- araratchurch
- Apr 29, 2022
- 3 min read
“Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.”
Psalms 25:12-14 NKJV
I think it’s sad that the practice of people learning skills through apprenticeship is neglected in our modern society. There seems to be the philosophy that everything can be learned in a classroom setting, then you enter into your profession, and it’s all one big seamless process. But, it is anything but seamless. All the “book learning” in the world cannot replace the hands-on process that happens when a person learning to do something, is doing it under the watchful eye of a “master.” Experience teaches things that a classroom never can.
I am intrigued when I watch someone who is really a master at doing something—woodworking, plumbing, electrical, cooking, etc.—talking about the so-called “hacks” they have come up with through their experience. These hacks—these secrets—streamline their work and make the finished product better; they also help negotiate the “unexpected.” I truly believe that the reason that the YouTube “experience” has become so popular is that it puts back an element of learning that has been all but lost; you can watch someone do something that you want/need to do. However, still missing is that element of what to do if it does not go exactly as it went for the person on the YouTube video. The “master” would know what to do; but you don’t.
Did you know that the Lord has provided a Master Who can be with us all the time as we navigate our spiritual journey? His name is the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus promised this wonderful Teacher to us:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:12-15 NKJV
Jesus has provided a way for us to be under the watchful eye of a Master Teacher!
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV
Yes, the yoke of Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit. He conveys to us what our Lord knows: everything!
But, just as it is with a master trying to teach an apprentice, the apprentice must have a willing heart, respect the knowledge of the Teacher, and do just as He says.
In our portion from Psalms today we see David reflecting on one of the great benefits of fearing the Lord: knowing His “secret.” For those who fear the Lord, those who recognize God for who He is, those who desire to be obedient to His will, there is access to His limitless knowledge and understanding! He is willing to show us how to live an abundant life! All we have to do is to be willing to be taught and to do as He says.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord wants to share His secrets with us.
- araratchurch
- Apr 28, 2022
- 3 min read
“Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.”
“For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.”
Psalms 25:6-7, 11 NKJV
In my high school yearbook there is one autograph (do they still write in yearbooks?) that stands out to me. It is written by a young man who became a good friend in the last 3 years of high school (our high school was grades 8 through 12). In this autograph he says that he was very glad that he had come to know that, “first impressions don’t count.” Then he went on to say some very complementary things. But what was he referencing when he said, “first impressions don’t count?” Well, allow me to explain: his first experience with me came when we were on opposing teams in a sort of “debate.” The actual object of the team-to-team combat was to see if you could trip up the other team regarding the details of the subject we had been studying (in this case it was Greek Mythology…I know). Well, I could be very competitive in such situations and could also come across as being very aggressive (because I was being very aggressive). I never thought of how I was being perceived; I was just thinking about the goal: winning. Thankfully—as he came to better know me—he saw a more complete picture of me and began to see me in a different way.
Aren’t we grateful for do-overs? Sadly, there are some things concerning which there can be no do-over (in the natural). Mistakes have been made, the results of which, cannot be reversed; relationships damaged, setting a new course that cannot be corrected. I’m sure you know how it feels to wish you could have a do-over when a do-over is not available.
The fact is, as fallen human beings, we are born needing a do-over. We are born carrying the load of our own Sin: the Sin of mankind in rebelling against God.
“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”
1 John 1:8-10 NLT
Until Jesus Christ, there was no permanent remedy, no permanent do-over for our terrible state of being (condemned under Sin). But, what we could not do for ourselves, God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Now—for those who are in Christ—we are seen through the work of the Cross, seen through His own love and mercy. Therefore, we are afforded a standing do-over.
“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”
1 John 2:1-2 NLT
We repent and ask the Lord to forgive us because of Jesus Christ: the ultimate work of grace and mercy.
In our portion from Psalms today we see David pleading for forgiveness. In doing so, he makes a powerful statement: “According to your mercy remember me.” David realized that approaching the Lord with humility would divert His anger; He looks on the penitent soul with mercy, because of His own goodness.
Remember, people with whom you associate may never afford you a do-over. Indeed, life itself, may dictate your mistakes in granite. But God—looking through Jesus Christ—will see you through eyes of mercy, and deal with you according to His goodness.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord sees the penitent soul through the eyes of mercy.
- araratchurch
- Apr 27, 2022
- 3 min read
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah”
Psalms 24:1, 9-10 NKJV
It’s interesting to me to observe how people deal with other people’s property. For example, I have seen people occupying someone else’s property—whether that be hotel, motel, rental house, rental car, and so on—treating the property with great carelessness and leaving destruction behind them.
Beyond that, we have recently seen graphic reminders that there are some people who have no respect for other people’s property. It seems they think they have a right to steal, burn, tear down, and treat with utter contempt what does not belong to them. Additionally, they revile and abuse those who attempt to thwart their destruction.
Jesus told a parable about some evil vineyard keepers who felt entitled to keep all the fruit of another man’s vineyard and doing with his property as they pleased. They went so far as to abuse and kill representatives sent by the owner of the vineyard. They ultimately killed even the son of the vineyard owner sent to represent his father.
“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.”
Matthew 21:37-39 NLT
Jesus was speaking of the leaders of Israel. They took what the Lord had given them—authority and prosperity—and decided that they wanted to keep it all to themselves. And as we know, they killed Jesus, the One sent from the Father.
Everything, everywhere, belongs to the Lord.
“This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Isaiah 66:1-2a NLT
After having created all things, the Lord entrusted man with taking care of the creation and ruling over it FOR HIM.
“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
Genesis 1:28 NKJV
We know how that turned out: man rebelled against his maker and chose to deal with the creation as he desired.
Then the Lord’s chosen people did the same thing! They did with what God had entrusted to them as they pleased.
Sadly, even now I see those who call themselves Christians, denying that the Kingdom of God has a coming King Who will rule and reign over the earth. Rather, they have chosen to be rulers themselves and unto themselves, using the name of the King, but not desiring His rule.
In our portion from Psalms today we see David—as he did many other times—recognizing the fact that God owns everything; there is not anything that He does not own. He is the creator. As an extension, David acknowledged that the rule, the ultimate authority of God, should be met with open arms and open hearts.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
Everything belongs to the Lord and His rule should be respected and welcomed.