THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 8, 2014 - Day 116 - Psalm 116

Though I was not raised in the church and my parents were not followers of Christ during my childhood I was blessed by God to have been loved by both my parents. My father, though a rough and tough man who I cannot ever remember telling me he loved me, did something that maybe was even better. He lived his life in a way that modeled love in action instead of through talk. My dad’s love for people was unconditional. As I look back and remember my dad I cannot help but see Christ in the way he loved people. Most of us are not like that. Most of have love based on how we are treated. Most of us love God in that way.

Psalm 116:1-2
I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

So often we go about our lives not giving God more than a passing glance. We don’t mind going to church on Sunday as long as the sermon is short. We don’t mind serving God as long as it’s on our terms and doesn’t interfere with our busy schedules. We don’t want to read His Word because it tells us how to live. We pray half-heartedly if we pray at all. Until something really bad happens or until we are in a dangerous and scary spot, then suddenly we want Him to be there.

Psalm 116:3-4
The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!"

Praise God that He loves us simply because He loves us.

Psalm 116:5-6
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Think back on your life and remember how many times God has preserved you from danger. Keeping a prayer journal is a great way to see the Lord’s faithfulness.

Psalm 116:7-8
Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;

Faith must be exercised for it to grow. Trials and sorrows are the weight training exercises of our souls.

Psalm 116:9-10
I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, even when I spoke, "I am greatly afflicted";

We will say we trust God yet we continually look to men for the solutions to our problems. Then when we let each other down we seemed shocked. The Bible is clear that as humans we are sinners. We are not trustworthy and it is a mistake to put your faith in man and his ways.

Psalm 116:11
I said in my alarm, "All mankind are liars."

Our hope is in Christ. But the word hope in our world expresses an unsure desire that something might happen. But hope in Jesus is a sure thing. God cannot lie.

Hebrews 6:17-19
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain…

How must we respond to this love God has given to us so freely?

Psalm 116:12-14
What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

The one thing the world is most afraid of is death. Even us Christians seem to fight death with all of our being. But hear the Word of God.

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Could that verse be any clearer? While we cling to this life God finds our death precious. When a young parent dies leaving children on this earth we groan in our sorrows and ask why. But God rejoices that another one of His precious children has come home to the place they were created to be. Death for the Christian is the beginning of eternal life in the presence of Almighty God. It is not to be feared nor is it to be resented; it is to be celebrated.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

The Christmas season is particularly hard on those of us who miss our loved ones who have passed on. That need not be if we have all served God by leading others, especially our own family and friends, to a saving knowledge of Christ. We should be proclaiming the love of Jesus all year round and we must gather together encouraging each other as we worship and praise God.

Psalm 116:16-19
O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

We are free from the fear and the bondage of death. We are free because God loved us so much he sent Jesus to take the penalty of death from us. Life on earth is a precious time but it is short. Live it out in joy and do not fear death. Anchor yourself to Christ for He is a sure and steady anchor.

Amen.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 7, 2014 - Psalm 115 - Day 115

In our world today we hear a lot about a lack of self-esteem. But I don’t see that, instead I see a wealth of self-esteem. It is all about me. On Facebook people have picture after picture of themselves. We even call them selfies. Americans spend millions on beauty supplies and fancy clothing so we can look good. Even in ministry we pat ourselves on the back way too much. God is very clear in the Bible; the glory for all good things belongs to Him. Psalm 115 reminds us of that.

Psalm 115:1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

God’s love is perfect. It is steadfast and unlike people, we can trust in His faithfulness.

Psalm 115:2
Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?"

The non-believers in our life will ask that question. Where was your God when my child died? Where was God when I lost my job? Sadly many Christians will ask similar questions when life gets hard. How many will perish in eternal damnation because they rejected God simply because they don’t understand the problem of suffering. First of all God does not owe us an answer but He provides it in His Word.

Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

So people reject God because they don’t understand Him or the things He does and allows. Instead man makes His own gods. He makes his gods to be the kind of god he wants.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

Israel’s greatest problem was idolatry and it is ours as well. But to those who by faith trust in Christ comes an inner peace that transcends understanding.

Psalm 115:9-15
O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great. May the LORD give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!

