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.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, September 18, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, September 14, 2009
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).
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).
Friday, September 11, 2009
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).
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).
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Who Is the True Helper?
Psalm 108:12-13: "Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies."
Many of us, whenever we face a crisis introduced by an "enemy," are inclined to rush to our own devices to seek deliverance rather than seeking the LORD's guidance first. We believe that if we can control the situation through our own efforts, we can avert the "enemy" before us. Or we conclude that the remedies offered by the world are more resourceful for defeating our enemies.
When one reads Psalm 109, one finds that the "enemies" are those who open their mouths to speak lies against the ones they despise. They accuse with words of hatred and betray the friendship extended to them. These enemies are wicked and deceitful who scorn those that don't satisfy their hunger for preeminence.
Understanding this context, we find that our greatest "enemy" is the one who would attempt to destroy us if we are not catalytic in their pursuit for lordship. These enemies would attempt to establish themselves as supreme over all persons and things, including the One True Lord. They will use others for this insatiable craving for exaltation, and they will turn upon anyone who would thwart their intended purposes.
As we reflect upon our "enemies" we may find that the most formidable one might be the one staring back at us in the mirror. Do we wrestle within ourselves to be the lord of our own lives? This craving of course is something that we all have fought, for it is the root of sin . . . exalting "self" as supreme (see Genesis 3:4-6). Only through the initiatory, convicting power of the Holy Spirit coupled with a person's consequent resolve to dethrone himself will the sinner break free from tempting enticements for self-supremacy. Sadly, those who would perpetuate their lordship over the One True Lord will find themselves subjected to His eternal judgments.
If we find ourselves exalting ourselves as supreme, we would do well to seek the LORD for deliverance from this most formidable foe. God is gracious and just and will forgive us if we confess Him as the LORD of our lives. We must remember the most telling words shared in the passage above; "The help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory."
Many of us, whenever we face a crisis introduced by an "enemy," are inclined to rush to our own devices to seek deliverance rather than seeking the LORD's guidance first. We believe that if we can control the situation through our own efforts, we can avert the "enemy" before us. Or we conclude that the remedies offered by the world are more resourceful for defeating our enemies.
When one reads Psalm 109, one finds that the "enemies" are those who open their mouths to speak lies against the ones they despise. They accuse with words of hatred and betray the friendship extended to them. These enemies are wicked and deceitful who scorn those that don't satisfy their hunger for preeminence.
Understanding this context, we find that our greatest "enemy" is the one who would attempt to destroy us if we are not catalytic in their pursuit for lordship. These enemies would attempt to establish themselves as supreme over all persons and things, including the One True Lord. They will use others for this insatiable craving for exaltation, and they will turn upon anyone who would thwart their intended purposes.
As we reflect upon our "enemies" we may find that the most formidable one might be the one staring back at us in the mirror. Do we wrestle within ourselves to be the lord of our own lives? This craving of course is something that we all have fought, for it is the root of sin . . . exalting "self" as supreme (see Genesis 3:4-6). Only through the initiatory, convicting power of the Holy Spirit coupled with a person's consequent resolve to dethrone himself will the sinner break free from tempting enticements for self-supremacy. Sadly, those who would perpetuate their lordship over the One True Lord will find themselves subjected to His eternal judgments.
If we find ourselves exalting ourselves as supreme, we would do well to seek the LORD for deliverance from this most formidable foe. God is gracious and just and will forgive us if we confess Him as the LORD of our lives. We must remember the most telling words shared in the passage above; "The help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory."
Friday, September 4, 2009
God's Discipline is Restorative (2)
Psalm 107:10-13: "Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled,and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress."
As we reflect upon these verses, we find that God sometimes introduces "bitter labor" upon those who are acting in rebellion to His Sovereign will. And though this discipline is painful, it nevertheless is designed to draw the impenitent to a place of contrition, confession, and surrender to Him as Lord. Of course, this is not to coerce a person to capitulation simply because God is a tyrant who wants to dominate others; rather, God knows that we were created with the need to have intimate fellowship with Him. God also is Holy and is due all praise and obedience; thus, His creation was designed to exalt His Holiness. To do otherwise is to perpetrate that which is opposite to our original design and purpose . . . . This is cosmic treason at its worst!
Therefore, we know that when God brings discipline to us, it is to draw us back into intimate fellowship with Him. For the Israelites referenced above, they realized that their "bitter labor" was no place to be. They also knew what they needed to do (especially since no one was there to come to their rescue other than God). . . they called out to the LORD for His deliverance.
This is a good word for us. Some of us might find ourselves in "bitter labor" for our sinful ways. God may have brought such difficulty in order to get our attention . . . so that we would surrender to Him. If there is a truth statement, it is that no one who chooses to follow the LORD in obedience later regrets such a decision; equally true is the statement that people who choose to rebel against the Lord ALWAYS regret such disobedience.
If we find ourselves in the slough of despondency, let us not continue there through perpetual rebellion. We must remember that God disciplines us so that "we might share in his holiness . . . . producing a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (see Hebrews 12:10-11). Let us "be trained" from God's discipline and turn from our wickedness back to His glorious Light. He will deliver us, for His love is unfailing (see Ps. 107:15).
As we reflect upon these verses, we find that God sometimes introduces "bitter labor" upon those who are acting in rebellion to His Sovereign will. And though this discipline is painful, it nevertheless is designed to draw the impenitent to a place of contrition, confession, and surrender to Him as Lord. Of course, this is not to coerce a person to capitulation simply because God is a tyrant who wants to dominate others; rather, God knows that we were created with the need to have intimate fellowship with Him. God also is Holy and is due all praise and obedience; thus, His creation was designed to exalt His Holiness. To do otherwise is to perpetrate that which is opposite to our original design and purpose . . . . This is cosmic treason at its worst!
Therefore, we know that when God brings discipline to us, it is to draw us back into intimate fellowship with Him. For the Israelites referenced above, they realized that their "bitter labor" was no place to be. They also knew what they needed to do (especially since no one was there to come to their rescue other than God). . . they called out to the LORD for His deliverance.
This is a good word for us. Some of us might find ourselves in "bitter labor" for our sinful ways. God may have brought such difficulty in order to get our attention . . . so that we would surrender to Him. If there is a truth statement, it is that no one who chooses to follow the LORD in obedience later regrets such a decision; equally true is the statement that people who choose to rebel against the Lord ALWAYS regret such disobedience.
If we find ourselves in the slough of despondency, let us not continue there through perpetual rebellion. We must remember that God disciplines us so that "we might share in his holiness . . . . producing a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (see Hebrews 12:10-11). Let us "be trained" from God's discipline and turn from our wickedness back to His glorious Light. He will deliver us, for His love is unfailing (see Ps. 107:15).
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Even the Mountains Respect the LORD
Zechariah 14:3-4,9: "Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley . . . . The LORD will be king over the whole earth. One that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name."
The prophet Zechariah was called by the LORD in 520 BC to herald the coming hope of the Savior, bringing deliverance to His people and establishing His reign over the earth. Like with his contemporary, Haggai, Zechariah was called by the LORD to encourage the Jewish people to rebuild the temple as a place of worship of the One True God. Even the name, Zechariah, means "Yahweh Remembers" . . . a name filled with hope for a people who had been in captivity to the Babylonians for 70 years.
One of the strategies to encourage the people was to interject the hope found in the coming of the LORD, who would establish His throne in the New Jerusalem for all eternity; whereas the people had been through much calamity, the LORD knew that their spirits would be uplifted as they focused upon their reclamation by the LORD, who would triumph over all evil and who would restore all things to their glorious perfection.
One of the telling passages is cited above, namely that when the Lord descends upon the Mount of Olives, east of the city of Jerusalem, the mountain will split with half of it moving northward and the other half moving southward. As one visualizes such an event, in light of the typography of the land, one can see the wonderful display of submission even by God's creation. For when the mountains split in the direction indicated by the Scriptures, they will open a corridor that will point toward the glorious city of Jerusalem. The King of Kings will move westward between the divided mountain and pass through the Kidron Valley on His way to the city, as the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven beautifully dressed in preparation for His advent (see Revelation 21:2). The LORD will then sit upon His eternal throne and He will dwell with the redeemed, making all things new, whole, and wonderful.
This is a good word of hope for those of us who have yielded ourselves to the Lord as the Savior and King of our lives. God has given to us the hope of this blessed event as a source of encouragement as we traverse this difficult life, filled with pain and disappointment. If you find yourself struggling in this life, then the LORD invites you to reflect upon His triumphal return, when He will restore all things to glorious perfection. Hopefully, this reflection will rekindle an appreciation and awe in you of the One True Lord, bringing you to the same state of surrendered obedience much like the mountains that will humble themselves with the coming of the LORD.
God is Sovereign. He is Eternal. And He will Restore. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!
The prophet Zechariah was called by the LORD in 520 BC to herald the coming hope of the Savior, bringing deliverance to His people and establishing His reign over the earth. Like with his contemporary, Haggai, Zechariah was called by the LORD to encourage the Jewish people to rebuild the temple as a place of worship of the One True God. Even the name, Zechariah, means "Yahweh Remembers" . . . a name filled with hope for a people who had been in captivity to the Babylonians for 70 years.
One of the strategies to encourage the people was to interject the hope found in the coming of the LORD, who would establish His throne in the New Jerusalem for all eternity; whereas the people had been through much calamity, the LORD knew that their spirits would be uplifted as they focused upon their reclamation by the LORD, who would triumph over all evil and who would restore all things to their glorious perfection.
One of the telling passages is cited above, namely that when the Lord descends upon the Mount of Olives, east of the city of Jerusalem, the mountain will split with half of it moving northward and the other half moving southward. As one visualizes such an event, in light of the typography of the land, one can see the wonderful display of submission even by God's creation. For when the mountains split in the direction indicated by the Scriptures, they will open a corridor that will point toward the glorious city of Jerusalem. The King of Kings will move westward between the divided mountain and pass through the Kidron Valley on His way to the city, as the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven beautifully dressed in preparation for His advent (see Revelation 21:2). The LORD will then sit upon His eternal throne and He will dwell with the redeemed, making all things new, whole, and wonderful.
This is a good word of hope for those of us who have yielded ourselves to the Lord as the Savior and King of our lives. God has given to us the hope of this blessed event as a source of encouragement as we traverse this difficult life, filled with pain and disappointment. If you find yourself struggling in this life, then the LORD invites you to reflect upon His triumphal return, when He will restore all things to glorious perfection. Hopefully, this reflection will rekindle an appreciation and awe in you of the One True Lord, bringing you to the same state of surrendered obedience much like the mountains that will humble themselves with the coming of the LORD.
God is Sovereign. He is Eternal. And He will Restore. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!
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