Reflection on Psalm 139

Psalm 139

This psalm is wonderful and tells of the omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipresence (everywhere) of God as well as His loving care.  Much gold to be found here but let's highlight verse 5 where it sits in this section from verses 1-10.

Verses 1-10

“1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:1–10, ESV)

Reflections on verse 5

Here is such high and wonderful statement that Davis goes on in verse 6 to say that it is too high for him.  David says this truth is too incredible to comprehend correctly.  We cannot possibly understand this and yet continue to have one ounce of worry or fear or distress in our souls.  We err when we fail to see the strength in our position in God's grace, but of course, this is human.

Prayer- 

Lord God in heaven.  Help me to know that you hem me in.  Help me to know that you are holding me with your gentle and strong hand exactly where you have me and exactly where you want me.  Your protection and your guidance and your power beset me.  I am unable to escape and no power can stop your hand that keeps me.  I am fixed in such a way that there is no chance of failure.  Lord you hold me from each side altogether even knowing my failures and my weaknesses and my faults.  You know everything about me and then you tell me that you hem me in.  Thank you for such a confidence when I consider how much you know of me.  Thank you that my own insufficient knowledge of myself that would already damn me and put me to shame is not the glue that holds me.  It is you who hem me in by your strong hand and it is you who go before and come behind me.  You are the God of my past and my future.  You are the king of my present and my strength.  Let my mind not lose sight of this O God and let me understand more and more the truth of this wonderful psalm and let me rejoice in my standing.  Let me not be proud when I am on the mountain, but let me trust in your hand alone.  Let me always see your hand as generous an merciful and gracious and never as impinging upon my rights or my freedoms.  Let such lies be far from me and let he be humble and contrite before you that I would tremble at your Word O Lord.  I thank you for thy love and care in the name of your holy Son- Amen!

Charles Spurgeon's comments-

From the Treasury of David, C.H. Spurgeon's commentary on the Psalms: 

“Thou hast beset me behind and before.” As though we were caught in an ambush, or besieged by an army which has wholly beleaguered the city walls, we are surrounded by the Lord. God has set us where we be, and beset us wherever we be. Behind us there is God recording our sins, or in grace blotting out the remembrance of them; and before us there is God foreknowing all our deeds, and providing for all our wants. We cannot turn back and so escape him, for he is behind; we cannot go forward and outmarch him, for he is before. He not only beholds us, but he besets us; and lest there should seem any chance of escape, or lest we should imagine that the surrounding presence is yet a distant one, it is added,—“And laid thine hand upon me.” The prisoner marches along surrounded by a guard, and gripped by an officer. God is very near; we are wholly in his power; from that power there is no escape. It is not said that God will thus beset us and arrest us, but it is done—“Thou hast beset me.” Shall we not alter the figure, and say that our heavenly Father has folded his arms around us, and caressed us with his hand? It is even so with those who are by faith the children of the Most High.

Our good shepherd knows us intimately and keeps His guiding hand upon us!

Soli Deo Gloria!

I Need Easy Steps! I Need a Formula!

So how do we die to live?

Matthew 16:24 essentially gives us three steps at the outset...

“24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, ESV)

Deny yourself / Take up your Cross / Follow Jesus

Restated, this can be-  

1. Turn around
2. Surrender
3. Walk together

Turn around:  This denial we discussed is not ultimate, so what is it?  I think it begins with denying the lie of the world that it's all about me and that all we have is what we see.  Denying self is about refusing to accept anything that pulls me away from God.  Denying is about getting clarity in stopping the direction I am heading and turning to see the cross of Christ.  Denying self is also to admit that I don't have the ability in myself to follow Jesus and that I need God to act in me.  Denying self is also recognizing that I am a sinner and confessing and asking God to change me.  

Surrender:  Jesus said that you must renounce all you own or you could not follow Him.  This sounds like the parable about the treasure in a field where the man sells all he owns in order to have the treasure by buying the field where he buried it.  So surrender, I think, is making Christ the treasure of our life and putting down any old goal or desire or driving factor in our life and replacing it with one purpose- Jesus.  Our old desires and our old purposes die on the cross and we now live to God.  I am no longer a firefighter…I am a disciple of Jesus who sometimes works at a fire station.  But this is supernatural.  We need God to work in us to give us this surrender, this death.  This is abandonment of trust and hope in the world for our satisfaction or happiness and replacing the object of our hope and trust and letting God be our portion and the strength of our hearts.

