THE BLESSEDNESS OF FORGIVENESS

Both the commencement and conclusion of Psalm 32 provide the bookends for the content: the blessedness of forgiveness. David starts with an expression of happiness in the Lord, and sums up with an exultation of hallelujah to the Lord.

Consider THE COVERING OF SIN (v.1-5). Sin calls for a covering. The choice is in who will do the covering and the resulting consequences. There is blessing when God covers our sin, but a burden when we seek to do so. It is  the difference between heaven and hell for sinners and happiness or heaviness for saints. There is gladness when God covers sin and groaning when we attempt it. It is fascinating that the great salvation word, “atone,” literally means, “to cover.”

Blessedness comes with THE CONFESSION OF SIN (v.5-7).  God removes the sin we refuse to cover, but will reveal that which we seek to hide. He is writing it down (cf. Rev.20:12). The godly are not sinless, but swift and sincere in repentance. The wicked make excuses and shift blame, hesitant to admit guilt. At best, they are superficial in remorse. The waters of judgment will not reach the repentant.  God will be their, “hiding place.”  The wicked will be swept away. The story of Noah illustrates this. It is interesting that the word, “pitch,” that Noah used to waterproof the ark, is the Hebrew, “kaphar,” also rendered, “atonement!”

We conclude with THE COUNSEL OF SANCTIFICATION (v.8-11). God’s grace in forgiveness is never meant to be an excuse for sinfulness. Repentance means we are counseled by God from the path of sin to the pursuit of sanctification. It is the highway of holiness that yields happiness. Stubborn mules can be broken—and God will chasten us when needed. Yet, far better to be compliant than face correction!  There is the choice of a sorrowful life in sin or the steadfast love from sanctification.

PREACHING ON PROPHECY

 

Do you want to rob yourself and your flock of God’s blessing?  Then ignore prophecy—and in particular do not preach from Revelation. Our Lord has assured us to read and hear these words is to receive God’s blessing (1:3).  This is THE NECESSITY OF PREACHING FROM REVELATION. 

So, why do many pastors rarely deal with this book?  There is THE DIFFICULTY OF PREACHING FROM REVELATION. Granted, there are interpretive challenges. Yet, we must not shirk our duty because of the difficulty.

Yet, we must be motivated by THE URGENCY OF PREACHING FROM REVELATION. We are assured that “the time is near,” for the fulfillment of these passages. Jesus is coming soon!  We must help prepare people. What if it were today?

Do not miss THE CENTRALITY OF PREACHING FROM REVELATION.  It is foremost a book about Jesus. He is the central figure. Do not get so bogged down in the details that you forget to shine the spotlight on Jesus. The Gospel is the primary message. The church is the audience.

I love how Jesus walks among the seven golden lamp stands—the seven churches. This is the vital interest of Christ—for His church. We may be assured that when we assemble, wherever that local body gathers in this wide world, that Jesus is in our midst!  Pastor, if there are two or three in the congregation—there will be another, for Christ has promised to be there. What you do is big business, no matter the size of the congregation; be faithful, for the Lord is listening!

He also holds the seven stars in His hand. Those are the angels of the churches—one for each. The Greek word means, “messenger,” and mostly it is used to describe a heavenly being, but in this case, I understand it to be a human messenger. This is the pastor who will preach God’s Word. The message is addressed to him first—to assimilate and apply—so he might become the one who stands and speaks on behalf of Christ. What a privilege!  What a responsibility! 

No matter the critics we face or the challenges we find in ministry, always remember that Jesus holds you in the palm of His hand—and there is no safer place to be!  John was banished for his faithful preaching of the Word, suffering in isolation on a rocky island, surrounded by a stormy sea.  Yet, Christ was with Him, and we may be assured He knows where we are, and will manifest Himself to us and speak though us.

WHO’S YOUR ONE? Day 17

What's in It for Me?

“One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11:24‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭20:35‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Generosity benefits the giver and the receiver. It is paradoxical for the Bible to assert that the more we give, the more we gain, since our hearts incline us to hoard instead of give. In Christ, we have been given a treasure in the form of good news (2 Corinthians 4:7), and there is much to gain in sharing this news with others. When we are generous with the gospel message which has been entrusted to us, it is not only for the recipient’s benefit. When we generously share the gospel with our one, we gain something too, be it in the form of intimacy with the Lord, the joy of being used by Him or a reminder for ourselves in our very words about how precious this news really is.

As you share the gospel this week, remember the message you are sharing is for the recipient, but it’s also for you, too. For it is truly “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). (From “Who’s Your One?” Devotional, NAMB)

A FRESH START: A Blessing for Your Family

Read 1 Kings 8:54-61.

