The Wisdom of Silence

“A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” (Pr 29:11 AV)

James tells us that the man that can tame his tongue is a perfect man.  If he can control ever word that comes out of his mouth, he is a sinless man.  That is the degree to which our thoughts and words can desecrate our souls.  When it come to a fool (which we all are to some degree or another), if it’s on his mind, he has to say it.  I am reminded of an incident which occurred just yesterday that proves the point.

Relaying the details would only repeat the lack of judgment, I must be vague.  Yesterday was a busy and labor filled day.  There were many hands helping.  Many opportunities for conversation.  On one such occasion, as a way to make conversation, I mentioned a few facts that others really didn’t need to know.  It wasn’t a matter of confidentiality or a revelation of past faults.  It wasn’t a reveal that would harm me in a spiritual way.  It wasn’t speech that would draw suspicion on my testimony.  It wasn’t inappropriate jesting or conversation. There was no wickedness at all.  To speak of these facts of which I shared at a latter date and in the past tense would have been fine.  However, give the present circumstances and hypothetical consequences, it was not the wisest thing to share.

The wise think quickly before they share a word.  They think of the ramifications of sharing information.  Can the individual be trusted?  Do they really need to know?  What do I hope to accomplish with such a statement?  What is my motive?  Could the conversation wait until later and under different circumstances?  Just because it is on our mind and we may not think it would be harmful to share it, doesn’t mean we should.  Wisdom is knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.

What's The Good Word?

“As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.” (Pr 25:13 AV)

If you are not from the frigged north, you may not understand the significance and blessing of a cold snow.  There are two types of snow.  There is the wet and heavy snow.  This snow falls when the temperature is slightly below freezing and the humidity is high.  Then there is the cold and dry snow.  This snow falls when the temperature nears zero with low humidity.  Both are frozen water.  But, the later doesn’t stick as easily to equally cold surfaces and is much easier to remove.  The later can be brushed away.  The former the widow maker.  That has to be removed no other way but by shoveling.  But what of the harvest?  What is it a blessing in harvest time?

Harvest time is a time of hard work.  Often, the laborer is overcome with the heat of the field.  When the cold snow comes, the temperature drops, the humidity drops, and the snow adds a cooling affect to the laborer.  The crops are not harmed because a light breeze will blow it off the yield.  But it feels really nice when that snow hits the face.  When I was a child, we shoveled a lot.  Snow bands called lake effect snow was common.  We measured snow by the feet.  Not by the inches.  We lived on a corner lot with a seven-car driveway.  More like a parking lot.  Needles to say, when shoveling by hand, it was not a simple job.  We would overheat being al dressed up for the cold.  When a dusting of cold snow fell, we would point our faces upward to cool off without getting cold.  The rest of the body was toasty.  But our faces were cool.  Refreshing!

Applied to a faithful messenger, we can see the wisdom.  When time of difficulty come, it is nice to hear “a good word”.  We often hear that question as a conversation starter.  “What’s the good word?”  There are times to be realistic and honest.  But that doesn’t mean we need to always dwell on the negative.  There are times when we need to hear some good news.  Just look at how popular network news is compared to all other programming.  It lags behind.  Why?  Nothing but bad new.  We need to be the cold snow for others toiling away.  We need to be that word of refreshing so that others can continue to labor!  “What the good word?”

Bricks of Wisdom

“Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:” (Pr 24:3 AV)

The older I get the more I appreciate the wisdom of my father.  At the time, it was difficult to accept.  But raising three sons I learned to appreciate and incorporate many of the methods and lessons learned in childhood.  My father was not perfect in all that he did.  No father is.  There were things I did differently with my sons than what I experienced.  But looking back, there were many priceless lessons learned from a father who had wisdom.

