Saturday, July 30, 2011

Psalm 105:1-4 NASB

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.  Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders.  Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.  Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually. 

There are certain exercises that are essential to spiritual life, and the Psalmist knows it and declares it:
  • Give thanks to the LORD (This builds faith muscle)
  • Call upon His name (This builds prayer muscle)
  • Make known His deeds among the peoples (This builds witnessing muscle)
  • Sing to Him, speak praises to Him (This builds emotional muscle)
  • Speak of all His wonders (This builds appreciation muscle)
  • Glory in His holy name (This builds knowledge muscle)
  • Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually (This builds every muscle)
But these are more than exercises, as if they are something that demand blood, sweat, and tears. Certainly, the will must engage itself in purpose, but these should flow out of the heart in ready and delightful response to Someone we know, love and worship.  Anyone who has walked with the LORD does not have to be convinced that He is God, that He is great, and that He is good.  If anyone struggles with this, they don't know the LORD.  Demanding?  No!  I've never thought of it that way; just as I've never thought of my ongoing relationship with my wife that way. Just because this "exercise" demands all day every day, some think it's demanding? It's called love my friend. This isn't demanding; it's sheer delight.  Are you there?  Enter into the joy of the LORD!


Friday, July 29, 2011

Psalm 101:1-8 NASB

I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to You, O LORD, I will sing praises.  I will give heed to the blameless way... I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.  I will set no worthless thing before my eyes...  I will know no evil.  Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy.  No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.  My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land... Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land...

Not much, if anything, happens in our hearts until there is the "I will".  Though we aren't saved by the will, it certainly makes it possible, for God will not do anything in us outside our will.  Many wish for some kind of experience where their Christian walk will flow out of some involuntary response to God; sort of a "I just can't help it" kind of thinking.  That's nothing but humanism, which says, like animal instinct, "I can't help what I do".  The qualities and character of the Christian life are far too valuable and strong to lower it to that kind of thinking.  In a desperate attempt to try to keep "works" out of the "grace" factor, many have taken it to the dangerous extreme of no works at all, lest somehow they ever cause "works" to trump "grace".  But the scripture bears out the truth that these run together like two rails that make a track, and if we don't ride both rails well we will derail.  The fact is, God will never do in us what we cannot help.  A laziness of the will will destroy us.  Many will continue to languish spiritually for lack of it. Put your will into it my friend!  Begin with the purpose and passion of Psalm 101.  It will take you a long way in the heart and character of vital Christian living:
  • I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, v1a (Will that when you are tempted to question God's presence.  That will put fiber in your faith.)
  • I will sing praises to You, O LORD, v1b (Will that when you are tempted to promote and bring praise to yourself.  That will put character in your humility.)
  • I will give give heed to the blameless way, v2 (Will that when you are tempted to soften your walk.  That will put steel in your backbone)
  • I will set no worthless thing before my eyes, v3 (Will that when you are tempted to watch stuff you shouldn't watch.  That will put power in your Christian walk.)
  • I will know no evil, v4b (Will that when you are tempted to love the world.  That will put strength in your loyalty)
  • I will destroy (silence) anyone who secretly slanders his neighbor, v5a (Will that when you are tempted to harm someone with your talk.  That will put vitality in your testimony.)
  • I will not endure a haughty look and arrogant heart, v5b (Will that when you are tempted to join in the worship of self-importance.  That will put muscle in your talk.)
  • I will put my eyes on the faithful of the land, v6 (Will that when you are tempted to exalt power and popularity.  That will put glasses on your shortsightedness.)
  • I will destroy (silence) the wicked of the land every morning, v8 (Will that when you are tempted to embrace the lower thinking of the world.  That will put clarity in your thinking.) 
Don't put this off for later.  Don't throw this into the never, never land of "some day".  Start now!  It's your life, for faith without works is dead.  Today is the day of salvation!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Psalm 100 NASB

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.  Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him; bless His name.  For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Have you ever thought you'd like to just kick up your heels and let it all out in one great shout of joy?  No?  Me neither.  I'm too self-conscious.  But sometimes I think it would be fun to let it all out.  I wonder what it will be like when we first see Him as He is?  How will we react?  Overwhelmed?  Yes!  I think I will feel overwhelmed with the enormity of it all.  I can't imagine but that my heart will cry out, like Thomas, "My Lord and my God!"  But in the meantime, I want my heart to overflow with the joy of it all.  Whether vocally or not, I want my life to be lived out loud:  "We are His people and sheep of His pasture... For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations."  With a God like this, certain words ought to play out in our lives with great emotion and exuberance:  Joyful! Gladness! Thanksgiving! Praise!  Maybe some shouting would be in order! 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Psalm 96:11-13 NASB

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the field exult, and all that is in it.  Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.

