What We Need To Defy the Storms Of Earth‏

What We Need To Defy the Storms Of Earth

"Give me the sunshine of heaven, and I will defy the storms of earth. Lord, permit me to enjoy a sense of Your favor, conscious that You are pleased with my life, and people may frown and slander all they want. It is enough for a servant to please the master. Others may be dissatisfied, but they do not pay the wages, and their opinions have no weight." - Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury Of David, pg. 232

Throughout the Psalms, we find the earnest plea for God to "cause His face to shine" upon His people.

Psalm 31:16 says - "Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant: save me for Thy mercies' sake."

Psalm 67:1 says - "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; Selah."

Psalm 119:135 says - "Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant..."

Psalm 80:3, 7, & 19 all contain the words - "...cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved."

The above verses make reference to the High Priestly prayer mentioned in Numbers 6:25 which includes - "The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee."

What exactly does it mean when God "shines His face" upon His people?

It implies having a sense of His glorious presence in one's life... having a personal experience with Him... attracting His good will and active and special regard...receiving His love and then having the assurance of His love... receiving the comfort of His favor... knowing that one is reconciled to Him and the recipient of His acceptance...having His smile on one's life...and enjoying the undeserved expressions of His love.

Why did the Psalmists make it a special point to earnestly cry out - even repeatedly at times - with this request?

The answer can be found in the following quotes - "During distress, God comes, and when He comes, there is no more distress." - Gaelic Proverb "There is no circumstance, however extreme, that is too great for God's power. He is even able to save from death(Hebrews 5:7) by simply turning His smiling face on His afflicted. People can do little, but God can do all things with a glance. Oh, to live forever in the light of Jehovah's countenance." - Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury Of David, pg. 710 Did you catch what was said here? When Jesus shows up, there is no more distress. Also, "People can do little, but God can do all things with a glance." Tell me - who wouldn't cry after the Lord day and night for His "glance" - which is able to turn around any and every imaginable circumstance in the human life? Is it any wonder that Asaph in Psalm 80 repeatedly cried out to Him, saying - "...cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." Also, in Psalm 31:16, David prayed - "Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant: save me for Thy mercies' sake." What both of these inspired writers saw was the connection between the favor, presence, and approval of Almighty God and His salvation in one's life - salvation from sin, dangers, troubles, and ruin. No longer does the saint of God have to stand shamefacedly before his enemies. On the contrary, when God manifests His Divine Favor, it is the wicked who are disgraced and their evil devices and schemes come to an end. Spurgeon explained it this way - "Opposers frown, but You smile. They darken my life, but if Your face shines on me, all will be bright." - The Treasury Of David, pg. 1192 The Expositor's Bible Commentary adds this remark - "When the face of the Lord shines on His people, they are blessed with His presence and favor and will be saved." This is all fine - but you may be reading this message and thinking to yourself - "At this time in my life, I am not enjoying "the sunshine of heaven" - so to speak. I am not enjoying a sense of God's favor, nor am I conscious that He is well pleased with me." Perhaps you are like Israel - as mentioned in Psalm 80 - who was in desperate need of restoration or God's converting grace. Like them, you may have strayed from Him and your duty - only to turn aside to sinful ways - while provoking Him to hide His face from you and give you over to the hand of your enemies. Or as you read this message, you may have certain individuals, ministries, churches, or nations in mind who areguilty of the same. As we would all agree - the best restoration is the one in character and not in circumstances. You may feel the need to - be restored to God's covenant mercies...be turned again to Him from the world and the flesh... have the power of sin and Satan broken over your life once again...be brought back from captivity...and be restored to your former state of prosperity and well being - from which you had been driven out due to your rebellion and disobedience. You yearn for God's smile to reappear and the frown onHis countenance to disappear. Why not cry out to Him at this time - as Asaph led the nation of Israel in the days of old? - "Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalm 80:3). "Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalm 80:7). "Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalm 80:19). Do you want "the sunshine of heaven" on your life? It's the only way that you will be able to "defy the storms" that will come your way. Cry out for God's favor...earnestly plead for it...and don't go another moment without it. In closing, why not pray this powerful prayer for the Lord's "countenance" to shine upon your life, family, ministry, church, and nation - "Convert us from the earthly to the heavenly. Convert our rebellious wills to You. And when we are converted, show Your countenance, that we may know You. Show Your power, that we may fear You. Show Your wisdom, that we may reverence You. Show Your goodness, that we may love You. Show them once, show them a second time, show them always, that through tribulation we may pass with a happy face and be saved. When You save, we will be saved. When You withdraw Your hand, we cannot be saved." - Girolamo Savanarola - The Treasury Of David, pg. 705 2 Chronicles 7:14 says - "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." God hasn't changed his mind. Repentance is still the key to obtaining "the sunshine of heaven" which "defies the storms of earth." May God Bless His Word, Connie No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17) @ COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved