Mark 7:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: Mark 7:8

“Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” – Mark 7:8 

Some Pharisees and scribes gathered around Jesus when He and the disciples left Jerusalem.  Both groups were very legalistic and demanded that the Law be followed completely.  As they were watching, they noticed the disciples did not wash their hands prior to eating, thus not following the traditions of the elders.  “For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.”  Mark 7:3-4.  They required a lot of work to remain pure when eating.

So, the Pharisees and the scribes questioned Jesus regarding these rules, because they were not walking according to tradition.  However, Jesus does not apologize to them on behalf of the disciples.  Instead, He rebukes the Pharisees and scribes.  We read later in the chapter, “And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me.  But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”  Mark 6-7.  Jesus was speaking of Isaiah 29:13 where it says. “Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,”

Jesus then continues by telling them, in our focus verse, that they are neglecting the commands of God and replacing them with the traditions of men.  He then gives the example of how the commandment ‘honor your father and mother, and He who speaks evil of them is to be put to death.  And how, due to their traditions, “but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),‘ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.’”  Mark 7:11-13.

We need to look at the things we see and hear from Christian and church leadership, test them by comparing them with what the scriptures say, and ignore them if they counter what the Word of God says.  Note, it is important to make sure it is a reliable translation.  Many times, these weird and heretical teachings are the “traditions’ within churches or denominations that need to be called out, renounced and ignored.  One very recent example was a Pastor in north Atlanta, I will leave the name off, who taught his church to ignore the Old Testament and focus solely on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  While this sounds reasonable, it is not right.  The Old Testament lays the foundation of why we need salvation, and that Jesus’ coming was ordained from the beginning.  Both testaments together are a complete story of God’s love toward us.  Plus, if Jesus and the apostles quoted it many times, were they wrong, and did they not totally understand?  I doubt it seriously.

We need to be careful that we do not accept traditions that contradict the scriptures. Too many times, and I will say once is too many, church leaders try to make Christianity easier by teaching things that are accepted in the culture today but are radically different from the commands of God.  We need ensure that what we teach is real and does not counter His Word, for we will be held accountable.  “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”  James 3:1.  The Pharisees and the scribes were not given leniency, and neither will we. William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Micah 6:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: Micah 6:8

“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you.  But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah 6:8

In verses 1 and 2, Micah is appealing to the people to hear Yahweh’s revelation to them, God’s grievance against them.  God is laying out a case like one of a legal nature.  This could be called “Yahweh” vs “Israel”.  He was basically initiating the legal proceedings.

This grievance can be seen in verses 3-5.  “My people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you? Answer Me.  Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt and ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.  My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And from Shittim to Gilgal, So, that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD.”  Micah 6:3-5.  They appear to have grown tired of God.  He then lists several events in history to show His goodness to them.

Moving into verses 6-7, we see that Israel saw that they were wrong and began to call out, one man after another, what they need to do to make things right.  One asked should he come before Him with burnt offerings of yearling calves, this being one of the choice offerings within the law.  Another asked are thousands of rams to be offered and rivers of the oil offered with the sacrificed.,  One asked should he offer his first borne.  Some of these things were acceptable sacrifices, other were not.

Micah then tells the people, in our focus verse, that God has told them what was good and what He desired of them.  We see this in the following verse  “Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?”  Deuteronomy 10:12-13.  They have heard this before; however, they had forgotten, and God brought it back to their minds.

So, let’s examine these three points found in our focus verse, which apply to us as well.  First, to uphold justice.  We are to judge righteously with no favoritism.  To judge fairly without improperly favoring any side in the judgement.  Jesus put it this way, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” John 7:24. Something may look wrong; however, it may not be wrong.  We must investigate any situation and ensure that what we declare is righteous.

Next, to love kindness.  Other translations say love mercy.  We are to show our love by being kind and merciful.  We are to be kind to one another, not using severity toward our brothers and sisters, but being compassionate to others, especially when we are wronged.  Show everyone that we love them and desire God’s best for them.

And lastly, to walk with God in an attitude of humility.  Keeping a constant and loving relationship with our loving God.  Remembering that it is God’s will to be done, not our own which is the picture of arrogance whereby we believe our ways are better.  Keeping His commandments which is the proof of our love to Him.  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  John 14:15.

