Ps 104:1-4 "O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent 3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. 4 He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants." NIV
The majesty of God: how beautiful the description of his glorious presence. The scriptures are full of the images of God that He has left for us so that we can meditate on His glory. He. 4:16 tells us to come boldly before the throne of grace but have you considered what that means. What does the throne of grace look like? The word provides many glimpses into this glorious presence. Spend some time reflecting on the various images that are before us today. As a starting place consider these passages that describe that which surrounds Him. 2 Sam 22:12 describes the canopy around him “He made darkness his canopy around him- the dark rain clouds of the sky.” NIV Ps 97:2 takes this image even further by saying “Clouds and thick darkness surround him.” NIV
Picture yourself approaching God through a canopy or covering of clouds and thick darkness. But what is waiting for us once we penetrate this darkness? 2 Sa. 22:13 gives us a first glimpse: “Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.” Though hidden in a canopy of darkness God Himself is a being of blazing light that shines forth from His person. Ps 18:12-13 enlarges still more on this image of God’s glory “Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13 The LORD thundered from heaven, the voice of the Most High resounded.” NIV
As we approach God we enter through the veil of darkness into a manifest radiance of light. As we draw near the sound of thunders and the flash of lighting fill our senses and the voice of God resounds around us. Consider the intensity of this atmosphere. The air is electric as you stand in the midst of the eternal power of God. How much of God’s presence can we endure? And yet He draws us even closer. Ezekiel sees it. There in the midst of this glorious intensity; the image of a man. Stand where Ezekiel stood for a moment and consider this; Ezek 1:25-28 “Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” NIV There at the center of the radiance, at the midst of the throne stands a fiery man, surrounded by brilliant light.
It is powerful to consider that such a marvelous presence could be experienced by a number of different men at different times and different places. The scriptures provide such a faithful witness of the glory of God. Even at the end of its testimony the word draws us once again to consider the presence and glory of God. The book of Revelation again draws us into the courts of God and as we approach once again there is something central to the theme that we behold; a fiery man is there, waiting for us to come. Rev 1:12-16 “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” NIV
Why are the pages of scripture full of such images and descriptions of God’s glory and majesty? Why the presence of this fiery man standing there as we approach? There is a simple answer. God desires to be known. He invites us to draw near and presents glimpses of His presence so that we can see with inner eyes the place we are drawing near to as we seek after the living God. You are welcome in His presence. He stands to greet you. He invites you to come boldly into this glorious presence. His desire is that as you encounter Him where He is you will live with Him where you are!
Friday
Psalm 103:19-22 - October 9, 2009
Ps 103:19-22 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion." NIV
Psalm 103:19-22 provides an insightful glimpse into the invisible realms of the kingdom of God. Almost certainly this passage was a well known and central understanding that helped to shape the thinking of both Christ and the Israelites at the time of the gospels and the book of Acts. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray “your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” this passage would have been one of the backdrop verses that they reflected upon. Verse 19 introduces the context of the words of Christ that He speaks at the end of His earthly ministry by stating “the LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” This passage affirms with great certainty that there is nothing in heaven or on earth that is not under the dominion of God’s kingdom. In Matt 28:18 Jesus places Himself in that same context and declares that the Father has established Him at the head of this kingdom: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” NIV He spoke this forth with such confident clarity that it most certainly was a means of identifying Himself with the kingdom of God in the Old Testament and the God of that Kingdom.
In many ways all of Psalm 103 points us towards this climax of praise for the king and the glory of His kingdom. We are reminded of the benefits of belonging to this kingdom; healing, forgiveness, justice and wise judgment, mercy and compassion, and a Father’s love in the first 18 verses and then the psalmist leads us to the primary theme of his thoughts: the kingdom of God. By this the psalmist clearly provides a context for these benefits as if to say “God can provide these benefits because He is Lord of all!” And in this context there is the implied challenge, “What other God could provide these things for you?”
