PSALM 50
Mighty God has spoken verse 1- 2
The mighty God – even the LORD – has spoken
and called the earth from the rising of the sun to
the going down thereof out of Zion
the perfection of beauty
God has shined
God will not be silent verse 3- 6
Our God shall come – and shall not keep silence
a fire shall devour before HIM
and it shall be very tempestuous
round about HIM
HE shall call to the heavens from above – and to the earth
that HE may judge HIS people
Gather MY saints together to ME
those that have made a covenant with ME by sacrifice
God is not hungry for animal sacrifices verse 7- 13
Hear – O MY people – and I will speak
O Israel – I will testify against you
I am God even your God
I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings
to have been continually before ME
I will take no bullock out of your house
nor he goats out of your folds
For every beast of the forest is MINE
and the cattle upon a thousand hills
I know all the fowls of the mountains
and the wild beasts of the field are MINE
IF I were hungry – I would not tell you – for the world is MINE
and the fullness thereof
WILL I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
God wants thankfulness as an offering verse 14- 15
OFFER to God THANKSGIVING
and pay your vows to the most High
and call upon ME in the day of trouble
I will deliver you
and you shall GLORIFY ME
God lists HIS charges against hypocrite verse 16- 21
But to the WICKED
God says
What have you to do to declare MY statutes
or that you should take MY covenant in your mouth?
SEEING you hate instruction
and cast MY words behind you
When you saw a thief – then you consented with him
and have been partaker with adulterers
You give your mouth to EVIL
and your tongue frames DECEIT
You sit and speak against your brother
you SLANDER your own mother’s son
These things have you done – and I kept silence
you thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself
BUT I will reprove you
and set them in order before your eyes
God warns hypocrites to repent verse 22- 23
NOW consider this – you that forget God
lest I tear you in pieces
and there be none to deliver
WHOSO offers PRAISE GLORIFIES ME
and to him that orders his conversation aright
will I show the SALVATION of God
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 The mighty God, even the LORD, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof. (352 “mighty” [‘ayil] means a person who is strong and possibly a leader, greatness, highest, strength, high, a title of the true God, with focus on the might and power of God, majestic, or largeness.)
DEVOTION: God speaks and we are to listen who are HIS children. HE wants us to know what HE expects of us and so HE tells us in no uncertain terms. HE doesn’t leave HIS followers what HE expects of them. HE lets them know through HIS prophets and priest in the Old Testament. HE lets us know through HIS SON, Jesus and the disciples in the New Testament. HE doesn’t leave us with no counsel but with enough counsel for us to follow to be good followers of HIM.
In the Old Testament prophets were sent to the people to show them the way that God expected of them. If they didn’t follow HE sent judgment to show them that they were not listening and that there were consequences for not listening to HIM.
Today, HE sends judgment to HIS people to show them that they are not listening. It is more individual today rather than to a nation. HE wants those who claim HIM to study HIS word that is found in the Bible. HE still speaks through the teachings of the New Testament through the messages of good Bible teachers who love HIM.
Our response to the teachings of the Bible is very important. HE wants us to know that we are to listen form the rising of the sun until the going down of it every day of our lives.
If we listen, HE will bless us and give us the ability to live a life that is pleasing in HIS sight. It will be part of our witness of HIM to the world. Those who see us will want to know more about HIM if we stay true to HIM.
We need to confess our sins regularly and make sure that those around us know that we are not perfect but forgiven. They need to know that HE is a forgiving God and will bless those who are honest with HIM on a daily basis.
Are we listening to the LORD each day of our lives through the ministry of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in our lives? What change do you and I need to make because of HIS teaching today? Are we willing to grow in our knowledge of HIS word?
CHALLENGE: The LORD wants obedient servants.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 HE shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that HE may judge HIS people. (7121 “call” [qara’] means to shout, summon, proclaim, announce, to call in an official manner, to cry out, to invite, invoke, summons, or invite.)
DEVOTION: The LORD is still communicating with those who will listen to HIM. HE is still proclaiming HIS truth through creation and through individuals who are willing to speak HIS word in truth to others.
