Be Courageous. Be Strong

February 28, 2017

Be Courageous. Be Strong

To the faithful you show yourself faithful;

    to those with integrity you show integrity.

Psalm 18:25

In the second half of Psalm 18, David’s praise turns to a direct conversation with the LORD. His prose is very similar in form to that used by Jesus in his Beatitudes: “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:7-8).

The psalm makes clear that David relied on God’s grace for his victory. The totality of his victory is understood to relate to Jesus’ victory over sin and death. The psalm models for the followers of Jesus the unique relationship between the authority we have been given by God and our humility as we walk in God’s favor. The Apostle Paul revealed this same relationship when he wrote, “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:4). This connection between grace and authority is also established by Paul in his discussion of the armor of God in Ephesians 6:12-18.

David and the New Testament writers affirm that God has given us His grace, His strength, and His favor. As we rest in the assurance of His great love and faithfulness, we can receive His charge: “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Love You, LORD

February 27, 2017

I Love You, LORD

I love you, LORD;

    you are my strength.

Psalm 18:1

As a Christian, I believe one day God’s Kingdom will be established on earth. This is why I join my voice with like-minded Christians and pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” I long for the day when the rule of the evil one who has devastated God’s creation will be put to an end, and when God’s love, mercy and justice will flow like rivers of living water. The foundation for my belief is rooted throughout the Bible, including Psalm 18.

The New Testament writers believed Psalm 18 was fulfilled in God’s vindication of Jesus. God’s Kingdom was launched through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. In these early stages, the Kingdom is being established in the lives of the followers of Jesus. These believers are working to prepare earth to receive her King, as we live out our faith, day by day. In God’s time (kairos), our King will come and complete the restoration of Eden.

The foundation for Israel’s belief in God’s Kingdom was established upon their experience of God’s grace. Psalm 18, David’s magnificent Psalm of Praise, is also found in 2 Samuel 22. David’s praise was born of his experience with God’s saving grace.

How have you experienced God’s grace? Has there been a time in your life when you felt as though adverse circumstances might overwhelm you? How did God bring you safely through the storm? How would you explain your experience to another person? Your experience is your own psalm of praise. Maybe this morning you’ll want to sing your praise to God. Here, allow David to give you the opening lines of your song,

“I love you, LORD, my strength.

 The Lord is my solid rock,

    my fortress, my rescuer.

My God is my rock—

I take refuge in him!—

        he’s my shield,

        my salvation’s strength,

        my place of safety.

 Because he is praiseworthy,

    I cried out to the LORD,

    and I was saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:2-3

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Will See You Face To Face

February 24, 2017

I Will See You Face To Face

“Because I am righteous, I will see you.

When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.”

Psalm 17:15

Many commentators believe Psalm 17 is about Jesus, because only Jesus can pray with such confidence, “You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong . . . My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you . . .  Because I am righteous, I will see you” (Psalm 17:3,5,15). I don’t disagree.

However, I also read Psalm 17 as an expression of David’s child-like faith:   strong faith, Biblical faith, but also child-like faith. I suspect David wrote this psalm while still in his youth. Later in his life David is much more acutely aware of his own sin, as in Psalm 32 when he seeks forgiveness for his sin with Bathsheba.

David’s faith is the defining characteristic of the Book of Psalms. David has an absolute trust in God. David is not in denial; he knows he has adversaries and that his adversaries are enemies of God. However, David fully expects that God will vindicate him. He trusts God to be both judge and the executor of divine judgment. This is the same trust the Apostle Paul proclaimed when he wrote, “for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12).

There are two thoughts I take with me from Psalm 17. First, my battle is the Lord’s. David had many adversaries, some real and some imagined. But he knew that ultimately the Lord would deliver him. When I think about David’s confidence in turning to the Lord to fight for him, I recall a line from another Psalm that I desperately need to cling to: “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10a).   

Secondly, because of the immeasurable love of Christ, I am now and forever more the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, I can rejoice with the psalmist in saying:

“Because I am righteous, I will see you.

    When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.”

Psalm 17:15

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What Else Is There For Us To Say?

February 23, 2017

What Else Is There For Us To Say?

You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 16:11

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter faced a daunting challenge. Together with the other one hundred-nineteen disciples, Peter had been in hiding since the crucifixion of Jesus. When the promised Holy Spirit came upon Peter and the others, it was kairos, God’s Time to come out of hiding and proclaim the resurrection of Jesus to all people everywhere. Where do you start; how do you explain the resurrection? Peter began with Psalm 16.

Peter preached that David’s words in Psalm 16: 8-11 were fulfilled in Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:25-32). The Apostle Paul also relied on Psalm 16 when he preached to the people in Antioch (Acts 13:35-37).

While David’s psalm became an Old Testament prophecy of Jesus, the Messiah, it also held great comfort and power for David. We too, can feed upon the truth of God in David’s great psalm of hope. Like David, we too, through our faith in Christ, can experience God preserving us; we too can experience God’s goodness. We too can experience God’s presence before us giving us hope, and we too can rejoice in God’s victory over death as the Giver of life. Because Jesus fulfilled David’s affirmations in Psalm 16, the Apostle Paul proclaimed that we can rest in the sure hope of our eternal life in Jesus. (See Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 6:14 and 2 Corinthians 4:14)

What else is there for us to say but,

“You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.”

Psalm 16:11

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.