PSALM 19
Creation declares the glory of God verse 1- 6
The heavens declare the glory of God
and the firmament shows HIS handiwork
day to day utters speech
and night to might shows knowledge
There is no speech nor language – where their voice is not heard
their line is gone out through all the earth
their words to the end of the world
In them hath HE set a tabernacle for the sun
which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber
and rejoices as a strong man to run a race
His going forth is from the end of the heaven
and his circuit to the ends of it
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof
Description of the Word of God verse 7- 11
The law of the LORD is perfect
converting the soul
The testimony of the LORD is sure
making wise the simple
The statutes of the LORD are right
rejoicing the heart
The commandment of the LORD is pure
enlightening the eyes
The fear of the LORD is clean
enduring forever
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether
more to be desired are they than gold
yea – than much fine gold
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb
moreover by them is YOUR servant warned
and in keeping of them
there is great reward
David asks LORD to help with his sin nature verse 12- 13
Who can understand his errors? – cleanse YOU me from secret faults
keep back YOUR servant also from presumptuous sins
let them not have dominion over me
then shall I be upright
and I shall be innocent from the
great transgression
David wants his words to be pleasing to the LORD verse 14
Let the words of my mouth – and the meditation of my heart
be ACCEPTABLE in YOUR sight – O LORD
my strength – my redeemer
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His
handiwork.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
1982) (3519 כָּבֹוד [kabowd, rarely, kabod /kaw·bode/] n m. From 3513;
TWOT 943d, 943e; GK 3883; 200 occurrences; AV translates as
“glory” 156 times, “honour” 32 times, “glorious” 10 times,
“gloriously” once, and “honourable” once. 1 glory, honour, glorious,
abundance. 1A abundance, riches. 1B honour, splendour, glory. 1C honour, dignity. 1D honour, reputation. 1E honour, reverence, glory. 1F glory. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon
DEVOTION: World famous biologist Edward O. Wilson claims there may be as many as 1.6 million species of fungi in the world today, 10,000 species of ants, 300,000 species of flowering plants, between 4,000 and 5,000 species of mammals, and approximately 10,000 species of birds.16 But these large numbers pale into insignificance when you start examining the heavens, as David did, and begin to calculate distances in light years.
The Jewish people were forbidden to worship creation but David looked beyond the creation to the Creator and beheld His works and message being silently spoken. As he beheld the sunset and sunrise while shepherding his flocks, David likened the movement of it to the wonders of a bridegroom and a strong man. Both illustrations speaks of the glory and power that God was revealing for man to see. Man may ask where is God? If you will look up on a clear night and behold the revelation of His creation you will see His handiwork and like David declare His glory!
CHALLENGE: Go out some evening when it is clear and begin to count the stars! As you do realize how immense this world is and the message God is presenting you with. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 2 Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge. (1847
“knowledge” [da’ath] means discernment, understanding, wisdom, ability, the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning; sometimes simply endowed by God, skillful, intelligence, or insight)
DEVOTION: One of the abilities that we gain as we grow from being an infant to an adult is that our thinking ability usually improves.
One area that needs to improve is our understanding of the LORD and HIS word that is found in the Bible. This takes a lifetime to learn.
We start with some memory verses when we are small to the point where we learn doctrinal beliefs as an adult. There is no time when we know it all. Our knowledge is to increase as we continue learn more about the LORD through our study of the Bible.
Each day we need to study the Bible. That is one point that these devotionals are trying to help believers understand what each chapter of the Bible is teaching and how it applies to our daily walk with the LORD.
Too often many people who claim to be believers are not studying to learn more about who God is and their responsibility to HIM. Each person that has made a personal commitment to the LORD needs to do is to start in Genesis and move on to Revelation with the thought that each day there was something that needed to be learned and then apply it to their lives.
Our world is moving further and further away from the teachings of the Word of God and those who are believers need to understand this fact and be willing to share with others what we know the LORD wants them to know.
Some will reject our witness and teaching but others will listen and learn. Those individuals will understand that they need to make a personal commitment to the LORD and to the study of HIS Word, the Bible.
Once this is established then this verse will make more sense to the them because each day is a new day to learn more truth from the Bible and a genuine believer will enjoy this learning.
CHALLENGE: Are you a genuine believer? If so, do you fully enjoy learning more truth from the Word of God? We need to share what we learn with others who are willing to follow Jesus. Each day is a new day to share the truths of the Word of God.
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: 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of
the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (7725 “converting” [shuwb]
means to turn back, return, to bring back into original existence, use,
function, or position, allow to return, draw back, restore, or refresh)
DEVOTION: Adam when he was created was created perfect. He was given a perfect relationship with the LORD. He was given instruction on what he was to do in the garden. He was given a help-meet to help him with his responsibility.
The LORD gave him knowledge to learn as he got older in his relationship with HIM. He walked with the LORD in the garden of Eden. Everything was created perfect and Adam had that relationship with the LORD however, that changed when he listened to the serpent.
Now we find that we are born in sin and need a Savior which is Jesus Christ. HE came and died on the cross for our sins and for our understanding of what we needed to do to reestablish a proper relationship with HIM.
There needed to be a restoration in our relationship with the LORD through our commitment to Jesus Christ. Once we made that commitment to HIM we need to learn more about HIS requirements for us which are found in the Bible.
If we study the Word of God we will grow in our understanding of what HE expects of us and will be able to do it through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Each day is a new day of receiving the enlightenment of our understanding of HIS word and our service to HIM.
Our understanding has to increase with our actions each day. Each day is a new day of service to the LORD. HE brings us into contact with people who need to understand their position in Christ.
Our witness is to be used to bring others into a proper relationship with the LORD. It is called conversion. The life without Christ needs to be changed into a life with Christ in the heart of each person we witness to through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
CHALLENGE: Who are we witnessing to that needs the enlightening of their eyes to the truth of the Word of God?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:12 “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse you me from secret faults.”
(Secret faults, 5641 סָתַר [cathar], to hide oneself. to be hidden, be
concealed)
DEVOTION: Many times, we are unaware of our own sins and errors, because we do not truly see them for what they are. This is why they are called “blind spots.” Yet God sees us for exactly what we are like, and HIS judgment is perfect. Nothing at all is hidden from HIM, and we will ultimately give an account to HIM for all that we have said and done in our lives.
Sometimes we also seek to hide our weaknesses and failings, because we are fearful of others judging us because of them. Rather than seek out God’s approval and favor, we set our sights on the approval of other men. So we seek to hide in secret the very things that God wants to heal us of. It takes great humility to admit these things to God and to others. So, our secret sins and faults are hidden (1) first, from ourselves, (2) then others, and (3) sometimes (in an abortive attempt) from God.
But here David asks God to cleanse him even from those things which he is not aware of, but that God is aware of. His desire for personal holiness is so great that he asks God to remove those things which he has committed that he does not know he has done. This is in contrast to how he sought to hide the sins of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah after he had committed them. David learns that the forgiveness that only the Lord can give will restore the peace and fellowship with God that he so desperately desires (Psalm 51). David realizes that only when God makes holiness a reality in his life will he be truly holy.
Is there any area that you need God’s insight regarding so that you can come clean of all secret sins or faults, and see them as they really are? Have you recently asked the Lord to open up any areas of your life that HE needs to help you to change? Don’t settle for rationalizing your behavior(s) as “that’s just the way God made me.” HIS plan is for each of HIS children to grow in holiness while we are here on this earth.
CHALLENGE: This will take great humility to confess, and you will need to ask HIM for HIS plan of action in dealing with this, but it is worth the effort!! (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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: 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (2086 “ presumptuous” [zed] means arrogant, proud, or insolent.
DEVOTION: David is a servant of the LORD. As a servant, he wanted to serve properly. He wanted to do things right. He realized that he had a sin nature that he couldn’t control by himself. He asked the LORD to help him with his sin nature. He knew that the Creator of the Universe had the power and the ability to instruction him on how to keep his sin nature under control. There are two ways that God communicates with the world. There is natural revelation, which is creation. Then there is special revelation, which is the Word of God.
The ultimate revelation is through Christ who is the Word of God. We have the written Word of God in the Bible. It is inerrant. It is infallible. In the written Word of God we have the account of Jesus Christ coming to earth to offer HIS life for our sins.
David is asking the LORD to keep him from pride. David didn’t want to be arrogant in his relationship with the LORD. This psalm is a good description of the power in the Word of God. David knew the Word. He didn’t want to commit a sin out of arrogance. He didn’t want to feel that he could get away with sin because of who he was in God’s plan.
We are part of God’s plan. We need to examine our lives to see if we are doing things that are arrogant or prideful before the LORD. Our goal should be to live our lives pleasing to the LORD. We should be praying the same prayer as David. We should be meditating on the Word of God daily to know how HE wants us to live.