My Dad had a world-view bigger than most.  Having been an exchange student to France, he learned at a young age to be independent and appreciate the world as smaller than one at first imagines.  He was drafted during the Korean conflict but served, per agreement with a major corporation and the army, to serve as a staff mathematician on a historical weapons project.  He was part of a team that constructed a arsenal that changed the course of history.  His part may have been relatively small, but he saw the larger picture.  He grew up in the Boy Scouts and with his own sons and daughters, scouting because a major part of our lives.  Coupled with playing special music in church, my father drilled into our heads that life is about service.  Hard work in the form of paper routes, recycling, and teenage jobs were the way my father kept us out of trouble.  These lessons of life is what formed what and what we are today.  Myself and my siblings all have gone down that trajectory which my father set many years ago.  A lot of wisdom, understanding, and discipline were his principles.  We were not always successful. Some of us made major mistakes in life.  As we all do.  But the wisdom my father exercised has carried us even through those rough spots.

Many churches are not built on principle.  They are built on pragmatism.  I’ll give you an example.  My father had 11 children.  If all he was after was to have all 11 children come to dinner at five o’clock sharp without being asked, he would have to have ice cream and Pepsi for dinner.  On the other hand, if he was after our well being and health, there would be meat and vegetables.  Pragmatism does what works in the short term.  Principle does what is right for eternity.  Pragmatism is interested in immediate results.  Principle is interested in lasting results.  Wisdom is the missing key!

Dig Deep to Dig Out

“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.” (Pr 20:5 AV)

This is a difficult proverb because of the meaning of the word ‘counsel.’  Some believe this counsel is the designs of the heart.  Plans that a wicked person may be making.  But the word actually means advice.  Now, there are two ways of looking at this.  The counsel one needs might be hidden deep in one’s own heart and a person of understanding knows how to help such a one discover what he knew all along.  Or, it could be the man of understanding is in need of counsel and he knows how to ask the right questions of the one who has the counsel to give.  Either way, the understanding of knowing what questions to ask is a skill those of us who desire to help others, or desire to gain help for ourselves, could learn.

I have a son who does not open up easily. When he was younger, it was quite a feat to help him.  On several occasions, it was clear that there was something bothering him.  Bothering him bad.  On those occasions, I would ask him of the nature of the problem and he would answer with one word. “Nothing”.  Clearly there was something. Not until I told him I was not leaving or ceasing to inquire until he told me, did he finally relent.  Sometimes, this took more than an hour.  His counsel was like a deep water.  It took patience and wisdom to draw it out.

Then there are the vast majority of people who come to a pastor for help.  Generally, they know what they need to do.  They just need someone to help them come to terms with what they already know deep within their heart.  Rarely does the counselor need to give a direct answer to a problem.  By asking the right questions, the counselor helps the counseled to come to the conclusion himself.  That way, it becomes the answer of the counseled and not the answer provided for by the counselor.  As parents, we often want to give a quick answer to a question our children have.  Lost is the art of mentoring.  Taking the time to lead a child to the answer he already knows makes the lesson stick!  Take the time.  Draw it out.  That soul shall be helped far more than one who was simply told.

The Only Hope One Needs

“The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.” (Pr 14:32 AV)

This is the point!  The ‘…driven away…’ means eternally driven from the presence of God.  He is driven away in such a way as to result in eternal misery.  This is not just separation.  This is eternal torment as a result of a life of unrepentant wickedness.  Because he is driven away, he has no hope in his death.  Death is seen as something unpleasant and to be avoided at all costs.  Life is the best he will ever have it because death is eternally horrific.  Conversely, those who have had their accounts settled by the blood of Christ see hope in death.  Death is a welcomed thing.  Not that the righteous purposely hasten to it.  But, he sees death as freedom.  Freedom from the wickedness of his own sin.  Paid for by Christ and liberated from by death!

God is good.  All the time.  He has blessed us in this life with blessings which abound.  Family, church, purpose, etc.  They are all given as gifts from God.  Even though life is often good with a few trials sprinkled here and there, it still cannot be compared with eternity.  The righteous have hope in death.  That is because the warfare we are asked to battle is more overwhelming than we like to admit.  The spiritual warfare to overcome or three adversaries is more than can humanly be undertaken.  The flesh, world, and devil are adversaries beyond compare.  They sap the life out of any saint who wishes to live for the LORD.  We don’t have a bad life.  We have a really blessed life.  The warfare is from what we need hope.  The battle to overcome that which drags us back down is what we need hope from.

