Hope - God's Involvement - Psalma 139, Deuteronomy 8 and Philippians 2

Bible Study – Hope – God’s Involvement – September 26, 2010

This is our final lesson in our series “Hope.”
Our scripture is Psalm 139:1-10; Deuteronomy 8:2-5; Philippians 2:5-11.
This to me has been an exciting series of study. It is awesome when we consider GOD and the hope that HE offers to the world through HIS ONLY SON, JESUS. Every human being is on a collision course with death. CHRIST is a person’s hope beyond the grave and what HE offers is a free gift. It requires a decision. Do you choose CHRIST as your SAVIOR or do you reject HIM? Does any other religion offer you the guarantee of life eternal? Does any other religion have a living SAVIOR? Does any other religion have an empty tomb?


First of all, true Christianity is NOT a religion. Often, we make it a religion. True Christianity is CHRIST in you. It is not the church you attend or join or how well you recite a certain Christian creed or the number of times you pray per day. Ground zero is asking CHRIST to forgive you of your sins, believe that HE died on the cross for your sins and that HE was raised from the dead. Christians worship a living SAVIOR. The tomb where JESUS was laid is empty. Christians serve a risen SAVIOR! Because HE lives so will all who believe in HIM as their SAVIOR. SAVIOR from what? Sin and death.


Does this mean life as a Christian will be free of all problems or suffering? No. But Christians do have GOD in their lives to give them HIS comfort, power and security through the indwelling Holy SPIRIT.


The title of this lesson is “God’s Involvement” in our lives. It is HIS job to work in the hearts and lives of all people. HE works in the “eyes of their hearts.” A Christian’s part is to obediently serve GOD as HE leads and directs him/her through and by the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT.


Christians are on a journey which ends in heaven. During our time on earth GOD is perfecting Christians through the process of sanctification. We are growing and maturing not only physically but also Spiritually. HIS goal is for all Christians to be made in the image of CHRIST.


In our study, we will see that GOD is all around us and involved in our lives. We will see that HE is preparing for us to enter the Promised Land of service for HIM on earth and ending when we see HIM in heaven. It is an awesome and exciting journey with heavenly rewards.


Let’s read Psalm 139:1-10:
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. 3 You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, LORD. 5 You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. 6 [This]* extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to [reach]* it. 7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in • Sheol,[1] You are there. 9 If I live at the eastern horizon [or]* settle at the western limits,[2]10 even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me.

King David wrote Psalm 139. The first six (6) verses deal with the fact that David and GOD have built an intimate, loving relationship. David knows that GOD knows him thoroughly. David exclaimed in verse six (6) that he is in awe of GOD. This is the conclusion a person comes to when he/she really gets to know GOD and realizes that GOD really knows him/her.

In verses 7-10 David acknowledged that GOD is omnipresent. GOD is everywhere. Often, we think that we can hide from GOD but GOD is everywhere and sees all that we do and beyond the physical, HE sees our hearts.

In verse 10, David acknowledged that GOD, no matter where he was, GOD would personally lead him and guide him through the circumstances of life.

Circumstances in life can come from the decisions we make, good or bad. GOD is at work in the lives of HIS children to make the best out of bad situations. HIS children learn from these circumstances and it prepares them to enter the Promised Land. We will discuss this in our next scripture.


Let’s read Deuteronomy 8:2-5:
Remember the LORD
1 “You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land the LORD swore to your fathers. 2 Remember that the LORD your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.[1] 4 Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these 40 years.[2] 5 Keep in mind that the LORD your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.


This is part of the speech Moses gave to the Israelites before they were to enter the Promised Land. Moses had disobeyed GOD and GOD had told him that he would not go into the Promised Land but the Israelites would. Forty (40) years earlier the Israelites could have entered the Promised Land but due to fear they did not. This lack of faith resulted in them wandering in the wilderness for forty (40) years. Those who made the decision had to die off and the new generation would enjoy the bounty that awaited them in the Promised Land.


Moses reminded them that GOD had taken care of them for these forty (40) years by providing manna from heaven for them to eat. Prior to their wilderness experience the Israelites had never seen manna. Some speculate, based upon the description, it was much like coriander seed. It came down from heaven each day except the Sabbath Day.


Moses reminded them that their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.


As you may recall, JESUS quoted verse 3 when Satan was tempting HIM in the desert. When Satan tempts us, we need to quote scripture. It changes our focus from the present situation to the power of GOD, WHO can deliver us.


As Christians journey with the LORD, they may feel that they have been in the wilderness for a long time. Many of us may have been wandering for many years and have missed the Spiritual bounty the LORD has in store for us. Even during our wandering GOD was doing a work in us to prepare for us to enter the Promised Land. In the Promised Land there will be an abundance of things that will draw you closer to HIM. Being responsible comes with entering the Promised Land. Moses had told the Israelites there would be bounty in the Promised Land but they were to keep their eyes on GOD and not let success lure them away from HIM.


We must keep this in mind today as GOD allows us to enter the Promised Land here on earth.


When I ponder the Spiritual journey of the Israelites, I think of our Christian journey. Let’s begin with the Israelites being enslaved by the Egyptians. Christians can be enslaved by any number of things in their lives – love of money, sex, various addictions and the list goes on. GOD delivers us from bondage and we may see HIM perform many miracles as we escape the things that enslave us. We even may be tempted to return to our old lifestyle when things aren’t going so well.


