Drowning in Troubles

Psalm 69:1-18

Bodies of water, such as the ocean, a lake, and also a river, can be a beautiful thing to sit and watch, especially on a nice evening.  On a warm summer afternoon, people venture in to cool off, and children play along the shore.  However those same beautiful waters can turn from calm and placid to stormy, wild, and dangerous in just a matter of minutes.  Then, instead of something nice to be around, it has become a threat to our life.  Problems in our life are like that.  One moment everything is fine, and then the next it is threatening to drown us.  In our psalm today, we read of a desperate prayer that David made when his troubles and his enemies were overwhelming him like a flood, and he felt as if he was drowning.  This psalm also prophetically foreshadows the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.  Let’s take a look.

This psalm which David wrote begins immediately with his anguished and distressed prayer to God for deliverance (vs. 1-3).  He cried out for God’s rescue because his problems were like flood waters around him.  Anyone who has ever been in a serious flood knows that this is a dangerous situation.  David was totally helpless, and felt like he was emotionally drowning.  He was physically and spiritually exhausted, weary from crying, his throat was parched, and his eyes failed while waiting for God’s help.  This was not poetic exaggeration.  This was the Holy Spirit’s inspired record of a believer who was crushed under real affliction.  This also foreshadowed Jesus Christ’s suffering, especially His thirst (John 19:28).  As we study the first half of this psalm, we will see several parallels with the Savior.

Sometimes our problems come through our own faults and sins.  However, at other times they come through no fault of our own.  David’s enemies were attacking him without a cause, for no reason (vs. 4).  The Gospels directly apply this verse to Jesus (John 15:25).  David’s experience of unjust hatred prophetically figured that of what Jesus would endure.  The world’s hatred of God’s people is ultimately hatred of God Himself.

David then turns to confession of his sins (vs. 5).  This is not because these problems are a direct result of any specific sin, but he does this as a confession of humility.  David was a sinner, as we all are, and he was suffering unjustly.  Jesus was the sinless One who suffered on behalf of sinners.

David humbly prayed that the behavior and actions he had in response to his suffering would not cause shame to God’s people (vs. 6-7). He was suffering reproach for God’s sake. This also prophesied Jesus, who bore reproach for the Father’s glory (Romans 15:3).  Our response to suffering should never bring reproach on God’s Name.

One distressing thing that can happen when we are drowning in our problems or going through suffering is that our family and friends may step away or even abandon us.  David felt that (vs. 8).  He felt estranged from his own family.  Jesus also literally experienced this (John 7:5).  Another verse that is directly applied to Jesus is verse 9, for having zeal for God’s house.  The New Testament applied this to Jesus' cleansing of the Temple (John 2:17).

David was mocked, ridiculed, and slandered (vs. 10-12).  Community leaders gossiped about him.  And imagine how humiliating it would be to have the town drunks make songs about you!  This, though, mirrored the humiliation that Jesus endured during His earthly ministry and crucifixion.  David continued to pray that God, in His mercy and covenant love, would rescue him from these deep waters (vs. 13-15).  He asked God to hear him, draw near and deliver him (vs. 16-18).  This is the heart-cry of every suffering believer.  God’s nearness should be our greatest comfort.

Psalm 69 is one of the clearest prophetic psalms, showing Jesus’ suffering.  We see that He was hated without a cause, that He was consumed with a zeal for the Father and His holiness.  We see that Jesus bore reproach and suffered physically, including intense thirst, for which He was given gall and vinegar, shown later in the psalm in verse 21.

This psalm shows us that believers can, and often do, go through suffering, not because of any sins they committed, but because of righteousness.  This is contrary to what some preachers falsely teach, that believers should only have health, wealth, and prosperity.  We can follow David’s model on how to pray when overwhelmed, with honest lament, humble confession, having confidence in God’s character, and expectation of deliverance.  David did not hide his anguish, and neither do we need to.  Just as Jesus was hated without a cause, we can expect the world’s hatred, as well.

God hears the cries of His people even when the waters rise and strength fails.  Jesus entered the depths of suffering, not only to sympathize with us, but also to redeem us.  Therefore, no Christian ever suffers alone.

Jeremiah's Despair

Jeremiah 20:7-13

The Old Testament Scripture passage this week from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer takes us to the Prophet Jeremiah.  The messages that the Lord gave Jeremiah to bring to the people of Judah during the final years before the Babylonian captivity were not easy ones.  His ministry was a difficult, and often dangerous one. In today’s Scripture we will read how Jeremiah had consistently obeyed God, bringing His message, no matter how negatively and angrily the people received it, and yet things only got worse for him, so much so that he wanted to quit the ministry.  Let’s look at God’s Word for today.

Jeremiah lived from approximately 650 to 570 BC.  His ministry was to the Kingdom of Judah right prior and during the years of attack by the Babylonian empire, the people being taken into captivity, and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem.  This judgment upon the nation was because of their idolatry and disobedience to God’s Law.  Jeremiah preached that this judgment would come, and for the people to repent and return to the Lord.  Everywhere they went, there was Jeremiah, bringing God’s message of judgment, of repentance, urging them to return to Yahweh and follow His ways.  That was not a message which they wanted to hear, and they let him know in many ways.  His ministry brought him nothing but hostility, ridicule, and suffering.  He had been beaten, imprisoned, and even thrown into a muddy, sodden, miry pit.  It’s no wonder that Jeremiah was depressed and discouraged!

As our Scripture begins, Jeremiah had just been beaten and imprisoned by Pashur the priest.  He was sitting in his harsh prison cell where he poured out his inner turmoil before God.  His prayer went back and forth between despair and faith.  As Jeremiah began his lament to the Lord, he claimed that the Lord “induced” or “persuaded” him into this ministry (vs. 7).  God’s call to him and this ministry had overwhelmed any resistance he had.  But now he saw that this ministry was bringing him only reproach and even danger from the people.  It seemed that every message that the Lord gave him to proclaim was one of judgment, which brought anger from the people (vs. 8).

God’s truth will often provoke a hostile reaction from the world (John 15:18-20).  We also know that a faithful ministry will frequently bring suffering (II Timothy 3:12).  It is not a popular thing to confront the world with its sin!

There were times when Jeremiah tried to stop preaching.  Being of a more mild-mannered nature than some of the other bolder prophets, he did not like confrontation.  However, God’s Word became like a burning fire in his bones (vs. 9).  He could not keep quiet for long, and he returned to bringing the Lord’s message.  God’s Word is living and active, as we read in Hebrews 4:12.  Jeremiah could not keep silent for long.  With the Holy Spirit empowering him, his human fear was set aside.  As believers today, we have the message of life.  Let’s not be afraid to share it with others.

As Jeremiah went about his work for the Lord, he knew about and even heard the plots that his enemies made (vs. 10).  Even some of his friends and acquaintances stood off and did not come to his defense in his time of need.  Faithfulness to God may isolate us from others.  Standing for the Lord and His truth and Word often means standing alone (II Timothy 4:16-17).

Halfway through this Scripture passage, Jeremiah shifted from feeling deep despair to having confidence (vs. 11).  God’s presence with him outweighed all of the opposition he was facing.  Jeremiah knew the Lord was true, just, and loving.  Under all of his anger, he trusted Him, so he left this whole situation in God’s hands and rested in the peace He brought.  God has promised us that He will defend His servants who faithfully obey Him (Romans 8:31).  The wicked will ultimately fail, and divine justice is certain even if it is delayed.  Jeremiah didn’t exact his own vengeance upon his enemies (vs. 12).  He submitted all judgment to God (Romans 12:19).

Our Scripture ends with Jeremiah giving praise to the Lord (vs. 13).  As we see, he praised God before he even saw his deliverance.  When we have faith in God, we can praise Him based on His promises, not on our circumstances.  Jeremiah could not keep silent when he had the message from God’s Word, and his enemies could not silence him. Although he struggled with deep discouragement, Jeremiah had a Helper through all of his trouble.  God promised Jeremiah when He called him to this ministry that He would be with him through it all (Jeremiah 1:19).  He did not desert His prophet then, and He will not desert us now.

Compassion for the Lost Sheep

Matthew 9:35 - 10:15

Sometimes, when we are working on a project with several other people, when the workload is large, and we have a specific deadline to get this work done, it helps to split up into groups, each one handling a specific area.  Jesus and His disciples had the goal of reaching the people of Israel with His message of salvation.  Jesus also had a limited amount of time, as He knew that the time of His sacrifice upon the Cross was getting closer.  So for a short period of time, He would send out His disciples, two by two, to go separately to various communities in Galilee and Judea, bringing His message.  Our Gospel passage today speaks of this, as this is the first time that Jesus sends out the twelve on a preaching mission.  As we read our Scripture, we will see Jesus’ compassion for lost sinners, His calling of laborers, His commissioning of the disciples, and His warning that the Gospel ministry will bring both divine power and earthly opposition.

As we begin our Scripture passage, we read of Jesus going about the villages of Galilee, teaching the Gospel, preaching, and healing the sick (vs. 35-36).  Large crowds, multitudes, would gather around Him wherever He went.  Rather than getting irritated and worn out with their constant neediness, Jesus had compassion on them.  The Greek word here is splagchnizomai, which means having a deep, gut-level compassion.  The people were weary and scattered.  They were like sheep with no shepherd.  A sheep without a shepherd is in constant danger.  They can be victims of predators, disease, hunger, and an unshorn sheep quickly becomes a mess.  They were in this shape because Israel’s spiritual leaders had failed them.  People today, all across our communities are in the same spiritual shape.  Jesus had compassion on the people then, and He does today, as well.  Lost humanity is helpless without the Good Shepherd.

Looking out at the people Jesus saw that they were like a field of grain, ready for the spiritual harvest (vs. 37-38).  However there were few workers.  After His resurrection, when He would send the disciples out into the world, not just locally, the fields would be larger, and even more workers would be needed, so He told the disciples that they were to pray for more workers.  The fields are ripe now.  The harvest is ready now.  We are to be His laborers now, going out into the fields of our communities, country, and world, to bring in the harvest of souls for His kingdom.

Responding to the compassion He felt for these lost sheep, Jesus commissioned His twelve disciples to go out and bring His message throughout Galilee and Judea (vs. 1-4).  These twelve were not the only disciples that Jesus had.  There were others who followed Him closely.  These twelve were His core inner circle, and among the twelve there were three (Peter, James, and John), who were even closer, and witnessed some things the others didn’t.  However, these twelve were ordinary men - some were fishermen, there was a tax collector, and also a zealot.  God delights in using unlikely people to accomplish great things for Him.

Jesus instructed the twelve that at this time they were not to preach to Gentiles or to Samaritans, but to only go “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vs. 5-6).  We might wonder why He was excluding Gentiles and Samaritans.  Weren’t they worthy of salvation?  Of course they were/are, however this was a temporary, mission-specific restriction.  Israel must receive the kingdom offer first, and then later the Gospel would expand to all nations (Matthew 28:19).  The message to be preached was that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (vs. 7).  It is a call to repentance and to be ready to accept God’s chosen Messiah.

Jesus gave the disciples the ability to perform some miracles, such as healing, casting out demons, and even raising the dead (vs. 8).  These miracles would authenticate their message, and demonstrate the arrival of the Messiah.  God freely gave them and us salvation and spiritual gifts, so they were to freely offer them to others.  We are not to commercialize God’s ministry.  They were also instructed to be dependent upon God for their needs by not taking excessive money or extra supplies with them (vs. 9-10).  This would teach them to have faith in God for their needs, and prevent any accusations of greed.  The disciples were to find in each community a household that was receptive to their message and stay with them (vs. 11-13).

As we know, when we share the Gospel with others, some will accept and others will reject us.  Jesus instructed that if a town rejected the twelve, they were to shake off the dust of their feet as a symbolic act of testimony against them (vs. 14-15).  This would underscore the seriousness of rejecting the Gospel truth.  People will be held accountable before God for when they hear the Gospel message.  For those who reject the Gospel, judgment is real, it is certain, and it will be severe.

In closing, we see that Jesus has compassion on the lost, the unsaved.  He so dearly wants them to hear His message and come to Him for salvation.  As Jesus said, the harvest is ready now, it remains plentiful.  Laborers need to go out bringing His message.  We are those laborers, and we need to bring the Gospel to the lost.  God will provide for our needs to do this.  He still provides for those who obey His call.  Faithfulness to Jesus will bring both fruit and resistance.  Those who hear the Gospel are accountable for their response.  As believers we need to pray, to go, to trust, and to proclaim the Lord Jesus with boldness and compassion.

No Longer Enemies

Romans 5:6-11

In the movies we sometimes see the hero give his life for the woman that he loves, or a mother sacrificing herself for the lives of her children.  Fortunately in real life this doesn’t need to happen that often, but many people would not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for those that they love, such as their children.  However, do we ever see someone voluntarily step up to die in the place of a convicted criminal, particularly one whose crime was against them personally?  I don’t recall ever hearing of that happening.  Oh yes, there is one time that I know of.  That is what happened when the Lord Jesus died on the Cross for us, His enemies.  This is what the Apostle Paul writes about in our Scripture today from the Book of Romans.

As our Scripture passage begins, Paul gives four descriptions of people who are lost and unsaved.  First they are “without strength” (vs. 6).  This isn’t speaking of physical strength, for as we know, many unsaved are physically fit and strong.  It is speaking of being spiritually powerless.  They are unable to save themselves from eternal damnation, unable to reform themselves from their sinful ways, and unable to come to God on their own.  Next, they are “ungodly” (vs. 6).  They aren’t good, morally decent people, or even just neutral.  God calls the unsaved ungodly.  Third, they are “sinners” (vs. 8).  The Bible doesn’t describe the unsaved as just merely people who have made some mistakes, but as those who have violated God’s Laws.  Lastly, they are described as God’s “enemies” (vs. 10).  Before becoming saved, they are not God’s friends just waiting to be invited in.  They are hostile rebels.  Humanity is not basically good.  We are radically fallen creatures.  Salvation is not God helping good people become better.  It is God rescuing His enemies.

In the first half of our Scripture passage we see Paul contrasting human love with divine love (vs. 6-8).  As mentioned at the start, I described how sometimes someone may die for someone they love.  Occasionally we might see someone die for a “righteous” or “good” person, if they were admirable or noble enough.  However, in contrast, we see God’s love for mankind when His Son, Jesus, died for us while we were ungodly, sinful, and hostile against Him. The Cross is the greatest proof of the unchanging demonstration  of God’s love.  This is not a sentimental love.  It is sacrificial, holy, and rooted in what Jesus did on the Cross.

In the second half of our Scripture passage Paul describes salvation in three stages (vs. 9-10).  First, we are justified by Jesus’ Blood (vs. 9).  Jesus Christ’s shed Blood satisfied God’s just judgment against sin.  This is substitutionary atonement - the sinless Jesus dying in place of the sinner, atoning for their sins.  Jesus died for us, in our place, bearing the wrath we deserved.  It is not by any “good” works that we earn salvation, it is only through accepting His death on the Cross on our behalf.  Next we are “saved from wrath” (vs. 9).  People don’t like to think of God’s wrath, preferring to think of Him as only a loving God, but His wrath is real and it is righteous.  However, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we will never face it because Jesus bore that wrath in our place on the Cross.  Because of this, those who are believers are reconciled to God (vs. 10).  The hostility between us and God is removed and the relationship is restored.

