Turning Mountains Into Molehills

Sometimes the problems in our lives seem really big, and we seem very small; they are too powerful, and we are too weak; they appear so complicated, and we are lost.  At least, I’ve felt that way before.  Have you?

What do you do?  Give up?  Quit?  Try…but know you’re going to fail?  Maybe there is a better way.

The Israelites faced a truly big, powerful and complicated problem.  And I think we should respond to the issues in our lives the way they did.

The problem they faced was people.  Specifically, they had been promised this wonderful place to settle, to raise their families, to live forever.  The problem was the place was occupied already by very big, strong, very well armed people.  Victory for the Israelites seemed impossible.

One generation believed it was impossible.  They doubted God’s protection and provision, and as a result they all had to die.  Once that happened (it took 40 years!) the next generation was ready to trust God and attempt the impossible. 

They believed God…trusted God…and entered the Promised Land!  There they encountered the people in their cities, fought them and had victory over them.  The land was theirs.

Hundreds of years later the psalmist wrote about this event.  This was a proud and glorious moment in Israel’s past.  It was a point to brag about; or at least the psalmist could have done this.  But he did not.  He recognized and recorded in his psalm for us to read, the source and reason for their success over the problem.

“For they [the Israelites] did not take the land by their sword – their arm did not bring them victory – but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You were pleased with them.” (Psalm 44:3)

God provided the victory!  The truth is: the problem was impossible…for the Israelites.  The settled people were too big, too powerful and too well entrenched for the Israelites to conquer.

But what was impossible for man was a snap for God!

And it is always this way…even in your life.  God is all powerful.  He can do anything He desires.  The question is not: “Can He do what seems impossible to me?”  The real question is: “Will He do the impossible for me?”

And the answer is: “Yes!  He certainly will…if one thing is true.”

It was true during this time in the life of the Israelites.  And it can be true in your life as well.  What is “it?”  Simply this:

God was pleased.

The psalmist wrote it this way: “…for You were pleased with them [the Israelites].”  Because God was pleased with them, He went to bat for them.  He stepped into their impossible situation and brought the victory.  This is better than having the ultimate clean-up hitter on your baseball team; or than having a powerful big brother to ward off the bully!

When God is pleased with you or me, He acts mightily on our behalf.

Our choice is the same as the Israelites faced.  Do we trust God?  Do we believe He not only has the ability, but also the desire to intercede for us?  Do we step into the impossible situation where He is leading?  Or do we doubt Him, become scared, and flee from the opportunity before us?

Trust God.  Please God.  And your impossible become a success.  Your impossible becomes a victory.  Your impossible is defeated and stands for eternity as a reminder not of your strength, but of God’s strength and of your faith in Him!

Is He pleased with you today?

If He is, then whatever mountain you are facing just become a molehill!  In faith and trust, step over it…and continue on!

Where is Our Phinehas?

Heroes aren’t born.  That is, people are not born heroes.  Heroes are ordinary people who in a moment of trial or crises do something most others cannot or will not do: they act.  They see a problem and they respond; often immediately and with no thought of themselves.  This is what makes their act heroic, and what gains them the status of hero.

In the church, in our city and in America today we need a hero.  We need someone who will see the crises and will act.  Someone who will respond immediately and decisively, with no thought of themselves.  We need Phinehas.

“Who is Phinehas?” you are asking.  He was a hero; one man who acted immediately and decisively when it was critically important that someone do so.  And by his act, thousands were saved; and possibly, a whole nation.

Never heard of him?  Well then, it’s time you meet Phinehas!

Psalm 106 chronicles Israel’s continual unfaithfulness to God.  Verse six sets the tone: “Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have gone astray and have acted wickedly.”

The next 37 verses relate different instances of their sin and rebellion.  In the midst of this, a particularly heinous sin of the people is mentioned along with what happened as a result.

“They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.  They provoked the Lord with their deeds, and a plague broke out against them.” (Psalm 106:28-29)

Nothing could be worse than for the people of God to begin worshipping Baal, a false god.  And not only did they worship Baal (literal translation: they offered sacrifices for dead ones) they “aligned themselves” with him.  They changed their allegiance.

