The True Vine

Who is the True Vine?

By Dudley Hall

www.sclm.org

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1

In the Old Testament era, Israel was considered the vine that God took from Egypt and planted in the promised land. One primary reference to Israel's role as God's vineyard is Isaiah 5:1-2,7:

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; He built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes...For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

When Jesus identified himself as Israel, he was making a huge point. He was doing what Israel was assigned to do, but couldn't. He was the Seed who would bless the nations that God promised to Abraham. The people of God would not be known primarily by their relationship to Abraham, but to Jesus the Christ.

It should be noted that Israel had failed at the assignment to display the true nature of God the Father as a nation of priests. She had turned her calling into a self-exalting superiority and generally excluded the nations. But she had succeeded in one thing: She had produced the Messiah. However, she could take no credit for this because it was the sovereign hand of God who worked through the good and bad decisions of the descendants of Abraham. No matter what she did, she could not prevent the Messiah's coming at exactly the right time. Jesus came in Israel's stead to do what she could not do.

Just as David had represented Israel as king, now the Son of David would identify himself as the Vine-Israel. Jesus is Israel in one person. So we can say that Israel succeeded in her role. Jesus did accurately represent God the Father, and he was the ultimate priest who brought man and God together. Jesus is the Savior. He saved Israel from failure just like he saves the Gentiles from wrath by doing for both of them what they cannot do for themselves.

Now in the last discourse with his disciples Jesus is giving an identity to his followers. They are the true branches of the true vine. Where Israel had been a false vine and produced wild grapes, this new people could display the fruit of his own life as they embraced their new identity. They were the new Israel in the sense that they would now have the assignment to display his true nature to the nations and bless them by presenting the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom. 

There aren't two vines. Jesus has stepped in and fulfilled Israel's role. He is the true vine. We as his disciples have the privileges of being connected to the very source of eternal life. Our job is to abide in the Vine.

Devotional

Psalm 113

Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

Why should we praise the Lord, no matter what? Well, first because He’s working everything together for our good (Romans 8:28). Paul also told us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil 4:4) He was writing to the Philippians, who were suffering terrible persecution. And James said, “Count it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) They knew God’s character and his ways.

Second, there seems to be a law of reciprocity at work between us and the Lord. If we don’t judge we won’t be judged. If we don’t condemn we won’t be condemned. If we forgive we’ll be forgiven. If we give generously, the Lord will be generous toward us. (Luke 6:37-38) And if we praise the Lord, He’ll make sure we have something to praise Him for. He makes our world mirror the attitude of our heart and reflect it back to us.

He said that He came so we could have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10) but unless we’re sincerely grateful for what we’ve already received, and have learned to be content in our current situation, we’re unlikely to receive more. This is why the so-called prosperity gospel is flawed. Rather than promote an attitude of gratitude based on what we’ve already been given, it creates an attitude of greed, based on the expectation of more.

Now and then people write to me complaining that they’ve already done everything they’re supposed to do, prayer, fasting, Bible study, tithing, etc, but God is not doing His part. Invariably one thing is lacking. They’re not thankful for what they already have. In some cases they’re actually a little bit angry with God for not giving them more. They don’t realize that God didn’t have to give us anything, and therefore our ingratitude for the blessings He’s showered down upon us anyway is tragic.

If you’re thinking that God hasn’t done enough for you lately, start today to change your attitude. Make a list of all the blessings you can remember receiving and then praise Him for them. As He brings more to your mind, praise Him for then too, and keep going until it becomes a habit. And don’t be stingy about it. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. ( Deut. 8:17-18)

Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The True Agape

A Divine Love Note

Karen Ehman

"He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'"

John 21:17 (ESV)

Devotion:

Long before the current craze of texting messages back and forth on cell phones, in my junior high we had our own way of communicating with peers: it was called passing notes. When the teacher wasn't looking, we shot a simple, folded piece of lined notebook paper to our friend sitting a few rows back. We crossed our fingers and hoped the teacher's second set of eyes--the ones in the back of her head--were focused elsewhere. Otherwise, our note just might get read to the entire class!

While notes from our girlfriends were fun, what really got our excitement up was when the folded and scribbled message was from a boy. Usually it read something like this:

Do you like me? Check one: Yes ___ No ___ Just as a friend ___

Of course we would think long and hard before taking our pencil and marking our answer. Then it was passing time again; back to the boy who had posed the all-important question. It seems to me in today's scripture Jesus was sending a divine love note to Peter, quizzing him about the strength of his love for Him.

