PUT FALSE WAYS FAR FROM ME ...

Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! Psalm 119:29
A confessional petition in the first part of this verse. With these words, the Psalmist asks the Lord to do for him what he cannot do, put false ways far from himself.
This begs the question: “Where do these false ways come from?”
It would be easy to point to any number of false teachers, prophets, and the like. If this were true, one would only need to flee such bringers of false ways.
No, the false ways that I, like the Psalmist, would have the Lord put far from me, are not the ways of others, but the way of me, myself and I.
Sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Ps. 51), I find that sin, my sinfulness, is always right here with me, taking me captive to its false ways. It matters not how much I may know the ways are false, nor how much I may know the way of truth. No amount of knowledge or understanding of my condition or situation, will ever enable me to sever myself from my false ways. I need to be rescued from my own falsity in sin (Rm 7).
The first petition in this verse is a cry for such a rescue. In praying that the Lord put false ways far from me, I, like the Psalmist, am praying that the Lord deliver me from me, put me far from me, keep me far from me, save me from me.
It is only because the Lord has graciously taught me His Law, that I am able to know myself and pray for such deliverance. It is the Law of the Lord that reveals truth from falsity, and it is that same Law which teaches me I need the Lord to do for me, what I cannot do for myself.
No place does the Lord teach me the fullness of His Law for me so graciously, as He does on the cross. For it is on the cross the Lord Himself reveals what the Law says about me and to me, as He suffers its fullness to put it and my falsity far from me.
But in regards to this petition, how far as the Lord removed me and my false ways from me? As far as Jesus.
Yes, it may seem as if the distance is no farther than a film of water and a word, but Jesus is that Word, and by it, He is in that water coming between me the sinner, and the new me He has created in Himself and His ways.
Yes, it may seem as far as if the distance is no farther than the thickness of a piece of bread, a sip of wine, and a word, but Jesus is that Word, and by it, He is in that bread and sip of wine, getting between me the sinner and the me He’s made to live in Him.
And what distance can the words of a man put between me, my sin, my falsity and the me that He has made in Himself? The full distance of Himself, for Jesus has called that man to put Him between me the sinner, and the me He’s set free to live in Him.
Wonder of wonders, that Jesus, the Son of God, humbles Himself unto my humanity and my falsity on the cross, so that in my humanity I might live in Him Who is the way and the truth and the life – for me.
How far has he delivered me from my falsity and false ways? - as far as the east is from the west, as far as life is from death, as far as eternity is from time and as far as the truth is from the false.
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

YOU CAN HELP HAITI - LCMS WORLD RELIEF

I'm sure that many of you have heard of the destruction in Haiti. There is large Lutheran population there and many are suffering. Please keep all in your prayers and if you'd like to help, remember that our LCMS- World Relief and Human Care is even now responding to help and they could use your support. 
Follow this link to help as you can.  God bless you!!

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=16375

A Prayer to look for the Lord only in His Blessed Masks

Gracious Lord, how my eyes long to see You and Your work in my life and the world around me.
Guard me from attempting to satisfy my longing by my own reason or senses.
Grant that when I hear and see Your Word rightly taught, Your absolution freely declared, Your sacraments rightly administered, and Your will rightly done – I may boldly say,
“This day I have seen God’s Word and God’s work!
I have heard God Himself!
I have seen God’s hands at work as He baptized, as He fed me and others with the body and blood of His Son!”
When I am tempted to doubt Your presence and Your work because of the mask You have chosen, blind my earthly eyes and give sight to my eyes of faith that I may see You and receive You in all Your saving work.
Grant that I may never seek to separate You and Your Work from Your Word or the offices You have chosen for me as my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier.
Console me and all believers with the understanding that when we are brought to heaven’s shores - we will see and behold You and Your work without masks and coverings that now protect us from the fullness of Your glory.
For now, allow that I, my brothers and my sisters in the faith may stand in the place that You have chosen for us.
We see You and Your work as we see the sun behind and through the clouds.
To this end, grant that inasmuch as we long to have and behold You in heaven, we may have and behold You through Your chosen masks which are the mission, substance and work of Christianity – the Word rightly proclaimed and Your Sacraments rightly administered in Your Church.
If ever I would like to rightly know how it is between me and You, my Lord, and whether my way pleases You, grant that I may pay close attention only to Your Word and Your works in all their fullness.
This I ask and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Studying & Praying God's Word - A Simple Guide

Studying God’s Word

1. What is God teaching me (what am I to learn)?
  - about Himself – Father/Son/Holy Spirit?
  - about me/others?
  - about life/death?
  - about faith/belief/unbelief/doubt?
  - about other things?
            GOD HAS TAUGHT ME …

2. What is there in this text that I should thank God for?
            I CAN REALLY THANK GOD FOR …

3. How have I failed or sinned in light of what I have learned in this text?
  - Is there something God would have me do that I have failed to do?
            I REALLY HAVEN’T BEEN …
  - Is there something I have been doing that God would have me to stop doing?
            I HAVE BEEN …

4. What would God have me do differently in my life according to this text?
  - What would God have me think, say, or do differently from what I am currently doing?
            GOD WOULD CHANGE THE WAY I … BY …
  - What would the Lord have me start thinking, saying, or doing that I wasn’t before?
            GOD WOULD HAVE ME BEGIN …

Praying God’s Word
From the answers to the series questions, you’ll begin to find the next by product – the substance of your prayers.

1. WISE HEAVENLY FATHER, IN WHAT YOUR WORD HAS TAUGHT ME,
    GRANT ME YOUR WISDOM THAT I MAY . . .
2. GRACIOUS AND GIVING LORD, IN WHAT YOUR WORD HAS TAUGHT ME,
    I THANK YOU FOR . . .
3. MERCIFUL AND FORGIVING LORD, IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOUR WORD
    HAS TAUGHT ME, I CONFESS TO YOU THAT . . .
4. HOLY SPIRIT AND GUIDE, IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOUR WORD HAS TAUGHT ME,
    GRANT THAT I MAY NO LONGER . . .
    AND GRANT THAT I MAY BEGIN TO . . .