"Stuck On Stupid"

"O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn My glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah." (Psalms 4:2) The second question, although still directed towards the "sons of men", could also be asked of anyone else; whether in ministry or in the world; anyone that is following after idols, or believing a lie; anyone that is stuck on stupid! This question has two parts, which are connected by a simple common thread: self! This part really grabbed me by the core of my very existence; and when I say existence, I mean the sole reason that I am here! If you viewed that video "Man or Muppet" that I mentioned yesterday, then you will better understand what it is that I am talking about, and that it has to do with purpose: What is my purpose? Is it to live, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow I die? which is what the world would what us to believe; or is it that I have been chosen for something special; something for which is my purpose, and that is meant specifically for me to do? Rich; your not going to get weird again, are you? Yes, I think I shall! Because, let me tell you the problem that I see. When we are focused upon ourselves, we face several different problems, the most influential one being that of our inadequacies; which will make us settle for something less than what God has intended for our lives. As the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". The general idea of what Paul is saying, is that through Christ we have the power to do so much more then we could ever do on our own; that it is the power of God that takes us to capabilities, of which can never even imagine. The other problem is that of our imagination, whereas we imagine ourselves doing something, of which we are feeble, so therefore we don't even try: why??? Because we see our inadequacies and figure that it is something for which we are not capable or worthy to be doing! We can see example upon example of this throughout the Bible; from the weakest to the strongest; all of which, at one point in their lives had looked upon themselves for strength to do something which they know God is calling them to do, yet forgetting about the power of the One who is calling them to do it! The word "vanity" that is used in this second question, is a word that means vain, emptiness; no purpose. Therefore, the question that is being asked, could very well be interpreted: "How long will you be happy just settling for nothing?" And then, in the context of that question, the next part of the question, "and seek after leasing"; where the word 'leasing' means a lie, untruth, falsehood, or a deceptive thing; would then basically be saying, "And seek out an excuse for why you are not capable of doing what it is that I have asked you to do". Having said that, let me say, that I believe sometimes we need a little push to get us out of the boat; something that is not intended for everyone, or every situation; but is something that God will do to those that He knows can swim! I am not really changing the subject, but more the direction; there is a difference between being stupid and being stubborn; therefore, I believe the push is something that God will do for those that would otherwise be willing and able, but refuse to do what God has asked, based upon a contentious heart. A good example of what I am talking about would be that of Jonah, and how God pushed him to do something that He wanted him to do. But Jonah did not do what God had asked, not because he felt inadequate, but he felt those that he was to minister to were not worthy of God's words. God could have asked someone else to go and speak to Nineveh, but He choose Jonah; therefore, it was not up for discussion! So; this is how I think I see it: if we are His child, and we are stuck on stupid because we are ignorant, then He will not push us, because we will not know how to swim; but on the other hand, if we are stuck on stupid out of rebellion, then He will push us, to get us off of our stupid spot! With that; my question is: If you are not doing what you know God has intended for you to do, then which one are you? Watch out, because the push is life changing!!!

"Riddle Me This"

"O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn My glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah." (Psalms 4:2) Don't you just love it when the preacher opens his sermon with a question? The purpose of this technique in delivering a sermon, is to get those that you are preaching to involved with your sermon, and to get their attention. Now, who do you think that David is speaking for; is it himself, or is it for God? If he is speaking for himself, then this would have definitely been directed towards those that were still in opposition to his reign; of which, there were many. However; if he is speaking for God, as I believe that he is, then these questions would involve all sorts of people; including those that are not believers in the God of Salvation! How well do you think that you know your heart? I am willing to bet my bottom dollar that you don't know it as well as you think that you do. For example: have you ever done or said anything, and then wondered, Where did that come from? If you said, No; then awesome for you; I think? But you must know this: that sometimes, what you perceive as reality and truth, may actually be a lie; and in that case, you are only fooling yourself. Sometimes, the things that make us feel good, comfortable, or at ease, are actually not the things that bring us closer to God, but will actually do the opposite, and drive us away from Him. "O ye sons of men". I don't know why, but I could not help but think of the song "Man or Muppet" as I was reading this portion of Scripture. You have to understand something here; this first question is being asked of men, not women; but the men that are to be the leaders, ministers, and priests in their homes, to their families, and in their communities. And the question, my dear brothers, that is being asked by God, through His servant David, is, "How long will you turn My glory into shame?" Yo; Rich, Why is this just about us men?; you might ask. Well; first off, the word that proves that this is so, is the word "men", which means man, male (in contrast to a woman, female); and the "sons" means group, origin, or generations of a specific entity. Secondly; as Paul so vividly puts it in 1 Corinthians 11:3, 7-9, "The Head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man; man is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man." So then; What do you believe is the meaning of this question? Okay; if you can judge a man's character by what he does while no one is looking, then you can judge what his glory is by what he dreams of at night. Brouch!!! That might have raised a few eyebrows! Husbands; What would you like your wives to be dreaming of: her knight in shinning armour? And if so; wouldn't you want the face revelled, as he lifts his helmet up, to be that of your own? Something to think about, don't you think? This one little example is something that is strictly between you and God; primarily, it is us who must deal with, and suffer for, those things which we keep hidden within our hearts. Although, I do believe that our wives are affected by our wild fantasies that we play out in our minds; they just don't know why or what it is that makes us so distant at times. Okay, so maybe I am getting a little carried away; but the truth of the matter is, that if Christ is our Head and our Glory, then what are we letting into our heads? There is another way to view this question, and it has to do with the way that we portray who we are in Christ. Does the glory of who He is in us shine, or is His glory put to shame? In other words; if we are His ambassadors, are we showing forth His kingdom, as a representative of that kingdom? The wealth that we have been given as sons and heirs of His majesty; is it brought forth in our lives, or are we ashamed of who we really are? That is the question... Just for fun; if you have not seen The Muppets, or even if you have, you should try going to YouTube and viewing the song titled "Man or Muppet"; but make sure that you view the one authored by MuppetsStudio, for the full effect...Just for fun!

"...With a Desperate Plea!"

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer." (Psalms 4:1) So; you might have thought that I was not going to get to this part of this verse: think again! I could have went on for hours yesterday, but thought that it might have been a little much. But you should know, what takes you about a minute to read, sometimes will take me an hour or two to write; I don't have that much time available to me. Anywho; if you have ever given a sermon to an assembly of people, some of whom you know would be judging your performance based upon what they know about you, then you might understand the urgency of David's plea. Basically, it is something like, 'Lord, please don't let me make of fool of myself in front of all these people!' No doubt, many of those that were present had associations with Absalom, and even with Saul; so you can begin to understand David's need to speak with, and in the authority of God. After all, many of the things that David is going to share pertain to them which had opposed him during previous revolts; which also includes David's revolt against Saul; at least that is how some that were faithful to Saul saw it. David asking God to have mercy upon him has many different degrees of meaning; some pertain to him personally, some pertain to the assembly, and some pertain to the message that he is about to deliver; but all in all, he is asking for God's mercy, that He would answer his prayer. So, this is not just for his benefit, but that those who are listening; that he would speak for God, and that they would listen. Another way to look at this, is that David is asking God for His continued support; which would then imply that the "when I was" part of the verse which may have been added by the translators is now correct; meaning, 'God, You have delivered me before; now, please do it again!' And with that, the part about his righteousness would then imply, that any standing or authority which he has, has been given to him by God; of which, he has been given the ability to call out to God, and to be answered! This upcoming sermon of David's is less than five verses long; however, the prayer is actually part of the sermon; for within the prayer, David gives testimony of God's provisions in his own life. If you wanted to see what the prayer alone looks like, then you would read verse one, followed by verses six through eight; however, part of the sermon is at the beginning of verse six, where David leads off speaking to God again, by addressing both God and men. Everything in between verse one and the middle of verse six, I believe is God speaking directly through David; which is God having a little heart to heart with not only His people, but those that are potentially His people also; those that refuse to accept Him, all the way up to those that faithfully serve Him, are included in this sermon... Lord, please prepare my heart for what you are going to say to me. Amen...

"An Invitation To God..."

