Volume 1, Issue 1

"Preparing Servants for the Nations"

The Eastern Gate is the online teaching newsletter of Christian Challenge International in Pineville, Louisiana. It is produced free of charge as a blessing to the body of Christ. Permission is granted to reproduce any article as long as the following disclaimer is included: "Copied from The Eastern Gate, ©2002 ChristianChallenge.org - used by permission."

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A Maskil on Guidance

Rev. Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
Senior Pastor
Christian Challenge

In Psalm 32:8, the Lord says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” This Psalm is what the ancients called a maskil, or a Psalm of enlightenment. God wants His people to contemplate deeply on His work in our lives.

In Psalm 32, we find ourselves moving from the joy of having our sins forgiven, to the promise of divine guidance. Paul quotes from this Psalm in Romans 4; "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." (Romans 4:7,8)

But we are not to stop at forgiveness. When forgiveness is in place, the Lord then charges us to a walk of righteousness. For a walk to be righteous, it has to be under His guidance. David said, "He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." (Psalm 23:3)

And so in Psalm 32, we also hear the Lord say, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you." (Psalm 32:8,9)

Notice we are not to be like the mule or horse? A major problem some believers have is with uncontrolled thoughts. This is why in the new covenant we are told to have our minds renewed. Peter also tells us to gird up the loins of our mind.

Where do we begin? God said through Isaiah, "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts." We were all wicked at one time. God forgave us. Now it is time to forsake our past way of doing and thinking. Now we must learn to follow the Lord in paths of righteousness. And this brings us to the mainstay of guidance.

When a person truly meets Jesus something wonderful happens in the human spirit. This happening is so powerful that Paul simply uses the term 'the peace of God' to describe it. He says, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This supernatural peace is God's governing peace. It is this peace that keeps us flowing in the paths of righteousness. In one place the prophet said, "He makes peace your borders." In another place we are told to let peace be the umpire in our hearts. (Cf. Psalm 147:14; Col 3:16)

Training in righteousness is a makeover of both our spiritual and our thought life. We learn to apply God’s Word to all situations. We learn to think God’s thoughts, and speak God’s Word, and walk in God’s ways. We learn the flow of peace. It is in this walk of righteousness that we begin to have formed in us ‘covenant consciousness.’

What did the Lord say in Psalm 32? He said, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go." A true covenant walk, works around a relationship. Jesus said, “I am the door of the sheep…if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

To go in and out speaks of a covenant walk. The paths of righteousness includes ‘doors of faith.’ In the new covenant, Jesus personally leads each believer, each marriage, each family, and each flock in paths of righteousness that are according to His will. This is what the Lord was teaching David in his Psalm of contemplation.

Some believers struggle because they’ve not yet learned to trust the Lord completely to lead their life. Others struggle because they fear that following the Lord will mean suffering. Certainly to walk with the Lord can mean suffering, but sufferings are usually trying situations. But even in the trying circumstances the promise remains. Isaiah said, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.”

Are you ready to take the trappings off? Think about it. Shalom.

Bro. Buddy and his wife Betty founded Christian Challenge in 1976 after having pastored and evangelized for several years. He serves as Senior Pastor.