The Context of Spiritual Growth

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity...for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore." -Psalm 133:1, 3

Spiritual life is not meant to be lived alone. Christians are not supposed to live in monasteries and seclude themselves from other Christians. Neither are Christians supposed to stick to themselves and try to 'go it alone' without going to church and fellowshipping with other Christians. No, Christians are supposed to dwell together. We are supposed to live this live in unity and oneness. We are supposed to growth spiritually in the context of community. David says that this community is pleasant. In fact, David concludes that when brethren dwell in unity is when the Lord commands blessing. The blessing described is life for evermore.

Your spiritual growth hinges upon your involvement at church with other believers. In Ephesians 4:15 the Apostle Paul speaks of not being children any longer but speaking the truth in love to each other so that we can grow to maturity in Christ. Christianity was designed by God to be a community made up of people who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and who are striving to live like Jesus in every aspect of life.

There are scores of passages in the New Testament that point to the spiritual life in context of community. In fact, most of the epistles of the New Testament are written to churches, not individuals. So the instructions given within those epistles are in the context of community, not singular life. Consider the instruction to the Thessalonian church to "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Most people, myself included, often think of these three verses as instructions for the individual Christian's life. But when we stop and think about what it means in the context of the community of believers, it takes on a whole new level of understanding. How does a church rejoice always? How does a church pray without ceasing? How does a church give thanks in everything?

Even in the earliest beginnings of the church we learn that spiritual growth was meant to happen in a culture of community. Acts 2:42 says, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." Here in the early church where the majority of the church had only been saved for a matter of hours, we learn that they continued together. They learned the apostles' doctrine together. They had fellowship--community--with each other. They ate together and prayed together. They were a church that was growing together.

So how about you? Are you growing in the context of community? Or are you attempting to go it alone and do this whole spiritual growth thing by yourself? Remember, you might increase in knowledge on your own, but you will not grow spiritually on your own.

The Foundations of Growth

"The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple." - Psalm 119:130

Yesterday we looked at the beginnings of spiritual growth. Undoubtedly, spiritual growth begins with that desire for God to search us, to know us, and to lead us in the way everlasting. Now lets consider the foundations of spiritual growth.

God's Word, the Bible, is the foundation for our spiritual growth. It is the firm foundation, the solid ground. It is the revelation of God's instruction to mankind. It stands to reason that if a Christian desires to grow spiritually, that the Word of God is the place they must turn to find instructions on how to grow. God has chosen to reveal His instructions to us in a special way in His Word. While its true that God has revealed himself to us through creation in a general way, if we want to know specifics about who He is and what He wants from us as human beings, we must turn to his special revelation.

This verse in Psalm 119 tells us that the way to get understanding is through the entrance of God's Word. As you and I read the Bible and gain an understanding of what it means, we learn how to live. You don't need to know much to become a Christian. You need to understand that you are a sinner deserving God's punishment for sin, that Christ died for your sin and rose again, and that if you place your faith in what Jesus did you can be declared righteous and have eternal life as God's free gift. After salvation, God would have you learn and grow to understand much more than this. As a new Christian learns God's Word, he gets to see this verse in action in his life. God's Word gives understanding to the simple. This chapter also tells us that "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (v. 105). As Christians walk through life reading and learning God's instructions, the path to walk on is literally lit up by the Word of God. This process of growth that we desire and need as Christians is laid out for us in the Bible.

It is impossible to grow spiritually without the Bible.  Job said that he considered the words from God "more than my necessary food." That means that Job saw God's Word as more important that even the physical food that he needed to stay alive. Do you feel like you are stuck? Not growing? Frozen in your spiritual life? Let me ask you, are you trying to grow without the Bible? Are you trying to find instruction for your spiritual life outside of God's special revelation to you? Christians, we must read the Bible, study what it says, commit it to memory and practice in our lives. This is the foundation to build our spiritual life on. This is the foundation of growth. Neglect it and you neglect the source of your spiritual growth.

The Beginnings of Growth

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23-24

Spiritual growth is an interesting concept. Most Christians would agree that they need spiritual growth. And most of us acknowledge that we are not fully mature spiritually. In fact, when we take a look deep inside our hearts, we have to admit that we are desperately far from where we often perceive ourselves to be.

