The Chief Shepherd's Care

Lessons from Psalms: 19

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

In John 10 Jesus said, “The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” That was fulfilled in Psalm 22. Psalm 23 pictures the Good Shepherd caring for His sheep. As we are saved through His shed blood and assured of eternal life by His resurrection, we can also be certain that our Shepherd is not done caring for us. As Paul said in Romans 8, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all good things?” Here is the Father sending the Great Shepherd of Hebrews 13 to work in and for the care of His sheep.

Look at all the “good things” that the Great Shepherd provides for us in Psalm 23. He gives us sufficiency, daily fresh supply, rest, restoration, guidance, security, His presence, His Holy Spirit, abundance, companionship and eternity. Any one of those things would be a pretty tall order. The world cannot offer the assurance of any of them, but the risen Good Shepherd, now the Chief Shepherd of our souls, provides them all. So God gives us all “good things” through our wonderful Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, Thank You for sending Your Son to be our Shepherd both to die for us and then to daily care for us. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

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Happy Thanksgiving

     Now thank we all our God
     With heart and hands and voices
     Who wondrous things hath done
     In whom the world rejoices.
     Who from our mother's arms
     Has blessed us on our way
     With countless gifts of love
     And still is ours today.         (Martin Rinkart)

     This beautiful hymn, one of the most popular of all Thanksgiving hymns was written in a time of great tragedy. The 30 Years War raged across Germany from 1618-1648. Between half and two thirds of the population of Germany was killed by famine, disease, starvation or direct acts of war. Martin Rinkart was a pastor in a walled city, a place that was considered to be a haven. Instead it was a death trap as it was overrun by three armies. Inside the city there were the problems of starvation and plague. In one year Pastor Rinkart performed over 5000 funerals. He was the last surviving pastor in the city. One of those funerals was for his wife.
     In the midst of this series of calamities he wrote "Now Thank We All Our God". He knew that it wasn't just the size of the house or bank account for which we are to be thankful. He knew that it wasn't just because the turkey smelled great and all the family could gather that we are supposed to be thankful. We are thankful because God sent His Son to save us. We are thankful because our loving God always loves us with an everlasting love.
     Pastor Rinkart knew this. On this Thanksgiving Day let us remember that for which we are truly most thankful. Let us give God all the praise and glory. The psalmist said, O give thanks unto the Lord, for His mercy is everlasting. Indeed it is. Thank you heavenly Father for your gift of love to us each day.

The Crucifixion was not an Accident

Lessons from Psalms: 18

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Psalm 22:1

The book of Psalms contains many different kinds of psalms. There are psalms of praise, lament, imprecation, edification and prophesy. Psalm 2 was clearly a prophetic psalm declaring the nature of God’s Son and His crucifixion at the hands of both the Jews and the gentiles. Psalm 21 is a portrayal of His crucifixion and His resurrection. The details of the crucifixion are quoted repeatedly in the Gospel accounts. They begin with the cry of Christ on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” This cry is the echo of the cry of Christ’s earthly ancestor King David. They are the cry of the King of the Jews on the Cross.

We would often like to bypass the true agony of Christ for our sins, but this psalm gives its ugly picture quite clearly. We see the pierced hands and feet. We see the mocking crowds who should have received Him as their king. We see the gaunt body with all its bones sticking out. We feel the agony of the parched mouth and the humiliation of the cross. We see the mockery of the soldiers as they gamble for His clothes. It is not a very pretty psalm, but it is an accurate one. One thousand years before Christ’s crucifixion, David completely captured the event in this psalm. But it doesn’t end there. It also tells of His resurrection as Christ lives again to declare God’s name to the disciples and give praise to God in the midst of His followers. The cross wasn’t an accident or an unexpected event. It was the will of God for our salvation.

Dear Father, Thank You for the consistency of Your word and the promises it gives that cannot be broken. Amen.

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Think in These Things

Lessons from Psalms: 17

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord.” Psalm 19:14

Someone might get the idea that I really like the 19^th Psalm. They would not be mistaken. It begins with a clear declaration of the reality of God as demonstrated in His work.  Paul echoes this in Romans 1 where he says “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” Then the 19^th Psalm presents the bouquet of God’s word and establishes it as the means to know God and be saved and do His will. Paul echoes this sentiment in II Timothy 3 where he says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable.”

