The Lord Delights in His People

Psalm 149:4 (NIV)

For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.

Our Verse of the Day comes from a Psalm focused on praise … as Verse 1 suggests. As usual, I thought to read the entire Psalm to review Verse 4 in context. As I read through Verse 5, I was identifying with the Psalmist and the ideas of how to praise the Lord. But as I read Verse 6 and the remainder of the Psalm, I was somewhat startled with the overtone of violence and how it had been connected with praise. I’ll let you read it, and contemplate it yourself for a moment.

Psalm 149

¹Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His faithful people.

²Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
³Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with timbrel and harp.
⁴For the Lord takes delight in His people;He crowns the humble with victory.
⁵Let His faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

⁶May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
⁷to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
⁸to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,

⁹to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all His faithful people. Praise the Lord.

I sought out some commentaries to provide some historical or cultural context to afford a better understanding of the meaning or even symbolism for the language that the Psalmist used. I have reprinted below what I believe is a thoughtful reflection on the passage for us, and I hope sharing it will present some light on otherwise seemingly dark imagery:

Commentary From Enduring Word on Verses 6-9

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand:

God’s people are pictured as ready for battle, equipped with two mighty weapons:

They bear the high praises of God; their worship indicates the allegiance and surrender to the God of every victory experienced in life. In 2 Chronicles 20:20-21 a great victory was won for the people of God as they entered the battle with praise.

They bear a two-edged sword in their hand, demonstrating both the use of practical weapons and means, and in a spiritual sense, their reliance upon the Word of God, which is described as a two-edged sword (Cf. Revelation 19:15); considered sharper than a one-edged sword (Cf. Hebrews 4:12); and metaphorically referenced as the sword of the Spirit (Cf. Ephesians 6:17).

i. In their mouth: “‘In their throat,’ per the Hebrew, for God’s saints sing deep down in their throats. There is a deeply rooted music when we praise God, which is altogether unlike the mere syllables of the lips that come from a hypocrite’s tongue.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “Their praise is not merely to be that of the chanting of words. It is also to be in the doing of His will. While the high praises of God are in their mouth, a two-edged sword is to be in their hand, with which they carry out His purposes among the peoples, the kings, and the nobles.” (Morgan)

iii. “In this state of mind, the Lord will grant victory to his people, as He did to Nehemiah and his men who worked with ‘sword and trowel’ while praying to the Lord (Cf. Nehemiah 4:9, 16–23), believing that ‘Our God will fight for us!’ (Cf. Nehemiah 4:20).” (Van Gemeren)

iv. A saying among Americans came from the Second World War: Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. Psalm 149:6 has something of that idea.

v. The combination of these two – the high praises of God and the two-edged sword spiritually speaks to every leader among God’s people. The gatherings of God’s people should excel in both praise and the preaching of God’s Word. We should always press to have excellent praises of God and a right, sharp handling of the sword of the Spirit.

vi. “The Word of God is all edge; whichever way we turn it, it strikes deadly blows at falsehood and wickedness. If we do not praise, we shall grow sad in our conflict; and if we do not fight, we shall become presumptuous in our song. The verse indicates a happy blending of the chorister and the crusader.” (Spurgeon)

vii. “If you had a sword of steel, you would fight with men; but that is no part of your business. You are not called to that cruel work; but, as you have the sword of the Spirit, which is two-edged, which is indeed all edge, for it cuts whichever way you turn it, go forth and praise God by the use of that two-edged sword which is the Word of God.” (Spurgeon)

To execute vengeance on the nations:

The power of praise and the Word of God will ultimately see God’s work accomplished among the nations. For those who persist in disobedience, it will be vengeance and punishments at the end of the age. Not even kings or nobles can escape this judgment to come.

i. “The stern close of the Psalm strikes a note which many ears feel to be discordant… [Yet] it is entirely free from any sentiment of personal vengeance.” (Maclaren)

ii. Execute vengeance: “For all their cruelties and injuries towards God’s people. This was literally accomplished by David upon the Philistines, Ammonites, Syrians, and other neighboring nations and princes, which were bitter enemies to God’s people.” (Poole)

iii. “Now, in terms of a holy war, such as those of Israel against the Canaanites, we sing of the retribution which will overtake the enemies of God. As a nation, Israel had been charged with executing this in literal fact at her entry into the promised land; and at the last day the angels, the armies of heaven, will accompany our Lord to judgment.” (Kidner)

iv. We see that in the immediate context of the Psalmist, in some way Israel was to be the agent to execute vengeance. This means that their joyful praise had to connect itself to radical obedience, even to God’s difficult and costly commands. As believers under a new covenant, we don’t battle flesh and blood enemies (Cf. Ephesians 6:12-18), yet we have the responsibility to be not only worshippers, but warriors in a spiritual warfare that at times will be difficult and costly. In a spiritual sense, we are to execute vengeance on everything that would oppose Jesus Christ and the work of His Kingdom in our life.

