Journal for Christ: April 2017

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Fuel that feeds the fire of prayer

July 10, 2016

Worship: Ocean by Bebo Norman

If there is a love song left to sing
Then what I have is what I'll bring
Nothing more is more than I can give

If there is a light left in my eyes
It must be Your reflection from the sky
'Cause all I know is this
You are the wonder of my world

You are an ocean that I can get lost in
The first wind on my shore
You are the sunrise to open my eyes
And the dark night is no more
You are an ocean, You are an ocean

And every time I turn around
There's so much more left to be found
And every glimpse steals my breath away

So open up these eyes to see
More of You and less of me
And all my fear is turning into faith
You are the wonder of my world

You are an ocean that I can get lost in
The first wind on my shore
You are the sunrise to open my eyes
And the dark night is no more
You are an ocean, You are an ocean

I'm drowning in Your love
I'm drowning in Your love
Not coming up, I'm not coming up
'Cause You're all I'll ever want

You are an ocean
You are an ocean

You are an ocean that I can get lost in
The first wind on my shore
You are the sunrise to open my eyes
And the dark night is no more
You are an ocean, You are an ocean
You are an ocean, You are an ocean

You are an ocean

Songwriters

INGRAM, JASON / NORMAN, BEBO

Read more: Bebo Norman - Ocean Lyrics | MetroLyrics

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ydqgl7EYaLc?list=RDEMJ2x7aQMaUtVLHXkYvzhfEg

Witness:

Lord I sit here groping for words to say. So much has occurred lately.

In the world, turmoil rears its ugly head and hate reigns in the heart of many who seek revenge on the innocent many because of the alleged sins of a few.

In my world, I am tortured by unreal dreams and wakeup to the reality of my empty arms and loneliness.

Debt seeks to strip me of my peace and joy.

Children, who walk in a way not pleasing to God, and I remain silent unable to articulate my concern over this. Perhaps, I wonder to myself, am I being chastised by my Heavenly Father because I am permitting this to take place without a word said. Oh, I have spoken briefly to one of them on two occasions but I have not really come out with full-blown displeasure over this. I fear the fallout. I keep saying I will say something when the time is right but that may just be an excuse to put things off.

In the midst of all this turmoil, failure, and sin the words to the song above speak to me and I breath these lines as a prayer:

So open up these eyes to see
More of You and less of me
And all my fear is turning into faith
You are the wonder of my world

When I see more of You and less of me, it moves me to get out of the way and follow you. When fear begins to disappear and faith grows within me and wonder abounds, then worry is cast out and a willing heart emerges to do Your will. So, I pray this prayer and fall into the ocean of Gods goodness, grace, mercy, and Love.

WORD:

Ps 25:8-15

Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Ps 25:8-10

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Ps 25:8-10

8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

KJV

Ps 25:8-10

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

ESV

David has paused his praying to reflect on the themes he included in his prayer in verses 4-5.

Wiersbe observes:

At this point, David paused to meditate on the character of the Lord his God. After all, why pray to the Lord if He can't be trusted?
(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

Calvin is helpful here as well:

Pausing for a little as it were in the prosecution of his prayer, he exercises his thoughts in meditation upon the goodness of God, that he may return with renewed ardor to prayer. The faithful feel that their hearts soon languish in prayer, unless they are constantly stirring themselves up to it by new incitements; so rare and difficult a thing is it to persevere steadfastly and unweariedly in this duty. And, indeed, as one must frequently lay on fuel in order to preserve a fire, so the exercise of prayer requires the aid of such helps, that it may not languish, and at length be entirely extinguish.
(from Calvin's Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Spurgeon puts it succinctly:

Ver. 8-10. These three verses are a meditation upon the attributes and acts of the Lord. He who toils in the harvest field of prayer should occasionally pause awhile and refresh himself with a meal of meditation.
(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the next few entries it is my desire to do just that.

Lord, not with clever words

Nor pithy rhymes
But with hands that are clean
And a heart that is pure
May I Enter into Thy presence
Bringing thanksgiving and praise
For Your tender mercies
Your goodness and grace
Joining the chorus of heaven
Crying Holy, Holy, Holy is Your name
The whole world is full of Your glory!
-Amen

Friday, April 28, 2017

What is my attitude when suffering?

