The Shepherds

Luke 2:8-9a: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel appeared to them."

Recently, I was reading through the Nativity story and I came upon the shepherds. I decided to read through several commentaries and books just to learn more about these pasture "roamers" who accompanied their flocks both day and night.

One commentary mentioned that the job of a shepherd was not esteemed at all. It cited the Midrash, a collection of Jewish opinions concerning the Law, as saying that there is "no more disreputable an occupation than that of a shepherd." The commentary further commented that shepherds were considered lower class by the Jewish people, and they were as despised as gamblers and tax collectors.

Isn't it just like God to herald His Advent first not to the wealthy nobility or the arrogant religious leaders, but to those who were most despised within their society. Though the shepherds were despised by their fellowmen, they loved the Lord and were faithful to their much-needed responsibility for the Jewish people. I say "much-needed" because these particular shepherds were raising the very lambs that would be offered as atonement sacrifices in Jerusalem. Bethlehem was only 5 miles southwest from Jerusalem, and it was the place that the lambs would be raised and eventually herded to the temple as burnt offerings. Thus, it is a noticeable act of irony that God, the Paschal Lamb, would communicate His coming to those who faithfully prepared the lambs that were to be sacrificed as a foreshadowing of the One True Lamb to come, Jesus Christ!

After the quite fearful encounter with the Heavenly hosts praising God, the shepherds made haste to follow obediently the charge to go to Bethlehem and see the Christ Child. There was no hesitation on their part, for they knew that it was the LORD who had spoken to them (see Luke 2:15).

After they had seen the Messiah, the shepherds hurried off to share all that they had seen, resulting in much amazement from those who heard their powerful message. Then the shepherds returned to their fields in a spirit of celebration, glorifying and praising God.

This Christmas story is a wonderful reminder of our Ultimate Good Shepherd who entered into the world to lay down His very life for His sheep (see John 10:11). It also reminds us that God is not interested in one's social status or temporal affluence; rather, He is looking for those who would glorify Him through their faithful obedience and reverential awe. God Himself has told us that He esteems the one who is "humble and contrite in Spirit, and trembles at His Word" (Isaiah 66:2). God also chooses those who are weak and despised to accomplish His purposes, for He knows that these "despised ones" are more apt to boast in the Lord rather than in their own, vain accomplishments (I Corinthians 1:20-31).

Let us remember that the shepherds who prepared the lambs for sacrifice were the ones to whom God approached to be the first evangelists of the arrival of the Messiah. Though these shepherds were despised by their peers, may we today strive to have a heart similar to these shepherds . . . ones who were ready for the message of God, ones who followed faithfully the dictates of the angels, ones who worshipped Christ directly, ones who shared the good news of Christ's arrival, and ones who celebrated the redemptive work of God in the world.

Oh, to be a modern-day shepherd!

Evidence of Immaturity

I Corinthians 2:6-8: "We did, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."


One of the evidences of spiritual maturity is one's hearing and obeying the wisdom of God, as communicated through His Holy Scriptures. This wisdom of God concentrates upon the message of the cross . . . that God has offered Himself as the only perfect atoning sacrifice for all of humanity . . . the rebellious ones who all have at one time or another attempted to assert their desire for lordship over the One True Lord of Hosts. This level of rebellion deserves the most hostile reprisals from God; we are due the fullest measure of His wrath for our recalcitrance. This is why God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ is so sweet! It cost the One of whom no cost was due to provide eternal benefits and privileges to those who had no right nor ability to pay.

This wisdom of God also calls people to respond with surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It necessitates that the person relinquish his life to the Lord and serve Him as Master and Savior. It is understood that this follower of Christ is passionate in following His Lord faithfully; he is enthralled in who God is and His love that has been lavished upon the sinner . . . so undeserving of such blessings. This person too knows that when he begins to deviate from the line of obedience, he will return to the Lord in a spirit of remorse and repentance. He knows the voice of the Holy Spirit bringing conviction into his heart; and this man is not too vain, selfish, or proud to relinquish such acts of disobedience against the Lord. Rather, that man quickly casts off such thoughts and/or behaviors that displease his Master and Savior.

This wisdom of redemption has been destined for the redeemed even before time began. God would determine it best that make us, fully knowing that He must later sacrifice Himself so that we might be rescued from the punitive curse of our rebellion. This is love at its finest. His love and greatness deserve our faithful obedience.

The tragedy throughout the history of the earth is that mankind has continued to defy the Sovereign Lord through its determination to assert itself as supreme over all things (even God Himself). Man has determined that he wants to be number one; he is interested in his wanton desires above everyone and everything. Of course, the Scriptures tell us that God will not be mocked by such rebellion. He will call all men to account for their allegiances in this life. Only through submission to His Lordship may a person receive the Divine pardon leading to eternal life.

May we ever remember God's rightful reign over us and His magnificent demonstration of love through His death and resurrection. Let us press on in a spirit of humility, thankfulness, and obedience, looking forward to the day of our joyous reunion with our Lord!

The Pleasure of God

I Corinthians 1:18-19,21: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.' . . . . For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."


It is amazing to see how people respond to the "message" of grace offered by Jesus Christ. For those who would attempt to figure God out by using their "wisdom," they are apt to conclude that such notions of a God offering Himself for our salvation to be an absurdity. These people either believe that God does not exist at all or that He exists but is so ethereal that we cannot know much about spiritual matters.

A majority of people today if asked about their eternal condition would argue that there is a Creator and that the standard for eternal blessedness is contingent upon "good living." That is, if a person simply does enough good things as compared to bad things (i.e. their karma), then this mercurial cosmic essence or deity will grant that person entrance into Heaven, or Nirvana, or Paradise, or whatever they want to call it.


In response, the One True God communicates in His Holy Word that only through Christ's physical death and resurrection might a person have hope of Divine forgiveness. This is because all of us have sinned and therefore are unable to provide satisfaction for our sins against the Lord. Only a perfect sacrifice would suffice; hence this was why God had to come to this Earth as Jesus Christ to offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.


Of course, this fact of our inability to gain for ourselves our redemption runs counter to any notion of inherent goodness or worthiness within a person. There is a sobering reality that each person must plead for the mercy of God, which necessitates that he relinquish any false notion of ability. He must fall at the throne of God and beg for forgiveness, surrendering himself to Christ as his Lord and Savior. No longer can he believe the falsity that he is inherently good and worthy of God. This person must kick himself off the throne of his life and put Christ where he rightfully deserves to be . . . on that throne!


This need for Jesus Christ as Savior and the resultant capitulation of the one's "self" to Christ is an absurdity to those who are perishing spiritually. It is not so much because the precepts are too difficult to understand; rather, there is a hostility of "self" in submitting to God. Pagans will attempt to reason away any notions in order that they might feel absolved of any responsibility. They formulate contrary opinions of their reality, and are apt to mock those who would follow Christ as Lord. These people are blinded by the Evil One, who uses their resistance to the gospel to ensnare them for all eternity (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is the grandest loss that ever will be recognized in eternity . . . that God would suffer a heinous death out of His amazing love for humanity, only to have certain ones deride such an offering of grace. Tragically, God will pour out the full measure of His wrath against these traitors to His Sovereign Lordship. When Jesus returns to enact His righteous judgment, these rebellious ones will experience such judgment that they will desire their own annihilation (Revelation 6:16). Sadly, they will be cast into the black darkness of torment where there will be eternal pain and agony (Jude 14-16; Matthew 13:42).


Still, for those who have yet to draw their last breath in this life, God's offering of grace is still available; in fact, He takes pleasure in presenting such an offering to those who would receive it. God is looking for those who are humble and contrite in spirit and tremble at His Truth (Isaiah 66:2). God knows that only a person who understands his utter unworthiness will find a need for Him . . . otherwise that person will perpetuate his own quest for divinity. For this person, no hope remains . . . only a sobering judgment from the Almighty King! (see John 3:36; Hebrews 10:26-7).


For those of us who have responded to Christ's offering of salvation through contrition and surrender, let us celebrate that the power of God has been made manifest to us. Let us reflect often upon this ultimate sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross for our sins. Let us sing praises for His resurrection, whereby He demonstrated His power over sin and death. Let us appreciate that God's wrath has been averted. Let us take joy forever in the privileges that God has afforded to us . . . solely through His amazing grace.

It truly is a wonderful blessing to find the pleasure of God through His salvation in Christ Jesus.

How Can We Really Know We Have Received the Grace of God?

