(Psa 60 NKJV) O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again! {2} You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. {3} You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
{4} You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah {5} That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
{6} God has spoken in His holiness: "I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. {7} Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. {8} Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me."
{9} Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? {10} Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? {11} Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. {12} Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
Psalm 60 is a Michtam (a golden, or profound song) of David, and is a prayer that God will restore his people to his favor.
The Psalm begins with an acknowledgement that God has, indeed, cast his people off; that he has broken them down in his displeasure. We look back at those days (3000 years ago) and say, "Of course it is obvious when God casts his people off, and displays his displeasure." But I think, in reality, there is a great insight here. I guess it should be obvious. God has given us enough instruction, and enough warnings about failing to obey his instruction, that it should be obvious when judgment follows disobedience. But it doesn't seem to correlate in our (American Christians') brains quite like it did with David. Instead, we hear American Christians talk about how we are the greatest country on earth, and if Bush gets elected (2004) and Alito gets confirmed (2006), then we are in great shape. But if they look with their eyes open, they would see the display of God's displeasure. They would see reasons for the display of God's displeasure. They would see in the neighborhood of 40 million babies killed by their mothers who hired "doctors" to do the deed, in the past 33 years. They would see Christian children by the millions sent out to pagans to be trained that "God does not exist, or if he does, it is so unimportant to reality that we don't mention him" in the government schools. They would see Christian ethics that are substantially indistinguishable from pagan ethics. They would see a church that is not simply divided into East and West, or East and Roman West and Protesting West, but into literally tens of thousands of sub-groupings that are so contentious that any type of unity is out of the question. They would see fingers pointing at Sodomites and abortionists as the cause of our problems, when God clearly teaches us that those abominations are the result of the problem: covenant breaking among his people (Deuteronomy 28, for example, shows how pagans will be the head and God's people the tail, when God's people break covenant).
David, though, has a slightly more watchful eye than American Christians, and he recognized the fact: God had cast them off and broken them down because of his displeasure. And he acknowledges this. And he pleads with God to restore them again. In v.2, he acknowledges that God has made the earth to tremble. This is likely not referring to an earthquake, or anything of the sort. In Old Testament language, earth (or, better yet, land) refers to the land where God's people dwell, and thereby, to God's people. I am not conversant enough with Hebrew to verify that the present word is, indeed, that word, but apart from evidence to the contrary, I will assume that it is, in this case, the same word, and conclude that God has made his people to tremble, and to crack (breaches), and to be shaking. This conclusion (that earth/land here refers to God's people: Israel) is enforced by the nature of the prayer in v.1, and the explicit reference in v.3 to "your people," to whom, David says, God has shown "hard things", things that make them appear drunk with confusion.
The cast-off-edness, the broken-ness, the displeasure, the trembling and broken and breached land, however, is not the end of the story. In verse 4, David recalls that this is not the designed plan. God rules over all, and rules over even the troubles and sins in our life. This is the will of God which he "decrees" to bring about his desired end (which "will" can include troubles, and trials, and punishments, and judgments, and even sins -- think of Joseph's brothers in Genesis 50, and the wicked hands that crucified Christ, recounted by Peter in Acts 2 -- all according to God's "will"). But there is also the will of God which describes that which he commands us to do, which demonstrates his holiness, and which gives him pleasure as we walk in it. And this destruction of the land, and the sin which was causing it, was not part of the will of God in this sense. David recalls the will of God in this sense: You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth, that your beloved may be delivered. I am not certain as to the identity of this banner. But a banner is that sign which one carries which identifies him as to whom he belongs. Think of the flag flying on a ship. This banner identifies the ship as being from its country of origin. The same with the flag that troops carry into battle. Or, "I am my beloved's, and He is mine. His banner over me is love." The flag God flies over his people, which identifies them as his, is his love. My first thought is that this refers to the Ark of the Covenant, which includes a copy of God's Law in it. This marked God's people. The law was given to those who feared God, and was "the truth". These hints in vv.4-5 make me think, thusly. No matter what the precise identification of the banner, though, the fact is, in the pleasure of God, he has marked his people with protection and affirmation and his love, and will save (deliver) them. And so David references this thought, and then cries out to God: Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
David continues in the next section with God's claim upon his people, and a contrast with how he also claims the pagan nations. God, in his holiness (v.6) is rejoicing as he lays claim to his people and their land, apportioning it among them, and giving them tasks. Vv.6-7 are about his people. In contrast, v.8 he moves to the pagan nations. They, too, belong to God, but they are of "common" or "profane" use (a washpot, one to be trampled on). Think of Paul's letter to Timothy, and the contrast given between vessels of honor, and vessels of dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Again, this is part of David's recounting of the pleasurable will of God. God has chosen a people. That people is Israel. And God's banner has been given to identify them as the recipients of his special love, while the other nations, while belonging to God also, are common (dishonored) vessels.
This should also, as we survey the destruction of the holiness of the church, and the destruction of the unity of the church, which appears before our very eyes, this should be our cry: God -- such vileness in your people is not your plan. You may have a purpose for which you have decreed these things, but this is not your will in the sense that we are obeying your commands and giving you pleasure by what we are. Rather, we believe that your church is to be one. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over us all. Your church is one, holy, catholic (covers the entire world), and apostolic (built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ himself being the chief cornerstone).
David began to confess the truth about God's people, as to who they were, after having confessed the truth about God's people, as to how they were acting. We are acting like pagans, but we are the beloved bride of God Almighty. And as he confessed the truth about what God had determined to make of his people, in contrast to the pagans, David became animated. He was ready to go back to war! Notice in verse 9. Who is going to bring me to the strong city, to Edom? He is itching to get back into the battle against the stronghold of Edom. And (v.10) he knows that it is GOD who will carry him to that city to battle against it. The same God who had cast his people off would restore them. The same God who failed to go out with their armies would once again give them help from their trouble, and tread down their enemies. David noted that it was useless to go to other nations for help (the help of man is useless). Rather, he would depend on God, and the people of God (v.12 Through God we will do valiantly).
