Psalm 91
Fear. Terror. Worry. Problems that are so deep and unsurmountable. Many of us have faced some of this at one time or another. This is what our psalmist today was facing. We’re not talking about an overdue library book or even a flat tire type problem. Our psalmist is talking about major, life and death problems. Going into battle against an overpowering foe. An enemy who is plotting and laying traps against our life. Facing a deadly disease. Problems that we have no resources on our own to handle. Sometimes we may face such situations in our life. How do we deal with this? Where do we turn? Our psalm for today gives us an answer.
As we read through our Scripture passage today we see the psalmist mentioning several life and death circumstances (vs. 3-6). A fowler (vs. 3) is a person who sets traps to catch birds. Sometimes we face people who wish us harm, either financially or physically, and they lay all sorts of traps to catch us, to ruin and destroy us. The psalmist mentions deadly pestilences (vs. 3, 6). A pestilence is a deadly plague or disease. Throughout history there have been diseases and plagues that have killed multiple thousands or more in a moment. In addition to cancers and other diseases, a great plague is still in the realm of possibility today. He continues on describing when his life is in danger from flying arrows (vs. 5). This could be either in battle, his city being overrun by the enemy, or a random attack, all of which could happen today, as well. The psalmist also mentions unnamed terrors and destructions (vs. 5-6). Destructions could be anything that destroys what we have, whether by natural disasters or enemies, and terror is anything that brings paralyzing fear.
There may be times when we face problems that are similar to these, problems that are so overwhelming they leave us cowering and trembling in fear. They could be diseases, financial devastation, or deadly threats. Where do we turn? Our psalmist had faced some unnamed terrifying problems and knew the answer, which he shares with us today. The answer can only be found in turning to God. He shares with us that first of all, we must “dwell in the secret place of the Most High”, and also “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (vs. 1). The secret place is a place and time where we have close and special time with God. We must have a close, personal relationship with God in order to do that. We must also abide with Him, closely following and obeying Him.
Throughout our Psalm we read how God promises His children that He will be our shelter, our refuge, fortress, and shield. He will guard us and rescue us. God doesn’t promise a world free from danger, but He does promise His help to those who have made a covenant with Him through Jesus’ Blood when they face danger. He will be our shelter and refuge when we are afraid. God is even more loving than any earthly parent. He is ready to help any of is Blood-bought children.
It is important to realize who is behind all of the attacks, destruction and other terrors that come against us. Behind every enemy is Satan and his demons. He is a supernatural enemy, coming against us with supernatural strength. To overcome this enemy, we need even greater supernatural strength. Each time we feel an overpowering attack of any type from the enemy we should go to the Cross of Jesus where Satan was defeated (Colossians 1:20; I John 3:8). There, claim the Blood of Jesus, which was shed for you, to your own life personally (Romans 5:8-9; Revelation 12:10-11). Call upon the Name of Jesus for His help (Proverbs 18:10; Philippians 2:9-11). Finally, to defeat Satan, stand firm on the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Nothing can harm a child of God unless the Father permits it. We can trust that He will carry us through all the dangers and fears of life. When we entrust ourselves to God’s protection and give Him our devotion as Savior, we will be kept safe.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Don't Forget To Remember
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Our Old Testament Scripture passage for this first Sunday in Lent comes from the Book of Deuteronomy, where we find the people of Israel gathered, ready to enter into the Promised Land. They are gathered together to hear the final instructions of their leader, Moses, as God has told Moses that he will not be going into the land. In his words to the people today he instructs them to remember two things. The first is to remember to bring offerings to God of the first fruits of their crops each year. The second is to remember how God has cared and protected them, their families, and their ancestors all the way back to the days of the Patriarchs.
One of the many promises that the Lord God made to the people when He brought them into the Promised Land was that if they obeyed Him, He would bless their crops and harvests. Moses instructed the people to, at each harvest time, take the first fruits of the crops and bring them as an offering to the Lord God (vs. 1-4).
We might wonder why this is so very important. If we work hard and there is enough of both sun and rain, the crops will come. Why bring of the best of the crops to God, as He can’t eat them? The danger in holding back from bringing an offering to God and thanking Him is that very soon we start to think that it is our strength, our resourcefulness and ability that gave us the harvest, the job, the house, and everything else we have. We see less and less of gratefulness to God for the blessings He has provided for us in the population today. Thanksgiving Day is just an excuse to have a big meal today. A young boy on a once very popular TV show once questioned why they should thank God for their food, as “He didn’t buy it for them”. Moses did not want the people to fall into the sin of ungratefulness to God. They needed to remember that God had promised to bless them in the new land if they remembered Him with offerings of the first fruits of their harvests. We need to give back a portion of what He has provided for us. When we give back to God an offering, we are acknowledging that God is the source of all that we have.
