Laws, True and Fair

Posted on by korgrocker

“Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.”
Psalm 19:9-11 NLT

David wrote that “the laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair”. Of course they are. They were in David’s day and still are today. Most of the laws in the UK, where I live, are based on Biblical laws and principles that have stood the test of time and have established a stable and peaceful society. But Jesus said in Matthew 5:18-19, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven”. When the Kingdom of God (Heaven) and the kingdom of this world coincide in its laws and behaviours then we find the sweet spot where all human beings will live without trouble and strife. Utopia? Potentially, but, as we know, man’s tendency to sin spoils all that God has planned.

But why did God introduce laws in the first place? Why were they needed and what purpose did they achieve? The Law given through Moses started with God providing stone tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them. By following them, the Israelites were separated and made distinct from the nations around them, setting them apart as God’s people. Through the Law, God demonstrated His character, holiness and righteousness, and exposed the importance of dealing with sin. The Israelite society eventually became marked by legalism, something exposed by Jesus through His encounters with the Pharisees, who thought that by following the Law and all the rabbinical teachings, they would achieve the righteousness demanded by God. Jesus challenged the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the other religious leaders, but He said, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose” (Matthew 5:17). The purpose of the Law was to provide an earthly copy of an eternal, heavenly, unchanging standard of holiness, Psalm 119:89, “Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven”. 

Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was and we can read His response in Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments”. When we read these verses we can see how Jesus fulfilled the Law. Through our love of God, we receive insight for living lives God’s way, and all the Laws of Moses drop into place. Paul wrote, “For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law” (Romans 13:9-10). 

The twentieth century saw the introduction of laws that specifically contradicted God’s Laws and Principles, and civil confusion has resulted. The transition from a society based on Christian principles to the secular society of today has introduced certain legislation that would not have been necessary for a people who “loved the Lord Your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind”. So we have ended up with laws such as the Abortion Act of 1967, which enables medics to effectively destroy a foetus even though the Bible specifically states that life starts at the point of conception. In God’s Kingdom, life lived God’s way would have rendered this law unnecessary. And there are others, with two pieces of legislation currently proceeding through Parliament, the Conversion Therapy and Assisted Suicide Bills. O Lord! What a mess, all caused through the abandonment of God’s Law.

Of course, we pilgrims can wring our hands in despair, thinking that we are impotent in attempts to set society back on the right track. But of course we can pray, and the Lord’s Prayer has these words, “may Your Kingdom come, may Your will be done”. We pray these words daily because as we do, God listens and continues to hold back the forces of evil that would desire to overflow our society. And we pray for our politicians and law makers, that the Holy Spirit will reveal to them how they can pass laws that are “true and fair”. There will be a day when God’s Law will prevail over all other laws, and Jesus will indeed accomplish its purpose, as he said he would.

About God’s Laws, David wrote, “They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them” (Psalm 19:11). He knew that one day there will be a reward for keeping God’s Laws, and we know that those who don’t have been warned of the consequences of disobeying God.

Father God. You gave us the principles for living life Your way for a reason. We understand the consequences of disobeying You and pray that we will follow You all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Insight For Living (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.”
Psalm 19:8-9 NLT

We left the last blog thanking God for David and his example for living. We thank him too for the Psalms he wrote. But David lived under the Old Mosaic Covenant, that was nevertheless designed to establish a unique relationship between God and his people, outlining laws and rituals to guide their lives, and demanding daily sacrifices in atonement for their sins. However, throughout the Old Testament there were glimpses of the New Covenant, notably through Jeremiah and Ezekiel. ““But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33). “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart” (Ezekiel 36:26). God knew what was coming and He gave His servants pointers to the climax of history – Jesus Himself.

The New Covenant is not based on the Law but on God’s grace. Paul wrote, “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Romans 6:14). Salvation is a free gift, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote, “If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. … When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear” (Hebrews 8:7, 13).

