The theme throughout the 71st Psalm: "Reaction to persecution: Trust, Praise and Serve God!"
VM
Showing posts with label Persecution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Persecution. Show all posts
Monday, April 9, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
"As for Me" - Notes in 52nd through 55th Psalm
Psalm 52 - Important to read the Psalm's heading - To the chief Musician, Maschil ("Instruction"), A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.
For this account, I Samuel 21 and 22.
NOTE: Psalm 52 is about those who are God-fearing and those who are not.
Psalm 52:5 - God shall likewise destroy thee for ever....
Cross references: Galatians 6:7-8; Hebrews 10:31.
Psalm 52:8 - But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God...
Cross reference: Psalm 1:3.
Psalm 53 NOTE: - A rephrase of Psalm 14.
Psalm 55 Notes:
Betrayal by a close friend or brother - Psalm 55:12-14.
Treachery by this brother - Psalm 55:20-21.
Psalm 55:16 - "AS FOR ME..." - Personal commitment despite others. See Joshua 24:15; II Timothy 3:13-14. "Though no one join me, still I will follow. No turning back. No turning back."
How to go on despite these hardships - Psalm 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Compare I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you."
VM
For this account, I Samuel 21 and 22.
NOTE: Psalm 52 is about those who are God-fearing and those who are not.
Psalm 52:5 - God shall likewise destroy thee for ever....
Cross references: Galatians 6:7-8; Hebrews 10:31.
Psalm 52:8 - But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God...
Cross reference: Psalm 1:3.
Psalm 53 NOTE: - A rephrase of Psalm 14.
Psalm 55 Notes:
Betrayal by a close friend or brother - Psalm 55:12-14.
Treachery by this brother - Psalm 55:20-21.
Psalm 55:16 - "AS FOR ME..." - Personal commitment despite others. See Joshua 24:15; II Timothy 3:13-14. "Though no one join me, still I will follow. No turning back. No turning back."
How to go on despite these hardships - Psalm 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Compare I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you."
VM
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Psalm 119:87
Psalm 119:87 - They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
Continuing theme in this Psalm - the hardships of life, including the wickedness of others toward us, must not persuade us away from keeping the word of God.
Cross reference Psalm 119:51, 61, 69, 110, 141, 143, 157, 161, etc.
Continuing theme in this Psalm - the hardships of life, including the wickedness of others toward us, must not persuade us away from keeping the word of God.
Cross reference Psalm 119:51, 61, 69, 110, 141, 143, 157, 161, etc.
Psalm 119:57-64 - Sermon Outline
An Alliterated Sermon Outline for Psalm 119:57-64.
v. 57a - The Psalmist's PORTION - "Thou art my portion, O Lord." Desiring God and only God.
v. 57b - The Psalmist's PROFESSION - "I have said that I would keep thy words." Part of the same profession we made when we trusted Christ, were baptized, joined a church, rededicated, shed tears down at the old fashioned altar call, etc. Hebrews 10:23 - "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)."
v. 58 - The Psalmist's PETITION - "I entreated thy favour with my whole heart." How often we ask for God's favour with nothing but our lips, and our heart is not behind our prayers. What is God listening to when we pray, our voice or our heart?
"Be merciful unto me according to thy word." Repeating God's promises in prayer is effective. Many can give testimony that powerful answers to prayer have come when God's promises were claimed.
vv. 59-60 - The Psalmist's PASSION - "I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." Passionate Conviction. "I thought on my ways" - Conviction a matter of seeing sin for what it is. "...Unto thy testimonies" - Conviction a response to the word of God.
"I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." Passionate Repentance, in response to Passionate Conviction. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Repentance is a matter of the mind and heart changing. Repentance is measured not by the action, but by the attitude that prompts the action. Here we see a true change of attitude that makes the sinner passionate to correct his wrongdoing. A delay is in fact a denial. Any so-called repentance that hesitatingly, begrudgingly or grumblingly changes the action is not "repentance toward God" or "godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance." Illustration here of examples of such. Anything short of a truly passionate desire to change the ways before God is a vain repentance and "ye shall all likewise perish" Luke 13:3, 5.
v. 61 - The Psalmist's PERSISTENCE - "The bands [companies, gangs] of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law." Not like the seed landing in the stony places, who received the word and sprang up but by and by he was offended and withered (Matthew 13:20-21). Despite the difficulties of the world that we all face, the psalmist continues to endure in serving the Lord. After all, he made his PROFESSION, v. 57b. The problems of life are not going to stand in the way of his continuing in the word of God.
v. 62 - The Psalmist's PRAISE - "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments." Thankful ALL THE TIME, even at MIDNIGHT. Even in the darkest hours. Compare Acts 16:25, where Paul and Silas locked in the dungeon at midnight are singing, praising God and praying.
v. 63 - The Psalmist's PARTNERSHIP - "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." Lessons here on the importance of fellowship, on local church unity, on separation from unbelievers and the disobedient, etc. Cross reference II Timothy 2:22 - "...with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Who are you WITH? Cross reference I Peter 4:4 - "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot..." Who are you NOT with?
v. 64 - The Psalmist as a PUPIL - "The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes." Teach me, he says. All throughout this Psalm, the man begs to be taught. He obviously has a TEACHABLE SPIRIT. The lack of a teachable spirit is the cause of many hurtful dissensions, contentions, wounded Christians, unrecoverable offenses, church splits, etc. An unteachable spirit manifests itself how? Who is prone to it? What is the root cause? What is the solution?
