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Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

By Michael L Grooms

A daily chat with Pastor Mike and other resources to encourage listeners to connect with the Word of God and grow in their faith.
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Psalm 59:6-17 - Depending on God to Defend Us

Pastor Mike Impact MinistriesMay 28, 2023

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04:52
Passion Week: Thursday - The Passover Supper

Passion Week: Thursday - The Passover Supper

Luke 22:7-13

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?" And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready." So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

 

As we look at the major events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ in what is called “Passion Week”, we have come to Thursday. To get a full picture of all took place, remember it was on Wednesday that Judas Iscariot secretly went back to Jerusalem and sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver with the promise that he would betray Him. Now early Thursday morning in Bethany, Jesus sends Peter and John to Jerusalem to prepare the Passover Supper for Him and His disciples. So, most of the recorded events in the four Gospels that take place on Thursday must have happened late in the afternoon and evening.

 

We can’t be sure of the exact sequence of these events, but it appears to me that at some point during the supper, according to John 13:4, Jesus washes His disciple’s feet. This might have happened after Jesus overhears them arguing at the table who would be the greatest in the kingdom (Luke 22:24-30). Jesus is teaching them a practical lesson on humility. Keep in mind, Jesus knows that this Passover Supper is about His sacrificial death that will take place in just a few short hours.

 

Jesus already knows that Judas has sold Him for 30 pieces of silver, the disciples are expecting Him to set up an earthly kingdom very soon and they are seeking to be sitting next to Him on His throne. Jesus then gives the message on a heavenly kingdom in John 14 as He tells them that He is going to prepare a place for them, but He will come again (John 14:1-6).  Jesus also gives them the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 14 and 16. In John 15, Jesus teaches them the lesson on the True Vine and the importance as branches to abide in Him.

 

Then at some point Jesus also prays His High Priestly prayer that is recorded in John 17. All of this occurs on Thursday evening. Jesus also tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him and send Judas out. After the supper is ended, they sing a hymn, no doubt from the Psalms, and leave the Upper Room and make their way to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1). Jesus also announces on the way there, that all of them would forsake Him and be scattered (Matthew 26:31).

 

Thursday evening ends with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples. Jesus is praying but the disciples are sleeping.

 

I’m afraid that many of us are like the disciples on the eve of the greatest event in human history that will take place on Friday, the sacrificial death of Jesus on a cross, and we are arguing and being divided about things that really don’t matter!  Of course, the Resurrection of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit changed all that in the lives of the disciples and can transform us also!

 

God bless!

Mar 28, 202404:47
Passion Week: Silent Wednesday – The Betrayal

Passion Week: Silent Wednesday – The Betrayal

Up to this point, we know that on Sunday Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem with His disciples. He was greeted by the crowds of common people with shouts of Hosanna, which meant “save us now”. For three and a half years they had heard messages on the kingdom and seen His miracles of healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, making lame men to walk, feeding the multitudes, and raising the dead! They sincerely thought that He was the Messiah who would save them from the hated Roman rule over them.

 

They wanted an external salvation of freedom but failed to realize that they must first have an internal salvation for their souls from their sins. This could only take place if Jesus fulfilled the prophesies like Isaiah 53 where He would bear their sins in His own body and died as the spotless Lamb of God, the Passover Lamb, in their place. In these last days just before His crucifixion, Jesus has privately been telling His disciples over and over again that He must suffer and that He would die and be resurrected.

 

Of course, this must have “troubled” the disciples (John 14:1), and particular one of them named Judas. We have already been told that he was a thief and was stealing from the common money the disciples shared. His dreams of ruling and getting a position of power and control in the Kingdom were falling apart and Satan puts it in his heart “to go his way” to get the most out of his position as a disciple and betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

 

During this Passion Week, Jesus and His disciples were staying at the home of Mary and Martha in Bethany. Bethany is about two miles away from Jerusalem. The city would have been extremely crowded and chaotic during the Passover week. Jesus and His disciples walked those two miles each day to teach in the temple and then returned to Bethany for the night. We are pretty sure we know what Jesus did each day of this week, except for Wednesday. For that reason, this day has been called “silent Wednesday” by some scholars.

 

But most Bible scholars and commentators seem to agree and believe that Wednesday was the day spoken about in Matthew 26:14–16, Mark 14:10-11, and Luke 22:1-5, the day Judas chose to betray Jesus. Besides this we can’t find any other events that might have taken place. It is possible this is because the disciples needed time to prepare for the Passover meal. Did Mary and Martha help with that? The Passover celebration required shopping, cooking, and planning. Was everyone bustling around Jesus with important preparations while He was praying for the strength to make an impossibly difficult sacrifice?

 

We can imagine Jesus taking time on Wednesday to retreat to a quiet spot so that he could sit with his Abba and pray. It’s impossible to fathom what it would have been like for Jesus to be God incarnate, indwelling the limitations of a human body. He understood physical pain, he felt humiliation, He expected His death would be a horrendous ordeal for His human body to endure. He also knew that He was about to accomplish the purpose He had been born to do. He was going to provide salvation for anyone who would choose to believe and make Him Lord. What did Jesus pray about during that time with His Abba?

 

Maybe we should spend some of this day like Jesus did. Is there time in your schedule to simply turn the world off, take a walk, and spend some time with your Abba? If you are reading this on your office computer, take time during lunch or during the drive home to simply quiet your heart and think about what Jesus did that Wednesday—and the significance of the events in the days that followed.

 

Why doesn’t Scripture tell us what Jesus did that Wednesday? Maybe because it was the day Jesus chose to spend privately with God. Maybe we can consider doing the same. Your Abba would love to have that time with you . . . there is something He wants to tell you.

 

God bless!

Mar 27, 202404:53
Passion Week: Tuesday - The Confrontations

Passion Week: Tuesday - The Confrontations

This week we are looking at the events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ in what is called “Passion Week”, and what took place each day during this week. Remember that we should not be dogmatic about the exact chronology as we look at all four of the Gospel accounts, but we at least can get an idea of what was happening concerning the suffering of our Lord throughout the entire week.

One of the events that took place on Monday was the cleansing of the Temple by Jesus. This must have infuriated the religious leaders and set up the scene for their confrontations with Jesus on Tuesday. Jesus did not attempt to avoid them and when He and His disciples “came again to Jerusalem”, He went directly to the temple for where they were waiting for Him with a plan to trip Him up in front of the crowd. Their goal is to discredit Him, shame Him or quiet Him. It’s time to show the people who's really in charge.

As Jesus walked into the Temple, “the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”’ (Mark 11:27–28) “Tell us Jesus, who do you think you are? We are the ones with authority here in the Temple—we are the high priests.” Jesus responds: “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? .... So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:29–33) Their question backfired on them.

The Sadducees take their turn and come up with a crazy story about a woman who marries seven brothers, one after the other as the previous one dies. They want to know which brother she would be married to in the resurrection. Jesus shamed them with His answer pointing out that they were ignorant of the Scriptures and the power of God. (Luke 20:27-33)

Jesus was confronted with the question of the “Great Commandment” (Mark 12:28-34). He then confronts the religious leaders with His question, “Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" And the common people heard Him gladly” (Mark 12:35-37). Matthew’s Gospel tells us at the point, “And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions” (Matthew 22:42–46).

Now in Matthew 23, with the priests and Pharisees silenced, Jesus lets them have it in front of the crowd. He spends 36 verses, which takes just under five minutes to speak out loud. He pronounces seven woes with specific accusations about their character, sin and condemnation. And He does it in the temple, in front of the crowd, to their faces. Jesus, then says to His disciples for all to hear, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation" (Luke 20:46-47). Then in contrast to these religious fakes, Jesus points out the widow and her meager offering of one mite (Mark 12:41-44).

It is also possible that as He and the disciples leave the Temple and Jerusalem that Jesus gives both the Mount of Olivet Discourse concerning the end of the age (Matthew 24), and the parables of the ten virgins, the talents, and the judgment of the sheep and goat nations (Matthew 25).

You can imagine the rage of the religious leaders now intent on putting Jesus to death! My friend, make sure you have a relationship with Jesus and not just a religion about Him.

God bless!

Mar 26, 202405:07
Matthew 21:17-22 - Passion Week: Our Spiritual Life Exposed

Matthew 21:17-22 - Passion Week: Our Spiritual Life Exposed

This week we are going to take a break from the book of Psalms and share the events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ in what is called “Passion Week”. It is in these eight days that the greatest event in the course of human history takes place, and that is, the suffering, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t ever forget that Jesus suffered like no man ever suffered as He lays down His life as God’s perfect sacrifice for our sins!

Because the four Gospels are not written in chronological order the Biblical scholars debate the exact order of events that took place each day of this week. I have chosen to use Dr. Harold Willington’s Guide to the Bible for our study this week. Dr. Willington was a dear friend of mine and I had to privilege to sit under his teaching during my time at Lynchburg Baptist College and even travel to the Holy Land with him on two occasions.

It appears that after the events on Palm Sunday the Lord and His disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem just on the other side of the Mount of Olives (Matthew 21:17). This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

On Monday morning as Jesus and His disciples were crossing over the Mount of Olives Jesus saw a fig tree, and being hungry He stopped to eat some fruit from it but found only leaves (Mark 11:12-14).  He cursed it and immediately it withered away. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. But the truth is the symbolism of this event could extend to all believers, demonstrating that genuine faith is more than just outward religiosity; true, living faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

Mark’s Gospel continues to tell us after that they continued to go up to Jerusalem. It was then that Jesus cleansed the temple. “So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " (Mark 11:15-17).

It is so sad that many of our churches today have become places of entertainment and religious commercialism rather than houses of prayer. The thing we should do the most in our churches is the thing we do the least! I have a feeling that the Lord would be cleansing a host of our churches today as we promote everything but the Word of God and prayer!

According to John’s Gospel it is possible that another event might have happened on this Monday in Jerusalem. “Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:20-36)

Jesus was of course speaking of His own death on the cross which would bear much fruit! He also added that the same truth can be applied to us. If will lose our life for His sake and we live for Him and not the world and ourselves, we will enjoy eternal life that will bring others to life in Christ too! This will glorify Jesus! (John 12:28)

How healthy is your Spiritual life?

God bless!

Mar 25, 202405:05
Acts 1:3 - Passion Week: Palm Sunday

Acts 1:3 - Passion Week: Palm Sunday

We are going to take a break from the book of Psalms for the next eight days and share the events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ in what is called “Passion Week”. It is in these eight days that the greatest event in the course of human history takes place, and that is, the suffering, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t ever forget that Jesus suffered like no man ever suffered as He lays down His life as God’s perfect sacrifice for our sins!

 Actually, if we want to look back one day to Saturday, we will find that the Lord Jesus was anointed with oil by Mary.  “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8). She was criticized by Judas and the disciples, but Jesus said, “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." (Mark 14:8-9). Jesus knew exactly what was going to take place in the course of this week!

What a great place to start these devotions this week. We should be encouraged to know that the Lord takes great note of our sacrificial devotion, records it, and will greatly reward it!

Today is called Palm Sunday. On this first day of the week, our Lord makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-11, 14-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44). Luke’s Gospel tells us, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. (Luke 19:28-31)

Mark’s Gospel informs us that this colt had never been ridden and it was tied “by the door, without in a place where two ways met.” (Mark 11:2-4). This is a beautiful picture of us as sinners. We are unbroken, rebelling against God, and “tied” to our sins! We are “tied” to our past, our guilt, our addictions, our bitterness and cannot lose ourselves. We need someone, sent by Jesus to tell us the story of His resurrection power and how He needs us to come into His family! Notice the colt was “by the door”! Remember Jesus is the door (John 10:9). The colt was “without”. We are outside the fold of safety. The colt was also “in a place where two ways met.” When we are introduced to Jesus, we are at the crossroad of two ways. We must either choose Jesus, the Narrow Way, or reject Him and continue down the broad way that leads to destruction!

When Jesus came into the City of Jerusalem, there was a great celebration by the people! When “much people …. heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem... cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:12-13)

Both Matthew and Mark’s Gospel record this entry: "Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord"  "Hosanna to the son of David... Hosanna in the highest" "Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David" (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10). It is sad to note, that in less than five days later, many in this crowd would be crying “crucify Him”.  

The last thing we should note that took place on this day is the broken heart of Jesus over the city of Jerusalem. After the Pharisees criticized Jesus for accepting this praise he replied, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." Then Luke also tells us “as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes….” (Luke 19:40-44).

As Jesus faces the suffering of the cross, He is weeping over the lost condition of those who would crucify Him. May the Lord give us broken hearts like Jesus to pray and weep over the lost sinners around us today!

God bless!

Mar 24, 202404:52
Psalm 142:1-4 - "No One Cares For My Soul"

Psalm 142:1-4 - "No One Cares For My Soul"

Something interesting I just learned studying for this chat on Psalm 142 is that this is the last of the psalms attributed to David that relate to the years in which he was fleeing from Saul.  For other psalms that David wrote concerning this particular period of his life see, Psalms 7, 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, and 59. The title tells us that this is a psalm of David, written when he was in the cave. It does not tell us which cave, whether it is the one at Adullam (1 Sam. 22) or a cave in En Gedi (1 Sam. 24).

We should also note that Psalm 142 is a maschil psalm, (a contemplation), a psalm that was written for instruction. David felt that the lessons he had learned in his troubles should be recorded to help and encourage others. For some reason this psalm did not find its way into the Hebrew hymnbook for a very long time. It was given its place probably by King Hezekiah, who could appreciate David's experiences, having gone through troubles enough of his own.

For the background of this psalm, we need to remember David’s experiences up to this point. David's troubles as a young man came swiftly to a head at King Saul's court. After Saul had tried to have him murdered in his bed, he fled to Naioth. He had a secret meeting with his loyal friend Jonathan who promised to find out if it was safe for him to return home. Shortly afterward Jonathan returned for a clandestine meeting with David and warned him that his life was in danger. By this time King Saul was under the tormenting influence of a demon. Nine times in two chapters he tried to have David murdered (1 Samuel 19 and 20).

Thoroughly frightened, David fled to Philistia for political asylum. It was a disastrous move and he escaped from Gath only by feigning to be insane himself. It may be that his friends even questioned his faith and his courage by doing something so crazy seek help from the hated Philistines, especially the ones at Gath where Goliath was from. Back in Israel, he sought refuge in the cave of Adullam, a big cave not far from the famous "valley of the shadow." It was a natural refuge for the beleaguered outlaw in a very dark and desperate time of his early years. David pictured this time as being in a “prison” (v. 7).

But David finally did what God's people must always do in times of crisis: he looked to the Lord for help. He knew very little about Saul and his plans, but he did know about Jehovah and His great promises, and because of his faith in these assurances, he triumphed over both his feelings and his foes.

In verses 1-2, David not only cried aloud with his voice, but he cried earnestly from his heart. He was a godly young man who had faithfully served the Lord and his king, and yet there he was in a cave, hiding like a guilty criminal. Later in life, David would understand more fully that during those fugitive years in the wilderness, God was equipping him for the work he would do the rest of his life, but at the time, his situation was miserable. His feelings were so pent up within him that he "poured out" his troubles (43:4; 62:8; 102 title) and his inner turmoil ("complaint").

God knew David's difficult situation better than he did, but the Lord has ordained that our prayers are a part of His providential answers. When we need bread, our heavenly Father wants us to come and ask (Luke 11:9-13). The word "trouble" means "in a tight place, in narrow straits" (Psalms 120:1; 138:7; 143:11). David would learn that those dangerous narrow places usually led to wider places and greater opportunities (Psalms 18:18-19; 4:1; 25:17).

My friend, no matter how dark and deep the hole or “cave” we find ourselves alone in with our feelings of total abandonment from our family and friends, we can be assured that the LORD hears our prayers!

God bless!

Mar 23, 202405:00
Psalm 141:6-10 - Overcoming Fear with Faith

Psalm 141:6-10 - Overcoming Fear with Faith

It is obvious that David, the writer of Psalm 141, is being attacked by ruthless and evil people. It almost goes without saying, that as followers of Jesus Christ we will be attack by our enemy whenever we are determined to do the will of God and live a righteous and upright life like Noah or Job in an ungodly environment. Peter told us to be on guard because we have an adversary who goes about like a roaring lion. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

In this chapter we find at least five things that David did as he responded to these attacks. In verses 1-2, the first thing David does in his desperation is to seek the LORD. He prays and cries out to the LORD in his desperation.  In verses 3-4, the second thing David did was he made the choice and determined to keep himself from sin. He was tempted to say and do things that he knew God would not be pleased with and he asked the LORD to “set a guard over his mouth”, and keep his heart from being inclined to do evil and “practicing wicked works with men who work iniquity…”.

In verse 5, the third thing David did was to accept God’s rebuke and counsel. David recognized that the LORD was involved in allowing this conflict or pain to come into his life. When we yield to God's will, the difficulties of life are tools that God uses to bring maturity to our lives. Often the Lord sends people to speak to us with a message of rebuke.

Now in verses 6-7, the fourth thing that David did was to let God judge his enemies. These two verses have puzzled translators and expositors, but the general message seems clear. David continued to pray for his enemies, and he saw a day coming when God would judge them and vindicate his own cause (Ps. 138:8; 140:12). Perhaps it is best to translate the verbs "Let the judges be thrown down... let them learn that my words were true... let them say, 'As one plows.... '" To throw people from a cliff was a terrible form of execution (2 Chron. 25:12; Luke 4:29), but David is no doubt speaking in metaphorical language as in verses 1-5. When God has judged the leaders, their followers will agree that David's words were correct, especially when they see the unburied bones of those leaders bleaching in the sun. We need to allow God to do the same for us!

Finally, in verses 8-10, the fifth thing David did in response to the attacks of his enemies was he was determined to keep going by faith. Fixing one's eyes on the invisible Lord means living by faith in His Word (Isa. 45:22; Heb. 12:1-2). God had anointed David to be king of Israel and nothing but David's own disobedience could frustrate that plan. God was David's refuge, and he was immortal until his work was done.

If David had worried about the traps and hidden snares the enemy had set, he would have been paralyzed with fear; but he committed himself to the Lord and walked safely through the battlefield. Four simple words declare his faith, "While I escape safely” (v. 10). This reminds us of our Lord's experience in the synagogue at Nazareth, when the people became angry at His message and tried to throw Him from a cliff, “Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way." (Luke 4:30).

Life goes on and there is work to do, so we must not allow tough situations to paralyze us but to energize us in trusting the Lord. Life's trials are not excuses for doing nothing; they are opportunities for claiming God's promises and experiencing His miraculous power. Satan obtained permission from God to attack Job’s family, his wealth, and his health. Yet Job responded, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). He went on to also say, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).