v. “Our equivalent of binding kings with chains (Verse 8) is to ‘take every thought captive to obey Christ’ (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5).” (Kidner)

vi. To execute on them the judgment written: “It would be a sad thing for anyone to misuse this text: lest any warlike believer should be led to do so, we would remind him that the execution must not go beyond the sentence and warrant; and we have received no warrant of execution against our fellow men.” (Spurgeon)

vii. For the believer under the New Covenant, there is a judgment written against every spiritual enemy, and Jesus wrote it by His work on the cross (Cf. John 16:11; Colossians 2:14).

viii. To execute vengeance: “The history of this song is one of great sadness, due to grave misinterpretation, and grievous misapplication. Delitzsch has said: ‘By means of this Psalm, Kaspar Scioppius, in his Classicum Belli Sacri, inflamed the Roman Catholic princes to the Thirty Years’ Religious War. And, within the Protestant Church, Thomas Münzer, by means of this Psalm, stirred up the War of the Peasants.’” (Morgan)

ix. Especially in light of how this verse has been abused, it is important to remember what Morgan noted: “There is no reference in this Psalm to the Church of God. As it specifically indicates, it has to do with ‘Israel,’ and with ‘the children of Zion.’”

This honor have all His saints:

In some way beyond our present comprehension, God will use His people in the setting right the wrongs of this present age. Even if our participation is only as an audience to the righteous judgments of God, it will be an honor to all His saints. “They are redeemed from bondage that they may be God’s warriors. The honor and obligation are universal.” (Maclaren)

Praise the LORD! This sentence – one word in the Hebrew, hallelujah – is understood as either a declaration or an exhortation. Here especially it can be taken as an exhortation, and encouragement for all those who reject and resist God to praise Him instead, to be among His saints and not among the nations who will receive God’s vengeance.

My friends, I know this discussion has been rather lengthy, but I anticipated that many of you would have read the entire Psalm as I did; and I felt like the transition in Verse 6 going into the remainder of the Psalm was fairly intense. To be honest, it bothered me greatly until I read some of the commentaries which gave me a better perspective and reminded me that the Word of God is a metaphoric double-edged sword. Its work within our inner being, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, is to wage war against the rebellion and evil so prevalent within the world because it lies within the human heart. I believe this presents a more balanced application for born-again believers under the New Covenant.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. ~ Psalm 147:10-11

Your Word Gives Light…

Psalm 119:130 (NIV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

For our Verse of the Day, we continue in Psalm 119; and again, I will put our verse in its surrounding section for context:

פ Pe

¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.
¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
¹³¹I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.
¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.
¹³³Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
¹³⁴Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.
¹³⁵Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees.
¹³⁶Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

צ Tsadhe

¹³⁷You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right.
¹³⁸The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.
¹³⁹My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words.
¹⁴⁰Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
¹⁴¹Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts.
¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
¹⁴³Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.
¹⁴⁴Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.

As I meditate on these words and the light they bring, I cannot help but imagine the inner feelings of those who penned these Spirit inspired thoughts. I can just sense the intensity of zeal for the Word of God already available to them … for all of its instruction and wisdom in righteousness and order and goodness. Psalm 119 conveys a deep realization that God wants His people to know the truth and that He desires those who love Him to live according to it. And so there is a great hunger and thirst for the Word of God within us. It beckons us to learn and to apply and to be transformed!

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Father God, we thank you for Your Word … passed down over the millennia! We thank you for instruction in wisdom and the knowledge of righteousness! We praise you for the light you have brought into the world so that we might know you, the only true God. Indeed, we hold fast to your promise of eternal life for those who put their faith in your Son … our Savior … Jesus the Christ. I pray that Your Word will change us … transform us … conform us into His image. I pray that you would direct our footsteps according to your word and let no sin rule over us. May those who love you delight in your commands to do them. Let your grace abound, O Lord, so that we might obey your word. For I ask these things in your Mighty Name. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” ~ Amos 8:11-12

The Word of Life…

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Our Verse of the Day comes from the account of when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. His offensive weapon to withstand the attack of the Adversary was the Word of God. I’ll reprint the passage for our context.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. ³The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3) ⁵Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Note: Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12) ⁷But Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:16) ⁸Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:13) ¹¹Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended to Him.

