David prays for help                                            verse 1- 2 

Unto YOU will I cry – O LORD my rock

be not silent to me – lest – IF YOU be silent to me

      I become like them that go down into the pit

Hear the voice of my supplications – when I cry unto YOU

when I lift up my hands toward YOUR holy oracle 

David prays that the wicked are judged              verse 3- 5 

Draw me not away with the wicked

and with the workers of iniquity

which speak peace to their neighbors

but mischief is in their hearts

give them according to their deeds

and according to the wickedness of their endeavors

give them after the work of their hands

Render to them their desert

BECAUSE they regard not the works of the LORD

nor the operation of HIS hands

HE shall destroy them

and not build them up 

David thankful for answered prayer                   verse 6- 7 

Blessed be the LORD

BECAUSE HE has heard the voice of my supplications

      the LORD is my strength and my shield

my heart TRUSTED in HIM

and I am HELPED

THEREFORE my heart greatly rejoices

and with my song will I praise HIM 

David wants the LORD to bless HIS people        verse 8- 9 

The LORD is their strength

and HE is the saving strength of HIS anointed

Save YOUR people – bless YOUR inheritance

feed them also – and lift them up for ever

 

COMMENTARY:           

 

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

           

: 2        Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto YOU, when I life up my hands toward YOUR holy oracle. (1687 “oracle” [d@bar] means the holy of holies, the innermost room of the temple, or most holy place)

DEVOTION:   David prayed toward the temple in Jerusalem. The holy of holies was a place that the high priest only entered once a year on the Day of Atonement. He first sprinkled blood for his own sins and then for the sins of the people of Israel.

If anyone entered this place besides the high priest, they died. If the high priest entered on any other day, he died. If the High Priest entered with sin in his heart, he died. There were bells on the bottom of the High Priest’s garments. He had a rope tied around his leg and if the other priests didn’t hear the bells ringing they would pull him out by the rope. It was an awesome responsibility for the High Priest. Christ is our High Priest now!!!

David had a healthy reverence for the place where the presence of the LORD was apparent. David is praising the LORD for answered prayer. He is glad that the LORD hears his supplications. He realizes that the LORD is his strength and shield against all enemies. He trusted the LORD and HE helped him.

Today, the Holy Spirit lives within those who are Biblical Christians. Our bodies are called the temple of God. God’s presence is within us. When we pray we need to remember how CLOSE the LORD really is to us. HE can’t get much CLOSER. We need to remember to praise the LORD for HIS answered prayers in our lives. HE is working a work in us today.

Remember the formula, ACTS. We are to first express adoration for the LORD. Secondly, we are to confess our sins. Third we need to be thankful for all the LORD has done for us. Then finally, we are to bring our supplications to HIM. These supplications should especially be for growth in fellow believers and salvation for those who do not believe. Just asking for what we think we need should not be our primary concern. Others should be. Praise HIS name!!

CHALLENGE: Telling the LORD what to do is not a prayer. It is not showing respect for HIM. It is us thinking that we are more important them HIM. It is expressing the belief that HE needs us. It is us who need HIM!!!) 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 3        Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. (7462 “mischief” [ra’ah] means evil, wickedness, depravity, disaster, the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice, bad, misery, or wrongdoing)

DEVOTION: There are people who enjoy causing other people heartache and trouble. They enjoy seeing those who want to follow the LORD fail. They enjoy giving Christians a hard time just because they are Christians.

Those who are believers need to not give them ammunition for their comments but sometimes they don’t need any because they can make up something and others will believe them.

However, Christians do sin ((I know it is a shocker) but it is true. We do things that displease the LORD. It might not be a regular as other sinners but we are sinners who need to confess our sins to the LORD and at times to those we hurt in this life.

The fact is that genuine Christians DON’T like to sin but they do at times anyway. Sometimes it is on purpose and others they are not thinking about what they are saying or doing to other people.

