February 2, 2020 -- Psalm 119:103 -- The Word of God like honey

How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:103 English Standard Version

Honey is one of my favorite sweeteners. I love it in my coffee in the morning. It is amazing how a little bit of it instantly makes the coffee much sweeter. A spoonful of honey helps soothe a sore throat. A bit of honey seems to linger on the taste buds lightening the eyes and the mood.

For the psalm-writer it seems that the honey sweetness of the word is enough to dispel the bitterness of trials. The honeyed word makes his circumstances more bearable. The word lingers on his tongue and just a little bit is already so expressively flavour-filled, packed with goodness.

Beloved in Jesus Christ, consider how rich the entire word of God is. According to II Corinthians 2:14-15 we are the fragrance of Christ to the world around us. To those who love Jesus we are sweet fragrance—as honey is sweet to the tongue, so fellow believers are sweet to the nostrils of other believers. We are drawn to one another and love to linger with other believers. Conversely, those who are dead in their sins and trespasses, find the scent of Christians offensive.

Fellow believers, linger in the word of God. Spend time reading small portions and meditate on it. Ask yourself what do these words mean, here in this context and in the whole sweep of Bible history? By all means, also read large chunks of the word of God. Know the stories and characters, see glory of redemption history where our God and King has raised up salvation for us in Jesus Christ. See how God, from the earliest days has set apart for Himself people from whom the Savior of the World would descend. Know that God has restrained evil and provided sweetness in Jesus Christ.

Thank You, God, Source of all good gifts for the aroma of Christ. Thank You for parents and teachers, Sunday School teachers and family members who told us the sweet, sweet story of Jesus. Thank You, Spirit of Truth, for leading us along the pathway of peace—instructing us by the written word and by Your presence so that the jasmine-laden airs of salvation waft all around us drawing us deeper and closer to Him, Who is the Desire of all Nations. Triune God, help us to serve You with all we have and all we are, so that tributes of praise flow to Your throne and the sweetness of our salvation in Jesus will be irresistible to all whom You have called to the banquet-table of life everlasting. Amen.

January 30, 2020 -- Psalm 119:102 -- Paths of thankfulness

I do not turn aside from your rules,

for you have taught me.

Psalm 119:102 English Standard Version

One of my practices in preparing these devotions is checking out the original language. In this case the original language is Hebrew. And then I’ll look at other translations of the text. Here it is a bit odd because the ESV, the version I use for my personal devotions, is rather different in its word choice than other translations. Where ESV has “rules” other translations use the word “ordinances” or “judgments”.

The point is that God is the Just Judge over all the nations. He has determined the guilt of all those who refused to walk in His ways. The judgment of God is this: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Those who place their trust in Jesus Christ have that judgment set aside and are judged “not guilty” of all the sins they commit. Christ became the sin-bearer. Christ Jesus became for us the Lamb of God by Whose death our sins were punished and in Whose righteous life we have been credited with a life approved by God. Simply put, the Father sees Jesus’ perfect life and credits this perfection to our account. The Father accepts Jesus’ sacrifice as if we had been punished for all our sins—Jesus voluntarily put Himself in our place.

The psalmist is rejoicing in the judgment of God. The psalmist is keenly aware of his own sinful behavior. We have seen it in previous verses. In verse 36 he recognized unless God moved his heart he’d be chasing selfish gain. He knows his soul clings to the dust—to the ways of Adam, his forbearer, the representative of our race who led us all into sin. So he knows he needs the life which can only be supplied by the Spirit of God—verse 25. On and on it goes, we are sinful creatures, shown unceasing grace by God for the sake of Jesus. It is by faith we take these truths and plant them deep in our heart. It is by faith we walk according to the law of God and keep His commandments.

These commandments guide our thank-filled living. We cannot earn our salvation. Believers do not add one thing to their salvation. Jesus paid it all. Jesus is lifted high as the glorious One. He is credited for bringing us to salvation. Our response is ever, only “thank You! You saved a wretch like me. Though I am unworthy, I give all I have and all I am in service to You.” Even our response of thanksgiving is something we need to have taught to us in the Word of God. Our own inclinations and thoughts of how to serve God are flawed. What mercy God shows us in setting us on the pathway of peace.

Spirit of God, we are fully aware of our sins. We know that we belong to You, Faithful God, and still we are inclined to sin. We work as if we think we need to earn the love of our Father in heaven. Forgive our waywardness. Spirit of God, give us the assurance of the fullness of the salvation that is ours in Christ. Spirit of God, continue to teach us by the Bible. Spirit of God continue to direct us in the ways of thankfulness. Triune God, in our lives, in our homes, and in this world—be glorified. Amen.

January 29, 2020 -- Psalm 119:101 -- Restraining ourselves from every evil path

I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.

Psalm 119:101 English Standard Version

What the psalmist is declaring is his on-going intention to live in the path of peace. In the New Testament we read:

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation,

the old has passed away, behold, the new has come’

II Corinthians 5:17 English Standard Version

Though we are new in Christ, we still have the old patterns of behavior. The psalmist is restraining his feet from going along the evil pathways. He is recognizing the insistent pull of wickedness. Evil is all around. The invitation to sin is a constant siren sound that beckons the heart and mind. The devil seeks to wear us down with his repetitive, persistent calls to sin. Our own lusts and patterns can betray us and draw us into sin.

What can break this?

The word of God can help us restrain our feet from evil—we are taught right from wrong. The world will not capable of determining what is good because the world is in rebellion against the Living God.

The Spirit of God applies the word to our hearts and minds and keeps us from sin. Pray for the strength of the Spirit to keep our feet from going in the direction of evil.

The love of God constrains us—so 119:64 teaches us. Because we are surrounded by the love of God we are drawn away from the world, from the lusts of the flesh and the temptations of the enemy and we are drawn to Him Who loves us.

May God our King move us by His love to forsake our sin. May the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ—His bearing the punishment of God against sin in His body—humble us and direct us in an out-pouring of dedicated love. May the Spirit of God help us, poor, oft-sinning creatures though we are, to return to God again and again in true repentance from our sin and direct our feet in obedience to the will of and Word of God.

High King of Heaven You are the Ruler of the Cosmos, the Guardian of all that is just and good. Spirit of the Living God, break down the strongholds of sin and cast out every idol that sets itself up against the reign of Christ in our hearts. Renew in us the wonder of this great gift of salvation. Fill us with Your love so that it brims to overflowing in us in order that obedience to our Lord will continually restrain our feet from every evil path. Amen.

January 27, 2020 -- Psalm 119:100 -- More understanding

I have more understanding than the aged,

for I keep your precepts.

