Psalm 138:2 (ESV)
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
We live in a world where many people are debating among themselves what God values most. They debate God’s position on modern social issues, and claim to have understanding of the heart of God. They act as though they know what God would do with our circumstances.
Sadly, in many of these discussions, one thing is lacking. What is it? The word of God seems absent from the methods being used by many pastors and scholars who are making big and sweeping statements.
Notice in the verse above, however, what God says is of greatest importance. God has exalted, above all things, two things: his name and his word. God’s name is not only the word used to refer to him, but it includes his reputation or his glory. God’s word is, well, God’s word. We have that word in Scripture.
So, how do we know where God would stand when it comes to a debate of difficult modern issues? How do we determine where God stands regarding the divisive issues regarding a modern view of sexuality and marriage? No matter how much we love our neighbors as ourselves and no matter how much we want to be loved by the world around us, we must not forget what God says is exalted above all things. God’s word is supreme. It is the Bible, not our emotions or opinions, which must direct our response to every issue. God’s word is sound. Culture, emotions, and human opinions are fickle.
May we be, by the grace of God, a people who love God’s word in a way that is appropriate to the fact that God has exalted that word above all things. May we let his word direct every opinion we have.
As I close, can I simply say that this is not a diatribe regarding the controversial issues of human sexuality and marriage redefinition that are going on right now. Instead, it is an example of the need for us to have a strong, non-moving, God-honoring standard. God has exalted his word above all things. What is word says, we should believe. What is word commands, we must do.
Who Could Stand (Psalm 130:3-4)
Psalm 130:3-4
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
Years ago, one could share the gospel with Americans simply by letting them know that God is willing to forgive their sins. People in days gone by knew that there is a God and that they did not live up to his standards. But times have changed. People have changed. And the thought that we are in need of grace is something we need to help others see.
In the verses above, we see something beautiful and true. Verse 3 declares that, should God keep track of our sins, none of us could stand before him. We are all sinners. Not one of us, no matter how good or how bad, could set ourselves up in the presence of God and survive.
God is holy. His holiness cannot tolerate the stain of sin. He will not ultimately let any sin go unpunished Nor will he allow the sinful to live in his presence.
We need to feel the weight of the truth just mentioned. We need to recognize that we cannot stand before God. We are deserving of his judgment. If we do not grasp this point, we will not understand and rejoice in genuine grace.
Verse 4 says that in God there is forgiveness that he might be feared. God is gracious. He offers forgiveness. Without it, we would be dead forever. With forgiveness, we can stand before the Lord, not because we deserve to, but simply because God is good and kind and gracious. And this truth is to make us fear and worship the Lord.
A Response to Holiness (1 Chronicles 13:9-12)
1 Chronicles 13:9-12)
9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?”
The scene where Uzzah reaches out, touches the holy ark of God, and dies for his transgression is one of those passages that is hard for us to wrap our minds around. The truth is, God’s holiness is deadly. Sadly, we forget that fact. We who live under the New Covenant fail to grasp the danger of a God who is absolutely righteous, pure, and perfect in every way. He is not like us. His standards are not ours. His ways are beyond ours. His justice is beyond ours. And, should we find ourselves opposing his holiness, we are in very deep trouble.
Notice how David reacted when God’s holy justice was displayed. David was angry. He got mad that God did what God did. Why? Because David found his friend in conflict with God’s holiness, and he did not like the results. David thought God ought to rule the world the way that David thought he would rule the world were he in God’s position. And David found himself to be wrong.
What do we do with this passage? I suggest two things that go hand-in-hand. First, I recommend that we learn to grasp the holiness of God. God’s holiness is great and frightening. God’s holiness is deadly to the impure. And, make no mistake, we are all impure. We need protection given to us by God if we are to possibly ever stand in his holy presence. This story reminds us of just how great is our need. This need causes us to again give thanks for the work of Jesus who paid the price for our sins and who makes us able to stand in the presence of the Lord.
Second, I would suggest that we check ourselves whenever our instincts are to think that we would do things in a different way than God. When we do not like the way that God rules the universe, we need to remember that he is the all-knowing, all-wise, all-good One and not us. We are flawed—all of us. We cannot possibly imagine how things should go. We lack the knowledge, goodness, perspective, justice, etc; in a word, we lack the holiness of God. So, when we see that God and we think differently, we should know, by faith, that his ways are better than ours, his thoughts higher than ours, and his perfection well beyond our flaws. It is our need to set our minds on God and his ways and to conform our thinking to his.
