Daily Benefits

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”

(Psalm 68:19)

The benefits are daily. They are also a load. A load is never light, hence its name. Yes, His yoke is easy, but His load can be very heavy.

To accentuate what is being said here, let’s take a look at how it was written. Whenever you read your Bible and see words that are italicized, that means these words were added by the scribe during the translation. They were added so as to make the English make sense when reaad, seeing as how almost no translation is ever word for word.

Below is how it would be transliterated if done literally. The added words of the scribe have been removed.

Blessed the Lord, daily loadeth, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

In my opinion, when we remove the added words by the scribe of, “us with benefits”, the emphasis switches from the benefits to where it should be, with God. The context changes when we shift our attention away from the benefits to God. Now we see that we are being loaded daily with God and not some arbitrary benefit. This is a very good thing because it is my belief that too many people go to God only for the benefit, the goodies. This is the foundation of the prosperity ministries that were so popular in the 70’s through the 00’s. Yes, God produces spiritual and physical benefits, but if that is your only reason for God, what are you going to do once your need, or rather your lust has been fulfilled? If all you want are goodies from God, you will have no need for God once you got your goodies.

The way this verse was originally written has us daily loaded with God, not goodies. Now maybe we can start to understand why the load is heavy. We also must understand that God comes in many shapes, forms, substances, people, and circumstances. God answers problems. He also creates them.

“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

But let’s not get hung up on the load of God. Let’s move forward to the end, the point and purpose of God, our salvation.  Everything, and I mean everything since the fall of man has moved towards this one objective, salvation. Think of God as a big o’ heavy battery that has been loaded onto our cart. 

Yes, it’s heavy to tote, but it is fully charged with unlimited power and potential. The battery’s power and potential are activated by our faith and belief in it. If we have no faith in the battery (God) then all we are doing is pulling around a big ol’ heavy weight. Activate it with your faith in Christ.

The very last word in the verse is “Selah”. This is a command for the music to stop and to contemplate what was just said. The message just spoken (sung, actually) is important and the Psalmist wants everyone to dwell upon its wisdom and explore the depths of its divinity. This verse really needs the devotion of our time in thought and prayer.

Bill Hitchcock

It’s A Marathon

It’s a marathon people, not a sprint. The crown of salvation goes to he who endures until the end. The end, by the way, is the time of transition, your bodily death, the termination of presence but not your essence, here on earth.

Jesus said, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:12-13).

The endurance, although it is a trial by fire, is not to be feared, but rather celebrated.

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” (James 5:11)

Peter compares the trial, this life of endurance, to gold.

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9)

The end of the endurance of faith is salvation.

Don’t listen to the devil when he whispers, “Once saved, always saved”. He’s trying to get you to loosen your grip on your salvation and rest in the security of self. He’s trying to shift your focus away from Jesus and righteousness and refocus it to the worldly matters at hand.

The devil can get to anyone and inspire them to think and say devilish doctrines. He got to Peter with his doctrine of earthly security. Peter thought he was doing good and tried to save Jesus. But Jesus turned around and barked at Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:23)

Avoid the doctrine of “once saved, always saved”. That road leads to death. Understand the parable of the sower.

Understand that you are chosen by God and drawn to Jesus.

“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” (Psalm 65:4)

Yes, it is true what Jesus said in prayer to God. All that God gave Jesus are saved and no one can take them from Him.

But are you saved? The only proof in the pudding is how you lead your life all the way to death. You must endure to the end fighting the good fight of salvation. There are no coffee breaks or time outs in Christianity. A changed nature doesn’t flip flop.

Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16a)

The fruit of salvation must remain within you and manifest with out. You must fruitfully endure unto the end.

Bill Hitchcock

A Powerful Proverb

Take a look at the first four verses of Proverbs 7.

“My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman” (Proverbs 7:1-4)

The message of these four verses are essential knowledge in of themselves. To keep and “lay up” Solomon’s words, commandments, law, and wisdom is something we all should do and is an excellent rule for life. But that isn’t what he is talking about. This plea by the king to retain all his knowledge and wisdom is directed towards one thing. It is to keep us from seduction and adultery. The next verse reveals this.

“That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.” (Proverbs 7:5)

The rest of the Proverb, verses 6 through 27 is of a young man and how he is seduced to lay with another man’s wife. This story has played out thousands, no millions of times since this was first written.

The author of Proverbs, King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He was the richest and most knowledgeable man of his time. This entire chapter is dedicated to one topic. He begins it with the earnest plea for everyone to get the wisdom and knowledge of God. God’s word is his prescribed shield and buckler. God’s word is our defense against the words of the seductress.

“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.” (Proverbs 7:21)

Notice how Solomon describes the man fallen into destruction and the end result of his adulterous act.

“He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.” (Proverbs 7:22-23)

Yes, with sex on the mind, a man can be reduced to a dumb animal or a fool. I have seen a buck shot during the rut and still be consumed by the drive to mate with a doe in his sights.

It is vital for this life and the next to take God’s words and “Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart”. Don’t let the spiritual aspect of the word of God overshadow its practical application. God’s word guides us through life, but more than that, we are to become His word. Then we do by nature what was at first by rote.

Bill Hitchcock

God Performeth All Things For Me

“I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.” (Psalm 57:2)

Whoa! Wait a minute! I thought you said that we don’t have free will. How is it that the Psalmist says that he can call out to God and He’ll do “all things for me”?

Well, a little further down in the Psalm the Psalmist gives us a clue as to why.

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” (Psalm 57:7)

The Psalmist says that his heart is set up and established in God. In other words, God’s way is securely set as his way, making the Psalmist’s desire and will consistent will be God’s desire and will.

John put it this way: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14-15).

When we are in Christ and Christ in us then God’s will, is going to be our will. Therefore, what we ask will be consistent with God.

Here’s something to think about. How frightful would it be if our will was left untouched by God, knowing what we know about our fallen nature?

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6)

In 2013 there was a movie released called, “The Purge”. The premise of it was that once a year the government sanctioned a 12-hour period when all crime was legal.

Imagine what would happen in real life if there was a no arrest 12-hour period and man’s will was left to its own devices without the holy influences of God, knowing that the very nature of fallen man is wicked, and that literally every imagination of his heart was continuously evil. What if man’s will was left without God, unrestricted, unrestrained, and with no consequences to his actions. Think of what the devil would do through man without the sway and influence of our Lord on our will. Nothing could be more horrific.

God through Christ makes man righteous and holy. This is how our will strives for the will of God. We pray for the will of God in the Lord’s Prayer.

Yes, God does performeth all things for me because my will is His will and my desires are His desires.

Bill Hitchcock

It Was Not An Enemy

“Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” (Psalm 55:11-14)

One of the themes we have been working with the past few days is when someone close hurts us. Sometimes it is immediate family or a close friend that causes harm, hurt, or betrays us. In this case, in Psalm 55 the injury to David was intentional. Sometimes, because folks don’t always listen to what they are saying, the damage is unintentional. In either case, there is extra depth to the knife that has been thrust in by a familiar hand.

David’s immediate reaction to the above was what you would expect from a warrior king.

“Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.” (Psalm 55:15)

Charles Spurgeon first says that we should read verse 15 by David as an imprecation, or a curse. But then Spurgeon writes that we should read it as a, “confident expectation or prophecy: God would, he was sure, desolate them, and cast them out of the land of the living into the regions of the dead.”

As God said, “To me belongeth vengeance and recompense” (Deuteronomy 32:35a).

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)

But then, in the next several verses, David shows why he isn’t just any ol’ king, but rather the king of God, living in servitude of God!

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.” (Psalm 55:16-18)

There are two very important things to notice what David did. First he goes to God. He did not take matters into his own hands. Earlier when David said, “Let death seize upon them” you would expect him to take sword in hand and kill his foe. He doesn’t. He prays to God.

Notice David’s prayer. Does he pray for God to kill his enemy; to cause harm and destruction? No. David prays to God for Him to hear his voice and to deliver his soul in peace from that battle. Instead of attack and death, David prays for recovery and peace.

All of us will be hurt by someone close to us. Our response should always be to go to God. Always. Peace, true peace is that tranquility of soul that can only come through Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And you know what? We don’t have to wait for trials and tribulations to go to Jesus or to reap the benefits of Him! We can go to Him right now. In fact, Jesus wishes you would!

Bill Hitchcock

The Issue

The issue isn’t the problem. The problem has been resolved for 2,000 years. The issue is faith in the solution. Ironically, man tends to focus on the problem and not the solution. This is odd especially when we realize that we head towards what we look at. It is impossible to do otherwise.

Before the finality of the problem is the capacity and potentiality of the problem. It is this capacity and potential which frightens us and becomes the cause of our self-destruction. Only with finality of the problem is fear diffused and only then do we move forward in a positive direction.  But what is bravery without fear and dread? What is hope without the presence of despair? What quickens the gifts of God’s grace of faith, hope, patience, and longsuffering if not fear, despair, pain, and despondency? For why would you hope for a better day when the better day had come? Why wouldn’t you hope if it had not?

You can’t get clean without first being dirty and you can’t get cleaned without being washed.

The Apostle Paul said, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21)

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Why? Because light extinguishes dark, every time.

Paul then brings up two rather interesting questions, in one of his infamous arguments with himself.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?....shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (Romans 6:1,15)

Don’t let sin, death, and destruction fool you by allowing them to gain your attention. Remember, the issue isn’t the problem. But we can make the problem the issue by feeding it and breathing life into it by giving ourselves over to it. Remember, it is the capacity and potential of a problem which moves us by fear in all the wrong directions. It is the finality of the problem which frees us and enables us to move forward.

Jesus gives finality to every problem: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Jesus is that one way that the devil strives so hard to deviate us from.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)

One of the great things for man to discover is the realization that Jesus doesn’t show up during times of trouble. Jesus is here. Now. Jesus is in you and you in Him. Always. And because Jesus is always with us, this makes Him not only the problem solver, but the problem preventer. There is no sin in Jesus. The more we allow Him in our life the less sin can have an effect.

Stop giving power to the problem. Give power to the Savior by keeping your eyes focused on Christ within.

Bill Hitchcock 

Hurtful, Deadly Words

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

(Psalm 18:21)

The spoken word is so powerful that it was God’s method of creating heaven and earth. So powerful, that our Lord and Savior is called the Word and the great commandment left us by Jesus is to spread His word. With something with this level of power and capacity, you’d think we would be a bit more careful when we speak, wouldn’t you?

Death and life are in the tongue. Why aren’t we paying more attention to what we are saying? Why aren’t we paying attention to the fruit thereof? Why don’t we understand that some fruit is poisonous, deadly poisonous?

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)

Over the past several days I have seen several posts on Facebook from different people about words that have hurt and caused irreparable damage to them. One post had a hand drawing of arrows coming out of someone’s mouth and penetrating through the heart of another.  That’s a pretty accurate representation of what can happen.

“There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” (Proverbs 12:18)

Some of the most hurtful words are those that are not spoken out of anger. Sometimes those closest to us can speak death and destruction to our heart and soul and not even be aware of it.

Probably the worst-case scenario is when you bring the matter to their attention and they get defensive about it. What you had hoped would be a veil lifted to an unseen problem now becomes a battle of right and wit. That never ends well.

Yes, there are those who seem to love to battle, “Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words” (Psalm 64:3)

Read the Book of Psalms. In it you’ll discover that a common theme throughout is David hurt and distressed over what people have said and done to him, with David crying with his voice to God.

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.” (Psalm 5:1-2)

“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears” (Psalm 18:6).

“Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.” (Psalm 141:1)

The fiery darts of the devil are rarely physical, they are certainly spiritual and usually verbal. We must check our mouth and know what is coming out of it and know what we are supposed to be doing with it.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

It can take years to realize the extent of the damage caused by words. Hurtful words can alter our self-image, our self-worth, and change the course of our life. Why aren’t we paying close attention to our mouth?

God is always the answer.

Bill Hitchcock