Category: devotional

Psalm 32:8-10

 

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

which must be curbed with bit and bridle,

or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.

 

            Psalm 32 is a beautiful song of forgiveness. David, the psalmist, knows that he is guilty of great sin. He was miserable in his spirit until he finally turned to the Lord, confessed his sin, and sought forgiveness. God graciously forgave David.

 

            After David was forgiven, he turned his attention to others. Because David knew the grief and sorrow that accompanies being out of fellowship with God, he makes it a goal of his to help others find God’s grace. David calls to the lost not to be stubborn like mules, but to obey the commands of the lord and find his mercy.

 

            Christians, we are much like David. We are guilty of sin before a holy God. We deserve wrath, but God has granted us peace and mercy in Christ. We have joy in Christ and fellowship with the Most High.

 

            How then could we not also be like David in our desire for others to share this joy? We share the gospel with the nations so that many other voices can join in the chorus singing of the forgiveness granted by our Savior. They are lost without Jesus. They will have great joy if they will trust in Christ and be forgiven. God will be honored by the praises of the redeemed. So let’s make it our point to take the gospel to those who need it. 

Psalm 77:6, 11-13

 

6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;

let me meditate in my heart.”

Then my spirit made a diligent search:

 

11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will ponder all your work,

and meditate on your mighty deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?

 

            Psalm 77 begins with a sorrowful minor chord. The psalmist is in distress. We do not know why. All we know is that his heart is breaking. When he thinks about his situation, and when he thinks about the Lord, he hurts. The darkness of his present circumstances makes him doubt even the goodness of God.

 

            What will he do? The psalmist sets his mind to remember. In verse 6, he says that he will remember his song. The psalmist is about to take his memory outside the cloud of his darkness. He is about to turn his mind to a place when it was not clouded by grief but was instead filled with the joyful song of the redeemed.

 

            What does the psalmist think of to bring joy into his mind? He remembers the great deeds of the Lord. He looks back into his memory to again find the joy of the great things that he has seen God do. He remembers the power and mighty acts of the Lord from years gone by. He remembers the perfection and holiness of God. These will bring him hope in the middle of a dark time.

 

            What do you do when you suffer hardship/ What do you do when your mind is clouded with sorrow? How about taking a line from the psalmist? Look back into the past faithfulness of God. What have you seen God do that used to give you joy, that used to make you sing? What events from Scripture remind you most of God’s power, God’s faithfulness, God’s grace, or God’s mercy? Set you mind on the glories of God that are not sullied by the cloud of your despair. Remember your song. Remember your Lord. Find joy in the faithfulness and holiness of God.

Colossians 2:2b-3

 

to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

            Here is a major prayer of Paul’s for the church.  He wants the people to be rich, very rich.  This sounds nice.  We want to be rich.  But, as you know if you know the Scriptures at all, riches in this world mean nothing.  Paul wants the people of god to have riches that will last forever and which are worth far more than silver or gold.  Paul wants the people to have a clear, soul-encouraging, life-altering grasp of the gospel.

 

            It’s funny when you look at the books that say what things need to be central to any church.  Sometimes you will see that it is programs and activities.  Sometimes you will see authors recommend this type of ministry or that.  But the Scripture is clear, where the true church is, you find the people of God fully committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

            Paul prays that the people will have  “full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery.”  This is not a prayer for a slight, child’s grasp of the gospel.  No, Paul wants the people to go much deeper.  God wants his people to have the riches of fully understanding, fully grasping, fully knowing the good news of Jesus.  God wants us to know the Scripture well.  He wants us to grasp the gospel in depth.  He wants us to not be satisfied until we stand face-to-face with Christ.

2 Samuel 7:18

 

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”

 

            Why me? We ask this question in our lives more often than we care to admit. Why is this bad thing happening to me? Why can’t I have the easy life that that guy has? Why am I saddled with this debt, this health problem, this difficulty?

 

            The Bible has some “Why me” questions in it too. Above, we see one of them, a good one. David has just received the promise of God that one of his descendants will rule forever. David has been promised, even if he does not understand it fully, that the Messiah will come from his household. Regardless of how much David understands, we know he grasps that God has made him a major promise, that David’s kingdom will not fall like Saul’s.

 

            So King David asks, “Why me?” He does not, however, ask this question in the way that we often do. David sees the good that God has promised him, and he is amazed. David knows his own heart. David knows his own weakness, his own smallness. He knows that he does not deserve the kindness that God has already shown him. So David asks, “Who am I,” which is just another way of saying, “Why me.”

 

            Add to the mix, please, that David was a hero in so many ways. He fought the giant for the sake of the honor of God’s name. He refused to reach out his hand and destroy King Saul because Saul was the Lord’s anointed. David had danced with all his might in praise of the Lord and joy as he brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. In our minds, if we are not careful, we will think that David had indeed earned his reward. David knew better than us. David knew that he had earned nothing from God. This is why David asks, “Who am I?”

