Saturday, October 21, 2017, 3:59 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Oh, To Be Like Thee.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Psalm 40
(Select vv. NIV).
He Lifted Me Out (vv. 1-3)
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to
me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the
mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me
a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of
praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put
their trust in him.
If you were to give your
testimony of God’s saving grace in your life, what would you say? How would you
describe what Jesus Christ did for you? For all of us? What difference has he
made in your life? Or, has he made a difference in your life? Is the only
difference he has made in your life that you now have your sins forgiven and
the assurance you are going to heaven when you die? Or, is there more to this salvation
than that? And if so, what evidence of that exists in your life? In my life?
What about our lives would cause others to “see and to fear the Lord and to
put their trust in him”?
Too many people today, at
least here in America, profess to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their
lives, but the evidence does not prove this to be true, for their lives are not
much different at all from the people who make no profession of Christ as
Savior. They do most all the same stuff, and watch the same sexually charged TV
shows and movies, the same disgusting comedians, and the same raunchy
commercials, etc. They also have the same attitudes, language, thinking, values,
behaviors and morals, too.
So, what should distinguish
the life of a believer in Jesus from one who does not believe? It is that Jesus
Christ lifted us out of that slimy pit, not that he just forgave us our sins so
we could remain in the mud and mire, unmoved by the gospel of our salvation one
iota. And, it is that he gave us a firm place to stand in him, and on our
faith, and on his Word so that we would no longer sink down into that mud and
slime, but so that we would walk in his truth and righteousness, free from
slavery (addiction) to sin.
In other words, Jesus died,
not just to forgive us our sins and to promise us heaven when we leave this
earth, but he died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. When we
believe in Jesus Christ, we are crucified with him in death to sin, and we are
resurrected with him to newness of life, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness. We no longer live our lives like we did before we
met Jesus, for if we continue to walk according to our flesh, we don’t have the
hope of heaven, but a fearful expectation of the fires of hell. But, if we walk
in the light as He is in the light, and we walk according to the Spirit, and we
are putting to death, by the Spirit, the misdeeds of the flesh, then we will
live with God eternally.
Trust in the Lord (vv. 4-5)
Blessed is the one
who trusts
in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who
turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God,
are the
wonders you have done,
the things
you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to
speak and tell of your deeds,
they would
be too many to declare.
Another distinguishing mark
of a believer in Jesus Christ is that he or she is not idolatrous. Our trust is
in God alone, not in the things, philosophies, values and morals of our
society. We don’t “immerse” ourselves in our culture in order to blend in with
the people of the world so that they won’t think Christians are weird, or so we
can relate to them, on their level. We don’t withhold the gospel from people so
that they won’t be offended by the gospel message, either, or wait until we
have known them for two years before we tell them about God’s saving grace.
Also, we don’t take the
attitude that Jesus/God does it all and that nothing is required of us, which
is an entitlement mindset. We, instead, have the mindset that Jesus paid it all
and, thus, all to him we owe. Our lives are no longer our own, to be lived how
we want. And, we don’t give our passion, heart, time, energies, gifts, talents
and commitments to the things of this world over and above or in place of
giving our hearts, time, passion, desire, will, obedience, commitment, and allegiance
to God and to his kingdom.
To Do Your Will
(vv. 6-8)
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears
you have opened—
burnt
offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is
written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is
within my heart.”
Jesus Christ is quoted in the
New Testament as saying this about himself in relation to God the Father (See:
Heb. 10:5-10). So, what is the message here? It is that, although the law did
require physical sacrifices and offerings, God did not desire them to be given
independent of true obedience and heart surrender to his will. In other words,
God is not interested in us going through the motions of religious exercise,
especially if our hearts are not surrendered to him and to his service. He is
not pleased with mere formalities and externals. He wants our all on the altar
(See: Ro. 12:1-2).
So, we can go to regular
church services, put our money in the offering plate, serve in ministry
positions within the organized church gatherings, and help the poor and needy, etc.,
and still not be in a right relationship with God and be pleasing to him. What
he desires is that we spend time listening to him every day, and that we follow
that in obedience to what he shows us. He is looking for hearts committed to
him and to his service (to his will), choosing his choices, and not our own. Jesus
bought us back for God with his shed blood, so our lives are no longer to be
our own, but Jesus is to be our only Lord (owner-master) and us his
bondservants.
Speak of Your Faithfulness (vv. 9-10)
I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not
seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of
your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the
great assembly.
Another distinguishing mark
of a true believer in Jesus Christ is that he or she is not ashamed of the
gospel of Jesus Christ or of Christ himself, but that he or she will talk with
others willingly about his or her faith. And, we will do so out of a heart of
passion for God and his gospel message, and out of a heart of compassion for
the people of this world (or of the worldly church) who are still bound in
their sins without hope of eternity with God.
We will actively be sharing
our faith and testimonies and the truth of the gospel of our salvation so that
many will hear and will be saved from their sins, or be revived, and be
transformed of the Spirit of God in mind, heart, and in lifestyle, so they will
know God and have eternal life with him in glory.
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Thomas O. Chisholm / W. J. Kirkpatrick
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s
treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of
compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the
fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy
love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like
Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy
fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
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