May the LORD give us grace to keep our eyes on Jesus and have the patience and faith of Job and David! “But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord; In You I take refuge…” (v. 8).

God bless!

Mar 22, 202404:59
Psalm 141:1-5 - Responding to God's Correction

Psalm 141:1-5 - Responding to God's Correction

5 Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

First let me say a thank you for your prayers these past couple days as we traveled back and forth to Roanoke to speak at Shelby Leonard’s home going celebration. It was a beautiful service honoring her godly life and her wonderful witness for the LORD. I’m sure she received a “grand entrance” into heaven this past Saturday night as she went from this earthly life to her eternal abode. Peter spoke about this in 2 Peter 1:10-11, “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Thanks again for your prayers!

Psalm 141 is written by David as he is responding to being attacked by ruthless and evil people. In this chapter we find at least five things that David did. In verses 1-2, the first thing David does in his desperation is to seek the LORD. He prays and cries out to the LORD in his desperation.  

Yesterday we noticed in verses 3-4, that the second thing David did was he was determined and made the choice to keep himself from sin. He was tempted to say and do things that he knew God would not be pleased with and he asked the LORD to “set a guard over his mouth”.

Now in verse 5, the third thing David did was to accept God’s rebuke and counsel. So often when we are attacked by someone, or we are facing a desperate situation, we respond in all the wrong ways. We might run to a friend or relative that we believe can bail us out of our trouble, or at least will take our side and feel sorry for us. Some of us might turn to drugs or alcohol to drown out our pain. David is determined to focus on the LORD and what He might be doing in his life.

Actually, "the righteous" can also be translated "the Righteous One," referring to the Lord. David recognized that the LORD was involved in allowing this conflict or pain to come into his life. When we yield to God's will, the difficulties of life are tools that God uses to bring maturity to our lives. Often the Lord sends people to speak to us with a message of rebuke.

Solomon would later instruct us with these words in Proverbs 1:23, “Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” Paul told Timothy that the Word of God was given for this purpose in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The major difference between King Saul and David was that Saul would not listen to rebuke and went from bad to worse. He made excuses, blamed others, or even if he acknowledged that he was wrong, he kept right on doing the same things. David was willing to turn at God’s rebuke and knew it was good for him. David knew that God’s rebukes, however they came to him, were like fragrant oil that cleansed him and brought healing to his soul and made him a better man!  

As we face the problems and perils of the Christian life, it is important that we listen to wise counsel and obey it. God’s reproofs, however they might come to us, are a sign that we are God’s children and that He loves us! (Hebrews 12:5-11)

God bless!

Mar 21, 202404:52
Psalm 141:1-5 - The Temptation to Compromise Under Pressure

Psalm 141:1-5 - The Temptation to Compromise Under Pressure

This morning at 10am at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church in Troutville, VA, I will have the honor and privilege of speaking at the Home Going Celebration of Shelby Leonard. I met Shelby through her son, Alan Leonard around 28 years ago. I preached her husband’s, Fred Leonard, Home Going Service in 2013. Edith and I had many wonderful visits with her in her home over the years. She indeed was one of the sweetest and most humble ladies I have ever met. She was a saint in any way you could describe her. No matter what she was going through she always had the most beautiful smile and she always spoke kind and encouraging words to everyone. I just wanted to take a minute to honor her memory and celebrate her wonderful life with you in this chat!

We are looking at Psalm 141 and thinking about how David, a man after God’s own heart, who throughout the psalms is crying out to God for help as he faces trials and tribulations time and time again in his life, from the beginning to the very end. But despite all his problems and challenges and failures, David was a man who continuously sought the LORD and desired to live for His glory.

It appears that as David writes this psalm from wherever he was, he did not have access to the tabernacle at Shiloh where the priest led the worship and preformed the sacrifices, burned the incense and pray the prayers for the people. But David knew that no matter where he was or he might find himself, he could still make a holy sanctuary and a place of worship. We should follow his example and know that we can make even our times of pain, trial, disappointment, discouragement, a time we can seek the LORD for the grace we need. We can determine in our hearts that God will hear our prayer as we call out to Him in our desperation.

This is basically what we read about in verses 1-2, as the first thing David does in his desperation is to seek the LORD. Now, in verses 3-4, the second thing David is determined and chooses to do is to keep himself from sin! As we already have said, this psalm is closely linked with the preceding one.

Some expositors suggest that some of the courtiers in Saul's attendance were planning to get rid of Saul. There can be no doubt that Saul was anything but an ideal king. Under him the nation was going to ruin. The countryside was beset by outlaws: those in debt, those in distress, those filled with discontent. Many of these drifters later joined up with David, under whose wholesome influence they were transformed into an efficient body of fighting men. Saul himself was lashed periodically by fits of demonic, ungovernable rage. Worst of all, the nation was a constant prey to its enemies, particularly the warlike Philistines against whom King Saul had no success at all. Jonathan, twice the man his father was, vacillated between loyalty to Saul and love for David. In any case, he made no effort to conceal his conviction that he would never be king, that the throne belonged to David.

Those who desired to get rid of Saul were possibly trying to use David to further their own ambitions. They would befriend him, play on his fears and ambitions, and use him to assassinate Saul. Then they would make short work of him and place their own man on the throne. The evidence for such a scenario is not historical but circumstantial but it fits with what we see in this psalm.

David was under tremendous pressure and he faced a great temptation to compromise with the enemy, and he knew this was wrong. But, they were slandering him so why should he not slander them? But the problem was with his heart, not his mouth, and he prayed for a heart that would not be inclined to approve of their sins and imitate them (Prov. 4:23). David pictured his temptation as "eating their delicacies" (see Prov. 4:14-17).

Times of testing become times of temptation when we stop believing and start scheming, and when we ask, "How can I get out of this?" instead of "What can I get out of this?" 

God bless!

Mar 20, 202405:02
Psalm 141:1-5 - The Cries of a Desperate Man

Psalm 141:1-5 - The Cries of a Desperate Man

It is hard to believe that we have now come to the last ten chapters in this wonderful book of Psalms. As I have been reading through the Psalms over the years and especially these past couple of weeks I have noticed a recurring theme throughout the book. David, who wrote more than half of the psalms is constantly crying out for God to help him as he faces difficult trials and desperate situations. It is a repeated theme, over and over again, that you can’t help but see.

David did have some wonderful highlights in his life, like when he killed Goliath and became a national hero overnight. But for most of his life after that he was plagued with trouble, evil and wicked men who sought to destroy him, family issues beyond imagination with even his own son leading an insurrection against him. God had a special way of keeping David humble and totally dependent upon the LORD for deliverance and help.

Honestly that is the best position to be in ourselves! When we understand that we desperately need God every day of our lives and in deep humility acknowledge our total dependance upon Him, we will find like Paul, that when we are weak then we are strong because it then that the power and glory of God is reveal to us and in us! God uses circumstances, uses people and a host of other things to get our attention so that we will keep our eyes upward looking to Him in our desperation for the help we need!

Psalm 141 ties into the two previous psalms with this theme. In Psalm 139 after David speaks of how God marvelously and wonderfully created him, all of a sudden he cries out in verse 19, “Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.” Psalm 140 begins with, “Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men, Who plan evil things in their hearts; They continually gather together for war.”  

Psalm 141 begins with, “LORD, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You”. The enemy was after David again and he needed immediate help. It has been suggested that David wrote this psalm after his cave experience with Saul (1 Sam. 24), or perhaps he wrote it when he was away from the sanctuary during Absalom's rebellion. This psalm reveals David making a number of wise decisions as he faced the attacks of the enemy. He does at least five things.

First in verse 1-2, David determines to seek the LORD’s help. Whenever the enemy caused trouble, David's first response was to pray. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (27:1). He was a man with spiritual insight who understood that he could pray and worship God even if he was away from the sanctuary and had no priest to assist him. Each evening, the Jewish priest would offer a burnt offering on the brazen altar and also burn incense on the golden altar, but God accepted David's prayer and uplifted hands. Frankincense was usually included with the burnt offering. (See Ex. 30:1-10, 34-38; Lev. 2:2.) Incense is a picture of prayer going up to the Lord (Rev. 5:8; 8:4).

David's hands were empty but his heart was full of love for the Lord and faith in His promises. Both Ezra (Ezra 9) and Daniel (Dan. 9) prayed at the time of the evening offering. After the second temple was built, this psalm was read when the evening sacrifices were offered and the lamps were lit in the holy place.

My friend, in the time of our desperation the first thing we should do is also seek the Lord with our whole heart!

“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4)

God bless!

Mar 19, 202405:08
Psalm 140:9-13 - The LORD Will Maintain My Cause

Psalm 140:9-13 - The LORD Will Maintain My Cause

There are several things we have learned from Psalm 140 and at least four lessons we should take to heart. David wrote this psalm and gave it to the chief musician to be sung for generations to come. Our songs, poems, and hymns often are a story of our life experiences and should be passed down to our children to give them guidance for their lives. It appears that this collection of eight psalms at the end of the book were put together by someone years later for this very purpose.

In verses 1-5, David is crying out for the LORD to deliver, preserve and keep him safe from evil and violent people. We can expect sinners, wicked and evil people to hate the righteous and attempt to destroy them. We shouldn’t be surprised! It has been this way from the very beginning of the human race. Cain murdered his brother Abel, “because his works were evil and his brother's righteous” (1 John 3:12).

In verses 6-8, like David we can pray and trust the LORD to “cover our head in the day of battle”. We can pray that the evil schemes of the wicked will fail. We definitely need to be doing this today!

In verses 9-11, we can trust the LORD to return to the wicked what he intended to do to us. Our enemies think they are hurting us, but they are really hurting themselves. The trouble they cause us will only come right back on their own heads, for it is an inexorable law of God that people reap what they sow. We should always remember Galatians 6:7-9, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

The wicked dropped burning coals on David's head, but God would return the same to them. Verse after verse in the Bible assures us of this: (Psalms 11:6; 18:8; 120:4; Proverbs 25:22; Genesis 19:24). The destructive fires they lit with their tongues would burn them, and they would fall into the pits they had dug for David (v. 10). For more references to this look up Psalms 7:15; 9:15; 35:7-8; Proverbs 26:27. The wicked hunted David and set traps for him, but evil would eventually hunt them down and destroy them (v. 11). "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:23) is a Biblical truth that will always be fulfilled. We should also remember, “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).

Finally in verses 12-13, we know the end of the story. We have read the whole history of the life of David and God’s people, so we know that God did maintain David's cause, defeat his enemies, and keep His promise to put him on the throne of Israel. David would establish a dynasty that would eventually bring the Savior into the world. He would write nearly half of the psalms, he would expand and defend the borders of the kingdom, and he would make the preparations necessary for the building of the temple.

What a great man he was because he trusted in the Lord! David was grateful to God for His intervention, and he determined to live to glorify the God of Israel. David wrote, "The Lord will accomplish what concerns me" (138:8), and God honored His faith.

My friend, you can be assured that for God's devoted people, the best is yet to come. “The upright shall dwell in Your presence” (v. 13). We still have heaven to look forward to and experience the very presence of God forever (Psalm 23:6)! Yield to Him and He will accomplish what He has planned for you, and you will be satisfied.

God bless

Mar 18, 202405:01
Psalm 140:1-8 - Responding to Evil and Violent People

Psalm 140:1-8 - Responding to Evil and Violent People

6 I said to the LORD: "You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his wicked scheme, Lest they be exalted. Selah

If there is one thing that we should learn from the life of David that we can apply to our journey as believers, it is that before we can wear the crown, we must experience the Cross. Jesus also exemplified this great truth of the Bible. Suffering always precedes a greater experience of the presence of God in our lives. The persecuted church leaders in China told us, “Don’t pray that persecution will stop, but that we will have faith, patience and strength to endure it. Persecution is good for the church; it keeps us purified.”

Psalm 140 was born out of a time of intense suffering and persecution in the life of David. For 15 long years after he was anointed to be the next king of Israel by the prophet Samuel David experienced hell on earth as Saul became jealous and sought to kill him. When David still tried to serve on Saul’s court, he was surrounded by evil and violent men who hated him because of his righteous life and pure motives.

In verses 1-5, we see what sinners will always do to those who live righteous lives around them. They will hate them and attempt to remove them. David was a light in the midst of great darkness and so are we today! Our lives expose the evil intents of wicked hearts, and they can’t stand it. A sinner will either repent or he will attempt deny even the existence of a holy God to cover his evil deeds and to enjoy the temporary pleasure he receives from them.

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world…”. A righteous life condemns the wicked around us and they can’t stand it. Jesus said that is why they hated Him and that we would be hated for the same reason. My friend we are experiencing this in America today as the media, Hollywood, and liberal politicians mock, deride and blame Christians for everything.

In verses 6-8, David first responds to this persecution by affirming his faith in the LORD! We also must affirm our faith in the Lord and not be ashamed to confess it openly. We must humbly ask Him for the help we need to live and work among difficult people who hate us and want to see us fail.

Also, whenever David found himself in that kind of a situation, he gave himself to prayer and asked God for the wisdom to know what to do and the strength to do it. Here he asked God to put a helmet on his head and protect him from deception and danger. This reminds us of Ephesians 6:17, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

He also prayed for his enemies, that their evil desires would change, and their evil plans would not succeed. If they succeeded, they would only become proud and go on to do greater evil. Our prayers for godless people must focus on changing their character, and not just stopping their persecution of believers. In the New Testament we are taught by Jesus to do this: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Someone must have prayed this for Saul in the book of Acts, and he became the great apostle who “turned the world upside down” with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

May the LORD give us grace to respond in this way today!

God bless!

Mar 17, 202404:58
Psalm 140:1-5 - Deliver Me, Preserve Me, Keep Me

Psalm 140:1-5 - Deliver Me, Preserve Me, Keep Me

1 Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men,

2 Who plan evil things in their hearts; They continually gather together for war.

3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah

The title of Psalm 140 informs us that David is the writer of this psalm which was given to the choir leader to be sung by God’s people. For sure, songs are a reflection of our personal stories that let people know what we experienced in life and how we responded to it. Songs also reflect our culture and our history. David lived around 1,000 years before Christ, which means he wrote this psalm over 3,000 years ago and it still exist today to give a glimpse of how he trusted the LORD in the midst of his troubles.

It is obvious in these first five verses that David is dealing with difficult circumstances at this time in his life. He cries out to the LORD to deliver him, to preserve him, to keep him and again in verse 4, to preserve him from violent men. It seems likely that the circumstances behind this psalm occurred during David's years as a member of King Saul's official staff, when Saul's envy and paranoia were developing. In their attempt to please the king, some of Saul's officers spread lies about young David and even tried to set traps to make him look bad.

They can just as easily relate to circumstances surrounding David in the tragic days of the Absalom rebellion. In this psalm it is evident that David was being slandered and that violence was lurking in the background, waiting to strike once slander had done its poisonous work.

Some believe that it is possible that King Hezekiah had an old copy of David’s psalms and possibly put this collection of eight psalms together. He might have picked this particular one up and used it to pray when Rabshakeh's glib tongue was seeking to subvert the Jerusalem garrison (2 Kings 18). Or perhaps it was picked up and used by the restored captives when they returned and were surrounded by enemy forces as they attempted to rebuild the temple and walls of Jerusalem.

God's people face similar situations today, for Satan is a murderer (John 8:44), a slanderer and accuser (Rev. 12:10), and a deceiver (2 Cor. 11:3). He is determined to discourage us, make us despondent and drive us into depression where we lose any hope that God cares about us and can help us. There are several lessons that we can learn from this psalm that encourage us to trust God and be faithful when Satan's servants oppose us.

In verse 1-5, we must see that David's presence among Saul's leaders was like light in darkness (Eph. 5:8) and health in a hospital. When confronted by a godly man like David, Saul and his leaders either had to change their ways or get rid of him, and they chose the latter course. They were evil men (v. 1) who planned evil (v. 2), spoke evil (v. 3), and practiced evil (vv. 4-5).

Note that verse 3b is quoted in Romans 3:13 as part of the evidence Paul assembled that proves the depravity of the human heart. The phrase "the evil man" (v. 1) is collective, for the pronouns in the psalm are plural (vv. 2-4, 6, 8). What David needed from the Lord was wisdom to avoid their traps and protection from their violent plans. You meet the "hunting metaphor" in Psalms 9:16, 31:4, 119:110, 141:9, and 142:3, and the "sharp tongue" image is found in Psalms 52:2, 55:21, 57:4, 59:7, and 64:3.

As God's people in an evil world, we must expect the opposition of the enemy and trust the Lord to enable us to overcome (John 16:33). That is also why we should pray the model prayer every day in Matthew 6:9-13 asking God to “deliver us from the evil one”.

God bless!

Mar 16, 202404:40
God is the Final Judge

God is the Final Judge

Psalm 139:19-24

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. 

Today, we will finish our chats on Psalm 139, a great chapter that reminds us that our awesome God is both omniscience and omnipresent! David first looks at how God intimately knows him and his every thought. God knows where he is and there is no place he can flee or hide from His presence. Then he recalls in awe how God created him in his mother’s womb, designing every detail of his body and planning out His life!

Realizing this David knows that there is no way we can deceive God, no way we can escape God, and no way we can ignore God! Therefore, the only conclusion is that the most sensible thing in all the world is that we should obey God!

Suddenly in verses 19-22, David turns from his marveling at Who God is and what God has done in creating him and directing his life, to the evil world and the wicked people in it that choose to oppose God and dispute what He says about them in in His Word. David called these people wicked, violent, liars, blasphemers, and rebels, and he grieved because of them.

Even as we should take the time and make the effort to set our minds and thoughts on heavenly things and God’s wonderful love and plan for our lives, we must also accept and deal with the reality of the wicked and evil world in which we live. David’s first response was to pray that God would deal harshly with them. The Scriptures teach that “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11).  It might appear that they are getting by with their evil deeds, but God is keeping a record and is noting every detail that He will call them to account for one day.

At the same time God also grieves over sinners and is not willing that any should perish (Ezekiel 33:10-11). The Father grieves over the wicked (Gen. 6:6). The Son does (Mark 3:5; Luke 19:41), and so does the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). Yes, it is difficult to love rebellious sinners and still hate their sins, but we need more "holy hatred" in this day when blatant sin is a popular form of entertainment. For more verses on how we should respond see Psalm 11:5; 45:7; 97:10; Amos 5:14-15; and Romans 12:9, 19-21. Whenever we pray "Thy kingdom come," we are asking the Lord to judge the wicked, and then we must leave the matter in His hands.

