David

I Trust in You LORD

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“Unto Thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.”  Psalm 25:1-2 (KJB)

This is the 25th day of writing through the Psalms again.  I know that I missed yesterday, yet this is still the 25th day of Psalms. I appreciate all who take your valuable time to come here to read these studies, and I do pray that when you do God blesses you abundantly with His Spirit to enlighten your understanding of God, His Word, and His Spirit; and His work in you.

The Psalmist (David) is declaring the LORD as his God.  He also declares, “I trust in You.”  That ought always to be the heart of the believer who has given heart, soul, body, and mind to Him.

When we give our life to God through His Son Jesus Christ there is no room for shame, but praise, love, joy, peace, and a life filled with the love of God in us for others, and mostly for Him who loved us that He gave His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.

Do we have enemies?  Most definitely.  Those who hate God, and work against His word, His will, and His way are His enemies; they are my enemies and if you love God; they are your enemies as well.  We have a promise from God that has been given to all God’s people down through the ages…

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”  Isaiah 59:19

 

The Earth: Why it is the LORD’S

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“The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.”  Psalm 24:1-2 (KJV)

Adamkind, and that is all of us of the human race, have since sin came into the world became really tight fisted.  We want what we want, and we want it now, and we want it forever.  We grow into the mentality that this world and everything in it is ours.  The Bible has good news for us… It belongs to our Creator; the Creator of all that is… all that exists in this universe.

Let me share with you what the Treasury of David, written by C. H. Spurgeon says of verse two…

In the second verse we have the reason why the world belongs to God: namely, because he has created it, which is a title beyond all dispute. “For he hath founded it upon the seas.” It is God who lifts up the earth from out of the sea, so that the dry land, which otherwise might in a moment be submerged, as in the days of Noah, is kept from the floods. The hungry jaws of ocean would devour the dry land if a constant fiat of Omnipotence did not protect it. “He hath established it upon the floods.” The world is Jehovah’s, because from generation to generation he preserves and upholds it, having settled its foundations. Providence and Creation are the two legal seals upon the title-deeds of the great Owner of all things. He who built the house and bears up its foundation has surely a first claim upon it. Let it be noted, however, upon what insecure foundations all terrestrial things are founded. Founded on the seas! Established on the floods! Blessed be God the Christian has another world to look forward to, and rests his hopes upon a more stable foundation than this poor world affords. They who trust in worldly things build upon the sea; but we have laid our hopes, by God’s grace, upon the Rock of Ages; we are resting upon the promise of an immutable God, we are depending upon the constancy of a faithful Redeemer. Oh! ye worldlings, who have built your castles of confidence, your palaces of wealth, and your bowers of pleasure upon the seas, and established them upon the floods; how soon will your baseless fabrics melt, like foam upon the waters! Sand is treacherous enough, but what shall be said of the yet more unstable seas?

That same Creator has given life, gives life, and will continue to give life to all who live on earth.  He will give eternal life to all who will believe Him and receive Him through Jesus Christ His Son and His death, burial, and bodily resurrection.  It is all His.

The Shepherd, His Sheep, and His Leadership

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“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.”  Psalm 23:1-2 (KJV)

I have never had any thing to do with sheep.  I am so ignorant of sheep, that I must rely upon what I have read by written by others and what I can see in fields that I pass occasionally. Sheep need a shepherd to care for them.  People are likened to sheep in Scripture at times. In this first verse of the best known Psalm David says, “The LORD is my shepherd…” so he is likening himself to a sheep.

By the second verse we can see two different things.  They need a shepherd to lead them to pasture to eat.  It has been said that sheep will eat grass down to the dirt, and practically kill it off, if they are not moved to green pasture.  If you will read the gospel account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men, not counting women and children (Matthew 14:15-21) you will read in verse 19 that the narrative reads, “And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass…”; the gospel of Mark even says “upon the green grass” (Mark 6:39) and John simply says, “Now there was much grass in the place” (John 6:10). You talk of a shepherd leading the sheep to green pastures; Jesus is the Shepherd.  He gives His sheep plenty to eat, and then He gives us plenty of good clean water to drink.

The sustenance of the Lord is bountiful.  It is said that sheep are afraid of moving water, so the shepherd leads them to smooth, still water; not stagnant, that would make them sick, but still, smooth, fresh, and clean water. For refreshment, and the nourishment their bodies need.  If a sheep needs to cross the water the shepherd will lead them to still water for crossing as well, where it is shallow enough as to not soak up in their fleece as to load them down and drown them.

The LORD is the Lamb of God laid down His life for me.  He is my Shepherd too; who leads me to green pastures and I can lie down in them comfortably, and have food for the day; then, He leads me to the right place for a refreshing drink and for the purpose of life.

The Shepherd is the Lamb.  He is the Bread of Life. He is the Light of the world.  Jesus Christ is the Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. He gave His life for His sheep on the cross, was buried, and He rose again.  You can trust the Shepherd to provide what you need.

The ONE Who Inhabits Praises

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“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My roaring? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, O You that inhabits the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:1-3 (KJV)

This is named as another Psalm of David.  Now, whatever David was experiencing I do not think he realized this was going to be a song the Messiah would sing; but it was, and it is His Song.  You can see the words of this first verse as Jesus was coming out of the darkness of the crucifixion, and they are words even David could not express except the LORD had given them. Yet, how could David know the intensity, the suffering, the agony both on the cross and in the garden of Gethsemane?

Both David and the Messiah understood the fact that praises only belong to the One who inhabits those praises.  That is God.

Jesus as He willingly laid down His life on the cross knew the agony, the pain, and the suffering that was coming, yet He laid it down.  The pain worse than death by the tormenting beatings, the nails in His hands and feet, and even the spear in His side was the pain He felt when in that darkness He experienced what life and death was like without God, His Father.

For the very first time in His life Jesus experienced being apart from His Father and this is the first prayer He prays where He refers to His Father as “My God, My God…”.  Even in the prayer He still hangs on to the truth of resurrection, faith in the One who will raise Him is faith in the the One who inhabits the praises of Israel; the praises of His people.

No matter what you are going through today you can believe, and know that the One who knows you loves you best, and He has already suffered in what you are suffering.  He knows your pain.  He knows your sin and has paid the price to redeem you from all your sin.

Ask Life, and GOD Gives It

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“The king shall joy in Your strength, O LORD; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. For You meet him with the blessings of goodness: You set a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of You, and You gave it him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation: honor and majesty have You laid upon him. For You have made him most blessed for ever: You have made him exceeding glad with Your countenance.”  Psalm 21:1-6 (KJV)

King David was speaking of much more than what he had requested.  He was speaking of the future King of Israel, King of the world who would receive all that He requested because He had died to redeem His bride unto Himself.

On that word “Selah” I want you to remember that I look at that word and pause, think about what was just read, what it says, and reflect on it.  Now thinking on that second verse for a bit: did David get all those things?  Did he get all that his heart desired?  I really do doubt it.  He was joyous in knowing the LORD and resting in Him.  It would seem to me that it is directly related to the coming King, the Messiah of Israel, and Savior of the world.

He asked life and was raised from the dead.  He asked for long life, and will live eternally, even for ever and ever.  He is glorified in the salvation GOD has provided through His death, burial, and resurrection.

This Psalm is a song of David thanking and praising the LORD for His answer to his prayers; that they are exceedingly abundant over what he could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Ask Life, and GOD Gives It.  He gives life through faith in His Son Jesus.  Will you ask?

He Will Help, Strengthen, and Remember You

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“The LORD hear you in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend you; send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Selah. Grant you according to your own heart, and fulfil all your counsel.”  Psalm 20:1-4 (KJV)

In this Psalm of David he writes that the LORD will hear you, defend you, send you help from the sanctuary, strengthen you, remember your offerings, and accept your costly sacrifices.

Let us as Christians today come with the expectant heart of David, and God will be rich in blessing toward us as well.

Looking at verses 2 – 4 of the text above; it is GOD who sends help from our time of worship.  You see wherever we are in the worship of the Most High, holy, and Almighty God that is the sanctuary; the one who worships Him though throughout the week – Monday – Saturday – will not forsake the gathering with other believers on the first day of the week as the early church did.  He is our help.

Looking at the “strength out of Zion” we can see Zion is Jerusalem the City of David.  It is the city on a hill.  A city of strength.  You can notice from Scripture that when every one left Jerusalem they were always going down to Jericho, or down to Bethel, and down to Capernaum, etc..  A picture of strength, and a reminder to the Hebrew people where their strength came from.

The “offerings… and burnt sacrifice” are those things which David would have offered to the LORD.  In these verses he is offering praise, and worship.  The burnt sacrifice would have been the sacrifice of a bull, lamb, ram, goat, dove etc.  We do not sacrifice animals today.  We do not need to; neither are we commanded to.  So what is the offerings and sacrifices we give?  Ourselves; our surrender to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ God’s Son, God the Son.

When we give our all to Him He gives us a desire to live for Him.  A desire to love like He does, to love what He loves; and to hate the things He hates.  He will fulfill the desires of the heart that is given to Him (Psalm 37:4); in life, liberty, and love.

The Shout of Creation

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“Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” Psalm 19:2-6 (KJV)

The declaration of creation is that God is. There are those who look at the order of this ordered creation and somehow, though very illogically, proclaim that “It just happened”.  Really?

Would you say that your new car was formed when a tornado tragically went through a salvage yard, or even a steel mill, and suddenly that car landed there fully formed.  Now, that is just plain illogical; if not just plumb dumb.

Creation shouts of the glory of God.  The size of the universe is beyond my comprehension.  Yet we have scientists who are trying to figure out just how large it is.  All they have is a wild guess.  No matter how big the universe; God is bigger.  He created it.  He spoke the world, and the stars, the planets, and any other solar system which exist, into existence (Psalm 33:6).

The apostle Paul clearly proclaims…

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.  Romans 1:20

“They that are without excuse” are those who cannot hear the shout of creation telling loudly and clearly that God is.  The creation is even groaning waiting for the deliverance from corruption (Romans 8:21-22).  Do you not hear the groaning in the fires, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the evil of Adamkind in the world.

When you have one of our own political parties that are more concerned will illegal aliens in our nation, and definitely not concerned about the legal murder of 63,000,000 unborn babies; there is something desperately wrong, and evil in the minds and hearts of this world, and this country.

Can you hear the shout of creation?  Can you hear the shout of the gospel of Jesus Christ that a good, righteous, holy, just, and innocent gave His life for the evil, unrighteous, unholy, unjust, and guilty race of Adamkind?  He died, was buried, and He rose again.  He is returning again to receive His own unto Himself.  O, will you hear Him?

The LORD My Rock

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“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower”  Psalm 18:2. (KJV)

There is a rock called the Rock of Gibraltar located in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.  It is a massive island rock, and has been a picture of strength, power, and stability for many years; maybe even centuries and millenniums.  There is a Rock that stands for all eternity, and that Rock is Christ Jesus.

David said this of the LORD, that is YaHWeH, and He is GOD.  GOD is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is said by the apostle Paul to be the Rock that was with the children of Israel through the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:4).

When we are faced with an enemy; whether the devil and his legions of Hell, or the neighbor next door; Christ Jesus is our Rock.  I can say with David,  the the LORD is my Rock.  I can stand on Him, and never fear of being without Him, because He has said I will never leave you.

He is my deliverer.  He is my strength.  Without Him I can do nothing; with Him I can do all things through Him that glorify His name.  One of the things about Christ being our Rock is He is everything we need.  As the high tower we need not fear what may be in our future.  The future is not mine to know, but to know Christ is to leave it in His hands because He can see all things and has control over it.

“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress…”  because He made a way for me.  He made a way for us to know Him, and that is through the cross upon which He bled and died.

My Sentence… From Your Presence

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“Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of deceitful lips. Let my sentence come forth from Your presence; let Your eyes behold the things that are equal.”  Psalm 17:1-2 (KJV)

For this 17th day into our 150 Days I will let  C. H. Spurgeon, the author of The Treasury of David speak to you on verse two…

“Let my sentence come forth from thy presence.” The Psalmist has now grown bold by the strengthening influence of prayer, and he now entreats the Judge of all the earth to give sentence upon his case. He had been libelled, basely and maliciously libelled; and having brought his action before the highest court, he, like an innocent man, has no desire to escape the enquiry, but even invites and sues for judgment. He does not ask for secrecy, but would have the result come forth to the world. He would have sentence pronounced and executed forthwith. In some matters we may venture to be as bold as this; but except we can plead something better than our own supposed innocence, it were terrible presumption thus to challenge the judgment of a sin-hating God. With Jesus as our complete and all-glorious righteousness we need not fear, though the day of judgment should commence at once, and hell open her mouth at our feet, but might joyfully prove the truth of our hymn writer’s holy boast –

“Bold shall I stand in that great day;
For who ought to my charge shall lay?
While, through thy blood, absolved I am
From sin’s tremendous curse and shame.”

“Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” Believers do not desire any other judge than God, or to be excused from judgment, or even to be judged on principles of partiality. No; our hope does not lie in the prospect of favouritism from God, and the consequent suspension of his law; we expect to be judged on the same principles as other men, and through the blood and righteousness of our Redeemer we shall pass the ordeal unscathed. The Lord will weigh us in the scales of justice fairly and justly; he will not use false weights to permit us to escape, but with the sternest equity those balances will be used upon us as well as upon others; and with our blessed Lord Jesus as our all in all we tremble not, for we shall not be found wanting. In David’s case, he felt his cause to be so right that he simply desired the Divine eyes to rest upon the matter, and he was confident that equity would give him all that he needed.

