His Strength and Not Ours

“Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.” (Ps 105:4 AV)

I was reminded of this verse upon waking in the middle of the night.  The LORD and I had a sweet time of prayer.  At issue is that which always comes to mind.  The end of the battle.  In particular, the end of the battle with sin.  Of all the enemies the child of God wrestles with, it is sin.  Paul, at the end of his ministry and life, wrote the famous internal struggle of Romans chapter seven.  A man who was the foundation of the church in the west, the writer of more than half the New Testament, and a missionary like no other struggled with the flesh until the day he died.  That is our battle.  Wishing and praying for its end is not wrong.  It is normal and right.  Wanting to be what God always designed us to be, yet frustrated by the flesh, is every saint’s battle.  In the meantime, we have a truth as expressed above.  God has not left us alone.  There is a remedy.  There is an answer.  Although only through our glorification shall we be made sinless, there is a source to which we can turn before then.  It is the power of God.

God wants us to overcome sin far more than we do.  But if we do not learn to do so as a freewill choice of our own, we will never learn what it means to be Christlike.  At least not be experience.  Like Israel who was left the enemies of Canaan as God’s means of proving them, there are enemies which the LORD allows us to face because there is no other way by which we may learn some of the greatest lessons we will ever learn.  Affliction and adversity are not comfortable.  God never promises a life of comfort.  The verse above is a great one.

When we are faced with giants in our own heart and flesh, it is the Spirit that enables us to overcome.  We cannot do it in our own strength.  It is the Spirit that empowers.  We fail when we try to scale the mountain all by ourselves.  The flesh is too strong.  It goes wherever we go.  It fights against the spirit, and the spirit fights against it.  It is the strength of the LORD that tips the scales in favor of righteousness and holiness.  The psalmist tells us to do the obvious.  Seek the strength of the LORD.  Not after we have failed, but while we are being challenged.  Seek the LORD while He may be found.  Seek His strength, and the flesh will yield to His power.

Nothing Wasted

“And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” (1Sa 3:19 AV)

“Fall to the ground” means to be cast aside and wasted.  It means to regard something so insignificant that if it were lost, it would never be missed.  Samuel was new to the things of the LORD.  When the LORD spoke to him, he thought He was Eli.  It took three times before Eli could discern that the LORD’s voice was speaking to Samuel.  Samuel was young and tender-hearted.  Everything he heard from the LORD was remembered, learned, and studied.  Every detail was important.  Every truth was held as invaluable.  Every alliteration, historical fact, or prophetical statement was important to him.  Samuel was like a new convert who soaked everything up.  Maybe he was like many of us and made something more than it seemed simply because it was new.  Regardless, this man of God knew the value of God’s word and treated it as such.

I enjoy watching a BBC program called The Repair Shop.  Craftsmen from all sorts of fields work to restore family heirlooms.  They are as expensive as a 17th century original painting of a king to something as simple as a pair of ballet slippers.  There are all sorts of items that come through the shop. Most have more of a history and sentimental value than a monetary one.  About twenty-five percent of the items have a military history.  Mostly from WWI and WWII.  There are regular cast members.  There is a furniture restorer, a clock-maker, a leatherworker, and a porcelain worker.  There are two ladies who work on stuffed animals, there is a metal worker who repairs industrial or larger items, and an art conservator.  Then the show invites other tradesmen to guest appear.  There is a luthier, and cobbler, a blacksmith, and a goldsmith who repairs jewelry.  Each has their own special workspace with tools unique to their skill.  The jeweler has a special workbench.  The host of the show made a big deal over it.  He couldn’t understand why he needed this particular bench.  It had a unique shape.  The bench was rectangular, but it had a large semicircle cut from it on one side.  Underneath the cutout hung a thick-gauge rubber mat.  The mat had slack in it, so it could droop.  The tradesman remarked that as he worked on precious metals, the dust would fall to the mat.  He could then collect it, melt it, and reuse it.  Not one speck of dust would fall to the ground.  It would all be collected, fused together under extreme heat, and reused for one more repair.

The older we get and the more familiar we become with the word of God, the more apt we are to let some of it fall to the ground.  Samuel was no exception.  He had firsthand experience with the poor parenting skills of Eli.  Eli’s sons were immoral and greedy.  The condition of his sons is what led the LORD to anoint Samuel.  Yet what happened with Samuel’s sons?  History repeated itself.  Samuel’s sons turned out the way Eli’s sons turned out.  Samuel started out well.  He let none of God’s word fall to the ground.  He soaked it all up.  Yet, as he aged, more and more of the truth of the word of God went unheeded.  The same could be true for many of us.  We start out well.  We receive Christ and are enraptured with the truth of God’s word.  We cannot get enough.  We read everything.  We study every detail.  Then life happens.  Soon, the word of God has lost its preeminent place in our minds and hearts.  We go to church and are mentally checked in for a brief amount of time.  Most of what the preacher says goes in one ear and out the other.  When we sit down and read our devotions, too many other things occupy our thoughts, so when we are done, there is little we take away from it.  It is time to have the eyes of a newbie!  It is time for us to once again value every single word of the Bible.  It is time to make the Bible our greatest priority, and prayer follows closely.

The Only One Who Can

“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” (Ru 2:12 AV)

Boaz said this to Ruth as one who intended to make a full reward.  This wasn’t a cursory remark acknowledging Ruth’s sacrifice and faithfulness.  It was a vow by Boaz to guarantee that Ruth’s choice did not go unrewarded.  Boaz states that the entire village knew what Ruth had done and how she was taking care of Naomi.  The reputation of Ruth was not hidden.  Everyone knew it.  No one but Boaz was in a position to reward her dedication.  There was a nearer kinsman than Boaz, but he could not redeem Ruth lest he mar his own inheritance.  Some suggest this nearer kinsman was married already, yet with no children.  That would make all the children born of Ruth of higher rank than any his previous wife would bear.  So, Boaz was the only one.  The book of Ruth is full of alliterations.  The book of Ruth is a picture of the redemption of the sinner by the hand of a Savior.  Boaz, therefore, represents the Son who redeemed the sinner from a destitute life of sin.  Jesus, who is the only one who could redeem us, is also to only one who can adequately recompense us for the life of service we render towards Him.  Our life of sacrifice and service does not escape the notice of God and others.

Ruth is a remarkable person.  She was offered a way out and she didn’t take it.  There were no guarantees.  Naomi could not promise her a thing.  Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law and her faith in Jehovah is what motivated her.  From Ruth’s perspective, she could safely assume she was going back to care for Naomi and that would be the extent of her life.  It would be no more.  She did not know of Boaz.  She was unaware of any other relatives Naomi may have had.  She was returning out of the integrity of her heart without and anticipation of recompense or reward.  This is what everyone noticed.  They noticed the heart of Ruth that produced her actions.  Even Boaz testifies that the entire village acknowledged Ruth as a virtuous woman.  This is what God blessed her.  It wasn’t merely what she had done, but why she had done it, that was praiseworthy.  Doing the right thing with the right heart is what Boaz saw.

The LORD is no different.  He knows what we do and why we do it.  He will not allow our dedication to go unrewarded.  One other thing.  Note the faith of Ruth and where it was placed.  She came to Israel because she trusted the LORD.  In spite of a father-in-law who did not.  Despite a husband whose faith wasn’t particularly exemplary, Ruth had faith.  Maybe it was Naomi who was her example.  Perhaps it was Naomi whose faith Ruth followed.  No matter.  Ruth trusted the LORD in difficult times because her integrity would not allow her to do anything different.  This is why the LORD, through Boaz, blessed the faithful.  And the LORD will do the same for all His children.  We cannot be presumptuous in thinking all our reward comes in this life.  I hope it does not.  Rather, I’d prefer it in eternity where joy can be had forever.  God does see.  God does reward.  All we need to do is trust Him and serve Him with integrity of heart.

Your Hair Always Grows Back

“Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.” (Jud 16:22 AV)

Isn’t that amazing?  His hair grew back.  What is amazing about his hair growing back is the provision of grace in the Nazarite vow.  Let me explain.  There were three parts to Samson’s vow.  First, he must refrain from grape products.  No grapes.  No wine.  No Vinegar.  Second, he could not touch any dead thing.  That would include any relatives or animals.  Third, he could not cut his hair.  He failed the first part of the vow in walking through a vineyard.  The implication was that he ate grapes as he went.  The second was violated when he touched the carcass of a dead lion.  So, the only part of the vow left was his long hair.  As long as his hair remained uncut, God would still bless his life.  Delilah took care of that.  She enticed Samson to divulge his secret.  The Philistines came and shaved his head while he lay asleep in Delilah’s lap.  As a result, the Spirit had left Samson.  His eyes were put out, and he became a grinding mule in the house of Dagon their god.  Now, here is the amazing thing.  One would think that when his vow was completely broken, there was no renewing it.  Samson cannot undo eating the grapes.  He cannot undo the fact that he touched a dead carcass.  The only thing that could be undone was his hair.  The LORD built into the Nazarite vow the ability for reconciliation and restitution.  There was one part in three that could be undone.  Samson could be used.  He would not enjoy a life of usefulness for God’s glory had he broken none of the vows.  But at least his purpose was not totally removed.