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer." (Psalms 4:1) If this Psalm was written in our Bibles as if it were set to music, then the beginning of this verse would be set to a high tempo, as for to shout it out: "Hear me when I call!!!" There are some that believe that this Psalm was also written while David had fled from Absalom, but more likely towards the end of that adventure. The word "call" is actually meant as to cry out; which within the context of what David is asking for, it would be meant as crying out to God and inviting Him into our very souls; if you can imagine what that might look like? David was well aware that any righteousness that he had was from God, and that God will not take up residence within any unholy place, for He is pure Holiness. It is David's prayer that God would literally take up residence within him, that they might have a very special fellowship together. I don't know about you, but whenever I wish to get as close as I can to God, I really need to shed some baggage; because what we are talking about here, is to be emptied of all unrighteousness, so that God can fill us completely! The colon after the word "righteousness" means the what of, the therefore, or the because of; it informs the reader that what follows the mark proves, explains, or lists elements of what preceded the mark; therefore, the word "enlarged" has a very significant meaning to what is being said in the opening statement. I don't know if I can explain this properly, and without looking like a fool; but the first thing that we must know about our God, is that He is a Very Big God! With that said; in times when I have been in the deepest, closest, and most intimate fellowship with God during prayer, it feels as though every cell in my body has been enlarged or spaced apart; as if somehow I have been enlarged to receive God into my very soul. The word that is used means to make room, to be or grow large; make roomy or to be widened. Add to this the word "distress", which makes you think of trouble or hard times, but in the context of what I am talking about, it also means tight, or narrow; or like a stone, being compact and hard. It is as if David is asking God to fill him completely so as to be completely taken over by God in the delivery of his sermon; much like any preacher might ask, 'Lord, let Your words be spoken, not mine', before they deliver their message; but this is done with a little more passion and urgency. However; having said all that, let me now turn this around to a altogether different meaning; that being for David to be asking God, in a subtle way, to speak through him in a way that his words are accepted as God's words. In other words; that he would be considered as the spokesman for God as he delivers God's message to His people. Therefore, the meaning of "enlarged" is more of to open the mouth wide, or to be made large before the people, that they would receive the words which are being spoken, as being spoken by God. In this case, "distress" would take on the meaning of affliction, as to be lessened in the eyes of the people. If you have the words "when I was" written in italics, then you should know that this is something which may have been added by the translators, and if so, then the meaning is different. The way that it reads without these words, would be more like, "Thou hast enlarged me in distress", which speaks about more present tense, and of something that is more of an everyday occurrence, rather than the distress of a trial or affliction. Either way, or however you might look at it, David is asking God to show up!!!

"The Royal Preacher"

Psalms 4: "To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David." If you have a title for this Psalm shown in your Bible, then you will see that it's title is 'An Evening Prayer'; and if you recall, Psalms Three was titled 'A Morning Prayer'. Typically the difference between these two titles is that one is more for a private devotion, being that it is called "A Morning Prayer', while the other is more for an assembly of people, in which David is addressing God and men. I can envision David in his royal court, surrounded by musicians, with him on his harp, and with many of his loyal subjects sitting around to hear his sermon; although this sermon was put forth in the form of a song. The meaning of "Neginoth" is that of music, song, or stringed instrument. This was David's special talent when it came to worship; and he was very good at playing the harp. If you are familiar with his first ministry that he had for King Saul, it was playing the harp for him when he was discouraged or depressed. The reason that this is something that should be taken into account when reading this Psalm, is the type of Psalm that we are reading is one that is asking men to receive instruction; which is what a sermon would be of that which was delivered by a preacher; much like Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount. This is an image that we seldom picture David as: A Preacher; instead, we see him as a king, a warrior, a giant slayer, or as one that sinned against God. Yet, he, as well as his son Solomon, were very good preachers, and they both would get the attention of those to whom they preached. In this particular Psalm, David is asking those that are listening to examine their own lives, as he gives testimony of his own. All of which is done in a manner as to bring those that would receive it to a better understanding of the security that we have in God. As we go though this Psalm, that is my prayer for myself, as well as for anyone else that is following this blog; that we come to a place where we clearly see the security that we have in the arms of a God that loves us, more than we could ever love ourselves; because we are always focused upon ourselves in the wrong way, and placing our love in areas which fade and are always changing. Loving the way that we look, or the way that we are successful, or our standing in our own little worlds; all of which is vanity, and is always fading; but the love that we have in God is secure, and never changes...

"The Blessed" -2

By now you should have gathered that I am moving through the Book of Psalms verse by verse. This is something that I felt God was telling me to do towards the end of last year; although I was not quite sure where He wanted me to start until I actually started praying about it on the first morning of the New Year; thus the title being "A Brand New Day". The very first Psalm begins with the word "Blessed", and then goes on to show the difference between those that are blessed and those that are ungodly. Although it is not certain who the author of Psalms One was, it very well could have been written by David; however, I tend to believe that it might have been written by Ezra, as he was probably the one who collected the Psalms of David to form them into a book; and if so, then there is a very good reason that it was listed first, for it shows the absolute necessity to walk in the counsel of God and not in the that of the world. The second Psalm, although not titled as a Psalm of David, is shown to have been written by him in the Book of Acts, and is solely a picture of Jesus Christ and His coming in the form of a servant as the Son. The next five Psalms are all shown to have been written by David, with each one escalating upwards towards the next Psalm that is attributed to Jesus, which shows His glory and the position that He has been given from the beginning of time; that is Psalms Eight, which is was also written by David. As we continue through these next four Psalms, take care to notice that there is a general theme, much like this last one that we have just gone through; that no matter what the circumstances are that we might be facing, God is in control and will bless them that put their trust in Him. This is very essential to the joy of who we are in Christ; not because we just trust Him, although that is very important; but because we are His children, and as His child, He is watching over us, which gives us the comfort in knowing that He loves us, and therefore we can trust in Him, no matter what circumstance we might find ourselves in. This is really what it means to be Blessed; although the trial that we face might seem like a curse, we are blessed in that we are His child; which means that the curse is going to be turned into a blessing for us and all that are looking onto whatever we are going through. It was that way for His Son, as it is for all His children...

"The Blessed"

"Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah. (Psalms 3:8) And here we go! The punch; as with many of the Psalms, the last verse is the punchline. This is the bottom line of what David saw taking place through the horrific trial; a trial that began in a revolt and in the disgracing of a king, has now brought blessing upon the people. How so, you might be wondering? Understand what has taken place here, and the power of God's salvation; because His salvation which was demonstrated towards David through this trial, was passed to the people; at least to all that would receive it! To see what I am getting at, we should understand that what was demonstrated in this trial was God's forgiveness upon David for his sin. Yes, there was consequence for the sin, and David did suffer humiliation and the loss of his son; but after all was said and done, David was not only still the King, but was a living testimony of the mercy of God. And, as I said before, David became a better king unto the people through this trial; one who not only experienced how God sustains through the fire, but also one that could minister to the people as an example of such. I cannot count the number of people that have said to me over the years, how much of a testimony that I am to them in the way that I care for my wife. Some have even said that their marriage was saved because of the testimony that I showed of what commitment in marriage actually means. Although I did not think what I was doing was such a big deal; because all that I am doing is what I promised her that I would do: For better or worse; in sickness and in health; so help me God! That was not just a promise; that was a contract that was established between her, me and God! It was a covenant that was made with my God and with my wife; that no matter what would happen between us, or to us, the only way to be released from that contract was death. That is what is meant by, To have and to hold, till death do us part! Jesus Christ is referred to as The Author and The Finisher of our faith, because of that which He endured and accomplished; being shamed, put to death upon a cross, and brought back to life as the victorious LORD of all, He demonstrated the power of Salvation; a salvation that began with Him; Him, being the first to be resurrected from the dead; just as He said that He would! David knew that God was with him, and the only reason that he fled was for the sake of his son. It was within his power to overtake the opposition right out of the gate; yet he cared more for his son than he did for his own welfare. And after his son was killed, he went and hid, and morned for him; only to show himself unto the people after being scolded by his General that he should show himself to the people, or they would get the wrong impression about who actually won the battle. Jesus too had to show Himself unto thousands, before ascending up into heaven; showing how He was the Victor: The King of kings, and LORD of Lords! I could have let my wife go, as many had instructed me to do; yet that was not what I had promised her I would do; because, Where there is Life, There is Hope!!!

"The Victorious"

"Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly." (Psalms 3:7) Oddly enough, this is not a cry for help, but it is a declaration of victory and clarification as to what God has done. The word "Arise" which David starts this verse with is a word that is calling for God to rise up; not a call for God to rise up in the battle, but that He would rise up from the battle; as in, to be established as the Victor. Remember, the people had placed David in their hearts as an outcast and as someone who had no hope for him in God. This was an expression of praise from David that God would be glorified in the victory, thus making Davids victory over his enemies God's will in the hearts and the minds of the people. The "save me" that David follows with is not an actual call for God's help in the battle, for at this point, the actual battle had already been won; but this was more of a call for avenging of the damage which had been done to his character as the people's king. This is further expressed by David in what the Lord had done, as David gives two very graphic illustrations to show how God avenged his reputation and his perceived standing with God. The first one being that God "hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone", which is basically a slap in the face. Something which is considered to be an insult in many cultures; especially when adding the phrase "Who's your daddy" while slapping them! Seriously; this is the equivalence of making them look like fools, as to think that they could come against God's anointed, without having to deal with God. Secondly, David says, "Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly", which speaks of the lack of bite in which their plans took hold in destroying David's reign; because in actuality, it was God who had established him as king, therefore they had actually set themselves against God. When we look at what took place with Jesus, and how His death and resurrection put to shame those that had plotted against Him, we can see the slap in the face that they received, and the lack of bite they had in stopping that which He had come to complete. As I look at the experience within my own life, I can only imagine what people were saying about me and how I was somehow being judged in their eyes. It was something which had even crossed my own mind, in that I wondered what sin God was punishing me for. Yet, in the midst of all that was going on, I felt closer to Him then I had ever been before; and I had more love for my wife in the process! While we do not always know what or how God is going to work in a particular trial or circumstance in our lives, we can take comfort in knowing that He is always looking out for that which is the very best for our lives and for our relationship with Him; even if the world might see it differently...

"The Determination"

"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about." (Psalms 3:6) I hope you got that closing yesterday, if not, well I am sorry for your lack of imagination. If you understand what was going on in David's life right about now, then you would know that things were actually starting to get really intense as Absalom was advancing upon David. People that David was putting his trust in began to abandon him; which is usually the case when those that are pretending to be loyal, really are just looking out for themselves. If you want to read this story for yourself, you should start in 2 Samuel 13 and read all the way through chapter 20, which is where the revolt finally ended. Back in the day, the people of Israel had declared David their hero, as they proclaimed, "Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands". If you really want to know how David was feeling about now, you can get a really good description from his servant Hushai, who was advising Absalom how to attack David, yet he was really leading him into a trap; "For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field;" (2 Samuel 17:8). You just don't realize how true this statement really is! The anger was real, yet not at God, or at anyone in particular, but towards the solution and the task at hand. I can remember the boldness that I was given to share Christ through my love for my wife; it was not really that I was being bold, but that I was determined to do everything in my power to protect her and to comfort her. You might not think that she needed protection while in that hospital for three solid months, but you would not believe how careless some people really are. Besides the carelessness of the staff, I had to also deal with those that wanted her to be put to death; some of these were also friends and family, as they would try and consult me to pulling the plug. There was nothing more important in my life than that of being dedicated to her, and her safety and care. Even the business, that I had spent over twelve years building, did not matter anymore to me; but for the fact that I knew I needed to continue to provide for her. As for David, he was determined to still be the king, and had not given up on God's promise of his establishment. So too, I had a determination to care for my wife, with or without the business that I had built. You would not believe the changes that I went through within a period of just a few months. By the second month that my wife was in the hospital, I had decided to move my business closer to the hospital and to my church. God was directing me in so many ways, as I sought out a home to rent that I could bring her home to. Although everything I did, I did it by reacting to the challenge, and by blindly moving forward. Really, you would have had to been there to understand what I am saying; because I really did not care about much else than doing what was needed to care for my wife. Now then; if you want to consider how Jesus fits into this portion of this Psalm, then His resurrection from that tomb would do quite nicely. At this point in His work that He came to do, He was past all the persecution and the suffering part, and it was now time to prepare His church, as He would minister to them before ascending up into heaven. As for David, he was prepared for the battle; not knowing how that it would happen, but knowing that as Absalom advanced upon his position, God would work it out. The funny thing was, that it was Absalom's hair which brought him down, and it was his hair that people praised him on. Weird, isn't it?

"The New Day"

"I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me." (Psalms 3:5) As you might have gathered by now, I have felt compelled to share a little bit of my own experience from the time in my life when my life was radically changed. It was not a subtle change, which most people are graced to roll into; but it was a dramatic change which took place within a matter of hours. My ambitions, my goals, desires in life, all changed in a moments time; without me having to make much of decision about it; I barely had time to react! You may have a Title for this Psalm in your Bible, and if you do, it is "A Morning Prayer". I am under the impression by what I am reading about David, and by the words and meaning of this song which expresses a very dramatic day in his life, that his life also took on a whole new meaning, within just a matter of hours. I can remember crawling into bed sometime after 2am, holding my wife's pillow in my arms, and falling fast to sleep. My opportunity clock went off a 4am, as it always does, and I felt refreshed and anxious to begin the day; knowing full well that my life had changed, yet feeling as though it was all just a dream. I remember going into my office and knelling down to pray, only to stop within ten minutes and call the hospital for my wife's status. Relieved to hear that she was still with us, but saddened to hear that she had not changed, I continued to pray, but for only a short while; because I felt I needed to get down there to the hospital to cover my wife with prayer and God's word. Strange as it was, I did not feel defeated, or even as though I was at war; but for some strange reason I felt that I had a new purpose; something that I had lacked prior to this day. My purpose was to be dedicated to my wife, and to cover her with the washing of the Word of God! I believe David also was taken to a place very similar, in that he was given a whole new outlook on being king, and to govern with a heart of gratitude and purpose, by leading God's people based upon the promises of God's mercy that are available to those that put their trust in Him. The word which David uses, that is written as "sustained", is a word that talks about being refreshed and revived. It also speaks to being upheld and supported. But the meaning that really caught my attention, is that of being established, because this is what I mean by the new purpose that I felt I had received. To be perfectly honest, prior to that day, I was only trying to be a good husband to my wife; but I was not dedicated to her in a way that would make her reverence my love for her. This is what I think David saw within himself and in the way that he had governed God's people, as he witnessed them turn on him to follow after his rebellious son. Thus the meaning of the title "A Morning Prayer", because as he says within another Psalm, that God makes all things new every morning! Oh ya; I almost forgot to mention Jesus: "I laid Me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained ME!"...Selah!!!

"The Answer"

"I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah." (Psalms 3:4) Yes it is true that God hears our hearts, but sometimes we need to lift up our voice and cry out to Him. Oh, I can so relate to this!!! Even after feeling security in Him like never before, once I came home from that hospital at about 1am, and after leaving my wife there all hooked up to tubes and wires, I could do nothing else but fall on my knees and cry out to God, Why??? We are not talking about a little whimper; we are talking about a cry that was so fierce, that I felt as though my insides were coming out of my mouth, specifically my heart. This was the kind of cry that makes you shiver as though you are being electrocuted, and you cannot control your bodily functions. But after that; after crying out to God with all that I had within me, I felt such a peace come over me; something which I had never felt before. It was as if God had reached down and taken my broken heart out and replaced it with His own; making me feel as though the eternity of time was now so real, that this was not the end, but the beginning of a brand new day; as crazy as that might sound. This is what I believe was happening with David; who having been surrounded in the Fortress of God, yet He felt compelled to cry out for deliverance from that which was happening in his life. And you know what happened? God answered!!! We can see this same thing happening with Jesus as He was hanging on the cross. Assured of what was going to happen, to such an extent, that He told the thief hanging next to Him, "Today, you will be with Me in paradise"; yet, moments later He cries out, "My God, My God, Why hath Thou forsaken Me?" And again we have the "Selah" given at the end of verse four; the pause between thought, or between two worlds; however you wish to view it. For David, I believe it was a sigh of relief that God had heard his cry, and that it was going to be a brand new day. For Jesus, it would have been His final words, "It Is Finished!"... A New Day Is Coming!!!