I John 3:24: "Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

One of the things we will find as we study through the book of I John is the distinction between mere professors of Christ (who in fact are no real followers of Christ) and those who have yielded to Christ's Lordship and follow Him in faithful obedience. John tells us in I John 1:5-6 that if we claim to have fellowship with Christ and yet walk in darkness, we are liars. He again tells us in I John 5:18 that the one born of God will not continue to sin (i.e. the continual, willful defiance to the will of God through selfish, sinful thought and action). We know that we love God if we obey His commands . . . which are not burdensome (I John 5:3). The true believer through the power of the Holy Spirit and this man's responsive faith to the Spirit's leading is able to overcome the enticements of the world, which is victory in its truest sense (I John 5:4).

The question that some will present is whether we really can know that we truly have received God's grace. Some will question their salvation, not being sure that they are under the blessing of Divine favor afforded exclusively through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. John replies by saying that we are able to "have confidence on the day of judgment" (I John 4:17). We find this confidence from the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are His children, redeemed through the precious blood of Christ (I John 3:24; Romans 8:16).

John also shares with us the further evidence that assures us of the genuineness of our faith, namely that we live like Christ in this world and we are perfected through His love. As we experience the unfathomable love of Christ and are freed from debilitating fear, we then love Him and others with the true love that lacks selfish ambition and adulation. We give to Christ the entirety of ourselves (heart, soul, mind [Matthew 22:37]) as we love Him above everything else, and we cannot wait to shower love to others in a way that would bless and benefit them above ourselves. So too, when we fall prey to sin in our lives, we come under immediate conviction from the Word of Truth shared by the Holy Spirit; and because we have this hope and appreciation in the glorious Savior, we "purify ourselves" by turning from our sin back to the path of obedience (I John 3:3).

What is rather beautiful about this condition of assurance, is that we are in such a love relationship with Christ and are so attune to obeying Him in all things, that we have "confidence in approaching God." We can ask anything in accordance to God's will (in fact, we want nothing else but God's will), and we know most assuredly that God hears us (I John 5:14-15).

Conversely, the man who by word or deed denies Jesus Christ as the Anointed One (worthy of his fullest surrender, allegiance and love) is an antichrist. This man who is consumed with himself and seeks to satisfy his selfish desires above all others is not a true follower of Christ Jesus; rather, he is against Christ and His glorious kingdom!

These are such good words for us, for so many who believe that their religious denominational affiliation somehow grants them the privilege of Divine grace are sadly mistaken. There is no atoning sacrifice for their sins because they have not yielded themselves to Jesus Christ as their LORD. They are not following Him faithfully and obediently. They are not apt to turn from sin in their lives when they are prompted by conviction. They have no love for God and others, because they are consumed with themselves.

Still, for the one who truly has surrendered himself to the Lordship of Christ, is following Him in faithful obedience, turns from sin quickly so that it does not have lingering influence, and reflects the love of God to others is assured of the genuineness of His faith through the communion of the Holy Spirit with His spirit. If we are truly yielded to Christ, let us not fall into the insecurity of uncertainty; rather, let us know the confidence of knowing that God's Spirit resides within. Let us bask in the love of God and live our lives as an extension of that love to others. And let us await that glorious day when "He appears (and) we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).

Striving Forward In the Midst of Difficulty

I Peter 4:19: "So, then, those who suffer according to God's Will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

No one desires suffering. In fact, painful trials are the very things from which we attempt to run as far away as possible. Sometimes our trials are self-inflicted through our sinful decisions (see I Peter 4:15); yet there are times when our difficulties are not the direct result of our actions, but are situations thrust upon us (usually when we least expect it).

God's Word gives us our response to those unexpected events that are apt to shatter our spirits leading us into the depressing state of despondency. First, the Scriptures tell us that these episodes are introduced in our lives according to the will of God. For many of you, that very statement may be so unsettling that you are apt to close out this link never to return again. If you are still reading, that means that you at least are willing to hear out the reasoning why God would do such a thing.

Whereas God is not the author of sin, He is Sovereign over all things. If He desired for you to not experience a certain tragedy, then He most assuredly would intervene in the circumstance to bring deliverance. In fact, we may find in eternity a fuller awareness of just how much God DID Do to rescue us from perilous situations that could have brought our demise.

Still, God permits other painful encounters to come our way, and He does so in order that we might through the ordeal grow closer in our dependence on Him and readjust our priorities toward His offering of eternal life, where pain and difficulty are wonderfully absent. When trials come our way and are introduced by the will of God, they are designed to grow us in our awareness of Him, mature us in our faith in Him, and draw us into a fuller understanding of peace and contentment in Him, no matter the circumstance.

The above Scripture compels believers in Christ to "commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." In other passages of Scripture, the word for "commit" means to "roll to." One can see the imagery of a ball starting at the top of a hill being pushed down; and as it continues down the slope, it rolls faster and faster towards its destination. When we find ourselves being pushed off of our mountaintop "highs" we simply need to start rolling toward the Savior, moving faster and faster as we continue down the hill of disappointment. We need to put all of our trust in our glorious Lord, knowing that He is Sovereign and He is Good and Faithful. He will be with us, helping us bear up under the weight of the ordeal that we are facing. Though we might not like the painful experience, we must recognize that God has willed this for us and He has done so for a purpose. And according to the passage cited above, the purpose is for us to continue to do good, thereby bringing glory to God . . . our ultimate purpose in life.

One of the worst things we can do is take our eyes off the Savior and His purpose for our lives, looking instead toward our circumstances with fear, resignation, and hopelessness. As we begin to fixate our minds on the abysmal situations that we are facing, we are apt to lose sight of God in the midst of the trial; and our faith is shattered as we start to believe things will never get better. We might even begin to talk with others about our anger toward God for permitting such a trial to befall us; or we might verbalize that we don't believe we can press on, given the pain of the experience. The Word of God tells us to "avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly" (2 Timothy 2:16). Whereas the Timothy passage might address gossip or other inappropriate language, one also might add despondent words of futile thinking. When one throws in the towel and acknowledges that life is not worth living due to the trial, one is saying in effect that God has made a big blunder in permitting this event in our lives. We are professing that the Lord does not know what is best, and that He is not good and faithful. We might even suggest that He is not really in control, or that He is a despicable tyrant, not worthy of our allegiance. These are the thoughts and words that will lead us further and further toward ungodliness. Bitterness lies at the end of such a path, and no good thing comes from its presence in our lives.

Therefore, we must take these thoughts captive and surrender them to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must see that there is a plan and purpose for those painful experiences that we encounter. We must roll toward the LORD seeking His wisdom and comfort. We must trust that He is good and is working out His purposes through us as we struggle down the arduous path of difficulty. We must, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, determine that we have a calling to continue to do good in the midst of the trial. Our good includes continuing to praise the LORD, demonstrating faith in Him, and inspiring others who might traverse similar paths in the future.

There is much to do. Let us not permit our trials to gain victory over us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, let us rise above our difficulties, in order that we might be all that God desires for us to be . . . for His glory and the furtherance of His glorious kingdom!

The Ultimate Abuse

Matthew 27:30: "They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again."

Many of us have reflected upon the crucifixion of Jesus Christ . . . the incredible display of agony, torture, and brutal betrayal against the Sovereign King of Kings. It is the most heinous act of evil ever committed! That God's own creation would rebel against His rightful Lordship and desire His execution is the epitome of debasement. We are so unworthy of God's favor and mercy; still, God willingly chose to offer Himself as the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is AMAZING GRACE at its finest!

One facet that I had not previously noticed is the above mentioned verse. I was aware of Jesus' abhorrent flogging, but I had not noticed that the soldiers beat Jesus in the head repeatedly with sticks. I cannot imaging the continual strikes across the skull of the Master. Again and again, they hit Him. And given their previous placement of a crown of thorns on His head, one can picture the thorns being driven into his skull. What tragedy! What restraint by the Sovereign Lord! What wonderful love demonstrated in order that we might hope of reclamation into eternal blessedness.

Never forget the sacrifice of the Savior for our sins. Never forget Jesus' painful death that has given us opportunity to be adopted into God's eternal family. Never forget what we truly deserve and what we in actuality have been given. If you really think about these things, you will become overwhelmed with God. This is where God wants you to be.

Pressing On

Joshua 1:2: "(The Lord said to Joshua) 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.'"

After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness for their rebellion against the Lord's command to enter the Promised Land, the Israelites again were summoned to move into this choice land, promised since the days of Abraham (see Genesis 12:17).

It would have been easy for Joshua to have examined his situation and questioned this dictate from the Lord. After all, why did God not take His people in under the mighty leadership of Moses, Joshua's predecessor? I'm certain that Joshua knew that he simply could not cross the Jordan River and take the land without some resistance from the Canaanite dwellers already there. Land was the most important asset to a people during that day, and the Canaanites would staunchly defend their territory.

This likely is why God repeatedly commanded His new leader to be "strong and courageous" (see 1:6, 1:7, 1:9). It would require faith on the part of Joshua to trust that the Lord would provide protection and victory, even though the circumstances did not look promising.