HE is going to judge one day and those who are listening will be blessed and those who are not listening will be spending eternity in hell with the devil and his angels. There is no middle ground with the LORD. There are no partial believers. There are those who will listen to his summons and those who will not listen to HIM.
Just like in the Old Testament times there were prophets that would come to the people with the Word of God to cause the people to repent of their sins and turn and follow HIM. So in the age we are living in now HE sends individuals to tell us the truth of HIS message of salvation and those who are listening will become followers of HIM and those who deny the message will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
There is no middle ground with the LORD. Either we are listening and following the LORD or we are not. The choice is given to every individual that comes into this world. Once they hear the message, they can either accept or reject. If they reject they will spend eternity in the lake of fire. If they accept, they will spend eternity with HIM.
HE is going to call to all those who have lived in this world to one of two places, either to the Great White Throne judgement for those who have rejected HIM or the Judgment seat of Christ for those who have become genuine followers of HIM. One group will be sent to hell for eternity. The other group will be taken to heaven.
CHALLENGE: Which group will you be in? Only you can make that decision.
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:14 “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay your vows unto the most High:” (“Vows,” 5088 נֵדֶר [neder] vow, votive offering. [Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software]).
DEVOTION: This psalm describes right and wrong worship. God is worthy of right worship based on His own character. While He commanded the Israelites to sacrifice animals to Him as a token of their obedience to Him, the psalmist comments that simply bringing sacrifices to the temple is an insufficient means of worshipping God. It is not as if God needed their sacrifices in order to be satisfied (verse 12).
In contrast to bringing in (animal) sacrifices simply out of pure habit, God wants His people to give Him the sacrifice of thanksgiving and to pay their vows to Him. Vows were a way for Israelites to make a serious promise or a pledge of something to God. A special vow was that of the Nazirite in Numbers 6, where the person promised to abstain from many things during the period of his devotion to God. The idea of a vow or a promise, then, is to devote oneself or something of value to oneself back to God with the idea of drawing closer in one’s relationship to God, and in so doing gain God’s blessing.
God does not require His people to make vows, since vows are entirely voluntary, yet remain serious. The vow we are most familiar with today is the vow of marriage, to remain faithful to one’s spouse for the remainder of his or her life. But once we have taken a vow before God, it becomes holy, and God expects us to live by it. Jesus also affirmed the importance of the marriage vow. Such vows are not to be taken lightly nor trampled upon.
CHALLENGE: Do you want to draw closer to God? Are you really seeking to worship Him rather than simply going through the motions? One means we can do so is by acting on our vows and carrying them out. A simple vow is to pledge to God you will spend time with Him in His Word every day. Can you make this promise to God? (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 21 These things have you done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was altogether such as one as yourself: but I will reprove you, and set them in order before your eyes. (2790 “silence” [charash] means to scratch, to engrave, to let alone, to be deaf, conceal, leave off speaking, or hold peace.
DEVOTION: There are many books written concerning the voice of the LORD. Some still think that HE is sitting in a rocking chair watching what is going on and not contributing to the activity of the world.
The Psalmist informs us that our MIGHTY GOD is speaking and we better listen to what HE has to say. HE doesn’t pull any punches. HE states what is happening in our world and HE is not happy.
HE wants those who say one thing and do another to watch out for HIS coming judgment.
HE gave illustrations of what HE is talking about. HE talks about those who speak evil in their life. They are busy putting down their relatives. They are busy consenting to the actions of a thief. They are busy partaking in sexual immorality while at the same time stating that they are following the LORD. They are hypocrites. The LORD confronts them. They think that because they are not judged right away that God doesn’t care. Nothing could be farther from the truth. They are wrong.
The King is coming. The Mighty God is coming. The time of HIS coming is unknown except by HIM. HE is going to gather HIS saints together unto HIMSELF.
HE tells the children of Israel that HE has need of nothing from them. HE owns the cattle, bullocks, fowls, and wild beasts. HE is not hungry. HE wants HIS people to offer THANKSGIVING to HIM.
Only those who offer praise to the LORD and who order their lives according to HIS word are going to have blessings from HIM. The LORD leaving us alone is not good.
We need to share this truth with our unsaved love ones. We need to share this truth with those who think they are saved. God holding HIS peace doesn’t mean salvation or there is no God. It only means HE is working HIS plan and HE is coming again. We need to be ready!!!
Examine your life to see if you are saying one thing and doing another. We can do this for a while but if we are genuine believers, HE will chasten us.
CHALLENGE: Warn anyone who is acting this way and not chastened that the LORD is long-suffering but not going allow them to see HIM in heaven.
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:22 “Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver:” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). Consider – 995 בִּין [biyn /bene/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 239; GK 1067; 170 occurrences; AV translates as “understand” 62 times, “understanding” 32 times, “consider” 22 times, “prudent” eight times, “perceive” seven times, “regard” six times, “discern” three times, “instruct” three times, and translated miscellaneously 27 times. 1 to discern, understand, consider. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to perceive, discern. 1A2 to understand, know (with the mind). 1A3 to observe, mark, give heed to,distinguish, consider. 1A4 to have discernment, insight, understanding. 1B (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding. 1C (Hiphil). 1C1 to understand. 1C2 to cause to understand, give understanding, teach. 1D (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligentl y. 1E (Polel) to teach, instruct. 2 (TWOT) prudent, regard. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: As I prepare to worship on the Lord’s Day, I sometimes ask myself what does the Lord desire of me as I lead, pray, proclaim and exhort His people? It is an awesome task to be entrusted with God’s people. Is it any wonder that Solomon asked for wisdom as he was placed in charge of the nation of Israel? God’s people today need to consider this wisdom in the church also.
God in His patience allows His people to do many things that are displeasing and disrespectful. He entrusts the instruction and discipline to his servant leaders to administer. In this psalm the Lord recaps to us some of the weaknesses of his people and his displeasure with those activities. Yet, as he reminds all of his displeasure, he also offers an opportunity for forgiveness and repentance.
As you prepare to worship take time to examine your position of worship. Are you humble and contrite or stiff necked and proud? Are you intentionally gossiping about a brother or sister in the congregation or praying for your and their heart condition? God may be silent but he is very attentive and protective of all his children.
CHALLENGE: As you offer worship is your attitude and conduct toward your fellow worshippers acceptable to the Lord? (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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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)
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)
Call on the LORD in day of trouble verse 15
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Made a covenant by sacrifice verse 5
Sacrifices verse 8
Burnt offerings verse 8
Offer to God thanksgiving verse 14
Pay your vows verse 14
Offer praise glorifies God verse 23
Offer conversation right verse 23
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Statutes verse 16
Covenant verse 16
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 1- 3, 6, 7, 14,
16, 22, 23
Mighty God verse 1
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1
Called the earth form the rising of the sun
to the going down thereof verse 1
Not keep silent verse 3
Call to the heavens verse 4
Judge verse 4, 6
Heavens declare HIS righteousness verse 6
Speaks to HIS people verse 7
Testifies against HIS people verse 7
Every beast of the forest is HIS verse 10
Cattle on thousand hills are HIS verse 10
Knows all the fowls of the mountains verse 11
Wild beasts are HIM verse 11
World is HIS verse 12
Most High verse 14
Promises deliver in day of trouble those
who call on HIM verse 15
Covenant with Israel verse 16
Going to reprove sinners verse 21
Salvation of God verse 23
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)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wicked verse 16
Wicked hate instruction verse 17
Wicked don’t listen to LORD verse 17
Thief verse 18
Adulterer verse 18
Speaking evil verse 19
Deceit verse 19
Speak against brother verse 20
Slander verse 20
Forget God verse 22
None to deliver from judgment verse 22
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Saints verse 5
Covenant verse 5, 16
Sacrifice verse 5
Thanksgiving verse 14
Call on the LORD verse 15
Deliverance verse 15
Glorify God verse 15, 23
Reprove verse 21
Praise verse 23
Orderly conversation verse 23
Salvation verse 23
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Asaph wrote this Psalm verse 1- 23
Zion verse 2
Perfection of beauty
Israel = HIS people verse 4
Hear HIM
HE testifies against them
HE reproves them
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
Ver. 23. Whoso offereth praise, &c.] Which is exhorted to, ver. 14. see the note there. Glorifieth me; celebrates the divine perfections, gives God the glory of all mercies; which honours him, and is more grateful and well-pleasing to him than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And to him that ordereth his conversation aright; according to the rule of God’s word, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ; who walks inoffensively to all, circumspectly and wisely in the world, and in love to the saints; in wisdom towards them that are without, and in peace with them that are within; who is a follower of God, of Christ, and of his people; and who lives so as to glorify God, and cause others to glorify him likewise: or that chooses for himself the right way, as Aben Ezra, the right way to eternal life; and the sense is, he that puts or sets his heart upon it, and is in pursuit after the evangelical way of life. To him will I shew the salvation of God; or, cause to see or enjoy it; not only temporal salvation from time to time, but spiritual and eternal salvation; to see interest in it, and to possess it; and particularly Christ, the author of it, who is the salvation of God’s providing, appointing, and sending, and whose glory is greatly concerned therein; see Isa. 52:10; Luke 2:25, 30. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 737). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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The two groups are addressed in reverse order. Verse 22 displays the twin characteristics of God’s wrath: that it is reluctantly unleashed, but irresistible once that point is reached. In verse 23 the word way is simply ‘a way’, not ‘his’ or ‘my way’; and there is much to be said for the rv margin’s translation, after Delitzsch: ‘… glorifieth me, and prepareth a way that I may show him the salvation of God.’ Whether in this translation or in the more familiar version (‘who orders [his] way [aright]’), it again dismisses any notion of our doing God a favour. The phrase (lit.) ‘he who sacrifices a thanksgiving’, while it leaves room for a literal sacrifice, is suggestive of an offering of pure praise, such as that of Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15. The giving—the salvation—is on his side; ours is to receive it with the delighted thanks and obedience it deserves. (Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 206). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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50:22–23. Asaph instructed the hypocrites to consider their ways before it was too late. Again he called on them to sacrifice thank offerings (cf. comments on v. 14) from hearts that are right with God.
So the psalm indicts God’s people for formalism and hypocrisy in worship. Jesus’ advice to “worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) provides the proper correctives for these faults. (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. 831). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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In the two closing verses, the writer succinctly summarized the characteristics of the kind of worshiper God is seeking (John 4:23–24). The true worshiper has a proper fear of the Lord and seeks only to honor Him in his worship. He obeys God’s will (“orders his way aright,” nasb) and is able to experience (“see”) the salvation of the Lord. When you combine these characteristics with verses 14–15—gratitude to God, obedience, prayer, and a desire to glorify God—you have a description of worshipers who bring joy to the heart of God. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., p. 186). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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50:22, 23 In the climax of the revelation of the coming judgment in this psalm, the Lord offers an opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness. This is an indicator of His grace. The Lord wants to save; His warnings are another expression of His mercy. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (Ps 50:22–23). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
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50:23 He who offers … thanksgiving honors Me. Cf. v. 14. This remains the remedy for mere ritualism. The conclusions of vv. 22 and 23 came in chiastic order, heightening the total impact of the psalm’s two felony charges (i.e., the recounting of ritualism, vv. 7–15; the recounting of rebellion, vv. 16–21; the remedy of repentance for rebellion, v. 22; the remedy of repentance for ritualism, v. 23). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 50:23). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
23. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.” Praise is the best sacrifice; true, hearty, gracious thanksgiving from a renewed mind. Not the lowing of bullocks bound to the altar, but the songs of redeemed men are the music which the ear of Jehovah delights in. Sacrifice your loving gratitude, and God is honoured thereby. “And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.” Holy living is a choice evidence of salvation. He who submits his whole way to divine guidance, and is careful to honour God in his life, brings an offering which the Lord accepts through his dear Son; and such a one shall be more and more instructed, and made experimentally to know the Lord’s salvation. He needs salvation, for the best ordering of the life cannot save us, but that salvation he shall have. Not to ceremonies, not to unpurified lips, is the blessing promised, but to grateful hearts and holy lives.
