Blog

Prayer for Pilgrims

Posted on by korgrocker

“May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.
Psalm 20:4-5 NLT

Psalm 20 is a “Psalm of David” so to whom is this prayer directed? The Bible scholars call this a “Royal Psalm” as it is written, they say, by the people about their King, David himself. So perhaps a better title would be a “Psalm about David”, with “about” replacing “of”. But from this perspective the Psalm makes more sense, and David merely recorded the Psalm from the prayers and other sentiments said about him. So, is this a Psalm we can discard as just being about David or does it have some helpful content for us today?

Yesterday we looked at God’s response to His people in their “times of trouble” and today we consider a more positive perspective as we look forward beyond any current problems to what lies ahead. What plans have we pilgrims made? What are our “heart’s desires” as we journey onwards in our lives? We must have some, because otherwise we will quickly die in our faith. Remember the verse, “Where there is no vision, the people perish …” (Proverbs 29:18a)? What we hope to do, and how we are going to make it happen, becomes our vision for the future. In the natural, we make plans for holidays, or employment. For where we live or who we are going to marry. But what about our spiritual lives, a part of us that is even more important? Sadly, many people become pew warmers, going through the motions of Christianity, but failing to leverage its potential in their live. A verse of advice from Paul to Timothy – 2 Timothy 3:5, “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” I’m sure we have all come across religious people in our lives – I met two men yesterday who were more interested in looking after their church building than the Person who should be worshiped there.

There is much written in the Bible about what a pilgrim should be doing. Jesus said that we should follow Him, but what does that look like? To find out we must read the Bible over and over again, and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us what Jesus wants us to do and how we are to do it. As an example, we read the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age“. On my prayer walks each morning I speak to people, looking for an opportunity to share the Gospel, but I’m sure all of us pilgrims do the same. Jesus’ Commission is not just for missionaries traveling to remote parts of the world. Jesus also wants us to pray. Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you“. Notice that Jesus said “When you pray” not “If you pray”. 

And we pilgrims pray for each other. The Apostle Paul was a great prayer warrior – Colossians 1:9, “So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding”. And we cannot overlook Paul’s wonderful and touching prayer in Ephesians 3, “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit”. It’s a prayer that rises to a crescendo, rich with vision and purpose, as Paul prayed, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think“. The challenge to all believers is, does our vision extend to allowing God to “accomplish infinitely more …”  in our lives. 

The prayer over David included asking God to grant him success for his plans, for answered prayers, victory, and the fulfilment of his heart’s desires. And the same prayer hangs in the air over all God’s people. God’s Word is eternal, not just for one man on one occasion. In excitement today, we need to grab hold of all that God has for us, because that was why He sent His Son, Jesus. One day we will be with Him, and hope to hear those words, “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

Dear Father God. We are citizens in Your Kingdom, workers for You on Planet Earth. Please lead and guide us in Your ways. And we pray for our fellow believers, that You will envision them with power in all they do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Times of Trouble

Posted on by korgrocker

“In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem. May he remember all your gifts and look favourably on your burnt offerings.”
Psalm 20:1-3 NLT

David has picked up his pen again and is writing another Psalm. He was probably looking out around his environment and could see distress in people’s lives. Or someone had come to him with a troublesome problem. And with all those wives, trouble wouldn’t have been far from his door. But because of Adam’s sin, the problem-free lives designed by God when He created human beings were corrupted and twisted by frequent visitations of “times of trouble”. And we also see lives of people today constantly beset with “times of trouble”. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle east continue to grind on, causing so much death, distress, and destruction. The UK is seeing major increases in social taxes and energy costs, particularly squeezing the household budgets of the less well off in our societies. There seems to be no end in any generation to “times of trouble”.

David knew the power of God because He had experienced God’s providence in his “times of trouble”. We read in 2 Samuel 22:1-3, “David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my saviour; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my saviour, the one who saves me from violence“. So when David wrote, “may the Lord answer your cry” it was from his personal experiences of God answering his own cries. Do we pilgrims also have testimonies of when God delivered us from our troubles? I certainly do, and I regularly thank God for His care and protection, knowing that He is always there for me.

It is interesting that David wrote, “May the name of the God of Jacob …”. What is the significance of the name of God? I can remember as a very young Christian questioning the recognition of the name of God, suggesting that it was God Himself who I need to worship. But then I found this verse about the name of God. The Bible is full of the many names of God, each describing a different aspect of His character. Names such as “Elohim” meaning “God, Creator, mighty and strong”. Or we have “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”, meaning “LORD”. There are many more. 

The name of Jesus has particular significance, as we read in Philippians 2:9-11, “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. In fact, the name of Jesus is so powerful that we can ask for anything in His name and He will do it (John 14:13-14).

We pilgrims are going to encounter trouble in this life. We know that, because Jesus warned us about it. John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world“. But through Jesus and the power of His name we can overcome the world. Paul wrote some encouraging words at the end of Romans 8, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”(Romans 8:35, 37). So we pray today that we will be kept close to Jesus through His love and that we will be “kept safe from all harm”. 

