Psalm 27
Of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besieges me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

As I read verse four I am drawn to John 14: 2-3 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” American society is overexposed to the daily outlet of media broadcasting that has had a great impact unto our lifestyle. This media overexposure impacts many believers with a great desire to live for today and building a brighter future for living their life on this earth than seeking heavenly treasure. However, the true believer’s focus should also be looking for the Lord’s coming and the arrival of the New Jerusalem and the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Key points from this chapter:
Can you state the same truths in your life with the (I) statements as David did in this psalm?
• whom shall, I fear?
• whom shall I be afraid?
• I ask of the LORD that I may dwell in his house
• I seek that I may gaze upon his beauty
• I seek him in his temple
• I sacrifice with shouts of joy
• I will sing and make music
• I call on the Lord
• I will seek his face
• I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living

Can you state the same truths in your life with the (me) statements as David did in this psalm?
• LORD is my light
• LORD my salvation
• LORD is the stronghold of my life
• He will keep me safe in his dwelling
• He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
• He set me high upon a rock
• my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me
• Hear my voice when I call
• LORD; be merciful to me
• Lord answer me
• Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me
• Teach me your way
• lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors
• Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes
• false witnesses rise up against me

Can you wait for the LORD and can you be strong and take heart?
A text sent to me:
Sincerely the Fallen
At what point in our life do we reach the crossroads?
How do we determine which path to follow?
Do we follow our heart or our ambitions?
Why is there enough religion to insight war, but not enough to find peace?
When is it time to give up on the world and seek a better place?
Only the truth will set you free.
Where do you find it in a world of lies?
God have pity on the fallen.
May you find peace in this life for it has failed me.
Sincerely the Fallen
My reply:
At what point in our life do we reach the crossroads?
This crossroad is reached when you must decide which path you desire to follow, the way of the wicked or the way of God.
How do we determine which path to follow?
You make this choice. Do I travel and walk with the wicked, stand with the sinners, and sit with the mockers or do I travel and walk, stand, and sit with the righteous? The choice is yours.
Do we follow our heart or our ambitions?
Neither, we follow Christ.
Paul states that we should have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had in our relationship to others. Christ was Lord, yet he humbles himself and died as a criminal on the cross. The human nature struggle with the issues of pride and humility daily. To aid us in this struggle Paul gives us this advice: don’t be selfish, do not try to impress others, think others as better than yourself, do not look to your own interest but take an interest in others.
Why is there enough religion to insight war, but not enough to find peace?
You must realize that religion is man-made and attempts to find peace. Real peace only comes when we have a true relationship with God.
When is it time to give up on the world and seek a better place?
Christ stated it as simply “Come unto me all who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.
Only the truth will set you free.
Ask must add to this statement “free from what?”. As I look at John chapter 18 in the discourse between Pilate and Christ:
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then. Jesus answered; thou say that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hearth my voice. Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find no crime in him. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
I once heard of a man that that went searching for Truth, met Truth and turned and walked away. This is what Pilate did. Yes, Truth can set you free, but only if you face it.
Where do you find it in a world of lies?
In Christ who is the truth, the life, and the way and the only way to the Father.
God have pity on the fallen.
He has for we are all fallen creatures. However, God so loved us that he sent his only son into this world to die on the cross to pay for my sins. In his love he pitied us, but also made a way out in Christ.
May you find peace in this life for it has failed me.
Read Psalm 88.

