confidence – The Words Of David C. Frampton

Psalm Nineteen (Part Ten)

Psalm 19:13-14

Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (NIV).

We conclude this great psalm about God’s revelation. Its closing words speak joyfully about his confidence in God and the grace that is freely received from him. God’s words are intended to lead us to his joy, but that is only received as we trust in him, as he has revealed himself to us.

“Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” As David prays for help against sin, he uses the argument that such help will enable him to live for God as he should. This is the blameless character of which he speaks. He would be blameless in regard to willful or defiant sin. Every saint should make this his/her aim, as also the apostle Paul tried to live. Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people (Acts 24:16 NLT).

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart…” David concludes this psalm with what has become a very well-known prayer. Notice that he asks for God’s help with both his outer man (“my mouth”) and his inner man (“my heart”). As Jesus taught, the mouth speaks what comes out of the heart. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him (Matthew 12:34-35 NIV). What David prayed showed his concern for the purity of the whole person, body and soul. We might perhaps say the right thing, but if the heart is not producing those words, we are being hypocritical.

David recognized that his heart would meditate or ponder on things that his mouth might not necessarily say, yet he wanted to be pure in heart also, for he knew that God knew what he was thinking in his heart (cf. Psalm 139:1-6). Idolatry of the heart is as evil as outward performance (Ezekiel 14:3-4). David wants God alone to be worshipped by him.

David was focused on the Lord. He desired that his words and thoughts would be pleasing in your sight…. Here was David’s great concern, that his whole person and actions would bring pleasure to God. The believer should not merely be concerned about avoiding offense to God, but he or she should have a positive concern about how to please the living God. If we are made to glorify God and to enjoy him forever, then we ought to recognize that we are not reaching the goal of our being until there is this joint pleasure of God in us and we in him. True Christianity is more than not doing things; it is living in the Lord’s presence in fellowship with him to bring him honor and pleasure and to enjoy all his excellent worth.

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer: Here is the focus of David’s life. The God who has spoken in creation and in the holy writings is more than a communicator to David. He is also personally interested in David, and graciously makes himself available to those who trust in him. David views him as his Rock, the one who is able to provide full stability to David’s life, and as his Redeemer, because he had set David free from his sins (see Romans 4). The goal of the Scriptures is to lead us to have fellowship with the living God. David entered into that purpose. Have we?

Grace and peace, David

Draw Near to God

Hebrews 10:22

We live in a day that emphasizes methodology and technique above character. People in our time suppose that it doesn’t matter what you are as long as you do what you’re supposed to, whatever that means. This can be seen in the attitudes of people towards star athletes on their favorite teams. Character doesn’t matter until the athlete does something so horrendous and out of control that people have to notice. However, people of true greatness avoid that trap. For example, consider John Adams at the time of the Boston Massacre. He was then a prominent lawyer with a growing practice and enlarging political prospects. Then came the tragic events of the evening of March 5, 1770. The British officer and soldiers who fired on the crowd were charged with murder. No one would defend them in court—except John Adams. Though he feared for his reputation and even the welfare and lives of his family and himself, he did not hesitate to take the case. Why? He did so because he believed in the rule of law and the right of every man to a fair trial and a proper defense. So he risked everything to do what was right.

Every church must have a sense of Christ’s character and want to demonstrate his character and way of life before a watching world, and more importantly, to God. To say this another way, our individual spiritual lives must be in right order before the collective “body life” of our church can be right. A crucial aspect of this way of life is drawing near to God. When Christians draw near to God, then they realize that they are near to each other. Consider Romans 15:7.

The Holy Spirit in this text gives as tremendous exhortation: “let us draw near”. But think of the One whom the writer encourages us to approach. He is the true and living God. He is the God who is glorious and majestic (1:3), the Creator of all things (3:4; 11:3). He is angry with sinners (3:10; 10:27) and is all-knowing (4:13). He is also the Judge of mankind (10:30-31; 12:23; 13:4) and is a consuming fire (12:29; cf. Deuteronomy 4:23-24). Anyone that takes these words seriously might want to draw back. We might well fear him rather than want to be near him. You see, in order to draw near to God, we must have a correct concept of the God who is there and who wants us to draw near! This involves an ever-deepening knowledge of God’s revelation of himself in the Scriptures.

