Psalm 28 - 2007.12.29

"Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them, and not build them up." — Psalm 28:5

We live in a day when it is not deemed "politically correct" to identify and condemn sin, or speak of coming judgment. Either because we fear the reaction of the unbelieving majority, or because we ourselves no longer really believe it, there is little emphasis, even in the churches, on the inevitable judgment of a holy God.

Scripture, of course, is not silent on the subject, as our text will illustrate, which may be one reason so many are inclined to ignore or despise the word of God. The verse before us has a twofold thrust. The first cites a condition prevailing in the human heart; the second cites the consequences of that condition.

It is of particular interest to note that the sin described here would make no headlines in today's daily news. It is not some gross or lewd conduct, violence or outrage, but something which characterizes the vast majority of mankind in such a way that we easily take it for granted. Those indicted are not immoral in the ordinary sense of the word. Their crime is simply disregard for "the works of the Lord [and] the operation of His hands." It is important to connect the indictment with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when He sought to stimulate faith in Himself on the part of His detractors. For one example among many, "Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him [ John 10:36-38]." He identified the works, again and again, as the signature of God.

Today, in our worship of "science, falsely so called (cf. I Tim. 6:20)," the "works of God [and] the operation of His hands" are assigned to a mindless, unproved and unprovable philosophy called "evolution." In defiance of the scriptures, men who cannot recall what they had for dinner yesterday tell us in great detail how the world began and life developed in unguided, ungoverned "natural selection" five or six billion (more or less!) years ago.

We do not often see this for what it is: sin— defiance of God and His word. Consider what this brazen philosophy and its exponents do. First, they discredit the scriptures which, time and time again assign this vast, complex and awe-inspiring creation to the handiwork of a personal God. So doing, they w rite God out of the creation script. Second, they destroy in the process the foundations of morality. If man is the accidental product of a mindless process, any conception of morality is also an evolutionary process without validating roots, and at best arbitrary. Life is devoid of meaning. Current trends in our culture illustrate this all too well.

There is a third consequence, equally solemn, stemming from this rationalism, and that is that it discredits the integrity of Jesus Christ, making Him either a liar or an idiot. Christ affirmed the existence of God and assigned Him as the first cause of all things. If that is not the way it all began, the Savior was clearly deluded. You cannot have it both ways. The sin in all of this is unbelief, clear and simple. It is as reprehensible to God as adultery, fornication, thievery and murder. Perhaps we may call it "white collar sin!"

David anticipates divine judgment on those who hold and propagate such deceit. "He shall destroy them…" That destruction is already in progress, though little recognized by the majority of mankind. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind… [Rom. 1:28]." This side of eternity, man is never in worse straits than when God gives him up to his own devices. That is the road to self destruction. God's abandonment, however, is the the first phase of "the wrath to come." Ultimately men will stand before God and be required to give account for their rejection of the Truth. Then will they be assigned to "everlasting destruction," the awful consequence of denying or defying the truth of His word. And, "respectable sinners" will fare no better than riotous ones!
For the Lord of glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Needs Update

My "flower" seems to be holding her own, for which we praise the Lord. On Thursday afternoon she looked up at me, smiled and said, "We made it!" referring to our 60th wedding anniversary that day. And, just for prayer in passing, our son-in-law Ange is on his way back to France even as I write, and son Dave leaves for China Monday morning, leading a group of graduate students from the University of Buffalo.

WMF

Christmas 2007

Unto you is born this day...
a Savior, which is Christ the LORD

Dear Friends in Christ:

As it is written, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away" (Ps. 90:10). We have reached that plateau, and are keenly aware of the frailty of life in the flesh. In consequence we are the more deeply grateful for the hope of eternal life afforded us through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and certified by His resurrection from the dead.

The year was very routine - our travels pretty much limited to church, grocery shopping and the inevitable doctor’s appointments - until two weeks before Thanksgiving, when Miriam suddenly lost her mobility altogether and I was obliged to send her to the hospital via the E.R. Two weeks in the hospital were followed by eight days in a rehab facility, during which she showed little improvement. The day finally came when it was necessary for her to be hospitalized again, in the ICU for several days, eleven days altogether. Two days ago (12/12/’07) she was released to another rehab facility especially equipped to treat pulmonary diseases. She is diagnosed with "restrictive and constrictive pulmonary disease," struggling to breathe and inclined to incessant sleepiness. Only the Lord knows what the future holds, but at this moment things do not look promising for her recovery. We do know Who holds the future, and we know that He does all things well!

As the Lord’s providence would have it, Sue and Doug had planned to be with us during what proved to be the first week of her hospitalization, and son-in-law Ange had scheduled a holiday with us for the month of December, and is here now, all have been a great help and encouragement. In France Ange pursues his medical career covering part time for several doctors in mountain villages in Provence. David and Linda and Sue and Doug all remain busy in the same enterprises as last year: David at University of Buffalo, Linda teaching French in high school, Sue in nursing and Doug in computer programming. All continue active in their respective churches, and we are grateful to the Lord for all of them.

Our prayer for each of you is that you may have had a joyful Christmas and will have a New Year under the government and blessing of His Holy Spirit. Apart from individual needs and concerns, these are “perilous times,” morally and spiritually at least, and we need more than ever to “walk worthy of the Lord,” abiding in Christ and insulated from the evils from which for now we cannot be isolated. MARANATHA!!

Sincerely in Christ,

...in Whom we have redemption through His blood

Psalm 27 - 2007.12.22

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." — Psalm 27:4-5

A psalm of David. The 'sweet singer of Israel' is here distinguished by a single-mindedness that exemplifies a proper faith. "One thing" consumes his soul, and it is, in a word or two, an unwavering, abiding relationship relationship with God. How enviable is such devotion! It is the counterpoint to the charge of the apostle James when he declares, "a double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Regrettably, most of us are ambivalent, like the clock we bought a few days ago. Fired up and hung on the wall, it was totally unreliable. It would run for a time, then stop for a season, then start up again full of promise, but unpredictable. In frustration my son-in-law said of it, "It's a part time clock!" Too often distracted by the world, we are in danger of being 'part time Christians.' Not so David, who said, "one thing… will I seek after," i.e., "to dwell in the house of the Lord… all the days of my life." In this passion he reflects the spirit enjoined upon us by the Savior who exhorts believers to "Abide in Me… ," and assures, "If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you [Jn. 15:7]."

The foundation of an abiding relationship with the living God is an established personal relationship with Christ, as reflected in the familiar 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." The latter is the proper and logical result of the former, following where the Shepherd leads.

There is added here a fine nuance when the writer adds, "to behold the beauty of the Lord." It is his manifest desire to contemplate "the King in His beauty," "the beauty of holiness," not merely to enjoy His benefits. In so doing, there is great reward. The apostle remarks, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord [II Cor. 3:18]." It is by way of consistent contemplation of His holiness, glory, beauty that we are changed into His image. He became like us (cf. Rom. 8:3) so that we might become like Him. That is the everlasting aim of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:29,) but in this our cooperation is required.

Finally, his single-minded aspiration includes, "… and to enquire in His temple. This suggests growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord by hearing and heeding the One who is both the Temple and the Word of God. The fundamental and consistent question of those who properly enquire in His temple is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Abiding is obeying the divine response to that query. (Cf. John 15:10-11.)

There is great benefit to be realized from such single minded devotion to God, "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." Job said, "Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward [Job 5:7,] and "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble [Job 14:1]." And the Savior said, without qualification, "in the world ye shall have tribulation… [John 16:33]." The time of trouble will come sooner or later to every man. Blessed is he who has a hiding place and a secure foundation when it reaches him. And such a man is the single-minded saint whose one great aim is to make God his habitation "all the days of [his] life."