Friends, we need to model the prayer of this Psalm. Confess that God has been displeased with the wickedness of our land: not just the pagans, but his people who have acted unfaithfully, which has caused us to be judged by being overrun by pagans. Confess that this is not the ultimate design for God's people, but rather that His Church is the apple of his eye, and that he designs to deliver his people. Then we need to go out to battle with the certainty ringing in our ears that, by our God, we shall do valiantly. With this encouragement, we can do battle, which begins with making it our ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind our own business, to work with our hands, to avoid dependence on outsiders, and to, thereby, be a good example (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). And what is this business which we are to mind. First, to love the LORD our God with our entire being, and to receive his Law written upon our hearts, to live and walk in it, and to train our children (all that the LORD gives us) to walk in it, day and night, at home and away from home, always teaching, always training, always obeying (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
As always, this is a task much bigger than we are capable of doing, but with God we will do valiantly. And when we fail, we confess our sin, and confess his commanded plan, and get up and go again. Proverbs 24:16 For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity. Keep getting back up! The righteous will; the wicked won't.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
He is the Image
text adapted from Colossians 1:15-20 by Jon F. Caudle, Jr.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music.
the text is here, together with a link to download the sheet music.
Introducing my Music Blog
Here is a quote from the Good Farmer John over at Antithesis in Agriculture:
Eventually, sometime between 1/1/06 and the spring field work, we'd like to have a basic website up with our blog, products, etc... available. In my younger years, I'd have waited to "go live" until we have enough put together to make a big splash. Not so with this one, we are taking this one step at a time, and so the initial offering will be very meager...
Well, I've decided he's right. If I wait till there is enough material for a big splash, that time will never come. So here is a little ripple.
Eventually, sometime between 1/1/06 and the spring field work, we'd like to have a basic website up with our blog, products, etc... available. In my younger years, I'd have waited to "go live" until we have enough put together to make a big splash. Not so with this one, we are taking this one step at a time, and so the initial offering will be very meager...
Well, I've decided he's right. If I wait till there is enough material for a big splash, that time will never come. So here is a little ripple.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
But It Was You, My Equal, My Companion, My Acquaintance (Psalm 55)
(Psa 55 NKJV) Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. {2} Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, {3} Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me.
{4} My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. {5} Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. {6} So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. {7} Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah {8} I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest."
{9} Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. {10} Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. {11} Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
{12} For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. {13} But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. {14} We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.
{15} Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
{16} As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. {17} Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. {18} He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. {19} God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God.
{20} He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant. {21} The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
{22} Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
{23} But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.
Here, David is, again, crying out to the LORD for deliverance from his enemies. He pleads with God to hear him (vv.1-2) and states the reason for his complaint (v.3). He is, again, being assaulted by an enemy who is wicked. While Paul tells us to live peaceably with all men, he also, lest we misunderstand his command, gives 2 qualifications: if it is possible, and as much as depends on you (Romans 12:18). David makes it obvious here that it is not always possible. Indeed, the Psalms as a whole would indicate that when the world is shared with the wicked, there will be a significant amount of time when there is no possibility of peace, apart from God delivering his people from the wicked. David's desire, here, is to fly away to the wilderness, to escape the tempest (vv.6-8). This, however, is not an option. So David calls on God to destroy them, and their deliberations (v.9-10). Notice(!) that David doesn't simply ask God. He argues his case, giving the reasons why God should do so. This is a part of prayer that, frankly, is all too often missing when I pray.
I wish that this Psalm would ingrain
itself securely in my brain
That I would pray like this, in fact,
And give the reasons God should act
The next section is a stark reminder that it is not always the pagans who turn out to be our enemies. In this situation, it was a fellow church member (vv.12-14,20) that David prays will go to hell (v.15). Now admittedly we are treading on dangerous ground here. But there are plenty of people out there who have professed a faith that they show themselves to not have possessed. When this becomes apparent, by their actions, and the church has tried them and found them apostate, then those who felt the brunt of their wickedness can ask God to appropriately respond to that wickedness. This was a person that David counted as an equal (equal to a king), a companion, an acquaintance, one with whom David took sweet counsel, with whom David made his way to public worship. And yet, it became apparent, this person's heart was not there, but elsewhere. I don't know why it is, but we seem to think that professing believers among family members, or church members, or pastors, or seminary professors -- at least in our denomination -- would never turn out to be infidels. But it is, sadly, the case. Paul even warns the elders of the church at Ephesus that wolves would rise up from that very group of elders to draw sheep away from Christ, to themselves (Acts 20:28-30). If it was true in the church that Paul planted, it is true in your circles, too. These people are smooth talkers, with oil-soft words, but these words are destructive swords issuing from a heart of war (v.21).
And so, David cried out to God -- evening, morning, and noon -- and anticipated that God would hear his cry (v.17), knowing that if he would cast his burden on the LORD, he would be established (v.22), contrary to the outcome that would befall his enemies (v.23). His final words in the Psalm? But I will trust in You.
May we, likewise, trust in our God, and call upon him to deliver us, as David did here, from those in our close circles who break covenant with us and with Christ's church, and indeed, with Christ himself.
{4} My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. {5} Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. {6} So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. {7} Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah {8} I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest."
{9} Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. {10} Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. {11} Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.
{12} For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. {13} But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. {14} We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.
{15} Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
{16} As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. {17} Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. {18} He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. {19} God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God.
{20} He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant. {21} The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
{22} Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
{23} But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.
Here, David is, again, crying out to the LORD for deliverance from his enemies. He pleads with God to hear him (vv.1-2) and states the reason for his complaint (v.3). He is, again, being assaulted by an enemy who is wicked. While Paul tells us to live peaceably with all men, he also, lest we misunderstand his command, gives 2 qualifications: if it is possible, and as much as depends on you (Romans 12:18). David makes it obvious here that it is not always possible. Indeed, the Psalms as a whole would indicate that when the world is shared with the wicked, there will be a significant amount of time when there is no possibility of peace, apart from God delivering his people from the wicked. David's desire, here, is to fly away to the wilderness, to escape the tempest (vv.6-8). This, however, is not an option. So David calls on God to destroy them, and their deliberations (v.9-10). Notice(!) that David doesn't simply ask God. He argues his case, giving the reasons why God should do so. This is a part of prayer that, frankly, is all too often missing when I pray.
