Meditations in Zephaniah
 
1.  What must we do?  We must gather together before the Lord.
 
Zephaniah 2:1 – “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired.”
 
2.  Why must we gather together before the Lord?  Because we have become undesirable unto the Lord.
 
Zephaniah 2:1 – “. . . O nation not desired.”
 
3.  Why have we become undesirable unto the Lord?  Because of our sinfulness.
 
Zephaniah 1:17 – “. . . Because they have sinned against the LORD . . . .”
 
     a.  Because we have worshipped falsehood.
 
     Zephaniah 1:5 – “And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops . . .”
     (Remember that a pursuit after covetousness or self-interest is also false worship – See Matthew 6:24;
     Colossians 3:5; Philippians 3:18-19; 1 John 2:5-6)
 
     b.  Because we have mixed the worship of the Lord with falsehood.
 
     Zephaniah 1:5 – “. . . And them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham.”
 
     c.  Because we have turned back from the fellowship and service of the Lord.
 
     Zephaniah 1:6 – “And them that are turned back from the LORD . . . .”
 
     d.  Because we have not sought after the Lord or enquired for Him.
 
     Zephaniah 1:6 – “. . . And those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.”
 
     e.  Because we have disregarded any accountability before the Lord.
 
     Zephaniah 1:12 – “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish
     the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do
     evil.”
 
4.  When must we gather together before the Lord?  BEFORE His fierce anger come upon us.
 
Zephaniah 2:2 – “Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.”
 
5.  What are we to do when we gather together before the Lord?  We must seek for His gracious forgiveness and fellowship.
 
Zephaniah 2:3 – “Seek ye the LORD.”
 
     a.  We must come to a position of meekness before the Lord.
 
     Zephaniah 2:3 – “. . . All ye meek of the earth . . . .”
 
     b.  We must repent with broken-hearted conviction at the Lord’s judgment.
 
     Zephaniah 2:3 – “. . . Which have wrought his judgment . . . .”
 
     c.  We must pursue a pathway of righteousness and meekness.
 
     Zephaniah 2:3 – “. . . Seek righteousness, seek meekness . . . .”
 
6.  What hope do we have if we so gather before the Lord?  We may find hope in His mercy and grace.
 
Zephaniah 2:3 – “. . . It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.”

Posted in Meditations in Zephaniah, Rebellion against God, Anger of the Lord, Biblical Humility, Repentance of Sin,
​Grace and Mercy of God     

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Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:12 reads, “Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.”

Throughout Psalm 119 we encounter four primary themes.  First, we encounter the theme concerning God’s Word as the perfect guide for life.  Second, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his right relationship with God’s Word.  Third, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his desire to walk with the Lord through God’s truth.  Finally, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his suffering for the Lord’s sake.  Thus the theme of Psalm 119 as a whole might be viewed as – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His Holy Word.

Yet why did the Lord’s suffering servant have such a driving desire to seek the Lord through His Word?  Why did he exclaim in verse 5, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!”  Why did he make searching request in the opening portion of verse 9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?”  Why did he express the burden of his heart in the opening portion of verse 10, saying, “With my whole heart have I sought thee”?  The answer is to be found in the opening portion of verse 12, wherein this young servant of the Lord proclaimed, “Blessed art thou, O LORD.”  This young servant of the Lord was motivated to seek the Lord with all his heart through God’s Word because he was convinced with full assurance of faith that the Lord was abundantly worthy of his love, trust, submission, and service.  

In fact, throughout this psalm the psalmist gives notice to seven characteristics by which he was convinced that the Lord was so abundantly worthy, and by which he was moved to proclaim, “Blessed art thou, O LORD.”

