Psalm 40:1–4 (ESV)
I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

None of us likes to wait. We get impatient. We get frustrated. We wonder what’s taking so long.

We get upset that something was ordered on Amazon Prime and it says next day delivery but it didn’t get here until 6pm. Wha —!! The audacity of a company to say we will get something to you the next day and to not get it to us before noon.

Or if you’ve ever gone to El Pollo Loco, and used the drive through. You are immediately hit with the fact that this is taking waaaay to long. This is not fast food!

I love how Louis CK, when making fun of impatient people, remarks how a person is on their phone and frustrated that Google or Siri is taking so long to answer. And he buts in and says, “Can you just give it a second! It’s going up to space and coming back down….just….give it a second!”

These four verses from Psalm 40 are packed with rich nuggets of truth and advice. And they are written by King David, a man that knows a little bit about the ups and downs of life. When I read these verses it’s no wonder that David is referred to as a man after God’s own heart.

Before we tackle the first verse, let’s look at verse 2 - where was David. First he says “the pit of destruction.” I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound too pleasant. It doesn’t sound like a place I want to spend any amount of time in or even visit.

Did you ever see the movie “The Princess Bride?” If not, it’s worth a watch, if you have, you remember the scene where our hero, Westley, has been captured and is taken into a secret torture chamber, lovingly referred to as the pit of despair. The pit of destruction is that place. There’s no hope, seems to be no way out. The walls and roof are closing in and there is o escape.

Second, David references a miry bog. What’s that? It’s like swampy ground. Have you ever walked in really wet, slushy mud, where you foot seems to slink down into an endless abyss of massive suction. Then it takes almost all your strength to bring your foot out, and when you do you realize the mud has swallowed your shoe whole. It’s gone. You’re not going to find it or get it back. It’s exhausting.

This is “where" David says he has been. And what has he been doing in the horrific places in life. Waiting. Our Bible translates it as waiting patiently. It is actually the same Hebrew word for both (although the nuance of the second word gives the meaning or idea of patiently). Literally David is saying, “While waiting, I waited even more for the Lord.”

Maybe some of this resonates with you right now. Maybe you are in that pit of destruction, that miry bog. Maybe you’ve just arrived, maybe you have been there a little, or maybe you’ve been there so long you’ve lost count of the number of days or years.

Maybe emotionally or physically you are worn down. Maybe mentally you are on your last straw. Maybe financially you are barely keeping your head above water, and there doesn’t seem to be any relief in sight.

First let me say this, “I’m sorry.” I’m sorry you’re there. I wish life were perfect. I wish I can make it all better. I wish I could take all the struggles and hardship away.

But I can’t. What I can do is remind you that David, the man after God’s own heart, gets it. He’s been there too. He knows the struggles we can face in life. And I think he knew the secret that can help us out as well.

David knew he wasn’t alone. He knew the love and power and grace of God. He knew that God would not and had not abandoned him, even in his darkest days.

So he waited. He waited while waiting. He didn’t grumble. He didn’t shake his fist. He didn’t consult the proud. He didn’t try to solve the problem himself. He didn’t stand there all angry tapping his foot (he couldn’t; it was stuck and sunk down deep in the miry bog). He waited.

And….he trusted. He trusted God to know when to do what He does best. He didn’t rush God’s timeline. He didn’t beg. He waited and trusted and believed that God would deliver him.

Like tom Petty famously sang, “the waiting is the hardest part.” But the blessings that come from waiting on the Lord are invaluable.

How is your waiting going? Patient? Impatient? Frustrated? Content? Vocal? Silent? Complaining? The truth is you decide how you wait. David gave us a great example - while waiting I waited, patiently.

What happened to David, that he shares with us. God rescued him. God pulled him from the sinking, sticky, miry bog and set his feet on solid ground, where He didn’t sink into the earth. God gave David the assurance in each step that he took, that he didn’t need to worry about falling, slipping, or sinking (or losing another shoe).

And I love this: God gave David a new song to sing. Another reason to shout out praise to God for His great love and mercy and kindness.

God gives us a reason to celebrate. That might seem so far away from some of you, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Think back to other times God has delivered you. Maybe it wasn’t anything huge or big; maybe it was small. But God has a way of rescuing us (over and over and over). And each rescue is a reason to sing.