God knew that Joshua's faith would be kindled by the meditation upon the Word; this is why the Lord commanded Joshua to meditate upon the Book of the Law and obey it fully. The Lord knew that the strength to avoid the pitfalls of discouragement and fear would be found in Joshua's regular feasting upon His Word. God then reinforced the reward for Joshua's faithfulness by proclaiming that success would come to the Israelites if they would follow His commands.

Joshua did not waver a bit. In the following verses, the leader told his people to get ready for in three days they would move across the Jordan into their land. Of course the reason for the three-day delay likely was the need for preparation for mobilization and war. Unlike the days of Moses when the Israelites refused to take the step of faith into the land, they now were ready. As the Israelites encouraged their leader to be strong, they reinforced their support by proclaiming that they would execute anyone who would defy Joshua's commands. It was time to move and receive the blessing of the Lord.

This story is such a good word for us, for we need to contemplate Joshua's response of faith and obedience toward the Lord, even though the future would involve conflict with the pagan Canaanites. How often do we face our own enemies with unwavering trust in the Lord? How much to we feast upon His Scriptures for support as we prepare to face the burdens before us? How diligent are we at obeying fully the dictates that the Lord has given to us? As the Lord promised success for Joshua, so too we can find success in our experiences if we will follow a similar course of faithfulness and obedience.

When we stand on the banks of our proverbial "river" and look to the other side. Let us not permit the impressiveness of our foe to cause us to cower in retreat; rather, let us look beyond the obstacles at the blessings that the Lord has promised to us, if only we would move forward in faith. Let's press on, and expect that the Lord will be with us, will protect us, and will bring us victory!

Praising the LORD At All Times

Psalm 149:4-9: "For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD."

The final three Psalms recorded in Scripture are praise Psalms to the Lord Almighty. Here the Psalmist calls all of creation to engage in a demonstration of corporate praise to God for His Sovereign Power and surpassing greatness. He is the One True Lord of Hosts who has created all things and has taken delight in those who have taken his horn of salvation (148:5,8, 14; 150:2). And of course this demonstration of praise by the Lord's creation is not relegated to somber expressions of contemplation, but ecstatic celebrations of praise through dancing, instruments, and singing.

Then we find an interesting collection of Scriptures in chapter 149 . . . that we are called to "sing for joy on (our) beds." Whereas a bed could symbolize a place of peace, intimacy, and rest (i.e. blessing), one might also note that a bed is a place of confinement for those who are struggling physically and emotionally with maladies that have relegated them to that place. How often have we visited those who were so debilitated that they were not able to get out of their beds? How many of us have experienced such limitation ourselves and been overwhelmed by the challenges that come with such conditions?

If we were to see the interpretation of this passage in view of the latter example above, we can see that the saints of the Lord can sing for joy in the midst of their debilitating trials, knowing that the LORD "takes delight in his people (and) crowns the humble with salvation" (149:4). As these infirmed people struggle with their difficulties, they are able to "praise the Lord (with) their mouths." Their faith and hope are strengthened by the assurances found in God's Holy Scriptures (i.e. the 'double-edged sword [see Hebrews 4:12]). And with this power and peace from on high, these saints are able to inflict vengeance upon their enemies . . . which may be depression, chronic pain, feelings of hopelessness, lost opportunities, physical limitation, a lost sense of community, despondent thinking mired in the temporal affairs of this world, etc. Through the grace and provision of the LORD who "takes great delight in his people" (149:4), these people are able to offer a spiritual dance of praise to their Redeemer . . . the Lover of their souls (150:4). Nothing is able to bring defeat in their lives as they rise above their debilitation to "soar on wings like eagles . . . running without becoming weary" (Isaiah 40:31).

May we ever know that the Lord is due praise no matter our circumstance. He loves us, has redeemed us, and offers to us the power of deliverance from the emotional strains and physical challenges that we may face. If we find ourselves in the depths of despair, let us reorient our minds to the LORD who takes delight in us. Let us sing for joy from our beds and hold onto the promises of His Word, for then we will find His blessing of contentment as we await the day of our reclamation into His perfect, eternal Kingdom! This is the "glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD!" (149:9).

In What Does the Lord Delight?

Psalm 147:10-11: "His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

Psalm 147 truly is a word of praise to the LORD for His awesome power and His unfailing love for those who are surrendered to Him. In verse 2, we find that the LORD is building up Jerusalem as He gathers the exiles from far away places. Whereas the context of this passage can include the gathering the Jewish people from their dispersion back to Jerusalem, one can see an eschatalogical significance in the LORD gathering the redeemed to the New Jerusalem, which will descend upon the new earth in eternity. It is then that the LORD will actually dwell with His people. How incredible is that? Our LORD will heal the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. He will wipe away every tear, as there will no longer be any death, mourning, crying, or pain (Psalm 147:2-3, Revelation 21:1-4).

The Psalmist also notes the personal nature of our LORD. Even as the number of stars is so vast that we in our finite minds could never count them, the LORD knows each by name. He is Great. He is mighty in power. His understanding knows no limit! (147:5).

We then find that the LORD is not impressed with the abilities of man. Although we find in our fallen world a proclivity for man to attempt to impress his neighbor with his accomplishments, God knows the intent of the heart of man, and is not so swayed. God alone is so beyond our fallible abilities that He is not "wowed" by what we do or what we attain. Rather, our LORD delights in those who put their HOPE in His unfailing love and fear Him with reverential fear.

Of course, hope is tested in times of tribulation and temptation. In whom do we put our trust when we are in the depths of difficulty and despair? In whom do we hope when the Evil One barrages us with suggestions to defy the One True LORD in favor of our own selfish appetites? In whom do we long, even knowing that our physical demise is forthcoming (for in fact this is the eventual fate of every human being [Hebrews 9:27])? For those who put their hope in the LORD through submission and obedience, the LORD finds delight. Our reflection on our true dependence upon the LORD for everything, draws us to thoughts and behaviors that reflect our allegiance to the Almighty. We also become overwhelmed with the Greatness of the LORD to accomplish such things and His amazing love lavished upon us, even though we have been rebellious against Him through our sin.

Let us never forget the blessedness that we have in the grace and mercy of the King of Kings. Let us savor the privilege of such Love from the Almighty and revere Him as the Sovereign Ruler over our lives. Let us put our ultimate hope in His greatness and His goodness to us, for in such responses does the LORD delight.

Dust In The Wind

Psalm 146:3-6: "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-the LORD, who remains faithful forever."


When I was reading these verses, I was reminded of the progressive rock band, Kansas, and their 1977 hit "Dust in the Wind." I also was reminded of the bad but humorous movie, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, when Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter share their presumed sagacity with the words, "All we are is dust in the wind . . . dudes."

The Bible tells us that we are not merely dust in the wind, for we have received the LORD's live-giving breath, making us a living being with an eternal soul (see Genesis 2:7).

Still, there is some truth to our being "spiritualized dirt." The Psalmist above reminds us that if we think too highly of ourselves or others, and determine to put our trust in man rather than in God, we're going to find ourselves in trouble. For we know that when the day of our death comes, all of us will return to the place from which we were made . . . the dirt. And when we return to the ground physically, our spirit will depart for the presence of the LORD to be judged by the One and Only Righteous King (see Ecclesiastes 12:7; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27).

We must never forget that man is mortal and has no power within himself to bring eternal life. Only the One True God can bring such privilege to us, if we would surrender to Him alone as our Lord and Savior. This is why the Psalmist in 146:5 tells us that the man who yields to God in hope and finds help in Him is blessed. This man's faith is anchored in the right object, namely the Sovereign, Supreme King of all things . . . who is Creator of all things . . . and who rules over all things in glorious power. And what is so encouraging for us is that the Creator "remains faithful forever." For those yielded to Christ, the LORD promises to be faithful to His covenant that He will redeem us, giving us eternal life; He also promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 9:28; 13:5).

If we find ourselves basking in our own pride or putting our ultimate hope and confidence in others, let us be reminded that we are mere dirt, that has been given life by God. Let us be reminded that with physical death, we will become dirt again physically, until the day of our physical resurrection. The only true source of life is found in God alone. Let us seek him with a spirit of humility and reverential fear, for we can know that God will be faithful to us and He will lift our "dirt-oriented" lives to life immortal.

Parents, Are You Listening?

Psalm 145:4-7: "One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty . . . . They will tell of the power of your works . . . . They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."


The chief cause of the societal degradation that we are seeing in our nation is the lack of Godly parental leadership in the home. Fathers are not rising to their Divinely-appointed responsibility to be men passionately committed to God, modeling through word and deed their surrender to Christ as Lord. Mothers are being pulled in so many different directions and are swayed by so many vain, worldly philosophies that they also do not model Godliness to their children.

