Psalm 121:7-8

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. 

I think life jackets are dorky. No matter how hip and trendy I dress (and let's face it, I'm a smooth dresser), when I put a life preserver on, I feel like a bloated fish. But I have been knocked out of boats, and I have quickly discovered that I don't care at all how I look when I'm gulping the lake. I'm just thankful that my life is being preserved by that orange jacket.
We've learned much about our God during Psalm 121. Today, we discover our God is the Preserver of our lives. But I need to let you in on a little secret. We've already covered this. Do you remember when we discussed how God is our Keeper? Are you ready for this? The two English words keep and preserve are actually the same word in the Hebrew language. So to be clear, the word keep shows up three times in the psalm, and the word preserve shows up three times in the psalm. We are told the same thing about God SIX TIMES in eight verses. Do you think we ought to pay attention?
God took pains to tell you something about himself. He is your Keeper and Preserver. He will protect you, save you, preserve you, and take care of you. You can bank on it! Perhaps God is repeating himself because you need to be shown again the loving arms of Jesus. Maybe you're thinking that nobody understands the things you're facing at home or work. Okay…so unload your cares on God. He is certain to be there for you. He is your Keeper. He is your Preserver.
How long will God be your life preserver? Well, according to the psalm, for all time and all eternity. God will even be preserving you from evil in heaven. If you thought there was no evil or sin in heaven, you'd be right. Why? Because God is forever your Preserver! You are special to him. He takes careful interest in you. Maybe you've been struggling with doubts of your salvation. Remember the words of Jesus. Nobody has the power to pluck you out of the Father's hand. He is your Preserver always and forever.
Because God is your Preserver…your Shade…your Keeper…and your Helper, what are you supposed to do? Lift up your eyes to him.
Final note: My teenagers tell me I'm woefully unstylish. But what do they know? They're teenagers.

Food for thought: Why do you think God tells you six times he will preserve and guard you?

- Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org

Psalm 121:5b-6

…the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Ah summer! The hot sun. Fireworks. The beach. Sunburn. Baseball. Blistering heat. Lemonade. Mosquitoes. Did I mention the sun? I sure hope you don't experience any sun-related illness this summer. But if you or a friend face a heat emergency, the first thing you must do is find a cool place to sit quietly. Your body needs a cooler environment immediately. And stay in the shade.
Guess what? God is your shade. This is wonderful truth because life is often miserably hot. You have known the scorching heat of loneliness, discouragement, failure, temptation, fear, helplessness, and hopelessness. You have been burned by bad relationships at home. You have cried hot tears. Please hear this! You must find shade immediately.
God is the shade on your right hand. This means he is constantly near you. He is permanently near you to offer you the cool shade in the heat of your life. Have you ever tried to lose your shadow? It's impossible (unless you're Peter Pan…and sadly, you're not). It is easier for you to lose your shadow than to lose the Lord's presence. Even if you walk through the dark valley of death, God is with you. In fact, Jesus has promised he will never leave nor forsake you.
The simple truth is you cannot lose God. He is always right there. There will always be unbearable heat in your life, but why stay there when you can run to the shade of God's comfort? You see, you can't lose God because Jesus lost God on the cross. He was abandoned for your sin. He was forsaken, crushed, banished from the Father's presence and favor so by faith you will never be alone. Look to the cross to find out how much God loves you.
Jesus knows your painful heat. He was slandered, ignored, hated, forgotten, mocked, and misunderstood. He is truly the Man of Sorrows. So go to your Shade. Nobody understands like him. There will always be hurts and disappointments, but you don't have to live there. Run to your Shade when the problems arise. Cast your cares upon him. Talk to him!
Whatever could harm you in the night or in the day will not smite you while you are in the shade. My three children all cried as babies when the sun was in their eyes. But the most amazing thing happened when we pulled a shade down. They stopped crying. If you're complaining about the hardships you're facing, my friend, you are simply not in the shade. Your God loves you and he's not waiting for you to mess up. He knows life is hard, but he is your Shade. You need a cooler environment immediately.

Food for thought: Why live in the heat when you can live in the shade?

- Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org

Psalm 121:3-5a

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper:
We learned yesterday that we have no need of fear because God is our Keeper. Today, we learn our Keeper is not a Sleeper. This is why you can rest in his protection. He is always on guard, watching over your life. He is always keeping because he is never sleeping.
The word slumber carries the idea of dozing. This is accidentally falling asleep. Dozing typically happens when weariness overcomes your best effort to stay awake. It's like when the Bible college student fell asleep in class and his friend elbowed him and whispered, "The teacher just asked you to stand up and pray." And so the class was interrupted by a barely coherent prayer by one tired student!
However, sleep is different from slumber. It is a deep sleep. A sleep on purpose. It is the sleep of the youth leader after an all-night youth activity with teenagers hopped up on caffeine. In both cases of slumber and sleep, tired and weary people find comfort in shutting their eyes and drifting away to the land of dreams.
But look at the text. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Your Keeper never sleeps, grows weary, or becomes exhausted. What a peace this brings! No matter how big your problems are, run to your Keeper because he has not drifted off to sleep. He is vigilantly watching over your life and future. If I was in charge of constant protection over you, you would quickly discover what a bad keeper I am. I have to sleep. I will sleep. And the enemy will wait for me to nod off.
Because God is your never-sleeping Keeper, you can sleep in peace. I don't know what's plaguing your mind at night. I don't know what fears grip your soul. But you should know your God. You are the treasure of his heart, and he has not gone to sleep on the job of protecting you. So cast your burdens on the Lord and let him worry about them. You need to be like the little daughter or son who burrows their head into their father's chest and falls into a deep, contented sleep. Let the winds blow. Let the fears come. Let the heartaches occur. This is normal in a sinful world. But Jesus is your Keeper. He is watching over you, and he will not sleep on the job.

