God's Remedy for My Infirmity

Psalms 77:10-12 KJV
And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

The Psalmist takes the first half of the Psalm to pour out his complaint. Things are tough and I do not believe our response should be to dismiss this as if he were a cry baby. God has placed this in the word on purpose. This world is a difficult place and it is often that we may wonder if God has cast us off forever. We are given a remedy to our infirmity and we had better take knowledge of it.

I will remember
Three times the Psalmist says remember. It is the beginning point and perhaps the most difficult to do. This is in the throes of the infirmity. This is when are least likely to accept the help we need. And that help is to remember years of God's right hand, the works of the Lord and his wonders of old. I note that he self administers. He says to himself to remember.

I will meditate
He doesn't end with remembering but takes it to the next level and meditate upon all the work of the Lord. Like an anti biotic that only works if we take the full dosage so remembering without meditating is not going to bring about the cure. It may give temporary relief but it will not heal the infirmity. Meditation implies time, study and some effort. Just remembering can be a difficult thing to do when we are informed. But meditating means that we go beyond perhaps what we have in our own resources and look elsewhere. We remember what God has done then we study to find out the why and how and where and who and when. The meditation is more than academic; it is internalized and applied. Through this process the informed overcome. But there is one more step to the recovery.

I will talk
Of God's doings. There are two ways to see this and all have merit. Talking in the sense if speaking to others to learn what they have learned. Secondly, talking in the sense of telling others what we have learned. There is no such thing as a healing that does not involve helping others be healed in this infirmity. Imagine a world where everyone who has found recovery from the depths of world sickness dedicated their lives to telling others what they learned on their journey to recovery. I wonder if we would ever again feel as if God had cast us off if we were all busy talking about what we had learned about the Lord when we did wonder if God had cast us off. So the missionary message of the text is the final stage to real recovery.

He Has His Own Cause

Psalms 74:22 KJV
Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

The 73rd Psalm ends on the note, "It is good for me to draw near unto God."
But the 74th again has the Psalmist grieving over the condition of his world ("the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.")

It is the struggle that is part and parcel with believing in Christ and belonging to (not as being of it but in it) this world.
• On the one hand we have great joy and peace in knowing we are saved
• But on the other we are oppressed by the wickedness of the lost
• On the one hand we are glad for those circumstances that draw us to the Lord
• But on the other we get so burdened with the weight of those same circumstances
• On the one hand we have faith and Assurance that God will reign in eternity
• But on the other we wrestle with the fact that the devil has such victory today

The Psalmist's answer, and a lesson that would make wise practice in our prayer life today, was to plead that God Himself would plead His own cause. It is reminiscent of the Lord's model prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The most powerful prayers we could bring to God are those that his will be done.

Lord, we are in need of thy hand. Plead your own cause for people today.

The Christian Experience

Psalms 71:19 KJV
Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

This whole Psalm could be looked at as the Christian experience.

The Psalmist begins by
Declaring his trust in the Lord and proclaiming his deliverance.
Vs 1-2

He then honestly describes the battle of the Christian in this world and, though the conflict is fierce, he knows God is near to help him.
Vs 3-14

The next section outlines his life's commission as a missionary and evangelist.
Vs 15-18

He ends the Psalm addressing the promises of eternity.
Vs 19-24

They Persecute Him

Psalms 69:26 KJV
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

Though we cannot attach every verse in this Psalm to our Saviour (vs 5, for example) it is a Messianic Psalm, meaning it is prophetic of the Lord; being both referred to and quoted in the New Testament by and about Jesus. That being the case there are two verses that especially seemed significant today;
First is verse twenty and the brokenness of the heart of the Saviour over reproach.
How deeply the mocking and cursing of those before and at the cross cut into the heart of the Lord, much deeper than the spear that eventually pierced it.

Second is verse twenty six which has a doctrinal lesson and a personal application.
The doctrine is that, though men put Christ on the Cross it was God who had smitten Him. And though men mocked and reviled and spoke to His grief, it was God who had wounded Him. God ordained and commissioned the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. Wicked men carried out the deed but God offered the life that was taken for the washing away of sin.
The application would have to with the cruelty of and displeasure of God in man's feeding frenzy on the afflicted.
Man tends to hover around the wounded one like a culture waiting for the kill. When a soul is wounded and afflicted our response ought to be to minister to them and bind up their wounds. Too often instead we gnashing on them with our teeth and tear their wounds that much the more.

Fight This Before You Fight That

Revelation 20:7 KJV
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

When the thousand years are expired….

Those thousand years are speaking of the one thousand year reign of Christ. And we think of them (at least I always have) of happening in an instant. In my mind I go from the rapture and Tribulation to eternity with the kingdom only being a flash of thought. It has a purpose but I see Satan bound and then released as happening in only a moment's time.

And it is appropriate to think of it that way. It is the mind of the believer taking on the character of God who sees one day as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

But I was struck today with just how long a time it really is.

What has happened in the last one thousand years is almost incomprehensible to most of us. Our education has provided us with some concept of those events of the last one thousand years, but they were so long ago and so much different than our lives that it is almost like a fiction than a reality. Our own nation has only existed a little less that 250 years and even in that brief period of time (our presidents still only number in the forties) we have squabbles about historical accuracy. There is as much fiction as fact written today about great historical figures such as Franklin and Washington.

I say all of that to ask you to imagine a one thousand year reign of Christ.
• One thousand years with Satan bound
• One thousand years with Christ's literal presence
• One thousand years of sin restrained by the rod of the Lord
• One thousand years of perfect world peace
• One thousand years of peace with the animal world
• No one is mauled by a dog or bitten by a serpent
• No one is taken to the hospital sick from a bug bite
We may presume the likes of swine and Asian flu will not be known

But sin still exists. It is restrained with the rod and restricted because Satan is not there to tempt. But it still harbors in the hearts of men. And when those thousand years are expired Satan is loosed and has no difficulty assembling an army of those who have begrudged the rod of the Lord, to fight against God.