The Bible ought to be a real delight to anyone who likes to read the last chapter of a book in order to know the end before reading the beginning.  God gives it all away before He even starts.  This is simply a no-brainer; He wins!  From beginning to end, the end is known, and we can live in it with the expectation, excitement and joy of being a part of it with the knowledge that, finally, all will be well.  It's the greatest truth about life:  He is coming...He is coming to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.  No wonder that even the heavens will be glad, the earth will rejoice, the sea will roar, the fields, and all that is in it, will exult and the trees of the forest will sing for joy.  This is His world and every part of it will feel the amazing release, rest and change that will happen with the One who comes to set everything right. 

This is my Father's world.  Oh, let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world; The battle is not done;
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied, and earth and heav'n be one
                                                                          Maltbie D. Babcock, 1858-1901

Friday, July 22, 2011

Psalm 68:20 NASB

God is to us a God of deliverances...

I love this statement.  It's a grand declaration.  It's a great assurance.  As He is with us, so He wants to be to all people.  As we work in a world with many injustices and bondages, we have this redeeming message:  "Our God is to us a God of deliverances!"  As we have known that deliverance of God, whether from sin's bondage, Satan's wiles, or the weight of certain circumstances, we are a testimony of this great truth.  We need to carry this witness to the ends of the earth!  The Psalmist, captured by this truth, writes, "Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him," (68:4).  As I travel to various places around this world, I find people in desert experiences, with seemingly no hope.  I'm so thankful that our workers don't come into these situations with empty palaver about God, but they bring a message of the God who moves for them.
  •  a father of the fatherless (v.5a)
  • a judge for the widows (v.5b)
  • a home for the lonely (v.6a)
  • a hope for the prisoner (v.6b)
  • a provider for the poor (v.10b)
  • a deliverer from death (v.20b)
  • a scatterer of people who delight in war (v.30)
"O God, You are awesome... The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people.  Blessed be God!" (68:35).

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Psalm 68:19 NASB

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah. 

Of the "seven" wonders of our God, the God "who daily bears our burden" is truly one of them.  This never ceases to amaze me.  The language of God toward His people, both in word and in deed, is always one of intense and intimate love and attention. Who in the world merits such affection?  Not one of us, but we have it anyway.  It comes from the unfathomable heart of a God who has so much to give.  We have yet to plumb the depths of this heart, and we never will, but with so much available we ought to be continually mining such possibilities.  There is no excuse for anemic or timid Christianity.  Not with a God like this.  Our lives should be bursting out in joy and delight from the the embrace of God, for all to see that we derive our gusto for life from the God who is our life! 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Psalm 24:1-5 NASB

The earth is the LORDs, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.  For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.  Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?  And who may stand in His holy place:  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of His salvation.

We do not live on a meaningless planet.  It was placed here by the caring heart of God and remains under the ownership and concern of God now and throughout eternity.  He has given all men every opportunity to enjoy its blessings, but only for a time. In His time, He will remove from its place any who gave no regard to its Origin and Owner and it will be given to an elect group of people; those with clean hands and pure hearts.  There are no two ways about this!  It's His world and He will not give it up to sinful, deceitful, and ungrateful hearts. He knows those who are truely His and He sets them apart for blessing and justice. Ascend the hill of the LORD and stand in His holy place.  It's worth the climb!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Psalm 23 NASB

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.  Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Sadly, we have tended to relegate this Psalm to funeral readings, but it's more present and alive than that!  It's to be known and enjoyed all along the way!  And God knows what our soul needs all along the way, whether that be the nourishment of green pastures, the restiveness of quiet waters, the strength of rod and staff, or the protection of healing oil.  Whatever and whenever, He wants to restore our soul, guide us in paths of righteousness, and still our fears.  As we respond to God's profound care, we are often overwhelmed by such goodness and lovingkindness and we declare with the Psalmist:  "The LORD is my shepherd!  My cup overflows!"  This is the promise of God for His people; not just every once in awhile, but all the days of our lives and out into eternity. 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Psalm 15:1-2 NASB

O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?  Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness.

