David's Delight
“Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:1-11).
Introduction
This is a psalm of delight. We find no trials or tribulations in this song. David is simply delighting, first of all, in the Lord. “O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee” (:2). In other words, he is saying, "I have no good thing apart from God, You are everything I need." “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:25).
God’s people
Then David delights in the Lord's people. “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight” (:3). This could be a missing element in the majority of churches and one of the reasons for bitterness and strife. "To live above with saints we love will certainly be glory. To live below with saints we know, that's another story" (Anon). “Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me” (Psalm 101:6) ... “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Psalm 119:63). The apostle John informs us that we cannot truly claim to love and worship God if we hate our fellow believers, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments” (1 John 5:1-2).
When we delight in the Lord, and then we will start delighting in His people. John Wesley wrote, “
Though we cannot enrich God, yet we must bestow God's gifts for the use of his children.” We cannot delight in God’s people if we do not fellowship with them. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
God’s provision
David also delights in God's provision. “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (:5-6). God gave us our portion the moment we came to Christ for salvation. “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) … “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:1-5).
God, in His providence, knows where to draw the line. We find an illustration of what David means here when we read of how the Lord gave each tribe of Israel an allotted place in the Promised Land. “He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents” (Psalm 78:55). Problems arise when people do not know where His boundaries are. They want to keep moving the line of what is acceptable in the Christian life. How can we expect to be blessed by God if we refuse to follow His rule?
God’s pleasures
David also finds delight in God's pleasures. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (:11). If we want life and joy then we should follow David’s secret, that is, walk daily on God's path, live in His presence and live for His pleasures. “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures” (Psalm 36:7-8) ... “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures” (Job 36:11). "
Our pleasures here are transient and momentary; but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. For they are the pleasures of immortal souls, in the enjoyment of an eternal God" (John Wesley). “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:6).
Conclusion
You have much to delight in. We can delight in God's people, God’s providence and God’s pleasures. If we delight in the things of God then we will find that we delight in God Himself. “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:26).
http://www.believingstudy.com/articles/55/1/David039s-Delight/Page1.html
U.S. To Help Rebuild City Of Babylon In Iraq
By Joel C. Rosenberg
Largely overlooked by the Western news media over the past few weeks was an enormously significant story. The government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to protect the archaeological remains of the ancient City of Babylon, in preparation for building a modern city of Babylon. The project, originally started by the late Saddam Hussein, is aimed eventually at attracting scores of "cultural tourists" from all over the world to see the glories of Mesopotamia's most famous city. What's more, the Obama Administration is contributing $700,000 towards "The Future of Babylon Project," through the State Department's budget.
"Officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy," reports the Reuters news agency. "'The Future of Babylon' project launched last month seeks to 'map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation, study and tourism,' the WMF says. 'We don't know how long it will take to reopen to tourists,' said Mariam Omran Musa, head of a government inspection team based at the site. 'It depends on funds. I hope that Babylon can be reborn in a better image.'"
In my non-fiction book, Epicenter 2.0, I wrote about the Bible prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation that indicate the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq will, in fact, be rebuilt in the "last days" of history and become the wealthiest and most powerful city on the face of the planet. I also cited my interview with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi who told me in 2006 at the peak of the insurgency,
"Cultural, religious, archaeological, and biblical tourism is a big opportunity for Iraq. I think rebuilding Babylon is a wonderful idea, as long as it is not done at the expense of the antiquities themselves."
For many, I know the rebuilding of Babylon seemed like a far-fetched idea in the Bible. For many more, it seemed like a far-fetched idea in 2006, as well. But skeptics and cynics take note: now that the insurgency is dying down, the Shia-led government of Iraq is actually moving forward with this historic and prophetic project. They say Babylon will be "reborn." And they're right. It will be. Stay tuned.
http://www.worldviewtimes.com/article.php/articleid-4613/Brannon-Howse/Joel-Rosenberg
Pastor awaits prison for saying 'Jesus loves you'Court convicts man for peaceful protest outside abortion clinic
For holding up a poster that reads, "Jesus loves you and your baby. Let us help you," outside an Oakland abortion clinic, a pastor in California now awaits a judge's sentencing that could send him to prison for harassment.
In May of 2008, Rev. Walter B. Hoye II of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley, Calif., filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, arguing that an Oakland city ordinance banning counselors or protesters from approaching within eight feet of people entering an abortion clinic is a violation of constitutional free speech rights.
Twelve days later, Hoye was arrested for allegedly violating the law he was seeking to overturn.
Hoye was charged with "unlawful approach" and "harassment."
In court, however, evidence showed that as Hoye stood outside the clinic with his "Jesus loves you" poster, rather than approaching or harassing women seeking to enter the facility, Hoye was hounded by clinic employees in orange jackets called "escorts." The escorts followed Hoye's quiet march along the sidewalk with large blank cards to block the view of his "Jesus loves you" poster.
