From time to time, I have taught classes prompted by questions asked by members of the class. Some teachers cringe at that style of teaching. The teacher can’t “prepare” for class ahead of time. The teaching content – even how to glorify God – provides […]
The two words don’t seem to belong together, do they? Oh I suppose there were years when it took courage to get up at 3:30am on Black Friday to shop at Walmart, but some would say that is more craziness than courage. Surely it doesn’t […]
My youngest daughter Rachel was a part of the worship service at Eastside Christian Church last weekend. The role of participating in worship services is not foreign to Rachel. On many occasions, she has played a piano keyboard, an electric or an acoustic guitar, and […]
This week as we are counting down the days until Christmas, let’s look at two verses from the Biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus to center some thoughts. The verses focus on a group of political and religious leaders who followed a star to […]
“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” The lament came from the lips of Charlie Brown in the animated Christmas classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charles Schultz’ lovable gang of kids and a dog subtly offer answers to that question throughout the […]
The 51st Psalm is an incredible psalm. If you are a person of faith in Christ, you understand that you allow Christ to shape and direct how you think, feel and act. The book of Psalms is filled with reflections upon the emotions and behavior that permeate our lives. But more than just reflecting, it provides a path for transformation. The Psalm confront us with our sin, demands sincere repentance, then frees us to offer praise. How should I then live?
The more we are able to reconstruct the setting for a psalm, the easier it will be to relate to its words and to apply its teaching to our own lives. What circumstances affected the life of the author to prompt the writing of its words?
Most scholars agree that Psalm 51 is a psalm of David. Charles Spurgeon wrote “writers have been found to deny David’s authorship of this Psalm, but their objections are frivolous, the Psalm is David like all over.” G. Campbell Morgan offered, “This great song, pulsating with the agony of a sin-stricken soul, helps us understand the stupendous wonder of the everlasting mercy of our God.”
The heading title for the Psalm says it is “to the chief musician.” About 55 psalms carry a similar introduction. Old Testament scholar Franz Delitzsch commented that “at the head of the Psalms, it is commonly understood of the director of the Temple-music.” These psalms were composed for use in the sanctuary in public worship.
Additional titles identify the Psalm as a song of David. The notes also indicate the psalm arose following the days when Nathan the Prophet approached David after his affair with Bathsheba. Deep inside we want sins to be secret. We cringe at the thought of “airing our dirty laundry,” but can you imagine having your sins sung in worship? This part of David’s story unfolds in 2 Samuel 11:1-27 and 2 Samuel 12:1-25. David writes this psalm as a broken and sorrowful king.
When we approach God in worship, we attempt to “give God the glory.” We understand that He deserves adoration and praise, specifically for what He has accomplished for us. A large portion of giving Him glory understands and agrees with His purposes in creation and in the lives of His people. Notice the personal train of thought of Israel’s king.
The Message translation of the Bible speaks words centuries old with vigor and passion. “Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down” (Psalm 51:2-3 MESSAGE). The man after God’s own heart had come to his senses. Sin damages everything about me – my relationships, my reputation, my faith. Offenses walk with you down the hallway. Transgression shouts over you at the podium. Sin chases you down where you hide. “Be careful your sins will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 ESV). We must come face-to-face with our sins before we sincerely bow our knees to the Lord. The psalm gives real insight into the process and act of sincere repentance.
“You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since the day I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out” (Psalm 51:4-6 MESSAGE). Sin will affect our relationships and our lives, but the evil that we have done is against more than our neighbor. It violates our trust and dependence upon God. Like Adam and Eve, we hear God walking in the cool of the evening and we instinctively hide.
A favorite worship song of the last several decades, Matt Redman‘s The Heart of Worship echoes the sentiments of David’s song. When we boil down things away from the glitter and the glow, all that worship affords centers on Jesus – who He is and what He has done. David focuses our thoughts in a familiar verse, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 ESV). Listen to how the Message translates the verse:
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
The thoughts of the rest of the passage resonate with meaning through the words of the Message:
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I’ll let loose with your praise (Psalm 51:10-15 MESSAGE).
When I consider my sins, my habits and preferences toward evil, and my clear lack of will-power, and then I understand that You still love me enough to
forgive my sins
send your Son to atone
bring salvation to me
even when I am hiding.
Then I can do nothing but teach others your ways, helping the lost find their way home.
I will sing your anthems,
glories
grace
and your desires to bring life.
Unbutton my lips, dear God.
How could I possibly not be thankful?
This study is more than just a chance to wander through some of the Psalms. It is a chance to look at life and move – regardless of the circumstance – to a place of thanksgiving. It is my desire to move past the inconveniences and restrictions of the pandemic. The soul needs to set aside the strife and turmoil of the political election. The spirit mourns the loss of loved ones under dire conditions. There must be a way to find community when I am quarantined. In the midst of sin and chaos, God steps forth with peace and salvation. Silent no longer, my lips burst forth with praise.
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Advent is the season of the liturgical year that focuses on the celebration of the coming of Christ at Christmas and looks forward to His return at the Second Coming. The word “advent” comes from a Latin word for “coming.” Typically, the Advent season either begins four Sundays before Christmas or on the first of December. Across the world, churches and Christians will light candles around Advent wreaths of evergreen to recognize the shining light that Jesus is for the world and to reflect upon the eternal nature of our God.
Traditions for celebrating Advent vary from denomination to denomination, and according to different areas of the world. The celebrations often include calendars, wreaths and candles, reading of Scripture, and the preparation and eating of foods.
