Forgiveness

I forgive you. There is so much power in those three simple words. Yesterday at church during the meditation time prior to being served communion our pastor made a simple declaration. When he said it he spoke with the authority of scripture. Though the words came from his mouth and in his voice in reality it was the voice of God who spoke. He said, “I just want you to know this morning that you are forgiven.” He was explaining a simple fact that if you call Jesus Lord and by faith you believe that He died on the cross for your sins, then you are forgiven.   But the truth is so many of us Christians do not really accept that simple truth. We walk around in despair carrying the chains of guilt. For some of us its past decisions and lifestyles that we hang on to which take away our joy. Failed marriages, hurtful things we did to someone who maybe has since passed away and can no longer be corrected, or maybe a past abortion. For others of us it’s the struggle against our sins that weigh us down. Our addictions just won’t go away no matter how hard we try and no matter how many programs we complete. For some of us it is our own lack of forgiveness to others that have imprisoned us into the cell of bitterness.   But the simple truth is that if you are a Christian then you are forgiven. To not accept that fact can mean only two things. Maybe your confession of faith isn’t real. If that is the case then get on your knees right this very moment and confess that to God and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and then begin a life dedicated to Bible reading and prayer. Go to church and seek counsel and friendship of the body. Get baptized if you did not ever take that step of obedience. The day of salvation is today and the Bible is clear.   Romans 10:8-13 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."   But what about those of us who have made the commitment to Christ and we still just cannot accept forgiveness? Far too often I have heard people say “I just cannot forgive myself” or “My sins are far too bad to be forgiven?”   If you are truly Christ’s then you need to confess and repent because to say those things is to call Christ a liar. To call Christ a liar is to reject the truth and authority of scripture. Romans 3:4 disputes this saying, “By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."   It’s not about you and it’s not about what you can do. God through His mercy and grace has chosen to forgive you. But that forgiveness came with a price. The price was that God loved you so much He sent His Son to come down from the glory of the heavens and to forgo His own glory to be shamed, beaten, and then crucified. God took our punishment and allowed it to be inflicted upon His Son, Jesus Christ, so that God’s justice will be satisfied once and for all.   John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.   Friends it is finished. You are forgiven. So the question today is this, what will you do now? You can continue on buying the lie of Satan and live out life in despair. Or you can rise up out of the water and live a new life having been born again. You can take the gift God has for you and go out and share it with others or you can hide it away in a closet like an unused dress. It’s up to you. But I can assure you no matter how vile you are that if you ask Jesus to be your savior, then you, my friend, are forgiven.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 13, 2015 - Day 150 - Psalm 150

I have a t-shirt from the Smoky Mountains that says “The Journey Is the Destination.” Certainly my journey into the Book of Psalms was each day, a destination of its own, but today marks the end of that journey. Psalm 150 is an appropriate ending to this quest. It is a short compilation of what the basic premise of the Psalms is; which is praise. For the Christian praise it is not an option.

Psalm 150:1-6
Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Unless you are dead you should be praising the Lord and if you are Christ’s you will praise Him for all eternity. It doesn’t matter where you are or what is going on, you should praise God. Why? How can you praise God in the midst of tragedy? The answer lies in Romans 8:28
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” All things it says. If you believe that then you must praise God.

Thank you for reading these words I have shared over the past 5 ½ months. I hope you have been as blessed by the Psalms as I have. Praise God. Amen.

A special Praise to God for having blessed me with the writings of Jon Courson, John Phillips, and Warren Wiersbe, all of whose commentaries I used in this work.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 12, 2015 - Day 149 - Psalm 149

There seems to a natural repulsion in most of us to change. We like things to be constant. We get settled in our ways. Maybe this is why so many avoid becoming a Christian and why so many of us Christians become stale in our walk. Christianity is about change; radical change. Jesus is pretty clear about what it means to be His disciple. He said this in John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'” How much more change could there be than there is being “Born Again”? Psalm 149 begins with change.

Psalm 149:1
Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!

There is a new song to be sung. If we decide to follow Jesus then cannot sing the same old stuff we sang before.

