Oceans of Fish

Pardon me as I rant a private soapbox thought!  Most every funeral I have attended in my long life, one chapter of the Bible is the spiritual nourishment provision.  ONE chapter!  Even if the officiating minister or family friend does not use "that" chapter, it is most often written in the program of the deceased.  I'll not name it here, but as a lover of the Word of God, I would like to take issue with this practice.

There are about 1,189 chapters in the Bible.  And there are 31,173 verses within those chapters.  And here's an opportunity, the one time that many people will ever be in tune to the Word of God, they will hear this same chapter over and over with every funeral they attend.  While I'm not sure as to why "this" chapter was the chosen one, the fact remains, it is the one.  Now I'm not saying that "this" chapter cannot be used by God to draw men unto Himself.  But I think a change would get their attention.  It would be like throwing a curve.

As I contemplated this at a recent funeral, I likened it to taking one fish from the ocean and concentrating on "that" fish.  Just one fish.  Out of all the vast oceans!  One fish that we talked about over and over while missing all the various species of fish that swim in those oceans.  That is to me what taking one chapter out of 1,189 and missing all the wonder, joy and nourishment of the other 1,188!  (Not to mention the other 31,167 verses!)

I know it's just a thing with me but I'm just saying...

Peas in a Pod

English peas are one of my favorite vegetables.   Growing up I only avoided them.   Even as I began to have an extensive taste for all kinds of food, that was one I could not like!  Until one day, I was introduced to "fresh" English peas.  These were clearly a world apart, not anything like the canned ones  I had tried.  The taste of the fresh was a delightful surprise, and I've loved them now for many years.  Sometimes I have a hard time finding them and for the last two years, my curb market suppliers have not been able to get them.  Last week I found them at our local grocery store, all shelled and bagged in the organic section.  I paid the price, brought them home, and enjoyed each bite.  It was the first time I had ever bought them shelled.  I've always shelled them and it is a very easy task.  Sometimes you come across one that is kind of old and when you open it, the peas are tiny and shriveled.  But most of the times, the pods are healthy and the peas inside of them are fat, round and yummy.

 As I walked this morning, I was praying for a Bible study group.  I was considering the closeness of the group and praying for a greater unity.  I also prayed for how that is reflected in each life to a world in need.  As I prayed, I thought of the peas in the pod.  We can become very comfortable in our little pods.  We grow, we become secure and protected.  And then sometimes, we become fearful to extend outward.  But if we only stay "peas in a pod", we become dry, limited and shriveled.

I know these kinds of illustrations break down, but only if the peas are cooked, salted, and tasted are they of any good to others.  Trials, the Word and the giving of ourselves are the ways God uses believers in a world hungry for hope.  This is why God doesn't take us up once we are saved.  We are here to be tasted and provide nourishment for a very sick and needy world.  Praise God for His use of us in these things.  As we endure the heat of trials and enjoy the nourishment of the Word, may others "taste",  notice, holiness as we reflect our Lord in our every day routines of life.  May the Holy Spirit be our help moment by moment in this great work.

Devil Run

No, that's not the name of a new, over-the-top, obstacle marathon.  It's what believers in Jesus Christ want the enemy of our souls to do.   As stated in James 4:7, "Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

We have a room in our house with a mirror that I've come to avoid at all costs.  There is much light, and as I've grown older, it's not a pretty sight I see in that mirror.  It shows EVERYTHING!  I had no idea how much I'd changed.  So, over the last year, when I go to that room to clean, I avoid that mirror at all costs.  I want to stay in a good mood so I just do not look at my image in that mirror.  Last week, as I took great pains to avoid it, I literally had to look down in order to clean in front of it.  It occurred to me, the intense effort I was taking in the name of vanity.  And immediately, I thought of sin.  How intensely do I stay away from sin?  I hope I'm this diligent to avoid every aspect of sinfulness in whatever way it manifests itself.

"It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret." (Ephesians 5:12)  We must not think about it, look at it, discuss it or even "mention" it.  "Resist it",  as advised in James, and "the devil will flee from you."

