Three cries!

The Cry of the Fools

Matt. 27:25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

The Cry of the Savior

John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The Cry of the Sinner

Luke 23:42-43

43 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Today, we continue to find fools:

Those who deny God –

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Those who have substituted themselves to God –

Romans 1:20-23

20 So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Those who think they need to add something to Christ’s work of the cross – 

Romans 10:3 

For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 

Men still have the same reactions that people had at the time of Jesus. Some defiantly look at the death of Jesus as irrelevant in their lives; at best, they look at it as a good example. Many ignore Him and willfully live as they want.

As men and women around the world lift up their fists in rebellion against God, what should our reaction be? First of all, with amazement at the grace of God, that He does not pour out His wrath upon them immediately. Secondly, with deep gratitude because we are not part of that group, only by the grace of God, Who opened our eyes and showed us His great mercy.

The Cry of our Savior should ring loud in our ears.

As Christ cried out, ”It is finished”, He was declaring His victory over Satan, sin, and death.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ’s death on the cross was planned from eternity past, for our salvation was foreordained before the foundation of the world.

The cost should of it overwhelm us. The fact that Christ would die for us sinners, who often are discontent or ungrateful, should humble us. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we have hope. We have a new reason to live our lives in light of eternity. We can face the difficulties of life, knowing that our destiny is to be in the presence of God.

We remember our cry as sinners.

The amazing aspect of our salvation is that we did not do anything to invite it, to earn it, or to keep it. The sinner on the cross next to Jesus went to the cross deservedly, as his behavior had caused his capital punishment. He could not do anything to redeem himself, and he was minutes away from death. But God, in His grace, listened to his repentant prayer and promised a place for him in paradise.

How blessed we are, in knowing that our salvation does not rest on our disposition, goodness, or improvement, but on God’s immense grace.

Knowing that one can be saved until his last breath should give us hope and perseverance in witnessing, even to those who show no interest at this time. God calls us to be faithful. God is waiting to show His wrath because there are more souls He wants to save.

Today the Savior is inviting a Godly response. 

This comes only from men and women who recognize their inability to please God, who know that their human efforts are useless, who repent of their sins, who recognize that on the cross Jesus paid their penalty, and that His resurrection proves He defeated death and is now seated at the right hand of God, where He offers salvation to all those who come to Him in faith that He alone is their Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:4-9

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Easter is a holiday for many, but a HOLY DAY for few!

CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THE TRIALS?

God’s plan was and is that His children will glorify Him. 

His work deserves our praise. 

Have we become so self-centered that we have lost sight of the work that God is doing?

49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,

and sing to your name.

50 Great salvation he brings to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his offspring forever.

David ends this psalm with this wonderful couple of verses. He begins with “For this cause”. We have reviewed the cause in the previous verses.

God is the one who gives David strength; He is his fortress, rock, and deliverer. He is his salvation, his stronghold, shield, and his refuge.

God listens to him. He is powerful without any rivals. His word is without limits. He is the One who rescues him. God is his support and chooses to delight in his creature. He deals with him in righteousness. God revealed his statutes so that David could walk in them.

God showed Himself to be merciful, blameless, and pure. He was David’s light in the dark moments. From God he received his strength. His Word was trustworthy. God was like no one else. He had the right answer and solution for every event. He was righteous in the way He dealt with David’s enemies.

His God is alive! He is faithful, through and through!

This is why David was praising his God.

Are you praising God at this time: for your health, your job or lack of one, for your spouse and children and parents, for your friends, for your pastor, for your enemies, for your circumstances, for what you have and do not have? Is your God the same One David knew? 

David’s praise was true and evident. David sang to the name of God. God’s name describes His character, His qualities, His works. In other words, David was satisfied with who God is and what He was doing. God has shown Himself worthy and faithful to David and to his offspring forever.

Romans 15:8-13

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.”

And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples extol him.”

And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,

even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him will the Gentiles hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

God’s plan was and is that His children will glorify Him. His work deserves our praise. Have we become so self-centered that we have lost sight of the work that God is doing?

The Father chose us so that we would praise Him.

Ephesians 1:6

to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

The Son died for us so that we would praise the Father.

Ephesians 1:12

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit sealed us so that the Father would be praised eternally.

Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Has God done this for you and me? Is our life reflecting these truths?

If we are not having this kind of response, then we are allowing our thoughts to take us in the wrong direction.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Because of Christ, our praise should be loud and clear!

Hebrews 13:15

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

The Apostle Peter brings us to a culmination.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

God is testing our faith. The way we respond exposes whether or not our faith is genuine. It is a grace of God to help us evaluate if we are truly believers and we truly love Him.

Trials hurt; God does not hide this. But trials last only a short time, compared to eternity. Our responses to trials show us and others what we truly value.

Trials are not something to avoid or to complain about; they are the meticulous work of God on us. God is worthy of our praise forever!

ARE YOU LIVING AS A CHILD OF THE KING?

God does not reveal to us our future because

He wants us to trust Him today.

He does not give us strength for tomorrow because we do not need it yet.

He wants us close, secure in His arms.

Psalm 18:31-42

31 For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?—

32 the God who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless.

33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand supported me,

and your gentleness made me great.

36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

and did not turn back till they were consumed.

38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;

you made those who rise against me sink under me.

40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,

and those who hated me I destroyed.

41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;

they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;

I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

David, all through this psalm, has reminded us of the necessity to go through trials well: to trust faithfully, even while we do not see the end of our difficulty, to rejoice in the work that God is doing in us, and to ultimately come closer to God.

Is it worth it? Can God really come through? Is God going to give me the necessary strength? Am I going to fall apart? I feel like giving up now, but will I make it?

In our section today, David reminds us that when we trust the LORD, we are trusting the only true God! He is the all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent God of the universe. He is the creator and sustainer of all. He is the rock where we have planted our feet.

He does not reveal to us our future because He wants us to trust Him today. He does not give us strength for tomorrow because we do not need it yet. He wants us close, secure in His arms.

David reminds us that God equips us with the strength we need.  He gives us the strength and the knowledge through His Word to go through the trials well! Even though the path seems slippery, He will keep us from falling. We are not going to be submerged, for God knows how to keep us above ground. Our wise God has our best in mind. His plan is not for us to fail; His plan is for Him to triumph in us.

God is the One who prepares us. Dear friends, in His word, in faithful believers who walk beside us, in the local church we find the strength to go through the hard times of life. God is strong enough to shield and protect us through the trial and gentle enough to care about what we need in order to go through the trial well.

God is there to make our way stable, to help us engage our enemies in a godly way. God’s intention is to display His glory. Our enemies and the people who are watching us go through the trial are going to be surprised at God’s work in us, if we remain faithful.

Victory in trial is for God to be exalted and for God’s purposes to be achieved. Do we trust God enough to accept and desire the outcome that He wants?

God has saved us, and He has planned eternity for us. His enemies will be defeated. In due time, God will show His strength. In the meanwhile, He is giving us the necessary strength to go through our storms!

43 You delivered me from strife with the people;

you made me the head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

foreigners came cringing to me.

45 Foreigners lost heart

and came trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation—

47 the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me,

48 who delivered me from my enemies;

yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;

you rescued me from the man of violence.

David saw God give him deliverance and allow him to defeat his enemies. David never forgot that it was God who did it.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation—

Should this be our song today? Are we acknowledging with our lives that God is alive and in control? Does our demeanor proclaim a loving and powerful God who deserves our worship? Or are we losing sight of the fact that we are saved children of the God of the universe? God has only one kind of children: the ones He loves, for whom His Son died, and whom He is intently and carefully guiding through the difficulties of life, to mature and cause to become like His wonderful Son, Whom He has loved from eternity past and will love forever and ever.

If you are feeling like an ‘unfavored child’ or ‘ignored child’ then you are believing a lie! Allowing your thoughts to guide you into untruths will only produce ungratefulness and sin! May we live as children of God, worthy of the name we bear!