The second thing that Moses wanted the people to remember was how the Lord God had protected and cared for them, their families, and their ancestors (vs. 5-10). When they brought their offerings to God, the people were instructed to verbally review to everyone how God had cared and provided for their ancestors, all the way back to the days of the Patriarchs. Their ancestor Abraham had originally come from the city of Ur, near where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet. He and his family migrated northwest, along the rivers to the ancient land of Aram (present day eastern Syria and northern Iraq), which is why their ancestors were called “Syrians” or “Arameans” in verse 5. Though not specifically named, this passage seems to highlight the difficulties that the Patriarch Jacob went through, and how God brought him through each one. God had watched over and cared for Jacob when he fled for his life from his brother, Esau. He cared for him when later, with wives and children he had to flee from his unscrupulous father-in-law, Laban. God cared and provided for them when famine hit the land and they needed to go down into Egypt, and later while they were taken as slaves there. Now, in their recent memory they were protected as they passed through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Why is remembering what God did in the past so important to us today? Remembering God’s protection and provisions for us, our families, and our ancestors helps to strengthen our faith now. When we remember how He brought people in the past through some really difficult situations, our faith is bolstered to know that He can and will do the same for us. Remembering what God did in the past will give us courage now to endure difficult times.
Moses concludes our passage with the encouragement to never forget to praise and thank God for all of the good He has provided for us (vs. 11). We should never take for granted His provisions, or to fall into the trap of thinking that everything we have came through our own hard work. Just as Moses told the people of his day, the Word of God tells us today to remember.
Our Old Testament Scripture passage for this first Sunday in Lent comes from the Book of Deuteronomy, where we find the people of Israel gathered, ready to enter into the Promised Land. They are gathered together to hear the final instructions of their leader, Moses, as God has told Moses that he will not be going into the land. In his words to the people today he instructs them to remember two things. The first is to remember to bring offerings to God of the first fruits of their crops each year. The second is to remember how God has cared and protected them, their families, and their ancestors all the way back to the days of the Patriarchs.
One of the many promises that the Lord God made to the people when He brought them into the Promised Land was that if they obeyed Him, He would bless their crops and harvests. Moses instructed the people to, at each harvest time, take the first fruits of the crops and bring them as an offering to the Lord God (vs. 1-4).
We might wonder why this is so very important. If we work hard and there is enough of both sun and rain, the crops will come. Why bring of the best of the crops to God, as He can’t eat them? The danger in holding back from bringing an offering to God and thanking Him is that very soon we start to think that it is our strength, our resourcefulness and ability that gave us the harvest, the job, the house, and everything else we have. We see less and less of gratefulness to God for the blessings He has provided for us in the population today. Thanksgiving Day is just an excuse to have a big meal today. A young boy on a once very popular TV show once questioned why they should thank God for their food, as “He didn’t buy it for them”. Moses did not want the people to fall into the sin of ungratefulness to God. They needed to remember that God had promised to bless them in the new land if they remembered Him with offerings of the first fruits of their harvests. We need to give back a portion of what He has provided for us. When we give back to God an offering, we are acknowledging that God is the source of all that we have.
The second thing that Moses wanted the people to remember was how the Lord God had protected and cared for them, their families, and their ancestors (vs. 5-10). When they brought their offerings to God, the people were instructed to verbally review to everyone how God had cared and provided for their ancestors, all the way back to the days of the Patriarchs. Their ancestor Abraham had originally come from the city of Ur, near where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet. He and his family migrated northwest, along the rivers to the ancient land of Aram (present day eastern Syria and northern Iraq), which is why their ancestors were called “Syrians” or “Arameans” in verse 5. Though not specifically named, this passage seems to highlight the difficulties that the Patriarch Jacob went through, and how God brought him through each one. God had watched over and cared for Jacob when he fled for his life from his brother, Esau. He cared for him when later, with wives and children he had to flee from his unscrupulous father-in-law, Laban. God cared and provided for them when famine hit the land and they needed to go down into Egypt, and later while they were taken as slaves there. Now, in their recent memory they were protected as they passed through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Why is remembering what God did in the past so important to us today? Remembering God’s protection and provisions for us, our families, and our ancestors helps to strengthen our faith now. When we remember how He brought people in the past through some really difficult situations, our faith is bolstered to know that He can and will do the same for us. Remembering what God did in the past will give us courage now to endure difficult times.
Moses concludes our passage with the encouragement to never forget to praise and thank God for all of the good He has provided for us (vs. 11). We should never take for granted His provisions, or to fall into the trap of thinking that everything we have came through our own hard work. Just as Moses told the people of his day, the Word of God tells us today to remember.
