Peter's Pen 1 Peter 5:6

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  ESV

Redundant?  Perhaps but don't we all need t be reminded - often and loudly?

It is God's hand under which we humble ourselves.  It is a mighty hand.  Because it is a mighty hand it will provide all we need.

We can and should cast all our anxieties on Him.  This word anxieties carries the important idea of "distractions."  That is the cares that distract us from serving Him.  That is a big and long list.  

This also points us to what should be our main focus, "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." (WCF)  It is enough (as we will see) for Satan to distract us from our duties and obligations, from our service to Him and one another.  That's all Satan needs to do - that is to get our attention focused on our lack, our need, even our desires and off of Him, His grace, His promises, His power and His provision.

"Keep your eye on the ball," is not a bad admonition (I prefer it to keep your eye on the prize).  If our desire is to "put it our of the park," for Him then all Satan had to do is distract us from the pitch and we'll swing and miss.  

It is not just tough times that Satan uses and it is not just good times either.  There are those middle of the road times when we are neither in great need nor great prosperity.  For many of us, these are the times we grow slack and perhaps a little cocky.  We tend to prefer to have things on cruise control.  That way we can attend to other things.  They may be Ok things, they may be good things- but if they are not focus on Him they are just distractions.  And oh the multiplicity of distractions the world, the flesh and the Devil proved.

It is important that we keep our hearts under His scrutiny.  John Flavel in his book, Keeping the Heart, goes into great detail concerning the difficulty and imperative of this duty.  Our heart are easily distracted even mis-directed.  Though they are His they are prone to wander towards things necessary.  The bright and shiny things are as distracting as the dark and gloomy ones.

That is where remembering our moral littleness needs to be tattooed on our hearts.  This is a constant duty, keeping the heart.  We need to keep it for Him and from sin.  the idea of "keeping" is related to the old "keeps" that castles had.  The "keep" was the last bastion of safety when the castle was attacked.  Once the walls or gates were breached everyone fled to the keep.

Typically the keep was a rounded tower several stories high.  It was entered via a stairway made of wood.  Once everyone was inside the stairs were burned or otherwise dismantled denying access to the attackers.  The "keep" was well supplied with food and water and often had some secret passage for those inside to use for escape.

Such is the keeping of the heart.  It assumes the walls and gates are or will be breached and provides us with protection.  We live in hostile territory.  We are, whether we admit and accept it or not, surrounded by barbarians who are bent on conquering us.  Though we know they can never separate us from the love of God they are content to separate us from a sense of the love of God.  They are content with tipping the scales in favor of fearing them and away from trusting God.  They desire to destroy our effectiveness by distraction and distress.  hence, we must work to keep our hearts safe and protected in Him.

Now a "keep" is a small and confining place.  But it is a safe place.  Such is our life in Him.  It is small and confined.  There are many places we can not go and many things we can not do because we are in His "keep." But outside the "keep" our enemies wait.  Though were ever we go He is with us and we are in His care we also know that there are places of great danger and things to do that carry great hazard.  Why dear brothers and sisters would we desire to venture beyond the "keep?"

Humility - casting all our cares on Him - keeps us in His "keep."  Pride makes us think we can venture forth into the enemies camp and not be harmed.  Foolish, foolish pride convinces us that we have reached a point where our need for Him is somehow diminished, that we can handle somethings on our own.  Foolish, foolish pride.

Yes, we might be thrown into a lion's den.  We might be thrown into a fiery furnace.  But we are never told to go looking for a den to invade or a furnace to fling ourselves into.  

Only foolish, vain pride could ever move us to that.  There is a story of a believer who during English Civil War cried out, "Forward. God is on our side!"  He mounted the barricades behind which he had been safe.  After only a few paces he was cut down by a cannon ball.  

Pride, even in a believer, is still pride.

John Flavel and me Keeping the heart. 001

Duties Included in Keeping the Heart
Flavel, John (2010-08-03). Keeping the Heart. Kindle Edition.

"Frequent observation of the frame of the heart.  The heart can never be kept until its case be examined and understood."

Proust wrote, “No man is a mystery, except to himself.”

How many times have you thought, “I can’t believe I did/said that!”  Well, there ya go.  We need to examine our hearts regularly.  But we need help to do it well.  We talk of being able to do all things through Christ who is our strength.  Well, here’s one of the “all things” we avoid. 

Means:  Make a list.
What makes you laugh?  What makes you cry?  What hurts you and provokes anger?  What brings you satisfaction?  What brings you security?  What do you ache for?  What do you fear?
Which of those things are in line with your profession – or not?
Why?

It includes deep humiliation for heart evils and disorders.

OK, “humiliation” is a tough word – but it is also a good intervention word.  Flavel is talking about what you may have just discovered in the above exercise.  These “evils” and “disorders” have to be robbed of their power in your heart and the best way for that to happen is to lay them out before God.

Consider the sacrifice Christ made for those things.  Consider how He did so to enable you to humiliate them – to see and acknowledge their shameful presence in your heart.  BUT – do so ONLY if you are firmly aware of the fact of God’s grace in your life.

This isn’t about beating yourself up.  It is about beating the bugs out of the rug – the evil and disorder out of your heart.  Denial is so easy and so seeing becomes hard.  Denial is so easy and so dealing with evils and disorders is so messy.  The longer the evil and disorder remains denied the longer it works against your growth, stability and comfort.

I knew a man who after a year of literally living on OTC indigestion medicine finally went to the doctor.  To his horror, he had stomach cancer and it was too late to really do anything curative about it.  So it is with the evils and disorders that live in our hearts – though we are alive “in” Christ these things make our hearts dead to Him.  They are like the veil in the Temple were it to be repaired.  We cannot fully know the comfort and security of being His because of these things.
Means:  From the list take the evils and disorders you find to the throne of grace. 

Confess them and confess their hurtfulness to your spiritual health. 

Ask God to help you to begin to remove (humiliate) them. 

Ask Him where to start. 
Perhaps even keep a list in your wallet or purse so that when you pray you can always have a reminder of your deep heart need.

It includes earnest supplication and instant prayer for purifying and rectifying grace when sin has defiled and disordered the heart.  “Whatever thou deny me: give me a heart to fear thee, to love and delight in thee.”

This is praying “for.”  Above we took the load to Him.  Here we ask for what we need, “purifying and rectifying grace.”

Means:  Good old regular and strong, “on your knees” prayer.
Make use of David’s prayers such as we find in Psalm 23 and following.

Make use of the recorded prayers of others as can be found in the book, Puritan Prayers.

Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride, at the false god of self, and I lie in pieces before Thee. But Thou hast given me another master and lord, Thy Son, Jesus, and now my heart is turned towards holiness, my life speeds as an arrow from a bow towards complete obedience to Thee. Help me in all my doings to put down sin day. Grant me grace to bear Thy will without repining, and delight to be not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned, but separated from the old rock where I have been embedded so long, and lifted from the quarry to the upper air, where I may be built in Christ for ever.  Anonymous (2010-07-01). Puritan Prayers (Kindle Locations 105-110).  . Kindle Edition.

Write out your prayers.

It includes the imposing of strong engagements upon ourselves to walk more carefully with God, and avoid the occasions whereby the heart may be induced to sin.

This is head work.  How do you avoid those things which encourage, sustain or implant evils and disorders in your mind?  It is not only a matter of what you decide to forego or abstain from, but a matter of what you will take up, engage in and practice.
What will you choose to replace that which you find to your detriment?  How will you fill the minutes, the hours?  What will serve you to your benefit and growth in godliness?

These are not “laws,” but choices.  These do not determine “if” you are His but rather “how” you are His and how you give His Spirit the means and opportunity to heal, restore and strengthen you.  It can be as simple as not watching a TV show to as complex of breaking off an relationship.
Where upon your path do you stumble?  What is it that you stumble over?  Who is it that is a stumbling block to you?  These are the things concerning which you need to make strong resolutions – choices.

Though God can use these things, He cannot bless them.  Their use is limited to His conviction of your heart.  The blessing comes from taking the medicine He prescribes.  Though the medicine taste bitter, even nasty, we know it is all and only for our good and His glory.

Means:  Make a list, pray about where to begin and then begin.  Do so being as gentle and gracious with yourself as is He.
Who
What
When
Where
Choices have two ends: the choice to “not,” and the choice "to.”  As we choose to not we must choose to do.  In that list, make a column of what will replace that which you have marked for elimination.  Prayer, study, fellowship with other believers, worship – all these are good and godly replacements.
Our modern age supplies us with countless opportunities for choosing good things (as it does for evil).  I know that when all else fails I listen to sermons by Alistair Begg or read books written by one of the Puritans.  These choices may not be for you, they are but two options.

It includes a constant and holy jealousy over our own hearts.  He that will keep his heart must eat and drink with fear, rejoice with fear, and pass the whole time of his sojourning here in fear. All this is little enough to keep the heart from sin.

This is a choice as well.  You must choose to save your heart for God and godly things and resent that which works against it. 

You who are fathers – would you have less concern for your heart as you would for the safety and purity of your children – your daughter?  You mothers, would you feed your newborn from a dirty bottle?  Young people, would you allow harm and evil to come to your dearest friends?  So, as you would wish yourself to be in regards to these who are so dear to you – be so to your own heart.

Pray to live knowing that it is not only your heart, but it is His as well.  Think of the price He has paid so you might walk after Him in security and confidence.  Would you cheat on one who was so dedicated to you, who had given so much for you?  Consider those times when someone you considered close shunned or betrayed you – what was that pain like?

Or think of something in which or of which you place great meaning.  Would you allow someone to damage or destroy it?  Are you cautious about who uses it – perhaps even who sees it?  What greater meaning can any “thing” have than the redemption of your heart and His promise of His provision?
It is not sin to be selfish with your heart which He has redeemed.  It is sin to allow it to be used and abused, tarnished or torn by sin and the agents of sin.  We may give our hearts to others through Him but for no other reason than His service.

