Monday, July 30, 2012

July 31, 2012

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer."  Psalm 32:3-4

Forgiveness is such a good thing because sinfulness is such a bad thing.

You can almost feel the pain as you read these verses. His bones feel "wasted away".

He "groans" all day long. I am guessing he groaned most of the night as well.

The hand of God rests "heavy" on him because of his sin. His sin was crushing the life out of him like having a elephant perched on his chest.

Because of the guilt and remorse over his sin, his "strength" had ebbed away and left him weak as a puppy.

I know those awful feelings of guilt and shame that suck the hope out of me. You do too!

There have been  a few times in my life when I lived under the terrible tyranny of my sins. I felt guilty because I was! And I felt so shameful and condemned I could hardly walk. My legs felt like lead and my heart like concrete. While I didn't groan audibly my spirit was screaming out for some relief.

My last thought at night was about my sin and upon awaking the next morning my despair was waiting to torment me for another day.

Separated from God by my sin, hope was waning and life held no joy.

I tried to rationalize my sin away but the guilt remained.

When I compared myself with others I judged more sinful than myself, I despised us both.

Sin is so terrible and debilatating I could hardly bear it any longer. If only I could find relief!

The pleasure of sin lasts for moments. The pain of sin endures for months. The scars of sin can last a lifetime.

To know the blessing of forgiveness you must have known the bondage of sin.

Forgiveness is great because sin is so bad.








July 30, 2012

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." Psalm 32:1-2

This is a GREAT Psalm!

Why?

Because it reminds you that you can live life in "3-B"!

Shouldn't that be "3-D"?

No, it is "3-B", as in "three times blessed"!

How so?

Look at those first two verses of Psalm 32. Blessed is he whose:

1) "transgressions are forgiven"

2) "sins are covered"

3) "sin the Lord does not count against him"

Doesn't that sound good?!

Let me make it sound even better!

Transgressions refer to the deliberate disobedience of a known law of the God. It is severe because it involves a willful sin against God.

Sins involve doing what I want without considering what God wants. It means satisfying the flesh at the peril of the spirit.

The other reference to sin denotes an act committed in a moment of anger or passion. It is something done thoughtlessly that hurts you, others and God.

Some believe that this Psalm was written in regard to David's terrible sin with Bathsheba and against her noble husband, Uriah. In committing those despicable acts he sinned willfully, he sinned selfishly and he sinned in a moment of unchecked passion.

Imagine the shame and guilt that came as a result of those heinous acts. His remorse is evident in the 51st Psalm as well as in this one.

No wonder David rejoiced in the "3-B" grace he received from his God. Imagine the joy of having his transgressions forgiven, his sin covered and his sin not counted against him!

He lived life in "3-B"!

What about you? Are you living in "3-B"?



Saturday, July 28, 2012

July 29, 2012

"Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." Psalm 27:3

Fear is the flipside of faith. Therefore, if you can do fear you have what it takes to do faith!

The difference between fear and faith is your focus.

David, the Psalmist, refused to give into his fears. Since he chose not to fear what was left for him?

FAITH! The HOLY fear!

Rather than focus on the advancing army of King Saul and fret over the harm that could befall him, he chose to be confident in the Lord!

He wasn't delusional nor was he psyching himself up with happy talk. He looked at what was against him and he looked at Who was for him and decided he had nothing to fear.

As the great verse in Romans 8 declares,  "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (8:31)

What WILL you say?

Is God for you?

Is God Who He says He is? Does He honor His Word?

Then what is there to fear?

Fear is the weapon of the enemy. If he can cause you to fear he can keep you from focusing on faith. But God gave you His Word and God sent His Son to defeat the enemy and deliver you from fear.

Death is the other weapon the enemy tries to use against you to get you to fear. But again, God defeated death when His Son, Jesus, died on the cross and arose on the third day! Death is conquered so why would you fear it?

As a person of faith and follower of Christ, you have been given abundant life (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16). Therefore, you can live in faith above your fears and the your last moment in this life becomes the first moment of your REAL life in eternity!