We pilgrims responded to the words of Jesus, applying His teachings to our lives. We journeyed to the Cross through the words of the Gospels, and we fell on our knees before God when the reality of John 3:16-17 penetrated to the very cores of our beings. To think that God Himself could come to this world and die for us, taking on the punishment for our sins in our place, has only two responses possible. We pilgrims have chosen the right way, the way of life, but most people in our secular societies have chosen the wrong way, neglecting God’s gracious invitation for salvation. Such people have effectively chosen by default to die in their sins, a decision consigning them to a lost eternity, a fate which Jesus warned against – Mark 9:47b-48, a place of horror where they will” … be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’”

So we believers turn to God’s Word, finding the commands of the Lord and giving us the clarity of how to live our lives God’s way, as the Holy Spirit leads and guides us. Our spiritual rebirth has given us access to the Kingdom of God, and there we find “insight for living”. Not only have we access to all the Laws and the Prophets of the Old Testament, but we also have the New Testament, containing the words of Jesus and the writings of theologians like Paul that has founded our faith. There is much that can be written about living our lives God’s way, but perhaps a good place to start would be to ponder on the words of Jesus in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me“. Our lives must be aligned to Jesus, and in everything we do He must be glorified. John 15:8, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father“. There is a sobering question, much bandied about at youth conferences towards the end of the last century – “What Would Jesus Do”? It’s a good question, but thankfully God is patient allowing us a lifetime of discipleship to respond. In the meantime His grace and willingness to forgive prevail. David knew that, and he wrote Psalm 86:5, “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help“. 

David wrote, “The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living” and that statement has never lost its meaning. As we fill our hearts and minds with the truth of God’s Word, we will find all the help we need to live a life God’s way. We will find that the Holy Spirit gently but firmly guides us through the minefields of life and we give Jesus all the glory.

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You for showing us the way with Your words of eternal life. We praise and worship You today. Amen. 

Insight For Living (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

“The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.”
Psalm 19:8-9 NLT

David made the association between the laws and commands of God, and the way he should live. He didn’t have access to the Bible that we know, but he would have known the first five books (the Pentateuch), and possibly some other bits and pieces of the Prophets and Judges, and even a Psalm or two. But he had enough to know and understand “the commands of the Lord”. And that knowledge brought David all he needed to provide him with “insight for living”. We pilgrims are well blessed with the Bible that we have, together with the weight of centuries of theological thought, that shapes most of what we understand about our faith. And of course, most importantly, we live in the post-Calvary age, where we bask in the glory of God’s Son, Jesus, and all that He did for us on the cross. This enabled the release of the Holy Spirit who lives within each one of us, leading us into all truth – “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you” (John 14:17). Superficially it would seem that we pilgrims have an easier time than David did, but nothing could be more different. 

David had a list of rules, regulations, commandments and decrees to lead and guide him throughout his life. But they all had one focus – to enable people to live God’s way, providing them with an “insight for living“. Deuteronomy 11:13-14 reads, “If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil”. David would have known that scripture verse very well, and he professed his love for the Lord. Psalm 18:1, “I love you, Lord; you are my strength”. 

David would also have known the consequence of not following God’s laws – Deuteronomy 11:16-17, “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you“. David would also have understood the importance of these verses in Deuteronomy, and he did his best to apply the next verses, “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 11:18-21). 

David enjoyed a long life as king of Israel, a testimony to a man “after God’s heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), a man who understood the importance of knowing and applying “the commands of the Lord”. David really did “love the Lord [his]God and served him with all [his]heart and soul”. There is much that we pilgrims can learn from David, but he lived under the Old Mosaic Covenant. We have been blessed by a better way of living, through Jesus, but more about that tomorrow.

Father God. We thank You for David and the legacy he left us with his example of living and through the many Psalms that he wrote. Amen.

