“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NIV).
In a culture that holds a premium on so called “self-made men” and rugged individualism it is unusual for people to seek guidance from others. We don’t want to admit that we may not have all the answers and we certainly don’t want people thinking we might have a problem. The result is that many suffer in silence only seeking guidance when the damage has been done and our minds have already been made up.
David, King of Israel, was not like that. He readily sought God’s divine guidance. More importantly he responded to that guidance. I fear that many of us seek God’s guidance when we have a problem or important decision to make but we do so secretly having already decided that if what God has to say to us is not to our liking we will ignore the guidance.
Whenever anyone comes into my office for counsel, the first question I ask them is “Do you really want help or are you looking for someone who will agree with what you’ve already decided to do?” Now, I don’t mean that question to sound harsh or cold, but what I do know from years of experience is that the vast majority of people who seek Godly counsel really want an affirmation that their ungodly course of action is understandable and acceptable. They want God to show them His ways, not so they can necessarily walk in those ways, but so that they can determine for themselves what the best way they think they should go is. If the Scripture supports it, fine. If it doesn’t, they’ll find someone who will.
I want to assure you that God’s way is not only the best way, it is the only way to go if you don’t want to end up with egg on your face; if you don’t want to be put to shame (see 25:3).
How does God guide us? I believe that God guides us today primarily through His written Word (the Bible). I have heard the false prophets who claim to have a “fresh word from God,” give advice that is certainly not from God. How can I say that? Because God’s will never violates His written Word. One lady told me that her spirit filled pastor had assured her that an affair was sinful but acceptable under certain circumstances–he and she by the way were in those circumstances. Needless to say her family is still reeling from this sin. God’s will never violates His written Word. With that in mind, it simply makes sense that if you want God’s guidance on your life, you can find it in God’s road-map for your life–the Bible. How does the saying go? B-I-B-L-E stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
The Life Application Bible produced by Tyndale House and Zondervan has this footnote regarding verse 4: “David expressed his desire for guidance. How do we receive God’s guidance? The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God’s primary guidance system is in His Word, the Bible. . . We may be tempted to demand answers from God, but David asked for direction. When we are willing to seek God, learn from His Word and obey His commands, then will we receive specific guidance.”
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Defeating Enimies
“Lord, I turn my hope to You. My God I trust in You. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. Not one person who waits for You will be disgraced; though who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced.” (Psalm 25:1-3 HCSB).
Of the 150 Psalms, nearly half (72) speak about enemies. The translation above is the Holeman Christian Standard Version. I like the way it translates verse 1, but I prefer the NIV in verse 2: “In you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”
Generally when we read verses such as these, we picture human adversaries, but to do so is to miss the bigger picture. Certainly our enemies could be some individual who opposes us, but let us not forget that an enemy is anything that opposes us or the plan of God for us. Temptations are a very real enemy. So is Satan, the great enemy of our soul. The desires of our fallen human nature, the lust of our eyes, and pride are also enemies. Money and material possessions can become an enemy if they become to us more important than our pursuit of God. Don’t limit yourself only to some human opponent when you encounter the word “enemy” in the Psalms.
Here is the great truth of these early verses: when our hope and trust are on God, no enemy–human, demonic or temptation–can hope to prevail! We win! I weary of Christians who run around looking like someone just ran over their puppy, or as if they’ve been sucking lemons! As believers we don’t have to lick our wounds, we simply offer them up to the Great Physician and let Him care for them! Let us never forget that “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” (25:3a NIV).
What enemy has you cowering in fear today? A deceitful, ambitious co-worker? An ornery boss? Some secret burden of guilt you carry? The sure promise of God is that when our hope is placed solely upon Him, vindication will eventually come. Take heart. Someone once put it wisely when he or she penned, “When men speak ill of Thee, live so no one will believe them.” Good counsel.
Of the 150 Psalms, nearly half (72) speak about enemies. The translation above is the Holeman Christian Standard Version. I like the way it translates verse 1, but I prefer the NIV in verse 2: “In you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”
Generally when we read verses such as these, we picture human adversaries, but to do so is to miss the bigger picture. Certainly our enemies could be some individual who opposes us, but let us not forget that an enemy is anything that opposes us or the plan of God for us. Temptations are a very real enemy. So is Satan, the great enemy of our soul. The desires of our fallen human nature, the lust of our eyes, and pride are also enemies. Money and material possessions can become an enemy if they become to us more important than our pursuit of God. Don’t limit yourself only to some human opponent when you encounter the word “enemy” in the Psalms.
Here is the great truth of these early verses: when our hope and trust are on God, no enemy–human, demonic or temptation–can hope to prevail! We win! I weary of Christians who run around looking like someone just ran over their puppy, or as if they’ve been sucking lemons! As believers we don’t have to lick our wounds, we simply offer them up to the Great Physician and let Him care for them! Let us never forget that “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” (25:3a NIV).
What enemy has you cowering in fear today? A deceitful, ambitious co-worker? An ornery boss? Some secret burden of guilt you carry? The sure promise of God is that when our hope is placed solely upon Him, vindication will eventually come. Take heart. Someone once put it wisely when he or she penned, “When men speak ill of Thee, live so no one will believe them.” Good counsel.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Who Get's God's blessings?
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6 NIV).
There is a dangerous theology being propagated by popular purveyors of deception today–prosperity theology. Listen to this doctrine of demons and you will come to believe that God wants His children (obedient or not) all to be healthy, wealthy and wise, and if you are not you either lack real faith or there is hidden sin in your life. As a pastor, I counsel people all the time who have been spiritually and emotionally scarred by this damnable doctrine.
Strong words. Have I left you with any doubt as to where I stand on this dangerous teaching? By the way I chose the word purveyor instead of preacher because the dictionary defines one who purveys as “to supply as a matter of business.” Look at those who teach this false doctrine–it certainly is good business for them–they’re driving around in expensive cars (some a different luxury car for every day of the week) while those who support their extravagant lifestyles are desperately planting their seed money in hopes of hitting the spiritual lottery winnings from God. Now, just for the what-it’s-worth department, my advise to you is the instant you hear some preacher mention the term “seed-money,” you turn off the television or excuse yourself from the service (guarding your wallet on the way out).
Look at our text above. The person who “will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior,” is not the person who demonstrates his or her faith by sending in sacrificial gifts as seed money to surfeiting (that means an overabundant excess; intemperate or immoderate indulgence) sermonizers, but those whose hands are clean, whose hearts are pure, “who does not lift up his soul to an idol,” (material possessions or otherwise), whose words are believable because they are truthful and who seek God with all their hearts!
Here is what I fear. In our western culture we are use to instant everything and so we’ve come to expect instant gratification. Some self-seeking individuals have discovered that they can get rich quick in the name of God by convincing God’s people that the way to blessing is not through obedience but through financial sacrifice. That is not true. God says plainly that He values obedience over sacrifice (See 1 Samuel 15:22).
Do you want God’s blessing today? You won’t receive it by sending a donation to my ministry. You will receive it by obeying God in your daily life.
There is a dangerous theology being propagated by popular purveyors of deception today–prosperity theology. Listen to this doctrine of demons and you will come to believe that God wants His children (obedient or not) all to be healthy, wealthy and wise, and if you are not you either lack real faith or there is hidden sin in your life. As a pastor, I counsel people all the time who have been spiritually and emotionally scarred by this damnable doctrine.
Strong words. Have I left you with any doubt as to where I stand on this dangerous teaching? By the way I chose the word purveyor instead of preacher because the dictionary defines one who purveys as “to supply as a matter of business.” Look at those who teach this false doctrine–it certainly is good business for them–they’re driving around in expensive cars (some a different luxury car for every day of the week) while those who support their extravagant lifestyles are desperately planting their seed money in hopes of hitting the spiritual lottery winnings from God. Now, just for the what-it’s-worth department, my advise to you is the instant you hear some preacher mention the term “seed-money,” you turn off the television or excuse yourself from the service (guarding your wallet on the way out).
Look at our text above. The person who “will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior,” is not the person who demonstrates his or her faith by sending in sacrificial gifts as seed money to surfeiting (that means an overabundant excess; intemperate or immoderate indulgence) sermonizers, but those whose hands are clean, whose hearts are pure, “who does not lift up his soul to an idol,” (material possessions or otherwise), whose words are believable because they are truthful and who seek God with all their hearts!
Here is what I fear. In our western culture we are use to instant everything and so we’ve come to expect instant gratification. Some self-seeking individuals have discovered that they can get rich quick in the name of God by convincing God’s people that the way to blessing is not through obedience but through financial sacrifice. That is not true. God says plainly that He values obedience over sacrifice (See 1 Samuel 15:22).
Do you want God’s blessing today? You won’t receive it by sending a donation to my ministry. You will receive it by obeying God in your daily life.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Appropriate Attire
“Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” (Psalm 24:3-4 NIV)
In Genesis 41 we read the account of Joseph being taken from prison and promoted to the Palace. The immediate events that in this drastic change of position were two troubling dreams, a group of dumb-founded advisers and the sudden recollection of Pharaoh’s right hand man. So troubled in Pharaoh, that when he hears that a Hebrew prisoner/slave might have the answer, he sends for him immediately.
However, there is an interesting editorial comment that we many times skip over. “When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41:14 NIV). Pharaoh was troubled. He was in a hurry. He wanted answers and He wanted them yesterday. He sends for Joseph. You’d think Joseph would have been just glad to be out of the dungeon he was in and would have reported immediately and meekly to the king. But no! First he makes himself presentable and only then does he enter the presence of Pharaoh.
Funny how we understand this concept when it comes to world leaders, celebrities or people for whom we have a lot of respect. Seldom do I go to church that I don’t dress up–tie and sport coat at the least. It is not because I am comfortable in a tie and coat, many times I’d rather wear jeans and an open shirt, but I have learned as a pastor that I can be called upon at any time to a hospital or funeral home. In such cases, I have enough respect for people that I want to look prepared. Even my dress seems to have an effect on the situation. So even as I sit here today and type this thought, even though my day consists of preparing Sunday messages, here I sit in coat and tie. Silly? Guess what, just been summoned to visit someone in the local hospital. I’m ready.
Now again, we understand this on the horizontal level (man to man). No matter what you think of our President, if you had an audience with him, you’d make sure you’d dress in your finest garments; you’d want to make an impression. Yet when it comes to God, we become so casual, not in our clothes (though sometimes I am convinced that our sloppy, hastily prepared Sunday-go-to meeting attire betray a sloppy, hasty attitude toward the things of God) but in our hearts.
Look again at our text: “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” Did you catch it? There are requirements to coming before the God of the Universe. Despite years of “dear daddy” prayers, the fact remains that the Holy God has set requirements for anyone wishing to come into His Holy Presence! Oh, by the way, it’s not how we dress that matters to Him it is how clean we are on the inside! Please do not dismiss this to quickly. I am not talking and neither is the Psalmist of the positional cleanness we have in Christ. There is a lot of sloppy Christian living going on in the mistaken belief that the Butler of the Universe will pick up after us and everything will be O.K. Yes, the only hope we have in coming to the Father is through the forgiveness and cleansing offered by the Son, but there is also a practical cleansing required as well. Paul writing to young Timothy said, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV). He goes on to say, “ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV).
