The little book of Haggai (pronounced, “Hag-guy”) is just 35-verses long. It’s one of those Old Testament books that’s easy to gloss over because it’s tough to find. And let’s be honest, when’s the last time you thought, “I wonder how the book of Haggai will encourage my walk with God today?” If I hadn’t just had to read it for a seminar class, I’m not sure I would even be telling you about it today!

If you’re like me, you probably like to think about God, always in the “positives”. You know, God is love, God is merciful, God is kind, God is gracious, God is compassionate, God is comforting and the list goes on. It’s those virtues of God that often get us through the hard days and help us when we feel the fading our own strength.

Who is like God? No one! Think of the greatest human thinker history has given us. Einstein? Lewis? Bieber? (ok…that was a stretch). The point is, the greatest human minds on the planet now and throughout history, can’t even be in the same conversation as their creator God. God is beyond compare. It’s not that He has no equal, He doesn’t even have anyone with whom He can even be compared.

I love reading to my kids — it’s such a joy to spend 20-30 minutes with them, before bed, firing up their imaginations and encouraging them to think critically about the things we read. I won’t lie, I also do some voices for them (I have a grand total of about three accents I can do, so if characters get much more complicated than that, I get in trouble!). It’s a lot of fun.

Right now, AJ and I are reading the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. AJ is loving it, and this book has always been one of my all time favorite stories. As a young middle school boy, this book maybe did more to crank up my imagination than any other book I had read prior to that. It’s fantastic with it’s characters — Bilbo, all the dwarves, Gandalph, Gollum, Smaug and a whole list of others.

Sometimes in the grind, it’s easy to forget the magnitude of God’s sacrifice.

My wife and I were recently working through a book together where the author instructed us to write out some key truths for our lives, in powerful, succinct and memorable ways. For example, “I have a great marriage” was a statement that is powerful, succinct and memorable instead of, “My wife Traci is a hottie, I really like being married to her and we enjoy going out on our dates each week etc…” Both are true, but one is much easier to remember.

Then, you are supposed to take those truths and write them out in a journal or on a 3×5 card, every single day so that you continue to focus on and keep those things true. By recounting the fact that I have a great marriage each day, I found myself far more likely to do things that would keep that statement true. I was thinking about my wife more often and focused on being the man God wanted me to be so that our marriage would remain great in His eyes. That daily repetition helped keep our marriage strong.

I was recently preaching a sermon in the book of Hebrews when I came across this passage:

“How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord…” — Hebrews 2:3

(If you’re an insomniac, click HERE to listen to the sermon online)

I had never really thought about the fact that Jesus had announced Himself as a Savior. In fact, I remember a few years ago, reading a book by a guy claiming that Jesus didn’t really teach anything about Himself that would indicate He was God or Savior; that we’ve somehow made that up in the last 2,000 years since Christ walked the earth.

So that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Over the past 15 years of full-time Christian ministry, I’ve often been asked, “what is worship”. I’ve wrestled with the definition a lot. My theological training taught me that worship is ascribing to God the traits, words and actions that are His and express His deity. In other words, it’s recognizing what makes God, God and telling Him.

Who do you worship?

Make sure your attention is on the One who deserves to be worshipped. The One who can heal the sick, give strength to the wounded, bring hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless. Worship the One who can free the slave, give rest to the weary, give life to the dead and bring food and water to the hungry and thirsty. Make sure your eyes are clearly set on the One provides peace, love, mercy, justice and a sufficient grace to all who will depend on Him. May this classic message by S.M. Lockridge help you keep Jesus — God’s One and Only Son — at the center of your day today.

Worship demands action

While in South Africa last month, my family and I had the privilege of learning several worship songs in Zulu, the native language of Black South Africans in the region we were serving. It was a more powerful experience for me than I ever imagined.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus today, may I offer just one thought?

 I have just one word for you to ponder today.

Just one word to think about.

One concept for you to try and live out today.

Malachi, 39 of 66

I love how God describes Himself in Scripture.  It’s one thing when we offer declarations of praise to God, it’s another thing entirely when God describes Himself.

Habakkuk, 35 of 66

If you could sit down and have a one-on-one session with anyone, who would it be?  What would you ask?  What would you want to know?

2 Kings:  Transformed Worship:  11 of 66

When the King heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes — 2 Kings 22:11

 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; 

       I will praise your name for ever and ever.

 2 Every day I will praise you
       and extol your name for ever and ever.

 3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
       his greatness no one can fathom.

 4 One generation will commend your works to another;
       they will tell of your mighty acts.

 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
       and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

 6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
       and I will proclaim your great deeds.

 7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
       and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

 8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
       slow to anger and rich in love.

 9 The LORD is good to all;
       he has compassion on all he has made.

 10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
       your saints will extol you.

 11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
       and speak of your might,

 12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
       and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
       and your dominion endures through all generations.
       The LORD is faithful to all his promises
       and loving toward all he has made.

 14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
       and lifts up all who are bowed down.

 15 The eyes of all look to you,
       and you give them their food at the proper time.

 16 You open your hand
       and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
       and loving toward all he has made.

 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
       to all who call on him in truth.

 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
       he hears their cry and saves them.

 20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
       but all the wicked he will destroy.

 21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
       Let every creature praise his holy name
       for ever and ever.

We’ve talked about false worship the past few days, let’s remember Who it is we are to worship — the One, True, Living God, creator of the universe!  There are thousands of verses in His Book that would help us think on Him, but I’ve chosen five of my favorites for today.  Just mediate on each of these passage and make sure your heart is truly worshipping HIM!

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 Exodus 20:3-6

You shall have no other gods before me.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:3-6

You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever.  Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever — Psalm 145:2

 Almighty God

speak to us today.

Meet us in THIS place. 

TRANSFORM

us by the POWER of Your word.

YOU are TREASURED by YOUR ABBA (DADDY) in Heaven.

Immanuel עִמָּנוּאֵל God is with you.

You are the apple of His eye.

The other day, I was singing this song on my own, in worship-

Jesus, Lover of my soul, Jesus, I will never let You go. You’ve taken me from the miry clay. You’ve set my feet upon the rock and now I know. I love you. I need you. Though my world may fall, I will never let you go. My Savior my closest friend —

I kept singing and pondering this last lyric. I don’t know how to explain how this hit me- but it did. I just kept singing this lyric "my Savior (yes, I know 100% You are my Savior), my closest Friend."  It’s almost as if I was singing this last part as a question. Is Jesus really my closest friend?  A better friend than my wife, than my closest fleshy-friends (godly but made of flesh), closer than my kids?  Would I rather be with God or watch a movie? Would I rather spend time reading His book or the latest trendy book? Do I desire Him more than anything else? Do I call on my best Friend when I need help or someone else? 

God is amazing and beyond words. Remember this as you pray to the Eternal One.

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Prayer is where the action is.

- John Wesley

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.

- Corrie ten Boom

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.

- E.M. Bounds

Take a moment right now to pray.
Ask God to speak to you and
to prepare your heart to meet with Him.