"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." Galatians 2:21 NASB
Every religious system is, at its core, based on either works or grace. Any system that seeks to blend the two, however orthodox it may seem, is actually a system of works righteousness. Any mixing of the two nullifies the grace and exalts the works. Motives may seem pure, but the implications of mixing truth with error are far-reaching, with eternal consequences.
This verse is the conclusion of a confrontation. Beginning in verse 14 we are given what Paul publicly said to Peter, rebuking him for his hypocrisy in withdrawing fellowship from Gentile Christians whom he had previously accepted (v. 12; Acts 10:24-29). The ramifications of this seemingly-innocuous move were significant. As the most prominent leader in the community of believers, and headquartered in Jerusalem (the recognized center of the movement), Peter's actions were noted and emulated by many. His fear of men (v. 12c) led to the same discriminatory withdrawing by "the rest of the Jews" and "even Barnabas," (v. 13). This especially wounded Paul, since Barnabas had been the first to befriend and accept him, following his encounter with the living Christ on the Damascus road.
But much more was at stake than personal issues: the purity of the gospel of God's grace, and the efficacy of the cross of Christ. Paul understood then what desperately needs to be understood today-- any action, attitude, or lack of same that communicates works righteousness as an acceptable means of God's salvation dilutes the gospel and renders the Lord Jesus' blood atonement superfluous. Why would there be a need for satisfying God's holy wrath by becoming sin for sinners (II Corinthians 5:21), if sinners can be righteous before perfect God through good deeds?
Yet that is exactly what legalism involves. The emphasis is on doing, not being. Although the Judaizers of Paul's day claimed to be Christians, their "gospel" was: receive Christ, PLUS males must be circumcised, and everyone must follow the 613 laws set forth by the Jewish leaders, including all the dietary guidelines and prohibitions. It was works righteousness under the guise of grace terminology.
Today, the Roman Catholic belief system is the most prominent continuation of the Judaizers' perspective. Rather than the Old Testament law, however, it insidiously takes New Testament principles of grace and transforms them into means (works) for salvation. Such a sacramental system decimates the true grace gospel message, deceives millions into believing they are Christians, and renders the cross of Christ needless. The irony is that the crucifix is used so prolifically wherever Roman Catholicism is embraced, yet the system's theology actually negates the needed atonement depicted there.
"Father, thank You for the passion of the apostle Paul, his holy boldness to confront Peter in his error, regardless of the consequences. Thank You, too, for Paul's unwavering commitment to Your truth of grace in its purity, expressed by his flawless declarations. Grant grace that we, too, would speak the truth in love, setting forth Your message of sovereign grace and the absolute necessity of Your Son's blood atonement for salvation.
In His Name,
Amen."
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Baptism
It's one of the most controversial doctrines in all of Christian history. Why?
In the first place, baptism is a symbolic representation of a biblical truth, and symbols are inherently slippery. A symbol just naturally lends itself to individual interpretation (the favorite altar at which mankind loves to worship), thereby lulling us into fanciful and obscure meanings that bear little resemblance to the intended reality. With today's prevailing attitude being "every man doing what seems right in his own eyes", it is naturally assumed that baptism pictures no absolute truth for which we are accountable.
Secondly, because baptism is something done, an action taken, it easily morphs into a work that is thought to contribute to one's salvation. Baptism is one of many tools that Satan uses to re-enforce the natural (and fatal) assumption that one can gain salvation and access to heaven by good deeds, transforming salvation into that which is earned (and thus deserved).
An extension of the second point relates to terminology. Multiplied millions consider baptism a sacrament. A sacrament, by its very name, is thought to impart grace. And, as it is true that grace is empowering, it follows that a sacrament would complete or contribute to the salvation of an individual. From this sacramental perspective, the cry of the Savior from the cross on Calvary would be a lie when He said: "It is finished!"
