March 29 2009

I Will Be Happy When …

Psalm 119:1-8

 

Are you happy?  You response might be, “I will be happy when …”

 

ü  “I’ll be happy when I get that job.”

ü  “I’ll be happy when I make more money.”

ü  “I’ll be happy when I lose the weight.”

ü  “I’ll be happy when I meet the right man/woman”

ü  “I’ll be happy when I have kids.”

ü  “I’ll be happy when the kids are grown.”

ü  “I’ll be happy when I am able to retire.”

ü  “When will I be happy?”

 

Have you noticed there are people who are … PSEUDO happy and those who are … SORT-OF happy, and those who are … SO happy.

 

Happiness defined is … characterized by good luck or fortune and is predicated on pleasure and is indicative of satisfaction.  We often live our lives happy or unhappy based on our present circumstances.  How many times have we said, “Well I am not a HAPPY camper!”

 

Now I admit that I sometimes live in such a way.  That is, I am happy when certain circumstances turn out the way I want them to, and when they don’t, well I am unhappy.  We all have and probably will continue to live at times basing our happiness on subjective feelings and circumstances.  Why, because we live in a world that craves happiness.  We along with others spend a lot of time, money and energies trying to be happy.  

 

ü  Is it wrong to want to be happy? 

ü  Shouldn’t we all want to be happy? 

 

I understand there are “cranks” in life and I suppose even they are happy being a crank.  Who knows!  But, yes we should desire to live a happy life.  That is not wrong, but what’s wrong is the way we go about trying to be happy.

 

ü  Is there a better way of pursuing happiness? 

ü  Can our happiness come from something more concrete or objective in our lives? 

 

Yes, it can, and should!

 

Consider this … the Bible takes a different look at being happy.  It doesn’t base happiness on luck, good fortune or some pleasurable feeling caused circumstances, but rather it bases happiness upon God and His Word. 

 

Psalms 119:1-8 (NLT) Happy are people of integrity, who follow the law of the LORD. 2 Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. 4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. 5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles! 6 Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands. 7 When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should! 8 I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!

 

I thought of Proverbs where it says, “ Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” (Pr 29:18)

 

Concentrating Thought: Happy are those who obey His decrees.

 

Corresponding Thought: Faithful obedience to God’s Word is the source a person’s truest of happiness.

 

The Psalmist has three things to say regard one’s happiness …

 

I will be happy when … I obey the Scriptures

 

To some this sounds about as exciting as a parent saying to a child, “Eat your vegetables!” 

 

Beth Moore says, “Biblical happiness is the psychological awakening to the work of God.”  I would agree and also add … biblical happiness is the awakening to the WORD of God … and thus we will be awakened to the work of God in the midst of our circumstances.

 

The psalmist presents being happy in pragmatic means … “follow God’s Word and obey God’s Word.”

 

John MacArthur says,  “You’ll never know what the Word can do if you don’t study and apply it.  It isn’t enough to simply say you believe it.  It must occupy an exalted place in your life.  Since God exalts is and magnifies it, how much more should we?”

 

Though we may not always like it (like a child with veggies), but it for our best to study and apply God’s Word.  God says … “Now you sit up and eat my Word.”  You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. ^(v4)

 

CT: Happy are those who obey His decrees.

 

I will be happy when … I confess I don’t always obey the Scriptures

 

Psalm 119:5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!

 

This is what I love about God’s Word … the psalmist is so real!  He knows the best pursuit of happiness is to study and apply God’s Word, but he confesses he doesn’t always do that!  Can you relate?  I can!

 

James 5:16 (NKJV)  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

 

So here we go … hear the Word, follow the Word and obey the Word.  Even now when we confess we don’t always obey, we are starting again to obey the Word. 

 

And from there we learn …  Happy are those who obey His decrees.

 

I will be happy when … I learn from the Scriptures

 

Psalm 119:6-8  Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should! 8 I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!

 

There is no disgrace in confessing and doing different.  Our happiness is dependent upon us knowing better and doing better with handling God’s Word.

 

The psalmist again puts it in practical terms … I will thank you by living as I should!

 

To say we have “learned” is to do different … live as we should, finding our happiness based in and on God and His Word.

 

You can’t get more honest than … Please don’t give up on me!

