The Believer is never broke

Christians are human beings.  We are mortal and limited in time and space.  And yet the privileges of our faith and relationship with God allows us to, while living in the here and now,  benefit from the blessings from the past and the future.  

Let me explain it a bit more.  

In Psalm 9 David borrows from both the past and the future to find joy and blessing in the present moment.  

1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

 I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

2 I will be glad and exult in you;

    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

In the opening verses He gives us 3 ways to praise the Lord.  All of these are based on yesterday’s experience but produce grace in this day.  

• “I will recount His wonderful deeds” 
• “I will be glad and rejoice in you” 
• “I will sing praise to your name”.  

These make for an easy on-ramp for worship no matter what is going on today.  

Based on all we know to be true about God from yesterday, and all that God has done for us in the past we can today (regardless of what is going on) worship and celebrate the goodness of God.  

Maclaren says, “David could see that today is as full of God as the sacred yesterdays of national history, and his deliverances as wonderful as those of old.”

What David was doing was spending yesterday’s worship “capital” on today’s needs.  What a blessing as believers that when “all around our soul gives way (today) He then is all our hope and stay”.  The God and grace of yesterday strengthens and keeps our faith afloat today.   

Then David does something equally enabling for strength in this moment when He relies on the truths about the future.  In verses 5-8

v. 5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;

    you have blotted out their name forever and ever.

David is telling us about what God will do in the future.  The events David describes in verses 5-8 were still to take place sometime later but he speaks as though they are done already.   

Kidner explains David’s use of future tense as though it has already happened…  “The past tenses of verses 5-8 are ‘prophetic perfects,’ a feature of the Old Testament: they describe coming events as if they have already happened, so certain is their fulfillment and so clear the vision.” 

Wow!  Not only does David withdraw grace from yesterdays savings, but he borrows from tomorrows promised line of credit for strength in this present moment.  

Therefore, regardless how I empty I may feel today, the Christian is never broke!

For the believer all that God has is ours and we live every moment with all the grace from yesterday and the strength from tomorrow.

If today you discover you are empty do like David and rely on something that is to come or draw strength from what God has already done.    

Annie Flint got it write when she wrote the words to this song.  

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase

To added affliction He addeth His mercy

To multiplied trials His multiplied peace

When we have exhausted our store of endurance

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our Father’s full giving is only begun

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure

His pow’r has no boundary known unto men

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again

BE ENCOURAGED, WE’RE CHRISTIANS!

Troy

Why do we pray on election day?

Today is a monumental day for our country.  Pundits have pondered, polls have predicted, politicians have promised and now the people will pick.  By later tonight votes will be tallied and we will have some sense of which direction this is headed.  

Are you at peace?  Is there a sense of quiet in your spirit this morning?  I can’t say that those are my default emotions on this very important day in our country.

I mean with so much at stake in this election and so much hostility around us and the threat of violence in our country, how do we experience those emotions on days like today? 

We Pray!  

I’m not being overly simple or spiritual when I say that.  Prayer produces fruit within us that holds us steady in difficult times.    Let me show you what I mean.  

I Timothy 2:1-2

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Here, Paul is writing to young Timothy and sharing the “first” thing that He must do in life and ministry.  That is pray.  Paul gives us 4 sides of the diamond of prayer in the opening verses when he describes prayer as, “supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings”. 

In this way we are  to speak to God on behalf of “all the people” and for “kings and all who are in high positions.” 

There are 2 results of this kind of prayer.  

First, When we pray, God works in the hearts of leaders and their more inclined to allow us to live “peaceful, quiet, godly and dignified” lives.  At the time Paul was writing Christianity was pretty much being left alone as they were considered a sect of Judaism.  Praying for leaders produces a greater chance of good governance giving Christians freedom and peace.  

The early church leader Tertullian explained: “We pray for all the emperors, that God may grant them long life, a secure government, a prosperous family, vigorous troops, a faithful senate, an obedient people; that the whole world may be in peace; and that God may grant, both to Caesar and to every man, the accomplishment of their just desires.” 

So we pray for good leaders to be elected today that will do the best for our peace as Christians!

Secondly and I believe primarily, when we pray the impact is on those who are praying!  “that we may lead”  Prayed produces in us the qualities listed in these verses.  Peace, Quiet, godliness and dignity. 

Our peace, quiet, godliness and dignity should not be solely (maybe not at all) dependent upon who gets elected.  Prayer changes our perspective about who God is, who we are and what His will is for our life.  When we get a glimpse of these we experience the things Paul mentions in this verse.  (Peace, Quiet, etc.)

And so we pray!  Pray because it effects those in leadership, but pray also because it changes us!  

This morning as we prepare for a huge day in our country let us begin with prayer, remain in prayer throughout the day and gather for prayer this evening.  

Gracious Heavenly Father,  Thank you that you are ultimately in control!  

We thank you today that we live in such a great country! Thank you for your blessings on this nation that allow us to vote today freely. We give you praise for your magnificent power and wisdom that founded this nation and the impact America has had for good in the world.

Father as you have instructed in your word, today we pray for President Trump, Vice-President Pence and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.  Would you make them aware of your sovereign power in this world and help them to submit to you.  Protect them today.

We ask for your forgiveness for all of our sins as a nation.  From abortion to the daily distortion of your truth, America is disregarding you, Father forgive us!

Father you know our desire is for this nation to be preserved. 

You know how serious we believe this election outcome will be for our country.  Protect us from the destructive plans of those who hate this country, despise your truth and are outspoken in their desire to persecute your followers.   Father thwart any evil plans for cheating, rioting or circumventing an honest election process.  May truth prevail in this land! 

We trust in the fact that you rule supremely. We believe that you raise up rulers and kings.     We trust completely that your wisdom is greater than ours.  

Above all we ask that you would allow the candidate to win whose election would bring the greatest chance for the revival of your church, the candidate whose election will cause the church to be more prayerful and dependent upon you. Lord, Keep us from believing that our hope comes from an earthly leader more than it comes from you. 

Father I pray for my people this morning, that you would truly give us “peaceful, quiet, godly, dignified” lives on this momentous day.  

We thank you that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood” and that we do not wrestle in our own strength but in the power of your spirit. 

We submit this prayer humbly in name of Jesus Christ our Lord. “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen”

BE ENCOURAGED, WE’RE CHRISTIANS!  

Troy Keaton