Singing Psalm 1 with Isaac Watts

Our church just started a sermon series on the Book of Psalms. After the sermon, we are singing the psalm as paraphrased by Isaac Watts who added meter and rhyme. Psalm 1 was written in Common Meter, and we sang it to the tune of one of his more familiar hymns – “We Sing the Greatness of Our God.”

Blest is the man who shuns the place
Where sinners love to meet;
Who fears to tread their wicked ways,
And hates the scoffer’s seat:
But in the statutes of the Lord
Has placed his chief delight;
By day he reads or hears the word,
And meditates by night.

Green as the leaf, and ever fair,
Shall his profession shine
While fruits of holiness appear
Like clusters on the vine.
Not so the impious…unjust;
What vain designs they form!
Their hopes are blown away like dust,
Or chaff before the storm.

Sinners in judgment shall not stand
Amongst the sons of grace,
When Christ, the Judge, at his right hand
Appoints his saints a place.
His eye beholds the path they tread,
His heart approves it well
But crooked ways of sinners lead
Down to the gates of hell.

Devoted Goals

This past Fall our church looked at five habit of growth to which we should be devoted. Then during advent, we looked at being devoted to the gospel. Below is my attempt to pull it all together with the goal of applying our study to our lives during the coming year. I believe these would be good questions for any Christian to ponder as we look at a new year, a new month, and a new week.

Annual Goals (Review at least monthly)

Gospel: What habit will I begin this year to better remember, focus on, and live out the hope, peace, joy, and love found in Jesus?

Worship: What habit will I begin to better prepare my heart to come into God’s presence for corporate worship each Sunday? 

Prayer: What is one way I would like to grow in prayer this year? 

Word: What portion of Scripture (Old Testament, New Testament, Book(s) of the Bible, etc.) will I commit to read and meditate on throughout this year? 

Fellowship: In what ways will I partner with my church family this year in serving, giving, and prayer?

Outreach: What habit will I begin to become more watchful for opportunities to share the gospel this year? What will I do to become better prepared to share the gospel this year?  Who might I specifically pray for to receive salvation this year?

What might distract me from these goals, and how can I overcome that?
How can I live out these goals as expressions of love instead of pride?

Monthly Goals (Review at least weekly)

Gospel: What might I do to better grasp some aspect of the gospel this month, and let that aspect of the gospel better grasp me?

Worship: Is there an area in my life that I need to start submitting to God this month, and what will I do about it?

Prayer: What promise or attribute of God will I incorporate into my prayers this month?

Word: What passage of Scripture will I memorize this month?

Fellowship: What practical need in my church family will I seek to help with this month?  Who can I get together with this month around a meal?

Outreach: What practical need do I see in my workplace, neighborhood, or community that I could seek to meet this month?  How might God lead me to help with this month’s church outreach activity and/or outreach/missions project? How do I specifically need to pray for my missionaries this month? 

Weekly Goals (Review daily)

Gospel: What aspect of the gospel from my Bible reading or Sunday’s sermon will I meditate on this week?

Worship: In the midst of my current trials and temptations, what attribute of God or aspect of the gospel will I cling to this week to tune my heart to praise Him? 

Prayer: Who and what do I specifically need to pray for this week?

Word: What Biblical truth from my personal reading or Sunday’s sermon do I need to very specifically apply to my life this week?

Fellowship: Who in my church family might God be leading me to care for and/or seek to encourage this week, and how will I do it?

Outreach: How might I better shine as a light with integrity, hope, and love this week? What is one way I might purposefully seek to share the gospel this week?

J.I. Packer

Packer

Another Christian giant has fallen – or better – been taken to be with his Lord, passing away July 17, 2020.  He had an early impact on me through his book, Knowing God, which  I read as a teen.  Rediscovering Holiness and The Quest For Godliness helped to teach me that salvation was meant to change your life.  More recently, Grounded in the Gospel, which he co-authored with Gary Parrett, helped me better think through Christian education.  I thank the Lord for him.

Here is a short biography, a few other tributes, and a collection of quotes:

J. I. Packer (1926–2020) – Justin Taylor

J. I. Packer: A Personal Appreciation – Ray Ortlund

J. I. Packer’s Final Words to the Church – Ivan Mesa (TGC)

10 Things You Should Know about J. I. Packer – Leland Ryken (Crossway)

40 Quotes from J. I. Packer (1926–2020) – Matt Smethurst (TGC)

 

 

Out West – Day 14

WestBlog14

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 14th and final day out west – Petrified Forest in AZ.

Out West – Day 13

WestBlog13

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 13th day out west – Grand Canyon, South Rim in AZ.

Out West – Day 12

WestBlog12

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 12th day out west – Grand Canyon, North Rim in AZ.

Out West – Day 11

WestBlog11

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 11th day out west – Bryce Canyon in Utah.  An amazing place!

Out West – Day 10

WestBlog10

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 10th day out west – in the middle of Utah.

Out West – Day 9

WestBlog09

One year ago was our family’s out west trip. It was amazing how everywhere we looked, we saw the Creator’s handiwork, and yet no mention of Him on the signs or in the literature. And so I am remembering our trip with pictures of God’s amazing creation, and adding Scriptures to keep the focus on our amazing Creator. Today was our 9th day out west – at Capital Reef in UT.