Nathan W. Bingham

It's always such an encouragement to me that I'm not a Corinthian. I'm bad, but maybe not that bad. What a mess the Corinthians are in, having heard the Apostle Paul himself preach to them and convert them, and then down they go, and Paul writes to them, and they come sort of back up. But it reminds us that just because Christ has come, it doesn't mean that his people all of a

It's always such an encouragement to me that I'm not a Corinthian. I'm bad, but maybe not that bad. What a mess the Corinthians are in, having heard the Apostle Paul himself preach to them and convert them, and then down they go, and Paul writes to them, and they come sort of back up. But it reminds us that just because Christ has come, it doesn't mean that his people all of a

that there's never going to be any spiritual up or down again. And certainly the letters to the seven churches in the book of the Revelation make the same point, don't they? That churches sometimes are better and sometimes are worse. Now, we mustn't be hyper-Calvinists and assume we're always worse, but there's ups and downs, and that's important to bear in mind because it means everything.

that there's never going to be any spiritual up or down again. And certainly the letters to the seven churches in the book of the Revelation make the same point, don't they? That churches sometimes are better and sometimes are worse. Now, we mustn't be hyper-Calvinists and assume we're always worse, but there's ups and downs, and that's important to bear in mind because it means everything.

we may need to be a repentant people. We need to see our own sin. We need to turn to the Lord and plead the way the psalmist pleads here in Psalm 85 so powerfully. Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. You know, you look at Europe today, you look at parts of America today, and you say,

we may need to be a repentant people. We need to see our own sin. We need to turn to the Lord and plead the way the psalmist pleads here in Psalm 85 so powerfully. Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. You know, you look at Europe today, you look at parts of America today, and you say,

Don't they need to pray like this? I'm struck again as a historian, I always have a strange look at things, but I can't help but think Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, the great Puritan foundations of America, where some of the purest religion in the history of mankind was practiced.

Don't they need to pray like this? I'm struck again as a historian, I always have a strange look at things, but I can't help but think Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, the great Puritan foundations of America, where some of the purest religion in the history of mankind was practiced.

Colonies founded to be a light on a hill to the rest of the world so that they might know Jesus Christ. The errand into the wilderness so that God's word could be followed. And now, in many of those places, the most unchristian parts of the country. And where is the pleading that the Lord would send His Spirit?

Colonies founded to be a light on a hill to the rest of the world so that they might know Jesus Christ. The errand into the wilderness so that God's word could be followed. And now, in many of those places, the most unchristian parts of the country. And where is the pleading that the Lord would send His Spirit?

You know, I think a really important moment for us as Christians in our time is we not allow ourselves to be angry culture warriors. but we become prayerful, loving, concerned people that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ might be known far and wide. Because that's all that's really going to change things. We have to plead, as the psalmist is showing us how to plead for that.

You know, I think a really important moment for us as Christians in our time is we not allow ourselves to be angry culture warriors. but we become prayerful, loving, concerned people that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ might be known far and wide. Because that's all that's really going to change things. We have to plead, as the psalmist is showing us how to plead for that.

And what's encouraging then is he shows us in this pattern where the solution will be. Verse 8, "'Let me hear what God the Lord will speak.'" For he will speak peace to his people, to his saints. But let them not turn back to folly. The word of grace is never a word that says, okay, you're now forgiven, so it's fine with me if you live any way you want. That is not the way the Lord operates.

And what's encouraging then is he shows us in this pattern where the solution will be. Verse 8, "'Let me hear what God the Lord will speak.'" For he will speak peace to his people, to his saints. But let them not turn back to folly. The word of grace is never a word that says, okay, you're now forgiven, so it's fine with me if you live any way you want. That is not the way the Lord operates.

He never operates that way. The Lord said, I'm willing to forgive you your sins, but you need to recognize they're sins. And sins are folly, and folly leads to disaster. And that's why our Reformed tradition has been equally adamant in saying we must get justification right and God's free grace, but we must also get sanctification right, that we need to pursue holiness. God is holy.

He never operates that way. The Lord said, I'm willing to forgive you your sins, but you need to recognize they're sins. And sins are folly, and folly leads to disaster. And that's why our Reformed tradition has been equally adamant in saying we must get justification right and God's free grace, but we must also get sanctification right, that we need to pursue holiness. God is holy.

If we want to know Him, we need to pursue holiness. And so this altar calls us to that. And then the wonderful promise, steadfast love and faithfulness meet, verse 10 of Psalm 85. Righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground and righteousness looks down from the sky. That's what's promised. Peace is going to come.

If we want to know Him, we need to pursue holiness. And so this altar calls us to that. And then the wonderful promise, steadfast love and faithfulness meet, verse 10 of Psalm 85. Righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground and righteousness looks down from the sky. That's what's promised. Peace is going to come.

Faithfulness is going to come, and it's going to be linked to righteousness. God's going to accomplish that for His people. And how does He accomplish that? Well, I think we're told that over in Psalm 80, which is a very similar psalm to Psalm 85 in terms of the pattern of ups and downs. But in verse 15, God speaks very personally to Israel. He says, this is Psalm 80, 14 and 15.

Faithfulness is going to come, and it's going to be linked to righteousness. God's going to accomplish that for His people. And how does He accomplish that? Well, I think we're told that over in Psalm 80, which is a very similar psalm to Psalm 85 in terms of the pattern of ups and downs. But in verse 15, God speaks very personally to Israel. He says, this is Psalm 80, 14 and 15.