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.
Friday, September 18, 2009
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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