David depends on LORD’S protection                verse 1- 3 

Be merciful to me – O God – be merciful to me

FOR my soul TRUSTS in YOU

YEA – in the shadow of YOUR wings will I make my refuge

until these calamities be overpast

I will cry to God most high

to God that performs all things for me

HE shall send from heaven

and save me from the reproach of him

that would swallow me up   SELAH

God shall send forth HIS mercy and HIS truth 

David is going against a well-armed enemy         verse 4 

My soul is among lions

 and I lie even among them that are set on fire

even the sons of men

whose teeth are spears and arrows

and their tongue a sharp sword 

Chorus                                                                 verse 5 

Be YOU exalted – O God – above the heavens

let YOUR glory be above all the earth       

 Enemy will fall into their own pit                        verse 6 

They have prepared a net for my steps

            my soul is bowed down

They have dug a pit before me

            into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves

SELAH 

David is confident in the LORD                          verse 7- 10 

My heart is fixed – O God – my heart is fixed

I will sing and give praise

awake up – my glory – awake psaltery and harp

                  I myself will awake early

I will praise YOU O Lord – among the people

I will sing to YOU among the nations

FOR YOUR mercy is great to the heavens

and YOUR truth to the clouds 

Chorus                                                                 verse 11 

Be YOU exalted – O God – above the heavens

let YOUR glory be above all the earth 

COMMENTARY:           

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

:5          “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.”  The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). Exalted: 7311 יָרוּם, יָרַם, רוּם, רָם, רָמַם [ruwm /room/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2133; GK 3727 and 3753 and 8123 and 8225 and 8249; 194 occurrences; AV translates as “(lift”, “hold”, “etc …) up” 63 times, “exalt” 47 times, “high” 25 times, “offer” 13 times, “give” five times, “heave” three times, “extol” three times, “lofty” three times, “take” three times, “tall” three times, “higher” twice, and translated miscellaneously 24 times. 1 to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to be high, be set on high. 1A2 to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted. 1A3 to be lifted, rise. 1B (Polel). 1B1 to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up. 1B2 to lift up, raise, exalt. 1B3 to exalt, extol. 1C (Polal) to be lifted up. 1D (Hiphil). 1D1 to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high. 1D2 to lift up (and take away), remove. 1D3 to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute. 1E (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished. 1F (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).

DEVOTION:   The ultimate act of worship is to exalt the Lord!  The Psalmist does this twice in this psalm as he seeks to make known what the Lord has done in protecting and helping David.  Enemies have a way of making us feel insignificant and small! They are capable of roaring like a lion and intimidation is one of the ways Satan is effective in stopping the work of the Lord! The psalmist seemed to recognize this and acknowledged what the enemy was seeking to accomplish. The tactics enemies use may be loud, fearsome, pointed and deadly but result in mere setbacks for the Lord and His people. Be exalted, O God!

CHALLENGE:   When the enemies buster, blow and threaten take time to exalt Him who is over the earth. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member) 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 7        My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (3559 “fixed” [kuwn] means to                             be firm, be stable, be established, be secure or be directed aright.)

DEVOTION:  David had his high points and his low points in his walk with the LORD. He knew to turn to the LORD most of the time. Whenever he went out on his own without asking guidance of the LORD he had problems. He was a man after God’s own heart. That didn’t make him sinless. He sinned but confessed his sin to reestablish his relationship with the LORD.

When he was in tune with the LORD he was noted for his singing and joy in serving the LORD. He would write psalms. He would praise the LORD. He would act as a believer should. The life of the believer should be one of peace with God and with other believers. It would be one of singing and thankfulness.

David had to hide in a cave after he was anointed by Samuel to be a future king of Israel. He trusted the LORD to deliver him. He waited for the calamities of his life to past. He cried to the LORD for HIS help. The enemies were real. David knew that he had enemies all around him all the time. He was running from King Saul. He was running from the Philistines. He was running from his own men. He always knew he had a place to turn in times of trouble.

He wanted the LORD to be exalted in his life. He wanted the LORD to have all the glory. His heart was directed aright. He was secure in the LORD. He was firm in his commitment to the LORD. It was directed toward the LORD. He was not only going to look to the LORD for help but he was going to sing and praise during the times of waiting.

He wanted to wake up every morning praising the LORD. He loved the mercy of the LORD. He loved the truth of the LORD. We need to realize that David was someone just like us. He was a sinner who loved the LORD.

It is hard to sing when our world is falling apart but that is what we need to do. We need to get up early and exalt the LORD. Have we exalted HIM this morning???

CHALLENGE: We are under the shadow of the wings of the LORD. HE is our protector. We need to walk through our storms realizing HE is at our side. We need to sing praises everywhere we walk!!!

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:8         “Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.” (“Awake,” 5782 עוּר [ʿuwr] 1 to                          rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite. 1a (Qal) to rouse oneself, awake. 1b (Niphal) to be roused. 1c                                   (Polel) to stir up, rouse, incite. 1d (Hithpolel) to be excited, be triumphant. 1e (Hiphil). 1e1 to rouse, stir                             up. 1e2 to act in an aroused manner, awake. [Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham,                              WA: Logos Bible Software]).

DEVOTION:  This is another psalm of David written when he fled from Saul in the cave.  While this could refer to several different instances in David’s life, it could refer to a time when he fled from Saul after one of His confrontations with Saul (1 Samuel 22 or 24).  In any case, David became so desperate about Saul following Him that he was willing to defect to Gath (see Psalm 56). 

David realized in the midst of His lament that the only thing which would turn around his attitudes would be to start changing His mind and reflecting on God.  David was a musician, so he was accustomed to doing this through music and song.  That is why he composed so many of the psalms.

Sometimes when we feel as though we are at our wit’s end, the best thing we can do is stop and being to worship God through song.  That is why it is good to have godly songs memorized in advance.  We need to then make the effort to awaken our souls and minds to the reality that God is really there and is listening to us.

CHALLENGE:  Is there is need in your life to awaken your spirit and sing out to God?  This can be uplifting as you calm your spirit and focus it on the Lord! (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 10      For YOUR mercy is great to the heavens, and YOUR truth to the clouds. (571 “truth” [‘emeth] means firmness, trustworthiness, the quality of being faithful, stability, perpetuity, security, fidelity, reliability, continuance, or truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge.)

DEVOTION:  The LORD knows that we are a sinful people. We are fickle. We are faithful one day and the next we are doing things that are not right in the eyes of the LORD.

The LORD is full of mercy but we need to know that HE is longsuffering but HE will still discipline us to get us on the right track again. HE wants us to serve HIM in spirit and in truth regularly.

HE doesn’t want us to depend on HIS mercy all day long. HE wants us to be faithful to HIM and obey HIS truth that is found in the Word of God, the Bible. HE wants us to listen to the HOLY SPIRIT’S leading in our lives.

Once we are regular in our obedience we know what is right and wrong better. That should be a sign of maturity in our faith. God wants us to know HIS truth and that can be only accomplished as we study the Bible each day and go to HIM in prayer for guidance.

CHALLENGE: If we believe this verse regarding the mercy and truth that can be found each day, then we need to ask HIM through prayer to give us the guidance of the Holy Spirit to act on it.

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: 11      Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.  May your glory shine over all the earth. (3519 “glory” [kabowd] means riches, heaviness, reputation, a state of high honor, majesty, manifestation of power, or splendor.)

DEVOTION:  The goal of every believer should be to exalt the LORD in our lives. If we are good representatives of the LORD then our lives will help others to show glory to the LORD.

Once we begin showing the LORD to others we will find that other believers will follow our example and start manifesting a life that will bring glory to the LORD. If every believer has this goal in mind each day and bears witness to the work of the LORD in their life than we will see many turning to the LORD for salvation.

Once more act like genuine believers the message will spread and we can reach our world for Christ. It doesn’t seem possible today but we still have the power of God at our disposal and HE will honor our actions as they honor HIM.

Can we sign the song about exalting the LORD each day of our lives? If we practice exalting HIM in everything we say and do the message will spread in our world.

Wouldn’t it be great to see the glory of the LORD shining on the faces of those around us each day? It can happen if we work at showing HIM our love and spreading it to others.

