GOD’S WORTH

“For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
 he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols,
 but the Lord made the heavens.”  Psalm 96:4-5

         It’s interesting to me how people readily praise others for their skills and abilities, yet balk at the notion of a supreme spiritual being.  Surely if God were real He would be worthy of praise by every living thing, would He not? Man, in his autonomous state, revels in his accomplishments, although they are puny in comparison to that which God has done.  Believe if you want to that the earth just appeared out of nothing and that man has evolved into something special.  I say man has devolved.  Is he really better than he was 100, 500, even 1000 years ago?  Yes, technological advances have brought about the invention of many time saving items, but that doesn’t make the creature greater than the creator.  There is still murder and mayhem on the face of the earth; a testament to man’s inability to stand as lord over all he surveys.  It has nothing to do with man’s ability to become king of the hill. Man is a mere reflection of all that has influenced him in his life.

         Can mortal man create another man out of the dust of the earth?  Only God can do that and therefore is the only one truly worthy of all praise.  We are not to fear God, but rather revere Him, to hold Him in the highest esteem.  We are to bow before Him for He is above all living things.

          You may choose to believe otherwise, yet when the final day comes and the angel’s trump sounds all will see Him for who He truly is.  Let it be known that all will kneel before the Lord and declare Him as such one day.  All other gods are mere idols, powerless and void of mercy.  Choose to align yourself with the one true God and Savior of all men.  For those who already have, worship Him, for He is deserving of all our praise and adoration, both now and forevermore.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

GODLY CHARACTERISTICS

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Psalm 1:1-2

         David, the author of this 1^st Psalm, sets the stage for what is to come within the Psalms by stressing right from the start how we are to act with regard to our relationship to our God. Walking with the Lord is something a believer does. It’s an action he takes that distinguishes him from the rest of the unbelieving world.   

David chooses to use the word blessed, which is a much better word to use here than simply being happy.  Being blessed insinuates that the recipient enjoys God’s special favor and grace. 

Take notice of the three action words that David uses to describe what a righteous man must avoid; they represent a downward spiral of progression.  A godly man must not walk, stand or sit with sinners.  The godly man, while living amongst the ungodly, must set himself apart by the way he lives his life.  We are to seek the approval of Almighty God and not man. 

The godly man will love the Word of the Lord in its entirety.  We must not cherry pick the one or two verses that we like and side step all others.  We either trust that God’s Word is wholly true and just or it’s not.  It’s our choice.  If we say we believe in God yet neglect or distrust His word, we will be like a rudderless ship going any which way without the means to be guided.

God desires to be a part of our entire lives, not just a portion of it.  He doesn’t wish to have your Sunday mornings and nothing else.  He is looking for our voluntary dedication.  Getting to know His word is a good start down the path to discipleship.  We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, all the while seeking to imitate Him in all we think, say and do.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

WHAT IS TRUTH?

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”  John 17:17

         To sanctify is to make holy. The Lord tells us to “be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16; Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 20:26).  The Bible, when read for what it is, His Holy Spirit inspired word to man, is truth. According to Jesus in John 8:31-32,  

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” So we may deduce that God’s word will make its reader holy and free if it’s statutes are adhered to.  You don’t become holy and free just by reading it.  You must apply its truths to your life.

         Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive.  Once our sins are wholly forgiven we are seen at that moment in time as holy in God’s sight.  In a literal sense we are far from holy as we begin our spiritual journey.  We slowly begin to become holy as we follow God’s precepts throughout our life.  That is why I say we are to emulate Christ.  To emulate is to imitate.  We are to think, speak and act as Jesus would.  That’s why the slogan “What Would Jesus Do?” (aka, WWJD) is actually quite appropriate.  What WOULD Jesus think, say or do in a given situation?  It’s only through diligently reading God’s Word that we can know Jesus in the truest sense.

      What is truth? God is truth, Jesus is God and also the Word, which was made flesh and dwelled among men (John 1:14).  Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Whatever you think the truth is, you may need to readjust your thinking.  The truth that brings forgiveness, freedom, fulfillment, peace and hope is in Christ alone.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!    

GOD’S LIGHT

“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
 a light on my path.”  Psalm 119:105

         The Word of God is like a 180 lumen LED flashlight with spot and flood light capability.  It shines on our pathway and shows us the way to go. This world lives in darkness and continually gropes for some sort of light to guide them.  They seek those things that seem acceptable, even agreeable to them.   The Bible is just another book, nothing more than myths and fairy tales that amount to nothing.  The truth of the matter is that God’s Word is the only way we can know about God.   His plan for mankind and His promises run throughout. 

I wonder sometimes if we, as Christians, have done God a disservice by misrepresenting scripture with our lives.  We read and study to become a good Disciples of Christ and talk a good game, but when it comes to living it for others to see we fall short.  We will never be perfect this side of heaven and that’s a fact, but striving for perfection should be a primary goal.  We will make mistakes and errors in judgment, because we are still human, but if we live out our faith in front of non-believers we will have a greater impact than any words we could ever say.  Allowing the light of God’s Word to lead the way is our best option. 

Non-believers typically aren’t going to pick up a Bible and start reading it.  We need to show them the merits of a Christian life and allow the Holy Spirit to use that to make inroads into their heart.  Admitting to those outside the faith that we are painfully human, instead of ‘holier than thou’ would be a good start.  We don’t have to do what the world does to make our point.  We can quietly live for Christ and in so doing show the world what Christian living is all about.  Jesus didn’t walk around with a bullhorn announcing that He was the Son of God and that people should therefore listen to Him.  He quietly went about the Father’s business without fanfare.  The people around Him recognized Him for who He was or at the very least that there was something different about Him.  Do you stand out in a crowd by being quietly different or do you blend in so much so that you look like anyone else.

Another reference to light is that we are not to hide our light under a bushel basket, but let it shine out into the world (Matthew 5:15).  Let the world see Jesus in you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

WHO YA GONNA CALL?

“My life is stuck in the dirt.
  Now make me live again according to your promise!” “My spirit sags because of grief.
  Now raise me up according to your promise!”  Psalm 119:25, 28 (CEB*)

         What an interesting way to describe his life.  David was spinning his wheels.  He felt so distressed that his spirit was sagging as a result.  Let’s put these above statements in modern perspective. It would be as if you were stuck in loose sand or dirt and couldn’t get out, at least not on your own.  Have you ever had a day at home or work where you felt like you were accomplishing a whole lot of nothin’ and it was frustrating you.  Perhaps that is the feeling David felt when he wrote that in Psalm 119.

         A sagging spirit; picture an awning heavy with rainwater sagging under the weight of it.  The pressures and grief of life can weigh very heavy upon our hearts.  The sins of all mankind weighed very heavy on the heart of Christ when He bore them on the cross.  Imagine what kind of stress David encountered what with all the temptation and rebellion that existed during his reign as King.  Even his own son tried to remove him forcibly from the throne.

    David wishes to be lifted up “according to (God’s) promise.” What promises has God made to man? He promised to supply our every need (Philippians 4:19). He promised that His grace would be sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:2)).  The Lord promised us that we would not be overtaken by temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13; Jude v.24; Daniel 6:16).  He promised us victory over death (Acts 2:32; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:57). He promised that all things would work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28) and He promised that those who believe in Jesus and are baptized for the forgiveness of sins would be saved (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; John 10:27-28).¹  Those are some pretty hefty promises.  It should be noted that since the dawn of time itself God has never reneged on any of His promises to His children.  These promises are not for just anyone. They are for those who serve Him, living in obedience to His precepts outlined in scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

         David knew whom to call on in his hour of greatest need.  Who do you call out to? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

¹ http://www.bible.ca/d-7promises-god.htm

* Common English Bible

RIGHTEOUS LIVING

“For the Messiah himself died for sins, once and for all, a righteous person on behalf of unrighteous people, so that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but brought to life by the Spirit;…”.  1 Peter 3:18

Messiah - One who is anticipated as, regarded as, or professes to be a savior or liberator.  In the Biblical sense it was the awaited deliverer of the Jews who would free them from oppression and defeat their enemies once and for all.

Righteous - Morally upright; without guilt or sin.

Unrighteous - Not right or fair; unjust; evil. ¹

         The Jews were looking for a warrior king to rise up and free them from their enemies.  When Jesus came they were offended that such a seemingly lowly common man, the son of a carpenter, would dare to presume to be the liberator of anyone, let alone the Jewish people.  They roundly rejected him as their savior, opening the door for gentiles (all non-Jews) to receive God’s gift of grace (Romans 11:16-24).  The Jews were looking for an earthly overthrow, God was offering a heavenly reward. Their inability to see with spiritual eyes what was right in front of them and amongst them was a critical failure on their part.

         God provided a way for all men to become righteous in His sight by sending His Son to pay their massive sin debt.  Those that were and are unrighteous were born with a free will to make an eternal choice.  We make millions of choices in our lifetime, but this choice is the only one that truly matters, for it determines their destination after they pass from this earth.  Disbelief does not negate reality.  Christians have chosen with their own free will to place their faith in an unseen God because it seemed right to them.  The Holy Spirit reveals the truth to individuals and they either respond positively or negatively.  That is the choice all men must make. 

         Those who desire to live an abundant and free life that is neither restrictive nor mundane choose Christ.  Those who have chosen to live as they choose have had their senses dulled by the enemy who makes them believe they are on the right path and having fun.  When misfortune or tragedy hit them, they turn and blame the only one who can truly set them free.  Christ died for all men yet  so few embrace it as truth.  Live a Godly life so that others may turn from their unrighteous lives and receive God’s gracious gift of forgiveness.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

¹ The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company and Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged; HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003.

SLAVE OR SERVANT?

“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.”  1 Peter 2:15-16

Servant - a devoted and helpful follower or supporter.

Slave - a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.

            Peter tells his readers that by doing the will of God in your life you should silence the mouths of your naysayers and critics.  We all know that when a Christian, especially one of some renown in the public arena, falters or has a misstep the media broadcasts it to the far corners of the earth.  When they do good deeds in the name of Christ it goes largely unnoticed by the world.  That’s fine, because we should never do anything in the name of Christ for our own notoriety, but what of the world’s chastisement?   It’s as if we are expected to be picture perfect at all times.  It’s as if the world and not God is the judge of men’s actions.  Fortunately, that is not the case.  God expects our obedience; however, does not hold our feet to the fire with every mistake we make. 

            While the New International Version (NIV), which is regularly used by me to express the days given verse(s) uses the word ‘slaves’, most other translations, including Young’s Literal Translation, use the word ‘servant’.  Based on the definitions (listed above), I believe ‘servant’ is far more appropriate.  We are not required or forced to obey God.  We obey and serve Him out of willing devotion; a compulsion, a deep conviction.  We serve God because we desire to do so and not because we must.  That is our free will in action.

          As Christians we should aspire to be the sort of people of whom it is said “I can find no fault in this man (woman or child)”, just as Pilate said of Jesus.  Nonbelievers can always spot our mistakes, but that is only because they are comparing themselves to you and not to God.  It makes them feel better about themselves knowing that Christians, whom they seem to think are supposed to be perfect in every way, have flaws just like them.  Believers can take solace in the fact that the naysayers are not our judge.  God has the final say and is understanding during our spiritual development.  Continually strive to be like Christ in all you think, say and do and God will use you to help change the world.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!