Who Can I Trust?

Psalm 146

Every four years we have a presidential election here in the United States.  There are other important elections during other years, such as for state governors, senators, etc.  Most other countries have various elections, as well.  We all hear these politicians' promises - they’re going to do this and that to help the economy, they will hold to certain foreign policies with other nations, they will get more jobs, help the poor and seniors, etc., etc.  Can we trust all of these promises?  Everywhere we turn we feel let down.  Corporate leaders are often dishonest, and everyone just wants to line their pockets with your money.  Who can we trust?  We find God’s answer in our psalm for today.  Let’s take a look.

The last several psalms in the Book of Psalms begin and end with praise to the Lord, and Psalm 146 is one of these.  The psalmist proclaims that as long as he is alive, he will praise the Lord (vs. 2).  He doesn’t give any exceptions.  He doesn’t say that as long as things are going fine in his life he’ll praise the Lord, as long as he has a good job and a nice, fat bank account.  He doesn’t say that he’ll only praise the Lord when his health is good, or when there is peace in the land.  The psalmist says that he will praise Him as long as he is alive.  Is that our thoughts and attitude, as well, or do we praise Him just when we receive an answer to our prayers or when we feel good?

Next, our psalmist makes a very noticeable and emphatic statement.  He tells us in verse 3 that we should not put our trust in princes.  The Hebrew word the psalmist used is “nadib”, and would refer to noble ones.  Many countries used to have nobility, and some still do.  They were people of high rank, but not the king or his immediate family.  They could be dukes, earls, barons, etc., princes of high rank.  Today we might include our politicians, our senators, congressmen, etc.  Our psalmist reminds us that we should not put all of our hope and trust in them for help, for there is no help in man.  They are only human, and they will die along with all of their plans and promises (vs. 4).  How many times have we put our trust in some politician or leader, believing their promises, only to be let down, their promises false and empty?  And even if they do end up being a good and honest leader, they won’t last forever.  They die and someone else takes their place, and not necessarily someone as good and honest.

However, the psalmist has some good news for us.  Our human leaders and politicians may not be all we hoped for, and may not provide the help that we need, but we can and will find help in the God of Jacob.  We can put our hope in Yahweh (vs. 5).   What makes God any more trustworthy than all human leaders?  The psalmist proceeds over the next several verses to enumerate reasons why we should turn to Him for our help and hope, listing many of His attributes (vs. 6-9).

First, Yahweh is the Creator of all, both on earth and throughout the universe.  Unlike most politicians, the Lord God is a God of truth.  He is Truth, and keeps His Word.  He brings justice to those that are unjustly oppressed, and provides for the needs of the poor and hungry.  He brings healing, both physically and emotionally, and watches over the helpless.  Our politicians and leaders may promise us this type of help, but only the Lord God can truly fulfill these promises and give this help.

Our psalmist reminds us that God cares deeply about the oppressed, the poor, prisoners, the blind, orphans and widows.  Psalm 146 reminds us that He is compassionate and serves as a model for us to follow.  If God cares about these vulnerable people, we should as well.

There are a lot of influencers out there wanting us to subscribe to their way of thinking.  However, we need to put Jesus Christ first in our life.  Though we are warned against trusting in man, we can put our trust in Jesus.   He will never lead us astray.  Those politicians don’t remember us when they get elected, but Jesus will remember us.  He won’t forget our name.  He won’t forget our circumstances.  Jesus won’t forget our prayers.

Hope For The Hopeless

Isaiah 35:4-7

Have you ever been down, really down, feeling that there was no hope for your condition or situation?  Perhaps you or someone you love has a devastating illness and the doctors say there is no hope.  Maybe you are in such dire financial straits that it is hopeless, as well.  Perhaps your marriage is falling apart.  Maybe the economy or the social conditions in the country are very bad.  Any of these can bring hopelessness, and hopelessness brings fear.  Many of the Israelites at the time of the Prophet Isaiah also lived in fear.  There were threats of war and safety from neighboring nations.  As in any society, there were numerous poor people, and then, due to the times of the Old Testament, illness frequently led to death.  God gave the prophet messages for the people, to bring them comfort and hope. Today’s Scripture is one small portion of such a message.

As our brief Scripture passage opens, we see the Lord tell the Prophet Isaiah to tell the people not to be afraid or filled with fear, but instead to be strong, for the Lord will come with a vengeance and save them from whatever is oppressing them, other nations and ultimately Satan (vs 4).  We read here both a prophecy and a promise.  This is a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, and the promises that He fulfilled in His life.