"I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith, And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious bleeding side."

by F. Crosby

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Needs Update

My Flower still lingers (PTL!) Actually, a little better than a week ago, but still unable to walk, or to talk above a whisper. And, the respiratory therapist said today, categorically, that her condition is "irreversible." The LORD is still in control, and "His way is perfect."

WMF

Psalm 26 - 2006.12.15

"But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD." — Psalm 26:11-12

This remarkable Psalm is an interesting study in spiritual commitment, and its spirit should characterize every true believer. Observe first of all the writer's aspiration or, if you will, his determination: "I will walk in mine integrity." In the opening verse he declared , "I have walked in mine integrity." And in the second verse he defines what integrity is, when he says, "I have walked in thy Truth." In this verse he purposes to continue to pursue the path of righteousness.

The whole gives rise to a consideration of the will in relation to the walk of the Christian. The will of the unconverted man is held in bondage by the adversary. Writing to Timothy the apostle Paul declares, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will [II Tim. 2:24-26]." No passage more clearly emphasizes the bondage of the will of the unconverted.

The believer, in happy contrast, is released from that bondage, if he will, to pursue the will of God. The savior said, "If any man will do his (i.e. God's) will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself [Jn. 7:17]." In other words, as I see it, if the heart inclines to do the will of God, the Spirit of God will open and confirm the word of God so that we may know the good and the right way; the way of integrity.

There is with the Psalmist, however, as there must be with us, acknowledgment of dependence upon His work for us and in us. "Redeem me, and be merciful unto me," indicates his sense of dependence upon God's grace in order to walk uprightly. The sinner needs the Savior before he can "walk worthy of the Lord,"and the redeemed man needs Him in order to walk in the will of God. Paul writes of the conflict we face when he defines the struggle, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would [Gal. 5:17]," and illustrates it when he declares, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord… [Rom. 7:22-25a]." As one discerning preacher said, "It takes God to be godly."

Having called upon God for redemption and mercy, however, the believer expresses his assurance: "My foot standeth in an even place." Firmly established on the plateau of God's grace, we stand in a secure position, pursuing "integrity," but relying on His righteousness, not ours, for our eternal destiny. The security of the believer is ever found in what God has done for us, not in what we have done for Him. Only thus can we identify with the confidence of the Psalmist, "I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide [Ps. 26:1]."

This in turn eventuates in the ascription of praise; "In the congregations will I bless the Lord." Those who walk in integrity, as defined by the word of God, will ever render praise to Him for every step in the right direction. Christianity is not a "do it yourself" experience. Our cry must ever be, in every victory, "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth' sake [Ps. 115:1]."

Spurgeon's comment may serve as a suitable conclusion: "Our integrity is not absolute nor inherent, it is a work of grace in us, and is marred by human infirmity; we must, therefore, resort to the redeeming blood and to the throne of mercy, confessing that though we are saints among men, we must still bow as sinners before God."

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Needs Update

Please be uplifting the Frasier family in your prayers to God. Pastor Frasier emailed me this morning to say "The flower of my life is fading fast!"

Psalm 25 - 2007.12.08

"Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me." — Psalm 25:1

It is sometimes said that Adam and Eve were created righteous, but that is not really the case. Righteousness, or the lack thereof, is determined by testing. Until tested, Adam and Eve were innocent. When tested, they failed and established themselves as unrighteous. In the history of the race, with the single, unique exception of our Lord Jesus Christ, there has never been an inherently righteous man on the face of the earth. "There is none righteous, no not one [Rom. 3:10]."

In their innocence prior to their transgression it is said of Adam and Eve, "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed [Gen. 2:25]." Shame and guilt are byproducts of disobedience and sin. Having transgressed the word and will of God, our progenitors "heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself [Gen. 3:8-10]." Now they were ashamed!

Shame is a condition that can be addressed in one of two ways. The rebellious heart will become defiant and bold, until the conscience is "seared with a hot iron (cf. I Tim. 4:2)," becoming calloused and insensitive to sin, and "God is not in all their thoughts." The Savior said, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of his also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels [Mark 8:38]." Shameless sinners develop a hostility toward the word of God, which could prick their conscience, reawaken a sense of shame and send them in search of forgiveness. Note in contrast the apostle saying, "… I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith [Rom. 1:16-17]."

Happy are those sensitive souls who share the apostle's view of the word of God, petition Him for deliverance from shame and its causes, and wash away their guilt in the blood of Jesus Christ. And if we would continue our journey unashamed, the counsel is, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth [II Tim. 2:15]." To this we may the words of the apostle John, "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him [I John 2:28-29]."

Delivered from our shame by the grace of God and clothed upon with the righteousness of Christ, let us give heed to the word of God and give diligence to do the will of God, walking in that practical righteousness that affords no occasion for shame before His all seeing eye. Never again can we regain innocence, but trusting the Savior we can be forgiven, cleansed and afforded righteousness by faith, maintained by an obedient heart inclined to do His will.

And, let us make this our prayer: "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed…O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee [Ps. 25:1-2,20-21]."

For God's our eternal good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Update

For those who care and thos who have asked:

Miriam's condition remains little changed. Certainly there is no significant improvement. Plans to move her to rehab (again!) are on hold at least for the weekend, and possibly longer. She struggles to breathe, is on oxygen 24/7 and from time to time uses a sophisticated breathing machine.

She is able to feed herself, for the most part. She has no phone in the hospital. She still maintains a good spirit, but tends to panic when the breathing becomes too restricted. Each night, as Ange and I prepare to leave, she plaintively says, "I want to go home with you!"

Your prayers are so much appreciated!

Sincerely in Christ, "Pastor" Frasier
Psalm 23

Prayer Update

Miriam is back in the hospital in ICU (a different one this time, where the people and the are seems much better.) The primary culprit seems to be respiratory failure. She has made no progress with respect to rehabilitation and regaining her mobility. When we saw her last night, she had rallied a little bit, at least awake and coherent.

Our son-in-law Ange arrived Friday evening from France. He will be here for most of the month, and will be a good help.

Between trips to the hospital and other essential tasks, there seems to be little time for much else. I was able to bring a word from the Word yesterday at a well attended man's prayer breakfast in our church.

THANKS AGAIN to those of you who have written, to all who have held us up by prayer and to those who have relayed our information to other groups and individuals.

We continue to walk by faith and not by sight!

In HIM by grace,
"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 24 - 2007.12.01

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" — Psalm 24:3-5

The opening clause of our text defines our position before God. "Who shall ascend… " implies, correctly, that we are in a position of inferiority. The greatest distance in the world is the distance by which the sinner is separated from our Holy God. Vain man, in his pride may deem himself exalted, and that he may be in the eyes of his peers, but not so in the eyes of God. Created in the image of God, assigned to be the competent custodian of His garden, he became an outcast when he elected to worship the creature more than the Creator.

No matter where we may be in the social, political or economic scale of things, we are at rock bottom in our relationship to "the hill of the Lord," and he is a wise man who will ask David's question, "Who shall ascend… ?" For those sincerely concerned with spiritual matters, our passion will be to "ascend." There will be an initial desire to reach the top, and wherever we are in our spiritual journey, we will aspire to rise higher— to draw "nearer, my God , to thee."

There is, of course, but One whose aspirations and accomplishments have lifted Him on high. Risen from the dead, Christ alone has "… ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things [Eph. 4:10]," "for He alone is worthy."