Psalm 26
Written by David

1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.
4 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8 I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD

As I look at this Psalm written by David, I see a Psalm of prayer. The word I is used in this Psalm ten times and the word me or my is used twelve times. Usually when we focus on how many times a person uses the word I in their conversation it portrays a sense of self-confidence in their abilities which leads to pride and the desire to live a life without God. But here in this Psalm David’s I’s focus on his walk with God and his desire separation from the way of the wicked, by looking at the words I and me we can get an idea of how David leads a blameless life. He starts out with the request to the Lord of vindicate me. He is asking the Lord to clear him of either some accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments stating he has led a blameless life. He is asking the Lord to defend, maintain, or insist on the recognition of his blameless life because he trusts in the Lord without wavering. In other words, his faith did not move unsteadily back and forth his faith remains unchanging. Unchanging faith in the Lord is a characteristic that David learned at an early age in his life. It was this faith in the Lord that kept him going when he was running from Saul. David’s faith knew who God was, knew the nature of God, knew the nature of man, and knew how-to walk-in truth. This walk of truth that David had is the same walk that we need to follow in our walk on this earth.
Paul gives us the fruits that are a characteristic of this walk in Galatians 5:
• love
• joy
• peace
• longsuffering
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness,
• meekness
• self-control;
He goes on in this chapter to state that the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.

David asks the Lord to test him, try, him, and examine his heart and his mind. When you ask for a procedure that includes a critical evaluation and a means of determining the presence, quality, or truth about your statement I led a blameless life; then I hope you are ready for the real test. This will put you in the same league as Job, Joseph, and David himself. However, David was sure of two facts: that God’s love is forever, and David’s walk was a regular daily walk which was not interrupted and was steady according to God’s truth.

Verses four and five reminds me of Psalm one. David refused to sit with deceitful (deliberately misleading) men, nor to keep company or be in accord or agreement with those that pretend to practice the beliefs, feelings, and virtues of godliness but whom do not hold or possess these qualities. He also hated the assembly of those that performs evil acts and refused to be in the company of those who were evil by nature and who had destructive, troublesome and corrupt practices.

Verses six and seven gives us a key to David’s blameless walk. He includes in these verses the act of washing his hands in innocence as he states in Psalm 51 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” which refers to his knowing he is not perfect. This is the beauty of God’s Word for it is like a mirror which when we look into it, we get a sense of Christ’s nature and this similarity in appearance and character will become more of our nature the more we stay in His Word. This was fact number two; fact number one is David’s proclaiming aloud the praises of God and the telling of His wonderful deeds. Question, do you let others know how great God is to you? David did.

As I look at verse four “I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites” I must stop and think about what groups would other people around me associate me with? As we investigate God’s Word (the true mirror to our inward self) it should reveal to us our true intent of our hearts. However, how do I appear to others? Can they see the true intents of my heart? It depends upon what their true intents are. Remember, a person’s view of God does not reveal to them what God is but what that person wants to believe about God. This is the same view they have about me and anyone else they are around. Just as people can reject or accept God’s true nature so they can reject or accept our true nature. Look at verse four in this light then and ask yourself which group you associate yourself with, deceitful men or men of true.

In I Samuel 12:20-25 Samuel gives the children of Israel the desire of their heart, a king. They recognized this as an act of adding to their sins but ask Samuel to pray for them so that they might not die. Samuel’s answer was “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.” David was not even born when Samuel gave this warning to the children of Israel and when he stepped aside and let them, have Saul as their king. After Saul’s failure to follow the Lord and his ways, the Lord rejected him. I Samuel 15:30 “Then he said “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God” illustrates the true abandonment of Saul’s association with God and God’s association with Saul. David did not want this abandonment. To David the words of Samuel from the past “Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you”, became the guiding light to the blameless walk that David led.

Psalm 25

written by David.
¹ To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
² in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;
⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.
⁸ Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
¹¹ For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
¹² Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
¹³ He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.
¹⁴ The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
¹⁸ Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
¹⁹ See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!
²⁰ Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
²¹ May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.

²² Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

When I was in the third grade, I had a teacher who share his belief about God with the entire class.  He told us we needed to grow up and take control of our life and leave the notion that we are special before God behind.  God gave us a brain and we should rely on thinking abilities to make our decisions since the notion of a personal God was a myth.  However, my fourth-grade teacher believed in a personal God in which you could have a personal relationship with and her life reflected that relationship.  As I look back to these two teachers I realize that one of the first steps in understanding the book of Psalms is knowing that the loving God of the universe has not only reached out to mankind; but he has reached out to each individual to have this personal relationship that was reflected in Mrs. Wilson’s life.  So, as we study this psalm we need to focus on David’s actions and the request that he is requesting from his personal Lord.