Thlipis

The Greek word, thlipis, is the word used for tribulation, anguish, affliction, trouble, burden or the like. It's like the squeezing of the olive for oil or the grape for juice.  But personally, I prefer not to be squeezed.  I don't like it.  It doesn't feel good.  Such American sentiment!  Yes, I'm soft and spoiled.  I've come to know that more than ever in my older age.  As I look back on the past and see people who went through much tribulation to secure my present freedoms, I am ashamed!

And as a believer in Jesus Christ, seeing what He secured for me at a high cost, gives me more cause for shame.  As believers, we should find joy in our tribulations because they contribute to present blessing and ultimate glory.  Our joy ultimately comes from the certain hope of the glory of God.  And our joy is always, ever in Christ, not circumstances.

When we trust in God's goodness, faithfulness and provision, He fills us with all joy and peace in believing.  To live in anguish over the past, anxiety concerning the present or apprehension about the future is to fail to appropriate that peace.  God has forgiven the past, provided for the present and guaranteed the future, leaving nothing to legitimately disrupt the believer's peace.

Salvation is anchored in the past because God made peace with God for all those who trust in Him.  (Romans 5:1)  It is anchored in the present because by Christ's continual intercession, every believer now stands securely in God's grace.  (Romans 5:2)  And salvation is anchored in the future because God gives all His children the unchangeable promise that one day they will be clothed with the glory of His own Son.  (Romans 5:2-5)

How can the believer continue to live in anxiety with that hope?  And why would the unbeliever continue on the hopeless path to hell when, while he still breathes the breath of life, he could bow in reverential awe to the God of all Creation and be saved by the power of the Spirit through the blood of Jesus Christ?  Let our squeezing be done by God and for His glory,  and let us rest in His sovereign plan.

[Most of the above was taken from John MacArthur's book, Saved Without A Doubt and his commentary on the book of John.]

Straight and Clear Roads

My morning walk is a wonderful jumpstart to each day.  It's an exercise for body and spirit.  I have a favorite route that I've walked for years.  And on that route, I have a favorite section.  As I walked this morning and came to that particular section, I felt the energetic excitement as I approached it.  I thought, "why do I love this part the most?"  In my head I began to formulate the answers.  It's about half a mile of straight road.  You can see the end of it.  It's my half-way point.  There are no homes ie. no cars pulling out of driveways, no barking dogs, not as much traffic, no mailboxes to dodge, or other people walking.  There is a clear and vast view of the sky that accentuates the bigness of the One True God to whom I am praying.  This accelerates my excitement in conversation with Him as to His power.

As I thought about these things, I transferred the picture to the Christian life.  We tend to walk more energetically in our spiritual life when we have clear pictures or purpose.  But when problems hit, we tend to allow them to affect our walk.  We falter when the road becomes winding and we don't know what's around the next turn.  We move slower under the pressure because we can't see an end to the problem; it seems to go on forever.  There are so many hindrances of every shape and size that affect our responses.  Fear, anxiety, busyness, obstacles and the problems of others can obstruct our view of purpose and cause us to lose focus.  We forget the power we have because we fail to appropriate the means God has provided.

We must gird up our loins, buckle down, stretch our spiritual muscles and "run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith".   (Hebrews 12:2)  Our walk will have ups and downs, twists and turns but we do not walk alone.  He will give us what we need to endure the hard and revel in the easy.  We must not lose ground with hardship and must not become prideful with smooth sailing.  Either way is a giving in to the enemy.  Run with perseverance and beware of the "roaring lion".  God gives us the guidance and protection in both instances.  May your morning walks be glorious with the Light of the glory of His power.  "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and might things you do not know."  (Jeremiah 33:3)  Do not fail to appropriate the means God has provided to us as believers.

