Month: January 2017

In the three previous Psalms our Lord uses His Name, His Presence and His Breath to overcome the enemies of sin, death and the devil. In Psalm 11 He uses Fire to destroy the enemies within and without; fire signifies the Holy Spirit combining the red hot fire of the Word of God and the white hot furnace of life experience to burn up or to burn away. The Spirit tests both the righteous and the evil as in a refinery purifying gold and silver to burn away the enemy within, sin and death; the same fire burns up the enemy without, death and devil, as in fire and brimstone. God loves righteousness and hates evil, so he gave us His Son to make everyone righteous. Whatever rejects God’ Love is burned in the fire.

When crisis arises we do not flee away like a bird because the enemy still prepares his bow and arrow and he will find us; instead we trust in God by running into his presence, his holy temple and his throne in heaven. God’s Word and our experiences teach us to turn to the Cross and let Jesus overcome.

In Psalm 8 the majestic Name stills the Enemy; in Psalm 9 His Presence turns back the Enemy; in Psalm 10 it is the judging Puff of God that overcomes. The mere breath of the Holy Spirit is powerful enough to blow the enemy away with a present judgment (not unlike Luther’s fart at the devil).

The named enemies are Pride and Greed and Unbelief. Pride and greed are constantly lurking in the human heart to diminish life in one’s own soul and the souls of others.

But the bigger problem underlying these enemies of the soul is Unbelief, in the form of practical atheism, which afflicts every believer from time to time. Theoretical Atheism is fairly rare and not usually a real threat. But practical atheism believes the lie that God isn’t there, that he’s hiding, that he doesn’t notice, that this once there will be no consequences. Without a present God there may be no inner moral compass to direct thought, choice and behavior on a path that leads to positive consequences. The Breath of the Spirit is that compass that judges away pride, greed, and other sinful enemies with a puff.

In Psalm 8 my Lord stills the enemy with His majestic name (the Name of Jesus), even if that name is inarticulatly uttered with groanings too deep for words in the weakest state in which I exist, as a suckling. “The Spirit helps us in out weakness.”

In Psalm 9 my Lord comes today (not just at the future End) to sit on his throne to turn back the enemy with His Presence. The name of God (placed on me) is the tangible Presence of the infinite God. The child of God calls on the name of Jesus to judge the Enemy immediately.

For example, anger (one of the seven deadly sins) is an enemy that springs up to steal my peace, kill my enjoyment of life and destroy my love, if only for a moment. Why should death and the devil have that moment? Through immediate repentance and faith in the Gospel the Spirit in me comes to judge that enemy with His Presence right now and turn back that destroyer of souls.

I Contemplate the created universe: to me it is so huge that it is beyond imagination; to God it so tiny that it is the work of his fingers. So how big is God? How small am I? Now I contemplate myself: who do I think I am that God could even pay attention? That’ s what natural revelation gets me. Now the special revelation: He made me just a little lower than God and gave me dominion.

Awesome God gives me worth and visits me with His Name: the Aaronic benediction “put my name upon the people;” and Holy Baptism “baptizing them in the name.” Now I contemplate myself: am I special or what? The weakest form of myself (babes and sucklings) has been given strength to destroy my enemies (still the enemy and the avenger). Sin, death and devil are destroyed, not by me for I am nothing, but by my Overcomer, Jesus, for he is everything; and here’s the good news: He cares.

How excellent is thy name in all the earth!

False accusation is one of the most difficult pains of life a human being has to bear, partly because there is no real defense and partly because the accused cannot be certain there is no truth to the charges since no one can really know the thoughts and motives of his own heart. Only Jesus successfully experienced innocent suffering and death, in order to die for us; and He overcame by forgiving the human false accusers.

The Enemy, Satan the Accuser, is too subtle for us to maintain innocence on our own; therefore the accused appeals to the Just Judge of the universe and in this “high” court He renders the final verdict of guilt or innocence. He knows and tries the thoughts and motives of the heart and mind. Man’s only hope is to plead the blood of Jesus.

