Our Confused World

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

Years ago I heard of a prankster who somehow obtained keys to all the stores in a major downtown area. When the merchants opened their stores early the next morning they discovered that all the price tags in the store windows where the merchandise was displayed had been switched. Cheap items had expensive price tags and expensive items had cheap price tags.

The devil has played a huge but very serious prank on the world. The blood of Jesus Christ, called “precious” in the Bible, is regarded as of little worth. He would want us to believe that materialism, pleasures and sporting events are of greater worth than salvation in Jesus, true praise and worship of the Son of God. The devil would have us believe that we are better off serving ourselves than serving the Lord. He attempts to get folks to believe everyone is going to heaven and he says there is no such place as hell.

But, you know better.  Calling evil good and good evil and putting darkness for light and light for darkness is not Godly. It is Satanic. The ultimate risk is not worth taking.

The Pure Word of God

“Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
(Proverbs 30:5-6)

Many years ago, when I was a child, we would go to a large public spring to get fresh water for drinking and cooking. Many of our neighbors used water from that spring. I have been by the old spring in recent years. I would not drink any of that water today. Houses have been built on land above the spring. The houses have septic tanks with their accompanying lateral lines oozing waste water into the soil and ultimately into the spring water below.

Every word of God is pure. It will show us the way of salvation in Christ Jesus. It will sustain us in hard times. It will give us hope for the future. It will teach us right doctrines and tell us how to live with our mates, how to love, train and care for our children and how to live in society.

When some false prophet or cult adds to the Bible it is like pouring raw sewage into fresh clean water. It is not fit for human consumption although it may look harmless.

The Amazing Sufficiency of God’s Grace

“And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee…’” (II Corinthians 12:9)

The subject of the grace of God is inexhaustible. When I tell you that this is my last devotional in this series on the subject, ‘Why is grace so amazing’ I am in no way implying that this is all that can be said about grace.

From Titus 2:11-14 we found that the Source of grace is amazing, the salvation it brings is amazing, as is its scope or reach, the separation from sin which grace teaches is amazing, and the Savior whose return we anticipate is amazing.

Today, allow me to say a few words concerning the amazing sufficiency of God’s grace. In our text Paul is telling us about his thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, which buffeted him. He prayed three times that God would take it away. God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient.”

We do not know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Perhaps his thorn in the flesh was identical to yours. God’s grace is sufficient to see us through our trials, difficulties, sicknesses, sorrows and disappointments. When you have walked away from the grave of a loved one and your heart is broken, trust Him. His Grace is amazingly sufficient.

Looking for the Return of Jesus

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13-14)

Grace is amazing, in the fifth place, because the Savior whose appearing it anticipates is amazing. His return is called, “that blessed hope.” Satan has corrupted the earth with his presence and has created sinfulness, confusion, ill will, and hopelessness. We have a blessed hope. We will see Jesus and His appearing will be glorious. He is called the great God. There is nothing for which to be ashamed in the person of Jesus Christ.

He is our Savior. He came to seek and to save lost sinners. (Luke 19:10; I Timothy 1:15) To save us it was necessary that He die on the cross. In so dying He redeemed us by His precious blood from all iniquity. Through redemption by His blood He purified us and made us a peculiar people to do good works for Him.

Yes, it is amazing grace that saved a wretch like me, a country boy, and John Newton, slave trader, and Billy Graham, dairy farmer, and Simon Peter, fisherman, and Saul of Tarsus, self righteous Pharisee, and…

Are We Learning What God is Teaching?

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present world…” (Titus 2:11-12)

One of the amazing truths about the grace of God is the separated Christian life that it teaches us we are to live. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith plus nothing. We are not saved as a result of our model behavior. Model behavior results from being saved.

We are told to, “…have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11)  Our text says we are to be separate or different from the world. Over and over the Bible calls us to not be like the world.