  

GOD IS KEEPING YOU CLOSE!

Responding with humility to trials not only attracts the pleasure of God,

but it also provides a protection from sin.

We may have every assurance that, in due time,

God will respond righteously.

Psalm 18:16-19

                        He sent from on high, he took me;

                        he drew me out of many waters.

            He rescued me from my strong enemy

                        and from those who hated me,

                        for they were too mighty for me.

            They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

                        but the LORD was my support.

            He brought me out into a broad place;

                        he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

David has been an example of how those who trust in God endure trials. His heart had remained faithful to his LORD. He knew that God was well aware of his trouble. The time of the trial was not a matter of lack of care or of carelessness by his loving God, but it was God knowing what was best during those times.

In His perfect timing, God had rescued him. Yes, David knew that his foes were too strong for him to conquer; all he could do was trust the LORD and be patient during the trial.  David recognizes that he was confronted by powerful enemies during the time of adversity. He knew his situation was beyond his strength to change, but not beyond his ability to endure. For David knew, all through the trials, that the LORD was His Rescuer, and would continue to support him.

During our trials, too, God is providing the grace to endure them. The trials may seem to overwhelm us, but God is actively showing us His grace and providing the strength to endure. The Apostle Paul had learned this lesson.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 

            So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

           

Paul had received the trial he was enduring in order to protect him from sin. God had allowed the difficulty to come from Satan, himself. Even though Satan was the author, God’s decision not to restrain him was part of His sovereign plan, not a lack of power to stop him. God’s ultimate goal was to demonstrate His power through the weakness of Paul and the grace that He was providing through the trial.

God’s grace provides a great testimony for those who do not know Him, when it is displayed in the life of the believer. As you endure a trial, God desires to display His grace through you.

Psalm 18:20-24

            The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;

                        according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

            For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

                        and have not wickedly departed from my God.

            For all his rules were before me,

                        and his statutes I did not put away from me.

            I was blameless before him,

                        and I kept myself from my guilt.

            So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

                        according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

As David continues to pen this wonderful psalm, he describes his behavior through the trials. He remained righteous, his deeds were pleasing to God, his faithfulness continued, He continued to keep his eyes on the laws of God, and he was blameless before God. As we read these verses, we cannot forget that David’s ability to react in a godly way was not because of his own strength, but because of the faithfulness of God.

Psalm 18:25-30

            With the merciful you show yourself merciful;

                        with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;

            with the purified you show yourself pure;

                        and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

            For you save a humble people,

                        but the haughty eyes you bring down.

            For it is you who light my lamp;

                        the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

            For by you I can run against a troop,

                        and by my God I can leap over a wall.

            This God—his way is perfect;

                        the word of the LORD proves true;

                        he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

How wonderful to see that God shows His mercy to those who are merciful, He shows Himself without blame with those who walk blamelessly, He proves to be pure with those who are pure in their ways. It is interesting that God does not show Himself in the same way to those who walk crookedly.

God is watching, and in due time He will save the humble and bring low the proud. James reminds us of this truth.

James 4:6-10

            But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Responding with humility through trials not only attracts the pleasure of God, but it also provides a protection from sin. We may have every assurance that, in due time, God will respond righteously.

The psalmist shows us that his behavior was the result of trusting God. He began by knowing God’s Word and trusting it. As he went through dark moments, he did not resort to his feelings or human thoughts to bring understanding, but he went to the Word of God. Anything that is different from the Word of God does not shed light, but brings only more darkness to the matter.

The obstacles were humanly insurmountable, but with God’s help they could be conquered. As David followed the instructions found in Law of God, the LORD proved to be trustworthy. All too often, we have later realized the truthfulness of God’s Word, because we see the devastation from following our own ways, and the consequences of our own sin.

We have a choice: we can rest in God and find the peace and grace available in His protection, or we can experience the weight of sinful responses and live with regret. I am grateful that even those sins of my past that have proved to me how foolish I was not to have trusted God and His Word, are today a reminder to trust God continually and faithfully.