Psalm 119:100 English Standard Version

For Hebrew culture this is a very rude statement. To claim more understanding than an elderly person is quite disrespectful. In our particular stanza, the Mem Stanza, there is a pattern developed by the writer. He is stating that the laws and commandments, the precepts and rules of the LORD are the only principles that are sufficient to guide us in every stage of our life—at rest and at work, in one’s youth and old age. So the psalmist is noting that grey hairs don’t necessarily mean someone is wise. The mark of wisdom, for a person of any age, is great devotion to the LORD our God.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, encouraged his followers to live and die well. In sharp contrast to the people of this age, Christian believers know their life is bound up in Jesus Christ. As Paul so boldly wrote: “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Our lives will be filled with all kinds of trials and smooth times, upheaval and questions and the life centred on Jesus Christ does not fear the storms or place too much confidence on the good times. Believers know everything can change in an instant and the only constant in our life is Jesus and His grace poured out on us.

The word of the LORD is firmly fixed in the heavens. Our confidence is anchored in Jesus Christ, the revelation of God. Jesus reveals the Father to us. Jesus’ Spirit is poured out on believer so that we know the Word of God is absolutely trustworthy and reliable. All of us, every person, places his or her ultimate trust in something—all these things will fail, all these theories will be disproven—the only absolutely sure foundation that can be trusted by all people in every age is Jesus Christ. May you know the joy of His salvation. May you have the glorious confidence that nothing can steal your joy or rob you of the awe-filled worship and wonder in store for His followers in eternity.

King Jesus, radiance of the Father’s glory, may the words of the psalm-writer become ever more true in our lives. Let Your Spirit direct our hearts and our obedient faith in Your Word. May the life we live in this world be informed and illuminated by the glory that is yet to come in the paradise of Your Presence in eternity. Amen.

January 24, 2020 -- Psalm 119:99 -- More understanding than all my teachers

I have more understanding than all my teachers,

for your testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:99 English Standard Version

One commentator on this Psalm, Brian Borgman, believes this it was written by Daniel. The prophet Daniel belonged to one of the leading noble families of the people of Israel. In his youth he was carried off into exile. He maintained his faith and steadfastly trusted in the promises and the providence of the LORD his God. He learned the language of Babylon. He was instructed in all the wisdom of the Babylonian Empire. On many occasions it was made obvious to the king of Babylon that Daniel’s wisdom was greater than all leading wise men of the Babylonian Empire. Even when the law was passed that all the people of the empire had to pray to the King rather than to whatever god they served, Daniel faithfully prayed to God Who is the King of Kings and LORD of lords. Daniel’s enemies promulgated that law with the intention of capturing faithful Daniel and taking him out. Yet the LORD spared Daniel and these men themselves were thrown down.

While I still firmly believe this Psalm was written by David, I also believe it is and has been cherished by saints through the ages. Again and again it is proved to be true. The understanding of those who trust in God the Father have more insight than all their non-believing teachers. This was true and will ever be proven true.

Those who meditate on God’s testimonies increase in faith and see the creation as the handiwork of the LORD Who created the heavens and the earth in six, 24-hour days and on the seventh day giving the great gift of Sabbath.

Those who meditate on the Word of God see the unity of the Old Testament and the New Testament. This unity is fixed on Jesus Christ—Who reconciles lost sinners to God the Father. Lost sinners become a new creation. Their the old, sinful nature is put to death.

Those who meditate on the testimonies of God have an answer for all who challenge them. They are prepared to speak of the glories and excellencies of the Living God. It is the Spirit of God Who takes the deep truths of God written in the Bible and plants these deep in the heart of the believer who spends time meditating and praying over these truths. It is not mere intellectual games and trivial pursuits to know the Word—it is for the believer life and joy. The testimonies of God are wisdom beyond all that which is possessed by the secular rulers of any age.

Increase our hunger and thirst for Your Word, Living God. As You fed Your people manna in the wilderness and supplied water to them in the desert places, let Your Word be for believers our food and the Living Water that wells up in us to eternal life. Spirit of the Living God teach us to savour the written Word, spending time thinking about it, exploring it and trying to understand it. Spirit, Counselor of all true believers, by the written word lead us to Jesus Christ, our heart’s desire and our intellect’s greatest treasure. As we defend our faith may we do so with humility that disarms our enemies, intrigues our teachers and is inviting to family members and neighbours so that hearts may be won to glorious knowledge of and obedience to Jesus Christ. Amen.

January 23, 2020 -- Psalm 119:98 -- The Commandments as running shoes

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

for it is ever with me.

Psalm 119:98 English Standard Version

The King James Version puts it this way:

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies:

for they are ever with me. (Ps. 119:98 KJV)

Notice the slight, telling, shift in emphasis between these two translations. The KJV makes it clear that it is the LORD Himself Who makes His people wise. He uses His commandments, the instruments of instruction for our life for godliness, as the tools for forging this wisdom in us.

There is a wry joke among hikers who travel in bear country. “Says one hiker to the second hiker: ‘Why are you wearing those nice running shoes instead of your usual hiking boots?’ Hiker two replies: ‘That way, If we encounter a bear, I don’t have to run fast, just faster than you. These babies will help me accomplish that’.” The point is this: the bear will take the slower, easier target.

The commandments of God are the running shoes which carry our feet swiftly from the threats and entanglements of evil to the refuge of God our Savior. The commandments of God help us to discern the times we live in, and the plots and potential for ruin which lurk around the corner. The commandments of God remind us there is a God Who is both Judge and the Avenger of His Name. Wrong will be judged and completely overthrown. At the Judgment Seat the saints and sinners will behold the victory of our God and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord, He IS right, true Who restores all things equitably. Finally, the commandments of the LORD are ever with us. Our enemies will eventually grow tired, they won’t be able to keep up with those who are running in the path of God’s commandments. While the enemy is dogging our heels it is the Law of the LORD which directs us, guiding us in the very core of who we are. This law is illuminated by the Spirit and by this same Spirit of Power we are empowered to run to the arms of Christ our Savior, by Whose blood we are reconciled to God our Father.

Our enemies won’t always be with us. Trials will one day end. Sufferings can not take away our victory in Jesus Christ. As Isaiah the prophet said it:

The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

(Isaiah 40:8 ESV)

Look to the word of God and see it is mighty because of the Glorious LORD of Power and Dominion, Honour and Wisdom Who spoke it, Who defends it, and by it brings His people to victory over all enemies, even sin and death and the grave. Ah, blessed are You LORD our God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

Spirit of Truth it is tempting for us to keep our gaze fixed on our trials, our enemies and the very things which would defeat us. Break through and turn our stares from looking in all the wrong places. Spirit of Truth, turn our full attention and trust to the glorious Word of God and His great commandments. Help us to discern, Spirit of Power, the great victory of Jesus Christ. Teach us how His victory has become our own through faith in Him. Spirit of Wisdom, lift our eyes to see the vision of all that is to come, where God our Father welcomes us into the kingdom of the Son He loves and all Your enemies and ours face their ultimate end. Remind us that one day we will see how even our trials and all we suffered was used for Your glory and our edification. You will show us how You were forging in us the knowledge of the glory of Jesus Christ and the fact we were brought through the forger’s fires, purified and strengthened for service to You, Triune God. As Your completed workmanship, Radiant Majestic Sovereign, we will then be fit and fully prepared to worship You and delight in Who You Are as we celebrate all You have done. Amen.