I wish that this Psalm would ingrain
itself securely in my brain
That I would pray like this, in fact,
And give the reasons God should act
The next section is a stark reminder that it is not always the pagans who turn out to be our enemies. In this situation, it was a fellow church member (vv.12-14,20) that David prays will go to hell (v.15). Now admittedly we are treading on dangerous ground here. But there are plenty of people out there who have professed a faith that they show themselves to not have possessed. When this becomes apparent, by their actions, and the church has tried them and found them apostate, then those who felt the brunt of their wickedness can ask God to appropriately respond to that wickedness. This was a person that David counted as an equal (equal to a king), a companion, an acquaintance, one with whom David took sweet counsel, with whom David made his way to public worship. And yet, it became apparent, this person's heart was not there, but elsewhere. I don't know why it is, but we seem to think that professing believers among family members, or church members, or pastors, or seminary professors -- at least in our denomination -- would never turn out to be infidels. But it is, sadly, the case. Paul even warns the elders of the church at Ephesus that wolves would rise up from that very group of elders to draw sheep away from Christ, to themselves (Acts 20:28-30). If it was true in the church that Paul planted, it is true in your circles, too. These people are smooth talkers, with oil-soft words, but these words are destructive swords issuing from a heart of war (v.21).
And so, David cried out to God -- evening, morning, and noon -- and anticipated that God would hear his cry (v.17), knowing that if he would cast his burden on the LORD, he would be established (v.22), contrary to the outcome that would befall his enemies (v.23). His final words in the Psalm? But I will trust in You.
May we, likewise, trust in our God, and call upon him to deliver us, as David did here, from those in our close circles who break covenant with us and with Christ's church, and indeed, with Christ himself.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
On Behalf of My Brother
a poem / prayer for a friend who is time-pressed between the responsibilities of providing material needs, and providing spiritual leadership.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Oh, That the Salvation of Israel Would Come Out of Zion (Psalm 53)
(Psa 53 NKJV) The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good. {2} God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. {3} Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. {4} Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon God? {5} There they are in great fear Where no fear was, For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you; You have put them to shame, Because God has despised them. {6} Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
Several things present themselves in this Psalm. I want to skim over the first several, and consider the last at a little greater length.
First, it is interesting to note that this Psalm is extremely similar to Psalm 14. There are variances, and instead of the covenant name for God (YHWH, which is used in Psalm 14:2,4,6,7), the generic term God (I assume Elohim) is used throughout this Psalm.
Second, consider the atheism noted in verse 1. "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God." In the wisdom literature of Scripture, the term "fool" generally refers to one who is morally (as opposed to mentally) deficient. Certainly that is the case here. Anyone who denies the existence of God is missing the center of reality. And that is morally stupid. But look carefully, and notice something else. In the NKJV translation, as well as most other careful translations, there is an interesting occurrence in verse 1. NOTE: most online Bibles do not display this, especially when copied and pasted. This note of interest is: the words "there is" are in italics. Italicized words, in the KJV, NKJV, NASB, etc. mean that the words were not in the original text, but were added due to differences in English grammar and style, to make the sentence flow. But consider the implications of this fact. Instead of, "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God," this could also be rightly understood as, "The fool has said in his heart, 'No, God!'"
In other words, practical atheism: When someone does not verbally deny the existence of God, but by saying "No, LORD!" (what an oxymoron), they practically deny his existence. None of us has ever said, "There is no God!" but we are a lot more likely to ignore what he tells us to do, and to, thereby, say, "No, God." Note that this is foolish, just as saying, "There is no God." James reminded us (1:22) that we are to "be ... doers of the Word, and not hearers only." Jesus told us (Matthew 7:21, 26) that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" and "the man who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like the foolish man ..." He also said (John 15:14), "You are my friends if you do whatever I tell you." Don't ever make the foolish mistake of thinking that God is concerned only about a profession "God exists." After all (James 2:19), even the demons believe that. No, God is concerned that what we say we believe makes a difference in us. Obedience demonstrates that difference.
The next several verses of the Psalm are quoted by Paul in Romans 3, as he demonstrates that all men are sinners, and in need of a Saviour.
However, I want to focus on verse 6. Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad. God's people (Israel) in this land are desperately in need of salvation. We have so aligned ourselves with the pagan culture around us, that there is scarcely any difference between what we believe (as indicated by our actions) and what pagans believe, and how they act. You might say, "I don't do that." You might say, "My church is not that way." You might rightly say both those things. But don't forget: you are part of the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. You and your church may not say, "No, God," but you are part of a body of Christ, covenantally joined together with Christ as the Head, and corruption presently has run amok in that body.
God's people need for God to "rend the heavens and come down" (Isaiah 64:1). This coming will be painful, and a fiery purging (Malachi 3 - 4). But it will set things aright for God's people. It is difficult to see, inasmuch as we have been blinded by the glitz of the world around us, but we have, in many ways, become slaves in this land. God has put pagans in authority over us, because we have failed to be faithful to the covenant (Deut. 28). And because of this, we are beginning to weep. I don't think it will get any better, until God's people humble themselves and repent. Part of repenting is grieving for ones own sin, and turning from it. But part of it is then pleading with God to "send salvation out of Zion" in order that we may "rejoice" and "be glad" in our God. Are you praying this? Am I praying this? "Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in Thee!" (Psalm 85:6). This was the prayer of David in Psalm 53, that God would turn back the captivity of his people, that He would save them, and that they would rejoice.
Think about it, when you pray.
Several things present themselves in this Psalm. I want to skim over the first several, and consider the last at a little greater length.
First, it is interesting to note that this Psalm is extremely similar to Psalm 14. There are variances, and instead of the covenant name for God (YHWH, which is used in Psalm 14:2,4,6,7), the generic term God (I assume Elohim) is used throughout this Psalm.
Second, consider the atheism noted in verse 1. "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God." In the wisdom literature of Scripture, the term "fool" generally refers to one who is morally (as opposed to mentally) deficient. Certainly that is the case here. Anyone who denies the existence of God is missing the center of reality. And that is morally stupid. But look carefully, and notice something else. In the NKJV translation, as well as most other careful translations, there is an interesting occurrence in verse 1. NOTE: most online Bibles do not display this, especially when copied and pasted. This note of interest is: the words "there is" are in italics. Italicized words, in the KJV, NKJV, NASB, etc. mean that the words were not in the original text, but were added due to differences in English grammar and style, to make the sentence flow. But consider the implications of this fact. Instead of, "The fool has said in his heart, There is no God," this could also be rightly understood as, "The fool has said in his heart, 'No, God!'"
