OT: “Other Benjaminites and men from Judah also went to David at the stronghold. David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.” Then the Spirit enveloped Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: We are yours, David, we are with you, son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to him who helps you, for your God helps you. So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.” (‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭12:16-18‬ ‭CSB)

There was a time in David’s life when he was between jobs and homeless. As a teenager, he was anointed to be the next King of Israel, and ascended the ranks in King Saul’s court. Saul, however, became threatened by David and sought to end his life – so David fled to the wilderness and spent a few years hiding out in caves and strongholds. He had a promise over his life and it looked like he was in position to receive that promise – but then the bottom fell out and he was homeless and without a job. He could have grown anxious and taken matters into his own hands – as many of us are prone to do, but he resisted the temptation to force the fulfillment of God’s promise. Instead, he trusted God to fulfill the promise in His way and timing. While he was in the wilderness, men from various areas of the nation began coming to him and placing themselves under his leadership. The more that Saul traversed down the path to unrighteous, the more men came and pledged their allegiance to David. The kingdom was divided along political lines, with the upper echelon loyal to Saul and the commoners and outcasts of the land defecting to David. On one occasion, a group of Benjamites came into his camp. Benjamin was the tribe of King Saul, and it would have been likely that these Benjamites were loyal to Saul and would turn David in. The thing that impressed me in this brief snippet of scripture was David’s attitude toward the Benjamites. He didn’t jump to conclusions and lean on his assumptions. He didn’t treat the Benjamites with prejudice or reject them as members of the “other party.” He didn’t blame them for his current circumstances. He opened himself up to unity and trusted God with the results. David gave them the benefit of the doubt and pledged to not treat them unrighteously – and if they were there to betray his trust… well, that was between them and the Lord. David’s humility and commitment to righteousness opened the door for trust and reconciliation between two tribes that were at odds with each other. Because he trusted the Lord and acted according to the Lord’s wisdom, the political divides in the nation were eventually healed and Israel became united under David’s leadership.

NT: “After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah when he said, Go to these people and say: You will always be listening, but never understanding; and you will always be looking, but never perceiving. For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭28:23-28‬ ‭CSB)

Once Paul was settled in Rome, he asked for an audience with the local Jewish community. Paul wanted to explain his current situation, and many in the Jewish community were curious about “The Way” that was spreading across Eastern Europe and Asia. All day long, from dawn to dusk, Paul systematically proclaimed and explained the gospel of the Kingdom and how Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the fulfillment of scripture and the long-awaited Messiah. Some were open to believing the good news, while others were hardened in their categories and resistant to change. The sentence surrounding Paul’s quotation of Isaiah 6:9-10 is a little tricky. Some translations have Paul quoting the scripture after people began to leave. This translation makes it look like Paul’s quotation is what made them leave. However it went down, what Paul said was true. If we aren’t careful, we can become more committed to our traditions… more committed to the party line than the truth. Many times it is easier to live in a black and white world, where our beliefs and understanding are “right” and anything different is “wrong.” Though the Jews were listening to Paul with their ears and seeing Paul with their eyes, the rejected the Truth because it didn’t align with their strict and unyielding platform and policies. They were not willing to see that God was doing something different than what they expected. That is why it is so important to remain humble, keep our eyes ever on Christ and our ears tuned to His voice, lest we miss what He is doing because it doesn’t line up perfectly with our requirements.

Proverbs: “The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous; He mocks those who mock but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but he holds up fools to dishonor.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:33-35‬ ‭CSB)

The wicked, mocking and foolish verses the righteous, humble and wise. One receives grace from the Lord and one doesn’t. we often think of foolish as lacking sense, but the word for foolish here actually defines foolishness as arrogance. You can see that dichotomy between King Saul and David. King Saul was arrogant in the way he led – thinking his way to be better than God’s way, which developed into a mocking spirit, that ultimately became wickedness. Saul’s foolishness eventually brought division to his nation and ruin to his family. David, on the other hand, walked in wisdom because he walked in humility and was committed to righteousness. We can also see the dichotomy in the group of Jews that came to listen to Paul. Some humbled themselves to truly listen to the message of the gospel, while others walked away in arrogance. Those who humbled themselves and believed were able to experience the grace of God as they placed their faith in Christ, while the others remained bound to the law and enslaved to sin. Thousands of years ago, Moses said to the people of Israel, “I set before you a blessing and a curse.” Joshua said to the nation of Israel as they were about to settle in the land of promise, “Choose today who you will worship… who you will bow down before and serve wholeheartedly… who you will trust completely. As for me and my family, we will humble ourselves and serve the Lord.” Those words still ring true today. Do you want to be blessed and be a blessing? Don’t be arrogant. Humble yourself, keep your eyes and ears on Jesus and follow Him.

NT: “Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭28:1-10‬ ‭CSB)

While storm-tossed at sea for two weeks, The Lord spoke to Paul and told him not to fear, for it was necessary for him to stand before Caesar in Rome. Soon afterward, Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta and God graciously spared the life of Paul and all who were aboard. You would have thought that was enough, and that Paul would be able to arrive safely in Rome – but the enemy wasn’t through trying to stop God’s purposes and plan. As Paul was serving his crewmen by gathering wood for the fire, a poisonous viper came out of the bundle of wood he dropped on the fire and latched on to his hand. The island natives were sure that Paul would die – but he didn’t. God’s word given to Paul was still alive, and not even the poisonous bite of a serpent could keep it from coming to pass. In fact, Paul’s miraculous deliverance from the serpent opened the door for him to minister the grace and glory of God to all the inhabitants of the island. The promise that Jesus gave in Mark 16:17-18 became a reality for Paul. As long as Paul remained in Christ and following Christ’s word, will, and ways; no matter where Paul went, no matter the dangers he faced, no matter how his life was threatened, he was safe. One really important point of clarification: Paul didn’t test that promise. He didn’t intentionally put himself in harms way… he didn’t intentionally do something foolish… he didn’t intentionally pick up a poisonous snake to test God’s promise. He simply believed God’s promise and through that belief, obeyed everything the Lord led Him to do and said everything the Lord led him to say – and in His obedience, in his going… in his doing… in his  saying, his life was preserved until God’s purposes were complete. All along the way, as Paul laid down his life time and time again, God was glorified and God’s grace was poured out through the life of Paul.

Psalms: “The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord. Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; proclaim his deeds among the nations. For the one who seeks an accounting for bloodshed remembers them; he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭9:9-12‬ ‭CSB)

The word for refuge here means a high and exalted place that is out of the reach of those who are pursuing you – an elevated place where you have the advantage of position and perspective. The word translated here as ‘persecuted’ is translated in other translations as ‘oppressed’ and it refers to those who are crushed, dejected, inured and afflicted. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, dejected, and afflicted. The Lord is a refuge in times of distress and trouble. When adversaries or situations are pressing down on us and pressing in on us from every side, causing us to be severely distressed and in trouble; if we seek the Lord… if we cry out to Him… if we sing out the songs of hope that we have in Him, He will lift us up out of the oppression and set us on a high place – a place where we have the vantage: a place of strategic advantage, commanding perspective, and a comprehensive view; from which we are able to fight on in the strength of the Lord and prevail. Those who know the Lord – who have cultivated an intimate relationship with the Lord through prayer,  praise and worship in the secret place – trust in the Lord and know what it is to find refuge in Him.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day in the United States. You can say what you will about MLK Jr. He wasn’t a perfect man, but what he did have was a knowledge of the Lord God that developed in him an unwavering trust in the Lord God. He was a man who knew what it was to be persecuted and oppressed, but he was also a man who knew what it was to find refuge in God in the midst of the oppression and distress. Out of that place of refuge… out of that high and safe place… from that vantage point he had in Christ, he was able to see beyond himself and have a God-sized dream. Because he found refuge in the Lord, he was able to lead others out of oppression and into victory, singing the songs of hope along the way. For those of you who feel dejected… who have been persecuted… who are being oppressed – know that God does not forget your cries. Trust in Him. Take refuge in Him, and let Him lead you out of oppression and into freedom and victory through faith in Christ His son.

