“A Word of Truth” from Immanuel Lutheran Church of Mankato…
A Word of Truth #427 Psalm 7
A lawyer-friend recently told me, “No good deed goes unpunished!” There are times in this sin-filled world when people you help try to hurt you! This is nothing new. The Psalmist David cried out to the Lord for help in the face of those who unjustly sought his harm. Yet, the child of God need not adopt a pessimistic attitude. Rather, he can confess with David: “My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart” (verse 10). “God (after all) is a just judge!” (verse 11) He defends His children and punishes the wicked. David suggests that God often causes the wicked to fall into their own traps, while pointing out that the lives of the violent often end in violence. Therefore, rather than being pessimistic, let us join David in singing “praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (verse 17).
A Word of Truth #428
God created the heavens, the earth, and everything in them in six, 24-hour days. The theory of evolution suggests that the universe and everything in it came about by random occurrence and gradual self-development. This theory is neither good science nor good religion—it is a lie and it detracts from who God is and from His glory.
King David knew his Creator very well. He looked at the world and sang in Psalm 8:
O Lord, our Lord…when I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him…You have put all things under his feet…even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea…
Seeing our universe in truth, namely, as a remarkable creation of God can only lead to the praise of His name: “O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)
A Word of Truth #429 Psalm 9
Do you ever feel down? Do you feel forsaken by others…even at times by God? Do you ever feel as if life is simply not worth living? If you do, you may be suffering from depression. Depression takes many different forms and arises under many different circumstances. There are often physical, psychological, and spiritual components involved. King David, who himself appears to have suffered from depression, shares certain observations which helped him cope with his dark feelings. He observed: “the LORD will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (v. 9). The LORD ‘does not forget the cry of the humble (but) remembers them” (v. 12). The LORD “lifts me up from the gates of death” (v. 13). Therefore, David concluded: “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart!” (v. 1)
A Word of Truth #430
Listen to this description from God:
The wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord…in his proud countenance [he] does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering… He has said in his heart, “…I shall never be in adversity.” His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression… He sits in the lurking places of the villages; in the secret places he murders the innocent… he crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may fall by his strength. He has said in his heart, “God has forgotten…He will never see.”
This is an accurate, sobering, and perhaps frightening description. As wickedness flourishes it may almost appear as if God has forgotten.
Children of God, take heart! Our God is a just God and His justice will prevail. Wickedness will not go unpunished. Vengeance is God’s and He will repay. God does not forget, He will act, and you are kept secure in His keeping.
A Word of Truth #431 Psalm 11
The world can be a frightening place! There are times when things go dreadfully wrong and everything appears to be out of control and turned upside down. At such times there is great comfort in knowing that “the LORD is in His holy temple!” (v. 4a) King David, who certainly faced his share of uncertainties, recognized nonetheless that God remains in control of this world. “The LORD’s throne,” David says, “is in heaven.” From that throne, “His eyes behold” and “test the sons of men.” Yes, he “tests the righteous” but “His soul hates…the wicked and the one who loves violence” (v. 4b-5). Next time you face a frightening and unsettling situation—step back, breathe deep, and envision the LORD God sitting in His holy temple in heaven, watching over and guiding you here on earth. Put your trust in Him!
A Word of Truth #432
Lying is at the root of many sins. Lies are used to accomplish selfish desires, to hide other sins, and to dodge responsibility. Lies are used to hurt others and are followed when the truth isn’t what someone wants to hear. In Psalm 12 King David wrote: “… with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things”
Truth lies at the root of every blessing. In a world filled with lies that are harmful at best and soul-destroying at worst, it is refreshing to find truth. “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.”
The Lord’s truth exposes all falsehood and lying. The Lord’s truth reveals Jesus, our Savior, to us. The Lord’s truth is life and salvation. Putting away lying, speak the truth and rejoice in it!
