Delighting in God’s Word (Part 7): The Practice of Obedience

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:56

This is my practice:
I obey your precepts.

(CSB)

God’s Word is unique in that is has given comfort and hope to people for thousands of years.  While the establishment of the compiled text we now call the Bible occurred in 397 AD at the Council of Carthage, its beginnings date back to 1400-400 BC with the writing of the books of the Old Testament.  (1)  While the psalmist of Psalm 119 did not have the completed cannon of Scripture as we do today, what he had gave him comfort (Psalm 119:50) and hope (Psalm 119:49).  What makes the Bible unique is the realization that many of us have received comfort and hope reading the same words as the Psalmist. 

The writing of Psalm 119 is believed to have occurred around 444 BC as a manual of devotion by Ezra.  Perhaps one of the portions of Scripture providing hope for Ezra was Psalm 23 authored by David around 1015 BC.  (2)  While this manuscript is over 3000 years old, it still gives comfort today to people reading it.  Psalm 23 reminds us that no matter how dire the circumstances, God is with us.  There is no greater hope or comfort available then the knowledge that God our creator is with us.

Psalm 24 also provides a great source of comfort and hope for it reminds us of who God is.  It begins by reminding us that God is the creator of all that we see (Psalm 24:1-2).  While Psalm 24:3-4 reminds us that only those with clean hands and pure hearts can ascend to the mountain of the Lord and stand in His holy place, through Jesus Christ, we all have that opportunity.  Finding comfort and hope begins with reestablishing a personal relationship with God our creator.  The good news is that Jesus Christ completed the work of reconciliation through his death, burial, and resurrection.  All we must do is confess Jesus as our Lord and express our belief in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).  I invite you to pray with me now to reestablish this vital relationship. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

While there will still be difficult times (John 16:33), Jesus death, burial, and resurrection demonstrates how Jesus overcame the world by conquering the greatest enemy of all death.  This powerful demonstration of power means that the words of Scripture are not just empty words on a page but living words of power inspired by the one who overcame death.  There can be no greater comfort than reading these words and why we must read them often. 

In Psalm 119:49-56 we see the psalmist,

1)      Asking God to remember His Word to his servant (Psalm 119:49) – This request is curious for God has a perfect memory, something most likely known by the psalmist.  We can therefore surmise that this request is a declaration of faith for the psalmist goes on to declare how these words have given him hope.  The psalmist is remembering the hope God’s Word has given him.

2)      Praising God for the comfort received through the Word of God (Psalm 119:50) – The comfort of God’s Word and its promises are a source of life for the psalmist.  When we read the Words of Scripture, it is like having God with us.  In Psalm 23:4, the psalmist reminds us that even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us.  Even though we cannot physically see God, we have His Words of comfort along with the hope that one day we will see Him face-to-face. 

3)      Turning to God’s Word even though unpopular (Psalm 119:51) – While the popular belief is that one can work hard and overcome any obstacle thrown at them, the truth is we all need God and the guidance of His Word. 

4)      Finding comfort in God’s past judgments (Psalm 119:52) – While God’s Word tells us not to judge others, this is because we are imperfect and therefore our judgments are imperfect as well (Matthew 7:1).  However, God’s judgments are perfect and something in which we can find comfort.

5)      Expressing righteous anger (Psalm 119:53) – Even Jesus expressed righteous anger at seeing how His Fathers House, the Temple was desecrated (Matthew 21:12-13).  While the temptation is to lash out in anger at the people living in disobedience to the Word of God, we instead should pray for them for as long as they are alive, they have an opportunity to receive salvation by turning from their sin and receiving Jesus as their savior.

6)      Declaring God’s Word as the theme of his life (Psalm 119:54-55) – To receive full understanding and benefit from God’s Word, it must become the theme of our lives.  Simply attending a church service or Bible Study once a week is not making God’s Word our life’s theme.  It is only through daily time in God’s Word, and living in obedience to what it says, that we make it our life’s theme.

7)      Making obedience to the Word of God his life’s practice (Psalm 119:56) – It is said that practice makes perfect.  I life in Phoenix Arizona and during March we have spring training for the upcoming baseball season.  While veteran major league baseball players already know how to play baseball, they must take a month to practice and hone their skills for the upcoming season.  Daily time studying the Word of God along with the commitment to obey its precepts is how we practice obedience to God.

