Tuesdays with Jesus

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Tuesday's with Jesus #96

#96 "All His Benefits-Final"

May 15, 2007

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits--...The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed." (Psalm 103: 2, 6)

Passage Lookup: Psalm 103: 1-6

God is not only righteous and just in Himself, but He actively engages in acts of righteousness and justice for oppressed peoples. Today we are going to close out our study of Psalm 103 by looking at the final "benefit" of God to His people. What is righteousness? What is justice? Who are the oppressed? Let's take a look and see...

The words justice and righteousness in the Hebrew are pretty much equal and interchangeable, at least in this verse of Scripture. They mean that God is just and fair in judgement and in truthfulness. God decides your case justly. Justice is the due reward or punishment given for an act. It is getting what is deserved. God is merciful, but He is also just and must punish sin. In the grace of God, justice fell on His Son, Jesus Christ, so that mercy would fall upon us.

Justice is a funny thing. We want it for others who have mistreated us, but we have a hard time adjusting when God's just judgement falls on us. I have had the privilege over the past couple of years to minister to some men who have gone to prison. Inevitably, the question always surfaces..."why did God let this happen to me?" The answer is simple...God is a just God. He works justice. For you and others. We reap what we sow and must often suffer the consequences of our actions. And I don't think we'd want it any other way. I have asked the men this question..."Don't you want to serve a just God? One who is fair?" We want God to be this way when we are wronged. But sometimes that justice falls on us. That's only fair.

But this verse of Scripture gives us such hope when we are the ones wronged or "oppressed". Who are the oppressed? They are those of us who are burdened with unreasonable impositions, those who are overpowered, overburdened or depressed. Those who are exploited, crushed or deceitfully wronged. The oppressed are those of us who suffer wrong because we have been labeled on account of our race, our financial status or our gender. They are those of us who are despitefully used as Jesus said, taken advantage of, mistreated and abused. They include the weak and the powerless in society who have no one to protect them. And if you can't place yourself in this category, I'm sure you can quickly call to mind someone that you know who is oppressed.

What about that baby who was never given the chance to see the light of day, smell a flower, go to a county fair or a senior prom because of an abortion. What about those in third world nations who are the victims of genocide? What about the people in a tiny country who have a madman breathing down their neck, vowing to wipe them off the face of the earth...(that would be Israel, in case you aren't aware). And closer to home...what about the homeless man who fell on hard times? He wasn't lazy. He wasn't irresponsible. He lost his job, his home and his family. But people judge him unfairly and won't give him a hand. What about the child who can't get a decent education because of where he happened to be born and because of the color of his skin? And what about those who have fallen victim to the "system". The one that started out with good intentions for the "welfare" of those in need, but now has made people slaves on "Uncle Sam's Plantation". (Uncle Sam's Plantation, Star Parker) They are stuck like rats on a wheel. Stuck on public assistance, but unable to come out because they can't make as much with a real job, at minimum wage. If they came off of assistance, they couldn't feed their families. Stuck. Victimized by the system that was intended to help them.

Let's go even closer to home. What about the woman who is daily abused by her husband or the father of her children. Victim to his moods, his alcohol abuse, his fists. But she has no where else to go. What about the little girl who is being sexually abused on a daily basis by her daddy? And her momma is too scared to put a stop to it. She cries out to God..."help me...why are you letting this happen?" What about the little boy who is bullied on the playground everyday at lunch? And those who have suffered years of abuse, rejection and mistreatment and are now in a pit, suffering from depression, bipolar disease, people pleasing addictions, alcoholism, drug dependency and sexual addictions. All oppressed. All victims. Weak and powerless....no one to protect them.

But God....He promises to work righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. This "all" are His people. This is whether they were the children of Israel oppressed by Egypt or the present day children of God oppressed by the devil in one way or another. The Lord will eventually vindicate His people because what is happening is a slight against Him. David, the writer of this psalm, had something of the heart of God when as a young man he heard of the fear that the Philistines, through their champion Goliath, had put into the hearts of the Israelites.

He said to Goliath "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand." (1 Samuel 17:45-47 English Standard Version).