What God requires of us is love, toward others through upholding justice and loving mercy.  Then toward God by walking continually and humbly with Him.  Works done based on following rules is not what He desires.  He requires our love.  He showed us His through Jesus’ death for our sins to reconcile us with Himself.  Showing Him our love as Micah 6:8 tells us is not asking too much from us.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

1 John 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 John 4:1

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1

One of the things that John warned the Christians of his day was that there are many false prophets in the world.  And this is just as true today as it was in the first century.  The enemy will do whatever it takes to convince us that the truth is actually a lie, and their lies are actually truth.  Jesus called them wolves.  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  Matthew 7:15.  In other words, they will appear as true Christians trying to help us understand the truth, when actually they are there to lead us away from the truth of Jesus Christ.

So, how will we know these false prophets?  “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” Matthew 7:16. It is important that we look at what they are saying and see if it lines up with the Word of God.  We must be like the Bereans of Thessalonica as written in Acts 17:11. For they checked out everything that was taught to them to ensure it was absolutely true.  Too many people simply accept what is taught to them in church, especially from famous and prominent preachers.  They think because they are famous, they must be speaking the truth.  Or, they have great credentials so they must know what they are talking about.  Not always.  The fruit of teachers are the words they teach.  Truth comes from good and Godly teachers, sheep.  Heresy comes from liars and deceivers, wolves.  Sheep never dress as wolves, but wolves will dress as sheep.  Sheep never want to deceive the people, but wolves do.

So, back to our focus verse.  How can we ensure that we are hearing truth?  We must spend time studying God’s word and hold these truths deep in our hearts.  Then, when we hear something that is false, we will know it and reject it.  In the event we are not sure, we must check the scriptures or ask someone to show you so as to verify the validity of the teaching.  If we find it true, we can accept it.  If we find it is not, then we reject it, and if necessary, the teacher as well.

There are many false teachers out there whose purpose is to tickle our ears as Paul says to Timothy and lead us astray to further their own ambitions and desires.  Be careful what you accept as truth.  Many times, their words are in the bible, but taken out of context.  Be careful and seek the Lord, asking Him to show you what is truth and what is not.  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16:13. The Spirit of Truth is with us.  And He will, as stated above guide you into all truth.  Follow His guiding.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Ephesians 2:8

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 2:8

“For by grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8 

The Jews in Jesus’ time truly believed that by following the law completely, they would be saved.  They believed that as long as they did exactly what the law required, including the blood sacrifice for any sin they should commit, they would be good enough to be saved.  However, it is clear from our focus verse plus the next that this is not the case.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.  We can do nothing to make right our rebellion.  Salvation is through grace alone.  Our works have nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, too many live their lives as though this is still true.  They go to church simply because they believe they must.  They read the bible because they believe this is what a Christian is expected to do.  They say a prayer before every meal and bedtime because that is a tradition they have grown up with.  Also, when they think about whether they are saved, they think about what they did and do, not who they serve.

I remember a Pastor friend who was preaching one Sunday morning and he said the following which has stuck with me since I heard it.  “We do not go to church because we have to, we go because we get to.  We read the bible not because we have to, but because we get to.  And we pray not because we have to, but because we get to.”  These are things we do to fellowship with the one who saved us through His death burial and resurrection.  It is not by what we do, but what He did, and because we accepted this, we GET to fellowship with Him.

Again, let’s look at what James said.  “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? “James 2:14. Our works are the sign of the faith we have.  If we truly have given our lives over to Him, then we will desire to do the things He wants us to.  We do them not to be saved, but because we are saved.  Because we truly love Him.  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  John 14:15. Also, remember James’s wording. “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” James 2:17. So, summing this all up, Faith by itself, without the works to show the reality of our faith, is not true faith.  But also, works by themselves, without the faith in the works Christ did on the cross, are simply deeds alone with no reconciliation with God.

In closing, Paul lays out how salvation is attained.  “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10.  Works has nothing to do with it, they are simply the proof of our salvation through faith in Christ and His works.  Let us change our thoughts if we place works as a means rather than a sign of our acceptance of the grace God has for us.  Moreover, let us help those who believe works are relevant to our salvation understand what the bible actually says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.  There is much freedom that comes from realizing that salvation is a gift of God we accept through faith alone.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Genesis 45:7

Verse of the Day Devotion: Genesis 45:7

“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.” – Genesis 45:7 

This verse is part of the story of Joseph and the path God took him in order to save his family.  Things turned out really well, however the journey was very difficult.

If you remember, Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, for He was borne through Rachel whom Jacob loved more than Leah.  Joseph had two prophetic dreams showing in essence him ruling over his family.  This favoritism by the father, as well as these ‘dreams’ angered Joseph’s brothers who eventually sold him to some Midianite traders who subsequently sold him to Potiphar in Egypt.  After a time, Potiphar put him in charge of all his affairs and he prospered greatly because of Joseph.  However, Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of coming on to her.  He was then put into the royal prison where the head of the prison put Him charge of all the prisoners.  And again, Joseph ran it well and prospered.