In other words, practical atheism: When someone does not verbally deny the existence of God, but by saying "No, LORD!" (what an oxymoron), they practically deny his existence. None of us has ever said, "There is no God!" but we are a lot more likely to ignore what he tells us to do, and to, thereby, say, "No, God." Note that this is foolish, just as saying, "There is no God." James reminded us (1:22) that we are to "be ... doers of the Word, and not hearers only." Jesus told us (Matthew 7:21, 26) that "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" and "the man who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like the foolish man ..." He also said (John 15:14), "You are my friends if you do whatever I tell you." Don't ever make the foolish mistake of thinking that God is concerned only about a profession "God exists." After all (James 2:19), even the demons believe that. No, God is concerned that what we say we believe makes a difference in us. Obedience demonstrates that difference.
The next several verses of the Psalm are quoted by Paul in Romans 3, as he demonstrates that all men are sinners, and in need of a Saviour.
However, I want to focus on verse 6. Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad. God's people (Israel) in this land are desperately in need of salvation. We have so aligned ourselves with the pagan culture around us, that there is scarcely any difference between what we believe (as indicated by our actions) and what pagans believe, and how they act. You might say, "I don't do that." You might say, "My church is not that way." You might rightly say both those things. But don't forget: you are part of the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. You and your church may not say, "No, God," but you are part of a body of Christ, covenantally joined together with Christ as the Head, and corruption presently has run amok in that body.
God's people need for God to "rend the heavens and come down" (Isaiah 64:1). This coming will be painful, and a fiery purging (Malachi 3 - 4). But it will set things aright for God's people. It is difficult to see, inasmuch as we have been blinded by the glitz of the world around us, but we have, in many ways, become slaves in this land. God has put pagans in authority over us, because we have failed to be faithful to the covenant (Deut. 28). And because of this, we are beginning to weep. I don't think it will get any better, until God's people humble themselves and repent. Part of repenting is grieving for ones own sin, and turning from it. But part of it is then pleading with God to "send salvation out of Zion" in order that we may "rejoice" and "be glad" in our God. Are you praying this? Am I praying this? "Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in Thee!" (Psalm 85:6). This was the prayer of David in Psalm 53, that God would turn back the captivity of his people, that He would save them, and that they would rejoice.
Think about it, when you pray.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Poems about Naddy's Birthday Celebration
Here are a couple of poems, about The Dog Branch and the Posties Jig.
These are a couple of the dances we did at the barn dance (in a gym) celebrating the birthday of Naddy, the Settler's daughter.
These are a couple of the dances we did at the barn dance (in a gym) celebrating the birthday of Naddy, the Settler's daughter.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Let Us Exalt His Name Together
A sonnet written in response to ...
An Evening of Music to the Glory of God
Presented by the
Orchestra and Choirs
of Grace Classical Academy
(Springfield, MO)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006
From the opening strains of This is My Father's World co-mingled with All Creatures of Our God and King, through J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, A. Vivaldi, interspersed with hymns and spirituals, and a stunning cello solo of Saint-Saens The Swan, the music was exquisite.
An Evening of Music to the Glory of God
Presented by the
Orchestra and Choirs
of Grace Classical Academy
(Springfield, MO)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006
From the opening strains of This is My Father's World co-mingled with All Creatures of Our God and King, through J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, A. Vivaldi, interspersed with hymns and spirituals, and a stunning cello solo of Saint-Saens The Swan, the music was exquisite.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
CHiPs 2004
You remember the old TV show, CHiPs, starring Estrada & Wilcox as Ponch & Jon.
Well, here's the 2004 version, featuring Paunch & Paunch.
I thought after Tracy's diatribe, it was time for a little levity.
A Holy Jealousy (Psalm 84)
Psa 84 NKJV
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! {2} My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. {3} Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young; Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. {4} Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah {5} Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. {6} As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. {7} They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. {8} O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah {9} O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed. {10} For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. {11} For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. {12} O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
We sang this Psalm last Friday evening in our men's meeting. And I wanted to point out something interesting that I find in it.
The Psalmist expresses his longing to be in the public worship of God. The tabernacle (v.1), the courts of the Lord(v.2), your altars (v.3), your house (v.4) are all references to the place of public worship. It is a point worth making (as I have recently, as has The Settler) that it is not simply private devotion which God seeks, and which his people should seek, but it is the gathering of the body of Christ, coming together to worship him in one accord, which is central to personal piety in the scriptures. Obviously, this public worship is not to be without the heart (Isaiah 1 and Amos both address that issue). Nevertheless, when ones heart is engaged, there is nothing like the public worship of God.
The Psalmist notes that there is a blessing attached to those, who in God's strength, make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship there (vv.5-7). Notice that even a pilgrimage (v.5) is required. These folks can't just hop in the automobile (15 passenger van for many in our church) and go to public worship. At this point in Israel's history, public worship was a Jerusalem, and that was a significant journey for many families. This was, for many, a journey that could be made only 3 times a year. (Recall Jesus remaining behind in Jerusalem at age 12 while his family returned toward home in Nazareth.) As the pilgrims would approach Jerusalem, they would encounter steep travel. Jerusalem is situated high above sea level, and most of Israel is much lower (particularly in the area of the Dead Sea, south of Jerusalem, which is below sea level). As they ascended to Jerusalem, the pilgrims would sing the Psalms of Ascent, which you will find in your Bible, marked as such. For the Psalmist, it was a pilgrimage worth making. This, despite the fact that they travelled through the "Valley of Baca" (v.6). Baca is, literally, weeping, and presumably refers to a difficult stretch of the journey. The Psalmist notes that, with the pilgrimage in their hearts (v.5), even the tears became a spring. They go from strength to strength. That is, they get their second wind, and continue pressing on. The object? That they may "appear before God in Zion" (v.7). The Psalmist pours forth a prayer (v.8), which in context is probably for a safe pilgrimage, so that they can arrive safely to worship in Zion. Our prayers for safe travel are sometimes perfunctory; who gets attacked by highway robbers on the way to church? Their way was dangerous; the prayer was always real.
The Psalm is ended with an exclamation of the wonder of public worship (v.10) and the blessings that attend those who are there (vv.11-12). The question is: do we view the public worship of God, together with Christ's church, in the same way that the Psalmist did? If not, we are missing something.