The prayer of Solomon for blessing at the time of the dedication of the house of God, offers a model for blessing we can speak over our household.  Don’t forget the significance of prayer. The task of raising children for God in this perverse culture is too large for us. But, it is not too hard for God. So, let us call upon Him (v.54–56). What should we pray?

Seek God personally. “May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us,” (v.57‬). We want the presence of God to be manifest in our home. It is not just a set of theoretical facts about God that we want for our children, but a personal faith in God.

Seek God passionately. “that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.” (v.58‬). Behind doctrine in our children’s heads (which is indispensable), we pray for devotion in their hearts. More than an outward performance of rules, we seek an inward passion for righteousness (which will set the direction of our steps).

Seek God persistently.  “And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near the LORD our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require,” (v.59‬). We do not want our children to follow God for a time, but for a lifetime. We need His blessing on them today, and everyday. Each sunrise brings new challenges, and our kids need God’s presence and protection.

Seek God pointedly.  “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.” (v.60-61‬). We seek for our children to glorify God and to testify of God as they are sent as emissaries of God into the world. Again, we are reminded that it is the heart of loyalty to God that will direct our feet in obedience to God.  Pray for their heart!

WHICH WAY?

Yogi Berra said, “When you come to the fork of the road, take it.”  Good idea.  But, which way?  Some will follow their own inclination. Others will yield to popular opinion. The wise submit to God’s revelation.

1.  MY DECISION WILL BE MEASURED BY GOD’S EVALUATION. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.” (Prov.21:2). Our choice is important. Decisions determine destinations. The way that seems right may in reality be the wrong way. Let the Spirit of God direct you according to the Word of God.  This is our GPS. 

2. MY SPIRITUAL CONDITION WILL AFFECT MY DECISION. “The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.” (Prov.21:8). Guilt will often lead us into the fog. We want to conceal our shameful conduct and so hide in darkness.  The result is that we stumble along in the wrong way, for we cannot see the right way. The way of clarity is for the pure.  They do not mind the light of truth shining brightly on them—there is nothing to hide.  Why would God show us more until we are willing to do what we already know?  

3. THE WRONG WAY IS DEADLY.   “A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.” (Prov.21:16). God’s way is the way of life, and following man’s way is the way of death. God’s revelation to Adam and Eve provided the light of life. Instead, they deliberately disobeyed—heeding the voice of the serpent and bringing death upon themselves and their offspring.

4. THE RIGHT WAY PROVIDES FIRM FOOTING.  “A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.” (Prov.21:29). The wicked man can be fully assured he knows best.  He sets his face like flint. He stiffens his neck as steel. He straightens his back like a fence post. And he walks on rotten boards that will soon break. The upright man does not mind swimming against the current of the culture or walking into the wind of prevailing philosophy. Despite the difficulty of walking in God’s way, his feet are on firm footing.

Which way will you choose?  Your way, man’s way, or God’s way?

THE WINSOMENESS OF WISDOM

“Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.” (Proverbs‬ ‭8:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬)

There is quite a contrast between the call of the whore in chapter seven and the cry of wisdom in chapter eight.

“And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭7:10-13‬).

The one beguiled by her is branded a fool—a dumb beast led to the slaughter, a man on his descent to hell.

Then, we come to the next chapter and wisdom is personified as a winsome woman, crying out for men to climb up to the high hill where she abides. It is a holy, happy, heavenly way.

When one embraces wisdom, they find an uplift rather than a downgrade. They become bright, rather than a brute. Instead of giving their riches to a harlot, they gain true riches from wisdom.  How winsome she is!

Here is the promise of those who learn the wisdom of God found in His Word:

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭8:34-35‬).

The folly of the world that brings death or the favor of the Lord that brings life—what will we choose?

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony: The Miraculous Power of Scripture Promised, Part 2

The Word of God is alive.  It is not just inspiring—it is inspired.  The term means, “God breathed”—that is, just as He breathed life into Adam in creation, He has breathed into the Bible eternal life.  It has the latent power of God within its pages, waiting to be tapped.  David, in Psalm 19:7-11, extols the miraculous nature of Scripture.  In our previous study, we noted five dimensions of this dynamic force.  Today, we will observe five more promises.

The Word ENGRAVES THE TRUTH.  It is truth and when engraved on our hearts into conviction will produce righteousness in us.  The Holy Bible generates holiness as we digest its content and incarnate its commands.

Scripture ENRICHES THE LIFE.  When you are on your deathbed, will you call, “Bring me my checkbook” or “Read me my stock portfolio”?  No, you will say, “Bring me the Word of God.  Read me the Bible!”  It’s better than money.  It’s also sweeter than honey.

The Bible SWEETENS THE JOURNEY.  What’s your favorite dessert? Pecan pie, banana pudding, strawberry ice cream?  In David’s day, it would be honey.  I still like to saturate a waffle with it, making sure each square is full of nature’s sweetness.  Yet, David declares that there’s nothing sweeter than the Word of God!

