fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 18, 2017 13:45:50 GMT -5
You are right, I missed a posting you did, how strange, I don't know how that happened, I usually don't miss them?
Oh well, thank you for pointing it out, and I am so glad I got to read it.
A few things that really helped were:
"we can't allow our relationship with an imperfect human father to contaminate our relationship to our Heavenly Father by allowing the imperfect things a human father did to color how we see our Heavenly Father."
I think for the most part I have left my childhood past in the past...yet there might on rare occasions be some small remnant, of a father that from a baby was not in my life, and no real human father figure turned up until I was almost 6.
I understand that many children have a real human father figure from babyhood, who is totally abusive and maybe the child would have been better off to have been fatherless like me.
But there is I guess sometimes a lingering issue that something was wrong with me that my human father didn't want me ( actually it was more his own issues like addictions etc.).
So it was also a great aid to understanding Father God's love as not being conditioned on my 'goodness' or something
"We don't rejoice if we find something or someone we don't like or don't care about do we?
Nor do we rejoice when we find an enemy (which is what we really were before we were saved).
No, we only rejoice when we find something that's precious to us, so again, this shows us how much the Lord loves us."
I actually would like to talk more about when God told the Israelites to kill surrounding nations. I thought in part it was so those people would have less sin if they went to Hell. In other words, the longer they lived the more sins they would accumulate? I know I could be totally wrong but that in a way seemed like God's love to them because they refused any more of His love.
Also if the Israelites had killed them all then in history future, there would have not been millions more killed in the endless Middle East wars?
Well as you can see, I really would like to hear the whys concerning that.
I have been upon waking thanking Jesus for all the wonderful blessing he has given me, but I think even more, I need to continue to reflect ( and thank Him) for His love.
Like you wrote:
It's not based on what we can or will do, but instead is based on what God has done for us, and what He did for us, He did because of His love for us. All this and so much more we can reflect on when we're feeling down, and I guarantee you, if we do this, we won't feel down for long! "
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,384
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Post by fearnot on Mar 18, 2017 14:15:20 GMT -5
I really found this comforting:
"God loves us, that he hears our cries and comes rushing to our rescue! Someone is trying to harm His child; the child cries for help; an angry Father comes charging to His child's rescue! This is in 2 Samuel 22 too. Come to think of it, all this also sounds like a good description of the second coming! This shows us though, how God feels. He wants to help us, He wants to rescue us..."
But there are times when God does not pull His child out of a situation of torture and death....so in that physical sense of rescuing, there are times when someone hurts His child and he allows it for a greater glory.
But I have also read from Christians who had been tortured etc. that they felt great comfort bestowed on them, either during or after the ordeal.
Nevertheless, that is still a great comfort, because I think God rescues me for all manner of pain on a daily basis, and usually several times a day.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 18, 2017 15:08:52 GMT -5
3/18/17
Psalm 19: 1-14
The first 4 verses talk about the universe and how its very existence declares the glory of God, and that to all the people on earth.
The grandeur, vastness, splendor, of this magnificence of the universe, speaks of a Creator God who deserves our praise and to be honored for this incredible awesome achievement!
But then in v. 7-11
Speaks of an ever greater glory of God His Word (law, statutes, precepts , commands etc.)
which are
perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, right, giving joy, radiant, giving light,
giving 'joy' to the heart......there's that Joy word LOL
As if I didn't have enough sins that I know about.....
I really need the Lord to forgive:
v. 12 ".....Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me."
But then...
v. 13 ".... Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.'
and
v. 14 "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,"
So the application for me is:
to give God the glory for the great things He has done
and
to stay in His Word.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,384
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Post by fearnot on Mar 19, 2017 13:11:55 GMT -5
3/19/17
Psalm 20: 1-9
This is an uplifting psalm proclaiming that God:
answers
protects
helps
supports
remembers
accepts
gives victory
and Lo and behold
there's that word JOY again
"May we shout for joy over your victory"
In fact victory is mentioned several times
I need to remeber these uplifting blessings...
I know God can work even bad things to my good...
but He gives good things and I need to be thankful and grateful for themsalm
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Post by Cindy on Mar 20, 2017 12:18:44 GMT -5
You are right, I missed a posting you did, how strange, I don't know how that happened, I usually don't miss them?
Oh well, thank you for pointing it out, and I am so glad I got to read it.
A few things that really helped were:
"we can't allow our relationship with an imperfect human father to contaminate our relationship to our Heavenly Father by allowing the imperfect things a human father did to color how we see our Heavenly Father."
I think for the most part I have left my childhood past in the past...yet there might on rare occasions be some small remnant, of a father that from a baby was not in my life, and no real human father figure turned up until I was almost 6.
I understand that many children have a real human father figure from babyhood, who is totally abusive and maybe the child would have been better off to have been fatherless like me.
But there is I guess sometimes a lingering issue that something was wrong with me that my human father didn't want me ( actually it was more his own issues like addictions etc.).
So it was also a great aid to understanding Father God's love as not being conditioned on my 'goodness' or something
"We don't rejoice if we find something or someone we don't like or don't care about do we?
Nor do we rejoice when we find an enemy (which is what we really were before we were saved).
No, we only rejoice when we find something that's precious to us, so again, this shows us how much the Lord loves us."
I actually would like to talk more about when God told the Israelites to kill surrounding nations. I thought in part it was so those people would have less sin if they went to Hell. In other words, the longer they lived the more sins they would accumulate? I know I could be totally wrong but that in a way seemed like God's love to them because they refused any more of His love.
Also if the Israelites had killed them all then in history future, there would have not been millions more killed in the endless Middle East wars?
Well as you can see, I really would like to hear the whys concerning that.
I have been upon waking thanking Jesus for all the wonderful blessing he has given me, but I think even more, I need to continue to reflect ( and thank Him) for His love.
Like you wrote:
It's not based on what we can or will do, but instead is based on what God has done for us, and what He did for us, He did because of His love for us. All this and so much more we can reflect on when we're feeling down, and I guarantee you, if we do this, we won't feel down for long! "
As far as God showing His love when He told Israel to kill the people, even women and children goes, you're absolutely right about what you said. Plus the longer they lived, the more they would influence others to sin and other would also go to hell because of them. Also by killing the children, those who were under the age of accountability would go to heaven, whereas if they had lived, they would have gone to hell. (We know that because of what the Lord says about them later) By doing this, it also showed the other gentiles that there was a very real God who would in fact hold them accountable for their actions and because of that, some would be saved. Remember how at times people would tell the Israelites that they'd heard of what God had done and it had scared them. We see death as something terrible, but God doesn't as He knows the truth. I'm sure it broke his heart to have to send so many of them to hell, but he had to do it to keep even larger numbers from going to hell. God already knew that not one single one of them would have come to salvation if they lived, so by doing that, He was able to save the children at the least.
I really found this comforting:
"God loves us, that he hears our cries and comes rushing to our rescue! Someone is trying to harm His child; the child cries for help; an angry Father comes charging to His child's rescue! This is in 2 Samuel 22 too. Come to think of it, all this also sounds like a good description of the second coming! This shows us though, how God feels. He wants to help us, He wants to rescue us..."
But there are times when God does not pull His child out of a situation of torture and death....so in that physical sense of rescuing, there are times when someone hurts His child and he allows it for a greater glory.
But I have also read from Christians who had been tortured etc. that they felt great comfort bestowed on them, either during or after the ordeal.
Nevertheless, that is still a great comfort, because I think God rescues me for all manner of pain on a daily basis, and usually several times a day.
3/18/17
Psalm 19: 1-14
The first 4 verses talk about the universe and how its very existence declares the glory of God, and that to all the people on earth.
The grandeur, vastness, splendor, of this magnificence of the universe, speaks of a Creator God who deserves our praise and to be honored for this incredible awesome achievement!
But then in v. 7-11
Speaks of an ever greater glory of God His Word (law, statutes, precepts , commands etc.)
which are
perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, right, giving joy, radiant, giving light,
giving 'joy' to the heart......there's that Joy word LOL
As if I didn't have enough sins that I know about.....
I really need the Lord to forgive:
v. 12 ".....Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me."
But then...
v. 13 ".... Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.'
and
v. 14 "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,"
So the application for me is:
to give God the glory for the great things He has done
and
to stay in His Word.
Here's what one book says about this Psalm:
What truly refreshes you? What gives you pure and simple pleasure? What helps you to lay your cares down and get a fresh perspective on life? What enables you to step back into the business and hardship of life with a new joy? The Psalms revel in creation. We marvel at the unparalleled beauty of a sunrise and sunset, and even more at a Master Artist so creative that he will erase his art every day to begin again the next. So many simple, unstained pleasures: Collecting stones on a lakeshore. Watching autumn leaves drop. Innocent pleasures are a means to step away from what is hard, wearisome, or difficult in our lives into something restful and beautiful. They aren't an escape from life’s troubles, They're meant to refresh & strengthen us. What makes such pleasures innocent? It's the fact that there's a greater pleasure. That greatest pleasure is the Maker of all the innocent ones. Is devotion to God one of your pleasures? The lesser innocent pleasures come because the greatest pleasure, God himself, is in his rightful place. Innocent pleasures don’t pretend to save or protect you; promise you meaning & identity in life. They don’t take life’s fragility, pain, frustration, disappointment, & uncertainty & wash them away. They're not the giver of every good & perfect gift; they are just gifts you enjoy. They're innocent because they don’t pretend to be anything more. Heart of the matter
Then, about verse 7: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7)
God’s sure Word makes the simple wise. The Hebrew word translated “simple” comes from an expression meaning “an open door” It evokes the image of a naive person who doesn’t know when to shut his mind to false or impure teaching. He is undiscerning, ignorant, and gullible. But God’s Word makes him wise. “Wise” speaks not of one who merely knows some fact, but of one who is skilled in the art of godly living. He submits to Scripture and knows how to apply it to his circumstances. The Word of God thus takes a simple mind with no discernment and makes it skilled in all the issues of life.
Psalm 19:7–14 is the most monumental statement on the sufficiency of Scripture ever made in concise terms. Penned by David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it offers an unwavering testimony from God Himself about the sufficiency of His Word for every situation. It counters the teaching of those who believe we must augment God’s Word with truth gleaned from modern psychology.Our sufficiency in Christ
The law is described by six names, epithets, and effects. It is a rule, God’s testimony for the truth, His special and general prescription of duty, fear (as its cause) and judicial decision. It is distinct and certain, reliable, right, pure, holy, and true. Hence it revives those depressed by doubts, makes wise the unskilled (2Ti 3:15), rejoices the lover of truth, strengthens the desponding (Ps 13:4; 34:6), provides permanent principles of conduct, and by God’s grace brings a rich reward. Commentary
“The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” (Psalm 19:8)
Precepts are divine principles and guidelines for character and conduct. Since God created us and knows how we must live to be productive for His glory, He has placed in Scripture every principle we need for godly living. Because it steers us through the right course of life, God’s Word brings great joy. If you’re depressed, anxious, fearful, or doubting, learn to obey God’s counsel and share in the resulting delight. Don’t turn to self-indulgent pursuits like self-esteem and self-fulfillment. Focus on divine truth. Therein you will find true and lasting joy. All other sources are shallow and fleeting. Our sufficiency in Christ
God's Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Ps. 119:105). It guides you through the difficult mazes of life and gives your life eternal significance. Don’t live simply for your own pleasures. Your life has a high and holy purpose, and each day can be filled with joy as you see that purpose unfold. Drawing Near
“Commandment” stresses the Bible’s non-optional nature. It is not a book of suggestions. Its divine mandates are authoritative and binding. Those who treat it lightly place themselves in eternal peril. Those who take it seriously find eternal blessing. “Pure” ("radiant" )could better be translated “lucid”—Scripture is not mystifying, confusing, or puzzling. The synonym “clear” is best. God’s Word is a revelation—a revealing of truth to make the dark things light, bringing eternity into bright focus. Granted, there are things in Scripture that are hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16). But taken as a whole, the Bible is not a bewildering book. Scripture, because of its absolute clarity, brings understanding where there is ignorance, order where there is confusion, and light where there is spiritual and moral darkness. It stands in stark contrast to the muddled musings of unredeemed men, who themselves are blind and unable to discern truth or live righteously. God’s Word clearly reveals the blessed, hopeful truths they can never see. Our sufficiency in Christ
“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.” (Psalm 19:10)
Nothing this world has to offer is more precious than God’s Word. Our sufficiency in Christ
You should value Scripture more than all earthly treasures. Drawing Near
Being “more desirable than gold” is able to produce in us a kind of prosperity that is more valuable than all the material riches of the world – v 10. Being “sweeter also than honey & the drippings of the honeycomb,” is able to remove the sourness, acidity, & bitterness caused by sin & to produce in us a sweetness of life that surpasses anything the world can provide – v 10. Totally sufficient
“By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:11)
Verse 11 leaps back to the profits the word of God delivers. It warns of God’s counsel (cf. 16:7) & of what stands against that. &, too, it shows the great reward that God makes good to those who obey. This can be success in one’s work issuing from acting on His values (cf. blessings in Lev. 26 & Deut. 28). It can be, above all, the preciousness of His word & His own presence as one’s portion (16:5; cf. Phil. 1:21). This presence can fill one in life now, or in the life to come (16:9–11; 49:15; 73:24; cf. Rev. 22:4). In view of God’s glory in the sky & in the Scripture—His perfections, profits even in great reward, & preciousness—it is fitting that His glory be in the saint too. An Exposition on Prayer in the Bible
“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:12–13)
By "hidden faults" David was talking about sins he was unaware of. When he knew he had sinned, he would repent of it, but like us, he was very aware that he likely sinned a great deal more than what he was aware of, therefore he would ask the Lord to forgive those things too, and at other times would also ask the Lord to show him what they were so he could repent and not do them again. This is something I pray regularly too, for the same reasons.
