The New Is Really Old

(Psa 51:10 KJV)  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

I feel sorry for people who are so obsessed with writing off the Old Testament as being under the law while we are under grace.  I understand the difference.  I am not sure they do.  I know they don’t understand the consistent testimony of the Bible.  Paul tells us the purpose of the law is to point out sin.  That has always been true but people forget it.  Verses like this need to be read and reread to remind us that even in the so-called dispensation of law, God was intimately involved with the faithful.

David is asking for a “clean” (2889) “heart” (3820) and, as the KJV says, a “right” “spirit” (7307).  The two go together.  If it doesn’t sound like the law then realize that God was alive then, just as He is now.

So?  This is a good prayer for today.

Little Problems

(Psa 23:5 KJV)  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

(Proverbs 20 also read)

Somehow an overflowing cup doesn’t seem like something you want at the dinner table.  It gets messy.  Notice that David gives the picture of being at the dinner table but it seems to be in his enemy’s house, so it might not be that big of a problem.

Actually the picture being given here is a reflection of the blessings that God gives us.  When I sit down and start counting my blessings I end up being late for my appointments.  God is so good.  

When I am being thankful I make it a point to thank Jesus for making the transition to being the perfect lamb of God.  He came knowing that the cross was the plan.  It wasn’t just part of the plan, it was the plan.  When you add on all the things like every day comforts the image of an overflowing cup seems to fit.

So?  Rejoice and be glad for one more day. 

Storms Coming

(Isa 32:2 NAS77) And each will be like a refuge from the wind, And a shelter from the storm, Like streams of water in a dry country, Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

I was forced to use the NASB today because it used the vocabulary that matched my thought.  I was enjoying an early morning storm, complete with lightening and thunder, and as I was reviewing my blessings I was thankful for having a secure shelter in the storm.  That brought to mind the hymn with the words, “A shelter in the time of storm.”

The first blessing is a roof over my head and central heat.  I have had to sleep in a tent during a storm.  I remember the concern about touching the fabric and causing a leak.  Would the water get high enough to come over the flooring?  Would the wind wiggle out a stake?  An adventure for a young, frisky fool is a disaster for an old man in a Lazyboy.

The greater blessing is living with a knowledge of the physical process of lightening and the God who set it in motion.  Generally I don’t need to worry about Thor throwing around lightening bolts or a local mountains expressing its wrath.

So?  We live in blessed times.  Not only do we have the lessons of modern science but we know the One who put the laws of nature in place. 

Rewards

(Psa 18:20 KJV)  The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

(Proverbs 18 also read)

Again we see that it is possible to live in “righteousness” (6664).  It always makes me wonder if people are reading the same Bible when they claim that we must sin every day in word, thought and deed.  I guess if you were a cynic you could read this and say to yourself that you would never be “rewarded” (1580) because you could not be righteous but I don’t think that is the point David is making.

We may not be able to pick our reward.  It may be something we are not aware of or would not consider a reward.  For instance our reward might be to survive a car crash when what we would want would be to avoid it all together.  God chooses the reward and the timing.

So?  The promise is there.  Part is involved in eternity.  Part is now.  Spend more time being thankful and you will probably be surprised how blessed you are. 

A Difference that Should Be Visible

(Pro 17:15 KJV)  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

I have been around people who are preoccupied with the statements about the lack of righteousness and the verse that says we are all sinners.  Granted.  We are sinners.  Without the grace of God that offers the gift of salvation, we are eternally lost.  Having said that there are many references in the Bible to the “righteous” (6662).  We need to take that into consideration because the Bible is a whole.  You can’t reject parts just because it fits in with your theological system.

The point of this verse is that some people are “righteous” and some are “wicked” (7563) and the difference is so clear that even we can see it.  There are cases of grey and large areas of the unknown, but that is not the point.  There are many cases which we can know.

So?  I guess the big question is, “Which are you?”  Actually the question that makes my day is “Which one am I?”  Based on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and my faith in Him, I am assuming I can know the answer.  Now I want to live in such a way that it is clear to others. 

Expectations

(Pro 16:12 KJV)  It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

On Sunday the pastor got a bit off track and went down the trail of sexual sin.  Part of what he said dealt with homosexuality being an “abomination” (8441).  He was right but he was also a bit focused on one area of sin.  In Proverbs it also says that having dishonest scales is an abomination.  Here it talks about leaders who are following evil.  

This morning as I was thinking about the attributes of God, I was thinking about how different theological camps would pick different attributes as the most important.  Calvinists would pick sovereignty.  Wesleyans would pick holiness.  God, in the famous I AM passage, seemed to think that fact that He existed was important.

So?  This verse is a reminder of the holiness of God.  His expectation of high moral standards applies to everything we do and it applies to everyone.  That includes kings and presidents.  We need to expect it and demand it.  We certainly should try to vote it. 

Look at the Elephant

(Pro 15:12 KJV)  A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.

The elephant in the room is often free will.  People make choices.  They have choices even when they don’t want to make them.  Often the choices don’t include anything they want and by not making a choice they are still making a choice.  What did I just say?

We are surrounded by victims.  Recently I was reading and the basic choices for a productive life were shared.  You have heard them in different formats.  This one said there were three things that were necessary to have a good life:  Graduate from high school, get a job, don’t have children before you are married.  The author acted like these were beyond the reach of many in the United States.  I would accept that there are a few who are so beaten down that they can’t make those decisions but usually it is because there is something else they want more.

So?  Answers are all around us.  We ask questions but often tend to ask them where noone wants to answer.  The reason is we know the answer and don’t want to have it reinforced.  Be honest with yourself.  Understand that God knows your heart and mind.