"The Fortress"

"But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the Lifter up of my head." (Psalms 3:3) According to Webster, fortress is simply defined as a stronghold, which means a strong place. Now, if we are talking about a living testimony, and if you want to see what that might look like, then here it is within these first three verses of Psalm 3. And if "Selah" was the pause between two separate worlds, then here is the contrast that David is making perfectly clear. Here we have him surrounded on every front; both physically and emotionally, he is at the brink of what many would consider as the end; but spiritually, he is as secure as he could ever be! The harder he is pushed to the brink of death, the closer he clings to God! And, the funny thing is, the closer he clings to God, the more clearer is his resolve that God is his Fortress in times of need. It's really not that unusual for this to be the case in the life of a Believer; at least it was the case in my own life during the hour of my own travesty. The day was August 12, 2003; which was the day I sat in the waiting room and the Chaplin came in to tell me that my wife had just coded in the recovery room. The strength that I was given through that, as I drew closer to God than I had ever been before, was indescribable. If we look at the words that David uses to describe his spiritual standing with God, through and in the midst of such a trial that he was in, we can get a small glimpse at what it really means to put all of our trust in the Lord. The reason I say 'small glimpse' is because we can never really know what this looks like fully, until it involves us! The very first word that he uses is the word "But", which shows the sharp contrast of what appears to be happening and what is real. Really, this might not seem like such a major thing to some; that is unless, you are the one who is living within such a bitter moment. What this says, is that though there are many that have risen against me, and though there are many that say I am lost, You O Lord are with me, and that is all that matters. And the "Shield" that David is speaking of is more of a Fortress, which surrounds him on all sides, and is actually somewhere that he can take refuge in, in the midst of all that surrounds him. Have you ever hidden for your life from someone, or even dreamed of it happening; there is always the fear that some part of you is still exposed; not the case within this Fortress that David is speaking of!!! After which, he proclaims that God is his glory, which speaks of reputation; something that is being shattered among his people; but that is held intact within God. And then finally, he says, "and the Lifter of my head", which is the most prominent part of this declaration of who he is in God; for the shame which should be present is overshadowed by the forgiveness that he has received; by which, he can lift his head as one who has been set on high, above all that is present and that might seem devastating to all that are witnessing his peril. As we contrast this with what Jesus Christ went through at the cross, we can see the similarity between His suffering and that of which David was going through; and yet, Jesus was only doing that which He was sent to do. And because He was doing the will of the Father, He too could declare this same thing in the midst of His suffering. For, although He was badly beaten and then nailed to the cross, His soul was well intact and doing the Father's will; His glory was being established in the punishment that He was receiving in our place; and He was being exalted far above all other living things, as He hung upon that cross. In other words; He was being made the Fortress for all mankind, in the midst of all His suffering! And as He declared, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do", He was demonstrating what an Advocate that He is, for all of us that are lost...Selah!

"The Ridicule"

"Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah." (Psalms 3:2) Ouch; can you feel David's pain? We need to understand that this ridicule which David was receiving is what hurt him most of all! It might be hard for some to comprehend this, but this really grieved David to his very core. Mostly because these same people were once loyal subjects and followers, as a nation would be to any great leader; but for Israel it was different, because they also had the LORD as their Leader; and prior to this revolt, David and the LORD were considered to be pretty tight. Now, David was being looked upon as an outcast, and as someone whom God has turned His back away from. It really grieved David that so many would have such a bad opinion of him, as to think that even God had turned His back on him. It reminds me of the words of Job's wife, as she told Job, "Curse God and die"; because her words were to her husband were a resounding casting of judgement upon Job and God; as if to say, God had given him over to the fate that has befell him, therefore he should give up, because there was no hope for him, especially not from God. For David, this was a devastating blow to the years of being portrayed as the mighty warrior for God, and as a king that ruled God's people as a man after God's own heart. Yes, there was the sin which he had committed, and the sin was not a secret among the people, for it was that sin by which people made their decision that there was no hope for him in God, because God would never allow that to be forgiven. Do you see the heart that is broken? It was broken not only because of his ridicule, but also for the testimony given of God's mercy and His grace; as he now has become an outcast from God in the eyes of his people, after years of proclaiming the mercy of the God that he served, for him now, there was no mercy, in their eyes. Does this sound a little familiar? Didn't they do the same to Jesus? They scorned Him with words that made Him out to be a fake, saying, "He saved others, let's see Him save Himself". And when the Roman soldiers placed a sign at the top of His cross, which read, "King of the Jews", the leaders of the Jews asked them to make it read instead, "Who claimed to be King of the Jews". However, they refused to change it, because they were not only ridiculing Jesus, they were also ridiculing the Jews. Jesus had proclaimed God's love and mercy, and now He was being spat upon as a fraud and an outcast among His people, in the hour of His suffering; suffering that was for them!!! I also find it interesting that David had fled from Absalom instead of standing up to him. For one, his sin had made him shameful, but the real reason for him fleeing was one of love for his son; because to stop the rebellion, David would have to kill Absalom, which he did not want to do. By leaving, he added the question of his authority and power, in the hearts and minds of his people. So too, Jesus was also silent in the midst of His trial, punishment and death; not wanting to show forth His power and authority, but "as a sheep lead to the slaughter" He humbly took all the punishment and ridicule. His only verbal response to their actions was, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". Which brings me to this "Selah" that we are introduced to at the end of verse two. Many believe that this is a musical note, or a pause in the song so that the instruments can play a solo; much like would be the case to ponder what had just been said, as to accentuate the meaning, or to introduce the next line to be sung. This could very much be the case, and I believe that it is so; however, what we are doing in that, is that we are reflecting upon the meaning; whether it is meant to magnify what is being said, or it is to prepare what our hearts for what is coming, it is for a reflection for a deeper meaning. For David and his situation amongst his people, as we shall see, God's mercy is real; David knew it and knew that God would reveal it through him, regardless of what the people thought or said. And as for Jesus; oh my, what can I say!!!

"The Consequence"

"LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me." (Psalms 3:1) Consequence is a word that means a result; an effect that is the result of an act or a cause. We don't have to be a genius to see that this happens within our own lives, although, I am sure that some are ignorant to the carnage that they leave in their wakes. In this first verse of Psalms 3, we see a man that is distraught and bewildered by the consequence of his sin. I don't think that David ever really thought that it would get as bad as it was getting. His son Absalom was out to kill him, many in his army had turned on him, his people that once praised him as King were now spitting on all his likenesses; and to make the words of Nathan ring loud and clear, Absalom had taken David's wives to a building top in the middle of the city, the city of David, and was having them as his own, for all to see! He was done!!! Yet, there was still a part of him that held in there; holding onto the God that he believed in, as the One who was in control. We can see this in his opening word, "LORD": Jehovah; "The Existing One"; The Supreme God. There is something that you must know about David, and it was that his faith in God was so strong, that it sometimes made him blind to the perceived reality of many situations; although the one which he was currently in had a little different angle, because this one was his fault! He still had to wonder with amazement, how it was that so many which called him their King, were now cheering for his son to take his life. Yesterday, my heart was broken; not quite as bad as the day before, that was amazing! But, it was still broken, none the less. I was thinking about the consequence of sin, and how it was that Jesus suffered for ours. He had done nothing wrong to deserve the treatment that was rendered unto Him; the scourging, the public humiliation; His very own people cheering for His death, as they cried out "Crucify Him!" And yet many of these same had previously praised Him; been healed, touched or moved in some manner by His very presence; and just like that, they are now spitting out at Him, as if He were the reason for all the suffering in their lives. Isn't strange how man is so vengeful against the helpless! Jesus did not fight back; nor did David! David knew that the current position that he was in was his fault, and that it must run it's course; however, Jesus was determined to take this that He suffered upon Himself in our place!!! It was for our faults that He took the blame and the consequence of sin; and He did it willingly, all the way to the very end!

"God's Sovereignty"

"Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." (2 Samuel 12:11 & 12) Maybe not what you would expect to hear based upon the title of today's blog; but it is however the ripple caused by the splash of sin upon the water; where God's sovereignty comes into effect in all of that, is that He is still Supreme in and through all of it!!! After having spent the last two weeks in the first two Psalms, looking at man's mobility and wavering before his God, and seeing God's stability and His Love, we move into the third Psalm; which is the first Psalm with a title, which is, "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son". This was the evil raised up against David, spoken of by Nathan in the opening text, and was the result of David's sin with Bathsheba. In between this revolt and the sin which David had committed, he may have thought that this consequence had already run it's course. However, it was the previous upset within his household that was the catalyst to Absalom's revolt. If you don't know the story, it involved the rape of Absalom's sister Tamar by her half-brother Amnon. It was the inaction of his father David to punish Amnon for what he had done that caused Absalom to become bitter against his father. I believe that the reason for David's silence on this matter was due in part on his own sin which he had committed, and on the basis of the words which were spoken above by Nathan, and that he would suffer some consequence for the sin that he had committed. What I believe we shall experience through this Psalm, is that God is just, yet He is also mighty to save; even through the harshest of adversities, God will bring us through to the other side; if we just put our faith in Him! If there is one thing that we have learned through the first two Psalms, it is that putting our trust in Him, far out ways the sin that we might commit! Regardless of what you might think about what it means to be justified in Christ, sin still has a rippling effect upon our lives; however, when it comes to our standing with God, we stand before Him as a man or woman that is washed in the blood of His Son...

