Each Step I Take

Psalm 27:1 (KJV) - The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Have you ever longed to get somewhere but seemed to be stuck in a rut and just going in circles? The more your desire to arrive at the destination grows, the more frustrated you become when you can’t seem to get past the obstacles that block your way. I have often told people that they can’t graduate unless they pass every grade. When we fail the first grade we have to retake the lesson and try to pass again. There is a progression to everything in life. Seeds turn into sprouts, sprouts turn into healthy plants, plants produce the harvest, the harvest returns to the seed take out one of those steps and the garden won’t grow.
The Christian life is no exception. The Psalmist alludes to this forward progress in our verse. The Lord is first my light, then my salvation, then my strength. You may be familiar with Psalm 119:105, “The word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” But verse 104 gives us a greater insight into this important first step, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” It is God’s Word that illuminates the darkness of sin in our lives. Without seeing that sin for the destructive cancer that it is we can never truly be repentant. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:9, “now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation…” I am so thankful that when Jesus stepped into the room where I had hidden my sin His light illuminated the darkness and there was no hiding from His holiness. He did not bring condemnation but He brought conviction of sin and the sorrow that I felt was not of this world, shallow and quickly forgotten, but it was deep and abiding. I realized that it was my sin that had nailed Jesus to the cross and like the Psalmist “I hated every false way.” There is no salvation without godly repentance.
But God doesn’t leave us in our despair. His light not only reveals our sin but He reveals the cross, the cross where Jesus died for our sin. The debt of sin that I could not pay was paid in full as Jesus drank the bitter cup and satisfied the wrath of God. Salvation belongs to Christ and grace opens the door so that I might enter in to the holy presence of God. It is here that we can say with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6:14)
He is my light, my salvation, and my strength! So many want to walk in the power of God and live in the Spirit without experiencing the light and salvation. We must walk step by step and know that God is faithful to keep us. Preaching the power without the cross is empty. Preaching the cross without the knowledge of sin is meaningless for the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. The grace of God allows us to walk in His power and to know His victory over sin and death. But to fully embrace God’s love and grace we must fully embrace the destitute nature of sin and flesh that robs us of the glory of God. There is a path to victory. It is clear and when followed step by step all who come may enter. Is Christ your light, and salvation, and strength? If He is then you have nothing to fear, victory has already been won.

Turn Turn Turn

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

      In Leviticus 10:1 Scripture records the story of two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. They were priests that had been sanctified for service in the House of the Lord. Son’s of the High Priest, they knew the ways of God and were charged with service in the Temple yet they decided to “do things their own way”. These men had grown up in Egypt. They had watched the multitudes throng the pagan temples and were familiar with the pleasures of the world. Only eight verses after this passage God warns the priests to not use strong drink when they go in to the tabernacle of the congregation leaving us to believe that perhaps these two had been drunk when they decided to bring “strange fire” and offer it unto the Lord. Nadab and Abihu were charged with leading the people of God in worship. They took it upon themselves to reinvent worship and do it their own way. God considered this “strange fire”. When they offered fire that was not from the Brazen Altar, God not only rejected their worship He sent out His own fire and devoured them. It is an interesting note that verse 5 tells us they were carried away in their coats. Truly God punishment for the offering of strange fire was to send a “strange fire” that devoured them but left them intact.
      This happens all too often in our churches and lives. We find that using the world’s methods and practices are more appealing to the masses so we incorporate them into our worship. We strive to please men more than God. The true tragedy of this situation is that the tares grow right along with the wheat and while from an earthly perspective the church seems to be okay, the exterior appears healthy, the interior is as dead man’s bones. Aaron is upset with death of his two sons and Moses speaks these words to him, “This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” God demands that those that will seek His face and draw close to Him be sanctified. It is in this way that God is glorified. I have seen ministers that insisted people wear ties and dresses on the platform to try and bring about some form of sanctification. Whitewash! God is interested more in the fire we are offering than the coat we are wearing.
      Revival comes from God! He is the only one that can send it and heal our land. Yet, God has declared that we must humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. We must put away the whitewash and worldliness and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. It is the only way to approach Him. Don’t be fooled by the outward success of dead worship. Seek the power of knowing God at His altar. That is where we can truly turn from our wicked ways.