Death or Discernment (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)
1 Chronicles 10:13-14
13 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
The epitaph here recorded regarding Saul, Israel’s first king, is a very sad one, and one full of meaning for us. Saul died. He died for his disobedience to the Lord. Then, we see that he specifically died for consulting a medium rather than seeking guidance from the Lord.
Of course, we could easily learn from Saul’s demise that we ought not disobey God or consult mediums. We could even draw applications about the modern interest in spiritualism, horoscopes, astrology, and the like. But I think there is something better for Christians to be thinking about here that goes beyond the surface.
Where do you look for guidance when you desire to do the will of God? Do you seek a mystical, spiritual experience? Do you turn to self-help books? Do you look to others who appear successful in your particular profession? Do you read the latest book by a church growth guru or mega-church pastor? Or, does your guidance come from somewhere else?
God put Saul to death for his disobedience to God’s commands and for his seeking guidance from a wrong source. These failures are two sides of the same coin. If we wish to seek the guidance of God, we must, absolutely must, seek the will of God in the word of God. We must become a people of the Bible who allow the Lord to speak to it through its pages.
This day, Christians, how about seeking the guidance of God in the words of Scripture. Today would be a great day to once again commit ourselves to seeking God in his word. This is not a secret language or mystical calling. It is simply a call to pray, study God’s word rightly, and apply what it says. It is not complicated. It should not be terribly confusing. We follow God best when we are immersed in his word, studying, memorizing, applying, and growing.
Lord, would you make me a person of your word this day? I desire to follow you. I desire to know your will. Please keep me from ever seeking guidance from a wrong source. Make me someone who knows your word so well that all that I consider doing is clearly discernible from biblical principle. Help me to know your word and love your word in order to help me better to know and love you.
Staying Alive and God’s Unchanging Word (1 Kings 13:20-22)
1 Kings 13:20-22
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’ ”
1 Kings 13 tells a fascinating story. A prophet of God came from Judah to denounce the idolatry of the newly formed northern kingdom. This prophet spoke the word of God and demonstrated the power of God.
Yet, when the prophet headed home, he encountered another spiritual person. The prophet from the south met a prophet from the north. The man from the north lied to the prophet from the south, convinced him to ignore a clear command given to him by God, and eventually cost the southern prophet his life.
As I read this story today, I find myself thinking about it in a way that I do not think would have ever occurred to me in times past. What is evident to me is that the clear word of God is something we must obey. Regardless of how many people claim to also have a new word or new way from God, we need to be careful not to be fooled. God’s word is steady. It does not change. God’s ways are always right. His commands are always perfect. They do not change with culture.
Today, we live in the midst of one of the most dramatic and rapid culture shifts in history. We are watching people, even believers, looking at the word of God and redefining its clear meaning. On certain popular moral issues, Christians are debating whether or not the clear command of God is still applicable. And this leads me to wonder just how much of 1 Kings 13 is in play.
How clearly did God speak about what is right and wrong? Honestly, God spoke very clearly in his word. Now people would argue that we should back off that word and exchange the clear command of God for a more socially acceptable stance. But God has not changed. And I wonder if we ought not recognize that to move from God’s clear command would be to bring about the death of the church as clearly and decidedly as the prophet of the south who met a lion on his way home.
Now, I know that God’s church will not die. Nor will she fail. Yet, I also know that, many individual churches and denominations have turned so far from the word of God that there is no longer spiritual life to be found in their ministries. We are called by God to be loving. We are called to be kind. And we are called to be faithful to his commands, living in a way that the world may find strange or even that the world will hate. Yet, as we do so, we will find that God honors his word and he will be pleased with his people who humbly and lovingly keep his commands for his glory.
Comfort in the Word of God (Psalm 119:28)
Psalm 119:28
My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
As my family prepares for a major transition, there is much that frightens us and much that gives us sorrow. We hate leaving behind dear friends, even though we know that God has a wonderful group of friends to meet us in Las Vegas. And so, reading this verse today was a reminder that my hope and encouragement from God must be found in his word.
