Psalm 7 A model for us while in distress (part five)

Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous– you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High. From Psalm 7.

David finishes half his prayer in which he fled to G-d, came to grips with his enemies, and sorted through his lack of guilt for such response against him. Now turns David calls upon G-d to take action. “Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.” Without another breath, David declares his knowledge of G-d as judge, jury, and executioner.

David shows us that he knows G-d wants confession and repentance from the guilty. David also declares that those who do wrong, perish by their own doing, at their own hands. In the end those who do evil perish. Those who bow their knees to Y’shuaJesus will be with Him for eternity.

Psalm 7 provides a model for us in our prayers. It presupposes that, like David, we know G-d through Y’shuaJesus. That means that we understand our lives are to be as peaceful as possible, living like lambs. It also means that the one to whom we turn in times of distress, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, is the same One to Whom David turned. We must be innocent, and we understand our righteousness comes from Y’shuaJesus. Finally, we call upon G-d to go forth in His anger as He deems necessary.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Psalm 7 A model for us while in distress (part four)

Save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. from Psalm 7

In the first post on this topic, I stated that David makes several points in his prayer (Psalm 7): We introduced the Psalm and spoke of the first point, that David declares that he takes refuge in G-d—he flees to G-d. Now lets take a look at the next three points in which David implores G-d to save him and points out from whom he should be saved. Then David declares his innocence from wrong doing. Without a breath, he continues with “Okay, IF I did something wrong, then let the enemy take my soul and my life.”

David states that he needs saving from all his pursuers, that he’ll be torn apart by them, and there is none to deliver. No one is available, so G-d must do it? Is that what he means? I think many are available, but David knows that only G-d CAN save, can deliver. In Psalm 7, David cried out to the LORD after someone spoke lies to the king, to destroy David’s relationship with the king. It was false witness, and now king Saul was after David. But David doesn’t specify a particular enemy, only saying “save me from all my pursuers.” His pursuers are defaming him, destroying his reputation. Others may be physically pursuing David to actually destroy his physical life. There is mention by David of the need to be saved, least his soul be torn apart. Spiritual warfare against David by evil in the spiritual realms? It sounds like it to me.

The title to these pages states that Psalm 7 is a model prayer for us while in distress. Many other psalms provide models for us, too. Many of the Psalms are songs of David. They are also our songs. We make them ours. They are the words for our mouthes that fit what we feel in our hearts, but can’t bring to our tongue. We don’t have to be hiding in a cave, along the Salt Sea (also know as the Dead Sea). We don’t have to be pursued by people with clubs and swords or perhaps rifles, either. We can be under a dark blanket of emotional torment that clouds our vision and tears at our inner person, our soul. We must allow ourselves to be like David, fleeing to Y’shuaJesus, taking refuge in Him. We must understand that He, and He alone, is able to save, to deliver. He has delivered us from the greatest evil of all—our spiritual death—we need faith to walk in that revelation.

David points out that he is guiltless of fault against those who pursue him. Y’shua pointed out that before we go into the House of the Lord to make sacrifice, if we find we have wronged someone, we need to leave and make amends. The Apostle Paul tells us we must “examine ourselves” so that we are pure before communion. When the Lord Y’shuaJesus died, and rose, our sin was forgiven. I think of Y’shuaJesus telling His followers who would be the chosen Apostles, to wash each other’s feet. Y’shuaJesus died to wash us clean, but occasionally we must examine ourselves and make amends with our brothers and sisters—washing our feet. We help ourselves, and we help each other in this washing.

In times of calamity, distress, we flee to Y’shuaJesus for refuge, because only He can save us. And we can ask if there is any thing we’ve done to bring this all on us. I think it takes courage and great strength, too, to come to the Lord in prayer saying, like David, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.

Selah. We take a breath to consider these things.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Psalm 7 A model prayer for us while in distress (part three)

O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

“In You do I take refuge,” prays David. One commentator said the original meaning of the Hebrew for “take refuge” meant “flee to.” In danger, I’m sorry to say, my first thought is to flee from, to go anywhere that gets me out of danger. Isn’t that what fleeing is all about. Perhaps that is exactly what Elijah did. G-d tracked him down, led him to a mountain cave, and got him to the point He could finally whisper to him.

