What Preaching Reveals about the Preacher

I do have a concern with many who occupy the pulpit, who claim to believe that the word of God is inerrant and infallible, but preach from it...when they preach from it...like they are a functional agnostic. If we really believe that the Bible is the very truth of God and infallible in all it asserts, then why would we not preach from it in a way that shows we believe that very thing. If it is the very word of God, and therefore the very truth of God (who cannot tell a lie), then it carries all the authority of God; and we should preach it as authoritative and binding in all of its precepts.  

It is not enough for the preacher to stand up before his people and tell them he believes in the Scriptures, and tell his people to read and study their Bibles. He must preach from the Bible and apply the Bible, and bring the authority of the Scriptures to bear on those to whom he preaches, so that they understand they are under its authority.  

If the Bible is inerrant and infallible, then it follows that it is authoritative. If it is authoritative, then it is also sufficient, sufficient for faith and for the life lived by faith. If it is authoritative then it also has all the attendant power to accomplish what God has designed it to accomplish; and is truly the power of God for salvation, and the power of God for sanctification. (Romans 1:16, Ephesians 5:26, I Peter 2:2); which creates for Him a people who are pleasing to Him and bring Him joy and glory. If preachers truly believe this, then this belief will be evident in their preaching.

As preachers, what we preach and what we do not preach, and how we handle the Word reflects what we truly believe about it, and also reveals our attitude toward it. Don't be fooled by someone who merely gives lip-service to the inerrancy, infallibility, authority, sufficiency, and power of the Word of God. Pay attention to what they preach about, how they use the Scriptures, and how they treat the Scriptures. This will reveal their very heart toward the Scriptures, and in a sense their very heart toward God, Himself.   

The Gospel Wound

See now that I, I am He, and 

 there is no God besides Me; 

it is I who put to death and give life.

I have wounded and it is I who heal...

Deuteronomy 32:39

Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;

save me and I will be saved,

for You are my praise.

Jeremiah 17:14

For the word of God is living and active

and sharper than any two-edged sword,

and piercing as far as the division of

soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, 

and able to judge the thoughts and 

intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

There is the wound of the gospel. The conviction of sin which breaks the heart and makes the soul contrite. There must be the gospel wound before there can be the healing of the gospel. It is the wound of the sharp two-edged sword of the gospel that cuts into the very heart and soul and mind of man.  

As such, it cannot be and will not be a superficial wound; but it is also never a mortal wound, no matter how deeply it penetrates. Therefore it is a most unusual wound, in that it is the wound which heals. It is the wound which lays bare and then heals the sin sick soul. It is the deep cut which circumcises the heart and makes it new. It is the wound which brings conviction of sin, and the wound which brings one to repentance. It is the wound that causes the blind to see and the deaf to hear. It is the wound which makes man cry out for salvation. It is the wound that renews the mind.

Yes, faithful are the wounds of our covenant friend. So our God, the faithful God, has designed the gospel so as to wound us, and he has also designed that very same gospel so as to heal us. He wounds us, so as to save us. He wounds us, so as to restore us. He wounds us for our good. The same gospel whose blows beat us up is also the same gospel that picks us up. Faithful are the wounds and blows of the gospel, for He has made it so.

Truth and Right Thinking

For as he thinks within himself, so he is...

Proverbs 23:7

The Bible tells man what to think, how to think, and why to think. It tells us of the benefits of right thinking and the consequences of wrong thinking. It presents the foundation of right thinking, which is the knowledge of God Himself, and the corresponding knowledge of man himself.  

The Bible is the foundation for right thinking because it presents to us the truth about God, and the truth about God becomes the mirror and backdrop from which we learn the truth about man, which is the truth about ourselves. We will never know the full truth about ourselves until we know the truth about God; and an important facet of knowing the truth about God is the belief and its consequential acceptance of what the Bible says about Him.  