He prayed that he'd be forgiven for hidden faults & preserved from sinning willfully. For sins committed in ignorance, the Law provided atonement; but for willful sins, sins committed with a high hand, there was no ceremonial prescription, though forgiveness was still available if the person repented & confessed (cf. Ps. 51). Therefore he needed the perfect Law & God’s enabling to restrain him from such sins. The Bible Knowledge Commentary
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) This too is one of my regular prayers.
The prayer of v. 14 ought to be on our lips and in our hearts all day long. The meditation of the heart controls the words of the mouth (Mark 7:14–23). The word “meditation” here has the image of a musician plucking the strings of a harp. Who controls the music of your heart, God or Satan? Meditation is to the heart what digestion is to the body; it is the taking in of the Word of God and making it a part of the inner being. As the heart and mind think on the Word all day long, the Spirit guides the life. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) and to have the spiritual mind (Rom. 8:1–8). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines
3/19/17
Psalm 20: 1-9
This is an uplifting psalm proclaiming that God:
answers
protects
helps
supports
remembers
accepts
gives victory
and Lo and behold
there's that word JOY again
"May we shout for joy over your victory"
In fact victory is mentioned several times
I need to remeber these uplifting blessings...
I know God can work even bad things to my good...
but He gives good things and I need to be thankful and grateful for themsalm You hit the nail on the head as the old saying goes....
it is hard not to be influenced by our culture, I was thinking if I say I am righteous ( when I still sin) that is not only egotistical and bragging, but being a hypocrite.....
But I can now say, I am righteous in Christ.
 Yep. Remember we talked about this in a couple of different ways... about putting ourselves down, and about how it seems to be difficult for people to admit that they're mature in Christ. To hear most Christians talk, it sounds like we have a whole lot of infants, a few children and hardly anyone that's mature in Christ, when in fact quite a few are mature in Christ, including you. Maybe it's because we don't want to admit we've grown up, or more likely we feel like we don't know enough to be mature in Christ yet. That's the funny thing about being mature in Christ though. The more mature you are, the more you realize how little you really know!  3/15/17
Psalm 16
v.2 "I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
Such a true statement, it reminds me of the verse, if a man gains the whole world, but yet loses His soul
Therefore even if a person could have everything on earth for as long as they lived it would not be good, because then they would spend eternity in Hell.
But verse 5 &6 and 11 tells how to have 'everything'
v.5 "Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. "
v. 11 "You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
So my application is to remember these verses when I am apt to bemoan loss of youth, aches and pains, lack of certain material items and the like.....
I really really would rather suffer, a kind of loss now, and gain what is 'everything' in the future.....
but actually, even now, I have so much more than even those with money, fame etc.
I can't remember exactly what.....
but I recently saw a headline about rappers
( big money famed ones)
turning to something like maybe yoga???
I can't remember, but it was because they were in so much stress
So tho they think they have it made ( by worldly secular standards):
money, fame, fancy cars, mansions, clothes, jewelry, parties, drink, drugs, women, etc etc.
They are NOT happy....and I suspect, their unhappiness is increasing.
As we know, quite a lot of famous people kill themselves, or overdose, or someone else kills them, and people often want to be around them, but ONLY because of what they can get from them....
But to be poor, and have God's word for comfort, Jesus's peace, joy in simple things like the beauty of His Creation, love of God and family etc.
And a promise of a 'real' mansion in Heaven,
riches soooooo far beyond whatever these folks have now etc etc.
there is no comparison...
But even more than all that...to be loved by the Creator of everything, to be His child....even all the glories and riches of Heaven, does not compare.
Here's what some of my books say about these verses:
“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:5–6)
Joy is a proper response to God’s providence. Divine providence is the way God orchestrates all circumstances to effect the greatest good for believers. It's by far the most common method He uses to arrange & control temporal human events. When we consider God’s drawing together of millions of details & situations to accomplish His perfect purpose, the vast scope of providence is a much greater miracle than those 1–time supernatural occurrences we usually call miracles. A settled confidence & deep–down assurance is ours in knowing that the Lord through all the infinite contingencies, sovereignly controls the entire universe & He also graciously controls all the specific events in our individual lives, which should continually renew our faith & joy in Him. The pillars of Christian character
Unerring wisdom ordained your lot & selected for you the safest & best condition. Remember this, had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you're in, divine love would've put you there. You're placed by God in the most suitable circumstances. Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it's the burden best suited for your shoulder, & will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word & work to the glory of God. Down busy self & proud impatience, it's not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love! Morning and evening
Who or what owns your love: this is what big kingdom and little kingdom living are all about. The fundamental difference between big kingdom and little kingdom living is what has captured the love of our hearts. Remember, as Christ said during his earthly ministry, the kingdom of God is not a location. You couldn’t say, “Honey, let’s get up tomorrow morning and go visit the kingdom of God for the day.” No, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Both the big and little kingdoms are kingdoms of the heart. The big kingdom is shaped by a deeply thankful love for God, and the little kingdom is shaped by a love of self. When my true spiritual condition reveals that I, in fact, love me more than anything else, I will always shrink the size of my care and concern, sacrifice and discipline, and hopes and dreams to the size of my own life. If I love God more than anything else, I will be pulled way beyond the borders of my own wants and needs to the spaciousness of God’s kingdom, where redemption and restoration of all things is the order of the day, every day. Heart of the matter
“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,” (Psalm 16:8–9)
Everything exists for the purpose of glorifying God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism of the 17th century begins by stating that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” The vastness of space and all therein glorifies God. In Isaiah 43:20, God says, “The beast of the field will honor Me.” The angels who appeared at the birth of Christ said, “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14). Scripture explains that you exist to give God glory. May you follow the lead of David and set the Lord always before you. Truth for today
We Christ–ones know the keys to having a glad heart. They are spelled out for us clearly.… Enjoy what we have (enabled by God) as we accept our “lot”—which means accepting whatever “portion and cup” (Psalm 16:5) God has given. If we do that we won’t feel guilty if we “have” or cheated if we “have not.” … Live in the present with each moment being lived “to the hilt” and let God keep us occupied with gladness of heart. Enter His gates
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)
The man who walks along the path of life lives in the presence of the joy-giving God. Just in so far as he is true to that path of life, and wanders neither to the right hand nor to the left, his joy becomes deeper; nay, he becomes partaker of that very fullness of joy in which God Himself lives, and moves, and has His being. And while such is his experience in the midst of all the trials of life, he has also the privilege of looking forward to grander things yet in store for him, when that higher world shall be reached, and the shadows of time have passed away forever. “At Thy right hand,” exclaims the psalmist, “there are pleasures forevermore.” Thoughts for the quiet hour.
It sounds like you're doing very well Eva, and I'm so very happy for you. I do hope you'll be able to find a good church and make some good godly friends soon. Have you thought to look online and see if there are any house churches in your area? What I mean is often people who cannot find a church that teaches the truth only, will start meeting with others who are like minded in their home. They often will put something on line so that others can find them.
3/17/17
Psalms 18:1-50
This is a Psalm of the great strength of God
v.17 is one I can really relate to when I think of my sins
"He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me."
And verse 19 tells why the Lord rescued me
"he rescued me because he delighted in me."
I used to wonder, how could He delight in me a most wretched, rebellious and sinful person that I was ( and still am tho He is doing a work in me and will continue until its finished)
But then you once pointed out He delights in me because He sees who I will be ( or rather who I am in Jesus)
v. 30 and 32, speak to me why the Christians God is the real God, and all of false 'gods' ,do not measure up.
v. 30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
v. 31 For who is God besides the Lord?"
and my application is to learn how better to praise Him and do so
49 "Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name."
I hope you realize that what I've been attempting to do in this thread with the psalms is what I was planning to do on the other thread, but since we're doing the psalms here, it seemed silly to do it on the other thread. So I figured I'd just use the other thread for things that didn't include the psalms. That's why, to me, theses studies are so important right now. They're to enable you to get over that waking up depression and the other things we've discussed.
Psalm 18 is truly a treasure. Beginning with verse 7, until verse 18, is an awesome picture of how much God loves us, that he hears our cries and comes rushing to our rescue! Someone is trying to harm His child; the child cries for help; an angry Father comes charging to His child's rescue! This is in 2 Samuel 22 too. Come to think of it, all this also sounds like a good description of the second coming! This shows us though, how God feels. He wants to help us, He wants to rescue us, He wants to guide us so that we won't fall into any of the enemies traps. Sadly we often ignore Him.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.” (Psalm 18:16–17) I think that everyone who's ever been saved can relate to these verses. God came and saved us from ourselves!
To be used by God in difficult relationships, you need to understand how he pursues people. How is it that the all-powerful God of the universe doesn’t terrify us when he comes looking for us? Why don’t we run the other way? Part of the reason is that God has an established track record of being involved in his people’s lives for their good. God responded to Adam & Eve’s rebellion by promising a Deliverer who would free us from our slavery to sin. God remembered that promise for thousands of years & never turned his back on his people, even though they turned away from him many times. Instead, he continued to move all history toward the point when, at just the right time, Jesus stepped onto center stage. Jesus literally went to hell & back for you. His death guarantees your forgiveness; his resurrection guarantees your new life; & his Spirit guarantees that he will never leave you. Jesus has remained faithful to you, even through the many times you have not loved him with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength. He is committed to you for the long haul. He invites you to run to him to find safety. He is your rock, fortress, refuge, stronghold, shield, & strong tower. He invites you to find safety in him. Heart of the matter
Another passage that shows how the Lord loves us: “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:19)
This next one can be confusing to some though: “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.” (Psalm 18:20) David isn't saying that he never sins, he's well aware of his sinfulness, just as we are. But here he shows us the biblical way to see ourselves - the way God sees us. God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and it is by that righteousness and that cleanliness that he deals with us. But, God also deals with us according to how we are dealing with Him. If we are doing our best to obey Him then He will reward us for that. If we are purposely and willingly sinning against Him, then He will deal with us in discipline according to that. Whenever we obey Him in the smallest thing, like picking up our bible and spending time with Him even though we don't "feel like it" that day, then He will reward us for that obedience and bless us for it.
