“Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.”
Psalm 35:3

One of the reasons we are so fond of the Psalms is that, in our own way, we can identify with the struggles of the writers. The psalmists are often engaged in some form of conflict and in need of God’s assistance. We also see these godly writers expressing their fears and requesting emotional support. In Psalm 35:3, David is crying out for God to help him against his enemies. He was desperately in need of God’s deliverance from those who were persecuting him. In his plea, David also says, “say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” David needed physical deliverance, but he also needed encouragement. He begged God to speak words of strength to him; “say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.”

In other words, he needed for God to affirm to his soul that God was his salvation and would undertake for his behalf. Call it discouragement, fear, or even doubt; he needed to hear something from God. As much as he needed physical victory, he also needed the victory in his mind and heart. Have you ever been there? Have you ever desperately needed for God to say to your soul that all was well? Probably all of us have experienced what David needed in this battle. Thank God for all the times He assures us that He is with us and that deliverance and victory will come.

God has a way of speaking peace to the troubled waters of our souls. He speaks to us through His Word and gives us words of comfort. In those times of testing and trials, we are driven to seek Him for direction and perspective. If we do not turn to Him and discover His promises, we can become defeated. Difficulties can either be destructive, or they can be tools to help us grow. If they motivate us to find our strength and wisdom in Him, they will actually produce godliness in our lives.

Of all times, we need to spend time with the Lord when we are going through spiritual battles. It is critical that we converse with and consult Him. We cannot trust our feelings to see us through the storms. It is not wise for us to look only at our circumstances, which can sometimes appear to be impossible. We also know that the devil will try to convince us that our situation is hopeless. In those times, we need God’s counsel. Sometimes we need for Him to “say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.”

“And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.”
Genesis 35:1

Many years had passed since Jacob left Canaan to go stay with his family in Haran. He left Canaan to flee from his angry brother, Esau, and to find a wife among the daughters of his uncle, Laban. Twenty years later, Jacob returned to Canaan. He settled in a couple of places, but our text tells us that “God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God.” God specifically wanted Jacob in Bethel.

Bethel, which means “house of God,” was the place God met with Jacob as he departed for Haran. At that previous encounter, Jacob had a vision of a ladder reaching to Heaven, and angels were descending and ascending on it. God spoke to Jacob and confirmed the promise of Abraham to him. When Jacob awoke, he promised that if God would be with him and protect him while he was away, one day Jacob would return to Bethel and tithe to God of all that He blessed him with.

In our text, God tells Jacob to get back to Bethel and to stay there. There are two lessons we should consider from this passage of Scripture. It reminds us that God expects us to keep our commitments. The Lord wanted Jacob to go to Bethel and fulfill the vow he had made more than twenty years earlier. Sometimes we may forget commitments we make to God, but He does not forget. He wants us to remember and pay those vows. Perhaps there are commitments you have made to God and have not kept them.

Something else that is very important to each of us is taught in this story. Jacob was to go to Bethel and “dwell there.” As we said, Bethel means “house of God.” God also wants us to go to the house of God and dwell there. The New Testament states clearly that the Lord’s churches are the house of God. It is there that God meets with His children in a special way. Too many people do not understand the importance of the assembly of the Lord’s churches. They treat church attendance and church membership too casually. Also, people leave churches for minor reasons. They fail to understand that if God added them to that church, they should be committed to stay there until God directs them elsewhere. God said, “go up to Bethel, and dwell there.”

“But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!”
II Chronicles 6:18

Under Solomon’s reign, the temple had been completed. The furniture, including the ark of the covenant, had been placed in the temple. Our text is a portion of the prayer that Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple. His specific concern and question was, “will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?” He was particularly interested in God’s presence being manifested in the temple, for the next phrase included these words: “the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!”

God had manifested His glory in the tabernacle Moses built, and Solomon desired that God would also meet with His people in the temple. Solomon’s question brings to mind the great truth of God’s presence with us. In response to his inquiry, we know the answer is “yes.” God will “in very deed dwell with men on the earth.” From the very beginning, God has chosen to abide with His people. Adam walked with God, as did Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and many others. As a matter of fact, God so desired fellowship with man, that He, in Himself, removed the thing that separates us from Him.

