Day 1 – Psalm 1

Posted on January 1, 2012 by dkoop

“Blessed…” Psalm 1 starts the same way Jesus starts the Sermon on the Mount.  The placement this Psalm as the first Psalm is no accident, for it points the way to blessing and warns about divine judgment. These are frequent themes in The Psalms.

The images in Psalm 1 would remind the reader of earlier teachings in the Old Testament. In Genesis, you find people walking with God (5:21, 24; 6:9; 17:1), the life-giving river (2:10-14), and trees and fruit (2:8-10). The law of the Lord connects the psalm with Exodus through Deuteronomy. Finding success by meditating on that law and obeying it reminds us of Joshua 1:8.

The psalm presents two ways – the way of blessing and the way of judgment. Jesus used a similar image (Matt. 7:13-14). Bible history seems to be built around the concept of “two men”: the “first Adam” and the “last Adam” (Rom. 5; 1 Cor. 15:45)—Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, David and Saul—and Bible history culminates in Christ and Antichrist. Two men, two ways, two destinies.

Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm and focuses on God’s Word, God’s blessing on those who obey it and meditate on it, and God’s ultimate judgment on those who rebel. Wisdom psalms also wrestle with the problem of evil in the world and why God permits the prosperity of the wicked who reject His law. Other wisdom psalms include 10, 12, 15, 19, 32, 34, 37, 49, 50, 52, 53, 73, 78, 82, 91, 92, 94, 111, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133, and 139. While this psalm depicts two ways, it actually describes three different persons and how they relate to the blessing of the Lord.

The Person Who Receives a Blessing from God (vv. 1-2)

God’s word is clear that He will bless a person’s obedience and judge their disobedience (Lev. 26; Deut. 28).  The person described here met the conditions and therefore God blessed him. If we want God’s blessing, we, too, must meet the conditions.

We must be directed by the Word (v. 1).  As God’s people today: we are in the world but not of the world (John 17:11-17). We must beware of friendship with the world (James 4:4) that leads to being changed by the world (James 1:27) and even loving the world (1 John 2:15-17). The result will be conforming to the world (Rom. 12:1-2) and, if we don’t repent, being condemned with the world (1 Cor. 11:32). Lot looked toward Sodom, pitched his tent toward Sodom, and soon moved into Sodom (Gen. 13:10-12; 14:12). Though he was a saved man (2 Peter 2:7-8), Lot lost all that he had when the Lord destroyed the cities of the plain (Gen. 18-19; 1 Cor. 3:11-23). We move into sin and disobedience gradually (see Prov. 4:14-15 and 7:6ff). If you follow the wrong counsel, then you will stand with the wrong companions and finally sit with the wrong crowd. When Jesus was arrested, Peter didn’t follow Christ’s counsel and flee from the garden (Matt. 26:31; John 16:32; 18:8), but followed and entered the high priest’s courtyard. There he stood with the enemy (John 18:15-18) and ultimately sat with them (Luke 22:55). The result was denying Christ three times. The “ungodly” are people who are willfully and persistently evil; “sinners” are those who miss the mark of God’s standards but who don’t care; the “scornful” make light of God’s laws and ridicule that which is sacred (see Prov. 1:22; 3:24; 21:24). When laughing at holy things and disobeying holy laws become entertainment, then people have reached a low-level indeed.

We must be delighted with the Word (v. 2). We move from the negative in verse 1 to the positive. Delighting in the Word and meditating on the Word must go together (Psalm 119:15-16, 23-24, 47-48, 77-78), for whatever we enjoy, we think about and pursue. “Meditate” in the Hebrew means “to mutter, to read in an undertone.”  If we speak to the Lord about the Word, the Word will speak to us about the Lord. This is what is meant by “abiding in the Word” (1 John 2:14,24). As God’s people, we should prefer God’s Word to food (119:103; Job 23:12; Jer. 15:17; Matt. 4:4; 1 Peter 2:2), sleep (119:55, 62, 147-148, 164), wealth (119:14, 72, 127, 162), and friends (119:23, 51, 95, 119). The way we treat the Bible is the way we treat Jesus Christ, for the Bible is His Word to us. The verbs in verse 1 are in the perfect tense and speak of a settled way of life, while in verse 2, “meditate” is the imperfect tense and speaks of constant practice. “He keeps meditating.”