First, Christ died for us when we were His enemies.  Then when we accept Him as our Savior, personally accepting what He did on our behalf, then we are reconciled to God, and we shall be saved by His life.  Because God did the harder thing, saving us when we were His enemies, He will certainly do the easier thing, keeping us saved and protected now that we are His children.  Our relationship with God is no longer based on fear, but is based on His love for us (vs. 11).

“Saved by His life” refers to Jesus’ resurrected, ongoing, intercessory life (vs. 10).  Because Jesus lives, our salvation is secure!  Our justification is permanent.  We cannot lose it, nor will it ever run out or expire.  Our reconciliation will never be undone.  Contrary to what some may teach, our salvation is eternally secure.

Perhaps you feel unloved in life, that no one genuinely cares about or loves you.  Maybe you feel that you could never be good enough to deserve anyone’s love, especially that of God.  Here we see that God has thought of you as being so special that He sent His only Son to die for your sins.  He did this while you and I were still sinners.  He didn’t wait for us to “clean up”.  We never need to question God’s love.  The Cross is the final answer.  Our salvation is secure, as Christ’s living intercession guarantees it.  For those who have come to Jesus in repentance, we are no longer enemies, but are now friends with God.

Come With Thanksgiving and Praise

Psalm 100

If you had been invited to Buckingham Palace with a small group of people to personally meet King Charles, would you go with a sour look on your face, grumbling and complaining?  Would you go looking bored, acting like you would rather be anywhere else?  And would you be dressed in your casual, lounge around the house clothes?  Not likely!  As you would be approaching the palace, before you even entered, you would make sure that everything was just right, smile, gracious words prepared.  How is it then, that when we are actually invited into the royal courts of Someone who is infinitely greater than any king on earth, we often come in a grousing manner? Our psalm for this morning speaks of the way we ought to present ourselves when coming into the Lord’s presence.  Let’s take a look.

Though written by an unknown author, Psalm 100 is one of the more well-known psalms, being a part of many different churches' liturgies.  It is a universal call to joyful worship.  It speaks of the character of God - His sovereignty as Creator, His covenant relationship with His people, and His unchanging goodness, mercy, and truth.  The writer calls upon God’s people to come into His presence with both joyful worship (vs. 1-3) and thankful worship (vs. 4-5).  We have reason to be joyful because God made us, and we are His people and sheep.  We have reason to be thankful because God is good, merciful, and His truth will endure forever.

As our psalm opens, the author instructs us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, to bring Him joyful worship (vs. 1).  This isn’t a suggestion, it is a command.  Worship of Yahweh is not optional, and is a proper response to His rule over all creation.  Next we are instructed to serve Yahweh with gladness and singing (vs. 2).  We serve Him by our worship, by ministering to others, and by being obedient to His Word.  True worship should not be a cold ritual.  He has spoken in His Word many times over that He does not want worship that is merely formal, but instead should be heartfelt (Isaiah 29:13).

Verse 3 is the theological center of our psalm, as it speaks three truths.  The first is that it is God who has made us.  He is our Creator and we are the creatures.  This verse refutes the claims of both atheism and evolution.  Man did not evolve from some one-celled creature in a murky swamp.  He was created by a loving God.  Worship begins when we acknowledge this and His absolute authority.  The second truth in this verse is that we are Yahweh’s people.  He owns us both by creation and by covenant, the New Covenant we have through Jesus.  Lastly, we see that we are the sheep of His pasture.  God is our Shepherd and we are His dependent sheep.  This verse anticipates Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  As a Good Shepherd He cares for us, giving us guidance and protection.

Our psalm now shifts from looking at who God is to how we should respond to Him (vs. 4).  Our psalmist instructs us that when we enter Yahweh’s gates and divine royal court, we should come with thanksgiving and praise.  Complaining and ingratitude is incompatible with worship (Philippians 2:14).  Praising God is the first step towards entering His presence.  If we are going to see His glory, thanksgiving is the door that will lead us into God’s throne room.

When we give thanks to God, it shouldn’t just be a mere “thank you”, but instead where we can’t say enough about the Lord and what He does for us.  Blessing His Name shows honor and homage to God, recognizing His Name as higher than any other name.  We affirm His power and goodness, and commit ourselves to joining His cause.

Verse 5 tells us some of the reasons why God deserves our worship.  One is that He is a good God.  He is morally perfect and benevolent, and His goodness is the foundation of our trust.  God also has everlasting mercy.  It is unending, and not dependent on human merit.  This points forward to the cross, where mercy is fully revealed.  Then we see God’s enduring truth.  His Word is eternally reliable and His promises never expire.  God is absolutely perfect and holy, which means that He alone is the standard of all righteousness.  Since the expression of the Father’s goodness is revealed in His actions, all that He does is just and right because He cannot violate His own nature.

Satan wants us to believe that God is distant, angry, and a wrathful judge, waiting for us to make a mistake so that He can clobber us.  However, God is the ultimate expression of love itself.  As we learn through this psalm, God is good, and His mercy will go on forever.  

Lessons From Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14:11-30

Today we will take a look at a portion of the Book of Proverbs, several verses in the middle of the 14th chapter.  The Book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, most attributed to King Solomon, which show us how to live a godly and successful life.  It emphasizes that obedience to God and making moral choices leads to blessings, while disobedience and foolishness leads to ruin.   Today’s portion of this book of wisdom contrasts the way of the righteous and the wicked in everyday life - in home, speech, emotions, work, relationships, and spiritual discernment.  It shows that righteousness produces stability, wisdom, and life, while wickedness produces instability, deception, and death.  Let’s take a look at a few of the verses in this portion of Scripture.

In verse 11 we read that “the house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.”  Two types of dwellings are mentioned.  A house is more permanent, stronger, and more secure than a tent, which is usually temporary and fragile.  However, God says the house of the wicked will be overthrown, while the tents of the righteous will flourish.  God overturns the apparent stability of the wicked, but blesses the humble, even if their earthly circumstances seem small.  We don’t need to envy the wicked who appear to prosper, as their end will one day be doom.

Verse 12 tells us that though we may think that the way we are going in life is right, but it may lead us to eternal destruction.  Our human intuition is not always right, as it has been corrupted by sin (Jeremiah 17:9).  The choices we make for the way of our life, our lifestyle, may seem good to us, and may even get the applause of the world, but it will lead to death, both spiritual, moral, and ultimately eternal.  Human reason is not a safe guide apart from the Bible.  There are many well-meaning, intelligent people traveling on a collision course with death, yet they are totally unaware of their destiny.  Jesus came on a “seek and save” mission to help those who are lost find the right way to God.  We need to test every path we take by the Word of God, not by feelings or cultural norms.

In verse 14 we read of the backslider.  A backslider in the Scriptures is someone who has turned away from their faith and regresses back into their old way of life.  Backsliding begins in the heart long before it ever shows in outward behavior.  It is real, dangerous, and spiritually costly for them.  However true righteousness will produce inward satisfaction from God.

Next we will contrast between the wise man and the foolish or simple man (vs. 15-18).  The simple or foolish person believes everything that they hear (vs. 15).  They are gullible and undiscerning.  However the wise considers well all that goes on around them.  They are careful, thoughtful, and base everything they accept by God’s Word.  We also see that the wise man fears and departs from evil (vs. 16).  Having a proper fear or respect for the Lord will produce a separation from sin.  However the fool, who does not consider God in their life, is reckless, self-assured, and spiritually blind.  They are also quick-tempered, which leads to folly (vs. 17).  Hasty anger leads to foolish actions.  All that the simple or foolish one will inherit is more foolishness (vs. 18).  That will be their life’s outcome.  However the wise are crowned with knowledge and honor from God.