July 5, 2016

Worship: A Million Raindrops by Bebo Norman

Can I feel the sun?
Breaking through the gray I'm lost within
Can I hear the wind?
Like a secret telling me I'll live again

I need you

All your thoughts, let them fall
Like a million raindrops
On this desolate ground, I'm standing on
Every word from your lips
Like a father's kiss
That all my life I've waited on

Can I walk the line?
Tell me, will you be my safety net?
Can you save a life?
Tangled up in weakness and regret

I know you can

All your thoughts, let them fall
Like a million raindrops
On this desolate ground, I'm standing on
Every word from your lips
Like a father's kiss
That all my life I've waited on
That all my life I've waited on

I'm crying out to you
I'm crying out to you, yeah
There's nothing left to lose
There's nothing left to prove, yeah
I'm crying out to you
I'm crying out to you

All your thoughts, let them fall
Like a million raindrops
On this desolate ground, I'm standing on
Every word from your lips
Like a father's kiss
That all my life I've waited on

All your thoughts, let them fall
Like a million raindrops
On this desolate ground, I'm standing on
Every word from your lips
Like a father's kiss
That all my life I've waited on
That all my life I've waited on

https://youtu.be/C8_WzoNFwgA

Witness:

My life is in upheaval again. I did something very careless and stupid the other night after church. To give some context let me back up a little so I can share the bigger picture. During my morning prayer time, before I went to bed, I asked the Lord to deliver me from debt. I have felt the weight of debt for a long time and wondered if it would ever be lifted. Various health and job situations plunged me into much of the debt. Yes, I confess that I can’t seem to make a good budget that I can stick too. Something unexpected always comes up and those miscellaneous expenses sap the budget as well. I do not want to dwell on this aspect since what I want to share is not about good budgeting.

So back to the context concerning my present upheaval. I prayed for deliverance from debt and also that I would be able to talk to and pray with someone after the 6:30 pm service. I have joined our Next Steps Team which some churches call counselors for those who make professions of faith. Our responsibilities go beyond that to praying for any need or directing inquirers to various ministries the church offers or information about joining our Host Team or Next Steps team etc.

When the invitation was given 7 hands were raised. When the door opened I looked for some of those had prayed to receive Christ (our church does a community prayer – we pray the prayer to receive Christ along with those who raised their hands – I will not digress to tell you my real feelings about this practice). No one came through my door. I spoke to no one except to smile and greet them aa they left the sanctuary. When people stopped coming out I began to walk to the center of our huge “fellowship area”. I saw both of my fellow members of Next Steps ministering to people. I was happy for them but crushed that my prayer was not answered as I hoped.

So, I struggled with this as I gathered the grandkids from their various fellowships. I was preoccupied with prayers to God asking why I was not given anyone to minister to. Was I unusable by God after all? Were there hindrances in my life I had not recognized or confessed? I tried to quell such thoughts and rely on the sovereignty of God I professed to believe in. We got into the car and preceded home. Going down a long stretch of road I was looking at the storm clouds on the horizon. I remarked to the kids that one looked like a man with a beard pointing a finger. What happened next is unclear to me now. I suddenly became aware I was at the intersection and the light was red and I would not be able to stop, so I barreled through hoping no one would hit me. That’s when a car hit me in the rear and I spun to the other side and crashed into the high curb. In an instant, the car was totaled and I received a $200 ticket. A tow fee will surely follow. My insurance will surely go up and if it doesn’t pay the tow fee and the emergency room copay ($250) I went to later that night because of chest pains I will be out more money. The good news is that my grandkids and the driver of the other car were not hurt and I have a second car to drive.

This brings me to the upheaval I am wrestling with right now. I am wrestling with “unanswered prayers”. I am not only wondering why I wasn’t allowed to minister to anyone that night but also why I was also now deeper in debt (add to this the $670 I charged the week before to replace the radiator for the car I am driving now). I am struggling with guilt over the possibility that I could have killed or seriously injured the grandkids. I am struggling with flashbacks to the accident. I am struggling again with feelings of being alone and sadness and anger over the fact that my wife is not here to support and comfort me. I feel out of sorts spiritually as well and have put off my quiet time and preoccupied myself with watching the news and organizing the piles of mail that had accumulated on the kitchen counter. I finally forced myself to pray and then sit down to write what I am writing at this present time.

