Righteousness

Posted on by korgrocker

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry;
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”
Psalms‬ ‭34:15, 17, 19-20‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

Who or what is a righteous person? Does such a person exist? And why does he or she have troubles? These are questions that aren’t easy to answer, especially in a short blog post. From a Christian perspective, people are made righteous through their faith in Jesus. We believe that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God, both human and divine, and that He came to this earth with one mission – to manifest God’s love for mankind by saving them from the consequences of their repented sins, by His sacrificial death on a Roman cross at a place called Calvary. Jesus took onto Himself our sins and in return gave us His righteousness. The faith that we hold, through a continuing trusting relationship with God, in our righteous state, brings us to a place where we can cry out to God and He will answer us. The verses before us today don’t say that we won’t have troubles. But it does say that God will deliver us from them. Sometimes, this deliverance happens quickly. But at other times it will only come after we die. But the faith and trust that we have in God will sustain us through all our troubles.

In the news this morning is yet another story of a person with Motor Neurone disease who wants to end his life through assisted suicide. A person without hope for the future. A person without a belief in God. A person who thinks that only blackness awaits him after death. But a person who will find that there is a worse place to be than this life here on earth. God has compassion and love for all mankind and it must break His heart to see such a person in such a hopeless state, rejecting the very One who will deliver him from his troubles. As Christians we must pass on God’s love to everyone we meet, not just those in such dire needs, in the hope that they too will embrace our wonderful Saviour and find that His righteousness is available to everyone

Taste

Posted on by korgrocker

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” Psalms‬ ‭34:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Tasting is one of our five physical senses. Touch, sight, hearing, smelling and tasting. And they will all, or in part, interrelate to help us build a picture, an image or thought in our minds, of whatever we are encountering in our daily natural life. We have spiritual senses too, but, sadly, in most people, these remain largely undeveloped, forgotten or ignored. Our verse today seems ridiculous when viewed from a natural perspective because people fail to understand or appreciate that there are spiritual senses that parallel our natural ones, and consequently they will reject the possibility of a spiritual world because the application of our natural, physical senses will not find it. And so, most people will reject any thought of God out of hand, without ever having undertaken a spiritual ‘taste’ test, without even considering that He even exists. 

The Psalmist, David, knew better and his life was lived in both the physical and spiritual realms. To him they weren’t two separate worlds, but one integrated whole. And his relationship with God never faltered because his natural/spiritual combo was so real to him. He could say, with total confidence, that God is good and by keeping close to Him, he will experience a joy unknown to natural man. In this verse David encourages us to try the God taste test. To switch for a moment from the natural to the spiritual. And as we come to God, openly and honestly, we will experience something incredible. We will find that God is good, and we too will find amazing joy in His presence.

Set Free from Fear

Posted on by korgrocker

“I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” Psalms‬ ‭34:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What makes us afraid? With some it is the dark. With others it is spiders, or snakes or some other small animal. In today’s Covid-ridden world it is the fear of contracting the virus. In North Korea Christians are afraid that the authorities will find out about their faith. Some people are afraid of what others think about them, or what they are saying about them on social media. The list is endless. And any fear can be paralysing. Debilitating. Life changing. Some fears are irrational, the result of childhood conditioning. But others are very real and can lock people into a prison with no release in sight.

The verse we are reading in Psalm 34 gives a chink of light to those gripped in the clutches of fear. It says that through our relationship with God we can bring our fears into His presence through prayer, and, in expectant faith, we can receive His answer. A gentle touch. Reassurance. Encouragement. And before us He will open fear’s prison doors and release us. And the mental prison we have built in our minds will evaporate like the morning dew before the warmth of His love. But this can be a continuing process because fearful humans have a tendency to rebuild their prisons during unguarded moments, entering once again the familiarity of their prison cells. The Bible has many verses about fear and God gives us much encouragement through His Word. Let’s read together another great verse about fear this time from the Amplified Bible version. “Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.” Psalms‬ ‭23:4‬ ‭AMP‬‬

So today, I reach out to God for His help with my fears, and I encourage You to do the same. And our loving Heavenly Father will answer our prayers. And set us free.