Psalms: “I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous works. I will rejoice and boast about you; I will sing about your name, Most High. When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my just cause; you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations: You have destroyed the wicked; you have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin; you have uprooted the cities, and the very memory of them has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for judgment. And he judges the world with righteousness; he executes judgment on the nations with fairness.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭9:1-8‬ ‭CSB)

This psalm of David was written in response to a victory or series of victories against the enemy nations that surrounded Israel. In this psalm, David lifted up praise and thanksgiving and celebrated God’s justice. David did not boast in himself and his feats. He boasted in the Lord and His wonderful works. David’s confidence was not is his own military strength and military strategy. His confidence was in his eternal and unshakable God, the Lord Most High. El Elyon (God Most High) was the Name that Abram (Abraham) worshiped and honored after a decisive victory, and that was Who David worshiped and honored here. El Elyon is the God of all gods… the Lord of all lords… the King of all kings – the highest and most supreme One of all. David knew that over the course of time, kingdoms would rise and fall, but the Lord would remain enthroned forever… and His throne is an everlasting throne of righteousness and justice. With the Lord seated on His throne, wickedness will not last forever. The enemy will come to eternal ruin and wickedness will be erased forever. Just like David of old, we can place our confidence in the Lord God Most High and know that whoever may ascend and descend in leadership over our nation and the nations of the world, God remains seated on His throne of righteousness and justice forever.

Proverbs: “Maintain sound wisdom and discretion. My son, don’t lose sight of them. They will be life for you and adornment for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way; your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant. Don’t fear sudden danger or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from a snare.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:21-26‬ ‭CSB)

Maintain sound wisdom and discretion. Sound wisdom is wisdom that is free from error, fallacy, flaw or defect. Truly sound wisdom can only come from Wisdom Himself: the Lord God. Discretion is discernment that allows you to see through the craftiness, fraud, deception, and snares of the enemy. All-knowing and all-seeing discretion can only come from the One Who knows and sees all: The Lord God. When we make the Lord our Lord through faith and obedience, The Lord becomes our Light to see through even the deepest darkness, and our salvation to rescue us from the snares and pitfalls that lie in our way. When we make the Lord our Lord through faith and obedience, we abide in Him and His word abides in us through the Holy Spirit… and through His Holy Spirit, He graces us with His sound wisdom and His discretion. When we make the Lord our Lord through faith and obedience, we can be confident because the Lord God Most High rules our life and leads our way.

NT: “Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship. For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭27:22-25‬ ‭CSB)

As Paul, a prisoner of Rome, headed to stand before Caesar, he and the soldiers that were guarding him boarded a ship headed for Italy. It was late in the year (a risky time to sail) and Paul advised them to wait until spring, when the weather was more agreeable – but the owner of the ship, the ship’s captain, and the Roman centurion ignored Paul’s advice and set sail anyway. Just a few days into their voyage, they encountered a powerful nor’easter. For two weeks, they were driven by the storm, severely storm-tossed, and risked either the ship being broken apart by the fierce winds or swamped and sunk by the enormous waves. In an effort to stay afloat, the crew of the ship threw all of the cargo and tackle overboard. When it seemed all was lost, and all hope was gone, God sent an angel to Paul with a word of encouragement. It was necessary and part of God’s plan for Paul to make it to Rome and stand before Caesar… so… even though the ship would be lost, Paul and all who were with him would survive.

Sinking ships and life-threatening storms do not scare God one bit. God’s purposes are not derailed by natural disasters or foolhardy choices made by self-serving people. Though turbulent times may rage all around us… though the string winds of political correctness may try to blow us off course… though it may seem we are riding a sinking ship, if we belong to God and are faithfully serving Him, we have no reason to fear. His purposes will come to pass and the specific plans He has for our lives will be fulfilled… and we may just lead other people to salvation along the way. We just need to place our faith in Him and believe and obey His word. Our magnificent God is Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign over all.

Psalms: “From the mouths of infants and nursing babies, you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries in order to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet… Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:2-6, 9‬ ‭CSB)

When you stop and consider just how magnificent… how wonderful… how amazing… how awesome our God is, it boggles the mind to think that He would place so much into the hands of feeble, imperfect, made-from-dust humanity. Yet the fate of the cosmos flows through us. As vast, unsearchable, and ever-expanding as the universe is, God’s eye is focused on this minuscule third rock from the sun – and on humanity in particular. You see, God created us for a grand purpose. We aren’t, as evolutionary biology would say, a little more evolved than the rest of the animal kingdom. We are created by God, in His likeness, to be directly subordinate under Him as overseers and caretakers of this earth and partakers in God’s divine plan to conquer Satan (and all that he represents) once and for all. God has chosen, in His vast wisdom, to show forth His magnificence and glory through weak and frail creatures who place their full faith in Him. God has established His plan on humanity, and with each cry of a new born baby… in the sounds of children being raised to maturity, God silences the efforts of His enemies as they grow more and more desperate in the face of their inevitable fait. Why do you think Satan moved on the heart of Pharaoh to slaughter the infants and children of Israel? He was trying to prevent Moses from arriving. Why do you think Satan moved on the heart of Herod to slaughter the infants and children of Bethlehem? He was trying to prevent the New Moses, Jesus the Messiah from entering the world. Why do you think Satan has moved on the hearts of humanity to abort so many before they even have the opportunity to cry out? Because God’s plan of redemption lies in the hands of people who will place their faith in Him and accomplish His purpose of covering the earth with His glory by grace through faith… and with every cry of a new born baby, there is a reminder of the sure hope we have in our Magnificent God.