David doesn’t want to act like those who want to speak and do things that hurt his fellow believers or even those who are not believers. He wants the LORD to handle those who are not believers. He wants to be at peace with his neighbors genuinely.

As believer we are suppose to be a witness to those who are without Christ in their life. We are to try to keep the communication open, so that, we can witness when the Holy Spirit gives us an opportunity.

CHALLENGE: We need to watch who we allow into our lives that we don’t join those who are not genuine followers of the LORD in their comments about those who are genuine believers.

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 : 6        Blessed be the LORD, because HE has heard the voice of my supplications. (8469 “supplications” [tachanuwn] means pleading, a humble request for help or mercy form someone in authority, prayer, entreaties, a petition as a request for kindness, or intreaty)

DEVOTION:  It is a joy for those who are genuine believers to know that the LORD hears our prayers. We sometimes wonder because that is in our human nature to think those thoughts because we don’t see God and sometimes HE takes HIS time in answering our prayer requests.

However, the Bible tells us and shows us that the LORD does answer the prayers of Old Testament and New Testament saints and because that truth is taught throughout the Bible we believe it to be true of us as well.

David is thanking the LORD for hearing his prayers. We also need to regularly thank the LORD for hearing our prayers. We especially need to thank HIM when HE answers our prayers.

Too often we pray and either don’t expect an answer or when we receive an answer it is not what we really wanted. This shouldn’t happen.

We need to thank HIM for listening to us and only giving us what HE thinks is best for us at that time. HE may answer in a different way in the future but we still need to have a thankful attitude.

When was the last time you “blessed” the LORD? We want HIM to bless us but here we see David blessing HIM. We need to be a thankful people ALL the time.

CHALLENGE: Can we genuinely say that we are a thankful people to each other and to the LORD? Are we blessing HIM like David?

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

:7   “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart                        greatly rejoiceth; And with my song will I praise him.” (“Shield,” 4043 מָגֵן [magen], shield, buckler                                [Strong, J.  (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software])

DEVOTION:  This is an imprecatory psalm, where David asks God to protect him from his enemies.  The theme of the psalm is trust in God’s protection, and the shield is the metaphor for the protection that God provides.  The shield is a defensive weapon, and the idea of God as being one’s (invisible) shield creates the impression of an impregnable defense (Psalm 3:3).  The closest thing we have today is the windshield on our car.

The shield was designed to defend the one who carried it from two things—arrows (often having been dipped in pitch and set on fire; hence, fiery arrows) and swords.  Paul mentions that we are involved in spiritual warfare with the forces of the evil one, and that the counterpart to the fiery arrows of Satan is our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).  So we need to strengthen our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as an antidote to the attacks against our faith that will come.

The shield also protected against attacks by the sword by absorbing the blows and deflecting them.  These are the false teachings which come from within the church, and these are to be countered by the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  So we need to constantly read and meditate on the Word of God and hide it in our hearts so that we will be able to oppose false teaching that some who call themselves “believers” in Jesus Christ try to confuse people in the church with.

We need to be sure that we are using God’s shield of protection, and not resting on our own defenses.  We are not capable of resisting Satan alone, but are only able to do so as we rely on God.

CHALLENGE:  Resistance and fighting the attacks of Satan are truly necessary.  Are you asking God to protect you as you carry out His ministry? (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)

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:8         “The LORD is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.” The New King James Version                             (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). (refuge 4581 מָעֹוז, מָעֹוזֶן [maʿowz, maʿuwz, maʿoz, maʿuz/maw·oze/]                            n m. From 5810; TWOT 1578a; GK 5057 and 5058; 37 occurrences; AV translates as “strength” 24 times,                          “strong” four times, “fortress” three times, “hold” twice, “forces” once, “fort” once, “rock”  once, and                                   “strengthen” once. 1 place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold. 1A place of safety,                                      fastness, harbour, stronghold. 1B refuge (of God) (fig.). 1C human protection (fig.). James                                                  Strong,Enhanced \Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software,  2001).

DEVOTION:   A psalm of David where he expresses conviction that the Lord would distinguish him from the wicked when He (the Lord) overthrows them and would preserve him (David) from his distress. As David prays, he is asking that the Lord hear him, spare him and save him from the impending judgment of the wicked. How confident are you that the Lord knows His own and can distinguish you from the wicked of this world? (Read Matthew 13:24-30)

In this verse (8) David reaffirms his place in the Lord and states that He is a fortress and a protection to those who are His anointed. Do you know that you are anointed and blessed of the Lord? If you have received Christ as your Savior then the anointing of the Spirit is upon you. Romans 8:14-17 states that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

CHALLENGE:  When fear threatens to make you uncertain go to the word and encircle yourself with the strength of His promises just as David did so long ago. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)

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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) 

David’s prayer                                                           verse 1- 5, 8, 9

Supplication                                                               verse 2, 6

David cries to Him                                                    verse 2

Lifts up his hands in prayer                                     verse 2

Give wicked according to their deeds                     verse 4

Bless the LORD                                                        verse 6

LORD heard prayers                                                verse 6 

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group) 

          Holy oracle                                                                 verse 2

            Sings praises to the LORD                                       verse 7 

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead) 

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)   verse 1, 5- 8

Rock                                                                           verse 1

Works of the LORD                                                 verse 5

LORD shall destroy                                                  verse 5

LORD is blessed by HIS people                               verse 6
LORD hears supplications of HIS people              verse 6

LORD is David’s strength                                        verse 8 

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)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation) 

Wicked                                                                       verse 3

 Workers of iniquity                                                  verse 3

Neighbor                                                                    verse 3 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels) 

                   Iniquity                                                                       verse 3

                        Falsely speak peace                                                   verse 3

Mischief                                                                      verse 3

Wickedness                                                                verse 4

Not regard works of the LORD                                  verse 5

Nor regard operations of LORD’S hands                   verse 5 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Cry                                                                             verse 1, 2

Voice of supplications                                               verse 2, 6

Regard works of the LORD                                     verse 5

Bless the LORD                                                        verse 6

Heard prayers                                                           verse 6

Strength                                                                     verse 7, 8

Shield                                                                          verse 7

Trust                                                                           verse 7

Help                                                                            verse 7

Rejoice                                                                        verse 7

Praise                                                                          verse 7

Anointed                                                                    verse 8

Save                                                                            verse 9

Inheritance                                                                 verse 9

Feed                                                                            verse 9 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

      Psalm of David                                                          verse 1

                  David cries to the LORD

                  LORD is his rock

                  Doesn’t want the LORD to be silent

                  Heard prayers

                  LORD is his strength

                  LORD is his shield

                  Trusts in the LORD

                  Greatly rejoices in the help of the LORD

                  Sings praises to the LORD

                  LORD gives him strength

                  Anointed of God

                  Wants LORD to save HIS people

                  Wants LORD to bless HIS people                

 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events) 

      David wants LORD to lift up HIS people forever verse 9

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DONATIONS:

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QUOTES regarding passage

Ver. 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, &c.] Neither the work of creation, as if there was no first cause of all things; nor the work of Providence, taking no notice either of the judgments or of the mercies of God; as though they believed that God had forsaken the earth, and would do neither good nor evil; and still less the work of redemption, which in covenant, promise, and prophecy, was appointed for the Messiah to work out; and as for the work of the Spirit of God upon the soul, they had no notion of that, of the nature and necessity of it; the things of the Spirit of God being foolishness to them, and undiscernible by them; see Isa. 5:12. Perhaps the psalmist may have some regard to his being anointed by Samuel, according to the will of God, and to the victory which he obtained over Goliath, and over others, which justly gained him great esteem among some, and created envy in others; and also the wonderful protection of him from time to time; the Chaldee paraphrase is, because they do not understand the law of the Lord. It follows, nor the operation of his hands; in which his hand was so very apparent, that nothing less could be said than that this was the finger of God; wherefore, he shall destroy them, and not build them up; that is, they shall be irrecoverably lost; they shall be punished with everlasting destruction; there will be no help or remedy for them: some understand this as a prayer, that God would destroy them in such a manner, and render it, let him destroy them, &c.. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 646). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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Even worse than consignment to the will of the wicked, which was the fear of 27:12, is consignment with them to the disgrace they have earned. This was the miscarriage of justice feared in 26:9f., and while the figure there depicts a clearing away of rubbish, here it suggests the dragging of prisoners away to punishment. Nothing stings so sharply as injustice, and nothing should; so these verses are not simply vindictive, but put into words the protest of any healthy conscience at the wrongs of the present order, and the conviction that a day of judgment is a moral necessity. It is in this sense that God’s elect ‘cry to him day and night’, and find his wrath already kindled (Luke 18:7). See also on Psalm 10, and on 7:6–16. More fully, see Introduction, 5, pp. 39–47. (Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 140). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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IV. He foretels their destruction for their contempt of God and his hand (v. 5): “Because they regard not the works of the Lord and the operations of his hands, by which he manifests himself and speaks to the children of men, he will destroy them in this world and in the other, and not build them up.” Note, A stupid regardlessness of the works of God is the cause of their ruin. Why do men question the being or attributes of God, but because they do not duly regard his handiworks, which declare his glory, and in which the invisible things of him are clearly seen? Why do men forget God, and live without him, nay, affront God, and live in rebellion against him, but because they consider not the instances of that wrath of his which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men? Why do the enemies of God’s people hate and persecute them, and devise mischief against them, but because they regard not the works God has wrought for his church, by which he has made it appear how dear it is to him? See Isa. 5:12.

In singing this we must arm ourselves against all temptations to join with the workers of iniquity, and animate ourselves against all the troubles we may be threatened with by the workers of iniquity. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (pp. 780–781). Peabody: Hendrickson.)

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28:5–8. In addressing the congregation, the psalmist confidently expressed his anticipation that the Lord would answer his prayer: the wicked will be over-thrown permanently. Because the wicked disregard the works of the Lord, they will be destroyed. This prompted words of praise … to the Lord: (a) because He … heard David’s prayer (v. 6; cf. v. 2); (b) because He was David’s Strength (cf. v. 8; 22:19; 46:1; 59:9, 17; 81:1; 118:14) and Shield (cf. comments on 3:3) in that the Lord enabled him to escape the schemes of the wicked so that he could rejoice in the Lord (v. 7); and (c) because the Lord saves His people (cf. 18:2) and like a fortress defends His king (His anointed one, 28:8). The fact that the Lord showed Himself to be His people’s Savior prompted praise from them. (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. 815). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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David felt like a dead man whose body was in the tomb and whose soul was in sheol, the realm of the departed (22:20; 30:9; 88:4; 143:7). He also felt like a criminal who was being dragged away with the wicked to be executed (vv. 3–5). They were hypocrites, but he was speaking the truth. They had no regard for the words and works of the Lord, but David was a servant of God who worshiped Him faithfully. According to God’s covenant with Israel, David’s idolatrous enemies should have been judged and condemned, but the Lord was doing nothing. How could God treat His anointed king like a criminal? But we should remind ourselves that the Father allowed His own Son to be unjustly treated like a common criminal (Isa. 53:7–8, 12; Luke 22:37). David’s prayer was not an expression of personal revenge but a call for God to fulfill His covenant and bring righteousness and peace into the land. “Let them reap what they have sown,” was his request. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 111–112). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)

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4–5. In these verses, as indeed in most of the imprecatory passages, the imperative and the future are used promiscuously; “Give them—render them—he shall destroy them.” If, therefore, the verbs in all such passages were uniformly rendered in the future, every objection against the Scripture imprecations would vanish at once, and they would appear clearly to be what they are, namely, prophecies of the divine judgments, which have been since executed against the Jews, and which will be executed against all the enemies of Jehovah and his Christ, whom neither the “works “of creation, nor those of redemption, can lead to repentance. (Horne, G. (1856). A Commentary on the Book of Psalms (p. 122). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.)

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5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. This is a foretelling that cannot fail. A God-inspired prayer is as sure of an answer as a God-inspired prediction is of fulfilment. It made the case of these men more dreadful, that they despised divine judgments. Providences, however benignant or terrible, did not affect them. They were far gone in sin, Jer. 5:3. (Plumer, W. S. (1872). Studies in the Book of Psalms: Being a Critical and Expository Commentary, with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks on the Entire Psalter (p. 364). Philadelphia; Edinburgh: J. B. Lippincott Company; A & C Black.)

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5. “Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands.” God works in creation—nature teems with proofs of his wisdom and goodness, yet purblind atheists refuse to see him: he works in providence, ruling and overruling, and his hand is very manifest in human history, yet the infidel will not discern him: he works in grace—remarkable conversions are still met with on all hands, yet the ungodly refuse to see the operations of the Lord. Where angels wonder, carnal men despise. God condescends to teach, and man refuses to learn. “He shall destroy them:” he will make them “behold, and wonder, and perish.” If they would not see the hand of judgment upon others, they shall feel it upon themselves. Both soul and body shall be overwhelmed with utter destruction for ever and ever. “And not build them up.” God’s curse is positive and negative; his sword has two edges, and cuts right and left. Their heritage of evil shall prevent the ungodly receiving any good; the ephah shall be too full of wrath to contain a grain of hope. They have become like old, rotten, decayed houses of timber, useless to the owner, and harbouring all manner of evil, and, therefore, the Great Builder will demolish them utterly. Incorrigible offenders may expect speedy destruction: they who will not mend, shall be thrown away as worthless. Let us be very attentive to all the lessons of God’s word and work, lest being found disobedient to the divine will, we be made to suffer the divine wrath. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 27-57 (Vol. 2, pp. 21–22). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)

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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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THE TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES

…built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Ephesians 2:20

John’s whole purpose in writing his first epistle was to say to the early Christians, “Hold on to what I and the other apostles have told you.” You remember how he began. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1-2). He is referring to the apostles, and he says that he writes these things so that these Christians “may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:3). Who are they? They are still the apostles.

Now this is something that is absolutely primary and fundamental. The claim of the New Testament is that it alone is authoritative in these matters. It teaches us that the apostles and prophets were the people to whom God, through the Holy Spirit, had revealed spiritual truth, and He meant them to teach it and to write it. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:20 that the Christian church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” All teaching must derive from them, and so you have this extraordinary claim in the New Testament. These men claimed a unique authority.

Listen to the apostle Paul putting it again in writing to the Galatians; he uses strong language like this: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (1:8). “What egotism!” says someone. No, it is not egotism; it is the claim of a man who has been commissioned by God. God has set him apart; God has given him the revelation. And he goes on to argue in so many of his letters that what he preached was also the message that was preached by the other apostles. This apostle and all the apostles did not hesitate to say that they exhorted these people to test every teaching by their teaching. And you and I are still committed to the same position.

A Thought to Ponder
The apostles and prophets were the people to whom God revealed spiritual truth.
            (From The Love of God, pp. 30-31, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).