Spiritual growth can also be somewhat elusive. How does one grow spiritually? Is there a formula to follow? Are there a set of clearly defined steps that, when taken systematically, lead to maturity? Or is spiritual growth more fluid, adaptive to your situation and needs? Can you grow spiritually on your own? Does it happen automatically? Is it a steady growth or rapid growth? These are valid questions.

These two verses in Psalm 139 strike me as the starting place for spiritual growth. The first step is a desire--a request: search me. The psalmist asks God to search his heart. This is a sincere request and an acknowledgement of imperfection. The psalmist lays his heart before the Lord openly and honestly acknowledging sinfulness and the need for change. "I'm not where I need to be Lord. My heart is wicked. My thoughts are inconsistent. I don't measure up."

In order to grow, we must desire to grow. Its not something automatic, as if we simply float along through life moving towards maturity. No, spiritual growth happens when we first desire it and ask God for it. We must humble ourselves. We must admit we need growth. Pride would have us close up our hearts from God's searching. Pride would have us hide the wickedness and sin that we harbor inside. This hinders and stops us from growing. Humility lays everything out on the table before God. Humility says, "Search me, O God."

Finally, in order to grow, we must pray for God's leading. "lead me in the way everlasting." God's initiative is required for our growth. God must bring us along in the process. We can't run ahead of God and expect to grow. We must follow his leading. Again, this requires humility. You cannot lead yourself to your own spiritual maturity. You must trust God's leading and follow him.

Can you see the starting place of growth? Desire it, ask God for it, and then follow his leading into the way everlasting.

The Blessed Man

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not whither; and whatever he does shall prosper." -Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is an interesting word. Most of the time we use it to describe the state of life we are in when we have many material things or when things are going well for us. This first Psalm doesn't describe the man who is blessed in this way.
The man who is blessed is the man who, first of all, does not do wicked things. He doesn't walk through his life in the 'wisdom' of the ungodly'. He doesn't stand (abide, dwell) in the path of sinners and he doesn't sit in the dwelling of the scornful. This man steers clear of all things that are contrary to the Word of God.
The man who is blessed is the man that delights in the law of God. He thinks about it and ponders its meaning day and night. This man is totally stable. He is rooted and grounded in what he believes (Colossians 2:6-7). He is like a tree planted close to the rivers. This summer, my dad, my brother, and I took a trip to Boston to watch the Redsox play the Yankees. On the way back from the game, we walked through a park in Boston. In this park there was a small river (or large stream, whichever you prefer). Along the banks of the river were some very large trees. The base of the trunks of these trees were so healthy that the roots literally began two feet above ground and grew down into the ground from there. I'm sure that those roots extended deep into the soil.
The blessed man is a fruitful man. As he delights in the law of God, he sees the effects of it in his life. The righteousness that he reads in the Word is lived out in his life. God makes this man prosper in whatever he does.
Are you a blessed man? Do you measure your blessedness by what you have or by how much you delight in God's law. Read the Word and you will be blessed.

Put Your Life in Order

"Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God." -Psalms 50:23


Do you live a life of praise? Or is your praise reserved for Sunday morning worship service? Whoever you are and however you live your life, God desires that you glorify Him. That is His design for your life. In the Westminster catechism, the question is posed, "What is the chief end of man?" and the response is given, "To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."

The psalmist shows us how to live a life of praise that glorifies God: "and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God." You must put your conduct in order. Not just any order--mind you--but you must put it in the right order. If you are going to live a life that glorifies God, your conduct must be righteous.

It seems almost too obvious to say, but God is not glorified by our sin. He is not praised through our iniquity. He is praised by our obedience and righteous living. Put your life in order. Flee temptation, put away your disgusting sin, and choose to live a life that praises and glorifies God.

How To Get Everything You Want

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." -Psalm 37:3


Perhaps one of the most memorized verses in Psalms is 37:4 - "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." I believe it is so popular because its a verse the tells us how to get what we want. That is appealing to our sinful hearts. Hey look here! A verse that tells me how to get what I want. Right? Not even close.

People, we must remember that verse 3 comes before verse 4.

First of all, trust in the Lord. Trust Him. Let Him guide you. Don't trust yourself. Don't trust your job. Don't trust your parent's faith. Trust in the Lord. All too often we are guilty of placing our trust in something other than God. We trust our own abilities or our bank accounts. Undoubtedly, we will find that these things fail. But if we trust in the Lord, we will find that He never fails.