Friday, March 8, 2019
A Mountain Top Experience
Luke 9:28-36
Have you ever had a time in your Christian life where God seemed especially close in an extraordinarily spiritual way? Perhaps it was on a special retreat, or in the midst of some revival meetings your church had, or after some special personal prayer time you had. You might never have wanted it to end. In our Scripture passage for today from the Gospel of Luke, we can look into just such a powerful experience that the Apostles Peter, James, and John had. Let’s take a look at this spectacular and unforgettable time that they experienced, and see what we can learn from it.
About a week after Peter had made his great public confession of believing that Jesus was the promised Messiah, Jesus took His three closest apostles, Peter, James and John off by themselves to a mountaintop to pray together (vs. 28). That in itself would be a wonderful privilege, to go off with Jesus on a prayer retreat. It was here on the mountain with Jesus that these three witnessed an extraordinary event, that of the transfiguration of Jesus.
The word “transfiguration” means to have a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. Jesus underwent a dramatic change in appearance, which enabled the three apostles to behold Him in His glory (vs. 29). They saw Jesus as the glorified Messiah, in all of His heavenly splendor. Appearing with Him were both Moses and Elijah (vs. 30 - 31). They represented the Law and the Prophets. Both the Law and Prophets had foretold of Jesus’ sacrificial death. This is what the two Old Testament figures came to speak to Jesus about. Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. The human side of Jesus would naturally have dreaded and feared the upcoming scourging and crucifixion, as that was an awful, tortuous death. Jesus knew and completely accepted that this was God’s plan from eternity past, and that He would be the sacrifice for our sins. Moses and Elijah were there to encourage Him.
As Peter was beholding the three, he speaks up, not really comprehending what he is saying (vs. 32 - 33). Peter’s suggested that they erect three booths, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. However, the suggestion to do that was putting Moses and Elijah as equal with Jesus. Nobody, not even such spiritual giants as Moses or Elijah, could even come near, let alone be equal, with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is superior to everyone and everything. He is God’s Son, His only Son (vs. 35), and the second Person of the Trinity.
Peter also did not want to leave the mountaintop and have this glorious appearance of Jesus, along with the two Old Testament figures, end. Sometimes we may have such a wonderful and inspiring experience, that we don’t want it to end. We don’t want to leave and go back to our regular life and routines, with all our problems and toil. For Peter, James, and John, this was literally a “mountain top experience”. However, God wants us to go back out into the world to bring His message to the lost. We do need times of retreat and renewal. Jesus took them. Nevertheless, after these special times we then need to go out and serve in Jesus’ Name.
After Moses and Elijah left, a cloud overshadowed them on the mountain top, and the voice of God came to them from out of the cloud (vs. 34 - 35). He spoke to the disciples there, telling them that this was His Son, and to listen to Him. This was similar to the words that God the Father spoke at Jesus’ baptism. The Father publicly declared His great pleasure in His only Son, Jesus, who He identified as such here. Only then, after God identified Jesus as His Son, did the Father tell us to listen to, obey, and follow Him. We are not to listen to or follow the teachings of any other so-called spiritual leaders that the world highly acclaims. We are to listen and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one that God has called His Son.
Have you ever had a time in your Christian life where God seemed especially close in an extraordinarily spiritual way? Perhaps it was on a special retreat, or in the midst of some revival meetings your church had, or after some special personal prayer time you had. You might never have wanted it to end. In our Scripture passage for today from the Gospel of Luke, we can look into just such a powerful experience that the Apostles Peter, James, and John had. Let’s take a look at this spectacular and unforgettable time that they experienced, and see what we can learn from it.
About a week after Peter had made his great public confession of believing that Jesus was the promised Messiah, Jesus took His three closest apostles, Peter, James and John off by themselves to a mountaintop to pray together (vs. 28). That in itself would be a wonderful privilege, to go off with Jesus on a prayer retreat. It was here on the mountain with Jesus that these three witnessed an extraordinary event, that of the transfiguration of Jesus.
The word “transfiguration” means to have a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. Jesus underwent a dramatic change in appearance, which enabled the three apostles to behold Him in His glory (vs. 29). They saw Jesus as the glorified Messiah, in all of His heavenly splendor. Appearing with Him were both Moses and Elijah (vs. 30 - 31). They represented the Law and the Prophets. Both the Law and Prophets had foretold of Jesus’ sacrificial death. This is what the two Old Testament figures came to speak to Jesus about. Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. The human side of Jesus would naturally have dreaded and feared the upcoming scourging and crucifixion, as that was an awful, tortuous death. Jesus knew and completely accepted that this was God’s plan from eternity past, and that He would be the sacrifice for our sins. Moses and Elijah were there to encourage Him.