CHALLENGE: We need to be practicing the idea of the exaltation of the LORD in our life and in the lives of those around us.

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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 for deliverance                                verse 1- 11

Cry to the LORD                                                   

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

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

Exalt                                                                           verse 5, 11

Sing                                                                             verse 7. 9

Praise                                                                          verse 7, 9

Awake                                                                        verse 8

Play psaltery and harp                                             verse 8

Early                                                                           verse 8

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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 1- 3, 5, 7, 11

God most high                                                           verse 2

Heaven                                                                       verse 3

Exalted above the heavens                                       verse 5, 11

Glory be above the earth                                          verse 5, 11

Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)                              verse 9

Mercy                                                                         verse 10

Truth                                                                          verse 10 

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) 

Soul                                                                             verse 4

Sons of men                                                                verse 4, 6

            Teeth are spears and arrows

            Tongue a sharp sword

            Prepared a net for David’s steps

            Digged a pit before David

            They fall into what they want David

                        to fall into

Nations                                                                       verse 9 

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

Swallow up believers                                                 verse 3

Preparing nets for believers                                     verse 6

Dig a pit for believers                                                verse 6 

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

Mercy                                                                         verse 1, 3, 10

Trust                                                                           verse 1

Refuge                                                                        verse 1

Calamities                                                                  verse 1

Cry [prayer]                                                              verse 2

Salvation [deliverance]                                             verse 3

Truth                                                                          verse 3, 10

Exalt the LORD                                                        verse 5, 11

Heart is fixed on the LORD                                     verse 7

Sing                                                                             verse 7, 9

Praise                                                                          verse 7, 9

Glorify the LORD                                                     verse 11 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

David – author of Psalm                                           verse 1- 11

            He was fleeing from Saul in a cave when

                        this was written

            Asked the LORD to be merciful to him

            Trusted in the LORD

            Faced calamities but sought refuse in

                        the LORD

            Performs all things for him

            Save from those who reproach him

            Exalt God

            Heart is fixed on the LORD           

Praise LORD among the people                              verse 9 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events) 

Heaven                                                                       verse 3, 10, 11 

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DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org.  Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method.  Thank you. 

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QUOTES regarding passage 

57:6. David spoke again of his predicament but added that he expected his foes’ destruction. They spread a net they dug a pit … but they had fallen into it. This is the fourth time David had written along that line (cf. “pit” in 7:15; and “pit” and “net” in 9:15; 35:8). Of course the language of nets and pits depicted the attempts of the wicked to catch him. (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. 836). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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In verses 1–5, the order is prayer (v. 1), witness (vv. 2–3), and a description of the enemy (v. 4), followed by the refrain, but in this section the order is the enemy (v. 6), witness to the Lord (vv. 7–8), and praise (vv. 9–11), with praise as the emphasis. David now compared his enemies to hunters who dug pits and set traps for their prey, an image frequently used in biblical poetry (7:15; 9:15ff; 35:7). However, David trusts God and has good reason to sing and praise the Lord. A steadfast heart is one that is fixed on the Lord’s promises and not wavering between doubt and faith (51:10; 108:1; 112:7; 119:5). This same word is used to describe the constancy of the heavenly bodies (8:3; 74:16). Note that verses 7–11 are found also in 108:1–5. David praised the Lord all day long, but he opened the day with special praise and even anticipated the sunrise. Instead of the dawn awakening him, his voice awakened the dawn. (See 30:5; Lam. 3:22–23.)

David wanted his victory in the Lord to be a witness to the other nations, for as king, he knew that Israel was to be a light to the Gentiles. His psalms bear witness today of the great things God did for him. In verse 3, God sent His mercy and truth down from heaven, but in verse 10, mercy and truth reach up to the clouds! There is plenty for everybody! (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 200–201). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)

