Journal for Christ: May 2018

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Lord, Please Listen When I Call

May 28-29, 2018

Worship: Waiting Here for You

Hope be my anthem
Lord when the world has fallen quiet
You stand beside me
Give me a song in the night

And Jesus I need You
Every moment I need You
Hear now this grace bought heart sing out
Your praise forever

Beauty for ashes
You find the weak and contrite heart
Shoulder its burdens
And carry it into the light

Jesus, I need You
Every moment I need You
Hear now this grace bought heart sing out
Your praise forever

Remember love
Remember mercy
Christ before me
Christ behind me

Your loving kindness
Has never failed me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Songwriters: Brooke Ligertwood / Jarrad Leith Rogers / Reuben Morgan / Scott Ross Ligertwood
Jesus I Need You lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, BMG Rights Management US, LLC

Lyrics (abridged) : https://www.google.com/search?q=lyrics+JesusI+need+you&oq=lyrics+JesusI+need+you&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.10842j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Video: https://youtu.be/lKM-8CZRplI?list=RDxBJd7OFo4s0

Witness:

The words of the song above wafted out into the hallway as I passed by my bedroom. They were like balm to my aching soul. It’s Memorial Day when we remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the freedom of others in wars fought against evil men and evil regimes. It is also a time when families gather together and enjoy a cookout and fellowship. An occasion to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life and enjoy some family time. I looked forward to some of that today. I had shopped with my daughter for the Memorial Day fixin’s last night. But sleep was elusive this morning. I laid in bed an hour later than I had planned. I got up at noon and went out and mowed the lawn. I sat down and finished my previous journal entry. By that time, I was worn out and laid down again to rest for a little while. Meanwhile my daughter came over to get the grill to cook the meal. She told me to rest and she would let me know when it was ready. After a little while I got up and got ready to go over and join my daughter and grandkids. Just then my daughter walked in with a plate of food. She said that the kids already had eaten their food and she had not even gotten her meal yet. I was very disappointed. Later, I asked if I could take her and the kids out for some ice cream. My grandkids arrived raring to go, but no daughter. She stayed home with her boyfriend. Again, I was disappointed. Later, when we had returned from Braums after enjoying some double dip waffle ice cream cones, I sat down and read some posts on my FaceBook page. One sent a flood of memories through my mind. It was a video from a former classmate of mine. He was driving through the property where my Alma Mater, Northeastern Bible College, use to be. It is now a park. Sadness filled my heart and tears came to my eyes. Those were good times. But it also brought back painfilled memories. Memories that were wonderful at the time, times with my girlfriend who became my wife. The one I shared over 40 years of my life with. One of those memories was Memorial Days with the family. Today I spent it mostly alone. It hurts. God sent a healing balm to soothe my pain and comfort me in my sorrow. When I sat down, a song sung by Mac Powell began to play and the lyrics washed over my soul. They weren’t Theologically precise, nevertheless, I was ministered to by them.

Blessed are you, as you weep on your knees

With perfume and tears washing over My feet

Blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind

Calling for mercy when I'm passing by

Blessed are you, shaking your head

At two tiny fish and some bread

Blessed are you as you tremble and wait

For the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace

Tell me your story, show me your wounds

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you

Hand me the pieces, broken and bruised

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you

Blessed are you, walking on waves

To find yourself sinking when you look away

Blessed are you, leper, standing alone,

The fear on their faces is all that you've known

Blessed are you, lonely widow

Who gave your last shiny coin to Yahweh

Blessed are you with your silver and lies,

Kissing the One who's saving your life

Tell me your story, show me your wounds

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you

Hand me the pieces, broken and bruised

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you

I see what I made in your mother's womb

I see the day I fell in love with you.

I see your tomorrows, nothing left to chance

I see My Father's fingerprints

I see your story, I see My name

Written on every beautiful page

You see the struggle, you see the shame

I see the reason I came

I came for your story, I came for your wounds

To show you what Love sees when I see you

When I see you

Written by: Nichole Nordeman, Bernie Herms

Sung by Mac Powell on the Album – The Story

Lyrics: http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Mac+Powell/When+Love+Sees+You/

Video: https://youtu.be/F4DK7arkztw?list=RDxBJd7OFo4s0

WORD:

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

NIV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.

Be merciful and answer me!

8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."

And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

9 Do not turn your back on me.

Do not reject your servant in anger.

You have always been my helper.

Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,

O God of my salvation!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord will hold me close.

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

KJV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face."

My heart says to you,

"Your face, Lord, do I seek."

9 Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me in.

ESV

It’s time to wrap up this section of the study. I leave it with a quote by Barnes on verse 10. I do so because yesterday I wrote a prayer/poem that was my version of a prayer based on these verses. Without realizing it, my last two lines actually may capture very closely what David was trying to convey if Barnes is correct in what he has to say.

Psalms 27:10 [When my father and my mother forsake me] If they should do it. The psalmist supposes it possible that this might occur. It does occur, though very rarely; but the psalmist means to say that the love of God is stronger and more certain than even that of a father or mother, since he will NEVER forsake his people. Though every other tie that binds heart to heart should dissolve, this will remain; though a case might occur in which we could not be sure of the love that naturally springs out of the most tender earthly relationships, yet we can always confide in His love. See the notes at Isa 49:15. [Then the LORD will take me up] Margin, "will gather me." The margin expresses the usual meaning of the word. It is sometimes used as referring to the hospitable reception of strangers or wanderers into one's house: Judg 19:15,18; Josh 20:4. The meaning here is, that if he should be forsaken by his nearest earthly friends, and be an outcast and a wanderer, so that no one on earth would take him in, the Lord would then receive him.
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lord, please listen when I call

When before Your face I fall

Don’t turn away from me

But in mercy answer my plea

Do not delay, do not languor

Do not turn me away in anger

You have come to my aide

In the past when I’ve prayed

Hear me, for inside I hurt

And my soul, do not desert

When I knock, others may ignore

But You Lord will open Your door!

- Amen

Monday, May 28, 2018

God's Mercy and Faithfulness

May 23 - 27, 2018

Witness:

I’m beginning this entry without a worship song. I have been singing worship songs up until now, but I have run out of time to search for a new one. I got up late today. I had to pick up the grandkids at school, which meant not getting enough sleep before getting them. I laid back down and rested until 6:30 so my time tonight was cut short. In a few minutes, I will be getting ready for work, but I really feel like laying down again.

Time, it’s a precious commodity down here on earth, and in short supply for people who work the graveyard shift like me. Time expires quickly. Everything seems to come with an expiration date on it. Food, cleaning supplies, medicine all rot, deteriorate or become ineffective. Blood has a shelf life of 42 days if not frozen, and if frozen only, about 10 years (though I read online that this is a poor way of storing it).

It struck me that there is blood that has no shelf life. The same blood that flowed from our Lord’s veins is still beneficial today. It has no shelf life. It never degrades. Blood is often in short supply, but not His blood. It is always available and never will be depleted. Blood comes in various types – O, A, B, & AB. They are further classified by being either positive or negative. Given the wrong blood can be deadly, but one type is universal: O. It can be administered to anyone who has any of the other blood types. I’d like to think that Christ’s blood was O positive, that can positively wash away our sins and deliver life to all who call upon Him as Lord.

(Romans 10:9).

# His blood never Degrades

# His blood never is Depleted

# His blood always Delivers

# # Hallelujah what a Savior!

(But I did choose a song of worship the next day)

Worship: Waiting Here for You

If faith can move the mountains

Let the mountains move

We come with expectation

Waiting here for you,

I’m waiting here for you

You’re the Lord of all creation

And still, you know my heart

The Author of Salvation

You’ve loved us from the start

Waiting here for You

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's You we adore

Singing Alleluia

You are everything You’ve promised

Your faithfulness is true

And we're desperate for Your presence

All we need is You

Waiting here for You

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's You we adore

Singing Alleluia

Alleluia, singing alleluia, alleluia

Waiting here for You

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's You we adore

Singing Alleluia (2X)

I'm singing Alleluia

Waiting here for you

With our hands lifted high in praise

And it's You we adore

Singing Alleluia

Lyrics: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/26267974/Christy+Nockels/Waiting+Here+for+You

Video: https://youtu.be/xBJd7OFo4s0

WORD:

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

NIV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.

Be merciful and answer me!

8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."

And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

9 Do not turn your back on me.

Do not reject your servant in anger.

You have always been my helper.

Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,

O God of my salvation!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord will hold me close.

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

KJV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face."

My heart says to you,

"Your face, Lord, do I seek."

9 Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me in.