The Person Who Is a Blessing (v. 3)

God blesses us that we might be a blessing to others (Gen. 12:2). If the blessing stays with us, then the gifts become more important than the Giver, and this is idolatry. We are to become channels of God’s blessing to others. It’s a joy to receive a blessing but an even greater joy to be a blessing. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The tree is a familiar image in Scripture, symbolizing both a kingdom (Ezek. 17:24; Dan. 4; Matt. 13:32) and an individual (52:8; 92:12-14; Prov. 11:30; Isa. 44:4 and 58:11; Jer. 17:5-8; Matt. 7:15-23). Balaam saw the people of Israel as a “garden by a river” with trees in abundance (Num. 24:6). Like a tree, the godly person is alive, beautiful, fruitful, useful, and enduring. The most important part of a tree is the hidden root system that draws up water and nourishment, and the most important part of the believer’s life is the “spiritual root system” that draws on the hidden resources we have in Christ (Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:7). This is known as “abiding in Christ” (John 15:1-9).

In Scripture, water for drinking is a picture of the Spirit of God (John 7:37-39; 1 Cor. 10:4), while water for washing pictures the Word of God (Ps. 119:9; John 15:3; Eph. 5:26). Thirst for water is an image of thirst for God (42:1; 63:1; 143:6; Matt. 5:6; Rev. 22:17), and the river is often a picture of God’s provision of spiritual blessing and help for His people (36:8; 46:4; 78:16; 105:41; Ex. 17:5-6; Num. 20:9-11; Ezek. 47; and Rev. 22:1-2). We can’t nourish and support ourselves; we need to be rooted in Christ and drawing upon His spiritual power. To meditate on the Word (v. 2) is one source of spiritual energy, as are prayer and fellowship with God’s people.

Trees may wither and die, but the believer who abides in Christ stays fresh, green, and fruitful (see 92:12-14). “Fruit” speaks of many different blessings: winning people to Christ (Rom. 1:13), godly character (Rom. 6:22, Gal. 5:22-23), money given to the Lord’s work (Rom. 15:28), service and good works (Col. 1:10), and praise to the Lord (Heb. 13:15). It’s a tragedy when a believer ignores the “root system” and begins to wither. We must remember that the tree doesn’t eat the fruit; others eat it. We must also remember that fruit isn’t the same as “results,” because fruit has in it the seed for more fruit. Fruit comes from life, the life of God flowing in and through us.

The godly person described in verses 1-3 is surely a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to John 14:6 is the way (v. 1), the truth (v. 2), and the life (v. 3).

The Person Who Needs a Blessing (vv. 4-6)

The first half of the psalm describes the godly person, while the last half focuses on the ungodly, the people the godly must seek to reach with the gospel. How desperately these people need to know God and receive His blessings in Christ! The wicked are pictured in many ways in Scripture, but the image here is chaff. In contrast to the righteous, who are like trees, the ungodly are dead, rootless, blown about, and destined for the fire. Chaff is worth nothing. When the grain is winnowed, the wind blows the chaff away, and what chaff remains is thrown into the fire. John the Baptist used these same images of the tree, fruit, and chaff to warn sinners to repent (Matt. 3:7-12). The wicked of this world seem rich and substantial, but from God’s point of view, they are cheap, unsubstantial, and destined for judgment. (See Ps. 73.) No wonder Jesus used the garbage dump outside Jerusalem (gehenna) as a picture of hell, because that’s where the cheap waste ends up in the fire (Mark 9:43-48). The chaff is so near the grain, but in the end, the two are separated, and the chaff is blown away or burned. But until that happens, we have the opportunity to witness to them and seek to bring them to Christ.