God has got you. He is with you. Even in your greatest despair, you are not alone. Trust Him. Wait on His timing for rescue. And he will give you even more reasons to sing.

I love how Henry Blackaby talks about our times of waiting on the Lord:

“Grass that is here today and gone tomorrow does not require much time to mature. A giant oak tree that lasts for generations requires much more time to grow strong.”

Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

The other week I had a couple new dining experiences. Usually I keep food pretty close to the chest. I know what I like, and I generally stick to that (I mean, it hasn't steered me wrong so far, so why change, right?).

Becky and I went out for dinner at our favorite little local sushi place. It's partly a favorite because we have become friends with the manager there. He is super nice and fun, and we have just connected (and he refers to me as the only pastor who comes to get sushi there). He has shared with us some extra things before, even things he was working on and not on the menu yet. So this night he asked us, "Have you ever tried fish belly?"

If you're like me you are automatically thinking....nope and nope, I'm good! So we tell him we haven't and he gets all excited and says, "Let me bring some out and show you how to eat it!" So he goes back and returns a couple minutes later with what looks like canned, wet, slimy cat food on some rice on top of seaweed paper (I'm not being judgmental, just calling it like I see it). Everything in me is looking at this and thinking, "Don't do it Brian! This could only lead to your death, or at the very least all night vomiting!"). So I tried it. Ate a couple bites of it just to make sure. Final conclusion...although some people may like it this was not for me.

Later that same week we had a company take Becky and I out to a nice dinner at a nice fish restaurant in Newport Beach (I always like it when other people take me to nice restaurants). Anyway, they see that there is octopus on the menu as an appetizer and they say, "Would you guys like some of this? I'm going to order it for the whole table." "Ugh," I thought to myself, I don't want to eat octopus. I have heard how chewy and rubbery it can be and I just don't want to.

So the appetizer is brought to the table and they slide the plate over to me and I cut a piece off. Mind you, I like to stay within my wheelhouse of food. Octopus is NOT in my wheelhouse. I look down and can tell it is the tentacle and see some of the suction cups. (Maybe some of you just threw up in your mouth right now and some of you are salivating at the thought of a good octopus appetizer). So I take a bite and intentionally chew it, not just try to swallow it quickly and get it out of my mouth. To my surprise, it was actually really good. Honestly I would eat it again (if someone else wanted to pay for it).

David, the great king of Israel, is writing Psalm 34. It was at a point where David was on the run. Why was he on the run? David had been anointed the new king of Israel in place of Saul. The only problem is, Saul is still alive...and king! And he's not looking to give that position up any time soon. (You can read all about it in 1 Samuel starting with chapter 8 and reading through to the end).

So David has been chased by Saul, threatened by Saul, had a spear thrown at him by Saul and narrowly missed him. It's probably been more low points than high points for David and his relationship with Saul and calling by God to be king. Enough hardship to wonder why David doesn't just stop one day and shrug his shoulders and cry out, "God, what is up with this? Is that what it means to be chosen and anointed by you? Is this what a life looks like for someone who is called by you to serve you?"

But David doesn't do that. In fact, Psalm 34 is specifically written by David about the time that he hid from Saul in the midst of Israel's most fierce, dishonorable, atrocious enemies - the Philistines. It's gone from bad to worse to unbelievable for David. And in reflecting on this David implores us to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"

I don't know about you, but I had to back away from my computer for a moment. Stopped typing. Stopped thinking, "what should I write next?", and just sat in that moment. How on earth can David arrive at such a conclusion and statement?

How? Because David has seen the faithfulness of God. He has experienced it. He has seen God rescue him time and time again. He has been following God's lead and God's provision and been overwhelmed by God's love, even in the midst of deep adversity. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

I think of it like a nice glass of ice water. On any given day it is good. But on a hot summer day, when you have been working and laboring hard in the heat and sun, and you stop for a break...how refreshing is that glass of ice cold water now. Sometimes, maybe, our adversities make the blessings that much better (but, that's another devotion for another time).

David's encouragement, his challenge, his urging is for you and I to taste and see that the Lord is good. Maybe you are in a good spot with God. Maybe you have figured out your wheelhouse, you are comfortable, you know how everything works, and you're just fine with that. Great! Just make sure that you are in the place where God wants you, and not that God is in the place where you want Him.

