The Word of the Lord Is Tried

Dear Weekly Readers!   

God’s Peace and Blessed New Year to you and yours!   

Please find the below from Pastor Wayne!   

THE WORD OF THE LORD IS TRIED

" As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him" (Psa. 18:30).

I am writing this devotional on the day after Christmas.  It is known as St. Stephen's Day, or Martyr's Day.  No sooner have we celebrated the birth of our Lord with all that it means for us, when we are suddenly shocked by this text from Acts 7 where Stephen empowered by the Holy Spirit, declares his powerful testimony of the Lord that ended his life as the first martyr in the Church.

Why this sudden shift from great  joy to such deep suffering, sorrow, and sadness?  We find the answer in Psalm 18:30.  I have on my desk a small, booklet calendar that has a special biblical passage for each day of  the year.  The above verse in the text for today.  Some while ago when meditating on this text, upon read the line in that verse, that  " the word of the Lord is tried", I made a notation in the margin of the Bible--"how else can we know it s purity and power."

Whatever the test or fiery trial we may be going through, it is a test of God's Word, as well.  Perhaps many of you who are experiencing persecution, suffering, possibly death because of your faith in Christ, this is also a trying of God's Word.  I mean, by this, that your trust in God and His unfailing Word is a trying of God's promises in your own mind and life.  How else can we know the purity and power of God's pure and holy Word that can and will sustain us in the trials and tribulations of life, except we go through such times.

God is a "buckler" or "shield" to all those who trust in Him.  When seas are calm, when the road is smooth, when life is peaceful, there is no test to try our faith.  Our confidence is God is unshaken.  But when trial, stress, trouble, hatred, persecution, suffering and death engulf us, it is a time when our confidence in God's Word is being purified in the fire.

God's promises are as sure and steadfast as is God, Himself!  Stephen's testimony for the Lord did not come from some inner strength he possessed.  He was empowered by the Holy Spirit!  When we are weak, then we are strong (2 Cor. 12:10) because our strength is in the Lord.  Jesus had counseled his disciples:  And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: ¹² For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say" (Lk. 12:11, 12).

Stephen's testimony closed with that prayer of grace, that God will not hold this sin against those who were stoning him (Acts 7:60).  God's tried Word did not fail for that prayer was answered with the conversion of Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul.

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, fix your faith in Christ!  He will not  fail you.  Difficult times are coming.  God will use these times to prove his way is perfect and he will be your shield and strength.  Whatever the New Year brings, be assured the Lord Jesus who changes not, who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8) is your Helper, your Strength, your Protector, your precious Savior and Lord.  God's will is the only will that matters!

Pastor Wayne Juntunen