It was sin that separated Adam from fellowship with his Creator, and it is sin that continues to come between our loving Heavenly Father and us. Because He so desires fellowship with His creation, Jesus took our sins on His own body on the tree that we might be forgiven and be able to walk with our holy God. The only way that sinners can dwell with an infinitely holy God is for our sins to be completely washed clean, which is only possible through the blood of Jesus Christ.

God does indeed dwell with His children. As a matter of fact, He indwells us by His Spirit. He promises to be with us always. Wherever we go, He is with us. One day, we will be with Him in Heaven. Also, just as God made Himself known in the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament, He dwells “with men on the earth” in His church. His presence is committed to the assembly of His true churches. He promised, regarding His church, which the Bible calls the house of God, that when we are gathered together, He would be in our midst.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
Matthew 24:6

The disciples asked Jesus, “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world” (3). In Matthew 24, He gave them many indications of the kinds of activities one will encounter in the end times. These signs include such things as: an abundance of false teachers, great deception, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecutions, and great tribulation, such as has never occurred.

The world is headed for great catastrophe. It will not happen all at once. Much of this will take place after Christians are taken to Heaven, in the rapture that will precede the time of great tribulation. Most people would agree that many of these things have already begun. There are others, though, that have quite a different view about the time that we live in. And, there are even preachers that paint a much different picture about the future from the one described in our text. To hear them, you might think that great revival will accompany the last days. Some even proclaim what could be considered virtual world dominance by Christians.

The Bible does teach that Jesus will one day reign on this earth for a period of one thousand years and that His faithful followers will reign with Him in His kingdom. However, that reign will be preceded by a period of apostasy and great tribulation. When we read of and hear about the great proliferation of error, the natural disasters that seem to escalate both in number and magnitude, the serious famines and pestilences and such things, it should tell us that we are nearing the end.

What, then, should be our mindset as we ponder world conditions? Jesus said, “see that ye be not troubled.” We are not to be alarmed or frightened. For one thing, we have been warned. Jesus tells us in His Word what to expect. It should come as no surprise that there is a great falling away from the true faith, or that false gospels flourish in our day. We can trust in the Lord and know that He is in control and that He does all things well. While His return is imminent, we understand that we live in a day of tremendous opportunity to preach the Gospel and win others to Christ. We are to occupy until He comes. One day soon, our days of evangelism and discipleship will be over. We must work while it is day.

“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
Proverbs 10:19

In our desire to live holy lives, we must maintain vigilance on several fronts. We have to keep our attitudes right, as well as our actions. Our thought lives must also be kept under control. Our verse deals with yet another important and very challenging area to be disciplined, and that is our words. As growing believers, we are commanded to restrict our conversations. Perhaps, we sin as much with our words as in any other area of our lives.

In the New Testament, James tells us that if a man can control his words, he can tame any part of his body. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2) Taming the tongue requires great grace as well as discipline and determination. We all know the pain of having said something we later wished we could retrieve. We also know the devastating power of words that leave permanent scars. Idle or malicious words spoken about someone can shape others’ opinions about them forever.

By contrast, we know the healing and comforting effect that the right words spoken at the right time can bring. Lives have been greatly helped by the assurance that is given by words of confidence. How wonderful it would be if we could keep from sinning with our lips, or only say the kind of things that are positive and constructive.

Our text gives us practical counsel that can help us curb the occurrences of sinning with our words. The Word of God advises us to monitor and regulate our words. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” When words are used without discretion, sin will definitely be the result. If we are serious about this matter, we cannot afford to freely say everything that crosses our minds or verbalize our opinions about every subject. There are many ways we can sin with our words. We can say things that are harsh, cruel, critical, condemning, negative, hopeless, demeaning, deceitful, suggestive, or dishonest. It is true; the more we say, the more likely we will sin with our words. So the Bible warns us to limit our words. Refraining our lips is one of the wisest things we can do. We must be careful that our words are both truthful and beneficial.