Yes, those who are in Christ are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10 NASB), that is we are positionally pure. One writer puts it this way: “Nearer, nearer, near to God I cannot be, for in His Son I’m near as He. Dearer, dearer, dear to God I cannot be, for in His Son I’m dear as He.” Wow! What a wonderful (and incomprehensible) truth!
But such a truth should be a motive to practical Christian living; that is to appropriating the riches we enjoy in Christ and becoming more and more like Him. If that is not happening in your life, either you don’t understand the grace of God or you despise His grace. Not my opinion, God’s Word. What does He say? “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6 NIV).
One final thought. Lest you be tempted to dismiss this particular thought with a “Well, I’m free to live any way I want,” or pray in panic thinking that somehow I’ve become legalistic in my thinking, read Luke 6:46-49. Better yet, let me close with those verses from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. “If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.” (Luke 6:46-49 MSG).
In Genesis 41 we read the account of Joseph being taken from prison and promoted to the Palace. The immediate events that in this drastic change of position were two troubling dreams, a group of dumb-founded advisers and the sudden recollection of Pharaoh’s right hand man. So troubled in Pharaoh, that when he hears that a Hebrew prisoner/slave might have the answer, he sends for him immediately.
However, there is an interesting editorial comment that we many times skip over. “When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41:14 NIV). Pharaoh was troubled. He was in a hurry. He wanted answers and He wanted them yesterday. He sends for Joseph. You’d think Joseph would have been just glad to be out of the dungeon he was in and would have reported immediately and meekly to the king. But no! First he makes himself presentable and only then does he enter the presence of Pharaoh.
Funny how we understand this concept when it comes to world leaders, celebrities or people for whom we have a lot of respect. Seldom do I go to church that I don’t dress up–tie and sport coat at the least. It is not because I am comfortable in a tie and coat, many times I’d rather wear jeans and an open shirt, but I have learned as a pastor that I can be called upon at any time to a hospital or funeral home. In such cases, I have enough respect for people that I want to look prepared. Even my dress seems to have an effect on the situation. So even as I sit here today and type this thought, even though my day consists of preparing Sunday messages, here I sit in coat and tie. Silly? Guess what, just been summoned to visit someone in the local hospital. I’m ready.
Now again, we understand this on the horizontal level (man to man). No matter what you think of our President, if you had an audience with him, you’d make sure you’d dress in your finest garments; you’d want to make an impression. Yet when it comes to God, we become so casual, not in our clothes (though sometimes I am convinced that our sloppy, hastily prepared Sunday-go-to meeting attire betray a sloppy, hasty attitude toward the things of God) but in our hearts.
Look again at our text: “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” Did you catch it? There are requirements to coming before the God of the Universe. Despite years of “dear daddy” prayers, the fact remains that the Holy God has set requirements for anyone wishing to come into His Holy Presence! Oh, by the way, it’s not how we dress that matters to Him it is how clean we are on the inside! Please do not dismiss this to quickly. I am not talking and neither is the Psalmist of the positional cleanness we have in Christ. There is a lot of sloppy Christian living going on in the mistaken belief that the Butler of the Universe will pick up after us and everything will be O.K. Yes, the only hope we have in coming to the Father is through the forgiveness and cleansing offered by the Son, but there is also a practical cleansing required as well. Paul writing to young Timothy said, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV). He goes on to say, “ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV).
Yes, those who are in Christ are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10 NASB), that is we are positionally pure. One writer puts it this way: “Nearer, nearer, near to God I cannot be, for in His Son I’m near as He. Dearer, dearer, dear to God I cannot be, for in His Son I’m dear as He.” Wow! What a wonderful (and incomprehensible) truth!
But such a truth should be a motive to practical Christian living; that is to appropriating the riches we enjoy in Christ and becoming more and more like Him. If that is not happening in your life, either you don’t understand the grace of God or you despise His grace. Not my opinion, God’s Word. What does He say? “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6 NIV).
One final thought. Lest you be tempted to dismiss this particular thought with a “Well, I’m free to live any way I want,” or pray in panic thinking that somehow I’ve become legalistic in my thinking, read Luke 6:46-49. Better yet, let me close with those verses from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. “If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.” (Luke 6:46-49 MSG).
Monday, November 2, 2009
Darwin's Folly
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalm 24:1-2 NIV).
As I write today’s thought, my mind skips to a legal battle being waged in Cobb County, Georgia. The battle is over a sticker in the schools science book that reminds us that evolution is only a theory and should be studied with an open and critical mind. The courts have ordered the sticker removed, claiming that it violates the establishment of religion clause (a clause the courts manipulated but the ACLU have misinterpreted and misused since the mid 1940's).
What does this have to do with our text? Everything. In our text David recognizes that since God created the earth and everything on it, then He has the right to it all. Right there is the rub for evolutionists. Darwin himself stated that he wanted nothing to do with a concept of origins that might include God. Why? Because Darwin like others before him and a host of people who have come after him rightly perceived that if we recognize a Creator then we become responsible to that Creator. Darwin didn’t want it and so he invented a new religion which he cloaked in the guise of science–a religion of atheism whose origin story is evolution. Darwin and all those who have followed in his misguided footsteps understand both the truth of implications of saying, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
As I write today’s thought, my mind skips to a legal battle being waged in Cobb County, Georgia. The battle is over a sticker in the schools science book that reminds us that evolution is only a theory and should be studied with an open and critical mind. The courts have ordered the sticker removed, claiming that it violates the establishment of religion clause (a clause the courts manipulated but the ACLU have misinterpreted and misused since the mid 1940's).
What does this have to do with our text? Everything. In our text David recognizes that since God created the earth and everything on it, then He has the right to it all. Right there is the rub for evolutionists. Darwin himself stated that he wanted nothing to do with a concept of origins that might include God. Why? Because Darwin like others before him and a host of people who have come after him rightly perceived that if we recognize a Creator then we become responsible to that Creator. Darwin didn’t want it and so he invented a new religion which he cloaked in the guise of science–a religion of atheism whose origin story is evolution. Darwin and all those who have followed in his misguided footsteps understand both the truth of implications of saying, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
Friday, October 23, 2009
What Do We Leave Behind?
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
Let’s complete our look at what has to be David’s best known Psalm “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” This verse contains two separate but equally important thoughts.
First is the knowledge that the sheep who are lucky enough to be in the care of a conscientious shepherd know that their lot in life is one marked by the kind graces of their shepherd. No matter what comes their way, they can always be sure that goodness and mercy are in the picture!
You too can have that confidence if you know the Lord Jesus Christ and are under His care. No matter what happens you can be sure that the care you are receiving is motivated by goodness and mercy and tender love.
I wonder how many of us feel that way about Christ? It’s easy when things are going well, but what about those times when my world is falling apart, and my castles are crumbling, and my dreams are dying, can we say then, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life?” I believe the answer to that question to be a resounding yes!
But there is another aspect to this picture. Notice it says, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.” Phillip Keller in his book, points out that sheep can be the most beneficial of all livestock or the most destructive — it depends upon how they are handled.
If they are managed poorly, they will devastate the land; almost beyond recovery. But if they are managed properly, they are a tremendous benefit to the land. Keller talks about how on various occasions he was allowed to graze his sheep on land that was virtually desolate. Through proper management, the land was restored to places of beauty and productivity because the sheep had been there.
I wonder what people say about us? Will they say that we leave in our paths destruction and turmoil, or will they say wherever we go, goodness and mercy marks our path? Keller writes: “Do I leave behind peace in lives — or turmoil? Do I leave behind forgiveness — or bitterness? Do I leave behind contentment — or conflict? Do I leave behind flowers of joy — or frustration? Do I leave behind love — or rancor?”
Good questions. What are you leaving behind? What am I leaving behind? Goodness and mercy or griping and misery?
The 23rd Psalm. A fount of wisdom, peace, security, truth, and love. Perhaps you are here today, and you have wondered away from the Good Shepherd, you have jumped fence so to speak, and are now far from the Shepherds tender care, and you realize that and you want to come back, let me tell you, the Shepherd has already left the fold and is looking just for you.
Let’s complete our look at what has to be David’s best known Psalm “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” This verse contains two separate but equally important thoughts.
First is the knowledge that the sheep who are lucky enough to be in the care of a conscientious shepherd know that their lot in life is one marked by the kind graces of their shepherd. No matter what comes their way, they can always be sure that goodness and mercy are in the picture!
You too can have that confidence if you know the Lord Jesus Christ and are under His care. No matter what happens you can be sure that the care you are receiving is motivated by goodness and mercy and tender love.
I wonder how many of us feel that way about Christ? It’s easy when things are going well, but what about those times when my world is falling apart, and my castles are crumbling, and my dreams are dying, can we say then, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life?” I believe the answer to that question to be a resounding yes!
But there is another aspect to this picture. Notice it says, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.” Phillip Keller in his book, points out that sheep can be the most beneficial of all livestock or the most destructive — it depends upon how they are handled.
If they are managed poorly, they will devastate the land; almost beyond recovery. But if they are managed properly, they are a tremendous benefit to the land. Keller talks about how on various occasions he was allowed to graze his sheep on land that was virtually desolate. Through proper management, the land was restored to places of beauty and productivity because the sheep had been there.
I wonder what people say about us? Will they say that we leave in our paths destruction and turmoil, or will they say wherever we go, goodness and mercy marks our path? Keller writes: “Do I leave behind peace in lives — or turmoil? Do I leave behind forgiveness — or bitterness? Do I leave behind contentment — or conflict? Do I leave behind flowers of joy — or frustration? Do I leave behind love — or rancor?”
Good questions. What are you leaving behind? What am I leaving behind? Goodness and mercy or griping and misery?
The 23rd Psalm. A fount of wisdom, peace, security, truth, and love. Perhaps you are here today, and you have wondered away from the Good Shepherd, you have jumped fence so to speak, and are now far from the Shepherds tender care, and you realize that and you want to come back, let me tell you, the Shepherd has already left the fold and is looking just for you.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Table Lands
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Rod and the Staff
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Fearsome Valley of Death
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
Monday, October 19, 2009
From Valley to Mountain
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Apologia
More often than not I listen to the talk radio programs in my car instead of music. It seems like the playlist of the radio stations runs the same songs over and over again until I find myself disliking a song that at one point I really liked. Anyway, I was listening to a radio program on the way to work and it was one I had not listened to before. The guys doing the commentary portion were amiable enough and had touched on some interesting political discussion, but then the subject turned to faith. One of the fellows said he didn’t buy into “book based” religion. And he added that “if God was going to give us something in written form, it would be something of an astounding scientific nature that would confirm His existence.” I think the DJ was right and wrong. The Bible does present certain facts about creation that would have been astounding to the first readers and generations of readers, but I think he is wrong in that God would give us purely science when what we needed most was redemption.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Leading the Right Way
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
He Recasts My Soul
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We now come to verse 3 of this wonderful Psalm. We will look at it in two parts. “He restores my soul.” Only God can restore the soul. Has He restored your soul?