Actions:

• I lift up my soul
• I trust in God
• I desire honor not shame
• I desire victory over my enemies
• I hope in the Lord
• I desire to be a student of the Lord’s ways
• I desire to be guided into truth by the Lord
• I desire redemption from my rebellious ways
• I desire to keep our ways
• I take refuge in the Lord

We can also see some of God’s attributes in this psalm:

• God honors those who hope in him
• The Lord has great mercy and love
• The Lord is good and upright
• The Lord guides and instruct the humble
• All the Lord’s ways are loving and faithful for those who keeps the demand of his covenant
• The Lord confides in those who fear him
• The Lord makes known his covenant to those who know him
• Only the Lord can release me from the snares of the wicked

Now the real focus of this psalm “David’s request before the Lord”

• Do not let me be put to shame
• Do not let my enemies triumph over me
• Show me your ways
• Teach me your paths
• Guide me in your truth and teach me
• Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways
• Forgive me my iniquities
• Release me from the snares of the wicked
• Lord turn to me and be gracious to me
• Free me from the anguish of my troubles
• Guard my life and rescue me
• May your integrity and uprightness protect me, since my hope is in you.
• Redeem Israel (USA) from all their troubles

Is your God a God that just lives way up there and looks down at the world and treats each of us as if we were but ants on an anthill; or is your God a God that knows your name and knows the count of every hair on your head?

As I read Psalms twenty-one through twenty-five today and relate it to the events happening in our nation today, I gain a new apprehension for President Bush.  Stephen Mansfield wrote in his book The Faith of George W. Bush:

“The great undeniable change in George W. Bush is revealed in his total commitment to help his country preserve freedom’s blessing, to feel compassion for those who suffer, his love for God, his faith, and his desire for peace around the world.” (page 163)

“George W. Bush shared his belief that Jesus Christ is the greatest example of principled living and the person he most admires.” (page 164)

I am afraid that is not the position that our current President Obama has in his running of our nation.  In a recent article I read by Senator Jim DeMint titled We the People vs I Won he wrote:

It is too early to draw conclusions about President Obama and his administration.  But so far, nothing so encapsulates the president’s approach to executive leadership than his famous rebuke to stimulus critics: “I won.”

In a press conference in Turkey (April 6 2009) President Obama remarked:

“I think that where — where there’s the most promise of building stronger U.S.-Turkish relations is in the recognition that Turkey and the United States can build a model partnership in which a predominantly Christian nation and a predominantly Muslim nation, a Western nation and a nation that straddles two continents — that we can create a modern international community that is respectful, that is secure, that is prosperous; that there are not tensions, inevitable tensions, between cultures, which I think is extraordinarily important.

That’s something that’s very important to me. And I’ve said before that one of the great strengths of the United States is — although as I mentioned, we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.

I think Turkey was — modern Turkey was founded with a similar set of principles, and yet what we’re seeing is in both countries that promise of a secular country that is respectful of religious freedom, respectful of rule of law, respectful of freedom, upholding these values and being willing to stand up for them in the international stage. If we are joined together in delivering that message, East and West, to — to the world, then I think that we can have an extraordinary impact. And I’m very much looking forward to that partnership in the days to come.”

President Bush like David shared his personal faith in God and Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; however, President Obama like Saul look to himself as the chief administration who does not have to answer to God.  I pray that he realizes that there is a warning in Psalm 2:10-12 for all rulers:

“Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.   Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

As I observe the events around me, I must realize that all things are in the Lord’s hands.  Even when the rulers of this earth do not realize the Lord we can be like the seven thousand who have not bowed down to the gods of this world, but who remain faithful to God.  So, as I read Psalms twenty-one through twenty-five today I will chose to make my God a personal God and follow after Mrs. Wilson’s example instead of a third grade teacher’s example who by the way his name I have long forgotten.