David’s attitude is much better. “He puts himself under God’s protection and flies to him for succour and shelter,” wrote Matthew Henry. “He pleads, his relation to God. “Thou art my God, and therefore whither else should I go but to thee? Thou art my God, and therefore my shield ([see also] Gen 15:1), my God, and therefore I am one of thy servants, who may expect to be protected.” His confidence in God: “Lord, save me, for I depend upon thee: In thee do I put my trust, and not in any arm of flesh.” Men of honour will not fail those that repose a trust in them, especially if they themselves have encouraged them to do so, which is our case.”

There are those saints today, brothers and sisters in Messiah Y’shuaJesus, that are in eminent physical danger. Pastors, ministers, brothers and sisters living in any of the 51 Gospel-restricted nations of the world are in danger. They are in danger if they assemble, if they speak of the LORD to one another, if the actually share the Gospel with someone. The rest of us may be, but most likely are not, in the line of fire—yet! It is coming, though. In whom will we trust? Is our pattern in times of distress, discord, to turn to a spouse, someone in our family, a close friend, or a paid therapist? Have we trained ourselves to flee from anything that discomforts us? When all else fails us, and no resolution is found, do we then come to G-d and say, “Hey, where are You, where were You?”

For any time of distress, whether or not it is spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, there is a way that is better. There is David’s way. Flee to G-d! But to prepare for times that are truly evil, we must train ourselves to look at every moment of every day as an opportune time to flee to the Lord, to offer the sacrifice of praise, the sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is an attitude we do ourselves good to develop. Then, in time that are certain to come upon us, evil times, dangerous times, we will flee first to the Resurrected Messiah.

Praise Y’shuaJesus!

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Psalm 7 – A model prayer for us while in distress (part one) (jonahzsong.wordpress.com)
Psalm 7 – A model prayer for us while in distress (part two) (jonahzsong.wordpress.com)

Psalm 7—A model prayer for us while in distress (part two)

O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

Let’s back up a bit. It’s only been recently that I began to read the Bible in the “Authorized Version.” You know, the King James Version. I’ve used several versions, including Holman, NIV, NASB, and English Standard Version. When I looked at the introduction of Psalm 7 the word “Shiggaion” that is used in the “Authorized Version” is translated from the Hebrew word sheminith, as meditation in the New King James Version. Without getting into the merits or lack of merit for any particular version, I want to say something about the word meditation.

First of all, there are several things that David was not doing. First, he was not repeating endlessly a single word or sound. Second, David wasn’t repeating a phrase or series of words, over and over and over. Third, he was absolutely not clearing his mind in order to get in touch with the greater mind of the universe. David didn’t open his mind, clearing it of all thought, so that he could get in touch with some sort of spirit guide (read “demon”). David wasn’t practicing Eastern or New Age mysticism. What he was doing is fighting a spiritual and physical battle; he was waging war by thinking through all that had occurred to him as he spoke to G-d. He was talking things over with G-d.

Another point here. David’s first cry is O L-RD, my G-d. We see this word as L-RD in all capital letters. We occasionally see it written as Yahweh, or Jehovah. I care not for either of those latter two. It is the name G-d spoke to Moshe, Moses, during his commission. Another way to represent the name of G-d is The Name, or H’Shem in Hebrew. My point here is that David spoke in a personal relationship with his Lord. It could be said that David spoke to Y’shuaJesus. The L-RD is G-d, The L-RD is One. One G-d, three persons. H’Shem. Our Creator. Our Lord. Our Savior. David cries out “O L-RD, my G-d, in You do I take refuge.” Also, let me say at this point that a more literal translation of “my G-d,” as David cried out, would be “G-d to me.” Semantics? Perhaps. But I think there is a little difference. David, as in the Hebrew grammatical structure, isn’t saying he possesses G-d. He reaches out to a G-d that he knows, who is a G-d to him. Okay, maybe it’s only semantics, but I find it a way to think about my own relationship with Y’shua. His banner over me. His way in my life. I am his. His way is mine.

Thank You, Lord Y’shuaJesus. You make me whole. I rejoice in You. Amen.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Psalm 7—A model prayer for us while in distress (part one)

David and Saul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite. O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous– you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
Psalm 7—ESV

David penned this song as a prayer to our G-d. According to Matthew Henry, David cried out these words in “a devout religious manner unto the Lord, concerning the words or affairs of Cush the Benjamite, that is, of Saul himself, whose barbarous usage of David bespoke him rather a Cushite, or Ethiopian, than a true-born Israelite. Or, more likely, it was some kinsman of Saul named Cush, who was an inveterate enemy to David, misrepresented him to Saul as a traitor, and (which was very needless) exasperated Saul against him, one of those children of men, children of Belial indeed, whom David complains of (1Sa_26:19), that made mischief between him and Saul.”

David makes several points in his prayer:

David declares that he takes refuge in G-d.
He implores G-d to save him and points out from whom he should be saved.
David then declares his innocence from wrongful doing in this particular instance.
He continues with “Okay, IF I did something wrong, then let the enemy take my soul and my life.”
Selah. David takes a breath. We take a breath to let it all soak in.
David then says “Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.”
Without another breath, David declares his knowledge of G-d as judge, jury, and executioner.
David shows us that he knows G-d awaits confession and repentance from the guilty.
He also declares that those who do wrongfully, perish by their own doing, at their own hands.
Finally, David wraps up his psaltry cry, saying: “I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.”

Selah.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Ezra’s Faith

Ezra 8:21—23
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our G-d, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our G-d is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our G-d for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

G-d heard the prayers of Ezra and the people who were traveling with him to Jerusalem from Persia. G-d extended His mercy toward them by covering their journey.

Some years ago an American traveler stood awaiting an Indian train that would take him north to the Nepalese border. As the sun set, he pulled out a copy of “Lonely Planet” guide book. He became alarmed at a short paragraph that described the train north upon which he was about to board. It said not to travel at night. Bandits were known to attack the train. He knew Americans were particularly vulnerable to such escapades. At that time, an American passport was worth 100,000 Rupees, he’d been told. He was concerned. He wondered if he should turn back, waiting until morning. He prayed. When finally the train arrived, he boarded it without delay.

G-d’s mercy extended to Ezra after He saw the fasting and heard the praying of Ezra and his company. G-d extended His grace to the American traveler. That traveler didn’t fast. Sure, he prayed. But only after he became concerned. G-d acted, not on the prayers themselves, but in His mercy, which He extends to whom He chooses, when He chooses, in the time He chooses. Additionally, it doesn’t seem to be based upon the righteousness of the recipient. Conversely, the lack of grace extended isn’t a product of righteousness or lack there of.

Pastor Jayasen died. Other pastors and ministerial workers throughout the world are persecuted. There are those we can agree that are truly wicked that seem to thrive. The wicked haven’t seen the wrath of G-d. Not yet, anyway! In the Psalms the cry is often put out to G-d that the righteous are persecuted and die, while G-d’s enemies seem to go free. Yet, what shall we make of Ezra’s statement to the Persian ruler? “The hand of our G-d is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” C.S. Lewis wrote about the belief in the after life, which I think has some guidance for us. “It is surly therefore, very possible that when G-d began to reveal Himself to men, to show them that He and nothing else is their true goal and the satisfaction of their needs, and that he has a claim upon them simply by being what He is, quite apart from anything He can bestow or deny, it may have been absolutely necessary that this revelation should not begin with any hint of future Beatitude or Perdition.” (from Reflections on the Psalms)

We are the clay, while G-d is the potter. All things work for the good. . . the Apostle Paul wrote. G-d sees beyond our day or week or month. G-d looks beyond our present time. He has a plan. Good thing, too. He is the Potter. We are the clay.

Also while we THINK the wicked thrive, they are only saved for a great wrath that will one day come to them. Perhaps G-d has completed what He wanted to do in Pastor Jayasen’s life. Perhaps the pot that our Lord was making was done. Pastor Jayasen is now with the Lord. The wicked have now another opportunity to come to know the Lord—before His wrath consumes them.