Last fall, I blew out a calf muscle climbing out of a ravine.  About twenty feet from the top, I was down on all fours and couldn’t for the life of me understand how I would get out.  It felt like someone has shot me in the back of the leg.  I could put no wait on it.  A formidable task to say the least.  That hill was my enemy!  It was sure a pretty spot though.  Nature to me has always been amazingly wondrous. That didn’t change my predicament.  As I studied several possibilities, the LORD gave me insight that I hadn’t had before.  A way out became increasingly clear.  One foot at a time, He provided a tree here, a sapling there, a grapevine dangling from a tree, and so on until we finally crested the rim.  Seeing that rim was the hope of salvation.  Seeing the end was the hope I had in the present.  I don’t know how anyone can live their life without the hope of eternity is the near distant future!  If you don’t know Christ as your Savior, please, for your own sake, repent of your sin and trust Christ!  Grab the hope that many today share!

Influence from All Sides

“The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.” (Pr 12:26 AV)

This is a difficult proverb in the sense of trying to identify who is who.  The righteous is the righteous dweller.  The neighbor is he which the righteous neighbor is trying to influence.  The wicked are those who are also trying to influence the neighbor.  The ‘them’ is the righteous and the neighbor.  This proverb is about guarding against negative influence while trying to be an influence oneself. 

When I worked in the pizzeria, years ago, the LORD gave me opportunity to witness to a lot of co-workers.  I was by no means a perfect person.  I had made a lot of mistakes both before I was saved, and recently afterwards.  Mistakes that were generally known.  But, the LORD had saved me, and in the process granted me His sanctifying righteousness.  In a practical way, there was much work to do in my practical righteousness.  This gave the adversary much opportunity to undermine the efforts to witness to the lost.  I remember one such adversary.  He deliberately followed my conversation with a potential convert with facts of the past and present which would undermine credibility.  There was another incident when I had gotten very close to influencing a young lady with a decision for Christ and a co-worker mocked the gospel, invited her out to a bar after work, and continued to mock at the bar.  The way of the wicked is not only directed towards the potential convert.  It is directed towards the righteous.  Many times, the adversary would tempt me, and vary rarely succeed in, falling away so that short-term credibility was hindered in sharing the gospel. 

The Devil does not want the saint to be successful in influencing the lost to salvation.  He will try to seduce the righteous and the wicked.  Keeping our eyes open and our knees bent in prayer is the only safeguard against a relentless attack.  If I had to do it all over again, in my youth I would have prayed more and taken more seriously the spiritual warfare that beleaguers the saint who attempts to serve the LORD.  I would have looked at soul-winning and influencing the wicked as a way of life rather than a project to complete.  This would have produced a discipline which I did not have back then.  Watch, for the Devil is waiting to devour!

Lust Hurts. True Love Doesn't

“For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” (Pr 7:26-27 AV)

Today, fornication and adultery are so common it is not a shock anymore.  Not only in the world.  Also, in the church.  It shocks me how many people who profess the name of Christ live in sin.  It doesn’t get dealt with in our churches.  People turn a blind eye to it.  What is even worse is when professing saints encourage it.  “I know they aren’t married, but at least they settled down and love each other.”  “Finally, she found someone who will treat her right.  So what if they aren’t married.”  “He’s been so lonely since his wife left him and he’s trying to raise those kids.  It’s nice to see he found someone that will care for him and his kids.  I know that living together our of wedlock is sin, but the LORD understands.”  The excuses are countless.  “He is married to a really evil woman!  I don’t blame him if he found someone else that will treat him with respect.” “That guy is a creep.  Her husband never showed any affection.  She has the right to be happy.  Besides, he’s probably stepping out on her too.”

