God Knows Me
BBC SEPTEMBER 2, 2007 GOD KNOW ME INSIDE OUT” PSALM 139 SUMMER IN PSALMS.
PSALM 139:13-18 13 FOR YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS; YOU COVERED ME IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. 14 I WILL PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; MARVELOUS ARE YOUR WORKS, AND THAT MY SOUL KNOWS VERY WELL. 15 MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU, WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET, AND SKILLFULLY WROUGHT IN THE LOWEST PARTS OF THE EARTH. 16 YOUR EYES SAW MY SUBSTANCE, BEING YET UNFORMED. AND IN YOUR BOOK THEY ALL WERE WRITTEN, THE DAYS FASHIONED FOR ME, WHEN AS YET THERE WERE NONE OF THEM. 17 HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE YOUR THOUGHTS TO ME, O GOD! HOW GREAT IS THE SUM OF THEM! 18 IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY WOULD BE MORE IN NUMBER THAN THE SAND; WHEN I AWAKE, I AM STILL WITH YOU.
INTRO: THE PROVERB - THERE IS A FAMOUS SAYING THAT GOES LIKE THIS, “TO THINE OWN SELF, BE TRUE.”
THE ANCIENT GREEKS KNEW THAT “THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING.” OVER THE GREEK TEMPLE AT DELPHI THE WORDS WERE INSCRIBED: KNOW THYSELF. THEY KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE AS THE KEY TO ALL OTHER KNOWLEDGE.
[1]
THE ADMONITION IS ONE OF BEING HONEST TO OURSELVES; ONE OF SELF ASSESSMENT OF ONE’S STRENGTH’S AND WEAKNESSES; ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ONE’S TALENTS AND SKILLS; ONE KNOWING THEIR OWN QUIRKS AND IDIOSYNCRINCIES.
THE PROBLEM THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH LIVING WITH YOURSELF AND NOT KNOWING YOURSELF. WITH THIS IS THAT OTHERS WILL IDENTIFY US, PLACE IDENTIFYING MARKS ON US AND THEREFORE LABEL US BUT ALL TOO MANY TIMES IT IS COUNTER PRODUCTIVE.
THE PARENT – ONE THING IS THAT A PARENT KNOW THEIR CHILD; WHAT THEY WILL MORE THAN LIKELY DO OR WONT DO; WHAT THEIR POTENTIAL IS AND WHERE THEY NEED TO WORK.
THE PERIL – NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHO THEY ARE UNLESS THEY TAKE CONSIDERABLE TIME REVIEWING THEIR OWN PERSONAL HISTORY; REVIEWING THEIR FAMILY HISTORY; RECALLING THE GOOD AND THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
THE PRINCIPLE - AND TO REALLY GET TO KNOW WHO A PERSON IS …WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING; WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THE PRESSURE IS REALLY ON; WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THEY THINK THEY CAN DO SOMETHING AND “GET AWAY WITH” UNDER THE CLOAK OF THE NIGHT OR THE DISTANCE OF HOME, FAMILY, WORK OR CHURCH.
WHATEVER WE DO, WHERE EVER WE GO, WHAT EVER WE PLAN AND WHATEVER WE PRODUCE; GOD KNOWS.
EXPL: WHO BETTER TO SHARE THIS TRUTH WITH US THAN DAVID. HE CAN SAY TO GOD SEARCH ME AND KNOW ME AND SEE WHAT’S IN ME BECAUSE HE LEARN ABOUT GOD IN ONE OF HIS DARKEST HOURS.
HE COULDN’T SLEEP ON A HOT NIGHT IN PALESTINE
HE SAW BATHSHEBA BATHING;
HE LUSTED AFTER HER BEAUTY
HE CALLED FOR HER AND COMMITTED ADULTERY
HE RECEIVED WORD THAT SHE WAS WITH CHILD
HE CONSPIRED AND CALLED URIAH TO COME AND DINE WITH THE KING.
HE TRIED TO CONVINCE URIAH TO SPEND TIME WITH HIS WIFE
HE WAS FRUSTRATED BY URIAH LOYALTY TO HIS MEN AND THE KING
HE MOVED URIAH TO THE FRONTLINE OF WAR
HE RECEIVED WORD THAT URIAH HAD DIED
HE THOUGH NO ONE WOULD BE THE WISER
HE WAS CONFRONTED BY NATHAN
HE FOUND OUT WHAT IS DONE IN THE DARK WILL COME TO THE LIGHT
HE FOUND OUT THAT GOD KNOWS US ALL TOO WELL.
HE REPENTED OF HIS SIN IN PSALM 51 AS HE SAID, CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT IN ME.
HE IS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.
PROP: THE LESSON FOR OUR HEARING IS THAT GOD KNOW US FROM THE INSIDE OUT
INTER: WHAT CAN WE DISCOVER ABOUT GOD THAT WILL HELP US TO KNOW OURSELVES BETTER.
TS: AS WE LOOK AT THIS PSALM WE WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT GOD AND THEREFORE LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSELVES
MP I. GOD KNOWS “ALL” ABOUT US
13 FOR YOU FORMED MY INWARD PARTS; YOU COVERED ME IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. 14 I WILL PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; MARVELOUS ARE YOUR WORKS, AND THAT MY SOUL KNOWS VERY WELL. 15 MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU, WHEN I WAS MADE IN SECRET, AND SKILLFULLY WROUGHT IN THE LOWEST PARTS OF THE EARTH. 16 YOUR EYES SAW MY SUBSTANCE, BEING YET UNFORMED. AND IN YOUR BOOK THEY ALL WERE WRITTEN, THE DAYS FASHIONED FOR ME, WHEN AS YET THERE WERE NONE OF THEM
1 OMNISCIENT – KNOWS IT ALL; KNOWS US ALL
2 OMNIPRESENT – KNOWS WHERE I AM; KNOWS WHERE ARE
3 OMNIPOTENT – KNOWS WHAT MAKES US TICK, HE MADE US – DVD SAYS, I WILL PRAISE YOU BECAUSE I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.
IMP. GOD HAS PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF US …ABOUT US…I KNOW YOU AS A PERSON BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.
TEXT: I AM THAT I AM
APP: LEARN MORE ABOUT GOD;
STUDY HIS WORD
MEDITATE ON HIS PRECEPTS
ILL: EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS…
KNOWING GOD
JOHN BUNYAN HAD A BLIND CHILD WHO WAS HIS CONSTANT COMPANION, AND OF WHOM HE WAS VERY TENDERLY FOND—“HE WOULD NOT LET THE WIND BLOW ON HER.” SHE NEVER SAW HER FATHER’S FACE, COULD ONLY DIMLY RECOGNIZE HIS MARVELOUS GENIUS, AND WAS SADLY INCAPABLE OF READING HIS IMMORTAL BOOK. YET DID SHE NOT KNOW HIM? IF ANY ONE IN THIS WORLD KNEW HIM IT WAS HIS LITTLE BLIND DAUGHTER. SHE SAW RIGHT INTO HIS HEART, KNEW HIM AS NO CRITIC, BIOGRAPHER, OR HISTORIAN EVER KNEW HIM. OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS MUCH OF THE SAME QUALITY AND KIND. HE IS THE LIGHT THAT NO MAN APPROACHETH UNTO. YET WE KNOW THE TOUCH OF HIS HAND, THE LOVE OF HIS HEART, THE POWER OF HIS STRENGTHENING PRESENCE. THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, TO KNOW GOD IN JESUS CHRIST.
[2]
MP II. GOD THINKS OF US
17 HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE YOUR THOUGHTS TO ME, O GOD! HOW GREAT IS THE SUM OF THEM! 18 IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY WOULD BE MORE IN NUMBER THAN THE SAND; WHEN I AWAKE, I AM STILL WITH YOU.
GOD GIVES US A PERSONAL REMINDER … GOD IS THINKING ABOUT US.
- HOW PRECIOUS ARE HIS THOUGHTS OF US; WHEN WE THINK OF THAT WHICH IS PRECIOUS WE THINK OF STUFF; PRECIOUS THINGS, PRECIOUS THINGS OF HEAVEN; PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS; PRECIOUS GEMS. THIS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE AND VALUE.
IMP FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD? IMP. GOD SEES US AS V.I.P’S AND HE IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT US; GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE DEEP, MIGHTY, FOLLOW INTRICATE PATTERNS AND DESIGNS THAT FORMA PLANS FOR OUR LIVES. IT SAYS THAT GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES IN ALL PERIODS OF OUR LIVES; HIS THOUGHTS ARE INEXHAUSTIBLE, VAST, AWESOME AND WE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THEM ALL; THEY ARE TOO DEEP TO COMPREHEND.
TEXT: OLD TEST: JEREMIAH 29:11 FOR I KNOW THE THOUGHTS THAT I THINK TOWARD YOU, SAYS THE LORD, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE.
APP: WE ARE THE OBJECT OF GOD’S AFFECTION …HE LOVES US AND IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT US….READ GODS’ WORD AND RECALL WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT US; ACT ACCORDING TO HIS WORD AND RECALL WHO GOD THINKS WE ACT LIKE…
GOD ADDITION - GOD IS COUNTING ON YOU. HOW GREAT ARE THE SUM OF GOD’S THOUGHTS; HOW VAST IS THE TOTALITY OF WHAT GOD THINKS OF ME; THEY ARE SO MANY…IF I COUNTED THEM THEY WOULD BE MORE THAT THAN THE GRAINS OF SAND ALONG EVERY SEA SHORE. I COULDN’T EVEN BEGIN TO COUNT THEM SINCE THEY OUTNUMBER THE SAND.