I urge everyone reading this to dedicate themselves to the practice of study and obedience to the Word of God.  Just as a baseball player hones his skills in spring training, we must hone our life skills for a world ruled by evil and ungodliness needs Godly people dedicated to making the practice of obedience to the Word of God the theme of their lives.  Will you join me in this? 

1. Comfort, Philip W. www.christianitytoday.com. How We Got Our Bible: Christian History Timeline. [Online] Christianity Today. [Cited: February 25, 2018.] http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-43/how-we-got-our-bible-christian-history-timeline.html.

2. Blue Letter Bible. Probable Occasion When Each Psalm was Composed. www.blueletterbible.org. [Online] Blue Letter Bible. [Cited: February 25, 2018.] https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral18.cfm.

Making America Great Again: Progress despite Opposition

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Nehemiah 4:6

So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.

(CSB)

The key ingredient to successful completion of rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem was the will of the people to keep working despite the opposition encountered (Nehemiah 4:6).  The same determination and will is necessary today if the citizens of the United States are to make America great again.  However, constant opposition can cause one to become weary.  The greatest threat to the Trump agenda of making America great again is not the opposition but that the constant opposition will break the spirit of citizens causing them to give up.

The opposition to the wall rebuilding project of Nehemiah was vicious and full of vile hatred (Nehemiah 4:1-3).   While the initial reaction of Nehemiah could have been firing back with similar viciousness and hatred, he instead takes the situation to God (Nehemiah 4:4-5).  After this time of prayer to God, the work continued after the people had their will to continued ignited through prayer (Nehemiah 4:6). 

However, the opposition did not end there and instead escalated to a military plot to confound the work (Nehemiah 4:7-8).  Once again, however, rather than becoming discouraged, the people prayed to God with God directing them to station guards to protect the workers (Nehemiah 4:9).  However, the constant opposition and taunting began to take its toll with the people growing tired due to the constant opposition and volume of work required to remove the rubble and rebuild the wall (Nehemiah 4:10). 

With news of the workers growing weary and news of constant attacks, Nehemiah calls for additional guards (Nehemiah 4:11-13).  In addition, Nehemiah inspects the work this time and speaks to the nobles and officials encouraging them not to fear.  Nehemiah also reminds them of the purpose of the work, the protection of their nation and families (Nehemiah 4:14). 

When Donald Trump first announced his candidacy for President of the United States, the main issue appealing to voters was building a wall along the southern border to stop the invasion of illegal immigration.  I say invasion because the numbers of people coming across this porous border are staggering and turning increasingly violent.  (1)  The main duty of government is the safety of its citizens and numbers like these show failures of government to fulfill this main duty. 

Now we have evidence that the FBI ignored evidence about a disturbed individual in Florida expressing a desire to become a school shooter, resulting in the senseless death of 17 adults and children at what should be a save spot, a school.  (2)  With many F.B.I. resources presently involved in investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections, one must ask if the bureau lacked enough resources to follow through on tips it received about Nikolas Cruz.  (3)

Under the leadership of President Trump, the United States is experiencing an economic boom, a boom that like it or not began with the election of Donald Trump as President due to increased optimism.  (4)  However, if the massive invasion across the southern border coupled with the politicization of law enforcement misappropriating resources away from the safety of citizens to a political witch hunt, the economic recovery could quickly come to a halt. 

I encourage President Trump to begin rallying the voters as he did during his successful campaign in 2016 to show up in massive numbers for the 2018 election.  Advancement of the Trump promise to build the wall and the ending of constant investigations into the 2016 election yielding no results hinge on the election of greater conservative majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate in 2018.  As in all elections, especially off year elections, turn out is critical.  An energized left, with dreams of regaining their majority in the House of Representatives and beginning the impeachment process makes it necessary for Republicans and especially conservatives to show up in 2018 in even greater numbers.  The power to keep the momentum going rests with the voters just as it did in 2016. 

We must not lose our will to make America great again and work to not just keep Republican majorities but increase them in the coming election.  I urge everyone reading this to begin praying for this year’s election.  As you are praying ask God where he would have you serve in the electoral process to increase conservative turn out, assuring conservative victory and increased majorities. 

1. Bedard, Paul. Illegal immigration numbers: MS-13 exploding, 1,100 border arrests a day, 1M on deport list. www.washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] Washington Examiner, January 23, 2018. [Cited: February 18, 2018.] http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/illegal-immigration-numbers-ms-13-exploding-1100-border-arrests-a-day-1m-on-deport-list/article/2646876.

