Tag: God's Care - Psalm 54-56

Psalms 56:8-11

You have kept count of my tossings;

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?

Then my enemies will turn back

in the day when I call.

This I know, that God is for me.

In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

Tag:  God's care

In Psalm 55 and 56 David is journaling his experiences as he ran from Saul and lived in the land of his enemies.  David was broken.   Saul, the father of his best friend (Jonathon) was hunting him like a dog.   He was so surrounded by those who had also fled the king, those where in debt and with, some, criminals of the state.   David is not in a good place.  His days were spent hiding and his nights, crying.   David was trapped by enemies on the outside and his own shame on the inside.   Yet, the above words come through to us from him.   Even though the circumstances of life were not speaking, "trust God," David did.  He knew that God not only new his path in life God was capturing each tear in a bottle and recording them in a book.  God is well aware of our pain and suffering.  God is capturing the sorrow of our hearts for the purpose of turning them to joy.  He completes this chapter with the following belief and resolve:

Psalms 56:13

For you have delivered my soul from death,

yes, my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

God's salvation has a purpose.  For use to walk before Him in the light of life ... He wants to see us trust Him so that we can live victoriously in front of others.  

Tag: Fellowship in the Fight - 2 Samuel 10-14

2 Samuel 10:9-14

When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

Tag:  Fellowship in the Fight

The above story gives us a glimpse into what it is like to be in the Body of Christ.   Joab and his brother, Abishai, had formed an alliance in the battle against the Syrians.   They were ready to assist the other no matter the outcome.   Being there to assist your brother in Christ is what the community of the Body of Christ is all about.  We must be willing to stand by their side.   In Galatians 6 it states what we should be doing.  The above story is the perfect example of what Paul taught is in this section (we should therefore act this way toward our brothers):

Galatians 6:1-5

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Tag: God's Guidance - Exodus 21-24

Exodus 23:20-21

“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

Tag:  God's Guidance

Where God guide us we can be assured we are safe and secure.  And, where God guides us He is always with us.  In the Old Testament we see it was through, as above, an angelic being.  In the New Testament it is the indwelling of the Spirit of God.  The key lesson in the above verses is that God is leading the nation out of Egypt and into the promise land and is doing so with a personal guide.   We are not told much about this angel.  We do know that God has been leading them with a cloud by day (which would not only be a guide but a way to block the hot sun as they traveled) and a pillar of fire at night (which would not only guide them but provide light and heat in the desert at night).   Apparently this "angel" either resided in the cloud and pillar of fire, above it, around it, under it, or separate from it.   We are not told.  We are told that God would provide a guide, and this guide would NOT be able to pardon their rebellion.  Only God could do that.  So, we know that God guides us.  He sends, today, the Spirit of God.  We are to seek the guidance and look for it as we move in this world.  We have the Word of God, directed by the Spirit of God to care for us and guide us.  It is up to us, like the Israelites of old, to look for that guidance and obey it. 

Tag: Burdens of this Life - 2 Corinthians 4-5

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Tag: Burdens of this Life

This world can be cruel.   Even when we walk with Christ the burdens of this life can weigh us down beyond our physical capacity.   This world is on a crash course for disaster one crisis after another.   Politicians think it can be fixed with laws.   Artist think it can be fixed with their version of understanding.   Philosophers and educators think it can be fixed with deeper knowledge.  The bottom line is that this world can only be fixed with a relationship with Christ.   Yet, as Paul writes in the above passage, even those who have a lasting relationship with Christ are burdened down by this world.  Yet, they do not succumb to the burden ... this is Paul's point.  Believers don't get burdened by this world because their eyes are not on this world.  Their eyes are on the eternal, not that transient.  When we see today's burdens in view of heaven's glory and our life for eternally with Christ we can call each of our burdens (like Paul) a "light momentary affliction."   Imagine seeing your current burden as a "light momentary affliction."   Paul was beaten nearly to death several times ... light momentary affliction!   He was shipwreck and almost lost at sea ... light momentary affliction!!  He had some medical issue that caused his sight to be limited ... light momentary affliction!!!   Why?  Because he knew God was in control and his fate was in the hands of a loving and mighty God through his relationship with Christ.  