After declaring the glory of God and the benefits of His eternal kingdom the psalmist moves into a unique dimension of prophetic exhortation. The first 19 verses are in essence directed at his earthly audience but then there is a dramatic shift. David now is overcome by a spirit of prophecy and begins to speak forth into the heavenly realms by faith. This is such a powerful image of prophetic prayer as David speaks into the world of spirit and addresses angels and heavenly beings. In verse 20-22 he cries “20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.” David exhorts the angels to praise, all of the heavenly hosts and all of God’s created works to lift up praise. This is such a faith declaration where he doesn’t enter into presumption as to the realms of his authority and right to command angels but it is a challenge. “All creation consider the majesty of God and praise Him!”
There is an additional contribution made by this passage in regard to our understanding of the makeup of the eternal realms. David’s exhortation also helps create definition for us of the function of the beings that surround God’s throne. He addresses the angels as mighty ones who do God’s bidding and obey His word. He addresses heavenly hosts as well in verse 21. This passage seems to enlarge the sphere of David’s exhortation beyond the limitation of the angelic to a wider sphere of heavenly hosts that includes but isn’t limited to the angels. His defines these hosts as “his servants who do his will.” His final call to praise is enlarged even further to now include all of creation and the psalmist enlists everything under the dominion of God to join in this song of praise. This glimpse into the heavenly realms only creates a partial insight into that dimension of God’s creation but it is fuel for our meditations as we obey the command of He. 4:16 and “come boldly before the throne of grace.”
Psalm 103:19-22 provides an insightful glimpse into the invisible realms of the kingdom of God. Almost certainly this passage was a well known and central understanding that helped to shape the thinking of both Christ and the Israelites at the time of the gospels and the book of Acts. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray “your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” this passage would have been one of the backdrop verses that they reflected upon. Verse 19 introduces the context of the words of Christ that He speaks at the end of His earthly ministry by stating “the LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” This passage affirms with great certainty that there is nothing in heaven or on earth that is not under the dominion of God’s kingdom. In Matt 28:18 Jesus places Himself in that same context and declares that the Father has established Him at the head of this kingdom: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” NIV He spoke this forth with such confident clarity that it most certainly was a means of identifying Himself with the kingdom of God in the Old Testament and the God of that Kingdom.
In many ways all of Psalm 103 points us towards this climax of praise for the king and the glory of His kingdom. We are reminded of the benefits of belonging to this kingdom; healing, forgiveness, justice and wise judgment, mercy and compassion, and a Father’s love in the first 18 verses and then the psalmist leads us to the primary theme of his thoughts: the kingdom of God. By this the psalmist clearly provides a context for these benefits as if to say “God can provide these benefits because He is Lord of all!” And in this context there is the implied challenge, “What other God could provide these things for you?”
After declaring the glory of God and the benefits of His eternal kingdom the psalmist moves into a unique dimension of prophetic exhortation. The first 19 verses are in essence directed at his earthly audience but then there is a dramatic shift. David now is overcome by a spirit of prophecy and begins to speak forth into the heavenly realms by faith. This is such a powerful image of prophetic prayer as David speaks into the world of spirit and addresses angels and heavenly beings. In verse 20-22 he cries “20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.” David exhorts the angels to praise, all of the heavenly hosts and all of God’s created works to lift up praise. This is such a faith declaration where he doesn’t enter into presumption as to the realms of his authority and right to command angels but it is a challenge. “All creation consider the majesty of God and praise Him!”
There is an additional contribution made by this passage in regard to our understanding of the makeup of the eternal realms. David’s exhortation also helps create definition for us of the function of the beings that surround God’s throne. He addresses the angels as mighty ones who do God’s bidding and obey His word. He addresses heavenly hosts as well in verse 21. This passage seems to enlarge the sphere of David’s exhortation beyond the limitation of the angelic to a wider sphere of heavenly hosts that includes but isn’t limited to the angels. His defines these hosts as “his servants who do his will.” His final call to praise is enlarged even further to now include all of creation and the psalmist enlists everything under the dominion of God to join in this song of praise. This glimpse into the heavenly realms only creates a partial insight into that dimension of God’s creation but it is fuel for our meditations as we obey the command of He. 4:16 and “come boldly before the throne of grace.”
Thursday
Psalm 103:8-13 - October 8, 2009
Ps 103:8-13 "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" NIV
Psalm 103:8-13 carries the essence of the cross and lays the theological foundation of forgiveness in very clear and simple terms. Verse 8 is such a rich beginning to this section, “the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.” When you picture God do you picture a compassion and graciousness? You should. To many times messages have portrayed God as an angry Lord rather than a lover! Yet the word of God clearly states that he is slow to anger and rich in love! Our God is patient and willing to forgive, reaching out to us with a measure of love that is greater than the human mind can conceive.
For most of us our personal experiences have robbed us of an accurate understanding of the measure of God’s love and forgiveness. Verse 10 establishes a right view of God’s grace and should fill the heart of every believer with joy and hope “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” How comforting to know that we will not get what we deserve. John 3:16 portrays the great measure of God’s love as revealed through the cross as Christ became a ransom for our sins. We deserved wrath and received mercy instead. We deserved pain and He took it in our place.
Psalm 103:8-13 is all about the love of God. It seeks to depict the love of God in images that we can understand. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.” Do not accept the lie that questions and doubts the measure of God’s love for you. It is endless. It is eternal. God is looking for a heart of reverence to be formed within us. He is seeking to train us in the benefits of honoring Him and His ways. When a man grasps the wisdom and love of God it becomes so much easier to submit to His standards for our lives because we can rest knowing that they are motivated by love. God is not hovering over us reminding us of our failings. When He sees sin in the lives of those who fear Him He is not only quick to forgive but He removes our transgressions far from us. That is good news!
Verse 13 powerfully places God’s manner of forgiveness into a tender context as He declares through the scriptures “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Do not accept any image of God in your mind that does not also include the image of God as a loving Father towards those who fear Him. Let your heart find hope in the knowledge that His love compels Him to forgive readily those who walk in a reverent fear rather than the sins of presumption and disregard for God. Remember the God of love who is slow to become angry and delights in pouring out the generous gift of His forgiveness towards the humble in heart.
Psalm 103:8-13 carries the essence of the cross and lays the theological foundation of forgiveness in very clear and simple terms. Verse 8 is such a rich beginning to this section, “the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.” When you picture God do you picture a compassion and graciousness? You should. To many times messages have portrayed God as an angry Lord rather than a lover! Yet the word of God clearly states that he is slow to anger and rich in love! Our God is patient and willing to forgive, reaching out to us with a measure of love that is greater than the human mind can conceive.
For most of us our personal experiences have robbed us of an accurate understanding of the measure of God’s love and forgiveness. Verse 10 establishes a right view of God’s grace and should fill the heart of every believer with joy and hope “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” How comforting to know that we will not get what we deserve. John 3:16 portrays the great measure of God’s love as revealed through the cross as Christ became a ransom for our sins. We deserved wrath and received mercy instead. We deserved pain and He took it in our place.
Psalm 103:8-13 is all about the love of God. It seeks to depict the love of God in images that we can understand. “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.” Do not accept the lie that questions and doubts the measure of God’s love for you. It is endless. It is eternal. God is looking for a heart of reverence to be formed within us. He is seeking to train us in the benefits of honoring Him and His ways. When a man grasps the wisdom and love of God it becomes so much easier to submit to His standards for our lives because we can rest knowing that they are motivated by love. God is not hovering over us reminding us of our failings. When He sees sin in the lives of those who fear Him He is not only quick to forgive but He removes our transgressions far from us. That is good news!
