God's gracious exaltation

March 9, 2018

Worship:  We Trust in the Name of The Lord as sung by Steve Green

We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God

Some trust in chariots

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Some trust in horses

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Chorus:

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

His love never fails

His name will always prevail

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Some trust in the works they do

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

‘Cause by His grace all the work is through

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Chorus

Oh glory to the name

The name of our salvation

Oh glory to the name above all names

The name of the Lord our God

Some trust in the wealth of things

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

The name worth more than anything

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Chorus

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

His love never fails

His name will always prevail

We trust in the name of the Lord our

We trust in the name of the Lord our

We trust in the name of the Lord our God

Words and music by Steven Curtis Chapman

Copyright 1994 Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc. and Sparrow Song (a div. of Sparrow Song and, Peach Hill Songs admin. by Careers-BMG Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

Lyrics: http://stevegreenministries.org/product/we-trust-in-the-name-of-the-lord-our-god-4/

Video: https://youtu.be/WVA88_Yieqw

I chose this classic song based on a text my friend Andrew Lubinga from Uganda sent me.  This is what he wrote:

 Jehovah is your name,

mighty warrior, great in

battle, Jehovah is your

name. Psalm 20:7. Some

trust in chariots, and some

in horses, but we will

remember the name of the

LORD our God. Jesus the

mighty Warrior is on your

side today and always.

Hallelujah.

He wrote this even though he was sick.

Witness:

I was listening to a message the other day about the “strong arm of God.” It was part of a conference that took place back in 2004. The speaker had been assigned to speak about God’s omnipotence. In the message, he also made mention of God’s infinity.  As he spoke about the infinite power of our God, the typical age-old question arose in my mind. It’s a snarky sort of question sometimes asked in jest and sometimes in all seriousness by the less pensive among us. It’s the question, “Can God create a rock too heavy for Him to lift?” The answer is no because it does not accord with reality. In fact, the speaker mentioned this question that has been asked by theologians in church history who wanted to sound clever. The speaker’s response was more simple and direct: “That’s just stupid. It’s really not foolish, it’s just stupid.” And of course, he is right. But I meditated on this further and thought of how comforting this was to the believer. Because He cannot, there is nothing in creation including the devil that is greater and mightier than Our God. He will not and cannot be defeated. Therefore, we are safe in His all-powerful arms. Furthermore, He is Truth, so He cannot lie. What He says He will do, He will do, because He cannot lie and He has the power to make it come true. Why God does or doesn’t is wrapped up in His will which is often unknown to us, and we are called on to trust Him. And we can trust Him because He omnipotent and cannot lie and He is also good and loving. And His steadfast love and goodness have been revealed in His acts in the Bible and experienced in our lives. Therefore we are called upon to remember as Psalm 20:7 testifies. And in remembering hope is born. That confident expectation that even in our sufferings, He will bring to pass His promise of “an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV)

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d6/ee/9e/d6ee9e0c311baa46f3a63f884749af6c--encouraging-verses-inspirational-scriptures.jpg

Ex 3:14

 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.

NIV

(And by implication: I will continue to be what I have always been!)

WORD:

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. NIV (84)

Ps 27:4-6 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. KJV

Ps 27:4-6 4  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;  I will sing and make melody to the Lord. ESV

1. Presence – David earnestly desired to personally experience God’s presence – v. 4

2. Protection – Which led to experiencing God’s protection – vs. 5

3. Promotion – And experiencing exaltation – v. 6

4. Praise – And culminating in God’s praise – v. 6

Verse 6 begins with the phrase, “And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me” (ESV). He said this based on the end of verse 5 which spoke of God lifting him up “high upon a rock” (ESV). But David is speaking now about something more than protection from his enemies that surrounded him at the moment. The NLT I believe is wrong and misleading here by translating the Hebrew text here to say, “I will hold my head high.” We all know what this English phrase means:

to be very confident and proud

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/hold-your-head-up-high.

To be confident or proud:

pride yourself on something,

 congratulate yourself,

 be a credit to someone...

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/hold-your-head-up-high

To walk with confidence and pride, 

especially as a way to show that

 one is not ashamed of something.

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hold+head+high

I do not believe David was talking about being proud. We know that God’s Word says,

Pride goes before destruction,

a haughty spirit before a fall.

Prov 16:18 NIV

Nor do I believe that David is speaking of confidence or lack of shame, though those indeed can be some of the resulting benefits of what I think David is saying here.

We can understand what David is saying by looking at how the word “head” is used in Scripture. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary has this helpful synopsis of its use in Scripture:

HEAD

The position of a person's head symbolized various emotions. Wagging the head meant derision; bowing the head showed grief; covering the head with one's hand suggested shame (2 Sam 13:19; Isa 58:5; Mark 15:29). To lift up a person's head was to elevate him to higher rank (Gen 40:20; Jer 52:31). For blood to be on the head of someone meant for that person to bear responsibility and guilt for some specified action (Josh 2:19; Acts 18:6). To heap coals of fire on someone's head meant to make an enemy ashamed by treating him well (Rom 12:20).