O Lord, give us to stand in the judgment with those who have worshipped thee aright and have seen thy salvation. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 27-57 (Vol. 2, pp. 390–391). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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23. If we explain these delightful words with an eye to the gospel church in Christ Jesus, then the sense will be lovely: for this will be to offer God the Father praise, in and through Christ, our great High Priest, our Altar, our Sacrifice. And to such the blessings of the Spirit are here most graciously promised, to lead and to guide into all truth, in beholding, and accepting, and rejoicing in God’s rich and free and sovereign salvation by Jesus. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, p. 323). 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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We cover plenty of news at BreakPoint. Most of our commentaries, in fact, address a breaking story or headline in some way. And, several times a week or more, someone in our audience will ask if we plan to address this or that news story. Sometimes they are asking for our take on a high-profile headline. Other times, they are asking about a story that’s been buried in the never-ending news cycle.
While we take every request seriously, we aren’t always able to follow through on every one of them. In our current news-saturated day, there are always more stories that pop up in newsfeeds than we could possibly cover. The constraints of time and space mean there’s only so much we can talk about.
And, to be clear, we’re not a news organization. That’s not what we do. Other organizations are set up to keep us informed about what’s going on in the world. Strictly speaking, our mission at BreakPoint is not even to tell people what to think about news stories. If the only outcome of BreakPoint is a group of people repeating what we’ve said, then we’ve failed. Our goal is to help guide people in how to think about the world and their place in it.
In other words, the headlines and news stories aren’t the “what” of BreakPoint; they are the “when” and “where.” This cultural moment is the stage of the play, not the plot. The news is where we see ideas and their consequences expressed, both good and bad. It’s where the philosophies that were born in ivory towers meet the reality of people’s lives, dreams, and decisions. Confusing the noise and chaos of the headlines as the Story of the world is the most common way Christians are lost in them.
The latest addition to the LGBT acronym is more than an individual ethical concern; it says something about what it means to be an embodied human being. A Twitterstorm calling for a minor celebrity to be canceled for something considered innocuous last year but unforgivable this year points to the innate and constant desire for justice within society and the human heart (and reveals how inadequate our basis for that justice is at the moment). Political disputes about abortion, racism, and liberty of conscience only make sense in the greater context of the divine imprint on each and every human being.
In the news, timebound stories connect to broader issues of truth, meaning, morality, and justice. Headlines point to where our lives intersect with God’s timeless work in the world. The challenges of our moment can only be placed and understood in light of the larger Story. We hope that in hearing us dissect these news events on BreakPoint, our place within God’s larger story becomes more obvious.
As a Christian, do you want to learn how to pray more faithfully? Do you need to learn more about prayer? One of the greatest gifts Christ gives us is instruction in prayer. Interestingly, it was the disciples who asked Jesus to teach them. Luke 11:1 tells us that the disciples came to Jesus and made a clear request: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” It is also incredibly interesting that when Jesus honored the disciples’ request, he first taught them how not to pray.
Sometimes, before we can really understand how to do something important, we have to understand how not to do it. (Break Point)
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Before You Pray: A Few Things Jesus Wants You to Remember
Do Not Pray Like the Hypocrites
The first thing Jesus tells us as we prepare to pray is “do not be like the hypocrites.” Jesus condemns all forms of hypocrisy but here he is speaking of a very specific, public hypocrisy. As we have seen, this display of hypocrisy is one that seeks personal attention for piety. Jesus explains the interior motive of these types of hypocrites: “they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
Of course, historically, Jesus is referring to the ostentatious prayers of the Pharisees, but we need to see this as a temptation for ourselves as well. You and I can easily succumb to the temptation to engage in hypocritical prayer that is about God in its formal address, but far from him in terms of the posture of our heart.
Jesus not only spells out what he does not want his disciples to do, but also what they are supposed to do: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Having a private prayer room can of course be a very useful tool for personal devotion to God. Yet Jesus’ teaching here does not suggest that the primary issue is architecture. The idea in this passage is seclusion. The real issue is not so much where you pray, but praying in secret so as not to parade your piety in front of others.
