PSALM 99
LORD is the Exalted King verse 1- 4
The LORD reigns – let the people tremble
HE sits between the cherubim – let the earth be moved
The LORD is great in Zion – HE is high above all the people
let them praise YOUR great and terrible name
for it is holy
The king’s strength also loves judgment
YOU do establish equity
YOU execute judgment and righteousness in Jacob
Chorus verse 5
Exalt you the LORD our God
and worship at HIS footstool
for HE is holy
LORD answers HIS servant’s prayers verse 6- 8
Moses and Aaron among HIS priests
and Samuel among them that call upon HIS name
they called upon the LORD
and HE answered them
HE spoke unto them in the cloudy pillar
they kept HIS testimonies
and the ordinance that HE gave them
YOU answered them O LORD our God
YOU were a God that FORGAVE them
though YOU took vengeance of their inventions
Chorus verse 9
Exalt the LORD our God – and worship at HIS holy hill
for the LORD our God is holy
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 “The LORD reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between
the cherubim; let the earth be moved!” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). (Tremble – 7264 רָגַז [ragaz /raw·gaz/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2112; GK 8074; 41 occurrences; AV translates as “tremble” 12 times, “move” seven times, “rage” five times, “shake” three times, “disquiet” three times, “troubled” three times, “quake” twice, “afraid” once, and translated miscellaneously five times. 1 tremble, quake, rage, quiver, be agitated, be excited, be perturbed. 1A (Qal) to quake, be disquieted, be excited, be perturbed. 1B (Hiphil) to cause to quake, disquiet, enrage, disturb. 1C (Hithpael) to excite oneself. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: This concludes the Royal psalms section that began with Psalm 93. The psalmist is praising God as the King of His people. This psalm has three sections and the first one is praising the Lord in the greatness of His glory (1-3). We should tremble at the presence of this mighty king who is dwelling between the cherubim. A glorious picture of the angelic beings most closely related to God’s holiness. As we gather to worship and to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior do we tremble? The Roman soldiers “shook with fear” (Matt. 28:4) as well as the women became fearful when angelic beings revealed themselves. This risen Savior who holds the keys of Hades and death (Rev.1:18) should cause us all to tremble as we worship Him!
CHALLENGE: Take a moment to consider the last time you trembled as you came before the Lord in worship. Perhaps we need to lift up our eyes from the routine business of church and see afresh the Sovereign Lord! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 Let them praise YOUR great and terrible name; for it is holy. (3372 “terrible” [yare] means dreadful, awesome, to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared. 1b2 to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe. 1b3 to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe)
DEVOTION: Respect is what the LORD expects of all those who worship HIM. HE wants them to know that HE is to be feared because HE has the power to judge at any time.
Our responsibility as followers of the LORD is to praise HIM because HE is holy. Too often we take the LORD for granted as the children of Israel did throughout their history. They thought they could live as they pleased and the LORD would always take care of them by protecting them from their enemies. They are wrong.
We are wrong if we think that we can do as we please today and the LORD will protect us from any judgment because we said a prayer or because we attend a church on Sunday.
It is important to pray and attend church but if we do these two things without a genuine commitment to living a holy life HE will send judgment. HE wants us to serve HIM in spirit and truth.
God wants us to be genuine with HIM and HE will bless us if we are genuine believers and not just Sunday Christians. HE is watching our lives seven days a week. What does HE see in your life?
CHALLENGE: Make sure the LORD sees someone who is genuinely trying to be a faithful servant who is praying and studying each day for HIS help.
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: 5 Exalt you the LORD our God – and worship at HIS footstool for HE is holy. (7311 “exalt” [ruwm] means extol, to reach high, uplifted, lofty, or praise)
DEVOTION: When we think about the ONE who gave us more than we ever deserved what should our actions be? If someone helped you during an extremely hard time in your life how should you treat that individual? Many of us have gone through life without a major problem. Some of us have gone through life needing help from others and seemed to never receive it. Another group have gone through life needing help and someone has come alongside and helped at just the right time.
I don’t know which group you fall into but the children of Israel usually fell into the third group. They always seemed to drift from the LORD and HE had to bring back from captivity or other problems. They were excited about being delivered from an enemy.
Here the Psalmist is telling that who have gone through a deliverance to give God high praise for HIS actions toward them. It was to be expected of those who have been delivered from great harm.
