Monday, November 12, 2018
Secularism and Psalm 2
Rise of Secularism and Christian Engagement
Psalm 2
The Voice Of Rebellion
1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."
Matt 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said. 16 They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that You are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God.
You defer to no one, for You don't show partiality. 17 Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 18 But perceiving their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing Me, hypocrites?
19 Show Me the coin used for the tax." So they brought Him a denarius. 20 "Whose image and inscription is this?" He asked them. 21 "Caesar's," they said to Him. Then He said to them,
"Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
"Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
Christendom and the U.S.
1st Amendment History
The US Supreme Court since the mid 20th century has interpreted the First Amendment as if it requires this "wall of separation" between church and state. Meaning, it not only prohibits the government from adopting a particular denomination or religion as official, but, in violation of the free expression clause, has regularly ruled to limit religious expression in the public sphere from prayers to passive displays of the 10 commandments which had been allowed the first 150 plus years of the nation.
At the time of the adoption of the constitution and its amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, but not any one sect.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,"
messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, and Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction.
my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship,
that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, i contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.
Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, i shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
i reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.
Th Jefferson Jan. 1. 1802.
When government reaches beyond its divine boundaries by promoting or restricting faith the spiritual vitality of the people suffers.
God did not sanction the government to be the guardian of the soul.
The Church has the divine assignment to be the presence and voice of God in society.
S.116 Australian Constitution
The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.
Similar phrasing to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
The establishment clause is concerned with "the governing authority giving legal advantage to one religion over another, whether by financing it, coercively enforcing its belief and practice, or privileging its adherents in some way."
The English parish council system right up to the membership of the House of Lords, favours the established Church. The House of Lords is drawn from the peerage and is made up of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal. The Lords Spiritual are 26 bishops in the Established Church of England.
The first clause does not say 'a religion' or 'any religion', just 'religion', so some perceive the founders and writers of the United States Constitution to have meant that there is to be a complete division, a wall of separation, between government and religion in every and any form.
The Australian experience of Church and State has allowed a tradition of the Government being able to extend some help impartially to all religions rather than having an extreme limitation of helping any religious person, religious viewpoint, or religious organisation at all.
Occasional media references to "the separation of Church and State" has led many to erroneously believe that this concept is enmeshed in the Australian Constitution.
But:
religious people vote
every person has a religious orientation
candidates for elections cannot be divorced from their own particular worldviews
Henry Parkes, who framed the Australian Constitution, defined secular education as neither without God nor without religion, but rather without denominational sectarianism.
Give to God what is God's
Freedom of religion should not mean the same as freedom "from" religion.
God expects His people to be the light and the salt of the earth.
The Church gives God all He so rightfully deserves—their very lives.
Developing Split of Spiritual and Secular
Three forces developing from the Enlightenment period
Secular Humanistic Philosophy (Knowledge sector & Reason)
Evolutionary Theory and Materialism (Science & Reason)
Modernization (Wealth accumulation & Media)
Division of Sacred and Secular
Secularism – Max Weber perceived secularization occurring because of a consequence of modernity's rationalization because rationality no longer gave space to religion thus creating a "disenchantment of the World."
History of the rise of secularism
Renaissance (14th and 15th centuries)
Scientific Revolution (16th and 17th centuries)
Enlightenment period (18th century)
Industrialization and Modern period (19th and 20th centuries)
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) – proclaimed God as dead indicating that enlightenment thinking had killed him in the sense Western culture had excluded him from public life.
Genesis in the Enlightenment
Age of Reason – Thomas Paine (1794)
Darwinism – Evolutionary Theory & Materialism
Before Darwin (1700's) there was an idea of the world moving from primitive to the more complex
Darwin (1809-1882) gave it a scientific setting
Origin of Species (1859)
There is a philosophical commitment to the idea of progress of humanity
Humanist Aldous Huxley (Ends and Means) said he and his contemporaries did not want government or morality. So they chose evolution in order to shut the mouths of those who believe in special creation.
Swedish embryologist, Soren Lovtrup in Darwinism: The Refutation of a Myth, suggests that he believes that some day Darwinism "will be ranked the greatest deceit in the history of science."
Secularizing factors in modernization
Science is objective
Science can give humanity a true understanding of the world
Reason can be the basis of morality and law
Universal truths can be discovered through reason only
Science , technology, and education can solve humanities problems
Views contrary to reason not respected or even tolerated
Three primary carriers of modernity (Hunter, 1994)
The first is "industrial capitalism" with its "applied rationality" and "rational control." (also communism, et. al)
The "modern state" as the primary purveyor of a "rationalistic or bureaucratic form of social organization" with its compartmentalization rather than the integration of knowledge.
The third is the "knowledge sector" with its "institutions of culture formation and reality definition" …universities, the mass media, and the arts.
Influence of Modernism on Culture
Dependence on reason & science from a closed worldview
Wealth accumulation and self-sufficient perspective
Popular media and technological influences
Knowledge sector's pursuit of truth from a closed worldview perspective
Modernisms Influence on Christianity
Emphasis on self as the center of human life
Knowledge and education through science and reason is enough for ethical and moral decisions
Material well-being given priority
Religion relegated to sub-conscious experiences, needs, desires and feeling.
Where churches lost it.
Biblical Criticism
Liberal scholarship denies inspiration
Modernization & belief in "science" as answer
Religion redefined (see section on religion)
Subjective or psychological
Evolutionary
Secularism
Religion seen as a personal matter
Religion pushed to the fringe of academic pursuit
Religion seen as not important
Spiritual aspects of humanity down-played or ignored
Division of Sacred and Secular
Two-tiered division
Result: This has given rise to secularization of science and the mystification of religion.
Science – deals with the empirical world using mechanistic processes based on the certitudes of sense experience, experimentation and proof from observation of natural law.
Religion – religion was relegated to faith in dreams, visions, inner feelings, subjective thinking, and exceptions to natural law, e.g. miracles and spiritual realm.
Christian worldview should dissolve the excluded middle by:
Not confining God to the supernatural realm only or removing the spiritual dimension of our world completely from our understanding
Not viewing the world as simply a system of autonomous scientific laws
Recognizing both the spiritual and physical nature of our world and of people
Recognizing God is involved in human history, affairs of nations, peoples, and individuals.
Christian Perspective
Humanity is both Spiritual and Physical
(Body, Soul, Spirit)
Secularism – "the process by which sectors of society and culture are removed from the domination of religious institutions and symbols."
Religious institutions have less influence in society
Religious symbols have less meaning in society
"As there is a secularization of society and culture, so is there a secularization of consciousness." (Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy)
Secularism – Religion for the first time in history has lost its validity for the individuals in the society. (Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy, 124)
An increasing number of individuals have a philosophy and worldview that does not involve a religious dimension. Or so it is claimed. (Romans 1:18-3:20)
Secularization Beyond 2000
Social scientist is the 1960s and 70s were predicting the demise of religion in the Western world because of the growth of secularism. (Berger)
Although secularism is still growing and having an impact in the West, the U.S. has particularly not followed the trend at the pace most thought would happen.
It is argued by some that as secularism progresses, people become disenchanted with disenchantment (Berger).
It is recognised that world-wide, people are more religious than 30 years ago.
Ramifications of Secularism
With evolutionary theory it provided grounds for an epistemological shift from creator/creation, design and purpose to understanding the universe as a product of chance and random relations that trigger chains of cause and effects.
Gave rise to the denial of moral absolutes.
God became remote as in Deism
God's existence denied as in Atheism
Science becomes the authority
Secularist worldview became a rival to a religious worldview which became marginalized as a product of particular historical cultural and socio-economic contexts.
Reduce the influence of religion in society
Rely on reason and science
Religion is marginalized as a way to answer ultimate questions and provide ethical and moral norms or sanctions relative to a culture.
Secularism works against Christian principles by putting self and reason above revelation and belief
Secularism's increases the marginalization of Christianity to be simply a self-help crutch for the weak minded
Public morals become increasingly personalized and privatized
Morals become relative
Reliance on instrumental reason to find "truth"
Scientific method to find "truth"
Secular Spiritual Division
Psalm 2
The Voice Of Rebellion
1 Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."
Psalm 2
The Voice Of Rebuke
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
Antony Flew Surprised by the realisation that "There is A God."
There were two factors in particular that were decisive. One was my growing empathy with the insight of Einstein and other noted scientists that there had to be an Intelligence behind the integrated complexity of the physical Universe. The second was my own insight that the integrated complexity of life itself—which is far more complex than the physical Universe—can only be explained in terms of an Intelligent Source.
Flew said, "With every passing year, the more that was discovered about the richness and inherent intelligence of life, the less it seemed likely that a chemical soup could magically generate the genetic code." "Two noted philosophers, one an agnostic (Anthony Kenny) and the other an atheist (Thomas Nagel), recently pointed out that Dawkins has failed to address three major issues that ground the rational case for God. As it happens, these are the very same issues that had driven me to accept the existence of a God: the laws of nature, life with its teleological organization, and the existence of the Universe."