January 21, 2020 -- Psalm 119:97 -- Learning to love the law of the LORD

Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:97 English Standard Version

Here the word “law” is Torah. Torah is usually used in reference to the first five books of the Old Testament. Exodus 20 contains the Ten Commandments; Deuteronomy repeats the Ten Commandments and gives many instructions on the way of the LORD. Moses, inspired by the Spirit of God, directs the people as to how they should live in the Promised Land. Leviticus gives many instructions on the various sacrifices necessary for the people of God. All these laws point the people of God in the direction they should go so that they are distinct from the pagan people who surround them on all sides.

The very first verse of Psalm 119 reminds us that the way of blessedness is found in walking in the law of the LORD. Verse 2 declared blessed those who keep God’s testimonies and seek Him whole heartedly. Each step, each activity, from the moment one rises to the end of the day can be a paean of glorious praise to the High King of Heaven. When one spends time thinking of God, investigating His law and, and looking to Him for the direction of one’s life then the natural outflow of this will be keeping His commandments, loving His law and focusing one’s heart and mind on Jesus Who leads us to our Father in heaven.

The truth is, many of us find this verse weird. We don’t love the law of God. We aren’t seeking His direction every moment and in all things. We cannot fathom what this poet is trying to teach. If you are curious about this, no doubt the Spirit of God is working in your heart. If you wonder what this can mean, ask the Spirit of Truth to lead you to understand the significance of these words. Pray that the Spirit of Truth will give you both the will and the courage to put into practice the things He shows you.

A word of caution is appropriate here. No doubt changing the course of your life will have consequences. Your spouse or your friends, perhaps your co-workers, will be surprised that you no longer do the things you used to do. You will find your old sinful patterns and habits pushing up against you harder than usual…because you are fighting against them for the glory of God. Know this—the same Father Who is the source of every good, has given us Jesus Christ—Who prays on our behalf at the Father’s right hand. Jesus, Who was tempted in every way, but was without sin, knows how the flesh is weak. Trust that the Spirit of God Who has stirred up this curiosity in you, will also give you all you need to withstand the queries and challenges you face because of your newfound desire to follow in the law of the LORD.

Ultimately, it is not a set of rules you are following. It is not joyful bean-counting—do this, avoid that, watch out for those things—instead, meditating on the law of the LORD means fixing one’s eyes and heartfelt devotion on the King of kings and LORD of Lords and honouring Him alone. Obedience reveals to our hearts and minds: we are sons and daughters of the God Whose glory fills the earth and sky.

Spirit of the Living God, what the psalmist describes—loving Your law and meditating on it all the day—is something that is intriguing me and stirring up a longing I can’t quite understand. Give to me, Holy Spirit, both the will and the courage to practice the things You are showing me. Change me from the inside out so that my life reflects the radiance of Jesus Christ and brings glory to our Father in heaven. Prepare me, Spirit of Wisdom, for the push-back of my co-workers and friends. Steel my will so that I won’t be too self-conscious and pull back from following in the way everlasting. Thank You, Jesus, for seeking after lost sheep like me and patiently bringing us to Your healing grace. Amen.

January 19, 2020 -- Psalm 119:96 -- God's Limitless Perfection

I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Psalm 119:96 English Standard Version

This verse first hit my radar about a decade ago. It was a strange verse to me at first. Those who read these blogs…and have really good memory…will likely know I have reflected on it before and refer to it periodically. Beyond that, it is a verse that rattles around my brain periodically, something to be savoured and enjoyed. The translation for this verse that I really love is:

To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless. (NIV)

Whatever, in our human experience, is perceived as perfect is passing. Think about it. Whoever wins the title for the best body builder will the next day or the next week be just a shade out of peak show performance readiness. This body builder will age and what was once hailed as a perfect body will go the way of all flesh, dying and decaying.

Perhaps you have seen people who use cosmetic surgery to enhance their features and fight the ravages of time? This used to be something almost exclusively associated with women. Today more and more men are getting vanity surgeries in order to enhance their features. Have you ever seen someone whose hands are showing signs of being quite aged, whereas their face seems garishly-and-out-of-place youthful in comparison? Perfection is not even discernable in the rear-view mirror in that case.

Scripture teaches us that this world is wearing out like a garment (Isaiah 51:6). Over against this the LORD declares:  “But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never be shattered.” (Also Isaiah 51:6). Only the LORD is perfect. Only His perfections last forever. Those who seek the LORD have a quest that is ever more glorious, ever more fulfilling, ever more boundless. The commandments of the LORD draw us up to see the face of our Father through the radiance of the Son by the powerful saving work of the Spirit in us.

Rather than restricting us, the commandments of the LORD lead us in the pathway of life. The commandments of the LORD are the directions given us by the LORD Who made the heavens and earth—the One Who made these and us, knows where our souls’ satisfaction can be found. These commandments do not earn us His love. In love He predestined us for glory (Ephesians 1). We are not adding to our salvation—the LORD has saved us. He has rescued us from death. Only those who are known by Him desire to follow Him and praise Him. So these commandments direct us in thankful living. These commandments are coaches showing us where we are still engaging in practices which are detrimental to our development and growth in faith. These commandments are communal and mutual so that as a Christian community we can work together, worship together and serve together despite our failures and imperfections because our eyes are fixed on our Perfect King.

Lord Jesus, You have commanded us to be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. You walked this earth. You know the corruption of the human heart. You know the forces of evil at work in the institutions of the world and in the spiritual realms. You, Jesus are Perfect, the shield of all who take refuge in You! We confess our sinful indulgences and our waywardness. We confess our seeking after perfection in the decay and immorality of our age rather than seeking You. Spirit of the Living God, help us to lean in—heart, soul, mind, and strength—into the commands of Jesus, the way of limitless perfection. In our lives, be glorified God of all Perfection and beauty Amen.

January 17, 2020 - - Psalm 119:95 -- God's Truth against Wickedness

The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

but I consider all your testimonies.

Psalm 119:95 English Standard Version

Where are the wicked? Where are those wicked people who lie in wait to destroy the faithful follower of the Living God?