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Ver. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps, &c.] They laid snares for him, as the fowler does for the bird, in order to take him. It denotes the insidious ways used by Saul and his men to get David into their hands; so the Pharisees consulted together how they might entangle Christ in his talk, Matt. 22:15. My soul is bowed down; dejected by reason of his numerous enemies, and the crafty methods they took to insnare and ruin him; so the soul of Christ was bowed down with the sins of his people, and with a sense of divine wrath because of them; and so their souls are often bowed down; or they are dejected in their spirits, on account of sin, Satan’s temptations, various afflictions, and divine desertions. The Targum renders it, “he bowed down my soul;” that is, the enemy; Saul in particular. The Septuagint, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, they bowed down my soul; the same that prepared a net for his steps; every one of his enemies; they all were the cause of the dejection of his soul: the Syriac version leaves out the clause. They have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. Contriving and seeking to find out the places where David’s haunt was, Saul got into the very cave where he and his men were; and had his skirt cut off, when his life might as easily have been taken away, 1 Sam. 23:22, 23 and 24:3, 4. See Psal. 7:15, 16 and 9:15. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 761). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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6. The fight had almost gone out of David (6a), perhaps until he prayed the God-centred prayer of verse 5; now at the last moment the tables are turned, with evil characteristically bringing its own judgment. (Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 224). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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6. “They have prepared a net For my steps.” The enemies of the godly spare no pains, but go about their wicked work with the coolest deliberation. As for each sort of fish, or bird, or beast, a fitting net is needed, so do the ungodly suit their net to their victim’s circumstances and character with a careful craftiness of malice. Whatever David might do, and whichever way he might turn, his enemies were ready to entrap him in some way or other. “My soul is bowed down.” He was held down like a bird in a trap; his enemies took care to leave him no chance of comfort. “They have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.” He likens the designs of his persecutors to pits, which were commonly dug by hunters to entrap their prey; these were made in the usual path of the victim, and in this case David says, “before me,” i.e., in my ordinary way. He rejoices because these devices had recoiled upon themselves. Saul hunted David, but David caught him more than once and might have slain him on the spot. Evil is a stream which one day flows back to its source. “Selah.” We may sit down at the pit’s mouth and view with wonder the just retaliations of providence. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 27-57 (Vol. 2, p. 477). 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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So far, the reports from Afghanistan since the U.S. withdrawal are as bad as many feared: women increasingly barred from participation in civil society; families hunted down for their involvement with the U.S. military; brothers and sisters in Christ tortured and killed for their courageous faith. Any hope that was placed in Taliban moderation was misplaced; all skepticism was well-founded.

So, where is our hope? One source is the testimonies of those who endured similar oppressions in the past. Their stories point us to what is true, good, and eternal amidst the evil around us.

For example, Hunayn ibn Ishaq was born in al-Hira, Iraq, in the year 809. That was the same year of Caliph Harun al-Rashid’s death, the same Caliph whose story birthed the Arabian Nights and Aladdin. A Nestorian Christian, Hunayn grew up speaking Syriac and Arabic. As a young man, he went to Baghdad to study medicine under the famous physician and fellow Christian Yuhanna ibn Masawayh.

Hunayn’s insatiable curiosity exasperated his instructors, to the point that Yuhanna kicked Hunayn out of school. Hunayn promised to return to Baghdad, but went abroad to learn Greek in the meantime. When he returned, he was able to recite Homer and the famous physician Galen in their original languages. His new knowledge impressed Yuhanna. The two reconciled and began to work together.

Hunayn’s new language skills enabled him to translate Greek works into Syriac and Arabic, and eventually earned him a position at Bayt al Hikmah (the House of Wisdom), an institution dedicated to translating Greek texts and making them available to Arab scholars. Hunayn was sent into the Byzantine Empire to obtain works by Aristotle and other authors unavailable in the Caliphate. His work was so highly valued that he was paid the weight of the books he translated in gold.

Hunayn is credited with translating the works of Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Galen, Plato’s Republic, several works by Aristotle, the Old Testament from the Septuagint, along with works on agriculture, chemistry, stones, and religion. Hunayn’s son Ishaq was a primary aide and became the principal translator of Aristotle into Arabic.

Hunayn developed a close relationship with the Caliph al-Mutawakkil. Recognizing Hunayn’s skills as a scholar and translator, the caliph appointed him as his personal secretary. However, a rift developed between al-Mutawakkil and Hunayn when the caliph asked Hunayn to make poison to kill one of his enemies, and Hunayn refused. The caliph grew angry and had Hunayn thrown in prison for a year.