David, in this Psalm is make a comparison between the job he knew–the job of the shepherd, and the care of the Lord for us. That is a great principle of education–we always move from the known to the unknown.
With this comparison in mind, what does David mean by this simple phrase, “He restores my soul?” Great question! Glad I asked it ☺! The Hebrew here is “He recasts my soul.” That doesn’t mean much to us either until we understand something about sheep.
Sometimes sheep tip over. In shepherd terminology, a sheep in this condition is said to be a cast sheep. A “cast” sheep is one that has laid down and then lost his center of gravity. His feet have come off the ground, and he has rolled onto his back. A sheep left in this condition is a pitiful sight. He’s thrashing and kicking, desperately trying it regain his footing which is now impossible for him without help. When they are in that fallen condition like fallen man there is no way they can right themselves. They are, as the saying goes, down for the count. In the case of sheep that is literal. For this fallen sheep can do nothing but lay there and die.
There are reasons a sheep may become cast. His wool may not be properly trimmed and this cause him to tip over. Or, the grass may be too deep or soft. It is not that they stumbled and fell necessarily. More often then not, the sheep lay down unaware of the danger. Many a believer has made his or her “bed” in a similar fashion. They thought they could lie down in some sin and then get up anytime they chose to–too late they have learned that the sin that brought them comfort now holds them in a grip of death.
The picture our passage paints is one of the shepherd, who is constantly on the look-out for cast sheep. Spotting that cast sheep he comes along side that sheep, then, tenderly and carefully helping the sheep to his feet, and then lovingly massages the legs until the sheep can once again stand on it’s own.
Phillip Keller, in his masterful book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes: “Many people have the idea that when a child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious with him. This is not so. One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same identical anxiety, concern and compassion for cast men and women as (a shepherd) has for cast sheep. This is precisely why He looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It explains His magnanimous dealing with down-and-out individuals for whom even human society had no use. It reveals why He wept over those who spurned His affection. It discloses the depth of His understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.”
That’s the God we serve. He is not some vengeful, spiteful God, waiting to slap you down for your failures, He is the Good Shepherd, ever mindful of the danger of His own becoming cast, ever willing to lovingly, and immediately recast your soul and restore you to proper fellowship.
We’ll pick up the second part of this verse tomorrow. But let me ask you, are you one of God sheep who has become cast? If we are honest, there are times in the Christian life when we become like cast sheep, and need to be recast, need to be restored. The thing we need to remember is that the Good Shepherd knows our weakness, he knows our failings, and he lovingly restores us when we have fallen. Don’t lay there and die. Don’t hope no one will notice. Cry out to the Good Shepherd and let Him restore you.
We now come to verse 3 of this wonderful Psalm. We will look at it in two parts. “He restores my soul.” Only God can restore the soul. Has He restored your soul?
David, in this Psalm is make a comparison between the job he knew–the job of the shepherd, and the care of the Lord for us. That is a great principle of education–we always move from the known to the unknown.
With this comparison in mind, what does David mean by this simple phrase, “He restores my soul?” Great question! Glad I asked it ☺! The Hebrew here is “He recasts my soul.” That doesn’t mean much to us either until we understand something about sheep.
Sometimes sheep tip over. In shepherd terminology, a sheep in this condition is said to be a cast sheep. A “cast” sheep is one that has laid down and then lost his center of gravity. His feet have come off the ground, and he has rolled onto his back. A sheep left in this condition is a pitiful sight. He’s thrashing and kicking, desperately trying it regain his footing which is now impossible for him without help. When they are in that fallen condition like fallen man there is no way they can right themselves. They are, as the saying goes, down for the count. In the case of sheep that is literal. For this fallen sheep can do nothing but lay there and die.
There are reasons a sheep may become cast. His wool may not be properly trimmed and this cause him to tip over. Or, the grass may be too deep or soft. It is not that they stumbled and fell necessarily. More often then not, the sheep lay down unaware of the danger. Many a believer has made his or her “bed” in a similar fashion. They thought they could lie down in some sin and then get up anytime they chose to–too late they have learned that the sin that brought them comfort now holds them in a grip of death.
The picture our passage paints is one of the shepherd, who is constantly on the look-out for cast sheep. Spotting that cast sheep he comes along side that sheep, then, tenderly and carefully helping the sheep to his feet, and then lovingly massages the legs until the sheep can once again stand on it’s own.
Phillip Keller, in his masterful book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes: “Many people have the idea that when a child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious with him. This is not so. One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same identical anxiety, concern and compassion for cast men and women as (a shepherd) has for cast sheep. This is precisely why He looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It explains His magnanimous dealing with down-and-out individuals for whom even human society had no use. It reveals why He wept over those who spurned His affection. It discloses the depth of His understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.”
That’s the God we serve. He is not some vengeful, spiteful God, waiting to slap you down for your failures, He is the Good Shepherd, ever mindful of the danger of His own becoming cast, ever willing to lovingly, and immediately recast your soul and restore you to proper fellowship.
We’ll pick up the second part of this verse tomorrow. But let me ask you, are you one of God sheep who has become cast? If we are honest, there are times in the Christian life when we become like cast sheep, and need to be recast, need to be restored. The thing we need to remember is that the Good Shepherd knows our weakness, he knows our failings, and he lovingly restores us when we have fallen. Don’t lay there and die. Don’t hope no one will notice. Cry out to the Good Shepherd and let Him restore you.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Of Sheep and Men
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
In this great Psalm of comfort and trust, David compares God’s care for His children as a shepherd’s care for his sheep. Great comparison. There are many similarities between the fallen human nature and sheep. So, let’s talk about sheep.
Sheep are skittish creatures, easily frightened. Sheep share a trait with rabbits–they can be literally scared to death! Ken Davis tells of being butted once by an ornery sheep. He decided to get even, so sometime later, as the sheep were making their way back toward the pen, Ken saw this particular sheep a lesson. He collected a 2 X 4 and hid at the side of the pen. He was going to give this sheep a taste of its own medicine! As the sheep neared, oblivious to the intended punishment, Ken leapt from behind the pen with a shout, raised the intended instrument of correction over his head, but before he could administer the punishment to the erring sheep, it died of fright. Keeled over right in front of him.
With that in mind, look at the words of verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from fear and discomfort. So skittish are these interesting animals that they will not drink from moving water–the sound scares them. This brings us to our applications for today.
First, the fact that the Lord “makes me lie down in green pastures” speaks about the absolute rest, confidence and trust those of us who are of the Lord’s flock can have in Him. We can rest without fear of what is around us; we can rest content that the Good Shepherd has seen to our needs.
When David penned these words, those hills of Judah contained all sorts of dangers to his helpless flock. By the way, that’s another thing about sheep; they have no natural means of self-defense–no wonder they’re so skittish! Truth be told, you and I have no natural means of self-defense against the great enemy of our souls! We need the supernatural help of the Great Shepherd. Maybe this is a part of what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV emphasis mine).
My point is this. David’s sheep didn’t lie down because their were no problems, they laid down because they were confident that their shepherd had everything under control! Do you have that confidence in your Great Shepherd?
Second, “he leads me beside quiet waters.” This was a critical task for the shepherd. Because sheep will not drink from swift moving streams, they will attempt to satisfy their thirst in stagnant polluted pools unless the shepherd prevents it. The shepherd’s job then is to find pools suitable for the sheep (no small task in the arid regions of the Middle East). These pools have to be quiet, cool and clean. Quiet and cool or the sheep won’t drink. Clean and pure for the sheep’s safety. While sheep are picky when it comes to good drinking water, they are indiscriminate when it comes to befouled pools–kind of like we humans.
How many times have I seen wandering sheep from the Good Shepherd’s pasture refusing the pure refreshment of the Lord’s quiet waters and satiating themselves in the polluted waters of the world. I have also seen these (excuse the harshness) dumb sheep, sick and hurting, yet continuing to run to the polluted holes and bleating their complaints against the Shepherd! The Bible says, “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 TLB).
Are you enjoying the peace and provision the Good Shepherd offers? Are you a content sheep in His flock or are you the complaining sheep–the fence hopper–by-passing the security of the shepherd opting instead for the knowledge that sheep know best?
In this great Psalm of comfort and trust, David compares God’s care for His children as a shepherd’s care for his sheep. Great comparison. There are many similarities between the fallen human nature and sheep. So, let’s talk about sheep.
Sheep are skittish creatures, easily frightened. Sheep share a trait with rabbits–they can be literally scared to death! Ken Davis tells of being butted once by an ornery sheep. He decided to get even, so sometime later, as the sheep were making their way back toward the pen, Ken saw this particular sheep a lesson. He collected a 2 X 4 and hid at the side of the pen. He was going to give this sheep a taste of its own medicine! As the sheep neared, oblivious to the intended punishment, Ken leapt from behind the pen with a shout, raised the intended instrument of correction over his head, but before he could administer the punishment to the erring sheep, it died of fright. Keeled over right in front of him.
With that in mind, look at the words of verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from fear and discomfort. So skittish are these interesting animals that they will not drink from moving water–the sound scares them. This brings us to our applications for today.
First, the fact that the Lord “makes me lie down in green pastures” speaks about the absolute rest, confidence and trust those of us who are of the Lord’s flock can have in Him. We can rest without fear of what is around us; we can rest content that the Good Shepherd has seen to our needs.
When David penned these words, those hills of Judah contained all sorts of dangers to his helpless flock. By the way, that’s another thing about sheep; they have no natural means of self-defense–no wonder they’re so skittish! Truth be told, you and I have no natural means of self-defense against the great enemy of our souls! We need the supernatural help of the Great Shepherd. Maybe this is a part of what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV emphasis mine).
My point is this. David’s sheep didn’t lie down because their were no problems, they laid down because they were confident that their shepherd had everything under control! Do you have that confidence in your Great Shepherd?
Second, “he leads me beside quiet waters.” This was a critical task for the shepherd. Because sheep will not drink from swift moving streams, they will attempt to satisfy their thirst in stagnant polluted pools unless the shepherd prevents it. The shepherd’s job then is to find pools suitable for the sheep (no small task in the arid regions of the Middle East). These pools have to be quiet, cool and clean. Quiet and cool or the sheep won’t drink. Clean and pure for the sheep’s safety. While sheep are picky when it comes to good drinking water, they are indiscriminate when it comes to befouled pools–kind of like we humans.
How many times have I seen wandering sheep from the Good Shepherd’s pasture refusing the pure refreshment of the Lord’s quiet waters and satiating themselves in the polluted waters of the world. I have also seen these (excuse the harshness) dumb sheep, sick and hurting, yet continuing to run to the polluted holes and bleating their complaints against the Shepherd! The Bible says, “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 TLB).
Are you enjoying the peace and provision the Good Shepherd offers? Are you a content sheep in His flock or are you the complaining sheep–the fence hopper–by-passing the security of the shepherd opting instead for the knowledge that sheep know best?