"The Climax"

"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled just a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psalms 2:12) As with many of the Psalms, the punch of this Psalm is given in the final verse; which is that we can love Him and be blessed, or we can perish if we don't!!! The "kiss" that is spoken of here is a sign of fastening onto, as in aliening with the Son; much as would be the case of one who surrenders his life completely to His will. This is what was brought forth in the third time Jesus asked Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" by Him asking Peter in the simplest terms, "Are you now my friend?" To some this might not seem like to was much of a question, but it involves that of coming along side; as to say, "Simon Peter, now that you know what it is that I have come to do, are you now willing to be a part with Me in this work?" So too, the meaning that is put forth within the statement "Kiss the Son" is to show signs of affection in love, which lead us to like passions that are based upon a friendship, or a willingness to befriend Him. Thus the meaning of "from the way" takes on the property of consistency; in which there is the object of conformity to Him, that is based upon our friendship, and that does not consider circumstance, but is firmly based upon the personhood of Jesus Christ. What it speaks of is going the distance; all the way to the end of the journey; regardless of what this life has to offer us, or in all that is taken away!!! It's a lot like marriage was meant to be, whereby there is more than just a companionship, but a commitment that we will love, defend, care for, and do everything within our power to hold onto that person, until death do us part; and if there is something that I have become weak in, then, God help me to continue on!!! This kind of a commitment is something that is very important to our relationship with Jesus Christ, and with each other; after all, life does not always bring us flowers in the morning, but can sometimes punch us pretty hard, especially when we are not paying attention! But the proper commitment, based upon love and friendship, never asks, What have I gotten myself into? because we know the suffering of Him; Him being not just our friend, but He is also our Master. Knowing this, then we must also consider what He has said, "That the servant is not greater than the Master"; therefore, we can expect to have suffering, because He suffered. The world hated Him, and it will hate us also!!! Which is precisely why the Psalm concludes with, "Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him", because He has prevailed, and because He is the God that will make all things new!!! OMG!!! Don't you see that He has called you??? And if He has called you, then you are His! And if you are His, then He has called you friend!!! And if He has called you friend, then He is loving you unconditionally!!! So then, What is your worry??? DO YOU LOVE HIM??? Then be His friend...

"Due Diligence"

"Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." (Psalms 2:11) This part of the decree is a Two-Edge Sword!!! To those that are God's children, this is a statement of peace and security; but to those that are not, this is a yoke of bondage. "Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us", which is spoken in verse two, and is referring to the bands of a yoke, as in mundane daily living, and the cords refer to interwoven foliage, which is complexity of life and living. God, speaking to Job in Job 39:5-8, gives an illustration of this breaking of bands, and what that might look like: "Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing." With regards to those that are heads of state, this a decree of accountability to the seat in which they have been placed, in that they do not regard just themselves by seeking only to fulfil their own desires, unlike the wild ass, whose only quest is for something green to eat. To the common man, this is primarily given to those that call themselves His servants, in that they are driven by His daily provisions for that which sustains them. Psalms 34:11 says, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord"; and is spoken after such memorized sayings as: "Taste and see that the Lord is good" and "for there is no want in them that fear Him". However, for those that are in power, and that do not serve Him, there is a constant hunger for more of what they do not possess, which is ultimate power. It is this quest for ultimate power that drives them to fear; yet they do not realize that it is fear that they are driven by; but they question everyone that surrounds them, as to their loyalty and service. It is as if everyone around them is a mirror unto themselves, with the same quest for power that drives their every moment. Contrast this to those that actually do serve Him in fear; for in them, there is no want which drives them, but they are content with that which they have been given, and living up to His expectations. The word "fear" that is used in Psalms 2:11 is easy enough to understand, for it means reverence to those that do serve Him, and actual fear for those that serve themselves. But it is the word "rejoice" that can throw us for a loop; for it is a word which also cuts both ways, in that it means exult and be glad; but it also means trembling, as in fear. The idea being, that those who serve themselves are always in fear of loosing that of which they have; therefore, they are always deceived by their own desires and quest for more power. It is as though their quest for more power has blinded them to the fact that they are but a man; yet those that serve the Lord, have not lost sight of their position and who it is that has placed them there. Even so; with the common man who places his trust in the Lord; knowing full well that he is but dust, and that it is God who gives him life...

"Establishment"

"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth." (Psalms 2:10) You can consider this a word to the wise! Actually, this is an answer to verse two and three, which says, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and His Anointed, saying, Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us". Which is why He that sits in heaven laughs, because it is useless to come against Him, or to try and change that which has been established. It is the words "set themselves" in which the Lord is answering here, because they stand in judgement and in authority as if they were placed there in their own strength; when it is God that has ordained them to be in the place that they have been seated. Think about this for just a moment: how is it that King Hezekiah's life and death shows that God's plan is unstoppable? Here you have a good king, who tried to serve God and rule as a man of God, and after being told that he was going to die, he weeps, asking God to spare his life. So, God answers his request, adding fifteen years onto his life, of which is produced his son Manasseh, who was twelve years old when he began to rein, after his father died. There are some who believe that Manasseh actually began to rein when Hezekiah received his new lease on life; I do not believe that this was so, because both accounts in the Bible say that he died, and then Manasseh began to rein in his stead. Besides that, even though Hezekiah had made some mistakes during his extended years, allowing his son to wreck what he had established would not be permitted. The reason that this is important to be corrected is that Manasseh is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. This is not the only example that we can make regarding the establishment of God's decree, but it is one that raises questions about the order of God's plans. Therefore; any king, or ruler, or president, that thinks that they have sit themselves where they currently are, should think again, because God is ultimately in control, and His Will will be done regardless of what man's plans might be; or what mistakes and poor judgements man might make. Which brings me to another example, which is that of David; the man that sinned against the Lord by his taking of Bathsheba. It was one thing to sin by sleeping with another man's wife, but to then plot and kill that man to try and cover his getting her pregnant, that was way over the top for a man of God. The child which they had conceived in adultery died, but the child that they conceived in marriage lived, and his name was Solomon; who is also listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You can call that, Kicking the Devil in the face; or, how about bruising his head with the heel of Christ!!! (Genesis 3:15)

"Property of Jesus Two"

"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (Psalms 2:9) I don't know why, but I had a vision of MC Hammer jigging across the stage, singing, You can't touch this!; kinda weird, isn't it? But really, the ones that choose not to be subject to following anything that is of God, let alone Jesus Christ, have made a choice that some of them believe is liberating them; as if following God will place them into bondage. I see God tilting His head, as in a questioning jester, saying, You have no clue what bondage really is; do you? There are a couple different rods that the Lord uses on His people; one is used for correction, which is a Shepherd's staff; and then there is the other, which is this rod of iron! There is nothing to do with correcting the people that He uses this rod on; only that of correcting a situation that is on the earth. The word "break" that is given in the context of what is being said is reinforced in the next statement, because they are the same breaking. It means to shatter into pieces, as in to destroy them, so that the only thing that is noticeably left, is the shattered pieces of what they once were. If you have ever broken a statue, vase, or something of that sort, and then tried to put it back together; if the pieces are big enough, and have not been broken into to many pieces, then you might have some luck; but if the item is shattered into a thousand pieces, you get the dust pan and sweep it into the trash: that is the kind of breaking that we are talking about here!!! The damage that will be done will be infinitive; which is what happens to something that is pulverized, it is utterly destroyed. But you might be thinking, What happen to the gentle Jesus? Well, let's just say that there are two edges to that Sword! One is for gentleness towards the humble and the penitent, the other is for annihilation of the proud and the rebellious. However; Jesus Christ has earned the right to proclaim justification upon the saved, and judgement upon the damned; because both are His property, and both are His possessions, to do with as He sees fit. As we look again at Revelation chapter five, there is a very important thing that happens leading up to the explosion of praise that is shown at the end of the chapter. The scroll that is in the hand of Him which sits on the throne, is the title deed to all that is upon the earth, in it's entirety, but with one important issue: that no one was found worthy to open it, or to even look into it. The reason that John was weeping in verse four, was because no one was found worthy to open the book, and to judge the earth; thereby bringing liberty to those that were set free, and judgement to those that were rebellious. However, in verse five, one of the elders around the throne proclaims, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof". There is two very different depictions of Jesus given; where here we have the Lion, meant to devour; yet, as John beheld Him in verse six, it says, "stood as a Lamb as it had been slain", which is the redemptive depiction. Then, as we read in verse twelve, we can see the explosion of praise that is brought forth: "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever". This sounds to me like there is no one left out of this chorus of singers; not even them which care not to participate!!!

"Property of Jesus"

"Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession." (Psalms 2:8) The word "ask" that is used in this verse is a little deceiving, because the one that is speaking is the Lord Jesus Christ. In the previous verse, the one speaking and declaring the decree is non other than the Son, for it says, "I (Jesus) will declare the decree: The LORD (The Father) hath said unto Me (Jesus), Thou (Jesus) art My Son; this day have I (The Father) begotten Thee (Jesus)"; therefore, this statement in verse eight is a continuation of the decree that Jesus is declaring. The reason that the word is a little deceiving, is because it comes across as if there was a request to take possession; when in fact, it was more of a grant being given to fulfill the decree. Okay; first of all, we must realize that it is Jesus who is making the decree; as He has been established to do, in that He is the Word of God. Secondly; He being one that is equal with the Father, is making the decision to do that which will be required to fulfill the decree; of which, involves coming to this earth in the form of a man to die upon the cross for the right to take possession of the earth. This expresses the power and the humility that was the character of Jesus Christ, of which Paul spoke of in Philippians 2:6-8, saying, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". With that being said, there is also another point to that of asking, and it comes across as begging; as in to beg for something to be so out of the passion for it and the need for it to be done! We all know that John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world", but in this, we must also remember that the Father and the Son are one; therefore, the decision that was made for Jesus to be given was a mutual decision between the Father and the Son; wherein, the Father granted the Son permission to do what they both knew needed to be done. In so doing, Jesus took possession of not only that that would be saved, but also those that would not, including all the earth in all it's finality; which includes that of heaven and that of hell. Yes, I said hell; because this also includes all the areas that had previously been granted to Satan, that in nothing, absolutely nothing, was there anything that Jesus was not granted possession over. Therefore; Jesus Christ is not only the possessor of that which is saved, but also of that which is lost!!! This too is declared in Psalms 22:27-29, which says, "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and He is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him: and none can keep alive his own soul". So then; anyone one out there that thinks that they are not going to be a part of Jesus, as in saying, "I want no part of that!", think again; because the day will come when you will confess that JESUS IS LORD!!! Now or Later; it's your choice!

"God's Anointed" -2

Anyways, if you see the point I was trying to make, without the part about myself, then you can see that God's plan involves far more than we can see, or even begin to imagine. His is a perfect plan, which we cannot conceive within our little finite minds; although we might try, we fall short of the understanding required to figure it out. But in case you were having issues with my definition on the "begotten" used in the context of Psalms 2:7, let me 'assist' you in your understanding. The Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary describes this meaning as to act as a midwife; in that of assisting to bring forth, or to cause to bring forth, or bare. Without getting all Calvinistic on you, let me just say that there is a predestination effect that is taking place, or that has taken place; such is the case in the birth of Christ, in the raising of Lazarus, in the fiery furnace, and even in my own life. In the beginning of verse seven, there is the statement, "I will declare a decree", which is the establishment of that which is to happen. In the case of Lazarus, Jesus knew full well what was going to happen before even setting out to go and assist His sick friend. In the case of the fiery furnace, the decree was set in motion by the words of Nebuchadnezzar, when he said, "Who is the God that shall deliver you from my hand?" And in my own life, mine was answering the call!!! God already knew full well that I would answer, I just needed to heed and obey the call that was given out. Therefore, in effect, the call was an assisting to my coming forth as a new creation in Christ. This is the mystery of what predestination is all about. Don't try to figure it out, because in so doing, you will only go in circles within your mind, and end up more confused than when you started. But with God, it is like clockwork; even though He does not use one...

"God's Anointed"

"I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee." (Psalms 2:7) To get the best picture of what is meant by "begotten Thee", we could imagine the resurrection of Lazarus, and Jesus saying, "Lazarus; come forth". If you know the story, then you know that he had been dead for over four days, and, like his sister said, "He is stinky by now; you should have come sooner". Another example of this meaning can be seen in the words of Nebuchadnezzar, as he hearkened unto Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were walking around in the fire, he said, "Ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither". Although the proclamation is "this day have I begotten Thee", the day speaks only of the actual bringing forth; but the bringing forth was planned out way in advance. Such was the case in the two examples given; both were proclamations which were carried out based upon a series of events, which lead up to the bringing forth. In the case of Jesus, His was one that was based upon His eternal existence, and the fact that He always was the Son; the begotten part was one of manifesting Him to the world. God has a way of using every little thing that happens both here and in heaven for His glory; even those things which might seem contrary to His will, He will use them to complete His perfect plan. Jesus illustrated this in the case of Lazarus, as He set out to go to him when He was told that he was sick; and then through a series of distractions, did not arrive until four days after he had died. Yet, when confronted by one of his disciples during one of those distractions, saying, Lord, shouldn't we be going to Lazuras, seeing that he is very sick; Jesus simply replied, Lazuras is dead. All of which was done that God would be glorified in Lazuras coming forth from that tomb, bound on burial cloth, yet free from stink. Much the same as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came forth from the fire without even the smell of smoke upon them. The point being, that the manifestation was well planned out in advance; regardless of the circumstances which lead up to the bringing forth. Looking at my own life, and seeing the paths that I had taken prior to the day that received Christ into my heart, I can see God's hand was upon my life, leading up until that day. All the distractions, and the paths that I veered off to; each of which took me up to that day when there was a calling forth. And when I came forth, the stench of the world was removed from my life, just as if it never really happened!!!

"Lost In Sin" -3

So maybe by now you might be at odds with the title verses the message; and if you are, I can't say that I blame you. But really, the greatest sin which can take hold of a man or woman, being that which involves power, is also the easiest one to show what it means to be "lost in sin". How so? you may be wondering. It is as though a very thick barrier has been put up over the eyes of those that are in power; whereby, no matter how obvious it is to those that see the sin that they commit, they themselves are totally blind to it. To them, they are so lost in their sin, that they believe they are the ones that are right and working good. This goes beyond the point of doing that which is wrong, because they have convinced themselves that they are right. The Apostle Paul knew of this power first hand, as he referred to himself as "the chiefest of sinners" for having taken so many Christians to jail and to their death. Listening to Rush Limbaugh the other day, I heard him speak about the images you get when you google certain topics or words; such as the word evil, when googled will bring up the image of Hitler. However, in the mind of Hitler and those that were his followers, he was a man of purpose; a visionary with the intention to make the world a better place by helping the evolution of the human race. His primary goal was one of eliminating all those that were inferior and considered to be a strain upon humanity; to produce a superior human being, thereby helping the evolutionary process. But like any such plan would be taken, his took on a life of it's own, whereby leading to the elimination of races of people, primarily the Jews. Oddly enough, there was such a plan underfoot within this very country of the United States around that same time, which you will not read about in school text books. But that plan was quickly put to rest, after seeing the genocide which was taking place in Europe. Although; currently in this country, as well as many others, there is the practice of abortion; accepted by many as nothing more than removing unwanted tissue from a woman's body. And yet, those that know different, and attest to the violence committed against the helpless unborn, are raged at, as if they are intruding upon the privacy of a woman's right of choice. It's rather odd, don't you think? Shouldn't a google search of what evil is bring up the image of a dismembered fetus? After all, Hitler is no more, but the killing of innocent children continues in this present time! Power is also determined by what is in our care, as in those who we have the power over; to love them, or to destroy them. God's wrath regarding sin, and the sins of mankind, was answered by an act of love; whereby He placed His Son upon the cross, thereby driving a fierce wedge between those that are saved and those that are lost in sin... "Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in sore displeasure. Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion." (Psalms 2:5 & 6)

"Lost In Sin" -2

When we look at the Book of Acts chapters three and four, we can see a manifestation of the not only the use of Psalms Two, but an illustration of it being lived out in real life. Matthew Henry puts it like this; "As the foregoing Psalm (One) was moral, and showed us our duty, so this (Two) is evangelical, and shows us our Saviour." There is only one way to be delivered from the bondage of sin, and that is by surrendering our lives completely over to our Lord Jesus Christ. There are several different meanings to the word 'bondage' that are used within God's Word, but to really understand the bondage of sin, a person must see what he is, and what it requires to be delivered; otherwise, we might be free from the slavery of sin, but still a slave and act accordingly. Sin involves a really big world, and the world in which we live is the product of some very horrific sin, committed both by common man and dignitaries; but all sin involves desires of the heart, whether they be pleasure, riches, or power, they are born in the heart of man. But of all three areas of sin, I believe the strongest is that of power; for it is power makes a man feel closest to being god like. In Acts 3:1-10, as Peter and John were heading into the temple, we see the power of God demonstrated in the healing of a forty year old lame man who had been lame from birth; most likely born with a very sever abnormality, such as a whithered leg, or legs; but it is obvious by the reactions of the people that knew him, that there was no denying that he was born a cripple. Peter then begins preaching to the people gathered around, and it says that the number that believed him were around five thousand. This did not sit well with the rulers of the temple, and they held Peter and John over night until the next day, when all the rulers, elders, scribes, and the high priests could be gathered together. Then they set them in their midst and asked, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" (Acts 4:7) Then Peter, being filled with the Holy Ghost, tells them that it was by the power of Jesus Christ, whom they crucified, and that God raised from the dead; by which there is salvation given in non other. And here is the part that confirms the power of sin, especially that of power; for it says that they marvelled at these men Peter and John, remembering that they had been with Jesus, and then beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. Yet they, being those which were considered men of God, denied the power of the Living God; and having counseled together, so as to stop this from spreading any further, instructed Peter and John to speak no more nor teach in the name of Jesus. "But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have heard." (Acts 4:19 & 20) At which time they further threatened them, and then let them go for fear of the multitudes that believed them. After which a great revival spread throughout the church; to the point where everyone sold their possessions and came together in one accord. Now, Who had the last laugh in that? "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." (Psalms 2:4)