I have heard them all.  What the book of Proverbs tells us is those involved is sins of immorality are heading down a path of total destruction.  It could even cost them their eternal soul!  Not that one can lose their salvation.  David did not.  But of those who are lost, those in the midst of unrepentant immorality are often the hardest to win.  They will not allow their sexual sin to be a source of conviction.  They will not confront their sin of immorality, repent of it, and turn to Christ.  They would rather go to hell then to repent of their wickedness.

The world portrays sexual promiscuity as no big deal.  As something natural.  Something that should not be inhibited.  But the truth of the matter is, outside of perhaps substance abuse, spiritually speaking, sexual sin is the most captivating, controlling, and destructive of all sin.  Once entered into, it is very difficult to escape.  But escape one must!  Or there is ruin in the future.

Look Before You Leap

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” (Pr 4:26 AV)

Note here that Solomon instructs his son to ponder not the feet, but the path of the feet.  What direction he is going as well as from whence he came.  Not like going down a set of stairs; one step at a time.  Rather, like walking along in the woods with a destination in mind.  Where we chose to place our foot should be thought through before a step is taken.  Seeking the safest and most productive way based on objective before the journey begins is the wisest course of action.  Looking before one steps is always good advice.

One of the styles of deer hunting my father-in-law taught me was still hunting.  This style of hunting is the method of hunting from the ground, walking through the woods, stalking your game.  To me, it is the most successful and fun way of bagging a deer with a firearm.  It keeps you warm, too.  When still hunting, it is far more complicated than what one might think.  Often, one must divert from the well worn beaten path and traverse thinker woods.  That is where the deer are bedded down, hiding from their predators.  The technique involves matching the cadence of a large animal going through the woods.  It means one must look well enough ahead so one doesn’t step on sticks or limbs that will snap.  One must look ahead to avoid thickets, downed trees that must be hurdled, or ravines that must be traversed.  It means choosing the quietest path yet one that is not too well traveled.  In snake country, one must be very aware of snake dens or where poisonous vipers might lurk.  Flat and slick rocks are voided.  Low-laying limbs are to circumvented.  Each step must be planned and often hundreds of steps beforehand.  This is the idea of the proverb above.

Wisdom is the understanding of long-term consequences.  It sees things well enough in advance to make plans that will mitigate possible hazards.  It’s thinking ahead so that mistakes are not made.  It is looking at the end of choices and not the immediate results.  This wisdom takes discipline of heart and mind.  It takes experience.  It takes maturity. It takes discipline.  It is wisdom we need.

A Defining Moment

“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Ps 147:1 AV)

The word ‘… comely…’ means appropriate.  But that definition does not adequately describe what this word means.  It doesn’t mean appropriate as a tux for the groom. It means more than that. Not just practically or socially appropriate.  It means the perfect finishing touch on something that would otherwise not seem worthy.  Like that special musical piece at the wedding that defines the moment.  When bride and groom are holding hands just before the declaration, the soloist sings a melody that perfectly describes the nature of thus young couple’s relationship.  That one moment, event, decoration, adornment, that is the small, but centerpiece of all that surrounds it.  In any other setting, it would be out of place.  It would have no meaning.  This is what praise should be to the saint.  Without it, the saint has little luster.  Little significance in the world which he finds himself.

We are not talking of the manufactured praise promoted by the emotionally manipulative using the world’s standards of music and praise.  What we discover in this psalm is described as pleasant.  This means delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable.  Not rousing or repetitive.  Praise is like the song of a bird in the quietness of a freshly dewed forest.  A sweet sound of clear distinction.  A reflection of the handwork of God in the miracle of that which bears the song.  This praise is a habit of life.  Not something that is motivated by good times.  It is not a response to good circumstance, but rather, the nature of the creature whom God created.

When we speak of praise on the lips of the saints, it is comely for the saint to praise the LORD regardless of the circumstances.  It is appropriate.  It is that which adds that last bit of something to his life which defines who the LORD is to him.  It is the one thing above all else that others will notice.  Thankfulness, praise, joy, etc for who and what God is tends to misdirect those who observe him from him to the LORD.  It is comely!  It is lovely!  It should be second nature.

