Tag: The Joy of Salvation - Psalm 51-53

Psalms 51:12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Tag:  The Purpose of Salvation

In Psalm 51 we know that God is working in David's heart.  He has been found out in regard to his adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent cover-up of having her husband killed in battle.  Today King David would be brought up on charges, or, at the least, publicly run out of office.  The first part of Psalm 51 shows his shame and repentance.   As we get toward the end of the Psalm we see David's heart begin to change and his willingness to be used by God.  In the above verse we see the purpose of God intervening in his life and the purpose of his confession and seeking restoration with God:  David wants the "joy" of his salvation to return.  Joy is a gift of God (Galatians 5:22).  Joy is the purpose of Christ's redemptive plan (John 15:11).  Joy is the point of Christ's death, burial and resurrection (John 16:24; 17:13).  David is praying that he will have that "joy" returned and have God bend his spirit to make it "willing."  David wants all of what God has promised and wants all of what God can provide.  But, he knows he must have a "willing" spirit ... bent to the will and desires of God,  Unlike the spirit he had, that was bent to the desires of his flesh.  

Tag: Leadership and Blessings - 2 Samuel 5-9

2 Samuel 5:9-13

And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

Tag:  Leadership and Following God

This is a very interesting combination of verses.   David is no taking leadership in Israel.  The Tribes have come to David to anoint him as king.  In the next chapters the exploits of David will be outlined as his greatness begins to grow.  In the above passage we read that "David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him."   It should be noted that not everyone who grows "greater and greater" has the Lord, the God of Hosts, first in their lives.  And, it should be noted that not everyone who has the the Lord, the God of Hosts, first in their lives grows "greater and greater."   Never-the-less, this what happened to David.  David walked with God and God choose to bless him with greatness in the eyes of the Tribes and the world.  This is because God is establishing David and his Kingdom for the purpose of Christ.  When God is in the center of it, God defines the "greatness" of our lives, but it will be "greatness."  It will be "great" because God is at the center.  Joshua was promised greatness if he walked with God (Joshua 1:9-10).   If we put God at the center we can be assured God will define our lives as great.   Yet as we look at this above passage we see that David took more and more concubines and wives.  We might ask, "Why?"  Yet, in these Biblical days, many wives and concubines was a sign of greatness for a king.  David also built a great house for himself.  This, too, was the sign to the world that God is good to David.  We ought not fear the modern signs of success.  We ought, however, to not seek them, either.  We ought to seek God and let him define our greatness.   Jeremiah the prophet was great.  But, he had no concubines, homes or great armies.  Yet, he was great.  God in the center is great.  God defines what great looks like in our lives.  Peter told the man who was begging, "silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give to you."  Peter was poor, but great and rich in Christ.   We must let God define our greatness to the world.  

Tag: Approaching God - Exodus 17-20

Exodus 20:18-21

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Tag: Approaching God

In the above passage we see what the terror of God looks like.  The nation of Israel is about to see God like they have never seen Him.  In Egypt they saw the work of God.  At Mount Sinai they are about to see the character of God.   The mountain flashed and the thunder clapped.  There was a sound of trumpets.  There was smoking.   None of that happened when I approached God in prayer this morning.   None of that happened as I worshipped God in church yesterday.  None of that will happen to me while I worship in this earth, in this earthly body.  Why?  Because of what Christ did on the cross.  

Hebrews 10:19-23

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

We can walk into the Throne Room of God will full assurance because of what Christ did on the cross for us.  Christ took away the fear and replaced it with access.  We sill fear.  But, it is not a physical fear.  It is a fear of respect and reverence for the person of God.   God has opened up our way to Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son.  We no longer quake, we celebrate. 

Tag: Comfort - 2 Corinthians 1-3

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Tag: Comfort

God is the God of all comfort.   Paul was in a place in his life to express to the church at Corinth the beauty of God's Comfort, in the midst of suffering.  But, he wasn't always in that place.  Note what he says in the following verses:

2 Corinthians 1:8-10

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

God might allow suffering in our lives, but He offers comfort to match that suffering.  God does not promise us delivery from suffering.  He promises comfort in suffering.   We will suffer.  Christ suffered, we will suffer.  But, we have, in Christ, the God of all comfort to care for us in the suffering.   Even though we have suffering we have available the exact amount of comfort through faith in Christ.  