Psalm 24

Of David.

¹ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
² for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
³ Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
⁵ He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah
⁷ Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
⁸ Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
⁹ Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
¹⁰ Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty he is the King of glory. Selah

How would you answer the following questions?

• Who is he this King of Glory in your life?
• Are you watching for his coming?
• How do you react to the news in today’s media?
• Do your reactions to this news reflect your desire to see Christ coming?
• Is he the king of your life?
• Have you open the doors to your heart to this King?
• Are you ready to ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place?

You really only have two chooses: The Lord or the idol of the god you have created.

Psalm 23

of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This is one of the first psalms that many young people memorize and place in their heart.  It is a simple psalm yet rich in meaning.  The relationships are simple.  The Lord is the shepherd, and we are his sheep.  He leads and we follow.  He takes care of us and we enjoy the life he gives us.  Our companions are goodness and love and they will be with us along the entire journey.  Our dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

I could go deeper with this psalm as many other writers have in the past.  However, this is a personal psalm, a psalm of a personal relationship between the Lord (shepherd) and the believer (sheep).  Once you know the Lord and walk with Him then these words will have a special meaning to you.  You will recall times in your past walks that he gave you rest, times in the past that he had to restore you, times in the past when everything seem too far gone to be save and yet he rescued you, times that he blessed you as your enemies were watching and observing how great God rewarded you, times when the peace of God that passes all understanding came over you and finally you truly realized that this world is not your home but heaven is and you enjoy your life on this as a journey with friends and family.  If you don’t know the Lord and you are going about this journey on earth alone, then you are missing the most precious relationship that you could have on this earth.

As I read this Psalm, I realized that it is a Psalm that I have hidden in my heart.  As I journey daily on this life, I must realize that this shepherd in Psalms twenty-three is also the one who opens and closes the doors of opportunity for me as I continue on this journey of life on this earth.  Verse six which states “surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life” should be the goal we pursue daily.  It is easy for us to want more.  I remember a picture of four cows divided into four pastures with each cow reaching between the barbwire into the pasture of the other cow.  The words underneath this picture was “The grass is greener on the other side”.   Ask yourself this question today, “are you happy to be in the green pastures that the Lord makes you lie down in today”?  Remember it is the shepherd that leads you in the path of life.  Stay on the path and Goodness and Mercy will follow you all the days of your life.

Psalm 21

of David.

¹ O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
² You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
³ You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
⁴ He asked you for life, and you gave it to him – length of days, forever and ever.
⁵ Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
⁶ Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
⁷ For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
⁸ Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
⁹ At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them.
¹⁰ You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.
¹¹ Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;
¹² for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.
¹³ Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

As I study this psalm, I cannot help but see this as a psalm that refers to David’s reign as well as the coming reign of Christ.  As I read the first six verses, I can picture David’s kingdom as it become one of the most powerful nations on the earth during this period of history.  However, the last seven verses seem to point to a coming King, one who will destroy the enemies of God.  This King is Christ.  In Deuteronomy 17 we are given instructions for a King to follow.  Verses eighteen through twenty reads:

And it shall be, when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

As we study these verses, we realized that knowledge of the law of the Lord and the fear of the Lord are key to how a king rule.

As I read verse ten of this Psalm, I must reflect on Peters words concerning the latter days (the times that we are living in today).   Verse ten states “you will destroy their descendants from the earth”.  In studying the scripture, I realized that this had already happened once before in the history of mankind.  The Great Flood of Genesis.  In II Peter chapter three Peter writes about the last days in which men deny that this great flood ever happened.  He gives us two characteristics of the mockers that Christians will face during these times.

