Month: June 2017

32. Saves

Psalm 17.7

Shew thy marvelous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

 This is a conditional promise of salvation from the spiritual enemies who are fighting against us to take away the fullness of life. Deadly enemies are surrounding us like lions and tigers threatening to tear us apart and bring us down. But God is a Savior for us who will protect us as the pupil of the eye is protected and as those hidden under the shadow of His wings is protected. God will wondrously show us His steadfast love and save us from the surrounding enemies. We could not save ourselves; God does all the saving; we trust in His mercy. Psalm 44:3: “For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.” God saves by His right hand while we watch and benefit.

The condition for this salvation promise is that one puts his trust in the Lord, seeks refuge in God, or enters into His presence where it is safe. Trust is the key, and the Holy Spirit, God Himself, grants the power to trust through the hearing of the gospel of Christ. Looking to the kindness of God counterbalances all the evil of the enemies.

The spiritual enemies, Sin, Death, and Devil, are always surrounding us, always present to us wherever we are. God our Savior is also always surrounding us, always present to us wherever we are. Both are always present, one ready to attack and one ready to save. Recognizing the presence of both prompts us to pray for God’s salvation and deliverance. The trusting child of God may immediately jump from the ambush of the one into the safe arms of the other. God’s presence as a safe place is always and immediately available. Trust and make the leap! God will save.

10. Hearer

Psalm 4.3

The Lord will hear when I call unto him.

 This is a conditional promise involving two conditions: one condition is that the promise is for the godly, but it is God Himself who makes us godly so this condition is met; the second condition is “calling unto him.” If I pray, then God will hear. But it is not “if.” The calling or praying is not a condition that causes God to hear, it is that when I call God promises to hear, that is, respond and answer. So the promise of the Lord hearing our prayers is virtually unconditional since answering a prayer assumes that we have prayed. John 15:16 makes this clear: “…so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Although it is true that the Father knows what we need before we even ask him, He still wants us to ask: He wants a relationship with us, He wants to hear us, He wants us to talk to Him, He wants us to know that He answered our prayer because of His loving relationship and it was not coincidence. There will always be present one who cares. Even if no one else listens, God does. Jesus commands, “Ask…!” Simply asking the Lord for help seems too simplistic, such a simple solution that it is easy to ignore. Asking has always been the best way to deal with inner turmoil.

Every child of God may make this claim: “The Lord will hear when I call unto him.” This is a most difficult promise to believe: God hears your prayer! But what about those times when He doesn’t seem to hear? I did not see Him or hear Him answer: No, but faith sees and hears; in spite of all appearances God hears when I call. God’s hearing implies God’s response; God hears my call, but I do not always hear His response. The how and the when response to my prayer may not fit my expectations and so I missed it. And I may see coincidence while faith sees answers. And if I didn’t hear the answer I wanted I didn’t hear the answer at all. In many ways faith wrestles with sight. Even if God did not give the answer I wanted God still hears, God still cares, and God still knows the needs of my life.

If there is a problem in communication between God and me, which one of us is most likely at fault? Where is the breakdown? Where is the misunderstanding? Which one of us is not clear? This most fundamental issue is argued almost every day: “Will you condemn me that you may be put in the right?” Job 40:8. Submitting to God when it feels to me like He is the one to blame is not easy. So the one who believes this “the Lord hears” Promise does not complain about God or people or things, but he makes his complaint directly to the God who hears (call unto him). God hears your complaint when you lodge it with Him as a prayer, calling on Him. God does not promise to hear whining in general or accusing or blaming. This is why blaming, criticizing, accusing, and being negative never solves a problem; it doesn’t involve God. Get God involved in the problem; He promises to hear. Argue with God if you want; just make sure you are listening as well as He is.

9. Set Apart Continue reading Promise 9: Set Apart

8. Salvation

Psalm3.8

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:

Thy blessing is upon thy people.