Psalm 149:2-3
Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

Like Israel was chosen by God to be the special nation in a special land, the church has been chosen to a special people with a special journey. Sometimes it is hard as we walk this life to act special. It can be hard to remember to praise God.

Psalm 149:4-5
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.

Where do we turn so often when depression and despair hits? It is our beds. They can become that place we think we can escape and where we can sleep away our troubles. But the medicine for our despair is to sing for joy on our beds. It is praise that must be flowing out of us as we go to bed, if we awaken in the night with insomnia, and when we first wake up.

Psalm 149:6-9
Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the LORD!

The world looks hopeless. All the stuff every night we see on the news is just heavy and sad. It is easy to see Satan and his evil minions are busy as they lead people away from God. But for us who are willing to trust God there is a fact. Jesus is coming back and when He comes there will be radical change. Hear the prophecy of this coming day.

Revelation 19:11-16
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is coming back and when He does there will be change the like no man has ever seen. So we can praise God for we know one day soon injustice will become justice and this world of lies will become a world of truth.

Until Jesus comes with this Sword there is still work for us to do. The same Sword by which He will judge the world is in our hands right now. We can use it to make radical change in our own lives. It is the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

As Christians we need to sing a new song, but to do that we need change. God’s Word is all we need to do that. Why not open His Word this very moment and let Jesus divide your soul and your spirit. Then we can praise the LORD! We can sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 11, 2015 - Day 148 - Psalm 148

Sunday mornings find many across this land attending the various churches in the many neighborhoods of our nation. Some will go to church for their children, some for their parents. Others will go because their spouse asked them to. There are many who will go because they are lonely or they are hurting. There are even some who will go because it good for their business to be seen in the community as one who attends church. But if there was one true reason to attend church that reason is to be found in Psalm 148. We are to praise and worship God. Every single aspect of God’s work in creation is called to worship God. Take a few minutes this morning and hear the words of the psalmist.

Psalm 148:1-14
Praise the LORD!Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!

Praise the Lord this morning for it is He who has given you life. It is He who gave His one and only Son to come down in humble submission and suffer and die for us so that our rebellious and sinful lives could have a sure hope that when this life passes we can spend the rest of eternity in His presence basking in the light of His glory. Praise the Lord! Let all creation sing, Praise the Lord.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 10, 2015 - Day 147 - Psalm 147

Sometimes it is hard to just keep going. Mornings come and it is hard to get out of bed. Life can wear you out. It can seem as if the world has just broken us down. Sometimes it is hard to find a way to praise God and be thankful. Psalm 147 reminds us of why we should praise God.

Psalm 147:1
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

It pleases God to hear our praise.

Psalm 147:2-3
The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Praising God is the best way to react to our feelings of despair.

Psalm 147:4-5
He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

Sometimes things seem hopeless. But when we sit back and ponder who God is then we can begin to believe in the hope He offers. In the modern world we live in our cities and towns light up the night. This keeps a veil over the stars. When I was a boy you could lay down and the grass and stare up at the night sky and see an unbelievable vast array of stars. Now you need to get away from the city to see this. Man estimates how many stars there are. God knows the name of each and every one. If He can do that then He certainly knows what ails you.

Psalm 147:6
The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.

Unlike modern psychology which preaches self, God wants us to know we have no right to self esteem for everything good comes from Him. Humble yourself before Him and you will find joy.

Psalm 147:7-9
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.

Again the psalmist reminds us it is God to whom we owe our praise.

Psalm 147:10-11
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

The days we live in are violent and evil seems to be thriving. So people buy guns. Nations build armies. God is not impressed. God is not impressed with how much we can bench press or how fast we can run. He laughs at the men who think their mighty tanks and their fast jets are what rule the world. In reality God is sovereign and it is He who allows governments and nations to rule.

Psalm 147:12-15
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat. He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

The only peace we shall ever know is His peace. This world was made by His Word and it is sustained by His Word.

Psalm 147:16-18
He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

He even controls the weather. He does it by His Word.

Psalm 147:19-20
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!