The first characteristic is they walk after their own lust.  As I reflect on the phrase “walking after one’s own lust” I ask myself “why is this an issue?”. Peter wrote this epistle to stir up the minds on the believers.  He wrote this epistle to remind them of the message of the gospel.  In fact, in verses fifteen and sixteen of chapter three he reminds them that Paul wrote to them in words that were sometimes hard to understand the salvation of the Lord.  As I reflect on Paul’s writings about the gospel, the resurrection of Christ and our future resurrection I gain a new perceptive of the message of the gospel.   Paul states in I Corinthians 15:12-19

Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.  Yea, we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.

In other words, if the message of the gospel was just to make the world a better place to live in and that this life we are living really is all there is then I am preaching the wrong message.  If my message does not focus on gaining eternal life with God, but just on how to make the world a better place to live; then why would people give up walking after their own lust?  They would not.  If all I had was hope in this life, then I would be the Lord of my life and live my life for my pleasures only.  So, until a man looks at the eternal value of their life the message of the gospel really has no meaning to him.

The second characteristic is they deny the Word of God.  They question the Word and the promises found in the Word.  They deny the creation, the flood, the call of Abraham, the law, the prophets and the ministry of Christ.  What is so sad about questioning God’s Word is that most believers do not even read it.  Yes, it is true that the Word of God is often abused by many and twisted to support their own personal belief system; however, that does not justify holding the Word of God out of your life.  You have the same freedom as others to study the Word.  You have as much access to the Word of God as anyone else.  So, as I look at the second characteristic of the latter days, I must ask the question “what do you think of God’s Word?”.  Do you stand on the Word of God?  And what do you think about God’s son the King (Christ) in relationship to how you live your life?  Read Psalms 22 and study how He suffered for us when he came the first time to earth and then read Psalms 2 to see how he will reign the second time he comes to the earth.

As I read this Psalm this morning, I thought of King David and his son Solomon.  David walk in life was before the Lord and on the integrity of heart and walking in a righteous manner before man.  However, we see in Ecclesiastes that Solomon gave his heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all things that all under heaven.  Two kings, a father and a son, however two different walks.  A young shepherd that learned of God at an early age, who seek to know the way of God and not to stray from this way.  A young prince of one of the greatest kingdoms on earth at his time who focus was really on himself.  Read Ecclesiastes and circle all the Is in the Book.  As I read the account of Solomon’s turn from God in I Kings 11:1-13 I see how God offered his mercy to Solomon, but Solomon refused to turn back to God.  Unlike David his father who repented and turned back to God after the prophet Nathan stated to David “Thou art the man”, Solomon in all his wisdom decided to go the way of the world and not God’s way.  Why are I writing this paragraph?  Because someone who use to be very close to me wrote me to state that peace could not be found in this world and that religion did not have the answer.  Like Solomon he was searching everywhere for answers but refused to consider the right way (God’s way).  The shepherd king of Israel found God by finding God’s Word in his heart.  This was David’s true foundation believing in the Word of God.  This is the secret of my faith and the peace I have every day.  Believing this first that God can be found only in his Word.  This is the preaching of the Cross that Paul strived daily to achieve and may all who see me also see my Savior life in me.  Salvation can come by no other means than by believing on the message of the death, burial, and the resurrection on Christ.

Psalm 16

David.
¹ Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
² I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
³ As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
⁴ The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
⁵ LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
⁷ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
¹¹ You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

As I look at verse five, I cannot help but look back to the Luke 22: 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done”. Are we able to pray the same prayer as our Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? We can, once we realized that God has made our lot secure. As I travel this journey that the Lord has prepared for me, I must look to these verses as coming from the heart and life of King David. For as he wrote of Christ in his psalms, he also wrote words that can help us develop a closer walk with God.

This psalm helps us realized that God is our refuge and our delight. He does assign to us our portion in life and the cup we are to bear. Again, we are warned in this psalm not to follow after other Gods, or those who seek fellowship with those who follow other gods. God counsels us and instructs us day and night. As long as we seek him in his word, we will know he will lead us in the right path. Surely the grave is not our destiny but being in his presence with eternal pleasures.