Verse 13 powerfully places God’s manner of forgiveness into a tender context as He declares through the scriptures “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.” Do not accept any image of God in your mind that does not also include the image of God as a loving Father towards those who fear Him. Let your heart find hope in the knowledge that His love compels Him to forgive readily those who walk in a reverent fear rather than the sins of presumption and disregard for God. Remember the God of love who is slow to become angry and delights in pouring out the generous gift of His forgiveness towards the humble in heart.
Wednesday
Psalm 103:2-5 - October 7, 2009
Ps 103:2-5 "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits — 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." NIV
Praise the Lord and don’t forget! There is power in praise that not only brings pleasure to the Lord but also to shape the human heart. In Psalm 103 the psalmist is calling God’s people to praise the Lord but he attaches a very significant context to it. “As you praise, don’t forget all that the Lord is to us!” When a believer lifts their voice in praise their own heart is strengthened. As we consider the great things the Lord has done, worshipping Him because of His manifold blessings our own hearts are refreshed and enlarged. In any relationship it is easy to lose sight of the good attributes of that relationship during the hard times. The power of praise is that it helps to direct our perspective. It keeps our point of view attached to the good things that the Lord has done and will do for us.
King David is writing this psalm of praise and reflecting on the multitude of benefits that come with serving the Lord. His remembrance reflects both on what God does and the impact that this has upon the life of the believer. David is an imperfect King with a heart that is passionate for God and this makes for a powerful opportunity for the Lord to demonstrate His kindness and mercy. David has failed many times, sinned with another man’s wife, experienced sickness, witnessed God’s hand of judgment upon His people, rejoiced in the triumph of battle, tasted bitter persecution from the hand of those who should have loved him and so much more. In all of this David has been well seasoned and knows the presence of God as a lifelong experience. Because of this he speaks from a depth of personal experience as he calls to us saying “forget none of God’s benefits.”
It is no accident that the first benefit that David extols is God’s willingness to forgive. David knows his own history of failures and divine discipline as a result his heart is deeply impacted by the mercy that he has received from God’s hand. He does not stop with forgiveness however which is the snare of so many Christians. For many who believe in the Lord their enjoyment of God revolves around His forgiveness alone to the neglect of the multitude of other benefits that come with knowing the Lord. With forgiveness comes healing as a parallel attribute that every believer needs. But even this is not the conclusion of what God has provided for us. David celebrates God’s divine intervention in his life circumstances. He has spent years on the run, living in caves, hiding in a foreign land, struggling to survive and it is from the remembrance of this season that he can confidently say that the Lord “redeems your life from the pit.” Even more so, the Lord is not content to merely remove the negative from our lives. God does not stop at deliverance. With God there is impartation!
David transitions the nature of his praise in verse 4. He shifts his attention from what God has delivered him from to instead focus upon the blessing that God has brought him into. David has seen the Lord take him from the promise to the pit to the palace. His heart is moved by the knowledge of God’s love and compassion that is the driving force behind God’s dealings with him. “He crowns my life, he satisfies my desires!” There is such a thanksgiving reflected in these words. David understands with a heart of gratefulness the things that the Lord has done for him. This is reason to praise! Expect that God will place a crown of his compassion upon your head. Lift up your desires before Him and don’t forget the benefits that come from placing our lives in His hand. Praise him with the remembrance of what He has done and keep your eyes on Him in every circumstance.
Praise the Lord and don’t forget! There is power in praise that not only brings pleasure to the Lord but also to shape the human heart. In Psalm 103 the psalmist is calling God’s people to praise the Lord but he attaches a very significant context to it. “As you praise, don’t forget all that the Lord is to us!” When a believer lifts their voice in praise their own heart is strengthened. As we consider the great things the Lord has done, worshipping Him because of His manifold blessings our own hearts are refreshed and enlarged. In any relationship it is easy to lose sight of the good attributes of that relationship during the hard times. The power of praise is that it helps to direct our perspective. It keeps our point of view attached to the good things that the Lord has done and will do for us.
