Tag: prayer

A God of Justice (Psalm 36:7-12)

We conclude our trio of studies on Psalm 36 today by reviewing the final six verses. So far, we have considered David’s revelation of sinfulness in part 1 – A Revelation of Wickedness, and then yesterday we thought about some of the attributes of God in – Faithful to the Skies.

How precious is your unfailing love, O God!

All humanity finds shelter

    in the shadow of your wings.

8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

    letting them drink from your river of delights.

9 For you are the fountain of life,

    the light by which we see.

10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;

    give justice to those with honest hearts.

11 Don’t let the proud trample me

   or the wicked push me around.

12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen!

    They are thrown down, never to rise again.

Psalm 36:7-12 NLT

Verse seven reminds us of how precious God’s unfailing love is. In many ways, this is obvious but that makes it all too easy to just pass it over. Preciousness means value, not necessarily financial, but something we prize. God does not have to love us (in a sense). Although it would be against His character and nature, He could look upon our sinfulness and reject us outright. God’s love is not to be taken lightly or for granted. The more precious something is, the more it tends to cost, and God’s love cost Him His Son.

Many Christians ask themselves if God really loves them. They may not feel loved, and so question whether God cares at all. In the hectic world we live in, it can be difficult to hear from God at times. This leads us to think He is distant, or even uncaring. Not so! I often ask myself how well or often I hear from God, and my answer is usually the same. When I set aside other things, sit down in the quiet with Him, and listen – truly listen – I inevitably hear what God is telling me. To hear God speak into my life through His Word or in other ways is a true privilege, and it reminds me how much He really does care for me. And the same is true for you.

God’s love is not just restricted to us however, but extends to all humanity (as verse seven reminds us). John 3:16 springs to mind here:

For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life

John 3:16 NLT

God’s love extends to all humanity. While this does not mean all will accept it, it does affirm that it is available to all. The Bible does not support the idea that all people will be saved, no matter what, for that idea cheapens the cross and leaves little incentive to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. There is a hell to avoid, and while the thought does not bless me, I rejoice that God has made a way for us. Let each of us tell as many as we can of God’s saving love which never fails.

Upon first reading of verse eight, I am not certain if it refers to physical food and drink, or rather points to something more spiritual. God does indeed provide us food and sustenance, and it is certainly important to take a moment to thank Him at each meal time. Not everyone has the abundance of food we do, so it is right not to take our material blessings for granted.

Looking to verse nine as well, I wonder if David was thinking of more spiritual food in verse eight. Verse nine shows us that God is the fountain of life for us. While we need food to survive, we need God no less so. He controls all things, sustains all things, and our next breath is utterly dependent on Him and His grace towards us. God is not just our life, but our light as well. 1 John 1:5 echoes this psalm in telling us God is light. We cannot hope to see our way through this life or the next without the light of God. We cannot hope to understand, nor can we see the right way to go unless God first shows us the way. His Word is indeed a lamp unto our feet as Psalm 119:105 tells us.

Verse ten and eleven turn into an apparent word of prayer. The psalmist asks God to pour out His unfailing love on those who love Him. As referred to above, God has done this at the cross of Calvary. I am not sure we now need ask God to pour out His love, but perhaps it is better to pray that we understand and perceive the love He has already shown. David asks God to give justice to those with honest hearts. Justice is a common theme in the Bible, and we trust God to make all things well in the end. Justice in this life is not guaranteed, but we know that the God of justice will indeed comfort the afflicted and wipe every tear from their eye.

Pour out your unfailing #love on those who love you; give #justice to those with honest hearts. Psa 36:10 NLT #Bible

Verse eleven seeks protection from the proud. I like the phrasing of the NLT here, as no one likes to be “pushed around.” This continues the theme of justice, and the cry to protect the downtrodden. The proud pick on the weak, exploiting them for their own gain. We, as the people of God, must not be like this. We must not show favouritism, nor exploit those who we think are beneath us. Time and time again the Bible speaks of looking after orphans and widows, and we must look after those who are in need or marginalised.

This psalm of contrasts comes to an end with an almost prophetic note. Behold, the psalmist cries out, the wicked are no more! David knows the justice of his God, and knows that the wicked cannot stand before Him. A time will come when sin will end. A time is coming soon when the wicked will see justice. At the end of all things, God will separate the sheep from the goats, and will take care of His sheep for all eternity. I want to be among them, and want you to be too.