A friend of mine sent me a short devotional this morning.  It has the same basic thought as above.  It is out of Ps 37 and is a reminder that even when David made a few missteps, God still used him.  There are work-release programs for the once-incarcerated.  Some have an aversion to that idea, but it is a biblical one.  Those who have satisfied their obligations to society are given a second, third, or fourth chance.  I understand the reluctance of some to support this idea.  But the fault is not in the idea.  Rather, the insufficient standards of justice that precede it.  There is accountability.  There are standards placed upon the released individual imposed by the court.  Just because a person may have served the term of his or her incarceration does not mean that all things can go back to the way they were before the crime was committed.  They are given a second chance, but not a second life.  There is a difference.

All things being equal, giving someone another chance after they have messed up is something God does with us all the time.  There is built into salvation the idea of restoration and reconciliation.  If we fall away, God does not cast us off.  Paul’s fear was that he might be a castaway.  Not from God’s point of view.  Rather, he was afraid that people would cast him away and he could no longer reach them with the gospel of Christ.  At least not as he had done.  God is not in the refuge business.  He is in the recycling business.  God is not interested in letting us get to a useless condition.  Grace has built into our relationship the understanding that our hair will grow back.  We might lose our eyesight, but our hair will grow back.  We may not walk throughout Israel as a Judge, but we can take it on the child in defeat of God’s enemies.  Samson’s life changed once he gave up that last vow of the Nazarite.  But God was not done with him.  His hair grew back.  There was one last chance to glorify God, and God was gracious enough in His foreknowledge to provide a way for Samson to do just that!

Arguing Against Only Proves the Point

"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue [is] from the LORD.” (Pr 16:1 AV)

Solomon is not saying that everything we verbalize is perfectly guided by the LORD.  We know this is not true.  That would make God the Father of lies.  Rather, what Solomon is sharing is that the ability to reason, form an argument, and debate one’s point of view only comes by the Creator who gives life and the ability to reason.  This is ironic since the philosopher who prides himself on deep thoughts designed to disprove a Creator is, by the skill to form an argument, proving His existence.  Information comes from an outward source.  A computer is a simply block of metal unable to do much unless a programmer installs information and instructions.  The same is true with the human mind.  It was created with basic instructions and knowledge.  The child in vitro does not install humanity by himself.  It comes from a source outside of itself and also greater than Self.  Whether Solomon meant to imply the metaphysical argument into this verse or not, it cannot be avoided.  By trying to disprove God, absolute truth, etc., one is actually proving it.

Reason was never given by the Creator to replace faith.  Reason will eventually end with the fatal necessity to exercise faith.  Why?  Because of the nature of information.  Information is infinite.  Information must start with a self-evident fact.  Think of mathematics.  The absolute fact of ‘one’ is self-evident.  It does not exist as a result of something else.  One is one.  When one is added to one, then there are two.  When one is subtracted from one, there is zero.  If you play with the numbers by adding or subtracting, then the possibilities become infinite.  Pi is a great example.  Mathematicians will tell you that Pi is an infinite number.  How that there be such a thing?  Information is not information unless it has a repository.  There must be a way to express, store, and work with information or information does not exist.  If there must be a repository for information, and information is infinite, then the repository for infinite information must also be infinite.  Can we produce this infinite repository?  Can we quantify the infinite?  We accept it by faith.  Reason ends with the acceptance of something we cannot prove with normal and physical methods.  Thus, God exists, and we accept Him by faith.

The philosopher will struggle to produce evidence that God does not exist.  He uses the inability to understand as proof of God’s non-existence.  For example, if God exists then why all the evil?  The intelligence of fallen man tries to corner God into his definition of what God must be or how He must act.  When this fails, he declares God does not exist.  Why?  Because he cannot understand why a God of love would allow all the evil.  It is ironic.  He will use the inability to know as evidence of God’s non-existence, but refuses to acknowledge the existence of God by the same standard.  And infinite cannot be proven by a finite being.  He must be accepted by faith.  The ability to reason, form an argument, and debate is not proof of God’s non-existence.  Rather, it proves that He lives!

