Author: mdpittman05

No Greater: MT e74

Psalm 14 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God!’”

That is how it is spoken in our English translations.  And there is nothing wrong with that translation.

However, it may be better said, “The fool says in his heart, ‘No God!” 

Both say the same thing in different ways. Yet the second one, “No, God!” is more similar to like, no, potatoes.  As if we are sitting around a dinner table and the various plates are being passed around and we do not want potatoes.  So we say, “No, potatoes.”

So combine this thought with Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God. Day to day and night after night nature pours out speech. That there is no where that this speech is not heard, it goes through all the earth.”

The fool can look around and in their heart say, NO, God.  I do not want any of that.

This is the rebellion.  At one time, 100% of us were in this camp. 

As Psalm 14 continues, “The Lord looks down from heaven on mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.  None.  They have all turned aside.  No one does good, not even one.”

What a bleak picture.  This is the rebellion. 

Yet there is one, none from the children of man, who obeys.  Psalm 14:7 “Oh, that salvation would come out of Zion!” It has and it does. 

Those in rebellion are restored.  In this we rejoice.  We rejoice in the name of Jesus.  It is a name that never grows old. 

SDG

The Greatness of Jesus: MT e73

In the days of Jesus and before, those who were of the noble class had many luxuries.  Things have not changed, even today, those who have money experience a different life than those who have less money.

Those who were wealthy, this included kings and queens, had servants who would carry their sandals (shoes).  It was a job saved for the lowest servant.  This was the lowest job one could have.

In Matthew 3 you have John the Baptizer preaching in the desert.  He was preparing people for the arrival of Jesus.  He was spreading the news about the Messiah and this was a part of his message:

“There is coming one after me who is mightier than I.  I am not even worthy to carry his sandals.” Mt 3:11

John was essentially saying that Jesus was truly great. No one greater. That Jesus was so great, I am not good enough to carry his sandals.  The lowest entry level job of a slave.

John had a high regard for Jesus. Placed a high value upon him. 

Through life and through time humanity has placed a high value on some people.  We want their autographs or maybe we spend hours in a line to buy tickets to see them in a show.

For the believer, as you grow in your faith, Jesus becomes more precious to you.  Please do not take this to the extreme, it is more than ok for us to enjoy the talents of talented people and see their performances.

But an amazing thing happens to the believer as they grow in their faith – the things of the world begin to take less importance.  We truly begin to agree with John – I can’t carry your sandals Jesus, I am not even worthy of that.

But yet, there He is, this Jesus, our elder brother. Loving us and saving us.

What is your view of Jesus?  SDG

Rooted: MT e 72

Many years ago as a very young man I had one potted plant.  It was given to me and it went through the move each August to college and then May back to wherever I was working. What made this plant memorable is how hearty it was.

It was a very strong plant even surviving a 25 foot drop during a very windy summer rain storm. As I was picking up that plant and getting it back in order the reason it was such a healthy plant was obvious.   The soil was rich and the plant had rooted itself deeply in that soil.

Returning to Psalm 1 the writer is comparing the person who is righteous and the person who is wicked. The righteous will not walk with the wicked, stand with sinners or sit with those who ridicule.

It then says the righteous will delight in God’s word and meditate on it daily and nightly. That person is like a tree planted by the waters that yields fruit in its season.

My plant was no tree but it was so very strong.  It had very rich soil to sustain it and it was deeply rooted in that soil.

This is the visual the writer of Psalm 1 is making here. Being close to Jesus is not just an outward activity (with whom we walk, stand and sit) it is also an inward thing.

Day and night are opportunities for this person growing in Jesus to spend loving His word. This is the way to get rooted in Christ.  Deeply rooted for those moments the winds of life may knock you down.

Where are your roots? 

SDG

The Washing

Matthew 3:7-12

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Grief: MT e71

Monday:

Psalm 6 has been one of those passages that off and on through the years has gotten my attention.  The descriptions there are so vivid of one who is grieving.

The source of the suffering is an unrelenting enemy. 

The grief so severe that the writer, as he is praying to God says, I am weary, moaning, I flood my bed with tears, my eyes waste away because of grief. He feels so much grief that it feels as if he has died.

“How can I praise you if I am in the grave?”  Valid point.

Have you ever felt this or at least something similar?

The Psalm resolves with this: “Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.  The Lord has heard my plea and accepts my prayer . . .my enemies shall be put to shame.”

Now, take this and think of Jesus on the cross. He said several things among which was, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Sound similar to our Psalm?

In this moment, when Jesus said this, he was abandoned.  Because Jesus became sin, the Father turned His back.  He was abandoned to the grave.

Jesus did not receive the same resolve as the writer of Psalm 6.  Why?  Jesus was our substitute and received what we deserved.

Know this, from Psalm 6, our Father cares. 

Are you grieving now?  Have you grieved before?  You are not alone.

Jesus experienced being abandoned so we did not have to.

S.D.G.

Turning Home To God

Repentance is one of God’s great kindnesses to His children. It is not meant to crush us, but to restore us. John Owen reminds us that true repentance does not begin with our effort to clean ourselves up, but with God’s gracious work in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes, we begin to see our sin honestly—not just as mistakes, but as wounds we have brought into our fellowship with a loving Father.

Yet repentance is never separated from hope. We do not turn from sin in order to be accepted by God; we turn because we already are accepted in Christ. The cross assures us that every sin we confess has already been paid for. This frees us to repent without fear, without hiding, and without excuses.

Owen teaches that repentance is not something we outgrow. Even mature believers are called daily to turn again toward God. As we walk with Christ, our hearts become more tender, not harder. We grieve our sin more deeply, not because grace has failed, but because grace has taught us to love holiness and hate what distances us from our Savior.

Repentance, then, is not a doorway we pass through once, but a path we walk every day. It is the Spirit gently leading us back to Christ, again and again, where forgiveness is certain, mercy is abundant, and our joy is restored.

Westminster Larger Catechism

Question 58: How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath produced?

Answer: We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath produced by the application of them unot us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4-7; John 16:14-15; John 3:3-8)

Guard Your Heart: MT e70

In our last time together, we were looking at Psalm 1 and how the people, places and things around us can impact us. 

The phrase, “Guard your heart” was used and this will get our attention today.

Several things can come to mind when the word guard is mentioned. 

One is related to sports.  When playing defense, a person is responsible for guarding an area or even a person. 

Another is like a security detail where one is guarding a business or a house.

In each of these, the desire is to make sure something does not happen.  Gaurding in sports the effort is to keep the opposing team from scoring.  In security, the effort is to keep thieves or unwanted vandals.

The key thought is to prevent something.

Proverbs 4 says to “Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flows the spring of life.”

This reinforces Psalm 1 from our last time.  Walking not in the advice of the wicked or standing in the way of sinners or sitting with those who ridicule IS a one way to guard your heart.

By avoiding situations, people or entertainment where is a method of guarding. 

We guard the things that mean much to us.  In the life of following Christ, purity and righteousness mean much.

Guard it as if your life depends on it. Pray that our Lord may send His Spirit to keep you from harm. 

As always S.D.G.   

Broken and Healed: MT e68

If a cultural or political issue has two opposing sides, the motive to win the argument is the same for both.  The motive is to avoid utter ruin of civilization.

Both sides are convinced if their position lost, it would be the utter ruin of civilization. 

There came a point in my life where I realized that there was one moment in history where civilization was totally ruined.  It died.  It was in the fall of Adam.

The result is struggle between husband and wife.  It was the source of Cain killing able.  Most importantly and most devastating was the fact that man was in full rebellion against God.

This is utter ruin. 

Coming across Isaiah 32 we find a city in a similar situation.  Cities were locations of safety.  These were places of strength.

Not the city in Isaiah 32, it is desolate and forsaken.  The watchtower, the sign of defense, is overtaken with weeds.

The picture here is the utter ruin of humanity. 

Yet in (32:15) we see a complete change.  That which was desolate and abandoned is now fruitful and growing.  Why?  Because the Spirit had been poured from on high.

I say this to those who are in and those who want nothing to do with Christ: the only safety from devastation is God’s Spirit.

I am calling you to that place.  Not because I have mastered life but my life has been mastered. 

The only way life can be restored is life filled with the Spirit of Christ.  Faith comes . . .faith comes by hearing this.  Jesus redeems from utter ruin and saves to the uttermost.

SDG

Work Out What God Works In: MT e66

When I was much younger there were occasional summers that we as a family would go to Curie Beach in NC. One very clear memory is my mother would always get me a new plastic bucket and shovel to use on the beach. 

But there was one condition, I could not use it until we got to the beach.  I had other plastic shovels that were older but why use them if the brand new one was right here.

I had ants in my pants every time.  I could not wait to use that new bucket and shovel.

Then finally, we would get to the destination, and I would be able to work with my new tools.  I could dig and rake until my heart was content.

Philippians 2:12-13 it says, “As you have obeyed . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

When it says, work out your salvation, does it mean that we are to work to gain our righteousness?  Is Scripture saying here that God does His part and we do our part?

The short answer is no. 

We are saved by grace through God’s loving kindness and mercy.  Grace means gift.  You do not work for a gift.

In the process of being saved God changes us.  It is a miraculous change of heart.

Just like the younger me with my beach toys, just itching to get busy. This is the same picture for the believer.  We are excited to get busy with our new tools that God has given us.

We are not working to gain righteousness but because we are righteous.

Believers are WORKING OUT what God has WORKED IN us.  (repeat)

This is the ongoing desire for every believer.  Keep working out what God is working in. 

Why . . .because it is for His good purpose.  Our Lord always gets the glory. That is why I say:

S.D.G.