That leads to the reiteration of the question, "Who… shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who shall stand in his holy place?" The answer defines the prerequisite. In a word, it demands holiness. "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully." Well, then does the apostle James cry, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded [James 4:8]." But where? and How? Beloved, the waters of purification, for you and me, flow down only from the smitten Rock of Ages. There is ascendancy only for those who have recognized their impotence and called upon the Lord Jesus Christ for washing from all their sins. That is the spiritual aspect of this great truth. God's grace alone can make us fit for the kingdom of God.

But the query has practical significance, too. Those who aspire to ascend into the hill of the Lord would do so not only in some as yet unseen future, but also in the "today" of their experience. And the foundation of practical holiness is the same as that for the establishment of our initial holiness before the Lord. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him [Col. 2:6]." How does one receive Him? By faith. How, then, does one walk in Him, that is, in practical holiness, in fellowship with the King of glory? By faith! And note, the call is to both inward and outward purity. The heart and the hands are both to be involved. There is a superficial morality that may suffice to fool the watching world that we are men of character and principle, but "the Lord looketh on the heart." It is the righteousness that flows from within, all of grace, that will deliver us from the pursuit of emptiness and a deceitful tongue. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God [Matt. 5:8]."
************
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting [Psalm 139:23-24]."

For God's glory and our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 23 - 2007.11.24

"The LORD is my shepherd… " — Psalm 23:1a

As was last week's text, so is this week's familiar to every New Testament believer. The figures of the Shepherd and the sheep are picked up by the Lord Jesus in John 10. These two things will occupy our attention today.

The Shepherd-Lord of the psalm is none other than the Savior Himself. His function in that role may be distinguished in no less than three categories in the New Testament. The first is with respect to His atoning work. He said, "I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep [John 10:11]." Every sheep in the divine fold owes his life to the Redeeming Shepherd, "In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins , according to the riches of His grace [Eph. 1:7]." In His redemptive work, He did not merely risk His life, He rendered it a sacrifice.

Secondly, the Savior is the Great Shepherd by reason of His resurrection from the dead: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep… [Heb. 13:20]." His resurrection did not, of course, make Him the great Shepherd, but it marked Him as such. A shepherd dying in an attempt to rescue troubled sheep might be considered noble, but having made his sacrifice he would be powerless to help them further. This Shepherd lives, and is now in a position to gather in all of His flock and secure them in His fold for all eternity. "This man, because He continueth ever… is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for the [Heb. 7:24-25]."

And thirdly, the Lord Jesus is identified as the Chief Shepherd of the flock of God in conjunction with His promised return. Peter declares, "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear… [I Pet. 5:4]," promising the faithful elders of the New Testament church a coronation day. In that great day, when God's great plan of redemption is consummated, the whole flock, from every tribe and nation and every generation, will be gathered in His presence, "… and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd [John 10:16b]."

And what of the sheep—who are they? In a beautiful figure, David says in another place, "… we are His people, the sheep of His pasture [Ps: 100:3]" The Savior refines it saying, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand [John 10:27-28]." Observe two qualifying statements; first, the sheep "hear [His] voice," and are responsive to it. His "voice," of course, is expressed to us via the word of God. The scriptures are to the unconverted "just another book." To the sheep, they are the sound of the Savior's voice.

Then, "they follow me." The Voice gives direction to their walk. Others may hear the voice, but it is to them as a pleasant song: "And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not [Ezek. 33:32]." To these the word of God is no more significant than a tune downloaded from the internet. Not so the sheep; for them the voice of the Shepherd defines direction, deportment and destiny.

And, indeed, it is their response to the voice of the Shepherd that does determine their destiny, for He continues, "And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish." This the Psalmist understood, when he declared, "And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever {Ps. 23:6b]."

The Redeemer is the Lord, the Shepherd; the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd. The sheep are the redeemed, bought into His flock with the price of the precious blood of Christ. Under His care, come sunshine or tempest, He will sustain them from here to eternity. "[We] shall not want."

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all [Isa. 53:6]." Have you returned to the Bishop and Shepherd of the soul? To hear His voice is one thing; to heed it is another. And that is what it takes to be ready when the Shepherd returns to gather His flock into the eternal sheepfold!


For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Needs Update

Mrs. Frasier was transferred yesterday from the hospital to a rehab facility. We trust this will prove profitable when they are able to start working with her. She still has little, if any, use of her legs. THANKS for your prayers and notes of encouragement.

A BLESSED THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL!! Psalm 118:29

WMF

Psalm 22 - 2007.11.17

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring?" — Psalm 22:1

Perhaps no verse in the Old Testament is more clearly connected to the gospel than this one, the first clause literally on the lips of the Savior from the cross (cf. Matt. 27:46). When the psalm and the gospel are brought together, we are confronted with one of the most amazing events in history.

It is amazing first of all because of the prophetic precision involved. Long before the event, David was moved by the spirit of the Lord to utter words that would be precisely on the lips of the suffering savior nearly a thousand years later. That is extraordinary insight, and a great confirmation of the uniqueness and inspiration of the holy scriptures.

Even more astonishing, in my judgment, is the identification of the Person to whom this cry ultimately belongs: the Son of God. It is no ordinary mortal Who utters this anguished cry. It is God's "only begotten Son," "Made of no reputation… obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It is the Lord of glory, the engineer of all creation and the Author of life, hanging on the precipice of death. It is the most incongruous situation imaginable, the eternal Son of God in a position of incomparable humiliation and suffering.

The second thing that impresses me is the essence of the plaint itself. It is the forlorn cry of the Son forsaken by the Father. It is a cry of anguish brought about by by the rupture of the loftiest, most enduring relationship conceivable. It is the most incredible "why?" imaginable: "Why hast THOU forsaken Me?" When the disciples "all forsook Him and fled," there is no record of despair on the part of the Lord Jesus, but when the Father forsook Him, there was heartbreak and perplexity that has no equal in history, because it has no parallel in history.

That leads to a third thing deserving of consideration as one reflects on this remarkable text, and that is the purpose which justified, in the mind of God, this terrible event. That purpose was to provide a remedy for the ruin wrought by Adam's sin and its ratification by every son of Adam since. "… Christ died for our sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God… [cf. I Pet. 3:18]." And scripture elsewhere declares, "… If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law [Gal. 3:21]." The larger significance of this latter statement is that there was no other way a just and holy God could have provided life and righteousness for lost sinners, "dead in trespasses and sins."

Our salvation was His purpose, and the agony of the cross, both in earth on the part of the Son and in heaven on the part of the Father, was the only way to implement it. From this two things emerge; the enormity of sin, and the magnitude of the love of God for sinners. The human mind and heart, in our present condition, cannot appreciate the dimensions of either, but our text illustrates it, and gives us a little insight. And given the implications of this verse, any attempt to suggest that salvation can be obtained by human effort— "good works"— is an insult to Deity!

There is nothing new in these thoughts, but it is truth worth remembering and frequently reviewing, "lest we forget!" One's only regret is that mere words cannot make a greater impact.

"Well might the sun in darkness hide, and shut his glories in
When Christ the mighty Maker, died for man, the creature's sin!"

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Prayer Needs

Please be in prayer for Pastor Frasier, his wife, and family.

Late last week Mrs. Frasier was unable to walk and contribute to moving from place to place, and Pastor Frasier could no longer care for her alone, so she was hospitalized via the ER. It is their hope to find her a place to stay that would be a more congenial and diligent facility than the hospital.