The truth is that baptism is an ordinance. As the 29th chapter of The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 reads: "Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ. It is intended to be, to the person baptized, a sign of his fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection, and of his being engrafted into Christ, and (on the basis) of the remission of sins. It also indicates that the baptized person has given himself up to God, through Jesus Christ, so that he may live and conduct himself 'in newness of life.'
Hence, modeled by the Lord Jesus Himself (Matthew 3:16), commanded by Him to all His disciples (Matthew 28:19), and expounded by the apostle Paul (Romans 6:3-5), baptism is to be an expression of joyful obedience to a loving Lord, following His example by immersion, and marked as the public declaration of a holy, new life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the first place, baptism is a symbolic representation of a biblical truth, and symbols are inherently slippery. A symbol just naturally lends itself to individual interpretation (the favorite altar at which mankind loves to worship), thereby lulling us into fanciful and obscure meanings that bear little resemblance to the intended reality. With today's prevailing attitude being "every man doing what seems right in his own eyes", it is naturally assumed that baptism pictures no absolute truth for which we are accountable.
Secondly, because baptism is something done, an action taken, it easily morphs into a work that is thought to contribute to one's salvation. Baptism is one of many tools that Satan uses to re-enforce the natural (and fatal) assumption that one can gain salvation and access to heaven by good deeds, transforming salvation into that which is earned (and thus deserved).
An extension of the second point relates to terminology. Multiplied millions consider baptism a sacrament. A sacrament, by its very name, is thought to impart grace. And, as it is true that grace is empowering, it follows that a sacrament would complete or contribute to the salvation of an individual. From this sacramental perspective, the cry of the Savior from the cross on Calvary would be a lie when He said: "It is finished!"
The truth is that baptism is an ordinance. As the 29th chapter of The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 reads: "Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ. It is intended to be, to the person baptized, a sign of his fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection, and of his being engrafted into Christ, and (on the basis) of the remission of sins. It also indicates that the baptized person has given himself up to God, through Jesus Christ, so that he may live and conduct himself 'in newness of life.'
Hence, modeled by the Lord Jesus Himself (Matthew 3:16), commanded by Him to all His disciples (Matthew 28:19), and expounded by the apostle Paul (Romans 6:3-5), baptism is to be an expression of joyful obedience to a loving Lord, following His example by immersion, and marked as the public declaration of a holy, new life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Friday, January 17, 2014
I Corinthians 3:18--20
"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, 'He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS'; and again, 'THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.' "
Men deceive themselves when they equate knowledge with wisdom. Wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective, and apart from a changed life through the salvation that is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ, man will not naturally have God's perspective. Until, or unless one is given the fear of the Lord (which is the beginning of wisdom, Prov. 1:7), he will live life foolishly, with no spiritual reward. Indeed, all his "good" deeds will only serve to heighten the justified condemnation received at the Great White Throne judgment.
Meanwhile, why are the reasonings of the "wise" man (in the world's opinion) useless from the Creator's perspective? It is because the spiritual dimension is inoperable. The unchanged individual is spiritually separated from God (Ephesians 2:1), unable to understand the things of the Spirit (I Corinthians 2:14), because such require spiritual discernment. Consequently, without spiritual revelation upon which to act, the unbeliever has only speculation to work with in the realm of spiritual truths. Refusing to accept what God has revealed, he is left with guessing, surmising, and "common sense" assumptions for guidance. Such reasonings from a deceived and deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9), based on self-effort rather than faith (Hebrews 11:6) are unacceptable to the living God. What, then, is acceptable?
"...he must become foolish..." What the world calls foolish is to submit one's life to an unseen Being, who may or may not be trustworthy. To live a life ordered by such trust is viewed by the unbeliever as the height of foolishness. Why? The entire world system operates on Satan's pernicious and pervasive lie: "This (what you understand with your senses) is all there is." To "become foolish" (from the Creator's vantage point) is to abandon the works-approach to God, and come to Him as He requires: through trusting the Lord Jesus Christ alone for acceptance. Only He can change from the inside, out. He alone transforms spirit, soul, mind, and body.
