"He Is A Shield To All Who Trust In Him"

"I will love You, O Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in Whom I will trust; my shield and...my salvation, my stronghold....The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid....The snares of death confronted me....By You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall....He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (From Psalm 18)

And some still insist that the Bible is irrelevant.

"The Practice of the Presence of God."  Are you?  I need this more than anything.  If you and I are to survive in this evil and wicked generation, there is just no other way than to "Practice the Presence of God."  Our text today reveals the steadfast peace of the person who is continually aware of, "The Lord...my Shepherd," as in Jesus, "I am the Good Shepherd."  David's continual strength was in his Shepherd, Jesus.  "For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalm 18:28)

If I am continually aware of The Presence, then I am secure in Jesus Christ, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper."  No, this does not mean I will not die, nor be killed by some terrorist act, etc.  It does mean, however, that there is no weapon in Satan's arsenal nor that of his servants which can destroy you and me.  "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you."  The word for, "near," can also be translated, "overtake."  Could it mean, "catch up with us to capture and destroy us?"  Never, ever forget the Word of Jesus that while others may die, you and I will not, "Whoever lives and believes (obeys)...Me shall never die."  He then asked, "Do you believe this?"  What so many in American Christendom quote and "believe" so glibly may some day be discovered as their very "life or death." 

As I have shared before, I told our children when they were still fairly young that "some day the world will come home."  On September 11, 2001, it did.  And it continues to "come home."  I can also tell you that they will not leave; they are here to stay.  Now perhaps what so many other Followers of Jesus have deeply relied upon through the centuries, The American Church will have to do a "reality check."  Do we?  Nothing brings home the "wonderful words of life," the Words of Jesus, than suffering, fear, uncertainty of the future.  Abiding in Jesus, aka, "The Practice of the Presence of God," is the cure, the sustenance of the one in whom Jesus Christ lives.  "As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (v. 30)

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You just continue to "prove" Yourself to me.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

What Has The Righteous Wrought?"

"If the foundations [of a godly society] are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3, Amplified Bible)

What if there is a powerlessness in the world that the hype-preachers don't want to face?  What if Marty McFly's philosophy, "You know, George, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything," a philosophy which is still bantered about today, and nothing but "blowing smoke?"  No matter how much "mind" one "put[s]...to it," there are certain things which neither man nor woman can do, "Super Girl," notwithstanding.  There is this increasing pride in humanity that "with us all things are possible." 

I don't think it chance that my Psalms reading today took me to Psalm 11:3.  America in the early 1960s began the state sponsored rejection of Jesus Christ, His Words, His Church, His Kingdom Reign.  America has been crumbling ever since.  "What can an honest person do when everything crumbles?" (CEV)  I have shared on our text before, but in light of the steady decline of the American Nation, it bears repeating.  Elliot tells us, "The order of the Hebrew words seems to support this rending, 'While morality has been overthrown, the righteous what has he done?'  A suggested emendation, involving but a slight change in the Hebrew letters, would produce, however, a far better sense: 'If the foundations be destroyed, what will become of the tower, or superstructure?'"  The Cambridge Bible says, "....the form of the question in the original seems to be intended to exclude the possibility of an encouraging answer.  But the verse should probably be rendered, 'For the foundations are being overthrown; what has the righteous wrought (worked)?'"-- viz., "put together, created."  Another source says, "the righteous ('a collective', Church?) had done and could do nothing to prevent it."  

The Church in America is still praying, worshipping, interceding, declaring, waving flags, preaching, attempting to prop up its sagging financial resources by manipulating the "sowing-reaping" principle (a new "indulgences"?), and still the nation descends further and further into anarchy.  Recent presidential elections, as well as the coming one, are revealing a culture which has rejected Jesus Christ and His Words and has embraced charismatic, humanist, Christ-rejecting people who are leading the USA into the "fall" stage, as in "The Rise and Fall of...."  This is not give-up-itis.  I encourage you to meditate on,  "What has the righteous wrought?"  I am doing at least some of what I can, praying, writing, attempting to proclaim Jesus Christ, Savior, Lord/King, Ruler and Sustainer of the Universe, the only, "Word of God."