Advent allows us to touch the hem of the garment of Jesus every day as we think and meditate on Him in the days leading to Christmas. The thoughts each day prepare our hearts for His coming – celebrated as a moment in history, but transforming as a monument in our lives. For this Advent, our new series of lessons and devotions center on the theme The Music of Christmas.
In the hymnal we used when I was growing up, hymn number 282 did little to distinguish itself from among other songs. So commonplace was this hymn, it was known equally by two different names. It was the only hymn in the book by its composer, Robert Claire Loveless. More is known of the father, Wendell, than of the son, Robert.
Wendell Loveless was born on February 2, 1892 in Wheaton, Illinois. He died over ninety years later on October 3, 1987 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He served as a Marine Corps officer in World War I and became a Christian as a result of reading the Bible at home. Following the war, he toured America with an entertainment group before returning to Illinois. He became the director of the radio department and station WMBI at Moody Bible Institute. He later served as pastor for churches in Wheaton, Boca Raton, Florida, and Honolulu. He authored nearly a dozen devotionals and song books for Eerdmans Publishing and Moody Press.
We know that his son, Robert, was married to Phyllis Jean Harstick, that he graduated from Wheaton College in 1943, and that he served in World War II. The obituary in the Honolulu Advertiser on April 5, 2009 described him as a pastor and educator.
The words of his hymn pop up in my mind on occasion and they are more than fitting for the theme of our advent lessons this year – Jesus Every Day. The hymn was included in twelve different hymnals, some using the name Every Day with Jesus and others calling it Sweeter than the Day Before.
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus I love him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me and He’s the one I’m waiting for
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
As we think about the Music of Christmas, let’s spend every day with Jesus.
Here is an Advent calendar for you to follow throughout the days leading to Christmas, and for the twelve days following Christmas. Each day will take you to a different Scripture verse that will help prepare your heart for the coming Messiah. This year there are some added surprises for your journey!
** [If all of the images below do not appear, refresh the webpage. That usually clears the problem.]**
December 2021 – January 2022
Jesus Every Day
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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One of the joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to study Scripture with family and friends. The hectic pace of the season often causes our plans to change a bit, but we almost always carve out some time for fellowship and devotional meditations.
Our current Bible study series is called The Music of Christmas. The table below has links to each lesson’s webpage, handouts, and trivia questions. You are welcome to study along with us. New lessons will be posted each Saturday evening.
| Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | ||
| webpage |  |
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| handout | [doc id=5829] | [doc id=5835] | [doc id=5836] | [doc id=5837] | |
| trivia |
Here are three other Advent-based studies for your Christmas season for you to use with your small group. One of the studies will fit the number of times your group will get together – or pick a lesson that meshes with your interests.
| Series | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | |
| Christ of our Christmas | [doc id=3946] | [doc id=3947] | [doc id=3948] | [doc id=3949] | |
| Tis the Season | [doc id=5857] | [doc id=5858] | [doc id=5859] | [doc id=5860] | |
| Home for the Holidays | [doc id=5848] | [doc id=5849] | [doc id=5850] | [doc id=5851] |
One of the advent traditions of our Adult Bible Study group at Eastside Christian Church in Jeffersonville, IN is to ponder some of the facts of trivia that is connected with the Holiday Season. My friend Bill Van Hook mines the gems from the caves of trivia. This year’s Advent Trivia follows the theme of “The Music of Christmas.” Links to each week’s fun appear above.
Throughout the history of God’s people, the reading of Scripture – especially reading in public – has been a vital part of the celebration of God, of His providence and activity, and in the lives of the believers. The season of Advent often comes threaded with verses from the Bible. Prepare your heart for the coming Messiah by lighting Advent candles each week. Here are some key verses for each of the weeks of Advent, corresponding with the Advent candles.
The website features links to some of the many different Bible versions of translation. The main translation used in the Advent calendar is the English Standard Version (ESV). There are links on the calendar and website to other versions, including
| New International Version | NIV | John 1:1 NIV |
| New American Standard Version | NASB | John 1:1 NASB |
| Holman Christian Standard Version | HCSB | John 1:1 HCSB |
| The Message | MSG | John 1:1 MESSAGE |
| New Living Translation | NLT | John 1:1 NLT |
| New Century Version | NCV | John 1:1 NCV |
| King James Version | KJV | John 1:1 KJV |
| New King James Version | NKJV | John 1:1 NKJV |
| New English Translation | NET | John 1:1 NET |
| Reina Valera Revisada (1960) | RVR60 | John 1:1 RVR60 |
| Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament | NA27 | John 1:1 NA27 |
In addition, references may be made to other older translations. Biblia Hebraica is the standard Hebrew text for the Old Testament that is used. The Septuagint (LXX) was the first Greek translation of the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures. The Vulgate was the translation of the Bible into Latin.
The Christmas time of year is hectic with activities planned on every front. The ever-expanding list of places to be mounts pressure to stick to a budget and not over-commercializing the holiday. In the midst of this, the true meaning of Christmas can easily be lost or overlooked. These ideas about advent will keep Jesus with you each day.
Feel free to share your prayer requests and praises here.
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Our counting from Easter to Pentecost readies itself for the fourth week of the study. By Wednesday of this week, we will be at the halfway mark of the adventure. During the time, we focused on characteristics of spiritual growth, looking at unity and the […]
The qualities that are emphasized in week two are strength, sound judgment and discipline. What will it take to develop those characteristics in your life? Perhaps more importantly, why are these characteristics that we should be concerned about at all? These are the issues that […]
As this week draws to a close, let’s spend a little bit of time thinking about the quality or characteristic of life that we want to count this week. Up until now our focus has been on why we are counting – and what we […]