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ENTHUSIASM

Quench not the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 
A characteristic of dead orthodoxy is a dislike of enthusiasm. If you like it in more biblical terms, I could put it like this: It is to be guilty of quenching the Spirit. To dislike enthusiasm is to quench the Spirit. Those who are familiar with the history of the church, and in particular with the history of revivals, will know that this charge of enthusiasm is the one that has always been brought against people who have been most active in a period of revival. 
This has been a common accusation throughout history. Read, for instance, the stories of the men of the eighteenth century. A charge that George Whitefield constantly had to answer and rebuff at the hand of bishops was this charge of enthusiasm. They said, “Look here, we’re not objecting so much to your doctrine; it is the way you are preaching it, it is the way you are doing it.” John Wesley was constantly charged in the same way, even by his own mother, Susannah Wesley. Why could he not preach like everybody else? What was he so excited about? Why all this disturbance? Susannah Wesley was a very godly woman, but she could not understand this son of hers, who suddenly had become an enthusiast. One of the things that comes out very clearly as you read the literature of the eighteenth century in terms of the Christian church is that this charge was constantly brought forward. 
So, then, we must look at this subject because clearly this opposition to what is called enthusiasm can be one of the greatest hindrances to revival. And it is the particular danger of people who are in a state of dead orthodoxy. As I understand the matter, there are two great principles laid down in the New Testament for our help and guidance. The first principle is that everything must be done “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). But there is another statement: “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). 
A Thought to Ponder: To dislike enthusiasm is to quench the Spirit. (From Revival, pp. 72-73, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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                                        The Jesus Label

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Colossians 3:17

“Son, I don’t have much to give you. But I do have a good name, so don’t mess it up.” Those wise, weighty words were uttered by Johnnie Bettis as his son Jerome left home for college. Jerome quoted his father in his American Professional Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech. These sage words that Jerome has carried with him throughout his life have been so influential that he closed his riveting speech with similar words to his own son. “Son, there’s not much that I can give you that’s more important than our good name.”

A good name is vital for believers in Jesus. Paul’s words in Colossians 3:12–17 remind us who it is that we represent (v. 17). Character is like the clothing that we wear; and this passage puts the “Jesus label” of clothing on display: “As God’s chosen people . . . clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another. . . . And over all these virtues put on love” (vv. 12–14). These aren’t just our “Sunday clothes.” We’re to wear them everywhere, all the time, as God works in us to reflect Him. When our lives are characterized by these qualities, we demonstrate that we have His name.

May we prayerfully and carefully represent Him as He provides what we need.

                   (By Arthur Jackson, Our Daily Bread)

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God Does Not Author Evil
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:13-14)
One of the often-used excuses for rejecting the God of the Bible is if God is omnipotent (as the Bible teaches), and since evil exists in the world (as everyone can see), then God must be the author of evil or incapable of preventing it. Either way, such reasoning insists, that kind of God is not worthy of worship.
If that logic were accurate, then most of the foundational truths of Scripture should be rejected. The Bible insists that the whole of reality was initially “very good” (Genesis 1:31) but was quickly marred by Lucifer’s lie and Adam’s rebellion (Genesis 3:14-17). The thrice-holy God (Isaiah 6:3) has no pleasure in wickedness (Psalm 5:4), does not tempt any man with evil (James 1:13), and loves righteousness and hates wickedness (Psalm 45:7).
God does not cause evil. The Archenemy, Satan, is the father of untruth (John 8:44) and was the source of the deception of Eve (2 Corinthians 11:3) and the rebellion of Adam that brought sin and death into the creation (Romans 5:12).
The most precise description of the all-consuming character of the Creator God is that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). There can be no impurity or inconsistency within the nature of the Godhead. The holy separateness of the Creator is such that no thing, no concept, no act, no thought can ever cause a break within the absolute light of our eternal God. (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)

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Your New Purpose
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” (Ephesians 4:1)
We are called “out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Our calling is identified as heavenly (Hebrews 3:1) and upward (Philippians 3:14), and we are told that “the called” (Romans 1:6) are called “according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). But we are also told to “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). There is much in Scripture about our calling, and although the calling is God’s work and prerogative, we are expected to “add to [our] faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
We are “called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). That is, the purpose for which we have been invited by God to become one of His chosen is to be holy! Everything in our lifestyle should center on the fact that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Other aspects of our calling are the results of that holy character that should be the ever-controlling dominant factor in our lives.
The specifically cited traits in this context are attitudes of lowliness (seePhilippians 2:1-3) and meekness (see Colossians 3:12-17), all the while “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). A summary of this calling is found in Paul’s closing comment to the Corinthian church: “Be perfect [complete], be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)

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