Ultimately, Pharaoh had two dreams which he nor his wise men could interpret.  Joseph was called up out of the prison because Pharaoh had been told he was able to interpret dreams.  Pharaoh then told Joseph the dreams and he prayed and told Pharaoh that these dreams meant there would be seven years of amazing prosperity followed by seven years of severe famine.  Pharaoh then put Joseph in the position of second in command of Egypt, putting him in control of storing up food during the first seven years, then dispensing it during the next seven years.  When the famine occurs, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to get food and they meet Joseph but do not recognize him.  Joseph then makes things difficult for them, but eventually brings his family to Egypt where they lived and were taken care of in all ways.

Now, I give you this brief summary to explain how Joseph suffered much, even though he was close to God and was serious about trusting and following God in all his ways.  He was hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit to be killed, however they chose to sell him into slavery where he served Potiphar for several years.  He was falsely accused of trying to lie with his master’s wife which resulted with years in prison.  This was a very long series of events, but eventually he was placed in a high position of authority.  He then revealed himself to his brothers and relayed to them our focus verse, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.” Genesis 45:7

I say all this because many times God puts us into difficult positions just as he did Joseph.  After a time of sorrow, he accepted his situation and trusted God.  And we must do the same.  God would not allow us to go through trials if He did not have a good reason to do so.  In Joseph’s situation it was to save his family who would eventually become the Jewish nation; God’s chosen people.  And if He allows us to suffer trials and tribulations, He as a good reason to as well.  We must trust God and allow Him to work through us for the greater good.  In trusting Him this way, we shall find things easier to deal with.

Paul said it like this, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how-to live-in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13.  We must be content in any situation God places us in, for He knows the end from the beginning and however He uses us, it will be good.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

James 1:13

Verse of the Day Devotion: James 1:13

“Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” – James 1:13

Trials come and trials go.  It seems we all go through trials occasionally, some more than others.  Sometimes we consider trials as times when things do not go the way we want them to.  However, we should always remember two important verses and take them to heart.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Difficult times are often ways God can bring about a good that is best received in difficult situations.  One example is helping us learn to trust Him.  The second reason is so we can comfort others.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  There are times when we go through trials so that we can be comforted by Him and thus be able to comfort others in the same way.  In both of these, we can be thankful to God for these trials because He will bring a good out of it for us, and possibly bring a good out of it for another because we will then be able to comfort them in the same way were comforted.

But one thing we should never do is believe we are being tempted by God in this trial.  Now, we may never say we are tempted by God but our response to it can come across that way.  Let’s use for example the trial of losing our job.  This is not an easy thing to go through, especially if you really loved what you were doing.  Many friends you made there that you may never interact with anymore.  A good salary which was more than required to make it month to month is now gone.  First of all, God does not tempt us to do evil, just as He cannot be tempted to do evil.  We may get angry and say things we never should say to anyone.  We may harbor hate in our hearts for those who caused, or we assume caused this setback to happen.  He probably allowed this to occur for a good we, at this time, cannot see.  However, it is imperative that we trust God that He knows everything, and He means only good to come from it.

If we do not trust Him, then we may get carried away with our anger or hurt that we will tempt ourselves to sin.  “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” James 1:14. We may hold anger against people, which is wrong in and of itself, however, if we make assumptions about others which are false and are angry at others for essentially nothing, then we are sinning.  We cannot say God caused these bad things to happen for any other purpose but to bring a good about.  To think or say. “I am angry God because of what you did” is totally wrong.  We are angry because we do not trust our good and loving God.  Everything He does or allows is for good.  We must see things this way.  And if we do, then we can say instead ‘God, I trust you and look forward to what you have in store for me.’  No accusations, no temptation, no sin. And an added benefit, contentment that brings peace.  Glory to God.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

John 3:17

Verse of the Day Devotion: John 3:17

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:17

This verse comes just after probably the most famous and well-known verse in all the Bible.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16.  God loved the whole world.  He loved us and gave us a way that we can be reunited with the Himself.  And we know what that was, it was through the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son.  And it is because we believe in the Christ, that we are saved.

In Genesis we read the following, “The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:14-15.  In the very beginning God told Adam and Eve that there would come a seed of Eve that would defeat the serpent, which is the enemy that rebelled before God created them.  And this is what happened when Jesus came.  Through His work on the cross, He defeated him and provided a way that man may be rectified with the Father.  This is important, for there was no final condemnation for anyone here during His first coming.