Do we lift the LORD in praise when we realize what HE has done for us? Most of us celebrate Christmas and Easter because we realize that Jesus Christ did great things for us by coming to this earth as a baby to show us by example how we should live and then HE went to the cross to paid the price of sin. However, the greatest event we celebrate now is HIS resurrection from the dead to show us that we have an eternal place waiting for us when we die. We serve a risen Savior, not a dead Savior. HE is alive and because HE lives we can face tomorrow.
CHALLENGE: Are you and I praising the LORD as much as we should on a regular basis for all HE has done for us? Do individuals around us understand why we can celebrate in a fallen world? What is our choice going to be today? Are we going to celebrate by issuing praise to Jesus Christ or not?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 8 Thou answered them, O LORD our God: YOU were a God that forgave them, though YOU took vengeance of their inventions. (5949 “inventions” [‘alilah] means actions, evil deeds, doing, acted perversely, wantonness, occasion, practices or work
DEVOTION: We are a people who can think of new ways to disobey God. Many
people know and understand the commandments of the LORD but still find ways
around them in their own minds. Each year we find that because God has been
taken out of our schools and government people seem to try anything to hurt
others and those in control of our schools and government wonder why. The
schools are full of people who take pictures or send emails that hurt people. Our
government wants to take Jesus out of the military and not allow the chaplains to
mention HIS name in their prayers. Once they remove any thought of Jesus and
what HE has done for us, where will they turn for help?
The people are commanded to worship the LORD. Why should we worship HIM? The psalm informs us that it is because HE is HOLY. We are commanded to praise the LORD because HE is high above us. We are given examples of those who called upon the LORD and HE answered. HE speaks to HIS people. HE forgives HIS people. HE also punishes the evil deeds of HIS people. It is called chastening or correction.
The LORD stuck with HIS people through thick and thin. When they did deeds that were not pleasing to HIM, HE chastened them but HE still loved them. HE answered their prayers after their repentance. HE does the same today. HE doesn’t like some of our actions but HE chastens us in love to bring us back to HIMSELF.
The New Testament instructs us to examine ourselves to see if there is something in our life that needs to be corrected. IF we don’t, HE sends weakness, sickness and sleep according to I Corinthians 11. Many true believers could die pre-maturely because of sin in their life. Again, if someone has unconfessed sin in their life and doesn’t care to get into proper fellowship with God – HE will chasten him.
IF there is no chastening, THEN there is no salvation. The LORD states repeatedly that “whom HE loves, HE chastens.” We have to confess our sin. HE forgives our sins and keeps working with us. HIS goal is for our life to be in tune with the example Christ set for us at HIS first coming. We sin daily. There needs to be a daily time of prayer and confession. After confession we are back in fellowship with HIM. Isn’t that great news!!!
CHALLENGE: Catch the fact that the God we serve is HOLY. HE wants us to be HOLY. Put into practice a daily time of asking God to reveal areas that need to improve in our life and then work on that area.
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: 9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at HIS holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. (7812 “worship” [shachah] means conceived as bowing down to a deity, prostrate oneself, before superior in homage. before God in worship)
DEVOTION: Our times of going before the LORD should include the idea that God is superior to us and HE deserves our homage. HE is the one and only one what we should worship on a daily basis.
HE wants us to be studying HIS word, the Bible, each day to learn more about what HE expects of us when we are a genuine follower of HIM. Too often we find many people today who will go to church on Sunday and the rest of the week they are living their lives without opening a Bible or praying.
This is not what the Christian life should be. IF we are genuine believers we should keep a moment by moment relationship with HIM. If we keep this type of relationship we will be convicted of sin right away and won’t let it grow into more sins.
God knows that we are weak but HE has promised strength to us every moment after we make a genuine commitment to HIM.
Many people think that if they said a prayer years ago that that is all they have to do and then the rest of their life they can live as they please. That is not what a genuine believer thinks. It is not someone who will receive the help of the LORD.
HIS help comes to those who exalt HIM and bow down to HIM on a daily basis or an hour by hour basis. HE wants us to totally depend on HIM.
CHALLENGE: Do you totally depend on HIM and prostate yourself before HIM throughout the day? Remember HE is HOLY!!
