Sunday Psalm IV

God, you're the eternal kernal;
the creative "big" before the bang theory.

I'm the temporal mist that fades;
the blade of grass quickly withered.

While I live through 1 day, You live through 1000 years.

Its no wonder that I want to feel justified by temporary things. 

Lord you have no need to justify your decisions as God.
You are completely other, unable to sin!

So qualities evident in the Triune God: The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit; are well worth clinging to...
God in the shortness of my days may I hunger for your attributes.

Holiness, love, compassion, peace, gentleness, patience and righteous living...
Those characteristics are always in You and therefore they've always had an eternal residency in You Lord.   

In Jesus death and resurrection I have by faith taken residency there too.
In right relationship with God, I live at the same address as holiness:)

Sunday Psalm III

I

Creation is groaning. 

Nature is enslaved.  

Coral reefs recede.

Fjords dissipate. 

Rivers never fill the sea. 

Returning home disappoints. 

Innocent babies cry.

People die. 

 

II

Knowing increases grief.

Forgetting decreases hope.

Remembering hurts.

Bitterness blockades. 

Destruction and sin. 

Dismay and decay.

   

III

But trust secures relationship. 

Glorious freedom is promised.

Eagerness sweetens the wait.

Truth is what Christ affords. 

IV

Righteousness imputed.

Humbly in Christ restored.

 

A Sunday Psalm II

Lord God,

Your Word has a way
into my heart for holiness;
into my head for discernment.

Your blood has a way
into my life for mercy;
into my trouble for salvation.

Your grace has a way
into my words for worship;
into my days for growing.

Thank you  God for this new life in Jesus.

Loving Others part 4

Biblical Statutes to drive a Love of Others 

Love unbelievers with:

 -Peace. “If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

-Compassion. “But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.” Luke 10:33.

-Mercy.  “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said Luke 10:36-37

-Looking inwardly. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

-Blessing your foe. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14

-Never seeking revenge. “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

-Acts and gifts. “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,” Luke 6:27

-Pray for them. “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Luke 6:28

-Give generously. “Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do.” Deut 15:10

-Serve everyone keep humble. “But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; Matthew 20:25-27

Loving Others part 3

 How Can We Love People Given Over to Their Sin?

I'm noticing through these posts that I actually don't struggle with loving people as much as the all-allowing society in which I live. I realize now: I do not love my society. We live in a time and place that following folly is encouraged and must be respected because that is their choice and excersize of freedom. But if that means offending the holy God and becoming so held by sin that it is an approved lifestyle. Its become hard to love people when they are "that far gone" and given over to their sin, then demanding I recognize their right to be a poster-boy for that sin... I want to love as Christ did...

Today seems to carry unprecedented levels of shamelessness and humanism. My culture gives liberty to sinful things, it legalizes destructive things and tolerates almost anything.We'll admit our wickedness because we no longer live in a culture that would disapprove of things that were once deemed wicked. So people are not ashamed of their dark actions. There is this sense of pathetic-honesty. Apologies are cheap to the rebellious. Much sin seems costless in this culture, and the spirit world isn't being addressed.

The local news exploits the deeds of sins that are unanimously abhorrent. So that there is a paradox effect on the viewer to make them feel saintly. The yeast of humanism shows its bulge in the form of self-reliance, subjective "truths", and an intellect that seeks the uniformity/approval of others. Parenting has gotten so permissive saying: "follow your heart." Youth don't think much about consequences unless they are taught to submit. Leaders are often watered down to people-pleasing. My culture's primary export is immorality... surely there is a cost to all this.

GOD is not silent. He is a Consuming Fire.

^"One slaughters an ox, one kills a man;
one sacrifices a lamb, one breaks a dog’s neck;
one offers a grain offering, one offers pig’s blood;
one offers incense, one praises an idol—
all these have chosen their ways
and delight in their detestable practices.
 So I will choose their punishment,
and I will bring on them what they dread
because I called and no one answered;
I spoke and they didn’t hear;
they did what was evil in My sight
and chose what I didn’t delight in." (Isaiah 66:3-4)

"For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.  For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen." (Romans 1:20-25)


For He says, "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Loving Others part 2

 The Continuing Debt to Love Others

Although loans and debts are to be avoided as much as possible, borrowing from someone isn't completely prohibited by the Bible so long as 1. Interest isn't exorbitantly accrued by the lender or 2. The borrower actively pays back and intends on eliminating the debt. 