"Lost In Sin"

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." (Psalms 2:1-3) I can not imagine what my life would be like now without Jesus; and yet, I can still remember what it was like without Him. I remember mocking those that tried to share Jesus to me, and those that assembled in His name; as I laughed inside at their gatherings, as if they were all caught up in some strange superstition. I had my own god that I served, and he left me alone to do whatever I felt like doing; so no one should have been allowed into my space to disrupt my pleasure. But, little did I know or realize, each offer or invitation that I was given was an act of love towards me! I cannot remember actually getting vocal with anyone who might have pressed me in the subject how much God loves me, because I think I believed that He did; but I can remember the thoughts in my head and heart, as I snickered inside, saying, Whatever you say, I am not going to change, so you might as well give up. But on the outside, I would say things, like, That's nice for you, but I have my own beliefs; and the God I know does not judge me on the things that I do. However, every once in a while, someone would strike a cord by speaking a word that hit me right in the heart; and it would make me mad. Why? Because it made me feel uncomfortable in my sin; of which I had grown very comfortable in; and that, I could not stand. This is the rage that the writer of Psalms Two is speaking of, and is brought on by the sin that is exposed in their lives by the Light. Jesus spoke of this to Nicodemus in John 3:20, saying, "For every one that doeth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved". In our modern world, there is a movement afoot in so many areas of sin, to get sin recognized as acceptable; and leading the way is sexual sin. I don't think that this is just by coincidence; because in this area of sin there is some kind of attribution to love; whereby, those that are caught up in it, attribute their desires to that of pleasures of the heart, as if the heart dictates what love is. However, the Bible says, "The heart is deceitfully wicked; who can know it". But in placing a banner of love over the sin that they commit, they feel justified in what they practice; and anyone who is against what they do, is somehow restricting their expression of love. This is the reason that those that are living alternative lifestyles are so set on being recognised as normal; so as to make themselves to feel less dirty in their sins. However; when it comes to being exposed to the Light, they have no defense; none whatsoever!!!

"The Plan"

To put things in the proper perspective, I thought it would be a good idea to go back over the three ungodly versions of those that call themselves Christians, before moving on into Psalms Two. Just in case you missed the point, they went from bad to worst; worst being unquestionably ungodly; but the second was questionable; and yet the first doubted themselves. That would mean to say that the first, which I referred to as 'Shame', left some room to be categorized as ungodly, because they had asked forgiveness for their sins, it's just that they had not yet received the fact that they are justified in Christ; thereby still feeling the guilt of their sin, and not freely in fellowship with God. The second group, to which I referred to as 'Blame', there is room to question the validity of there salvation, because there is sin which they have not confessed, believing it not to be a fault of their own; therefore there is the question that they may still be considered ungodly because they are holding onto sin that they should be getting rid of. And then the third; well this group is just 'Lame', making their ungodliness unquestionable, because they really do nothing but cripple the church, having only their own self interest involved with the reason that they even attend church. In a certain way, Psalms One and Two almost blend together; whereby the first one shows the failure of man and how he might have joy by being lifted above that failure, and the second shows God's redemptive plan, regardless of man's failure; thus illustrating the way that man is lifted up from his failure. I have been thinking of something over these last three days of postings, and it has to do with Lot, and how he was treated by the people of Sodom when he spoke out against their evilness. These surely are the last days that we are living in, of that I have no doubt. Times when men call evil good, and good evil. And yet the church, which is meant to be a beacon on a hill, has taken on much of what the world has become. In so doing, it is extremely difficult to call the world out for the evil that they do, when it is so hard to tell us apart...

"Lost To Self"

"For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalms 1:6) I might have been a little harsh yesterday, but you must know that I was in a AA program once, before I was a Christian, and while I was in the Navy. I really tried to get into it, and became very outspoken; but towards the end of my 90 day ordered program, I began to realize that those that were hardcore program people had some real serious issues, and seemed to like to hold on to them. Besides that, my mother died while drunk, after ridding in that roller coaster ride for almost ten years; there are only a few that can really grab hold of that program and actually make it their god; she was not one of them. Anyways, about verse six. I was praying about this for quite awhile, and asking God why must it be so difficult for some to see the truth, even after being exposed to it year after year. Then the Lord spoke to me about the "Wheat and the tares", and why it is that God waits up to the very last minute before sifting out those that are not really His. The "tares" are those that I would like to call 'lame'; partly because I was wanting to make it rhyme: shame, blame and lame; but mostly because they are an artificial limb in the body of Christ. They actually might be serving a purpose, but they are not really a Christian, only pretending to be one, and maybe even fooling themselves, besides fooling others. But God is not fooled! And there will come a day when He will separate the tares from the wheat, and the tares will be burnt up in the fire! So then, why does He allow them to stay? Jesus answered this within the parable of the wheat and the tares, by saying, "Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13:29 & 30) Jude 9 gives us an illustration of another angle on this verse, in that he shows how that when Michael the archangel disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, he did not bring against him a railing accusation, but rather said, The Lord rebuke thee; making it known to him and to all concerned, that his day would come. In other words, the point is that neither we nor angels, no matter how hard we try, will be able to put the devil out of commission, but that his time is coming one day. Many of these lame (as I wish to call them) are people who might be leaders, even pastors in our churches, who when taken out can also take with them many that are sincerely believers, but have become casualties of an uprooting. Some people are just too trusting of others, making them become overly dependent upon a person whom they might be looking up to, and when that person is exposed, they become devastated, and even lose faith in the church as a whole. But my question that I wrestled with, was not really why God did not take them out, because that is easy enough to understand; but, why do they not get the message? People who are active in the ministry for years and years; hearing sermon upon sermon; some are even the ones giving out the sermons; and yet they do not receive the message!!!! These are those that have chosen what they are: they are tares, period! They are not going to change, because they are what they are! The Lord does not hold off pulling them out for the sake of them changing into wheat, because they will not be changed; but He holds of from pulling them out for the sake of the wheat!!! Listen to their description by Jude, and you tell me if you see any changing in their future: "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." (Jude 12 & 13)

"Lost In Self"

"Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." (Psalms 1:5) Let's put this in a little better perspective, and look again at Adam and Eve; asking, what was it that they did after they sinned against God? Anybody...? They hid themselves from God! The word "stand" that is used here is a word that means 'arise'; which speaks of several different things, like, to come on the scene. In other words, it is a word that can represent validity; or, to raise oneself. If we know what we are in Christ, then we are able to rise up and stand as one that has been made complete in Him; therefore, we will be able to stand in the judgement as one who has been made righteous. And then we have the "sinners"; these are those that also do not stand; which is meant to say, "nor do the sinners stand in the congregation of the righteous"; which for a lack of a better definition, are those that blame. You might have heard this term before, they call it "The Blame Game". This was also demonstrated in the Garden by Adam and Eve, as Adam blamed his sin on the woman that God gave him, and Eve blamed her sin on the serpent that beguiled her. This is a fault that brings many to the point of denial, in which they do not get a proper washing from their sins, because they have not exposed all of their own dirtiness; but instead have blamed others or something else for the trespass that they have committed. Yes, I said something else; as in an illness or an addiction; or even that God made them the way that they are! I firmly believe that this is a tool of the devil, because he uses our weaknesses against us, and blaming is a weakness that we have right out of the womb. I did not want to go here, and even said yesterday that I would not; but I feel that God is speaking to me otherwise, and so I must! Because there are many today, and I am speaking of Christians, that have bought into the lie that they are trapped in their sin, as if that is what they have become or are; as if they were born that way, or that it is caused by their upbringing, or that it is in their genes. Sin is sin; that is all there is to it! And if you think that you are what you are because of someone or something else, then you will continue to be trapped in your sin. There is only One Way to be released from the power of sin, and that is by confessing it as your sin, and then accepting the completed washing that comes through Jesus Christ. There is no twelve steps that lead to us redemption; there is but One; which is to step up to the cross and lay your burdens down!!! I know that I will receive some alternative (no pun intended) answers on these statements, because so many have bought into this theory of 'once a sinner always a sinner'; but the truth of the matter is, that Jesus can make us whole: PERIOD!!! To be set free, free indeed, means that there is no baggage that is brought along with you; it has all been left at the cross! Yes, I agree that there might be some things that we cannot change; but there is nothing that can not be changed in Christ; absolutely nothing!!! Therefore, by accepting those things which can not be changed, we leave ourselves open for defeat, and dependent upon whatever program or roller coaster that we are riding in. To which, I must add that there is only One Higher Power that is able to deliver us from our sin, which includes those things which we may be addicted to, and that is Jesus Christ our LORD. But we must want to be delivered from it; and when I say delivered, I mean set free from it; which means that it no longer has a hold upon our lives. And yet there are those that will use Paul as an example of things which can not be changed; for Paul had an affliction of some sort, which he had prayed earnestly to be delivered from, yet was not. I do not accept this as an answer; for Paul's affliction was a physical condition, such as watery eyes, or something of the sort; his was not an addiction to sin! Even though, there are those that would place physical ailments and addictions in the same category. We are born in sin, not born to sin! We are meant to be set free from our sins; which is why Jesus died on that cross for the sins of the world; meaning every one's sin, not just a few or for some, but for all that would come to the cross and be set free! But you have to want it!!! I have no sin that I do not like...