Proverbs: “The Lord founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By his knowledge the watery depths broke open, and the clouds dripped with dew.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:19-20‬ ‭CSB)

Hebrews chapter 11 explains, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible… Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:3, 6‬ ‭CSB). Through God’s wisdom, understanding, and knowledge the earth, with all it’s natural resources and laws of nature, was created to sustain life in general and humanity in particular. – in order to fulfill His grand purposes and show Himself strong through those who place their faith on Him. Without faith, we are merely creatures living a futile life, only to die in obscurity. Without faith we cannot see the grandness of God’s design nor understand His ever progressing purposes and the part we play in all of it. But with faith in God (not in ourselves and our meager intellect), we see what can’t be seen and we understand what can’t be definitively proven by natural means. By faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, we please God and are allowed to approach the God who dwells in magnificence and unapproachable light, through the Son by the Holy Spirit. By faith, as we please Him, approach Him, and seek Him, He rewards us with grace… and wrapped up in that grace is His wisdom, by which we know and understand and fulfill His purposes. It all begins with faith.

Psalms: “Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth! You have covered the heavens with your majesty.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:1‬ ‭CSB)

God’s splendor, majesty, eminence and glory has been set and displayed throughout the universe above – yet the Lord God especially desires the excellence, the greatness, the magnificence, the power and might, and the glory of His name to be seen and known throughout the earth. That responsibility has been given to humanity. That was the primary and preeminent commission that God gave to man before the fall… and after the fall, it is the primary and preeminent commission that He has given to His faithful worshippers and disciples. How do we make God’s magnificence and the knowledge of His glory known throughout the earth? Quite simply, by making The Lord (Jehovah) our Lord and Master.

Proverbs: “Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:16-18‬ ‭CSB)

In the midst of the Garden of Eden was the Tree of Life. That tree was created by God and placed in the garden to supply Adam and Eve with everlasting and sustaining life. As long as they fed on the supply that God provided for them, they would not lack for anything they needed. However, there was another tree in the garden: the tree of the knowledge of good, and also of evil. The devil, Satan the accuser, deceived mankind into rejecting the Tree of Life for the tree of knowledge – telling them that by eating of that tree, they would no longer be dependent on God: they would have self-knowledge… they would have their own understanding… their eyes would be opened to see what was really going on behind the scenes… they would see beyond God’s grand conspiracy to keep them blind to the “full truth.” As we all know, Adam and Eve took the bait and fell for Satan’s deception. Once they ate of the tree of knowledge, they knew goodness (because they had experienced it in their life-giving relationship with God), but they unleashed and became intimately familiar with all kinds of evil. They lost their access to the Tree of Life, and for the rest of their lives had to eek out a living via their own extremely limited resources.

In all the years that have passed since then, Satan hasn’t really changed his game plan. He still accuses God and baits people with independence and alternate or additional “truth” …and we consistently take the bait and fall for the deception. Instead of filling the earth with the goodness, magnificence, and glory of God – in our own wisdom, we fill the earth with disorder, confusion, and every evil thing. We don’t have to buy into Satan’s lie… we don’t have to take the bait and fall into deception. We can reject the “tree of knowledge” and submit to the Lordship of God and His Son Jesus Christ instead. Through obedience by grace through faith, we can allow God’s word to abide in us as we abide in Jesus the Vine and Source of New Life. We can reject the wisdom of the world, which is in essence godless and demonic, and receive the wisdom of God instead. Then God’s wisdom becomes to us, a tree of life: blessing us with every spiritual blessing, including a long, abundant, and fruitful life that glorifies God to the rest of the world.