Each and every one of us is a fool for someone. The one who says in his heart "there is no God" is a fool for Satan and his agenda. The one who has been changed by the Lord Jesus is to be a "fool" for Him, becoming all things to all men that more may be saved (I Corinthians 9:19).
Men deceive themselves when they equate knowledge with wisdom. Wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective, and apart from a changed life through the salvation that is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ, man will not naturally have God's perspective. Until, or unless one is given the fear of the Lord (which is the beginning of wisdom, Prov. 1:7), he will live life foolishly, with no spiritual reward. Indeed, all his "good" deeds will only serve to heighten the justified condemnation received at the Great White Throne judgment.
Meanwhile, why are the reasonings of the "wise" man (in the world's opinion) useless from the Creator's perspective? It is because the spiritual dimension is inoperable. The unchanged individual is spiritually separated from God (Ephesians 2:1), unable to understand the things of the Spirit (I Corinthians 2:14), because such require spiritual discernment. Consequently, without spiritual revelation upon which to act, the unbeliever has only speculation to work with in the realm of spiritual truths. Refusing to accept what God has revealed, he is left with guessing, surmising, and "common sense" assumptions for guidance. Such reasonings from a deceived and deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9), based on self-effort rather than faith (Hebrews 11:6) are unacceptable to the living God. What, then, is acceptable?
"...he must become foolish..." What the world calls foolish is to submit one's life to an unseen Being, who may or may not be trustworthy. To live a life ordered by such trust is viewed by the unbeliever as the height of foolishness. Why? The entire world system operates on Satan's pernicious and pervasive lie: "This (what you understand with your senses) is all there is." To "become foolish" (from the Creator's vantage point) is to abandon the works-approach to God, and come to Him as He requires: through trusting the Lord Jesus Christ alone for acceptance. Only He can change from the inside, out. He alone transforms spirit, soul, mind, and body.
Each and every one of us is a fool for someone. The one who says in his heart "there is no God" is a fool for Satan and his agenda. The one who has been changed by the Lord Jesus is to be a "fool" for Him, becoming all things to all men that more may be saved (I Corinthians 9:19).
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Solemn Warnings Given in Love
On this New Year's eve, Charles Haddon Spurgeon's fervent beseeching to all who are not in Christ is well worth pondering.
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jeremiah 8:20)
Not saved! Dear reader, is this your mournful plight? Warned of the judgment to come, bidden to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it from the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and yet you neglect it, and therefore you are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall judge the quick and dead. The Holy Spirit has given more or less of blessing upon the word which has been preached in your hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are without Christ. All these hopeful seasons have come and gone-your summer and your harvest have past-and yet you are not saved. Years have followed one another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: youth has gone, manhood is going, and yet you are not saved. Let me ask you-will you ever be saved? Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most propitious seasons have left you unsaved; will other occasions alter your condition? Means have failed with you-the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection-what more can be done for you? Affliction and prosperity have alike failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on your barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will abide as you are till death for ever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from the supposition? Yet it is a most reasonable one: he who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come, why should it ever come? It is logical to fear that it never will arrive, and that Felix like, you will find no convenient season till you are in hell. O bethink you of what that hell is, and of the dread probability that you will soon be cast into it!
Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, NOW, NOW believe, and live.
'ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE;
LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE,
NEITHER STAY THOU
IN ALL THE PLAIN;
ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN,
LEST THOU BE CONSUMED.'
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jeremiah 8:20)
Not saved! Dear reader, is this your mournful plight? Warned of the judgment to come, bidden to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it from the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and yet you neglect it, and therefore you are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall judge the quick and dead. The Holy Spirit has given more or less of blessing upon the word which has been preached in your hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are without Christ. All these hopeful seasons have come and gone-your summer and your harvest have past-and yet you are not saved. Years have followed one another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: youth has gone, manhood is going, and yet you are not saved. Let me ask you-will you ever be saved? Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most propitious seasons have left you unsaved; will other occasions alter your condition? Means have failed with you-the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection-what more can be done for you? Affliction and prosperity have alike failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on your barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will abide as you are till death for ever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from the supposition? Yet it is a most reasonable one: he who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come, why should it ever come? It is logical to fear that it never will arrive, and that Felix like, you will find no convenient season till you are in hell. O bethink you of what that hell is, and of the dread probability that you will soon be cast into it!
Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, NOW, NOW believe, and live.
'ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE;
LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE,
NEITHER STAY THOU
IN ALL THE PLAIN;
ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN,
LEST THOU BE CONSUMED.'
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Remaining True to the Lord
"So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.
And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch," (Acts 11:19--26).
With the death of Stephen came increased persecution of believers, compelling them to flee for safer regions. This would seem to have spelled defeat for the faith...but God cannot be defeated! He used the scattering to draw to Himself "...a large number..." (v. 21), and "...considerable numbers..." (v. 24). In other words, the murder of Stephen was used by the living God to usher not only Jews but Gentiles into His kingdom... by the droves!
Now, expectedly, Satan was not going to take all this lying down. And, sly adversary that he is, he came up with a simple and effective way to try and squash the movement's momentum: a label.
By inciting unbelievers to tag the faithful with a negative term, "little Christ," several consequences ensued: (1) believers experienced a higher profile, whether wanted or not; (2) a label (like a symbol) quite often increases the solidarity of a group, thereby making the "us vs. them" perspective acceptable; and (3) believers were forced to remain true to the Lord (by owning up to the name), or deny Him, when asked, "Are you a Christian?" The very fact of having a label resulted in being forced to declare loyalty.
When pondering passages such as this, II Timothy 3:12 comes to mind: "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." As time hastens us toward the moment when the Lord Jesus returns for His own, Satan's opposition through persecution will increase. We who are His must remain true to Him, if we would reign with Him, regardless of the enemy's opposition.
And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.
And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch," (Acts 11:19--26).
With the death of Stephen came increased persecution of believers, compelling them to flee for safer regions. This would seem to have spelled defeat for the faith...but God cannot be defeated! He used the scattering to draw to Himself "...a large number..." (v. 21), and "...considerable numbers..." (v. 24). In other words, the murder of Stephen was used by the living God to usher not only Jews but Gentiles into His kingdom... by the droves!
Now, expectedly, Satan was not going to take all this lying down. And, sly adversary that he is, he came up with a simple and effective way to try and squash the movement's momentum: a label.
By inciting unbelievers to tag the faithful with a negative term, "little Christ," several consequences ensued: (1) believers experienced a higher profile, whether wanted or not; (2) a label (like a symbol) quite often increases the solidarity of a group, thereby making the "us vs. them" perspective acceptable; and (3) believers were forced to remain true to the Lord (by owning up to the name), or deny Him, when asked, "Are you a Christian?" The very fact of having a label resulted in being forced to declare loyalty.
When pondering passages such as this, II Timothy 3:12 comes to mind: "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." As time hastens us toward the moment when the Lord Jesus returns for His own, Satan's opposition through persecution will increase. We who are His must remain true to Him, if we would reign with Him, regardless of the enemy's opposition.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Seldom Considered
"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 'A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.' " (Matthew 2:16-18)
From the time of Lucifer's rebellion and fall (including a third of the angelic host who went with him), there has been spiritual warfare in the unseen realms. Satan and the demons are now opposed to any- and everything godly and good, related in any way to his archenemy, God. Genesis 3:15 gives the first indication of the enmity specifically between the devil and the Redeemer. "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
Spoken to Satan, this curse upon him by God set the stage for the defeated angel's ongoing attempts to thwart the inevitable coming of the Promised One.
Planned from the Pit, Herod's attempt to kill the predicted King was assuredly motivated by jealousy. Proverbs 27:4 describes his intensity: "Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?" His jealous rage, coupled with his unfettered authority, served perfectly the Satanic strategy for discovering and destroying the infant Messiah.
Unable to pinpoint the exact location of the "usurper," he reasoned that a wholesale slaughter of all those males approximately His age and younger would surely result in His death. Humanly speaking, there was no logical reason why such a plan wouldn't succeed. Yet, as another king (Nebuchadnezzar) discovered centuries before, "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?' " [Daniel 4:35]. Thus, by means of a dream's warning, Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus were not in the vicinity of Herod's scorched earth edict.
Still, we seldom consider the incredible cost in human life connected with the Christ's coming. Heaven received the murdered babies whose lives were lost in this terrible attempt to locate the infant Lord, highlighting two truths: (1) the incalculable depths of Satan's (and fallen man's) evil nature; and (2) the inscrutable ways of the sovereign living God. As He forthrightly asserts, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:8,9).
"Yes, Father, You indeed are beyond our understanding, try as we might to bring You down to our level. May passages such as this deepen our submission to Your will, ways, and sovereignty. While many question Your goodness, may You strengthen our resolve to boldly embrace Your every attribute, including Your inscrutability. For, You are GOD, and there is no other. All glory, honor, and praise be given to Your matchless Name!
In the Name of Your Son,
Amen."
From the time of Lucifer's rebellion and fall (including a third of the angelic host who went with him), there has been spiritual warfare in the unseen realms. Satan and the demons are now opposed to any- and everything godly and good, related in any way to his archenemy, God. Genesis 3:15 gives the first indication of the enmity specifically between the devil and the Redeemer. "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
Spoken to Satan, this curse upon him by God set the stage for the defeated angel's ongoing attempts to thwart the inevitable coming of the Promised One.
Planned from the Pit, Herod's attempt to kill the predicted King was assuredly motivated by jealousy. Proverbs 27:4 describes his intensity: "Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?" His jealous rage, coupled with his unfettered authority, served perfectly the Satanic strategy for discovering and destroying the infant Messiah.
Unable to pinpoint the exact location of the "usurper," he reasoned that a wholesale slaughter of all those males approximately His age and younger would surely result in His death. Humanly speaking, there was no logical reason why such a plan wouldn't succeed. Yet, as another king (Nebuchadnezzar) discovered centuries before, "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?' " [Daniel 4:35]. Thus, by means of a dream's warning, Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus were not in the vicinity of Herod's scorched earth edict.
Still, we seldom consider the incredible cost in human life connected with the Christ's coming. Heaven received the murdered babies whose lives were lost in this terrible attempt to locate the infant Lord, highlighting two truths: (1) the incalculable depths of Satan's (and fallen man's) evil nature; and (2) the inscrutable ways of the sovereign living God. As He forthrightly asserts, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:8,9).
"Yes, Father, You indeed are beyond our understanding, try as we might to bring You down to our level. May passages such as this deepen our submission to Your will, ways, and sovereignty. While many question Your goodness, may You strengthen our resolve to boldly embrace Your every attribute, including Your inscrutability. For, You are GOD, and there is no other. All glory, honor, and praise be given to Your matchless Name!
In the Name of Your Son,
Amen."
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Things to Remember, Things to Forget, IV
"When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy," (Psalm 63:6,7).
There is just something about the nighttime... those hours from dusk to dawn when our thoughts go places we little imagined nor planned to travel. It is the time when much spiritual warfare transpires, when our enemy seeks to assail our senses and accuse our conscience. His minions of fear stalk the mind, trying to convince us that our God no longer loves, cares, or is near us. Too, darkness seems to increase the future's bleakness, lending itself to fretting and anxious speculation.
David was susceptible to these nocturnal tendencies every bit as much as we are... yet he maintained a joy-filled heart, resting rather than fretful. How so?
First, he developed the habit of musing upon God's Person, regardless. Daylight or dark, he had early on set his heart to look heavenward. This is made the more significant in the light of all that could have easily distracted him: the responsibilities related to ruling an entire nation; constant and continual threats of enemies wanting to attack from without, as well as those trying from within to de-throne him; his own family, particularly his children, in a near-constant state of conflict and discord. Yet, amid it all, his eye of adoration was fixed upon the greatest Love of his life.