Our sin is a terrible evil and it is focused directly at the Lord. Would to God we would be sensible enough to declare war on the sin that dwells in our flesh before it declares war on the God who dwelt among us to save us.

A Wealthy Place

Psalms 66:10-12 KJV
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

It seems to me that Christians in America, might be headed for a time of proving.

Life in this church age is, in fact, a proving time for all believers. But there are undoubtedly times when that proving is more pronounced than at other times. Some Christians have experienced very little that could be called proving in the last 70-100 years. They would say we have been in the "Philadelphia era" of the church, (taken from the seven churches of Revelation using them to describe seven church periods in history) the time of the greatest revival in church history. Whether that is the case or whether churches just got really good at religion that felt unworldly to them but was passable to the culture, I am not sure. But this does appear to be sure, it is getting tougher today.

In the face of these tougher times this Psalm has some instructive word;
First, God's trying is as if we were silver
He counts those who are tried as precious and valuable. His proving is not proof of His displeasure with us, but of His treasuring us.

Second the proving might be intense. Verses 10 and 12 sound terrible to endure
While he treasures his people he spares them not in the crucible of trial. Don't mistake the heat of proving to mean he has no love for us. But neither mistake His love for us to mean He will spare us from hard proving.

Third, the work of proving ends in great reward
I take that wealthy place to be heaven and not earth.
• No spot or blemish arrives in heaven
• Sin is not fit for that wealthy place

It is true that we are forgiven because of the cross. But God is not finished with us at the Cross. We are risen in Christ to walk in newness if life and God has ordained the saved to good works. Filthiness, blasphemy, adultery even lying cannot enter into heaven. Grace has forgiven us. Mercifully and lovingly God has taken in hand to prove us as silver in the fire, til we are fit to dwell in that wealthy place.

Thus Will I Bless Thee

Psalms 63:3-4 KJV

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

The word thus would mean "for this reason, upon this occasion or surely".

The Psalmist says before "my lips shall praise thee" and after "I will lift up my hands in thy name." And he says he will bless God while he lives.

The practice of lifting up of hands can become over done or at least improperly done. I will often stretch out my hands to the Lord in time of need or in time of rejoicing. But it is in my private times of devotion. To do it in public worship settings can have the effect of drawing too much attention on the individual (and we have a tendency to like attention too much anyway.) It also distracts from the message being preached and we need to remember the importance of the sermon.

Praising the Lord with our lips has a number of applications;

• Singing
• Praying
• Witnessing

are all uses of the lips to praise God. Giving testimony of God's goodness is another means of praise. And then just purposefully praising God to God alone is an obvious means.

Called, Chosen and Faithful?

Revelation 17:14 KJV
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

It is hard to deny that this text has a lot of ambiguity. Even in many if those places where the Scripture interprets itself there is much we don't know.
• The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits
• The woman is that great city
Truly we see through a glass darkly. There are many cities in the world that are said to sit on seven mountains. My personal perspective is that it is speaking of Rome. But I will admit that I hold to that because my pastor taught to me. Whether that is set in inerrancy, I would not dare to say.

But there is something that does rise out of the haze in this passage. The Lamb is clearly visible and unmistakably Jesus Christ. He overcomes not only the kings of the chapter but the fog that settles in our heads.

And who is that we see with Him? The Bible says they are called and chosen and faithful. It is a reference to we who are the saved.
• We are the called
• We are the chosen but
Are we today also the faithful?

Help; or help

Psalms 60:11 KJV
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

I see a few ways to apply this passage but I want to go back to the meaning of the word help as salvation. There are two different Greek Words translated help in the verse; both are equally Scripture.
• God surrounds us
• Man attempts to deliver us

The basic implication is that of salvation

Truly the only salvation worth seeking is that which comes from God.
• Vain
• Empty
• Useless
is the salvation that comes from man.

And talk about trouble; surely this world is filled with things that bring trouble to the Christian, but none are equal the trouble of hell awaiting the sinner. Help Lord, for there is no other help for our salvation.

God That Judgeth

Psalms 58:11 KJV
So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Surely we need such a day now. It seems that even the Christians question whether God judges in the earth.

Certainly we cannot pronounce what and who and where God judges. I cannot possibly know all that is in the mind of God, for instance, in the circumstances of the Japanese earthquake. But neither must I dismiss that such was a judgment from God.

What an error on the part of the saints to pronounce too strictly what God may have been judging. But what equal error for a child of God to assure others that God was not in any way involved or that it was in no way a judgment of God.

Oh that our world would see there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

The Song of Moses in Revelation

Revelation 15:3 KJV
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

The song of Revelation 15 extols the ways, the works, the character and the judgments of God.

His ways
• Just
• True

His works
• Great
• Marvelous

His character
• Holy

His judgments
• Manifest

And therefore who shall not fear Him?

The God of heaven is such a God that it is inconceivable that any in this world would not seek to be reconciled to Him. And the good news is
• That there is a means of reconciliation provided by God Himself so perfectly capable of bringing about the reconciliation and
• That God is willing that all be saved so there is no one who could not be reconciled so long as he seeks it through God's own provided means in the Gospel of Christ.

Then....

Psalms 51:13 KJV
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

David has been caught in his sin. It is the sort of thing that brings men down.
• He has taken in his bed another man's wife
• She has conceived and to conceal the sin
• He has had the man killed.

But it was not concealed. Who would have ever thought the prophet could have known?
Perhaps Joab went to speak to him. Joab was like that or
Perhaps God told the prophet personally, God can do that

However it came to be known, David was caught. The question was, what would he do?

And he did the right thing.
He confessed it to the Lord. Not one of those "I'm sorry I got caught" confessions but earnest confession to God alone. He did not attempt to justify, excuse or run from his sin. He saw it as exactly what it was, sin against God. And he pled for cleansing.

