Let the world know!

The Old Testament recounts many moments where God provided for His people. But one powerful retelling of God’s greatness is found in Psalm 105.

Psalm 105 focuses on events found in the book of Exodus—when worshipers were encouraged to remember God’s faithfulness and show gratitude for what He’s done. And while all 45 verses are worth studying, let’s take a closer look at the verse that sets the tone for this Psalm, and the four ways it invites us into worship… 

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.” 
Psalm 105:1 ESV 

REFLECT ON GOD’S GOODNESS 
Gratitude comes from recognizing what God has done for us. So in order to show gratitude, we have to recognize how God was at work in our past circumstances. When we do that, we can acknowledge God’s faithfulness and genuinely worship Him.  

THANK GOD 
In Psalm 105:1, the term “giving thanks” stems from the Hebrew word “yadah” which means, “to revere or worship.” To revere someone, you have to respect who they are. Giving thanks is an ongoing act of worship that involves recognizing who God is and offering up gratitude to Him for all that He’s done. 

PRAISE GOD 
The expression that’s often translated as “call upon His name” was often used in corporate worship to encourage people to seek the Lord. 

God’s name carries authority and power and is above all other names, and we proclaim God’s greatness when we call on His great name. When we call on God’s name, we gain a greater understanding of who He is—and this can encourage us to praise Him even more. 

TELL EVERYONE 
God wants everyone to know Him personally, and we get to help people find Him when we proclaim His greatness. As people discover what God has done for us, it can inspire them to seek God for themselves and discover His love for them.

We were made to worship God, and one of the ways we do that is by recounting His wonderful works. So today, intentionally set aside time to reflect on God’s faithfulness. And then—tell other people about His great works. Who knows? Your praise just might inspire others to worship God as well.

Reordering Our Priorities

The northern tribes of Israel in Amos’ time seemed like they were doing all the right things. They offered sacrifices to God and were exact in their religious observations. And yet, the book of Amos is written to them as a warning—a warning that destruction that would befall them if they refused to change?

Why?

Because they had neglected the true heart of loving and worshiping God.

While they were doing many of the “right” things, it’s what they weren’t doing that God wanted to address. They failed to take care of the poor and needy. They turned their eyes away from injustice. Many had turned to idols for help and prayer.

Through Amos, God told the people of Israel that it is just as important to be righteous inwardly as it is outwardly. We cannot say we love God and others when we fail to help people who are within our power to help.

Just as James 1:27 tells us, true religion includes helping orphans, widows, and those who are in distress. James goes on to write that faith without works is a dead faith (James 2:26). In short, faith is both believing in the Lord and doing the things He has told us to do.

Take some time to think about your own life: how much time do you prioritize on your own spirituality versus serving others?

What ways can you begin to take steps toward serving in your church, your neighborhood, or your school in order to help those in need. All of these are ways that our faith becomes complete in Christ as we follow after Him.

Your Response Matters

When we’re in difficult situations, it isn’t always easy to stay calm or hold our tongues for very long.

But in James 1:19, we hear how we should respond…

Be quick to listen.
Be slow to speak.
Be slow to anger. 

The world is the opposite:

Be slow to hear what others have to say.
Be quick to voice your own opinions.
Be quick to accuse, argue, and fight.

Why is it so important to James that Christ’s followers don’t behave like this? Because “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:20)

So what does produce the right kind of living that God desires? 

The Word of God. 

James told his friends to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (James 1:21)

He said that if they have the Word of God in them, and if they are obeying it, they will be blessed. (James 1:25)

James is clear that if we are to be followers of God, we must know God’s word and obey it. That means we need to take time to listen to others, pace ourselves when we speak, and keep our anger at bay.  

So next time you’re faced with something that makes you angry, take James’ words to heart. Take time to temper your emotions, think through your feelings and arguments, and humbly pray for God to help you respond with kindness and grace.

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Humble Confidence

When we become children of our Heavenly Father, we’re granted the privilege of approaching the King of all kings with our requests. Mark said it this way:

“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24 NIV

God loves to give His children what they ask for—when asked with the right heart. Think about it this way…

Is a child concerned about approaching their loving parent for a snack, for a hug, for advice, or for help? When we come to God with similar childlike confidence—in sincerity, humility, trust, and even desperation—we can be confident that He hears us. When we submit our request, we might get a ‘yes,’ a ‘no,’ or a ‘not yet,’ but no matter what the answer is, we can know that God hears us as we trust Him with our prayers.

Whether you need wisdom, direction, or practical help, you can come boldly before the throne of God (Hebrews 4:16). So today, go to Him with your praises and doubts, thoughts and concerns, thankfulness and disappointments. It gives God great pleasure to provide you with all you need (Luke 12:31-32).

Burden Bearers

Everyone carries burdens. The things we go through shape the way we view the world—and ourselves. But we weren’t meant to carry our burdens alone.  