Truth is reality, what is real, as compared to what is imagined, desired, or fantasized. The Bible presents life and existence (now and eternally) as it really is, not as we want it to be. The Bible presents God as He really is, not as we want Him to be or imagine Him to be. The Bible presents man (all of us) as he really is, not as we want him to be or imagine ourselves to be.

For a man to be right before God and to right with God, he must first think rightly about God and rightly about himself. Only the truth of God, found in the pages of the Bible can lead a man to the path and down the path to be right with God. God has given us the Bible for just that purpose, as He wants us to be right with Him.

Do you want to be right with God? Do you want to think rightly about God and about yourself? Then turn to the Bible, for it is there that you will find the foundation for right thinking, the truth.  

Sunday and the Word of God

The Word of God is meant to be a blessing

to the people of God.  So, this Sunday, sing it,

read it, preach it, and pray it.

The Moral Issue of Belief

...Human beings are adept at rejecting objective evidence when it does not confirm their prejudice, no matter how clear or compelling the evidence may be. Some people will not be persuaded by all the proof in the world because they are not truly open to the evidence.

My experience as an apologist and minister has shown me that the real reason most people reject Christianity is not for lack of evidence. The proof from external sources regarding the truth of the biblical account is too overwhelming. No, the real issue is a moral one. The person not reconciled to God in Christ and living in disobedience does not want Scripture’s claim that God has a full and final claim on his life to be true...

R. C. Sproul as quoted @ inerrantword.org

and with all the deception of wickedness for those

who perish, because they did not receive the love

of the truth so as to be saved.  For this reason God

will send upon them a deluding influence so that

they will believe what is false, in order that they

all may be judged who did not believe the truth,

but took pleasure in wickedness.

II Thessalonians 2:10-12 

Yes, belief in the truth is a moral issue!

Trusting in the Word of God = Trusting in the God of the Word

For as the rain and the snow come down

from heaven, and do not return there without

watering the earth and making it bear and

sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower 

and bread to the eater; so will My word be 

which goes forth out of my mouth; it will

not return to me empty, without accomplishing

what I desire, and without succeeding in the 

matter for which I sent it.

Isaiah 5:10-11

And why is this so?

Then the Lord said to me, "You have

seen well, for I am watching over My

word to perform it.

Jeremiah 1:12

I will bow down toward Your holy

temple and give thanks to Your name

for You have magnified Your word

according to all Your name.

Psalm 138:2

For us to not trust in the word of God,

is for us to not trust in God Himself.

And for preachers that is a fatal flaw.

The Word of God can Heal the Soul

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.

Psalm 19:7a

The Word of God is able to do soul surgery

(Hebrews 4:12), and like surgery performed

correctly, its wound brings healing.  There is 

nothing else that can both touch the soul

and heal its deepest and most profound wound.
See also Jeremiah 17:14.

The Word of God is Sure

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 19:7b

The Word of God is faithful and trustworthy, and knowing

it gives even the simplest person the knowledge of  God's will.

Knowing the will of God enables even the simplest person 

to become skilled in the art of godly living.

The Word of God is Right

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Psalm 19:8

The Word of God is right, therefore it gives us

the right knowledge of God, which enables us

to make right choices about right things at the 

right time.  When we know the Word of God,

it gives us discernment as to what is right, and

obeying it keeps us right with God.  It is being

right with God that causes the heart to rejoice.

Apart from His Word

The word of God is integral in living the Christian life.  In fact, it is the key to living the Christian life, and we can't live the Christian life apart from it. It is a necessary ingredient that must be included in our life.

So, the word of God is required...

To give us the wisdom that leads to salvation.
To live a holy life.
To live a life that pleases Him.
To live a spiritually fruitful life.
To live a meaningful life.
To live a life that produces eternal rewards.
To live a life that blesses others.
To live an exemplary life.
To live of life of integrity.
To live a life that has substance to it.
To live a life of joy.
To live a life that has eternal value.
To live a life that brings Him glory.
To live a life without regret.
To live a life that imitates Him.
To live a life that testifies of Him.
To live a life that proclaims I am a Christian.
To know His will for our life.
To grow in grace.
To grow in our knowledge of Him.
To increase our faith.
To enlarge our heart.
To grow in our love for God and for others.


Apart from His word, it is impossible to live the Christian life. It is truly the Christians's treasure.

When Salvation Comes...Psalm 119:41-48

Psalm 119:41-48

When Salvation Comes

When Salvation Comes…God’s lovingkindnesses come to us

Vs 41 

"May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word."

Lovingkindness…hesed in the Hebrew, is one of my favorite words in the Scriptures. It is part of the Lord’s self-revelatory declaration in Exodus 34:6, "The Lord, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth." The Lord here not only declares that He possess lovingkindness, but that He abounds in it. It is a vastly rich and nuanced word and has a depth of meaning and a breadth of application as you can see through its use throughout the OT. 

What makes it this way, though, is pretty simple when we boil it down to its essence. Lovingkindness is God’s love in action. It is His love exhibited in and through His actions towards His own. It is His strength, mercy, compassion, grace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, steadfastness, commitment, gentleness, benevolence, truthfulness, and favor towards His children, those with whom He is in covenant. 

Of note here is the lovingkindnesses of salvation….plural….there are many that are part of salvation, included in our salvation, without which our salvation would not be complete….including salvation itself.  His lovingkindness for us starts with Him predestinating our salvation (Ephesians 1:4b-5) and continues on in a myriad of ways throughout this life and then on into eternity. God’s lovingkindnesses toward us are part and parcel of our salvation. They are for us and us only; they are not for those who have not come to Him through faith in Christ.

We see this very richly and wonderfully expressed in Ephesians 2:4-7 (all one sentence) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

When Salvation comes…it comes from God, and it comes according to His Word.

Vs 41

"May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word."

It is His salvation to give….salvation belongs to the Lord.

Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people.

Psalm 13:5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

Psalm 18:35 You have given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.

The Lord gives salvation in accordance with His word. He brings it through His word. We must depend on His word for the knowledge of salvation. We must believe, and therefore trust His word for salvation. His word is the basis of our faith His word is the means of salvation.

Romans 3:20…for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ….

Romans 10:13 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth…

James 1:21…in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

II Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have know the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation.

Ephesians 1:13…you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation---having also believed

When Salvation comes….we have an answer when scorned or ridiculed for our faith

Vs 42

"So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word."

I Peter 3:15-16 But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. And keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Our ready response is our testimony, the reality of our personal experience with the lovingkindnesses of God, His mercy, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, forgiveness, gentleness, wisdom, compassion, power, grace, protection, and provision…His love in action that comes with salvation….His promises made real to you…for you…in your life. 

Your answer is your personal experience of the realities of salvation and how they have proven His word. Your personal testimony of God’s truth made true in your life is the ready defense of your faith.

When salvation comes….so does our trust in His Word

Vs 42

"So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word."

We cannot separate our trust in the Lord, from our trust in His word. To trust Him, is to trust His Word.  To trust His Word is to trust Him. We understand implicitly, that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. In fact, our trust in His word becomes part of our testimony.

Titus 1:2…we have a God who cannot lie

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has he said and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Jeremiah 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, "You have seen well, for I am standing over My word to perform it.

Proverbs 16:20 He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

When salvation comes….so does hope and encouragement through His word

Vs 43

"And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Your ordinances."

Romans 15:4-5 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, My Son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him.

Hebrews 13:22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

Paul speaks of his preaching of the gospel as encouragement…I Thessalonians 2:3 for our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

Psalm 119:9-12….33-40

Psalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

To exhort someone is to speak to the need of the moment, and the dynamic of the living Word of the living God is that Scripture always speaks to the need of the moment.

When salvation comes…….so does perseverance in the word

Vs 44

"So I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever."

II Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

Titus 1:9 holding fast to the faithful word which is accordance with the teaching…..