King David is writing this psalm of praise and reflecting on the multitude of benefits that come with serving the Lord. His remembrance reflects both on what God does and the impact that this has upon the life of the believer. David is an imperfect King with a heart that is passionate for God and this makes for a powerful opportunity for the Lord to demonstrate His kindness and mercy. David has failed many times, sinned with another man’s wife, experienced sickness, witnessed God’s hand of judgment upon His people, rejoiced in the triumph of battle, tasted bitter persecution from the hand of those who should have loved him and so much more. In all of this David has been well seasoned and knows the presence of God as a lifelong experience. Because of this he speaks from a depth of personal experience as he calls to us saying “forget none of God’s benefits.”
It is no accident that the first benefit that David extols is God’s willingness to forgive. David knows his own history of failures and divine discipline as a result his heart is deeply impacted by the mercy that he has received from God’s hand. He does not stop with forgiveness however which is the snare of so many Christians. For many who believe in the Lord their enjoyment of God revolves around His forgiveness alone to the neglect of the multitude of other benefits that come with knowing the Lord. With forgiveness comes healing as a parallel attribute that every believer needs. But even this is not the conclusion of what God has provided for us. David celebrates God’s divine intervention in his life circumstances. He has spent years on the run, living in caves, hiding in a foreign land, struggling to survive and it is from the remembrance of this season that he can confidently say that the Lord “redeems your life from the pit.” Even more so, the Lord is not content to merely remove the negative from our lives. God does not stop at deliverance. With God there is impartation!
David transitions the nature of his praise in verse 4. He shifts his attention from what God has delivered him from to instead focus upon the blessing that God has brought him into. David has seen the Lord take him from the promise to the pit to the palace. His heart is moved by the knowledge of God’s love and compassion that is the driving force behind God’s dealings with him. “He crowns my life, he satisfies my desires!” There is such a thanksgiving reflected in these words. David understands with a heart of gratefulness the things that the Lord has done for him. This is reason to praise! Expect that God will place a crown of his compassion upon your head. Lift up your desires before Him and don’t forget the benefits that come from placing our lives in His hand. Praise him with the remembrance of what He has done and keep your eyes on Him in every circumstance.
Tuesday
Psalm 102:18-22 - October 6, 2009
Ps 102:18-22 "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: 19 "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." 21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem 22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD." NIV
Psalm 102:18-22 presents another stirring glimpse into the nature of God’s ways. We serve an eternal God whose dealings with man span from generation to generation. Verse 18 of this Psalm points us to the impact that this reality has on how He thinks and deals with man. The authors of today write to tell a story or to attempt to impact their own generation but in this passage we see God inspiring the thoughts of this anointed author with a desire to write for a future generation, a people not yet created. Can you conceive of writing for the sake of those who haven’t even been born yet? This passage identifies the fact that we were on God’s mind thousands of years before we even walked the face of the earth.
Throughout the pages of scripture this principle can be seen. God inspired men from the time of King David to write with an inspired pen, to pray from an inspired heart in such a way that it would be recorded and preserved so that its message would still be speaking to us thousands of years later. This is a profound understanding when we consider that God was preparing for us millennium before we were born. The understanding of this principle also compels us to consider that if this is true what was the goal of this communication? What message was God preparing for us all those years ago and what did He seek to produce in the hearts of succeeding generations? The answer to this question teaches us something about God. “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:” The answer is clear. God desires praise and so He has recorded His awesome deeds so that man may always remember His power and His goodness and by this testimony be inspired to
praise Him.
The second aspect of this passage is equally stirring as it provokes us to thought. The very fact that God would consider a particular deed of His worthy of emphatically recording for future generations also requires us to ask “what about the deeds of God is so important that He emphasizes that ‘this is being recorded for future generations?’” To understand this concept is to receive a rich insight into the heart of God. Those things that God chooses to emphasize about Himself should be received with utmost reverence by the heart of man. In other words, “if it matters to God, it should matter to us!"