"Firmly Planted" -2

"The ungodly are not so: but are like chaff which the wind driveth away." (Psalm 1:4) One thing that you cannot say about Paul, is the he was not wordy, because he was. The writer if Psalms One on the other hand was not, and left much of his writing to be explored for deeper meaning. As to the closing Scriptures from yesterday, and the importance that it has to this discussion; it is because we must know Whom it is that we are seated in, and the awesome power that has been given Him. We must be content and totally at peace with being seated in Christ; the search is over, and we must rest in Him as the final destination for our soul; which includes looking at works as an avenue of our salvation; which is why Paul continues after making those statements with the fact that we are saved by grace and not of works. Which brings me to my next point, which is "the ungodly" spoken of in the verse above. At face value, this could be easily interpreted to mean those that live the life of a sinner, or the heathens, of which it may be speaking; however, this term actually means far more than that. Let's get something straight, this writer of Psalms One is speaking about a believer who has joy, verses one that does not. When he starts out by saying, "Blessed is the man", he is setting the stage for a man that has a joyful mental state of contentment; going on to say further, that "his delight is in the law of the LORD", thereby making the connection of where his joy comes from. Those that do not have joy, are they that "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, standeth in the way of sinners, and sitteth in the seat of the scornful". The term "ungodly" can also represent the guilty; which can mean those that are not convinced that they are justified in Christ. The general idea that the writer is making when he speaks of "like a tree planted", and then says that "the ungodly are not so", is that because they are not firmly planted, they are as chaff, which is taken by the wind in all sorts of directions. Paul also speaks of this is in Ephesians 4:14 as being "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine", speaking of not being as a child that is not grounded in the faith and what it means to be seated in Christ. Jesus, when rebuking Peter, used the most ungodly term that He could, as He told Peter, "Get behind me Satan", because Peter forbid Him going to the cross. Therefore, the term 'ungodly' can also refer to those that do not understand God's plan of redemption, even though their intentions may be well intended. And, when it comes to meditating upon God's law, there is one thing that we learn in so doing, and that is how much we fall short at keeping it; which is precisely why justification is so vitally important to our position in Christ. Another point to what is being said, is that of "the wind" and what it represents; which can be both external and internal. The 'wind' commonly refers to the spirit; and when speaking of external, it can mean the spirits of wickedness, or of false teachings; but when talking about the internal, it is speaking of man's spirit, as in the seat of his desire and emotions. Something which anyone that is following Jesus, or that is even in love, knows, is something that is not to be trusted, nor used to base the value of our relationships upon. Okay, so maybe you are not yet seeing the connection? It has to do with a little thing called 'shame'!!! Back in the Garden, God provided Adam and Eve a temporary relief from their shame, in that He made clothes from animal skins to cover their naked bodies. It is our shame which causes us to not fellowship with God in a manner that is in line with pure godliness. Sin is the reason for our separation from God; but shame is something that we bring upon ourselves. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) So then, where is there room for shame in that??? And yet there are those that refuse to accept the justification that has been given in Christ, and continue holding onto the shame of what they have done; making the gift which was given unto them of none effect. Works work both ways; in that there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, and there is nothing by which we could have done which can take it away!!! It is God's grace, and grace alone by which we are saved!!! Shame does nothing but give us a reason to hold onto our sin, in that we feel obligated to do something in order to correct that which we have done. Much the same as Adam and Eve did in taking leaves to cover their naked bodies. When God would say to us, "Who told you that you were naked? I see only the blood of My Son."

"Firmly Planted"

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalms 1:3) First things first; the 'and' is much like a 'therefore'; therefore we must ask what the 'and' is referring to, because there were two points to the previous verse that were mentioned: one was about meditating on the Word (the law) day and night, the other one, which I believe is far more important, was that "his delight is in the law (WORD) of the LORD". Yes, I said that it is far more important for our delight to be in the Word, then how often during the day that we read it, or meditate upon it. Jesus, speaking to the Jews that wanted to kill Him for making Himself equal with God, said, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And you will not come to Me, that ye might have life". (John 5:39 & 40) Been there; done that! As I have shared before, I was a Bible Reading Fool before I came to a Jesus Christ; all the reading I could do, could not save me. And too, our reading and meditating upon the Word will not keep us from going astray if we do not "delight in His Word". This word 'delight' is more than just a word that means pleasure, but is one of desire; a longing for the Word of God to take root in our lives and change us, and to make us conformable to His Word. It is reading and meditating upon His Word for a purpose. Then, and only then, are we "planted by the rivers of water"; which, by the way, the "Rivers of Water" represent the Word of God. The point is one of washing in the Word; yet, there is also a constant supply of moisture for the roots to be made strong. The thing about a river, which is always flowing, is that it is always moving by and bringing new life; whereby, there is always newness and revelation into what we are in Christ. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is the body, the fullness of Him that filled all in all." (Ephesians 1:17-23)

"A Brand New Day"

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Psalms 1:1) If you are into New Years Day resolutions, then you might as well make it count for something important. Here in this verse of the Psalms, we have something that is easy to get a grip on, and which I believe aliens well with Paul's letter of Ephesians. If you are familiar with the message that Paul's letter brings forth, then you should know that it is two fold, with an emphasis on our position in Christ, and then to that of our spiritual life, including that of warfare. In regards to our position in Christ, his general premise is one of being seated in Christ, first and foremost; then we are able to walk, and then stand in Christ; but always by remaining seated in Christ! What the writer of Psalms One is putting forth has to do with all three of these positions: walking, standing, and sitting. It is not just a coincidence that they are listed in this manner, because to be driven by the cares of this world, we start by walking. It's not just the opposite of sit, walk, stand; it is more of an entrapment, whereby we walk in the wrong ways; then soon we are standing in and alongside that which is wicked; and then finally, we find ourselves sitting in it, clear up to our elbows! But it starts out by walking in the wrong direction! That is the thing about being seated in Christ: as long as we stay seated in Christ, we are never going in the wrong direction!!! So then, how do we step out from being seated in Christ to be headed in the wrong direction? By believing the lie! The Psalmist puts it like "walking in the counsel of the ungodly"; which for those that do not know, this is where it always starts. It started here with Eve in the garden, and it will start here with us every time we fall. The lie says that it is okay, it won't kill you; you can do this or that without harming your relationship with God; He will still love you. But what the lie does not tell you, is that you will not want to fellowship with God the same way afterwards, because of your shame. And soon enough, your shame will drive you to trying to become comfortable, which will lead to standing in the way of sinners; which actually means a way of life. The reason that this becomes a way of life, is because this is where you find comfort and temporary satisfaction. And then finally, you have made a dwelling place that is hidden from God! We know of course that we cannot hide from God, but we think that we can, once our fellowship with Him has been hindered. But it does not stop there, because the place that we end up dwelling in, is "the seat of the scornful"; which means scoffer, or mocker. It is here where we will not only be out of fellowship with God, but where we will be a mocker of that which is right, and meditate upon that which is unholy. Okay then; so you want to start things out Right??? Then get seated in Christ, first and foremost; which will require a complete surrender unto Him. And then do what is needed to avoid listening to the lie, and meditate upon His word, both day and night!!! "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalms 1:2)