NUMBERS, COUNTING, STATS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN OUR LIVES: WE COUNT THINGS, PEOPLE AS WELL AS ACTIONS;
IN FUN OF SPORTS, WE COUNT SCORES WITH TERMS CALLED HOMERUNS, TOUCHDOWN AND PARS
IN FAMILY WE COUNT CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN…AS JEWELS IN OUR CROWNS
IN FINANCE: WE COUNT OUR THE INTEREST AND PERCENTAGES AS WELL AS DOLLARS AND CENTS,
IN THE BIBLE; FROM THE ST BOOK OF GENESIS TO THE LAST BOOK OF REVELATION THERE ARE NUMBERS. IN THE PENTATEUCH, WITHIN THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES THERE IS THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. THESE NUMBERS AR8E USED IN A LITERAL SENSE; LITTLE BOY HAD A LUNCH OF 5 LOAVES AND TWO FISH; AS WELL AS A SYMBOLIC SENSE, LIKE THE NUMBER 7 MEANING COMPLETION; OR 40 WHICH MEANS A TIME OF JUDGMENT OR TESTING.
IMP. NUMBERS SYMBOLIZE A MEAGER WAY WE CAN CONCEPTUALIZE GOD; WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS NO BEGINNING NOR END; WE KNOW HE WAS BEFORE WAS, BUT IN ORDER TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF WHO GOD IS AND HOW HE BLESSES US…THERE ARE NUMBERS.
TEXT: ABRAHAM WAS CALLED BY GOD AND BLESSED BY GOD…GOD PROMISES ABRAHAM THAT HE WILL MAKE HIM THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS, HE SAYS TO IM THE NUMBER OF HIS SEED, HIS FAMILY WOULD OUTNUMBER THE STARS IN THE SKY. GEN 15:5.
FROM THE STORY OF JOSEPH AND THE BEGINNING OF THE ISRAEL PEOPLE; THEY WENT FROM SEVENTY PEOPLE INTO EGYPT TO BECOME A LARGE, NUMEROUS, FRUITFUL AND A POPULOUS PEOPLE
WHEN MOSES WAS IN THE WILDERNESS HE SUPPLIED MANNA IN THE MORNING AND IN PREP FOR THE SABBATH; HE GAVE THEM A DOUBLE PORTION.
IN THE NT. JESUS CALLED 12 THAT TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN; FROM 12 APOSTLES, TO THE 70 DISCIPLES, TO THE 120 DISCIPLES TO PETER PREACHING WHERE 3000 GOT SAVED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
PAUL SAYS THAT GOD IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY AND ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE CAN ASK OR THINK – EPH. 3.
PAUL SAYS I RECKON…COUNTING TERM THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS LIFE ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED TO THE GLORY THAT SHALL BE REVEALED IN US.
APP: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. GOD IS COUNTING ON US TO COUNT ON HIM.
ILL: FOR THE CHRISTIAN, GRATITUDE SHOULD BE A LIFE ATTITUDE.
“COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS” WAS WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE PROLIFIC GOSPEL SONG WRITERS OF THE PAST CENTURY, A METHODIST LAY PREACHER NAMED JOHNSON OATMAN.
IN ADDITION TO HIS PREACHING AND THE WRITING OF MORE THAN 5,000 HYMN TEXTS, OATMAN WAS ALSO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN, ENGAGED IN A SHIPPING BUSINESS AND IN HIS LATER YEARS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR A LARGE INSURANCE COMPANY IN NEW JERSEY.
IT IS GOOD FOR EACH OF US PERIODICALLY TO TAKE TIME TO REDISCOVER THE SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND TRUTHS EXPRESSED BY MR. OATMAN IN THE FOUR STANZAS OF THIS HYMN.
IN THE FIRST TWO VERSES HE DEVELOPS THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS SERVES AS AN ANTIDOTE FOR LIFE’S DISCOURAGEMENTS AND IN TURN MAKES FOR VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING. THE THIRD STANZA OF THIS HYMN TEACHES US THAT COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS CAN BE A MEANS OF PLACING MATERIAL POSSESSIONS IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE WHEN COMPARED TO THE ETERNAL INHERITANCE AWAITING BELIEVERS.
CHORUS: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS—NAME THEM ONE BY ONE; COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS—SEE WHAT GOD HATH DONE.