Another important verse is: “You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28) This is also translated as: “For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.” The light of the lamp, or the lamp itself are speaking of the light of wisdom and insight that God instills into our minds as we study His Word. It shows us that without God giving it to us, without Him teaching us, we wouldn't have this light of wisdom and insight; we'd remain in the dark.
“With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” (Psalm 18:29)
The danger in facing life’s crises is withdrawing into the valley of despair or seeking to surmount it with feeble self–resolve. Both tactics will end in ruin. The opportunity is to trust God to make your feet as “deer’s feet” (v 33) so that through Him, you may see God at work in your problems. Faith in God and His care for you will stabilize your footing and give you a confident grip in His ability. As God strengthens and equips you, you can ride on the divine winds of faith that help you seize the opportunity for faith in your crises and give you renewed hope in God’s active presence in your life. Enter His gates
“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” (Psalm 18:32) Here and throughout the whole psalm, David shows us that every ability and talent and every victory we win, are all from the Lord and not from ourselves.
This is one of my favorites and another that's a treasure for us: “You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.” (Psalm 18:35) A great verse to reflect on for sure! I just read an entire book who's main plot was all abut how God's stoops to make us great. Look what this says about the word "stoop": to descend from one’s level (as of rank or dignity) usually to do something <a king who would not stoop to consider the common people> to descend from a superior rank, dignity, or status. That's just what Jesus did for us and is what God does for us continually every day. He then continues along this line with: “You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” (Psalm 18:36) A picture of a very loving Father.
Finally the psalm ends with a hymn of praise to the wonderful God who loves us so much that He stoops to make us great!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 20, 2017 16:28:50 GMT -5
I read all your posts, thank you again for all the time and effort spent....
and in the process,
I was thinking again on how many rich, famous, beautiful, powerful etc. people that from a worldly secular viewpoint, are supposed to have it all....
in fact, commit suicide
So I looked at one site, Wikipedia, and did a quick count ( tho I know I missed some of the people, as I was zooming thru the loooong list....
but even so I counted around 430-450
Some I wondered about like Vince Foster, and Marilyn Monroe because conspiracy theories abounded that they were killed, but in any case, their lives were not happy ones.
Without God, without their sins being paid for by Jesus, no matter how beautiful or powerful, rich, smart etc. they had a hole in their heart that could not be filled by those things and ultimately they took their own lives.
So it really is better to be content with what God has provided and not envy the rich and famous or even brilliant and beautiful etc.
I would comment more, but I want to be sure to read the next psalm today...I am afraid if I get to busy here, I will forget to do so.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 20, 2017 16:41:00 GMT -5
3/20/17
Psalm 21: 1-13
v. 1 speaks of Great Joys God gives:
"great is his joy in the victories you give!"
So I need to think about the victories God has given me, I don't usually even think about that at all.....but when I stop to give some reflection on it, I realize that indeed I have had victories that I never gave thanks for or joyed in.
v. 4 mentions a longish life and indeed I have that and it mentions for ever and that is what I have by being saved.
v. 6 has another joy:
6 "Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence."
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Post by Cindy on Mar 21, 2017 10:39:04 GMT -5
I read all your posts, thank you again for all the time and effort spent....
and in the process,
I was thinking again on how many rich, famous, beautiful, powerful etc. people that from a worldly secular viewpoint, are supposed to have it all....
in fact, commit suicide
So I looked at one site, Wikipedia, and did a quick count ( tho I know I missed some of the people, as I was zooming thru the loooong list....
but even so I counted around 430-450
Some I wondered about like Vince Foster, and Marilyn Monroe because conspiracy theories abounded that they were killed, but in any case, their lives were not happy ones.
Without God, without their sins being paid for by Jesus, no matter how beautiful or powerful, rich, smart etc. they had a hole in their heart that could not be filled by those things and ultimately they took their own lives.
So it really is better to be content with what God has provided and not envy the rich and famous or even brilliant and beautiful etc.
I would comment more, but I want to be sure to read the next psalm today...I am afraid if I get to busy here, I will forget to do so.
3/20/17
Psalm 21: 1-13
v. 1 speaks of Great Joys God gives:
"great is his joy in the victories you give!"
So I need to think about the victories God has given me, I don't usually even think about that at all.....but when I stop to give some reflection on it, I realize that indeed I have had victories that I never gave thanks for or joyed in.
v. 4 mentions a longish life and indeed I have that and it mentions for ever and that is what I have by being saved.
v. 6 has another joy:
6 "Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence."
“You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.” (Psalm 21:3) This sounds like how those who have produced fruit for the Kingdom during their lives here will be greeted by our Lord when we get to heaven. The next verses through verse 7 could also describe that. More then that, it sounds like how Jesus was greeted in Heaven at His ascension. This whole psalm sounds like it could be about Jesus.
“Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.” (Psalm 21:6)
The real object of joy, of course, is God. He is what all earthly joys reflect. Throughout history people have found great joy because the Lord is present (Psalm 21:6). God is the joy and delight of his people (Psalm 43:4). This was Jonathan Edwards’s test of true religion. Do you find joy in God? “Joy . . . consists in the sweet entertainment their minds have in the view or contemplation of the divine and holy beauty of these things [the character of God], as they are in themselves. And this is the main difference between the joy of the hypocrite and the joy of the true saint. The former rejoices in himself . . . the latter rejoices in God” Some find the thought of heaven boring. But once you start finding joy in the Lord, you will find an inexhaustible delight. God is the God of joy and gladness, he freely and liberally gives joy to his people, and he actually commands us to search for it in him (Psalm 106:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Therefore, the psalmist truly understands God’s thoughts when he prays, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice” (Psalm 51:8). This is not a selfish prayer; it is purposeful. The psalmist wants to be what he was intended to be, the person every follower of Christ will one day be—a joyful worshiper. Heart of the matter
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fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 21, 2017 14:48:13 GMT -5
3/21/17
Psalm 22: 1-31
Well, I have surely been like David in my complaining as per v. 1
" My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?"
But v. 4& 5 gives the answer to the complaints
v. 4 "In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame."
I know that this psalm is also one of many scriptures that point to Jesus and even predicts aspects of His life, including His death ( which is predicted in this psalm for example v. 12-18).
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Post by Cindy on Mar 22, 2017 11:48:52 GMT -5
3/21/17
Psalm 22: 1-31
Well, I have surely been like David in my complaining as per v. 1
" My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?"
But v. 4& 5 gives the answer to the complaints
v. 4 "In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame."
I know that this psalm is also one of many scriptures that point to Jesus and even predicts aspects of His life, including His death ( which is predicted in this psalm for example v. 12-18).
Let me share what some of my books say about it:
Although the Gospels record the events surrounding Jesus’s crucifixion and death, Psalm 22 allows us to glimpse his thoughts and feelings. It’s a difficult passage to read, knowing that he endured such agony for us. Jesus suffered so that we can live with him for eternity if we accept the salvation made possible by his sacrifice. When we go through suffering, we can find strength to endure by meditating on the closing words of Psalm 22: “He has finished it” (v.31). Designed for devotion
I also wanted to point out the words below the title: For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. as these too are inspired scripture for our learning. What do we think of when we hear the words, “The Doe of the Morning.” ? This Psalm is one of the most important things we can reflect on, and should reflect on regularly. What I'll post will be long, but I truly hope you'll read it as it's so very important and will help us when we do reflect on the cross.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Psalm 22:1–5)
Psalm 22 gives a spiritual description of the crucifixion that reveals something of the immensity of this divine event which, when understood, can but leave a believer in awe of his Savior and his God, and in abject shame and horror at the havoc his depraved sin has wrought. The events of the crucifixion are so awesome that God, in His infinite wisdom, saw fit to reveal them fully a millennium before the time. As we consider this glorious prophecy, let us not hide behind academia, but rather seek to turn this study into a spiritual experience by reminding ourselves of the cost of the salvation which we enjoy, so that together we might thank, praise, and worship our God and His Son, our Savior.
The Hebrew text includes the captions of the psalms, so these are inspired Scripture. Jewish commentators say the title of this psalm, ‘The hind of the morning,’ is probably the name of the melody to which it was sung. On the other hand, it can be understood as a reference to the new day which Jesus’ death ushered in, the dawning of the age of grace. The Old Testament uses the hind as a symbol of freedom (see especially 2 Sam 22:34, its parallel Ps 18:33, and Gen 49:21) and Matt 4:15 tenuously links Jesus to Gen 49:21. So the doe or hind is an appropriate symbol for the freedom from law which grace ushered in.
The psalm opens with the heart rending cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?” (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). So the first revelation God makes in this psalm is a truth, the immensity of which the human brain just cannot fathom but can only boggle at—God abandoning one Person of the Trinity, God the Father turning His back on God the Son.
Abandoned by God (vv. 1–5) This section’s purpose is to portray the Messiah’s spiritual anguish in His crucifixion.The Hebrew word ‘azab,’ translated ‘forsaken’ in v. 1, means just that: abandoned. Jesus quoted these words as the fourth of His seven exclamations from the cross, thereby identifying Himself with this psalm for all eternity, and eternally linking this psalm with His crucifixion. Christian, do not hasten through these verses, for you should have suffered on that cross; you should have endured this humiliation, embarrassment, and pain; you should have been forsaken by God. Your sins demand this. It is only through the substitutionary death of Jesus that you are spared this fate; please therefore prayerfully consider what He endured for you; by so doing, you will better appreciate your debt of gratitude to your Lord. When we understand a little of this we can understand Hebrews 2:3, for surely our salvation is great beyond our comprehension. The Life of Christ
The Psalms all point to Jesus. When you hear the words of Psalm 22, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” you might think about your own experience. Depression, for example, feels like being forsaken. But you also remember that these were Jesus’ words on the cross. They point to the fact that when you read these liturgical prayers, you are not alone. David composed many of them, the Israelites sang them, the church has recited them, and they all point to Jesus. What these psalms do is straighten the trajectory of our lives. Using the words he gives us, God gently turns our hearts toward him. Instead of everything bending back into ourselves, we are able to look straight, outside of ourselves, and fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Keep this pattern in mind. It is the path of hope. The fact that all your thoughts turn back on yourself is oppressive. The self cannot carry the load. The way we were intended to function was to be able to look outward, toward God and other people. As you say the Psalms and remember that Jesus said them first, you will gradually find your focus changing. Heart of the matter
So the brief cry, “Eli, Eli, lamah sabachtani?” eloquently captures the spiritual anguish of this separation of the eternal bond between God the Father & God the Son—all because of my own sin, & yours. The Gospels contain no record of Jesus using the term ‘God’ to address the Father other than in His anguished cry from the cross. Elsewhere He uses the term Father’ which obviously speaks of the warm, intimate relationship between Him & God. God’s personal name is ‘Yhwh’ (‘the Lord’) a name that can only be correctly used by those who have entered into a faith relationship with Him. He could only properly address Him as ‘God,’ the name that all unforgiven sinners will use when before their Judge. Jesus who had become all sin could only address God as His judge; so He used the appropriate title for the deity. Even in its choice of words this psalm displays its verbal perfection: ‘Elohim’ is correct in this context, not ‘Yhwh,’ which is used later in the confident assertion of coming salvation (vv. 19–21) & thereafter for the Church Age & the Millennium in which God the Father & God the Son are again, eternally, reunited. The appropriate name for the rest of mankind is ‘Elohim’ (God), for this stresses His sovereignty and His rights over all His creation, including His office as Judge of all creation. Here, Jesus turned to ‘Elohim,’ for, as God had abandoned Him, He no longer enjoyed the personal relationship which had been theirs for all eternity past.