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) (emphasis is mine)

In Psalm 3:3 we have a similar expression of protection and promotion:

But you are a shield around me, O Lord;

you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.

Ps 3:3 NIV

Therefore, I believe David is speaking of the exaltation that comes from dwelling in God’s presence and abiding in Him. This takes humility and trust.

Humble yourselves, therefore,

under God's mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5:6 NIV

In verses 1-3 we see God’s preserving power. In verses 4-6 His protecting presence. Certainly from these actions of God David could be confident (v. 3), and full of joy (v. 6). Lord let me seek Your glory and accept with humility Your gracious exaltation. I will not seek the glory of man which is fleeting and vain, but evermore Your highest blessings. In Your Son’s Majestic Name which is above all. Amen

Humble Exaltation

March 4, 2018

Worship: Holy by Matt Redman

What heart could hold the weight of Your love
And know the heights of Your great worth
What eyes could look on Your glorious face
Shining like the sun 2X

[Chorus]
You are holy, holy, holy
God most high and God most worthy
You are holy, holy, holy
Jesus, You are
Jesus, You are

Your name alone has power to raise us
Your light will shine when all else fades
Our eyes will look on Your glorious face
Shining like the sun
Who is like You, God?

[Chorus]
Jesus, You are
Jesus, You are

Who shall we say You are
You're the living God
Who shall we say You are
You're the great I am
The highest name of all
You are all You say You are

[Chorus]2X

And You shall come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead
All eyes now look on Your glorious face
Shining like the sun
Who is like You, God?
You're holy
Only You are holy

You are holy, holy, holy
God most high and God most worthy
You are holy, holy, holy
Jesus, You are (6X)

Writer/s: JASON INGRAM, JONAS MYRIN, MATT REDMAN
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Spirit Music Group, ESSENTIAL MUSIC PUBLISHING, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Lyrics: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?lyrics=23559

Video: https://youtu.be/nQ8MFn4yikA

Note: This is a very Christ-exalting song. However, there may be a “Oneness doctrine” that might be inferred from the song because of its exclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit in the lyrics and the line in the song which says, Who is like You, God?.” Matt Redman does not come from a Oneness denominational background such as the United Pentecostals. Therefore, I don’t believe that was his intention in writing the song. To avoid such an inference, I would change the lyrics to say, “Who is like You, Lord?”

Witness:

The other night at work, an undefined feeling of anxiousness began to well up inside of me. At first, I thought it was because things felt out of control and disorganized in my life. I thought,

“If I could just get things like my finances under control or If I could just plan my time better, then I wouldn’t feel this anxiety. If I could just be assured of the future. If I could do something concerning my wife, children’s problems, and finances. If I just had more faith to trust and to know all will work out in the end.”

As I continued to mull over this feeling it dawned on me that God was the source of my anxiety. Now before you pick up stones to throw at me, let me explain. God is sovereign. He brings all things to pass for a purpose. God was allowing this anxiety to gnaw at me to reveal to me that I am not in control.

HE IS IN CONTROL!!!

WORD:

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. NIV (84)

Ps 27:4-6 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. KJV

Ps 27:4-6 4  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;  I will sing and make melody to the Lord. ESV

1. Presence – David earnestly desired to personally experience God’s presence – v. 4

2. Protection – Which led to experiencing God’s protection – vs. 5

3. Promotion – And experiencing exaltation – v. 6

4. Praise – And culminating in God’s praise – v. 6

Building upon the presence and protection David spoke of in verses 4-5 is the promotion David expected to come from such protection. I hesitate to use the word “promotion” because it usually refers to a position earned through hard work and effort (though it could also come through favoritism or nepotism). That is not the case here. Before I delve into the details of verse 6, I want to make that clear. For this “promotion” or “exaltation" is wholly because of God's grace. It comes from seeking and dwelling in God’s presence. Because of the battle we face every day - the conflict between our flesh and our spirit – we must examine our motives when it comes to our Christian walk. Our desire for the bountiful blessings of the Triune God in our life can quickly become a blasphemous grab for position and power and prestige.

Consider these examples:

·        Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."  "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."  "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." Mark 10:35-40 NIV

·        When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Acts 8:18-21 NIV

·        "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." Luke 20:46-47 NIV

Such desires come from a distorted view of God’s sovereignty and one’s own self-importance.

The antidote to these distortions is:

·    Done Humility - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 NIV (see also 1 Peter 5:5-6)

·    Deflect Praise - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matt 5:14-16 NIV

·   Do for Others -  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 NIV

https://www.slideshare.net/DavidTurner28/the-christ-centered-life-philippians-2111

https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/1%20Cor%2010.31

https://img.heartlight.org/cards/g/1peter5_6-7.jpg

It's Not The Where That Matters But The Who That Matters!

I am grateful for the ones that are reading my blog. Please feel free to give any feedback after reading an entry. Thanks! And if you need prayer please leave your request as well. I will join with you in prayer over the matter.