Dear Lord Jesus. You overcame all that the world threw at You, even death on a cross. We thank You for Your love and protection. Amen.

Pleasing God

Posted on by korgrocker

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 NLT

David ends his Psalm with a lovely prayer that, although few in words, contains essential advice for any pilgrim on the road to Glory. David once again acknowledges and affirms that God is his Rock and Redeemer, after a journey through initial thoughts about God and His creation, His commandments that “make wise the simple”, and dealing with sin. And here he is winding things up with a prayer that must have warmed God’s heart. And there is also a prophetic indication that the coming Messiah will be the Redeemer. But it’s a prayer that, if we apply it to our lives, makes us feel a bit uncomfortable. Do what we speak and think really please God? All the time?

There is a connection between what we think and the words that come from our mouths, as Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:34, “You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say”. The Pharisees were a good example of the human tendency to rationalise behaviour to a place where what is thought feels right, and then a Scripture or two is found to back it up, with consequent actions following. Jesus saw right through them, and their house of cards came tumbling down when God’s spotlight showed them up for what they really were. Later in the same passage, Jesus warned the Pharisees about the words they spoke – Matthew 12:36-37, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you”. So before we feel a bit smug because we aren’t Pharisees, can we really claim that we have never spoken an “idle word” or had thoughts that were wrong?

Yesterday we considered the words of James, “And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. …  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (James 3:6, 10). But what we say starts with a thought in our minds. That would be bad enough but to then verbalise that thought can cause untold damage to others. The advice in Proverbs 21:23 is blunt and to the point, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble“.

The secret to wholesome speech starts with getting our thinking aligned to God’s thoughts and ways. David wrote about the “meditation of [his] heart” and that is the centre of the problem. What do we meditate on? A blunt question but the answer is one that could make us feel quite uncomfortable. The purification of our thoughts is something we will never really achieve in this life, no matter how hard we try. But we can get better and better in thinking God’s thoughts and getting His perspective on what we think about, as the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. So do we pick up a media report and meditate on that, or do we pick up the Bible instead? The world events that can cause us so much distress become less troublesome when viewed through the lens of Scripture. We behave in response to what we meditate on. We pilgrims must look beyond our circumstances to the Kingdom yet to come, and in the meantime we pray that God will help us clean up our thoughts and speech. A final word from Paul. “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29). Before we say anything we must stop and think. 

Dear Father God. You know our predisposition to say what we shouldn’t. Please help us to follow Paul’s advice and analyse what we say before we say it, to ensure that it is only a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lurking Sins

Posted on by korgrocker

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.“
Psalm 19:12-13 NLT

David had a thought that worried him. He wanted to be pure and sinless before God but was concerned about sins “lurking in [his] heart” that were hidden. But were they sins that only he knew about or were they sins that he was unaware of? I think it was the former. Regarding the latter, there are sins that we may be unaware of, but we can be assured that the Holy Spirit and God’s Word will bring these to our consciousness sooner or later. And in the end all sin will be exposed. Jesus said, “For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all” (Luke 8:17). 

Believers may be conscious of their hidden sins but rationalise hiding them because they think that they are just personal and no one else is involved or hurt by them. But sin is sin and will emerge eventually. God gives us time to deal with our sins, through repentance and forgiveness, but if left too long, then in love He will engineer circumstances that cause us to face the gravity of the sins and force us to deal with them. We should note that dealing with sin involves repentance, where we don’t just confess our sins, but we turn away from them, never to commit them again. The confessing of sins without repentance is not really dealing with them. Being remorseful usually happens when someone is caught red handed in their sin. But there is some sinful behaviour that will take a lifetime to sort out because it involves character traits that need to be controlled. James highlighted the dangers of an uncontrolled tongue. “And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. …  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (James 3:6, 10). Perhaps repentance for a tongue “set on fire by hell itself” will take time as Holy Spirit refines and guides.

Paul struggled with sin, as we read in Romans 7, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. … I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (Romans 7:18, 21-23). But Paul continued, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 7:25-8:2). That must be worth a “Hallelujah!” or two this morning.

David asked God to cleanse him from the sins lurking in his heart, because he said he will then be “free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” Through the blood of Jesus we too are cleansed from all our sins. 1 John 1:7, “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” Andraé Crouch wrote a song, “The blood that Jesus shed for me … will never lose its power“. And a hymn written by William Cowper many years ago reads, There is a fountain filled with blood , Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;  And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains:” David didn’t know the redeeming power of Jesus’ shed blood but his relationship with God was such that he knew where he could go to be cleansed from his sins. We are indeed a blessed people today, living as we do in this season of God’s grace.

Father God. We thank You for Your grace and love. We confess our sins to You today, confident in the redeeming power of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. We worship You today. Amen.

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.

‭