Monthly Archives: October 2017

Ancient Words

25 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Hymns

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Years ago, one Sunday evening our humble and beloved pastor was preaching a sermon, the content of which I don’t recall. In the midst of it he professed to us his ever-growing, never dying love for God’s word. He was a man of the Bible. We all knew this to be true. He was not a famous preacher, nor was he envious of those who were. His passion was simply bringing God’s word to those God had entrusted to him as their shepherd. In explaining the depth of his love for Scripture he said, “I believe every word in this book. I believe it, cover to cover. I even believe the covers.” That was how he spoke of his devotion to the Bible. Thankfully, I was not tempted to engage in a debate over the divine inspiration of the covers, but I understood his point and it had an impact on me.

I’m typing this on an electronic device that contains within its memory more versions of Scripture than I will ever read. I can’t even guess how many print versions of the Bible I have in my home. Those of us in the English-speaking world have what bible scholars call “an embarrassment of riches” regarding good translations of the inspired text. And the inescapable truth is countless martyrs paid the ultimate price in blood for this to be so. As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, it’s important that we remind ourselves of the price that was paid in order for us to hold this precious truth in our hands. May we never take it for granted.

Martyr’s blood stains each page
They have died for this faith
Hear them cry through the years
Heed these words and hold them dear

Ancient words ever true
Changing me changing you
We have come with open hearts
O let the ancient words impart

Ancient Words, Lynn DeShazo, 2001 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

Romans 12:1-2 …by the mercies of God

20 Friday Oct 2017

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“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2, NASB95)

After taking eleven chapters to comprehensively explain the full gospel, the great missionary now “urges” us to respond.  He urges a response, not for the purpose of salvation, but rather because of salvation.  Referring to us as “brothers and sisters,” he calls to worship by the mercies of God. By God’s great mercies we are to offer ourselves, living, holy, and acceptable on the alter of service to the one who grants us mercy.  For it is by God’s mercy that we have a life to offer. It’s by God’s mercy that we are made holy.  And, it’s by God’s mercy that our lives can possibly be found acceptable.

God created us for worship, He compels us to worship and He enables us to worship.  He transforms our filthy rags of worship into something pleasing to Himself.   And, He does all this by the wonderful blessings of His tender mercies.

Psalm 73 – Right thinking is true thinking

13 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in The Psalms

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Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

This is my third posting on Psalm 73.  Previously, we’ve seen that this Psalm is a song of repentance.  Asaph, the psalmist, is repenting from wrong thinking–wrong thinking about God, wrong thinking about himself, and wrong thinking about the world around him.  Upon his repentance, Asaph discovers the blessings of right thinking.  He sees that God has always been and will always be his source of wisdom, strength, and life itself.

In Psalm 73 we see the contrast between worldly perspectives and Godward thinking. Thinking rightly about God brings us back to what is true.  It calls to mind what we have as those called out of darkness, into His marvelous light, (1 Peter 2:9).  It reminds us that the treasure of our sweet communion with God surpasses the entirety of the riches this world can supply.

In this song, we have seen how wrong thinking on our part results in envy, despair, anxiety, fear, and every other kind of sin.  It clouds our view of both ourselves (who we are in Christ), and God (who has granted us every blessing in the heavenly places).  The fact of the matter is, the only way to have a right view of ourselves is to have a right view of God.  AW Tozer reminds us in his classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy, that “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”  The most important thing about us!

What comes to mind when you think of God? Do you think about what you’d like Him to do?  Do you dwell on what He hasn’t done for you?  Or, do you find yourself in speechless awe that the creator of all that exists has a thought of you at all?

The best way to start the day is to meditate on who God is, what He has done, and what He promises yet to do.  In the first of his two epistles, the apostle Peter tells us that we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for God’s own possession.”  Contemplate what it means that we are “God’s own possession.”  This is not true because we are something special in ourselves.  It’s true because we are in Christ and it’s Jesus Christ who’s special.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;I have made the Lord God my refuge,That I may tell of all Your works.” Psalm 73:28

Psalm 73 and the blessings of right thinking!

03 Tuesday Oct 2017

Posted by in The Psalms

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“When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within,Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:21–24, NASB95)

Psalm 73 is a song of repentance.  In it, Asaph realizes the grievous error of thinking wrongly of God. He recognizes that by thinking wrong of God, he also is thinking wrong of himself.  The denial of what he knows to be true of God drives him to the foolishness of his own counsel. Once he sees his error, he discovers something truly life-changing. He discovers what a truly amazing gift repentance is. By granting us repentance, God opens the door to a restored relationship with Him; and, upon walking through we can enjoy the multitude of blessings that come from right thinking. Right thinking about ourselves, and more importantly, right thinking about God Himself.

The envy of the wicked is treacherous. When this sin is present in our hearts it distorts our view of both life and its Creator. Our view of God becomes dangerously unworthy of Him. But God, in His faithfulness shows us our error and restores us to the plain and encouraging guidance of His counsel. He faithfully leads us through the traps and snares of this world until the time comes for Him to receive us to glory.

Repentance leads to a change of thinking. This change of thinking should lead us to feel compassion for those who live life within the deception that their prosperity and luxury will never end. It has been wisely said that for those without Christ, this life is the best they will ever know; and, it could all be gone before their next breath. May we who know redemption in Christ always remember that we are called to share the gospel with all who will listen, no matter who they are or what they think they have.