wicked

Wicked Workers, and the Work of the LORD

/ Tim A. / 1 Comment

“Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them, and not build them up.” Psalm 28:3-5 (KJV)

To be drawn away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity would be drawing the Psalmist into the pits of hell. That was not his heart, nor his destiny.

The heart of the Psalmist is already established in the LORD. He calls the LORD “my Rock” his faith is in Him, and in no other.

The “wicked” are those who are deceived by their own lust, they are morally corrupt, they are ungodly, wicked, and condemned. These are they who speak well of their neighbors to their face, but will destroy them with an opportunity to prosper at their expense.

The “workers of iniquity” are the wicked. Their endeavors and their words condemn them. They have no regard for God. When the rain falls they are unthankful to the One who alone gives the rain. Of the “Operation of His hands” Spurgeon in the Treasury of David has written,

God works in creation – nature teems with proofs of his wisdom and goodness, yet purblind atheists refuse to see him: he works in providence, ruling and overruling and his hand is very manifest in human history, yet the infidel will not discern him: he works in grace – remarkable conversions are still met with on all hands, yet the ungodly refuse to see the operations of the Lord.

His hands, and His operations are great. He is Awesome and glorious in all His ways. He is in the operations of the universe. He holds the earth on her axis, and the planets and stars in their place. If He were to remove His hands everything would fly apart, and explode into pieces. Do you O sinner not see His mercy? Do you not see His grace given in the sending of Jesus Christ His holy and blessed Son; dying on the cross for our sin debt? O condemned one you need not be “drawn away” with the wicked. Through Jesus Christ He will give you a new heart, and a new life.

When Others Speak Against You

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“Hold not Thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.” Psalm 109:1-2 (KJV)

How do we respond when we hear others speaking against us? When we  hear that others have said something against us?  It happens, it will happen, or it is happening now.  None of us are immune to this.

David’s response was by going to the One who holds us in His hands.  Lies often fall empty on a life that is lived for the glory of God.  The truth will win out.  If not in the courts  of men, it does in the courts of the guiltless heart of the individual; and in the Court of heaven.

I will go to God of my praise, and rely on Him for my defense.  He will not be silent.  He will defend; He will oppose; He will destroy the lying tongues that oppose Him.

When others speak against you; PRAY to God through His Son Jesus Christ.  He will hear you.

Prolonged Days???

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him: but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days,which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.” Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 (KJV)

Some may consider it a sad thing for a preacher of God’s Word to say what I am about to say, but I am telling you how I have felt about the book of Ecclesiastes for many years.  I have found it troubling, troublesome, awkward, hard to understand, even confusing at times.  I have always understood that the final verses of it gives us its best understanding.

In the past few days Ecclesiastes has been a part of my daily reading.  I must say that the LORD has spoken to me more clearly through the words of Solomon in this past week, in Ecclesiastes than all the other times I have read it.

Solomon was considered to be the wisest of men in his time, in the days following; is still the wisest of men; except of course, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Looking at the verses above he sure had that right.

Those words are an encouragement to all who are righteous that just because evil men or women seem to prosper, and live long lives doing it does not mean they are blessed.  There are righteous people who are not prosperous, and who do not have prolonged days on the earth; however; they will live forever in the presence of holy GOD, and will dwell in His presence forever.

What makes a man or woman righteous?  Scripture tells us

“There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”  Romans 3:10-11

Righteousness is a gift of God come by God’s grace.  The righteous are those who “fear God”.  We are also told by Scripture…

“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”  1 Corinthians 5:21

We are all sinners without hope, and God sent His only begotten Son [Jesus] to pay our sin debt.  Jesus Christ the Son of God and God the Son became our sin, took the wrath of God upon HImself – upon the cross of Calvary – suffering our shame, our guilt, our judgment, and put away our sin forever.  He was buried taking our sin away.  He bodily arose showing, declaring that death’s victory was no more.

Solomon was a very wise man.  Righteous people need not fear what lies ahead, or question why the evil men prosper.  Not all evil men or women prosper.  All prosper best when we come to Jesus Christ through His cross.