I Corinthians 11:1-2 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you

We hold fast to the Lord, by holding fast to His word.  When we abandon His word, we abandon Him.

Psalm 119:11a Your word I have treasured in my heart...

We persevere in the Word because it is not just in the mind as part of our intellect, but is in the heart as part of our will. 

When salvation comes…….so does freedom that the word brings

Vs 45-46

"And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be ashamed."

Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free….

John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.

I Peter 2:16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

II Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty

When salvation comes…..so does a love for His word….which causes you to

            Delight in His Word

Revere His Word

Meditate on His word

 

Vs 47-48

"I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love. And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; and I will meditate on Your statutes."

Delight…to take joy or enjoyment….to take pleasure in…to receive pleasure from….

Psalm 119:140 Your word is very pure, therefore your servant loves it. 

Psalm 119:167 My soul keeps your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.

Job 23:11-12 My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart...

Ezekiel 3:3 He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you."  Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

Lift up my hands...to give honor to, to revere  

Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and your truth; for You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

Psalm 56:4, 10 In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust…In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord whose word I praise.

Isaiah 42:21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness sake to make the law great and glorious.

Meditate...to ponder, to consider, to apply, to think long and deeply on

Psalm 119:15 I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways

Psalm 1:1-2 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

When you meditate on His word, you are approaching Scripture to learn from it, and you receive its counsel, you let it counsel you.

When salvation comes, your relationship with God changes, and your relationship with His word changes. The Word is no longer foreign and unknown, but becomes cherished and an integral part of your life. In fact, this new relationship with His word is one of the many lovingkindnesses of our salvation. It is one of the many blessings of God.

His Word and Our Life

To live for the Lord, is but to live by His Word.

To bring Him glory is accomplished by living by His Word.

Praying for His will is asking that His word be lived out in our lives..

Having perfect freedom is being a doer of His Word.

It is His Word that keeps us on the path to life.

The Simplicity of Trusting in God

We cannot separate our trust in the Lord, from our trust in His word.  

To trust Him, is to trust His Word.  To trust His Word is to trust Him.  

We understand implicitly, that man does not live by bread alone, 

but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  

By His Word

He created by His Word.

Genesis 1

He rules by His Word.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Jeremiah 1:12

He sustains all things by His Word.

Hebrews 1:3

The Scriptures and Relevance

What makes the Scriptures relevant to our life

is our application of them to our life.  It is in

our obedience to the Word of God that the truth

of the Scriptures is applied to the situation which

we find ourselves in. 

Show me someone who says the Bible is not

relevant, and I will show you someone who does

not know the Scriptures nor practices the Scriptures.

So if you want to make the Scriptures relevant to
your life, learn them and obey them.

The Beatitudes of the Psalms-Part II

We are continuing to look at how blessed we are according to the Psalms.

Psalm 65:4 How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your Holy temple. Being chosen, called, and kept is not confined to the NT. Here the Psalmist speaks of the blessed state those have that have been chosen by God to be brought near to Him so as to permanently abide with Him in the new Jerusalem. The Scripture tells us that the nearness of God is our good, and it is good for us because we are blessed by it.

Psalm 84...the whole of this Psalm deals with the state of blissful spiritual prosperity that we dwell in, and is particularly expressed in verse 2b..."my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God." and, verse 11, "For the Lord is a sun and a shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Here the Pslamist exults in his blessedness bestowed upon him by the Lord because of his right relationship with Him; and so should we, and this type of exultation, giving glory to the Lord should inhabit our prayers. 

In this Psalm, the Psalmist goes on to exclaim, "How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion!" and, ends the Psalm with, "O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You." The path to heaven starts in the heart, and the Lord has circumcised the heart of every true believer, giving him a heart that knows and accepts and trusts the truth; this is the start of the path that leads to Zion, and is the first blessing of the Lord. The heart of a true believer knows this very well and we rejoice exceedingly in this great blessing.