Psalm 2 The Voice Of Rebellion The Voice Of Rebuke
The Voice Of Redemption
7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ' You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' "
The Redemption in Jesus
7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ' You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
The Resurrection of Jesus
7 "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ' You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
The Reign of Jesus
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
The Return of Jesus
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' "
The Voice Of Reasoning
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
The context of the early Christians
The Roman Empire was very diverse ethnically and religiously
Christianity came into a world where moral standards were very low and relative
Christianity showed its value in the midst of diversity, moral, ethical, economic, and political challenges
Christianity started in A.D. 30 at Jesus death and by A.D. 350 it is estimated that approximately 60% of the Empire were Christians
Early Christians examples to the world
Centered on Christ – how much he valued humanity
Lived its beliefs
Recognized Christ's attitudes and emulate them
Shared its beliefs
Adhered to living in peace even at their own expense
Engaged in overcoming infanticide
Held to a higher standard of morals
Served the sick in times of plagues
Offered a belief system of love and hope
Started schools for common people
The second century Epistle to Diognetus asks, "Do you not see Christians flung to the wild beasts, to make them deny their Lord, and yet unconquered? Do you not see that the more of them are punished the more their numbers increase?"
Psalm 1 Blessedness Bookends in Psalms 1 and 2
1. 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;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 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 wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
It takes Sense
It takes Separation
It takes Saturation
Engaging in a Secular World
Four keys to engaging a secular world
Live for Christ – represent Christ's attitude
Love for people – practice sacrificial love
Serve people – treat them as people created in God's image
Share Christ – through spiritual and physical service
Justin wrote, "Though we are beheaded, and crucified, and exposed to beasts and chains and fire and all other forms of torture, it is plain that we do not forsake the confession of our faith, but the more things of this kind happen to us so much the more are there many others who become believers and truly religious through the name of Jesus."
Christian keys to engaging a secular world
Live for Christ – represent Christ's attitude
Mt. 7 – Lives build on Christ, the rock
Rom. 12:18 – Live in peace with all people
2 Cor. 5:15 - He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Gal. 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Gal. 5:25 – live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
1 Pet. 2:24 - He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Christian keys to engaging a secular world
Love for people – practice sacrificial love
Jn. 3:16-17 – Same love Jesus had for people
Mt. 5:43-44 – love your enemy
Jn. 13:35 – they will know you are my disciples by your love for each other
Jn. 14:15, 21 – if you love you keep commandments
Jn. 15:13 – greater love has no man than this than to lay down his life for another
Jn. 15:17 – commanded to love one another
1 Thess. 3:12 – abound in love for all people
1 Cor. 13 – Love in practice
1 Cor. 16:14 – Let all you do be done in love
Eph. 4:2, 15 – love with humility and speak truth in love
Serve people – treat them as people created in God's image
Mt. 20:28 - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Jn. 13 – Jesus' example of service
Mk. 10:44 – a slave to all
Gal. 5:13 – serve one another
Gal. 6:10 – do good to all people
Phil. 2:17 – poured out as a drink offering in service
1 Pet. 2:16-17 – use freedom to honor all people
1 Pet. 4:10-11- serving to glorify God
Share Christ – through spiritual and physical service
Jn. 17 – Sent as Christ was sent
Mt. 28:18-20 – Sent to all ethnic groups
Mk. 16:15-16 – Go into all the world
Lk. 24:46-49 – Proclaim Christ and be witnesses
Friday, November 09, 2018
Psalm 7 SONG OF THE SLANDERED SAINT
Psalms 7: Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies A Meditation of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.
1 O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,
2 Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
10 My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
17 I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
The catalyst behind Psalm 7 are the slanderous words of Cush. The introduction of Psalm 7 says, "concerning the words of Cush." These words of Cush were causing problems for David. Who is Cush and what are these words, we do not know. Some people have speculated that Cush, the Benjaminite is actually King Saul, the Son of Kish, the Benjaminite, and David changes his name so that that he does not disrespect God's first King of Israel. King Saul hated David. His hatred towards David was out of jealousy and had no legitimate basis. "It appears probable that Cush the Benjaminite had accused David to Saul of treasonable conspiracy against his royal authority. This the king would be ready enough to credit, both from his jealousy of David, and from the relation which most probably existed between himself, the son of Kish, and this Cush, or Kish, the Benjaminite. . . . This may be called the SONG OF THE SLANDERED SAINT." (Spurgeon)
If you read 1 Samuel you will get a taste of Saul's hatred of David and his zeal to kill him, and it is definitely in the realm of possibility that David was lamenting the slanderous words of Saul when writing this Psalm. However, it appears that slanderous and venomous words against David were not limited to just Saul. It appears that David was constantly under a verbal attack by his enemies, and it appears that these words effected David greatly for he writes about them often.