Maybe, for others, you have felt a slight tug or pull, an urging to do more. Maybe you're a little less satisfied with God right now. Maybe you're just going through the motions of being a Christian. Maybe you've stopped tasting of the goodness of God.

I can tell you one thing that's not a maybe - you need to taste and see that the Lord is good! There's no maybe about that! Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

So how can you taste and see the Lord is good? Eat, get connected, take action! First, start with His Word. Take time to read it, to sit with it, to think about it, to apply it. It doesn't do you or anyone else any good to prepare a delicious meal then just let it sit there and not be eaten. God has given us His Word, He has revealed Himself to us there, so that we would taste of it. How often should you taste of God's Word. I don't know, how many times do you eat during the day? How many cups of coffee do you have in a day? How many hours do you spend watching TV or playing games on your phone or other devices. All I'm saying is we all have room in our lives to spend in God's Word. You may have to move some of the less important things around. But I guarantee you will never fully taste and see that the Lord is good without being faithful to reading and studying His Word.

And second is just as important - spend time with other believers. Attend Sunday morning services. Maybe it's at West Cypress Church, or maybe at another church. Be faithful to be there. Be a part of a small group Bible study. It's there that friendships are grown and rooted deeply, where we are not only encouraged by others, but also sometimes challenged by them. There is a great joy in tasting to see the Lord is good in the context of community. There's something special about gathering together with friends over a feast. I know this pandemic has caused a lot of isolation, and that for the moment, due to health reasons, some cannot be there in person. I'm thankful and grateful to hear the stories of people gathering virtually, to feast together on how good God is.

And I wrap this up with this thought - not only did David taste and see that the Lord is good, he turned around and encouraged others to do the same. As you become more satisfied in the Lord, my prayer is that you would also become more inviting to others to come to taste and see that the Lord is good.

-Pastor Brian

The Blessing of "Sticktoitiveness"

Proverbs 3:3–4 (ESV)

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

Have you ever taken one of those car rides? You know, the ones that could be ten minutes or ten hours long. And when you get to your destination, you sit back and wonder, "How did I get here?"

I mean, you know how you got there. You drove. You were in a car. You were in the car. But you don't recall any details. No specific turns stand out. No details at all. All you know is you got from point A to point B without incident, and that's a good thing.

For these devotions, I write about what I feel the Lord is trying to say to me. You get my heart, my interaction with the Lord. The things I wrestle with or that tumble through my mind wondering what this might mean and how do I live it out.

But sometimes....sometimes....sometimes you read the Bible and it seems like nothing stands out. Nothing grabbed your attention. You didn't feel the Lord tugging at your heart, soul, and mind at any given point. 

If you've never been there, that's great. If you're like me, there are times when you read the Bible, but like that car ride, nothing stood out. I'm here to tell you that's ok. That's how this last week has been for me. (to be fair, even the verse quoted above wasn't part of my daily reading, but a verse I looked up to remind me and you about remaining faithful)

It's ok to read the Bible and not have the "A-ha!" moment. It's ok to read your Bible, finish reading and wonder, "What did I just read?" It's ok to lose the details. It's ok to just read the Bible.

But don't give up reading. Don't think, "Well, I didn't get anything out of it so why bother even reading it?" Don't quit on God's Word.

Why? Because there is a blessing in sticktoitiveness. Although nothing may stick out now, it can become very real and good later. The details you think you missed now might make sense in an hour, a day, a week or a month. 

Even as I write this, I am thinking of different verses I have read in the past that make sense now (and yes, these just came to me, not planned - that's how God can make His Word timeless). 

• Acts 8:26-40: Ethiopian eunuch is reading the Bible but not understanding, Philip runs over and explains it, eunuch believes in God and is saved. But the eunuch still read, even though he didn't fully understand.
• Isaiah55:10-11:  For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but  water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Certainly there are things we can do to hinder or enhance our understanding as we read the Bible. But for now the point is this: don't give up! Keep at it. Keep pushing through. Keep being faithful to reading God's Word. It will do it's work, just maybe not in the timing you want it done.

If you want more evidence of the benefits of being faithful to God's Word, just read through Psalm 119 every once in a while. Sure, it's 176 verses...but each of those verses remind us of the timeless benefits and blessings of being faithful to God's Word. 

In the end, as you push through the doldrum days of reading sometimes, you will have those "A-ha!" moments more and more. His Word will lead and guide and remind you more and more. You will be blessed to be a blessing more and more.

