Psalm 123 - 2009.12.26

“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” — Psalm 123:1-2

Someone has said, “The eye is the window of the soul.” The Lord Jesus addressed the principle in somewhat different terms when He said, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness [Mark 6:22]!” There can be no doubt that whatever the eye lingers upon, literally or figuratively, it influences character and inevitably conduct.

With that in mind, how wise is the man who declares with the psalmist, “Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleth in the heavens.” This is the proper perspective of the Christian. When our eyes are fixed upon our Lord, everything else will be subordinated to His glory, and that is as it should be. Then will we see clearly and judge rightly the myriad attractions of this present evil world.

Focusing upon God will acquaint us with His glory and majesty. “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth [Isa. 40:26].”

Focusing upon God will assure us of His grace and stimulate godliness. “For Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in Thy truth [Ps. 26:3].”

Focusing upon God will generate a proper humility. “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts [Isa. 6:5].”

The psalmist here not only reveals his perspective, but discloses it as a passion when he says, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters…so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God…” The responsibility of the servant or the handmaiden in those days was to keep their eyes upon the one to whose service they were committed so as to miss no indication of the master’s will, which was more often than not indicated by eye contact or a hand signal. Thus the Lord says in another place, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye [Ps. 32:8].” If we would not miss His will, we must not allow our eye to be drawn aside by competing interests. As Spurgeon put it, "…we must use our eyes with resolution, for they will not go upward to the Lord of themselves, but they incline to look downward, or inward, or anywhere but to the Lord: let it be our firm resolve that the heavenward glance shall not be lacking."

Finally there is here an indication of the psalmist’s perseverance. The rest of this short psalm indicates that it was generated by some distressing circumstance that had confronted the believer with scorn and contempt. Rather than allowing the difficulty to distract him he takes his burden to the Lord with confidence that his case will be addressed in due time and he will remain focused as long as it takes; “until that He have mercy upon us.” Too often in the conflict of life we divide our time between seeking His face and focusing on the problem, thus losing the “perfect peace” promised to those whose minds are stayed on Him.

When king Nebuchadnezzar was reduced to eating grass like an ox he testified after his deliverance, “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation…Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase [Dan. 4:34, 37].”

May you and I learn by the easier route of faith in God’s word the value of a fixed focus on “the God Who is there.”

’‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” —Psalm 19:8

For our good and His glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

CHRISTmas

…the rest of the story

He came:

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… I Tim. 1:15

He saw:

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matt 9:36

He conquered:

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

And…

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him,

to them gave he power to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name.

John 1:11-12

May you and yours have a truly blessed

CHRISTmas and new year.

Psalm 122 - 2009.12.19

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” —Psalm 122:1-2

The Psalm from which our text for today is taken relates to temporal Jerusalem, and aside from the petition to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” (v.6) it has no immediate significance for the New Testament believer. It will of course come into focus again during the millennial reign of Christ and will figure darkly in the tribulation period, but for the moment it must serve us for spiritual purposes in the way of type or figure. The New Testament gives legitimacy to this.

Paul, writing to the Galatians, said of earthly Jerusalem, “Jerusalem which now is…is in bondage with her children.” That remains true to this day as Israel remains in unbelief with respect to the Lord Jesus Christ. But in the next verse he refers to “Jerusalem which is above.” (See Gal. 4:25, 26) The writer to the Hebrews refers to “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [Heb. 12:22],” to which, says he, believers have come. And in the Revelation we read of “…the city of…God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down from God…” in a day yet future. (See Rev. 3:12, 21:2, 10.) Israel is identified with the former, the earthly Jerusalem; the church with the heavenly.

Symbolically this Jerusalem represents our center of worship and the heavenly habitation of God and of the redeemed. From that perspective our text will offer us some relevant food for thoughtful meditation. First let us observe that its benefits and blessings are not to be enjoyed in isolation. The gladness of the worshipper is found in a corporate fellowship. Note the plural words: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” And again in v.2, “Our feet shall stand…” There are no “lone rangers” in the true church. The church in scripture is likened to a body, a building, a “holy temple.” Each member is part of a whole and both dependent and interdependent on all the others to fulfill his or her intended role. We need one another.

The second thing that comes to mind is that we need to encourage one another in spiritual matters. The picture is that of a company on the way to worship inviting another, who might have been passed by, to join them in their journey and objective. In fact v.3 says, “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together.” It is not a loose, but an intimate fellowship. In fact, the apostle Paul employs a different figure but addresses the same principle when he urges the Ephesians that “… speaking the truth in love [we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Casual Christianity and spiritual isolation do not fit the New Testament model for the church.

Not only are believers to encourage one another to “go into the house of the Lord,” but they must also extend the invitation to those outside of Christ to become a part of the congregation of the Lord through faith in His name and in His finished work. After all, “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” and “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved [I John 2:2; Rom. 10:13].”

A third thought emerges from meditating on this passage. It is the assurance of things to come. “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” For the moment our Jerusalem lies before us, but this terse verse assures us of the success of our journey, as certain as the promises of God. And that not because of the firmness of our commitment to Him, but because of the nature of His commitment to us. The Savior said, “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].” And again, “…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also [John 14:2-3].” What a glorious prospect, well suited to encourage us to “keep on keeping on,” even if at times the journey seems long and difficult.

