April 23, 2014
Psalm 91 was a favorite of my father’s. While lying in a hospital bed fighting cancer, he had our pastor read this Psalm to him regularly. He loved to meditate on its meaning. Psalm 91 is part of Book IV in the Psalms, which has five divisions or books organizing its 150 psalms. According to Spurgeon, the ancient rabbis saw a kind of “echo” of the Pentateuch in the Psalms. He described the Psalms as the Congregation’s “five-fold” response to God’s “five-fold word” in the Torah. Describing Psalm 91, Spurgeon said:
“It is impossible that any ill should happen to the man who is beloved of the Lord; the most crushing calamities can only shorten his journey and hasten him to his reward. Ill to him is not ill, but only good in a mysterious form. Losses enrich him, sickness is his medicine, reproach is his honor, death is his gain. No evil in the strict sense of the word can happen to him, for everything is overruled for good. Happy is he who is in such a case. He is secure where others are in peril, he lives where others die.” (The Treasury of David, Vol. 2, Part 2, 93)
April 11, 2014
This is the repetitive chorus of Psalm 80, perhaps written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (“broken down walls” – v.12). The psalm is a prayer to God, begging Him to “turn us again” to Him. They recognized their inability to turn themselves. They needed God to restore them, to bring them out of captivity and return them to Himself. This is a powerful prayer: God restore us. God show mercy on us. God save us. And He did answer their prayer, especially the part found in verse 17 about the “son of your choice” (“Son of Man”). This points to the Messiah, who is Jesus the Christ, who is the fulfillment of their prayer for salvation.
April 9, 2014
This is a description of King David, whom God took from the sheep pens to the throne room and made a shepherd over Israel. God loves taking the least and raising them up to prominence. And God cares more for the inner than the outer life. He knew David’s heart. He knew that he could be trusted with God’s people. David “cared” for God’s people. David had a “true heart,” a heart of integrity. There’s a character trait greatly needed in our presidents and pastors today! But he wasn’t just all passion and no competence. No, he had hands to match his heart, God had given him skill with people and with administration. David was the shepherd king, the greatest king Israel had known. He was the foreshadowing of the true Shepherd King, which is Christ Jesus the Lord. Christ’s heart and hands are unmatched! He is the Shepherd who willingly lay down His life for the sheep.
March 30, 2014
I’m not sure that I’m as old as the Psalmist, but I am getting a little gray and I do have grandchildren. I understand his perspective I think. And so, I join in his prayer for God’s help to pass the baton of faith to my children’s children. Not only in my family, but in God’s family (which is the church) as well. I desire God’s power and presence in my life to increase as my own strength decreases. More of Christ and less of me. Lord, “let me proclaim your power to this new generation!”
March 22, 2014
When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that he died for sins, was buried and raised from the dead, we are saved. In that very moment, we have been saved from sin’s penalty (justification), we are being saved from sin’s power (sanctification), and we will be saved from sin’s presence (glorification). So, when we receive Christ’s payment for our sins, how many of our sins are forgiven? Past ones? Present? What about tomorrow? The answer: In Christ, God forgives “them all.” For this, the apostle Paul exulted, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
March 12, 2014
David’s psalm sounds similar to Christ’s invitation to “Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest…” (Matt. 11:28). But rather than giving our burdens to God, we struggle and worry over things too heavy to bear. We lose sleep. We become anxious and depressed. Our relational life with God and others suffer. Our troubles so weigh us down that we stoop under the load. Yet, David knew how to bear up his burdens to God in prayer. And we have an even greater Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, who invites us to come to Him for rest. Do you know this old hymn?
Verse 1:
Hear the blessed Savior calling the oppressed,
“Oh, ye heavy-laden, come to Me and rest;
Come, no longer tarry, I your load will bear,
Bring Me every burden, bring Me every care.”
Refrain:
Come unto Me, I will give you rest;
Take My yoke upon you, hear Me and be blest;
I am meek and lowly, come and trust My might;
Come, My yoke is easy, and My burden’s light. – Come Unto Me, by Charles P. Jones
March 10, 2014
The modern atheist usually lays claim to an intellectual position to support their unbelief. However, the Bible says that their true problem is not reason but a lack of righteousness. It isn’t the atheist’s mind that rejects God, but his heart. And having refused God entrance, he can find no better candidate for divinity than himself. So, atheism is really humanism at heart. Yet God “looks down” to see who will seek His face. Who will open their hearts and minds to Him? Those that truly seek God will find Him. This is wisdom.
March 6, 2014
The Psalmist compares the future estate of the one who trusts riches with the one who trusts in the Lord. Of the one who trusts riches, he says the grave will take them and they’ll leave all fame and wealth behind. But of the one who trusts the Lord, the grave’s power is overcome. The God of redemption will “snatch” him from the jaws of death and restore his life. This psalm points towards the future reality of the resurrection.
March 4, 2014
It’s easy to fret about the state of world affairs. The dictators, the warmongers, the kings and presidents who care only for their own fame and power… where is God in all this? The Bible says that He reigns above. In the chain of command, God is atop all. Why then the wars and chaos? According to Acts 4 God has a plan and a purpose even in the midst of this. Instead of fretting, we can entrust the destiny of nations to the Lord while at the same time asking Him to embolden us to share the gospel and to stretch forth His hand to move in the Name of Jesus (Acts 4:29-31). God reigns.
February 27, 2014
When you are feeling down and discouraged, ask the Lord about it. Give Him your attitude. Move your dependence off of yourself and put your hope in God. Instead of expressing your blues, put on your praise. Let the Lord renew and encourage you.