This Book WARNS THE PILGRIM.  Paul reminds us that this is one of the great purposes for the documenting of the Old Testament stories.  

“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”  (I Corinthians‬ ‭10:6-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Our pilgrimage in this wicked world is full of peril, yet God has erected warnings in His Word to remind us to exercise caution.  We are smart when we learn from our mistakes, but smarter to learn from the mistakes of others!

Then, the Bible REWARDS THE OBEDIENT. 

The promise of blessing from those who meditate on its message is oft repeated. 

“Blessed is the man 
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, 
Nor stands in the path of sinners, 
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 
And in His law he meditates day and night. 
He shall be like a tree 
Planted by the rivers of water, 
That brings forth its fruit in its season, 
Whose leaf also shall not wither; 
And whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalms‬ ‭1:1-3)‬

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”  (Joshua‬ ‭1:7-8‬)

This is the key to being successful in all that we do.  Now, this is not a get rich quick scheme.  There is no promise you will always be healthy and wealthy.  But, it is assurance of having all you need to do all God wants—and that is true success.  

This is the miraculous power of Scripture promised!

TRUST AND OBEY

“Practice what you preach!”  Jeremiah would have his faith tested, as God would command him to buy a piece of property in his hometown.  He is “in jail,” so to speak, and his town has been taken by the Babylonians, who are currently besieging Jerusalem.  The prophet had been told by God that Judah would fall, with the survivors taken into captivity—not to return for seventy years.  Jeremiah would not live to see that day, and so it made no sense to buy land where you will never set foot, build on, or farm.

He was told by the Lord to purchase the field in Anathoth from his cousin, Hanamel for seventeen shekels of silver.  Hanamel must have walked out, with his bag of silver jingling, whistling, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” hardly containing his delight that he had made such a shrewd business deal!
It made no sense.  People must have scratched their heads in bewilderment.  Jeremiah was the talk of the town at supper that night.  “He’s nuts!” That must have been a repeated phrase.

What Jeremiah did was not folly, but faith.  He obeyed the Word of the Lord.  It cost him.  Living by faith can be very costly.  God told him to trust Him.  Jeremiah acknowledged that there was nothing too hard for the Lord!  God affirmed this to His man, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.  Is there anything too hard for Me?” (v.27)

He needed that reassurance.  Jeremiah was getting old, and would never live to walk upon that ground he bought.  Or would he?

God went on to speak of a time that is yet to come—a time when Israel will be restored to the land, when they will do more than return to the land, they will return to God in repentance.  God will reign over them and restore them.  The promises made here exceed those experienced by the exiles when they returned in seventy years.  These blessings await the return of Christ and the redemption of Israel—a day that is coming, and maybe soon!

When that happens, there is a man who will have been raised from the dead, and in a glorified body, Jeremiah will walk into Anathoth, display his deed, and claim his land!  Can you imagine the smile on his face.  He had lost nothing.  He gained everything!  It was an investment in time which would pay dividends in eternity.

For us, let us be reminded of the truth proclaimed in the old hymn, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

BOUNTIFUL BLESSEDNESS

I will be like the dew to Israel….  (Hosea 14:5a)

If we want God to bless us, then we must become “blessable”.  God promises to be like the dew to His people.  Do you think dew rises or falls?  It does neither.  Dew is always present in the atmosphere—it only manifests itself when the conditions are right.  Similarly, God is ever-present and eager to bless His children abundantly—all that awaits is for us to get the spiritual atmosphere prepared to experience Him!  The fourteenth chapter of Hosea tells us how.

There is the PLEA OF GOD TO RETURN (v.1-3a).  The problem isn’t with God; the issue is with us.  If the blessing of God is withdrawn, it is because we have chosen to walk away from Him.  So, God pleads with them to repent (v.1) that blessing might be restored.  Confession of sin will bring cleansing (v.2; cf.1 John 1:9).  We dare not trust in ourselves, or lean on others—we must look to the Lord.

We must then believe in the PLEASURE OF GOD TO RESPOND (v.3b-5a).  As a Father, He adopts the orphan child, and extends mercy to those who need it desperately (v.3b).  Three things God says He will do (v.4-5a).  First, He will heal our backsliding.  As the Great Physician, He will heal our deadly moral malignancy.  Second, He will love us freely.  There will not be a mere trickle, but a torrent; not a drizzle, but a downpour—for God is love—boundless love.  Third, He will be as the dew to us.  Dew just does!

My professor of preaching (it was called “Homiletics”) at Fruitland Baptist Bible College, the late Dr. Kenneth Ridings, loved to preach on this text and remind us of several truths concerning the dew.

