Happiness

“Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust” (Psalm 40:4).

David is saying, “Oh, the happiness of the man who makes the Lord Jesus his refuge and trust.” Oh, the happiness of the man who can say with Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”; who can say with Peter, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”; who can say with John, “We know that we have passed from death to life”.

That man may be as poor as Lazarus, as tried as Job, as lonely as Elijah, as persecuted as Paul, and as sick as Epaphroditus; but, if God is his trust, none of these outward afflictions can keep him from being happy. “Happy is the man to whom God will not charge sin.”

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1987)

SATISFIED SOON

One day soon, whether willingly or unwillingly, whether through physical death or the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are all going to leave this world. At that time every mere earthly relationship and association will be severed and lost to us forever. Will this be the end of all your treasures and pleasures, joys and dreams? Dear soul, it will be unless you are NOW dying to this world and this world is NOW dying to you, and you are living on Christ and him crucified (Gal. 6:14).

To true believers, leaving this present, evil world is not looked upon as loss, but as a great, a precious, and an eternal gain (Phil. 1:21). It is that “deliverance” which they have longed for (Rom. 7:24). It will be the first time since they have known the Lord Jesus Christ, that One who washed them from their sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5; 5:9), that they will be able to do that which they “would” (Rom. 7:15-25; Gal. 5:17), that which they desire. They shall see Him, and know Him, and love Him, and worship Him perfectly; that is, without sin. Now they shall dwell in that “better country,” that “heavenly country” (Heb. 11:8-16). Now their faith is swallowed up in glorious sight. Now they see Him as He is, and are made like Him (I John 3:1, 2). Now they are “satisfied.” (Psalm 17:15). All of God! All of grace! All in and by and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Maurice Montgomery

All men will one day be compelled to confess, “The LORD is righteous” (Exodus 9:27). He always takes to Himself and gives to His creatures that which is right. God is gracious to some. But He is righteous to all. He takes all glory to Himself because He deserves it. He sends the wicked and unbelieving to hell because they deserve eternal wrath. And God rewards the believing, the righteous, with everlasting life in heaven because He has made us righteous in Christ. And justice demands that righteousness be rewarded with life. Pastor Don Fortner

GOD'S PEOPLE ARE BLESSED ABOVE ALL PEOPLE

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance (Psalm 89:15).

This Psalm declares in such a plain and powerful way all the covenant promises made with the Lord Jesus Christ that are eternal and certain (Psa. 89:3, 28, 34 37). Many commentators of scripture have called this Psalm, "The glorious covenant Psalm" and truly it is. We read about covenant mercies, covenant faithfulness of the Surety, the covenant God Who rules over all and the promise to the covenant seed being established forever in Christ Jesus (Psa. 89:4, 29, 36). He is a covenant God, therefore His covenant people must be blessed (Eph. 1:3). God gives us this glorious description of His people in verses 15, 16, 17, 18 of this Psalm.

1). They know the joyful sound of the gospel (ver. 15). The sheep of Christ know the effectual voice of the Great Shepherd and they delight to follow Him (John 10:27-30). It is the sound of victory over sin through His blood. It is the sound of love, peace and pardon in and through Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:6).

2). They shall walk in the light of His countenance (ver. 15). Their darkened heart has been illuminated through the preaching of the gospel and the quickening of the Holy Spirit to see the beauty, glory and necessity of their great Redeemer and King (2 Cor. 4:6). Christ is our Light (John 9:5).

3). They shall rejoice in His name all the day (ver. 16). Believers have every reason to rejoice in Christ alone and have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). They have been redeemed, justified and exalted in His name (Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:6-7).

4).They shall be exalted in His righteousness (ver. 16). The perfect righteousness that Jesus Christ worked out for His elect has been freely, eternally and fully imputed to them that believe (Rom. 4:6). Christ Jesus is the Lord our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5; Phil. 3:7-9).

5). The Lord Jesus Christ is our glory and strength (ver. 17). Without Him we can do nothing and know nothing (Jn. 15:5). Any spiritual strength or spiritual knowledge that we enjoy and experience must be because of His grace worked within us (Phil. 1:6; 4:13).