The LORD's Day, February 4, 2007

More Instructions For the Battle We Are In

Psalm 64.10

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him; let all the upright in heart praise Him

One of the many things I love about God’s Word is it simplicity. We don’t have to wonder about what the LORD is saying. I can remember a few classes like that. I was lost in Chemistry. My teacher was Mr. Chalmers. I remember going to him and telling him my dilemma. Back then teachers did hall monitoring. So when he was on hall duty I would go during my study hall and one on one he would walk me through my struggles in Chemistry until I understood it.

God’s Word is given and a fool need not err in it. It is understandable. This passage is no exception. We are told some pretty basic things. But we also need to be reminded about these basic things again and again lest we let them slip or forget to do them. In a number of places in the Word of God we are told to get into it on a daily basis.

We are in a battle today. Its intensity is growing stronger. The winds and rain are blowing and beating against us but we can stand firm upon Jesus until we arrive in His Presence one day.

Here are some things we are told we need to keep on doing.

1. Rejoice in the LORD.

Be glad. David was being threatened and a conspiracy was taken place against him when he wrote these words. We may not be able to be glad over situations we are in but we can rise above them by seeing and sensing the Hand of the LORD upon us. We can always rejoice in God’s love and mercy and care for us.

We can be glad for the LORD’s Presence. He is with us always. He has promised He would be and He is faithful to all His Promises

We can be glad for the fellowship of God’s people. We are helped and strengthened in our faith by the fellowship of other believers.

We can be glad that the LORD reigns. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that. God is in control

We ought to be glad He sees everything and knows just what we are going through.
He knows the way we take. Job held onto this truth and he said that after he was tried he would come forth as gold.

We should be glad in our salvation. We are saved

We ought to be glad for the great things God has done for us. God has been good to us. He has taken care of us. He has led us.

Jesus told us to rejoice and be glad when we are persecuted because of our reward in heaven. Yes even when we are persecuted we can rejoice.


Be joyful. We need to be reminded of the difference between happiness and joy. They are vastly different. I can be unhappy while at the same time full of joy.

I’m not happy about things that are taking place in our country but at the same time I rejoicing in my salvation. I’m not happy about the war in Iraq but I am full of joy because one day Jesus will come and when He does he will put an end to war. Listen to these words from Isaiah 2:
3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

While I wait for this promise to be fulfilled I am rejoicing that one day it will be done

Be Cheerful- Jesus has overcome the world.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.(John 16.33)
Be of good cheer Jesus is coming and has overcome the world
He has conquered the world. He has been victorious over it

Sometimes this world can trouble us or get us down. Recently I read of a fellow I knew when I was very young. His dad was a pastor and he was a fine young man. In the article I read about him which he had written all that he talked about was the money he had made. He was encouraging others to come on board in a business on the internet that he had created and they too could have money- all the money they desired. He didn’t talk about Jesus once. From the looks of it he is serving money. My heart got heavy. I began to feel bad, real bad. I have to admit that one of the down sides of growing up in the church is seeing those who depart from the faith, those who break from the ranks, those you once enjoyed fellowship with around the things of God. Almost all my friends who are pastors did not grow up in the church. Some did. Most did not. I look at pictures of teen groups from when I was a teen and I see reality- there are many who start out in the race and there are many who drop out. Few finish, even fewer finish well. I saw this as I was growing up. I see this and my heart is troubled- agitated and distressed. Then these words of Jesus come back and my spirit is lifted and I realize I have been focusing on the wrong thing. In Him I have tranquility and harmony. He has conquered the world.

Jesus told us we would have trouble and tribulation. So what are we to do? We are told by the David in this Psalm.
The next thing he says is

2. Take Refuge In Him.

When difficulty comes we are to flee to the LORD for protection. He will watch over your life and He watches over your soul. He keeps guard over you.

