God is my Helper

 

In fellowship with others, we discussed the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. As Piper says, we are prone to think of ourselves as serving God, but that is not gospel truth. We are not serving Him — but He is serving us. He makes us able to do His will because apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

We met a woman this week who came to us as a persecuted Christian. She had been put in prison for her faith and was raising her daughters alone, in a very dangerous country. Her husband worked in another one, making enough to support them and other family members. When asked how she survived all that, her face glowed as she told us of God’s care and faithfulness. He gave His peace to her in it all and met her needs. She was so certain of God’s goodness that she did not give in to fear or doubt.

Today’s reading says “God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him.” The NT says of Him:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

This reveals what God is like. He gave Himself for us when He was on the earth, and He keeps on doing the same; meeting needs physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in every way.
This is what the Apostle Paul said about Him:

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, (Romans 15:18)
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. (2 Timothy 4:17)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus meets me in my needs, these days mostly for strength (I’ve had too many birthdays) and for ideas. His eagerness to do that is astonishing.

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)

The word ‘follow’ in Psalm 23 is literally “to pursue” so He is not just tagging behind to see if I need help but taking the initiative — as expressed by Jeremiah:

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:40–41)

PRAY: Lord, this week I’ve noticed how You put helpful ideas and actions into the hearts of others who blessed me by doing what You wanted me to experience. I sit here and weep because of Your thoughtful goodness. So often You are way ahead of me for You do things that I didn’t realize were needed — until You did them. Thank You for such incredible care and faithfulness. “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.” (Psalm 54:4)

When God speaks . . . things happen!

When the Bible speaks of the “word” of God, it uses at least two terms. One is logos which is a bit hard to define. Generally, it refers to a message from God using Scripture (the written word) and Jesus (the living Word)

The other word is rhema or variations of it. It means a specific word that addresses the need of the hearer. It is about those times when God speaks directly to the heart. Christians know how this works. We hear a sermon (logos) but there is part of it that is ‘just for me’ as if the speaker and I are the only ones in the room. This is rhema. It also happens when reading the Bible and thoughts jump off the page that answer my questions, confirm my faith, rebuke my sin, encourage me to trust Jesus, or simply bless me in the situation I am in.

Both are powerful. Paul was in prison when he wrote some of his epistles, but prison did not keep the Word of God from his lips. In several places he assured his readers that even though he was bound in chains, the Word of God was not hindered.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:8–10)

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. (2 Timothy 4:17)

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:12–14)

There is another sense that the Word of God is not mere words sitting in a page. When God speaks, He is not talking idly; His words have purpose. In the beginning, He spoke the world into existence. He spoke to Abraham and this man believed Him and became known as the father of faith. Others also heard God before him and believed, like Enoch and Noah as did millions since then.

The Word of God is powerful, not because it is a great work of literature or because it is beloved by God’s people, but because He wrote it and uses it to talk to us. The New Testament says, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)

Because this ‘word’ is from God, it will do what God says. Again, He does not speak without purpose:

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10–11)

As the NT says, this Word, specifically rhema, changes lives. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word (rhema) of Christ” (Romans 10:17) and through faith, people are changed: “You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

It also continually changes the lives of those who believe it and continue to read it:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

For all this, I must keep on reading it, studying it, just never assuming I know it all, for even if I could memorize Genesis to Revelation, it is that rhema reality that makes it a conversation, not an academic exercise or a theological project. God talks to me. I hear Him in my heart and in His book (these two always agree) and He hears me whenever I speak to Him.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, You are the voice of God who came here in human form to reach into my silence and make all things new. What a blessing to know You and to know that what You say is vital and life changing. My heart is filled with joy because You speak.

Today’s thankful list . . .

God speaks!

A very long conversation with Him each day.

Today having a long conversation with our granddaughter who lives in another country.

Chocolate fudge, yum.

My hubby’s scars are healing wonderfully.