They Shall Share Alike

~But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike. I Samuel 30: 24

Dear Congregation,

      Here we have the words of David after a battle with the Amalekites. The situation is that of six hundred men who went with him to battle, two hundred could not make it all the way and stayed behind to guard the supplies. In natural human meritorial thinking, the soldiers who fought made the statement that the others left behind should not take part in the dividing of the spoils. David, as the verse above states, stops that selfish thinking on the spot.

          How characteristic of God’s grace this episode is. In other cultures, the soldiers would have gotten their way, but because David was a man after God’s own heart, favor was shown to those whose faithfulness was not necessarily the most visible. The Lord makes it very clear that He chose Israel not because of any characteristic that they had. In fact the Bible says they were one of the least of the nations and very stubborn. God displayed his love in covenant with them and desires faith not works. I like to think that David had all that in mind even in an event such as this. We need to keep this in mind when we consider how we view ministries as well. The attitude of the solders was of the Devil’s kingdom, not God’s.

          Another principle worthy of consideration here is that not everyone is called, equipped, or qualified to be a soldier. But soldiers need their supply chain and that work is just as vital to the larger victory as skill with a sword. Likewise in the church today, not everyone is called to be a preacher, evangelist, missionary, or teacher. Some are butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers and if that is their calling then they are completely in the will of God in their faithfulness. Some churches are placed on the front lines for works of mercy and evangelism in busy cosmopolitan centers. Some churches hold up the rear, defend the faith and see little activity. God looks at the heart and desires faithfulness. Mercy and not sacrifice. Do not be discouraged in your context or calling. Know that by God’s grace we all share alike, true Christians are the children of God by grace through faith in Christ and are good and faithful servants by looking to and trusting in Him alone. Do not judge by the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Rest in the Savior.

In Christ,

Pastor Basile

Watch For The Morning

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning—
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6

Dear Congregation,

      If you ever feel that God is distant and does not understand humanity or that the faith of the Old Testament was only one of ceremony and obedience. Then I hope you will take the time to reread the Psalms and meditate on the humanity that drips from so many of its verses. The inspired songs often display the human condition in the light of this fallen and sinful world. I remember when I first read them how struck I was with so many of their sentiments as if they were written directly to me. Their ongoing relevance is once again a testimony to their divine authorship and God’s perfect understanding of His creation.

          In Psalm 130 the struggle of the believer is on display. He understands God’s Word and God’s promises. In his understanding he longs for them to come to pass. There is both a comfort and a challenge in this passage. The challenge is for us to have this same kind of longing and hope in the Lord’s Word. In our business and our near sightedness we often long for things that are so trivial that we cannot remember them a year later. Perhaps a weekend event, perhaps a date, perhaps a vacation or a Christmas present. Is our greatest longing for the fulfillment of God’s promises? For His Gospel to be effective, for evil to be destroyed, for Salvation to come to the stranger and  the loved one? The Psalmist waits for the Lord’s deliverance more than the daily, more than the trivial. Night time is still intimidating today. We are often afraid to go out to certain areas or places when it is dark. In ancient times this was all the more intimidating. Imagine how dark the earth was at night. Only the moon and stars and a flickering oil lamp or candle for light. Very little could be done at night and an enemy seemingly had the advantage. In addition, without modern clocks it was harder to tell just how far away daylight was. There was longing for daylight and morning to a degree we cannot easily understand. Yet the longing for God’s working was greater.

          There remains great comfort in the truth that morning does come. We wait and hope and trust, but like the dawn, God always delivers according to His will. He is always faithful to His promises. If you are in darkness right now and are waiting and wondering if there will be a dawn, be assured that God’s deliverance is certain. Verses seven and eight talk about God’s abundant redemption and the certainty of it. If you are a Christian, you have that abundant redemption. You have an eternity in the heavens and your morning will come in the form of heaven as a certainty even if your earthly trial does not pass now. We look to the eternal morning for rest and peace. We look to God’s Word for direction, strength, and certainty. We hope, and are not disappointed, for Christ is the all sufficient savior who delivered us and has given us more than we know or deserve. If you wait on the Lord you will not be disappointed.

In Christ,

Pastor Basile

Almighty God

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?” Job 38: 31-32

Dear Congregation,

       I have said before that if I were to simplify the Book of Job into a single thought it would be that the Lord’s message for Job was “I am God and you are not”. The Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us eternal life and assurance of citizenship in heaven. By grace we are made sons and daughters of the Almighty and enjoy a fellowship with Him that is unparalleled. However, through the intimacy of the New Covenant, the teaching to Job remains still. He is God and we are not.

          In the above verses the Lord asks Job about his power over the stars and constellations. How marvelous a thought, that the stars remain almost as mysterious to us today as they were to Job. We may know what they are probably composed of, we think we know how far away some of them are, we have theories about their life cycle. But the truth is that the vastness of space is still beyond our scope and reality. The atheist echoes Carl Sagan and cries that we are the pale blue dot in the vastness of the cosmos. But then the Atheist values his limited life more than logic should allow. Humanity wonders what lies beyond the solar system and thousands of Science fiction books, shows, and movies have attempted to answer according to varied imaginations. God in His revelation to mankind is very brief when it comes to this great expanse, “He made the stars also”. We know they are there but they are not in our grasp or under our control. As with Job, so with us. We have no real knowledge or power in such a vast and mysterious space. But God does!

          God Created these stars and planets and nebula. God tells us they declare His glory. Who among us can consider the heavens and not feel small? Can you loose the bands of Orion, can you bind the Pleiades? Can you make the hair on your head change color? Can you add an inch to your height? Despite the technology God has allowed us to discover, He is still God and we still are not. However, His power is something that the believer relies on for peace and comfort. If he can bind and loose the stars in their courses, then He can get you through a medical struggle. He can deliver you from a wicked boss of coworker. He can give you the strength to endure loss. He can give you a peace that passes all understanding as your heart and mind is kept in Christ Jesus. If you know Him and live in Him and walk with Him, you have the greatest master, ally, and friend in existence. Do not live your life as if you are God. The weight of the cosmos is not on your shoulders. Give it over to Christ and delight in His Gospel. He can do all things, He has saved you, and He will deliver you. Delight in His will and rest in His eternal providential plan.

In Christ,

Pastor Basile