There is a strange view of grace in our world today. It says that once we are saved by grace we can go out and live any way we choose. Jude saw false teachers in the first century who were turning the grace of God into a license to sin. (Jude 1:4) Those false teachers are in abundance today. Sadly many churches have taken that same ungodly approach. We are asked in II Corinthians 6:14, “What fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion has light with darkness?” The answer, of course, is “none.”  God expects us after salvation to live like saved people, in the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

The Amazing Scope of Grace

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11)

Billy Graham said, “Grace is not sought nor bought nor wrought. It is a free gift of Almighty God to needy mankind.” 1

What’s so amazing about grace? First, the source of grace is amazing. Second, the salvation it brings is amazing. Third, the scope of grace is amazing. The Bible says the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Not everyone is saved because not everyone has accepted salvation in Christ. But the grace that provides salvation is available to all who will repent and believe. Just as God sends rain on the just and the unjust so He makes grace available to all.

His grace for salvation is available from the White House in Washington D.C. to skid row in the lowest part of any town or city. His grace is available from Number Ten Downing Street in London, England to the squatter’s hut. His grace for salvation is available for you if you will receive it. That is absolutely amazing.

1. The Quotable Billy Graham, 1966 by Droke House Publishers, Inc., page 90

Saved by Grace

“For the grace of god that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11)

This is the second in a series of devotions on truths that make grace so amazing. Not only is the source of grace amazing, as I indicated last time, but the salvation that grace brings is also amazing.

Here is a partial description of what we were before we were saved and forgiven of all sins. We were dead in sin, lived like the world, walked according to the course of this world and followed the prince of the power of the air. We were led by the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. We were sinners by nature. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Our spiritual father was the devil and we acted like the devil.  (John 8:44) We were deserving of hell. We had no hope and were without God.  As one man said, “When I looked back over my past life before I met Jesus, every footprint was crooked.”

“But God,” the Bible says. God is rich in mercy and loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice to pay our sin debt. “For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) Grace is the unmerited favor of God to man. This might help: God’s, Riches, At, Christ’s, Expense.

By God’s grace we have been saved from the penalty of sin, no longer fearing an eternity in hell. By His grace we are being saved every day from the power of sin. And, by His grace we shall be saved from the presence of sin when He takes us to heaven. Grace is amazing because of the amazing salvation it brings.

The Source of Grace

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world…” (Titus 2:11-12)

It has been said that the difference in mercy and grace is that in mercy we do not get what we deserve and in grace we get more than we deserve.

John Newton was a vile, wicked, foulmouthed slave trader who lived from 1725 to 1807. A storm at sea washed him ashore where he nearly died. He was cared for and ultimately gave his heart and life to Jesus. We recognize him as the man who wrote the familiar hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

For the next five or six mornings please allow me to share with you some truths from the Bible that make grace so amazing.

Our text says that it is the grace of God. It is of God. He is the origin of not only saving grace, but of all grace. He is the fountainhead of grace. When we trace a stream back to its source sometimes we are disappointed at the small spring of water trickling from beneath the rocks. Not so with our God. Isaiah saw God’s glory in the sixth chapter of his prophecy and heard the angelic beings crying to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”

The source of grace, almighty God, is amazing. He manifests Himself in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the all powerful, all knowing, crucified Savior and ever Living Lord, who lives in every believer. He truly is amazing.

How Big is Your God?

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” (Psalm 33:6)

On a clear, moonless night, out in the country one can see countless stars and numerous galaxies. I have no trouble believing Jehovah God spoke it all into existence. But, someone tells me something exploded with a big bang millions of years ago and from that the sun, moon, stars, earth and all the many galaxies came into existence.

Well now, where did the object that exploded come from? Did it create itself? What sparked the explosion?

The Bible says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:3) The psalmist believed in the God ordained creation, just as Genesis 1:1-31 declares. The writer of Hebrews believed it. Paul writing Colossians 1:16 indicated he believed it. John in Revelation 4:11 declared that he believed in Biblical creation.

These, along with numerous other Biblical writers, writing as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, believed the account of creation as declared in the Bible. That’s what I believe. Our God is a big, all powerful, all knowing and all present God. How big is your God?

Get Rid of the Burden of Sin

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1)

David knew the awful burden of sin. He had committed adultery with another man’s wife and when he discovered that she was pregnant with his child, had her husband murdered and then married the murdered man’s wife.

When Nathan the prophet of God confronted the king with his sinful actions, David poured out his heart in humble confession. The awful burden of his sin and guilt was gone. He was happy.

