Sunday, November 28, 2010

Psalm 16:1-11; The Saints Satisfaction

Psalm 16
Text: Psalm 16:1-11
Title: The Saints Satisfaction
Satisfaction is a major pursuit! We live in a world where people are doing everything under the sun in pursuit of satisfaction! For many satisfaction is simply an idle dream. Why? Let me give you a few reasons:
(1) Once they find that which satisfies the thrill where’s off and they are in the hunt again. The satisfaction is very temporal!
(2) They are looking in the wrong places or to the wrong things
(3) They will never be satisfied because they are not first of all satisfied with themselves or the God that created them

Psalm 16 provides Gods means of satisfaction! So if you want satisfaction I encourage you take in a good dose of Psalm 16. So today we want to look at Psalm 16 and consider this matter of “The Saints Satisfaction”!
Let us pray
Introduction (Bulletin)
Psalm 16 is the first of nine consecutive Psalms which reflect the character of the saint with a heart after God. The messianic and prophetic nature of these Psalms (examples Psalm 16:10, Psalm 17:13, Psalm 22) clearly teach us that their ultimate fulfillment can only be in the Lord Jesus Christ (Psalm 24:10). As we examine Psalm 16 we get a glimpse into the heart of David, the writer of the Psalm, who in spite of a life filled with turbulence, trials and testing longed to obey God and in his obedience to the Lord he would be satisfied. As a believer living in a sin cursed world with sin cursed bodies it is encouraging to realize during this season of Thanksgiving that we too can find satisfaction beyond the temporal pleasures of this world in the Lord Jesus Christ. We outline Psalm 16 describing a path from preservation (16:1) to pleasure (16:11).
Outline:
The path of preservation (vs. 1 & 2)
The path of preparation (vs. 3)
The path of punishment (vs. 4)
The path of provision (vs. 5)
The path of pleasant places (vs. 6)
The path of precious position (vs. 7 & 8)
The path of prophetic anticipation (vs. 9 &10)
• Prophetic interpretation
• Prophetic application
The path of precious presence (vs. 11)

In studying this Psalm I found a very simple outline and I would like to share that with you:
W. Graham Scroggie’s Outline (The Psalms [Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell
Co., 1973 reprint of 1948 revised edition], 106):
(1) Looking Above (vv. 1-2)
(2) Looking Around (vv. 3-4)
(3) Looking Within (vv. 5-8)
(4) Looking Beyond (vv. 9-11)

In bible school I had an instructor who taught through Psalm 16 using a series of “P” phrases. Now I did not copy his sermon, but there are so many “P” words throughout this Psalm that I could not help but structure my outline using a series of “P” words.
Psalm 16 is also a classic Easter or Resurrection Psalm! I need to pause for just a moment to point out that this Psalm has some direct prophetic references to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and these are very powerful verses. Verses 9 and 10 are powerful and rich verses and I could devote an entire sermon just to these verses but we find a commentary on these verses in Acts 2:22-37. Please read often this powerful preaching of the Apostle Peter which is again an outstanding apostolic declaration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and this truth, this event (the resurrection of Jesus Christ) is what changed the lives of those 12 disciples!

Just a little background
Saul was often trying to kill David. David was often on the run, on one occasion he ran away to the woods, the hills and the fields. David hid there from Saul. 400 men went with David. Saul had 3000 soldiers. Saul was king of Israel. David was God’s anointed King, but Saul was the people’s choice of King. One night Saul and all his men slept. David came near in the night and took some things from Saul. David could have killed Saul but he did not kill Saul. In the morning David told Saul, "It would have been easy for me to kill you but I did not. What have I done wrong? You ran me out my own country. You told me to find other gods. It was during this time that David wrote Psalm 16. We find this background in 1 Samuel 26; particularly note verses 16 through 20.

There are two points that I want to make at the outset in regards to this little background:

1 The inheritance of David. An inheritance is what is passed on to us by another, many times by our parents or another relative. Saul forced David out of his own country. David had an inheritance in his own country. But David had a better inheritance. The LORD was his inheritance. As believers we have an inheritance and it is in Jesus Christ and we don’t have to wait until we die to receive it, we are even now positionally seated in heavenly places with Christ.

2 The God of David. Saul told David to find other gods. But David’s God was the only God! He is the supreme God and beside Him there is no other. God alone is worthy of our worship, and adoration, and may God help us not to ever place any other Gods before Him, and I do not say this loosely because there will be many Gods vying for your allegiance!