VM
7/21/2011
v. 57a - The Psalmist's PORTION - "Thou art my portion, O Lord." Desiring God and only God.
v. 57b - The Psalmist's PROFESSION - "I have said that I would keep thy words." Part of the same profession we made when we trusted Christ, were baptized, joined a church, rededicated, shed tears down at the old fashioned altar call, etc. Hebrews 10:23 - "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)."
v. 58 - The Psalmist's PETITION - "I entreated thy favour with my whole heart." How often we ask for God's favour with nothing but our lips, and our heart is not behind our prayers. What is God listening to when we pray, our voice or our heart?
"Be merciful unto me according to thy word." Repeating God's promises in prayer is effective. Many can give testimony that powerful answers to prayer have come when God's promises were claimed.
vv. 59-60 - The Psalmist's PASSION - "I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." Passionate Conviction. "I thought on my ways" - Conviction a matter of seeing sin for what it is. "...Unto thy testimonies" - Conviction a response to the word of God.
"I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." Passionate Repentance, in response to Passionate Conviction. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Repentance is a matter of the mind and heart changing. Repentance is measured not by the action, but by the attitude that prompts the action. Here we see a true change of attitude that makes the sinner passionate to correct his wrongdoing. A delay is in fact a denial. Any so-called repentance that hesitatingly, begrudgingly or grumblingly changes the action is not "repentance toward God" or "godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance." Illustration here of examples of such. Anything short of a truly passionate desire to change the ways before God is a vain repentance and "ye shall all likewise perish" Luke 13:3, 5.
v. 61 - The Psalmist's PERSISTENCE - "The bands [companies, gangs] of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law." Not like the seed landing in the stony places, who received the word and sprang up but by and by he was offended and withered (Matthew 13:20-21). Despite the difficulties of the world that we all face, the psalmist continues to endure in serving the Lord. After all, he made his PROFESSION, v. 57b. The problems of life are not going to stand in the way of his continuing in the word of God.
v. 62 - The Psalmist's PRAISE - "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments." Thankful ALL THE TIME, even at MIDNIGHT. Even in the darkest hours. Compare Acts 16:25, where Paul and Silas locked in the dungeon at midnight are singing, praising God and praying.
v. 63 - The Psalmist's PARTNERSHIP - "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." Lessons here on the importance of fellowship, on local church unity, on separation from unbelievers and the disobedient, etc. Cross reference II Timothy 2:22 - "...with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Who are you WITH? Cross reference I Peter 4:4 - "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot..." Who are you NOT with?
v. 64 - The Psalmist as a PUPIL - "The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes." Teach me, he says. All throughout this Psalm, the man begs to be taught. He obviously has a TEACHABLE SPIRIT. The lack of a teachable spirit is the cause of many hurtful dissensions, contentions, wounded Christians, unrecoverable offenses, church splits, etc. An unteachable spirit manifests itself how? Who is prone to it? What is the root cause? What is the solution?
VM
7/21/2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Psalm 27:5b
Psalm 27:5b - ...in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me...
In the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies, behind the veil, the secret dwelling place of God, where NONE but the High Priest entered or be struck immediately DEAD. What better hiding place or protection from the enemies of us who are now seated in heavenly places with Christ, our Great High Priest?
Compare: I Kings 1:50-53, 2:28-34.
VM
In the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies, behind the veil, the secret dwelling place of God, where NONE but the High Priest entered or be struck immediately DEAD. What better hiding place or protection from the enemies of us who are now seated in heavenly places with Christ, our Great High Priest?
Compare: I Kings 1:50-53, 2:28-34.
VM
Psalm 27:5
Psalm 27:5 - For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion....
"The best of shelter in the worst of danger." - Spurgeon
From "The Treasury of David" by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exposition of Psalm 27.
"The best of shelter in the worst of danger." - Spurgeon
From "The Treasury of David" by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exposition of Psalm 27.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Philippians 4:14
Philippians 4:14 - Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
YE HAVE WELL DONE: Supporting missions is the right thing to do! III John 5-8. If we want to hear Christ say, "Well done..." then we support missions.
COMMUNICATE WITH = SHARE IN. It is not just their grace that we share in when we support missions (Phil. 1:7), but also their afflictions.
VM
YE HAVE WELL DONE: Supporting missions is the right thing to do! III John 5-8. If we want to hear Christ say, "Well done..." then we support missions.
COMMUNICATE WITH = SHARE IN. It is not just their grace that we share in when we support missions (Phil. 1:7), but also their afflictions.
VM
Philippians 4:10
Philippians 4:10 - But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again....
"Now at the last" - Remember, Paul is awaiting his sentence, which may be death, Phil. 1:20-26.
VM
"Now at the last" - Remember, Paul is awaiting his sentence, which may be death, Phil. 1:20-26.
VM
Monday, January 10, 2011
Philippians 1:29
Philippians 1:29 - For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Cp. Acts 5:41.
If cross reference (or a portion of it) is already printed in Bible, you may wish to simply underline it for emphasis.
VM
Cp. Acts 5:41.
If cross reference (or a portion of it) is already printed in Bible, you may wish to simply underline it for emphasis.
VM
Philippians 1:28
Philippians 1:28 - And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Cp. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5.
If cross reference (or a portion of it) is already printed in Bible, you may wish to simply underline it for emphasis.
VM
Cp. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5.
If cross reference (or a portion of it) is already printed in Bible, you may wish to simply underline it for emphasis.
VM
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