SIN

John MacArthur has excellent commentaries for almost the whole New Testament.  These books have been a wonderful tool for me in the study of the scriptures.   He has written them in a beautifully simple, yet profound way that not only complements my study but offers the insight of a biblical scholar.  The following comes from the commentary on Matthew and refers to a portion  from the Lord's Prayer referred by Dr. MacArthur as "The Disciple's Prayer".  (Matthew 6:9-13-15)

Sin is that which separates man from God, and is therefore man's greatest enemy and greatest problem.  Sin dominates the mind and heart of man.  It has contaminated every human being and is the degenerative power that makes man susceptible to disease, illness, and every conceivable form of evil and unhappiness, temporal and eternal.  The ultimate effects of sin are death and damnation, and the present effects are misery, dissatisfaction, and guilt.  Sin is the common denominator of every crime, every theft, lie, murder, immorality, sickness, pain, and sorrow of mankind.  It is also the moral and spiritual disease for which man has no cure.

Because man's greatest problem is sin, his greatest need is forgiveness.  Christians have been forgiven the ultimate penalty of sin [but are still in need of] God's constant forgiveness for the sins we continue to commit.  We are to pray therefore, "forgive us" (6:12)

Dr. MacArthur quotes the prayer of the following Puritan saint of many generations ago: "Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the exceeding righteousness of salvation, the exceeding glory of Christ, the exceeding beauty of holiness, and the exceeding wonder of grace."  "I am guilty but pardoned.  I am lost but saved.  I am wandering but found.  I am sinning but cleansed.  Give me perpetual broken-heartedness.  Keep me always clinging to Thy cross."

Diseases

"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  For just as we have many members in one body and all members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." (Romans:12:3-5)  As I read this passage, I began to think about how this is lived out in the church.  The rest of the passage lists specifics and is a mandatory life checklist for believers to evaluate how we are fleshing out in the body.  There are so many evaluations to be made, and it can become overwhelming to reflect.  But the believer must continually call to mind that this is the work of the Holy Spirit and He will perform all that is necessary to keep us "fit".

One thought that came to mind as I read today was how completely necessary we are to each other in the body of Christ, the church.  As sin affects each of us personally and fighting it is an ongoing process, so our commitment to the church we have become a part.  Like a disease, sin can make us useless as believers in a needy world if we aren't personally responsible to our commitment to "take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ."  As John Owen stated, "We must be killing sin or sin will be killing us."  In the same vein, our commitment to our church is one we must take seriously.  If we aren't being used in our church, we are useless.  And like a disease, we too, can cause much wear and tear on the the "working body".

That part of the church body who "do all the work"can definitely experience burn-out.  It has been said that 20% of the members of a church do 80% of the work.  This, of course, should not be the case.  And if it were a business, there would most certainly be a mass lay-off.  As Christians and members of a body of believers, we need to support each other.  If not,  we can expect a dragging, frazzled, and sick body that is not able to meet the needs a church should be providing.  We must not allow ourselves to become diseases that affect the body to poor health.  We must keep ourselves strong in our personal walk and thereby, become a part of the health of the body to enable it to perform the best work in life: living to the glory of God and speaking Him into a needy world.

Are we diseases or cures?  God enables us to promote the health needed in our churches.  Let us be committed to seek Him passionately for that power.  The life of the church is dependent on each member.  And each member is dependent on Him to keep us healthy Christians.  And the "workers", must strive to do the same "not thinking more highly of himself than he ought to think" but to be just as committed to serve as Christ served us giving up Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the disease of sin.

Blindsided By Regret

Within one week, two family members went out into eternity.  Death is so final.  No more opportunity to speak or listen.  Did I do all I could to honor God with that person?  Did I behave in a way that Jesus will say, "Well done!"?  Did I make good use of my time with that person to let them know I loved them, respected them, admired them as a creation of the Creator?   All these questions and more add to the sadness and loss of a loved one.

Grief is a hard teacher.  None of us would choose that "class"; not an elective.  Always only a requirement of the lessons of life.  Always a stern reminder that this is not home.  Clinging to worldly relationships is a futile attempt at happiness.  They will never bring peace that lasts.  Christ is everything and must be sought, loved and adored with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  Only believers in Him understand this.  However, even believers struggle with this great void that occurs in all our lives.

That void rates different with the closeness of the person gone.  But the loss is still a loss, and one of the aspects of grief is that horrible regret that we should have done this or that better.  I should have spent more time with them, called them more, showed more love and as stated above, the list goes on.  The verse that popped in my head as I experienced the first loss, was Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Bottom line: Treat everyone as created in the image of God and show His love in all situations.  Easy?  Definitely not!  Sometimes we feel justified with our behavior toward those hard to love.  However, God has given us a supreme example in the Gospels as Jesus shows us how it's done.  We dig down deep and persevere with His power.  And when any loss occurs, He gives us the peace and power to walk that path.  But those issues of the heart we haven't quite learned, will be a stinging reminder to cry out to Him Who will use it for our good and our growth.  Until He takes us home, we must be ever learning what He requires of us and work at it with all our heart as working for Him.

ALL

Psalms is an amazingly rich book.  I go to it many times when I'm down, sad, tired, struggling with faith and trust.  Apparently, many of the writers were feeling that way when they wrote them.  Maybe that's why we resonate with them.  In fact, time and again you hear encouragement like this: "The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down." (145:14)  Or this one: "The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous." (146:8)

As I have read Psalms 145 through 150 now for a few weeks, each time certain verses will encourage my heart.  Recently, I heard a man talk about the importance of believers knowing God's word.  To know is something you do with your mind not your feelings.  Feelings cannot be trusted.  They are too fickle!  But when our minds are filled with that that brings health, it will sustain us through dry and painful times on our spiritual path.

What I'd like to do is walk through Psalm 145 and just center in on the verses with "all" in them.  And remember "all" means all!!  I'll not list the verse numbers.  It's only 21 verses and the whole Psalm is nourishing and should be read in its entirety.

The LORD is good to all and His mercies are over all His works.   All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD.  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.  The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to You.  The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  The LORD keeps all who love Him but all the wicked He will destroy.  And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)  OR... THINK, KNOW these things!  Your feelings cannot be your guide.  But God's Word is the map that can be trusted, for in it we learn "the Way, the Truth and the Life"!

Looking Up

The world without God plows through life seeking to solve all problems with a multitude of manmade solutions.  And when finally they come upon problems to which their efforts are without success, they despair and fall into depression.  All they had to do at the end of their rope, was to look up to Him, Who alone can do "abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to His power". (Ephesians 3:20)

We as believers in Christ readily agree that the unbelieving world needs to look up to God alone for the answers, yet even so, we, too, fail to ask Him, if needs be, every moment, for help in our daily walk.  We should be even more ashamed that as followers of Christ and believers in the One true Creator God, we struggle in life issues without stopping to get on our knees in humble appeal to our Father above.  Prayer is the most important work a believer is to be engaged.  We are completely dependent on God's power to accomplish His work in our lives, no matter where we may find ourselves at present.

The importance of "looking up" really came home to me today as I began work on getting rid of unwanted  growth at the bottom of my property.  Privet hedge, while an ornamental for some, is a complete nuisance for me.  And I will add that it is a most hearty and invasive "weed".  As I began my exterminating process using a small saw, I was energetic and optimistic of my great goal.  The wood is soft and I thought it would be a breeze.  However, it became very tedious and time-consuming.  At the beginning, I saw a few choice plants that had been crowded out.  I had not even seen them until I was right on them.  I wanted to save them!  I wanted them to stand out; not to be hindered and smothered by the privet.

In the area I was working, there were only three choice plants.  I began to cautiously saw because it was very grown up and I was afraid of snakes.  However, the more confident I became, the closer to the ground I went until I was finally lying on the ground sawing feverishly.  At first I had been calculated, looking up to see what I was doing.  However, as I began to lie on the ground, I quit looking up.  Low and behold as I felled bush after bush, one came down that was not a privet!  It was, in fact, one of the three choice trees, I was trying to save.  My heart sank at my own stupidity for not continuing to think through my choices by making sure they were right.

How like prayerless believers who try to fix their own problems with manmade efforts instead of crying out to the One who has the answers and the power.  Let us remember our Creator daily, not just in the asking but in the joyful thankfulness and love expressed to Him in prayer.  Prayer is our communication with Him.  We look up to Him, not because we feel like it and not to experience some emotional high, but to express trust in His divine guidance of our lives.  It's not about feelings, but about dependence and He is never unavailable! Let us not plow through life in our own strength and then regret a loss of something precious because we failed to ask God for direction.  Look up, praise His holy Name and seek His guidance.

Shouting and Singing

If you were in the middle of a public place like an airport, grocery store or maybe a ballgame and all of a sudden, in even the busy buzz of noise, you hear a shout, what would you do?  Or in the same scenarios, you hear a voice singing, what would be the tendency of your reaction?  For me, I answer with a definite, look around to see from where it’s coming.  We have in Psalm 65 a wonderful exclamation of praise to God.  John MacArthur’s study notes categorize it as "praise for spiritual blessings and praise for natural blessings".  He says it’s a Psalm full of "hopeful, confident, ever-enthusiastic feelings in response to God’s goodness".  And with this praise, he brings out, are "no complaints or curses". 

Verses one through five rehearse the wonderful spiritual blessings to man: praise, performed vows, forgiveness, chosen, nearness dwelling, answers, salvation, and trust.  And there is so much that can be gleaned from this Psalm, but as the final for my “Just Five Psalms” posts, I’d like to bring out one jewel taken from the second part.  The praise of the natural blessings is verbalized as the writer’s prerogative by nature itself.  “You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy…and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy, yes, they sing.” 

As I envisioned this scenario, it dawned on me (excuse the pun) that the sun, from the rising to the setting does just that.  One cannot help but take notice of light penetrating the darkness like a shout that would be noticed in the midst of a busy crowd.  It comes up piecing through the night with its gladness and it goes down beautifully arrayed with ever-changing color shouting it’s wonder until it disappears.  And the hills, meadows and valleys covered with grain do their share of shouting for joy and singing.  I cannot help but take in the wonder of it all as I ride down a country road.   Feasting on the beauty all around in nature’s shouting and singing fest, I cannot help  but pay attention and look around.  Nature’s verbal display to and from God are scenes I never want to take for granted.  I must look.  And I, too, must praise!  For to enjoy the creation while being personally united to the Creator is a joy upon joy that will never be taken from me.  I am, as John MacArthur says, full of "hopeful, confident and ever-enthusiastic feelings in response to God’s goodness".  And may my complaints grow dim in the glow.

But God!

Even King David, in his extreme difficulty, gets self-centered in prayer.  In his complaint, concern and fear, his request to God is "my", "my", and "me".  "Hear my voice", "preserve my life" and "hide me" are the requests that speak the reality of immediate self-preservation.  At that moment, what good is praising God, if death is imminent? (Verses 1-2, Psalm 64)

But is death imminent?  Is David actually on the verge of death?  Looking at the continuation of each request, we see that his fear lies in the "dread" of his enemy, not yet the reality!  As he says in verse one, it's his "concern" or  "complaint".  How many times do we work ourselves up into a fearful frenzy over dread, worry, or anxiety of the future?  If you say, "never", then more power to you.  But, I'm ashamed to say that most of my anxiety is over that which has not yet occurred.  Dread is an overwhelming emotion that can paralyze.

By definition, dread is to anticipate with great apprehension or fear.  Some other words attributed with dread are: forebodings, terror, horror, alarm, panic, fright, trepidation and many more.  There is dread of death, sickness, bad weather, failed plans, loneliness, no income and the list goes on.  David wanted God to hear his concern over the "dread of the enemy".  He wanted God to hide him from "secret counsel" and "tumult".  He describes his enemy in great detail.  But as David does this, all of a sudden, he shifts gears.

From fear to confidence, David all but wakes up from the drug of dread to the brightness of an all powerful God.  "BUT GOD"!!  (How many times is that phrase used in the holy scriptures?)  God considers the helplessness of his own.  In David's coming and laying his fears before the throne, he becomes aware of the Divine Presence of an in control God!!  It's almost like another Person stepped in to finish the Psalm with the plight of the wicked and the privilege of the righteous.(vv. 7-10) "Gladness, refuge and glory" await those who seek God with an upright heart. (v. 10)  With the brightness of a future with those promises, dread dissipates along with the darkness.