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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)
Called upon the LORD verse 6
LORD answered prayer verse 6, 8
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Praise the LORD verse 3
Exalt the LORD verse 5, 9
Worship at HIS footstool verse 5
Priests: Moses and Aaron verse 6
Samuel verse 6
Worship at HIS holy hill verse 9
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Testimonies verse 7
Ordinance verse 7
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9
Reigns verse 1
HE is high above all the people verse 2
Great and terrible name verse 3
Holy verse 3, 5, 9
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 5, 8, 9
LORD our God verse 5, 8, 9
Spoke in a cloudy pillar verse 7
Kept HIS testimonies verse 7
Took vengeance on Israel’s inventions 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)
Cherubim verse 1
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
People tremble verse 1
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Inventions verse 8
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Tremble verse 1
Praise verse 3
Equity verse 4
Righteousness verse 4
Exalt the LORD verse 5, 9
Call upon the LORD verse 6
Forgave verse 8
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Zion verse 2
King’s strength loves judgment verse 4
Jacob verse 4
Moses verse 6
Aaron verse 6
Samuel verse 6
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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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
While every line of this kingly portrait is true eternally, the form of the opening statement makes it primarily a proclamation, it seems, of God’s final advent (see on 93:1). His living throne of cherubim—not the weaponless cupids of religious art but the mighty beings whose forms summed up for Ezekiel the whole kingdom of earthly creatures—this living throne is a flying chariot, fiery with judgment and salvation. It is magnificently pictured by David in Psalm 18:6–19 and by Ezekiel in his opening vision (Ezek. 1:4ff.; cf. 10:1ff.). (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, pp. 386–387). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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1–5 The psalmist opens with the proclamation “The Lord reigns” (v. 1; cf. 93:1; 96:10; 97:1). He is highly exalted in heaven, as he “sits enthroned between the cherubim.” The imagery of the cherubim derives from the ark of the covenant, whose lid was a gold slab (“the atonement cover,” Lev 16:13) on which two cherubs with spread wings stood. The significance of the cherubim becomes clear in the traditions of Israel, as they spoke of God’s dwelling between the cherubim (cf. 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2). The ark of the covenant signified the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth and as such became known as his “footstool” (v. 5; 132:7–8; 1 Chronicles 28:2). By extension the “footstool” also referred to the temple (Isa 60:13) and Jerusalem (cf. Lam 2:1). The Lord’s throne in heaven was likened to the “footstool” on earth, as his “enthronement” was likened to being surrounded by the cherubim. The imagery arouses the metaphor of God’s being the Divine Warrior: “you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth.… come and save us” (80:1; cf. Ps 98). The cherubim protect the glory of God (cf. Gen 3:24) and are his emissaries (Ps 18:10 = 2 Sam 22:11; Ezek 10:18–22).
The sovereign and glorious rule of the Lord should inspire all inhabitants of the world to “tremble” and “shake” (v. 1). The inhabitants of “the earth” respond with awe to God’s holy presence. Brueggemann comments, “God’s enthronement makes holy presence accessible and makes righteous will more urgent” (Message of the Psalms, p. 149). If they do not respond, they are still responsible. However, the psalmist does not develop what will happen if they do not respond. The nations must praise the “name” with which the acts of redemptive history are associated: “great and awesome” and “holy” (v. 3). Everything, whether it be God’s revelation or his acts of creation and redemption, reveals his greatness, awesomeness, and holiness!
The name “Yahweh” was particularly revealed to Israel to be proclaimed and remembered through festivals, songs, and the stories of redemption. Hence the nations must submit themselves to the Great King who, while being “exalted [rām] over all the nations” (v. 2), has established his “great”ness in Zion, Jerusalem! As the incarnation of our Lord is a great mystery, so is the dwelling of God in Jerusalem a great mystery. Too often the nations scoffed at Zion and thereby ridiculed the God of Israel, the Great King of the world (48:2). The nations must know that Zion is “his footstool” (v. 5; see appendix to Ps 46: Zion Theology).
The nature of the King’s rule is no different from his character. He is “holy” (qāḏôš, v. 3), “mighty” (ʿōz, v. 4), and “loves justice [mišpāṭ].” He is holy in his perfections and awe-inspiring in his glorious presence. The very revelation of his otherness (“holy”) is the glory of the Great King. His acts further reveal his majestic power. He is “mighty” in judgment and deliverance. He is “just” in his judgment and deliverance (cf. 11:7; 33:5; 37:28; 97:2). Because of his nature the Lord has “established equity” (mêšārîm) and “done what is just [mišpāṭ] and right [ṣeḏāqāh]” (v. 4; cf. 98:9) for the sake of “Jacob,” i.e., the people of God or “Zion.”