I believe David knew what the apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, meant when he wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” Romans 8:1

What Have You Said to the LORD Today?

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“Preserve me, O God: for in You do I put my trust. O my soul, you have said unto the LORD, You are my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to You; but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.”  Psalm 16:1-3 (KJV)

Of this sixteenth Psalm and its title – “Michtam of David” the Matthew Henry Commentary states…

“This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a golden psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament.”

The Psalms, to me, are all golden and worthy to be called precious, and more valuable than gold.  So, also, the whole of the Bible.

One of the things the Psalmist is stating is that if we has Adamkind have any goodness it is nothing near the goodness of the LORD who is God.  His goodness is worthy of our note.  There is no goodness equal to the goodness of the Almighty.

None of even all the saints of God in the earth is equal to His goodness.  God the Lord Adonay is worthy of worship,  honor, glory, and praise.  It all belongs to Him.

To know God you can come to Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross, was buried, and He rose from the grave, and because He lives we have eternal life through Him.

Righteousness and Truth

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“ He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.”  Psalm 15:1-2 (KJV)

Righteousness is a godly thing. As a matter of fact it is a GOD thing.  There is no righteousness apart from God; neither is there any truth apart from God.

People cry out for justice in our world, and for truth.  Many people do not like the pure and unvarnished truth is quite powerful, and often puts Adamkind in our rightful place – condemned, separated and apart from Holy God.  We are unrighteous, unjust, unholy, vile, evil, condemned, and headed to the eternal fires of Hell.  That is unless God in His grace has truly done something which is beyond our wildest imaginations.

A friend of mine shared something by email which I will share here with you…

“Justice is getting what we deserve.  Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what  we don’t deserve.

But wait a minute; grace is more than that! It is grace that gives at great cost to the giver. It is not cheap. Grace cost the life of God’s Son. Jesus gave freely of Himself in agony and blood.”

Pastor James McCullen  See his web site

Truth is what the good doctor comes and tells you when he discovers you have a cancer in your body, you need emergency surgery to remove it or you will die in a month.  Truth is the death rate is 100 percent.  Not pleasant to hear, but we need reminded of that from time to time.

Who shall abide in the LORD’S tabernacle?  Who will abide in the presence of the LORD?  The answers are given in the verses above.  No one of us can live a righteous, holy, and upright life and speak the truth in our hearts; except the LORD Himself give it to us.  He has done that in the cross – the death of His Son Jesus, His burial, and resurrection.  There is no righteousness or truth apart from Him.

GOD Knows the Foolish Heart

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“The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:1-3 (KJV)

How often do we hear, “He is a good man”?  I have said it myself, yet I know in Scripture God tells us that we are evil (Jeremiah 17:9), and the above verses.  The very fact that God sent His sinless Son to die on a cruel old wooden cross for our sins is evidence enough that we need a Savior, and we are told that Jesus Christ is the only one available to us.

I have written a couple of days ago of the “Children of Men” and we can see in the world that there is evil in the hearts and lives of Adamkind. We have what some see as good people who have become addicted to drugs; legal, illegal, or illegally obtained pharmaceuticals.  Some have become addicted due to doctors prescriptions; some just for a kick or an high.  That in itself should say to us that we are a corrupt people, we are evil and in need of a Deliverer, a Savior, and that God has provided for us a marvelous, wonderful Redeemer, Savior, and Lord.

There are many people who profess that they believe in God.  So do the demons of Hell (James 2:19).  Believing in God is a good place to start, but you must also believe what He says.  For our salvation we must believe that He sent His Son Jesus to die for us, believe and accept His work on the cross, His burial and resurrection.

We do not understand when we refuse to seek our own way, do our own thing, believe our own belief, and refuse the wonderful gift of God’s grace in His Son Jesus.  It just might be more beneficial to be an non-theist, than to believe in God, yet reject His Son.  Both the believer in God who has rejected Jesus, and the non-theist will be cast into eternal torment.

Does Adamkind do good things?  Many times good things are done by our kind.  Does it do anything to honor and glorify GOD?  Most times  they do not.  What GOD does and accomplishes in those who are His will honor and glorify His name.  His saving us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus glorifies Him.  Isaiah the prophet said, “…All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Do not live as an unbelieving fool. Turn to Christ Jesus and live your life for Him.