Shadows

I watched a YouTube video recently of young toddlers experiencing their shadows for the first time.  They were crying fearfully and trying to run from them.  For me, it was both sad and hilarious!  It was sad because these babies were seeing for the first time what was to them a dark and ominous presence that would not go away.  I wanted to comfort the child while at the same time I was laughing heartily.  However, even as an adult, I admit being startled by my own shadow more than once.  Also, more times than I can count, I have been refreshed by the shadow of a great tree protecting me from the light and heat of the sun on a hot summer day.  It was a "refuge" for me.

David, in Psalm 63:7, shares this meaning of the "shadow" as he says, "You have been my help and in the shadow of Your wings (a symbol of protection), I sing for joy."  Notice David says, "shadow of Your wings".  He doesn't hear the shadow or feel the shadow with his hand.  But David can "see", understand, know that the shadow is there.

Knowing and understanding, we run to the shadows for a covering against the "heat" and "blinding presence" of trials.  Without that understanding, like the babies, we run in fear from that dark presence. But our shadows only prove we are here.  The baby doesn't know that yet.  Are we still babies in regard to God?  Do we have to actually see Him, touch Him, audibly hear Him to run to Him for our protection?

David didn't need the actual "Wings" of God to touch him to feel comforted.  He was comforted in the "Shadow".  It makes me think of the verse, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, then we shall see face to face."  (1 Cor. 13:12)  God increase our faith with the knowledge of Your word to keep us at rest and at peace until we see Your face.  Let us be content with hope in the Shadow of Your wings.

"God Only"

Continuing some thoughts about Psalm 62, I wanted to bring out David's distinct dichotomy between God and man.  Also, I wanted to note David's encouraging himself with his reflection.  I see this as a great reminder to us as believers of the importance of rehearsing God's word daily, moment by moment and at all times.  It keeps our perspective focused rightly.

David's description of man, as I wrote in the previous post, is one that we need to rehearse to keep us humble.  And to remind us of the state of men in the world without God, that they will not intimidate our resolve.  Here are some of those reminders from this Psalm:  "leaning wall, tottering fence, delighting in lies, hypocrites and vain".  We need to get the picture of what we truly are that our salvation will become more precious and our God more amazing.  David was amazed and comforted by his awareness of God.  God was his Only Everything!  Meditate on this great truth and find rest from your troubles and fears.  He's your "salvation, rock, stronghold, refuge, power and in the midst and surrounding it all is His lovingkindness.

David was plagued in this Psalm as in many Psalms with men that would dethrone him, make him a prisoner and or kill him.  But he knew where to find a safe hiding place.  In the first two verses he says, "My soul waits in silence for God only."  I'm convicted by his silence!  (Although, he does say "silence", we have this Psalm full of words.)   He tells all that he is doing, then because of all that God is doing, he will not be "greatly shaken"(v. 2).  As he restates this same declaration a few verses down (vs. 5-6), he changes a bit.  He adds "hope" in verse five and drops "greatly" in verse six: "I shall not be shaken!"  He goes on to declare to others (a witness), "trust in Him at all times...pour out your heart before Him".  He also states twice that God is his refuge.  Then he proclaims the encouragement to the people, "God is a refuge for us."  Do you see the progression of his strength as he rehearses these truths?

As stated at the beginning, I believe David's rehearsal of man in his feeble state and God in all His power, encouraged the king in times of need.  I see in this Psalm a progression of strength and resolve.  I see him escalate in excitement as he writes verses ten through twelve.  He warns men of this world and reminds the lovers of God not to trust in vain hopes of ill-gotten gain as though there will be any satisfaction whatsoever for their hearts.  No, the only work in which a man has hope is that work of obedience wrought by God on humble seeking hearts.  God's lovingkindness and power are our only hope for this life and the one to come.

May we take courage from this great king, a man after God's own heart, a man full of flaws but also full of great thoughts of God: God Only.  Let his reminders be our reminders as we travel the road of life and continue in obedience to God and into the likeness of Jesus.  God Only!  Be encouraged.