Now, to the title of my post: a Holy Jealousy. Did you notice in verse 3? The Psalmist is jealous of the birds. The swallows don't have to leave the temple. They found a place to build their nest there, and to raise their young there. How does our devotion to the public worship of God compare? Are we similarly envious of those who get to be there more fully than we do? I'm obviously not suggesting the kind of envy that would draw the condemnation of the scriptures, but I do think that it is very interesting that there is a jealousy expressed here toward the birds, who could be in the place of public worship 24/7. May God so move our hearts that we likewise rejoice in coming together for worship!
How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! {2} My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. {3} Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young; Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. {4} Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah {5} Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. {6} As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. {7} They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. {8} O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah {9} O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed. {10} For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. {11} For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. {12} O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
We sang this Psalm last Friday evening in our men's meeting. And I wanted to point out something interesting that I find in it.
The Psalmist expresses his longing to be in the public worship of God. The tabernacle (v.1), the courts of the Lord(v.2), your altars (v.3), your house (v.4) are all references to the place of public worship. It is a point worth making (as I have recently, as has The Settler) that it is not simply private devotion which God seeks, and which his people should seek, but it is the gathering of the body of Christ, coming together to worship him in one accord, which is central to personal piety in the scriptures. Obviously, this public worship is not to be without the heart (Isaiah 1 and Amos both address that issue). Nevertheless, when ones heart is engaged, there is nothing like the public worship of God.
The Psalmist notes that there is a blessing attached to those, who in God's strength, make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship there (vv.5-7). Notice that even a pilgrimage (v.5) is required. These folks can't just hop in the automobile (15 passenger van for many in our church) and go to public worship. At this point in Israel's history, public worship was a Jerusalem, and that was a significant journey for many families. This was, for many, a journey that could be made only 3 times a year. (Recall Jesus remaining behind in Jerusalem at age 12 while his family returned toward home in Nazareth.) As the pilgrims would approach Jerusalem, they would encounter steep travel. Jerusalem is situated high above sea level, and most of Israel is much lower (particularly in the area of the Dead Sea, south of Jerusalem, which is below sea level). As they ascended to Jerusalem, the pilgrims would sing the Psalms of Ascent, which you will find in your Bible, marked as such. For the Psalmist, it was a pilgrimage worth making. This, despite the fact that they travelled through the "Valley of Baca" (v.6). Baca is, literally, weeping, and presumably refers to a difficult stretch of the journey. The Psalmist notes that, with the pilgrimage in their hearts (v.5), even the tears became a spring. They go from strength to strength. That is, they get their second wind, and continue pressing on. The object? That they may "appear before God in Zion" (v.7). The Psalmist pours forth a prayer (v.8), which in context is probably for a safe pilgrimage, so that they can arrive safely to worship in Zion. Our prayers for safe travel are sometimes perfunctory; who gets attacked by highway robbers on the way to church? Their way was dangerous; the prayer was always real.
The Psalm is ended with an exclamation of the wonder of public worship (v.10) and the blessings that attend those who are there (vv.11-12). The question is: do we view the public worship of God, together with Christ's church, in the same way that the Psalmist did? If not, we are missing something.
Now, to the title of my post: a Holy Jealousy. Did you notice in verse 3? The Psalmist is jealous of the birds. The swallows don't have to leave the temple. They found a place to build their nest there, and to raise their young there. How does our devotion to the public worship of God compare? Are we similarly envious of those who get to be there more fully than we do? I'm obviously not suggesting the kind of envy that would draw the condemnation of the scriptures, but I do think that it is very interesting that there is a jealousy expressed here toward the birds, who could be in the place of public worship 24/7. May God so move our hearts that we likewise rejoice in coming together for worship!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Why Clap Our Hands? (Psalm 47)
Psalm 47 (NKJV)
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
Most Christians are probably familiar with this Psalm. Okay, let me modify that. Most evangelical American Christians are probably familiar with the first verse of this Psalm. Who has not sung, Clap your hands, all ye people; Shout unto God with a voice of triumph?
But as I contemplated this Psalm, I asked a question. Why are we instructed to clap our hands? Actually, before we get to that, there is another interesting thing to note here. Those instructed to clap their hands are all peoples. The term people means, loosely, an ethnic group, thus peoples refers to multiple ethnic groups, not just Israel. This is of interest, because these peoples are the ones who are being subdued under Israel (v. 3). Thus being subdued by God actually leads one into joy, rather than away from it.
Which leads into the answer to the question, why are we instructed to clap our hands. It is because God is the awesome King over all the earth, and he subdues other peoples under His people. How many people who sing verse one are aware of that? And how many people, while they might acknowledge that God is the King over all, live practically as if He is not, preferring slavery to the world's system, rather than obedience to the King, and the hope of having all things put under their feet?
Some people think that this no longer applies, since we are not physical Israel in a physical land. But the Bible is abundantly clear in multiple New Testament passages that Christ's church is Israel; that Gentile believers were grafted onto the Abrahamic root, and together with faithful physical descendants of Abraham, form the true Israel of God: one people made of many peoples. And if we are Israel, and if God still is the king (indeed, Jesus is sitting at His right hand crushing his enemies -- I Corithians 15:24-25, Romans 16:20), and if we are still to sing these Psalms, then why are we failing to expect that they (together with the Lord's Prayer, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) will be fulfilled.
The next time you hear someone sing the first verse of Psalm 47, ask him the question: Why are we to clap our hands, according to the rest of the Psalm? It's something we all need to contemplate.
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
Most Christians are probably familiar with this Psalm. Okay, let me modify that. Most evangelical American Christians are probably familiar with the first verse of this Psalm. Who has not sung, Clap your hands, all ye people; Shout unto God with a voice of triumph?
But as I contemplated this Psalm, I asked a question. Why are we instructed to clap our hands? Actually, before we get to that, there is another interesting thing to note here. Those instructed to clap their hands are all peoples. The term people means, loosely, an ethnic group, thus peoples refers to multiple ethnic groups, not just Israel. This is of interest, because these peoples are the ones who are being subdued under Israel (v. 3). Thus being subdued by God actually leads one into joy, rather than away from it.
Which leads into the answer to the question, why are we instructed to clap our hands. It is because God is the awesome King over all the earth, and he subdues other peoples under His people. How many people who sing verse one are aware of that? And how many people, while they might acknowledge that God is the King over all, live practically as if He is not, preferring slavery to the world's system, rather than obedience to the King, and the hope of having all things put under their feet?