Psalms: “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day. If anyone does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has strung his bow and made it ready. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he tips his arrows with fire. See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit. He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made. His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head. I will thank the Lord for his righteousness; I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7:10-17‬ ‭CSB)

David wrote this psalm in response to being falsely accused by Cush the Benjamite. Earlier in this psalm, David submitted himself to God’s judgement – asking God to show him if there wer any truth to the accusations… if he had any responsibility in the matter, and to discipline him accordingly if he was found guilty. Though David feared the Lord, he was not afraid to lay his life open before the Lord, because he knew God to be a completely good and completely righteous judge. He also knew that God was slow to anger and quick to forgive, provided David acknowledged his sin and repented to God. The Bible teaches that it is God’s goodness and kindness (not His wrath) that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4-6). When God judges us righteously and convicts us of our sin, we can confess and repent safely knowing that He is good and kind… and by confessing and repenting, we experience the kindness and goodness of God as He forgives us, shows us mercy, and blesses us with grace. On the other hand, we can reject God’s kindness, harden our hearts and refuse to repent. On those who reject the opportunity to repent, the Righteous Judge will pass His righteous judgement. It may not happen immediately – for sometimes, in His mercy and love, God leaves that window of opportunity open for quite a while. But that window doesn’t stay open forever… and when it closes, the judged will receive their just judgement, the wicked will fall into their own traps, and those who hardened their hearts against God will receive what they earned. We have actually seen this played out before our eyes in recent days, and I suspect we will continue to see God’s just judgement meted out for some time to come. God is both good and awesomely fearful. Better to receive His goodness now, than to experience the awesomeness of His righteous and justifiable wrath later. Submit your life to the Righteous Judge and place your faith in His goodness. Acknowledge your sin and repent… and know that in Him, as you remain upright through Him, you will be safe.

Proverbs: “Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire can equal her.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:13-15‬ ‭CSB)

Wisdom is found in humility, not arrogance. Wisdom is found in the multitude of counsel, not in independent thinking. Wisdom is found in utter dependence on the Lord, not in self-reliance. The United States was founded on the belief that the pursuit of happiness is an inalienable right given to us by God. How ironic it is, that the way Americans pursue happiness is through arrogance, independent thinking, and self-reliance. The same God who gave us the right to pursue happiness has also given us the way to find happiness – and it is not the American way. Godly happiness is found by obtaining Godly wisdom and understanding – and that is found through humility, dependence on God, and mutual submission to proven, faithful, and godly people.

NT: “In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities. I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:9-19‬ ‭CSB)

At one point in his life, I’m sure Paul viewed himself as a patriot of sorts, likening himself to the Ezras and Nehemiahs of old who passionately rooted out unrighteousness and dealt with it firmly and convincingly. He believed Jesus of Nazareth to be a false prophet who died a humiliating and cursed death. He viewed this new sect of Jesus-followers as a threat to Israel’s sanctity and was indignantly (righteously in his mind) against them. So convinced was he of the righteous nature of his cause, he used unscrupulous methods to bring the followers of the way to justice – believing firmly that the end justified the means. Yet Paul is not respected for his righteous indignation and his efforts to preserve the sanctity of Israel. Paul is respected for how quickly and completely he repented when confronted by the Lord.  Paul is respected for how humbly he laid aside his own causes and love for country to wholeheartedly pursue the purposes of the Lord… purposes that would lead him to minister to people he once considered his enemy and people he once considered beneath his attention. Paul was storming down a path that was righteous in his mind when The Lord confronted him and told him he was wrong. Once Paul was shown the error of his ways, he humbled himself and repented – and for the rest of His life, he did not stray from the heavenly vision.

As I read this story this morning, the thought that came to mind was this: In our current tumultuous environment where so many are “righteously” indignant about so many different things – on both sides of the political spectrum; if the Lord confronted us in the midst of our white-hot passion, would we respond the way Paul responded, or would we ignore the instruction and discipline of the Lord and keep storming down our self-made paths. So many are convinced that they are right and others are wrong. Have we taken the time to ask the Lord what His thoughts are? Have we taken the time to ask the Lord what He is doing? Have we taken the time to ask Him what we should be doing, where we should be spending our time, and what we should be focusing our efforts on? For me personally, I would hate to be so committed to a cause that I would storm right past the Lord and completely miss what He is doing, and miss out on His efforts to reconcile a lost world to Himself. Lord, I welcome Your instruction. Search me, know me, show me.

