“Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true.” -Psalm 119:142

When Jesus was brought on trial before going to the cross, Pilate questioned Him. The governor couldn’t understand the religious leaders’ hatred toward Jesus, and tried to get to the bottom of it. Jesus confirms He is a King, but not of this world. He came for this reason- to testify to the truth. Jesus is Truth, who came to man, yet many did not accept Jesus’ message when Truth stared them in the face. Post modernists like Pilate still ask, “What is truth?” 

I remember reading Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in college. Several students were assigned a literary critical theory for interpreting the text. Based on which approach we had, determined how the student viewed the passage. I was given Deconstruction. Deconstruction is a dismantling of a text to prove there are many meanings, with the belief that meaning like language, evolves and cannot be a fixed structure. With multiple ways to read a singular passage, they can even be in contradiction of one another, rather than a cohesive narrative. It is the complete opposite of what I believe the Scriptures to be. This approach (like other literary criticisms) props up relativism over absolutes. All of it is complete nonsense, but a tool nonetheless used to drive us away from Truth. Affirming God’s Word as absolute truth is fundamental, but how Scripture is interpreted is also essential. 

 What I have found helpful when reading the Bible is first considering the author’s intent. Specifically, I believe the Holy Spirit inspired each man to write what is now the canonized Scriptures. Therefore, I know the complete Word of God to be trustworthy and true. Good questions to ask when reading the book of Isaiah for example would be, “Who is the author? Who is he writing to? Why did he write this book? What was happening in the writer’s world, personally and/or publicly? How was this message received by the original audience? Why is this important to read today? There are also phrases and places in the Bible which I am not familiar with because they are not common today, but were an integral part of their culture. Keeping a good commentary is helpful for understanding those idioms and ancient cities, which for modern day ears are lost in translation. 

Another great question to consider when studying the Bible is “who is God in this passage?” Even in books like Esther where His Name is not mentioned, the reader sees God at work saving His people. When we read any portion of Scripture, examining the character of God and His promises allows us to see His heart. The whole reason our Lord has given us the written Word is to reveal Himself. Ultimately God redeemed His children through the Living Word, Jesus Christ, for His Glory and our eternal good.

God’s Word is a beautiful and merciful gift He has given us. In it, He has told us His Son Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Gospel. When we speak of what is true, it must begin with Christ. Not only is our Lord the Truth, but He is Eternal Truth. Creation will wear out under the curse, but God’s Word stands forever. This is our comfort and hope. In a world hell bent on rejecting the God of Truth, Christians have a duty to rightly interpret Scripture, then contend for the faith in what we know to be true. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Be dogmatically true, obstinately holy, immovably honest, desperately kind, fixedly upright.” If God Himself proclaims His whole counsel to be truth, then this leaves no wiggle room for leaving hard passages out. It is either all true, or none of it is. Jesus is the Rock on which believers stand. He is the Living Word, eternally righteous and true.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: John 1:1-14; 18:28-38; John 14:6; Isaiah 40:6-8; Jude 1-25

 

“Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:141

The psalmist is despised by others for taking God’s commands seriously. I remember an acquaintance one time referring to a mutual friend of ours as a “super Christian”. I knew what she meant, however, I don’t believe there are super Christians and regular ones. I think there are obedient believers and disobedient believers. It doesn’t mean they live lives of habitual sin, but they aren’t forsaking everything else to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-26). We all have blind spots of disobedience which the Lord will mercifully show His children in time. In general, we do what we want, motivated by what we love- comfort, recognition, popularity, money, etc. God’s grace to grow us in spiritual maturity takes a lifetime. But as the power of the Holy Spirit changes the desires of a Christian, it comes down to one thing: Obedience. Do we trust God’s known character and revealed promises in Scripture enough to obey His commands? Do you love His authority over you?

Praise God for His grace toward every repentant sinner. The difference between a Christian and the lost is forgiveness. Only through the blood of Christ are you and I forgiven. It is when we acknowledge our sin and need of a Savior that we become truly free. Yet being a Christian does not mean a life of ease or “your best life now”. Jesus said if the world hated Him, they will hate His followers too. The psalmist experienced this. Yet our Lord gave us His example for enduring persecution, even to death. Do not be surprised when fiery trials come upon you and people reject you because you follow Jesus. It is part of what it means to learn obedience through suffering for His sake. What tastes bitter now will one day be sweet. 

Trouble and distress will come but God is our everlasting comfort. He is the Anchor for the drowning and will not let you go. His hold on you is firm. God is more compassionate toward His own than a loving mother is to her child. He is faithful to guide us in His righteous way, so that we become more like His Son. This world is our sanctifier, Heaven our glory and Home. 

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Hebrews 5:8; Matthew 10:16-42; John 15:18-16:4; Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 4:12-19

 

“Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them.” -Psalm 119:140

The things that we love shape who we are. Love means time invested. Whether the object of your love occupies your thoughts, words or actions, it is your energy and time being used. What we love will become evident to others as well. Can you imagine a young lady newly engaged and telling no one about it? No, she would share her excitement with family, friends and possibly, not so casually, blurt it out to the cashier ringing up her groceries too.