So what it is that is so highly reverenced by the Lord? What has God done that He considers worthy of eternal remembrance and as cause for praise? "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." The answer is simple and simply wonderful: MERCY! God is a merciful God and He has seen fit to establish this fact as a central motivation for man to praise Him. He is watching over the needy of the earth and He will answer their cries. This is the truth that He wants remembered and this is cause for praise! Jeremiah captured this revelation of the Lord’s heart so eloquently in Jer 9:23-24 where he wrote “This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD” NIV. God is looking for a people who will understand and know that He is a God who delights in mercy. Let this be how men from all generations remember the goodness of the Lord.
Psalm 102:18-22 presents another stirring glimpse into the nature of God’s ways. We serve an eternal God whose dealings with man span from generation to generation. Verse 18 of this Psalm points us to the impact that this reality has on how He thinks and deals with man. The authors of today write to tell a story or to attempt to impact their own generation but in this passage we see God inspiring the thoughts of this anointed author with a desire to write for a future generation, a people not yet created. Can you conceive of writing for the sake of those who haven’t even been born yet? This passage identifies the fact that we were on God’s mind thousands of years before we even walked the face of the earth.
Throughout the pages of scripture this principle can be seen. God inspired men from the time of King David to write with an inspired pen, to pray from an inspired heart in such a way that it would be recorded and preserved so that its message would still be speaking to us thousands of years later. This is a profound understanding when we consider that God was preparing for us millennium before we were born. The understanding of this principle also compels us to consider that if this is true what was the goal of this communication? What message was God preparing for us all those years ago and what did He seek to produce in the hearts of succeeding generations? The answer to this question teaches us something about God. “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:” The answer is clear. God desires praise and so He has recorded His awesome deeds so that man may always remember His power and His goodness and by this testimony be inspired to
praise Him.
The second aspect of this passage is equally stirring as it provokes us to thought. The very fact that God would consider a particular deed of His worthy of emphatically recording for future generations also requires us to ask “what about the deeds of God is so important that He emphasizes that ‘this is being recorded for future generations?’” To understand this concept is to receive a rich insight into the heart of God. Those things that God chooses to emphasize about Himself should be received with utmost reverence by the heart of man. In other words, “if it matters to God, it should matter to us!"
So what it is that is so highly reverenced by the Lord? What has God done that He considers worthy of eternal remembrance and as cause for praise? "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." The answer is simple and simply wonderful: MERCY! God is a merciful God and He has seen fit to establish this fact as a central motivation for man to praise Him. He is watching over the needy of the earth and He will answer their cries. This is the truth that He wants remembered and this is cause for praise! Jeremiah captured this revelation of the Lord’s heart so eloquently in Jer 9:23-24 where he wrote “This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD” NIV. God is looking for a people who will understand and know that He is a God who delights in mercy. Let this be how men from all generations remember the goodness of the Lord.
Monday
Psalm 102:12-17 - October 5, 2009
Ps 102:12-17 "But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. 13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. 14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. 15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. 16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. 17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea." NIV
Within this passage there is a wealth of thought provoking truth. Verse 12 begins with a reminder of the eternal glory of God. “Your renown endures through all generations.” Truly our God has done such great and mighty deeds that for all of recorded history and for every generation that is to come His deeds will be remembered. Many people do significant things that are remembered for a season. People praise the bravery, wisdom or the wonder of what was done but after a few years no one remembers, no one tells the story any more. One of the powerful realities about the Almighty God is that the deeds that He has done are universally remembered in the nations of the earth from one generation to another. Movies have been made, songs written, dramas created all to tell the stories of glory! Truly God is famous for all generations!