So, what are you afraid of?

If you can believe in the things that cause you to fear then you have what it takes to believe the things of faith! And, if you can have faith part of the time you can have it all the time!













Thursday, July 26, 2012

July 27, 2012

"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:10-14

Fighting fear is a full-time effort. If you don't get the best of it you can be sure it will get you.

We have been drawing from Psalm 27 to learn from the Shepard King how he learned to overcome fear. Through the first two-thirds of chapter I have drawn from his wisdom to show you:

To Find Your Place in Him, Vv. 1-6 - He Offers Protection

Seek His Face, Vv. 7-9 - He Offers His Presence

In this final third of the Psalm we are told to Rest in His Grace!

Actually, the fact is His protection and His presence ARE part of His grace as well.

One of the fears that haunts the human heart is the fear of not belonging. But you are promised that God will make sure you will always belong to Him. He will always receive you into His grace!

Even in the rare circumstance that a parent would forsake you. Or, in the even more rare situation that BOTH parents would dessert you - God will receive you into His grace.

When you rest in the blessings of His grace you never need to fear not belonging. You will know you belong to Him!

Another fear that dogs many people is the fear of not being good enough.

If you trust in your own moral goodness or your good works to secure your place in eternity, how do you know for sure that you are good enough or how can you be sure you have done enough good things to outweigh the bad?

Here is great news for those plagued by that fear! The grace of God removes it!

How?

Grace means that God provided for your moral goodness and accomplished the good work when He sent His Son, Jesus, to the cross. Upon the cross, Jesus atoned for all your sins and immoral behavior by dying for your sins. And He did the good work of become the sacrifice to atone for your sins. So, when you receive His grace and rest in it, you need not fear any more! As you remain in His grace you can rest in the knowledge that everything He has is yours and everything He is will be developed in you!

The grace of God in Jesus Christ provides all you need to live in right relationship with God and to live out His righteousness every day!

Are you hiding in His righteousness or are you still trying to earn it?

Do you face eternity without fear?

If you have fear you are probably not resting in His grace.

























Wednesday, July 25, 2012

July 25, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

Could it be possible that the faith that overcomes fear is based on a greater fear?

These Scriptures seems to imply that:


"But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you." I Samuel 12:24

"And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’” Job 28:28

"Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling." Psalm 2:11

"I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:4-5

"Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it."  Jeremiah 5:22

If you want to be free from fear of the things around you simply have a greater fear of God within you. Fear disobeying Him more that you fear rejection or persecution from those who oppose you. Fear displeasing Him more than you fear displeasing men.

I experienced this when I was preparing to take my first mission trip abroad. For several months prior to leaving for Zambia, Africa I was overwhelmed by a haunting fear of flying over the ocean. I had nightmares and night sweats nearly every night.

As the time to leave drew nearer I found myself thinking convenient ways to back out of going. But since I was leading the trip, I knew that would not be acceptable. So, I knew I had to deal with it and I made it a matter of prayer. As I prayed and sought God He revealed to me that I was being opposed by the enemy and that I was fearing the enemy more than I feared Him. When I repented to Him and confessed my fear, He drew me close to Him and took away my fear. Suddenly I had more fear of displeasing God than any of my personal fears. The holy fear within my gave me courage and I flew to Africa and back without anxiety.

In fact, I have been there and back a second time!

Every great hero of the Bible - Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and even Jesus - were able to appear fearless in the face of great opposition because they feared God more than anything else.

Do you fear God more than you fear man?

Is there something you fear that is keeping your from obeying God?


















Monday, July 23, 2012

July 24, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,  to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord." Psalm 27:1-6

Prior to Thursday night a movie theater was a safe place to go escape your fears and your worries for a few hours.

In the midst of trying to escape their fears they found themselves terrorized by a crazed gunman. As the bullets were flying the movie-goers were diving for a place of safety. Some found it and some didn't.

Stories of bravery and heroism are emerging from that awful tragedy. Several of those who died put themselves in front of their friends and took the bullets instead. They became the safe place for the people they saved.

