Special Focus Lesson - Valued by GOD - Psalm 139 - January 15, 2023

 

Special Focus Lesson – Valued by GOD – January 15, 2023

This is a special focus lesson before we begin our next series of lesson, “How to Discern the Voice of GOD.”

Our focus scripture is Psalm 139:1-10, 13-16.

GOD values life and we should too.

This is an excellent segway to our next series. First, we must have a personal intimate relationship with GOD through being Spiritually born into the Family of GOD through faith in JESUS.

GOD designed humans to be triune – body, soul and spirit. Every human spirit will live eternally but where it will live eternally is every person’s choice – Heaven or Hell. The world hates the use of the word Hell. Why? It is because Satan runs this world and he does not like to be exposed. We, as humans, naturally think we will live forever and we will but the question is where?

GOD did not form us to be robots but to have the free will to choose. GOD’S desire is for people to choose to worship HIM of their own freewill. Therefore, HE gave our first human parents freedom to choose. They made wrong choices. Eve ate the forbidden fruit and Adam was standing next to her in the Garden and never opened his mouth. The result, sin entered the world and the human race was condemned to eternal death. However, GOD in HIS love knew that man would sin and fall from HIS Grace but GOD had HIS redemptive plan. HE would send HIS only SON, JESUS, to earth to be the only sacrifice for mankind. This is GOD’S only redemptive plan for all humans. No religion will get a person to Heaven. JESUS paid, in full, the price for sin by HIS shed blood. As proof, JESUS died, was buried and GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead to be eternally alive. This is every Spirit-born person’s assurance of their bodily resurrection and eternal life with GOD in HIS Kingdom.

GOD made every human in HIS own image. We have enquiring minds. HE created earth to reflect HIM and HIS handiwork. Look around and ask GOD to open your eyes to HIS work. Consider the seasons and the flow of water throughout the earth without manmade pumps yet, the seas do not overflow.

David wrote Psalm 139 and he reveals that GOD is omniscient (GOD all knowing), omnipresence (GOD is everywhere), omnipotence (GOD is all powerful).

Moses wanted to know the name of GOD and GOD revealed HIS name.

Exodus 3:14

God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”

WOW!!! I love that name. “I AM” has always been and always will be KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS.

The Hebrew name for GOD is “Yahweh” or “YAWH.”

We who know JESUS as our Savior can simply call GOD, FATHER.

How about that!!!

Let’s explore David’s thoughts about his and GOD’S relationship, as we read on ---

Let’s read Psalm 139:1-6:
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 wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.

What are the first things that we learn about David and his relationship with GOD?

“Lord, you have searched me and known me.” This is past tense. In essence, LORD, YOU know everything there is to know about me. I hide nothing from YOU. GOD desires for each of us to be honest with HIM. Why? Because HE already knows!

When I went through “Experiencing God,” I tried to be as honest with GOD as I knew how. Prior to going through “Experiencing God” I had questions that I wanted to get GOD to answer for me when I get to Heaven. After “Experiencing God,” I had no questions. Why? GOD is sovereign and HIS ways are not our ways and HIS thoughts are greater than our thoughts. Confession is always good. When we partake of the LORD’S Supper, that is our alone time with HIM to ask HIM to examine us to our core and reveal any wicked way or unconfessed sin in us. In fact, we should be asking The Holy Spirit to examine us before we approach the LORD’S Table (The LORD’S Supper).

David, then described how intimate GOD knew him.

-         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.

 

(I love this – when our pioneers were attacked they circled their wagons for protection. GOD encircles us from the evil that comes to attack us as we serve in GOD’S vineyard. WOW! We must remain in GOD’S circle.)
⁶[TS1]  This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.

Let’s read Psalm 139:7-12:

⁷ Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

 

David now describes the omnipresence of GOD. GOD is everywhere the human mind can conceive, even beyond to where we can see or think.

⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

 

Height and depth – heaven to hell

⁹ If I fly on the wings of the dawn
and settle down on the western horizon,^[a]

Breath -East to the West.

 

¹⁰ even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.

The darkness will never hide us from GOD. Why?

¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”—
¹² even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to you.

 

There is no place that is off-limits to GOD!

 

Let’s read Psalm 139:13-18:

 

¹³ For it was you who created my inward parts;^[b]
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

 

We may think, since we can identify the fact that our existence is known, that it is pinpointed to certain parents and birth time and day, we forget that it is GOD WHO chooses us to be formed in our mother’s womb.

Many of you know one of my fav verses Ephesians 1:4 - ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c]

 

All are chosen but it is our choice to accept.

¹⁴ I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.^[c][d]
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this 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 days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.

 

Before GOD formed the world, HE knew each of us and chose us and wrote our names in the LAMB’S Book of LIFE, JESUS’ Book. Those who do not accept JESUS as their Savior will see their name blotted out of the LAMB’S Book of Life when they die. OH! Do not let that happen to you or any family member or friend.

 

¹⁷ God, how precious^[e] your thoughts are to me;
how vast their sum is!
¹⁸ If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up,^[f] I am still with you.

 

We read in Isaiah 55:9 - “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

GOD’S thoughts are precious because HIS thoughts and ways are greater than ours. FATHER, help us to always look to YOU for YOUR leadership and guidance. We love YOU and thank YOU for YOUR love, protection, guidance, leadership, direction, care, love, salvation and restoration of eternal life through our faith in JESUS. YOU are awesome and we love YOU!

 

Psalm 139 expresses David’s knowledge and relationship he had with GOD/I AM. If we wrote a Psalm expressing our knowledge and relationship with GOD through our relationship with JESUS, what would we say? Ask GOD to help us to be honest with HIM and express ourselves to HIM. We must not have any barriers between us and GOD.

 

Why? It is because each of us are valued by GOD. HE formed us in our mother’s womb and JESUS gave HIS sinless life for each of us.

 

Blessings!!!

 

 

 

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 [TS1]