Isaiah proceeds to tell the people that at the time when the Lord comes, bringing salvation, referring to the time of the coming of the promised Messiah, there will be physical healings manifested, specifically healing of the blind, of the deaf, the mute, and of crippled people (vs. 5-6).  Though there are numerous miraculous events recorded in the Old Testament, there are not many physical healings recorded, and no mention of the blind or the deaf being healed.  When the prophet would have given this message from God, it would have been a glorious wonder, as someone who had gone blind or deaf had no hope.  Their condition was a life sentence back then, as no matter how skilled a doctor might have been in the days of the Bible, there was nothing anyone could do for someone who went blind, and especially who was born blind.  It was the same with the deaf.  Depending on how badly one was crippled, one might be able to get around with crutches or have limited mobility.  However all of these people would likely spend their lives begging for their daily needs and sustenance.  Now there was the promise that the Messiah would bring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.  The Messiah would heal the crippled so that they could run and leap just like a deer could!  Those who could not speak would be able to sing forth.

Even a quick reading of the Gospels show that Jesus healed folks with these ailments numerous times.  Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus outside of Jericho (Mark 10:46-52).  He healed a blind man while in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).  And then quite notably, Jesus healed a man who was born blind (John 9).  We also read in the Gospels that Jesus healed people who were deaf.  One such instance is recorded in Mark 7:31-37.   There were a number of people who were crippled and the Lord healed them, including some who were probably paralyzed.  One was a man confined to a bed, and his friends brought him to Jesus, going so far as to lower him through the roof because of the crowds (Luke 5:17-26).  Another was when Jesus healed a crippled, possibly paralyzed, man who had been in that condition for 38 years (John 5:1-15).  These were sure indications to the people that Jesus was fulfilling prophecies of the coming Messiah, as no one but the Messiah would be able to perform such miracles.

Another miracle that the Lord foretold through Isaiah was turning the desert into pools of water (vs. 6-7).  There are times that our hearts feel like a desert.  Isaiah prophesied of the coming of Jesus who gives living water to all who trust in Him (John 7:37-39).  He gives us the Holy Spirit.  Even in our driest times the Holy Spirit is with us, sustaining us, strengthening us, and keeping us in Christ.

Even in the worst of times, times when it would seem that all hope and trust is gone, we can still trust in God.  He will come for us.  He loves us, and just like a father will do all he can for his child, God, who has all power, will work on our behalf.

What Will Spill Out?

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 20-23

If I have a glass of milk, and I knock it over, is coffee going to come out?  No, only milk will.  If I am carrying a bag of apples, and I trip and fall, what will come out of the bag?  Only apples, not peaches or pears.  Similarly, what will spill forth from my heart during a time of high emotion?  The answer is whatever I have put in my heart.  This is the subject of what the Lord Jesus taught in today’s Scripture from the Gospel of Mark.  Let’s see what we can learn from His Words.

As our Scripture passage opens, the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus to criticize some of His disciples because they had not gone through the specific religious ritual of elaborate hand washing that the orthodox Pharisees went through before they ate (vs. 1-5).  The Pharisees and scribes had all sorts of elaborate, detailed, and intricate rituals that they went through for many daily activities, including hand-washing and washing of dishes, etc.   They had a great number of rules and regulations that were not found in the Old Testament Law, traditions which they had come up with on their own, and which they kept and insisted that others keep, as well.  Now they were condemning Jesus and His disciples for not following these man-made rules and traditions.

What was Jesus’ response to these accusations?   He did not say, “Oops, we’re wrong!  We’ll do better next time, and be careful to follow your regulations.”  No, instead Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13), where He condemns how they pretend to honor the Lord, but instead are promoting man-made commandments rather than God’s Word (vs. 6-8).   Jesus confronted all of the traditions that were practiced by the Pharisees and religious leaders.  Some of these traditions had started with good intentions, some even initially being based on Scripture.  However, over the years they expanded into layers of empty ritual.  By the time of the Gospels, the Pharisees were putting more emphasis on keeping these man-made traditions and rituals rather than God’s Law.

Jesus proceeded to teach those around Him that it wasn’t by failing to keep these rituals that someone became “unclean” or “defiled”.  Whether one goes through certain rituals, or keeps certain traditions or not doesn’t make one holy or not.  It doesn’t make one a sinner or a righteous person.  Jesus taught that it was what was in our hearts that made us defiled or not (vs. 14-15).    The religious rituals that we do on the outside are not nearly as important as the condition of our heart.  What really defiles a person is what is in their hearts, not what they eat or what rituals they follow.