A little further on we see the contrast between one with compassion versus one with cruelty (vs. 20-21).  All too often in this world the poor are hated, while people tend to gravitate towards the wealthy and influential.  However, this is not God’s way.  Compassion is a mark of a righteous believer and follower of the Lord Jesus.  Mercy on the poor and downtrodden will bring God’s blessing.  We read in the Book of James that showing favoritism to the wealthy at the expense of the poor is sin (James 2:1-13).

Next we read of the fruit or results of those who seek after God’s wisdom (vs. 24-25).  Wisdom produces visible fruit, such as honor, stability, and influence.  In contrast the foolish bring forth more folly, shame, and instability.  A true witness for the Lord will deliver souls.  He will lead others to find Him, bringing their soul to salvation.  In contrast, the deceitful or wicked will speak lies, particularly in spiritual matters.  Our words have eternal consequences.

Having a proper fear or reverence for the Lord will bring confidence and security (vs. 26-27).  It also has a generational impact, blessing one's children.  It will protect us from the snares of death.  This segment closes with another reminder of the importance of being slow to anger, and how foolish a quick temper is (vs. 29), and how healthy it is when our heart is peaceful and content, but being envious of others will rot our bones (vs. 30).

As we seek to apply these verses for our lives today, we learn how important it is to evaluate our ways, our lifestyle, by Scripture, and not by our feelings or that of the world.  We must guard our heart from backsliding, and practice discernment in our life.  Be slow to anger and quick to show mercy,  Let us cultivate the fear of the Lord as our foundation in life, and seek a peaceful, contented heart through trust in Jesus.

Matthew - Tax Collector Turned Disciple

Matthew 9:9-13

Today’s Scripture tells the account of a man, a highly successful man, busy in his office making a rather prosperous living.  However he was a social outcast by all the “good” people in town.  They did not like the way he made his living.  He wasn’t involved in any illegal business, but it was one that they considered wrong, even evil, as it was collaborating with the enemy of the people.  Because of this he didn’t have any friends from the “respectable” people in town, and thus his only friends were other social outcasts. He had very little thought for God in his life, one reason being that he was not welcomed into the local places of worship.   However that was all to change one day for this man named Matthew.

As our Scripture opens, we read about Matthew, who was a tax collector.  Now, even today, most people might not be too fond of a tax collector, as no one enjoys giving them business.  However, for the people of Israel at the time of Jesus it was more than that.  As a conquered nation the taxes that were collected were for the Roman empire.  Devout Jews hated the Romans, and looked at tax collectors as collaborators with the enemy.  Another reason they disliked them was that the Romans gave them a rather free hand in collecting taxes.  They didn’t care how much money the tax collector got from the people, or even how they got it, as long as they got their set amount.  Thus tax collectors often extorted more money, keeping the extra that they could get.  In conversations, the words “tax collector” was frequently lumped together with “prostitutes” and other “sinners”.  One morning, however, everything was going to change for Matthew.

On one particular day, Jesus came by the tax collector booth of Matthew.  Tax collectors in Roman days would often have their tables set up on a main intersection in town, or sometimes at the city gates, where they would collect the taxes from all who passed by.  As Jesus came by that day, He called for Matthew to come and follow Him (vs. 9).  Matthew undoubtedly knew who Jesus was.  He had probably heard people in the village talk about Him and what He taught.  Perhaps he had even once or twice stood at the fringes of the crowds gathered when Jesus spoke.  Yet he had never felt that Jesus would want anything to do with him.  He was a tax collector, a sinner, an outcast.  But now He did. He asked Matthew to come and join Him!

Later Matthew invited Jesus to eat at his house, where he invited those who were his friends to come and hear what Jesus had to say to them, so that they, too, might come to know Him as their Savior, as well (vs. 10).  However, what was the reaction of the Pharisees, the “religious” folks, to that?  They criticized Jesus, saying that He was associating with the wrong crowd, the “sinners” of the village! (vs. 11).

Jesus had one response to the self-righteous Pharisees (vs. 11-12).  Who needs the doctor, the sick or the well?  He said that He came not for those who consider themselves righteous, but for those who know they are sinners, to call them to repentance.  Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6, saying that God desires mercy shown by His people, not sacrifices that have no meaning.

Jesus did not come to affirm the self-righteous, but to save those who know they are spiritually sick.  We see here the emptiness of the self-righteous religious person, and instead see the grace of God towards repentant sinners.  Jesus came to redeem the outcasts, those who “proper” society has shunned.

As we see in the life of Matthew, in the life of other sinners that Jesus called, He came and called them while in their sinful life, but He didn’t leave them there.  He called them to repentance and out of their sins.  Also, Jesus did not participate in their sin.  He brought the light of the Gospel into their darkness.  God does not want someone who comes to Him for salvation to remain in their sinful lifestyle.  He calls us out of that.  If they remain, then there was no true repentance nor genuine salvation.

The Pharisees saw Matthew and other sinners as unclean.  Jesus saw them as lost sheep.  Self-righteousness blinds people to their own need of salvation.  Matthew knew that he was a sinner and needed the Savior.  The self-righteous think they are “good enough” for God, though no one is, and they don’t see their need for Him.  Conviction of sin is essential for salvation.  No one is saved who does not first see their need.

Jesus intentionally seeks those whom society has rejected.  The Gospel is for the broken, the guilty, and the ashamed.  Are you one of those, one whom the “good” people have rejected?  Then Jesus comes to call you.  Are you one whom others would say is a “good” person?  You need the Savior just as much!  Don’t let self-righteous pride keep you from turning to Him!  Jesus shows the nature of God’s everlasting love when He seeks out those who have been rejected by society.  Jesus came to change people, and calls them to follow Him.

Who Should We Trust and Believe?

Romans 4:13-18

Have you ever placed your trust in someone or something, only to be let down?  The person who promised to do something for you was a no-show, they didn’t come through with their promise.  The product that you bought for a significant sum did not live up to the promises in the advertisement, and was a waste of your money.  Many things and people we put our faith in end up being a disappointment.  It is important that our faith is placed in the correct thing.  Faith and trust wrongly placed can get us in trouble, but placed in the right thing or right person will bring rewards.  In our Scripture today from the Book of Romans we read of someone who did have faith, faith rightly placed in One who could be believed and trusted, and how that faith was rewarded.

As the Apostle Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean world bringing the Gospel, he often would be confronted with false doctrines and teachings being spread throughout the early Church.  One of those was that one was justified, or saved, by keeping the Old Testament Law and by the good works that they did.  Paul sought to correct this false teaching, and he used the example of the Patriarch Abraham, one who was justified by his faith, not by keeping the Law or by any works that he did.

As we read in the Book of Genesis, God called Abraham from his original home and family to journey to the land that He promised him.  God proceeded to promise the very elderly Abraham and his equally elderly wife Sarah a son, and descendants that would be more numerous than the stars in the heavens.  Both the patriarch and his wife were long, long past child-bearing age, yet Abraham believed God and trusted His promise.  He was justified by his faith.  The promise that Abraham would be heir of the world did not come through his keeping of the law (vs. 13).  He lived over 400 years before the Law of Moses was even given.  God’s promise and Abraham’s belief in that promise was given even before He issued the rite of circumcision.  It was Abraham’s faith, his belief that if God said He would do something, that He would do it regardless of how unbelievable it might seem, and not through any works that he did.