When you are surrounded by danger and fear seizes you, what do you look for? A safe place!

That is what this section of Psalm 27 is about, where to find a safe place. David, knew where to find a safe place.

He tells you where that safe place is - and Who it is - so you can find that place, too.

Not only is it a place of protection it is a Person! It is the Lord, your light and your salvation. He is your stronghold and He is your dwelling place!

When you build your faith on the foundation of knowing you have a place in Him, you can begin to overcome your fear.

Do you have a place in Him?

Would you find that place?



















July 23, 2012

".... my heart will not fear...." Psalm 27:3

Faith and fear are alternate realities. Each can feel very real but the one that is the most real to you will determine your state of mind.

Faith understands that life is out of your control BUT you have placed it in God's control. That reality will bring courage and confidence in the face of fearful circumstances.

Fear is a result of knowing life is out of your control and you are at the mercy of the adverse circumstances.

In this Psalm we are inspired by the demonstration of a faith that supersedes fear. There is much to be learned about how to have faith in the presence of fearful situations.

To overcome fear, don't focus on the fears but work on strengthening your faith. Like David testifies in this Psalm, faith is built on several solid and significant realities.

He found his place, Vv. 1-6

In fearful times you need a safe place to hide. The Psalmist found that:

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? " - V. 1b

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,"  V. 4

"For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." V. 5

Do you have a safe place to hide in fearful times? Have you found a place where you can escape your fears?

You can flee to the same place of safety where David found protection.

He sought His face, Vv. 7-9

Faith becomes more real when you have a protected place to flee from fear.

Also, faith seems more real that fear when you are in God's presence. David sought God's presence when fearful circumstances came his way.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face! Your face, Lord, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.  Vv. 8-9

Do you live in God's presence?

If you are overcome with fear, you may need to seek His face.

He rested in His grace, Vv. 10-14

Fear can be debilitating and it is exhausting. It will drain you of all your hope and sap your strength and leave you in despair.

David found a place of rest from his fears. Along with God's protection and God's presence he found God's provision!

He learned to rest in God's grace.

"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me breathing out violence.  I am still confident of this. I will see the goodness of the Lord  in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Vv. 10-14

Do you know the grace of God? Have you received His gracious provision for you?

If you will build your faith on these three foundations, you will find your faith rising in times that used to create overwhelming fear.

The protection of His Place!
The Presence of His Face!
The Provision of His Grace!


















Saturday, July 21, 2012

July 22, 2012

"1.The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. 7. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. 8. My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. 9. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. 10. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. 11. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. 13. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”  Psalm 27

How you can tell when it's going to be a rotten day:

You see a "60 Minutes" news team waiting in your office.

You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold.

Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles.

Your twin sister forgot your birthday.

Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell's Angels on the freeway.

Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.

The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard.

Your income tax check bounces.

You put both contact lenses in the same eye.

Your wife says, "Good morning, Mike", and your name is George.
There are times in our lives when our world comes crashing down on us; if anything can go wrong, it will. When life seems to be going in a downward spiral, you’re at the end of your rope and you can’t tie a knot to hold on - fear often takes hold of us. Fear traps us in the belief that nothing will ever improve, that we are ensnared and will never escape. When life gets us down, fear fills the void left by hope.

Fear is not the domain of the timid, but swells over all of us no matter how brave we may appear to be.


Julius Caesar once remarked that even the shouts of his enemies were music to his ears, but he was terribly afraid of thunder. When it vaguely looked like a storm was brewing, he began to shiver and shake. Peter the Great, considered by many to have been the greatest czar of Russia was terrified to cross a bridge. He would tremble in his boots whenever he stepped onto a bridge. King Louis the XV, of France, was so afraid of death the he ordered the subject off limits in his presence. Stalin was constantly in fear of being poisoned or killed. He had 8 bedrooms which could be locked up like safes in a bank. Nobody ever knew in which of these bedrooms he slept on any given night.


We fear losing our health, our wealth, our family; our friends. We fear losing the promotion or even the job. We fear growing old, but even more, we fear death.