And that is the blessing of sticktoitiveness.

(By the way, in case you were wondering, sticktoitiveness is really a word. I typed it incorrectly and my spell check gave me the proper spelling - I learn something new everyday)

-Pastor Brian

Exodus 13:17–18

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. (ESV)

Fear is a funny thing. There are so many classified fears, that we have come up with phobia names for them: Syngenesophobia – fear of relatives, Linonophobia – fear of string, Zemmiphobia – fear of the great mole rat, Papaphobia – fear of the Pope, Anatidaephobia – fear of being watched by a duck, Geliophobia – fear of laughter, and Arachibutyrophobia – fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one’s mouth, to name a few. (Yes, these are real fears and phobias. And yes, the website I looked them up on had a picture of each fear, just to scare the living daylights out of someone who may have one of these fears. I've chosen not to add the pictures just in case one of these hits home with you).

We may laugh at some of these. But just because we don't experience it, doesn't mean they aren't real. And sometimes these fears drive people to do unhealthy things. Or worse, they keep them from experiencing and living a full life.

Over the years I've realized how many of the decisions I make are driven by fear. Maybe not a fear of string or peanut butter or the pope, but fear of other things. Fear of letting people down. Fear of driving people away. Fear of people not liking me. Fear of messing up or failure.

This verse reminds me how much God understands. As God is rescuing Egypt from years of mistreatment and slavery, He knows that the last thing Israel needs is to see the Philistines at war. Upon seeing them, and war, they might just decide that it is much better to remain a slave in Egypt.

And I get it. Egypt was miserable, terrible, awful. Always being looked down on and treated as second class people. In fact, not even that. They had no worth but to be a slave and work for the Egyptians. But what they had there was known. They knew exactly what to expect.

If they got out and saw wars and fighting and other awful things, they might turn around and stop following God, and go back to the comfort of their known misery. That is not the life God has created them for. So God takes them a different way. A longer way, but one where they won't be discouraged by war.

Now, to be fair, as Israel leaves Egypt they will wander in the wilderness another 40 years (because of their disobedience and unwillingness to follow and trust God). And all along the way we hear them complain: "We can't drink this water, we should just go back and be slaves," "This miracle bread that appears on the ground every morning isn't enough; we should go back to Egypt and be slaves." Over and over and over and over. They couldn't see the future or hope that God was leading them into, so they just wanted to go back to a miserable life they knew and understood. They didn't trust God.

So often I think Christians have a hard time fully following God. We struggle with the concept that all God offers is enough. We continue to dabble in old sins and habits that brought us "comfort" in the past. And yet, as the Bible declares, Jesus has rescued us and set us free from these sinful habits and actions. Why go back to them again and become a slave all over again? I love how Paul writes this truth so powerfully to the church in Galatia: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1; ESV)

 So how do we trust God and follow and leave fear in the dust?

Look at the last part of this verse. How does Israel leave Egypt? The answer - equipped for battle. They went out ready to face the unknown, ready to face an enemy, ready to fight for the freedom God has secured for them.

Here are some things that are helping me overcome my fears, how I am learning to live a life of faith equipped for battle, how I am learning to triumph over bad habits.

1. Prayer. I'm asking God for help, for direction. Yes sometimes, even when I feel like I have His answer, I still ask another 2 or 3 or 500 times just to make sure this is where God is leading (okay, maybe there's still some fear there but I'm learning).

2. Friends. I gather friends around me whom I trust and know that they have a heart to seek after God in all things. I bounce ideas and leadings off of them and seek their response and wisdom. And I seek their prayers in it as well.

3. God's Word. I am committed to reading from it almost every day. It doesn't have to be a bunch of chapters and pages. just enough to get an understanding, to be familiar with God and His ways more and more. So when it comes to decisions and making the right choices, I can always go back to His Word and make sure my actions are in line with His call on my life and living in faith.

What's holding you back? What fear might be keeping you from following God with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength? What is the "slavery" in your past that keeps luring you back and keeping you from following?

More important than that, how will you face each day equipped for battle, faithfully following God into things unknown? They way may seem longer, it may be unknown, but God will lead you to a place where you are most satisfied in Him, and He is most glorified.