God’s creation and His word are like two verses of a beautiful hymn. Verse 14 is the chorus. Since we have God revealed in His creation and in His word, what is the meditation of our hearts? All that we could ever need or hope for is contained in what God has given. Therefore, let our meditations be on that which is truly blessed and will be a true blessing. Our hearts can always find true food, true peace and true assurance when we have meditation that is acceptable in His sight.

Dear Father, Thank You for direction for joy and peace in our life. Amen. 

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God's Daily Banquet for Us

Lessons from Psalms: 16

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7

Would you like a concise explanation of the value of God’s word? Look in Psalm 19 and check out these descriptive terms: perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true and righteous. Then consider what these seven descriptions can work in the world today. The can: convert the soul, make us wise, rejoice our heart, give us understanding, warn us and last us for eternity. More than that they have great value: better than gold, sweeter than honey and bring great reward.

The average American home has over 2.5 Bibles but according to statistics they are seldom used or read. This banquet of ideas and benefits that God has described should be one that is truly hard to pass up. Most of us wouldn’t pass by a buffet of fried chicken, roast ham, mashed potatoes, heavily frosted cakes, fragrant fruit pies, bread pudding and ice cream. We would stop and eat, especially since it is free. Yet everyday millions of believers walk right past just such a feast and grow weaker and weaker in spiritual hunger every day. But praise be to God, the banquet is always open and we are always welcome to feast and be blessed.

Dear Father, Thank You for the feast of Your word and the blessings and hope that it gives to us. Amen.

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The Stars Declare Their Maker's Praise

Lessons from Psalms: 15

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the earth shows His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

The skeptic and the atheist look up into the night sky and ask, “How did this all begin?” Then they draw their false conclusion that it was a giant accident. They see the perfect order of the heavens and only see the chaos of a giant explosion. They see the stars that have guided sailors for millennia but only see random chance in motion. They see the work of God but deny Him in their delusion of self importance.

The Christian has a better view of the sky without the most powerful telescopes available to man. They have the eyes of God to see what is really there. There is pattern and symmetry and continuity and beauty. We see the creative God the Father maker of heaven and earth. We see the fixed promises of God that have proven seeds of hope to multiple generations of mankind. We see strength to make it and wisdom to make it right. To assure Abraham of God’s promises, He told him to look at the stars. To assure all mankind of who He is and why He alone is worthy of worship and praise He tells us all to look at the stars. They declare Him!

Dear Father, Thank You for the visual effects that declare our Maker’s praise. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

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The Week-long Psalm

Lessons from Psalms: 14

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2

Of course, since the prosperity gospel preachers are really telling the truth, we really don’t need this verse of great promises. But since they are not telling the truth and are false teachers who wound many souls, then we all need every single promise from Psalm 18:2. This could be called the “week-long psalm” because it contains security for every day of the week. There are seven powerful assurances of God’s care for His children.

When the waves of life beat against us we have a rock that will not move. When Satan sends his forces against us we have a fortress that cannot be assailed. When we become captive to our own lust we have a deliverer who will set us free. When we are weak we have the God who is strong. When we are in doubt we have someone we can absolutely trust. When we face a direct assault from our adversary we have a shield that cannot be bent or broken. When we are lost and hopeless Christ points us to His cross and says I am the way of salvation. When panic overtakes our feeble ability to cope with life, He is the panic room where we are safe. This is our God who is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day.

Dear Father, Thank You for being our sure support and defense every single day. Amen. 

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Christ Alone is Our Righteousness

Lessons in Psalms: 13

“You are my Lord. My goodness is nothing apart from You.” Psalm 16:2

One day two men went into the temple. One of them walked boldly to the front and said, “Look at me, God, I do what you ask. I even go above and beyond what others do. I am not like that guy cowering in the back who doesn’t obey you.” The second man told God only one thing. “God, I am a sinner”. Then he asked God one thing. “Be merciful to me.” Jesus said that guy number two had it right. If we always compare ourselves with ourselves we will never come up short. But there is a higher standard. God said, “Be ye holy, for I am holy”.

By God’s measure we will come up short. We sin and break His holy laws. We want our own way and not His pure way. We love this world more than the next. Paul summed it up in Romans 3 where he said, “There is none righteous, no not one.” But Christ died for the unrighteous and offers them His righteousness instead. Those who know Christ are now righteous in Him and can say with the psalmist, “My goodness is nothing apart from You.”

Dear Father, Thank You for sending Your Son to become our unrighteousness that we might become His righteousness before You. Amen.