The Bible says that “If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

Are you carrying around a burden of sin and guilt? Are you tired of that? Jesus invites you to confess it to Him for His disposal of it. Dear friend, that’s why He went to the cross, shed His blood and died. And, that’s why He lives today.

Stacking Dirty Laundry with Clean

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed…” (I Corinthians 6:11)

In First Corinthians 6:9-11 the Apostle Paul is giving warning concerning people coming to death’s door without having been saved. He tells his readers in his day as well as today’s readers that such people will not enter heaven. He says that some of them had been guilty of the sins listed in verses nine and ten, but that they had been washed.

Joining a church and becoming active in the work and ministry of that church without first being saved happens all too frequently and is one of the worst possible things that can happen to that person or to that church.

I heard someone say, “Many folks have been starched, ironed and neatly folded and stacked with the clean laundry, but they have not been washed yet because they have never seen the need of washing.” It answers the question, “Why are so many churches in such serious trouble today?”

An old familiar song asks, “Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” Answering that question is of primary importance.

Joy in the Presence of the Angels

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Luke 15:10)

Despised publicans who collected taxes from the Jews for the Romans came with other sinners to hear Jesus. This brought a complaint from the Pharisees and scribes.

Jesus spoke three parables to them as a rebuke for their murmuring. One was about a man losing and then finding a sheep, and rejoicing because he had found the sheep. Another was about a woman who had ten pieces of silver and lost one of them and searched until she found it at which time she rejoiced. And finally a man lost one of his two sons and later rejoiced when his son came home.

Our text comes at the end of the parable in which the woman lost a coin and searched diligently until she found it. She invited her friends to come and rejoice with her.

One way to cause joy in heaven in the presence of the angels is to invite unsaved folks to Jesus. There is rejoicing in heaven in the presence of the angels when even just one sinner repents of his/her sin and receives Christ as their Savior.

A Good Man

“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith…” (Acts 11:24)

The church at Jerusalem was scattered upon the persecution that arose about Stephen. As a result believers traveled to several areas including Antioch. People were turning to the Lord and getting saved in Antioch. The word came to the church of Jerusalem so they sent Barnabas to assist in the evangelism effort at Antioch.

The Bible says Barnabas was a “good man.” The evidence of his goodness is evidenced by the fact that he was an encourager. That’s what good people do: they encourage instead of discourage. He encouraged the new believers in Antioch to cleave to the Lord.

The source of his goodness is that he was full of the Holy Spirit. To be "full of" or "filled with" the Holy Spirit is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. He was not full of himself. He was not filled with drunkenness or lust. He was not filled with hatred.  His goodness resulted also from his being full of faith.

More evidence of Barnabas’ goodness is seen in his going to Tarsus to get Paul to help him with the ministry at Antioch. For an entire year these two great men assembled with the infant church of Antioch and taught the people. Barnabas was not afraid to share the success at Antioch with another.

Barnabas’ goodness is further seen when he and Paul were entrusted with a sizeable offering to take some 300 miles to the suffering saints of Jerusalem.

Barnabas was a good man. What kind of man or woman are you?

When Jesus Prayed for You and Me

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” (John 17:20)

Jesus’ followers in His day wrote much of the New Testament as we know it. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the four gospels which tell of His birth, sinless life, opposition, miracles, death burial and resurrection. Peter, Jude, James and Paul wrote the outline for the churches. Luke wrote in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles the progress of the churches in the first century.

We believers today believe on Him through their oral and written word. In the Lord’s Prayer He prayed for us. He continues to pray for us as our High Priest making intercession for us at the right hand of the Father. Others today and in succeeding generations will believe on Him through our word if we tell them.

How and Why Defend a Lion?

“Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. (John 18:10)

How does one defend a lion? In the Revelation John saw Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Peter was going to protect the Lion from His captors. But the Lion told Peter to put away his sword. The loving, merciful Savior then touched the ear of Malchus and healed him.

I was witnessing to a man many years ago when I told him in some detail about the arrest, trials, scourgings and crucifixion of Jesus. He swore and called those wicked men a dirty name. I recently heard someone say what they would have done to defend Jesus if they had been there. But Jesus said He could call twelve legions of angels to defend Him but would not. (A legion numbers between 3,000 and 6,000.)