Now he turns from the Person of God to the Provision He faithfully supplies. "You have been my help." In so very many ways, David had received God's help. Samuel's anointing was his first inkling that the God of Israel would be his life-long help, showing such grace in selecting him above his brothers. And, of course, the encounter with Goliath that catapulted David to national attention was an unmistakable evidence of God's help, as He used David's conviction and skill to show Himself strong on Israel's behalf. Each step along David's road of remembrance, he knew the enabling presence and provision of the living God.
Finally, he breaks out in joyful song as he thinks upon the Protection God has been to him. During his shepherding days he had had life-threatening encounters with vicious animals (I Samuel 17:37), experiencing the LORD's deliverance. Then there were the close calls of King Saul's vengeful attacks (I Samuel 18:11; 19:10) as he sought David's death. Then, perhaps the unkindest cut of all, there was the traitorous plot of his own son, Absalom, to take his throne (II Samuel 15:1--6). These reflections (and many more, no doubt) served to deepen his gratitude and strengthen his resolve to love and serve his praiseworthy LORD.
Are we making such meditation a serious priority? Are we "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (as II Corinthians 10:5 exhorts)? Are we maturing in discernment as to Satan's tactics and strategies, in order to recognize and combat them, especially in the night (I Corinthians 2:11)? May God grant empowering grace to remember Him, reflect upon Him, and rejoice in Him, whether by day or by night.
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy," (Psalm 63:6,7).
There is just something about the nighttime... those hours from dusk to dawn when our thoughts go places we little imagined nor planned to travel. It is the time when much spiritual warfare transpires, when our enemy seeks to assail our senses and accuse our conscience. His minions of fear stalk the mind, trying to convince us that our God no longer loves, cares, or is near us. Too, darkness seems to increase the future's bleakness, lending itself to fretting and anxious speculation.
David was susceptible to these nocturnal tendencies every bit as much as we are... yet he maintained a joy-filled heart, resting rather than fretful. How so?
First, he developed the habit of musing upon God's Person, regardless. Daylight or dark, he had early on set his heart to look heavenward. This is made the more significant in the light of all that could have easily distracted him: the responsibilities related to ruling an entire nation; constant and continual threats of enemies wanting to attack from without, as well as those trying from within to de-throne him; his own family, particularly his children, in a near-constant state of conflict and discord. Yet, amid it all, his eye of adoration was fixed upon the greatest Love of his life.
Now he turns from the Person of God to the Provision He faithfully supplies. "You have been my help." In so very many ways, David had received God's help. Samuel's anointing was his first inkling that the God of Israel would be his life-long help, showing such grace in selecting him above his brothers. And, of course, the encounter with Goliath that catapulted David to national attention was an unmistakable evidence of God's help, as He used David's conviction and skill to show Himself strong on Israel's behalf. Each step along David's road of remembrance, he knew the enabling presence and provision of the living God.
Finally, he breaks out in joyful song as he thinks upon the Protection God has been to him. During his shepherding days he had had life-threatening encounters with vicious animals (I Samuel 17:37), experiencing the LORD's deliverance. Then there were the close calls of King Saul's vengeful attacks (I Samuel 18:11; 19:10) as he sought David's death. Then, perhaps the unkindest cut of all, there was the traitorous plot of his own son, Absalom, to take his throne (II Samuel 15:1--6). These reflections (and many more, no doubt) served to deepen his gratitude and strengthen his resolve to love and serve his praiseworthy LORD.
Are we making such meditation a serious priority? Are we "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (as II Corinthians 10:5 exhorts)? Are we maturing in discernment as to Satan's tactics and strategies, in order to recognize and combat them, especially in the night (I Corinthians 2:11)? May God grant empowering grace to remember Him, reflect upon Him, and rejoice in Him, whether by day or by night.
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