Psalm 31:13 - "For I hear the whispering [slander] of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life."
Psalm 35:21 - "They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!"
Psalm 41:5 - "My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die, and his name perish?"
Psalm 64:2-4 - "Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear."
Psalm 140:3 - "They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the venom of asps."
As I said, it appears these words had an effect on David, they did not just roll off his back. It was something he seemed to struggle with. In fact, he struggled with these venomous words enough that they became motivators to these prayers in the Psalms. To be honest, I appreciate this weakness of David, for I also struggle with the same thing. I like to think of myself as strong, but the reality is that some of the bitter words that have hit my ears have been like arrows to my soul.
Quite a while ago, a person I know well was a victim of slander. Serious accusations were raised against him. These accusations were so serious that they tainted his name. The protestations of innocence only made them look like they were unwilling to take responsibility. The accusations were investigated and found to be untrue, but not before they did tremendous damage. He committed suicide. That is the nature of slander. It's deadly, and it's very difficult to know how to respond when it happens.
However, to be fair, these slanderous words of Cush did in fact produce tangible trouble for David. The words of Cush caused real tension in David's life. It wasn't just words. Things became more difficult for David. For it appears that people appear to be believing the lies that are being spread about David and it is causing persecution. Presumably people were going from being passive to being pursuers against David due to the words of Cush. And when you think about it, this makes sense, for this is the purpose of slanderous, hurtful words, to cause people to take a position against the accused. Perhaps a good way to think about what David was experiencing was Cush inciting a mob against him. Whipping people into a frenzy causing them to grab their pitchforks and burning torches with a desire to put an end to David.
The slander against David paled in comparison to the slander against Christ. For David was a sinner, but Christ was the Spotless Lamb of God. He did not deserve one word spoken against Him. Having said that Isaiah 53:7 says this of Jesus:
Isaiah 53:7 - "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."
These words against Christ took on various forms, but here are some examples:
Mark 3:22 - "And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."
Matthew 26:65-68 - "Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death." Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"
Mark 15:29-32 - "And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him."
How can we bear the cutting slanderous words of others without getting bent out of shape?
What can you do when you endure a slanderous attack? At work, in order to get ahead, someone spends their time cutting at you accusing you falsely to the boss.
As a Christian, you are accused of being a hypocrite for no particular reason.
Only the grace of God can give us the inward strength to let go of revenge and bitterness.
Romans 12:17 says, "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all." Romans 12:19 says, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." We must remember to allow these things to happen to us without retaliation because it is in the hands of God and He will give His wrath against the evildoers. We must trust God to give the appropriate measure of judgment.
2 Timothy "Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." That's a pretty clear statement. "All" and "shall." No ifs, ands, and buts about it.
The new whipping boy in the world today is the Bible-believing Christian. He may be the most hated, persecuted person on earth. Bible Christians today endure everything from the limitations of their freedoms and civil rights to scorn and ridicule in the media. Many may go through prison, and many may go through death for the Lord's sake.
In Psalm 7 David provides a few steps to handling the problem of slanderous accusations.
Trust God O LORD my God, in You I put my trust
Invoking the name of the Lord in any circumstance is a fearful thing.
Taking the name of the Lord our God in vain!
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool's voice is known by his many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed ---5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
I sometimes hear Christians take the name of the Lord in vain. I wonder sometimes if they believe in the same God I believe in. There is the God of the Bible who is awesome in power and holiness. There is also the god of therapeutic deism.. a god who whether he exists or not is distant and uninvolved. And the Bible gives us wisdom for helping us with our troubles. It does give us wisdom for handling our troubles, but in the context of living in a world created by God in His power and might, and governed and ruled by God who is Sovereign, holy just wise omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.
Today if you would handle the problem of slander, you should now David's God, Moses' God, Abraham's God, the triune God of Isaiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God.
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was purportedly asked if God was on his side. "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side," said the President, "my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."