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The Foolish Response

Lessons from Psalms: 12

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’.” Psalm 14:1

By the definition of this verse there are not very many foolish people. People all over the world say they believe in a god. Some of them try to equate their god with God; but at every turn the comparison fails. They would still say, however, that they believe in God. If we were to boil down the numbers of people who actually don’t believe in a god, then we would be left with few foolish people in the world. If we were to take away those who believe in pagan gods who do not equal God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth, then the number of fools would greatly increase. But what if we take another look at this verse?

In Bibles that are literal translations we find that two words in this verse are in italics meaning that they have been added by the translator. Those words are “There is”. So, without those words the verse reads, “The fools says in his heart, “No, God”. Now how many people does that include? How many times do we say “No” to God when He tells us what to do? How many times do we say, “No” to God when He calls upon us to hear His still small voice? David says that it is foolish to say “No” to God at any time. Let us not act foolishly. Let us listen to God and say with Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant is listening.”

Dear Father, We thank You that You do speak to us in Your word. Help us to act wisely and listen to what You say and then do it. Amen. 

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The Bible Stands

Lessons from Psalms: 11

“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.” Psalm 12:6-7

There is an old hymn that goes, “The Bible stands like a rock undaunted through the raging storms of time; its pages burn with the truth eternal and they glow with the light sublime.” Psalm 12 assures us that God’s word is enduring. It is tested and proven and He preserves its integrity. If anyone wants to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, all they have to do is open up Holy Scriptures and it will be right in front of them. As Isaiah 40 tells us, “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

We are constantly bombarded in our lives with a smorgasbord of ideas. This is the right way, no this one is, no they are both wrong and we have the right one. We are confronted with outright liars who say that God didn’t mean what He said and they have the newest inside scoop on His thinking. The noise from all these voices becomes such a cacophonous din that our heads begin to spin. Relax and open the eternal, preserved word of God and be refreshed by the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Dear Father, Thank You for giving us Your eternal and true word for our guidance and wisdom each day. Amen. 

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Anti-Christs Among Us

Lessons from Psalms: 10

“The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” Psalm 11:4

In First John, the beloved Apostle, warns us of many anti-Christs that will come into the world and are already here. The Christian community has too strong a focus on the one Anti-Christ who will come to defy Christ’s return. While he will come and be the epitome of wickedness, he isn’t the only anti-Christ. There are many today who come and say that they believe in Jesus or are Christians but who are anti-Christs. They try to unseat Christ from His rightful place of full authority and adulation. They want to deny His right to His status as God. They want to disrupt His laws and replace them with ones that say sin is right and righteousness is wrong. When they do this within the framework of the name of Christ; they are anti-Christs.

But, there is good news. The Lord is in His holy temple. He cannot be moved. He is not threatened by all the false assumptions of man and false messiahs, whether political or religious, that try to upend His eternal rule. God, Psalm 2 says, sits in heaven and laughs at them. This is good news for those who get so concerned about the work of the anti-Christs. These false Christs will not prevail in the eternal realm. While they try to prevail in our temporal realm we are to be busy doing what is best for eternity and not become obsessed with what will perish. The Lord is in His holy temple and we can confidently depend on His help each day to do His work for eternity.

Dear Father, We rejoice in the certainty that You cannot be moved by all the schemes of man. Help us to concentrate on eternal work and not be dismayed by the scheming of the anti-Christs among us. Amen.  

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

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God Declares the Doom of the Wicked

Lessons from Psalms: 9

“The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God.” Psalm 9:17

About eighty percent of American citizens today identify themselves as “Christian”. The number of Americans who say they believe the Bible is true, however, is only thirty percent. That is an unfortunate gap in theology. Christian means “follower of Christ” and Christ said the Bible is altogether true. His professed followers aren’t nearly as sure as He was. Another statistic about biblical beliefs is the issue of hell. Just a little over half of all Americans believe in it even though Christ talked more about it than heaven. Most everyone wants to believe in heaven because it is a better option than what Jesus actually warned about.

The reality is that Jesus, Peter, John (the apostle of love), Paul, and the rest of the biblical authors all believed in hell. They did so because God’s word says it is true. He warned about the dire consequences when nations forget that God is real and true. God said that He would turn such nations into hell. Every nation that forgets that God is true, His word is true, His law is true and that His Son is true are playing with fire, literally hell fire. As His children we should be concerned for the eternal souls of these people and “pull them out of the fire” as Jude said to do. We shouldn’t just mock their ignorance or gloat at their end, we should love and care for and reach our nation and world for Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, We thank You for Your true word and ask that we would think more like You toward a nation that is perishing and teetering on the brink of hell. Amen.