 

            What about you? Are you asking “Why me?” Do you feel that you have received worse than you deserve? Do you feel unfairly treated. Perhaps you have been, but not by God. I have no doubt that you have been wronged by other people around you. I have too. But never has God treated me wrongly. Never has God given me something that is worse than I deserve.

 

            In reality, I should be asking God “Why me” in the same voice of David. Why has God chosen to let me know about Jesus when so many millions, even billions, have never heard his name? Why has God allowed me to be able to read, to write, and to think straight when so many can do none of these things? Why has God allowed me to serve him in his church when I know what a sinner I am deep down inside? Why has God allowed me to have enough food for today when so many people who are so  much better than I am are scavenging for every morsel? Indeed, “Why me?”

#END

 

Colossians 1:15-16

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

 

Psalm 89:27

 

And I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

 

            On multiple occasions, the Bible speaks of Jesus as the “firstborn.” Sadly, some have read this word and misunderstood the biblical meaning behind it. Certain groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, assume that when Paul calls Jesus firstborn (cf. Col 1:15), he intends to communicate that Jesus is God’s first created being. However, this is not biblically sound.

 

            Looking at Colossians 1:16, we see that Paul follows his declaration of Jesus as firstborn with a statement that all things that exist, whether physical or spiritual, were created by Jesus, through Jesus, and for Jesus. If Jesus created all that is, including all spiritual beings, then he must not be himself created. No, Jesus, like God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, is uncreated, eternal. Jesus is God just as the Father and Spirit. There is one God, and this God has revealed himself in three persons.

 

            Why the firstborn language then? Psalm 89:27 shows us the import of such terminology. Firstborn is a position of rank. God says that, in his time, David would be the firstborn among kings. David was not the first king of Israel, that was Saul. It meant that David would be superior and hold the position of supremacy. Similarly, the Bible promises that one of David’s future descendants would hold the supreme rank over all kings who ever reigned before, even if that king is not the first king to be born. Yes, Jesus is the firstborn because he is the supreme king who reigns as a descendant of David on the throne of the universe.

Psalm 21:8-9

 

8 Your hand will find out all your enemies;

your right hand will find out those who hate you.

9 You will make them as a blazing oven

when you appear.

The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,

and fire will consume them.

  

            Not wanting to beat a dead horse, but boy is the Bible clear about the wrath of God. I can’t imagine just how many megabytes of data have been zooming all over the Internet arguing over issues like hell and the wrath of God. Many want to deny that God has wrath for our sin. Many want to deny that God would send a lost soul to eternal, conscious torment. Yet, when we read the Scripture, the argument just is not there.

 

            Looking here in Psalm 21, the imagery is clear. God will find those who hate him. Don’t think for a minute that such people do not exist; they do. God will find them. God will respond to them. God will ultimately show his wrath and justice toward those who have sinned against him and not repented and sought his grace.

 

            Instead of attempting to find ways to deny the clearly revealed character of God as a holy and righteous judge, perhaps we would do better spending our time and energy helping people to see their need for his grace. The entire world needs to know that they have been created by a God who commands them to come to him for mercy. The world needs to hear the truth and hear the offer of grace in Christ. We are foolish to change the revealed word of God to make anybody think that those who have rejected God are OK in God’s sight. Instead, we need to be honest enough with them to tell them that they need mercy and that mercy is available in Christ for all who will believe and repent.

Psalm 16:2

 

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

 

            How often do we mean what we say? How often do we say something, it sounds good, but we do not live it in reality? Could you or I say what we read here in Psalm 16:2?

 

            The psalmist says two things to God. First, he calls God his lord. Do we? Is God our ruler, our master, our complete and total authority? Do we obey him in all things, or do we pick and choose our obedience based on what fits our present desires?

 

            The second thing that the psalmist says of God is that he has no good apart from the Lord. What an amazing thing to say. There is nothing good in the life of the psalmist, or in ours, that does not come to us from God. In fact, God is our only good. All the good things that we have are simply pointers to remind us of the goodness of the Creator. Do you love your family? They are here to make you love your Maker more. Do you have a happy job? It exists for you to love your King. Do you love your church? It exists that you might worship your Savior.

 

            What a good thing it would be for us to read these poetic lines and see them for the truths they are. God is our lord. He is our master. He is our authority. God is also our only source of good. If we want good, we want God. If we replace God with something else, that something else is not good.

Psalm 7:10-13

 

10 My shield is with God,

who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,

and a God who feels indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;

he has bent and readied his bow;

13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,

making his arrows fiery shafts.

 

            In the most recent controversy through the Christian blogosphere, people have gone back and forth about whether or not God would actually send anyone to hell. Interestingly, the argument has very little to do with Scripture or the depiction of God in the Bible, instead focusing on each individual’s particular preference for what God might or might not do. But if we take a look at how God is revealed in the word, we will see something about God that is not often mentioned.