Let’s look at the text: The path of preservation (vs. 1 & 2)
Look at verses 1 and 2. David uses three names for God here and this time I will pause to note them. Last time I preached I did not mention these distinctions in my sermon and this was brought up in our life group so I made sure in my preparation this time that I would not just gloss over these names. So there are three names here for Lord in verse one and two. God=El, LORD=Jehovah, and Lord=Adonai. The names again are El short for Eloheim, Jehovah, and Adonai. And names are significant as I mentioned in my last sermon and David is not just throwing out lot of names here just to be poetic or cute. What is he saying?

El or Eloheim is the creator God. This speaks of God in all his power, strength and might. This speaks of the omnipotent all powerful creator God, and David is certainly living in light of this as he opens this Psalm.

Jehovah is the covenant keeping God. The God who enters into agreement with man and that agreement is sealed in Gods very character. The God who could swear by no other, so he swear by who? Himself! (Hebrews 6:13) It is like going to a Notary. If God wanted to have a document notarized He would have to sign it himself, because there is no more credible source than God!

Adonai is the Lord or my Lord! This speaks of the sovereign Lord or King and David certainly is living in light of that and he would declare that truly the one true and everlasting King is the Lord God!

Now I want to bring all three of these names together. We might say that Eloheim is my maker, Jehovah is my mediator, and Adonai is my master, and as David is seeking Gods preservation here is all the protection that he needs, and in the realization of this the saint can have complete confidence and need not fear for no foe can haunt him or daunt him in his path for Gods preservation!

I have been doing a lot of preaching lately! I like to preach, God has gifted me to preach his word! I really feel that when I am preaching I am really in my element! When I am doing what I do for the Government sometimes I feel like I am a fish out of water, yet God has given me grace and the ability to do this, but I have to really work at, but preaching is different, this really is my element! But the challenge in preaching is the more you preach the more intense and focused becomes the accountability and I find myself living what I preach, and sometime almost the next moment and for this we really need the grace of God and we really need your prayers! But God is our preservation and without Him we cannot survive, and neither can you! I know many who if they went through some of the things we in the ministry go through they would come unglued, they simply could not handle it, but we are surviving! By the grace of God, and the prayers the prevailing prayers of saints we are surviving! It also helps to have a good wife, it helps a lot!

We are surviving because God preserves us, He guards, He keeps, He protects, He watches over us! He is the chief shepherd and He shepherds us; as we as under shepherds are to shepherd his sheep! This is where David placed his trust or confidence and this is where we our faith-rest, and we shall not be disappointed!

That is the Path of Preservation, now let’s consider:

The Path of Preparation vs. 3

The Saints are seen living in the light of the Lords Preservation, but they are also living in the light of the Lords Preparation!

It is interesting that David would use the term Saint here because that is a New Testament term for the believer or the child of God. The first occurrence of this word in scripture is in Exodus 3:5 where God speaking to Moses out of the burning bush said to Moses remove your shoes for the ground upon which you stand is holy (set apart ground)! As Christians we are called saints or the “called out” ones, called unto Christ. We are set apart for God! If we are going to live a saintly life there will be constant growing and maturing. We are positionally sainted, but the sanctifying process is ongoing and this is the Path of Preparation!

The psalmist goes on to say we are on the earth and we are excellent and we are his delight. David did not find his comfort in the people of the world but in the people of God! We too must realize that there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors, but the council we receive must come from people who have been prepared by the Spirit of God!

The Path of Preparation, now let’s move on to the Path of Punishment vs. 4

This is the only sad note in this entire Psalm. Those who follow other Gods do so to their own destruction! There is no joy to the wicked! There is pleasure in sin only for a season! There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death! He is talking about multiplied sorrows here. This is not anything to sneeze at or take lightly. David knew about the harmful effects of worshipping other Gods and he wanted no part of it. In verse 5 the Lord was His portion!

That brings us to the Path of Provision vs. 5

David had an inheritance and his inheritance was maintained by the Lord! Sometimes some of the biggest family disputes can center around the management or decisions regarding an inheritance. If our inheritance is in the Lord we do not need to be concerned about it! It is well kept! It is well preserved and it will not decay and it will not be stolen or mishandled! The omnipotent God is all we need to preserve and keep our inheritance!