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Good Shepherd
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
No other Scripture is better known or more quoted then this wonderful shepherd Psalm of David. Ryrie introduces this Psalm, “In his most beautiful song of trust, David pictures the Lord as the great Shepherd who provides for and protects His sheep (vv. 1-4) and as the gracious Host who protects and provides abundantly for His guests (vv.5-6).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Perhaps David wrote those words as he sat out under the stars, guarding and tending his father’s flock. The life of the shepherd was not an easy one. There were many cold and lonely nights–nights fraught with danger. Jesus said of Himself, “11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (John 10:11-14 NIV).
During these daily thoughts we will be examining this wonderful passage from the Psalms. But let me begin by asking you a simple question: Do you personally know the Good Shepherd? I am not asking you if you know about Him, I am asking you if you know Him? Those who know Him know that He will tenderly care for them in their every circumstance. They know what it is to “not be in want,” or if I may paraphrase that a little, to be satisfied with Him and not wanting more; not desiring something else.
I run into believers all the time who are wandering sheep (shepherds call them fence hoppers). For these sheep there is always something better in the next pasture. They are not satisfied being under the care of the good shepherd, they want to explore what’s outside the fence. The sad thing about fence hoppers is that they teach other sheep to follow, leaving the safety of the shepherd and wandering into a world lurking with danger. I have counseled many of these fence hoppers. Here’s what I know: not one of them will ever be convinced that they should stay in the fold when they are in the fold. They look longingly beyond the fences of protection and desire the freedom of the world. Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. Not one of these fence hoppers ever find what they are looking for. Instead the discover the barrenness and emptiness of the lost and dying world, and I have seen these fence hoppers come sadly back to the fold sick and emaciated by sin, wounded and bleeding and bearing scars they would have never had to bear had they but trusted the Good Shepherd and learned what it is “not to want.”
Perhaps someone reading these words today is grazing at a fence, head down but eyes focused covertly on some dead and dry pasture just outside the fence. What can it hurt? You may be musing. I implore you, pick up your head and run that straying sheep body immediately to the arms of the Good Shepherd. There you will find all you really need; apart from Him you will find nothing you need.
No other Scripture is better known or more quoted then this wonderful shepherd Psalm of David. Ryrie introduces this Psalm, “In his most beautiful song of trust, David pictures the Lord as the great Shepherd who provides for and protects His sheep (vv. 1-4) and as the gracious Host who protects and provides abundantly for His guests (vv.5-6).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Perhaps David wrote those words as he sat out under the stars, guarding and tending his father’s flock. The life of the shepherd was not an easy one. There were many cold and lonely nights–nights fraught with danger. Jesus said of Himself, “11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (John 10:11-14 NIV).
During these daily thoughts we will be examining this wonderful passage from the Psalms. But let me begin by asking you a simple question: Do you personally know the Good Shepherd? I am not asking you if you know about Him, I am asking you if you know Him? Those who know Him know that He will tenderly care for them in their every circumstance. They know what it is to “not be in want,” or if I may paraphrase that a little, to be satisfied with Him and not wanting more; not desiring something else.
I run into believers all the time who are wandering sheep (shepherds call them fence hoppers). For these sheep there is always something better in the next pasture. They are not satisfied being under the care of the good shepherd, they want to explore what’s outside the fence. The sad thing about fence hoppers is that they teach other sheep to follow, leaving the safety of the shepherd and wandering into a world lurking with danger. I have counseled many of these fence hoppers. Here’s what I know: not one of them will ever be convinced that they should stay in the fold when they are in the fold. They look longingly beyond the fences of protection and desire the freedom of the world. Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. Not one of these fence hoppers ever find what they are looking for. Instead the discover the barrenness and emptiness of the lost and dying world, and I have seen these fence hoppers come sadly back to the fold sick and emaciated by sin, wounded and bleeding and bearing scars they would have never had to bear had they but trusted the Good Shepherd and learned what it is “not to want.”
Perhaps someone reading these words today is grazing at a fence, head down but eyes focused covertly on some dead and dry pasture just outside the fence. What can it hurt? You may be musing. I implore you, pick up your head and run that straying sheep body immediately to the arms of the Good Shepherd. There you will find all you really need; apart from Him you will find nothing you need.
Friday, October 9, 2009
When Crying Gives Way to Praise
“22 Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: 23 Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. 24 He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.” (Psalm 22:22-24 MSG).
I am convinced that all eternity will not be enough time to praise God for what He has done for us. Now I know that last statement is somewhat non-sensical; eternity and time are two different things. Time ends, eternity does not. Never-the-less, my point is valid. I will never be able to repay the debt of praise I owe to the loving Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of the Son or the indwelling power of the precious Holy Spirit.
In the experiences of this fallen, temporary state of our existence, there seems to be times when it at least appears as if He who never slumbers or sleep has wandered off or has let us down. Again, recall to mind that the setting of this Psalm is the shadow of the cross when the precious Son was giving up His life. (Peterson in The Message quoted above correctly applies this passage to all God’s children–Israel in context but you and I by extension–while the NIV references these words to the Messiah, “the afflicted one.”) These verses read in the NIV: “22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” Now, again, the application of this passage to all who are afflicted is correct, but recall that the setting of this Psalm is prophetic and describes particularly the suffering of the Messiah upon the cross and His victory in the resurrection.
Here is my point: as dark and hopeless as things may appear, those of us who know Christ can rest completely assured that despite what we may think, the reality is, “He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”
I don’t know what battles you may face today. I do know this: no matter how hot or bloody the conflict, no matter how fatal the blow may seem, God is still right there with us and the promise of sure victory has been signed with the blood of Jesus. There is coming a day when all our groanings and cries will end with a victorious Hallelujah!
I am convinced that all eternity will not be enough time to praise God for what He has done for us. Now I know that last statement is somewhat non-sensical; eternity and time are two different things. Time ends, eternity does not. Never-the-less, my point is valid. I will never be able to repay the debt of praise I owe to the loving Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of the Son or the indwelling power of the precious Holy Spirit.
In the experiences of this fallen, temporary state of our existence, there seems to be times when it at least appears as if He who never slumbers or sleep has wandered off or has let us down. Again, recall to mind that the setting of this Psalm is the shadow of the cross when the precious Son was giving up His life. (Peterson in The Message quoted above correctly applies this passage to all God’s children–Israel in context but you and I by extension–while the NIV references these words to the Messiah, “the afflicted one.”) These verses read in the NIV: “22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” Now, again, the application of this passage to all who are afflicted is correct, but recall that the setting of this Psalm is prophetic and describes particularly the suffering of the Messiah upon the cross and His victory in the resurrection.
Here is my point: as dark and hopeless as things may appear, those of us who know Christ can rest completely assured that despite what we may think, the reality is, “He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”
I don’t know what battles you may face today. I do know this: no matter how hot or bloody the conflict, no matter how fatal the blow may seem, God is still right there with us and the promise of sure victory has been signed with the blood of Jesus. There is coming a day when all our groanings and cries will end with a victorious Hallelujah!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Applications from a Messianic Psalm
“1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Psalm 22:1-5 NIV).
This Psalm is prophetic and describes the suffering of the Messiah. It is one of the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We stated that in this Psalm of lament David expresses his complete trust and confidence in the Lord. It is easy to trust God when things are going well. It is only the trials of life that reveal the true nature of one’s faith. Can we trust Him in the difficult and dark circumstances? That is what this Psalm is about. The shadows of lament in verses 1-2 quickly fade in the light of the faith of verses 3-5.
There are times when we cry to God and He appears to be silent. Been there, done it. Will be there again before my life is over I’m sure. Those are disquieting moments. Lewis put it this way, “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be – or so it feels – welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent in time of trouble?” {Lewis, C.S., A Grief Observed, (Bantam Books, New York, 1961, pp. 4-5) emphasis mine}.
Both David and our Lord Himself knew the agony of the Divine silence. Think of it. Jesus Himself, in His hour of greatest need cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). Certainly it must have seemed both to Him in His humanity and the onlookers surrounding Him that God had indeed deserted Him. According to this Psalm and other passages as well as historical accounts of scourging, we know that as He hung there on the cross his flesh was so torn that bones were visible (v. 17), glistening white against the torn red flesh. Further more, there He was, suspended upon a tree–certainly a sign of God’s disapproval! Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Case closed. Jesus was condemned as being under God’s curse by the very nature of His execution. (That is why the Jews insisted on this form of execution instead of following their own Law and stoning Him for the blasphemy they claimed to condemn Him for.) All appearances were here was a deluded man who was now deserted and condemned. (We know better.)
But think of it. This was in fact the end was it not? The One they had hoped for was about to die under a Mosaic Law that assured the Jews of God’s displeasure with this Man. Talk about a hopeless situation. How could He die and yet know that His trust in the Father would not be in vain (v. 5)? Because the cross led to the grave and the grave to the resurrection and the resurrection led to the Ascension and the Ascension one day, perhaps soon, will result in a glorious return!
Our problem is that most of us have so invested our lives in the things of this world that we have lost sight of the next. Instead of “setting our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:2 NIV) we have so focused on the temporary and passing things of this world and it’s no wonder that we whine like spoiled children when we don’t get our own way! (Please do not take offense at this last statement, I am guilty as well!) Until we come to realize that God’s purpose for us is beyond this life, it will be impossible for us to comprehend the sure deliverance that the Psalmist refers to in our passage. The relative ease and comfort of Western pleasures has caused 97% (according to a Barna poll) of professed believers to settle for a secular rather than a sacred mind-set. No wonder we struggle!
Think of it this way. The average American gladly spends 21 hours a week in front of a television and grudgingly gives 30 minutes a week to a sermon (One lady once complained to me that my sermons were too long. That studies have shown that 20 minutes of a message was all most adults could focus on at a time). No wonder our view is toward this life and not the things of Christ!
Enough. Let me assure you that God does hear and answer prayers. He hears and answers your prayers. Even in those times when you feel like crying, ““1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Be assured that you can say (and will eventually come to realize), “3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”
This Psalm is prophetic and describes the suffering of the Messiah. It is one of the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We stated that in this Psalm of lament David expresses his complete trust and confidence in the Lord. It is easy to trust God when things are going well. It is only the trials of life that reveal the true nature of one’s faith. Can we trust Him in the difficult and dark circumstances? That is what this Psalm is about. The shadows of lament in verses 1-2 quickly fade in the light of the faith of verses 3-5.
There are times when we cry to God and He appears to be silent. Been there, done it. Will be there again before my life is over I’m sure. Those are disquieting moments. Lewis put it this way, “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be – or so it feels – welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent in time of trouble?” {Lewis, C.S., A Grief Observed, (Bantam Books, New York, 1961, pp. 4-5) emphasis mine}.
Both David and our Lord Himself knew the agony of the Divine silence. Think of it. Jesus Himself, in His hour of greatest need cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). Certainly it must have seemed both to Him in His humanity and the onlookers surrounding Him that God had indeed deserted Him. According to this Psalm and other passages as well as historical accounts of scourging, we know that as He hung there on the cross his flesh was so torn that bones were visible (v. 17), glistening white against the torn red flesh. Further more, there He was, suspended upon a tree–certainly a sign of God’s disapproval! Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Case closed. Jesus was condemned as being under God’s curse by the very nature of His execution. (That is why the Jews insisted on this form of execution instead of following their own Law and stoning Him for the blasphemy they claimed to condemn Him for.) All appearances were here was a deluded man who was now deserted and condemned. (We know better.)
