God is the Generous Rewarder and Help of All Those Who Diligently Seek Him!
What can I remind us and encourage us from Psalm 121? This is what I said there. Let's glance back to remember the good things from Nathan's life, then let's look up past these hills here to Christ, and then let's advance spiritually with Him as Lord. Leading all the way Home. We'll have a reunion with our forever Family.
From the lowlands of Palestine up the hill into Jerusalem, this psalm is about the journey of the Jews for the worship of our one God. It's "a song of ascents." Think festival time of year for them, no funeral time. It was thee top priority just the same, and biblical worship needs to be imperative for us as well.
The mountains are places of military advantage for soldiers, but remember that our God doesn’t need an advantage point when fighting for his loved ones.
Our "help comes from the LORD." Believer, He keeps you, He guides you, fights for and protects you, He nurtures, feeds, preserves, and watches over you. He won't sleep so you can sleep. "He gives His beloved sleep." He does the moonlight shift (aka deep night shift) for you.
"In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved. Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward." Psalm 127:2-3
"The battle is the Lords" -- He has His part in your life daily, and we also have a part to play so to speak ..regarding faith in Him.
"This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God." 2 Chronicles 20:15b
"The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. 3The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name. 4Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea; the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea." Exodus 15:2-4
Army solders (Like our son Nathan, a Senior Sniper who we will miss), they are trained to fight effectively and must do that at times (think Just war, there have been some), but we believers never need to fight here in the flesh.
We too can do spiritual warfare by the Holy Spirit as He directs us (like in believing fasting and prayer, in praise and worship too), but Christ ultimately is our victory. He totally conquered the enemy of your soul on the Cross at Calvary. We need never fight in the flesh like when when we are ripped off, suffer huge or smaller loss, or go through really tough times.
Yep, you and I believer don't fight for victory as much as we fight the good fight of faith.. from victory. The victory that was won for us on that tree.
Now hills and mountains are a places of blessing and yet also places of danger for what is up there in many mountain ranges. Did you know that pagans back in the day that Psalm 121 was written used to build their temples up in the mountains to enshrine their false gods. It happened, but we look beyond the hills and mountains for our help up to the Lord Himself. When the outlook ain't so good, we go with the up-look with eyes dead-bolted on Jesus.
The presence of trouble in the valley or hills.. the hazards, the trials, these do not mean the absence of God. Believer, the presence of hard testings here never mean the absence of Jesus.
Prayerfully take a moment to read through Psalm 121:1. It’s "A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."
“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:12-13
Recognize God's greatness--none are greater. Be sure you lift your eyes high enough so that you see by faith the great God who cares for you. The ten spies in Canaan did not look high enough: they saw the giants and the walls but not the Lord far above all (Num. 13:28-33). When things on earth seem too big for you to handle, lift your eyes to God by meditating on Isaiah 40 (note v. 26). He is able and trustworthy! Yes..
God is there for you as your Helper (Psalm 121, verses 1-2). the guy who made the hills is the god who gives you help. he is a God of the hills and the valleys (1 Kings 20:23-30), and His help is available to all who will call upon Him.God is there for you as your Keeper (verses 3-8). God's people, the pilgrims traveled all together for fellowship and safety because the roads were dangerous. The dangers in modern society are just as great, if not greater. But God goes before you too (see verses 3-4) and He stays awake to guide you and guard your path. He guides you with His eye, He is right next to you (v.5) and over you (v.6), and He will take you all the way safely to Zion (vv. 7-8).
And what goes along with Psalm 121? These words do...
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore." Psalm 125:1-2 esv
And what’s the wise application for us with Psalm 121? Well, we could look up or within but it's wise to look up to Him.
I will lift up with my eyes even higher than to the hills..even these hills at this cemetery. Yes, to the Lord who is SO for us, for each of us. He fights for us and guess what.. He never loses one battle. Never has, never will.
Q. from whence comes my help? (An internal monologue). The psalmist looks around, within (no good eternal guidance), and then above.
A. My help comes from the Lord.
Would you pray something like this. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Help me Holy Spirit. I will lift up my eyes even higher than the hills to the Lord of hosts, to the Lord of all lords. Help me turn and trust You daily.
He answers every prayer. Yes, No, or Wait--He responds and delights to say Yes. Its been said, “If the request is wrong, then God says no. If the timing is wrong, then God says slow. If you are wrong, then God says grow. But if the request is right and the timing is right and you are right, then God says go.” Have you gotten right with God--am talking about His righteousness (a free gift). Talking about then maintaining a right spirit, right motives and heart, and praying in the Spirit. He delights to bless!