God the Guide

Posted on by korgrocker

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”” Psalms‬ ‭32:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Life consists of a series of choices and decisions that can literally make or break us and shape, for good or bad, who or what we are or become. In the current generation and in Western society, there are a wealth of opportunities, particularly for the young. But they will gradually dwindle if wrong choices are made. For example, someone who doesn’t do well at school or wastes educational opportunities will find that their choices for employment when they leave school will be much more limited than they would have been otherwise. Similarly, if wrong choices are made regarding a partner in marriage, then the repercussions could reverberate through the following years. How many times do we hear a conversation start with an, “If only I had ….”.

These two verses in Psalm 32 are interesting, because they provide a counter-cultural opportunity for those who are willing to trust God with their lives. You see, God knows the end from the beginning. He knows what is best for us because He made us. He knows the optimum way for our lives and has promised to guide us through life, leading us away from the pitfalls that will trip us up and trap the unwary. His advice is faultless and amazingly, He will watch over us as we live out our lives.

But there is another amazing thing that happens for those who trust in Him. He will gently lead us away from danger without us even knowing He is doing it. I look back over my life and, in hindsight, I see the hand of God gently leading me away from wrong decisions or wrong choices. And even when I have ignored His advice and fallen into error, He has helped me get back on the right path.

We have a God who cares for us, who loves us, and, as this Scripture says, will lead and guide us through our pilgrimage through life. Sometimes, I wonder why people would rather be like “a senseless horse or mule” than trust in the Living God. Hmm….

Judgement

Posted on by korgrocker

“Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.” Psalms‬ ‭32:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We live in an age of climate change. Whether or not we agree that global warming is caused through man’s actions, there seems to be evidence that the world is getting warmer. And there is a consequence in that sea levels are rising through the melting of the North and South ice caps. In addition, we also seem to be experiencing extreme weather events – droughts in some places but floods in others. Just over the past few weeks there have been severe floods resulting in loss of life in Europe and India. As in Noah’s day, such events underpin the reality that our lives and circumstances are things we cannot rely on. In one earthly day all will be well, but the next could be a disaster waiting to happen. An unduly negative view or the reality of life today? Thankfully there is a way to obtain life assurance, and insurance, by heeding the verse we have read today. It advises the godly (and the ungodly as well) to make their peace with God while they have that opportunity. Before their lives are snuffed out in the “floodwaters of judgement”, launching them into a future in which the choice about the location of their eternal home will be removed.

The philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, once said, “If I believe in God and life after death and you do not, and if there is no God, we both lose when we die. However, if there is a God, you still lose and I gain everything.” I know that God is alive and real, and so I would encourage you this morning to, “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6). You won’t regret it.

Guilt

Posted on by korgrocker

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” Psalms‬ ‭32:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We continue our pilgrimage through the Book of Psalms with the first four verses of Psalm 32. The Psalmist, David, captures so clearly the dilemma of mankind concerning guilt. God has wired each one of us with a conscience and when we violate that conscience, terrible things can happen to us. In David’s case, it drove him into illness and depression, graphically described in the verses above. Some people spend a lot of money on counsellors and psychiatrists to try and relieve their symptoms. Others will drive the problem deep within their subconscious, suppressing the problem and hoping it will go away. Still others seem to have the strength to ignore the problem. But the guilty conscience is still there, easily resurrected by a passing thought or situation. There is only one remedy for sin and guilt, and that is by coming into God’s presence with a truly repentant heart, confessing the sins that make us feel so guilty, believing that through Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary we are washed clean of sin and are cleansed of a guilty conscience. And the peace and joy of God will flood over us, restoring us to the place God designed for us – true fellowship with Him.

Are my thoughts too simplistic? Do they ignore the consequences of confessing sins, consequences that, potentially, could impact our ways of life, our friendships, even freedom? But regardless of the consequences, I know of no other remedy to cure a soul of guilt.

God’s Shining Face

Posted on by korgrocker

“Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness. Psalms‬ ‭31:16‬ ‭AMP‬‬

God’s shining face. What a lovely picture. A face full of illumination, transparent, translucent and attractive. A face looking at me with love, kindness and grace. A God-face on a faceless God. An expression of a God who cares for me and is interested in everything about me.

God’s shining face. Sadly in our mundane, human-bound world, God’s shining face is eclipsed by the worries and cares of life. But it’s still there, as permanent as the sun by day and the moon by night. Always ready and willing to shine on you, and me. Look carefully into the face of our Creator and see the light of his countenance, shining through. As the old song says:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

God’s shining face. Thank You, God, for shining on me today.

Joyful Dancing

Posted on by korgrocker

“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever!” Psalms‬ ‭30:11-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this Psalm, David writes about the various problems he has encountered. His enemies are giving him bother. He has become seriously ill, almost to the point of death. He has suffered financial challenges. And he ends up pleading with God for mercy. Put in those terms, it seems he suffered in a way that is not unknown in lives today. During this pandemic, people have become sick, to the point of death. Loss of employment has led to money problems. And just as in David’s case, suffering people end up in a place of mourning. A natural response.

But David ends the Psalm with the realisation that God has the answer, the remedy, to his problems. He doesn’t say that God solved all that had gone wrong, bringing healing, and restoring his prosperity. But David does move into a place of joy, realising that in God there is no place for mourning. Easy to say, but there is a key here. As we set aside the problems and instead focus on our wonderful Heavenly Father, offering Him our praise and thanks, then we will move from a place of sadness and mourning into a place of joy and worship. Perhaps even to the extent of joyful dancing. And find there is so much more to thank God for. Amen?

Our Security

Posted on by korgrocker

“When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favour, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then You turned away from me, and I was shattered.” Psalms‬ ‭30:6-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Where does our security lie? That question underpins these verses. And the answer is probably one of the main reasons why, in our Western society, it can be difficult to reach people with the Gospel. As in the Psalmist David’s day, personal wealth leads to pride and an overriding sense of self reliance. The pursuit of wealth drives people into a hamster-wheel materialistic life that has no room for God and His kingdom. So from that context, a relationship with God does not seem to them to be relevant. Who are the wealthy in our culture? The reality is that most people are, to a greater or lesser extent, and they find security in their comfortable lives.

But this house of cards can come tumbling down if a catastrophe occurs. A job is lost, an unexpected expense appears, investments go wrong and evaporate. And, as the Psalmist says, they are shattered. A house built on a foundation of sand will crumble during the onslaught of the storms of life.

So we thank God for our prosperity. We thank Him for His favour. But we don’t hold onto what we have so tightly that we are destroyed if it is taken away. The story of Job in the Old Testament is fascinating, and perhaps like Job we must have the attitude, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”” (‭‭Job‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬).

Emotions

Posted on by korgrocker

“Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favour lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalms‬ ‭30:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These two verses in Psalm 30 capture the positive conditions of singing, praising, favour and joy. But they also include the negatives of anger and weeping. As humans we have the ability to encounter and experience many different emotions, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. Some people seem to swing from one extreme to another in their pilgrimage through life. Others seem much more emotionally stable. And in our interaction with society we encounter situations and circumstances that can invoke both negative and positive emotional responses, requiring serious personal time to process and resolve.

There is much about people that will cause God to become angry. But we are His creation. He made us with the ability to make choices, and as we observe society around us, we see the many consequences of choices, both good and bad. Some choices we make will inevitably make God angry. But He is gracious and merciful, quick to forgive and forget the sins of His repentant people. For those who have chosen to be amongst His “godly ones”, there is the exhortation to sing out His praises. And in the bubble of His favour the sorrow and weeping is replaced by morning joy.

How do you “feel” this morning? Full of joy? If not, start singing His praises and enjoy His favour. Saying that, sing His praises anyway. We can’t praise God too much.