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

For sound loans, what remains is an amount that a past due amount, this often comes in the form or a bill each month. Then a monthly payment chips away the debt. I have little experience as a lender. Yet I have much experience as a borrower. As a borrower, my motivation to keep paying gets challenged as time goes on. Owing money is difficult it can be defeating and enslaving the longer it goes on. But at its origin there is a contract at stake, the validity of your word needs to be made good on. 

 ^"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8

I spend so much time talking about debt because I have found this Romans 13:8 verse to be a prime motivator for me to love others by. Debt is always over me as the borrower, it is part of who I am. My promise to make good on that debt is also over me because I made a contract/covenant/promise on the debt.

It is a continuing debt. Because of Christ's example we will always have an outstanding debt of love. If I am tempted to rescind my debt to love others, I am walking away from obediently fulfilling the Law. Salvation comes with the cost of discipleship. Similarly, a love for God comes with a love for people.  

Loving Others part 1

 When Godly People Feel Hate toward Unbelievers

  "I do not sit with the worthless or associate with hypocrites; I hate a crowd of evildoers, and I do not sit with the wicked." Ps 26:4-5

I don't know if Jesus would utter these words as the Psalmist does. There is this "tension line" that needs to be defined as Christ-ones. God needs to teach me how to love my neighbors and yet hate all that is sinful. When Christians feel hate towards another person similar to the Psalmist above, how can a Christian respond as Christ would rather than this Israelite? 

In the Psalms, in the Old Testament we see that the Law brings condemnation and therefore people felt it ok to "opt-up" of neighborly love if their enemy is unquestionably an offense to God. Why else would the Psalmist have a right to profess such hatred towards his neighbors. Its the Law's implication rather than the grace at the cross of Jesus.

In living amid the wretched, the Psalmist wants God to be glorified and sin punished. In looking at Psalm 10; 12; 14; 26; 83 I see the Psalmist wishing harm on another person in at least one verse of each Psalm. What is important to note is that the writer doesn't wish to take matters into his own hands; he is asking God to execute the harm instead –to make Himself known to the wicked.  

"So pursue them with Your tempest
and terrify them with Your storm.
Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek Your name Yahweh.” Ps 83:15-16.

The imprecatory Psalms like 7; 35; 69; 22-29, 83, 109 The writer goes a step further almost taunting God into action: "Do it God, he's offended You, Your Law says you just can't let that slide." Praying like this requires a clear understanding of the situation, the person, the sin, the Law, and God's righteousness. Here anger towards another person is being dealt with by bringing it to God -not placing the toaster next to your enemy’s bath tub. I can't say that I have prayed like this often. But when a predator is evil seeking only to devour… may it be them who is devoured instead of another victim. 

The problem I have with treating my neighbors this way -even though they may be the worst kind of evil; praying this way seems to ask God to forget His Son's purchase on the cross. Jesus has grace for the very ungodly. But if the innocent are murdered then yes; it is a difficult prayer.

  

Keep in mind that in each of these Psalms the writer wants/prays for the wicked person or the society around them to know who God is via the punishment. One of my teachers prays for unbelievers similarly: "Lord get their attention." He doesn't go so far as to wish them affliction or harm, but rather that God would do whatever it takes to bring the revelation of His mercy in Christ to an unbeliever. 

A Sunday Psalm

I want to go deeper with God and seek Him on the Sabbath instead of doing just what i want. So I started by writing a "Sunday Psalm". This is pulling from my trials of being too busy, taking my eyes off of God and mixing that with Isaiah 31. I hope it blesses God, I wrote it for Him. 

 

God is all help, all the time. 

 

Seek the Lord's help, why think of anything else to do?   

Are you banking on Egypt plus chariots times horsemen?

 

If you pay Him no mind -God, your Father... why would you pay Him no mind!?! 

You, the helped and your helper Egypt die together.

 

Remember who jump-starts your vitals. 

Is it not God who fills and clears your plate?

 

Why go to a counselor, a teacher, a mentor, a doctor? 

Skip seeing your family, your work and your friends if you haven't been in Christ first. 

Consult God in prayer and His Word: He's first.

 

Oh glorious Jesus your salvation has made me in right standing with the Father. 

I know the forgiveness now teach me the relational.

Teach me the righteousness that puts our relationship first at all times.   

 

I seek your help God this semester. Help me count and live out the cost.

The Fear of the Lord pt. 3

Why did God say to Satan "Have you considered my servant Job?" (Jb 1:8)

The Lord seemingly invites Job's undoing. Does God discuss with Satan who to bring suffering on? Apparently He can if He wants to. Some brothers and sisters suffer far more than others, where's the justice of that? I fear the Lord because He has not given me the undoing and affliction of Job.