There is a coming day of judgment, and the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will separate the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats, and the trees from the chaff, and no unbeliever will be able to stand in the assembly of the righteous. The verb “knows” (NKJV) in verse 6 doesn’t mean that God is aware of them intellectually and has the godly in his mind. Rather, it means that God has chosen them and providentially watched over them and brought them finally to His glory. The word know is used, as in Amos 3:2, to mean “to choose, to enter into covenant relationship with, to be personally acquainted with.” At the last judgment, Jesus says to the wicked, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23, NKJV).

This psalm begins with “blessed” and ends with “perish.” True believers are blessed in Christ (Eph. 1:3ff). They have received God’s blessing, and they ought to be a blessing to others, especially to the unbelievers that will one day be thrown into the fire. Let’s pray and work to help unbelievers KNOW Christ.

 Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources:
 Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament
 J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible
The Treasury of David
 Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
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How can I experience God’s forgiveness?

Posted on December 21, 2011 by dkoop

 Experiencing God’s forgiveness comes through confession and repentance.

 For I recognize my shameful deeds—they haunt me day and night. (Psalm 51:3)

 This psalm was David’s written confession to God after a particularly sinful episode in his life. David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bathsheba and for murdering her husband to cover it up. He knew that his actions had hurt many people. But because David repented of those sins, God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too great to be forgiven! Do you feel that you could never come close to God because you have done something terrible? God can and will forgive you of any sin. While God forgives us, however, he does not always erase the natural consequences of our sin—David’s life and family were never the same as a result of what he had done (see 2 Samuel 12:1-23).

  God consistently forgives us each time we ask in repentance.

 If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. (1 John 1:9)

 Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our consciences and remove our guilt. But some believers do not understand how it works. They feel so guilty that they confess the same sins over and over; then they wonder if they might have forgotten something. Others believe that God forgives them when they confess, but if they died with unconfessed sins, they would be forever lost. These believers do not understand that God wants to forgive us. He allowed his beloved Son to die just so he could pardon us. When we come to Christ, he forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don’t need to confess the sins of the past all over again, and we don’t need to fear that God will reject us if we don’t keep our slate perfectly clean. Of course we should continue to confess our sins, but not because failure to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our relationship with Christ is secure. Instead, we should confess our sins so that we can enjoy peace and fellowship with Christ.

 May you receive the gift of God’s forgiveness.

 Darrell  

 Sources:  
Handbook of Bible Application
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
New International Version of the Bible
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“Forgive & Forget” and Other Myths of Forgivenss – Part 3

Posted on December 17, 2011 by dkoop

We’ve all heard the cliché “Forgive and forget.” Isn’t that nice?  The only problem is it’s impossible to do.  Where we have gotten this notion is from the fact that God says he will do this:  “I will forgive and will remember their sins no more.”  Hebrews 8:12   God will do this in eternity for our sins (when we trust Christ for salvation).   God can forgive and not hold it against us but it is not possible for us.  We are not God.

 In the first place, you can’t try to forget anything.  When you’re trying to forget something, what are you focusing on?  The very thing you want to forget.  And whatever you focus on, you tend to move toward. 

 The truth is, your brain stores every single memory you’ve ever had.  Doctors, brain surgeons, scientists know that if they were to open up your brain and take a probe and stimulate a certain part, they can bring back every single memory you’ve ever had in vivid color.  Your brain does not forget anything.

 It can be pushed down from trauma.  It can be repressed.  It can be put in the deep recesses of your mind.  But your brain doesn’t really ever forget anything.  In fact, the best way to forget something is to replace it.  You can’t try to forget anything.  You have to try to put something in its place.

 Actually, there’s something better than forgetting.  This will take you to a new level of spiritual maturity.  It’s remembering but it’s also realizing that God can bring good even out of bad.  Even though this terrible thing happened and it hurt a lot, you now believe that God will turn it around and use it for good.  You can know that God will use you to help someone else in the same situation.  Romans 8:28 talks about how all things are not good – in fact, there’s a lot of bad in the world.  But with God “all things work together for good.” 