• Dew appears at night.  The experiences of God we have in the darkest of times are likely to be the seasons of the soul where God does His greatest work.
• Dew is heaviest in the valleys.  We often long for the sunshine of mountaintop experiences, yet God’s way is to bring us into valleys of the shadow of death, where He walks most nearly and dearly with us.
• Dew appears in the stillness.  It isn’t on windy evenings, but on calm nights that the dew appears.  Ours is a noisy world, and yet Scripture bids us to be still and know that He is God.  Solitude is a needed discipline.

Then we claim the PROMISE OF GOD TO RESTORE (v.5b-9).  There are several facets of God’s promise.

• We will grow like the lily (v.5b).  The beauty of our testimony will adorn the place where we are planted.
• We will be rooted like the cedar (v.5c).  There will be stability about us.  We will not be blown about by every wind of doctrine.
• We will spread our branches like the olive tree (v.6a).  We will bear much fruit for the glory of God.
• We will smell like the fragrance of a garden (v.6b).  Lebanon was known for its lush vegetation.  Trees and flowers adorned the area with their perfume—a remnant of paradise restored.  So, our lives can be a reverse of the curse and pervade our home, church, school, workplace—wherever we may be.
• We will abide in the shadow of the Almighty (v.7).  What a refuge!

Bountiful blessing comes when we turn from our false gods (v.8).  We make a clean break with sin.  We turn to the Living God (v.9).  Our feet are set on the pathway of devotion to God.  This is the basis of bountiful blessedness!

THE BLESSEDNESS OF OBEDIENCE

And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.” ’ ”  (Jeremiah 35:18-19)

Children are rebellious by nature.  We do not have to be taught to be disobedient.  Defiance is in our blood.  We demand our own way.  The imposing of discipline is essential for breaking down that self-centered spirit, and is an act of love to prepare a child for the adult world where there are rules, direction, and subordination to order if one is to function in society.  For Christian parents, the spiritual dimension is even more important as we are getting the children ready for the world to come—teaching them the need of submission to their Heavenly Father. 

This is why the fifth commandment in the Decalogue is a hinge upon which the two dimensions of duty swing.  The first four commandments point to our duty to God.  The last six point to our duty to man.  That is how the Ten Commandments are typically divided.  I prefer to divide them five and five.  The fifth commandment is to honor your father and your mother.  They are God’s representatives—as such this concludes our duty to God for we honor Him in respecting them.  It also gives us a bridge to the second table dealing with our duty to man.

In Jeremiah thirty five, we find a family that has honored their father—the Rechabites.  These were not Jews, but were Kenites—descendants of the nomadic people of Midian—the in-laws of Moses (1 Chron.2:55).  They were “sojourners” (v.7) dwelling in tents (v.10) according to the command of their father Jonadab.  They had also been commanded not to drink wine (v.6), so when Jeremiah set wine before them, it was a test—and they passed with flying colors! 

It was more than a test for them, however.  It was a living illustration of the blessedness of obedience in contrast to the bitterness of disobedience (v.11-19).  God had been a Father to Israel, yet they had been disobedient.  They ignored His warnings through His prophets.  They were intoxicated with idolatry.  The result would be a life of bitterness as doom would fall on Jerusalem.  The Babylonians were already on the march (v.11) as the rod of correction God would apply to His children.

We are free to choose our path, but we are not free to choose the results of that choice.  Choices have consequences.  “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”  (Ex.20:12)  This is the first commandment with a promise—that obedience brings blessedness.  It is also true that disobedience will result in disaster.  Again, this is about more than submission to a human parent; it is about obedience to the Heavenly Father.  To submit to Him is to experience His blessing.  Rebellion leads to bondage, suffering, and loss.

The Rechabites would be perpetually in a position of service to God (v.19).  They would stand before the Lord marked with approval—honored by the Lord for honoring their father.  In so doing, they had honored God.  Do we not aspire to such?  It is attainable.  It is the blessedness of obedience.

ESSENTIALS FOR ENJOYING LIFE

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God….  (Psalm 146:5)

There is pleasure in sin—that makes it tempting!  Scripture acknowledges this.  It is just that the short-lived pleasures are not worth the long-term price.  The Devil tries to convince us that living for Jesus is the most boring life imaginable.  We are told that God is a Cosmic Killjoy and Jesus came to make our life miserable.  Heaven is one monotonous church service going on forever.  The truth is Jesus said, “I have come that [you] may have life, and that…more abundantly.” (John 10:10)  Admittedly, there is a cost to following Christ, but it is an investment with dividends that are out of this world!  Eternal life starts at salvation and is experienced here as well as hereafter!  It is quality of life, not just quantity of time.  The Psalmist shows the three essentials for enjoying life.