1. He cares for his child. Cast your burdens and cares upon Him, the One who made heaven and earth - He literally sustains every atom in this and all galaxies amen universe. He neither slumbers or sleeps, watches over on a 24 hour vigil cuz he loves you. He works the night shift, He knows the the number of hairs on your head. He sees all, He perseveres you, He knows you well. He loves you and has a plan for you too.
2. Hey, got night fears or insomnia? He is great--the Greatest, He protects you, He revives and never leaves your side. See vv. 5-6.
3. He preserves you, your existence from all evil. vv. 7-8. Every evil is subject to The God who is watching over you.
We grieve at a funeral, but not as others grieve. A burial to us is not an explanation mark or question mark regarding life for us. It's indeed a comma for the believer. Life will go on forever and abundant. As we go out and come in with joy He holds our hands -- He preserves us here, and even through all eternity (v. 8).
"The word 'Christian' means different things to different people. To one person it means a stiff, upright, inflexible way of life, colorless and unbending. To another it means a risky, surprised-filled adventure, lived tiptoe at the edge of expectation...If we get our information from the biblical material, there is no doubt that the Christian life is a dancing, leaping, daring life." ~ Eugene H. Peterson
Fools say that in your darkest moments here God doesn't care, cuz He's not there. But He is and Yes He cares.
If time and aging seems cold, uncaring, and cruel here, just know that God is NOT.
The Lord is our KEEPER.
I don't know what you are struggling with, but you can pray in faith and God will meet every need. Has life here felt treacherous to you? Got Covid or a dangerous variant today, or perhaps Pneumonia, or Parkinson's? Our help comes from the Lord.
The Apostle Paul in the Bible says, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 nkjv
You know how we each can learn from other people, yes from every human.. what not to be, what not to believe, what not to say or do, what to believe, what to say, to do, and what to be in our character too.
I challenge you if I may.. Let's all believe the Scriptures (Jesus did--He can help you get the doubt out). Let's all follow Christ real close with the transparency of intimacy. Jesus prayed like that and believed all the (Old Testament) Scriptures (and even the Bible passages His Spirit would cause to be written right). Let's all seek and love the Lord all the way through. With all our hearts, not half heartedly.
Personally, we still don't know what killed Nathan -- they told us it would take at least three months. It might've been Covid, not sure yet. At the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery (section 19A, plot 786) on Nathan’s marble headstone there, Liney and I were going to put these words for the living who might read:
Know the Lord intimately, with red-hot love follow closely, and fully obey Him according to His Word. Get the doubt out, and put your faith in Him. Then it'll go well for you and your family.
But we had to reduce because the military only allowed us a certain number of characters so we chose this verse:
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37
I found those kjv words, "Love the Lord thy God" fourteen times in the Bible.. it's that important! You know our obedience to God comes from our knowing, following and loving him.
This has always been my favorite verse (hear this), and you’ll quickly see why.
"And we know with great confidence that God who is deeply concerned about us causes all things to work together as a plan for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose." Romans 8:28 amp
"I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart." Psalm 38:8
We want to see the metal ship floating.. instead of the individual pieces sinking.
You do too I am sure. We want to see the finished tapestry from the front side instead of parts of the the back side with all those tangled looking strings.
Today, ask God into your heart, choose to turn, to trust and know Him. Ask God to forgive your sin too. Jesus will.
Been a tough time for many people lately. For us too, like last night right before we bury our second son, Nathan. I always liked his good sense of humor and laughter when younger. I remember he prayed with sincerity and we all liked his causal style of acoustic music. Yeah, I enjoyed that so much. Right along with biblical values Nathan always has his politics right. Was very opposed to abortion and so many of their destructive stances that hurt us Americans.
He got in trouble with the law before, but told us he never ever wanted to become a criminal and he didn't get in trouble with the the police again.
Today we will briefly glance back recalling the good things of his life, we will look up past the hills to God.. calling out to Him for some help.. and we will go forward with Him leading us for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We'll advance spiritually, and the Lord being our Helper.. we'll advance the Cause of the Gospel around the globe as well.
What would Nathan say to you today? This: Ask God in, invite Him in to rule without rival as Savior and Lord. Know and obey Him well. Ask Jesus to forgive your sin. Guess what Jesus will and you’ll be so glad you did.