 

Lighten My Eyes

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“How long will You forget me, O LORD? For ever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.”  Psalm 13:1-4 (KJV)

Those who have a familiar relationship with GOD through His Son Jesus often find ourselves asking Him questions.  If you are doing that; good.  I find no fault in anyone with even their complaints to God knowing that He is their loving, merciful, and gracious Heavenly Father.  I have found quite often when I go to GOD with a question or complaint that I am usually satisfied with not getting an answer, except, the thought or the words “Trust” and “Believe”.  Trust and believe His word.

One thing I have noticed about taking my complaints to God is, that, I do not have any complaints for any one else; at least I am less likely to have any complaints for others.

David was feeling forgotten; by God and man. One of the things we can see about David’s words is that they reflect His faith.  First of He is talking to God.  Secondly, he is showing desire to honor and glorify God, by His working in David to prevent the enemy from rejoicing over David’s possible defeat.

David’s prayer to the LORD is; “Lighten my eyes…”  Maybe he had lost sight of his work and vision for God.  Maybe it was something that had separated him from his fellowship with God.  Whatever it was David needed the LORD to give him some light.  An eye opening experience.

We all need the light of Christ to shine in our hearts, minds, and lives.  It begins by knowing GOD through the cross of Jesus.

The Children of Men

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“Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?”  Psalm 12:1-4 (KJV)

Before we get too far into this study we might want and need to know who the “Children of men” are.  They are those who have not been godly.  They are those whose hearts are in the world and all that they can hold.  They are those who would definitely need redemption if it is possible.

The saddest part of the above verses is that the “Faithful” have failed among the “Children of men”. We have failed to lift up holiness in the Lord.  We have failed to be godly in our lives.  We have failed to be witnesses of the saving power, and all the awesome power of Holy God.

The children of men speak vanity – useless, empty, evil, false things – which often cause strife and division.  They have no heart for God, nor the things of God.

We hear of the heart from the words of Jesus, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21), and He spoke again and said, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35).  By this we can see that it matters greatly about our hearts.

Flattering lips and a double heart are usually within the heart of the same individual male or female.  A double hearted person is probably lie the double minded individual of James 1:8; “unstable in all their ways”.

Pride in one’s own abilities, words, strength is a surefire way of falling away from doing what is godly, righteous and just.

The surefire way for us all to be good, godly, and righteous before Holy God is to come to Him the only way He has provided.  If we try another way we only exalt ourselves over the Most High God, and are saying to Him, “I am right.  You are wrong.”

He has provided only the way of the cross of Jesus His Son. Come by the cross, or you do not come at all.

 

GOD… Not in Their Thoughts

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“Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride does persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”  Psalm 10:1-4 (KJV)

Does GOD ever come into your thoughts?  Is your life planned around the godly events that go on in your life?  Do you have godly events in your life?  I know, what a way to begin a lesson in God’s word.  Asking such personal questions.  Maybe these are questions we need to ask ourselves.  It seems quite clear to me that we do not question ourselves enough concerning our relationship, our fellowship with God; or even if we have either one.  It is clear that one who has no relationship with God will have no fellowship with God.

It is the wicked who persecute the poor.  It is also the wicked who do not think of God, neither of godliness, of what is right in God’s eyes or wrong in God’s eyes. The wicked bless the covetous; those who are always grabbing for more stuff, more gold, silver precious jewels – more wealth of whatever kind, and at the expense of others.

The wicked are secure in themselves and in their pride and arrogance do not want, neither do they need God; so they think.  They are very much like the man Jesus tells us about who built many barns (Luke 12:16-21).

It would not be in error to say, “If you are secure in yourself, you never think of God, nor godly things; you never experience grief over your sins, then you are without God, and you are one of the wicked”.  Is there hope for you?  Just like for the rest of us; only through the cross of Jesus Christ who was put to death on the cross, was buried, and arose from the grave.

There is no hope for any except through the grace of God displayed in the cross of Jesus Christ.

 

Glad and Rejoicing in GOD

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“I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Your marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You: I will sing praise to Your name, O You Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2 (KJV)

When one praises the LORD with the whole heart; with the life, in words, actions, devotion, commitment, and love; then, there will also be gladness and rejoicing.

When we praise Him, we see Him for who He says He is, and we recognize Him to be.  He is our Creator, He is our Sustainer, He is our Great Physician, He is our Advocate with the Father, He is our very bestest Friend, He is our Savior, King, and Lord;  just to give a few.  The next time you approach the LORD in prayer begin with words of praise, then Thanksgiving, then request, and end the prayer by again recognizing who He is.  This is very much the same way Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:8-13.

Let the people of God everywhere praise the LORD.  He is worthy of praise.  And when we praise Him with a sincere heart of  we will sing praises to His name.  To the name of the Most High GOD.