We also need to notice how David closed this chapter with a prayer for God to search His own heart, know his anxieties and concerns, forgive him, and lead him. We must be cautious as we examine ourselves because we do not even know our own hearts (Jeremiah 17:9). It is best to open the Word and let the Spirit search us and speak to us, for then we discover the truth about ourselves (Hebrews 4:12-13; James 1:21-27)

We must never dispute with God, for He loves us and wants only the very best for us. Yes, my friend, God intimately knows us, He is always with us, and we should never ignore Him since He is the One who gives us our life and sustains it! And most of all He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place for our sins (Romans 5:8).

God Bless!

Mar 15, 202405:04
Psalm 139:13-18 - We Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Psalm 139:13-18 - We Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

America is facing a major crisis today as we deal with several generations of young people who have been taught that they evolved from animals, and human life is no different than animal life. Because we have devalued life, they are growing up with little or no purpose for living. As a result, we are experiencing the highest suicide rates ever, violence, anarchy, disrespect, looting, stealing, lying, drug and alcohol abuse, and many more destructive behaviors.

Paul described it this way in Romans 1:28-32, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

This is exactly what happens when we believe the lies of the Evil One and deny the existence of the Holy God Who created us in His image. Psalm 139 is one of the greatest passages in literature about the miracle of human conception and birth. There are several things we have already learned from this great chapter!

In verses 1-6, we saw where God is omniscience and that He knows us intimately and we can never deceive Him. He knows our thoughts before we think them. He takes notice of every word we speak and searches us out in our innermost being. In verses 7-12, David reminds us that God is omnipresent and that He is with us constantly and there is no place we can hide from Him!

Now in verses 13-18, David declares that God is present at conception and birth, and because we are made in the image of God and God has a special purpose for each person who is born. We live in and with our bodies all our lives, and we know how amazing they are. God formed us as He wants us to be, and we must accept His will no matter how we feel about our genetic structure, our looks, or our abilities. The verb "covered" in verse 13, means "woven together" (see Isa. 32:12), and "skillfully wrought" in verse 15 is translated "embroidered" in Exodus. In the mother's womb, the Lord weaves and embroiders a human being, and abortion interrupts this miracle. What a tragedy!

But the Lord did more than design and form our bodies; He also planned and determined our days (v. 16). This probably includes the length of life (Job 14:5) and the tasks He wants us to perform (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:12-13). This is not some form of fatalism or heartless predestination, for what we are and what He plans for us come from God's loving heart (Psalm 33:11) and are the very best He has for us (Rom. 12:2). If we live foolishly, we might die before the time God has ordained, but God's faithful children are immortal until their work is done. How can we ignore God when He has given us such a marvelous body and planned for us a wonderful life? Life is not a prison, it is an exciting pilgrimage, and the Lord has prepared us for what He prepared for us.

Our responsibility is to yield ourselves to Him daily, ponder His thoughts found in His Word (Psalm 92:5; Isa. 55:8-9), and walk in the Spirit. God thinks of us! (Jeremiah 29:11). Should we not think about Him? 

God bless!

Mar 14, 202405:00
Psalm 139:7-12 - We Cannot Hide From God

Psalm 139:7-12 - We Cannot Hide From God

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Psalm 139 is one of the most notable of the sacred hymns. It sings of the omniscience and omnipresence of God reminding us that God knows all about us and that He is everywhere, and He is always with us! It also describes how God marvelously created each one of us and teaches us that life begins at conception and every human-being is of tremendous value to God!

Some commentators believe that this psalm was written by David shortly after he had united the nation, defeated its foes, put its internal affairs in order, and settled down to be a shepherd-king to Israel. Then it occurred to him that the living God of Israel, the God he had hymned in scores of psalms, the God to whom he owed everything, still lived in a tent. He determined to build God a temple, a temple fitting for such a God as Jehovah. He shared his desire with Nathan the prophet, who gave immediate approval. But then God spoke to Nathan and informed him that David's son would build that temple.

But God also revealed to Nathan that since David was concerned about God's house, God would be concerned about David's house. He would establish David's house as a permanent dynasty until the coming of Christ. The Davidic Covenant was established, and when David heard Nathan’s message about it in 2 Samuel 7and 1 Chronicles 17, the promise rang in David's soul. He told the Lord so, and his heart was overwhelmed at the greatness of God's thoughts toward him. It is possible that David might have gone to his room that night, not to sleep, but to write this hymn, Psalm 139. Maybe that is why he wrote in Psalm 139:17 & 18, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand…”

Yesterday in verses 1-6, we saw where God is omniscience and that He knows us intimately and we can never deceive Him. He knows our thoughts before we think them. He takes notice of every word we speak and searches us out in our innermost being.

Today, in verses 7-12, David reminds us that God is omnipresent and that He is with us constantly and there is no place we can hide from Him! It is amazing that we think that we can hide from God! But because of the sin nature we were born with, when we realize we have broken God’s holy law, we attempt to run and hide from Him. Or we attempt to deny that there is even a God in heaven Who is aware of our deeds.  That is what most of America is doing today!

But all the "escape routes" we go down are futile. David reminds us if we go up to heaven or down to hell or sheol, the realm of the dead, God is there. If we take the “wings of the morning” and we travel the speed of light to the east or west (the Mediterranean Sea was west of Israel), His hand will catch us and tenderly lead us. We cannot hide even in the darkness, for to the Lord, the darkness is as the light.

God wants to walk with us and guide us, because His plan for us is the very best. Why should we want to run away and hide? Adam and Eve tried it and failed (Gen. 3:8), and so did the prophet Jonah, who only went from bad to worse.

My dear friend, we need God's presence with us if we want to enjoy His love and fulfill His purposes. Take time to read Isaiah 43:1-7 and don’t forget Psalm 23:4, “Yea, 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.”

God bless!

Mar 13, 202404:58
Psalm 139:1-6 - The LORD Knows and Understands Me

Psalm 139:1-6 - The LORD Knows and Understands Me

Psalm 139:1-6

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalm 139 is one of the more well-known psalms in the collection of psalms. It answers so many questions about life, such as, who we are, where we came from, where are we going, what is our purpose, and what is our value. From the title we know that David was the writer. He is obviously a poetic genius and a man who knew and loved God. God is referred to by name six times and by personal pronoun thirty times. The psalmist refers to himself fifty times. It is a song of profound spiritual experience. All such experience is, by its nature, personal and intimate. David gave it to the “Chief Musician”, to be sung by the sanctuary choir in worship of our great and glorious God!

It is important to remember that what we think about God and our relationship to Him determines what we think about everything else that makes up our busy world. How we view other people, the universe, God's Word, God's will, sin, faith, and obedience all come from our thoughts of God. Wrong ideas about God will ultimately lead to wrong ideas about who we are and what we should do, and this leads to a wrong life on the wrong path toward the wrong destiny. In other words, our theology, which is the right knowledge of God, is essential to a fulfilled life in this world. David contemplated God and wrote for us a psalm whose message can only encourage us to be in a right relationship with Him.

First in verses 1-6, David reminds us that God knows us intimately and we cannot deceive Him. I’ve been told that the number one major that students chose to take in college is psychology. A degree that few will actually use in their professional life after college. The reason is that the students are at a stage in life where they are searching for themselves and their purpose in life. What would be better for them to know is that God is “searching” them according to verse 1. The verb "search" means "to examine with pain and care." The Jewish people used this word to describe digging deep into a mine, exploring a land, and investigating a legal case.

Our friends see the outside, but God sees the heart, and we cannot deceive Him. Adam and Eve tried it (Gen. 3:7-24), Cain tried it (Gen. 4:1-15), and even David tried it (2 Sam. 11-12), and all of them discovered that God knew all about them. "Understand" in verse 2 means "to distinguish and discern with insight" and not just gather raw data. " Comprehend " in verse 3 is a picture of winnowing grain, and "try" in verse 23 means "to test metal."

The fact that God knows us intimately and exhaustively is asserted in verses 1, 2, 4, 14, and 23. He knows our actions, our locations, our thoughts and words, our ways, and our motives. "All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). But even more, He knows what is best for us and does all He can to guide us that way. He hems us in behind and before and puts His hand on us to steady us and direct us.

In verse 5, the word translated "hedged" means God has "enclosed" us and “guards us as a valuable object". In other words, God's knowledge and guidance are for our protection. What should be our response to this? We should be overwhelmed by the height and depth of God's knowledge and be thankful that He knows us perfectly. When David thought about this he could not help but exclaimed, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”

My friend, even with 8 billion people on planet earth, God knows you, loves you, and cares so much for you that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to make a way for you to know Him and experience an abundant life! You are of tremendous value to Him!

God bless!

Mar 12, 202405:06
Answered Prayer Glorifies the LORD

Answered Prayer Glorifies the LORD

Psalm 138 is about what happens when God answers prayer! And saying that, I want to thank you all for your many prayers these past several weeks as we traveled both to India and Jordan. Truly God answered your prayers keeping us safe, healthy, giving us strength and endurance, and blessing us with very successful and exciting opportunities to minister. I got back to my home in Sneads Ferry NC Saturday afternoon and was able to get some wonderful rest in my own bed. Again, I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and support which made it possible for me to be a part of two great ministry teams that were able to accomplish so much in so little time!

Psalm 138 is the first of eight psalms attributed to David. They form a special collection just before the five "Hallelujah Psalms" that climax the book. The psalm probably grew out of the opposition of the neighboring nations when David became king of a united Israel (2 Sam. 5; 8:1-14). It was God's plan that David reign over Israel (v. 8), but the Jebusites, Philistines, and Moabites wanted a divided Israel with a weak leader. David knew God's will, prayed for God's help (v. 3), trusted God for victory (vv. 7-8), and defeated the enemy. The psalm does not mention the Lord until verse 4, but it is obvious that Jehovah is the object of David's prayers and praise. In this psalm we need to notice at least three things that happens when God answers prayer.

First in verses 1-3, answered prayer glorifies God's name.  "The gods" in verse 1 are the false gods of the nations that attacked David (Ps. 82:7). His victories over their armies were God's victories, and David wanted Jehovah to have the praise and glory (Jer. 50:1-2). The word translated "temple" means "sanctuary" and was applied to the tabernacle at Shiloh (see 1 Sam. 1:9; 3:3). In verse 2, the phrase, “For You have magnified Your word above all Your name”, seems to mean, "I trusted your promises and prayed, and the Lord answered above and beyond anything that He promised." It is another way of expressing Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. God answered David’s prayer and this brought glory to His name.

In verses 4-5, we see that answered prayer gives witness to the lost world around us. Jehovah is not only higher than the gods of the enemy, He is also greater than their rulers. David's victories proved that. However, there were Gentile kings who rejoiced that David had won the battles—rulers such as Hiram (2 Sam. 5:11) and Toi (2 Sam. 8:9). David prayed that the day would come when all the kings of the earth would hear God's Word and praise the Lord for His promises to Israel. Beginning with Egypt, every nation that has opposed and persecuted Israel has gone down in defeat, as God promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).

Then in verses 6-8, answered prayer accomplishes God's purposes in our lives. Jehovah is the Highest of the high and the Greatest of the great, but He is also willing to become the Lowest of the low and stoop down to meet our needs. To "look upon the lowly" means to pay attention to them and regard them with favor (11:4; 113:5-9; Isa. 57:15 and 66:2; Luke 1:47-55).

David gave thanks that the Lord knew his need and came to his aid. In His covenant with David (2 Sam. 7), God revealed that He had a great purpose to fulfill through David's life, and He would not allow the enemy to thwart that purpose. This is true of believers today (Phil. 1:6 and 2:13; Eph. 2:10 and 3:20; Col. 1:29), and He will not forsake us. It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in heaven but to get God's will done on earth, and this was demonstrated in David's life.

Praise the LORD as we have experienced God perfecting and accomplishing His purposes in our lives on these two trips and answering your prayers that have brought glory to the Name of our Great God!

God bless!

Mar 11, 202405:07
Psalm 138 - God Answers Prayer

Psalm 138 - God Answers Prayer

Psalm 138:1-8  A Psalm of David

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

In verse 4 David said, “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.”  David said that he prayed and cried out and God answered him and gave him inward strength to face his challenges. It is amazing how Psalm 138 is so fitting for our time in both India and Jordan these past several weeks!

For sure the Lord has given us strength for this amazing journey! I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and support. Today is our last day and we are preparing to catch a flight back to the U.S. tonight. Our time here in Amman Jordan has been very interesting, exciting and rewarding! It is amazing what all can happen in such a short period of time.

 

We have participated in several distributions of food and household goods for several hundred refugees over the past week.  In each one we had the opportunity to share our testimonies and a message of God’s love and grace which was received very warmly. Our team of 6 divided up into two groups and probably went into at least 15 homes of refugees from Syria and Iraq. On many occasions we all went together. We listened to story after story of how family members were killed as they fled for their lives from ISIS in 2014.

At the same time, we heard amazing testimonies about how the Lord brought them to salvation and miraculously answered their prayers and has provided for their needs. There were many tears as we heard them recount their suffering and even their present situations where unless a miracle happens, they have a very bleak future.

In one of our last visits a dear older lady shared how her son and brother was killed one night by ISIS in Iraq. She went into detail about what she went through in her pain and loss but the whole time she had the most amazing smile, countenance and glow on her face! She shared how finally a pastor’s wife prayed over her and she was able to forgive the men who killed her son and brother and begin to pray for them. At that time a peace came over her that lifted her out of her despair and set her free with a peace that was indescribable.  

We also spent three mornings visiting three different ministry centers where most of their staff took the time to share with us what they are doing to bring hope and hands on help for refugees and many who have suffered physical, emotional and mental trauma beyond our ability to describe. As we listened all we could do is weep and put our faces in our hands and pray. We plan on partnering with at least two of these ministries as they desperately need both financial, prayer and volunteer support! They have websites that we will share later.

 

Needless to say, because of Arab culture here in the Middle East, at every visit we were served tea, coffee, sweets and on many occasions full Iraqi, Syrian or Jordanian meals! I have gained several pounds but really enjoyed every moment of our time with these precious people. We have anointed many with oil and prayed over them for special healing.

Again, Psalm 138 is an awesome reminder of how our God is still at work in His harvest fields. And we had the firsthand experience of seeing and hearing of the great movement of the Holy Spirit in opening the eyes and hearts and minds of multitudes of precious souls in this region.  Truly He is magnifying both His Word and His Name as He manifest both His lovingkindness and His truth to so many here and around the world today!

God bless!

Mar 08, 202405:18
Psalm 138 - "I Will Praise the LORD..."

Psalm 138 - "I Will Praise the LORD..."

Tuesday March 05

“I Will Praise You…”

 

Psalm 138:1-8  A Psalm of David

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth.

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great is the glory of the LORD.

6 Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

 

Our team is having a wonderful time ministering to the refugees here in Amman Jordan. Yesterday we divided into two teams and visited their homes where we had the opportunity to listen to their stories and connect with them. Of course, we drank a lot of tea and coffee in each home, ate a lot of snacks and in one home we were served a full Iraqi delicious meal.

 

Most of them have been here at least 6 years waiting for a visa to go to another country. They are not able to work here and are totally dependent upon outside resources to survive. In our first home visit, the parents had three teenage daughters and the reason they left Iraqi was because the girls were not safe there. We heard that story many times. In this particular apartment there was only one bedroom, and the living conditions were very poor. I noticed in the very small bedroom that 5 thin mattresses were stacked up on each other with a pile of blankets nearby. I’m guessing that they simply spread out the mattresses out and cover up. The apartment was very cold. But the parents were still very joyful and thankful that they were alive and professed that they were followers of Jesus!

 

In the home where we were fed the awesome meal, we heard the story of how they had to flee from Isis. They left behind a beautiful home and a very successful business they had built up over 40 years. They grabbed their documents, jumped into one of their cars in the middle of the night with their three children and fled for their lives. They lost everything but their lives. This couple has been here as refugees for 8 years and are still waiting for a visa to another country. Yet they never quit smiling and being great host as they testified to God’s love and grace during this time. Our hearts were truly touched!

 

In our last home visit very late in the evening we experienced another large Iraqi family that also has been here for over 6 years having fled from Bagdad because it was unsafe for their daughters and ladies in the family. Through the ministry here they had also become believers and were rejoicing in the Lord. The dad shared how he now has read through the Bible 6 times since he has plenty of time! They openly witness to anyone who visits with them, and they shared the story with us of how the LORD answered their prayer with a miracle of healing a grandson who was declared to be blind and would never see.  The wife kept saying that all she prayed for was that the LORD would show them His glory! We thought we had gone by to bless and encourage them, but we were the ones who were blessed.

 

Thank you so much for your prayers! I’m afraid we take a lot for granted in America and in our comfortable lives there!

 

I will be starting to look at Psalm 138 in our Pastor’s Chat video today! I trust you will get a chance to view it and you will join David in his praise to the LORD for answered prayer!

 

God bless!

Mar 05, 202405:09
Psalm 137:1-6 - Remembering the LORD and Jerusalem

Psalm 137:1-6 - Remembering the LORD and Jerusalem

Today we had the opportunity to worship at the Nazarene Church here in Amman. It was a wonderful and blessed experience with great music and a wonderful message from the Pastor. He preached on Jesus having compassion on those who are ignorant from Hebrews 5:2. When he gave the invitation and asked people to stand if they needed the compassion of Jesus and desired to repent it appeared to me that at least 20 people immediately stood up and prayed with him.

The service was in Arabic and the pastor’s wife translated both the worship music and the message into English for us. She did an awesome job and we understood everything that was going on. Afterwards we were privileged to go the pastor’s office with him and his wife and spend about an hour with them over some tea and pastries. I can’t tell you how encouraging that meeting was as they shared their vision of ministry and Kingdom work with our team! Already they are very engaged with Grace Church and the ministry to refugees and have a genuine heart to make a difference in this part of the world and beyond as a missionary sending church! We were truly blessed!

Afterwards we spent a couple hour with Pastor Wasim and Lillian in their apartment! We ate a awesome Egyptian meal with them and had a great time of fellowship hopefully encouraging them as much as they did us!

It is amazing that Psalm 137 fits so well into our current time here in Amman. It is about the people of Israel who have been displaced from their homeland and currently living in a strange and foreign place where they have been taken as captives. They are hurting and have painful memories. The unknown psalmist is expressing both his thoughts and feelings about his memories of Jerusalem and how they are being treated by their captors.