We pick up the story a few verses earlier when after breakfast, Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me?" Peter seems a bit surprised and says, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus then tells him to feed His lambs. No sooner had he finished talking than He asks Peter the same question again. Then, a third time. Each time it appears as if dear Peter answers the same way. In a nutshell, "Ah...yeah Lord. You know everything. You know I love you. Haven't I made that clear? Why the twenty questions?"

This passage of scripture used to puzzle me, until one day I discovered, with the help of my husband's old Greek textbook from college, that Peter and Jesus were using two different Greek words for love in this famous exchange.

The word rendered 'love' in our English Bibles here is really two distinct words. One is "phileo" and one is "agape." Phileo is defined as brotherly and tender affection; true friendship. It is based on common interests. Agape, on the other hand, is sacrificial and giving love; a love that can't stand being apart from the other. It isn't based on having a common interest with someone. It loves the other not for what they do, but for who they are. It is the laying down your life for another kind of love.

It is helpful to know that the first two times Jesus posed the question to Peter, He asked him "Do you agape me?" Peter answered, "Of course I phileo you!" It was as if Jesus was asking, "...so you really, sacrificially love me, based on Who I am? And you'd gladly lay down your life for me?" And instead, Peter was checking the box that said "Just as a friend!"

The third time Jesus posed the question, He asked Peter, "Do you phileo me?" And Peter truthfully answered "yes." Now, before we are too hard on ole' Simon Peter, we must assume that He indeed did grow to love our Lord in the agape sense of the word. History tells us that Peter met his death by crucifixion. However, he did not feel worthy to be crucified in the same manner as the Lord, so he was crucified upside down!

What about us today, in 2009? If Jesus passed us a divine love note asking if we love (agape) Him, which box would we check? Undoubtedly, many people today would scoff and check the "No" box. There are millions who care nothing of Christ and His love. Others would check "Yes." They are fervent Christ followers who love until the end. I am reminded of many modern day martyrs who have willingly given up their life for Christ.

I fear that many of us would check the "Just as a friend" box. We love, but just to a point. We aren't afraid to hang around Jesus, we just don't want to be asked to share in His sufferings! Oh may God turn our temporal phileo fascination with Jesus into an all-out, agape, laying-down-our-life, love for the Lord.

Pencils sharpened? He is asking us this question today!

Dear Lord, I don't want to be just Your casual friend. I want to love You sacrificially and passionately. Help me learn how. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God's Love by Max Lucado

For more on loving God, visit Karen's blog

Application Steps:

Take time this week to be encouraged by reading the life stories of some great heroes of the faith who truly loved God. Try Jim Elliot, Fanny Crosby, Dwight L. Moody, Bill Bright, Mother Teresa or William Wilberfource.

Reflections:

How would you rate your love of Christ right now? Cold? Lukewarm? On fire?

Was there a time in your walk with the Lord that your love and devotion for Him was very strong? Why? What happened to change it? More importantly, what steps do you need to take to rekindle that fire again?

Power Verses:

John 14:23, "Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'" (NIV)

© 2009 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

Bread From Heaven

Psalm 104

Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.

He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys. The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.

You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.

How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works- he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.

Everywhere you look you see evidence of God’s role as the Author of Creation. From the mountains and the skies that shout it to the plants and flowers that sing it to the birds and bees that whisper it. No amount of random selection could have resulted in such intricacy, such attention to the smallest detail. If you could hold a hummingbird in your hand and inspect it carefully, you’d be overwhelmed at the beauty of its construction. And how about a bumblebee? Aerodynamically unsuited for flight, its wings are too small to hold its body aloft. And yet they do, because God ordained it.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. (Psalm 19:1-3) All of creation cooperates to bring us the message of Grand Design, and there can be nothing more confirming of this than a walk along a beach or through a field of wild flowers or over a mountain trail. It reminds us once again of the power and majesty of the One to whom we pay homage, teaching us that surely He’s capable of managing our little lives.

This is why whenever our problems threaten to overwhelm us, we gain such comfort from “communing with nature.” It allows the self-evident truth of our Creator-God’s existence to permeate our souls, whether we consciously admit it or not, putting our circumstances into perspective. Often solutions pop suddenly into our minds as our spirit re-connects with God’s and our own creativity is stimulated.

We often say that stepping back from our immediate situation gives us the perspective we need to think things through, or see them more clearly, but I’m convinced that removing ourselves from the static that routinely fills our heads allows us to hear the Voice that was there all along, giving us the answer we were too pre-occupied to hear.

