faith

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. Luke 17:5


Lord, increase my faith.

Relief

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." PSA. 57:1

It is believed that David wrote this psalm while hiding in a cave from King Saul of Israel. You, perhaps remember the story of Saul and David. For many years, Saul, for no good reason, sought to kill David. Stop and think on that for a moment, to literally live from day to day with the threat of physical death lingering over your head.

These were the "calamities" that David sought relief from. The word translated 'calamities' carries the meaning of ruin, iniquity, evil, and wickedness. For me it is hard to compare my life's troubles with David's life's calamities. Nevertheless, I am reminded by him that true refuge and therefore true relief is found only in Almighty God.

To seek refuge in something or someone else is worthless. Jonah called these false refuges "lying vanities", Jeremiah referred to them as "broken cisterns". We might, perhaps, find temporary relief in these other refuges but in the scope of eternity they will eventually give way like the house built on sand.

Believers have a different hope and a different refuge. Jesus said; "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Our refuge is Christ; He, alone, is appointed by God as the way, the truth and the life. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

May we say with the psalmist; "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

a brief thought from Psalm 43

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Such a simple prayer and yet such a necessary prayer for the soul.

If God does not send we are left in darkness. If God does not send understanding (light) we will only know the truth in a cold, dead way. If He does not send truth then we will continue to live in our own ideas, our own opinions of 'truth' which only lead to death. Unless light and truth lead us and bring us then we have not been brought and we are still in darkness.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me."

"Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith."

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Cor 6:19-20

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom. 12:1

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Rom. 6:13

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Heb. 13:15

A Spurgeon "Blog"

"The Lord shut him in." --Genesis 7:16

Noah was shut in away from all the world by the hand of divine love. The door of electing purpose interposes between us and the world which lieth in the wicked one. We are not of the world even as our Lord Jesus was not of the world. Into the sin, the gaiety, the pursuits of the multitude we cannot enter; we cannot play in the streets of Vanity Fair with the children of darkness, for our heavenly Father has shut us in.

Noah was shut in with his God. "Come thou into the ark," was the Lord's invitation, by which He clearly showed that He Himself intended to dwell in the ark with His servant and his family. Thus all the chosen dwell in God and God in them. Happy people to be enclosed in the same circle which contains God in the Trinity of His persons, Father, Son, and Spirit.

Let us never be inattentive to that gracious call, "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, and hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast." Noah was so shut in that no evil could reach him. Floods did but lift him heavenward, and winds did but waft him on his way. Outside of the ark all was ruin, but inside all was rest and peace. Without Christ we perish, but in Christ Jesus there is perfect safety. Noah was so shut in that he could not even desire to come out, and those who are in Christ Jesus are in Him for ever.

They shall go no more out for ever, for eternal faithfulness has shut them in, and infernal malice cannot drag them out. The Prince of the house of David shutteth and no man openeth; and when once in the last days as Master of the house He shall rise up and shut the door, it will be in vain for mere professors to knock, and cry Lord, Lord open unto us, for that same door which shuts in the wise virgins will shut out the foolish for ever. Lord, shut me in by Thy grace.

---from Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Day 151 of 2009

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly(wicked), nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither(fade); and whatsoever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

question

Psalm 137:1-4

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

Acts 16:22-25

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Question

Why did Israel, captive in Babylon, say "How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?" and Paul and Silas, captive in prison, "prayed and sang praises"? What's the difference?

It seems to me that Israel was laid low because of their sin. It was their sin that led to their captivity. Their sin had separated them from God, their sin had broken their fellowship with Him.

Paul and Silas were in prison because they were persecuted for proclaiming God and His gospel. Perhaps they remembered the Lord's words that said "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "

We believers are sometimes laid low, like Israel. We are captives, we are captive to our sin. We lose our joy, we lose our fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Perhaps, we should, at those times, remember the words of the apostle John "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

It is this same John who said; "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." He then goes on to tell us; "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous".

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said-
To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee -O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious omnipotent hand.

"When thru the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee thy toubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When thru fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee-I only design,
thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, tho all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never - no, never - no, never forsake!"


Isaiah 43: 1-7

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

a psalm of resolution and other thoughts

Psalm 101

A Psalm of David

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me?

I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

A forward (crooked) heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

Whoso privily (secretly) slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

He that works deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight.

I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

I groan as I read this psalm.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1Peter 4:17

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

The 73rd Psalm for the 73rd day of 2009

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.