Everything is God’s but for now He has given dominion over this earth to man. But man chose to give it to Satan when man rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden. Now we have a mess.

Psalm 115:16-17
The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.

Something happens to those who give up on trusting in themselves and trusting in man. When we turn to Jesus and surrender our own life to Him the chaotic world we live in no longer scares us. Instead we find peace and we learn patience. We wait on the return of Christ and while we wait we do His work in His power and give Him the glory. We praise God in the good times and the bad.

Psalm 115:18
But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!

Stop looking in the mirror and wondering if you look ok. Stop looking at TV and wishing you had his physique or her bikini body. Stop trying to convince anyone especially yourself that you are ok. Without Christ I don’t care how good you look, how powerful you sound, how much money you have in the bank or how many degrees from college you have, in reality you are simply a sinner in need of a savior. Find your esteem not in self but in who you are in Christ. Then give Him the glory.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 5, 2014 - Day 114 - Psalm 114

The power of God is something we Christians often talk about. We know we should walk this earth doing great things for God and we know the Bible teaches us we must do this in His power yet for the most part that power seems to elude us. Nestled neatly within Psalm 114 are the lessons on how to live in the power of God’s Spirit. What we find here is three prerequisites needed to obtain that power.

Separation is the first principle for obtaining the power of God.

Psalm 114:1
When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

The world speaks a strange language. The world will tell you how it is all about you. The world speaks of man’s intellect and man’s psychology as if man has figured out the human psyche. Does the world look like it has solved man’s emotional problems? Just yesterday in St. Louis County a man drove to his father’s place of business and beat his own dad to death with a baseball bat for no known reason and then sat next to him until the police came and arrested him. The irony of this death is that the dad was a doctor who provided psychological consultation services to the staff where he worked. Man does not understand the human mind and never will. Yet many of our churches turn to psychology in their programs of counseling and in their recovery programs. God speaks to man in His Word, the Bible. It speaks a different language than the world and the world cannot understand it.

1 Corinthians 2:12-16
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

If we want God’s power we must trust in it and in it alone. We must separate ourselves from worldly wisdom and seek God’s wisdom.

The second principle for obtaining the power of God in our lives is that of sanctification.

Psalm 114:2
Judah became his sanctuary…

A sanctuary is a place where one can safely dwell and to the Christian it is a place where God dwells. But God will not dwell where sin abounds. Our sin separates us from Him. The process of sanctification is the process by which through the Spirit we become like Christ. Sanctification is the process by which we grow away from our carnal nature. God wants us to repent and He wants us to be holy. When our heart sets its desire for sanctification then we will grow closer to Him in relationship. Through that process we find God giving us more responsibility in His Kingdom which in turn brings God’s power to accomplish His purposes through us.

As John Phillips so wisely states, “Separation sets us apart from the world while sanctification sets us apart for God.”

The third principle for obtaining the power of God is surrender.

Psalm 114:2
Israel his dominion.

If we are not willing to give God the reins of our lives He will not empower us with His power. The Bible is replete with the lessons of submission.

A great example of how we fail in our efforts to break the bondage of sin can be seen in the way we often misquote scripture. Most of us have read or quoted the verse from James 4:7 which instructs us to “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Yet we fall right back into the devil’s same trap so often. The problem does not lie with God’s Word, it did not fail us. The problem is we forget to read the entire passage which says “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The secret of the power of God over Satan in our lives is in personal submission to God. That means obedience to all of His commandments not just the ones we like. This means we ought to be reading his Word so we know how we should submit. God will not give his power to us if we refuse to be submissive.

The rest of Psalm 114 tells us the results of having God’s spiritual power. When God’s power is evident in our life then the world will see us differently. What a witness we make when we live in His power through His Spirit dwelling in us.

Psalm 114:3-4
The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

It was the sea that threatened the exodus of the Jews from their Egyptian captives. Egypt in the Old Testament is a symbol of the world and its hold on us. The Red Sea is the bondage that holds us from escaping. For some that is sex, for others maybe its drugs or alcohol. Maybe it’s many things but the bottom line is that we all have our Red Sea. But the power of God can part the Red Sea. The power of God can let us escape from our Egypt and then destroy the Egyptians that threaten our growth. God’s power can make us invincible against the world.