Court proceedings further discredited clinic employee testimony when hidden camera footage showed their accusations to be highly suspect. The escorts in the case even admitted that Hoye neither threatened nor physically intimidated them.
Dana Cody, executive director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a non-profit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to the sanctity of human life, told WND that the video tape evidence should have clearly exonerated Hoye of the charges against him.
"I sat in the courtroom when the videotape was shown," Cody told WND. "And pastor Hoye wasn't blocking; he was being blocked. He wasn't harassing, he was being harassed."
Nonetheless, Hoye was found guilty and on Thursday could be sentenced with up to 2 years in prison and a $4,000 fine.
"This is a miscarriage of justice and we will appeal this verdict," said Allison Aranda, an LLDF staff attorney who is representing Hoye. "After speaking with several jurors after the verdict was read, it is clear that the court's failure and outright refusal to instruct the jury regarding the key elements of the crime led to the erroneous conviction of Rev. Hoye."
Witnesses in the trial claimed Hoy harassed and threatened patients, the escorts and even the clinic director.
According to an LLDF statement, clinic director Jackie Barbic testified that she saw Hoye hounding patients and went out to the street to confront him. With a tape measure, Barbic claimed, she demonstrated the distance of the 8-foot barrier, only be physically intimidated by Hoye until she was compelled to defend herself, shouting, "Stay away from me! Back down! Back away!"
Unbeknownst to witnesses and the district attorney, however, an associate of Rev. Hoye had been videotaping him from across the street on both the days on which the pastor was accused of violating the law.
Cody told WND that the video is an accurate representation of Hoye's demeanor, and that while some abortion protesters may scream and threaten, Hoye is not a man to use intimidation or "harassment."
"I have never met a man whose character and demeanor is so perfect for him to stand out in front of these clinics," Cody said. "He is the consummate gentleman. He's not intimidating at all. In fact, on the record there's witness testimony that part of the reason they're afraid of him is that he is so 'nice.'
"The man, he will tell you, 'I am an ambassador for Christ,'" Cody said.
On cross-examination, the court watched the video of two confrontations between Barbic and Hoye on the days in question. According to the LLDF, the video includes the tape measure and Barbic approaching Hoye. The video also showed, however, that the pastor calmly walked away from Barbic and showed no evidence of her fending him off and screaming.
Barbic then testified that the surprise videos must have been taken earlier in the day and that the intimidating confrontation happened later. Hoye's attorneys dismiss the testimony as bogus.
The jury nonetheless convicted Hoye of "unlawful approach."
"We think his conviction," Cody told WND, "was a failure of the judge to give instructions to the jury on what 'approach' meant."
The LLDF now intends to appeal Hoye's case as well as resume his original lawsuit – put on hold during Hoye's trial – within the next few months.
Cody told WND that Hoye filed the original lawsuit because the wording of city's ordinance prohibits even street counseling, a law that goes beyond protecting people from harassment to the point of censoring free speech.
"We live in America," Cody said. "The fact that this can happen because someone has the audacity to stand out on the street and try to help women is just unbelievable to me."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=89096
Introduction
This is a psalm of delight. We find no trials or tribulations in this song. David is simply delighting, first of all, in the Lord. “O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee” (:2). In other words, he is saying, "I have no good thing apart from God, You are everything I need." “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:25).
God’s people
Then David delights in the Lord's people. “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight” (:3). This could be a missing element in the majority of churches and one of the reasons for bitterness and strife. "To live above with saints we love will certainly be glory. To live below with saints we know, that's another story" (Anon). “Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me” (Psalm 101:6) ... “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Psalm 119:63). The apostle John informs us that we cannot truly claim to love and worship God if we hate our fellow believers, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments” (1 John 5:1-2).
When we delight in the Lord, and then we will start delighting in His people. John Wesley wrote, “
Though we cannot enrich God, yet we must bestow God's gifts for the use of his children.” We cannot delight in God’s people if we do not fellowship with them. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
God’s provision
David also delights in God's provision. “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (:5-6). God gave us our portion the moment we came to Christ for salvation. “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) … “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:1-5).
God, in His providence, knows where to draw the line. We find an illustration of what David means here when we read of how the Lord gave each tribe of Israel an allotted place in the Promised Land. “He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents” (Psalm 78:55). Problems arise when people do not know where His boundaries are. They want to keep moving the line of what is acceptable in the Christian life. How can we expect to be blessed by God if we refuse to follow His rule?