The Israelites had been offended by their enemy, the Philistines for quite long enough. We often make disparaging remarks concerning their cowardice because there was nobody who would go out and fight Goliath, but we do need to remember some things which give them something of an excuse. They were completely outgunned. They had no swords. There were just two in the whole Kingdom of Israel and they were owned by King Saul and his son Jonathan. The enemy had not let the Israelites have swords. So, even those who may have been brave enough to fight Goliath had no training to fight with the sword. But David had a different kind of sword. He, among all the Israelites, knew about the sword of the Spirit, the word of the Lord. He knew that the Lord does not fight with a literal sword and a literal spear. No, there is another sword that proceeds from the mouth of God. That sword is the word we live by. David knew he had covenant rights. He also knew that God has to vindicate His people.

And so it will be for His children at this present time. The Message translation of the Bible says, "God makes everything come out right; He puts victims back on their feet." God tells us in Psalm 103:8 that He is "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." These words are based on His words to Moses on Mount Sinai. Because He is gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love, God is faithful to His people and will deliver them from oppression. That's a promise. It will all work out in the end. And if we don't see justice in this lifetime, be assured, my friend, that one day...one day...The Father will say, "That's enough" and send Jesus to rule and reign forever more. Justice will be executed for all who are oppressed. In one of Peter's famous speeches in the book of Acts, he said, .."How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (KJV)

That "Jesus of Nazareth" is now the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He died the Lamb of God and was raised the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He sits at the right hand of His Father in Heaven. He is still powerful and does good. And He still heals all those oppressed of the devil or anyone else. He is God. And He has made a promise. Hebrews, chapter 2, says that "there is nothing that is not subject to Him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."

See Jesus, fix your eyes....on the One who forgives all your sins. The One who heals all your diseases. The One who redeems your life from the pit. The One who crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. And the One who works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. Wow! What a benefit package!

Donna Schultz

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Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Tuesday's with Jesus #95

#95 "All His Benefits #4"

May 8, 2007

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits--", [who]"crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalm 103: 1-2; 4b-5) Passage Lookup: Psalm 103

Thus far, in our study of Psalm 103: 1-6, we have learned that God forgives, heals and redeems. I hope that you have taken the time to really get those promises into your spirit during this past week. I hope that you know today, that God loves you so much and that you are forgiven! You are healed! Your life has been redeemed from the pit! Have you grabbed a hold of that life-line yet? I pray that you have! And if you haven't, why wait another day?

Our feast isn't over yet. We have another silver platter filled with more of God's benefits that we can enjoy. More of God's amazingly wonderful Word to fill us up with all of the things that Jesus died to give us. Today we will learn that God crowns, satisfies and renews. These promises are for you. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Psalm 103: 4b says that God, "crowns you with love and compassion." The King James Version says, "He crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies." The picture of "crowning" is more than the picture of a king or queen with a crown on their head. God's crowning is an encircling. You are surrounded, if you will, protected, and in a circle of loving kindness and tender mercy. One version of the Bible says that God beautifies, dignifies and crowns you. The Message says that He gives you a paradise crown and wraps you in goodness and beauty eternal. All around you, no matter where you turn, you are surrounded by God's "hesed" love for you. His love is seen in the fact that He is slow to anger and He punishes His people less severely than we deserve. (see verses 8-10) Psalm 8: 5 says the God also crowns you with glory and honor. You have a circle of favor, good deeds and mercy around you right now, enriching your life. That's the loving kindness of your Heavenly Father, who loves you like no one else ever could.

Psalm 139 says that God hems you in--behind and before. He is all around you. You are surrounded. He goes before you, leading and guiding...tenderly and lovingly. And He's got your back. He's protecting you and holding you up when it seems that the whole world is against you and you just can't stand anymore. Your life is transitory, but it is established by the Lord's covenant. The Lord has compassion for His frail people because He knows how frail the nature of man is. (see Ps. 103; v. 14-16) Man is made of insignificant dust and his life is brief like the grass and wild flowers. Nevertheless from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's covenant love is with those who obey Him. The eternal nature of God is such a comfort for us frail human beings. Our hope is not in other fragile creatures, but our hope is in the eternal God. The God who crowns you with love and compassion.