As Peter was beholding the three, he speaks up, not really comprehending what he is saying (vs. 32 - 33). Peter’s suggested that they erect three booths, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. However, the suggestion to do that was putting Moses and Elijah as equal with Jesus. Nobody, not even such spiritual giants as Moses or Elijah, could even come near, let alone be equal, with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is superior to everyone and everything. He is God’s Son, His only Son (vs. 35), and the second Person of the Trinity.
Peter also did not want to leave the mountaintop and have this glorious appearance of Jesus, along with the two Old Testament figures, end. Sometimes we may have such a wonderful and inspiring experience, that we don’t want it to end. We don’t want to leave and go back to our regular life and routines, with all our problems and toil. For Peter, James, and John, this was literally a “mountain top experience”. However, God wants us to go back out into the world to bring His message to the lost. We do need times of retreat and renewal. Jesus took them. Nevertheless, after these special times we then need to go out and serve in Jesus’ Name.
After Moses and Elijah left, a cloud overshadowed them on the mountain top, and the voice of God came to them from out of the cloud (vs. 34 - 35). He spoke to the disciples there, telling them that this was His Son, and to listen to Him. This was similar to the words that God the Father spoke at Jesus’ baptism. The Father publicly declared His great pleasure in His only Son, Jesus, who He identified as such here. Only then, after God identified Jesus as His Son, did the Father tell us to listen to, obey, and follow Him. We are not to listen to or follow the teachings of any other so-called spiritual leaders that the world highly acclaims. We are to listen and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one that God has called His Son.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
The Greatest Of These Is Love
I Corinthians 12:27 - 13:13
As we step into the Christian season of Lent, our Lectionary reading for today expounds on the godly Christian virtue of love. A well known saying goes “Action speaks louder than words”. We all know people who are quick to say “I love you”, but their actions show those words to be false. In our passage today, God shows us what true, godly love, love inspired by Him, is like.
In the verses prior to our passage, Paul was instructing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had been comparing spiritual gifts and ministries, and rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gift. Paul sought to correct this false thinking, as all spiritual gifts are equally valuable. He proceeds to teach us that love is even greater than all of them combined (vs. 31). The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts and had correct doctrine, but love was absent. Rather than being selfish and jealous, they should pursue the greatest thing of all - love. Love that is more concerned with giving than in receiving. The spiritual gifts we have been given are not for our own self-advancement, but instead, to serve God and enhance the spiritual growth of fellow believers. Everyone can show love.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating that whatever we do in life, if we don’t have love for others, it amounts to absolutely nothing (vs. 3). What are our motives for all that we do? Is it for love of the Lord and obedience to Him? Or is it motivated by personal ambition or conceit? If what we do is not motivated by love for God and for others, it is nothing and means nothing.
Paul then goes on to describe what true, godly love really is (vs. 4-7). The world today confuses love and lust. God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. We need God to help us to set aside our own desires and natural inclinations so we can give His love to others. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show.
Love is action, not abstraction. Love is patient with people, and gracious to them. It never envies, brags, is arrogant, rude, or overbearing. It doesn’t want it’s own way. It is not irritated or angered in a personal offense. Love also does not find pleasure in someone else’s sin. As followers of Jesus, we ought never to rejoice in evil or injustice, but with His love, rejoice when truth wins out. Love is devoted to truth in everything. It will protect, believe, hope, and endure what others reject. Real, godly, unconditional love will not stop forgiving. It will always seek the good of the other person, always encouraging them. Godly love puts the needs of others above its own.
The actions of the Corinthian church had been childish. Paul proceeds to instruct them to put off this childish behavior and thinking, and to replace childish thinking with mature truth. Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to full understanding in God’s heaven, and spiritual gifts will not be necessary. One day we will be complete when we see God face to face (vs. 12). We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. When we see Jesus in person, then we will see with God’s perspective. God alone knows the whole picture.
Our hope will be fulfilled in heaven (vs. 13). We will have everything we ever hoped for. Our faith will be complete because we will see Jesus. Our love will remain forever because love is an attribute of God Himself (I John 4:8).
As we step into the Christian season of Lent, our Lectionary reading for today expounds on the godly Christian virtue of love. A well known saying goes “Action speaks louder than words”. We all know people who are quick to say “I love you”, but their actions show those words to be false. In our passage today, God shows us what true, godly love, love inspired by Him, is like.
