PSALM 18
David praises LORD as his protector verse 1- 3
I will love YOU – O LORD – my strength
the LORD is my rock – fortress – deliverer – God – strength
in WHOM I will trust
my buckler – and the horn of my salvation – my high tower
I will call on the LORD – WHO is worthy to be praised
so shall I be saved from mine enemies
David prayed for help and the LORD heard him verse 4- 6
The sorrow of death compassed me
the floods of ungodly men made me afraid
the sorrows of hell compassed me about
the snares of death prevented me
In my distress I called on the LORD – and cried to my God
HE heard my voice out of HIS temple
and my cry came before HIM
even into HIS ears
David proclaimed the power of the LORD verse 7- 15
THEN the earth shook and trembled
the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken
because HE was wroth
There went up smoke out of HIS nostrils
and fire out of HIS mouth devoured
coals were kindled by it
HE bowed the heavens also – and came down
and darkness was under HIS feet
HE rode on a cherub – and did fly – YEA
HE did fly upon the wings of the wind
HE made darkness HIS secret place
HIS pavilion round about HIM were dark waters
and think clouds of the skies
At the brightness that was before HIM HIS thick clouds passed
hail stones and coals of fire
the LORD also thundered in the heavens
and the Highest gave HIS voice
hail stones and coals of fire
YEA – HE sent out HIS arrows – and scattered them
HE shot out lightning – and discomfited them
THEN the channels of waters were seen
and the foundations of the world
were discovered at YOUR rebuke
O LORD – at the blast of the breath of YOUR nostrils
David proclaimed his innocence before the LORD verse 16-24
HE sent from above – HE took me – HE drew me out of many waters
HE delivered me from my strong enemy
and from them which hated me
for they were too strong for me
they prevented me in the day of my calamity
BUT the LORD was my stay
HE brought me forth also into the large place
HE delivered me – because HE delighted in me
the LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness
according to the cleanness of my hands has HE
recompensed me
For I have kept the way of the LORD
and have not wickedly departed from my God
for all HIS judgments were before me
and I did not put away HIS statutes from me
I was also upright before HIM
and I kept myself from mine iniquity
THEREFORE hath the LORD recompensed me according
to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands
in HIS eyesight
David contrasted those whom the LORD blesses verse 25- 29
With the merciful YOU will show YOURSELF merciful
with an upright man YOU will show YOURSELF upright
with the pure YOU will show YOURSELF pure
with the forward YOU will show YOURSELF forward
For YOU will save the afflicted people
but will bring down high looks
For YOU will light my candle
the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness
for by YOU I have run through a troop
and by my God have I leaped over a wall
David claims the LORD’S promises verse 30- 36
As for God – HIS way is perfect – the word of the LORD is tried
HE is a buckler to all those that trust in HIM
For who is God save the LORD? OR WHO is a rock save our God?
It is God that girds me with strength – and makes my way perfect
HE makes my feet like hinds’ feet
and sets me upon my high places
HE teaches my hand to war
so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms
YOU have also given me the shield of YOUR salvation
YOUR right hand has held me up
YOUR gentleness has made me great
YOU have enlarged my steps under me – that my feet did not slip
David enjoys victory over his enemies verse 37- 45
I have pursued mine enemies – and overtaken them
neither did I turn again till they were consumed
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise
they are fallen under my feet
FOR YOU have girded me with strength to the battle
YOU have subdued under me those that rose up against me
YOU have also given me the necks of mine enemies
that I might destroy them that hate me
They cried – BUT there was none to save them – even to the LORD
BUT HE answered them not
then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind
I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets
YOU have delivered me from the strivings of the people
YOU have made me the head of the heathen
a people whom I have not known shall serve me
as soon as they hear of me – they shall obey me
the stranger shall submit themselves to me
the stranger shall fade away
and be afraid out of their close places
David worships the LORD verse 46- 50
The LORD lives – and blessed be my rock
and let the God of my salvation be exalted
It is God that avenges me – and subdues the people under me
HE delivers me from mine enemies – YEA
YOU lift me up above those that rise up against me
YOU have delivered me from the violent man
THEREFORE will I give thanks unto YOU – O LORD
among the heathen – and sing praises to YOUR name
Great deliverance gives HE to HIS king
and shows mercy to HIS anointed
to David – and to his seed forevermore
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (4043 “buckler” [magen] means shield, defense, shield, ornament, protection, a small defensive frame used to block blows or other forms of attack or refuge.)