Trust God's Presence
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
Trust God's Omniscience
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
He supports himself from this one consideration, that whatever may be the confusion of things in the world, God, notwithstanding, can easily discern between the righteous and the wicked. He, therefore, appeals from the false judgments of men to Him who can never be deceived. It may, however, be asked, How does the Psalmist represent God as judging every day, when we see him delaying punishment frequently for a long time? The sacred writings certainly most justly celebrate his long-suffering; but, although he exercises patience long, and does not immediately execute his judgments, yet, as no time passes, yea, not even a day, in which he does not furnish the clearest evidence that he discerns between the righteous and the wicked, notwithstanding the confusion of things in the world, it is certain that he never ceases to execute the office of a judge. All who will be at the trouble to open their eyes to behold the government of the world, will distinctly see that the patience of God is very different from approbation or connivance. Surely, then, his own people will confidently betake themselves to him every day.
Trust God's Justice
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
10 My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
Trust God's Purpose
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high. 8 The LORD shall judge the peoples;
As he acknowledges God to be the judge of the whole world, he concludes a little after from this, that he will maintain his cause and right. And as often as we seem to be forsaken and oppressed, we should recall this truth to our remembrance, that as God is the governor of the world, it is as utterly impossible for him to abdicate his office as to deny himself. From this source there will flow a continual stream of comfort, although a long succession of calamities may press upon us: for from this truth we may assuredly conclude, that he will take care to defend our innocence. It would be contrary to every principle of just reasoning to supposes that he who governs many nations neglects even one man.
Psa 2 butting their heads against God, lighthouse, battleship admiral analogy.
God is sovereign, be reassured of His just judgment
God is sovereign, be reassured of God's care for His people
God is sovereign, be reassure d of His purpose and plans standing
I am glad of this interview, and glad to know that I have your sympathy and prayers. We are indeed going through a great trial -- a fiery trial. In the very responsible position in which I happen to be placed, being a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as I am, and as we all are, to work out his great purposes, I have desired that all my works and acts may be according to his will, and that it might be so, I have sought his aid -- but if after endeavoring to do my best in the light which he affords me, I find my efforts fail, I must believe that for some purpose unknown to me, He wills it otherwise. If I had had my way, this war would never have been commenced; If I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this, but we find it still continues; and we must believe that He permits it for some wise purpose of his own, mysterious and unknown to us; and though with our limited understandings we may not be able to comprehend it, yet we cannot but believe, that he who made the world still governs it.
Abraham Lincoln Reply to Eliza Gurney on October 26, 1862 (CWAL V:478)
Trust God's Grace
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
Trust God's Faithfulness
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
17 I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be every where for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.
Abraham Lincoln Farewell Address on February 11, 1861 (CWAL IV:190)
How Should We Respond in These Last Days to Slanderous Attacks That Will Worsen? Learn to…
Reign in life. The Scripture literally says of the persecuted, "…for theirs is in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). We have a kingdom. We reign with Christ in life. Remember who you are: a child of the king. And because we're children of the kingdom, we should reign in life.
Rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 17:17 I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad…" Don't sit in the corner feeling sorry for yourself, "…for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (v.12). Think of the company we resemble, the character we reveal, and the compensation we'll receive.
Remain True to the Lord. Early in the book of Acts, Peter and John were thrown in jail and beaten for preaching Jesus. When they departed, the people in the council marveled that they were uneducated fishermen, "….and they realized that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). Under persecution they reacted in such a way that the people of the world said, "They are like the Lord Jesus Christ."
Remember, as Stephen was being stoned to death, who was looking on? Saul—later to become Paul, the mightiest Christian missionary theologian the world has ever known—observed Stephen as he was persecuted to death. Saul was changed. What changed him? The way Stephen died. They could not intimidate Stephen, so they stoned him to death.
Can you imagine what it would be like to be stoned to death? Now, that's persecution. Stephen, as he was dying, looked toward heaven and said, "Lord Jesus, don't charge this terrible thing to their account. Have mercy upon them." Saul never forgot that.
Later on the road to Damascus, Jesus spoke to Saul, saying, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads." What was goading Saul? The testimony of the persecuted Stephen, whom he had seen martyred.
Release Love. This love is not mere sympathy; it's doing good to them.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven…. Matthew 5:44
Be like God and love them. These people are blind. They don't have life. They don't understand. In fact, the Bible says in the last days those that kill us will think they do God a service (John 16:2). Into their blindness, the face of Stephen shined like an angel. He released love when he was persecuted. We need to treat our persecutors as God has treated us.
Come to grips with it: We are going to be persecuted. Remember, "All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). These are days of golden opportunity to share the Lord Jesus Christ. Prepare your children. First prepare yourself.
Ask the Lord Jesus, "Because You died for me, help me to live for You, and if necessary to die for You. May I die to this world before I die physically. Teach me, Lord, to be different. Don't let the world intimidate me. Don't let me live by political correct standards.
