It’s been more time than I realized since I last published a post on miningthesacredpage! The Lord has called my wife Carol and I to start a church in Gonzales CA! We have been having weekly services here for about a year and a half now! For the last three years we have been on an extreme learning curve! I would like to “revive” mining the sacred page with some short teaching blogs. In the meantime, if you would like more information on Cypress Church Gonzales, you can visit our website at: cypresschurchgonzales.org. Our statement of faith and all of our Sunday sermons are available there for you to listen to.

Grace and peace,

Mark Da Vee

In this Psalm David uses some very interesting anthropomorphic language. How can God’s eyelids test the sons of men?

We, by faith, believe that God beholds everything we do. The Bible clearly teaches that God is omniscient. But there are times when we really don’t have a sense of God’s presence; when it doesn’t really seem like God is watching what we’re doing.

We see a person’s eyelids when their eyes are closed. I think David is saying in this Psalm that when we feel that God has His eyes closed, when it seems like He is not watching; when we don’t sense His presence; when it seems like our situation is going out of control, that is when we are tested.

John Eldridge in his book, “Wild at Heart” makes the point that God is a God who “loves to come through” (pg. 32). He has created a world in which His people must live by faith. There are many examples in Scripture of God coming through when it seemed like everything was lost. When the Israelites were backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army in pursuit, God came through (Ex. 14). When Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace rather than bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, God came through (Dan. 3). When the disciples were crossing the Sea of Gallilee with Jesus asleep on the cushion and a violent storm arose, God came through (Mark 4:35-41). And the ultimate example of God coming through was when Jesus’ disciples thought all was lost. Their Messiah who they thought would  establish His earthly kingdom and throw off the yoke of Roman rule was instead arrested and crucified. God came through by raising Him from the dead!

What should we do when we are tested?

One answer can be found in one of my favorite Psalms, 18:1

To You O Lord I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit.

Can you hear the desperation in David’s voice? He is expressing to God that without Him, he is as helpless as a man going down to the grave. David needed to hear God’s voice. He needed to know that God was aware of his situation and had not forgotten him. He needed to experience God’s deliverance.

the Bible has much to say about hearing from God. Jesus would often say, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”. How does God speak to us? Most often through Scripture, through people, and through His Spirit. God does allow us to get in desperate situations sometimes. But it is only so that our faith can be tested, refined, and enlarged. And so that we can learn that He is a God

who always comes through!

How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear you,

and accomplished in the sight of everyone for those who take refuge in You.

Ps. 31:19 HCSB (Davidic Psalm)

The Lord Jesus promised His disciples that they would be like a lighted candle put on display for everyone to see (Matt. 5:15-16). He desires to be glorified in our lives often through the difficulties we face in life. It can seem at times like we are on display–our weaknesses showing–to those around us. Yet it is precisely during these times that God wants to be glorified in our lives “in the sight of everyone”. God knows our “failing point”; that point when our faith begins to fail and we sink into self-pity and depression or give in to temptation. But it is at this point that God extends His grace to us if we will receive it. John the Baptist reached this point when he was thrown into prison. He sent messengers to Jesus to ask Him if He really was the Messiah, or should they look for someone else (Matt. 11:1-15). Peter reached his failing point when he began to sink after walking on water towards Jesus (Matt. 14:22-23). And another time when he denied that he knew the Lord three times (Matt. 26:69-75). Yet what was the Lord’s response in these instances? Jesus turned and praised John to the crowd rather than rebuke him for his doubt. Jesus reached out and caught Peter as he was sinking. And Jesus prayed for Peter knowing that he would deny Him, and restored Peter afterwards (Luke 22:31-32).

Proverbs 3:34b states, “…He gives grace to the afflicted” (NASB).

He knows what we are going through. He knows our failing point. He gives grace to the afflicted. It’s when we reach that failing point and need help outside of ourselves that God is most ready to answer our cry for help and be glorified in our lives for all to see. There is nowhere we can fall that He cannot catch us!

Lord, when we fail, help us to see Your grace towards us. There is no one like You, Lord! No god ever invented in the mind of man comes anywhere near Your goodness! May You reign in our hearts forever! Amen.