The Heritage of Righteousness and the Calamity of Wickedness

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 37

 

Psalm 37:9

For evildoers shall be ^[b]cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.

(NKJV)

 

A media-driven world promotes celebrities with charisma, good looks, and wealth. While these things are not inherently evil, if they become one’s objective, they can take on the status of an idol in our life, something forbidden in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4-6). While the commandment implies bowing down to worship a statue, it also covers worshiping fame and fortune. Before you consider making fame and fortune your idol, consider the heritage of the righteous and the calamity of the wicked.

 

Psalm 37 begins with a warning not to fret when it appears the wicked prosper, reminding us that their prosperity is temporary and will wither like the grass (Psalm 37:1-2). Instead, David exhorts us to trust in the Lord and do good, feeding on His faithfulness, delighting in the Lord who gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:3-4). The righteous commit their way to the Lord, trusting in Him who shall cause our righteousness to shine (Psalm 37:5-6). The righteous find their rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, not fretting about the temporary prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 37:7). This rest allows them not to have anger or respond with wrath because these cause harm (Psalm 37:8).

 

As we observe in Proverbs, David offers contrasts that tell us the wicked will be cut off, ceasing to exist (Psalm 37:9-11). The wicked plans of the wicked and their plots against the righteous shall not come to pass with the Lord laughing at them (Psalm 37:12-15). Better to have the little of the righteous than the riches of the wicked because the wicked shall be broken but the righteous upheld by the Lord (Psalm 37:16-17). The righteous have an eternal inheritance, and the Lord brings them through evil and times of famine with the wicked perishing (Psalm 37:18-20). The wicked borrows but does not repay, while the righteous is generous with those blessed by Him, inheriting the earth, and those cursed by Him are cut off (Psalm 37:21-22)

 

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord with the Lord delighting in his way, and if he falls the Lord upholds him, and he is not cast down (Psalm 37:23-24). David is now old and no longer young and has never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread with them forever merciful and lending (Psalm 37:25-26). David exhorts us to depart from evil and do good, enjoying an eternal inheritance (Psalm 37:27). The Lord loves justice and does not forsake his saints, preserving them forever, cutting off the wicked with the righteous inheriting the land and living there forever (Psalm 37:28-29).

 

The words of the righteous are words of wisdom and justice because the law of God is in his heart with none of his steps sliding (Psalm 37:30-31). The wicked seeks to destroy the righteous, but the Lord will not allow it (Psalm 37:32-33). We are to wait on the Lord and keep his way so we inherit the land, for when the wicked are cut off, the righteous shall see it (Psalm 37:34). David has seen the wicked rise in power only to be cut off and exist no more (Psalm 37:35-36). David encourages us to watch the blameless man because his future is peace and not the transgressors who shall be cut off (Psalm 37:37-38). The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, who is their strength in times of trouble and who shall deliver them from the wicked, saving them because they trust in Him (Psalm 37:39-40).

 

In a fallen world, the wicked seem to prosper and enjoy a good life while the righteous seem to struggle. Psalm 37 contrasts the heritage of the righteous with the calamity awaiting the wicked. The wicked enjoy a heritage of created things which soon wither away like the grass (Psalm 37:2). In contrast, the righteous have an eternal heritage and will inherit the earth, but the earth they will inherit is unlike the earth we currently live on for it will be changed into a world without sea or turmoil (Revelation 21:1). It will be a world much like the Garden of Eden with God dwelling with humanity for eternity (Revelation 21:2-3). A world without death, sorrow, crying, or pain because these things passed away with the old world (Revelation 21:4). Before fretting over the good the wicked seem to enjoy, consider the eternal future of those choosing righteousness.

 

The modern media-driven world praises attractive and charismatic individuals, creating the impression of success through fame and prosperity. While there is nothing wrong with wealth or even fame, if it becomes one’s idol, it will disappoint them because it is part of a fallen world and, as such, only temporary. While peer pressure through social media may entice us to seek wealth and fame, it is better to have an eternal and Godly focus on the heritage of those choosing righteousness. Jesus reminded us that in this world those choosing His righteousness will suffer trouble, but have the reward of eternity with the one who overcame the world (John 16:33). Jesus overcame death through His resurrection from the dead and sits at the right hand of God the Father waiting to come back and take those choosing righteousness home.