The path of preservation (vs. 1 & 2)
The path of preparation (vs. 3)
The path of punishment (vs. 4)
The path of provision (vs. 5) and now
The path of pleasant places (vs. 6)
What about these lines? I believe he is referring to the dividing lines of his inheritance and he is saying that my land is in a good spot. David was pleased with his inheritance. It was encouraging to him as he marked it off! I think I told you this illustration one day but I will share it here because it is fitting. There was a story told of a rich man who was out looking at his estate and as he spoke with an envious observer he said: As far as you can look this way it all mind, and as far as you can look that way it is all mine, and this way, and that way (North, South, East and West) it is all mine!!! Finally when the young man can get a word in he said how you are fixed this way, pointing upward! This is the issue, how are you fixed this way! How are you fixed with God!
What is the dividing line of your inheritance? I do not have much of an inheritance down here, but I have an inheritance in glory! The lines of my inheritance are in heaven and my bible says we are joint airs with Christ! (Romans 8:16 & 17). We are rich in him! We don’t have time to speak of the inheritance we have in Christ, but it is marvelous!
Now these remaining verses are very powerful so please do not miss this remaining portion of the message!
And we begin with the path of precious position (vs. 7) David praises the Lord for his council. The council came in the form of instruction. So David was instructed by the Lord! The Lord was his teacher! The Lord provided direction! The Lord provided David with guidance but notice David was grateful for this council that guided him in the night seasons. Now it is in the night season that you need council the most. Anyone can council you in the day light, or the good times, but the night season speaks of those times when things are very rough and it is during this time that David received council that enabled him to survive for David had many night seasons!
Listen to this:
Is the midnight closing round you?
Are the shadows dark and long?
Ask Him to come close beside you,
And He'll give you a new, sweet song.
He'll give it and sing it with you;
And when weakness lets it down,
He'll take up the broken cadence,
And blend it with a crown.

And many a rapturous minstrel
Among the sons of light,
Will say of His sweetest music
"I learned it in the night."
And many a rolling anthem,
That fills the Father's home,
Sobbed out its first rehearsal,
In the shade of a darkened room.
George Matheson
At midnight the Apostles sing when in Jail in Acts 16
There is a song that says: God give us a song to sing at midnight, because if we ever needed a song to sing it than! Do you have a song for the night seasons of your life? What are you singing when it is lights out in your life? What are you singing? God give us a song! It my darkest moments I have to go back to some precious hymns that speak to my soul such as:
• Precious Lord take my hand
• Jesus is the sweetest name I know
• Blessed be the name of the Lord
Verse 8 continuing the same point: The path of precious position
I have set the Lord always before me, because...
This is how the psalmist viewed the world. He hath set the Lord always before him, in other words the Lord was the filter grid upon which David viewed the world. The Lord was his eyesav! As David viewed his struggles he viewed it through this lens, and he would not be shaken. As David viewed his battles, he viewed it through this lens and he would not fear. As David viewed his enemies, he would view them through this lens and he would be strengthened for victory. This is why David would tell Goliath “I go in the strength of the Lord”!
May the Lord be the filter grid upon which we view the world! We need not view the world through You Tube or Facebook! We need not view the world through the opinions of the media or the talk show host! May we place the Lord before us and view the world through His perspective. May we keep our mind saturated with the word of God and get the Lords perspective first!
• I purposely do not read the newspaper until I have read the bible.
• I choose not to turn on the radio until I have had my devotions.
• I purposely meet with the Lord before I meet the world. This is the most important part of my day, bar none!
I try to always place the Lord before me in everything; he is my filter grid by which I filter everything else that comes at me!
The path of prophetic anticipation (vs. 9 &10)
• Prophetic interpretation
• Prophetic application
Let me give you this very quickly and simply; first the Prophetic interpretation:
David died and his spirit went to live with God in heaven. He did not go to hell! He did not go to purgatory! What about his physical body in the grave? The remains of his body is in the grave awaiting the resurrection of the dead in Christ (John 5:28 & 29).