Some people think that this no longer applies, since we are not physical Israel in a physical land. But the Bible is abundantly clear in multiple New Testament passages that Christ's church is Israel; that Gentile believers were grafted onto the Abrahamic root, and together with faithful physical descendants of Abraham, form the true Israel of God: one people made of many peoples. And if we are Israel, and if God still is the king (indeed, Jesus is sitting at His right hand crushing his enemies -- I Corithians 15:24-25, Romans 16:20), and if we are still to sing these Psalms, then why are we failing to expect that they (together with the Lord's Prayer, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) will be fulfilled.
The next time you hear someone sing the first verse of Psalm 47, ask him the question: Why are we to clap our hands, according to the rest of the Psalm? It's something we all need to contemplate.
A Long Night's Celebrating
A poem written in response to, and affirming, Micah's description of New Year's Eve and morning.
An Humble Request
this poem, An Humble Request, was based on a French dialog posted by MyBelovedIsMine. It expresses the angst of patiently waiting and trusting God, when one is ready for God's timetable to move along. The poem can also be found here as originally posted. The original French dialog was subsequently removed.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
The Greatest Love
a sonnet based on John 13:34-35, John 15:12-15, Romans 5:6-8 and the testimony of the historian Tertullian
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Lord's Day Feast
Every Sunday our congregation gets to fellowship over delicious food.
Our day together begins when God calls us out of our separate lives, to join in worshipping Him as He instructs us in Scripture. Early in the service, we kneel before the LORD, our Maker and confess our sins, then lift our hearts and our faces as we hear the minister give us the assurance that, for the sake of Jesus who died in our place, God forgives us all our sins. We sing Psalms, and both praise Him thereby, and are taught as we contemplate the words He has given us to sing. We read His Word together responsively. We hear His Word read, from both the Old Testament and the New. We hear His Word preached by one He has called out to instruct and exhort us. In this, we are being consecrated for his service. His Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierces, much like the knife of the priest who consecrated a sacrifice in the Old Testament. We are living sacrifices, and are offered up to Him, not as a sacrifice for sin, but as a thank offering, and as a sacrifice of praise from thankful lips. We return a portion of our material blessings which he has given into our stewardship. We confess the faith we have in Him, a faith held in common with the Church of all centuries and all continents, a faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We commune with Him, taking real spiritual food. As our mouths partake of, and our tongues taste, the bread and the wine, our spirits feed on the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is real food and real drink. And we are commissioned to go into His world, and live as salt, and light, and streams of His living water.
Then we take a break. But not for long. The entire congregation comes back together for choir practice. We believe that it is worth effort, and sacrifice, to honor God as he instructs, and since he has instructed us to sing Psalms, but we don't know all the Psalms he gave us, we learn them. Since he instructs us to sing and play skillfully (Psalm 33:3), we spend effort in learning how to more fully obey this instruction. Following a time of practicing 2 or 3 new songs, we spend some time sharing prayer requests, and praying to God that Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Then comes eating time. We have been fed the Word. We have been fed Christ's body and blood. And now we are fed physical food for physical bodies. And it is always great.
I often kid that I learned everything I know (about cooking the food I bring) from my friend, Betty ... Betty Crocker, that is. But this evening, I am preparing something from Welcome Home for the Holidays published by the Gooseberry Patch.
That's the recipe ... the second one on the page. It's called turkey soup, but I think delicious, nutritious pastured poultry -- homegrown chicken -- will do just as well. I made one other modification, and one omission, from the recipe, but I think it is delicious. Let's just hope that those who partake will agree. It sure oughta' beat Naddy's opossum.
And I'm gonna put a birthday cake for J..... on the dessert table. Now I can craft words, but I cannot craft icing. So it might not be as pretty as the cakes made by the talented ladies of the church. But at least my son will know his Daddy loves him.
In the Old Testament, God gave instructions for one fast day -- Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. But there were instructions for numerous feast days. I recently heard a number around 80 (I have forgotten exactly what it was). We enjoy feasting on food and fellowship every Lord's Day. There's nothing like it!
Our day together begins when God calls us out of our separate lives, to join in worshipping Him as He instructs us in Scripture. Early in the service, we kneel before the LORD, our Maker and confess our sins, then lift our hearts and our faces as we hear the minister give us the assurance that, for the sake of Jesus who died in our place, God forgives us all our sins. We sing Psalms, and both praise Him thereby, and are taught as we contemplate the words He has given us to sing. We read His Word together responsively. We hear His Word read, from both the Old Testament and the New. We hear His Word preached by one He has called out to instruct and exhort us. In this, we are being consecrated for his service. His Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierces, much like the knife of the priest who consecrated a sacrifice in the Old Testament. We are living sacrifices, and are offered up to Him, not as a sacrifice for sin, but as a thank offering, and as a sacrifice of praise from thankful lips. We return a portion of our material blessings which he has given into our stewardship. We confess the faith we have in Him, a faith held in common with the Church of all centuries and all continents, a faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We commune with Him, taking real spiritual food. As our mouths partake of, and our tongues taste, the bread and the wine, our spirits feed on the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is real food and real drink. And we are commissioned to go into His world, and live as salt, and light, and streams of His living water.
Then we take a break. But not for long. The entire congregation comes back together for choir practice. We believe that it is worth effort, and sacrifice, to honor God as he instructs, and since he has instructed us to sing Psalms, but we don't know all the Psalms he gave us, we learn them. Since he instructs us to sing and play skillfully (Psalm 33:3), we spend effort in learning how to more fully obey this instruction. Following a time of practicing 2 or 3 new songs, we spend some time sharing prayer requests, and praying to God that Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Then comes eating time. We have been fed the Word. We have been fed Christ's body and blood. And now we are fed physical food for physical bodies. And it is always great.
I often kid that I learned everything I know (about cooking the food I bring) from my friend, Betty ... Betty Crocker, that is. But this evening, I am preparing something from Welcome Home for the Holidays published by the Gooseberry Patch.
That's the recipe ... the second one on the page. It's called turkey soup, but I think delicious, nutritious pastured poultry -- homegrown chicken -- will do just as well. I made one other modification, and one omission, from the recipe, but I think it is delicious. Let's just hope that those who partake will agree. It sure oughta' beat Naddy's opossum.