2. Katie Benner, Patricia Mazzei, and Adam Goldman. F.B.I. Was Warned of Florida Suspect's Desire to Kill but Did Not Act. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, February 16, 2018. [Cited: February 18, 2018.] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/fbi-nikolas-cruz-shooting.html.

3. Stewart, Emily. Trump blames Florida school shooting on Russia investigation. www.vox.com. [Online] Vox, February 18, 2018. [Cited: February 18, 2018.] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/18/17024862/trump-russia-school-shooting-fbi-investigation.

4. Investor's Business Daily. Love Him Or Hate Him, Trump Deserves Credit For Booming Economy. www.investors.com. [Online] Investor's Business Daily, January 12, 2018. [Cited: February 18, 2018.] https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/economic-optimism-tax-cut-bonuses-trump-credit/.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 6): Nourishment for the Soul

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:43

Never take the word of truth from my mouth,
for I hope in your judgments.

(CSB)

The most delighting thing about the Bible is that it contains truth.  In a world full of lies and fake news it is delightful and refreshing to have access to words of truth from God.  The words of the psalmist in Psalm 119:43 speak of a heart felt desire for truth with a hope in the righteous judgments of God.  To speak God’s Words from Scripture is to speak truth. 

In Psalm 119:41-48 the psalmist shows a holy and reverent fear of God seeking God’s mercy.  (1)  In the previous eight verses (Psalm 119:33-40) the psalmist expressed a desire to learn and understand Scripture.  Perhaps after encountering the teachings of the Bible, the psalmist realized his personal short comings and begins to realize his need for God’s merciful salvation to escape the righteous judgment of God.  While scripture can provide encouragement, it is also a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12) that reveals our sin and need for the saving blood of Jesus Christ.  In these eight verses we find nourishment for our souls.  In them we find,

1)      A plea for God’s merciful salvation (Psalm 119:41) – After his time of learning from God’s Word, the psalmist realizes what he needs most is God’s love and mercy.  Romans 3:23 reminds us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standard in our lives.  Romans 6:23 tells us the penalty for these sins is death.  If the story of the Bible ended there, humanity would find itself in a helpless position.  However, in His loving mercy, God sent his Only Son, Jesus to take our death sentence so we can have eternal life (John 3:16).

2)      Answers to taunting and deceptive words (Psalm 119:42) – Lies and deception have been the mode of operation for Satan since deceiving Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  So effective has this mode of operation been that Satan still resorts to it in an effort to deceive us.  As such we must nourish our souls with a steady diet of truth from the Bible to fight off the deceitful lies of the Devil. 

3)      Words of truth to speak against the lies and deception surrounding us (Psalm 119:43) – When tempted by Satan, Jesus used the Words of Scripture to fend off the attacks of the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11).  Like Jesus, we too can ward of deception and temptation through speaking the Words of truth from Scripture. 

4)      Something trustworthy to obey (Psalm 119:44) – Since God’s Words contained in Scripture are truth, they are something we can obey without any fear of repercussions for following a lie. 

5)      Something we can feely share without fear (Psalm 119:45) – Since the Word of God is truth, we can freely share it with others without fear (2 Timothy 1:7).  The Words of truth in scripture are also what sets us free (John 8:32). 

6)      Words of truth for everyone (Psalm 119:46) – God’s Words are something everyone needs for there is no shame in the truths the Word of God contains.

7)      Something bringing delight to our lives (Psalm 119:47) – The shameless Words of truth in Scripture are something we should delight in and learn to love as we live in a world dominated by lies and deceit.

8)      Something we should praise God for and meditate upon (Psalm 119:48) – We should like the psalmist continually offer praise and thanksgiving to God for His Words of truth and meditate on them often so we do not fall for the deception, lies, and temptation of the world. 

While the Word of God provides absolute truth, it can only be understood as God reveals its truths to us through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14-16).  To become spiritual and gain understanding of the truths in the Bible, we must accept the gracious gift of salvation the psalmist sought for in Psalm 119:41.  While the psalmist was seeking this gift, we can now find it by accepting Jesus as our Savior.  If you have not already done so, I invite you to make Jesus your savior now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

I now encourage those that prayed with me to begin studying the Word of God in earnest for now you have the Holy Spirit in your life and as such can begin understanding the soul nourishing truths Scripture contains.  May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Spurgeon, Charles. Exposition of Psalm 119:41-48. www.eternallifeministries.org. [Online] Eternal Life Ministries. [Cited: February 18, 2018.] https://www.eternallifeministries.org/psalm119f.htm.