Jesus rebuked the false worship of the scribes and Pharisees, and their outward show, but inside having a hard of heart.  Substituting for real worship of God has been a problem for ages.  Human-created religious traditions lead people to praise God outwardly, but without having a heart for God.  Rituals often take the place of genuine faith.  How many times have we seen a person who “acts religious” in church on Sunday, but they go home and the rest of the week they act like a demon to their family and neighborhood?  We’ve seen people who might lead a prayer in church or at the dinner table, but an hour later they are cursing up a blue streak.  Something is wrong there!   However, Jesus said that what comes out of us is what is in our heart.  If our heart is filled with evil thoughts and words, then that is what will spill out (vs. 20-23).

When we come up against trouble, we need to remember that only what is in us will spill out.  When we are mistreated, do we respond with love or with anger and retaliation?  Do we quickly lash out at the littlest things, or do we have a song of praise continually in our heart?  How we respond is a test as to how close a walk we have with Jesus.  If our heart is full of the Savior’s love, we will respond with patience and kindness when someone rubs us the wrong way or we face one of life’s trials.  Remember, what is on the inside of us is what is going to spill over onto the outside.

Weapons For Battle

Ephesians 6:10-20

One would never think of sending one’s soldiers off to war, off to do battle against the enemy, without equipping them for the fight.  If our country is involved in a war or battle somewhere, we want our soldiers to be well equipped with the best weapons and protective gear.  We assume that the enemy is well equipped, so it only makes sense to ensure that our troops are also equipped and trained in using the best that we can give them.  This goes not only for physical warfare, but also for spiritual warfare, as our Scripture for today highlights.  Let’s look into this Scripture to see how and why we should be equipped for battle.

What do we mean by spiritual warfare?  Just as in the physical world various countries and people will sometimes face warfare from another country, there is an unseen battle going on between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness, the powers of Satan and his demons.  Satan and his demons will often intervene in human affairs and fight against believers and their work for the Lord, including using God’s enemies to actually attack them.  They also use depression, nightmares, fear, and anxiety to undermine believers and their service to God.

God has not left us unequipped, like a soldier left behind enemy lines without any weapons or means to defend themselves.  The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Ephesian church, gave us a list of weapons that the Lord God has given us in fighting in this battle against the powers of darkness.  And just as a soldier in physical warfare is instructed on how to use each piece of weaponry so that he is not left a sitting duck for the enemy, we also need to know what our weapons are, and how and when to use them.  Believers can learn this by studying the Scriptures.

Our first piece of weaponry to put on is a belt of truth (vs. 14).  This belt of truth will protect us against Satan, who is the chief deceiver and liar.  Jesus called Satan the father of lies (John 8:44).  We need to wrap ourselves in God’s truth, which is found in His Word, the Bible.  The next piece is the breastplate of righteousness (vs. 14).  An ancient breastplate would be like a bulletproof vest today.  If we are depending upon our own righteousness against the attacks of Satan and his hordes, we are going without the breastplate.  We must take hold of the righteousness of Jesus, which we receive when we are saved, and it will protect us from enemy attacks.

A soldier needs proper shoes or boots when going out to battle, and we need the same.  God’s Word tells us that our feet must be prepared to bring the Gospel of peace (vs. 15).  We must be at peace with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and ready to go wherever the Lord calls us.  Another piece of weaponry, an important one, is our shield of faith (vs. 16).  In ancient warfare one’s shield was vitally important.  We are to use our faith to quench the fiery darts that Satan uses to attack us.  We must use this daily, for the Word of God says it will quench all, not some, but all of the fiery darts of the wicked.  We need to take up our authority by faith, and watch every attack be put out as we apply our faith in Jesus Christ.

Proper protection of one’s head in battle is very important, thus we need to put on our helmet, too.  God has given us the helmet of salvation (vs. 17).  Satan frequently attacks our mind with his lies and wicked thoughts.  We must cover our mind with the knowledge of God’s salvation given us through the Blood of His Son.  The only offensive weapon we have been given is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (vs. 17).  When Satan came against Jesus, the only thing He used to fend off those temptations was quoting Scripture.  We need to use God’s Word against the devil, too.

A very important weapon or tool that we have in our battle against the kingdom of darkness is our direct connection to God (vs. 18).  Soldiers depend on their contact with the command posts, and believers need to keep in constant communication with the Lord through our prayers.  When we are in the midst of battle we always need to be in prayer.  Prayer will keep us on the right course and keep us steady in the fight.

One important thing to remember in our battles against Satan is that he is a defeated adversary, defeated forever at the Cross of Calvary.  While he is a powerful foe, those who are protected by salvation, prayer, and the Word of God, need not be paralyzed in fear at this roaring lion (I Peter 5:8; James 4:7).  No evil can penetrate the armor of God.  With God’s armor on, we can pray with confidence, knowing He will deliver us from the schemes of the evil one (Matthew 6:13).  God’s Word, which is truth, exposes the lies of the devil, and His armor overcomes fear.

Integrity

Psalm 15

Let me share with you a legend from Ancient Greece.  It is about the Ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, who lived from 412 BC - 323 BC.  As the legend goes, Diogenes traveled around Greece and the known world in his day, carrying a lantern.  When asked what he was doing, he replied that he was looking for an honest man.  After several years he returned to his home disappointed, for his search had been a failure.  He had not been able to find someone who was completely honest.  In our psalm for this week, David reveals that those who dwell with the Lord must be honest and righteous, the type of man that Diogenes was looking for.

Our psalm begins with David asking the Lord a question.  He asks the Lord who are those who dwell in fellowship with Him, who are those who “dwell in Your holy hill?” (vs. 1).  The four verses that follow are the answer.  They are upright and righteous, speaking the truth (vs. 2).  They don’t speak harshly, but instead their words are truthful and pure (vs. 3).  Their friends and associates are similar people.  They don’t associate with evil people.  They are true to their word (vs. 4).  They also care for the poor, and lend to them without interest (vs. 5).

This describes a man or woman with integrity.  Integrity is having strong moral principles, and having genuine integrity is a rare virtue today.  A person with integrity is loyal and consistent, not fickle and erratic.  He doesn’t bring difficulty on others.  He doesn’t use sharp, cutting, or scornful speech about others.  He is honest, but gentle with his honesty.  A person with integrity is not friends with worthless, reprobate people.  Any association he would have with them would be for the purpose of evangelism.

On the other hand, a person with integrity loves those who live godly lives.  They honor those who fear the Lord, but reject those who despise Him.  He performs what he promised, and keeps his word, even when it is to their disadvantage.  His word is his bond.  This person is generous to those in need without charging interest or wanting a reward, and they are not tempted to ever take a bribe.

When we look at the qualities of character that one must show in order to be a person of Psalm 15 we might feel that this is an impossibility, and we would be correct.  In our own strength we cannot.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ has perfectly kept this list of qualities.  When we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we receive His righteousness.  We also receive the Holy Spirit, and through His power we become more like Jesus.

In closing, truly honest people are not easy to find.  However, it is one trait that is very important.  It is one of the marks of a person of God.  Are we trustworthy and honorable?  Are our words the truth?  As believers, those who carry the Name of the Savior, we should live with integrity, and make the truth an integral part of our nature.  We should live in such a way that when others think of honesty and integrity, they think of us!

How To Get Wisdom

Deuteronomy 4:1-9

Most believers would like to be blessed, to have many godly virtues that they practice.  We would all like to show kindness, temperance, honesty, forgiveness, and the other virtues.  Two virtues that are sometimes overlooked are wisdom and understanding.  We all could use more of that these days.  I know I sure would like more of them in my life!  In our Scripture today we read that there is a way to achieve more wisdom and understanding.  Let’s look into this and see what the Lord says is one way that will bring us these virtues.

The Book of Deuteronomy is a record of the final instructions that Moses, the leader of the nation of Israel, gave to the people before they were to cross the Jordan River and enter into the land.  Here he goes over the laws of the Lord and His instructions a second time, reminding them of God’s Words, in order to live a blessed and prosperous life in the land He had promised.  As chapter four begins, Moses admonishes the people to listen to the Word of God, and to obey what He says.  If they do, then God will bless them in the land (vs. 1).

Moses then gives the people a warning, one which he strictly charges the people to obey, and that is to neither add to or take away from the Word of God (vs. 2).  We see this command repeated in the last Book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:18-19).   We see a lot of this today.  All too often if someone doesn’t like what the Bible says about this or that topic, issue, or law, they just omit it.  They might not literally tear it out of the Bible, but for all practical purposes they have.  They have the attitude that if they don’t like it, if they disagree with it, they omit it.  And then there are many who, in turn, twist the Words of the Bible to say what they want it to say, in effect, adding to God’s Word.  They twist it to fit and align with their own philosophy and world view of today.  God strictly warns against doing that.  God has said what He has said in the Bible, and means what He has said.

