life

The Church’s witness

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“May those who fear You turn to me, those who understand Your statutes.” -Psalm 119:79

In contrast to the last verse where the psalmist does not pursue close friendship with the mockers, rebels and compromisers, here he seeks fellowship with other lovers of God. Why does he want that? Because people grounded in truth are a blessing to their spiritual family. Christians who take seriously the “one another” commands in Scripture toward our spiritual family will operate like the body of Christ before an unbelieving world. What a testimony to actually look like a cohesive healthy functioning Body! We belong to each other as we belong to God. He has designed us as His Bride, the Church.

So when we can’t see eye to eye on secondary, tertiary issues and so on, let us not become bitter, resentful or judgmental toward our brother or sister in the Lord. God loves them too and Jesus also died for them. When it is hard to love one another, remember how unlovely you were before Christ saved you and even now in your unlovely moments, that Christ does not send you a bill of divorce from Him! We look over offenses, we are quick to forgive and slow to anger. Satan would love nothing more than to fracture Christ’s body into a million pieces. Let us go back to the basics of the primary Gospel issue that unifies the Church. Start there then ask the Spirit to help you practice the “one another” directives within the Body of Christ that Jesus loves so much He was willing to sacrifice His life for us.

Grace upon grace,

April

Do Not Be Overcome By Evil

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“May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:78

 When the psalmist is falsely maligned he entrusts himself to the Perfect Judge. Instead of taking matters into his own hands for revenge he leaves room for God’s justice. This is the same message Paul writes in Romans 12:17-21:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” 

It is wonderful to see how connected the Old Testament and New Testament are. The same message comes from One Author. Like Paul, the psalmist is so sure of God’s justice to be measured out accordingly that he goes back to studying the Scriptures! The wicked cannot win here. If the dogs of Satan cannot secure your allegiance with them their tactic is to worry, mock and persecute the children of God. Believers deeply rooted will not look on their trials with wringing hands, but will look upward with raised hands. They will worship and trust the Lord in the storms and in calmer days. Our responses to conflict, persecution and in peacetime all are part of the Lord’s school for conforming His people to Christlikeness. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Spiritual Sustenance

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“Let Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight.” -Psalm 119:77

The Lord is compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. He knows our frailties, failures and neediness. Jesus demonstrated a compassionate heart in the Gospels by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, teaching the ignorant. He has shown us great mercy by opening our eyes, raising us from the dead, unshackling the chains of sin and damnation. It is only then that we begin living. This is what the psalmist prays for- Life lived abundantly the rest of his earthly days as he steps from this realm into Glory.

One way the Lord lavishes more life is through His Word. As we feed on it we are nourished, able to grow and walk worthy of our King. God grants a desire in His children to seek His face. Open the Scriptures and you will find Him for God is compassionate. He does not turn away any who come to Him.

Grace upon grace,

April

Faithfully Afflicted

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“I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me.” -Psalm 119:75

God faithfully afflicts those He loves. This seems counter-cultural in our world of comfort and ease, especially in the West. But to be brought low and dependent, for our spiritual vision to be sharpened, we generally need experiential training on the ground. The psalmist sees goodness in all the Lord’s dealings. How can he not trust the One with all wisdom? The God who made him and loves him best? How can we not trust in our Father who gave up His only Son to make a way for creatures like us to come to Him in peace? Jesus suffered the greatest affliction on the cross, paying the believer’s sin debt as the Father poured out His just wrath, forsaking His Son until it was finished. His ways are surely righteous and good even when we do not fully understand why we must endure a particular sorrow.

The Lord also disciplines those He loves. His rod and staff guide us to His pleasant pasture. Earthly fathers who love their children discipline them for training- to be respectful under authority, to know the difference from right and wrong, to be humble, and learn how to treat others. If these are the standards a father uses for his children, how much more loving and gracious are the ways of our Heavenly Father? All He does is for His glory and our eternal good. 

When you are afflicted, rest in this truth- God is conforming you to look like Jesus. This is our sanctification. We are being refined to practice what our position in Christ already is. He is faithful to complete this work no matter what it takes.

