February 15, 2020 -- Psalm 119:114 -- Hope filled faith

You are my hiding place and my shield;

   I hope in your word.

Psalm 119:114 English Standard Version

Beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ the references this verse makes to other portions of scripture are rich and many. In the Psalms the LORD our God is described as the hiding place of His people (27:5 and 61:4). Perhaps King David remembers the time when he was young and served the LORD in the household of King Saul. That king plotted several times to kill him. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, dearest friend of the future King David, sheltered him and hid him (I Samuel 19:2)  from the evil intents of his double-minded [see verse 119:113 for the fuller explanation of double-minded] and evil-intending father.

To name God as the Shield of His people is a direct reference to Genesis 15:1 and 33, where God Himself tells Abraham “I AM your Shield and Very Great Reward”. Though our fortunes or success in this world may rise or fall according to the standards and measures used by the world, those who trust in the Living God have such blessing and joy as can never be fully measured and such gifts as can never be taken from them.

To hope in the word of the LORD is to anticipate what He will do, no matter how dire the circumstances. To hope in the word of the LORD is faith that is exercised, acknowledging whatever is happening here in front of me cannot obscure what the eyes of faith see—the mighty power of God at work. This expression “I hope in your word” is used 6x in Psalm 119 (v.43, 49, 74, 81, 114, and 147). It is a critical theme. Only the Spirit can take the word of God and help us to interpret correctly what is taking place. Only the Spirit can take the word of God and apply it so that we learn watchful anticipation for Jesus’ return. For when Jesus returns, all things will be set right, all injustices addressed. Those who are not under His shield nor abiding in His hiding place will be cast into hell. Yet the mercies of God our Father and His abundant love for His children will unfold through-out eternity.

Fellow believers in King Jesus, we can easily let our circumstances bring us to a place where we question the works of God. We have seen His salvation in the past, but we wonder, here, where I am now, can God really help me now? Since Feb. 2nd my back has been out of balance. There are times in the night I cringe in pain. A few times when I am teaching lessons in recovery centres or at the prisons, those listening laugh at me awkwardly because they see my contorted face and wincing. They know it hurts. But it is also funny to them because usually I am quite animated and joyful. In fact, this past Monday the pain was so bad, I had to have two young men from a drug and alcohol recovery centre escort me, one man on each arm, down the front stairs, across the short driveway to my car! I could not walk upright on my own and needed that much help. And, thoughtfully, one the guys even brushed the light dusting of snow from my car while I sat unable to do anything but thankfully receive their care.

I am faced with basically two options: one is to complain and say to God, “why are You doing this? I am striving to be faithful here. Why would You mess with my life like this?”  Or I can pray, “Father in heaven, in this place of pain You are my hiding place and my shield, I hope in your word.” I can acknowledge the power of God to remove this hinderance and painful trial—and know whether or not He does so, He is good. He is faithful. He has proven Himself gracious and loving over and over again.

The LORD is my shield already now—whether or not the pain is removed. In Jesus Christ my sins are washed away. By the power of the Holy Spirit the word is rich and real in my life. Yesterday a wonderful truth was drilled deep into me. The LORD of Glory allows me to visit with men in prison, whose circumstances are so dire. When I visit them I hear their testimonies of faith. As we meet together and pray, all of us are reminded once again, no matter what our lives bring—He Who is Faithful will accomplish His saving purpose. He will apply His victory to our circumstances, either now, or when Christ returns. Until that time, He will hide us under the shelter of His wings (Psalm 61:4). Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Jesus, our Shield and Very Great Reward, when we are tempted this day to complain about our circumstances or grumble once again about this or that—let Your Spirit renew in us a deeper, more soul-felt assurance which bubbles up in us because the word is once again applied to our heart. Patient, Faithful Father in heaven, thank You that You will work out Your salvation in us and that You are even now transforming our lowly bodies and scattered brained living.  With the psalmist, and believers—troubled and triumphant—through the ages, we pray: You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. Amen

February 13, 2020 -- Psalm 119:113 -- Focused faith

I hate the double-minded,

but I love your law.

Psalm 119:113 English Standard Version

This is the first verse of a new stanza—the Samekh stanza. Samekh is the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet so this is the 14th stanza. The verse itself is rather elegant in its brevity—it is only four Hebrew words. It would be approximately:

shifty hate; torahites love.

The shifty or double-minded are people who know the word of God and His will but are tossed about. It depends entirely on the company they keep as to whether or not the Law of God is honoured and obeyed. Frankly, this is a problem for all of us. If we surround ourselves with people who profess to be Christians, but act in ways that are contrary to our faith, we will soon cut loose from the spiritual moorings we claim to be so important in our lives.

The Torah of God is commonly defined as the first five books of the Bible—the books Moses wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It can also be used in a broader sense to refer to all the Old Testament. It can be a reference to all the instruction of God, the LORD and King of His people.

The Torahites—a word I constructed in my rough approximation of a translation—are those who deliberately choose to be identified as ones who keep the instruction of God. They are prepared to be corrected and rebuked for their wrong-doing. When an error in conduct or thought is detected, they long to pluck it out so that their devotion to the Living God is whole-hearted and pure. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, the mature are those “who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

The footnotes in my English Standard Version Study Bible are particularly helpful. The psalmist notes he “hates” the double-minded—this hate is not so much an emotional response as it is a deliberate rejection of a false way. If you check out verse 158 of this Psalm you’ll note the psalmist looks with disgust on those who are faithless. That term ‘faithless’ is a synonym for ‘double-minded’.

The words of God are precious to His people. Any rejection of them or violation of His words to His people is treated with contempt and suspicion by the ones who are devoted to God, the Giver-of-the-Torah. The LORD does not lie (Titus 1:2); nor is God a man who changes his mind all the time (Numbers 23:19). Therefore, those who trust in Him hold His Torah as precious because the reading of the word and putting it into practice direct our thoughts and hearts to the King of kings and LORD of Lords, Who because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, has become our Dear Father in heaven. The Spirit of God lives in the hearts of believers and testifies to the veracity of the Word—since it is that same Spirit of God Who moved men, many centuries ago, to write the Word which gives careful witness to the Truth of God.

God, I believe. By Your Spirit’s presence in my heart, help me to overcome my unbelief. As the Word of Christ takes root in my heart and mind, Spirit of the Living God, help me grow in devotion to Jesus and so bring honour and glory to the Father in heaven. This day I pray for those who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ, but who by their words and actions show themselves to be shifty and unreliable. Guard me in the way everlasting. Keep me humble to quickly confess every wrong path, quicker still to regain my footing in the path of righteousness, where Jesus my Shepherd leads. Amen.

February 12, 2020 -- Psalm 119:112 -- Inclined by the Spirit to holy service

Incline my heart to perform your statutes

forever, to the end.