Psalm 145 reveals to us what the parents in fact are to be doing. Parents are to tell their children of the mighty acts of God demonstrated through His awesome power (145:6). They are to speak of the majesty of God in His glorious splendor who is to be worshipped as the Supreme Sovereign over all things (145:1,5). They also are to proclaim to their children the goodness of the Lord, who is "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (145:8-9).

In the latter half of the chapter, there is an interchange of reflection upon the greatness (vs. 11, 13) and goodness (vs. 8-10, 14-16) of God Almighty. It's as if David, the writer of the Psalm cannot get enough of His Lord. He is enthralled with knowing His Lord, and he wants to share his experience with all who will listen.

In verse 17-20, we find that the LORD is near to all of those who call on Him in truth, and He watches over those who love Him. However, he destroys those who defy Him through their wicked rebellion against His Lordship.

If we ever are to see reformation in our communities, it will start with the parents. If parents are not surrendered to Christ as Lord . . . if they are unwilling to teach and model to their children the joy and blessedness that intimate fellowship with God Almighty brings, then there is little hope for our nation. God has given us the prescription. He has promised to us His blessings if we are faithful; however, He also has given to us the consequence for disobedience. Parents, let us repent of our sins, turn to God, and teach our children!

Thanksgiving Starts with Reflection

Psalm 144:3-4: " O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow."

As the Thanksgiving holiday is fast upon us, we would do well to reflect upon what a spirit of thanksgiving looks like. What is it that makes a follower of Jesus Christ thankful? Why do they live their lives in a perpetual attitude of gratefulness, no matter the circumstances that they face in life?

A key indicator for us is found in the above cited verse. As King David petitioned the LORD for deliverance from his enemies, he paused midstream and contemplated the amazing blessing of God's involvement in our lives. Certainly God is not in need of communion with us. He could have created us and left us to the consequence of our rebellion against Him as LORD . . . which is physical and spiritual death. He did not need to involve Himself in our lives at all, seeing our physical lives as short and utterly meaningless (read Ecclesiastes for the "vanity" of this life). He could have concluded that we were not worth His time, as again He is not in need of fellowship with us. In actuality, God did not even need to create us in the first place; God does not need us and our association to have a sense of completion. He is perfect and glorious within Himself. One cannot help but be amazed that God, knowing before creation that we would commit cosmic treason against His Lordship and that any hope of reconciliation would cost Him His very life, would choose to create us anyway. It seems that the more rational conclusion would have been for God not to have created us.

That the Sovereign Creator of the universe would condescend to us and love us by fostering an intimate fellowship with us by sacrificing Himself truly is amazing! This is why grace is amazing! This is why God is amazing!

Again, we are so unworthy of an intimate relationship with God. The Scriptures tell us that because of our sinful rebellion against the Lord, we were God's enemies; however when we were powerless to do anything about our sin, Christ died for us, reconciling us to Him and granting us life (Romans 5:6-10). Our response to this offering should be repentance and surrender to Him as LORD. Oh the foolishness of those who would not receive such an offering of grace due to their stubbornness to surrender to the King of Kings. This is the greatest absurdity ever!

As we enter this holiday season, let us stop as David did and reflect upon what our Lord has offered to us. Let us remember that it is virtually inconceivable to think that God would choose to interact with us. In comparison to God, we are absolutely nothing and so undeserving of His love and fellowship (both now and in eternity). Let us savor the blessedness of redemption that has been offered through Christ Jesus' brutal sacrifice on the cross. Let us celebrate God's power over sin and death through the resurrection, giving us the hope of our resurrection (Romans 8:11). Let us kneel in awe that God even would choose to adopt us as His sons and daughters for all eternity (Ephesians 1:5). What a privilege!

And as we find ourselves truly overwhelmed by such benefits, let us open the portals of thanksgiving to our God, who is our Sovereign King, our Loving Lord, and our Glorious Savior!

How To Gain the Strength of God in the Midst of Trials

Psalm 143: 11: "For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble."

David was rather keen at knowing that in the midst of tribulation, God was the One he needed to seek to gain deliverance from his difficulties. Psalm 143 in particular has a number of examples of ways we should process through the trials in our lives.

First, David sought the LORD in prayer and a desire for mercy (vs. 1-2). As David petitioned the LORD for deliverance, he recognized that God was faithful and righteous. David also confessed his sin, acknowledging that no one is righteous before a holy God.

Secondly, David assessed his deplorable situation and presented his case before the LORD (vs. 3). This necessitated not only contemplation but personal introspection on his part. One can conclude that if David found things in his life that he was doing to bring such consequences, he confessed them to the LORD and changed his ways.

Thirdly, David realized that he was not going to be able to get through his ordeal through his own strength (vs, 4). How often do we try to fix the burdens that we face rather than taking our situations to the LORD? We need to approach the throne of God in faith that He will intervene for us and work out His purposes for His glory (which ultimately is best).

Fourthly, David reflected upon God's faithfulness as he remembered what God had done in his life in days gone by. David found strength in the recollection of the past, and in the assurance that God was faithful and consistent. If God brought deliverance in the past, then surely He again would do so in David's present situation. We too can find that such reflections can spur on our faith in God in the midst of our trials. We can find such assurances by our reflection upon God's works as recorded in the Scriptures and in God's direct workings in our lives.

Fifthly, David had a teachable spirit that was open to being molded by God. He specifically shared with the Lord, "Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul . . . . Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground" (vs. 8, 10). How often do we approach the Lord in the midst of our trials with a closed spirit, unwilling to let God teach us and shape us through the experience? We must be pliable as we go through these difficulties, knowing that the LORD wants to mature us in our faith, bringing triumph in the midst of tragedy.

Lastly, David professed his allegiance to the LORD as His Master. David understood that his purpose for living was not for his own selfish desires, but to serve the LORD of hosts as a servant. Certainly for God to permit such difficulty in David's life, suggests that God was working out His Divine purposes in the midst of the ordeal. David knew that he needed to be attentive to his Master's will in the circumstance, knowing that glorifying the LORD was his foundational purpose in life.

God is always there with us as we traverse the burdensome paths in life. He works out His purposes in the midst of our difficulties to draw us closer to Him in a spirit of utter dependence. Sometimes He brings deliverance from our ordeals. In all situations, He wants to teach us and draw us into an ever closer intimacy with Him. We can see this happening with David in verse 6: "I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land."

May we never forget that when we seek God during our trials, God will impart peace and strength to us so that we can persevere and be further transformed by His glorious presence and work in our lives.

Feeling Isolated

Psalm 142:4: "Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life."

This Psalm from David was written during a time when he was hiding out in a cave, trying to avoid the pursuits of King Saul. Saul perceived David a threat to his reign, and he was relentless in his attempts to kill the young man of Bethlehem.

David had just about reached the end of his rope. His spirit was "faint" as men attempted to ensnare him (and ultimately execute him)! The one thing that David did know was the importance of making his fretful case known to the Lord. It was not as if God was oblivious to David's situation; yet David knew that God desired him to bring his burdens to the Lord, acknowledging that God alone would be the source of deliverance from the misery of the hopeless situation.

The other thing noticeable from this Psalm was David's lack of support from others. When the times were really tough, the people scattered. This was even more reason for David to seek the Lord, for he knew that only the Sovereign One would be his Refuge during his time of desperate need.

By faith, David called for deliverance, and looked forward to giving God praise and worship for His answering David's prayer. Then David made a very keen observation. He noted that righteous people would surround him as he testified about the goodness of the Lord.

There is a great word for us. Many times when we are traversing certain "valleys of despair," we may find that few people are there to support us and encourage us. This may very well be because man is selfish by nature and apt to surround himself with people that bring some semblance of personal benefit. Conversely, true love is available to minister to others in all times, especially during those most difficult times that aren't pretty and certainly not going to bring any benefit. David acknowledged that he would have no problem with people surrounding him when the times of blessing would befall him. Even the righteous would gather around him as He praise the Lord for His hand of favor.

The things from this passage that we would do well to learn are the following:

1. When the times are very painful and difficult, we need to seek the Lord. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), even though others might turn their backs on us in our time of despair. And the Lord is waiting for us to put our faith and trust in Him, knowing and believing that He can bring deliverance to us.

2. Our struggles might bring alienation from others, who don't want to have to deal with the challenges that we might be facing. Especially during these times, we again must realize that only God is our Refuge. And it is to Him that we must find fellowship and support.

This is not to suggest that we should become cynical and reclusive and withdraw from the world, believing it to be a collective of egocentrics who only want to associate with us for their personal benefit. To be sure, we ourselves might have brought our isolation through our abrasive personalities or chronic perpetuation of sin in our lives (despite the words of admonition from others who want to see us gain victory over sin).

The one thing that we should be more conscious of is the need to minister to others and be a blessing to others in their time of need. This is the way we can demonstrate true, God-like love to them and share their burdens, making their journey a little less troublesome.