God was not pleased.  He was provoked by their deeds.  And notice the result of their rebellion: “…a plague broke out against them” (vs. 29b).  This means significantly more than a plague occurred and begin to spread; but rather, this plague was purposefully attacking them.  It literally “broke out against them.”  They were under attack by the plague because of their rebellion against God.  Not a good situation.  This was a moment of crises.

Read what happened next.

“But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped.  It was credited to him as righteousness throughout all generations to come.” (Psalm 106:30-31)

Our hero shows up!  Phinehas acted…immediately and decisively.  I love the way the HCSB states this: “[he] stood up and intervened.”  Apparently he was sitting among the Israelites, part of the camp.  He saw the sin and the resulting plague.  He saw thousands dying.  He saw…and he stood up!  I love this!

Apparently there is a whole genre of Chuck Norris jokes.  Chuck Norris is the actor who starred in Walker: Texas Ranger, among many other roles.  He typically portrays tough guys; on the side of good, beating the bad guys.

There are web-sites with nothing but Chuck Norris jokes…not making fun of him, but exalting his toughness.  Google “Chuck Norris jokes” and you will get 6,980,000 results; this many websites with these words.  I didn’t know this universe existed, until recently.

Here are a few Chuck Norris joke examples:

·         Chuck Norris doesn't play "hide-and-seek." He plays "hide-and-pray-I-don't-find-you."

·         Superman owns a pair of Chuck Norris pajamas.

·         Death once had a near-Chuck-Norris experience.

·         Chuck Norris can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.

·         Brett Favre can throw a football over 50 yards. Chuck Norris can throw Brett Favre even further.

You get the idea…there are tons of them.  Perhaps an older generation would have developed such websites about John Wayne; another tough guy.

Phinehas, however, is the original.  He saw.  He had enough.  “This has got to stop, and it’s got to stop now!” he said.  And then he stood up!

And the moment Phinehas stood up and acted, the plague was stopped.  That’s a John Wayne response…that’s a Chuck Norris result!

Here was an ordinary man, who in a moment of crises stood up and responded!  As a result, righteousness was credited to his account; and he is recorded in history as an example for “all generations to come.”  He was a hero.  And now every generation since his day can know about him and his heroic act.

Let’s look at little closer at our hero, Phinehas, and exactly what he did.  Warning: it’s gruesome, and probably would have an “R” rating were it made into a movie.

“While Israel was staying in Acacia Grove, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab.  The women invited them to the sacrifices for their gods, and the people ate and bowed in worship to their gods.  So Israel aligned itself with Baal of Peor, and the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.  The Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord so that His burning anger may turn away from Israel.”  So Moses told Israel’s judges, ‘Kill each of the men who aligned themselves with Baal of Peor.’” (Numbers 25:1-5)

I want you to understand what happened.  The Israelites, some of the men, begin having relations with some Moabite women who were living in the area.  The women lured them into worshipping their pagan idols; which the men did.  Look at verse 3: “So Israel aligned itself with Baal of Peor, and the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.”

In response, God told Moses to execute all the leaders.  And Moses told the judges of Israel: “Kill each of the men who aligned themselves with Baal of Peor” (vs. 5).

What happened next is remarkable, both in its audacity and stupidity!

“An Israelite man came bringing a Midianite woman to his relatives in the sight of Moses and the whole Israelite community while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”  (Numbers 25:6)

While the people were weeping over the death of the men who had joined in worship of Baal, this foolish Israelite man brings a foreign women into the camp… “in the sight of Moses and the whole Israelite community!”  Was he that brazen?  Or that stupid?

I don’t know; but in either case, it was a bad decision.

“When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw [this], he got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, followed the Israelite man into the tent, and drove it through both the Israelite man and the woman – through her belly.  Then the plague on the Israelites was stopped, but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.” (Numbers 25:7-9)

And this is Phinehas; grandson of Aaron the priest.  He saw the plague of death.  He was among his people, likely weeping with them.  He saw this Israelite man bring a pagan woman into the camp.  And he stood up and took action.