The 3 different Hebrew words used to express ‘cry’ (vv. 1, 2, 5—crying out in distress, calling for help, crying in need) emphasize Jesus’ hopelessness on the cross: nothing helps (the nocturnal cry for help in v. 2 may refer to the Gethsemane prayer). Note the pathos of His desperate, urgent plea, and the incredible circumstances in which Jesus found Himself: 1. I get no salvation in response to My shriek of agony (v. 1). 2. I plead for help at night and in the day, but to no avail (v. 2). 3. Israel trusted in You and You gave them security (v. 4) and allowed them to slip away from danger (v. 5). Their trust has never been disappointed, yet I, the first and only righteous Israelite ever, am abandoned by My God. The Life of Christ
A sage once gave a one-word reply to a man who asked what God would need to do to destroy the world: “Nothing.” Using this psalm’s term, if God ‘abandoned’ the world it would disintegrate; after all, only His laws of physics, dynamics, and nature keep the entire universe intact! If He simply relaxed His care and abandoned His concern for creation for one moment, everything would be lost. This is the horror of abandonment by God, and no man has ever experienced it in his life, for our Lord said, ‘He makes His rain fall on the just and the unjust’ (Matt 5:45). This means God has neither abandoned the just nor the unjust.
God, on the day of the crucifixion, slackened, as it were, His grasp on the world for an instant and what happened? There were earthquakes, the sun was darkened, even the laws of death were reversed, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom (Matt 27:51–53; Luke 23:44–45). God gave the world the smallest sample of what it was like to be abandoned by Him. It was awesome. Yet, Jesus bore the full brunt of complete abandonment by God. Why? Verse 3 gives the explanation: it lies in the words, ‘but Thou are holy.’ That is the key. We can reconstruct the spiritual significance of what happened from Scriptures like 2 Cor 5:21, for we learn Jesus had become sin for us.
Mankind in general fears death, & with good cause, for instinctively he knows that death, without having accepted Jesus as Savior, means separation from God for the first time. However, only Jesus, who alone knows the full significance of perfect communion with the Father, understands the full horror of a soul separated from God. This is what He experienced in the crucifixion; this is what prompted the prayer in Gethsemane (Matt 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42). The horror of martyrdom is not sufficient cause for Jesus to pray like this, for other men have faced martyrdom calmly and with equanimity through the strength He gave them (e.g., Acts 7:60). So it needs a horror greater than the horror of death by crucifixion to explain Jesus’ plea; that horror is separation from God. All the sins of the billions of people (perhaps forty billion) who have lived to the present, and all those who will yet be born, invaded His hitherto sinless flesh. All the violent murders, thefts, lies, every immoral act, revelry, every blasphemy against the God He loves so perfectly, every sin committed or to be committed became personified in Him, became His. He, the spotless Lamb of God, became all sin. God, in His holiness, cannot look on sin (Hab 1:13), so God abandoned Christ. Jesus, for the 1st time in eternity, is separated from the Father. This ultimate horror, dear fellow Christian, is what Jesus saved us from: the horror of being eternally abandoned by God; but He endured that same horror so that you & I can escape it. The somber truth is, those men who do not accept the saving work which Jesus performed on the cross have unnecessarily chosen to face the full horror of separation from God, eternally. The impact of being abandoned by God needs to be considered, for this is the real horror of the crucifixion. This psalm makes Jesus’ plea more poignantly than any other Scripture. Ponder this paragraph: we cannot know this horror & terror, but we can grope around its fringes.
This, then, is the biggest tragedy of the crucifixion, & also its biggest mystery: God the Son separated from God the Father because you & I are sinners. In this awesome truth is founded our salvation, our assurance of spending eternity with our Savior & God—all because He endured, on our behalf, the separation from God which is the penalty of our sin. Can you imagine the distress of soul as our Lord expressed these two verses (vv. 4–5)? This psalm tells us what His thoughts were on the cross: “Israel trusted in You & You brought them into security (v. 4) & allowed them to slip away from danger (v. 5). Their trust has never been disappointed, yet I, the first & only righteous Israelite ever, am abandoned by My God.” This was the greatest injustice ever experienced by man. The Father acted inconsistently with His nature of justice, but this was done by prior agreement with the Son (1 Pet 1:19–20), so this travesty against the divine nature was confined to the Trinity. All of this profound act was undertaken so that God’s dealings with sinful man might be just, yet not contradict His attribute of holiness. Ponder this, for it will provide you with a small glimpse of the anguish which the crucifixion imposed on God the Father. This is too profound for us to understand, so God, it seems, says, “if you can't understand your God’s spiritual suffering, maybe you can understand your Lord’s emotional suffering.” So He had David write vv. 6–11. The Life of Christ
“But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” (Psalm 22:6–11)
Reproached and Rejected by Man (vv. 6–11) This section’s purpose is to portray the Messiah’s emotional or psychological torment in His crucifixion. The Messiah abandoned by God because of the sins of mankind. But, surely, then man will at least show appreciation and rally to His comfort and aid. “No! emphatically NO!” says the psalmist. To the contrary, they will kick Him when He is down, and worse, they will trample Him in glee. Look at how the Holy Spirit pre-wrote history one thousand years in advance. ‘I, a worm,’ is a fearsome cry to come from the Creator’s lips. Jesus, under the load of sin, has become the most insignificant and despised of His creation, a ‘worm.’ Pause in horror: what a fearsome thing for the Creator of the Universe to become a worm. If ever there be proof that God has not abandoned man, it lies in the fact that when we reduced our Creator, God’s Son, to a worm, God the Father did not destroy us. How low our sins brought Him. The Messiah, in the gross sinful state He has assumed, recognizes He is not even a man. Sin has this debilitating effect, for it destroys our humanity. The Hebrew word for man in v. 6 is ‘adam,’ not the usual ‘ish’; it takes us back to the fall and the promise of Gen 3:15. Through Adam, sin entered the world, and Christ is the antithesis of Adam in this regard (Rom 5:15). The next two comments are drawn from a Hebrew (Jewish) commentary on this psalm: “‘I am not a man’ is similar to Isa 52:14—His appearance was marred more than any man; ‘despised’ (v. 6) can be related to Isa 53:3, 49:7—the language of this section is reminiscent of Isaiah 53.” So it is not simply a Christian interpolation to find the Messiah in this Old Testament Scripture!
Notice how literally Matt 27:39–43 and its parallels fulfill this prophecy. The mocking, derisive crowd at the foot of the cross was minutely described 1000 years before they gathered, but this psalm is the only Scripture which records the effect on Jesus. It alone records His humiliation and anguish when that dastardly crowd taunted Him with the jeer that God, Who had forsaken Him because of their sins, would not save Him. This taunt was vilely wicked, even beyond the crowd’s most evil imagining, for Jesus could not come off that cross, for to do so would be to condemn man, them, eternally.
Verses 6–20 are what I, as a sinner, did to my Savior; v. 21b is what He did for this miserable sinner. We need to remind ourselves of the full enormity of the havoc caused by our sins, and thus the wonder of our salvation. Pause a long while to consider the grace and love of a Savior who endured all this at the hands of the people He had magnanimously come to save. This is what Jesus did for us, this is the price He paid for our salvation, this is the pain, suffering and havoc that our sin caused. We should endure that suffering; we should be abandoned by God because of our sins. But wonder of wonders, marvel beyond compare, through the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ, we who have believed in Jesus are free of the consequences. Free-absolutely, utterly free!
Consider the helplessness and agony of Christ on the cross and the crass lack of feeling displayed by men jeering at Him, mocking Him, grimacing at Him to add to His torture, a torture which was being borne on account of His tormentors. Man’s attitude and actions were repulsive and a full depiction of the depth of his depravity: a) They despise Jesus (v. 6). b) They mock and jeer at Jesus (v. 7). c) They taunt Him with the most malicious of all taunts (v. 8). This, the only report of the crucifixion from the perspective of the cross, was written 1000 and more years before the event. How could anyone but God do such a thing? Wonder at the last few words of this psalm and praise Him as you do so! The Life of Christ
Consider Jesus’ declaration of confidence carefully, for it goes right back to the virgin conception. Jesus’ nostalgic plea is pitiful and pathetic in its pathos. He reminds Himself that from the womb God had not abandoned Him, and He in turn has always been faithful to God (vv. 9–10).Verse 9 suggests that Jesus was aware of His mission from infancy; God caused Jesus to trust Him while He was still an infant (‘hope’ in v. 9 means, literally, ‘caused me to trust’) thus indicating strongly that the infant Jesus was uniquely precocious. In contrast to other OT refrences that identify a person through their fathers lineage, this prophecy of Jesus mentions only the mother; foreshadowing the virgin birth. The Life of Christ
Verse 10 alludes to the plot by Herod against Jesus in His infancy; only divine intervention through dreams spared Jesus’ life. Consider, too, the protection of the infant exposed to winter’s elements in the fields around Bethlehem. Truly, He was flung on God for protection from the womb!
The plea of v. 11 presents the stark loneliness of the cross; there is no one to help Jesus as He shoulders the full burden and responsibility of the sins of every one of the billions of people who have lived, or who will live on this earth. What loneliness, what a burden, what guilt afflicted His sinless soul! The Life of Christ
“Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.” (Psalm 22:12–21)
Crucified as a Sacrifice to God for Man (vv. 12–21) This section’s purpose is to portray the physical pain of the Messiah’s crucifixion. He is utterly weak (poured out like water), the weight of His body has pulled His bones from their sockets (this was one of the excruciating agonies of crucifixion, for as the body weakened, its own weight wrenched the joints apart—v. 14). His strength is dissipated in the noonday heat, and His thirst as He is about to die is attested by John 19:28 (v. 15). His pierced hands and feet carry the weight of His body in their torn flesh (v. 16). First, you see the robust, virile, young soldiers milling around the foot of the cross, for all the world like strong young bulls from Bashan (the fertile plain renowned for producing the most robust livestock in Israel). Christ’s creation is crucifying Him (vv. 11–12). You blank out in pain. You open your eyes again, now they are gaping at you like lions around their wounded, dying prey, seeking to devour you (v. 13). Again you fade into unconsciousness.
“My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels” (v. 14) vividly describes a burst heart. It seems that Jesus, in a supreme act of will, burst His own heart when His redeeming work was complete. The mixture of blood and water that poured from His side points in this direction, and it is certain that He Himself dismissed His spirit (Matt 27:50) and that His life was not taken from Him (John 10:18).
The Hebrew text expresses the malicious delight with which these monsters of cruelty feast their eyes on the sorry spectacle. The pain in your hands and feet is unbearable; it feels like a lion gnawing at them (v. 16) pierced = The Hebrew text is uncertain here; an early Greek translation suggests a Hebrew word which means ‘bored,’ but Jewish scholars suggest the text read, ‘like a lion they gnawed my hands and my feet’. However Isa 53:5 & Zech 12:10 prophesy the piercing of the Messiah albeit using a different Hebrew word, so this concept is not foreign to the Hebrew Scriptures. In any event, the Jewish suggestion is a poetic expression of the same concept as it supplies the word ‘they gnawed,’ a verb not in the text. ‘They pierced my hands and my feet’ is an allegorical interpretation for this is not a literal translation of the accepted Hebrew text. (Be fair with this verse; 1 day you may be privileged to witness to a Jew & you should avoid the innocent mistake of making it appear that Christians have rewritten the OT to conform with the New.)
Verse 17 captures the shame Jesus experienced as His naked body was exposed in broad daylight to all around, His humiliation added to by the unregenerate pagans (dogs—Matt 7:6) gaping at His Jewishness (v. 17). In bland disregard for His suffering, His pitiful worldly possessions, the clothes He wore, are divided amongst His executioners, and then they gamble over His solitary material possession of any value, a seamless cloak (v. 18) The detailed prophecy of v. 18 was not in Christ’s hands to fulfill, yet all four Gospels record its fulfillment.
Now the gruesome sacrifice is over, the blood of atonement is on the horns of the altar. Nothing remains but to offer up a final prayer to God (vv. 19–21). These verses mark the close of the crucifixion scene in this psalm. The sin offering has been made, the atonement for sin is complete, the blood of God’s own unique Son has been placed on the horns of the altar of incense. The deed is done, the price is paid, atonement has been made, not for the past year as enacted previously by the slaying of the Jewish atonement sacrifice, but made for all past sins and all future sins for all time (Heb 7:27)! The propitiatory work is eternally complete.