A Word of Truth #433 Psalm 13
Daily feelings of sluggishness and sorrow, thinking that everyone is against you and nothing goes right, wondering whether even God has forsaken you—these are signs of clinical depression. They are not taken from a list provided by a doctor, but rather are the feelings expressed by David in Psalm 13. If you are experiencing such feelings, you should see your doctor for a check-up. Depression, however, often has spiritual components. David found help for his depression by turning to the LORD. He trusted in the mercy of God. He rejoiced in the message of salvation—the fact that God loved Him and would send a Savior to deliver him from sin and death. He tried to focus on the blessings he had received rather than dwelling upon the problems he was facing, and that enabled him to sing to the LORD.
A Word of Truth #434
Reports are released each year which rank the success of students in countries across the world. The news is often deflating because we hear that children in the United States are not always on top. We like knowledge and intelligence.
Making faithful use of intellectual gifts is good and God-pleasing. However, when knowledge is pursued without also pursuing God’s Word, the sad irony is that as human knowledge increases, knowledge of the true God shrinks. Some of the wisest and brightest scholars of human wisdom are fools because their knowledge and love of it has crowded out true knowledge of God. God says: “The fool has said in his heart there is no God” (Psalm 14:1).
There is value in pursuing knowledge of things in this life, but it is God who has created all things and continues to rule and preserve them. God’s Word is able to make us wise for salvation (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15). Pursue that wisdom and live!
A Word of Truth #435 Psalm 15
The Bible assures us that a man is saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own good works. God intends, however, for those who have placed their faith in Jesus to do good works (cf. Eph. 2:8-10). In Psalm 15 David lists some works, which are good in God’s eyes: treating people in a right and fair way; speaking only what is true; refraining from gossip; being faithful to friends; despising those who are evil, but honoring those who believe in and fear God; keeping a promise even when it would be advantageous to break it; refusing to take unfair financial advantage of others; and refraining at all times from taking bribes. Such good works are a testimony to faith and reveal thankfulness to God for His grace. Such a man, David says, will abide in God’s presence and never be moved!
A Word of Truth #436
Our lives are made up of many different things—our relationship with God, career, family, hobbies, recreation, and more. The character of one’s life is determined by the portions. For example: a workaholic may have a triple portion of career, a single portion of family, and sadly, perhaps no portion for God.
The psalmist praised God and said: “…You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You…O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup…” (Psalm 16:1ff). Though much can be pursued and put into an earthly life, true satisfaction, contentment, and success rest on the Lord. Apart from Jesus’ redemption and the forgiveness of sins, our best deeds are despised by God. Apart from Christ our greatest accomplishments on earth will die with us. In Jesus we have a Savior whom we can trust, a Savior who blesses us, and who promises us an eternal inheritance. He is the best portion of all!
A Word of Truth #437 Psalm 17
The world is a dangerous place—whether you are on the ground in Iraq as an American soldier, or walking the streets in many of our towns and cities as a civilian. There are evil people, who will oppose you, at times for no apparent reason, and attempt to hurt you. David addresses this situation as a child of God in Psalm 17. He prays that as he walks through life and enemies rise up against him, that God would keep him “as the apple of (His) eye” and that God would “hide (him) under the shadow of (His) wing.” Both of those thoughts depict God as close and caring, as a God who not only is interested in His children, but willing and able to act in their defense and rescue them from harm’s way. When you are facing danger, join David in crying out to the LORD for help. He is able and willing to rescue you!
A Word of Truth #438
Alcatraz was called “The Rock” because it was such a strong prison. For prisoners it meant harshness and no escape. For those on the outside it meant protection because it kept dangerous criminals safely away from them.
The true God is our Rock: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:1-3).
The Lord is a rock and fortress because He is the almighty God—Creator and Preserver of all things—who uses His power to rescue us from danger, to keep evil away from us, to provide for our needs. The Lord is our Rock because His Word is our weapon against the Devil and every spiritual enemy. The Lord is our Rock because in Him we have the forgiveness of sins and death itself is conquered.