If Christ Jesus had been rescued and delivered from crucifixion on the cross, salvation and forgiveness of sins would not be available for us. We would spend eternity in hell.

We do not need to defend the Lion. We need only to receive Him by faith, follow Him obediently, serve Him willingly, tell others about Him, make Him Lord of our lives, worship and adore Him.

Peace, Be Still

“…What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41)

Their little ship was about to be swamped in the waves produced by the winds on the Sea of Galilee. When the disciples awakened their Master He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace, be still.” And there was a great calm.

They had never seen anything like that. Have you? That prompted the question in our text, “What manner of man is this?”

He was God dressed in man’s flesh and living among us. He is the unique, “Son of God.” He was all man when He was thirsty, hungry, tired, angry or sleepy. On the other hand, He was all God when He healed a paralyzed man, when he fed five thousand men plus women and children with five barley loaves and to small fish, when He restored life to a widow woman’s son and when He restored sight to blinded eyes.

He is the God/man. He is as much God as He is man and as much man as He is God. He can give you eternal life and lead you in paths of righteousness. He will walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death. He will show you a way through when it seems there is no way. He gives help to the helpless and hope to the hopeless.

Forgiveness is Available

“Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’” (Luke 23:34)

This is the first of the seven last sayings of Jesus, spoken while dying on the cross to which He was nailed. Forgiveness of man’s sins is the basic purpose of our Savior’s death on the cross.

The word, “forgive,” means to “wipe the page clean.” When we were born we were sinners by nature but had not committed any sins. All the pages of the book of our lives were clean. Soon, however, because of our sin nature, we became sinners by choice, choosing evil rather than good, darkness rather than light and wrong rather than right. Every page became smudged with sin, our sin.

When Jesus died on the cross, shedding his blood, forgiveness became available to anyone who would acknowledge the need of forgiveness and would receive it. The Bible says, “In whom (God’s Son) we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins…” (Colossians 1:14)

When one repents, confesses his sins and places his faith in Jesus Christ, all the smudges of sin on every page are wiped clean. The old song asks, “What can wash away my sin?” and then answers by saying, “Nothing, but the blood of Jesus.”

Does Your Preacher Have Fire in His Bones

“Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name.’ But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay,” (Jeremiah 20:9)

Jeremiah had been smitten and then put in stocks for his proclamation of the word of God. Following his release he declared our text. Many a discouraged and heart broken preacher has gone home from church on a Sunday night with Jeremiah’s words on his lips only to have a repentant heart before morning.

The ordaining council asked a young preacher, “If we do not lay hands on you in ordination what will you do?” His response was, “God called me to preach. I will be preaching God’s word somewhere.”

I heard this advice at an ordination, “Young man, if you can do anything else besides preach, do not preach. But, if His word is like a burning fire shut up in your bones then preach His Word.”

If your pastor’s fire is burning low pray for him and quit insisting that he attend every meeting of the “Ladies Pink Lemonade Society,” and other such meetings. Give him time to study and spend time with the Lord Jesus.

Counterfeits

“For many shall come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ: and shall deceive many.’” (Matthew 24:15)

The tellers down at the bank do not need to attend classes studying counterfeit one-hundred bills to be able to identify a counterfeit one-hundred dollar bill. They only need to learn to identify a legitimate one-hundred dollar bill. If a bill comes through that does not fit that description they know it is counterfeit.

If you want to identify false Christ’s and false doctrines you do not need to study the many false religions and false Christs. Simply read and study the Bible and spend time with the real Christ and learn about Him. False doctrine and false Christs will stand out and be more obvious than a three dollar bill.

When People Expect Bread

“Or what man is there of you, when if his son asks bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9)

Jesus is declaring how our prayers are answered according to our request and God’s generous love. God doesn’t mock our earnest prayers. Jesus declared Himself to be the Bread of Life. He is the only Bread that satisfies when we hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Following His resurrection Jesus told Simon to, “Feed my sheep.” He, nor any other pastor of a flock of the Lord’s sheep, is to give, “stones” rather than the “Bread of Life,” to the spiritually hungry.

When people gather before the preacher in the house of God they expect the Bread of Life to be presented. Jesus is the only one who can forgive the lost sinner and save his doomed soul. Jesus is the only one who can nourish and comfort the saint traveling the road of life with all its difficulties.

Preacher, pastor, evangelist, don’t be guilty of substituting stones for bread when you go to the sacred desk or when you are visiting the unsaved, the sick, the shut-ins, the hurting and the elderly. A stone that looks like bread is still a stone.

Don’t Let the Stones do Your Rejoicing

“And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him (Jesus), Master, rebuke thy disciples. And He answered and said unto them, ‘I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.’” (Luke 19:39-40)

It was just a few days until Calvary. Jesus had just ridden a donkey into Jerusalem for what we call His “Triumphal Entry.” People were understandably moved to shouts of praise and rejoicing. They had witnessed His miracles of healing, the miraculous feeding of the multitudes and the restoring of life to the deceased. Yes, those along the way rejoiced.

However, the religious, self righteous Pharisees were not rejoicing. When they asked Jesus to rebuke the disciples Jesus said that if these held their peace the stones would immediately cry out.

I heard of an old farmer who occasionally praised the Lord at church, upsetting some of the folks. When a delegation was sent to his farm to ask him to stop praising the Lord aloud, they found him in a field plowing corn with a mule. As they talked the old man said, “I’m very sorry I’ve upset some folks. But, when I get to thinking about my sins being washed away in the blood of Jesus when He died on the cross and then how my Savior was raised from the dead…well then the preacher said something about Jesus coming back… and then he told about heaven and that I’ll get to see Jesus…Here, hold this old mule so he won’t run away. I feel like I’m going to shout right now!”

If Jesus has saved you from sin you have a multitude of reasons to rejoice and no one has a legitimate reason to stop you.

Praising God All Day Long

“My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul which thou hast redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame that seek my hurt.” (Psalm 71:23-24)

The old psalmist had come to the end of this psalm of praise. We know something of this old man’s heart and his love for the LORD. God had delivered him from his enemies and had redeemed his soul.

Our worship or lack of it will reveal our attitude toward God. The word, “worship,” carries with it the idea of worth. In worship we express our attitude of God’s worth to us. To folks who never worship God, He is of little worth or value. Those who hold God in high esteem and worth readily worship and express their adoration for God as did the psalmist.

Don’t be ashamed to lift your voice in praise to God, expressing your love and thanks to Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon you.

Let’s Just Praise the Lord

“I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, Oh my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, Oh thou Holy One of Israel.” (Psalm 71:22)

“What is that in your hand?” God asked Moses. It was his shepherd’s rod. When God told him to cast it on the ground it became a serpent. The rod would be used to bring glory to God as Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.

The aged psalmist had a psaltery and a harp in his hand. He would use these to praise the Lord. He would accompany himself as he sang praises to Him.

What do you have in your hand? We can praise God with our mouths. And if we cannot sing and if we cannot play a musical instrument, we can praise Him with what we have. We can praise Him with our hands as we help others. We can praise Him with our feet as we walk with Him. I learned a long time ago that we can praise Him with our automobiles as we take people to church where they can hear the gospel. We can praise with our tithes and offerings and other gifts.

Let’s just praise the Lord!

True Greatness

“Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.” (Psalm 71:21)

 

Greatness is not always to be associated with money, wealth, houses, lands or things. Greatness may be associated with service, ministry and obedience to God. Jesus stated that, “…among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11) He said also that the greatest among you shall be your servant.

 

God may not increase your greatness in the eyes of men or by the world’s standard of measuring greatness. It is better to be great by God’s estimation than to be great in the eyes of fellowmen. 

 

God is the God of all comfort. He comforts us in sorrow, sickness, pain, death and grief. He comforts us with His word, the Bible, and by the Holy Spirit. On whatever side we need comfort He is there to comfort us.

 

Has Your Faith Found a Resting Place?

“Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 71:20)

When reading this verse one is reminded of the patriarch, Job. God allowed Satan to afflict him with loss of children, loss of wealth and loss of health. It was Job that asked the question, “If a man dies, shall he live again?  He then answered his question saying, “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 14:14; 19:25-27)

This truth is spelled out in detail in the New Testament and guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The atheist, the skeptic and the non-believer see death as a hopeless end. The Christian, with faith resting in Jesus, sees death as an endless hope.