The promise of blessing upon God’s people is salvation with the emphasis being upon the fact that salvation is all of God’s doing; He owns and controls and dispenses it how, when, where, and to whom He wills; salvation has nothing at all to do with what man can do. God chooses to give salvation to His people as His blessing. God chooses, God speaks, and God does; God blesses and God saves. There are no conditions attached to salvation. It is unconditional, unmerited, undeserved and unearned. God chooses to save because He has chosen to bless.

The only unanswered question left open is whether or not I am a part of His people. If I am His people I have His blessing; His blessing is salvation. The answer is: Yes! I am one of His people: He loved me thus and so; he was born for me; he died for me; he rose again for me; he blessed me in the heavenly places; he baptized me; he forgives my sins; he preaches the gospel to me; and so on. I have no doubt that I can claim this promise any time and all the time. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3. What other help could I possibly need?

Salvation means so much more than just being rescued from something bad; it also means being placed into something really good. Salvation = health, wholeness, and wellbeing, everything needed physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially to live a full and richly experienced life. Salvation belongs to the Lord; health, wholeness and wellbeing belong to the Lord; I, myself, and everything I enjoy belongs to the Lord. Meaning: He could take it away any time He chooses; He could give, provide, restore, repair, heal, and make whole any time he wants. My life and salvation is completely in His hands, under His control; my times are in His hands. I can and will gladly release control of my life and entrust myself entirely into his power and will. I trust Him; He is my Salvation; I belong to Him.

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.” Revelation 19:1.

7. Glory and Lifter

Psalm 3.3

My glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

 Another part of the promise ascribed to God by David deals mostly with what we would call honor, reputation and self-esteem. The Lord will always be there to be glory for us and build up true God-esteem. When one cannot raise his own head because of sadness or shame, depression or despair the Lord is there to lift up his head, set him on his feet and keep him moving. “Glory” = extrinsic beauty of intrinsic excellence. I bring shame and disgrace upon myself, but the Lord is my glory. He lives in me; He has pardoned, accepted, and adopted me, made me his heir, and crowned me as king.

When taking hold of this promise is most needed it is just then that it is most difficult. But it is in the midst of such depths of dishonor and depression that we most need to believe this promise of God, allowing Him to restore our glory and self-image by giving us His. When we are most hangdog we must then look up to Christ, receive this promise, and let him gently put his hand under the chin and lift up our head.

First, Jesus lifts the spirit by the forgiveness of sins, accepting us as we are, and receiving us into his presence. Then he restores the soul, repairs the brokenness, and stirs up hope in the promises of God. The result of God’s Spirit acting on the spirit is that He affects the body and the head is lifted up, literally and figuratively. Joy is included in this freedom from shame. Luke 21:28: “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh.” With the promise comes strength and courage, for when God lifts the head, who can bow it down again? God lifts the head, that is, God promises to move His child from despair to hope. My Glorious One, my great King, my God is the one who defends my honor and gives me victory. Faith, which the believer already has, sees goodness and power in God to raise him out of the lowest condition. This God is “the lifter up of our head” by the gift of holy confidence and the hope of resurrection; since this hope is a sure thing so also is the promise of “lifting.”

6. Shield

Psalm 3.3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me;

 This is a promise ascribed to God by David, the Psalmist, but God promises Abraham that He will be a “shield” for him as well. We can confidently apply this promise to ourselves as an unconditional promise. The faith response on our part is to place ourselves behind the shield and let God protect our body and soul. A spiritual shield is a metaphor for faith, as in Ephesians 6:16: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Faith stands behind the Lord, who is a shield for me. Without His protection I would be exposed to the “flaming darts” of Satan. These are like poisonous lies that if we begin to believe them and give them a hearing within the soul they will fester and expand and spread like cancer or gangrene. Faith in God’s Truth quenches poisonous lies, and God Himself becomes a shield for us standing in the middle between Satan and my soul. Trust this promise and let the Lord be your shield in all circumstances.

An alternate translation for “shield” is “suzerain,” depending on how you read the Hebrew word. Suzerain also makes sense in Genesis 15:1; “Fear not, Abraham, I am your Suzerain (shield); your reward shall be very great.” In a Lord and Vassal Treaty between the Strong Man and the subdued ruler the Suzerain promises protection for the vassal in return for tribute and taxes and loyalty. Suzerain is a possible translation for shield in Psalm 3:3, but if so, the meaning is the same = Protection. Protection is a guarantee from God, and we can absolutely count on that spiritual protection so that we can be sure that the enemy cannot “snatch us out of the Father’s hand.”

Of course, one may step out from behind the Shield and trust his own weak shield of “reason” or “tradition” to protect him. Or, in the alternate view, one may rebel against the rule of the suzerain and take himself out from under the protection of the Lord; he may go it alone in his own weakness.

Ask yourself: “Where is my gaze?” If you look too long at your problems they tend to get bigger and more insoluble, but when you gaze at God, who is a “shield round about,” you see protection on all sides. Despair would be the outcome of unbelief, but true courage is not disheartened when faith takes up the shield and hides in God. He hides us from evil, covers our heads, and brings us off as more than conquerors. “Lord, you are a shield about me” is a statement of trust, but it is not about my trust; it is a statement about the Lord. Better to say in prayer: ‘You are my shield” rather than, “I trust You as my shield.” The second prayer may be true, but we can be certain the first one is true.

When we are assured that our God is surrounding us as a shield we can sleep in peace and security, even in the midst of danger and fear.

5. Blessed

Psalm 2.12

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

A conditional promise: If you put your trust in the Anointed King, Jesus Christ, then you shall be blessed. It is just the opposite for the unbeliever who will not serve the Lord or worship the Son: that one will perish, be destroyed, die. “Putting one’s trust in Christ” means taking refuge in Him, serving and worshiping, taking Him as one’s only Savior and God, and much more; but simply, “trust” means believing Jesus. Believing means taking Him at his word, receiving His grace and mercy unconditionally, relying on His promises that they will actually come true, and it also includes believing “in” Jesus, uniting with Him as a person, becoming one with Christ by faith, sharing His life, and letting Him be Lord and ruler of your life. Trust in this verse also has the meaning of “rest” in Him. Resting is ceasing to strive and try harder, stop struggling, laying down your burdens and cares, taking it easy securely in the arms of Jesus, letting Him carry you. Rest is a result of trust. Rest is enjoying the quiet streams and lush pastures.

All of that kind of trusting is already a blessing. Once again, the blessedness is not specific, but general, including all the special kinds of physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal blessings that one can imagine and dream about. Blessedness from God is both heaven later (a future hope enjoyed now) and heaven on earth now (a present hope enjoyed today); heaven on earth is where the living Lord of all makes his dwelling in your heart right here, right now, a present hope that enjoys the unseen but real presence of God. This presence and blessedness can be entered into any time, any place, in any circumstance, in every need by repentance and faith: just trust Him and you are there. You may feel God or  you may not, but it matters not because you are walking by faith and not by sight. Trust His Word and promise, not your feelings. If He says you’re blessed, you are.

Trust in Him and be blessed.

4. Secure Future

Psalm 1. 6

The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous.

Alternate translation: Yahweh shall safekeep the assembly of the just.

As a conditional promise: if you are righteous, then the Lord knows your way (or, He will safekeep you). This can also be received as an unconditional promise, because it is God the Lord Himself alone who has placed us in that assembly of the just by declaring us righteous on account of Christ. The “if” part is valid. By grace God has given us His Righteousness; therefore, we are just and so legally belong in that assembly. Jesus Christ met the condition in our place. The Holy Spirit seals in him the unconditional guarantee of safekeeping for the just one. His promise is to keep us in that condition while we live on earth amid the dangers and temptations from Sin and Satan. Of course, we are free to reject the Holy Spirit if we become so deceived, but His side of the “knowing and keeping” is an unconditional guarantee. The just ones bask in this blessed assurance every day of the new life in Christ. Just as God knows them in the closest of relationships, so the righteous ones know where they belong. They possess the land and wrest it from the Enemy.

God has a perfect understanding of the real character of his people; He knows them. He knows who has a heart for God. The “made-righteous” person has confidence that he will stand in the judgment; this judgment-day confidence strengthens him for his standing every day in the presence of God during this life. God is on the side of the righteous, “and if God be for us, who can be against us?”

What do I do? First, make certain that you are one of the righteous, be simply believing in Jesus Christ. Second, believe the promise guaranteed by the Father that He knows your way: he knows where you’ve been, what you have done, and how you have strayed from the way; He knows where you are right now, what you are thinking, why you are thinking it, and what you are feeling; He knows where you are going, He has a purpose in mind for you, and He knows the way to get you to your God-designed destiny. Trust Him to take control of your life, your way, your plans, your hopes and dreams. He may dash some of your dreams and fill you with others, but if you unreservedly give all of yourself to Him He knows what to do with you because He knows you. Jesus Christ is in your future; He is your future.

3. Prosperity

Psalm 1. 3

And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

A third conditional promise is based on the same conditions in vv. 1-2. If a person avoids sinners and delights in the Law he will prosper in whatever he does, whatever he (like a tree) produces is good, and he will be successful in all endeavors. Without trying to succeed this kind of person naturally prospers. This is quite a promise and it strains our imagination and challenges our belief. Can it really be true? Whatever he does? Does God really mean in all spheres of life, whatever activity or pursuit one is engaged in, that he will prosper, succeed and produce something good? We have to answer, Yes! It may depend on one’s definition of “prosper, succeed and produce,” but no one is permitted to make up exceptions to the promises of the Holy Spirit of God. Whatever means whatever. Any act that flows from the new Adam must prove successful; man is the instrument, God is the doer, and He will accomplish His purposes through the new man.

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:17, 18). Joshua 1:8: “This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

The challenge is most likely to arise in the condition: do you actually like God’s rules and laws and commandments, his kind of integrity and uprightness, and God Himself above all things? Do you have a heart for God, like David? Do you love a broken spirit when you’ve offended your loving Lord with your sins? Do you hate sin? Sinner, do you love Jesus? Ask and answer these questions to see if you qualify. Then lay claim to the “prosper, succeed and produce” promise. This is not “name it and claim it” prosperity; it is “enjoy it (the Word) and enjoy the consequences” prosperity. Let God define the prosperity; you just trust and obey.

 

2. Fruitfulness

Psalm 1. 3

And he shall be like a tree planted (transplanted) by the rivers of water;

That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither.

Another promise based on the condition of verse 2 is that the Lord will transplant this man like a tree near streams of water, probably like an irrigation canal or a living stream that never dries up. These are the streams of Eden; He plucked him up and transplanted him into Paradise. God places this man where he can be nourished and fed on the Word to grow and enhance the good life He gives him. This is called being “rooted and grounded in love.” This kind of lifestyle naturally flourishes; effort, as such, is not involved. The Christian is free, spontaneous, and willing, and good works show up almost automatically. Jesus gives this living water that becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

This saved and transplanted man who delights in the Law of Yahweh is fruitful, producing abundant fruit at all the right times. In addition, his leaves never wither, a symbol of immortality; the Torah Lover glimpses immortality regularly. This is unusual, that a tree should both produce fruit and keep its leaves all year, but this is the amazing promise of God for the verse 2 kind of person. Grace makes one a “planting of the Lord,” and taking root in a good place his life is well maintained.

The one who abides in Christ will bear much fruit, and it is for fruit bearing that man was created and redeemed. And this wonderful life comes to those who delight and meditate in the Law of the Lord. This is the promise based on delighting in the Word and abiding in Christ: a beautiful tree with fruit and leaves that simply grows and produces without trying or using effort. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control appears in a beautiful life providing comfort and blessing to other people. “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” (I Timothy 4:8).

According to Luther, leaves are words. The words of Christ are most wonderfully written in the Gospels and in the heart of the believer. The words that He speaks are life and spirit. The words (leaves) He speaks through him can be used to bless others and make people feel good. And this goes on all year long, day and night, wherever one goes and to whomever he speaks; and those words abide forever.