Making America Great Again: Draining the Swamp

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Nehemiah 2:20

I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

(CSB)

One of the promises Candidate Donald Trump touted during his campaign was a promise to drain the swamp.  (1)  To implement this drainage soon after his election, President Elect Donald Trump rolled out a package of five ethics reforms aimed at draining the swamp, but only one of these proposals has received full implementation.  (2)  It appears the swamp is more polluted than even Donald Trump knew.  Draining the swamp must occur if America is to become great again. 

Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Nehemiah encountered his swamp in the persons of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem (Nehemiah 2:19).  While Nehemiah was never able to completely remove the influences of these men, the work of rebuilding the wall continued despite their attempts to stop it.  Donald Trump has the backing of an energized base of people and must energize them to show up and vote to further drain the swamp of liberal and progressive swamp creatures in The House of Representatives and Senate in the 2018 election.  While we may not be able to fully disarm the swamp as the tentacles of liberalism and progressivism have taken deep root in many parts of the nation, through electing greater majorities, voters can carry on the Trump agenda of making America great again. 

While this rebuilding project begins with a foundation of prayer, we must then follow through with action.  We must,

1)      Support candidates in primaries running against swamp candidates.

2)      After bringing these candidates to victory in the primaries, we must continue supporting them to victory in the general election.

3)      We must hold these candidates accountable once in Congress to insure they follow through on their promises.

4)      Continue interceding for the new members of Congress, praying for strength to endure the vicious media and political attacks the swamp will throw at them.

While the swamp still exists, the 2018 election is an opportunity to drain it of more swamp creatures and make America great again.  I encourage my readers in the United States to volunteer and most of all show up to vote in the primaries and general elections to further drain the swamp.  America can be great again and as Donald Trump demonstrated in the 2016 election, empowered voters can affect that change. 

1. NBC News. Trump's Promise: Drain the Swamp. www.nbcnews.com. [Online] NBC News. [Cited: February 11, 2018.] https://www.nbcnews.com/video/trump-s-promise-drain-the-swamp-868859971750.

2. Meyer, Theodoric. Has Trump drained the swamp in Washington? www.politico.com. [Online] Politico, October 19, 2017. [Cited: February 11, 2018.] https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/trump-drain-swamp-promises-243924.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 5): Yearning to Learn and Understand

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:40

How I long for your precepts!
Give me life through your righteousness.

(CSB)

In the previous section of Psalm 119:25-32 the psalmist seeks salvation from his sins, expressing a repentant heart.  The psalmist now moves on to expressing his desire to learn and understand the statutes of the Word of God.  In this section we see the psalmist expressing a sense of dependence and a consciousness of extreme need to learn the precepts of God’s Word.  (1) 

After receiving forgiveness of sins, our hearts desire must become learning to live by the Word of God.  Instead of returning to our former life of sin, we are now to be transformed by renewing our mind to discern the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).  The good news is we all have the perfect will of God available to us in the Bible but must make the effort to open the book and learn what it says.  Like the psalmist we who desire learning more about God and his word must,

1)      Ask the Lord to teach us vowing to obey what we learn (Psalm 119:33) – One of the unique qualities of the Bible is how we can read a passage several times and suddenly receive new insight when we read it again.  As we live in obedience to the Word of God, God can teach us more of the deeper meaning of scripture.  In his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul speaks of them not being able to learn the deeper meaning of scripture due to their living in the flesh (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).  As we live in obedience to the Word of God we begin shedding the works of the flesh and can learn the deeper precepts of Scripture.

2)      Ask the Lord for understanding, vowing to obey and follow it with our whole life (Psalm 119:34) – While full understanding of God and His Word will only occur after we see Him face-to-face (1 Corinthians 13:12), we can receive an increased measure of understanding as we shed the works of the flesh and allow our minds to experience transformation from the things of the world (Romans 12:2).  While our human nature is to want to understand everything now, with God we are a work-in-process and receive understanding as God decides we are ready for it. 