Psalms: “Lord my God, I seek refuge in you; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, or they will tear me like a lion, ripping me apart with no one to rescue me. Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice on my hands, if I have done harm to one at peace with me or have plundered my adversary without cause, may an enemy pursue and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust. Selah” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

This psalm was written by David in response to the words of Cush the Benjamite. Cush was one of the members of Saul’s court who apparently twisted the truth and falsely accused David in some way to gain King Saul‘s favor. David was justifiably angry. He had been wronged. He wanted the truth to be known, the false accusations disproven, and his enemies brought to justice. David was confident in his innocence, but he wasn’t arrogant. He wanted to make sure that he hadn’t done anything to contribute to the mess he was in. So in trust and humility, David opened up his life before the Lord and made himself vulnerable – asking the Lord if he had any culpability – willing to receive any discipline that he needed. And then he waited… selah… for the Lord to respond. Before David demanded justice, he wanted to make sure he was walking justly before the Lord and according to His standards. He didn’t trust completely in his own judgement, so He asked the Lord for His. He desired to please the Lord, so he willingly and humbly opened his life to God’s instruction and discipline… and he was blessed because of it.

Proverbs: “Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:11-12‬ ‭CSB)

When my children were younger, there was so much about the world that they didn’t know… so much about the world that they didn’t understand, and they relied on my wisdom to help them understand what they didn’t know… to point them in the right direction when they didn’t know where to go… to correct them when they were wrong. I instructed them, corrected them, and disciplined them because I loved them and was committed to their growth, their maturity, and their success in life. I wasn’t committed to what they wanted. I was committed to what was best for them. My children are now adults. They are respected in the circles they live in and contribute far more than they take… all because they didn’t despise my instruction as they were growing up. The Lord is the same way with us. Though we may be adults in biological age, there is so much that we don’t know, don’t see, don’t fully understand. It is easy for us to lose our way or jump into something with limited understanding and foresight. While our Lord loves us, He is not committed to our comfort or our causes. He is committed to our growth, maturity, and success in life. He is committed to seeing His purposes for our lives come to fruition. The only way to live life fully and be all that we were created to be, is to humbly open our lives to God’s instruction and discipline… and be willing to lay down our causes and desires when they conflict with His.

NT: “Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭26:1-7‬ ‭CSB)

Two years after Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and held captive in Caesarea, Felix’s term as procurator ended and transitioned to Porcius Festus. With a new Governor in place, the Jews in Jerusalem attempted once again to gain custody of Paul so that they could put him to death. After defending himself before Festus , instead of being remanded to the Jews, Paul made an appeal to Caesar. Festus agreed to have Paul sent to Rome to stand before Caesar, but he needed charges that would hold up in Roman court. Shortly after, King Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice made a state visit to Festus. While they were there, Festus decided to seek Agrippa’s advice on what charges to apply to Paul’s case. So once again, Paul gave his defense… and in giving his defense, he shared the gospel.

Paul’s defense was that he had done nothing wrong, and that the only accusation against him was his belief in the hope promised of God and foretold by the prophets. The hope that he had was the hope of Israel. What was that hope that he refused to deny? Specifically, Paul’s hope was in a bodily resurrection, but the hope of Paul and the hope of all Israel went far deeper than just a bodily resurrection. The hope of Israel was the hope of an eternal inheritance. Psalm 2 spoke of an Anointed One to come who would be known as the Son of God. God the Father would give the Anointed Son the inheritance of the nations of the earth, and through the Son would come God’s justice. Paul and the Pharisees believed in a bodily resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous alike (Acts 24:15), but the promised hope of an eternal inheritance was only available to the righteous. God’s judgement awaited the unrighteous. That is why Paul stated that the Pharisees and a remnant comprised of all Israel strived night and day to serve God and be found righteous… all for the hope of an eternal inheritance. Hebrews chapter 11 lists generation after generation of people who remained faithful to the Lord, but died never having received the promise of God… but died in hopes of a bodily resurrection by which they would receive their inheritance. There is one big glaring issue with this hope, and that is around the reality of righteousness. Mankind as a race is stained and infected with sin, and is incapable of living a holy and righteous life. No one in the human race can earn righteousness. Righteousness can only be given by God. The only way that humanity can be made righteous is to be made new… spiritually reborn into a sinless state. In Ezekiel 37, the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a vast army of bones being made alive again… and then brought to life by being filled with the very Spirit of God… saved, cleansed, and able to receive the inheritance promised to them.

