are in your personal spiritual life journey, know this.  The same Jesus, who was so loving and forgiving and patiently persistent with Peter, will also be the same way with you.

Dennis D. Nelson

President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE