PSALM 49
Psalmist wants people to listen verse 1- 4
Hear this all you people – give ear – all you inhabitants of the world
both low and high – rich and poor – together
My mouth shall speak of wisdom
and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding
I will incline mine ear to a parable
I will open my dark saying on the harp
Psalmist warns to not trust in wealth verse 5- 9
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil
when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
They that trust in their wealth
and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches
none of them can by any means redeem his brother
nor give to God a ransom for him
(for the redemption of their soul is precious and it cease forever)
that he should still live for ever
and not see corruption
Psalmist warns that all will die verse 10- 13
For HE sees that wise men die
likewise the fool and the brutish person perish
and leave their wealth to others
their inward thought is that
their houses shall continue forever
and their dwelling places to all generations
they call their lands after their own names
Nevertheless man being in honor abide not
he is like the beasts that perish
this their way is their folly
yet their posterity approve their saying
SELAH
Psalmist believes God will redeem him verse 14- 15
Like sheep they are laid in the grave – death shall feed on them
and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning
and their beauty shall consume in the grave
from their dwelling
BUT God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave
for HE shall receive me SELAH
Psalmist wants all to understand death verse 16- 20
Be not you afraid when one is made rich
when the glory of his house is increased
for when he dies he shall carry nothing away
his glory shall not descend after him
though while he lived he blessed his soul
and men will praise you – when you do well to yourself
he shall go to the generation of his fathers
they shall never see light
Man that is in honor – and UNDERSTANDS not
is like the beasts that perish
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:4 “I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
Dark saying – 2420 חִידָה [chiydah /khee·daw/] n f. From 2330; TWOT 616a; GK 2648; 17 occurrences; AV translates as “riddle” nine times, “dark sayings” three times, “hard question” twice, “dark sentence” once, “proverb” once, and “dark speech” once. 1 riddle, difficult question, parable, enigmatic saying or question, perplexing saying or question. 1A riddle (dark obscure utterance). 1B riddle, enigma (to be guessed). 1C perplexing questions (difficult). 1D double dealing (with ‘havin’). James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: This psalm is a wisdom poem, dealing with the age-old problem of the prosperity of the wicked (cf. Ps. 73). The poet called his work a dark saying (riddle, 49:4) that is worth analyzing. The psalmist called the world to listen to his saying. All people, rich and poor alike (the subject of the psalm), should hear his wisdom. He explained that his words, though wise, would be dark, that is, they would be like a riddle in that discernment and understanding are necessary for perception. (Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 830.)
Indeed, many of life’s mysteries require spiritual perception. The riddle of life and death has puzzled many over the years, causing them to ask and to seek many avenues for answers. Why do the wicked prosper in this life and the righteous seem to suffer and have needs? Why is the redemption of souls so costly and the entrance into to heaven so narrow? The answers to these riddles lie in the pages of the Scripture and the truth is revealed by the author Himself. Have you taken time to study the truths of Scripture?
CHALLENGE: Take time this weekend to find all the mysteries that Paul refers to in his writings! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of
their riches. (1984 “boast” [halal] means to show off verbally, to make
a show, the insolent, brag, improper confidence, or so be haughty.)
DEVOTION: We have all met people who think that because they have wealth they are better than others. It is something to watch as they show up to events and think that everyone should just seem to bow down to them.
An attitude where people think more of their wealth than they think of people is not pleasing to the LORD. HE wants those who seem to be blessed with wealth to share their wealth with others when there is a genuine need.
Those who are believers need to realize that the LORD gives them wealth to serve HIM and help others. Those who are not believers seem to think that they are better than others and they need to serve them.
Money can be a blessing or a curse. Those who are believers need to make sure that their trust is in the LORD alone and thank HIM that they have opportunities to help others who have genuine needs.
There should be NO showing off by those who are wealthy to others but a genuine attitude of thankfulness to the LORD for blessing them with the ability to help others and use their money to advance the kingdom of God.
CHALLENGE: God doesn’t give everyone wealth because HE knows who can handle it and those who can’t. Trust HIM with whatever you have. No bragging allowed.
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: 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. (7130 “inward” [qereb] means inner part, as seat of thought and emotion, the inner part of a person as a place of thoughts and feelings and conscience understood as the entrails.)
DEVOTION: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he; is a statement that we have heard and read many times when we are studying the nature of man. He is a produce of this thought life. He has to make sure that what he thinks is right in the eyes of the LORD.
Too often there are a feeling even in the thoughts of a believer that he deserves a good life and that the LORD will give it to him.
This is not what always happens. Those who are blessed with wealth have to make sure that they check their thinking often. It is not right to always think that the LORD will bless you because you are blessed in the present.
Remember the life of Job. He had everything or at least it seemed like he had everything and then he lost it all. He lost his children. He lost his wealth. He lost his health. His wife told him to curse God and die.
He went from seeming to having everything to having nothing. His thought life was important at this time period in his life. He didn’t listen to his wife who told him to curse God. He did come to God for answers but God was not giving them quickly to him. He had “friends” who wanted to give him wrong advice.
He did have his thinking right and the LORD blessed him again. Our thought life is something that we need to turn over to the LORD on a regular basis. Satan wants us to think wrong all the time. He want those who are believer to doubt God and HIS provision when things are not going as we think they should.
Our thought life has to be governed by the Word of God and prayer. If we are going through a bad time we need to genuinely pray to the LORD for help and wait on HIM to provide what HE thinks we need. What HE thinks we need and what we think we need are two different things at times.
Trusting in the LORD no matter what our present circumstances is where the LORD wants us to be at all times. HE will give us strength to face whatever HE allows in our life.
CHALLENGE: Never trust in things but always trust in the LORD. Our thought life is every important to our growth in the LORD!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah (3027 “power” [yad] means hand, direction, means, control, an open hand, or draw with strength.)
DEVOTION: All people die. This is a fact of life. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor you are going to die. No one can take anything with them to the grave. Even if they try it will just rot in the grave.
The Psalmist is dealing with a problem. Some rich people seem to think that they can take their wealth with them in death. Some think that they will be remembered for generations if they place their name on their property. They are only thinking of the here and now and not eternity.
The Creator of the universe will redeem or buy back those who are HIS children. Adam and Eve committed sin and in that sin cause all mankind to be sinners. Sinners need to be redeemed. The redeemer is Christ. The Old Testament saints looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. With the sacrifice of Christ death has lost its control over those who are believers.
This psalm deals with dependence on wealth. The contrast is made between those who trust in wealth or money and those who trust in the LORD. The rich think that they can buy their way into heaven. Does this mean that all rich people are going to be left out of heaven? NO! Some rich people don’t trust in their money, they use it to serve the LORD. Some of us can’t be trusted with a lot of money because the LORD knows we would trust in it instead of HIM. HE knows what we can take.
To some the temptation of wealth is too much. The Psalmist knows that God will redeem his soul from the grave and receive him up to heaven. The LORD is going to collect HIS saints one day. It may be soon!!! Those left in the grave, after the upright are taken, will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
CHALLENGE: Enjoy the wealth that the LORD gives you but trust in the LORD. Use your wealth for HIS glory, that way you will be storing up riches in heaven.
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:17 “For when he dies he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not
descend after him.” (“Nothing,” 3605 כֹּל [kol], 1 all, the whole. 1a all, the whole of. 1b any, each, every, anything. 1c totality, everything. [Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software]).
DEVOTION: This psalm was written to describe the foolishness of trusting in one’s wealth and possessions. Not only can one not redeem his soul by his own money (verse 7-8), but life passes quickly (verse 12) and no one takes anything with him when he dies (verses 10 and 17). Still mankind is deceived by the glitter of earthly possessions, and so is without understanding (verse 20).
The word translated “nothing” here is actually a combination of a negative particle (“no”) and “everything” in the Hebrew. So the idea of leaving everything behind when one dies is actually strengthened in the Hebrew expression. We bring nothing into the world and take nothing out of it (Job 1:21).
However, our tendency is to cling to things in this life. One of the reasons we do so is to have the assurance that we will have enough to provide for our “tomorrow.” The other reason is because we are taught from childhood that wealth is desirable, and that we should try to get more than others. Greed and covetousness become the enemies of contentment.
When we stop and realize that on the day we die (which we do not choose ourselves) we will take nothing with us, it is sobering. God’s plan is for us to be generous with our money while we are alive on this earth. This requires that we are constantly seeking God’s will regarding how we use it.
CHALLENGE: Are you holding onto anything so tightly that God has to pry your fingers open in order for you to release it? What is God asking you to let go of today? Remember that none of your possessions will follow you into eternity! (Dr. Marc Wooten – 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)
Meditation verse 3
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)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 7, 15
God will redeem soul verse 15
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)
All inhabitants of the world verse 1, 16
Low and high
Rich and poor
Redeem a brother verse 7
Wise men verse 10
Fool verse 10
Brutish person verse 10
Man is like beasts that perish verse 12
Glory of house increased verse 16
Men praise each other verse 18
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Fear verse 5
Evil verse 5
Iniquity verse 5
Trust in wealth verse 6
Boast in wealth verse 6
Fool verse 10
Brutish person verse 10
Wrong inner thought verse 11
Folly verse 13
Lack of understanding verse 20
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Hear verse 1
Wisdom verse 2
Meditation verse 3
Understanding verse 3, 20
Redeem verse 7, 8, 15
Ransom verse 7
Redemption of soul verse 8
Upright verse 14
Received of God verse 15
Not afraid verse 16
Honor verse 20
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Psalm of the sons of Korah verse 1- 20
Parable
Open dark saying on a harp
Days of evil
Wealth left to others
When you do well men shall praise you
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
See corruption verse 9
Death verse 10, 14, 17
Grave verse 14, 15
Nothing goes with you at death verse 17
Nevers see light = some verse 19
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QUOTES regarding passage
49:1–4. The psalmist called the world to listen to his saying. All people, rich and poor alike (the subject of the psalm), should hear his wisdom. He explained that his words, though wise, would be dark, that is, they would be like a riddle in that discernment and understanding are necessary for perception. Indeed, many of life’s difficulties require spiritual perception to forestall despair. (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. 830). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The psalmist had a message for everybody in the world, the important people and the nobodies, the rich and the poor (vv. 1–2). The word “world” is the translation of an unusual Hebrew word that means “the total human scene, the whole sphere of passing life,” not unlike “world” in 1 John 2:15–17. The writer spoke from his heart (v. 3; see 45:1) the wisdom and understanding that the Lord gave him, and he dealt with an enigma that only the Lord could explain (v. 4). The enigma was life itself and its puzzling relationship to the distribution of wealth and the power that wealth brings. How should believers respond when they see the rich get richer? Should they be afraid that the wealthy will abuse the poor? Should they be impressed by the wealth that others possess and seek to imitate them? The writer gives us three reminders to help us keep our perspective in a world obsessed with wealth and the power it brings. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 180–181). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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This psalm draws on themes used extensively in Ecclesiastes. Among these are the transitory nature of life (Eccl. 3:18–21) and the limitations of learning and wealth (Eccl. 2:15–16; 5:8–17). Psalm 49:15 is a clear promise of the resurrection. (Garrett, D. A. (1998). The Poetic and Wisdom Books. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary (p. 225). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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1–4 The preface calleth to the hearer for attention, faith, and affection to this excellent mystery which he is to deliver unto all men, concerning the blessedness of the believer above all other men in the world. Whence learn, 1. A prepared and sanctified ear is necessary for heavenly doctrine, and people had great need to be stirred up to take knowledge of the excellency of it; hear this, all ye people, give ear. 2. The doctrine of salvation, of faith, and of consolation against sin and misery, concerneth all people in the world to know; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor, together. 