But think of it. This was in fact the end was it not? The One they had hoped for was about to die under a Mosaic Law that assured the Jews of God’s displeasure with this Man. Talk about a hopeless situation. How could He die and yet know that His trust in the Father would not be in vain (v. 5)? Because the cross led to the grave and the grave to the resurrection and the resurrection led to the Ascension and the Ascension one day, perhaps soon, will result in a glorious return!
Our problem is that most of us have so invested our lives in the things of this world that we have lost sight of the next. Instead of “setting our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:2 NIV) we have so focused on the temporary and passing things of this world and it’s no wonder that we whine like spoiled children when we don’t get our own way! (Please do not take offense at this last statement, I am guilty as well!) Until we come to realize that God’s purpose for us is beyond this life, it will be impossible for us to comprehend the sure deliverance that the Psalmist refers to in our passage. The relative ease and comfort of Western pleasures has caused 97% (according to a Barna poll) of professed believers to settle for a secular rather than a sacred mind-set. No wonder we struggle!
Think of it this way. The average American gladly spends 21 hours a week in front of a television and grudgingly gives 30 minutes a week to a sermon (One lady once complained to me that my sermons were too long. That studies have shown that 20 minutes of a message was all most adults could focus on at a time). No wonder our view is toward this life and not the things of Christ!
Enough. Let me assure you that God does hear and answer prayers. He hears and answers your prayers. Even in those times when you feel like crying, ““1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Be assured that you can say (and will eventually come to realize), “3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
God is with You
“11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” (Psalm 22:11 NIV).
Whatever you may face today, realize that you will not face it alone–God will be with you. It may not always feel like it, but He is always there.
Realizing that God is with you, do not hesitate to call out to Him when things get difficult. He can help when no one else can.
Remember that this Psalm of David is typico-prophetic; a Messianic Psalm. The setting for this Psalm is fulfilled in Jesus on the cross. Trouble doesn’t begin to describe that setting! He is dying in physical pain and in agony of soul as the sins of the world are placed on the already dislocated shoulders. In such a position no human intervention could help. He was dying. But even in death, God can help us. When W.E. Sangster, one of England's great methodist preachers lay dying of muscular atrophy, he wrote to Dr. Billy Graham and said, "All my life I have preached that Jesus Christ is adequate for every crisis. I have but a few days to live, and oh, Billy, Christ is indeed adequate in the hours of death. Tell everyone that it is true. Tell them for me that God is wonderfully near His Children as the come to the end of life's road." (Decision Magazine April, 1974).
I contend that He who is wonderfully near even in life’s darkest hour is near to you today. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Don’t face this day alone. Face it with Him.
Whatever you may face today, realize that you will not face it alone–God will be with you. It may not always feel like it, but He is always there.
Realizing that God is with you, do not hesitate to call out to Him when things get difficult. He can help when no one else can.
Remember that this Psalm of David is typico-prophetic; a Messianic Psalm. The setting for this Psalm is fulfilled in Jesus on the cross. Trouble doesn’t begin to describe that setting! He is dying in physical pain and in agony of soul as the sins of the world are placed on the already dislocated shoulders. In such a position no human intervention could help. He was dying. But even in death, God can help us. When W.E. Sangster, one of England's great methodist preachers lay dying of muscular atrophy, he wrote to Dr. Billy Graham and said, "All my life I have preached that Jesus Christ is adequate for every crisis. I have but a few days to live, and oh, Billy, Christ is indeed adequate in the hours of death. Tell everyone that it is true. Tell them for me that God is wonderfully near His Children as the come to the end of life's road." (Decision Magazine April, 1974).
I contend that He who is wonderfully near even in life’s darkest hour is near to you today. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Don’t face this day alone. Face it with Him.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Don't
“11 Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.” (Psalm 21:11NIV).
How foolish fallen man is! To think, even for a second, that we as mere creatures, mortal and limited, could outwit, outfox and prevail over the Creator, immortal and unlimited, is lunacy! “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13). And “. . . He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV). How foolish to think that we who don’t know everything can fool a God who knows everything, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
While we understand the lunacy of sinful man in their pitiful attempt to thwart God’s plans, what is a greater madness is the tendency of those of us who know better, who profess faith in Christ and trust in God, to do the same thing! What do I mean? While we may not plot evil against Him how many times do we try to second guess His promises? How many times do we slip into willful sin and think that we somehow are the exception to God’s rules? I have to admit there are many times when I would have to say, “Guilty as charged!”
Let me “cut to the chase” as the saying goes. Bottom line, if you want to be truly successful in this life (and the next), there is only one way to accomplish it: follow God’s instructions. Period. Don’t deviate to the right or the left. Place His Holy Word in your heart and do what it says. You will never reach success any other way.
How foolish fallen man is! To think, even for a second, that we as mere creatures, mortal and limited, could outwit, outfox and prevail over the Creator, immortal and unlimited, is lunacy! “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13). And “. . . He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV). How foolish to think that we who don’t know everything can fool a God who knows everything, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
While we understand the lunacy of sinful man in their pitiful attempt to thwart God’s plans, what is a greater madness is the tendency of those of us who know better, who profess faith in Christ and trust in God, to do the same thing! What do I mean? While we may not plot evil against Him how many times do we try to second guess His promises? How many times do we slip into willful sin and think that we somehow are the exception to God’s rules? I have to admit there are many times when I would have to say, “Guilty as charged!”
Let me “cut to the chase” as the saying goes. Bottom line, if you want to be truly successful in this life (and the next), there is only one way to accomplish it: follow God’s instructions. Period. Don’t deviate to the right or the left. Place His Holy Word in your heart and do what it says. You will never reach success any other way.
Winning on Your Knees
“1 O Lord, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.” (Psalm 21:1-2 NASB).
In a previous thought I asked you where you found strength. David, found his strength in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV). Now, in this passage David continues that thought. He begins this Psalm on a note of praise for God’s actions on his behalf. This man, one of Israel’s greatest kings, realizes in these simple words that there is no such thing as a self-made man.
Along with this praise comes a hint of the secret of David’s great success–David was a man of prayer. Did you catch that in verse 2? “You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips.” The victories which David mentions in this marvelous Psalm are victories won first on his knees and then on the battlefields of life!
Make it your aim to face every situation with prayer. Start each day making your requests to God and see what new victories might come your way.
In a previous thought I asked you where you found strength. David, found his strength in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV). Now, in this passage David continues that thought. He begins this Psalm on a note of praise for God’s actions on his behalf. This man, one of Israel’s greatest kings, realizes in these simple words that there is no such thing as a self-made man.
Along with this praise comes a hint of the secret of David’s great success–David was a man of prayer. Did you catch that in verse 2? “You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips.” The victories which David mentions in this marvelous Psalm are victories won first on his knees and then on the battlefields of life!
Make it your aim to face every situation with prayer. Start each day making your requests to God and see what new victories might come your way.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Who Do You Trust
“7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” (Psalm 20:7-8 NIV).
“Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the Lord our God. 8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.” (Psalm 20:7-8 NLT).
Psalm 20 begins with that marvelous blessing, “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.” (Psalm 20:1-5 NIV). So marvelous was that prayer/blessing that I could not bring myself to elaborate on it (Yesterday’s TFD). (By the way “selah” is believed to be a term that means “pause for consideration; pause for reflection”)
After introducing this Psalm with this marvelous prayer/blessing the Psalmist brings his thoughts to a close by reminding us that the only real security is found in God. Israel would forget this. Years later God challenged them through the pen of Isaiah, 1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. 2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked, against those who help evildoers. 3 But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together. 4 This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor— so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” (Isaiah 31:1-4 NIV).
Where is your trust today? Is it in man and human devices or is it in God?
“Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the Lord our God. 8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.” (Psalm 20:7-8 NLT).
Psalm 20 begins with that marvelous blessing, “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.” (Psalm 20:1-5 NIV). So marvelous was that prayer/blessing that I could not bring myself to elaborate on it (Yesterday’s TFD). (By the way “selah” is believed to be a term that means “pause for consideration; pause for reflection”)
After introducing this Psalm with this marvelous prayer/blessing the Psalmist brings his thoughts to a close by reminding us that the only real security is found in God. Israel would forget this. Years later God challenged them through the pen of Isaiah, 1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. 2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked, against those who help evildoers. 3 But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together. 4 This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor— so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” (Isaiah 31:1-4 NIV).
Where is your trust today? Is it in man and human devices or is it in God?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A Wonderful Prayer
“1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.” (Psalm 20:1-5 NIV).
Wow! What a way to start the day! There is really not much needed to be added. The Psalmist prayer is my prayer for you.
One thing I will say, when you see that word "Selah" in the Psalms, it means "Pause and consider (what has just been said)."
Wow! What a way to start the day! There is really not much needed to be added. The Psalmist prayer is my prayer for you.
One thing I will say, when you see that word "Selah" in the Psalms, it means "Pause and consider (what has just been said)."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Deliberate Sins
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” (Psalm 19:12-13 NLT).
Jeremiah reminds us, “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT). It is that realization that causes David to cry out, “12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?” And then plead for cleansing. It is also this realization of the inherent evil inclination of the fallen human heart that caused Solomon to write, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).
While this “sin lurking in my heart” is troubling and many time surprises me when it springs forth, what I find more disturbing and incredulous is the fact that even as a child of God I am prone to willful sins. Like Paul I find myself crying again and again, “18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway . . . 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:18-19 NLT & 24 NIV).
Thankfully there is an answer: 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a NIV).
What willful sins plague you? David’s prayer is one every believer should start their mornings with: “13 Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.” For the believer a deliberate sin occurs every time I decide to take the reigns of my life from the hands of the Master. Here is a terrifying reality. The Bible tells me that those of us who are believers are dead to sin; it has no claim upon us (See Romans 6). I have come to realize that, since sin no longer has rightful control over me, when I do sin it is never because I couldn’t help it rather it is because at that moment I loved the sin more than the Savior. Painful reality. Biblically true.
Jeremiah reminds us, “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT). It is that realization that causes David to cry out, “12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?” And then plead for cleansing. It is also this realization of the inherent evil inclination of the fallen human heart that caused Solomon to write, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).
While this “sin lurking in my heart” is troubling and many time surprises me when it springs forth, what I find more disturbing and incredulous is the fact that even as a child of God I am prone to willful sins. Like Paul I find myself crying again and again, “18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway . . . 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:18-19 NLT & 24 NIV).
Thankfully there is an answer: 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a NIV).
What willful sins plague you? David’s prayer is one every believer should start their mornings with: “13 Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.” For the believer a deliberate sin occurs every time I decide to take the reigns of my life from the hands of the Master. Here is a terrifying reality. The Bible tells me that those of us who are believers are dead to sin; it has no claim upon us (See Romans 6). I have come to realize that, since sin no longer has rightful control over me, when I do sin it is never because I couldn’t help it rather it is because at that moment I loved the sin more than the Savior. Painful reality. Biblically true.