God’s pleasures
David also finds delight in God's pleasures. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (:11). If we want life and joy then we should follow David’s secret, that is, walk daily on God's path, live in His presence and live for His pleasures. “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures” (Psalm 36:7-8) ... “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures” (Job 36:11). "
Our pleasures here are transient and momentary; but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. For they are the pleasures of immortal souls, in the enjoyment of an eternal God" (John Wesley). “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:6).
Conclusion
You have much to delight in. We can delight in God's people, God’s providence and God’s pleasures. If we delight in the things of God then we will find that we delight in God Himself. “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:26).
http://www.believingstudy.com/articles/55/1/David039s-Delight/Page1.html
U.S. To Help Rebuild City Of Babylon In Iraq
By Joel C. Rosenberg
Largely overlooked by the Western news media over the past few weeks was an enormously significant story. The government of Iraq is moving forward with plans to protect the archaeological remains of the ancient City of Babylon, in preparation for building a modern city of Babylon. The project, originally started by the late Saddam Hussein, is aimed eventually at attracting scores of "cultural tourists" from all over the world to see the glories of Mesopotamia's most famous city. What's more, the Obama Administration is contributing $700,000 towards "The Future of Babylon Project," through the State Department's budget.
"Officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy," reports the Reuters news agency. "'The Future of Babylon' project launched last month seeks to 'map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation, study and tourism,' the WMF says. 'We don't know how long it will take to reopen to tourists,' said Mariam Omran Musa, head of a government inspection team based at the site. 'It depends on funds. I hope that Babylon can be reborn in a better image.'"
In my non-fiction book, Epicenter 2.0, I wrote about the Bible prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation that indicate the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq will, in fact, be rebuilt in the "last days" of history and become the wealthiest and most powerful city on the face of the planet. I also cited my interview with Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi who told me in 2006 at the peak of the insurgency,
"Cultural, religious, archaeological, and biblical tourism is a big opportunity for Iraq. I think rebuilding Babylon is a wonderful idea, as long as it is not done at the expense of the antiquities themselves."
For many, I know the rebuilding of Babylon seemed like a far-fetched idea in the Bible. For many more, it seemed like a far-fetched idea in 2006, as well. But skeptics and cynics take note: now that the insurgency is dying down, the Shia-led government of Iraq is actually moving forward with this historic and prophetic project. They say Babylon will be "reborn." And they're right. It will be. Stay tuned.
http://www.worldviewtimes.com/article.php/articleid-4613/Brannon-Howse/Joel-Rosenberg
Pastor awaits prison for saying 'Jesus loves you'Court convicts man for peaceful protest outside abortion clinic
For holding up a poster that reads, "Jesus loves you and your baby. Let us help you," outside an Oakland abortion clinic, a pastor in California now awaits a judge's sentencing that could send him to prison for harassment.
In May of 2008, Rev. Walter B. Hoye II of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley, Calif., filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, arguing that an Oakland city ordinance banning counselors or protesters from approaching within eight feet of people entering an abortion clinic is a violation of constitutional free speech rights.
Twelve days later, Hoye was arrested for allegedly violating the law he was seeking to overturn.
Hoye was charged with "unlawful approach" and "harassment."
In court, however, evidence showed that as Hoye stood outside the clinic with his "Jesus loves you" poster, rather than approaching or harassing women seeking to enter the facility, Hoye was hounded by clinic employees in orange jackets called "escorts." The escorts followed Hoye's quiet march along the sidewalk with large blank cards to block the view of his "Jesus loves you" poster.
Court proceedings further discredited clinic employee testimony when hidden camera footage showed their accusations to be highly suspect. The escorts in the case even admitted that Hoye neither threatened nor physically intimidated them.
Dana Cody, executive director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a non-profit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to the sanctity of human life, told WND that the video tape evidence should have clearly exonerated Hoye of the charges against him.
"I sat in the courtroom when the videotape was shown," Cody told WND. "And pastor Hoye wasn't blocking; he was being blocked. He wasn't harassing, he was being harassed."
Nonetheless, Hoye was found guilty and on Thursday could be sentenced with up to 2 years in prison and a $4,000 fine.
"This is a miscarriage of justice and we will appeal this verdict," said Allison Aranda, an LLDF staff attorney who is representing Hoye. "After speaking with several jurors after the verdict was read, it is clear that the court's failure and outright refusal to instruct the jury regarding the key elements of the crime led to the erroneous conviction of Rev. Hoye."
Witnesses in the trial claimed Hoy harassed and threatened patients, the escorts and even the clinic director.
According to an LLDF statement, clinic director Jackie Barbic testified that she saw Hoye hounding patients and went out to the street to confront him. With a tape measure, Barbic claimed, she demonstrated the distance of the 8-foot barrier, only be physically intimidated by Hoye until she was compelled to defend herself, shouting, "Stay away from me! Back down! Back away!"
Unbeknownst to witnesses and the district attorney, however, an associate of Rev. Hoye had been videotaping him from across the street on both the days on which the pastor was accused of violating the law.
Cody told WND that the video is an accurate representation of Hoye's demeanor, and that while some abortion protesters may scream and threaten, Hoye is not a man to use intimidation or "harassment."
"I have never met a man whose character and demeanor is so perfect for him to stand out in front of these clinics," Cody said. "He is the consummate gentleman. He's not intimidating at all. In fact, on the record there's witness testimony that part of the reason they're afraid of him is that he is so 'nice.'
"The man, he will tell you, 'I am an ambassador for Christ,'" Cody said.
On cross-examination, the court watched the video of two confrontations between Barbic and Hoye on the days in question. According to the LLDF, the video includes the tape measure and Barbic approaching Hoye. The video also showed, however, that the pastor calmly walked away from Barbic and showed no evidence of her fending him off and screaming.
Barbic then testified that the surprise videos must have been taken earlier in the day and that the intimidating confrontation happened later. Hoye's attorneys dismiss the testimony as bogus.
The jury nonetheless convicted Hoye of "unlawful approach."
"We think his conviction," Cody told WND, "was a failure of the judge to give instructions to the jury on what 'approach' meant."
The LLDF now intends to appeal Hoye's case as well as resume his original lawsuit – put on hold during Hoye's trial – within the next few months.
Cody told WND that Hoye filed the original lawsuit because the wording of city's ordinance prohibits even street counseling, a law that goes beyond protecting people from harassment to the point of censoring free speech.
"We live in America," Cody said. "The fact that this can happen because someone has the audacity to stand out on the street and try to help women is just unbelievable to me."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=89096
U.S. Protestants more loyal to toothpaste brand than church?
Some Americans are more loyal to their toothpaste or toilet paper than to their religious denomination, making those consumers more choosy about Charmin or Colgate than they are about church, according to a new survey.
According to a Phoenix-based research firm, 16% of Protestants say they would consider only one denomination, while 22% of them would use only one brand of toothpaste and 19% would use just one brand of bathroom tissue.
Experts say the findings may be more telling about Americans' views of the plethora of Protestant groups than how they choose between Quilted Northern and, say, Cottonelle.
"When you have a whole bunch of different brands out there and not a lot of differentiation among some of them — and not a lot of knowledge about them — the denominational world is facing the same problem as many other brands," said Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, which conducted the survey.
Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, said at first blush the findings may indicate that "the United States worships at the church of consumption," but thinks there's more to the numbers than that.
"When you actually think about it for more than 10 seconds, none of this is all that surprising and I don't think it's actually bad," Thompson said.
He said the statistics demonstrate that some of the age-old rivalries between Protestant denominations have simply dissolved.
"Those distinctions, which seemed so important as the various Protestant churches were identifying and evolving ... are really not that important to the average churchgoer in the United States," Thompson said.
He pointed to himself as Exhibit A: "I myself ... a Protestant, have been a member of three different denominations in my life."
The Ellison findings seem to echo a large national survey conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which found that
44% of Americans have switched from one faith, or one denomination, to another.
Ellison detected a profound difference between Protestants and Catholics on the question of denominational loyalty: 60% of active Catholics said they would only consider attending a Roman Catholic congregation.
"It's not like there are 75 different Catholic denominations, where (if) they don't like the Southern Catholic Convention, they can go to the Progressive Catholic Convention," said Sellers, whose findings were based on a nationally representative online panel of 1,007 U.S. adults, including 471 respondents who attended a Christian congregation one or more times a month.
Nancy Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University School of Theology, said the survey reflects changes in how people choose congregations.
"It has become unfashionable to claim to be denominationally loyal," she said. "It has become ... kind of the way people expect to talk about their religiosity, to say that they wouldn't put denomination above some other important criteria."
What are those other criteria? Ammerman suggested worshippers put far greater emphasis on how closely preachers stick to the Bible, or how inspiring their sermons tend to be, than the name on the sign on the church's front lawn.
In addition, she said, the lack of clarity between denominations — does the average layperson really know the difference between the Church of God and the Church of Christ? — makes labels less meaningful.
"You can have very, very theologically conservative Presbyterian churches and very, very liberal Presbyterian churches, so people have sort of also gotten into their heads that the label on the door doesn't tell them what they need to know," she said.
Still, denominations do have some competitive advantage. The 16% figure for denominational loyalty was higher than consumers' loyalty to a particular brand of athletic shoe, department store, major appliance, light bulb and numerous other products, according to the study.
And even as some Americans move from one town to another, or meet potential partners from different backgrounds, Ammerman said there are some limits to denominational shifting.
"You don't get a lot of Pentecostals becoming Episcopalians," she said.
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