Pastor Johnnie's Devotional Archives
April 2005
April 4, 2005
Psalm 64:10 "Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge
in him; let all the upright in heart praise him."
The challenge to rejoice in the Lord, to take refuge in Him, and to praise
Him is legitimate. The context David describes in the previous verses
certainly makes it difficult to do, purely on a human level. For example,
whether it has to do with removing "under God" from the pledge
of allegiance, the propagation of same sex marriages, the flaunting of
homosexuality to the younger generation, euthanasia, freedom of (religious)
speech on the streets or over the airwaves, the wicked are noisily conspiring
against the righteous; their verbal attacks, in ambush against the innocent,
are merciless; and, encouraging each other in the evil ness of their plan,
they cunningly plot further injustice against the righteous.
Imagine being in the middle of this and passing this information on to
a friend or fellow Christian. Will our tone of voice be angry? Will our
attitude be one of belligerence as we convey "I don't deserve this!
Why is God allowing this to happen to me, of all people?!" Or, with
clarity of mind and heart, are we spiritually prepared to see the hidden
hand of God at work on our behalf and convey that fact to others for their
edification and for the glory of God? Will they see and sense the deep
trust we have in the Lord God, or, by our attitude and carnal conclusion,
will they add us to their already long list of 'faux Christians' who talk
the talk but don't walk the walk?
We aren't necessarily glad for the miserable times; but, in faith, we
can authentically be glad that God is, in some way, being glorified, that
His Word is being fulfilled, and that the innocent will (ultimately) be
defended.
Gracious and tender Father, Who never fails to do what is right and
best for each of us, grant us deeper insights into the appropriateness
of praise in all the circumstances of our lives. We ask this for the glory
of God, for the encouragement of those who may be 'weaker' Christians
observing our faith, and for the conviction that leads to faith in Christ
for those around us who know You not. Amen.
April 6, 2005
Psalm 55:2-3 "My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice
of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering
upon me and revile me in their anger."
The context for this Psalm is found in I Samuel 23:19-29. David had taken
refuge in the mountains and the Ziphites went to Saul, who was out to
kill David, and told him where David was. Saul went to pursue David to
capture him; but before he could continue on, he received a message that
back home, the Philistines had invaded Israel. So, Saul gave up the pursuit
and returned to save his country, and David escaped to En-gedi.
So, as he sat there like a sitting duck, David's thoughts troubled him.
The enemies' confident shouts of impending attack and boastful promise
of eventual capture brought great emotional distress to his heart and
mind. The relentless venting of their verbal malice against him and the
prospect of merciless treatment of him once he was captured, certainly
troubled him.
But, that wasn't the last word from David, was it? David knew full well
the power of God. Though perhaps not always happy about it; maybe inwardly
wanting God to respond more quickly, He was, nonetheless, aware of God's
practice of superb timing. The hidden hand of God would not fail him,
in one way or another, in this critical situation. No wonder, in the latter
part of this Psalm he said, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will
sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (55:22). May we
so trust Him today!
Father of perfect timing for intervention - or for lack thereof so
that we might learn godly perseverance and a deeper, more abiding, restful
trust in You - may we learn in a deeper way today to trust in You. Amen.
April 11, 2005
Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers
him in times of trouble."
Into his early ninety's, my father, himself weakening and slower than
ever, but concerned for the infirmed living in nursing homes, would visit
with those less fortunate than he. While visiting my parents in Kentucky,
I went with him one day. Of course, the unique 'odor' for which nursing
homes are known, not by choice, but by virtue of the multiplied needs
represented by those who are incontinent or personally incapable of carrying
out other personal hygiene habits, was the first thing that 'hit' me.
But that was soon swallowed up and replaced by an unmistakable, powerful
fragrance of gratitude and love by those whose hearts were so moved that
'someone' would take the time to visit them, converse meaningfully with
them, and actually pray to the Living God on their behalf. It was a scene
I have often reviewed with profound emotion in my own heart since dad
himself passed into the presence of the Lord a couple years ago. I have
often wondered if there was anyone else available or even willing to take
his place in showing such regard for the weak.