The first essential is HAPPINESS, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help….  The source of true happiness is “the God of Jacob….”  Do you remember the story of the Prodigal Son?  That young man had a party for a while—squandering his inheritance in debauchery—but when the money ran out, so did his friends and lovers—and he found himself in a pigpen.  It was when he came back to his father that he found forgiveness, love, and a party to surpass all parties!  Thus, when the sinner comes to God, surrendering his or her will to His will that true happiness is found.  This is true, not only for those who have yet to come to Christ in salvation, but for God’s children who stray from His path.  They are the most miserable sinners—for they know there is a better life, and a loving Father chastens them, while the Holy Spirit convicts them. 

The second essential is HELP, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help….  These words suggest human inadequacy.  The Holy Spirit has chosen to mention Jacob here.  Jacob is the poster child of human inadequacy striving for sufficiency.  He continually tried taking matters into his own hands.  The result was a big mess leading to bigger messes!  Jacob always had a scheme up his sleeve.  His motto was, “God helps those who help themselves.”  That is unbiblical—and a recipe for disaster!  Instead, what we need is to acknowledge our human inadequacy and cry out for heavenly intervention.  In the words of the Beatles, “Help!  I need somebody.  Help!  Not just anybody. … Won’t you please, please help me?”  That Somebody is God!  There came the darkest night of Jacob’s life, where he experienced the final defeat as he wrestled with God.  In desperation, clinging to the Lord, his life was transformed.  God helps the helpless.

The third essential is HOPE, “Whose hope is in the LORD his God….”  We can live without many things, but we cannot live without hope.  Apart from God, we are hopeless (Eph.2:12), but in Christ we can be born again “to a living hope” (1 Pet.1:3).  In the new birth, all things become new—our perspective on this life and the prospects of the life to come are glorious and increasingly so!  Paul wrote in Col.1:27 that it is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Even in the storms of life we do not sink for, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (Heb.6:19).  Enjoy!

A CRISIS OF COMMITMENT

 

Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.  (Joshua 3:17)

There seems to be a wide gulf between the claims of many Christians and their character.  We are too often spiritual under-achievers whose performance falls far short of our potential.  Like the ancient covenant people, the entrance into such a life today has a barrier—for them it was literally the Jordan River at flood stage.  For us, it is what that river represents spiritually: death to self.  In our hymnody, the Jordan has come to mean the place of physical death, and Canaan symbolizes heaven.  I hope not!  Canaan was a place of fruitfulness, but also a place of fighting and failure.  The first city on the other side was not the New Jerusalem but Jericho.  So we see that the Jordan does represent death—not the death of the body, but the crucifixion of self.  Canaan is the promised abundant life here—involving spiritual warfare, but, also, the power for victory. 

This is the crisis of commitment.  It is the threshold that must be crossed.  Joshua got up early that morning (v.1).  He was eager to enter—his heart set on Canaan.  The Jordan proves no deterrent to the one whose heart has been captivated by a land flowing with milk and honey.  If we could just envision the life God has for us—if we would die to the life we have—then we would zealously embrace the cross.  Interestingly, God made them wait three days (v.2).  There was to be a time of contemplation before they came to the place of consecration (v.5).  That generation had time to reflect on the failure of their forefathers.  Unbelief was the reason the previous generation did not enter, and faith would be the needful response if they were  to seize the prize.  They had three days to look at the flood and consider the human impossibility of crossing—they had no boats or bridges.  It would take an act of God to bring them in—and so they would learn if God was for them, nothing or no one could stand against them.

The ark—testimony to the presence of God among them—would lead the way (v.3-4).  Never again would they be led by the pillar of cloud and fire.  The ark contained the commandments of God.  Just so, the Lord no longer leads us with visions, but with the verities of His Word—not signs but Scripture guides our path.  We have a confirmed Word of prophecy (2 Pet.1:16-21).  The will of God is in the Word of God.  Read the roadmap and go forward!

The miracle happened when they stepped out by faith into the water (v.5-17).  God affirmed the leadership of His man (v.7).  God also displayed His lordship over their foes (v.9-10).  If God could remove this barrier, then they could trust Him to drive out the enemy.  We will never experience the power of victory and the fullness of blessing God has for us, until we step out of our comfort zone and into the commitment zone!  They could have turned back into the wilderness.  Their forefathers did.  God has brought us again to consider throwing caution to the wind, stepping out in faith, and entering abundant life.  Abundance demands abandonment.  What will we do?  We stand at the crisis of commitment.

A REAL DEAL

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness….  (Isaiah 61:3b)

If an offer sounds too good to be true, it usually is.  Often, in our world, things are not as they seem—and the thing that appears to be a steal of a deal turns into highway robbery—for the purchaser.  The old clichés hold true: “Buyer beware,” “You get what you pay for,” and “Read the fine print.” 