Psalm 119:112 English Standard Version

This may seem like an odd prayer. Hasn’t the psalm-writer been vowing to follow God and promising to keep His precepts and speaking of his love for the law of the LORD for the previous 100+ verses? You bet he has, but an important point is being made here, one we need to understand. Our salvation is fully dependent on God. He has chosen us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1). He breaks through the stubborn resistance of our hearts and places in us a longing for His salvation (Ephesians 2). The Sovereign LORD brings us up from the dead—we were dead in our sinfulness and unable to choose God. He made us alive in Christ and gives us a heart that beats with longing for Him powered by the Spirit. Our role is this: to pray for God to work out His salvation fully and completely within us.

The prayers we pray include the following elements. We confess our sins. We acknowledge before Him our weakness and failures. We have to put far from ourselves any pride or self-reliance. We are utterly incapable of saving ourselves. We can not add one atom of contribution to our salvation. When we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are wholly saved. Our sins are fully paid for and we are given the credit of Jesus’ perfect obedience. The Spirit of God seals this to our hearts. Our response then is to live in thankfulness before God. This includes giving to the LORD our God all the honour and glory of admitting our absolute dependence on Him for every good thing. Even our rebellious hearts are not under our control, we need Him to tame these rebel hearts and bring them into submission to Himself for His glory.

What freedom we have, when we pray this prayer “incline my heart to perform Your statutes”! We did not save ourselves. In fact, the King of Glory chose the weak people, those who are mocked and scorned by the world and effects His salvation in us so that all the credit is His alone! (Check out I Corinthians 1:26-30). Our eternal life in Jesus Christ does not depend on us—it rests on His accomplished work. Our life is a prayer asking for the Spirit of God to bring glory to Jesus by honouring His work and applying His redemption to our lives. The Father in heaven receives the praise and glory for all of this as the One Who sent the Son into the world.

Beautiful Savior—You are the King of Creation. Jesus You are the Son of God and the Son of Man—the Lamb of God Who takes away our sin. You are worthy of our worship and praise, our love and adoration. Spirit of God, move us to love Jesus more fully and purely. Spirit of power, incline our hearts to the word and will of our Father in heaven so that the work of Jesus is credited and praised in us and through us. Great are You Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, worthy of all praise. Amen.

February 11, 2020--Psalm 119:111--Privileged position of joy

Your testimonies are my heritage forever,

for they are the joy of my heart.

Psalm 119:111 English Standard Version

Joy becomes part of one’s heritage. My mother (now in her eighties) still speaks of her mom who used to go into their neighbourhood and sing hymns. From what I remember of mom’s stories, my grandmother would go and play the organ and sing hymns of her faith, evangelizing neighbours. My mom would join her. While I was growing up, my mom in turn often played piano at old age homes, aiding those preaching or leading worship. Other times mom would be playing, going on her own, so that the residents would be blessed.

For the writer of this psalm the testimonies of the LORD are his heritage. Testimonies are what God has declared to be his will—for example Jesus declared: “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What about John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

So much of our living instills boredom. There are only so many social media posts you can stand. There are only so many episodes you can binge-watch. The longer you watch, the more lethargic you become. The mind becomes numb and the body lazy. What a sharp contrast to the glories of drinking the word of the LORD.

In verse 24 the testimonies of the LORD are named as a delight. Here the testimonies are a joy. Obedience to all the LORD solemnly declares to be His will requires activity in our part. We will digest the word of God. We will obey it with thank-filled enthusiasm. We will praise God with humility for the forgiveness of our sins. In Christ we are called holy sons and daughters of God. In awe of this truth we train our children in this great joy. We have the vision that our children, and grand-children and great-grandchildren, will walk in His will and His ways. We go to our knees and pray:

Sovereign of Heaven and Earth all Your ways are perfect. You have given us the privileged position of knowing Who You Are. Spirit of God, we plead with You that our children and grandchildren will walk in the heritage of God’s grace. We pray, Spirit of Truth, let our faith and joy in Jesus be contagious. Forgive us, Father for the times we have had grudging obedience and surly attitudes. Renew in us a deep and abiding joy anchored in Jesus; joy that wells up from His word and flows in us and through us. Jesus we believe in You and therefore we believe in the Father Who sent You. Jesus we believe, send Your Spirit to accomplish in us all You promised. Amen.

February 10, 2020--Psalm 119:110--Faithful Christians avoiding the snares of the wicked

The wicked have laid a snare for me,

but I do not stray from your precepts.

Psalm 119:110 English Standard Version

You are a nurse in a hospital that routinely performs abortions on one floor of the hospital and on another floor there is a neo-natal intensive care unit. The government has just required you to take a rotation on the abortion floor because it refuses to acknowledge its own conscience clause in the charter of rights and freedoms. Do you just take the shift and keep quiet in order to keep your job? Do you protest? Do you refuse and potentially lose your job?

You are at the ballot box and all the candidates you can choose from support Medically Assisted Death—and are opening up this possibility to teen-agers—including teens who suffer from debilitating depression. How do you vote?

There is a very attractive woman at work. She is lingering a little too long at the coffee station whenever you head there. She is signaling her interest in you. As you reach for your coffee and continue your chit chat with her, you realize she is not a Christian. You know it is against the will of God to date a person who is in rebellion against Him. As a follower of Jesus Christ you know she is off-limits. But your brain needles you, telling you that you have been single far longer than you’d ever expected. All your friends are getting married and settling down and raising families. She is pausing a second or two longer still, wondering, “is he going to ask me out or not?”

Our lives are filled with situations where the snares of the wicked are carefully laid out for us. It is not hypothetical. It is real. It is a challenge for believers of every generation. When we turn our lives over to Jesus Christ and choose to follow Him, we will see the traps and snares of the wicked all around us. Do not lose heart, fellow believer. Do not think God has suddenly abandoned you and what you are facing is more than a believer is expected to face.

Note the psalmist’s response to the snares of the wicked. He affirmed the precepts of God. Remember that the precepts of God are the things He commands believers to do. The precepts of God are right in every generation. The directions He calls us to go in are suitable no matter the cost. Our desire to walk in the fear of the LORD means we have fixed our eyes on Him. Our souls are consumed with longing for Him at all times (verse 20). We recognized the accursed, insolent ones are those who know the commandments of God and wander from them—who intentionally, stubbornly seek their own pleasure (v. 21). Even if a government official or ruler opposes you, when your conscience is stirred to obedience to Jesus Christ, then no other course is acceptable but staying true to Him. Obedience delayed is disobedience. The psalmist wrote he hastens and does not delay to keep God’s commandments (verse 60).

When you read the information collected by Census Canada, you get the distinct impression there are supposed to be millions of Christians in Canada. I wonder. How can it be that millions of Christians do not protest in the streets against abortion? Against medically assisted death? More importantly, if there were millions of Christians who actively are obedient to their Lord and King, then wouldn’t the precepts of God shine through in every level of society? It is my guess that the number of Christians must be sifted and sorted into categories that help us understand this disparity between what things should look like and how things are in our beloved country.