We know David’s life, and we know that he learned in those same ways, also. 

May we make wise decisions as we are confronted with the trials of life! 

One way or the other, God will bring His own close to Him!

GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!

God’s knowledge of us began before the foundation of the world, 

and continues every day of our life and for eternity. 

God’s searching and knowledge is careful, complete, thorough, constant. 

Are these thoughts producing reactions in your life? 

Psalm 139:1
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

This is certainly one of the most well-loved and better-known psalms by David. As I read this psalm, there are several reactions that come to my mind. First of all, we notice that David addressed God as LORD. The self-existent and self-sustaining One, the ‘I AM’, is interested in man - in me! David has expressed the same idea in another psalm.

Psalm 8:4
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

Does this thought become “normal”? Certainly, when we stop to concentrate on it, we are surprised, amazed, humbled, and overwhelmed by this truth, but how does it flesh out in our daily attitude, in our expectations, in our prayer life, in our service, in our relationships, in our purity, in our sanctification? In other words, how does it impact every aspect of our lives?

This first reaction is followed by emotions of both joy and fear. I cannot hide in the masses of humanity, for God is carefully scrutinizing my life, and this produces the fear of God. All of our thoughts and intentions – those things that we assume no one notices - are not only noticed by God, but evaluated and weighed by Him. At the same time, in a world where we are often misunderstood, where people around us do not seem to be able to really know how we feel and what we are going through, we are overwhelmed by the fact that God knows us.

God’s knowledge of us began before the foundation of the world, and continues every day of our life and for eternity. God’s searching and knowledge is careful, complete, thorough, constant. Are these thoughts producing reactions in your life? We should be quick to obey, quick to repent, quick to trust, quick to rejoice. We should be quick in all our reactions to this realization.

David goes on to describe four attributes of God that express the quality of God’s search and knowledge of us and expresses some of His reactions.

Psalm 139:2-6
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

The first attribute that David mentions is God’s omniscience. The all-knowing God is searching me and knowing me!

God is aware of every movement in my life. In fact, He is aware of the thoughts that precede and produce my actions. God is totally aware of the reasons I do the things I do! This complete knowledge is the result of careful scrutiny of man’s actions and habits. Nothing surprises God about our lives. He knows the history, the patterns, the habits, the decisions that accompany our every action. When we speak , God knows exactly why we said the things we did. He is intimate with the causes of our words, for our words express our hearts, which God knows intimately.

God’s knowledge surrounds us on every side, God is never unaware, He is never distracted, He never overlooks, He never forgets.

We can meditate on these truths, but understanding them completely is impossible. David expressed this clearly, when he said that “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”

It is a wonderful truth. We cannot remain unchanged, even though our human understanding of it is so limited.

If I would only be more aware that God continually searches me and knows me, I would weigh my actions more carefully, my attitudes would be so different, my plans would be more thought- out. In other words, my life would be very different.

I think that we need to take time to pray and ask God to help us live our lives with a greater awareness of His omniscience. Even our approach to the Word of God and to God’s instructions should be affected deeply by this truth!

May our lives be different today, in view of the fact that we are under the careful and loving scrutiny of our all-knowing God.

DON’T GIVE UP!

During trials when we are being mistreated in some way, 
we tend to ask ourselves these questions:

Where is God?

Does He really care?

Am I not important enough for Him to get involved?

Are those who are being evil going to get away with it?

Psalm 18:7-12

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

9 He bowed the heavens and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew;

he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,

thick clouds dark with water.

12 Out of the brightness before him

hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

As I said in our last meditation on this Psalm, the first six verses challenged me to review not only the reality God’s care for us, but also how I actually act and react, as I go through a trial.

The challenge and length of the trial should not keep us from going through it faithfully.

During trials when we are being mistreated in some way, we tend to ask ourselves these questions: Where is God? Does He really care? Am I not important enough for Him to get involved? Are those who are being evil going to get away with it?

