DECLARING THE GOODNESS OF GOD

“Oh, how great is Your goodness...!” (Ps.31:19a). David declares the goodness of God—and we should too!  Here are some ways we may:
 
• Express Gratitude—Praise Him for His goodness!  Give voice in worship, for God is worthy of our praise.

• Exclude Grumbling—This is a sin against His goodness!  God takes this seriously.  Israel was judged and a generation of grumblers died in the wilderness. Don’t be like that. It is an affront to a good God.

• Exercise Faith—You can trust Him for He is good.  Do we believe it?

• Embrace Grace—Stop trying to earn His goodness.  God will not be indebted to you.  He is good because it is His nature to be good.  We are bad because it is our nature to be bad. That is what makes God doing good to us to arise from the glory of His grace!

• Exhibit Goodness—We are never more like God than when we do good.

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt.‭5:44-45‬).

This is why God loves a cheerful giver!  We are reflecting Him!  God’s goodness is to be a focus of my life.

REJOICING IN GOD’S GREATNESS

“He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭10:21‬)‬‬

God is great and greatly to be praised! God is the source, substance, and sum of our praise.  We praise Him for Who He is.

We know this great God personally, for He is “your God.”  Often we think of those who are great as being detached from all those who are lesser—and that is how humans generally act—but, not God.  He is never aloof!  Instead He is actively working on our behalf.

He does great and awesome things, for He is great!  This certainly means that He responds to our cries for help, but more—even before we cry He is at work accomplishing His will for our good and His glory.

We need to see and testify of His activity.  The world needs to know of His wonderworking power—so sinners will have saving faith and saints will have strengthened faith.  Heb.11:6 tells us this is the secret to pleasing God. I want to please Him, so I am going to praise Him!

GOD THE SON PROCLAIMED

The Bible is sacred history—history being His story. In the Old Testament, you have God the Son prophesied as through types, symbols, and prophecies the Scriptures say, “Jesus is coming!”  The Gospels and Acts feature God the Son presented through His messages, model, ministry, and miracles, all declaring, “Jesus has come!”  Then the rest of the New Testament is God the Son proclaimed alerting us that, “Jesus is coming again!”  How then should we prepare to meet Him?  What kind of life should we live?

From Romans to Revelation, you find the implications of the incarnation. Jesus is explained and proclaimed.  Look at two texts, Romans 1:1-5 and Revelation 1:1-2.  

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.....” (Rom.1:1-5). From the first epistle of Paul, you see Jesus proclaimed.  He will be in the spotlight of all the epistles.

As we come to the close of the New Testament, we see that John is directing our attention to Jesus.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.” (Rev.1:1-2). 

The message of the early church focused on Jesus.  Paul would say, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor.2:2).  That is still our message today, whether our text is from the Old Testament or New Testament.  Jesus is the hero of holy history.

How will history conclude?  “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’  Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.” (Rev.22:20-21).

I agree with John Newton, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” I am so glad someone told me about Jesus!  He has changed my direction on earth and my destination in eternity!

PILGRIMS MAKING PROGRESS

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  (Hebrews 11:13)

Scripture gives Christians the title, “pilgrims,” as those who are traveling through this world to their real home in heaven.  Identifying ourselves in this manner helps us evaluate the focus of our life here and whether we are progressing to our goal hereafter.

Based on this truth, I will lead a Wednesday night Bible study of John Bunyan’s classic, “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”  We will begin August 1, so you will find securing a copy of the book before the end of July helpful.  I have a few more copies of the special edition we are distributing which you can purchase for $11.  I can order more, when these are gone, but the price might increase by a few dollars.  You may already have a copy—and you can download one very cheaply—but it might be helpful to have the same edition as it has Bible study and personal reflection questions, and as we study we can all be “on the same page” as it were.  I am going to do my best to record these studies for those who cannot be there each session or who are prevented from attending.

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a Baptist pastor in England.  Bunyan was arrested for preaching the Gospel, and spent twelve years in prison.  He would later be jailed again for a briefer time.  It was during his imprisonment, that he would have a dream, which became, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” that would be published after his freedom was obtained.  That book has been one of the most published and widely read books in the English language, other than the Bible.

Here are some reasons to study it:

1.      It “is a vivid portrait of every true Christian’s spiritual journey.” We can see ourselves in this book—the challenges, pitfalls, and blessings of our pilgrimage.

2.      It has “many rich word-pictures.”  A picture is painted over and over that gives us many fresh insights into Scriptural truths.

3.      It “shows the difference between true and false Christians.”  Not all who profess faith truly possess faith and we need to examine our hearts accordingly.

4.      It has a theme, the precious doctrine of “the perseverance of the saints.”  It challenges us to press on in faith, and that we endure to the end not in order to be saved, but because we are saved—that the grace that saves us, seals us, sanctifies us, and secures us for heaven.