The Lord our God is a Rock—we are preserved, redeemed, and safe in His keeping.
A Word of Truth #439 Psalm 18:28,30
The Psalmist David once wrote: “For You will light my lamp; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.” We are told in the prescript to this psalm that David wrote these words “on the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” These words were written then during a particularly dark period in David’s life. He was driven from his home, separated from his family, and in danger of losing his life. But the LORD intervened—He enabled David to respond to the threats and to escape every plot against his life. David wrote these words to encourage us during those dark times in our lives when all appears to be lost and even our lives are in danger. David wants us to know that “the LORD (will light our lamps and enlighten our paths, for He)…is a shield to all who trust in Him!”
A Word of Truth #440 Psalm 19:1
Is there really a God, or did our universe simply come about by accident? To answer that question the Psalmist David simply urges us to look around. “The heavens declare the glory of God,” he says, “And the firmament shows His handiwork.” When you observe our universe and the physical laws required to sustain it, you see design which declares the glory of God! When you consider the complexity of even the simplest components of the physical world, much less the complexities of life in its many forms, they reveal an intelligence in design that exceeds anything man will ever hope to accomplish, thus revealing the handiwork of God! While the heavens do not identify who God is, they certainly testify to the fact that God exists! Rest assured that God has revealed Himself in the Bible!
A Word of Truth #441 Psalm 19:7
There is a sure way that we can learn to know God. That way is not by probing our own minds, but rather by praying that the Spirit of God would open our minds to God’s own revelation. The psalmist David writes: “The law of the LORD (that is His Word) is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” God reveals Himself to us through His Word—the Bible. That Word is “perfect”—it can be trusted to lead us into a right relationship with God, by revealing both our sin and need of salvation and His grace forgiveness in Christ, which leads to salvation. His Word is “sure”—we need never doubt it, for it provides the wise counsel based upon God’s own will, that we need to live our lives in ways that will bring us God’s blessing.
A Word of Truth #442 Psalm 20:7
“In God We Trust”—that phrase has appeared on all American coins since 1864. But do we? Do we Americans place our trust in God? Some do, but unfortunately many do not. It should not surprise us, for since the fall into sin, man has had a problem with trust and the object of his trust. David writes, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” So it has been and will be until the end of time. Most people place their trust in things that they can see and believe to be powerful—the force of arms, the security of wealth, the support of friends, their own wisdom and strength. But all of these things are poor substitutes for the One worthy of our absolute trust—the LORD. That is why we too want to remember God’s name and place our trust in Him.A Word of Truth #443 Psalm 21:1
In what do you find your greatest joy? Your work…your family…your friends…your finances? King David listed any number of blessings he had received as king of Old Testament Israel. He had “a crown of pure gold on his head.” He had lived a long time. He was honored by others. He had overcome his enemies. But that in which he found his greatest joy was the strength and the salvation of the LORD His God. It was through the LORD’s strength that he had become king and received all of the blessings previously mentioned. It was through the LORD’s salvation that he could look forward to a future not of eventual decline and death, but rather a future of everlasting life and love in the presence of His God. Dear listeners—let us too learn to rejoice in the strength and salvation of the LORD!
A Word of Truth #444 Psalm 22:1
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” You might recognize those words as uttered by Jesus while hanging on the cross. Yet, those words are a quotation of Psalm 22:1 and written by David a thousand years before Jesus was crucified. If you read the whole psalm you will find numerous details regarding Jesus’ crucifixion and death—all written prophetically regarding that most singular of events—the death of God’s Son on behalf of sinful mankind. God’s plan for our salvation required His own Son to enter human history and endure as our substitute the punishment we deserve in view of our sins. The fulfillment of each and every detail of that prophecy confirms the truth of the gospel message, which proclaims that anyone who believes in Jesus as his Savior from sin will be saved!A Word of Truth #445 Psalm 23:1
Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my Shepherd;
A shepherd has a genuine interest and love for the sheep. No one loves you more or has a greater interest in you than Your Savior.
A shepherd who loves his sheep will go to great lengths to protect them, or rescue them. Jesus, Your Good Shepherd, laid down His life for you, the sheep.
A shepherd’s heart will lead him to go searching for sheep who have wandered, who need healing and comfort. Jesus is Your Good Shepherd who called you to faith, seeks you when you stray, and is always present to heal.
A shepherd knows His sheep. He knows what they can endure. He knows what is best for them and what will make them stronger. He nourishes them and nurtures them. He knows when they have reached their limits, when they are weak, and need relief, and then he carries them. Jesus is just such a shepherd for you.
A Word of Truth #446 Psalm 23:1b-2
Psalm 23:1b-2 – I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
In the mind of a sheep, the ultimate buffet would be a lush green pasture filled with tender new shoots of grass. If this pasture had a pool of still, cool water, the delight of a sheep would be complete. The sheep could lie on soft grass, be nourished, and lack nothing.
Jesus, our Shepherd, leads us to rich and bountiful pastures by giving us all that we need for this body and life. Because of the abundance of His blessings we do at times become dissatisfied with the pastures to which He leads us, but they are still good and abundant. Nor does our Savior provide everything we want, but He does provide what we need.
Jesus knows His sheep. He knows what will best nurture us and best provide for our needs.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd who leads us to pastures where we lack nothing.
A Word of Truth #447 Psalm 23:3
Psalm 23:3 – He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
An earthly shepherd’s actions for the well-being of his sheep are limited because he is limited. If a sheep dies, he can do nothing but mourn its loss.
Jesus exceeds every earthly shepherd. All of Jesus’ sheep were once dead (cf. Ephesians 2), but Jesus restores our sin-plagued, dead souls by bringing forgiveness of sins, life and salvation to them.
Once restored, we no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ who saved us. Jesus, our Shepherd, leads us in the paths of righteousness. He sends the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, to equip us to walk in ways that are God-pleasing, and to give us the desire to do so.
Jesus restores our souls and leads us, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. He does all of this for His name’s sake—He is Jehovah, our Savior, and our Shepherd.
A Word of Truth #448 Psalm 23:4
Psalm 23:4 – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.
Death hangs over our existence in this world like a dark shadow. All living things one day die. The dangers of war, accident, disease, sickness, and natural disasters are fearful because they bring the potential of death.
As we walk in this shadow, there is much that we might fear. The presence of our Shepherd is able to take away the fear. Jesus has conquered death. Oh, we will still die on the earth, but that death no longer means eternal death in Hell. Jesus promises, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).
Even though we walk through the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, because Jesus, our shepherd is always with us. His presence is comfort and peace.
A Word of Truth #449 Psalm 23:5
Psalm 23:5 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Jesus, our Shepherd, blesses His people in the midst of an unbelieving world. Enemies of Jesus abound and become our enemies as well. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
In the midst of a world that hates our Savior, Jesus’ will is still being accomplished. He is blessing us and preserving us for His heavenly Kingdom. He soothes the scrapes and cuts that we receive as we confess Him. He causes our cup of blessing to overflow.
The table of blessing which Jesus prepares for us is a testimony to the world because He prepares it for all to see.
A Word of Truth #450 Psalm 23:6
Psalm 23:6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Jesus’ shepherding is to nourish us, care for us, and preserve us in faith to live with Him forever in heaven. Jesus promises to preserve our soul (cf. Psalm 121). Though every day will not be a “banner day” from our perspective, goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives as we abide with Jesus and He with us.
The “house of the Lord” is not limited to any location. Jesus promises that wherever two or three gather together in His name, He is there in the midst of them. We dwell in the House of the Lord right now by faith. When our time on the earth is complete, Jesus brings us to heaven where we will see Him face to face and live with Him forever.
A Word of Truth #451 Psalm 24:1
“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein!” What a claim David makes in the first verse of Psalm 24! Everything and everyone on this earth belongs to God! Many would dispute that assertion. Most want to lay claim at least to a small portion of this planet and certainly lay claim to their own independence. It is these facts, however, God’s possession and mankind’s rebellion, that make the Christmas gospel so extraordinary. God, who possesses all things, sent His Son to redeem a portion of His possession—our souls. Jesus, whose name means Savior, entered this world to pay the price of our rebellion, so that we might by God’s grace through faith in His saving name become permanent members of God’s family and heirs of heaven. Rejoice in Jesus this Christmas Season!
A Word of Truth #452 Psalm 24:7-8
“Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” The psalmist David goes on to identify “the King of glory” as “the LORD of hosts”—God Himself! This is where the story becomes ever so interesting. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that her Son, Jesus, would “reign over the house of Jacob forever” (cf. Lk. 1:33). The “wise men from the East” came seeking Jesus, identifying Him as the new-born “King of the Jews” (cf. Mt. 2:2). Jesus did not, however, appear in Bethlehem as a king, but rather as a seemingly helpless child of a virgin mother and her carpenter husband. Jesus—“the King of glory"—shall come as the Revelation records on the Last Day when He returns as the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords!” (cf. 19:16).
A Word of Truth #453 Psalm 25:8-9
“Good and upright is the LORD; there fore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way!” So writes David in Psalm 25. God is a Master Teacher, who understands that a personal example is much more powerful than mere words. Therefore, when Jesus, God’s Son, came into this world to teach lost mankind “His (Father’s) way,” He was not received with pomp and circumstance, but was laid in a stable’s feeding trough. Instead of mounting a throne, He permitted Himself to be mounted upon a cross to redeem those whom He would call brothers. Let us, this Christmas-Epiphany Season, humble ourselves before God by confessing our sins and trusting in Jesus, the world’s Savior, for forgiveness. Then we will learn God’s way and come to rejoice in His justice.
A Word of Truth #454 Psalm 26:3
“Your lovingkindess is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.” So says King David as he prays for God’s guidance and help in Psalm 26. God’s lovingkindness has indeed been placed before our eyes again during this Christmas Season and as we enter a new year. Jesus’ birth has been proclaimed in word and in song. But for many that message could be lost beneath piles of wrapping paper, or cast aside as the dried evergreens along city streets, or packed away with the Christmas lights and decorations for another year. The secret to keeping God’s lovingkindness before our eyes—for securing God’s guidance and help—is to join King David and walk in God’s truth—reading and heeding God’s word on a daily basis throughout the New Year. Do so, and God’s lovingkindness will remain before your eyes!
A Word of Truth #455 Psalm 27:1
How many monsters lived in your closet when you were a child? I recall having to close the closet door before the lights when out at bedtime for fear the monsters lurking therein might otherwise get me! Situation change as we grow older, but there are still many frightening things out in our world. The psalmist David reveals the solution for fear, when he proclaims: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” This world is filled with the darkness of sin, but Jesus has overcome the darkness of sin by bringing us the truth of God’s Word. Jesus has completed God’s plan for our salvation through His own life and death. He promises to be with us—to protect us…no matter how many monsters we think may be in the closets of our lives.
A Word of Truth #456 Psalm 27:14
“I just can’t wait!” How often have you heard someone say that? How often have you said it yourself? We human beings tend to be impatient. We want certain things, and we want them right now! We even become impatient with God at times—thinking that He ought to act in a certain way and on a time-table that suits our desires. But we must remember—He is the Creator, while we are His creatures. He is the Savior, while we are those in need of salvation. This He has graciously done through the gift of His Son. The psalmist David suggests to those who would be impatient: “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” The LORD knows our every need and will meet them, but only in ways that He knows will bring us the greatest blessing. Therefore…“Wait on the LORD!”
This has been “A Word of Truth” from Immanuel Lutheran Church of Mankato.
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