I find it interesting that in every temptation … every test … Jesus countered the maneuvers of Satan with Scripture. And when Satan tried to use Scripture to induce deception, Jesus countered with an opposing tension to balance the assault. So do not be fooled when others teach and use the Word of God out of context or create this type of conflict. We should seek and ask for discernment … rightly dividing the Word of God. The Apostles warned of those who pervert the Gospel and distort the truth. They are false teachers and prophets – who masquerade as servants of righteousness. Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15) So, it is important both to know the Word and to understand its Truth. That is why the following passage resonates with me:

1 John 2:18-27 (NIV)

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what He promised us—eternal life. I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in Him.

John was quite familiar with the realities of dealing with false teachers, those who left the faith, and antichrists. Yes, even in the earliest days after Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, demonic adulteration and deception was already in motion to separate the wheat from the chaff … the sheep from the goats. The battle between light and darkness continues within the hearts of people to this day. The choice between good and evil … between the truth and the lie is ever present. But John knew the Word of God. He knew Jesus! And so, when Jesus spoke about the Spirit of Truth to the disciples, I believe John listened with full conviction:

John 16:12-14 (NIV)

But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you.

So, I think all of this material points us to two applications for our lives:

1. We must read the Word of God diligently.

2. We must rely on the Spirit of God to guide us into the truth of His Word.

My friends, what Jesus is telling us is that both are essential for life … true life as God intends for us. If we are to ever resist temptation and to consecrate our hearts and lives, we must know the Word of God and submit to His indwelling Spirit. And it is Jesus who gives us BOTH for our benefit because of His great love for us. Jesus IS the living Word of God. He has given us His words so that we might believe and no longer walk in darkness. It is through Jesus that we come to the true knowledge of God. Jesus sent His Word through the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth. Indeed, what a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus! He has given us everything that we need for life … eternal life IN HIM. He is worthy of our praise! And we are wise to listen and respond to His Word!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say. ~ John 12:47-50

His Words Are Eternal…

Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Our Verse of the Day is nestled in a larger narrative that records the words of Jesus to His disciples concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and signs of the End Times. So, in that context, Jesus told them, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.” Perhaps, we should take a closer look at what Jesus said because He, in essence, declares that His words have been established forever. Matthew 24 is quite lengthy, and I have placed a link here for your convenience, but I think it bears examining and noting what Jesus foretold would take place.

Yes, we can be sure that the current heaven and earth will pass away; and a new heaven and a new earth will be created. But then Jesus said: “My words will never pass away.” His words remind me of several Scriptures which affirm this truth. “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” (Cf. Psalm 119:89) “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. (Cf. Psalm 119:160) The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (Cf. Isaiah 40:8) And Peter shares the application of this truth: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:22-23) And think about what the Apostle John declared: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (Cf. John 1:1-3) Perhaps, it is more readily evident what Jesus was telling His disciples and those who followed and believed in Him. His words will never pass away because Jesus will never pass away. Jesus declared, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Cf. Revelation 1:8) And Jesus confirmed, “I AM HE who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen!” (Cf. Revelation 1:18) Yes, the Word of God is the beginning of all things, and He is eternal!

Jesus, the ever-living Word of God, has spoken. (Cf. Hebrews 1:2) He has told us ahead of time what will happen … what will take place in the latter days … so that we will know and believe Him. But even more, Jesus wants us to trust Him at His Word. He knows what will come to pass. He knows that heaven and earth will pass away. But Jesus said, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (Cf. John 14:3) Indeed, Jesus is coming a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. (Cf. Hebrews 9:28) So, we must trust. We must wait. We must persevere in faith….

Since Jesus has already told us ahead of time what “this generation” should expect to see unfold, we should not fear; rather, “When these things begin to take place, we should stand up and lift up our heads, because our redemption is drawing near.” (Cf. Luke 21:28) And we should be faithful and wise servants, whom the master has put in charge of His house while He is away. We should be doing the good works prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Yes, we should be about sharing the truth of the Gospel and making disciples of all people … not making denominational converts. Religion is divisive. But leading people to an authentic encounter and relationship with Jesus Christ will bring unity and peace. For there is no division in Christ! Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We abide in Him and He in us … for apart from Him we can do nothing. (Cf. John 15:5) Though many members, we form one body in Christ, and therefore, each member belongs to all the others. (Cf. Romans 12:5) Indeed, unity and assembling ourselves has become even more important as we see the Day approaching. Why? Because the purpose is to encourage each other to bear the fruit of love and good works. (Cf. Hebrews 10:24-25)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. ~ Hebrews 4:12-13

When You Are Tempted…

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Our Verse of the Day encourages us to continue the pursuit of holiness for our lives. Let’s break it down and examine it in more detail:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.