One of the priceless realities of God is that He has not just left us a book full of stories to read and remember what He has done in some previous generation. The story of God continues to be written today. In every nation of the earth God is still at work today calling men to himself, and raising up a testimony for His glory. This passage draws our attention to one of the principles of his ageless involvement in the lives of men. Verse 13 draws our attention to the reality that in God there are times and seasons. He moves in every generation as He sees fit and in response to the prayerful obedience of His people. He watches over us and is attentive to our cry and at the “appointed time” He rises up to act and deliver, heal or revive. It is important that we not lose sight of God’s timing in regard to our lives. He allows trials to continue for a season as He refines, purifies and develops character but then the time to act comes. The favor of God is only a moment away and when the favor of God comes the walls of resistance come tumbling down. That which was inconceivable in one moment is gloriously manifest in the very next moment. Consider the time of Isaiah when he told the king as they were besieged by their enemies and were running out of supplies that by the same time tomorrow the famine would be completely broken. Some scoffed but the time of God’s favor had come and complete deliverance
came forth.
God in His wisdom is an artful orchestrator of the affairs of men. He knew perfectly how to deliver the people of God in such a way that no man could take the glory. By delivering so dramatically He not only delivers His people and builds up their confidence but His fame in the earth is increased and the peoples who serve other Gods are caused to tremble in awe of His mighty acts! The work of God is advanced every time He performs a miraculous deliverance in response to the prayers of His people. It is so important during our difficult times that we turn to God in our trials not away from Him in our pain. God will come! God will move! His timing may stretch out faith but there is an appointed time of favor that we must not lose sight of as we walk with Him. Call upon the Lord and He WILL answer!
Within this passage there is a wealth of thought provoking truth. Verse 12 begins with a reminder of the eternal glory of God. “Your renown endures through all generations.” Truly our God has done such great and mighty deeds that for all of recorded history and for every generation that is to come His deeds will be remembered. Many people do significant things that are remembered for a season. People praise the bravery, wisdom or the wonder of what was done but after a few years no one remembers, no one tells the story any more. One of the powerful realities about the Almighty God is that the deeds that He has done are universally remembered in the nations of the earth from one generation to another. Movies have been made, songs written, dramas created all to tell the stories of glory! Truly God is famous for all generations!
One of the priceless realities of God is that He has not just left us a book full of stories to read and remember what He has done in some previous generation. The story of God continues to be written today. In every nation of the earth God is still at work today calling men to himself, and raising up a testimony for His glory. This passage draws our attention to one of the principles of his ageless involvement in the lives of men. Verse 13 draws our attention to the reality that in God there are times and seasons. He moves in every generation as He sees fit and in response to the prayerful obedience of His people. He watches over us and is attentive to our cry and at the “appointed time” He rises up to act and deliver, heal or revive. It is important that we not lose sight of God’s timing in regard to our lives. He allows trials to continue for a season as He refines, purifies and develops character but then the time to act comes. The favor of God is only a moment away and when the favor of God comes the walls of resistance come tumbling down. That which was inconceivable in one moment is gloriously manifest in the very next moment. Consider the time of Isaiah when he told the king as they were besieged by their enemies and were running out of supplies that by the same time tomorrow the famine would be completely broken. Some scoffed but the time of God’s favor had come and complete deliverance
came forth.
God in His wisdom is an artful orchestrator of the affairs of men. He knew perfectly how to deliver the people of God in such a way that no man could take the glory. By delivering so dramatically He not only delivers His people and builds up their confidence but His fame in the earth is increased and the peoples who serve other Gods are caused to tremble in awe of His mighty acts! The work of God is advanced every time He performs a miraculous deliverance in response to the prayers of His people. It is so important during our difficult times that we turn to God in our trials not away from Him in our pain. God will come! God will move! His timing may stretch out faith but there is an appointed time of favor that we must not lose sight of as we walk with Him. Call upon the Lord and He WILL answer!
