June 4 Daily Devotional

Spurious Godliness: A Meditation on Psalm 12

Psalm 12

1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Devotional

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Who Are Worthy of the Kingdom?

These are indeed days when the true children of God should seek their help from God alone. They should follow the Psalmist's example and flee to God in the extremity of their despair. There is no discouragement in God's embrace, for He tenderly succors those who flee to Him.

There were 'Christians in Thessalonica who found themselves in a similar corrupt state of affairs, yet their faith grew exceedingly and their charity abounded toward one another. The Apostle Paul gloried in them for their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations which they endured.

Are we worthy of the Kingdom of God? We may think we are worthy of much from God, but we shall not be reckoned worthy of anything unless it be counted a joy to suffer for Jesus' sake (II Thess. 1:3-5). Oh, for a faith that .will count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord! Such a faith was manifest among Christians in New Testament times, but how rare it is today.

Even the godly act as though God had forgotten to be gracious and as though He remembered not any more His promises. What a wrong view they have of the God of Salvation! The truth is that even though there remain but one good man alive in the world, yet will God preserve him by His grace and protection. He will defend His own people, even though they be few, against the malice and machinations of the whole world. God knows the wheat from the chaff and He is pledged to preserve them continually. The truly pious should be confident of this one thing: That He which hath begun a good work in them will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Men generally will not blaspheme by saying that God's promises are untrue, but how many will still praise God for His words when the billows of adversity roll over them? In the shade and quiet of the day they liberally and vociferously sing God's praises, but when there comes a serious struggle, they turn from His promises, which is the same as charging Him with being a breaker of His word.

Why should God make promises? Is it because He is rash as unstable men are, or is it His purpose to beguile us? What deceitful and wicked hearts we have, that God should even have to assure us that He is not deceitful ; that He does not speak empty words; and that He does not boast of power and goodness which He does not possess! Is it possible that men should think of Him as One who offers in word that which He will not perform in very deed?

What Shall the Righteous Do?

What shall the righteous do in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation? Shall they conform themselves to the ways of the world that is in the grasp of Satan? Or shall they ever abide by godly principles? To ask is to answer. The righteous do righteously. In their conversion they have been turned from darkness to light. As children of the light what communion can they have with the deceitful works of darkness? "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." These are strong words, but is there one who walks not uprightly according to God's Word, and thinks that these words do not apply to him? Then his wickedness is greater still, for he has made God,to be a liar. If we are among God's elect, then our conversation should be according to fidelity and strict honor, and never in our relationships to one another should we tolerate what is wrong. Neither, when others howl like wolves, should we howl with them.

As we have received mercy, let us "renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully ; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God,"