DEVOTION: When we think of the LORD we should think like David about the LORD being the one who has a shield around us to help us fight off the temptation of the world, the flesh and the devil.
He was being hit on every side by those who should have been his helpers but they turned out to be those who thought they didn’t need him as king or as their protector. He was the one that the LORD picked to lead the nation but the nation was not good at following him.
This is true today as well. It is hard to find people to lead as pastors or teachers but even when they are found there is always those who think they could do a better job or just wanted to criticize those in leadership.
David had to look to the LORD for his shield against all those who wanted to attack him for one reason or another. It seems that there is not any shortage of those who think they can do a better job than those in leadership.
It has not stopped in any generation and will not stop until the LORD returns for those who are HIIS genuine followers.
God doesn’t want us to have a critical spirit regarding HE selects for leadership. We should be those who support those that are leading the best we can with our prayers and offer of assistance.
Most leaders do feel like David, in that, they know that the LORD is their only ROCK they can count on through thick and thin while they try to serve HIM to the best of their ability.
If you are in a place of being a follower of a leader please be sure that you are praying for them as they lead. Also write a note of encouragement once in a while as they might need it with because of all those who seem to enjoy being like those around David.
Leadership is not easy but only a few are called of God to lead and others are called to support those HE calls into leadership.
CHALLENGE: If you are a leader pray for those who are followers. If you are a follower pray for those HE wants to lead. Thank you.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He
heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” (7674 I. צָרַר (ṣā·rǎr): v.; ≡ Str 3334, 6887; TWOT 1973, 1974—1. LN 79.118–79.119 (qal) wrap up, i.e., enclose an object with a cover (Job 26:8; Pr 30:4+); (qal pass.) wrapped, (Ex 12:34; 1Sa 25:29+), note: in some contexts this can refer to being in a secure position, out of danger; 2. LN 18.12–18.23 (qal) bind up, tie up, i.e., fasten an object (Pr 26:8; Isa 8:16+); 3. LN 22.21–22.28 (qal) oppress, i.e., cause trouble to another (Am 5:12; Hos 4:19+); (hif) bring trouble, distress, oppress (2Ch 28:20; Ne 9:27; Jer 10:18; Zep 1:17+); 4. LN 22.15–22.20 (qal) be in distress, i.e., be in a state of intense trouble (Ge 32:8[EB 7]; Jdg 2:15; 10:9; 1Sa 30:6; 2Sa 13:2; Job 20:22+); (hif) be in distress (2Ch 28:22; 33:12+); 5. LN 37.108–37.110 (qal pass.) James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
DEVOTION: Our society is surrounding us with a multitude of issues and events that cause most individuals to be fearful! From the terrorists attacks in France to the violent killings that occur daily on our city streets to the senseless beatings that occur behind doors closed to the public. Violence, fear and death surround us in the daily news that streams into our homes through the television and computer screens. If you live in St. Louis the events there are troubling, in New York City fear and distrust abounds and for some it is as close as the next room. The psalmist states that these realities made him afraid (v.4) and in his distress he called out (v.6). The meaning of distress has the implication of being chained or restricted! But the psalmist says, “and He heard my voice.”
CHALLENGE: When fear and terror causes you to feel bound and restricted to the point of helplessness do what the psalmist does here and cry out to the Lord! It will go to His ears and be heard! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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: 17 HE delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated
me: for they were too strong for me. (5337 “delivered” [natsal] means to save oneself, to free from harm or evil and in some cases from imprisonment, snatch away, be rescued, or escape.)
DEVOTION: David had many enemies both on the outside of the nation and on the inside. This is true today even of those in leadership in a local church or Biblical school of higher education.
There is always someone who thinks they can do a better job than those the LORD has put in leadership. We know that some in leadership that were not picked by the LORD from our perspective but we need to let the LORD handle those.
The LORD is the one that David counted on to help him with those in the nation that gave him a hard time. He wanted to be faithful to the LORD. It would have been good if the LORD made those HE picked for leadership sinless but that is not the case.