Psalm 80:15 How blessed are those who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance. Wasn't this the promised blessing in Numbers 6:25-26 for those who would keep Him as their God? They know the joyful sound, as seen in Psalm 84:2b, the sound of a joyful heart, their own heart. We too should know this joyful sound, the sound of praise and exultation for our Lord as we experience the light of His countenance because He is near, and drawing nearer, to us.

Psalm 112:1 Praise the Lord!  How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. The reason the person who fears the Lord is greatly blessed is because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, God's wisdom that is found in His commandments. True wisdom will find great delight from the commandments of God, for from them flow the springs of life, and through them we live a life pleasing to God; and a life pleasing to God is a life of great and blissful prosperity. 

Psalm 119:1-3 How blessed are  those who way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are the those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him will all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness, they walk in His ways. This great Psalm starts out with a double blessing, but the key to the blessing is seeking the Lord with all Your heart. The Lord, Himself, is our greatest blessing. He is our very great reward. For it is Him that is missing from our lives. It is was our sin that separated us from Him, and even now continues to cloud our relationship, and foul our fellowship with Him. We must seek Him through His word, and when we are obedient to His word our ways will be His ways, and our walk (way of living life) will be blameless before Him. This is a blessed state to be in and a state that exists because of a right relationship with Him. And, when we seek Him, His promise to us is that He will let us find Him, and in finding Him is life, abundant life (Amos 5:4, Deuteronomy 4:29, I Chronicles 28:9, Jeremiah 29:13-14, Jeremiah 33:3, John 10:10). This is a very great blessing indeed!

Psalm 128:1-4 How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, your children like olive plants around your table. Behold, for this shall a man be blessed who fears the Lord. Wow, quite a promise! Quite a blessing! Notice here, the Lord did not say He would make you rich, but that the fruit of your labors would be sufficient to make you happy, and it will be well, not only for you, but for your family as well. Godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied with contentment (I Timothy 6:6), and we are to find our contentment in the Lord. Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, shelter) will be added to you." Being taken care of by the Lord is a great blessing, and we live in that blessing when we fear Him and seek Him, trusting Him to provide for our needs. After all, He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think....and does.

Psalm 144:12-15 says much the same thing as Psalm 128, but ends with, "How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord." There are many things/gods to worship in this world; and they all are the making of man's own desires, most usually cast in his own likeness. True blessing, blessing both for now and eternity only comes from the Lord, the one true God. Our great blessing is that God changed us from self-worshippers to God-worshippers.

Psalm 146 is a great praise Psalm, and verses 5-10 are praises because of the great blessings given by God. "How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous; the Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! Our being blessed is the total of all the blessings of the Lord that are ours. All the blessings that He gives those with whom He has entered into covenant.  He, Himself, is our great Helper, our very present help, and our adequacy.  Whom else could we need, whom else could and would do all of this for us? So are we greatly blessed?  You bet we are!

These are the exclamatory blessings enumerated in the Psalms...rich, powerful, awe and reverence inspiring, and wonderful to meditate on. They let us know how truly good and gracious our God is to us. But there is more, yes there is more. Let's look at Ephesians 2:4-7, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. I boldly italicized the so that, so that you would not miss it. It is the purpose statement for why God saved us. He loves us, has always loved us, and in the ages upon ages upon ages to come He will lavish His gracious love upon us...blessing upon blessing upon blessing for all eternity. Incomprehensible, unimaginable...yet true. As blessed as we are now, and we are greatly blessed now; our current state of blessing cannot compare with our eternal state of blessing when all sin that stands between us and our God has been eradicated, eliminated, and exterminated. A state of heavenly bliss that cannot be imagined or described or broken will be ours for eternity.

So my friends...what is your response to this great God? Will you make Him your trust, your greatest desire, your God? Will you seek Him with all your heart? Will you revere Him and praise Him, and live to please Him? Will you bow in submission to His great love, and experience His great blessings, now and for eternity? Or will you turn from Him to pursue your own desires, making yourself your own god, and experience the wrath of God for all eternity? 