Never Out of Mind

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” (Ps 139:17-18 AV)

Imagine the fill reality of that truth.  If one could count all the thoughts which the LORD has directly toward him, it would be more than all the sand of the world.  There isn’t a calculator large enough; a computer with enough power; or, enough paper in the world to record how many grains of sand there are in the world.  We know that it is a finite number.  But practically speaking, it may as well be infinite.

We have a hard time conceiving of someone thinking of another to this extent. I love my wife dearly.  She is my best friend.  She is the most important person in my life and will always will be.  She is such a part of me that I cannot imagine one day without her.  She is an amazing person.  And I am glad she is all mine.  I think of her a lot.  But I would be lying if I said she is all that I think about.  There are times other thoughts enter the mind.  Thoughts of other areas of life.  Like when I am reading my bible or studying for a sermon, Lisa may not be on my mind.  When there are things to do for the LORD, she may not be in the forefront of my mind.  When the crosshairs are resting on a trophy buck, Lisa may not be the primary thought I am having.  However, the vast majority of my thoughts are towards her!

When it comes to the LORD and His thoughts towards us – towards you – they are infinite.  There is never a time when He is no thinking of us – of you – personally and individually.  God, who is infinite in thought, can think of all things at once.  He does not need to think linear.  He is not limited to one thought at one time.  He can think of each of us as though we are the only one in existence.  He can think of each of us individually and the center of His thoughts.  In other words, there is never a time when the LORD is not thinking of you!  How amazing is that?

Remember the Good Times in the Midst of Bad Ones

“If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.” (Ps 137:5 AV)

The context is a psalm of remembrance while dwelling under captivity to Babylon.  The writer tells us that their captives require songs of mirth with Israel and Jerusalem as its theme.  He finds this difficult because he misses Jerusalem so much. A song of lamentation would be easier.  A song of mirth, not so much.  What he is afraid of is the circumstances of their sin would rob them of tender memories of Jerusalem.  In turn, they would forget how to play the music of joy with home as its theme.  He is worried that if he forgets the blessings of Jerusalem while under the hand of God’s correction, he will forget how much of a joy it can be to walk with God in obedience.

We can become so overwhelmed with trials of life or correction from God that we forget what it is like to walk in the light of God.  We forget what it is like to walk in spiritual health.  When that happens, we resign to our circumstances and lose the joy of the LORD.  Forgetting the joy of the LORD is our Psalmists deepest fear.  One of the ways to retain it is to remember.  Remember the day of your salvation.  Remember the days of re-dedication.  Remember the days of joyful service.  Remember the days of confession and reconciliation.  Remember those special days of meditation upon God’s word when He spoke to You so clearly and dearly.  Remember those days of great preaching services.  Remember those days of deep prayer when it seemed the universe didn’t exist and more and it was just you and the LORD.  Remember the days of your spiritual youth when everything was a wonder.  Remember those days of miraculous answers to prayer.  Remember the tender mercies of God.

When we look upon our lives, they are marked with difficult times.  Some of those difficult times were self-inflicted.  God has to deal with those choices, otherwise, He would not love us.  It is in those times when we have to remember our Jerusalem.  We have to recall all those times when we did please the LORD and He blessed us for it.  Those times are far more frequent.  Those time are the sustaining times.  Remember!

The Fight Begins with Desire

“Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” (Ps 119:133 AV)

The desire of freedom from sin is the overwhelming motive for victory from it.  If a person has no desire to be free from it, then he will not.  This desire is not a desire from the consequences of sin.  It is the desire for the sin to no longer control his thoughts, actions, and goals.  This freedom of which we are speaking as the desire to be free from the control sin has on the heart.  A freedom from dominion.

I have worked with addicts on several occasions and there are several constants.  An addict will seldom tell you all the truth.  An addict cannot see the long-term effects of his addiction.  The addict is self-centered and does not care what damage he inflicts on others.  This addict is driven purely by a physical or mental need that comes above all else.  He is often calloused against consequences.  He hardens himself against the natural results of his choices often destroying all that can be destroyed.  But there is another constant.  The fact they will never be free from their addiction until the want to be free from their addiction.  They must see it as a controlling substance or thing in their life which is robbing them of all ability to choose.  They cannot be free until the see themselves and enslaved.  The same is true of any sin.