Only one literal nation will God preserve and that will be Israel. In Romans Paul explains how God gave them the very oracles of God. But Jesus has a bride. It is the church. It is our job as His bride to live for Him. We are to submit to Christ and to those who have humbled themselves before Him come the greatest blessings of all. Praise the Lord for He is worthy. Praise the Lord for it pleases Him.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 9, 2015 - Day 146 - Psalm 146

How often we hear people say they are thankful. But for those who deny the existence of God to what or who do they thank for their very existence? In whom do they place their faith that the sun will even come up tomorrow? Christians, in whom or in what are you placing your trust in? Let us praise God today, for He is the giver of all good things. It is He who created us and He who sustains us. Psalm 146 begins the final series of Hallelujah Psalms which will bring the Book of Psalms to its conclusion. It is a lesson on who to trust and thus who to worship.

Psalm 146:1-2
Praise the LORD!Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

I join the psalmist and commit the rest of my life to praising God; to thanking Jesus for my life and my salvation.

Psalm 146:3-4
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Who do you trust? Do you trust your government? Do you trust your stocks? Do you trust your doctor? Can any of these people or things assure you complete success in what they offer? Men are just mortals and they have no control over life. Your money can burn up in a heartbeat. The so-called financial wizards have not one bit of control over what happens in life. Your doctor cannot heal you. Your psychologist just helps you cope. Jesus heals.

Psalm 146:5-8
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

Jesus created this world by speaking His Word. He heals the same way. He upholds the universe. There is no man nor worldly system or religion that can save you in this life or the next.

Psalm 146:9
The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

We are not residents of this country or this world. We are sojourners and God watches over us.

Psalm 146:10
The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

The only answer to every single problem of man is Jesus Christ. He made us and He can heal us. To those who humble themselves and fall before Him confessing their own weakness comes eternal life. Let us praise Him today and forevermore. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 8, 2015 - Day 145 - Psalm 145

We talk a lot about what we will do in heaven. Everybody seems to have their own little concept and usually we all want the things important to us here to be there. But the truth is the main point of heaven and of our very presence there will be to praise God. The psalms of the Bible are filled with praise but Psalm 145 may just be the ultimate praise psalm.

Psalm 145:1
A SONG OF PRAISE. OF DAVID. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

Not only has David decided to praise God for ever, he has humbled himself before God and made Him King of his life.

Psalm 145:2
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.

David committed himself to daily praise. So must we. Make everyday Thanksgiving Day.

Psalm 145:3
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

If we really believed verse 3 then we would never have to question Him. Why does God do this or why did God let that happen? God’s ways are greater than ours and sometimes the answer is just above our understanding, but God is good and all His ways are good as well.

Psalm 145:4
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

We must share the legacy of God with our young.

Psalm 145:5-7
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

Take time each day to just mediate on God. Think about the creation and its beauty. Muse over the power of a simple atom and remember God spoke that into existence. Sing out the greatness of God.

Psalm 145:8-9
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

It is a testament to God’s mercy and grace that he has not just wiped us all off the face of the earth. Yet God even provides food and warmth and life to those who mock and ridicule His very existence.

Psalm 145:10-12
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

One day every knee shall bow to Jesus. Why wait until it’s too late to do so on the wrong side of eternity?

Psalm 145:13-16
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

God is so patient with us. If you are down and lying in the mud and slime of the pig pen He will raise you up.

Psalm 145:18-19
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

But God will not force Himself upon us. We must call out to Him in our need. To fear Him is to revere Him. If you call on Him and are willing to relinquish control of your life to Him He will hear your cry and save you.

Psalm 145:20
The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Jesus is coming back and when He does there will come serious judgment. It will be eternal judgment.