Monday, September 21, 2009
God's Word Brings Life
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV)
The dictionary defines the term revive as “to bring back to consciousness or life; active flourishing again.” Good definition. The Message renders our text this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.”
I chuckle inwardly when people sometimes tell me that as a pastor I don’t have a clue as to what real life is like. Such people think we pastors live in ivory towers from whence we pontificate over problems we’ve never seen or experienced. In actual fact I see more broken lives in a week than many will see in a lifetime. I hear stories that would break even the stoutest heart, intervene in crises (not a misspelling the plural of crisis) sometimes on a daily basis multiple times, visit more hospitals, see more deaths (and have to comfort those left with a careful compassion lest I add to their already hurting hearts), and am sought for more advice covering a wider range of topics than any other profession. Next time you are tempted to think your pastor doesn’t have a clue about what real life is like, think about these things.
I write these things to you not to elicit from you an emotional response (I am not looking for someone to play the violin while I hold a pity party), no! I write this to you as one who knows from experience that God’s Word has the perfect answer for every need: it “pulls our lives together.”
God’s Word brings back to our heart and soul life and not just life but an active flourishing one. And this Word that brings life is trustworthy–that is, you can count on everything it says being true. What God has promised will come to fruition! (But we must make sure that the promise we have been counting upon is from God. I find many people in Christianity discouraged because they misunderstood or misappropriated a “promise” and when it didn’t happen the way they wanted it to they became angry and bitter toward God feeling that His promises someone are not true. Not so. His promises are absolutely true.)
Need a jump-start today? Have the batteries in life’s car been drained and all you get when you turn the key is a useless sound of a failed start that almost mocks you. I have the answer: plug into God’s word and find revival for your drained (perhaps dead) soul.
The dictionary defines the term revive as “to bring back to consciousness or life; active flourishing again.” Good definition. The Message renders our text this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.”
I chuckle inwardly when people sometimes tell me that as a pastor I don’t have a clue as to what real life is like. Such people think we pastors live in ivory towers from whence we pontificate over problems we’ve never seen or experienced. In actual fact I see more broken lives in a week than many will see in a lifetime. I hear stories that would break even the stoutest heart, intervene in crises (not a misspelling the plural of crisis) sometimes on a daily basis multiple times, visit more hospitals, see more deaths (and have to comfort those left with a careful compassion lest I add to their already hurting hearts), and am sought for more advice covering a wider range of topics than any other profession. Next time you are tempted to think your pastor doesn’t have a clue about what real life is like, think about these things.
I write these things to you not to elicit from you an emotional response (I am not looking for someone to play the violin while I hold a pity party), no! I write this to you as one who knows from experience that God’s Word has the perfect answer for every need: it “pulls our lives together.”
God’s Word brings back to our heart and soul life and not just life but an active flourishing one. And this Word that brings life is trustworthy–that is, you can count on everything it says being true. What God has promised will come to fruition! (But we must make sure that the promise we have been counting upon is from God. I find many people in Christianity discouraged because they misunderstood or misappropriated a “promise” and when it didn’t happen the way they wanted it to they became angry and bitter toward God feeling that His promises someone are not true. Not so. His promises are absolutely true.)
Need a jump-start today? Have the batteries in life’s car been drained and all you get when you turn the key is a useless sound of a failed start that almost mocks you. I have the answer: plug into God’s word and find revival for your drained (perhaps dead) soul.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Need Direction?
“7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11 NIV).
We started this passage in yesterday’s Thought for the Day, looking at verse 7. Let’s look at it again, continuing on with the thought as does the Psalmist into verse 11. The Message renders this passage this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. 8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. 9 God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. 10 God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries. 11 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.”
Our modern world is racked with uncertainty. Drunk drivers, road rage, terrorism, violent crimes, and the list goes on. Many are living in fear. This fear is fueled not only by the sinful acts of sinful men but also by the sinful philosophies of our sinful age. Post-modernism (the defining thought of Western thinking) has removed any sense of certainty. Truth is both relative and individual. The postmodernist theme is “Whatever.” So if you happen to be a moral person, that’s right for you but don’t force your morality on me. If you happen to be an immoral person, that’s alright also. Like Israel of old, each man does what is right in his own eyes. For the post-modernist that’s the way it should be.
In the midst of all this uncertainty and in stark contrast to it stands the certainty of the Word of God. Is your life spiraling out of control? “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.” Do you need direction in your life? “The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.” Are you looking for happiness? “ 8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.” On and on the list goes.
You might say, “That’s easy to say, but my reality is different! I’ve tried it and it’s not been that way for me!” There is an interesting verse in Proverbs 19:3, in the Living Bible it goes like this: “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” I have found that the certainty of God’s Word is everything it claims to be. I have also found that millions of people who struggle with unfulfilled expectations in this area actually are not being entirely true when they proclaim “I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work!”
Years ago I decided to surprise my wife with a wonderful dinner. I’m your basic meat and potatoes guy, so that’s what I decided to make. Grilled steak, broccoli, instant mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I got everything started before I realized I had no milk! No problem, all I have to do is find a can of condensed milk and uncondense it. A trip to the pantry resulted in exactly what I needed (or so I thought). One can of Carnation’s Sweet and Condensed milk. I was in business!
Outwardly everything looked fine. But when we tasted the potatoes, the changed ingredient became immediately recognizable.
When I talk to people about the security of God’s Word and discover that they have not discovered that security, I know one thing: they have messed with the ingredients. Maybe they do 99% of things according to God’s Word, but it only takes 1% to mess up the whole mashed potatoes!
If you are looking for something certain in life, if you need direction, your life put back together again, wisdom, guidance, emotional healing, joy, etc., take God at His Word. You will discover a wonderful freedom and joy and peace.
We started this passage in yesterday’s Thought for the Day, looking at verse 7. Let’s look at it again, continuing on with the thought as does the Psalmist into verse 11. The Message renders this passage this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. 8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. 9 God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. 10 God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries. 11 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.”
Our modern world is racked with uncertainty. Drunk drivers, road rage, terrorism, violent crimes, and the list goes on. Many are living in fear. This fear is fueled not only by the sinful acts of sinful men but also by the sinful philosophies of our sinful age. Post-modernism (the defining thought of Western thinking) has removed any sense of certainty. Truth is both relative and individual. The postmodernist theme is “Whatever.” So if you happen to be a moral person, that’s right for you but don’t force your morality on me. If you happen to be an immoral person, that’s alright also. Like Israel of old, each man does what is right in his own eyes. For the post-modernist that’s the way it should be.
In the midst of all this uncertainty and in stark contrast to it stands the certainty of the Word of God. Is your life spiraling out of control? “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together.” Do you need direction in your life? “The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.” Are you looking for happiness? “ 8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.” On and on the list goes.
You might say, “That’s easy to say, but my reality is different! I’ve tried it and it’s not been that way for me!” There is an interesting verse in Proverbs 19:3, in the Living Bible it goes like this: “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” I have found that the certainty of God’s Word is everything it claims to be. I have also found that millions of people who struggle with unfulfilled expectations in this area actually are not being entirely true when they proclaim “I’ve tried it. It doesn’t work!”
Years ago I decided to surprise my wife with a wonderful dinner. I’m your basic meat and potatoes guy, so that’s what I decided to make. Grilled steak, broccoli, instant mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I got everything started before I realized I had no milk! No problem, all I have to do is find a can of condensed milk and uncondense it. A trip to the pantry resulted in exactly what I needed (or so I thought). One can of Carnation’s Sweet and Condensed milk. I was in business!
Outwardly everything looked fine. But when we tasted the potatoes, the changed ingredient became immediately recognizable.
When I talk to people about the security of God’s Word and discover that they have not discovered that security, I know one thing: they have messed with the ingredients. Maybe they do 99% of things according to God’s Word, but it only takes 1% to mess up the whole mashed potatoes!
If you are looking for something certain in life, if you need direction, your life put back together again, wisdom, guidance, emotional healing, joy, etc., take God at His Word. You will discover a wonderful freedom and joy and peace.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Back to Life
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV)
The dictionary defines the term revive as “to bring back to consciousness or life; active flourishing again.” Good definition. The Message renders our text this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.”
I chuckle inwardly when people sometimes tell me that as a pastor I don’t have a clue as to what real life is like. Such people think we pastors live in ivory towers from whence we pontificate over problems we’ve never seen or experienced. In actual fact I see more broken lives in a week than many will see in a lifetime. I hear stories that would break even the stoutest heart, intervene in crises (not a misspelling the plural of crisis) sometimes on a daily basis multiple times, visit more hospitals, see more deaths (and have to comfort those left with a careful compassion lest I add to their already hurting hearts), and am sought for more advice covering a wider range of topics than any other profession. Next time you are tempted to think your pastor doesn’t have a clue about what real life is like, think about these things.
I write these things to you not to elicit from you an emotional response (I am not looking for someone to play the violin while I hold a pity party), no! I write this to you as one who knows from experience that God’s Word has the perfect answer for every need: it “pulls our lives together.”
God’s Word brings back to our heart and soul life and not just life but an active flourishing one. And this Word that brings life is trustworthy–that is, you can count on everything it says being true. What God has promised will come to fruition! (But we must make sure that the promise we have been counting upon is from God. I find many people in Christianity discouraged because they misunderstood or misappropriated a “promise” and when it didn’t happen the way they wanted it to they became angry and bitter toward God feeling that His promises someone are not true. Not so. His promises are absolutely true.)
Need a jump-start today? Have the batteries in life’s car been drained and all you get when you turn the key is a useless sound of a failed start that almost mocks you. I have the answer: plug into God’s word and find revival for your drained (perhaps dead) soul.
The dictionary defines the term revive as “to bring back to consciousness or life; active flourishing again.” Good definition. The Message renders our text this way: “The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.”
I chuckle inwardly when people sometimes tell me that as a pastor I don’t have a clue as to what real life is like. Such people think we pastors live in ivory towers from whence we pontificate over problems we’ve never seen or experienced. In actual fact I see more broken lives in a week than many will see in a lifetime. I hear stories that would break even the stoutest heart, intervene in crises (not a misspelling the plural of crisis) sometimes on a daily basis multiple times, visit more hospitals, see more deaths (and have to comfort those left with a careful compassion lest I add to their already hurting hearts), and am sought for more advice covering a wider range of topics than any other profession. Next time you are tempted to think your pastor doesn’t have a clue about what real life is like, think about these things.
I write these things to you not to elicit from you an emotional response (I am not looking for someone to play the violin while I hold a pity party), no! I write this to you as one who knows from experience that God’s Word has the perfect answer for every need: it “pulls our lives together.”
God’s Word brings back to our heart and soul life and not just life but an active flourishing one. And this Word that brings life is trustworthy–that is, you can count on everything it says being true. What God has promised will come to fruition! (But we must make sure that the promise we have been counting upon is from God. I find many people in Christianity discouraged because they misunderstood or misappropriated a “promise” and when it didn’t happen the way they wanted it to they became angry and bitter toward God feeling that His promises someone are not true. Not so. His promises are absolutely true.)