What's a Good Indicator of Spiritual Maturity?

Psalm 141:5: "Let a righteous man strike me-it is a kindness; let him rebuke me-it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it."

One of the truest measures of a person's spiritual maturity is his ability to receive objective criticism from a fellow believer in Jesus Christ. We as a community of faith are called to "sharpen one another" (Proverbs 27:17), and we know that the sharpening of two objects involves the grinding of those items against each other . . . a process that is not always pleasant but always constructive, if done in a spirit of redemption. None of us are impervious of the need for constructive criticism, for we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

All too often, however, we can see "ruffled feathers" from one who is not open to hearing an expressed concern from a fellow believer who might see an issue that might be affecting one's spiritual journey of obedience and faithfulness. When one person shares a word designed to present an objective assessment of his brother's situation, how that brother receives the information is a good indicator of his spiritual maturity. If he becomes belligerent and "snaps back" at the constructive criticism or if he pulls a passive-aggressive move and purposefully avoids the "sharer" in the future, then one can conclude that the person is not very mature in the faith.

Even if the criticism from another is not an accurate assessment of the circumstances, the mature believer who is receiving such admonition should be willing to receive the expressed concern in a spirit of love, understanding that there always is opportunity to learn and grow. The mature follower of Christ will recognize that the perception of the other person is important and will introspectively evaluate the situation to see if there is opportunity for personal improvement.

This does not necessarily mean that one must adhere to every expressed critical evaluation of another; for in fact there will be times when others will assess situations in other people's lives through their own selfish, non-principled lenses. This is why the Scripture cited above suggests that it is the rebuke of a righteous man that is a "kindness." Still, no matter who presents his case to us, we must always receive it in a spirit of love. This is how all men will know that we are true followers of Jesus Christ (John 13:35).

When Justice Is Blind

Job 9:24: "When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges."

Job shared this reflection while he was writhing in pain; still, he in his conversation with his friends, Bildad, Zophar, and Eliphaz had a rather perceptive conclusion to reality. That is, when a people turn from the ways of the Lord to wickedness, then its judges tend to follow suit and make judgments inconsistent with the ways of righteousness.

This is such a good word for us today. Are we not as a nation falling into this very pattern of rebellion against the Lord and His commands? Do we not see that our judicial system is following suit in making judgments that clearly are against the precepts found in God's Word? Do we not also see that those within the political realm have an insatiable hunger to appoint justices to key positions in the courts, who have opportunity through their judgments to influence laws to fit certain ideological agendas, contrary to God's decrees?

Whereas we are called to respect those in authority over us (Romans 13:1), we as a nation must stand aghast at the degradation of our country against the expressed will of God as is communicated in His Holy Scriptures. We would do well to repent of our collective sins of rebellion against the Sovereign Lord and elect representatives who will follow the ways of righteousness, even appointing justices that will make honorable decisions in their cases. It is only then that the blessings of God will be showered upon us, helping us find relief from the many different manifestations of difficulty that we are experiencing. This is what the Scriptures tell us: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7-8).

The Church is Called to Unity

Psalm 133:1,3b: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! . . . . For there the LORD bestows his blessing even life forevermore."

If there is one evidence of the spiritual sterility of the Church, it is found in the constant feuding and bickering among the supposed saints behind the church doors. How many times have we heard about factions being formed within the church over trivial matters like the color of the carpet, or the style of worship, or the length of the services?

We must understand that if we have been redeemed by the Lord, we no longer are our own . . . but we have been "bought with a price" (I Corinthians 6:20). We have become "servants" of the LORD, ready to do His bidding rather than seeking our own selfish wills. We are called by the Almighty to "live a life worthy of the calling (we) have received . . . Being completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with one another in love . . . Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

Disunity certainly will not be blessed by the Lord; rather He will withhold His hand of blessing from those persons and churches that would seek their own selfish desires over the will of God. One must wonder just how many churches are dying (or have already closed their doors) because they have seen their "church" as a means to seek their personal agendas for control, power, recognition, etc.

This topic reminds me of a church in which I served as a college student many years ago. This particular church during the 1950s was one of the largest churches in the city. Their worship building could seat over 500 people; and during that era, it was filled to capacity. When I was called to serve there in the 1980s, the church had dwindled to about 30. Most of its attendees were older, and often they reflected on the "good ol' days." They also wondered why their church was not still the flourishing church of yesteryear.

Just before my arrival, the church had called a 40-year-old pastor, and he was rather passionate about witnessing to the community and inviting people to come worship at the church. Sadly, the members were philosophically against such notions, believing that those invited would upset the "system" that they had greatly influenced over the years and had come to enjoy for their own personal benefit. Since the community was seeing more ethnic diversity, some of these church members were concerned that the invitations by the pastor for these people to worship with them would present a level of racial diversity that was quite uncomfortable for them. They too were concerned at the loss of control of the church, since some of these people being invited to the church might join, thus being given opportunity to vote for change.

I still remember as the 21-year-old college intern being approached by one of the deacons, who told me, "I've paid my tithe for over 40 years to this church! This is my church, and I'm not going to let some young preacher change that!" The pastor had made great strides in connecting with the community; but the personal desires of the church's members brought that to an abrupt end. Certain types of people were welcome, provided that they understood that they must adhere to the routines long established by these founding members.

Shortly thereafter, the church asked the pastor to leave, and they replaced him with an older pastor. Sadly, the church never saw the blessing of lives being changed for Christ. I had heard that the church eventually sold their property and merged with another struggling church and built a building in the suburbs for worship.

This is a perfect example of selfish, egocentricity that breeds quarrels and divisions that are not unlike a cancer that eats away at the vibrancy of a church and its effectiveness for the kingdom of God. Paul in his letter to the Romans identifies these people rather well as people serving themselves over the One True Lord: "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned . . . . such people are not serving our Lord Christ but their own appetites" (Romans 16:17-18).

May we never be instruments used by the Evil One to cause divisions within the church. May we never let our personal agendas become so preeminent that we war against others in order to gain our way. Scripture calls us in view of God's grace lavished upon us, to be people of humility and graciousness. Whereas we may have differing opinions about various non-essential matters of the faith, we always are called to be people who are patient and loving. This is the way that the world will know that we are true followers of Jesus Christ (see John 13:35).

Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People?

Psalm 73:3-5, 16-17, 25: "For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man . . . . When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny . . . . Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you."

"Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People?" . . . . This timeless question continues to present itself to us as we live our lives. As we struggle with life's tragedies and tribulations, we often look at others who we believe not to be people of integrity, basking in their prosperity, and we ask the "question." And the more we continue to ponder this incongruity, we can find ourselves sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss of despondency. Some of us can even get to the point that the writer of Psalm 73, Asaph, found himself . . . ready to throw in the towel and simply give up.

Asaph was a key Levite during the reign of David, and he was called to lead Israel in worship (see I Chronicles 16:5). There was a point, however, when Asaph took his eyes off of the Lord and started looking at his circumstances. Asaph knew that the Lord was good (Psalm 73:1); but he began to envy the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:3). Even though Asaph knew that these people did not live lives of faithfulness to the Lord, they seemed to have the Midas touch. Everything that they put their hands to seemed to prosper. Asaph despaired so much that he started thinking that his faithfulness to the Lord was mere vanity (Psalm 73:13). As he tried to make sense of his circumstances, Asaph found himself at one of those pivotal points in life that could have spiraled him into bitterness and resentment toward the Lord for his circumstances.

Then the spiritual leader experienced a personal renaissance when he encountered the Lord again. God reminded Asaph that though He through His longsuffering was delaying the judgment against these wicked men, the day would come when their eternal destiny would be thrust upon them. Even now, as they were gorging themselves on their affluence, the Lord had placed them on a slippery slope that was leading them toward their destruction. Asaph then was able to regain a proper perspective that though this life is not free of disappointment for the righteous, God would restore the joy of blessedness for the righteous in eternity. Asaph also was reminded that the Lord was with him through life, and the Lord was willing to hold Asaph's hand through the journey, although the path seemed perilous, difficult, and unfair (Psalm 73:23).

Asaph then had some repenting to do. He understood that his thinking was "senseless" and "ignorant" (Psalm 73:22). The Levite longed for Heaven, and he recognized that this earth had nothing of desire other than the Lord Almighty (Psalm 73:25). In the end, Asaph knew that it was good simply to be near God. No longer was he frustrated with his circumstances or jealous that others seemed to have better "luck" than he had; rather, Asaph determined to make God his sole refuge and longed to share the goodness of the Lord with others.

This is such a good word for us. How often have we become discouraged because we've looked at our circumstances (and those of others around us) and started to complain that we don't get the "breaks" in life? Our problem is not the Lord; rather it is the fact that we have taken our eyes off the Lord and placed them upon our circumstances. The path of the righteous gets brighter and clearer each day, the more we look to the light source ahead (God) rather than our circumstances (Proverbs 4:18). If you're not seeing clearly, maybe you need to look back toward the Light!

What we need to do is be reminded that the "Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness" (Psalm 86:15). We need to celebrate the Lord, for "out of His great love and mercy He has saved us" (Ephesians 2:4-5). Rather than having a myopic view of our reality, we need to understand that God has eternity in mind when He will bless His redeemed beyond measure. When we by faith trust in Him, irrespective of the circumstances that we face, we will "not fear bad news (but be) steadfast, trusting in the LORD" (Psalm 112:7).

Notice that the words of encouragement to press on in this life come from the Scriptures. This is not mere happenstance; rather it is God's gift to us. The Bible is God's source of inspiration for us as we await our reclamation. It is the power source that fuels our faith and gives us truth to live lives of righteousness. If we are not in the Word, we lose several key elements of our spiritual armour that help us fight off the flaming arrows of the Evil One. Without a daily feasting upon the Word, we lose our first weapon of defense, the shield of faith, that comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 6:16). We also lose the belt of truth, and we will find ourselves caught with our spiritual pants down . . . which is not a pretty sight (Ephesians 6:14). And our breastplate of righteousness is so weakened that the darts of the Devil can pierce our hearts and bring utter discouragement (Ephesians 6:14). Therefore, we must delight ourselves in His Word, otherwise we will "perish in our affliction" (Psalm 119:92).

If you find yourself struggling in depression because of your disappointments in this life, then "set your heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4). Also celebrate the Lord who "daily bears our burdens" (Psalm 68:19). We don't have to traverse this life without the Sovereign One. He is with us every step of the way, and He will guide us until the day that He introduces us to "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for us . . . . (which is something we can) greatly rejoice, though now for a little while (we) have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials" (I Peter 1:4-6).

How Are We To Look to Heaven?

Psalm 123:1-2: "I lift my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy."

People demonstrate many different approaches in their pursuit of God. Many today see God as a "friend," who only wants to shower upon us His blessings, without having any expectations of us. Those who embrace such fallacious notions, see God as the proverbial grandfather figure that lets us do whatever we would desire, without consequence.

Conversely, we find in this passage that the psalmist sees his relation to the Lord as one of a slave toward his master. We know that a slave has no rights and is not consumed with his own desires; rather, he is focused on the will of his master and seeks to please him through obedience.

Verse 3 tells us that the psalmist seeks mercy from his Master . . . not self-seeking, self-fulfilling demands; this man wants to receive the blessing of the Master's favor. One can sense from the psalmist that he is consumed with pleasing his Master, rather than the selfish adulation that is so prevalent in our world (and sadly in many of our churches).

Let us never forget that God expects our surrender to Him as LORD. Let us learn from the psalmist's approach as He looks to His Master in Heaven, and may we embrace such an understanding of submission. Surrender is God's expectation of us, and it is only through our capitulation to Him that we will find His mercy, His favor, and His blessing.

Where Do Prayers Go After Offered?

Revelation 8:2-4: "And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand."

In this interesting account of the activity recorded in Heaven, we notice that the prayers of the saints are offered on a golden altar before God by an angel, whose charge it is to offer incense to the Almighty.

We know from Hebrews 8:2,5 that the Heavenly tabernacle is similar to the one constructed by Moses in the Old Testament; and we know that the Heavenly tabernacle was constructed by the LORD, where Jesus our High Priest serves in the sanctuary, ever making intercession for us (see Hebrews 7:25; 8:2). What is quite fascinating from the Revelation 8 passage above is the presence of a golden altar before the throne of the Almighty upon which the prayers of the saints are offered along with "much incense." We know from antiquity that incense was offered by a priest or other religious intermediary as a recognition of and surrendering to a deity. In the case of the Israelites, this was performed as an expression of worship to the One True Lord of Hosts. That "much incense" would be offered by this angel suggests that God truly is worthy of great honor and praise. He is the Sovereign Lord above all others, and exclusively deserving of our exclusive allegiance.

As I ponder this formal episode, with prayers being offered from this "golden censer" upon the golden altar, I wonder to myself, "How many of my prayers are being presented to the LORD? Have I discredited the importance or need for prayer, thinking that God already knows everything and my petitions and expressions of thanksgiving are redundant and a waste of my time and His? Do I fall into the trap that prayers are mere verbal utterances that leave my mouth and diffuse within seconds never to be heard of again? When I begin to think about the ceremonious offering of prayers even now before the LORD, seated upon His glorious throne, my understanding of prayer's importance both in God's loving response to me (see James 4:2) and in my participation NOW in Heavenly worship (Revelation 8:3) is heightened, and I see that prayer is much more than a perfunctory religious mandate. It is the awesome privilege of joining the heavenly hosts in honoring the LORD!

We must never forget that prayer is crucially important as a resource for Divine intervention as well as an opportunity for our eternal praise of the Almighty. True disciples of Jesus Christ are blessed beyond measure to be granted permission to approach the Heavenly throne of God with confidence (see Hebrews 4:16). What a privilege it is that our loving Lord, in His Sovereign Greatness, is willing to grant us the blessing of worshipping Him through our offerings of prayer upon His glorious altar. It is the one way that we can participate in Heavenly worship, while we continue pressing on in this earthly life . . . . awaiting our Lord's glorious return!

God's Word Keeps Us From Sin

Psalm 119:11, 101, 104, 113: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you . . . . I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word . . . . I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path . . . . I hate double-minded men, but I love your law."

The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, and interestingly it is also the chapter that lists references to the Word of God more frequently than any other (nearly 200). This chapter therefore could be called the "Word" chapter for its many affirmations of the preciousness of God's Holy Word and the blessings afforded to those who would hear it.

One of the striking revelations from the verses mentioned above is the assurance that adherence to the Word keeps one from sin; in fact, for those who would savor and revere the Word, there arises within their spirit a hatred for sinful paths. So too comes a detesting of double-mindedness. One who loves the Word finds repulsive those who are "fence straddlers" . . . that is, those who have one foot in their presumed faith and one foot toward the worldly enticements that are contrary to the Word of God. There is no equivocation within the person who loves the Lord and His Word, for he finds God's Word more precious than fine gold (Psalm 119:127) and he follows its choice morsels of wisdom without hesitation (Psalm 119:167).

Those involved in sin are those not regularly meditating upon God's Word and obeying its precepts. If you find yourself in such a predicament, then start with meditating upon God's Holy Word and permit the Holy Spirit to use the Scriptures to convict you and lead you toward the paths of righteousness. God will bless you for your obedience to Him (Psalm 119:1).

What's the Middle Verse of the Bible?

Psalm 118:8: "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man."

In looking through the voluminous information on the Internet concerning the middle chapter and verse of the Bible, I found that the majority of references cite Psalm 118:8 as that verse. What is also mentioned is that there are 594 chapters both before and after Psalm 118. When one adds 594 together, one gets 1188 (which also is the verse above). Whereas the original Scriptures were not given chapter and verse delineations, we do find that this middle verse does give us the summation of what we must understand about a true relationship with God.

Whereas God has given to us His offering of salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, we know that our response to Him must be faithful surrender. Ultimately, we must yield the entirety of our lives to His Lordship. To trust in ourselves and seek our own adulation and satisfaction is the foundation of sin, which is treason against the Almighty! God is Creator of all things and worthy of all worship; when man displaces true worship in favor of himself, he is subject to the wrath of God. This is why Jesus Christ, God Almighty, had to come to pay the sin penalty that we all have committed.

Still, the benefits of God's grace are only granted to those who would kick themselves off the throne of their lives and submit to Christ as Lord and Savior. No matter of perfunctory religiosity will do . . . only capitulation to the Sovereign Lord of Hosts.

Let us not trust in ourselves; rather, let us put our faith and trust in the LORD as our refuge. We will never regret our decision to do so, for the LORD is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from our sins of rebellion.

How Can You Keep Yourself Pure?

Psalm 119:9: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word."


Purity and integrity are attributes noticeably absent in our modern world. Instead, what we find prevalent are people who are "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

Many of these people are so brazen in their wickedness, that their consciences are seared to indifference about their behavior. There is no guilt or shame associated with their actions; for to them, their own satisfaction justifies any behavior that they perpetrate.

For one to live a life of Godliness, being obedient to the One True Lord of Hosts, he must be committed to feasting upon the Holy Scriptures of God and living according to its dictates. If a person is not in the Word of God, he invariably will gravitate back to the debasement of self-idolization that seeks to satisfy its own desires over surrender to the Lord. Still, merely hearing the Word is not enough. We MUST also do what it says . . . otherwise we are just kidding ourselves. (see James 1:22-23).

