The Lord is Strong! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 21:1,

"O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!"

This observation of the Lord's strength is David's response to the fulfillment of his prayers to the Lord. David says, "You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips." Verse 2. David speaks of the "rich blessings" the Lord has given: life, length of days, victories, bestowing of splendor and majesty, eternal blessings, judgment of his enemies, etc.

David asks that the Lord be exalted in his strength, that "we will sing and praise your might", verse 13. The Lord is transcendent in all there is about him. One of the passages I love that speaks to this is 1 Corinthians 1:25, "The foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." God is strong. Very strong. He has every capacity to do all he has promised. "One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done." Psalm 62:11-12.

It is upon our very weakness that God's strength is placed on display. Paul tells us of this in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

The Lord has chosen to share something of his strength with us. We read in 1 Peter 5:10, "The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Lord gives us a heart of love - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 20:1-5a,

"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God."

David expresses a wonderful sentiment for the Lord's people in this psalm. He wishes them the Lord's success when confronted with distress and in need of protection. It is his desire the Lord remember their worship of sacrifices and offerings. It is David's hope that the Lord provides the desires of the hearts of God's people and success for their plans. And then, as a cheerleader, he says, "We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God."

How wonderful it is that the Lord has raised up people like David who care for our success, our victories in life. While the world seems to be filled with people who have little room for the welfare, success and happiness of others due to being consumed for their own, the Lord raises up folks like David.

Certainly it can be said of David, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." 1 John 4:16b-17. David certainly expressed his care and concern for others in this psalm. But greater than David is the One who fashioned David the way he was. Our Lord transforms us from within such that we have love, care and concern for one another. If we look around us we find that the Lord has placed people just like this in our lives.

This says a lot to me about the heart of our Lord.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Evolution: Fake Science! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 19:1-6,

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth."

David has his eye on God's wonderful creation at the beginning of Psalm 19. He speaks of how the heavens "declare the glory of God", verse 1. This is not simply idle "window dressing" to spruce up his psalm, but a very important statement of truth about how God reveals himself to all mankind.

As man views God's wonderful creation, and particularly the upward view in this psalm, man can find his Creator to embrace in faith. Paul quotes this psalm as he contemplates how a person can find God as his Savior and be granted a place in his family for eternity. Paul explains to us that no one can come to God unless he places his faith and belief in who Jesus Christ is and what he did, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Very simple and straight-forward. Romans 10:9-10.

Paul then anticipates the challenge of someone questioning how the above can be done. He says that the gospel needs to be proclaimed so that people can make their choice to accept or reject Jesus Christ. "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:14-15. Here is the very important task of the evangelist! The gospel needs to be proclaimed!

Paul then moves on to the question: what if someone never had the opportunity to hear the gospel message? This is the point at which Paul quotes Psalm 19. He says, "But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'" Romans 10:18. It is God's creation, as viewed in the heavens, that speaks to us about God in such a way we can find him if we desire him - even if the gospel message has not reached us.

Earlier in his letter to the Romans Paul said that no one will be excused on judgment day for not having enough information. All have everything they need and the full opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ. Paul says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:18-20. Again, we have all we need to know about God by simply viewing his creation.

This is why the "fake science" of evolution is promoted with such force and energy. It is "Team Cain's" effort to deny God those he seeks for his kingdom. The spiritual dark side attempts to explain away the reality of God, our culpability before him, and the opportunity to know him by promoting delusions to explain how God's creation came into existence - with no Creator God! This is one of the primary ways Team Cain suppressed the truth!

If you are like me, you were provided an education steeped in hiding the reality of God through the promotion of sinful and lost mankind's alternative to God as our Creator - Evolution! If you have not availed yourself of all that has been discovered disproving every aspect of evolution and the nonsense of an "old earth", get your homework done! You can begin by going to https://creation.com/articles to begin a real education about the origin of things, the age of the earth, dinosaurs, the fake "Geologic Column", what is really in the fossil record, etc..

You will discover the Scriptures have been scientifically accurate after all! Don't compromise with Team Cain! Get educated!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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David's Faith - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 18:1-2,

"I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

In Acts 13:22 Paul quotes God as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." It is really quite a statement God makes of David! Could you picture the Creator of all things, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob saying such a thing of you? Of me? David was a man after God's own heart in such a way that God claimed it before us all in the Scriptures! It is a statement of God acknowledging that David was worthy of his acceptance, that David was worthy or competent to be recognized by God.