A number of years ago I was sucked into attending a timeshare presentation by the offer of a free meal.  That turned out to be the costliest meal I ever purchased!  By the time I listened to the pitch, marveled at how much money I would save on vacations in the long run, and signed the contract—thousands of dollars would be invested in something where the maintenance fees continued to climb each year and the availability of the week I wanted to spend was seldom unavailable.  Finally, I cut my losses and let it go.

This is not to say that there are not some real deals available in life.  Sometimes we run into bargains that are exactly that—and we are foolish not to take advantage of them.

Have I got a deal for you!  How would you like to make heaven and miss hell?  Would you like to trade in your sorrows for perpetual joy?  What about swapping death for eternal life?  How would you like to have God’s blessing rather than His cursing?  Now that is a real deal, and God has extended the invitation!  It is found in Isaiah 61.

God offers a message of deliverance instead of a message of doom (v.1-3).  Isaiah, like all the prophets, was faithful to God’s Word—confronting the people for their sin and proclaiming the dire consequences of their rebellion.  It was not a sermon they wanted to hear, but one they needed to hear.  Much of his message was bad news.  Yet, God wanted the people to know they could trade that in for good news—the best news!  The Lord Jesus would come and fulfill this prophecy (Luke 4:18ff) by delivering us from our sin, into His salvation!  All we must do is trust in Him!  Now that is a real deal!

God offers a word of hope rather than a word of hopelessness (v.4-9).  Eventually, the city of Jerusalem would fall—the Gentiles trampling over the fields and taking over the flocks.  Israel would pay a heavy price for violating the old covenant.  In grace, God would extend a new covenant, the land would be repossessed by them, and blessing would be restored.  Trade hopelessness for hope?  That’s a real deal!

God offers a promise of blessing instead of a place of barrenness (v.10-11).  The curse will be reversed.  Instead of a funeral dirge, there will be a wedding march.  Rather than dressing in black to mourn, the attire will be white for making merry.  The ground that was full of weeds and thorns will be supplanted by fertility and fruitfulness.  Eden blooms again.  We have yet to see it, but God promises it is coming in a brand new age!  You can have this as your inheritance too!  Exchange your way for God’s will.  Turn from the miserable path of sin to the wondrous road to heaven!  It is the deal of a lifetime!

BLESSING OR CURSING?

“Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.”  ‎(Deuteronomy 29:9)

There are fundamental moral laws.  Keeping them brings blessing and transgressing them brings cursing.  It is a matter of life and death. 

A man might say, “I don’t agree with the law of gravity.”  He then climbs atop a skyscraper and says, “I am free to choose.  I reject this law that cramps my style.”  When he steps out into the air, he has made a choice; he is not free, however, concerning the consequences of his choice.  The decision will not be a good one.  That illustration of the physical laws that govern the universe is likewise a reality in the spiritual dimension of moral law.

God made a covenant with Israel.  He promised them blessing as a nation, if they would obey His laws.  Furthermore, He gave them warning that disobedience would bring disaster.  God had demonstrated His grace.  How faithful He had been in bringing them into liberty—their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt!  The Lord had provided for them in the desert and preserved them from their enemies.  His sovereign choice was to prosperity them as a people.  The implications of their response would have far-ranging implications.  God was establishing them in the land, but with the sobering caution that to turn from Him was to choose discipline.  His love would not let them go.  They were His people.  Yet, that would not mean they could presume upon His grace.  Choices have consequences, so they must choose wisely.  Sadly, Israel has often chosen folly, has suffered greatly, is currently in peril, and the worst is still to come.  All this is not to obliterate them, but to overcome their sinfulness until they make another willful choice—repentance.

This should speak to the covenant people called Christians today.  God chastens those whom He loves.  We are recipients of amazing grace and mercy—and God will not revoke those.  Even when we fail Him, He will be faithful.  His faithfulness also includes the fire of refining—to purge the dross from our lives.

There is a national application as well.  Israel was given a land and liberty—free to choose as a people to be governed by God.  If they chose to give themselves to gods of their own fashioning—rejecting the Lord’s moral laws for the degraded passions of paganism, then God would make a choice too—and the consequences would be severe.  America seems oblivious to God’s goodness in the past.  Today we are codifying wickedness.  Perversion is paraded and filth is flaunted.  We are biting the hand that feeds us.  As the folly of such choices becomes evident in multiplying disaster, perhaps we too will fall on our knees and cry out to God.  He has been, is, and forever will be the Hope of a nation.

 

HEAVEN IN YOUR HOME

His descendants will be mighty on earth;

The generation of the upright will be blessed.  (Psalm 112:2)

Our home may be the closest thing on earth to heaven—or the nearest thing to hell.  Choices we make—and the choices of other family members as well—establish that environment, because God has made a choice to bless the home that is blessable.  How a husband and wife relate to God and to each other has a dramatic effect on the children and their choices.  It does not guarantee that when they reach maturity physically that every family member will continue to walk in God’s ways, for each of us must make that decision, but it points them in the right direction and affords them with the best opportunity for experiencing the favor of God in their future family, also.

