Thursday, February 23, 2017

OUR GOD HAS NO RIVALS!














MAY OUR LIVES DISPLAY OUR TRUST IN HIM

Psalm 76:1-3
In Judah God is known;
his name is great in Israel.
His abode has been established in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah

In this psalm, God is celebrated again as the most powerful, Whom none can resist. He is close to Israel, and their enemies cannot prevail, unless God permits it.

Psalm 76:4-6
Glorious are you, more majestic
than the mountains full of prey.
The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
they sank into sleep;
all the men of war
were unable to use their hands.
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
both rider and horse lay stunned.

No one can stand before the God of Israel. God has proven, time and time again, that He has no rivals.

Psalm 76:7-9
But you, you are to be feared!
Who can stand before you
when once your anger is roused?
From the heavens you uttered judgment;
the earth feared and was still,
when God arose to establish judgment,
to save all the humble of the earth. Selah

The righteous One will establish His justice in due time; no one can stand, all must humble themselves before His judgments.

Psalm 76:10-12
Surely the wrath of man shall praise you;
the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.
Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;
let all around him bring gifts
to him who is to be feared,
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

Even the rebellion of man exalts the LORD, for the eternal, all-powerful God will always triumph.

Dear friends, how should we respond to these truths?
Is there any place for fear?
Should we ever rebel against God’s will?
Should our tongues be expressing complaint, or praise?

The answers are easy and obvious, but our human responses are not always faithful ones, are they.

As we live our days in the midst of God’s enemies, we should never question God’s perfect will and power. We should be peacefully rejoicing in the fact that we know the final outcome of all things is in His sovereign will.

It is true that we are weak, and can be easily overwhelmed by a world that is oblivious to the presence of God, and uncaring of God’s rules and judgments.

Isaiah 26:4,7-9
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
The path of the righteous is level;
you make level the way of the righteous.
In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

We must respond as Isaiah told the children of Israel to respond. We must continue to trust our LORD. We must wait for God’s timing. Our desire must be for God’s ultimate and sure triumph.


May our hearts and speech be filled with praise to our God; may our patience and trust in our LORD be visible to all men.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD START YOUR DAY













WHAT KIND OF PICTURE OF GOD DOES OUR DAILY LIFE PAINT?

Psalm 75:1
We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

Are you grateful today? Is there something I should be thanking God for? Obviously the answer is easy… Yes!

I am loved by the almighty God, Who has cared for me in every way! God has revealed Himself to me through the Scriptures; He has provided my salvation through Jesus Christ. Christ lived a perfect life, died a cruel death, and rose again victorious, so that any of us who trust Him can have the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of their sins. I most certainly have something to be grateful for!

But often, I allow temporary circumstances to obscure the glorious truth of the Gospel. I am trapped by my worldly thinking and lose sight of my eternal blessings in Christ.

Psalm 75:2-5
 “At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
do not lift up your horn on high,
or speak with haughty neck.’”

In His time, God will judge all things with equity. Even though some live ignoring or mocking God, in due time God will bring justice. The psalmist invites all not to boast, because God’s judgment is sure.

We should always remember that we have received grace from God, rather than what we deserve. Believers’ lives are embraced by the grace of God.

Psalm 75:6-8
For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.

It is the sovereign God who puts down and lifts up the rulers on the earth. We are privileged to know Who will be the final victor and Who is really in control. As we look at the situations around the world, things seem in great upheaval, but we should never forget that God is in total control, and He will execute His judgments with perfect justice.

Psalm 75:9-10
But I will declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Our words should continuously proclaim our privilege of knowing that God will take care of us. God knows what He is doing and we should trust Him.

We need to begin our days by rehearsing the truth we know about God:

1 – God is in perfect control
2 – God has revealed Himself to us
3 – God has shown grace to us
4 – God is our refuge and friend
5 – God will bring justice in due time
6 – God loves hearing our praises
7 – God loves us perfectly

At this point, the question we should ask ourselves is: “What will my life declare to others about God today?”
What will people learn about God, as a result of having lived around us?


May our praise of Him be loud and clear!

Thursday, February 16, 2017

GOD DOES NOT EXPECT YOU TO PRETEND THAT LIFE IS EASY











WHERE ARE YOU, GOD?

Psalm 74:1-3
O God, why do you cast us off forever?
Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,
which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;
the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

The temple has been destroyed! The sheep are confused about their relationship with their God!  

Have you had times in your life when things seemed really bleak? Life is sometimes hard: financial difficulties, relationships falling apart, failing health, and even church life that is difficult.

It becomes hard to understand where God is and what He is doing, in the midst of such difficult times. Israel had lived through seasons like this, and part of God’s care for them was to inspire writers like Asaph to help them to think correctly. And yes, these psalms were inspired for our care, as well! Life was hard for them, just as it is hard for us at times. It is not our duty to pretend things are fine, but to keep the right perspective. Things were really confusing for Israel, because their enemies have destroyed their temple.