So why wait for a crisis to take yourself somewhere quiet so you can hear the Voice of God? Why not make it a routine part of your life? You’ll be happier and more productive, your life will be more peaceful, and you’ll become even more certain that the Bible’s creation account had to have been written by the only eye-witness, explaining exactly how He did it. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Devotionals

Psalm 102

Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.

All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.

The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.

Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”

So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD. In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days. So I said: “Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”

No matter what else happens in your life, you can be sure of one thing. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Hebr.13:8) Whether you live to a ripe old age or die young, enjoy good health or battle sickness, live a life of privilege or poverty, bask in the bright glow of worldly fame or drift through the gray haze of anonymity, His promise to you remains the same. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)

As acclaimed cartoonist Mark Newgarden observed, “We all die alone.” Sure, people can be at our bedside holding our hands and praying, but I’ve watched enough people die to know that at the moment our life on Earth ends, no one there will be able to share the experience with us. The journey from here to eternity begins with the shedding of all our earthly accoutrements, and at least for the short term that includes relationships as well. No one from here accompanies us on our walk toward the light.

How comforting it will be at that moment to know that all of God’s promises are true.

“This too shall pass,” the proverb tells us. No matter what your earthly situation or circumstance, it’s only temporary, and you know not when it will end. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Jesus said. (Matt.24:35) I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

So don’t allow the good to manipulate you, or the bad to intimidate you. Trust in the Lord, rejoice in all things, give thanks always. Learn, like Paul, the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. And what is this secret? I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:12-13). For the Lord is good, His compassions are new every morning, and His mercy endures forever.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Psalm 97

By Jack Kelley

www.gracethrufaith.com

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods!

Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD. For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

It’s nice to remember, amidst the trials and tribulations of this world, that the Lord reigns and that righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne. We could use a whole lot more of both right about now. Hardly a week goes by without news of a major earthquake, fire or storm, some outlandish new threat to world peace, a new incurable disease, or the like.

Those of us in the Church should be especially comforted that His hand restrains evil, and I include all the natural and man-made threats to our health and safety above as being by-products of evil. It can only go so far. And if you think it’s going too far, that just means that He is near, right at the door. (Matt 24:33)

One day soon, when all who will respond to His call have done so, He will say, “Enough!” and in an instant the righteous will be spirited away to the place prepared for them. We will praise His Holy Name, thanking Him for guarding our lives and for delivering us from the hand of the Wicked One.

And how do we know we belong to “The Righteous”? Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:17,21)

How can this be? God, Who knows the end from the beginning, has looked forward in time to the day when you stand before Him and are finally made perfect, totally conformed to the image and likeness of His Son. As part of the blessing you received by asking Jesus into your heart, He chose from that day on to see you only as you’ll be then, not as you are now. And how you’ll be then is as righteous as He is.

And if you sin between now and then? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Immediately upon confession, we’re forgiven, the sin forgotten and we’re pure once again, as righteous as He is. The law of double jeopardy protects us from accusation.

Here’s how it works. In Roman times, when someone was convicted of a crime, the law he had broken and its penalty were written on a parchment and nailed to his prison cell door. When his sentence was served, the jailer wrote the Greek word “Tetelesti” across the parchment, signifying that he had paid his debt to society in full, and gave it to him. If he was ever accused of that crime again, he could produce the parchment showing the penalty had been paid, and the charges were dropped. Double jeopardy was forbidden.

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:14-15)

The penalty for your sins is death. When Jesus went to the cross, the spirit world saw a parchment with all the sins of your life written upon it nailed it to the cross with Him. His last word before dying was “Tetelesti.” In John 19:30 It’s translated “It is finished.” But legally it means, “Paid in full.” He was saying that His death paid in full the penalty for all your sins. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) You needn’t fear confessing any sin, because the parchment listing all the sins of your life has been marked Tetelesti, paid in full. You’re as righteous as God is. Double jeopardy is forbidden.

Psalm 94

Psalm 94
by Jack Kelley

How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush your people, O LORD; they oppress your inheritance. They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless. They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.”

Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?

The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law; you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— one that brings on misery by its decrees? They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.

Your physical body is a gift from God. He created it, equipped it, set its workings in motion, and then gave it to you. Exercise it and its strength increases. Nurture it and it will heal itself of accident and illness to a remarkable degree. But if you don’t, its strength diminishes, its endurance decreases, its muscles atrophy, until it’s almost useless. Ignore it long enough and it’ll die.