Only Jesus was sinless and HE was accused of sinning by the “spiritual” leaders of the nation of Israel. So, if Jesus was accused we need to realize that if we are chosen for leadership we are going to be accused because we are sinner saved by grace to continue to sin while we are here on this earth. There is not a leader in any church or Bible college or Seminary that is sinless. IF this is true and it is then there will always be people like those who criticized David in our world and in our churches and in our Biblical schools. It has not stopped and will not stop until the LORD returns for HIS own.
However, leaders can go to the LORD and ask HIM to take care of those who are not being fair to them. HE is able to help and give peace to each leader who calls on HIM. HE is also able to remove the critics.
We have to be like David if we are in leadership and allow the LORD to deal with those who have a critical attitude. HE will do it. HE also knows what we need and what we can handle in the ministry.
CHALLENGE: If you are in leadership be like David and praise the LORD when HE delivers you from someone who is giving you a hard time. HIS timing is always perfect. HE also knows that we can grow during these times.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:26 “With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; And with the froward you
wilt show yourself froward.” (Froward, 6617 תָּפַל [pathal], to twist, to be
twisted.)
DEVOTION: David here contrasts two perceptions of God. God HIMSELF remains immutable (unchangeable—Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8). Yet one’s experience and perception of God can change, and tends to reflect the character of the one who is describing HIM. That means that we tend to make God in our own image, and that is what has led to the proliferation of idols.
So, God may be perceived as merciful, upright, and/or pure (verses 25-26), based on the man that is describing HIM. When we are seeking out these characteristics (which are the fruit of the Spirit), we will tend to see God as manifesting these qualities toward us. When we simply seek out our own advantage and power, then we will think that this is the way God is, and that it is okay for us to be this way.
One of the powers of God’s Word, then, is to correct our perception of God, for it is in HIS Word that we find out what God is truly like (as HE has chosen to reveal HIMSELF to us). Often, this is the exact opposite of what we might think or like (such as HIM showing mercy to the ungrateful, for example—Luke 6:35-36). Only by our spending much time in HIS Word can we know what HE is truly like.
We also constantly need to be on guard against the temptation to see God as twisted or forward. In other words, we need to watch out for trying to make God approve of our own wrongful actions based on our rationalization. This is a constant temptation in our culture, which makes self the priority and tells people “if it feels good, do it.” This is nothing more than simply getting rid of moral absolutes in order to make oneself feel good, and the result is that we try and think that God allows us to do this.
What area of your life are you in need of God’s correction about? What do you
need to do in order to become more like HIM?
CHALLENGE: Let’s all stay in HIS Word this year and learn more about what HE is really like. (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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: 41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. (6030 “answered”[anah] means respond, testify, shout, to respond as a witness or speak.)
DEVOTION: David is singing. He is singing praises to the LORD. He is thankful to the LORD for his deliverance from his enemies.
He called upon the LORD and he heard his request for deliverance and saved him from trouble. He was willing to thank the LORD for his deliverance. He prayed and the LORD responded with HIS presence in the battle.
This song describes the power of the LORD. Too often people seem to limit God. They think HE is weak. They think that HE can’t do everything. There God is too small. David’s God is big. He trusts HIM. He counts HIM a ROCK.
This is a song of David after deliverance from King Saul. This was his fellow countryman trying to kill him. He had worked in his court. He had defeated the giant in front of him. He had befriended his son, Jonathan. However, all this just caused Saul to become angry and gave him the desire to kill him.
We find that sometimes, even people in our family are against what we stand for in our relationship to the LORD. David had a good relationship with the LORD. His enemies tried to pray to the LORD for help but the LORD would not answer them.
Can the chosen of God be on two ends of a battle? Can both pray for victory? The answer is YES. Saul was out of fellowship with God but still tried praying to HIM. David prayed and the LORD answered his prayer. We need to discern our relationship with the LORD before we pray. We need to pray on the right side of a battle. David was expressing his confidence in the LORD being his ROCK. The LORD was his fortress, deliverer and strength. When we go to battle it is the LORD who trains us how to fight. We are to depend on HIM to win our battles. HE has won the war!!! We need to be able to pray with confidence that the LORD is on our side.
Remember to keep short accounts with the LORD. The New Testament tells us that if a husband is fighting with his wife the LORD will not hear his prayer. The LORD wants proper relationships in our marriages, churches and nation.
CHALLENGE: Prayer and meditation on the Word of God are how the LORD gives us directions. Listen to HIM!!! HE is still a powerful God!!! Sing praises to HIM.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Call upon the LORD verse 3, 6
LORD heard prayer verse 6
Cry verse 6
Called in distress verse 6
God heard prayer verse 6
Enemies of believers prayers not answered verse 41
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
| Temple | verse 6 |
| Give thanks | verse 49 |
| Sing praises | verse 49 |
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Judgments verse 22
Statutes verse 22
Word of the LORD verse 30
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1- 3, 6, 13, 15,
18, 20, 21, 24,
28, 30, 31, 41,
46, 49
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 2, 6, 21, 28-32,
46, 47
Rock verse 2, 31, 46
Fortress verse 2
Deliverer verse 2 , 17, 19, 48
Buckler verse 2
Horn of David’s salvation verse 2
High tower verse 2
Worthy to be praised verse 3
Wrath of God verse 7
Fire out of HIS mouth verse 8
Darkness HIS secret place verse 9- 11
Highest verse 13
HIS arrows verse 14
Stay verse 18
Ways of the LORD verse 21
Judgments verse 22
Recompenses righteousness verse 23, 24
Merciful verse 25
Upright verse 25
Pure verse 26
Save afflicted people verse 27
LORD my God verse 28
Enlighten believers verse 28
Strength for believers verse 29
HIS way is perfect verse 30
Word of the LORD verse 30
Buckler to those who trust in HIM verse 30
Makes believers way perfect verse 32
Sets believers on high places verse 33
Gentleness verse 35
Not answer prayers of enemies of believers verse 41
Lives verse 46
Rock verse 46
Avenger of believers verse 47
Subdues people under believers verse 47
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Cherub verse 10
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Enemies verse 3, 17, 48
Ungodly men verse 4
Afflicted verse 27
Enemies of believers prayers not answered verse 41
Heathen verse 43, 49
Strangers verse 44
Violent man verse 48
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Enemy of righteous verse 3, 17
Ungodly men verse 4
Hate of believers verse 17
Wickedly departing from God verse 21
Iniquity verse 23
Forward verse 26
Proud [high looks] verse 27
Enemies verse 36, 37
Hate beleivers verse 40
Heathen verse 43, 49
Violent men verse 48
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Love verse 1
Strength verse 1, 2, 18, 32, 39
Delivered verse 2, 17, 19, 43, 48
50
Trust verse 2, 30
Salvation verse 2, 3, 27, 35, 46
Call verse 3, 6
Praise verse 3
Delighted in verse 19
Rewards verse 20
Righteousness verse 20, 24
Cleanness of hands verse 20, 24
Recompensed verse 20, 24
Keep the way of the LORD verse 21
Obedience to law of the LORD verse 22
Upright verse 23, 25
Kept self from iniquity verse 23
Mercy verse 25, 50
Pure verse 26
Girded with strength verse 32
Set in high places by God verse 33
Teach verse 34
Shield of salvation given by God verse 35
Gentleness verse 35
Enlarged given verse 36
Not slip verse 36
Girded with strength verse 39
Subdued enemies verse 39
Given enemies verse 40
Head of the heathen verse 43
Strangers will submit verse 44
Thanks verse 49
Sing verse 49
Anointed verse 50
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
David Prelude –
Servant of the LROD
Writer of this song
Written on a day when the LORD gave
deliverance from an enemy
Promises to love the LORD his strength
Trusted in the LORD
Afraid of ungodly men
In distress he called on the LORD
LORD was his deliverer
Day of calamity
LORD is his rock
Exalt God of my salvation
Anointed
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Hell verse 5
Death verse 5
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QUOTES regarding passage
16–19. After the enormous scale of the theophany, the close personal concern of this climax is striking. The display of power terminates not in a sweeping gesture but in action at the point of need. He reached (16), rather than ‘sent’ (av, rv), since the ambiguity of the phrase is resolved by 144:7, where it is God’s hand, not his messenger, that is put forth (lit. ‘sent’) in a similar context. And if verse 16 matches the metaphor of the ‘torrents’ (4), the broad place of verse 19 answers that of the ‘distress’, i.e. straits, of verse 6. In God’s hands, absolute power (cf. the theophany) serves the ends of perfect freedom. (Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 110). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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18:16–19. In these verses David explained that by such an intervention the Lord rescued him. It was as if David were drowning in the midst of his strong enemies, and the Lord drew him out.… because He delighted in him (vv. 16, 19).