What made David so unusual that God would make such a statement about him? There are not many of these kinds of endorsements by God of individuals - Abraham and Job come to mind (I'm sure there are others... do you know of any?).

Certainly a big part of David's recognition by God had to do with what others who had been recognized by God, such as Abraham, Job and others, shared with David: David was a man of deep and abiding faith! The beginning verses of Psalm 18 make clear David's confidence, trust and faith in God:

David considered and claimed the Lord was his strength.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "rock", his steady foundation.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his fortress (the place of protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his deliverer (that the Lord was the One who saved him from peril).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his refuge, his place to go during times of danger.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his shield (again, his protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "horn of salvation", that is, the strength of his salvation.

David provides his own testimony to these things as he faced danger, "He [the Lord] reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Verses 16-19.

I'm sure we have all heard the criticisms of big, rough and tumble guys that, unlike many of us, don't need a crutch in life to get them through. They are quite capable of making it on their own, thank you very much. You know, the crew that intends to have a beer together in Hell when the day comes. (From what we know of David, tough guys today are milquetoasts compared to David.)

Yet, when their bodies lie in the grave, helpless and hopeless, they will have to stand before the One to whom we all must give account, Hebrews 4:13, God's great judgment throne, and explain just why it is they should not be cast into that fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8.

No one on that day will not find a need to possess what David had in the Lord while still in this life! It is only in this life when embracing the Lord in faith as David did, in the way he did, that makes a difference for all eternity!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Faithful But Suffering - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 17:1-2,

"Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right."

David brings a complaint to the Lord. He claims his innocence and yet is suffering from enemies. What is fascinating about his psalm is that it stands diametrically opposed to much of what is taught in the church today!

Today we hear the false teaching that those who obey the Lord in all things will experience only the best things in this life. God will bless us financially if we are faithful to bring in our "tithes". God will heal us of all sickness and disease if we have the faith God looks for in us. God will make sure our marriages will be successful, our children will turn out well, we will succeed in our occupations, getting those promotions and raises. If we go to church regularly, if we avoid "secular" music and entertainment, if we engage in those spiritual disciplines of prayer, Scripture reading, and even fasting... we can avoid those things we wish to avoid in our lives. You know the drill.

Maybe so. God just might bless us. After all, he says he will. However that is not all he says. Listen to Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Hebrews 12:10-11 says this discipline is not pleasant, it falls into that category of those things we might wish to avoid in our lives, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Jesus wrote the same thing to the church in Laodicea, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.

In Psalm 17 David claimed his innocence, "Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled." Verses 3-5. Yet, the Lord allowed David to suffer through those who attempted to destroy him, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me." Verses 8-9.

Over the years I have heard those comments, and I'll bet you have as well: "She has cancer, she must have some hidden sin or she is lacking in faith."

The only sin I see in such occurrences is the presumption by holier-than-thou brothers and sisters who pretend they don't have their own hardships just like the rest of us. I accept the kind of difficulties that David experienced - after all, it is proof-positive as a believer that God is treating me as a son!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Our Delightful Inheritance in the Lord! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 16:5-6; 9-11,

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance… Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

In this wonderful psalm of David, he reflects on the inheritance he has in the Lord. It is delightful and he describes its boundaries as having fallen "in pleasant places". David will be able to rest secure in death as he knows that God will not abandon him to the grave but that he will exult in joy in the presence of the Lord with "eternal pleasures at your right hand." Wow! Breathtaking to think of!

We likewise share in this same inheritance that David receives! In Ephesians 1:13-14 , Paul tells us, "You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." The hope we have in the resurrection is an astonishing and exciting new life we will have, with "eternal pleasures" at the Lord's right hand; a new life without end, a life without the pain, suffering and hardship that marks this life.

As David considers life in the resurrection he says, "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices"! Likewise for us, as we consider our inheritance in the resurrection our hearts are gladdened as we rejoice as well!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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12 Reasons I'm Not Qualified for Heaven - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 15:1,

"Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?"

David here is musing with the Lord on who might be qualified to spend eternity in heaven with the Lord. This is what we are all created for in the first place, to spend an eternity in God's family. This is also the purpose of our temporal life in the here and now: to find our way into God's family.