1. They are in the church. Jesus reminded us that the wheat and the weeds grow up together. When they are little sprouts, it is impossible to pull one out without affecting the other (Matthew 13:24ff). Don’t be surprised to know that wicked people are in the church as well as outside the church.

2. The wicked are in the world. The world is not neutral: Ephesians 6:12. The public school system is not neutral. The government is not neutral. All the powers of the world are infected with the sins of this age and those who follow Jesus Christ will face hostility.

3. The wickedness of the world and the enemy infects our hearts. Romans 7 Paul speaks so poignantly of the fact he wants to do good and instead the very good he wants to do he leaves undone and the wickedness he would avoid, this is what he does.

Thanks be to God, He rescues us from this body of death. Thanks be to God He sends His Spirit to guard us in the way everlasting.

The testimonies of the LORD hold up a mirror to the church and show us the need for the power of forgiveness which Jesus Christ gives us. It is the power to allow for true and deep community among people who are broken and reaching for the grace of Jesus Christ.

The testimonies of the LORD unmask the purposes of the world and agencies, governments and people in power. There is no one person who will lead a political party who could possibly make all things right. The government is on the shoulders of Jesus Christ—He is ruling at the right hand of the Father and He will make all things right at the final judgment.

The testimonies of the LORD reveal our own hearts and their divided intentions and purposes. We would serve the LORD, but we serve ourselves. We want to be whole-heartedly His…but all too often we go our own way and wake up, once again in our old patterns of sin. As Psalm-writer declares it: I consider Your testimonies. Paul anchors such testimonies on Jesus: “who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:24-25a)!

God of Truth—we confess that we are blind to our own wickedness. We need Your testimonies. God of Truth, let the Light of Christ and His Word shine out so that we will discern wickedness in ourselves, in our world and in the Church. Let Your Word direct us into the love of Christ, the forgiveness of our LORD and life everlasting. Thank You for the rich salvation. You have given us. Thank You for all that is in store because of Your mighty, unstoppable grace. Amen.

January 14 2020 -- Psalm 119:93 -- The Precepts of the LORD and the Fear of the LORD

I will never forget your precepts,

for by them you have given me life.

Psalm 119:93 English Standard Version

According to Deuteronomy 17:18-19 when a king is raised up in Israel, this man must write out a copy of the book of the law and read it all the days of his life. so that he may learn the fear of the LORD. King David is declaring he will not forget the precepts of the LORD—having recorded God’s law, he will read it each day. What a glorious practice this is for kings.

What are you doing so that the precepts and laws of God guide you every day? What keeps your heart in line with the will of God? When we are faithful in reading the Word of God the Spirit of God takes this Word and applies it to our hearts, to our minds and to our souls. We understand exactly what Jesus taught us: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent'“ (John 6:29). Whereas the kings of old and the prophets and priests searched out the Old Testament; we are given the glorious completion—the Old and the New Testaments which together point to Jesus Christ and in Whom we have new life.

It is important that we understand this key concept, found in Deuteronomy 17: “the fear of the LORD”. The fear of the LORD motivated the King to write such a Psalm. The Fear of the LORD inspired the king to walk in the precepts and laws, rules and judgments of God. The following quotation comes from Ligonier Ministries:

Yet the fear of the Lord described in Proverbs 1:7 is the fear of a converted person, a reverent love that understands God’s grace toward the sinner who trusts Christ and who wants to do what is pleasing to the Lord. This kind of fear recognizes the Lord’s character and His holy love. C.S. Lewis’ illustration of this love in The Problem of Pain helps us understand the kind of fear we should have toward our God. His love is not “a senile benevolence that drowsily wishes you to be happy in your own way, nor the cold philanthropy of a conscientious magistrate, nor the care of a host who feels responsible for the comfort of his guests.” Instead, it is “the consuming Fire Himself, the Love that made the worlds, persistent as the artist’s love for his work and despotic as a man’s love for a dog, provident and venerable as a father’s love for a child, jealous, inexorable, exacting as love between the sexes.” This description of God’s love is thoroughly biblical and moves us to see ourselves for who we are, to look for cleansing, and to worship Him in His purity and grace (see Isa. 6:1–5; John 20:24–28).

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/fear-lord/

Ah, fellow sojourner, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, may our souls be stirred to such a vision of the majestic holiness and power of God so that our lives are lived in the whole-hearted reverence of and wonder-filled fear of the LORD. In Him alone do we have life that is rich and full now because of the cross. In the strength of the Spirit we have life that will reach through all the ages long.

Sovereign LORD, let Your precepts be our guide. Let the glorious work of Jesus Christ be our delight and song, our devotion and prayer. Spirit of God, help us to believe and so overcome the stubborn resistance of our hearts and fleshly desires. Spirit of God teach us to lean into the new, full, resurrection life that is ours in Jesus Christ—Amen.

January 12, 2020 - - Psalm 119:92 - - Guided in delight by the Law of God

If your law had not been my delight,

I would have perished in my affliction.

Psalm 119:92 English Standard Version

What a concept—the law of God as the delight of one’s heart! Yes, that is the testimony of the psalm-writer. The law of God, His Savior, so filled and sustained this man that he could withstand any affliction and trial. There is a fine and careful note that needs to be made here. The Scripture is not filled with heroes. The more you read, the more you realize all those whom we’d call the heroes of the various stories have failed at one time or another.

Gideon conquered the enemy army and afterwards fashioned an idol for the people to praise. King David, who was named as a man after God’s own heart, sinned grievously. He took another man’s wife. He had her husband put to death. He did not govern his sons or discipline them. On and on it goes. No matter the story you read in the Bible the men and women fail to keep their hearts completely devoted to their God and King. How does this relate to what we read today?

God is our rescue story. In each and every case, He answered the cry of His poor and wayward children. He called to them in His faithfulness and raised up priests and prophets, teachers and mentors so that His people could be called back to Himself. The law of God establishes such a high standard that no man, no woman, no child could ever keep it. Rather than fall into despair, we also understand the LORD does not leave us in our sin and misery.

Religion is spelled with two letters—D-O.

Religion is a list of things people think they have to do

in order to be accepted by God—go to church, give

money, keep the Ten Commandments, be baptized,

pray every day, and do good works. The list is endless.

It’s always Do…Do…Do. If you want to go to heaven,

you’re going to do something and keep on doing it

until the day you die.

Christianity is spelled with four letters—D-O-N-E.

Christianity is not based on what we do but upon

what Jesus Christ has already done. If you want to

go to heaven, you don’t have to do anything; you just

have to trust in what Jesus Christ has already done for you.

