Bible Study - Going Right - Caring in an Expendable Culture - Psalm 139 - Januray 15, 2012
Bible Study – Going Right – Caring in an Expendable Culture – January 15, 2012
This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Going Right in a World Gone Wrong.”
Our Scripture is Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18.
In last week’s lesson, we studied that GOD did not make human to be robots. HE made mankind with the freedom to choose. HE also made mankind with sensual feelings and natural curiosity – notice Genesis 3:6a - 6 Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate [it]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. --- GOD designed mankind to be curious and desire things with the ability to choose. GOD placed a restriction on Adam, as caretaker and overseer of the garden, and Eve who lived in the garden with her husband. That restriction was a form of governance. They were not to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil without serious life changing consequences. Yet, right along with the forbidden tree was the tree of life, without any restrictions. We know they were free to choose and they went for the fruit of the forbidden tree.
GOD’S foreknowledge gave HIM the ability to see the choices mankind (each person) would make without forcing them to make certain choices. So what was missing in the nature of Adam and Eve that resulted in them disobeying GOD? Mankind has a nature that needs to be brought under the authority or governance of GOD. When GOD says not to do something or for us to do something, we need to obey because it is for our own good. GOD’S desire is for all people to come under HIS authority freely by receiving CHRIST as their Savior but that choice is for each person to make. Some do and receive eternal life. Some do not and will suffer eternal death. Those who come under HIS authority through CHRIST come under HIS circle of protection, which allows GOD, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to work in their lives and to mold them into the image of JESUS. Even though Christians are HIS children, they still have the right to choose. GOD’S foreknowledge gives HIM a blueprint for working in the weak areas of our lives. This concept is captured to some degree in Romans 8:26-30 and Romans 12:2 without overriding our right to choose.
Romans 8:26-30: 26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us[15] Some mss omit with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together[16] Other mss read for the good[17] The ultimate good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew[18] From eternity God knew His people and entered into a personal relationship with them He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
Romans 12:2: 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Mankind attempts to control its nature through physical restraint and control, which proves to be useless. This begs the question of what can mankind do to control its nature? GOD had the answer. It was to make mankind into a completed being who contains the Spirit of GOD. This required the rebirth of the spirit of mankind.
GOD allowed JESUS to come to earth to accomplish this by JESUS giving HIS life to pay for the original sin of Adam. The fact that CHRIST paid the penalty for the original sin opened the way between GOD and mankind. All who believe in CHRIST and HIS passion and ask HIM to forgive them for their sin, receive salvation from sin and its consequences, which is death – physical and spiritual. All who receive CHRIST as their Savior experience the miracle of the rebirth and are born into the family of GOD as Sons or Daughters. They receive the gift of eternal life; their names are written in the Lambs Book of Life, receive Spiritual gifts, citizenship in heaven, are made righteous, indwelled by the Holy Spirit and receive GOD’S grace, to name a few things.
Christians are made whole in a body that is made of clay. The infusion of GOD’S Spirit into this body of clay establishes a dynamic where the Spirit is able to bring the clay under the control of GOD as one yields the will of the flesh to be ruled by the Spirit. This is accomplished through the process of sanctification.
GOD’S desire is for all Christians to be made into the image of CHRIST through the renewing of their minds. This process must be the result of the natural process of sanctification through the Holy Spirit or else we are subject to becoming self-righteous. A Christian’s part is to be available to GOD for an extreme makeover. Allow HIM to do the work, which may take a lifetime. But remember we were not made for time but for eternity. Therefore, time is not important. The renewing of our minds takes precedence over longevity on earth.
Psalm 139 reveals David’s relationship with GOD.
Let’s read Psalms 139:1-6:
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.
Not much is known about the stage of life David was in when he wrote this Psalm. It is clear that he knew GOD intimately and that he knew that GOD knew him intimately. This generally occurs when we have done some serious walking and talking with HIM. There has been a lot of water, so-to-speak, that has flowed over the dam. David had come to an honest, above board relationship with GOD.