Something that has integrity is something that is functioning in accordance with its purpose without some inner resistance against that purpose.  If the engine of a car is running smoothly and efficiently, it's because it has integrity, but if anything begins to malfunction with the inner makings of that engine, it will quickly lose power and can bring everything to a sudden halt. God is looking for integrity in the soul that will cause it to function in accordance with its purpose--working righteousness (v2b).  Integrity, or "blamelessness" (as some translate this word), has to do with our relationship with God.  It has to do with holiness, or wholeness, if you will, in the inner man.  Righteousness has to do with the outer man; it has to do with the way we treat others.  In the original language it is, literally, the word for justice.  These two, holiness and righteousness, are like two rails that run together and make one track.  Anytime the church has failed to ride both of these rails well, it has gotten off track and derailed.  So, as the Psalmist understands it, and he understands it well, if we would "dwell" with God, we must speak truth in our heart (v2c), but we must also speak righteousness with our neighbor.  And the rest of the chapter has to do with some ways in which that righteousness treats others:  it doesn't slander his neighbor, it doesn't do evil to his neighbor, it doesn't take up a reproach against his neighbor, it stands against injustice to his neighbor, it will not profit off his neighbor, and it will not take a bribe against his neighbor.  The Psalmist says, "He who does these things will never be shaken," (v5).  Why?  Because this person is riding both rails. This person is well balanced.  Find that kind of balance in life.  It's a great ride!  It will serve the LORD and others well.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Psalm 1:1-3 NASB

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

There is a huge difference between a believer who has put his whole life into following the LORD, and those with lesser drives.  They are like night and day. There's a steadfastness, endurance and depth to the one, that is clearly evident in all they do.  The other heads for the shallows in their whole way of living.  You can hear it in their conversation, you can see it in their lifestyle, and you can feel it in their demeanor.  They have embraced life at a much lower level. Driven by their own ways, the Psalmist says "they are like chaff which the wind drives away," (v4).  Comparatively, there's something deeply admirable, wholesome and appealing about the other crowd; those who have found their delight in the LORD and who have found Him to be more than enough.  They aren't impressed with those who try to impress.  They don't think it important to be with those who think themselves important.  They don't feel a need to walk where they walk, stand where they stand nor sit where they sit.  This just simply isn't their crowd and they feel no loss nor regret.  They are deeply content with better things.  They have their roots down in better ground.  They drink from better waters.  They produce better fruit.  That appeals to me.  How about you?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

2 Samuel 5:18-20 NASB

Now the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.  Then David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines?  Will You give them into my hand?"  And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand."  So David came to Baal-perazim, and defeated them there; and he said, "The Lord had broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters."  Therefore he named that place Baal-perazim.

In the middle column of the NASB, it explains the name "Baal-perazim" as "the master of breakthrough".  I like that!  That's what God is:  the Master of breakthrough.  But note that David didn't attempt this endeavor without seeking God's mind for this particular moment.  Fighting the Philistines was kind of what was expected of a king of Israel, and David had just been crowned as the new king, but David sets the stage for a new day, indicating that life's demands must be brought before God for His constant direction.  This is important in our lives as well; the reason it's a good thing to begin each day with time alone with God--listening.  So many of us take the day by storm only to have the storms take us.  This is a day where much emphasis is put on leadership, strategic planning and expertise, all too often creating a cock-sureness that isn't from God, but rises out of their own sense of importance and ability, pushing us forward with a confidence that has left God completely out of the picture.  Oh, they may hold up God as a matter of creed and expectations, but not as a matter of real faith and life.  These people can seem quite impressive in their confidence and capabilities, but they're dangerous to the cause and work of God because it's devoid of God.  They build kingdoms that will not stand the test of eternity.  God help us to again wait on the LORD.  Once we have waited on Him, and have sensed His direction along the way, we can move with a different kind of confidence.  We know He has given the word and we know we can act on it, but always humbly and with a deep sense of our dependence on Him, so, when all is said and done, we know "who done it".  It's why He so connected with David.  God just simply likes this kind of person.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Psalm 106:1-2; 107:1, 9 NASB

Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.  Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, or can show forth all His praise?  ...Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting...For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