It was at this point that David said, "Then".
What a great realization. His sin had not forever ruined his relationship with God or destroyed his opportunity to be used of the Lord. Nothing in his life would ever be the same because of this sin. And he paid a high price for the sin. But God had not abandoned him and he could still point sinners in the way.

The same is true for the repentant today

God isn't after our groceries

Psalms 50:12 KJV
If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Having to do with sacrifices, God instructs that He owns the goats and the cattle on a thousand hills. He says that the fowl of the air are His as are the wild beasts of the forest. God did not expect that sacrifice to feed Him. He was and is not hungry.

The sacrifice was for the benefit of the giver.
It reminded them of their sin and of the One provided by God to forgive that sin.

The same is true of our offerings today.
While the Lord does use them for the support and operation of His churches, He does not need them. Giving is for our benefit. It reminds us that we rely upon the Lord and that He is our care and giver. It makes us partakers in the great plan of the Lord in this world and opens God's windows of blessing upon us.

Walk, Mark and Talk

Psalms 48:12-14 KJV
Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

We are given three commandments in these verses:
• Walk about Zion
• Mark her bulwarks
• Tell it to the generation following

If we, for the purposes of our generation, consider Zion to be the faith once delivered, if we see it as a representation of our doctrine, our practice, and our hope, then this would speak of
• Walking in that faith then
• Studying that faith so we could finally
• Witness our faith to those coming after us

Present Help

Psalms 46:1 KJV
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

King David was not only a psalmist and poet but a prophet as well.

Psalms 45-46 are unquestionably prophetic and dealing with the destruction of this earth and the heavens and the creation of the new heaven and earth. It sounds very much like the last two chapters of Revelation. The application for the Christian is that in that day God will be a very present help and we have no need then to fear it.

Religion has developed a present tense mentality which has overcome churches. People inside and out make the responsibility of both Christianity and God Himself to be relevant to present and personal needs.

The fact is we must not bow to this self centered religion but proclaim boldly what is
• The plan of God for the future
• The need of man in its view and therefore
• The purpose of and the good of God's churches

Our need is future. Our true concern relates to the end of this world. We will be glad when the earth melts and we are saved in the presence of the Lord.

Shame, Shame

Psalms 44:7-9 KJV
But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

• Verse seven speaks of the shame the enemies of the Lord experience while
• Verse nine speaks of the shame experienced by the people of the Lord.

There is in the Word of God this conflict and it is because we are a people not of this world and so not welcomed by the world but still too much conformed to the world and so needy of God's ministry of correction within us.

How we resist that correction!

Our problem is that we see ourselves as deserving His goodness or at the least, undeserving of His corrections. If we could come to see that corrections, especially for the saved, are always intended for the good thing, if we could come to trust in the Lord, if we could learn to wait upon Him we would find His judgments are always right.

Thou Favourest Me

Psalms 41:11 KJV
By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

We are often self centered in our study of the Bible and fail to see what that Bible really teaches because of it. This passage is an excellent example of that. The Psalm is Messianic. Of this there is no question because it treats the betrayal of Jesus by Judas.

Verse 11 should then be understood to be the words of the Lord.
• He knows God favors Him
• He knows His heavenly Father has approved his sacrifice
How? Because He arose victorious over death.

In a self centered approach to the passage we would say that God must not favor us because an enemy got his way and we did not.
• Maybe an unsaved guy got a promotion we wanted
• Maybe the county denied a building permit we sought
• Maybe a judge decided we deserved the ticket we went to court to protest
God must not favor us because we did not get our way.

Remember first that this passage is referring to Jesus and not us. Remember secondly the context:
• Jesus was betrayed by His friend
• Jesus was captured by an army
• Jesus was tried and condemned to death under false witnesses

• He was beaten
• He was mocked
• He was sentenced to death and the sentence was carried out and that despite that Jesus had prayed, "Father let this cup pass from me..."
(I cite that quotes as another example of improperly interpreted Scripture and not because I believe Jesus prayed to escape the cross. I do not believe that.)

The victory Jesus experienced over His enemies was on the other side of death. We who are saved know the very same favor of God because, no matter what happens today, on the other side we dwell with God eternally.

The power of prayer

Revelation 8:5 KJV
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.


I know the context of the Revelation is future but I am of the opinion that would enhance rather than detract from what I see this morning.

The Word of God twice references the prayers of the saints in association with the fire of the altar. And then we see this angel take of that fire and place it in his censor and cast it to the earth.

I do not believe we need to pray for God to avenge us on this earth. He has already promised to do that. What I see is our prayers rising before the Lord and collecting there together into hot embers before God. They do not rise and die, but, together with the prayers of others glow brighter and brighter until that day God pleases to answer; and then what answers do come!

• Do not give up on prayer
• Do not quit lifting those prayers before the Lord
There is more power in our prayer than we can fathom.

Tribulation and Salvation

Revelation 7:9 KJV
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Revelation 7:14 KJV
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


Verse fourteen speaks of those who have come out of great tribulation. We see this as a moniker of that seven year period which shall be worse than this world has ever seen. The suffering of the great tribulation is nearly indescribable and even that description we have in the revelation involves types and metaphors that leave us only imagining the horror.

But the Bible also tells us that this great tribulation will be a time of immense salvation as multitudes of every kindred and nation and tongue come to know the Lamb of God.

We focus so much on temporal pleasures that we often miss the great work God may be doing through our troubles. The blessing of the Lord is seldom physical. But His blessing has eternal dividends.

Awe

Psalms 33:8 KJV
Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

The world is reeling this week over the news of the earthquake in Japan. I have heard that it was an 8.9 on the scale and I understand it may be the most powerful one on record. The earthquake caused tsunami waves that were devastating in Japan and even resulted in three deaths on coast of California when a group of Tsunami watchers were swept to sea.

Japan, they say, has the strictest earthquake building codes in the world and still buildings there toppled and two nuclear reactor plants are in danger of meltdown.