The New King James translation of this verse reads, “Your Word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.” I like this translation better because it underscores the beauty of Scripture in a succinct way. Matthew Henry describes the purity of God’s Word as linked to His holiness and the power of the written Word to change us. He writes,

“Our love to the word of God is then an evidence of our love to God when we love it for the sake of its purity, because it bears the image of God’s holiness and is designed to make us partakers of His holiness. It commands purity, and as it is itself refined from all corrupt mixture, so if we receive it in the light and love of it, it will refine us from the dross of worldliness and fleshly-mindedness.”

It is a marvelous grace the seed of love God has planted in the hearts of His children. We can not love Him anymore than we can raise the dead, had God not loved us first. He has drawn us to Himself in loving-kindness, calling us by name. So now the Greatest Love Story unfolds with a new chapter which includes your story. It is better than any rags to riches tale Hollywood dreams up. The Lord has wooed every one of His people to Himself. Imperfect as our love is, God is patient and unconditional in His perfect love toward us. How can you and I get to know this God of love? This Holy One who stooped down to take notice of you and me, even giving us life eternal? We grow deeper in love with our Heavenly Father by reading His personal love letter, the Bible.

God’s eternal Word is pure and holy, telling us how we were dead and without hope. But God. God in His rich mercy, made us alive with Jesus Christ. Is this what you love? Is the Lord God your greatest treasure? May the Father loosen our lips to speak of our love for Him, and soften our hearts into a posture of worship.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 12:6

“My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore Your words.” -Psalm 119:139

Do not cast your pearls before swine. Those who willfully reject the truth of God cannot love and treasure the Pearl of Great Price the way you do. This is applied to those who continually reject the Gospel. Be zealous for God, but if His Word is not received, shake the dust from your feet and move on. There is much Kingdom work to attend to in these last days.

This does call for discernment with whom we share the Gospel with and for how long. Anyone who does not yet know the Lord is His enemy, as we once were. Praise God for His mercy that someone shared the Good News with you and me! Yet spiritual ground is harder in some places in the world and may take years to penetrate. It reminds me of the missionary William Carey. He could have echoed the psalmist’s words. As a missionary to India, Carey had no convert for seven years. SEVEN. Even in his zeal for the Lord and obedience to His call, he too grew discouraged at times. Yet Carey kept plodding, as he calls it, attempting great things for God because he expected great things from God. The Lord was merciful to begin a spiritual awakening in the heart of India because Carey was a willing servant. His zealous life became an instrument of grace among those enslaved to false religions and vices. His enemies became his brothers in Christ. 

The psalmist rightly handles his enemies by crying out to God first. It is a principle all Christians are to follow, entrusting Him who judges justly with our foes. My ESV Study Bible comments, “Believers are to be merciful, forgiving, and slow to judge, yet they should wisely discern the true character of people and not indefinitely continue proclaiming the Gospel to those who adamantly reject it, so that they can move on and proclaim the Gospel to others.” This is the command Jesus gave His twelve apostles when He sent them out to preach (Matthew 10:5-15). We are simply called to be faithful for today in proclaiming the Good News. The Lord may call some to serve Him long term toward a specific people like He did with William Carey. Others will be called to evangelize in an informal manner, with the people we see everyday. Some will be open to Christ and some will reject Jesus’ gift of salvation forever. Ultimately we trust God to work in the hearts of men. Trust and obey. Leave the results with the Lord. Some of our answered prayers and the fruit of our labors we may never see this side of Heaven. Be zealous for the One who loves you best and keep plodding.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Matthew 7:6-29; 9:35-10:42; Romans 12:17-21; Ephesians 2:1-13

“The statutes You have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.” -Psalm 119:138

God’s Word has been tested in everyday living, throughout history and has not been found lacking. To truly live, our souls must seek the Righteous One. Only our Lord elects, redeems, satisfies and teaches the path of righteousness for His Name’s sake. It is for His Glory and our eternal good when we learn His statutes and practice them. Christianity is practical holy living which is only attained by the blood of Jesus and the power of His Spirit at work in the life of a believer. Only God is worthy of our worship which is why His people desire to obey Him. The Lord will then lead us in His goodness and mercy all the days of our life. And when our pilgrim journey in this world comes to an end, we will dwell in the House of the Lord eternally. This is His promise to His people. It is true and trustworthy.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Psalm 23; Titus 2:11-14

“Righteous are You, O LORD, and Your laws are right.” -Psalm 119:137

The theme of this octave (vv.137-144) is the Lord’s righteousness amid the psalmist’s trials. His faith has not been found lacking, as God is actively at work refining him. Beauty from ashes, joy from mourning, light from darkness. This is how our Father in Heaven works. Jesus was born to die. He suffered to save. It is God’s upside down kingdom effect. What looks foolish to the world is salvation for those who believe.

In this section the psalmist looks for the Lord to guide him through His commands. God is his Counselor and ours when we seek His way, then trust and obey what He calls us to do. Because the Lord is all-knowing and perfectly wise, all He says, does and promises are right. Not only are His ways correct and true, but the Lord is blameless. Almighty God, sinless, sent a Perfect spotless Lamb, His Son Jesus, to the cross to make atonement for the sins of many (Isaiah 53:10-12). Why put your trust in anything else? We were made to worship and live for the Living God. This is the way to true life- walk in it.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Isaiah 9:6; 55:6-13; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

“Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:134

The psalmist is harassed by those who despise truth. They hate him for living by the truth as it exposes their own unrighteousness. Those who do not fear God attempt to silence, mock or harm saints who reverence the Lord. This should not cause the believer to despair but rather affirm he is on the right side. Worldliness makes holiness a disease and normalizes sin (Romans 1:18-32). But Christians have Jehovah Maginnenu, the LORD our Defense. “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your Name will trust in You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You” (Psalm 9:9-10). Believers can entrust our circumstances no matter how dire, in the Lord’s Sovereign and Loving Hands. If we know He runs the show, and He also loves you, then what other excuse do you have not to trust Him?

If God allowed His only Son to endure cruel rejection and even death, we should expect persecution as well (John 15:18-25). Likewise, we have our older Brother to show us how to respond to the oppression of men. The night Jesus was betrayed, the Bible says He did not retaliate, although He could have sent an army of angels to His side in an instant. Instead, our Lord Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). This is why the psalmist petitions for God to help him not sin against his enemies, but redeem him- keep him from taking the bait and falling into the pit his enemies wallow in. The psalmist desires obedience to the Lord over personal revenge. Let his example be an encouragement to us.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Isaiah 53; Psalm 9; Romans 12:17-21

 

“Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.” -Psalm 119:129

If God’s statutes did not mean anything to the psalmist he would not have wanted to obey them. The love for what is right and true grows an inward desire for holy obedience. Those who do not love God’s law but go through the outward motions are legalists at best, hypocrites at worst. We are motivated by what we love, things we are passionate about, what we respect, and by godly fear. The difference in reverent fear for the Lord versus being afraid of Him is loving God’s authority. We trust Him to rule over us therefore we will obey. His character, His nature, demands our all and yet God Himself is not demanding. We are not His puppets on a string. Instead, the Lord woos us to Himself, unlocking the mysteries of Who He is over a lifetime of discovery. This is the heart of God for His children. 

As we grow in grace toward spiritual maturity, His saints learn what a wonderful, gracious, merciful Law-Giver we serve and desire to follow His footprints. This too is a mercy as God gently leads us in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. The end result is the Christian’s glorification, reflecting the likeness of our Savior. We have been justified by His mercy, we are being sanctified in His grace, one day we will be glorified in His perfect righteousness. 

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Deuteronomy 4:1-40; Psalm 23; Romans 8:29-30

“and because I consider all Your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.” -Psalm 119:128

The psalmist has already declared how much he loves God’s commands. Now he balances his affection with an equal hatred of anything which is anti-God. That is, false ways, lies and folly- Sin. Since God is the Source from Whom all blessings flow, the psalmist loves all the Father does, beginning with the good instruction He has given His children. False ways are a rejection of God’s authority. Therefore the psalmist declares all of God’s precepts as right. He has found the truth and will not easily let it go.

Sometimes during the course of a day, or even a season, we may have to fight to remember what is true. It is a very real spiritual warfare within the soul, as Lucifer has every intention to mark us as an invalid in the Lord’s army. We are to remember El Elyon, The Most High, King of Kings, when we get swept us in the cares and snares of our earthly life. I believe our Father provides helps in times of spiritual fog. My husband is a great comfort to me when I need Biblical encouragement. What other kind of encouragement is there? I know I can lean on this man to speak the truth I already know, but have somewhere along the way focused on the temporary horizon instead. God is gracious to provide His children with spiritual helps by illuminating His Word to us, and through other Christians. This is a grace that is ours in Christ Jesus. 

Who is in Heaven seated on His Throne but God Almighty? Who is Omnipotent, Omniscient but Jehovah Yahweh? It is God’s mercy to align our thoughts back with His. C.S. Lewis commented on how the Lord speaks to us. He says God whispers in our joys, speaks to our consciences, and shouts in our pain. Adversity then is God’s megaphone, an instrument of grace. We want soft hearts. Soft hearts are pliable to God’s instruction, discerning to sinful choices, quick to repent. Puritan Thomas Case noted, “God softens hearts with the showers of adversity and makes us more attentive unto Him and less influenced by the noise of the world.” Our response in those trials reveals the fruit of our love for Him. May God give us grace to affirm His precepts as truth and turn from every wrong path.

Grace upon grace,

April