Jesus died on the cross but on the 3rd day he rose from the dead! He ascended on high and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, His Father in glory! Neither His body nor his soul saw corruption. His body did not rot in the earth. His spirit went for a short visit into the lower parts of the earth after he died (Ephesians 4:8-10).
• God raised Jesus from the dead
• Our Lord will raise the physical bodies of the saved at His coming

Now the Prophetic application and that brings us to:

Vs. 11, the path of precious presence
These are things sweet to know!
• It is sweet to know that there is satisfaction in Jesus Christ! This is what we have been attempting to convey throughout this message!
• It is sweet to know that in Him He will show us the path of life
• It is sweet to know that in His presence there is fullness of joy
• It is sweet to know that this life is not the end
• It is sweet to know that there precious pleasure awaiting the saints of God and these pleasures are forever more
These are things sweet to know and this is the Saints Satisfaction! Let us pray!

Monday, November 22, 2010

In the school of sorrow

In the school of sorrow

Is the midnight closing round you?
Are the shadows dark and long?
Ask Him to come close beside you,
And He'll give you a new, sweet song.
He'll give it and sing it with you;
And when weakness lets it down,
He'll take up the broken cadence,
And blend it with His own.

And many a rapturous minstrel
Among those sons of light,
Will say of His sweetest music
"I learned it in the night."
And many a rolling anthem,
That fills the Father's home,
Sobbed out its first rehearsal,
In the shade of a darkened room.

~George Matheson
School of Sorrow
By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"And no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:3).
There are songs which can only be learned in the valley. No art can teach them; no rules of voice can make them perfectly sung. Their music is in the heart. They are songs of memory, of personal experience. They bring out their burden from the shadow of the past; they mount on the wings of yesterday.
St. John says that even in Heaven there will be a song that can only be fully sung by the sons of earth--the strain of redemption. Doubtless it is a song of triumph, a hymn of victory to the Christ who made us free. But the sense of triumph must come from the memory of the chain.
No angel, no archangel can sing it so sweetly as I can. To sing it as I sing it, they must pass through my exile, and this they cannot do. None can learn it but the children of the Cross.
And so, my soul, thou art receiving a music lesson from thy Father. Thou art being educated for the choir invisible. There are parts of the symphony that none can take but thee.
There are chords too minor for the angels. There may be heights in the symphony which are beyond the scale--heights which angels alone can reach; but there are depths which belong to thee, and can only be touched by thee.
Thy Father is training thee for the part the angels cannot sing; and the school is sorrow. I have heard many say that He sends sorrow to prove thee; nay, He sends sorrow to educate thee, to train thee for the choir invisible.
In the night He is preparing thy song. In the valley He is tuning thy voice. In the cloud He is deepening thy chords. In the rain He is sweetening thy melody. In the cold He is moulding thy expression. In the transition from hope to fear He is perfecting thy lights.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Title: A song that Exalts God and Explains Man

Title: A song that Exalts God and Explains Man

Psalm 8

The text: Psalm 8:1-9
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Title: A song that Exalts God and Explains Man

Introduction in the bulletin:
The heading of Psalm 8 attributes this Psalm to David and the heading goes on to say: “To the chief musician upon Gittith.” Upon Gittith means after the tune of the treaders upon the winepress, and this refers to the fact that during the intensity of treading grapes to produce wine, and it was a laborious task, the workers had a tune in their heart. The workers sang as they worked and in this we see that in times of intensity there was joy! Spurgeon called this Psalm an astronomers Psalm and it does seem to have this message that was perhaps in the heart of David as he contemplated the stars! So we can conclude that even though man is fragile and given to many cares the wonders of God can of a surety be a cause for singing and rejoicing and this is exactly what we have in Psalm 8.
Let’s look to the Lord of the Word, and then we will launch right into the Word of the Lord!
Psalm 8 is a song that comes from the heart of David, but reaches to the heights of holiness and dovetails to the head of man. In this Psalm we see the majesty of God and the mystery of man! Sandwiched between a doxology of praise is the dichotomy of man’s existence! God is worshipped in this Psalm and yet man is wondered! God rightfully so is the sole object of our wonder and adoration, and man respectfully so is the creature of mystery, but in God he finds his purpose and destiny. In this psalm we marvel at the majesty of God and we enter into the psalmist musings of the meaning of man.
In bible school we learned that there were three fundamental questions about the existence of man, and these three fundamental questions are very important questions about mans very existence, and they can only be rightly answered by God. Here are the questions, and I mention them here because Psalm 8 also approaches these questions and the psalmist not only asks the questions but gives us some answers! But here are the three questions from bible school:
Where did I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going when I leave here?
Everyone needs to answer these questions, and everyone needs to answer them correctly. Sadly few answer them correctly and many never even consider them. Where did I come from... and why…and where…

A few years ago, a Christian music groups, Casting Crowns, had a hit song titled Who Am I? In the opening verse the lead singer, Mark Hall, asks:

“Who am I that the Lord of all the Earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt? Who am I that the Bright and Morning Star would choose to light the way for my ever-wondering heart? Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are! I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind. Still You hear when I’m calling, You catch me when I’m falling and You tell me who I am—I am Yours. I am Yours!”