What is the Lord teaching me through all this? That He is sovereign, wise, faithful, trustworthy and good. He protected our lives and He can provide for these financial setbacks. What appears as dark and bleak is only the backdrop upon which God will paint His beautiful blessings upon my life. That He is calling me to trust Him in spite of my present circumstance.

Saturday, one day before my “accident”, I had spoken up in response to the question “how do we respond to someone who asks the question, “How can we say God is good with so much trouble even in the world?” I said that I have learned in my suffering not to ask God why but how? Not why am I suffering but how can I make it through my suffering. I referenced James 1:5 which is in the context of suffering:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. NIV

Not wisdom to know why but wisdom to walk through suffering allowing it to complete its maturing work in my life. I had also written a text to my friend who is going through tough times. It consisted of a verse from another fellow sufferer named Job, a verse from a hymn, and a short poem I wrote. It read:

Though he slay me,

yet will I hope in him

Job 13:15 NIV

Every joy or trial

Falleth from above,

Traced upon our dial

By the Sun of Love.

We may trust Him fully

All for us to do;

They who trust Him wholly

Find Him wholly true.

Frances Ridley Havergal: 1836-1879

God is still on His throne

When trials come my way

And His reasons oft' unknown

He's still my hope and stay!

These words came back to me following all this. My friend texted them back to me.

I was reminded of one more thing today as I was typing. It is the words I wrote in my previous journal entry:

I’m sure he was concerned about what others were thinking about him in the present situation he was in whatever it was, but he also recognized that sin in his life was part of the cause. He was also concerned that God’s goodness would be called into question – “If your God is so good why are you suffering so?”. He also wanted to be found faithful in hope and not be put to shame (vs 2-3). He wanted God’s guidance in his life as well as His tender mercy and steadfast love (vs 4-7).

In my suffering is this my attitude or am I more concerned with just feeling better? Is my faith a desire to just feel good or is it to exalt my God and find my happiness and satisfaction solely in Him?

As writing this last part a song came on which put my hearts cry into words. I stopped and praised God for one of those “millions raindrops” He was pouring out on the “desolate ground I'm standing on”. It truly was a “father’s kiss” from my heavenly Father. Here is the song and with its words, I will end this portion of my journal entry.

Instead of fear
Instead of blinded eyes
Instead of shame
Instead of all my lies
Instead of an orphan without a name
I hope you see Jesus

Instead of anger
Instead of unbelief
Instead of weakness
In the heart of me
Instead of a wounded soul
I hope you see Jesus

Chorus
I hope you see Jesus
Standing in my place
Bearing all my shame
I hope you see Jesus

Instead of voices
In a faceless crowd
Instead of prophets crying out
From behind a shroud
Instead of fingers pointing out the blame
I hope you see Jesus

Chorus

I hope you see love
I hope you see love
I hope you see love

Oh, my God when you look at us
A broken people who have turned from love
Instead of words we throw
And the wars we wage
I hope You forgive us
I hope you see Jesus

Chorus

Standing in our place
Bearing all our shame
I hope you see Jesus

Read more athttp://www.songlyrics.com/bebo-norman/i-hope-you-see-jesus-lyrics/#Vhzd1HWZiSQvx6b1.99

Video: https://youtu.be/GBIpvoNVlDk?list=RDMMr6nHLg1Y7-M

WORD:

Ps 25:8-15

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, O Lord,

forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?

He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

13 He will spend his days in prosperity,

and his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;

he makes his covenant known to them.

15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,

for only he will release my feet from the snare.

NIV

Ps 25:8-15

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

11 For the honor of your name, O Lord,

forgive my many, many sins.

12 Who are those who fear the Lord?

He will show them the path they should choose.

13 They will live in prosperity,

and their children will inherit the land.

14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.

He teaches them his covenant.

15 My eyes are always on the Lord,

for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Ps 25:8-15

8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

13 His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth.

14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

KJV

Ps 25:8-15

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For your name's sake, O Lord,

pardon my guilt, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?

Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

13 His soul shall abide in well-being,

and his offspring shall inherit the land.