Because the Lord is “exalted” (rām, v. 2) over the nations and “holy” (vv. 3, 5) in his awe-inspiring presence, the people of God must lead the nations in “exalting” (rômemû, v. 5) the Lord. The object of the exaltation and “worship at his footstool” is to submit oneself to his sovereignty and to respond properly to his holy presence. He has established his kingdom on earth in the election of Israel, in the consecration of Jerusalem, and in this holy temple (“his footstool”; cf. 110:1; 132:7). The acts of God in Israel reveal the nature of the Great King and confirm his universal rule. His rule over the nations will be no different from what he has done on behalf of Israel. They too may benefit from his just and righteous rule (see appendix to Ps 132: The Ark of the Covenant and the Temple: Symbols of Yahweh’s Presence and Rule). (VanGemeren, W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, pp. 635–636). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Verse 5 is a refrain (cf. v. 9) in which everyone is invited to exalt the Lord … and worship at His footstool (i.e., before the temple with its ark located inside). (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. 865). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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5. “Exalt ye the Lord our God.” If no others adore him, let his own people render to him the most ardent worship. Infinite condescension makes him stoop to be called our God, and truth and faithfulness bind him to maintain that covenant relationship; and surely we, to whom by grace he so lovingly gives himself, should exalt him with all our hearts. He shines upon us from under the veiling wings of cherubim, and above the seat of mercy, therefore let us come and worship at his footstool. When he reveals himself in Christ Jesus, as our reconciled God, who allows us to approach even to his throne, it becomes us to unite earnestness and humility, joy and adoration, and, while we exalt him, prostrate ourselves in the dust before him. Do we need to be thus excited to worship? How much ought we to blush for such backwardness! It ought to be our daily delight to magnify so good and great a God. “For he is holy.” A second time the note rings out, and as the ark, which was the divine footstool, has just been mentioned, the voice seems to sound forth from the cherubim where the Lord sitteth, who continually do cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth!” Holiness is the harmony of all the virtues. The Lord has not one glorious attribute alone, or in excess, but all glories are in him as a whole; this is the crown of his honour and the honour of his crown. His power is not his choicest jewel, nor his sovereignty, but his holiness. In this, all comprehensive moral excellence he would have his creatures take delight, and when they do so their delight is evidence that their hearts have been renewed, and they themselves have been partakers of his holiness. The gods of the heathen were, according to their own votaries, lustful, cruel, and brutish; their only claim to reverence lay in their supposed potency over human destinies: who would not far rather adore Jehovah, whose character is unsullied purity, unswerving justice, unbending truth, unbounded love, in a word, perfect holiness? (Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). The treasury of David: Psalms 88-110 (Vol. 4, pp. 223–224). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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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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Will Your Church’s Preaching and Counseling Be Criminalized? Will Parents Be on Wrong Side of the Law Just for Talking to Them About Sexuality and Gender? A Warning from the American Heartland
to surface—and sometimes, those pressures against this precious liberty appear in unexpected places. You expect to see the rights of conscience suppressed in China, North Korea, and regrettably, in nations like Canada. Yet a recent development in the state of Indiana has placed religious freedom on shaky grounds.
Steve West of World Magazine reported that Faith Church in West Lafayette Indiana has, for the last forty-five years, operated a free, biblical counseling ministry for members of the community. Now, however, as West wrote, “that outreach is now threatened by a city council proposal that would penalize anyone who talked with minors to help them overcome unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria.”
The proposed ordinance is identified as 31-21 and would prohibit unlicensed persons from practicing what the ordinance describes as conversion therapy with those under the age of eighteen. Those found violating the statute would face a penalty of up to $1,000 per day. As West describes, “It defines conversion therapy as any practices or treatments that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.”
Similar proposals have populated news stories as of late—most recently in Canada and also pending legislation before the British Parliament. Each of these stories presents a direct collision between religious freedom and the totalitarian demands of the sexual revolution.
The West Lafayette ordinance, if enacted, would deny the freedom of gospel ministry that a church has practiced in that community for nearly a half century. The pastor of Faith Church, Dr. Steve Viars, said, “We’re not fighters. We’re not people who are just looking to get into it with somebody. We want to love our community and biblical counseling is one of the ways that we’ve chosen to do that.” But, as the pastor rightly pinpointed, legislation like the one his community is facing would criminalize speech rooted in deeply held religious convictions.