I can’t remember from whom I heard this, but it stuck with me. The vast majority of people when taking a census will write Christian. For them that is a better option than say, “Buddhist” or “Atheist”. However, what they mean is grandma used to take them to church, years, maybe even decades ago. They are not even sure if that building is still in use, or where exactly it is. Maybe they’ll visit there the next time they are in town.

Then there are Christians who identify as such on a census form because they attend church at Christmas and perhaps for a wedding. They know the location of “their” church—and attend once or twice a year. My favourite term for them is “CNE’ers”=Christmas ‘n Easter attenders.

Then there are Christians who attend a church regularly. They may even get involved in the church. But for them it is a social club. They like the sense of fellowship they get. However, they do not carry their faith to the ballot box. They don’t think religion should interfere with their daily living and decisions like: who they should date or marry. According to them, the rules of God and His just precepts are fine for the religious folks who are crazy zealous.

Finally after all the others have been sifted out you come to the small circle of believers. They have committed themselves fully to the LORD and find He is their joy and song. No matter the consequences, they follow Him.

Recently I heard a sermon where the preacher noted, “of course Christians are not the majority. Of course they don’t have political power. They don’t have influence. What they have is God Who is great and mighty.” That’s right. It is the LORD Who acts. It is the LORD Who rescues. It is the LORD Who lifts us from our dire circumstances when all the snares are laid for us. By His Word and Spirit He reminds us, He alone has the ultimate power. He is working in history and kneading into all parts of it the marvellous salvation of Jesus Christ so that all will behold and at the judgment throne declare: “There is no god but YHWH! There is no victory but His! He alone is just and true!”

Spirit of the Living God, work out Jesus’ salvation into every part of our hearts. Let the beauty of and the vigilant guardianship of the Word protect us in the way everlasting. Father in heaven, let Your salvation touch many, many people in our land this day. May ‘census Christians’ become evangelized by faithful believers in Jesus Christ and so tenderly discipled in the way everlasting so that they live out loud for Jesus. Spirit of God we plead for the CNEers. Bring them to church and break their stubborn resistance so that the glory of the LORD rises over their hearts and Jesus is the Daystar of resurrection life for them. Father of all mercies, change those who are weekly attenders into humble, holy servants Who delight to carry out Your will in every area of their life: public and private, work and play. Triune God, let the Splendour of Jesus’ work be broadcast far and near across our globe so that many will be brought into His fold and sealed by the Spirit thereby be made known as sons and daughters of the Living God. Amen.

February 8, 2020 -- Psalm 119:109 -- Interaction of Law and Life

I hold my life in my hand continually,

but I do not forget your law.

Psalm 119:109

English Standard Version

What the original language communicates is the writer’s confession he holds his soul, the essence of his life, what is most precious and important, in his hands. Here’s the problem, when we hold something valuable in our hands we are apt to drop it, or have it snatched out of our hands. It happens so easily. Here in New Brunswick we had an ice storm, intermittent freezing rain for more than 14 hours. Imagine holding something precious in your hand as you go out to the car. As soon as your feet hit icy patches, you slip. Your hand opens up to brace yourself against the fall. Your hands drop everything in order to protect your head. Out from your hand flies whatever you were trying to shield and protect.

When you were a child, perhaps you had a precious coin for show and tell at school. Something you were proud of and wanted your friends to see. Then along comes the bully who demands that you show him what you have. Defiantly you close your fingers into a fist covering the coin. With obstinate cruelty the bully peels back one finger at a time until the treasure is vulnerable and exposed—ready to be snatched away.

Maybe it seemed as odd to you as it did at first to me—the counterpoint in the second phrase: “but I do not forget your law”? How does that help preserve what is precious when I don’t have the strength to keep my life? Great question.

When Israel was delivered out of Egypt, they were barely out of Egypt when the LORD had them camp near the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his army came up from Egypt to wipe them out. The people were trapped. Their lives were in their hands, but the LORD comforted them, saying, “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:14). Then the God of Salvation opened a way through the Red Sea so that 600,000 men and their families—so more than 1.8 million strong—passed safely through the Red Sea on dry land.

At the foot of Mt. Sinai, exactly three months after the people had been delivered from Egypt and brought to the foot of the Mountain which God had promised He would bring them to, the Faithful God reminded HIs people they are His chosen treasure, saved by His grace, they would never fall out of His hand. As the people saved by His grace, shown His power, they are then invited to keep His commandments. Keeping the commandments is a response of thankfulness to the fact that we cannot be snatched away from God.

The New Testament confirms what the psalmist prophesied about the grace of God when Jesus promised:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,

and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

John 10:27-29 English Standard Version

The followers of Jesus Christ believe in Him. He has demonstrated His great saving love. We are dedicated to Him and for this faith will face trials and hardships, even our own flesh will at times betray us. The most precious gift of God, our soul, is constantly battered, however, Jesus gives us eternal life. He protects us and no one and nothing can snatch us out of Jesus’ hand or the hands of the Father Who clasps Jesus’ hands in love and honour for all He has done. We never had or will have the strength to protect our life, or our soul. Those who believe in Jesus Christ have the great assurance that no matter how we are battered or assaulted in this life for the sake of the Gospel, we are guarded, kept safe in the hollow of God’s hand. We need not fear him who can harm the body or even kill (Satan), for He Who has power over life and death, heaven and hell, will guard us and bring us to Himself when our life’s journey is done.

God of Might and Splendor, lead us in Your law of thankful living. We bless You and praise You for the inestimable gift of Jesus Christ and His shielding love. We bless You with wonder and awe-filled love for the extravagant gift of the Holy Spirit Who is the deposit guaranteeing our salvation in Jesus Christ. We pray Holy Spirit, direct our soul, our strength and our minds in the path of Your law so that we praise You Triune God, as in Jesus’ Name we overcome our enemies. Amen.

February 7, 2020 --Psalm 119:108 -- True Worship

Accept my freewill offering of praise, O LORD,

and teach me your rules.

Psalm 119:108 English Standard Version

This is an interesting place in Psalm 119. It is the first time in fifty verses that the Name of the LORD is used in two consecutive verses. It is the covenant Name of God—the revelation God made of Himself to Moses and the Patriarchs. He is the Only God Who knows the end from the beginning. He is the only God Who is self-existent. He is the only Deliverer. In the Old Testament the LORD delivered His people from Egypt. This deliverance from Egypt is the type, teaching us what deliverance is. Jesus is the archetype, the perfect example of complete salvation and deliverance. The deliverance of God in the Old Testament, in all aspects, gives us rich insight and illustrations to help us understand the complete salvation Jesus brings.

In the previous verse the writer of this psalm lamented, crying out God in his distress, at the intensity of the affliction he faced. In our verse today the psalmist is praising the Living God of Glory for the salvation He has given to His petitioner. There is no sense of time that has lapsed between the petition and the praise. It may have been hours, it may have been days. These Psalm verses may well be a poem of praise showing the rhythm of God’s faithfulness and His perfect timing in hearing and responding to His people. The place of waiting on Him, after our tearful petition and when He dries our eyes, is also a place of blessing and fruitful learning.

