Wednesday, October 24, 2012

From Guilt to Forgiveness & more (Psalm 130:3-8)


SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/24/2012 10:22:27 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                               Focus:  Psalm 130 PT-2

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                             Reference:  Psalm 130:3-8

 

            Message of the verses:  In Today’s Spiritual Diary we will continue to look at the 130th Psalm.  I want to quote what Warren Wiersbe wrote at the end of his introductory commentary so we can better understand the direction we are going in as we continue to look at this psalm.  “No matter what our need, when we call upon the Lord in faith, He hears us and makes the changes needed in our lives.” 

 

From Guilt to Forgiveness (vv. 3-4)

“3  If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4  But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.”

I can say that these two verses are very precious to all who know the Lord, for in them we see the forgiveness that God has given to us, and that brings peace to our hearts.

In this section we have moved from the sea to the courtroom.

The word mark means to keep and have charge of and God is perfectly able to do this, however as we continue to read the verses we see that God is also ready to forgive us.  As we look at the portion in the Scriptures that tells us about what is called “The White Throne Judgment,” we see that although God is able to remember the sins of those who stand before him there, and all who do not accept the forgiveness that is offered by God through Jesus Christ will stand there, God opens the books and those there will have a chance to plead their case before God.  How will they do this?  They will speak of the good works that they have done “for the Lord,” but they will not have the forgiveness necessary to enter into heaven because they turned down the offer that God gives to have salvation through the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross.

Dr. Wiersbe concludes this section by stating, “If you take seriously the guilt of sin, you will take seriously the grace of forgiveness. Salvatio is a serious and costly transaction.”

 

From Darkness to Light (vv 5-6)

5 ¶  I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope. 6  My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.”

 In this section we have moved from the courtroom to the city walls where we find that the watchman are doing their job by being alert when the look out into the darkness in order to make sure that there is no danger approaching.  The guards have no way of making the sun rise any faster than it will rise, but when the sun finally rises they can again rejoice because they are still safe from another night. 

As we look at a person who does not know Jesus Christ as their Savior and then they come to know Him it is like the night is now gone and the Light of the Lord is now shining upon them as they come to know the Lord.  Jesus stated that He is the light in the Gospel of John.  Peter writes, “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1Peter 2:9).”  What a wonderful joy to be in His marvelous light. 

 

From to Bondage to Freedom (vv. 7-8)

“7  O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.”

We now move to the slave market and the key word in this section is redemption.  Redemption means “setting someone free by paying a price.”  When the Lord Jesus Christ finished His work that the Father had sent Him to accomplish He said from the cross “It is finished.”  After He said this He died. “John 19:30  Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”  I want to look at the Greek word that is translated “it is finished.”  The reason that I want to look at this word is because it was stamped on a prisoner’s charges that were brought against him after he was released from prison and that word in the Greek is “teleo.”  The English/Greek dictionary that I use states this at the end of the definitions for this word, “Christ satisfied God’s justice by dying for all to pay for the sins of the elect. These sins can never be punished again since that would violate God’s justice. Sins can only be punished once, either by a substitute or by yourself.”  This is what redemption is all about and our redemption came at the cost of God’s Son dying on a cross for us.

Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this psalm by writing, “The psalmist saw a future redemption for the people of Israel, as did Paul (Romans 11) and the prophets (Isa. 11, 60, 65-66; Zech. 12:10-14:21).  Christian believers look forward to the coming of Christ and the redemption He will bring (Romans 8:18-30).”  We will conclude this portion with these verses from Romans, “18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19  For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24  For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

   “ 26 ¶  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

    29 ¶  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30  and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am so very thankful for the light of God’s Word that was used to call me unto the Lord.  As I look at what God did on my behalf I am truly amazed and in awe, for to think that God would send His One and only Son to come to this earth to purchase my salvation, to bring redemption to me by dying on the cross.  I suppose that I do not think about this as much as I should and that is why I am thankful to have this brought to my mind in this portion of Scripture. 

Our Heavenly Father knew that we as believer’s would tend not to remember this and that is one of the reasons for the Lord’s Supper, to remind us of what Christ did for us on the cross.  It did not end on the cross for after He was buried for three days He arose again to life and we have that hope too.  “Titus 2:13  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  To continue to learn contentment and to also learn what the plans of God are for me to accomplish for Him.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:8-13

 

            8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of propecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  11 When I was a child I use to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child, when I became a man I did away with childish things.  12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.  13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three, but the greatest of these is love.

 

10/24/2012 11:20:18 AM

 

 

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