Such a dramatic portrayal of divine intervention suggests similarities with the giving of the Law (Ex. 19:16–18). Similar events are recorded in Joshua 10:11; Judges 5:20; and 1 Samuel 7:10. Descriptions like this are also frequent in prophetic visions of divine intervention (e.g., Isa. 29:6; 30:27; 64:1; Hab. 3:3–4). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 806). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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All because David called on the Lord! (v. 6). At just the right time, God reached down and delivered David (vv. 16–19). Like Moses, he was drawn out of the water (Ex. 2:10). The enemy fell in defeat, but David stood firm, supported by the Lord (23:4). He was now king of Israel. Ten years of exile were ended, his life had been spared, and his ministry lay before him. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., p. 74). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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18:16–19 His sheer power, exhibited so dramatically in vv. 7–15, is now amazingly attested as coming to rescue the psalmist personally. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 18:16–19). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity, &c.] Referring to the times of his distress in the garden and upon the cross; the time of his sufferings and death, which was a dark and cloudy day, as the word used suggests, both in a literal and in a spiritual sense; and when the day and hour was come, fixed and determined by the will of God, then his enemies, though not before, met him, laid hold on him, were too mighty for him, condemned, crucified, and insulted him. But the Lord was my stay; or staff, on whom he leaned, relied, and depended, believing he would help him; and by whom he was supported and upheld, Isa. 42:1 and 50:7, 8, 9 and 49:7, 8. The Targum is, “the Word of the Lord was my stay.” (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 595). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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18. It was an ill day, a day of calamity, of which evil foes took cruel advantage while they used crafty means utterly to ruin him, yet David could say, “but the Lord is my stay.” What a blessed but which cuts the Gordian knot, and slays the hundred-headed hydra! There is no fear of deliverance when our stay is in Jehovah. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 1-26 (Vol. 1, p. 241). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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18–19. Oh! how very precious are these expressions, read with an eye to Christ. The predictions of the Prophets of the Old Testament Scripture, from the Spirit of Christ which was in them, were all directed to those two grand branches in the life of Jesus, of his sufferings which were first to take place, and then of the glory, which should follow. Hence we find, for the most part, these distinct views, as in these verses so in many other places, beautifully blended together. 1 Pet. 1:11. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, p. 214). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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Triumphing Over the Tomb (18:16–19)
“He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy … He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.” Death was the strong enemy, the strong man armed that kept fast his goods. Death had met its match in Jesus! Let the Romans seal the tomb and post their armed guard! God raised Him from the dead and sent His angels to fling open the tomb in defiance of priest and procurator alike—not to let Christ out but to prove that He was gone! So much for the Rejected Prophet. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 1, Ps 18:16–19). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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19 (18). They will encounter me in the day of my calamity; and Jehovah has been for a stay to me. The first clause seems to express a belief that his trials from this quarter are not ended, while the other apppeals to past deliverances as a ground of confidence that God will still sustain him. Most interpreters, however, make the future and preterite forms of this verse perfectly equivalent. “They encountered me in the day of my calamity, and the Lord was for a stay to me.” As to the meaning of the first verb, see above, on ver. 6 (5). It is not improbable that David here alludes to his sufferings in early life when fleeing before Saul; see above on ver. 3 (2). (Alexander, J. A. (1864). The Psalms Translated and Explained (p. 79). Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot; James Thin.)
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18:7–19 The Lord’s Marvelous Rescue. This vivid picture allows readers to imagine God in his heavenly fortress suddenly taking notice of David’s need and hastening to bring aid. The images shift quickly: v. 8 speaks of God responding to David’s danger as if he were an angry dragon, while vv. 10–15 picture his coming as if it were by way of a raging thunderstorm. David portrays his rescue (vv. 16–19) as if his enemies were swirling waters about to drown him, from which God plucked him and set him on a broad place, ground that is high and dry (v. 19). (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 958). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Christ is the image of the invisible God and the Head of the church.
INSIGHT
On the surface, it is pretty difficult to explain why you believe in God. No one has seen Him face-to-face, touched Him, or smelled Him, yet His fingerprints are everywhere. You must get beneath the surface where the intangible becomes tangible. God is made visible through Jesus Christ. Paul writes that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15). If you want to know about God, learn about Jesus. If you want to see God, look at Jesus. If you want to please God, follow Jesus. He is God in the flesh! (Quiet Walk)
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WHAT IS PRAYER?
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1 John 3:19
What is prayer? Well, I cannot think of a better way of describing it than these two words that we have at the end of 1 John 3:19: “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” That is prayer; prayer is coming before Him. Now we are always in the presence of God—“in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28)—and we are always under His eye. But prayer is something still more special. Prayer is having a special audience and going immediately and directly to Him—“before him.” Prayer is something in which we turn our back upon everything else, excluding everything else, while, for the time being, we find ourselves face to face with God alone. There is a sense in which one cannot expound it further; it is just that.
We have to realize that is exactly and precisely what we do when we pray. Obviously, therefore, in a sense the most vital thing in prayer is the realization that we are before Him. And you will find that the saints have always talked a great deal about this. That is he difficulty; thoughts will keep on obtruding themselves, and our imaginations will wander all over the world, and certain ideas and proposals and wants and needs will intrude. But all that must be dismissed, and we must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. “Before him.”
Now, says John, this whole question of brotherly love is of importance because of that. It is when you come there, when you are before Him, that you begin to realize the importance of what you are doing with the rest of your life and with the rest of your time. It is when you come there that you begin to see the relevance of this.
A Thought to Ponder: We must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God.
(From Children of God, p. 122, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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One Day as a Thousand Years
“Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
It is sad that many Christians today are so eager to appear intellectual they are willing to compromise God’s clear revelation to do so. God has made it as clear as plain words could make it that “in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is” (Exodus 20:11). Yet because evolutionary “science” has alleged that the earth is billions of years old, multitudes of evangelicals have fallen in line, rejecting God’s plain statement of fact and then trying to find some interpretive loophole to hide behind.
Our text verse is perhaps the key verse of the so-called “progressive creationists” who try to correlate the days of creation in Genesis with the supposed 4.6 billion-year system of evolutionary geological ages by citing Peter as agreeing that “one day is a thousand years.”
No, Peter is saying that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years”! That is, God can do in one day what might, by natural processes, take a thousand years. In context, the apostle is condemning the last-day uniformitarians (those who teach that “all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation”) as “willingly ignorant” of the tremendous significance of the historical facts of creation and the Flood (2 Peter 3:3-6). Real written records only go back a few thousand years, and to attempt to calculate any date before that requires use of a premise that, in context, the Scriptures have just condemned! God says the uniformitarians are willingly ignorant and then urges those who believe His Word to “be not ignorant.” The only way we can know the date and duration of creation is for God to tell us, and He says He made all of heaven and Earth in six days, and not so long ago! (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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So, we sit down to have a board meeting. What are we going to do to stir ourselves up? Who can we get? Where will we look? We forget that all the time Jehovah is present. “I am Jehovah shammah; I am in the midst of you. Why don’t you talk to me?” No, we don’t ask Him. “I am your banner of victory.” But we say, “I just wonder how much it will cost?” How much does a revival cost? Absolutely nothing and absolutely everything-that is how much it will cost. It will cost not one dime, and it will cost everything we have. You cannot import it by flying someone in from New Zealand. How many of these blessed preachers have come in from Ireland and England? They did some big things over there, we heard, so we flew them in and they never got anywhere. I never saw anything result from trying to import God. He does not fly over in a jet. He says, “I am Jehovah; I am with you. I am where you are; I am here now. Call on me.” (Rut, Rot or Revival: A W. Tozer, The Condition of the Church, 158-159.)