 

This isn’t a statement of being “afraid”, but one of “humility” leaning on God and His Word.  The psalmist has seen the error of his ways …. pursuing happiness based on his circumstances rather than on the Word of God and he desires to now do different.

 

John 13:17 (KJV)  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

 

ü  I will be happy when … I obey the Scriptures

ü  I will be happy when … I confess I don’t always obey the Scriptures

ü  I will be happy when … I learn from the Scriptures

 

Amen!

March 22 2009

Sow Right!

Proverbs 11:18-19

 

Its spring time and “seedtime” … all by God’s design.

 

Genesis 8:22 ESV While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.

 

This is God’s sovereign ceaseless design in nature and in life.  And through His sovereignty He has set “certainties” to be at work in our lives.  For instance …

 

Proverbs 11:18-19 ESV The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. 19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.

 

God want us to understand these “certain” certainties:

 

·    “sow wrong” there is a sure deception that leads to death

·    “sow right” and there is a sure reward that leads to life

 

On this side of the Scriptures translated into English we miss the play of the biblical language.  In the Hebrew there is a “word play” between “deceptive” (sheqer: sheh’-ker) and “reward” (seker: seh-ker) and though we do not experience it, the Jew who would hear the subtle difference and so question and distinguish between the two.

 

What’s the point?  We as the people of God must distinguish between that which leads to life and that which leads to death.

 

Galatians 6:8 (ESV) For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

 

So here is the point we need to get … “one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

 

 

 

Talk About Righteousness

 

·    We’re Not Righteous …  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; (Romans 3:10) … “filthy rag righteous” (Isaiah 64:6) … “Non-Profit Righteousness” (Isaiah 57:12) … we need an “exceeding-righteousness” (Matt 5:20)

·    We’re Made Righteous (by Christ) … by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Rom 5:19)

·    We’re Declared Righteous … in Christ our righteousness is imputed (credited; Rom 4:6) … become righteous  

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

Philippians 3:9 (ESV) and be found in him (declaration), not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

 

We are “righteous” on the work of Christ alone, not on repentance, prayers, good deeds or even our love for God or one another.  Being righteous is associated with doing the will of God.

 

Hosea 14:9b … The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

 

Such become the “acts-of-righteousness” that speak to … “one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

 

Talk About Sowing Tips:

 

ü We “Sow Right”

 

Our job is to plant seeds of doing right … the will of God … so as to bring about righteous results.  Sow righteous thoughts in the mind.  Sow righteous acts in the body.

 

 

Romans 6:13 (ESV) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

 

§ Sow righteousness when you don’t feel like it. 

§ Sow righteousness when the world tempts you otherwise. 

§ Sow righteousness when it looks like unrighteousness is easier.

 

If I will sow righteousness … the will/word of God in my living … I will not only reap benefits in my life, but in others also.  We are often blessed by the fruit of righteousness in the life of others.

 

Galatians 6:9 (ESV) And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

“one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

 

ü We Sow – We Don’t Grow

 

1 Corinthians 3:7 (ESV) So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

 

§ Don’t become impatient with slow growth.

§ Leave the seed planted … Don’t DIG Up … with the shovel of Doubt – Impatience – Gripping (complaining)

 

James 3:18 (ESV) And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

 

“one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

 

ü  We Sow Today for Tomorrow

 

Ecclesiastes 3:2 (NLT) A time to plant and a time to harvest.

 

§ Seedtime and harvest (Gen 8:22)

§ Sow today reap/harvest tomorrow

§ Sow for long term results … not just short term results

 

“Don’t plant potatoes today and expect mashed potatoes tonight.”

 

If you want a harvest of righteousness in your life tomorrow, plant seeds of righteousness today.  Be patient, believe and trust God in His Word … “one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

 

Hosea 10:12 (ESV) Sow for yourselves righteousness;  reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

 

Amen!

March 8 2009

Bless & Don’t Forget!

 

Psalm 103:1-5 Of David.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

 

We are staying within the work of the psalmist, as last week he took us into the field of trusting and committing ourselves to God in the midst of difficult times.  Today the psalmist takes us into the field of blessing God and not forgetting the benefits He has shown us.