After serving his sentence, Hunayn told the caliph, “I have skill only in what is beneficial, and have studied nothing else.” The caliph, claiming that he was only testing Hunayn’s personal integrity, asked what kept him from complying with the order. Hunayn responded, “Two things: my religion and my profession. My religion decrees that we should do good even to our enemies, how much more to our friends. And my profession is instituted for the benefit of humanity and limited to their relief and cure. Besides, every physician is under oath never to give anyone a deadly medicine.”

                             Break Point

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My Cousin Bev:<![if !vml]><![endif]>

This article is by M

ary Mohler and is an excerpt from her wonderful new book, Growing in Gratitude: Rediscovering the Joy of a Thankful Heart.  

The Doubt-Slayer

Doubt and guilt are not strangers to most believers at some point in our journey. But these feelings can be another hindrance to gratitude, so we will look at biblical passages to encourage us and biblical characters to inspire us. And along the way, we will ask how these make a difference to our lives.

Paid in Full

Imagine the scene in the courtroom as a guilty criminal’s conviction is overturned. An innocent man has willingly, lovingly, and unconditionally accepted the penalty for the criminal’s crime. The guilty man is declared innocent and allowed to go free. How can this be? He did not earn or deserve this free gift, nor can he begin to understand it. Surely this pardoned criminal would spend the rest of his life filled with the most profound gratitude possible. Would he not wear himself out telling everyone about the one who took his place?

So we would be shocked to hear that instead of gratitude for his freedom, he dwells on the past-his life before the crime, the crime itself, his time in prison-and on his guilt for not serving his sentence. he even wakes up at night fearful that the man who took his place will change his mind and his sentence will be reinstated. He should be the most joyful man on the planet. What’s his problem?

We could ask ourselves the same question. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been pardoned and the penalty for our sins has been paid in full. We have assurance of our salvation (John 10:28) and there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). It seems that gratitude should overflow from our heats such that our life before we knew Christ would not be a hindrance to thanksgiving.

Yet some believers allow guilt over their past to hover like  a dark cloud.

Every Christian Has an Amazing Story to Tell

My story is one of those testimonies that some dare to call boring. Raised in a Christian home, I became a believer as a young child and the Lord has held me fast ever since. I have had no crisis of faith and was never tempted to go off the tracks. That is not to say that I am not a great sinner who serves a great Savior, to paraphrase the hymn-writer John Newton. And every day I realize my salvation is nothing short of miraculous. Only the Lord can work in our hearts and minds to turn us from his enemies into his daughters and sons (Colossians 1:21-22).

What’s your story? Is it like mine? The complete opposite? Or somewhere in between?

I have some friends who had rough lives full of shameful acts of sin before Jesus called them to himself and saved them forever. Their experiences were a long way from my childhood conversion. yet every one of us-whatever our story-is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

But Satan tries to convince us that we should still carry some guilt. The scars from sin resulting from one’s life before Christ can get pushed to the forefront of the mind-sexual immorality, abortion, or maybe an outright rejection of God.

It’s not wrong to experience doubt-many of us do-but it is a mistake if we fail to challenge our doubts by speaking the gospel truth to those doubt. As believers, we stand forgiven by God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. God the Father looks at each one of us through Christ’s death on the cross such that when he sees us, it is just as if we never sinned. And this doesn’t just apply to those sins we committed before coming to faith but also to any we commit as Christians. This is wonderfully true for every one of us who is a believer. What a marvelous truth to hold onto when we doubt. How kind and loving our Father God is!

Sometimes, doubts come because we worry we cannot consistently live the holy lives we are called to. We see our failings and fear they will dim God’s love for us. This is the time to grasp hold of gospel truth with both hands. we remind ourselves that we are right before God purely because of Christ. It is Christ’s life which the Lord sees when he looks at us. Our forgiveness is certain. Our relationship with God is save. So that’s what we remind ourselves of, again and again if needed, when doubt tries to slay us…

The Big Picture 

One great lesson we learn from the Bible over and over again is how God’s purpose is being worked out in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances. God is perfectly conforming every situation to his perfect will. And he is good all the time. We can trust him. His plan is better than anything we could imagine.