So please pray for them as they desire to she get better and find a better place to stay.

Psalm 21 - 2007.11.10.

"The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!" — Psalm 21:1

Our text for today refers to "the King." There are, in my judgment, three ways to understand this. First, by interpretation it applies to David, king of Israel and author of the Psalm. Second, and most profoundly, by type it applies to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the psalm could be studied from this perspective with great profit. Thirdly, it may be applied to every believer, because twice in the book of Revelation it is declared that Christ has made us "kings and priests" before God. His redemption has catapulted the least among the redeemed into a position of spiritual royalty.

It is in the nature of earthly kings (and their counterparts in other political venues) to glory in their own might and majesty. Here, in contrast, the position of honor is assigned to God. The reason is not hard to determine. The wellspring of our joy is not our majesty, but His.

The strength of salvation and the glory of it are derived from God, and from God alone. Paul writes to the Romans, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly [Rom. 5:6]." The unconverted sinner is utterly impotent, totally helpless to save himself, let alone to establish himself in a position of power and honor before God. His condition is described as "dead in trespasses and sins [Eph. 2:1b]." Whatever it takes to revive the spiritual corpse must come from another Source, and that source is God.

Not only is it God's strength that initiates our salvation, but it is in His strength that it must be maintained. When the apostle sought deliverance from his "thorn in the flesh" that tried his faith, he said, "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… for when I am weak, then am I strong [II Cor. 12:8-10]." That is the principle of spiritual kingship: "When I am weak, then am I strong." It is diametrically opposite the perspective of this world.

Then the king continues, "and in Thy salvation how greatly [I] rejoice!" It is quite common to hear testimonies declaring, "I thank God for my salvation." It interests me that David does not say that; he looks away from himself as the beneficiary, and glorifies God as the fountainhead of this blessing which is not "mine" anymore than it is anyone else's. I do not "own" it; by grace I have been drawn into it to enjoy its wealth, which is never mine, but ever His. The difference may be subtle, but it is, in my judgment, significant. Individually we are participants, not possessors.

In any event, the king's joy overflows by reason of that salvation of which God is both the source and the sustainer, and the king is one among many invited to share its wealth. Spurgeon comments, "Everything is ascribed to God; the source is [His] strength and the stream is [His] salvation."

This salvation is rooted in God's incredible grace, His unmerited love toward sinners. It is realized by way of the cross where the Son of His love "…once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit [I Pet. 3:18]." And, it is rendered effective by faith alone, for "The just shall live by faith ." (See Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38!!)

The strength is His, the salvation is His; we enter into it simply by faith. How appropriate, then, is the king's rejoicing and his praise! "Praise is comely for the upright."

When our children were little, we used to read them the story, "The Little Engine that Could." It is a cute story for children, and it is, perhaps, a good thing to encourage perseverance in a young heart. But when it comes to salvation, it is all wrong. You and I could not attain it, try as we might. God could, and did make it available as a free gift, and "all our springs are in [Him.]." Believe it, joy and rejoice!

To the praise of the glory of His grace,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 20 - 2007.11.03

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright." —Psalm 20:7-8

When David wrote, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses," he was, of course, speaking as a man of war and recognizing the human tendency to believe that human resources can provide victory over human problems; in this case, problems posed by a military opponent. Beneath the psalmist's figure, however, lies the misguided principle of trust in human resources as the answer to man's problems, whatever their nature. It is in the nature of man, especially in our agnostic/atheistic era, to assume that "man is the measure of all things," and has, or will have, the solution to every problem. Unfortunately, the Christian mind is not immune to this kind of thinking. When the enemy is illness, we rely on the "chariots and horses" of modern medicine. If the enemy is economic, we expect deliverance via the horses and chariots of human government. If the crisis is military, our confidence rests, collectively at least, in the superiority in number, power and sophistication of modern weaponry.

Opposed to this vain confidence, David declares, "But we will remember the Name of our God." It behooves the Christian to focus his trust on the Lord. The Holy Spirit counsels through Solomon, "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe [Prov. 18:10]." He is our refuge and our strength, our "place" of security when trouble comes. In applying this truth, David cried, "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings [Ps. 61:1-4]."

Not only is the Lord our defense, but He is the Authority and Power for overcoming our foes and our problems. "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies [Ps. 60:11-12]." This David understood and could testify to out of his own experience. When the Philistines had paralyzed the army of Israel under Saul and terrified them with the raging of their champion Goliath, David, undersized and under armed, challenged the giant: "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied… And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands [I Sam 17:45-47]." He came away victor over his formidable foe.

The New Testament confirms the validity of David's confidence. Here the Name of the Lord is disclosed in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon whom God the Father has bestowed a name of absolute authority: "… a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [Phil. 2:9-11]." And in Eph. 3:20 we read that He is "able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." his power is infinite, His resources are limitless, His wisdom is perfect.

This is not to suggest that we should not make use of the temporal resources available to us. When David challenged Goliath, he employed his sling. When as king he went out to battle, he went with his weapons and his militia. However, he focused not on human resources, but divine. And so it should be with us. God should not be an afterthought to be relied upon when all else fails.

There is, after all, one enemy we have to encounter who is altogether beyond the reach of "chariots and horses." That is the one who holds the power of death by reason of sin. And it is the Lord alone who could vanquish him. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage [Heb. 2:14-15]. "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved [Acts 4:11-12]."

Should you win every other battle in life by human strategy and resources, and lose this one, you will have lost everything. And no resource on earth will do, but the blood of Jesus Christ. Remember the Name of the Lord!

For eternal victory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 19 - 2007.10.27

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." — Psalm 19:12-13

This psalm presents a wealth of material for profitable meditation. The text at hand, however, has been of great personal significance, hence its choice for this week's "nugget." Many years ago, while involved in a scripture memorization program, these verses were committed to memory, and subsequently, over the years, have been translated into a personal prayer. While I have rehearsed them many times before the throne of grace, I have never attempted to analyze them until now. This provides the occasion to do so, and I trust to the benefit of someone who will receive this from "cyberspace."

The first thought that strikes me is the pervasiveness of sin. So limited is our knowledge of holiness, and so subtle the power of sin that we are victims not only of obvious transgression, but inclined to sin without being aware of it. It is no accident that among the offerings in the great Levitical system, there is a afforded a ritual for sins of ignorance: of the individual (Lev. 4:2), the priest (v. 3ff), the "whole congregation" ( v.13ff), the ruler (v. 22ff), or "one of the common people" (v. 27ff). Such is the nature of sin, and the nature of fallen mankind, that no one is immune to this dread disease. David understood this when he uttered this prayer.

The second thought, no less terrifying to the spiritually sensitive soul, is the perversity of the sin nature. The psalmist prays, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins." One sins presumptuously when he knows what is right, or wrong, and acts nevertheless to the contrary. It is, if you will, deliberate sin. The one time comic Red Skelton had a line in his repertoire that ran, "If I dood it, I get a whippin'; I dood it!" Comic, in its own way, and it always got a laugh, but perhaps it was the uneasy laughter of those who could identify with presumptuous sinning!

David recognized that there lies within us, in our fallen state, an inclination to succumb to certain temptations despite the knowledge that they are contrary to the will of God, and despite the awareness that there is judgment in the offing. It was not David's disposition to sin first, then ask God for forgiveness, but rather to seek the face of the Lord beforehand and shore up by prayer his feeble attempt at godliness. The spirit was willing, notwithstanding the flesh was weak.