Secondly, do good. Don't just trust the Lord, act upon it. Do the things that He has called you to do. God has prepared good works for you to walk in. Don't do evil. Don't give in to your flesh. Do good.

Third, dwell in the land. God has you where you are for a reason. Have you found it? Don't get impatient to go somewhere else to do those good things God wants you to do. Do good right where you are. Minister to the people around you. If you stop and look, those around you need the Lord maybe more than you even realize.

Fourth and last, feed on His faithfulness. God has prepared a banquet table before you. Everyday the table is set afresh and anew. Everyday the main course is set before you--His faithfulness. Did you know that you can live on God's faithfulness? Did you know that His faithfulness is the one thing you need to live? Think about it. His faithfulness gives you breath each moment of the day. His faithfulness provides the food, clothing, and shelter that you need. His faithfulness has placed you where you are. His faithfulness has given you the family that you have. His faithfulness is all you need.

Now read verse 4: "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." 


Feasting at the table of God's faithfulness is a delight, isn't it? I can't help but think of the joy that comes from the Lord providing our needs at precisely the right time. Have you experienced that? Have you ever been in a situation where things seemed impossible, but God provided at precisely the right time? It is a delight to live by faith. It is good and desirable to delight yourself in the Lord. Enjoy Him. Enjoy His faithfulness.

Did you know that your desires are controlled by your appetite? If you feast on sin and indulge yourself with selfishness, your desires will be selfish and sinful. But if you feast on the faithfulness of God and delight in Him, your desires will be holy and pure, just as He is. God wants good, faithful things for you. Feast on His faithfulness and He will give those things to you.

Take Good Courage

"Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD." -Psalm 31:23-24


How is your courage today? That may seem like a strange question. I thought it was strange for a while. My mom used to ask that question while us kids were at Bible School. I never knew how to answer, other than saying, 'its fine mom.' I knew that would get me off the hook. Since those Bible school days, I have learned what she meant. It is verses like these here in Psalms that showed me the truth behind mom's question.

Many times we meander through the events of the day just accepting what happens as it comes. There is no anticipation involved or hope that the Lord will miraculously bring you through the difficult moments. That is not living with courage. There are other days when we live trusting our own strength. We feel strong and independent. We don't really face anything difficult, so our perception of ourselves becomes inflated because of our "grand victories". But this is not living with courage.

And then there are days when we feel so helpless and alone. Our trials overwhelm us. Family and friends seemingly desert us. It seems that the day will never end and we will never make it through victorious. It is at these moments that we cry out to the Lord for strength and courage. We must realize that each day is a day that we must trust in the Lord. It takes courage to do that. It takes faith in God's promises to walk through each day.

God wants us to live with courage--good courage. He desires that we love Him and trust in His promise to preserve the faithful. He wants us to live with hope and eagerly wait for Him to strengthen your heart when you are weak. So take good courage. Trust in the Lord. Wait for Him and you will not be disappointed by Him.

All those times that mom would ask that seemingly strange question make sense now. She was just wondering if us kids were facing the day with our trust in the Lord or our trust in something else. She wanted to know if we believed God's promises and eagerly hoped in Him for strength. So let me ask you again: How is your courage today?

Truths About The Living God - Psalm 84:2

Psalm 84:2

“My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

What do we learn about the living God?

What does your soul long for? What do you desire above all things? Is it things of this life? Earthly treasures? Things that really will not matter to eternity? Or maybe you have a legitimate desire to serve God in some way.

Even the last mentioned thing may become a wrong desire.  Life can become very busy, especially as a Christian serving the Lord. We need not to be caught up in the matters of life. Instead, we should say, as David said, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple.” We must always return to the basics of having an intimate, loving relationship with our God. Our primary desire, always, should be simple communion with God.

In the second half of this verse, the psalmist literally says, “My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Do you find joy in your God, in the one and only living God? Knowing your God should fill you with joy, and make you want to praise Him! There are so many reasons to praise God. Spend some time right now praising the living God for a variety of things. 

Truths About The Living God - Psalm 42:2

Psalm 42:2


"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?"


What do we learn about the living God?


Think of a day in your life when it was extremely hot outside, and you were working or playing hard in the blazing sun. Perhaps you were running a marathon, or playing an indoor sport. I don't know. When you were done doing whatever it was you were doing, what did you do? I'm going to guess that you were thirsty, and that you got something to drink. That would be the logical thing wouldn't it? Remember that awful feeling of thirst? Your mouth was all dry and pasty, and hardly able to swallow anything. You would just about give anything for some water, or anything to cool you down.