Paul further explains that if God’s promises were given, if Abraham’s inheritance was through keeping of the Old Testament law, then faith is meaningless (vs. 14).  The Law demands perfect obedience, which no one can meet (Romans 3:23; James 2:10).  If that was the basis for justification and salvation, no one could ever meet that standard and be saved.  Any system that mixes works with faith destroys grace.  Salvation cannot be earned, supplemented, or secured by human effort.  The Law reveals that we are all sinners and deserve God’s wrath, not His blessing (vs. 15).  It cannot save.  It can only expose our need for salvation.

Our Scripture continues by stating that the promise of God comes by faith (vs. 16).  It is by grace, not by works, and is guaranteed, “sure to all the seed” or descendants of Abraham.   Who are the “seed”?  They are the Jewish people who believe and the Gentile people who believe.  In other words, to all who believe, like Abraham did.  The seed is not through ethnicity, but through believing God’s promises, having faith like Abraham did.  Grace and faith go together.  Works and grace are mutually exclusive (Romans 11:6).  God designed salvation so that He alone gets the glory.  If we received salvation through the works that we did, we would be inclined to go through eternity bragging about how great we are, not how great God is!

God called Abraham the “father of many nations”, and yet at this time he was childless and a very elderly man (vs. 17).  However, as Abraham believed, and as Paul stated here, God is the One who can revive the body of one who was as good as dead, at least as far as fathering a child was concerned.  God calls those things which are not as though they were.  God speaks with absolute authority.  His promises are as good as fulfilled the moment He gives them.  He calls into being things that were not.  He speaks, and things that didn’t exist suddenly do. Only God has that power.  We don’t, and neither do others.  Other people may say things to us to make us doubt God’s promises.  We need to forget them and focus on what God has said, which is the only important thing.

All too often we focus our attention on our circumstances, resting our belief, even our faith, on what they indicate.  Instead, we need to rest our faith on God’s character, not on our circumstances.  Abraham believed because God said it, and that settled it.  Abraham believed God’s promise even when it seemed impossible (vs. 18).  He was 100, his wife 90, both long past childbearing age.  Yet he believed God would give him a son.  Biblical faith is not wishful thinking.  It is trusting God’s Word despite human impossibility.  True faith looks beyond circumstances to the God who cannot lie.

The object of our trust is important.  Faith in a worthless cure, a risky business, or an unreliable person will do us no good.  Merely having faith will not save us.  Our faith must be placed in Jesus Christ.  Let us have saving faith just as Abraham did, a faith that trusts in God’s Word and rests in His power. A faith that perseveres despite all surrounding circumstances.  We can know for certainty that God’s promises are sure and true.  They rest on grace, not on anything that we do.  They depend on His power, which is omnipotent.  And God’s promises are guaranteed because they are rooted in His unchanging character.

The Divine Courtroom

Psalm 50

Having to stand before a judge in a serious court case would be a stressful and nerve-wracking situation.  Fortunately I have never had to do that, but I’ve watched enough legal dramas on TV, along with occasional bits of Court TV to know that is not someplace you want to be.  Our Scripture today, Psalm 50, brings us into a divine courtroom where God Himself appears as the Judge.  Let’s look into our Scripture to see who is being brought before this court, and what the charges are.

Psalm 50 was one of twelve psalms written by Asaph, who was a Levite appointed by King David as one of the chief musicians for the Temple.  As Asaph records, God has summoned His people to judgment, as there are two types of people He has major issues with.  The first is the formalist (vs. 7-15), who show outward religion without any heart devotion.  They may be believers, but their worship has become merely going through the motions.  The second is the hypocrite (vs. 16-21), ones who pretend religious faith, but live a life of wickedness outside the church.  We will see the difference between the things we do that truly honor God, and the things we do which are a thinly disguised attempt to impress Him with our own righteousness.

As court comes to session, the Lord God summons both heaven and earth to be witnesses for Him (vs. 4).  He is not silent (vs. 3).  He speaks with authority.  As St. Peter later recorded, judgment begins with God’s people, and those who claim to be (I Peter 4:17).  He holds His covenant people accountable first.  God’s holiness is not optional.  His people are accountable to His revealed Word.  Worship is not a matter of personal preference, but of divine command.

First, the Lord rebukes those who go through empty ceremonies and worship, but their heart is not in the rituals they are performing (vs. 7-15).  They may be genuine believers whose faith has now become just going through the motions, or they may be someone who is only pretending genuine faith.  God rejects rituals if there is no relationship with Him to go with it.  Unlike the false pagan gods, Yahweh does not need sacrifices for sustenance (vs. 12).  External religious activity means nothing without a heart of gratitude and obedience.  God desires genuine worship, not mechanical performance.

Instead of going through rituals which have lost any real meaning, God wants our thanksgiving, obedience, and our trust in Him during trouble (vs. 14-15).  God has limitless resources (vs. 10).  When we have worries or anxieties, we need to focus on Him, as He will provide for whatever we need.  Troubles will undoubtedly come in our life.  However, we do not need to despair, for God is with us to help and strengthen us.  Verse 15 does not read “call once”.  The Bible teaches us to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  Sometimes God delays His answers so that we will keep on crying to Him, and build our reliance completely on His mercy.

Next, God condemns the hypocrite (vs. 16-21).  These are people who recite God’s statutes, quote the Bible, and say other “religious sounding” words, they profess to know Him and have a relationship with Him, yet they live in open sin.  Some of the sins they take part in include theft, adultery, slander, deceit, and complicity with evil.  One would think that we would not see these sorts in church, but they are there, including even among Christian leaders.

God exposes their fatal assumption that He approves because He is like them (vs. 21).  This is the root of religious hypocrisy - the remaking of God in our own image.  God’s moral law is absolute.  Professing believers who live in unrepentant sin will face severe judgment.  He sees the heart and the life of everyone.  Profession of faith without holiness, without any fruit, is self-deception, and is condemned.  Your private life must match your public profession.

Two paths are presented here (vs. 22-23).  There is the path of destruction.  To those who forget God, He will “tear” them in judgment with no one to deliver.  Then there is the path of salvation.  God promises to show His salvation to those who offer Him praise and order their lives aright.  Salvation is by grace, but true salvation produces a transformed life.  God expects His people to walk in holiness, gratitude, and obedience.  True worship must be both doctrinally sound and heart-engaged.

As the Divine Judge brings the gavel down with His judgment, and His divine courtroom is adjourned, where do each of us stand?  Are we part of those who are just going through the rituals, but our hearts are far away?  Are we a religious-acting hypocrite who wants to look religious to the world, but our life is steeped in sin?  Or are we one whose heart belongs to the Lord, and we are living a spiritually fruitful and obedient life for Him?  One day each of us will stand before our Divine Judge, and His judgment will be given.  Let’s be sure that we have His Son, the Lord Jesus, as our Advocate, and that because of Him, it will be in our favor.

When Discipline is Necessary

Hosea 5:15 - 6:6

Some people have the mistaken belief that God is a cruel and mean deity, out to cause pain and misery in people’s lives.  They might feel this way because of some tragedies or difficult times that they have faced in life.  Perhaps they feel that God has stepped away from hearing their prayers and no longer cares about them.  Our Scripture for today answers this thought.

Today’s Old Testament reading comes from the Prophet Hosea.  He preached and ministered to the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel between approximately 753 and 722 BC.  Ever since Israel had broken away from the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 930 BC, Israel had been steeped in pagan worship.  Hosea preached during a time of idolatry and Baal worship, of the country trusting in political alliances instead of trusting in God, of moral corruption, and of superficial religious observance.  Yahweh spoke to the people through His prophet, addressing this national spiritual condition.

