Psalm 1: Coverdale [1535] Sprowls [2009]. The timeless is always relevant.

I loved reading and singing Psalm 1 this morning. Amazing! 16th century translation joined with a 21st century metrical psalm version. The timeless is always relevant. Great times today! Man, the piano sounds sweet!

Coverdale's Translation:

Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law will he exercise himself day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the waterside, that will bring forth his fruit in due season. His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper. As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth. Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous. But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; and the way of the ungodly shall perish. [1535]

And Zach's metrical version:

1.Bless'd is the man who does not walk / In wicked ones' deceit / Nor does he stand in sinner's way / Nor sits in scoffer's seat

2. And he does not delight in sin / But in God's righteous law / Where day and night it is his joy / To ponder all day long

3.The blessed man is like a tree / Who by the streams is found / His fruit is ripe, his leaf is strong / And all he does abounds

4. The wicked are not like the bless'd / Who firmly planted are / But like the chaff that blows away / To places near and far

5. .Therefore the wicked will not stand / There on the judgment day / Nor sinners with the righteous ones / Who prospered in God's ways

6. For God is just and knows all things / He will reward us all / The righteous will be bless'd by God / But wicked ones will fall [2009]

Yesterday Morning's Outreach!

We had a great time yesterday morning inviting our community friends to visit Grace. God will give the increase. We delight in being faithful goers, in opening our mouths to speak of Christ. We scatter the seed, then simply go to sleep. God will give the increase. Entertaining the goats will not turn goats into sheep. They’ll simply remain “entertained goats.” The faithful proclamation of the gospel is the only divine remedy for a sinful heart. We do not lose heart. God is bringing great glory to Himself, using us as His means! “Great things He has done!” Pastor Doc

Preaching law, not grace"

"To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved unconditional blessing; our devotion may follow, but does not always do so--in proper measure." William R. Newell [1868-1956]

Is "a new song" new music?

"New song is not new music. In many ways it's just a synonym for the gospel." Scotty Smith, Christ Community Church

The Great Commission and Christian Singing

"Making-disciples-by teaching" [Matthew 28:20] is the goal of Christian congregational singing [Colossians 3:16]. Christian singing is the teaching and correcting word of Christ spoken together in song to one another. It's corporately and joyfully didactic." Doc's Journal 8/18/10

Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Prayer in Public and Private

Sermon Outline
Luke 11:1-13
August 15, 2010

“Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Prayer in Public and Private.”

I. The foundation [or “divine direction”] for Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer [Luke 11:1-13]
*The divine revelation from Jesus concerning the practice of prayer [vv. 1-4] so that his people might increasingly respond derivatively and dependently [v. 2 “When you pray, say”] and persistently [vv. 5-13] in prayer.

II. The dilemma of not Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer.
*The dilemma in prayer and worship [public and private] is that our response to God is often not shaped by the Word of God [Acts 4:24-26, 29].

III. The delight of Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer.
*Praying the Bible with an emphasis on the prayers of the Bible.
Herbert Lockyer, All the Prayers of the Bible [1959]
Prayers of the Bible: With Their Answers [1855] Collected by a Church Member published by A.S. Barnes & Company [google books]

*Learning from others who help us to practice praying the Bible. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotionals [1975]

*Singing the Bible as prayer.

more derivative and dependent than innovative and independent

Prayer, if I'm reading Luke 11:2-4 correctly ["Pray like this"], is more derivative and dependent than innovative and independent. Prayers are our words and thoughts conforming themselves more and more to God’s Word as we progressively become more conformed into the image of Christ. Doc from Sunday's Sermon, Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Praying in Public and Private [8.15.10.].

On the necessity of Public Pastoral Prayer

I'm really excited about gathering together for prayer tonight. There is a kind of holy safety and quieting comfort that comes from a desire desire to devote oneself to the public gathering of the local church for prayer [Acts 2:42]. In preparation for our gathering I was reading Stuart Olyott's little work entitled, Reading the Bible and Praying in Public. It's only 22 pages; however these are rich meditations. He writes:

"We have grossly over-estimated the prayer life of our people. Countless numbers of brothers and sisters hardly pray at all. We can stir up their appetite. If our public prayers draw them into glory, and leave them with ravished souls, they will want to pray more and better." Stuart Olyott on the necessity of Public Pastoral Prayer

Hope to pray with many of you tonight!

Doc

Hearing One Another

One of the implications of Christians speaking to one another while they are singing [Colossians 3:16] is that they hear one another. Christian singing is like a conversation. We may be speak the same words, but we're speaking those words intelligibly to each other as we admonish ourselves in love, peace, thanksgiving, wisdom, and in the name of the Lord Jesus. If the accompaniment overpowers the singing of God's people, than the Christian conversation becomes difficult to hear, and the encouragement that comes from clearly hearing brothers and sisters around them communicating with them lessens. So let's not take our cues for congregational singing from the culture. Attending a loud concert is one thing. It's the performance of a group on a stage not meant to accompany singers. That's cool for Montage Mountain on a Saturday Night. But the corporate singing of God's people on the Lord's Day is something quite different and absolutely unique to the Church. Doc's Journal, August 8, 2010