As we approach the annual remembrance of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, Psalm 4 is a sobering reminder that Jesus put His reputation on the line for me. When David penned this verse it is as if he was experiencing the future sufferings of the Messiah.
Psa 4:2 NIV - How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame ? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods ? Selah
I recently heard someone say, “Christians don’t have behavior problems; they have belief problems.” If I am constantly trying to vindicate myself and refuse to go to the Lord with my problems; then I do not believe the Lord is all powerful. If a Christian thinks they can have an affair, back stab someone, or lie then they do not believe the Lord is present everywhere, to include where they are and that He is all knowing.
When Jesus set out for Jerusalem and the cross, he was preparing to put His reputation on the line. All of those people in Jerusalem who would oppose him would try to make His zeal for His Father’s house a crime, they would try to attribute His mighty works to Satan, they would try to attribute His compassion towards his creation as sin. Everything that demonstrated His Lordship many tried to make shameful. Why? Simple, they refused to believe Him.
When you are haunted by behavior and when your bad behavior is habitual we are effectively turning His glory to shame because we are not living as a new creation. The first question to ask yourself is; "do I truly grieve over my behavior"? Asking yourself “How Long” am I going to behave this way is a good start. At this point many people are encouraged to treat the behavior, and while there are some good tools out there to curb behavior they will not change your behavior. It is like putting Duct Tape on something that really needs to be welded; it is going to fail!
Let’s try something different! Let’s get together with Jesus. Let's ask Him to show us what it is that we believe that drives that type of behavior. Often what we think and say we believe is very different from the evidence of our behavior found in our actions. When we believe that God loves us, knows us, cares for us, that He is just, and that He will protect and provide for us; our reasons for bad behavior cease to exist and THE reason for Godly behavior can govern our lives. That is a sweet moment.
I have been struck by the first verse of Psalm 4:
"Hear me when I call, Oh God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in [my] distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer."
This single verse has challenged my entire prayer life this year. I can hear David's passion. He does not just want to offer up words...David passionately desires to offer the words that God will hear in the heavenly courts; words that will make a change; words from God's righteousness...this one verse has made me consider how I pray.
God does not desire that we would present an emotional display. An offering of compulsory words, thoughtless chants and rote prayers. Jesus was critical of religious systems and people of this ilk acknowledging that Isaiah was correct about people who pray in such a manner. "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from Me."
David was a man after God's own heart principally because David believed God. In this verse David expresses his belief that God is righteous and that when he is passionate about the things that God is passionate about, then he is righteous. Wow!! That will change your prayer life too!! When we are passionate about what God is passionate about our prayer life changes!!! Passion for the things on God's heart is the entry way into effective prayer.
David does not assume that God is obligated to hear his prayer, David believed that God is merciful and would listen to him as a product of His mercy. God had relieved David from the distress of life before and by faith expresses his belief that God would relieve him again.
Oh, that our prayer life would change this year. That, like David our prayer would be the product of belief and passion for the things that God is passionate about; like unity, peace for Jerusalem, purity, hope, forgiveness and His Kingdom to name a few. That like David, we would know God's mercy in our prayers and His grace in our lives.
Humility (humbleness)... Humility is essential fo real leaders. Humility delivers us from the temptation to believe our own press releases. "The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble." (Proverbs 3:34NLT) When a man sees himself in the true light of God, that light enables him to identify spiritual threats like pride, greed, lust, rage. In weakness and strength that man seeks the Lord for help with both. That is dwelling in the light. So...you are dwelling in the light...good! Even though we may dwell in the light, we still need supernatural protection; everyone of us! No one is immune to a deceptive heart or spiritual attack. So God gives us His flawless ways to guard us and guide us into realizing His deliverance ("As for God, His way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection." (2 Samuel 22:31 NLT). David described the instruments of God's supernatural deliverance as: "A shield (2 Samuel 22:verses 34 and 37). God provides protection to the essential parts of our being; His deliverance demonstrates that He really cares about you! More to come...Have a Blessed Christmas...celebrate Jesus...
New Beginnings.., Hope the new day finds you well and in good spirits despite your circumstances. This is the season of Emmanuel (God with us). I strongly encourage you to consider how close you are to the Lord today...He came to be with you! ...the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel..."God is with us" Isaiah 7:14 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on His shoulders. These will be His royal titles: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David, the passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! Isaiah 9:6 When the men of the church get together to pray on Tuesday mornings we pray that you can sense His presence and the deliverance He brings with Him. The King of Israel, David understood God's deliverance and seemed to look forward to the day when his descendant (Jesus; the salvation of Yahweh) would deliver all men. In 2 Samuel 22 David devoted an entire song to God's deliverance. I believe it is essential to understand God's ability to deliver so that they can remain strong and stay the course on a narrow road in tough timees; agonizing to make it through the narrow gate. God has good reasons for delivering man and in 2 Samuel 22:26 David begins to recount God's good reasons for delivering us from danger. "To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity, To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but your eyes are on the proud to humiliate them." 2 Samuel 22:26-28 David being a spiritual leader understood that God delivers us so that we can understand His character. In God's deliverance we experience His might and faithfulness, integrity, justice, purity, and His goodness. Even the crafty experience God by not being able to outwit Him. I think that is why we get grumpy when we act wickedly...we get tired of not being able to out wit Him... More next time...Blessings Pastor Greg