3)      Ask for staying power to stay on the path of obedience (Psalm 119:35-36) – Since we who follow Christ still live in an ungodly world, there will be temptation to stray from obedience to the Word of God.  We therefore must ask God to help us stay on the path of obedience to the Word of God.  The good news here is that whatever tempts us is not unique or unusual and God promises not to allow us exposure to temptation beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), but provides a way of escape.  This fork in the road determines whether we will give in to temptation and sin or take the godly path of resistance and obedience.  May we all have the strength to choose the godly path. 

4)      Not become distracted by looking at worthless things of the world (Psalm 119:37) – There is no lack of visual stimulation in the information age.  Most of us carry smart phones with us that give access to news alerts, the ability to watch sporting events or movies wherever, and whenever we want.  While in and of themselves these things are not evil, they can distract us taking away valuable time we could spend in prayer and study of the Bible.  Even Jesus took time away from ministry to pray (Matthew 14:23). 

5)      Seek confirmation for what God’s Word teaches (Psalm 119:38) – When reading the Bible, if we receive some unusual or unique interpretation, it is wise to seek conformation from a pastor or teacher to insure this interpretation is from God.  It is also wise to seek godly counsel before making any major life decisions. 

6)      Develop a dread for sin and a hunger for God’s Word (Psalm 119:39-40) – The psalmist concludes this section by restating his dread for the disgrace of the sin of his prior life, and declaration of the goodness of God’s judgments, and a deep yearning for the precepts of God.  His reason for this desire is that the precepts of God give life. 

I encourage everyone reading this to seek to learn and understand the Bible.  Find daily time away from the many distractions of the world and focus on prayer and Bible study.  Seek a church with solid teaching from the Word of God and do not fear asking questions if you do not understand what you read, or you encounter some unique interpretation.  A dying world needs the life-giving precepts of the Bible and is counting on God’s people to gain understanding, so they can share it with them. 

1. Spurgeon, Charles. Exposition of Psalm 119:33-40. www.eternallifeministries.org. [Online] Eternal Life Ministries. [Cited: February 11, 2018.] https://www.eternallifeministries.org/psalm119e.htm.

Making America Great Again: Building Upon a Foundation of Prayer

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Nehemiah 2:4-5

And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress, the city wall, and the home where I will live.”^[a] The king granted my requests, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.

(CSB)

In 2016 voters in the United States expressed their desire for a change in direction for the nation with the election of an outsider, Donald Trump.  Ballooning national debt threatening future generations (1), lackluster economic performance (2), and massive invasion at the southern border due to open borders (3) moved voters to the poles in 2016 to express their desire for change.  The election of someone who had never held office before also demonstrates voter disgust with the Washington establishment, believing it was time for innovative change from outside government establishment. 

Much like Nehemiah, Donald Trump saw the state of the nation and made the decision to run for President.  Unlike career politicians who run for office as a career, Donald Trump truly ran for office out of love for the country.  Donald Trump has nothing to gain in the context of his success in business by becoming President.  Therefore, his only motivation for running for President and subjecting himself to the constant barrage of ridicule and concocted stories and scandals must be a genuine love for country.

In Nehemiah 1:4-11 we find the lengthy prayer of Nehemiah upon finding out the great trouble of his people in Jerusalem.  As we studied last Saturday, this prayer provides a pattern for intercessory prayer and closely follows the pattern of the Lords prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.  In Nehemiah 2:4 however, we see another prayer of Nehemiah quickly offered prior to his reply to the king he served.  While scripture does not provide the contents of this prayer, since it occurs in the middle of a conversation with the king, we can surmise it was brief and offered silently from Nehemiah’s heart. 

Nehemiah 2:5-9 however, shows the effectiveness of this short prayer and shows that it is not the length of our prayers that matters but the sincerity of it.  (4)  The swift answer came with the king not only granting permission for Nehemiah to go but also provision of building materials along with letters of recommendation to political leaders he would encounter on his way to Jerusalem.  However, Nehemiah 2:10 speaks of opposition that Nehemiah will encounter despite this help from the king. 

Christians around the world are concerned with the ungodly slide of culture.  This concern has caused many to drop to their knees like Nehemiah in intercession for the sins of society calling for a turn to God for forgiveness and restoration.  Many also feel the calling in their hearts to do something to bring about Godly change in our nations and like Nehemiah may find themselves overwhelmed with fear (Nehemiah 2:2).  When encountering these times, a short sincere prayer to God has the power to unlock God’s provision for the mission from unexpected sources.  However, this miraculous provision does not mean that there will not be opposition demonstrating the need for fervent intercessory prayer as seen throughout the rebuilding program of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4:1-9). 

As God’s people continue to pray for revival in our world, there will be times of fear.  For some this fear is a fear of harm or loss of life as they live in nations where Christianity is illegal.  For others living in nations with freedom of religion, this fear may be fear of rejection.  In either case, God’s people must respond as Nehemiah did by offering a quick prayer to God for provision to continue the mission of spreading the Gospel in our communities.  Since opposition will come as the spreading of the Gospel threatens Satan and his grip on lost humanity, God’s people must also continue intercessory prayer for revival. 

There is a spiritual war occurring between God’s people fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-18) and Satan seeking to take as many people to hell with him as he can.  The only way to win this war is through putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) and praying continually (Ephesians 6:18).  Making America or any nation great begins with a foundation of prayer and as God’s people pray, God will miraculously alleviate fear, provide resources necessary for continuing the work, and help overcome opposition. 

1. Grasso, David. A toxic legacy for my generation. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, February 9, 2018. [Cited: February 9, 2018.] https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/opinions/our-fast-growing-national-debt-is-toxic-legacy-for-my-generation-opinion-grasso/index.html.

2. Politicsthatwork.com. Economic Record: President Obama. politicsthatwork.com. [Online] Politicsthatwork. [Cited: February 9, 2018.] http://politicsthatwork.com/economic-record-president/obama.

3. Lillis, Mike. Illegal immigrant numbers skyrocket at Mexican border. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, May 4, 2016. [Cited: February 9, 2018.] http://thehill.com/latino/278785-migrant-numbers-skyrocket-at-mexican-border.

4. Spurgeon, C.H. Brief, Silent Prayer. www.spurgeongems.org. [Online] Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, September 9, 1877. [Cited: February 9, 2018.] http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/chs1390.pdf.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 4): Yearning of a Penitent Heart

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:17

Deal generously with your servant
so that I might live;
then I will keep your word.

(CSB)

In a tragic love story, we see a man and woman in love.  They are living the good life with everything they needed provided.  Their only restriction is a dietary one that forbids them from eating of one particular item growing in their garden. What makes this story a tragedy is that the couple could not even obey this one simple restriction placed upon them.  If this story sounds familiar it is for it is the story of Adam and Eve and their fall found in Genesis 1-3. 

Sin is the source of all the evil in the world and as such something we must teach about if we are to get to the root cause of the problems in the world and our lives.  However, preaching on sin is sadly missing from many pulpits today and replaced with a preaching of corporate grace.  (1)  This preaching of corporate grace is a politically correct message aimed at making the congregation feel good and not offend anyone.  This watered down message is not why Jesus came for Jesus Himself stated he did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:32-39). 

Christians across the world serve Christ at the risk of losing their lives.  They are not willing to risk their lives for some watered down feel good message but for a life changing message with the reward of eternal life with God (2 Corinthians 5:8).  While many reading this in nations like the United States have the freedom to worship God without the threat of death, they must worship with the same resolve as those that do for as history has demonstrated, freedoms can vanish. 

The psalmist of Psalm 119:25-32 begins with an expression of heaviness of soul due to bondage to earthly things.  As we read these verses we see an emotional plea from a man broken with the realization of his sin reaching out to God for forgiveness.  (2)  When the pulpit does not preach on sin, it does not teach the need to reach out to a loving God who instead of choosing judgment of humanity for sin, chose grace and the life of His Only Son whose shed blood provides forgiveness from sin.  The penitent heart of the psalmist teaches us

1)      God’s Word brings life (Psalm 119:25) – The Apostle Paul refers to the Bible as the word of life (Philippians 2:16).  This is the opposite of sin which results in death (Romans 6:23).  Without knowledge of sin and its resulting death why would one have a desire for the life-giving Word of God.  We cannot have one without the other.

2)      All the answers to what is happening in our lives are in the Word of God (Psalm 119:26-27) – Everyone faces challenges in their life and often struggle to find answers.  The psalmist speaks of telling the Lord about his life and receiving an answer through the Word of God.  He then asks God for greater understanding of His Word.  May we too learn to seek Godly counsel and the Word of God for answers to what is happening in our lives.

3)      God’s Word provides strength (Psalm 119:28) – The grief of life has a way of making us tired.  During these times people often fall into deep depression or even turn to self-medication for relief.  The psalmist, however, speaks of finding his strength in the Word of God.  When weary from grief, may we learn to find our strength in the Word of God. 