Our response to the overwhelming grace we have received should be nothing less than overwhelming gratitude. We are wise to put away all of the “would have, could have, should have” thoughts about how we might have avoided past situation. God was in every single detail that happened prior to our salvation. Guilt has got to go. Our doubt about our future is just as foolish as the prisoner’s worry that the one who took his place is going to change his mind. The priceless doxology of Jude cures paralyzing guilt. He writes,

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.” -Jude 24-25

He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). Period.

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The original decree is found, and permission is given to complete the temple restoration.

INSIGHT

It is often darkest before the dawn. Just as it looks as if the work on the temple is going to be stopped, the Lord turns the situation around. Not only is permission given to complete the temple, but those who had tried to stop the work are required to finance the remainder of the restoration! Worrying does little to further the work of God; He is quite capable of accomplishing His work. Our work is trust, obedience, and faithfulness to our responsibilities. (Quiet Time) Ezra 6

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                                            Daily Hope

Today’s Scripture
Micah 5:2

O Little Town of Bethlehem is a beloved, old hymn that is sung at this special time of year. It is written by Phillip Brooks after being in Israel one Christmas Eve and beholding the sleepy little town while standing out in the fields. His desire was to give a simple yet meaningful message to the children in his church.

The prophet Micah may not have understood the prophecy that he spoke many years prior to Christ coming to earth. Bethlehem is a town in Palestine, a place of historical importance. Located on a commanding limestone ridge, the town overlooks the main highway from Hebron to Egypt. It was the location near which Jacob buried his wife Rachel (Genesis 35:19; 48:7). Bethlehem, “house of bread”, may have been a small, relatively unknown village, but it was to fulfill its name and supply spiritual nourishment through the word of God, ensuring everlasting life. 

David was born and was anointed king for Israel by Samuel (1 Samuel16:1) in Bethlehem. His leadership allowed the nation to become the powerful empire that the Lord promised Israel. David, the recognized military and economic leader of Israel however is best known for his music and writing of poetry which continues to draw people to the Lord. His psalms are still a source of spiritual nourishment for believers of every age.

Jesus Christ was prophetically born in Bethlehem! It was precisely announced this little town shall bring forth a Ruler to Israel and the world. Jesus, in His ministry, revealed Himself as the “Bread of Life” (John 6: 46-51). His coming to earth was to bring to mankind the spiritual food necessary to have eternal life. Jesus instructed those eating the natural bread, would hunger again but if they would eat of the bread which endures to everlasting life, they would never hunger. The light from the word of God shone upon Bethlehem and revealed for all the world to see that the Sovereign Ruler had risen from a humble origin. 

Have you searched carefully for this One who offers you “bread” so that you may hunger no more? The third verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem is “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts, the blessing of His heaven, No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.”

Begin today thanking God for the promise of everlasting life given from the Bread of Life! 

With an Expectant Hope,
Pastor Miller   (Board Member of Small Church Ministries)

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1 Peter 2

Spiritual sacrifice and personal holiness should be the Christian response to trials.

INSIGHT

A pilgrim is a wanderer. A sojourner is one who lives somewhere temporarily. Peter calls us pilgrims and sojourners in this world. We are no longer at home here; we are no longer a part of this world. Whatever we do should be evaluated in light of our true citizenship in heaven. As such, we live by the rules and values of heaven, not earth. Peter writes: “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul”(v. 11). When we violate the principles of heaven, it is not only God and His honor that suffer – we suffer.  (Quiet Walk)