The obese cannot be free until they see themselves as slaves to food.  The pervert cannot be free until he sees himself as a slave to immorality.  The arrogant cannot be free from pride until he sees himself a slave to his own ego.  The liar cannot be free from falsehood until he sees himself a slave to self-gain.  The lazy cannot be free from his lack of motivation until he sees himself a slave to leisure.  The angry man cannot be free from his rage until he sees himself a slave to the manipulation of others.  Not until we see ourselves as being dominated by out desires can we have the right desire to be free!  Again, not from consequences, but from the choice itself!  From the temptation itself!  Freedom!  Ah, freedom!

No respect, No Read

“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.” (Ps 119:15 AV)

Value and respect are linked.  What we value, we respect.  What we don’t value, we don’t respect.  There is a difference between respect and honor.  We often use the two words interchangeably, but they are different.  We can honor an authority figure like a police officer, teacher, parent, employer, or pastor because of their position as an authority.  But that does not mean we respect them.  Respect is something that is earned.  Honor is demanded.  The New Testament uses the word ‘esteem’ to relate the same meaning.  In our verse, the writer’s respect for the word of God is the motive for his meditation upon it.  He treasures the word of God.  He respects the word of God.  Therefore, he treats it as something he cannot live without.

I like going to historical museums.  In my own home town, our little historical society had the world’s largest collection of Indian arrow heads.  It had a bedroom set once used by George Washington who had slept in that very room.  Chicago’s museum of Science and Industry is a must see.  Milwaukee’s Historical museum has a wonder exhibit of different cultures at the turn of the last century complete with unique (and pleasurable) smells what might have come from each culture’s neighborhood.  But one thing all these museums have in common is a small placard at the face of most exhibits that ask the visitor not to touch or disturb the exhibit.  One is welcomed to enjoy the exhibit and soak in all the information one can, but because it took countless hours of research and labor to construct such a display, the visitor is to respect the effort and value of the exhibit by not touching it.

We do not read nor meditate upon the word of God as we should because we do not respect it.  We do not hold it in high esteem.  To many, the Bible is just another book.  It may be a little more special than other books (so we feel), but it certainly isn’t at the level the preacher declares as so every Sunday.  The truth of the matter is, the word of God is His manifestation to mankind.  It is holy!  It is supernatural!  It is not just another book.  It is an extension of God Himself!  We don’t meditate upon it because we do not value, or respect, it.  And, this also suggests we do not value or respect the very God whom it declares.

The Ultimate Question

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Ps 116:12 AV)

This is the ultimate question for the child of God.  The benefits He as rendered towards us are too numerous to list.  If all that God did was give us life and offer the free gift of salvation, that is far more than we deserve.  I feel as though the American ideal if entitlement has crept into our numbers and has caused a generation that looks upon God as a benefactor of whom we are owed.  The opposite should be our reality.  Gratitude for the mercies of God should motivate the child of God to increased faithfulness, sacrifice, and service.  We see just the opposite in our churches today.

God has been very good to us.  He sent His only Son to take upon himself the sins of all mankind.  Jesus was tortured by the very men whom He created and He did it all so the wrath of God which rightly belongs to us rested upon Him.  He went to a cruel cross, suffered, bled out, and thrown in an grave to be mocked and eventually forgotten.  The God of all creation became a man to be humiliated and murdered that the wrath of God rightly resting upon wicked mankind would be transferred to Him.  All God asks is that we be honest with ourselves and Him.  All He asks is we confess what we already know and approach Him is reverent humility, seeking forgiveness and humbly requesting that Jesus be our Savior.  He graciously permits the imputation of our sin on Christ and His righteousness upon us.  We can stand completely clean and forgiven because of what Jesus Christ did for us.  If all that is what God did for us, we could never repay the basics of God’s grace.