Psalm 74:4-8
Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;
they set up their own signs for signs.
They were like those who swing axes
in a forest of trees.
And all its carved wood
they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
They set your sanctuary on fire;
they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
bringing it down to the ground.
They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

Has God abandoned them? How could He allow their enemies to place signs of their conquest in the temple, and profane that which is holy? Their ability to sense God’s presence has diminished, as their worship places have been destroyed.

Have you asked yourself why God allows the conditions that surround us? The world is, more and more, pushing God out of view. The wicked seem to have the upper hand. How long will all this continue?

Psalm 74:9-11
We do not see our signs;
there is no longer any prophet,
and there is none among us who knows how long.
How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?
Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

At this point, Israel does not even have a prophet who can speak for God and lead them. Why is God not doing anything?

Lately, there seem to be many churches without godly leadership who can lead the sheep and nurture them. Are you allowing this circumstance to frustrate you and cause you to wonder where God is?

Israel needed to be led back to God. They needed to remember who their God is and what He had done as King over all.

Psalm 74:12-17
Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
You divided the sea by your might;
you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
You split open springs and brooks;
you dried up ever-flowing streams.
Yours is the day, yours also the night;
you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
you have made summer and winter.

God had protected Israel, He had done great miracles; He is sovereign, He sustains the universe and orders all things through His power. The same God is still in control today. All things are ordered by His power, nothing is out of His control, and He has proven Himself faithful throughout the ages.

The author makes his appeal to the character and faithfulness of His God.

Psalm 74:20-23
Have regard for the covenant,
for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.
Arise, O God, defend your cause;
remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

God kept His promises to Israel and will be faithful to His Word on our behalf, as well. As we look around and things, from our perspective, seem out of control, we must go back to what we know about our God. He is perfect in His wisdom, His power, His faithfulness, and His love. The Lord has not abandoned us. His plans are perfect, and we must trust Him!

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

DOES IT BOTHER YOU WHEN THE WICKED PROSPER?











THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE HELD BY GOD!

Psalm 73:1-3
Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Have you struggled with the prosperity of those who do not love God? Have you wondered why even those who mistreat you seem to get away with it and do well? As they prosper, they become arrogant and demeaning toward believers. These kinds of feelings are not new at all. The observations of the psalmist are quite similar to ours.

Psalm 73:4-9
For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.

Our superficial observations can easily produce wrong conclusions in our minds and those will certainly produce wrong attitudes in our hearts. Worst of all, we are driven to be disappointed with God for He is dealing with them and ultimately with us.

Psalm 73:10-15
Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find no fault in them.
And they say, “How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken
and rebuked every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

The author expresses his thoughts: that he was wasting his time, that being faithful was almost not worth it. How easily we can get caught up with these subtle temptations to wonder if it is worth it to be honest, when the world is a place where dishonesty and arrogance are rewarded. Can you believe that we can become so concentrated on the temporal that we lose sight of what has eternal purpose? When the wicked have the upper hand; how and where do we find help?

Psalm 73:16-17
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.

Left to our own thoughts, finding an explanation will be difficult and the more we dwell in fleshly terms, the more bitter and discouraged we will become. WE MUST GO TO GOD! Only in His Word we will find help. Only by permeating our minds with eternal thoughts can we find peace. It is so important that we do not let our hearts drive us away from church. Dear friends, who is influencing your life? Is it the Word of God? Are you surrounded by believers who will help you fix your eyes on Jesus?

I have struggled, as I watched dear friends, faithful to the Lord, become ill and suffer. I have had difficulty, as I watched believers lose their jobs and struggle financially because they would not participate in evil situations, or lie for their superiors. I have also wondered why faithful servants of God have had to struggle through family difficulties and hurt. The author of this psalm had resolved to trust God.

Psalm 73:23-26
Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

The author does not look elsewhere for help. What a beautiful thought: that God is holding his right hand. He listens to God’s voice and knows that even if all in his earthly life fails, he will still be received in glory by God. His God is in heaven; no one else matters. Nothing is more important; earthly things do not attract his heart. He might lose all and even die, but he loves his God and there he will find his strength.

Dear friend, are you tempted to let the temporary overshadow the eternal? Your heavenly father is holding your hand, He is leading you home. And all during this journey home, He is transforming you more and more into the image of His Son.

During dark times, many are tempted to meditate less upon God’s Word, and think more about the difficulties of life, or to spend more time alone, than with their brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t do that! Don’t let the favorable circumstances or prosperity of the wicked rob you of the joy of holding the hand of God and the privilege of calling Him ‘Father’!

Psalm 73:27-28
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

The wicked will not prosper forever, and their end is sure! Will you and I, like the psalmist, wholeheartedly believe that what is good is to be near God? Even though we might face difficulties, God is not far. He is our only safe refuge and we must proclaim His goodness to all those around us.


Yes, it is very possible that today you will witness the reality of wicked people who prosper, but you can also live the reality of the loving care of your Father in heaven.