ESV

I do not need to elaborate on what it means to “seek God’s face.” I spoke about this when commenting on this phrase which is also found in Psalm 24:6 (see my journal entry for Jan. 11-16, 2016). There I outlined then expounded on its meaning. Here is the outline.

Seeking God’s face means:

I. Seeking His divine presence

II. Seeking His divine favor.

III. Seeking His divine direction

Certainly, this is what God’s desires of us and what we should desire in our lives. But it looks like there is a glitch here. His heart tells him God wants him to seek His presence, favor, and direction. David replies in essence, “These I will seek.” If that is so then why David’s doubt in verse 9? If he believed that God had invited him to seek His face why did he ask God not to hide His face from Him (a sign of rejection and disapproval)?

I believe the answer is twofold, one which is obvious and one which becomes obvious as we approach our Living and Holy God. Remember that the invitation David recalls was a call to Israel, God’s covenant people (hence the use of the second person plural “ye” in verse 8), not him personally. David was responding personally to it. However, we see in Scripture what happens when God’s people experience the presence of God. A divine dread comes upon them as they realize their utter sinfulness in the presence of the Pure and Holy God.

They may have responded as Isaiah did –

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

Isa 6:5 NIV

They may even respond as Peter did –

"Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Luke 5:8-9 NIV

Thus David cried –

Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in

anger; you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior. v. 9 NIV

But David realized two things that gave him hope and confidence in coming before the Lord in prayer –

He knew that the LORD was a God of mercy -

Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me. v. 7 NIV

And

He knew that the LORD was faithful -

Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me. v. 10 NIV

And we who live in the greater light of the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ realize with reverence this mercy and faithfulness.

We who are redeemed and justified by His blood –

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:22-26 NIV

Who stand in God’s grace –

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.Rom 5:1-3 NIV

And can enter confidently (see my Word entry for May 19-21, 2018) into God’s presence –

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.Eph 3:12-13 NIV

Let us also worship Him in “holy fear” (NLT Heb. 12:28)

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our

"God is a consuming fire."

Heb 12:28-29 NIV

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Seek the Lord with confidence... humbly

May 19, 2018

Worship: Take Over by Shane & Shane

Thirsty, I'm thirsty for You

In a dry land with no drink, I need You

I know You made a home, inside this heart of stone

So turn it into flesh, Spirit, soften it

I give You all I have, I'm holding nothing back

Jesus, I am Yours Jesus, I am Yours

Take Over, Lover of my Soul

Take Control

I surrender, there’s nothing I want more

Than to know You, Lord

To know You

Thirsty, I'm thirsty for You

In a dry land with no drink, I need You

I know You made a home, inside this heart of stone

So turn it into flesh, Spirit, soften it

I give You all I have, I'm holding nothing back

Jesus, I am Yours Jesus, I am Yours

Take Over, Lover of my Soul

Take Control

I surrender, there’s nothing I want more

Than to know You, Lord

What am I supposed to do with all my kingdoms next to You?

You're the Lord, You're the Lord

I could gain the world and more

It's all nothing next to You

My reward, my reward Take Over, Lover of my Soul (repeat)

Take Over, Lover of my Soul

Take Control

I surrender, there’s nothing I want more

Than to know You, Lord

What am I supposed to do with all my kingdoms?

You're the Lord, You're the Lord

I could gain the world and more

It's all nothing next to You

My reward, my reward

Lyrics: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Shane-Shane/Take-Over (I corrected some of the lyrics)

Video: https://youtu.be/9JqFYctseZo?list=RDzkRqcRiJPpw

Witness:

Short and sweet. If a new illustrated dictionary were published, my picture probably would be found next to the word “procrastinator.” Here it is time to go to work, and I haven’t even begun to study. I don’t need to list the litany of excuses, feelings, and actions that preceded the writing of this portion of my journal. Never fear, God smacked me in the head after praying and confessing my faults to Him. After the amen, I opened up to my journal entry for August 06, 2015 and these words greeted me.

Worship: Have Thine Own Way Lord; I Surrender by Hillsongs United

https://plantedtreasure.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/bam.gif

Addendum (5/20/18):

But it did not stop there. As you know, it often takes days for me to finish a journal entry. Such is the case here. I had stopped at the “bam” and rushed off to work. On the way there the first song playing was Matt Maher singing, “Lord, I need You.” That was the icing on the cake. It reminded me of the one source of all joy and peace. The one I should focus on. The one I should desire to spend time with above all others and every other thing. Wish I could say that settled it. It’s still a work in progress. I put a little note above my desk tonight to remind me.

It says:

Stop Procrastinating!

Keep focused

God is # 1

Have done with lesser things!

WORD:

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

NIV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.

Be merciful and answer me!

8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."

And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

9 Do not turn your back on me.

Do not reject your servant in anger.

You have always been my helper.

Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,

O God of my salvation!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,

the Lord will hold me close.

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

KJV

Ps 27:7-10

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face."

My heart says to you,

"Your face, Lord, do I seek."

9 Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me in.

ESV

There is a translational issue with verse 8. The literal rendering is “Unto thee, said my heart seek Ye My face; Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Every version tries to catch the sense of these words. The KJV adds the words, “When thou sadist.” These are not in the original Hebrew. Nevertheless, many feel that this captures the meaning of the text.

Psalms 27:8

Our translators have given the correct meaning, though the original is quite obscure.

The NIV, NLT, and ESV obscure the number of the pronoun by translating “seek his,” “come and talk with me,” or “seek my face.” The KJV translates the pronoun properly as a plural (“Ye”). However, the NIV, NLT, and ESV do keep the imperative nature of the command. But it is the plural “you,” or the second person plural word “ye” as expressed in the older KJV English (a differentiation lost in modern English), which is a clue to this being a collective command given by the LORD (Yahweh) and which is remembered and followed singularly by David himself.

One way of looking at what David is saying is that his heart is speaking God’s command and his response to it.

In Your behalf my heart says, "Seek My face."

Lord, I will seek Your face.

8 On your behalf my heart says, “Seek my face.”

Your face, O Yahweh, I do seek.

Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ps 27:8). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Another way of looking at it is to take it at face value. David’s heart is speaking directly to God Himself and reminding Him of His command.

Psalms 27:8

My heart said unto thee - rather, 'my heart saith unto thee' (i.e., is continually, with silent speech, reminding thee of thine own gracious exhortation),

One last way to look at it that makes sense to me is found in a footnote in the USB OT Handbook series.

Psalm 27:7-9 a

HOTTP^* proposes two different ways of translating the Masoretic text: the first one is unintelligible; the second one can be rendered "My heart tells me that you have commanded, 'Seek (plural) my face'; and so, O Lord, I seek your face."

There is not much difference between the first and last ways of translating this passage. It’s the heart reminding itself of what God has commanded. The second, which may be the most literal, is the heart reminding God of what He said and David demonstrating that he is obeying the LORD’s command.

I believe that God delights in both of these ways of praying as long as they are done in humility. So whether David is speaking to himself on God’s behalf or he’s speaking to God Himself concerning His own command, David is declaring his humble obedience and desire to seek God’s face.

I once wrote a poem which said:

Not by demanding impertinence
Nor by an impious command
In humility, I Thy seek forgiveness
On Thy goodness, I forever stand

Because…

Your kindness leads me to repentance
Your glory Lord forever shines
Your cross secures my forgiveness
Your grace by faith saves and sanctifies

It is this same attitude that David sought the LORD’s face. Not with “demanding impertinence” nor with “an impious command,” but with “humility” he sought after the LORD’s face. It is because of God’s own heart of kindness and glorious countenance that David pursued God’s face. That same heart would bleed on a cross and open the way to approach the Lord in a way David new only in shadows cast in the tabernacle and sacrifices made daily. But now that Christ has come and rent the veil of the Holy of Holies and opened up the way we can confidently approach the throne of grace, not in boorish boldness but with eager expectancy and trusting tenacity.

Heb 4:16

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

NIV

Eph 3:12

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.

NLT

Because of all Christ has done and is doing for us we can approach God with confidence so let us do so in order to “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” The word “grace” wards of any brashness in approaching God based on who we are in ourselves but on the objective fact of who we are in Christ.

Kittel’s says concerning the word for “boldness” or “confidence” in Heb. 4:16 and Eph. 3:12:

parrhsi/a has "a peculiarly objective character." One has it, not as a subjective attitude, but as the appropriation of something already there.

If there be any “subjective attitude,” it is our faith or confidence in Christ.

So let us seek the Lord’s face confidently because of all God in Christ has done for us. Boasting not in ourselves and demanding our rights, but in Him who chose the lowly things to “shame the wise.”

1 Cor 1:27-31

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

NIV

2 Cor 10:18

For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

NIV

Gal 6:14

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

NIV