The proponents of this ordinance clearly targeted the ministry of Faith Church and other biblical counselors not in line with the sexual revolution. The ordinance specifically pursues “unlicensed” counselors, meaning Christian counselors. Indeed, as another pastor in West Lafayette stated, “We currently have 31 counselors offering sixty-eight hours of biblical counseling to members of our community each week, free of charge at multiple locations. The reason faith counselors and others choose not to be licensed is because we have dramatically different counseling presuppositions than the secular world. We have never practiced conversion therapy or used the term because we find this practice that was developed by the secular counseling community to be barbaric and harmful to persons experiencing same-sex attraction.”
During the middle to late period of the 20th century, some who identified as evangelical Christians began integrating their theological concerns with the contemporary currents of psychiatry and psychology. This became known as the integrationist approach and surged in popularity throughout the late 20th century. Biblically minded Christians, however, understood a problem with this model. The Scriptures make clear that you cannot integrate a Christian worldview with any other comprehensive truth claim. Psychiatry, as a modern humanistic discipline, emerged as a rather intentional effort to supplant the church’s counseling on a host of issues. It begins with a different understanding of the human being that is antithetical to the Christian worldview. Attempts to integrate a humanistic discipline with the Christian theological commitments about the human person, culminates in a way of counseling incompatible with the Scriptures and, by extension, harmful to the human person. That is why The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, for almost thirty years, has committed itself to replacing the old Christian counseling movement with a far more biblical system known as biblical counseling. We understand that the most important function of counsel, especially within the context of a local church, is that we direct people to the life-changing power of the inspired Word of God. Biblical counseling, furthermore, resides outside the confines of state licensure—it is a ministry of local churches to care for its members and people who need the help that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can provide.
But the proposed ordinance in West Lafayette represents a direct attack on the right of churches to be churches—on the right of Christians ministers to practice Christian ministry. It is also an assault upon the rights of parents to seek biblical counseling and guidance for their children.
To be clear, the biblical counseling movement does not use any form of what is legitimately called conversion therapy. That method is a discredited secular therapeutic device. Yet, the term conversion therapy is now being weaponized by the secularists. They take what Christians believe about gender, sexuality, and how to counsel people through issues related to same-sex attraction, and equate that with conversion therapy. Thus, the West Lafayette ordinance bans the right and responsibility of Christian churches to counsel Christians upon the basis of the inerrant, infallible, Word of God. It would make such methods a criminal act in an American town. In fact, the ordinance defines “counseling” as “techniques used to help individuals learn how to solve problems and make decisions related to personal growth, vocational, family, and other interpersonal concerns.” This is exactly what pastors and counselors do in local churches; but the ordinance provides no exception for Christian churches.
Shannon Kang, a member of the West Lafayette council and advocate of the ordinance, declared, “Until all of our vulnerable populations in the city are protected, we cannot stand by and say that we’ve done enough. This is extremely important to me.” She went on to argue, “Ordinances and resolutions like this are intended to change the culture. I’m not asking that these people who do it would convert, but it sends a message into what sort of community they are living in, and it sends a message to our vulnerable communities as well.” This is a candid confession of what these laws and measures are trying to do—this is an attempt to normalize the entire spectrum of the LGBTQ sexual ethic and ban any contrary worldview from the public square.
This ordinance, along with what is happening in Canada and in the United Kingdom, are clear messages to Christians: change your message and capitulate on your sexual ethics if you want to continue to have a place in society. Christians are being commanded to surrender our moral understanding and biblical convictions about what it means to be human. Tragically, not only is religious freedom threatened, but as more and more of these measures go into effect, real men and women will continue to suffer and not receive the aid and counsel they truly need.
This will not be the last time we hear about a community trying to ban Christian churches from being Christian churches. More of these stories will continue to surface in the coming weeks, months, and years. These laws thwart religious freedom, perpetuate suffering, and increase the power of an ever-growing totalitarian regime that can now tell parents what kind of counseling they can and cannot seek for their children. These are major developments, and it is up to Christians to contend for the truth, speak against these measures, and, no matter what, preach the full counsel of God. This we must do, in season and out of season, no matter the cost. (by R. Albert Mohler, Jr)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Job 40-42
Humility can be a very difficult pill to swallow! A litany of questions that have no answers can cause a man to recognize how small he really is in the universe! I have stated and believe it more firmly each day that, “the older I get, the more I realize how little I know!”