The sacrifice is complete; now God, who forsook the sacrificial victim in v. 1, can and does answer Him; communication is restored. God answered all the prayers of this psalm, but not immediately, for first Jesus had to complete His propitiatory work by dying for our sins. The prayers were answered in the resurrection, since, with God’s help, Jesus overcame both death and Satan.
Verses 6–20 are what I, as a sinner, did to my Savior; v. 21b is what He did for this miserable sinner. We need to remind ourselves of the full enormity of the havoc caused by our sins, and thus the wonder of our salvation. Pause a long while to consider the grace and love of a Savior who endured all this at the hands of the people He had magnanimously come to save. This is what Jesus did for us, this is the price He paid for our salvation, this is the pain, suffering and havoc that our sin caused. We should endure that suffering; we should be abandoned by God because of our sins. But wonder of wonders, marvel beyond compare, through the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ, we who have believed in Jesus are free of the consequences. Free-absolutely, utterly free! But wonder of wonders, marvel beyond compare, through the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ, we who have believed in Jesus are free of the consequences. Free-absolutely, utterly free! Think on this when you drink the communion cup and when you eat the broken bread. Think long and hard, but rather than use this as a form of self-flagellation, use it as motivation to share the gospel. Can we, who have been bought at so great a price, at such vast spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering, shirk the privilege of sharing Christ with others? Think, too, of the debt of gratitude you owe your God and your Savior, you, who are bought with a price, the great, incredible, incalculable price described in this psalm. You, who are bought with this price, worship Him, adore Him, for He is greatly to be praised; love Him, for His tender mercies endure forever! The Life of Christ
“I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.” (Psalm 22:22–31)
Think on ALL this when you drink the communion cup & when you eat the broken bread. Think long & hard, but rather than use this as a form of self-flagellation, use it as motivation to share the gospel with the other men, women, & children for whom Jesus died. Can we, who have been bought at so great a price, at such vast spiritual, emotional, & physical suffering, shirk the privilege of sharing Christ with others? Think, too, of the debt of gratitude you owe your God & your Savior, you, who are bought with a price, the great, incredible, incalculable price described in this psalm. You, who are bought with this price, worship Him, adore Him, for He is greatly to be praised; love Him, for His tender mercies endure forever! This, the only report of the crucifixion from the perspective of the cross, was written one thousand and more years before the event. How could anyone but God do such a thing? Wonder at the last few words of this psalm and praise Him as you do so! The Life of Christ
How did Jesus face death? Was he calm and unaffected? No, he experienced death as a terrible enemy. On the cross he cried out words from Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46). Jesus lived out this psalm of death and torture on the cross. But this is also a psalm of hope: “For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help” (Psalm 22:24). Jesus’ cry of desolation and forsakenness was in the light of his certain hope that God does not finally forsake those who are afflicted. Jesus was not a stoic as he died. He looked death right in the eye, felt keenly its pain, degradation, horror, and loss, and then trusted his heavenly Father as he said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46). These words are not calm, cool, and collected. They are the words of a man who is fully engaged with his troubles, fully engaged with his God, and bringing the two together in honest neediness and honest gratitude. The two sides of faith—the need and the joy—are both present in Jesus’ experience. Heart of the matter
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 22, 2017 13:07:26 GMT -5
I did read it all.....it is so overwhelming that it is hard to keep reading but I did. And this quote near the beginning was a real encouragement to keep on reading:
"Christian, do not hasten through these verses, for you should have suffered on that cross; you should have endured this humiliation, embarrassment, and pain; you should have been forsaken by God."
The least I can do is read and reflect and then be grateful for such love.
So I will also re-read this psalm again today but I don't think I need to post on it, as all the quotes you posted say anything I might say, much better.
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Post by Cindy on Mar 23, 2017 10:55:51 GMT -5
I did read it all.....it is so overwhelming that it is hard to keep reading but I did. And this quote near the beginning was a real encouragement to keep on reading:
"Christian, do not hasten through these verses, for you should have suffered on that cross; you should have endured this humiliation, embarrassment, and pain; you should have been forsaken by God."
The least I can do is read and reflect and then be grateful for such love.
So I will also re-read this psalm again today but I don't think I need to post on it, as all the quotes you posted say anything I might say, much better.
A godly woman who had raised her children in the faith, and was a godly influence to many, one day discovered that her oldest daughter, an 18 year old, had deceived her (so she felt) and had become pregnant by a Christian young man who lived near by. She was totally devastated, feeling like all she'd sacrificed for the last 18 years raising her children had been for nothing. After all, she'd taught her children to know and love the Lord and follow His Ways, so why didn't He keep them in His Truth and prevent this? So she was angry at God, as well as with her daughter. She felt embarrassed that others would soon know what her daughter had done and saw this as though it made a mockery of all she'd ever done and said for all these years. She felt like her other children would now probably follow in her daughters footsteps and do things that would cause her humiliation as well. Of course because she really loved her daughter, she was also angry and hurt because she knew the trials her daughter would now have to deal with for the rest of her life because of her sin. And most of all she was hurt and angry because there was nothing she could do about any of it. She became depressed because of all of it too, even wondering if her daughter was really saved, and all of this caused her prayer life to diminish and kept her from her bible, so things got worse. All these feelings caused her to take out her anger on her daughter and her other children and even on her husband. Her life was falling apart.
When we look at that story we can relate to many of the things she felt, even all of them, but what could help her? She needed to take it all to the Lord and reflect on the cross. She needed to remember the unconditional love the Lord had for her when she was still His enemy, and all He did to save her. As she reflected on the cross, she would remember that her salvation was by Grace, not works, and that the same was true for her daughter. She'd remember her own many sins, including recent ones, and realize that the Lord still loved her just as much as He always had, regardless of her sins; He'd known of them as He hung on the cross for her and stayed on that cross because of His love for her. She'd realize that the same was true for her daughter and her other children. Being humbled by the cross, the Lord's love, forgiveness, mercy and grace would flow into her and overflowing, impact her family too. She'd realize anew the wonder of God's love and forgiveness, the safety of His arms, and the amazing power He has for those who love Him. She'd realize that power was flowing through her right then and there, the power of His love, and that it seems the more she shared it the more she had. And so she'd be able to forgive her daughter, realizing that all she'd done in the past was to glorify Him, not to gain the praise of other people, and that it had glorified Him. She'd know too that as she continued to teach her children of His love and grace, that she would continue to glorify and please Him. She'd find forgiveness for herself at the cross, forgiveness for her daughter, and even for any who spoke badly of her or gossiped about them. For how can we accept forgiveness for all our many and great sins, and not offer the same to others? She'd find peace for her present trial and the ability to love and guide her daughter in her trial as they walked God's narrow road together as they always had. She'd even discover that the Lord would turn this to good in many ways, including causing all of them to remember that it was by Grace they'd been saved and not by works, and that the Lord is always ready to forgive us when we repent, and that nothing, not even ourselves, can separate us from His great love for us.
There was much, much more and it was much better than I can possibly remember or be able to explain it now, but I think that's enough anyway to give you an idea of what it was about. I hope it helps you as it has me when I reflect on the cross of my Lord. It's something we don't do nearly enough, and that we seem to forget about when we need it the most.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 23, 2017 11:23:40 GMT -5
Thank you for that story Cindy.
In re-reading psalm 22 again today I thought that v. 6 & 7 never ended, in a way,
by unbelievers ( they do the same today as back then.....if at all possible, even worse, I have read some of the most hateful comments on the net....it is horrifying and so so sad)
6 "But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads".
However, I was a little confused by v. 29
because Jesus told us, it will be difficult for the rich to enter Heaven
( not impossible, but like a camel going thru an eye of a needle....it can only happen by a miracle of God....would that be a right rendering?)
Anyway, v. 29 says:
"29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;"
The rich feast is not surprising or confusing, they pretty much do that anyway..
but I don't 'usually' think of them as worshiping
( unless, its themselves or money).
v. 29 goes on to say that
"all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—"
I am thinking that doesn't necessarily mean they are saved and they worship Him...but rather this is at the end when all unbelievers will kneel and acknowledge Jesus as Lord, King, and God?
But it's the first part of v. 29,
the first time the word 'worship' is used , that I am confused about.
In any case, the most uplifting part of this psalm ( one to cause that word ( joy) is the last verse
"He has done it"!
Like Jesus said: "It is finished" He paid the full and total price for the sins of those who believe, trust, worship and love him!!
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Post by Cindy on Mar 24, 2017 11:12:42 GMT -5
Thank you for that story Cindy.
In re-reading psalm 22 again today I thought that v. 6 & 7 never ended, in a way,
by unbelievers ( they do the same today as back then.....if at all possible, even worse, I have read some of the most hateful comments on the net....it is horrifying and so so sad)
6 "But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads".
However, I was a little confused by v. 29
because Jesus told us, it will be difficult for the rich to enter Heaven
( not impossible, but like a camel going thru an eye of a needle....it can only happen by a miracle of God....would that be a right rendering?)
Anyway, v. 29 says:
"29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;"
The rich feast is not surprising or confusing, they pretty much do that anyway..
but I don't 'usually' think of them as worshiping
( unless, its themselves or money).
v. 29 goes on to say that
"all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—"
I am thinking that doesn't necessarily mean they are saved and they worship Him...but rather this is at the end when all unbelievers will kneel and acknowledge Jesus as Lord, King, and God?
But it's the first part of v. 29,
the first time the word 'worship' is used , that I am confused about.
In any case, the most uplifting part of this psalm ( one to cause that word ( joy) is the last verse
"He has done it"!
Like Jesus said: "It is finished" He paid the full and total price for the sins of those who believe, trust, worship and love him!!
For that verse we have to read it in context from v 26: “The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.” (Psalm 22:26–31) See earlier David said the poor will eat and worship Him, then he says everyone will turn to the Lord, and to continue along that line, he then says that the rich will eat and worship Him. It's just another way to show that everyone will worship the Lord when He comes and starts His Millennial Kingdom.
An interesting note about verse 26 where it says the poor will eat and praise Him is that God's law provides for that to happen during the praise service in the Temple. When the peace offering was made, it was done for praise and was to be a communal meal for everyone there who heard the testimony.
In the praise service in Israel’s sanctuary, the poor actually could eat when someone offered praise. The law prescribed the peace (or "fellowship" offering (Lv 3:1–17; 7:11–21) for praise; it was to be a communal meal for all present who heard the testimony. You'll find this in Leviticus 3:1–17 and Leviticus 7:11–21. Here though, David wanted to show that not only the poor would be satisfied and praise God but so would those who had plenty.
Another interesting note about this is verse 29 itself. If you check how it's translated in different versions, you'll see a number of differences. I'm just going to copy the first half of the verse:
AV 1873 | All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship:
NASB95 | All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
NIV | All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
NET | All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship;
LEB | All the healthy ones of the earth will eat and worship.
What's really weird is the NRSV leaves it out completely! This is the whole verse: NRSV | To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
Personally, I think the NET Bible comes closest to what David was trying to get across in this verse: NET | All of the thriving people of the earth will join the celebration and worship; all those who are descending into the grave will bow before him, including those who cannot preserve their lives. The NLT version has an interesting translation too although I don't think it reflects quite what the original language says in this verse like the other ones I've posted do: NLT | Ps 22:29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust.
No human can keep themselves alive. It doesn't matter whether they're rich or poor, no one has control over when they will die or if they will die - no one except for God. At the time Jesus begins the Millennial Kingdom, there will be people that are dying, but everyone will bow before the Lord, regardless of whether or not they're saved, of are rich or poor, healthy or dying. The Lord will heal those He chooses to have in His Kingdom and those who are not saved will go to hell to await their final judgement. The Saved who will be healed by Him and allowed into the Kingdom will all worship the Lord (and we will too!) and there will be a great celebration on earth for the Millennial Kingdom will have come at last and all Israel will have been saved!