  

February 21, 2018

Worship: Hosanna by Paul Baloche

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You, we turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new
'Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

'Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence, all our fears are washed away
‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence, all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus (2X)

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna

Songwriters: Paul Baloche / Brenton G. Brown
Hosanna lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

Lyrics: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/23091602/Hosanna+%28Praise+Is+Rising%29

Video: https://youtu.be/xoz5wpycqvw

Witness:

Days have passed since I last wrote. And for the usual reasons as I have given in the past. The familiar mix of fatigue, focus deficit, financial diversions, and faith-based amusements (i.e., Christian movies). As I thought of things I could write about leading up to sitting down tonight, several things arose in my mind. However, they elude me now as I try to recall them. This seems to be a common problem I have. I keep telling myself to get a small notepad to write them down, but I keep forgetting to purchase one – go figure (oh the irony of it all).

One thing that has come to mind while I was musing in the shower today was about David expressing his deep desire – his one desire – to be in God’s presence. Yet, as I thought of David’s profession, I realized how often that desire is unfulfilled in my life because of the aforementioned distractions and divergencies. I am sure that David felt and experienced these things too else why would he pray:

Turn my heart toward your statutes

and not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things;

preserve my life according to your word.

Ps 119:36-37 NIV

I came to the conclusion that the problem lies in what our Lord said to His slumbering disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matt 26:41b TNIV

Too often we let (I let) the flesh get the best of us. So we sleep or worry or play. But our Lord gives the solution –  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Matt. 26:41a NIV).

WATCH:

• ·        Watch the Lord as He battled temptation by saying, “not My will but Yours be done” (see Matt. 26:39).
• ·        Watch out for the Tempter of the “flesh.” (see 1 Peter 5:8)

PRAY:

• ·        Pray the words of our Lord in submission to the Father.
• ·        Pray the prayer above of David in Psalm 119:36-37.

WATCH & PRAY:

• Donned with the armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-18)

A Clay Pot Prayer

Lord, though my flesh is weak

Let me in my spirit speak

A prayer to follow Your way

And  not  fall  into  sin’s  sway

In  Your  presence  let  me  abide

And from temptation let me hide

From  foolish  play  let  me  cease

And all waste, worry, and caprice

Turn my  heart to  do  Your will

And in Your company be still

Because You are my God

And I stand on holy sod

In Christ name, I pray

And trustingly say

- Amen –

WORD:

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. NIV (84)

Ps 27:4-6 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. KJV

Ps 27:4-6 4  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;  I will sing and make melody to the Lord. ESV

1. Presence – David earnestly desired to personally experience God’s presence – v. 4

2. Protection – Which led to experiencing God’s protection – vs. 5

3. Promotion – And experiencing exaltation – v. 6

4. Praise – And culminating in God’s praise – v. 6

Spurgeon:

This verse gives an excellent reason for the psalmist's desire after communion with God, namely, that he was thus secured in the hour of peril. For in the time of trouble, that needy time, that time when others forsake me, he shall hide me in his pavilion: he shall give me the best of shelter in the worst of danger. The royal pavilion was erected in the centre of the army, and around it all the mighty men kept guard at all hours; thus in that divine sovereignty which almighty power is sworn to maintain, the believer peacefully is hidden, hidden not by himself furtively, but by the king, who hospitably entertains him. In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. Sacrifice aids sovereignty in screening the elect from harm. No one of old dared to enter the most holy place on pain of death; and if the Lord has hidden his people there, what foe shall venture to molest them?(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wiersbe:

 David was living in the wilderness of Judea, away from the sanctuary of the Lord, but he was still able to enter into fellowship with his God. God's house was but a tent (vv. 5-6), for the temple had not yet been built, but it was still referred to as "God's temple" (see 1 Sam. 1:9, 33 ). The imagery in verses 4-6 is the Old Testament equivalent of "abiding in Christ" (John 15:1-8). In the ancient Near East, when a visitor entered his host's tent, the host was personally responsible for his protection and provision, and the flimsy tent became a fortress.(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

I am tempted to get sidetracked on the meaning of “dwelling” or “shelter’ or “pavilion,” and “tabernacle” or “sanctuary” or “tent.” Where these the same or different, etc.?(see quotes above for some various views)

But in the end, the answers to such an investigation would bear little practical fruit. For, in the end, it is not the where that matters but the Who that matters. A tent affords little protection from flaming arrows in itself. No, but if the Lord abides there, then any insubstantial facility becomes an impenetrable fortress (as was declared in verses 1-3).

His tent is in Salem,

his dwelling place in Zion.

There he broke the flashing arrows,

the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.

Ps 76:2-3 NIV

Notice also the change of imagery in the last clause of this verse. From a place of refuge to hide to a place of elevated height.

I quote again from Spurgeon and Wiersbe:

He shall set me up upon a rock. Immutability, eternity, and infinite power here come to the aid of sovereignty and sacrifice. How blessed is the standing of the man whom God himself sets on high above his foes, upon an impregnable rock which never can be stormed! Well may we desire to dwell with the Lord who so effectually protects his people.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The word "beauty" in verse 4 means not only the glory of God's character but also the richness of His goodness and favor to His people (16:11; 90:17; 135:3). David took time to meditate and to contemplate the wonders of God's grace. He came away from his times of worship feeling the rock under his feet and seeing above and beyond the enemy to the victory God had prepared.(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)