All a man could do was go on; but I had found that many a problem is settled if a man just keeps a-going.”
–Louis L’Amour (Killoe)
“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.”
–Psalm 37:24 (NKJV)
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“The root of all steadfastness is in consecration to God.”
–Alexander MacLaren
Most people want a “good life.” But what is that in reality? No matter how much God wills it, good doesn’t happen in the midst of turmoil and trouble unless the person also wills it; the right attitude must prevail. (Wood) In this psalm of ascent, Psalm 129, the travelers are two-thirds of the way up to Jerusalem. They are realizing that it is not an easy trek and that there are no shortcuts or easy solutions. One writer calls it “long obedience.” That’s life–long obedience, a lifestyle of endurance.
1 — “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,” let Israel now say–
2 — “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 — The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.”
4 — The LORD is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
5 — Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back.
6 — Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up,
7 — With which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms.
8 — Neither let those who pass by them say, “The blessings of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD!” (NKJV)
When I read this Psalm, I think of the words of the hymn by Esther Kerr Rusthoi:
Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear;
We’re tempted to complain,
To murmur and despair…
It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus;
Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.
At times it seems like it is a battle for survival, and, in fact, it is. Endurance, steadfastness, keep plodding onward. Steven Lawson writes, “Resilience marks the determined drive of God’s people to be faithful to God’s calling. An overcoming perseverance causes them to bounce back from defeat. The person who trusts God may be knocked down but never knocked out.” Get up, dust yourself off, and continue the journey. Lawson continues, “Christianity is not the subtraction of all problems but the addition of God’s grace to overcome those problems.”
Look at the agony of the psalmist: “My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.” (NLT) Don’t despair my friend if that seems to be your cause. Keep your focus on the journey ahead; keep your eyes upon Jesus. There may be real or spiritual lashes upon your back inflicted by the hand of the enemy. Deep welts that cause pain, but…now verse 4: the Lord is on the scene. He cuts the cords, He stops the swinging of the whip, He soothes the wounds that have been inflicted. I recall the words of Paul, “We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, HCSB)
Focus, attitude, and fortitude are required if we are to finish our trek. The road is often hard, the obstacles may be many. There may be foes along the way, the devil may be doing his best to hinder our progress. However, the Lord is with us. We must trust, we must have the attitude that we will make it. As the old missionary Charles Greenaway often said, “We may not look like much when we enter heaven’s gates, but we’re going to make it.” Then all will be worth it all!
“Thou are my hiding place, thou shalt
From trouble keep me free;
Thou with songs of deliverance,
About shalt compass me.”
–Old Scottish Psalter
Author: Ira Paine
Coffee Percs
He took the offered chair, saw the steaming cup of coffee, and lifted it to his lips and took a long draught. ‘Ummm, that’s good coffee!’”
–B.N. Rundell (The Trail to Retaliation)
Pard, missin’ yur smilin’ face this mornin’. I left the door open, so go on in an’ make yurself a pot. The missus and I are out in the Hill Country for a weddin’, won’t be back ’til tomorrow.
Whoopdi-ay, I see where some folks are runnin’ scared. Maybe this time something will get done up there in the Marble City. For shore, they need to get rid of that wokeness in the military. That’s a sham and a shame that nonsense goin’ on with our military. Yep, those top generals should be losin’ their jobs. Wish ol’ Krulak was around, or some of the others of days gone by.
Pard, I’m tellin’ yuh that it’s gonna be a hum-dinger those first hundred days of office. The President’s gonna show ’em how the cow eats the cabbage. An’ Pard, he’ll do it with a smile on his face but with a firm hand. Get rid of some of that graff and smugness of some of those there politicians.
What’s that yuh say? Nope, nary a one. Come on Pard, yuh know that them Hollywood sort and entertainers are mostly gab. Run their mouths but when it’s time to put up an’ follow through with what they said, ha. Do yuh really think they’d leave the good ol’ USA? Be better off if some of them would hit the road, that’s for shore.