Means:  Who or what would draw your heart from you – from Him?  They have no such right, no such authority.
Keep your heart from their influence and certainly from their grasp.
It includes the realizing of God’s presence with us, and setting the Lord always before us.
This well could have been the first on the list for it is certainly the most important.  The old quip that “character is what a man is when no one is watching,” is not off the mark.
God is always watching – and He knows our suffering and difficulties.  He knows our grief.  He knows our needs.  He knows our weakness.
He wants His highest good for our lives here as well as in heaven. 
It is hard to really understand, but true that God is our truest friend.  He will never forsake or abandon us.  He is always at work for our betterment in His grace and glory.
He is the one who can not only search our hearts, but heal them and strengthen them as well

Urged by my need, invited by Thy promises, called by Thy Spirit, I enter Thy presence, worshipping Thee with godly fear, awed by Thy majesty, greatness, glory, but encouraged by Thy love.  Anonymous (2010-07-01). Puritan Prayers (Kindle Locations 121-122).  . Kindle Edition.

Bless me by revealing to me more of His saving merits, by causing Thy goodness to pass before me, by speaking peace to my contrite heart; strengthen me to give Thee no rest untiI Christ shall reign supreme within me in every thought, word, and deed, in a faith that purifies the heart, overcomes the world, works by love, fastens me to Thee, and ever clings to the cross.  Anonymous (2010-07-01). Puritan Prayers (Kindle Locations 125-128).  . Kindle Edition.

This and That - Every ready to stand. 091812

We are never as scared of those things for which our minds are prepared.Flavel, John (2011-12-27). Triumphing Over Sinful Fear (Puritan Treasures for Today) (Kindle Location 962). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.

In his work, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear, Flavel makes the above statement.  But I respond, “How can we be prepared for things our minds do not know”?  “How do I prepare for ?????? ?”

I have to start at the beginning:

We DO know what to expect!

Joh 16:33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Tribulation:  oppression, affliction, distress, obstacles.

This is a given, as well as:Luk 6:22  "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!  (emphasis added).
I see two things here.  The first is the consequence of living in the world as His.  This is a general thing.  We all, as His, must fight the battle:

1Jn 2:15-16  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world.

The world wants - no, demands – us to conform to it.  It demands that we live according to its pattern.  The world and the devil wish to so impose themselves on our flesh that we live contrary to the faith we hold.

I do not really think the world or the devil have any hope of stealing us from Christ (Rom. 9:38&39).  But, they work diligently to confuse and confound us into compromise.  They wish to ingest just enough leaven into our hearts to hinder us.

And so, we fight a battle for non-conformity.  We fight a battle of inches not miles.  But, even though the battle is over little ground, it is still a battle that can hamper our growth, our faithfulness and cast our hearts down.  Satan and the world love nothing so much as a desperate believer.

The second thing I see is the direct assault on who and whose we are.  It is an attack because of Christ – because we are Christ’s.  The goal here is, again, not to steal us from Him but to get us to camouflage our faith – to dim the light. 

Now please heed what I say.  It is not the preaching of sin and redemption that so worries our enemies as it is the proclamation of God’s glory that they oppose.  It is the glory of God that we are to declare, and it is that they wish to silence.  I wonder sometimes if they have us so busy trying to “prove” there is a God that we get distracted from proclaiming His glory.

So we will have tribulation because we march to the beat of the Master Drummer and we will be hated, opposed, etc. because of Him.   

A Victoria Secret ad is a general assault.  A lawsuit to stop a home Bible study or a rule prohibiting your display of a Christian symbol is a direct assault.

So, how do we prepare?

Duhhhhh -  We all know: Eph 6:10-20  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  (11)  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  (12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  (13)  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  (14)  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  (15)  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  (16)  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  (17)  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (18)  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,  (19)  and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,  (20)  for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ok, I may get in trouble – but this passage has been so over quoted, poorly explained and little studied and certainly poorly followed as a discipline, that I cringe when I hear it.  This passage must be studied if we hope to be prepared for that which we will suffer!

For brevity, I’ll just break it down.  I encourage you to really study it in the light of the whole counsel of God.  I encourage you to take it to Him in prayer.  I encourage you to let it soak into your mind and heart.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might-       Not “be strong,” but “be strong IN THE LORD” – in the strength of HIS might.

How?Put on the whole armor of God,-       Do it, put it on and KEEP it on! – Remembering it is HIS armor – not yours.

Why?that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  (12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. -       What part of “stand” don’t we understand?

How, What and Why?Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 

The details!(14)  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  (15)  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  (16)  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  (17)  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (18)  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.   (emphasis added)  There is no mystery here.  There is no lack of clarity.  Because of what we are and whose we are, these things are ours.  Whether you formulate a strict process by which you CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY do these things or you don’t – we must do these things CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY.

It is not about having your plan but rather of working His plan.