Music was also one way of expressing their grief and seeking the help of the Lord "who gives songs in the night" (Job 35:10). These former exiles remembered the times their guards demanded that they entertain them by singing one of the "songs of Zion." What biting sarcasm! The Babylonians knew how the Jews honored Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem, and how they boasted of Zion's strength and security (46:5, 7, 10, 11; 48; 76:1-3; 87), but now, the city and temple were in ruins. In their sarcasm, the guards were asking, "Where is your God? Why did He not deliver you?" (See 42:3, 10; 79:10; 115:2.)

The exiles had refused to obey; they did not sing for their captors. Why? For one thing, the Babylonians wanted "the Lord's song" (v. 4), and the Jewish people were not about to use sacred temple hymns to entertain the pagans. Their captors wanted "songs of mirth," and the exiles had no joy. They had lost everything but God and their lives, and being normal people, they were deeply pained in their hearts. Their city, temple, and homes had been destroyed, their people had been deported, and the throne of David had been cast to the ground. But even worse, they had seen the Babylonian soldiers get great glee out of throwing Jewish babies against the walls and smashing their heads (v. 9). It was one way the Babylonians could limit the future generation of their enemies.

Yes, memories can bring pain, and the pain does not go away when we try to "bury" the memories. Denial usually makes things worse. But the fact that the exiles could talk about these painful things indicates that they were facing them honestly and learning how to process this pain in a mature way. It takes time for broken hearts to heal, and Jesus can heal them if we give Him all the pieces (147:3; Luke 4:18).

Again, I remind you that we are ministering to precious refugees here in Amman this week who have tragic memories and a very painful past for the most part. Please keep us in your prayers as we share God’s love and His Son with them!

God bless!

Mar 03, 202405:11
Psalm 137 - Memories Can Be Painful

Psalm 137 - Memories Can Be Painful

1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.

3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song In a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!

6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth-- If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, "Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation!"

8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!

9 Happy the one who takes and dashes Your little ones against the rock!

I am so thankful and grateful for your prayers for our current trip to Amman Jordan. We had a safe and long flight here with our wonderful team. We arrived last night around 5:30 pm and went directly to the GPPD Relief Center about 35 minutes away where we will be staying for the entire time here. We met with the Pastor of the Grace Church and went to our rooms for some rest. This morning we had breakfast with the team in Jon’s apartment and Kristi Robers gave us a wonderful and very helpful devotion from Joshua 5 called “Lectio Divina”. After that we had the opportunity to go across the street to the Relief Center and minister to over 25 Syrian women refugees in the first group. Kristi share her heart in a very moving way as she shared God’s love and hope with them.  Jonathan also shared a wonderful message with them. Afterwards, they all received a large bag of food items and another bag of cleaning supplies.

We immediately received another group of over 25 Syrian women refugees. Anita Geiger share her testimony with them and assure this group also of God’s love for them during this difficult time of their lives. I was also about to share a few minutes with them about living a life that has meaning and value despite the conditions we might be going through! After I finished, they asked Jonathan how old I was. He asked them how old they thought I was and many of them replied that I was probably around 95 years old! Wow!!!! We all had a good laugh about that! We really felt like we connected to them and heard that they made many positive comments to our translator as they were leaving. They also receive the same relief items as the first group.

 

We met with the pastor of Grace Church and his wife and children for lunch together. They shared their journey of faith that brought them to Amman and how the Lord always marvelously has provided for them. It was very moving and inspiring! I wish everyone could have heard it that is reading this blog.

Today, we also want to begin our chats on Psalm 137.

Psalm 137 was probably written by a Levite after he had returned home from Babylon with the remnant in 536 B. C. Twenty years later, Babylon would be destroyed. It appears that the psalmist was with a group of former exiles (note the "we" and "us" in vv. 1-4), recalling some of their experiences from their time of captivity in Babylon.  Many of those memories opened old wounds and were very painful! 

But from this encounter with the past, the psalmist learned some lessons about the human memory, himself, and the Lord.  You will notice that the words, "Remember" and "forget" are used a total of five times in these nine verses. This chapter will help us to learn to deal with our bitter memories God’s way so we might find healing for the bitterness they might have brought into our lives.

We are ministering to precious refugees here in Amman this week who have tragic memories and a very painful past for the most part. Please keep us in your prayers as we share God’s love and His Son with them!

God bless!

Mar 02, 202405:07
Psalm 136:23-26 - Our God, Our Merciful God

Psalm 136:23-26 - Our God, Our Merciful God

Today I need to tell you that I am pre-recording this pastor’s chat, because by the time you see this chat I will be on a plane on my way to the kingdom of Jordan, leaving Thursday evening and will be flying over to Jordan to do some work with Syrian, Iraqi, and Palestinian refugees, just loving on people who have been displaced, over a million refugees in the city of Amman, Jordan alone. We have a great team, dear friend of mine Pastor Rick Flowers, several others from Roanoke, and my son Jonathan will be there. We have a great opportunity to reach out in love to some very hurting people and help them along life's way and the journey they're on but most of all to share with them the love of Jesus Christ.

 

Now what's interesting, we are going to be in the land of Jordan. That is where the people and especially around Amman and Mount Nebo just on the West side of the city of Amman, Jordan and then of course the Jordan river and then the land of Israel. All that area, that territory right there, that's basically where we are going to be. That is where the people were camping and that is where they fought with the king of Sion, the king of Hispon. As a matter of fact, we have found that little place Heshbon where this king reigned.  We go there on several occasions and stand on a desolate spot, nothing there anymore but a bunch of rubble. The mighty king that God slew because he fought against Israel and would not let them pass through the land, and then all king of Bashan was king a little bit further north and he was destroyed also by God.

 

We read about these two kings over and again some 50 times in the Old Testament. Here in verses 19 and 20, “His mercy endures forever. He slew these kings who stood in the way of God's people getting into the promised land.” But when we come now to verses 23 through 26 we find our God is not only our Creator, also He brought us forth, He gave us life, He's our Redeemer, He brought us out of Egypt, He brought us out of sin. As we look at the spiritual journey of our lives compared to the physical journey, the history journey of the nation of Israel, He brought us out and then He shepherded us, He took us through the wilderness 40 years. He took care of his people, He fed them, He watched out for them. He ministered to them through the Tabernacle and the sacrifices and then He conquered for them He took them in to the land and first He gives the east side of the land of Jordan to the half tribe of Manasseh and Gad and Reuban, then they go in and fight for the land where the people of Israel and they conquered the land those are verses 17 through 22.

 

But now the last few verses here, verses 23 through 25. What a great psalm. Now the people go into the land of promise and there they conquer all the land and they set up all the land, the people get their places get their inheritance, but guess what, they did when they were being blessed, they forgot God, they turned to idols, started living like the people that were amongst them and the next thing you know as God promised he had to punish them and they went into a lowly state but guess what? Go read the book of judges because these verses were found in the book of judges, the history is there, they cried to God in their misery and their despair and in their pain and guess what? His mercy endures forever. He heard them and remembered them and rescued them from their enemies, and my friend, we will fail God, yes we will and we will follow, we will be miserable but we could cry out to God and He'll rescue us too, and then He says who gives food to all flesh, ohh just reminding us that God is the one who sustains us, takes care of us, and we can trust Him because His mercy endures forever and then what can you say? Verse 26, “Ohh give thanks to the God of heaven for his mercy endures forever.”


Mar 01, 202405:05
Psalm 136:17-22 - Our God Conquers for Us

Psalm 136:17-22 - Our God Conquers for Us

Again, just a reminder that today, Thursday February 29, I will be leaving for Jordan with a wonderful team to minister to Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugees. There are over one million refugees in the city of Amman Jordan. We sure would appreciate and covet your prayers for our team during this 10-day trip to a very special area of our world!

This means that my daily pastor chats might not be so daily. I will do my best to post ministry updates, pastor chats, pictures and videos, as our time, schedule, and internet access permits. Once again, thank you for your patience and prayers during these next 10 days. We return on Saturday, March 9 and hope to get back to our daily chats as soon as possible!

Psalm 136 describes creation of the world and the beginning and history of Israel all the way to the book of Judges in verses 23-25. But it also describes our spiritual journey as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. First in verses 1-9, we should never forget to remind ourselves that God is our creator. Next in verses 10-12, we rejoice that God is our Redeemer! He has brought us out of our bondage and set us free through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ! Yesterday we learned in verses 13-16, that God is our Shepherd Who brings us through the “wilderness” of life!

 

We have a God who not only created us, redeemed us and brought us out, shepherds us and brings us through, but in verses 17-22, we also have a God that conquers for us and brings us in!

As the forty years drew to a close, Moses led the people back to the gateway into the Promised Land, and on the way, Israel defeated great and mighty kings and took their lands. In verses 19-20, two of them are mentioned by name, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan. (Num. 21). These two kings are mentioned over fifty times in the Old Testament as a testimony of God fighting for and protecting His people!

Several times when I was in Jordan, I have gone to a place located not far outside of Amman to a pile of stones that is called Hesbon, where Sihon had his fortress.

You might remember that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh claimed their inheritance east of the Jordan River (Num. 32; Josh. 18:7), but their men marched with Israel into Canaan and helped to conquer the enemy and claim the land (135:10-12; Josh. 22). The land belonged to the Lord, but He gave it to Israel as their inheritance (vv. 21-22), and they would enjoy its blessings as long as they obeyed the covenant.

Believers today have been delivered from sin through faith in Christ and are now in the "kingdom of the Son of His love" (Col. 1:13). Canaan is not a picture of heaven, for there will be no wars in heaven. It pictures our present inheritance in Jesus Christ, an inheritance that we claim as we walk by faith and defeat Satan and his forces that want to keep us in bondage and spiritual poverty. This is the theme of Hebrews 1-4.

Peter assures us of our inheritance with these words in 1 Peter 1:3-8, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory”.

God bless!

Feb 29, 202405:01
Psalm 136:13-16 - The LORD is My Shepherd

Psalm 136:13-16 - The LORD is My Shepherd

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Thursday February 29, I will be leaving for Jordan with a wonderful team to minister to Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugees. There are over one million refugees in the city of Amman Jordan. We sure would appreciate and covet your prayers for our team during this 10-day trip to a very special area of our world!

This means that my daily pastor chats might not be so daily. I will do my best to post ministry updates, pastor chats, pictures and videos, as our time, schedule, and internet access permits. Once again, thank you for your patience and prayers during these next 10 days. We return on Saturday, March 9 and hope to get back to our daily chats as soon as possible!

You should never forget the main emphasis of Psalm 136! If someone asks you what is in Psalm 136 you should be able to immediately reply, “For His mercy endures forever!”  Or, as some versions translate it, “For His steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 136 describes creation of the world and the beginning and history of Israel all the way to the book of Judges in verses 23-25. But it also describes our spiritual journey as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. First in verses 1-9, we should never forget to remind ourselves that God is our creator, and He gives us breath in our lungs, hearts that beat, and a mind to think with! We are totally dependent upon Him for our very existence to enjoy this beautiful, orderly creation we live in! Never forget that God is our Creator who brought us forth into this world!

Next in verses 10-12, we rejoice that God is our Redeemer! Because of sin we are enslaved and in bondage to Satan, like Israel in Egypt. But like God brought Israel out of Egypt, He has brought us out of our sinful state in bondage and set us free through the sacrifice of His precious Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ! All because “His mercy endures forever!”

Now, in verses 13-16, we find that God is our Shepherd Who brings us through the “wilderness” of life! One of the greatest miracles in history takes place when the Lord brought Israel through the sea that He parted so they could walk across on dry ground and at the same time He destroy the armies of Pharoah (vv. 13-15). God then led Israel through the wilderness (v. 16). A pillar of cloud guided them by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21-22).

God first led them to Sinai where they remained for over a year while Moses received and taught the divine law and supervised the construction of the tabernacle. The nation needed the discipline of the law and the delight of worship before they were ready to enter Canaan and take the land. Israel's unbelief and disobedience at Kadesh Barnea sent them back into the wilderness (Num. 13-14) where that rebellious generation died during the next thirty-eight years of wandering. But even then, God miraculously provided food for them to eat by raining down Manna on them everyday and bringing water out of rocks for them to drink!  Moses commanded the new generation to remember those wilderness years and obey the Word of God (Deut. 8).

My friend, as believers we are also on a spiritual journey through the “wilderness of sin”, (Exodus 16:1, 17:1), and we need God’s protection and provisions every day!  Indeed, we need not worry or fear because the Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd in this life (Psalm 23:1; 78:52-55; 80:1; John 10:11-14; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4) and throughout eternity (Rev. 7:17). He is the true Manna sent down from heaven (John 6:41-51)! He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6)! Jesus knows us by name and if we will by faith follow Him, we can be assured of His “mercy and goodness that will follow us all the days of our lives” (John 10:3-4; Psalm 23:6). 

Yes, today you can rejoice because “His mercy and steadfast love endures forever”!

God bless!

Feb 28, 202404:58
Psalm 136:1-12 - God is Our Creator and Redeemer

Psalm 136:1-12 - God is Our Creator and Redeemer

Every verse in this beautiful psalm ends with the refrain, “For His mercy endures forever”. Over the years as I have read this psalm my heart leaps for joy as I read this phrase over and over again, some twenty-six times! I don’t know about you, but I desperately need His mercy every day! I am so thankful that God’s steadfast love never ends or that He never gives up on me! He is so patient with me as I falter and fail over and over again! We definitely join this anonymous psalmist by giving thanks daily to triune God of heaven!

Remember, the focus of Psalm 136 is on giving thanks to God for who He is and what He has done for His people. The psalmist begins by giving thanks to the LORD as the creator of the universe! The psalmist started at the beginning of time with the creation of the universe, recorded in Genesis 1. The Lord had the wisdom to plan creation and the power to execute that plan, and all He had to do was to speak the Word (Psalm 33:6-9).

As you read these verses and think about them, it is hard to believer that there are people who call themselves atheist and say they don’t believe in God! Everything that God created had a special and unique design that had a specific purpose. It would take more than faith to believe that a big bang took place trillions of years ago and eventually everything we see and enjoy today somehow, or another just happened! I choose to put my faith and trust in the Bible and God’s record of creation and stand amaze at how awesome my God is!

Because humanity refused to be thankful for creation, mankind began that terrible descent into ignorance, idolatry, immorality, and ultimate judgment (Rom. 1:18-32). In the day or the night, whether we look up at the heavens or down at the earth and waters, we should see evidence of the hand of God and realize that a Creator brought it forth from nothing. In this creation is all that we need for life and work, so let us thank Him!

Not only did God create us He redeems us and brings us out of the bondage and slavery of sin. Only a couple chapters after the record of God’s creative acts in Genesis 1-2, man disobeys God and sins, and then faces the consequence of death. But God is not caught off guard and already has a plan to save mankind from his sin and it is through the nation of Israel. Through them we were given the Bible and a Redeemer and Savior. The psalmist quickly turns to this great act of God in the history of Israel and their deliverance.

The psalmist wrote nothing about Israel's years of suffering in Egypt, or the Lord's judgments against the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12) but focused on the Exodus. "Brought out" is a phrase the Jewish people used to describe their deliverance (Deut. 1:27; 4:20, 37; 5:6; 16:1). By the time Israel crossed the Red Sea, the land of Egypt, its firstborn sons, its religion, and its army had been destroyed by the power of God. The Exodus marked the birthday of the nation of Israel, and from that time, the Jews looked back each year at Passover and remembered what the Lord had done for them.

The Exodus is also a picture of the redemption we have in Jesus Christ, the spotless lamb of God who shed His blood to set sinners free (1 Peter 1:18-19; John 1:29; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12). God's mighty arm was revealed at the Exodus (Ex. 15:16), but it was revealed even more at the cross (Isa. 53:1-12; Luke 1:51).

Again, we must give thanks to the LORD and loudly proclaim, “For His mercy endures forever!”

God bless!

Feb 27, 202405:05
Psalm 136:1-9 - "For His Mercy Endures Forever"

Psalm 136:1-9 - "For His Mercy Endures Forever"

Psalm 136:1-3

1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.

3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:

It’s great to back with you on Pastor’s Chat again! I really missed doing these daily chats from the Psalms. I first want to thank everyone for your prayers and support for our recent trip to India over these past two weeks. We traveled hundreds of miles by train and vehicles over both very good roads and very rough ones mostly in southeastern India. We spoke at believer’s meetings, passed out blankets and feed meals to widows in numerous villages, visited children’s homes playing games and interacting with them. In a mountainous area gave 185 chickens out at one village, 25 goats in another village, and 7 large water buffalo in another village to poor, precious people. We also dedicated 7 clean water wells that had been recently drilled in remote villages. But best of all we share the wonder message of Jesus Christ and His love and to these people in darkness and many responded to receive Him as their personal Lord and Savior! Praise the LORD!

I will be leaving this Wednesday morning to go to the Kingdom of Jordan for 10 days with another team to minister to dear precious Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugees in Amman, a city with over one million refugees from surrounding countries that have been displaced by war and conflict. Please pray for our safety and traveling mercies as we make this trip. I’ll do my best to post to my Facebook pages to keep you updated during our ministry there.

Today, I do want to begin looking at Psalm 136 which is one of my favorite Psalms that I read on the 16th day of each month. This Psalm does not have a title indicating who might have written it. Some have suggested that King Hezekiah wrote it but others believe that it was written after the exile from the Babylonian captivity.

The divine title "the God of heaven" in verse 26, suggests this date, for "God of heaven" was a title used frequently in that period in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. (Ezra 1:2; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21, 23; Neh. 1:4; 2:4; Dan. 2:18, 19, 44).

This is an antiphonal psalm, prepared to be used by a worship leader and a choir, or a worship leader and the congregation, or perhaps two choirs. The rabbis called it "The Great Hallel" (praise). The psalm reviews God's dealings with His people and turns history into theology and theology into worship. If our worship is not based on history—what God had done in this world—then it lacks a theological message and is not true worship at all. The refrain, “For His mercy endures forever”, is a familiar one. It was sung at the dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chron. 7:3, 6), and also by King Jehoshaphat's singers when Judah was attacked by Moab and Ammon (2 Chron. 20:21). You will find it also used in other Psalms: 106:1; 107:1; and 118:1, 29.

The focus of Psalm 136 is on giving thanks to God for who He is and what He has done for His people. The psalmist begins by giving thanks to the LORD as the creator of the universe! The God of Israel is Jehovah, the God of the covenant, and He is good and merciful. The nations had their gods and lords (1 Cor. 8:5-6), but Jehovah alone is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. The dead gods of the nations (135:15-18) could never do the wonders that the Lord did, nor were they good and full of mercy (lovingkindness, covenant love, steadfast love). The apostle Paul joined mercy and grace in 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, and Titus 1:4, and so did John (2 John 3) and Jude (Jude 2). God in His mercy does not give us what we do deserve, and in His grace, He gives us what we do not deserve, all for the sake of Jesus Christ.

