Bible Truth Daily Devotion

August 7, 2010

Putting Trust In God

Filed under: Devotion in Psalm — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Psalm 56

 

 

The background of this psalm is in 1Sam. 21:10-15. David was captured by the Philistines in Gath.  God gave him the wisdom to act as a mad man, so king Achish despised his presence and let him go. 

 

Commentary:

Psalm 56:1-2. David said that he put up a fight against his enemy all day long.  He was overwhelmed by the sheer number of foes.  After he was captured, they trampled upon him and oppressed him. 

Psalm 56:3-4. David greatly feared the king Achish (1Sam. 21:12).  But he knew who the sovereign King is.  God was in control of everything, so David chose to trust in God instead of following his fear. 

Psalm 56:5-6.  The enemies would attack David.  They would attack with words by distorting his words.  They would devise a wicked scheme against him.  They would take actions against him.

Psalm 56:11. David repeated his refrain in v. 4 here, “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” 

Psalm 56:12-13. Instead of thinking of the attacks of the enemies, David dwelled on God’s words and how to give thanks.  He knew that he would be delivered.  He just meditated on God’s words and knew that God’s word would triumph.

 

Meditation:

What do we depend on?  No one is advising that Christians should ignore our circumstance here.  But too often we pin our hope on what is happening around us.  We begin to live with limited vision and hope.  We fail to see the big picture and fail to depend on the Almighty God.  We take shortcuts and make compromises in order to get by.

David made a declaration here that he would put his trust in God.  Though his circumstance looked bad, being captured by a sworn national enemy, he chose to trust in God rather than his circumstances.  He chose not to be afraid of man but afraid of God.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that your word will always remain, while the world will not last.  Please give us the faith to trust in You and Your word always.  We pray that we have that trust no matter what happens in our circumstance.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

July 27, 2010

The Fairest Lord Jesus and His Marriage

Filed under: Devotion in Psalm — Tags: , , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Psalm 45

 

 

When I was a kid, seemingly I got to go to a lot of wedding banquet.  I remember that the things I learned is to behave right.  I hope I did not disappoint my parents in that regard.  There is going to be a marriage feast, but the participation to the feast depends on our “manner” before the feast.  Let’s read the psalm and find out about it. 

 

Commentary:

Psalm 45:1. The psalmist was inspired to write this psalm.  He compared his inspiration with a simile—a pen in the hand of a ready writer.  He went on to complete a picture of a blessed king, his reign, and his wedding.

Psalm 45:2.  This king is said to be fairer than all men.  He is blessed by God; his blessings are evidenced by his graceful words.  The old hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus” echoed the essence of this verse. 

Psalm 45:3-5. The king would battle his enemies and triumph over them.  Because of him, the earth will have truth, meekness, and righteousness.  This imagery comes alive in the prophecy told by Apostle John in Rev 19:11-19.

Psalm 45:6-7.  He will rule forever and ever.  As in Rev. 19:20-21, no one would match his accomplishment on earth.  His rule would be marked by its justice.  

Psalm 45:8-10.  What follows is a description of a royal wedding.  This sequence is consistent with the sequence in the prophecy.  After the Christ rids the earth of wickedness, there is the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 21:2). 

The chosen bride in here is told to forget, which means to stop loving, her root or the origin of a previous life.  Who is the bride?  The church is likened to be the wife of Christ in the NT (Eph. 5:23).  When our Lord saves us, we are a new creature.  The old has passed away; new things have come (2Cor 5:17).  Of course, if we keep loving the past, we will never enter into the new life that our Lord has prepared for us.  The Lord has saved us for heaven bounds, so we should stop living in our old miry clay.   Let stand on the rock, leave our past behind, and start our heavenly climb. 

Psalm 45:11.  The beauty of the bride is not evident to the king until she is loyal to him.  God desires not sacrifice but obedience (1Sam 15:22).  Whatever we have is from God.  That includes wealth, health, talents, and beauty.  None of them, therefore, is valuable to God, but God desires our love and devotion. 

Psalm 45:15.  The marriage takes place only when the bride is ready.  She is heart ready—willing to let go of her past.  She is costume ready—adorning herself with precious garments.  The garments can be likened to our new behavior in Christ.  We have to be Christ like in our behavior (Rom 13:14).

Psalm 45:16.  Echoing verse 10, the verse tells us that we can have a new heritage.  Only when we give up the old, the new things can come.  Likewise, in order to live the spiritual life, we have to stop loving the world.   

 

Meditation:

The marriage of the Lamb will come.  That is a certainty.  The uncertainty is who will be present.  All God’s people should have that concerns and live in a way that will ensure our presence at the marriage feast. 

We are the church and the wife of Christ.  Let’s start living like the bride in this psalm.  Get ourselves ready in heart, body, and soul.  Walk in a way that pleases our Lord inside out.  Be loyal to Him to win His praises. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that you will bring on the marriage.  Let us trust in your will and make ourselves ready for the marriage.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 9, 2010

The Luxurious Living

Filed under: Devotion in Amos — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Amos 6:1-14

 

 

America had gone through a period where almost everyone spends money to remodel their home.  Even today, people still want to beautify their home and to enjoy the luxury they can afford.  Is there a problem living like that?  Today’s chapter touches on the luxurious living of the Israelites and the consequences of it. 

 

Commentary:

Amos 6:1-2.  Mt. Zion was the capital city of the Southern Kingdom, and the mountain of Samaria was in the Northern Kingdom.  The elites of both nations thought their cities were unconquerable.  Amos called their attention to the cities of the gentiles surrounding them.  Calneh and Hamath were fortified cities of Syria, and they were overrun by the Assyrians.  Gath was a strong city of Philistine that was conquered by Sargon II, the king of Assyria, in Amos’ time. 

Amos 6:4-7. The elites of Israel enjoyed luxurious living, much like today.  Beds of ivory, finest couches, choice lamb and filet mignon were in no lacks.  They were also refined and made music for enjoyment.  They indulged themselves with lots of wine and best oils.  As they enjoyed the best that life could offer, they would also lead the procession of the exiles. 

Amos 6:8. The sin of Israel was boiled down to this—arrogance.  They looked down at their fellow citizens.  They were prideful over other nations.  They were haughty toward God.

Amos 6:13. The leaders of Israel were boastful because of their military might.  They recaptured the lost lands of Jordan, including the cities Debir and Karnaim.   Amos mocked them by calling Debir Lo-debar, which means “nothing” in Hebrew. 

Amos 6:14. Here Amos prophesized that a nation would completely topple them.  From Hamath, the northern edge, to Arabah, the southern border, the whole land would be taken over.  This prophecy would be fulfilled in thirty years. 

 

Meditation:

Wanting to live in luxury is likely rooted in the thought of making this world really count.  People see the world as the only reality, so they better enjoy it.  With that mindset, people tend to think little about God and more about themselves and what to enjoy next.  It often becomes an insatiable appetite to seek after the next best thing or experience.

The sensual pursuit would almost always squeeze God out.  This type of living is what most modern humans seek and is just like what the Israelites were doing.  The life focus has no room for God. 

Christians should pause to check if we are pursuing luxurious living.  We should see that there is something outside of this world.  We have the hope of eternal glory.  If we have any desire to live luxuriously, we should put that in our permanent home in heaven.  We should make investment in heaven. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the great salvation prepared for us and all mankind.  We pray that our fellow friends and family can receive that hope of glory.  We pray that we who are saved work to lay up treasures in heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

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