We live in a culture that does much praising, but often does not reflect on what, who, or how it is praising. For example, Country Billboard lists Jon Pardi’s Heartbreak Medication as the top song. It is a song about a man drowning his sorrow in booze. It is ironic in its praise of booze as a man laments lost love—which is his true objective and the source of pain that needs to be medicated. The Rock Billboard lists Five Finger Punch’s Inside Out as the top song for Rock—it is obscene in its celebration of all that is vulgar.

Think of “classic hits” that so many people can hum to as soon as the radio plays them. When a song like “Stairway to Heaven” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” begins playing there is almost a hushed reverence as people head bob in time with the music, play air instruments and sing along. That is our culture’s praise for the artist, for the things of this world and through these exhibiting its defiance against the LORD.

Christians gather together and sing hymns, and songs and spiritual songs. These are freewill offerings of praise—voluntarily we stand outside of our culture and its ethos and focus on the great blessing of knowing the LORD. As we praise God we long for His rules to soak deep into our hearts, filling our thoughts and attitudes, directing our behaviour and restraining us from evil.

Many congregations and worship centres want to blur the lines between worldly entertainment and their times of praise. Ultimately it is not a question of what I prefer or what you prefer, the issue is this: what brings honour to the LORD Who is worthy of all praise and glory, blessing and dominion?! Perhaps as believers we need to go back to basics, listening to the instruction given in the Word of God and be guided by its instruction on praise and honour, lament and worship. For we present ourselves to the High King of Heaven, God, Who alone is worthy!

With the angels and the saints, the living creatures and the twelve tribes and twelve apostles before Your throne we join our voices in praise and adoration to You, King of kings and LORD of lords! Blessed and holy are You. Just and True are all Your ways. Perfect are Your judgments and glorious are all Your ways. Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our lips bring You blessing and joy. Spirit of the Living God, bring us to prayer and praise through-out the day, whenever we think of Jesus and all He has accomplished in magnifying God the Father and bringing salvation to His people. Amen.

February 6, 2020 -- Psalm 119:107 -- Taken from face plant to being transplanted for glory

I am severely afflicted;

give me life, O LORD, according to your word!

Psalm 119:107 English Standard Version

Recently I was speaking with a clergyman—he is also a pastor who visits in prisons. He is in his sixties. He related how, on Easter Sunday when it was snowy and icy and he went down. He fell, flat-out face plant, kissing the pavement, in front of his parishioners. Instead of getting angry, he blessed God. It was startling. It is a great response.

We know, based on the previous verses of this psalm, that the writer has had many adversities. Consider the fact that the aged around him, who should know the LORD better and follow Him dearly, do not (verse 100). His teachers are not wise to the ways of the LORD (verse 99). His enemies surround him (verse 98). In earlier verses his afflictions are not named (verse 92). Yet they are heavy on him.

Why are these verses repeated? We get it. He suffers a lot. Before we get too impatient, it is important for us to grasp what is taking place. This man who walked in the blessing of our Covenant-Keeping God experienced deep suffering and assaults of troubles and affliction. Do not skim that or neglect to reflect on this truth.

The followers of Jesus Christ will suffer. Jesus noted that a servant is not greater than his master. Since Jesus, the Master suffered—He makes the point that the servants of the Master who are not greater than the Master will suffer as well (John 13:16ff). Such affliction drives us to our Savior. The psalmist cries out in his agony, “Give me life according to Your Word”.

We need to take this up on our lips again and again—Jesus promised: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). Jesus identifies Himself as God Who gives life—equal to the Father in Heaven. Consider these words of the Living God from the Old Testament—words which declare the power and right of God over life and death:

“See now that I, even I, am he,
    and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
    I wound and I heal;
    and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”

Deuteronomy 32:39 English Standard Version

It is so common for us to run to old sinful patterns rather than wait on God (if you have a moment read Exodus 14:14 and Isaiah 40:27-31). It is the habit of the rebellious heart to say, just this once I’m going to do this or that, rather than allow God to be our Rescuer (Isaiah 46:4). The psalmist is not going to fall into that pattern. He recognizes he is unable to save himself so he cries out to the God of all power: give me life according to Your Word. If you are feeling pressed in on every side, squeezed and struggling, do not give up hope! Place your confidence and faith fully in the One Who Rescues completely and saves us for life.

Do you feel like you’ve just taken a face-plant to the pavement? Rise up and bless the LORD Who gives life to the afflicted—every time, every day and twice on Sunday!

Words. Words. Words. LORD of All Power, it seems sometimes we hear so many words, but do not experience the grave-defying power of the Living Word Jesus. With the psalm-writer we pray this day: “Give us life according to your Word!” By the presence of Your Spirit within us, fill us with life that wells up in us to eternal life. By the power of the written word of Scripture, give us jubilant obedience to walk in this pathway of life, no matter the strength of our adversaries, who even now are passing from life to death, to torment that will not end. To You, our Majestic King be honour and praise, glory and honour now and forevermore. Amen.

February 5, 2020 -- Psalm 119:106 -- It's my oath and I'm sticking to it

I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,

to keep your righteous rules.

Psalm 119:106 English Standard Version

When do we swear oaths? Well, if you happen to go to court to give testimony, you might be asked to raise your right hand and swear an oath to tell the truth. Children in the playground might say “I am telling you the truth, cross my heart and hope to die”. This is especially apt if the little squirt on the playground has a notorious reputation for telling lies. Then his word is not his bond. He will need, perhaps, phrase two of the gruesome oath: I am so telling the truth~cross my heart—hope to die, stick a needle in my eye! Ye-ouch. That was serious business in my playground days.

As adults we are likely to play fast and lose with our telling lies or truth. Let me cite the standard examples: “Honey, does this dress make me look fat?” How about this one, “Isn’t my little Johnny the cutest kid in the world?” Then there is the always popular, “What would you like to do?” and the long-suffering spouse murmurs, “whatever you’d like to do, dear”. We tell all kinds of lies, big and little, whoopers and whoppers.

There is something different about our allegiance to the Living God—we swear an oath and we confirm it over and over again. For example, when we are taking the Lord’s Supper, we confirm our previously taken oath to be faithful to the Lamb of God Who has taken away our sin. When we witness a marriage, we in the audience, confirm we will support this couple as times and circumstances require. In so doing, we confirm our oaths to the LORD Who made us male and female that we will honour Him with our bodies. We will be sexually pure for Him. When Christians go to funeral services we speak out our undoubted Christian faith—often using the words of the Apostles’ Creed—verifying the Christian’s confident belief that the grave does not have the final victory. The Ascended LORD, Jesus Christ is our King Who has conquered the grave and death.

We promise we will keep the righteous judgments of God. The key verb here is that we will keep, or guard our feet, heart, and minds in the way of His judgments. Scripture always makes the distinction between the people of God who are faithful to Him and those who reject Him. Those who are faithful to Him are called the chosen ones, the holy ones, those who are snatched from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Light in order that we may proclaim the glory of Him Who brought us into the light and life of Jesus Christ. It is God’s judgment that some are drawn into the orbit of His paternal love.