Examine yourself. Do you find yourself separated from intimate fellowship with the LORD through His Word? Do you only pick up your Bible to take it to church on Sundays? Do you even pick it up then? Is your Bible collecting dust on a shelf? Then don't be surprised if you are experiencing the painful consequences of sin in your life. Sin will be evident when you are not permitting the Holy Spirit to use the Scriptures to saturate your soul with the directives that will lead you down the paths of righteousness (see Psalm 119:105). Repentance and recommitment might be in order here. Confess your indifference to the Word of God and get yourself into it . . . and start living it. Then watch out . . . for the LORD will pour out His wisdom and blessing upon you truly in magnificent ways.

Going Backward Instead of Forward

Jeremiah 7:23-24: "I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward."


We have all heard the old saying "two steps forward, three steps back" when referring to vain attempts of making progress in something. In the life of the Israelites of the days of Jeremiah, these people were making no attempts whatsoever at Godliness. There were no steps forward . . . only steps backward. They were feasting upon their selfish, sinful desires with no thought whatsoever to surrendering to the LORD. Sadly, they believed that their participation in religious services justified themselves to the LORD; but once they performed their "religious ritual" they were done with God.

Those who truly have been transformed by the saving grace of God will evidence this wonderful, Divine work in their lives by living lives of surrender and obedience. This certainly is the command given to us by the Almighty when He tells us, "Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. Don't just say, 'we're safe.' That proves nothing . . ."(NLT). "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (NIV). Luke 3:8.

And lest we believe that we are not able to live our lives free from sin and self-centeredness, the LORD tells us that "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (2 Peter 1:3-4). We therefore have no excuses.

Let's not follow the pattern of life modeled by the Israelites in Jeremiah's day. Let us not take a few steps forward in obedience and maturity in our faith, only to fall back into the pattern of worldliness that is so typical of a person of ego-centrism and carnality. Instead, let us keep pressing forward in obedience until the day of our full redemption in eternity.

How Do You Repay the LORD for His Goodness?

Psalm 116:12: "How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill the vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people."

There's no doubt that the LORD has lavished upon us the immeasurable blessings of grace and fellowship with Him. So how are we to repay Him? Whereas we know that we cannot perform in such a way to merit our favor before the LORD; still, we are able to show our deepest gratitude for His grace by holding up the cup of salvation. This may seem a bit strange at first; but if we take and raise our salvation to a place of prominence within our hearts and lives, we will find ourselves in celebrative praise to the LORD who has blessed us with eternal hope through His loving death and resurrection. When we lift this cup, we will find ourselves in utter amazement and overwhelming joy at our glorious LORD. We will be awestruck that the God of the entire universe desires intimate fellowship with us for all eternity; and we will be humbled that He has offered to us the blessedness of perfection . . . freed from all of the ravishes of this life that have come upon us because of sin.

When we raise the cup of our salvation, we also will find ourselves calling upon the LORD with more regularly. Our hearts will be reoriented to understand that we are utterly dependent upon Him for everything . . . our lives, our needs, our fulfillment, etc. And we also will understand that only the LORD will bring the contentment and completion that our souls so desperately crave.

When we raise the cup of our salvation, we also will fulfill our vows to the LORD. This is not just honoring a few promises made now and again to God, but it involves a total surrender to Him as Sovereign Master and King. We find this disposition in the Psalmist's words found just a few verses later (Psalm 116:16): "O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant." Our faithful obedience is not something that we have to motivate ourselves to do; rather, it a shear delight, when we fathom the amazing love and grace that God has lavished upon us.

One of the interesting verses wedged between the two verses that speak of one being a faithful servant to His LORD, is this one: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (116:15). God is so pleased with the one who is "totally in" for Him that his death is a delight in that it results in his spirit being called into God's glorious presence. The LORD is desirous of His followers communing with Him before His throne. This in and of itself is absolutely wonderful and amazing . . . that the Sovereign Creator of the universe desires eternal fellowship with those so undeserving of Him.

For those of us who have received His salvation and have come to appreciate His presence in our lives, let us do as the Psalmist shares; namely, let us offer thank offerings to the LORD, call on His name regularly, and fulfill our vows of obedience to Him. The LORD delights in our true worship of Him.

Formula for a Healthy Family (both locally and Spiritually)

If there is one thing noticeably lacking in our culture today, it is a society of healthy families and healthy churches. Dysfunction seems to ooze forth from these relational entities, resulting in a staggering number of relational fractures. Headache and heartache spew forth from those directly involved, with many stammering to find a relationship that first and foremost makes them happy. They cycle from relationship to relationship trying to find the one that will meet their needs; seldom do you find one that is desirous of searching the Scriptures to see God's formula for healthy families and churches. We therefore would do well to reexamine the Scriptures to see God's instructions to us in these areas, in order that those of us who have had an improper understanding of our roles in these relationships might confess our waywardness and return to the LORD's will with steadfast obedience.

Let us first start with the husband who is the spiritual head of the family. A husband is to love his bride as Christ loves the Church (His bride), putting her needs before His own, even if this means his very life. This calling has been given to the husband by the LORD, to help him better appreciate the LORD's own calling as husband to the Church and "has given himself up for the church in order that he might make her holy and purified to present her as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or blemish." (see Ephesians 5:25-33). One can see the beauty of a loving LORD who lavishes His love to the Church, with the desire of presenting her in beautiful splendor before the heavenly hosts in eternity at the celebration of the wedding feast. This is LOVE at its finest!


Husbands would do well to reflect often upon the LORD's modeling and embrace these principles of love and ministry that would bless his bride. There is no discerning wife that would reject such a display of love and kindness; in fact, there are many brides who are grieving in the deepest depths of their souls because they are married to self-absorbed husbands who are only interested in satisfying their personal needs. If you find yourself a husband like this, it is time to confess your egregious sin to the LORD and your wife, and return to the Biblical understanding of your calling as a servant to the LORD and a true "lover" of your wife. You will be blessed if you do.

So too a man who is a father is called to love his children, modeling the unfathomable love that God the Father has for us as His children (see I John 3:1). This father is to demonstrate constancy in his Godly integrity so that his children will be granted the blessing of stability and security, in much the same way that God the Father is unchanging in His purposes of righteousness so that we are secure in our faith in Him as LORD (see Hebrews 6:17; James 1:17). A father is to discipline his children in love so that they will follow the precepts of the LORD in their adult lives (Hebrews 12:7-8; Proverbs 22:6). Of course this mandate to discipline is with the understanding that it is given constructively and redemptively . . . in order that the children will not lose heart in exasperation (Ephesians 6:4). How often have we observed the dearth of Godly fathers in the home (if they are even in the home)? How often have we seen mothers being forced to take the initiative to take their children to church and prepare devotions for their children in the home, while the father is disengaged from anything spiritually related? This should never be! The fathers are to be the spiritual leaders in the home . . . this is their calling. If you are a father and are neither modeling integrity in your life nor leading your family in intimate fellowship with the LORD, it would be better for you to tie a millstone around your neck and cast yourself in the depths of the sea (see Luke 17:1-2)! Therefore confess your sins of disobedience to the LORD's calling and start being the Godly father that you are supposed to be.

A wife is called to submit to her Godly husband in everything in much the same way as the Church is to submit to Christ as its Head and Savior (see Ephesians 5:22-24, I Peter 3:1-7). Submission unfortunately has been relegated by our society to being a suppressive instrument that inhibits women from being all that they can be. This of course is not the intended purpose of the LORD. Much like the calling for husbands to love their wives in order that they and their wives might better appreciate through experience God's love for the Church, so too through submission, wives and their husbands are able to understand through their personal, relational experience the calling of the Church to surrender to the LORD in all things. This submission does not mean that women have less intrinsic value than their husbands; rather, it is a functional role that God has prescribed to give us an earthly model that helps us better understand the ultimate heavenly marriage (i.e. God and the Church). This submission is seen as "fitting to the LORD" (Colossians 3:18). Need any more be said?


Much like the husband is to be a Godly man of integrity, being a blessing to his family, a wife is also to be a woman of noble character, which will be her husband's crown (see Proverbs 12:4). If the wife demonstrates such Godliness, her husband will be respected in the community for having a wife like this, and he will praise her for being such a blessing (see Proverbs 31:23, 28). Whereas this command might be quite foreign in our modern culture, still it is the Divine mandate for a healthy, vibrant marital relationship.


A wife who is a mother is to nurture and challenge her children so that they will mature in faith with each passing year. If she faithfully fulfills this calling, her children will not depart from Godly principles as they grow older. . . but will rise up, praising the LORD and blessing the name of their mother (Proverbs 22:6; 31:28). This too is the calling of the Church . . . as the bride and mother to nurture and challenge its congregants so that they will mature in the faith. There's no seeker-sensitive, sweet, sticky, cinnamon-bun spirituality here!


