April 9, 2021 -- Psalm 18:1-3 -- The LORD our Rock and Fortress

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3 English Standard Version

What a beautiful declaration—I love you and I will continue to love You, O LORD, my strength! And then what follows is a series of descriptions, or titles for the LORD. We will spend a few days contemplating these. The LORD is my rock.—the word rock is that of a high cliff, a rocky crag where one stands over his enemies. It is the place where a watch tower—a fortress for defense—can be built so that no one can sneak up on you and surprise attack you. What a beautiful expression and glorious picture.

If the LORD is such, a high rock and a fortress, why are we so often at the mercy of our enemies? Why are we so often feeling low? Great question. Examine your life. Are you asserting the words of verse 1—preaching to your heart and soul of your great love for God? Have you decided to serve Him and Him alone? If not, there is your problem right there. You cannot serve God half-heartedly. The very thought of that is mockery.

Have you left this high rock and strong tower of refuge in order to flirt with the enemy? Have you been toying with sin and allowing your heart to be invaded by sin? That is on you, not on the LORD. When Cain was angry with his brother Abel, this is what the LORD said:

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7) ESV

Sin wants to master you. Sin is crouching at the door the strong tower, it has sent a scout to look for weaknesses in your armor and to catch you wandering away from the tower of the LORD’s strength. Do not toy with sin!

Therefore, begin your day with worship, singing to Jesus, the Rock of your salvation. The One Who has delivered us from sin, and brings us safely to the Father. End the day with prayers to the LORD. Confess your temptations and admit to the LORD the sins which are seeking to master you. He is your Rock, He is your strong tower, the salvation from your enemies—He will fill you with the strength of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit’s presence and the Bible sins and temptations are unmasked for the violent, stench-filled, pustules of danger that they truly are! In sharp contrast the Spirit makes the radiance, the beauty, the virtues, and the charismatic qualities of Christ irresistible. The Word of God, applied to your heart by the Spirit, will make this reality for you, so that you are insatiable for Christ and Him alone.

Blessed be Your Name—O God, My Rock! Great are You, Jesus—our Warrior-King, Who tramples down the enemy. Spirit of the Living God, keep us safe within the strong tower of Jesus’ deliverance so that we will not toy with sin or dance with the devil. Our souls call out to You, Triune God, You are worthy to be praised! In Christ we are saved from all our enemies! Amen.

https://youtu.be/gM7gt_cSxjw

April 8, 2021 -- Psalm 18:1 -- Seven words that'll change you

I love you, O LORD, my strength.

Psalm 18:1 English Standard Version

What a simple declaration, stuffed to bursting with meaning and implications. The word ‘love’ renders a Hebrew word of intimacy and intensity. Several translations put this into a declarative vow ‘I will love you’ that is, with the tenderness and emotion I feel now, I will continue to love You.

LORD—rendered in English all in capital letters indicates the covenant Name for God. Yesterday I heard a comedian note Christians should all be dog owners. Dog owners know something of how we should appeal to the Mighty One, our Master. A dog will beg for food. There is no point in going to the fridge at night and sneaking back to bed with food hoping the dog won’t notice. A human has approximately 6 million olfactory receptors in our noses, while dogs have up to 300 million. So the dog will always smell the food you have. The dog will beg, day and night. The dog will beg for food, for attention, for love, for a walk, for companionship, for you to rub their belly. The point the comedian makes is this: Christians could be a lot more intensive and intentional in their requests of God their Master. He is far more willing to give than believers are willing to ask. It is noted in scripture we do not have because we do not ask of God (James 4:2-3). David is prepared to love the LORD, and a good part of this is to acknowledge the LORD is the Source of every blessing.

The LORD is the strength, or protector of His people. What a glorious title that is! If you read the introduction to this Psalm you’ll see that this was composed when God rescued David from the hand of Saul. (Sure, go ahead and look it up. Yes, now. I’ll wait—I won’t tap my foot or impatiently look at my watch. Yes, pick up that bible!) The point is this: the LORD is always our protector. Sometimes we see it and are relieved and ready to dance with wonder and praise. But so often it is the case we won’t see and dive deeply into understanding the depths of our Protector’s deliverance until we reach the eternal shores and the glorious work of God will be revealed in unfolding spectacles of splendor as steady as the metronomic waves.

Dearly loved children of God, the greatest work of God our Savior, is His great deliverance given us in Christ. Our sins fall to the ground, powerless, because of our King and Deliverer. The Spirit of God applies this glorious victory to our hearts. With David we declare: I will love You, O LORD, my strength!

I love You, LORD, my Strength!

I will love You. Spirit of God, continually renew in me emotions and intellect, heart and the head, so that I will praise the LORD my Protector. Jesus, my Victory, move me to greater love and acts of obedience which flow from such intimate, thanks-filled love. Amen.

https://youtu.be/DANgNI6rqxI

April 7, 2021 -- Psalm 17:7 -- Wondrously show Your love!

Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.

Psalm 17:7 English Standard Version

This short verse begins with an imperative—a strong request of God the Savior. There is the sense of as You have in the past shown Your wondrous and steadfast love to your people show it now again! Think of it. How often the LORD our God has shown love to His faithless people. He delivered them out of Egypt—they grumbled for food imagining the God Who brought them laden with treasures out of Egypt from slavery to freedom couldn’t provide food. He gave them mana. They grumbled because they wanted meat to eat. He provided quail. The great lesson of Scripture is that the LORD our God is mighty to save. Every time, He is mighty to save. Repeatedly His is mighty to save. To a people who constantly forget His goodness, He is mighty to save.