Psalm 145:21
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

David was as messed up as any man can be. His sins were many and they included murder, adultery, and lying. Yet God loved Him and called Him a man after His own heart. David knew God and understood the wonderful mercy and grace God is willing to give. So he repented and he devoted his life to praise. Let us carry on that work. Let us begin today and bless His Holy name forever and ever.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 7, 2015 - Day 144 - Psalm 144

The history of America is an interesting story of a people who in the beginning believed God was behind their success. In God We Trust is the inscription that we see on our money which is in itself a bit of irony. Americans today for the most part do not trust God. It is the almighty dollar that drives every act of the American way. David wrote Psalm 144 and in it declares that it is in God that he would trust. We would do well as both a nation and as individuals to do the same.

Psalm 144:1-2
OF DAVID. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

Study the American Revolution and behind the victory you cannot help but see God’s hand. George Washington was a great man of prayer. He was ready to concede defeat as he was watching his brave men die for what appeared a losing cause and it was too much for him to bear. But out of defeat God brought victory.

Psalm 144:3
O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?

David asks the question. Why God do you even care about us?

Psalm 144:4
Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

We have nothing to offer God; all of it is His.

Psalm 144:5-8
Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke! Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them! Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

The power of man pales in comparison to God’s power. David understood this and rather than trust in himself or his army, he trusted in God.

Psalm 144:9-10
I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you, who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.

David was also a man of worship and praise.

Psalm 144:11
Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Men are liars. Satan is the enemy and the father of lies. Our battle is a spiritual one. It requires spiritual warriors.

Psalm 144:12-14
May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace; may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

Imagine the change we could make as Christians if we returned to having big families. What if we brought up so many Christian children that our schools were dominated by the Word of Christ lived out in them? But what has happened is that we bought the lie of Satan. We are afraid to have children; afraid we can’t afford them. But what we are really afraid of is trusting God. We have put our trust in those coins and those bills that say In God We Trust, in reality we just don’t exercise our faith. In the mean time the Muslims have moved into our neighborhoods and are filling our world, our country, and our schools with false religion. They are having big families while the Christians have one or two. This is no accident. America will one day be dominated by the Muslim faith.

Psalm 144:15
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

David knew and he is teaching us today. The only way to happiness is to make Jesus Lord. It is time to return to our roots. It is time to live it out and return to In God We Trust. It is time to be fruitful and fill the earth with the love of Christ.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 6, 2015 - Day 143 - Psalm 143

If David were alive today I am sure he would be given the diagnosis of Bi-Polar Manic depression. Being one who possesses that title, I can relate to David. He suffers so often from despair. At times he seems about ready to give up. He sins and he knows it. He hates his sin and he longs for more for himself in terms of holiness. Often David feels alone. Often David feels desperation and fear. Yet in the blink of an eye he turns from his depression and seeks God. He worships and praises. He finds his solace in God and is a man of faith. He prays as if it’s the very breath he lives on. Psalm 143 is but one more example of why God calls David “a man after His own heart.”

Psalm 143:1
A PSALM OF DAVID. Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

David does not appeal to God on the basis of his own righteousness but on the basis of God’s.

Psalm 143:2
Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

Paul would echo this thought in Romans 3:10 saying “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Psalm 143:3-4
For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

Like David we have an enemy that persecutes our soul. Satan surrounds us and he tempts us into darkness. He reminds us of our sins and our failures. Satan wants us to be overwhelmed in spirit.

Psalm 143:5-6
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

When depression overtakes us and the enemy surrounds us we need to stop and remember Jesus. We need to remember what He did on the cross. We need to mediate on the many promises of scripture. We need to stretch forth our hands and thirst for the one who provides living water upon which if we drink deeply of will quench every thirst of our souls.

Psalm 143:7-12
Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge! Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

We need to pray like David did. David seeks God in the morning. It is wise counsel to make your first act of the day as you awaken to be prayer. Praise Him as soon as you wake up. Cry out to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you that your righteousness can only be His righteousness imputed to us by Jesus. Don’t even give the devil a chance to have your day. Give it to God first thing. Be a servant of God and then no matter what you face the rest of the day you can know God is right there and He will carry you through.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 5, 2015 - Day 142 - Psalm 142

There are times in our lives when we just feel alone. These feelings can come up on us even while we are surrounded by people. Sometimes even the people closest to us seem to us as if they are plotting against us. Even if these are just unfounded feelings exasperated by a spiritual attack or if those closest to us really are out to get us, the result is that we get depressed and troubled. David wrote psalm 142 while hiding in a cave, all alone and with a physical enemy. But for us as Christians we know that our real battle is spiritual as Paul informs us in Ephesians 6:12 saying, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” The answer is the same for both David and us; prayer.

