Out of the Darkness

There was a time when every one of us lived in darkness. The apostle Paul said he once lived apart from law (Romans 7:9) which meant that he was innocent and sinless (Romans 5:13). The only time that Paul could have been innocent and sinless was when he was a child. All of us were innocent and sinless when we were children, but at some point, we grew mature enough to be responsible for our actions. At that point, sin became alive and we died (Romans 7:9). Before becoming a Christian, a person is dead in his or her transgressions (Colossians 2:13).

In Psalm 107:10 the psalmist gives a perfect description of the life of every person before he or she becomes a Christian. We all lived in darkness and the shadow of death. We were prisoners in misery and chains. Sometimes it feels like we still are. Life can sometimes be just that miserable. And, it was our own fault. In Psalm 107:11 we read that this condition is: Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Sometimes even Christians rebel against the words of God and spurn the counsel of the Most High. When that happens, we find ourselves right back in misery and chains.

Psalm 107:12 says there are consequences to our actions. The consequences of the actions of rebellion are suffering. As long as the rebellion continues, there is no way out. We may be able to find temporary solutions that make us feel better, but without submission to replace the rebellion, there is no real, lasting solution. We stumble and there is no one to help. The only effective solution is to cry out to the Lord. The New Testament is full of passages that tell us the details involved in crying out to the Lord. And when we do that, according to His conditions, He will save us from our distress (Psalm 107:13).

In bringing us out of our distress, God brings us out of darkness and the shadow of death and He breaks our bands apart (Psalm 107:14). Let us give thanks, indeed! I know that the comparison to be made here is really about our conversion, but this passage ought to give us strength and encouragement when we realize that our Father continues to do these things. What things? He still shatters the gates of bronze and cuts bars of iron asunder (Psalm 107:16). He is still that strong! There is nothing in creation that has, since the psalmist wrote this psalm, become strong enough to withstand my God! It is still true that if God is for us, no one can stand against us successfully (Romans 8:31). Nothing can separate us from the love of God; nothing, that is, except our own stubbornness. The psalmist said it: there is no remedy to our situation, to our sufferings and affliction, without God. Do not even try to solve it without God’s help. Submit yourself to Him, obey His will and just watch the chains fall away. He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

I Love the Lord

I know this seems like it should go without saying, but maybe that is one of our problems: we do not say it enough. Let me get one “preacherly” duty out of the way right here and remind everyone that Jesus defines love for Him as keeping His commandments (John 14:15).

There are countless reasons why we could (and should) say we love the Lord. First and foremost of which would be the fact that He loved us enough to send His only begotten Son to die on the cross for you and me (John 3:16). That is a pretty good reason to love Him. How about Jesus’ own promise to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)? Or, what about the promise to not let us endure more temptation than we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)?

All of these are wonderful reasons to love the Lord! I want to call your attention to Psalm 116. This is a psalm of pure thanksgiving, from an individual who seems to have just been delivered from some peril. There is much in Scripture to encourage us in times of peril. Here is an example that we should follow in thanking the Lord for all that encouragement.

In verse 1 the psalmist says he loves the Lord “…because He hears my voice and my supplications.” It is a simple reason to love the Lord, but a powerful one, as well. He hears our prayers. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live (Psalm 116:2). What beautiful simplicity!

Verses 3, 4 give us a glimpse of what the psalmist faced and also a plan of attack when we face danger or distress: The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!” The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, try calling on the Lord this way. You know why, don’t you? Because Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate. The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me (Psalm 116:5, 6). The Lord preserves the simple. I don’t know about you, but that statement gives me particular comfort.

I want you to read the rest of this psalm and make it your own prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for you. Maybe the cords of death have not ever encompassed you or the terrors of Sheol come upon you, but you have been scared, haven’t you? You have been worried. I know that because we all have been. And yet here we are! God has delivered us. All of us know people who have not survived some of the terrors of this world. However, before we accuse God of not delivering them, let us not be so hasty! Those who are living a faithful life at the time of their death have been delivered further than the rest of us. They are now safe in the bosom of Abraham (paradise). So, there is still reason to thank God.