And I'm gonna put a birthday cake for J..... on the dessert table. Now I can craft words, but I cannot craft icing. So it might not be as pretty as the cakes made by the talented ladies of the church. But at least my son will know his Daddy loves him.
In the Old Testament, God gave instructions for one fast day -- Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. But there were instructions for numerous feast days. I recently heard a number around 80 (I have forgotten exactly what it was). We enjoy feasting on food and fellowship every Lord's Day. There's nothing like it!
Happy Birthday
Eight years ago, this fellow came into the world. He is one of the joys that the LORD has given to me. He loves swords and guns, Spiderman, being a monkey (climbing anything and everything), playing football with the family, numbers and math, going to church, and particularly, singing I Bind Unto Myself Today, otherwise known as The Lorica, or St. Patrick's Breastplate.
I'm getting ready to go pick up his buddy from church, who will spend the night tonight. We will celebrate my son's birthday, and the 8 years that we have been blessed with his presence.
Friday, January 13, 2006
-ism's that try to Compete with Christ's church
The Settler has posted here about the centrality of Christ's church, and the pitfalls of any "-ism" which ignores that, including agrarian-ism.
This one is worth reading several times!
This one is worth reading several times!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Turning the Other Cheek
I believe it was Dr. Hart who was talking about disagreements in how the Bible is applied to life, and noted that some people think that corporal punishment of ones children is prohibited as cruelty. Such people think that we, instead, should turn the other cheek when a child misbehaves.
I was sorta' thinking that corporal punishment, and "turning the other cheek," might be something parents would do at precisely the same time, if you know what I mean. And, after all, you wouldn't want to separate things that should go together, would you?
I was sorta' thinking that corporal punishment, and "turning the other cheek," might be something parents would do at precisely the same time, if you know what I mean. And, after all, you wouldn't want to separate things that should go together, would you?
A Bright Hope in the Midst of Dark Oppression (Psalm 43)
(Psa 43 NKJV) Vindicate me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! {2} For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? {3} Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle. {4} Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. {5} Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
I don't know the background for this Psalm. There is no heading that specifies which Psalmist wrote it, nor what the occasion was. However, one could get the distinct impression that it was written by David during the period of Absalom's rebellion. As you recall, David's son led in the treachery, and the nation was sufficiently drawn away that David had to flee for his life. I can imagine this Psalm being written when David was in exile, and he pleaded for vindication against an ungodly nation and against an unjust man.
It is, indeed, a distressing situation when one who should be working with you and helping you solidify your position actually engages in treacherous behavior, and proceeds stealing the hearts of your subjects by deceitful means. Nevertheless, it happened to David.
Whether or not this is the setting for Psalm 43 [playing the harp, in v. 4, lends additional impetus to the notion that David was the writer here], the fact remains that the writer of this Psalm was in a similar situation: an unjust man and an ungodly nation were contending against him. And so, as we find so often, he cries out to God. Note the estrangement that this situation generates between the writer and God. In verse 2, he questions Why do You cast me off? We hear from the "Christian" world all around us that God wants to give us peace, that he loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Somehow, they seldom get around to saying that the wonderful plan might be full of heart-wrenching uncertainties that leave one in the shadow of depression. We can learn from these Psalms that God is not surprised when such things happen. Otherwise, he would have never inspired such a Psalm to be written (and he did, in fact, inspire many such Psalms to be written.) We can know, inasmuch as he acknowledges that such situations exist, that he really is aware of reality, and therefore his promises that he will never leave [us] nor forsake [us] and that we can cast all our cares upon him for he cares for [us] are equally well attested.
I find something else of great value in this Psalm. Notice that the writer does not plead with God to send him light and truth so that he can have a better quiet time, so that his time alone with God will be more productive in peace and comfort. No! The Psalmist pleads for God to lead him back to the gathering of saints in the public worship of God (vv. 3-4, bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar ... ). For a generation or more (maybe a century, I can't say), we have been told that the most important thing in our spiritual lives is our quiet time. Certainly our time in God's Word and private prayer is vital. But the Bible shows a different picture. The rubber meets the road in the worship of the body of Christ, when God calls them from the separate lives they lead during the week, and they enter his presence. There they confess their sins, and are assured of his forgiveness. There they are consecrated by him; their hearts are cut in two by the double-edged sword of his Word, and the surgery has a santifying effect on their lives. There they offer back to him a portion of the material blessings with which he has blessed them, and their lives as living sacrifices, and the sacrifices of praise from their lips. There he feeds them with true spiritual food: the body and blood of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There he commissions them and sends them back out into the world as his emissaries of salt and light and living water. The Psalmist longed to be back in the public worship of God with other believers.
And so, during the exile (whether David's, or that of someone else experiencing only a week away from public worship), the writer consoled himself with the thought that his sorrow was not permanent, but temporary (as the Apostle Paul termed it, his afflictions were light and momentary).
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Hope in God, he said. That, indeed, is a Bright Hope!
I don't know the background for this Psalm. There is no heading that specifies which Psalmist wrote it, nor what the occasion was. However, one could get the distinct impression that it was written by David during the period of Absalom's rebellion. As you recall, David's son led in the treachery, and the nation was sufficiently drawn away that David had to flee for his life. I can imagine this Psalm being written when David was in exile, and he pleaded for vindication against an ungodly nation and against an unjust man.
It is, indeed, a distressing situation when one who should be working with you and helping you solidify your position actually engages in treacherous behavior, and proceeds stealing the hearts of your subjects by deceitful means. Nevertheless, it happened to David.
Whether or not this is the setting for Psalm 43 [playing the harp, in v. 4, lends additional impetus to the notion that David was the writer here], the fact remains that the writer of this Psalm was in a similar situation: an unjust man and an ungodly nation were contending against him. And so, as we find so often, he cries out to God. Note the estrangement that this situation generates between the writer and God. In verse 2, he questions Why do You cast me off? We hear from the "Christian" world all around us that God wants to give us peace, that he loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Somehow, they seldom get around to saying that the wonderful plan might be full of heart-wrenching uncertainties that leave one in the shadow of depression. We can learn from these Psalms that God is not surprised when such things happen. Otherwise, he would have never inspired such a Psalm to be written (and he did, in fact, inspire many such Psalms to be written.) We can know, inasmuch as he acknowledges that such situations exist, that he really is aware of reality, and therefore his promises that he will never leave [us] nor forsake [us] and that we can cast all our cares upon him for he cares for [us] are equally well attested.