Food for thought: Why do you think we cast our burdens on God only to take them back up after prayer?

- Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org

Psalm 121:3-5a

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper:

It was not until the 10th grade that I played my first official game of soccer. And soccer introduced me to a whole new way of talking. Contrary to popular thought, soccer isn't played on a field. No, the game takes place on a pitch. The things I put on my feet were no longer cleats; they were boots. And goalies didn't guard the goal, keepers did. You see, keepers keep the ball from the goal. Keepers guard the net. Keepers watch the most vulnerable spot on the pitch (or field…I still call it that). The keeper protects the net from the ball coming in.
I can't help but think about soccer when I read, "The Lord is thy keeper." Your life is kind of like that soccer goal and many things are trying to get in to destroy your confidence, faith, trust, and hope. But you have one awesome Keeper who protects you from that which could destroy. What a thought! God is watching over you. Because he is always on his guard, you have no need to fear. You don't need to worry about being alone, fitting in, having your needs met, or even the state of your salvation. Why? Because God is guarding you. He is your Keeper.
Soccer isn't the only place where you find a keeper. Imagine the Old West cattle drives for a minute. The cowboys get the steers and cows down for the night. Soothing lullabies are sung to calm the skittish cattle. Soon the weary men bed down as well. But one cowboy stands watch. Refusing to look into the dying campfire for fear of compromising his night vision, he diligently looks and listens for approaching rustlers, coyotes, or other dangers that could induce a stampede. Much money is tied up in getting this herd to the stockyards in Kansas City. The cattle are valuable. And that is why they need a keeper.
Perhaps you feel unimportant. Perhaps you've been told you're not worth much. Perhaps you've been hurt deeply by someone's actions or words. But you must believe with all your heart that you are valuable to God. After all, he is your Keeper. Keepers are only needed when there is something valuable to be guarded. Psalm 139:17-18 reveals that the precious thoughts God has for you are more in number than the grains of sand on planet earth. Did you hear that? God must think about you a whole lot.
No doubt you've heard of guardian angels, but Psalm 121 tells you that God himself is your personal Keeper. This is why God went to the cross…to protect us from the devastating consequences of our sin. If God were not your Keeper, you would perish in hell for your sin, but he guards and protects you from condemnation when you call on him for salvation.
But he also keeps you from that which would destroy you. Near tragedies or accidents are not lucky breaks; they are the divine action of your Keeper. And when bad things do happen to you, God has not stopped being your Keeper. His way is perfect, and he is always good. If death occurs, the glories of heaven await those who belong to him. So when you feel vulnerable, run to the One who counts you valuable. And find he is your eternal Keeper.

Food for thought: Name a specific example where God showed how he was keeping and guarding you.

- Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org

Psalm 121:1-2, part 2

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Today, we'll look at the first two verses of Psalm 121 more closely as we consider that God is the Helper we need for our impossible situations. Let me begin with some fairly obvious questions. If you have a car problem, where do you go? Well, you go to the auto mechanic (don't sit there shaking your head because you know how to fix cars and I don't). Okay, so where do you go if you have a tooth problem? Not the auto mechanic! You obviously go to a dentist. It's so simple, isn't it? You take your problems to the one who can fix the problem. The same is true in all areas of your life. Take your problems, fears, questions, and hurts to the only One who can fix them.
Psalm 121 is one of the "Songs of Ascent." Don't turn me off just yet. This is cool. Each year, the faithful followers of God would journey to Jerusalem in order to worship him. Why go to Jerusalem? Because the temple was there! That building was a symbol of God and his presence in the land. So therefore, the temple in Jerusalem was thought of as the place where God is.
As they traveled in caravans, these families would sing Psalms 120-134 as they ascended to the hills of Jerusalem. When they sang, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills," they were saying, "I'm going to the One who can help me." And just in case you don't get what they're singing, they made it very clear. "My help is coming from Jehovah. He's the One who created everything."
They lifted their eyes from their problems to focus on the only One who could actually help. They knew the fears, sins, and trials of life were too big for them…but never too big for their God. And so, with strong confidence in God's power, they took their issues to the One who stepped out into nothing and created everything with just a word. That's power, folks. And you have this God in your life.
Remember Peter who wanted to meet Jesus on the Sea of Galilee? Jesus said, "Come on out, Peter." That dude did something you and I would never do. He stepped off the boat and began to walk on the waves. What Peter did was beyond belief. But he began to look around him and realized what he was doing. Immediately, he sank like a rock (that is what his name means, right?). As he was dropping beneath the foam, he prayed. I love his prayer. He didn't worry about properly forming his words. He didn't concern himself with how the other disciples would critique his prayer. He simply cried out, "Lord, help!" And Jesus gripped his hand firmly and pulled him up.
Isn't that prayer for help what we did in salvation? "Lord, help! I am a sinner. I believe you did for me on the cross what I could never do for myself. If you don't save me from my sins, I have nothing. I cast myself on you." Now, if we threw ourselves on Jesus' power for salvation, why are we trying to make our Christian life work without God's power? Stop trying your own skill and strength. It hasn't worked for you anyway. Lift your eyes to the only One who has the power to help you. You know who I'm talking about. He's the One who made heaven and earth. And you think your problem is too hard for him?