At the Cross judgment is final and eternal: the enemy, sin and guilt, is absolutely condemned while the accused person (whether rightly or wrongly) is eternally forgiven and declared righteous, saved to the uttermost. There is no just mercy without a just judgment: Sin is judged; Sinner is innocent. Thus God, the Just Judge overcomes the Enemy daily. “I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness.”

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Death is definitively defeated by the bodily resurrection of Christ and absolutely destroyed (presence of death is forever removed) on the Last Day by the resurrection of all flesh; and blessed is he who has a part in His (first) resurrection by faith.

Meanwhile, between the two resurrections, we live in a daily struggle in the presence of life and death. Any sickness of body or soul is a reminder of and an anticipation of death. We may sometimes be completely healthy in body and soul, but there will also be times when we will be completely overwhelmed by pain and suffering in body and soul. The Psalmist describes such a time when his bones are vexed and his soul is sore vexed.

In this extremity the believer calls upon the mercies of God (the blood of  Jesus) to deliver him from his vexing enemy, death; the Lord has received his prayer and the Overcomer who lives within has turned back and sore vexed all his enemies.

Every morning I direct my prayer to God and he hears me; every morning I come into the presence of God by the grace of Christ (come into your house for worship); every morning I rejoice in the Lord and shout for joy; every morning I ask for and receive God’s protection and blessing.

However, my enemies intrude into my day and seek to prevent me from enjoying the presence of God intervening with many distractions and temptations. When I live in His Presence He directs me on a straight path and blessing pursues me. My Savior will destroy these hindering enemies, but self examination is necessary for evil, deceitfulness, and rebellion also live within me as well as around me.

Therefore I repent and believe the gospel. All people without God are enemies in need of the Gospel; and everything within me without the Gospel is my enemy. Thus, in the morning I receive the Lord’s blessing and favor and protection like a full body shield.

Things happen during any given day that cause stress and distress, for the enemies never take a day off. Physical and emotional stresses place us in a constricted mood so that at the end of the day we need to call on the Lord to give us space in order that we may find comfortable rest and refreshing peace. It may be the same nagging worries or it may be different anxieties every day.

The particular issue on this day is false accusations that have come from the Accuser, either directly to the mind or through the words and looks of other people. Either way, because of Jesus, the Spirit prompts me to affirm, “l know I have a God who loves me, he hears and he cares, he does me good, he puts gladness in my heart, and (I remember the Aaronic Benediction) he is smiling upon me. So shut up.” Then I lay me down in peace and sleep

 

The first waking thoughts one may have in the morning are often of the problems he will be facing that new day. A positive thinker may see them as challenges or opportunities, but they are still troubles that come from the Enemy of Souls who tries to steal restful sleep at night and ruin the coming day.

The second thought, however, is that the the Lord sustained me and that Jesus is my protecting shield and Overcomer once again. Then the believer turns his attention away from his problems and gazes on the Lord. After his prayer he finds that the Lord has granted him victory, looked the enemies in the face and smashed them in the mouth.

The enemies lied and taunted, “There is no help for him in God.” But our Lord Jesus crushed their cheeks and broke their teeth so they couldn’t talk. Salvation belongs to the Lord and blessing is unto his people! Selah!

Morning prayer turns a potentially bad and depressing day into a great and glorious day. Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in his wonderful face. He is the lifter of my head.

Christmas and Epiphany is Jesus’ proclamation: “Okay, I’m coming to take over now. Repent and believe the Gospel.” The nations and peoples and kings and rulers have rebelled long enough now; God is setting up His Son as King over His good and kind and gentle and beneficent rule, realized at his first coming, finalized at his second.

The Enemy is pride, and lust for power and control; I want to control my little domain and sphere of influence by myself for myself (“my name be honored, my will be done, my kingdom come”). When a rebellious human believes in Jesus the Holy Spirit gently breaks stubborn self will, but it does come with resistance and a bit of wrenching violence like an iron rod breaking a potter’s vessel. But it is good for you.

“Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, and kiss the Son.” In other words, repent and believe the Good News of the good king, worship Jesus, and submit to Christ as Lord. In doing so He conquers the enemies of sin, death and the devil. The end result in the final verse is blessing.