R. Pritchard An Anchor for the Soul. Chicago: Moody Publishers. page 116

This is the Word of God that is forever fixed in the heavens. Jesus Christ is seated there. He is the Lamb of God Who has taken away our sin. He is our representative Who lived the law of God perfectly and then stood in our place to receive the punishment we deserved. No wonder He is our joy and our song! The Spirit of God convinces us, sinful and weak though we are, of this glorious truth.

Blessed are You, O God, Faithful and Loving toward all You have made. Thank You for the fullness of life we have in Jesus Christ. Thank You that You would not leave us in our sin and misery but have captured us by Your Spirit through the power of the Word. This Sunday may our hearts praise You and our lives show devoted thanksgiving to You. Amen.

January 11, 2020 -- Psalm 119:91 -- Glorious God: All things are Your servants

By your appointment they stand to this day,

for all things are your servants.

Psalm 119:91 English Standard Version

The word “appointment” is a translation of the Hebrew word which in other places in this psalm has been translated as “judgment”. The word has a richness to it. One sense that word can carry is: something binding, put together according to a building plan. Think of it—the heavens and the earth, the starry hosts and the creatures of the earth, the generations of man past and the generations of man to come—all stand as God’s servants. He has the blueprint and determines their purposes. He knows why each is made. All things, from the smallest as-yet-undiscovered particle to the grandest configuration of stars, from the tiniest virus to the largest blue whale, from the poorest person who thinks he is forgotten to the richest, most feted person—all things and all creatures and all people in all they are and all they do show they are servants of God.

Matthew Henry puts it this way:

All the creatures answer the ends of their creation;

shall man, who alone is endued with reason,

be the only unprofitable burden of the earth?

M. Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Nashville: Thomas Nelson, page 556

A good war general anticipates the moves of his enemies. A master chess player will anticipate the moves of his opponents and will plan moves and counter moves five and ten steps ahead of where the game is. An enemy army is free to act however it will, even if their opponents have anticipated their attacks. A chess player matching himself against a chess master will be free to move his chess pieces as he sees fit, even if the master has already anticipated his moves. Knowing this, is it not true that the King of Glory, Who made all things, will have perfect knowledge as to how His free-thinking creatures will act? He will never be surprised. He will never be thwarted in His plans for the creation and the final purposes of His putting all things together.

Christians are the willing servants of the Most High God. In Jesus Christ we have seen the love of God declared to all generations. Our hearts are bound to Jesus by the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. We live in fear of the LORD—Proverbs describes the fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom. A king, who sees a huge army approaching, would be wise to calculate his own strength and realizing he is out-matched hastens to make peace with the general of the opposing army. We see the infinite power of God. We know our feeble rebellion will not even have the least impact against Him. The right response is this: we are to fall in worship before Him. We accept the peace He offers us through the blood of the cross. Failing that know all who oppose Him will be crushed and their punishment will last through all the ages of eternity in hell. The reason for such punishment is they have refused the cross of Jesus Christ.

Is God unjust? Not at all. He has the rescue ladder high against the burning building of this age. Those who, even though they are feeling the tongues of intense fire and are about to be consumed, refuse His help are fully culpable for their own unwillingness to be rescued. Jesus is described, in Galatians, as the One Who rescued us from this present evil age, giving Himself for our sins. In Jesus Christ we are rescued from the consequences of our sins and we bring glory and honour, praise and delight to God the Father by this rescue and by our thankfulness to Him. The Spirit of God makes us deeply aware of the treasure that is ours in Christ. The Spirit takes the Word of God and feeds our souls with an ever greater awareness of the terrible majesty of God—The God of Vengeance Who is also the Source of every good gift.

Praise is Your right, God Most High! You alone live in unapproachable light. Blessed are You, God our Father, for the great gift of Jesus Christ—by Whom we have been rescued and because of Him our sins are fully, forever paid for! Lord Jesus, Captain of Salvation, direct our lives by Your Word and Holy Spirit. Make us aware how to live and fight as Your servants in this age which is so clouded with the dark schemes of the devil and flooded with godlessness. Remind us, Jesus our Good Shepherd, that You have brought us into the care of our Father in heaven and therefore nothing, no one, and no power, can ever snatch us out of His Hand. Enable us to live as Light-bears and ambassadors for Your great Name. Amen.

January 9, 2020 -- Psalm 119:90 -- God's Generation to Generation Faithfulness

Your faithfulness endures to all generations,

you have established the earth and it stands fast.

Psalm 119:90 English Standard Version

The Hebrew language reads: “to generation after generation your faithfulness endures”. There is an emphasis on the fact that each generation will perceive the blessedness of the Living God Who established the earth.

“One generation shall commend your works to another,

and shall declare your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4 English Standard Version

This is the work of each generation—to declare to the next the glory of God. The most important work we have is to make sure our children know God. There is an intimacy to this. It is not a matter of knowing God intellectually. It is not a matter of knowing God as the One my parents worshipped. Those of us who know God have a sacred trust to communicate what we know of God to the next generation. One generation declares the goodness of God and the next takes hold of this faith and as it grows and develops in them they in turn speak the glory and goodness of God to the next generation.

Too many of our generation have the wrong focus with regards to their children. They desire that their children have it easier than they did financially so much of life is focused on teaching financial security. The children learn money is most important. Others desire that their children be connected with all the family—family is most important. So every Christmas and Easter, birthday and anniversary becomes a time when the family gathers and this gathering trumps church attendance, taking precedence over worship and meditating on the Living God. What have you been making your life’s great focus? Is it sports? Hunting? Fashion? Friendship? Ask yourself this, when I die, will it be said of me at my funeral: “He loved the LORD wholeheartedly”? At your eulogy, will your friend rise up and say, “The praise of the LORD was ever on her lips, if you really wanted to know her, you would need to know her deep and abiding love for her Savior.”

Those who regularly read these devotions will know of my dedication to declaring the glory of God as it is revealed in creation. The LORD created the heavens and the earth in six, 24-hour days. The beauty of creation declares her Maker’s glory. Evolution cannot do this. There is not syncretism possible between the creation of God and billions of years. These are mutually exclusive. The more one examines the creation the more one sees the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit at work. Evolutionists’ religion requires that there is no god, that nothing created itself. That is the core belief of that faith.

In sharp contrast, Christians know the faithfulness of the Living God. In the depths of eternity past, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit determined to create the heavens and the earth. The Father declared that He would be the Source of every good gift. Christ prepared to be the sacrifice that would take away the sins of the world. The Spirit would take the deep and mysterious things of the Father and the Son and make these known to all who believe.