When we pray in isolation, we pray because we are seeking communion with God. In that isolation we find that true prayer is going to happen because we are not posing or posturing. The result of praying like this is a reward from the Father in heaven. The Father who knows what is done in secret will reward those who pray in secret.
Do Not Pray to Impress
The first corrective Jesus offers is that we should not pray to impress people. The second corrective Jesus offers is that we should not pray to impress God: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” God is not looking for long words, long prayers, and mindless repetition. We do not impress God with how great our prayers are. Jesus warns not only against the Pharisaical, hypocritical prayers; he also warns against the prayers of the pagan Gentiles who thought that they would be heard for their many words. They piled up meaningless phrases in meaningless repetition…
We find something similar in 1 Kings 18 at the battle of the gods on Mt. Carmel. The Pagan priests were furiously repetitive in their prayers and labored to get the attention of their gods, so much so that they even lacerated their bodies to attract their gods’ interest in their activity. Elijah used this as an opportunity to give a little theology of prayer. Due to Baal’s utter lack of response, Elijah mocked Baal’s priests by saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” Then Elijah demonstrated that God is not impressed by our many words. His prayer was simple: “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”
Matthew 6:8 is one of the most important verses in order to understand the Lord’s Prayer: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” If we come to understand that our Father knows our needs before we ask him, then far from leading us away from prayer, our prayer lives will be utterly transformed. We will see a sovereign God who is ready and able to answer our prayers, and who directs all things for our good and his glory. A solid biblical theology of God informs how we understand what we are doing when we come before his throne of grace with our requests and needs. (Albert Mohler)
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To the Fourth Generation
“Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” (Deuteronomy 5:9)
This seemingly unwarranted penalty imposed on the innocent grandchildren of the idolater cannot possibly negate the later promise of God through the prophet Ezekiel: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:20).
And certainly it cannot obviate the clear promise of Christ Himself in the last chapter of the Bible: “Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Anyone who desires to do so may accept the Lord’s gracious offer of salvation, regardless of the possible wickedness or anti-Christian religion of any of his ancestors.
At the same time, a man should realize that his decision to follow a false religion and then bring up his children in that false religion will almost certainly affect his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well. Many of the latter will actually be children while their great-grandfather is still alive. It is a simple fact that most children (though not all) will continue in their parents’ “religion.” They can, if they wish, choose to leave their parents’ religion and become Christians, but most will not.
What a great responsibility, therefore, each father has! He should quickly accept Christ (whose credentials as our Creator and Redeemer are impeccable!) as his Savior and Lord, and then diligently train his own children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Genesis 5:1-31; Matthew 1:1-17
Our past is important to our future as was seen yesterday with the genealogy of Christ. As we review the ancestry of Christ, we see the ways that God informs the readers of the perfect work of His plans. A careful search of scripture will reveal that the phrase “book of the genealogy” is only used twice. It is used in Genesis 5.1 and again here in Matthew 1:1. The first is the lineage of Adam and the second is of Jesus Christ.
The first lineage in Genesis is the genealogy of Adam and it has an important phrase in that ancestry account that is not included in the Matthew account. That expression is “and he died” (vv. 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, & 31). That phrase in and of itself speaks to the distinction of those only born into Adam’s family. Paul’s words in Romans 5:12-14 state it best, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – (for until the law sin is not imputed when there is now law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses…”. The ultimate reality of being born into Adam’s family is death.
How different is it for the one that is born again into the family of Christ? The ancestry of Jesus does not speak to the condemnation and the penalty of sin but declares death is not the final act. The implication of life extending beyond death is suggested in Matthew’s writing. In Hebrews 11, we learn of the faithful ones that looked toward the inheritance that God promised them. By faith they trusted in God’s provision of eternal life.
Romans 5 is appropriate to quote again as we see Paul’s thoughts regarding these two lineages of Adam and Jesus. “For if by the one (Adam) man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (5:17).
