December 27, 2015
Worship: Behold the Savior by Meredith Andrews; Behold the Savior by Jarod Espy
Oh what innocence
Sleeping in a manger
Under dreamless skies
See a newborn king
Trading every glory for a silent night
Here is the promise we had waited for
He will not leave us in the dark
He will bear our weight
He will wear our shame
Come lift Him high
Behold the Savior
Jesus Christ law of love and light
Come lift Him high Behold the Savior!
Veiled Deity
Praise of every angel
Shepherds bowing low
Sweet humility
Mercy as a baby
God in flesh in bone
Here is the promise we had waited for
He will not leave us in the dark
He will bear our weight
He will wear our shame
Come lift Him high
Behold the Savior
Jesus Christ law of love and light
Come lift Him high
Behold the Savior!
Behold the Savior!
Immanuel
Immanuel
Below is a link to a song with the same title written by Jarod Espy. I cannot find the lyrics to the song. The video contains the lyrics. I recommend listening and singing along with this worship song.
Video: https://youtu.be/1Zb9uRQMEFQ
Witness:
The rain continued today until late into the evening, then a strong wind came up for a while. Now that has subsided too. The rain fit the dourness of my mood, but the Spirit of God came in like a strong wind and blew that feeling away. Yesterday, I began to read the entry to November 17th. I guess I listened to the song of worship and read the witness portion, but for some reason, I did not read the WORD portion. That proved to be a God thing, for God knew I needed to read that portion today. I was pressed for time as usual, but God sent a song that brought clarity to the phrase “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”. The song made me realize that this phrase could be replaced with one word – JESUS!
I then thought of and quoted from a verse found in Romans.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
The song further ministered to me as I read the lyrics
I could climb the highest heights
Travel far beyond the sky
Even there I know You’d find me with Your love
I could cross the distant seas
Walk through valleys dark and deep
Even there I know You’d reach me with Your love
Nothing can separate me
Nothing could ever take me
Take me from Your love
There’s nothing strong enough
Nothing can separate me
Nothing could ever take me
Take me from Your love
The love of Jesus
Not tomorrow or today
Not my joy or deepest pain
There is nothing that could keep me from Your love
Not in life or even death
Not one pow’r of hell or heaven
For I know You’ll always find me with Your love
There is no fear
I’m in the perfect love of Christ
I’m resting here
And You will keep me through the watches of the night
Travel far beyond the sky
Even there I know You’d find me with Your love
I could cross the distant seas
Walk through valleys dark and deep
Even there I know You’d reach me with Your love
Nothing can separate me
Nothing could ever take me
Take me from Your love
There’s nothing strong enough
Nothing can separate me
Nothing could ever take me
Take me from Your love
The love of Jesus
Not tomorrow or today
Not my joy or deepest pain
There is nothing that could keep me from Your love
Not in life or even death
Not one pow’r of hell or heaven
For I know You’ll always find me with Your love
There is no fear
I’m in the perfect love of Christ
I’m resting here
And You will keep me through the watches of the night
WORD:
Ps 24:1-6
24 The earth is the Lord 's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters
.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
SELAH
NIV
|
Ps 24:1-6
The King of Glory
A Psalm of David.
24 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
ESV
|
A satellite has the capacity to take a picture of the earth as well as to hone in on a specific point on the earth. Some can even take a picture of a license on a car with such clarity that we can read the numbers and letters on it. Verses 1-2 can be compared to a satellite photographing the whole earth. Verse 3 hones in on the “hill of the Lord”. It asks the question:
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
The NIV is superior here, I think, when it uses the word “may” instead of “shall” like the ESV.
Psalms 24:3
The pilgrims want to know what Yahweh requires of those who want to worship in his Temple (see TEV "has the right... may"). RSV shall ascend... shall stand may convey merely the idea of simple future tense, as if the psalmist simply wants to know who will go up Mount Zion and go into the Temple. But the question is about what kind of person will be allowed to worship in the Temple. So NEB "Who may go up... who may stand," FRCL "Who will be allowed," and GECL "Who has access to the Lord's hill? Who dares walk on the holy ground?" are much better.
(from UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. Copyright © 1978-2004 by United Bible Societies. All rights reserved.)
If we understand this psalm as having been written when David was bringing the ark of the covenant to the tabernacle, then this may a question directed to the Levites and priests who served before the Lord in the Temple. However, I believe it also was a general question to any worshiper approaching God. A question to worshipers entering the outer court of the Tabernacle. It also is a question to ponder by anyone who seeks to enter into His presence. Too often we live unexamined lives. We presume upon God’s grace, not realizing what grace teaches us:
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14 NIV
But I am getting ahead of myself, this verse is more appropriate for verses 4-6. My thoughts turn to another passage in scripture where an examination is required. It is found in 1 Cor. 11:28-29:
A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Cor 11:28 NIV
This is not the place to discuss what this passage fully means. However, the Wycliffe’s Commentary has this little helpful note on verse 28. I quote only a snippet that is appropriate for the point I am trying to make. It says, “There must be preparation before participation”.
(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1962 by Moody Press. All rights reserved.) Surely, this is good advice in general, when we seek to enter into a time of worship, personally or congregationally.
Finally, as I close today’s journal entry. There is a greater question we are exhorted to ask ourselves. The unexamined life can have eternal consequences as well. Hear what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Cor. 13:5:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Cor 13:5-6
NIV
Wiersbe comments:
II. Be Sure You Are Saved (2 Corinthians 13:5-7)
The Corinthians were spending a great deal of time examining Paul; now it was time they examined themselves. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." A true Christian experience will bear examination. "Are you even in the faith?" asked Paul. "Are you truly saved?" Every believer must prove his or her faith; no one can tell others whether or not they are born again.
A true Christian has Christ in him.
(from Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Copyright © 1992 by Chariot Victor Publishing, an imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved.)
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon
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