In the verses prior to our passage, Paul was instructing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had been comparing spiritual gifts and ministries, and rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gift. Paul sought to correct this false thinking, as all spiritual gifts are equally valuable. He proceeds to teach us that love is even greater than all of them combined (vs. 31). The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts and had correct doctrine, but love was absent. Rather than being selfish and jealous, they should pursue the greatest thing of all - love. Love that is more concerned with giving than in receiving. The spiritual gifts we have been given are not for our own self-advancement, but instead, to serve God and enhance the spiritual growth of fellow believers. Everyone can show love.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating that whatever we do in life, if we don’t have love for others, it amounts to absolutely nothing (vs. 3). What are our motives for all that we do? Is it for love of the Lord and obedience to Him? Or is it motivated by personal ambition or conceit? If what we do is not motivated by love for God and for others, it is nothing and means nothing.
Paul then goes on to describe what true, godly love really is (vs. 4-7). The world today confuses love and lust. God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. We need God to help us to set aside our own desires and natural inclinations so we can give His love to others. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show.
Love is action, not abstraction. Love is patient with people, and gracious to them. It never envies, brags, is arrogant, rude, or overbearing. It doesn’t want it’s own way. It is not irritated or angered in a personal offense. Love also does not find pleasure in someone else’s sin. As followers of Jesus, we ought never to rejoice in evil or injustice, but with His love, rejoice when truth wins out. Love is devoted to truth in everything. It will protect, believe, hope, and endure what others reject. Real, godly, unconditional love will not stop forgiving. It will always seek the good of the other person, always encouraging them. Godly love puts the needs of others above its own.
The actions of the Corinthian church had been childish. Paul proceeds to instruct them to put off this childish behavior and thinking, and to replace childish thinking with mature truth. Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to full understanding in God’s heaven, and spiritual gifts will not be necessary. One day we will be complete when we see God face to face (vs. 12). We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. When we see Jesus in person, then we will see with God’s perspective. God alone knows the whole picture.
Our hope will be fulfilled in heaven (vs. 13). We will have everything we ever hoped for. Our faith will be complete because we will see Jesus. Our love will remain forever because love is an attribute of God Himself (I John 4:8).
Monday, March 4, 2019
An Exalted And Holy God
Psalm 99
When we think of the various attributes of God, what are some of the characteristics that first come to mind? We might first think of the fact that God is love. Another might be that He is merciful, or that He is forgiving. These are all very true, and wonderful attributes of God. In today’s Psalm our unknown psalmist seeks to focus our attention on one characteristic that many forget or don’t think about as much, which is that God is holy. Let’s open up our Psalm for this week and see what we can learn from God’s Word.
The word “holy” generally means in the Scriptures that something is sacred, sanctified, and set apart for God’s purpose and use. When the Bible uses this word in reference to God, Himself, it means that He is exalted and worthy of complete devotion. God’s holiness dictates that He is utterly separate, above, and exalted over all other creatures and things. God is also completely holy in His moral character, completely separate from all sin. The psalmist states three times in this brief psalm that God is holy, in verse 3, verse 5, and in verse 9. Knowing this, that God is holy, exalted above all creation, and separate from all sin, isn’t it amazing that such a holy God desires an intimate, saving relationship with us!
In verse one we read that God is enthroned between cherubim. Cherubim are winged angelic beings. They are not cute, chubby, little baby angels we sometimes see on Valentine cards. Cherubim are powerful beings, described in the Book of Ezekiel, as having two pairs of wings and four faces. They were the angelic beings that God placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out. Their duty was to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Moses was instructed by God to make an image of two Cherubim to place on the Ark of the Covenant, guarding the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:18-22). Here in our psalm and also in the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 37:16) we see that God’s throne in the highest heaven is surrounded by Cherubim and other angelic beings, the Seraphim.
As we read further into the psalm, we are given an admonition in verse 3 to praise God’s Name, and to keep it holy. In a way a person’s name represents their identity. If a high-ranking person in the business, legal, or political realm sends someone to do something “in their name”, that name must carry authority. Misusing their name would bring a penalty. God’s Name symbolizes His nature, His person, His reputation, and His holiness. If misusing a person’s name would be wrong, how much more so should misusing God’s Name be? God’s Name should not be used lightly, nor used as a curse or in vulgar conversation, especially by Christians!
Another thought about how we treat names - Many people are to a degree proud about their family name. Often parents tell their children to remember they are part of a certain family, and that their behavior and actions should bring honor to the family name. As believers, since God is our Father, we need to live worthy of His great Name.
In verse 8 we read how God is the God who forgives. When we get saved, God forgives all of our sins, those committed in the past, those of the present, and all future sins, as well. However, as we are studying, God is all-holy. As such, He is completely separated from sin, and cannot be tainted by it. Nor will He tolerate, ignore, or excuse sin. As a loving Father He still promises to discipline us when necessary (Hebrews 12:5-11).
