Day 9/3 – Being Ashamed

———/://///

Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man by Walter A Henrichsen (“Walt”)
Being Ashamed
Day Two Hundred Forty-six

“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” II Timothy 1:12

Three times in II Timothy 1 Paul talks about being ashamed. In verse 8 he charges Timothy, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.” Then in verse 16 he says that Onesiphorus was not ashamed. “Timothy, I am not ashamed of Christ’s gospel, neither was Onesiphorus, and I don’t want you to be ashamed.”

When you share with others “the testimony of our Lord,” you can count on the world making a caricature of your boldness, often using ridicule and belittling to do it. Evidence suggests that many felt Paul was obnoxious and radical. The world wants you to be broad minded, reasonable, willing to accept their premise that there are many roads to God, all equally good.

Faithfulness to Christ automatically places you in harm’s way. “God did not give you a spirit of timidity,” when He took up residence in your life, “but a spirit of power and love and self-control.” 323 Thus Paul prayed concerning Onesiphorus, “may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day.” 324 For our Lord Jesus assures us that “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 325

323 II Timothy 1:7
324 II Timothy 1:18
325 Mark 8:38

———/://///

Psalm 140-142 1 Corinthians 14:1-20 (New King James Version)

Psalm 140-142
Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140
Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,
2
Who plan evil things in their hearts;
They continually gather together for war.
3
They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah
4
Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
5
The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah
6
I said to the Lord: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7
O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have [a]covered my head in the day of battle.
8
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
Lest they be exalted. Selah
9
“As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10
Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11
Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”
12
I know that the Lord will maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.
13
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness
A Psalm of David.
141
Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2
Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5
Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
6
Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [b]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
7
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.
8
But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[c]Do not leave my soul destitute.
9
Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.
A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
A Contemplation[d] of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.
142
I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
2
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3
When my spirit [e]was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
4
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5
I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6
[f]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
7
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
Footnotes:
• Psalm 140:7 sheltered
• Psalm 141:6 rock
• Psalm 141:8 Lit. Do not make my soul bare
• Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
• Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
• Psalm 142:6 Give heed

1 Corinthians 14:1-20
Prophecy and Tongues
14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; [a]for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Tongues Must Be Interpreted
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without [b]significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a [c]foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are [d]zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the [e]edification of the church that you seek to excel.
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
Footnotes:
• 1 Corinthians 14:5 NU and
• 1 Corinthians 14:10 meaning
• 1 Corinthians 14:11 Lit. barbarian
• 1 Corinthians 14:12 eager
• 1 Corinthians 14:12 building up