But, He has done so much more.  He has provided for our needs.  He has provided fellowship of suffering and grace.  He has provided families, children, and grandchildren.  He has provided opportunities to serve Him.  Which, by the way, is a greater blessing than we realize sometimes.  He has protected us from the adversary enough to learn and grow.  He has always listened to the prayers of the contrite.  He is ever present, patience, and merciful.  When we fail and fall, He is there to hear our prayers and lift us back up.  When we are afraid of the night, or the future, He is there to remind us that He is and always will be, there.  Our God gives us experiences of life that are priceless.  We may be born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward, but we are not alone.  So, it begs the question:  what could I possibly do to show how much I am thankful for the blessings He has towards me?  The answer to this rhetorical question would be:  not enough.  Therefore, I owe Him all!

Blessings for the Aged Eagle

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:…Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Ps 103:1-2, 5 AV)

Note here that God fills the mouth of the writer with good things.  Not just necessary things.  The Hebrew word for ‘…mouth…’ here means ornaments; trappings (of horses).”  The majesty of the eagle is his comparison.  Without a close examination, it would be virtually impossible to detect an older eagle from a younger one.  The majesty of the eagle as he glides through the air is equally impressive no matter the age.  David is expressing a gratitude for the regenerative nature of God’s blessings.  More so than mere necessities of life, the good thing provided for the mouth represent those things in age which the LORD sends to make us feel a little younger again.

We had the blessing of a five-day visit with our grandchildren.  The last before the head off to Brazil.  My eldest grandchild is three years old, her brother will be two in July, and the youngest is a newborn.  The three and almost two-year-old can carry on a conversation.  They understand what it is that you are saying and they respond back. The shear pleasure of talking with them as a person you can get to know is refreshing.  They ran around in our gym.  Throwing all sorts of balls around and climbing on risers.  They will keep you going as long as you can move.  When they go to bed, you are completely worn out.  Papa and Grammie learn they are not as young as they used to be.  But when they are here for a visit, it is amazing hos much youth one can muster up just to keep up with them.

This is the nature of God’s blessings.  Not merely something from which we derive pleasure, but also a means to enliven us that we might serve him with regenerated youth.  Whether it is grandchildren, a wonderful home, sustained health although it is failing, or some simple things along the path of life, these blessings are needed, welcomed, and most importantly, regenerative that we might serve the LORD with renewed strength.

Glad In His Work

“For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.” (Ps 92:4 AV)

We know what the Psalmist is saying here.  He is discouraged at with some aspects of life.  There are times of trial and persecution.  There are times when our faith is weak.  There are times when the sin which we commit, or the effects of other’s sin, results in a life that may not be as we wish.  Then the LORD does what He does and it makes it all better.  We are glad in the work of God’s hands.  It is His work that is the benefit of life.  It is His gracious hand that makes life a pleasure.  It is in what God does, and not what we do, that makes life such a blessing.  However, I want to look at this principle in a slightly different light.

Part of what God does is what He does through us.  His work includes the work which He has given to us to do for Him and by Him.  As the Holy Spirit enables us to surrender to the call of God and labor for Him, His work is accomplished, is some part, by the obedience and faith of His saints.  This is the work which I wish to dwell on this morning.

There are times when we doubt our effectiveness.  We get to the point when we don’t think we have, or are, making that much of a difference.  We wonder if the LORD used us in some significant way to affect the lives of other people.  We wonder just how significant a piece of the puzzle we are to the work of the LORD.  What we do not realize is the LORD has used us in ways we will never know and has used us to touch lives deeper than we would ever realize.  Not until something happens to reveal just how much the LORD used us are we astounded at the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is at those times we are glad.  We are glad for the opportunity to serve Him.  We are humbled at the open doors of ministry to His saints.  It is never a smooth ride.  There are always bump and accidents along the way.  But the privilege to be part of the work of the LORD, no matter how little or small, sure makes a man glad!  It makes life rich.  It makes life a wonderous blessing.