Psalm 114:5-6
What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?

What happened at the Red Sea has no natural explanation. It was the power of God. When we live by God’s power instead of our own power we are no longer vulnerable to the world and its temptations. We are in a war Christians. For the unsaved it is a battle for their souls, but even the Christian, whose soul is eternally secured by Christ at the Cross and sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit, is at war.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

The power to demolish strongholds can be ours. Yet our churches remain filled with broken people who cannot escape their addictions. This does not have to be. We have divine power to demolish those strongholds. It does not say we have power to manage them or to medicate them but it says we have divine power to destroy strongholds. Destroy means they no longer exist.

Psalm 114:7-8
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

When is the last time you trembled at the presence of the Lord? If you cannot answer that question then it’s probably because you have not followed the three principles this psalm teaches.

Separate yourself from the world, do not compromise. Sanctify yourself. Commit yourself to a life of holiness. Submit to God. If we do these things then the power of God will come down upon us and we will fulfill what Jesus spoke of in John 14:12

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

When Jesus left the earth He sent His Holy Spirit to live in each of us who are His disciples. I don’t know about you but its time I start living this out. Will you join me?

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 4, 2014 - Day 113 - Psalm 114

Hallelujah! What happened to that declaration? It is a word that used to ring out from congregations across this world. The last time I heard it was years ago on a Wednesday night while I was repairing the phone line at a small all-black church in north St. Louis during their evening service. I suspect they still yell it out at that church but in my neighborhood the only time I hear it is when we sing Christmas hymns. It should not be that way.  

Psalm 113:1
Hallelujah! Give praise, servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.

Psalm 113 begins with the word hallelujah and it ends with the word hallelujah. We are servants of the living God who sits high above us and deserves our praise. This is the first of a series of psalms called the Great Hallel. They are Israel’s chorus of hallelujahs. They were sung throughout the year and at all the annual feasts.

Psalm 113:2
Let the name of the Lord be praised both now and forever.

In the Old Testament the Jews revered God’s name. The greatness of God was revealed in the names He was called by. Take a moment to praise Him as you look at the list:

•El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)

•El Elyon (The Most High God)

•Adonai (Lord, Master)

•Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)

•Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

•Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

•Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

•Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

•Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

•Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

•El Olam (The Everlasting God)

•Elohim (God)

•Qanna (Jealous)

•Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

•Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

•Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

And of course we cannot forget the name God told Moses to call Him by in Exodus 3:13-14

“Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!

We are to praise the name of God all day long. And why?

Psalm 113:4-6
The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?

We praise Him for there is no other name by which we have life.

Psalm 113:7-8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.

Jesus said this to the poor in Luke 6:20-21
“Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be filled.”

Then He said this to the rich in Luke 6:24-25
“But woe to you who are rich, because you have received your comfort. Woe to you who are full now, because you will be hungry.”

He would go on to warn the rich that it is hard for a rich man to receive eternal life for he tends to trust in his riches and in himself.

Psalm 113:9
He gives the childless woman a household, [making her] the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!

God is the giver of all life. This is why we praise Him. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. This is why we praise Him. His mercies are new every day and our salvation does not depend on our own righteousness. God loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us and to those who by faith believe that receives the free gift of eternal life. This is why we praise Him day and night.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 3, 2014 - Day 112 - Psalm 112

What is the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian? Obviously the most common thought would be their eternal destination and certainly that is the most important difference but Psalm 112 provides a look at the differences between them in this life. It is a companion psalm with Psalm 111. Psalm 111 focuses on the savior and Psalm 112 on the saint. Who is a Christian? Let us take a look.

Psalm 112:1
Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!

Psalm 111 ended with the statement that it is the fear of the Lord which brings wisdom. Psalm 112 opens with the same idea. To be blessed is to be happy. Take note that it is the one who delights in God’s commandments who is blessed. This is one good reason to read our Bible daily.

Psalm 112:2
His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

I did not raise my children in a Christian home. I believe they are all finding their way to living for Christ but the man who raises his children by God’s way is establishing a generational pattern that will bring blessing.

Psalm 112:3
Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.