It is also God’s good pleasure that those who remain in rebellion against Him should suffer unending wrath in this world and finally suffer throughout eternity in the torments of hell. The psalmist is saying, “LORD, Your judgments are just and true and I bind myself to You in faithfulness”. The psalmist desires to be counted among the godly. The writer of this psalm knows the horrors that await the wicked. He urgently and earnestly prays for those under God’s condemnation, even as he seeks to stay within the boundary lines of God’s grace.

Holy and true are You, LORD of all the earth. Great and mighty are Your decrees. Forgive us our sins. Direct our feet in the paths of righteousness for the sake of Your dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. By Your Spirit living in us, let us see the sinfulness we cling to and all-too-often ignore so that our lives may be more and more conformed to that of Jesus, our Savior and our King. Amen.

February 4, 2020 -- Psalm 119:105 -- Walking in the Light

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105 English Standard Version

Arguably, this is the best known verse of Psalm 119. I remember memorizing it as a child in Sunday School. It is the source text for a familiar praise song sung in many churches. The imagery is striking and clear. In the deepest darkness even a single candle can give enough light to dispel darkness and guide a pilgrim.

The word of God is a lamp to guide believers in every age. No matter the governmental structure—theodicy, dictatorship, kingdom, democracy or any other—the word of God is relevant and light giving. It is the truth that guides the believer and shapes his behavior so that he is both a citizen of the heavenly kingdom and a faithful citizen under any other government structure.

The Spirit of God gives the light of understanding to the reader of the word. Unless the Spirit makes the message plain, it is incomprehensible. Once the Spirit illuminates the heart and mind of the reader, the message is incandescent and beautiful. Devotions become something we are drawn to—we long to read the word and speak with God for He is our life and joy.

The Son of God calls Himself “the Light of the World” (John 8:12). Apart from Him, nothing makes sense. Without the work of Jesus Christ we cannot understand history nor salvation. The darkness is our sin. The deep night is our devotion to all that is wrong. Our motives and our thoughts, our actions and our words, even our actions which we think are self-less are all covered in sin. Until the Father takes us from the kingdom of darkness and brings us into the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of the Son He loves—we are in gloomy dungeons of unbelief.

Even when we have been Christians for a long time we daily examine our thoughts and actions, our words and what we have left undone. We realize there are still patterns of sin that could cause us to drift away from God or compromise our witness to the Light of Christ. We recognize our salvation is based completely on Jesus and His powerful Spirit working out all things for good in us. Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ that He has rescued us from darkness and put us into the brilliance of the Kingdom of the Son.

Oh God, the bible teaches us that You alone live in unapproachable light. You are all-together lovely and wonderful, majestic in splendour and perfect in all Your attributes. Thank You, Spirit of All-Power that You make the radiance of Jesus Christ known. You, Spirit prompt us to seek Him, Who first has been seeking us. You Spirit, take the Word and make its truth plain and beautiful to us. Triune God, let the light of Your word ever lead us closer to You and in dearer companionship with fellow Christians until that great and glorious day when we shall all see You face to face. Amen.

February 3, 2020 -- Psalm 119:104 -- Then what?

Through your precepts I get understanding,

therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:104 English Standard Version

When I lived in Sarnia, Ontario, a brother in the faith—who was a police officer—and I would get together regularly for encouragement and prayer. In those sweet prayer conversations he once related to me that when he faced temptation, he would ask himself this question: “then what?” Basically he would ask himself, “IF I were to do this or that, then what? What would be the repercussions?” It is a very good question that shows someone is clinging to the precepts of the Lord of Glory.

The precepts of God are the things He has appointed to be done. Think of it, in the Old Testament there are many places where the laws of God include consequences for obedience or disobedience. For example, the fourth commandment: honour your parents and the consequence for obedience is: ‘that your days may be long in the land the LORD your God is giving you’ (Exodus 20:12). Sin is never neutral. All the actions of every person are always sinful, unless the Spirit of God takes hold of the heart and directs it in the path of the word of God for the glory of Jesus.

So the question my friend asked, “then what,” is a valid one and helpful for discerning the consequences of one’s actions. If I were to do this or that, then what? If this became public, how would that affect my standing? How does this bring reproach (or discredit) to the Name and reputation of God? How would this affect my marriage and my relationship with my children? (Here you can fill in whatever consequences and relevant people or circumstances your temptations would affect.)

The devil would only have you focus on the fleeting, momentary pleasure this or that sin would yield, without showing you or even letting you think of the true consequences and the true costs of sin. This is why the psalmist hates every wrong path. He has thought through the wicked schemes of the devil, or the temptations of his own heart or those temptations rising from the world or peer pressure. As he asked “then what” he realized the course of wickedness and shame that inevitably would follow. Therefore he hated the false way that was placed before him.

In contrast, the psalm-writer has seen the glory of God contained in the precepts (the rules and laws and directions of our King) and he realized the consequences for obedience to the Holy One are blessing and delight. Sure, obedience to the King may come with scorn from the people of the world, but that is nothing compared to the weight of glory and joy which flow from living in respectful observance of His will and ways.

Who is a God like You, glorious and excellent in all Your ways? You have appointed the work for Your people and You have added the consequences of blessing and honour to those who keep Your will and Your ways. Father in heaven, may Your Name be praised. Jesus, Lamb of God Who has taken away the sin of the world and has given His perfect obedience as gift to all who cry out to Him, great and glorious are You! Worthy are You of dominion and power. Spirit of Truth Who takes the deep things of God and makes these known to true believers, You are wonderful and excellent in all You do. Forgive our stubborn rebellions. Forgive our short-sighted sinful actions. Spirit of God, help us to walk in the ways of the word, living as the reward of Jesus’ obedience to the honour and praise of our Father in heaven. Amen.

February 2, 2020 -- Psalm 119:103 -- The Word of God like honey

How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:103 English Standard Version

Honey is one of my favorite sweeteners. I love it in my coffee in the morning. It is amazing how a little bit of it instantly makes the coffee much sweeter. A spoonful of honey helps soothe a sore throat. A bit of honey seems to linger on the taste buds lightening the eyes and the mood.

For the psalm-writer it seems that the honey sweetness of the word is enough to dispel the bitterness of trials. The honeyed word makes his circumstances more bearable. The word lingers on his tongue and just a little bit is already so expressively flavour-filled, packed with goodness.

Beloved in Jesus Christ, consider how rich the entire word of God is. According to II Corinthians 2:14-15 we are the fragrance of Christ to the world around us. To those who love Jesus we are sweet fragrance—as honey is sweet to the tongue, so fellow believers are sweet to the nostrils of other believers. We are drawn to one another and love to linger with other believers. Conversely, those who are dead in their sins and trespasses, find the scent of Christians offensive.

Fellow believers, linger in the word of God. Spend time reading small portions and meditate on it. Ask yourself what do these words mean, here in this context and in the whole sweep of Bible history? By all means, also read large chunks of the word of God. Know the stories and characters, see glory of redemption history where our God and King has raised up salvation for us in Jesus Christ. See how God, from the earliest days has set apart for Himself people from whom the Savior of the World would descend. Know that God has restrained evil and provided sweetness in Jesus Christ.

Thank You, God, Source of all good gifts for the aroma of Christ. Thank You for parents and teachers, Sunday School teachers and family members who told us the sweet, sweet story of Jesus. Thank You, Spirit of Truth, for leading us along the pathway of peace—instructing us by the written word and by Your presence so that the jasmine-laden airs of salvation waft all around us drawing us deeper and closer to Him, Who is the Desire of all Nations. Triune God, help us to serve You with all we have and all we are, so that tributes of praise flow to Your throne and the sweetness of our salvation in Jesus will be irresistible to all whom You have called to the banquet-table of life everlasting. Amen.

January 30, 2020 -- Psalm 119:102 -- Paths of thankfulness

I do not turn aside from your rules,

for you have taught me.

Psalm 119:102 English Standard Version

One of my practices in preparing these devotions is checking out the original language. In this case the original language is Hebrew. And then I’ll look at other translations of the text. Here it is a bit odd because the ESV, the version I use for my personal devotions, is rather different in its word choice than other translations. Where ESV has “rules” other translations use the word “ordinances” or “judgments”.

The point is that God is the Just Judge over all the nations. He has determined the guilt of all those who refused to walk in His ways. The judgment of God is this: all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Those who place their trust in Jesus Christ have that judgment set aside and are judged “not guilty” of all the sins they commit. Christ became the sin-bearer. Christ Jesus became for us the Lamb of God by Whose death our sins were punished and in Whose righteous life we have been credited with a life approved by God. Simply put, the Father sees Jesus’ perfect life and credits this perfection to our account. The Father accepts Jesus’ sacrifice as if we had been punished for all our sins—Jesus voluntarily put Himself in our place.

The psalmist is rejoicing in the judgment of God. The psalmist is keenly aware of his own sinful behavior. We have seen it in previous verses. In verse 36 he recognized unless God moved his heart he’d be chasing selfish gain. He knows his soul clings to the dust—to the ways of Adam, his forbearer, the representative of our race who led us all into sin. So he knows he needs the life which can only be supplied by the Spirit of God—verse 25. On and on it goes, we are sinful creatures, shown unceasing grace by God for the sake of Jesus. It is by faith we take these truths and plant them deep in our heart. It is by faith we walk according to the law of God and keep His commandments.

These commandments guide our thank-filled living. We cannot earn our salvation. Believers do not add one thing to their salvation. Jesus paid it all. Jesus is lifted high as the glorious One. He is credited for bringing us to salvation. Our response is ever, only “thank You! You saved a wretch like me. Though I am unworthy, I give all I have and all I am in service to You.” Even our response of thanksgiving is something we need to have taught to us in the Word of God. Our own inclinations and thoughts of how to serve God are flawed. What mercy God shows us in setting us on the pathway of peace.

Spirit of God, we are fully aware of our sins. We know that we belong to You, Faithful God, and still we are inclined to sin. We work as if we think we need to earn the love of our Father in heaven. Forgive our waywardness. Spirit of God, give us the assurance of the fullness of the salvation that is ours in Christ. Spirit of God, continue to teach us by the Bible. Spirit of God continue to direct us in the ways of thankfulness. Triune God, in our lives, in our homes, and in this world—be glorified. Amen.

January 29, 2020 -- Psalm 119:101 -- Restraining ourselves from every evil path

I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.

Psalm 119:101 English Standard Version

What the psalmist is declaring is his on-going intention to live in the path of peace. In the New Testament we read:

If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation,

the old has passed away, behold, the new has come’

II Corinthians 5:17 English Standard Version

Though we are new in Christ, we still have the old patterns of behavior. The psalmist is restraining his feet from going along the evil pathways. He is recognizing the insistent pull of wickedness. Evil is all around. The invitation to sin is a constant siren sound that beckons the heart and mind. The devil seeks to wear us down with his repetitive, persistent calls to sin. Our own lusts and patterns can betray us and draw us into sin.

What can break this?

The word of God can help us restrain our feet from evil—we are taught right from wrong. The world will not capable of determining what is good because the world is in rebellion against the Living God.

The Spirit of God applies the word to our hearts and minds and keeps us from sin. Pray for the strength of the Spirit to keep our feet from going in the direction of evil.

The love of God constrains us—so 119:64 teaches us. Because we are surrounded by the love of God we are drawn away from the world, from the lusts of the flesh and the temptations of the enemy and we are drawn to Him Who loves us.

May God our King move us by His love to forsake our sin. May the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ—His bearing the punishment of God against sin in His body—humble us and direct us in an out-pouring of dedicated love. May the Spirit of God help us, poor, oft-sinning creatures though we are, to return to God again and again in true repentance from our sin and direct our feet in obedience to the will of and Word of God.

High King of Heaven You are the Ruler of the Cosmos, the Guardian of all that is just and good. Spirit of the Living God, break down the strongholds of sin and cast out every idol that sets itself up against the reign of Christ in our hearts. Renew in us the wonder of this great gift of salvation. Fill us with Your love so that it brims to overflowing in us in order that obedience to our Lord will continually restrain our feet from every evil path. Amen.

January 27, 2020 -- Psalm 119:100 -- More understanding

I have more understanding than the aged,

for I keep your precepts.

Psalm 119:100 English Standard Version

For Hebrew culture this is a very rude statement. To claim more understanding than an elderly person is quite disrespectful. In our particular stanza, the Mem Stanza, there is a pattern developed by the writer. He is stating that the laws and commandments, the precepts and rules of the LORD are the only principles that are sufficient to guide us in every stage of our life—at rest and at work, in one’s youth and old age. So the psalmist is noting that grey hairs don’t necessarily mean someone is wise. The mark of wisdom, for a person of any age, is great devotion to the LORD our God.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, encouraged his followers to live and die well. In sharp contrast to the people of this age, Christian believers know their life is bound up in Jesus Christ. As Paul so boldly wrote: “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Our lives will be filled with all kinds of trials and smooth times, upheaval and questions and the life centred on Jesus Christ does not fear the storms or place too much confidence on the good times. Believers know everything can change in an instant and the only constant in our life is Jesus and His grace poured out on us.

The word of the LORD is firmly fixed in the heavens. Our confidence is anchored in Jesus Christ, the revelation of God. Jesus reveals the Father to us. Jesus’ Spirit is poured out on believer so that we know the Word of God is absolutely trustworthy and reliable. All of us, every person, places his or her ultimate trust in something—all these things will fail, all these theories will be disproven—the only absolutely sure foundation that can be trusted by all people in every age is Jesus Christ. May you know the joy of His salvation. May you have the glorious confidence that nothing can steal your joy or rob you of the awe-filled worship and wonder in store for His followers in eternity.