The Simple Become Wise

Posted on by korgrocker

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;”
Psalm 19:7-8 NKJV

In Psalm 19:7 we find this reference that “the testimony of the Lord” turns simple people in wise people. Other translations refer to the commands or decrees of the Lord. But what does “simple” mean? One definition is “someone who leads an uncomplicated life, values genuine connections and experiences over material possessions, and is content with the basics“. There is a lot to commend living life this way, because it very much is in line with what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little“. Living a simple life in this context provides space for living life God’s way. However, Proverbs 14:15, 18 shows a different meaning to being “simple”, comparing them to the “prudent” or wise. “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. … The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge“. In this context, the “simple” appear to be people who are gullible and easily led into error. But in both definitions for simple people, there is much that the Lord’s testimony and instructions can do to help them, and everyone else in the process because we all need more wisdom at times. So how do people transition from being simple to being wise?

Firstly, it’s a good idea to abandon any thoughts that we are not simple just because we think we are pilgrims, following God and His ways. In Proverbs 11:2, we read, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom“. We have to approach God with a humble spirit because otherwise we will stumble over a rock of pride and end up humbled anyway. Associated with this is the importance of having a teachable spirit, which is essential if we are to acquire wisdom. Proverbs 19:20, “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life“. When someone offers us advice, we do well to consider it because it may be coming to us directly from the Lord. He loves us and cares for us, and can sometimes use even unbelievers to offer us instructions and advice. 

Secondly, there is something in the thought that God knows best and we are foolish if we try and elevate ourselves into His domain. That is not only pride, but it is also a dangerous course of action to try and get matey with God. Psalm 111:10, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!” Of course, that is not to say that we live our lives afraid that a Heavenly lightning bolt is poised in an angel’s hand, ready to zap us the moment we fall into sin. The word “fear” here is the way we look at God, with awe, humility, and reverence, and giving Him the place deserved by the Creator of the Universe and the One able to look into our very souls. We ascribe to Him all the glory and all the praise. 

Thirdly, if we want to become wise, we just have to ask God. James 1:5-6, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind“. It’s no good asking God for the wisdom to deal with a situation and then decide you don’t like His advice and do something else instead. 

And lastly, we have to be aware that wisdom comes with a price tag. It’s easy to go with the flow and do things the world’s way, but aligning ourselves to God’s ways, the way of wisdom, may cost us something, a cost we must be prepared to pay. Proverbs 4:7, “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” And Proverbs 16:16, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!”

An epilogue from James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere“. Paul wrote, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is“. Underpinning all wise believing people is the reality that only by living God’s way, close in our relationships with Him, will truly transform a “simple” person in someone who is “wise”. There is no other way. No short cuts.

Dear Lord God. Only You have the words of eternal life. Only You can show us the way of wisdom, and we praise and worship You today with deeply grateful hearts. Amen.

Reviving Our Souls

Posted on by korgrocker

“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
Psalm 19:7-8 NLT

Instructions, decrees and commandments. When these come from the Lord, they “revive the soul“, they make the simple wise, bring “joy to the heart“, and provide “insight for living“. A description of complete spiritual food. But we look this morning at “reviving the soul”. 

So what is the “soul”? According to “gotquestions.org”, “the human soul is the part of a person that is not physical. It is the part of every human being that lasts eternally after the body experiences death“. So when we are born we have a physical body and a soul. We also have a spirit which, according to the Bible, seems to be the driving force behind what we do, and in places in the Bible is used interchangeably with our souls. 

The next question is about why our souls need to be revived. As we go through life, we become tainted with sin and the pressures of life, and our souls become discouraged and start to shrivel away into something a long way from which God intended and created. I would contend that poor mental health can be caused by a damaged soul. Our bodies can continue to function but without achieving their full potential that can be achieved when our souls are operating as they should. So what does a “revived” soul look like? 

