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The Pilgrim Path (4-26-2020)

The Pilgrim Path---Psalm 12 (4--26--20)

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs." The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Wow, what a Psalm!

Some titles:

"The Power of Words"---Tim Keller, Jesus' Songs

"False Words or Faithful Words"---Jim Boice

"Spin Doctors"---Ralph Davis, Psalms in Muck Of Life Text

"Is There Truth Anywhere?"

Ponder the thoughts on the verses below:

---v. 1---Deliver: Please help LORD! The godly have vanished...none of the faithful are around...When you consider the Historical Books of the Old Testament, there are many times when King David was on the "run"---and really "felt" this way. It would be odd for a follower of Jesus Christ to actually give this testimony in the United States in 2020. There are so many Christians "left" with real soul-fabric---for this we are very glad. Our concern must be---to be----Salt and Light...Pray for "all" evangelical churches: that they be vibrant for the Savior.

---v. 2---Double-Talk: What our Land is "filled " with: A land of falsehood and error. Yield to Jesus Christ, The Living Word---then, you find that He directs you to the written Word---which contains the words of hope and life. If we do not study Holy Scripture and meditate upon it--- we will be as confused and unsettled as any soul in popular culture...

---v. 3---Dissect them LORD---and "do" hold them accountable for every "last" word and motive...Look upon them and within them..."Cut them off---these Boasters!" Well, The LORD will have the "last" word. There is no doubt about this. Please consider Voltaire, the infamous French atheist. He said before many people, "In less than 50 years Christianity will not exist anymore. My single hand shall destroy the edifice it took twelve apostles to rear." He was not much of a prophet. As a matter of fact, the Geneva Bible Society bought the property where Voltaire wrote his materials---and used the facility to send Holy Scripture all over the world (note Psalm 2: 4). The nurse who tended to Voltaire as he was dying said this, "For all the wealth in Europe I would not see another infidel die." His doctor (Trochim), reported these as Voltaire's last words: "I am abandoned by God and man! I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six month's life. Then I shall go to hell; and you will go with me. O Christ! O Jesus Christ!"

---v. 4---"Domination with our tongues"---"Nobody will tell us what to do---who will Master us?" We were not designed to shepherd ourselves...It's amazing that an unregenerate heart--- sets a tongue so "loose" against God and His Church---but it happens. What did Pharaoh say to Moses and Aaron, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?" (Exodus 5: 2) Did Pharaoh find out?

---v. 5---Decisively: "I will rise up on behalf of the groaning needy," says the LORD. As Ralph Davis says, "The stress is not on the immediacy of the relief but on the certainty of the word."

---v. 6---Divine: The Word of the LORD. These Holy Words are pure---like silver refined in a furnace purified seven times. We rest our soul in, and upon, the Word of God. From Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore. The experience of the saints has tried it in every conceivable manner, but not a single doctrine or promise has been consumed in the most excessive heat." After all these years---I'm still learning about the Bible---an endless treasure---for soul, body and spirit.

---v. 7---Defense: The LORD "is" the Protector of His Own---for this world and the world to come. We may rest assured of this because Jesus Christ "gives" Eternal Life---we take possession of it now---it will carry us into His presence. What "touches" us now---is part of His purpose---merely refining us for His Holy intentions. We may trust Him.

---v. 8---Dethrone God: Well, the wicked of the world think they might---by encouraging and "exalting" vileness and unrighteousness---but this has always been the "way" of the world. Of course, no one will cast the LORD from His Throne. Men are such, "mere" men---aren't they? As the Followers of Jesus Christ, His Disciples---we seek to "exalt" Him---in whatever "sphere" of human endeavor He has placed us: homemaking, banking, medicine, law, art, building, sales, IT, finance, administration, etc.---you get the picture...The world is no valueless, random, collection of beings---it is as Martin Luther put it, "the arena of Faith"---and we pray---and purpose---to live for Christ as such followers of His...

From Tim & Kathy Keller: Lord, I'm surrounded by people whose words are either fawning and flattering or malicious and stinging. Don't let me imitate them. Make my words honest and true, economical and few, wise and well chosen, calm and kind. Give me so much love and grace that this kind of conversation comes naturally to me. Amen.

Lamp of our feet, whereby we trace

Our path when wont to stray,

Stream from the fount of heavenly grace,

Brook by the traveler's way.

Bread of our souls, whereon we feed,

True manna from on high,

Our guide and chart, wherein we read

Of realms beyond the sky.

Bernard Barton (1784--1849)

Grace & Peace in Jesus Our LORD, Pastor Jason