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INSIGHT
David is indeed an outstanding individual. As a teenager, he is known to be “skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him” (v. 18). In each of these things, David is not just lucky. David works hard at all the things for which he is known, including the fact that “the Lord is with him.”
Each of us has been given talents and abilities. Like David, if we are to achieve our God-given potential, we must be slaves to the things that advance those abilities.
PRAYER
· Offer your praise to the Lord that we are the objects of His tender mercies and powerful leading.
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Genetic Complainers?
BY BARBARA RAINEY
Do all things without grumbling or disputing. PHILIPPIANS 2:14
One thing we disciplined our children for was complaining. I’m not saying we did it perfectly. It seems there’s a genetic disposition in our family to gripe and display an ungrateful attitude over just about anything. It is our job as parents to make sure these discontented tyrants, who masquerade as our children, aren’t allowed to demand that things always go their way. Even at the dinner table. I can remember when our kids would whine about what had been set before them. Dennis and I would say, “I know you don’t like it, but I expect you to eat one bite. After that, you don’t have to eat any more, but you can’t go scavenging in the kitchen for something else.” (I assure you, it won’t hurt an average child to skip a meal and be a little hungry the next morning.)
Sometimes, we’d save the untouched plate in the fridge and serve it again later. They weren’t allowed to eat anything else until they’d disposed of what they’d earlier refused. And we wouldn’t let them have dessert unless they’d finished their dinner serving. We had a large family, and Dennis used to say to them, “Your mom is not a short-order cook for six demanding customers.” Part of teaching our six kids respect and gratitude was giving them the opportunity to eat what I had worked hard to prepare. After all, children are growing up in a world that comes with limitations. They won’t always be able to “have it their way.” As parents, we do them no favors by letting them be the center of their universe when God has tasked us with the responsibility of training them to become His servants. A missed meal might just teach them to appreciate what is set before them. But developing a spirit of complaining will cost them dearly their whole lives.
DISCUSS
How much complaining do you do? Your children? Discuss how you will address this issue the next time it rears its ugly head.
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TRUE AND FALSE HAPPINESS
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6
Man under the influence of alcohol may feel perfectly happy for the time being, but the question is, has he solved his problems? To place happiness before health and to regard it as the supreme good is to be guilty of a fundamental fallacy in the matter of standards.
Such unthinking procedure includes also the fallacy of failing to see that ultimately happiness depends upon health and is something that results from health. Any other type of happiness is negative and dependent only upon the absence of conditions that prevent happiness. However much we may strive to lessen our unhappiness, while there is disease, there can be no true happiness. Nothing is so fallacious, therefore, and so fatal to true happiness as to make ease and happiness ends in and of themselves.
When our Lord said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6), he did not say that they would be happy who hungered and thirsted after happiness. The blessedness, the happiness, the joy is something that will result from our seeking righteousness and from our becoming righteous. It is a by-product, an end-result. We are not to place blessedness or happiness in the supreme position. We are to seek righteousness, and, having found it, we shall then find ourselves to be happy and filled with blessedness.
What ultimately accounts for the failure of the false prophet to think clearly is the fact that he is deliberately determined to defend himself and to think well of himself. Pride is the root cause of the trouble. The view of the false prophet starts with the postulate that whatever else may be the cause of the troubles in life, it is not man himself.
A Thought to Ponder: The blessedness, the happiness, the joy is something that will result from our seeking righteousness and from our becoming righteous.
From Truth Unchanged, Unchanging, pp. 48-50,
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What Is Sin
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)
The Bible warns that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). These are strange days, however, and there are many “that call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Who is to say what is right and wrong, when even our U.S. Supreme Court implies that there are no absolutes?
God is the one who defines sin because it is He who will judge sin. The definition is multifaceted, for sin takes many forms. Most basically, as our text says, sin is the transgression of the law—not just certain laws but all of God’s law. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
But there must be more than just formal obedience to God’s commands, for “all unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17). Furthermore, there are sins of omission as well as sins of commission. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
When there is no specific law or command to guide our actions in a particular situation, the principle to follow is that of faith—that is, the confident inward assurance that we are doing that which honors the Lord, for “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).
There is much more that could be noted, but it is clear that no one could ever measure up even to these demands, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All of us deserve the wages of sin, “but God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Now “the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. . . . Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:21-22). HMM
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