“When Phinehas…saw [this], he got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand…and drove it through both the Israelite man and the woman.”

Wait a minute…is this okay?  Is it alright that Phinehas murdered this man and woman?  Apparently it was okay with God.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites because he was zealous among them with My zeal, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My zeal.  Therefore declare: I grant him My covenant of peace.  It will be a covenant of perpetual priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.” (Numbers 25:10-13)

What does God say about Phinehas?

·         He turned back God’s wrath from the people.  One act – one man saw a crises and took action – stopped the death of thousands more Israelites.  I’m not sure John Wayne nor Chuck Norris ever did anything on this magnitude, even in the movies.

·         He was zealous with “My zeal.”  So Phinehas wasn’t acting out of sinful anger, but righteous zeal.  I know we have to be careful taking this point too far.  But, there is a righteous zeal for God, His Name, His Truth, His Law, etc.  Jesus displayed this same righteous zeal when He ran the money-changers out of the temple.

·         He was granted God’s covenant of peace, perpetual priesthood.  Eternal rewards for his act of zealousness for God.  “Covenant of peace” has great significance.  What we receive when our sins are forgiven is a relationship with God or peace.  He becomes our Father, no longer our Judge.  Phinehas received this peace with God as well.  I believe, therefore, that you will see him in Heaven.  It will be interesting to meet this man.

·         He was zealous for God and made atonement for Israel.  One man stopped the tide of death.  Reminds me of a passage that says through one man sin entered creation (Adam) and through one man atonement for all sin was paid (Jesus).  One man, or woman, who acts zealously for the Kingdom of God can accomplish much.

These are the details of Phinehas – what he did.  Now read again the summary statement of these events we started with in Psalms.

“They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.  They provoked the Lord with their deeds, and a plague broke out against them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped.  It was credited to him as righteousness throughout all generations to come.” (Psalm 106:28-31)

Now that we have met the hero, Phinehas; I have one question:

Where is our Phinehas today?

God of Jacob

Psalm 146:5

If you believe the Bible is inspired by God; then you must believe that every word and/or phrase is important…that nothing is included accidently.  I do believe the Bible is inspired and that each word matters.  This belief led me to an interesting question when reading in Psalms recently.1

A phrase caught my attention.  “Why is it phrased this way?” I thought.  “Why say this?”  Read the verse and see if you are puzzled as well:

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. (Psalm 146:5)

I understand the verse.  I get that the psalmist is telling his readers all who trust in God for help will be happy (synonym for blessed).  This is easy to understand.  The question is, why use the phrase: “God of Jacob?”  Why not just end with “God?” 

What is it about the phrase “God of Jacob” that is important?  What is the writer communicating?  Remember, every word and phrase matters; so for some reason, this one matters as well.

One way to answer this puzzle would be to go through the Scriptures and read other verses where this same phrase is used.  By reading it in other contexts, one might be able to better understand its usage here.  This is a good way to study words and phrases.

But there is another way.  Perhaps this phrase can be understood (as well as the reasons for its usage here) by looking at the relationship between God and Jacob.  Peering into Jacob’s life, and his dealings with God, maybe we learn something important about the “God of Jacob.”

The story of Jacob is related in Genesis, beginning with his birth in chapter 25.  In chapter 28, Jacob is sent back to the land of his relatives (Haran) to find a wife.  On the road, he encountered God and was given the same promise God had made with his grandfather, Abraham (Genesis 28:13-15).  The covenant included the promise of many offspring, a wonderful land to possess, and they would be a blessing to all peoples.  God promised to never leave nor forsake Jacob.

So the first thing we learn about God in this relationship with Jacob is that He is the…

I.       God of Promise

God can not lie.  He will never break a promise.  So when God enters into a covenant with someone, that is more sure to happen than the sun rising tomorrow (that is not promised!).  The God of Jacob is One who enters our lives and covenants with us.  We can trust His promise to be true and to happen in our lives.

