“Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.” (Psalm 71:13)
It has been said that Satan has no happy old people. They have come to the twilight years having ignored the redemptive message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have often belittled, scorned and rebuked those who walk with God. These aged Christ-ignorers now see the joy in the lives of their Christian acquaintances. Those unhappy old folks now envision a Christ-less eternity that matches their Christ-less existence on earth. They come to the end with fear.
The old psalmist is not calling down heaven’s fury on them. He is simply saying, “Let it happen as they have chosen.” I think of Joshua’s message in his farewell address: “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
While Satan has no happy old people, God has no unhappy old people who have chosen wisely as Joshua did and as our psalmist did.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
God is on Time, All the Time
“Oh God, be not far from me: Oh my God, make haste for my help.” (Psalm 71:12)
I am reminded when worshiping with my black Christian friends as they sing one of their songs, that, “…God is an on time God. He’s never too early and He’s never too late: He’s always right on time.” God always shows up right on time.
That’s a good thing to know and a good thing to remember. One old hymn says, “…when the hosts of hell assail and my strength begins to fail, thou who never lost a battle, stand by me.”
The fourth verse of the Twenty-Third Psalm says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…”
Go in the strength of the Lord with assurance of His presence.
I am reminded when worshiping with my black Christian friends as they sing one of their songs, that, “…God is an on time God. He’s never too early and He’s never too late: He’s always right on time.” God always shows up right on time.
That’s a good thing to know and a good thing to remember. One old hymn says, “…when the hosts of hell assail and my strength begins to fail, thou who never lost a battle, stand by me.”
The fourth verse of the Twenty-Third Psalm says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…”
Go in the strength of the Lord with assurance of His presence.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Unseen but Real
“For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.” (Psalm 71:10-11)
A story from II Kings 6:8-23 illustrates the point the aged psalmist is making for all of his readers, including you and me.
Syria was engaged in battle against Israel. Benhadad, the king of Syria told his servants that in a certain place would be his camp. Elisha, the prophet of God, sent word to the king of Israel warning him not to go near that site. The king of Syria accused some of his servants of being traitors and of warning the king of Israel not to go near that place. A servant of the king of Syria said, “Your problem is not with us but with Elisha the prophet of God. The prophet knows what you say even in your bed room.”
When a detachment from Syria was sent by night to apprehend Elisha, Elisha’s servant saw them early the next morning and said, “Alas master, what shall we do?” Elisha answered the servant and said, “Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.” Elisha asked God to open the eyes of the servant. When he opened his eyes he could see that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
In this seventy-first psalm the enemies of the old psalmist fail to see the protecting hand of God about His children, the young as well as the old. Sometimes we fail to see His protection in times of trouble. However, His promise still stands true: “I will never you, nor forsake you.”
A story from II Kings 6:8-23 illustrates the point the aged psalmist is making for all of his readers, including you and me.
Syria was engaged in battle against Israel. Benhadad, the king of Syria told his servants that in a certain place would be his camp. Elisha, the prophet of God, sent word to the king of Israel warning him not to go near that site. The king of Syria accused some of his servants of being traitors and of warning the king of Israel not to go near that place. A servant of the king of Syria said, “Your problem is not with us but with Elisha the prophet of God. The prophet knows what you say even in your bed room.”
When a detachment from Syria was sent by night to apprehend Elisha, Elisha’s servant saw them early the next morning and said, “Alas master, what shall we do?” Elisha answered the servant and said, “Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.” Elisha asked God to open the eyes of the servant. When he opened his eyes he could see that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
In this seventy-first psalm the enemies of the old psalmist fail to see the protecting hand of God about His children, the young as well as the old. Sometimes we fail to see His protection in times of trouble. However, His promise still stands true: “I will never you, nor forsake you.”
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Jesus is Alive and Well
“Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.”
(Psalm 71:9)
Friends and family may forsake us when we get old. As a matter of fact, as I observe the obituaries in the daily paper I notice the names of friends and acquaintances who through no fault of theirs have gone on and I feel somewhat forsaken because of their departure.
But my Savior is alive and well. His name will never appear in the obituary column. His promise to never leave me nor forsake me will always stand.
It was to folks of all ages in the church of Ephesus that Paul gave his instruction, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…” The psalmist did not say, “Forsake me not “IF” my strength fails.” He said, “Forsake me not “WHEN” my strength fails.” It is a given that as we get older our strength will fail. Regardless of our age we will always need the strength of the Lord to live the Christian life. Just trust Him to be with you, giving you the strength needed for every situation.
(Psalm 71:9)
Friends and family may forsake us when we get old. As a matter of fact, as I observe the obituaries in the daily paper I notice the names of friends and acquaintances who through no fault of theirs have gone on and I feel somewhat forsaken because of their departure.