14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,

and he makes known to them his covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,

for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

ESV

I will begin to delve more deeply into these verses. Right now, I want to point out that the preceding thoughts are a perfect segue into this portion of Scripture!

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”

INDEED

DOES!

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Reflections and Questions

June 28, 2016

Worship: The Goodness of God by Seth Irby and Josh Irby

Verse 1

My God is a giver

An overflowing river

Pouring his lavish love on us

Season after season

We give him every reason

To stop, but he never does

Chorus

Oh, the goodness of God

Is flooding my heart with peace

Oh, the goodness of God

Is bringing me to my knees

Verse 2

My God is a father

Who ransoms sons and daughters

Pouring his costly love on us

His greatest treasure given

So we can be forgiven

His Son crushed to make us whole

Bridge (3x)

We say… We believe you are good

We believe you are good, you are good

We believe you are good

We believe you are good, you are good

©2009 ViRay Publishing Inc

Video: https://youtu.be/xrpJoM3L4Qs

This song is rare. I found only two videos of it, both which are of poor quality. Never-the-less, for those who wish to learn the tune to sing this song, I am sharing one of them.

Witness:

As I put the dishes in the dishwasher and turned on the dishwasher I pondered what I would include in this portion of my Journal. Next, I pulled out a bowl to get some ice cream and a piece of banana snack cake I had made yesterday. I thought about my Bible reading habits. I use to score myself high on this because after all look at this journal replete with biblical references and a study in the Psalms. However, as I meditated on this I realized that my Bible reading record was actually very poor. Yes, my study of the Word may be viewed by some as being at least a little above par, yet when it comes to just reading the Word and meditating on it, I fail miserably. You may ask, “well don’t you meditate on what you are studying?” Yes, I do, but it does not continue after that very often. Once I save what I have written I don’t give much thought to it until the next time I open my journal back up and continue with my study. The irony concerning this is the fact that I studied Psalm 1 already which begins with these words:

Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

Ps 1:1-2 NIV

Having greater light than David himself, because I have the completed revelation of God found in Scripture, I have a greater depth to plunge into and meditate on. Lord let me desire Your Word more than earthly riches, relaxation, or refreshment. Amen!

Word

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O Lord.

NIV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

KJV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord.

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

ESV

I believe I have come to the end of this portion of Psalm 25 and will move on to the next portion of verses. Before I do, just some remaining thoughts and perhaps a clip from a commentary or two.

The topic of the goodness of God comes up often. Usually, it is ignored by many until they are going through a period of testing or trial. Others around them may be suffering, but they do not question God until things happen to them personally.

I use to think about this and judge others who acted like that. That is until I went through this season of suffering. A time that has not ceased to this day. However, while I have questioned God from time to time, my real issue is not with His goodness, but His timing. My question is not “why God?” I believe I know the answer to that – to draw me to a closer walk with Him. My question is more of “when God- when are You going to deliver me from this time of suffering?” In the back of my mind, I hold on to the hope of my wife returning to me. Yet, I know that may not be in His sovereign plan for my life. Perhaps the suffering will cease when I yield it all to God, my thoughts, my anxieties over it, and my desire to fix it myself. I am journeying in that direction, but feel I have taken a few steps backward this month in my feelings because this is the month of our anniversary. It does not help that my daughter next door has a man living with her. She claims it is purely non-sexual in nature, but how long will that last.

But I digress. Some use the suffering in the world as an excuse not to believe in God at all. However, that is a contradiction of sorts. If there is no God, then who is to say what is good and evil in the first place?

As I was thinking over verse 7 the other day I felt this tension well up in me. How can I testify to your goodness to others when I am suffering like this? Do others think I am a monster? Why else would my wife leave me in the first place? Do they think God is judging me? Out of all these thoughts emerged the thought that David too was going through tough times as he wrote this. I’m sure he was concerned about what others were thinking about him in the present situation he was in whatever it was, but he also recognized that sin in his life was part of the cause. He was also concerned that God’s goodness would be called into question – “If your God is so good why are you suffering so?”. He also wanted to be found faithful in hope and not be put to shame (vs 2-3). He wanted God’s guidance in his life as well as His tender mercy and steadfast love (vs 4-7).