Does your soul feel that way about God? Do you desire nothing more than to be in God's presence, and to experience a close relationship with Him? Do you want to be filled with Him? Jesus said in John 7:38, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."

Now think of when you got your drink. I bet you didn't just sip it a little at a time. You probably chugged it down and possibly dumped some of it on your face, but it felt great didn't it? Oh and you probably didn't stop with just a couple swallows.

This is the way it should be in our relationship with God. You should always have that thirst for the living God, and when you are in His presence, you should be satisfied, refreshed, and renewed. If you don't thirst for the living God, chances are, you're filling yourself with other junk. Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:13, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Only God can fill that thirst that you have. Dwell in His presence, and always be thirsty for God. Only He can satisfy.

Thoughts Men Don't Like to Think

In American culture, men are taught to be independent. Men are portrayed as not needing anyone, any place, or anything. All men need is themselves. In fact, the most iconic illustration of an American man is still the western cowboy, totally free from all cares. He is a man's man--independent, self-sufficient, and free. All the cowboy needed was the horizon to ride into. The problem with this cultural mindset is that no one can live an independent life. The image that our culture wants to put on men is not real. The fact is, even the manliest of men have needs that they cannot meet. We all need clothing, shelter, food, and more. Even the breath we breathe must be given to us.

David records in Psalm 139 a meditation that men in American culture don't like to think. But Psalm 139 opens our eyes to a reality that we must face in order to live successfully as Christian men in a society that desperately wants us to believe in a false reality. The reality is that we are not autonomous. We are dependent. We are not the highest beings in the universe. We are all under God. I've broken following psalm down into four basic points:

1. God knows us completely - v. 1-6

Verse one is a summary statement for the following 5 verses. David reflects, "O Lord, You have searched me and known me." God knows everything about me. He has searched me out. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows our sitting down and rising up. He knows our thoughts before we think them. He knows and understands the paths we take. Proverbs 16:9 even tells us that God directs our steps. God is acquainted with all our ways. He knows our words before we speak them. His hand is upon our lives.

Men in our culture are not trained to think this way. We are trained to think that we are not known by anyone. We are trained to think that being completely known is a weakness. But being fully known is not weakness. The fact that God fully knows us ought to be a relief. We don't even fully know ourselves. Being fully known by God is proof that we are dependent upon Him.

David's conclusion in verse 6: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it." What a glorious, unreachable--nigh incomprehensible thought. We are fully known.

2. God surrounds us completely- v. 7-12

Again, verse 7 serves as a summary statement for this section of verses. David writes, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?" Anywhere we could go, God would be there. Follow David's thoughts here: If we were to go up to heaven, God is there. If we were to go down to Sheol, God is there. If we were to fly away or go to the deepest part of the sea, God is there. If we were to try to hide in the darkness, we would see that even the darkness is as light to God. Darkness cannot hide us from Him. We cannot flee from God's presence.

If being fully known is anti-cultural to our western, independent, self-sufficient minds, than being completely surrounded by God is worse. We like to think that we get alone when we want to. If that were true, we could to whatever we wanted to with no consequence. But we need to realize that God is everywhere we go and He sees everything we do.

I like what Spurgeon says here: "We must be, whether we will it or not, as near to God as our soul is to our body. This makes it dreadful work to sin; for we offend the Almighty to his face, and commit acts of treason at the very foot of his throne. Go from him, or flee from him we cannot: neither by patient travel nor by hasty flight can we withdraw from the all-surrounding Deity. His mind is in our mind; himself within ourselves. His spirit is over our spirit; our presence is ever in his presence."

We are completely known and completely surrounded by God.

3. God makes us completely - v. 13-18

This next stretch of verses also challenges our American independent manly mindset. The American man is a self-made man. The American man is who he is because he has done what he has done. While there is some truth to that statement, it is not true that the American man is self-made. All mankind, according to David (and God), has been intricately created by God.

Look at David's description of God's creative power in verses 13-18: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."