No wonder the psalmist gave thanks to the Lord and so should we!!!!

God bless!

Feb 26, 202405:04
Psalm 135:6-21 - But Best of All, God is With Us

Psalm 135:6-21 - But Best of All, God is With Us

This morning, I will be driving to Dulles Airport in Washington DC to meet up with our team of five others wonderful people, and to catch our evening flight India. Again, I’m asking you to pray for our team as we minister to precious widows, orphans, children, pastors, and as we dedicate wells in remote villages. We also want to be a blessing and encouragement to our national partners that labor tirelessly to reach their nation for Christ. We hope to post as many daily chats updating everyone as is possible with travel and the internet. We will return on Saturday February 24th, but only for a few days. On Thursday, February 29th, we leave again for Dulles to catch an evening flight to Jordan for another 10 days, where we will be ministering to national partners, both Syrian and Iraqi refugees and many others.  We will be back from that trip Saturday, March 9th. Your prayers and support are very much appreciated!

Psalm 135 is a great passage to share from just before we leave on our trip, as we are reminded that the emphasis of this psalm is on praising the LORD because of who He is and what He has done for His people. Yesterday in verses 1-5, we saw how the psalmist was singing and praising the LORD for His goodness and for His “pleasant” name (v. 3). And rejoicing that the people of Israel are a chosen people and special treasure to the LORD. Today, we are His chosen ones who are also His special possession, and we can trust Him!

In verses 6-12, we are reminded that God is sovereign, and He does what He pleases! He is in charge of the world, both earth and sea, and all the elements including lightning, the rain and wind. He is charge of the nations and gave the land of Canaan to Israel! In verses 13-14, the LORD personally judges His people and has compassion on them! We are His servants, and He cares for us!

The LORD proves He cares for us in verses 15-18, because He is the true and living God. With minor changes, these verses are quoted from Psalm 115:4-8. Dead idols cannot speak, see, hear, or breathe, and they cannot give life to their worshipers. Because Jehovah is the living God, He speaks to us in His Word, sees us in our every circumstance, hears our prayers, and comes to us when we need the help that only He can give.

But best of all, in verses 19-21, the LORD is to be praised because our God is with Us. Israel could praise the Lord because He was present with His people. No other nation could claim that distinction. His glory led Israel through the wilderness, and that glory resided in the sanctuary until God had to depart because of the nation's sins (Ezek. 7-11). What other nation had the glory of God dwelling in their midst (Psalm 63:2; Rom. 9:4)? The Lord is not a distant God; He is "a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). Jesus is "Immanuel—God with us" (Matt. 1:20-25; 28:20). And He has promised us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5; Gen. 28:15; Josh. 1:5; Isa. 41:10, 17).

Oh, my friend, today we have so much to praise and bless the LORD for!!!!

God bless!

Feb 14, 202404:46
Psalm 135:1-5 - "Praise the LORD!"

Psalm 135:1-5 - "Praise the LORD!"

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; Praise Him, O you servants of the LORD!

2 You who stand in the house of the LORD, In the courts of the house of our God,

3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.

5 For I know that the LORD is great, And our Lord is above all gods.

Psalm 135 begins the last section of the book of Psalms which focuses on worship and praise of the LORD. The emphasis of this psalm is on praising the Lord because of who He is and what He has done for His people. It opens with the command to "Praise the LORD" that is repeated four times. It ends and concludes with the command to "Bless the LORD,that is also repeated four times. The name, "Jehovah" is found thirteen times in the psalm, and the familiar phrase "praise the LORD" ("hallelujah") is repeated at least six times.

Psalm 135 has been called "a mosaic" because it contains numerous quotations from other parts of Scripture, no doubt collected by a temple liturgist who, led by the Spirit, put the material together for a special occasion of worship. He obviously knew the Scriptures well as he either quotes or alludes to so many of them. Psalms 135:7 is almost identical with Jeremiah 10:13. The passage contained in Psalms 135:13 is to be found in Exodus 3:15. Psalms 135:14 can be found in Deuteronomy 32:36. The closing verses, Psalms 135:8-12, are in Psalms 136 and from Psalms 135:15 to the end it appears to be a repetition of Psalms 115:1-18.

I’m convinced that the LORD loves it when we repeat His own Word back to Him in our prayers, praise and worship!

Some students think that the occasion was the one described in Nehemiah 9, after the walls had been rebuilt and the people gathered to read God’s Word for a fourth of a day and confess their sins for another fourth of a day. Then the leaders lead into a time of prayer that is recorded as one of the longest prayers in the Bible. In Psalm 135, verses 2 and 5, the psalmist uses the phase, "our God", which is characteristic of the book of Nehemiah (4:4, 20; 6:16; 9:32; 13:2). The Jewish people spoke of Jehovah as "our God" to affirm their separation from the false gods of the nations around them (vv. 15-18).

In verses 1-4, the psalmist first acknowledges that Israel is a “chosen people and that the Lord Is “Our God”. It was God's election of Israel that set them apart from the rest of the nations, for they are "his people" (vv. 12, 14; 100:3; Deut. 32:9, 36, 43, 50). Israel is His treasured possession (v. 4; Ex. 19:5; Deut. 7:6; 14:2) and He gave them their land (v. 12). His temple stood in Jerusalem and His priests offered Him praise and sacrifices. The Jewish people were set apart to honor the name of the Lord and to bear witness to other nations that Jehovah is the one true God.

Why did God choose Israel? Deuteronomy 7:6-8 tells us why: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” The LORD chose them because "the LORD is good" (v. 3).

The church today is an elect people, saved by the grace of God (Rom. 1:6; 8:30; Eph. 1:4) and called to glorify God (1 Peter 2:9-12). All believers are priests of the Lord, and we have been called to praise and worship Him, and in so doing, make His Name, Jesus, famous in all the earth! May the LORD help us to do so today!

God bless!

Feb 13, 202404:29
Psalm 134 - Blessed to Bless Others

Psalm 134 - Blessed to Bless Others

Psalm 134 is the fifteenth and last psalm of the "Songs of Ascents" or what is also called the “Pilgrim Psalms”. The psalm closes the collection with a benediction and leads into a series of psalms that emphasize praising the Lord. It is interesting to note that when the pilgrim began his journey to Jerusalem, the first prayer of this section of psalms, Psalm 120, indicates that he was at a low point spiritually. “In my distress I cried to the LORD… Woe is me….” (vv. 1, 5). But now, in Psalm 130, having completed his time of worship and cleansing at the place of worship in Jerusalem, he loudly proclaims, “Bless the LORD”!  A wonderful change has taken place in his life! We notice several great encouragements from this psalm.

First, we have a God Who never sleeps (v. 1). As you review these fifteen psalms, you see that the pilgrims had a variety of experiences on their journey, but they arrived safely in the Holy City, fulfilled their obligations, and were now preparing to return home. It was night and they wanted to make one last visit to the temple. Directed by the high priest, the temple priests and Levites were responsible to make sure everything was in order for the next day's ministry. The pilgrims heard a temple choir singing the praises of Jehovah, and their ministry would continue all night. Pagan temples were silent at night, because their gods had to rest (1 Kings 18:27), but "He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:3-4). The Lord gives sleep to His beloved people, but He stays awake and guards the city and watches over the family (Ps. 127:1-2). He also hears the praises of His people.

"The LORD that made heaven and earth" (v. 3), also made the day and the night (Gen. 1:14-19), and “the darkness and the light are both alike to Him” (Ps. 139:11-12). When we go to sleep, we know that the Father is caring for us, and when we awaken, He is there to greet us (Ps. 91:1-6). If we awaken in the night, we can fellowship with Him and meditate on His Word (Ps. 119:55, 62, 147-148). If God never slumbers nor sleeps, why should we stay awake all night, tossing and turning and fretting? "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

Next, we have worship that never ends (v. 2). David arranged that the temple choirs praise the Lord day and night (Ps. 92:1-2; 1 Chron. 9:33; 23:30). While you and I are asleep in our part of the world, somewhere else on the globe, believers are worshiping God. Even more, Jesus Christ, our High Priest in heaven never ceases to intercede for us and enables us to pray and to worship. God gives us "songs in the night" (Ps. 42:8; 77:6; Job 35:10; Isa. 30:29), when circumstances are difficult and we cannot see our way.

The greatest responsibility and highest privilege of individual believers and of churches is to worship God, for everything that we are and do flows out of worship. As the choir in the temple lifted their hands to heaven (see on 28:2), they were pointing to the Source of all good things and praising Him for His mercy and grace. True worshipers lift "clean hands and a pure heart" to the Lord (Ps. 24:4; James 4:8), for the Lord looks on the heart. We will worship God for all eternity (Rev. 4-5), so we had better start learning now.

Finally we should realize we are blessed to be a blessing to others (v. 3). As the pilgrims left the temple, a priest on duty called, "May the Lord bless you from Zion". The pronoun "you" is singular, for the blessing of God is for each of us personally. To leave God's house with God's blessing upon us is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility, for we must share that blessing with others. If it is a joy to receive a blessing, it is an even greater joy to be a blessing. If the LORD who made the heaven and the earth never sleeps, and our worship never ends, then the blessing will not stop.

God bless!

Feb 12, 202405:02
Psalm 133 - The Pleasantness of Unity

Psalm 133 - The Pleasantness of Unity

Psalm 133 is the fourteenth of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms” and from the title we see that the writer was David. When David became king he was 30 years old and he inherited a divided nation and almost a civil war. He first was anointed king of Judah and Benjamin and ruled in Hebron for seven-and-a-half years. But then the Lord gave him a united kingdom (2 Sam. 5; 1 Chron. 12:38-40) and he ruled over all twelve tribes from Jerusalem for the next thirty-three years. He could well have written this psalm when he began his reign in Jerusalem.

The people of Israel usually journeyed to Jerusalem in family groups (see Luke 2:41-52) to observe their three special feast days, so this psalm perfectly suited the situation. It applies to individual believers and churches today, for we also have our "family quarrels" and need to learn to walk together in love. Maintaining the spiritual unity of God's people is the work of every believer, with the help of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:1-6).  For God’s people to enjoy the pleasantness of unity we must experience at least three ministries of the Spirit that are illustrated in this psalm.

In verse 1, David called the people “brethren”. The Jewish people all had a common ancestor in Abraham; they spoke a common language; they worshiped the same God; they were children of the same covenant; they shared a common land; and they were governed by the same holy law. Christians today have experienced being born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-6),  worship the same God, declare the same gospel message, preach from the same Scriptures, and are headed for the same heavenly city. How sad though, that there is often more division among us than unity! Yet all of us know that spiritual oneness in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 4:1-6) is both "good and pleasant."

In verse 2, we can also experience the pleasantness of unity because we are anointed by the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, this means that we are being filled by the Holy Spirit and under the control of the Spirit. When the high priest was anointed, the oil ran down his beard to the front of his body and over his collar. This suggests that the oil "bathed" the twelve precious stones that he wore on the breastplate over his heart, and this "bathing" is a picture of spiritual unity. When God's people walk in the Spirit, they forget about the externals and major on the eternal things of the Spirit. Externals divide us, gender, wealth, appearance, ethnic prejudices, social or political standing, while the Spirit brings us together and we glorify Christ.

In verse 3, we have a beautiful illustration of being refreshed by the Holy Spirit for our daily task. The Jews were basically an agricultural people and they depended on the early and latter rains and the dew to water their crops (Deut. 11:10-17). In Scripture, dew symbolizes the life-giving Word of God (Deut. 32:2), the blessing of God that brings fruitfulness (Gen. 27:28, 39; Deut. 33:13, 28), and God's special refreshing on His people (Hos. 14:5; Zech. 8:12). How often we need the refreshment of the Holy Spirit that comes silently but bountifully, like the dew upon the grass! The dew speaks of fruitfulness and the anointing oil speaks of fragrance, for the unity of God's people is both "good and pleasant."

The word “there” in verse 3 no doubt refers to Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. “Salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). It was “there” that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice that made it possible for us to have “peace with God”, and the experience “the blessing and life forevermore”. Both images, the oil and the dew, remind us that unity is not something that we "work up" but that God sends down by His Holy Spirit. When we get to the heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:18-29), there we will enjoy perfect unity. But why not seek to have that kind of unity today?

God bless!

Feb 11, 202405:11
Psalm 132 - "Let Your Saints Shout for Joy"

Psalm 132 - "Let Your Saints Shout for Joy"

9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy.

16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

 Psalm 132 is the thirteenth of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. Solomon was the most like writer of this psalm as he fulfilled the desire of his father David to bring the ark to Jerusalem and build the temple as a “resting place” for it. After his dedication prayer the glory of the LORD came down and filled the temple and now the visible presence of God was in the midst of the people and nation (2 Chronicles 6-7). Solomon begins the psalm in verses 1-5 asking the LORD to remember David’s desire and promise to give God His rightful place among His people.

In verses 6-8, he continues by describing how they found the ark and the people were encouraged to come to Jerusalem to worship. We get the impression that the ark was almost forgotten during the years it was in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim ("city of woods"). The city was only eight miles northwest of Jerusalem, so distance was no problem. Possibly some of the people in David's hometown of Bethlehem (Ephrathah—"fruitful land") were involved in bringing the ark to Jerusalem. And now, the people felt drawn to go on pilgrimage to the city. When Solomon put the ark into the Holy of Holies, the glory of God moved in, just as when Moses dedicated the tabernacle (1 Kings 8:1-11; Ex. 40). The Lord could now "rest" in His house after many years of wandering from place to place (2 Sam. 7:6; 1 Chron. 28:2).

In verses 10-12, Solomon reminded God of the covenant He made with his father David. God's covenant with David (2 Sam. 7) assured Israel that one of David's descendants would sit on the throne, and now Solomon was king, "God's anointed." So it was for David's sake, not Solomon's, that God blessed the king and the people. Ultimately, this promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose throne and kingdom are forever (2 Sam. 7:11-17; Acts 13:26-39; Luke 1:30-33). If David's successors wanted the blessing of God, they needed to obey the law of God. Believers today are united with the Lord in a new covenant that Jesus made in His own blood (Matt. 26:26-30; Heb. 12:24), and He will never break that covenant. The Father is faithful to His Son, and the Son is faithful to the covenant He made in His own blood.

In verses 13, Solomon reminds the people that God not only chose Israel to be His people and David and his descendants to be His kings, but He chose Zion to be the site of His temple and His throne (the ark). Other nations had temples, but none of those temples had the glory of the true and living God dwelling in them. Now in verses 14-18, God speaks and reaffirmed His covenant with Israel (Lev. 26; Deut. 27-30). God promised to dwell with Israel, provide their food, bless their worship, and defeat their enemies.

A “horn” (v. 17), is a symbol of power and strength, and the “growth” of the horn of David is a picture of the coming of the promised Messiah. So, the psalm ends by pointing to Jesus Christ. The psalm concerns itself with David and God's covenant with him, but it points to David's greater Son, Jesus Christ, and His covenant with His church. The psalmist was concerned about the ark of the covenant, but the ark points to Jesus Christ who today is enthroned in the Holy of Holies in heaven. We see, not the earthly Zion, but the heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:22-24), and we rejoice that we are "a kingdom of priests" because of the grace of God (Rev. 1:5-6).

Today, let us give God His rightful place, worship Him joyfully, rest on His faithful covenant, and trust Him for the promised blessings for those who willingly obey His will. And then His “saints shall shout for joy”! (vv. 9, 16)

God bless!

Feb 10, 202405:01
Psalm 132:1-5 - "A Dwelling Place for the Mighty One of Jacob"

Psalm 132:1-5 - "A Dwelling Place for the Mighty One of Jacob"

Psalm 132 is the thirteenth of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. The title doesn’t tell us who the writer is but from the psalm itself many have come to the conclusion that it was Solomon. Since verses 8-10 are quoted by Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple (2 Chron. 6:41-42), perhaps this psalm was written for that occasion. You might also notice the references to David in Solomon's prayer (2 Chron. 6:3-11,15-17).   As I read this psalm, I am reminded of the importance of the presence and the blessing of the Lord upon our lives, our families, our churches, and our nation. We might experience success and outwardly appear to have great happiness and prosperity, but unless the blessings and presence of God is there, we really have nothing worth having! When David turned the kingdom over to Solomon the borders were secure, the nation was prosperous beyond imagination, and everything was great! But the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t in its “resting place” in the Holy City of Jerusalem. The Shekinah glory of God was missing.

First in verses 1-5, we must make sure that God is in His rightful place in our lives and in our worship! It is interesting to note that in the 150 psalms, that this is the only psalm where the ark is mentioned. The ark represented God's throne on earth (Psalm 80:1 and 99:1), and its rightful place was in the Holy of Holies of God's sanctuary. Unless God is on the throne of our lives, no enterprise we attempt can be really successful. The ark had been in several places before Solomon put it into the temple (2 Chron. 5). The ark went before the children of Israel as they followed the cloud and pillar of fire through the wilderness, and it also went before them into the water as the people crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan. It is possible that the ark was temporarily at Bethel (Judg. 20:27) and then Mizpah (Judg. 21:5), but it finally rested at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1-3).

The wicked sons of Eli used the ark as a "good luck charm" and took it into battle against the Philistines, but the Philistines captured it (1 Sam. 4-5). Frightened by the judgments God sent, the Philistines returned the ark to the Jews, and for twenty years it rested in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim (1 Sam. 6:1-7:2). When David became king, he wanted the ark in Jerusalem and prepared a tent for it, but his first attempt failed (2 Sam. 6:1-11). The ark remained in the house of Obed-Edom for three months, and then David successfully brought God's throne to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:12-19; 1 Chron. 15-16). It appears that the tabernacle of Moses and its holy furniture were in Gibeon (1 Chron. 21:29).

David had two great ambitions: to bring the ark to Jerusalem and then to build a glorious temple to house it. He even made a vow to the Lord, and the Lord permitted him to fulfill the first desire but not the second (2 Sam. 7). David had gone through much hardship, “affliction” (v. 1), with reference to the building of the temple (v. 1; 1 Chron. 22:14), for the wealth he turned over to Solomon came from the spoils of his many battles. The worship leader called on God to "remember—pay attention to" what David had done, for humanly speaking, without David there would have been no temple. Even purchasing the property on which the temple was built cost David a great deal of pain (2 Sam. 24).

Today, if we have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our vey bodies have become the temple of the Holy Spirit and God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Are you allowing Him to sit upon the throne of your heart and direct your every decision and step in life? Do you desire and seek His presence so much that you get up early or stay up late (v. 4), to spend time in His Word and prayer, in fellowship with Him?