Tag: Service for the King - Mark 15-16

Mark 15:21

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Tag:  Pressed into Service

The above story of Simon of Cyrene is found also in Matthew and Luke's account of the crucifixion.   The text says that the Roman  Soldiers "compelled" him into the service of carrying the cross for Jesus.  It is supposed that Jesus was, at this point in the crucifixion rituals was too weak to carry the cross.  It would seem as though Simon's role was to come along side Jesus to relieve that burden.  At first glance this seems odd.  Remember, in our Christian walk it is Jesus who comes along side us.  When we are stumbling and weak, it is Jesus who helps us bear "our cross" for Him.   Yet, in this case it is Simon who is compelled to carry the cross for Christ.   Since this place was directly on a major location in Jerusalem it is supposed that Simon would have been coming in, from Rome (he has a Roman name) to attend Passover in Jerusalem.  It might be "chance" this this man was selected from the crowd, but not when we believe in the sovereignty of God.  Simon's sons are mentioned in the text indicating that the Roman readers of this book (Mark is writing to Christians living in Rome) were obviously familiar with these two men.  It might be presumed that God is showing us that when Christ died on the cross He died for us and our sins were there on the cross with Him.  We are "in Christ" at this point (believers).  We share in the His sufferings on the cross with Him.  He was there in our stead, but Simon's carrying the cross for this distance is a great picture of our fingerprints on that cross.  Christ was there to represent us, but we were there with Him as He suffered.  Simon's sons would eventually come to Christ.  Their father played significant role in the crucifixion by identifying all mankind should be on that cross.   However, Simon only had to carry it.  Christ had to die on it.  Simon would be relieved of the suffering of carrying it and Christ would take it from him, but this time with the nails also.  We own the cross.  Our hands are on it.  But, Christ took it from us and died in our place.   Simon, like the First Man Adam, was demonstrating that we are part of this.  But, Christ hung, alone, for us.  

Tag: Security in the Fideltiy of God's Word - Jeremiah 27-31

Jeremiah 31:33-36

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Thus says the Lord,

who gives the sun for light by day

and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—

the Lord of hosts is his name:

“If this fixed order departs

from before me, declares the Lord,

then shall the offspring of Israel cease

from being a nation before me forever.”

Tag:  Security in the Fidelity of God's Word

In the above passage God is talking through Jeremiah about the "new covenant."   This is the gospel. God is establishing a new covenant around the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  God will "write it on their hearts."  The "Law" was a formal way to introduce Israel (and all mankind) how to approach God ... through the sacrifice of blood and obedience to His commandments of God.   But, no man could keep those commandments. Their hearts aren't bent that way.  So, God is going to change their hearts through Christ's work on the cross.  God establishes this as a "covenant."  It is a covenant that CAN'T be broken.  It is, like the stars, the moon and the sun and the wind and the waves, FIXED!!  God is saying that this new covenant (the Gospel) is a fixed order.  God can't go back on His Word.  It is a promise of God that if He were to break it the world would crash around us.   We can be secure in the fidelity of God's Word.  

Tag: The Greatnesss of God in the Context of Suffering - Job 35-36

Job 36:22-26

Behold, God is exalted in his power;

who is a teacher like him?

Who has prescribed for him his way,

or who can say, You have done wrong’?

“Remember to extol his work,

of which men have sung.

All mankind has looked on it;

man beholds it from afar.

Behold, God is great, and we know him not;

the number of his years is unsearchable.

Tag:  The Power of God

Job, up until now, has sought an answer from God concerning the suffering he has experienced.  His three friends have come to him and simply tried to explain his "suffering" is a result of his sin.  Elihu, the speaker of the above verses, is attempting to tell Job and his three friends that they are focused on the wrong thing (and, in our suffering, we too focus on the wrong thing).  Elihu is focused on God.  In the above passage he is focused on the "power of God."  God is exalted when we see Him as omnipotent ... all powerful.  When we diminish God and believe He CAN'T solve a problem, we cease to exalt Him and confess openly that He is ALL powerful.  Elihu also puts our focus on the omniscience of God ... all knowing.  He asks in the above verse, "... who is a teacher like Him?"  The answer is, NO ONE.  God is all powerful and all knowing.  This suffering of Job is not a mystery to God, even though it is to everyone else in this scene.   Elihu also highlights God's holiness.  He states, "... who can say, You have done wrong?"   Job is accusing God of wrong. He believes he doesn't deserve this suffering and God is wrong for allowing it.   Elihu wants Job to know that God sets the standard for what is wrong and right.  God cannot do "wrong."   Elihu also states that in the midst of suffering we need to see the Greatness of God expressed in the fact that God is beyond our knowledge; He is a mystery we are simply to extol.  He says, "... Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we know him not."   God is beyond our understanding and yet has reached out so that many "extol his work."  We may not understand Him, but we are to extol Him.   Lastly Elihu highlights and puts our focus on God's Eternality.  Referring to God, Elihu states, "... the number of His years are unsearchable."  He means by this phrase that God is not limited to the confines of our existence.  He is before us and after us in existence and, therefore, in understanding and in planning.  God is not limited to our time frame. He does not live in a hurried state having to be confined by minutes and hours, or weeks and months and years.   God's timing is never confined to our schedule.   Confusing? Yes!  A reason to celebrate and trust God? Yes!!   Our suffering is in the hands of a God is so beyond our comprehension that this statement alone is difficult to comprehend.   But, because He is bigger than we can wrap our brain around we can trust Him.  Who wants to trust a God we can manipulate with our prayers and understand with our less than five-pound brains?   God is awesome and Elihu wants Job and his friends to know that in this suffering they are focused on the wrong thing.  They should be focused on an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Holy, Great and Eternal God who deserves our praise for whatever He is doing, in anyway He wants to do it.