Some days when I read the word of God, I find principles that only point me toward comfort. Thanks to God this day, I find his encouragement in the very passages that he had set out for me on my daily reading list.
Of course, the above Scripture encouraged my heart. Seeing David declare his sorrow and his comfort in the word of the Lord is helpful. But God gave more.
In Luke 1:37-38a, I read the following this afternoon: “37 ‘For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 38 And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’” Of course, this passage is Mary’s conversation with the angel regarding the coming of Christ. Yet, as I read it, the angel’s reminder that nothing is impossible with God was a salve to my heart. Mary’s submission, asking that God’s will be done in her life was a reminder to me that I also am the Lord’s servant, available for him to do with as he pleases.
Then, in Ephesians 2:7, I read, “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” This passage is speaking of God’s eternal plan for believers. Yet, in that passage, I am reminded that God’s plans for me include kindness. How sweet it is to think that God has kindness in store for his children.
Today, as my heart has been heavy with fears for the future, God has reminded me that his word holds the comfort that my heart needs. He can do all things. He will use his servants for his glory. He has kindness in store for his children.
Those comforts have helped. No, my house has not sold yet. No, I do not have a place for our family to live in Las Vegas yet. No, it is still no easier to say goodbye to dear friends. But, God is good. He is comforting me. He is showing his glory. And for all this, I give him thanks.
The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield – A Review
Steven J. Lawson. The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust, 2014. 150 pp. $12.18.
George Whitefield is one of those names from the 18th century that many of us know, but whose story may be too often overlooked. A passionate evangelist, Whitefield preached the gospel in England and the American colonies during the same season as John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards.
Steven Lawson has risen to the challenge of helping us to understand the life, zeal, and message of George Whitefield. In a short and helpful book, Lawson introduces us to one of the greatest figures of the Great Awakening.
Two things stand out to me from Lawson’s recounting of Whitefield’s life: his suffering and his doctrine. Though I knew Whitefield to be a renowned evangelist, I had not heard of his physical weariness, the heckling of some in the crowds, or the attempts on his life. I also found it encouraging to read about Whitefield’s passionate belief in the doctrines of grace. Whitefield found strength to proclaim the gospel in his understanding that a sovereign God would draw people to himself. This trust in God’s sovereign election comforted Whitefield even as it drew to him persecution from others who did not share that doctrinal understanding.
I would recommend this work to anyone who enjoys biographies. I was greatly encouraged by Lawson’s description of Whitefield’s life, and I believe that others will be too.
I received a free copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as a part of their reviewers program. As always, the reading and audio quality of this work lived up to ChristianAudio’s high standard of excellence.
What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality – A Review
Kevin DeYoung. What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality. Wheaton: Crossway, 2015. 160 pp. $9.85.
Kevin DeYoung has written the best, short work on a biblical response to homosexuality that I have ever seen. In What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality, pastor and author DeYoung is clear, simple, biblical, and compassionate.
As DeYoung addresses the extremely sensitive issue of homosexuality and the biblical worldview, he is careful to begin by helping readers know that the Bible is about far more than our sexuality, but it does not avoid that issue. DeYoung then addresses the biblical understanding of human sexuality and works through the main biblical passages addressing the issue of homosexuality. The author then faithfully addresses the objections raised by those who would hope to liberalize the Christian response to homosexuality.
Kevin DeYoung is very clear in this book about his starting point, his standard of truth, and his conclusions. He lets readers know from the beginning that he believes that the Bible presents homosexuality as a sin. He clearly explains that the Bible is his standard for understanding the will of God in this area. And, as DeYoung works through the issue, his conclusion regarding homosexuality is also clear.
Of course some will read this book even though their view is different than DeYoung’s. Early on in the text, DeYoung expresses a hope that readers who disagree with him will not do so out of emotional responses, but only after faithful examination of his arguments. I believe that, if readers will take DeYoung seriously, they will indeed find that he has been faithful to the text of Scripture and clear in his argumentation.
While DeYoung argues against views that would embrace a homosexual lifestyle, he is not at all uncaring. He expresses a pastor’s heart in all of what he writes. He is clear, but kind. DeYoung expresses compassion and kindness toward those with whom he disagrees and for those who emotionally wrestling with this highly emotional issue.