“As long as we do not look beyond the earth, being quite content with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue, we flatter ourselves most sweetly, and fancy ourselves all but demigods. Suppose we but once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and to ponder his nature, and how completely perfect are his righteousness, wisdom, and power —the straightedge to which we must be shaped. Then, what masquerading earlier as righteousness was pleasing in us will soon grow filthy in its consummate wickedness. What wonderfully impressed us under the name of wisdom will stink in its very foolishness. What wore the face of power will prove itself the most miserable weakness. That is, what in us seems perfection itself corresponds ill to the purity of God” (Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.1.2)

However, (and this is the good news!), because of God’s free grace to us in Jesus Christ, we can approach God with joyful confidence. This joyful confidence rests on what we have in Christ. “Since we have… let us…” (10:21-22). In the words of Margaret Clarkson in the hymn “We Come, O Christ, to You”: “You are the Way to God, your blood our ransom paid; in you we face our Judge and Maker unafraid.” Here we see the logic of the believer. Or to say this another way, God wants us to love and worship him with our minds. Think about what you have in Christ, and then think about what you should do because you have been so richly blessed. Our nickname for this is “Therefore Christianity”. Know what you have in Christ, and therefore, live this way. How then should we think? Don’t merely moan about your failings. Proper mourning over sin is fine; in fact, it is commendable (Matthew 5:4), as long as it doesn’t leave you in the swamp of depression. True spiritual sorrow over sin in a believer will lead the saint back to Christ and real repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-11). However, don’t look for a supplemental experience, as if Christ were insufficient. Instead, by faith lay hold of Christ and then live like someone in Christ should live.

By these words God the Holy Spirit is revealing to us God’s desire for close fellowship with his people (1 John 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:9). God wants you! Therefore, a Christian who is living by faith in Christ should have a good self-image. On the other hand, if anyone is struggling with self-image problems it shows some sort of failure in the life. It might be sin and a guilty conscience or more specific sins or weaknesses, such as not laying hold of spiritual blessings by faith, or having little faith, or becoming disconnected from Christ by legalism, or not meditating on the Bible, or not keeping in step with the Spirit’s leadership or grieving the Holy Spirit. To draw near to God is the way to have a little of heaven on earth. In heaven you will be with God; on earth he would be with you. Is there any difference in kind? So then, we see a spiritual attitude of which we should be giving evidence and promoting. What is it? We should be exhorting one another to draw near to God. “Let us draw near to God.”

Grace and peace, David

Our Great Priest (Part Two)

Hebrews 10:21

What is the house over which Jesus Christ is the great priest? The house of God refers to the people of God (cf. Hebrews 3:1-6). In the days of the old covenant, this was Israel according to the flesh. At that time, it included all the descendants of Jacob, and it was a mixed gathering of a remnant of believers and many unbelievers. This physical nation had a physical temple or house of God. This house was only typical of the better house that Christ would build. Everything about it “came with an if”, and Israel could not keep what God by that “if” demanded.

In the days of the new covenant, this is the church that is made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The church is a spiritual house or nation (Ephesians 2:11-22) made up only of believers who are in Christ. Now there is no physical temple, because the people are the temple. See also 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:4-10. This is the house that Jesus built, and he rules over it. He is the unifying principle of membership in the house (Ephesians 2:21-22 – “in him”). You must be “in him” in order to be “part of the house”. The worship “in the house” is only and always “through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

As new covenant people, we must learn to think in conformity with spiritual realities. Since all Christ’s people form the house and he has called us to peace, we must maintain peace in the house of God. This requires a conscious focus on what we share in Christ that binds us together (Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:15). Every gathering of followers of Christ must strive for peace in their group. How can a group attain peace with one another? Each one must “wear the proper spiritual clothing” in Christ’s house: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with others, forgiveness, and love. The church (meaning people in Christ) that demonstrates these qualities toward each other will be having Christ’s peace reign in them. Since the house or temple is formed in Christ, it is a holy temple. We are set apart or consecrated to God. Therefore, our way of life must reflect that we are set apart for the Holy One (2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1). Since it is the house of God, it is the place in which God lives by his Spirit. Therefore, we must have a sense of his presence in his house. Whenever we are with one another, we must have a correct understanding of what is real in our assembly. There should be a proper sense of wonder and awe. “Wow! This is really neat! We have gathered together and God is here!” Think on 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Matthew 18:20).