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No, Never Alone

Lessons in Psalms: 8

“For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:10

What were Jesus’ last words to His followers who were gathered in Matthew 28? His last words were, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” What absolute comfort we can draw from this promise. What great hope it gives to us in times of trial. What assurance of His love is provided for all who believe what He says! He said simply, “Don’t despair, I’m there.”

Psalm 139 amplifies this theme. David says, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” He answered his own question with this statement of certainty. If I go to heaven, you are there. If I go to the pit of Sheol, you are there. If I could find the start of the morning, you are there. If I hide in the mountains or the depth of the ocean, you are there. If I try to find the darkest darkness, you are there.

Beloved, we encounter many times in our lives when we feel very alone. It can be sickness, death of a loved one, financial disaster, loss of home or the torment of depression. But God is there. He promised to be there and God cannot break His promises. Hebrews sums it up so well, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” We can know with absolute assurance this great truth. If we know Christ as our Savior, then where we are He is there also.

Dear Father, Thank You for the comfort of Your promise to always be with us not just in life but onto the farthest extent of eternity. Amen. 

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The God of the Whole Earth

Lessons from Psalms: 7

“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth.” Psalm 8:1 and 9

How far does the excellence of God’s name extend? Is it confined to our supposedly Christian nation which we often assume is the only nation under God? Does it extend to the midst of Islamic nations which repudiate God by denying His Son? Does it exist in the midst of oppressive communistic regimes? Is His name excellent in India with its millions of false idols? The psalmist was sure that it was.

God told Isaiah that He was the God of the whole earth. Whether people worship Him or not, He is still God. All the earth is His eminent domain. He made it. He waters it. He sends the sun on the shores of every land. Our prayer lives need to be inclusive of the whole earth. He has sent His Son to die for the sins of all mankind. He has sent His Holy Spirit to convict men of sin and righteousness and judgment and those men live on the whole earth. He has in every nation those 7000 that have not bowed their knees to Baal and suffer persecution for it. As He is the God of the whole earth, we need to uphold it all before His throne of grace every day.

Dear Father, You are so great. You are not limited to our meager space but are indeed the God of the whole earth. We beseech You to uphold Your work everywhere. Amen. 

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God is truly angry at sin.

Lessons from Psalms: 6

“God is a just judge; and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11

Does sin get under your skin and make you really upset? Do the doers of wickedness rankle you? Does governmental sanctioning of evil like abortion and all manner of immorality make you angry? Good! It makes God angry, too.

This is a simple lesson we need to glean from the Scriptures. God is angry at the wicked. He has righteous standards and He will ultimately call to account all those who transgress them and do not repent of them. We should be righteously upset with sin. We should start that with self examination and confession. But we should not idly disregard sin around us either. We can pray with David that God will impose His judgment against sin and deliver us from the evil around us. God is on His throne and He will hear our prayers and act righteously. We are not alone.

Dear Father, Guide me to see and confess sin in my life, trust Your grace to save the lost, and trust Your anger to deal with sin in our world. Amen. 

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Despondency is Human, not Unchristian

Lessons in Psalms: 5

“O Lord – how long? Return, O Lord, deliver me!” Psalm 6:3-4

Have you ever felt despondent? Have you ever felt guilty for feeling so? After all, a good Christian should have confidence in the Christ at all times, right? Well then it seems that King David wasn’t a very good Christian by modern expectations even though God declared him to be a “man after His own heart.” There is a disconnect here that we must realistically deal with. Job cried out that God had forgotten him and was his enemy. Yet Job said that he fully expected to see God in his flesh and that he knew that his Redeemer lived. David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”

If we live in false expectations of the “glory road” walk, we can become very discouraged and even greatly depressed at our “failures”. There were not two David’s who wrote two different psalms with different viewpoints. There was one David who was human. The important part in his psalm of pain is that he is still talking to God. Even in his pain he has not forgotten that God is his God and that whatever comfort he finds on earth must come from God. He didn’t walk away from God in his pain. He believed even in his doubts that God was there and that God would, in His own time, both answer and comfort him.

Dear Father, We are prone to be affected by the sorrows and pains of this world. Help us to remember in our greatest moments of pain that You are still our only true hope. Amen.

                                         The Friday Benediction 

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

Jesus, the best way to start the day.