3. That is true wisdom and understanding, which maketh men wise unto salvation, and which maketh them truly blessed in this life; and this wisdom is not the birth of man’s brain, but is revealed in the word of the Lord, delivered to his church by the holy men of God in holy scripture; my mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. 4. As it is necessary for the preacher’s encouragement to believe what he preacheth; so is it a great inducement to the people to hear God’s word from him who speaketh God’s word, because he believeth and subjecteth his spirit to the Lord’s word, as the prophet doth here; I will incline my ears to a parable. 5. The doctrine of true blessedness, and the mystery of man’s salvation manifested in the Scripture, far transcendeth the carnal wisdom of the world; the excellency of the gospel unto the natural man, is a parable and dark saying: I will declare my dark saying on the harp. 6. How dark and difficult soever the mystery of the gospel be to the carnal world; yet to the man of experience it is plain, sweet, and comfortable; and a man of experience as he is best seen in that matter, so is he most willing, heartily to communicate it to others: I will open, saith he, my dark saying upon the harp; intimating his delight in the doctrine. (Dickson, D. (1834). A Brief Explication of the Psalms (Vol. 1, pp. 283–284). Glasgow; Edinburgh; London: John Dow; Waugh and Innes; R. Ogle; James Darling; Richard Baynes.)
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3. My mouth shall speak of wisdom. This is a reason why all should give the earnest heed and close attention claimed in vv. 1 and 2. Wisdom, plural wisdoms, denoting richness of wisdom. What is about to be uttered is of great weight. The language is not boastful, but arousing; it is modest, for it is simply true. And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding, literally understandings; Ainsworth, prudencies; Edwards, matters of understanding. (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. 539). Philadelphia; Edinburgh: J. B. Lippincott Company; A & C Black.)
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Ver. 3. My mouth shall speak of wisdom, &c.] Or wisdoms; of Christ, who is so called, Prov. 1:20 and 9:1. He being as a divine Person the wisdom of God, and the only wise God; and having all the treasures of wisdom in him, as man and Mediator: of him the prophet spake, and of him the apostles and all Gospel ministers speak; of the glories of his Person, of the fulness of his grace, and of his wonderful works; especially of that of redemption and salvation by him, in which there is an abounding of wisdom and prudence. Or the Gospel may be meant, and all the truths of it, in which there is a glorious display of divine wisdom; it is the wisdom of God in a mystery; hidden and ancient wisdom; and which, when truly understood, makes a man wise unto salvation; see 1 Cor. 2:6, 7. And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding; or understandings; and this is in order to the former; what the heart meditates the mouth speaks. If the heart meditates on understanding, the mouth will speak of wisdom; and a man should think before he speaks, especially the ministers of the Gospel: they ought to meditate on the word of God, the Gospel, and the truths of it, that their profiting may appear to all; that they may understand divine things themselves, and deliver them out to the understanding of others: their concern should be, that through meditation they may have a good treasure of wisdom and knowledge in their hearts, that out of it they may bring forth things pleasant and profitable unto others. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 728). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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3. “My mouth shall speak of wisdom.” Inspired and therefore lifted beyond himself, the prophet is not praising his own attainments, but extolling the divine Spirit which spoke in him. He knew that the Spirit of truth and wisdom spoke through him. He who is not sure that his matter is good has no right to ask a hearing. “And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.” The same Spirit who made the ancient seers eloquent, also made them thoughtful. The help of the Holy Ghost was never meant to supersede the use of our own mental powers. The Holy Spirit does not make us speak as Balaam’s ass, which merely uttered sounds, but never meditated; but he first leads us to consider and reflect, and then he gives us the tongue of fire to speak with power. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 27-57 (Vol. 2, pp. 369–370). 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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Mary James shares (NY): What is the most important lesson in life?
A man sees a snake dying in flames and decides to free it from the fire. As soon as he catches it, the snake bites him causing excruciating pain. The man immediately drops the snake and the reptile falls back into the burning flames.
At this point the man, looking around, finds a metal pole and uses it to take the snake from the flames again, saving his life.
Another man, who had seen what happen, approaches the man and asks him: “This snake bit you! Why are you trying to save his life?”
The man replies: “The snake’s nature is to bite, but that won’t change my nature, which is to help.”
Don’t change your nature just because someone has hurt you. Don’t lose your goodness of mind, but learn to act carefully.
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Hebrews 11
A parade of heroic figures from the Old Testament depicts what it means to live by faith.
INSIGHT
Faith is the operative ingredient in the Christian life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (v. 6). Faith is important because without it we cannot even begin to approach God. Simply put, faith is believing God and acting accordingly. All that is accomplished in the world to further the work of God is accomplished by faith. This list of exemplary faithful people shows that when God spoke, His people listened, believed, and acted accordingly. The words of an old hymn sum it all up: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
Is it, therefore, too much to ask that, where this same love of God has reached us in Christ, where it has taken hold of us through the gospel – that we, too, should be patient and kind?? Is it too much to expect that we would be slow to take offense, slow to resent the behavior of others toward ourselves, and that we will be quick to pardon it as we ourselves have been pardoned? This is exactly what is expected of us. We should be “forgiving each other… as the Lord has forgiven” us (Col. 3: 13; 2: 6) (p. 178, GOD in the Whirlwind by David F. Wells) (Quiet Walk)
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TEN TESTS: TESTS 1-3
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
I shall suggest to you ten tests that you can apply to yourself to know for certain that you know the love of God to you.
Here is the first. It is a loss and absence of the sense that God is against us. The natural man always feels that God is against him. He would be very glad if he could wake up and read that some bishop or other had proved that God never existed; he would be ready to believe that. The newspapers give publicity to anything that denies the faith; they know the public palate. That is why the natural man is at enmity against God; he feels God is against him. That is why when anything goes wrong he says, “Why does God allow this?” And when men and women are in a state of being antagonistic toward God, then, of course, they cannot love God. So one of the first tests, and I am starting with the lowest, is that we have lost that feeling that God is against us.
Second, there is a loss of the fear of God, while a sense of awe remains. Let us approach Him “with reverence and godly fear,” writes the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (12:28). John is going to elaborate on that; that is the rest of the fourth chapter of 1 John.We lose that craven fear of God, but oh, what a reverence remains.
Third, there is a feeling and a sense that God is for us and that God loves us. Now I put it like that quite deliberately because it is so very true to experience. I have lost the sense that God is against me, and I begin to have a feeling and sense that God is for me, that God is kind to me, that He is concerned about me, and that He truly loves me.
A Thought to Ponder
I have lost the sense that God is against me, and I begin to have a feeling and sense that God is for me. (From The Love of God, pp. 150-151, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Intercessor
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
When we pray for others, we not only are helping to assure a good life for ourselves—as our text indicates—but, more importantly, we are thereby becoming more like Christ. On the cross itself, “he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Since His return to heaven, He has been continually occupied with His ministry of intercession. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).
Not only is our resurrected, glorified Savior perpetually interceding for us in heaven, but also the indwelling Holy Spirit is praying for us here. “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit [Himself] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).
Now if both God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are always interceding for us before God the Father, we surely ought to be willing to spend time in prayer for others down here—not only for our loved ones, but even for those who have hurt us. Jesus said, “Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
May God help us to be faithful in this vital ministry of intercession.
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
God promises David that He will propagate David’s lineage forever.
INSIGHT
David is described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). It is difficult for us to accept that statement when David is guilty of lying, adultery, murder, and other indiscretions. However, to be a man after God’s own heart means that David wants the same things God wants. His noble desires and intentions are overruled several times by his passions; but when David’s senses are restored and he repents of his sin, again his heart beats after God’s desires. We may not be as bad as David in his bad moments, but are we as good as David in his good moments? Do our hearts beat after God? (Quiet Walk)
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I’m There
I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. PHILIPPIANS 2:20
Gary Thomas, author of such inspiring books as Sacred Marriage and Authentic Faith: The Power of a Fire-Tested Life, tells the story of two American soldiers who became fast friends during their preparations for combat in World War I.
Though they had known each other only a short time, the camaraderie of battle and their shared dreams of postwar life quickly cemented their relationship.
One day, these two buddies crawled from their foxhole with the rest of their unit in an attack on the German forces. After a valiant fight, the order was given to retreat. But only one of the two friends returned to the trench. The other had been hit by German gunfire and was lying about 50 yards out of reach.
Against his commanding officer’s orders, the other soldier crawled out of the ditch to go find his fallen comrade. Hugging the ground and dodging enemy bullets, he worked his way across the bloody, corpse-littered ground until he finally located the friend he sought. Finding him semi-conscious, they were left with only a few seconds together before he died.
When the man returned to the trench with the body of his soldier friend, the ranking officer flew into a rage for this flaunting of his order. “Was it worth it for you to risk your life?”
“Absolutely, sir. Because when I turned him over, he looked up at me and said, ‘I knew you’d come.'”
That’s the kind of loyalty we are called to in all our relationships—especially in our homes and families. Your spouse needs to know without a doubt that when you are needed, you will be there. Your children need to know they can count on you, not just in a pinch, but also in their most routine of expectations. When they need you, can they be sure you’ll come? (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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THE SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP OF REVIVAL
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another…” Galatians 1:6-7
Now this is the kind of thing that is being said at the present time: It does not matter what people may teach. Though they may deny the very essence of Christianity, if I like them, if I am attracted to them, if I can talk easily to them, then that is what counts. It is what they are that is important and thus they make an appeal to you. So what do we say about this modern tendency?
That is not the danger today! The danger today is that we are so afraid of legalism that we have become utterly nondescript. We have knocked down all the barriers and the signposts; anything is all right. “We are a happy lot together and we have a wonderful spirit. Roman Catholics are suddenly now changing. Everything is marvelous. We are going to have a great universal church and there will be no more trouble.”
But that is the very opposite of the New Testament teaching. No, I am not arguing for a legalistic precision. All I am arguing for is what the Apostle Paul is putting before us here in Romans 10:3. These Jews, he says, are outside because they have not got this exact knowledge that saves! There are implications and aspects of this great truth about which we cannot and must not speak dogmatically. But about the thing that saves us we must be as dogmatic as we can be This is absolutely essential to salvation.
The Apostle’s case was always this: there is only one gospel. It had been committed to him and he preached it. Any departure from it was a lie, and whoever preached a lie deserved to be “accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
A Thought to Ponder: “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.” (From Saving Faith, a sermon on Romans 10:3 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.)
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Thou Shalt Not
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Exodus 20:4)
Many secularists criticize Christianity as being a religion of negativism filled with prohibitions. In response, Christians often try to blunt this criticism by stressing Christian love and freedom from the law.
The fact is, however, that the New Testament also contains many prohibitions, including a restatement of all those in God’s laws as expressed in the Ten Commandments. The first of these in our text prohibits idolatry. Six others also begin with “thou shalt not.” “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain”; “Thou shalt not kill”; “Thou shalt not commit adultery”; “Thou shalt not steal”; “Thou shalt not bear false witness”; “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:7, 13-17).
It is inappropriate for any Christian to ignore these commandments. Godly behavior is more important now than ever before. Not only are these prohibitions all repeated in the New Testament, but there are numerous other “shalt nots” as well, all directed to Christians saved by grace, apart from the works of the law.
For example: “Be not drunk with wine” (Ephesians 5:18); “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26); “Mind not high things . . . . Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans 12:16); “avenge not yourselves” (Romans 12:19); and many, many others.
There are numerous positive aspects to the Christian life, of course, but there are also things a Christian should not do. We do not work for our salvation, but we must work out our salvation, putting off the works of the flesh and putting on the works of a regenerate life. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45
Thanksgiving is such a joyous time as family comes together and everyone enjoys one another. Often, after too much food and lots of family fun, Black Friday suddenly occurs as one holiday season ends and a new one kicks into high gear. With no rest or breaks, the retail stores and internet sites have used this day as a launching point for Christmas and for all kinds of sale events!
For Christians, the real Black Friday occurred as Christ hung upon the cross and the darkness came upon the earth from noon until 3 pm. Suddenly the sky grew dark, and the entire sun was eclipsed as the Savior of the world hung there between earth and heaven. Each of the Synoptic Gospel writers mention this phenomenon.
Jesus, at that moment was alone with His Father and there they communed and finalized their plan of redemption. God often puts individuals in darkness so that He might teach and instruct His followers in the mysteries of the Lord. Jacob wrestled through the darkness of night before having peace with God (Genesis 30) . Joshua walked alone by the walls of Jericho when he met with the Captain of the Lord’s hosts (Joshua 5:13-15). Jesus often spent entire nights in prayer before resuming ministry responsibilities (Luke 6:12).
In the darkness, the Lord can sometimes bring the greatest and deepest instructions to His followers. Like the biblical characters, we may not enjoy the loss of sleep or the intensity of the struggle but in the end, the reward far outweighs the investment.
An old hymn speaks to being alone in darkness with the Lord, “When storms of life are round me beating, when rough the path that I have trod, within my closet doors retreating. I love to be alone with God.” This Black Friday, may we take some time with the Lord, commune with Him and allow Him to instruct us in the truths of His way throughout this busy holiday season!
With an Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller
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Hebrews 12
Following the example of Christ, we are to endure the chastening of God in our lives.
INSIGHT
We don’t mind suffering some things as long as someone else is suffering too; we don’t like to be the only one. Few things make us feel worse than when everything seems to be going well for everyone else and we are in the throes of suffering. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to endure our present sufferings as Christians in this world by reminding us that Christ suffered for us and that we ought, therefore, to be willing to suffer for Him. One of Jesus’ highest points of integrity is that He never asks us to do anything for Him that He is not willing to do for us. (Quiet Walk)
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TEN TESTS: TESTS 4-6
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
Fourth, I have a sense of sins forgiven. I do not understand it, but I am aware of it. I know that I have sinned; “my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3), as David says. I remember my sins, and yet the moment I pray, I know my sins are forgiven. I cannot understand it, I do not know how God does it, but I know He does it, and that my sins are forgiven.
A sense of sins forgiven leads me to the fifth test: a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. No one can believe that God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die on the cross without feeling a sense of praise and thanksgiving. Think of Saul of Tarsus there on the road to Damascus. The moment he saw and understood something of what had happened to him, he said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). That is, what can I do to repay You—how can I show my gratitude? Do you feel a sense of gratitude? Do you want to praise God? A sense of gratitude and a desire to praise is further proof of the knowledge of God.
Then sixth, there is an increasing hatred of sin. I sometimes think there is no better proof of a knowledge of God and knowledge of the love of God than that. You know, if you hate sin, you are like God, for God hates it and abominates it. We are told that He cannot look upon iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13); therefore, whatever your feelings may or may not be, if you have an increasing hatred of sin, it is because the love of God is in you—God is in you. No man hates sin apart from God.
A Thought to Ponder: No man hates sin apart from God.
(From The Love of God, pp. 151-152, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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