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Respect

Proverbs 1: 7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear of the Lord does not mean...

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Respect

Proverbs 1: 7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

The fear of the Lord does not mean that we should have a sense of horror, panic, fright or despair about God.  The fear of the Lord used by biblical writers is more an attitude of humble respect founded on our faith, love, and experience of God.

It is possible to gain knowledge apart from faith.  But knowledge without faith is heartless and hollow and can become an idol that replaces the one true God.  

For believers, our faith and love of God is our first priority.  Gaining knowledge flows from that faith and love. With that foundation, we seek out wise instruction.  And we use the knowledge of the world for the glory of God.

“Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.” (Proverbs 8:33)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


A New Song

Psalm 96:1-6

“1 O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.”

The lives of all Christians are to be a “new song” to all the earth; a new way of living, and a new way of thinking.  Our lives are to be an example of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.  Our example should declare God’s glory.  

We, the believers, are the “marvelous work” of God’s salvation and transforming power for all the world to see.

We are the new song God wants the world to hear.

Sing the new song.


May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


Wednesday, February 12, 2025

The Ways of God

Psalm 94: 1-7

“1 O Lord, you God of vengeance, you God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; give to the proud what they deserve! 3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. 5 They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. 6 They kill the widow and the stranger, they murder the orphan, 7 and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

This psalm was originally the prayer of  a Jewish person who sought God’s vengeance on his enemies.  At first we are shocked when we read these words.  We think we would never pray such a prayer.  But have we all not had these thoughts?

Humans are people of anger, war, and vengeance.  And we want to think that the God we worship is just like us.  We want to think that God hates those that we hate; that when we are angry, God is angry; when we cry for war,  God also cries for war.

This is not true.  In fact, Jesus came into the world to lead us away from these things; to lead us in the direction of love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness.

Let us pray that God does not become like us, but that we become like Him.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9)


May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


Tuesday, February 11, 2025

The Ways of God

Psalm 94: 1-7

“1 O Lord, you God of vengeance, you God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; give to the proud what they deserve! 3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. 5 They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. 6 They kill the widow and the stranger, they murder the orphan, 7 and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

This psalm was originally the prayer of  a Jewish person who sought God’s vengeance on his enemies.  At first we are shocked when we read these words.  We think we would never pray such a prayer.  But have we all not had these thoughts?

Humans are people of anger, war, and vengeance.  And we want to think that the God we worship is just like us.  We want to think that God hates those that we hate; that when we are angry, God is angry; when we cry for war,  God also cries for war.

This is not true.  In fact, Jesus came into the world to lead us away from these things; to lead us in the direction of love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness.

Let us pray that God does not become like us, but that we become like Him.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9)


May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


Our Lord Reigns

Psalm 97: 1-2

“1 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! 2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.”

The God that we serve is not an idol made of clay or wood.  He is not a passive god who watches us from a distance.  Our God reigns.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is our God who is actively planning, actively involved, and actively ruling over the present day universe.

No matter how crazy, chaotic, or out-of-hand we believe things are in this world, one thing is certain, our Lord reigns and is in control.

And righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


Monday, February 10, 2025

The Gifts


Psalm 131:1-3

“1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me. 3 O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time on and forevermore.”

Trouble, hardship, and suffering are part of life and cannot be avoided.  We try, but somehow these things always find us.  Yet, in the midst of these things, God asks us to have a calm and quieted soul.

If we try to find calm and quiet for our soul outside of God we will never find them.  Only God’s Holy Spirit can provide them.  He gives them to us through our faith, and it is only our regular practice of the spiritual disciplines that enables us to sustain a calm and quiet soul.  

If we consistently practice the disciplines of prayer, study of scripture, worship, service, fellowship, solitude and silence we will possess a calm and quiet spirit.

God gives us this gift so that we may be the calm in the chaos, the quiet in the swirl offering the world a better way. 

“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”  (John 16:33)


May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)


Sunday, February 9, 2025

Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

Psalm 122: 1-2

“1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.”

When I was young, my mother had to pry me out of bed and push me out the door to get me to go to church on Sunday.  Now that I am grown, I thank her for her perseverance.  

Thanks to my mother, and the love of a lot of other people, I have discovered not only the joy of knowing God, but also the joy of worshiping Him in the company of other believers, of singing praises and worship hymns, of hearing God’s word spoken, of hearing the witness of others.

Worship affirms my faith and refreshes my spirit.

I am now glad when people say to me, let us go to church and worship God.  Let us stand in the sanctuary for a while and feel the presence of God, God’s people, and the love and the fellowship they share.   


May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)