Psalm 142:1-2
A MASKIL OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN THE CAVE. A PRAYER. With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.

A maskil is a psalm that instructs us. David instructs us here to not only pray, but in certain times we must cry out to God. There are times of prayer when we silently speak to God but there are also times when we should pour out our complaints through our spoken voices. This is how to tell your troubles to God.

Psalm 142:3
When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

Like David we often have fallen deeply in despair feeling like traps are set before us. Sometimes it seems we can do nothing right. God sees that. He knows our plight.

Psalm 142:4
Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.

David was alone. Loneliness breeds fear and despair.

Psalm 142:5
I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

In truth we are never alone. God has promised to never leave us not will He forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

 Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to live in us when He ascended back to heaven.

 John 16:7
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Psalm 142:6
Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!

David understood what Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The first step is humility; admission of our utter helplessness.

Psalm 142:7
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

When I read these words of David I cannot help but think of the church. We need to be involved in a good church. It has taken me years to understand this wisdom; I will never find the perfect church. I will disagree with some doctrine and some policy. I probably won’t think all the decisions made by the leaders are right. If I look hard enough I could find plenty of excuses to church hop. But if I find a church and seek out the friendships of the saints I will always have encouragement. Christ lives in each and every believer. I must leave my cave and spend time with the saints for they are one way God answers prayers of despair. They may not always look righteous but if they are Christians they, like me, are righteous by the covering of the Blood of Christ.

So today if you are in a cave: cry out to God. Give thanks to His name. Ask Him to send the righteous to surround you. Let God be your refuge. Amen.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 4, 2015 - Day 141 - Psalm 141

In Hebrews 4:16 we are told to come boldly to the throne of grace. The word used in that passage speaks of our approaching God with confidence and assurance. The second half of that passage explains why we should dare to approach our creator with such audacity. It is so that we may obtain mercy and find grace in our times of need. God wants us to come to Him in prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God. David’s relationship with God transcended the way of the Old Testament which allowed only the High Priest to approach God and in a very specific way. David was not a priest by the order of Aaron as required by the law. David had a faith that took him past that and into the way of the New Testament made way by Jesus at the cross.

Psalm 141:1-2
A PSALM OF DAVID. O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

David came boldly and simply to God offering prayer that was so pleasing to God it was like the sweet smell of incense and with the reverence of a sacrificial offering.

Psalm 141:3-4
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!

David came with a repentant heart seeking God’s power to change his heart for he knew if his heart was right his behavior would follow.

Psalm 141:5
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

Most of us cringe at rebuke. We do not want anyone to criticize us. David asked God to send someone to him to bring correction. This is why God could look at such a man with so much sin in his life and still call him a man after God’s own heart.

Psalm 141:6-7
When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

David prayed for his enemies and he let God be their judge. We need to follow this way for it is what Jesus commands us to do. We are to stay away from evil but we are to pray for the evil man to be saved from God’s wrath to come. It is God’s work to bring vengeance on the wicked. It is our work to be light to them.

Psalm 141:8-10
But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.

David was not having a blind eye towards evil. Wicked men were chasing him but rather than asking God to give him the ability to destroy his enemies he asked God to just keep him safe from their plots. David sought refuge in God and part of resting in God is allowing God to be the judge and the one who brings the judgment.

The secret to living out this life for us as the Disciples of Christ is to take refuge in Him. Have faith in God and trust in His timing for the Day of Judgment will come. We must spend our days in bold prayer. We must learn, like David, to be praying that we don’t fall into the traps of Satan, which are designed to drag us into the gutter with the evil ones and to be filled with the same rage and anger they are. Our hope is in His mercy and in His grace.  