The message of that song—plainly and powerfully conveyed—is that no matter how small or insignificant you may feel, the Lord of all the Earth not only knows your name, but has made you special and calls you His own.

A long time ago, in land far, far away, another great song writer wrote a similar hymn with the same message. When David considered the majesty and greatness of God, he felt insignificant by comparison. In Psalm 8, David stands in awe of the majesty of the Lord. And when he realizes just how vast and magnificent God truly is, he’s even more amazed that God would take the time to notice him—a mere mortal man.
“I am one week returned from two weeks in El Salvador, and since my return there seems to have been one trial after another. We have had the passing of a close friend of the family; we have had to mechanical failures in our home and in our car, plumbing failure, computer failure and car brake problems.., just one trial after another. Yesterday when I was out walking and praying I thought about the beach I visited in San Salvador and I thought about the big waves. San Salvador is reported has the second best surfing next to California and the wave are humongous, and as I thought about these large tremendous waves they became for me a parable of the trials we are facing. And I said Lord help us to ride these waves and I pray that you will cause them to pass. So we are riding some very difficult waves at this time, but I am trusting God they will pass. But the question I want to pose is: What provision has God given us in the midst of the trials? Has God given us something to help us to endure? I have learned that in the midst of life’s struggles there is no better source of strength to delight and encourage ourselves in than the word of God, and particularly verses such as Psalm 8:1 which reminds us of the character of God.” In times of struggle we need to remind ourselves of who God is! Storms and trials will come. Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer I have overcome the world!”
In verse 1 of Psalm 8 we hear a hymn of praise and it is marvelous!
Oh Lord, our Lord…mans vocabulary is limited when it comes to truly giving God the praise which He is worthy of, but the psalmist attempts with the language of mortal man to give God the highest praise! He begins by saying Oh Lord…! Lord means master, sovereign, King, ruler! This praise is directed to the one who is in complete charge and on the throne! He is Lord and above Him there is none other! Jesus is our risen Lord! He is the Lord of glory! He is our savior, master, King, and yes he is Lord! Thomas said “my Lord and my God” in John 20:28. In John 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the risen the Lord. In John 21 when Jesus was on the shore and the disciples saw him John said “it is the Lord”. In Phil. 2 we are taught that one day every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! So what does this mean, simply this that Jesus Christ is God! You say why is that important? Because apart from that realization, apart from believing in that fact one cannot be saved. None other than Jesus Christ himself said except you believe that I am him, you will die in your sins, and that settles it for me!
· The Lordship of Christ is an essential doctrine, but it is a doctrine under attack
· Some believe you can receive Jesus as Savior and later receive him as Lord
· Jesus Christ is not received in pieces
How excellent is thy name-His name is excellent!
Names in the bible define ones character. Abram means father of many. Abraham means father of multitudes! Cimon means pebble or little stone. Peter means rock! Jesus means savior! The name of God or the character of God is excellent! So how excellent is God’s character? It is exalted in all the earth! The character of God is seen in that His glory is set above the heavens! In all the earth the character of God is on display and it is incomparable, none can compare and none can reach the depths of its beauty! This is Gods glory! The glory of God is the intrinsic nature of God! God is glorious in his holiness! God is glorious in his love, righteousness, wisdom, power, goodness, and justice! God’s glory speaks of his perfection! His glory speaks of that which is unique to the character of God, because no creature has glory, only God has glory and he is all together gloriousness!
We get a glimpse of the glory of God when god spoke to Moses in Mt Sinai
We get a glimpse of the glory of God in the Gods dealing with Israel when God opened the red sea
We get a glimpse of the glory of God on the mount of transfiguration in Matthew 17
We get a glimpse of the glory of God when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead
We get a major glimpse of the glory of God at Calvary, when Jesus was crucified for the sins of the entire world
Calvary is God masterpiece and it is that God’s Glory was revealed!
In verse 2 even the infants give praise to God!
The worship of babe and suckling’s is used by God to silence his enemies! God will be praised, and God will receive praise from babies, and if humanity will not praise God than God will have the rocks to cry out!
Look at verse 3; when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon…
When was the last time you considered Gods work in creation? When was the last time you looked and considered the vastness of Gods universe?
It was said of President Calvin Coolidge that on one occasion he was talking to his advisors and they had reached an impasse and there seemed to be no clear conclusion. Coolidge invited his entire staff out to Whitehouse lawn and he began to look up at the stars. He looked and he looked and never said a word, finally he came back inside. When he came in he said ok now that we have been brought to our rightful size we can tackle this problem. I am told that after that the solution to the problem begin to come together. I believe this is a good practice. There are times when we need to go out and look up at the stars and get a glimpse of the vastness and remind ourselves of who we are and who God is!
So what is man…verse 4?
What is man?
Man is a sinner, created in the image of God, and created with the potential to glorify God and enjoy him forever. However this same man can choose to rebel against God, curse God and die an horrible premature death and go straight to hell!
What is man?
In contrast to the universe man does not appear to be much
In comparison to the vastness of Gods marvelous creation man does not appear to be much
It is said that we can see less than 5 percent of the universe. Imagine that and yet God would choose to dwell among man. God would single out man as the object of his love and blessings! And beyond that is the fact that God would visit man in the person of His son the Lord Jesus Christ!
Why man because God created man.
God made man in His own image.
God made man a little lower than the Angels and has crowned him with glory and honor and this pictures the humiliation of the Lord Jesus Christ, because as man he was made a little lower than the angel and was crowned with glory and honor (Hebrews 2:6-9)
God made man to reign, verses 6-8
God made man to have dominion over his creation and the first man initially did have dominion, but sin ruined man and now man no longer dominates. Man does not rule Gods creation and in fact sometimes man is ruled by Gods creation.