Psalm 27.5 For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Put your trust in God. That seems almost elementary. After all we are facing a spiritual battle. Where else would we put our trust. You would be amazed The pastoral epistles are written to pastors and in it we are reminded over and over again to put our trust in the LORD. King Saul put his trust in the battle in his own understanding and ended up disobeying the Word of God. Even Solomon, as wise as he was, disobeyed directions given to kings. He acquired many horses and built stables all over Israel, a clear move demonstrating a lack of trust in God.

Taking refuge in the LORD means to confide in God. He is the best one to tell my problems too. He listens and knows all the facts perfectly. He also holds the answers.

In this spiritual battle we are in, we are to take refuge in the LORD and hope in Him.


Finally,

3. Praise Him.

In the Psalms we read this past week there was concept we spoke of that relates to what we the Psalmist is talking about here. It is the matter of allowing the light within us to shine. Out of my life may Jesus shine Proverbs 4.18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Psalm 66.2
Praising our Savior is part of the spiritual battle How we praise the LORD is too

When you praise Him make your praise: glorious- let the LORD be magnified in them Honor Him through your singing. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Let your boast be in the LORD Luke17.10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty. Jesus spoke strong words all the time. These are no exception. I have heard men brag about what they have done as well as what they have left to serve the LORD. It always troubles me.
Think about what God has done and what Jesus left to come here to this earth then this verse from Luke's Gospel comes into focus.

Some have gloried in their own crosses, impressing upon others what they have given up for Jesus. Paul puts this in perspective for us, But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Galatians 6.14 Glory in the cross of Jesus. Boast in the LORD and what He has done. Do not glory in yourself or what you have sacrificed. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself under God's Almighty Hand. Anything other than that is sheer foolishness.

Make your praise glorious for the sake and Name of the LORD. Our praise of Him should be in abundance. It should overflow Our praise of Him should be with dignity. We should talk of His reputation. It is to be done with reverence.

Psalm 67.1

to shine God's favor, ,to flash forth light, to praise, boast, be boastful, boasters
to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise

God’s blessings upon us and we in reflection of the One Who sent them letting our light shine before men. This is part of the spiritual battle we are in- Satan does not want God to receive glory so he does all kinds of things to stop us from giving it to the LORD- just look at Job Satan wanted Job to disown God by ceasing to praise Him and actually cursing Him Skin for skin Satan replied. A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face. (Job 2.4-5) You can see the spiritual battle we are in reading that book. Once again- we go on endlessly about why God allowed this to happen to Job. We miss the point. We are not given any answers for it but we are given keen insights into the battle we are engaged in. Satan is out to get God’s people to stop praising their LORD.

Our praising of God like David here in Psalm 64 at times will seem to the world like foolishness or like we are out fo our minds. How can we be giving God glory when we are being so severely tested. Even Job’s wife expressed this: His wife said to him, Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die (Job 2.9) Job did. None fo us has experienced the depth of suffering he did by any means. Most of us haven’t experienced what David is writing about in this Psalm. But we are all in a spiritual battle today.

Let’s continue to press on. Let’s not lose heart. One day we will be home.

Remember as part of the spiritual battle we are in today we are called on by the LORD through David to Rejoice in Him, Take Refuge in Him and Praise Him.

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The LORD’s Day
February 4, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Receiving the LORD’s Supper
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
More Instruction for the Spiritual Battle Psalm 64

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.
V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 68-70
Monday- Men’s Prayer Meeting- 6:30am
Thursday- Bible Study- 10:30am at the church Psalm 68-70
Bible Study- 7:30pm at the parsonage Psalm 68-70
Next Lord’s Day-
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm

In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq recently sustained injuries. Pray for his safety. Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton... Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s as she continues the radiation and Pastor’s friend Rudy undergoing radiation as well. Sonya, Albert and Anka’s niece in Canada facing a biopsy. Please pray for the whole family. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for a lifelong condition. Please pray for healing for all of these.
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*A number of nursery school families are going through difficult times. If you would like to sponsor a child presently at Good Shepherd, see Alice or call the school at 666-7503
*If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see Alice Gordon.


Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
More Instruction for the Spiritual Battle
Psalm 64




Pastor’s messages are now available on the Internet
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Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
*1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436
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