An old children's Sunday School song comes to mind, "Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your blessings see what God has done. Count your blessings...name them one by one...count your many blessings...see what God has done." A good word then, a good word now.

The Beatitudes of the Psalms-Part I

The Sermon on the Mount is considered by many not only the finest sermon Christ ever preached, but the greatest sermon ever preached (Of course, it goes without saying that if it was Christ's finest sermon, then it would be the greatest sermon ever.) This great sermon starts out with the pronouncement of spiritual blessings commonly known as the Beatitudes. In these Beatitudes we see both those who are blessed (what they have done to receive the blessing) and the blessing itself. If you examine this passage carefully what you will see is these blessings are spiritual blessings, and these blessings are the result, the fruit if you will, of a right relationship with God. These blessings belong to those who know God, love God, and serve God. 

To the Jewish people at that time, being blessed by God was not a new concept, and neither should be the concept that those who are blessed are those who have a right relationship with God, men and women of faith. This fact had been stated for them right before their entrance into the promised land, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:26-28, "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you to day, by following other gods which you have not known." Now, these blessings were to them as a nation, but we also see blessings for those individuals who worshiped the true God and did not follow after other gods. 

There are two primary words for bless in the OT, barak and esher. The predominant word used is barak, and it means to grant favor, to be kind or gracious or generous, or to be good to. This word is used 330 times in the OT and we see it best expressed in Numbers 6:22-27, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying, 'Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:  the Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.' "So they will invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them." We see many examples in the OT of God blessing His people, both corporately, and individually.

The other word used for blessed is esher. This word is used 44 times in the OT and means a state of happiness or blissful prosperity. It is the result of being blessed, it is the state of being blessed by God, of being the recipient of His gracious favor and lovingkindness. It is literally the result of being in a right relationship with God. Also, when this word is in the masculine plural it becomes not just a statement of the condition of blissful prosperity, but an exclamation (!!!) of blissful prosperity. Of the 44 times this word is used in the OT, it is used as an exclamatory pronouncement 26 times in the Psalms. We see it translated by the phrase "How blessed." (NASB) So when we see this phrase in the Psalms it is an exclamation, not a question; and it is a pronouncement of how blessed a person is as a result of their relationship with God. In essence, these verses become an exclamation of the blessedness that is theirs, their Beatitudes, because of receiving the blessing of God. The blessedness is not just a single blessing, but a great blessing, a multitudinous blessing, a bountiful blessing; it is a blessing that contains many blessings.

Lets look at them:

Psalm 1:1-2 How blessed is the man who does not walk in counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path or sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. Here we see the person blessed because of what he is not doing...not living by the wisdom of the wicked (world), not taking the same path (course of life) as the sinners, nor participating with those who mock God. The reason he is not participating in any of these is because he delights in the Lord so much that he considers His law and applies it to his life. This results in this man being greatly blessed by God.

Psalm 2:12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled.  How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Again, a bountiful blessing, and this bountiful blessing is for all who take refuge in Him from the wrath to come. The blessing is the escaping from this wrath, the wrath of the Son that is coming; and to escape the Son's wrath you must take refuge in the Son, Himself, by doing homage to the Son in taking refuge in Him. Those who have placed their faith in the Son, who have bowed the knee and done homage to Him as King of kings, and Lord of lords receive the great blessing of being protected and spared from His wrath.

Psalm 32:1-2 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! Here we see the blessing  that comes as a result of the forgiveness of sin. There is a state of spiritual bliss that is a result of our sins being forgiven, of our sins being imputed (placed on) to Christ. When our sins have been taken away, and we experience fellowship with God, the fruit of that fellowship is bliss.When our spirit has been cleansed and our heart has not been hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, then our soul enjoys spiritual prosperity.