Be glad and rejoice in the LORD who is the Most High.

Out of the Mouths of Children

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“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have You ordained strength because of Your enemies, that You might still the enemy and the avenger.” Psalm 8:1-2 (KJV)

The “innocence” of children is at stake in 2018.  Contrary, however, to popular opinion children are not perfect little angels.  Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden all children are born sinners.  They are, however, a good example of faith and putting one’s faith in the one who cares for them.

The Psalmist begins Psalm 8 by praise and adoration to the One who is excellent in all the heavens.  In verse two, which is our focus verse for today, we see that the LORD is also excellent in the earth.  The cry of a sucking, new born child is a description of the excellent name of the LORD.  Every time a newly born baby cries it shows us the excellence of the name of our Creator.  That child is made in His image, and after His likeness; yet now marred by the evil of sin.

As that child grows they will be faced with trials, troubles, and torments.  Many of those will come from other people.  Some who are espousing their friendship to them.

One Baby was born into this world as the Son of God, and the Son of Man. His name is Jesus and Immanuel – meaning “God with us”.   Through this Child the enemy of all Adamkind was squashed and shown his proper place.

Jesus quoted this verse in Matthew 21:16 after His children laid palm leaves on the streets recognizing Him as the Messiah…

“And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” Matthew 21:16 (KJV)

Where the devil who is Satan is working to avenge the work of the cross by destroying yours and my testimony for Christ; he is already defeated.  We just have a problem of not living in victory of him.

The next time you hear a baby cry remember the Creator.  Remember that it is through Jesus Christ that He has made all things.  Remember that He is excellent and glorious in all His ways.

If I Have Rewarded Evil Unto Him that Was at Peace with Me

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“O LORD my God, in You do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yes, I have delivered him that without cause is my enemy:) let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yes, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay my honor in the dust. Selah.”  Psalm 7:1-5 (KJV)

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ we put our complete faith and trust in Him.  It is a good thing not to be concerned about those who might persecute us due to our faith, but we ought always pray for them, and that they would come to the faith of Christ as well.

There are none who can deliver as our GOD and King who we believe, know, and receive through the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our prayer can and should be that of David as he prayed this prayer – “If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me…”, then, we can know that we will be aware when we have behaved ourselves unseemly toward another  of Adamkind.  We ought to always love our neighbor as we love ourselves; and that is seen the the final six Commandments God gave us.

In David’s prayer he even asks for his judgment to be swift and sure concerning his evil treatment of those who were at peace with him.  I would say we ought to always be a good neighbor, no matter who that neighbor might be.  Difficult?  With some neighbors, NO!  With other neighbors, Sometimes, and maybe always.  The responsibility of being a good neighbor is mine, the Christians, not the neighbor’s.

If we mistreat someone who is peaceful toward us, then, we need not complain when we are treated likewise by someone else.  There is still, and always will be application of Paul’s words, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7).

 

In Our Weakness

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“Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.  My soul is also sore vexed: but You, O LORD, how long?”  Psalm 6:2-3 (KJV)

For today I will let a man who is dead, but he still speaks in his wisdom from the LORD, and his writings of days gone by…

“Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak.” Though I deserve destruction, yet let thy mercy pity my frailty. This is the right way to plead with God if we would prevail. Urge not your goodness or your greatness, but plead your sin and your littleness. Cry, “I am weak,” therefore O Lord, give me strength and crush me not. Send not forth the fury of thy tempest against so weak a vessel. Temper the wind to the shorn lamb. Be tender and pitiful to a poor withering flower, and break it not from its stem. Surely this is the plea that a sick man would urge to move the pity of his fellow if he were striving with him, “Deal gently with me, ‘for I am weak.’” A sense of sin had so spoiled the Psalmist’s pride, so taken away his vaunted strength, that he found himself weak to obey the law, weak through the sorrow that was in him, too weak, perhaps, to lay hold on the promise. “I am weak.” The original may be read, “I am one who droops,” or withered like a blighted plant. Ah! beloved, we know what this means, for we, too, have seen our glory stained, and our beauty like a faded flower.