I continue to pray, and my prayers are more and more of the, "Thy Kingdom come.  They will be done," order, and mostly, "in the spirit," by, through and in the Holy Spirit, that's right, "in other tongues."  I have not other "answers"------------------ and neither do you-------- nor anyone else.  May you walk today in the mighty Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that you can be my and the Church's, "What has the righteous wrought?"

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"On A Hill East Of Jerusalem, Solomon Built" Something Else

"On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites.  He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods." (1 Kings 11:7 & 8, NIV)

This is the inevitable end for those who are never satisfied, always looking for more and better pleasure.

This past week I finished reading about Solomon.  The Kingdom reached its largest expanse during his reign.  He built the first Jewish Temple.  The record states that the Lord God, "appeared twice," to Solomon.  Just like his father, David, Solomon had everything everyone wants desires---- more.  Today, many American households have both husband and wife working outside the home, not because they have to, but because they want to have.  It has become the proverbial "bottomless pit," and the digging just continues.  I  have shared before that one of my uncles once said to me that every time he got a salary increase, it didn't take long until it wasn't enough. 

The desire for more is dangerous.  It can lead to an end as Solomon's.  Just as with David, Solomon was not content with what he had.  There was more "out there," and because he had the means to do so, he went after it.  Jesus always told the Jews to refrain from intermingling with the foreign nations.  Why? because of the reason He gave to Solomon, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods," whatever the form of, "their gods," takes; hence, our text.  Solomon was not satisfied with what he had.  Like so many today, more and different is always better.  And, as with so many in Covenant People history, the older he got the greater the, "prone to wonder." 

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  How different David's life would have been.  How different Solomon's life would have been.  How different our lives would be if we took heed to, "....guard your heart...."  Maybe you are already "out and about."  Maybe you are in an office or your house.  I pray for you and me, no matter "where" we are, "guard your heart."  When I read of Solomon, I experience a renewed, "fear of the Lord"; may you also, for, "I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before Him." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your Words which are light in the darkness.  Amen.
   

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Joy To The Word, The Lord Has Come"

"Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench." (1 Kings 18:38, NIV)

Sometimes things do not seem to be too "nice" in the Bible.  One of my Psalms today said that in the face of man's conspiracy to throw off the reign of Jesus in his life, "The One enthroned in Heavens laughs."  In 1 Kings 18, Elijah mocks mercilessly the haters of the Blessed Trinity.  But in the "laughter" and "mocking," there was surely heartbreak.  Could there be something here of, "It would be funny, if it weren't so tragic"?

It is, in fact, most sad when people live as though they are in control of their lives, and political leaders can just continue to rule as humanist czars while all along they reject Jesus, His Church, His Kingdom reign.  Father has said, "I have installed My King on Zion, My holy mountain."  Jesus is King; Jesus reigns.  So too, the "fire" will fall from the, "Holy Mountain," upon all who reject the reign and Words of Jesus.  Whatever the reality of Hell, "the judgement seat of Christ," the judgments mentioned in Matthew 25, it is most disturbing to know that the wicked will perish forever from, "the presence of the Lord."  And not just individuals, but nations too will experience this.  Jeremiah saw in a vision, "I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, by His fierce anger."

The only safe place for you and me is the place of obedience in Jesus and under the Blood of Jesus.  I cannot speak any longer in certainty about the details of the coming judgment, who will escape, who will not.  I fear that too many "born-againers" may be in great danger these days.  Their lives are built more on their "confession," their "right thinking," than on the "works" of which Jesus speaks.  The foolish women, the unjust steward, and the goat nations of Matthew 25 were not judged by what they "believed" or said.  They were judged by what they did---------- nothing. 

I want to live my life in, "the fear of the Lord," not in the groupie, "shibboleth," of the "spiritual people."  Jesus said, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour," and I fear there is much more of which so many, "know neither...."  What we do know of certainty, however, is that Mary did, "bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."  In this Advent Season, the Church celebrates this reality.  I am unsure of some things of which I used to be so sure.  I am not, though, unsure of Jesus, Who He is, what He has done and continues to do.  Jesus is my Certainty and Peace.  Apart from Jesus there is neither.  As Psalm 2 says, "Kiss the Son, " today.  When we do, we know, "My peace...with you."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that in the midst of an uncertain world, You are not.  Amen.
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Will be heading to DC this month.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2