The severity of these sins is illustrated in a passage that views them together. "And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. [Num. 15:27-30]." Sin is no trifle in the presence of a Holy God! "For the wages of sin is death [Rom. 6:23a]."

There is a third point of great importance to be observed by meditation on these verses, and that is where the power of victory over sin lies. It does not lie in man, not even in the redeemed man. Victory lies in grace of God. David petitions in another place "… that I may know how frail I am [Ps. 39:4]." It is only when we desire holiness, and discover the impotence of the flesh to conquer the sin nature, that we will make this kind of petition earnestly and often for the conquest of our old sin nature. In the New Testament, the truth involved here is sharpened. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law [Gal. 5:17-18]." Walking in the Spirit involves conscious, constant dependence upon God, and no small part of that dependence is evidenced in prayer. When we learn thus to pray, we may by His grace and power be "upright," and "innocent of the great transgression!"

For victory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 18 - 2007.10.20

"I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." —Psalm 18:1-2

The nugget we have selected for today sets before us two important things. The first is reverence: "I will love Thee, O Lord… " The second is the reason for that reverence, in a catalogue of divine graces bestowed upon the believer, set forth for the most part in figures of speech.

Reverence is appropriate for the child of God. "Praise is comely for the upright [Ps. 33:1b]," and the best among us engage in too little of it. "I will love thee, O Lord," ought really to be the first utterance of our souls with the dawning of each new day. Love for God is the wellspring of spiritual stability and victory. Here the Psalmist expresses his love for God, but in another place he urges it upon all the saints: "Oh love the Lord, all ye His saints; for the Lord preserveth the faithful… [Ps. 31:23]." And, it is not mere coincidence that finds the Savior saying, "If ye love me, keep my commandments [John 14:15]." In the final analysis, a life well lived, from a heavenly perspective, is a love story.

Love on our part, however, is a response to reflection upon the goodness and grace of God. "We love Him because He first loved us." That requires reflection on our part. The scripture says, "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him [Heb. 11:6b]." Believing that "God is," is much m ore than an academic statement. David here, believing that God is, sets before us a wonderful example of reflection upon the God Who IS, in v.2, and it is this that enlarges his love.

THE LORD IS:

MY ROCK. That is, the Lord is the foundation of my life. While some suggest that the Rock here is representative of the crags in which David found refuge from the harassment of Saul, I am rather inclined to think of the Savior's parable in Matthew 7:24-27. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it f ell not: for it was founded upon a Rock." Other scriptures reinforce the idea that Jesus Christ is the Rock in Whom trusting, we have a solid foundation for life, here and hereafter. Taking Him at His word and trusting Him as Savior, we have every reason to love and to praise Him from here to eternity.

MY FORTRESS. The Lord is the precious hiding place for our defense against the adversary and the adversities that are inevitable in life in a world turned out of order by sin and sinners. He is our bulwark against every foe.

MY DELIVERER. It is the Lord who has secured our deliverance from the enemy of our souls, enabled our recovery "out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will [II Tim. 2:26]." Whether initially or in the course of our conflicts as believers, it is the Lord who is our deliverer.

MY GOD. The LORD is the proper object of all our worship. Peter, stubbornly resisting the report of Christ's resurrection, when confronted with the evidence of the nail pierced hands and the wounded side of the Savior cried, "My Lord and my God!" It changed the character and course of his life, and so should it be with us.

MY STRENGTH. He will love the Lord who recognizes his spiritual impotence and comes to rely on the strength of the almighty. The scripture says, with respect to salvation, "For when we were yet without strength (lit. "strengthless"), in due time Christ died for the ungodly [Rom. 5:6]." Every victory we have ever won is a tribute not to our strength, but to His. He is the secret of stability in this chaotic world.


MY BUCKLER. Behind every battle the believer faces is "the wicked one," who has an arsenal of "fiery darts" suited to demoralize, if not to destroy us. It is Christ who affords us an armory which includes equipment to shield us from "all the fiery darts of the wicked [Cf. Eph. 6:14-17]."

The HORN OF MY SALVATION. Here, if I may be so bold, is an appreciation of the divine gift of prayer. When we are surrounded by the enemy, how marvelous the privilege of sounding the alarm before a throne of grace and finding the resources of heaven available for our aid, to sustain us in the battle and ultimately to secure our deliverance.

MY HIGH TOWER. Abiding in Christ, we are lifted high above the threatening landscape ("seated with Christ in the heavenlies")to see the enemy approaching, and to be secure against his attack. We may feel the impact of his assault, but our High Tower will withstand every onslaught and we will emerge from the smoke of battle secure at last.

Reflect on these thoughts, here but sketched in barest outline, and you will have every reason to revere the Lord. By His grace, and for His glory, I will love the Lord… in Whom I will trust… " Will you?

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 17 - 2007.10.13

"Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not" — Psalm 17:4-5

Morally, men tend to think in shades of gray. Scripture, rightly understood, denies us that luxury. With God, what is not quite right is wrong. Period. "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin (see Rom. 14:23!). That may explain the peculiar conjunction here of "the works of men" and "the paths of the destroyer. What is implied is that the works of men apart from God, are pursued in the paths of the destroyer. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death [Prov. 14:12, 16:25]." The ways of death and the paths of the destroyer are, it seems to me, synonymous. The life that pleases God is diametrically opposite that which pleases the sons of men. In the real world, that represents slippery going for the committed believer.

David recognized and acknowledged the hazard, when he prayed, "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." And, he recognized the need for divine enabling to stay on "the right track" spiritually. Prayer is vital to maintaining our spiritual direction in a world of confusion and distraction.

No less important, however, is purpose. A fine illustration of purpose, in addition to that before us, is Daniel's stand before Nebuchadnezzar. We read that "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself… [Dan. 1:8]." Purpose demands direction, and the moral compass for the believer is the Word of God. David said, "By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer."

In this we are reminded of Another Who employed the word of God to keep Him from the paths of the destroyer. Tempted in the wilderness over the three "paths" of the Destroyer, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, the Savior employed in each instance the word of God for His defense: "It is written." He would not compromise the word of God for any personal advantage the Destroyer had to offer (See Luke 4:1-13), "leaving us an example, that [we] should follow His steps."

The word of God illuminates the pathway of righteousness for the believer: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path [Ps. 119:105]." It is the weapon with which we can defend ourselves against the Destroyer; the "sword of the Spirit [Eh. 6:17]." And, it is an essential adjunct to prayer if we are to keep our feet from slipping in life's slippery places. We are to "take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," and "[Pray] always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ," if we are going to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Prayer without the knowledge of the word will be aimless. And the word without prayer will be powerless. We need both if we are to succeed in fulfilling God's will for our lives.

One of our military slogans is, "Know your enemy." Too many believers are quite ignorant of the foe we have to contend with, or do not take him seriously. Knowledge of God's word will give us a proper perspective, and that will motivate us to prayer. In Satan we have a personal foe whose objective is our destruction. In Christ we have a personal Friend whose objective is our deliverance and victory. Let us lay hold of the resources God has made available for our walk and spiritual welfare.
For victory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 16 - 2007.10.06

"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore" — Psalm 16:11

The sixteenth psalm applies unmistakably to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with reference to His death and resurrection. This is confirmed by more than one reference in the New Testament. In Acts 2, for example, Peter makes reference to it in his inaugural address on the day of Pentecost, saying "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [Acts 2:22-36]." What the psalm relates to Christ by interpretation, applies to believers by application.

Consider first, the path of life. For the incarnate Son of God, the path of life led clearly through "the valley of the shadow of death," to the cross. It was, quite literally, the Father's will for Him and the avenue of victory. And, pursuing that course, He opened up the path of life for us in a figurative and spiritual sense. "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [Rom. 6:4]."

Following the path of life leads into the presence of God. Scripture declares of Christ that God the Father "raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places… [Eph. 1:20ff]," and again, "… We have… an high priest, Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens [Heb. 8:1]" and, "… this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God… [Heb. 10:12]." For the Lord Jesus, the "path of life" led by the way of the cross to the highest position of honor and glory in the universe, and He is there today. Again, spiritually the same is true for us; for "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath [made us alive] together with Christ. (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Eph. 2:4-5]," Where He is in fact, we are in principle; at the Father's right hand.

This in turn eventuates in pleasures forevermore. While following the path of life, the Savior once said, "My meat (i.e., pleasure, gratification) is to do the will of Him who sent me [John 4:32]." If that was His pleasure while he pursued the path of life through the way of the cross, what pleasure must be His now, having been welcomed home by the Father to hear, "well done, good and faithful Servant!" So for the believer; pleasures for ever more are found abiding in His presence and immersed in His will. Moses among others, understood it; "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward [Heb. 11:24-26]."

Indeed, the path of life leads through the cross into the privilege of an abiding relationship with the Lord of glory. All else leads to death and eternal destruction ("If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die [Rom. 8:13a].") Therefore, beloved, choose LIFE!

For our everlasting pleasure,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 15 - 2007.09.29

"LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart." —Psalm 15:1-2

In an enigmatic passage in John's gospel, the Lord Jesus uttered a word about fruit bearing, in which He seems to have made fruit bearing a test of our relationship with Him (John 15:1-11). In it He enjoins, "Abide in Me, and I in you [ v.4]." Abiding is put forth as the key to spiritual vitality, fruitfulness, fellowship and authority (cf. 15:7). If abiding in Him is not essential to salvation, certainly it is to sanctification.

In our selection for today the Psalmist asks what may be a related question: "Who shall abide...?" New Testament "abiding in Christ" may be correspondent to Old Testament "abiding" in the tabernacle of the Lord, or in His holy hill. Should such be the case, (and I believe it is,) the response to the query is most instructive, for it indicates three requisites for an abiding relationship with the Lord, involving the believer's walk, works and words.

It is most interesting to place this emphasis alongside New Testament teaching of the apostle Paul. There is an emphasis on the believer's walk, for example, in Eph. 4:17-19. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." The clear teaching here is that the moral environment of the Christian is to be in distinct contrast to that of the "Gentiles" around them, i.e. the lost and unbelieving of "this present evil world." In Col. 1:10 we are exhorted to "walk worthy of the Lord," and in I Thess. 2:12, "walk worthy of God;" in Eph. 4:1, "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." Clearly the New Testament teaching is that the believer abiding in Christ will exhibit a lifestyle that contrasts with the prevailing culture around us.

And what of "works?" Much of the emphasis in today's evangelical preaching is on the priority of faith, apart from works, as the requirement for salvation. To a point, that is good, because we have clear teaching that our works contribute nothing to our salvation. For example, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast [Eph. 2:8-9]." Many similar passages punctuate New Testament teaching on salvation by grace alone.

However, it is a misconstruction of the truth that ignores the place of works once salvation is experienced by faith in Christ. The familiar passage above continues, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10]." The same is underscored in Titus 3:8; "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." What these good works are, "works of righteousness," as the Psalmist puts it, is determined by the careful study and application of God's word. If one is obliged to express it in a short phrase, it is, "conformity to Christ" (Cf. Rom. 8:29)."

And as to "words," scripture has much to say about our speech in relation to our spiritual state. The Lord Jesus, indicting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh [Mt. 12:34]." Wisely, the Psalmist in another place links heart and lips: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." The New Testament, admonishing us to "put on the new man," (Eph. 4:25) follows with immediate counsel regarding the tongue (cf. Eph. 4:25, 26, 29-31) with the inference that failure in this area will grieve the Holy Spirit ( v.30) and interrupt our "abiding" in Christ.

There is, after all, more to being a Christian than praying the "sinner's prayer. " Beyond birth is a life to be lived, and it is the will of God that we live it "in Christ Jesus" — abiding. When He is our dwelling place, the result will be evident in our walk, our works and our words.

"If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love" — John 15:10a

For our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 14 - 2007.09.22

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. " —Psalm 14:1

It is our inclination, I think, to categorize as sinners those who are manifestly immoral, vulgar and violent. Our text for today greatly raises the level and broadens the field. It is reinforced in the next verse, "There is none that doeth good, no, not one."

"There is no God," is as often in the heart, if not on the lips , of those in the "halls of learning" as in the manifest dens of iniquity. Noteworthy as an example is the prevailing philosophy of the scientific community that discounts the God of Creation in favor of the god "evolution," or blind, undirected chance. While this was surely not in the mind of the Psalmist when he wrote these words, it was undoubtedly comprehended in the mind of the God who inspired them.

Greater, certainly, than the sin of disregarding God, is that of denying His existence. Those who do so are here denominated as "fools" and designated as "corrupt." Their works, however impressive, are "abominable" in the sight of God, and He assigns the problem a universal scope: "There is none that doeth good."

The folly of denying the existence of God is evident to anyone who will think transparently. The "problem of God," if we may so speak, does not go away by transferring the 'origin of the species' to a mindless process implicit in a material universe. The fool who parries theology with the question, "Where did God come from?" is left with precisely the same question for his philosophy: where did primordial matter come from? If the speculative "big bang" is offered in reply, the question remains; what (or who?) initiated it? An unbelieving spokesman for the scientific community noted some years ago that sooner or later we are left with no more data to work with, and are obliged to make a "leap of faith." Reason simply will not — ever — provide us with the answer to the question of origin. It will either be afforded by revelation, or not at all.

The preference for "no God" is not hard to fathom. Given what we know about nature from observation, including the use of the microscope and the telescope, and to explain it in terms of "God," is to posit one awesome being, in comparison to Whom man pales into incredible insignificance. That is an affront to the pride of the human heart. If the "God who is there" is perceived as personal, and as involved with His creation, then the element of accountability enters, and that idea is most unwelcome to those who insist on the right to "do their own thing" without answering to anyone.

If the philosophy of the fool were correct, we would have nothing to lose: We came from nowhere, are going nowhere, and nothing in between really matters. Neither mind nor morals have any real significance, for man is but the accidental consequence of a mindless process, the direction of which is random and altogether unpredictable. It is far more difficult for me to believe that than to believe that "God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him [Heb. 11:6]."

The existence of God, of course, is not the ultimate issue. The issues that follow include questions as to what kind of a God He is and how we stand related to Him. Again we are shut up to just two options: reason or revelation. The Bible asks the question, "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection [Job 11:7]?" The implied answer is "no." The awesome God of creation is discernible to human reason, for "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork [Psalm 19:1]," and the New Testament testifies, "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse [Rom. 1:20]." His fingerprints are all over His handiwork; but to know Him requires His self-disclosure. That, we believe, He has granted in His written word, the Bible, and the Living Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. Ignore the word, and remain a fool. Believe and obey it, and become wise!