As you read this psalm take a look at your epistemology. Ask yourself this question “What is knowledge?”. Verse eleven points out the fact that the psalmist realized that his knowledge came from God and it is God who has made known to him the path of life. This is the knowledge that the psalmist describes in Psalm One. When one start studying epistemology the first two questions that must be answered are: what knowledge is and how is knowledge acquired. To the psalmist (as we will see in Psalm nineteen) knowledge is the work of God’s hand. By studying nature knowledge is revealed to us. However, to acquire knowledge God has given to us his written Word (law, statutes, precepts, commands, and ordinances) to understand his creation.

Verse ten “because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” was used by Peter in Act 2:27 in his message on the day of Pentecost as verses that David referred to the suffering and resurrection of Christ.

In verse eleven David writes “You have made known to me the path of life”. As I grow in my faith daily, I realize that it is God who seeks after me and not me seeking God. We have a way of wanting to stray away from God, but in his loving kindness he brings us back to him. As we travel along on our journey here on earth, we like the Psalmist must realize that God is the shepherd that guides us along this path of life. As we walk along this path, we can have joy, but this joy is in knowing that God’s presence is with us. This psalm illustrates our walk on earth with God. Let each verse speak to you as it did to David. Remember each person’s walk with God is unique, however they all share the characteristics of the walk that this psalm describes.

As I was reading this week The Faith of George W. Bush by Stephen Mansfield, I could not help but see verse eleven play out in his life. Stephen Mansfield gives us the great foundations of George W Bush’s faith by devoting the first two chapters on the faith of his parents and grandparents. Just as Paul praises the unfeigned faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and then in your mother Eunice Stephen Mansfield gives the same praise to George W Bush’s parents and grandparents. Yet his way of living his faith was different. His statement at the end of chapter two about how George W Bush’s faith was acquired reveals a lot about how he lives out his faith.

“But the day will come when all of the faith that has been planted in him – from childhood prayers to Presbyterian creeds, from small-town Christian culture to the Christ known in an Episcopal service – will flower to become the ruling principle of his life. But it is the desert he will know before this flowering that will make it all the sweeter when it comes.”

As we study the psalms as well as the lives of the great heroes of faith both from the Bible and those that have lived from early church history to the present, we can see a common thread that they all have shared. That thread is a desert experience, a time when their faith was tested, and God did not seem to be present. It is in times like these that all believers must pray a psalm like this psalm to give us strength to get through our desert experience.

Psalm 12

of David.
¹ Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.
² Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.
³ May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue
⁴ that says, “We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips who is our master?”
⁵ “Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
⁶ And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
⁷ O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.
⁸ The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.

As we faced another election year and the debate about who is right and best for the position, we must consider verse eight of this psalm “the wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men”. As we look at the value system that is in place today, we see a system that is very corrupt. In verse two David writes that everyone lies to his neighbor and their flattering lips speak with deception. This too seems to be present in our political and business world today. In II Timothy 3:1-5 Paul warns Timothy about times like David was facing “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power”. As I study David’s life, I even see this deception happening in his own life as he tries to get Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba so that his child could seem to be Uriah’s son to cover up David’s sin. However when this did not work David arrange for Uriah’s death on the battlefield. Then, when Nathan confronted David with his sin and said to David “You are the man! David realized that he was guilty of the very principles that he tried to uphold. David’s repentance (see Psalm 51 and Psalm 32) is an example of the type of true repentance that we as believers must follow when we are confronted with our sin. However, today I believe we have departed from true repentance and are living in a culture were the wicked proudly strut about knowing that their actions are really honored in this society.