Faith is the same way. God gave you enough to be saved (Ephes. 2:8-9). Then He equipped you with the Holy Spirit and set you in motion anew. Exercise your faith it and its strength increases. Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and you’ll be carried through even the most trying circumstances. Learn the lessons from your experience and you’ll find your faith strengthened to a remarkable degree. But ignore it and it’ll die. All except that part He gave you in the beginning. The part that got you saved. That can’t die because it was a gift from Him.

The difference between the one with unshakeable faith and the one who cringes in fear at each new attack is a matter of exercise. You see, for many of us it doesn’t take much faith to get through this life. We’re pretty much self reliant, doing what we need to do to get by in our own strength. So we don’t have to exercise our faith regularly. And because of that, it’s not very strong. When the enemy strikes, we find we’re not as prepared as we should be, and wind up cowering instead of standing tall.

But for one reason or another, some decide to abandon their self-made security and “step out in faith.” My friends Vilbert and Shantha, from India, adopted four Moslem orphan children all at once so they could raise them in the ways of the Lord. They already had three of their own, and didn’t have a lot of extra money or room, but went ahead on faith.

Daniel and Heidi brought the concept of Christian daycare to a country that’s never heard of it, in an effort to keep poor families together. They bought a building and began remodeling, learning as they go and depending on the Lord for sustenance.

DJ and Lynette agreed to take over a failing Mexican orphanage. They had no money, didn’t speak Spanish, and had never run an orphanage, but felt the Lord calling them.

Each of these couples decided to exercise their faith. And they all found that as they did, it grew stronger. They now take in stride things that would have flattened them just a short time ago. (How’d you like to wake up one morning with 90 hungry mouths to feed and find the cupboards bare?)

But you don’t have to do something that dramatic to exercise your faith. You can simply decide today to delegate one little part of your life to the Lord to manage for you. Pick a part you’re not doing very well with so there won’t be a big temptation to take it back. For example, if you know you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, try going to some places where the Lord would feel OK going with you, and let Him introduce you to some of His friends. Then watch what He does when you give Him the chance.

If you’ve been looking around you at all, you know that things are going to get a lot worse in this world before they get better. Begin now to exercise your faith more consistently. It’ll prepare you for the time coming soon when you’ll really need it.

Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Psalm 92

Psalm 92 - Jack Kelly

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!

The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But you, O LORD, are exalted forever. For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

Having lived for years in a resort town where incomes are way above average and the display of material wealth is almost an obsession, I’ve concluded that man’s earthly perspective is one of his more serious problems. Created as an eternal being, he puts all his time and energy into the 70 years or so that begins with birth, virtually ignoring the endless span of his life that begins with death. And the sad fact is that if he took the time to think about it, he’d learn that one simple decision would change everything. Forever.

Public education teaches us that we didn’t come from anywhere, our lives have no purpose, and we’re not going anywhere when they’re over. Best to get all we can while we can. We learn to envy those around us who’ve become “successful” and are living “the good life” because that’s all we know.

But the Bible teaches an eternal perspective. It tells us not to be so consumed with the things of this world, but “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” and the things we need to thrive here will be given us as well. (Matt. 6:33) It tells us not to focus on things that are seen, which are temporary, but on things that are unseen, which are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18) Its pages abound with warnings on the folly of the obsessive quest for wealth. (Luke 12:16-21 for example)

If obeyed faithfully, the Lord’s laws promise prosperity for all, (Deut. 15:4-5) but accumulating excessive wealth pretty much requires that they be violated. And an obsession with wealth for its own sake can be a short cut to the devil’s playground.

Our Creator has promised that we’ll live forever. If we focus our lives on seeking Him, He’ll make sure we live comfortably and securely here, and enjoy an eternity of unimaginable bliss when we go to be with Him. The other alternative is to strive and sweat and push and fight to get all we can on our own in the 70 years or so we’re here, and then spend eternity regretting that we didn’t choose plan A.

“Delight yourself in the Lord,” King David wrote, “And He’ll give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) To me that means that He’ll place in your heart those things He would have you desire, and then He’ll turn those desires into reality.

In other words, if you ask the One who created you to determine what it takes to make you happy instead of letting the advertising industry do it, and then let Him get it for you instead of trying to get it on your own, everything will work to your everlasting benefit, and you’ll just be along for the ride of your life. Your eternal life.