God is intimately involved in the forming of each and every person. But it doesn't stop there. God is also intricately involved in every person's life. Indeed, He knows the number of our days before we even experience one of them. David realized how involved God was in his life. From beginning to end, God was his Maker, Sustainer, and God. The self-made man rejects this truth. To admit that God created him and even numbered his days before he even knew one of them goes against the very nature of the autonomous, independent man. But reject it or not, every man has been completely formed by God.

4. God protects us completely - v. 19-24

This is a thread of thought that is woven throughout this meditation by David. Verse 5 - "You have hedged me behind and before". Verse 10 - "Your right hand shall hold me". God protects us completely. Consider these verses: "Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.


David had plenty of enemies. David had victory in many battles and defeated many kings. There was no shortage of wicked men that wanted to see David dead. He needed protection. For his protection, David turned to God, the all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present God. American, self-made, self-sufficient men don't think they need protection. They think that they are able to protect themselves. There is no danger that the self-made man cannot handle...so it seems. But sooner or later, the self-made man will realize that life can throw a mean curve-ball and this man will find himself in want of protection and provision. They must turn to God or face destruction--turn to God or face despair.

Not only did David have enemies seeking to destroy his life, David also realized that he had an enemy within--the sinful flesh--that was seeking to destroy him. David makes a prayer of commitment to end this psalm: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." 


We must all see the reality of life: we are not self-made, self-sufficient, autonomous men. We are men completely known, completely surrounded, completely made, and completely protected--both outwardly and inwardly--by the all-wise, all-powerful, everywhere-present, holy God. Reject what culture seeks to impress upon you. Reject the false reality that you are independent. Accept that you are completely dependent upon God.

God's Revelation, Man's Salvation

Psalm 19 - We will focus on verses 7-11, but take a quick look at the first six verses of this Psalm.

Psalm 19:1-6 – General revelation – This is God’s self-revelation that is seen in and by all of creation. 

Take a quick glance down the text:

Verse 1 – The heavens declare the works of God’s hands

Verse 2 – The day and the night speaks the knowledge of God

Verse 3-4a – Creation utters not a word, but there isn’t any place where their words have not gone.

Verse 4b-6 – The sun demonstrates the expanse of the Word of God. There is nothing hidden from its heat.

The question has been asked before: ‘What of the man who has never heard, what happens to him?’ That man does not exist. There is not a person on the planet that has not received God’s self-revelation. Romans 1:18-20. All men have true knowledge of God. Romans 1:21-23. All men have rejected true knowledge of God. Romans 1:24-31. All men have rejected true knowledge of God and have sinned. Romans 1:32. All men are condemned for rejecting true knowledge of God and for their sin.

Psalm 19:7-11 – Special Revelation – God’s self-revelation in the Word of God.

At first glance, it would seem that these verses focus on what the Word of God provides or what the effects of the Word of God are. In fact, you could preach a series of sermons from these verses on what the Word of God provides. But as I read the passage again and again, I began to realize that it is not so much about what the Word of God provides as it is what the Word of God is. The theme of the verses is a deep description of God’s special self-revelation in His Word. These characteristics of the Word of God are also characteristics of who God is. Every aspect of the Word declares to us something about God. Only when we realize that this is the theme of the text do we realize how blessed we are to hold God’s Word and experience the benefits of having God’s Word. Because of what the Word is and who God is, we can know and experience what only God can provide.

The Word of God is:

1.       Perfect – converting the soul

“perfect” – speaks of moral completeness, it is undefiled.

“The law of the Lord is perfect;” by which he means not merely the law of Moses but the doctrine of God, the whole run and rule of sacred Writ. The doctrine revealed by God he declares to be perfect, and yet David had but a very small part of the Scriptures, and if a fragment, and that the darkest and most historical portion, be perfect, what must the entire volume be? How more than perfect is the book which contains the clearest possible display of divine love, and gives us an open vision of redeeming grace. The gospel is a complete scheme or law of gracious salvation, presenting to the needy sinner everything that his terrible necessities can possibly demand. There are no redundancies and no omissions in the Word of God, and in the plan of grace; why then do men try to paint this lily and gild this refined gold? The gospel is perfect in all its parts, and perfect as a whole: it is a crime to add to it, treason to alter it, and felony to take from it.” –C. H. Spurgeon

“converting” – ‘to turn back’ to restore. In this case it speaks of the restoration of spiritual life. Notice the depth of conversion by the Word of God. Conversion is not just conversion of practice or conversion of thinking; it is conversion of the most profound part of a man—his soul.