Job came to this point of being aware of his ignorance as God revealed Himself, and His complete control of all creation. God’s questions were not designed to belittle Job or stop his desire to speak and discuss crucial items with God. Instead, it developed a new assurance and deeper appreciation of the God Job had served for so long.
Not only is Job deeply impacted by this revelation of God and His character, but his friends are suddenly confronted for their erroneous statements. They are commanded to come before Job and have him pray for them. Vindication and revenge have no room here as Job realized how much he had been forgiven.
While the life of Job is rebuilt and many of the elements of his life are restored, Job is a changed man. Fortune, land, respect, and prosperity all returned to Job. Many children also were born to him, and his life was filled with more than he had ever had. Yet Job was different because of seeing his God differently.
When the Lord speaks and works in our lives nothing is ever the same. The crucible of suffering made Job even more mindful of God’s power and presence. May we like Job and Peter in the New Testament say, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever” (1 Peter 5: 10-11).
With an Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller (Board Member)
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TEMPORARY CONVERSION
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that…is offended.
Matthew 13:20-21
Our Lord, because of the danger of a “temporary something” happening, was constantly dealing with this and seemed to be repelling people. Indeed, they charged Him with making discipleship impossible. Take that great sixth chapter of John where the people were running after Him and hanging onto His words because of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, and our Lord seemed to be trying deliberately to repel them.
Take also the parable in Matthew 13—the Parable of the Sower—and our Lord’s own exposition of it. Notice particularly verses 20-21: “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and anon with joy receives it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.” But notice what our Lord says about this same man: he “anon with joy receives it [the Word].” That is what I mean by temporary conversion. He seems to have received the Word, he is full of joy, but he has no root in him, and that is why he ends up with nothing at all. Now that is our Lord’s own teaching; there is the possibility of this very joyful “conversion,” and yet there is nothing there in a vital, living sense, and it proves temporary.
Paul speaks in 1 Timothy 1:19-20 of “holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” Now that is very serious teaching. He says the same thing in 2 Timothy 2. There is such a thing as temporary conversion, temporary believers, but they are not true believers. That is why it is so vital that we should know the biblical teaching as to what conversion really is.
A THOUGHT TO PONDER: There is the possibility of a joyful conversion proving to be temporary. (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 119-120, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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When we read “count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (v. 2), we can mentally assent to the wisdom of that. But in real life, when the duration and intensity of our trials goes beyond what we deem to be reasonable, we pass the point of caring. We begin to question the goodness of God. We question the rationality of the Christian life. We just want relief. By the grace of God we must accept that we are finally experiencing what James is talking about. Take courage. Be strong. God has not forgotten you. And as He is testing you, you will become spiritually mature – though you probably will perceive the growth only in retrospect. (Walk through the Bible)
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Eric Russell tells us that, Ryle soon became accustomed to the routine of pastoral work carefully preparing two sermons for the Sunday services, regularly conducting meetings twice a week, ‘in small crowded cottages, reeking with peat smoke … and was in every house in the parish at least once a month.’ His visits were never merely social calls, but always had a spiritual purpose, more so, since his parishioners were ‘totally unaccustomed to being … spoken to about their souls.’ (p. 58)
To preach Christ and to exercise a pastoral care over your people is what the ministry is about. (p. 59) (Preachers Who Made A Difference by Peter Jeffery)
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A consistent attitude of contentment can bring lasting joy and lead you out of the wilderness of covetousness. (p.83)Contentment is the atmosphere in the Promised Land where God embraces and prospers all who choose the attitudes that please Him. Contentment is a pattern of thinking that replaces wilderness attitude number two. And every move you make in replacing the covetous thinking that plagues all of us, with true, biblical contentment is a step out of dry and dead, and into happy and whole. …. Contentment is a satisfaction with God’s sufficient provision. (p. 84)
I love sarcasm as a form of humor and enjoy many of the funny lines that come from Jack Handy, a sort of verbal “Far Side” type comedian. When he’s poking fun at our society’s rejection of absolute truth, he says, “Instead of giving answers to math tests, I think we should just give impressions. That way, if I have a different impression than you have … well, can’t we all be brothers?” That really cracks me up because, of course, the idea is ludicrous. (p. 86) (LORD, Change My Attitude (Before It’s Too Late by James MacDonald)
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