Remarking that the phrase can be rendered “our feet are standing,” Spurgeon concludes appropriately, “Many feet are running the downward road, or kicking against the pricks, or held by snares, or sliding to an awful fall; but our feet, through grace divine, are "standing" -- an honourable posture, "within thy gates, O Jerusalem" -- an honourable position, and there shall they stand for ever -- an honourable future.

May our feet stand together in the City of God in the great “day of His appearing!”

For His glory and our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 121 - 2009.12.12

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. - Psalm 121:2-3

Happy, indeed, is the man who has the Lord for his help. And that is the good fortune of those who have trusted His Son for their salvation and eternal destiny. Nevertheless, laying claim to this high privilege it behooves us to reflect on its significance.

Consider the Person: “My help cometh from the Lord.” Remember His position, “Lord.” The prophet said, “I saw…the Lord…high and lifted up…” and “Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts [Isa. 6:1-5].” The encounter left him exposed and humbled before Him, yet susceptible to His gracious cleansing, ever essential to fellowship with God. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time [I Pet. 5:6].” To be sure, we are invited to “come boldly to the throne of grace,” because it is a throne of grace, but we are not authorized to approach flippantly or brazenly. As we seek His face, let us be ever mindful of Who it is “with Whom we have to do.”

Consider the Power: If a proper approach to the Lord proves humbling, it also proves supremely encouraging. He it is Who “made heaven and earth,” and thus we can be assured that our problems, many or few, great or small can never be beyond His power to address and deal with them. The resources that “hung the world in space” have become available to meet our needs. When promised a son in her old age, childless Sarah laughed in her incredulity and was gently rebuked, “Is anything too hard for the Lord [Gen. 18:14]?” And this Lord is ours!

Consider the Protection: Not only are we assured of power sufficient, but we have also the promise of His protection. “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.” Among the great doctrines of the Christian faith is the security of the believer. It is most wonderfully and concisely expressed in the promise of the Saviour, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee [Heb. 13:5].” And the apostle expressed it this way, ”For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom. 8:38-39].”

The glorious promise of our text is, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved;” the margin reads, “to slip.” We walk a slippery road through this “present evil world,” and if left to our own resources would not only be in danger of falling, but of perishing in the process. The Lord sustains His own. How wonderful to make the journey leaning hard upon the One who knows all the pitfalls, Who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin [Heb. 4:15],” and who has the wisdom, experience and power to see us safely to our ‘expected end.’ How wonderful to have God for our guide and guardian!

Finally, Consider the Performance of His care: “He that keepeth thee will not slumber.” Our creator and redeemer never takes a vacation or even a day off. He is never distracted, will never be “off guard.” Our watchfulness is subject to moments of failure or even seasons of carelessness; His is unbroken.

This was the ground upon which the apostle rested when he wrote to Timothy. ”I…am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day [II Tim. 2:12b].” With that in mind, it behooves us to commit everything to His care.

Strong in the Lord of hosts,

And in His mighty power;

Who in the strength of Jesus trusts,

Is more than conqueror.

Leave no unguarded place

No weakness of the soul.

Take every virtue, every grace,

And fortify the whole.

—Wesley

“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God” —Ps. 146:5

For resting assured,

"Pastor" Frasier

Psalm 120 - 2009.12.05

“Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.” —Psalm 120:2

The tongue is a weapon that can deliver painful blows, and many are it‘s victims. Christians are not exempt from its abuse, and worse, sometimes the attacks come even from those who profess to be fellow believers, compounding the suffering. David expressed that kind of pain when he cried, “mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted…hath lifted up his heel against me [Ps. 41:9].” Heel or tongue, it hurts to be wounded and doubly so when the blows are delivered by one who has been a friend or by another Christian.

The issue at stake is, really, how we react when we are the victims of slander. The temptation is at once to self defense if not retaliation, in either case adding fuel to the fire. Certainly clearing one’s name seems a legitimate course of action, but it is often not easy to do.

David declares, “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war (v. 6-7)”, suggesting that he had probably attempted to clear the issue with the offender—certainly the appropriate course of action in any issue, especially between fellow believers. In a passage well known, but too little applied, the Savior commands, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone… [Mt. 18:15].” Sadly, this, does not always succeed in resolving a matter, as the following verses indicate, and the Lord enlarges the procedure, indicating that every reasonable effort should be made to clear the issue, restore fellowship and endeavor to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Sometimes our best efforts fail as seems to have been David’s case here, and though we are “for peace,” “they are for war.” What then for the committed believer? Do you recall the Holy Spirit’s instruction through the church at Corinth? A conflict had risen there, whether of “tongue” or “heel,” and it would appear there were lawsuits initiated by brother against brother (cf. I Cor. 6:6) and the apostle’s sharp reproof is, “Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded [I Cor. 6:7]?”

David, unable to make peace with his slanderers “cried unto the Lord and [the Lord] heard him.” He simply left his case with the Supreme Court of heaven. The problem did not vanish, but the burden was transferred to the One who could—and would— ultimately resolve it. Subsequently his wise son and successor, informed by the Holy Spirit, counseled, “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord and He shall save thee [Prov. 20:22].” This wisdom of Solomon is amplified through the apostle James, who is worth hearing again:

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell…Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom…the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (See James 3:5-18)

There is, of course, a supreme example. The One who suffered the worst slander and least deserved it cried from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And, the apostle Peter draws upon this as he instructs us,

“… if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously [II Pet. 2: 20-23].”

May God give us the grace and wisdom to do likewise.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

—I John 2:6

For growth in grace,

"Pastor" Frasier