Fellow believer, meditate on the things of God. Let the glory of God be your joy and your song. Determine now that you will share your faith with the next generation. Parents to your children, friends to your dear friends, teaching the faithfulness of God. In the act of teaching, our joy-filled believing is deepened. As we speak, we confirm our steadfast confidence in God. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ—earnestly pray that the word of God will live richly in the thought-life of your children and in the life of those around you. Married or single, our greatest legacy is knowing we have communicated the great and glorious truth of the Triune God’s faithfulness to the next generation.

Thank You, faithful Father in heaven, for those who shared with us the glory of knowing You. Thank You, Spirit of God, for those—teachers, parents, grandparents, friends and sometimes even near strangers—whom You placed in our lives who so diligently and devotedly shared their love for Jesus Christ. Thank You, Living God, for the faith You stirred to life in our generation. With the writer of this psalm we rejoice in knowing You and long for the joy of all true believing to be communicated to our children and their children. It is our fervent prayer that our friends and nieces and nephews will bless You. Forgive us for the times we have neglected our life’s most important mission of making You known. Rekindle in us a holy zeal to share—with everyone in every place—the truth that You are faithful, glorious and worthy. Amen.

January 7, 2020 -- Psalm 119:89 -- Celebrating God's Word firmly fixed in heaven

Forever, O LORD, your word

is firmly fixed in the heavens.

Psalm 119:89 English Standard Version

If you have been reading the recent blogs, the ones based on the previous octet—the Kaph stanza—then likely you noticed a huge shift in tone in our verse today. The Kaph stanza ended with the urgent prayer for God’s revival. Reading this, the first verse of the twelfth stanza of the Lamedh octet, you sense exuberance in these words. He is fully alive and with the breath in his lungs and steadfast love of God filling his heart and mind he makes the declaration which is our verse today.

The word is firmly fixed in heaven—where Satan cannot defeat it. Where governments, for all their policies and laws contrary to the word can never undo what the LORD has so beautifully declared.

The word is firmly fixed in heaven—John 1 describes Jesus Himself as the Word of God. So, by the holy inspiration of the Spirit of God, this verse anticipates the day when Jesus will be seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus, Who was the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus, Who lived the law perfectly and fulfilled it completely, now is seated in majestic splendor in heaven.

The word is firmly fixed in heaven—those who cry out to the Spirit of God will read the written word and by faith behold the Living Word seated in glory. And the Spirit of the Living God, Who is the Author of the Bible, inspiring men to write it as He gave them utterance, is the same Spirit Who show the heavenly word to be living, relevant and powerful for us today.

The word is firmly fixed in heaven and by it we begin to understand that He, Who alone lives in unapproachable Light, has stooped to our human weakness and frailty and revealed Himself. Without His Self-revelation we would not know Him, could not grasp the glories that have become ours in Christ. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).

Father in heaven, increase our capacity to receive all You choose to reveal. Let Your glorious word take hold of our thoughts and imaginations, our hearts and hands so that by it we may spend our lives for You. King Jesus, seated in majesty at the right hand of our Father, blessed are You and worthy of praise. Thank You for Your incarnation. Thank You for all You endured so that lost sinners, now washed and redeemed, could be drawn in love to our Father in heaven. Thank You Father and Son, for the powerful gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Spirit of God for taking the word and by it lighting up our minds and hearts with true faith. O God of All-knowledge and wisdom, thank You for stooping to our weaknesses and frailties, and making Yourself known. May our loved ones, family members and friends, know You this year and offer their lives in wonder and praise to You. Let Your glory shine across nations and kingdoms so that all those appointed to salvation will rise up and praise You. Amen.

January 6, 2020 -- Psalm 119:88 -- What are the red letter words of the Living God?

In your steadfast love give me life,

that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Psalm 119:88 English Standard Version

Have you ever seen the way in which a young child learns language? The child will imitate mom and dad. Trying out words. Touching mom’s mouth as mom speaks. Marveling at how this language flows from her. His little voice box, tongue, and lips trying to form new vowel sounds and the sharp pronunciation required to aid the listener’s comprehension.

Here the psalm writer is praying a vow to the Living God: according to Your great love revive me. The previous seven verses have indicated how much the writer has wrestled against enemies within and outside himself. Now he is praying for renewed strength, the life of God’s Spirit energizing every part of his being. As this happens he will be able to face the Living God. He will look to the mouth of God and observe and listen, seeking to understand the richness of God’s testimonies so that he will be able to imitate what God requires, speaking God’s word after Him, putting into practice what God declares to be the right path of living.

Several times over the last week or so people have brought up the issue of red letter bibles. These are bibles which print Jesus’ words in red letters. I was challenged and asked: “Do you not think these words, printed in red, are particularly important?” My response is: “No, I do not.” Please note, you are reading a response that can easily be interpreted by any reader as shrill or defensive. It is not. Imagine we are chatting over a cup of coffee (or other appropriate liquid libation) and I am comfortably seated next to you answering this question a mutual friend has just asked.

Here’s why I don’t think “red-letter” sections of the bible are particularly important—the whole bible is the testimony from God’s mouth. If you are going to use “red letters” then the whole bible is useful for teaching, correction and training in righteousness. The whole bible is the testimony from God’s mouth—so says the psalmist in verse 88 of Psalm 119. This means, by the logic used of the printers of red letter bibles, that the whole Bible, being the testimony of God, should actually be printed in red letters. There is a temptation among contemporary Christians to neglect the Old Testament. This is to our detriment. In the Old Testament we learn of God. We realize His will and His ways. We understand why Jesus had to be fully obedient—in all things and in every way—so that He could be the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. The work of the Spirit is made known to us; how the Holy Spirit moved in men and women so that they were able to keep the testimony of God. So when we read in Acts 2 the Spirit of God descended on the believers and was like a tongue of fire on their heads, we realize the significance of this—how Old Testament prophecies, testimonies of God, have been fulfilled.

Thank You, Faithful Father, for the gift of the Bible. Thank You for Your testimonies, recorded by men as they were carried along by Your Spirit. Thank You for the glory we read on each and every page. Thank You that the rich teaching of the Old Testament fully informs us Who Jesus Is, so that the New Testament is beautifully off-set and Jesus Himself is proved to be greater than all the prophets and teachers, kings and priests who came before Him. In fact, the Old Testament shows us Jesus is the Prophet, the Priest and the King longed for by Your people Israel, and in fact, the Desire of all Nations. Triune God, thank You for your testimonies. Revive us according to Your Word that we may keep the testimonies of Your mouth. Amen.

January 4, 2020 -- Psalm 119:87 -- Facing spiritual battles, rousing obedience within

They have almost made an end of me on earth,

but I have not forsaken your precepts.

Psalm 119:87 English Standard Version

“They” refers to the persecutors, the insolent, and the ones who by opposing the laws, statutes and precepts of God are making life very difficult for the writer of this psalm. Why do we, as Christians, endure this kind of hardship? Why is there push-back?