King Jesus, radiance of the Father’s glory, may the words of the psalm-writer become ever more true in our lives. Let Your Spirit direct our hearts and our obedient faith in Your Word. May the life we live in this world be informed and illuminated by the glory that is yet to come in the paradise of Your Presence in eternity. Amen.

January 24, 2020 -- Psalm 119:99 -- More understanding than all my teachers

I have more understanding than all my teachers,

for your testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:99 English Standard Version

One commentator on this Psalm, Brian Borgman, believes this it was written by Daniel. The prophet Daniel belonged to one of the leading noble families of the people of Israel. In his youth he was carried off into exile. He maintained his faith and steadfastly trusted in the promises and the providence of the LORD his God. He learned the language of Babylon. He was instructed in all the wisdom of the Babylonian Empire. On many occasions it was made obvious to the king of Babylon that Daniel’s wisdom was greater than all leading wise men of the Babylonian Empire. Even when the law was passed that all the people of the empire had to pray to the King rather than to whatever god they served, Daniel faithfully prayed to God Who is the King of Kings and LORD of lords. Daniel’s enemies promulgated that law with the intention of capturing faithful Daniel and taking him out. Yet the LORD spared Daniel and these men themselves were thrown down.

While I still firmly believe this Psalm was written by David, I also believe it is and has been cherished by saints through the ages. Again and again it is proved to be true. The understanding of those who trust in God the Father have more insight than all their non-believing teachers. This was true and will ever be proven true.

Those who meditate on God’s testimonies increase in faith and see the creation as the handiwork of the LORD Who created the heavens and the earth in six, 24-hour days and on the seventh day giving the great gift of Sabbath.

Those who meditate on the Word of God see the unity of the Old Testament and the New Testament. This unity is fixed on Jesus Christ—Who reconciles lost sinners to God the Father. Lost sinners become a new creation. Their the old, sinful nature is put to death.

Those who meditate on the testimonies of God have an answer for all who challenge them. They are prepared to speak of the glories and excellencies of the Living God. It is the Spirit of God Who takes the deep truths of God written in the Bible and plants these deep in the heart of the believer who spends time meditating and praying over these truths. It is not mere intellectual games and trivial pursuits to know the Word—it is for the believer life and joy. The testimonies of God are wisdom beyond all that which is possessed by the secular rulers of any age.

Increase our hunger and thirst for Your Word, Living God. As You fed Your people manna in the wilderness and supplied water to them in the desert places, let Your Word be for believers our food and the Living Water that wells up in us to eternal life. Spirit of the Living God teach us to savour the written Word, spending time thinking about it, exploring it and trying to understand it. Spirit, Counselor of all true believers, by the written word lead us to Jesus Christ, our heart’s desire and our intellect’s greatest treasure. As we defend our faith may we do so with humility that disarms our enemies, intrigues our teachers and is inviting to family members and neighbours so that hearts may be won to glorious knowledge of and obedience to Jesus Christ. Amen.

January 23, 2020 -- Psalm 119:98 -- The Commandments as running shoes

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

for it is ever with me.

Psalm 119:98 English Standard Version

The King James Version puts it this way:

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies:

for they are ever with me. (Ps. 119:98 KJV)

Notice the slight, telling, shift in emphasis between these two translations. The KJV makes it clear that it is the LORD Himself Who makes His people wise. He uses His commandments, the instruments of instruction for our life for godliness, as the tools for forging this wisdom in us.

There is a wry joke among hikers who travel in bear country. “Says one hiker to the second hiker: ‘Why are you wearing those nice running shoes instead of your usual hiking boots?’ Hiker two replies: ‘That way, If we encounter a bear, I don’t have to run fast, just faster than you. These babies will help me accomplish that’.” The point is this: the bear will take the slower, easier target.

The commandments of God are the running shoes which carry our feet swiftly from the threats and entanglements of evil to the refuge of God our Savior. The commandments of God help us to discern the times we live in, and the plots and potential for ruin which lurk around the corner. The commandments of God remind us there is a God Who is both Judge and the Avenger of His Name. Wrong will be judged and completely overthrown. At the Judgment Seat the saints and sinners will behold the victory of our God and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord, He IS right, true Who restores all things equitably. Finally, the commandments of the LORD are ever with us. Our enemies will eventually grow tired, they won’t be able to keep up with those who are running in the path of God’s commandments. While the enemy is dogging our heels it is the Law of the LORD which directs us, guiding us in the very core of who we are. This law is illuminated by the Spirit and by this same Spirit of Power we are empowered to run to the arms of Christ our Savior, by Whose blood we are reconciled to God our Father.

Our enemies won’t always be with us. Trials will one day end. Sufferings can not take away our victory in Jesus Christ. As Isaiah the prophet said it:

The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

(Isaiah 40:8 ESV)

Look to the word of God and see it is mighty because of the Glorious LORD of Power and Dominion, Honour and Wisdom Who spoke it, Who defends it, and by it brings His people to victory over all enemies, even sin and death and the grave. Ah, blessed are You LORD our God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

Spirit of Truth it is tempting for us to keep our gaze fixed on our trials, our enemies and the very things which would defeat us. Break through and turn our stares from looking in all the wrong places. Spirit of Truth, turn our full attention and trust to the glorious Word of God and His great commandments. Help us to discern, Spirit of Power, the great victory of Jesus Christ. Teach us how His victory has become our own through faith in Him. Spirit of Wisdom, lift our eyes to see the vision of all that is to come, where God our Father welcomes us into the kingdom of the Son He loves and all Your enemies and ours face their ultimate end. Remind us that one day we will see how even our trials and all we suffered was used for Your glory and our edification. You will show us how You were forging in us the knowledge of the glory of Jesus Christ and the fact we were brought through the forger’s fires, purified and strengthened for service to You, Triune God. As Your completed workmanship, Radiant Majestic Sovereign, we will then be fit and fully prepared to worship You and delight in Who You Are as we celebrate all You have done. Amen.

January 21, 2020 -- Psalm 119:97 -- Learning to love the law of the LORD

Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:97 English Standard Version

Here the word “law” is Torah. Torah is usually used in reference to the first five books of the Old Testament. Exodus 20 contains the Ten Commandments; Deuteronomy repeats the Ten Commandments and gives many instructions on the way of the LORD. Moses, inspired by the Spirit of God, directs the people as to how they should live in the Promised Land. Leviticus gives many instructions on the various sacrifices necessary for the people of God. All these laws point the people of God in the direction they should go so that they are distinct from the pagan people who surround them on all sides.

The very first verse of Psalm 119 reminds us that the way of blessedness is found in walking in the law of the LORD. Verse 2 declared blessed those who keep God’s testimonies and seek Him whole heartedly. Each step, each activity, from the moment one rises to the end of the day can be a paean of glorious praise to the High King of Heaven. When one spends time thinking of God, investigating His law and, and looking to Him for the direction of one’s life then the natural outflow of this will be keeping His commandments, loving His law and focusing one’s heart and mind on Jesus Who leads us to our Father in heaven.

