Devos
11-13-2011, 09:51 PM
God On The Mountain
11 of 22 from Psalm 119
Psalms 119:81-88 CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: butI hope in thy word. (82) Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, Whenwilt thou comfort me? (83) For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yetdo I not forget thy statutes. (84) How many are the days of thy servant?when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? (85) The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thylaw. (86) All thy commandments are faithful:they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. (87) They had almost consumed meupon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. (88) Quicken me after thylovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
Onoccasion, I can find King David while reading this Psalm. My King James Study Bible did not define theauthor. I then searched the web andsought Jewish Theologians to find out who they considered the author to be. All that I read came to one conclusion, thePsalm was written by King David. Basedon this conclusion, (I will presume that this Psalm was written by King David.)
Inthis writing, we see a period of time that King David was apparentlydepressed. I have tried to determinewhen this was written. There are severalinstances in King David’s life that it could have been. My thought is some time just after Absalom (KingDavid’s son) was killed (while King David was traveling back to his throne.) King David was failing in health and he was athis weakest point. Yet, through it all,his faith remained. He begged God for areprieve on the grief that was consuming his mind.
Thereis a song that is entitled, “God On The Mountain.” Within its lyrics we are told that the “God onthe mountain is the same God down in the valley.” King David was down in that valley, the valleyof doubt. He was fearful that God hadleft him as God had left King Saul. Yet,King David knew within his heart that God would never leave him.
Howmany times a year, a month, a week, or a day do we find ourselves wallowing inthat valley of doubt, that valley of despair, that valley of self pity? I can say, at least to this hour, (since Iwas assured of my eternal salvation,) that I have never concerned myself thatGod would leave me. There have beentimes I was down and thought God was punishing me. In some of those times I am sure I wasreceiving His chastisement. Yet, when Ilook back and think about those times, I find that I was the one who “put me”in that valley.
In myChristian walk I have found that I am the sole source of most, (if not all,) myproblems. I am the one who “steps off”that mountain. I am the one who responds(or doesn’t respond) to the temptations set before me. It is Me, Myself, and I. I am MY main and worst problem (enemy.)
Weallow our minds to consume our thoughts. Yet, Jesus tells us He will give us “rest.”
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour andare heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
We can look at this “rest” as peaceof mind. Most of us Christians pray and askGod through His Son Jesus to absolve all our problems, and He does. Yet, instead of letting Him take control, we beginmeddling in what we just gave away. (Wethen find we are still where we put ourselves, somewhere in that valley.) How do we as Christians get that rest?
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,and he shall lift you up.
We must first humble ourselves before the Lord. We don’t want Him to humble us. (Thatis truly not what God wants nor do any of us want.) This is our personal commitment to drawnearer to Him, but it must be with a true, (sincere) heart.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in fullassurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, andour bodies washed with pure water.
Our heart must desire, (crave) to become nearer (infaith) knowing we are growing nearer to our Saviour.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thoushalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Job shows us “the mountain and the valley.” We also can see the chastisement resulting fromJob’s pride. Yet, through it all Jobremained faithful, and became a humble man. We never want “a Job experience,” but we must realize there is always thatpossibility. (God humbled Job.) God asks us to humble ourselves, remove evilfrom our lives, pray, and seek Him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name,shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wickedways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will healtheir land.
“Christian,what are you going to do? Are you goingto wait for “that Job experience,” or are you going to get to your knees?” God is waiting to clear your mind and giveyou the “rest” or peace you desire, peace of mind.
Bro John R. E Chastain
Retired Pastor
Wylie, Texas
fundamentalthoughts-preacher.blogspot.com FundamentalThoughtshttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/396602453215336106-1487350652385496063?l=kjvdevos.blogspot.com
11 of 22 from Psalm 119
Psalms 119:81-88 CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: butI hope in thy word. (82) Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, Whenwilt thou comfort me? (83) For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yetdo I not forget thy statutes. (84) How many are the days of thy servant?when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? (85) The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thylaw. (86) All thy commandments are faithful:they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. (87) They had almost consumed meupon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. (88) Quicken me after thylovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
Onoccasion, I can find King David while reading this Psalm. My King James Study Bible did not define theauthor. I then searched the web andsought Jewish Theologians to find out who they considered the author to be. All that I read came to one conclusion, thePsalm was written by King David. Basedon this conclusion, (I will presume that this Psalm was written by King David.)
Inthis writing, we see a period of time that King David was apparentlydepressed. I have tried to determinewhen this was written. There are severalinstances in King David’s life that it could have been. My thought is some time just after Absalom (KingDavid’s son) was killed (while King David was traveling back to his throne.) King David was failing in health and he was athis weakest point. Yet, through it all,his faith remained. He begged God for areprieve on the grief that was consuming his mind.
Thereis a song that is entitled, “God On The Mountain.” Within its lyrics we are told that the “God onthe mountain is the same God down in the valley.” King David was down in that valley, the valleyof doubt. He was fearful that God hadleft him as God had left King Saul. Yet,King David knew within his heart that God would never leave him.
Howmany times a year, a month, a week, or a day do we find ourselves wallowing inthat valley of doubt, that valley of despair, that valley of self pity? I can say, at least to this hour, (since Iwas assured of my eternal salvation,) that I have never concerned myself thatGod would leave me. There have beentimes I was down and thought God was punishing me. In some of those times I am sure I wasreceiving His chastisement. Yet, when Ilook back and think about those times, I find that I was the one who “put me”in that valley.
In myChristian walk I have found that I am the sole source of most, (if not all,) myproblems. I am the one who “steps off”that mountain. I am the one who responds(or doesn’t respond) to the temptations set before me. It is Me, Myself, and I. I am MY main and worst problem (enemy.)
Weallow our minds to consume our thoughts. Yet, Jesus tells us He will give us “rest.”
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour andare heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
We can look at this “rest” as peaceof mind. Most of us Christians pray and askGod through His Son Jesus to absolve all our problems, and He does. Yet, instead of letting Him take control, we beginmeddling in what we just gave away. (Wethen find we are still where we put ourselves, somewhere in that valley.) How do we as Christians get that rest?
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,and he shall lift you up.
We must first humble ourselves before the Lord. We don’t want Him to humble us. (Thatis truly not what God wants nor do any of us want.) This is our personal commitment to drawnearer to Him, but it must be with a true, (sincere) heart.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in fullassurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, andour bodies washed with pure water.
Our heart must desire, (crave) to become nearer (infaith) knowing we are growing nearer to our Saviour.
Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thoushalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Job shows us “the mountain and the valley.” We also can see the chastisement resulting fromJob’s pride. Yet, through it all Jobremained faithful, and became a humble man. We never want “a Job experience,” but we must realize there is always thatpossibility. (God humbled Job.) God asks us to humble ourselves, remove evilfrom our lives, pray, and seek Him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name,shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wickedways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will healtheir land.
“Christian,what are you going to do? Are you goingto wait for “that Job experience,” or are you going to get to your knees?” God is waiting to clear your mind and giveyou the “rest” or peace you desire, peace of mind.
Bro John R. E Chastain
Retired Pastor
Wylie, Texas
fundamentalthoughts-preacher.blogspot.com FundamentalThoughtshttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/396602453215336106-1487350652385496063?l=kjvdevos.blogspot.com