Walk together:  Jesus wants us to follow his example.  Jesus wants us to follow Him.  Jesus wants us to rely on the Father as He did.  Jesus wants us to Pray and to seek only the Father's will as He did.  Jesus wants us to sacrifice ourselves for our bride as He did.  Jesus wants us to put others before ourselves as He did.  Jesus wants us to be compassionate and merciful to those who are suffering as He was.  Jesus wants us to keep our eyes set to heaven and to not store up treasures on earth as He did.  Jesus wants us to walk in fellowship with the Father as He did.  Jesus wants us to live crazy meaningful lives that change everything like He did.  Jesus wants us to be servants as He was.  Jesus wants us to conquer with surrendered obedience to the Father as He did.  Jesus wants us to trust that He has made a way.  Jesus wants us to believe that He is our advocate and that He holds us firmly on the path.  Jesus wants us to live in the light of the truth and not in the shadows of the lies of the world.  Jesus wants us to be on mission.  Jesus wants us to be disciples.  Jesus wants us to make disciples.  Jesus wants us.

Denying self, taking up a cross, and following Jesus is making our life about Jesus and not about ourselves.  Let us do this each day when we wake.  May we be God-centered, gospel driven, and Christ exalting in our families and in our work and in our ministry and in our recreation.

We need God's grace each step of the way so let us pray regularly and seek to connect with Him in His Word.  We cannot make our life about Jesus without the Holy Spirit doing this in us.  Ask and receive, seek and find.

“10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:10–11, ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria!

So Die to Live, huh?

A Paradox of choices

Yesterday we looked at the exhortation of Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 16.  See yesterday's post for this.

The expanded statement to be drawn from study of this passage is "Die to death in order to live to life".  There is no ultimate self denial, but only the choice to live rather than die and what kind of self denial is that!

That is called grace and that is called surrender and that is called "God is able and I am not".  Ever tried to get out of a Chinese finger trap?  What seems like giving up and surrendering is actually victory and freedom.

Find the expanded idea to die to death and live to life in Romans 6:10 in the example of Jesus...

“10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.” (Romans 6:10, ESV)

The grounding statement in this Matthew 16 passage is found in verses 27.  The whole passage hinges on the fact that Jesus is going to come and He will repay each person according to what we have done.  See Romans 2:6-10 for a comparison...

“6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.” (Romans 2:6–10, ESV)

There are two options in Matthew 16 and here in Romans 2 when we consider the coming of Jesus.  Death or life.  Attain the world or attain your soul.  Seek yourself or seek God.  Follow a lie or follow the truth.  See the two options in Matthew 16-

Option 1 is in verses 24-25.  

Deny yourself this life (later clarified to be "the world") and get some different life (eternal life).  Get Jesus.  Remember that Romans 6:23 says that eternal life is in Jesus.

Option 2 is in verse 26.  

Protect "your life".  Take the world.  Lose your soul.  Don't get Jesus.

The paradox of dying to live comes alive in Romans 2 (pun intended) as Paul writes about how the selfish people (one who obey unrighteousness rather than the truth) will receive wrath and fury but the other people (I guess the unselfish people) will receive glory and honor and peace.  I will take door number two thank you!  But look at what it says.  How does it describe the "unselfish people"?  They seek for glory and honor and immortality!  That doesn't sound very self denying or unselfish, does it?

Or does this maybe reveal the paradox of Matthew 16 for us?  Maybe Paul is taking out the "means" of the kind of self denial that Jesus is explaining in Matthew and jumping right to the "end" of the self denial that Jesus is talking about.  Do you see it?  Do we fail to see that the kind of self denial that Jesus is calling us to for eternal life is no denial at all?  Do we see that it is merely denying ourselves the lies of the world and choosing the truth of what we receive in choosing Jesus?

If we choose to follow Jesus, the world sees us as denying ourselves of certain pleasures and freedoms.  But the truth is that we gain ultimate joy and freedom!  So we are called to give up the pretend happiness and hollow pleasures for the real deal.  Give up the broken copy for the real Mccoy...

“11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11, ESV)

So do we settle for the hollow and fleeting and unfulfilling joys of this world or do we go for the glory and honor and immortality in Jesus?  If we live for His glory we honor God and we live forever.

So let us not be enemies of God by making ourselves a friend of this world...

“4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4, ESV)

But let us be rich toward God and enjoy eternity with Him with all that it offers in great excess to this life...

“21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”” (Luke 12:21, ESV)

As a wise man once said "You gotta do a little dying to do a little living!"  Now let us die to self  with joy and only in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit knowing that we are surely not losing anything valuable but rather, we are gaining Jesus- and He is everything!  

So important questions-

1. How do I do it and in what power?
2. When do I get the gain?

More on these to come...but until then-

“11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11, ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria!

Die to Live

Reflection on Jesus' exhortation to His disciples in Matthew 16

In Matthew 16:24-28 Jesus explains the we must not seek to save our life, but rather, we should deny ourselves and lose this life in order to save it.  We are to take up our cross and follow Him.