Study this psalm in relation to your relationship to the LORD. We need to be willing to ask the LORD for help with our sin nature on a daily basis. No one should think they have arrived at perfection while here on this earth.
CHALLENGE: No one should think they are better than other believers because they think they sin less.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Meditations of the heart – Word of God verse 14
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
David prays for his mouth and heart verse 14
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Law of the LORD is perfect verse 7
Testimony of the LORD verse 7
Statutes of the LORD verse 8
Commandment of the LORD: pure verse 8
Fear of the LORD: clean verse 9
Judgments of the LORD verse 9, 10
true and righteous altogether
more desired than gold
sweeter than honey
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 1
Heavens declare: Glory of God verse 1
Firmament shows HIS handiwork verse 1
HIS going from end of the heaven verse 6
HIS circuit verse 6
Nothing hid from HIM verse 6
LORD – Jehovah (Personal, Covenant keeping) verse 7- 9, 10, 14
Sight verse 14
Strength verse 14
Redeemer verse 14
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Bridegroom verse 5
Strong man verse 5
Simple made wise verse 7
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Errors verse 12
Secret faults verse 12
Presumptuous sins verse 13
not have dominion over believer
Transgression verse 13
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Knowledge verse 2
Converting the soul verse 7
Wisdom verse 7
Rejoicing verse 8
Enlightening verse 8
Servant verse 11, 13
Warned verse 11
Great reward verse 11
Understand verse 12
Cleanse from secret faults verse 12
Upright verse 13
Innocent verse 13
Words of mouth verse 14
Meditation verse 14
acceptable in God’s sight
Strength verse 14
Redeemer verse 14
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
David – writer of the Psalm verse1- 14
Servant of the LORD warned verse 11
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
19:10–11. David next disclosed his personal reaction to God’s perfect Law. He found the statutes desirable and enjoyable. In extolling their value to him, he compared them to gold and honey—they are more precious than gold, the most valuable commodity in the ancient Near East, and sweeter than honey, the sweetest substance known in the ancient Near East. The Law was not a burden to believers who were trying to please God with their lives. For David, keeping God’s statutes, which warned him of the dangers of folly and sin, brought reward. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 808). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Than much fine gold; than gold of the best quality, and in the greatest quantity. Sweeter also than honey; which was most sweet in those Eastern countries. The honeycomb; than that honey which the bees have most diligently wrought in their combs, and which freely flows from them; which is sweeter than the rest. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 2, p. 30). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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Ver. 10. More to be desired are they than gold, &c.] This refers to all the truths in the word of God; to all the doctrines of the Gospel; which, by good men, are more desirable, and by them more prized and valued, than all worldly riches and treasure. Yea, than much fine gold; more than gold, and the best of gold, and a great deal of it, than thousands of gold and silver; see Psal. 119:72, 127; Prov. 8:10, 11. Sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb; or the dropping of the honeycombs, which is the purest and sweetest of the honey; and what honey is to the natural taste of men, that is the Gospel, and the truths of it, to the spiritual taste of believers, Psal. 119:103 and when the presence of Christ is enjoyed, his love is shed abroad, and the blessings of his grace are partook of, the ordinances of the Gospel are very delightful, Cant. 2:3. eloquence, and eloquent orators, are sometimes described by mellifluous words; or by their expressions being like honey, and sweeter than that. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 607). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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10. “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold.” Bible truth is enriching to the soul in the highest degree; the metaphor is one which gathers force as it is brought out;—gold—fine gold—much fine gold; it is good, better, best, and therefore it is not only to be desired with a miser’s avidity, but with more than that. As spiritual treasure is more noble than mere material wealth, so should it be desired and sought after with greater eagerness. Men speak of solid gold, but what is so solid as solid truth? For love of gold pleasure is forsworn, ease renounced, and life endangered; shall we not be ready to do as much for love of truth? “Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Trapp says, “Old people are all for profit, the young for pleasure; here’s gold for the one, yea, the finest gold in great quantity; here’s honey for the other, yea, live honey dropping from the comb.” The pleasures arising from a right understanding of the divine testimonies are of the most delightful order; earthly enjoyments are utterly contemptible, if compared with them. The sweetest joys, yea, the sweetest of the sweetest falls to his portion who has God’s truth to be his heritage. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 1-26 (Vol. 1, pp. 273–274). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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7–11. Here the sacred writer makes a beautiful transition from the works of nature to contemplate the works of grace. Having celebrated the praises of Jehovah in his outward courts, he now enters the inner temple to adore him. And if the former preached Christ, still in much higher strains doth the latter. I would have the Reader remark with me, how much the sacred penman dwells upon the glorious and incommunicable name of Jehovah. No less than six times in three verses is that high and lofty name mentioned. And, in like manner, he maketh use of six different terms to denote Christ and his sacred word by. For, I take it for granted, the Reader is apprized that Jesus is all along referred to by what is here said. He is indeed the substance of the law, and the testimony, and the statutes. He converts the soul. He rejoiceth the heart. He is the Alpha and Omega of all God’s gracious dealings with men. And, therefore, is more precious than gold, yea, than the golden wedge of Ophir. He causeth them, as he saith himself, that love him to possess substance, yea durable riches and righteousness, Proverbs 8:18–21. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, p. 220). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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10. More to he desired are they than gold. The Psalmist now exalts the law of God both on account of its price and sweetness. This commendation depends on the commendations given in the preceding verses; for the many and great advantages which he has just now enumerated, ought justly to make us account heavenly truth the highest and most excellent treasure, and to despise, when compared with it, all the gold and silver of the world. Instead of the word fine gold, which the Latins have called Aurum obryzum, some render the Hebrew word a jewel, or precious stones, but the other translation is more generally received, namely, fine gold, that is, gold which is pure and well refined in the furnace; and there are many passages of Scripture by which this rendering is confirmed. The Hebrew word פּז, paz, is derived from פּזה, pazah, which signifies to strengthen; from which we may conjecture that the Psalmist does not mean the gold of any particular country, as if one should say the gold of Ophir, but gold completely refined and purified by art. So far is פּז, paz, from being derived from the name of a country, that, on the contrary, it appears from Jer. 10:9, that the land of Uphaz took its name from this Hebrew word, because it had in it mines of the finest gold. As to the origin of the word obrizum, which the Latins have used, we cannot say any thing with certainty, except that, according to the conjecture of Jerome, it signifies brought from the land of Ophir, as if it had been said, aurum Ophrizum. In short, the sense is, that we do not esteem the law as it deserves, if we do not prefer it to all the riches of the world. If we are once brought thus highly to prize the law, it will serve effectually to deliver our hearts from an immoderate desire of gold and silver. To this esteem of the law there must be added love to it, and delight in it, so that it may not only subdue us to obedience by constraint, but also allure us by its sweetness; a thing which is impossible, unless, at the same time, we have mortified in us the love of carnal pleasures, with which it is not wonderful to see us enticed and ensnared, so long as we reject, through a vitiated taste, the righteousness of God. From this we may again deduce another evidence, that David’s discourse is not to be understood simply of the commandments, and of the dead letter, but that he comprehends, at the same time, the promises by which the grace of God is offered to us. If the law did nothing else but command us, how could it be loved, since in commanding it terrifies us, because we all fail in keeping it? Certainly, if we separate the law from the hope of pardon, and from the Spirit of Christ, so far from tasting it to be sweet as honey, we will rather find in it a bitterness which kills our wretched souls. (Calvin, J., & Anderson, J. (2010). Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Vol. 1, pp. 323–325). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Christ is our Savior and example; the center of life for Christians.
INSIGHT
People can no more save themselves than they can fly to the moon. Both are utterly impossible. And because of our spiritual condition and the spiritual laws of God, we stand a greater assurance of making our spiritual condition worse instead of better by trying to save ourselves. Paul says that we were dead. We had decrees written against us that we were powerless to remove. God made us alive together with Christ and removed the decrees against us by nailing them to the cross (vv. 13-14). We must gain salvation by grace through faith in Christ or not have it at all. (Quiet Walk)
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CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1 John 3:21
This matter of “confidence” is absolutely vital to true prevailing prayer. Let me remind you how the Scripture puts it. Have you noticed that the word boldness is used in connection with prayer in the Scriptures? You often find it in the epistle to the Hebrews: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (4:16); or again, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19); or, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). Or consider what Paul says in Ephesians 3: “…in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by…faith” (verse 12). That is the way to pray; if our petitions are to be of any value, we must have boldness and assurance and confidence in our access.
How is this to be obtained? Well, it seems to me that we are here dealing with the answer, and it is a question of sonship. The consciousness of our sonship and the assurance of our sonship is to be determined by our love of the brethren. It works like this: If I am truly loving the brethren, then I remember that I am a child of God. Therefore, when I am before God in prayer I argue like this: “I must think of God now not as my Judge but as my Father.” John goes on to remind us of that in 1 John chapter 4. I do not come to God, therefore, in a spirit of fear, because “fear hath torment” (1 John 4:18). So, assured of my sonship, I know that God delights in me, that God indeed is much more ready to bless me than I am to ask to be blessed.