Verse 9 .
In response to Gods dealing with man, man exalts God for his excellent name which is on display throughout the whole earth. Man was created to worship God and God delights in the worship of his children. Yet not all men worship God. All men ought to worship God, but some men worship themselves, and some worship things, and some worship creation, and some worship the creature, and refuse to worship the creator! Why do many refuse to worship God? It is because men are separated from God because of mans sin and man desperately needs the savior!
In summary, let’s ask some questions and answer them in context:

1) What are the main points of this psalm?

- God's majesty in creation (1-2)
- Man's purpose in creation (3-9)

2) What causes the Psalmist praise God? (1)

- The excellence of His name (character) in all the earth
- His glory set above the heavens

3) By whom has God ordained praised, and used this praise to silence the enemy and the avenger? (2)

- From the lips of infants and working His strength (power) through them."

5) What prompted the Psalmist's amazement over God's concern for man?
(3-4)

- His contemplation of the skies and the vastness of the universe

6) How was man exalted when God created him? (5-6)

- God made him a little lower than the angels
- God crowned him with glory and honor
- God gave him dominion over the works of His hands
- God put all things under his feet

7) What things were placed under man's feet? (7-8)

- All sheep and oxen
- The beasts of the field
- The birds of the air
- The fish that pass through the paths of the sea

8) Has man maintained his dominion over the earth? (cf. He 2:5-8)

- No, Man sold out to Satan in the garden

9) Who now has all authority over heaven and earth? (cf. He 2:9; Mt
28:19; Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22)

Satan is the prince of this world however
Jesus Christ, who became man and for the suffering of death has
been crowned with glory and honor; He is now head over all things, and Satan is Gods devil on a limited time span1

10) How does David end his psalm? (9)

- With praise for the excellence of God's name (character) in all
the earth

Friday, November 5, 2010

Online Devotional

Online Devotional

How is prayer impacting your relationships with those you lead? What insights is God giving you about how to love and serve others? Talking with God (not just at God) about the people in our lives helps us to build and maintain healthy relationships with them. What if your prayer today was for God to help you see others as He sees them and love them as He loves them? Try it.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18

Prayer: Father, I lift up to You the people in my life—my family members, my co-workers, and my friends. As I name them before You now, give me Your heart for them. I know that Jesus died for each one of them, to bring them forgiveness, reconciliation with You, and wholeness in ex change for their brokenness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.