David lists a dozen reasons in this psalm as to why I do not pass muster. The terrifying thing is that the one and only alternative for not making it into God's family is an eternity in a fiery lake of burning sulfur, see Revelation 21:8.

David's dozen includes:

A blameless walk
Does what is right
Speaks the truth from the heart
Utters no slander
Never wrongs a neighbor
Casts no slurs
Despises vile people
Honors those who fear the Lord
Keeps promises even when it hurts
Doesn't have a change of mind (is faithful)
Lends money without interest
Doesn't accept a bribe against the innocent (incorruptible)

We know from the Scriptures that all it takes is just one infraction! No way I qualify! What is to become of me?

Thanks be to God that he sent his Son to pay the penalty on my behalf for all my sins! As a matter of fact, he did so for everyone, all of us! Those who embrace the salvation God offers through his Son are forgiven all sins and are qualified for God's family for all eternity!

So why is this list provided to us in the Psalms? The same could be asked of all the laws God has given, through Moses, through Jesus in his sermon on the mount, etc. God is communicating to us all that he is our refuge from the wrath of his own justice for the sins we have commited. Mankind lives a pretense and does not feel the need to have anything forgiven. Lost in a spiritual darkness, we find it difficult to comprehend we all deserve that fiery lake of burning sulfur. Because of that spiritual blindness the Lord helps us see the shocking reality of our own failure to be fit for the kingdom of God, by showing us our failures (sin) so that we might reach out to him, and throw ourselves at the feet of his mercy to be forgiven our sins.

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." Romans 3:20. If we don't know we need saving, we won't reach out for a savior!

God wants us all and he helps us find him if we are willing!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God and Fools - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 14:1-3,

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."

David's observation of mankind must certainly have come at a time when he was exasperated with the opposition of sinful people. He introduces us to God's viewpoint, that all on earth are without understanding and without a motivation to seek their Creator.

Paul uses Psalm 14 to make his point that we are all sinful and in need of God's forgiveness. In Romans 3:9 we read, "We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin." Following this he quotes Psalm 14 as well as other passages.

These fools, however, are the vary ones Jesus Christ came to save from God's judgment. In Luke 19:10 he says the Son of man came to seek and save what was lost. It is for fools the Lord came to planet earth. It is for those who are caught up in sin and rebellion against God that the Lord came for. Mark quotes Jesus as saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17. These vary ones who are fools, who are corrupt, whose deeds are vile and who do no good are the ones the Lord reaches with his powerful gospel message.

This ability of God's message, the gospel, to reach the most sin-hardened heart is the reason Paul says of it, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

Paul makes an honest observation of many who come in to God's family, "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Here is the truth about mankind and God's saving acts: people who are sinful and rebellious against their Creator are loved by God and sought by him. He has made a way for them into his family by having his Son pay for their sins and he pursues them with his invitation in the gospel message. All who choose the Lord in faith are welcomed into his family.

This causes me to think of a verse that pretty well sums up my life: "This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles." Psalm 34:6.

How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Don't Worship God As If He Were A Pagan Idol - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 13:1-2,

"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?"

The five questions of David that comprise the first two verses of Psalm 13 display a heart that is transparent, authentic and without pretense. These questions reveal someone who acknowledges God as another real person. The superior person to be approached in reverence and awe to be sure, but nonetheless a truly personal God.

I have something of an angst about the worship and the approach with which many address God, as though God were something other than a real person. Kind of how pagans might worship an idol. Idols are lifeless, they don't emote, they have no personhood: please the idol and get your goodies, or cross the idol and encounter a curse, some form of financial setback, sickness, or whatever. It is as though interaction with God was impersonal, that God might be little more than some kind of quid pro quo moral principle. 

I think it rife with the health and wealth gospel purveyors, as well as in many other places. I firmly believe many of the traditional Protestant denominations have gone this way as well as the Roman Catholic church in many places (when they aren't engaged in other activities!). Just listen to what is said and taught. I'm not saying everywhere and always for certain groups, but it is certainly alive and well with many people.

David held God in great reverence and fear, but he did so in recognition of God as a real person, not some religious "object". I can easily picture at least the first four questions being asked by one spouse of the other. Real persons interacting with one another.

I really think there is something to consider here in David's appeal to God. Our sovereign God Almighty sits on his majestic throne of supremacy over all of his creation… but he does so in his splendor as a real person, and yet a person due the full reverence and fear that is rightfully his.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.