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Transmission Done Well
Psalm 18:35-36
Psalm 18:33,34
Psalm 18:33 “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;”
[David had to be fleet and sure of foot in both his battles and his fleeing from King Saul. In our battles with the Satan and those he uses against us, you, Lord Jesus, make it possible for us to run swiftly, surely and gracefully in your paths; in your strength we can endure.
You enable us to “run with perseverance and patience the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:1b,2). The credit for doing these things goes to you, Lord God, for you make our feet like that of a deer.]
“he enables me to stand on the heights.”
[For David, to be on the heights was to be safe, to be the winner. And you, Lord Jesus, bring us to the mountain tops of truth, wisdom and faith, guiding us through the traps and attacks of the enemy to the place of victory.
You empower us then to stand there, even though Satan tries to “throw me down– this leaning wall, this tottering fence. Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place,” but you are “my rock, my salvation, my high tower,” and as I abide in you “I will never be shaken” “for my hope comes from you alone” (Psa. 62:1-5).
As we “put on the whole armor of God” we will “be able to stand in the evil day”—no matter what comes—“and having done all to stand” (Eph. 6:13).
Whatever triumph, whatever victory, whatever accomplishment, you are the One who brings it to pass, Lord Jesus, “for without you we can do nothing” (John 15:5). I give you praise for that. You are reigning, equipping and protecting God and worthy of glory, obedience and honor.]
Psa 18:34 “He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
[You prepare me on every level for what you know will come; as you put Joseph through training in Potiphar’s house, and through serving others in prison, making him ready for being the Prime Minister, so you are preparing us, equipping us, strengthening us through challenges and difficulties, getting us ready for the opportunities you know are coming.
I think of how you had me study Latin in high school and this prepared me for learning a difficult Asian language for ministry; I think of how you had me working for years in the tire shop, managing both people and business as preparation for leading the field in the Middle East.
To you be glory for your wisdom, for your knowing what will come, for your faithfulness in preparing us, for you unfailing presence with us, for the fact we can praise you now for things we neither understand or like.
We can trust you in every difficulty, responding with thanksgiving and wholeheartedly embracing our present experience, knowing that you will use it to prepare us for greater service for you in the future. Nothing comes to us randomly, only with your wisdom, plan and provision.
Help us to live in the light of this truth that you are training our hands for the battles to come, so we can effectively join you in your great plan to end history and bring in
From EDIFIED!
Psalm 18:33,34
Psalm 18:31, 32
The Marvel of Meaning
Thoughts after the last session of the Truth Project
I praise you, Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of all, for the meaning you give us in life, for the possibility of having purpose, which can only flow from you. All else is meaningless uncontrollable chaos, chance and randomness.
In you, however, there is order, a place in your affections, usefulness, a part in your great plans, and participation in eternity. We are not caught in a time box with just so many years and then nothing. As we move through the autumn and winter of our lives, we have the definite hope of another spring and an endless summer where life will continue with you through eternity.
This will be life on a higher, wider, lighter level, free from brokenness, anguish, disappointment and rebellion. We will walk with you in brightness, fullness, warmth and joy, unhindered by the twistedness of this sin-cloaked existence. We will be with you, Lord Jesus, in body, soul and spirit, free to obey, worship, work and love without that constant battle with the world, the flesh and the devil.
I think, in contrast, of how most people live in the toxic Darwinian, postmodern atmosphere, where meaning is just some chemical reaction we produce in our brains, where might makes right in the struggle of the survival of the fittest, where everything is natural and therefore right, where life ends at death and where worth is nonexistent—this is a description of pure purposelessness. No one, not even the most ardent atheist who espouses this false philosophy, can live that way. Man without meaning equals despair. As philosophers like Camus and Sartre said, in such a situation, the only serious question is whether to commit suicide or not.
In contrast, the God of the Bible has rescued us from this dominion of darkness, He has brought us into the Kingdom of Love and Light and Life where we can know who we are, where we came from and where we are going.
We can join Him in His great plans, we can have belonging, worth and competence (Eph. 1:18,19). In Jesus Christ we are embraced, accepted, cleansed, forgiven, valued, commissioned and equipped for special service to the King (Eph. 1:3-10). We can do things that will last for eternity (sharing with others about the King Jesus and the salvation He offers, doing the good works He’s prepared for us). We can know that we belong to the winning side, we can give exaltation to God and we can earn glory, praise and honor (1 Peter 1:6,7) which we can then submit to Jesus in worship when we enter Heaven.
Praise you, Lord Jesus, that your death and resurrection brought to us all these possibilities and more. Instead of complaining about things we don’t get, help us to focus on these wonderful gifts, on the light, love and life you have granted us and rejoice in you all through each day, enjoying living in the Truth where there is meaning, purpose and love.
Psalm 18:30b
Psalm 18:30b, “He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”
[Here again is the perfect partnership you desire with us: your powerful protection predicated on our premeditated hiding in you. If we refuse to flee to you, to seek your wisdom, to obey what we know to be true, to run in your Way, we are left outside your protection.