4)      God’s Word keeps us from deceit and leads us into truth (Psalm 119:29-30) – It was deceit that led to the fall of humanity into sin (Genesis 3:1-7).  The psalmist reminds us that the only way to avoid the deceit of the devil and remain on the way of truth is through study of Scripture.  May we avoid deceit by dedicating ourselves to the study of the truth of the Word of God.

5)      To dedicate ourselves to clinging to and pursuit of God’s truth (Psalm 119:31-32) – Dedication to the Word of God involves both a dedication to search and study scriptures but also a commitment to obediently obey what It says.

Obedience to the Word of God begins with acceptance of Jesus as Savior in our lives.  If you have not already done so, I invite you to pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

The shed blood of Jesus Christ has now paid in full the penalty for your sin.  Now share this good news with someone.  A good place to start is by commenting on this post.

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Haloran, Kevin. 5 Reasons Preachers Avoid Sermons on Hell. www.thegospelcoalition.org. [Online] The Gospel Coalition, November 5, 2015. [Cited: February 4, 2018.] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-reasons-preachers-avoid-sermons-on-hell/.

2. Spurgeon, Charles. Exposition of Psalm 119:25-32. eternallifeministries.org. [Online] Eternal Life Ministries. [Cited: February 4, 2018.] https://www.eternallifeministries.org/psalm119d.htm.

Making America Great Again: A Foundation of Prayer

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Nehemiah 1:4

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

(CSB)

How we react to bad news says volumes about our personal character.  Some of us react in anger, some cry or become depressed, and others try to determine what went wrong in order to fix it.  For Nehemiah, however, the reaction was prayer (Nehemiah 1:4).  With all the hatred, anger, and depression in the world today, we as the people of God would benefit from reacting in the way Nehemiah reacted to bad news. 

Any mission to affect needed changes in society begins with a foundation of prayer for just as Nehemiah would encounter obstacles in his mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, we too will encounter obstacles.  Even the teaching of the Apostle Paul encouraging us to put on the whole Armor of God concluded with a call to pray at all times (Ephesians 6:18).  However, many reading this may be unsure how to pray for the great problems and issues facing our world. 

The good news for us is that there is a pattern for intercessory prayer contained in the prayer of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:5-11).  What is most interesting, however, is how similar the pattern in Nehemiah’s prayer is with the pattern offered in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).  Let us take a moment and explore this pattern.

1)      Worship (Nehemiah 1:5, Matthew 6:9-10) – Nehemiah considers prayer a humbling privilege to converse with the creator of not only Him but the entire universe.  This reality alone should be enough for us to begin prayer with a time of worship.  Beginning with worship takes our mind off our problems, providing a loftier perspective.  It is like the difference in viewing the Grand Canyon from the ground and believing it is impossible to cross and viewing it from the air and finding a way around it.  Beginning prayer with worship aligns our perspective with God’s perspective.

2)      Repentance (Nehemiah 1:6-7, Matthew 6:12) – Romans 3:23 reminds each of us that we have sinned.  Our choice is do we continue in our sin resulting in death or eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23) or do we repent and change the direction of our lives by believing in Jesus as our savior and enjoy eternity with God (John 3:16).  Effectiveness in prayer is prayer connecting with God, so we must repent to remove sin from our lives for prayer to be effective.

3)      Praying the promises in God’s Word (Nehemiah 1:8-10) – Not that God needs to be reminded of what He said in His Word but our praying the promises contained in God’s Word reminds us of why we are praying.  We pray to God not just as some ritual or tradition but because we believe in an all-powerful God who can meet our needs.  Since God always keeps His Word to us, we can trust Him and since God created everything, He has the power to meet our needs.  However, we must insure the desires of our heart agree with God’s desires for us.

4)      Petition (Nehemiah 1:11, Matthew 6:11-13) – Now that we have entered God’s presence, have had sin removed from our hearts, and are in alignment with God’s desires, we are ready to bring our petitions to God.

I encourage everyone reading this to begin fervently praying for revival to sweep across our world.  As we survey the evil in our world there is little doubt our world needs Jesus.  Since God also wants salvation for all humanity, praying for revival is in alignment with His desire for humanity.  Therefore, let us be like Nehemiah and begin effecting Godly change in our world with a foundation of prayer to not only make America Great again, but to spread the Gospel around the world.