 This is the difference between forgetting and letting go.  You remember it, but you let it go.  The Bible talks about letting go of the pain, letting go of the hurt, letting go of the resentment, letting go of the bitterness, not holding on to it, but that’s not forgetting.  In fact, the more painful something has happened in your life, the more likely it is that you’re going to remember it. 

 Some people think, “When am I going to get to the point spiritually where I forget all those hurts?”  You’re not going to get there.  The key is not forgetting.  The key is learning to see it through the lens of grace and through the lens of God’s sovereignty and through the lens of how God can turn even bad things into good in your life.  So it’s not forgetting what’s happened, it is seeing it differently. 

 Darrell

 Sources:
Building My Life on Values that Last – Rick Warren
The Gift of Forgiveness – Charles Stanley

 

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“Forgive & Forget” and Other Myths Of Forgiveness – Part 2

Posted on December 17, 2011 by dkoop

Forgiveness is not the same as restoring a relationship. 

 This is one of the most misunderstood concepts about forgiveness.  Some of you are afraid to forgive because you’re afraid you’re going to have to go back with that person.  And you’ll have to be their best friend again or you’ll have to remarry them or whatever.

Restoring relationship and forgiveness are two different things, the Bible teaches.  Forgiveness in some instances happens quickly based on decision.  Trust must be built over a long period of time.  The Bible says that those are two different things.  Forgiveness says, “I am releasing you.”  I will not take vengeance. But it doesn’t guarantee that the relationship will be restored.  Those are two different issues. 

So what is forgiveness?

Four Greek words, in the New Testament are used to express the concept of forgiveness:

There are two main terms:  one is a financial or accounting term.  If a  person is released from an obligation, such as a loan or debt, then that person is then forgiven.  What if your mortgage company called and said, “Congratulations you have been released from your obligation to pay out your debt!” That’s good news.

 The next concept is judicial term.  We hear of a judge that has “dismissed” the charges against a defendant. That person is then forgiven of any wrongdoing. 

 The other term means to “put aside” and the last term means to an means to “put away” 

 So the definintion of Forgiveness is  “to dismiss, to release, to let go.

 For Human Relationships to be Restored, three things need to occur that that are totally unrelated to forgiveness:

 1.   The person should demonstrate genuine repentance.  They have to show that they’re genuinely sorry before the relationship can be rebuilt.  Genuine repentance means a change in their lifestyle.  The word repentance means a change of mind, which then changes behavior.  This should be evident to restore a relationship.

 2.  They have to make restitution whenever possible for the damage done.  Restitution means to pay back or to make right to compensate for the damages.  Restitution needs to take place in a restored relationship

 3.  The offender must rebuild your trust by proving they have changed over time.   It is like being on parole. 

  “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”  1 Corinthians 4:2   When the Bible says to put our trust in God this is huge but it’s based on God’s faithfulness.  For trust there must be something trustworthy to trust in.  It takes time.

 Those are totally different from forgiveness.  If somebody repeatedly wrongs you over and over – let’s say somebody in your family or work or a former friend or a former spouse – somebody who repeatedly hurts you over and over and over.  You’re obligated by God to forgive that person over and over and over.  But you are not obligated to trust that person or instantly restore the relationship.

 Example:  An abusive alcoholic spouse batters his wife or her husband and does it repeatedly over and over until finally the spouse says, “No more!  You’re harming me.  You’re harming the kids.  You’re out of here.”  And they come back and they say, “I’m so sorry.  I’m ashamed of what I’ve done.  Please forgive me.  Will you forgive me?”  You are obligated as a Christian to say, “Yes, I do forgive you.”  Then they say, “OK!  So I can come back home?”  That’s another story!  You have to prove the trust.

It takes more that forgiveness to build a relationship.  It takes trust.  And trust is built over time.  They say, “But wait!  You’ve forgiven me.  Can’t we just go back to the way things were?”  No.  Trust must be rebuilt.

 Next we’ll look at the last myth, “Forgiveness is forgetting what happened.’

 Darrell

 Sources:
Building My Life on Values that Last – Rick Warren
International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft) 
The Gift of Forgiveness – Charles Stanley
 
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