Darkness

The Christian walk becomes dark, drear, and desolate at times.  It is during these periods that one feels as though they are playing Christianity on the wrong side of a dark wall between belief and unbelief.  They may cry, “God!!  Where are You? Have I believed for nothing?  Why are You so quiet?  Why do you not lead me through or over this dark wall?  I cannot see!  Pluck me from the darkness of despair!  Deliver me before I am destroyed by my Enemy or myself!!  With the Psalmist I cry, ‘Is Your mercy clean gone forever?’”

What do we do with such times as this?  Will we let our feelings dictate the reality of God?  The answer lies in God’s Word:  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”  YOU SHALL BE SAVED!  Maybe at times you won’t “feel” saved but that is of no consequence and you must not, MUST NOT trust your fickle feelings.

GREAT POEM, memorized years ago, written by Martin Luther:

For feelings come and feelings go but feelings are deceiving!  My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing. 

Though all my soul shall feel condemned for want of some sweet token; I know One greater than my soul Whose word cannot be broken!

I’ll trust in God’s unchanging word, til soul and body sever!  The words of man will pass away; God’s word abides forever.

Not just idle words; they are (my) life…Deuteronomy 32:47

Tremble

The mountains do it.  The earth does it.  The sky does it.  The coastlands do it.  Yes, and even the devils do it!  How about the most precious of all creation: man?   Man, who of all God’s creation was created in His image!   Man, who is distinct from all of creation!     Man, the most special, I fear does not do it:  Tremble!  Listen as Isaiah brings to the people, “Thus says the LORD”:

“For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD.   But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”   “Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word.”

 

Do we hear?  Do we tremble?  If not, meditate just a bit on the Power displayed in creation.  It doesn’t take long to tremble and grow faint with the thought that we have access to Him, the One who possesses that unlimited power.   Jesus has provided  this access!  As we begin to tremble at the thought, hopefully the whoosh of the magnitude of those who have not heard the Word will come over us.  Hopefully, the immediacy of the need of the hour will give us the “glowing missionary spirit” Jesus has commanded in the Great Commission.  We have access to the God of creation.  That’s something to cause us to tremble with a mixture of sheer fear and excitement mingled!

It reminds me of part of a song heard all my life:  “Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble…”   May that “sometimes” be changed to "all times"!

(Scripture ref. in order:  Is. 64:3; Hab. 3:10;  Joel 3:16;  Jud. 5:4; Psalm 60:2; Joel 2:10; Ez. 26:18; James 2:19; Is. 66:2 & 5; Matt. 28:18-20.  Song;  Were You There)

What Really Matters

Consider the following:  Studying 1 Peter 4:1-7 and using John MacArthur's notes in his study Bible,

v. 2  A Christian should live the remainder of his life on earth pursuing the holy will of God rather than the ungodly lusts of the flesh.

v. 3  Sin in the believer is a burden that afflicts him rather than a pleasure that delights him.

v.7  The goal of all things: For believers to live obediently and expectantly in the light of Christ's return.
...not to be swept away by emotions or passions, thus maintaining a proper eternal perspective on life.    The doctrine of the imminent return of Christ should not turn the Christian into a zealous fanatic who does nothing but wait for it to occur.  Instead it should lead the believer into a watchful pursuit of holiness.  A watchful attitude creates a pilgrim mentality.

Personal Housecleaning

Just a reminder:  Writing is not a goal of mine.  While I’ve thought of a few books through the years, I’ve never had the motivation to continue to develop them.  God did not gift me in that way.  However, He has blessed me many times during prayer with life situations that reflect spiritual truths.  My goal here is not to “wow” anyone with incredible giftedness but to encourage the family of God and unbelievers with life lessons grown out of the daily study of the Word of God.  He has encouraged me personally with these thoughts.  And I’m just passing them on that they may help you in the many battles of life.  Praise God, these thoughts will never be needed in heaven!  For there will be no more battles there, no more bad dogs, drugs,  shallow talk, stress, floods, sin...    But until then, learn with me what is important in life, what really matters!

Good

As I walked today, I overheard conversation between neighbors: “Hello, Mr. Jones!  How are you?”  Mr. Jones answered, “Good, how are you?”  The neighbor said, “Good.  How’s Mrs. Jones?”  Mr. Jones answered, “Good!  We went to see my mother yesterday.”  To this the neighbor said, “And how is your mother?”  Mr. Jones answered, “Good.”  The neighbor responded, “Good!  Good!”

It set me to thinking about the word, “good” and how very often we use it and how much of the time, it really means nothing.  But I was especially in tune to the word today as I had read Charles Spurgeon last night before I went to bed.  Consider the contrast in what the neighbors said (or didn’t say) to what Mr. Spurgeon says as he refers to the Holy Spirit.  He writes in reference to Nehemiah 9:20, “Thy good Spirit.”:  “All His works are good in the most eminent degree:  He suggests good thoughts, prompts good actions, reveals good truths, applies good promises, assists in good attainments, and leads to good results.  There is no spiritual good in all the world of which He is not the Author and Sustainer, …  He is good officially; whether as Comforter, Instructor, Guide, Sanctifier, Quickener, or Intercessor, He fulfills His office well, and each work is fraught with the highest good to the church of God.  They who yield to His influences become good, they who obey His impulses do good, they who live under His power receive good.  Let us then act towards so good a person according to the dictates of gratitude.”

Jesus said, in Mark 10:18, “There’s none good but one.  That is God.”  God is good; He is the Source of all good.  All that is good is of God.  As one mom put it to her son, “From God, I taught the good.  You embrace the good yet reject the Stream from which it flows.”  True good can only be embraced through relationship with the only One Who is good.  And if it is not “embraced” through Him, it is not truly good.

Abba

The man was pressed up against the end of the pew.  One of his daughters sat close to him and the other daughter close to her.  The young boy made his way over to the man and stood.  He looked at the man with the desire of closeness.  The man looked at him, and no move was made.  The boy continued his look and said, “Daddy!”  The man held out his arms, picked up the boy, placed him in his lap and held him close.  What a difference a word makes!  What a Place of security in the Arms of God!  What a Savior Who made provision for us in that awesome Place and gave us the right to say, “Abba”!

What's In A Name?

There’s something about having ones name broadcasted in a positive way that gives great delight to the name-bearer.  Of course, as Christians, we must fight that desire for greatness as the sin of pride.  Consider having an act proclaimed great without the mention of the name or names of the doers of that great act!  Would you feel the tug of desire to say, “I did that!” or “Hey, that was me!”  Or if having done it for God’s glory, would you be content not being known?!!

David Platt, author of Radical, is preaching through the book of Acts.  As he taught through chapters 9-12, he voiced his commentary on 11:19-21.  He reminded his hearers that the church at Antioch was a great church.  As most believers know, disciples were first called “Christians” at Antioch.  Some other great details about Antioch: the hand of the Lord was with them; a large number turned to the Lord; the church at Jerusalem was so impressed by the goings on that they sent Barnabas; Barnabas was so impressed, he traveled to find Paul to bring him there; they remained there for a year to teach the passionate believers there.  There’s more, but the main point Pastor Platt makes comes from verse 20: “But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.”  Notice the phrase “some of them”!  Some unnamed men from Cyprus and Cyrene started the great church at Antioch.

Meditate on Isaiah 63:14b: “So You led Your people, to make for Yourself a glorious name.”  Immediately Rahab the prostitute comes to mind.  She said to the spies, “…for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”  That statement comes at the end of verse eleven of Joshua, chapter two.  In fact before that statement, starting with verse nine, she rehearsed all that she had heard about God and the end of verse eleven is the conclusion she comes to about this great God.  He had indeed “led His people” and made “for Himself a glorious name”. 

This is also what “some of them” from Cyprus and Cyrene had done in starting the church at Antioch by preaching the Lord Jesus. They had made much of God and His glorious name. Let us learn from these “unnamed” men!  Let us work, pray, teach and spend ourselves for the glory of God.  Let us do this without the need for praise from man.  We are children of God, the King of all the earth.  We need no praise from man!  Our delight is in the Name of the Sin-bearer.  At His name, every knee will bow!

(Philippians 2:9-11)

Safe Dwelling

I have many wonderful memories from being in a choir at the church I attended years past.  Choir practice was always enjoyable and encouraging.  The relationships built there were like family.  And it was always rewarding to come together on Sunday morning to display our labor of love.  Most of the songs sung there are ingrained in my memory and have been used by God to lift my spirit time and time again.  As I prayed this morning, one such song came to me and immediately gave me rest from burdens God didn't intend for me to carry.  It also complimented His Word taught me this morning out of Isaiah 61: 11 and 62:1.

     “Lead me Lord!  Lead me in Thy righteousness!  Make Thy Way plain before my face.  For it is Thou Lord, Thou only that maketh me dwell in safety.”

Isaiah: “So the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”  God says for Zion’s sake…for Jerusalem, He will not keep silent; He will not keep quiet, “Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning.”

He will lead us but also He will use us to light the path ahead. “In His light we see light.” Let us "not grow weary in well doing".  Let us not fall under a load of care.  Let us be used to light the path and let us give to Him the burden to carry.  He said to “come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy laden…”.   He gives the light, carries the burden, and gives us safe dwelling.  We must not live as though we are doing this alone.  He “will not leave us or forsake us”!!   "Thou only maketh me dwell in safety."