A much more simple way to explain these last verses is how Wiersbe explains it:
At v. 22, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.” the scene changes, and we move into resurrection. See Heb. 2:11–12 “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”” for the NT explanation of this. Christ is no longer on the cross; He is in the midst of His brethren (the church) declaring the glory of God. Verse 24 “For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” must be read in connection with Heb. 5:7 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” This final section is filled with praise: in the church (v. 22), in Israel (vv. 23–26 see below), and among the Gentiles (vv. 27–31 see below). Verse 31 (nkjv) ends, “He has done this,” paralleling Jesus’ words, “It is finished.” Because of Christ’s work on the cross, salvation has been accomplished and all who come to Him by faith will be saved. Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines
Psalm 22:23–26 “You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!”
Psalm 22:27–31 “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.”
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 24, 2017 14:01:09 GMT -5
Thank you for explaining that!!! :-)
I do so appreciate it!!
I never really 'got', understood about the praise, fellowship peace offering in quite the way described. I sort of got it, but very surface or superficially so this really helped me understand it more in depth!
Quote:
"An interesting note about verse 26 where it says the poor will eat and praise Him, is that God's law provides for that to happen during the praise service in the Temple.
When the peace offering was made, it was done for praise and was to be a communal meal for everyone there who heard the testimony.
In the praise service in Israel’s sanctuary, the poor actually could eat when someone offered praise. The law prescribed the peace (or "fellowship" offering"
What I am wondering is who would offer the praise...anyone?
Did all the people eat together after all the praises were given, do you think?
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 24, 2017 18:10:53 GMT -5
3/24/17
Psalm 23
This is a passage I memorized years ago but in the King James version.
I especially have always like the KJV of verse 4
4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Because it pictures dying as a valley of the shadow of death......to me a shadow is not something in and of itself to be scared of.....in a sense, its not a real thing...it's just a shadow.
And then of course, even more important is the fact, that walking thru the valley of the shadow of death is God will be with us...
as Jesus said: He will not leave us or forsake us
He will be with us always.
And then v.6
"and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."
My application is to remember this psalm when the fear of death comes ( if I should die before the Rapture).
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 25, 2017 13:04:38 GMT -5
3/25/17
psalm 24
The first verses talks about how everything belongs to God, which makes sense since He made it all!
But the verse that seemed to be an application for me was v. 4 which answers the question who can stand before God:
"The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god."
I think I have to understand that an 'idol' can be things more than just those made of wood, or stone etc. tho I am reminded of how people do that even today...
but so many things like money, material items ( homes, cars, clothes, jewelry etc.),
even things like beauty, health, gardening,
pets, children etc etc.
can all be idols if we ( I) put them above God in my heart, mind and spirit.
4 times it talks about the King of glory and asks twice who is He?
I think v.10 (one of many many verses in the Bible) shows that Jesus is The King of Glory and God.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 26, 2017 13:35:57 GMT -5
3/26/17
Psalm 25
I surely can relate to: v.7 & 11
"Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,...
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great."
v.9 "He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way."
My application is that I need to be more humble so that the Lord will teach me His way.
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Post by Cindy on Mar 27, 2017 9:07:37 GMT -5
Thank you for explaining that!!! :-)
I do so appreciate it!!
I never really 'got', understood about the praise, fellowship peace offering in quite the way described. I sort of got it, but very surface or superficially so this really helped me understand it more in depth!
Quote:
"An interesting note about verse 26 where it says the poor will eat and praise Him, is that God's law provides for that to happen during the praise service in the Temple.
When the peace offering was made, it was done for praise and was to be a communal meal for everyone there who heard the testimony.
In the praise service in Israel’s sanctuary, the poor actually could eat when someone offered praise. The law prescribed the peace (or "fellowship" offering"
What I am wondering is who would offer the praise...anyone?
Did all the people eat together after all the praises were given, do you think?
3/24/17
Psalm 23
This is a passage I memorized years ago but in the King James version.
I especially have always like the KJV of verse 4
4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Because it pictures dying as a valley of the shadow of death......to me a shadow is not something in and of itself to be scared of.....in a sense, its not a real thing...it's just a shadow.
And then of course, even more important is the fact, that walking thru the valley of the shadow of death is God will be with us...
as Jesus said: He will not leave us or forsake us
He will be with us always.
And then v.6
"and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."
My application is to remember this psalm when the fear of death comes ( if I should die before the Rapture). 3/25/17
psalm 24
The first verses talks about how everything belongs to God, which makes sense since He made it all!
But the verse that seemed to be an application for me was v. 4 which answers the question who can stand before God:
"The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god."
I think I have to understand that an 'idol' can be things more than just those made of wood, or stone etc. tho I am reminded of how people do that even today...
but so many things like money, material items ( homes, cars, clothes, jewelry etc.),
even things like beauty, health, gardening,
pets, children etc etc.
can all be idols if we ( I) put them above God in my heart, mind and spirit.
4 times it talks about the King of glory and asks twice who is He?
I think v.10 (one of many many verses in the Bible) shows that Jesus is The King of Glory and God.
Idolatry is always rooted in self. In one sense, idolatry is the way sinners look outside of themselves to find salvation, salvation being rescue from hardship and a path to fulfillment. We hope that acceptance, comfort, control, power, success, or something else will make our lives okay. Our idols may seem to focus and depend upon others. Though our idols may require the participation of others, idolatry is a strategy to benefit self. So, for example, I want to please others so that I will feel better about myself. Making others happy is only a means to an end, not an end in itself. As a strategy for gratifying myself, it is inherently selfish. But more than selfishness, at its root, idolatry is the way we play God. When we refuse to worship the true God and choose to build our lives around something or someone else, we are exalting ourselves above God. As idolaters we, in effect, survey the universe, including God, and decide what is best for us. God created all things to worship and serve him, but as idolaters we play God by devising strategies to make the world serve us. But even our efforts to rid ourselves of God take on the expression of worship. This is because we were made for worship, and even in our rebellion against God we cannot stop worshiping; we just find a “worshipful” way to serve ourselves. Heart of the matter
The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped & the weapons of their rebellion broken. How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued & sin dethroned! As for our remaining corruptions they shall sustain an equally sure defeat & every temptation, doubt, & fear shall be utterly destroyed. In our peaceful hearts the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he's won our love. Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, zeal & holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, overturn false systems, convert nations, for God is with us, & none shall stand before us. Morning and evening3/26/17
Psalm 25
I surely can relate to: v.7 & 11
"Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,...
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great."
v.9 "He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way."
My application is that I need to be more humble so that the Lord will teach me His way.
Praying through Psalm 25 will lead you out of your world of sin and guilt. In verse 3 David prays, “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” Then he asks God to help him turn from his sins. He doesn’t want to end his life a failure, so he prays, “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior” (Psalm 25:4–5). David asks God to “remember . . . your great mercy and love” (Psalm 25:6). He wants God to look at his life through the lens of his compassion, goodness, and forgiveness. In verse 11 David prays, “Forgive my iniquity, though it is great.” This is the heart of what it means to go to God—a radical giving of your life into the hands of another. David is pleading with God on the basis of his character to pardon him, change him, and teach him. David goes on to pray about all the problems that bring temptation into his life. Pray this psalm to God and insert your troubles, your sins, and your need for forgiveness into it. As you pray, God will begin to reverse the turning inward that sin, guilt, and hardship bring. And he will draw you to himself—to the one who, for his name’s sake and by his mercy, must and will work in you. Heart of the matter
What are you haunted by? You will say—‘By nothing,’ but we are all haunted by something, generally by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our experience. The Psalmist says we are to be haunted by God. The abiding consciousness of the life is to be God, not thinking about Him. The whole of our life inside and out is to be absolutely haunted by the presence of God. A child’s consciousness is so mother-haunted that although the child is not consciously thinking of its mother, yet when calamity arises, the relationship that abides is that of the mother. So we are to live and move and have our being in God, to look at everything in relation to God, because the abiding consciousness of God pushes itself to the front all the time. If we are haunted by God, nothing else can get in, no cares, no tribulation, no anxieties. We see now why Our Lord so emphasized the sin of worry. How can we dare be so utterly unbelieving when God is round about us? To be haunted by God is to have an effective barricade against all the onslaughts of the enemy.
“His soul shall dwell at ease.” In tribulation, misunderstanding, slander, in the midst of all these things, if our life is hid with Christ in God, He will keep us at ease. We rob ourselves of the marvellous revelation of this abiding companionship of God. “God is our Refuge”—nothing can come through that shelter. My utmost for his highest
“My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” (Psalm 25:15)
Do not lift up your eyes and look for Esau’s. Those who look for troubles will not be long without finding trouble to look at. Lift them higher—to Him from whom our help cometh. Then you will be able to meet your troubles with an unperturbed spirit. Those who have seen the face of God need not fear the face of man that shall die. To have power with God is to have power over all the evils that threaten us. “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.” (Titus 1:15)
Thoughts for the quiet hour.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 27, 2017 9:41:22 GMT -5
Thank you, Cindy for those!
I have My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers but have not re-read it in years....and I don't remember that wonderful quote....so thank you for posting it.
I also found this quote to be of great help:
"Do not lift up your eyes and look for Esau’s.
Those who look for troubles will not be long without finding trouble to look at.
Lift them higher—to Him from whom our help cometh"
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 27, 2017 9:55:02 GMT -5
3/27/17
Psalm 26
Well, I can't say with David that I have led a blameless life....
but there are sure many application to apply to my life like:
v.1 Trust in the Lord
v.3 "...live in reliance on your (God's) faithfulness.
v. 4 "do not sit with the deceitful"
or
"associate with hypocrites"
( of course, I need to work on diligently not being any of these myself)
v.5 "abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked"
v.7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
In this I need a ton of work....I tell myself and praise Him quietly....but not aloud or tell others that much.
v.8
"Lord, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells."
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Post by Cindy on Mar 28, 2017 11:31:13 GMT -5
Thank you, Cindy for those!
I have My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers but have not re-read it in years....and I don't remember that wonderful quote....so thank you for posting it.
I also found this quote to be of great help:
"Do not lift up your eyes and look for Esau’s.
Those who look for troubles will not be long without finding trouble to look at.
Lift them higher—to Him from whom our help cometh"
3/27/17
Psalm 26
Well, I can't say with David that I have led a blameless life....
but there are sure many application to apply to my life like:
v.1 Trust in the Lord
v.3 "...live in reliance on your (God's) faithfulness.
v. 4 "do not sit with the deceitful"
or
"associate with hypocrites"
( of course, I need to work on diligently not being any of these myself)
v.5 "abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked"
v.7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
In this I need a ton of work....I tell myself and praise Him quietly....but not aloud or tell others that much.
v.8
"Lord, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells."
AV 1873 | Ps 26:1 Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
NASB95 | Ps 26:1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
NLT | Ps 26:1 Declare me innocent, O LORD, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
I'd say that the NLT comes really close to the meaning. The others say the same thing, but just in different ways. David is simply saying that he has always trusted in the Lord, regardless of his circumstances, and even regardless of his sins, and that's quite true. David always relied on the Lord and trusted Him, even when He sinned. Remember when the Lord said he had to choose his fate? These verses really show just how much David trusted in the Lord:
“Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” The LORD said to Gad, David’s seer, “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ” So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.” David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”” (1 Chronicles 21:8–13)
So, David asks the Lord to judge him and find him innocent because he's tried to walk in integrity and has always trusted the Lord. If we were saying the same thing, we'd say it differently. We'd ask the Lord to forgive us for the sake of Jesus who died for us. But Jesus hadn't come yet when David was alive. So he tells the Lord, "I've tried my best to live with integrity and always trusted you, so please forgive me and declare me innocent." But in no way is he saying that he had lived a blameless life. Therefore you can say the same thing he did.