Life is something that only God can provide. Spiritual life is something that only God can provide. Men cannot create life. Men cannot create spiritual life. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that we were dead in our trespasses and sins—lost and without hope. But Ephesians 2:1 also tells us, “And you HE MADE ALIVE.” God, in His grace, gives spiritual life to spiritually dead men. The Word of God is the source of that life. I say that because Ephesians 2:8 tells us that our salvation is through faith; and Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

2.       Faithful – making wise the simple

“sure” – faithful, confirmed

“the whole of Scripture is true, coming from the God of truth; having for its principal subject Christ, who is truth itself, and being dictated by the Spirit of truth; and particularly the Gospel part of it, and all the truths therein contained, especially the doctrine of salvation by Christ, which is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation: the Gospel is a testimony of record which God himself has bore concerning his Son, and eternal life by him, and therefore sure and to be depended upon; for if the witness of men is received, the witness of God is greater,” – John Gill

“making wise the simple” - Psalm 119:130 – “The entrance of your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple.” The word translated ‘simple’ here does not mean simple-minded. It does not mean one who doesn’t have a great mental capacity. Rather, it is used to describe someone who does not have much life experience. It describes the Christian that is new in the Lord, just taking his first steps in the faith.

Because the Word of God is sure, we can have wisdom. If followed, the Bible can make anyone wise. Even the most inexperienced child can be wise by heading the instructions that God has given. Praise God he equips even the youngest babe in Christ to live a wise life!

Commenting on James 3 concerning true wisdom, John MacArthur said “True wisdom, the wisdom that comes from above, is not a matter of how much one knows but of how much one trusts, loves, and obeys the Lord.”

Do you trust the Word that God has revealed? By trusting and obeying the Word of God, any believer can live a wise and rewarding life—even the most young and inexperienced.

Notice the progression so far: Man is converted by the Word, made wise in his practice, and now made joyful

3.       Right – rejoicing the heart

Listen to Spurgeon again: “His precepts and decrees are founded in righteousness, and are such as are right or fitted to the right reason of man. As a physician gives the right medicine, and a counselor the right advice; so does the Book of God.” C. H. Spurgeon

Continuing in the upright Word of the Lord rejoices the heart. Psalm 1:1-2 – “[Happy] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The way of the Lord may be a narrow way, and the way of the Lord may be a difficult way, but it is a straight way. If we just walk one foot in front of the other, we will have sure footing and sure reward for our faithfulness. Joy is experienced not from being free from trials, but from knowing and obeying that right path to walk on in the midst of those trials. Joy comes from living a life that pleases our heavenly Father.

Do you lack joy? Your lack of joy is directly proportionate to your time in the Word. If you are going through life avoiding or neglecting the Word, you will live a sour, bitter, unfulfilled life. You will not have wisdom for living and you will not have joy. The Word of God provides joy. As a son has no greater joy than to hear his father delight in his son for a job well done, so the Christian rejoices when each of us hears ‘well-done’ from our heavenly Father.

4.       Pure – enlightening the eyes

There are no defects, no flaws, and nothing missing. The word of God is pure. Think about how significant these words are. David, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, tells us that the word of God is pure. Keep in mind that he is writing this when there was very little of God’s Word recorded. David would have basically had the books of the Law, and his prayer journal. But David reveals to us that the word of God is pure. How great a truth this is! God’s word is pure in its individual parts, but how much more pure in its entirety!

Two things come to mind here. (1) On the straight and narrow path that the Lord intends for us to walk, the purity of the Word lights the way for us. “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105. God’s Word reveals to us the way to go and the things to avoid. (2) I think of how a lens brings clarity. Put on a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription and you will lack clarity in your vision. But put on the right prescription and your vision will clear right up. God’s Word reveals to us a proper perspective for all of life’s circumstances. He tells us how to act and react in a way that pleases Him.

5.       Truth – by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward

The Word of God is true and righteous altogether. By truth, error is revealed. By righteousness, sin is revealed. The Bible reveals to you and warns you, Christian, the errors of your way. Thus it can prevent you from making poor choices and wrong turns in life. Secondly, the Bible reveals to you the sin in your life so that you can repent and forsake your sin.