During Jacob’s time in Haran he works 14 years to marry Rachel and Leah; tends flocks (very successfully) for his father-in-law; and eventually heads back to the land of the promise (Canaan).  The events during this time are recorded in chapters 29-31.  Jacob has 12 sons (who become the leaders of the 12 Tribes of Israel).  One of his sons he loved more than the others: Joseph. 

Joseph is the son hated by his brothers and sold into slavery.  He ends up in Egypt; interprets some dreams; proves himself and ends up second in command over all of Pharaoh’s land.  During the famine he is able to move Jacob to Egypt and the whole family survives the famine.

As we observe God’s relationship with Jacob during all of these years, we learn He is the…

II.    God of Provision

God provided a wife.  God provided success in Jacob’s shepherding of the flocks.  He provided sons.  He provided land in Canaan and rescue from the famine.  When the family moved to Egypt, God moved Pharaoh’s heart and provided some of the choicest land where Jacob settled.

Throughout his life, at every important point, God provided; often providing much more than just the essentials or immediate needs.  And God does the same with His children – with all believers in Jesus – because His is the God of Provision.

One part of Jacob’s life we have not mentioned is his deceptive and cunning years.  You might remember that he traded his brother Esau a bowl of soup for Esau’s birthright.  He later tricked his aged father into giving him the blessing that should have been Esau’s.  Esau hated Jacob, perhaps rightfully so, and wanted to kill him.  Jacob has not forgotten this when he leaves Haran and heads back to Canaan, where Esau still lives.

In chapters 32 and 33, Jacob prepares for and finally meets again with Esau.  Surprisingly, there is peace between them.  Had Esau forgotten after all these years?  Would you?  No, he had not forgotten; so what did happen?  We learn that God is the…

III. God of Protection

God protected Jacob when he traveled to Haran; while he was there; and when he returned to Canaan and faced his brother.  God protected him as he settled and raised a large family in the land of Canaan, among strangers.  And God protected him from the famine and as he lived among the Egyptians.  God does the same for all His children.  He protects.

You might remember another interesting event in Jacob’s life that we have not mentioned.  Children hear about it in Sunday School: Jacob’s night of wrestling with an angel at a place called Bethel.2  The event is related in Genesis 32:24ff.

As the night of wrestling ended, God changed Jacob’s name.  His name was changed from Jacob, which means “deceiver;” to Israel, which means “one who wrestles/struggles with God.”  God also reaffirmed the covenant He had made with Jacob (now Israel).  So we end where we started; with the…

IV. God of Promise

It is fitting that the promise of God to Jacob would sort of book-end their relationship during these critical years of Jacob’s life.  After all that Jacob had done – both good and bad – God still keeps His promise.  And He will in our lives as well.

So it is no accident that the psalm writer used the phrase “God of Jacob.”  He knew exactly what he was saying.  Do you understand what he was communicating?  Let me put it together for you.

Happy/blessed in the person who’s help comes from the…

…God of Promise, who always fulfills His promise; the…

…God of Provision, who always provides our needs and blessings in abundance; the…

…God of Protection, who always watches over us to intervene and save us as necessary; and the…

…God of Promise, who – despite our failures and shortcomings – always fulfills His promises!

Happy/blessed indeed!

1 See “Reading The Psalms Regularly” page on this blog for a reading plan that takes you through Psalms each month.

2 On his trip to Haran, Jacob had slept at Bethel (known then as Luz) and had a vision of angels ascending and descending on a ladder or stairway, from heaven to earth and back.  This is where the term “Jacob’s Ladder” came from.

Passionate Thanks, Promised Blessing

Psalm 50:7-23

As in Psalm 50, so too in Isaiah 1, God presents a case against Israel.  Though they continue to offer the ritual sacrifices outwardly, their hearts have rebelled against Him.  And God has had enough!

Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel…I will not accept a bull from your household or male goats from your pens…Do I eat the flesh of bulls of drink the blood of goats? (Psalm 50:7a,9,13)

“What are all your sacrifices to Me?” ask the Lord.  I have had enough…Stop bringing useless offerings…They have become a burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with [them]. (Isaiah 1:11a,13a,14b)

What are the people to do?  The sacrifices were God’s idea; He established them and commanded they be done regularly.  And now, He says, “Stop! I’ve had enough!”