Today, it is my prayer that all of us would make our hearts and lives a “dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob”! The world desperately needs to see His Glory today!

God bless!

Feb 09, 202404:59
Psalm 131 - "Like a Weaned Child..."

Psalm 131 - "Like a Weaned Child..."

Psalm 131 is the twelfth of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. This is a psalm about humility. From the title we know it was written by David. If anyone in Israel had reasons to be proud, it was David. The eighth son of a common citizen, he began as a humble shepherd and yet became Israel's greatest king. A courageous soldier, a gifted general and tactician, and a sincere man of God, it was David who defeated Israel's enemies, expanded her boundaries, and amassed the wealth that Solomon used to build the temple. David was human, and like all of us, he was guilty of disobeying the Lord, but he was always repentant and sought God's merciful forgiveness. Except for a few lapses into selfishness and sin, David walked with the Lord in a humble spirit. In this brief psalm, he shares with us three essentials of a life that glorifies God and accomplishes His work on earth.

In verse 1, we first learn that we need to be honest and accept ourselves. We move toward maturity when we honestly accept who we are, understand what we can do, accept both and live for God's glory. Rejecting or hating ourselves, fantasizing about ourselves, and envying others are marks of immaturity. David had seen some of this kind of behavior in his own son Absalom as well as in King Saul. A proud heart refuses to face reality, a high look covers up hidden inadequacy, and arrogant ambition impresses some people but leads ultimately to embarrassing failure (Jer. 45:5). When you accept yourself and your lot and thank God for the way He made you, you do not need to impress people. They will see your worth and love you for who you are. Spoiled children want to be seen and heard and they get involved in things they cannot handle. David did not promote himself; it was all God's doing.

In verse 2, we should seek to have a humble heart and accept God's will. Hebrew children were weaned at ages three or four, and this experience marked the end of their infancy. But most children do not want to be deprived of their mother’s loving arms and satisfying breasts, and they feel rejected and unwanted. But after the crisis of birth, each child must eventually be weaned and learn the first lesson in the school of life: growing up involves painful losses that can lead to wonderful gains.

If children are to grow up and not just grow old, they must be able to function apart from mother. This means weaning, going to school, choosing a vocation, and probably marrying and starting a new home. They must learn that there is a difference between cutting the apron strings and cutting the heartstrings and that these separations do not rob them of mother's love. Weaning can be painful but is necessary in life!

The child that David described wept and fretted but eventually “calmed” down and accepted the inevitable. The word describes the calming of the sea or the farmer's leveling of the ground after plowing (Isa. 28:25). Instead of emotional highs and lows, the child developed a steady uniform response, indicating a giant step forward in the quest for maturity. Successful living means moving from dependence to independence, and then to interdependence, always in the will of God.

Finally in verse 3, we must place our hope in the LORD as we anticipate the future (v. 3). Infants do not realize that their mother's decision is for their own good, for weaning sets them free to meet the future and make the most of it. The child may want to keep things as they are, but that way lies immaturity and tragedy. In the Christian vocabulary, hope is not "hope so" or “wishful thinking”. It is joyful anticipation of what the Lord will do in the future, based on His changeless promises. Like the child being weaned, we may fret at our present circumstances, but we know that our fretting is wrong.

Today we need to remember that our present circumstances are the womb out of which new blessings and opportunities will be born (Rom. 8:28).

God bless!

Feb 08, 202405:05
Psalm 130 - "And In His Word I Do Hope"

Psalm 130 - "And In His Word I Do Hope"

Psalm 130 is the eleventh of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. It is also the sixth of the seven Penitential Psalms. The other six are Psalms 6; 32:1-11, 38:1-22, 51:1-19, 102:1-7, 143:1-12. These are psalms where the psalmist is crying out in repentance asking for mercy for his sins and iniquities. Psalm 130 emphasizes what God does for helpless people who cry out to Him for mercy. Perhaps the Jewish pilgrims used this psalm to confess their sins and seek God's forgiveness and blessing as they made their way to the sanctuary. No matter what our need, when we call upon the Lord in faith, He hears us and makes the changes needed in our lives.

In verses 1-2, the picture is that of a person drowning and unable to stand on the bottom or swim to safety. The tense of the verb "cry" indicates that the writer had been crying in the past and continued to cry out as he wrote the psalm, because without God's merciful intervention, he would die. We can cry out to God from the depths of disappointment and defeat and from the depths of fear and perplexity. Like a heavy weight, sin drags its victims to the depths, but God made us for the heights (Isa. 40:31; Col. 3:1).

In verses 3-4, the psalmist moved from the sea to the courtroom, but there the sinner could not stand because of guilt. The only way we can get rid of the sin record is to come to God for His gracious forgiveness, and this forgiveness is made possible because of the work of Christ on the cross (32:1-2; Rom. 4:1-8). Sinners cannot stand before the holy Judge and argue their own case (Ps. 1:5; 143:2; Ezra 9:15; Nah. 1:6; Mal. 3:2). But God is ready to forgive (Ps. 86:5; Neh. 9:17), and faith in the Savior brings forgiveness to the soul. God casts our sins behind His back and blots them out of His book (Isa. 38:17; 43:25; 44:22). He carries them away as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:11-12), casts them into the sea (Micah 7:19), and holds them against us no more (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 10:17). But forgiveness is not a blessing to be taken lightly, for it cost God His Son; therefore, we ought to love and fear God (Ps. 76:7). If you take seriously the guilt of sin, you will take seriously the grace of forgiveness.

In verses 5-6, we move from the courtroom to the city walls where the watchmen are alert as they peer through the darkness to detect the approach of any danger. Nothing they do can make the sun come up any sooner, but when the day dawns, the guards rejoice that the city has been safe another night. When the Lord forgives sinners, it is for them the dawning of a new day as they move out of darkness into God's marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). The forgiven sinner is content to wait on the Lord for whatever He has planned for that day. This is not the waiting of hopeless resignation but of hopeful anticipation, for each new day brings new blessings from His hand (Ps. 119:74, 81, 82; Lam. 3:22-26). If you find yourself forgiven but still in the darkness, wait on the Lord and trust His Word, but do not try to manufacture your own light (Isa. 50:10-11).

In verses 6-7, our final visit is to the slave market and the theme is redemption, which means "setting someone free by paying a price." Israel knew a great deal about God's redemption, for at the Exodus, God's power had set them free from Egyptian tyranny (Ex. 12-15). They had no hope and could not free themselves, but the Lord did it for them. He gave His people "abundant redemption" that included freedom from slavery, victory over their enemies, and a Promised Land for their home. The slave has no hope, but the child in the family looks forward to receiving an inheritance. All who trust Jesus Christ are children in God's family and not slaves, and their future is secure (Gal. 3:26-4:7).

Today, as we watch and wait for His coming, despite what might be happening around us, we can also rejoice and say, “I am forgiven!!!! And in His Word I Do Hope!”

God bless!

Feb 07, 202404:50
Psalm 129 - "By His Stripes We Are Healed"

Psalm 129 - "By His Stripes We Are Healed"

Psalm 129 is the tenth of the “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians was described by the prophets as "plowing" (vv. 3-4; Isa. 51:23; Mic. 3:12; Jer. 26:17-18), so this psalm was probably written after the exiles returned to the land. There they were surrounded by enemy people who hated them, so the theme was appropriate. The psalmist speaks for the nation and states that, no matter how severe the persecution, nothing can destroy the people of Israel. But God's church has also suffered severe persecution throughout the centuries, and faithful individual Christians face personal hostility. "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). How should we respond to suffering?

First, we must accept the reality of suffering in this world (vv. 1-2). Persecution is not something "strange" in the life of either Israel or the church (1 Peter 4:12). When the Lord called Abraham, He revealed that some would bless the Jews and others curse them (Gen. 12:1-3). Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael (Gen. 21:8-21; Gal. 4:21-31), and the Jews were terribly oppressed in Egypt (Hos. 11:1). However, the more they were persecuted, the more they increased (Ex. 1:9-14), and there the family of Jacob was molded into the nation of Israel. Israel has suffered more than any nation in history, yet Israel has not been destroyed!

Secondly, we cannot avoid suffering, but we can benefit from it (vv. 3-4). As you read these verses, you can almost feel the sharp cutting edges of the plow. Their enemies treated Israel like dirt and walked on them! Some students see in the plowing image a picture of prisoners being whipped, leaving long deep gashes on their backs. If that is a part of the picture, then our Lord endured the same suffering. Isaiah 53:5 prophesied specifically about Christ suffering: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”  The nation of Israel has been plowed long, deep, and often, but what a harvest of blessing it has brought to the world! The day came when God cut the cords that tied the oxen to the plow, and then Israel was free (see 124:7). The exiles returned to their homes wiser and better people because they had felt the pain of the plow. Instead of blaming God for their suffering, they confessed, "The Lord is righteous" (v. 4).

The plowing image is a good one for believers today, for it reminds us that there can be a glorious harvest, but it depends on the seeds that we plant. Of itself, suffering does not produce blessing. If we plant seeds of hatred and resentment, then suffering will produce bitterness. But if we plant faith, hope, love, and the precious promises of the Word, then the harvest will bless us and help others, and it will bring glory to God. (See 1 Peter 4:12-19.) God permits people to treat us like dirt, and we must accept it, but we have the privilege of transforming it by the grace of God into character that honors the Lord.

Finally, in verses 5-8, we learn from Israel to commit our suffering to the LORD. The psalmist prayed that those who hated Zion would perish quickly like the useless grass on the roof. But why would anybody want to hate the Jews? The most logical answer is that Satan hates Israel and has always been at war with her (see Rev. 12). Satan is also at war with the church (John 15:18-25; 17:14; 1 John 3:13). But God has always proven to preserve His people and when no one would say blessings upon Israel they could still say; "We bless you in the name of the Lord" (v. 8), because Israel has brought to the world the knowledge of the true and living God, the Scriptures, and the Savior. "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).

Remember it is our suffering that gives us the greatest opportunities to “manifest the life of Christ in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:7-18).

God bless!

Feb 06, 202404:59
Psalm 128 - Home, Sweet Home

Psalm 128 - Home, Sweet Home

Psalm 128 is the ninth of the “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms” and is a companion to Psalm 127. Because families traveled together to the annual feasts in Jerusalem, it is only right that another psalm be devoted to parents and their offspring. The previous psalm pictured children as a rich heritage and as arrows for defeating the enemy (127:3-5). This psalm uses agricultural images for both the wife and the children. In one form or another, the word "bless" is used four times. Like 127 and Jeremiah 29:4-7, this psalm deals with protection (v. 1), working (v. 2), the family (vv. 3-4, 6), and God's blessing on Jerusalem (v. 5). While the writer includes all who fear the Lord (v. 1), the psalm is addressed especially to the man of the house (v. 3).

Our homes are either a place where we enjoy heaven on earth or where we experience hell on earth. In our homes with our families, we can enjoy the greatest pleasures and blessings of life, or we might experience the worst emotional, mental, and physical abuse, hurt, pain, offenses, and tragedies in life. In this psalm we also see that the welfare of the state depends on the welfare of the home, and the welfare of the home depends on the spiritual condition of the head of that home. An unspiritual father will often produce unsaved children and unsaved children will build an unstable state. That is the general principle underlying this psalm. The safety of the state depends on the sanctity of the home, and the sanctity of the home depends on the spirituality of the parents. No psalm in the Hebrew hymnbook needs to be preached in America where our homes are literally falling apart more insistently than this one.

In verse 1, we have a Jewish couple who truly feared the Lord and wanted to establish a home that Jehovah could bless. To fear the Lord means to reverence Him and seek to please Him by obeying His Word. This is the Old Testament version of Matthew 6:33. It takes three to form a happy marriage: a man and woman who love the Lord and each other, and the Lord who performed the first wedding back in the Garden of Eden.

In verse 2, we see where the “blessed home” is one where the family enjoys the fruit of hard-working parents. But who recognize that it is the Lord who gives His people "power to get wealth" (Deut. 8:18). How easy it is for us to think that our planning, skill, and hard work accomplished it all, but such is not the case. As we saw in the previous psalm, without the blessing of the Lord, all our labor is in vain. Each Jew was required to give tithes to the Lord, but the Lord wanted the workers to share the fruit of their labor.

In verses 3-4, the family enjoys eating meals together. Both the vine and the olive tree were important to the economy of Israel, the vine providing wine and the olive tree supplying fruit and oil (104:14-15). A husband's love for his wife is illustrated by the vine and the olive tree (Song. 7:6-9). The olive shoots around the base of the parent tree, fresh and vigorous, picture the children around the family table. It takes patience to care for them as they grow, but the efforts are rewarding.

In verses 5-6, we go from bride and groom to grandparents in just six verses! How time flies! Three generations are represented in the psalm, and all of them walking with the Lord. We are so prone to remember that God judges the succeeding generations if they imitate the sins of their ancestors, but we must remember that He also passes along the blessings when the ancestors have been godly. The Jewish people are proud of their heritage and want to see God's very best blessings come to Jerusalem. They realize how enriched they are from Zion. They long for each of their children to bring honor to Israel, and they pray for the peace and prosperity of Israel and Jerusalem

True patriotism begins in the home, where love of God, family, and country are bound together. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12).

God bless!

Feb 05, 202404:58
Psalm 127 - We Need the LORD's Blessings

Psalm 127 - We Need the LORD's Blessings

Psalm 127 is the eighth of the “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms”. It has an inscription that attributes it to Solomon as the writer. Some scholars believe that King Hezekiah is the person who organized the “Ascent Songs” for the pilgrimage of the people and for their worship when they arrived in Jerusalem. Others think that it might have been Nehemiah or Ezra who complied these fifteen psalms for the remnant returning from their captivity in Babylon. They were both rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem and having to fight their distractors and enemies at the same time! Remember Nehemiah had the people hold a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other as they worked on the wall.

The major message of this psalm is that is no amount of human sacrifice or toil can accomplish much unless God's blessing is upon His people. I’ll never forget an old hymn that says, “Little is much when God is in it”! But the opposite is true also, “A lot is nothing when God is not in it”!  As God’s people, we are builders and more than anything else we need God’s blessings upon us as we “build and guard” in a dangerous and demanding world.

Solomon was a great builder, and he must have learned this lesson that if the LORD’s blessings were not there, the builders labored in vain, and the soldiers would watch and guard in vain. God had called us to build—our lives, our homes, our churches, and the kingdom of God around the world. Before commencing His public ministry, Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and He is currently building His church in this world (Matt. 16:18). The apostle Paul saw himself as a master builder (1 Cor. 3:10). Whether we are building structures with bricks and mortar and steel, or building lives, families, and churches with truth and love, we cannot succeed without the help of the Lord. Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

We must also depend on the LORD to guard what is being built! (v. 1b). Strong walls around the city and alert watchmen on those walls are essential if we are to protect what we have built. And how foolish it is to build and not protect! Many a child and many a ministry has been lost to the enemy because the watchmen did not stay awake and warn that the enemy was approaching. If parents, teachers, and church leaders do not courageously depend on the LORD through prayer and His Word to guard against the enemy, our building and battling will be in vain.

If verse 1 warns against overconfidence ("We can do it without God's help!"), verse 2 warns against overwork and anxious toil ("I have to do it all right now!"). This verse does not say it is wrong for people to get up early, work hard, and make sacrifices (see 2 Thess. 3:6-15). It only warns us that our work should be a blessing we enjoy and not a burden we endure. Doing God's will is nourishment, not punishment. But the anxious laborer eats "the bread of sorrows", sorrow while working and sorrow while trying to rest at night as he worries about the next day. God gives us "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17).

In verses 3-5, we are reminded that it does no good to build and guard our houses and cities if there are no future generations to inherit them and keep the family, city, and nation going. Children are precious—a heritage and they make the home a treasury. But they are also useful, like fruit and arrows, and make the home a garden and an armory. If we do not raise our children to know and love the truth, who will plant the seeds of truth and fight the battles against lies and evil in the years to come? It is in the family that we preserve the best of the past and invest it in the future. Every baby born is God's vote for the future of humankind and our opportunity to help make some new beginnings.

May the LORD always give us grace to remember that we desperately need His blessings and “Little is much when God is in it!”

God bless!

Feb 04, 202404:55
Psalm 126 - Freedom from Captivity

Psalm 126 - Freedom from Captivity

Psalm 126 is the seventh of the “Assent Songs” and the writer is anonymous. Several verses in this psalm appear to describe the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon (Ezra 2:1; Neh. 7:6; Isa. 10:22; Jer. 22:10). Cyrus gave his decree in 537 B.C., an event prophesied by Isaiah (44:24-45:7). Jeremiah had prophesied that the captivity would be for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Isaiah also prophesied the joy of the people at their liberation (Isa. 48:20; 49:8-13; 51:11; 54:1; 55:10-12), and the witness of this remarkable event to the other nations (Isa. 43:10-21; 44:8, 23; 52:7-10). But once the exiles were back in their land, their joy began to subside, for life is not always easy when you are making a new beginning after a time of discipline. But life is so arranged that we must often make new beginnings, and the Lord helps us by giving us special encouragements.

In the first three verses, you see the people express great joy for this new freedom! (vv. 1-3) Even though they had the prophesies and promises of Isaiah and Jeremiah, the remnant that returned to Israel could not believe they were free and felt like they were dreaming! It was too good to be true. During long years of waiting, they had dreamed of returning home, and now the dream had become reality. God in His grace had forgiven them (Isa. 40:1-2; 44:21-22) and they could make a new beginning. The Jews had lost their song in Babylon (Ps. 137:1-5), but now they were shouting, laughing, and singing! What a witness of God's faithfulness to keep His promises!

The surrounding nations, some of whom hated Israel, were utterly astonished at this event, and openly confessed that the God of Israel had done great things for them. The Jews replied that indeed He had done great things for them, and they gave God the glory. Someone said, "If you can explain what is going on, God did not do it". This ought to be the confession and testimony of every believer and of every local church. And even the world will notice the difference in our lives and must acknowledge that the LORD did it!

The prayer in verse four, "Bring back our captivity", can also be translated "restore our fortunes." The captivity had ended, and the Jews were praying for the blessing of the Lord on their life in the land. It was important that the people return to their land and get to work, but it was also important that God bless their work (Psalm 127:1-2). If the Lord did not keep His covenant and send the early and latter rains (Lev. 26:4; Deut. 11:10-12; 28:12), there would be no crops and their labors would have been in vain. Each raindrop was but a tiny thing, but when dropped on the earth, it was the promise of life.

