No Excuse

"In the pride of his face the wicken does not seek him, all his thoughts are, 'There is no God.'" Psalm 10:4

"His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity." Psalm 10:7

"He says in his heart, 'God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.'" Psalm 10:11

"Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, 'You will not call to account'?" Psalm 10:13

Did you know that there was a time when there weren't atheists?? Yep, back when people were so close to the creation event that they couldn't deny God's existence. There were still sinful people who rebelled against God, but no one who said He didn't exist. But by the time of David there were already atheists. People who would say there was no God and at the same time hate God. How can you hate someone who doesn't exist?? How can you say "There is no God" and then say "God has forgotten"??

What else does the bible say about atheists?

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good." Psalm 14:1

But, they are without excuse...

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." Romans 1:19-20

And, Job 12:7-25...
⁷"But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
⁸or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
⁹Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this?
¹⁰In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
¹¹Does not the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
¹²Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding in length of days.

¹³ "With God are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
¹⁴If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he shuts a man in, none can open.
¹⁵If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
¹⁶With him are strength and sound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
¹⁷He leads counselors away stripped,
and judges he makes fools.
¹⁸He looses the bonds of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
¹⁹He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.
²⁰He deprives of speech those who are trusted
and takes away the discernment of the elders.
²¹He pours contempt on princes
and loosens the belt of the strong.
²²He uncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings deep darkness to light.
²³He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
²⁴He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
and makes them wander in a pathless waste.
²⁵They grope in the dark without light,
and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again...God is in Control!

"Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah" Psalm 9:19-20

In recent days, I've heard many people reminding themselves that God is in control. This is mostly due to the recent political climate and the economy. We can certainly make our prayer, "Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail!" Our nation is a sinful nation and if God gives us what we deserve, it will not make for happy times. However, we can rest in the fact that God is in control. So when things like stem cell research and abortion come up, we can continue to cling to God's will and plan. And even when concerns about the economy and our jobs come up, we can still rest in God's will. God will prevail, not man. That is a fact. So we may have to weather some tumultuous times, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is Christ.

What we must remember now is that we are just men (and women). Our president is just a man. Our congressmen are mere men and women. No matter how much they may try to give themselves power or take on the attributes of God, they will fail. What they need and what we need at this time is prayer.

Be Careful When You Set Traps!

"The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever." Psalm 9:15-18

Can you imagine setting up a trap to catch some sort of pesky rodent and then stepping in it yourself?? This is what happens to "the nations" or the wicked. Our God turns the devices of the wicked back on them. The very traps that they set are the things that will ensnare them and lead to their demise. God protects His people, the needy and the poor, by defeating the wicked and He does so with their very own devices. How wonderfully ironic is that!

The needy and poor in our society tend to be pushed aside. During election year, you'll see them all over the place and those few high office hopefuls are out shaking their hands and spouting out promises. But much of the time, they still fall to the bottom of the heap and do not get the REAL help that they need. Politicians try to cover them up or appease them with a little money here and there but the real problem will not be helped in that way.

True believers in Christ are like these needy and poor who will not find their answers or help in fellow men. The only help that can be given is through Christ and this is certainly one of the great promises of the bible... "For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever." Psalm 9:18 Praise God! This reminds me of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:

2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Be gracious to me...

"Be gracious to me, O LORD! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation." Psalm 9:13-14

I've been sick the last few days and it has been difficult for me to compose my thoughts around some of my bible study. My bible reading has been very good. I've been reading through Job and I finally made it to the Lord's words at the end. I'll finish out Job today and look forward to that. First, though, I'm going to try to put down some of my study notes from yesterday's study in Psalm 9.

I wish I was sitting in a library of commentaries sometimes. From what I can find, the "gates of death" refer to physical death, or I suppose it could refer to spiritual death. In the phrase "gates of the daughter of Zion" Zion most usually refers to Jerusalem and the daughter of Zion refers to the inhabitants thereof. So the gates of the daughter of Zion would seem to be indicating the gates to Jerusalem or perhaps it could be referring to something else (maybe heaven???)?

The writer is asking for mercy, something I most definitely need. He asks God to see his affliction at the hands of "those who hate me" and have mercy of him so that when looking back, he can praise God for his mercies and rejoice in the salvation provided by God. I do this often. Maybe not due to persecution at the hands of those who hate God, but for other afflictions. I ask God for mercy and I reflect on past mercies and praise God for them. I also rejoice in the salvation that is of the Lord and that He has blessed me with.