On his return visit to many parts of the world, Herbert Hoover was asked by a reporter what, in his judgment, was the prevailing mood of the peoples in the lands he had visited. "The dominant emotion everywhere in the world is fear. This applies to every part of human activity; finance, industry, farmers, workers, thinkers, and government officials."

 
One of the things that makes the Psalms so helpful is the Psalmist is so honest and vulnerable. He shares his battles with fear as a fellow struggler not as some super-spiritual hero above the fray.

The reason that this 27th Psalm is such a favorite is because David is candid about his own fears but also confident that his faith gives him courage to overcome those fears. Fear didn't have the last word in his life and it needn't have the last word in yours.

He overcame his fears with two powerful resources - the presence of God (seeking His face) and the peace of God (standing in His grace). You have those same two resources available to you in abundance!

Having fear is not a sin. Letting fear have you is. Getting fearful is not sinful. Giving in to your fears is.






Friday, July 20, 2012

July 21, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall."  Psalm 27:1-2

As if you needed a reminder, last night's senseless and shocking murders in the Colorado theater show the dangerous days we live in. Another day and more new reasons to be fearful.

You go to such lengths to build safety around yourself and your children. You purchased an alarm system for your home and put safety seats in your car and helmets on your kids when they ride their bicycles. And you did extensive research to find the safest car you could afford to provide maximum protection for your family.

And then something unimaginable happens at a movie in an upscale suburb.

How do you cope with such an uncertain world? How can you keep from being overcome by fear knowing you cannot even go out for an evening of entertainment and be sure you are safe?

Think about those who survived the horrific ordeal. How will they ever be able to go out to a public place again?

And what about those whose young people made it out alive. How will those parents be able to allow their children to go out without the fear of something terrible happening to them?

What does Psalm 27 have to say to those folks?

Actually, it says a lot!

It says that life is filled with people and circumstances and events that are big and dangerous and out of your control. Because life is bigger than you, you need to be able to depend on some one bigger than life.

That is exactly what the Psalmist did when his life was threatened by a powerful and deranged king. David handled the fear by trusting in His God, a God Who is bigger than life!

David found security in his God, choosing to have faith in Him rather than live in fear of everything else. He knew this God was good and powerful and trustworthy because this God had delievered him before.

You may be thinking, "Wait a minute, Brad! Why wasn't God able to keep these people safe? Are you suggesting none of them were trusting in God?"

I would never assume that or imply that. I have no idea how they stood with God. And I didn't say He would necessary keep you safe. I said He would keep you secure. He is able to keep you safe, but He doesn't guarantee it.

Security has to do with your spiritual and emotional welfare. God will guard your soul and grant you peace of mind when you focus your faith and devotion on Him.

As David wrote this Psalm he wasn't safe from the relentless attacks of his enemies, but he was secure.

In the wake of Thursday's tragedy, are you looking for some security? Are you longing for someone you can trust to guard you?

With the Psalmist I say, "Let the Lord be your light and your salvation and your stronghold!"

Let Him help you "faith" your future!





Thursday, July 19, 2012

July 20, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."  Psalm 27:1-3

You were wired for faith not for fear.

Like faith, fear is a decision. You can choose to be afraid or you can choose to believe.

Here in this Psalm, David declares his decision to not give in to fear. That decision is based upon His knowledge that God is his light and his salvation. He chose to believe that a God who is able to do that for him is also able to deliver him from fear.

This does not mean that you may not have feelings of fear, but it does mean you do not have to give in to those feelings or act upon them. Rather, you speak faith to those fears just as David does in the first verse of this Psalm.

When he writes, "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?", who do you think he is addressing? He is refocusing his mind by focusing on his faith not his fears. AND he is speaking to his fear.

That decision is best made ahead of time rather than when you are under attack by a fierce enemy. In fact, every day you should remind yourself that God is your Light and your salvation. Rejoice in that truth. Reinforce it in your mind. Saturate you spirit with it. Such a daily confess of faith will remove your fear. Speak it aloud so you can hear yourself declare it. Acknowledge His presence and power in your life.

When the day of trouble comes and the enemy is breathing his threats, you will find that faith has become your default setting. You will be able to choose faith over fear.

You can choose to live in faith and not by fear. Will you?

You can declare your faith every day! Do you?













Wednesday, July 18, 2012

July 19, 2012

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1b 

Here is some more good news from this great 27th Psalm!

Not only does God deliver your from inner and outer darkness, because He is your light and salvation, but he also is the "stronghold" of your life!

That just sounds comforting doesn't it? "Stronghold"!

Exactly, what does that mean?

A "stronghold" usually referred to the concept of a "Strong" tower - a very high, very strong and inaccessible structure nearly impossible to prevail against.

When I think of a "stronghold" I think safety. It is a place to flee when danger threatens. Do you have a safe place to run to?

The Lord is a stronghold, a safe place to run!

When I think of a "stronghold" I think security. A stronghold is a safe place to stay and remain secure against the attacks of the enemy.

The Lord is a stronghold, a secure place to rest!

When I hear the word "stronghold" I think solitude. A stronghold is a quiet place where you can find solitude in your spirit.

The Lord is a stronghold, a silent place to retreat and recover!

Where do you flee for safety? 

Where do you look for security? 

Where can you find solitude?

Can you declare with the Psalmist, "The Lord is the stronghold of my life!"











July 18, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?" Psalm 27:1a

Thank God for His light!

Thank God for being the Light!

As John wrote, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." I John 1:5-7

Thank God for enabling us to walk in His light!

Living in the Light gives security and safety. Praise God for that.

But notice the Psalmist doesn't stop there. The Lord is not just our Light but He is our Salvation!

In this context, He saves us with His light!

As much as we fear the outer darkness and the dangers it conceals, but there is an inner darkness that is equally frightening. That darkness is sinfulness. That sinfulness separates from God. Once separated from God, there is no light and the darkness returns. When the darkness returns so does the fear.

So, the Lord really IS our Light and Salvation. By His power and presence He can protect us from the outer darkeness that causes you to fear. And by His shed blood and His Spirit He can deliver us from the inner darkness that causes fear about eternity.

Are you trapped in fear?

Are you fearful over the darkness in your heart?

Are fearful about your eternal future?

Have you received His salvation?

Are you walking in His light?
























Tuesday, July 17, 2012

July 17, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?" Psalm 27:1a

Darkness is one thing many people fear.

Light dispels darkness and helps relieve some of the fear.

The amount of fear that light relieves is related to the source of the light and the brightness of that light.

A night light gives a small amount of light, enough light to remove the fear of walking from the bed to the bathroom.

Better than a night light would be a flashlight because it produces more light, it produces that light in a concentrated beam and it can be carried with you into the darkness. If necessary, the flash light could be used to inflict blunt force trauma on an attacker.

The ultimate would be a high intensity flood light that would totally dispel all darkness and completely light that room, thus removing a reason for fear.

In addition to the amount of light, another factor in overcoming the fear of darkness would be who holds the light.

If a five-year old child was holding a flood light it would be helpful. However, a Navy Seal holding a flashlight would bring much more comfort.

Of course, a Navy Seal with a flood light would be even better!

So, when Psalm 27 declares that the LORD is my light, that is VERY comforting news! When the LORD is my light I have the benefit of the purest, brightest, most penetrating and purifying light EVER! Where His light shines darkness is not possible!

AND, that great light comes from the One Who raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out demons! That is strong! But that is not all He did! He died on the cross to become the atoning sacrifice for you and me! Then, after three days in the grave, He arose from the dead and was alive for evermore!

Sin is a source of fear - BUT THE LORD, YOUR LIGHT - defeated sin on the cross! You need not live in fear when you live in Christ!

Death is a major source of fear - BUT THE LORD, YOUR LIGHT - conquered death when He arose the the dead and rolled away that stone! You need not fear death when you live in Christ!

If the Lord is your light and your salvation - WHOM SHAL YOU FEAR!!