In my suffering is this my attitude or am I more concerned with just feeling better? Is my faith a desire to just feel good or is it to exalt my God and find my happiness and satisfaction solely in Him? These are questions I ponder as I leave this portion of Psalm 25.

Here are a few gleanings from some commentaries on this portion of the verse.

According to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord! Still, put me not from thy mind. "Remember thou me" always - but in the light of thy tender mercy, with the rays of thy love streaming over me and hiding the deformities of my transgressions.
(from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

According to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. David and the dying thief breathe the same prayer, and doubtless, they grounded it upon the same plea, viz., the free grace and unmerited goodness of Jehovah. We dare not ask to have our portion measured from the balances of justice, but we pray to be dealt with by the hand of mercy.
(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

According to thy compassion do thou remember me. When God casts our sins into oblivion, this leads him to behold us with fatherly regard. David can discover no other cause by which to account for this paternal regard of God, but that he is good, and hence it follows that there is nothing to induce God to receive us into his favor but his own good pleasure. When God is said to remember us according to his mercy, we are tacitly given to understand that there are two ways of remembering which are entirely opposite; the one when he visits sinners in his wrath, and the other when he again manifests his favor to those of whom he seemed for a time to take no account.
(from Calvin's Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is God's goodness and not ours, his mercy and not our own merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin and all the good we stand in need of. This plea we must always rely upon, as those that are sensible of our poverty and unworthiness and as those that are satisfied of the riches of God's mercy and grace.
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, PC Study Bible Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All Rights reserved.)

The psalmist succinctly asks the Lord to forget these sins but to remember him according to His lovingkindness and for His goodness’ sake. Such a prayer is irresistible.… What release there is in knowing that our sins are under the blood, removed as far as the east is from the west, buried in the sea of God’s forgetfulness, forgiven forever!
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 583). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

To God be the Glory!

June 23, 2016

Worship: You are Good by Keri Jobe

Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your goodness draws me to your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Every day I'll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart

You are good, You are good
You are good Your mercy is forever
You are good, You are good
You are good, Your mercy is forever

Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your goodness draws me to Your side
Your mercy calls me to be like You
Your favor is my delight
Every day I'll awaken my praise
and pour out a song from my heart

Your kindness is forever
Your goodness is forever
Your mercy is forever, forever

Lyrics from <a href="http://www.elyrics.net">eLyrics.net</a>

Video: https://youtu.be/sZwiW1Fgrp8?list=RDsZwiW1Fgrp8

Witness:

What do you desire most? What is it that you treasure above all? Our Lord made this profound and penetrating statement recorded by both Matthew and Luke:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:21, Lk 12:34 NIV

Your treasure is, is a heart locator. What you treasure functions as a GPS navigation system to locate where your heart is. In that same passage, we find there are only two places that we can store up our treasure: either here on earth or in Heaven. Note the contrast given and emphasized by repetition:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt 6:19-20 NIV

How many seek for pleasure in the treasures this world offers – fame, fortune, and fun. These will all pass away (moth and rust destroy) or are stolen from us (thieves break in and steal), but the treasures we store up in heaven are eternal and cannot rot or be ripped from us.

This came as a sobering reality to me today. I listened to a study on 1 Peter 3:18 given by John Piper in his Look at the Book series. It is titled: Do You Want God More Than Anything?

When I finished listening to it I had to ask that same question. I realized that I wasn’t there fully, but it was something I truly desired to attain. I looked back on my self-centered life where TV and the bedroom vied for my attention with time in the Word and being used by God for the blessing of others. In fact, the latter were almost nonexistent. I went to church and read devotionals sporadically. I had many false starts in Bible reading and study. This was true also in the case with my wife and our devotional life together. As I knelt and prayed; I reflected on these and thanked God that He took away my desire for TV and sex with the leaving of my wife and gave me a hunger for His Word. I did not wish for this to happen and all could have been avoided if I had just listened to that still small voice which kept calling me to a deeper devotion to the Lord and His will for my life. So, I prayed that this desire would continue to grow in me for I was feeling the pull again from these competing desires( to clarify- my desires were not to indulge in immoral behavior).

Tonight, as I write this portion of my journal I have to chide myself because I made sure I ate early enough to start earlier with my quiet time and journaling. Yet I watched the news longer than I should have and when I sat down to start I found myself clearing emails and getting bogged down in one particular email particularly. I started downloading cookbooks that were being offered for free (yeah, I found out I like to cook different things now that I am alone -though I don’t get much time to do so with my schedule). I finally came to my senses, but it was 8 pm by then. So, I had to pray and thank God for showing me I still have work to do on this issue and with God’s help, I trust I will store up much treasure in heaven where I want to find my heart as well!

WORD:

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O Lord.

NIV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

KJV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord.

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

ESV

I have taken some time to think about this last phrase in verse seven. Here forms the fountain from which God’s “racham” (God’s great, compassionate, tenderhearted, loving mercy) and “chesed” (God’s constant, unfailing, faithful mercy and love towards His chosen ones) flow. It is God’s goodness. Grace, love, and mercy are the specific actions that flow from God’s goodness that result in remission (forgiveness) of sin, redemption, and rescue for His chosen people.

However, I do not think that David is declaring the reason that God should forgive him is because He is good. David knows that he does not deserve God’s forgiveness, but only His just wrath (see Ps. 51). The NIV and NLT could be construed this way. This is perhaps the way the Pulpit Commentary views it:

Do this "for thy goodness' sake," i.e. because thou art essential Goodness, perfect Tenderness, perfect Love.(from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

They seem to translate this phrase ontologically with reference to His “being” good or merciful, but this prepositional phrase should be translated as the ESV has it, “for the sake of”. Therefore, David is asking for God’s forgiveness and deliverance from his enemies (remember verses 1-3) “for the sake of” or the benefit of, display of, and honor of God’s goodness. The TWOT comments on the use of this prepositional phrase (one word in Hebrew):

lema ‘an

‎Many passages record action (intended or accomplished) for God's sake. Indeed, it is the Psalmists' frequent plea that God will save, lead, deliver, quicken, etc., for his sake, i.e. to demonstrate before the creation, the wicked, or the righteous (or all three) the certainty of his covenant (Ps 25:11; Ps 143:11; Jer 14:21).

Barnes says:

Psalms 25:7

[For thy goodness' sake] In order that thy goodness or benevolence may be displayed and honored- not primarily and mainly that I may be saved, but that thy character may be seen to be good and merciful.

In the end, David’s concern is more for the glory and honor of the Lord than his own. To forgive on the basis of who David was would be wrong and tantamount to idolatry on God’s part, as if God’s motivation for forgiveness was located in the value and pleasure of David as a created being rather than in the value and pleasure of God Himself as the only uncreated, holy, pure, wise, good, and glorious being. Again, we must cry out:

To God Be the Glory!

I finish this journal entry with a quote from a message by John Piper:

Do you love the thought that you exist to make God look glorious? Do you love the thought that all creation exists to display the glory of God? Do you love the truth that all of history is designed by God to one day be a completed canvas that displays in the best way possible the greatness and beauty of God? Do you love the fact that Jesus Christ came into the world to vindicate the righteousness of God and repair the injury that we had done to the reputation of the glory of God? Do you love the truth you personally exist to make God look like what he really is—glorious? I ask again: Do you love the fact that your salvation is meant to put the glory of God’s grace on display? Do you love seeing and showing the glory of God?

This is why God created the universe. This is why he ordained history. This is why he sent his Son. This is why you exist. Forever to see and savor and show the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The question at the end of Romans 1-11 is. Do you embrace this calling as your treasure and your joy

(from a message titled: All Things Are from God, Through God, and to God. The Glory Is All His)

Link to the Message: http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/all-things-are-from-god-through-god-and-to-god-the-glory-is-all-his

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Remember Me in light of Who You Are

June 13, 2016

Worship: God of My Everything by Bebo Norman

Oh, God of heaven come and hem me in
Gather the pieces that are broken
Show me the wonder of You again
Oh, God of heaven

God of my hope, God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing, God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything

In all creation You call my name
In all the beauty that this world displays
Still I'm the one for whom Your heart aches
In all creation

God of my hope, God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing, God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything
God of my everything

And when the mountains shake
You are my God, You never change
And when the earth gives way
You are still God, You never change

God of my hope, God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing, God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything

God of my everything
God of my everything
God of my everything

Songwriters
INGRAM, JASON / NORMAN, BEBO

Video: https://youtu.be/r6nHLg1Y7-M

Witness:

Pain pervades my life. I just turned 60 last month. My body does not work as well as it used to. My joints ache and my right leg is stiff. I find it more difficult to run and the same leg hurts when I drive the car. I feel tired all the time and pain pops up from time in different parts of my body. I take vitamins and supplements to help counteract the pain and to keep my heart and joints etc. “healthier”. I try to eat healthy foods and buy more organic versions of various foods. I use organic milk on my oatmeal, which I eat every day, and drink organic grape juice. I realize I am only slowing down the inevitable. We all grow old and we all die. Yet I know one day this mortal body of mine will hear the upward call of my Savior and be raised immortal and be reunited with my immortal spirit which has gone to be with my Savior in heaven. If the Lord tarries and I die before His return to reign here on earth for 1000 years (my apologies to anyone reading this who is amillennial or post-millennial) I know I will go to be with Him in heaven though my body lies in the grave awaiting the voice of my Savior to call it forth at the resurrection at His second coming (whether that be pre-trib or post-trib I am not sure). That is my hope, and hope in scripture is not the weak doubtful hope of today. It is the robust confident expectation of something promised by God that has yet to come to pass, yet we know it will in His time and by His sovereign hand.

Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 2 Cor 5:6-9 NIV

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor 15:50-58

NIVWORD:

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you are good, O Lord.

NIV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

KJV

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord.

Ps 25:6-7

6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

ESV

III. Remember Me in light of Who You Are

David concludes this portion of the prayer by summing up what he had said in verse 6 and the first part of 7. In verse 6 he speaks concerning God – “your great love and mercy.” In 7a he speaks concerning himself – “sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.” Now he sums it all up by speaking of God - “your steadfast love…your goodness” and himself – “remember Thou me.” All these joined together by the thrice repeated word “remember”.

As I said before, God knows everything and He can never forget anything. I pointed out that sometimes we may feel like God has forgotten us so we are calling on God to focus on our plight or request and we are asking Him to take action. I think this excerpt from the TWOT is helpful in summing up the meaning of ‘remember’ in this passage.

When God is challenged to "remember" the meaning is better taken as

"pay attention to" since nothing ever escapes God's omniscience (Ps 89:48 ).

And

Numerous passages add to the above meanings the additional implication of taking appropriate action. God's remembrance of his covenant results in delivering his people (Ex 2:24) or in preserving them (Lev 26:44,45). Conversely, remembering sin may be tantamount to withholding favor (Hos 7:1-2). Remembering Hezekiah's past faithfulness resulted in healing (2 Kings 20:3), and remembering Noah was to make the waters to subside (Gen 8:1). For God not to remember iniquity was to forgive and to withhold further judgment (Ps 79:8-9).

So David is, in essence, asking for God to act with mercy and not the justice he deserves. David recognizes the immensity of his sinfulness and knows it can only be forgiven and “forgotten” by the infinite and inexhaustibly immense “steadfast love” of God who always acts with “goodness” towards His people. David could only look forward to the promise foretold by the scripture and in the daily sacrifices as well as the day of atonement. The promise of a Savior who would be the sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Praise be to God for His indescribable gift through the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ my Savior. As I paused to think about this in wonder of how great our God is, the words to a song that was playing declared “how great is our God”. I stopped and worshiped and clapped my hands in awe for God’s echoing confirmation. Glory be to my Lord and Savior!

The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
It trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age, He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One
Father, Spirit, Son
Lion and the Lamb
Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God and all will see
How great, how great is our God

(How great is our God, sing with me)
Name above all names
(How great is our God and all will see)
Worthy of our praise
(How great, how great is our God)
My heart will sing
How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Songwriters
CHRIS TOMLIN, CHRISTOPHER DWAYNE TOMLIN, ED CASH, JESSE REEVES

Video: https://youtu.be/KBD18rsVJHk

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Fuel that feeds the fire of prayer

Friday, April 28, 2017

What is my attitude when suffering?

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Reflections and Questions

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

To God be the Glory!

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Remember Me in light of Who You Are

About Me