For God's glory and our eternal good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 13 - 2007.09.15

"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" —Psalm 13:1

"How long… ?" This interesting two word phrase occurs a number of times in scripture in conjunction with a variety of circumstances. Joshua uttered it in the face of Israel's spiritual inertia: "And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you [Josh. 18:3]?" The prophet Elijah employed it in a challenge to Israel's degrading indecision: "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him [I Kings 18:21]." Isaiah, confronted with the revelation of the Lord's anger and impending judgment of Israel's rebellion (Isa. 6:10) declares, "Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land [Isa. 6:11-12]." And on the lips of tribulation martyrs this phrase is an expression of confident faith, wanting only a time frame for the fulfillment of God's promise: "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? [Rev. 6:10]."

In our text for today, "How long?" is a cry of distress born of seemingly relentless trial. Pressed by his circumstances, troubled by their long endurance and unable to find God in the situation, David complains, "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" In context, the cry yields at least three lessons of value.

The first lesson is the comfort of knowing that even the chiefest of saints have had their moments of weakness; David, here, for example. And no less than the apostle Paul knew the burden of human frailty under intense pressure, as is intimated in the account of his experience at Corinth (Cf. Acts 18:1-11, note v.9-10).

The second lesson indicates what to do when God seems far away and indifferent to our plight, or the circumstances threaten to overwhelm us. That lesson is candid prayer. David takes his defeat to the Lord with surprising candor. It is not wrong to complain to God, and there is no need to pretend we are spiritual and/or victorious when we are not. Pray when you feel like it; more importantly, pray when you don't feel like it! God hears the cry of the afflicted (Cf. II Samuel 22:7, e.g.)

The third lesson, perhaps the hardest of all to apply, is to remain in principle before the throne of the "God of all grace" until relief, if not deliverance, comes. David lingers before the Lord in this short psalm until the sigh of despair gives way to the song of praise: "… I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord… [Ps. 13:5-6]." The circumstances had not changed, but David's heart had. May we learn to do likewise!

There is a kind of postscript worthy of note, however, among the occurrences of our key phrase. Sometimes it is God Who voices the cry, "How long?" When men choose to ignore God and His word, He asks, "O ye sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after (falsehood?) [Ps. 4:2]." And again, "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you [Prov. 1:22-23]."

It is one thing for the burdened believer to cry out in struggling faith, "O Lord, how long?" It is quite another thing when "an evil heart of unbelief" prompts God to cry "How long… !" The one is a candidate for His gracious reinforcement and eventual relief; the other is a candidate for His judgment. Should you be in the former category, take heart. Should you be in the latter, take heed! Repent and believe the gospel, putting your trust in "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world" before you exhaust the patience of the eternal God.

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 12 - 2007.09.08

"They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us." — Psalm 12:2-4

Among the things which reflect the image of God in man, and distinguish man from all the lower creatures in the world, the power of speech is certainly one of the most significant. While other creatures can communicate to a greater or lesser degree, only man can translate his thoughts into words and use those words in such a diverse and powerful way. And as with all of man's distinguishing characteristics, this power has been corrupted by sin.

It is the apostle James who underscores the conflicting character of the tongue, when he writes, "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so [Jas. 3:9-10]." While the psalmist's emphasis is somewhat different, the two are dealing in principle with the same thing: the corrupt use of the the tongue and the powers of speech.

The tongue of the ungodly is, in our text, charged with three perverse attitudes. First, insincerity or hypocrisy: "With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak." Second, a malicious ingenuity: "With our tongues we shall prevail;" that is, the use of the tongue to "get ahead" in the world, if need be at the expense of others. Third, independence; "our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" As our culture moves further and further from biblical values, becoming more and more agnostic or atheistic, it is not surprising that truth and integrity of speech are increasingly subordinated to personal advantage and gain.

Confronting this attitude is the assurance that there is a Lord over us and that we will be ultimately accountable to Him. "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things." The Son of God, addressing the Pharisees in His day, confirmed David's affirmation, in what is a very telling passage: "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned [Matt. 12:34-37, italics mine]."

It is of no small significance that each of these passages links the communication of the lips with the condition of the heart. Our speech is a kind of "heart monitor," revealing our inner condition: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," Jesus says. It is not surprising that the lips of the unconverted should "speak vanity," for they are the victims of hearts that are "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," but when the tongue of the righteous is used to advance selfish ends, and/or to destroy the character and reputation of others, a grievous sin is committed which ultimately will bring reproach on the name of Christ, and we stand in need of having our hearts purified. James put it this way: "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Be afflicted,ç and mourn, and weep… Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, Who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgest another [Jas. 4:8-12]?"

If we are believers, our lips and our tongues are not our own! For, "… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God, and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body[I Cor 6:19-20]." "Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another [Eph. 4:25]."

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 11 - 2007.09.01

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" — Psalm 11:3

Here is a hypothetical question of considerable import. The implication is that if, indeed, the foundations can be destroyed, the righteous will be left defenseless and helpless. And the aim of the ungodly, and the wicked spirit that motivates them, is just that: to destroy the foundations of faith and banish the righteous to oblivion. Could they do so, both God and the godly would vanish from society. In fact, there is a subconscious fear in the hearts of many, sometimes bordering on panic, that the foundations of our faith are in danger of being destroyed. These point to the forces in society and government that carry on, as they always have, a relentless attack on the Truth, and seem to be gaining the upper hand. The result is often a cry of resistance: for the election of certain government officials sympathetic to "our cause," or some public activism aimed at restoring respect for standards once held that are no longer endorsed in the halls of government or the streets of our cities. Well meaning as some of these efforts may be, they manifest a pathetic ignorance of the nature and magnitude of the issue.

Let us first ask, from a biblical perspective, what are the "foundations?" Note that since the word is in the plural, there must be more than one. A careful search of the scriptures suggests that there are, in fact, two.

The first is the Son of God. Through the prophet Isaiah and the apostles Paul and Peter, God revealed the first. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste [Isa. 28:18]." (Paraphrase, "He who believes will not need to panic!") Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Paul declared, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation… For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [I Cor. 3:10-11]." Peter, linking with the same Old Testament prophecy, observes, "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded {I Pet. 2:6]." The Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation and the chief cornerstone of our faith and the salvation it offers to embattled sinners.

The second foundation is the word of God. To the saints at Ephesus the apostle remarked, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone… [Eph. 2:19-22]." This "foundation" is the testimony of the apostles and prophets to the person and work of the Son of God, now preserved for us in the word of God, the scriptures. It is worth noting that, in fact, we have not two foundations, but a twofold foundation; the written word of God, and the living Word of God. The scriptures proclaim and confirm the Son of God as the Foundation of God's eternal purpose, and are intended to introduce us into a living relationship with the One who is "able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him."

These are, indeed, the foundations that are under attack in this "present evil world," by those who "take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us [Ps. 2:2-3]." But theirs, not ours, is the lost cause. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision [ v.4]." Christ, as to His person, is a sure foundation, tried, proven and unassailable. And the scriptures are as enduring as He is. Matthew, Mark and Luke all record the Savior's declaration, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away."

The foundations will not be destroyed. Jesus Christ, the Righteous and the sure foundation, is the same yesterday, today and forever. "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed [I Pet. 2:7-8]." "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?… And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder [Matt 21:42,44]."

No need to defend the Foundation; just proclaim Him. And live it! (See II Tim. 2:19)

For God's glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 10 - 2007.08.25

"Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thjou thyself in times of trouble?" — Psalm 10:1

Trouble in the life of a believer, when it comes, as it inevitably will, comes for various reasons and in various forms. The psalmist here was troubled by reason of the opposition of the ungodly ( v.2ff). Believers in the early church were troubled by persecution. Throughout history Christians have been troubled by the afflictions that are "common to man," illness, poverty, heartaches.