"Lighter Than Breath"

Psalm 62 is full of rich truth, and it's hard to pour out just one drop in order to confine my post.  In only twelve verses, David profoundly proclaims the vast chasm between God and man.  And his phrase "lighter than breath" as translated by the New American Standard aroused my attention immediately.

Scripture proclaims time and again the short stay of man on the earth.  To sit and meditate on eternity in relation to the "dot" of time on it's line is an exercise of staggering proportions.  But add man's place on that dot, and, quite frankly, I shut down.  The Bible makes man's fleeting moment clear in its description with phrases as in Psalm 103, "we are but dust", "days are like grass", "as a flower...when the wind passes over it, it is no more", and "its place acknowledges it no more".  That last one really stabs me with thought: "It's place acknowledges it no more."  We tend to think of ourselves as so important.  But when death comes, it's over.  And we realize the brevity of it all as we watch that occur with family and friends.

There are many more phrases in the Bible referring to our short earthly stay, but the one for this post is new to me, one I had not noticed in previous readings of Psalms: "lighter than breath".  The context from verses nine and ten is talking about men, poor and rich "are together lighter than breath".  Think about it.  There is no substance whatsoever to our breath.  True it is what keeps us alive, but blow a little out and try to touch it or hold it.  Why we can't even see it.  In the winter you might blow it on a cold window and write out your name  if you're quick enough, but all in all, it's one of those mind-boggling reminders of the transient state of man.

So, what's the purpose of this post?  God is mindful of us.  God's mind is full of us.  That is why He sent Jesus to redeem us, to change us.  What are our thoughts of Him?  And when grappling with the reality that we are "together lighter than breath", let that lead you to rest in our all-powerful Creator who cares for us in our low estate.  WOW!  Blows me away!!

Eternal Praise

"Jonathan Edwards said, 'God's purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God's glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.'  That's why Job could lose everything but stay true.  That's why Job could lose his own health and stay true and say, "Blessed be the Name of the LORD."  Humble submission is not 'necessarily understanding' it all, it's obedience because you trust in a God Who does."

In Psalm 61, David says in verse 8: "SO, I will sing praise to Your name forever."  How do we do this?  David continues, "that I may say my vows day by day."  Forever starts today and progresses day by day.  The privilege of a God-centered lifestyle is played out in a day to day living and loving God with all my heart.  Can we ever pay Him back?  NO, but our lives must be a constant display of His work in us or we need to doubt that work ever began.  A young convert recently said, before he was saved and changed, he never desired to read God's word or think about spiritual things.  But now, he is hungry for it and can't seem to get enough.  That's what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness.  David had made that commitment, that "vow" to God.  David had holy fear of God which resulted in a confident abiding and promised inheritance. (v. 5)

Listen to the foundation-based confidence of this great king's prayer in Psalm 61, put in my own words:  "God hear me as I cry, and listen!  Wherever I am, when my heart is breaking, give me power to rest on Your promise that is greater than my pain.  Because God, You have shown me time and again Your Divine protection against the enemy.  I know You hear and You are in control of the length of my life and my heritage.  I will live with You forever and until then You will ordain my preservation with Your lovingkindness and truth.  As a result, I will sing praise to You forever."

If you have not been singing praise to God day by day, forever can start today.  Remember, as I quoted my pastor in a recent sermon, "not getting it all [understanding it] but obedience because of our trust in the God Who does."  That is cause for "eternal praise"!

Just Five Psalms

The depth of the riches of the treasure of God's Word never ceases to amaze me.  I have read the Psalms through many times, but recent readings have uncovered new jewels that delight my heart and encourage me on my spiritual journey.  I'd like to take just five Psalms and show with these few Psalms the riches you can find.  The next several posts are a sampling of this recent study, and I pray that it will be as if I am holding out my hand to reveal a precious and priceless jewel sparkling with such beauty and enticement  that you cannot help but want to search the vastness of the pages of the Divine Word.  I pray that God will reveal to you the mine He has prepared for your search.
"Seek and you will find."  Matthew 7:7