The truth is, many of us find this verse weird. We don’t love the law of God. We aren’t seeking His direction every moment and in all things. We cannot fathom what this poet is trying to teach. If you are curious about this, no doubt the Spirit of God is working in your heart. If you wonder what this can mean, ask the Spirit of Truth to lead you to understand the significance of these words. Pray that the Spirit of Truth will give you both the will and the courage to put into practice the things He shows you.

A word of caution is appropriate here. No doubt changing the course of your life will have consequences. Your spouse or your friends, perhaps your co-workers, will be surprised that you no longer do the things you used to do. You will find your old sinful patterns and habits pushing up against you harder than usual…because you are fighting against them for the glory of God. Know this—the same Father Who is the source of every good, has given us Jesus Christ—Who prays on our behalf at the Father’s right hand. Jesus, Who was tempted in every way, but was without sin, knows how the flesh is weak. Trust that the Spirit of God Who has stirred up this curiosity in you, will also give you all you need to withstand the queries and challenges you face because of your newfound desire to follow in the law of the LORD.

Ultimately, it is not a set of rules you are following. It is not joyful bean-counting—do this, avoid that, watch out for those things—instead, meditating on the law of the LORD means fixing one’s eyes and heartfelt devotion on the King of kings and LORD of Lords and honouring Him alone. Obedience reveals to our hearts and minds: we are sons and daughters of the God Whose glory fills the earth and sky.

Spirit of the Living God, what the psalmist describes—loving Your law and meditating on it all the day—is something that is intriguing me and stirring up a longing I can’t quite understand. Give to me, Holy Spirit, both the will and the courage to practice the things You are showing me. Change me from the inside out so that my life reflects the radiance of Jesus Christ and brings glory to our Father in heaven. Prepare me, Spirit of Wisdom, for the push-back of my co-workers and friends. Steel my will so that I won’t be too self-conscious and pull back from following in the way everlasting. Thank You, Jesus, for seeking after lost sheep like me and patiently bringing us to Your healing grace. Amen.

January 19, 2020 -- Psalm 119:96 -- God's Limitless Perfection

I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Psalm 119:96 English Standard Version

This verse first hit my radar about a decade ago. It was a strange verse to me at first. Those who read these blogs…and have really good memory…will likely know I have reflected on it before and refer to it periodically. Beyond that, it is a verse that rattles around my brain periodically, something to be savoured and enjoyed. The translation for this verse that I really love is:

To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless. (NIV)

Whatever, in our human experience, is perceived as perfect is passing. Think about it. Whoever wins the title for the best body builder will the next day or the next week be just a shade out of peak show performance readiness. This body builder will age and what was once hailed as a perfect body will go the way of all flesh, dying and decaying.

Perhaps you have seen people who use cosmetic surgery to enhance their features and fight the ravages of time? This used to be something almost exclusively associated with women. Today more and more men are getting vanity surgeries in order to enhance their features. Have you ever seen someone whose hands are showing signs of being quite aged, whereas their face seems garishly-and-out-of-place youthful in comparison? Perfection is not even discernable in the rear-view mirror in that case.

Scripture teaches us that this world is wearing out like a garment (Isaiah 51:6). Over against this the LORD declares:  “But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never be shattered.” (Also Isaiah 51:6). Only the LORD is perfect. Only His perfections last forever. Those who seek the LORD have a quest that is ever more glorious, ever more fulfilling, ever more boundless. The commandments of the LORD draw us up to see the face of our Father through the radiance of the Son by the powerful saving work of the Spirit in us.

Rather than restricting us, the commandments of the LORD lead us in the pathway of life. The commandments of the LORD are the directions given us by the LORD Who made the heavens and earth—the One Who made these and us, knows where our souls’ satisfaction can be found. These commandments do not earn us His love. In love He predestined us for glory (Ephesians 1). We are not adding to our salvation—the LORD has saved us. He has rescued us from death. Only those who are known by Him desire to follow Him and praise Him. So these commandments direct us in thankful living. These commandments are coaches showing us where we are still engaging in practices which are detrimental to our development and growth in faith. These commandments are communal and mutual so that as a Christian community we can work together, worship together and serve together despite our failures and imperfections because our eyes are fixed on our Perfect King.

Lord Jesus, You have commanded us to be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. You walked this earth. You know the corruption of the human heart. You know the forces of evil at work in the institutions of the world and in the spiritual realms. You, Jesus are Perfect, the shield of all who take refuge in You! We confess our sinful indulgences and our waywardness. We confess our seeking after perfection in the decay and immorality of our age rather than seeking You. Spirit of the Living God, help us to lean in—heart, soul, mind, and strength—into the commands of Jesus, the way of limitless perfection. In our lives, be glorified God of all Perfection and beauty Amen.

January 17, 2020 - - Psalm 119:95 -- God's Truth against Wickedness

The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

but I consider all your testimonies.

Psalm 119:95 English Standard Version

Where are the wicked? Where are those wicked people who lie in wait to destroy the faithful follower of the Living God?

1. They are in the church. Jesus reminded us that the wheat and the weeds grow up together. When they are little sprouts, it is impossible to pull one out without affecting the other (Matthew 13:24ff). Don’t be surprised to know that wicked people are in the church as well as outside the church.

2. The wicked are in the world. The world is not neutral: Ephesians 6:12. The public school system is not neutral. The government is not neutral. All the powers of the world are infected with the sins of this age and those who follow Jesus Christ will face hostility.

3. The wickedness of the world and the enemy infects our hearts. Romans 7 Paul speaks so poignantly of the fact he wants to do good and instead the very good he wants to do he leaves undone and the wickedness he would avoid, this is what he does.

Thanks be to God, He rescues us from this body of death. Thanks be to God He sends His Spirit to guard us in the way everlasting.

The testimonies of the LORD hold up a mirror to the church and show us the need for the power of forgiveness which Jesus Christ gives us. It is the power to allow for true and deep community among people who are broken and reaching for the grace of Jesus Christ.

The testimonies of the LORD unmask the purposes of the world and agencies, governments and people in power. There is no one person who will lead a political party who could possibly make all things right. The government is on the shoulders of Jesus Christ—He is ruling at the right hand of the Father and He will make all things right at the final judgment.

The testimonies of the LORD reveal our own hearts and their divided intentions and purposes. We would serve the LORD, but we serve ourselves. We want to be whole-heartedly His…but all too often we go our own way and wake up, once again in our old patterns of sin. As Psalm-writer declares it: I consider Your testimonies. Paul anchors such testimonies on Jesus: “who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:24-25a)!

God of Truth—we confess that we are blind to our own wickedness. We need Your testimonies. God of Truth, let the Light of Christ and His Word shine out so that we will discern wickedness in ourselves, in our world and in the Church. Let Your Word direct us into the love of Christ, the forgiveness of our LORD and life everlasting. Thank You for the rich salvation. You have given us. Thank You for all that is in store because of Your mighty, unstoppable grace. Amen.