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
James 4:8

What a great promise our text provides! “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” It reminds us of the fact that our great God wants to be near us. He wants to commune with us. God made the first man, Adam, that he might have fellowship with his Creator. Even when Adam sinned, disturbing that fellowship with God, God came to the Garden of Eden seeking Adam. This is one of the most amazing thoughts our minds can ponder, that holy and perfect God would want to walk in harmony with unworthy men.

This verse is not only a promise, but it is also an invitation. We are to draw nigh to God if we want Him to draw nigh to us. That gives us both responsibility and direction. This is something we can do. By faith, we can draw near to Him. Lest we think that God is putting all of the initiative on us, we should be reminded that the Lord has already initiated all reconciliation with us.

He has come near to us in many ways. He has come near to us in His Word that reveals His will to us. He has come near to us in His Son who walked this planet and died on the cross for our sins. There would be no possibility of approaching God, had Jesus not shed His blood that we might be forgiven and cleansed. We are “made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). He has come near to us in His Spirit that convicts us and indwells the life of every true child of God. God has provided every means that we might be drawn near to Him. We also know that He made us creatures of choice; and He wants us to take some steps in His direction, if we want a closer walk with Him.

Lastly, our Scripture reveals a condition for drawing near to God. “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” What is it that puts distance between our Savior and us? Is it not our sin? It was Adam’s sin that shattered the sweet fellowship that he had enjoyed with the Lord. God does not leave us nor walk away from us. It is through our sin and disobedience that we drift away from His fellowship. That is why we are responsible to draw nigh to Him, because we are the ones that have hindered that closeness. As we confess our sins and seek His forgiveness, we are assured that we can draw near to Him.

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”
Ezekiel 22:30

Few verses of Scripture have more powerfully influenced my personal life than this one. This was the word of the Lord that came to Ezekiel. There was a great need for integrity and holiness in every level of leadership. The prophets, the priests, the princes, and the people were all guilty of corruption. God was left with no option. His holiness demanded that He bring judgment on the land. God was looking for a man that would “make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land.” In some of the saddest words in the Bible, we find this expression, “but I found none.” God could not find the man He sought for.

Surely we are not mistaken if we assume that God is still searching for such men. We know that it is true. There has always been a shortage of laborers in God’s work. It was true in Ezekiel`s day, in the days when Jesus was on this earth; and it remains the same today. God is searching for those He can use. I remember when these words first gripped my heart. I was arrested by the thought that God was still looking for men. It does not seem right that our gracious and giving God would have to be in need of something He cannot find, but it is so. He is looking for those who will be available to Him, to use as He pleases.

Not only was I arrested by the idea that God was looking for men, but also even more stunned to think that I might be considered as a candidate. Could God use me? Could God use you? For what kind of person is God seeking? God is not looking for people with a particular level of education or intelligence. Nor is His search limited to certain personality types or physical appearance. He is looking for men and women who are sincere and available. He is looking for those who are humble and dependent on Him. God is seeking people of earnest and believing prayer. One of the most important things we can do to “make up the hedge” is intercede.

He is looking for those who love the Lord more than they love the world and seek His approval more than the applause of men. It would seem that there would be an abundance of such men and women, but obviously, that is not so. May we heartily respond to this need by giving ourselves completely to God and His will.

“And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”
Malachi 1:8

The prophet Malachi was announcing to God’s people the wickedness that was present in their worship. Did they think it was acceptable to “offer the blind for sacrifice,” or what if they offered, “the lame and sick”? Malachi asked the same thing about both possibilities. “Is it not evil?” They knew that it would be wrong.

The Old Testament spoke clearly about what God would accept and what was not to be given to Him as an offering. For instance, Deuteronomy 15:21 says, “And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.” The sacrifice was to be as perfect as possible. God would not accept a sacrifice that was blemished. God wanted their best. For them to offer God something less than the best said something about their lack of devotion to God.