So, back to the American traveler on an Indian train in hostile territory heading north. After a couple short stops, an off-duty police officer boarded the train, sitting in the same car as the traveler. That traveler felt it a sign from G-d that G-d’s grace would be sufficient for his safe travel. And so it was, not just for that night, but for many, many days and nights afterward. G-d’s grace is still sufficient, operating in his life. Obviously, the Lord isn’t finished with him yet. The pot that he is, isn’t ready to put on the Heavenly shelf, so to speak. It’s still in production.

Pastor Jayasen, Orissa, India

Last week I received an email sent through Renewal Ministries Fellowship that contained two emails from India about the death of Pastor Jayasen of Orissa India.

“Our beloved brother Pastor Jayasen served our Lord in an area of Orissa (Odisha) India that has suffered much persecution. He also travelled to many other areas of India as he worked to build and unify the body of Christ and strengthen everyone else’s ministry…”

“i am very sorry to inform you pastor Jeyesen is passed away from world .yesterday .i don,t know reason who killed him but i heard news some anti Christians are kill him in his room.”

Hadassah (countinued)

Exodus 1:8-20
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

What we saw, I believe, with Mordecai was a passive disobedience: Mordecai didn’t reverence Haman as required. Remember Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who protested the school policy for all students to study Islam? Prior to any disobedience, he protested to the school. His protest was based upon current Iranian law that permits choice in religious practice. He hadn’t been given a chance to disobey, but was arrested and eventually sentenced to death. Pastor Youcef was given the chance to recant, however, which would mean denying our Lord and Messiah Y’shuaJesus. He choose not to do so.

Now in Exodus we see the midwives serving the Jewish people. The Pharaoh’s command to the midwives was to kill all male newborns, which they did not do. The midwives went a step further from passive inaction, and lied to the Pharaoh.

In each of these cases, Mordecai, Pastor Youcef, and the midwives, we see that they did not connive with those who know not our G-d. They bravely made choices. They decided not to go along with the worldly program guided by “dark” spiritual powers, and principalities, that are against our G-d. I don’t know whether or not there were those who counseled them to not take the action, but it remains that action, even if passive, was taken. But had there been un-G-dly counsel, it was ignored. Had there been counselors that weren’t listened to, they’d have had cause to say, “I told you so!” when trouble came.

Now, take a look at that cadet. He listened to a counselor, and went along with the “worship” of a homecoming football. That was a first step to walking in the way of the sinners, as the psalmist cautioned about. But who of us has not at some time or other went along with something we didn’t fully support? I’ve heard it said that it is better to not “buck the system.” It takes strength to walk in righteousness. It takes a well-maintained relationship with Y’shuaJesus. How many times, how many hours, did Y’shua go off into the night to pray to our Father in Heaven? Countless times, I’m sure. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see a glimpse of the prayer to which Lord Y’shua was accustom. Agonizing prayer. Tearful prayer. Intense prayer.

May we experience such incredible times in prayer ourselves. It’s good practice, in good times, preparing for times that are not so good.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Hadassah (continued)

Image via Wikipedia

Psalm 26
A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

C.S. Lewis, in his “Reflections on the Psalms,” writes of connivance pointing to Psalm 26:4 , “the good man is not only free from ‘vanity’ (falsehood) but has not even ‘dwelled with,’ been on intimate terms with, those who are ‘vain.’ ”

One of the things I enjoy about Mr. Lewis’s writings on connivance is that he often states, “. . .I do not know the answer.” He explores the life we are to live based upon the the Word of G-d through the Bible. In one place he writes, “How ought we to behave in the presence of very bad people?” Mr. Lewis then writes about how “Christ [spoke] to the Samaritan woman at the well, [how] Christ [dealt] with the woman taken in adultery, [how] Christ dined with publicans, [this] is our example.” Yet Mr. Lewis also writes, “But I am inclined to think a Christian would be wise to avoid, where he decently can, any meeting with people who are bullies, lascivious, cruel, dishonest, spiteful and so forth. Not because we are ‘too good’ for them. In a sense because we are not good enough. We are not good enough to cope with all the temptations, nor clever enough to cope with all the problems, which an evening spent in such society produces. The temptation is to condone, to connive at: by our words, looks and laughter, to ‘consent.’ ”

When we are around those who do not conduct their lives in accordance with Biblical principles, do not look to the Lord our G-d as their Lord, their Savior, we may inadvertently condone their practices. Thus, as Mr. Lewis states, “By implication we are denying our Master; behaving as if we ‘no not the Man.’ ”

We cannot avoid all contact with non-believers, though. But we don’t need to join in, giving the appearance of approval. Neither, as Mr. Lewis points out, do we continually need to be contentious and interrupt with ‘I don’t agree.’ Silence is our refuge, Mr. Lewis states. But at some point, as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, there is a time to disagree, to point out the truth. Mr. Lewis puts it this way: “There comes of course a degree of evil against which a protest will have to be made, however little chance it has of success. There are cheery agreements in cynicism or brutality which one must contract out of unambiguously. If it can’t be done without seeming priggish, then priggish we must seem.”

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Hadassah (continued)

Psalm One

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The military academy cadet. His counselor told him it was only a game, he could bow to the homecoming football, it was okay. He dried his tears and the next time the ball, carried on a silk pillow, came down the hallway, he joined the other freshmen and bowed low. Trivial example as it is, and with no real intent to actually worship the football, I suppose it didn’t hurt to go along. Or was there? What’s the difference between bowing to the homecoming football and kissing a rabbit’s foot for good luck? And what of the counselor that spoke to the cadet? Was he a wise counselor? What if a counselor had spoken to Mordecai in the same manner? Is paying homage to the king’s representative, Haman in the Book of Esther, just a game and not serious worship?

What about “Sieg Heil,” the German salute during the Nazi years prior to, and during, WWII? Read what Wikipedea says about this salute:

“Sieg Heil was a ritualistic chant used at mass rallies, where enthusiastic crowds answered Heil to the call of Sieg (“victory”). For example, at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, Rudolf Hess ends his climactic speech with, “The Party is Hitler. But Hitler is Germany, just as Germany is Hitler. Hitler! Sieg Heil!” At his total war speech delivered in 1943, audiences shouted Sieg Heil as Joseph Goebbels solicited from them “a kind of plebiscitary ‘Ja’ to self destruction in a war which Germany could by now neither win nor end through negotiated peace”. In correspondence with high-ranking nazi officials, letters were usually signed with “Heil Hitler”.

“On 11 March 1945, less than two months before the capitulation of Nazi Germany, a memorial for the dead of the war was held in Marktschellenberg, a small town near Hitler’s Berghof residence. The historian Ian Kershaw reports, “When the leader of the Wehrmacht unit at the end of his speech called for a Sieg Heil for the Führer, it was returned neither by the Wehrmacht present, nor by the Volkssturm, nor by the spectators of the civilian population who had turned up. This silence of the masses… probably reflects better than anything else, the attitudes of the population.” ”

Perhaps it is harmless to bow to a silly game football, but if we take seriously Psalm One, then by going along on this instance leads down another path, a path that does not lead to the Victory of Y’shuaJesus. Going along with wrongdoing is connivance. Walking with sinners. Sinners. We are now judging people, saying they are sinners? Yes. And no. Yes, we are judging them as sinners if they walk not according to the Word of G-d. No, we are not the judges, but the Word of G-d judges and we are in accord and obedience to the Word of G-d. In fact, Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said All Are Sinners. All Fall Short of the Glory of G-d.

Covered in the Blood. Isn’t that an expression once used in Baptist churches across America? We are covered in the blood of Y’shuaJesus, our sins atoned by His death on the Cross. We are sinners saved by grace. But not all are saved. All are offered redemption, but not all accept it.

C.S. Lewis has some things to say about connivance, too. Let’s take a look on Wednesday.

Until then, Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon you and through you to this hurting, challenging world in which we reside as visitors, strangers. . .

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