 

If you are reading this and unsure of your eternal home, Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess with our heart our belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we will be saved. Please join me in prayer and make that confession if you truly believe it in your heart.

 

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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

He is not there, He is Risen

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 20:1-18

Matthew 28:5-6

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

(NKJV)

 

The path to eternal life in heaven with the Lord is through belief in the one sent by God, His only Son (John 3:16). How we come to believe may differ. For some, it is finally believing after many years in the Church, hearing about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. For others, it may be a tragic event in life that causes them to reach out to God. For others, it may be seeing the change in the life of a friend and a desire to experience the same change. The common thing in all these ways of coming to belief is faith, because we cannot see Jesus till death or His return, with the only remaining physical evidence an empty tomb in Jerusalem. This text is the account of three people coming to believe.

 

It is the first day of the week and Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb early and sees that the stone sealing the tomb has been rolled away (John 20:1), Her first reaction was to run to Peter and John, telling them that someone has robbed the tomb and taken the body of Jesus (John 20:2). Peter and John take off in a race, running to the tomb with John arriving first (John 20:3-4).

 

John stoops down to look in and observes the linen cloths that wrapped the body of Jesus lying there, with no body, but he did not go in (John 20:5). Peter followed John and he did go in and also saw the linen cloths but also saw the handkerchief that had been around Jesus’ head folded and in a separate place (John 20:6-7). John then went in and also saw and believed, for both Peter and John did not believe the scripture that said Jesus must rise again from the dead (John 20:8-9). Peter and John then went away to their homes (John 20:10).

 

After Peter and John leave, Mary is outside the tomb weeping, and she also stooped down and looked into the tomb (John 20:11). When she looked in, she saw two angels one at the foot and another at the head of where Jesus had lain and asked them if they knew where they had taken the body of Jesus (John 20:12). Instead of answering her question, the angels ask Mary why she is weeping to which she answers, telling them they have taken the body of her Lord, and she does not know where (John 20:13).

 

After saying this, Mary turned around and saw someone behind her but did not know it was Jesus (John 20:14). Jesus asks Mary why she is weeping and presuming He was the gardener, she asks if He took Jesus and where He took Him (John 20:15). Jesus said, “Mary” and she recognized it was Jesus and worshipped him but Jesus told her not to touch Him because he had not ascended to the Father, telling her to go tell the brethren (John 20:16-17) Mary went and told the disciples she had seen the Lord and what He said to her (John 20:18).   

 

The empty tomb is evidence of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, but is it evidence enough or do we need more? To understand this, we must look at the reactions of Peter and John, and Mary Magdalene.

·         Peter and John (John 20:1-10) – Upon hearing from Mary Magdalene that the tomb was empty and that someone had stolen Jesus’ body from the tomb, Peter and John ran to the tomb. John outran Peter and got there first, but did not go in, seeing the grave wrappings put there by Joseph and Nicodemus just lying there. Peter one-ups John and goes in where he also observes the handkerchief that was wrapped around Jesus’ head neatly folded and not lying with the linen wrapping. John then goes in and observes what Peter saw, and believes. While the scripture does not specifically say Peter also believed, since this is John writing this, he is telling us this was the moment when he believed.

·         Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) – While Peter and John entered the empty tomb, Mary sat outside weeping. After the men left, she too looked in, but she saw two angels standing at the head and foot of where the body of Jesus was laid. Still believing someone had stolen the body of Jesus, she asks the angels if they know where they took the body. She then turns around and sees Jesus, but does not know it is Him till He speaks. Mary believed Jesus arose from the dead, but not based on the evidence of the empty tomb, but on seeing Jesus.

All three of these people came to believe Jesus had risen from the dead, but in different ways.

 

Jesus died, was buried, and arose from the dead to redeem fallen humanity from their sins. There is an empty tomb in Jerusalem serving as evidence of this, but we must ask ourselves if we believe it. Unlike Mary, who came to believe by seeing Jesus is not possible for us because Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father. Unlike Peter and John, many of us live too far from Jerusalem to simply run to the tomb to see that it is empty. This is why we must believe in faith for faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6), with faith believing what is unseen (Hebrews 11:1). Each of the individuals in this text came to a belief in the resurrection of Jesus through physical evidence or seeing Jesus. Our belief today comes through faith, the written accounts of these witnesses, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

 

If you are reading this and have never made a public profession of faith to be saved (Romans 10:9-10). 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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you just prayed, I want to encourage you to find a local Church teaching the Bible so you can grow closer in your new relationship with the God you will spend eternity with. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.

Man’s Wickedness and God’s Perfections

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 36

 

Psalm 36:5-6

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
⁶ Your righteousness is like the ^[b]great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.

(NKJV)

 

In Acts 17:6, those preaching the Gospel are accused of turning the world upside down. The truth is, those preaching the Gospel are returning the world to Godliness, the state the world was created to exist in. Because the world is in an upside-down state, it can appear that evil and ungodliness thrive while the Godly are persecuted. Psalm 36 and the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) tell us of the eternal state of the evil and the righteous, letting us know that the wicked will spend eternity in torment while the righteous will thrive.

 

David begins this psalm by letting us know it is an oracle within his heart concerning the transgression of the wicked where there is no fear of God (Psalm 36:1). The wicked flatter themselves with their own eyes and when confronted with their iniquity, turn to hatred (Psalm 36:2). The wicked person’s words are full of wickedness and deceit with him ceasing to be wise or good (Psalm 36:3). He devises wickedness on his bed and takes a path that is not good and does not abhor evil (Psalm 36:4)

 

In contrast the Lord’s mercy is in the heavens with His faithfulness reaching to the clouds (Psalm 36:5). The Lord’s righteousness is like the great mountains with his judgments a great deep, preserving man and beast (Psalm 36:6). The lovingkindness of the Lord is precious with the children of men putting their trust under the shadow of its wings (Psalm 36:7). Those choosing to dwell under the shadow of the Lord’s sings are satisfied with the fullness of His house and drink from the river of His pleasures (Psalm 36:8). The Lord is the fountain of life and in His light, we see light (Psalm 36:9).

 

David asks the Lord to continue his lovingkindness to those that know him and His righteousness to the upright in heart (Psalm 36:10). David asks that the foot of the proud not come against him and to not let the hand of the wicked drive him away (Psalm 36:11). The workers of iniquity have fallen with no hope they will be able to rise (Psalm 36:12). The wicked are destined to fall with the upright destined to thrive.

 

In a fallen world, it can appear that the wicked are succeeding with those doing good oppressed, but if we consider things from an eternal perspective, the righteous prevail. In the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), Jesus provides a glimpse into what happens to both an evil and a righteous person after death. While some believe this account from Jesus to be a parable, parables normally do not mention anyone by name, so it is most likely a real account. In the physical world, the rich man lived luxuriously while the righteous man lived as a beggar.

 

After their death, the scene switches, and we see what happened to these men after their deaths. The once rich man lives tormented in Hades, begging Abraham for water to cool his tongue (Luke 16:24). Abraham tells the rich man that while he was alive, he lived in comfort while Lazarus was tormented and that after death the tables are turned (Luke 16:25). This is a picture of what occurs after death with the righteous comforted and the unrighteous tormented.

 

Jesus gave the Church a simple mission before departing to sit at the right hand of God the Father, to take the message of the Gospel to the world (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). Sounds simple enough, but since the Church functions in a fallen world and is in spiritual warfare for the souls of people, the enemy, Satan, attempts to derail the Church from its appointed mission. Instead of preaching the message of the Gospel, churches preach a feel-good self-help message to attract people and contributions. This has resulted in a prosperity gospel teaching that if you want anything, just claim it and give money to their church, and you will receive it. While God does promise to meet our needs (Philippians 4:13), it does not mean He will give us everything we want. God is a good Father who is interested in the well-being of His children, but He does not want to spoil them. The Church must stay on its God given mission and not give in to the temptation to water down the message in the interest of church growth.

 

While living unrighteously may result in riches and fame in this world, it leads to torment for eternity in the world to come. If you are reading this and are currently living a life that seeks the riches and fame offered by the world, I urge you to change course and begin living a life for Christ. This change of life course begins by making Jesus the Lord of your life. I invite you to pray with me now and begin this turnaround.

 

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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

Jesus is the Messiah and King of Kings

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 19:17-42

 

John 19:35

And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 

(NKJV)

 

The crucifixion of Jesus has been the highlight of movies and portrayed in Passion plays in churches during Easter. This account in John represents John’s eyewitness account of the event, referencing Old Testament prophecies that describe the event. These Old Testament prophecies and their fulfillment at the crucifixion of Jesus provide evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, King of Kings, and the Lamb of God come to provide salvation for the world.

 

Jesus carries His cross to Golgotha where he is crucified with two others one on each side with Jesus in the middle (John 19:17-18), Pilate put a sign over Jesus that said, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (John 19:19). This sign was read by many Jews and caused the chief priests to tell Pilate to change the sign and say that He said He was the King of the Jews, but Pilate refused to change the sign (John 19:20-22).

 

When they had crucified Jesus, the soldiers divided Jesus’ garments into four parts, one part for each soldier but they cast lots for the tunic because it was woven without seam (John 19:23). This casting of lots for the garment was in fulfillment of Psalm 22:18 (John 19:24). Standing at the foot of the cross were Jesus’ mother, her sister, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25). John was also at the foot of the cross with Jesus telling His mother to behold her son and then he told John to care for Mary as his mother with John taking Mary into his home (John 19:26-27).

 

Jesus now knew all things were accomplished and in fulfillment of scripture told the soldiers he thirsted (John 19:28). There was a vessel full of sour wine nearby, so the soldiers took and filled a sponge with the sour wine and gave it to Jesus (John 19:29). After this, Jesus said, “It is finished!” bowed His head, and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). Since it was Preparation Day for the Passover, the bodies could not be left on the cross so the Jews asked Pilate to break the legs of the men crucified but since Jesus was already dead, they did not break His legs (John 19:31-33). One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side, and blood and water came out, confirming He was dead (John 19:34). John was an eyewitness to these events which fulfilled scripture that not one of Jesus’ bones would be broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20) and that His side would be pierced (John 19:35-37; Zechariah 12:10).

 

Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus asked Pilate for the body of Jesus and Pilate permitted him, so Joseph took Jesus’ body (John 19:38). Nicodemus also came bringing about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39). These men bound the body of Jesus in strips of linen along with the spices as was customary for the Jews (John 19:40). There was a tomb nearby to where Jesus was crucified and since it was Preparation Day, and the tomb was nearby, they buried Jesus there (John 19:41-42).

 

Detailed prophecies of the crucifixion of Jesus are provided in Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. In those times, people did not have access to printed copies of scripture and would memorize whole passages of scripture. On the cross, Jesus quoted from Psalm 22 when he said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1). Since people memorized scripture, they would have recalled the rest of Psalm 22, which was unfolding before their eyes. They may have later recalled Isaiah’s prophecy about the suffering Messiah and realized it was Jesus (Isaiah 53). These things, coupled with the fact that Jesus entered Jerusalem on the exact day prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 9:20-27; Ezra 1), provide evidence of who Jesus is, the Messiah and savior of humanity. The period of time between the proclamation of Cyrus and Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday represents the first 69 weeks of Daniel’s vision. There is then a gap, the Church age that ends with the rapture of the Church (Revelation 4:1). This ushers in Daniel’s seventieth week, the great tribulation period, and the short seven-year reign of the Antichrist.

 

There are Christians who do not believe it is necessary to study Old Testament scriptures, believing they only apply to the Jews and have little to do with the New Covenant ushered in by the birth of Jesus. However, without prophecies like Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 that describe Jesus’ death by crucifixion long before crucifixion existed, we would not have the assurance that Jesus' death was any different from any crucifixion done by the Romans. We need the whole canon of Scripture to have understanding and assurance of who Jesus is, the Messiah and Lamb of God. Jesus is also the King of Kings who is returning to establish his Kingdom on earth, something Christians have hope in (Revelation 19:11-16).

 

Since all people have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23), all people need salvation provided by Jesus, the Messiah. If you are reading this and have not prayed for the forgiveness of your sins, I invite you to do so 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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

Jesus, Our Avenger in Spiritual Battle

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 35:1-28

 

Psalm 35:28

And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

(NKJV)

 

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day set aside for us to remember the things we are thankful for. This can be difficult because we live in a chaotic world where the news is full of evil, tragedy, and sorrow. However, there is something we can all be thankful for. When our ancestors Adam and Eve sinned, and God evicted them from paradise, God did not turn His back on them but instead began the process of restoring humanity to a relationship with Him. However, like any relationship, it is a two-way street with God already doing His part (John 3:16), waiting on us to do our part (Romans 10:9-10). David knew the Lord was his avenger, but do we know that when facing battles in our lives?

 

David, as King of Israel, faced many battles, beginning with Goliath and then King Saul wanting to kill him. The time of the writing of this psalm is unknown, but it likely occurred during a time when David felt overwhelmed by his enemies. It begins with David pleading his case before the Lord, asking for deliverance from enemies pursuing him, seeking his destruction (Psalm 35:1-3). He then asks the Lord to put those seeking his harm or death to shame and dishonor and to be thrown into confusion (Psalm 35:4). David asks that their way be dark and slippery, with them being like chaff blown in the wind, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them (Psalm 35:5-6). These enemies of David have no cause for seeking to harm or kill him and have tried to ensnare David in a net, which David asks the Lord to turn back on them (Psalm 35:7-8). David’s soul shall be joyful in the Lord and rejoice in salvation with his bones, saying who is like the Lord, the deliverer of the poor and needy (Psalm 35:9-10).

 

Fierce witnesses have risen up, asking David things he does not know, rewarding him with evil for good (Psalm 35:11-12). David even prayed for these witnesses when they were sick, like they were his friends or even a brother (Psalm 35:13-14). Instead of being grateful for his prayers for them, these people rejoiced and, unknown to David, gathered as attackers against him (Psalm 35:15-16). David then asks how long the Lord will just look on, pleading for rescue (Psalm 35:17). David then promises to give thanks to God in the great assembly and praise Him among many people (Psalm 35:18).

 

David does not want his enemies to rejoice over what happens to him because his enemies do not seek peace but devise deceitful plans against the people of the land (Psalm 35:19-21). David knows the Lord has seen all that is occurring and asks that He not be silent or far from him (Psalm 35:22). David asks the Lord to stir Himself up and come to his vindication in righteousness so that his enemies will not rejoice or gloat over him (Psalm 35:23-25). David asks that his enemies come to shame, dishonor, and confusion (Psalm 35:26). In contrast, David asks that those favoring his righteous cause would shout for joy and be glad, with them continually magnifying the Lord, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant (Psalm 35:27). David vows to speak of the Lord’s righteousness and to praise Him all day long (Psalm 35:28).

 

Like David, God’s people come under attack from enemies who seek to destroy or silence them. The psalm begins with David pleading with the Lord to fight against those fighting against him (Psalm 35:1-3). His desire is for the Lord to avenge him and bring his enemies down (Psalm 35:4-8). While David had real flesh-and-blood enemies seeking his destruction, the conclusion of this psalm reveals the heart of David, as he understands that the battle was spiritual, requiring praise and speaking of the Lord’s righteousness. In the New Testament, Paul wrote about a battle that is not against flesh and blood, emphasizing the need for spiritual weapons and continual prayer (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must, like David, remember that the battle belongs with the Lord and not to attempt to fight it alone, something David may have learned from Samuel (1 Samuel 17:47).

 

We are in a spiritual battle, a battle that began in the Garden of Eden. In this war, Satan successfully separated Adam and Eve from God, along with their future descendants, of which we are all a part. However, God also began the process of reconciliation with the first messianic prophecy in Genesis 3:15. This prophecy had fulfillment with the birth of the Messiah as recorded in Luke 2:1-20 and came to full fruition with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 27-28).