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  When we take refuge in Him for our salvation, we taste the goodness of Lord, we taste of the blessing of His presence, and we experience the bountiful richness of His love and mercy toward us.  If we being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more our perfect heavenly Father is good to us.

Psalm 40:4-5 How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.  Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; there is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, they would too numerous to count. Have you ever thought about counting the wonders of God...every star that He as created and named, every man and woman that is fearfully and wonderfully made, each and every blooming flower, the power of the atom, the heat of the sun, the beauty of the sunset, the sound of the surf, the beauty of music,  or the shake of the earthquake? His thoughts toward us, those who bear His name, those who are in right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, are as numerous as all His wonders. We are on His mind all the time.  How much more blessed could we be?

Psalm 41:1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble (evil). We see here God's blessing of deliverance to those who act like Him and look to the state of those who cannot help themselves, and who are in no position to return the favor. (Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.)  (James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight or our God is this; to visit orphans and widows in their distress...)  We are most blessed when we are most like Him!

to be continued.

Christ and the Scriptures

The grand subject of all the Scriptures is Jesus Christ, Himself.

When you take Christ out of the Scriptures, they become a

rule book for good behavior, and a guide book for self-improvement.
Without Christ we have nothing to preach!

God's Lovingkindness in Psalm 119

Lovingkindness, hesed in the Hebrew, is one of my favorite words in the Scriptures.  It is part of the Lord's self-revelatory declaration in Exodus 34:6, where not only does the Lord declare that He possesses it, but that He abounds in it.  It is a vastly rich and nuanced word, and has a depth of meaning and a breadth of application as you can see through its use in the OT.  Read through its definition in the Word Study or Vines dictionaries and you will see what I mean. 

What makes it this way, though, is pretty simple when we boil it down to its essence.  Lovingkindness is God's love in action.  It is His love exhibited in and through His actions towards His own.  It is His strength, mercy, compassion, grace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, steadfastness, commitment, gentleness, benevolence, truthfulness, and favor towards His children, those with whom He is in covenant.  We see it expressed in the command in I John 3:18, "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and in truth."  God loves in deed and in truth...His love in action...and we are to love as He loves; in other words, we are to express His love through our actions.  We also see an example of this in Ephesians 2:4-5, "But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ." His love for us moved Him to be merciful to us and make us alive in Christ, despite our sinfulness.  So we see His lovingkindness toward us in His saving us.  His love was put into action to bring about our salvation, and His love was expressed through His mercy toward us.

The Psalms, especially Psalm 136 are replete with the use of lovingkindness.  It is also used seven times in Psalm 119, and I want us to go through those and see how it relates to the Word of God.

Psalm 119:41...God's lovingkindnesses (notice the plural) come to us in salvation, and that salvation according to His Word.

Psalm 119:64...The earth is full, overflowing with the lovingkindness of God.  God has built His lovingkindness into the earth and all it contains, and all that is available to man in and through His creation.  The knowledge of the Word helps us understand and appreciate all He has provided for us in this world.  Reminds me of I Timothy 6:17...God supplies us with all things richly to enjoy, and He does this through His creation, and it is part of His lovingkindness towards us.

Psalm 119:76...The comfort that His Word brings to us, in any and all circumstances, is part of His lovingkindness to us.  God wants us to be comforted and has provided that through His Word of truth.

Psalm 119:88...God's lovingkindness renews, refreshes, and revitalizes us so that we will be strengthened to keep His word.

Psalm 119:124...Not only does God deal with us according to His Word (Psalm 119:65), but dealing with us according to His Word is also dealing with us according to His lovingkindness; and in His dealings with us, He teaches us His Word.  His teaching us His Word, the taking of the Word and making it part of the fabric of our life, is His love in action towards us.  Psalm 51:6 tells us that God desires truth in our innermost being and as part of His lovingkindness towards us He takes His truth and makes it a part of us.  Wow!  What a blessing!  What a God!

Psalm 119:149...His hearing our voice is due to His lovingkindness towards us.  In another Psalm it tells  us that He inclines His ear to hear our prayer.  God's response to our prayer is in accord with His lovingkindness, and in accordance with His Word through which we are refreshed, renewed, and revitalized.

Psalm 119:159...Here the Psalmist is saying, "Lord, in the exercise of Your love for me, take into account my love for Your Word, and deal with me accordingly."  What great faith and confidence the Psalmist has in the lovingkindness of God towards him.  This is a man who knows and trusts his God.  A great example for us.

In Psalm 34:8 we are exhorted to taste and see that the Lord is good.  In Psalm 119:68 we see that the Lord is good and does good.  His goodness is expressed toward us in His acts of lovingkindness, in other words, His lovingkindness is good, and He does not withhold it from us, but lavishes it upon us.  This begins with our salvation, and will be continued in the ages to come as He shows the surpassing (which means it is more than we can comprehend) riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7). 

Father, help us to know and understand Your lovingkindnesses toward us.  Cause us to see them.  Help us to not take them for granted.  May we be grateful now and for all eternity for Your active love for us.

According to His Word...Psalm 119

Pslam 119 is a wonderfully rich Psalm, with its main theme being the Word of God.  Throughout this Psalm we are shown the benefits, the power, the richness, the faithfulness, the insight, the holiness, the value, and the significance of the Word of God in the life of the believer.  One of the key phrases in this Psalm is "according to Your Word" (or according to...one of the synonyms for the Word).  In this post we want to look at what we have "according to His Word."

119:9...His Word keeps our way pure.
Not only does it clean us when we believe (John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26) but it keeps our life pure when we obey it.

119:25...His word revives our soul.
When we are in dust spiritually, His Word renews, restores, and revitalizes our soul, and lifts us out of spiritual oppression and depression.

119:28...His word is a bulwark in times of grief.
His word is what gives strength to our soul in our times of spiritual grief, the spiritual grief that comes because of sin. (Please note that the issue in vs 25-32 is the consequence of sin; and the Word is the balm that not only heals and restores the Psalmist spiritually, but is also what puts him back on the right path.)

Psalm 119:41...His Word brings salvation.
God's lovingkindnesses are bound up in salvation, and His word is the means through which we receive the bountiful blessings of salvation. (Romans 10:17, II Timothy 3:15)

Psalm 119:58...His Word reveals His favor to us.
God is gracious to us according to His word, and we see and understand the favor He bestows upon us through that same Word.

Psalm 119:65...His Word gives us understanding of how He deals with us.
God dealings with us are always in accordance with His Word, and always for our good. (Micah 2:7)

Psalm119:76...His Word brings comfort to us.
True comfort of the soul can only come from the Word of God, and through His word we learn of His lovingkindnesses.

Psalm 119:89-91...Creations stands each day according to His command.
His Word is in command of all things, both seen and unseen. (Hebrews 1:3)

Psalm 119:107...His Word comes to our aid in time of affliction.
His Word keeps us alive, lifts us up, and strengthens us anew in times of great afflicition.

Psalm 119:116...His word sustains us.
We have hope in this life and for the life to come, because of His Word.

Psalm 119:149...God responds to our prayers according to His Word.
Spiritual renewal and rescue are granted in accordance with His word.

Psalm 119:156...His mercies are revealed through His Word.
He is the Father of mercy and God of all comfort (II Corinthians 1:3), and we learn of the greatness and innumerable number of His mercies through His Word.

Psalm 119:170...His Word is Word of deliverance.
God, who cannot lie, has given us the promise of deliverance from darkness, sink, and death; and we find this promise in His Word. (Psalm 121:7, I Peter 1:5, Matthew 10:28)

Lord, you have given us so much in Your Word, and You act in accordance with Your Word.  Help us, no, cause us, to believe it, to stand on it, to live it; and to those of us to whom You have given the charge to preach and teach Your word, may we do so with clarity, precision, and conviction.