“O Lord heal me; for my bones are vexed.” Here he prays for healing, not merely the mitigation of the ills he endured, but their entire removal, and the curing of the wounds which had arisen therefrom. His bones were “shaken,” as the Hebrew has it. His terror had become so great that his very bones shook; not only did his flesh quiver, but the bones, the solid pillars of the house of manhood, were made to tremble. “My bones are shaken.” Ah, when the soul has a sense of sin, it is enough to make the bones shake; it is enough to make a man’s hair stand up on end to see the flames of hell beneath him, an angry God above him, and danger and doubt surrounding him. Well might he say, “My bones are shaken.” Lest, however, we should imagine that it was merely bodily sickness – although bodily sickness might be the outward sign – the Psalmist goes on to say, “My soul is also sore vexed.” Soul-trouble is the very soul of trouble. It matters not that the bones shake if the soul be firm, but when the soul itself is also sore vexed this is agony indeed. “But thou, O Lord, how long?” This sentence ends abruptly, for words failed, and grief drowned the little comfort which dawned upon him. The Psalmist had still, however, some hope; but that hope was only in his God. He therefore cries. “O Lord, how long?” The coming of Christ into the soul in his priestly robes of grace is the grand hope of the penitent soul; and, indeed, in some form or other, Christ’s appearance is, and ever has been, the hope of the saints.

Calvin’s favourite exclamation was “Domine usque quo” – “O Lord, how long?” Nor could his sharpest pains, during a life of anguish, force from him any other word. Surely this is the cry of the saints under the altar, “O Lord, how long?” And this should be the cry of the saints waiting for the millennial glories, “Why are his chariots so long in coming; Lord, how long?” Those of us who have passed through conviction of sin knew what it was to count our minutes hours, and our hours years, while mercy delayed its coming. We watched for the dawn of grace, as they that watch for the morning. Earnestly did our anxious spirits ask, “O Lord, how long?”  From the Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon  (e-Sword)

 

When We Look Into the Distance

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Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto You will I pray. My voice shall You hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and will look up.  Psalm 5:2-3 (KJV)

For a reading of Psalm 5:1 you may follow this link.
We so often call on God in prayer.  Even many who will publicly proclaim “I do not believe in God” will call out to God when some traumatic event happens.

In these two verses of Psalm 5, the Psalmist cries out, “Hearken unto the voice of my cry…”.  Which is a yearning for God to hear.  The sweet Psalmist of Israel calling out to the One He knew would hear, and answer his call, his cry.  The honor, respect, and devotion is seen in the prayer.  “My King, and my God” would only be the One whom he loved, trusted, and to whom he has committed his life.

The words of faith spoken in this prayer, “My voice shall You Hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and will look up.”  By his faith in the Living God he is able to look into the distance, and from the events of his past know that GOD will hear him.  Not just today, but every time he prays.

Every time the Christian prays to the One who has made all things, and made us in His image, we can know that God does hear and answer our prayer. Knowing that we can look into the distance… into the future, and know that He will hear, and answer.

 

Glory into Shame

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“O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” Psalm 4:2 (KJV)

The following is from The Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon…

“In this second division of the Psalm, we are led from the closet of prayer into the field of conflict. Remark the undaunted courage of the man of God. He allows that his enemies are great men (for such is the import of the Hebrew words translated – sons of men), but still he believes them to be foolish men, and therefore chides them, as though they were but children. He tells them that they love vanity, and seek after leasing, that is, lying, empty fancies, vain conceits, wicked fabrications. He asks them how long they mean to make his honour a jest, and his fame a mockery? A little of such mirth is too much, why need they continue to indulge in it? Had they not been long enough upon the watch for his halting? Had not repeated disappointments convinced them that the Lord’s anointed was not to be overcome by all their calumnies? Did they mean to jest their souls into hell, and go on with their laughter until swift vengeance should turn their merriment into howling? In the contemplation of their perverse continuance in their vain and lying pursuits, the Psalmist solemnly pauses and inserts a Selah. Surely we too may stop awhile, and meditate upon the deep-seated folly of the wicked, their continuance in evil, and their sure destruction; and we may learn to admire that grace which has made us to differ, and taught us to love truth, and seek after righteousness.”

Something for us to keep in mind as we look at two of Psalm 4 is that the “sons of men” of whom David refers are sons of the enemy of David and of God.  It is these sons who turn the glory of David into shame.  We must also remember that David is the character of Scripture of whom God said, “The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” 1 Samuel 13:4, and Acts 13:22.

These sons of men seek their own welfare and glory, not the King’s neither the King of kings.  When I get to the word “Selah” of the Psalms or anywhere in Scripture, I see it as a chance to pause and meditate on what has just been said.

Jesus Christ is the King of kings. He came unto men through King David.  Let us rejoice in our King Jesus who came to earth to die on the cross, was buried, and He rose again.  One day He is returning as the Sovereign that He is promised to be.  O will you be ready for Him?