If we are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus children of God, He has called us to be holy, as He is holy. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we see this instruction (Leviticus 20:7; and I Peter 1:15). Though we will never achieve perfect holiness here on earth, this is something we should be striving for. Just as an archer aims for the bullseye of a target, we need to aim for this as we seek to follow our all-holy God.
When we think of the various attributes of God, what are some of the characteristics that first come to mind? We might first think of the fact that God is love. Another might be that He is merciful, or that He is forgiving. These are all very true, and wonderful attributes of God. In today’s Psalm our unknown psalmist seeks to focus our attention on one characteristic that many forget or don’t think about as much, which is that God is holy. Let’s open up our Psalm for this week and see what we can learn from God’s Word.
The word “holy” generally means in the Scriptures that something is sacred, sanctified, and set apart for God’s purpose and use. When the Bible uses this word in reference to God, Himself, it means that He is exalted and worthy of complete devotion. God’s holiness dictates that He is utterly separate, above, and exalted over all other creatures and things. God is also completely holy in His moral character, completely separate from all sin. The psalmist states three times in this brief psalm that God is holy, in verse 3, verse 5, and in verse 9. Knowing this, that God is holy, exalted above all creation, and separate from all sin, isn’t it amazing that such a holy God desires an intimate, saving relationship with us!
In verse one we read that God is enthroned between cherubim. Cherubim are winged angelic beings. They are not cute, chubby, little baby angels we sometimes see on Valentine cards. Cherubim are powerful beings, described in the Book of Ezekiel, as having two pairs of wings and four faces. They were the angelic beings that God placed at the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out. Their duty was to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Moses was instructed by God to make an image of two Cherubim to place on the Ark of the Covenant, guarding the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:18-22). Here in our psalm and also in the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 37:16) we see that God’s throne in the highest heaven is surrounded by Cherubim and other angelic beings, the Seraphim.
As we read further into the psalm, we are given an admonition in verse 3 to praise God’s Name, and to keep it holy. In a way a person’s name represents their identity. If a high-ranking person in the business, legal, or political realm sends someone to do something “in their name”, that name must carry authority. Misusing their name would bring a penalty. God’s Name symbolizes His nature, His person, His reputation, and His holiness. If misusing a person’s name would be wrong, how much more so should misusing God’s Name be? God’s Name should not be used lightly, nor used as a curse or in vulgar conversation, especially by Christians!
Another thought about how we treat names - Many people are to a degree proud about their family name. Often parents tell their children to remember they are part of a certain family, and that their behavior and actions should bring honor to the family name. As believers, since God is our Father, we need to live worthy of His great Name.
In verse 8 we read how God is the God who forgives. When we get saved, God forgives all of our sins, those committed in the past, those of the present, and all future sins, as well. However, as we are studying, God is all-holy. As such, He is completely separated from sin, and cannot be tainted by it. Nor will He tolerate, ignore, or excuse sin. As a loving Father He still promises to discipline us when necessary (Hebrews 12:5-11).
If we are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus children of God, He has called us to be holy, as He is holy. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament we see this instruction (Leviticus 20:7; and I Peter 1:15). Though we will never achieve perfect holiness here on earth, this is something we should be striving for. Just as an archer aims for the bullseye of a target, we need to aim for this as we seek to follow our all-holy God.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Keep A Shining Face
Exodus 34:29-35
How can we tell when a young man or woman is in love? One way is by the look on their face. A person in love will often radiate that feeling through their face. When we have been with the one we love, it shows on our face, in our speech, and in the way we act. When things are happy at home, often our co-workers or friends can tell without our actually telling so. The same would go if things are unhappy, as well. In our Scripture passage today from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, we read of the effects of Moses being close to, and in the presence of the One that he loved.
As our Scripture passage begins, Moses has been alone on Mt. Sinai for 40 days, meeting personally with Yahweh, where he has been given the Law personally from His hand. After 40 days of prayer, fasting, and being with the Lord God, Moses descends from the mountain, returning to the people of Israel, who have been encamped and waiting at the base of the mountain. When Moses rejoined the people there was one thing that they saw, something that Moses was unaware of, and that was that his face was shining (vs. 29). This scared the people, and he had to resort to wearing a veil to hide his face. Every time that Moses would go to be alone with Yahweh he took the veil off. When he was with the people, though, he put the veil back on (vs. 34-35).
What makes our faces shine? When we spend time doing what we enjoy, perhaps a sports activity or our favorite hobby, we are more relaxed and happy. We are then more pleasant to be around. Can our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers tell that we have been with the Lord? After we’ve spent time with God in prayer and reading of His Word, is our countenance radiating from that time with Him? Our face won’t literally shine, but God’s love, joy, and peace will just be overflowing out of us, that it will be overwhelmingly evident to all who see us, and are with us, that we spend time with the Lord.
On any given Sunday morning, we should take a look at the faces of those in our church service, or look at the faces of the people as they exit the service. Do they reflect a glory from having spent time in God’s presence? Or, if I may borrow a phrase of a former pastor of mine, now deceased, do they look more like they have been weaned on a pickle? The time we spend with Jesus should make a difference in our personality. His sweet and loving nature should rub off on us, making us more like Him, and eliminating a lot of that prickly and cantankerous temperament.
Shining with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord is not something that we can generate from ourselves on our own. We are reflecting God’s glory. We do not shine with our own glory. We are like the moon. The moon reflects the sun’s light. It does not generate light on its own. Moses did not generate the shine from his face on his own. It came from being with the Lord.
How meaningful is my time with the Lord? Do I hurry through my prayers, hurry through my Bible reading, so I can get on to other things? When I am in church, is my mind a million miles away during the sermon or while worshipping? Moses willingly spent 40 days on the mountain with God. He didn’t complain to the Lord that he was tired and hungry, and that he wanted to get back down the mountain to be with his friends. His time with Yahweh was so wonderful that Moses just glowed because of it! Let’s be sure that we spend quality time with the Lord each day, and that we try not to leave our home until we shine with His presence!
How can we tell when a young man or woman is in love? One way is by the look on their face. A person in love will often radiate that feeling through their face. When we have been with the one we love, it shows on our face, in our speech, and in the way we act. When things are happy at home, often our co-workers or friends can tell without our actually telling so. The same would go if things are unhappy, as well. In our Scripture passage today from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, we read of the effects of Moses being close to, and in the presence of the One that he loved.
As our Scripture passage begins, Moses has been alone on Mt. Sinai for 40 days, meeting personally with Yahweh, where he has been given the Law personally from His hand. After 40 days of prayer, fasting, and being with the Lord God, Moses descends from the mountain, returning to the people of Israel, who have been encamped and waiting at the base of the mountain. When Moses rejoined the people there was one thing that they saw, something that Moses was unaware of, and that was that his face was shining (vs. 29). This scared the people, and he had to resort to wearing a veil to hide his face. Every time that Moses would go to be alone with Yahweh he took the veil off. When he was with the people, though, he put the veil back on (vs. 34-35).
What makes our faces shine? When we spend time doing what we enjoy, perhaps a sports activity or our favorite hobby, we are more relaxed and happy. We are then more pleasant to be around. Can our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers tell that we have been with the Lord? After we’ve spent time with God in prayer and reading of His Word, is our countenance radiating from that time with Him? Our face won’t literally shine, but God’s love, joy, and peace will just be overflowing out of us, that it will be overwhelmingly evident to all who see us, and are with us, that we spend time with the Lord.
On any given Sunday morning, we should take a look at the faces of those in our church service, or look at the faces of the people as they exit the service. Do they reflect a glory from having spent time in God’s presence? Or, if I may borrow a phrase of a former pastor of mine, now deceased, do they look more like they have been weaned on a pickle? The time we spend with Jesus should make a difference in our personality. His sweet and loving nature should rub off on us, making us more like Him, and eliminating a lot of that prickly and cantankerous temperament.
Shining with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord is not something that we can generate from ourselves on our own. We are reflecting God’s glory. We do not shine with our own glory. We are like the moon. The moon reflects the sun’s light. It does not generate light on its own. Moses did not generate the shine from his face on his own. It came from being with the Lord.
How meaningful is my time with the Lord? Do I hurry through my prayers, hurry through my Bible reading, so I can get on to other things? When I am in church, is my mind a million miles away during the sermon or while worshipping? Moses willingly spent 40 days on the mountain with God. He didn’t complain to the Lord that he was tired and hungry, and that he wanted to get back down the mountain to be with his friends. His time with Yahweh was so wonderful that Moses just glowed because of it! Let’s be sure that we spend quality time with the Lord each day, and that we try not to leave our home until we shine with His presence!
Friday, March 1, 2019
How Can I Love My Enemy?
Luke 6:27-38
Wherever Jesus went, the crowds liked to follow. They liked what they saw, as He healed the sick, fed crowds, and told nice, but often puzzling stories. However, the lesson that Jesus was now teaching was one that was a difficult one to follow. He had just spoken an abbreviated version of the Beatitudes to the crowds, telling them things, such as you are blessed if you are poor or weep, or men hate you for His sake, and woe to the rich and those that men speak well of, things that seem the opposite of what everyone would think. Now Jesus was telling everyone to love their enemies and bless those who treat them badly! This was a difficult lesson for the crowd that day, and for us today, as well. Let’s take a closer look.