I find something else of great value in this Psalm. Notice that the writer does not plead with God to send him light and truth so that he can have a better quiet time, so that his time alone with God will be more productive in peace and comfort. No! The Psalmist pleads for God to lead him back to the gathering of saints in the public worship of God (vv. 3-4, bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar ... ). For a generation or more (maybe a century, I can't say), we have been told that the most important thing in our spiritual lives is our quiet time. Certainly our time in God's Word and private prayer is vital. But the Bible shows a different picture. The rubber meets the road in the worship of the body of Christ, when God calls them from the separate lives they lead during the week, and they enter his presence. There they confess their sins, and are assured of his forgiveness. There they are consecrated by him; their hearts are cut in two by the double-edged sword of his Word, and the surgery has a santifying effect on their lives. There they offer back to him a portion of the material blessings with which he has blessed them, and their lives as living sacrifices, and the sacrifices of praise from their lips. There he feeds them with true spiritual food: the body and blood of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There he commissions them and sends them back out into the world as his emissaries of salt and light and living water. The Psalmist longed to be back in the public worship of God with other believers.
And so, during the exile (whether David's, or that of someone else experiencing only a week away from public worship), the writer consoled himself with the thought that his sorrow was not permanent, but temporary (as the Apostle Paul termed it, his afflictions were light and momentary).
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Hope in God, he said. That, indeed, is a Bright Hope!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Shining as Lights
When our entourage of 18 arrived in Monroe, we got situated at the motel, and then went to Applebees to eat before proceeding to the opening session of the conference. When we were at Applebees, our table (5 of our men) was approached by a young man who said, "You know the Lord, don't you." When we responded affirmatively, he explained, "I knew it. I saw your ladies. The world don't dress that way."
The five young ladies at the next table (ages about 17 - 23) were dressed in modest, feminine, attractive dresses. I thought of Philippians 2:15 (NKJV): that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world
Thank God for daughters who revel in loving the LORD God and demonstrating that through faithful obedience!
The five young ladies at the next table (ages about 17 - 23) were dressed in modest, feminine, attractive dresses. I thought of Philippians 2:15 (NKJV): that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world
Thank God for daughters who revel in loving the LORD God and demonstrating that through faithful obedience!
Monday, January 09, 2006
A Wartime Walkie-Talkie
Rich Lusk reminded us tonight of the quote from John Piper.
Essentially, prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie whereby we on the front lines communicate with the headquarters as to what needs to happen, and what supplies are needed, in order for the war effort to succeed. (This is, in no way, meant to imply that God does not already know. Nevertheless, He has ordained this means to accomplish this work.)
As I recall, Piper contrasts this with prayer being viewed as an intercom between the den and the kitchen, by which we order more beer and pretzels while watching the ballgame. (OK, I concede. Piper didn't say beer.)
The point being, although God always hears His children when they pray (NOTE: He hears ignoringly when we regard sin in our hearts), nonetheless, we should not simply be concerned about whether he hears us, but whether we are praying according to his purposes. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."
How are we praying?
Essentially, prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie whereby we on the front lines communicate with the headquarters as to what needs to happen, and what supplies are needed, in order for the war effort to succeed. (This is, in no way, meant to imply that God does not already know. Nevertheless, He has ordained this means to accomplish this work.)
As I recall, Piper contrasts this with prayer being viewed as an intercom between the den and the kitchen, by which we order more beer and pretzels while watching the ballgame. (OK, I concede. Piper didn't say beer.)
The point being, although God always hears His children when they pray (NOTE: He hears ignoringly when we regard sin in our hearts), nonetheless, we should not simply be concerned about whether he hears us, but whether we are praying according to his purposes. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."
How are we praying?
"And I Will Save Your Children"
Isaiah 49 (NKJV)
25 But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Give thanks to the LORD our Savior and Redeemer, who today, in North Carolina, contended against him who contended with God's saints, and saved the children.
25 But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
Give thanks to the LORD our Savior and Redeemer, who today, in North Carolina, contended against him who contended with God's saints, and saved the children.
Friday, January 06, 2006
New Beginnings in a New Year
'Tis a new year, and with the flipping of the calendar comes a time for new beginnings. That means time to start thinking about this summer's garden. Last year I had a bigger garden than I had ever had as an adult. (Now as a kid, in Texas, we had huge gardens. Dad was in seminary, and money was tight, and we ate a lot of homegrown vegetables.) This picture shows my green beans, my sweet corn, and my teenager. Hiding behind the corn were tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, zucchini, and jalepeno peppers. Now, I know to you real agrarians, this might seem like a small garden with a small variety of foods. But it was a big step for me. The section with corn and beans was about 27' x 48'. This part was the best cared for because ... I created an irrigation system for it. I took 10' sections of gray PVC (gray is more flexible, and much more weather resistant than white) and put 5 sections together, laying this next to the stems of the plants. The five-section branches (9 of them) were joined by irrigation system hose on one end, and capped off on the other end. I drilled tiny holes in the PVC to let the water out, and once I started using a tiny enough drill bit, the system delivered water quite evenly.
Of course, I had no idea what size holes I wanted. I started with 1/8", and that was humongous. I then tried 1/16"; that was better, and I did use that for the sections furthest from the water source. But I ended up using 1/32" holes for the sections on the end closest to the water. Otherwise the water would run out before reaching the far sections. In this way, watering the garden was as easy as hooking up a hose from the irrigation system to the water supply.
Another time saver was, after the plants got a good start, I mulched them by putting down newspapers between them, and placing grass clippings on top of the newspaper. This did a major part of the work in guaranteeing that weeds would not take over. (I went to an auction in late spring, and ended up not buying anything, but I did bring home a trunkful of old newspaper that the lady was going to have her grandson cart off.)
There are several pitfalls to this system. The one I encountered the most was the amount of time it would take to get the newspaper down. You ask, "Why so much time?" Have you ever tried to do something with reading material, without reading it? I can't begin to count the number of headlines that caught my eye and led to me reading a story.
When the corn and beans came in, then it was time to feast with my buddies!
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