The aged psalmist’s faith, along with Job and countless other Old Testament saints, rested in Jesus Christ as they looked forward to the coming Messiah who would one day come as the sacrificial Lamb of God and the resurrected living Redeemer. The Christian can truthfully and enthusiastically sing, “My faith has found a resting place…”

Praise God in Old Age

“Thy righteousness also, Oh God, is very high, who hast done great things: Oh God, who is like unto thee!” (Psalm 71:19)

This being a psalm of praise, it teaches us to praise God even in old age, when strength is waning and we move with a shortened, slower step and speak with a quieter voice.

There is no other being like our God. He is creator, sustainer, all powerful and all knowing. He is the God of love who provides eternal life through His Son’s death and resurrection. He is always the same and His days will never end.

Let us praise Him with all our being and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…”

Old and Grayheaded

“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, Oh God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.”

 (Psalm 71:18)

We should not mind the accompanying signs of old age, such as our hair turning gray, wrinkled skin, bad eye sight and being hard of hearing as long as we know that God will not leave us nor forsake us. He has made this promise to His children and He has never broken a promise.

The psalmist said he wanted to show God’s power to everyone who is to come after him. That’s a good request.

An old man was building a bridge across a stream. Someone asked, “Old man, why are you building that bridge. You’ve crossed this stream and you will never come this way again.” The old man answered, “It is true, I have passed this way before and will never cross this stream again. But, I’m not building this bridge for me. I am building it for that fair haired boy that will be coming this way soon.”

What is Your Testimony?

“Oh God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 71:17)

As a pastor I have observed the worship patterns of hundreds of people. One of the most delightful observations was shared by the testimony of a young man who said that he started attending church nine months before he was born. Many faithful Christian men and women could give the same testimony. Thank God for parents who love the Lord and have brought up their children to love Him also.

Many people have had a life-long relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If you have never received Christ Jesus as your Savior I encourage you to do it now. And, if you name the name of Christ and have children I encourage you not to neglect the most important responsibility God has given you, that of teaching your children the things of God.

Go in God’s Strength

“I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even thine only.” (Psalm 71:16)

Following His crucifixion and resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ gave a big order to those of us who are His. We call it the Great Commission. We have been commissioned to make disciples, baptize them and teach them to observe all things our Savior has commanded us to do.

The strength to do His work of making disciples comes from our Savior. That’s why Paul could say as he wrote to the Philippian Christians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

The psalmist further stated that it was not his righteousness that he was promoting. The Bible says all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) It is the righteousness of God which the psalmist is promoting.

Blessings too Numerous to Count

“My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.” (Psalm 71:15)

 

The many references to old age in this psalm let us know that the writer is advanced in years. No doubt, he had some of the same aches and pains the older readers of this daily devotion have.

 

Old age gives us time to reflect on the blessings of God on our lives through the years. It is, “through many dangers, toils, and snares, we have already come; ‘tis grace hath brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home.”

 

It is good to have a daily devotional time. However, our psalmist declares the blessings of God are so numerous that he cannot count them in a short devotional time. So he will praise the Lord with his mouth all the day long.

 

Try counting your blessings as the old hymn suggests. Name them one by one. It will truly surprise you what the Lord has done. But, don’t stop there. Thank Him and praise Him for the many, many blessings He has bestowed upon you.

Praise God More and More

But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.” (Psalm 71:14)

Perhaps David wrote this psalm, or maybe he did not. No one knows for sure. May we all be reminded that one does not need to be a David to praise the Lord. There have been some “non-singers” who have sung some sweet melodies.

Neither is it necessary for this psalm to have been penned by David simply because he was opposed by many enemies. There have been numerous servants of God who aroused opposition because of their love for and stand with God. Regardless of this psalmist’s identity he would praise the Lord more and more.

Let us not relegate the following chorus to be sung by children only: “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before; every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more; Jesus saves and keeps me, and He’s the one I’m living for; every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before.”

What about you? Praise God in the good times. Praise God in the hard times when it seems your world is falling apart around you. God has not deserted you, nor will He.