I know our world is repulsed by the thought of God's involvement in this, and I know some Christians will point to this as a sign that Jesus is coming soon. I do not want to make more of this than we ought but it does remind me that God is more powerful than the greatest of man's inventions and, if the strictest building codes in the world could not withstand this earthquake, no multitude of men will prevent God's will.

Let all the world stand in awe of Him.

Rejoice. He Knows

Psalms 31:7 KJV
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

God considers our trouble.

• Not that there was no trouble
• Not that God's considerations prevented his afflictions
These old saints didn't question why God didn't keep them from trouble but rejoiced knowing that God knows.

It returns to our lower views of God today. We somehow expect that God should care for us rather than being grateful that He does. We have the roles reversed. We see ourselves as the priority and not the Lord.

David, the great King of Israel, was content that God considered and knew. And knowing God knew made him glad.

After This

Revelation 4:1 KJV
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Today's Bible reading had me also in Psalm 30 and verse 5. Weeping may last for the night but joy cometh in the morning.

John had just dealt with the seven churches and the outline of the Revelation gives evidence that after the "things which are" (the churches) comes the "things which shall be hereafter." John dealt with "today" and then moved on to those things that shall be in heaven.

• If today is the night, after this comes the morning
• If today is for us a time of weeping, after this comes joy
• If today is long and lonely, after this is the voice of the Lord
• If today is worldly and cheap, after this is heaven

So you have such hope? I appeal to my reader to trust Christ today; after this it is too late.

Never Too Late

Revelation 3:19-20 KJV
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

There are several understandings of how the letters to the seven churches apply.
They were letters to literal churches of the day
The message must first be seen in light of what they meant to those churches.

They may used describe a particular type of church in any era
There have always been churches like each of these churches.

The spirit of each of these churches might be found in any one church
Every church can take a lesson from each letter.

They are thought to represent seven eras of church history ending with an apostate church when Christ comes.
Although the fourth is the most speculative and least authoritative of the applications it has merit because the nature of the book of the Revelation is prophetic.

In my opinion each of the four applications has validity. However we apply them there is this word of encouragement: though Christ had nothing positive to say about the church in Laodicea, He did say He was at their door and He did say he would accept their repentance.

Praise the Lord, it is never too late to repent.

The Angel of the Church

Revelation 2:1 KJV
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

As long as I have been studying the Bible I have been led to see the angels of the seven churches as the pastors of those churches.
• It is impossible that they would be spiritual angels or else they could not convey the message to the churches
• The word literally means messenger

We have built some doctrines around that teaching, for instance, that the pastor is in God's hand and no one should mess with him. Some churches in Quebec have taken it still further and developed their own peculiar interpretations of the seven letters built around the understanding that the letters are to the pastors specifically and not the churches. That is at least not the case with Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea because each of those letters ends with the Spirit addressing them to the churches.

But Scofield suggests that, rather than the pastors , these angels are messengers sent from the seven churches to see to the welfare of the exiled and aged John. Given the practice of communication we see in the letters of Paul this is certainly possible and probable. It does not negate that these messengers could have been the pastors; but it does call into question the teachings of those churches in Quebec. We need to make sure our doctrines are honestly Biblical and not merely preconceived ideas.

None of this changes the message of the seven letters, interpreted literally. Whether they were to the pastors of the churches or to those messengers sent to check on John, the function is the same; get these letters to the congregations.

And that is the urgency of our day. We do not need to get off on opinions and speculations of the Word. We need to get busy getting this Word of God to those who need to hear it.

Descriptors

Revelation 1:5 KJV
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Jesus is given many descriptors in the pages of the Bible. None of them show more connection to His relationship to mankind than these:

He is a faithful witness
Giving testimony to the image and likeness of God.

He is the first begotten of the dead
Identifying with those who were dead in trespasses and sins but are now alive through Him.

He is the prince of the kings of the earth
A prince would typically be an underling to the king but in this case it is obvious the term places Him as supervisor to the kings.

Assurance

Jude 1:1 KJV
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Scofield's notes on preserved are a blessing this morning.
"preserved"
"Assurance is the believer's full conviction that, through the work of Christ alone, received by faith, he is in possession of a salvation in which he will be eternally kept. And this assurance rests only upon the Scripture promises to him who believes. "

There is an assurance that belongs to the true child of the Lord. It is not based upon his circumstances or his own works but first
• Upon the promises of the Bible and then
• Upon the witness of the spirit of God in us

I recall a young man who came to our church years ago. He wrestled so much with assurance and we sought to help him in every way we could to no real avail. He finally got upset and quit when I said that a true believer knows he is saved. It occurs to me that even in his leaving he showed conviction of being preserved. He knew he was a true believer even though he said he didn't.

Too much time is spent these days trying to asure people of a faith they do not possess. If one is truly born again the Spirit of God gives them full conviction of the same. And if the Spirit of God is not giving them such conviction it is terrible and presumptuous for us to attempt to do it.

Truth

2 John 1:2 KJV
For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

Truth is the dominant theme through the first half of this little work, with the second half being taken up with the handling of deceivers.
• They walk in the truth
• They know the truth
• The truth dwells in them and so
• They love in the truth.

The truth is a reference to our faith in Christ. When we walk in that truth and that truth dwells within us we learn we have a whole family that belongs to us simply because we are in that truth.

Saved

Psalms 18:25-34 KJV
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

I read this Psalm (beginning in verse one and down through these verses) the story of the saved.
• We are overwhelmed with enemies
• But we cried out to God and He heard
• He not only answered but did so in most powerful of ways
• He came down
• He became man
• He took on the enemies of Satan sin and death face to face and hand to hand and
• He won

What victory belongs to the Christian! What glorious celebration can be ours, if we take our eyes off of the world itself and see what God has accomplished for us beyond this world. This world was gone to Satan ever since the sin of Adam and Eve. God's plan for it to its destruction. Don't question what God is doing today. It is without doubt always good. But the rewards are all in eternity. Read your Bible looking for those heavenly rewards, not little earthly trinkets. Then you will find more than enough reason to rejoice!