As our Scripture opens, the Lord says to the people of Israel that He is returning to His place, meaning that He is withdrawing His protective presence (vs. 5:15).  He is not abandoning the people, but doing this as a discipline to them for their continual idolatry and wickedness.  His purpose is not to bring destruction upon them, but instead to draw them to repentance and back to worship of Him alone.  When God brings discipline upon His people, it is not because He enjoys punishment, but instead it is for the purpose of restoration (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Discipline will often hurt, but that pain is for our good, not out of cruelty.  God doesn’t want to cause pain for no reason if He could avoid it (Lamentations 3:33).   Think of a doctor who must prescribe a treatment that is uncomfortable, or even a bit painful, but the end result is to bring healing.  When someone’s shoulder is out of joint, it is very painful to pop it back into place, but it must be done.  The nation was like that dislocated shoulder, and God needed to treat it.

The people of Israel responded by saying they would return to the Lord (vs. 1-3).  At first glance, this might look like genuine repentance, but as we see throughout the rest of the Book of Hosea, it was very shallow and superficial.  They were treating repentance like a formula.  They assumed that God would quickly fix everything, even though there was no real change in their heart.  What they really wanted was relief from all discipline, not a restoration of their relationship with God.  They thought that if they just repeated the right words to Him, all would be well.  However, God is not a vending machine. He responds to genuine repentance, not just ritualistic words.  This is the case with many today.  They desire God’s blessings in their life, but they do not want to surrender their sins.  This is not Biblical repentance.

As we continue with our Scripture, God exposes their shallow devotion (vs. 4).  Their “good” behavior was just momentary.  It was inconsistent, and basically evaporated like a cloud in the morning, there one moment and gone the next.  Emotional repentance that fades quickly is not true, genuine repentance.

God had sent the Northern Kingdom many prophets before, the great prophet Elijah being one of them, and He would continue to send them more.  Their message and words would cut them, bringing the pain that should bring healing (vs 5).  The prophets' words were to confront, expose sin, and call the people to repentance.  However Israel ignored all of them.  This shows us that God is patient and just, and always warns the people before He brings judgment.

Our Scripture passage ends with the heart of this passage (vs. 6).  God desired His people to have mercy on others, and have a true knowledge of Him, a relational and obedient knowledge.  He rejects people going through religious rituals without having obedience to His Word.  He rejects their sacrifices if there is no submission to Him, and their worship if there is no relationship or desire to live their lives for Him.  Jesus would later quote this verse several times in His dealings with the Pharisees (Matthew 9:13; 12:7).

The prophets spoke clearly, yet Israel ignored them.  How about us today?  We have God’s Word in the Bible.  Are we ignoring His message to us through Scriptures?  Is our devotion as fleeting as a cloud, short-lived, emotion-driven, and inconsistent?  God desires steadfastness, and a heart that prioritizes obedience over empty religious activity.  As this passage teaches us, let us have genuine repentance, consistent devotion, and heart-level obedience.  And if God does see fit to bring discipline when necessary, instead of resisting or resenting it, let it draw us closer to Him.

Two Warnings

Matthew 7:21-27

It is rather obvious going through life that heeding warnings are important.  When hiking through some rugged areas, one should obey the warning signs to stay on the specifically marked paths.  One should certainly follow the warning signs about poisonous materials.  And when people warn us about getting involved with some dangerous person, we should heed their warnings, as well.  In our Scripture today from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus gives us some warnings that would be wise to follow, along with the results of not heeding the warning.

Our Scripture verses come at the end of one of Jesus’ most well known messages, the Sermon on the Mount.  As He concludes that important sermon, He gives two warnings - the first that true salvation is evidenced by obedience, not empty profession, and the second that one must not just hear God’s words, but also follow what they hear.  As we will see, not everyone who claims Christ truly belongs to Christ.

In the first of these two warnings, Jesus confronted verbal profession of faith without true heart submission to God (vs. 21-23).  There are plenty of people who go tossing the Name of Jesus around, they may wear a cross around their neck or a T-shirt with some religious saying and a Bible verse on it, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a genuine Christian.  Calling Jesus “Lord” is not enough.  Doing the will of the Father is the evidence of true conversion.  Do they truly follow what the Bible says, or do they just pick out some favorite verses, and that is all?  This is not supporting salvation by works.  It is salvation evidenced by works (James 2:17-26).  A person can be religious, and verbally orthodox, but still be lost.

These are one of the most serious and solemn verses in the Bible.  Jesus says that there will be many who will be self-deceived, not just a few.  They appeal to their own works, not to Jesus’ finished work on the Cross.  And their works are impressive - preaching, casting out demons, and other miracles.  However, that activity is not proof of their salvation.  False converts often rely on what they did, rather than on what Jesus did.

Frequently they will preach an all-inclusive, non-condemning, watered-down gospel, where no mention of sin or need of repentance is ever mentioned.  That may give no offense, but no souls are ever saved.  Those who preach such a gospel will one day stand before Jesus and expect a reward, yet He will say for them to depart as He does not know them.  This is the final verdict of Jesus on false professors.  A person who lives in continual rebellion against God’s complete Word while claiming to be His follower is deceiving themselves.

The second warning that the Lord Jesus gave at the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount was about the wise builder versus the foolish one (vs. 24-27).  Jesus described two different groups of people.  The first are those who hear His Words and do them.  They are the wise ones who build their house (life) upon the Rock of God.  They don’t just merely hear the Scriptures, but they are obedient to God’s teachings therein.

The foolish person also hears God’s Word, but they do not obey it, or they pick and choose what they want to obey and what they won’t obey, saying that some parts are “problematic” for today’s world, or just don’t fit in with their lifestyle.  Both houses experience storms, which symbolize the trials of life and temptations.  One house stands, and the other falls.  The difference is not the storm but the foundation.  Judgment reveals the true nature of a person’s faith.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a famous tourist attraction. It was built on a mixture of clay, sand, and shells.  As the tower was being built the ground shifted beneath the foundation.  While we might like to see this tilting structure, we don’t want our own homes to slip and crumble.  When building our life, we need to make sure our foundation is firm, made up of wisdom and faith in Jesus.  We must listen to His Word, and then do what He asks of us.  Our life’s foundation will be tested by storms.  Will it stand up to the test?  Have we chosen to build on a firm foundation?  If our spiritual house is solidly based on Jesus and His Word, we can have complete confidence that no matter what happens, our souls are secure.

In closing, we learn from this Scripture passage that religious activity is not salvation.  Neither is emotions or miracles salvation.  Jesus Christ alone saves.  Not all who profess faith actually possess faith.  Reading and obeying Scripture, and repenting of sin helps us to build daily upon the Rock of the Lord Jesus.  True believers obey the Lord.  Trials will come.  Temptations will come.  Judgment will come.  Only a life built upon Jesus Christ will endure.

Can I Be Good Enough?

Romans 3:21-28

In order to get passed on to the next grade in school you have to learn the material and pass the tests.  If you want to get good grades, you have to study.  To get picked for any sports team you have to practice in order to be good enough.  The same goes for being picked for the lead role in a play.  And if you want to get that prized promotion at work, you need to do well at your current position.  Going through life we see that one has to earn their way to get chosen, one has to be good enough.  One cannot make a lot of mistakes.  If you do, you will lose out.  In our Scripture for today, however, we see that no one is good enough on their own to receive the greatest of all things, that of a place in heaven, eternal life.  Try as we might, doing the best that we possibly can, we will fall woefully short.  So what can we do?  Is there any hope?  Let’s take a look at what God says in His Word.

Our Scripture today comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome.  He spent the first 2 ½ chapters explaining that before God, everyone stands guilty of sin, of breaking His laws.  The Gentiles are guilty, the Jews are guilty, the whole world is guilty.  We are all sinners before God, and there is nothing we can do.  But as Paul continues in the middle of chapter 3, we see a dramatic shift.  We come to a “But now…..”  As Paul will explain in our Scripture passage, God has revealed His righteousness in a way that does not depend on our ability to try and do right, to try and impossibly earn our way, to be good enough to earn salvation.