People die on crosses and it seems that we must die in order to live.  So what kind of death is this and what does it mean to deny ourselves?  Is this an ultimate self denial where we are left with nothing?  Are we to refuse all pleasure and find "holiness" in a life of denial of all?

Consider this and search your bible (concordance and/or cross references are very helpful) for some responses to these questions and we will pick it up tomorrow.

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Faith of an Outsider

Reflection on the Faith of the Caananite Woman in Matthew 15

In Matthew 15:21-28 (also Mark 7:24-30) we see the story of a woman who is not a Jew but who has great faith and she receives blessing from Jesus in the healing of her daughter.  This, however, only happens because she is willing to acknowledge her brokenness and her plight of being an outsider, not a member of the family of God.  She rests her faith, it would seem, on the promise of God from Genesis 22:17-18…

“17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”” (Genesis 22:17–18, ESV)

As she addresses Jesus as the son of David, she was surely aware of some Jewish tradition and teaching.  Though she is an outsider she pleads not upon her merit or any sense of Jesus owing her this blessing, but rather she pleads based upon the blessing God promised to all the nations being blessed in the offspring of Abraham.  She perceived that the blessing of Abraham spills over into saving grace for every tribe, people, language, and nation (cf. Rev 5:9).

“22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”” (Matthew 15:22–27, ESV)

Jesus knew this woman and her faith before the interchange began and He lead her to this confession through his statements and He is pleased to bless her.  She did not arch her back to the suggestion that mercy is not deserved or earned.  She did not contest that the family nature of this blessing was unfair or unjust.  Salvation is a family matter and God sent His Son for His lost sheep.  But Jesus explains in John 10 that He has other sheep (other than the house of Israel)…

“15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:15–16, ESV)

So let us not come to God demanding something that is not ours and something that we do not deserve.  Rather, let us cast ourselves at His feet and claim the promises of God knowing that He will not turn away those who genuinely and humbly call upon His mercy in the person of Jesus…

“13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Romans 10:13, ESV)

Some give appearance of relying upon His name and are yet turned away (cf. Luke 9:57-62).  But this woman honors God and understands mercy.  Her faith is genuine and as is the case with all genuine faith, it was an unmerited gift from God (cf. Eph 2:8).

“28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” (Matthew 15:28, ESV)

Like the Caananite woman here, let us recognize our need and let us give glory to God in trusting in a promise of mercy rather than in our deserving or earning or our twisted sense of entitlement.  Let us rejoice in the Lord and praise His glorious and amazing grace that saves a wretch like me!

Soli Deo Gloria!

The God-Man in Matthew 14

Reflections on the God-Man of Mathew 14-

In the time immediately following his learning of John the Baptist's death, Jesus teaches us with two pictures of His dual nature.  He teaches us that He is the Son of Man and to rely on the Father as He did.  He also teaches us that He is the Son of God and that we can call upon Him in our trials and when we fear our circumstances. We also see the reaction of worship from His children (His sheep) contrasted to the reaction of the masses who do not recognize His identity and who do not honor God or thank God for their blessings.

Read Matthew 14:13-33 and look for the pattern of His dependence on the Father followed by His display of deity.  

Dependence- He is sorrowful and goes off alone after hearing of John's death. verse 13

Deity- He returns and heals the sick as he has compassion for the crowd.  verse 14

Dependence- He prays to the Father for blessing on the meager provisions, depending on the Father to provide for their needs. verse 19

Deity- The food multiplies and all are satisfied by the miraculous provision. verse 20

Dependence- Jesus goes up alone to pray after the crowd eats and he sends the disciples off onto the water. verse 23

Deity- He walks on the water and brings Peter also out onto the water with Him. verses 25-29

Looking again at the same passage (and comparing with the parallel account of the miracles in John chapter 6) look for the response from the crowd versus the response from His disciples.

Crowd- They receive the miraculous gift of provision and yet do not give thanks or recognize His identity and they follow him merely for getting more food (see John 6:26-27)

Disciples- They worship Jesus and ascribe to Him the identity of the Son of God after seeing Jesus walk on water and call Peter do the impossible while trusting Jesus.  They also see Jesus rescue Peter when he feared the circumstances and began to sink.  verse 32

Many will go through life receiving mercy and common grace from God without ever honoring Him or giving Him thanks.  Paul writes of these people in Romans 1:21-32 and says the result of this is that they think entirely wrong about the world and about God and their hearts are darkened to the point that they trust their own wisdom and they refuse to acknowledge God.  The result is not good!  Let us be people who value the giver over the gift and who give thanks and honor to our gracious king.

What other lessons for application do you see in these passages regarding the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water?  Post your thoughts as comments…

Soli Deo Gloria!