How can the teaching of this text strengthen us in the life of faith? The consideration of Christ’s greatness leads to the confirmation of our faith and the production of a proper reverence in our hearts toward him. For example, knowledge of music and the thematic structure of a musical composition lead to a greater appreciation of a musical performance. Or participation in a team sport leads to confidence in and respect for the abilities of your teammates. As we by faith meditate on the Spirit’s revelation of Christ in the Scriptures, he develops “Christ appreciation” in us, which in turn strengthens us spiritually. We do not mean strength apart from Christ, which is a trap that many fall into, but becoming “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10).

Learn to have confidence in our great high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Have confidence in the greatness of his office and the sufficiency of his sacrifice (Romans 8:33-34). Have confidence in your right to approach God through Christ (Matthew 11:28; John 6:37). What excellent promises are found in these verses!

Have confidence only in Christ.

Some at first see their complete need of Christ, but then they think their Christian experience will carry them through. And so they suppose that their spiritual experience and use of what are called “the means of grace” (like prayer or reading the Bible) will serve them well. And that is why some do so poorly in their Christian walk. They rely on means, instead of relying on Christ personally.
“No Christian can ever outlive the necessity of employing Christ as High Priest in all the steps of his life; and in the last step through death we must still lean upon this High Priest….” [Traill]
An evidence of spiritual life is when a person sees his need of Jesus Christ; an evidence of a growing spiritual life is to find out that you need him more and more and more! Do you sense that you need the Lord Jesus more today than last year or five years ago or ten years ago?
Have a joyful confidence in Jesus Christ! The bottom line of knowing that you have a great priest over the house of God is to rejoice in that great priest! Read these verses and then have a deep drink of the river of life (Philippians 4:4; Romans14:17-18; 15:13).

Grace and peace, David

When God Speaks to His People

Isaiah 43:14-17

In the book that bears his name, Isaiah prophesied of the exile of Israel to Babylon. This was difficult news for God’s old covenant people to receive. God had given them the Promised Land. It was the place where he would live among them; it was the place of blessing and peace. The Lord God had warned them that if they did not obey him fully, he would remove them from the land; in fact, he would scatter them among the nations. Exile would mean separation from all they had known, loss of their property, separation of family and friends, and no way to worship the Lord according to the terms of the law covenant. The prophesied exile to Babylon was a warning shot over the bow, and as we sadly know, they did not listen.

However, Isaiah’s prophecy was more than a gloomy message of punishment for their breaking of the covenant. It was also an encouraging announcement of hope. At all times God wants us to understand our situation in his presence and the better life we can experience when we walk with him in faith. For this reason, the Lord talks to Israel through the prophet about “a new thing” that he will do in what was then their future. In order to give them this word of hope, he reminds them of who he is. It is necessary to know God, so that we might be able to lay hold of what he is able and willing to do for those who trust him. To know him, we need to listen carefully when he reveals himself to us.

First, the Lord (Yahweh) calls himself their Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel (43:14). God joins two names that might seem to pull them in opposite directions emotionally. Redeemer is a joyous name. God proclaims that he cares about them and is willing to do what is necessary to set them free. This would fuel confident expectation in people contemplating the horrors of exile. Though they would be exiled, God promises to free them from captivity. Yet at the same time, he is the Holy One of Israel. He is the One supreme over all things, including the false gods they had been worshiping. He is set apart from the sinfulness of people. A study of the Old Testament Scriptures reveals that idolatry was a constant problem in Israel before the exile. Idolatry in the heart is a very serious spiritual problem (Ezekiel 14:3-5). A life based on idols will breed sinfulness in a person’s way of life. So then, God promised to free them from exile, but the deliverance would be consistent with his holiness.

Second, the Lord repeats the truth of his holiness, and then reminds them that he is their Creator and King (43:15). God is asserting his rights in relation to Israel. The Creator has ownership rights of what he has created. This is one motive for people to deny creation and to prefer evolution. God is telling Israel that they belong to him, and so he has the right to send them into exile and to free them. Since he is their King, he also has the power and authority to do this. The people needed to have a proper view of the dependence on God for their destiny, in order to have a firm basis for confident expectation in God’s plan. Simply put, you cannot deny God’s rule and have real hope. Without hope, you fall into defeatism, depression, dread, and despair. God calls to his people to avoid this dark path.

Third, the Lord reminds them of his glory in the exodus from Egypt (43:16-17). He points them to redemption in their past to lead them to hope in a fuller redemption in their future. Egypt had seemed unbeatable, and they had acted arrogantly toward Israel, oppressing them in terrible ways. However, God had set them free from Egypt through ten mighty signs and wonders. But then, Egypt had decided that they did not want to lose their slave labor and pursued them to the brink of the sea. When all seemed hopeless, the Lord made “a path through the mighty waters” and defeated the enemy army totally. In the same way, we need to remember how God has set free those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. His victory in that redemption provides us a firm basis of hope as we contemplate our future. We can know that followers of Christ are now like “scattered exiles”, and yet God has already given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (cf. 1 Peter 1:1-3). Is your hope and trust in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ? You can have eternal confidence when you turn from your rejection of God as God, your refusal to love him first, and your rebellion against him and his ways to trust in Christ for forgiveness and freedom from sin, guilt, and condemnation. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Grace and peace, David

An Extra Day

Leap year day comes every four years giving us an extra day in the year. There are never enough opportunities to praise Our Lord, and on this day we are given twenty-four more hours to use in praise. In praising God, we become overwhelmed by joy as God expresses to us His pleasure in our obedience. Thank the King of kings for creating you, praying that He would fill you to overflowing with His love to saturate your spirit.

If that is not enough, praise Him because He already owned us as His creation. He paid an exorbitant price for us by redeeming us with the blood of His Son. Even though He owned us and bought us, in order to place an even higher claim on us, he exhibited His endless and unfailing love. He adopted us and promised us a rich inheritance! He does all these things and so much more every day. How can it not bring praise to our lips as we realize the pure love, joy, peace and freedom that these gifts bring? We can only accept them by thanking Him for them.

Have you ever woken and just stood beside the window, looked out and up, and gave praise to the Lord? Perhaps on a warm morning you even carried your breakfast out to the porch and read your Bible, communicating with your Heavenly Father, the One who created you. Somedays you might see a beautiful sunrise and hear the birds lift their voices to the Creator. The Scripture says, “Let all creation praise the Lord.”

I sing an old hymn by the title of “Praise the Savior”. Perhaps you could think about some of the words of Thomas Kelly as he expresses himself in praise. We can’t possibly tell just how much we owe Him for all He does and gives. He watches over us. His eyes never leave us for we are His treasure. We should give Him our praise, thanking Him for designing us just the way we are.

Mr. Kelly also wrote in verse two that Jesus is the Name that charms us, for He fits and arms us for the conflicts we face daily. God never changes. Nothing moves us and nothing can harm us while we trust in Him! There is so much in these words of a hymn writer whose heart was filled with praise. God is faithful and there is no force nor deceit that can ever sever our relationship with Him. His love for us is deep!

Next, the author writes, “Keep us, Lord, O keep us closely to Him. Keep us believing!” God enables us to believe through each day of our lives until we reach Heaven, where we will receive so many more joys.

Finally, in the fifth stanza of this little hymn he writes that when all this has taken place we shall be where we would be, and we shall be what we should be, because things that are not now nor could be, soon shall be our own.

This is our confident expectation as we approach Easter time. We should daily praise God for giving us His Son and for forgiving us of all sin! Praise is God’s way of opening us up to sharing His joy. The Psalmist says in Psalm 145, “I will praise you every day”! Feel blessed that you have been given this extra day to praise the Lord!

Praising the Lord, Sharon

(You can listen to Thomas Kelly’s hymn on YouTube.)