Seek refuge in Him. Pray. Ask for the help you so desperately need. He is the Savior of those who seek refuge in Him. Your own resources will never be enough. Your strength and and your skills will fail. But the LORD our God is wondrous in His steadfast love. Again and again and again and again He rescues His people. You might object, but I am a sinner. Yes you are. Turn from your sin to Him for He will save. But I am not worthy. True, you are not. But He is the Savior of those who are nothing in the eyes of the world—He knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made for His purposes. Do not lose hope. Seek refuge in Him for it is His glory and His delight to save those who seek Him.

Here I am again, God my Savior. Stuck. Frustrated. I know how desperately I need Your mercy, but wrestling with the thought that I am tap-dancing on Your last, frayed, nerve. Maybe this time I am beyond the grip of Your grace and mercy?! Thank You for the richness of today’s text—Oh, I confess how much I need to hear it. Whenever and every time I need it, You show steadfast love which is wondrous—overflowing with abundance, brimful of constantly renewing love, bursting with joy, rock-solid in faithfulness. Help me to understand more fully how rich and vast and extravagant is Your storehouse of mercy, ever being replenished by the love of Christ and generously poured out by His Spirit’s presence. Blessed be Your Name, Triune God, as Your restore my hope. Amen.

https://youtu.be/I1GiZL60c80

April 6, 2021 -- Psalm 17:13-14a -- Jesus the Warrior-King Arises

Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!

Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

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

Psalm 17:13-14a English Standard Version

Though the psalmist has determined to avoid the ways of the violent and keep steady on the pathway of the LORD (verses 4 & 5) the wicked still assault the believer in various ways. The mere mention of the Name of the LORD, any public declaration of one’s love for Christ, and every evidence of the strength of the Spirit to call out against the wrong-doings committed by the people of this world are enough to have people come against you swords drawn. In fact, the godly are surrounded as if by lions eager to tear, jumping from ambush (verse 12) against the godly.

Be warned, beloved of the LORD—Christians cannot toy with sin. Though one is committed to living for Jesus and prayer for the Spirit’s strength to stay on the path of life, it takes Jesus, the Warrior-King to deliver our souls from the wicked. The wickedness of the culture all around us seeps into our pores. The wickedness of the godless, whose rebellions both overt and covert, can entangle us. The wickedness of those who would push us from the sacred sanctuary where our love for Jesus causes the boundary lines of our life to fall in pleasant places.

The sword of the LORD is the Word of God—to cut out the sins that like pus are infecting areas of our life. The sword of the LORD is the Sword of our Warrior King, Jesus Who will ultimately subdue the wicked. When Christ arises, at the trumpet’s last blast, there will be a terrible judgment against all the evil-doers, all who have not been covered by the redeeming blood of Christ. The sword of the LORD is the Word of God which Christians wield when they are tightly bound in union with Jesus Christ. Without His direction and dear presence we would slash ourselves and be ineffective in our efforts to remain holy. Even people who are dear to us can be for us dangerous because their love for this world and the dead philosophies which go with it can be like gangrene to our minds and souls. But the LORD our God rises to confront sin and sinners, and with His divine precision, will deliver our souls from wickedness. Blessed be His Name.

Mighty are You, Jesus, Faithful and True, astride the white war horse, judging the nations. Blessed are You in carrying out the commandments and judgments written in the Word of the LORD so that the people whom the LORD has prepared for the Great Supper of God shall come trembling from the East and the West, the North and the South. Spirit of the Living God, fill our hearts with such anticipation for the return of Christ our Warrior-King that the tawdry and fading things of this world will be revealed as vanity and meaningless in the light of His majestic-splendor. Purify us, Spirit of God, so that we are prepared for the Great Supper of God. Amen.

(Prayer is based on Revelation 19:11ff)

April 5, 2021 -- Psalm 16:11 -- Boasting in our Spouse

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are eternal pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 English Standard Version

Many Christians wonder about this relationship should I pursue it or not? Or taking that job—seeking a sign from God, like Gideon placed a fleece, because the job will require compromises to my precious faith.. What stands out for me in this verse is the confidence of the psalmist that God our Father will make known the path of life—the way of faithful obedience through Christ.

The Puritan John Flavel (1627 - 1691) has written extensively on our mystical union with Jesus Christ. One paragraph I recently read is quite helpful in knowing the path of life:

Examine your relations to Christ. Are you his spouse?

Have you forsaken all for him? Are you ready to take

your lot with him, as it falls in prosperity or adversity?

Are you loyal to Christ? Do you yield obedience to

him as your Head and Husband? Are you his spiritual

seed, his children by regeneration? Are you born of the

Spirit? Do you resemble Christ in holiness? Do you find

a reverential fear of Christ carrying you to obey him in

all things? Are you led by the Spirit of Christ? To

conclude, Have you the spirit of adoption, enabling

you to cry, Abba, Father?

Flavel, Works, I:482

What a clear picture. As one who is a member of Jesus’ Church and therefore one of the people of whom it is said, we are the Bride of Christ, we ask this question—what I am about to do will it bring honour to Christ my Husband, or will I bring disrepute and shame to our relationship? And to that end, Christ has given us His Holy Spirit so that we will know the path of life and be strengthened to walk with the resurrection righteousness given at Easter. Read the Bible. It is our marriage manual. Pray. The Spirit Who lives in us brings our prayers, imperfect as they are, to our Husband-King Jesus.