I choose to fear the Lord because if I would have Gotten what my sins deserve I should be dead by now.

If I could rename the Book of Job it would be called: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

From one human to another we can praise each other as "good" and think that we are basically approved as "good." The faith error is in taking that further by assuming God praises us the way our neighbors praise us. God's version of a "good" person is Jesus and none other (Mk 10:18; Lk 18:19). 

On our own, God doesn't think us "good"; there is no good in us. We're not "good" people (Jr 17:9; Ps 53:3).  So really the question when someone says "Why does God allow bad to happen to good people?" It should be rephrased: "Why does God allow bad things happen to bad people?" 

This might sound like a contradiction because originally, God created us in His image and His creation was "good" in His sight before the fall (Gn 1:26-31). God intended us to be good. So when we do good things, we may get the accolades of others but honestly/soberly: we are simply meeting God's minimum expectation of us! 

Pop-salvation, Karmic thought, Purgatory, and even the "Test" of people by Allah of Islam are tangled up in this misunderstanding: "If my good outweighs my bad God will let me into heaven  because I'm basically good." -Nay, the good is expected of you. It in no way makes up for your bad. We need Jesus for the bad. Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pt 4:8) -not good.  

These other beliefs would say at judgement "since my "good" outweighs my bad, it will be dropped off or forgiven. God will forgive the bad, and purify me with purgatory or just because He is forgiving." Then I can enter a holy, spotless heaven in direct communion with God. This post-life atoning makes no sense because the sacrifice pleasing God -by which He covers the bad, has already been made: Christ crucified. Which is the fulfilment of the New Covenant found (Jr 31:31-34) 

"¹⁴ For by one offering (Jesus Christ/ Lamb of God) He has perfected forever those who are sanctified. ¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after He says:

¹⁶ This is the covenant I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws on their hearts
and write them on their minds,

¹⁷ He adds:

I will never again remember
their sins and their lawless acts.

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,²⁰ by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh), ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water^{. 23} Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:14-23)

*I fear the Lord because He requires an offering for each sin... I am unable to produce that many offerings! My "good" words/works/acts do only what is expected of me. My wretchedness and sin can only be removed by nailing them to the cross and having faith in the Son of God, who took on my sin and died for them. This satisfied God's wrath intended for me.

The Fear of the Lord pt 2

Why does the Spirit of the Lord leave Saul and an evil Spirit from God enter him (1 Sam 16:14; 18:10)?

Here its important to spiral out at the surrounding verses, starting with 1 Sam 18:10. First Saul chose to respond to David's fame by being "very angry" "galled" v8. Then Saul remained constantly jealous of David v9.  Saul cared about how David was perceived by others. The king was jealous of others.

In the second half of verse 10 Saul is "raving" (some translations say "prophesying") and Saul tries to spear David. This escalation of jealousy to attempted murder seems caused by the evil spirit indwelling.  *I fear God because I know I have been "jealous", "very angry" and by His grace has led me to the cross of Jesus and His blood rather than to Saul's spear.

Opening the scope larger as to why God sent an evil spirit, someone might be surprised that Saul was first anointed and commissioned by God (see chapters 9 and 10). Despite the God-approved anointing, Saul dishonored God, made unauthorized sacrifices (1 Sam 13:9). Here king Saul did not wait for the prophet Samuel, and showed he revere God and His sacrificial system only as it suited him. 

Spiraling outwardly more:  "Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel,  'I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.'” (1 Sam 15: 10-11). I think God was provoked to send evil spirits to Saul because of Saul's actions -not just because He is God.  *I fear the Lord because He can change anyone for His plan regardless of merit, some have years of obedience and then God test with evil spirits.

On the outter spiral of this spirit-change is this truth:
"But today you (Israel) have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to Him, ‘You must set a king over us.’" (1 Sam 10:19)
*I fear the Lord because all around me I live among a people who would rather have their gods and reject You and Your saving works. Yet, the Truth of Jesus Christ changed me. *I fear You Lord because You could send to me an evil spirit due to my nation that acts and speaks as if they don't need you. Instead I have a spirit that is hungry for You. Forgive us, Humble us and revive us.  

-God, Satan has the amount of power You permit him to have and not one ounce more. 
-Rid me Lord of jealousy, of living in fear of what others think.
-Rid me of spiritual impatience that would cause me to think I don't need the blood of Christ, like Saul did.