A Thought to Ponder
I must think of God now not as my Judge but as my Father.
(From Children of God, pp. 128-129, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Spiritual leaders should have an overall picture of the spiritual state of the church fellowship and its immediate and long-term priorities. Placing on the agenda of every meeting and long-term priorities. Placing on the agenda of every meeting of spiritual leaders the question, “What is the spiritual state of the fellowship?” (p. 210, On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg)
Compound Names of Jehovah
“In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:6)
There are seven compound names of Jehovah in Scripture which together provide profound insight into the person and work of our Lord. The first of these identifies Jehovah, the God of the Covenant, with the Creator “the LORD God [’Jehovahelohim’] [who] made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4).
On finding a ram to sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac, “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh [the Lord will provide]” (Genesis 22:14).
Contingent upon their keeping the law, God promised the people of Israel that “I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee [literally, ‘Jehovah-rapha’]” (Exodus 15:26).
Fresh from a miraculous victory in the first battle of the people of Israel, “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi [Jehovah the Victor]” (Exodus 17:15).
Once the Lord had commissioned Gideon to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, “Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom [Jehovah sends peace]” (Judges 6:24).
In a passage concerning the future regathering and conversion of Israel quoted in our text, we see that Israel refers to the “LORD our righteousness [’Jehovah-tsidkenu’].”
Finally, in the last verse of his book, Ezekiel describes the absorbing charm of the heavenly city and the One who will preside over it, claiming, “The name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there [’Jehovah-shama,’ Jehovah the indweller]” (Ezekiel 48:35). And best of all, He is all seven to us.
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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God Sings Over You
[God] will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
Seventeen months after our first child—a boy—was born, along came a little girl. I was overjoyed at the thought of having a daughter, but I was also a bit uneasy because while I knew a few things about little boys, this was uncharted territory. We named her Sarah, and one of my privileges was rocking her to sleep so my wife could rest. I’m not sure why, but I started trying to sing her to sleep, and the song of choice was “You Are My Sunshine.” Whether holding her in my arms or standing above her in her crib, I quite literally sang over her, and loved every minute of it. She’s in her twenties now, and I still call her Sunshine.
We usually think about angels singing. But when was the last time you thought about God singing? That’s right—God singing. And furthermore, when was the last time you thought about Him singing over you? Zephaniah is clear in his message to Jerusalem: “The Lord your God” takes great delight in you, so much so that He “rejoice[s] over you with singing” (3:17). Although this message speaks directly to Jerusalem, it’s likely God sings over us—those who have received Jesus as Savior—too! What song does He sing? Well, Scripture’s not clear on that. But the song is born out of His love, so we can trust it’s true and noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable (Philippians 4:8).
By John Blase
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As undershepherds, we must lead in constantly reminding the flock that worship is not confined to the expression of praise through singing, or even praise and prayer, but rather it is the offering of ourselves to God in daily obedience (Romans 12:1), and that only then is our more public worship acceptable to God. (p. 214, On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg)
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The most vital truth we must convey is that what is important is not how acceptable our worship is to ourselves or to others, but how acceptable it is to God – a priority sometimes forgotten. (p. 214, On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg)
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An example may help. I do not find door-to-door visitation easy in prospect, although one I engage in it I enjoy it. Our regular monthly visitation of homes near the church was on the same evening as our church prayer meeting so that prayer could be focused upon the visits as they were made, and then reported upon. To encourage people to join the visitation team, I realized that I needed to be a member myself. This meant that if it was my turn to lead the prayer meeting. I asked someone else to do it. It also gave me an opportunity to fellowship with another church member in make the visit, and to get the feel of the neighborhood and the response to our visits. Reviewing that work, far more people joined in with enthusiasm when the elders personally involved themselves in it than when they did not. (p. 216-7, On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg)
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There is a world of difference between going to a leaders’ meeting with our mind made up and knowing our own mind. It is doubtful if we should ever go with our mind made up, for that presupposes we will reject whatever else is suggested. Knowing our own mind means being clear as to our convictions and why we hold them. We may then share them coherently in a discussion, and at the same time we are wiling to adjust our opinions and alter our convictions as fresh light is shed upon the subject through what others say. (p. 219, On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg)
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