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 3, 2015 - Day 140 - Psalm 140

It is a violent world we live in. There are people who want to hurt you and take your things. When David wrote Psalm 140 he also lived in a violent world. As we should do, David called on God for protection.

Psalm 140:1-6
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!

Though we live in a literal world of danger the true battle is not physical but spiritual. Though our enemies appear to be simply men in reality scripture teaches us that there are spiritual realms we cannot see and though modern man denies their existence, there are demonic beings which are behind the plots of man. Ephesians chapter six enlightens us to this fact.

Psalm 140:7
O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

As people of faith God has provided us armor for protection. The Helmet of Salvation as spoken of in Ephesians 6:17 speaks of something much greater than a physical helmet. It speaks of our secure position in Christ that provides a future guarantee of eternal life with God. This guards our minds and protects them from mental breakdown due to worry and anxiety because it means that man can do nothing to us on this earth other than move us closer to Jesus. We need not fear what mortal man can do to us if we wear that helmet.

Psalm 140:8
Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot or they will be exalted! Selah

David prayed his enemies would not be successful in their evil plots. Then he prayed what we call an imprecatory prayer.

Psalm 140:9-11
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise! Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

David lived in the age of law; we live in the age of grace. Our desire right now should be that of our Lord Jesus which was to take the power of the Gospel to the wicked and vile of the world. Our prayers are that they find salvation in Christ.

Psalm 140:12-13
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalm 140 ends with a glance at the future. Jesus is coming back and when He does He shall bring the sword of justice and judgment will fall upon those who reject Him. David lived amongst evil and violent men. So do we. Until Christ returns He expects us to growing past our fear and growing past our pain and our anger and to heap coals of fire on our enemies through love and through the Gospel. This requires faith. Look to Jesus today for the faith to be like Him, the one who even while dying on the cross was pleading with the Father to forgive the very ones who mocked Him, beat Him, and murdered Him.

 

 

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 2, 2015 – Day 139 - Psalm 139

We have all played hide and seek as children but sadly there are times when we think we can hide from God. We cannot. Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful scriptures of the Bible and in it we see a glimpse at just how awesome God is and how important we are to Him. In it we learn that He not only knows where we are at all times; He knows what we are thinking. But even better we learn that He truly is with us no matter where we are.

Psalm 139:1
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

We are so important to God that he searches us out and studies our very being.

Psalm 139:2
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

He knows our thoughts.

Psalm 139:3
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

He knows our actions.

Psalm 139:4
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

He knows what we are going to say even before we say it.

Psalm 139:5
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

We cannot escape God. He is omniscient.

Psalm 139:6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

We should stop trying to explain God and simply enjoy Him.

Psalm 139:7-8
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

We cannot run away from God’s presence. Even death will not remove us from His presence. He is omnipresent.

Psalm 139:9-10
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Man likes to think he is in control. “I am the captain of my own destiny” men say. God says no. We cannot take one single step that God has not allowed us to take.

Psalm 139:11-12
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

We like to think the darkness will cover our sins. The light of God exposes us.

Psalm 139:13-15
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

God made me. He made you. He knows every bit of our being. Sometimes we think we need to change who we are so we can be like someone else. But God made us in our own uniqueness. The only person we need to be more like is Jesus. Our life should be about becoming like Jesus not some movie star or athlete.

Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

The sovereignty of God is complete. Our finite minds are unable to understand how this works. We like to speak of free will. We should be speaking of His will.

Psalm 139:17-18
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

There is no end to the depths of God and His thoughts. Yet each of us is on His mind constantly. He is with us.

Psalm 139:19-22
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

Again we cannot understand all of God’s ways. We want God’s enemies to be destroyed. And it is right to hate evil.

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

But hating evil and hating people are two different things. We must ask God to search out the truest motives of our hearts and reveal them to us. Then we must die to our selfish ways and let the love of Christ dwell within our hearts. We must resign the captaincy of our destiny and let God have the wheel. This may mean our ships will travel through storms at times. But in the end when we have let Him take the wheel we will come out of the storm with a deep and abiding faith. He will lead us in the way everlasting.