Maybe like me, you've embarked on a mission this year to be more devoted to reading your Bible. It's a great journey and you are sure to be blessed by it. I wanted to take a minute to share with you how sometimes I read through a passage, and maybe it can encourage you.

Also, before I begin, let me encourage you to download the "Blue Letter Bible" app on your phone or make it a bookmark for a website on your computer. There are many great tools there to help you understand scripture better. Today, I will be talking a little about the "interlinear" function. It allows you to look up the original words (in our case today, Hebrew) to get a fuller understanding of their meaning and its implications for us as we read and apply scripture to our own lives.

The other day in my reading plan I read through Psalm 1. Here is it:

Psalm 1: The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

[1] Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
[2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

[3] He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
[4] The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

[5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
[6] for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. (ESV)

You've probably all read it before, but let me share with you what stood out to me in reading it this time. So, I started out asking a simple question: "What does "blessed" mean?

1. "Blessed" - what a great term. Blessed. Who doesn't want to be blessed? The word is used 45 times and is defined as "blessed or happy." Blessed, happy...makes me think of the words content and satisfied. And who is blessed? Not those who chase after worldly things. No, the happy, blessed, content one is the one who delights in and meditates on scripture. Which led me to my next question: What does it mean to "meditate"?
2. "Meditate" - man this was a real treat to look up this word. Of course it means to think about, to ponder, right? Yes, it is translated, among other things, as "meditate or imagine." But then, I saw something else. The word is also defined 2 times as "study" and 7 times as "speak, talk or utter". So, to meditate on scripture isn't just about reading and thinking about it, it is also talking about it with others. Wow! That is super cool! Made me rethink how I have always viewed this passage as just a think or memorize scripture type thing. So, here I am, talking (or typing) and sharing with others about scripture. 

As I wrapped this up, my thought went to, "What are the results? What is the outcome of delighting in and meditating on scripture?" We are a tree. Hmmm...doesn't sound too exciting, right. I mean, who wants to be a tree? But not just any tree, an amazing tree that God is cultivating and caring for. Let's break down verse three to understand that better:

1. "Planted by streams of water" - there is a continual life giving source for nutrients and food. When we delight in and meditate on God's Word, we will always be sustained. We may go through some physical ailments and hardships, but our souls will be nourished. We will be anchored (more on the benefits of this as we hit #3).
2. "Yields its fruit in season" - We will be producing fruit. When trees aren't watered and nourished, it is difficult to bear fruit. And if there is fruit, it is usually stunted in growth and not that good (because it isn't being fed). If I were to fully commit to delighting in and meditating, part of that blessing is bearing good, full, flavorful fruit. I believe that fruit is more character/spiritual development in our lives (see Galatians 5:16-26, especially verses 22-23). And don't forget, there are some seasons where you won't bear fruit. That's ok. This verse addresses that: "yields its fruit in season." I think that when there are seasons we aren't bearing fruit we may have cut ourselves off from the stream of living water through a sinful lifestyle, or that God is shaping and transforming us, cultivating us, for the next season of life (this is where prayer comes in to get a better understanding....but that's another devotion).
3. "Leaf does not wither" - we are alive, always. Always green. Never fading. Full of vigor and strength. In some ways I think, too, able to weather the storms (part of being anchored by life giving streams). We are rooted in God and His promises/faithfulness, and we continue to live and bear fruit. Think of a palm tree or a pine tree. When healthy, they are always green. This is the blessing and benefit God promises.
4. "All he does he prospers" - prospers literally means "to advance, prosper, make progress." The result of delighting in God and not the world: no matter what happens or what I face, God has given me everything I need to keep moving forward. And I think a lot of that moving forward is found in God things, not worldly things. Not that we'll get a raise, a promotion, a better house or car or this or that or any other thing. Not that we will have perfect health all the time. Although these things would be nice, remember we are living in a broken, fallen world. We can still get sick, and suffer misfortune. Others may still treat us unfairly and unjustly. However, God still uses us and can do wonderful things through the process. I think part of "prosper" is tied back to that word "meditate." More chances to share, to utter, to speak about God's Word and to see it have results in our lives and in the lives of people we share it with.

I know, a long post, but these are some of the things I see when I read through God's Word. I hope you made it all the way through this. and I hope it is a blessing to you. Keep reading, sharing, getting grounded in God's Word and watch the things that our amazing God can do!
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In His grace,
Pastor Brian
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