Heaven in your home requires the man of the house to be a man of God (Ps.112:1).  He has a profound reverence for the Lord.  His heart is in awe of the majesty of God and at the same time abased at the depravity of his own soul.  This leads him to amazement of God’s grace and mercy.  Such a spiritual leader in the home is known as, “a God-fearing man.”  Rather than a legalistic obligation exhibited toward God’s commands, he displays delight in following God’s will.  None of us would discount the significance of the mother in the home, but typically, if the father is a man of God, his wife will partner with him.  Being a spiritual leader isn’t about a man exerting authority, but embracing responsibility.  This is foundational to having heaven in your home.

If that is the foundation, then the framework built atop that spiritual commitment is seen in Ps.112:4-10.  Godly parents build with character, “upright…and righteous” (v.4).  Reputation is what we are in public and how others view us; character is what we are in private and what our family knows about us!  To character, we nail down conviction (v.6-8).  The parents are solid in their beliefs, not shaky about it.  They not only can tell the children what they need to do, they can tell them why—based on the authority of God’s Word.  Character and conviction must also be connected to compassion (v.4b-5a, 9).  We can articulate the truth without being angry about it.  Love marks the followers of Christ, and our children need to be taught to be compassionate and generous.  They will not accept the message unless we present the model.  The fourth pillar added to character, conviction, and compassion is this: correction (v.5b).  Discretion is the wisdom to guide our family in God’s course, and if we see a child straying to correct them.

This godly foundation and framework brings God’s favor to our family (Ps.112:2-4a; 113:1-9).  God’s favor includes a godly heritage on earth (Ps.112:2-4a; 113:7-9).  God wants to grow some spiritual champions from our offspring and we can cultivate the soil, weed the ground, and water the sprout.  Our children can be successful in life—and that isn’t about them claiming trophies, scoring touchdowns, passing tests, and accumulating treasure—it is about abundant life in Christ!  God’s favor is ultimately about a great honor in eternity (Ps.112:6, 9b; 113:7-8).  More than anything we have in this life, we want our children with us in heaven!  The greatest reward for godly parents will be to see their offspring with them in heaven’s glory.  Their home in heaven then begins with bringing some heaven to your home now.  God help us in this great task!

 

 

A NOTE TO REMIND YOU

“Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.”  (Deuteronomy 11:1)

I can be so forgetful.  When I make an appointment, I put it into my phone with all kinds of alarms to go off—along with the details of who, where, when, why, and the like.  Just yesterday, I needed to go to the store for three things and could only recall one of them.  It later dawned on me what it was, so, lest I forget again, I took a sharpie and all I had in the car to write on—a napkin—and made myself a note lest I forget once more!  An old fellow was asked, “Do you believe in the hereafter?”  His reply was, “Oh, yes!  I walk to the other end of the house to get something and by the time I get there, forget and ask, ‘What am I here after?’”

Deuteronomy 11 is a spiritual reminder note from God.  There is not any new material—the message was given before and is repeated.  The reemphasis is for two main reasons.  It was given to a generation that came out of Egypt as children.  They have meandered through the wilderness for forty years, until all their parents have died—Moses is soon to depart.  Only two of that older generation will survive to enter Canaan with them—Joshua and Caleb—because of their faith and obedience.  Therefore, the first reason for the repetition is to underscore that their fathers and mothers failure to follow the Lord’s instructions must not be the path they take.  The second reason for the repetition is—people have thick skulls!  It takes a lot to drum the truth into our noggin.  We forget—and we dare not!  Really, the Bible does not say many different things—it just repeats the same truths repeatedly.

The congregation addressed has reached maturity.  They have seen the mighty hand of God at work.  They are called to remember, and then to relay that baton of truth to their children.  Each generation must be faithful to transfer their testimony to the next one.  Do not drop the baton or the team will lose the spiritual race!  We have the privilege and responsibility of preparing the children and youth of today for their leg of the race tomorrow—and then as we complete ours, to cheer them on as they take off down the track.  I cannot understand why it is always such a chore to get church folk to work in the nursery, teach youth Sunday School, or help with Vacation Bible School.  God takes it seriously and we should!

They would come into a God-blessed land.  If Israel would be obedient, they would continue to experience those blessings, but, they are warned turning away into sin would bring God’s displeasure and with it, His discipline.  My generation grew up in such a place called America, but we have not taught our children well, and the results are what seems to be impending judgment—if we are not in it already.  There is no enemy within our gates or outside our borders, we would need to fear if we would fear God.  Failing in that, we have every right to expect the blessing to turn to cursing, and from being the victor to become the vanquished.  Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  What is God saying to you today—again?  This is a note to remind you.