Paul came to realize that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Anointed Son of God that would receive the promised inheritance from the Father. He believed that Jesus was born into humanity but was not born from sinful man… that He was the offspring of a virgin woman (Genesis 3:15) and conceived by the Holy Spirit. He believed that Jesus lived a sinless life and thus could be a satisfactory sacrifice to pay for the sins of the human race. He believed, that through Jesus’ death, the debt of sin was paid in full… but Paul also believed that Jesus rose from the dead bodily, defeated the power of sin and death, and ascended into heaven to receive the inheritance promised to Him from long before. Paul believed that by placing faith in both the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, he and anyone else would have their prior record expunged, would be dead to their former sinful selves, and would be made into spiritually new creations that were alive and empowered for righteousness by the very Holy Spirit of God. Paul believed that because Jesus was resurrected bodily, he would be resurrected bodily… and because through Christ his sinfulness was removed; by faith in Christ, he would rise one day to receive the joint inheritance that was promised. Paul had the same hope that all Israel hoped for… but Paul’s hope wasn’t simply a promise passed down over generations of faithful people. Paul’s hope was a present reality. Paul’s hope was alive and seated at the right hand of God the Father… and Paul’s hope had a guarantee that was abiding in him in the form of the Holy Spirit of God. For that sure hope, Paul was willing to live his life and give his life – which is why he said, “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” We can have that same sure hope through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Psalms: “Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking; my whole being is shaken with terror. And you, Lord — how long? Turn, Lord! Rescue me; save me because of your faithful love. For there is no remembrance of you in death; who can thank you in Sheol?” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭6:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

Psalm 6 is a penitential psalm in which sin (either personal or corporate) is recognized as the source of trial and affliction. Penitential psalms express sorrow for sin and a desire to confess and repent to be made whole and clean. Whatever the situation was that David found himself in, it caused him to be sick with worry and shaken with fear. He felt abandoned by the Lord and surmised that he had done something deserving of God’s displeasure. The Bible does say that God disciplines or chastises those He loves, just as a good and loving father will discipline his children and not let them get away with doing whatever they want. Good and loving discipline is given to help someone grow in maturity: to correct them when they have done something wrong, to teach them a needed lesson, to shape their character, and prepare them for challenges that will come later in life. No one enjoys discipline, and it is apparent that David was not enjoying his. He asks the Lord, “How long?” A good parent will allow the discipline to last until the lesson is learned. How quickly we learn the lesson and repent from our immaturity and/or sin determines how long the discipline will last.

Many people do not see discipline as coming from a loving Father – they see it as an attack from the enemy. They reject the discipline and refuse to humble themselves and learn the lesson. David’s first move wasn’t to defensively lash out in anger. His first move was to humble himself before the Lord and ask for mercy. I believe that the church in the U.S. is undergoing a season of discipline from her loving Father. Our Father is not content to allow us to continue living our lives in immaturity. Our Father is much more committed to our maturity and growth than He is to our comfort. There are challenges in our future that we need to be strengthened to overcome by faith. If we continue living our version of the Americanized gospel, we will not be able to withstand the trials and tribulations to come, but will instead be overcome by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Instead of assuming that we are under attack and respond with an immovable defensive position of anger and vitriol, we need to first submit ourselves to the Lord and ask Him to show us what this is all for. We need to allow Him to expose in us all that is unholy, that we may repent and grow in maturity and strength. If there is an aspect of attack against us, He will show us that as well… and give us the grace in Him to overcome it. For me personally, the Lord (through His Holy Spirit) has revealed areas in my life where I need to grow in maturity… where I need to learn to be content and at peace in the Lord and His abiding presence… where I need to place my faith even more fully in Him. As I look at my life this past year, very little has been attack. Most has been discipline… and I choose to repent, learn my lesson, and live in the peace and protection of the Lord.