                                                    

When the psalmist (David) speaks of “blessing God” we might see it as bit of a role reversal, in the fact that we tend to see God blessing us rather than we are to be blessings to God.

 

The trut is … there is not much we can bring to God other than our praise and thanksgiving.

 

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

 

To acknowledge God is to bless Him … His person and work in our lives.  We bless God when we make Him the OBJECT of our praise.  In this psalm David’s thoughts soar “Godward” … that is “toward” God.

 

John Piper has a series of devotional books titled … A Godward Life … that focuses on the radical difference it makes when we choose to live with God at the center of all that we do.

 

Such is what David is doing in this psalm that some have called his “Hallelujah Chorus.”  God is the focus and radical difference in David’s life and so he says … Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (103:2)

 

It’s said that the opposite of praise is “forgetfulness.”  To forget God is to show disregard for Him.

 

Jeremiah 2:32 … my people have forgotten me, days without number.

 

It is like David “counts off on his fingers … five attributes for which the believer can offer praise  as he comes before the Lord.” (John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms)

 

Benefit 1: Forgives ALL your Sins

 

“The thought of grace parades before the soul singer.”  - John Phillips

 

§ Iniquity = ingrained perversity … Romans 1:24,26,28 … sinful man  is given over to … lusts … dishonorable passions … debased mind

§ We meet Christ in the psalm … as our “once for all” sacrifice for sin.

§ The entirety of our sin has been forgiven!

 

I think of Horatio Spafford’s song, It Is Well with My Soul

 

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

§ God deals with our sin in GRACE … not as deserved (v.10)

§ God deals with our sin in REMOVAL … east to west (perpetual v.12)

 

Micah 7:9 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

 

Leave them there and bless God and forget not this benefit!

 

Benefit 2: Heals ALL your Diseases

 

§ God does not forgive and save that which He does not heal and make whole.

 

What is meant with healing all our diseases? 

 

Some take this to mean that man is healed of every physical disease that does not seem to fit with the context of the scriptures. 

 

This we know from scripture:

 

§ We live in a fallen world full of diseases due to man’s sin.

§ Physical death is part the punishment for man’s sins as well as appointed (Gen 2:17; Heb 9:27)

 

§ Its location is important … between forgiveness of sins and redemption from destruction, God brings healing … a wholeness to the soul of man.   God is sovereign over all of life and His choosing to bring physical healing I will leave with Him.  But more than physical healing I see God bringing spiritual healing and wholeness to the soul of lost man.  

 

Do not forget the benefit of His healing the soul of man.

 

Benefit 3: Redeems your Life

 

§ Redeems = delivers

§ Pit = destruction … literally “corruption”

§ Eschatological … 1 Cor 15:50-54 incorruption in Christ!

 

Psalm 40:2 (ESV) He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

 

§ God was redeeming, and God is redeeming … lost man from the pit of hell itself.  Praise Him!

 

Let us not forget to bless God for redeeming our lost souls!

 

Benefit 4: Crowns you with Love & Mercy

 

§ Crown speaks to largeness of God’s favor toward us.

§ Paul speaks of the “imperishable” crown we are to run for.

§ Crowned with God’s “love” and “mercy”

§ Steadfast speaks of “never ceasing” in love or mercy.

§ God’s love speak of His “fidelity” to His people … such assures.

 

Psalm 103:11 (ESV) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. (See: vs.17)

 

§ Mercy … gaining that which we do not deserve … “triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13)

 

The refrain of Psalm 118 is … “His mercy endures forever”

 

Lamentations 3:22  Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.

 

Do not miss blessing God for His steadfast love and mercy toward us.

 

Benefit 5: Satisfies you with Good

 

§ God’s goodness abounds … satiated … satisfied in the excess.

§ How can we, like David not find satisfaction in our God?

§ God is good all the time and all the time God is good … truth!

 

Romans 11:22 (NKJV)  Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

 

Would we so easily forget the benefit of His goodness toward us? 

§ It is the goodness of God that “renews” not in age but in vigor of faith.

 

Now here is the deal … this is individual praise … not necessarily corporate praise. 

 

“Praise is our response to God’s revelation of Himself, an acknowledgement of His character and His acts. But it is more.  Praise is our expression of delight in God Himself … How Great Thou Art.”