Children are called to submit to and respect their mother and father, for their parents have been placed in their positions of authority by the LORD. The Lord is pleased with such surrender (Colossians 3:20) and promises that things will go well for the child who submits to his Godly parents (Ephesians 6:3). If children will respect and obey their Godly parents, they will have no difficulty in surrendering themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, which is the critical ingredient of salvation!


So too are the congregants to "obey their spiritual leaders and submit to their authority (for they) keep watch over the members as men who must give an account (before God)." (Hebrews 13:17, I Timothy 5:17,19; I Thessalonians 5:12). How often have we observed unruly, recalcitrant "church members" who would rebel against all those in spiritual authority over them? They are the instigators of disharmony and dissension within the church, much like Diotrephes, who was antagonistic in the church because "he loved to be first." (see 3 John 9-10). Just as a local family is quite dysfunctional when its children do not respect and submit to their parents, so too is the church whose congregants constantly rebel against the leadership appointed by the LORD. Many churches are dying from within, because its members are self-consumed and will not submit themselves to the Godly elders of the church, who again have been placed in their positions by the LORD to lead the church in the ways of obedience and righteousness until the day of our reclamation.


There is much to reflect upon in the above mandates from the LORD. May we break free from the dysfunction that is so prevalent in our culture by faithfully following our Divinely-appointed, relational responsibilities. We will be blessed in our families and in our churches if we do.

Sing Your Praise to the LORD

Psalm 113:3-9: "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD."

One of my favorite Christian songs of all time is from the late Christian musician, Rich Mullins, entitled "Sing Your Praise to the LORD." In the bridge of this song, the above verses are quoted, which really gives the singer THE reason why one is to sing praises to the LORD. We know that the LORD is exalted above all. He sits enthroned on high and "stoops down" to give us His love and care at all times. And even though we may find ourselves without the benefits of worldly privilege and affluence, the LORD will raise us up at the proper time and establish us for all eternity as His adopted sons of daughters . . . children of the Almighty King.

For this reason, our souls should be overflowing with the joy of our salvation, and we should be praising the name of the LORD from the moment of our rising ("the rising of the sun") until the last moment of consciousness before our sleep ("the place where it [the sun] sets"). At all times and in all places, our primary thought should be one of praise and adoration of the One True LORD of hosts, and only an attitude of genuine awe and gratefulness to the LORD will display such a disposition. Otherwise we will fall back into the ways of our selfishness and begin to seek our own appetites over glorifying the LORD.

Let us not forget the awesomeness of the LORD and His loving kindness to us. Let us reflect upon the extraordinary privilege of our adoption into His royal family with all of the benefits contained therein. And let us sing our praises to the LORD genuinely and wholeheartedly.

Rising Above Tragedy

Psalm 112: 1-2, 6-7: "Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands . . . . Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD."

Living in a fallen, sinful world presents us the certainty that tragedy will come our way. Whereas it will be packaged differently for each of us, we know that these unfortunate events will befall all of us, striking us with their fury and forcing us to deal with the aftermath of broken hearts, relationships, and dreams.

What we find from the passage cited above is equal certainty that the righteous man who fears the LORD and finds great delight in His commands will not be shaken. Yes he will endure the anguish that is introduced by the painful calamity; but he is anchored in the LORD, savoring the intimacy that brings assurance that the LORD is in control and loves us. He too is strengthened by the awareness that he will dwell eternally with the LORD (i.e. "he will be remembered forever"), in a place liberated from this abysmal life filled with sin and sorrow.

Though the righteous man will grieve the losses that come his way, he does not fear them. He trusts in the LORD and knows that He will deliver His redeemed and even now is delivering them (see I Corinthians 1:10).

We are not able to control the tragedies that come in this life; however, we are in complete control of how we handle those painful ordeals. May we ever resolve ourselves to be like the righteous mentioned above. May we delight in the commands of the LORD . . . may we have reverential respect for the Sovereign One . . . may we be steadfast, ultimately trusting that the LORD is in control, that He is good, and that He will redeem us.

Who is The Wise Man?

Psalm 111:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise."

Want to be a person of wisdom?

Want to see the power of God made manifest in your life? (Psalm 111:6)

Want to see the provision of God in your life? (Psalm 111:5)

Want to be able to ponder in awe the works of God in your life? (Psalm 111:2)

Want to know His faithfulness and justness, that "reaches to the skies?" (Psalm 111:7; 108:4)

Want to see the trustworthiness of His precepts? (Psalm 111:7)

Want to experience His redemption? (Psalm 111:9)

Want to encounter the awesomeness and holiness of the Almighty? (Psalm 111:9)

Then start by fearing the LORD. Know Him as the Sovereign LORD of the universe who is worthy of our surrender and obedience and praise. Revere Him above all other persons and things (including yourself) and faithfully follow His statutes as a servant would follow His master's decrees.

Reorient your mindset and your behavior to know that it is God alone who is worthy of worship and praise (see Psalm 111:10b). If you know the LORD this way, then you will be a person of great wisdom and understanding, and you will be the beneficiary of all the blessings mentioned above.

The Reclamation

Psalm 110:3: "Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth."


Psalm 110 announces the coming end of time, when the LORD Almighty will come forth in glorious majesty. He will descend triumphantly, bringing judgment to those who had rebelled against His offering of grace. With a mighty scepter, the LORD will rule over His enemies, crushing kings and heaping up the dead. It truly will be a day of awe and dread for those who had not submitted themselves to His Lordship.


At the same time, the LORD will "from the womb of the dawn receive the dew of (their) youth" (110:3). Whereas there might be a number of interpretations for this verse, one that seems plausible is the reclamation of the redeemed from the ravages that sin had placed upon their lives. Though sin had brought the curse, leading to physical decline and death, now the LORD is making all things new for those who have received His grace (see Revelation 21:5; Isaiah 65:17f). His eternal abode is the womb of the dawn . . . a setting for new beginnings. So too, the LORD will restore us to like the morning dew, that proclaims the fresh, newness in the day of our reclamation in which the vigor of our youth is restored (and actually made better through glorious perfection [see I Corinthians 15:42-44]).


For those who are yielded to Christ as Lord, these words of hope should spur us on to be all that we can be for the Lord of Hosts. Let us not become weary in doing good, for we await the harvesting of our souls by the Sovereign One who will perfect us beyond that which we could ever imagine! (Galatians 6:9).

Cheap Grace is No Grace at All

Romans 6:1-7: "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that , just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."


The grandest misconception throughout Christendom today is the notion that God's grace gives license for a person to perpetuate sinful behavior without consequence. How many times have we witnessed professing "Christians" act in such a way that were they to communicate their behavior verbally they would say something like this: "I know that I sin a lot . . . but I love it . . . and I don't feel badly about it and am certainly not going to change it, because it's all covered by Christ's blood."


The Apostle Paul addressed this very issue in Romans 6, when he strongly denounced such a foolish rationale about sin. The Greek words, "me genoito (by no means!) used by Paul are very strong; and in the context of the passage, he sternly rebukes the idea that one can have free reign of his life (i.e. satisfying his sinful desires) after he has committed himself to the LORD.


Paul then uses the imagery of death to illustrate who the redeemed are before their LORD. If a person truly has yielded himself to Christ, his old sinful ways have been crucified "so that the body of sin might be done away with" (Romans 6:6). The true Christian through the power of the Holy Spirit will resist temptation and live a life as an offering to the God (Romans 6:13).


The strongest word in the entire chapter may be the conditional "if" mentioned in verse 5. Paul tells us that IF we have been united with Christ through His death (for the atonement of sin) and IF we have died to ourselves (i.e. to our selfish quest for lordship and the satisfaction of our wanton desires ), then we will be united with Him in His resurrection. Just as death has no mastery over Christ, so too for the true believer sin no longer has mastery over him (see Romans 6:9). He lives a life to the honor and glory of his LORD, not for the indulgence of the flesh.


Make no mistake about it, grace is an amazing offering of love by God for the redemption of humanity; however, only those who renounce their allegiance to "self" as god in favor of becoming a true slave to Christ will reap the blessing of God's forgiveness and salvation for all eternity. Freedom from sin is predicated upon a person dying to sin and living a new life of surrender to God.


Do not fall prey to the notion that God's grace is something easily acquired through a few token words spoken to a pastor during a worship service invitation. Grace will only be afforded to those to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow Him in faithful obedience as LORD. Whereas this might not be the popular trend for the understanding of grace in our culture, we must never forget the words of Christ in Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Though many will at the Day of Judgment attempt to enter into the blessedness of God's eternal kingdom, they will be refused . . . for they did not appreciate that salvation is given only to those who relinquish their lives to the Lord (i.e. "dying to self) and follow Him in faithful obedience (Luke 13:24).