How gracious of the Lord to send "showers of blessing" (Ezek. 34:26) to His people! How important it is that God's people pray for His blessing and prepare themselves to receive it (2 Chron. 7:14; Mal. 3:8-12). In Scripture, water for drinking is a picture of the Spirit of God and the refreshing life that He brings to those who seek Him (John 7:37-38).

After our freedom from the captivity of sin and Satan, we have the challenge of work (vv. 5-6)."Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26), so after we have praised God and prayed, we must get to work, for work is a blessing, not a curse. The grain that the farmer sowed might have been used to make bread for his family, so it is no wonder he was weeping as he toiled. Tears and rejoicing often went together at that time (Ezra 3:8-13; 6:16, 22), but the farmer was trusting God to multiply the grain so that he would have both bread for his family to eat and seed to sow the next season (2 Cor. 9:10-11).

Today, may the LORD give us a broken heart with tears, to take His precious seed, His Word, to share with a lost world around us! If we do this, we are promised a harvest of souls and great rejoicing, not only now but for eternity! And, "In due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9).

God bless!

Feb 03, 202404:56
Psalm 125 - The Blessings of Faith

Psalm 125 - The Blessings of Faith

Psalm 125 is the sixth of the “Assent Songs” and the writer is anonymous, but most commentators seem to think that it was probably composed during the post-exilic period of Ezra and Nehemiah. Remember that they were the leaders who lead the captives back to their beloved “Promise Land” to rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Both Ezra and Nehemiah mention all sorts of people who made their work difficult for them. (Neh. 6:10-14; Ezra 9-10). Thank God for the faithful who believe God and obey His Word!

Three kinds of people are mentioned in this psalm: those who trust in the Lord (v. 1), who are also called righteous and good (vv. 3-4); those who compromise with the enemy (v. 3); and those who deliberately go on the wrong path (v. 5). This psalm reminds us of the benefits that faith and faithfulness bring to God's people and we should be more determined than ever to “live by faith and not by sight or by our feelings”.

When we live and walk by faith we are kept standing (vv. 1-2), and enjoy spiritual security and stability. The city of Jerusalem was firmly established and could not be shaken. For one thing, it was built on a solid foundation of rock that went deep into the ground. The city was surrounded by a number of hills. Even more, Jerusalem was home to the holy temple of Jehovah and the throne of David. God's glory and God's authority dwelt among His people. The writer did not say that God's people should be like Mount Zion but that they are like Mount Zion. As believers we are built upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11; 1 Peter 2:4-8), and He dwells within us and He surrounds us with His protection and mercy. As people of faith, we shall not be moved (16:8; 21:7; 62:6). Like Paul, we say, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24).

We have a marvelous standing, for we stand in God's grace (Rom. 5:2; Gal. 5:1), and we stand by faith (Rom. 11:20). We take our stand on the truths of the Word of God (2 Thess. 2:15) and stand in the will of God (Col. 4:12). It is God who enables us to stand (2 Cor. 1:21, 24), and because He does, we are able to accomplish the work He wants us to do (1 Cor. 15:58). When we begin to trust ourselves or other people, and we bypass the Lord, then we begin to waver, stumble, and fall.

When we live and walk by faith, we will live a life of obedience (v. 3). Israel was under Persian rule during the post-exilic years, and the Persian officers could do as they pleased. Some of the Jews became weary of this arrangement and capitulated to the Persians. "If you cannot whip them, join them." But the "scepter of wickedness" was wielded not only by Persians but also by greedy Israelites who disobeyed God's law and exploited their own people (Neh. 5). The prevalence of evil makes it easier for everybody to sin (Matt. 24:12), but the Lord will not permit this to go on forever. The people who trust God will obey His Word no matter what others may do, and they will not succumb to temptation (1 Cor. 10:13).

Our faith will keep us praying, hoping and doing good (vv. 4-5). James 1 teaches us that anything that is good comes from God and is given to us when we ask by faith. In Matthew 7:11 Jesus told His disciples, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” To live by faith is to keep our eyes on the Lord (123:1; Heb. 12:1-2), rest on the promises of His Word, and do what is right and good no matter what others may say or do. Faith means living without scheming.

People of faith know that God will one day judge the disobedient, no matter how much they seem to get away with resisting God and abusing others. The life of faith is not easy, but the life of unbelief is much harder, in this life and in the life to come.

Yes, even in the midst of adversity we can still by faith do good and enjoy peace! “Peace be upon you”!

God bless!

Feb 02, 202405:00
Psalm 124 - The LORD is on Our Side

Psalm 124 - The LORD is on Our Side

Psalm 124 is the fifth of the “Assent Songs” and the second that is ascribed to be written by David. Remember the contempt and ridicule of Psalm 123? It has now been mixed with anger (v. 3) and become open hostility in Psalm 124. There are several occasions as to when David might have written it. After he was anointed king, it wasn’t long till Saul was trying to set traps and kill him. Or possibly, shortly after he became king, the Philistines attack Israel. Or even later when his son Absolom rose up against him. In each situation the LORD gave him deliverance and this psalm may have been his song of thanksgiving to the Lord.

Some believe that Hezekiah might have used this psalm when he was attacked by the Assyrians, but God sent an angel that killed over 180,000 enemy soldiers in one night and gave deliverance. It might have been used again later when Nehemiah and the people were repairing the walls and gates of Jerusalem, the surrounding nations ridiculed them (Neh. 2:19-20; 4:1-5) and then threatened to attack them (Neh. 4:7-23). Nehemiah's words "Our God will fight for us" (Neh. 4:20) remind us of 124:1-2 and 8. We may not have entire nations and armies opposing us, but we do face emergencies that are more than we can handle. That is when we turn to the Lord for help, because He is on our side and helps us with these emergencies.

In verses 1-2, we see the sudden attack of the enemy. The phrase "rose up" gives the image of a sudden ambush, a sneak attack that might have defeated Israel, except the Lord was on their side. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). Our enemy Satan does not give advance warning of his attacks; therefore, we must be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8), put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18), and be alert in our praying. God promised His chosen people that He would curse those who cursed them (Gen. 12:3), and He has kept that promise. If we are walking with the Lord, we need not feel unprepared for the enemy's sudden attacks.

Next in verses 3-5, the enemy is pictured as a great flood overwhelming Israel. Here is a situation where we stand helpless as the problem gets worse and worse. The psalmist feared that the raging waters of persecution would sweep over him and his people and that they would be swallowed up forever. Jeremiah pictured the Babylonian captivity of Israel as Nebuchadnezzar swallowing the nation (Jer. 51:34, 44). But if the Lord is on our side, He will provide a way of escape.

In verse 6, the enemy is pictured as a beast which is often a biblical picture of persecution. There are twelve words in the Hebrew language for lions, which indicates that the Jewish people in that day took wild beasts seriously. Jeremiah compared Babylon to a lion (Jer. 4:7; 51:38), and Peter compared Satan to a prowling lion (1 Peter 5:8). Like a cunning animal, Satan stalks us and waits until we have relaxed our guard, and then he pounces. But the Lord is stronger than Satan, and if we are abiding in Him, we can win the victory.

 

Finally in verses 7-8, the enemy is pictured laying a hidden trap. We must use the Word of God to throw light on our path so we can detect and avoid the devil's traps (Psalm 119:105; 91:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:7; 6:9; 2 Tim. 2:24-26). The picture is that of a helpless bird who walked into the trap in order to eat the food. Satan always has fascinating bait to offer. The Lord may allow us to fall into a trap, but nobody can keep us when He wants us to be free.

The Lord not only opened the trap but broke it so it cannot be used again! The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has broken the dominion of sin and death, and we can walk in freedom through Jesus Christ.

Praise God, we don’t need to fear! We are not helpless! Because "Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth" (v. 8). And He is on our side!

God bless!

Feb 01, 202404:59
Psalm 123 - A Plea for Mercy

Psalm 123 - A Plea for Mercy

Psalm 123 is the fourth of the fifteen “Ascent Psalms”, also called the “Pilgrim Psalms”. This is another of the songs of degrees which have no named authorship but as some believe it was possibly written by King Hezekiah. It definitely fits the setting of the Assyrian invasion of Judah and the encirclement of Jerusalem by the armies of Sennacherib. The immediate occasion was probably the blasphemous, contemptuous speech of Rabshakeh in which he tried to subvert the loyalty of the besieged defenders of the city (Isaiah 36-37). 

It is not until we read verse 4 that we discover the burden of the writer: the constant persecution of the people of Israel, being treated with scorn and contempt. Has any nation ever suffered the way Israel has suffered? During the post-exilic years, Israel also suffered the ridicule and scorn of their Gentile neighbors (Neh. 2:19; 4:1-4, 7). This psalm speaks about the God who is enthroned in heaven whose hand would work for His people, and you find both of these themes in Ezra and Nehemiah. Of course, God's people today are also suffering because of their commitment to Christ (John 16:30). According to missiologists, more Christians were martyred in the twentieth century than in all the previous centuries combined!

When we find ourselves among the slandered, ridiculed, and persecuted, where do we turn for help? The psalm gives three answers to that question. First, we should look by faith to God's throne (v. 1). Of course, with our human eyes, we cannot see God on His throne, but with the eyes of faith we see Him as we believe the Word. "My eyes are toward the Lord" (Psalm 25:15). To look toward the Lord means to trust Him and turn our problems over to Him by faith. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2). God's throne is mentioned often in the book of Psalms (9:4, 7; 11:4; 45:6; 47:8; 93:2; 97:2; 103:9), and to believers today, His throne is a throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16). The life of faith begins by looking to the Lord by faith and trusting Him for salvation (Isa. 45:22). The life of faith continues as we keep our eyes of faith on Jesus (Heb. 12:2), and it will climax with faith becoming sight and we'll see Jesus in His glory (1 John 3:1-2).

Second, we should look by faith to God's hand (v. 2). In eastern countries, masters often commanded their servants by means of hand signals, so the servants kept their eyes on the master's hand. This is what gave them direction for their work. But the master's hand was also the source of their provision, what they needed for their daily sustenance. Finally, the master's hand protected them in times of danger. So, it is with God's people today: our direction, provision, and protection all come from our Master's hand and His hand never fails.

Finally, we should look for God's mercy and grace (vv. 3-4). The exiles from Israel had spent seventy years in Babylon. Most of the older ones died and at least two new generations were born. Now, about 50,000 of these people were trying to rebuild their temple, restore their city, and revitalize their nation. This was not an easy task, and the nations around them did not want Israel back on the scene again. The Persian rulers who had promised to help them did not always keep their promises, or the local Persian officers interfered with the announced plans. It was another evidence of the hatred the Gentiles had for the Jews. "We have endured much contempt" (v. 3). (Neh. 2:19; 4:1-4, 7; Lam. 3:15, 30.) But God chooses and uses the despised things of this world (1 Cor. 1:28). After all, our salvation was purchased by One who was "despised and rejected of men" (Isa. 53:3).

If you find yourself laughed at and criticized because you belong to Jesus Christ, you are part of a very elite group, and you do not have to be embarrassed or start looking for a place to hide! There is grace available at the throne of grace from the God of all grace, so lift your eyes of faith to Him.

God bless!

Jan 31, 202404:50
Psalm 122 - A Heart for Worship

Psalm 122 - A Heart for Worship

Psalm 122 is one of the fifteen “Ascent Psalms”, also called the “Pilgrim Psalms”. From the title we know that this one was written by David along with three others. One was written by Solomon and the other ten have anonymous writers. There are many commentators that believe King Hezekiah is the person that compiled these particular psalms together to encourage the Jewish pilgrims in their worship as they came to the City of Jerusalem three times a year for the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

First in verses 1-2, we see that true worship comes from having a heart for God Himself (John 4:23-24). "Let us go" sounds tame, like an invitation to a tea. "We will go" is the better translation. Whether this was an invitation to someone living far from Jerusalem, or to David living in Jerusalem, the statement expressed determination and dedication. After the tent had been set up and the ark placed in it, no doubt David frequently went there to worship God, for David's love for God's house was well-known (27:4; 65:4; 2 Sam. 7:1-3). He rejoiced at an opportunity to go with other worshipers to praise the Lord. Though he lived in the holy city, David did not take this privilege for granted, for he had a heart for God and for God's house. David was a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). The pilgrim coming from a distance would not complain about the journey, for his heart was set on the Lord. Love makes burdens lighter and distances shorter.

Next in verses 3-5, we need a heart for thanks and praise. The Lord had told His people that one day there would be a central place where they would worship (Ex. 23:14-19; Deut. 12:5-7, 11-14, 17-19; 14:23; 16:2, 16), and that place was Jerusalem. The Lord instructed David that the place on Mount Moriah where he had built the altar was to be the site for the temple (1 Chron. 21-22). When the psalmist looked at the city, he thought of unity and security. Just as the stones of the walls and houses were "bound firmly together," so the people were bound together in their worship of the Lord and their respect for the throne. But it was the praise of Jehovah that was central (v. 4). God had commanded that His people go to Jerusalem for the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Ex. 23:14-19; John 4:20-21), and the people went as worshipers and not sightseers.

In verses 6-9, we find that we need a heart for prayer. The name "Jerusalem" means "foundation of peace," and yet the city has been a center of conflict for centuries. If we understand biblical prophecy correctly, there can be no peace in Jerusalem or on earth until the Prince of Peace reigns on David's throne (Isa. 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-33). So, when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are actually praying, "Thy kingdom come" (Matt. 6:10) and "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20). Jesus wept over the city because they were ignorant of the peace God had for them (Luke 19:41-48) and had rejected their own Messiah (John 11:47-48).

Our prayers must come from our heart because we love God and love His people. The "prosperity" mentioned in verse 6 does not refer to material wealth but primarily to the spiritual enrichment that comes to those who love God, His Son (born a Jew), His Word (a Jewish book), and His chosen people. "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). Christian believers have a debt to Israel for the untold spiritual wealth they have given us (Rom. 15:25-27). The emphasis here is on the city of God, the chosen people of God (vv. 6-8), and the house of God (v. 9).

Today, because we are God's people, citizens of the heavenly country, we must pray for one another and for the ministry of the churches. We belong to each other, we need each other, and we must help each other. We must pray for peace within and among the churches. We must pray for the needs of "our brothers and friends," and surely, we must pray for the lost. A heart for God will surely be a heart filled with praise and prayer.

God bless!

Jan 30, 202404:60
Psalm 121 - The LORD is My Keeper

Psalm 121 - The LORD is My Keeper

We need to remember that Psalms 120-134 are the “Pilgrim Psalms”. They have the title: "A Song of Ascents." These psalms were compiled together to be used by the Jewish pilgrims as they journeyed from their hometowns up to Jerusalem as least three times a year to worship. The pilgrims would sing or recite these songs to remind themselves of what the LORD had done for them over the centuries and that He was still their “keeper” and would protect them even on their present journey. These are psalms that we, as believers, need to keep near to our hearts and minds as we also remember that our citizenship is in heaven as we are traveling through enemy territory on the road of life during our brief time on earth!

The theme of Psalm 121 is God's protection over His people. The word "keeps" (watches over) is used three times and the word “preserved” is also used three times. Safety is something about which the pilgrims would be especially concerned as they journeyed on the roads through the hill country. A pilgrim could stumble and hurt himself, or someone might suffer sunstroke, or a chilly night of camping out might give somebody a bad cold. There was always the possibility of robbers swooping down. But the message of the psalm applies to God's pilgrims today and gives us the assurances we need as we journey in this life.

In verses 1-2, we are reminded that our “Father's Creation Is before us". The opening line possibly could be used to ask the question, “Will I look up to the hills to find my help?” The apostate Jews, like the pagans around them worshiped other gods at the shrines in the "high places" in the hills (2 Kings 16:4; Jer. 3:23; 13:27; 17:2; Hos. 4:11-13). But this psalmist basically answered his own question with: “No, I’m going to look beyond the hills to the God who made the hills and also the heaven and the earth!” If Jehovah created the heavens and the earth, then He is a God of power, wisdom, and glory, and we have nothing to fear. Satan and his demonic army may be at work opposing the saints, but this is still our Father's world.

When the travelers caught sight of Jerusalem, situated on the mountains (87:1; 125:1-2; 133:3), they knew that God dwelt there in His sanctuary and provided the help they needed (3:4; 20:2; 46:1; 124:8; 134:3; 1 Kings 8:29-53). Everything in the heavens and on the earth, bears witness to the great Creator who is also our heavenly Father, so why should we fear?

In verses 3-4, we need to remember that our "Father's eyes are upon us". The word translated "moved" means "to slip and slide, to stagger, to be shaken." How easy it would be to sprain an ankle or even fall and break a bone while walking on uneven rocky paths. The Lord is concerned about our feet and our walk. "Keep" or “preserve” means "to guard and protect". Even while we sleep, God watches over us because He does not go to sleep.

In verse 5-6, we assured ourselves that our Father is not only on the throne looking down on us, but He is at our side to shield us from all harm. This does not mean that obedient believers never find themselves in difficulty or danger, or that they will never feel physical and emotional pain. The things that God permits to happen to us in His will may hurt us, but they will not harm us. Whether by day or by night, in heat or cold, whatever the changes might be, the Father's presence provides all that we need. We need not be afraid of sudden attacks that can come in the day or the night, for "the shadow of the Almighty" covers us (Ps. 91).

Finally in verses 7-8, we can take comfort, and need not fear life or death, today or tomorrow, time or eternity, for we are in the loving care of the Father. "All evil" means anything that could harm us, but in His grace, He turns into good the things we think are evil (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). He “preserves us forever”!

Today, look up to your Creator God and remember, “The LORD is my keeper”!

God bless!

Jan 29, 202404:52
Psalm 120 - We are Pilgrims Passing Through

Psalm 120 - We are Pilgrims Passing Through

Today we come to a new section of 15 exciting psalms, Psalms 120-134. Each of these psalms is called "A Song of Ascents." The Hebrew word translated "ascents” or "degrees" comes from a root that means "to go up," as ascending a stairway. Ten of the psalms are anonymous, four are attributed to David (Pss. 122, 124, 131, 133) and one to Solomon (Ps. 127). These psalms were selected to form a "hymnal" to be used by the people who went to Jerusalem for the three annual feasts (Ex. 23:14-19); Passover in spring, Pentecost in early summer, and Tabernacles in the autumn. The pilgrims sang these songs together as they journeyed in family groups to Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52), and this helped to focus their minds on what the Lord had done for their nation.

Three special themes are repeated: (1) the afflictions that Israel experienced at the hands of the other nations, (2) the gracious way God cared for and protected His chosen people, and (3) the blessing of being in Jerusalem. Israel had suffered contempt and scorn (123:3-4), near extinction (124:1-5; 130:1), traps (124:6-7), bondage (126:1, 4), and affliction (129:1-3), yet she is still here!

Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites were a nomadic people for forty years. But after they settled in Canaan, the Lord required them to go to Jerusalem three times a year. This reminded them that, spiritually speaking, they were still a pilgrim people and needed to depend on the Lord. "For we are aliens and pilgrims before you," said David in 1 Chronicles 29:15.

Too many believers today want to be "settlers," not pilgrims and strangers (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11). We are happy to settle down in our comfort zones and live as though Jesus never died, Jesus is not coming again, and our lives will never end. We are guilty of what Eugene Peterson calls "the tourist mindset," content to make occasional brief visits with the Lord that are leisurely and entertaining, all the while conforming to this world and enjoying it.

In Psalm 120, we are looking at the pilgrim and where he lives. The pilgrim in this psalm said he lived "in Meshech and in Kedar." Who was Meshech? He was one of the sons of Japheth. Genesis 10:2 tells us of "the sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras." From the sons of Japheth came the gentile nations, and Israel today is scattered among the Gentiles throughout the world. They dwell in "Meshech" located in Asia Minor.  "Kedar" was the son of Ishmael. It was located south of Israel in Arabia. Does that tell you anything? The pilgrim was living among the Arabs. How interesting is that?

Notice that in verse 2 he cries, "Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue." He was surrounded by people with mean tongues. The man who sojourned in Meshech had been maligned and lied about. I do believe that no people have been lied about, maligned, and persecuted as much as the Jews. We hear much about minority groups today, and the interesting thing is that the Jew has been able to make his way among all nations and peoples, but he has been criticized the entire time. Anti-Semitism has been real down through the ages; yet the Jew has been able to survive all of it. The Jews are a minority group among the Gentiles and among the people of the world; and they have lived in the place of gossip, quarrels, tensions, problems, and burdens. Also, this can be said of you and me.

"My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.” This certainly describes the Jews' current situation.

Today, like the pilgrim, we need to pray (vv. 1-2). We must trust the LORD (vv. 3-4), as the lost world lies about us. And we must patiently endure their hatred for us (vv. 5-7). And we need to remember that our citizenship is in heaven (Luke 10:20; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 12:22-24), and that should make a difference in our lives on earth.

God bless!

Jan 28, 202404:45
Psalm 119:169-176 - I Desperately Need God's Help

Psalm 119:169-176 - I Desperately Need God's Help

Psalm 119:169-176 is the twenty-second stanza of this psalm, and every line or verse begins with the twenty-second letter of the Hebrew alphabet “TAV”, in the Hebrew Bible. The psalmist finishes this longest psalm and chapter in the Bible with a prayer, a plea, a cry for help. And once again, he is assured and confident that God will answer his request and meet his every need because of the promises and truths that he finds in the Word of God. Like the rest of the psalm, every verse in this closing stanza mentions and refers to “Your word”, “Your statutes”, Your commandments”, “Your precepts”, “Your salvation”, “Your law”, and “Your judgments”.

It is obvious that the psalmist desperately needs God’s help and so do we! Years ago, I read that real prayer is simply a sense of helplessness and I agree! I actually wake up every morning with a plea for God’s help, and throughout the day continue to recognize that I need His help and will not make it without His help! In these verses today, the psalmist specifically recognizes his needs and asks for God’s help in several ways.

First in verses 169-172, he acknowledges his need for God’s Word. We never outgrow our need for God's Word, no matter how long we have been walking with Him. There is always something new to learn and we often see new applications of old truths. Believers who boast that they "know the Bible from cover to cover" are only revealing how little they know about God's Word, for we shall spend eternity learning from His Word. The psalmist asked for understanding and deliverance, for he knew that the truth would set him free (John 8:32). After learning the statutes of God, he began to praise the Lord, for study and worship belong together.

Next, he prayed that he needed God’s helping hand (v. 173). We all know that "God is spirit" (John 4:24) and therefore does not have a body with hands, feet, and so forth. In order to reveal Himself to us, He uses the familiar to explain the unfamiliar, and therefore the Bible describes Him in human terms. The idols of the heathen have hands that do not move or feel (115:7), but God's hand is active on the behalf of His people. We are the sheep of His hand (Psalm 95:7), an image that Jesus used in John 10:28-29.

He also prayed and shared his longing for God’s salvation (v. 174). In his case, "salvation" meant deliverance from his enemies who were threatening him, but "salvation" can mean freedom from worry, the healing of a sickness, the provision of funds to pay a bill, or deliverance from Satanic oppression. As we saw in verse 166, our ultimate salvation is the return of Jesus Christ to deliver all creation from the bondage of sin.

In verse 175, he believed that God’s judgements would help him. "Judgments" is a synonym for the Word of God, but it can also refer to the working of God's providence in this world (105:7; Rom. 11:33). Of course, the two go together, because God always obeys His own Word when He works in this world. God helps us as He arranges the affairs of this world and of our lives, for there are no accidents in the life of the believer—only appointments. Our Father watches over us and accomplishes His will (23:3; John 10:4; Rom. 8:28).

Finally in verse 176, the psalmist recognizes his tendency to stray away from God like a lost sheep, and he needed God to seek him because he was His servant. God gives us promises and assurances so we will not despair, but He also gives us warnings that we might not presume. The psalmist was still the servant of God and not the servant of sin, and he still remembered God's Word and His commandments, so he would not stray for long. He knew that the Good Shepherd would find him and lead him back to the fold. He would anoint his wounds with healing oil and give him a long refreshing drink of water (Psalm 23).

I trust that Psalm 119 has been as big a blessing to you as it has been to me, and I pray that it has encouraged you to spend time every day in God’s Word!

God bless!

Jan 27, 202405:07
Psalm 119:161-168 - Keeping the Right Focus

Psalm 119:161-168 - Keeping the Right Focus

Psalm 119:161-168 is the twenty-first stanza of this psalm, and every line or verse begins with the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet “SHIN”, in the Hebrew Bible. During our time of study in Psalm 119, we have noticed that the writer practiced a balanced life of faith, hope and love by keeping the right perspective about life and what was going on around him.  We especially notice this quality in this stanza.

In verse 161-162, the psalmist kept a deep respect for God’s Word and rejoiced despite the difficult challenges he was facing. Back in verse 23, we saw that the princes, the government authorities, began their campaign against him by speaking against him (v. 23), but now they were persecuting him in a direct way. They were probably trying to destroy him financially and otherwise, but the psalmist was not afraid of his persecutors because he stood in awe of God's Word. Once again, we learn that when we fear God, we need not fear anyone else. He respected the Word and rejoiced in the Word at the same time, for the joy of the Lord and the greatness of the Lord are friends, not enemies. The princes wanted to rob him, but he found great wealth in the Word of God (see vv. 14, 72). The promises of God in the Bible are better than money in the bank, because they will never lose their value, and nobody can take them from us.

In verse 163, the psalmist expressed hate for lying, falsehood and deceit but love for the Law and the truth of God’s Word. We are instructed in Psalm 97:10 to “love the Lord, hate evil".  Throughout this psalm he reminded us that he loved God's law but hated every false way (vv. 97, 104, 127-128). Here he declared that he loved God's law but hated falsehood. Revelation 21:17; 22:15 also reminds with that “whoever loves and practices a lie will not enter the heavenly city and will be banished from God's presence forever”. Today we are surrounded by the wicked “who breathe out lies”! Instead of being discouraged, we should turn to the truth of God’s law that helps us keep the right focus!

In verses 164-165, we observe that the psalmist practiced praise and worship and as a result experience peace and stability. The devoted Jewish worshiper would praise God and pray three times a day (Psalm 55:17; Dan. 6:10-11), but the psalmist went beyond that and worshiped seven times a day. This phrase “seven times a day”, means "often, or “many times”, beyond what is expected." The legalist would set a goal and be proud that he reached it; the Spirit-filled believer sets no goal but goes beyond any goal he might have set. Just as prayer can bring peace to our hearts (Phil. 4:4-7), so praise can bring peace as well.

Focusing on the Lord, asking for nothing, and totally lost in our praise of Him, has a way of making the problems look much smaller and the future much brighter. But praise also helps us to have poise in our Christian walk and to not stumble (Jude 24) or cause others to stumble (1 Cor. 8:13; Rom. 14:13). The singing saint is a stable saint, walking on a level path even when the enemy digs pits and sets up obstacles.

Finally in verses 166-168, we find the psalmist “hoping” or literally waiting on the LORD for His salvation and deliverance. But while he was “waiting” he continued to be obedient! Like the psalmist, we are waiting for "the salvation of the Lord," when the Lord shall come and set His creation and His people free (Rom. 8:18-25; 13:11; Heb. 9:28; 1 Peter 1:9). This is the "blessed hope" that every believer anticipates and longs for (Titus 2:13). But as we wait and hope, we must walk and work, for we want to be found faithful when Jesus comes (Matt. 24:45-51).

Yes, when we love His Word, we will also love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:6-8) and live like those who are ready to meet their Lord (1 John 2:28). We will keep focused on the truth of God’s Word and not be overwhelmed by the deceitfulness of the wicked all around us.

God bless!

Jan 26, 202405:02
Psalm 119:153-160 - Strength for the Journey

Psalm 119:153-160 - Strength for the Journey

Psalm 119:153-160 is the twentieth stanza of this psalm, and every line or verse begins with the twentieth letter of the Hebrew alphabet “RESH”, in the Hebrew Bible. Have you noticed that the writer became more urgent as he drew near the end of the psalm? The Hebrew alphabet was about to end, but his trials would continue, and he needed the help of the Lord. The last three stanzas all speak of persecution and trials, yet the writer still trusted the Lord. The higher we climb on the mountain of life the tougher the journey becomes. The older we get both physically and spiritually, we notice that we need the LORD more than ever before to help us and give us strength for the journey of life.

The key phrase in this stanza is "revive me" (vv. 154, 156, 159), which means "give me life, lift me up and keep me going." The psalmist had prayed this prayer before (vv. 25, 37, 40, 88, 107, and 149), and the Lord had answered. Here, he not only prayed but also gave reasons why the Lord should answer.

First, we can pray “revive me”, for He is our Redeemer (vv. 153-155). "Consider my affliction" is a request for the Lord to "see to" his needs. Abraham used this word when he answered his son's question in Genesis 22:8, "The Lord will see to it," in other words, He will provide the sacrifice. Our wonderful Lord not only "sees" the need but can "see to" providing what is needed. He is our Jehovah Jireh! "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry" (Psalm 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12).

The word "redeem" speaks of the kinsman redeemer who could rescue a family member in need, as Boaz rescued Ruth. (See Lev. 25:23-34.) In His incarnation, Jesus entered the human family and became our kinsman, and in the crucifixion, He paid the price to redeem us from sin, death, and hell. "Plead my cause" ties in with Jesus as our Kinsman Redeemer and also as our Surety (v. 122), Mediator, and Advocate, who represents us before the throne of God (1 John 2:1-2). In our affliction, it is comforting to know that the Son of God intercedes for us, hears our prayers, and meets our needs.

Next, we ask the LORD to “revive me”, because He is Merciful (vv. 156-158). If we prayed on the basis of our own merit, God could never answer, but we come to the Father in the name of the Son (John 14:14; 15:16) and with the help of the Spirit (Eph. 2:18; Rom. 8:26-27). God in His grace gives us what we do not deserve, and in His mercy He does not give us what we do deserve. His throne is a throne of grace where grace and mercy are abundantly available to us (Heb. 4:16). The psalmist was still disgusted with the way the unbelievers lived (v. 158; see vv. 53, 136), but their bad example did not change his own convictions.

Finally, we pray “revive me”, because His Word can be trusted (vv. 159-160). "The entirety of your word is truth" (v. 160) and this means all of it can be trusted. The totality of God's written revelation is not just true, it is truth. To love the Word is to obey it, and to obey it is to receive life from it. The Bible is not a magic book that conveys divine life to anyone who picks it up and reads it. God's living Word communicates His life and power to those who read it, meditate on it, and obey it because they love God and His Word. When Jesus raised the dead, it was through speaking the Word (Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; John 11:38-44; see John 5:24), and His Word gives us life today when we find ourselves in the dust (v. 25).

Today, do you need strength for the journey? I assure you that you will find it as you spend time in communion with the LORD and His Word.

God bless!

Jan 25, 202405:04
Psalm 119:145-152 - The Word and Prayer

Psalm 119:145-152 - The Word and Prayer

Psalm 119:145-152 is the nineteenth stanza of this psalm, and every line or verse begins with the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet “QOPH”, in the Hebrew Bible. The writer prayed throughout this entire psalm, but in these verses, he concentrated on prayer and cried out to God day and night. From his experience, we can learn several basic instructions about successful Biblical prayer that will “prime” our hearts to prayerfully seek the LORD! I also suggest that you read good books on prayer by authors such as Elmer Towns, Andrew Murray, E.M. Bounds, and Evelyn Christianson.

In verses 145-146, we are reminded that we must pray wholeheartedly. Throughout the Scriptures we are taught that we must seek and obey God with our whole heart. John Bunyan said, "In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart". (141:1-2; Rev. 8:3-4). The devotion of the heart is what "ignites" our prayers and enables us to present our requests to the Lord. The phrase "and I will keep" may be translated "that I may keep." The psalmist was not bargaining with God, "Answer my prayers and I will obey you", but dedicating himself to God to obey Him no matter how He answers his prayers. Before we can pray as we ought, we must pray for ourselves that God will give us a heart ignited by the fire of the Spirit.

We should also pray without ceasing according to the Word (vv. 147-148). Two important elements of successful prayer are involved here. The first is that we constantly cultivate an attitude of prayer and remain in communion with the Lord. At morning and during the watches of the night (sunset to 10 p. m., 10-2, 2 until dawn), the psalmist prayed to the Lord. Jesus called this "abiding" (John 15:1-11). To "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17) does not mean to walk around muttering prayers. It means to "keep the receiver off the hook" so that nothing comes between the Father and us. The second element in successful prayer is the Word of God, for apart from God's Word, we cannot know God's will. Each verse in this section mentions the Scriptures and the writer's devotion to God's Word. We must balance the Word and prayer in our devotional life and ministry, for all Bible and no prayer means light without heat, but all prayer and no Bible could result in zeal without knowledge. The spiritual leaders in the early church gave themselves to prayer and the Word (Acts 6:4). When we meditate on the Word, the Father speaks to us, and when we pray, we speak to the Father. We need both instruction and intercession if we are to be balanced children of God.

Our Prayers should be an act of our love for the LORD (v. 149). This verse combines both love and law, for if we love the Lord, we will keep His commandments. Too often we think of prayer as an emergency measure, rushing into God's presence and crying for help. Prayer is more than asking; prayer is loving. If we love the Word of God, we must also love the God of the Word and express that love to Him. To tell Him we love Him only because we want to receive something is to practice prayer on a juvenile level. When we share our love with the Lord, we receive new life from Him.

Lastly, we should pray with our eyes open (vv. 150-152). As he prayed, the psalmist saw his enemies drawing near, so he asked for God to draw near to help him. Jesus (Matt. 26:41; Mark 13:33), Paul (Col. 4:2), and Peter (1 Peter 4:7) commanded God's people to "watch and pray," to be on guard and pray with intelligence and alertness. We are soldiers in a battle and we dare not go to sleep while on duty.

If we are not in the Word like we should be, it won’t be long before we will not be praying like we should be. The Word of God and prayer go hand in hand! You really can’t enjoy one without the other.

God bless!

Jan 24, 202405:14
Psalm 119:137-144 - "According to Your Faith"

Psalm 119:137-144 - "According to Your Faith"

Psalm 119:137-144 is the eighteenth stanza of this psalm, and every line or verse begins with the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet “TSADHE”, in the Hebrew Bible. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to implant faith in our hearts (Rom. 10:17), and the more we live in God's Word, the stronger our faith will become. Some people have no faith (Mark 4:40), others have little faith (Matt. 8:26; 14:31), and a few have great faith (Matt. 8:10; 15:28). Like a mustard seed, faith has life in it, and if the seed is planted and cultivated, it will grow and bear fruit (Matt. 17:20). Jesus told the two blind men in Matthew 9:29, “…According to your faith let it be to you." The message in this section of the psalm is that you can depend on the Word of God, so that you can have faith in God no matter who or what might be discouraging you.

We can place our faith in God’s Word no matter what people do (vv. 137-139). The psalmist had worn himself out trying to convince people to trust God's Word, but they ignored both him and the Scriptures. He must have felt that his ministry had failed, but he had been faithful even as the Word is faithful. God and His Word are righteous and what He says is right. His Word is fully trustworthy. Though intellectual giants may attack it and even ridicule it, the Word stands and will be here long after they are dead, and their books have been forgotten. People may sin and die, but God's righteousness and righteous Word remains (vv. 137, 138, 142, 144).

We can place our faith in God’s Word and trust Him no matter what people say (vv. 140-141). Over many centuries, the Scriptures have been thoroughly tested in the fires of persecution and criticism, the way a goldsmith tests precious metals (Psalms 12:6-7; 18:30), and the Word has been found pure. One of the joys of the Christian life is to find new promises in the Word, test them in daily life, and find them trustworthy. The enemy wants us to forget the Word (v. 139), but we remember the Word and depend on it. The world may look upon God's people as "small and despised," but when you stand on God's promises, you are a giant.

We can express our faith and trust and delight in God’s Word regardless of how we feel (vv. 142-143). We may experience anguish, trouble and distress, as did the psalmist, but we can still find delight in God's truth. Our feelings change but God's Word never changes. God's Word is not only true, it is truth (John 17:17). The Word of God is truth, the Son of God is truth (John 14:6), and the Spirit of God is truth (1 John 5:6). The Spirit of truth wrote the Word of truth, and that Word reveals the Son of God. When your feelings deceive you into concluding that it is not worth it to serve the Lord, immediately turn to the Scriptures and delight in your Lord.

We can trust in God’s Word and live a full life no matter how long we live (v. 144). Many people exist and are simply surviving but they really aren’t living. Jesus said that He came to give life and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Jesus is the eternal living Word of God. To build your life on God's Word means to participate in eternity (Matt. 7:24-29; 1 John 2:17). It is not the length of life but the depth of life that counts, and depth comes from laying hold of God's Word and obeying it. Jesus spent only thirty-three years on this earth, and His public ministry lasted only three years, yet He accomplished a work that is eternal.

What matters is not how long we live but how we live! We don’t have to just exist and survive; we can live a life of significance every day if we determine by God’s grace to live a life of faith built on the Truth of God’s Word! “…According to your faith let it be to you."

God bless!

Jan 23, 202404:60