The problem was a heart issue.  Their hearts were not in the worship they were performing.  Certainly you have been to a concert and heard someone play with good skill, but you somehow sensed their heart wasn’t into the moment.  They were only “performing,” not expressing a true part of themselves.  Likely, you also have been to a concert than was much more than a performance; one where the musician/artist played with passion as well as with great skill.  A good performance moves us to clap; a presentation with passion moves us to tears.

Maybe God feels the same way.

He desires for us to be passionate in our devotion and service to Him.  He wants us to serve Him because we love Him, not just out of a sense of duty.  Offerings of love are acceptable and desired by Him, not offerings of habit or ritual.

He plainly says so in Psalm 50:

Sacrifice a thank offering to God…Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me…I will show him the salvation of God. (vs. 14a,23)

The Thank Offering symbolized for the Israelites their fellowship with God.  Because He had blessed them so much, they would offer sacrifices of thanks to Him.  Obviously, thanks is only appropriately offered when it is truly felt.  If you are not really thankful, why say “thank you?”  You, and probably the person you are saying it to, both know you don’t really mean it.  Certainly, God knows!

It really is a simple choice.  Honor God by thanking Him for His many blessings in your life; and receive even more.  Or, just come before Him out of habit and/or duty; and hear Him say to you: “Enough!  Stop!  Your useless efforts are a burden to Me!”

The promise is this: when you feel thanks in your heart and express your thanks to God, He will hear and respond.  Doing so, you honor Him and He blesses you.

Heart Service

Psalm 50:1-7

A recent court case in our state received international attention.  It went on for several weeks, included much drama and concluded with a surprise ending.  The whole event played out like a Hollywood script…complete with “extras.”

Extras are those non-professional actors who appear in the background of scenes.  People walking on the sidewalk, the crowd in the stands at a game…these are extras.  Our recent court case had extras, too: the crowds that sat in the courtroom each day observing the trial.

People stood in line for hours hoping to get tickets.  If they got a ticket, then on their appointed day they were allowed to sit in the gallery to see and hear first-hand the proceedings.  They were the extras; eye-witnesses to the events in the courtroom.

The Bible makes clear that God is a judge.  He has a courtroom.  There is a case to be tried; the witness will testify and the extras will observe.  We see this several places in Scripture, one of them being Psalm 50.

God the Lord God speaks; He summons the earth from east to west…On high, He summons heaven and earth in order to judge His people…“Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel.” (vs. 1,4,7a)

God is the Judge.  He is the One who summons all to the courtroom.  Those called to come observe the proceedings are “heaven and earth.”  Creation will watch as God presents the case He has against Israel, His own people.

This scene is repeated by the prophet Isaiah:  Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth, for the Lord has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me” (Isaiah 1:2).

Think about this for a moment.  Creation – the heavens and the earth – will see and hear God’s evidence against His people.  This is only fair since it was man’s actions that subjected creation to the suffering of sin.  The Bible makes it clear that creation is waiting to be released from the burden of sin, just as we are.

Often we think of God’s judgment being that final time the lost will stand before Him, be condemned and sent into eternal Hell.  As we picture the scene, if we picture ourselves in it at all, it is as observers.  We, His children, perhaps will watch as judgment is announced then we will get to enter Heaven.  The Bible paints a different picture.

All of us who are believers – God’s children – also will be judged.  We are not the extras watching, we are on trial.  Our case will not teeter on guilt or innocence (in Christ we are made righteous: completely innocent of sin).  Rather, the question for us will be: were we faithful and obedient as His children?

Did we serve Him well?  Were we faithful and obedient to all He called us to do, even if at times it did not make sense?  Did we accomplish His will?  Did we walk faithfully?  Many more questions could be asked, but they seem to all boil down to one thing.

Was my heart in it?  Did I serve the Lord – did I walk in faithfulness and obedience – out of duty, or out of love?