Sunday
Psalm 101:6-8 - October 4, 2009
Ps 101:6-8 "My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. 7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. 8 Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD." NIV
These are the decisions of a righteous leader. This Psalm is written by King David during the time of his reign and is a powerful reflection of the holiness of heart that empowered his godly leadership of the nation of Israel. There is tremendous leadership wisdom found in verses 6-8. David is searching for a particular kind of individual. Where are the faithful in the land? This is the cry of his heart as he seeks to surround himself with the right kind of people. David understands the importance of surrounding yourself with people who reflect your heart and your values and so he is looking for the faithful and the blameless. He has made a decision that it is these ones who will find favor under his rule.
Many times people who are in authority make the mistake of promoting people into positions of power and influence solely based upon their gifts and talents. This is a tragic mistake and too often enables people of low character to spread their unclean influence throughout the setting in which they have been placed. David demonstrates his discerning heart in this passage as he defines the standard of his kingdom. “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house…” This principle alone would eliminate a significant portion of the public officials serving on every level of government today. David is unwilling to build his house upon talent alone. He has chosen character and holiness of heart as the standards of his kingdom. This is the foundation of good leadership. Pick good people and put them in places of power and influences and let their character earn the trust of the people and provide a secure and unified setting for the development of the vision that God has given.
David continues his declaration of intent not only by describing the character of those who will serve him but by clearly defining one of his primary goals as a leader. “Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.” David is not only committed to building a strong, character filled team of people around him, he has set his heart on driving wickedness out of the land. One of the significant aspects of this determination is the approach he declares, “Every morning…” David sets an example of a disciplined approach to reaching his goal. He understands that a standard such as this will require constant attention and persevering determination and so he makes this declaration before the Lord to work daily towards this goal of eliminating wickedness from the land. This is noble in and of itself but it is also a powerful example of the heart that is needed to reach any significant goal in our rolls as leaders. Set high goals, surround yourself with people of integrity and holiness of heart and apply a disciplined plan to the mission that God has placed in front of you and you will build in such a way that will both endure and prosper.
These are the decisions of a righteous leader. This Psalm is written by King David during the time of his reign and is a powerful reflection of the holiness of heart that empowered his godly leadership of the nation of Israel. There is tremendous leadership wisdom found in verses 6-8. David is searching for a particular kind of individual. Where are the faithful in the land? This is the cry of his heart as he seeks to surround himself with the right kind of people. David understands the importance of surrounding yourself with people who reflect your heart and your values and so he is looking for the faithful and the blameless. He has made a decision that it is these ones who will find favor under his rule.
Many times people who are in authority make the mistake of promoting people into positions of power and influence solely based upon their gifts and talents. This is a tragic mistake and too often enables people of low character to spread their unclean influence throughout the setting in which they have been placed. David demonstrates his discerning heart in this passage as he defines the standard of his kingdom. “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house…” This principle alone would eliminate a significant portion of the public officials serving on every level of government today. David is unwilling to build his house upon talent alone. He has chosen character and holiness of heart as the standards of his kingdom. This is the foundation of good leadership. Pick good people and put them in places of power and influences and let their character earn the trust of the people and provide a secure and unified setting for the development of the vision that God has given.
David continues his declaration of intent not only by describing the character of those who will serve him but by clearly defining one of his primary goals as a leader. “Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.” David is not only committed to building a strong, character filled team of people around him, he has set his heart on driving wickedness out of the land. One of the significant aspects of this determination is the approach he declares, “Every morning…” David sets an example of a disciplined approach to reaching his goal. He understands that a standard such as this will require constant attention and persevering determination and so he makes this declaration before the Lord to work daily towards this goal of eliminating wickedness from the land. This is noble in and of itself but it is also a powerful example of the heart that is needed to reach any significant goal in our rolls as leaders. Set high goals, surround yourself with people of integrity and holiness of heart and apply a disciplined plan to the mission that God has placed in front of you and you will build in such a way that will both endure and prosper.
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