But my Savior is alive and well. His name will never appear in the obituary column. His promise to never leave me nor forsake me will always stand.
It was to folks of all ages in the church of Ephesus that Paul gave his instruction, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…” The psalmist did not say, “Forsake me not “IF” my strength fails.” He said, “Forsake me not “WHEN” my strength fails.” It is a given that as we get older our strength will fail. Regardless of our age we will always need the strength of the Lord to live the Christian life. Just trust Him to be with you, giving you the strength needed for every situation.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Without Jesus We Are Nothing
“I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day.” (Psalm 71:7-8)
Others looked at this old saint with great admiration. Perhaps they admired his moral stance. Maybe it was his benevolence toward the less fortunate that caused them to wonder with awe. It could have been his honesty and his determination to always keep his word.
But, this psalmist knew he was nothing without the Lord. The child of God knows that one’s strength to live honestly and to be a person of impeccable character come from the Lord.
The psalmist sets the pattern for us to give all the praise for our goodness to the Lord. Without Him we are nothing. Let us give all praise to Him.
Others looked at this old saint with great admiration. Perhaps they admired his moral stance. Maybe it was his benevolence toward the less fortunate that caused them to wonder with awe. It could have been his honesty and his determination to always keep his word.
But, this psalmist knew he was nothing without the Lord. The child of God knows that one’s strength to live honestly and to be a person of impeccable character come from the Lord.
The psalmist sets the pattern for us to give all the praise for our goodness to the Lord. Without Him we are nothing. Let us give all praise to Him.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
The Good Influence of Godly Parents on their Children
“For thou art my hope, Oh Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art He that took me out of my mother’s womb: my praise shall be continually of thee.” (Psalm 71:5-6)
This aged psalmist is a living testimony to the benefits of teaching children the things of God. Apparently his parents had followed the command of Moses to teach the word of the Lord to the children, to post the word in prominent places so it could be seen by everyone in the house, especially the children. He had been taught from childhood.
Paul was commending his young Christian friend, Timothy, for his faith and then called to remembrance the “…unfeigned faith that dwelt first in Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and in his mother, Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (II Timothy 1:5) The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
The greatest neglect in our nation today, as in the rest of the world, is the neglect of Biblical, spiritual teaching and training of the children and young people by their parents. Who the president is for any four year period is of little consequence compared to Godly, Biblical training, or the lack of it, in the homes.
This aged psalmist is a living testimony to the benefits of teaching children the things of God. Apparently his parents had followed the command of Moses to teach the word of the Lord to the children, to post the word in prominent places so it could be seen by everyone in the house, especially the children. He had been taught from childhood.
Paul was commending his young Christian friend, Timothy, for his faith and then called to remembrance the “…unfeigned faith that dwelt first in Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and in his mother, Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (II Timothy 1:5) The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
The greatest neglect in our nation today, as in the rest of the world, is the neglect of Biblical, spiritual teaching and training of the children and young people by their parents. Who the president is for any four year period is of little consequence compared to Godly, Biblical training, or the lack of it, in the homes.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Our God is Able to Deliver Us
“Deliver me, Oh my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.” (Psalm 71:4)
The true followers of Jehovah God have always had their opposition. Jesus tells us in John’s Gospel that the time would come that whoever kills the Lord’s followers would think he is doing God a service or a favor. Paul tells us that whoever lives Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
There have been wicked and unrighteous men whom the Lord changed as in the case of Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of Christians. On the Road to Damascus he was on a mission to persecute Christians. The Lord saved him and changed him. The Bible says, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified…” (Acts 9:31) God delivered the saints out of the hand of that wicked persecutor and He has done it at other times. He delivered Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego from Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace and Daniel from the Lions.
Are you facing opposition because of your walk with the Lord and your Biblical stance? Don’t give up. Pray the prayer of the psalmist in our text and trust the Lord.
The true followers of Jehovah God have always had their opposition. Jesus tells us in John’s Gospel that the time would come that whoever kills the Lord’s followers would think he is doing God a service or a favor. Paul tells us that whoever lives Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
There have been wicked and unrighteous men whom the Lord changed as in the case of Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of Christians. On the Road to Damascus he was on a mission to persecute Christians. The Lord saved him and changed him. The Bible says, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified…” (Acts 9:31) God delivered the saints out of the hand of that wicked persecutor and He has done it at other times. He delivered Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego from Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace and Daniel from the Lions.
Are you facing opposition because of your walk with the Lord and your Biblical stance? Don’t give up. Pray the prayer of the psalmist in our text and trust the Lord.
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