Need a jump-start today? Have the batteries in life’s car been drained and all you get when you turn the key is a useless sound of a failed start that almost mocks you. I have the answer: plug into God’s word and find revival for your drained (perhaps dead) soul.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4 NIV).
J. Allen Blair, in his book, Living faithfully relates the following story. “Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist. The friend was an infidel while Newton was a devout believer. They often locked horns over the question of ‘Who made it?’ though their mutual interest in science drew them together frequently. Newton had a skillful mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature. In the center was a large guided ball representing the sun, and revolving around this were smaller balls fixed on the ends of arms of varying lengths, representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, in their proper order (Pluto had not yet been discovered). These balls were so geared together by cogs and belts as to move in perfect harmony by turning a crank.
“One day as Newton sat reading in his study, with this mechanism on a large table near him, his infidel friend stepped in. He was a scientist, who could recognize at a glance what was before him. Walking up to it he slowly turned the crank and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies move in their relative speeds in their orbits. Backing off a few feet to get the full impact of the work he exclaimed, ‘My, what an exquisite thing this is. Who made it?’ Without looking up from his books, Newton answered, ‘Nobody.’ Quickly turning to Newton the infidel said, ‘Evidently you did not understand my question. I asked who made this thing?’ Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured his friend that nobody made it but that the aggregation of matter had just happened to assume the form it was in. The astonished infidel replied with some agitation, ‘You must think I am a fool! Of course somebody made it and he is a genius! I would like to know who he is.’
“Newton, now laid aside his books, rose and laid a hand on his friends shoulder.
“‘This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know,’ he said. ‘I am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker. Yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker. Now tell me, by what sort of reasoning do you reach such incongruous conclusions?’ The infidel was at once convinced and became a firm believer.’” [From: Blair, J. Allen, Living Faithfully, (Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, Neptune, NJ, 1961 pp. 200-201)].
The Psalmist is right. One cannot honestly look at the sky and say, “Happened by chance,” unless that person has simply purposed in his or her heart to ignore the facts. One of the saddest ills of our time is the delusion that there is irrefutable evidence for evolution (in any form be in Darwinism or Neo-Darwinism). We have been led to believe a lie because we want to believe the lie. The message in nature however is a convincing argument not for chance but for creation. No one can honestly deny it, though many purposefully deny it.
Romans 1:18-25 puts it in perspective: “18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25 NIV).
Look at the argument. “What may be known about God is plain . . .because God made it plain.” How? Through Nature (Romans 1:20 and Psalm 19:1-4). What happened? Men clearly see and understand the implications of Creation but they purposefully turn from it. Notice please if you will that this turning involves a worship of creation rather than a worship of the Creator. It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to realize that this worship of creation is the root of evolutionary teaching.
Those of you reading this thought for the day now are having a reaction. Some of you are saying “amen” while others of you have dismissed this particular thought as irrelevant. An issue that doesn’t really need to be addressed since it doesn’t make that much of a difference. You are mistaken. It does make a huge difference.
Having been in the ministry now for some 29 years, I have seen the devastation to faith that compromise with this unsupportable theory of evolution brings. The evidence is so weak in fact that in Cobb County, Georgia, as I write this thought, is a court battle to remove a sticker in the biology books that simply says, “Evolution is a theory and should be studied critically.” The evolutionists are having a fit. Why? Because they know in their hearts that what they have purposed to believe with their heads cannot stand up to critical evaluation.
Here’s what I know. Since I have been a believer (and that is some 44 years now), the story of evolution has changed numerous times but the story of creation remains unchanged. In my younger years, when I thought the “facts” had to be reconciled, I tried many ways to do it. I was constantly readjusting my beliefs to fit new and changing “facts.” When I realized that the “facts” were in fact wishes and dreams, and took my stand on a literal Creation (that was in 1966) I haven’t had to adjust my beliefs one time. I don’t know about you, but I’ll stick with the solid, unchanging evidence of Creation as recorded in Genesis.
J. Allen Blair, in his book, Living faithfully relates the following story. “Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist. The friend was an infidel while Newton was a devout believer. They often locked horns over the question of ‘Who made it?’ though their mutual interest in science drew them together frequently. Newton had a skillful mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature. In the center was a large guided ball representing the sun, and revolving around this were smaller balls fixed on the ends of arms of varying lengths, representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, in their proper order (Pluto had not yet been discovered). These balls were so geared together by cogs and belts as to move in perfect harmony by turning a crank.
“One day as Newton sat reading in his study, with this mechanism on a large table near him, his infidel friend stepped in. He was a scientist, who could recognize at a glance what was before him. Walking up to it he slowly turned the crank and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies move in their relative speeds in their orbits. Backing off a few feet to get the full impact of the work he exclaimed, ‘My, what an exquisite thing this is. Who made it?’ Without looking up from his books, Newton answered, ‘Nobody.’ Quickly turning to Newton the infidel said, ‘Evidently you did not understand my question. I asked who made this thing?’ Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured his friend that nobody made it but that the aggregation of matter had just happened to assume the form it was in. The astonished infidel replied with some agitation, ‘You must think I am a fool! Of course somebody made it and he is a genius! I would like to know who he is.’
“Newton, now laid aside his books, rose and laid a hand on his friends shoulder.
“‘This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know,’ he said. ‘I am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker. Yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker. Now tell me, by what sort of reasoning do you reach such incongruous conclusions?’ The infidel was at once convinced and became a firm believer.’” [From: Blair, J. Allen, Living Faithfully, (Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, Neptune, NJ, 1961 pp. 200-201)].
The Psalmist is right. One cannot honestly look at the sky and say, “Happened by chance,” unless that person has simply purposed in his or her heart to ignore the facts. One of the saddest ills of our time is the delusion that there is irrefutable evidence for evolution (in any form be in Darwinism or Neo-Darwinism). We have been led to believe a lie because we want to believe the lie. The message in nature however is a convincing argument not for chance but for creation. No one can honestly deny it, though many purposefully deny it.
Romans 1:18-25 puts it in perspective: “18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25 NIV).
Look at the argument. “What may be known about God is plain . . .because God made it plain.” How? Through Nature (Romans 1:20 and Psalm 19:1-4). What happened? Men clearly see and understand the implications of Creation but they purposefully turn from it. Notice please if you will that this turning involves a worship of creation rather than a worship of the Creator. It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to realize that this worship of creation is the root of evolutionary teaching.
Those of you reading this thought for the day now are having a reaction. Some of you are saying “amen” while others of you have dismissed this particular thought as irrelevant. An issue that doesn’t really need to be addressed since it doesn’t make that much of a difference. You are mistaken. It does make a huge difference.
Having been in the ministry now for some 29 years, I have seen the devastation to faith that compromise with this unsupportable theory of evolution brings. The evidence is so weak in fact that in Cobb County, Georgia, as I write this thought, is a court battle to remove a sticker in the biology books that simply says, “Evolution is a theory and should be studied critically.” The evolutionists are having a fit. Why? Because they know in their hearts that what they have purposed to believe with their heads cannot stand up to critical evaluation.
Here’s what I know. Since I have been a believer (and that is some 44 years now), the story of evolution has changed numerous times but the story of creation remains unchanged. In my younger years, when I thought the “facts” had to be reconciled, I tried many ways to do it. I was constantly readjusting my beliefs to fit new and changing “facts.” When I realized that the “facts” were in fact wishes and dreams, and took my stand on a literal Creation (that was in 1966) I haven’t had to adjust my beliefs one time. I don’t know about you, but I’ll stick with the solid, unchanging evidence of Creation as recorded in Genesis.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Where is Your Focus
“46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! 47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, 48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name. 50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (Psalm 18:46-50 NIV).
Early in this Psalm David feared that he was a goner (vv. 4-6). He prayed and God responded. Now, in these closing verses we find a grateful David rejoicing before the Lord.
We don’t know the exact time this particular Psalm was written. The written introduction may link this Psalm early in David’s life, after his 12 or so years of fleeing from Saul. However the introductory comments read “when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.”
This Psalm is also recorded in 2 Samuel 22. In that setting it seems to come near the end of David’s career as king. Certainly from verses 47 & 50 it would appear that he is speaking as the king and not simply the one who was to become king.
I point this out to remind you that this great ending of praise comes after great personal losses. If (as I believe this Psalm comes at the end of David’s earthly life) remember that the victories to which he refers are numerous indeed. Some of those victories came at the expense of great personal loss. Absalom, one of David’s own sons, was one of those violent men from whom the hand of God rescued him. Think of the conflict. Absalom had usurped the throne, David fled to avoid a confrontation with his son, and David’s eventual deliverance in this instance came at the death of his own son–a tragedy that is never easy for a parent no matter how rebellious the son may become!
Bottom line: David’s praise includes deliverance not only from external conflicts but for deliverance from great internal (family) conflicts as well. Even in his great personal losses (and they were many) David declares, “He shows unfailing kindness to (me.)” I find that interesting. If this Psalm is at the end of David’s life, he has wonderfully chosen to focus on the victories not on the battles which led to those victories; he has chosen to focus on the blessings God had given him not the bane of the wounds.
What are you focusing on today? Is there some past hurt you refuse to let heal? Like a curious child you keep picking at the scab, making sure that wound will not recover until you decide to let it. I find people all the time who blame their present dispositions on their past treatment. No question our past impacts our present, the only real question is how we choose to let the past impact our present. Will we dwell in the valley of bitterness or will we, with David, climb the mountain of gratitude? Your choice, but let me warn you, when all is said and done, you alone will be responsible for how your respond. Each person will give an account of him or herself to God (Romans 14:12). Modern psychological thought may let you get away with, “I did what I did because my parents did what they did,” and you may be comfortable rationalizing ill behavior because as a child you suffered ill-behavior, but in the end, where it really counts, you will be held responsible for you and the blame game won’t deter the Righteous Judge.
If anyone had an excuse to dwell in misery it was David. He chose not to. Instead of focusing on the negatives, his focus was on the positives; instead of complaining about the many battles, he praised God for the many victories. What about you?
Early in this Psalm David feared that he was a goner (vv. 4-6). He prayed and God responded. Now, in these closing verses we find a grateful David rejoicing before the Lord.
We don’t know the exact time this particular Psalm was written. The written introduction may link this Psalm early in David’s life, after his 12 or so years of fleeing from Saul. However the introductory comments read “when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.”
This Psalm is also recorded in 2 Samuel 22. In that setting it seems to come near the end of David’s career as king. Certainly from verses 47 & 50 it would appear that he is speaking as the king and not simply the one who was to become king.
I point this out to remind you that this great ending of praise comes after great personal losses. If (as I believe this Psalm comes at the end of David’s earthly life) remember that the victories to which he refers are numerous indeed. Some of those victories came at the expense of great personal loss. Absalom, one of David’s own sons, was one of those violent men from whom the hand of God rescued him. Think of the conflict. Absalom had usurped the throne, David fled to avoid a confrontation with his son, and David’s eventual deliverance in this instance came at the death of his own son–a tragedy that is never easy for a parent no matter how rebellious the son may become!