No matter what you are going through … no matter what you face in the battle against sin in your life … there is someone else who has waged the same fight. The sinful human nature is common to the human life we experience here on earth. And if you have been “overtaken” by the sin that so easily ensnares you (Cf. Hebrews 12:1), know that you are not alone. What you have allowed to become a stronghold in your life is common to all mankind. And I believe the greatest temptation that has overtaken any human is the sin of “unbelief.” I think when most sin occurs is when we are most vulnerable to its deception and we have fallen into faithlessness toward God. Yes, when we ignore His invitation to intimacy, we lose the awareness that God sees all! David asked: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Cf. Psalm 139:7) Indeed, there is no place we can go outside of His presence. When we wander from God, we do not leave His presence; rather, we abandon His divine power and His hand upon our lives. Unbelief weakens us! It renders us powerless to overcome sin rather than being mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. Yet, there is an answer to this plight of temptation!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

The reason temptation can overtake us is because we try to fight the battle in our flesh and not in the Spirit realm. Our weapons to resist and flee are not natural but spiritual! And those weapons are fasting, prayer, and the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God! (Cf. Ephesians 6:17) Paul instructs us to put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil (temptation) comes, we may be able to stand our ground, and after we have done everything, to stand. (Cf. Ephesians 6:13). Even Jesus was not exempt from being tempted by Satan when He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness! With every high and lofty arrow of temptation aimed straight for His heart, Jesus responded to Satan with Scripture: “It is written….” (Cf. Matthew 4:1-10) So, do we know the Word of God well enough to fight or resist temptation? Are we spiritually armored up to do battle and to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ? Spiritual warfare is real, my friends! And on the battlefields of our minds and hearts, the war will be won or lost….

God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

I think far too often we lose battles and wave our white flags of surrender because we have not prepared ourselves for the war. When we “cave to crave” we have not yet reached what we can bear. Remember, God will not let us be tempted (tested) beyond what we can bear! So, what happens? Why do we sometimes fail? I believe James gives us some insight:

James 1:12-15 (NIV)

¹²Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

So, we see that temptation comes from within our hearts. We just examined the condition of man – when the Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Cf. Genesis 6:5) David asked, “Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Cf. Psalm 20:9) Paul observed that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Cf. Romans 3:23) And John asserted: “If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word is not in us.” (Cf. 1 John 1:10) We need clean hearts and right spirits in order to find the path to victory!

What an encouragement to know that even when we are tempted … even when we are weak or faithless … God is still faithful to us. Indeed, His kindness is always intended to lead us to repentance. (Cf. Romans 2:4) David found that place of repentance; and we would do well to carefully observe His confession. I encourage you to read Psalm 51 … but this excerpt is what came to my heart: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Cf. Psalm 51:10-12) And John affirmed, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (Cf. 1 John 1:9)

But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The truth of the matter is you and I will be tempted. The text does not read, “But IF you are tempted….” No human being is or has ever been without temptation. It has become part of our human experience since the transgression of Adam and Eve. And even though God showed Himself mighty to deliver His people, they still wandered and rebelled against Him. God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) And yet Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Cf. Luke 18:8) Faith is essential in this battle against temptation, because faith determines whether or not we will engage our human will to resist each temptation that comes. I am reminded what Moses wrote:

Deuteronomy 8:2-5 (NIV)

²Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. ³He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. ⁶Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to Him and revering Him.

God took His people into the wilderness and then He led them through it. God caused His people to hunger … and then He fed them. So, I think it is important for us to realize the testing and trials that the Lord allows are not temptations; rather, they are used to expose the truth of what lies within our hearts. As Peter explained: “These (trials) have come so that the genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (Cf. 1 Peter 1:7) And James encouraged: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (Cf. James 1:2-4)

My friends, we will all be sifted! We will all be subjected to temptation … in order to test the sincerity of our faith! But let me encourage you, that even now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God and He is interceding for us. (Cf. Hebrews 7:24-25) God may send you into the wilderness, but He will lead you through it. God may allow you to hunger and thirst, but He will fill you and sustain your life. God may allow Satan to sift you with temptation to test the genuineness of your faith, but Jesus will intercede for you so that your faith may not fail. Praise Him!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” ~ Psalm 119:11