 

Now, anyone who believes in Jesus, which means acknowledging their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for salvation from sin (Romans 10:9-10), can have reconciliation to God that was lost in the Garden. God created us to have fellowship with Him, and why He went to such great lengths to reconcile His relationship with us (John 3:16). If you have not done so, I invite you to pray with me now and begin a relationship with God, your creator.

 

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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

What Do I Do with Jesus

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 19:1-16

 

John 19:12

From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

(NKJV)

 

Decisions, decisions, decisions, life is full of them. Some decisions are simple, like what to wear or eat. Others are more complicated and could even alter the direction of our lives. When making a decision, there will also be those in opposition to what we decide and those supporting our decision. As a believer in Jesus as my Savior, my decisions must be biblically based, in accordance with the will of God. Pilates' decision may seem like the wrong decision, but it is in accordance with God’s plan to redeem fallen humanity.

 

The events begin with Pilate scourging Jesus and the soldiers twisting a crown of thorns for his head and putting a purple robe on him (John 19:1-2). The soldiers then mocked Jesus by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (John 19:3). Pilate then went out and addressed the crowd, telling them he found no fault in Jesus (John 19:4).

 

Pilate then brings Jesus out to the crowd wearing the crown of thorns and purple robe and tells the crowd to behold him, perhaps believing they would want him released (John 19:5). However, instead of wanting Him released, the crowd beholding Jesus cries out for Pilate to crucify Him to which Pilate tells them to do it themselves because he finds nothing about Jesus requiring crucifixion (John 19:6). The Jews tell Pilate that Jesus has violated Jewish law by saying He is the Son of Gpd (John 19:7). This caused Pilate to fear, so he takes Jesus to the Praetorium again and asks him where He is from, but Jesus gives no answer (John 19:8-9). Pilate is concerned that Jesus does not answer him, reminding Him that he has the power to either crucify or release Him (John 19:10). Jesus tells Pilate that he has no power over Him unless it came from God Himself and tells Pilate that those delivering Him to Pilate have the greater sin (John 19:11).

 

From that point on, Pilate sought to release Jesus but the crowd placed a guilt trip on him by reminding him that if he let Jesus go he is no friend of Caesar because anyone making himself a king speaks against Caesar (John 19:12). Pilate then brings Jesus out, sitting down on the judgment seat (John 19:13). It was about the sixth hour of Preparation Day for the Passover when Pilate brought Jesus to the crowd saying, “Behold your King!” (John 19:14). However, the crowd continues to cry out for Jesus’ crucifixion with Pilate asking them if he should crucify their king. The crowd responds by telling Pilate they have no king but Caesar (John 19:15). To appease an angry crowd, Pilate delivers Jesus up for crucifixion with the soldiers taking Him away (John 19:16).

 

The events of God’s plan leading to the crucifixion of Jesus are unfolding with Jesus now before Pilate, who must decide whether to crucify Him or not. It is not an easy decision to make because while there is no evidence to convict Jesus of a crime worthy of crucifixion (John 19:6), there is an angry mob that wants Jesus crucified. As a political leader, Pilate must decide whether to do the just thing and release an innocent man or appease an angry mob by sending an innocent man to his death. Pilate chooses to appease the angry mob, and while this may appear to be the wrong decision, it is a decision that would pave the way for each of us to have reconciliation with God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s plans do not always make sense, but God’s will is always done.

 

Every person has a decision to make regarding Jesus: do I accept His free gift of salvation and spend eternity with Him in Glory, or do I reject the gift and spend eternity separated from God? We are all born into sin (Romans 3:23) and as such live under a death penalty (Romans 6:23). With this in mind, the logical decision is to accept the gift of salvation and spend eternity in the presence of God. However, not an angry mob, but a peer pressure mob is out there screaming at us to not accept the gift and continue eating, drinking, and being merry for tomorrow we die (Isaiah 22:13).