Lessons from Psalms: 4

“My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord.”  Psalm 5:3

How many people feel really rushed in the morning? There can be so many things to do that we can feel harried and often defeated before we even get out the door. How many mornings have we failed to tell our spouse that we loved them or assured our kids that we love them before we all head off in different directions? The last thing we think we need is another thing to do in the morning; we have enough on our plate already. But there is something very positive that we can benefit by each morning. That is prayer.

Prayer is not a chore. Prayer is a simple conversation with God that we can actually have during our morning shower. It is a simple conversation we can have while tying our tie or getting dressed. It can be as simple as, “Good morning, heavenly Father. Thank you for this new day. Please help me honor you in it. I’ll talk with you some later.” Prayer helps us focus on what is truly important every day – God. So the psalmist said, “My voice you shall hear in the morning.” It is a good way to start our day.

Dear Father, You are our source of life and strength. Thank You for giving us the connection of prayer to find both each day. Amen. 

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A Quiet Night's Rest

Lessons from Psalms: 3

“Meditate within your heart on your bed and be still.” Ps. 4:4

I am among the world’s worst sleepers. I have been since childhood. Unfortunately I cannot offer you a remedy for insomnia. What we find in both Psalm 3 and 4 is a promise for a quiet and peaceful night. Psalm 3 says, “I lay down and slept; I awoke for the Lord sustained me.” Psalm 4 uses our verse for today. Psalm 4 teaches us that David didn’t always fall right to sleep at night. Our security in Christ is not a panacea for insomnia.

What we do find is a purposeful activity while we await sleep. Meditation on the wonder of God’s care is far better than a wandering mind or bringing up all the unfinished business of the day. Psalm 1 says, “And in His law he meditates day and night.” Meditation is a spiritual discipline that is oft repeated in the Psalms. Luther practiced meditating twice each day using the Gloria Patri, the Ten Commandments, a psalm, the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. That may sound like a lot, but it actually takes less than two minutes to recite them. Add to that a hymn of praise and some verses of comfort and, while it might not put you to sleep, it is better than lying awake with all the other cares that could come to mind. David said that it helped the mind to be still and that is pretty much what we want when we can’t sleep.

Dear Father, Thank You for Your watch care over us at night. Help us to think of Your grace when we can’t sleep. Amen. 

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Loving the Eternal Son

Lessons from Psalms: 2

“Kiss the Son lest He be angry” Ps. 2:12

A great truth of Christianity is that we don’t have a jonny-come-lately Savior. God is not reactive. He had a plan from the beginning and He has progressively revealed it and fulfilled it throughout human history. Psalm 2 is a good example of this truth. This is a Messianic psalm, a psalm that clearly predicts the coming Anointed One of God and explains truth about Him. In reading this psalm we clearly see the events of Christ’s Passion Week. The kings of the earth, Pilate and Herod conspired against God. They did this with the assistance of the Jewish leaders who are referred to as the rulers of the people. The target of their hostility is God’s rule and authority and the power of that rule being found in His Son Jesus Christ.

Man cannot break the bonds of God. He is all powerful. Man cannot defeat His Son, for He is also God and all powerful. The authority of God does not just extend to the Jews or the Church. His rule and authority extend to all the nations of the world. The call of God in this psalm is to fall at the feet of Jesus and be saved or to face the wrath of Christ at His return. This psalm covers past, present and future and reveals that God also covers the same.

Dear Father, Thank You eternal plan of giving Your Son for our salvation and as a savior for the whole world. Amen.

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Blessed is the Man

Lessons from Psalms: 1

“Blessed is the man” Psalm 1:1

We are human and that is a nature that we cannot overcome. As humans we have desires that are physical. As Christians we have desires that are spiritual. Our spiritual self often chastises our physical self for desiring something good in life. So is it wrong to want blessings? There are worldly things that are truly just physical and come from our sinful nature. But our verse today tells us that giving us blessings is also God’s desire for our life.

“Blessed is the man” is an oft repeated phrase in the Psalms. It is used eight times. But are there any conditions on this blessing? Jesus used the phrase “Blessed are” multiple times in the Beatitudes and each time there was a condition. It is the same in the Psalms. In Psalm One the condition is twofold. First the person who seeks God’s blessing will seek to separate himself from wicked companionship and counsel. Secondly he will fill that void with something positive. “Blessed is the man who has his delight in the law of the Lord and in the law meditates day and night.” It is a simple formula: flee evil and love God.

Dear Father, Help us to be more discerning of evil through closeness to Your word. Amen.

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day.