Sometimes we are troubled by others who oppose us. Sometimes we are troubled by our own weaknesses. Sometimes we are troubled by what men call "natural disasters." Sometimes we are troubled by the hand of the Lord Himself, when He must get our attention because of some sin in our lives. All trouble, of course, traces its roots to the catastrophe in the Garden of Eden when Adam chose to ignore God and destroyed divine order in this fallen creation.

The most troubling trouble of all is that which tempts us to conclude that God has abandoned us. Job's troubles were quite different from those experienced by the psalmist, but his reaction was similar: he lost the sense of God's presence in the midst of his affliction. "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him [Job 23:8-9]." And here the writer says, "Why do You hide yourself in times of trouble?"

Most of us can recall some phase of our Christian experience when we could identify with these moments of despair. The soul longed for respite, and the heavens were silent. Where was/where is God? Such times demand that we recall and believe God's pledge to His own, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," to which we made reference last week (Heb. 13:5b). Daniel, troubled, mourned and prayed for twenty-one days before he got a response from God, yet was assured, "Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before God, thy words were heard… [Dan. 10:12]." The heavens, indeed, were silent, but God was not indifferent to his cry.

The ultimate reason for unrelieved trouble, when the believing soul cries out in the darkness and God seems very far away, is the refining of our faith. Speaking of our salvation, the apostle Peter said, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ… [I Pet. 1:6,7]." There are reasons in the heart of God that make it "need be" that our testings continue, and the heavens seem as brass. It is in such circumstances that faith is affirmed and God is glorified.

We tend to live with the idea that a good God will not leave us to suffer alone, for long. Meditation on Calvary should correct our thinking. The Savior said with unwavering confidence, "The Father loveth the Son" (See John 3:35; 5:20), yet on the cross, His suffering unrelieved, He cried out, "my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In God's eternal purpose and infinite wisdom, even the Son of God felt abandoned! That "abandonment" was the necessary precursor to our eternal salvation.

So in our case. Some purpose beyond our comprehension is being wrought in the counsel of heaven while we feel forsaken. Let faith rise to the test, and the enemy of our souls will suffer defeat, and God will get the glory, "at the appearing of Jesus Christ." Someone has suggested that "it is not what the trouble is, but where the trouble lies," that makes all the difference. If trouble lies between us and our Lord, we are in serious straits. But, if we stand between the trouble and the Savior, the heavier the burden, the more it will crowd us to Christ.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me… Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." — John 14:1,23

For God's glory and our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 9 - 2007.08.18

"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." — Psalm 9:9-10

"Times of trouble" are as common to the human situation as sunrise. Today most of those who read this little meditation are either in trouble of one sort or another, or troubled over someone whom they know and love who is in trouble, be it relative or friend. Job said, "Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward [Job 5:6-7]." And again, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not [Job 14:1-2]." Thanks to Adam's folly, we live in a "troubled" world.

But, thanks to God's grace, we are not without recourse in this troubled world. Years ago we had in our record collection a "country gospel" song, the chorus of which asked the pertinent question, "Where could I go… ?"

Where could I go, oh where could I go
Seeking a refuge for my soul;
Needing a friend to help me in the end
Where could I go but to the Lord?

Where, indeed, but to the Lord? The psalmist declares, the Lord is a refuge in times of trouble. That truth applies in both temporal and eternal matters. But, as our advertisers are in the habit of saying, "certain restrictions apply."

There are two pre qualifications suggested in the next verse. The promised refuge is those "that know Thy Name." The implication here is not satisfied by merely knowing the title by which the Lord is to be addressed. My wife asked me a day or two ago if I knew a certain personality who had been mentioned on the evening news. My reply was, "I know his name, but I have never met him; I do not know him personally." Far too many who are familiar with the name "God" or "Lord" know nothing more. To know Him as implied here requires much more than that. Spurgeon suggested, "By knowing His name is also meant an experimental acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are every one of them anchors to hold the soul in seasons of peril." To "know" God's name means to know Him personally, and to have cultivated a personal relationship with Him, first by calling upon His name for salvation from sin, then by developing fellowship with Him by "listening" to His word and communing with Him in prayer.

The second pre qualification is the exercise of faith in God. "They that know Thy Name will put their trust in thee." The apostle Paul declared, "… I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day [II Tim. 1:12b]." Knowledge precedes faith, or faith is blind and sterile; but, knowledge without faith is impotent. If you know Him, you will trust Him; if you do not trust Him, you do not really know Him. "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him [Heb. 11:6]."

Finally, there is the affirmation of the psalmist that amounts to a promise to you and me: "For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." This wonderful verse is echoed in the Savior's promise to His own, quoted by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, "He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee [Heb. 13:5]." Come what may this side of heaven, this promise will hold good for those who put their trust in Him who is "able to raise [us] up, even from the dead [Heb. 11:19]."

Oppressed? Troubled? Seek the Lord and put your trust in Him who has never forsaken those who have come to know Him through faith in the Son of His love, Who died for us and rose again!

For refuge and rest,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 8 - 2007.08.11

"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" —Psalm 8:4

The question before us in our text for today is sufficiently profound that it is somewhat presumptuous to address it in a short one page article such as this. However, we may be able to give some "starter thoughts" that will enable those interested to advance on their own.

First, note the perspective: The psalmist was contemplating the glory of God as reflected in the magnitude and magnificence of creation. "When I consider thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained… [ v.3]" Without the benefit of the telescope, the writer was awestruck with the majesty of the Creator by reflecting on His handiwork. With science no more advanced, the apostle Paul considered the same phenomenon when he wrote of man's accountability to God, "… that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse [Rom. 1:19-20]."

Over against this incredible evidence of the glory of God, David sees "man" in the generic sense, and, I believe, himself— a man— in the particular sense, and the contrast is so great that he is overwhelmed at the thought that the Creator has a particular interest in man, or a significant interest in any particular man. Add the telescope and the microscope, and the magnitude of the creation is raised to a level whereby every man should be moved to ask the same question: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him?"

What distinguishes man, of course, and makes him significant in this vast and complex creation, is found in his origin: "…God created man in His own image [Gen. 1:27]." Whatever that means, it accounts for the fact that man is important to God. Dimension does not necessarily define value. Diamonds are tiny compared to granite boulders, yet the value we impute to them is many times greater.

In the beginning, man was made superior to all the rest of this creation. He was by divine design "king of the hill." God said, "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth [Gen. 1:26]." Man as created was, in fact, vice regent of the planet, "the god of this world." That is why, when man surrendered his authority to Satan, the devil became the god of this world (cf. II Cor. 4:4) and the whole world fell into chaotic disarray. So significant was man that when he sinned, the whole creation suffered in consequence, from then until now.

"Then Jesus came." "What is… the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" It seemed incredible to the psalmist, and It should seem no less incredible to us, that God would visit this polluted planet and its corrupted occupants. Nothing more emphatically underscores the significance of man than that God would "visit" us, in the Person of His Son, and for the purpose of our redemption and restoration to our former glory.

Man is important to God. Over against the vastness of this creation, individual men are important to God. This side of heaven, we will never understand why, but the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the man Christ Jesus; the last Adam, "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person," prove it so!

We live still in a day when God is not important to man. Most men would rather regard themselves as the offspring of a baboon than the handiwork of a personal God. But, individual men are still coming to the Savior and finding meaning and significance in an otherwise incoherent world. Are you one of them?

God is mindful of man, and He has visited us. Believe it; stand in awe, and worship Him!


For God's glory and our eternal good,

"Pastor" Frasier