Don’t be lettin’ this day go without mentionin’ Grandma’s birthday. She was a determined person, possibly the strongest person I’ve known. An’ could she cook, why the onliest one that could beat her would be my darlin’ Annie. Side by side there’d be no match agin them. She’s up in glory, possibly helpin’ out gettin’ that Marriage Supper ready. The irony of Grandma was that she always kept the coffeepot ready for company even though she wouldn’t touch the stuff her ownself. When yuh sit yurself down at that table in the sky, be shore yuh get some of Grandma’s dumplin’s or a bite of her pie.
Listen, since I ain’t ’round to be checkin’ on yuh, yuh be shore to do things right. Don’t get lax just ’cause yuh think better days are ahead. Might not be that way, so stay alert, an’ Pard, don’t go ridin’ off without checkin’ yur cinch. Why I reckon I’ve checked mine a time or two already on this trip.
Vaya con Dios.
Echoes From the Campfire
Art comes from the man, not the material. The man of mastery, of genius, not only meets but exceeds the standards of excellence; he sets higher standards, opens new ground, and that man is an artist be he writer, painter, grave digger, bull-fighter or bronc rider.”
–William Crawford (The Bronc Rider)
“But just as you excel in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you also excel in this gracious work.”
–2 Corinthians 8:7 (NASB)
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When I taught my classes, I wanted my students to excel. What that means is that I wanted them to work to the best of their abilities. Not perfection, for that is impossible, but excellence within their capacity. It thrilled me to see someone go beyond expectation. If they did what was required of them to the best of their ability they were a success in my mind. I often think of John Wooden’s definition of success: “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
God gives us opportunities to excel for His glory. He wants us to be successful in life and in our endeavors. However, the key is to work for His glory, for the Kingdom of God, and not for selfish reasons or vainglory. Paul tells us, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3, NKJV) I like the way J.B. Phillips translates the first part of this verse, “Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity…”
To excel for Christ we must use our abilities, gifts, and talents appropriately. Never waste what has been given to us, never boast about what we are doing for the kingdom, but go onward and upward with a steadfastness that makes sure the job gets done and Christ receives the glory. To hide our talents and gifts is a sin. To deny them might even be worse. We are to face life with the assuredness that God is with us. Chaplain John R. Ellis states, “We have two ways of facing life: the way of fear and the way of faith. Life consists of a long series of problems that require decisions–both personal and professional.” To meet those problems and to do it properly we must train, and use the gifts/talents that we have been given.
I recall the story of the spies sent into Canaan by Moses. They saw the land, the difficulties, the problems that might lie ahead. You know the story, ten came back in fear, doubting their ability and more important doubting their God. Two men understood–Joshua and Caleb. “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.'” (Numbers 13:30, NKJV) They understood what it would mean. They knew that to take the land they would have to excel, but they also understood that God would go with them.
Each of us, when problems arise, have the ability to find a satisfactory solution. Sometimes that solution is within us because of the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given us. Sometimes we must reach out to Him for a solution for it is beyond our ability. Either way–there is a solution. Someone rightly said, “There are no problems. There are only opportunities to excel!” With God on our side, let us continue the daily walk with Him looking for ways to use our God-given abilities to excel for His glory.
“But just as you excel in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you also excel in this gracious work.”
–2 Corinthians 8:7 (NASB)
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When I taught my classes, I wanted my students to excel. What that means is that I wanted them to work to the best of their abilities. Not perfection, for that is impossible, but excellence within their capacity. It thrilled me to see someone go beyond expectation. If they did what was required of them to the best of their ability they were a success in my mind. I often think of John Wooden’s definition of success: “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
God gives us opportunities to excel for His glory. He wants us to be successful in life and in our endeavors. However, the key is to work for His glory, for the Kingdom of God, and not for selfish reasons or vainglory. Paul tells us, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3, NKJV) I like the way J.B. Phillips translates the first part of this verse, “Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity…”
To excel for Christ we must use our abilities, gifts, and talents appropriately. Never waste what has been given to us, never boast about what we are doing for the kingdom, but go onward and upward with a steadfastness that makes sure the job gets done and Christ receives the glory. To hide our talents and gifts is a sin. To deny them might even be worse. We are to face life with the assuredness that God is with us. Chaplain John R. Ellis states, “We have two ways of facing life: the way of fear and the way of faith. Life consists of a long series of problems that require decisions–both personal and professional.” To meet those problems and to do it properly we must train, and use the gifts/talents that we have been given.
I recall the story of the spies sent into Canaan by Moses. They saw the land, the difficulties, the problems that might lie ahead. You know the story, ten came back in fear, doubting their ability and more important doubting their God. Two men understood–Joshua and Caleb. “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.'” (Numbers 13:30, NKJV) They understood what it would mean. They knew that to take the land they would have to excel, but they also understood that God would go with them.
Each of us, when problems arise, have the ability to find a satisfactory solution. Sometimes that solution is within us because of the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given us. Sometimes we must reach out to Him for a solution for it is beyond our ability. Either way–there is a solution. Someone rightly said, “There are no problems. There are only opportunities to excel!” With God on our side, let us continue the daily walk with Him looking for ways to use our God-given abilities to excel for His glory.
Echoes From the Campfire
Take the hats off your flea-bitten heads and listen up, and I will instruct you in the word of the Lord.”
–John Deacon (The Provider–2)
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
–1 Timothy 6:17 (KJV)
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8 — My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 — For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.
–Proverbs 1:8-9 (NKJV)
8 — Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching. (HCSB)
HEED! That’s the key word for today.
Now the sons of Eli (Hophni and Phinehas) were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. –1 Samuel 2:12, NKJV
Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. –Leviticus 10:1-2, NKJV)
Being “corrupt” literally means, “sons of Belial,” in other words in cohorts with the devil, therefore, persons of no value. Sons of the high priest, sons who had performed their duties before the Lord at other times knowing the right way, became corrupt and decided to do things their own way going against the teachings of their father and more importantly their heavenly Father. They did not heed their father’s instructions and they rejected their mother’s teachings and paid the price.
There is a tremendous responsibility as parents to train up a child in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord. As go the parents and their teachings, so goes the child. Look around and you can see the results of what is happening in the home. Chaos all around, hmm, chaos in the home, or perhaps an apathetic, too permissive homelife. Parents would do well to instruct and teach their children rightly. As J. Vernon McGee says, “May God have mercy on the parents who are not instructing their little ones in the things of God.”
There is a tremendous obligation of the child to listen; to pay attention to the teaching of their parents (and others). They are to be dutiful and respectful in their attentiveness. They are to heed what is being taught! There is an implied warning here–do not abandon what he’s been told. Just like Paul said in Timothy, do not abandon the faith. As evil and wicked times come, more and more will abandon the faith, however, those who heed the teachings, the instruction of their parents and other leaders will be stable and confident in the days of trouble.
To hear means to “receive with readiness.” This teaching is never to be “forsaken” or forgotten. It is to be heeded throughout the journey of life. We see then in verse 7 from last week’s study the first requirement: fear and worship God. Now, we are looking at the second requirement: honor parents by obeying. This teaching will be like an ornament or gold chains. In other words, value the teaching that has been given and show it in your lifestyle. Matthew Henry relates, “Those are truly valuable, and shall be valued, who value themselves more by their virtue and piety than by their worldly wealth and dignity.”
Much more in Proverbs will be referred back to these verses. Do not scoff at instruction. Do not scorn the discipline that is handed out with love. The instruction, if properly given, and properly adhered to will save multitudes of problems in life. “The instruction and discipline of wisdom do at first seem difficult and hard, and are like fetters or iron restraining the corruption and rebellion of nature; but at length they are like chains of gold, worn like ornaments and no burden at all.” (Michael Jermin)