Walking Through the Psalms“I will search for faithful people to be my companions.” – Psalm 101:6 (NLT)“The Difference Between ‘Friends’ and ‘Companions’” I have lots of friends. I hope you do, too. I have friends at church. I have friends from the Y. I have friends from cities all around the country where I’ve lived and pastored. I have friends that I’ve grown up with. I have friends I went to col...

Walking Through the Psalms“I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” – Psalm 101:2 (NLT)“Integrity Starts at Home” Why is it that we often treat the worst, the very people we say we love the most? It’s true, isn’t it? There are some of us who are so well thought of when we go to work or church. We smile, we’re kind, we’re pleasant, and we’re affirming. We tell people how nice they look. We ...

Walking Through the Psalms“For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” – Psalm 100:5 (NLT)“The Generational Faithfulness of God” Do you get worried about the coming generations? Ever look around at everything that’s going on in the world and cringe to think that this is the world your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildr...

Walking Through the Psalms“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” – Psalm 100:3 (NIV)“We Are His” Sometimes there are words that I’ve read in passages over and over, and then one day they just jump off the page at me. Today was one of those days. I was reading our verse above, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. “His.” God mad...

Walking Through the Psalms“O LORD our God, you answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, but you punished them when they went wrong.” – Psalm 99:8 (NLT)“Love and Discipline” Aren’t you grateful for the love of God? He loves us fully, completely, and unconditionally. His grace and willingness to forgive us are absolutely AMAZING. But are you as grateful for the discipline of God? Discipline ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel also called on His Name. They cried to the Lord for help, and He answered them.” – Psalm 99:6 (NLT)“You’re Famous!” I’ve had the privilege of meeting a few “famous” people in my life. When I worked at the Y in Houston, we had a couple of different movie stars visit our Y to work out, swim, and get massages. Back in my athlet...

Walking Through the Psalms"He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness." – Psalm 98:9 (NLT)“The Second Man Always Gets Caught” There is a saying in sports that says, “The second man always gets caught.” What that means is that if a player gives you a cheap shot during a game and gets away with it, the moment you retaliate, YOU will get caught! Smart players learn to leave p...

Walking Through the Psalms“Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!” – Psalm 98:6 (NLT)“From Solos to Symphonies” There’s a lot of debate about who is the greatest basketball player of all time. To me, it’s Michael Jordan. I know that other players scored more points. There have been players who have rebounded better, defended better, and handed out more assists. But there are a couple of...

Walking Through the Psalms“He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.” – Psalm 98:3 (NLT)“A Great Love Story” When Matt Grodsky met Laura Scheeler, he knew she was the woman he wanted to marry. He even declared in front of his classmates so the whole world would know. I’m not sure how many of them took him seriously. Probably not many. I imagine that even his own family just ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.” – Psalm 97:11 (NLT)“Need a Heart Check-up?” I had a friend a few years ago who went in to get his heart checked out. He hadn’t been having any major issues, but he hadn’t quite been feeling himself. He was getting tired more easily, and he was experiencing some minor pain in his chest from time to time....

Walking Through the Psalms“Tell all the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” – Psalm 96:10 (NLT)“When God Reigns!” I want you to fulfill this verse today. I want you to declare to the world, “The Lord reigns!” But I don’t want you to use words. And I don’t want you to tell them the Lord reigns over THEM. I want you to show the world the Lord reigns over YOU! Yeah, I know. You were hoping I would give you ...

Walking Through the Psalms“Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!” – Psalm 96:1 (NLT)“What’s Your NEW Song?” Did you ever hear the story about the older couple sitting on the porch together? The wife is thinking back about how they used to be so passionate about each other when they were young. She then sadly realizes that they have lost that spark and longs to get it b...

Walking Through the Psalms"If only you would listen to his voice today! The LORD says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did.” – Psalm 95:7-9 (NLT)“The Scars of Hardheadedness” Did you ever ignore good advice, only to suffer from not heeding it? I have...

Walking Through the Psalms“We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.” – Psalm 95:7 (NLT)“God Is Watching Over You” On July 1, Tracy Anton let her dog out after work as she usually did. When the dog bolted from the yard, Tracy started to chase after it. That was the last thing she remembered. Tracy went into cardiac arrest and collapsed in her yard. She never even remembered hitt...

Walking Through the Psalms“He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.” – Psalm 95:4 (NLT)“God Is Bigger” What are you facing that is intimidating you right now? What obstacles are you up against that seem insurmountable? What problem seems overwhelming and unsolvable? What is causing fear to grip your heart and leaving you paralyzed today? Can I tell you a secret? Y...

Walking Through the Psalms“For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.” – Psalm 95:3 (NLT)“Who Is YOUR God?” Who or what is your “god?” The answer to that lies in a few simple questions. “What is the singular, most important thing in your life?” Notice I said what IS, not what you think OUGHT to be. “Who or what DEFINES you?” In other words, who or what do you look to as the source o...

Walking Through the Psalms“But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” – Psalm 94:22 (NIV)“Rocks of Faith” Have you ever noticed that, for the most part, it is older people who seem to have a stronger, more sure faith? It hit me when I was reading our verse for today that it really doesn’t have to do with their AGE as much as it has to do with their EXPERIENCES...

Walking Through the Psalms“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” – Psalm 94:19 (NLT)“Dealing With Our Doubts” Do you ever have doubts? Do you have some right now? It’s okay. We all have them from time to time. We have doubts about why God allows certain things to happen. We have doubts about whether or not God really does hear our prayers. If we’re honest, there...

Walking Through the Psalms“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High.” – Psalm 92:1 (NLT)“Overwhelmed” This morning, as I walked and prayed, I spent a lot of time just thanking God for who He is and all He’s done. I ended up spending MOST of prayer time giving thanks. I hadn’t planned it that way. It was just that once I got started, I realized how much there was to b...

Walking Through the Psalms“When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.” – Psalm 91:15 (NLT)“The Fourth Man in the Fire” Wanda and I watched the Sight & Sound production of “Daniel” this weekend on television. If you’ve seen a Sight & Sound show, they are amazing. They are unbelievable when you watch them live at the theaters in Branson, MO, or Lancaster, PA. But even the t...