Ephesians 6 reminds us that we are facing spiritual warfare all the time: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). Satan hates believers. Satan is enraged against all who follow the LORD of Glory. Anyone who has vowed to follow Jesus Christ and serve Him only will be faced with tremendous hardships in this life. Since the devil cannot touch Jesus, he goes after all who love Jesus and devote themselves to Him.

Despite this onslaught, the psalmist vows to God and reminds himself: but I have not forsaken your precepts. The precepts of God are the rules by which He sets the direction for our lives. They are the boundary markers helping us to know right from wrong and they are dispassionate. Just think how easily Satan baits the hook of temptation with things we want. He appears disguised as an angel of light. Whispering with breath hot from hell “Why would God deny you this pleasure?”

The precepts of God give clarity. The precepts of God found in His Word point us to Jesus Christ, Who for the joy set before Him, endured suffering and the cross and did not succumb to the temptations of the devil. Jesus is both our example and He is our Teacher in every crisis. In great love the Father and the Son give to Christians the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us so that we by the Scripture and prayer we can discern what is truth and what is a lure from hell. More even that this, by His precepts He stamps us as beloved sons and daughters.

Not that long ago I saw a movie where a family had a slogan. One of the sons struggled with belonging to this family. He rebelled against his father. He caused his mother no end of grief. When he was faced with a particularly difficult trial he suddenly remembered the family slogan. He spoke it out-loud thus pushing back the forces that opposed him outwardly and inwardly calling on his own heart and mind to cast out the rebellion that had almost consumed him.

So it is with the psalm writer of our passage today. He is calling out “I have not forsaken Your precepts!” He is shouting this against the physical enemies of God. He is declaring this against the spiritual forces of darkness that are threatening him. He is calling forth from within himself obedience and faithfulness, rousing himself to stand up for the glory of the triune God. He is reminding himself of verses 1 & 2
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart…

The day is just beginning for us, O LORD of Hosts, and we do not know what we will face. Some of us have battled strong enemies in the last hours or days. Others of us may find themselves taken by surprise; attacked when we least expected it. But God, You are the strength of our lives. Christ we profess You to be the anchor of our souls. Spirit of the Living God, You are the forger of all true believing within us. Using every hammer blow of difficulty to shape us; by the red hot fires of trials You make us malleable for Your work within us. Therefore we cry out to You, triune God, thereby stirring up our souls to faithfulness in the midst of the battles ahead: “I have not, I will not, forsake Your precepts!” In our lives, God our King, be glorified! Amen.

January 2, 2020 -- Psalm 119:86 -- God's help when Persecutors attack

All your commandments are sure;

they persecute me with falsehood: help me!

Psalm 119:86 English Standard Version

Recently I was listening to a podcast where the preacher declared: “All the laws of God are done away with because Jesus Christ has come.” Hmm. Does that mean I can murder now because the Old Testament prohibition against murder is done away with? I don’t think so. The preacher had in mind the New Testament words of Jesus. Now we have the new commandment that we should love one another as I [Jesus] have loved you (John 13:34). Great. What is the shape of that love? What defines whether or not whatever it is I am doing is in conformity with my Father’s good pleasure?

In preaching the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7) Jesus proved the worth of the Ten Commandments. These commandments remain for us the teacher of sin, the pointer to Jesus Himself as the sacrifice of God Who takes away the sin of the world, the rule of thankful living and the just foundation for civil law. All the commandments of God are sure. There is great consistency in the law of God. There is the wonderful way in which it applies to the pauper and to the prince alike. It is justice that is applied to all in every level of society.

All who believe in the Living God will be persecuted for righteousness sake. The fact we trust in God for our life’s direction means we will immediately be at odds with all the non-believers who surround us. Yet, such persecution is refining. The psalmist asks for God’s urgent help. While the persecutors are wrong and will be accountable for their actions, here is the evidence of God’s help in the attack.

• The confirmation of right versus wrong. The lovers-of-all-things-false persecuting the righteous serve as a stark reminder that God’s ways are true. Yet His ways are hated by the ungodly. There are clear standards of right and wrong.

• The attack of the ungodly helps the righteous man become discerning of his own mixed motives. In the attacks of the rebellious the righteous man will examine his ways and seek to be more purely dedicated to the Living God.

• God does help His people in their distress. Ultimately the cry of the psalmist has been answered in Jesus Christ—He is our Helper. He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness, from slavery to sin and the even from the power of the grave.

• The help the LORD of Glory provides may be to bring the believers to their knees, praying for the salvation of such attackers. Perhaps the response of the godly man under sustained attack will bring a persecutor to acknowledge his errors, repent and cling to Jesus. It happened with Saul, who used to imprison the followers of Jesus, even approving their death. Yet the Jesus took hold of that man’s heart and made him to be a powerful evangelist.

God of our Salvation, help us when the persecutors attack. By Your Word and Spirit enable us to withstand such assaults and by them become even more sure of our faith, stronger in our confidence in Christ’s atoning work. Bring us to our knees, so that our attackers and persecutors will, one day, join us in praising You as the God Whose mercy and compassion are lavishly given to undeserving people. Spirit of God discipline us and train us in the ways of holiness—ways that still can seem, even after many decades, foreign to us and against our first impulsive reactions. Govern us, Spirit of Holiness by the commandments of God that are sure and faithful. Amen.

January 1, 2020 -- Psalm 119:85 -- When the Insolent are filled with amazing grace

The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;

they do not live according to your law.

Psalm 119:85 English Standard Version

Ever notice that when you sin, no lights and sirens go off?! It is not as if you sin and immediately there is a sharp shock, as if from a divine cattle prod, that brings you back into line. The insolent dig pitfalls for the believers because they are sinning without any awareness of the consequences of their actions. The insolent prepare evil for those who are obedient to the Living God because they cannot see the Living God of Vengeance seated on His throne, the very One Who will rise up to judge the living and the dead.

What a simple statement the psalmist makes about the insolent: “they do not live according to your law.” That statement seems almost banal and cliché. What is the significance of it? In making this statement, the psalmist realizes that he too was once insolent. He was working against the glory of God. But now has recognized the law of God is a tremendous gift from his Father in heaven.

The law of God shows him the error of his own ways. When no lights, sirens, or buzzers go off when one sins, then how can one be sure what sin really is? In Romans 7 the apostle Paul noted he would not know what sin was unless he had been instructed by the law.

The law of God proves to me what my own intellect and conscience are unable to prove or admit. There is a divine standard: the law of God. It is an impartial standard applied to all people. I am so ready to confess someone else’s sins…but my own are harder to name or define. Ray Pritchard wrote quite piercingly how this works in our lives:

You lose your temper; I have righteous anger.