I'm curious about what you said concerning verse 7... that you praised Him to yourself but not much to others. Is there a reason you don't praise Him in front of other people? Or do you praise Him and just not count some of the ways you do it? For example, if someone tells me about some good news they've received, my automatic response is, "Praise the Lord!" or "Thank You Lord!", even when the person is not a believer. No one has ever even looked at me funny because of that. They simply accept it and continue speaking. After they've gotten to know me even a little, they come to expect things like that from me, and don't even blink when I burst out in praise. On the other side, when they hear bad news, my automatic response is to ask if I can pray for them, (if I don't know them well or just met them) or if I do know them, to tell them I'll pray for them, and depending on the circumstances, I may even pray for them right then and there for starters. Again, even unbelievers come to expect it and interestingly, seem to desire it more the longer they know me.
Another way I praise the Lord is that I always give Him credit for the good things that happen to us. When Bruce got a raise, I didn't tell people, "Bruce got a raise", instead I told them, "The Lord got Bruce a raise" or "The Lord answered my prayers and got Bruce a raise" or something like that. Again, no one has ever said anything negative to me or about me because of it. But there's no doubt in their minds that I love the Lord and know Him well.
When we speak aloud and tell others what the Lord has done for us, or point out that He's done something for them it's our way of saying, “Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” (Psalm 66:5) And all we have to do to point it out is say something as simple as "Praise the Lord!" when we hear good news. What I love doing is telling people I'll pray for them (and then I do) and when they tell me they're better or the problem is solved, I reply with "thank You Lord for answering my prayers!". It reminds them that I did pray and that the Lord took care of them, even if they're unbelievers. I've had grown men get teary eyed remembering that I prayed for them and the Lord answered! The other thing that's neat about it is that it also reminds us that the Lord has answered our prayers, and so it's also an encouragement to us. Not only that, but I find that I also feel a rush of joy within myself when I do that. I even come out with "Praise the Lord" when Bruce is watching the news on TV and a story comes on about something good that's happened - a lost person found, or a kidnapped victim recovered, or an accident victim not being badly hurt, etc. It's simply an automatic response that shows anyone listening that I know it's the Lord who is in control, not man. It's so automatic that I do it when I'm alone as well.
You might feel funny doing it at first, but the more you do it, the more confident you'll get, because you'll realize that your confidence isn't in yourself, it's in the Lord and He's with you and in you, and loves it when you praise Him. I think part of the reason we feel joy when we do it is because we were created to bring God glory, and that's exactly what we're doing when we do something as simple as saying, Praise the Lord!
Back to the Psalm though, “Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;” (Psalm 26:2)
God promises that all things will ultimately work out for our good, and that includes the worst thing of all: sin. His promise doesn’t lessen the ugliness of sin or the beauty of holiness. Sin is intrinsically wicked and deserving of eternal hell. But in His infinite wisdom God overrules it for our good. When we see sin and its effects in other people, we sense a holy indignation against it. That leads us to be stronger in our opposition to sin. We also become more thankful for the sins that the Lord has delivered us from. When we become aware of sin in our own life, the Holy Spirit prods us to examine our heart in the light of God’s Word. We should ask God to search our souls to find any latent sin just as we would want a physician to find any latent cancer. An appropriate remedy cannot be prescribed before the malady is known. It is better that we find out our sins than they find us out. And when we do become aware of personal sin, we must make it a lifetime habit to extricate it immediately. The threat of sin also compels us to be spiritually alert. Our heart is like a castle that is in danger of assault every hour from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Because of that, we're to be like a soldier who is alert for an attack from the enemy. If any of God’s people should be tampering with sin, because God can turn it to good, though the Lord does not damn them, He may send them to hell in this life. He may put them into such bitter agonies and soul-convulsions, as may fill them full of horror, and make them draw nigh to despair. Let this be a flaming sword to keep them from coming near the forbidden tree. (Rom. 6:1–2, 6). God: Coming face to face with His Majesty.
You seemed to skip over something very significant: “for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” (Psalm 26:3)
Park your mind on what is true (Phil 4:8). Anxiety is full of lies. What are some of them? First, you believe the world needs to be under your control. Second, you think it is out of control. And third, you imagine that your worry will get it under control. But the truth is that this is God’s world. He controls it, and your worry will not change a thing. So when you are tempted to worry, reject the lie that it is up to you to keep yourself and those you love safe. Especially reject all lies that contain the word more. For example: “I would be safe if I had more friends, more money, more time, and more respect.” Also reject all the lies containing the word different: “I would be safe if I had a different spouse, different family, different friends, different job, different house, and different church.” These statements are all fundamentally false. Ask God to help you anchor your mind on what is true, and then you will be able to tackle your real problems in the right way. Heart of the matter
“Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.” (Psalm 26:9–11) Again here, David doesn't believe that his life is blameless, or that he's never sinned. Again the NLT seems to nail this one too:
KJV 1900 | Ps 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: Redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
NASB95 | Ps 26:11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
NLT | Ps 26:11 But I am not like that; I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy.
Like before, David's simply saying that he's not like the others he just mentioned. He doesn't set out to sin, to kill, to do evil. Instead, he tries to live with integrity and so asks God to save him.
Those are all good applications, however when you start accumulating too many, it's a good idea to knock them down to one thing you can take away from it that will achieve what you're looking for.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 28, 2017 13:32:57 GMT -5
3/28/17
psalm 27
I need to memorize v. 1 if ever I am feeling afraid:
v.1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?"
And I do so agree with v.4
v. 4 "One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord..."
V.9 & 10 also had a very personally meaning to me
v. 9 "Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me."
and my application is found in v. 14
v. 14 "Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord."
Well the wait for the Lord part....not so good on being strong LOL
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 28, 2017 14:12:01 GMT -5
Yes I have done some of the things you mentioned as praising God and giving Him the glory, even with non believer's and even would say I would pray for them ( and do so).
But remember how we have talked about my son and his wife and how she said I must respect their belief ( non belief)?
And I told you how I would always write trying to include scripture, or God's principles etc. in e-mails etc. and how Michael would never ever comment on any of that and send only short one or two sentences back.
I may have totally misunderstood your council but I thought you suggested I not do that any more, unless the day came they actually asked?
But since I only see them in person once every 3 years ( or so) I don't even have a chance to do any of that verbally.
And sort of along the same line, tho I do in fact, say praise the Lord, or I will pray....
I ( besides struggling with being a 'man pleaser'),
I sort of limit, some of that, so that other people don't get so turned off by me somehow....like I did with my son.
I end up feeling I can't be 'me' and that I am not giving glory to God....
but I am confused.
I don't want to be a stumbling block either
and there is also a fear of being disliked and inciting anger.
I have known Christians who are like you....they know the Bible soooooooo well, and have memorized large portions
but are also extremely charming, loving, fun, etc.
And
have such an incredible amazing way of bringing God ( and scripture) into a conversation that is so natural, easy, exactly to the point, but generally not 'offensive' to non-believers....yet they are planting seeds.
I have to admit to being so jealous, I would so like to be bold like that but have that kind of gift....
Of course, 1/2 'at least', is that like you, they have spent a LOT of time with Jesus!!! So I think, thou this past year I spent a little time in God's Word every single day....
I think my goal needs to be to expand that to be longer than just a 'little' time in the Word
of course............
reading your replies, has indeed helped me very much that way :-) LOL
so, as much as you can, are able, and have time, please continue, and don't worry overly that you may be tooooo long.
I do watch MacArthur sermons, and several others.....but the problems still remains, that I just don't seem to ever be able to feel like I can ever search out one nugget of depth like you or they do......
I do pray before reading, ask Jesus to read with me, help me to understand and apply His word etc.
But although I know its wrong, I feel like I mostly learn from others, be it sermons or even Christian fiction.
That is not to say, I don't find the Bible 'speaking to me, about many things....it hard to put in words
But I think, the lack of spending more time with Jesus ( tho I do talk to Him throughout the day).....its not enough for me to have freely flowing Biblical Words, principles etc. to apply to many situations when with others.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 29, 2017 10:20:06 GMT -5
3/29/17
Psalm 28
This verse is true for me
v. 6 "Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy."
and
Aha! Another 'joy'
7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,..."
Oh Leonard is having the 2nd colonoscopy done as I write this....
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Post by Cindy on Mar 29, 2017 11:18:12 GMT -5
3/28/17
psalm 27
I need to memorize v. 1 if ever I am feeling afraid:
v.1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?"
And I do so agree with v.4
v. 4 "One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord..."
V.9 & 10 also had a very personally meaning to me
v. 9 "Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me."
and my application is found in v. 14
v. 14 "Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord."
Well the wait for the Lord part....not so good on being strong LOL
Light is a good thing in Scripture. Bad things lurk in shadows, but the light exposes them and they flee. God’s first creative act was to command light to come into the world. When we are fearful or worried, we feel like we are walking in a dark place that is known to be dangerous. Into this vulnerable place comes the God who is light, and the light penetrates everything. Light means life, truth, the banishment of evil. “My salvation” could also be translated “my victory” or “my deliverance.” It summarizes all of God’s victories. With Egypt, it was the strongest army on earth on one side and unarmed slaves on the other. With Midian, it was an army “thick as locusts” with innumerable camels against 300 unarmed men (Judges 7:12). God likes his people to be outnumbered because then there is no mistaking that he alone is the Deliverer. “My stronghold” evokes images of a safe place. While David was on the run from Saul, he had a particular stronghold in the wilderness that was impregnable. There he was safe. Here he confesses his deeper insight into the nature of strongholds: any safe place is a sign pointing to The Stronghold. His wilderness lair was safe only because God was there. Armed with this knowledge of God, David could look back and remember times of God-wrought deliverance. He could look forward with confidence to the battles he would inevitably face. Heart of the matter
David remembers the God of Moses, who promised the Hebrews his Presence and his rest (Exodus 33:14). Moreover, David recalled how God was pleased with Moses and allowed him to be a witness to his glory (Exodus 33:18). David knew that all the beauty of creation pointed to the Creator, and when Moses saw the glory, it was the beauty of God.
While all Israelites knew the presence of God, most were kept at a safe distance. Priests were given greater access to God’s presence than the people, and the High Priest was given access to the Holy of Holies itself. But only Moses was close enough to witness God’s back as his glory passed before him. David wanted more than God’s veiled and safe presence. He knew God’s forgiving love and he knew that God would not deny needy people access to his throne room. The image is that you are in the presence of the King. When you are in his presence—in his temple, dwelling, or tabernacle—you are kept safe. Whenever you were invited into an ancient Near East home, the host was responsible for your protection. In the home of a powerful king, you could rest secure. This was more than enough to counterbalance David’s fears. On one side enemies wanted to kill him, on the other was the protective custody of the King. Heart of the matter
You don’t see the deliverance? Be strong and take heart. The words are familiar. They are the words forever linked to Joshua, who heard them from Moses (Deut 3:28; Deut 31:6–7, Deut 31:23) and passed them on to the people (Joshua 1:6–7, Joshua 1:9, 18). The historical context is the transition in leadership from Moses to Joshua and the upcoming battles for the Promised Land. The fact that this psalm is composed in Jerusalem—in the Promised Land—makes David’s confidence unshakable. Sandwiched around the exhortation to be strong and take heart is the encouragement to wait for the Lord. Wait, wait patiently for the Lord. That is the summary of this psalm of confidence. Once again, we are taken into the mind of God in that, while anxiety prefers immediate deliverance, God might delay it, giving us time to trust him and wait by faith. So the psalmist will wait with confidence, which is to wait by faith. His God is absolutely reliable. While a very reliable human deliverer might encounter accidents and other unforeseen events on his way to our deliverance, God is never waylaid. No one can interfere with his care and deliverance. Heart of the matter
Hope opens our eyes so that we, like the psalmist, can see the ongoing work of God. The psalmist says, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). The truth of God’s story is that he is on the move right now. He is changing us, enlarging his church, and bringing all history to a climax. The book of Revelation is the best-known teaching that God is at work. It is written to people who are going through great suffering, wondering if evil actually wins so that the church gradually is brought to nothing. To encourage them, God parts the curtain of heaven so his people can see that the armies of God are on the move now. God both is winning and has won. When you know that God’s strategy is playing out perfectly, you see much more. When you look around at yourself and the world around you, it is easy to be pessimistic because the future doesn’t always look very promising. But when you know the conclusion—that the church will win and Christ will reign—you are able to see the Spirit of God move in the details. Ask God to open your eyes so you can see his goodness in the land of the living. Heart of the matter
Yes I have done some of the things you mentioned as praising God and giving Him the glory, even with non believer's and even would say I would pray for them ( and do so).
