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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016.
From the Minister's Study
Versteeg digs deeper into Psalm 11's message
By Pastor Andrew Versteeg
Brussels Community Bible
Chapel
This past Sunday we heard a
sermon at our church from Psalm 11.
It was not my sermon but it led me to
do some thinking about the message
of the Psalm.
The Psalm is written by King
David while he was under threat for
his life. We are not sure exactly
when this threat occurred, but we
know that this was a regular
occurrence for David because he had
taken a stand for the Lord. This will
be true for us as well. We may not be
under threat for our lives yet, but we
will face trials and difficulties if, for
the Lord Jesus, we speak Biblical
truth and stand for righteousness and
justice. Second Timothy 3:12 says:
"all who desire to live godly in
Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
In the face of this threat David
begins this Psalm with a bold
statement: "in the Lord I take
refuge." It is kind of like an answer
or a rebuke to those around him who
were suggesting to him that he do
something to escape this danger.
They were suggesting to David that
in light of these threats he should
"flee like a bird to the mountains." In
other words go somewhere safe
where you can distance yourself
from the threat and live in safety. It
would have been a denial of David's
faith in God to do this. God had
made David king. God had given
David authority and the promise to
be with him and fight David's battles
for him. So David said "no", `I will
take refuge in the Lord; I will not
flee, I will trust the Lord and not be
afraid."
What is at stake in this Psalm is
David's faith in God. The question is
will David trust the Lord or will he
take matters into his own hands?
Will he stay put and keep on
speaking for the Lord, and keep on
administering righteousness and
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justice, or will he quietly slip out of
town and find a safe and peaceful
place to live in the mountains? I
believe that this is the question that
is facing the Christian church today
in Canada, and us individually as
Christians.
We are seeing laws and rules and
attitudes around us that are changing
in regards to what God has outlined
for us in His Word concerning
righteousness and justice. We feel
ourselves being marginalized and
even subtly threatened to change or
be quiet about these things. Then we
have to contend with the voices in
the back of our own heads that are
whispering to us that maybe we
should just 'flee' to a safe place. The
temptation is there just to tone it
down, just to retreat and maybe not
say anything. Worse yet would be to
change our position on the authority
and finality of God's word so that we
might not be seen as confronting.
In this Psalm David rebukes that
temptation. He says, `I have taken
refuge in the Lord, how then can you
tell me to flee?' David knew
something about God that anchored
him in faith. David explains this in
the second part of the Psalm (:4-7).
David understood that the Lord God
who had made Himself known to
David, is sovereign and holy. To be
sovereign means that you have the
authority and power to oversee all
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things and David knew that God
would be with him no matter what
the enemy threatened to do. God is
also holy and He is righteous and He
loves those who practice and stand
for righteousness (:7). Those who
practice unrighteousness will
experience God's anger and
judgment.
David had understood that the safe
place was not in the mountains but in
the will of the Lord. There he was
assured that God would be with him,
and that God would be watching
over him. David knew that by
trusting the Lord that one day he
would stand in the presence of God
and see His face (:7). This is true for
us as well. Let us pray that the Lord
would give us the same faith and
resolve to stand for Him and be
faithful to Him in our day. It may
cost us now but in the end the reward
will be great.
You re .,9nrited 7c join 'ils yfl Wolsilip
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Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
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Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
Fauaaeld eoHurc2lacitv 'i&e
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You're 'invited
to come worsh p
with us
Sunday, June 19
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and
preschoolers during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
MELVILLE
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BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, JUNE 19
We invite you to join our church family in:
Worship & Sunday School - 10 am
Coffee & Snacks - 11 am
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
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Nursery care available
519-887-9017
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OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
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17 Flora Street
Wingham:
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Sunday
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Listowel:
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Sunday
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Est. 1875
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Sunday, June 19th
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