God Is Grieved Despite Our Failures

“And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” (Jud 10:16 AV)

I was moved with the fact that God could be grieved with the condition of Israel even after they turned their back on Him.  Their situation was self-inflicted.  They had gone after the gods of Ammon.  They served Baal.  They wanted nothing to do with Jehovah until their enemies enslaved them.  They repented of their sins and put away all their strange gods.  They prayed to the LORD for deliverance with the condition that God could do anything He wanted.  All they asked for was deliverance.  This is where we pick it up.  I think after the third or fourth time, I would have run out of patience.  Pity would not be my emotion.  Resentment would be more like it.  I would feel as though I were being taken advantage of.  Grieving would not be high on my list.  Not with Jehovah who has infinite love and mercy.  His grace moved Him to take pity on His habitually disobedient people.  He was moved with grief that they had to suffer so much.  Even though it was all their fault.  Their enslavement was not something God sent.  It was a result of their compromise.  Yet God was grieved.

This reminds me of the wonderful people who care for the sick and dying.  Some of those who come in for care are sick because of poor life choices.  They do not take care of themselves and therefore they are in need of medical attention.  In particular, there are those who habitually make bad choices and find themselves in need of care.  We spent a good portion of time in the ER a few weeks ago.  The initial visit was pretty quick.  There wasn’t anyone there.  But we had to return a second time.  This time it was packed.  Most of those who were there were frequent flyers.  They were patients who use the ER as their primary healthcare provider.  Most had ailments that could have been prevented with better choices and a more disciplined lifestyle.  Yet, there was no discrimination among the staff.  They cared for each patient with compassion and timely care.  It takes a special kind of person to do that for a living.

God is infinitely more gracious than we ever could be.  When I read the verse above, I couldn’t help but praise the LORD for His wonderful mercy.  There is still hope for me!  If Jehovah could have infinite mercy on a nation which constantly insulted Him, then He can have mercy on me when I fall to the flesh, the world, or the devil.  Perhaps the LORD will be grieved at the sinner’s situation even though he or she got themselves into it.  Perhaps the LORD can be grieved despite the saints' proclivity toward self-pleasure.  Perhaps the LORD will be grieved when the life of the saint is in a total mess and He is the only one who can untangle the knot.  If He did with Israel, He can and will certainly do so for His children.

Pray for our Nation

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a reproach to any people.” (Pr 14:34 AV)

It is becoming abundantly clear that electing someone we agree with does not automatically turn the tide of God’s judgment.  Believers are waking up to this, and the attitude shift is apparent.  Those who have biblical faith in God and some sort of biblical worldview were elated at the prospect of our nation turning a corner.  We thought that our troubles would be in the rearview mirror.  We thought that God would once again shine His light of favor on a Judeo-Christian nation.  Perhaps there is revival yet to be realized.  But as long as our nation supports filth, murder of the unborn, and the mutilation of our defenseless, there is no turning the hand of God’s judgment.  Our sins are not limited to liberty and financial responsibility.  If the student of God’s word will notice a pattern of God’s judgment.  The prevalence of immorality is the straw that breaks the back.  Noah’s flood came because mankind destroyed the institution of marriage.  Sodom and Gomorrah happened because of sexual deviancy.  Israel was destroyed and scattered because they offered their children as sacrifices to pagan gods.  Immorality and the abuse of children is what brings God’s hand.

In the heart of God, there is a special place for women and children.  Some of the harshest judgements are promised upon those who do harm to these two groups.  God takes seriously the treatment of ladies and children.  The defenseless are special to the Creator.  Society is expected to protect and honor them.  Nations are required to defend themselves.  If they are widowed and orphaned, the Bible requires us to care for them.  Rather, our nation has done just the opposite.  We have tolerated the objectification of our most precious people.  We have treated them not as the special people they are, but rather, objects for our own pleasure.  Our children are seen as inconveniences.  They are treated as things to be discarded if not wanted, or worse, manipulated to our own rebellious ends.  When will the nation that is supposed to be one nation under God come to the defense of our most precious members?

The somberness of God’s people is telling.  We have quickly realized that a nation that elects a leader who may agree with some or even most of our values cannot stay the hand of God unless immorality and abuse become the highest priority.  We are putting Band-Aids on a broken dyke hoping if we fix the cracks then the dam will hold.  Not so.  The only thing that will save our nation is true revival.  This true revival in not the pseudo revival we have seen and are seeing.  True revival results in the masses turning to the word of God in all things.  Not just those things that are convenient.  True revival results in sin being rooted out and forsaken.  True revival means the hearts of people are turned toward obedience and faith.  What we have today is emotional, not spiritual.  How do we know this?  Because what we see today is having little to no impact on our nation.  True revival changes a nation.  It isn’t a large crowd expressing emotion because they simply do not know much more than that.  I fear that in the next national election, God will finally put the last nail in the coffin.  Unless we see immorality close down, abortions cease, and child mutilation outlawed, there is no turning back.  May God bring revival!