T.C. Robinson

Meditations on Psalm 86:5

2010-06-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

While putting together a sermon on the forgiveness of God, I came across Psalm 86:5 (perhaps the Lord knew I needed this particular text):

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

The goodness and forgiveness of God together - what a beautiful portrait!

"Abounding in steadfast love." Every believer needs to know this. God is never going to run out of his love, for it is steadfast - he abounds in steadfast love. Wow!

"To all who call upon you." God is available to all who call upon him. His steadfast love awaits. His forgiveness awaits. His goodness awaits.

Let's run to God, the One who abounds in steadfast love.

But for you, O Lord, do I wait

2010-06-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

In Psalm 38, David is defeated. He needs to confess his sins. They are are weighing heavily on him. He is under God's judgment as a result.

1. Internal effects:

[3] There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
[4] For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
[5] My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,
[6] I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
[7] For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
[8] I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart. (Psalm 38:3-8 ESV)

Notice the many references to his physical body, "no soundness in my flesh," "no health in my bones," and so on.

2. The external effects:

[11] My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my nearest kin stand far off.

[12] Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long. (Psalm 38:11-12 ESV)

Because of unconfessed sins, David finds his friends standing at a distance, and his enemies seem to be plotting against him all day long.

His social life is affected greatly.

However, David finds his solution verses 15, 21-22: he needs to wait for God to be his salvation.

But he must confess his sins and turn from them (v. 18).

Oh, Taste and See!

2010-06-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I've quoted Psalm 34:8 in several different presentations. It has a particular ring to it.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

This verse is found in a chapter that calls on the reader to "bless the Lord," "boast in the Lord," "magnify the Lord" (vvv. 1, 2, 3, respectively).

But I must confess that I've paid little attention to the second line: "Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"
In this Psalm, David is inviting the reader to enjoy a similar experience, that is, to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"

In other words, we are all invited to feast on God, and to truly experience for ourselves that his is good.

Meditations on Psalm 32:10-11

2010-06-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

As I was doing my devotional reading through the book of Psalms, Psalm 32:10-11 spoke to me in a way it never did before. It reminded me that God's chesed, his steadfast love, surrounds "the one who trusts in the Lord."

What a great truth to sink deep within my longing heart!

Then verse 11,

"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"

"Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice." It's actually a command. Wow!

Let Your Heart Be Stirred for Jesus through this Song

2010-06-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

Verse: 1

Beholding your beauty is all I long for

To worship You Jesus with my soul's desire

For this very heart you've shaped for your pleasure

The purpose to lift your name high

Hear and surrender in pure adoration

I enter your courts with an offering of praise

I am Your servant come to bring you glory

As is fit for the work of your hands

Chorus:

Now unto the lamb who sits on the throne

Be glory and honor and praise

All of creation resounds with the song

Worship and praise him the Lord of Lords

Intimacy with God

2010-06-22T01:33:00.000-07:00

For a few days now I've been reading through the book of Psalms. And one thought continues to stand out and bid my attention: Intimacy with God.

For example, in Psalm 16, which is attributed to David, we read,

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you." (vv. 1-2)

David is writing here of his need for God, his need to run to God, his need for intimacy with God: he takes "refuge" in God. He calls YHWH his very own YHWH.

And apart from YHWH, David says he has "no good."

A person may only speak so earnestly from the heart, if truly, he or she is intimate with God.

Recommended readings: Spirit of the Disciplines and Celebration of Discipline.

Understanding the Kingdom of God

2010-06-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Scripture says that Jesus came to preach the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43). The Kingdom of God is essentially the rule of God in both the hearts of men and creation.

When we examine closely the words and works of Jesus carefully, we are forced to conclude that he was all about the Kingdom of God (Matt. 11:1-6).

From his baptism to the Mount of Transfiguration to the night before his betrayal, and even after his resurrection, the kingdom was the central theme in the ministry and life of Jesus (Matt. 4:17; Luke 8:27-9:36; Mark 14:25; and Acts 1:1-3).

Therefore we too must be about the Kingdom of God.

Recommended readings: The Gospel of the Kingdom and The Challenge of Jesus.

Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts

2010-06-21T13:24:00.001-07:00

Spiritual gifts are those special abilities imparted to believers by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God and the good of the Body of Christ (1 Pet. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:7).

In verse one, Paul uses the term πνευματικῶν, which may be translated either "spiritual people" or "spiritual gifts." But the consensus in light of the context of 1 Corinthians 12-14 fits better with "spiritual gifts."

But from verses 4-11, Paul uses another word, χαρίσματα, "grace gifts." For example, our English world charisma or charismatic is derived from this Greek word.

However, these Corinthian believers were calling attention to themselves in their use of the gifts---like many today---and Paul had to take both in a corrective and prescriptive approach, as reflected in chapters 12-14.

Paul begins this section with these verses:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:1-3)

Notice how Paul quickly switches to χάρισμα, charisma, from πνευματικός, pneumatikos. The reason: the Corinthians were bringing attention to themselves with the use of πνευματικός---we are "spiritual people" because we have all these "spiritual gifts" (v.1).

Paul is not impressed.

In fact, to show his disapproval, Paul uses χάρισμα to call attention to the source of the gifts---they are "grace gifts" (v. 4).

In the end, according to Paul, the real evidence of the Spirit in us is not "the gifts" he bestows but the love that blossoms---hence, 1 Corinthians 13.

Recommended readings: God's Empowering Presence, Listening to the Spirit in the Text, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God.