Bottom line: David’s praise includes deliverance not only from external conflicts but for deliverance from great internal (family) conflicts as well. Even in his great personal losses (and they were many) David declares, “He shows unfailing kindness to (me.)” I find that interesting. If this Psalm is at the end of David’s life, he has wonderfully chosen to focus on the victories not on the battles which led to those victories; he has chosen to focus on the blessings God had given him not the bane of the wounds.
What are you focusing on today? Is there some past hurt you refuse to let heal? Like a curious child you keep picking at the scab, making sure that wound will not recover until you decide to let it. I find people all the time who blame their present dispositions on their past treatment. No question our past impacts our present, the only real question is how we choose to let the past impact our present. Will we dwell in the valley of bitterness or will we, with David, climb the mountain of gratitude? Your choice, but let me warn you, when all is said and done, you alone will be responsible for how your respond. Each person will give an account of him or herself to God (Romans 14:12). Modern psychological thought may let you get away with, “I did what I did because my parents did what they did,” and you may be comfortable rationalizing ill behavior because as a child you suffered ill-behavior, but in the end, where it really counts, you will be held responsible for you and the blame game won’t deter the Righteous Judge.
If anyone had an excuse to dwell in misery it was David. He chose not to. Instead of focusing on the negatives, his focus was on the positives; instead of complaining about the many battles, he praised God for the many victories. What about you?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Where Is Your Trust?
“32 God is my protection. He makes my way free from fault. 33 He makes me like a deer that does not stumble; he helps me stand on the steep mountains. (Psalm 18:32-33 NCV).
What are you facing today? What or whom are you counting on to get you through the day? Anything or anyone less than God is risky. Is it not wiser to put your trust in the God who can do anything, the God who will never fail, the God who holds the universe and every molecule of it in His all-powerful hand? Think of the absolute security of being able to declare with confidence, “God is my protection.”
Now, look at that next phrase. God’s protection is not only from those things that can harm us from the outside, His protection keeps us from those things that can harm us from the inside! “He makes my way free from fault.” Couple this with the next phrase, “He makes me like a deer that does not stumble,” and you have the complete idea: God protects us from going the wrong way!
When we respond to God through faith in Jesus Christ a number of marvelous things happen. First, all our sins are removed–placed on the wounded shoulders of Christ. (See 1 John 2:1-2). Second, all Christ’s righteousness is placed on us. Amazing. Third, God Himself comes to dwell in the believer in the person of the Holy Spirit and it is that leading (when we respond to it) that can keep our ways “free from fault.”
Understand, this is not a one time deal. Too many believers today are resting on some past decision but not living daily for Christ. Such people do not have a testimony they have a history. True Christianity is not a “done deal” in the sense that we make a one time decision, live any way we please and not worry about it again until we get to heaven. No! True Christianity is not a past decision it is a present life based upon that past decision! The Apostle John put it this way: “Whoever claims to life in Him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6 NIV). Let me be clear, this command by John (given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) is not an option for the believer.
There are two passages of Scripture that scare me to death (actually three but the third is another passage for another time). The two that apply to this discussion are James 2:19 and Matthew 7:21-23. James 2:19 reminds us, “Even the demons believe and tremble.” Demons know without question who Jesus is; they have no doubts about it like you and I sometime have. They know all the facts, but they are not saved. There are a boat-load of professing people who know all the facts about Jesus, but they’ve never really met him personally. How do we know that? Because they talk about Jesus but they don’t walk like Jesus. John tells us those who talk is true will walk a walk that is true.
Now Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that there are going to be many people who will stand before God and claim that they did all sorts of wonderful things for Christ; they taught Sunday School, they were pastors and some will have even performed great miracles in the name of Jesus, but when judgment falls they will hear, “I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23). Why? The answer is found back in verse 21: “Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 NLT–emphasis mine).
Back to our original text. Who can truly count on God’s protection? The one whose walk is made faultless by faith and obedience. As James reminds us, “Faith, if that all there is, is dead. True faith reveals itself by how you live.” (James 2:17 Pearrell Loose Translation).
What are you facing today? What or whom are you counting on to get you through the day? Anything or anyone less than God is risky. Is it not wiser to put your trust in the God who can do anything, the God who will never fail, the God who holds the universe and every molecule of it in His all-powerful hand? Think of the absolute security of being able to declare with confidence, “God is my protection.”
Now, look at that next phrase. God’s protection is not only from those things that can harm us from the outside, His protection keeps us from those things that can harm us from the inside! “He makes my way free from fault.” Couple this with the next phrase, “He makes me like a deer that does not stumble,” and you have the complete idea: God protects us from going the wrong way!
When we respond to God through faith in Jesus Christ a number of marvelous things happen. First, all our sins are removed–placed on the wounded shoulders of Christ. (See 1 John 2:1-2). Second, all Christ’s righteousness is placed on us. Amazing. Third, God Himself comes to dwell in the believer in the person of the Holy Spirit and it is that leading (when we respond to it) that can keep our ways “free from fault.”
Understand, this is not a one time deal. Too many believers today are resting on some past decision but not living daily for Christ. Such people do not have a testimony they have a history. True Christianity is not a “done deal” in the sense that we make a one time decision, live any way we please and not worry about it again until we get to heaven. No! True Christianity is not a past decision it is a present life based upon that past decision! The Apostle John put it this way: “Whoever claims to life in Him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6 NIV). Let me be clear, this command by John (given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) is not an option for the believer.
There are two passages of Scripture that scare me to death (actually three but the third is another passage for another time). The two that apply to this discussion are James 2:19 and Matthew 7:21-23. James 2:19 reminds us, “Even the demons believe and tremble.” Demons know without question who Jesus is; they have no doubts about it like you and I sometime have. They know all the facts, but they are not saved. There are a boat-load of professing people who know all the facts about Jesus, but they’ve never really met him personally. How do we know that? Because they talk about Jesus but they don’t walk like Jesus. John tells us those who talk is true will walk a walk that is true.
Now Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that there are going to be many people who will stand before God and claim that they did all sorts of wonderful things for Christ; they taught Sunday School, they were pastors and some will have even performed great miracles in the name of Jesus, but when judgment falls they will hear, “I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23). Why? The answer is found back in verse 21: “Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 NLT–emphasis mine).
Back to our original text. Who can truly count on God’s protection? The one whose walk is made faultless by faith and obedience. As James reminds us, “Faith, if that all there is, is dead. True faith reveals itself by how you live.” (James 2:17 Pearrell Loose Translation).
Friday, September 4, 2009
God Doesn't Make Mistakes
“As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. He is s shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:30 NIV).
This is a powerful verse, even on its own–it becomes mind-boggling when we realize the context! Remember David is praising the Lord for deliverance from a whole host of problems. Not your simple everyday problems, but problems that were so great as to be literally life-threatening. If this Psalm is written after his deliverance from Saul, remember he was on the run for some 12 years. It is in this context that David declares “As for God, His way is perfect . . . .”
Now I want you to think about that statement for a minute. This is not a comment by someone who has lived life in an ivory tower. Sometimes we read things like this in Scripture and think (either consciously or subconsciously) “Easy for him to say! He doesn’t know what I’m going through.” That’s right, but also realize that you have not experienced what David experienced. You and I have not lived life on the lam. Hiding in rugged caves and desolate areas. Pretending to be a mad-man so an enemy king wouldn’t take your life. Reputation ruined. A fugitive who, anyone found helping was summarily executed. David was pariah in Israel.
Yet, he says (Pearrell loose translation now), “God knows what He is doing; He doesn’t make mistakes.”
Do you believe that? Do you believe that in the difficult circumstances you perhaps now are in? It is easy to believe this marvelous truth when things are going our way–it is another thing to believe it–to really believe it–when everything around us is falling apart.
Perhaps the best Biblical example of this is Joseph. Joseph was sold into a cruel slavery by his own brothers. Still he honored God and worked hard. As a result, life became a little more bearable for him as he advanced in rank. Then, a lie took all that away. He ended up in chains in prision; chains that rubbed him raw (See Psalm 105:17-22). He could have become angry and bitter, instead he became better. Why? Because he believed that God’s way was perfect, even in his pain. As a result, he is elevated to the high rank of chief prisoner (that’s sarcasm for those who might have missed it). But it was from this lowly position (some 13 years now have passed in slavery and prison) that God elevates him to second in command in Egypt! Here’s the amazing thing: God had not lost control when Joseph was thrown into that pit by his brothers, He had not lost control when he was sold into slavery, He had not lost control when Mrs. Potiphar accused this innocent man of rape, He had not lost control when her furious and influential husband had him thrown into prison, He had not lost control while Joseph languished there, nor had he lost control when the kings Cupbearer forgot his promise to Joseph for two more years!
May I suggest humbly that God has not lost control over your dread circumstances now? You may not see what He is doing, but you can be sure of this, His ways are still perfect!
I like the way The Message puts these verses, “What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it.” Take heart!
This is a powerful verse, even on its own–it becomes mind-boggling when we realize the context! Remember David is praising the Lord for deliverance from a whole host of problems. Not your simple everyday problems, but problems that were so great as to be literally life-threatening. If this Psalm is written after his deliverance from Saul, remember he was on the run for some 12 years. It is in this context that David declares “As for God, His way is perfect . . . .”
Now I want you to think about that statement for a minute. This is not a comment by someone who has lived life in an ivory tower. Sometimes we read things like this in Scripture and think (either consciously or subconsciously) “Easy for him to say! He doesn’t know what I’m going through.” That’s right, but also realize that you have not experienced what David experienced. You and I have not lived life on the lam. Hiding in rugged caves and desolate areas. Pretending to be a mad-man so an enemy king wouldn’t take your life. Reputation ruined. A fugitive who, anyone found helping was summarily executed. David was pariah in Israel.
Yet, he says (Pearrell loose translation now), “God knows what He is doing; He doesn’t make mistakes.”
Do you believe that? Do you believe that in the difficult circumstances you perhaps now are in? It is easy to believe this marvelous truth when things are going our way–it is another thing to believe it–to really believe it–when everything around us is falling apart.
Perhaps the best Biblical example of this is Joseph. Joseph was sold into a cruel slavery by his own brothers. Still he honored God and worked hard. As a result, life became a little more bearable for him as he advanced in rank. Then, a lie took all that away. He ended up in chains in prision; chains that rubbed him raw (See Psalm 105:17-22). He could have become angry and bitter, instead he became better. Why? Because he believed that God’s way was perfect, even in his pain. As a result, he is elevated to the high rank of chief prisoner (that’s sarcasm for those who might have missed it). But it was from this lowly position (some 13 years now have passed in slavery and prison) that God elevates him to second in command in Egypt! Here’s the amazing thing: God had not lost control when Joseph was thrown into that pit by his brothers, He had not lost control when he was sold into slavery, He had not lost control when Mrs. Potiphar accused this innocent man of rape, He had not lost control when her furious and influential husband had him thrown into prison, He had not lost control while Joseph languished there, nor had he lost control when the kings Cupbearer forgot his promise to Joseph for two more years!
May I suggest humbly that God has not lost control over your dread circumstances now? You may not see what He is doing, but you can be sure of this, His ways are still perfect!
I like the way The Message puts these verses, “What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it.” Take heart!
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