Malachi asked them a very piercing question, “offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?” This brought their actions into clear view. They would never have considered offering such to a government leader. That would be disrespectful and inconsiderate of the honor that he deserved. Then why would they feel comfortable offering such to Almighty God? It was because their view of God was not what it should be. They were willing to offer God the blemished of the flock and assume that it would be accepted.

Obviously, we are no longer under the law of sacrifices and offerings that the Jews were to observe. However, the principle is as appropriate today as it was in Malachi’s day. We still offer sacrifices to God. We offer to Him the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, and the dedication of our lives. But, are we giving God our best? Do we sometimes give Him less than He deserves? It is an understandable part of worship that we should give God the best that we have. This is why He wants the first part of our week devoted to His worship and service, and the first part of our income given to Him as an offering. This is not simply for God’s benefit, but for ours. God knows that it is not good for us to give Him less than our best.

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
Genesis 3:12

Some things never seem to change. One such enduring reality is the way we respond when our sin is exposed. The temptation is to blame others rather than own up to our disobedience. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God confronted Adam about his transgression. When God asked Adam if he were guilty, Adam immediately responded with these words, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

Adam’s automatic response was to place the blame for his transgression on someone other than himself. In fact, it appears that he wanted to share the blame for his sin on more than one person. Notice that Adam said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me.” This remark seems to indicate that Adam wanted God to share some of the blame for his sin because, after all, it was God that gave him the wife.

Adam clearly directs some of the guilt toward Eve because “she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” One can only surmise by his answer that Adam was definitely trying to shift the responsibility for his disobedience. If Eve hadn’t offered the fruit, he might not have eaten. If God had not given Adam the wife, it probably would not have happened. But, one thing is clearly missing in Adam’s response. He is not taking personal responsibility for his actions.

Blaming others somehow just seems easier than honestly admitting our wrong. It comes quite naturally for people to rationalize and redirect responsibility. Instead of direct confession of wrong, we hear things such as: “If he hadn’t done what he did, I would not have acted that way.” Our apologies are even laced with sharing the blame. Have you ever heard something like this? “I’m sorry for what I said, but I only said it because you said what you did.” Human nature wants to dodge the guilt. Apparently, one of the hardest things for us to say is “I was wrong.”

This brings before us one of the simplest, yet most serious lessons we could ever learn as growing believers. It is the importance of honesty and sincere confession of our sins. There is no getting around it. We cannot consistently grow in the Lord if we are not willing to be completely truthful about our sin.

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.”
Psalm 73:17

It would do us all well to fall in love with the Psalms. In this particular Psalm, the writer expresses what many of God’s followers have felt at some time or another. The writer was struggling with what he considered the apparent success of the ungodly. Some of the words that are written in this Psalm are, “I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. . .They are not in trouble as other men. . .Behold these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches” (3, 5, 12). This logic led him to the conclusion that, “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency” (13). The writer was in a confused and deceived state. His focus was on what seemed to be unjust. He could see no benefit in living in a godly way. It was his opinion that those who rejected God were actually better off than those who served Him.

Of course, we all know that this is not true. In a moment of difficulty and hardship, truth can somehow get lost in what our eyes are seeing. In our own way, most of us can identify with what the man of God was going through. In his dilemma, he did what we all should do in such a situation. The psalmist turned to God for counsel. Our text says, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” When he got with God, he understood that things were not as they initially appeared. After being in “the sanctuary of God” he said, “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places . . .in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. . .they that are far from thee shall perish” (18, 19, 27) He saw things differently when he got God’s perspective on what he was seeing and thinking.

This is a great lesson for all of us. Certainly things are not always as they appear. We cannot trust our observations to be accurate. God’s Word is the final authority. When our notions differ from the Scripture, we must lay aside our opinions and believe what God says. What should we do when we begin to have the kind of confusing thoughts the psalmist had? We have a choice to make. We can continue in our false imaginations and become further frustrated and confused. Or, we can get with God, look into His Word, and get His divine counsel about the situation.