But remember how we have talked about my son and his wife and how she said I must respect their belief ( non belief)?
And I told you how I would always write trying to include scripture, or God's principles etc. in e-mails etc. and how Michael would never ever comment on any of that and send only short one or two sentences back.
I may have totally misunderstood your council but I thought you suggested I not do that any more, unless the day came they actually asked?
But since I only see them in person once every 3 years ( or so) I don't even have a chance to do any of that verbally.
And sort of along the same line, tho I do in fact, say praise the Lord, or I will pray....
I ( besides struggling with being a 'man pleaser'),
I sort of limit, some of that, so that other people don't get so turned off by me somehow....like I did with my son.
I end up feeling I can't be 'me' and that I am not giving glory to God....
but I am confused.
I don't want to be a stumbling block either
and there is also a fear of being disliked and inciting anger.
I have known Christians who are like you....they know the Bible soooooooo well, and have memorized large portions
but are also extremely charming, loving, fun, etc.
And
have such an incredible amazing way of bringing God ( and scripture) into a conversation that is so natural, easy, exactly to the point, but generally not 'offensive' to non-believers....yet they are planting seeds.
I have to admit to being so jealous, I would so like to be bold like that but have that kind of gift....
Of course, 1/2 'at least', is that like you, they have spent a LOT of time with Jesus!!! So I think, thou this past year I spent a little time in God's Word every single day....
I think my goal needs to be to expand that to be longer than just a 'little' time in the Word
of course............
reading your replies, has indeed helped me very much that way :-) LOL
so, as much as you can, are able, and have time, please continue, and don't worry overly that you may be tooooo long.
I do watch MacArthur sermons, and several others.....but the problems still remains, that I just don't seem to ever be able to feel like I can ever search out one nugget of depth like you or they do......
I do pray before reading, ask Jesus to read with me, help me to understand and apply His word etc.
But although I know its wrong, I feel like I mostly learn from others, be it sermons or even Christian fiction.
That is not to say, I don't find the Bible 'speaking to me, about many things....it hard to put in words
But I think, the lack of spending more time with Jesus ( tho I do talk to Him throughout the day).....its not enough for me to have freely flowing Biblical Words, principles etc. to apply to many situations when with others.
By doing what I suggested in my last post, you are very unlikely to get angry responses, as I said. In all the years I've done it, no one has ever responded in anger. I'm not saying it's not possible - anything is with unbelievers, but it's unlikely. Remember too that others are also afraid of being disliked!
Thank you for the complement, but you hit the nail right on the head. I don't do that because of any talent of ability of my own. I'm able to do it simply due to all the time I spend in the Word and with the Lord. Therefore anyone that's saved can do the same, and will do it because it's God's will for them to do so. Nothing pleases Him more than that we have that close relationship with Him and His Word. The problem is that today people separate God and His Word, thinking they're two separate things, and they're not. Jesus is the Word! So when we're in the Word, we're in the Lord! When His Word is in us, He is in us! So your goal is right on - the more time you spend in the Word, the more you'll be able to naturally speak about it. It honestly has nothing to do with being bold, because the Word becomes a part of you, so to not speak it is to deny yourself, just as you've found that to not praise God for the good things is denying how you are. It's important for us and others that we give God the glory when ever we can. So please don't allow anything to stop you from doing that again!
I should caution you against getting biblical doctrine from christian fiction books. That's not good. I don't think that's what you meant though. I think that you meant that you can more easily see how to apply God's truth from reading a christian fiction book rather than the bible. Christian fiction books can help in that way, we've talked about that a lot, so you know how I feel about it and that the Lord's often pointed things out to me through fiction books as well - not doctrines, but rather how to live it in our life now. Other times I've seen how to better help others from what I've read. But, I will say that I always discuss it with the Lord and always check His Word to be sure that I'm not running off with some human philosophy that sounds similar to God's Truth, instead of His real Word. Sadly, one of the reasons so many people are not saved yet think they are, is because they've gotten their truth from fiction books, TV, and movies instead of God's Word. We are already saved so that can't happen to us, but we can wind up relying on faulty ways of understanding God and His Word if we don't know His Word really well ourselves. That can easily happen when we spend more time in fiction books than we do in His Word.
You said: "But I think, the lack of spending more time with Jesus ( tho I do talk to Him throughout the day).....its not enough for me to have freely flowing Biblical Words, principles etc. to apply to many situations when with others."
For your words to be "freely flowing" in various situations, you need to be immersed in the Word and truly know it and the Lord. The other thing that stops us is when we separate the world and our daily life from the Lord and "religious things" or "spiritual things" or whatever you want to call it. In other words we see our life as having two parts - our spiritual life and our "regular life". But that's a lie. We only have one life and everything in it and about it are spiritual. There is no separation. God shows us in His Word how everything is linked together and how we're to view our life and the situations we're in or that others are in. What you're wanting to do is good and it will happen if you spend more time in His Word and really make Him first in your life. It's hard to explain because it's not so much something we do or something we work at, but is more something God does within us, and is part of how He changes us through His Word. Our response to what we've read and studied does take work on our part, but we do it because we love Him and want to please Him. That you have the desire to be able to do this, shows that the Holy Spirit is within you and is giving you that desire, because that desire is God's desire for us. Knowing that, and knowing how to make that come true - by being in His word more - you can rest assured that it will happen.
3/29/17
Psalm 28
This verse is true for me
v. 6 "Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy."
and
Aha! Another 'joy'
7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,..."
Oh Leonard is having the 2nd colonoscopy done as I write this....
That's great that you're noticing when joy is involved. Notice too that our joy is always intertwined or linked with love.
“Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” (Psalm 28:6–7)
Contrast vv. 1, 2. “To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” (Psalm 28:1–2) Through faith, the psalmist will live his life as though God has already intervened. The MacArthur study Bible
Suddenly, and characteristically, David changes tone drastically. From the plaintive tone of the preceding verses, he now turns to rejoicing and thanksgiving, The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. David’s heart, which was in despair, is now in great rejoicing because it trusted in the Lord. KJV Bible Commentary
If the Lord is near, if he is someone who knows what’s on your heart, who knows what weighs heavily on you and preoccupies you, then he is a hearer of his beloved children. Many psalms start out by pleading with God—Lord, listen to me, bend your ear, you must hear me, I need you to listen and act on my behalf. These are not calm psalms; they are intense and pointed. In Psalm 28, David tells God that if God doesn’t hear him, he will die. This is faith talking, and David talks this way because God is listening. God’s listening does not guarantee that what is making you anxious will go away—that your financial problems will be solved, that you will be cured of cancer, or that whatever else is worrying you will disappear. You may not be healed, people you love may die, and you may struggle with financial stress. But God comforts, strengthens, and gives hope in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. Jesus did not want to drink the cup of God’s wrath. But God strengthened him, and he was fully willing. There’s help from him for whatever worries you. So when you are anxious pour your heart out to God. He is listening. Heart of the matter
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fearnot
Living With Pain
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Post by fearnot on Mar 29, 2017 22:08:06 GMT -5
Thank you so much Cindy!!!
You were right I didn't mean I get Biblical doctrine from scripture, that would only be from the Bible God's word, but yes, I do see applications of how to live it and help others etc.
I do find that more and more, sometimes almost all day is lived talking to Jesus....I might forget and say go for a short walk, and take 10 steps and then say, Oh I am so sorry Lord, would you walk with me, Please forgive me for forgetting, could you point out what you want me to see, meet who you want me to meet, say what you would have me say, think about what you want for me, and I would like to talk to you about........etc.
But I do still forget, some days are way better than other and some days I feel so bad because I still forget....but over all, there is improvement.
The more I converse with you the more encouragement, and accountability helps me to remember.....it's what I long for anyway....but I lived so much of my life like you said...splitting it in two parts ( I don't like that). I am so glad you wrote it so clearly!!
I forgot to mention, thank you for explaining that it would be ok to write a 'praise the Lord' , or Thank the Lord, or I have prayed or will pray etc. to Michael....just not bombard him with how to be saved, or tons of scriptures, or constant how the Bible being proved in the news, etc etc.
But I can still be myself....which is what I had not been doing....I mean not ever saying anything at all about God what so ever.
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2017 10:45:42 GMT -5
Thank you so much Cindy!!!
You were right I didn't mean I get Biblical doctrine from scripture, that would only be from the Bible God's word, but yes, I do see applications of how to live it and help others etc.
I do find that more and more, sometimes almost all day is lived talking to Jesus....I might forget and say go for a short walk, and take 10 steps and then say, Oh I am so sorry Lord, would you walk with me, Please forgive me for forgetting, could you point out what you want me to see, meet who you want me to meet, say what you would have me say, think about what you want for me, and I would like to talk to you about........etc.
But I do still forget, some days are way better than other and some days I feel so bad because I still forget....but over all, there is improvement.
The more I converse with you the more encouragement, and accountability helps me to remember.....it's what I long for anyway....but I lived so much of my life like you said...splitting it in two parts ( I don't like that). I am so glad you wrote it so clearly!!
I forgot to mention, thank you for explaining that it would be ok to write a 'praise the Lord' , or Thank the Lord, or I have prayed or will pray etc. to Michael....just not bombard him with how to be saved, or tons of scriptures, or constant how the Bible being proved in the news, etc etc.
But I can still be myself....which is what I had not been doing....I mean not ever saying anything at all about God what so ever.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 30, 2017 11:17:46 GMT -5
You know thinking about it, it may have been, I just misunderstood what you said!!!
That is more likely.
I am a wee bit prone to over doing.....
if someone says perhaps you should wear blue...occasionally......
I would only hear...wear blue, and would set about to get rid of other colors, and gather only blue clothes LOL
That's just a silly example, but I am just saying, sometimes I go overboard.
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fearnot
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Post by fearnot on Mar 30, 2017 12:41:43 GMT -5
3/30/17
Psalm 29
v. 1 & 2 tell us to ascribe to the Lord God, strength, glory and the splendor of his holiness.
These are things we often ascribe to ourselves, and with the rampant self-esteem being taught in schools and colleges it has gotten worse and worse. I do think satan might be behind it because we ought to give these things to God, not ourselves.
People are often willingly blind to God and therefore or unwilling to give glory to God... but more than willing to grab it for themselves.
Then verses 3-9 speaks of God's strength and power in His Creation: in thunder, lightening, earthquakes and water ( the ocean etc.)
When you think about it all of them are amazing, awesome and powerful. I think a lot of times people do not want to attribute anything like a 'natural' disaster to the Lord God, but it seems like in scripture God does use nature, His Creation ( and of course many other things) to display His anger, His power, His glory etc.
God's voice in nature, and in His Word, has awesome power!
But the last 2 verses are comforting and can be applied to my life when feeling down:
v. 10 "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
v. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace."
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Yep. Remember we talked about this in a couple of different ways... about putting ourselves down, and about how it seems to be difficult for people to admit that they're mature in Christ. To hear most Christians talk, it sounds like we have a whole lot of infants, a few children and hardly anyone that's mature in Christ, when in fact quite a few are mature in Christ, including you. Maybe it's because we don't want to admit we've grown up, or more likely we feel like we don't know enough to be mature in Christ yet. That's the funny thing about being mature in Christ though. The more mature you are, the more you realize how little you really know! 
!!