Tag: Assurance in God's Word - Mark 13-14

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Tag:  Assurance in God's Word

Jesus is about to be crucified.  He is giving His disciples their last instructions.  These faithful followers asked Him about the "end times."  They wanted to know: 

Mark 13:4

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

Jesus begins to unfold before them the signs of future events.  There is much dispute about the "when" of these events.   There is, however, no dispute about the "fact" of these events.  That is the point of the above verse.   There may be a variety of interpretations about it, but there is one thing for sure: God's Word is true and WILL NOT pass away.  There are many Christians who dispute what other believers think God's Word says, but the fact that God's Word is true and permanent, is beyond dispute to those in Christians. The world may not recognize it, but God's Word is assure as their own face in a mirror.  God will not let His fade away without bringing it to fruition. God keeps His Word. That is what we can trust it.   God fulfills everything He says in His Word.  We have that assurance.  Other's word is not reliable as all men lie and fail to fulfill their promises.  But, not God.  If He were to break His word all things, as we know it, would not be true.  God has a promise to return and He will.   The earth will be destroyed, God's Word is true.   God will set up His kingdom, God's Word is true.  

Tag: Satisfaction in God - Jeremiah 17-21

Jeremiah 17:12-13

A glorious throne set on high from the beginning

is the place of our sanctuary.

O Lord, the hope of Israel,

all who forsake you shall be put to shame;

those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth,

for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.

Note:  Satisfaction in God

The metaphor of water as a tool to communicate attributes about God and The Christ is used repeatedly in both the Old and New Testaments.  Jesus told those who followed and were attracted to Him that He was the "living water."  The story of the Woman at the Well in John 4 is, probably, the most prominent story of these told in the Scripture.  In the above passage the nation of Israel (Judah) is rebuked for their following and searching for other gods, rather than the Lord, the fountain of living water.   Why we, as mankind, would seek something other than the fountain of living water is perplexing.   God is the God who can satisfy every moment, every trouble, every emotion, and answer every question and solve every problem.  Yet, we turn to the desires of our flesh.  We want an instant gratification and our mind turns to the gods of this world to satisfy that longing, hurt or wonder.   God is the Fountain of Living Water.   Our society probably doesn't get that reference as much as Biblical characters would.   The women at the well, hearing of "Living water" was more pleased that she would never have to go to the well to draw out water and take it back to her home.  We turn on faucet after faucet and water just flows.   This is not so in the Biblical narrative.  They had to go get water.  That water was refreshing, but it was not "living."    To find satisfaction in God is to realize He solves and cares for everything.   He is Living Water!!  Be satisfied in Him.  

Tag: Responding to God - Job 32-34

Job 34:36-37

Would that Job were tried to the end,

because he answers like wicked men.

For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”

Tag:  Responding to God

The above words come from the voice of Elihu, a man who is speaking to Job about Job's response to his circumstances.  We know little about Elihu.  Unlike Job's other three friends, he is not introduced and seems to appear out of no where.   It may be that the debate between Job and his friends has drawn a crowd.  Elihu may simply be another friend.  Whoever he is, he is burning with anger at both Job and Job's three friends (32:1).  He believes that Job, in his response to the circumstances he is facing has failed to recognize the sovereignty of God and, instead, has accused God of being unjust.  This is the reason for the above verse(s).  In Job's attempt to evaluate and solve the problem of his own suffering, Job has broken a very important rule:

"Don't let how you handle a problem to become the problem."  

Job, in his attempt to justify his own life, saying he DOES NOT deserve this suffering, has condemned God.  Elihu is burning with anger about this.  Job "adds rebellion to his sin."  In Elihu's mind if we all got what we deserve we would be judged guilty and that would be the end of us.  Elihu believes God has been merciful to Job: He believes Job's punishment has not been enough.  Whatever the problem in our lives we should not compound it, making it worse, by blaming God.   Don't add "rebellion" to your sins.