GOD’S goal is to deliver us to the Promised Land. However, living in the Land of Promise carries its own challenges. As Christians enjoy the bounty of the Land of Promise, they can become self sufficient and become lax in obediently serving GOD. GOD’S desire is for all of HIS children to obediently serve HIM through the good times as well as the bad time. After all, GOD is GOD and HE loves each of HIS children and desires the best for them. GOD is involved in the lives of HIS children. When HIS children sin, often they think GOD hates them. We must keep in mind that GOD hates sin but HE loves the sinner. GOD patiently waits for HIS children to choose to come back to HIM and seek a renewed relationship with HIM. Unlike humans, when we ask GOD to forgive us, HE does and then forgets that we ever sinned against HIM.


Let’s read Philippians 2:5-11:
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.[1]7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi. He was concerned with their disunity. Christians must be united in serving CHRIST. He was asking the Philippian Christians to consider their attitude as compared to the servant attitude of CHRIST. CHRIST was in heaven and had been there for eternity with GOD. HE was the SON of GOD in heaven, yet HE chose to leave HIS home in heaven to come to earth as a human. HE chose to leave HIS glory in heaven to be born and live as a human on earth. HE was subject to all the frailties of the human life including being tempted in all ways as humans are tempted and even death. HE was tempted in all ways as we are as humans, yet, HE remained sinless. HE was the perfect Lamb to be sacrificed for the sins of the world.


This scripture was likely part of a hymn that was sung by the members of the early church. These words reminded them what CHRIST gave up in order for them to have salvation.


Just think about it, if you were GOD’S SON would you want to leave a secure place in heaven to come to earth to give your life in case some earthling would choose to believe that you gave your life for him or her? Yet, that is exactly what CHRIST did for you. If you had been the only person in all eternity to accept HIM as your SAVIOR, HE would have given HIS life just for you. That makes CHRIST personal to every person accepting CHRIST as his or her SAVIOR. HE gave HIS life for you so that if you confess your sins and believe in HIM, your sins will be forgiven, your are made righteous, are born into GOD’S family through the miracle of rebirth, receive eternal life, receive the HOLY SPIRIT as a security deposit to confirm the reality of this Spiritual event in your life and have eternal life; All given to you freely through the love of GOD and CHRIST. Your part is to choose to accept CHRIST as your SAVIOR.


Paul stated that CHRIST emptied Himself of HIS glory. CHRIST as a human, obediently serving GOD, did not consider the fact that HE was equal to GOD HE could act on HIS own. HE chose to limit Himself and be subject to time. HE chose to restrict HIS knowledge, abilities and power to conform to that which a human would have who obediently served GOD. HE always looked to GOD, HIS FATHER for everything HE did or said. This is the attitude HE desires for all born-again Christians.


GOD lives in every born-again Christian as represented by the HOLY SPIRIT. GOD’S desire for each Christian is to be obedient servants. The Bible tells us that when we die and see CHRIST we will be like HIM. As born-again Christians we are to yield our will to HIM and serve HIM during our life upon earth. CHRIST fully depended upon the guidance and leadership of GOD, HIS FATHER. Through the miracle of rebirth all born-again Christians have been born-again by the seed (divine sperm) of GOD, the HOLY SPIRIT. Rebirth is GOD’S Spirit uniting with the human spirit in a Spiritual conception. Christians are truly sons and daughters of GOD. This assures every Christian eternal life. It does not ensure every Christian a life free from problems and difficulties. It does ensure that GOD will be with him/her through all circumstances in life.


CHRIST encountered Satan and so will Christians. As Christians we become the enemy of Satan. That is why we must look to GOD for HIS strength and power to be manifested through us when we encounter Satan and the evil forces surrounding us. This is why all Christians must build and maintain a loving, intimate relationship with CHRIST through a daily walk with HIM. It is a growing and maturing Spiritual relationship. A Christian’s strength is in the relationship and the power of the shed blood of CHRIST.


Satan has to flee from the power of the shed blood of CHRIST. Christians must keep in mind that even though CHRIST was the SON OF GOD, HE did not escape temptation or escape many difficulties during HIS life and neither will we. From the moment we accept CHRIST as our SAVIOR, we begin a life long journey of sanctification, which only ends when we exit our earth suits (die) and behold CHRIST.


GOD is involved in our lives as Christians and HE is involved in the lives of all who are to receive salvation. Hebrews 1:14:


14 Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?


GOD sends HIS angels to guard those who are to receive salvation and those who have received salvation. Christians are in the process of being saved. Full salvation will occur when we see JESUS. Don’t get confused. Christians are secure in GOD through the redemptive work of CHRIST. As mentioned earlier when we see CHRIST we will be like HIM. That is the instant our salvation is complete. We will finally be rid of our earthly bodies which are tied to this world and all that it has to offer. We struggle with the desires of the flesh that is why we must build and maintain the relationship with CHRIST. We must die to self, which is very difficult to do but our security is in CHRIST.


Remember Ephesians 1:4: 4 for He chose[3] us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[4] In love[5]


GOD’S foreknowledge allows HIM to know who will receive salvation. GOD is sovereign and HE is involved in our lives. HIS desire is for us to obediently serve HIM as HE leads and directs us.


Think for a moment, “How have you seen GOD involved in your life this past week or past month or year?” HE watches over you. Blessings.