The Danger of Faith and How to Prevent it

1 John 5:4 KJV
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Faith is a powerful force. Even when it is not a spiritual faith, it can be very effective. A military unit that believes it can be victorious is often able to defeat even a much larger force, especially if the larger force doesn't have the same faith.
But faith can have a dangerous effect too. Faith trains a person to believe in that which is unseeable and maybe even illogical to the mind. Because of that those who are prone to faith may be led to believe things blindly.
• The evolutionist for instance, wants to believe that the earth was created without God to the extreme that they will believe any and all sorts of unscientific theories and label them true science though the theories bear no resemblance to the rules that even science has placed upon itself
• Those who lead in the cults and other heterodox religious organizations prey upon the faith of people, insisting that what they say is true despite the fact that there is no evidence to prove it is true and
• We who are believers base our conviction on faith. After all hope, if it is seen in not hoped for

So how are we to protect ourselves from the dangers of blindly following any and ever wind of doctrine? 1 John 5 gives us the key. Two words come up repeatedly in the chapter
First is "record"
We have a record. We have the Word of God. When we try the spirits whether they are of God we try them based upon the record of God's Word. If it is in the Bible we accept it by faith. If it is not in the Bible we not only question it, we reject it. The Book is our authority and our sole authority.

Second is "witness"
We have the witness of the Holy Spirit of God which I take in this context to speak of His illumination of that record which is the Word of God. We do more than study the Bible from the power of the flesh. We have the Spirit of God opening the Scriptures and making them plain to us. Here is the key to this, it is then not necessary that we accept what someone else says is the meaning and intent of God's Word. When we have the Holy Spirit we are not dependant upon someone else who claims to be more spiritual or more educated than we are. We depend upon our own study of God's Word as it is enabled by the Spirit of God we know lives within us.

So long as we personally study His Word, and so long as we are saved and living so that the Spirit is free to teach us, we may live and walk by faith without the danger of blindly following a faith that is not of God.

I Hear Ya'

1 John 4:6 KJV
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

The chapter begins telling us not to believe everything we hear spoken in the name of Christianity. Boy has that been neglected. These days just about anything is passed as acceptable Christianity if they put the word Christian in front of it.

One of the tests of truth is whether they say that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. False teachers today are aware of this verse and in many cases will say that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh but they mean it deceptively. They admit that a man named Jesus was called the Christ but they do not mean that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh. I do not think that false prophets are better liars now than then but I so fear that many professing Christians are more gullible now.

Ultimately the telling test is the one in verses five and six.
• If they listen to our message
• If it rings true to them
• If they agree with our doctrine
• If they unite with us in faith
Then we know they have faith in the same God we know.

• If they do not agree
• If they refuse to listen
• If they will not join with us around the message we preach
Then we know they are of a different Spirit.

Help Lord

Psalms 12:1 KJV
To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

The Psalmist cries out the word that ought to be on the lips of every believer, "Help Lord." David's phrase is "for the godly man ceaseth" but we could plug in any of a thousand reasons we need the Lord's help.

"Help Lord" ought to be the immediate cry of the parent who longs to see their children grow to be godly, responsible and decent members of society.
How could we ever expect to raise our children to enter this world of sin and do the godly thing unless the Lord helps?

"Help Lord" should be the first thought as we step out of our homes to enter the world that surrounds us.
We need His help to keep us from evil. We also need His help that we might be salt and light in the world.

"Help Lord" must be on our hearts as we undertake whatever ministry God has given us in His church.
That we could serve eternal things in the strength of a temporal life is out of the question. God must be our help or else our ministry is just so much busy work. Help Lord.

"Help Lord"

Beware the Seductress

1 John 2:26 KJV
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

Scofield's Notes says the word, seduce means to lead astray, but it implies much more than that. A seduction not only points you a different direction but draws and lures you that direction. There is a force, an unseen power attached to a seduction.

And it would be wise for us to recognize the power of the seduction.
• It is spiritual and other worldly
• It is supernatural and evil
• It is nothing that may be combated with flesh and blood

And the field of spiritual battle is littered with the casualties of seduction.
• Christians
• Pastors even
• Whole churches
are being seduced in directions other than the truth.

The seductress has successfully led entire congregations of Baptists down the path of modernism, progressivism and compromise. The lure of
• The best way to build big congregations or
• The new method to reach today's culture
has wrapped her tentacles around these churches or their pastors and they have been seduced.

But our Bible warns us of these seductresses. And being warned we may be armed. The Word of God is well able to keep us from being seduced. If we will view everything through the spectacles of the Word we will easily see the lie of seduction and stay on the old paths of righteousness and truth.

Walk In The Light

1 John 1:7-9 KJV
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What it means to walk in the light. To walk in the light is
To be aware of our sin nature.
We do not merely sin but we are phone to it. Our very nature is to do that which is contrary and opposed to the will of God.

To be conscious of our deeds of sin.
Walking in the light does not mean we
• Ignore that we have sinned or
• Sweep them under the carpet to hide our sin or
• Make light of the fact that we have sinned because it is forgiven.

To walk in the light is to completely expose those sins to the light that is God and to confess them
We should not ignore our sin; we do not need to forgive ourselves of our sin. But we may, under the authority of God's Word, rest in the fact that God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse the confessed sin. We should not forgive or in any way excuse our sin.

We should find perfect peace in knowing that, for Christ's sake, God has forgiven our sin.

Know This First

2 Peter 3:3-4 KJV
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Knowing this first. Of all that the prophets and apostles (note that Peter places the written words of the apostles on the same plane as the prophets. Later in this chapter he will especially acknowledge Paul) we should know first about the coming of the Lord.

It will be mocked in the world.

It will happen in the good time of the Lord.
His perspective on time is different and I might add, much higher than ours.