 

Such blessing God must be stimulated in the heart of the believer … if it’s not, we can say “Bless the Lord” all day long, but it will just be something we are saying, rather than meaning from our heart and with our life.

 

Take this psalm home, eat it, chew on it, swallow it and digest it.

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

 

Amen!

March 1 2009

The Sage of Desire

Psalm 37:1-6

 

Psalm 37:1-6 (ESV)

Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! ² For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. ⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

 

David wrote this psalm, probably late in his life.  He is now a “sage” one who is marked with wisdom and calm judgment having experienced a volume of episodes of life with his God, who had always shown Himself faithful.

 

Now as this old wise sage he speaks to his readers, most likely younger than himself, concerning such age old questions of “good & evil” (right & wrong) knowing that such issues tend to bend or warp our desires and thus our actions. 

 

There is a healthy side as well as an unhealthy side to our desires.  (SEE: Proverbs 13:4) David’s aim is to settle us in trying times in order to look to God and make Him the focus of our desiring.

 

Do Not Desire: (vs.1-2)

 

ü No Fret: the “fretting” over evildoers … (more than a simple concern/worry) i.e. jealousy; incensed to anger (like a Habakkuk who asks, “How long you let this go on God?”)

 

Looking upon the world’s stage of the “rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer” (aka … Corporate Executives; Big Bonus’, Bail Outs; Stimulus for “them” … all on  the little guy’s money!) … it tends to leave one a bit jaded.  But is what we need to understand is …

 

“Anger, resentment and jealousy destroys faith in God’s goodness and justice and affect one’s inner attitude toward everything.”  – Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Revised Edition, Psalms

 

Matthew Henry says … “A fretful discontented spirit is open to many temptations.”

 

One of many temptations is, we begin to desire the riches of the evildoer.

 

ü No Desire: envious of the “prospering” of evil (life without God)

 

Psalms 73:1-5 (NLT) 

Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. ² But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. ³ For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. ⁴ They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong. ⁵ They aren’t troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else.

 

Envy is the desire … that rises up out of the discontentment with the way things are, with a misdirected thinking nothing will ever change.

 

Envy is a form of “idolatry” … the replacing and corrupting one’s relationship with God.

 

Envy is a false trust … in that which will and cannot last … the temporary … soon fade like the grass and wither.

 

 

1 John 2:15a & 17 (ESV)

 Do not love the world or the things in the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

 

Our wise sage speaks to us … rather than destroy yourself with negative emotions, desiring desires, you the “godly” must keep things in perspective to whose you are.

 

Do Desire: (vs.3-6)

 

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

 

ü Desire to Trust … an act of submission His will … “not My will, but Yours, be done.” … on one hand trust is expressed obedience … on the other hand trust is a expectation that God will judge the evildoer.

 

Trusting God allow me to take my mind off the distraction of evil and submit to doing “good” (right/righteous) … there I will find the friend of faith and faithfulness of God.

 

ü Desire to Delight … Those who surrender find their delight in the Lord … in that posture: “God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things”

 

Delight (joy/enjoyment) … is a godly and mature reaction verses the immaturity of jealousy and envy which is absent of joyful delight.

 

ü Desire to Commit … your “way” … it is not a simple sigh of resignation (okay if I have to!) … it is a rolling away, a casting off the feelings of envy, anger or jealousy.  It is one’s “whole” life that is cast upon God … casting all your cares (anxieties) on God for He really does care for you! (see: 1Pt 5:7)

 

What is transpiring is a “trilogy” of godly progression … from TRUST to DELIGHT to COMMIT.  Because I trust God, I delight in God, and can therefore commit to God all of my life.

 

Luke 23:46 (NKJV)

“Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’

 

2 Timothy 1:12b (NKJV)

I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

 

Oh the beauty of the Lord!  He IS righteous and glorious!  And He shares such with you and me, as His children.  When we act in faith to trust, delight and commit our living to Him rather than to the ruckus of the day …

 

Psalm 37:6 (ESV)

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

 

From the rising of the sun to its noon-day height and brightness of God’s righteousness will be seen upon us!

 

Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

 

Let the sage of desire be for the Lord God Almighty!

 

Amen!