When studying the seven churches in Revelation two and three repentance plays an important part in the believer’s walk. These examples:

• To the church of Ephesus – Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
• To the church of Pergamum – Nevertheless, I have a few things against you. Repent therefore!
• To the church in Thyatira – Nevertheless, I have this against you I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling; so I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
• To the church of Sardis – I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.
• To the church of Laodicea – I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Is there a difference between knowing God’s way and living in God’s way? Does living a righteous lifestyle before God guarantee a wonderful and bless life? Is living life and following God’s way simply a matter of if you do this then this will happen? As I study the Psalms and the life of David, I have come to realize that the answers to life’s tough questions are not simple. This Psalm deals with living in an environment where the godly are no more. It is an environment where everyone lies to his neighbor, is deceitful, where what is vile and wicked is honored among men. As I study I Kings chapter twenty one I see a picture of Israel that reminds me of this type of an environment. To summarize this chapter, we see four main characters: Naboth, Ahab, Jezebel, and Elijah. Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard to make himself a vegetable garden. Naboth told him no, this is my inheritance from my father, and I will not sell it to you. So, Ahab went home sad and angry. When Jezebel found out about this, she took matters in her own hands and set Naboth up with made-up charges and had him killed. She then gave his land to Ahab. When Ahab went to see his new possession, Elijah met him and proclaim God’s Word to him. Surprising Ahab humbled himself before God (something Jezebel would never do). To this God had mercy on him and did not bring the promise disaster during his lifetime. As I read this story the issues, we face today in our society are similar to the issues that Elijah faced during his time on this earth.
• How then does this story answer the question “Is living life and following God’s way simply a matter of if you do this then this will happen?”? The answer can be found in reading I Peter. According to I Peter 5: 8-9 we are to be “self-controlled and alert”. Why? Because our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. How do we react to the devil? Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because we know that our brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. So, in evil times is your goal living a wonderful and bless life, or living a blameless lifestyle as a witness of God’s working in your life? Knowing that the evil in this world will take advantage of our living a blameless life before God.
• However, there are two churches that were not ask to repent: Smyrna “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!” and Philadelphia – “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name”. It is interest that II Samuel 11:1 starts out with these words “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.” This verse set the stage for David’s fall. David was not doing what he was supposed to be doing but left it to others. The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia gives us examples what the church should be doing today. So, as we take a look at the value system of nation we should look and study the seven churches of Revelation. Is our value system that of Smyrna and Philadelphia or is it like the value of the other five churches?

Psalm 7

¹ O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
² or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
³ O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands-
⁴ if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe–
⁵ then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. Selah
⁶ Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.
⁷ Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high;
⁸ let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
⁹ O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.
¹⁰ My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.
¹¹ God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.
¹² If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
¹³ He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.
¹⁴ He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.
¹⁵ He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.
¹⁶ The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.
¹⁷ I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

Verse nine is the theme of this psalm “O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.” It contains our acknowledgment of who God is and what should be the theme of our daily prayer. I Corinthians 2:11 states “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?” should be your guiding light when dealing with others. Stop and think how many times in course of your daily routine that you are quick to pass judgment on a person’s actions. Stop and think how many times in course of your daily routine that you hear others around you who are quick to pass judgment on a person’s actions. But in reality, do we really know what they are thinking? No, we can try to perceive their thoughts but only they know what they are really thinking. But God does know the thoughts and intents on the mind and the heart of all individuals. So, our prayers should be: God bring to an end the violence of the wick and make the righteous secure. I Corinthians 2:11, 12, 16 tells us how to have the mind of Christ; “In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” As you walk daily with Christ and study his word daily you should see a transformation in your own life of the striping away of the old self and the putting on the new man. God’s judgments are based on the thoughts and the intents of a man and not the actions of man as portrait in this psalm. I Corinthians 2:16 bring out an important reason to study God’s word “That we may understand what God has freely given us”. Surely goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I pray that this is the peace that you have with Christ tonight.