Psalms 106 and 107 are a recounting and listing of many of the failures and unfaithfulness of Israel with God over the years.  How about that for a special time of meditation:  "For this morning's devotional time, we're going to go over every failure and unfaithfulness in Hubert's past". Praise God!  Uggg!  That wouldn't be any fun.  But the first phrase, "Praise the LORD!" has nothing to do with glorifying the past sin.  It has everything to do with glorifying the God who would still seek to deliver a people steeped in sin.  Martin Luther, the great reformer, once said, "If I had been God and had been treated the way the world treated God, I would have kicked the world to pieces."  The greatest thing about God toward man is His lovingkindness that keeps Him from kicking the world to pieces.  As a writer in the New Testament put it, "He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance".  And in that God loved the world, and in that Jesus died for the whole world, we need to reach out to that whole world with the same lovingkindness He showed toward us.  That includes everyone!  Everyone!  This doesn't make God soft.  The Psalmist sees it another way:  "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good".  Amen!  We who are on the other side of this know what the Psalmist is talking about when he says, "For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good".   Now that is worth meditating on!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Psalm 103:15-18 NASB

As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.  When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; and its place acknowledges it no longer.  But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant, and who remember His precepts to do them.

As the years go by and age becomes a factor, I am much more aware of our mortality than ever before.  By comparison, I am still on the young side of older, but I am much more conscious of the incessant ticking of the clock which, with every tick-tock, announces the passing of time.  But the Psalmist notes a difference in the way time is measured.  On one hand, our days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so we flourish.  When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; and its place acknowledges it no longer.  We all have to acknowledge the certainty of this truth, but it's a depressing way to measure our time.  And, tragically, that's all most people have by which to measure their life.  On the other hand, the Psalmist says "the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant, and who remember His precepts."  My oldest daughter was going to take our three year old, and youngest, grandson somewhere.  It was a cool day and she asked him what he wanted to wear, a jacket or a sweatshirt.  Micah thought for a moment and said, "I pick candy".  I have smart grandchildren.  If I had a choice between a life whose days are like grass or a life whose days are like the flower of the field, I'd pick the everlasting lovingkindness of the LORD.  That's a smart choice!  You're going to wear the "jacket" or "sweatshirt", but why not wear it with the knowledge that you have "candy" as well?  My grandson got the candy.  God will give us the best of this world now and the world to come. What a tremendous offer!  This is the only thing that gives meaning to life.  

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Psalm 103:10-13 NASB

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

If there is one thing a disciple of Christ feels more than anything else, it's his unworthiness.  We have a very keen sense of God's mercy, knowing that He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. We have a deep knowledge that, but for His mercy, we would all have been toast.  This Psalm grasps the extreme extremity of this mercy, stating on one hand that His lovingkindness toward us is as high as the heavens and, on the other hand, that our sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west.  And, as the Psalmist says, He literally enfolds us in His compassion.  But it's important to note that the Psalmist isn't talking about "unconditional love" here.  He says, it's poured out on "those who fear Him".  This is not a truth some want to swallow, but it's an inescapable truth in God's word; that though "God so loved the world that He gave...", His love is not personally redeeming until responded to; not once, but all the time. The idea of "fearing" God carries the idea of coming to our senses and recognizing that there is Someone I am responsible to and accountable to as Someone to be reckoned with.  It also carries the idea of a grateful and reverent response welling up in full attention, allegiance and affection, with deep and constant regard for Him.  This person understands, and can sing with joy, the words C. Bishop, penned in the hymn "Such Love".  Let its truth well up in your heart all over again!

That God should love a sinner such as I,
Should yearn to change my sorrow into bliss,
Nor rest till He had planned to bring me nigh,
How wonderful is love like this!

That Christ should join so freely in the scheme,
Although it meant His death on Calvary--
Did ever human tongue find nobler theme
Than love divine that ransomed me?

That for a willful outcast such as I
The Father planned, the Saviour bled and died,
Redemption for a worthless slave to buy,
Who long had law and grace defied!

And now he takes me to His heart--a son;
He asks me not to fill a servant's place,
The "far-off country" wand'rings all are done;
Wide open are His arms of grace.

Chorus
Such love, such wondrous love!
Such love, such wondrous love!
That God should love a sinner such as I,
How wonderful is love like this!
Copyright 1929.  Renewed 1957 Lillenas Publishing Co.  

Friday, July 8, 2011

Psalm 103:1-5 NASB

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

There he goes again, the Psalmist talking to his own soul (who he is in is inner being), and recounting how good the LORD is to him.  It's so easy to get underneath the burdens and cares of this world that life takes on a weightiness; a heaviness.  Like a hiker laboring under the burden of a heavy back pack, some have their head down looking at the path alone and never enjoying the scenery around them.  It's good for the soul to often and deliberately, lift the head, look up and see the goodness of God around our lives.  If we don't, we'll end up miserable, sour old souls with nothing to speak of but how bad things are.  The soul that intentionally lifts the head and begins to recount the goodness of God in his life, will find his youth renewed like the eagle.  That's the language of one who has put their hope in the LORD.  That's the promise of God to any weary soul, that "those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary," (Isaiah 39:31).  Go out somewhere today and have a good talk with your soul.  "Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Psalm 93 NASB

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.  Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.  The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves.  More than the sounds of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty.  Your testimonies are fully confirmed; Holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore.