It should lead to our holy conversation.

Its delay is the opportunity for the salvation of others.

Rest Easy

2 Peter 2:2 KJV
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

The Bible is not surprised by the world of today. God knew very well that there would be
• False Christs
• False teachers and
• False Christians

God also knew that the way of truth would become evil spoken of as a result of them all.

This should in no way cause us consternation and turmoil of heart. God's sovereignty, His leadership in this world has in no way been hindered through this evil speaking. If anything it should be considered a part of His work of separating the sheep from the goats. If the false professors follow after the false teachers then there is safer plowing in the harvest fields of the Lord.

Rest easy in the faith.

Tucked Away

2 Peter 1:16-21 KJV
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

I think this verse might get tucked away and forgotten in the context in which it is found. It seems to me to be the central theme and the reason we have the passages about the sure word of prophecy and no private interpretation. Peter is motivating us to give heed to this message.

I see a definite appeal to the lost to take heed
The progression here is powerful for the lost; take heed to this message, knowing its truthfulness and veracity, until it takes root in you. We pretty much give people a shallow sales pitch of salvation today and if that doesn't do it to give them peace of soul then we give them the same pitch again or else give them the pitch of assurance. Preachers like Spurgeon didn't do it that same way. They urged sinners to hear the Word of God again and again until the light shone through into them.

There is also an application for the Christian who struggles spiritually
Peter had just spoken about diligent addition of virtues and urged the reader to "give diligence to make [their] calling and election sure." That surety comes through taking heed to this sure Word of prophecy. We must read, meditate and sit under the preaching of it until it comes to life in our hearts. This is no mere reformation religion. We are not in the business of rehabilitation. A new creature is what we seek. That can only happen through the working of the Spirit of God. Take heed to the message of the Bible. It is sure. It is pure and it is powerful. Come under its authority and stay there until the "day star arise in your hearts."

My Delight

Psalms 1:1-2 KJV
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

I want to be known for that which is my delight.

There is a blessing that is owned by those who separate themselves
• From sinners
• From scorners and
• From the ungodly
Surely the man who would be blessed of God will remove himself from these.

But too frequently the battle of separation becomes the mark of the believer. The Psalmist tells us that the blessed man is more than a militant separatist, he has a delight; and that delight is in the law of the Lord.

David was a man of war. Well into his later life he was still ready and willing to take up the sword against the enemies of God. But David's heart was that of the sweet Psalmist of Israel. His heart was after God, not after blood.

As I move into my senior years I want to focus on that in which I delight. I need to be a man of battle and separation but I must be known for those things which bring me delight.

And that which must be the most delightful must be the Lord and His Word.

PS, this post is a little late today because I was visiting my newest "granddaughter" Isabella Faith Harper

Scarcey Saved

1 Peter 4:18 KJV
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

What a thought. Those who are saved are "scarcely saved."

Scarcely saved is not barely saved. Gill says, "...not as if they were but in part saved, for they are completely saved; Christ has wrought out and finished a complete salvation for them; and they are saved from all enemies, and everything that might hurt them; from sin, Satan, the law, the world, hell, and death; and they are completely justified, and have all their sins pardoned, and shall be perfectly saved: nor as if their salvation was doubtful; for though they are scarcely, yet certainly saved."

• It is a salvation that is so strait and so narrow that no man could ever earn it of his own.
• It is a salvation that is provided not by our merits or else we would never attain to it but by the gift of God.
• It is a salvation accompanied by trials and afflictions in this life as Satan and the world oppose it.
But it is a salvation so wonderfully worth the difficulties that are today associated with it.

He's Gone On

1 Peter 3:22 KJV
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

He is gone into heaven..

There is huge joy and assurance that having placed my faith in Christ I am saved.
• I am not saved by my good works even though I want to be known for performing them.
• I am not saved by my baptism even though the ordinance is referenced in the passage.
I am saved by Jesus Christ and His death burial and resurrection.

The assurance rests in that Jesus Christ, though having tasted death, was raised again and has gone into heaven.
• That place I look for.
• That hope I have for the eternal future
• That blessedness that God created man to experience
Jesus knows it now.

And Jesus said in John 14:3 KJV
..... where I am, there ye may be also.

Another Witness

1 Peter 2:18-23 KJV
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

This passage reinforces a lesson that the Apostle Paul emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 6 and again in Romans chapters 12-15

1 Corinthians 6:7 KJV
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Romans 12:18-19 KJV
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Romans 13:10 KJV
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 14:19 KJV
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15:2-3 KJV
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Paul preaches over and again. The concept of the local church is so miraculous that we ought to do all to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace within that church. But now we find Peter lending his voice to the same message. Most often we view 1 Peter 2 as referring to enduring grief and suffering wrongfully from those who are not believers. And in the context I think that is best as the primary application. Nevertheless the fact is the passage supports Paul's insistence that Christians suffer wrong for the sake of the Gospel and the glory of God.

Incorruptible Seed

1 Peter 1:23 KJV
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

• I believe that the KJV Bible is without error and incorruptible. I do not believe there are any errors in it in any place.
• I believe that the God that gave us his Word is completely capable of protecting and preserving His Word and
• I believe the evidence says that preserved Word is to be found in the King James version of the Bible.

That being said there are multitudes of people who are professors of faith who have not used the KJV in any of their studies of the Bible and whose faith doesn't rest what they have learned in the KJV. Some have said they aren't saved because they were not brought to faith under preaching, teaching and conviction of the KJV. They will cite this passage as their proof text.

But the incorruptible seed of the verse is not the Word, but the Lord.
• It is Jesus who is the promised seed
• It is Jesus upon whom our faith rests
• It is Jesus who saves
And it is the Word of God by which we come to know Jesus.

I would never want to minimize the importance of the Word of God or the importance of an infallible Word. But we are not born again by the Word but "of" Jesus. He is the incorruptible seed.