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says to the people following Him:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you… For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)

A yoke is a heavy wooden beam that lies across a pair of oxen, evenly distributing the weight of the loads they carry. But the term was also used by Jewish Rabbis. “The yoke of the law” symbolized complete submission to God’s law, and Rabbis taught that becoming yoked to it would free the Jews from enslavement to the world.

Jesus is using a phrase that His Jewish followers would have easily understood, but then He flips the illustration. He tells the crowd that they must yoke themselves to Him—because He is the fulfillment of their law. 

When they do this, the burdens they carry won’t be heavy at all, because He will bear the weight of their burdens.
 
Paul references this teaching in his letter to the Galatian Christians:  

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”   
Galatians 6:2 NLT 

The law of Christ is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). But the only way we can fulfill the law of Christ is if we bind ourselves to Him. When we are yoked to Jesus, He becomes our source of strength. 

He helps us endure hard situations and enables us to walk away from poor decisions. He fills us up with His love so that His love can overflow from us. He gives us the capacity to support other Christ-followers just like He supports us.   

Just as Jesus bore our sins and suffering, we are called to bear the suffering of others. In this way, we show them the love of Christ and guide them toward Jesus.

Right now, spend a few minutes talking to God about the burdens you need help carrying, and then allow Him to show you the people in your life He wants you to support.

 

In this week’s episode we will discuss the concepts of elected leadership’s role in accountability. Do the citizens have a role in accountability? You bet they do. Citizen and Government are two sides of the accountability coin in our Republic. We will also discuss the Tennessee government’s obfuscation of facts and data related to the recently passed voucher scheme, along with my personal address to Governor Lee and members of the General Assembly. Shout out to my good friends and their family on some recent milestones. Get your tickets for the annual Freedom Fest hosted by Tennessee Constitutional Grassroots Coalition this coming October 4th. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog at https://libertyleadershipandlies.com

 

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Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

One of the easiest things to do is to worry. We worry about our relationships, our finances, our basic needs, and our future. In fact, worry is often our natural first response in many situations. 

When we worry, we are trying to take control of something that we have no control over. If we could control it, then we wouldn’t be worrying about it. But Jesus says that we shouldn’t spend our time worrying about basic things, because God knows what we need and will provide those things for us (Matthew 6:25-26).

God takes care of the birds, the flowers, and the rest of creation, but Jesus says that our lives matter more to God than all of those things. If God takes care of His other creations, then we can trust that He will also take care of us. Worrying about the future can’t make it any better—it just makes today worse. 

The fear of the unknown can sometimes paralyze us in the present. But instead of worrying about the future, Jesus tells us to trust God. God is the only one who can control what’s to come. Since He is all-knowing and all-powerful, He is the only one who has power over the future.

So instead of anxiously ruminating on “what ifs,” we should trust God. We should make the most of each day that we have, and let tomorrow take care of itself. Like Jesus says, each day has enough trouble of its own, and tomorrow is unknown—so don’t fixate on what might happen tomorrow.

If you struggle with worrying, ask God to give you peace. Begin to shift your perspective from worrying about tomorrow toward focusing on what God has put in front of you today. Your trust in God grows as your worries lessen. So remind yourself of how much God cares for you. He will never give up on you. He will continue to take care of you and direct your paths.

True Freedom is Here

Everyone thinks about freedom differently. Most people would say freedom is a virtue that should be sought, but that idea changes depending on how it’s defined.

A lot of people think freedom is the absence of restraints—we are free when we’re free from things that hold us back. Others define freedom by our human will—if we can choose what we want, then we can be free. But these ideas are a bit different from what we find in Scripture…

According to God’s Word, freedom is found wherever the Spirit of God is found. Freedom is found when we live according to God’s original design for our life.

When we begin our life with Jesus, He gives us a new heart and a new way to live. He also sends the Spirit of God to live within us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:17 that wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is true freedom. That means all of us who believe in Jesus have access to this freedom.

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever we want but from living according to the Spirit of God—who lives within us.

And because we have that freedom, and the Spirit of God living in us, we are called to share it! The freedom we have in Christ isn’t reserved for a select few. It’s not meant to be kept to ourselves.

Take a moment right now to thank God for the freedom you have in Him, and ask him to put a name on your heart.

A Call to Believe

In John 20:19, after Jesus’ prophesied death and resurrection, we see that all of Jesus’ disciples have gathered, and Jesus went to see them. That is to say, almost all of them—Thomas wasn’t there. And when those who were present told Thomas that they had seen the Lord, Thomas did not believe it.

“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20:25 NIV

A week later, when the disciples were gathered together again, Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27 NIV)

Thomas immediately acknowledged that Jesus has, in fact, risen from the dead and is with them again. It’s here that Jesus says, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29 NIV).

Thomas believes, but Jesus is focused on even more than that. Jesus is addressing the rest of us, generations of believers to come who would believe without being able to see Him.

Jesus didn’t just die for us; He rose for us. And He didn’t deny Thomas what he asked for, but He also makes it clear that there is blessing for those who believe without seeing. The truth of His resurrection doesn’t rest on whether or not we’ve seen it. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). For us believers, what a gift to be among these who Jesus calls blessed!