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 1:6

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Psalm 23; Hebrews 12:3-15

The Song of the Lord

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“Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.” -Psalm 119:54

There have been times in history when being a Christian or owning a Bible was a crime. Sadly this is still true in parts of the world today dominated by Communism, Islam, Hinduism or another false worldview. When Christianity is under attack how do God’s people persevere? Christians possess a treasure no enemy of God can ever steal. We carry His words of Truth with us wherever we go. Those who love God cherish His decrees and familiarize themselves with passages of Scripture, memorizing portions to draw upon in times of need or thanksgiving. The believer’s quiver should have arrows full of hymns, psalms, spiritual songs and Scripture embedded in their hearts. This is the only way to battle spiritual warfare within and endure persecution of any kind. It is also how we mutually encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In the film Tortured for Christ, Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran minister during World War II was imprisoned and tortured for fourteen years. He publicly declared Communism and Christianity to be incompatible with one another. Wurmbrand continued preaching although Romania had a policy of state atheism. He also rescued Jews. The result was his imprisonment. How did his spirit remain unbroken by the Communist regime? He prayed for his enemies; he had a verse about fear for every day of the year to recite. Wurmbrand carried the song of the Lord in his heart even to prison.

He and other fellow believers huddled together in their cells singing praise songs to God while using their chains as musical instruments to keep a beat. Often a guard would barge in, take one of them away to be beaten and then dispense the saint back into his cell. It did not deter these Christians. The songs in their hearts could not be stamped out. God had so captivated their love they considered Him worthy of such persecution.

The psalmist also knew what it was like to endure injustice and lies, watching wickedness triumph for a time, yet he too carried the song of the Lord in his heart wherever he went. Later in history another innocent man would suffer at the hands of others. This time it would change the world. Jesus the Son of God bore our sins on the cross so that we might truly live. The persecution our Savior experienced has given eternal life to many. This is our blessing, our joy and peace as God’s people.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Isaiah 53; Matthew 10:24-28; Colossians 3:15-17; 1 Peter 2:19-25

‘Tortured for Christ’ trailer clip

The Voice of the Martyrs

A Better Friend

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“The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from Your law.” -Psalm 119:51

The arrogant mock what they do not understand. The psalmist was persecuted in this manner for living set apart, contrasting his convictions with the indulgent flesh. The unrepentant may enjoy temporal blessings, as God blesses the righteous and unrighteous with common grace. But the psalmist takes the long view, an eternal perspective which steers the rudder of his ship. It is easy to let rejection from peers cause us to despair. But we have a true and better friend in our Lord who is always patient with us, gentle and unchanging. His friendship is sealed with the blood of Christ, one that cannot be broken but will last in eternal fellowship. 

Take comfort in the psalmist’s example. As the dogs of Satan pressed in, he clings even more to Truth. The Living Word protects, sustains, loves and befriends saints seeking refuge.

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: Deuteronomy 33:26-27; Psalm 9

‘Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery’ by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Comfort, comfort My people

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“Remember Your Word to Your servant, for You have given me hope.

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from Your law.

I remember Your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them.

Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken Your law.

Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.

In the night I remember Your name, O Lord, and I will keep Your law.

This has been my practice: I obey Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:49-56 (Zayin)

God is the psalmist’s comfort. Even when he is mocked for his faith, the psalmist knows where to turn. He makes it his practice- a habit, remembering, keeping and obeying. What exactly does he remember? What is the psalmist meditating on? What or Who is his anchor? He recounts God’s character, His past faithfulness and future promises. What we know of God determines how much you and I trust Him. What do you know of God to be true? This is a practice for every believer: to preach to ourselves what we know is true especially when our feelings don’t align. Emotions are fickle, moody creatures. The truth does not change which is why the writer keeps returning to this pillar. The psalmist knows God, trusts Him, and loves Him with all he has. An obedient heart is the fruit of this kind of captivating love. He wants to follow the Lord no matter the cost. The writer does not compromise with the wicked or his own sinful inclinations. 

God is our comfort too in times of ease or affliction. Living as a true follower of Christ has never been “fashionable”. Ironically this is what makes me cling to Him more. Letting go more and more of what the world thinks of you, instead concerning ourselves with what our Maker thinks of us. Yes, “the world is watching” and with this thinking our witness does matter. Yet how much more freeing to live for an audience of One, knowing God is watching you. I am sure if Christians lived with this mindset instead of caring about the praise/fear of man our missions would be bolder, unwilling to capitulate.

Through the work of Christ, the Lord holds fast to His beloved children. He has loved His own before the foundation of the world and will not forsake us. The God of all comfort will give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak (Isaiah 40:29). This is His promise to remember today as you and I persevere in faith.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Isaiah 40 

Commands of delight

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“for I delight in Your commands because I love them.” -Psalm 119:47

Continuing his thought from the previous verse, the psalmist is not silent about what he loves. He delights in God’s ways. The more teaching, understanding, and obedience which follows, the more we delight too. The Lord provides wisdom when we ask for it, allowing us to grow deeper in the rich soil of Scripture (James 1:5-8). Then we are given thousands of opportunities each day to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and mature as saints. Wisdom collides with training for our sanctification which makes God’s commands very practical for everyday living. This is the adventure of saints which will last an earthly lifetime. God is faithful to help every believer grow from curiosity, to instruction, to action, to eternally satisfying love in Him.

“I lift up my hands to Your commands, which I love, and I meditate on Your decrees.” -Psalm 119:48

Worship. Love. Meditation. The sequence is in reverse for our response to God once we digest a portion of His Word. The psalmist lifts up his hands in worship because he loves his God, because he has marinated in truth and found it satisfyingly sweet. There is no substitute for Scripture which will give us life and peace through Jesus Christ. Only God leads to everlasting joy which is why we too can lift up our hands in worship of the Law-Giver and Redeemer. He is our Great Delight.

Grace upon grace,

April 

Free to Live

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“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:45

There is freedom, liberty, open space to live when we know our boundaries. This is why God’s Word is good for us. He has commands for you and I to follow, for our protection, because He loves us. They are also for our sanctification, to increase our love and trust in Him. With God on our side we have nothing to fear. No dictator, oppressive government or overbearing boss can take away our eternal reward. The significance of this matters for how we go about our day to day. Keeping an eternal perspective helps when we are tempted to give in to doubt, peer pressure, worry, fear or despair. God’s people live set apart, swimming against the cultural current. And let us be a free people- a people of prayer, living boldly, peacefully and joyfully before others. This is the power of Christ in you.

“I will speak of Your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame,” -Psalm 119:46

The psalmist has courage to speak truth even before the most powerful men in his world. He is willing to speak up because God is his treasure. We cannot clam up about what we love most. Therefore God is not ashamed to be his God and the psalmist’s eternal reward will not be met with shame but with blessing.

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: Mark 8:34-38

A Firm Hope

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“Do not snatch the Word of Truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in Your laws.” -Psalm 119:43

The psalmist has tasted the sweetness of God’s Word. He prays to always be fed. Feeding our hungry souls with truth will blossom into love, desire and a longing for more. For the spirit which is lazy in discipline, the delight of God’s Word will diminish. The one who seeks will increase in spiritual hunger, sharply sensing the goodness of Scripture. The psalmist prays for more blessing, hoping with firm confidence the Lord will not decline his heart’s desire.

“I will always obey Your law, for ever and ever.” -Psalm 119:44

It isn’t enough to be only a hearer and seeker of truth. One must be a doer of God’s commands as well. This is where our faith becomes practical to everyday life. Even though the psalmist is boldly resolved to obey God’s laws forever, it is with the help of His Spirit that any of us live in obedience.

Connecting with the previous verse, the root of fruit is desire. We want to obey Christ because we love Him (John 14:15). He has appointed us to bear fruit for His glory which occurs as we operate in His wisdom, strength and power and not our own. As you and I abide with God, He will help us live out this verse like the psalmist. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: John 15:1-17