Those who have studied the life of David know the ups and downs of his walk with GOD. In spite of his missteps, David was a man after GOD’S own heart. He had opened himself up to GOD, the good and the bad. GOD had access to every area of David’s life. David had committed grievous sin. But David confessed his sin and he knew that GOD had forgiven him.
David began his Psalm by using the personal name of GOD, “YAHWEH” in verse 1. GOD knew him and he knew GOD. That is what having a personal relationship is about, knowing each other.
It is an awesome experience to open yourself to GOD and reveal your innermost thoughts to HIM. What you like and what you do not like about HIM. Let HIM know how you feel about how HE is interacting with you and your life. HE already knows all about us so why try to hide something from HIM. GOD likes complete honesty.
Remember every human that has or will ever exist was in the mind of GOD before HE formed the world. Ephesians 1:4 - 4 for He chose[3] Rm 11:5–7; 1 Co 1:26–31; 1 Th 1:4; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pt 1:1–2 us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[4] Vv. 3–14 are 1 sentence in Gk. In love[5] Or - GOD has known us before HE created the foundation of the world. HE knew the moment we were conceived and as we were being formed in our mother’s womb. HE knows all about genetics and DNA and all that came together that resulted in us being us. Therefore, we have no reason to hide anything from GOD. When we open our lives before GOD and hold nothing back is, to me, the beginning of building an intimate relationship with GOD. Keep in mind that building such a relationship does not happen overnight. It is a process. It is a daily walk with HIM and learning as we walk with HIM.
Notice how intimate GOD knew David. It wasn’t just in the “big” things in his life that GOD knew about but the mundane things like every movement he made and every word he uttered or would utter before he uttered it.
Notice in verse 5, that GOD had encircled him. Being encircled had a dual purpose. Being encircled by GOD protects Christians from the evil that surrounds them, that is to keep the enemy out, but GOD also protects them by keeping them in HIS circle of grace. As Christians obediently serve HIM, HIS protective power goes where ever they go.
Let’s read Psalm 139:8:
8 If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in • Sheol,[1] Jb 17:13; Isa 14:11 You are there.
Was David saying that GOD was in Hell (Sheol)? GOD was in Hell, only if he was in Hell. GOD is wherever HIS children are.
Christians must keep in mind that they can remove themselves from this circle of protection through disobedience. But their loving Savior can restore the breach in the circle of protection through confession as found in 1 John 1:9 - 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This intimate knowledge that GOD has of David, boggles his mind. He cannot comprehend GOD’S ability to know him in such detail but HE does. Guess what, GOD knows you in the same detail.
This becomes a wonderful praise to GOD. GOD WHO is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent and does not need to bother with such details but chooses to do so. GOD, the creator of the universe and all that is in it, takes the time and interest to be so intimately involved in his every detail of his life is awesome. This reveals the love GOD has for each human. GOD is interested in the salvation of every human and once a person receives CHRIST as his/her Savior, HE is just as interested in his/her Spiritual growth, which is to be made (Made carries the idea of what GOD begins, HE carries to completion.) into the image of JESUS.
Do you believe that GOD knows you and cares about you? Whether you believe it or not, HE does. HE cares so much that HE allowed HIS ONLY SON, JESUS, to leave heaven and come to earth to be born, live as a human and give HIS life to pay the sin-debt for all who would believe upon HIM. We know that JESUS paid the debt for sin because GOD raised JESUS from the dead as proof that HE conquered death which was the consequence of sin.
Have you asked JESUS to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life? If not, now is your opportunity. Maybe you have asked JESUS into your heart but you have not been living for HIM. Confess your sins of disobedience and rededicate your life to HIM. GOD never leaves you or forsakes you. HE is waiting for you to return to HIM. HE is at the spot where you left HIM.
Let’s read Psalm 139:13-16:
13. For it was You who created my inward parts;[3] Lit You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.[4] DSS, some LXX mss, Syr, Jer read [5] Hb obscure Your works are wonderful, and I know [this]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. very well. 15 My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all [my]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.[6]
GOD is supreme and sovereign. As Christians, do we acknowledge this in our lives? Every human is living in a miracle, the human body. Sin in the world caused death and decay. GOD did not cause disease and death but sin did.
Ponder for a moment about the body you are living in. All the nerves, blood vessels, muscles, glands, the senses – sight, hearing, feel, taste, smell, we eat food that is processed into energy without us having to think about it, the ability to think and reason, to repair itself and it goes on and on. Truly we have been remarkably and wonderfully made.
The word “made” is an exciting word. When GOD makes something, it carries the idea that the initial making is only the beginning of a process to see it to completion. When GOD wonderfully “made” you, HE was not through with you. It was only the beginning of the process to complete you and make you into the image of HIS SON, JESUS. But in order for HIM to do that, you must be willing. You must see your need of CHRIST in you. CHRIST in you is what makes you a Christian. CHRIST in you is the beginning of your Spiritual journey with HIM.
David referred to being formed in the depths of the earth. This was his way of saying that he was formed in a place where no one could see what was being formed in his mother’s womb, not even his mother.
GOD, with HIS foreknowledge, knows all about us. This foreknowledge does not predestine us to follow a prescribed path but GOD knows how we will choose and what we will do before we do it. This, to me, allows HIM to work in the lives of HIS children to bring about the best that can be achieved in our lives by the choices we make as captured in Romans 8:28, which was printed earlier.
17 God, how difficult[7] Or Your thoughts are for me [to comprehend]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. ; how vast their sum is! 18 If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up,[8] Other Hb mss read I am still with You.
It is very difficult for David to comprehend GOD and HIS knowledge of him (David). Have you figured GOD out? HE has figured us out. HE knows why we do what we do. HE knows that HIS job is to renew our minds to make us into what HE knows we can be according to HIS plan and purpose. GOD loves HIS children and HIS desire is for HIS children to explore HIM and get to know HIM. That is one reason why I love to ponder questions regarding GOD. HE likes it because when we concentrate on HIM, we are learning of HIM and from HIM.
David found it difficult to comprehend that GOD was concerned about him and thought about him in such detail. How often does GOD think about us? HE thinks of us more than the grains of sand. GOD is with us 24/7.
Since GOD cares so much about us and our welfare, step one is to get to know HIM and that is done through our relationship with CHRIST. When we love GOD as much as HE loves us, everything else will begin to fall into place.
In verse 18, David referred to waking up and GOD was still with him. It could be that he thought about GOD watching over him while he slept since he was unable to watch over himself. But could it be that David thought of the times that he was not in fellowship with GOD, or was deep in sin and when he came to this realization, GOD was still there? GOD still loved him unequivocally and completely. GOD loves us even when we do not love HIM and are out of fellowship with HIM.
This lesson was intended to focus on the sanctity of life. Life is precious and must be handled with care. When we comprehend our relationship with GOD and HIS love and care for us, all of life is brought into perspective.
It is likely that some reading this lesson might have aborted a child. Know that GOD still loves you and cares for you. Confess it and accept GOD’S forgiveness. Do not let that become a stumbling block to your walk with JESUS.
For those who might be contemplating an abortion, consider the life within. Adoption is an option for your child. I am so glad that the Christian community responds to unwed pregnancy in a more loving and caring way than it did many years ago. As Christians, we need to encourage and support those who choose life over death any way we can.
But this lesson goes beyond abortion. When we understand how much GOD values every life, we should not look down on anyone. When we understand the personal involvement of GOD in our lives, it should challenge us to get to know HIM and build a relationship with HIM through CHRIST. Most of us love the skin we are in. JESUS came that those who accept HIM as their Savior might have life more abundantly. Embrace life and enjoy it as you walk with GOD through CHRIST. Life is a gift from GOD, use it wisely. Blessings!!!
posted by Bible Study | 12:13 PM
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