You cannot have #love without #justice. #Bible #Jesus #Christianity

God’s love touched on in this psalm is not so far removed from His justice. To love someone means hating anyone or anything that would harm them. You cannot have love without justice. We give thanks that our God is both full of unfailing love, and a God of true justice. Receive His love today, and allow Jesus to pay the penalty for your sin so that justice is satisfied.

Blessings on you this day.

Everything is Little (PoW)

Pearls of Wisdom

Everything is little next to our God

Do you ever feel like you are bothering God? Perhaps you have a need – a small one – and you look at all of the problems in the world and think, “This is too little for God…”

More likely perhaps, you believe that you ought to be able to handle this “thing” whatever it may be, and yet are struggling. I should be able to do this, you feel, and the Spirit urges you to ask God for help. Yet your pride stops you. You might not say the words exactly, but somehow feel like to ask God for this little thing is just plain silly.

I recall a story of a Bible teacher struggling to play a particular sport. Every move they made seemed to go wrong, and they felt a nudge from the Spirit to ask God to help them. They dismissed it, thinking “God isn’t interested in me playing this game…” But the leading persisted, and so, they prayed. “God, please help me play…” And their game improved dramatically.

When we have real problems in life, we do tend to take them to the Lord. If it is bigger than us, we know to pray to the One who is bigger than it all. Smaller matters of life though, we try to handle on our own. We think that trivial matters are too little for God. The truth is though, everything is little to God!

When you serve a God who is infinite in nature, all-powerful and beyond our comprehension; you begin to realise that every need you have is miniscule in comparison. To put it simply; God is big, and there is nothing above Him. Given that, our greatest need is but a minor thing to Him.

I do not want to speak ignorantly here, and realise that anyone reading this might be facing really difficult problems. Perhaps you are unwell, or someone you love is. Maybe you have lost a job, a home or worse a child. These are truly awful things, and I am not trivialising them today. God cares about what you care about. If it means something to you, then it means something to Him. When my youngest daughter tells me about the intricacies of the book she is reading, or the imaginary game she is playing, I do not see it as beneath me, but instead show interest in what she cares about. Likewise, our earthly trials may seem world-ending to us, and perhaps they are from our perspective, yet God – our Heavenly Father – loves us, and cares for our needs.

My point, then, is not to trivialise our problems, but to instead hold them up against our immeasurable God. A candle can light a room and burn your hand, yet if you hold it up to the Sun in the sky, you may barely be able to notice it. in the same way, your problems are very real, but are nothing next to our incredible Father.

This may not be the most theological of Bible posts today. It may not consider justification by faith, hermeneutics or apologetics. Still, I hope it encourages you!

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

Ephesians 3:20 WEB

Familiar words these may be, but do not let them pass you by. God our Father can do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all that we can ask or think! That should astonish us! That should humble us! That should throw us to our knees in prayer!

Nothing is too big for God! Nothing! In fact, everything is little to Him!

Have a great day!

This Sunday at Church: Pray for the salvation of any unbeliever hearing the Sermon today

This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Pray for the salvation of any unbeliever hearing the Sermon today. I thought I …

This Sunday at Church: Pray for the salvation of any unbeliever hearing the Sermon today

Magnification – Andy Brown

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! Psalm 34:3 (ESV) At a recent prayer event, we were thinking about “magnifying God”. The facilitator expressed the sentiment that to magnify something is to make it larger, so how can we make God any bigger than He already is? This stumped me. Surely God is…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2018/02/23/magnification/

Who’s Really in Charge? (Daniel 6:19-28)

Over the last couple of weeks I have written a series of posts on the events of Daniel 6, which is one of the more famous sections of the Old Testament. In the account, we read of the faithful man Daniel being thrown into a den of lions. We looked at how Daniel’s life of exceptional standards led to the jealousy of others, and how they lured the king into making a law they knew Daniel would break. Indeed, the king ordered that no one could pray to God or man except to the king himself, and if they did, the den of lions beckoned. Daniel was not a man to compromise his faith, and as he always did, he prayed to his God.

The king is devastated when he realises that Daniel is caught. We speculated whether this was genuine concern for Daniel, or concern for the king’s own interests given the impeccable competence of Daniel’s leadership. Having put Daniel into the den, the king spends a sleepless night worrying whether he will lose his most effective official.

Before we read the next section though, let me pose you a question. Who’s really in charge here? At first, we might think it is the king. He is the king after all, and yet seems rather easily manipulated by the officials. Perhaps it is Daniel, the man rising to the top once again. Yet, he ends up in the den of lions. Could it be the jealous officials themselves? They dislike Daniel and succeed in trapping him. As we will find out shortly however, things do not end well for them. As you read the remaining part of Daniel 6, and reflect back over my posts in this chapter, ask yourself who is pulling the strings here?

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

Daniel 6:19-24 WEB

As early in the morning as he can, the king rushes to the den to find out what has happened. For the first time in Daniel 6, we hear Daniel speak. He reassures the king that God has indeed rescued him, and has done so by sending an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.

Daniel survived, the king is thrilled, and in retaliation for their actions, the king has the jealous officials thrown in the den instead. Not just the men themselves however, but their families too. The Bible records that they were torn apart and their bones broken, before even hitting the bottom of the den. What a gruesome end!

What do we learn from this account? I have heard some use verse 23 as a summary.

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Daniel 6:23 WEB

The theology goes something like this; Daniel trusted in God and was saved. If we too trust in God, we also shall be saved.

The moral of this story however is not that. If you read Daniel 6 and say to yourself, I just need to trust in God and He will protect me from all harm and suffering, then you are heading for disappointment.

This account does show us that God is able to save, and is mighty and powerful indeed. It tells us that God can and does intervene in our lives in miraculous ways. For this, we should be truly grateful.

In a general sense, we could infer that to trust God means everything will be ok. To clarify, if we place our trust in Christ, then He will indeed save us and ultimately all things will be made right in heaven. However, we come into error when we think that by trusting God everything in this life will work out just fine.

Look at Stephen, the first martyr, for example. He trusted God. He followed God’s instruction. He served the Lord faithfully. Yet, he was stoned to death. Why didn’t it work for him? And, if it did not work for Stephen, why should we think it will work for us?

We cannot liberally take Bible passages in isolation, and draw out wrong conclusions from them. In this case, Daniel was saved. In Stephen’s case, he was not.

So what is really going on here? I think the answer lies in the closing verses of this chapter. And it relates to the question I asked you earlier – who is really in charge?

25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth:

“Peace be multiplied to you.

26 “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;

“for he is the living God,

    and steadfast forever.

His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed.

    His dominion will be even to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues.

    He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth,

    who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 5:25-28 WEB

In response to all of these events, King Darius writes to all the peoples and nations in the world. In his letter, he tells them that they are to fear and worship the God of Daniel. Notice he does not claim Daniel’s God – our God – for himself, and still refers to Him as “Daniel’s God”. We each must claim a relationship with God for ourselves. It is no good to say that we follow the God of our parents, our friends or even our church. We must have our own relationship with Jesus.

Look at what the king writes! It is astonishing to hear such words from the Persian King.

He points out that God is living, and this in stark contrast to the many idols of wood or stone throughout the world at this time. He states that God is steadfast forever, and will not be moved. Darius claims that God’s kingdom will never be destroyed, and that is quite a statement from a king who undoubtedly wants his own kingdom to be perpetuated. Darius tells the world that our God rescues and saves (something we too should be doing), and that He is the God of signs and wonders.

So who is really in charge? God is – our God, Daniel’s God, the very same. The events of Daniel 6 and the trial that Daniel faced at the mouths of hungry lions was all about His glory. Daniel was rescued so that a Persian King might proclaim the goodness of God throughout the earth.

We can and should trust God, and we can and should ask the Lord to keep us safe and to rescue us from our troubles. If He does, then we worship Him. Yet, if He does not, then we praise Him in and through those time of trial. Our goal should not be our own comfort, but to glorify the Living God!

The thought of trouble and trial does not excite me, nor does it you I imagine! I pray for a peaceful life, yet I pray for a life of obedience more so. If a few brief earthly troubles leads to the God Heaven being glorified, then so be it.

I hope you have enjoyed this series on Daniel, and I hope it has challenged you to live differently. May you be excellent in all you do, fully committed to your faith in Christ, and will to endure any trials so that your God might be glorified.

Who is really in charge? The maker of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Praise be unto Him in all the earth! Amen!

A Proclamation

Cùl Beag in Coigach north of Ullapool taken with some spectacular light on its north face summit. Photography courtesy of Neil McDade, https://…

A Proclamation

Why water into wine? – Andy Brown

Sharing a video post from last year with you today. Hope you enjoy!

Do follow my Facebook page while you are there

It was my pleasure to stand in for our local vicar at short notice this week. In this video, I share a few thoughts about why I think Jesus turned water into wine from John 2. For some technical reason I do not understand, I was not able to upload the video directly to this…
— Read on andy-brown.org/2021/01/24/why-water-into-wine/

We Are Not Orphans – Revisited and Updated

It is all about Jesus! If you agree, then I’m quite certain you will be touched by this beautiful post from Bruce Cooper. Enjoy

John 14:18 NASB “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” How is it that one can come to love Jesus when we’ve never met him? How do you…

We Are Not Orphans – Revisited and Updated

Stand on His word – 7-15-22

Some wonderful Scriptures to meditate on this Saturday morning. If you get a time of quiet this morning, do you spend some time praying over them.

The Lord is your strength. He will deliver you in times of trouble. That thought went across my mind this morning. Sometimes God speaks to us that …

Stand on His word – 7-15-22

No Way Out (Daniel 6:11-15)

Continuing on with our look at Daniel 6 and his experience in the Lion’s Den, we pick up the passage at verse 11.

11 Then, by agreement, these men came [together] and found Daniel praying and making requests before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king regarding his injunction, “Have you not signed an injunction that anyone who petitions (prays to) any god or man except you, O king, within the designated thirty days, is to be thrown into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The statement is true, in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered or revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, does not pay any attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you have signed, but keeps praying [to his God] three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard these words, he was deeply distressed [over what he had done] and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and he struggled until the sun went down [trying to work out a way] to save him. 15 Then, by agreement, these same men came to the king and said, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be altered or revoked.”

Daniel 6:11-15 (AMP)

As a reminder, the governors and commissioners were jealous of this successful man – Daniel. He is rising to the top because of his faithfulness to God. They cannot find fault with him, so lay a trap for him by asking the King to sign a law that states no one can pray to any god or man except to King Darius himself. Daniel, not willing to compromise, goes home and prays to God just as he always did. The governors catch him in the act.

These wicked men approach the king and ask him, “O King, did you not sign some kind of law about praying to any God or man except you? Didn’t you say anyone caught doing this would be thrown into the lion’s den?” The king replies in the affirmative, and confirms he did indeed sign such a law. The governors are quick to point out that Daniel has broken the law.

I imagine the look on King Darius’ face as realisation dawns. Verse 14 tells us he was deeply distressed. Why? I would like to think he is particularly fond of Daniel, and the thought of losing his friendship was a very sad one. However, I suspect another reason may lie behind the king’s distress. We learned from earlier on in the chapter that the governors and commissioners were there to protect the king’s interests. No one did that better than Daniel. The king knows that to lose Daniel to the lions is to lose a valuable asset, and leaves him with only corrupt officials unlikely to act with integrity toward him.

Verse 14 may seem a little odd to our ears. If he is the king, why not just change the laws or pardon Daniel to save him from the lions? You will notice the phrase, repeated more than once in this chapter, “in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered or revoked.” Once a law was made in Persia, that was it. No take-backs, no changes. Not even the king could undo a law that he had signed.

We see this at work in the book of Esther. King Artaxerxes, under the influence of the wicked Haman, signs a law that will mean the Jewish people will be killed on a certain day. The actions of Queen Esther exposes the plot, but the king cannot revoke the law. Instead, he puts in place a second law that means the Jewish people can gather together, arm and protect themselves from harm.

King Darius spends the entire day trying to figure out a way out of the predicament. He finds none. There are a number of lessons for us here, but I want to point out the importance of our words. We must not make a commitment we cannot fulfil. We see the impact of hasty words in Judges 11 when Jephthah makes a vow that he will sacrifice the first thing that comes out of his house. Sadly, it was his daughter who came to greet him. Jesus, likewise, urges us to count the cost before we begin (see Luke 14). King Darius here has been flattered by the governors and they have taken full advantage. He no doubt regrets his words, and can find no way out.

We ought to be very careful about what we commit to. When we talked about Daniel being an excellent man, I am certain that part of his excellence lie in the fact that he meant what he said. Too few of us are bound by our words. If we say we are going to be there at a certain time, then we should make sure we are. If we are not sure, then neither should we commit.

Too few of us are bound by our #words – #Bible #Jesus

There is no recourse for the king. He finds no way out. Daniel is surely doomed! We will find out what happens when we look at the rest of this chapter another time.

Catch up on previous posts in this series:

Thanks for reading!

Listening carefully

Today, by way of a change, I share a very brief audio message about listening to God. Hope you enjoy!

Getting Things Done with God

The church where our little congregation meets was built in 1935. Now, to my friends in the UK, where there are churches and castles centuries old, …

Getting Things Done with God