Speak of God's Deeds

It's easy in life to be overwhelmed with circumstances beyond our control.  The trials and seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be legion, and the most enthusiastic people can waver and faint from the onslaught.  There are temptations within and pressure from without; physical weakness and illness can sap our resolve.  There are always suggestions to doubt and temptations to quit.  And when you aren't sleeping well and perpetually exhausted it just adds another level to the difficulty.

You might not be able to relate to this, but based on Psalm 77 I believe Asaph knew this very well.  He was a man who cried out to God in his trouble and was heard.  There were times when sleep eluded him, and in the darkness fears and doubts crept in.  He had intimate and historical knowledge of God's goodness and mercy towards His people, but these aspects of God's character were difficult to reconcile with the present troubles Asaph experienced.  He knew God was powerful and mighty to save, yet situations in his life unsettled him and brought him low.  As he lay awake in his bed he wondered:  has God forgotten all about me?  Is He finished showing me grace?  Are God's promises obsolete?  Is God's anger keeping me from His mercy?  It was only after Asaph stopped focusing on himself and his feelings and began to remember the goodness of God that doubts were swallowed up with overcoming faith and joy.

He wrote in Psalm 77:10-12, "And I said, "This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High." ¹¹ I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. ¹² I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds."  Asaph reached back beyond his own personal experience and considered the great and glorious things God had done long ago.  He hearkened to the days of his forefathers in Egypt and how God delivered them miraculously with a mighty hand from their oppressors.  He remembered the grievous plagues God poured out upon the nation who enslaved his people, the mighty signs God worked among them.  He thought about "the works of the LORD" and His "wonders of old" he was familiar with in scripture.

Yet Asaph did more than simply think about what God had done. Verse 12 says, "I will...talk of Your deeds."  Asaph made a decision and commitment to speak with God concerning what He had done in prayer - and likely to others as well.  It is good for us also to make this our practice, being brought to a place of rejoicing over our God's greatness, might, and power.  Asaph went on to write in Psalm 77:14-15, "You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. ¹⁵ You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah"  Remembering and speaking about what all God did in the past gave Asaph great confidence to approach God in his current difficulties, truly a great God beyond compare.

It is telling how Asaph mentioned Jacob and Joseph by name, for Joseph's deliverance from slavery and prison and promotion to ruler over all the land of Egypt is amazing.  After Jacob and Joseph were reunited in Egypt, Joseph having saved all from famine by wisdom provided by God, Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) and gave them an equal portion among his own sons.  Eventually (hundreds of years later) the children of Israel all departed Egypt as a single nation.  God was faithful to His Word, merciful through the people for a long season were afflicted, gloriously brought them through the Red Sea, destroyed their enemies, provided for their needs, revealed Himself in power to them on Mt. Sinai, guided them with His presence day and night, led them through the wilderness, and brought them safe into Canaan.  This is the God Asaph remembered and spoke of, and this is the God we also serve and worship.  Is there any God who can deliver like this, who is gracious, merciful, keeps His Word, hears the cries of His people and delivers?

Revive Us Again

"Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"

Psalm 85:6

The psalmist penned this rhetorical question he believed God would answer in the affirmative.  During a time of prayer last night the Holy Spirit brought this verse to remembrance and shed light on the subject of revival.  God is the source of all life, and He has promised to provide eternal life to all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour.  Having been born again by the Gospel, we are spiritually made alive by the Holy Spirit within us.  One fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy, and therefore rejoicing ought to mark our lives and personalities as children of God.

During my Christian pilgrimage I have enjoyed fellowship with people of various backgrounds and different doctrinal points of emphasis.  Some are especially enamoured with the subject of "revival" and a fervent desire to see or experience a revival of religion.  Some read solid books like Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (yes, it is in my library!) and read of notable revivals which have occurred over the years all over the globe.  They pray often for revival as a cure for all ills, something that happens "out there" when revival is needed in our own hearts first.  See what the psalmist said:  "Revive us again!"  Like the new life God gives us, revival is not enduring and perpetual.  We will always need revival again even as our physical bodies daily need to drink water.  Would to God He revive us, but revival must never be our desired end:  God must be our end, for in Him is life, fruitfulness, and salvation.  Jesus Christ must be our chief and only pursuit, and we will find ourselves revived when we follow Him.

Do you desire revival?  Why might that be?  Would you ask revival for yourself, for others, or for God's sake?  Is it so people will be more committed or serious in their Christian walks or so masses will descend upon church gatherings begging, "What must I do to be saved?"  Revival is not something to helplessly long for but is ours when we respond to Jesus Christ in faith.  There have been times even the world took notice of the move of the Holy Spirit in the church with wonderment, but genuine revival is not measured by numbers of converts, increased church attendance, interviews, or news articles.  Revivals among God's people occur when they, in brokenness for sin repent, cleanse themselves of idols, seek the LORD, and walk humbly before God in obedience.  Prayer paves the way for revival but it is not a formulaic means to some experience.  It is not increased church attendance or faithful servants which are the results of revival, but as Psalm 85:6 says it is rejoicing in God!  What else should our redeemed lives be but joyful praise and thanksgiving unto our God?

Consider Psalm 85:7-9 as the song continues:  "Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. ⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. ⁹ Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land."  Has God forgotten to be merciful?  Is He incapable of saving or delivering those who fear God and cry out to Him?  Of course not!  Verse 8 contains a warning we ought all to take to heart, that after we have been born again we would turn back to folly.  When we turn back to folly it is little wonder we are cold, listless, paralysed, and hopeless.  Imagine that, a hopeless Christian!  Friends, we have all been there; I have been there.  God will revive all those who fear and seek Him.  His salvation is near to us "...that glory may dwell in our land."  Who is more glorious than our God?

Acceptable Words

"The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse."

Proverbs 10:32

The meaning of words can shift over time, but thankfully God's Word will endure forever.  In today's vernacular the word "acceptable" can by synonymous with passable, even just sliding by.  The Hebrew word translated into English is defined by the Strong's concordance as: "delight, (be) acceptable, delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure."  By this definition, "acceptable" words are in agreement with the righteous, Almighty God.  A heart made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ will be revealed with righteous speech.

The same word is used by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:10-11:  "The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright--words of truth. ¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd."  Acceptable words of the wise are described as "upright" and "words of truth."  God is the sole source of righteousness and truth.  These acceptable words are compared to goads and nails, purposefully designed items to perform work.  The Word of God prompts us to move forward in directions unfamiliar to our flesh, and it is also constructive like nails which hold together building materials.

These upright words of truth are given by one Shepherd, none other than Jesus Christ.  David identified God as his shepherd in Psalm 23, and Jesus said in John 10:11-15:  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.¹² But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He laid down His life so we could be saved and redeemed.  Jesus always spoke acceptable words, and as His followers we can and ought to do the same!

Why Not Today?

I've been on hiatus from regularly playing golf this year, and a couple weeks ago I began getting "back in the swing."  It's always a bit of a slog to work through the lack of rhythm, physical fatigue, and bad habits which accompany a extended layoff.  I started golfing in my youth because it was fun, and I have reached an age where it is also an effective exercise.  Walking the course is a great way to stay active and challenge yourself at the same time - which is even more challenging when constantly duffing, hooking, and slicing everywhere!

Just recently I was talking to friends about how Gammy (my Grandma - but don't ever call her that!) over the age of 65 had a hole-in-one.  Over the years I have had a couple of pitches roll in and a few approaches bounce off the stick, but I never really came close to an ace.  Someone in the conversation added how a woman had three holes-in-one in a single round!  When standing in the tee box addressing the ball I started thinking, "Why not today?  Sure, I've never had a hole-in-one, but why not today?"  And then I promptly shanked a tee-shot to the left or sent an approach shot over the green.

Well, today turned out to be the day.  All those awful shots were quickly forgotten on the 17th hole at the Windsor Country golf club (120 yard par 3) as I watched my ball sail high off my Vokey wedge, drop with a smack on the green, and disappear into the cup.  It's something I always knew was theoretically possible but I never imagined what it would be like to happen.  My exuberant shouts attracted a pair about to tee off on the 12th hole, and I still had my hands raised over my head as it was confirmed the ball had gone in.  I shouted, "I guess there's a first time for everything!" and then began the satisfying walk to retrieve the ball.

As I walked toward the green with a ridiculous grin I couldn't seem to shake off, my thoughts went to what I was telling myself before I made the shot:  why not today?  It occurred to me there are all sorts of accomplishments we have never experienced in the past but by God's grace could experience today.  Making a hole-in-one was exciting, but what if today is the day when you share the Gospel and as a result a person is born again?  Now that would be really exciting!  How many things God has planned for us that we are completely unaware of, circumstances and opportunities which can forever change our perspective.  Asking "Why not today?" is irrelevant in relation to a golf hole-in-one if I do not play golf, and I cannot expect people to respond to the Gospel (from me) unless I make a practice of declaring and living in light of it.

Take heart friends:  there were many shots I executed poorly in today's round of golf, but I wasn't without hope because I kept on.  I've seen videos of people mid-round throwing their gear in the lake because they were so over it.  As long as we keep following Jesus there is always unfailing hope for us, because our hope is in Him.  Let's keep sharing the Good News.  Let's keep taking our best shot in obeying Him.  Sometimes we will miss the mark.  We will falter and fail at times along the way, but Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Don't be discouraged or give up because times are difficult:  keep on going, keep on trusting, keep on obeying our LORD and Saviour Jesus.  It is He who will help us accomplish things we never dared to imagine was possible.