Such a journey on the path of life is one full of joy. In times of strength or sorrow, in persecution or adulation, riches or poverty because we are espoused (married to Christ) and He is the Spouse in Whom is all our boasting. We declare to all we meet—have you met my Spouse? No one is greater than Him Is!

LORD of angel hosts You have fulfilled Your great promise. You have shaken the heavens and the earth and the Desire of all Nations, Jesus our King, has come. You, Father of Wonders, have filled Your people with greater glory—greater than silver, far more than the riches of gold—for by Your Spirit You have placed the peace of Christ in the hearts of Your people—so that we are the new temple! Blessed are You Triune God! Hallelujah! Amen.

The prayer is based on Haggai 2:5-9

https://youtu.be/EE8N-BK7ojk

April 4, 2021 -- Psalm 16:7-11 -- He is Risen! He is our Soul's Delight

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:7-11 English Standard Version

As I am preparing today’s devotional, there are sounding sirens of police cars and ambulances wailing in the distance. As their warning sounds reverberate, a sense of urgency is created for all listeners—something is wrong—and confusion rises for the hearers who ask themselves what is it?

It seems incredibly fitting! I wonder, when Jesus, Who as our text teaches, was not abandoned to Sheol, Whose body did not see corruption, but rose to life by the glory of the Father that blessed Resurrection morning, I wonder—were there mass wailings and confusion and the stomp of soldiers’ feet as officialdom sought to make sense of this miracle? No doubt there was much confusion. No doubt a growing sense of urgency and alarm awoke in the pit of their stomachs.

Yes, He has made known the path of life—the grave is not the victor, death does not win. Christ our King has overcome death and the grave. No wonder there are pleasures forever more at His right hand! He is throwing the world into confusion, but all who know Him feel the swelling of gladness as our heart rejoice in Him and the victory He has won.

Our dear family and friends in Ontario are facing a new round of lockdowns, do not despair. The resurrection of Jesus, our Hope in Life and death, reminds us with Him at our Father’s right hand, we have pleasures and hope in Him forever more! Oh, sing Hallelujah—our hope in Him springs eternal.

O GOD OF THE HIGHEST HEAVEN,

   Occupy the throne of my heart,

   take full possession and reign supreme,

   lay low every rebel lust,

   let no vile passion resist thy holy war;

   manifest thy mighty power,

     and make me thine for ever.

Thou art worthy to be

   praised with my every breath,

   loved with my every faculty of soul,

   served with my every act of life.

Thou hast loved me, espoused me, received me,

   purchased, washed, favoured, clothed, adorned me,

   when I was worthless, vile, soiled, polluted.

I was dead in iniquities,

   having no eyes to see thee,

   no ears to hear thee,

   no taste to relish thy joys,

   no intelligence to know thee;

But thy Spirit has quickened me,

  has brought me into a new world as a new creature,

  has given me spiritual perception,

   has opened to me thy Word as light, guide, solace, joy.

Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;

No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,

   for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,

   and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,

   of my hopes, and my vocation.

Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;

Protect me that no evil befall me;

Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;

Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arm,

hold converse with thee,

That henceforth I may be salt of the earth

   and a blessing to all.

Puritan Prayers and Devotions: The Valley of Vision “REGENERATION”

https://youtu.be/OibIi1rz7mw

April 3, 2021 -- Psalm 16:1-4 -- Fellowship Up

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

Psalm 16:1-4 English Standard Version

Maybe you have heard this expression “fellowship up”? This expression is applied to those seeking to improve their lives, they are advised to find someone, or a group of people, whose walk with God is admirable, obvious, and spend time with such people. This is what the psalmist is advocating. He noted first of all that the LORD is His refuge and the source of every good in his life. That is exactly what the whole Bible teaches. God Himself is the fountain of life, the Lord governs of the storehouse of heaven which is poured out into the life of believers.

Next, the psalmist realized that other believers, who know the blessings of God and His refuge, these are the ones to spend time with. They are the excellent ones, they are holy, because they press deeper into knowing God and delighting in Him. One comic I listened to, speaking of his old life, humorously commented “Spend time with smart people. Dumb people are fun. To all my dumb friends, thank you. But when you spend time with smart people, you won’t get 2 AM calls asking to be picked up, quickly and don’t tell anyone where I am.” Or demands like “loan me $200 but don’t ask any questions”. Unwittingly, this secular comic is teaching “fellowship up”. He can see benefits accruing to himself in a life lived better. The Christian understands this truth which can be taken to oneself in the LORD our God and living among those who find Him their heart’s true satisfaction.

The psalmist noted those who abandon the One, True God, find their sorrows will multiply. Surely we see this in our world today. There is a profound sense of emptiness in the lives of people around us. Statistics from “Worldometers.com” from January 1 to March 25, 2020 worldwide show deaths break down this way:

249,904 deaths by suicide

581,599 deaths by alcohol

1,162,481 deaths by smoking

9,9913,702 deaths by abortion

Notice how sorrows multiply for hose who have abandoned the Living God. What a grievous list.

This Resurrection Weekend is the time when Christians around the world celebrate Jesus’ punishment in our place, His disarming the powers of Satan at the cross, making a mockery of Satan’s power, putting our old self and sins in the grave and in Him rising to new life. In Jesus Christ we have new, full, life. Jesus is the ultimate, only “fellowship-up”. All who cling to Him and delight in Him are all my delight.