It can be very discouraging to have the impression that wrongdoers are getting away with their misbehavior.

Romans 2:2-5

2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

God is watching, and on the judgment day God will reveal His wrath against every impenitent sinner. We know that we can face God’s justice only because of the grace of God. We should remember that God is in complete control and His righteous justice will be accomplished at the right time.

God’s patience is not a sign of weakness; in due time He will manifest His power. As He restrains His wrath, He is showing grace to the sinners, while at the same time He is active in producing sanctification in the life of the believer.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his voice,

hailstones and coals of fire.

14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings and grouted them.

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your rebuke, O Lord,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

At God’s command, every trial could end. But as much as we seek God’s immediate intervention, we should never lose sight of His infinite wisdom. He is in total control, He is utterly trustworthy, and He has perfect purposes for every situation.

We will look at the deliverance and care of God in our next group of verses, but as we reflect today, we need to be reminded of the privilege we have in being taken care of by our faithful and loving God.

We certainly cannot lose sight of the fact that, if God had dealt with us according to our deeds, we would not be alive to seek deliverance! God has shown us grace. Those people who seem to get away with their evil behavior might seem to be enjoying an easy life, but rest assured that they have no idea of what it means to enjoy the grace of God.

The Word of God often calls us to remember the grace we have received.

Ephesians 2:1-7

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

We are so blessed! Why would we ever envy those who do not know the grace of God? Would we ever trade the eternal life of grace we have received, for a moment of comfort or the disappearance of our trials?

We know God is watching over us.

Galatians 6:7-9

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Are you tired? Do you feel like giving up? Have you come at the end of your strength? Are you starting to feel that it’s not worth the struggle?

David did not give up! Jesus, even though He knew the excruciating pain He would face on the cross, willingly submitted to the Father. Why did He do that? So you could have the grace to face what you are facing today! May the Lord help us to remember these truths every day of our lives!

DID YOU FORGET WHO IS TAKING CARE OF YOU?

Are you going through a trial right now?

Do you trust God?

Are you going to wish that you had navigated through the trial in a more godly way?

Psalm 18:1-3

            I love you, O LORD, my strength.

            The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

                        my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

                        my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

            I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

                        and I am saved from my enemies.

‘I love you O LORD’… how does a human being display love to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe?

We know that this psalm was written by David after God had protected him from his enemies, including Saul. We also know that David’s praise did not begin after the deliverance, but had been part of his attitude all through the trials. David had restrained himself when he had the opportunity to kill Saul and had trusted God to be his protector and helper.

David praises God for having been his fortress and deliverer, for he had placed his confidence in his God, his rock; he was unmoved in his resolve and trust. Now, he could rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s protection of him and defeat of his enemies.

Have you ever had a situation where God has come to your rescue, but you haven’t gone through your trial well? Times when you had become ungrateful and bitter and angry? Situations where you have not responded well to others? Trials where you have not been a good example for your family, friends, and also to your enemies?

When I look at these words and then review David’s life,  I can see that his praise was preceded by complete trust before his deliverance. I know that there are many times that I have rejoiced in God’s provision and help, but I have not gone through the trial well.

Are you going through a trial right now? Do you trust God? Are you going to wish that you had navigated through the trial in a more godly way? No matter how you have reacted thus far, the wonderful thing is that you can stop, review your heart and behavior, and ask God for forgiveness and strength to finish the remainder of the trial well.

I am so glad that some of my trials have lasted long enough to give me time to repent and react correctly to my circumstances.

David’s trials were real and hard.

Psalm 18:4-5

            The cords of death encompassed me;

                        the torrents of destruction assailed me;

            the cords of Sheol entangled me;

                        the snares of death confronted me.

It is not the size or the length of the trial that should direct our reactions, but our dependence upon the greatness of our God and the power of His care and love.

Psalm 18:6

            In my distress I called upon the LORD;

                        to my God I cried for help.