But if we run to you for help, thinking Truth, praying for guidance, submitting to your Wisdom–then you swing your shield of protection over us, keeping us from all true harm.
How do we run to you? Primarily through praise, thinking your Word, and obeying it. It means taking seriously such statements as”…call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psa. 50:15).
So, for example, when we are sick, taking refuge in you means our first move is to pray, thanking you for the situation, asking for your help and healing. Then going to the doctor if necessary. This declares our dependence on you, gives you glory and opens the way for you to work through whatever means you have to bring healing at the right time.
The opposite of this is seen in the life of King Asa: ‘Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians” (2 Chron. 16:12). And he died.
When we believe your Word, Lord, and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, you raise up your shield of love and power over us. We hide in you by giving you honor in words of worship, and as we exalt you in faith, you protect us.
Recently I read in the biography of Charles Cowman how, when in a time of need, before seeing any answers, he praised you for the funds you would supply for his Bible School–and at the last minute you acted, bringing in the necessary support, a large amount.
To praise in trust ahead of time for whatever you will bring is a wonderful partnering with you, a taking refuge in you, a strong statement of faith, a great giving of glory to you before the unseen hosts.
Praise be to you, the faithful and holy One, the good and wise God who is never too late, never too early, always prepared and powerful enough to work out all the details of life.
I give you glory, Lord Jesus, for you are the trustable Teacher, the good God, the powerful Protector and the saving Shepherd. You are without error, without evil, without lack. You are complete, consistent and constant.
It is so true, Lord, that you are “a shield for all who take refuge in you.” You are worthy of all worship. Help me to worship you today by taking refuge in you.
Psalm 18:30
Psalm 18:30 “As for God, his way is perfect;”
[You, O Lord God, make no mistakes, you do what is right, all the time. We can trust you to lead us aright, to teach us your way, to show us what is perfect. Thank you that you promise to, “lead us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake” (Ps. 23:3).
With your Word you turn the negative values of the world right-side-up. You teach us to live by dying, to get by giving, to grieve by praising, to give thanks before there is an outcome. You teach us this while we live in the upside-down-world where selfishness and rebellion are natural, where fear, despair and hopelessness abound—and where there are so many opportunities to live by faith as we reject those values and instead walk in the light of your powerful Way.
Praise be to you for teaching us that being weak is a wonder, that we should delight in our weaknesses and suffering, for in this your power is made perfect and comes upon us (2 Cor. 12:9,10). You teach us that to embrace our weakness and our suffering is freeing, empowering and transforming for us and greatly glorifying for you.
Praise you that you give us vision and understanding of your perfect ways. “Teach me your way, O LORD; I will walk in your truth: unite my heart to fear your name” (Psa. 86:11).
Help us to walk in your truth consistently, denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following you.]
“the word of the LORD is flawless.”
[Praise you that we can trust your Word completely: there is no error, no contradiction, no mistake in it. When you speak, command, direct and teach, what you say is right and we can trust it fully.
Praise you that you have carefully had your words recorded in the Bible, and that we can take it at face value. Sadly, people try to twist it for selfish reasons, cutting it out of context, taking a superficial understanding, even blatantly denying what it clearly says and using it for their own ends rather than your purposes.
Give us wisdom to discern these perversions when confronted with them and to replace them with your clear and pure Truth. Protect us from the traps of the enemy and keep us on the pure path of your perfect way as revealed in your wonderful Word. Help us to be consistent in reading, meditating, believing and living it out every day.
Psalm 18:28,29
Psalm 18:28 “You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
[You are light itself, Lord, shining brilliantly across the eons of time, shining long before the sun and stars were created. And now you are the source of light for our lives—physical light as well as the light of wisdom, insight, guidance and warning. You actively grant direction when we have no idea what to do. I praise you for your faithful, sure, constant presence, your leading us on in the challenges of life.
You are the One who brought us out of the dominion of darkness. As it says in Proverbs 4:19, “The way of the wicked (as we were) is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble.” In contrast, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever more brightly until the full light of day.” Help us, Lord, not to look back on the darkness, but to look ahead at your guiding light, moving ever more into it’s full strength that we may see and void what can make us stumble.
I praise you that darkness cannot hide anything from you, Lord, for you see all and you let us know what is necessary, giving us enough light so that we can move ahead with you, doing what is best, bringing you glory.]
Psalm 18:29 “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.”
[This is a beautiful declaration of David’s dependence on you, Lord, seeing his own weakness in the light of your wondrous power. Humanly speaking he could, on his own, easily move toward an enemy and climb a wall, but he knew from experience that doing so in your power is vastly different than doing it on his own.
There is no record of David ever being wounded in battle. He knew your protection, your power, your provision in the hand-to-hand combat of dozens if not hundreds of battles he participated in. He declared, “Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle” (Psa. 140:7).
Therefore it was in your active power that he trusted. He saw clearly that in the common doings of the day he needed your help and he prayed for it.]
Lord, help me to be that dependent on you, realizing I need your power in even the mundane things of life. Help me to be consistent in praying through my day, in asking for your guidance, protection and power in all that I do. May prayer be the foundation of all as I remember your words in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”