Food for thought: Why do you think we don't run to the Lord immediately for help?

- Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org

Psalm 121:1-2, part 1

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

It was the week of our honeymoon, and I took my bride one Saturday afternoon to go whale watching off the coast of Maine. It would be six of the most regrettable hours of my life. The little boat we shared with 50 others kept rocking up and down, rolling with the restless rhythm of the Atlantic Ocean. The constant motion made me more nauseous with each relentless wave until I could no longer take it. I rushed to the railing of the vessel to join several of my fellow travelers as in unison we emptied our stomachs and added to the ecosystem of the Atlantic!
Only after my third trip to the side of the boat did the convulsions mercifully stop. But the sickness wouldn't release me until the final hour when the blessed shoreline came back to view. And in case you're wondering, the whales never showed. I don't blame them though. I wouldn't want to swim in vomit either. The rolling Atlantic had revealed to me my helpless inability to really control anything in my life.
There are times when you feel helpless. Perhaps you're there today. You find yourself powerless to change your family or yourself. You know all too well your weakness to defeat a specific temptation and to stay right with God. You've tried to read your Bible and pray and even share your faith, but you end up epically failing. In fact, you've failed so many times that you've quit trying and have begun to indulge in a life lived for self. What's the answer?
The answer is simple. You need a Helper to do for you what you can't do for yourself. And according to Psalm 121, you have one…and he's all-powerful. As wonderful as it is, the best part of salvation is not escaping hell or even having your sins forgiven. The greatest part of salvation is that you get God in your life. You now have access to the most potent power in the universe. Never resign yourself to believing your impossible situation cannot change.
Do you remember my powerlessness to stop the waves of the ocean? When you face your own helpless situation today, call out to the one who muzzles the wind and waves of the Sea of Galilee. As he comes to help you, you too will say, "What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Food for thought: If God is your help, why are you trying to fix your problems without him?

Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org
Andy and his wife, Bryn, have been serving the church family of Burge Terrace Baptist Church since 2001. They have three children - Charis, Drew, and Amberly.

Psalm 1:5-6

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
When we read Psalm 1, the psalmist makes it very clear that the ungodly and the righteous walk two extremely different paths. He goes on in verse 5 to describe how that those paths conclude in two completely different destinations. They are not interchangeable. They do not coincide. They are starkly different endings.
The path of the ungodly (the lifestyle that is consumed with self-gratification) ends with a crushing judgment. The path of the righteous (the lifestyle infused with the self-sacrifice of Jesus) ends in a joyful celebration.
So what is the “path”? The “path” could simply be described as people’s actions and interactions. It has to do with life choices and pursuits, and would include motivations and desires.
The “path” of the ungodly is filled with self-serving actions that are always tainted with the self-centered sense of personal accomplishment. Life goals include the accolades of those around them, the accumulation of stuff, and the acquisition of overstuffed coffers.
The “path” of the righteous is completely opposite. Instead of serving self, the righteous see their goal as accomplishing the magnification of God in the hearts and minds of those around them. The life goals of accolades, and accumulation, and acquisition are replaced with an insatiable desire to see God’s Kingdom grow and be established.
Knowing that these two different paths conclude in two different destinations, which would you choose? Any reasoning, capable human being would choose the one that ended in the joyful celebration. Why then do people choose the one that ends in destruction? Because they are too distracted by the glitz and glimmer of their lifestyle. Like a mouse attracted to the devastating cheese on the mousetrap, or a beetle to the glowing bug light, they cannot resist the overwhelming, enslaving power of their life choices and pursuits. Vice after vice binds their minds until they are convinced that their self-destruction is normal, and that their future-mutilation is commonplace and unpreventable.
We can offer them hope in Jesus, but we must guard our minds from the “deceitfulness” of the things that so easily bind them. We must constantly suspect our own motives and desires. We must search our hearts and souls for any captivating thing that is slowly drifting us away from the right “path” lest we end up in the destination of the ungodly.

Food For Thought: What determines the destination that people will arrive at eventually?