True Revival

“Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” (Ps 85:5-8 AV)

The saints define revival as many things.  Usually, the definition of a revival is what results are seen by it.  The most common is salvation decisions.  We say that revival is when a larger than normal number of souls come to know Christ.  That is a revival.  That definition cannot be further from the truth.  In order for revival to occur, there must have been life before.  One cannot be revived from a lost state because he is dead in his sins. He can be born again.  But he cannot be revived.  Revival is for the once living.  Those who are living yet not alive.  In our passage, revival is marked by three things.  Three events that are necessary for the saint to be revived.

The first is that God’s anger be removed.  This suggests we need revival because of our sin.  There must be a desire to walk in communion with God in obedience and please Him again.  That is where revival begins.  The second is God’s mercy.  This is God’s forgiveness.  Seeking God’s forgiveness requires repentance.  It requires the people of God to forsake their sin and hate sin more than they love the pleasure of it.  Third, there must be a desire to never return to the foolishness that resulted in God’s anger to begin with.  When the people of God are sick of their spiritual condition and realize God’s hand of correction is heavy upon them, then and only then can revival begin!

Our fellowship, like many other, are praying for a world-wide revival.  Yet much of what people call revival today is not revival at all.  It is an emotion side show with manipulative music design to entice people into making a decision they have little understanding of.  The multitudes come out and the altars are filled.  Yet, the fruit is seen weeks, months, and years in the future.  No lasting fruit.  No real change.  Hence, no real revival.  It certainly was exciting.  But the thing about bringing someone from the brink of death is they usually don’t go back there for a long time. Revival restores what was once there.  And grows it.  We are so far from revival because we do not realize the condition from which we wish to be revived is one of our own makings.  We don’t want to entertain the possibility God is upset with us for our lukewarm faith.  We don’t want to come to the honest truth that God is not happy with our open sin, flaunting it in the church pews.  Not until the people of God get serious with sin will there ever be true revival!

God's Table is Better

“Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” (Ps 78:19 AV)

What was their real problem?  They were not starving.  God fed them manna from the heavens.  They complained because they lacked variety.  They didn’t lack meat for they had cattle which they brought with them.  They could have lamb chops any time they wanted.  They had goats for goat’s milk.  Oxen for beasts of burden.  Sheep a plenty. What was their problem?  They wanted to have the blessings of Egypt in the wilderness.  They wanted those things which made life a little more enjoyable while wandering is an arid land.  The challenge was not whether God could provide.  Of this they were sure.  The challenge was whether God could turn a time of trial and testing into a time of pleasure and rest.  The obvious answer is of course.  God sent them meat in the form of doves.  He sent them tender meat.  Meat full of fat.  God gave them the pleasures in the wilderness and they got sick on it.  There is never a doubt that God can send blessings.  But sometimes, the wilderness is necessary so that we can properly enjoy the blessings.

The Spirit gave me a different way of looking at this.  The children of Israel looked at their wondering only in the light of what they didn’t have.  They compared what they had in Egypt and desires the things of the world even if it meant bondage to it.  What they failed to realize is the freedom they enjoyed, even if it meant a lack of pleasure, was far more beneficial and of deeper blessings than the shallow things of the world.  Sometimes, we as God’s children complain because of the things we lack.  Perhaps the LORD is trying to teach us that perhaps if we had the things which we lack, it might be more of a hindrance to our spiritual growth than if we had them.

Some of the greatest times of ministry we have been able to experience were times in the wilderness.  The times when we didn’t have much and had to do with what we had.  My wife and I were privileged to lead a small youth group in a city church.  It started with a small group of five teenagers.  It grew to 43.  Most were senior high students.  Most were in Juniors and Seniors.  One might thing we had the best of facilities.  All we had was an 18x12 foot empty room and a small kitchen.  That was it.  No gym to run around in.  No yard to play in.  No projector.  No AV equipment.  No nothing.  What we did have was an appreciation for the truth of the word of God and the desire and hunger to learn.  The things of the world would have been more of a distraction otherwise.  God can provide in the wilderness!  He does provide in the wilderness. As long as we have our eyes on God’s priorities, we can see His beauty in a dry and arid place!