Keys to Happiness

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“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law does he meditate day and night.”  Psalm 1:2 (KJV)

It has been a bit over 3 years since I did some post on the first verses of the Psalms, beginning with Psalm 1. Today I am beginning a new study on the verse 2 of each Psalm or plus in some cases.  I do not think I have ever kept it a secret that I love the Hymn book of the Bible called the Psalms.  The whole of the word of God is blessed, sacred, and holy; and I love it all; even when it hurts.

I want us to consider verse one.  The link above will take you to that study.  “Blessed is the man…”  The word blessed means “Happy”.  The happiness of Adamkind is really fleeting in most cases.  We can be happy in one instant, and downtrodden, discouraged, and in despair the next.  When I speak of “Happiness” I am speaking of Godly happiness which comes from the fruit of the Spirit of God called “Joy” (Galatians 5:22).

The first key to “Happiness” is to “Delight in the law of the LORD…”  You make the word of the LORD an integral part of your thinking.  You awake every day, every morning with the desire to open the pages of the sacred book to hear what the LORD has for you to hear today, and you pick up the word to hear God speak.

The second key is that you do not just read His word, but it does become part of your decision making during the day.  You meditate on Him and His word gives you direction, conviction; both of sins committed and conviction to stand on your Biblical principles and beliefs; comforts, encourages, and strengthens you in your walk with God.

It has been one of my goals in ministry and life to get the people I pastor and lead; to get them into the reading, study, and meditation, and application of God’s word in our daily lives.

It begins with knowing Jesus Christ.  When you have Him in your heart, soul, and life you will love His word.

Forsaken for a Moment; Honored with Glory

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“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My roaring? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, O You that inhabits the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You: they trusted, and You did deliver them. They cried unto You, and were delivered: they trusted in You, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him. But You are He that took Me out of the womb: You did make Me hope when I was upon My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from the womb: You are My God from My mother’s belly.” Psalm 22:1-10 (KJV)  Please read all of Psalm 22.

I can remember the first time I read this with my eyes open by the Spirit of God.  It was a moment of awakening, and I remembered when Jesus spoke these words of the first verse as He was hanging and dying accursed on the cross of Calvary.  See Matthew 27:46, and  Mark 15:33-34.

Though these words were penned down by David, the “Sweet Psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1) they were spoken by God from the ages past when he determined from the foundation of the world to send His Son Jesus to bleed and die to pay for the redemption of mankind.

Every time I read the gospels and especially of the trial, judgment, beating, humiliation, and nailing of Jesus to that cross I find myself weeping.  To know that the Almighty God; the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Present and Immutable GOD could love me.  For many years following my salvation, coming to Jesus as my Lord and Savior I questioned His love for me.  I even doubted it at times; but in the not too distant past I came to realize His love so deep, so marvelous, so powerful, so consuming, that I no longer question, neither do I doubt God’s love for me or anyone else.

How much does God love the world?  How much does God love you?  So much that He gave the best He had to save, to redeem  us, to call us to Himself.  He gave us His Son, His only begotten Son.  His holy Son.  His Son Jesus was without sin–without spot or blemish; and He willingly laid down His life for our sin.

Now the question is;  What will you do with Jesus?

The Consequences

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“And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” 2 Samuel 12:7-12 (KJV)

David was a shepherd boy when God revealed to him that He had chosen him to be the next king of Israel.  Anointed by the prophet Samuel and by God he had a heart for God, and he loved the word of God, and His way.

David was a man, however, with many of the temptations that plague the rest of us.  He was now the king, was still at home when he probably should have been with his men on the battle field, and he had an unguarded moment.  “Unguarded” in his mind.  Distracted by his authority, his power, his kingdom.  It happens even to the best of men when they drop their guard.

Nathan the prophet confronted David with a sheep story (2 Samuel 12:1-6), and David was furious about a man stealing a poor man’s sheep.  Nathan being God’s messenger says, “You are the man.”  He had taken another man’s wife; killed the man, and now David the king was going to pay a price.

Here  is food for thought for the rest of us:  There will be a payday someday, for all the sins we have done.

There is forgiveness for our sin through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God, God the Son; but more times than not there are still consequences that come from that sin.  David’s children went bad.  A sword of death came against David’s family.  There was grave and grevious bitterness, anger in the family.

No one of us are without consequences for our sin.  Our call in those consequences, suffering in them, is to grow in the LORD and be faithful every day after, and through them all.

Christmas Day 8

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What do I want for Christmas today?

I want all to realize that even though your Church may not be having worship services today due to ice and snow the Lord is still on the throne, worthy of worship; so we must worship Him on this Lord’s Day as well as the other days we live.

God bless you all, and have a great Lord’s Day.

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man, that You are mindful of him; and the son of man, that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:3-9 (KJV)