Before the Door

James 5:7-9 KJV
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

The coming of the Lord is given in three levels.

It is announced
Be patient… unto the coming of the Lord. The result of the doctrine of Christ's coming should inspire patience in the believer.

It is hastened
The Word says it draws nigh. We are to be patient but our patience will be soon rewarded.

It is before the door.
I don't know when the Lord will call us to Himself. I do believe that it is drawing closer every day and that it is even now at the door.

Parenting

Job 30:1-2 KJV
But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?

Job's description of the difficulty he faces continues as he describes the sort of young men that have surrounded him. There is a hint that maybe they were brought up poorly because Job mentions that he would not have wanted their fathers working for him.

Job's character has been such that I suspect the issue is not Job but that they were men of lesser character. They raised children who did not respect the years or experience and testimony of good men.

• Parents who raise children well will raise them to respect and learn from their elders.
• Parents who do not will see their children grow to be a curse both to society and to themselves.

Raise children to respect authority or they will grow to have no respect for their own parents.

That Path

Job 28:7-8 KJV
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.

Job's parable here is beautiful. That path
• No fowl knows
• No vulture has seen and
• No lion has trodden
That path that is of more value than the gold and rubies in the ground.

It is the path of wisdom and it cannot be
• Dug out of the dirt
• Discovered in the study of nature or
• Purchased with the wealth of man
It can only be gotten through the fear of the Lord.

The Sin of Respecting of Persons

James 2:1 KJV
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

The faith in Christ can so easily be corrupted into something God never intended and thus cloud the glory of Christ.

Whenever we respect persons we appear to see more glory in them than in Christ.
• His glory is the only glory we should be able to see.
• His brilliance should so dim the glory of the wealthiest of men.

By respecting persons, by preferring one above another we betray the fact that we don't see the glory of Christ in them and imply to the world that there is no real glory in Christ. So the sin of respecting persons is greater than one might at first see. It is the sin of denigrating the glory that is Jesus Christ.

Statement of Faith

Job 23:8-10 KJV
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job continues to give these wonderful statements of faith in the midst of great adversity.

He says he can't see God before him or behind him.
On the left hand and on the right God has hidden Himself and he could not see Him.

But despite all of this Job emphatically claims,
• "He knoweth the way that I take" and
• "when He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold."

What a challenge it is to get this from the head to the heart. To acknowledge this is true is one thing. To live it as truth, an entirely different thing.

Suffer This

Hebrews 13:22 KJV
And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.

Paul had finished this letter which he calls "few words." It isn't that long comparing to the volume of a book.

Its message is an exhortation.
It is not meant to be strictly doctrinal, though it certainly contains doctrine.

Its message is an exhortation.
It is meant to inspire and stir to action and faith.

This is the prayer of the man of God.
We long to see our congregation not merely hear a sermon but to receive an exhortation. We believe our work hasn't ended until those who hear have been changed through the message. I beseech my congregation weekly, "suffer the word of exhortation."

Worthy of Writing

Job 19:23-27 KJV
Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job certainly got this prayer answered. Before there was a shred of preserved Word of God Job pleaded that these words be recorded never to be lost. This he was so confident of that regardless of the trial of his body he wanted this to be ever known.

His redeemer liveth.
It was not up to Job's righteousness. He knew he needed a redeemer. Further he knew he had a redeemer. His redeemer, though not visible will stand on this very soil in the later day.

He would see God
His flesh was at that moment being consumed but should he die of his afflictions it would only mean he would see God sooner.

He would see Him personally
He wanted to remove the possibility of his readers saying that he would spiritually see Him through some representative. Job believed in eternal life.

Read Job And...

Job 17:8-9 KJV
Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

Job describes his affliction and then says
• The upright will be astonished
• The innocent will be stirred and
• The righteous shall be stronger and stronger

That will be the reaction and results of Job's account for those who are upright, innocent and righteous. That is the value of the book and of its study; to astonish, to stir and to strengthen. There will be those who do not so benefit. They are the self righteous, proud and unwise.

Expectation

Hebrews 10:22 KJV
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The chapter begins with the people of the law still possessing the conscience of sin. But that was the law. The believer today possesses not the shadow but the very image, Jesus.
• We have a once for all offering.
• We have been sanctified.
• We have been made perfect.
• We may therefore draw nigh with full assurance and a pure heart and a clear conscience before the Lord.

But we still are aware of the sin of the flesh. What about that? Jesus sat down at the right hand of the God, from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool.

We do the same. We come to God and wait in expectation for that day.

The way in

Hebrews 9:8 KJV
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

The way into the holiest of all...

Whenever the high priest entered into the holiest of all he did so with blood and just once a year. Each visit into the holiest of all was a symbolic visit with God. He represented each of us as we seek a way into God's presence. By the fact that he never entered without blood the Bible says the Holy Ghost signified that the way into the holiest of all had still not been made clear. Each yearly visit was a reminder that they had no access to God.

But then came Jesus.

Christ entered into the holiest of all with his own blood once.

• He appears even right now in the presence of God for us
• He is our way into the holiest of all
• He is our access to God and
• He holds the way ever open for all who come to God through Him

Ancient of Days

Job 12:12 KJV
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

While the text speaks of varying sorts of worldly wisdom, the ultimate truth in this verse is that God Himself is "the ancient" and "length of days."

In a term that could be viewed as the combination of these two, the "Ancient of Days" is a title of God. He says with the ancient is wisdom and with length of days is understanding.

With HIS length of days comes understanding. It is evident that God understands. That there is no beginning or ending of His days means his understanding of the circumstances of our lives is infinite. He knows the trials Job faced. He understood it better than did Job.

Not all men of age have understanding and wisdom. In the case of the Lord, they are synonymous with understanding and wisdom. We may trust Him.

If I Justify Myself

Job 9:20-21 KJV
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

God's own Word says Job is a perfect man. But Job makes no such claim for himself.

• He sees himself as he is in the flesh
• God sees him as he is in Christ.

Realizing our need of righteousness is the main step in being righteous. The most righteous men are those who are most aware of their unrighteousness. It is not the person who speaks of his accomplishments we are the most drawn to but those whose honesty about themselves tends to their care of character.

In God's sight Job was perfect just and upright. Before men and in the flesh Job, like every man, must be perfected.

We've Heard These All Before

Job 7:7 KJV
O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

Job 7:15-16 KJV
So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

We've heard Job's complaints before. They are the same ones we use whenever we go through trying times in our own lives.

In verse seven he says he's sure he will never see good again. Of course we have read the end and know it not to be true. Our only problem in our own life is that we haven't read the end yet. It is true that many people never do see good return, at least not to the degree Job did. But we can't always see the reasons for the differences and we don't know what God is doing in the heart of anyone.

Ours is to trust our God. I doubt it is ever a good idea to express the same complaints as Job except to see that our complaints are not original and our end doesn't have to be either.

Why Powerless Preaching

Hebrews 5:11 KJV
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

The Apostle laid the fault of difficulty in preaching upon those to whom he preached. He said some things are hard to be uttered because they were dull of hearing and not because he was ill prepared.

I can attest that there are times when it is much easier to preach than at other times. Sometimes surely the problem is my own. Perhaps I have become distracted by something other than the preaching or I may not feel well.

But many times it isn't me at all but that the congregation that is dull of hearing.
• They are not prepared
• They are distracted
They are not spiritually well and it reveals itself in a difficult spirit to preach to.

Perfection Perfected

Job 3:1 KJV
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

We often think that Job's friends would have done a better job comforting if they had not said anything. That is true but it needs to be pointed out that the first one to speak was Job. He too would have been better off had he not spoken. His complaint opens the doors of the rest of this book, including God's rebuke of him toward the end of the book.

The story of Job is the account of the perfect being perfected.

It is impossible to deny the testimony of the scriptures concerning him in the first two chapters.
• Job is perfect and upright
• He fears God and eschews evil

But Job is still a man. And in that humanity his perfection could still be perfected.

God counts the saved as perfect in Christ. But our perfection sure needs perfecting.

Thank God He has not stopped perfecting us.

A Distant Second

Job 1:12 KJV
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

It has always been intriguing to me that God was as free with Job's possessions and even his children as He was.

God obviously loves His people. I don't mean to imply otherwise.

But, while He did not allow Satan to touch Job's life, many others including Job's own children died in this test and demonstration of faith. Not only was Job's wealth taken but multitudes of servants died. Families were hurt and it is as if that is of no consequence. No mention is made of the suffering and loss of all these who died.

I wonder if we don't place too much value on such things.

The lesson is obvious to me, seek first the kingdom of God and let Him care for the daily needs. Biblically things like
• Wealth
• Position
• Friends and even
• Family
come a distant second to things of the Spirit. We tend to think the reverse. We do spiritual things to improve our standing in those things that really matter to us.

God help us see life His way.

Not Yet

Hebrews 2:8 KJV
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

We don't see yet what God has done and is still doing.

The Scripture says God has put all things under Christ. But we do not yet see all things under Christ.

Our World appears to be anything but in subjection to Him.
• The leaders of our governments are far from knowing the authority of the Lord.
• The average person has no regard for Christ in his life and
• That is in the so called Christian countries of our world. By far the majority of people in the world have no knowledge of the Lord at all.
It does not yet appear that this world is under Christ. But that doesn't change the promise of the Bible. It does not change what is the fact of Scripture.

This world has been put under Him and under Him it is.

In God's own time what is under Christ will be brought into subjection to Him. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.

O, that souls would come bow today rather than then,

Pacifying Wrath

Esther 7:10 KJV
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Years ago I was asked to teach a program on anger management to a young man attending our church who was in trouble with the law. I developed my own lessons for him and based much of it out of this text. To be honest I don't know if I still have those lessons. But as I read these words today I saw three things that pacified the king's wrath

First, he removed himself for a moment
We should never react but always deliberately act. That often requires that we step away from a situation long enough to compose ourselves.

Second, he dealt with the problem
Haman's face was covered and he was taken into custody. We must get a handle on whatever is causing the wrath. I note that the king had help here. He did not handle this alone. Many of those things that cause us the most grief will require we enlist some help. It may be someone who helps us with the burden. It may be someone who comes along as a witness. It might be someone who holds us accountable. The key is we are not alone.

Finally, the king mortified the evil
If that is personal sin that makes us angry it has to be slain. If it is something in our lives that causes anxiety it must be done away with. Some stressors can't be easily slain. In those cases we must kill the stress they cause, perhaps through a good workout routine.

We don't have to live in anger. Reconciliation with Christ brings with it peace with God, peace with our neighbors and a peace that passeth all understanding.

The absolute avoidance of man worship.

Esther 5:9 KJV
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

Mordecai had every reason in the world to stand before Haman.
• Everyone else was doing it
• Haman was a high government official
• It is obvious that the king respected Haman a huge amount
• He was in a strange country and subject to him
Yet Haman recognized how important it is to keep worship where it belongs which is to God. It is no joking matter to bow before a man.
The three Hebrews risked their lives rather than worshiping that which is false.
Mordecai risked not only his own life but that of God's own people. And that after his refusal to bow had already led to judgment pronounced against them.

Don't let yourself be moved to man worship. Whatever the cost, refuse to participate in such idolatry.

Kindness, Love, and Mercy... Abundantly

Titus 3:4-6 KJV
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

I see three key words and concepts in the passages I read today.
I see first kindness and love
The work of the Lord in us is firstly a work of love. The kindness of God in loving us cannot be over stated. We have every reason to rejoice in such kindness and love.

And then comes the word mercy
We are saved not by our good works or by our own personal righteousness but by the mercy of the Lord upon us.

Finally comes the word abundantly
What God has done is no small and petty thing but is gracious and large and abundant.