Proverbs: “Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:7-8‬ ‭CSB)

As I look and consider the current climate of the nation, and more specifically, the climate of the American “evangelical”church, much of the wisdom pervading the airwaves and the inter-webs is not Godly. The Apostle James said this about Godly wisdom: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace” (James‬ ‭3:17-18‬ ‭CSB). Over the past year, and greatly increasing over the past few months it has become increasingly difficult to reason with one another. A spirit of distrust has pervaded our land where wisdom and sound reasoning has been rejected and replaced with personal wisdom and personal truth. It seems that everyone doubts everything and individuals are resigned to trust only in their “inside scoop.” Everyone has their own version of what is really going on behind all the conspiracies and cover-ups. Earlier in James’ epistle, he wrote this: “Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice” (‭‭James‬ ‭3:13-16‬ ‭CSB). Regretably, I don’t see a lot of gentleness and good conduct coming from Christians on social media. What I do see is a lot of bitter envy, boasting, and a denying of the truth. It is no wonder then that we are experiencing so much disorder and evil. While many on every side of the issues have some role in the current state of our nation, we “Christians” cannot simply point the finger and blame everything on the devil and the “other party.” If anything, we the church are the ones that are called to fill our sphere of influence with the wisdom from above and overcome the corrupt and unspiritual wisdom of the world. The arenas we frequent should be at peace when we arrive as ambassadors of the Kingdom – not wrought up with more disorder and anger after we engage. We need to heed this advice from Proverbs: Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord, turn away from and reject evil, and be filled with the pure wisdom that comes from above. It is only by pure and peaceable wisdom from above that we will be healed for today and strengthened for tomorrow.

Psalms: “But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you. Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me. For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues. Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you. For you, Lord, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5:7-12‬ ‭CSB)

Psalm 5 is categorized as a lament psalm. Psalms of lament focus on expressing deep sorrow for personal or corporate travails and asking God for intervention. My pastor describes lament psalms in this way: lament psalms speak the truth to God and speak the truth about God. Lament psalms begin by honestly describing the discouraging and challenging situations that are being faced and honestly pouring out the feelings that are involved. But the psalms don’t stay in lament. After the truth is spoken to God, the psalmist always lifts his focus to God and ends the psalm in praise, hope, and expectation. This psalm is no different. In the first six verses, David laments to God, saying, “Lord, listen to me and consider my groans and sighs… pay attention as I cry out to You.” The timbre changes in verse 7. David stated earlier that the boastful could not stand in God’s presence – but then He says, “But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down and worship You in reverential awe.” David was surrounded by boastful, arrogant, and treacherous people. He didn’t know who he could trust. He didn’t know who he could go to for sound advice. He was at a loss for what to do. (Sound familiar to the current state of the world?) But he knew that if he humbled himself in reverence to the Lord… if he placed his trust in the Lord’s goodness, faithful love and mercy, he could go to God. So in humility and complete dependence on God, David said, “Lead me in Your righteousness and make Your straight way abundantly clear to me. I can’t trust the voices of those who surround me, but I can trust in You.” David trusted that those who were motivated by their own gain and were manipulating others unto their own benefit would eventually fall by their own schemes… all the while knowing that those who took refuge in the Lord and lived according to His purposes and glory, would be protected and blessed.

It is challenging in these days to know who to trust – to know what news is true and what news is just spun propaganda and fear mongering. It is difficult to know who is being rational and who is being swept up in the vitriol of the day. It is ok to pour your heart and feelings out to the Lord. God doesn’t expect you to know everything and have everything figured out. He doesn’t want you to be ruggedly independent. He actually wants you to come to Him with your fears, your doubts, and your insecurities and pour them out honestly before Him. But don’t stay there. Remind yourself of Who God is. Humbly come before Him in all your not-knowing and ascribe to Him all that is true of Him. If you ask Him, he will lead you in righteousness. He will lead you on the straight path to truth. He will help you navigate around all the self-serving talk and fake news. He will lead you, surround you, protect you, and bless you. But you have to come and bow before Him instead of trying to will yourself through the mess and confusion on your own.

Proverbs: “My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being. Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:1-6‬ ‭CSB)

View this passage from Proverbs as God the Father speaking to you, His beloved child. In all the instability and uncertainty that permeates the world right now, don’t forget My teaching and don’t forsake My commands. Don’t give your heart and your trust to the voices in the world, but remain loyal and faithful to Me, your loving Father. Don’t rely on your own understanding, for your understanding is extremely short-sighted and limited at best. Trust in Me with all your heart. Know Me… know my character, know my goodness, know my faithfulness, know my love – and let all your ways line up with Who I am. If you do that, I will work in you by My grace to will and do the things which are good, righteous, and pleasing to Me. I will lead you on the straight path to light and truth.