Great question that (pardon the pun) gets right to the heart of the matter.  Do we serve Him because He loves us and we love Him?  Or only out of a sense of “I have to,” not an “I want to?”

God makes it clear in the Psalm and Isaiah passages that it is worship and service from our hearts that He appreciates and responds to favorably.  Walking faithfully and obediently each day because we love Him and desire to please and serve Him, results in blessings here and rewards hereafter.  Empty worship and service – that in which our hearts are not involved – are drudgery to Him and He says, “I’m sick of it…STOP!”

When creation gathers to watch you and me stand before our Judge, what will the heavens and earth learn about our hearts?  Will it be said of you: “good and faithful servant?”  Or will they learn that you were one who never had your heart in it? 

Surprising Source of Happiness

Psalm 41:1-3

Happy people always stand out in a crowd.  Why is this true?  Because there are so few of them!

Very few people genuinely are happy.  Even among Christians it’s hard to find those who are happy; those with big grins, easy laughs, sparkling eyes and truly jovial hearts.  Maybe the reason so few are happy is because so few do what the Bible says to receive happiness.  One example is found in this passage:

“Happy is one who cares for the poor…” (Psalm 41:1a)

Caring for the poor?  What does that have to do with happiness?  Well, perhaps nothing, from our human perspective.  But God promises happiness to those who do care for the poor.  In fact, He promises six reasons they will be happy.

The one who cares for the poor will be…

1. Safe – “the Lord will save him in a day of adversity” (vs. 1b).

Each of us, at some time in our lives, will have “a day of adversity.”  For some of us, it seems such days come around fairly often!  Wouldn’t it be nice, and wouldn’t it be a source of great peace, to know that when adversity comes God Himself will save us?

This is exactly what God promises…to those who “care for the poor.”  This is how God often works: we serve others - with no thought for ourselves - and He takes care of us.  We focus on the needs of the poor and He provides for our needs, particularly on our “day of adversity.”  This should make us happy!

The one who cares for the poor will be…

2. Secure – “The Lord will keep him and preserve him” (vs. 2a).

God’s keeping means He will see that we stay the course and are delivered to Heaven as promised.  He also will preserve us; He will protect His followers each day of this life.  He promises to keep and protect ALL believers who are doing one thing: “caring for the poor.”

The one who cares for the poor will be…

3. Successful – “he will be blessed in the land” (vs. 2b).

Being successful in your vocational endeavors – being successful in your life – is tied to your efforts on behalf of the poor!  God's promise is to bless you, as you bless others; particularly, the poor.  You never realized the poor would be so important to you, did you?

The one who cares for the poor will be…

4. Strong – “You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies” (vs. 2c).

One translation says we will be able to stand against our enemies.  Either wording means the same thing: God promises strength in the face of confrontation.  Attempt anything for the Kingdom of God, try to live the Christian life faithfully and obediently, and you will encounter enemies.  Sometimes they appear at work; in our circle of acquaintances; and even in your family!  Where you encounter them may surprise you, but that’s not the important issue.  What is most important is this: wherever they confront you, God promises you the strength to overcome; if you are caring for the poor.

The one who cares for the poor will be…

5. Sustained – “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed” (vs. 3a).

When you are sick and suffering; when the battle for the Kingdom overwhelms you to the point of illness, maybe even death…at that very moment God will intercede.  And what He brings is endurance for the moment. 

Sometimes (maybe even often) the enemy appears to be winning.  We can get discouraged, down and disappointed.  Some have even gotten sick.  Isn’t it good to know when this happens, God will be there to sustain us?  The enemy will not win; we will not be beat.

And finally, the one who cares for the poor will be…

6. Saved – “You will heal him on the bed where he lies” (vs. 3b).

Not only will God sustain you through the battle, He will heal you from all wounds!  This is His promise; so why not fight?  Why not join in the battle for the Lord’s Kingdom?  He promises to take you through successfully, deliver you to the prize, and make you whole after the struggle!

All you have to do – to receive all these promises and thus be happy – is to care for the poor.

Did you ever realize the poor were going to be such an important part of your happiness?  If you care for them, then God will do so much more for you.  Why is this true?