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OVERCOMING BY FAITH

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:5

As a Christian, because of what has happened to me, I am able to exercise faith and to live by faith. Here is the second step. First you see “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world,” and then “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (verse 4). In other words, my rebirth gives me this faculty of faith and enables me to exercise faith and to live by it.
Let me put it in this practical form: The world that I am fighting is very powerful; it is much more powerful than any one of us. The world conquers and masters everyone who is born into it, for indeed we have been born in sin and “shapen in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5); the world is in us the moment we begin to live. Read your Old Testament; look at those great heroes of the faith, the patriarchs, the godly kings, and the prophets—they all were conquered by the world, they all failed. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10); the whole world is guilty before God (Romans 3:19); and therefore if I am to conquer and overcome that world, I need something that will enable me to do so. It is no use trying to fight the world immediately—that cannot be done. Monasticism recognizes that and says, “Run away from it.”
So what do I need? I need emancipation; I need to be lifted to another realm; I need a force and a strength and a power that I do not have myself. That is my need, and here is the answer: I am given faith—I am given an outlook and understanding—I am introduced to a source of power—I see something that another person has never seen. I see a might and a power that is even greater than all that is opposed to me. Christians are men and women who have been introduced to another realm.
A Thought to Ponder
Christians are men and women who have been introduced to another realm.
              (From Life in God, pp. 51-52, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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The Christian’s Prosperity
“God and Father…who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)
Given our high position in Christ, it follows that God would provide whatever is necessary to accomplish His purposes in and for us.
The Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12 provide a good illustration. Each blessing is designed to meet a need or fulfill a desire of God’s chosen (Ephesians 1:4). The poor, meek, and persecuted are given ownership in the Kingdom. The mournful are given God’s special comfort. Those who hunger for righteousness are filled. The merciful will obtain mercy, the pure in heart will see God, and the peacemakers are identified as God’s children. The longings of our souls and characters are all met by God.
The practical needs of “wisdom and prudence” are met, too (v. 8). Wisdom is knowledge focused toward useful application, and prudence is the ability to develop successful activities based on wisdom. The Word of God is the source of wisdom (Deuteronomy 4:1-6; Proverbs 1:1-6) and is inspired of God to be “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Furthermore, He has “made known unto us the mystery of his will” (Ephesians 1:9). “Kept secret” in the days of the Old Testament prophets (Romans 16:25-26), it is now made clear to us so that we can show “unto the principalities and powers…by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10). These spiritual resources are available for every believer “to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7). We must pray that we do not waste these resources like the “wicked and slothful” servant in the parables of the talents and the pounds (Matthew 25:26; Luke 19:22).

                (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)

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AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT TEACHING

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” Matthew 6:31
The gospel seems to come as a challenge to us and as a condemnation of what we have habitually believed. Our Lord puts it like this. He says in Matthew 6:31, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” And then in verse 32, “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.” Now we must remember that He was preaching to Jews, to people who had received their Old Testament Scriptures, who regarded themselves as the people of God, and who were concerned about God and about righteousness. And the division of the ancient world to them, was, of course, Jews and Gentiles–those who had received this religion and those who had not.
And that is an equally appropriate classification in our day and age and generation. “The Gentiles” are those who do not know the revelation; they are people who trust to their own thoughts and their own ideas, who live as if God has never been pleased to reveal anything at all concerning Himself. So the division is as appropriate now as it ever has been; and the point I am making is that our Lord emphasizes the great fact that what He teaches is altogether different from everything that has ever been thought by man or conjured up in man’s mind or imagination.
This, again, is a very important preliminary point that we must never lose sight of. The Christian position, the Christian way of life, is not only slightly different from every other…it is essentially different; it is something that stands out alone and unique and apart.
A Thought to Ponder: The Christian position stands out alone and unique and apart.

(From The Kingdom of God, pp. 28-29, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones) 

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New Testament qualifications for church leaders link spiritual usefulness in the home with spiritual effectiveness in the body of Christ. (p. 246)

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We need to be sensitive and honest enough never to encourage a member of the family’s involvement in an activity for our sake or because we feel noninvolvement reflects badly upon us. God often uses our families to keep us humble and aware of our daily need of HIS grace, and that is no bad thing. (p. 250)

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The best principle is to expect nothing from God’s people, so that we are never disappointed – for disappointment breeds grudges – and then we will be surprised by unexpected thoughtfulness and generosity. While God’s people have a duty laid on them by Scripture to support their under shepherds, we are not the people to remind them. We may and must trust God to raise up others to do that, if it is appropriate. (p. 257)

                        ON BEING A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg.

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