 

Like Pilate, every person reading this faces a decision that has eternal repercussions in their life. The fact is, we are all going to live eternally with the decision being where we want to spend our life after dying and leaving this world. Will we do nothing and choose the default setting and spend eternity separated from God, or choose to accept the gift of God offered by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and spend eternity with God, our creator? If your choice is to accept the gift of salvation from God, 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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you just prayed, I want to encourage you to find a local Church teaching the Bible so you can grow closer in your new relationship with the God you will spend eternity with. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.

Happiness of Those Trusting in God

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 34:1-22

 

Psalm 34:1-3

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

(NKJV)

 

When we find ourselves in trouble, our response may be to go somewhere safe. For David who was fleeing for his life from Saul, it meant going to Achish the king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10). If Gath sounds familiar, it is also where Goliath was from, and in fact, David had gone to Gath with the sword of Goliath (1 Samuel 21:9). Perhaps David realized where he was and whose sword he had and out of fear of attack from king Achich, faked being mad to escape attack (1 Samuel 21:12-15). This is the historical context of when David wrote Psalm 34, a psalm of praise to God even in these troubling circumstances.

 

Psalm 34 begins with David declaring he will bless the Lord at all times with His praise continually in his mouth (Psalm 34:1). His soul will also make its boast in the Lord with the humble hearing it and being glad with David inviting everyone to join him in magnifying the Lord and exalting His name (Psalm 34:2-3). David sought the Lord when fearful, and the Lord heard and delivered him with those looking at David radiant and unashamed (Psalm 34:4-5). David, as a poor man, cried out to the Lord and was heard and delivered (Psalm 34:6). David declares that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and they are delivered (Psalm 34:7).

 

David invites us to taste and see that the Lord is good with those placing their trust in Him, blessed (Psalm 34:8). David invites us to fear the Lord, for there is no need for those doing so (Psalm 34:9). Young lions lack and suffer hunger, but those seeking the Lord lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10).

 

David then invites the children to come and learn from him about the fear of the Lord (Psalm 34:11). A man who desires a long life to see good must keep his tongue from evil, speaking deceit, and depart from doing evil, doing good, and seeking peace (Psalm 34:12-14). The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous with His ears open to their cries, with the face of the Lord against those doing evil, cutting their remembrance off from the earth (Psalm 34:15-16). When the righteous cry out, the Lord hears and delivers them from their troubles (Psalm 34:17). The Lord is near to those with a broken heart and saves those with a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18).

 

The righteous have many afflictions, but the Lord delivers them out of them all, guarding their bones so not one of them is broken (Psalm 34:19-20). Evil shall slay the wicked with those hating righteousness condemned (Psalm 34:21). In contrast, the Lord redeems the soul of His servants with no one trusting in Him condemned (Psalm 34:22).

 

The context of the writing of this Psalm is when David pretended to be mad before King Achish, with him driven away (1 Samuel 21:10-15). This leads to the question of why David would experience happiness in trusting God at this time. The answer lies in the source of David’s happiness. During this time in David’s life, his circumstances were not good, and if he based his happiness on these circumstances, he would be unhappy. However, David’s happiness was not based on his circumstances but on his trust in the Lord, who he knew would deliver him from all his fears (Psalm 34:4). David could experience sustainable happiness and joy because it came from an unchanging God.

 

We may find ourselves in unusual or even strange circumstances with no seeming possibility of happiness or joy, yet David shows us it is possible when we trust in God. If my happiness and joy are based on circumstances in my life that constantly change, I will find myself on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. One of the benefits of living with a trust in God is the stability of joy and happiness that is not based on one's circumstances, but on trust in an unchanging God.

 

When Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water with Jesus, it was because his eyes were on Jesus (Matthew 14:29-31). However, when he looked at the storm going on around him, his circumstances, Peter began to sink. Such is our joy and happiness when we focus on our circumstances and take our eyes off the Lord. To do this, one must have a relationship with God through what Jesus did by confessing our belief in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10), opening the door for us to build our life on the stability of an unchanging God. If you are reading this and have never made this confession of faith, I invite you to do so 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, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I urge you to find a Church teaching the truth of God’s word so you can have sustainable joy built on this foundation of truth. May God challenge and empower everyone reading this post.