Firstly, a soul will only function as God intended if it is saved. We talk about our evangelistic efforts being about saving souls, and that is literally correct. 1 Peter 1:9, “The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls“. Jesus came with a message of hope and we pilgrims did indeed trust Him with our lives and the salvation of our souls. We read Romans 10:9-10, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved“. Not that these verses are not about a physical salvation, such as being rescued from a shipwreck, but about our souls. We all know that one day our bodies will die, but our souls are eternal and a wise person ensures that their souls end up in a place where they want them to be – in Heaven and not Sheol, the place of the dead, where there will be torment and tears (read the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16). 

Secondly, a saved soul needs to maintain a way of life that is aligned to God’s way, bring it rest and peace. If, after salvation, our souls become corrupted by sinful living, then they will eventually die. Jesus had a soul, and He reminded His disciples about the importance of following His ways for the health of our souls. Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light””. Living our lives God’s way ensures that we have a rested soul, bringing peace and wellbeing to all that we are.

Thirdly, we need to feed our souls in the same way that we feed our physical bodies. Both have needs to maintain life,  but with very different foods. David wrote in Psalm 19:7a, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. …”. “The instructions of the Lord” are contained in His Word, the Bible, and we need to read it, meditate upon it, digest it, and apply it. I once met a person who we could describe as being a “troubled soul”, experiencing hassles and problems in their life that needn’t have been there. The asked me a question that had a clear Biblical answer, and I asked them if they had read this in the Bible. The person claimed to be a Christian so I was a bit shocked when they informed me that they didn’t have a Bible. We will never be able to properly feed our souls unless we read “the instructions of the Lord”. People in the world spend a fortune on clothes, food and cosmetics to maintain their physical bodies, that will one day wear out and be consigned to a grave, but fail to properly look after the part of them that is eternal. Inexplicable?

But we pilgrims know the importance of our souls and our relationships with God. David did and he wrote about them. So today, I wish all my readers “Bon Appetit” as they gorge on the food that will never make them fat and instead will revive their souls. 

Dear Father God, thank You for Your Word, providing food for our souls. We would die without it. Amen.

Sun Bursts

Posted on by korgrocker

“ … God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.”
Psalm 19:4b-6 NLT

In our enlightened days, we know that it is not the sun that moves across the heavens; rather, the earth rotates on its axis causing the illusion of a moving sun. But regardless of what moves, the effect is still the same. The sun bursts into a dark world every day, bringing light and heat, without which mankind would be unable to exist. And at the end of the day, it disappears in the same way it appeared, but over a different horizon. We very much take the sun for granted. All our lives it appears and disappears, so predictably that our weather scientists are able to determine to the minute the sun cycle each day. And around the world, the times of the sun vary because of the earth’s rotation. But this will not always be so.

In Matthew 24:3 we read a question that the disciples asked of Jesus, “Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”” Jesus then told then about a series of events that will happen as the current age draws to a conclusion, and we eventually reach Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken“. The extinguishing of the sun precedes the next event which we read in Matthew 24:30, “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory“. The prophet Joel also wrote about the sun in the end times, as we read in Joel 2:31, “The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives”. But we can be assured that the sun will never disappear, stopping its life-supplying powers, until the time is right.

The sun provides light for our physical bodies and for all the functions necessary to sustain our planet. But there is another side which we mustn’t forget – nourishment for our souls. The sun cannot penetrate there but the Son can. Jesus said, “ … I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12). There is a strange thing about human beings, in that they can walk around in their lives physically alive but spiritually dead – Ephesians 2:1, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.” Colossians expands on this theme, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins”(Colossians 2:13). ‭‭We know that when sin entered the world a spiritual death followed, because the warmth and light of a relationship with God was cut off. But as Jesus said, because He is the Light of the world, our spirits become alive when we confess our sins and find righteousness before God, relationship restored. 