Simply this: when we care for the poor, we are demonstrating the love and compassion of God to the lost, hurting and dying world around us!  God desires for all people to know Him.  We help them learn something of God when we, as Christians, care for those who need help most.

Sort of changes the way you view poor people, doesn’t it?  Not as nuisances; but as channels for blessings and genuine happiness to enter your life.  So now go, and...

...care for the poor!

An Oracle of the Wicked

Psalm 36:1-4

How is it possible that some people are so bad?  Some humans are absolutely wicked, and do such horribly bad things.  How does this happen?  Even more frightening, have you noticed that even regular people do bad from time to time?  Why do you think this happens?

The psalmist must have seen the same thing.  He must have seen bad people doing bad things and wondered how such was possible.  And as he was contemplating this part of human life, God answered his question by giving the psalmist an oracle – a vision that helped him understand.

¹ An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no dread of God before his eyes, ² for in his own eyes he flatters himself [too much] to discover and hate his sin. ³ The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive; he has stopped acting wisely and doing good. ⁴ Even on his bed he makes malicious plans.  He sets himself on a path that is not good and does not reject evil. (Psalm 36:1-4)

How can some be so wicked?  Simple: they have “no dread of God.”

The Bible instructs us over and over to fear God.  Used this way, fear means to have a healthy respect for God; to be in awe of Him; in reverence before Him.  One clear example is found in Deuteronomy 6:13a: “Fear the Lord your God, worship Him…”

Having an appropriate, healthy fear of God provides benefits for us.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7a).  And, “His delight will be in the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:3a).  Knowledge, delight…both of these and so much more are available to those who fear God as the Bible commands.

The wicked though, do not fear the Lord.  This lack of a “dread of God” is replaced by something sinister: pride.  The psalmist said it this way: “for in his own eyes he flatters himself…” (vs. 2a).  The wicked flatters himself so that he is unable to “discover” his own sin and evil ways.  He cannot search out, recognize and acknowledge his sin for he thinks too highly of himself to admit the possibility of sin being present in the first place.

Not being able to discover his sin, the wicked then does not “hate” his sin.  He thinks he has no sin present to hate.  Hating sin is an important second step.

The Bible is clear that God hates sin – all sin.  As His children we are to hate what He hates, so we are to hate sin.  When you don’t hate sin, four terrible results usually occur in one’s life.

1. You lie: “The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive” (v. 3a).  Without a healthy fear of God, and with the presence of pride, it is astounding how quickly a person slips into deception.  And not just little lies we produce, but malicious ones – that means harmful lies.

2. You act foolish: “…he has stopped acting wisely” (vs. 3b).  The opposite of acting wisely is, of course, acting foolishly.  To be wise, live wise and act wise, you must be willing to acknowledge, find and root-out all sin present in you.  To not do so, is to begin down the path of foolishness.

3. You are mean: “Even on his bed he makes malicious plans” (vs. 4a).  Your thoughts as you recline through the night – a time supposedly of peace and rest – concern how you can cheat, steal, best, destroy, or somehow harm an enemy, competitor, co-worker or even a friend.  Notice, these are not just plans for your own good, but plans intended to harm someone else.  That’s just mean.

4. You become self-destructive: “He sets himself on a path that is not good and does not reject evil” (vs. 4b).  Perhaps it started unintentionally, your journey into sin.  But now, you set yourself on this path; you purposefully walk this route, knowing what you are doing.  You even get to the point where you no longer reject evil, in yourself nor in others.  The Bible speaks about people who went down this path: sinning more and more, and encouraging others to join them.

A life of lies and foolishness, meanness and self-destructive behavior…sound like something you would enjoy?  For most of us, probably not the life we would choose.  And yet, if we do not have and exercise a healthy fear of the Lord, this is the life we will have.

We all start out the same.  What makes some become so wicked?  “There is no dread of God before [their] eyes.”

How about you?  Do you have a healthy respect for God?  If so, you will be faithful and obedient to all He calls you to do.  You will search out and destroy sin in your life.  You will worship Him in reverence and awe.