You’re a jerk; I’m having a bad day.

You curse and swear; I let off steam.

You’re pushy; I’m intensely goal oriented.

You’re greedy; I’m simply taking care of business.

Ray Pritchard An Anchor for the Soul. Chicago: Moody Press, 2011. page 49

When the law of God leads me to see myself as I truly am, then I confess my own insolence. Then I confess my sins and name them before God. Then I know, in light of my own great sinfulness, I need the Savior, Jesus Christ. There no way in which anyone could ever say “God lucky to have a good guy like me”. The stark truth is: I am a wretched sinner—exactly as the Bible says I am; exactly like “Amazing Grace” names it: Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

That is exactly why salvation is so glorious and merciful. God, full of compassion and mercy, stooped down to seek and save lost sinners. God the Father sent the Son so that there would be a way of salvation. The Father and the Son give to believers the Holy Spirit. We need the Spirit of God so that we will see our sin for exactly what it is: sin. Then, by faith, we will see our need for Jesus and then in grateful humility we will see He is God’s greatest gift given is Jesus. We will reach out and cry: Jesus rule in all our hearts alone!

How glorious You are, Father in heaven. How great and extravagant is Your grace, shown us so perfectly in Jesus Christ. Father, may Your Holy Spirit stir up in us an ever greater understanding of Your law, our sinfulness, and the tremendous mercy that is given to us who believe in Jesus Christ. As 2020 unfolds, may our life and actions, thoughts and words show we have given up our insolent ways and desire to walk in humble, joy-filled obedience to You, no matter our circumstances. Blessed are You, O God. Amen.

If you have an extra minute or two, watch this rendition of “Amazing Grace”

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=amazing+grace&docid=607986116575167551&mid=EF88CFD508ADD88E29F0EF88CFD508ADD88E29F0&view=detail&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dlyrics%2bto%2bamazing%2bgrace%26form%3dEDGNTT%26qs%3dPF%26cvid%3d8a63f52bbb7b46288de9d217dcc71d04%26refig%3dce2b8d2601654cf2ef0e12303b4ceae9%26cc%3dCA%26setlang%3den-US%26plvar%3d0%26PC%3dASTS

December 31, 2019 -- Psalm 119:84 -- Can Persecution be used by God?

How long must your servant endure?

When will you judge those who persecute me?

Psalm 119:84 English Standard Version

There is such urgency in this brief text that the original language has no verb in the first phrase. Literally it is: “What days Your slave?” Notice it is the slave or the servant of the LORD Who is crying out. He realizes he has no rights. He realizes he is defenseless. He has no power. He has no tools or mechanisms at his disposal to make things right. And he no ability to defend himself. The Master of the Slave has the right, the ability, the power and legal right to judge the actions of His slave and the one who persecutes the slave.

Perhaps the slave is persecuted at the Master’s pleasure, for the purification of the slave.

Perhaps the slave is persecuted in order to learn greater dependence on the Master.

Notice that the slave knows it is the right of the Master to judge. He judges either to sin or righteousness. The LORD of Heaven and Earth will judge the actions sinful and therefore give consequences; or the LORD will judge actions righteous and the slave will learn from this and therefore grow in righteousness.

It is a question that the slave brings to his Master. He wonders is this an instance of persecution for purification in which case I will need Your help, O God Who sustains us? Or is this an instance where one is judged unto sin and therefore the persecution will soon stop? In either instance, the slave is aware that he would be inclined to consider his own actions in a favourable light while considering the actions or motives of others in unfavourable shades.

How true it is: I hate the sins of others. My own sins I consider to be trivial. John Calvin noted: “Unless men are struck forcefully they have no sense of divine judgment.” Perhaps the LORD of God needed to have His slave forcefully struck so that his own sins would be revealed to him and his utter dependence on and need for God would be fully revealed to him.

Spirit of God, keep me from somnambulating. Whatever trial I am enduring, whatever great trouble is afflicting me, use it to rouse my soul and mind to wakefulness and watchfulness so that I will guard myself in the holiness given to me in Christ. Holy Spirit lead me in the path of forgiveness—offering and receiving forgiveness—so that I will walk blamelessly in communion with the Father in heaven. Amen.

December 30, 2019 -- Psalm 119:83 - - Wineskins in the smoky trials

For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,

yet I have not forgotten your statutes.

Psalm 119:83 English Standard Version

There are very many interpretations of this enigmatic text. Since those of us living in West generally don’t use wineskins to hold wine this verse took some digging to figure out. Wineskins are “bottles made of animal skin” made by sewing such skins together. If the wineskin is new and filled, then it is placed over the smoke so that in moderate heat the wine inside ages and matures properly. Alternatively, if the wineskin is empty, then it shrivels if it is over the smoky fire.

The interpretative key is in the next line: “Yet I have not forgotten your statutes”. The writer of this Psalm, while expressing feelings of emptiness and longing, has make a conscious decision to fill his heart and mind with the statutes of God. Without such statutes—which are the laws of God that have been tested and proved to be valid—the psalmist is empty and shriveled. Without the statutes of God he has no defense against the chaos of the world around him. When he is filled with the knowledge of God’s statutes, he compares that to a wineskin filled with new wine, which, when set over a smoking fire becomes properly aged and perfected. He is, through the circumstances of his life, maturing for the glory of God.

The patterns of our sinfulness have already been well-established in our lives. If we are honest with ourselves we must admit we run to our sins at the least little hiccup in our lives. We want to be soothed, we seek to please ourselves. Yet, ultimately, such strategies fail. In sharp contrast, the psalmist has realized the only way to live when the smoky trials rise against him, is to be filled with the knowledge of God. By studying them and learning them he is allowing God’s statutes and His promises to flow into every part of his life. As we are filling ourselves and filled with the Word of God, the trials and sufferings of our life will serve to age and mature us well in His holy service.

A whole new year is nearly upon us. May 2020 be a year of clarity for you—one in which you make the resolution to keep the word of God clearly in view and by living it out every day so prove it to be true. And seeing the truth of God’s word and how by it you stand firm in every trial, you then will see—in ever greater measure—the glory of God. May you know Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Word.

May the Spirit of God direct you to the spout

where the blessings of God are poured out

and the Kingdom of Christ is rises all about.

Spirit of the Living God, we confess to turning away from trials and struggles which You have appointed for us to endure so that we would be matured and perfected. We pray, Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds so that in all humility we will be filled with the statutes of God our Father, delighting in the Word of God, which brings us to Jesus Christ. May it be our resolution in 2020 to be filled with Your Word, Mighty God, so by Your Word and the Spirit’s work of sealing it in us, You will be our Guide and Savior, King and Counselor in all things. Amen.