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to five previous sermons:
                Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20    
                The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32    
                The Most High Uttereth His Voice - 2 Samuel 22:14    
                Sing Praise to the Name of the Lord Most High - Psalm 7:17    
                Dwelling in the Secret Place of the Most High - Psalm 91:1    

Psalm 77:10-12 reads, “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”

In Psalm 77:1 the psalmist Asaph presented a summary for the entire psalm, saying, “I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”  Yet the opening portion of this psalm (encompassing Psalm 77:2-8) does not present a scenario in which Asaph had a positive attitude toward the Lord.  The context and circumstance in which Asaph wrote this psalm was one of great trouble.  Even so, in Psalm 77:2-4 he stated, “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” 

Now, in the midst of this great trouble, Asaph did remember the Lord his God.  Yet at first his remembrance of God did not bring him to a place of comfort, but to a place of complaint.  Again in Psalm 77:2-3 he stated, “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.”  At the first Asaph’s prayer to God and remembrance of God brought him to doubt and question God’s loving care.  At the first he was not comforted or encouraged in the Lord his God.  Rather, at the first he complained against the Lord for allowing such trouble in his life and for not removing it more quickly from his life.  Even so, in Psalm 77:5-9 Asaph expressed his complaint against God, saying, “I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.  Will the Lord cast off for ever?  And will he be favourable no more?  Is his mercy clean gone for ever?  Doth his promise fail for evermore?  Hath God forgotten to be gracious?  Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.”  Indeed, at the first Asaph doubted and questioned the loving kindness of God, and the goodness of God, and the everlasting mercy of God, and the faithfulness of God, and the abundant grace of God, and the tenderness of God.  At the first Asaph, in the midst of his great trouble, had a negative attitude of complaint against the Lord his God.

Yet in the opening line of Psalm 77:10, Asaph confessed his wrong attitude, saying, “And I said, This is my infirmity.”  He acknowledged and confessed that his negative attitude of complaint against the Lord his God was his infirmity, his wrong doing, his sinful iniquity.  Even so, with this confession Asaph began the process of correction and change in his attitude toward the Lord his God.  With this confession Asaph turned the focus of his heart away from his troubles and away from his complaint against God for those troubles.  With this confession Asaph turned the focus of his heart toward God’s past faithfulness and toward God’s faithful character as demonstrated by His past faithfulness.  In Psalm 77:10-12 he declared, “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”  Having confessed his sinful attitude of complaint against the Lord his God, Asaph committed himself to enter into a three-step process for correcting and changing his attitude toward the Lord his God.  First, he committed himself to remember the faithfulness of the Lord.  Second, he committed himself to meditate upon the faithfulness of the Lord.  Third, he committed himself to testify unto the faithfulness of the Lord.  He committed himself to remember, to meditate, and to testify.

Yet upon what specific works and characteristics of the Lord his God did Asaph focus his remembrance, meditation, and testifying?  Yea, upon what specific works and characteristics of the Lord our God should we focus our hearts in our times of trouble, in order that we might have an attitude of comfort and encouragement in our Lord, rather than an attitude of doubt and complaint against our Lord?  What specific works and characteristics of the Lord our God should we remember, meditate upon, and testify unto, as we consider “the years of the right hand” of the Lord our God, the most high God?  The answer is to be found in the closing portion of Psalm 77, in Psalm 77:13-20.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20    
                                                                                       The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32    

2 Samuel 22:14 reads, “The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.”  The Lord our God as the most high God does indeed utter His voice in this world.  He does indeed involve Himself in the affairs of this world.  Yea, the Lord our God as the most high God does indeed move and work in the midst of our lives.  Even so, through a study within the book of the Psalms, let us consider seven characteristics of the Lord our God, the most high God, specifically in His relationship to His people and to this world.

Outlines in Psalms

“To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.”

  I.  The Cry of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:1-2)
 II.  The Confidence of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:3-4)
III.  The Commitment of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:5-6)
IV.  The Comfort of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 4:7-8)

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 145:1-2 – “David’s Psalm of praise.  I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.  Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.”

1.  The Lord is to be praised greatly for His greatness. (Psalm 145:3-6)
2.  The Lord is to be praised greatly for His goodness. (Psalm 145:7-9)
3.  The Lord is to be praised greatly for His gloriousness. (Psalm 145:10-13)
4.  The Lord is to be praised greatly for His graciousness. (Psalm 145:14-20)

Psalm 145:21 – “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

Thought from Meditation
(This thought is a companion to a previous thought:  When We commit Sin)

When we confess our sins unto the Lord our God
with a broken and contrite heart of repentance,
He forgives us of our sin's wicked offense against Him;
He removes the fire of His anger and the heaviness of His chastening from us;
He cleanses our soul thoroughly of our sin's disgusting filthiness,
so that our soul is made perfectly pure and white;
He works to renew the spirit of our mind and to transform the character of our heart
from spiritual corruption unto His righteousness;
He frees our heart from the influence of our flesh and the devil,
so that we might follow after the influence of His Spirit and His Word;
and He sows the seeds of His abundant grace in our lives,
to choke out the seeds of destruction that we have sown by our sinfulness.

Meditations in Exodus

In Exodus 3:16-17 the Lord God instructed Moses to go unto and gather together the elders of Israel and to deliver the Lord’s message of deliverance unto them.  Yet three times throughout Exodus 4:1-13, we find Moses questioning the Lord.  First, Moses questioned the Lord’s Word unto him.  In the opening line of Exodus 3:18, the Lord God declared, “And they shall hearken to thy voice.”  Yet Exodus 4:1 declares, “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.”  Second, Moses questioned the Lord’s work through him.  In Exodus 4:2-9 the Lord God granted unto Moses a series of miraculous signs whereby he could validate the Lord’s message to the elders of Israel.  Yet Exodus 4:10 declares, “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”  Third, Moses questioned the Lord’s wisdom in choosing him.  In Exodus 4:12 the Lord God gave His assurance unto Moses, saying, “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”  Yet Exodus 4:13 reveals Moses response, “And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.”

Thus Exodus 4:14 begins with the statement, “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses.”  However, throughout this discussion with Moses, and even after His anger “was kindled against Moses,” the Lord God continued to demonstrate the abundance of His grace unto Moses. 

Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.”

1.  Because the Lord is gracious. (Psalm 147:2-3)
2.  Because the Lord is great. (Psalm 147:4-5)
3.  Because the Lord is good. (Psalm 147:6)

“Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.”

4.  Because the Lord provides. (Psalm 147:8-9)
5.  Because the Lord shows favor. (Psalm 147:10-11)

“Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.”

6.  Because the Lord blesses His people. (Psalm 147:13-14)
7.  Because the Lord reveals His Word. (Psalm 147:15-20)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Weekly Sermon

1 Peter 2:6 – “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

 I.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is a Living Stone. (1 Peter 2:4)
II.  In Christ we also are lively (living) stones. (1 Peter 2:5)

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to three previous outlines:  And Forget Not All His Benefits - Psalm 103:1-5     
                                                                                       Bless the Lord, O My Soul - Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22     
                                                                                       Bless His Holy Name - Psalm 103    

The two themes that tie this central portion of Psalm 103 together are as follows:  (1) the mercy of the Lord that He displays toward us, and (2) the fear of the Lord that we are to maintain toward Him.

Psalm 103:8 – “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Psalm 103:11 – “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:13 – “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:17 – “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.”

Meditations in Jeremiah

In Jeremiah 30:10-11 the Lord our God proclaimed unto His people Israel, “Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

Although the Lord our God made promise to His people that He would never completely disown them and forsake them, but that He would eventually deliver them and restore them, yet He indicated that He certainly would correct them “in measure” and would not leave them “altogether unpunished.”  Even so, in Hebrews 12:5-8 God’s Word declares unto us New Testament believers, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to two previous outlines:  And Forget Not All His Benefits - Psalm 103:1-5     
                                                                                    Bless the Lord, O My Soul - Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22    

Psalm 103:1 – “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

  I.  Bless the Lord because He bestows spiritual benefits.
 II.  Bless the Lord because He executeth righteousness and justice.
III.  Bless the Lord because He is abundantly merciful and gracious.
IV.  Bless the Lord because He is everlastingly faithful.
 V.  Bless the Lord because He is the sovereign Ruler.

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 103:1-2 reads, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits [the benefits of spiritual revival]:”

  I.  He Remits (Forgives) All the Guilt of Our Iniquities. (Psalm 103:3a)
 II.  He Removes the Affliction of His Chastening Hand. (Psalm 103:3b)
III.  He Redeems Our Lives from Our Sin’s Destructiveness. (Psalm 103:4a)
IV.  He Restores Our Walk to His Blessed Fellowship. (Psalm 103:4b)
 V.  He Renews Our Souls in Abundant Spiritual Life. (Psalm 103:5)

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 100 – “A Psalm of Praise”

  I.  Serve the Lord with Gladness. (vs. 1-2)
      II.  Why?  Because He Is God. (v. 3)
III.  Give Thanks unto the Lord. (v. 4)
      IV.  Why?  Because He Is Good. (v. 5)