I would recommend What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality to anyone interested in seeing a biblical argument regarding homosexuality. Pastors, Bible study leaders, and students can all benefit from DeYoung’s clear teaching. I would also have no hesitation suggesting that someone who disagrees with DeYoung take a look at this text.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. As always, the audio and narration of this work is outstanding. I also read this book using the brand new ChristianAudio app on my iPhone. The app is very convenient with chapter breaks and speed controls. My only suggestion here is that I would like the app buttons to be clearly labeled for Voiceover users.
Inheritance of Tears – A Review
Jessalyn Hutto. Inheritance of Tears: Trusting the Lord of Life When Death Visits the Womb. Adelphi, MD: Cruciform Press, 2015. 108 pp. $9.99.
The loss of a child through miscarriage is a tragic and deeply emotional event in the lives of parents. Those who have experienced such sorrow often struggle to know how to think it through biblically. Those who have not been visited with such heartbreak often struggle to know what to say or how to help someone who has.
It is a blessing to the church that Jessalyn Hutto chose to pen Inheritance of Tears. This short, clear, and helpful book offers God-honoring and timeless counsel for those who are walking through the valley of the shadow of the loss of an unborn child. Hutto is a woman who has experienced miscarriage in her life and who has a beautiful grasp of the character, sovereignty, and glory of God. She has found a great way to counsel others from the word of God with a heart of genuine understanding and compassion.
This book has multiple strengths. Hutto writes with a wonderfully biblical worldview. While she does not pretend to understand all of the reasons why God might have allowed sorrow to enter the life of a family, she continually focuses her readers on the things we do know: God is good, God is glorious, and God has not left us or failed us. She demonstrates from biblical and personal examples how believers have had to walk through great hardships in the past, and how God has never forsaken his own.
One great strength of the book is its final chapter. Hutton writes a very simple, biblical, and clear defense of the understanding that the unborn who are lost to miscarriage are souls who are rescued by Christ and whom we will meet at the resurrection. Her argument is not one that I had not heard before. However, her presentation is wonderfully simple, sweet, and to the point.
I would recommend this book without reservation to any believers who are struggling with the issue of the loss of a child, especially through miscarriage. I would also recommend this book to pastors, church elders, and teachers who know of others who have walked down this difficult path. We can all learn from Jessalyn Hutto to better help others who are facing tragic circumstances, whether we have ever faced them ourselves or not.
A Prayer from Psalm 98
Psalm 98:1-3 (ESV)
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
A look at the Psalms often gives us a picture of how to pray. This is true, whether we are looking at the Psalms that express times of hardship or the ones which indicate times of prosperity.
As I read through this Psalm this morning, I found myself praying through its very beginning. This may also be your prayer.
Lord, I offer you praise. You are God, the great and mighty Lord over all. None is like you. None is greater than you. I praise you, for you are holy, mighty, glorious, and good.
You are also worthy of praise for all that you have done and for what you will do. You have worked your plan of salvation. While I know that the psalmist was speaking of physical rescue from dangers and enemies, I also know that you have worked out a glorious and spiritual salvation for your people. You have chosen to rescue rebellious sinners in order to show us your grace and your justice. You are magnificent, your work is amazing, and I give you thanks.
You have also always remembered your promises and have always been faithful. This was true for Israel in days of old and it is true today. You do not fail.
I ask you this day to remember your promises and to reveal your power and salvation in me. I ask for your protection and provision. I ask for you to shape my life to be exactly what you desire for it to be. I ask that you would use my life and the lives of my family to demonstrate to the world around us that you are good, glorious, and great. I ask that you use us for the spread of your gospel, the shepherding of your people, and the glorification of your name. /Would you be gracious enough to show us how you accomplish your work through weak vessels, which we certainly are?
As the Psalmist wrote and sang of your glory, we are committed to your praise. We will praise your name. We will declare to all who are around us how you have shown your power for your glory. We pray that you will help us to do this better in order that you might be more greatly magnified in a world that does not seek you. Let us be a part of shining a light on your glory, and let us have the joy of seeing you magnified. We ask this not because we are worthy, but because of the finished work of Christ.
Pastor Travis Peterson 