From our earliest years we have all had to deal with people who have mistreated us. There were always other children at the playground who were brats, and as we grow older, there those at work or in the neighborhood who do us wrong. Our natural inclination is to dislike them, and even hate some of them. Often we think of ways that we can get back at them. In today’s Scripture passage, though, the Lord Jesus tells us that this is not the way that the Father wants His children to act. Instead of showing hate, He wants us to love our enemies, and do good to them, rather than to retaliate.
How is this possible when our natural reaction is to want to clobber them, to give back to them what they did to us? Feelings of love just do not issue forth. This love isn’t affection that comes when we really like someone and agree with them. This is an act of the will. One doesn’t “fall into” this love. It is a conscious effort. It is acting in their best interest, helping them, praying for them. It is following the example of Jesus, who loves the whole world even though it is in rebellion against Him and hates Him.
Love is action. It is easy to show kindness and generosity to those who are kind to us. Not so easy for those who hate us. However, if God was not kind and generous to us sinners when we were opposing Him, where would any of us be? (Romans 5:8). When we have turned to the Lord and accepted Jesus as Savior, we become His children. So if we are God’s children, we should act like it by showing forth His moral character (vs. 35). God is loving, gracious, and generous even to His enemies, and we should, too.
We who have been shown divine mercy are to practice a lifestyle of forgiveness (vs. 37-38). Forgive as God forgave us. A forgiving spirit shows we have received God’s forgiveness. What we give out to others will come back to us in full measure. Jesus wants us to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us. It won’t change what they did, but it will change us. Forgiveness is too important to ignore for our spiritual health.
This is not to say that God will just ignore the terrible things people have done. God will judge sin, and He greatly desires people to turn from their sin and receive His salvation. By our showing loving kindness to those who least deserve it, we will show the lost God’s love and mercy, hoping they will repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9).
As followers of Jesus, we are to be different from the world, not like the people of the world. Be someone who is known for their compassion, their thoughtfulness, and their consideration of others, including to those who do not deserve it.
Wherever Jesus went, the crowds liked to follow. They liked what they saw, as He healed the sick, fed crowds, and told nice, but often puzzling stories. However, the lesson that Jesus was now teaching was one that was a difficult one to follow. He had just spoken an abbreviated version of the Beatitudes to the crowds, telling them things, such as you are blessed if you are poor or weep, or men hate you for His sake, and woe to the rich and those that men speak well of, things that seem the opposite of what everyone would think. Now Jesus was telling everyone to love their enemies and bless those who treat them badly! This was a difficult lesson for the crowd that day, and for us today, as well. Let’s take a closer look.
From our earliest years we have all had to deal with people who have mistreated us. There were always other children at the playground who were brats, and as we grow older, there those at work or in the neighborhood who do us wrong. Our natural inclination is to dislike them, and even hate some of them. Often we think of ways that we can get back at them. In today’s Scripture passage, though, the Lord Jesus tells us that this is not the way that the Father wants His children to act. Instead of showing hate, He wants us to love our enemies, and do good to them, rather than to retaliate.
How is this possible when our natural reaction is to want to clobber them, to give back to them what they did to us? Feelings of love just do not issue forth. This love isn’t affection that comes when we really like someone and agree with them. This is an act of the will. One doesn’t “fall into” this love. It is a conscious effort. It is acting in their best interest, helping them, praying for them. It is following the example of Jesus, who loves the whole world even though it is in rebellion against Him and hates Him.
Love is action. It is easy to show kindness and generosity to those who are kind to us. Not so easy for those who hate us. However, if God was not kind and generous to us sinners when we were opposing Him, where would any of us be? (Romans 5:8). When we have turned to the Lord and accepted Jesus as Savior, we become His children. So if we are God’s children, we should act like it by showing forth His moral character (vs. 35). God is loving, gracious, and generous even to His enemies, and we should, too.
We who have been shown divine mercy are to practice a lifestyle of forgiveness (vs. 37-38). Forgive as God forgave us. A forgiving spirit shows we have received God’s forgiveness. What we give out to others will come back to us in full measure. Jesus wants us to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us. It won’t change what they did, but it will change us. Forgiveness is too important to ignore for our spiritual health.
This is not to say that God will just ignore the terrible things people have done. God will judge sin, and He greatly desires people to turn from their sin and receive His salvation. By our showing loving kindness to those who least deserve it, we will show the lost God’s love and mercy, hoping they will repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9).
As followers of Jesus, we are to be different from the world, not like the people of the world. Be someone who is known for their compassion, their thoughtfulness, and their consideration of others, including to those who do not deserve it.
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