May 13
Ps 68-70, 86, 101
Are you aware that rioters carrying "Black Lives Matter" signs threw Bibles into a fire in front of the federal courthouse in Portland the last year? It is well known that this group is a Marxist group having little to do with the betterment of black lives. Are you aware that last year FaceBook, Amazon, Apple and Google CEO's were made to testify before congress due to ongoing censorship on their sites. The censorship includes anything that disagrees with their narrative. Over the past few years numerous videos have surfaced, only to be removed shortly thereafter if they disagree in particular with certain aspects of coronavirus or Black Lives Matter. The amount of anti-Christian sentiment is at a fever pitch, as governors take aim at the church. In California, the governor threatened to turn off water and electricity to the buildings if the church continues to gather. Though this is novel in our lifetimes, are we surprised? Though none of us knew how things would move forward according to His plan and His timing, are we so Biblically illiterate that this is all taking us by surprise? God did not leave us unaware, He has told us of all these things in His Word. It is why the Book of Revelation is the only one with a blessing offered to those who read it, as we read in Revelation 1:3, "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."
A couple of years ago we added to our One Year Bible Challenge plan Scripture memory by providing weekly verses that could be committed to memory. The question is what will we do if the Bibles are gone, and if the internet has censored the Bible? Though there is certainly nothing wrong with the "Lord's Prayer", is that all you will be left with since that is all that you have committed to memory? Psalm 68 is a beautiful Psalm of God's might and His goodness. In 1497, the Italian reformer Girolamo Savonarola had been preaching the truth of the Scripture against the Roman establishment. As a result, he along with his fellow Dominicans were marched to their deaths in the Grand Piazza in Florence where they were burned to death. As they were led through the streets, they sang Psalm 68 together. We read in 68:3-5, "But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name Yah, And rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation" Throughout this Psalm God's power and strength are lifted up, as it concludes in 68:35, "O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!"
The Sermon on the Mount is a section of Scripture that I have committed portions to memory. We read in Matthew 5:10-12, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." With how rapid things are unfolding, do you really find it difficult to imagine persecution against Christians on a more widespread scale? For the Scriptures clearly say this will happen. Are you prepared? In 2015, 21 Coptic Christian construction workers were beheaded for their faith on the beach by ISIS. I doubt they were given a Bible to look at. What did they recite to themselves as they bravely went to their deaths? Will end times be ushered in during our lifetimes? No one knows for certain, as Jesus reminded us in Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." But from there He warns us to be ready and not be caught unaware. History is unfolding as never before in our lifetimes. Are we preparing? Commit portions of Scripture to memory. If not, at least be familiar with much of Scripture that you can teach from it, take confidence in it, and be comforted by it. We truly never know when that is all we will have.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: