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NO
83:PSALM 50:16-23 (Today’s New International Version)
16.But to the wicked ,God says: “What
right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?
17.You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
18.When you see thieves, you join with them; you throw in your lot
with adulterers.
19.You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
20.You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own
mother’s son.
21.When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was
exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before
you.
22.Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces,
with no one to rescue:
23.Those who sacrifice thank offerings honour me, and to the blameless
I will show my salvation.
Hey great people… it has been two
weeks since our last Psalm, so to jog your memory, the first half
of this Psalm talks of the true meaning of sacrifice… that God doesn’t
NEED our worship, He wants our worship… because He wants US! Not
out of obligation, but out of love and commitment to Him. In verse
12 God is saying to us that He has need of nothing, for the world
is His, and everything in it… BUT… we are to sacrifice thank offerings
to Him, fulfilling our vows to Him,that He will deliver us, and we
will honour Him.
From verse 16, the Palm takes on a different colour, and is addressed
to the wicked.
This is the first of the 12 Asaph Psalms, and Asaph’s family became
one of the three families given responsibility for music and song
in the Temple (1st Chron 25: 1-9). The prophet/poet is speaking of
a day when Israel will be judged before all nations for substituting
formality and hypocrisy in place of true worship.
This part of the Psalm really calls out the truth of what many were
involved with… and that is speaking the Word with their lips, but
living a lie with their life.
When you actually read this in the context it is written… that is… GOD
SAYS TO THE WICKED… you must listen… as He says it straight… ’you
hate my instruction, you cast my words behind you…’
So many live a life where their seen and unseen lives do not remotely
look like each other… and defeat will always be the fruit of a life
like that. But God here is saying… Hey, don’t blame me… you cast
My wisdom, the Word of God behind you, as if it held no worth. He
continues to challenge every word that comes out of the mouths of
the wicked… reminding them that they can fool some, but they will
never fool God.
Verse 21 is interesting, as God says… ’when you did these things
and I kept silent, you thought I was like you, but now I arraign
you…’ which means, He will now call you to account for your mistakes.
This is a fairly serious statement if you consider it is coming from
God…..
IF you forget God, the word says He will tear you to pieces, with
no one to rescue… BUT those who honour Him, and to the blameless,
He will show His salvation.
I continually see TRUTH highlighted throughout all of our studies… that
GOD wants peoplewho live in TRUTH… not deceit, not living as they
please, but living to please God. And when it comes to worship… to
go through the motions of a sing-a-long, with not even a thought
to a heart encounter with God, is such a sad place to get to when
it comes to spirit and truth worship .To live in victory, you need
to live in truth…..We have been hearing it continually the entire
year… but don’t fool yourself into thinking that service TO God will
ever compensate for a life lived IN God. Living in Him, means constant
heart challenges, as you will be open to the powerful reign of the
Holy Spirit in your inner world…
This is vital, and initially is tougher.. but the freedom that REIGNS
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OBEDIENCE IN INCOMPARABLE.
WELL, I’LL LEAVE IT THERE….. thanks for another great weekend. We
had outstanding reports about the worship team right across the weekend… Praise
be to God!!! And Singapore was INCREDIBLE… one of the greatest trips
ever! All the Delirious guys send there love to you all…….
Be strong, be focused, be diligent, be loving, be fun… and represent
Jesus well!!!
Lovin ya’s…Darls.
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