 

            Looking at the verses above, we see two things very clearly. First, David, the psalmist, runs to God for rescue. He trusts the Lord. He knows God as the God who saves. This, of course, matches the modern picture well.

 

            But then David speaks of God as, well, angry at sin. God has deadly weapons aimed at the hearts of those who refuse to repent. God will judge those who refuse to turn from their sin and to him.

 

            Notice that the saving God and the judging God are the same God. There is no shift. This is not Old Testament and New Testament differences. There is no difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, he is only one God. God did not change. God has always been gracious and compassionate. God has always been wrathful, jealous for his own glory, and punishing sin.

 

            How should we feel about what God does? Well, since God is perfect and we are not, we should understand that his love and his wrath are perfect. If God judges sin, then judging sin is perfect. If God saves a sinner by grace through faith in Christ, then doing so is perfect. We need to stop trying to judge the actions of God based on our opinions. God is perfect. We are crooked. We cannot measure the actions of God based on our preferences. He is always right. His ways are above and beyond us, holy in the truest sense of the word.

1 Samuel 2:23-25

 

23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

 

        The prophet Eli had two sons, two very wicked young men. They refused to follow the Lord. They corrupted the worship of God, and they abused the authority that they had been given by God.

 

        When Eli, their father, warned the young men to stop their evil practices, they refused. What fascinates me, however, is the fact that the Lord is still very much in control. Look at the verse again. The two men refused to listen to their father. Why? Verse 25 says, “But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.” Even when the young men rebelled, and did so freely based on their own evil desires, Gods’ will was still accomplished.

 

        Christians, we want to always give God proper glory for all that the Lord does. This is a big deal, as God has set up his name as the most important thing in all the universe. Part of us doing this rightly is for us to recognize that God is sovereign over all things. Even here, when the young men, by their free will, chose to dishonor the Lord, God’s will was done. Our God is above and beyond us. He is able to accomplish all he desires. He deserves great praise, even when he works in ways that we cannot explain.    

John 21:9-14

 

9     When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10     Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11     So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12     Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13     Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14     This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

 

            After Jesus’ resurrection, he meets his disciples on a beach early one morning. The disciples had spent all night fishing with no success, but then experienced a miracle as Jesus helped them to haul in 153 fish. Once the disciples understood that it was Jesus standing on the shore, they joined Jesus by the campfire for breakfast.

 

The disciples all know that, though it seems impossible, they are having a morning meal with the risen Lord Jesus.  Though life has been hard, and the last few weeks have totally stretched these men to their emotional limits, for this moment on this morning, everything seems right.

 

            What a privilege these disciples had.  They shared a meal with the risen Lord Jesus, back from the dead.  And, as they had come to realize, they were not merely eating with a man.  They were eating with the man who was God.  They were sharing a meal with their Creator, their Lord, their Master, their Teacher, their Savior.

 

            What would you give for the opportunity to share in that meal?  What would you give for the chance to sit down around the fire with the Lord Himself and simply be in his presence?  How glorious would that be? 

 

You      know what?  You have that chance.  Jesus has promised his followers that he would be with us always.  He also commanded his followers to celebrate him in a meal.  IN the Lord’s Supper, we remember Jesus and what he has done for us.  We remember his body and blood as we take of the bread and the wine.  As we eat, we remember, and we look forward to the day when we join him, face-to-face, in his kingdom forever.  And as we eat, we are in his presence.  His Spirit is present, and we are with him as truly as his disciples were with him on that beach in Galilee.

 

 

            Christians, it is a joy to be in Jesus’ presence.  Peter leapt overboard out of his eagerness to be in Jesus’ presence.  He could not wait to be with his Lord.  Is your life marked with that kind of desire?  Do you rush to the Savior every chance you get?  Do you pray in such a way, with such eagerness, that it truly shows that you want to be in the Lord’s presence?  Do you run to God’s word with hunger, longing to hear the voice of your Lord?  Do you come to worship with anticipation, knowing that the Lord’s Spirit will be among his people?  Do you look forward to Sundays when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper as special days in which we enter in a unique way into the company of Jesus? 

 

            I urge you, Christians, learn to long for the presence of Jesus.  Treasure the time that we spend with him.  Do not act as though it is nothing special.  It is a privilege that God gives us to worship him, to read his word, to pray to him, to receive the Lord’s Supper. 

 

            Perhaps you should ask yourself right now what things stand between you and enjoying the presence of God.  Ask God to show you what keeps you from loving him and enjoying him as you ought.  Turn from that stuff, and run to Jesus.  HE will receive you and fellowship with you if you will come to him eagerly, humbly.  But you can only come if you have received his grace.  So, cry out to Jesus for forgiveness, turn from your sin, and run to Jesus, loving to be with your Lord.