            From his temple he heard my voice,

                        and my cry to him reached his ears.

The trial was great; David knew he could not hide his pain from God, for what he needed to do was to pray and worship. Some, during their trials, tend to remove themselves from their brothers and sisters in Christ; at times even their worship in church diminishes. David had continued to be faithful in his worship and from God’s temple he cried out for help.

But God desires our sincere communion with Him; he loves to hear our prayers, and is glorified by our trusting submission.

As we continue to look at this psalm, we will see God’s response and intervention, His power displayed. But sufficient for today, is our need to review our lives to assess how we are reacting to our own trials.

David says that he loves the LORD. This term ‘love’ is used rarely, and is a very tender term. There is complete love and dependence, as a lost sheep to its shepherd:.

Luke 15:3-7    

            So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

God does not have too many sheep to take care of! Even if you are the least of His sheep, you are as important to God as all the other ones!

Are you tempted to forget the meticulous care and attention that God has for you? If you are a child of God, the angels in heaven rejoiced when you became His child. God sent His Son to pay the price of your sin and make it possible for you to have a relationship with Him.

Trials are real and they hurt. We might not see their end, but we should never lose sight of our wonderful Savior.

Isaiah 9:6

            For to us a child is born,

                        to us a son is given;

            and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

                        and his name shall be called

            Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

                        Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This is the LORD Who is taking care of us! May our minds rest in the peace that accompanies this wonderful truth!

ARE YOUR ENEMIES DRIVING YOU TO GOD?

 It is so easy, when we are going through hard times, 

to want to take matters into our own hands.

In this Psalm David is showing total dependence on God.

Psalm 17:1-2

            Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!

                        Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

            From your presence let my vindication come!

                        Let your eyes behold the right!

God wants us to pray! It is not our job to pretend that the situations or the people we are confronted with are easy to deal with. And here, David is expecting the eternal, Creator, sustainer, LORD to listen to his prayer. He comes to Him in humble expectation. David is not taking matters in his own hands; he is expecting God to look, evaluate and respond to his needs in righteousness.

It is so easy, when we are going through hard times, to want to take matters into our own hands. We might do this by retaliating in word or in deeds, or, as it happens to me, exposing the deeds of others by complaints or accusations. What is certain in this Psalm is that David is showing total dependence on God. His behavior has remained righteous.

Psalm 17:3-5

            You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,

                        you have tested me, and you will find nothing;

                        I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

            With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips

                        I have avoided the ways of the violent.

            My steps have held fast to your paths;

                        my feet have not slipped.

David has guarded his heart, he has purposed to watch the words of his mouth, he has not spent time thinking of human responses, and he has controlled his actions. He has followed the paths of God, and has been carful not to slip. David is describing the path to righteousness that we, too, should follow. Our first step needs to be inspecting our hearts. Are we storing anger, disappointment, bitterness, revenge, unhappiness? When we allow these attitudes to build up in our hearts, we know so well that our mouths will speak accordingly. We should be the first ones to listen to what we say. We tend to justify evil talk, minimizing it as ‘venting’ or ‘blowing off steam’. Sometime we prefer to appear more spiritual by asking for advice or prayer, when in truth we are seeking revenge by exposing others -  not for their benefit, but to provide some kind of  selfish satisfaction or relief. As we allow our hearts to go in a wrong direction, our mouths will expose this, while our minds will produce the ungodly reactions and deeds that soon will follow.

How I need to focus upon the ways of God! The problems and the people will not disappear. What I need is to go to the Lord in prayer.

Psalm 17:6-7

            I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;

                        incline your ear to me; hear my words.

            Wondrously show your steadfast love,

                        O Savior of those who seek refuge

                        from their adversaries at your right hand.

David has no doubt that God will listen. He knows that he is loved with everlasting, faithful love. God loves for His children to run to Him in the midst of their problems. Have you taken the time to reflect on the fact that God is allowing those people and situations in your life in order to attract you to Him and to cause you to loosen your grip on the world? God is meticulously working to bring you closer to Him, so He can wonderfully embrace you with His love. Too often, we go to God with predetermined solutions in mind. We then tend to evaluate His love, based upon the answers conforming to what we wanted. Instead, our prayers to the Savior God must be accompanied by complete trust in His will and His providence. God’s response will always show His loving care for us.