The importance of God’s Word, the Bible, is essential to maintain life for our souls. God’s Word is constant and available, just as the sun is, but in both cases we have to do something to maximise the benefits so that our lives can function properly. The psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 understood the importance of God’s Word. “The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand” (Psalm 119:130). But although the sun will one day disappear, We read in Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever”. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear” (Matthew 24:35). As we face into our mortality, we can be assured that our spirits will live on, refreshed and kept alive through the Word of God.

In Psalm 113:3 we read, “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised”. We pilgrims have the opportunity to obey the Psalmist’s command to continual praise the Lord’s name. This is not to say that we ignore every other purpose in our work-a-day lives, but in all that we do we consider the importance of our relationship with God, keeping His name honoured. So today, as we face into all that is before us, we praise and worship our awesome God, behaving as prophesised by Malachi, “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture” (Malachi 4:2). 

Dear Lord God. Today we worship the Son. There is none other who has the words of eternal life. Amen.

‭

God the Homemaker

Posted on by korgrocker

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.”
Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

David wrote that God “has made a home in the heavens for the sun”. Of course, we remember the creation story in Genesis 1:14-18, “Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good”. So the largest light, the sun, was there to govern the day and to “separate the light from the darkness”. In David’s words, the sun was important enough to be positioned in the heavens, as a permanent feature, giving light and warmth to God’s creation. 

The word “home’ brings to our minds all kinds of thoughts. There is something comforting to return to a familiar place, kick off our shoes, hang up our jackets, and put our cosy slippers on our feet, in a place where we live and the place we call “home”. Here we can relax and recharge our physical and emotional batteries, in a place of relative security away from the hustle and bustle of life on Planet Earth. We pilgrims also are aware of our future “home” when we will cross the Great Divide into God’s place. Jesus said to His disciples (and by implication to us modern day disciples as well), “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3). We find that God has a home where we will join him and claim it to be our home as well. But what sort of place will our new home be? We don’t really know with any certainty, but we are sure that it will be far better than what we have at present.

Interestingly, God’s home will not always be in Heaven, contrary to popular opinion. In Revelation 21:3 we read, “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them”. Where will His new home be? On the new earth and located in the New Jerusalem. And there will be no home for the sun anymore, because John ” … saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone” (Revelation 21:1). Why will the sun not be there? Because “ … there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

We pilgrims are truly a favoured people, because God Himself will provide all the security and comfort that we have come to expect from our earthly homes. We may not have a favourite pair of slippers but there will be something far better waiting for us. And we read, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4). All the things of this world that we long to escape from won’t be a problem in our new home, whether in Heaven or on the New Earth, because they won’t exist. 

God is a homemaker. He created a home for us on this earth, perfect in every way, but along came the devil and corrupted it through sin and evil. But God made a promise in Genesis 1:27, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them“. God would not have created something He thought was imperfect. We have been created in His image, and as God is perfect, we too have perfection in Him within our grasp.

Dear Father God. We praise and worship our eternal Creator today, grateful for all You have done for us. Amen.

The Heavenly Message

Posted on by korgrocker

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.”
Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

David wrote that God created the heavens and they were so wonderful that they continually display His glory. Day or night the message of who God is, is proclaimed without sound but as a visual presentation to everyone in the world. And that is true, because wherever we live on this planet, God’s glory in the heavens is there for all to see. The message of the skies “has gone throughout the earth” David wrote. But what was and is the message?

Paul wrote a clear explanation about this message in Romans 1:18-20, “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God“. But such is the sin of man that they have devised an explanation for the craftsmanship in the skies that excludes God. Instead they attribute the presence of the heavenly bodies and everything else in the universe to an event that took place many billions of years ago. In recent years the “Big Bang” theory has emerged, based on observations about how the galaxies and stars are moving. The scientists, with the aid of mathematical formulae, have worked out a theory that about 13.7 billion years ago the origin of the universe was a small, intensely dense and very hot, piece of matter that suddenly exploded. However, they fail to explain where this piece of matter came from and why it suddenly exploded. But if someone, observing the heavens in all their glory, asked such a scientist about how all the stars got there, they have a natural, Godless, explanation ready and waiting to be rolled out. And sadly, this theory is bundled together with the theory of evolution, and rolled out in our schools and places of learning as fact, not theory. 

Paul called these God-and-creation-deniers “sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness”. But why do people deny the existence of God, even when there is so much evidence about Him in the heavens, where God made “a home … for the sun”? The Billy Graham organisation claims that people deny the existence of God because of pride. People want to run their lives their own way and don’t want anyone, especially God, to interfere with the way they are living. They want to be in control of everything they do, and they know that if they were to believe in God, they’d have to change their lifestyle. Instead of living by their own list of what’s right and wrong, they’d have to take seriously God’s moral standards. But we pilgrims know the consequences of such a life-choice, because we have read the last few chapters in the Book, chapters that the God-deniers claim are just fairy tales for emotionally needy people. The first three verses of Psalm 14 read, “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” This Psalm, another written by David, is unequivocal in its conclusion that the God-deniers are fools. Of course, they have to be, because otherwise who would want to spend eternity in the company of the devil and his cohorts?

The message written long ago in the heavens, the message of the glory and existence of God, is there for everyone to observe, and one day everyone will stand before God to give an account of their lives. What will the God-deniers say? Probably nothing, as the enormity of their foolishness and pride suddenly dawns upon them, as their minds try and process all their sinful and evil ways in the light of God’s presence.

But on a positive, we pilgrims look up on a clear day or night, and are reminded once again of the wonderful God we worship. He loves us and cares for us, because we have chosen to cast aside our pride and arrogance and instead live His way. We know that it was our sins that nailed Jesus to that cross, and we bow in worship to the One who has forgiven us because we confessed our sins. God now sees us as His righteous adopted sons and daughters. How amazing is that? 

Father God, we thank You today in wonder for the extent You have gone to, to save mankind from hell. Please help us endorse Your Heavenly message to those we meet, those who are heading for a lost eternity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Heavens Proclaim

Posted on by korgrocker

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.”
Psalm 19:1-4 NLT

We can just imagine David, lying in a pasture while he was looking after his father’s sheep, and looking up into the night sky, seeing an amazing canopy of small bright dots. Without light pollution, the heavens at night are breath-taking in their beauty. To add to the scene, David would have uttered a “wow” when he saw the sunsets and the sunrises, resplendent in their pinks, yellows, and reds and changing by the minute as the sun traversed the horizon. David, a thinking and deeply spiritual man, attributed the causes to God, because who else could have performed such an amazing light show? David would have been educated in accordance with the Jewish curriculum, and a God-knowledge would have been prominently contained within. But here out in the open David went from book knowledge to heart knowledge, causing him to write “The Heavens proclaim the glory of God”. Earlier we looked at Psalm 8, another Davidic Psalm, which starts, “O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens”. God’s majesty through His name is present here on earth and in consequence His glorious majesty is so great that it extends far beyond what even the most powerful telescope can determine, needing a Name above all names to do Him justice. 

The problem that atheists, those who deny that God doesn’t exist, have is that they have no “wow” in their lives. No sense of wonderment that there is a Creator God who created the universe and all that is within it, and in the process He provided a beautiful display of His presence. I’m writing this morning looking out at a grey world, rain splashing in the puddles, and missed what would have been an amazing sunrise bursting through my office window. Sin is a bit like that because it puts a fog of rain clouds in the way, blocking out the glory of the dawn, and by implication, God’s glorious presence. David would have soaked in the wonder of the skies in his long lonely hours musing and meditating on the Person behind what he was seeing, and he never got tired of what he saw. He wrote, “Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known”, declaring that God is eternal and has crafted a universe that never fails to display something new.