(The italicized words come from an article “Why We Should Read ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress,’ ” by Brian G. Hedges, published in “The Banner of Truth” magazine—that motivated me to do this study)

I have read it at least three times, and am looking forward to studying it with you.

Your Fellow Pilgrim,

Pastor Dennis

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

 

“For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand.  He knows your trudging through this great wilderness.  These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” (Deuteronomy 2:7)

If you are not acquainted with the words of that grand old hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” you ought to be.  It is based on the text in Lamentations 3:22-23,

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not. 

 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness. 

In our text for today’s devotional, Moses echoes that same refrain.  Moses is 120 and facing death.  He rehearses God’s faithfulness to a new generation of Israelites who will cross Jordan and enter the Promised Land.

GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN HIS PROVISION, “For the LORD your God has blessed you…you have lacked nothing.”  God gave them bread from heaven—manna every morning.  In the desert, he gave them water from a rock.  Their clothing and sandals did not wear out.  They were sheltered from the sun by day by the cloud, which became a pillar of fire to light and warm the camp by night.  I have come to the place where my hair has turned white as a morning frost, where I start the day with a groan and end it with a sigh, where my steps are neither as swift nor steady as in youth, and I can actually access my retirement funds!  Despite all the challenges aging brings, I can face tomorrow without fear, for I have see God’s faithfulness in the past.  I am not a rich man, by any means, but God has always blessed me with enough—more than enough!

GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN HIS PROVIDENCE, “He knows your trudging through this great wilderness.”  Trudging—that is a picturesque term, which describes my gait so well!  Life is tough.  The Jews journey through that great wilderness was filled with difficulty and fraught with danger.  There were some stumbles and setbacks on the way, but trudge on they did, because God was leading His dear children along.  That is what providence is all about.  God knows the way we travel; He sees ahead the road we are taking; He has a predetermined end for our pilgrimage.  What God knows of the future is fixed and certain, but what we know is by faith and conviction.  We live life forward, but we understand it backward.  Surveying my life story leads me to testify that God has directed my steps and gives me confidence He will guide me into the future.

GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN HIS PRESENCE, “These forty years the LORD your God has been with you….”  In all places and at all times, God had been with them.  They failed Him, but He did not fail them.  As we get older, things change.  Friends and family we have known begin to die—the circle of relationships shrinks here and grows larger in heaven.  The unchanging God has promised to never leave us, nor forsake us!  If our path takes us into the hospital, the nursing home, or hospice as a prelude to the funeral home, God will shelter us in His arms and secure us in His love.  “Great Is Thy faithfulness!” is our testimony now and will be our theme forever!

TRAVELING THE TWILIGHT TRAIL

Now also when I am old and grayheaded,

O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to this generation,

Your power to everyone who is to come.  (Psalm 71:18)

The day dawns for us and we come kicking and screaming into the world.  We experience the morning of youth.  Next, we advance into the noonday of strength.  Before you know it, we arrive in the afternoon of aging.  Nightfall is coming—“life’s setting sun is sinking low, a few more days and I must go,” as the old Gospel song puts it.  Then, we are traveling the twilight trail.  I am not there yet, but the signs along the road indicate it will not be that far away.  You may still be the bright light of early adulthood and think this to be the least of your concerns.  So did I.  I assure you life’s day will race by.

The Psalmist points to THE PAST and shares his TESTIMONY (Ps.71:5-8).  The twilight trail is a time for remembering the faithfulness of God.  We can imagine the writer’s eyes filling with tears of gratitude for the goodness and grace of God he has seen—those tears running down the furrows of his face, gashes plowed by time.  He boldly asserts his hope in God.  The Lord had been the ground of his trust from youth, and had never failed him.  God had not only been solid ground to stand on, but had been a strong guard to shelter in—providing stability and security.  The twilight trail is a time for singing, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.  ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”

The writer describes THE PRESENT and speaks of his TRIALS (Ps.71:9-13).  He is weary from warfare—and would like to lay his armor down—but he finds there are still foes to face.  I recall when I was young some aged saints singing, “When the battle’s over, we shall wear a crown…” yet, while we are here, the battle is not over.  Life is full of struggles—trials and temptations bringing relentless assault.  Like the psalmist, we may feel our will to fight is waning, and our strength to stand is sagging.  It may seem that God has forsaken us when trials become a torrent as we travel the twilight trail.  Our minds may be plagued by demons of despair and our bodies beset by distress of disease.  We can still call upon the Lord with confidence that He will come to our aid. 

The sacred songwriter concludes with THE PROSPECTS and affirms the promise of TRIUMPH (Ps.71:14-21).  His voice does not have the perfect pitch it did in youth—finding it cracking at times—still, he retains his song of hope and praise.  Traveling the twilight trail reminds him that his days are few, but since he does not know how many, he will not waste time worrying about God’s business (how many days He gives), but will concern himself with his business (how much good he can do).  There is strength enough to do all God wants because He will not enlist us without empowering us.  The aged must draw out of the vast well of experience wisdom to share with a younger generation.

Someday we all come to the twilight trail.  Will we look back with rejoicing or regret?   Will we stand or stumble in our struggle?  Will we finish as a winner or with a whimper?

REACHABLE

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah  (Psalm 32:5)

I know that everyone is reachable because I was once that prodigal, so far from God, but the tough love of a Christian father and the tenacious prayers of a godly mother reached me.  When others might have given up and it seemed I was a hopeless case, God in His grace responded to my parents and I was delivered from hell fire.  How can we reach difficult family members? 

PROOF MUST BE PRESENTED (v.1-2). David was giving eyewitness testimony of his experience of forgiveness.  He was a frail man, yet a forgiven man.  His life had been changed by the power of God and it was real.  We must be the living proof that Jesus saves and transforms us by grace, if we are to make an impact on our family.  Only those in whom Christ has made a difference will be able to make a difference.

PAIN MUST BE PERMITTED (v.3-5).  David’s turning to God was a direct result of the pain he experienced.  The discipline of God fell on him and that brought him to his knees.  If we want to reach the tough cases in our family, we must be willing to let them experience pain.  I know a parent’s temptation is to try to spare our kids of all pain.  When they make wrong choices, we tend to intervene and remove the consequences.  Some make it a habit of bailing their kids out—and they never learn.  Is there anything as painful as to be cast into the lake of fire—to suffer eternal separation from God?  Then, we must pray, “God whatever it takes!”

PRAYER MUST BE PRACTICED (v.6).  David reminds us of the power of prayer to rescue those who are in danger of being swept away by the floods of ungodliness.  I don’t know of a force any greater than the faithful, fervent prayers of a mother or father.  A husband may refuse to heed our witness, but he cannot silence your prayers.  You may not have heard from your son in a long time—you’re not even sure where he is—but your prayers can be like a guided missile seeking their target.  God knows where that granddaughter is and how to reach her. 

PATIENCE MUST BE PRESERVED (v.7).  David saw God as His hiding place—that when doubts and fears assailed him, the Lord would enable him to endure.  You will face the same struggle when trying to reach a resistant parent or unbelieving spouse or rebellious child or wandering grandchild. You will be tempted to give up, to give in, or to give out.  Patience must be preserved.  David was able to sing of the deliverance he was sure would come.

PRECEPTS MUST BE PROCLAIMED (v.8-9).  Our lifestyle is paramount to reaching our lost family members.  There is a time to be silent and to let our actions speak and there also may be a time when a verbal witness is called for.  We need to talk to them about the things of God.  Most people are saved, not through the influence of a preacher, but a parent.

PROMISES MUST BE POSSESSED (v.10-11). The promise is that, “whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  None are unreachable.  This is the promise of God.

HOPE FOR THE HOMESTRETCH: HOPE THAT IMPARTS FAITHFULNESS

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  (Luke 1:39-40)

Mary gives us a model of faithfulness.  As a teenager, the level of her spiritual maturity was amazing.  She established a course she would follow all the days of her life, until at last, headed down the homestretch she would finish well.  There are some who start well and falter.  Others do not begin well, but excel later and finish with a flourish.  But, the ideal is seen in Mary who from beginning to end was faithful.

She was FAITHFUL IN SEEKING, “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah” (v.39).  The angel had departed.  Would Mary rub her eyes, think it all a dream—maybe too much pizza before bed?  Gabriel had told her that Elizabeth’s pregnancy would be a sign of God’s miraculous work:

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  ‎He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  ‎And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”  Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”  And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:31-37)

So, she takes off to find out.  Being faithful means we are full of faith!  Headed down the homestretch do we keep trusting?  That steadfast faith will lead us to seek to eagerly follow God’s path for us, even if, as with Mary, it seems incredible.

Mary was also FAITHFUL IN SHARING, “and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.” (v.40)   When Elizabeth saw Mary coming she must have thought, “Do I have some news for her!”  Mary was probably thinking the same thing all the way there.  I wonder if they almost collided on their course to communicate and celebrate what God had promised!  Good news is made for sharing!  Those who are faithful to follow leave a testimony that marks out a trail for others. 

Mary’s model inspires us after 2,000 years.  She beckons us to leave a legacy of life-truths—a heritage of hope—that our family, friends and fellowship of the church needs to know.  One day, each of us will head down the homestretch of life and cross the finish line.  Make it your prayer that if others follow your example, they too will join you someday in wearing a crown of victory!  Jesus exhorts, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” (Revelation 3:11)  Faithfulness keeps a firm grip on the crown.