There is no denying the "floods", but there is no denying our LORD!  Whatever the sea throws up, "More than the sounds of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty... The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved."  Yes, you can say it.  Cry it out to Him:  "The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves!"  When our world is shaken, we need the One who is unshakable;  the One who wraps Himself around us and holds us steady and secure;  who says, "Don't worry, I have you in my firm grasp; "The world is firmly established, it will not be moved."  You can trust Him my friend; "His testimonies are fully confirmed."  He has never failed anyone and He won't fail you.  This is the grip of one whose "throne is established from of old.  He is from everlasting."   

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Psalm 92:12-15 NASB

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

God has a green thumb!  Everything He touches flourishes!  He has never bought into the idea that we are just poor human beings whose plight is to grovel in weakness and sin all the days of our life.  On the contrary!  Zacharias, prophesying of Jesus' mission, said, "that we...might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days," (Luke 1:74-75).  What a grand truth!  God created us for holiness and righteousness and He never lowered the standard just to suit some lesser thinking or living.  The problem with poor Christian living is not in the hopelessness of the soul but in the makeup of the soilSome have tagged the soul with "diseased, dying and impossible".  God takes this poor, shriveled plant and replants it in His great heart, and, all of a sudden, CHANGE!  Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green..."  Do you suppose this is what Peter was talking about when he wrote, "seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these he has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust?"  Do you suppose?  What a grand possibility!  It seems we would want to take this road rather than the one most often traveled these days.  Why not?  Perhaps then, like the Psalmist, instead of bemoaning our poor showing, we would declare, "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night, with the ten stringed lute, and with the harp; with resounding music on the Lyre.  For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands, " (92:1-4). The Apostle Paul wrote, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  The truth of the matter is, God does good work!  Put yourself under His care and let Him tend your heart.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Psalm 81:10 NASB

I, the LORD, am your God... Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

When our first grandchild, Lydia, was just old enough to be able to enjoy "adult" food, I was the first to introduce her to my favorite ice cream.  Nate and Anne were cautious parents, making sure Lydia ate only what babies should eat.  But this was the night that would change her life. We had gone out with her parents for a time of fellowship.  I was holding Lydia and I asked her mother if I could give her a taste of my favorite ice cream.  She obligingly said, "Oh Dad!  Okay, go ahead."  It was an amazing moment.  For the first time in her little life, Lydia would have the taste of her life.  Our text says, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it".  The Hebrew conveys the idea of not just opening wide, but emphasizes it by saying "wide, real wide!"  All it took was one little taste and her mouth was wide open, real wide, for more.  Sheer enjoyment on our part.  There is nothing more delightful than to feed a baby who isn't screaming, closing its mouth and twisting away from something they don't want to eat, but have their mouth wide, wide open for more.  Though ice cream may not be the food you want to raise your children on, it's a delightful thing when your child responds to the food they need, with enjoyment instead of stubborn refusal.   In our text, you have this very picture.  God wants to give the best to His people, but all He's gotten is a closing of the mouth and twisting of the head away from His offer (vs.11-12).  You can feel the frustration of a parent who can't get their child to eat when the Psalmist quotes the heart of God, saying "Oh that my people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!  ...I would feed you with the finest of the wheat; and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you," (13, 16).   God promises the best for His people and all He's looking for is the wide open mouth.  There is nothing that He likes more than to bless His people.  And like a mother that has worked hard over her families' favorite meal, there is nothing that delights Him more than to have His children enjoyng the food and fellowship.  Pull up around the table my friend and feast on His goodness.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Psalm 78:5-8 NASB