The wickedness of his enemies is, however, real and seemingly overwhelming.

Psalm 17:8-14

            Keep me as the apple of your eye;

                        hide me in the shadow of your wings,

            from the wicked who do me violence,

                        my deadly enemies who surround me.

            They close their hearts to pity;

                        with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

            They have now surrounded our steps;

                        they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

            He is like a lion eager to tear,

                        as a young lion lurking in ambush.

            Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!

                        Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

            from men by your hand, O LORD,

                        from men of the world whose portion is in this life.

            You fill their womb with treasure;

                        they are satisfied with children,

                        and they leave their abundance to their infants.

The description of these enemies is one of people who have closed their hearts towards God. They live for what is temporal. They will do whatever they can to achieve their human desires. David has not followed the ways of his enemies; he has found refuge under the wings of his LORD.

We must ask ourselves if our lives are driven in by the same desires and goals that the world has. Or are we driven by what has eternal goals and values? What is really causing our distress?

David made the wise decision:

Psalm 17:15

            As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;

                        when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

David chose to look to his God, satisfied by his relationship with his Lord. Is this true of you and me? Is this what is driving our lives? Let us emulate David, who found his pleasure and satisfaction in God, not in circumstances or people.

FOOLS FORGET THAT GOD IS WATCHING!

Some times we feel that we are victims of people 

that are getting away with their sins...

Psalm 94:8-11

            Understand, O dullest of the people!

                        Fools, when will you be wise?

            He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

            He who formed the eye, does he not see?

            He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?

            He who teaches man knowledge—

                        the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,

                        that they are but a breath.

           

Certainly the psalmist is exposing the foolishness of the wicked, as they think they are getting away with their sin.

What a description of the world we live in. Man apart from God is arrogant and wicked. He boasts in his evildoing, while he thinks he is in total control of his life and destiny. But God is totally aware of every evildoing.

Some times we feel that we are victims of people that are getting away with their sins; Paul reminds us that it is not true.

Romans 2:1-11

            Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

            He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

           

These were the words I would often point out to people who have been hurt by others, as I counseled with them. Our desire for vengeance will not produce godliness. Although man seems to be able to live unpunished, God is aware and will make things right. God’s wrath will be severe, just, timely, appropriate, and sure.

Reality is that God is giving man time for repentance.

As we reflect on this truth, does it not warm your heart that God did not repay us for our sin? Don’t we rejoice in the grace God has shown us? Immediate wrath to our sin would not have left even us unpunished!

As the psalmist asks the question:

Psalm 94:20 ESV

            Can wicked rulers be allied with you,

                        those who frame injustice by statute?

He knows that God is on his side and not on the side of the wicked. He is using the wicked in our lives to mold us and change us.

There are no victims! Those who have received evil are being pushed into the arms of God. Those who God is not immediately punishing are being given time to repent. Those who will be judged for their sin by the wrath of God will receive the righteous deserved punishment.

As we live our lives in a corrupt world, God wants us to find rest in Him. The psalmist reminds us that God does not forsake His own. His justice will not abandon His children. Without God’s care we would surely fall.

What beautiful words we find:

Psalm 94:19

            When the cares of my heart are many,

                        your consolations cheer my soul.

If we are not finding consolation, it’s probably because we are looking for the wrong things in the wrong places.

We know what the end result is: God will win! In the meantime, rejoice in the grace you have received and leave in the hands of God the judgment of the evildoers. Rejoice in the fact that you know where to find peace and rest.

Psalm 94:22

            But the LORD has become my stronghold,

                        and my God the rock of my refuge.

God is holding you in the palm of His hand. Let His word warm your soul; let His truth lighten your troubled time; let His perfect timing give peace to your difficulties.