There is an old saying, “if you are born once you will die twice, but if you are born twice you will die only once.” Make sure that you are both in the lineage of Adam and Jesus Christ. Unless you trust Christ as your Savior, you are not member of the Divine ancestry of Christ. Thank Him for including you in His Family Tree!
With an Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller
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TEN TESTS: TESTS 7-10
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.1 John 4:16
Seventh, there is a desire to please God and to live a good life because of what He has done for us. The realization of His love should make us not only hate sin, but also desire to live a holy, godly life. If you do desire this, you love God, because our Lord said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me” (John 14:21).
Eighth, we have a desire to know Him better and to draw closer to Him. Do you want to know God better? Is it one of the greatest ambitions of your life to draw closer to Him, that your relationship to Him may be more intimate? If you have within you the faintest desire to know God better and are doing something about it, I say you love God.
I will put the ninth point negatively, and yet it may be the most important of all. I am referring to a conscious regret that our love to Him is so poor, along with a desire to love Him more. If you are unhappy at the thought that you do not love God as you ought to, that is a wonderful proof that you love Him.
My last test is that we have a delight in hearing these things and in hearing about Him. That is one of the best tests. There are certain people in the world—alas, there are many—who find all that we have been saying utterly boring; all that we have been saying would be strange to them. Such people are spiritually dead; they know nothing about this. So whatever the state of your emotions may be, if you can tell me quite honestly that you enjoy listening to these things and hearing about them, if you can say that there is something about them that makes things different, then I say that you know the love that God has for you.
A Thought to Ponder: Is it one of the greatest ambitions of your life to draw closer to Him? (From The Love of God, pp. 152-153, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The People Said, “Amen”
“Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 106:48)
Many is the speaker who, after he has made some point that he considers especially good, will then say: “And all the people said, ‘Amen’” (meaning “that’s right!”).
It is interesting to note the biblical examples of such a demonstration. There are 16 times in which this or a similar statement occurs in the Bible—all in the Old Testament. Twelve of these are found in Deuteronomy 27:14-26 with the people so responding after the pronouncement of a “curse” on those who commit various sins. The last curse is as follows: “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen” (v. 26) in agreement with the judgment.
King David described his thanksgiving for the return of the Ark of the Covenant with “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD” (1 Chronicles 16:36). When Jerusalem’s wall restoration was being delayed and Nehemiah had to rebuke some of his people for their covetousness, threatening God’s judgment on them if they did not repent, then “all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise” (Nehemiah 5:13). After the wall was finished, as Ezra read the Scriptures to the people, “Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen” (Nehemiah 8:6). The final such reference is in our text.
If we follow biblical precedent, therefore, whenever God’s Word is read to a congregation, either in denunciation of sin or thanksgiving for blessing and revival, or simply in praising the Lord for His eternal goodness, it is appropriate for the people to respond with a heartfelt “Amen!” (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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A Great Light
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. Isaiah 9:2
In 2018, twelve Thai boys and their soccer coach descended into a mazelike cave, intending to enjoy an afternoon adventure. Due to unexpected rising water that forced them deeper and deeper into the cavern, it was two-and-a-half weeks before rescuers led them out. Dive teams, thwarted by rising water, attempted the rescue as the boys sat on a small rock shelf with only six flickering flashlights. They spent hours in darkness, hoping that somehow light—and help—would break through.
The prophet Isaiah described a world of brooding darkness, one overrun by violence and greed, shattered by rebellion and anguish (Isaiah 8:22). Nothing but ruin; hope’s candle flickering and fading, sputtering before succumbing to dark nothingness. And yet, Isaiah insisted, this dim despair was not the end. Because of God’s mercy, soon “there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress” (9:1). God would never abandon His people in shadowy ruin. The prophet announced hope for his people then and pointed to the time when Jesus would come to dispel the darkness sin has caused.
Jesus has come. And now we hear Isaiah’s words with renewed meaning: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light,” Isaiah says. “On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (v. 2).
No matter how dark the night, no matter how despairing our circumstances, we’re never forsaken in the dark. Jesus is here. A great Light shines.
(By Winn Collier, Daily Bread)
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