As if that weren't enough, we see that God "satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's". Eagles remain strong throughout their entire long lives. They overcome the winds and the inclement weather. They soar above the wind and the storms. Are you soaring above your circumstances today? Or are you getting blown around with the wind and feeling weak and old; worn out and tired? The answer is found in the book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31. It says that "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles." Wings of surrender and trust. Uplifted, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The Message says that, "you are always young in His presence". You will be spiritually vigorous under God's mighty hand. Put your hope in Him. Remember that God is providing the benefits...free of charge. We don't have to pay. We don't have to strive. We don't have to sweat. You can have sweat-less victory when you accept God's benefit package.

You are soaring like an eagle because God is satisfying your desires (your "mouth" in the KJV) with good things. The Amplified Bible says that your desires are "your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation". Your benefits are personally designed...just for you. Your desires may be different than my desires. You have different needs and necessities in your life than I may have. But God tailor-makes what He has for you. He knows your own personal needs and every desire of your heart. He knows what makes you happy and He knows what causes the tears to well up in your eyes. He knows what is breaking your heart right now. And He satisfies those needs and those desires. He fills you to satisfaction so that you always have enough and plenty of. Remember that Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows." (John 10:10) And you can know that abundance, right in the middle of your circumstance, even if your circumstance is bad. You will have joy because you are in His presence. David said that "in His presence is fullness of joy." (Psalm 16: 11) Joy in the midst of....soaring like that eagle...above the storms. Your youth will be renewed..rebuilt, repaired and made new.

We've got one more benefit to review and we'll tackle that one next week. I am so excited about these benefits and as I study them I become more and more awestruck at what an amazing God we serve. He is so wonderful and so good to us. Are you still enjoying this manna from heaven that our Father has given us in His Word? I hope that you still have room for desert. Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Still hungry,

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Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Tuesday's with Jesus #94

#94 "All His Benefits #3"

May 1, 2007

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits....who redeems your life from the pit." (Psalm 103: 1-2, 4a)

Passage Lookup: Psalm 103

I really hope that you are enjoying our study of Psalm 103, going line by line, precept upon precept. What a feast!! I must tell you that today's verse is my absolute favorite. It is the best part of the meal. It is the "piece de resistance"! I just might have to tuck my napkin in my collar for this one. Let's partake, right now, of this manna from heaven....

We've been looking at God's benefit package for the last couple of weeks. We've learned that the package contains forgiveness for all of our sins and healing for all of our diseases. Today we learn that there is redemption from the pit. I don't know about you, but I'm accepting the job because the "bennies" are awesome!

There are many different kinds of pits. There are pits of despair and depression. Pits of sinfulness. Pits of low self worth, self esteem, guilt and condemnation. There are addiction pits and dysfunctional pits. There are pits of hopelessness. Poverty pits and disease pits. People pleasing pits. You may even be in a pit that I haven't mentioned. There are also different ways to get into a pit. Beth Moore, in her book, "Get Out of that Pit", describes three different roads to the pit....a pit you were thrown into, a pit you fell into, and a pit you jumped into. The nature of the pit and the way in may be different, but my friend, once you're in, every pit is the same. It's dark, it's cold, and it's slimy. Psalm 40: 2 says that there is mud and mire in the pit.

Smith's Bible Dictionary lists only one word in its definition of the word "pit". It says, [HELL]. The Message says, "He redeems you from Hell." When you're in a pit....it's hell!!

But the awesome news is that God redeems you from the pit! He "snatches" you out, according to one definition I found. He rescues you, delivers you, ransoms you, and liberates you from the captivity and bondage that has you stuck down there, where the air is thick and you are having trouble breathing. But you say, "Donna, that sounds all fine and well, but it's just not that easy. I've been down here so long. The pit is just too deep. The sin is just too big. I'm stuck in the mud and the mire. It's so deep that I can barely see any light up there." But there IS light up there!

Imagine if you were really, literally in a pit. Deep down in the earth, with your feet calf deep in mud and slime. Everything around you smells awful. It's so dark that you can barely see. And you have no idea what is crawling around in there with you. What would you do? I would hope that you would first of all want to get out of that pit more than anything else in the world! Well, the "want to" has to be the same when you're trying to get out of the figurative pit. Do you want out or has your pit become "Home, Sweet Home"? Maybe you've been there so long that the smell and the darkness don't even bother you anymore. Or are you so sick and tired of being there that you will do just about anything to get out? Only you know how comfy you are in your own private pit. But the Bible tells me that it's Hell!! Why would you want to stay in Hell?

So, let's say you've got the "want to". Now you are trying to figure out how to get up there. You claw at the walls furiously and find that you just keep slipping back into the mud. You try with all your might. You try and figure out a way, a strategy, a plan. But there's just nothing to grab onto. You sweat and you claw and you try and hold on and move up, but you can't do it by yourself. There's nothing to grab onto...there's no way up. Or is there? Wait, someone up there has come to rescue you. They are throwing you the life line. They have the strength that you don't have to pull you up and out. Now it's your choice. Do you grab the life line and let them pull you out or do you refuse? How comfy is that pit? Do you really want out?

Maybe it's because I'm human, but if I came by a couple of times and tried to let down the life line to you, and you refused...well, I guess I'd just have to assume that you liked it down there and I might give up on you. But, beloved, there is One who will never give up on you. He will come back with that life line, time after time, after time, after time....but you have to cooperate. You have to grab the other end of the line, hold on for dear life and let Him pull you up. It's not easy. I'm not saying that it is. You may sway back and forth on the way up and get knocked against the walls. But the point will be that you are on your way up! Hanging on for dear life....doin' a Jefferson's and "movin' on up"!

I have hung my hat in a couple of different pits over the course of my lifetime. But can I tell you something? I am now, (to quote Beth again) a former pit dweller. I am living on the upside of the pit with my feet on solid ground. I had to get sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had to be so done with the things that held me captive in those pits that I would do anything to get out. It took work, it took obedience, it took cooperation on my part but I didn't have to do it alone. Jesus shared the yolk with me and what does He say? "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

Look up. Can you catch just a glimmer of light up there? That's Him! And He's ready to drop the life line down to you.....See His hand holding the line firmly, securely, His feet anchored on the rock above....He won't let the line slip out of His hands. He's got a tight hold. And He's strong...He can carry your weight..no problem! Once you grab that line and let HIM start pulling you up, you won't land with a splash in that mud again. He'll pull you all the way to the top.

If you're still trying to decide, let me talk to you from the upside of the pit for a minute. We're all up here waiting for you...all of us who used to live right where you are. And there are more of us than you could ever imagine. The air is clean and fresh here. We can take deep breaths and smell the sweetness. The breeze is warm and it feels so good to be clean and dry. But do you know what the best part is? Jesus is up here with us...praying for you. Waiting for the day that your hands grab hold of that line and you begin your ascent up out of the pit. We're cheering you on. Jesus is cheering you on. Come on up! Psalm 40 says that when you get up here, He will set your feet on solid ground and give you a firm place to stand. It's true! And then, you can join us in cheering on the next brother or sister who is stuck. You can be a living testimony to life after the pit. A living testimony to how sweet freedom really is....and that "if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed." (John 8:36)

Enjoying the sunshine,

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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Tuesday's with Jesus #93

#93 "All His Benefits #2"

April 24, 2007

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits -- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases..." (Psalm 103: 2-3)

Passage Lookup: Psalm 103

Last week we began our study of Psalm 103. We learned that we must praise God for who He is and for all that He has done for us. We learned that we are to praise Him with our entire beings. Remember entering His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise? Did you get into the throne room of the King this week? Did you remember all that He has done for you, thank Him for it and get in the gates? Did you praise Him, wholeheartedly, and receive entrance into His courts? I hope so. I left you last week with the command of God's word to "forget not all His benefits." To review, the Hebrew meaning of "benefits" are the dealings of God's hand to you. Well, my friend, that was the appetizer. I pray that you're hungry for more. Let's get into the next course of our spiritual meal and see just what some of those benefits are.

Verse 3 tells us that God, "forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Right here, David begins to praise God for his personal blessings. Let's look at these benefits one at a time.

"Who forgives all your sins"--- Take a look at three other translations: "[God] who is forgiving all thine iniquities." (Young's Literal Translation); "Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities". (Amplified Bible); and "He forgives your sins - every one." (The Message) The Hebrew word used for "forgives" is "calach". It means to pardon, to spare. God forgives you. He pardons you. He spares you from the just penalty that your sins deserve. Isn't that the essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Our sins demand judgement and punishment before a holy God, but we learn that we are forgiven in Christ. Isaiah 53: 5 says this, "But He was pierced for our transgressions (pesa-rebellion), He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him.."

Notice two things with me. First, notice that it says "all your sins". It does not say, "some of your sins" or "most of your sins" or "all of them except that big one" or even not "all of them but the one you're in now." The Bible says, ALL. That's every last one. "All" means the whole amount or quantity of. This may seem like the milk of the Word, but until we grab a hold of this truth, we will never be ready for the solid food of the mature believer. (see Hebrews 5: 13-14) If you are still allowing the devil to beat you up over your sins, or if you are still beating yourself up....live on this verse of Scripture until it becomes real to you. I don't care what you've done. I don't care what you may be doing right now. The Word says that He forgives it all. I believe that there is someone out there, right now, that needs to hear those words. You are forgiven!!

I love the Young's Literal Translation above. It says, God "is forgiving all thine iniquities." That's the present tense. We know that our sins were forgiven on the Cross at Calvary. One of my commentaries says this, "God is still forgiving-as we are still sinning and repenting." It's a continual process and God is faithful. He will continue to forgive until we go home to Glory.

"...and heals all your diseases" : Again, let's look at the other translations. "Who is healing all thy diseases" (Young's Literal Translation); "Who heals [each one of] your diseases." (Amplified Bible); and "He heals your diseases - every one." (The Message) Again, remember "ALL". The whole amount or quantity of. The Hebrew word for "heals" is "raphah" from which we get one of the names of God, "Jehovah Raphah". "Raphah" means to cure, cause to heal, repair, make whole. It pictures a physician. The verb root expresses the thought emphatically...God heals thoroughly! It is also a picture of mending by stitching. God, the Divine physician, stitching and mending YOU back together again. Taking what is sick, what is broken, what is shattered, what is diseased and mending you into wholeness and perfect health.

Dr. Arthur T. Pierson once said in a sermon preached in London, England, that one of the marked proofs of our failure to live up to the light we have, is found in our failure to obey the commandment in James' epistle, "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and pray over him." We rush at once to secure human aid, forgetting even to pray as we go, or that He who formed us and through whose blessing alone the human means can be effective, is "OUR PHYSICIAN." That leads me to the next thing that I want to say.

This healing thing is where it gets tricky. Maybe it's because of the bad rap "healing ministries" have gotten in the last few years. The way that I see it is that we readily believe that all of our sins are forgiven. We have no problem believing that God will supply our material needs. We believe for salvation for our loved one. We believe for deliverance from addictions. We believe for all kinds of things, but we fail to believe that God really is a God who heals ALL of our diseases. Did you agree with the Word spoken above that says God forgives ALL of your sins? Do you shout Amen! and Hallelujah! to that? Well, the same Bible, the same Word of God, follows that statement with "[He] heals ALL your diseases." You either believe the Bible or you don't. Does God heal or doesn't He? The Bible says that He does. God says it....to me that settles it!

Isaiah 53: 4 says, "Surely He took up [carried] our infirmities." Literally, the infirmities were our sickness. Later in verse 5, it says, "by His wounds we are healed." Psalm 107 tells us that God sends forth His Word and heals us. He delivers the sick from death and restores us to health. In Exodus 15: 26, God Himself says, "I am the Lord, who heals you." I don't think the problem lies in God's word. I think it lies in our inability, for some reason, to not believe His Word! I am not here to debate the question of why some folks don't get healed. I am just saying that God in His Word, by His Holy Spirit, says that He heals all of our diseases and He calls Himself my Healer. I must choose to believe that and not waver from that truth. It is my responsibility to believe and obey the Word of God. It is God who is responsible for the consequences of my belief and obedience.

I hope that you're enjoying the main course of your meal. Now rest between bites. Don't gulp it down too fast just because it tastes delicious. Allow the nutrients and nourishment of what you've just read to be absorbed into your spirit this week. Rest in these truths a little before next week when we feed some more on God's wonderful benefits. Yes, there are more! In a few weeks, I promise you, you are going to be so full. This is manna from heaven that you're eating. If your spirit is denied this heavenly food, you will become spiritually weak. Let's eat this manna, be strong, and live!

Hungrier than ever,

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