January 2, 2008

The Way of Our Walk

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?” – Genesis 50:19

As you go about your journey on this earth, do you have to be in control of the events in your life? Genesis 50 gives us a picture of how Joseph followed his father’s last wishes on his burial in the land on Canaan. Joseph took control and followed his father’s wishes and made everything happen the way Jacob wanted it to happen. However, after the funeral his brothers sent a message to him referring to Jacob’s request for the brothers to carry out concerning their past sin to Joseph. They were living in his presence however; since, they still had not confessed their sin and asked for his forgiveness, they probably did not have the close brotherly relationship with him as they should. Now with Jacob’s death they feared that Joseph would now carry out his our justice and give them the judgment that their sin desired. They were now at the mercy of Joseph who had the power to carry out judgment with his own hands.

Joseph’s reply was simple: “Fear not: for am I in the place of God?” Joseph knew the time, the place, and who was going to judge all men. The time is in God’s hand and he and he only knows it. The place is before him. And finally, it will be God who judges us. However, as you go about your journey on this earth you can partake of an attribute of God just as Joseph did. This attribute is our ability to forgive others. As Christ preached in Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” and then as Christ expanses on this in verse 14 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”. This was probably the thought that Joseph had then he reply to his brothers “I cannot judge you for your evil, however I can forgive you” and this is also the way in which we must walk.

Psalm 6

 A psalm of David.
¹ O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
² Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
³ My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?
⁴ Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
⁵ No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?
⁶ I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
⁷ My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
⁸ Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

In the devotional My Utmost for His Highest for April 2, 2009 Oswald Chambers writes “The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others.” as the spiritual insight that we need to portray in our daily walk. This psalm is an example of those events that take place in our life in which we know God, but we cannot grasp an understanding on how God is using those events in our life at that moment to shape us for his purpose.

In this psalm David knows the Lord. He knows of God’s anger and discipline and he knows of his unfailing love. He had witness how God had used Saul to united Israel as a nation, but also witness how God had deserted Saul when he refused to obey God. He saw the pain and suffering that Saul went through when the Spirit of the Lord left Saul. He also saw the type of person that Saul became when he forsook the Lord’s way and pursued his own path. However, he also saw how much pain and suffering Saul could inflict on others. Events such as when Saul had Doeg the Edomite kill eighty-five members of the priest family were hard for David to grasp when it came to understanding God intervention in the affairs of man.

As I study the issues that David must have faced in this psalm and apply it to the issues that I face I realize that David is wrestling with gaining an understanding of the events surrounding him. The more I study the psalms the more I realize that David was writing his psalms to help him understand the nature and attributes of God. David knew that God was in control, however, he also realized that evil existed in the world and that this evil was godless. Godliness and godlessness cannot exist together. Therein lays the conflict that we see in the world today, those who walk in the way of the righteous and those who opposes the righteous way of God. The major issue that I see today is that many believers strive to make a stand against all unrighteous that they see exist all around them and take matters into their our hands, instead of leaving it to God. We should become like David and become obsessed with the pursue of knowing God and living a blameless life. If we truly believe like David; then we like him, will know that the four results of verses nine and ten will take place.

The LORD has heard my cry for mercy

the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed

they will turn back in sudden disgrace

Living a blameless life is different than living a perfect life. One of the earliest struggles that I faced as a Christian was striving for human perfection. Paul also gives us an example of his struggle with living a life of perfection in Philippians chapter three. Paul purpose changed from striving to live a life of perfection to knowing God and the power of his resurrection. He sought the fellowship of Christ suffering and being made conformable unto God’s nature. Oswald Chambers summarizes Christian perfection in his devotional from December 2 as “Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life.” So as we go through times in our life that we cannot understand God’s leading look at them as a time that God is making us conformable unto His nature.

Thought for the day. Do I really know the ten commandments?

Thou shall have no other gods before me.
Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image.
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother.
Thou shall not kill.
Thou shall not commit adultery.
Thou shall not steal.
Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shall not covet.