As Paul begins to explain in our Scripture, God’s righteousness is revealed apart from the law (vs. 21).  The righteousness of God is the righteous status that God gives to all believers.  It is “apart from the law”, meaning that it is not earned, not merited, nor achieved by obeying God’s laws, which is impossible to do on our own.  Salvation has always been by grace through faith.

This righteousness comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is available to everyone, however it is applied only to those who believe in Him and accept Him as Savior (vs. 22).  Salvation is offered to all people universally, but it is applied individually by faith. Faith is the sole instrument of receiving God’s righteousness.  This is something that many people take offense at, that God will accept anybody, literally anybody, who comes to faith in Jesus Christ.  Think of the most terrible, sinful, and vile person.  If that person turned to the Lord Jesus, and genuinely called upon Him for salvation, they would be saved and receive a place in heaven.  However, if someone whom the world might think is a “good person”, but they die having never accepted Jesus as their Savior, they will not see heaven.  Salvation is given to all who believe.

Paul continues by explaining that there are no “good” people, everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (vs. 23).  There is universal guilt, every person without exception continually falls short of God’s perfect standard.  To those who accept Jesus, they are freely justified (vs. 24).  Justification is a legal declaration by God that the sinner is righteous because Jesus Christ’s righteousness is credited to their account.  This is given to believers freely.  It is unearned favor purchased by His Blood.  To obtain His gift we must accept the truth that we have all sinned before God, which breaks our relationship with Him.  This break can be restored when we acknowledge our sin, repent of it, and turn by faith to Jesus, and accept His death on the Cross on our behalf.

Jesus’ death on the Cross satisfied God’s just wrath against the sins we all have committed (vs. 25). God demonstrated His righteousness by punishing sin in Jesus.  The Cross is not merely an example of love.  It is a substitutionary, wrath-bearing sacrifice.  Jesus’ sinless Blood blotted out our sins forever.  But for that Blood to be effective in our life, we must accept it by faith.

The Cross allows God to remain just, as He does not overlook sin, but also allows Him to be the Justifier, as He can declare sinners who accept Jesus as righteous (vs. 26).  This is the heart of the Gospel - God satisfies His own justice through Jesus Christ so He can save sinners without compromising His holiness.

Justification by faith eliminates all human pride (vs. 27-28).  No one can brag that their good works earned them a special spot in heaven.  Since salvation is by faith, no one can boast of anything.  Otherwise heaven would be filled with people going around saying how good they were, and that my good works were better than yours, and yours were better than the next person, and so on.  Paul concludes by saying salvation is by faith alone.  No sacraments, rituals, moral efforts, or religious works contribute to it.  It is the empty hand receiving Jesus.

Our Place of Safety

Psalm 31

When I was a child growing up in the 1960’s the children of the neighborhood would get together to play various outdoor games, such as “tag”, or other games which had a safety place, where if you ran to that, the opponent couldn’t get you out.  Sometimes boardgames have a space that is safe from getting taken out, as well.  With all of the dangers and trials of life, it would be nice to have a safety place, where our enemies, real or figurative, could not harm us.  Our psalm for today speaks of just such a place.  Let’s take a look so that when we want or need a safe place we know where to run to.

Psalm 31 was written by David, possibly when he was fleeing for his life from King Saul, or perhaps when his son Absalom staged a coup against him and he had to flee Jerusalem.  David knew where his safety was, and who to trust in the middle of severe distress, betrayal, slander, and danger.  Right in the opening lines we see that he proclaimed that God is his refuge and righteous deliverer.  This was not casual belief.  This is total reliance upon Yahweh for deliverance.  David cried out to the Lord, praying for deliverance, not because of anything good he had done to deserve it, but because of God’s righteousness (vs. 1).  He appealed to God’s character, not his own.

David called God his rock and his fortress (vs. 2-3).  The many large rocks and boulders in the wilderness were a safe place to hide behind. Ancient communities would build fortresses when they knew an enemy army was on the way, so the people could flee to that for safety.  One was protected from danger when hiding behind a large rock or within a fortress.  David knew that Yahweh was his safety place.  The enemy could not harm him when he was in God’s care.

We all have times in our life when we feel the enemy is pursuing us or our family.  We need a safe place to run to.  We may have real, literal enemies pursuing us, or it could be other serious problems, such as major health problems, financial problems, or other worries.  Like David did, we can turn to God.  We can commit ourselves completely into His hands (vs. 5).   The Lord Jesus is our Rock and Fortress, our place of safety when we are tired of running and hiding.  He offers relief for those who seek security in the strength of God’s presence.  Like David found, we too can be pulled out of the net that tries to trap us (vs. 4), and have our feet set in a wide place (vs. 8), a picture of safety and freedom.

The Bible doesn’t deny the reality of truly deep suffering.  David described himself as consumed with grief, weakened by sorrow, and surrounded by enemies (vs. 9-13).   As we read, David said he was a reproach among both his enemies and his neighbors, and repulsive to his acquaintances (vs. 11).  Everyone, it seemed, was against him.  Not only was he suffering physically and emotionally, he also was socially, as well.  People were plotting against his life (vs. 13).  This is something that was also echoed in the life of Jesus, during His last days (Matthew 27:1).

There are times in the middle of our trials, that we also experience betrayal, slander, and abandonment.  We may be misunderstood, are lonely, have lies told about us, and even be abandoned by those we thought were our friends.  David’s enemies foreshadow the world’s hostility towards God’s people.  Like David, and most importantly, also like the Lord Jesus, we can put our trust and hope in the Lord, who is our only true anchor.

The turning point of this psalm is when David proclaims his trust in the Lord (vs. 14).  He goes from looking at all the problems he is facing, and how his enemies are attacking, to renewed trust in Yahweh.  David knew that all power and authority are from God, and that He controls whatever happens in his own life (vs. 15).  God controls our circumstances, our lifespan, and our destiny, not ourselves.  Our life is not governed by chance but by God’s hand.  He permits suffering, He also provides comfort.  Deliverance is God’s prerogative, not man’s, and the wicked will ultimately be silenced and judged (vs. 17-18).  We don’t need to let our problems and troubles discourage us.  Our life is in Jesus’ hands.  Instead, focus on finishing each day in a way that will please Him.

David ended his psalm with triumphant praise (vs. 19-24).  He praised God for His goodness, which is laid up for those who fear Him.  David also praised Him for His protection, as believers are hidden in the secret place of His presence, a picture of spiritual security.  When he panicked and felt that God was not seeing him, he remembered the truth, that God still does hear his cry (vs. 22), just as He does for us.  We may have moments of doubt, but God remains faithful despite our weakness.

David closed with an exhortation to be of good courage and hope in the Lord (vs. 24).  The world doesn’t offer much hope for those in despair, but God does.  If we surrender to Him in moments of despair like David did, He will provide what we need.  He wants to strengthen His children so that they can bear up under the weight of tough circumstances.  God gives hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless.  The hope that God gives is beyond the scope of human limitations because God is a good God.  Like in those childhood games with the neighbors, run to the Lord Jesus, and find in Him your place of safety.

Blessings or Curses

Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28

If you had to pick blessings in your life or curses, which would you choose?  You may think that is a very silly question, as everyone would pick blessings, wouldn’t they?  One would certainly think so.  God has given us in His Word the way one can ensure blessings in one’s life, and the way that one will incur curses.  Yet, all too often people are continually going the route of choosing curses, either unknowingly, not believing, or not caring what they are doing.  Let’s look into God’s Word and see what it says about receiving blessings or curses.

Today’s Scripture comes from the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament.  Deuteronomy contains Moses’ final sermon series to the nation of Israel right prior to their entering in and taking possession of the land that God had promised them, as far back as the days of their forefather Abraham.  The people had seen God’s mighty acts when they left Egypt and all throughout their years in the wilderness.  God promised that if they obeyed His Word, they would prosper in the new land.  However, God’s Word must be internalized and taught diligently to their children.  They would need to make a choice between being blessed or being cursed.  This is not just for the ancient Israelites several thousand years ago, it is also very applicable to believers today.  What God instructed them, He is also telling us today.

As our Scripture passage opens, God instructs the people, and us, that we need to keep His Word in our heart and soul (vs. 18).  We need to saturate our life with His Word.  We do this by incorporating and integrating the Bible into our life, letting it shape our affections, convictions, and decisions, and not just having mere outward conformity.  The Bible should be our inner compass.

Moses spoke of binding God’s Word on their hands, and as frontlets between their eyes.  Today some very Orthodox Jewish men will wear phylacteries on their foreheads.  They are little boxes that contain bits of the Torah, and are tied on their forehead with leather straps when they pray, as a literal following of this verse.  Jesus warned, though, of this becoming just an empty ritual (Matthew 23:5).  It is more important that God’s Word govern our thinking (“between your eyes”) and our actions (“on your hand”).  We must keep God’s Word constantly before us.

Next, God instructs us that we need to be teaching His Word and ways to our children (vs 19).  This is to be continual daily instructions, when we sit down, walk, at bedtime, and upon rising.  Parents should be the primary spiritual teachers, keeping a Scripture-centered home.  They are to train and raise their children, not the schools nor the culture.  This is a command of God, not just a suggestion, and will safeguard against generations shifting away from Him.  He also instructs us to write them upon our door posts and gates (vs. 20).  Today we can do this by having framed Bible verses in our homes.  I have several cross-stitched Bible verses on my walls.  This way our homes are publicly identified with God, and where Scripture is not hidden away.

The reason for this is so that we can obtain God’s blessings in our life (vs. 21).  This is not prosperity-gospel teaching, which is tied to God blessing you so long as you give to any number of prosperity preachers (so he can buy another personal jet for himself!).  This was a covenantal blessing for Israel, but also teaches us today that a society grounded in God’s Word will flourish.  However, one that rejects His Word will decay.

God now confronts us with a moral decision (vs. 26-28).  We have a choice between having His blessings in our life, or having His curse.   His blessing is not automatic, nor His curse arbitrary or haphazard.  God’s moral law is objective and binding.  It is impossible to be morally neutral.  Either one obeys God and receives blessings, or he disobeys and receives curses.

If we choose to obey God and the Bible, we will receive His favor, protection, provision, and stability (vs. 27).  This is consistent with the Biblical pattern found in Psalm 1, Joshua 1:8, and Proverbs 3:1-6.  If we choose to disobey the Bible, we will lose God’s protection, the nation will decline, we have spiritual darkness, and ultimately God’s judgment (vs. 28).  We cannot choose what we obey or not obey, either.  We can’t pick and choose, treating the Bible like a cafeteria, saying that we don’t like this, or that particular verse “is problematic in today’s world.”  God’s commands are not optional.  Sin has real consequences.

As we close, we see that in order to receive God’s blessings in our life, we need to store His Word in our heart, teach it to our family at home, and obey it in our daily life.  Obedience is the dividing line between blessing and curse.  God places before every person and every generation the same choice - blessing through obedience or curse through disobedience.

Living Water

John 7:37-39

Have you ever come to a pond that is filled with nasty, slimy water, and with rotted or dying plant life?  You’re not likely to want to dip your hand in and take a drink!  Sometimes a fish tank can get rather nasty, too.  If there is no movement on the surface of the water in your fish tank, there will be no oxygen, the water will become nasty and the fish will die soon.  That is why we put those air-bubblers in there.  Swiftly moving water, or “living” water from a mountain spring can taste good and be refreshing, but no one wants warm, stagnant water.  Moving water brings life.  Water that has sat for a long period of time will taste nasty, grow bacteria, and could make one sick.  In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus speaks of a different type of “living water”, one that also brings life.  Let’s take a quick look at what He was talking about.

John Chapter 7 takes place in Jerusalem, and the Jewish festival of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, was finishing.  This feast is held in the autumn, and commemorates Israel’s wilderness wanderings.  Each day there was a water-drawing ceremony, where the priests poured water at the altar in the Temple.  This would symbolize God’s provision and the hope of future spiritual renewal.  It was during this festival, with all of these ceremonies being performed in the sight of the people, that Jesus stood and proclaimed our Scripture verses, that He is the true source of the water they were symbolically celebrating.

Jesus knew that these people were spiritually thirsty.  Most everyone at one time or another has a spiritual thirst.  They want something more in their life, their soul desires God, but they don’t know how or where to quench that spiritual thirst.  All too often they end up drinking from the spiritual equivalent of the foul and fetid pond.

The Savior told us that whoever is thirsty should come to Him and drink (vs. 37).  First, we must know that we are thirsty, to be aware of our spiritual needs.  Jesus says if anyone is thirsty - His offer of salvation is universal.  He didn’t call just those of a certain race, or who looked like this or that.  Jesus said “anyone”.  Those who are spiritually thirsty are to come to Him.  Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.  Lastly, they are to drink, that is, personally appropriate the salvation He offers by faith.  Salvation does not come by religious rituals or works, but is Christ-centered, grace-based, and faith-activated.

Jesus then tied His promise directly to belief - the one who believes in Him will have rivers of living water flow from their heart (vs. 38).  Salvation is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This promise is not for the world generally, but instead it is for the believer specifically.  Also, belief is not just intellectual assent, but is instead trusting in Christ’s Person and His saving work on the Cross.

As Jesus stood among the crowds, He stated that to those who believe, out of their hearts will flow rivers of living water (vs. 38).  The living water symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s life-giving ministry.  The Spirit not only indwells the believer, but also overflows from the believer to bless others, producing fruit, power, witness, and spiritual vitality.  This doesn’t just come out like a trickle.  Jesus said it pours forth like a river.

The Apostle John, as he wrote his Gospel, clarified that Jesus was indeed speaking of the Holy Spirit, which was yet to come (vs. 39).  The Spirit would be given to believers, not to the world or to those just superficially religious, but to those who believe in Him.  The Holy Spirit would come later, after Jesus’ death on the Cross, His resurrection, and ascension.  Only after this redemptive work could the Holy Spirit come to indwell believers permanently.

As we see in this brief passage of Scripture, salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.  He, alone, offers the living water.  Today, since we all live post-Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment they accept Jesus as their personal Savior (Romans 8:9).  Jesus said “if anyone thirsts”, the Gospel invitation is universal.  No one is excluded, but one must come to Him.

Are you thirsty?  If so, come to Jesus Christ for salvation.  If you have already accepted Him, but feel spiritually dry and empty today, renew your fellowship with Him.  Is the Holy Spirit flowing through you to others?  His presence should produce love, joy, and peace.  It should move us to bring the Gospel message to others, and bring holiness in our lives.  If the “rivers” feel more like “drops”, the issue is not with God’s supply but the level of our surrender to Him.

Jesus did not promise a cup-full or a trickle.  He promised rivers - abundant, overflowing, and unstoppable.  The Christian life is not meant to be dry and stagnant.  It is meant to be Spirit-filled, Christ-centered, and overflowing with His life in us.  Each day let us yield ourselves to Him fully and completely.  And if you have not yet accepted Him as your Savior, come to Jesus and drink of the living water He offers.