Sing Praises to the LORD

"Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted." Psalm 9:11-12

In these verses, we can see God's desire for His people in Israel to tell the Gentiles about Him. They are to do this by speaking about Him and singing praises to Him. Why? Because He is "mindful of them" and does not forget about their affliction. The Israelites were quick to forget about God. They especially forgot to trust in Him at all times. Many times they tried to build idols and find other ways of gaining blessings. But, God is so patient. He was continually mindful of them and the afflictions that they suffered at the hands of the Gentiles. Yet He desired for them to trust in Him as a sign and show to the Gentiles that God was on their side.

God's desire for His people today is very much the same. He desires for us to trust in Him, sing praises to Him, and tell others about Him. He wants for us to be a picture of His glory and grace. Just in the way that we lead our lives, we are a testimony to others of God. If we put God first in everything we do, we are telling others about the priority He takes in our lives. If we remain faithful and trusting during trials, we show others God's mercy and love. If we sing praises to Him during the good times and the bad, we tell others about how God is directly involved in our lives and the blessings thereof. But in addition to living in this way and living for God's glory, we must also tell people about God with our mouths. We must witness and pray that the Lord will use our feeble words to draw more people to Him.

I praise God for our missionaries. They have such a love for the lost that is amazing. They are one of a kind folks who oftentimes give up all of the "comforts" of life to live in a foreign, and many times hostile, land to tell others about Christ. They learn new and very difficult languages, they live in huts without clean running water, they raise their kids there, and through the grace and mercy of God, they lead many people to the throne of God. And yet they desire no praise for themselves and no compensation because their compensation is in the Lord and their praise is directed to God for He has the glory.

I'll leave you with this passage from Romans:

Romans 15:8-13 (English Standard Version)

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

⁸For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

"Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name."

¹⁰And again it is said,

"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."

¹¹And again,

"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him."

¹²And again Isaiah says,

"The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope."

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

God is Molding Me Today!

"But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:7-10

Alex has been sick with croup for the last few days and I didn't do any of my bible reading or study yesterday. I don't really have an excuse though because he slept for 4 hours yesterday afternoon and I could have done it then! Today, however, I'm determined to do it and hope that it will help my attitude for the rest of the day. Yesterday my attitude wasn't the most pleasant. :)

The Lord is just and righteous and it would do us good to remember that when we study about His judgment! Some people like to think of God as our personal Santa in heaven ready to take requests and dole them out presents. There's no wrath with Santa. Santa doesn't hate anything or anyone. However, we know that God does hate evil. There is no evil with Him and He is just and right to judge.

And what a blessing to have a just God who is a "stronghold for the oppressed" and who does not forsake those who seek Him. Those who know God trust Him and He does not forsake them. To know God is prime! To know God should be our aim and top priority. Stop looking for a Santa type of god and look to the one and only true God who is supreme, and sovereign, and righteous, and just.

Okay, I feel kind of preachy. I love all of my friends and family, both saved and lost. I desire from the bottom of my heart for the lost ones to come to a saving faith in God and so I pray. Some of them I'm not close enough to (distance-wise and friendship-wise) to properly witness to them except through how I live my life (which is not always the greatest of witnesses!!). I am a sinful human being. Very sinful. But I have a savior who forgives and I am gradually and prayerfully trying to live the way that God would desire for me to live and to do everything for His glory. Its much harder to knowingly and willfully sin when you know it is not glorifying to your savior and that it is much like a stab in the back to Him. When you really begin to LOVE Christ, it makes way to many changes in your life. God is working in my life. He is molding me and making me into the person He desires for me to be. Isn't that a wonderful and glorious thought!!

What does it mean to be on the Lord's side?

"When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment. You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished." Psalm 9:3-6

The Psalmist here is speaking about some of God's "wonderful deeds" which led to the protection of His people. In a larger sense, God may have also been pointing to the judgment that will take place in the future. Regardless, it is pretty clear whose side we should desire to be on. We should worry less about whether or not God is on our side and be concerned about where we stand. If we are on God's side, He is most definitely on our side. What does it mean to be on God's side? For me, it means learning more about Him each day so that that I can better serve Him. To serve Him, I should be bearing fruit through my witness to lost people and through my encouragement to saved people. I should be living my life in such a way as to be bringing glory to God each day. I should be living for His glory alone. Soli Deo Gloria - "glory to God alone." If I do everything each day with the glory of God in mind, then won't I be rightly serving Him?

Who is on the Lord's Side
by Frances Havergal

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
’Round His standard ranging, victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine!

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band,
In the service royal, let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Savior, always Thine!