And this is what our focus verse is saying.  God did not send Him here to condemn the world.  He was not sent here to judge or pronounce judgement on anyone.  His whole purpose was to provide a means by which man may be saved.  He was the sacrificial lamb presented as a sin offering for us, since our own sacrifices were insufficient to restore the relationship broken in Genesis 3.  For, according to the Law, the lamb that is sacrificed must be perfect with no blemishes at all.  We are far from perfect.  Therefore, anything we would do, even in dying, would not be recognized.  And this was why He had to come.

We now have the opportunity to be reconciled and have a very loving relationship with Him if we simply believe.  When He comes the second time, it will not be to provide a means of salvation, but it will be to condemn those who did not believe and chose the worlds ways rather than God’s, and to take to our final home those of us who truly believe.  There are many in this world who still have not believed, and many who have not heard.  It is important that we show them the love of God through the sacrifice given.  For now is the time for people to hear and believe.  Sometime, and I believe soon, that time of reconciliation will be over.  We must go out and tell the world.  It is our calling down here.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

John 3:16

Verse of the Day Devotion: John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

This verse is probably one of the most recognized verses in all of scripture.  This shows how much God loves us and wants to be reconciled with us.  He loved us even though we did not love Him.  He loved us even though we refused to follow His ways.  However, His love for us does not constitute an approval of our conduct.  It shows that He loved us in spite of what we do.

This was a gift, the most valuable gift that can ever be conceived.  This was not just a book of rules or laws.  It was nothing we could ever have imagined.  And it was a free and undeserved gift.  It was a gift given for the sole reason that He loved us beyond all measure.  It was an act of pure love and eternal compassion.  It was because He did not want us to perish, to be separated from Him forever.

And what was this unimaginable gift?  It was His Son, His only begotten Son.  Something man has no claim to.  And again, something that was so amazing and incredible, it is inconceivable to the minds of men.  Imagine someone you know who committed a great crime that was punishable by death.  Someone you love and desire to fellowship with, even though they do not care to fellowship with you.  You then find out that someone who has not committed a crime could pay for the man’s crime by suffering the consequences that man deserved.  And you have a child who is completely free from any wrongdoing and could set this man free by dying in his stead.

This is what God did.  He conceived a child in the womb of Mary for the sole purpose of having Him die to pay the penalty for the sins we had committed.  He loved us before we could ever have loved Him.  Note this verse, “We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19. The basis of our love for Him is because He first loved us.  However, let’s go a little farther with this idea.  “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Revelation 13:8.  Our names, us who have accepted Christ and are Christians, have been written in the Lambs book of life from before our world was created.  And this is due to God’s foreknowledge of our accepting Him, not His indiscriminate choice.  And because our names are there before the foundations of the world, so must have been the plan to give His Son for us in sacrifice.  He loved us before we were even created, before Christ came to die.  And because He came to die, we have the immense honor to love Him.  Remember, we love Him and others because He first loved us.

This beautiful and powerful verse has so much in it, we could contemplate for a long time and still not understand the full ramification of its meaning.  He loved us before He created us.  He knew we would fall away, and He still created us.  He provided the means of salvation before we even sinned, and it was through the death of His only begotten Son.  And anyone who believes in Him and the work He did on the cross will have eternal life.  There is no greater love than that which God gave.  “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. This will be a difficult question, but is this the kind of love we have for others?  Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” John 15:12

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Romans 10:3

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 10:3

“For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” – Romans 10:3          

Paul is writing here to the Church in Rome, and he starts off here by declaring his love for the Jews.  “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.”  Romans 10:1-2 Paul very much desires that every Jew would be saved.  This is not the first time he states this.  “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,” Romans 9:1-3 Here, Paul shows how badly he wants this to happen.  He states that if it was possible, he would wish himself cursed if that would bring them to salvation.

Paul states in verse 2 of chapter 10 that the Jews do have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  What does Paul mean by this?  It most likely means that they had a passion for God, but they did not recognize Christ as the Messiah.  They rejected Jesus as the promised one even though the Old Testament is full of prophesies regarding His coming.  They studied and followed the Levitical law; however, they never really knew God nor Christ as they should have.  They assumed that strictly following the law was what God desired.  However, if they had truly understood, they would not have relied on the law but in the coming Messiah.  “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5. Isaiah was speaking here of the coming Messiah.  He did not say the law saved them, it was the Messiah suffering and dying that brought about their salvation.

Since they did not understand this they relied on their own righteousness.  They endeavored to confirm or validate their own righteousness and make it the means by which they were justified; to make good their own claims to eternal life by their own merits.  They did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah because He did not act as they believed this Messiah would act, even though He fulfilled every prophesy about Him.  They thought they had perfect knowledge about God and this coming Messiah, but they really did not, and thus they took the path of the focus verse, “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3

This is why it is so important that we read and study His word, so we know exactly what it is saying.  I have seen many church goers who speak of doing what the Bible says when they really do not understand what it is actually saying.  And it is even more important when we are teaching others. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.  It is important that we read and be diligent, not haphazardly reading when we get a chance, but focusing on truly understanding.  The Jewish leadership unfortunately did not get it, let’s not follow in their footsteps.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Psalm 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Psalm 4:1

“Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” – Psalm 4:1

First, I want to clarify that David is not telling God to answer him, but asking Him. David has been through a lot in those days. In Psalm 3, we read about him dealing with the troubles brought about by his son Absalom who rebelled against him along with the vast majority of Israel who followed Absalom.  Now, in chapter four, we see that many great men were lying about David, speaking ill of him, and ultimately defaming his character. “You sons of man, how long will my honor be treated as an insult? How long will you love what is worthless and strive for a lie?” Psalm 4:2. David’s life as king was not an easy one. He found himself suffering through all kinds of trials. But he understood with full clarity what would truly bring God’s people through rough times, that being the Almighty God. “But know that the LORD has set apart the godly person for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.” Psalm 4:3.

Then David lays out four basic imperatives directed at the people there, and to us as well. First, we are to tremble but not sin. “Tremble, and do not sin;” Psalm 4:4a. We are to understand that to go against what God commands is sin and thus we must focus all our efforts and thoughts on not sinning against Him. Unfortunately, too many people ignore this and twist the verse such that they see, ‘sin, but tremble not’. We see so many people, who call themselves Christians, going about sinning and not thinking anything about it. This is especially true of many who believe that once you are saved God forgives anything you do going forward. This concept is known as antinomianism which has the idea that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of following any moral, religious or social norms or laws. The word itself is from the Greek that means ‘against the law.’ Our hearts must be such that we tremble at the thought of sinning at all. Next, we are to think about what we are doing. “Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. Selah” Psalm 4:4b. On your bed, calmly consider and meditate on these things in the silence of night, when you are at leisure from distracting business. Be still and compose your tumultuous minds. Think about what you do, and if it is right then continue, but if it is wrong, then stop and ask forgiveness and no longer continue in this way.

Next, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD.” Psalm 4:5a. Do not attempt to offer a sacrifice to God for prosperity in your present rebellious conduct. Such a sacrifice would be a sin. Turn to God from whom you have revolted; and offer to him a righteous sacrifice, such as is lawful and such as He can receive. In other words, do not just offer something to God so that you can receive something from Him, or offer up to God something that is not acceptable to Him. And finally, we are to trust in the Lord. He loves us, wants the best for us, and can do anything. This is the God we serve, and He is the only one we can trust completely.

Then David finishes this with the following. “Many are saying, who will show us anything good?” Psalm 4:6a. He starts this by asking a rhetorical question ‘Who will show us anything good?’ After continual disappointment from man, we may begin to doubt if God will show us any good. But not David. He says, “Lift up the light of Your face upon us, LORD! You have put joy in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine are abundant. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, LORD, have me dwell in safety.” Psalm 6b-8. Despite what the cynics said about God not being there or ignoring them, David trusted that the LORD would give him joy beyond what the ungodly had in their prosperity. And because he trusts in God, he can lie down and sleep in peace because the Lord provides them safety in all their ways. We can imagine a man lying down to sleep, tormented by all of what his enemies or fake friends say about him. David could be that man, but instead he trusted in the LORD. He therefore had a gladness that the world could not take away, even with all their slanders and lies.

In closing, no matter which way we read the psalm, one aspect of David’s faith is clear: it is to God that he turns for vindication, and it is in God that He trusts. To the extent that the language of the psalm implies an attack on the David’s honor, David names the Lord as God of my righteousness, which put another way, the God who vindicates me. And in wisdom, we must see life the same way. Life for the Christian can be very difficult,  because the enemy hates us and desires to destroy our faith. We need to trust God that no matter our situation, as Christians He is with us and will bring about a good, even if we do not see a good ourselves. Those whom God knew would give their lives to Him can be assured that all things will turn out great. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.