Jesus said, "Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of
mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:34-39). So, in this fast-paced,
self-engrossed age in which we live, we too are bound by Jesus' own words
to give godly consideration to the single mothers of the unborn, the physically,
emotionally, and mentally challenged, the elderly and widows, those with
AIDS, autism, MS, MD, CP, the imprisoned, and foreigners who have entered
our land. And, to be honest with you, I feel 'guilty' that my list is
so short! Do you ever get the feeling that massive amounts of Christian
love expressed by the Lord's people is too often spent on those who are
already so satiated with that kind of love that they no longer appreciate
it?
For lack of space, I'll give just a few verses regarding the 'weak' for
us to read and study, and over which to pray much regarding our own "regard
for the weak": Acts 20:34-35; I Thessalonians 5:14; Ephesians 4:28;
Isaiah 35:3.
Gracious Shepherd of our needy souls, nurture us in such a way that
we will humbly step outside the extremely small box of our own personal,
self-focused concerns and actually consider it a privilege to show godly
regard for the weak, just as You have regarded us in our great weakness!
Amen.
April 17, 2005
Psalm 57:7 says: "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music."
Every once in a while, we'll still hear the worn out phrase that was so
popular a few years ago when a Super Bowl or a Stanley Cup would be won,
or a sports team would "win the whole enchilada". The question
would be asked, "You've reached the pinnacle of success! What're
you gonna do now?" And the answer would simply be: "I'm going
to Disney World!"
King David has fled from Saul into a cave, not necessarily the 'safest'
place when you're in the midst of lions; or lying among ravenous beasts
- men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords
(verse 4). The only 'trophy' these opponents are looking for is David's
head! And David's concern is very real: They spread a net for my feet
- I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path... (verse 6).
At this point, here's what I imagine the imbedded news mongers asking:
"Uh, David, now that you seem to have reached the lowest you can
go for a retreating opponent, what're you gonna do now?" His answer
represented the Disney World of his heart: "I'm going to talk with
my God and let Him know that my heart is steadfast; that is, it's stable
and standing as erect as ever. I actually won't let it be bent over in
fear and discouragement; that's my choice to make. So, where's my harp?
I'm going to find a smoothed out though rocky, good place I can sit, play
my harp, and just sing praise to my Lord. I don't want this to be turned
into a 'David show'! I want the Lord God to be exalted above the heavens
and certainly above the present circumstances of my life! I want His glory
to be spread over all the earth, not wild and wooly stories of my trust
in Him, regardless of how true they may be! This is about God and His
holy purposes, not about me! God forbid that anyone turn it into a religious
side show!"
Thanks for modeling steadfastness for us, David!
Glorious and merciful Father, instruct our fearful minds in the truth
that the varied experiences of our lives are really opportunities to demonstrate
stability of heart and to sing, make music, and praise You in one way
or another. Blessed indeed is the man who fears you. He will have no fear
of bad news because his heart is secure (Psalm 112:7-8), trusting in the
Lord. For Jesus' sake, grant that I too may have such a steadfast heart!
Amen.
April 21, 2005
Psalm 61:5 "You have heard my vows, O God; you have given me the
heritage of those who fear your name."
All my life, it has fascinated me to hear about the various inheritances
people have received from deceased loved ones. Imagine the bitterness
of soul of the person who bequeathed to an unliked family member all the
dirty clothes found in their home after death! Or, on the complete opposite
end of the spectrum, the unbelievable measure of love seen by an extremely
wealthy person leaving billions to a 4 year old child.
What 'inheritance' is David talking about? There are some interesting
insights in other scriptures. For example, in Psalm 16:5-6 he identifies
"my portion and my cup". In other words, the Lord Himself is
so significant in my life that if I go through suffering, it is so that
I might console others who may soon go through difficult times. If I experience
wealth, it will be so that, as others have done throughout history, I
may honor Him through generously spreading that wealth among His people
and the needy, not consume it on my own lust. If I receive praise, it
will be an opportunity to focus on the greatness of God by whose grace
I received whatever I received, for the purpose of helping others in some
way, or of advancing the work of His kingdom. Whatever happens in my life,
David says, "the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
and I have to tell you: that's a delightful inheritance which I wouldn't
trade for anything!"
The prophet Malachi presents an interesting end-time scenario: "Then
those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened
and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning
those who feared the Lord and who honored his name. 'They will be mine,'
says the Lord Almighty, 'in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves
him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and
the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.'" (Malachi
3:16-18)
Faithful Father, may we not squander the glorious inheritance You
have given to each of us, Your children! May we take time to observe and
to learn from the lives of those godly saints of the past who blazed a
trail for us through fear of Your glorious name! Amen.
April 25, 2005
Psalm 75:1-2 "We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your
Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. You say, 'I choose the
appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its
people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.'"
It is not often we hear modern day Christians (normally impatient for
His will to be accomplished in their time frame and without discomfort)
humbly thanking the Lord for the realization that His appointed time is
precisely when His word and will be fulfilled, not one minute early or
late! And, a prominent argument for that point is His care of the earth,
which, through the centuries, has been convulsed by hurricanes, tornadoes,
floods, falling planetary debris, tsunamis, atomic and hydrogen bombs,
and the ever present threat of nuclear holocaust! He reminds us that when
the earth and all it's people are quaking and agitated with fear and unbelievable
physical and emotional turbulence, guess what? He is the One Who is holding
it all together. One unidentified writer of the 19th Century wrote: "How
can I sink with such a prop as my eternal God, Who bears the earth's huge
pillars up, and spreads the heavens abroad?"
May we not forget the 'nearness of His name' today. May that name which
is above all names be the name most frequently upon our lips, for better
or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, until
we are called from this world into the next. May our hearts not aspire
to be 'God' (Acts 1:7), needing to know times and dates. Rather, may we
faithfully speak of the wonderful deeds we've already witnessed or experienced,
and trust that the pillars of the remaining years of our lives are indeed
held firmly in His grace-filled hands!
O Lord, I know that a man's life is definitely not his own. I also know
that it is definitely not man's place to direct his own steps (Jeremiah
10:23). So, teach us to wisely number our days, and, with reckless abandon,
to live our lives for kingdom purposes until we go to our eternal home.
Amen.
April 28, 2005
Psalm 38:20 "Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I
pursue what is good."
You and I have the distinct privilege of being Christ's ambassadors by
pursuing what is good, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Peter asks
a legitimate question (I Peter 3:13): "Who is going to harm you if
you are eager to do good?" The next verse suggests that very possibility,
and identifies a reason for doing it as 'fear'. Remember that Cain's reason
for killing his own brother was that "his own actions were evil and
his brother's were righteous" (I John 3:12). The wicked do not want
their wickedness to be seen for what it truly is. Nothing will expose
that more than the presence of a good person whose behavior is righteous.
The faithful, consistent pursuit of godliness by the child of God will
bring out the 'worst' in the ungodly. Their whole bearing and comportment
is a gnawing reminder to the sinner that there is a better way which they,
obviously, are not following nor want to do so. So, they will do evil
to those who are at peace with them (Psalm 7:4), and repay evil for good
(Psalm 35:12). They will blind side the righteous person, attacking without
cause (Psalm 109:3-5). Every opportunity they have, they will dig a pit,
hoping to trap and bury the righteous person (Jeremiah 18:20).
Jesus said, "Truly blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness"
(Matthew 5:10). The Holy Spirit anticipates the hostility of the wicked
and cautions us through Peter to not be discouraged: "Don't be surprised
at the painful trial you are suffering as though something 'strange' were
happening to you" (I Peter 4:14). The prescription for handling such
behavior? First, recognize that this is 'normal, expected behavior' of
the ungodly; they're doing what comes naturally (See Romans 1:28-32).
Then, praise God that you bear the name 'Jesus', which has such an unmistakable
way of bringing out the raw hatred against God and His righteous ones
which is in the hearts of the ungodly! We play a key role in God's plan
of evangelism in this sin-darkened world: the sinner must be convinced
of the 'bad' news about himself before he can effectively understand the
'good news' for himself.
Lord of the harvest, the harvest is unbelievably great and the workers
who are truly effective, unfortunately, are few. Convict, stir up, raise
up, motivate, equip, and send out more concerned workers so that more
sinners might be brought into Your family through saving faith in Christ.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
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