In the Old Testament the covenant between God and Abraham did promise material wealth. Jesus did not make the same promise to the Christian in the New Covenant. This was because in truth wealth and riches do not bring happiness. Solomon found this out and I suggest if your lack of these things is causing you doubt in trusting God you should read what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes. At the end this is what Solomon’s conclusion was. Solomon learned what Jesus lived; it is only through obedience to God’s commandments by which true happiness will be found.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Psalm 112:4
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

The world is a dark place. But the Christian lives in the light of Christ. As the moon reflects the light of the sun in the dark night, we too are to reflect the light of Christ into a dark world.

Matthew 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Psalm 112:5
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.

The Christian is to share the financial blessings God has given us. To be like Jesus is to give freely but also to be fair and just to all people.

Psalm 112:6
For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.

Many people have worldly fame. Some may be remembered on this earth for a long time but where will they be for eternity when this earth is no more? God will know His children forever. To have an eternal perspective is to be able to stand firm no matter what we face.

Psalm 112:7
He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.

The news is filled with tragedy. But as Christians we know a hope that is sure. We can trust in Christ no matter what happens to us or around us.

Psalm 112:8
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

 The Christian does not need to fear anything. We know that whatever man does to us on this earth will be either avenged or forgiven. We let God be the judge. This frees us up to love people without fear. This is why missionaries can move to dangerous lands and share the Gospel.

Psalm 112:9
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.

The Christian who is not tied to his possessions finds a freedom no other man can know. It is possible to live in poverty here and be filled with joy for the reward will be eternal.

Psalm 112:10
The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

True Christianity is hated because it convicts the wicked. Until we know the same hatred the world had for Jesus we can know we have not yet attained our goal of being Christ-like. Is the love you show for others the kind of love that makes others uncomfortable? The world hates Jesus because He is a humble man who was willing to sacrifice His own life for the lost. The Christian is a man or woman who has the same desire.

Psalm 112 has shown us what our goal is as Christians. We must love the Lord, we must love His Word. The Christian who lives with grace, goodness, and Godliness will live his life in security, bad news will not shake him, and his hope will be in the good news of eternity. Praise will be the continual cry of the Christian. Obedience to the commandments of Christ will mark his life. This will set us apart from the world and they will not understand how we can live in a dark world yet not be moved from our faith. Then we can shine the light of Christ to those who live in the dark.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 2, 2014 - Day 111 - Psalm 111

Why should we worship God? Psalm 111 is a guide to worship. It answers that question and it reminds us of how deserving God is.

Psalm 111:1
Praise the LORD!I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

There are two types of worship; public and private. We go to church to worship God as His people. There we sing songs to exalt the name of Jesus, we pray together as the church, we remember His work on the cross, we bring our offerings, and we hear His Word spoken. All of these things must have at their core the purpose of worship. But if we just go to church on Sunday to worship Him and forget Him the rest of the week we are not properly worshiping.

Psalm 111:2
Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Daily Bible study and reading will remind us of how great and mighty our God is. If we truly find delight in God why would we not want more of Him beyond Sunday morning?

Psalm 111:3-4
Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.

There is so much to be thankful for in our lives but even if we are so depressed and brought low by our circumstances the work done at Calvary is enough to bring us to our knees in praise.

Psalm 111:5
He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

God is our provider. He not only feeds us physically but He has given us Jesus to feed us spiritually and He has sent the Holy Spirit to live in us to remind us of Christ and to teach us how to follow Him.

Psalm 111:6-8
He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

In the Old Testament we read story after story of God’s power saving Israel in spite of overwhelming odds. The New Testament is filled with the same promises for those who trust in Christ. We can trust in His works and we can trust in His Precepts. Though we are not bound by the law we would do well to follow its basic tenets. If we simply had a society that lived by the Ten Commandments we would not be in the mess as a nation that we are. That is why our founding fathers posted them in our buildings.

Psalm 111:9
He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!

What Jesus did on the cross has forever solved our sin problem. The name of Jesus has the power to save us and to keep us so that though we fall short, our names can be written in the Book of Life never to be blotted out.

Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Despite all its technology the world is no better off. Man thinks himself smart but he has not solved the problems that have always and will always plague our society. Pride is the downfall of man. He thinks that he can do it himself and does not need God telling him what to do or how to live. Until Jesus comes back this world will be a mess. But that should not hinder us from having the abundant life Jesus promises us. Turn back to God’s Word. Practice obedience to His commandments as laid out in the Bible. If you do that your fear of God will not be the kind of fear that scares you; it will be the kind of fear that allows you to trust in Him no matter what the day brings. Fear will be manifested in reverence. That is what God deserves; our reverence. You cannot properly worship God if you do not revere Him. Are you struggling to worship as you know you should? Then open His Word and spend time with Him. Discover how holy He is. Discover how just He is. Discover how powerful He is. Discover how loving He is. You will see that God is perfect in all these things and you will see that there is no hope in man and his way. Then you can fall to your knees, lift your hands to God, and worship Him like never before.

THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - December 1, 2014 - Day 110 - Psalm 110

There seems to be this thought that a Christian need not be a theologian but if the definition of theology is simply the systematic and rational study of God then why would we not desire to be theologians? The most basic tenet of theology for the Christian is to understand is who God is. Since as Christians we choose to follow Christ and be his disciples then we must also understand that Jesus is not just a great teacher and a nice loving person as the new agers like to call Him but that He is God. He shares the same attributes as the Father as does the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. Psalm 110 is a micro lesson on the theology of Christ. It is the most quoted of all the psalms in the New Testament.

Psalm 110:1
A PSALM OF DAVID. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."

Though David is the author of this psalm it is a beautiful example of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in David’s writings. David has recorded a conversation between Jehovah, which speaks of God the Father and Adonai, which speaks of God the Son. Take a moment to grasp the concept that the Holy Spirit is allowing us to eavesdrop on this conversation.

Psalm 110:2
The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!

The word scepter also translated as rod reminds of God’s power. Think back to how Moses was empowered by God through the rod by which he was able to perform the miracles against the pharaoh and then by which the Red Sea was parted and Israel escaped their captivity. It was the rod which Moses held up to bring victory over the Amalekites. Now it is Jesus who holds the rod that represents the power of God. He rules in the midst of our enemies.

Psalm 110:3
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.

We the people, the church, are God’s hands and feet. We are called to give up ourselves in service to God. We are God’s army in this day, serving as priests in the battles of this age. 2 Corinthians 10:4 reminds us of the battle saying that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 

Psalm 110:4
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

Before Christ there was an order of priests called the Levites who were called to the work of the priesthood. But that was merely a shadow of the coming Messiah. The significance of Melchizedek is that it was not possible for a priest to also be a king in the Old Testament law but when Christ came He is the true Melchizedek. Jesus is the great high priest and the king.

Psalm 110:5-6
The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us. We need to stop for a bit and take hold of that. Jesus is right now interceding in prayer for you and for me with God the Father. This is why I say we must be theologians. We must understand what is happening right now in the Heavens. We mess up every day and we sin against God. But Jesus, the creator and sustainer of this entire universe is talking to God the Father about us personally. He is talking to the Father about us by name. He is securing our position for all eternity.  Listen to the words of Paul from the letter to the Romans.

Romans 8:33-35
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

If you are Christ’s then your salvation is secure. It is not based on one single thing you and I do or say or even think. It is based on what Jesus did on the cross. If Jesus is interceding for us and the Father has given Him the title of eternal priest then how could that ever be lost by us?

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 110 closes with an interesting statement about Jesus.

 Psalm 110:7
He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Jesus is coming back and when He comes we know from the scriptures He will come with judgment. But until then we live in the age of grace. I think this verse speaks of the humility of Christ who came down from the glory of heaven to “drink from the brook”. He came and He lived as a man which provides us the comfort of taking hold of the fact that everything we face He has faced as well. Our God is not some distant god who rules like a king hidden in his castle but He is a God who dwells with us and is willing to stop and drink from a brook alongside us.

Philippians 2:4-11 is the New Testament exposition of this verse.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That, my friends, is a simple theology of who Jesus is. You don’t need seminary degrees to understand it. You just need Jesus and the Holy Spirit to put it in your heart and in your mind. Thanks and praise to God who loved us so much, in spite of our rebellious nature, that He sent His Son, our Melchizedek, to die for us and to be both our King and our Priest forever.