Wilderness Wanderings

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior....

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. For... (Psalm 33:1, 4a) The opening part of the worship services in many Christian congregations includes "a call to worship". Most often this is a passage of scripture like the beginning of Psalm 33. These verses are like invitations that cannot be declined. They call us to worship God and they give us reasons...

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:1-2) I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For...

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and My Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Like me, many of you have likely heard this verse prayed during a worship service. Preachers will pray it just before they begin their sermon. It is a good practice; I've done it many times myself. We preachers will also pray such a prayer when we are in our studies...

To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help." You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise yo...

Give praise to the Lord. He showed me his wonderful love when my enemies attacked the city I was in. I was afraid and said, "I've been cut off from you!" But you heard my cry for your favor. You heard me when I called out to you for help (Psalm 31:22-23). "All prayer is prayed in a story, by someone who is in the story...Spiritualized prayer is denatured prayer, prayer in which all the dirt and no...

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7) We are always and everywhere tempted to believe that salvation comes by our own accomplishment.  By the work of our hands we establish ourselves and provide for ourselves and our families.  By our own firm stands we defend ourselves, our family, and our institutions.   And, there's something to th...

"The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him the desire of his heart, and not withheld the request of his lips" (Psalm 21:1, 2). Psalm 21 is a victory song. It is not difficult to imagine the people of Israel singing these words as David returned victorious from battle. The day is perfect for Israel: king and people are following t...

To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. … The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever. (Psalm 28:1,8-9)   One of the most difficult realities of the Christian life is the e...

An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!   The texts come from Matthew 7:7-12, from the New International Version of the Bible.   Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!   To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube .   Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: imma...

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name, worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness…The Lord on his throne rules over the flood. The Lord rules from his throne as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people. The Lord blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29:1,10-11). Do you know the story of the dad trying to get a kiss from his daughter? "Honey," he said, "come give Daddy a hug."...

Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy...

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my he...

How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my h...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text of Matthew 7:1-6.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelministries.ca Consider all the reasons why we judge each other. Wha...

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4). Here's a story I've told before on Wilderness Wanderings. One day while Stuart Sacks was serving as a Christian Missionary in Paraguay, a Maka Indian named Rafael came to sit on his porch. Stuart went...

Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. (Psalm 26:1-3) This Psalm—like any number of others—gives us pause.  Who of us would dare say such a thing to God?   But while it might s...

        In you, Lord my God, I put my trust…Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths (Psalm 25:1,4). The psalms of the Old Testament are the church's prayer book. This doesn't mean that these are the only prayers or songs we offer, but that we allow them to be our prayer teachers. They will teach us how to pray the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father who is in heaven..." Many psalms come out of the dep...

A different angle on growing and fruit today... Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, "Come back to me in three days." The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips;...

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you re...

An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!   The texts come from Matthew 6:1-4, from the New International Version of the Bible.   Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!   To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube .   Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: imman...

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. (Psalm 118:22-24) Anyone familiar with the New Testament will know that these verses from Psalm 118 about Jesus being the cornerstone show up all over.  Verse 24 is where our song "This is the Day that the Lord ha...

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you re...

Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. (Psalm 146:1-5) As...

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you" (John 15:1-3). One of the counter intuitive elements of fruit growing is pruning. It appears logical that the more branches on a tree or vine,...