Discussion Questions for Tonight

I look forward to seeing you tonight men.  I added some discussion questions that are shaded in gray within the lesson that is in the left column of the blog.  Tonight we will hit these few questions as we work through the lesson.  My goal is to get reflections and dialogue on what we see in the scripture about this perfect work of our savior in the excellencies of Jesus.

I have stacked them all below for ease, but in the lesson they are embedded in our discussion...

Question- What is your reaction to this truth that the Son of God, who existed from all eternity in perfect community with the Father and the Holy Spirit freely chose to put on human flesh forever and to bear our weaknesses and sufferings in order to die in our place?

Question- What is your reaction to this knowledge of Jesus’ experience in humanity?  What difference is there in a Savior who walked in our shoes as a brother rather than God simply delivering laws and justly requiring that we keep them?

Question- What is your reaction to this brief explanation of the law of God.  No list of specific do’s and don’ts but a very broad and sweeping requirement of perfect love for God always and forever...is this easier or harder?

Question- What was the victory that Jesus came to win?  Did he come to conquer with might in a display of His deity before an unbelieving world? How did he destroy the power of death?

Question- What model do you see for us in Jesus’ prayer in times of suffering or trial?

Question- Knowing that what we deserve is God’s wrath- What is your reaction to this humble and yet conquering king who came and died and rose and ascended to heaven- who now stands at the throne of the Father to intercede for you and to defend you with the omnipotence of God Himself and the compassion of a brother?

Until tonight...

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pilgrims Together on the Path

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a parable about a sower and he describes people (the soil) along this path and how they react differently and proceed differently as they hear the Word of God and as they apply it to their lives.  One example is the person who, though they receive the Word as truth and begin to walk in this truth, they ultimately fall from the path and are caught in the thorn bush of the world.

“22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22, ESV)  

Here we see the proof that the seed planting and early growth was indeed "unfruitful".  This reminds me of Hebrews 3:12-14 that I mention often as I see it a war cry of ours...

“12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Hebrews 3:12–14, ESV)

Let us stand together as men on this pilgrimage together and let us not be idle in the assumption that all our brothers are far clear of the thorns, rather, let us exhort one another daily.  Let us lash our belts together and not let another be caught up in thorns along the path.

It is a great honor that God uses one person's faith to impact another persons.  So speak faith into one another and be as the men who lowered their paralytic friend through the roof in order that he might see Jesus.  Hear Jesus' words to them...

“4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” (Mark 2:4–5, ESV)  

Let us exhort one another in faith that we may help each other see Jesus today!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Lesson for this week available

Men,

We meet again Thursday evening and I have amended the lesson for the night and it is posted to the column on the left side of the blog.  I look forward to seeing your Thursday!

I am posting various devotions or encouragements on the blog throughout the week (as I get the opportunity) so consider following by e-mail by putting your e-mail into the dealio on the right side of the blog if you want to see these without having to remember to go to the site...

Until Thursday-

Soli Deo Gloria!

Yoke Check

In Matthew 11 Jesus exhorts those who would be wearied by the yoke of the law to come to Him for discipleship in order to learn and find rest.  A yoke is a tool to allow for pulling or carrying a load and it represents labor.

“25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:25–30, ESV)

Jesus says that we are using the wrong yoke.   

Human effort at getting right with God will not suffice and will make us weary.  If you love me you will keep my commandments (remember that John 14:15 is a promise to claim, not a litmus test to fear)!  We need to take the yoke of faith in Jesus, a yoke of trusting in His work in us, a yoke of finding Him lovely and worthy of our praise.  He speaks about the burden of seeking justification and right standing with God and how the little children who have their eyes opened should not labor under the example of the supposedly wise and understanding folks that are devoted to human effort at achieving justification by laborious efforts to comply with the law.  Rather, we should take on this yoke of faith and know that God's love, which was poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Romans 5:5) will bring about in us a desire to walk in His ways and it will be a joy, not a burden (cf. 1 John 5:2-5)! 

“5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, ESV)

“2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:2–5, ESV)

Note that in 1 John 5:2 the greek word for "love" is the verb form of Agape and refers to our loving of God.  But the beauty of verse 3 is that the word "love" here is the noun form and is in reference to God as the subject of the action!  So this means, like we considered in yesterday's Heart Check, that it is God's love in us by His Holy Spirit that he causes us to keep His commandments as a promise and we do so not laboring under a load, but empowered by God Himself!  Strive not in our own strength, for his power is perfected in weakness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9)!

“9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Let us therefore put down the yoke of self-righteous attempts to conform to the law to prove our love.  Let us rather find the victory in surrender to a love of our King.  Let us ask for God to pour His love into our hearts daily and that He would work and will in us what we cannot do for ourselves (Philippians 2:13).  Let us find joy in His ways rather than a task of obedience.

“13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, ESV)

“20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20–21, ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria!