Purposes, Part 2

I wish to follow up on the meditation I sent to you last week regarding purposes. This meditation will be more specific. The following verse sets forward a purpose we would all do well to adopt:

Psalms 17:3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

David expressed this purpose again in the following verse:

Psalms 39:1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

Notice that David’s resolve was expressed in the future tense. Taking heed to his ways in order to avoid sins of the tongue, and keeping his mouth with a bridle, were things David set before himself to be done, which is to purpose by definition.

This subject hits close to home for me. I am a Mott and Motts are quite the talkers. A first cousin of mine once remarked: “A picture is worth a thousand words. But with a Mott you get a picture and a thousand words.” That statement would be funnier if it weren’t so true.

Scripture has a lot to say about sins of the tongue. James gives a graphic destruction of the destructive potential of the tongue.

James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Our tongue is a world all unto itself, even a world of iniquity. Now that is a lot to get under control! The tongue is a fire kindled by hell itself. It is unruly. We must force it into subjection. One will never tame it as one might tame some animals. Anything this destructive certainly needs to be bridled. It requires careful attention (heed) to keep the tongue under control. Hence, David purposed that his mouth would not transgress and took heed to his ways in order to avoid sinning with his tongue.

As we noted in our meditation last week, improvement in this area will only occur as we determine, as we resolve, as we purpose to improve. It will not be enough just to wish that we didn’t run off at the mouth so much. We have to set the control of our mouth as something before us to accomplish. It takes determination to do this, especially considering the resistance we will get from this unruly evil.

But just resolving to get the tongue under control is not enough. We will need God’s assistance. It is as our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Indeed, we must watch. As David said, we must take heed to our ways. But in addition, we must seek God’s help. Otherwise, our most firm resolutions will collapse in defeat because we are up against an evil that is greater than we. Therefore, we also find David praying this prayer:

Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

God must stand guard at the door of our lips to prevent temptations that would be beyond our ability to bear. This prayer is another way of saying: “Lead us not into temptation.”

In order to drive home the importance of bridling the tongue, consider the following verses.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect (spiritually mature) man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

Proverbs 17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. 28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Proverbs 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain (unprofitable, useless, worthless).

So if we would be spiritually mature; if we would control our whole body with it various passions and lusts, if we would be wise, if we would preserve our life, if we would practice a religion that is worthwhile, we must bridle our tongue. We need to adopt the resolve of the Psalmist and say: “I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”

I close with this thought: “A loose tongue will get you into a tight spot.” The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Purposes, Part 1

I have been reading through the book of Daniel. There is an expression that I came across in chapter one that has been lingering in my thoughts. By the way, we should think about things we read in the Bible. It is called meditation and it is a most healthy spiritual exercise. The verse that I have been thinking about reads as follows:

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

The expression that has captured my attention is the expression: “Daniel purposed in his heart.” Let this expression spur us to think about our purposes.

First, true to our method of teaching, let us define the word purpose both as a noun and as a verb.

Purpose – sb. Purpose - That which one sets before oneself as a thing to be done or attained; the object which one has in view. Without a or pl. The action or fact of intending or meaning to do something; intention, resolution, determination.

Purpose - v. To set before oneself for accomplishment. To place before oneself as a thing to be done or attained; to form a purpose of doing (something); to design or resolve upon the performance of.

When “Daniel purposed in heart” not to defile himself with the king’s meat and drink, he set that task before him as something to be accomplished. Having purposed to do it in his heart, he proceeded to order his conduct and circumstances to accomplish that objective. Daniel’s purpose was more than a passing wish. It was a resolve, a determination to make something happen, if at all possible.

If you read the entire chapter of Daniel 1, you know that Daniel sought out a way to remain true to his purpose not to defile himself with the king’s meat and drink. God blessed Daniel with good success in fulfilling this purpose. He was permitted to eat another diet and he fared better on that diet than the others did on the king’s diet. But this good success all began with Daniel purposing in his heart. It is amazing what people can accomplish if they but purpose in their hearts to do something. It is also amazing how God will assist those who purpose in their hearts to do right things.

Remembering that these things in Daniel “were written for our learning” (ROM 15:4), there is something here for us to apply to ourselves. The way you order your conduct and circumstances flows out of what you purpose in your heart. A great deal can be known about the things that you set before you to accomplish, by the things you choose to do and not to do.

Examine your spiritual life, your Bible reading, your prayer life, your church attendance, what you get out of the church service, what you contribute to the church, your personal holiness, your walk, your attitude, your talk. Need improvement? Bear in mind that there will be no improvement without your doing what Daniel did. You must purpose in your heart to make things better. You will make no progress in any of these areas I have suggested until you set it before you as something to be accomplished, until you resolve or determine within yourself to improve.

Consider the following passage spoken of Barnabas when he went to Antioch to see the work of the Lord being done there.

Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

That word cleave is an interesting word to consider.

Cleave - To stick fast or adhere, as by a glutinous surface. To adhere or cling to (a person, party, principle, practice, etc.); to remain attached, devoted, or faithful to.

Barnabas exhorted these brethren to “cleave unto the Lord,” that is, to be attached, devoted, and faithful to the Lord. Just how attached, devoted, and faithful to your Lord are you? Do your decisions reflect that you cleave unto Him? Does your daily spiritual life reflect that you cleave unto Him? Does your attentiveness to the worship of God show that you cleave unto Him? Do the choices you make between His church service and your personal ambitions and pleasures show how much cleave unto the Lord?

Now if you would be more attached, devoted, and faithful to your Lord, be advised that this will only occur when you do so “with purpose of heart,” just as Barnabas said. Cleaving to the Lord will only happen as you set it before you as something to be accomplished. As you resolve and determine in your heart to cleave unto the Lord, that purpose will be seen in how your order your conduct and circumstances. It will show itself in the kind of job you select, the shift you choose to work, the kinds of friends you make, how you plan your vacations, etc. So far as it is possible, you will make choices that will facilitate your cleaving unto the Lord. You will do this because this is what you purpose in your heart.

So examine your purposes, dear brethren. I close with the words of this song:

Standing by a purpose true, heeding God’s command,
Honour them, the faithful few! All hail to Daniel’s Band!
Dare to be a Daniel. Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Darkness

This morning my Bible reading took me to the second chapter of Daniel. As I read I noted especially the words of verse 22:

...he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Daniel was in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar as a wise man, with whom the king consulted. The king had had a disturbing dream that he could not only not understand, he could not even remember it. He could only remember that he had had a disturbing dream. As to the substance and meaning of the dream, the king was in darkness. He did not know. In this verse Daniel was informing the king that the God of heaven knew, because this God "knoweth what is in the darkness."

From time to time the righteous finds themselves in the darkness. They do not know why things are happening the way they are. They are unsure of the outcome of something. They pray for answers and yet the answers they expect are not forthcoming. Will I heal of this illness? Will I get a job? Will I keep my job? How will changes in the company affect me? Will my business succeed or fail? What is going to happen to the economy? How will my children get on in such as world as this? Will my children be converted? Will our church survive or fall apart as other churches have done? On and on we could go. All of these kinds of questions reveal a struggle with the unknown or, in other words, a struggle with darkness, with that which we cannot see. I myself struggle with it. I see things that threaten the ministry of the word and its impact in your lives, and wonder what the ultimate effect of those things will be. I start a little church and wonder if it will survive. I wonder how the members of my church will survive a weak job market, escalating prices, and so forth.

It has long been a comfort to me to realize that the good and godly of the Bible have also had their struggles with the unknown, with the darkness. Job certainly wrestled with this.

Job 19:7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

The Psalmist experienced it.

Psalms 88:6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

Jeremiah complained of it in his Lamentations.

Lamentations 3:2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

Our beloved apostle Paul also had his times when things did not make sense to him.

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

To be perplexed is to be bewildered, puzzled, or confused. If you are perplexed, things are unclear to you. In other words, you are in darkness.

So if you are struggling with darkness today, do not despair. Godly men, men of faith, have also had similar struggles. You are not alone in this struggle.

And here comes relief with the verse I have selected in Daniel 2. Although we do not know what is in the darkness - and that unknown can cause a lot of anxiety - God knows what is in the darkness. He understands what is going on and why. He calls upon us to trust His knowledge and understanding. Charles Spurgeon said it so well:

"Continue with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you. Any simpleton can follow the narrow path in the light: faith's rare wisdom enables us to march on in the dark with infallible accuracy, since she places her hand in that of her Great Guide."

How good God is to provide us with light in the midst of our darkness, in the midst of the unknowns and uncertainties of life. We who are converted have even now "the light of the glorious gospel of Christ" (2Corinthians 4:4). We know God in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. We have a personal relationship with the One Who knows what is in the darkness and Who has secured our everlasting good.

I close with this beautiful prospect. One of the descriptions given of the New Jerusalem, our eternal home, is this:

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

We are tending toward a home where agonizing unknowns and uncertainties will be no more. I decided to try this means to pass onto you a blessing I received from daily Bible reading. I submit these thoughts for your encouragement. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all together will my love in Christ Jesus.