For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Scripture is bluntly honest and straightforward.  The word of God is not some sick platitude given to make us feel better.  It is an open book of the awful mess man makes as they go their own way, and the insistent call of God to sanity.  In some ways, Scripture would even make Hollywood blush; the difference being that Hollywood (the culture of our day) glorifies sin while Scripture exposes its true nature.  Hollywood attempts to make sin look stylish and sheik while Scripture uncovers its senselessness and stupidity.  Hollywood tries to make sin look beautiful and strong.  Scripture hangs sin out for what it is:  ugly and weak.  Hollywood is desperately trying to make sin normal and acceptable.  Scripture continues to reveal its absurd abnormality, shame and harm.  This is what we must boldly declare, especially to our children.  How dare they lie their way into the hearts of these, our most precious possession. We need to rise up with a vengeance and determination that we won't let them get away with it.   I had a godly professor in graduate school who told his students, "I aim to bias you!"  There should be in us an unbending and unending determination to bias our children.  My younger brother teasingly accused me, saying, "Your children are going to heaven whether they like it or not".  He saw in me a stubborn refusal to let the world win the hearts of my three precious daughters.  Though they have their own free will, and knowing Satan's ways, I will fight for their souls with everything I have, with God's help.  But it takes more than our own fierce determination. Along with much prayer, there must be in us an unquestianable demonstration, a clear testimony on our part, of the transforming and evident grace of God in our lives. The travesty of our day is that we are more like Hollywood than we are like Scripture.  We, like the "fathers" of Israel, have shown ourselves to be "a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God."  Until this changes, Hollywood has an open door into our homes.  God help us!  Yes!  God help us!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Psalm 77:7-14 NASB

Will the Lord reject forever?  And will He never be favorable again?  Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?  Has His promise (Literally, word) come to an end forever?  Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion?  Selah.  ...I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.  I will meditate on all Your work, and muse on Your deeds.  Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God.  You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

Know your history!  There is an equilibrium in those who know and understand history.  And to those with a keen eye, they quickly discover that this is His story.  That is not to say that all the bad that has happened in the world was God's doing.  Absolutely not!  But what we begin to see is that God has woven Himself into the very fabric of history, weaving together His purposes even in the mess man has created.  Unless we know our history, the present can often overwhelm us as "godless", or without God.  But it is history that reminds us of the truth of His insistent and persistent presence throughout history, thereby reinforcing in us the sense of His presence today.  It's the immediate now that can often rob us of the that sense of Presence.  Like the shudder of a camera that catches a movement we did not notice, It is history that has caught the Hand that moves over the waters of life.  As we look back and discover the Presence that is always there, we can look forward with confidence that He has not forgotten.  We can ride the storms with the assurance that the Lord will be favorable again;  His lovingkindness endures forever; His promise is unfailing;  And He is always gracious and compassionate?  Amen!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Psalm 73:1, 23-28 NASB

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!  ...I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.  With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  For behold, those who are far from You will perish... But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God (literally, "the Lord LORD, Master Jehovah) my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.

Sandwiched between two great declarations, "God is good to those who are pure in heart" and "the nearness of God is my good", the Psalmist reveals an inward struggle that almost took him down.  He became affected by "the arrogant in their prosperity" (v.3).  They seemed to have the world by the tail, with no consequences to their wicked ways.  Looking at their wealth and ease, he almost gave in to the idea that "surely in vain I have kept my heart pure" (vs.12-13).  But he doesn't stay with this wrong headed thinking long, because of one thing.  He says,  "...I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end," (v.17). The Psalmist isn't envious of people's wealth.  That wasn't the issue in his mind.  He was struggling with the combination of arrogance and wickedness, with wealth; a lethal combination for injustice in the world.  In his mind, purity of heart equaled God's present blessings and injustice warranted God's immediate judgment.  That sounds logical to our way of thinking, but the problem with this kind of thinking is its smallness and shortsightedness. God lives and moves in the realm of the eternal and, the fact of the matter is, our world is in that same realm whether we know it or not and whether we like it or not.  The problem with most of us is that we haven't grasped this; we haven't seen this.  And until we "come into the sanctuary of God" we will continue to struggle with what the Psalmist is talking about.  When he finally went into the sanctuary of God, he says, "then I perceived..."  When we do, all of a sudden we see the whole picture and are struck with the truth of the matter, that what we see and witness in our world is not the last chapter.  It is only the beginning of the rest of our eternity.  I remember the first time I consented to have my eyes checked for glasses.  I walked out of that doctor's office and everything was crystal clear.  It was amazing!  I hadn't realized how hazy everything had become.  It's amazing what God can do for our eyesight when we come into His "office"; His sanctuary; The place where He restores our vision, and we can go back out into our world with the same confidence expressed by our Psalmist:  "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!  ...I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.  With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  For behold, those who are far from You will perish... But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God (literally, "the Lord LORD, Master Jehovah) my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.