Friday, February 10, 2017

KNOWING GOD MUST MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES!











DO YOU KNOW THE KING?

Psalm 72:1-4
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!

This psalm, written for the crowning of Solomon, is rich with truths about God’s blessing on the son of David, but also speaks of the fulfillment of God’s promises to David and his kingdom. God had promised David that his kingdom would last forever.

2 Samuel 7:12-13
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

God had promised to David that He would bless him, and we know from scripture that His promise will be completely fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns to earth in power and glory.

Isaiah 9:6-7
 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.
 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

As we read this psalm we are reminded of the glory of Solomon’s kingdom. He was wise like no one before, he was renowned and rich. But the culmination of this psalm is in the future reign of Christ.

We have the privilege of knowing the eternal, perfect King, Jesus Christ. His reign is without flaw, nothing escapes Him, His purposes are eternal and righteous.

There are times when we are tempted to believe that the world is in chaos and that it is progressing without control or hope. Governments and political leaders seem to be controlling the future of the nations. Our taxes and injustices increase. But, dear friends, read this psalm and rejoice, because it is true! God’s purposes are being fulfilled, and we are simply too finite to understand His perfect work. Like the psalmist, we must trust in the work of God. Even believers are divided by their political preferences, but we cannot live our lives as if we are in the hands of our leaders, when the Bible so clearly states that God is always sovereignly accomplishing His perfect and eternal purposes.

We depend on God to promote His justice, to protect the needy, and to provide for them.

Solomon had a great kingdom, but we rejoice in the perfect kingdom in which Christ will reign forever. Every event today is setting the stage for God’s fulfillment of His promises.

Psalm 72:5
May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
       
We realize that most of the world does not recognize God as their King. He does reign today, although many men are oblivious of His precepts and promises, but one day every knee will bow before Him. As believers we must not act like the unbelieving world does.

Psalm 72:11
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!

Although our demeanor and behavior may sometimes fail to portray our assurance and trust in God, we do know and serve the King of kings; we know His character, His wisdom, His power and love.

Psalm 72:18-19
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
  • I am a child of the King, so why should I not rejoice in this blessing?
  • My Father and King owns and controls all, so why should I ever fear?
  • My Lord and King is wise in all He does, so why should I not submit in trust?
  • My Shepherd and King provides for me daily, so why should I complain?
  • My Friend and King walks with me, so why should I ever feel alone?
  • My glorious King reigns forever. Why should I not worship?


May those around us learn about knowing God by our example. May our lives and testimony compel people to glorify our King!

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

HOW ARE YOU EFFECTING THE NEXT GENERATION?











DOES THE YOUNGER GENERATION FIND IN YOU AN EXAMPLE?

Psalm 71:17-21
O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.

God’s care for us begins before we are born, and still sustains us when we grow old. When we were small and helpless, we needed to be cared for; when we are old, we will again become dependent on others for help. Through it all, God is sovereignly, lovingly caring for us.

All we know about God is what He has revealed to us through His Word and through the teaching of those who have studied it. As we grow older, it is our duty to teach it to the next generation.

Have you stopped to reflect on how your testimony is affecting the next generation?

Are you too busy to spend time with your children or grandchildren, teaching them about God in all aspects of life?
Are you involved in your local church and living an example of one who loves to be taught?
Are you involved in a church where the Word of God is taught carefully for all age groups?
Is your life an example of dedication and submission to God?
Are you praising God for the great things He has done for you?
When you fail, are you an example of repentance and change?

As we grow older, we build on the disciplines we have maintained throughout our lives. The way we meditate and study the word of God, the way we view our lives, affect the way we praise God and the attitudes we have.

Psalm 71:22-24
I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.

The author reminds us of some of the reasons we should praise: God’s faithfulness, for His holiness that is His character, for His care of our soul by saving us, for His help and protection.

Dear friends, are you not amazed by God’s faithfulness? Reflecting, I have realized that I have a relationship with Him only because He is faithful, though I have been so unfaithful. He knew I would be ungrateful and sinful, despite His goodness and perfection.

WE NEED TO PRAISE
How amazing it is, that the holy and perfect God would want to have a relationship with man, with me! We cannot even understand the perfection of His character, as He is so different from us. God cannot do anything evil; His every judgment is perfect; His every action is meticulously planned and perfect!

WE NEED TO PRAISE
We have assurance of eternal life when we repent of our sin and trust only Christ, who died and rose again on our behalf. We could never have saved ourselves, for all we could offer were sinful deeds, driven by sinful motives. We lived for ourselves in utter rebelliousness, and yet God revived our spirit and drew us to Him!

WE NEED TO PRAISE
God cares for us every instant of our lives. There has never been a second of distraction, never a moment of imperfect love and protection. Every event is perfectly planned for our own good. All we encounter is sovereignly ordained to draw us closer to Him.

WE NEED TO PRAISE

If God began to care for us before the foundation of the world and will do the same for eternity, we should be praising children who sing, shout, and talk about our God all the time!