The Lord has said that it is in obeying and observing God’s Word that we will have wisdom and understanding (vs. 6).  Evil is everywhere, and is always trying to tempt us away from obedience to God and His Word.  It cries out about a better life if we do this or that, if we cheat, procrastinate, spend all of our money, and take what doesn’t belong to us.  God’s Word calls us to listen to and obey Him, and not be tempted by what the world has to offer.  God, alone, gives us an abundant life (John 10:10), filled with His wisdom and understanding, along with the other virtues and blessings we receive from Him.

Christians have something that no other religion has - a God who is near us whenever we call upon Him (vs. 7).  The false gods of all other religions do not do that.  They don’t even really exist except as demons posing as gods.  The false gods of various religions of the past, and even those still worshiped today, are portrayed as capricious, fickle, and changeable, always needing to be bribed.  They have no love for their worshipers.  The pagan Greek and Norse gods of the past, and the Hindu gods of today do not love or care about their adherents.  They would certainly never sacrifice anything for them, let alone their only Son for the people’s sins.  However that is exactly what Yahweh did when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins!  Jesus is God With Us - Immanuel.

Our Scripture closes with a warning, with guidance, and instructions (vs. 9).  It is very easy for us to let our guard down, and to fall into apathy and self-deception.  It is so easy to fall into sin and spiritual danger.  If we follow God’s Word, He will give us the strength to avoid falling in life, and also the forgiveness when we do.  As the old-time hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”

Wonderful Words Of Life

John 6:60-69

Today’s Scripture concludes a long message that Jesus gave, a message that many found controversial then, and even today, a message that some might say is offensive.  There were some that day, after hearing what Jesus was saying, who turned away, and did not follow Him any longer.  Let’s quickly take a look at His closing remarks that day.

When Jesus saw that His Words were upsetting some people, He said to the crowd that His Words actually give life (vs. 63).  The Words of God, which many scoff at and say are disrespectful and unacceptable for today’s world, are words that actually bring life.  It was through His Word and His Spirit that life came to be during Creation (Genesis 1).  At the time when Jesus’ good friend Lazarus had died, and his sisters Mary and Martha called for Jesus to come, it was His Words that brought Lazarus back to life.  It wasn’t when they rolled away the stone at Lazarus’ grave that the man came back to life.  It was when Jesus spoke the words “Lazarus, come forth!” that life came back into Lazarus (John 11:38-44).  As Jesus said, when the dead hear His Voice, they shall live (John 5:25).

When there is “death” in any problem we have, we can pray that Jesus will speak life into that situation.  It could be a dead relationship, dead finances, a dead ministry.  The Lord, through His power and His Word, can bring life and restoration into anything.  We need to bring them to the Lord in prayer, and He can breathe His life into any situation.

When someone is ill, or even dying, we try to do what we can for them.  We tend their wounds, give them medicine and healthy foods, and bring them to the hospital.  With the spiritually sick and dying, we need to give them what they need - the words of life, which are found in the Bible.   The Scriptures are the Word of God, and have the power of God (Romans 1:16-17).

Jesus said many things that people then, and today, find offensive.  We see so many folks today get offended by so many different things that others say, and this includes some of the words of the Bible.  How about what Jesus said in this message that if one wants eternal life, they need to eat His Body and drink His Blood (John 6:53-54)?  Many people today would find that offensive and turn away, just as some did back then.  Jesus also said that He is the only way to heaven (John 14:6).   Peter repeated that truth when he was brought before the religious leaders (Acts 4:12).  People in today’s world get offended by that, as that rules out any hope of salvation or truth in any other religion.

People like to push “inclusion”, but what Jesus and the Apostle Peter said was not inclusive.  The Bible says that only those who receive Jesus as Savior are God’s children (John 1:12).  However many liberal preachers today say that we are all God’s children.  We are all His creation, but God’s Word says that we are not all His children.  Jesus even called some of the Pharisees children of the devil, so they were certainly not God’s children (John 8:44).  So how could everyone be a child of God when Jesus, Himself, called some people, even religious people, otherwise?

These are things that people then and today would find offensive.  Yet they are in the Bible.  Either one accepts that the Bible is God’s Word, or they don’t, and they turn away.  If one turns away from the Bible, then they turn away from the Words of life, and what does that leave them.  It leaves them without life, which is death, eternal death.

In closing, Jesus asked the twelve whether they wanted to also go away.  Did they find His Words too much to take, too offensive?  Peter answered with the truth.  Where else could they go, as Jesus is the only One with the words of eternal life! (vs. 66-69).