THE BRINK OF BLESSING

If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’  (Numbers 14:8)

Are we standing on the brink of blessing?  Ancient Israel did. God brought them out of bondage in order to bring them into blessing.  Standing on the banks of the Jordan, they stood on the brink of blessing.

There was a problem, however--in fact, a big one!  There were large, fortified cities and giant, fierce enemies there.  This presented DIFFICULTY.  "So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night."  (Num.14:1)  This was the reaction to the report of the reconnaissance team of twelve that had been sent into Canaan.  Ten of the twelve--Caleb and Joshua being the notable exceptions--brought back an evil report.  The people responded in fear rather than faith.  They focused on problems and not possibilities.  Where Caleb and Joshua saw the huge fruit, the ten saw the heavy fortifications.  Ten saw the giants, while two looked to God.  What difficulty is too great for Deity?  Any church that purposes to be all God wants them to be in their community--glorifying God, reaching sinners, growing saints, and impacting the culture will face difficulty.  Satan will see to it.  God permits it as a test.  Will we respond to the challenges with faith or fear?

There comes the moment of DECISION.  "So they said to one another, 'Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.' ” (Num.14:4)  God brings us to the point of decision.  You can't straddle the fence.  We can choose to wander by going backward in fear.  You can't stand still spiritually.  If you aren't moving forward, you are slipping backward.  We speak of churches on a plateau--what that means is they are out of gas, and coasting on the momentum they had, but there is no power, and soon they will head downhill, faster and faster, until they crash.  Has God brought us to the brink of blessing?  We can choose the wonder by going forward in faith.  We will never see the miracle until we must have one.  We can never attain the blessing until we step out in faith.

Sadly, Israel choose to reject the promises and rebel against God.  This brought DISCIPLINE.  "I the LORD have spoken this.  I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me.  In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” (Num.14:35)  We witness God's patience.  This was not the first time they had rebelled.  It became a pattern.  God displayed His patience over and over.  Yet, there comes a point of no return--a moment when God draws a line in the sand that we dare not cross.  Israel presumed upon God's long-suffering once too often.  Then follows the punishment.  The door of opportunity slams shut.  The offer of blessing is withdrawn.  Churches die in the wilderness!  They could have known blessing, but refused to trust and obey God!  Then God writes, "Ichabod," over the door--the glory is departed!  What could have been a movement, became a monument, and eventually a mausoleum.

Backward in fear; forward in faith--what is your choice today?

THE DEVOTION GOD DELIGHTS IN

All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the LORD. (Numbers 6:8)

God takes delight in those devoted to Him.  As a human father finds joy when someone says,  "He looks just like you!" or "She acts like her Daddy!" thus the Heavenly Father rejoices when His children favor Him.  He is holy and calls us to be holy.

In the passage before us--Numbers 6--we see those who passionately pursued holiness.  They were called Nazirites.  This vow was voluntary.  It was not from any outward compulsion, but an inward conviction that the man or woman choose this special consecration to God.  The word, "Nazirite," means "separation," and speaks of those who have separated themselves to God to a special degree.

God delights in those who serve Him--not from grudging obligation, but in glad devotion.  There is a vast difference between my saying, "I've got to go to worship today," and "I get to go to worship today!"  The former is like the husband who brings his wife a hamburger, tosses it on the table, while he retreats to the recliner and immerses himself in TV, contrasted with the husband who takes his wife out to a nice dinner and is engrossed in conversation with her.  It is not the giver who feels compelled to give--paying his debt to God as he or she pays the government taxes--but, the giver who fervently celebrates to give--expressing love for the Lord in response to His generosity to him or her--that God loves.

Sounds extreme, doesn't it?  How excessive is God's love for us?  Higher than the heavens, deeper than the oceans, wider than the universe, and longer than time--from eternity to eternity--most graphically expressed in the indescribable suffering of Christ for sinners like we are!  No wonder after Paul spent eleven chapters in Romans developing the doctrine of justification by faith, that he would give the call to complete sanctification in the remaining chapters as our proper response--the pivotal verses being 12:1-2:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

The Nazirite's joy was not to be found in the world, but in the Lord.  He or she must be willing to bear the reproach of being, "different," because of devotion.  Anything defiling was to be scrupulously avoided.  This is to be our response to God's amazing grace!

Is it surprising that after the dedication expressed by the Nazirites, that we have the benediction exclaimed by the Lord?  This is the devotion that brings God delight!  Nothing brings God pleasure more than when we exhibit such pleasure in Him.  Aaron would call upon God for provision, protection, and peace for God's people--and how we need that today!  Our devotion is the unobstructed channel through which those blessings flow.