The last thing the psalmist says in this psalm is “Hallelujah!” It means “Praise the Lord!” How appropriate! I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and delivers me from evil. Hallelujah!! Do you love the Lord? He loves you, and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Yet Will I Exult in the Lord

It has been the stated purpose of Barnabas Notes from the very beginning to offer encouragement to those who need it. There have been some issues in which I have tried to offer a bit of relief from some of the anxiety that afflicts us by replacing a tear with a smile. Today, I want to share some thoughts with you from a passage that strikes me as very difficult to smile about in a lighthearted way. This passage is very serious in nature and while it may bring a smile of relief to know that God is on the job and watching over us, it deals with a deeper emotion than laughing at the silly concerns we sometimes have.

In his book of prophecy, Habakkuk is confused and frustrated. He looks around at the society in which he lives and all he sees is injustice. He cries out to Jehovah, “Why?” Actually, he said, “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?” (1:2). Those are some pretty strong words. God answered him by telling the prophet that He was sending the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to punish Judah. This confused Habakkuk even more. Why would God send a people more evil than the Jews themselves to punish them? The Lord explained to the prophet that this was His judgment and the Chaldeans themselves would be punished, too. This is the story of Habakkuk in an extremely small (and probably oversimplified) nutshell. Habakkuk has been told that judgment is coming on his people and it will not be pleasant. Hard times are coming! I want you to consider the closing of this great prophecy.

Nothing that Habakkuk has heard so far has made this any easier to endure. He has heard an explanation for the coming judgment, but judgment is still coming! The prophet, however, is determined to do one thing: wait for the Lord. This is where I want us to find our encouragement. You know Habakkuk was troubled just by reading his statements in 3:16: I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us. He is scared to death! And yet he knows that this is God’s judgment; it is righteous judgment and he has nothing to complain about. What faith! No matter how bad things got (read verse 17) Habakkuk was going to trust in God (verses 18, 19).

Let me close by asking you this question: when was the last time you said to yourself, “No matter how bad things get, still will I exult in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet and makes me walk on my high places”? Yeah, I know, it’s been a while for me, too. I can only marvel at the faith of Habakkuk and try to have that kind of faith myself. I hope his example will have the same effect on you and that all of us will try very hard to look at the afflictions and worries that come into our lives with the same faith in Jehovah God that this great prophet had. God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Walking in the Flesh

In 2 Corinthians 10:3, the apostle Paul says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh…” Walking in the flesh is living in this life, and so we all walk in the flesh. As we all know, life includes difficult things, as well as positive and good things. It may help us to see some of the things that the apostle Paul suffered in this life and take note of just how he handled them; with what attitude he handled his problems.

There were those in the church in Corinth who criticized Paul. They did not think he was on a par with the other apostles. They were not very impressed with his speech. They thought he could write a powerful letter, but when face to face with them, he was afraid to speak so forcefully (2 Corinthians 10:1). In 2 Corinthians 11:22-29, Paul shows just how well he compares to his critics, and tells us some of the things he has suffered: Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? -- I speak as if insane -- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

Well, if it’s alright with everyone else, I’ll just put my petty little concerns back in their bag. I have not suffered like this. Have you? I do not know anyone who has gone through all of this and certainly not for the sake of Christ. And yet this is the same Paul who said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). How is that for encouragement?

Do you think it is possible to have that attitude when the one you love the most in this world gets sick and dies? Can you still say that the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared to the glory that it is to be revealed to us when your boss calls you into his office and tells you that he is sorry, what with Christmas just three weeks away, but he is going to have to let you go? Yes, you can!

No matter how bad things get here, there is coming a day when everything will be better; that is, for the faithful Christian. Take just a moment and consider some of the great heroes of faith that we find in Hebrews 11. Many men and women of God are mentioned by name and they are heroes indeed. However, there is a statement made in this chapter in reference to those who are not named that I want you to notice. These were the faithful who were tortured, mocked, scourged, put in chains and in prison; they were stoned, sawn in two, tempted and put to death. They were afflicted in the most horrible ways we can imagine. And the Holy Spirit says the world was not worthy of them (Hebrews 11:35-38)! They were viewed by the world as worthless. God looked on them with a breaking, sympathetic heart. And there is absolutely nothing whatsoever keeping you from being in that number, unless it is your lack of faith. If you will have faith in God (obeying all His commands) and submit your entire life to Him, nothing you will suffer in this life will overcome you.

That is how much God loves you; enough to provide a glory for you that is beyond comparison with the suffering you experience here. Even if you find no peace in this life and you are hounded and afflicted all the way to death itself, there is still a peace which surpasses all comprehension (Philippians 4:7). God bless you this week with that peace! May He watch over you and help you never to forget that He loves you as do I.

Donnie Bates