We are a privileged people to have the Word of God. David tells us in verse 10 that the words from God are to be desired more than much fine gold and it is sweeter than honey. But with the possession of God’s specific self-revelation we also have a greater responsibility before God. You see, the men that have never heard the Word of God are held accountable for rejecting the true knowledge of God that they did have, but we are held responsible for how we respond to God’s specific words.

David understood this. He understood that he was being held responsible for the Word of God. Look at verse 12. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.” We must understand that as we look into the perfect Law of God that it shows us our sinfulness. It reveals to us even our secret faults.

James 1:21-25: “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

There is an illustration here in James. On the one hand we have a man who peers at his face in a mirror. He sees himself, walks away and forgets what he looks like. On the other hand we have a man that looks into the perfect law of liberty. The word translated ‘looks’ describes a man that is bent over looking into the Word. He searches the Scriptures to find his faults—his wickedness—to find cleansing and forgiveness. He receives the Word with meekness in order to save his soul.

David’s prayer: “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”

David knew the effects that the Word had on his life. He knew that the Word converts the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, and warns a man. And David knew the responsibility that came with knowledge of the Word. David needed cleansing from sin. He needed a Redeemer.

Praise God we have a Redeemer in Jesus Christ. He has redeemed us by the blood his own precious blood. He paid the penalty that we could not pay. He makes it possible for our hearts to be cleansed and for our lives to be pleasing to God. Indeed, God’s revelation is our salvation.

Book Review: The Fading of the Flesh and the Flourishing of the Faith

by George Swinnock (1627-1673)
Reformation Heritage Books
170 pages

I bought this book along with two other RHB books. I hadn't read much of the Puritans before, so I didn't know much what to expect. This is the second of the three that I have read, and I have been pleasantly surprised by both.

First, a little bit about George Swinnock. He was a graduate of Cambridge and Oxford. He pastored three churches through the course of his ministry. Other than that, we do not know very much about him. He died at the young age of 46.

In this little book, Swinnock seeks to exposit Psalm 73:26 - "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." The book is divided into two main sections, as is the verse. First, Swinnock delves into what does the phrase 'my flesh and my heart faileth' really means. Naturally, he takes the verse literally and explains man's fallen condition and immanent death. Death is part of every life. Every man must face it. Swinnock gives some compelling reasons to prepare for death.

1. Death is near
2. Death may come suddenly
3. Death is final
4. Death is a trial
5. Death is a misery
6. You must prepare for death

In the second part of the book, Swinnock seeks to explain what it means for the person who can say, 'God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.' Truly this person is the person who has trusted whole-heartedly in the Lord. This is the person that acknowledges that the flesh is failing. This is the person who is seeking to die well. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

I enjoyed reading this book and I appreciate the clarity that Swinnock brings to an often misquoted verse of Scripture. I close with this quote from the book: 

"Even at that great day [God's judgment], the fire that will consume the world will not so much as singe your portion. You may stand upon its ruins and sing, "I have lost nothing. I have my portion, my inheritance, my happiness, my God!" (pg. 157)

Take Possession of the LORD

“I will love you, O LORD, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” –Psalm 18:1-3

These verses are a prayer of commitment—a prayer to take possession of the Lord in life. David realized his greatest need was the Lord. He knew that the Lord provided so many things for him—strength, salvation, and security. He realized that without God, life would be completely useless and totally dangerous.

Look at these verses again, and then think about what David wouldn’t have if he didn’t take possession of the Lord. He wouldn’t have strength, a solid rock to stand on, a fortress to rest in, a deliverer, a shield, the strength of salvation, a stronghold, or salvation from his enemies. A life without those things is a life of insecurity. It is a life without power, resources, or salvation. It is a hopeless life.

Consider the following commentary by Matthew Henry:

“The Lord Jehovah is my God; and then he is my rock, my fortress, all that I need and can desire in my present distress.” For there is that in God which is suited to all the [urgencies] and occasions of his people that trust in him. “He is my rock, and strength, and fortress;” that is, 1. “I have found him so in the greatest dangers and difficulties.” 2. “I have chosen him to be so, disclaiming all others, and depending upon him alone to protect me.” Those that truly love God may thus triumph in him as theirs, and may with confidence call upon him”

Consider this as well:

“All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, he will be to us the whole treasury of God.” – Henry Benjamin Whipple (1822-1901)

Christian, take possession of the Lord. Love Him with all your strength and you will find that He is everything that you need in every circumstance that life will throw at you.