MAKE A LIST OF GOD’S BLESSINGS. SHARE THIS LIST WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.[3]
THEREFORE…WE CAN TRUST GOD…ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
GOD KNOWS ALL ABOUT US
GOD THINKS OF US
GOD TEST US
MP III. GOD TEST US
. 23 SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TRY ME, AND KNOW MY ANXIETIES; 24 AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.
WELL IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME IN THE EDUCATION WORLD;
EXAMINES, TEST AND INVESTIGATES….GOD DOES AN INQUIRY
IMP: DAVID HAS A PERSONAL PRAYER …GOD DIRECT MY PATH; AND KEEP ME FROM IDOLATRY.
TEXT TEST AND TRY VS TEMPTATION – THERE IS A DIFFERENCE….
JAMES 1:2-4 2 MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS, 3 KNOWING THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE. 4 BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE ITS PERFECT WORK, THAT YOU MAY BE PERFECT AND COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING.
JAMES 1:12-17 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO ENDURES TEMPTATION; FOR WHEN HE HAS BEEN APPROVED, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE WHICH THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. 13 LET NO ONE SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, "I AM TEMPTED BY GOD"; FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE HIMSELF TEMPT ANYONE. 14 BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY BY HIS OWN DESIRES AND ENTICED. 15 THEN, WHEN DESIRE HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FULL-GROWN, BRINGS FORTH DEATH. 16 DO NOT BE DECEIVED, MY BELOVED BRETHREN. 17 EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, AND COMES DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHADOW OF TURNING.
ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD AND WAS NOT BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM.
JOSEPH WALKED WITH GOD AND DEVELOPED CHARACTER IN HIM.
APP: GOD IS ALWAYS DEVELOPING IN US CHARACTER
GOD USES ANXIETIES TO MAKE US BETTER AND NOT BITTER
GOD WANTS US TO HAVE CLEAN HANDS AND PURE HEARTS
GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT IT IS A BLESSING TO BE TESTED …
AND COME FORTH AS PURE GOD.
ILL: TESTED….
TESTED! (REVELATION 2:10)
THE WEATHER TEST—ARE YOU A SAILBOAT CHRISTIAN, MAKING PROGRESS IN THE LORD ONLY IF THE WINDS ARE FAVORABLE AND THINGS GO YOUR WAY? OR ARE YOU A TUGBOAT CHRISTIAN, PLOWING RIGHT AHEAD ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD EVEN THOUGH THE GALES ARE AGAINST YOU? (REV. 2:10).
THE WORRY TEST—IF YOU TRUST, YOU DO NOT WORRY; IF YOU WORRY, YOU DO NOT TRUST AS YOU SHOULD. HAVEN’T YOU FOUND THAT “HE KEEPS HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON HIM” BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN GOD? (MATT. 6:28; LUKE 12:27).
THE WORLDLINESS TEST—DO YOU THINK AS THE WORLD THINKS, GO WHERE THE WORLD GOES, ACT AS THE WORLD ACTS? DOES YOUR LIFE GIVE EVIDENCE OF HAVING YOUR AFFECTIONS SET ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS OF THE WORLD? (ROM. 12:1).
THE WALLET TEST—WHAT PROPORTION OF YOUR INCOME LAST YEAR WAS TURNED OVER FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD? WAS IT AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THE TITHE WHICH THE JEWS PAID BEFORE THE GRACE OF GOD WAS REVEALED IN CHRIST? (LEV. 27:30; NEH. 12:44).
THE WORK TEST—HOW MUCH OF YOUR ENERGY IS BEING GIVEN TO THE WORK OF THE LORD, AND IS IT A REASONABLE PORTION OF WHAT YOU ARE EXPENDING IN THE DAY-TO-DAY TASK OF MAKING A LIVING? (JOHN 9:4).
THE SOUL-WINNING TEST—ARE YOU BY LIFE AND LIP PRESENTING CHRIST SO THAT HE IS ATTRACTIVE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR AND LORD? (MATT. 12:30; ROM. 15:5, 6).
[4]
CLOSE: SEARCH ME AND KNOW ME AND TEST ME…THAT I MAY LEARN MORE OF THEE AND MY SELF….
CONSIDER THE TEST
TRUE OR FALSE..HE’S BREAD
HE WATER
HE BURDEN BEARER
HE DOCTOR
HE A LAWYER
HE’S A FRIEND
HE A REDEEMER
HE’S THE RESURRECTION
HE THE KING OF KINGS…
PROP: GOD WANT US TO GET TO KNOW HIM AS WELL AS HE KNOW US
----
[1]Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979
[2] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)
[3]Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Kregel Publications, 1990, S. 350
[4] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)