Truth be told, it can be challenge to find Christians who are living and active in their faith. It is not merely a label or a thing they do most Sundays. Those who truly believe “apart from the LORD I have no good thing” are those who speak of God, find their greatest pleasure in Him and in His Name blessing others. Find a Christian whose walk you admire and fellowship up!

O LORD my God, in You I take refuge from all the sorrows and troubles of this world. You are my King, the One Who has claimed me in Christ, directing my life in all good through Your Spirit’s power. You are the Source of Light, You are the Giver of every good gift! God of all satisfaction and jubilation, let my life shine as a beacon of hope and encouragement to those who are finding this world is souring and increasingly bitter. Mighty God, by Your Word and Spirit, revive believers so that our life in Christ is not mere surface-level showing off, but may the glorious truth of life in Christ radiate from the core of who we are so that our lives are redolent with His sweetness. Spirit of the Living God, this Resurrection weekend, bring many sons and daughters to Christ, in Whom we have a Just and Merciful Father in heaven. Amen.

https://youtu.be/f26P1ftbCco

April 2, 2021 -- Psalm 15 -- Why it is called "Good" Friday

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
    Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
    and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
    and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 15 English Standard Version

Reading this list discourages me. There is no way I can keep all these requirements so that I can sojourn (take up residence in) the place where God Himself lives. Note the second phrase though—on Your Holy Hill”. I deserve to be thrown out of the tent. I deserve to be punished for my sinfulness and the slander of my tongue and evil intentions of my heart. But God brought Jesus outside the tent. But God put all my sins on Jesus and then had Jesus mocked, whipped, carry His cross outside the city walls and there be crucified in my place. This is why today is Good Friday.

It is Good because God the Father decided, before the foundations of the world, so seek and save lost sinners and bring them to Himself as beloved sons and daughters. It is Good because Jesus Himself willingly gave up His throne in heaven, humbled Himself and became like us in every way, except sin, so that He could be punished in our place. It is called Good because the Spirit of God takes the righteousness and perfections of Jesus and applies them to us. As often as we confess our sins, as often as we recognize how great is our God for His mercies and kindnesses, which are new every morning, we are invited to live in the place where God Himself lives.

The Spirit of God is preparing us now. The Spirit of God lives in us, moves us to recognize our sins and do what seems counter intuitive, which is to confess them so that our hearts can be purified and clean. The Spirit of God is creating in us, a great anticipation of the glorious day when faith shall become sight and we live in the presence of the Triune God of Majesty and Holiness. Because of Good Friday, God the Father has declared you “forgiven”—now go and sin no more and serve your King!

Mighty God of mercy, I feel like the women at the empty tomb on that first Resurrection Sunday—they heard the message and were frightened. Perhaps thoughts like these filled them with fear: “I don’t deserve this love. I don’t know, what if I sin again? I know I’ll sin again.” Thank You for the powerful message of Good Friday—Father You are, by Your Spirit’s presence in me applying the righteousness of Jesus Christ to every part of my heart and mind so that I am wholly Yours. Oh let these glorious truths drill down deep into me. Blessed are You, O God. Amen.

https://youtu.be/MnTgleMFK14

April 1, 2021 -- Psalm 14:7 -- Rejoice! Be Glad!

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Psalm 14:7 English Standard Version

Why is the focus on Israel and her salvation? Why is the whole world not in view? To understand this you’d have to go all the way back to Abraham’s story in Genesis 12 and 15. The LORD promised a seed, a righteous descendant from Abraham, those who blessed Him would be blessed and those who cursed Him would be cursed. Jesus is that Righteous One, He is the salvation that comes out of Zion.

What is more, when the LORD restores the fortunes of His people, Jesus, the Righteous One, rises with healing in His wings—salvation that sweeps across this globe. As was promised in Genesis 15, the blessing of the Righteous One would originate in Israel, with Abraham’s descendant, but His great blessings would flow to all nations.

As our world begins the celebrations associated with Resurrection Sunday, recognize this is anchored in Jesus Christ—the One blessed descendant of Abraham, the blessing bringer, Who restores the fortunes of His people. Look at the treasures from the storehouse of heaven which are poured out on believers!

In Jesus Christ the fortune of forgiveness is given to all who believe. Forgiveness between God and men, and forgiveness between people.

In Jesus Christ the fortune of joy is given—full life begins now in Him and continues through eternity.

In Jesus Christ the fortune of gladness is given—the Spirit of the Living God takes us residence in the heart of believers so that it is delight to draw closer and closer to the God, our Father, the Source of every good gift.

Blessed be Your Name, Triune God! What the psalmist prophesied in expectation, believers in Christ experience in wonder and exuberance—the LORD has restored our fortunes. Thousand, thousand thanks are due, dearest Savior unto You! Amen.

https://youtu.be/vTsfTSgvS_A

March 31, 2021 -- Psalm 14:1 -- What are you preaching to your heart?

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,

there is none who does good.

Psalm 14:1 English Standard Version

Notice that the second sentence speaks to the direct consequences of the first. If a foolish person is preaching to his heart “there is no God” he is looking for a way to live without consequences. If there is a God, and He is our Creator, He has the right to dictate how we live. But if someone preaches to his soul, over and over again, there is no God, then that person is looking for reasons to live recklessly and ruinously.

Remember Psalm 13, the righteous one, sings to the LORD—even when the storms of life are threatening, and with joy when life is bright—confirming to his head and heart he belongs to God. This is the glory of Jesus’ work. He takes us, ruined and reckless sinners, and gives to us His righteousness. He lifts us from death to life. Therefore, the righteous, in sharp contrast to the fool, seek to honour God with their heart and hands, their mind and mouth. The righteousness know they are accountable to God their Creator, Redeemer and Strength.

Thou, God of all Grace

May thy dear Son preserve me from this present evil world,

so that its smiles never allure,

nor its frowns terrify,

nor its vices defile,

nor its errors delude me.

May I feel that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on earth,

declaring plainly that I seek a country,

my title to it becoming daily more clear,

my meetness^ for it more perfect,

my foretastes of it more abundant;

and whatsoever I do may it be done

in the Saviour’s name.

^definition: suitability for

https://youtu.be/a91_3VYRiZo

March 30, 2021 -- Psalm 13 -- Sorrow-filled child sh'ma ~ singingly hear and obey Jesus

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13 English Standard Version

Fascinating how those who profess they do not believe in God, yet, the moment when troubles come, blame Him? They don’t blame the Easter Bunny for eggs not delivered. They do not blame the tooth fairy if their beloved child only get $5.00 per tooth while their daughter’s classmates get $10. It is ridiculous even to consider it. Ask yourself, how often do non-believer friends shake a fist at whatever god they claim they do not believe in when things go against them?

Here today the psalmist deeply believes in the LORD God. He is crying out, using the covenant Name of God three times, at verse 1, 3, and 6. LORD. It is the Name by which God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. It is the Name which reveals God is above and beyond time—from eternity to eternity—and therefore is powerful to save. It is the Name by which He has promised He will act on behalf of His people and for this reason it is the Covenant Name of God.

In this world believers in Jesus Christ will have sorrows. As the clouds hide the sun, so the face of the LORD God seems to be hidden. Yet just as it is vapors and waters which hide the sun so also it is the merest mists of troubles that make the LORD our God seem distant. As the slightest breath of wind, or the first warming rays of sunshine will evaporate all the mist so too will the slightest evidence of the LORD’s nearness restore hope and light to the tormented psalmist.

The vexations of the psalmist are real. The burdens are heavy. But what removes the mists of sorrow and tears away the veils of anguish are songs sung to the LORD. In them the people of God are reminded Jesus has conquered sin, death, Satan and all his hosts. What we see with our eyes is fleeting, the eyes of faith behold God in His terrible majesty, where the angels of the LORD are about to lift to their lips to sound the trumpet’s last call signaling that Christ will return accompanied by all His holy ones. The Spirit of God takes the songs of faith and Scripture and puts them on our lips so that hope is renewed. As the LORD our God has been faithful in the past, so He ever will be faithful. Sing to Him, O believer. Hymn your songs until hope rises renewed like the dawn.

My LORD God, it is almost too much for me to formulate a prayer. With the psalmist I declare: I have trusted in Your steadfast love; therefore I will choose to rejoice in Your salvation. As I hear the songs of salvation, may my heart join in singing to You, King of kings and LORD of lords and thus remember You have dealt bountifully with me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ORSYRgu6Z7g

March 29, 2021 -- Psalm 12 -- Addressing the double-minded and double-hearted

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
    for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
    I will now arise,” says the LORD;
    “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The words of the LORD are pure words,
    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

7 You, O LORD, will keep them;
    you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Psalm 12

Enough said. It is like “mic drop” and walk away, that is how powerful and direct today’s psalm is. This is so relevant, it is like it was written with the whole Covid crisis in view. You can read how people tear against one another in this Psalm. Those who promote church-going over obedience to the government cry out “the faithful have vanished”. Those striving to obey their conscience and the government cry out against those who do not agree. Together Christians who disagree on various issues are united anyway in their crying out against the faithfulness of these times. Even while speaking out, Christians are prepared to ignore our own sins, and so our own heart’s double-speak is exposed, as we are agreeing with this one, fake agreeing with the other because it is not worth the argument that would follow

Notice that the LORD has His eye on His people (Psalm 11 taught us His eyelids test men—the merest blink of His eyelid is stronger than the greatest powers arrayed against Him!). He is, in this time, the Protector of the poor, the plundered, the needy and the displaced. Note, Christians, in these Covid times, are you offering your home and your finances, your heart and your surplus to those who are caught up in the maelstrom of these times? If not, hmm, ask yourself how can I be numbered among the faithful (James 1:26-27)?

The LORD’s word is pure. You can read it. You can argue against it. You can test it. You can hold it up and every. single. time. it holds up as true and faithful and excellent—it withstands the test of time. The words of the LORD cannot be thrown down—in every generation they rise up again as praise-worthy and noble in ignoble times. This is why the government seeks to silence the church in the Covid times, the believers of God have the words that are pure, are true, are refined and are life.

As in every generation, so in our generation, the righteous and the faithful will face fines and prison. Those who oppose the murder of pre-born children are counted as vile in our generation. Yet Christians I call on you to honour those who defend life. Christians, like the Delta Hospice in B.C., where the government confiscated private property because the hospice refuses to allow Medical Assistance in Dying. A person coming to the hospice knows in advance it is a Christian centre, but the B.C. government hates to allow the LORD to be master over them in this area. Do not be distracted and allow Covid to be the only hill to test one’s faithfulness. Are you, dear Christian, keeping yourself from being stained by the world? Are you actively praying for those who disagree with you? Are you eating up the word desiring to be fed on all its delicacies so that you are growing up into maturity in Jesus Christ?

The psalm ends with a plea—to the LORD Who is pure and Protector—keep us from our own sins and keep us from the sins of this generation. Wickedness, when it is a constant drumbeat in our society and in our world, can drag us down—guard us O LORD.

Who is a god like You O LORD God Almighty? Puny as we are, it is easy for Christians to cheer a multi-tasker, who can juggle several things at once. But the greatest among us who can do many things does not even begin to approach Your infinite power and might, Your dominion and gracious activity on behalf of the cosmos, Your creatures and all flesh. You care for the widow and orphan. You plant governments and overthrow leaders. You know the names of the starving in Yemen and the distraught pleas of the board of governors of the Delta Hospice. You, faithful One, oversee the lives of the seven and a half billion (a number which is second by second increasing) people. You know every child in the womb. You know the conflicts in the minds of border security guards and police who may on the one hand personally disagree with the edicts of the government while on the other hand are required to uphold justice. O LORD, our Protector, You know the cries of our own hearts even as we confess we are double-minded and torn in various directions. Lead us by Your Word. For the glory of Jesus Christ, place us in His safety. Send Your Spirit so that in our sphere of influence—at work, at home, in politics, in church, in our circle of friends, in our nursing home or from our hospital beds—we will place our trust in You alone. Amen.

March 28, 2021 -- Psalm 11 -- The King our Refuge

In the LORD I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
    “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
    they have fitted their arrow to the string
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
    the LORD's throne is in heaven;
    his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
5 The LORD tests the righteous,
    but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
    fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the LORD is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.

Psalm 11 ESV

This psalm is made for these confusing days of tumult. The foundations are being destroyed—the Canadian government, at all levels are killing their people with abortions, Medical Assistance in Dying on the one hand, and then on the other imposing crazy restrictions against its own people with regards to economy, stopping compassionate visiting the ill and dying, quarantining healthy people and so on for a virus that is arguably less lethal than the common flu. Even the ‘now more virulent version’, which the state broadcaster of Canada declares is 60% more contagious (this means around 45-55 out of 1000 are likely to catch it (instead of 30 or so out of 1000).

Beloved children of God, look at the tremendous assurances given to the believer. The LORD is the refuge of His people—the government can never be the solution. No political party of any stripe can be a savior. Man-made solutions are always infected with hubris and folly. No political party can ever be the refuge or safety of people, only God the Father is the refuge of His Own—always has been, always will be.

Where is the LORD in all of this? He is in His holy temple! For us as New Testament Christians, this is even more powerful than it might have been for the Old Testament audience. King David’s great descendant, and His Lord, Jesus Christ has taken on Himself the punishment which our sins deserved. Jesus is now at the Father’s right hand, in the real temple, of which the temple in Jerusalem was a mere copy, He praying for believers, bringing righteousness and justice to their culmination. The believer need nor fear the arrows and calamities of the wicked. Notice the mighty power of God, His eyelids (yes, you read that right, in verse 4 His eyelids) test the children of men.

Think about this—your eyes are so delicate. How vulnerable your eyes are to having anything touch them, even the smallest grain of sand can make you so irritated and out of sorts, pained until it is removed. But the LORD is so powerful His eyelids, the merest blink, is enough to overthrow wicked people, baseless government decrees and armies of darkness. What many people might consider to be the most vulnerable and tender part of the body is, anthropomorphically speaking, for our Triune God, still greater than any power in the universe that could ever be arrayed against Him. Remember the LORD God is all powerful. He is Spirit. The psalm-writer is speaking “anthropomorphically”—he is applying human characteristics to God in order that we, small mortals that we are, can begin to grasp what is so beyond our knowledge and experience, which is the mighty, glorious, infinite power of our God.

Father of Glory, arrayed in splendour which is beyond our feeble comprehension, thank You for the terrible beauty of Scripture which directs the believer to begin to understand Who You Are. Blessed Savior, thank You for Your prayers at the Father’s right hand! Who, except for You, could rescue ruined and despoiled sinners so that we dare lift our eyes and our hands in prayer to You, the Triune Majesty, enthroned in righteousness and justice. Spirit of the Living God, increase our faith and imagination, so that our souls know themselves to be fully secure in the LORD God, our Refuge and in Christ, our Intercessor King seated at the Father’s right hand. Faithful God, heal Your fractured people. Jesus, our Great Bridegroom, help us, Your people, to know ourselves to be Your bride, being restored in beauty at Your command in glory. Enable us, Spirit of God, to live and act as Your people, unite from across the denominational lines and puny theological arguments which threaten to divide us, so that Your people, with one voice may declare: The LORD is King forever and ever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/NYe6EOIH1kY

March 22, 2021 -- Psalm 10:16-18 -- The LORD Who Is King inclines His ear to hear you

The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 10:16-18 English Standard Version

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), the Dutch theologian, journalist and politician wrote: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” Truly, as the psalmist had declared: the LORD is king forever, and all lands, every island and nation, every crag and every jungle—all the earth belongs to Him. Every courtroom, every journalist’s editing room, every police station and every prison, every church and all government buildings, all homes and hovels, castles and lean-to’s and every shelter for the homeless—all are claimed by the LORD.

All who are afflicted, all who cry out to Him will be heard. That in itself is powerful. How often have you thought to yourself—I just want to be heard—for someone to truly listen, not interrupt, not tell me their story or jump in when I pause for breath, but really listen to me from start to finish. The LORD hears. This verse has an anthropomorphism as well—God Who is Spirit “inclines His ear”—it is like He is turning His head in order that He is best positioned to hear you. How awesome is our God, the LORD, the King forever! He stoops from His mighty heavens to hear the faint cries of the lowliest people.

He will strengthen your heart. He gives you fresh courage to face the battle and every struggle.

Today’s prayer is the final paragraph of the prayer titled: “The Mediator” from The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions.

Lord, grant that my religion may not be

occasional and partial,

but universal, influential, effective,

and may I always continue in thy words

as well as thy works,

so that I may reach my end in peace.

https://youtu.be/VU5e4GEz1t0

March 19, 2021 -- Psalm 9:1-4 -- Your Praise will ever be on my lips

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
    they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
    you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

Psalm 9:1-4 English Standard Version

When you read verses one and two pause and then read verses three and four together something may occur to you. The writer of this Psalm is praising God His LORD in the face of very troubling and trying times. It is a common theme in the Psalms—praising the LORD, rather than rehearsing all that people are doing which we perceive (correctly or incorrectly) as wrong. How many times have you repeated the faults, failings and flaws of others? Especially when you are angry with that person!

When the LORD called His people to battle, a choir would be gathered (II Chronicles 20:21) praising the LORD their Warrior God. This praise choir would lead the people into battle and it would be obvious the victory is the LORD’s and His alone.

Think of Jesus Christ, at the final night of His ministry, hours before His betrayal, a betrayal He had already foretold, He and His disciples sang a hymn (Mark 14:26). How powerful the memory must have been for the disciples to recall the fact they were praising the Living God when Jesus is facing trials, beating, and suffering greater than any man ever has or ever would endure. He led His disciples in praise.

Remember this, Jesus’ suffering did not end. He still had to walk the road marked with suffering and pain, but the hymn of praise and hope showed the disciples, and us today as readers, His confidence rested securely in God His Father. What a testimony that is. For all who are in Christ, our hope and strength is found in God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sometimes the trial will end and we find peace. Sometimes the suffering and pain continues, but we know peace because God our Father is nearer than a sigh. Sometimes the suffering ends in death, to which we can reply: for us to live is Christ and to die is gain.

O LORD, God Most High, I will remember and count Your various, wonderful deeds—what You have done in my life. When my heart is overwhelmed and there are so many things too great to endure I will remember what You have done in Christ. Spirit of God, bring to mind what You are doing in Your people, how Jesus’ salvation is unstoppable. You, Spirit of God, are working out Jesus’ salvation into every part of my heart and mind and life in real time against real heart-break and sorrow. Let Your praise, O LORD, ever be on my lips. Amen.

https://youtu.be/XZDyMJhd4Bo

March 16, 2021 -- Psalm 8:1-2 -- The Majestic Name of the LORD

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

Psalm 8:1-2 English Standard Version

After a few Psalms of lament the book of Psalms breaks into this glorious poem of praise. I wonder, do you just sing laments when you’re sad and give full voice to ascriptions of praise like this one when you’re feeling blessed and happy? Let me suggestion something. When you feel the pressures of anxiety and worry, when grief weighs you down and you wonder—now what—it is very appropriate to praise the LORD.

Notice that even babies and infants—those who are helpless and in need of total care—who are praising the LORD are stronger than the foes of the LORD and all enemies. It is not our power that saves us. It is the strength of the LORD. When we praise Him, we are giving over our problems and our fears to Him and letting His grace and power take over.

Fears will crush us. Fears will drive us from the sole source of help available to us. When a lion attacks a young wild animal, it will seek to separate the young one from its mother so that this vulnerable one will be easy prey. When the devil is attacking he will be like a lion, seeking to move you from the protection and love of God—the Warrior King Who is Majestic. Do not give in to fear. Christ the King has taken away our punishment. Christ has given to you His righteousness. The accusations of the enemy count for nothing. God’s glory, which is above the heavens, is the glory and the strength, which shine over His children. As you bless His Name you are looking up to Him Who establishes His strength in you.

Blessed are You, O LORD our Lord! Joyful or sorrowful, confident or anxious—no matter the state of our mind or hearts, may we bless You and know You as the Strength and the Song of Your people. Before You all fears evaporate like mist before the morning sun. Amen.

https://youtu.be/3KESHlBh8a8

March 12, 2021 -- Vlog -- Video Log

Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus

Today's devotion is a vlog--a video blog. An update on my work with Redemption Prison Ministry. Hope it is a blessing for you. Shalom

https://youtu.be/UNUARMeR1R0

Copyright © 2021 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 -- Psalm 7:17 -- Tears of Lament and Unstoppable Hope

I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Psalm 7:17 English Standard Version

Remember that this Psalm began with lament. In fact, much of the psalm is filled with crying out the Living God. And this verse, the final stanza of the Psalm ends with the decision to praise. There are two possibilities. One is that the LORD has rescued the writer from all who pursued him. He is aware of the great deliverance of the God Who is His shield. Thanks be to the Living God, Who will rescue His people.

The second possibility is that the LORD has not yet rescued this one who is lamenting. The tears have gone out. The cries are still reverberating through the cosmos. The LORD on His throne has heard and the anguished one has vowed to praise the LORD. Whether his circumstances have changed right at that moment or not, the LORD has heard and He Who hears will act. Tears have given way to hope. That is the greatness of our God.

In fact bringing both this restoration of hope and enacting righteousness are what Jesus has done at the cross. All our wrongs have been placed on Jesus and He was punished for them in our place. At the cross where we formerly lamented when it seemed wrong-doers, enemies and betrayers have not been punished, we now plead for the salvation of our betrayers. Because He Who was crucified will return—as the Just Judge and the One Who makes all things right by His righteous judgments. Those who have not joined us in submitting to Jesus Christ and seeking in Him forgiveness will themselves bear the full weight of God’s wrath on their sins. This leads us to urgently pray, LORD, have mercy on them.

Man of Sorrow, Jesus our Savior-King—thank You for rescuing us at the cross! Thank You for bearing the full weight of God’s just anger against our sin. Thank You Father in heaven, that in Jesus, You call us beloved sons and daughters. Spirit of God, bring our enemies and betrayers to the full knowledge of Jesus’ redeeming work! Spirit of Truth rescue them from the hell of torments that awaits them, so that we, betrayed and betrayers, may kneel before Christ our King and in unison declare: “Hallelujah! What a Savior! May the thanks due Your Righteousness, Triune God, be declared in song and deed, praise and acts of holy service. Amen.

https://youtu.be/Q3F1Gq1IoLI

March 9, 2021 -- Psalm 7:1-5 -- The LORD our Refuge

O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge;
    save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,
    rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my friend with evil
    or plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
    and let him trample my life to the ground
    and lay my glory in the dust. Selah

Psalm 7:1-5 English Standard Version

Okay, it was very tempting just to skip over this Psalm—I mean, not another lament?! Then I realized a couple of things. One. It is the order of the Psalms and I want to respect this. Two. In these Covid times there are many people who are suffering greatly and the words of this prayer can give voice to something that might otherwise go unnamed. Three. This deals with the betrayal of a friend, or literally as it says at verse 4 in the Hebrew “one with whom I am at peace”. It is as if someone I trusted, who I could have expected kindness from or at minimum no harm, has turned and unexpectedly snarled and snapped at me causing pain.

Note that the LORD is the refuge of the Psalmist. He is first off expecting, as the Promise-Keeping God, the Covenant-Keeping LORD, a safe place to be protected, to bare his soul and to find mercy when no one else has a word of kindness for him. That is the important point, when you are wounded, do you turn to the LORD, your refuge, the One Place of Healing?

Notice that the psalmist, after claiming protection from God his Refuge, then examines his own conscience and actions. He is prepared to confess his own sins and the things he might have done which caused such betrayal. This is too important to just skip over. It is easy to know all the wrongs others have committed and rehearse these endlessly without ever considering one’s own complicity, or sinfulness. In this self-examination the psalmist is prepared to be humiliated and exposed.

Friends, people with whom there is peace because of Christ, what a glorious lesson is given here. Jesus is our peace. He alone was sinless. He alone had the right to cry out against all people who betrayed Him. Yet, He prayed for for all who wounded Him, who cheated Him and sinned against Him. It is the lesson of the cross. We are all debtors to the cross of Christ therefore, as such, we are freed to offer and receive from one another forgiveness and peace. Evil must still be redressed. Wrongs among the people of God must be righted. But it begins with forgiveness and then restoration of the relationship where possible, and will finally end with the now-reconciled giving praise to the LORD, the Most High God

Correct me, Spirit of God, so that I can see my own faults and failures. In view of the cross of Christ, give me a generous heart, ready to forgive. God of Salvation, restore among us fellowship with those whom I’d pegged as betrayers (whether they were so or not) so that together we can praise You, the LORD of Righteousness. All this is prayed on the basis of the powerful, accomplished work of Jesus. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ijsjA5Yf8XA

March 8, 2021 -- Psalm 6:6-10 -- Tears and Triumph

I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
    it grows weak because of all my foes.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my plea;
    the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
    they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

Psalm 6:6-10 English Standard Version

King David seemed to me, in my youth, a valiant character beyond reproach. A mighty warrior who could face down any opponent and defeat any wild animal. He was a man’s man with no emotion except victorious exuberance and high joys. The Psalms bring us a far more intimate portrait of the man. He has weaknesses. He has profoundly deep emotions which I had not associated with battle hardened warriors. He experienced tears. He experienced grief. I guess that last one should be obvious, any warrior will lose fellow soldiers in battles. There would be grief. Near unbearable grief hard to understand by the ordinary people who have not fought side by side in the thick of battle with a man dearer than a brother only to lose him to an enemy. Yes, anguished grief must have been familiar to him.

Where does his resilience come from so that he can cope? His strength, even in weeping, is from the LORD. Twice in verse 9 the powerful Name is used, all in capitals, which indicates it is the covenant Name of God. The LORD will not abandon His people—that is His sure-fire promise. Everything we experience in this life, even the most painful hardships, are purposeful. For this reason, we have hope beyond the tears. The LORD has conquered sin. The LORD has set our punishment on His Christ and given us life that no battle can ultimately take. We are His. David also wrote: “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5b). What glorious hope is ours in Name of God.

Prayer hearing, tear-seeing, anguished grief-relieving God of Power, blessed are You. When weariness overwhelms us and grief wrings out the last drop of moisture from our eyes, thank You for the fact that You hear and accept the prayers of Your people—this is not based on whether or not we feel it—this is anchored in the accomplished work of Jesus. Spirit of God sustain us until joy returns. And when our strength is renewed and it is almost impossible to relate to the deep anguish of the Psalm-writer, move us to pray for those in our lives, in our congregation, in our circle of friends or coworkers to pray passionately, that such resilience as this psalm pictures will be granted them, in Jesus’ Name we pray it. Amen

https://youtu.be/0LNQMZykJBQ