There is a story of two prisoners in a cell looking through the bars. One only saw mud, but the other saw stars. To so many, they go through their lives drudging and struggling through the “mud” of life, getting bogged down in what are mostly trivial circumstances, but which nevertheless drains them of any hope for the future. Other people seem to float above their life problems and always seem to have their heads optimistically positioned in higher places, up there with the stars. 

In Jesus we have a hope that is just as wonderful as the glory of God displayed in His creation. Paul wrote, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). What do we pilgrims hope for? I would suggest that through our faith in Jesus, we will one day see the glory of God on a scale that is totally beyond what our human limitations can allow. As the writer to the Hebrews said, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1). The glory of God displayed in the Heavens is a hint of what is to come, put there by a merciful and gracious God to support our faith. The disciple Philip one day said to Jesus, “ … Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied” (John 14:8). The following verse reads, “Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” Through our faith and belief in Jesus we too have seen the Father, and just to make sure we don’t forget, He announces His glorious presence through His creation, not just once but every day.

Do we pilgrims look up on a dark but clear night and observe with thankful hearts yet another Heavenly display of God’s glory? Of course we do, because we know the Creator who put on the show to proclaim His glory.

Father God. Your wonderful creation is beyond understanding, but we appreciate and enjoy Your glory every day. Amen.

Unfailing Love

Posted on by korgrocker

“For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
Psalm 18:49-50 NLT

David makes no secret about the focus of his worship and praise, giving glory to God “among the nations” and “to [His] name”. And the reason was that he attributed his success on the battlefield to God, and no-one else. David was a warrior king, well-versed in the techniques of war. He knew all about military tactics, hand to hand combat, the importance of being able to handle weapons, and the psychology of motivating his troops and winning battles. But with David it was very much in partnership with the Lord. David wrote earlier in this Psalm, “He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great” (Psalm 18:34-35). But perhaps we should note the parallel between “great victories” for King David, and the greatest victory of all when Jesus defeated the devil on Calvary’s cross. 

In the last verse of Psalm 18, David recorded factually that God “show[ed] unfailing love” to David and all of his descendants forever. The “forever” bit is something often overlooked in the years since. Many people today will stand up and condemn and abuse the nation of Israel verbally and physically. Anti-Semitic behaviour is rampant in many places in the world, with hatred of the Jews going far beyond what is deserved and we remember that Hitler murdered millions of Jews in Europe. Many more are murdered in the hearts and minds of people who are being stirred up and manipulated by the one, satan, who hates anything to do with God, and especially His people, the Jews. Today the rhetoric of hatred from Iran towards Israel is well known and reported on. But there is a very real reason – God has favoured the descendants of David with His “unfailing love” ever since and will do forever. And because an evil and wicked world, under the influence of their ruler satan, hates God, then it follows that they will hate His beloved people, the Jews. Of course, that is not to condone the behaviour of the nation of Israel, particularly in recent years, but that will not stop God loving them. There will come a time when they will be held to account, as we all will be, before the throne of God. And if we read the last book in the Bible, we will find that the Jews will suffer a terrible time before a remnant of them will be saved.

If God will never stop loving the Jews with an “unfailing love” then it follows that He will never stop loving those that have been grafted into His vine, through Jesus. Romans 11:17, “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree”. We believers in Jesus also share in God’s unfailing love, as promised to His people, but as any gardeners known grafts can sometimes fail and Jesus warned His disciples, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more” (John 15:1-2). Jesus continued in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me”. 

God’s unfailing love will pursue us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6), this we know, and Paul expanded on this in Romans 8:38-39 when he wrote,“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord”. What a tremendous affirmation of our gracious and loving God.

God’s love is unfailing and when we stay within the bounds of His love we will, like David, be able to praise Him for the victories we experience in life. Victories in our battles with sin. Victories in our relationships, our churches and fellowships, and in our families. Victories where we see God come through with salvations, healings and so much more. We praise Him today!

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your unfailing love, so freely given and always there for us, Your people. Amen.